Coffee With The Lord

Little babies don’t need “junk food” – try to feed ‘em that stuff and it could kill them! The best thing for a brand-new infant is “Mamma’s milk” – and it’s natural for a baby to “crave it!” They have an appetite for it (and believe me, a healthy baby will let you know when they need it and want it!) Something is desperately wrong when they don’t have an appetite for it!

That reality came to mind as I read the following verses this morning (and it was reinforced by an experienced mother – my wife – who during her devotions read these verses to me from the New Living Translation of the Bible)…

“Get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech [that’s the “junk”]. Instead LIKE NEWBORN BABIES, CRAVE THE PURE SPIRITUAL MILK so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation! CRY OUT FOR THIS NOURISHMENT, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness!” (1 Peter 2:1–3 NLT)

Now the context of those verses makes it clear that the “spiritual milk” Apostle Peter, the human writer of those verses was referring to is God’s word (check out verses 23-25)

In fact, several years ago I was sitting in a conference where Dr. Thom S. Rainer, a foremost Christian researcher and statistician, was the featured guest… I heard him make this statement: “Research shows, If you could get a brand new ‘baby Christian’ to do just one thing above everything else to help them grow strong in their faith it would be this – get them to read their Bible systematically and regularly!”

Listen, brand new “baby Christian” or not – NEVER… YES, NEVER lose your appetite for God’s Word! And as we’re facing the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, NOW is the time to cultivate your “Spiritual appetite” and develop the habit of daily Bible reading!

If you have an interest in doing that, contact me – I have developed a Bible reading plan, I CALL IT “NECESSARY FOOD” AND WILL SEND A PDF OF IT TO YOU FREE OF CHARGE. Just e-mail me at this address (leroybartel@gmail.com) and I’ll send it to you. Using it you read a passage from each of the five major divisions of Scripture daily (your spiritual MDR – “minimum daily requirements”) and finish the Bible in a year.

Well it’s the week of Thanksgiving… and my post today is going to be personally brief – to the point… the bulk of it is going to be a tribute from Scripture.

My Bible reading this morning during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” included Proverbs 31:10-31… After reading it this morning I put a one-word comment in the margin of my Bible with exclamation marks after it… Here it is…

SHARON!!! [her full name is Sharon Martha Barnett Bartel – my wife]

She is the epitome of all the kinds of things this passage speaks of… I ought to know, I’ve been married to her for over 55 years! Believe me, I’ve been incredibly blessed! I’m SO thankful for her – she is God’s incredible gift to me! Here’s the passage…

“AN EXCELLENT WIFE WHO CAN FIND? SHE IS FAR MORE PRECIOUS THAN JEWELS! The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. HER CHILDREN RISE UP AND CALL HER BLESSED; HER HUSBAND ALSO, AND HE PRAISES HER: MANY WOMEN HAVE DONE EXCELLENTLY, BUT YOU SURPASS THEM ALL! Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.” (From Proverbs 31:10–31 ESV)

Sharon, I love and adore you! I thank God for you daily!

“Now, O my God, let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place… And now arise, O Lord God, and go to Your resting place [among your people]… Let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in your goodness! Oh Lord God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one! Remember your steadfast love!” And as soon as Solmon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple! (From 2 Chronicles 6:40-7:1 ESV)