Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Are you Hungry for the Flesh or the Spirit?


It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. John 6:63

God’s word tells us that that it is the word of God and the things of God that gives real life.  Sometimes we become spiritually empty and hunger and thirst for righteousness but try to satisfy that craving with other things, things that just don’t satisfy like God and then we wonder why we are not happy.  There is one and only one place to satisfy spiritual hunger and quench spiritual thirst.

Another way to ask the question is to ask are you hungry for the things that temporarily satisfy you…or are you hungry for the things that satisfy forever?

Are you sowing to self or are you sowing to the spirit?   Many folks who follow the provision and power of Jesus, struggle with His demands to sacrifice the flesh to benefit the spirit.  It’s easy to receive but hard to sacrifice.

We chase the temporary…fame, fortune, hobbies…when we get money, we want more…when we find love, we are satisfied until our lust craves something new…with our leisure we take more and more time to make ourselves happy… only to find that we aren’t happy. We are never content and the grass is always greener somewhere else.

A restless spirit creates a restless heart that searches for satisfaction. When will we learn that it is our spirit that is hungry and crying out for spiritual food.  John 6:60 says Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?”

These were not the least bit accustomed to “spirit” life.  They were accustomed to law, not grace.  Too radical.  Too hard to change.

We want something to do to prove our faith…not something to become.  The flesh—that which satisfies our desires — counts for nothing for eternity. It doesn’t last and it even disappoints in this life.  The spirit—that which satisfies God-lasts for all eternity and satisfies in this life…
Are you Hungry for Convenience or Commitment? (v.64-70)

"But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.  John 6:64

When commitment was brought up these people were no different than people today.  John 6:66-67 tells us that as a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?"

Some of the disciples left Jesus because the requirements were too great.  The people wanted to have a relationship with Christ but on their terms. They wanted to give a little, but Jesus expected a lot.
Jesus does expect something in return but what He has to offer is worth far more than anything you will gain from trying to find satisfaction elsewhere.   

Scripture to Claim:
Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. "We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God." John 6:68-69

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