BREAD ALONE?: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 27 DECEMBER 2018

MEMORISE:

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Deuteronomy 8:3

READ: John 6:24-27

24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

MESSAGE:

Your body is a very important asset that God has given you. Without your body, you have no license to remain on earth. One of your major responsibilities therefore is to take care of your body constantly by feeding it and keeping it clean. It is the food we eat that gives our body the energy it needs to function well. 

However, not all the food we eat supplies our body with the kind of energy that it actually needs. There are healthy foods and there is junk food. When eaten, both types of food will supply energy to the body. However, while healthy food supplies the kind of energy that positively enhances the function of our body and helps it build its resilience against diseases, the energy that junk food supplies will do just the opposite, and over time, this will contribute to the body breaking down.

Although it is important to care for the body, much more importance should be placed on feeding the soul with healthy food. When we neglect our souls, so much more is at stake than sickness and physical death. Jesus does not just say things for the fun of it, and He was the one who said “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth” (Matthew 4:4). 

He was saying that if feeding the body alone (eating bread). Is all you do, then you will not live. Although your body will be nourished, your soul will starve and eventually die.

How then can our souls be fed? We feed our souls on the word of God written in the Bible. The habit of reading the Bible is fast becoming archaic, especially with how busy everyone has become with making ends meet. Nevertheless, 1 Timothy 4:13 says:

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

No one ever said you have to read a large portion of the Bible daily. If reading a chapter of the Bible per day is what you can properly reflect on, then start with a chapter per day. Furthermore, you should not stop at reading the Bible; it is also very important to reflect on what you have read. 

While reading is for the head, reflecting is for the heart. You have to meditate on what you read by thinking it over and allowing it sink deep into your heart. A good way to do this is to have a book where you write down points from what you have read, and then consciously think about these points during the day. 

Irrespective of what you do and how busy your schedule is, always endeavor to feed your soul daily. Remember, man shall not live by bread alone.

ACTION POINT:

Feed your soul as regularly as you feed your body.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Haggai 1-2, John 18: 33-19:16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE.

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. 

Nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee. 

Nearer to Thee!

There let me see the sight, an open Heaven;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. 

Nearer to Thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee. 

Nearer to Thee!