Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 4, 2019

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

Today’s devotion comes from John 6:59-66.

“These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement;  who can listen to it?”  But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?  What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?  It is the Spirit who gives life;  the flesh profits nothing;  the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.  But there are some of you who do not believe.”  For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.  And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”

As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.”  John 6:59-66.

————————–

Other doctrine believes in the goodness, wisdom, and free-will of man.  But, it is still flesh.

Reformed Doctrine believes in the goodness, wisdom, and will of God.  It is the Spirit.

“It is the Spirit who gives life;  the flesh profits nothing;  the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”  Verse 63.

For other doctrine, it is a difficult statement that no one can come to Christ unless it has been granted to him by God the Father.  Other doctrine thinks that it can come to Christ by its own goodness, wisdom, and free-will.

For Reformed Doctrine, it is understandable, even logical, that no one can come to Christ unless it has been granted to him by God the Father.  Reformed Doctrine believes in what Scripture states about man summarized by “Total Depravity”.

“10 as it is written,

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”  Romans 3:10-12.

“… you were dead in your trespasses and sins,”  Ephesians 2:1.

Thus, Reformed Doctrine understands that man’s only chance for salvation is that it has been granted to him by God the Father summarized by God’s “Unconditional Election”.

Finally, consider that if other doctrine was true, namely that one could come to Christ by his or her own goodness, wisdom, and free-will, then many of the disciples would not have withdrawn and left Jesus.  They saw many of Jesus’ miracles and heard Jesus’ teaching and otherwise observed Jesus Who was “full of grace and truth” and “the Light of the world” and in Whom was life and the fullness of God.  See John 1:4, John 1:16, John 8:12, and Colossians 1:19.

But Scripture states:  “And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”  As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.”  Verses 65-66.

Comments Off on “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 3, 2019

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.”

Today’s devotion comes from John 6:46-58.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.  I am the living bread that came down out of heaven;  if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;  and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”  So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.  He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.  For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.  He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.  As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.  This is the bread which came down out of heaven;  not as the fathers ate and died;  he who eats this bread will live forever.”  John 6:48-58.

————————-

How can we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood?

The short answer is by faith which is the work of God.

But, consider the more lengthy answer from the Heidelberg Catechism.  I intentionally quote Article and Question 76 before Answer and Question 75 for purposes of this devotion in order to more directly and better answer the question posed above.

Q. 76.  What is it then to eat the crucified body and drink the shed blood of Christ?

A.  It is not only to embrace with a believing heart all the sufferings and death of Christ, and thereby to obtain the pardon of sin and life eternal;  but also, besides that, to become more and more united to His sacred body by the Holy Ghost, who dwells both in Christ and in us;  so that we, though Christ is in heaven and we on earth, are notwithstanding flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone;  and that we live and are governed forever by one Spirit, as members of the same body are by one soul.

 Q. 75.  How art thou admonished and assured in the Lord’s Supper that thou art a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross, and of all His benefits?

A.  Thus:  That Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat of this broken bread and to drink of this cup in remembrance of Him, adding these promises:  first, that His body was offered and broken on the cross for me, and His blood shed for me, as certainly as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup communicated to me;  and further, that He feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, with His crucified body and shed blood, as assuredly as I receive from the hands of the minister, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, as certain signs of the body and blood of Christ.

Consider also the following partial quote from Article 35 of the Belgic Confession.

Article 35:  Of the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ.

…  But for the support of the spiritual and heavenly life, which believers have, he hath sent a living bread, which descended from heaven, namely, Jesus Christ, who nourishes and strengthens the spiritual life of believers, when they eat him, that is to say, when they apply and receive him by faith in the spirit.  Christ, that he might represent unto us this spiritual and heavenly bread, hath instituted an earthly and visible bread, as a sacrament of his body, and wine as a sacrament of his blood, to testify by them unto us, that, as certainly as we receive and hold this sacrament in our hands, and eat and drink the same with our mouths, by which our life is afterwards nourished, we also do as certainly receive by faith (which is the hand and mouth of our soul) the true body and blood of Christ our only Savior in our souls, for the support of our spiritual life.  …

Going back to the short answer above, let us consider the work of God from previous Scriptures in John chapter 6.

“Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:29.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;  and I will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:44.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:37-39.

Comments Off on “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 2, 2019

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him … Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.”

Today’s devotion comes from John 6:41-45.

“Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.”  They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?  How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves.  No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;  and I will raise him up on the last day.  It is written in the prophets, ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’  Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.”   John 6:41-45.

——————-

Like the Jews grumbled because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.”, other doctrine grumbles about the sovereign power of God to save those whom He chooses to save.

Like the Jews grumbled about Jesus saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?”, other doctrine grumbles about preachers and teachers also sent by God to preach and teach.  

But, Reformed Doctrine understands the sovereign power of God to save those whom He chooses to save and to use those preachers and teachers whom He chooses to use.

“For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”  Romans 9:15-16.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;  and I will raise him up on the last day.  It is written in the prophets, ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’  Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.”  Verses 44-45.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken;  truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

Such a grumbling reveals a preference of God to be impotent to save and a preference of salvation to be in the hands of man.

“Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”  Psalm 2:3.

But, Reformed Doctrine is not moved by the futile desire of man to have free-will.

“4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”  Psalm 2:4-9.

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.”  Psalm 103:19.

“Salvation belongs to the LORD;
Your blessing be upon Your people!  Selah.”  Psalm 3:8.

God accomplishes all of His good pleasure.  Total Perfect Triumph.

“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

Comments Off on “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him … Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 31, 2019

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me” – “all that He has given Me I lose nothing”

Today’s devotion comes from John 6:37-40.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:37-40.

——————-

Other doctrine believes in man’s alleged free-will.

But, Reformed Doctrine believes in God’s will.

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”  Verse 38.

Other doctrine believes in “Resistible Grace”, that is, man can resist God’s grace.  

But, Reformed Doctrine believes in God’s “Irresistible Grace”.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”  Verse 37.

Other doctrine believes in “Fall from Grace”, that is, man can fall away from God’s grace.

But, Reformed Doctrine believes in God’s “Preservation of the Saints”.

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”  Verse 39.

In summary, other doctrine believes that salvation is dependent on man’s works or at least man’s will.

But, Reformed Doctrine believes that salvation is dependent on God’s will and God’s work from beginning to end:  from the beginning of God’s “Unconditional Election” through God’s “Limited Atonement” through God’s “Irresistible Grace” to the end of God’s “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation as more fully taught in the Canons of Dordt. 

“For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”  Romans 9:15-16.

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:29-30.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-9.

Comments Off on “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me” – “all that He has given Me I lose nothing”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 30, 2019

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Today’s devotion comes from John 6:30-36.

“So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You?  What work do You perform?  Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness;  as it is written, ‘HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.’”  Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.  For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”  Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;  he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.  But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.”  John 6:30-36.

———————–

Jesus performed miracles, certainly sufficient signs that they should believe, but they did not believe.

Other doctrine, which trusts in the wisdom and free-will of man, thinks the problem is the sufficiency of the signs.

But, Reformed Doctrine, which understands man’s natural condition of “Total Depravity”, knows the problem is man.

“10 as it is written,

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”  Romans 3:10-12.

“… you were dead in your trespasses and sins,”  Ephesians 2:1.

Reformed Doctrine knows that God’s “Irresistible Grace” is needed in order for man to believe.

“… “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:29.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;  and I will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:44.

Comments Off on “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 29, 2019

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Today’s devotion comes from John 6:26-29.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”  Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:27-29.

——————

Other doctrine teaches that faith in Christ is a free-will work of man.

But, Reformed Doctrine teaches that faith in Christ is the work of God.

According to other doctrine, God loves everybody, Christ died for everybody, and salvation is dependent on man whether or not he uses his free-will to choose Christ.

But, according to Reformed Doctrine, God deserves all the credit and glory for providing all that man needs for salvation from beginning to end:  from the beginning of God’s “Unconditional Election” through God’s “Limited Atonement” through God’s “Irresistible Grace” to the end of God’s “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation as more fully taught in the Canons of Dordt. 

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Consider what the Canons of Dordt states about this work of God.

Article 12.  And this is the regeneration so highly celebrated in Scripture, and denominated a new creation:  a resurrection from the dead, a making alive, which God works in us without our aid.  But this is in no wise effected merely by the external preaching of the gospel, by moral suasion, or such a mode of operation, that after God has performed his part, it still remains in the power of man to be regenerated or not, to be converted, or to continue unconverted;  but it is evidently a supernatural work, most powerful, and at the same time most delightful, astonishing, mysterious, and ineffable;  not inferior in efficacy to creation, or the resurrection from the dead, as the Scripture inspired by the author of this work declares;  so that all in whose heart God works in this marvelous manner, are certainly, infallibly, and effectually regenerated, and do actually believe.  –  Whereupon the will thus renewed, is not only actuated and influenced by God, but in consequence of this influence, becomes itself active.  Wherefore also, man is himself rightly said to believe and repent, by virtue of that grace received.

Article 13.  The manner of this operation cannot be fully comprehended by believers in this life.  Notwithstanding which, they rest satisfied with knowing and experiencing, that by this grace of God they are enabled to believe with the heart, and love their Savior.

Article 14.  Faith is therefore to be considered as the gift of God, not on account of its being offered by God to man, to be accepted or rejected at his pleasure;  but because it is in reality conferred, breathed, and infused into him;  or even because God bestows the power or ability to believe, and then expects that man should by the exercise of his own free will, consent to the terms of that salvation, and actually believe in Christ;  but because he who works in man both to will and to do, and indeed all things in all, produces both the will to believe, and the act of believing also.  THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.

“Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”  2 Peter 1:1-3.

“For who regards you as superior?  What do you have that you did not receive?  And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”  1 Corinthians 4:7.

Comments Off on “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , ,

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 28, 2019

“So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”

Today’s devotion comes from John 6:15-25.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses,

“Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum.  It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.  The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.  Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they *saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened.  But He *said to them, “It is I;  do not be afraid.”  So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”   John 6:16-21.

———————–

Do we try to use Christ as a means to obtain something?  Or, do we accept Christ as our end and destination?  

Would we rather have Christ’s presents or His presence?  

When a storm hits, do we seek calm seas or Christ?  

When we are hungry, do we seek whole wheat bread or whole life Christ?

When we turn 60 and panic and wonder what we have accomplished in this life, do we seek to number our works or to name our Savior?

Is Christ our truth and our life?   Or, do we seek something more?

In today’s Scripture, Jesus and His disciples were crossing the sea to Capernaum when the sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.  The disciples were frightened.  Jesus said to them, “It is I;  do not be afraid”.

John 6:21 then simply tells us: “They were willing therefore to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going”.

The key to this Scripture is not that the sea became calm.  It is not mentioned in this passage whether or not the sea became calm.  The key is that as soon as they were willing to receive Him, the boat was at the land to which they were going.

In a storm, man thinks: “I need safety.  I need the wind to stop blowing and the seas to calm.  If this storm does not stop, I will die.  “Jesus, calm the seas.”

The point of this Scripture is that there is something immensely more important than what Jesus causes or brings (Jesus’ presents, so to speak). Sometimes, Jesus may calm the seas.  However, what is most important is that Jesus’ presence is our end and destination.  Even if the wind continues to blow and the sea rages, if Christ is with us, we have the peace of knowing that we are where we should be.

“So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”  John 6:21.

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,”  Philippians 3:7-9.

“I have been crucified with Christ;  and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.  I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”  Galatians 2:20-21.

“Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life;  no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  John 14:6.

“…  In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.”  Ephesians 1:8-10.

“Then He said to me, “It is done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.”  Revelation 21:6.

Comments Off on “So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 27, 2019

“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you”

Today’s devotion comes from John 6:1-14.

“After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).  A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.  Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples.  Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.  Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?”  This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.  Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.”  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, *said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?”  Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.  When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.”  So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”  John 6:1-14.

———————

“Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”  John 6:25-27.

Many work hard so they can eat, drink, and be merry.

Many work hard so they can be entertained (see signs, so to speak).

Many work hard so they can retire early.

But, Jesus commands us to work for the food which endures to eternal life.

Life is short.

Let us seek Who is most important.

“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;  he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.  But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.  All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:35-40.

Comments Off on “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 26, 2019

“it is these (Scriptures) that testify about Me”

Today’s devotion comes from John 5:37-47.

“And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me.  You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.  You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life;  it is these that testify about Me;  and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.  I do not receive glory from men;  but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.  I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me;  if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.  How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?  Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father;  the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.  For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”  John 5:37-47.

————-

Scripture is the Word of God which is divided between the Old Testament and New Testament.  The Old Testament points to a coming Savior.  The New Testament presents that Savior, Jesus Christ, and shows how He fulfilled everything written in the Old Testament about Him:  “it is these (Scriptures) that testify about Me”.  “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.”

“but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;  and that believing you may have life in His name.”  John 20:31.

Comments Off on “it is these (Scriptures) that testify about Me”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 24, 2019

“the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.”

Today’s devotion comes from John 5:30-36.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+5&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.  There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.

You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.  But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.  He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John;  for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”  John 5:31-36.

—————-

“Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe;  the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.”  John 10:25.

“If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;  but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”  John 10:37-38.

It is good that we testify about our self that we are a Christian.

It is better if others testify that we are a Christian.

It is best if our works testify that we are a Christian.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16.

“You will know them by their fruits.  Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?  So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  So then, you will know them by their fruits.”  Matthew 5:16-20.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

Comments Off on “the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , ,

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories