May 19, 2006 - I Chronicles 7-9 and John 6:22-44
Do you pray for your extended family? I hope you do. That is one thing the Lord impresses on me, when I read the genealogies, and I realize God's care for each individual family member. Did you notice some of the interesting statements about these families? The family of Ephraim had the dreaded cattle thieves among their relatives. (7:21) We might joke about this sometimes, but it is a reality. All families have those who choose the wrong path in life. They need the Lord. Then, there is the mention of divorce. (8:8) Most families today have been touched by divorce and its sad effects. This should be an urgent matter of prayer. There were those in full time service for the Lord, too. (9:20,27,33) They need our prayers just as much as those who have missed God's will. I hope you will examine your family tree today, so you can pray for your family in a very specific way. I know God will honor those prayers.
In John 6 we read about what happened after the feeding of the 5,000 plus people. They were "seeking Jesus." That is usually a good thing, but here they just wanted to be filled with food again, so Jesus corrects them. He admonishes them to seek after Him as the Bread of Life, not just for the physical bread that perishes. We must get past the motivation of our stomach to the motivation of our soul. Why do you seek Jesus, or do you seek Jesus at all? This passage makes it clear that we can't come to Him in pride on our own. We come in humility as the Father draws us. We come when we see the need in our heart, and we come in faith. That is the only way to approach Holy God. Do you feel God's gentle tug in your heart? Maybe, it is a huge tug of war at this point. However, the key is to respond to the prompting of God, and He will lead you to the Bread of Life, which is Jesus. There you can eat and drink, so that your soul will no longer be in need. (v.35)
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Chronicles 10-12 and John 6:45-71.
In John 6 we read about what happened after the feeding of the 5,000 plus people. They were "seeking Jesus." That is usually a good thing, but here they just wanted to be filled with food again, so Jesus corrects them. He admonishes them to seek after Him as the Bread of Life, not just for the physical bread that perishes. We must get past the motivation of our stomach to the motivation of our soul. Why do you seek Jesus, or do you seek Jesus at all? This passage makes it clear that we can't come to Him in pride on our own. We come in humility as the Father draws us. We come when we see the need in our heart, and we come in faith. That is the only way to approach Holy God. Do you feel God's gentle tug in your heart? Maybe, it is a huge tug of war at this point. However, the key is to respond to the prompting of God, and He will lead you to the Bread of Life, which is Jesus. There you can eat and drink, so that your soul will no longer be in need. (v.35)
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Chronicles 10-12 and John 6:45-71.