Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Read God's word. Daily. Desire the Word of God. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk that by it you may grow up into salvation.
Welcome to the verdict with Pastor John Monroe, Senior Pastor at Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Just as our physical bodies need proper nutrition to grow, Our spiritual lives require the right nourishment to develop. Today, as we continue in 1 Peter, we'll discover Peter's practical guidance for spiritual health. what we need to remove from our lives, and what we need to crave instead.
Now, here's Pastor Jean Monroe with today's message. Read God's Word daily. The Apostle Peter was not only an outstanding evangelist, he was also a tender shepherd of souls. In chapter 1 of his first letter, he is encouraging his readers to long for the pure spiritual milk. just as newborn infants long for their mother's milk.
Previously, Peter stressed putting away all destructive actions and attitudes. He mentions nasty sins such as malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Confess these before the Lord.
Now with a pure heart, desire the word of God. The reason we have verdict is to preach and teach God's living word. Do you feel you're losing your desire for the Word of God? Listen now. as we think of the importance of reading God's Word daily.
If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, you want to grow. You want to please the Lord. You want your life to count, to be a blessing to others. How are you going to grow in your faith? Peter's going to tell us.
In verses 1, 2, and 3 of 1 Peter 2, he's going to give us great help. in growing in our spiritual life. He's going to give us the negative first and then the positive. Let's stand and read these verses. 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 1 through 3.
Will you read with me?
So put away all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk. that by it you may grow up into salvation. If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Amen.
Please be seated. He tells us to put away all destructive actions and attitudes. The first destructive actions and attitudes to be put away Our malice And all deceit. Then he says, and hypocrité. Hypocrisy is very common in Christian circles, isn't it?
Hypocrisy, put it away. But there's more. Envy and all slander. was envy, covetousness. Longing to what others have.
The Ten Commandment you shall not covet. Envy is the inward Attitude behind so much hypocrisy and deceit. Envy is wanting to have or be what others are or have. You look on someone else and you're full of envy. Put it away.
That envy so easily leads to slander, doesn't it? What's slander? Evil speaking. and criticizing people unfairly. Gossiping about people.
You don't know all the facts. But you're making a judgment. And you're slandering your brother or sister. Your envy of them had led you to slander your brother or sister in Christ. Proverbs 6.19, the Lord hates the one who spreads strife among brothers.
Wow, that's convicting, isn't it? Are you a unifier? Or are you a critic? And your group? You Criticize the elders.
You criticize the deacons. You have a critical attitude, and you tell others about it. You don't go to the leadership with your concerns, but you call strife. The Lord hates the one who spread strife among brothers. Do you remember Napoleon's Progress, John Bunyan?
has a character called the Mud Raker. And in one of the versions of Pilgrim Progress I have, there's a picture of the mudraker. He's got the rake, and he's in the mud, and above him is a crown. But he never sees that. He's always at the negative.
Always reaking in the mud. There are people in churches a bit like that, aren't they? they gravitate to the Mud in the And the muck. Don't be like that, brother. If you're serious about your spiritual growth, and I know you are, you and I have to radically deal with these sins.
Put away all destructive actions and attitudes. You've entered into a new life in Christ. These old clothes are totally out of fashion. God has given you so much more. put on these virtues.
These old sins are inappropriate in this family of love. We don't want them at church. These sins impede your spiritual growth and ours, and they are destructive of loving harmony. In the assembly of the people of God. Just think.
If these sins were put away. Begins with you. And it begins with me.
Now that's the negative. What's the positive? Verse 2. Desire the word of God. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk that by it you may grow up into salvation.
Our spiritual life begins with the Word of God. We're saved by the miracle of the new birth, which results from the living and abiding word of God. Chapter 1, 23, since you've been born again. Not of perishable seed, but of imperishable through the living and abiding Word of God. Verse 25, The word of the Lord remains forever, and this word is the good news that was preached to you.
The supernatural word as we hear the gospel. We embrace it, we embrace Christ, and our lives are changed. All else in life is insignificant. The glory, our own ambitions and dreams, they wither and die, but the word of the Lord abides forever. Paul describes it in Philippians 2 as the word of life.
It brings life to our souls. It nourishes us in our faith. We grow as we desire the sincere milk of the word. We have to long for it because it is supernatural, it changes our lives. to grow spiritually.
We need nourishment. And if we're born again. God gives us a desire, doesn't he? For his word. And Peter makes it easy for us to understand because he uses the analogy of newborn babies longing for milk.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk that by it you may grow up into salvation. What's the desire of a newborn baby? A cute outfit. Nicely decorated nursery. Fancy toys.
All these things are given to the mother. Uh when she has these showers before the baby's born. Showers that I never go to, by the way. I went to one. The first church, I never heard of them.
We don't have them in Scotland, fortunately. And I went to one and I thought, never again, I'm going to sit for hours watching people unwrap. Little presents for this unborn baby. I've offended some of you. I know, I'm sorry, but Goodney loves them, so you can invite her.
Uh Because now I'm told you have couples. It's really cool when a couple goes in, really?
So here are all of these wonderful gifts for the baby. The baby is born. the baby cares absolutely nothing for them. What does the baby want? A desire for the mother's milk.
And that's a wonderful thing. Because the baby's desire for the mother's milk is evidenced of a healthy baby. As long as you give that baby milk, and clean up the consequences of the milk. You've got a healthy and contented baby, don't you? The strong desire of the baby for the mother's milk.
You understand that? I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. I mean you born baby. I need nourishment. These Christians were living in a pagan world, a world where there was opposition.
A world Where they stood out, where they were marginalized, where they were ridiculed and persecuted, they were going to be strong. Where was that going to come from? From the milk Of the word. Long. for it, desired it.
The rabbis compared the law of God to milk. Let me ask you, do you long for God's word? Did you come here? Longing. To hear God's word preached.
Did you? Tomorrow morning. Do you pick up your Bible? And long to hear what God is saying to you. Jesus said in John 8, 47, The one who is of God hears the word of God.
How much time did you spend in this book this week? You say, well, I went to a Bible study, I came to church. That is great. I'm all for that, obviously. But I'm asking you something else.
How much time? You the Bible and the Holy Spirit spent.
Some of us like myself, we preach and teach. And we've prepared for that. That's great. I'm not talking about that. That is important.
But something is even more important, you. And me. Opening our Bibles, not because I'm going to preach. But because I need it. For my spiritual nourishment.
And the more we grow in our faith, the more we love the word of God. Here is the psalmist. Psalm one You know it well, many of you. Psalm 1 verse 2. The psalmist: The one who is blessed delights in the law of the Lord.
That's not a chore. He delights in the law of the Lord. Psalm 119. Psalm 119 Verse twenty-four: Your testimonies are my delight. They are my counselors.
We say, well, I have a counselor, yes. Here's the best council. The word of God, a delight. Verse 47 of Psalm 119. I find my delight in your commandments, which I love.
Psalm 97.
Sorry, Psalm 119 verse 97. How I love your law, it's my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the age, for I keep your precepts.
I hold back my feet from every evil way in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me how sweet are your words to my taste. Sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through your precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. Thomas says, your words are sweet to my taste.
In Psalm 19, he says about the word of God. It is More to be desired than gold. Yes, and fine gold. Sweeter also than honey in the honeycomb. The sweetest thing to David Was not honey, was the word of God.
The most precious thing to David was not his money, was not his gold, but it was the word of God. Long for it. Brothers. Sisters, you say, Well, I'm a new Christian, I don't know my way around this book. Start.
Start with the Gospels. Read about the life of Christ. Start with the book of Mark, the smallest gospel. Read one of the epistles, Philippians, only four chapters. You could read in about 20 minutes, one sitting, and pray for understanding.
Remember Jesus says we cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes. Present tense, that comes from the mouth of God. You cannot live spiritually apart from the Word of God. It is our nourishment. It's like the baby desiring the mother's milk.
And this word is given so that we might, Peter says, grow up into salvation. Yes, we are saved. But we're now wanting to grow in our salvation. To become strong in the Lord, to be equipped for every good work through God's Word, not desiring the word of God. Reveals a spiritual problem.
If that newborn baby doesn't want the mother's milk, remember in the first century there was no formula. There would be a real problem. If you don't desire the word of God, as a possibility. that you've never been saved. You're a professor of salvation.
but not a possessor. The other possibility is that you may be a follower of Christ. But you have not put away these destructive sins. You're going back to your old clothes. You're living like an unbeliever.
You may come to church, you may even attend a Bible study, but. Does they Bibles lead to dirty lives. Don't be surprised. If you're taking in junk food, that you don't have a wholesome appetite for the Word of God. In your physical appetite, if you're always eating Big Macs and sodas, don't be surprised when you don't have an appetite for a balanced, healthy diet.
Just as there are people with physical Eating disorders. There are many Christians with spiritual eating disorders. They're taking in junk food, spiritual junk food. Instead of loving the word, you're loving the world. Notice how Peter describes the word.
He says it is the Pure Spiritual milk. That word pure is the word deceit, dalas, with an alpha in front of it. That is, there is no deceit in it. The word of God is wholesome. unadulterated.
No water dye, no contaminants, no additives. You don't need anything beyond this. It is a pure. Pure spiritual milk. One hundred percent.
Safe. My opinions. And your opinions are not pure. If I give my views Social affairs, politics, all kinds of ideas. I may throw in some words of the gospel here and there.
But my opinions are not one hundred percent pure. Neither are yours. That's why at Calvary. Every time Someone comes behind this podium. They say Let's open our Bibles.
I can tell stories. I can make you cry, I can make you laugh, I can all kinds of ideas. But that is not the pure spiritual milk. of the world. The more you read it, the more you'll want to.
The less you read it, the less you will want to. Notice what Peter says as an encouragement in verse 3: if indeed you have tasted. that the Lord It's good. I thought about that. Think of it.
The living. Eternal Lord. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Peter. Quoting from the Old Testament says that we can taste of the Lord.
And the Lord It's good. Those of us who have been born again saved by the grace of God, we have tasted that the Lord is good. We've tasted of His mercy and His grace and His compassion. And the more we taste the Lord, The more we understand the depth of his goodness and kindness towards us. And the more we'll want to taste of the Lord.
And long for the pure spiritual word. Taste and see, says the psalmist of the Lord is good. Blessed is the man. who takes his refuge in him. Who do you turn to in the time of the crisis?
You turn to the Lord. Who do you thank in the good times? The Lord. We taste that the Lord is good. Even in the bad circumstances of life, the Lord is always good, and we always are to find our refuge in Him.
And the more you taste of him, the more you love him. Think of the beautiful picture. of the little newborn baby. nestling into the mother. and getting the nourishment.
from the mother's milk. That develops a strong bond, doesn't it, mothers? Hundreds of you have had that experience. A little baby. on the strong, intimate bond That grows and grows and grows as you love this little baby.
And does that baby understands you and and desires your milk and Begins a wonderful bond that will last throughout life of a mother and a child. We grow. And our love for Christ. The closer we are to him. And there develops between the people of God and the Lord that wonderful, intimate relationship.
Taste, brother. Sister, taste and see that the Lord is good. Pursue Christ. Look to Christ. Understand him.
Follow him. Seek first the kingdom of God with all of your heart, and you will know the goodness of God. It's very good for us, isn't it? Incredible. Grace upon you.
Great. It's goodness to us. In so many ways. Goodness to you as an individual. Goodness to us as a family when I Think when I say to goodness, we look back over the years, how good the Lord has been to us.
And we taste and see, we pursue the sincere milk of the Word, and we grow up into salvation. That's the delight of knowing Christ, isn't it? and of growing into salvation. Former saying to you. put away all the destructive actions and attitudes.
Will you do that? Every day. Pursue the Lord. Desire the sincere welcome of the word. Don't live as a Christian depending on your feelings and emotions.
Be rooted in the Word of God, which is 100% pure, utterly reliable. This is a way of blessing and maturity. Desire the sincere milk of the word. That by it you will grow up into salvation. Get rid of the junk food in your life.
Here is our theme. Read. God's word. Daily. Will you do that?
Let's pray, Father. We're convicted as we think of our our sins and yet we thank you for that. For our Saviour. Who comes to forgive and to save. And yet, there are things that we must do, and certainly we want to come with clean hands and a pure heart.
We repent of our sins. We put them away. And thank you again for the Precious blood of Jesus Christ. That lamb without spot. or blemish.
Help us know. To taste and see that the Lord is good. In Christ's name. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. And a message titled, Read God's Word Daily.
If you'd like to revisit any part of this message, visit our website at the verdict.org. As John mentioned, just as new born infants crave milk, we should hunger for God's Word. To help you further develop your understanding of scripture, we'd like to offer you a free copy of John's helpful booklet titled, For the Time is Near. While today's message focused on personal spiritual growth, this resource helps you develop an eternal perspective and a biblical big picture view. It cuts through common confusion related to Revelation and presents five key lessons that bring clarity to prophetic scripture.
Request your free copy by visiting our website at theverdict.org. Thank you for being with us here at the Verdict. Each broadcast reaches individuals at different points in their spiritual journey.
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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe with closing remarks.
Well, what's your verdict? Has there been a beginning to your spiritual life? Paul writes in Romans 10, that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.
So what a blessing it is to hear the Word of God preached. To read God's word for ourselves in our homes. If you have lost desire for the Word of God, will you ask the Spirit of God to reveal your spiritual problem? Are you feeding elsewhere? Is some garbage coming into your mind today?
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
