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JESUS - THE BREAD OF LIFE

The sixth chapter of St. John holds some amazing insights into Christ’s ministry and character.   As we unpack what the Apostle has recorded there, may God give us a little more revelation in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.   The beginning of this chapter in John is a narrative about how Jesus fed over 5,000 people with just two small fish and five barley loaves of bread.  If you are unfamiliar with the story, you can read it in John 6:1-14.  Notice in verse 14 that it says the people who had experienced this miracle first-hand didn’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah or the Son of God but, instead, said, “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”  Jesus was forced to depart from them at this point and retreat to a mountain by Himself lest they take Him forcefully to make Him king (verse 15).  Jesus hadn’t come to be made a conquering king; Jesus had come to be the Lamb of God that would be slain for the sins of the world....
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BE STILL AND KNOW

It is impossible to determine for certain the occasion for which the 46 th Psalm was written.  Some commentators believe that it was written after God delivered King Jehoshaphat from a great army of Moabites and Ammonites.  Others believe that it was written during King Hezekiah’s reign when the Assyrians under King Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem.  This we do know: this Psalm was written to encourage Israel to trust in the LORD Jehovah during difficult and frightening times, and Israel certainly had an abundance of those!    It is said that Psalms 46 gave Martin Luther much comfort and encouragement during the times that he faced fierce opposition to his preaching and ministry.  It is said that it was one of the portions of scripture that inspired the words to his hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God .      The psalm opens with these words of comfort and encouragement: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (...
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A SWORD AND A TROWEL

Nehemiah is an incredible figure in the Bible, and his story amazes me because of its relevance for today.   It speaks to me on many levels, but mostly about how important it is for me to know God’s will, get under the burdens that are close to His heart, and do the work that He has called me to do.   Nehemiah was among those Jews who were living in Babylon because of King Nebuchadnezzar destroying the city of Jerusalem in 593 B.C.  He was born in Persia to parents who were part of the Jewish exile.  At some point, he was enlisted into service in the palace of the King, and, so, became the King’s cupbearer - a position of importance.  While in this service, word came to him from some who had returned from Jerusalem, that the people were in great affliction, and the walls of the city were broken down, and the gates burned with fire.  The news so affected Nehemiah that he sat down and wept, and mourned, and didn’t eat for days; but, more importantly, he p...
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