Monday, March 23, 2020

Living On Bread and Water


I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”" — John 6:51

I suppose you have seen the lines at the grocery stores – if not then you have seen the empty shelves.  The Lord – the Spirit of God – has been impressing upon me the need to encourage the Saints in this dark hour. I just had the vision of me walking behind the line of foxholes encouraging the warriors to stand firm – to face the enemy with confidence.  To remember their training in preparation for this battle.  To face the enemy with confidence. To not abandon their post. It is times like this that God has equipped the Church for. Thinking about the encouragement that the Lord gave to Joshua.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

I am co-leading an Experiencing God Bible study using a video conferencing application “Zoom”.  We started it before the COVID-19 outbreak, but it has proven to be timely. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, LET ME KNOW (charley@pathfindermission.org – of message me on Facebook) Zoom is free, but you would need to buy the study guide. Back to my point – I was working on the study this morning when I happened across John 6:51. Jesus is the Bread of life.  Then I remembered His encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.

Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’” – John 4:10

(OK – you might think this odd, but as a friend would say,  “It is not odd, it’s God”) I write this devotion, initially, in an email then copy it to my BLOG.  I use the previous email as a template so I don’t’ have to look up email addresses each time (I send it to 21 people by email). I went to my Bible software to get the verse from John 4 to paste into the devotion – I copied it, then returned to the email and viola there was the verse – exactly in the place I would have pasted to – a verse I used in my previous devotion.

So Jesus is the bread and gives us living water – He provides spiritual nourishment.  In times like these – it is even more important to listen to God – to seek Him out.  The media is dominated by COVID-19 and the impending doom for the world – dark times to be certain.  But there is a Light – God has not abandoned us.  He will give us what we need to endure this time of trouble.

 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:31-34

I didn’t say it – Jesus did! He also said this!

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

It is time for the Church to lean forward in the foxhole and face the enemy with spiritual weapons, all for the world to see!

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

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