GATHERING GOD’S MANNA!
2 Peter 1:3-11
INTRODUCTION: When a child or an adult will not eat because of a lack of hunger that is one of
the first signs of sickness in that person. A lack of hunger for the Word of God is a sign of
spiritual sickness as well: 2 Corinthians 13:5. God has given us a true test to see if we are really
in the faith and growing in the faith: 2 Peter 1:3-11.
I. ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR GOD’S WORD?
Sadly it is possible to pray the sinner’s prayer and even to show some signs of a changed life
and still not be truly born of God: Matthew 7:21-23. It is also possible to be a true believer in
Jesus Christ and to become spiritually sick and lose our appetite for God’s manna:
Matthew 24:12-13. As the love for God goes down so does the hunger for God’s Manna. If we
get caught up in the junk food of this world we can become carnal Christians: 1 John 2:15-17.
II. LOT, HIS WIFE, AND THEIR DAUGHTERS!
Lot, Abraham’s nephew was a believer who is a prime example of a believer falling in love
with this world: Genesis 13:5-13. Are you strong in the Lord? Lot thought he was strong in the
Lord, yet he moved toward Sodom where people were exceedingly sinful. Lot looked at the
ground which could make him rich in this world instead of to the Lord for His guidance. No
matter how strong we think we are if we fall in love with the things of this world we will lose
our appetite for the Manna of God! Let me ask: “Where are you pitching your tent? Watch
Lot’s downward spiral: Genesis 13:12; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Genesis 14:12; Genesis 19:1;
Genesis 19:8. As Lot was moving toward Sodom, Abraham was building an altar to God:
Genesis 13:18. Lot’s wife just couldn’t help looking back to the Sodom she so loved: Genesis
19:26. Today, if you are still longing for the sins you left behind when you became a Christian
beware! Yes, Lot’s sin led to his own daughters becoming just like the Sodomites:
Genesis 19:31-32; Matthew 24:12. We must be on our guard for both ourselves and for our
children: Titus 2:11-13.
III. GATHERING GOD’S MANNA!
Spiritual hunger is essential to spiritual health, because without spiritual hunger we will not
be motivated to gather the manna of our God’s Word! Matthew 5:6; Exodus 16:35. The
children of Israel became sick of God’s Manna and desired the manna of this world:
Numbers 11:4-6. How can we as sons and daughters of God stay hungry for His Manna? Psalm
119:9-11. It is vitally important that each Christian learns how to collect their own daily Manna
from God’s Word! Our God has commanded men to study God’s Word so they may teach both
themselves, their wife and children the living Word of God! 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV;
1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
IV. HOW DO WE GATHER GOD’S MANNA?
First we must cultivate a living relationship with our God! Hebrews 8:11. God the Holy
Spirit longs to be your Teacher: John 14:21; Romans 12:1-2. Second, we must drink in the Spirit
of God: John 4:13-14. Our feeding on the Manna of God’s Word must be accompanied by our
drinking in the Spirit of the Word so it becomes living in us! Jeremiah 2:13. Third, we must
feed daily on God’s Word: Psalm 1:1-3; Proverbs 11:30; John 7:37-39.