The Devotional – Spiritual, not Temporal

The Devotional – Spiritual, not Temporal

Comment: Zephaniah 3:14-19 – One context of scripture that I am aware of and found in Zephaniah speaks of God’s character of Love and Mercy for His faithful children, Israel. What is striking about this section of scripture are these following two verses (16-17). In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear Zion, let not your hands be weak, the LORD your God is in your midst; the Mighty One, will save, He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”. The prophets of the Old Testament understood God’s Character in that God will bring about judgment on all national ungodliness of mankind see chapter 2. They also understood that there will be a remnant of God’s children who will remain faithful to God’s Love. While the scripture in Zephaniah is speaking primarily to Israel’s faithful, we also who are the Gentile faithful have a solid hope in God and in this, God rejoices. Praise the LORD!

Devotional: John 6:60-71 – Many disciples turn away! Why? The willingness of a person to receive the Word of God is vital for each generation. Often during His ministry men and women, even children followed Him (the boy with the two fish and five loaves of bread – John 6:9). Our nation does not follow God and in many churches we have seen a decline of faithful disciples. Should it be foolish to ignore this downward plummet of God’s disciples? Yes it would be foolish indeed.

So again, the question is why? The Words of Jesus/Messiah are not words that speak to our temporal existence, all of the Words of Christ in the gospels are pointedly aimed at the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God, in Christ the Kingdom of heaven is at hand (near) and Christ is the First Born Citizen of the Kingdom of God and in Truth; He is the Kingdom of God since without Him there is no eternity, even for those who trust Him. John 14:1-6 – He alone is our eternal hope.

God, who is Jesus speaks clearly to those who have an ear to Hear Him, as we seen yesterday in Matthew 11:1-19. Disciples turn away from Jesus when they are humanly offended by spiritual Truths. God the Father gave His Son Jesus to the world as Bread from heaven, (this is not some spiritual mystery). It is Truth not to be consumed literally as some have taken these passages, but rather to be consumed in the soul as the Words of Jesus are in Spirit and in Truth as in John 4:24, take the words of Jesus as Spiritual.

John 6:67 – Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away?” Notice the response of Peter; “LORD, to whom shall we go? You have the Words of eternal life.

Thus many churches today do not preach or teach the words of eternal life, they willingly do so to keep the seats full of people with ears that itch, rather than ears that hear. Yet for those of us who are faithful and watch sadly as people turn away and see empty the seats where disciples once sat we continue to wait patiently and faithfully for the LORD’s return. Seeing the LORD’s joy and rejoicing as He sing to us, is my AMEN!