Thanksgiving Day is one of my favorite holidays. It is a time to be with families and to be thankful. As we celebrate this holiday season may we all be mindful about the kindness and goodness of our Heavenly Father. He has provided all we need in Christ Jesus. “He” is Heavens Bread that was sent to save a dying world. But some never attain the life sustaining benefits of Jesus Body and Blood. The table of the Lord has been set, we must come and partake of Heavens Bread.  Spend time in the Word of God long enough and you will glean from its life giving “sustenance” (*food that keeps someone alive). In Chapter 6 verses 32-63, Jesus describes Himself to be The Bread of Life. His Body and Blood is the food and drink which gives eternal life. John Chapter 6 is all about Jesus illustrating Himself as provision for an orphaned planet. The Chapter opens with Jesus in the country side healing the sick, which produced a large following. He became tired so He sat down and observed all of the people. His heart was moved with compassion, because they were like sheep without a Shepherd. He then turned to Philip  to test him about provision for the crowd. Jesus already knew what He was going to do. He wanted to see if Philips perspective would be in faith by saying, “Jesus You are Lord! You can speak the Word and food will manifest!” But Philip did not respond in faith, he processed the situation with an un-believing heart. How many of us are like Philip, who’s perspective is grounded in earthly provision. Jesus then took 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and fed thousands.

 

All of the people were amazed at the miracle that Jesus performed and were convinced He should be made King. They wanted to take him by force and make Him King of Israel, but Jesus withdrew from them and went and prayed in seclusion. The next day Jesus could not be found by His disciples so they decided to get a boat and look for Him on the other side of the Lake. On the way to the other side they encountered a strong wind storm. Jesus chose to get to the other side by walking on water and on the way there He rescued His disciples from drowning. When they reached the other side the people who benefited from the fish dinner came looking for Jesus. They were not looking for Him because of their love for Him, but for another free meal. This is when Jesus responded with His declaration of “I am the True Bread sent from Heaven.” Jesus  performed the miracles to get the people first to see that He and the Heavenly Father are One and that they were loved. The miracles were given to demonstrate who the Father is, He is Provision and Healing in the bodily form of Jesus. It seems it does not matter whether people see a miracle or we read about the miracle in the Word of God they still question the validity of it. Some people just do not believe or others can’t comprehend why the miracle was performed. When we read about a  miracle in the Bible or experience one, it is meant to be an invitation to draw us into an encounter with the Savior of the world. Jesus came offering Himself as the Lamb of God (Jn. 1:29), He would be the Atonement in which Salvation (wholeness) would come for humanity.

 

I often give the men an illustration in the classroom about the computer’s design and humanity’s design. Both have a Creator. The computer in it’s design is made by man and humans by God, but in reality all that’s in man was formed and fashion by God to create all things (computer). The computer is designed to function in excellence. Humanities design was in perfection, because we bare the image of our Creator (Gen. 1:26-27, Ps. 8:3-8, 139:13-14). With the computer, if its hard drive becomes corrupt with a virus it becomes dysfunctional. With humanity it became corrupt because violation of God’s Word (Gen. 2:15), sin entered and corrupted man’s ability to be holy (without holiness no one will see God, Heb. 12:14). This typology is just a depiction of what sin has done to infect and render man dysfunctional (*inability to function in God’s Love & Holiness). Only Jesus is the True Bread that brings healing and restoration for eternal life. Jesus said in John 6:56-58, “Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” With this statement by Christ Jesus, He is revealing Himself as the remedy for man’s disease (sin). As one receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior he is born again and has the propensity to want to know what this life is all about. At the moment we are saved the Holy Spirit comes and lives as a Revelator and desires to show us all the mysteries that are to be found in Christ Jesus (Col. 1:26-27).

 

The Word of God is spiritual nourishment for the healing of our spirit, soul & body. In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."  With this statement Jesus is saying in order for man to be healthy, wealthy and wise, one must partake and digest the Living Bread of Life. I have found out personally that when I digest the Word of God it brings healing to all my body (Prov. 4:22). I have the revelation now that all that Christ Jesus has done for me at Calvary has purchased my wholeness. I am now becoming a person who benefits from the provision that has been purchased at Calvary’s Cross, when Jesus cried out in anguish, “It is Finished! (Jn. 19:30). It is difficult for me to comprehend God’s patience with man. We are limited however to see how extravagant His love is for humanity. But with what has been given to us, we are responsible to dispense and make available to a deprived world. In these last days let the Church arise and offer the Bread of Life daily to a Loved starved human race.  Isaiah 55:2 “Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food”