Meditate. Are you hungry or thirsty?
They (the Pharisees) answered, "Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, 'Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day." Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day." John 6:30-40
Everyone is looking for a
miraculous sign—at least the Pharisees wanted one. Do you ever want a sign from
Jesus? Maybe a wet or dry fleece like Gideon? A special star in the sky? A
change in a traffic light? Just the right gift for a special person? A special loaf
of bread? God gave the Hebrew people manna as they wandered in the desert—hungry.
Do you ever wonder what it tasted like?
The Israelites called the food manna. It was white like
coriander seed, and it tasted like honey wafers. Exodus 16:31
I’m sure God still has the recipe
for manna…and will provide it for us if we are ever totally without food. With
the supply chain issues occurring around the world, the lack of food resources
could actually happen.
Jesus gives us the assurance that
those who believe in Him…as Lord and Savior…will never be hungry or thirsty
again. In His Sermon on the Mount we recall…
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice
(righteousness), for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6
Righteousness is a spiritual
condition—one of right living—of wanting to live to please the Lord. Can you
say that righteousness is something for which you are striving? I want to live
to please God in all that I think, say, and do—but like Paul, I find that I don’t
always do what I want to do…what I know is right.
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual
and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I
don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do
it. Instead, I do what I hate. Romans 7:14-15
Is it a copout to say, “I’m just human?” We
need to be accountable to God…and to each other. Seek God’s peace in your life
and do what is right and pure…as Paul wrote.
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about
everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you
will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His
peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now,
dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true,
and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about
things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all
you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing.
Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9
Peace to you on this blustery winter day. Peace in your heart and soul.
Prayer ~ Jesus…as You told Your disciples…"I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. John 14:27. Thank You for that gift of peace.
Verse of Salvation ~ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10
Friday’s Feasting at the King’s
Table
Northwest Apple Cake
½ c oil or melted butter
2 eggs
2 c flour
2 tsp vanilla or grated lemon rind
4 c apples, unpeeled, coarsely chopped
1½ c sugar (use less if apples are very sweet)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ c chopped nuts – pecans or walnuts
Combine all ingredients, except nuts. Pour into a 9X13 inch pan. Top with nuts.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. This will store and keep fresh for a week or so.
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