breathing room for my soul

Sunday, March 06, 2016

4th Sunday of Lent 2016 ~ Mystery of God's Image Within Us

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

Define yourself as one beloved by God. This is the true self.

Every other identity is illusion. Brennan Manning

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness… God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:26-27 NASB

God breathes life into every being. When we begin to recognize the splendor of God, the soul finds a holy marker, finds God’s love permanently etched deep inside. With His enduring hope, God uses the cruel lessons of worldly success and moral apathy to expose our innocence and vulnerability, our brokenness and frailty. Then, He re-molds our apathy into compassion and our successes become fruit for His kingdom. God gathers all our broken pieces, creating a new beauty that reflects His divine image.

Come As You Are ~ Crowder (click here for video)

Bread of Life, You sustain me no matter the circumstances. Invincible Love embraces me, never leaving despite disappointment or daggers, ugly words or evil ways. Great is Your faithfulness from yesterday and beyond tomorrow. Your love conquers the world while holding me. – dho

Focus Point: “Come as you are!” ~ Crowder

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Saturday, March 05, 2016

Bread of Presence - 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

Place the Bread of the Presence on the table to remain before Me at all times. Exodus 25:30 NLT

In giving explicit instructions to Moses about building a holy sanctuary, God’s plan is to be present with His people. Chapters 25-27 in Exodus provide the specific details for the Tabernacle in which the Ark of the Covenant would stay. The Tabernacle includes two distinct areas: an outer space called the Holy Place where the lampstand (menorah), the table, and the Bread of the Presence would be, and an inner space known as the Most Holy Place surrounded by curtains where the Ark of the Covenant stays. This Bread of the Presence, 12 loaves of unleavened bread baked fresh each week before the Sabbath, must be placed on the holy table in two piles of six to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The Bread of the Presence depicts the people’s offering to God and God’s desire to always be present with His people.

Only to be eaten by the priests in a holy place, the Bread of the Presence of the Old Testament can symbolize Jesus, the Bread of Life, the people’s offering to God. Christ, as the true High Priest, enters the Most Holy Place as a blood sacrifice, an offering for all people. Christ becomes the New Covenant offering atonement for sins, offering forgiveness and grace and everlasting life. Jesus, the Holy One, becomes true bread, spiritual bread that satisfies the hungry. Jesus, always present, is the Bread of Life.

Lord, my life needs something constant and knowing You are always present calms me, reassures me, comforts me. “Lord, always give us this bread.” Bread of the Presence and Bread of Life, Holy, Holy, Holy! I fall to my knees aware of Your unlimited love and grace. – dho

Focus Point: Jesus, always present, is the Bread of Life.

[**read Hebrews, chapter 9 to better understand the OT Tabernacle and Christ, the Perfect Sacrifice]

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Friday, March 04, 2016

Jesus Promises - 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 says] “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” John 6:56 NASB

These verses in John definitely fall in the category of hard sayings. Even the disciples ask, “Who can understand it?” These metaphors of flesh and blood offend some who seek a literal implication, but actually point to the cross. For some Jews, a sacrificial Messiah would be ridiculous. Spiritual truth evades their understanding and many turn away.

Jesus says, “He who eats this bread will live forever.” Teaching about a mutual abiding, a personal unity of God with every believer comes as a new idea to the people. The lesson focuses more on faith and less on works, more about trusting and less about rules. Grace comes to humanity by way of the cross, both crucifixion and resurrection.

Jesus, the way to salvation cost You everything; still, You promise to abide with me if I abide with You. My head echoes the question asked that day, “Who can understand it?” The cross brings me Grace and teaches me to pray with purpose, “Lord, always give us this bread.” - dho

Focus Point: Grace comes to humanity by way of the cross, both crucifixion and resurrection.

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Thursday, March 03, 2016

Misunderstandings - 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

Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” John 6:52 NASB

Misunderstandings by those who listen to Jesus cause disagreements. Thinking with reason and logic, they ask, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” When Jesus speaks about sacrificial death and eternal life, the people miss the spiritual significance. With the Passover celebration near, Jesus hopes the people will see beyond the physical components of the meal, the unleavened bread and an unblemished lamb, to see God’s promise in Him as Living Bread and Lamb of God. The concept of the personal sacrifice of Jesus escapes them because they still believe the Messiah will be a political king. Jesus reveals His true identity but the people misunderstand.

In the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah proclaims God’s plan, “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts;, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:31-33) This new covenant is Christ. Some 600 years later, most of the people who witness Jesus do not understand, and 2000 years after that, people still struggle to grasp the spiritual nourishment Christ offers.

Lord, I am guilty of thinking too logically, wanting simple answers to hard questions. When thoughts exceed my understanding, it’s easy to shrug and move passed. Scripture tells us that love covers a multitude of sins. Help me realize that sometimes faith alone is required. “Lord, always give us this bread.” May my mind and heart and soul truly be nourished by True Bread. – dho

Focus Point: Jesus reveals His true identity but the people misunderstand.

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Wednesday, March 02, 2016

Again and Forever - 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

“I am the living bread that came down our of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I give for the life of the world is My flesh.” John 6:51 NASB

Jesus repeats the promise of God’s divine purpose. Life forever with God comes by believing in the living bread from heaven; life forever comes through Jesus. In this verse Jesus gives a glimpse of His crucifixion, the bread also which I give for the life of the world is My flesh. Greater than the wilderness manna, Jesus becomes living bread, not temporary, not finite, but everlasting and infinite. The wilderness manna meets daily physical needs with God’s promise of faithfulness, while Living Bread completes all spiritual needs with God’s promise of everlasting life.

Jesus, willingly obedient to the Father, will soon be condemned to crucifixion by false witnesses too afraid to complete the task. Jesus, betrayed and beaten by people and politics, will be nailed to a cross by soldiers assigned to the task. Jesus, mocked and cursed and denied, will die for generations of people undeserving such love. Jesus, Son of God, the living bread, is broken to bring everlasting life to a weak and weary world.

God, Obedience can be hard for me. Hiding in the crowd I say, “Lord, always give us this bread,” but I’m not sure I really want this if it means standing up to false teachings and talking against the majority. My heart weeps at my weakness in contrast to Your willingness. Forgive me. – dho

Focus Point: Jesus, Son of God, the living bread, is broken to bring everlasting life to a weak and weary world.

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Tuesday, March 01, 2016

Jesus Answers - 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 said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over Me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent Me is in charge. John 6:43 The Message

Grumbling and mumbling about what Jesus tells them gets a rebuke. Much like a parent responds to bickering children, Jesus says to stop arguing, as the decision about what is true or not true belongs to God and not them. Jesus tries to explain His obedience to the Father’s plan. When God sends daily manna from heaven in the wilderness, the people complained, and now, again they complain about the way God is sending everlasting bread.

Sadly, the crowd then and the crowd now often draw the same conclusions. Sometimes God’s provision does not look like we think it should, or does not come when we want it to come. Frequently we argue that it just is not enough. We plead our case, bring our need, cry in desperation, and beg through valleys, “God give me what I want!” In obedience to the Father, Jesus identifies himself as redemptive manna, as the Bread of Life. How often do we reject God’s provision because it fails to meet expectation?

“Lord, always give us this bread.” I pray this but sometimes I don’t mean it! Sometimes I really mean, “Give me what I want!” My prayers come full of needs and desires and come empty of praise and gratitude. Open my eyes to Your daily Holy Provision. – dho

Focus Point: How often do we reject God’s provision because it fails to meet expectation?

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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

Sunday, March 06, 2016

4th Sunday of Lent 2016 ~ Mystery of God's Image Within Us

Saturday, March 05, 2016

Bread of Presence - Lent 2016

Friday, March 04, 2016

Jesus Promises - Lent 2016

Thursday, March 03, 2016

Misunderstandings - Lent 2016

Wednesday, March 02, 2016

Again and Forever - Lent 2016

Tuesday, March 01, 2016

Jesus Answers - Lent 2016