I haven't been 'blogging' much in the past few months because God has called me to a new season with Him that demands my time in other places and with other people. I continually pray for my blog sisters [and brothers, like Kurt] by name from my prayer list and I also stay in touch with many of you. We have become true friends and have developed relationships that otherwise would never have been - had not we met in Cyberspace!
Early this morning when I turned on my laptop, I saw a blog post title in an email that intrigued me. So I jumped on that blog and read the short post where God truly had a Word for me.
That is not the point of this post however. Stay with me here.......
As I prepared to make a comment I knew I had to 'sign-in' first - so the fastest way I knew was to jump on my own blog - it signs me in automatically. So, that's what I did.
Here's where this post began....
When I opened my own blog I noticed that my 'followers' list had decreased by one. This had happened a few weeks ago too. Down two, hum........ but this wasn't ever something I pursued [getting followers I mean] in fact for a long time the Lord would not allow me to have a button for followers. I don't do Facebook so my followers were always limited. I know that since I have not visited blogs lately, nor posted much in recent weeks, [this being my first post of the New Year] I even understood why someone would stop being a follower. I thought to myself at that moment, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away."
But then......... John 6:66 flooded my mind:
After Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand ~ After Jesus Walks on the Water ~ After He declares to be the Bread of Life .....we come to the end of John chapter 6 and find this:
John 6:53-69 [SELECTED] NIV 1984
53 Jesus said to them,
“I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60 On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61 Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”
6:66 From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to Whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” [emphasis added]
61 Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”
6:66 From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to Whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” [emphasis added]
I weep whenever I read that passage. Last spring I taught a Bible study on the Words of Jesus and we camped here for one long session. Can you imagine the hurt in His voice when He said,
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve - those who were His closet followers.
Those who left could not understand this difficult portion of the blood and guts of the Sacrifice He was going to have to pay. He tried to explain it but they didn't get it. Instead of trusting Him more, they deserted Him instead.
Friends, we are capable of the same thing if we do not stay as close to Him as we can. Intimacy with Jesus, means intimacy with The Father [for us]. That's not something I'm willing to give up! Jesus calls us [in these last days] to some very hard stuff... hard sufferings, difficult sacrifices, yet our lives are to be LIVING SACRIFICES according to:
Romans 12:1-2
Living Sacrifices to God
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. [emphasis added]
Let's never give up following the King of kings, even in the hard seasons of life! May the reading of God's Holy Word [His TRUTH] fill your hearts and minds this beautiful cloudy, or sunny, or snowy day wherever you are! I love you all!
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Choosing JOY, Stephanie
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PS: The post title that spoke to me was written by Kelly over at Titus 2 in Action, called: Faith Like Noah. I hope you read that too! Maybe God has a Word for you as well! Be Blessed!
