Audio： Desiring The Sincere Milk of the Word — Hans R. Waldvogel

Desiring Growth in Grace and the Knowledge of Christ

That is the great need, to create desire within me. Make me love you more, Jesus. Make my soul to desire you. And there's a very simple way to do that. The Bible tells us that as newborn babes we have to grow, grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Who would like to see a baby remain a baby? You wouldn't like that, would you? You'd like to see them grow, get strong, get tall, become men and women. And so my God has ordained that His children should grow and grow into the full stature of the full measure of the manhood in Christ Jesus.

And why is it that we somehow remain a bunch of dwarfs, bow-legged and deformed dwarfs, great big heads and little feet that can't stand? Why is it that we don't grow up into Him in all things and become like Him?

Because we don't want it bad enough. That's what's the matter. And the reason we don't want it bad enough is because we don't get acquainted with Him. Oh, when you see Jesus as He is, something happens to you.

We beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And now we have this living hope in our hearts that we shall be like Him, not a little bit, but a whole lot. We shall be like Him.

Oh, the Holy Ghost has come down from heaven to put that cry into our souls. And if we fail to attain, somebody else will attain. There are people in the world today that are really purifying themselves.

Even as He is pure, they have found a way to grow. God gives us that way. He tells us as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby. God has provided the means for growth.

And you know, there's no food like milk. It contains all the vitamins that your body needs and all the calories and all the strength that you need. And if you want to grow physically, drink a lot of milk.

I mean good milk. But if you want to grow spiritually, and who doesn't want to grow? All of us don't want to grow bad enough else we grow. When you really want to grow into His image and His likeness, glory to God.

The Beauty of Christ Versus the Passing Glory of the World

And that's what the Holy Spirit has come to do. Praise the Lord. Oh Jesus Christ makes this growth so attractive, so attractive. We beheld His glory. Look into the world and see what glory the world has.

It's like the flower of the field. It withers. It falls off. It is destined for the fire. What glory is there in this world? And yet men run after it. Because they're deceived by the devil. But Jesus Christ wants to become so attractive to you.

He wants His beauty to shine upon you in such a way that you'll realize how dark, how deceived, how defiled, how dead the world is. The world passes away and the lusts thereof. And why should I hang on to it?

Why should I desire it? Why shouldn't I desire the sincere milk of the Word? Beloved, it's a very, very simple way to grow. First of all, you've got to become a Bible student. Like the Holy Ghost will teach you, the Holy Spirit alone is the real Bible teacher.

I know we need teachers. But many, many Bible teachers are just interested in themselves. They teach the Bible instead of teaching the people. One man, when they got a new pastor who had just come out of the theological seminary, and he was able to preach very eloquent sermons.

And this man went up to him and he said, Hey, Mr. Preacher, Jesus told you to feed the lambs, not the giraffes. And a real Bible teacher will teach the babes. He'll feed the babes. And the Holy Ghost will feed the babes.

He'll give you what you need for your babyhood experience. And he'll make you grow. And after a while, he'll give you the meat of the Word. But oh, how simple it is to desire. Listen, all of you saints up there in the balcony.

Desire, desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby. This is the milk of the kingdom and it's the word of life. The sincere milk. The German Bible says, Die Vernunftige Lautere Milch.

I like that. It's the sensible and pure milk of the Word. That you may grow thereby. And there's nobody that can keep you from growing up into Him. When you really desire to be like Him. And the Bible will make you to desire that.

That's what the Bible is for. And it's true like one saint said. Savannah Roller made this statement. When you get to the Bible, come with a humble heart. Come to Jesus. The Holy Ghost alone can make you eat this bread of life.

And drink this sincere milk of the Word. But He can. And He makes you desire. Oh, to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer. Oh, to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer. This is my constant longing and prayer. And the more you meditate upon the beauty of the Son of God in the Bible.

The more you see how immaculate Jesus is. How pure this young man was. There was no guile found in his mouth. Would you like to have a mouth like that? No guile in your mouth. A perfect tongue. That's the way Jesus is.

Feeding on the Bread of Life

And how do we become like Jesus? Well, He feeds us with that sincere milk of the Word. And as you partake of it, you'll discover the power of it. You remember how the Jews came to Him when He had fed them with bread and fish.

And they wanted some more. And He said, I know why you're here. You're here because you ate of the fish and of the bread. Labor not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you.

But they had no appetite for that kind of bread. They had appetite for pizza pie and stuff. But not for the bread of life. For the Word of Life. But thank God there were some that did. When He said to His disciples, you want to go away?

How many go away from Jesus instead of coming near? And they said, Lord, where shall we go? You have words of eternal life. Oh, there were hearts that really desired, really were hungry for that bread that comes down from heaven.

And the more you eat, the more you want. And the more you eat, the more your appetite grows. And the more you become like unto Him. Oh, this wonderful, wonderful book, which is both milk and bread. Which is all that we need.

It's really the bread that comes down from heaven. Beloved, as the Lord has said, if you sin against this book, you sin against your own soul. Behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, if you will turn at My reproof.

For the Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine. Here's the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation. There's only one doctrine of Christ. And that doctrine teaches me that all flesh is grass and that I need Him.

Oh, that I need Jesus Christ. And when I open my heart to Him, He comes in. He says, you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. Beloved, all that knowledge comes through the Bible and through true Bible study.

And if you young people want to grow up into Him and be like Jesus, God provides for this likeness. But you've got to go this way. Hallelujah. I have walked in the path of Thy commandments and blessed, what does it say?

They are undefiled in the way that keep Thy commandments. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all Thy commandments. That's what they're for. That I might walk straight up and down and walk the path of holiness.

Transformation Through the Renewing of the Mind

But here's the thing that you and I need. We need to get acquainted with the wonder of Jesus and we get acquainted with Him by meditating in this blessed book and drinking this sincere milk of the word by filling our hearts with the Bible.

He'll create desire within you. He'll transform you by the renewing of your mind. Isn't that what's the matter with the world? Their minds are corrupt. Now what's the matter with the world? You can't look into any of their books today or papers and you smell it a mile off.

Corruption. Humanity is like a corpse that is already corroding. But He'll renew you by the renewing. He'll transform you by the renewing of your mind. Oh, such a mind that was in Christ Jesus. God has it for us, thank God.

But why don't we have it? Tell me. Why don't we put on the Lord Jesus Christ? We don't want Him. Bad enough. God has to create real desire. Real desire for Him. He has got to put that hunger in your soul for that bread of heaven.

And He will, if you will busy yourself with what He gives you. This word will create desire within you. I was telling you the other day on the radio how when I was a boy I wanted a camera so badly. Didn't have any money, couldn't get it.

I did the next best thing. I got a catalog with pictures of cameras. I cut them out. I made myself believe I had a camera. I made the kids in school believe I had one. I didn't want to lie, you know, but I really made myself believe.

The Bible says they believe a lie and I did. I took the kids up on the hill. I said, I'm going to take a picture of you. I put them all up. I made them all stand the way I wanted. One had to lift his left leg.

The other had to lift his right leg. They had to pretend they were running and then they wanted to see my camera. I said, oh no, you can't see my camera. The plates have to be kept warm. I got them under my coat, you know.

I wanted so bad. And when you want to have Jesus so bad, you won't be satisfied with the catalog. After a while I got a camera, thank God. My father took care of it and I really got one. Cost one dollar, the whole outfit, everything that belonged to making pictures.

One dollar, that was worth more to me. Today you give the kids a camera that's worth five hundred dollars and they throw it in the corner. They have no interest in those things. But boy, I wrapped that thing in tissue paper and I made myself a photographic studio in Bachen, Bülach, Canton Zürich, Schweiz.

Oh yes, I was a real photographer. But you know, here's the catalog. We talk about the farmer's Bible. It's the Sears and Roebuck catalog. And when they have nothing to do in the winter months, then they sit over that Bible and they look at the pictures of thrashing machines and the woman looks at a wash machine.

And oh, how their mouth waters to have that wash machine and to have that thrashing machine and to have that old Ford machine and so on. And they can't get it because it's in the catalog. But if you haven't got the price to pay, you can't get it.

But if you have the money, all you have to do is send in an order and send in the money and the machine comes. And here's God's catalog full of wonderful pictures of Jesus Christ. Thank God. And the price has been paid.

And why don't we send in our request? Why don't we come to God? Like our brother said a while ago, Oh, I want to love him more. I want to be like him. I want to be filled with his love. Well, what's going to stop you?

Nobody. It is God that has created within you to will and he will create to do of his good pleasure if you cooperate with him with fear and trembling. Oh, I can't miss this blessing. I cannot lose this inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased for me.

The Word of Grace and the Inheritance of the Saints

Beloved, these things are vital. They are our life. The Apostle Paul writing or speaking to the Ephesian elders says, I know that grievous wolves shall enter in among you not sparing the flock and false apostles will rise to draw disciples after themselves.

Now, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, make you like Jesus and give you an inheritance. Oh, this inheritance. And he prays for the Ephesians that God might give them anointed eyes to see what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance.

Do you know that you are an heir and an heirs? Do you know that God Almighty holds that inheritance for you and he pictures it in the Bible? And if you will not be lazy, but you will work with fear and trembling.

Let us labor, therefore, lest a promise being left us of entering in. Any of you should seem to come short of it. They entered not in, even though they had the catalog and the price was paid. They didn't believe God.

They didn't want it bad enough. They wanted to go back into Egypt. But here my God has this wonderful inheritance ready for me. And he prays that the eyes of my understanding might be enlightened. When the Lord had saved me and baptized me with the Holy Ghost, somebody gave me excellent advice.

The Fruit of the Spirit as a Pattern for Growth

They said, if you'll take Galatians 5 .21. Do you know what it says there? The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. And pray over that verse 15 minutes a day.

After one month's time, you'll be a changed person. I tried it and it works. Just to meditate there upon. Just to look into the catalog will create that desire that you'll say, Oh, I can have this. Hallelujah, I can have love, joy, peace.

What do we say? Joy, love and peace. You can have it. Not on the wall alone, but in your life. What would happen to you if you really brought forth the fruit of the Spirit? Tell me. What would your wife think of you?

My, my, my, my. She'd go bragging about what a husband. Or if your husband was like that. Love, joy. But it's his love killing my whole heart, setting it on fire. Love that never fails. Joy that never fades.

Peace of God that passes all understanding. Oh, my Lord and my God. They gave me that advice. I'd like to give it to you. 15 minutes a day, honest to goodness. Drinking that milk. Just drinking that sincere milk.

The fruit of the Spirit. He talks about the works of the flesh which are manifest. We don't want to bother about those things anymore. But the fruit of the Spirit. Here's milk. Oh, what wonderful milk.

Better than the Swiss milk that we brag about. Love, it's for you. The love of God is for you. Not human love, but the love of God. Oh, more love to Thee, O Christ. More love to Thee. And God Almighty holds an ocean of love.

Ready for me. To swallow me up. To flood my soul. To make me like Jesus. It all comes by desiring the sincere milk of the Word. First He creates a desire. And when that desire is there, then He creates a prayer.

Prayer in the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Maturity

Then your prayer becomes effective. It becomes a prayer in the Holy Ghost. And He knows what to pray for. And He prays for the saints according to the will of God. So that the sons of God may be made manifest upon this earth.

Beloved, tell me. How much have we grown in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Now undoubtedly we can say, Thank God, it's different. But how different would it be if we had really, really labored together with Him?

Really and truly. But didn't we now? Don't we now? Tell me. You have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. And the Scripture is given for that very purpose. To make you know doctrine.

Reproof. Turn you at my reproof. Oh, how I need it. And is that the reason you don't like to study the Bible? Oh, we like to read things we like. But when the Holy Spirit takes that sword and plunges it into your solar plexus, it hurts.

He says, turn you at my reproof. Oh my God and my Lord. The Lord has given me many a message, but one time He gave me one that seemed to drop me down into the seventh basement. I was really done for. And then the Lord had the nerve to say, Now this is the best message you ever had.

Just think. We like to hear good messages. We like to hear the Lord say nice things about us. But when He calls you a whited sepulcher and tells you, hey, wait a minute. You're fooling yourself. Oh, how we need to reproof.

Correction, Holiness, and Following the Lamb

How we need, that's all in that milk. It's all in this wonderful bread of heaven. It is all in this wonderful flow of the life of God whereby He deals with us as with sons. Correction. What son is he whom his father correcteth not?

And if he be without chastisement, he are bastards and not sons. And for instruction in righteousness. I like to talk to those young men up in the balcony there. You're going to be old men before long.

And you're going to be, and the Bible says, I've written unto you. Listen, young men, because you are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one. That's what God would like to say about these young men.

Never mind the young men in the world that follow after the world and the flesh and the devil. You follow after the Lamb. Withers wherever He goes and you'll be like Him. And now we'll hear a song from the saints up there.

Also true that I'm loving you tonight at this very moment like that. You haven't recognized my love and it isn't a hard thing I'm asking of you when I desire you to love me with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind.

Receiving Christ’s Love and Drawing Near to God

Think of the price I paid for your redemption. Think of the unspeakable gift I am offering you. Even myself with all my divine glory. Why then it ought to come to your heart a great desire to give yourself to me just as you are.

Because you know how unworthy you have been. You know that when I made choice among men and chose you to be saved and wrote your name in the book of life it wasn't because you were worthy of my love but because I'm God.

And because being God I'm loved. And because I cannot help but love. And because I've loved you before the foundation of the world. And that's the thing that made me seek after you and come after you.

And now if you want to hear my voice I want to call upon you to draw nigh unto me. You have recognized that you cannot love me like even you think you should and I admit that you can't. But I can fill you with my love if you will only take the time and only labor to draw nigh unto me and to give me a chance.

I'm not asking you so much to love me as I'm asking you to let me love you. Let me set your heart on fire with the fire of my own love. That's what I came to do. To cast fire upon this earth. To set the sons of God aflame with that divine love that will make them all mine.

That will make them come out with a vengeance from among them. That will make them consider everything refuse for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And so I'm calling upon you tonight. I'm not asking something that you cannot do.

You can come to me. You can give me your time. You can give me your attention. You could if you want to labor to enter into that rest and if you will do so I will take over and I'll make you my workmanship.

I'll make you my masterpiece. I'll do the thing that you can never do yourself. I will pour into your heart my love and it will become within you a fountain of living water.