Derek Prince - A Newborn Baby Christian Needs The Milk Of God's Word
This is a clip from: God's Word Your Inexhaustible Resource
Let's take it in the human level. Once a little baby has been born into the human race, the first thing that it needs really is suitable nourishment. It may be a very healthy little baby but if it doesn't get suitable nourishment it will soon begin to pine and eventually will die. That is equally true of the born again Christian. Once you are born again you have a new nature in you a new person in you that's crying out for nourishment. You know, when babies don't get food you know what they do? They cry. And there is something inside the born again Christian that starts to cry if it doesn't get fed.
The wonderful thing about the word of God is not only is it the seed that brings forth the new life, but it's the food that nourishes the new life. And this is very completely stated in the Scripture. Going back to 1 Peter. In the first chapter he talks about being born again of incorruptible seed. Then in chapter 2 he goes on like this. And chapter 2 begins with a therefore. You may have heard me say and if not, you're hearing me say it now: When you find a therefore in the Bible you need to find out what it's there for. And this therefore is because of the new birth.
See? Once you are born again: Therefore laying aside all malice all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking as newborn babies desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby. So what's the nourishment for a newborn baby child of God? It's the pure milk of the word of God. And if we don't provide born again Christians with that nourishment in all probability they'll lose the new life that they receive. There is nothing more urgent once you have been born again than learning to feed regularly on the word of God. And when you start out, it's milk. You couldn't give a baby bread, much less meat. It needs something easily digestible. And so, when Christians are born again, basically you shouldn't turn them to the prophet Ezekiel or the book of Ecclesiastes.
Now, some Christians maybe could flourish on that but I tell Christians or if I'm counseling somebody that I've led to the Lord I say the first thing you need is nourishment, suitable nourishment. And generally speaking I'll suggest that they read three books of the New Testament in order. This would depend on the type of culture and background. But generally I would say you need to read the gospel of John the book of Acts, and then the epistle to the Romans. That may be too much for some people to digest but generally speaking I think the gospel of John is a very good part of the New Testament to start with. And then sooner or later you need to get into Acts because Acts is a picture of how the church was intended to function. We have to admit that in many cases the church is far away from God's pattern. But God hasn't changed His pattern. And then Romans, maybe that's particularly because of my philosophic background. But I think there comes a time when Christians need to understand the practical truths of Romans.
Most commentators on the Bible would agree that if you want to understand the gospel, the book to read is Romans. I'm not saying it's easy but it's worth making a start. I've taught extensively on Romans and I never feel I've exhausted it. Every time I finish teaching on it I think I wished I said it better or I left out a lot or I suddenly discover things I didn't know I knew. So, at any rate, the newborn baby Christian needs the milk of God's word. I tell people if somebody is born again and I'm counseling I say the first thing you need is the Bible. Read it regularly. Don't starve, don't read it only on Sundays. Read it, I would say, every day morning and evening. Then you'll grow. Secondly, with your Bible reading begin to learn to pray. I tell people when you read the Bible that's God speaking to you. When you pray, that's you speaking to God. So if you join Bible reading and prayer you have communion with God two way communion.
Then I tell people the next thing you need, there are four things. The third thing is to confess your faith. Let people know you believe in Jesus. You don't have to stand on the street corner and preach but in one way or another God will always see to it that you're confronted with an opportunity to tell people: I believe in Jesus. If you don't confess your faith it will wither. Faith has to be confessed. And the fourth thing is fellowship with other Christians. Christians don't do well on their own. They need one another, they need to be in a place where the word of God is regularly proclaimed. They need to have opportunities to worship with other Christians. So, if I can just recapitulate that because I'm sure many of you have had the privilege of leading someone to Christ or if you haven't you will have. I will suggest those are the four things that you need to implant in them. Read the Bible, pray - that's talk to God not in religious language but in a simple way confess your faith and seek out Christian fellowship. But I always put reading the Bible first because if you read the Bible intelligently it will direct you to the other things.