You don’t necessarily have to look at my waistline to see that I love bread, but it helps. I have found very few forms of bread that I don’t love. Possibly none. Homemade is my fav, but store bought’s just fine in a pinch. I prefer to think that my mindset is godly. (Like most Christians.) Is too much unhealthy? Yes. Does that stop me from wanting it? No. And I’m positive that won’t send me to Hell, unless of course you talk to a skinny person about it, and then they make you think it will. I’m only partly joking.
I got on this thought this morning because of a song by Chuck Compton. “Bread and Water.” I’ll post the video below, it will bless the socks off of you. And because of my bestie Glo’s desire to share homemade bread to encourage folks in our church, and in so doing, share the love of Jesus. Isn’t that a great idea! Of course it’s not about the 🍞 bread so much as the love behind it, but the bread doesn’t hurt!
Life Giving Bread
John 6:32-51 KJV
[32] Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. [33] For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. [34] Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. [35] And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
It’s absolute truth that when I discovered Jesus Christ and accepted Him as my Savior, I never wanted for anything spiritually again. I won’t say I didn’t what things of the world, I’m still of the flesh, and I like all things bling, but spiritually… Jesus filled me to the brim and overflowing! When I see this world going crazy around me, and I’m still at peace, I sometimes even question it myself? “Shari why are you not falling apart.” And then I remember, Oh yeah… because Jesus is the glue that holds me together. I don’t understand how people survive without Him.
While we focus much of our testimony on the forgiveness of God, which is huge! We should also be sharing how much fulfillment comes from know Jesus with those in the world who are searching for something they don’t even know what is. They’re just following the loudest crowd.
Soul Raising Bread!
[36] But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. [37] All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. [38] For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. [39] And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
I love making homemade bread and seeing the yeast do its thing. Once those ingredients come together, the warmth of the activated yeast causes the dough to rise and begin it’s journey to the oven. Oh glory! That’s a little slice of Heaven for two reasons. The obvious of which is the fact that the bread will be ready within the hour when it gets to that point. But the other is perhaps not so clear to those who don’t know scripture.
1 Peter 1:7 KJVS
[7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
When we finally see Christ, only the things in our life which cannot be burned in the fire will make it to Heaven with us. Those things we have done in this life that have brought glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ, some of which were absolutely no fun here on earth. But before we get there, I fully believe those works we establish on earth in His name are wafting to Heaven in the form of a scent much like that which comes from the baking of bread. Isn’t that an amazing smell? When freshly baked bread fills the kitchen.
I imagine a scent much the same when God hears of His saints serving Him boldly in these trouble times. The world needs to see what’s cooking in God’s kitchen, and they can only get a glimpse of that through the life of one of His children.
Stale Bread
[40] And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. [41] The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. [42] And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? [43] Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. [44] No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. [45] It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. [46] Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. [47] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. [48] I am that bread of life. [49] Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
Those pious, religious Jews were missing out on the sweetest experience they could have ever had on this earth. Experiencing God in the flesh. But they were so wrapped up in their stale religion that they missed. I almost did! But praise God for His mercy that lead me to a church that handed out the Bread and Living Water every service and every time they went out in the community. You could tell there was a difference when they passed by, just like you can smell that aroma from the oven when the bread is about to be done. Glory to God! I just wrote myself happy.
It’s on the Table
[50] This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. [51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
While much of this blog has been metaphorically speaking. The word of God through His Spirit makes it clear. Christ was laying it out for the Jews, but they refused it. I’m laying it out for you today, please don’t refuse it if you’ve never experienced Christ.
Jesus is coming soon, and we need to be ready and have all our friends and family ready.
2000+ years ago, Christ walked this earth and spoke with people face to face. But now He speaks through the Spirit. Perhaps you feel it. The Salvation of Christ is much like the baking of bread, it’s a process.
The yeast is activated through warm water. And the soul of an unsaved child activated through the Water as well, it’s known as the word of God. When anyone hears the word of God they’re stirred. Whether or not they confess it, the word of God will never return void. But it can be rejected.
Once accepted things begin to change. The Spirit will rise up in you and give you the assurance that you are a child of the living God. You received that by believing that He loved you enough to die for you. The Jews didn’t believe Christ, His truth angered them, and so they crucified Him just like He prophesied. But He rose again!!!!
When you make bread you have to punch it down a few times, but then it rises again! Just like Jesus. They crucified Him, mocked Him, Spit on Him, they knocked Him down more than once, but that didn’t stop Him from coming out of that grave to show us that we too could have victory over death in Him.
Isn’t that a great illustration! If you’d like to know more, message me, or click the “salvation” link at the top of the page. I pray you enjoyed this study of the Bread today. I sure did!
Here’s the Link to Chuck’s song. You might want to get a tissue!