Bread and Water

Our most basic needs. Hunger and thirst. When we think of needs – actual needs – it always seems to boil down to three: food, clothing, shelter.

But I’d like to argue that there’s really only one basic basic need. Food. Food and water.
Yes, our culture demands clothing, and shelter is optimal, but there is not getting around the need for food.

Jesus knew this. Why else would He claim to be the Bread of Life?

He knows we need Him, and there is just no getting around it.

Our text is John 6.

Jesus had just gotten through feeding the five thousand. Overnight, some of the people stayed. Overnight, there was also a storm, and Jesus walked on water.

Interesting to note verse 20 – He says “Do not be afraid, I am here.” Or, “The I AM is here.” source What a great reason to not be afraid. Because our God, the Beginning and the End, and the Self-Existent One [Who relies on no one else, having no need for help, and is entirely self-capable] is here.

Would that we were just as eager to let Him in, and let Him take the wheel. (John 6:21)

Then, in the morning, many of the people from the 5,000 crowd were still there, and Jesus sees through their eagerness.

Look at verse 26:

John 6:26 “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth,”

(and doesn’t He always tell the truth?)

“you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.”” NLT

Don’t we often fit that bill?

‘Dear Jesus, please let me score well on my exam today.’

‘Dear Jesus, please help me finish this before deadline.’

‘God, help me arrive safely to work this morning… and on time!’

Please let this or that happen.

We know His power.

And those things are fine and good, but is that it?

John 6:27a “But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you…” NLT emphasis mine

Spend your energy. Not just a quick ‘God is great’ prayer before our meal. Work at it. And if your salvation is already secured, whose life then should we be seeking?

And the people still didn’t get it. Verse 30:

John 6:30 “They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do?” NLT

Give me, and then I’ll believe.

And then Jesus says, “I give.”

Even after that, I’d have wanted to correct their attitude – but He stoops, explains, teaches. "My Father does give you Bread. I am that Bread."

John 6:35 “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.” NLT

John 6:48 “Yes, I am the bread of life!” NLT

John 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” NLT

And they still didn’t get it.

So He explains what He means again. See verses 63-64.

Human effort is us, trying to do, to be enough, to win our way. Humbly just accepting isn’t enough for some of us, is it?

But that’s all He wants.

John 6:29 “Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”” NLT

He is it. He is the sustenance. The bread we need to survive. Believe it. He is the Water, living water.

This passage is sandwiched in between two other times Jesus says He is living water. In John 4:14 and John 7:37-39.

So He meets that primal, basic basic need that we have no way around. For we don’t truly need any other thing.

For any needs we have on earth unmet lead to death and our eternal existence – in which we need Living water and the Bread of Life to enter Heaven.

Do you see it?

Peter had it right this time. See verses 68-69

John 6:68a “Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go?...”” NLT

What else is there?

He is it, and there’s no way around it.

The Painful Lesson 8 - Pain Before Restoration

Are you enjoying our little Bride of Christ detour through Jeremiah? I had no idea God would turn this into so much study material. But He is wise, faithful and good, amen?

Today we look at Jeremiah 26-30. You can read it all now, or space it out as we go along.

This is the darkness before dawn. The pain before restoration.

In chapter 27 we see the way there is no escape from the consequences. The Lord will make your consequences follow you. You can be sure of it. See Numbers 32:23 & Jeremiah 25:35.

There is not place to escape Him, and He is the only way out. Funny how it works that way. He is all around us, and He is the Door, but we’d sooner try to dig away at the walls until our fingers bleed than just accept His way and simply walk through it.

So daughters, know that He knows. You’re not going to slide one by and get by with it.

But what about the people who do get away with it? That Christian who says biting words behind your back. Those believers who neglect their family, or put money and career above all else. What about those believers who have walked out on their family? Those unfaithful to their spouse. Those awful times when children are abused and women taken advantage of, with no punishment when punishment is due. What then? Where’s the sentence, or sure consequences then?

Yeah, there’s those too. Even here in our passage. Jeremiah 29:16-17 Those who did not physically reap the consequences of separation still got consequences. They were ruined like “bad figs (ch 24)”.

So, sisters, I ask- no pointing fingers here. No complaining. Let’s just look at ourselves, and our own deceitful heart for right now. Everyone’s gonna get theirs.

Now before you get the wrong idea, God does not thrive on punishment. See 27:17 and look for God’s heart in it. He really doesn’t just sit there waiting to catch you screwing up. But He does know when you do.

Don’t listen to anyone around you who is telling you that you are okay in your sin, or anyone justifying it for you (or with you). Yes, it may be what you’d rather hear, but ultimately it leads you to fall harder.

God’s voice is the only One you can trust.

Chapter 28 is a specific example of what happened to one man who spoke trying to comfort the Israelites in their sin; he contradicted God’s words in God’s name.

Now I’d like you to take a look at chapter 29. Here we fast forward the story into the captivity of Israel (Daniel 1) into Babylon. They were ripped from their homes, and taught to throw out all knowledge of God. Brainwashed. This is where we pick up. Read Jeremiah 29, and probably you’ll stop where I stopped, stunned. Read and I’ll wait.

Was it verse 11? I thought so. Have you ever read that in context before? I must not have. I was stunned.

Jeremiah 29:11-12 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.” NLT

This verse means so much more to me now. Does it you?

Continue on to verses 13-14

Jeremiah 29:13-14 “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” NLT (emphasis mine)

He is not saying “Goodbye forever; you screwed up,” but rather He is saying, “Here is my number. When you are really truly ready to come back to Me, I will be here. I will gather you when your sentence is up.”

He is ever faithful.

Take heart in this, Dear one. He is coming for you. He will be back when the time is right. And His promise is one we can lean on when we’ve really messed up – when it feels like you’ve had about as much consequence as you can take. When you’re crying to Him, when He is Who you turn to, finally exhausted of trying to do it all on your own. He will be there.

Read chapter 30

Jeremiah 30:11b “…I will not completely destroy you.I will discipline you, but with justice;    I cannot let you go unpunished.” NLT

He is too holy to let us go unpunished, but He will not completely destroy us in that punishment. And He will restore. Jeremiah 27:22

 God brings the restoration. And God alone brings restoration.

Jeremiah 30:17a “I will… heal your wounds,” says the Lord…” NLT

The next session is the last in our detour through our Bride of Christ series, and it is a good one. Much happier, I promise.  The Groom calls back and gathers His Bride!

In the meantime, I ask you to determine what in your heart is holding back. Is there something?

It says in Jeremiah 29:13 we must seek Him with our whole heart.

Do.

Offer every broken hurt, torn, stained, ugly piece of your heart, and be ready to find healing.

Matthew 11:28 “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” NLT