I am the bread of life, Jesus told them. No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again - John 6:35
So Thanksgiving is come and gone again. Just like Christmas, it always seems to come faster and faster every year. I always look forward to this time a year because for whatever reason I feel more relaxed and content with life. Maybe it's because I eat more and am forced to sit back and relax and let all of the food digest or just maybe it's because I'm reminded of what life is truly about.
As I sit this morning and ponder on John 6:35, I think about all of the food that we just ate for Thanksgiving. Jesus referred to himself as the "bread of life." For many people in our society clinging to the "low-carb" diet, bread is like the plague, but in reality, bread is the staple food of the world's diet. Because bread is a carbohydrate, when we eat it the body uses it to produce energy. Similarly, Jesus is simply telling us that when we feed on Him, He produces life in our heart and soul.
So the question you need to answer this morning is: Are you on a spiritual "low-carb" diet, or are you feasting on the very thing that would energize your soul?
Bible in a Year
Ezekiel 37-39
2 Peter 3
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
A God-Made Man
By humility and fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life - Proverbs 22:4
We have heard the phrase on countless occasions: "He's a self-made man." In truth, none of us are self-made. We all owe countless debts that we can never repay. Our first debt, of course, is to our Father in heaven - Who has given us everything that we are and will ever be - and to His Son Who sacrificed His own life so that we might live eternally. We are also indebted to ancestors, parents, teachers, friends, spouses, family members, coworkers, fellow believers...and the list, of course, goes on.
Most of us, it seems, are more than willing to stick out our chests and say, "Look at me; I did that!" But in our better moments, in the quiet moments when we search the depths of our own hearts, we know better. Whatever "it" is, God did that. And He deserves the credit.
God favors the humble just as surely as He disciplines the proud.
Bible in a Year
Ezekiel 34-36
2 Peter 2
We have heard the phrase on countless occasions: "He's a self-made man." In truth, none of us are self-made. We all owe countless debts that we can never repay. Our first debt, of course, is to our Father in heaven - Who has given us everything that we are and will ever be - and to His Son Who sacrificed His own life so that we might live eternally. We are also indebted to ancestors, parents, teachers, friends, spouses, family members, coworkers, fellow believers...and the list, of course, goes on.
Most of us, it seems, are more than willing to stick out our chests and say, "Look at me; I did that!" But in our better moments, in the quiet moments when we search the depths of our own hearts, we know better. Whatever "it" is, God did that. And He deserves the credit.
God favors the humble just as surely as He disciplines the proud.
Bible in a Year
Ezekiel 34-36
2 Peter 2
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Faith or Fear
Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. - James 1:2-5 NLT
In the Chinese picture-letter alphabet, the symbol for crisis is a combination of two characters - one meaning "danger" and the other "opportunity". You can look at it either way.
The same can be said of trials in the Christian life. A crisis that appears to one Christian as a calamity may be viewed by another as an opportunity. You can see your problems as purposeful and joyful if you see them from God's perspective. Tested faith produces perseverance (James 1:3), maturity (James 1:4), and God's rich reward (James 1:12).
If God intends your problems as opportunities for you to grow rather than dangers for you to fear, how can you cooperate with Him to make the most of these faith-stretching trials? Remember, more can be learned from life's trials than from its triumphs.
In the Chinese picture-letter alphabet, the symbol for crisis is a combination of two characters - one meaning "danger" and the other "opportunity". You can look at it either way.
The same can be said of trials in the Christian life. A crisis that appears to one Christian as a calamity may be viewed by another as an opportunity. You can see your problems as purposeful and joyful if you see them from God's perspective. Tested faith produces perseverance (James 1:3), maturity (James 1:4), and God's rich reward (James 1:12).
If God intends your problems as opportunities for you to grow rather than dangers for you to fear, how can you cooperate with Him to make the most of these faith-stretching trials? Remember, more can be learned from life's trials than from its triumphs.
Labels:
Character
A Wing and a Prayer
Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure - 2 Cor 13:11 MSG
Mrs Charles E Cowman, the author of the classic devotional text Streams in the Desert, wrote, "Two wings are necessary to lift our souls toward God: prayer and praise. Prayer asks. Praise accepts the answer." That's why we should find the time to lift our concerns to God in prayer, and to praise Him for all that He has done.
John Wesley correctly observed, "Sour godliness is the devil's religion." These words remind us that pessimism and doubt are some of the most important tools that Satan uses to achieve his objectives. Our challenge, of course, is to ensure that Satan cannot use these tools on us.
Are you a cheerful Christian? You should be! And what is the best way to attain the joy that is rightfully yours? Be giving Christ what is rightfully His: your heart, your soul, and your life.
Bible in a Year
Ezekiel 28-30
1 Peter 5
Mrs Charles E Cowman, the author of the classic devotional text Streams in the Desert, wrote, "Two wings are necessary to lift our souls toward God: prayer and praise. Prayer asks. Praise accepts the answer." That's why we should find the time to lift our concerns to God in prayer, and to praise Him for all that He has done.
John Wesley correctly observed, "Sour godliness is the devil's religion." These words remind us that pessimism and doubt are some of the most important tools that Satan uses to achieve his objectives. Our challenge, of course, is to ensure that Satan cannot use these tools on us.
Are you a cheerful Christian? You should be! And what is the best way to attain the joy that is rightfully yours? Be giving Christ what is rightfully His: your heart, your soul, and your life.
Bible in a Year
Ezekiel 28-30
1 Peter 5
Labels:
Prayer
Friday, November 26, 2010
A Foundation of Honesty
Lasting relationships are built upon a foundation of honesty and trust. It has been said on many occasions that honesty is the best policy. For believers, it is far more important to note that honesty is God's policy. And if we are to be servants worthy of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we must be honest and forthright in all our communications with others.
Sometimes, honesty is difficult; sometimes, honesty is painful; sometimes, honesty makes us feel uncomfortable. Despite these temporary feeling of discomfort, we must make honesty the hallmark of all our relationships; otherwise, we invite needless suffering into our own lives and into the lives of those we love.
One of your greatest possessions is integrity...don't lose it. Billy Graham was right when he said: "Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost".
Bible in a Year
Ezekiel 25-27
1 Peter 4
Sometimes, honesty is difficult; sometimes, honesty is painful; sometimes, honesty makes us feel uncomfortable. Despite these temporary feeling of discomfort, we must make honesty the hallmark of all our relationships; otherwise, we invite needless suffering into our own lives and into the lives of those we love.
One of your greatest possessions is integrity...don't lose it. Billy Graham was right when he said: "Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost".
Bible in a Year
Ezekiel 25-27
1 Peter 4
Labels:
Character
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