John 6:24-29
"Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. When they found Him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, Rabbi, when did you get here? Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval. Then they asked Him, What must we do to do the works God requires? Jesus answered, The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent."
The crowd was after physical gratification. They were right to look to Jesus but in their motives they missed the mark. They were interested in loaves and fishes when they were being offered food that would last for eternity. They wanted physical food but overlooked the true Manna, Jesus, the bread of heaven.
I do this. I want to know what God requires but not so that I may achieve the spiritual blessing that God intends but because I am after a natural blessing for the here and now. Jesus response to the crowd's questions was this: the work that God requires is this: BELIEVE JESUS.
When our motive is right, we do not have to worry about the natural provision. We will be fed and clothed; we will have what we need when we need it. We can believe Jesus! We can trust Him! HE is our provision. HE is our food. HE is our reward, our manna, our sustenance.
Why did the crowd miss the spiritual opportunity that was right in front of them? Why do we often miss it? Because: we are more tuned to our physical desires than to our spiritual pangs of hunger. How do we get skinny? We discipline ourselves to ignore our body's cries for food. How did we arrive at this state of spiritual malnourishment? We have trained ourselves to ignore our spirit's yearnings.
God has prepared a spiritual feast for us. He has given us the body and blood of His own Son as our eternal provision: our BREAD OF HEAVEN.
Am I motivated by what I think I need in the natural? Is this the real reason that I am asking "What does God require?" Are my prayers about financial needs, physical food and earthly obstacles? Am I even hungry for spiritual food? Am I tuned to my spirit's hunger pangs? Do I cry out for the reconciliation of the lost? Am I praying for opportunities to do the "work" which is to BELIEVE JESUS? What spiritual obstacles am I praying about?
Lord, change our hearts that our motives will be about your heavenly business rather than our earthly desires.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
First love...
I remember when I first looked into my honey's blue eyes. I could NOT believe that I had landed such a good-looking fish!! We talked for hours late at night and watched funny shows together, laughing and enjoying each other. We looked at each other all the time--we caught each other's gaze. We listened and cared.
In Revelations 2:4-5, the Lord says to the church in Ephesus, "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."
Nowadays, it is SO easy to get married and even easier to get a divorce. There is little expectation and often even less commitment. I watch shows on TV where the concept of marriage is almost an afterthought to the wedding event and once the "first love" feelings begin to wear off, the end looms near for the marriage as well. In our relationship with our spouses and more importantly with our God we must take action to nurture our "FIRST LOVE"attitude!
Step 1: DON'T FORSAKE
Notice the Scripture above doesn't say don't lose your first love--no it says do not forsake! To forsake, you must take a willful action. You have a choice! Choose not to leave, abandon or change from your commitment. Choose not to release or turn or weaken in your resolve to LOVE. Hold on!
Step 2: REMEMBER
Command your thoughts to focus on the blessings that this love-commitment have ushered in. Remember where you would be but for the grace of God. Take charge of your thoughts! Do not let them take charge of you! In 2 Corinthians, the author had this to say about thoughts: "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demoslish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Our thoughts can cause our love to grow cold and apathetic. On the contrary, godly thoughts can keep us fervent and passionate in our love.
Step 3: REPENT AND DO
It is not too late! Today is the day to make the change! Repent! Turn around! Go the other direction! Take stock of your love relationship TODAY. Are you doing the things that you did at first? Spending time? Listening, caring, enjoying? If your passion has grown cold, if you no longer have that "first love" attitude, start right now. Become a seeker---strive to become an "expert" on your loved one's likes, dislikes, wants and needs. Work at it! Do the things for your loved one that you did at first and then I challenge you to go above and beyond that and think up some new stuff!
And above all else, dear one: Remember your very FIRST LOVE. Jesus. Fall in love with Him all over again. He loves you and gave up His life for a love relationship with you.
In Revelations 2:4-5, the Lord says to the church in Ephesus, "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."
Nowadays, it is SO easy to get married and even easier to get a divorce. There is little expectation and often even less commitment. I watch shows on TV where the concept of marriage is almost an afterthought to the wedding event and once the "first love" feelings begin to wear off, the end looms near for the marriage as well. In our relationship with our spouses and more importantly with our God we must take action to nurture our "FIRST LOVE"attitude!
Step 1: DON'T FORSAKE
Notice the Scripture above doesn't say don't lose your first love--no it says do not forsake! To forsake, you must take a willful action. You have a choice! Choose not to leave, abandon or change from your commitment. Choose not to release or turn or weaken in your resolve to LOVE. Hold on!
Step 2: REMEMBER
Command your thoughts to focus on the blessings that this love-commitment have ushered in. Remember where you would be but for the grace of God. Take charge of your thoughts! Do not let them take charge of you! In 2 Corinthians, the author had this to say about thoughts: "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demoslish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Our thoughts can cause our love to grow cold and apathetic. On the contrary, godly thoughts can keep us fervent and passionate in our love.
Step 3: REPENT AND DO
It is not too late! Today is the day to make the change! Repent! Turn around! Go the other direction! Take stock of your love relationship TODAY. Are you doing the things that you did at first? Spending time? Listening, caring, enjoying? If your passion has grown cold, if you no longer have that "first love" attitude, start right now. Become a seeker---strive to become an "expert" on your loved one's likes, dislikes, wants and needs. Work at it! Do the things for your loved one that you did at first and then I challenge you to go above and beyond that and think up some new stuff!
And above all else, dear one: Remember your very FIRST LOVE. Jesus. Fall in love with Him all over again. He loves you and gave up His life for a love relationship with you.
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