breathing room for my soul

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Bread of Life - Lent 2016

Living Bread ~ Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35

During this season of reflections and renewal, join me in exploring the Bread of Life. When we encounter Jesus Christ, this Living Bread feeds, satisfies, and transforms us. Come on this journey and remember this True Bread “is broken for you”. ~ Donna Oswalt

Yeshua told them, “I am the bread of life…” John 6:33-40

Every year at Passover the Jewish people remember God’s protection as they recall putting the blood of an unblemished lamb over their doorways for the angel of death to pass. Religious rituals of removing all leaven from their homes and eating only unleavened bread during this time reminds them of God’s promise and God’s plan for His people. God provides.

God’s redemption of Israel from Egypt and hope of a Promised Land finds the people full of weariness and fear, struggling with disobedience and consequence. Historical retelling of daily manna from heaven for the forty years in the wilderness reveals a God of faithfulness. Centuries later, Jesus enters this world and becomes God’s living manna from heaven, God’s promise of redemption for all, for you and for me. Jesus, Bread of life, broken for you; broken for me. God provides.

Bread of life, I need a God of promise and hope, faithful and true. “Lord, always give us this bread”. – dho

Focus Point: God provides.

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Friday, February 26, 2016

Soul Food - Lent 2016

Living Bread ~ Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. John 6:38 NASB

Reinforcing His relationship to the Father, Jesus explains His purpose fulfills God’s plan and does not include a personal agenda. While God’s sovereignty never changes, Jesus reveals a unity with the Father. Together, the plan of salvation unfolds before the people. Living Manna from heaven brings redemption to a lost people. God’s soul food!

God provides the food, but humanity still gets to choose. God’s sovereignty allows us to come to Christ by faith, each individual by personally believing. Verse 40 explains God’s plan: believe in Jesus, the Son of God, and have eternal life. Grace comes through faith in Jesus. Perfect Love demonstrates obedience to the Father’s plan. God chooses each of us. How will you reply?

Lord, I struggle to lay down my agenda, my plan, my dreams. Sometimes, I want life to evolve on my terms, my timetable, my truth. You call me by name and invite me to call You Father, to rest in Your purpose. You ask me to believe! Teach me how to pray “Lord, always give us this bread” so that I find Living Manna. - dho

Focus Point: Perfect Love demonstrates obedience to the Father’s plan.

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Thursday, February 25, 2016

I Am the Bread of Life - Lent 2016

Living Bread ~ Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35 NKJV

Teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum, telling those who crowd in to hear, Jesus explains the bread of God comes down from heaven. The crowd says, “Lord, always give us this bread.” Recognizing their spiritual blindness, Jesus clarifies, “I am the bread of life.” The Bread of heaven is spiritual food that completely nourishes the soul. Jesus declares “I am this bread!”

Listening but not understanding, the people struggle with the spiritual concept. Jesus, the Messiah, the Bread of heaven, sits in front of them, speaks directly to them; yet, they do not believe. Today, the Living Bread of heaven still calls each person into a relationship with Him, offers to love us, to meet all our spiritual needs, but like these people 2,000 years ago, we hesitate and sometimes we step back further into the crowd. Jesus sees our uncertainty but repeats believe in Me. Jesus waits, and we remain hungry!

Bread of life ~ sometimes my thoughts are dull and shallow. I say, “Lord, always give us this bread”, but I miss Your point. Believing doesn’t mean the answers will be simple or the questions easy, doesn’t come with a guarantee of life without difficulty or disappointment. As I find my nourishment in You, I discover new strength for the sadness, fresh hope for the hard times, and inner joy for the journey. Jesus, I believe! – dho

Focus Point: The Bread of heaven is spiritual food that completely nourishes the soul. Jesus declares “I am this bread!”

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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

True Bread - Lent 2016

Living Bread ~ Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35

[the crowd says] Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.’… [Jesus replies] “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”

John 6:31,33 NASB

More than1400 years earlier, Israel refuses to enter the Promised Land, fearing their enemies and not trusting God and spends forty years wandering in the desert wilderness. With Moses leading their ancestors, God provides daily manna, or bread, for each person (Exodus 16:4). These present-day Jews all know about the provision of bread from heaven. Jesus makes it clear, “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.”

Jesus expresses two important concepts in verse 33. First, the life-giving bread of God comes down out of heaven. Secondly, this bread comes with a purpose; this bread gives life to the world. The manna from heaven of the Old Testament symbolizes a daily, but temporary provision meeting physical needs. Through Jesus, God gives life-sustaining, everlasting true bread for spiritual nourishment. This true bread becomes God’s promise of eternal life to the world – to the Jews and the Gentiles, to men and women, to every race, creed, and nationality. Jesus is the true bread of God from heaven for all people!

Bread of heaven, sometimes my spirit wanders in a modern-day wilderness of excess, overloaded and overwhelmed; yet, I feel empty. You know my deepest needs. True Bread, feed me. And with all people, help me pray, “Lord, always give us this bread.” - dho

Focus Point: Jesus is the true bread of God from heaven for all people!

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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Show Me Something Good - Lent 2016

Living Bread ~ Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35

[The crowd asks Jesus], “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? John 6:30 NKJV

Many in the crowd come from Bethsaida, having witnessed the feeding of the multitude miracle first hand, while others from Capernaum who gather into the synagogue have heard about this Jesus, a healer and miracle worker. Curiously they ask Jesus, “What does God want us to do?” Jesus tells them that God only wants them to believe in the One sent by Him. Believing in Jesus is the Good News!

The people crave more signs, more miracles, more evidence. They beg Jesus to give them something that will help them believe, some proof. Jesus feeding 20,000 men, women, and children with 2 fish and 5 small barley loaves should have been more than sufficient. Perhaps testimonies from all those who received physical healings would add credibility. Jesus knows the crowd’s spiritual blindness to all these miracles will not be changed by more miracles.

Yeshua, You ask one thing ~ Believe in Me! Open my eyes to my selfishness, my indecision, by doubt. The miracle that transforms me is You! “Lord, always give us this bread.” - dho

Focus Point: Believing in Jesus is the Good News!

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Monday, February 22, 2016

The Next Day- Lent 2016

Living Bread ~ Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with Me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. John 6:26 NLT

Jesus feeds nearly 20,000 people, and the next day many of them come looking for Him. Finding Jesus and the disciples in Capernaum, the crowd wants more, but Jesus realizes their true motive. The miracle of God witnessed the day before escapes them. The crowd seeks an immediate and temporary fix. This self-focused approach blinds them to the real miracle: the supernatural personhood and the lasting spiritual nourishment of Jesus.

Jesus describes for them two kinds of food, food for the body and food for the spirit. The necessary food requires work and perishes, and He cautions them not to miss the real food, the lasting food, the essential food. The necessary food our physical bodies need can never gratify the soul like the everlasting, spiritual food which comes from God. Only Jesus provides spiritual food that always satisfies, today and every next day.

God, Your gifts transcend my imagination. Sometimes, I miss the miracles designed to expand my understanding, overlook the signs of Your presence, do not grasp the offerings You provide. Give me the living bread that satisfies this day and every next day! “Lord, always give us this bread.” – dho

Focus Point: Only Jesus provides spiritual food that always satisfies, today and every next day.

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A New Beginning

"This is my [new] life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details . . . God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities.

And so here I am . . . writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along."
Ephesians 3:7-10, The Message

Pages

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Bread of Life - Lent 2016

Friday, February 26, 2016

Soul Food - Lent 2016

Thursday, February 25, 2016

I Am the Bread of Life - Lent 2016

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

True Bread - Lent 2016

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Show Me Something Good - Lent 2016

Monday, February 22, 2016

The Next Day- Lent 2016