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Listen to the devotional here: https://bit.ly/2XjVOT1
56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 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 ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 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 Then 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—they are full of the Spirit and 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 them.” 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 have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:56-69 NIV)
Happy Monday, dear ConCafe Famly! Friend, be a blessing of life and love to all whom you enounter today! Bless God and God's family. May we continue to hold Eva Boscamp in our prayers; she continues in the hospital and some in her family have Covid and cannot visit her as they want. Prayers for their healing and comfort. Please pray for one another, pray for your needs. I would like to ask we lift up prayers for our pastors; some have been very busy and find themselves in need of our prayers for strength, peace, and the pace that only God can give to them. We thank God for them and their efforts on our behalf.
There are many sad verses in the Bible. They are there because the Bible is an honest book. It hides nothing and reveals everything. And what's even more odd is that it is verse 6:66. It reads, "From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him." Ouch. The verse right before it says that Jesus had known from the beginning that some would not believe and many who woulld betray Him. If you've ever been a part of an organization and you lost members, you know how it feels to lose members. Can you imagine Jesus' response? True, He knew ahead of time, but being fully human and fully God, it still must have hurt to know that those who had heard the words of life still chose to reject them, and to reject Jesus Himself. That makes it, in my opinion, one of the saddest verses in the Bible. People still reject Jesus, and His Church, and even Jesus' people. And yes, we press on. We have work to do because we have access to the truth about life, and life after life. In fact, it was a discussion about the truth that made the disciples ask about it.
Jesus begins this passage by again speaking about the heavenly food that lasts beyond this life; if one seeks to truly partake in Christ's ministry and body, they are assured their place in the heavenly reward. Jesus is the bread of life, come down from Heaven, so the world might find in Him eternal life. Jesus reminds those listening of their own death. Even if you're a descendant of those who ate manna in the desert, that counts for nothing! Your ancestors died, and so will those who have not eaten on this bread. And this while teaching in a synagogue in Capernaum; many of the mind like those even today who still say to pastors, "Don't use that passage it's not at all uplifting, and who wants to hear sad things in church?" Even some of His disciples asked Jesus, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Jesus has to ask, "Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before? The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you - they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." And people voted with their feet, and away from Jesus they went. Sigh.
I will confess that as a pastor I went through many a season of wondering why I was still doing what I was going, and told God about it. I know many dear friends and colleagues who have also confessed that too. It's a common saying among some of us, "Ministry would be alright if it wasn't for the people..." And yes, that holds true for many a job/career; but being on the spiritual plane of the Church it becomes quite difficult at times for us to continue on. The idea of selling cars, or banking, or teaching, and yes, even undertaking (one friend said it was a breath of fresh air to go to working with people who don't talk back!). Thank God many of us never walked away from Jesus. Yes, we tried to hide and/or run from Him, but never abandon Him, for what the disciples told Jesus, "Lord, to Whom shall we go? YOU have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that You are the Holy One of God." Indeed, and amen.
Dear friend, I don't know where you are in your walk with Jesus, but dear one, I pray you're still on the path that leads to eternal life. Yes, the challenges get hard, and sometimes the way out seems a better way, but do not be fooled; Christ is the still the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. Anything or anyone else, is a liar. Stay with the Truth!
PRAYER: Loving God, Holy are You and Holy is Your Son, and Your Holy Spirit; in You we find the answers for our souls and so forgive us the times we have been tempted or lured away; help us hold fast to You and to life. Bless us to be a blessing to others; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great andd blessed day in the Lord! Share hope about life with someone today.
Receive my blessings of hope and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
