We have often heard the phrase "Man does not live by bread alone". This is an interesting concept because for us in Singapore, we live to eat (and not eat to live)!
In what way, then, is Jesus the bread of life?
We need the word of God every day. This is why you can find DAILY BREAD, DAILY DEVOTIONAL, etc available. These are to feed our soul, even as we feed our tummies with bread.
We need to spend time in the Word. Salvation comes by trusting in the Lord.
For our everyday life, we need spiritual food in addition to food in the natural sense. Think about it... why are there people in the world who suffer from chronic fatigue, year-round flu, depression, sickness, etc? 2 people could be in church, both with illness and yet only 1 gets healed. Why is this so? Is it because the one who was healed is more holy and keeps the law? Is it because the one who was not healed is bad? This is not the case. 2 people may hear the same Word but do they both believe what they hear?
As it is said in the Bible, all our righteousness are as filthy rags. By your own efforts, can you clothe yourself? If you do not say that you are a sinner, how can Jesus be your saviour? How can Jesus be your strength when you say that you are strong? If you rely on your self-effort, it will get you nowhere. You may initially see results but in the long run, it all comes to nothing.
It is only through Jesus that we find nourishment. How often have we felt exhausted and depressed, only to listen to anointed preaching (ie. one that lifts up the Lord and not beat His lambs) and suddenly, all the fatigue melts away and we are so moved that we cannot help but shed tears at the beauty of our Lord?
We may stuff ourselves with buffet after buffet, but are we eating spiritually? Have we concentrated on "living to eat" and forgotten that our spirits cry out for nourishment?
There are many people who call themselves Christians but they believe strongly in the power of works. They believe that the more good deeds they do, they are more likely to enter the gates of Heaven. And yet, there are many hypocrites among such persons. They appear holy and self-righteous but behind the backs of others, they will not hesitate to stab them and trample upon them. They will freely pass judgement on another person who is not of the same faith / denomination as them whilst proclaiming their own righteousness. Do you know of such people? They are as bad as the Pharisees.
Jesus did not come to save the holy. He came to save the sinners. It is only when we recognise that without Him, we are nothing, that we can begin to enjoy the grace and favour that He wants to bestow upon us. Nothing that we say, can make Him love us more and nothing that we do, can ever close the door.
Do you know what pleases Jesus? It is when He can serve us. Our works and eagerness to serve Him mean nothing to Him.
How then do we feed on Jesus? We do so by glorifying Jesus and His love for us, and not our love for Jesus. Even when things do not go right and our prayers are not answered, we should still lift up our hands and glorify the Lord. Before you know it, everything seems to fall in place without any action on your part. You only have to believe.
In what way, then, is Jesus the bread of life?
We need the word of God every day. This is why you can find DAILY BREAD, DAILY DEVOTIONAL, etc available. These are to feed our soul, even as we feed our tummies with bread.
We need to spend time in the Word. Salvation comes by trusting in the Lord.
For our everyday life, we need spiritual food in addition to food in the natural sense. Think about it... why are there people in the world who suffer from chronic fatigue, year-round flu, depression, sickness, etc? 2 people could be in church, both with illness and yet only 1 gets healed. Why is this so? Is it because the one who was healed is more holy and keeps the law? Is it because the one who was not healed is bad? This is not the case. 2 people may hear the same Word but do they both believe what they hear?
As it is said in the Bible, all our righteousness are as filthy rags. By your own efforts, can you clothe yourself? If you do not say that you are a sinner, how can Jesus be your saviour? How can Jesus be your strength when you say that you are strong? If you rely on your self-effort, it will get you nowhere. You may initially see results but in the long run, it all comes to nothing.
It is only through Jesus that we find nourishment. How often have we felt exhausted and depressed, only to listen to anointed preaching (ie. one that lifts up the Lord and not beat His lambs) and suddenly, all the fatigue melts away and we are so moved that we cannot help but shed tears at the beauty of our Lord?
We may stuff ourselves with buffet after buffet, but are we eating spiritually? Have we concentrated on "living to eat" and forgotten that our spirits cry out for nourishment?
There are many people who call themselves Christians but they believe strongly in the power of works. They believe that the more good deeds they do, they are more likely to enter the gates of Heaven. And yet, there are many hypocrites among such persons. They appear holy and self-righteous but behind the backs of others, they will not hesitate to stab them and trample upon them. They will freely pass judgement on another person who is not of the same faith / denomination as them whilst proclaiming their own righteousness. Do you know of such people? They are as bad as the Pharisees.
Jesus did not come to save the holy. He came to save the sinners. It is only when we recognise that without Him, we are nothing, that we can begin to enjoy the grace and favour that He wants to bestow upon us. Nothing that we say, can make Him love us more and nothing that we do, can ever close the door.
Do you know what pleases Jesus? It is when He can serve us. Our works and eagerness to serve Him mean nothing to Him.
How then do we feed on Jesus? We do so by glorifying Jesus and His love for us, and not our love for Jesus. Even when things do not go right and our prayers are not answered, we should still lift up our hands and glorify the Lord. Before you know it, everything seems to fall in place without any action on your part. You only have to believe.
No comments:
Post a Comment