Devotionals

Intro: The times in which we live are disconcerting; there are so many things happening in the world for which we must pray. Deception, corruption, violence…yes, evil is busy at work in the hearts of those who live only for this world [lost spiritually]. Believers and people of faith see and know what is going on, yet we are not really surprised at the present level of darkness. As much as I pray and want God to move in mighty ways to bring salvation to this world, I know Scripture reminds us that this world will never be built on truth, integrity, or peace until Jesus is our governing Ruler. All that being said, we must never forget Christ’s promise, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. (John 14:1-3).

Are you watching for the return of Christ? In our Bible Study last night, we were sharing about being prepared for Christ’s return, because He tells us He will come unexpectedly and suddenly like a thief in the night. Unfortunately, many people tend to think Christ’s return is far off in the future; after all, people have been talking about His return and expecting Him a long time. Be careful with that kind of thinking, because if you are lulled into indifference, you will not be living ready when the Lord returns.

In our passage today, Jesus tells his disciples to be waiting and ready: 1) to live as sincere people of integrity; 2) to walk by faith being led by the Spirit; 3) to trust God in all things; 4) to delight in being generous to others; and 5) to be diligent and hardworking as we serve, because we know we are working for God! As we live this way, we will be filled with joy when we see our Savior. Be ready all the time!

Luke 12:35-40 NLT Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming
35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

39 “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the Word of Truth that keeps our lamps burning. We believe You are coming to get Your loved ones. So, we are going to do the things You teach that will keep us ready. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: The first eight chapters of the Book of Romans teaches us about humanity’s great need for a Savior and the work of the Holy Spirit. Without salvation through Christ’s atoning work on the cross and the leading of the Holy Spirit guiding us toward righteousness, humans self-slaughter in sin. In chapters 9-11, the Apostle Paul addresses the problem of Israel’s sin since they rejected the arrival of Messiah whom God sent to save them. Paul is burdened because he knows, without faith in the redeeming Savior, the people of Israel are separated from God’s love by sin and unbelief. This is true for all humanity who rejects the work of Christ and the Spirit for salvation.

In Paul’s letter, he expresses his great concern for the souls of the people of Israel. Paul is burdened for them and the eternal future they could face being separated from God. God blessed Israel with such a rich legacy; He gave them His Word. He delivered them from the bondage of sin time and time, again. But, even though Israel, by God’s Hand, experienced spiritual freedom, they returned to their old ways of serving other gods. Does that mean God’s Word was not powerful on behalf of Israel? It is not an issue of the Word being powerless; rather, it is a problem of the hardened human heart fighting God for control. We cannot serve two masters.

Paul goes on to identify the chosen. The Jews think their heritage as descendants of Abraham makes them the chosen of God. However, Paul sets them straight by telling them the chosen are obedient sons and daughters of faith who ‘choose to have their lives governed by God.’ Because Israel rejected the Word of God in Christ, God allowed the hearts of the Jews to be hardened until the full number of non-Jews have come to salvation as the chosen. In God’s original plan, the Jews were to be a blessing to the Gentiles. They missed this mission and blessing, but they are not far from God’s love. Israel will be saved—God will continue to have mercy on whomever He chooses.

Scripture teaches us one day ever knee will bow to the Word of God—Christ; we will be judged by Him (Phil 2:10). Our lesson today is to remind us to live authentically as the chosen. It is much easier to bow our hearts and lives in obedience to the governing of God’s Word now, than to bow later when all hell rages against the Word. Pray for Israel; pray for the world to accept Christ.

Romans 9:1-8 NLT God’s Selection of Israel
With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,”though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for salvation in Christ and for the assurance of what it means to be Your chosen. Help us to live each day being governed by Your Word and led by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Are you tempted to be a worrier—tempted by anxious or disturbing thoughts? What kinds of thoughts capture and drag you into the den of worry? Many people exhaust themselves worrying about money or never having enough to live. Certainly, we should take responsibility for our lives by working and making wise decisions, but it will always be necessary for us to trust the love of God with our lives. That is why Jesus commands us not to worry. Worry causes stress; stress causes poor health and prompts disease. God does not want any of that for us. So, instead of falling into worry, the Lord instructs us to use our faith by praying, seeking God’s Kingdom of unlimited supply, and asking for what we need (Mat 7:7).

When we seek salvation in Christ, we become God’s children. The Creator of all things in heaven and on earth becomes our Father. He is ready to care for us and provide for us. Everything belongs to God and when we seek His Kingdom and His way of being righteous, God provides the things we need. We may not have all the things we want, but that doesn’t justify worry either, because let’s be honest, that is an attitude of greed. If we truly believe God loves us enough to die for us, why would we worry about even our necessities?

Holocaust survivor, Corrie Ten Boom, once said, “Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength—carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” The Bible is described as God’s Testimony; therefore, the great task before us each day is to believe the Word of God is true when the Lord testifies how much He loves us. Jesus knows we can get weary and burdened, but He promises rest for our souls (Mat 11:28). We need to take God at His Word. When we trust God with our lives, we are acting by faith and living our worship.
Luke 12:22-31 Teaching about Money and Possessions

22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for promising to care and provide for us as Your children. As we seek Your Kingdom supply, we place our faith in Your Word knowing You cannot lie. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Making connections is a part of life. God formed His human creation for relationships. We pray to make great spiritual connections with people, but we need wisdom from God in how we influence those relationships. We pray to connect to righteous mindsets and actions, but we need discernment and power from God to live them out in our relationships. We pray for God to bring us opportunities to be connectors—connecting unbelievers to Christ—but we need the mercy of God to view people the way He sees them as we evangelize. Prayer empowers us to connect in righteous ways as we walk out Christ’s call for fruitful evangelistic living.

The Book of Colossians is about making a connection to Christ—as Lord—so we can make righteous connections with others for the purpose of sharing the true gospel in words and actions. In our passage today, the Apostle Paul is a prisoner in Rome. He writes to the church in Colosse to encourage them to pray for him; Paul wants to be effective in evangelism while he is incarcerated. As well, he encourages the Colosse believers to pray and ask Christ to give them all the resources they need for sharing the gospel in their city. False teaching had been luring people away from evangelistic living and Paul was determined to call them back to the Truth.

There are many ways God may use us to proclaim Christ. We can evangelize as we connect through conversations that leave people focused on Christ. We can evangelize through our life-styles that reveal Christ’s character. We can evangelize while we share meals with others as we thank Christ for his provision. The key will always be to share truth in a way that keep people thirsty for more of Christ; to share conversations and moments that are tasty or “seasoned with salt.”

Colossians 4:2-6: An Encouragement for Prayer
2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. 4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.

5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive [seasoned with salt] so that you will have the right response for everyone.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the power of prayer for salvation. Help all of your children to pray for opportunities to share the gospel in gracious words and actions. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If today was your last day on earth, what kind of legacy will you leave behind?

The word “legacy” takes on a different meaning for people. Some believe they need to build something grand to leave behind, while others believe they need to preserve something that has been passed down by family. Matthew reminds us that our legacy is a true treasure; “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (6:20-21) In other words, our heart will either want our legacy to be of this world and it will ultimately be destroyed; or it will want our legacy to be eternal which will mean that it will be forever connected to Christ.

In today’s passage, Solomon challenges us to consider wisely the legacy we will choose to leave behind for our children and for future generations.

Solomon points us to remember that God is the builder of all things, He watches over all things, and He is the One who gives all things. So, when we take over the building, the watching, and/or the giving, we are doing it all for nothing. “For the Lord gives to His loved ones even while they sleep.” (v.2) If God allows each of our physical systems to operate even while we are sleeping, providing all that is needed to sustain our physical life during rest, why do we not trust Him to provide all that is needed to sustain our physical lives when we are awake? Rather, we often attempt to take the control of our lives in our own hands. God seeks for us to give full control of our lives into His hands.

As you read Psalm 127, remember that these words were written for the community of Israel as they made their way up to Jerusalem and to the temple, it was a reminder to them (and remains a reminder to us today) of God’s covenant promise to His people and His many blessings. We know from history that we must have faith and trust in God to build, watch, and give us each our future plan, because apart from His eternal and perfect plan for each of our lives, our own great worldly achievements are fleeting.

Psalm 127 NLT
God Is Good to His People

1 Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders work for nothing. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the men who watch over it stay awake for nothing. 2 You rise up early, and go to bed late, and work hard for your food, all for nothing. For the Lord gives to His loved ones even while they sleep.

3 See, children are a gift from the Lord. The children born to us are our special reward. 4 The children of a young man are like arrows in the hand of a soldier. 5 Happy is the man who has many of them. They will not be put to shame when they speak in the gate with those who hate them.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the plan that You have for my life. Help me, Lord, to submit my own will in order to allow Your will to be done in and through my life. I want to walk out the plan that You have designed especially for me, because I know that it is the best plan. Please forgive me for not always trusting in Your plan for my life. Help to bring me closer to walking out Your desired plan for my life. I want to glorify You, Jesus. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: We serve the God of the impossible who is the Creator and Ruler of all things in heaven and on earth. Everything in God’s plan for salvation will one day be fulfilled in the world. From the beginning of time, God has never stopped working to redeem this fallen creation and offer salvation to those willing to respond to Him in faith. This means the Lord continues to bring saving faith to both Jews and Gentiles—we must remember we are all in our redeeming God’s mission together. In fact, the prophet Isaiah shares about the future glory for Jerusalem when the Lord God becomes our everlasting light and glory (Isaiah 60). That being said, the sooner Jews and Gentiles come to the Lord—connect to Christ—the better off we will all be.

Believers know our God is sovereign and transcendent—he is both knowable and unknowable, yet He continues to reveal Himself in new and glorious ways to His children. We cannot process God by an act of our own will or as a sense of reasoning; we must seek him through a relationship with Jesus because this is how God desires to be known. The only way to grow in our knowledge of God is by absolute trust and dependence upon the work of the Savior on the cross (John 3:16). Through Christ, God draws near to humanity; he comes into the hearts and minds of believers through the Holy Spirit in order to reveal Truth—God exists and He is a Rewarder of those who seek him (Heb 11:6). Remember, every way God brings revelation should be consistent with the Testimony of His Word. What a miracle!

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul shares a doxology—prayer of praise—unto the Lord. Although we cannot always comprehend the ways of God, we can rest assure he will always interact in the lives of his children and govern heaven and earth with mercy, justice, and love. We exist to bring God glory, so may we do so, today!
Romans 11:33-36 (NLT)

33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
34 
For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
    Who knows enough to give him advice?
35 
And who has given him so much
    that he needs to pay it back?
36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Prayer: Lord, you are the Source of all things, so we place ourselves in your loving hands to be used for your glory, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Expectations can be tough to balance in this uncertain world. Where is it safe to place our highest hopes? Sometimes when we have expectations for people, we find it necessary to lower our hopes a bit. Otherwise, we are constantly disappointed. We can certainly have high expectations for God, because He is all-powerful, all-knowing, always present, and totally trustworthy. God will never fail us. However, we must remember God’s thoughts about righteousness are not our thoughts and God’s righteous ways may or may not be our choice of acting righteous. Yet, it is always right to rest our faith in God’s work of salvation in Christ and live obediently to his Word. God is “able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Eph. 4:20). We may have to adjust our expectations of people, but faith in Christ is essential to please God—our Rewarder (Heb 11:6).

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul responds to Israel’s expectations. Many Jews rejected Jesus, because he did not meet their expectation of who and what the Messiah might be and do. Because God had given them the law, it was the Jew’s expectation that trying to obey the law in their human strength was the way to be right with God. Whereas, the Gentiles came to God believing the righteousness of Jesus alone made them right with God. This act of faith may not make sense to our natural minds, but Scripture reveals believing in Christ and asking for his righteousness to be manifest through our lives is the Truth.

It appears Jesus has not met the expectations of many in our present culture, either. Christ’s standard for righteous living is very different from the world’s standard of living. In fact, many people seem to be offended by the standard Jesus uses for his children. He calls his sons and daughters to a posture of humility and obedience to the Word while the world demands its own way. Christ fulfills the goal and purpose of the law—to show us our sinful natures, as well as bring us the power to follow his Word and example. This is the believer’s responsibility. The Holy Spirit is our Helper.

Romans 9:30-10:4 (NLT) Israel’s Unbelief
30 What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. 31 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. 32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. 33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,
“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble,    a rock that makes them fall.But anyone who trusts in him    will never be disgraced.”

10 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

Prayer: Father, I pray for the people of Israel to be saved; to grow in their understanding of the truth and salvation that you make available in Messiah. As well, I pray for this sinful world to believe in Christ and be made righteous before it is too late. I place my trust in you and your plans for righteousness in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Two weeks ago, we started a new series in our LIFE Lessons Bible Study: Discernment vs. Reckless Faith. Discernment makes all the difference in how we perceive the storms of life. Discernment is the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong, and to know and choose God’s will set before us. Here is a way to look at discernment: the ability to distinguish the majors from the minors, the excellent things from the mediocre, and the eternal from the temporal. We can understand the true weight and nature of all things with discernment.

When we ask God for discernment, faith becomes a means of protection against the storms of spiritual deception. Freedom to live in the truth becomes our greatest reality; to live the gospel by faith which pleases our Father. Finally, we grow and develop in our faith and trust in the God whom we openly say we love and serve because during the storms our lives witness the Truth.

In our passage today from Luke 8, Jesus is teaching the disciples about discerning the storms of life. Keep in mind, it is the heart of God to always prepare us and extend to us the grace we need each day. However, every day requires faith—living like we believe the Word of God is true! Jesus gives the Word, the disciples get into the boat as their starting point (A), and then Jesus says, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake” (v. 22). The end point (B) is the other side of the lake. Jesus’ plan is to take them from A to B. But, in the middle of the lake [a symbol of reflection and transition] they face a storm. Jesus allows the disciples to reflect on what he has said while living in the midst of the storm that arrives to test them. Do the disciples discern that Jesus gave them the Truth about making it to the other side? Do they believe he is the living Peace sent by the Father to guide them through life? The answer is they struggle to believe when they face the “storm” in the middle.

We all struggle with a variety of storms we face each day, but if we have asked for discernment, we have the ability to reflect on what God’s Word tells us about life as His children in a fallen world. We need great faith that prompts us to leave the safe shore knowing grace will carry us through the middle of the challenges and will deliver us victoriously to the other side. The enemy always seeks to stop us from faith in the Word, because Satan knows the Truth of God’s Word. Satan uses waves of fear to intimidate God’s children. The safest place in any storm you will face is dwelling with Jesus, because he is the Peace that guards our hearts and leads us forward in faith. If we will stay in Peace, we will always discern things more clearly. Have a wonderful weekend. Hope to see you in worship Sunday!

Luke 8:22-25 (NLT) Jesus Calms the Storm
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.

24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”

The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”

Prayer: Lord, as your children, we ask you for a spirit of wisdom and discernment to fill us. We want to know and focus on the things that are true, major, and eternal so we can live for your glory. We exalt you as Lord of heaven and earth and confess your authority and power over all creation. Help us to hold on to you, Jesus, because you are the supernatural Peace we so desperately need to deny fear any access to our souls. Use every storm as a way to build our faith and trust in you, because you have promised to take us safely to the other side of the lake of transition. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

July 21, 2022
Intro: I truly enjoy a ministry planning or Board meeting that welcomes the Spirit; one that is centered on discerning and obeying God’s plans. God imparts wisdom and insight through the gifts he places in His people; the gospel is the focus as we plan. Peter has always provided this kind of environment for our planning or Board meetings at Connect2Christ Church. We are so blessed with his leadership.

In Acts 1, Jesus, sets his disciples up for ministry success. In verses 4-5, Jesus essentially calls a “planning meeting” with his disciples. His instructions for moving forward begin with waiting! What? That’s right, Jesus tells them to wait for the Holy Spirit. In other words, the disciples are not to start doing things according to their own ideas, but they are to wait for the Spirit to impart God’s plans to them and provide the power to fulfill them (v.8). The Spirit was always Jesus’ source and power for ministry. As soon as Jesus finishes sharing this part of the planning meeting, he ascends to heaven.

In our passage today, the disciples obey Jesus’ Word; the eleven disciples, Jesus’ brother and mother Mary, as well as several other women, return to Jerusalem and go to an upper room to wait (v.13-14). Soon, the group grows to about 120 people—many new believers in Christ. Peter takes charge and calls a planning meeting. What is on the agenda? It is time to ask God to replace Judas the betrayer who killed himself near the Potter’s Field. The disciples want God’s choice for a replacement, so they begin to devote themselves to prayer and they wait. Waiting is not passive activity, it is dependance and obedience to God’s Word and timing.

Waiting before the Lord is essential whether we are seeking God’s plans for ministry or we are seeking God’s plans for our lives. God will bring us direction; he will reveal His plans, so we can follow. God wants our victory. I always have to remind myself of this Truth, so my Life Scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Acts 1:15-25 (NLT)
15 During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. 16 “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. 17 Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.”

18 (Judas had bought a field with the money he received for his treachery. Falling headfirst there, his body split open, spilling out all his intestines.
19 The news of his death spread to all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.”)
20 Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’

21 “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus— 22 from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”
23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen 25 as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.”

Prayer: Lord, help us as your children to wait patiently for the response of your Spirit to guide us into righteous living and leading. May you be exalted and praised. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: I have a great respect for the overall brilliance of the mind that our God designed and imparted to human beings. God has provided us with the ability to gain intellectual knowledge, reason, and wisdom. We have a computer in our heads and God is the necessary Host if we are going to connect to Truth. Remember, even believers need to continually consume the eternal Word of God to know how to think properly; we need the divine perspective. The devil is the father of lies who hates the Truth (John 8:44). He tries to speak lies into our thoughts in order to bring deception. The Word has the power to renew our minds and lift us out of worldly thinking into righteous thinking, so we can know the will of God for our lives (Romans 12:2).

Human beings are uniquely designed by the hand of God. Our minds, wills, and personalities are all known to our Creator. When we connect to God through the work of Jesus Christ, everything begins to make sense. Being born again from above is to connect to the divine. No one can believe Jesus is the Son of God unless God helps, because our human minds will dismiss Truth. In Christ, we know and have fellowship with God and can begin to learn who we are according to the Creator’s design. Unfortunately, many people try to decide who they are and what life is about by using their carnal (un-renewed) minds, wills, and emotions without the help of Jesus and his righteous perspective. What a mess we can make of our lives when we make our own human thoughts and feelings our gods (paganism).

In our passage today, the Jewish leaders cannot wrap their heads around how Jesus could be the divine Son of God, as well as the human son of Joseph and Mary. They have no ability to think about how God could send Christ’s Spirit to earth in order to inhabit a human body. These leaders could not believe even though Jesus said the same things Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free” (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1). Jesus is the Truth; he brings salvation and we must allow the Word to help us spiritually see, know, and live in eternal life.

John 6:41-51
41 Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43 But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)

47 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping your children know the Truth; it is a battle each day to fight the lies the devil sends our way. As we believe and place our trust in you, we will grow and mature. We will become more like Jesus; flesh filled with your divine Spirit. Through the Word, put a guard over our thoughts. Please protect us and help our unbelief. In Jesus’ name. Amen.