Junk Food

Today's Reading:
AM - Psalm 107:1-32
PM - Psalm 107:33-43
Gospel - John 6:52-59

For reflection: How would you describe your daily spiritual diet: Junk food? Frozen food? Baby food? Leftovers? Meat & potatoes? Pure bread and wine?

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There’s nothing better (in my opinion) than a Hostess Suzy-Q washed down by a Hansen’s Mandarin Lime soda.  When I couldn’t find Hansen’s in town anywhere, I had a case shipped from the manufacturer in California.  The shipping cost more than the cans.  While that treat was momentarily delightful, there was nothing of substance ingested.  My hunger returned shortly thereafter, and all I really accomplished was fooling my body into thinking it actually got some fuel it could use.

Although I’m not fond of getting up at 5:00am every Tuesday, what I treasure about the time I spend with a couple of guys in Bible study at 6:15 is that we wrestle through tough sections of Scripture together. We ask and answer hard questions.  We deal with supposed contradictions.  We gnaw on truth until we get it.  We challenge each other to live a life worthy of our calling in Jesus Christ.

When we lean on what we’ve always heard or what somebody taught us a long time ago, or we share the same perspectives and opinions over and over in Life Group, and refuse to wrestle ourselves with God’s word, we are fooling ourselves into thinking we are actually feeding our spirits.  Join with some fellow pilgrims and do the hard work of building your faith and knowing why you believe what you believe through your own study and reflection.

- Lee Thrasher

Hungry and Thirsty?

Today's Reading:
AM - Psalm 69
PM - Psalm 73
Gospel - John 6:41-51

For reflection: If someone asked, "How do you hunger and thirst after God," what counsel would you offer?

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When we have physical needs it is easy to think short-term, right now needs. But taking care of the physical need only lasts for a short while and then the need returns, over and over.

Wouldn't it be great if our thirst could be taken care of forever?? Even greater, wouldn't it be outstanding if our SPIRITUAL hunger and thirst could be satisfied forever? In John 4 Jesus, in talking to the Samaritan woman, said, "If you knew the GIFT of GOD and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you LIVING WATER."

Jesus continues in verse 13, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to ETERNAL LIFE."

As David says in Psalm 42," As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." David knew that only God could satisfy that deep, soul need for God.

We all have this SOUL deep hunger and thirst that can only be satisfied by God.

I hunger and thirst for the blessings of being in Christ: 

     The best life here and now. John 10:10

     There is no alternative to Christ  John 6:67-68

     Jesus is eternal life  John 6:27

THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE!!!

- Charles Dowdy

Only One Way

Today's Reading:
AM - Psalm 101 and 109
PM - Psalm 119:121-144
Gospel - John 6:27-40

For reflection: What is the main reason you follow Jesus?

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John 6:25-40

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[c]” 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

There is only one way to salvation, eternal life……and it is through Jesus Christ Lord!. Certainly we all need food, clothing, a way of living, but only God the father provides for all of these and he wants us to have our eyes on His Son only, as affirmed in verse 27: “….but food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you”.

He is not first, He is all. The Father’s will, as stated in verse 40 is “that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life”.

I do believe that Jesus is the Son of God and through Him we have eternal life. He is calling the whole humanity to build an intimate relationship with the Lord. Praise Him!    

- Armando Perdomo

Jesus and Storms

Today's Reading:
AM - Psalm 97, 99 and 100
PM - Psalm 94 and 95
Gospel - John 16:6-27

For reflection: Where in your life do you need Jesus to say, "It is I; don't be afraid."?

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I have struggled with fear all of my life--fear of relationships, fear of failure, even fear of success. Any change in my life brings dread and fear, even a good change.

I love this story because when it is dark and the storm is blowing, Jesus shows up and says, "It is I; do not be afraid."

Also in the story, Jesus doesn't stop the storm. He just safely gets the disciples to the other side and they are comforted by His presence.

I so often need to listen for His comforting presence and trust Him to get me to the other side.

- Lisa Dudley

A Free Lunch

Today's Reading:
AM - Psalm 89:1-18
PM - Psalm 89:19-52
Gospel - John 6:1-15

For reflection: When and how has God stretched your limited resources far beyond what you could have imagined?

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We have a huge event coming back to Charlotte this summer – WorkCamp.  It is huge to me because 300 people will be coming to PR to serve for a week and one of the many big responsibilities is FEEDING them… and did I mention for FREE?

Jesus had a similar situation John chapter 6:1-15, but it wasn’t 300.  It was more like 15,000 plus!  Gulp.

So, Jesus, like He does to us daily, puts the apostles to the test to solve this problem and gets a few differing responses: send them away, we are going to need a lot of money, and...hmm, Jesus this little boy over here has a snack: some fish and some bread.

What does one do with this passage? 

First, Jesus had just fed these people spiritually a day or so earlier at the Sermon on the Mount and now He was going to meet their needs and feed them physically.

Second, you have to love Andrew.  He is always bringing people to Jesus!  He doesn’t know if this is going to help, but Andrew is allowing this little boy to give all he has.  So often, we believe the size of the task is too big.  We must remember like the lady with the two mites, whenever there is a need, give all that we have to Jesus and let Him do the rest!

Third, instead of complaining about what we don’t have, we should give thanks to God for what we do have, and He will make it go further.

Lastly, I said earlier that Jesus fed them physically this time.  Well yes He did.  However, just a few verses ahead look how He uses it as an object lesson to state the greatest truth about His identity in John 6:30-35.

30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Not only does Jesus provide for our physical needs, but our spiritual needs also!

Who says there is no FREE lunch?  Hungry?

- Brad Childers

Come and See!

Today's Reading:
AM - Psalm 66 and 67
PM - Psalm 19 and 46
Gospel - Mark 8:11-21

For reflection: How are you discovering that Jesus can really shepherd you?

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In Psalm 19:7-11, David through the guidance of the Holy Spirit wrote that the law of God is perfect, trustworthy, right and clear. It revives the soul, makes the simple wise, brings joy to our hearts and gives insight to life. The law of God, David further wrote, is more desirable than pure gold and sweeter than honey, is a warning to those who hear and a great reward for those who obey.

Do our souls need reviving? Do we need wisdom? How about joy and insight? Do we desire that which is more satisfying than financial success and physical desires? Are our hearts open to God’s counsel and warning? Are our hearts set on obedience and our eyes focused on the promised great reward?

Let us seek and celebrate the life-giving effect of God’s word to us. Let us like David say, “I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (Ps. 40:8)  

And then…let us be willing and eager to say to others, “Come and see! The Lord is good!”

- Gretchen Dowdy