Daily Treasure

“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14).

You may have sat under teaching and preaching for a while and done personal Bible study. Hopefully, you have grown in the Lord.  Now it’s graduation day.  You see some meat on God’s table and you would sure love to sink your teeth into this. It would taste good with that glass of milk. Allow the Spirit to help you discern what you don’t understand. Never be afraid be ask questions of more mature Christians.  Stay in the Word and savor every morsel. God will reveal something new even in passages you have read time and time again.  I know this from my own experience.

Join me tomorrow for some more milk and meat. We’re going to add another course to our meal. Let’s get excited about what God has in store for us.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for our President asking God to guide him in leadership decisions just as He turns the rivers of water as He wills (Proverbs 21:1).

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).

As we look over God’s table, the first thing we may spot is a pitcher of milk. It’s the beverage of choice, especially for babes in Christ.  Peter uses the analogy of a newborn first craving milk. As a baby grows, the need for more than milk becomes evident. Remember when you were first saved? Did you want to jump into the Word. You had so much to learn, but growth didn’t happen overnight. You had to start out on the “milk” of the Word.  You just weren’t ready to dive into meatier things of the Bible. Just like you wouldn’t start a baby on solid food right away.

Many of us have gone past the “milk stage.” However, we must be careful not to lose any of our cravings for the Word.  Go ahead and fill up your glass. Nourishing and refreshing, that “milk” still does a body good.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for state congressmen and officials. Ask God to help these individuals seek the good of all men and walk uprightly before the Lord.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled”(Matthew 5:6).

Throughout the year we have made comparisons of  “body builders” physically and spiritually.  I think we understand how to take care of our bodies physically.  However, are we as well-versed in the process of being spiritually fit?  If we desire to build up one another, we must make sure we are taking care of our own spiritual body.  I like what our study writer says in her introduction, “While our bodies may seem healthy and physically fit, we can still be starving—attempting to survive with empty hearts, famished spirits and souls without power for purpose and meaning in life.”  If this describes you, it’s time to consider the title of this month’s study, “Feeding Our Souls.”   Putting yourself on a spiritual diet will be necessary.  Everything you will ever need to follow is found in God’s Word. Feeding on His Word must also become a lifestyle.

Today’s Scripture tells us if we hunger and thirst after things good and just, we will always be filled.  The problem is, too often we use the things of this world to fill voids in our soul.  This always leaves us feeling empty and dissatisfied.  If you lack spiritual nourishment, maybe it’s time to claim the blessing that goes with our verse: Be filled.

Go ahead. As our Treasure study writer urges,  “Pull up to the table God has prepared for you. Search the Scriptures and find milk, meat, bread and fruit to the satisfying of your hungry soul.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for local and county government officials. Ask God to help these individuals seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with their God.

“The Lord said to Moses, Tell Aaron that when he sets up the seven lamps in the lampstand, he is to place them so that their light shines forward”  (Numbers 8:1 NLT).

In Bible times, lamps and lampstands represented God’s presence among His people.  The priests were in charge of making sure the lampstands were burning brightly to signify the Tabernacle, the temple, the tent of worship was open for business.

God gave specific directions as to what type of lampstand were to be fashioned. He provided intricate detail  indicating the types of lamps (candles or oil-burning to be used. And, as we read today, instruction as to which direction the lamp’s light was to shine.

Here’s my take on all of this…

As we worship, coming into our churches or kneeling in our prayer closets, we must focus on the fact that God is present.  Not that He was present yesterday, last week or when the Israelites roamed the wilderness, but that He’s with us today.  We can use the instruction given regarding the lampstand to remind us that our today is illuminated with His presence.  His guiding light shines upon our next step. What was done yesterday by the Lord is worthy of our thanks, but who He is today, in the here and now, is deserving of our praise.

Is the light of your praise for God facing forward?  Are you praising Him regardless of what He’s done, the miracles you’ve seen Him do, the ways He has blessed you in the past? Or  are you in awe, reverent awe, of who He continues to be?

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Free Will Baptist believers in Panama as they meet for worship today.

“Please, Lord, prove that your power is as great as you have claimed it to be…”  (Numbers 14:17 NLT).

Moses spoke those words.  Moses.  The Moses who was the vessel God used for so many of His miracles.  The Moses who God chose to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  The Moses who had beginnings in a little basket floating on the Nile.

Of course, that Moses could dare pray a prayer like that—but, could I?

Might I dare ask God to prove His power in regards to the things I’d like to see done? In the lives of my unbelieving relatives? In the hurting heart of a very dear friend? In regards to the huge personal requests I’ve made for myself? About the doors only God could open?

Can I really ask God to prove Himself in the things closest to my heart?  Do I have the right?  Does He offer me that option? Most importantly, do I want them that badly?

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Ask God to move mightily in your worship service tomorrow. Pray about inviting someone God has placed on your heart.

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Colossians 3:13).

Today’s verse is a companion verse to Matthew 6:14, our devotional verse a couple days ago.  Why do you think  Scripture uses the word “forbearing” with forgiving?  Isn’t this what Christ does with us?  So many times we’ve had to come to him and cry out for forgiveness because of inner conflicts.

He never pushes us away.  He is truly “longsuffering.”   He has an unlimited supply of patience.  We, on the other hand, aren’t that gifted.  Sometimes, in the midst of conflicts we develop spiritual amnesia—we forget what God has done for us.

In light of all the times He has shown His mercy, shouldn’t we be willing to show mercy as well?  If we get in a quarrel, “nip it in the bud” before sundown. Ephesians 4:26 encourages us to “let not the sun go down on your wrath.”  That will be much easier to handle than letting conflicts go on indefinitely.

To treat physical or spiritual tension, use preventative measures and keep harmony in the body.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Amanda Kilgore, Tennessee WAC president,  as she enlists women of the Volunteer state in convention preparation.

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22).        

Did Peter ask his question regarding those who repeatedly say or do things to hurt us or our testimony?How sad when their actions cause conflicts within the body of believers.  Haven’t you ever wondered, how long do you tolerate people like that? How many times do you deal with it until you’ve had enough?   Do the math.  Somewhere between seven and 490, a resolution will be attained. As a Christian, don’t be guilty of carrying grudges or seeking revenge.  Keep on forgiving and see the impact this has on the lives of others.  It may have a special effect on those who often give you grief.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for believers in Malaysia, where persecution is often severe.