Devotional

[00:00:00] Let's turn our Bibles to John chapter 6. When I was asked to share an devotional, I was actually yesterday morning on the way to work. And as I was, or pardon me, the day before I guess, as I was on the way to work and I was thinking, you know, what would be appropriate, The words from John 6 verse 63 came to my mind where Jesus said the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life. [00:00:37] Now we look at the setting here in John chapter 6 we find Jesus in the feeding of the 5,000, the miracle of the 5,000 and the attention that that brought to him. In fact, it says there that they said he must be a prophet, and they wanted to make him king. And Jesus then used this bread that he made as a way to convey a message. [00:01:13] And throughout the chapter of chapter 6, we find where he is referring to himself as the bread from heaven, the bread of God, the bread of life twice, and the living bread, referring to himself. And then in verse 63 he says, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. I'd like to think about that a little bit tonight. They are spirit and they are life Now food, we realize that food sustains life, it gives life [00:01:46] And bread here is speaking spiritually of course We're speaking of giving a spiritual life And we notice that throughout Jesus' ministry His words were powerful And these are nonetheless powerful here The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. I'm not sure what that means to you but I was blessed even just reading that really not putting a lot of thought into it because God is the only one that can give life. [00:02:22] My brother Harvey made mention there's a lot of power here and I agree with that but unless God moves and gives us the power, we're powerless. And I'm glad for his spirit that gives us that power. Throughout his ministry, Jesus' ministry, we see the power of the spoken word and how that he, and we also see the power of Jesus' own words and how that he met the needs of those around him because with the spoken word he gave life. [00:02:55] He resurrected from the dead. He healed the lame. He healed the sick. And He healed the blind. Or He gave sight back to the blind. And I think of the account in John 9 where they came to the blind man and they asked him, who was this? Who do you think this was that healed you? He said, I don't know, but all I know is that I was blind and now I see. Kind of takes care of us as messengers, doesn't it? What is more important? Who do we want people to see? [00:03:28] We want them to see Jesus. Jesus said himself in John 10, verse 10, I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. Now we recognize that God's word, the Bible, is God's word. It is the bread of life. It is, as it were, proceeding from the mouth of God. And it is powerful, and it was alluded to many times during these meetings. And we realize that the creation, the power of God, how that the worlds were created by the spoken word. [00:04:02] Man was not created by the spoken word, as I understand it. He formed man out of the dust of the ground, breathed in him the breath of life. And from death, there came life. Now, we're alive physically here today, and I guess we need to be alive physically before we can be alive spiritually, but we're alive physically, and the alternative to life is what? Death. And that's true as well for us spiritually, as we think of it spiritually. The alternative of a spiritual life is spiritual death. [00:04:41] and we are in one category or the other as human beings. We are in one category or the other. But Jesus said the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. God's word brings life. And I noticed something in the conversation that he had with the Jews here and with these people that he didn't mess around with small talk. He didn't ask how was your day, he asked how was your heart, or how is your heart. [00:05:16] And sometimes we say Jesus could have had a following had he been more tactful, had he been more kind, or had he used some different words. But Jesus' concern was the heart, and Jesus was Jesus, therefore he could do as he pleased. And so his words brought conviction, it brought condemnation at times. and at the same time the Bible says that his words were gracious and they marveled at that and it brought soothing and comforting, it was comforting and brought emotional healing. [00:05:52] The Bible says that the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and joints and marrows and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. God's word does what we cannot do. and I'd like to remind us of that and I realize that as ministers we're called to be stewards of the gospel. We are called to speak, we're called to take God's word and to explain it and to expound it and to give the sense. And sometimes, well I would say that probably always as God's ministers we'd like to see some results like Jesus saw. [00:06:33] The blind seeing and the lame walking, but we don't always see that. And I appreciate the encouragement we received on that. But Jesus, we know, was perfect. And at the same time, we are not perfect. God uses imperfect people to preach his perfect word. And we must recognize that it is his spirit that works. We do our job, responsibility, faithfully. And he'll do his. And so we are here. We are his message bearers and his message takers. And we spend many times or many hours and minutes and we feel like at times we're spent at our wits end, if you please, because of the many things there are to do. [00:07:32] But we can do. We can do. And we can do. But it is God's work and God is the one that moves the hearts of men. As he will. And it isn't our spiritual maturity that makes the word of God alive. It isn't our spiritual, where we are spiritually that makes it alive. God can do with his word what he wants, even if it is at times preached by carnal men. God can turn that and bring it and make it useful for him. [00:08:07] Having said that, I believe that we need to be as God's people who we ought to be, as God's minister. We need to continue to evaluate our lives. I'd like to use just a little bit, a little illustration or an example, I would say. Of how God's word works. It wasn't too long ago I was going through a struggle and I was convicted deeply. It was one of those times when we couldn't pray and I dreaded studying for the next message and I wasn't sure how I could even preach. [00:08:41] And it was during that time of struggle that I went into my desk and I sat down and I looked up And there was a verse that I had posted there from the psalm And it said it this way If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me God's word spoke And I repented I made it right And I experienced that victory in Jesus It was from that moment on Otherwise I couldn't have sang that song tonight. I'm glad for that. That there is victory in Jesus. And so as ministers of the gospel, we're made of the same stuff. We face struggles. But God's word is true. It's just. And it will accomplish that which he has pleased it to do. [00:09:27] but we can hinder God's work too I believe and it's effectiveness in the lives of people I think it's important for us to be who God wants us to be depending totally on God so that we're not a barrier to someone else receiving God's blessing in their lives and that's a responsibility and I think that's one of the things that stared me in the face am I going to be a barrier for someone else between that person and God. [00:10:01] One verse, yet, Philippians 2.13, It is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And I trust that is the kind of servants that we are, allowing God to work through us, recognizing our weakness and inability, and allowing God to fill us with his spirit so we can, in some way, Let's stand for a word of prayer. Thank you, Lord, for your many blessings. Thank you again for this time together this evening. [00:10:36] Thank you that your word is truth, that your word will accomplish that which you have intended it to do. Help us, Lord, as your people, as your messengers, as your ministers, Lord, to be faithful. allow your word first of all to touch our hearts and to change us into what you want us to be so that we can be instruments that are useful for you be with us continually this evening in Jesus name we pray, amen