The words of Jesus are profound, they carry deep meaning and eternal consequences; "Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 6:35 NLT. Do you hunger and thirst? Come and eat the bread that satisfies. "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

John 6:51 NLT.

So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants.

John 5:19‭-‬21 NLT. Jesus gives life to all who come to him.

Jesus' discussion with Nicodemus is so loaded with meaning that I think we should discuss it here one more time. What does it mean to be born again? What does it mean to have eternal life? We start with Nicodemus statement because it is profound and true; "After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

John 3:2 NLT. Nicodemus is saying that, the miraculous signs they saw Jesus doing was evidence that God is with you. Jesus does not disagree but adds that nature, who gave birth to us, is what determines what follows us and what we do. "Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.

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John 3:3‭, ‬5‭-‬6 NLT. Nature is what determines what we have the capacity to do. In other words, Jesus himself was doing the things he was not just because he was sent by God, because God has sent many others before him, but because he was born by the Holy Spirit. Your nature puts a cap or limit on your ability. None of us wonders when we see a dog barks or a cat mews because it is in their nature. However, we would raise a highbrow if a dog was to start speaking like a human because we know it is not in a dog's nature to speak.

This singular truth is the reason we tell people that Christianity is not a religion, it is a change of nature. When you come to Jesus, he does not give you religion, no, Jesus changes your nature.

This was why John the baptists also testified about Jesus; "The Father loves the Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remain under God's angry judgement." John 3:35-36. I say plainly once again; "No Jesus, no life". It is only by accepting Jesus that our nature changes, we become born again, we receive eternal life and are now children of God. Halleluyah!

Would you have done it? Today's devotional is taken from John chapter 2 where we see this intriguing encounter between Mary the mother of Jesus, the servants at the wedding feast and Jesus himself. Wine just ran out at the wedding feast and the bridegroom was going to be embarrassed. Mary steps in after speaking with Jesus, and tells the servant to go to him for a solution with a specific instruction; do whatever he says. "But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

John 2:5 NLT. If you were a servant at the wedding feast, how would you have reacted to the instructions Jesus began to roll out to solve a wine shortage problem? "Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.

John 2:6‭-‬8 NLT. I am confident the majority would probably join in to fetch the water into the jars even though it didn't make sense. However, the real problem is the second part, it would have been near impossible, especially if you were one of those who fetched the water into the jars. The lesson here is; following the Lord will not always make sense, in fact, to the normal person, you might look foolish. However, choosing to follow the Word will bring you into the realm of the supernatural.

We conclude the book of Luke reminiscing the words of the Angel's who met the women that went to the tomb; " They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee,

Luke 24:2‭-‬6 NLT. Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? Jesus is alive, Halleluyah! Death and the grave could not hold him back. The resurrection of Jesus is irrefutable; the empty tomb, the witnesses who saw him after, the plot to cover everything up are documented. The problem is, even today, many are still like this women, they keep looking among the dead for what they can only find in Jesus who is alive. There is only one name given under heaven by which we can be saved, it's the name of Jesus. My encouragement, choose Jesus today. You can't and won't find that salvation in anything or anyone else.

Two of the gravest sins ever committed against Jesus happened on the same night and were committed by 2 of his apostles; his betrayal and denial by Judas and Peter respectively. Peter denied Jesus because he was afraid; "So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!” But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!” After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!” “No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted. About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.” But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.

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Luke 22:54‭-‬62 NLT. Judas on his own part betrayed Jesus because of his love of money; "Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted, and they promised to give him money.

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Luke 22:3‭-‬5 NLT. Did you notice Jesus predicted both Peter's denial and Judas' betrayal? (Luke 22: 31-34; 22: 21-23). Could you betray or denial Jesus for anything in this world?

Let's use today's devotional as a gentle reminder; Jesus is coming back again, are you ready for him? “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:34‭-‬36 NLT. In these three verses, Jesus refers to both of his second comings; the rapture where he secretly comes to take the church home, and then his glorious final triumphant return where the whole world will see him come. The rapture is the one people will be unaware of and miss. Like a trap, that day will catch many carousing and living their lives however they choose. It is a day to stay alert on because it will come like a thief in the night. That day will also lead those who make it, to have escaped from the coming horrors through the 21 judgements coming upon the earth before Jesus' final return. My charge this morning; stay alert child of God, it is the Father's will to give you the kingdom. Be prayerful and keep your altar alive; live each day for Jesus and as if you would give account of that day. Watch out!

Let's take these two learning points from today's devotional. It was quite interesting why the crowds followed Jesus. Many followed him because that was where it was all happening. Some followed because they wanted to see the latest miracle. Others followed just to be a part of the crowd. Why are you following Jesus? Or to ask this in a different way; why are you a Christian? However, while the crowd followed, there were those who followed Jesus because they wanted a taste of God. One thing distinguished all those who were either able to get Jesus to stop and talk to them or received a miracle, they had faith in him. Faith makes you a magnet. "As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”

Luke 18:35‭-‬41 NLT. Jesus responded to people's faith every time, not the crowd. My encouragement this morning, following Jesus has to be more than following the crowd and more than what you even hear in church, you must follow and know Jesus for yourself.

What is the cost of following Jesus? What is the cost of being a Christian or a disciple Christ? Jesus answers this questions in today's devotional. “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?

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Luke 14:26‭-‬28 NLT. Jesus describes a disciple as someone who has counted the cost of following him. He described a disciple as someone who in comparison to God, knows the whole world means nothing anymore. A disciple is someone who has carried their cross, and carries it daily, to follow Jesus. To carry a cross in Jesus' day meant a death sentence, everyone who carried a cross automatically died on the same cross. A disciple is someone that has signed the dotted lines of their death certificate; death to self, death to the worries of this world and death to sin. A disciple is dead while living. "So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

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Luke 14:33 NLT. Are you a disciple of Jesus, are you a Christian?

Let's share a lesson or two from the questions Jesus asked in the chapters we read today. Talking about worry and how it reflects on our faith in God Jesus said; "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

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Luke 12:25‭-‬28 NLT. Most of us probably know the answers to all the questions Jesus asked, we know worrying adds nothing to us, yet we worry. What is the use of worrying? I guess the answer to this one might vary from one person to another, however, one of the options is certainly so that we can appear to be doing something or to satisfy our consciences that we at least tried. However, it is proof that we are focusing on ourselves and not God. Worrying is proof that we've lost sight of God.