JESUS AS BREAD IN LIFE

Think About It

Bread is common to experience in most cultures, both past and present. My grandmother, my mother, myself, and my daughter all were known to make homemade bread. The yeast in the bread gives the pungent taste to the dough and pleasant smell as it bakes. 

In third grade I memorized the verse, "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." It was the first verse in a little red booklet of verses. I was on the top bunk and my little sister was on the bottom bunk. I taught it to her, then we recited it together. We said the verse many nights before we said our prayers. I wondered at its meaning. Somehow I knew it was an important concept.

Scripture mentions bread in many passages besides the Last Supper. Some are well known.

"Give us this day our daily bread." We ask God for our daily sustenance. Spiritual sustenance, physical sustenance, God's enabling for the day; the bread is like manna in the desert. We are given what we need.

"Cast your bread upon waters." We share what God gives. The bread multiplies. It becomes spiritual nourishment to many. Freely received, freely given.

"I am the bread of life." Jesus is the bread of life. He is the source of our spiritual sustenance. He gives to us what we need for the day. He is the supplier. We are the receiver.

Jesus said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

Jesus is the bread of life. Let's expand on the thought. Our daily supply for what we need is found in Jesus. What an astounding realization. Dwell on the thought for a moment. He is all that and more. I'm thinking of the many ways Jesus meets my needs, day after day; be they emotional, physical, relational, spiritual, or financial. I depend on His sustenance. Just wow!

These Covid-19 months have been hard for everybody everywhere. I've listened to the stories of family and friends. One elderly widow said how she got up, couldn't see any purpose in the day ahead of her. She didn't bother to get dressed for the day. After all, she couldn't go out, and no one could come to visit her. So she went back to bed. Isolation is not natural for us.

Jesus understands. He is with us even when we are all alone. I get discouraged. I get lonely. I live like a hermit except for the occasional family visitor. Jesus holds my hand as we walk through it together. He gives comfort and strength. He is bread in new ways not experienced before 2020. I depend on Him to meet my emotional needs and to provide my spiritual filling. We need Him all the more when our access to human contact is limited.

Every experience in life teaches us something more. I call this the power of more. We are empowered by the things we know for sure. I know God is with me. I know Jesus will give me my daily bread. I know there is life in what He gives which will last me as long as needed. I know I am here for a purpose; one that has positive repercussions.  I also know I can't do life well without Jesus.

Application

• A - Accept the Bread of Life  
• B - Believe on Jesus Christ as your Savior. 
• C - Confess your sins; Cherish Christ's life in you. 

We have been given everything we need in Jesus Christ. When you pray the Lord's prayer, think through what you are saying to God. Pray each phrase and meditate on its meaning. This prayer impacts every aspect of life. Jesus is pleased when we want Him. He expects us to rest in Him. He is the lifter of our souls even during a pandemic.

The Lord's Prayer aka Our Father:

• "This is how you should pray: 
• 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, 
• Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
• Give us this day our daily bread.
• Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
• And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'" 
• Amen
  

(Matthew 6:9-13)

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Photo by Dominda Perera, Unsplash 

 

 

God's Quality is Gentle and Applicable: Intervention 20

When We Learn from Christ, We Become more like Him

Finding God in the Daily

For I am gentle and lowly in heart.
Matthew 11:29

Christians are image bearers. Their lives reflect Christ to the world. They are being changed from the inside to out, and it shows.

God's character-likeness influences our character and likeness.

A fully surrendered life has healing and cleansing. This life is pliable, moldable, and fluid. The resistance is gone. The inward places are healthy. Their focus is changed from ordinary spiritual living to a serious bent toward loving God with all their heart, mind, and soul.

God enables His life to live freely in those who turn their attention to receive of Him. God is the change agent in a caring, loving, interactive, Father-to-child relationship with His children. God is a gentle, kind Papa.

He is humble,
-wise,
     -trustworthy,
            -strong,
                   -caring,
                           -helpful.

Those who find God, whom have really found Him in this way, are different from others in the Christian family. They have a quality about them, like a softness indicative of quiet strength. It show outwardly when there is free access in an interactive relationship.

These followers are gentle and humble in heart. In truth, what they have is a Divine Presence in them shining forth, a beauty that originates from within that lights the eyes with life and peace. Their's is an inner radiance that spills forth in splashes of joy and inner delight that never draws attention to itself but arrests others' attention. 

In His gentle way, God cleanses souls, mends hearts, and heals wounds.

This is God’s loving intervention for dealing with the presence of pain and inner isolation in His followers. He desires our life that He might redeem every part of it. God touches us where we have been wounded by thoughtless words and unkind actions. He also brings to the forefront those times when we have acted in wrong-minded self-interest through self-serving, unkind words and actions.

Therapists guide us,.
-Friends love us,
     -Family supports us,
           -Pastors counsel us,
                  -Many pray for us,
But only God heals us. 

God meets us in the inner recesses of our hearts when we are open enough to let Him. The process can be painful, especially when past experiences have piled up like a formidable fortress walling emotions inside that have fermented in harmful destructive ways. It is okay to say, I can’t do this anymore, God. I can’t deal with this any longer. Take it. I need your help. I give up. I give it to You and ask You to take it. You to do it. I trust You.I want you. .

What came next in my life was extremely painful but worth it.

One by one as He revealed them to me, I gave my hurts and fears to God. It was a process of God showing me my heart. I saw how my wounds and self-imposed limitations were enclosed beyond my human ability to expose or remediate. Sadness, repentance, and sorrow mingled together overwhelming my spirit. God gently released their hold on me. God met me there as I revisited the ache in my heart, holding me in His tight embrace as He wiped my endless tears from swollen eyelids. His love was warm and comforting, kind and forgiving. His Father-love enveloped me, touched my wounds, lifted my sorrows, healed my hurts—and set me free. I understood that while on the cross, Christ shared in my suffering. My sadness gave way to relief then peace. The freedom was as if a burden had lifted and the monkey was off my back. The sorrow disappeared out of my heart until only a scar remained. I have never been the same. The pain has not returned. The deep sense of sorrow is gone.

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Secular v Christian Worldviews -- Inspiration 35

Discover Your World View

Finding God in the Daily

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Proverbs 23:7. KJV

 Your worldview matters. For the Christian it is helpful to know if you have a secular or spiritual worldview. This will impact your decisions going forward. Is God an ongoing conversation in your life?

AN ADULT'S WORLDVIEW encompasses what he or she believes about life; their philosophy of life and conception of the world. It is not possible to have two worldviews competing and tangling. This would project in two different realms and function on separate planes. There is some confusion going on. Religious people can be secular oriented and perform spiritually. Is this a competing worldview? Quite possibly. To figure it out whether a world view is secular or spiritual takes a bird's-eye view. Follow a person's habits, desires, and conversations and it soon becomes apparent. A spiritual worldview is where the things of God flow as a natural process throughout the person's life. On the other hand, some Christians compartmentalize their spiritual activities as an add-on to their normal routines. They are more of a secular view with spiritual overtures. It helps to be mindful of this. Where God is active in a person's life will show. When God 's presence is not all that meaningful then the spiritual gives way to the secular. A worldview where Christ comes first is defined by Him being given preeminence. A spiritual worldview will look for God in everything, which includes God in the daily. In this case, daily functionality is mixed with a Jesus dynamic and a living spiritual dimension.

Dear Father God, our world needs You and Your loving touch. May we awaken to the meaning You impart to in our own lives. Amen

To God be the Glory

God is Greater than the Enemy -- Inspiration 34

Greater is He that is in You

Finding God in the Daily

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, 

for he who is in you is greater than 

he who is in the world. 

1 John 4:4  ESV

Christians can be easily defeated until they claim the scriptural promises that speak truth in the situation. God is greater than he that is in the world.

GOD IS GREATER than he that is in the world. During times of what is called 'spiritual warfare,' it is a comfort and encouragement to know God is on the winning side against evil and injustice. Christians can claim this while in the middle of a battle where the enemy is using his tricks to trip us up. There is power in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus you can confront the wicked and dismantle the traps put in your path. You can orally say Jesus' name. Name it and claim it. You can pray for protection. You can focus your mind on Jesus. Speak to Him and picture yourself kneeling humbly before Him, asking for help. Saying, "Jesus" gives strength and banishes fear. Claim this promise and believe. Receive His blessedness.

Dear Father in Heaven, praise to Father, Son, and Spirit. We are thankful for Your protection, love, and kindness. You are greater than he that is in the world. This comforts us. Wonderful You are to us. Amen

To God be the Glory

Controversy's Arc -- Inspiration 32

 Christians and Controversy

Finding God in the Daily

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-8

 
"If you are drawn into controversy, use very hard arguments and very soft words. Frequently you cannot convince a man by tugging at his reason, but you can persuade him by winning his affections.” - C.H. Spurgeon

CONSTANT CONTROVERSY SWIRLS around us. People are entrenched in their way of thinking as are others of the opposite opinion. Such debates are like ugly fests to see who can top the other in their accusations. Controversy surfaces in the form of members of society fighting a war of words in an open-ended tug-of-war over controversial matters. For representatives of Christ, a standard of acceptable behavior is the expectation. Beyond the ethical disparity of differing beliefs in any given group, believers should represent the values God set forth and Jesus lived. A disconnect between belief and behavior would suggest something is off. Here is an amazing thing, I never once saw my Christian grandparents voice anger at each other or at others. All four were of the brethren church tradition. Their behavior was well intentioned. They purposed to live a quiet but strong quality in their lifestyles. It can be done. A self-respecting individual maintains presence and respects the dignity of others even when they are not respected back. Hot topics spark controversy and some should be challenged and debated. Strong and dignified gets the job done. A caution is in order. Be slow to enter the fray unless 1) you can keep your cool when you are verbally attacked, 2) you can say the truth in love when you are confronted, 3) you can dial back your emotions when you need to reclaim reason, and 4) when your content is well-thought out. Let your life speak loudly and if you have to, use words. "Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words," is a phrase attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. 

Dear God, may we speak truth at all times. May we speak love at all times. May the two intertwine in times of controversy and dismay. Amen

To God be the Glory   

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⧫ I INVITE YOU to read my weekly post at my formal blog, N. L. Brumbaugh, A Transformed Life. You can view the blog here. I post it on Wednesdays. Have a great day.

Welcome the Children -- Inspiration 20

Forbid Not the Children

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Matthew 19:13-15

CHILDREN are special to Jesus. A little boy's lunch of bread and fish fed a crowd of 5,000 after Jesus thanked God for it. Imagine the boy's amazement as he watched Jesus multiply his small offering. Jairus' daughter lay upon her death bed, the life departed from her body; then Jesus raised her up. Her and her family's amazement gave praise to Jesus. At another time parents with their children pressed in for Jesus' attention. The disciples began to shoo them away. But Jesus didn't see the children as in the way and said so. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me . . . for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven," That was significant and put things in order. In the Old Testament God had plans for a slave boy to save his people (Joseph). God protected a baby in a basket, who would lead His people out of captivity (Moses). A mother's heart-felt plea to God produced the boy Samuel who later served his God faithfully and justly. God had a shepherd anointed to become king while still in his youth (David). Jesus sums it up with His words in this account. ^"He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." (Matthew 18:2-5) Jesus' words speak life.

Dear Father, You value children. You show us what is most important. Faith is pure, like the faith of a child. We thank Thee for these words of life. Amen

For your musical pleasure:  Jesus Loves Me

To God be the Glory

Jesus' Name -- Inspiration 18

Sweet Jesus

"What about you?" he asked them. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah."  --Luke 8:29

"SWEET JESUS, SWEET JESUS, He's the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star," flow the lyrics in circles of joy. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name. Master, Savior, Jesus, let all heaven and earth proclaim," joyful words of praise in worship of His holy name. Attributes to Jesus burst forth in musical score: Beautiful Savior, Glorious Lord, Immanuel, God is with Us; Gentle Shepherd; King of kings and Lord of lords. In Jesus' day people would say of Him: Son of man, Good Teacher, Master, Lord, Jesus. Because of His death and resurrection we say: Savior, Christ, Redeemer, God the Son. The Old Testament prophets foretold Jesus' future appearance as a Messiah. The beautiful words of Isaiah spoken at Christmastime and sung in Handel's Messiah give praise and honor, "Unto us a Son is given. . . and His name shall be call-ed, Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Many are the musical phrases that celebrate our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: "God with Us, Blessed Redeemer, Living Word; Man of Sorrows acquainted with Grief." Each name represents a unique aspect of Jesus' divinity, too many to name in this short writing. Light of the world, Bread of Life, Living Water, to name a few more. Jesus' name fills the worshiper with awe, praise, thankfulness, and love, that which is holy, devout, full of grace, goodness, and greatness. "Majesty, worship His majesty."

Dear Jesus, You are the Savior of the World. You are the Lover of our souls. You redeemed a lost people. You changed our identity from a lost sinner to a child of God. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen.

To God be the Glory

For your listening pleasure: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring