A Parent's Lament: My Children Have Left the Faith

 

My apologies to those of you who have followed my blog over the years. I was stricken with Covid back in October, spent 30 days in the hospital, and now I am home trying to get back to full strength. (Appreciate your prayers in that regard.)   

 

Pr 30:11 There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother. 12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness. 13 There is a generation-oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. 14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.

I almost didn’t post this today because I know many parents who are experiencing this very thing from their children. I’m not going to throw out a bunch of statistics concerning the numerical growth of the so called “nones” (those with no religious affiliation) because the “nones” that matter most to you and I are the ones in our own families. To a loving parent, one none is too many!

 

I mean what happened? We all sought to “train up our children in the way they should go so that when they grow old they will not depart from the faith.” (Prov 22:6) For some, that training takes, for others it doesn’t.

 

Why have my two adult children embraced the faith and yet my prayer list is rife with the prodigal children of many of my acquaintances? These acquaintances did all the right things, but their children turned away from the faith and many with the vengeance that we sense in the above portion of Scripture. I mean, “cursing mother and father?” “Pure in their own eyes?” “Teeth like swords?” Many of these children have turned into God-haters, instead of God-lovers!

 

I don’t have the answer to that question, but here are some things I do know:

God has not stopped loving them!

Faith is a gift from God!

We all have to work out our salvation, we don’t get to heaven on the coattails of our parents.

It ain’t over till it’s over.

There is no one beyond the reach of God’s mercy.

 

That prodigal matters! Jesus left the 99 to find the one that was in deep trouble! He’s on the trail of your prodigal even as you read this.

I know this to be true because I too, was a “none” before they had such a name. I spurned the God of my youth and sought to live in the ways of the world. But one day I hit rock bottom. This worldly living wasn’t working out.  My “lofty eyes” weren’t so lofty after I was humbled by my second OWI.

Thanks to the prayers of my mother-in-law, my wife, and her church friends, and her incredible godly example, I heard the gospel anew, and the Holy Spirit re-awakened me to the faith of my childhood. All glory to God!

Many of you don’t know what I was like before the Lord got a hold of me the second time, but believe me when I say this: If God could save a wretch like me, He can save anybody, and He will seek to do that. In the meantime, let us continue to pray and live out the example of our loving Savior, trusting God for the results!

# 123 Ever Fresh Bread

 

Ever Fresh Bread

 

Joh 6:47 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. 48 "I am the bread of life. 49 "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 "This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.

 Jesus keeps hammering away at the theme, “I am the Bread of Life. “He who believes in Me has everlasting life.” The Bread that He speaks of is His Body and it is not like the manna that was eaten in the wilderness. That manna was a physical sustenance only. the manna of Jesus is of spiritual sustenance.

 

The shelf life of manna was one day! Moses told the people when they gathered the manna that they were not to keep any of it until morning. However, some of them paid no attention to Moses and they kept it anyway. What a surprise the next day when the bread box stunk to high heaven and was full of maggots! Ex 16:19 And Moses said, "Let no one leave any of it till morning." 20 Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.

 

Not so with the bread that Jesus gives. His is the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone, by faith, partakes of His bread, he will live forever! The bread that Jesus gives is His very flesh which He gave for the life of the world. It is His literal body which He willingly placed on the cross at Calvary. A body which He knew would not suffer corruption. (Read that maggots!)

 

As the Psalmist foretold in  Ps 16:9,10, Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

 

No maggots in this bread! No stench from this manna! It is ever fresh, ever living. Though we may die and our flesh turns to dust, those who believe in Christ and have received Him as Lord and Savior will one day rise from the dead.

In accordance with  1Co 15:52,53 one day the buzzer on the oven we call life will go off and, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

 

No worms! No maggots! No stench in those imperishable bodies because they have partaken of the Living Bread! They have believed in, and received the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

# 122 When tears Pray

 

When Tears Pray

 

Ps 42:1 <<To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.>> As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.

 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, "Where is your God?"

 

Did you ever consider that your tears are a prayer? The psalmist says here that a tear is a petition to God that asks. “where are You God?”

 

A tear that asks, “Where are you in the midst of this relationship gone sour?” A watery eye wondering “Where are you in my financial calamity?”  Salty drops that question, “Where are you in the midst of this illness? A mournful sob that asks, “Where are you in the midst of my child’s rebellion?” These are all heartfelt prayers flowing from your tear ducts and they are duly noted by your loving heavenly Father.

 

Not one drop is missed as it says in  Ps 56:8, “You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?”

 

The psalmist was in tears in part because he missed going to church and gathering with the saints. (Sound familiar these days?) He says, “ 4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

Then in verse 5 a jolting question to bring the sobbing saint back to reality: “Hey, wait a minute! “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.

 

God has noted your tears, now put your hope in Him to take care of the situation in His perfect will and timing. Ride this out! You will yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. (Countenance… the turning of His merciful face toward you and your situation!)

 

Then note the last verse of this Psalm. It is the same as verse 5 with one exception. “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

The exception being, now we are talking about your countenance, the look on your face. He is the help of your countenance and will turn your sorrows into joyful praise.

 

# 121 Fishers of Men

 

# 121 Fishers of Men

 

Joh 6:43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves.  44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46 "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.

 

Jesus hears their murmuring and basically says, “Stop trying to figure this out! The only way any of this will make sense to you or anyone else for that matter, is if the Father reveals it to you! As the prophets have said, “and they shall all  be taught by God.”(Is 54:13) Therefore, since the prophets have written this, everyone who has learned from the Father will come to Me.”

 

It’s not that the Father comes down personally and teaches us, that would be impossible. No one would survive such a direct encounter with a holy God! No one has seen the Father except He who is from God, and that would be Jesus! So He came to teach them and us about the Father.

 

Later of course, the Holy Spirit, who also proceeds from the Father, will come and do the same thing, and those who have received Christ, will be taught by the Holy Spirit, receiving instruction from the Father! Joh 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

 

Who then are those who are privileged to be taught by the Father? Those who have been drawn by the Father to Jesus! Not only will they be taught, but they will be raised up on the Last Day!

 

The word “draw” is interesting. We think of it in terms of a magnetic type of pull, but its biblical use is much more connected to fishing! The fisherman lets down his net in the water and draws it to the boat where it is lifted up.

 

In like manner, the net of God is the Word of God, (Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God) (Rom 10:17) The Word is cast out, and as men hear it, they are convicted of their sins and drawn to Jesus. And Jesus, the perfect fisherman, (just look at His track record of filling empty nets) says that He will raise up all that are in the net on the Last Day.

 

Unlike other fishermen who will inevitably lose some fish in the process and throw away the ones they don’t want, Jesus says, the one drawn to Him by the Father, will not be cast out, and not a one will be lost.

 

Remember His original challenge to the disciples? “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men? The challenge remains the same for you and I today. We are to “cast out the Word of God and God will use that Word as His net. Souls will be drawn to Jesus and raised up the Last Day, and we too will be fishers of men!

 

# 120 The Virgin Birth! Believe It!

 

Joh 6:41 The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." 42 And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

 

The Jews have picked up on Jesus’ statement concerning “coming down from heaven.” “Is this not Jesus? Why He’s the son of Joseph and Mary! We’ve known those two from the get-go! How can He say He came down from heaven?”

 

They are in effect, denying the virgin birth. In their defense, we really don’t know how much was said publicly about the virgin birth of Jesus. How common was the knowledge of the miraculous conception of Mary? We do not know. Did she and Joseph talk about it with others while they sat around a campfire or relaxed in the hot tub? For that matter, were tongues wagging a bit about the circumstances surrounding His birth. We do not know!

 

We DO know that Matthew and Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote about the virgin birth, and John also stated that the eternal Word became flesh, indicating a miraculous, immaculate conception! We also know that the prophet Isaiah wrote of this occurrence in  Isa 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

 

Frankly, the religious leaders of the day should’ve been looking for such a birth! They should have been looking for Immanuel! (God with them!)  Today, we have the benefit of the writings of Luke and Matthew which give us a detailed account  of the virgin birth of Jesus!  When Mary asked how this birth would be possible, the angel said in  Lu 1:35, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One (or sinless One) who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

 

The immaculate conception, wrought by the creative power of God, was necessary that we might have a sinless Savior from conception on! Ps 51:5 reminds us that all the rest of us are sinners from conception on! Ps 51:5 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” Not so Jesus!

 

Do not deny the virgin birth, for in so doing, you join the company of these early Jewish leaders who refused to believe that Jesus was the Son of God, the bread of life which came down from heaven to provide eternal life to all who will receive Him!

 

Our church fathers knew the importance of the assent to the virgin birth, so much so that they included that declaration in the “Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. You know the words! “I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary!

 

Believe them!

 

# 119 No Fear of God Before Their Eyes

 

# 119 No Fear of God Before Their Eyes

 

Ps 36:1 <<To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.>> An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.

 I was reading the 36^th Psalm this morning as part of my daily devotional routine. (By the way I highly recommend such a daily routine for you as well! Get into the Word and let the Word get into you! In our world of 2020, it’s the only place where you will find 100% reliable truth!)

 

Anyway, I was struck by the very first verse of Ps 36. It said, “An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.” In this season of finger pointing on both sides, maybe we, as followers of Christ need to do some serious soul searching in light of this verse.

 

I, like most people, am appalled by the total disrespect for life and property we are witnessing in several cities across America! I am taken aback by the sheer anger and lack of any civility on display against fellow human beings.  I find a little righteous finger pointing anger roiling up in myself as I react to what I am seeing on the news.

 

But then, I saw this verse, and it occurred to me to ask the question, “What have we in the church set before the eyes of this generation?” What do they see? Do they look at us and our lifestyles and observe a people who have a deep reverence for God? Do they see the “fear of God before their eyes?” Or are they seeing a generation of followers of Jesus Christ who pick and choose what they will obey? Are they seeing people who treasure God’s commandments with their mouths, but trash them with their deeds?

How are you doing with the commands of God? Jesus said, “If you love Me you will keep My commandments.” (Jn 14:15)

Judgment begins in the house of God (1 Pet 4:17) Let’s stop pointing fingers and start cleaning up our act church! Let’s seek to live in rightful reverence of God and put the “fear of God” before the eyes of this generation once again.  The world needs to see it! Always has and always will.

 

2Ch 7:14 says, "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

 

Let’s get serious with our “fear of the Lord.” The world is watching, and down the road, it will make a difference.

 

# 118 Not By My Own Reason Or Strength

 

# 118 Not By My Own Reason Or Strength

 

Joh 6:36 "But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

 

Seeing is not necessarily believing! These people have witnessed the miracles and still refuse to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. Something more has to happen for people to come to faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God! (Rom 10:17) It is the Word of God, God speaking to the individual soul through the bedrock promises of Scripture that ignite faith in Jesus.

 

It is the Father who gives, He initiates, and all those whom the Father gives, come to Jesus, and when they come to Jesus, He promises to not cast them out. After all, it “is the will of the Father that of all that the Father gives Jesus, He should lose nothing, but raise it up on the Last Day.”.

 

We Lutherans believe this about the work of the Holy Spirit and faith. In the third article of the Apostle’s Creed we say: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”

 

That pretty much sums up this portion of John. God initiates the salvation process. He must! For I am a dead man spiritually before He comes to me! He is the One who gave me the faith to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He is the one who died for my sins, and through the Holy Spirit keeps me believing!

 

It’s all been done for me and continues to be done for me through the keeping power of the Holy Spirit. These gifts of faith and everlasting life through faith are irrevocable. They are sure promises that ever stand. They are only revoked when my heart becomes hardened and I revoke them!

 

Oh, how I need Jesus! It is as the old hymn says: “I need Thee, O I need Thee; Every hour I need Thee; O bless me now my Savior! I come to Thee!”

 

And Jesus says, “Don’t worry, keep coming to Me I will by no means cast you out!”

Oh what a blessed promise! Wretch that I am, Jesus died for me while I was yet a sinner, and He lives for me now, even in my continued imperfections, forgiving me, cleansing me, sanctifying me, helping me walk in newness of life. And one glorious day, I know He will raise me up to everlasting life!

 

# 117 The Bread of Life

 

# 117 The Bread of Life

 

Joh 6:30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

 33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

 

 

What’s wrong with these people? Jesus just fed 5000 plus of them with 5 loaves of bread and two fish, how much more of a sign do they want? At this point we need to say something about Messianic expectations of many of the Jews. Many felt that the Messiah would come and renew the daily sending of manna. So this crowd felt that the one time feeding of the 5000 was no big deal.  I mean Moses fed the entire nation every single day for years!

 

Moses served up bread from heaven, but Jesus served up ordinary fish and bread. But Jesus reminds the people that while Moses bread may have seemed heavenly, in reality, it was just a “type” of bread to come. The true bread given by the Father is in the form of the One who came down from heaven, and was now standing before them and speaking to them!

 

He is superior to manna in every way. This Bread (Jesus) was not meant solely for the nation of Israel, but for the whole world! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. (Jn 3:16)

 

The people still didn’t get it and they respond in physical terms.  “Lord give us this bread always!” Let it always be there like that manna was!

 

All right then, no more beating around the bush, Jesus flat out tells them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

 

 

This statement ought to connect with the audiences Old Testament line of thinking. For while the people were in the wilderness, God miraculously provided water and bread! No one hungered and no one thirsted. Now Jesus promises the same to those who come to Him. The difference is now it is a spiritual satisfaction.

 

Whereas the water and bread of Moses sustained life physically, the water and bread of Jesus sustains life spiritually! Moses satisfied the body; Jesus satisfies the soul! Listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah: Isa 55:1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.”

 

Isn’t that what you and I really need? Isn’t that what our heart really desires? Come to Jesus and “let your soul delight itself in abundance.” Stop looking for delight in all the wrong places, come to Jesus who promises to provide abundantly!

 

# 116 When's the Last Time You Were At the Lord's Table?

 

# 116 When’s the Last Time You Were At the Lord’s Table?

 

Joh 6:27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." 28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." 30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

 

“Labor for the food which endures to everlasting life which the Son of Man will give you.” Sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? How do you “labor” for something freely given? The people respond in a way that continues to reveal their true motive. “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? In other words, “What do we have to do so we can heal people and make our lunches appear out of thin air?”

 

Jesus ignores their motive and sticks to the main question. The question that is answered time after time after time in the Bible. It’s the central message of the Bible and God keeps repeating it because it’s vital that we get it!

 

Do you want to do the work of God? “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him who He sent.” This is the only work of God required….belief in Jesus. God revealed faith through grace that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, promised to the human race from the fall of Adam and Eve.

 

  Believe  Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

 

That’s your work! That’s your job!

 

Believe  Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

 

That’s your work, that’s your job!

 

Stop resisting the Holy Spirit! Ac 7:51 "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

 

That’s your work! That’s your job!

 

 

Jesus stresses salvation apart from our labors when He reminds the people  that the bread their fathers ate in the wilderness (manna) did not come from Moses! It did not come from the Law! It did not come because of the labors of the people. It came as a free giftfrom the Father. The only work involved was to go out and pick up their daily supply. They had to receive it! They had to eat of it to be nourished by it, in order for their lives to be sustained.

 

The new manna is out their folks. It’s in the form of Jesus Christ, who, like manna, came down from heaven, He was freely given by God to sustain us for eternity, and “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. (Jn 1:12)

 

Your work, my work, is to gather this manna on a daily basis. We can’t just be a spiritual couch potato expecting the Holy Spirit to spoon feed us. We need to be in the Word of God for regular feedings and yes, we do need to be in church to feed on the body and blood of Jesus at the Holy Table of the Lord’s Supper!

 

When’s the last time you shared the body and blood of Jesus? Your answer to that question speaks mounds about your willingness to do the “work of God.”

 

I Got Rumbly In My Tummy

 

# 115 I Got Rumbly In My Tummy

 

Joh 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

 

These people were following Jesus because it was an opportunity for a free lunch. This “free lunch” mentality is still with us today and it is called the “prosperity gospel.” Beware of this doctrine, because the only ones who are prospering are those who are peddling it.

 

Jesus knows the dangers of chasing after Him solely for the purpose of physical blessing and immediately sets the crowd straight. Sometimes we get so locked in to the physical blessings of following Jesus, that we forget to seek after that which really matters, and that is the blessing of eternal life!

 

What has Jesus told us? “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Mt 6:33)

 

The danger in seeking physical blessings first is this: What about the times when they are not forthcoming? What about the times that cancer stays? What about the times your ship doesn’t come in? What happens to these recently fed people that Jesus was dealing with when their tummies start rumbling and Jesus says, “Okay everybody, time to go into town for supper, see you tomorrow? The grumbling begins doesn’t it! “What a rip off! It’s in His power to feed us again! What kind of God is this who won’t give us what we want here and now!

 

This is the cry of those who would attempt to serve God AND mammon! If we tie the love of God solely into physical blessings, it won’t be long and we’ll be hating God!. Eugene Petersen paraphrases Mt 6:24 in “The Message” as follows: “You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and money both.”

 

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are lacking bread? (also known as money) As you wonder why God isn’t providing what you want (as opposed to what you really need) do you find contempt for Him building in your heart? This is a strong warning sign that you are seeking after mammon rather than God!

 

Here’s the thing about mammon. You can’t take it with you. Hearses don’t come with U-Hauls. Mammon perishes! This is the point that Jesus makes in verse 27. “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you.”

 

He will satisfy your needs for eternity. At best, mammon will satisfy for a moment, because when the moment passes your tummy will be rumbling again.

 

Moment? Or eternity? Put that on a timeline and let it be your guide! See where this wisdom leads you!

# 114 Uber Boats

 

# 114 Uber Boats

 

Joh 6:22 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone-- 23 however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks--

 24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" 26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

 

The 5000 plus left behind, start doing a little detective work. There was only one boat. The disciples had taken it last night. Jesus had not entered the boat. Where was He now? It’s like He vanished into thin air!

 

This would not do! They wanted more miracles, more free lunches from Jesus! They had trudged a long way around the sea to get to Jesus and now they would have to trudge back to civilization. But, thank the Lord, look what happens! Uber boats from Tiberius arrive and they can cross the sea via boat!

 

Don’t you find that strange? Almost miraculous! How did this armada of boats know that some of these people wanted to hitch a ride to Capernaum? They came empty and ferried the “free lunch” people back over to Capernaum. In my mind, this armada is still another miracle! God needed these free lunch seekers to accost Jesus asap so Jesus could make a point for them and us!

 

So, they pull up, and haul some of the crowd back to Jesus, where He tells them and us! “Man does not live by bread alone! Don’t chase Jesus for the sake of physical blessings, chase Him for eternal life! Jesus confronts the crowd with something we all need to be confronted with: “What’s your motive for following Him?”

 

Do you, “love Him because HE first loved you? (1 Jn 4:19) or do you have some other underlying motive? God desires to give you and I the “Bread of Life,” but let us be like David in the 139^th Psalm and check our motives! Ps 139:23,24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;

 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

 

In other words, show me my motives Lord, reveal them to me that I may humbly come to You and ask Your help to remove any wrong motives in my heart. Don’t let me look to You as some sort of a cosmic Santa Claus, or as a “get out of jail free” card. But rather let me love You because You first loved me and demonstrated that love for me when You went to the cross and paid for my sins!

# 113 It IS I,Fear Not

 

# 113 It Is I, Fear Not

 

Joh 6:16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

 

There are three different accounts of Jesus walking on the water given in the Gospels. Three different perspectives of the same event. In Matthews account, (Mt 14:22-33) Jesus sends the disciples away, dismisses the crowd, then goes up the mountain by Himself to pray.  In the evening, He walks on the water to catch up with the disciples in the midst of a stormy sea. Peter walks on the water in Matthew’s account, falls in, is rescued by Jesus, and the wind ceases when Jesus steps into the boat.

 

In Mark’s account (Mk 6:45-52) there is no mention of peter walking on the water, but the rest of the account parallels the account given in Matthew.

 

John’s account is somewhat shorter and includes the miraculous transport of the boat to the shore. All three accounts have some common points. It was dark. It was stormy. The disciples were struck with great fear as they spotted Him walking on the water, and in ALL three accounts Jesus admonished the disciples to “fear not.”

 

Both Matthew and Mark assert  that the disciples thought they were seeing a spirit or a phantom….in other words, a ghost! But Jesus spoke to their deepest fear and assured them , “It is I.” It was after that assertion that He commanded them to “fear not.”

 

Perhaps you are in a situation today that is making your soul cry out in fear. Let me remind you that as a believer, Jesus has promised to be with you always. He is there, right beside you, urging you to recognize His presence. You’ll know He is present as He brings peace to your situation.

 

“It is I,” is just another way of saying, “I got this. Do not be afraid!” This fearful, stormy night incident was not meant just for the disciples, it was meant for your stormy nights as well. Fear not my brother. Fear not my sister. Jesus has not abandoned ship! “Willingly receive,” His presence as He ushers you to shore.

# 112 And That's the Truth

 Joh 6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

 

One of the biggest obstacles Jesus faced while he visited this earth was convincing His followers that He was not going to rule the Israelites like Moses or David did. He was not going to overthrow Rome as Moses overthrew Egypt. He was not going to defeat the Roman enemy as David defeated the Philistines and others.

 

Jesus told Pilate when asked if He were “King of the Jews,” “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but My kingdom is not from here.” (John 18:36)

 

Pilate repeated the question, “Are You a King then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a King, for this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

 

The kingdom of Jesus  is the kingdom of truth. It’s a spiritual kingdom. It’s not something you can force upon another, it’s a matter of the heart. Jesus does not conquer with physical force, He conquers with the spirit of truth, aka, the Holy Spirit.

 

Even as HE was departing this earth, His own disciples did not understand this principle. Jesus told them, “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” They asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (They were still thinking in terms of a kingdom conquered and ruled by physical force.)

 

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” In other words, “do not concern yourself with a physically conquered kingdom, rather, when you receive the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of the kingdom of God, be witnesses to Me to the end of the earth.

 

And that takes us back to the statement Jesus made to Pilate.  Everyone who is of the truth, (everyone meant to be a part of the kingdom) will hear the voice of Jesus in the proclamation of truth and will by spiritually conquered. A spiritually conquered person is also a physically conquered person inasmuch as he now allows Jesus and His Word of truth to rule in his heart and in his life.

 

This then is the conquering truth that is to be proclaimed. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! God so loved the sinful world, He so loved you and I, that He gave His only begotten Son. That whoever believes in Him should not perish because of their sins, but have everlasting life…….and that’s the 

# 111 Maybe the Best Diet Of All

 

# 111 Maybe the Best Diet Of All

 

Joh 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

 

I read this, and I wonder, “are we a bit too casual about giving thanks for our food in this land of plenty?” When Jesus gave thanks for food, it apparently was always a memorable occasion!

 

Here at the feeding of the 5000. Later at the feeding of the 4000, and of course the time that He paused to bless the food at the Last Supper and give thanks for the wine. It was special!

 

So special that after His resurrection as He walked and talked with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, they didn’t recognize Him until He sat at table with them, took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him (Luke 24:31)

 

When Jesus gave thanks for food, He made an impact on those who ate with Him. Too often, we mumble a few words rotely, and dig in. Understand that the Jews regarded bread as a gift from God and it was required that what fell on the ground during a meal, had to be picked up.

 

Jesus had no problem with that custom as He asks the disciples to gather up the fragments. Bread was precious to Jesus. It was something to be deeply thankful for, and it certainly wasn’t to be wasted. I’m ashamed to think of how much food I toss into the garbage can every single day, and how flippant and casual my table prayers can become as I sit before a table that is filled to overflowing with the goodness of God!

 

Several years ago, a survey was released that showed the majority of Christians are overweight. Maybe if we would adopt the attitude of Jesus toward food, that is, a deep appreciation for where it comes from, we would be less apt to gorge ourselves, crassly throwing out the leftovers and then tossing fat-laden snacks down our gullets while we wait for the next meal. Maybe, giving true thanks would be the best diet of all.

# 110 Andrew the Simpleton

 

# 110 Andrew the Simpleton

 

Joh 6:8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,

 9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" 10 Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

 

The disciples are still trying to answer Jesus’ question, “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?” Andrew blurts out, “There’s a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish.” I wonder if anyone laughed at his remark? “Good one Andrew! Let’s just get a really sharp knife and we’ll divide it equally with the crowd!” Or, “Great idea Andrew! Anyone remember to bring the blender? We’ll make fish and bread smoothies!”

 

Andrew catches himself immediately and says, “But what is this small amount of food among so many?” I have one word to describe Andrew here…..simpleton. That seems harsh I know, but that’s the beauty of these men that Jesus chose to follow Him and eventually set the world on fire with the Holy Spirit empowered gospel! They were simple men with simple faith in Jesus!

 

Listen to what happens next! Jesus says, “Make the people sit down.” Understand the meaning of those words. In modern terminology Jesus was telling the disciples to tell the people to pull up a chair and have something to eat! I tell you that is faith!

 

Remember the wedding at Cana? Jesus turned water into wine and we saw the simple faith of the servants in action! Mary had told them, “Whatever He says to you, do it!” And the servants, with the great risk of looking like fools did it! Then they drew what had been water out of the pot and gave it to the master of the wedding. What if the water remains water? How will the servants look then? But they believe and do exactly as Jesus commanded them, and the miracle followed!

 

The disciples knew all they had were a couple of fish and a few loaves of bread, yet they obeyed. They gave no thought to being embarrassed. They trusted Jesus so much that they took the bold step of making everyone sit down as if they were going to be fed!

 

Simple faith! Amazing miracle!

 

Oh that we simpletons would learn such trust in our Master! Oh that we would learn to take what we have and give it to Jesus. Have Him touch it and then give it to others! How sweet and satisfying it would be to those on the receiving end, and how are simple faith in Jesus would bring glory to God!