John 6:55-56

Talk about the original “soul” food (I simply couldn’t resist)! Truthful, authentic, reliable, trustworthy, accurate, correct, dependable, factual, valid and legitimate all given to describe the “food” and “drink” Jesus offers. Succinctly put, our Savior both satisfies and sustains our spiritual hunger with His Bread of life. Albeit worldly goods and pleasures may satisfy for a season – prior to the rust and moth and relationship destruction – yet nothing satisfies like our Jesus – everything else will simply be found wanting. I am reminded of Jesus’ Words in Revelation describing His gracious demonstration of knocking at the door of our hearts laden with His overflowing flawless eternal sufficient supply to displace our faulty temporary temporal provisions:

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Rev 3:20 (NIV)

With Christ on the outside, there can be no fellowship, no relationship – remaining in Him means inviting Him in - His life to become as our own. Jesus gives us a wonderful illustration of this abiding or remaining in Him found later in John:

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:4-8 (NIV)

Communion between Christ and His believers will never fail on His side – it is we who move. It is by faith that we have a close and intimate union with Jesus – He shares in our griefs and we in His joys. The life of faith in our Jesus is incomparably excellent and is the source of all good - equipping and enabling us to bear much eternal fruit.

“To abide in Christ, who is our righteousness and strength, and not to be moved from him, is the very life and power of Christianity. We do this when our thoughts are going out after him, our hearts cleaving to him, and our minds stayed upon him. Now, to know Christ, and thus to abide in him, as our righteousness, brings peace and joy; which joy in the Lord is certainly followed with strength to overcome sin and the world, which believers renounce the more readily, as they have found something better in Christ. May the Lord give me grace likewise immovably to abide in him.” K. H. Von Bogatzky

Over 7,000 promises of God are sprinkled throughout the pages of Holy Writ as sparkling jewels - treasures that we may call our own as we steadfastly abide in Jesus. Below we find but a small sampling to savor – Enjoy!

Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Neh 8:10 (NIV)

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1 (NIV)

3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Psalms 37:3-6 (NIV)

3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)

13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, Jer 29:13-14 (NIV)

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalms 34:8 (NIV)

20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Cor 1:20 (NIV)