Coffee With The Lord

EVER HAVE SOMETHING IN GOD’S WORD THAT TROUBLED YOU – something that God has done or said, or Jesus declared, or an inspired Biblical writer penned that you found difficult to process? In fact, it might have almost been offensive to you, and to use a Biblical term, was a “stumbling block” to you. How can you process those things? I mean we believe, after all, that God is behind them all, don’t we?

There is a case of that happening in the ministry and message of Jesus that I believe can help us… (I read about it this morning in the Bible during my time of “coffee with the Lord)…

Jesus, after His miraculous feeding of the multitude (5000 + women and children) on 5 loaves and 2 fish) gave an extended teaching in which He declared Himself to be “the bread of life!” Then He went on to say, “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! … 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! Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him… Whoever feeds on me, he will live because of me!” (From John 6:47-57 ESV)

Whew! That’s a tough one, eh? Do you see the problem – feel the tension they must have felt – when they heard Jesus declare those words? [Now there are good theological solutions and answers to Jesus’ words – in fact, we could spend a lot of time discussing and explaining them]. But do you sense the challenge the original hearers must have felt? In fact, Jesus’ disciples said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” Then the passage goes on to record, “After this many of Jesus’ disciples turned back and no longer walked with him!” Jesus even said to the twelve apostles, “Do you want to go away as well?”

But I think it is Peter who gives us some help in processing difficult things the Bible says that may be troubling and difficult to process… He said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the word of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God!” (John 6:68 ESV)

So, I jotted this in the margin of my Bible this morning… Peter gives us a proper response when there are things in God’s word that we don’t understand! May we in those instances simply trust the Lord and depend on Him to ultimately bring clarity and work things out in due time in keeping with His character and will!”

During “coffee with the Lord” today I was very impressed with the voice, the call, the invitation of “wisdom” (I was reading Proverbs 8 at the time, but the theme is not limited to that chapter – it is scattered throughout Proverbs 1-9).

Believe me, I want to hear wisdom’s voice above the rabble of all the other voices in our world! I want my ear tuned and attentive to her. I want to discern her sweet tone and wholesome message among all of the other competing voices today! It is an invitation to truth, insight, righteousness, wholeness, blessing, and “Shalom”! It is a call to reject deception, temptation, self-will, sin and rebellion.

It is not a loud or strident voice! (“The woman ‘Folly’ is loud and brash; she is seductive and knows nothing” – vs. 13) – Wisdom is rather a quiet, but is certainly a discernable voice in all the distracting noise and competing voices of life. She is however, discernable – you do have to listen for her!

Proverbs 8 reminds me of James 3:14-18: “if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”

I’m listening for wisdom’ voice this morning! I’ll be listening tomorrow too… and the next day, and the next, and the next, and…

Don’t know if it’s ever happened to you… it has to me: I’ll be reading a biography of some famous person written by one author and I’ll draw conclusions about that person’s values, their character, their leadership, and their capabilities (or lack thereof). And then I’ll read another book about the same person written by another author with a different perspective and opinion – what a different take on the person! In fact, sometimes you almost wonder if they were writing about the same person!

Hey, THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN ABOUT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST! The Bible’s characterization and declaration of who the Lord Jesus Christ was/is/and ever shall be is consistent… He’s very God! Second member of the Trinity, the very personification of love, holiness, mercy and grace… Our Savior! And I could go on!

My advice? If you want to know – really know, who Jesus is, READ YOUR BIBLE! See what God’s word says about Him! You can, as they say, “take that to the bank!” – It’s true, it’s reliable, God stands by it!

In fact, during my time of “coffee with the Lord” today, I read these inspired words “out of the mouth of Jesus” and recorded by Apostle John…

“If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved… 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. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about Me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the One whom He has sent. [And to religious leaders He said] You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life [Bible study, as important as that is doesn’t save you!] … IT IS THEY THAT BEAR WITNESS ABOUT ME, YET YOU REFUSE TO COME TO ME THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE!” [Jesus Christ – the person – is the One who saves you and gives you eternal life!] (From John 5:31–40 ESV)

Gotta tell you, I’m going to believe what God, the Father, had to say about His Son… I’m going to believe what Jesus said and did! I’m going to embrace what the Bible’s inspired writers declared! Bottom line, I’m going to believe what the Bible teaches about the Lord Jesus Christ!