THE BREAD OF LIFE
Read John 6:22–71
And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:35 NKJV
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TEN LEPERS CLEANSED
Read Luke 17:11-19
…There met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Luke 17:12-13 NKJV
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There were many in Israel willing to be healed of their diseases, to be fed with free bread and be part of an adoring crowd. But there were few who were willing to accept Jesus as Messiah, the Son of God, and commit their lives to Him. In the case of these ten very sick men, only one came back to give glory to God for his healing. In spite of the fact that ten were cleansed of leprosy, to only one he said, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." (17:19)
There is a sickness of the soul that is far worse than leprosy and that is sin. Only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can heal us of that disease.
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Thank You Lord, that You were willing to cleanse me from sin, just as You cleansed those men from their leprosy. Forgive me when I go day after day without remembering to stop and say thank You. Help me to teach my children to be thankful as well.
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So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" Luke 17:17-18 NKJV
MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE
Read John 10:1–33
The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." John 10:24 NIV
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There was much disputing among the Jews about who Jesus was. They were ready, perhaps, to look for an earthly king to deliver them from Roman rule, but they were not ready for a Savior. Jesus knew those who were His because the Father had already given them to Him.
To this question Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. (10:25-26) When they threatened to stone Him, He asked them which miracle deserved death. They replied, "We are not stoning you for any of these, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." (10:33)
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Lord, when false teachers come to my door to dispute the Trinity, I need to remember that Jesus was crucified because He claimed to be God. He was God the Son, One with the Father. Soon those who were His sheep would know the indwelling power of His Spirit and go forth to proclaim the gospel of Christ.
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"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27–28 NIV