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&
Brooksyne Weber
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Tuesday,
June 20, 2023
Merry-go-round
for cows
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"Craving
Pure Spiritual Milk"
Note:
This morning I
am heading up
to the
Pennsylvania
Grand Canyon
area for some
bike rides
along with
Jimmy, a
friend. Not
sure how I'll
be able to
post but will
take my small
laptop just in
case.
Message
summary:
We should
always desire
the milk of
God's Word,
even the
simple,
familiar
truths.
Spiritual
hunger is a
vital sign of
spiritual
health.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Like
newborn
babies, crave
pure spiritual
milk, so that
by it you may
grow up in
your
salvation, now
that you have
tasted that
the Lord is
good" (1
Peter 2:2,3).
"But grow in
the grace and
knowledge of
our Lord and
Savior Jesus
Christ. To Him
be glory both
now and
forever! Amen"
(2 Peter
3:18).
We (especially Stephen) enjoy seeing the various ways people work for a living. Thus our vacations will sometimes also include factory tours, the most notable one being in the late 90's when we visited the huge factory where they build the Boeing 747 in Everett, Washington. Our role as company chaplains gets us into a variety of work settings as well as our other associations in life so I learn a lot through these experiences and settings.
We (especially Stephen) enjoy seeing the various ways people work for a living. Thus our vacations will sometimes also include factory tours, the most notable one being in the late 90's when we visited the huge factory where they build the Boeing 747 in Everett, Washington. Our role as company chaplains gets us into a variety of work settings as well as our other associations in life so I learn a lot through these experiences and settings.
Last
Friday evening
we had dinner
with Bob and
his wife
Robin, along
with some
other friends,
who are
members of our
ABF class.
They operate a
large dairy
farm and Bob
wanted to show
us his new
milking
parlor. The
apparatus
looks like a
merry-go-round,
although I am
sure that's
not what it's
called! (An
alert reader
informed me
it's called a
carousel
milker.)
The
cows come on
to the
merry-go-round
on one side
where their
udders are
cleaned and
the milkers
are put on
manually (not
robots!) As
they slowly go
around they
are being
milked. The
machine senses
when they are
finished
milking and
the milkers
come off
automatically.
They depart
from the other
side with
another udder
cleaning. It's
quite a
contrast to
the hand
milking into a
pail!
The
illustrations
of the Bible
are cross
cultural and
cross
generational.
After all, we
still have
cows and we
still drink
milk. I had
milk today on
my cereal.
Peter
uses a milk
illustration
in the daily
text. Being
hungry is a
sign of
physical
health. A
failure to
have an
appetite is a
sign of ill
health. Peter
applies this
to the
spiritual
appetite using
hungry babies
as an example.
"Like
newborn
babies, crave
pure spiritual
milk".
A number of years ago when we pastored in Massachusetts I came into the house after church one evening and noticed a glass of milk sitting on the kitchen table. It had some crumbs in it but I was thirsty so I drank it. Brooksyne came in and noticed it was gone and asked me about it so I told her. She laughed as she informed that the glass was a compilation of what was left over in small cups after a group of children had all they wanted and it was intended for our dog! O well, I guess I just had a craving for some milk and it obviously didn't kill me.
Peter says we are to "crave pure spiritual milk". The Greek word for "crave" means an "intense longing". God has provided in His Word spiritual milk. It's interesting to me that in several other Scripture portions milk is conveyed as something that is the beginning point from which we are to advance. But Peter reminds his readers that they are to always have a desire for the spiritual milk. His appeal is to all believers, not just new ones.
A number of years ago when we pastored in Massachusetts I came into the house after church one evening and noticed a glass of milk sitting on the kitchen table. It had some crumbs in it but I was thirsty so I drank it. Brooksyne came in and noticed it was gone and asked me about it so I told her. She laughed as she informed that the glass was a compilation of what was left over in small cups after a group of children had all they wanted and it was intended for our dog! O well, I guess I just had a craving for some milk and it obviously didn't kill me.
Peter says we are to "crave pure spiritual milk". The Greek word for "crave" means an "intense longing". God has provided in His Word spiritual milk. It's interesting to me that in several other Scripture portions milk is conveyed as something that is the beginning point from which we are to advance. But Peter reminds his readers that they are to always have a desire for the spiritual milk. His appeal is to all believers, not just new ones.
The
purpose is, "so
that by it you
may grow up in
your
salvation".
Just as
adequate
nutrition is
essential to
make us grow
physically the
same is true
spiritually.
Growing up in
our salvation
is a lifelong
pursuit!
"Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good". Perhaps Peter was alluding to Psalm 34:8, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good".
I
hope I will
always have a
desire for the
milk of God's
Word, even the
simple,
familiar
truths.
Spiritual
hunger is a
vital sign of
spiritual
health.
Whether we're
new in our
faith or have
walked with
the Lord for
many years,
like newborn
babies we are
to crave pure
spiritual
milk. I recall
a line in the
old hymn, "I
love to tell
the story"
which states,
"for those who
know it best,
seem hungering
and thirsting
to hear it
like the
rest". May
that always be
true in our
lives!
Daily
prayer: Father,
we desire to
have a healthy
craving for
Your truths
and to grow in
the grace and
knowledge
imparted to us
through the
teachings of
Jesus and Your
faithful
servants
inspired and
led by the
Holy Spirit.
We know this
involves much
more than
simply reading
the
Scriptures,
but it
includes
meditating and
memorizing
principles and
portions of
the inspired
text. It
includes
saying "no to
ungodliness
and worldly
passions and
living
self-controlled,
upright and
godly lives in
this present
age". As our
world
continues the
slide into
decadence and
self-indulgence,
it means that
we, with great
intention, set
our heart's
desires on
that which is
pure and holy
so that we
grow in the
grace and
knowledge of
our Lord and
Savior Jesus
Christ in
whose name we
pray. Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Psalm
34 - Taste and
See"
Click
to listen on
YouTube
Shane &
Shane
"I
Love To Tell
The Story"
Click
to listen on
YouTube
A Cappella
The
cows enter
just before
this spot
where a worker
cleans their
teats (Bob
stressed they
are pronounced
tēēts) and
another dries
them off. The
third worker
places the
milkers on. A
scanner
identifies
each cow and
once the
milkers are in
place their
yield is
recorded in
real time.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
Bob
took us down
below and it
appears the
cows are
enjoying their
merry-go-round
ride! I showed
the photos to
a friend last
night and he
said "For the
cows it's a
mooooving
experience"!
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
A
scenic
Lancaster
County rural
view from Bob
and Robin's
home. The
recent rains
are greening
up the fields
but we need
more.
Finally
today:
Last
night our
long-time
friends Tom
and Marsha (40
years plus)
stopped by for
a visit, along
with their
granddaughter
Kylee. Today
they are going
to Sight and
Sound. Tom and
Marsha were
tremendous
blessings to
us and our
congregation
during our
years of
ministry in
northern PA.
They continue
to faithfully
serve the Lord
and Tom has
various
preaching
opportunities.
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WEBER -
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In considering support we are so pleased when we hear from you, our readers, that our messages are a source of teaching and encouragement to you. We also urge you to consider the mission aspect of these daily teachings that are freely available and read by many all over the world.
To
donate
directly
online
click here.
(This will
open to a page
that
designates the
offering
to: STEPHEN
&
BROOKSYNE
WEBER -
700001-237376 SERVING
IN SPECIALIZED
CHAPLAINCY)
If
you desire you
can also
donate
directly
through PayPal
using this link.
This will open
to a page that
states
"Brooksyne
Weber". We
keep this
option
available due
to the
familiarity,
convenience,
for
international
supporters,
and for those
who may not
need an
official
receipt. You
can also set
up for
recurring
donations.
Thank
you,
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
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Wordpress
iHeart
radioPermissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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