TOPIC:‌"And Don't Forget Your Bible"

                 by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

TEXT:‌I Peter 1:23-25; I Peter 2:1-3

‌‌"As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that ye may grow by it"

‌‌(I Peter 2:2).

‌In the Bible verses before us the Apostle Peter sets forth the challenging truth about the place the Word of God plays both as the source and secret of the Christian life.

‌Let me show you what I mean. As the source of the Christian life Peter compares the Word of God to a SEED - "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God" (I Peter 1:23). Physical life begins with an implanted seed. Spiritual life begins when the seed of the Word of God takes root within the heart. But as the secret of the Christian life four verses later this same Peter likens the Word of God to MILK - "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that ye may grow by it" (I Peter 2:2). There you have it. As a seed the Bible helps to produce life, but as milk it helps to nourish that life.

‌It is the purpose of this message to encourage each one of us in the feeding of our souls by the faithful and daily reading of God's Holy Word. I say to you, if you want to grow spiritually, don't forget your Bible.

I.

‌Let's consider, first of all, some DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS of this PRICELESS BOOK. I shall mention three of them.

‌For one thing, the Bible cannot DIE - it is ENDURABLE. Notice the words found in verse 23 of chapter 1: "the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." Again Peter writes in verse 25: "But the Word of the Lord endureth forever." It is eternal. It abides. While everything around us is temporary and transitory, the Holy Bible will endure forever. Isaiah the prophet declared: "The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8, NLT). . . .