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14th December 2024
SaturdayReflection
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'Sharing Bread'
'is a ministry led by a single family'
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19 "Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
..... John 14:19-20 (NIV)
The unbelieving, harsh and malignant world which cries out: "Take Him away! Crucify Him!" will sadly get their wish - they will see Jesus no longer.
One should be careful what one wishes for.
Our Lord's disciples, however, receive the precious promise from His lips that they will not only see Him physically after His resurrection but they will continue to see Him through eyes of faith after His ascension.
Indeed, "you will see me" indicates a fixed and steady and habitual gaze.
Jesus' followers will have an uninterrupted communion with Him in His absence.
This is certainly true for all believers today as well.
As we gaze upon Him with eyes of faith, we see what the world does not see.
Is that not the very definition of faith given in Hebrews?
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
..... Heb. 11:1 (NIV)
Our Lord's guys were grieved because He was going away.
In their veiled understanding, and their deflated emotions, they could not clearly see or fully comprehend His forthcoming redemptive action.
Even the best saints know but little while remaining in the body.
Ever the encourager, Jesus sets forth precious Truth to comfort them - they will see Him.
Furthermore, because He is the Head and He lives, they too will live - as well as every subsequent believer.
This is not too dissimilar to "I AM" - the term both God the Father and God the Son claimed - meaning
"I am He who is" or
"I am He who exists" or
"I myself am He who is".
Followers of our Lord will live both the full and abundant life in the here and now and the eternal life in the hereafter - they are permanently secured in this promise.
The divine nature of which all believers are partakers will never perish.
Though weak, we are closely knit to the Head - being members of His body, the Church.
Jesus speaks of the believer's intimate, inseparable union with Him.
Just as our Lord is in the Father, we are in Him and He in us.
The promise of the same power which raised Jesus from the dead is within each believer in Jesus - it is the good Gift:
Through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, every believer in Jesus has an amazing source of spiritual vitality, power and strength for living the Christian life.
It is no wonder that Scripture teaches us to "shrink not the Spirit" by our own poor choices - ever emphasizing to choose wisdom.
As followers of Christ, we have a spiritually dynamic and living force dwelling within us - right alongside our sinful, woefully inadequate human nature.
When we acquiesce to our weaker side, it is we who are the greatest losers.
"Considering Mary, how did she "walk by the Spirit" and glorify the Christ when God gave her an impossible circumstance?
She believed God for the impossible --- "How will this be, for I am a virgin?"
And she lived a life of repentance - "I am the Lord's servant: may it be to me as you have said".
What does a life of repentance look like?
It is a daily recognition that you are not your own, for you have been bought with a price.
How must you walk by the Spirit, in the way of repentance and faith, like Mary?
I must believe God that I am an adopted son or daughter.
And I can because Jesus has already done all for me.
The promise of Scripture is that I will see Jesus through the eyes of faith.
Jesus is the Head of the body, the Church - Jesus is my Head.
The Holy Spirit empowers me to do things too hard for me to do.
><(((°>
This is an edited version.
The full article and Bible references are avaiable on request
'Sharing Bread'
We believe that one person growing up in Christ will transform an entire family. Betsy (the daughter of Bob and Beth) was raised in a family that cultivated four primary spiritual disciplines: reading God's Word, prayer, memorizing scripture, and mentorship. These disciplines yielded fruit that included a vibrant lifestyle, marriage, family, and connection with God. Because of the power of this fruit, these disciplines are the very core of Sharing Bread.
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