In the message you’ll listen to this week by Tim Keller on John 6, when Jesus feeds the multitudes and claims, “I am the bread of life,” Keller commented that if the purpose of the miracles was to dazzle and convince us of His Deity, he could think of better ways Jesus could have done that. “He could have flown to Rome. He could have touched down and zapped the gladiators and the lions.”
BUT JESUS DIDN’T COME TO DAZZLE
US WITH HIS SUPER-POWERS
OR TO BE A STAR
Keller says that miracles are not meant primarily to convince people of the Deity of Christ because people will always find a way to explain it in some natural way. No doubt you have seen many of the explanations given for the biblical miracles. Some explanations may be plausible, for God may choose to work with the natural forces He created. Though every time I hear one of these explanations, I also know that the world is eager to have another explanation than God intervening. You may have seen, for example, this report:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt-9ihZsV2Y
When my husband was dying of cancer, I had some tell me that if God healed him, that it would be a great sign and many would put their faith in Christ. I wasn’t so sure. For I have seen how people so often explain things away so that they do not have to believe. Sometimes their explanations are pretty far-fetched!
When I lived in Nebraska I was part of the leadership team of “Sonrise Bible Studies.” (Kim and Joyce are involved in that ministry.) In the beginning years, we had so many unbelievers coming, and we wanted them to keep coming, so we had some guidelines to keep them from being discouraged.
One was that if a new member said something nearing on blasphemy, that instead of the main leader correcting her, she should wait for someone in the group to do it, or she should gently lead back to Scripture, or, as a last resort, signal her co-leader for help. Our philosophy, which is also that of Alpha’s (a tremendously successful evangelistic curriculum which God has indeed quickened) is that the unbeliever who is not humiliated is more likely to keep coming and come to faith)
One week we were studying the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand from one little boy’s lunch, and one of the members said, “Do you know what the real miracle was?”
I wasn’t sure what was coming, but it was worse than I could have imagined. She said, “The real miracle was hospitality. Our minister explained that everyone had bread and fish under their robes, and brought it out when it was needed.”
There was silence — and some were nodding in agreement! I tried Plan A. “What does someone else think?” Silence. Trying not to panic, I went for Plan B. “Let’s look at the passage again and see if we can find support for that.” Again, silence. Finally, Plan C. I said to my co-leader and dear friend Shell — “Shell — what do you think?” Shell was so stunned she couldn’t speak. I can still picture her, frozen in her chair. (I don’t even remember how we got out of it — but I’ll never forget how astonished I was that this was taught from a pulpit in town. But I know now it is a common explanation in many churches for that miracle.)
Do you remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16? The rich man did not believe in God and had neglected the beggar Lazarus at his door. Both died, and Lazarus was carried by an angel to Abraham’s side, but the rich man was in torment in Hades.
The rich man pleaded with Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his five brothers that hell was true. Abraham said, “They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them.”
The rich man said, “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.”
Abraham said, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced is someone should rise from the dead.”
And we know that is true, for Jesus rose from the dead, and yet there is unbelief everywhere.
Miracles seldom change hard hearts. That doesn’t mean they can’t or don’t or that they have ceased. (Please don’t think I am saying that!) So if the miracles of Christ were not so much to convince people of His Deity, then what was the primary purpose of His miracles?
Every miracle Jesus did was to restore the world to the way it was meant to be. There was not meant to be sickness, hunger, hurricanes, and death. These are all part of the fall. But every miracle, and this is what I want you to ponder, also teaches us something about Jesus and our relationship with Him.
So when He fed the multitudes and then followed it up with His claim: I AM the Bread of Life, what was He teaching us?
This is what we will consider this week — and I am eager, during the Bible study section, to share a way the Lord spoke to me as I studied this passage this week, for it is truly helping me and I believe it may help you too.
Sunday/Monday: Icebreaker
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
2. Report on your last week’s Lenten discipline. Will you continue with the same or do a new discipline this week?
Monday-Wednesday: Bible Study
I’d been pondering the words of Jesus that follow this miracle: “Don’t labor for the bread that spoils, but labor for the bread that endures.” (John 6:27) This is what He was teaching through this miracle, so I wanted to understand it!
I know that it is easy to put so much time and money into things that will pass away, and very little into those things that will not. I know this is the heart of what Jesus was showing, saying, and wanting us to understand.
But the Lord took me deeper when I had dinner this week with dear friends, Ed and Cynthia Longabaugh. We were talking, as we have been so much this year, about idols of the heart. Ed said something which caused me to pause, which gave me a slight tremor of “The Mysterium Tremendum.”(If you have just joined us for Lent, some of this may be hard to understand — but do the best you can and don’t worry if you don’t get it now.)
He said, “Idols always demand a propitiation.”
“What do you mean?”
In the Old Testament, the pagans and the Israelites would sacrifice to other gods to appease them. Those gods demanded a sacrifice — sometimes even a human sacrifice.”
I thought about that — how sometimes they would even put their children on the fire to Molech.
“And would you say that our heart idols also demand a sacrifice?”
“Yes. For example, a woman might desperately want the approval of her mother, and live her whole life trying to get it. She sacrifices years, peace, contentment…”
I drove home that night pondering. I came home, curled up in my chair, and turned to a passage the Lord brought to mind. It’s from Jeremiah and he is telling them that their lives have been wasted because of their idol worship:
…the shameful thing has devoured all for which our fathers labored, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters… Jeremiah 3:24)
I had sobering thoughts — of how my idols have demanded a sacrifice — from me and from my family. I have regrets — about not being more diligent in training my children when they were young, about not being more diligent with my health (I have to battle reflux from poor eating habits and watch carefully for skin cancer because of years of working to get tan), about not being with my husband as much as I could have his last year. I have confessed and the Lord has forgiven me for all this — but my idols of comfort, security, and approval all extracted a sacrifice while I was serving them. If my eyes had only been on Jesus, and the bread that endures, I would not have these regrets. I and my family would have been spared the sacrifice that was demanded.
But I also thought — I don’t want to sacrifice anything else to idols. Help me, O Lord, to turn from them and to You.
3. Comment on the above.
4. Read John 6:1-15 and describe the miracle. If a verse quickens you, slow down and tell us what you see.
(We studied John 6:16-21 two weeks ago on the post called: Life is a Sea Voyage)
5. Read John 6:22-35
A. According to John 6:26, why did Jesus say they were seeking Him?
B. This should always cause us to ponder — do we find Him useful or beautiful? How are you doing in this area?
C. What does he tell them in verse 27, and what does this mean?
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree?
E. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35?
F. What stood out to you from this passage and why?
Thursday-Friday: Listen to this Keller message (It’s $2.50): Link
6. What did you learn from his first point “Bread for the Mind?” (This is his longest point — he contrasts watertight case with watertight Person)
7. What did you learn about “Bread for the Body?” (This was brief, and you might miss it — but he talks about how hunger is not God’s plan — and how this miracle not only shows that, but how we are to be a part of alleviating the physical hunger of others.)
8. What did you learn about “Bread for the Heart?”
Saturday:
9. What is your take-a-way this week?
396 comments
5. Read John 6:22-35
A. According to John 6:26, why did Jesus say they were seeking Him? because they ate their fill of the loaves
B. This should always cause us to ponder — do we find Him useful or beautiful? How are you doing in this area? Really hoping now to find Him beautiful. It pricks my heart though because I know often I find Him useful. My hearts desire is both but mostly beautiful above all else.
C. What does he tell them in verse 27, and what does this mean? Don’t work for frivolous things that do not last. Do God’s lasting work instead, that that comes from God.
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree? Maybe? What hard heads they had!
E. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35? That the bread of God is Jesus.
F. What stood out to you from this passage and why? The simple works of God, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God,that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
4. Read John 6:1-15 and describe the miracle. If a verse quickens you, slow down and tell us what you see.
Jonh 6:6 – “… for He Himself Knew what would do.”
Jesus knew that the miracle would come later. And so in our lives. I’m listening to a song that says: Your grace is enough for me!
When we worry about Tomorrow and the Future, we run to Jesus to bless our plans. But we forget that He has “the plan”! Yes, Your grace is enough for me!
Jonh 6:15 – He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
After … Jesus alone with the Father in prayer. And it teaches us so much! Jesus went to the mountain, because people wanted to crown him (political leadership). But I learn from him, to escape to the Father and be with Him when the world has other plans for us away from God’s plan.
Hi Polly!
I love your thoughts here – when the world has other plans for us away from God’s plan, we need to escape to the Father and be with Him, just like Jesus did.
Love this, Polly…….”When we worry about Tomorrow and the Future, we run to Jesus to bless our plans. But we forget that He has “the plan”! Yes, Your grace is enough for me”!
Thank you!
5. Read John 6:22-35
A. According to John 6:26, why did Jesus say they were seeking Him?
Jesus said that they were looking for Him because they had had their stomachs filled with the bread.
B. This should always cause us to ponder – do we find Him useful or beautiful? How are you doing in this area?
I took note of verse 24, “…they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.” The people were seeking Jesus. The question is Why?
I see it is good to ponder for myself, why am I searching for Jesus? What is it I want from Him? I know everything is to be found in HIm. I don’t mean material things, money, or “stuff”. I really desire to be whole, emotionally, spiritually. I hope it is not “using” Him to go to Him because I desire His friendship, to be able to pour out my heart to Him, to talk to Him about my joys and sorrows, my fears and hopes. When I am in pain, I seek Him out. When I need comfort, I seek Him out. Often I just want to spend time with Him in His word or praying. I do know that I want to know Him. I think that through our months of study here, when we’ve looked at all the different metaphors God uses to describe Himself, like He is our Husband, a Bridegroom, and all the artwork, it has helped me come to appreciate His beauty and to discover things about Him I never saw before.
C. What does He tell them in verse 27, and what does this mean?
Jesus tells them to not work for food that spoils, but work for food that endures to eternal life. Life is about more than spending all our time and labor on things that will not last – food, luxury, our homes, acquiring material possessions, etc… It is important to spend time getting to know the God who created us, to learn of Him and to love and serve Him, to find out what are the things He has for you to do.
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree?
Jesus has just told the crowd, in answer to their question, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”, that the work of God is to believe in Him – He is the One the Father has sent. They say okay, so…what miracle will you do to convince us? They have a great idea, they give Jesus a hint – they refer to the time their forefathers were given manna in the desert; bread from heaven. I believe that they are asking Jesus to give them bread to eat.
E. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35?
Jesus has told them that God is asking them to believe in the One He has sent – Jesus Himself. But that went right over their heads! So He again tries to get their minds off of “the food that spoils” – the temporal – and on to the eternal. He tells them the Father is giving them the true bread from heaven – it is Jesus – and this bread will give life to the world. They say we want this bread, give it to us. Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life.”
F. What stood out to you from this passage and why?
One thing is the phrase, “in search of Jesus”. I’m getting this mental picture of if every time I went to Him in prayer, if I knocked on a door and He opened it and invited me in, and then said to me, “Why did you come to see Me?” – would there be many times when I would say, ” I really don’t want anything, I just wanted to see You.”
love your heart Susan “I desire His friendship, to be able to pour out my heart to Him, to talk to Him about my joys and sorrows, my fears and hopes.”
So good, Susan:)
One thing is the phrase, “in search of Jesus”. I’m getting this mental picture of if every time I went to Him in prayer, if I knocked on a door and He opened it and invited me in, and then said to me, “Why did you come to see Me?” – would there be many times when I would say, ” I really don’t want anything, I just wanted to see You.”
I love this Susan, it fits with you Love Language of quality time!
5. Read John 6:22-35; What stood out to you from this passage and why?
That feeding the Israelites in the desert wasn’t the purpose of the manna, it was a sign of Jesus. God could have kept them miraculously full or kept their food pots full without the manna or having them gather it. After all He didn’t have clothes and shoes falling from heaven yet their wardrobes lasted 40 years. The manna was bread,the Bread of Life, a sign of Jesus. They had to make the effort to gather it just like Jesus said “…Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go.” (John 6:37 The Message), you have to run to Him (gather the manna) and do it daily.
An earlier post from Lucy about God telling her He could not undo a thing but that it could be and in fact had been redeemed and that was even better, reminded me of a song from Selah. Get a tissue!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9kMYkYcT6w
I attended a women’s conference with my d i l and Selah stopped in to say hello unannounced and sang this song to all the women who had ever lost a baby or child. It ministered to me deeply, first in weeping but then in joy, helping me give the pain of a miscarriage to God to heal. When God led me to this I thought of the hurting women here, the broken marriages and Anne Meredith’s painful season. I hope it helps heal all who listen.
He is redeeming us sisters!
So beautiful, Kim. “Places where Grace is” — no matter where we are — ‘just watch and see it will not be unredeemed.” Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you, Kim for sharing. Great message!
Kim, I loved that song! It will not be unredeemed! I have listened to it twice, but will many more times….thank you!
4. Read John 6:1-15 and describe the miracle. If a verse quickens you, slow down and tell us what you see.
I wonder why a momma would give her boy such a large lunch, perhaps she knew he was going to hear Jesus and wanted him to be able to share with other boys who might not have a lunch? My momma was this kind of lady always teaching us to share. Thanks mom! 🙂 Maybe the fish were little sardines?!
I see Jesus loving us at the point of our need. I think back to Dee teaching the leaders in Sonrise Bible study how to give grace to women who are not yet saved – one woman in my group used expletives in study – makes me smile at how well my group leader (remember Nancy K. Dee?) handled it. I am finding my heart changed since this study in that I was so moralistic and now I find great joy in giving grace and it can only be Him. Things that use to set me on my ear just make me smile and whisper a prayer in my head.
A. According to John 6:26, why did Jesus say they were seeking Him?
They were seeking Him because He gave them free food
B. This should always cause us to ponder — do we find Him useful or beautiful?
I thought about this a lot and this passage came to mind.
Luke 7:36-39 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table.
And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
I imagine that the Pharisee had invited Jesus to dinner because He made a really interesting addition to his dinner party. He was curious to see if he really was a prophet.
The women was so taken with Christ that she didn’t care if she was making herself look foolish, even crazy. She was caught up in worship, she LOVED Christ.
She understood who she was and who He was and what He offered, something she didn’t deserve, she saw her sin & His love.
The Pharisee saw a curiosity, an interesting dinner guest, a chance to tell others that he had had Jesus over for dinner. He didn’t see his sin, his need.
That made me think of this from Revelation 3;
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
How are you doing in this area?
Ever so much better I think!
Suffering peeled away the layer of me that being a Christ follower meant He would keep REALLY bad things from touching my family.
Experiencing that depth of pain and wrestling with the whys of it all, brought me here, to this study. The Holy Spirit has used time we spent in Job, the Keller sermons, The Burning Bush, Isaiah’s seeing the Lord, my wrestling with it all to bring me to a place of deeper reverence for God being so much larger, more superior to how I imagined Him before. I feel smaller and more trusting.
I begin to dare to believe that Jesus loves me, If I really believe that He does, he can do anything He wants to with my life.
Chris, I am so encouraged by the changes evident in you. You and God are so amazing!
“I begin to dare to believe that Jesus loves me, If I really believe that He does, he can do anything He wants to with my life”.
Oh Chris, you are there! You can see! What all your terrible suffering has brought you to. This life is like a bad night in a motel. It’s like a twinkling of your eye, in God’s sight.
I so identify with your final line — that is what sustained me in my grief — and still does.
Grrrrr my post must be somewhere in cyber space. I will re-write…
4. Read John 6:1-15 and describe the miracle. If a verse quickens you, slow down and tell us what you see.
I wondered why a momma would send her boy with such a large lunch. Perhaps she knew he was going to hear Jesus teach and knew some would not think ahead to bring food. My mom was this kind of lady – always sending extra so we could share. Thanks mom! 🙂 Or perhaps the fish were little sardines. If so who would want those icky fish?!
Jesus met the crowd at the point of their need. He understands when we come to Him we are coming largely to “get” from Him in the beginning until our hearts learn to love Him for who He is not what He can give. I remember how Dee trained the leadership of Sonrise Bible studies to give grace to new women who might not be saved yet. I still can see the look on my leaders’ face when one gal used an expletive to answer a study question. (Dee, remember Nancy K.?) Nancy handled it well. I sat there stunned like Shell in Dee’s introduction – I could not speak and probably went pale. Oh how far I’ve come since the Stonecutter series. I see how moralistic and perfectionistic I was. When things happen now that would have previously set me on my ear I just smile and say a silent prayer. Thank you Jesus for teaching me your grace-filled way.
Loved that Kim!
me too
Kim — we have so many fun memories of those early years in Sonrise when there were so many unbelievers coming to Christ. I remember one woman when she would be delighted by a new insight would swear — one time she told us she had been troubled by a family situation and then realized, “What the h_______! I can pray!” I have to think God was smiling too.
oh my God! :)))
Lol! This made me laugh. 🙂
me too–oh that’s good 😉
Oh, that is a great story, Dee.
Read John 6:1-15 and describe the miracle. If a verse quickens you, slow down and tell us what you see.
I find the last verse interesting that they would “come in force to make him king.” Makes me want to know more about what exactly that would look like. What was the custom then?
5. Read John 6:22-35
A. According to John 6:26, why did Jesus say they were seeking Him?
Because of the loaves, and their hunger was satisfied.
B. This should always cause us to ponder — do we find Him useful or beautiful? How are you doing in this area?
I think I’m about half and half as I ponder this. I am a perfectionist, so my prayers tend to be about what I can achieve or get from Him. Need to spend some time just worshipping him. This text is a good reminder for me. I do know my relationship with him has become more real these last few years. I feel and receive His love more than I used to.
C. What does he tell them in verse 27, and what does this mean?
Don’t work for earthly food that rots, but for “food” of everlasting life given to you by the Son of Man. I think it means He is asking them to believe in Him for their eternal life.
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree?
I agree, it sounds like this time they wanted to see it fall from the sky as the Lord did for the Israelites.
E. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35?
That He is the bread of life, the only way to heaven is by believing in Him.
F. What stood out to you from this passage and why?
Jesus wanted their faith to be heart knowledge, not just head knowledge of miracles they could see manifested in front of them. How much He wants that for us, a personal relationship with Him. Psalm 40:8, David says “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” David had much more than head knowledge of the Lord. That’s how I want to be.
Annemeredith — love this:
I think I’m about half and half as I ponder this. I am a perfectionist, so my prayers tend to be about what I can achieve or get from Him. Need to spend some time just worshipping him. This text is a good reminder for me. I do know my relationship with him has become more real these last few years. I feel and receive His love more than I used to.
2. Report on your last week’s Lenten discipline. Will you continue with the same or do a new discipline this week?
I am continuing with the “no criticism” discipline (hopefully indefinitely) and also with doing dishes to the glory of God. I, also, will add trying to put on love. I am praying that God will give me true love for my brothers and sisters in Christ, even when they are a bit difficult to love. Only God can give me this love, so I am aware that I need to spend time in prayer and openness to Him on this matter. As Rebecca and Elizabeth so rightly pointed out, “loving others is an outflow of His love in me” so the major part of seeking to love others is in being filled with Him,so that my mind is renewed to not be intimidated by others or threatened by their abilities or lack of them, by their beauty or lack of it, etc. I long to see others as Christ sees them and live out of that love. I am aware right now of how lacking I am in this area, reacting defensively over even the slightest perceived injury and then I look at myself and wonder “why in the world did I react that way?”
Diane, So well said. We can all relate to this for sure. I hate my flesh for it bends away from God, I am right there with you-how we so need Him and His chisel.
I have to say, the mere fact that you are even concerned about this and desiring to let God do His chiseling work in you is a mark of the Holy Spirit living in you-you encourage me. I see so much change in you from when you first came–little by little He is chiseling away as you yield to Him-it is beautiful to see your heart becoming so mold-able!
Amen to REbecca’s comment, Diane. I really am excited about your thoughts.
3. Comment on the above.
Now as I see the time wasted in trying to appease my idols of security, approval, control and comfort, as well as the increasing despair that my efforts to appease them brought, I want to RUN with all that is in me to Jesus. As Dee says, “I don’t want to sacrifice anything else to idols. Help me, O Lord, to turn from them and to You.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW5S8Xm-GkA Chris Rice’s “Come to Jesus”
LOVE this Diane, thank you for this song–and your post above!
I loved that song, Diane…Thank you. I want to fall on Jesus
I love this song Diane thank you for posting it, it brings the tears. It seems everything does these days, Iwonder if my tear ducts are not twice the size of normal ones.
5. Read John 6:22-35
A. According to John 6:26, why did Jesus say they were seeking Him?
They were seeking Him to get something—they wanted the gifts, not the Giver. They were so focused on what He provided them with that they just wanted more, and missed the greater nourishment of the Living God.
B. This should always cause us to ponder — do we find Him useful or beautiful? How are you doing in this area?
There are still times when I run to Him, begging Him to just please “fix” whatever the trial I am facing. When things feel so big and hard and I know my human limits and I just want Him to come in and make it better. But even in those moments, I wrestle a bit and then I do just want Him to hold me—and His presence, if I am still enough to feel it, does calm the storm within—even if nothing visible changes immediately. Yesterday my Dr wanted to run more lab work (we did finally find the cause—praise, now prayer for dealing with it!) I have to share this–on my 30 minute drive there, I had prayed for His hand, and then just kept reciting the verse that kept coming to mind “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” over and over, I said it on the drive. It was funny because I’ve been running to Is 43 and Ps 27 so much lately, but Philippians 4:6 kept coming to mind. So after the visit, he order 5 vials of blood (as often as I’ve done this, I still dread it—have really tiny veins and it’s always trouble)—so I start telling the phlebotomist how difficult my veins are, use a butterfly, etc…and she said “honey, you need to look at this, right here” and she pointed to this paper posted on her wall—honest truth, it said “Do not be anxious about anything…” I started to cry and told her about my drive there and praying that and she said “oh, isn’t that how the Lord works”.I just LOVED that moment—He does that for me, these little things seems to happen more and more lately—or maybe I see them more, but it’s Him, and I feel so loved by it—He’s so personal with us. Anyway, I told my husband and he said I had to tell the “blog friends”, so there you go!
C. What does he tell them in verse 27, and what does this mean?
Don’t waste time and effort for a temporal reward. Instead of coming to Him with my requests, basically asking that He grant me my way, I am to come to Him for a reward that will last—ask Him for a heart like His, eyes to see as He does. Come to Him and lay it down, trusting His way is beyond mine, and it is best. It’s hard. Sometimes I just say, Lord, please do “this”, but I will trust You. I think He is always more concerned with making me more like Him, shaping me to reflect Him.
When I was 5, I really wanted a certain life saver bathing suit and they didn’t have my size. While trying on a different one, I knelt in the dressing room and asked God to let the sales lady find the suit I wanted in my size. A few minutes later, my mom came to the door with it. When I told my mom how Jesus had heard me, she told me I shouldn’t treat God like a “lucky charm”. That made me sad, but I just remember feeling He had really listened, and cared even about my bathing suit. But now I understand what my mom meant, and see the truth. It’s so easy to just want what He is fully able to do in an instant. Yet that leaves us unchanged. What lasts, what is eternal, what is worth striving for, asking for—is a heart like His. That changes everything. Still, He knew what He was doing—wooing my 5 year old heart
Wonderful Elizabeth! Especially the part about the blood. How He encouraged you in that trial.
Elizabeth, I love your heart! I pray for little things all the time too.
me too, dear! I love your heart, Elizabeth! loved that!
I think God delighted to give you that bathing suit Elizabeth!
I think that you need to keep the moment with the phlebotomist as a stone of rememberance!
Two wonderful stories here — of God caring for a 5-year-old and for you right now with the same verse to your doctor. Thank you.
Love this, Elizabeth. Thanking God for answers. I can just see your kneeling and the purity of your request. I am sure Jesus was smiling too. I agree with Joyce and like my grandma told me- we have not b/c we ask not.
Love your post, Elizabeth, especially the I SPY about the verse in the doctors office, the story of God wooing you as a 5 year old, and that they have found the cause of your pain. I pray you are soon on the mend.
The report on my discipline is good and bad. The good is that I am seeing the criticism and sarcasm. The other day I apologized to my husband for being a smart aleck and he agreed that I was 🙁 Sad but true and the good thing is that I am seeing it and repenting. I have done poorly with my diet. It has been a gradual thing until now I need to repent and start over. I have had some truly wonderful days but today, not so much. I think part of it is just diet and the other part is that the lack of discipline separates me from the Lord.
…your not that Anne, I don’t agree:(
Sad but true Joyce. But not for long.
Anne I know what you mean, I have struggled to eat well the last two days. I have unexpectedly worked a lot more and didn’t shop for being so busy, I have not been able to prepare what I had planned. Last night I ate a whole box of Dots! I think my love for Dots is tied to the Candyland game somehow!
But dont you think seeing our negative thoughts and critical speach is more important that out eating let downs?
Not that I am minimzing my sin so much as choosing not to let satan use it to distract me from more important things by telling myself what a weakling I am.
LOL Dots! Good and Plenty for me thank you.
I do agree Chris, about seeing it. For years I have not.
The worst is when you apologize and they agree! 🙂 You made me smile, and identify!
Yes and he was not speaking in anger, just truthful.
Meg, I think Dee’s friendship book is excellent too, and I also got to thinking that maybe one of Dr.James Dobson’s books would help too. It is an older book..1986…”Love must be tough”, but still very good. It helped me when my husband left me and my three little kids in “87. It tells you never to beg them back when they leave you. You loss all your respect when you do that. It’s good advice for marriages that fail or friendships that fail. It will tell you step by step what to do and it gives you hope again and your dignity back, again. It is of course a christian book. It helped me so much back then. I didn’t get him back, but it was God’s will and was for the best, even tho at the time I didn’t think so. But at least I felt better about myself, after I followed Dr. Dobson’s advice. Praying for you!
Love must be Tough helped me so much when Bill had his affair. It helped me to be strong enough to say I didn’t want to keep our relationship at any cost. Things needed to radically change, and prasie God they have!
Thanks Joyce
Meg, I agree with Joyce and Chris. This is a very helpful book. I learned a lot about relationships from it also. Do you think that God could be removing this friendship to replace it with Himself? Do you feel an obligation to remain in the friendship even though it hurts you? I learned this from reading Boundaries: we do not have to remain in relationships that hurt us because we are Christians. Leslie Vernick’s Emotionally Destructive Relationship explains this very well also.
Praying for you Meg. I know you are hurting. I pray that you will be able to give your pain to the Lord.
This song may bring tears but I pray they will be the healing rain. http://youtu.be/TciR2ITXbaY
Anne
Thank you so much for the song… Thanks for the encouragement and thanks for praying..
Dee, how did the watching of your grandchildren go? And Rebecca, how did the overnight stay go, with 7 boys in the house!
5
C. What does he tell them in verse 27, and what does this mean?
It seems they desired what He could give over Him, so Jesus was telling them not to desire the gift over Him-the gift is just that-a gift it spoils, fades away-it is of no eternal value, and isn’t worthy of surrendering your life to. Jesus is the bread of life. Eat and drink Him instead-desire and live for Him above all, for He is worthy. God has placed His seal of approval on Him-His glory far outweighs them all and what God will give them through Jesus is the gift beyond gifts-He is immeasurable in value and worth.
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree?
Oh yes! I never saw this! They were really bound by their idols. Unbelievable how ugly our sinful nature is.
E. and F. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35? What stood out in this passage and why?
He compares God sending manna from heaven to their ancestors to satisfy their hunger and sustain them, with God sending Jesus from heaven as the bread of life to spiritually satisfy them and sustain them forever.
Jesus was longsuffering and gentle with them in their unbelief. They just didn’t get it yet he didn’t turn them away. I like how He took their ‘give me’ questions and used it as a word picture to help them see. Yet even after he clearly explained who he was and that He was the bread of life that lasted eternally, they asked him for this bread because they wanted the goodies-eternal life, not Him-they STILL wanted what he could give them, not Him. As I read later in the passage they still didn’t believe He was the bread of heaven-wow, even after seeing Him do these miracles they wanted more and even if he gave them more miracles they still wouldn’t believe-If God were drawing them, perhaps they would have believed-evidently God wasn’t drawing them. Yet Jesus stayed with them and reasoned with them. He trusted God with their hearts.
C. What does he tell them in verse 27,
D. Joh 6:27 Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
what does this mean?
If we believe, really and truly believe in Christ, we will live for Him, we will die to ourselves and begin laying up treasures in Heaven!
The seal of a King carried with it authority, God is guaranteeing what Christ offers.
E. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree?
I do agree, I think this time they hoped He would make it fall from the sky as the Manna had. They seem to hope for free bread from then on.
“They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always”
F. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35?
That He Himself, Christ is the real sustenance they should be seeking
G. What stood out to you from this passage and why?
That I waste a lot of time & energy on wood hay and stubble, things that won’t last.
I am praying for my eyes to be opened to see what really matters, to be ready to be a useful servant.
There is a marvelous powerful thunderstorm going on in the front of my home right now and the sun is rising on the other side. It does awe & inspire worship in me.
Yes. May we be so alert to His majesty. This morning the sun is rising through the trees, and it always causes me to sing Psalm 19 Behold the sun arises, a bridegroom strong and bright…
I loved. Thank you 2. I’m seeing a stop for: Hunter of God or Detective to the Divine. Can I join?
How precious reading this! I love to watch it too. I walk the beach every morning. The brightness of the sea is so beautiful,… the breeze, the morning sun is so kind as to be hugged by God. Impossible not worship Him. love to you 2. Polly
Yes yes — and I am POSITIVE GOD’S GLORY IS SO CLEAR WHERE YOU LIVE!
You have an infectious enthusiasm Polly, God bless you!
B. This should always cause us to ponder — do we find Him useful or beautiful? How are you doing in this area?
As I look back over my life with Jesus I often found Him useful but I don’t see that as bad for I was seeking His beauty too. My heart was enlarging in love for Him through it all. I believe He is kind and understands this in us. As a more mature child of God I now love Him more fully and don’t ever want to use Him. This is a great question and worth considering. To me it is a heart issue for I ask Him for everything, even good deals at garage sales and feel His pleasure in the asking b/c I believe He wants me to live totally reliant on and in constant communion with Him.
C. What does he tell them in verse 27, and what does this mean? Don’t spend your time and life striving to meet your physical needs and on things of earthly value but on your relationship to God and living for His kingdom. He will take care of all that concerns you.
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree? Yes, their eyes are on the temporal.
E. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35?
He is the answer to their need.
F. What stood out to you from this passage and why?
We are so slow to His ways and yet He loves us so and wants us. I can feel the kindness in His words.
4. Read John 6:1-15 and describe the miracle. If a verse quickens you, slow down and tell us what you see.
I have been thinking about the explanation that this was not a true miracle but that many people had brought food and shared it, when the boy offered his lunch. I have heard that explanation and also “wondered why would one boy be the only one with food”? At first glance the explanation seems plausible. However, in verse 14, it becomes obvious that those who were there perceived this as a miracle of great proportion.
14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
Why should we doubt the miracle if the eyewitnesses themselves do not? It was because of this great miracle that they wanted to make him king.
A. According to John 6:26, why did Jesus say they were seeking Him?
They are seeking to fill their bellies.
B. This should always cause us to ponder — do we find Him useful or beautiful? How are you doing in this area?
I am much more comfortable with intercessory prayer than knowing how to just approach him in worship for His beauty. I find Christian music is a good key to making him beautiful in my heart. I now keep a hymnal beside where I have my Quiet Time. My church does not use a prayer book and sometimes I wish I had other’s prayers to guide me in praise of His beauty. The Psalms are very helpful as well.
C. What does he tell them in verse 27, and what does this mean?
Jesus points to the spiritual meaning of the miracle, which is to set God’s seal of approval on His ministry and to identify Him as the Son of Man, the promised Messiah. Jesus has God’s authority over creation – bread, fish, health, as well as over death itself in the raising of Lazarus.
It may be noteworthy to remember that bread was an important element in the Hebrew Tabernacle system. There was always the Bread of the Presence on a table in the Holy Place brought by the worshippers and sacrificed to God and also eaten by the priests. I cannot say exactly what this fully means, but I think it is significant. I think Jesus was thinking of the sacrificial bread as well when he says,
John 6:51 (ESV)
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree?
Yes. They were definitely thinking of him as useful, but they were also excited about the novelty of it as well, I think. It is interesting that they connected Jesus’ miracle of the bread with the manna God had provided to them in the wilderness. Were they just wishing to be feed so that they would not have to work for it, or were they equating Jesus to be a prophet on the status of Moses? Probably a bit of both. The fact that they so diligently sought to find Jesus on the other side of the lake indicates they were quite enthralled with Jesus at this time, even though it was misguided.
E. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35?
Jesus is saying, “Don’t get so distracted by the physical bread I gave you to eat. Pay attention to me. I am the bread of life. I am God’s Messiah. I have come to give you spiritual life, of much greater value than physical sustenance provided by bread.”
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree?
I’ll be honest, knowing Keller said it makes it hard for me to “disagree” because he is far wiser than I! But I do see that—they were still focused on His performance, on what He could do for them—and wanted to use Him for that as opposed to follow Him. They were approaching Him like a magician and wanting more “tricks”. I think it just shows their lack of really “getting” Who He is—they just missed it completely.
E. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35?
He tries again to help them see the “big deal” is not that Moses gave them manna from heaven but that standing before them in the Bread of Life!
F. What stood out to you from this passage and why?
Just how oblivious they were—maybe that I can be too, when we are so focused on “getting” our fix that we miss what is right in front of us ALL the time—intimacy with the Creator God, the Lover of our soul.
Hoping to get to the sermon tonight, I’m moving a little slower this week 😉
I thought about the magican idea too, and I identify with this
“Just how oblivious they were—maybe that I can be too, when we are so focused on “getting” our fix that we miss what is right in front of us ALL the time—intimacy with the Creator God, the Lover of our soul.”
Oh, Dee, this I need to share with you. It’s beautiful. See what dear Alessandra, of the our group of women in prayer ( I told you -we are studying your series of books for women) shared on FB. I cried when I read. How beautiful! Just saw today. Polly
the translation:
Alessandra:
“I want to share how God works in my life in minimal detail. (WAS MORE RAPID ANSWER TO PRAYER OF MY LIFE) Today in the morning before starting my day, I read my devotional and prepared for the study of women at night. So get up early to do this before the kids wake up, so I prepared the table and sat down, and in less than 5 min, Vida Luiza starts crying in the crib. and I thought, “oh no” So, I started to pray and asked the Lord that my baby back to sleep. And I prayed and she crying and I asked with great faith (because if I did not devotional this morning, I would not succeed in doing this the rest of the day) … people … in 2 min. she stopped crying and slept more than an hour … God is wonderful … I was very moved. I was able make my devotional quiet. Unbelievers may say it is coincidence, but I BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO IS CLOSE TO THOSE THAT SEEK. LORD THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF YOU WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.”
that is beautiful polly–thank you so much for sharing this story
You ladies are the sweetest! Thanks so for sharing Pollyanna — and translating!
Polly, that is wonderful, I believe in the smallest prayers…God wants us in every part of our day:)
Finished listening to sermon – favorite part was the last part, Bread for the Heart.
Would appreciate prayers – heading to PA with my son for another college visit – leaving in a couple hours! Hope to check back in here Saturday night – love to all!
Praying for a blessed time with your son, you certainly have lovely weather for a college visit.
Susan, will be praying for your time with your son today!
yes, praying dear susan
Have a safe trip and enjoy your son!
6. What did you learn from his first point “Bread for the Mind?” (This is his longest point — he contrasts watertight case with watertight Person)
Jesus is performing miracles to restore the true earth to it’s natural state, the way God meant it to be. He could have done anything, but He chose to perform those things that healed the world.
As far as being a watertight argument, Keller says that Jesus IS the watertight argument. He can’t be explained as the miracles can be explained. Jesus says to look at His life. Look at all the things He has done, how He lived, etc. He is the bread we are looking for, the true bread.
Good notes, Laura-dancer.
6. “Bread for the Mind?”
Demonstration of power designed to engage the intellect.
Only miracle named in all 4 gospels, excepting the resurrection
Feeding them miraculously was sign of the messiah, evidence of the divine
Miracles make people think
If you say miracles can’t happen, if you believe in God why would it be a greater problem for God to renew and resurrect than it was for God to create life in the first place
If you don’t believe in God or violations to the laws of nature, if there is no God there are no laws of nature, anything can & has happened
One must not use the intellectually dismissive dogmatic statement that says miracles can’t happen
If you say I don’t think miracles prove anything, Jesus agrees
When the crowds say do it again, He doesn’t instead He says I AM the miracle
I AM the bread, miracles don’t prove anything.
Only one argument is the proof, look at my (Christ’s) life. Look at everything, what I do and say & how I live. Use your intellect. Who must Christ be?
Miracles point to the watertight person; they get us to look at Christ. Look at the whole story.
7. “Bread for the Body?”
A sign of the kingdom designed to shape our actions and lives
Miracles, primarily a demonstration of His power, there were more impressive things He could have done
Miracles are signs of His mission, he can to deal with suffering, they show that God doesn’t think evil and suffering any more than we do, the miracles show that He hates it, the blind see (physical brokenness), the lepers are cleansed (spiritual alienation), the poor (social injustice) have the gospel preached to them and be liberated
The miracles are primary signs of the kingdom not a suspension of the natural order but a restoration of the original nature order
Jürgen Moltmann “Jesus’ healings are the only natural things in a world that is unnatural, demonized, and wounded.”
Eden was the natural order, the world God created and the miracles point the new creation to come, HE WILL RESTORE EVERYTHING!
If this world is all there is, how can you be morally outraged against the natural order, disease decay and death, the strong trampling on the weak is evolution, how can you account for your moral outrage against the natural?
The reason for your moral outrage at the natural is that deep down you know he is there.
(LOL…Dee, this made me smile,) “you cannot not know” get the tape!
What are we Christian’s sitting looking at suffering and injustice like passive lumps, we ought to be using our hope & confidence to move in the direction of the kingdom. We should follow the model, Christ took the poor’s own resources and multiplied them, we should be partnering with the poor, learn from them.
We should make helping the poor, our lifestyle, not just something we do at Christmas.
LOL — me too — I realize he probably talks too fast for our internationals — bless Pollyanna for working so hard to listen!
Yea, funny when he said he has so many negatives he doubles back on himself! Love him.
Me too 🙂
8. “Bread for the Heart?”
Life forever, designed to convert us at our root
Staggering claims, many disciples left, those remaining, we don’t get it either, but we aren’t leaving.
Disciples; ’We can’t accept this’
Jesus “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
We need divine help
Everyone has a spiritual hunger underneath our physical hunger is a spiritual hunger
Don’t labor for food that spoils, whatever we seek to satisfy ourselves with will fail
No one as egocentric as Christ ever had more than a tiny impact on the world verse 34-40 I, me, or my 17 times
Jesus saying I AM the bread of life, without me you will starve eternally
Bread is a strong metaphor, He is broken, He will give us life, when we come. His brokenness on the cross becomes our life, He is broken, torn to pieces for us
What do we do, come and see who He is, The Truth itself come in human form, not just to show us what to do, He has done everything we need to do before God, when we accept Him God accepts us
Some will say we can’t believe in this anymore, remove the word anymore, Jesus contemporaries were just as offended, maybe more. Hang on like the disciples who stayed. Don’t leave because you are overwhelmed, stay.
Go and learn what this meanith. Hold on until you understand
Christians, Jesus puts overwhelming things on us to show we can’t do it. We are powerless over our problems.
When we think we are a match for our problems we are not, when we think I am no match for this issue, then we are
Get into our nothingness to get out of it
God shows I am inadequate to make me adequate in Him
Don’t go away when overwhelmed
Make Him your life, not what I have done, but what Jesus has done is my life, if you do this right now, you pass from death to life
Christians if we are to feed on Him as our bread of life, constantly think of problems & worry & anger as something I am hoping in, other than Jesus
Collosians 3:2-4 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Feed intensely on Christ in our hearts by faith, and realize who He is and what He has done for us
6. What did you learn from his first point “Bread for the Mind?” (This is his longest point — he contrasts watertight case with watertight Person)
Miracles by themselves don’t prove he is the Son of God-He is proof. He is the son of God-Jesus says look at everything, what I do, how I live, what I say. Look at it all. The miracle is to get you to look at me, not the bread, not the miracle, not the fire. Look at the whole picture. Jesus himself says this is who I am, I want to engage your intellect-think.
7. What did you learn about “Bread for the Body?” (This was brief, and you might miss it — but he talks about how hunger is not God’s plan — and how this miracle not only shows that, but how we are to be a part of alleviating the physical hunger of others.)
“The miracles show he came to assault suffering….He feeds someone who is hungry, he heals those who are sick, etc.. Jesus said, if you believe in me, you will do the works I will do. What are we doing as Christians sitting there like passive lumps looking at all this suffering? We have a model, a hope and a confidence.”
8. What did you learn about “Bread for the Heart?”
This is where God quickened me this morning:
“If you are to feed on Him as your bread of life-It means constantly thinking about this: every problem in my life is because I am making something in my life rather than Jesus. Christ is your life it is hidden with God. If you are worried today don’t say I have to stop worrying, you have to say I am making something more important in my life than Jesus. Something on which I pin my hopes, something on which I pin my security-something you have made more than Jesus. If you are angry today it is something you have made your life more than Jesus. “I am the bread of life” is the solution to all your problems. JESUS SAID DEVOUR ON ME LIKE YOU DEVOUR A BOOK. The word feeding, eating, devouring means comprehensive intensity. REALIZE WHO HE IS, WHAT HE HAS DONE, MAKE HIM YOUR LIFE, DON’T GO AWAY, FEED ON HIM. JESUS SAYS, HE WHO COMES TO ME WILL NEVER HUNGER OR THIRST AGAIN.”
I love that Keller made the point there were more than 12 disciples and a lot of them went away when they didn’t get it or were overwhelmed with what he was saying. Yet Peter and John stayed even though they were overwhelmed and didn’t get it-Peter said, where else will we go? Even in the midst of being overwhelmed and not getting it, they stayed with it. I am thinking line upon line, precept upon precept-comprehensive intensity. Jesus wants us to stick with Him-devour Him-we need to stick with Him, even when it is overwhelming to us-He is patient and long suffering.
I apologize for the length-usually my Keller notes are long! 🙂
Hi friends, I made it to the sermon but not sure if I will get to type up the notes–I most liked that His miracles were not primarily proofs of His power, but are primarily signs of the kingdom–He is not temporarily suspending natural order, He is temporarily RESTORING natural order. I like especially that He came to deal with suffering–physical, spiritual, social–He hates all of it.
I thank you all for your prayers. I humbly ask for more, though it feels so hard to, don’t know why–it makes me cry now, sorry. Anyway, what started as carpal tunnel 2 months ago progressed into nerve pain and circulation proablems throughout…when it “flares” it is a bit frightening. I have an auto-immune type of thyroid disease (have for 15 years, have been stable on meds) and that blood test was way off the chart, worse than it was when diagnosed,so we are quickly trying to get it restored– I’m so sorry to pour this here, it’s not the place–but please esp pray mon-thursday my husband is out of the country and no family anywhere near, I will not fear, I can’t. I am clinging to it. Thanks for letting me share this here and not judging me, I trust that, though I feel weak and pathetic typing-
Please know we want to carry this load with you dear. Never withdraw from sharing how we can pray – we were made to do that as the body of believers.
Father in heaven, we know you can restore Elizabeth and we lift our faith up to you because we know without it we cannot please you. Please send help and peace into this situation. Thank you that Elizabeth will have the great physician with her at all times while her husband is away. We pray you will ease the pain right now, Lord. Give safe travels and peace to Elizabeth’s husband and help the children trust you and not worry. Be very near as only you can. Thank you, we trust you in this. Amen
thank you kim, so much.
Beautiful prayer Kim. Amen
I agree with Kims pray, Amen.
Elizabeth of course this is the place, it is our honor as your sisters to help bear your burden as best we can.
Dont listen to satan when he tells you to keep it to yourself, he wants you alone.
Plese let us help in pointing you toward Jesus.
Lifting you up now
Oops you can tell I typed that post quickly!
You have been on my heart today Elizabeth.
Oh oh oh –Elizabeth
I’ll be praying as I am about my way with these grandkids…
Thanks so much for sharing your specific prayer needs. Don’t hesitate. It helps us pray for you. Amen to Kim’s prayer. I be praying for you.
Elizabeth, we are here for you. There are early riser’s and late nighter’s (me), so get on anytime you want to just talk. Or my e-mail is: maurjoy@charter.net if you want to talk privatly. We love you and will be praying for you while your husband is gone and for your health problems, sweet sister:)
You all have blessed me so much–reading your prayers and care means more than you could know–and i honestly have felted strengthened by your prayers today. Much love to you all~
Elizabeth, KNOW I read this yesterday and while I couldn’t comment I prayed and will keep praying for you. You are loved. Wish I could fly out there to help you!
I’m kind of confused about “Every miracle Jesus did was to restore the world to the way it was meant to be. There was not meant to be sickness, hunger, hurricanes, and death. These are all part of the fall. But every miracle, and this is what I want you to ponder, also teaches us something about Jesus and our relationship with Him.”
and how this applies to the first miracle turning water into wine. (If this is how the world was meant before the fall, good news for all the wine drinkers out there! lol) I’ll have to think more about this.
I didn’t get it either. Have you been able to listen to the sermon, Dawn? It helped me to understand this.
Oh. but I had to listen three times! lol
Love the good news for wine drinkers! and good news for the ones who love to eat! (that’s why I was wondering about the dishes)
Okay Dawn and Kim and Anne — where is this discussion going? 🙂
Actually, Yancey has some great insights into the water into wine in The Jesus I Never Knew.
That’s all you get from me on that!
Thanks Dee. I looked into it and the key points that I got (and I’m sure I can go much deeper) is there were 6 jugs of clay=6 and clay pots represent people. They were at a wedding=the wedding of the church bride to Christ the groom. Water=earthly sinful life. Wine=perfect eternal life, the blood of Jesus. That is just a quick summary.
7. What did you learn about “Bread for the Body?” (This was brief, and you might miss it — but he talks about how hunger is not God’s plan — and how this miracle not only shows that, but how we are to be a part of alleviating the physical hunger of others.)
God wants earth to be as He made it, with no pain and suffering. Jesus performed miracles to relieve people from these hardships. He didn’t perform miracles like Superman would have! What would those have afforded anyone? He wanted to restore the earth to it’s rightful place.
6. What did you learn from his first point “Bread for the Mind?” (This is his longest point — he contrasts watertight case with watertight Person)
He first engaged their intellect when he performed miracles. If you believe in God you can’t rule out miracles. Miracles are not primarily proof Christianity is real or of that He has power. The Bible doesn’t give a watertight case but it does give Jesus and He IS watertight. The argument that is proof – Jesus, His life, what He did, who He was. If you are looking for a miracle look at Him not the miracles.
I am having a blonde day and put this on the wrong page- sorry!
7. What did you learn about “Bread for the Body?”
Miracles weren’t to demonstrate his naked power primarily or he could have flown to Rome and written in the sky. The miracles came to show He hates suffering and so He heals, calms storms, resurrects and sets things right. The miracles were an assault on blindness, suffering, social injustice etc. He came to do something about them. He is actually restoring the natural order- what creation was meant to be in the beginning- a designed world without pain, disease, suffering. His miracles restored order. What are we to do with the injustice and suffering in our world as believers? We see His examples of compassion and how He gets involved with the poor, partnering with them, learn from them. We don’t just help them at Christmas.
8. What did you learn about “Bread for the Heart?”
Jesus says to be converted at the root! Vs 60- many of the disciples couldn’t accept this and left. Without divine help we will not stay. Everyone has spiritual hunger and anything we put there to try to satisfy it world wise is never going to satisfy. Jesus is saying I am the bread of life, He is saying without me you will starve eternally. Bread is a metaphor here, bread is life and His brokenness becomes your life. Jesus says He is being broken for you like bread crumbled. Come see who I am – I have done everything you need to stand before God. He isn’t the way to life, He is the life. When God shows us our inadequacies it is to make us better. Jesus must become our life and we pass from death to life. Constantly feed on His bread b/c it is the solution to everything. Let him convert our heart at the root and be transformed.
Oh, how I am seeing these last sentences! He IS my solution to everything as He becomes my bread, my very life. When I continually feed on Him he is so very satisfying. He IS my answer and the more He converts my heart at the root the more I am being transformed into His beauty.
Yes! me too, Kim!
Kim, I will have to say you are becoming more and more beautiful!
Thank you. His beauty is worth everything.
4. Read John 6:1-15. The miracle is the feeding of the 5,000 from a boy’s lunch. The Oswald Chambers devotion for yesterday is about how we will come to a place in our spiritual lives when Jesus seems very far in front of us. We despair of keeping up with Him and even feel that we don’t know Him at all. The warm and fuzzy devotion is gone and we may try to rekindle it by remembering past devotion. Verse 14 made me think of this. The people were following Him but had no idea who He really is. They were just beginning to wonder if He was a prophet because of the miracles but He is infinitely more. They were all wrong and Jesus had to move away from them. Even the disciples had no idea what He was about. They knew He was the Messiah but they still did not KNOW what He was about. They understood almost nothing about His intentions even though they knew Him personally. I am beginning to see how little I really know Him, His thoughts and His purposes. It may be that this is the point at which we begin to truly see Him.
5. Read John 6:22-35
A. According to John 6:26 they were seeking Him because they were satisfied with the loaves.
B. Do I find Him useful or do I find Him beautiful? That is a great question. I think I am often finding Him beautiful. At least more than I used to. Chris saw His glory in a thunderstorm and Polly felt His caress in the breeze. This is finding Him beautiful and I also do this frequently. I think the thrill we find in studying the word is also finding Him beautiful. Giving thanks instead of complaining about what I don’t like is finding Him beautiful. It is like saying to Him that what He has given me is good. Prosperity doctrine finds Him useful. I am becoming wiser with this one but it is insidious and sometimes I don’t see it.
C. In verse 27 He tells them not to work for the food that perishes but to work for the food that lasts for eternal life, which He would give them. He was telling them that earthly bread would not satisfy them for eternity. They would be hungry again but that the food He would give them would last for eternity.
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree? Yes I do. I think they were hungry again. It wasn’t really about them wanting to believe but about them coaxing Him into another miracle of food.
E. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35? He tells them that He is the Bread that the Father sent from heaven and that He came to give them life.
F. What stood out to you from this passage and why? What stands out to me is that they knew nothing of His purpose or their own need but He did. He came to fulfill their real need, not their felt need of hunger. This really reveals to me how little I know about my real needs. That is why I just have to trust Him. It is also why I never understand the things that happen to me.
Loved your answer to B Anne!
Amen! Read Anne’s B everyone.
YES, this is so insightful Anne!
Yes! So long I was puzzled by and even drawn into this doctrine but the truth is SO much better.
Friends
Just wanted to give you an update about my friendship problems… We have resloved things and hung out tonight and had a GREAT time together.. Thanks for praying.. Through all of this i realized i was being controlling.
Meg, thanks for the update. Another situation where our idols cause us pain:( Still praying for you!
4. Read John 6:1-15 and describe the miracle. If a verse quickens you, slow down and tell us what you see. – The miracle to start was Jesus healing the sick along the way and the big miracle was the feeding of the five thousand with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Everyone was fed till they were full and yet there was still food left to fill twelve baskets. I guess what stands out to me in these verses is that all along his disciples were following him and seeing him do miracle after miracle and yet still did not have enough faith to know that there were no worries, that Jesus would again be able to provide for all. This gives me some comfort to know that Jesus’ disciples were walking side by side next to him and yet still did not completely believe in all Jesus could accomplish and they were there,seeing it with there own eyes, so for me when all I have is my knowing of what Jesus did because I’m a Christian and know His Word I don’t feel so defeated when I worry, or doubt something good will happen, as long as I continue to go back to the cross and remember all Jesus did and call on him to cover me with His favor and mercy and grace I know Jesus will accomplish all he has planned for my life.
Such good truth for your soul.
5. Read John 6:22-35
A. According to John 6:26, why did Jesus say they were seeking Him? – They were looking for Jesus because he had fed them the day before and I think they were hoping he would feed them again.
B. This should always cause us to ponder — do we find Him useful or beautiful? How are you doing in this area? – I do find Jesus useful because I know he is always there for me so I can call upon Him in my time of need, or just to thank Him for the blessings in my life. I also find Him beautiful not physically because we only know his looks by what people have drawn, but beautiful because of His unending love, His compassion, His faithfulness.
C. What does he tell them in verse 27, and what does this mean? – Jesus told them “Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him” – What I get out of this verse is that you can “work” your life away for nothing as we cannot take any of it with us when we leave this temporary home, it will all have been for nothing, or left behind for others to enjoy, or we can “work” to get closer to Jesus, to work on our eternal relationship with Him, so when we meet Him we will have worked our way to acceptance in Heaven.
D. Keller says that in verses 30-31, they are asking Jesus to do the miracle again! Do you agree? – I do agree, I think they are saying ok since we know what God requires of us, do it again so we can say that we do believe you are the food of life and we will have done the requirement needed.
E. What does He repeat to them in another way in verses 32-35? – That what they need to concentrate on, is knowing and believing in Him, that will give them the bread of life they are seeking.
F. What stood out to you from this passage and why? – What stood out was what I wrote regarding verse 27.
Just wanted to chime in on all these good comments on these verses. Hx lesson 101 on me: I have read them many times over the last few days as I have vasculitis in my leg and have to sit with my leg up, not sure what is the cause but autoimmune of some kind, painful (yes, at times)& several other family issues going on at the same time. I have really enjoyed your comments, your sharing of the word, your you tube songs, and website travels. As I am reading this I am trying to grasp something for me, digging into the word and just really not getting anything more than surface truths, I know, I can feel the coldness, and dryness of my spirit. As I am reading this I am thinking who was the miracle really for? but then as I listen to pastor keller, i hear the Holy Spirit say to Phillip, you have nothing? give it to me. To andrew, you have so little give it to me. I am the source, everything is mine, this isn’t a miracle to me this is toning it down. So I stand with empty pockets and receive at this time food from my brothers and sisters in Christ because I am ill. And now I wait at His throne room once again and empty all those things that I have tried to fix on my own, tried to figure out and say what will you do with this. I just want to see what He will do because he is my I AM.
So good, Marjorie!
Marjorie, yes-so good! Great to have you here in our fellowship! 🙂
Jesus, thank you for bringing Marjorie to our study. We ask you to touch her body and give her relief from pain. Thank you for the truths she found this week and for being her I AM. Bless and be near her. Amen.
Marjorie, you are loved here and will be prayed for by these ladies and myself. Bless you sister:)
Praying for you this morning Elizabeth. I wonder if you could get a voice reader for your computer so that you would not have to type. That way you could rest your hands.
Chris, if you updated us about Brian’s court appearance I missed it. Did it go well?
I have wanted to take Joey on a mission trip for some time and I suspect that God is opening a door this summer. It is to a village in Uganda. I think I mentioned before that Joey was impressed in meeting an African man at church. Well God has woven so many points together that I am pretty sure it is His call. I would love to share them all but it would take some time. All of it rides on God working in Joey’s heart to give him the desire to go. I have not said anything about it to him because in his flesh I know that he will say NO WAY! If for no other reason 24hrs on a plane would do it. For myself I fear to step out without a sure call from God. So I am waiting and praying that God will work in Joey’s heart to give me the final yes or no.
Wonderful report, now we pray and trust Jesus to put it in Joey’s heart to go. I desire a mission trip experience for my Brad – he longs for his friends to know Jesus and witnesses to them sometimes making them mad.
9. What is your take-a-way this week?
When I started the study this week, this stood out to me: “But every miracle, and this is what I want you to ponder, also teaches us something about Jesus and our relationship with Him.” -Yes, I did ponder because Dee gave us such a rich opportunity to this week!
What I learned that I hadn’t thought of before was that Jesus’ miracles all were related to restoration-that is who He is. We forget His Holiness, His purity and dumb Him down. He can relate with us because He became one of us, yet at the same time He was without sin. He hated the Fall-He hated sickness and death-and it was a deep, gutteral, Holy, passionate hate of it. It isn’t in God’s nature to pass off watching people suffer from hunger, abuse, oppression, neglect. What convicted me this week, and is really getting me to think, is that part of the outflow of loving Jesus and having intimacy with Him is loving what He loves too and hating what He hates.
Rebecca, this is really good. It is such a reverent understanding of His heart. It makes me think again of what Oswald Chambers said on the 15th. A beginning of truly following after Him. I am struck again with how little I really know His heart.
Anne, Me too-how little I know, yet how thankful I am He is the Word and takes me into Him yet deeper-I have stones of remembrance when He took me out to the wilderness, spoke tenderly to me and gave me back my vineyards. His heart so delights to draw us closer in, Anne, and when we respond to Him as you have-Oh my! I am sure God is thrilled. 🙂
In our fallen nature it is easy to forget we are one with Him and he knows that-yet he doesn’t forget us-He loves and pursues His beloved-and this should make us turn. Oh what love is this? How can it be..unfathomable are the depths-yet HE chose to cover you and me.
Jesus and I took a stroll down memory lane this week and I want to share the victory I have found in Him.
When I came back to this study in June 2011 I had an agenda – I wanted to experience victory – not just read about it. Although my hardened angry heart was cold, I had a speck of faith that He could yet be the answer to overcoming my problem of being overweight. By December I had indeed found pieces to the puzzle but sustained victory was still just out of my reach. I stayed because He wooed me with spiritual growth and the sisterhood here was fantastic. I continued to bounce in and out of victory until Feb. 13 when He revealed the last piece of the puzzle. The words, “true repentance” leaped right off the page and into my now softened heart. I knelt before Him seeing with new eyes that I was the problem all along and my refusal to see overeating as a sin. He helped me truly repent and I have been walking in supernatural victory 33 blessed days. This study was not the quick fix I hoped for but much more. Although the process is long and sometimes painful, He is gentle carpenter and faithful to complete the work He began in me.
33 blessed days!
oh, kim! this is so POWERFUL! Happy 33 days and more to come 😉 Your love for Him has blessed me–love to you~
Kim, this is wonderful! Your victory is our victory and our joy. Love to you in the Spirit we share.
Thank you sisters. I love that you share in my victory and joy.
Praise the Lord! This is a wonderful victory. You encourage us all!
Thank you, Diane. I am hoping it encourages those who struggle to let their faith rise up!
Kim, Thank you for being so open and honest. You’ve seen me, I have a weight problem also. You give me hope because I’ve been struggling for a long time too. I don’t get out much and blame it on taking care of Kendra, but actually I am ashamed of myself and have become a homebody pretty much. Maurice does the shopping and errans for us, because of Kendra and my back, but I really don’t want to go anywhere. I wish I was were you are at, but I’m not. I’m depressed about my weight. I can’t walk very far without a walker, so don’t get any exercise, so I give up hope.
And now my girl that we hired about 2 months ago, Shanon, to help me with Kendra and give me some time away, for Dee’s bible study here and the wellness pool, for exercise, (she is only 22 yrs old and has a husband (out of work), and two little girls ages 2 and 3 yrs old), has cancer in her breasts and some has spread to her spine. I am so upset about her. We have grown to love her and Kendra loves her. I can’t believe it. We just found out yesterday. Now she is without a job too (Kendra was her job). Please pray for Shanon. We are taking them a meal tommarrow. They don’t have a church and I don’t think they are christians, but have been asking for prayer on fb, so the Lord is doing a mighty work in their lives. Kim, do you know of any groups that take meals to the needy in town here? My heart just aches for them. They are the cutest family. I put a picture of their little girls here…Jenna and little red headed Olivia…so precious. All I can do is weep…they are so young and just starting their lives as a family.
Oh Joyce — I want to protect you from more sadness — and yet I know I cannot. I will pray for this little family. So hard. Reminds me of when our dear Rita was living with us and got cancer at 23. So hard.
Thank You for your honesty. I pray for you with this too — would love to see a mighty victory with your weight.
Oh Joyce, I am praying for this little family and for you – so much heartache. Joyce, don’t give up. You are so loved here and the Father loves you so much.
Father, help Shanon reach out to you, to see how much you love her and that she needs you. And help Joyce to lay all her burdens on you and to know that you love her so very much.
Oh Father, I agree with this prayer, Lord. Amem. My prayer with you Joyce. So sorry. love to you
Oh Joyce, bless your heart. I have struggled so for twenty years so I fully understand. I will pray God shows you the way out for He has a plan for your life and health and wants to help you in every area. Do you have an agency to help you re-hire?
I weep with you for this dear woman and family, interesting that you mention Shannon here b/c I have been asking God to show me the poor so that I can make a difference and no be so self focused. This is my answer! I will email you for her information and you can ask her if I may contact her so I can begin reaching out to her also.
Thank you so much, Kim. Her name is spelled Shanon. You can see pictures of them as my friends on fb. Shanon Giesler and Jeremy Beckman
I’ve been struggling with my weight for 20 years also. Yes, I could rehire someone, but want to wait awhile. I don’t want Shanon to feel like she is replaceable so easily.
I just realized I had 8 minutes of the sermon left to listen to–I think He wanted me to hear it today, my ears were ready. My little loaves can’t possibly do it–that’s what I need to realize. Every problem I face is because I am making something else my life, I have pinned my hope on something other than Christ. Lately I have felt angry, sad, frustrated, scared. As long as I am trying to be fed by anything but Him, this cycle continues. But if I turn my eyes, look at Him, feast on Him, really, truly, the rest begins to fade. He says feed one Me,–and I want to. Lord, teach me how, teach me Jesus how to stay with You. I get so restless sometimes, but my heart wants to stay with You. I know, I really know, my little loaves cannot possibly satisfy. Thank You Lord, You are the Bread of Life!
My heart wants to stay with Him too, Elizabeth.
My little loaves cannot possibly satisfy. So good.
I totally agree that this sermon really gets to the root of idolatry. I just finished. I answered the remaining questions. Instead of starting with ‘I think’ on every question, I say a big fat I THINK before I start. I am not sure about any of this.
6. This miracle that we have studied this week is bread for the mind. It was not intended to bring anyone to belief but to get them thinking about who Jesus is. It is when we look at Jesus’ life that we will see that He is the Messiah and that Christianity is true.
7. Bread for the Body is when we actively become a part of restoring the natural order in the world around us.
8. Bread for the heart is when He becomes our heart’s Bread. When He satisfies our soul hunger instead of idols, then He is truly our Bread of Life.
Thank you ladies, for the worship music links.
Praying now for restoration of health, His peace in the middle of the storm – for each of us.
Here’s what I got out of Keller’s sermon:
Bread for the Mind: Miracles are a demonstration of power designed to engage your intellect. Miracles are not proof of His deity – they proclaim He is the I AM. Miracles are signs of His mission.
Bread for the Body: Miracles are a sign of the kingdom.
Bread for the Heart: Labor for the food that gives eternal life. “I AM the Bread of Life – without Me you will starve for eternity. (This was the most profound thought for me.) When you receive Me, You have life.”
My take-away: “Christians what are you doing – sitting like passive lumps watching the suffering all around?” (my paraphrase) I have experienced suffering and it is all around me. I’m reading a book on grieving for the loss of a child – and in that book was a quote from C.S. Lewis regarding his own loss of his wife, Joy. “Perhaps the bereaved ought to be isolated in special settlements like lepers.” There have been many times I have said something similar – ‘I must have leprosy the way most people, including those who call themselves Christian, choose not to reach out and touch me in pain and grief.’ Lest I leave you on a depressing thought, I can also say that God is true to His word and does not leave His children abandoned…there have been precious women that have been prompted to pray for me on days that I really needed it (and didn’t ask for pray)…and precious women who have been prompted by the Spirit to invest their time encouraging my soul. These women are precious and few – and I am so thankful He’s sent them at just the right times to remind me He is still here. Praying that God will open my eyes to see and my heart to love those suffering around me – for by our love they will know the One who sent us.
Thanks for sharing your isolation struggle, Cherie. I have been doing some thinking recently about this issue of how we as Christians often don’t get involved when others are struggling. It really is sad. We have become very private and isolated people. Our culture has taught us not only to be independent, but also not to get involved in other people’s business. Christ teaches that we should serve each other and get involved, but it does go against what our secular culture teaches.
Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
I myself am being convicted about being too standoffish when I know others are struggling. If it is Christ’s command, what must I do to fulfill it? Taking such risks means putting off my comfort idol and putting on love and service.
Yes, Cherie, how we need one another and need to be willing to love as He did. Thank you.
Cherie, you joined the study while I was away, I don’t know the story of your loss, I would like to if you are able to share it.
I can strongly relate to what you posted about feeling like a leper in your grief. I think it is in large part because they don’t know what to say, some I suspect look for a reason this must be our fault, that way they can be comforted in thinking such grief won’t touch them.
Chris: The loss that has impacted me the most is the loss of not being able to bear children. That loss has also meant some lost friendships with women. Additionally, about 1 1/2 yrs ago my bro-in-law died at age 37 and that loss impacted our family and changed the dynamics of our relationships a bit.
Chris, Dee, Diane, and Joyce: Thanks for also praying. I wanted to also say that the feeling of isolation from others made me much closer to God. This morning we sung “Take it to the Lord in prayer.” The most valuable thing that has come out of my experience is taking everything to Him in prayer and relying on Him for everything. I can testify that He does bind up the brokenhearted. There are just days when it’s hard to be your own cheerleader getting up and opening His word – so I’m thankful that God has prompted women to pray for me on those days.
Praying for you, Cherie
8. What did you learn about “Bread for the Heart?”
This is also my “take away”. These are as close to Keller’s words as I could get without listening too many times. This is what I really need to learn.
“Every problem that I have got is because I am making something my life rather than Jesus. Colossians 3, “Christ is your life. It is hidden with God”. If you are worrying say, I am making something my life instead of Jesus. Something more important, something on which I have pinned my hopes, my security. It is more than Jesus. If you are angry today, it is something you have made your life, more than Jesus. Jesus says feed on me. Devour me like you devour a book. Devouring means comprehensive intensity. Realize what he has done. Realize who he is. Make him your life. He who comes to me will never hunger, never thirst again.
Go and learn what this meaneth.”
Diane, your take away has really ministered to me. I realize as I read this, just between the time that I listened to the sermon and now, I am doing this again. Thanks, for the Lord has used your words.
Wonderful.
I also love that closing comment: Go and learn what this meaneth.
We are, aren’t we!
My take away comes from the sermon, in the Bread for the Heart segment. Keller said that bread is a strong metaphor for brokenness. I am overwhelmed by what He has given for me. His body was completely broken that I might have life. I can not expect not to also be broken and yet I will never be broken as He was. Lord, there is no way that I can ever thank You aside from just accepting my gift and I do. Help me to reverence You and remember always my precious gift. Help me to hope only in You and bring to my attention any time that I am hoping in something other than You. Thank You for the misery that overtakes me every time I do this.
7. What did you learn about “Bread for the Body?” (This was brief, and you might miss it — but he talks about how hunger is not God’s plan — and how this miracle not only shows that, but how we are to be a part of alleviating the physical hunger of others.
Jesus is the bread broken for us. We need to be fed or we die from starvation. When He was broken on the cross he provided the sustainance for us to live. He had to be broken for us to be able to be fed.
8. What did you learn about “Bread for the Heart?”
I think I’m getting all the breads confused! But, in my post above I said Jesus was broken on the cross for us. I think that was the bread of the heart. He was one “loaf” who gave himself for all of us, in love.
Sorry I am so late with all of this..I have actually listen several times to the sermon. I just have had little time this week to read any posts. You are all in my heart though. The time change always messes me up! I’m not a big fan 🙁
I could really use a prayer or two for myself to be calm and know He is right with me now. My life is gearing up to be way too fast and I am afraid I will stumble. Chris, I also exercise and would love nothing better than to clean my house! That’s going to happen in July…..Unfortunately my school has taken over. I am drowning and need to breathe and just know that He is with me through all of this mess! It’s only a couple of more months and I am done. I usually listen to my sermons while I exercise! It helps me get back on track.
My takeaway for the week is that I need Jesus all the time. I haven’t done too well on my Lenten “gift” either. I am trying to be less selfish and more giving to my family and that has not happened. I blame it on the time change!!! Of course! Will try harder this week.
Laura, you are in our hearts as well!
Father, you see Laura and all her cares and concerns. Help her get through this busy time and keep you near, she has grown so much here and we have come to love her. Calm her thoughts and bring peace into her situation. We love you Jesus and are so thankful for all you did.
Saturday:
9. What is your take-a-way this week?
Yesterday was a high to low sort of day for me emotionally. There was a festival at work, the weather was in the 70’s with beautiful blue skies.
I read comments here in the morning, prayed for everyone, and thought about this take away feeling full and thankful. I planned to finish in the evening.
I was grateful to be working too because Saint Patrick’s Day was Daniels favorite holiday. He really enjoyed celebrating his Irish heritage. He mimicked an Irish accent really well was making plans to learn to play bagpipes and planned to travel to Ireland as soon as possible. Being busy at work was a distraction I welcomed.
A coworker hooked up his Ipod, it was playing Daniels favorite Irish band. A man came though my line that looked at lot like my Daniel, down to a ready smile & twinkle in his eye, I saw two people wearing shirts that Daniel owned, another with a fedora just like Daniels. It was a long day.
I looked out the window at the blue sky and thought of heaven, that Daniel could fellowship today with Jesus & the REAL Saint Patrick.
But at the end of the day my drawer was off, by $500+ dollars. The sad I had been so glad to keep at bay rushed over me. I had a hard time keeping my composure. There are some possible explanations for why the $ was off. I don’t think I made any major mistakes, I was carefull in making change. The ticket count may have been off. Even when you know that you are innocent it is hard to have a veil of possible guilt thrown upon oneself.
I have a hard time still when the grief overtakes me to feel so bad without feeling that somehow it is sin.
A group of coworkers were going for dinner after work, Bill wanted us to go with them. I so wanted to isolate myself. I felt that it would be wrong to make Bill stay home, so I went along. I did okay.
The pit is not so deep as before, I don’t long for it to close over me anymore, but sad will always be with me now I suppose.
I had not commented before about the sacrifice my idols have demanded, I felt too scattered in my thoughts when I tried before. I will try again. I feel my Comort Idol has caused me to not celebrate & honor those I love as well as I ought. I have been more concerned about practical things like money, being stressed or overwhelmed, having enough down time, food, even the possibility that I might not feel well on a given day. These concerns have kept me from going that extra mile to make people feel valuable and loved. I stay home often times when Bill would like me to go with him somewhere. I don’t send that gift because it is too expensive. I have fewer celebrations in my home, because I don’t want to be bothered. I avoid certain people because too much might be demanded of me.
This for me ties in with the Bread for the body portion of the sermon this week. I feel sad when I look back and see the ways I could have better loved my children, my extra children, my husband, my parents, my friends, and even my enemies. I want to have Jesus eyes to see them & their needs & to let go of my fear and worries over my own comfort so that I am ready to be useful for Christ & his purposes for my life. I desire to be an approved workmen who is not ashamed.
The other part of my take away is that I think I better & better understand this verse;
Mark 10:15
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
I feel that I understand so much less and trust so much more than I did before. My faith is more childlike. It is such a relief to not feel the need to figure it all out. To trust my Father.
I won’t leave because I can’t figure it out, My identity is hidden with Christ in God, I will Set my mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth
Chris, I commented on the next page.