Word-Filled Wednesday ~#12~ 10/27/10

PASSAGE: ~~selected verses from John 6:47-69~~

[Jesus speaking] "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life...I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world:


Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?"


Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man & drink His blood, you have no life in you...Just as the living Father sent Me & I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna & died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever"...


On hearing it, many of His disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"...


Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you?..."


From this time many of His disciples turned back & no longer followed Him.


"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the twelve.


Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. WE BELIEVE & KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE HOLY ONE OF GOD."

LESSON LEARNED: Anyone who says that Jesus is a whimp & that His teachings are 'mamby-pamby' simply doesn't know Him. Yes, as God's Son & as part of the Trinity He is love & He is justice, but He is also the Lamb of God. He is our once-for-all sacrifice Who purchased our redemption w/His precious, sinless blood. And anyone who could even live long enough to make it to the cross, after being beaten by a troop of guards, whipped to nearly hamburger w/a cat-o-nine-tails, & still carry his heavy instrument of torture to the place of his death...all this after being denied food, drink & sleep...is no wimp!


At one time, Jesus had about 100 disciples following Him around, the core of them being the 12 especially chosen by Him. I think that after He started His ministry & began doing His miracles, He wanted to make sure that those closest to Him ~ who would be the ones to carry out His ministry & preach the Gospel after He went back to heaven ~ would understand that the miracles & the 'fun' of fellowship w/Him was NOT all there was to living the Christian life. It's not ALL hard, but it's not ALL easy, either. When he started teaching the hard things & the mysteries of the faith, many turned away..."This is a hard teaching, who can accept it?"


Frankly, I am disgusted by those who, although well meaning, sweetly tell unbelievers that "When you accept Jesus as your Savior, aaaaall your problems will be over!" Pah-lease! Tell me, is that what happened to you?


Jesus NEVER said that, why should we? This is a fallen, sinful, dying world. What God/Jesus DID say was, "Be strong & courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes w/you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deut. 31:6) And again, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Heb. 13:5b)


But I'll tell you what I HAVE noticed: the people w/the greatest faith seem to be the people who are hanging on by a mere spiritual string!


I've heard it said that "heroes aren't born heroic, they simply keep going when no one else will." Doesn't that sound like what happens to us in the tough times? So I say, "A Christian isn't one who is born 'holy', but one who endures to the end b/c Jesus says s/he can!"

"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
~~Romans 8:31

THIS is the God & the Savior I serve! THIS is the Holy Spirit Who lives w/in me & guides me! THIS is the God Who is my strength!

"This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
~~Nehemiah 8:10b

THIS is the God Who is my joy!

"...weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning."
~~Psalm 30:5b

And let's not forget that not only do the hard times of this life help us to enjoy the beauty & happy times here, but Oh what joys there are to come, if Jesus is your Savior & Lord!

"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, & I will give to everyone according to what he has done."
~~Rev. 22:12

Yes, I will do the hard things here! And I will endure through it all. I can do it because of the faith HE has given me! I can endure because ONLY JESUS has "the words of eternal life"!!

Maranatha!!!!


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Blessings from Ohio...Kim<><