Drink Milk, Get Strong

 Peter - writing to believers in modern day Turkey, were under control of Rome.  Were spiritual exiles.  If weren't experiencing extreme persecution, were about to.  Needed to get strong.  Emperor Nero about to be in control.

Is no situation in life where you wouldn't be better off spiritually strong.  Last week Ed talked about how to respond to God's grace. Be holy - in mind AND action!

1 Pet. 1:22-23
DRINK MILK.  GET STRONG  - pure, spiritual milk.

Don't get confused with Paul's milk metaphor in 1 Cor. 3:1-3 (you haven' matured).  It is a positive here.  Just as babies need milk, so we ought to crave the things of God in this way.

I.  A mark of a true Christian is that they crave the things of God.  (especially the Word).  Ought to want to hear from God.

Psm. 119:72, 97

II.  God's Word satisfies.  _ Jer. 15:16, John 6:35
How to connect with Jesus?  by faith, reading, hearing the Word, spending time in the Word

III.  God's Word is pure.   Psm. 12:6, Prov. 30:5  (Every word of God proves to be true)
Our spirit craves the Word.  Are we feeding it with good stuff?  Or, is this why we always feel unsatisfied, because we're filled with other stuff.

IV.  God's Word nourishes and strengthens the believer. - Psm. 1:1-3
One of the outgrowths of that:

V.  A strong believer loves God's people.  
1 Pet. 1:22-23 - ever seen a "christian" that spews hate at other believers?
John 13:34-35 - We need to have a special love, affection, patience, and care
Sincere - not phony (frenemy - ie:  enemy that acts like a friend to your face), genuine, without selfish motives ..(if I'm nice I can get....)
Fervently/earnestly - extended out, stretched tight, strained, to the point that it hurts.
From a pure heart - your innermost being...."from the bottom of my heart" - really mean it.

Which leads to 1 Pet. 2:1 ...."therefore" ties it to the last thought:  cut this stuff out!!!
Malice - wickedness, evilness, maliciousness, cause trouble, sew division
Deceit - crafty and manipulative.  Trick or bait someone into a trap.
Hypocrisy-phony - Literally under a mask.  Actor.... they're all a bunch of .......
Envy - jealousy, hatred
Slander - evil speaking, backbiting, defamation

Basically the caricature of the mean girl in middle school.  Stop that and love one another.
We need each other.  When the fight finds you, and it will, you'll need people to have your back.

Crave and grow in the word. 
Love one another. 
Put away the wickedness.

Rom. 15:1-6