Let me share some random of the thoughts from Sunday morning’s service.
Hunger is universal. Every person who has ever lived understands hunger.
Hunger is continual. Many teenagers are ALWAYS hungry. Food is the fuel that keeps our bodies going.
Hunger drives actions. Many people hate their jobs, but they have a bad habit, they like to eat. So, they keep on working.
It is true, it is universal: We need food. Another universal truth is this: We need connection with God. Both hunger for food and hunger for God are universal because that is the way God made us. He made us with a need for physical fuel to keep us going. He made us with a hunger and desire to know HIM and be close to Him.
Jacob and Esau – the birthright for a meal.
Genesis 25:29-34 NIV
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom. 31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” 33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
Hunger can cause you to make poor choices. Hunger can make you not see beyond this moment. Being hungry can cause one to make bad choices. It is said that you should never grocery shop when you are hungry. You will buy many things you wouldn’t normally buy.
From Esau’s illustration here we can learn that we shouldn’t make major decisions when we are weak and hungry. Hunger can blind a person to not see the long term impact of the decision made out of hunger.
Spiritual hunger will drive us to seek God in a greater way than we are doing at the time. What are you hungry for? More of God? If you don’t sense a hunger for more of God, do you ask yourself the question of why? Do you have enough of God and His power in your life?
Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:6 NIV
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
The Sermon on the Mount is an amazing passage in the Bible. Blessing comes to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Don’t let the fear and anxiety of the things of the world that surround us destroy your hunger for more of God. The world system is full of lies.
The word “righteousness” comes from a root word that means “straightness.” Seek HIS Righteousness. Let God define the righteousness in your life. You will be amazed at the results.
Jesus is the Bread of Life
John 6:35 NIV
Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
Let’s talk about real food. There is the stuff that attracts kids, that they would live on if they could. Except, if they tried to live on it, it would kill them. Twinkies, cheese curls, potato chips, Oreos, Krispy Kreme Donuts, and the list could go on. How long would a person live eating only things like that? Soon they would have all kinds of health problems.
Then, there is food that will give you good fuel for your body and keep you healthy.
Let’s look at spiritual food. We have a natural hunger for spiritual nourishment. There is an ample supply of spiritual fluff out there that many are consuming. A focus on whatever makes me feel good. Running from one fun event to the next. Simply feeding the emotions. All these (and more) will eventually lead to spiritual anemia – spiritual weakness.
Then there is the spiritual food that will make you spiritually strong and healthy. Jesus is the bread of life. We will find real spiritual satisfaction as we focus on Him and devour His Word. We must put out the effort to learn more of Him and learn to apply what we learn.
How Do We Do It?
Matthew 6: 25, 33 NIV
Do Not Worry
25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
We are not to worry about the provision of what we need. We are to trust God. We are to seek after Him and all that has to do with His Kingdom, and He will take care of us.
Are you hungry? How are you going to fill that hunger?
Hunger is universal. Every person who has ever lived understands hunger.
Hunger is continual. Many teenagers are ALWAYS hungry. Food is the fuel that keeps our bodies going.
Hunger drives actions. Many people hate their jobs, but they have a bad habit, they like to eat. So, they keep on working.
It is true, it is universal: We need food. Another universal truth is this: We need connection with God. Both hunger for food and hunger for God are universal because that is the way God made us. He made us with a need for physical fuel to keep us going. He made us with a hunger and desire to know HIM and be close to Him.
Jacob and Esau – the birthright for a meal.
Genesis 25:29-34 NIV
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom. 31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” 33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
Hunger can cause you to make poor choices. Hunger can make you not see beyond this moment. Being hungry can cause one to make bad choices. It is said that you should never grocery shop when you are hungry. You will buy many things you wouldn’t normally buy.
From Esau’s illustration here we can learn that we shouldn’t make major decisions when we are weak and hungry. Hunger can blind a person to not see the long term impact of the decision made out of hunger.
Spiritual hunger will drive us to seek God in a greater way than we are doing at the time. What are you hungry for? More of God? If you don’t sense a hunger for more of God, do you ask yourself the question of why? Do you have enough of God and His power in your life?
Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:6 NIV
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
The Sermon on the Mount is an amazing passage in the Bible. Blessing comes to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Don’t let the fear and anxiety of the things of the world that surround us destroy your hunger for more of God. The world system is full of lies.
The word “righteousness” comes from a root word that means “straightness.” Seek HIS Righteousness. Let God define the righteousness in your life. You will be amazed at the results.
Jesus is the Bread of Life
John 6:35 NIV
Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
Let’s talk about real food. There is the stuff that attracts kids, that they would live on if they could. Except, if they tried to live on it, it would kill them. Twinkies, cheese curls, potato chips, Oreos, Krispy Kreme Donuts, and the list could go on. How long would a person live eating only things like that? Soon they would have all kinds of health problems.
Then, there is food that will give you good fuel for your body and keep you healthy.
Let’s look at spiritual food. We have a natural hunger for spiritual nourishment. There is an ample supply of spiritual fluff out there that many are consuming. A focus on whatever makes me feel good. Running from one fun event to the next. Simply feeding the emotions. All these (and more) will eventually lead to spiritual anemia – spiritual weakness.
Then there is the spiritual food that will make you spiritually strong and healthy. Jesus is the bread of life. We will find real spiritual satisfaction as we focus on Him and devour His Word. We must put out the effort to learn more of Him and learn to apply what we learn.
How Do We Do It?
Matthew 6: 25, 33 NIV
Do Not Worry
25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
We are not to worry about the provision of what we need. We are to trust God. We are to seek after Him and all that has to do with His Kingdom, and He will take care of us.
Are you hungry? How are you going to fill that hunger?
