John 6 ~ Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life"

John 6

6 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.

  Jesus is so comfortable, He sits to teach and nourish. Jesus is God.

3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

Bishop Papias of Hierapolis and Polycarp lived near and were friends with the Disciple John on the Island of Patmos.

The Harris fragments tell of this connection.  Bishop Papias, referred to by Bishop Eusebius, early Church Historian in the 4th Century, developed the Christian word "Presbyter" Bishop Papias went to the Sea of Galilee and Jerusalem to find the people who had met Jesus and seen His miracles. By then, we were on the second generation, mostly. However this young boy might have been alive to say, "I took Jesus bread and fish." To have been this boy, to have seen what he saw. Amazing.

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”

Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.

11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks,
 he distributed them to those who were seated. 

So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.

14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Jesus is the Light of the World

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.

It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened.

20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and
immediately
the boat was at the land to which they were going.


Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Job 42:2
"I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Psalm 33
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses.









22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”

26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”


30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”


32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; 
whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 

36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 

40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”





John is Extremely Interesting. His Gospel is explaining his own coming to terms with the powerful and miraculous aspects surrounding a Man who drew multitudes to Him. God's Word Manifest. John tells us as his Gospel closes that so much constantly surrounded Jesus, no one could explain the multitude of signs following and occurring.

John is displaying the difference between Jesus in a crowd, how to explain Jesus and see Jesus. And the Jesus of close relationship to the heart. How much more is revealed.

Before John begins to establish the difference between public God and Amazing, Miraculous Jesus, John starts off by telling us of Jesus' aspects. John 1 tells us Jesus is the Light of the World. Life and light in all of mankind. John immediately sees in Jesus incredible Light. John 4 assures us Jesus is Living Water in a world thirsty for God and renewal and refreshment. So thirsty for God that the relationship will need more and more of this zealously. John 6, Jesus will feed us all - Living Bread. Bread was toasted all day in the Temple, the aroma was profound. God is nourishing all of us in all our senses.

John tells us in the first chapter, people Cry Out to explain Jesus, John is trying to explain God walking among them willingly and with Joy being the Light of mankind, as the Titles Jesus Can Completely Cover.

How much more we come to know Jesus as our relationship with Jesus deepens and how much more of Jesus He will reveal as we draw near and trust Jesus. Relationship. Love.











41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.

47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.

58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”


61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” 

(For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 



Jesus is explaining doing our best to be in God, will not always have successes, but the people who continue to walk with you. Walk with Jesus, are the People God is giving you. Let us remember to stay with Jesus, when the wild winds of Life howl. To continue to Trust Jesus. Do this.

We are all on the same Journey - to present Father God our souls. Going Home, we want God to want to run to us.

67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”

 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.





Jesus and the Scriptures tell the truth. They don't try to play down Judas and say he was busy with paying the bills. Jesus doesn't smile and say the people Just Love Jesus. He tells them they want bread and to be fed. Jesus meets people where they truly are.



gos·pel
ˈɡäspəl/
noun - The teaching or revelation of Christ.
A thing that is absolutely true.


John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Ephesians 6:14
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness



Father, Thank you for each and every day you have blessed us here on Earth.

Thank you for your tender mercies.

Thank you for giving us friends and family with which to share joys and sorrows.

I ask you to bless my friends, relatives, brothers and sisters in Christ and those I care for deeply, who are reading this right now.

Where there is joy, give them continued joy.

Where there is pain or sorrow, give them your peace and mercy.

Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence.

Where there is need, fulfill their needs.

Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

John 5 ~ For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He will.

Photo - What you'd see standing in the Pool of Bethesda and looking up.

John 5

(John 4  ~ The Capernaum Synagogue Official walked 16 miles to Cana to ask Jesus to heal his son. Believed Jesus as His Word and returned to Jesus' adult Hometown [where they both lived]  in belief his son was healed, and ,of course, the son was healed.)


1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem the Old City with 7 Hills, painted by David Roberts



2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, [which has five roofed colonnades]. 

The ruins still show the columns in the two Bethesda Pools 

[which has five roofed colonnades].

4 columns

3 columns

3 columns

3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.

5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

38 years are represented on the candles

6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time,
 he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 

7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 

8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

The man had been there so long his hope focused on the process. He replied not that he'd see the goal, but that the process was broken. This man was not seeing with a lot of faith. Jesus loves to work with the faithful, however being God, Jesus perceives what we do not even dream of that our soul possesses.

Recently I heard the story of a woman in her late 60s. She was poor and thought Jesus was for the good people or the religious. It was snowing in Canada and she was going a long way to work through small towns, late at night. Her old car was sounding as if it would not make the trip through the late, snowy night on isolated highways. Finally she reached a filling station and there was a light on. She got out to look at the trouble and a very young man walked up and explained it was her battery attachment. He had a spare part and he fixed this without charge. She asked to pay him and he refused. She told the young man she had felt for the first time in her life, Jesus was going to help her and send help. She had been so afraid, she told the young man the story and asked him if her was her God sent angel. The young man looked very earnestly at her and said, "Given that he had the right part, in the middle of small town, at night, in the snow, maybe he was." And he left. Her life changed for Jesus, who was as so intent on helping her. With all her heart, she began to love Jesus. He had told her heart He would help. And assuredly He did.


God's Timing is His. Alleluia.

Now that day was the Sabbath. 


10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 




11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” 

12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 

13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 

15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 



Evidently it was lawful to hope for a miracle on the Sabbath and walk to the pool, but they should have posted a sign saying "No Miracles allowed on the Sabbath."

17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

The Word of God is Living and Active and these Words of God are the Best Good News we will hear today.


 






18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

 

19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 

20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. 

And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 


22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.



 


25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 

Matthew 27
52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

Matthew 27
65 Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how." 66 And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.

When the Holy Spirit of God is active. The Acts of God do not cease. The prophets rose with Jesus. When Sarah and Abraham had a baby, born when they were far beyond the years to have a child, all around them suddenly their flocks expanded at an exponential rate.



26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 

27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

I believe this is God, offering up further proof of His Glory.







30 “I can do nothing on my own. 

As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 

31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 

33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 


36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 

41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 

43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”



The Herodian line had taken over the Davidic line. Solomon had lined 12 steps to his Throne with Lions of Gold (because David had killed lions himself as a young shepherd boy). When the Kingdom of Israel fell during David's grandson's reign - lion attacks became a huge problem in the Nation as it split from Israel to Israel and the Davidic line took over Judea. Now Herod was running the Temple with appearance only. Miracles are profaned on the Sabbath. These Officials, we know are very fierce.


David's Psalm 91 promises this
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.


Isaiah 31, 700 years before Jesus, has seen the end of Solomon's Temple. The rise of Jesus.

4 This is what the Lord says to me:

“As a lion growls,
a great lion over its prey—
and though a whole band of shepherds
is called together against it,
it is not frightened by their shouts
or disturbed by their clamor—
so the Lord Almighty will come down
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
5
Like birds hovering overhead,
the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem;
he will shield it and deliver it,
he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it.”

6 Return, you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted against



Jesus is doomed. The establishment wants to throw him out, down or kill him. Only the Lord can save Jesus. Isaiah has seen this.

This is also the Reason C.S. Lewis has understood Aslan, not a tame lion. Jesus is Lion of the Tribe of Judah.


Revelation 5:5
And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered"



Jesus, our Hero, will be the Victor for 2,000 many more years. We have many facilities across the world for illness - doctors, hospitals and medical researchers. The truth is death will win. For us all. And in Jesus Christ, in His Victory to overcome death - The Roman Empire began to fear Jesus won in just a few years. Jesus has come. The Son has visited us. With His Grace upon Grace, Jesus has created a New Heaven and, actually, a new earth, where He shields his People. He will deliver us. We turn always to Jesus the Lord.




Father God,

Creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

All of creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope, we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Jesus is the firstborn among many brothers.

Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Thank You, Father God.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Because of Jesus Christ, all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

In Jesus, I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We pray this Joy, Love and Goodness to give peace and comfort to those we Love, to draw the Light in mankind to upbuild one another and this Nation to the Glory of God. We pray for the Believing World to ask Jesus always to pray with them and our prayers are always heard and in Him answered for His Glory. Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

John 4 ~ The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life

Mount Hermon - where the Jordan River begins.

John 4

1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 

 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 

This culture did not dispute Jacob gave the field to Joseph, this was believed to have happened. The disagreement was - what to do with this  - as decision making part of life. How much do these facts matter? Does God influence and provide and does His quietness mean He does not care? How much are we developing our souls to present back to Father God?  Our story is always the same, we are the Prodigal Son on a Journey going back to Our Father.




6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

This entry into Samaria is an aspect of Father God we rarely consider. Father God says so many times we delight Him and actually cause Him to sing.

We are so sure God is disappointed. Father God Created the Universe. We are going to remain His Children. God is pleased if we give Him our hearts and say, "Om, please." With true sincerity and depth of heart.


Here is the passage we so often debate...

Exodus 14

5The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. 6Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed,

"The LORD, the LORD God,
compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;
7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands,
who forgives iniquity,
transgression and sin;
yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished,
visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children
and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."


What about when History rolls past those who did "Good". Those who did "Well."

The Samaritans,  we learned in 1960s, are actually 3 DNA Tribes of the Children of Israel. Just about solely Jewish 3 tribes. And they acted as the remnants keeping the rubble of the First Temple active and Worship alive during the Babylonian Exile. For their thanks, the Jews returned and cast them out without their papers of authenticity.

Jesus is sweeping up God Style here. We so often treat Jesus as if HE owes us forgiveness. Jesus is displaying Himself here to the Samaritans these God Qualities:


compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;
who keeps lovingkindness for thousands,
who forgives iniquity,
transgression and sin

Jesus declares HIMSELF to her. As GOD. Even in John's 16th Chapter, His Disciples are seeking, yearning and openly saying, "Speak more plainly." Jesus trusts Himself not to mankind in the Passover in Jerusalem in John's 2nd Chapter. But right here, in despised Samaria, to a woman when the times considered women somewhat as property, Jesus is frank, open and honest. Jesus is displaying this to perfection:


Romans 9
15 For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

God is showing mercy on the generations. Not Judgment - mercy upon women. Upon Samaritans. With His Trust. The Willingness of God is Kindness. That whole Exodus paragraph and we focus on generations of generational sin. Jesus focuses on some got swept out of His Mercy and He is going to reclaim His Beloved!!! With Honesty!

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”

13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. 

The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”





Amos 5
23 "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. 24 "But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 


Psalm 29:3
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.




Give Justice with Mercy, Walk Humbly with Your God.

Malachi 3:10
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

Isaiah 48:18
If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.


15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water!”

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”

17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.”

Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”

19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”








25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.”

26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

 


27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”

 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

 

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”

32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?”

 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.

 

37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’




 
38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 

40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 

41 And many more believed because of his word.

42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Jesus was not unknown, Jesus was growing in amazing miracles. Godspell is a great musical, but the knowledge of Jesus was sweeping the Nation of Israel.

43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.








Acts 10:34

34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is no respecter of persons, not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.

Jesus had just "Tossed the Temple." Jesus, if He'd kept a 'List of Friends', would not have Temple or Synagogue  Officials as the 'Let's Help and Please Them' category. Nor, really, was an Official supposed to be seeking Jesus of Nazareth for help.




46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.

47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”

49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.”

The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”

53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household.

54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.





Father God,

Jesus perceived our thinking in our hearts. He perceived in His Spirit our reasoning within ourselves. Jesus is honest and says do not harbor evil in our hearts. And Jesus told us to believe as a little child believes.

Father God, Jesus was good to the woman at the well and good to the Temple Official. Jesus left all of this up to Father God and showed Justice with Mercy in Humility in His walk with You.

If Sheol lies open before the LORD, How much more the hearts of men!

Father God, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart; Let me have Your mercy upon the causes and prayers of my life. In the Name covering me, Jesus, I will approach You with confidence. Asking for Your blessing to be Called and Charged in Life. That in Jesus I will be found justified and Righteous in Your Sight.

Give to us all an increased measure of the Holy Spirit for these Churches, Communities, Work Places, Nation and People of the World seeking Jesus. Father God, who knows the heart, testify again to giving us more of the Holy Spirit, just as You have before.

Bless those we love, the People You have given us and our concerns to be held to You. In the Highest Name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

John 3 ~ The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand

Jesus as God is fully equipped to deal with all of mankind.
Even Nicodemus.

John 3

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 

13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

And this is would be Headlines if this were the Newspaper Time and Season.
Jesus, the Local Hero, has just really upset the Sanhedrin Counsel by routing out the money baggers in the 36 acres of The Temple.

The Sanhedrin Counsel is the Ruling Class of those professing to Love God. Jesus is 'honored' someone who doubts His Sincerity and Authenticity comes sneaking over to Him at night. Not many people start out 'Truly, truly' and Jesus, being God, knows how to cut out the verbal boxing match and get straight to the exact soul and heart of the Person.

(Wouldn't we all like to cut out a lot of gibberish to reach understanding! Jesus knows the heart of all of us. A skill of Great Magnificent God.)

1 Corinthians 1:29-31

so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."

John 3:34
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

Jesus has perfectly reached Nicodemus. Nicodemus will ask the other Sanhedrin to use their ears if they can hear to understand and judge correctly Jesus is of God. And when the night suddenly comes for the Trial of Jesus, Nicodemus will be left out of the Council to make sure Jesus is unfairly tried. Nicodemus is so sorrowful, he collects the dear body of Jesus to prepare Jesus lovingly. Bravely going past the posted Guard to care for Jesus, so terribly and unfairly killed.

16 “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Deuteronomy 6
4"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!"


God gave us His Son and, yet, Jesus is part of Father God. God did not send a separate individual to sacrifice, God Himself gave Sacrifice.


17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

19 And this is the judgment: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”



Luke, the Glorious Physician, saw the same parallel John saw, "The Darkness not overcoming the Light".

Luke 1:78-79 said:

"Because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”




22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”

27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. 

Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

God Gives Joy

31 He who comes from above is above all.

He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way.

He who comes from heaven is above all.

32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.

33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.

Luke 6:19

and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

Matthew 14:36

and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Luke 5:17

One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.

David also knew to grab on to Father God in times of Trouble

1 Samuel 30:6

6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.


35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.


36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.






Father God,

John's 3rd Chapter has pointed out to us. When You sacrificed Your Son, You sacrificed of Yourself completely. 

Light of God, shining in all of mankind has come to save us. Darkness will not overcome God ever. John the Baptist not only told us of Jesus, but of the Joy deep in our Souls from Jesus dwelling as Light within our Soul.

David was like the people who knew to reach out to Jesus. David grasped on to Father God.

Truthful Speech is a weapon of Righteousness in Father God. Jesus is Truth. Nicodemus understood.

How blessed were the eyes to see the Son of God. A Mighty One who will save today. 

Father God, You Rejoice over us.
Freely giving Your gift of Salvation and Righteousness. 
Father God has quieted the storm that was within us with His Love!!!

Father God to be an everlasting rock. 
You who made the earth by Your Power.  
Established the world by Your wisdom. 
Wisdom stretched out the Heavens. 
Father God will rule by His Might forever. 
Your eyes keep watch over the nations.

With You, Lord Father God, all things are possible.

We will Trust in You, Father God, 
And be strong with the Strength of Your Might.
You will make us wise in heart.

No one who has hardened himself against Father God has succeeded.

With truthful speech and the Power of Father God, these are the weapons of Righteousness.

And His outstretched arms will uphold us forever.

In the Power of His Word, In His Promises of Love, in the diligent outpouring of His Holy Spirit, in the Willing Joy of Jesus - we trust those we Love, our concerns, the People You have given us - extending to this Nation and the world filled with Jesus Christ loving believers - We will except this Peace and Rest in Your Answers with Love, Faith and Hope. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †