OUR DAILY BREAD : NO APPETITE

[cimi]

January 2
Thursday


NO APPETITE
Nehemiah 8:1-12
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As newborn babes,
desire the pure milk of
the word, that you may
grow thereby.
__1 Peter 2:2
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When I was battling a bad cold recently, I lost my appetite. I could go through an entire day without eating much food. Water would suffice. But I knew I couldn't survive long on water alone. I needed to regain my appetite because my body needed nourishment.

When the people of Israel came back from exile in Babylon, their spiritual appetite was weak. They had departed from God and His ways. To get the people back to spiritual health, Nehemiah organized a Bible seminar, and Ezra was the teacher.

Ezra read from the book of the law of Moses from morning until midday, feeding the people with the truth of God (Neh. 8:3). And the people listened attentively. In fact, their appetite for God's Word was so stirred that the family leaders and the priests and Levites met with Ezra the following day to study the law in greater detail because they wanted to understand it (v.13).

When we feel estranged from God or spiritually weak, we can find spiritual noursihment from God's Word. "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the work, that you may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). Ask God to give you a renewed desire for relationship with HIm., and begin feeding your heart, soul, and mind with His Word. __Poh Fang Chia

``````````````````````Break Thou the Bread of life, dear Lord, to me,`````````````````````
``````````````````````As Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea;``````````````````````
`````````````````````````Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord,````````````````````````
````````````````````My spirit pants for Thee, O living Word. __Lathbury`````````````````````
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Feeding on God's Word
keeps us strong and healthy in the Lord.

************************************Today's Bible Reading __ Nehemiah 8:1-12********************************

1 Now all the people
gathered together as one
man in the open square that
was in front of the Water
Gate, anad they told Ezra the
scribe to bring the Book of
the Law of Moses, which
the LORD had commanded
Israel.

2 So Ezra the priest
brought the Law before the
assembly of men and
women.... 3 Then he read
from it in the open square
...; and the ears of all the
people were attentive to the
Book of the Law....

5 And Ezra opened the book
in the sight of all the people,
for he was standing above all
the people ; and when he
opened it, all the people
stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed
the LORD, the great God.
Then all the people
answered, "Amen, Amen!"
while lifting up their hands.
and they bowed their heads
and worshiped the LORD with
their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua, Bani,
Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub,
Shabbethai, Hodijah,
Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah,
Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah,
and the Levites, helped the
people to understand the
Law; and the people stood
in their place. 8 So they read
distinctly from the book in
the Law of God; and they
gave the sense, and helped
them to understand the
reading....
10 Then [Nehemiah] said to
them, "Go your way, eat the
fat, drink the sweet, and
send portions to those for
whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our
Lord. Do not sorrow, for the
joy of the LORD is your
strength.


11 So the Levites quieted
all the people, saying, "Be
still, for the day is holy; do
not be grieved."

12 And all the people went
their way to eat and drink,
to send portions and rejoice
greatly, because they
understood the words that
were declared to them.