March 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

John 6:26-35:

²⁶Jesus 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.
²⁷Labour 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.
²⁸Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
²⁹Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
³⁰They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
³¹Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
³²Then 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.
³³For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
³⁴Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
³⁵And 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.

Devotional

We have need of physical bread. Without it we cannot live. But we also have need of spiritual bread. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Christ is the Word of God incarnate. He is the living bread, that came down from heaven. "If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever." In the Gospel Christ is offered to us, and we must appropriate him by faith. We must eat his flesh and drink his blood spiritually, that is, we must believe that He suffered and died for us, that his death was an atonement for our sins, that in and through him we have life. If we are to grow and thrive we must partake of this spiritual food continually. And God has given us one day in seven as a day of rest and for spiritual nurture; a day on which the bread of life is broken to us by God-appointed ministers. And we should diligently attend church on this day, to learn the word of God. If we really hunger and thirst after righteousness, we shall be, if at all possible, where the Word of God is preached, and we shall enjoy the heavenly manna. Woe, woe unto them that offer God's children stones instead of bread.

Break thou the Bread of Life, dear Lord, to me,
As Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea.

Prayer

Our Father, we thank Thee for Jesus, the Bread of Life, that living bread which came down from heaven. Help us to partake of this bread continually, that we may not die, but live for ever. Help us to live to the honor and glory of Thy name. May we grow in grace. Strengthen us spiritually, that we may be enabled to do Thy holy will; and unto Thee be praise and adoration now and for ever. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Matt. 4:4; John 6:51.

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