“Life falls into place when Jesus gets first place.”
Leonard Sweet
Day 2 of the twenty eight day challenge to give God the first part of our day. Just 10 or 15 minutes…
I would guess that some of you are finding that it is pretty easy to spend longer than 10 or 15 minutes while others are finding it hard to even understand what it is that you are reading. If the latter is the case let me suggest you go to another place in the library of the Bible to read. Maybe a book like Ephesians or one of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
I chose to start in the Book of John this year. It amazes me that God always has me reading just what it is that I need at that moment. It’s a God thing…
Here is a little of what God is speaking to me from John 6 this morning. I will share the scripture with you in this post but first let me summarize. In chapter 6, Jesus says some things that people find hard to accept. This is where he talks about the way to life is to eat His flesh, and to drink His blood. Matter of fact the scripture says that many people turned and walked away deciding not to follow Jesus any longer because this was just too hard to accept.
It is still happening today. Jesus says things that are too hard for people to accept. things like, “forgive those who hurt you,” pray for those who persecute you,” “sex outside the covenant of one man and one woman is off limits” the list goes on and on.These and other things that Jesus has to say just don’t sit well with people so they walk away.
Anyway, what Jesus is saying in the passage today is a metaphor, Jesus is the Bread of Life. Eat of this bread and you will live. Not literally but you’re a smart individual, you know what He means. So Jesus asks the ones closest to Him, are you also going to leave, to which Peter responds, “Where would we go Lord, you have the words of life.”
Maybe you have some doubts as to whether or not this stuff, Jesus and the Bible are true. That’s OK, matter of fact it is a good thing, because when we have doubts it causes us to did deeper and usually we come out stronger than ever before. So go ahead and wrestle with your unbelief but remember that Jesus is life. What are our alternatives?
In my prayer time today I am asking God to bless each of you who are reading with insight and joy as you discover just how good are His Words. It is the bread of life that sustains us through the famine we call life.
Highlights form John Chapter 6
26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;
41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”
66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve,“Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life…