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Author
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Topic: Jesus, The Bread Of Life
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
Bob,
I’ve looked over your web page and I think it is laid out very well – having good structure and a good message.
Your sight is easy to navigate and your topics are well founded and worded.
I really can’t find many flaws with your page.
One thing that I would recommend to change is the coloring and font size of some of your topic titles, headers, etc.
For example, “Introduction to What Should Be Considered to Be Good” is slightly brownish green & doesn’t really stand out to me. Perhaps if you changed it to a different color and made the font size slightly larger.
Same thing goes with “Contents” on the left hand side – change color and font size.
At the top you have “Christianity and what is good forever”
The words and symbolism is all the same color and is kind of camouflaged in the color – not standing out very well.
As this is your web-page’s theme, I feel that they should be more stand-out-ish.
The white bars at the side of your pages could possibly be black – causing the main topics to stand out more so the reader can focus better.
Just my thoughts.
But I really do like your sight and think the material is invaluable to Christians.
God Bless.
--------------------
With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Brother Paul
Advanced Member
Member # 7959
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posted
Thanks Sis, great thread and your presentation was clear and Scripturally based, God be praised.
Other forums I have joined and participated in advertize and invite...in other words where we have input make mention and if we know others who might be interested let's invite them but above all pray. 50 or 100 sincere seekers who love God are worth more than 1,000's of well intentioned or luke-warm pew warmers anyway so I am going to invite my brother James to come on board because we have some really well though out engaging discussions and though we differ slightly on some doctrines I am sure he would give some interesting input.
Love
Brother Paul
Posts: 235 | From: Cambridge, MA | Registered: Dec 2009
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
Hello, TB125, attracting viewers is not an easy matter. I'm amazed that after all these years that THIS website is been up and running, that it still attracts only some 50 visitors, not counting the contributors, while someone like Joel Osteen can attract tens of thousands. Go figure.
love, Eden
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TB125
Advanced Member
Member # 2450
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posted
Botham,
I'm glad that you checked out my site, and thanks for the compliments. I think that I need to improve the use of some of my basic keywords and the titles for some of my statements. Such revisions might improve the rankings for my site and some of my statements with various search engines. I know that most website have about 10 seconds to grab the attention of any surfer, so my initial page and introductory statement need to be very attractive and clear in regard to what my site offers. I'm praying that others will link to my site and participate in my blog, which I think will add to its appeal. We'll see. I'll keep working on it.
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Bob
Posts: 449 | From: Rockford Illinois | Registered: Nov 2003
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botham
Advanced Member
Member # 7935
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posted
Hello Bob--I had a look at you website, didn't read it all because I have a short attention span, but appreciated your obvious concern for the lost.
I am going to agree with Mentor's riddle as to grabbing the initial interest of people. You are quite correct as you consider the lost or 'pagan' folk as you put it, that your topics should be appealing enough to peak interest in our world of competitive ideas. You have prayed about this no doubt, and I add my prayers that the Holy Spirit will give you divine guidance in your writing.
You do not have to worry about offending true believers with your opening comments. I know I like a bit of controversy as when we discuss the aspect of free will and man's total depravity and so on. And I think anyone encountering your site will pause longer to read something a bit shocking over something such as 'goodness'.
Once the initial interest is achieved, people are more likely to click on your other excellent topics.
I'm not sure what to advise specifically but I don't know anyone who isn't for instance, concerned about the future or death for that matter. We have such a wonderful and powerful answer to these important questions. You are a journalist for God and He will direct you to create an opening that will grab the reader by the soul and shake him or her sufficient to keep them reading. God bless, Botham
Posts: 103 | From: canada | Registered: Nov 2009
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TB125
Advanced Member
Member # 2450
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posted
MentorsRiddle,
I'm trying to reach non-Christians as well as Christians with my website and my blog. So I think that more non-Christians, ordinary "pagans" are going to be more interested in what is "good" or in the subject of "goodness" than they would be in what is "Spiritual" or "Spirit filled". I made my post because of your reference to God as being "good", noting that you used that word rather than indicating that God is "Spirit". I would like to get some people talking about what is "good" and why God is "good" and what makes anything "good" and how long something is "good" for. I'm sure that you can recognize the importance of this matter. Thanks for your suggestion.
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Bob
Posts: 449 | From: Rockford Illinois | Registered: Nov 2003
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
Maybe you could change Good & Goodness for another word -- for example Spiritual and Spiritfilled...
Goodness and good is rarly searched -- at least not as much as Spiritual and spirit filled, etc.
You may not have alot of traffic because of that.
--------------------
With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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TB125
Advanced Member
Member # 2450
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posted
I have a website that is focused on "Christianity and what is good forever", and it includes a blog on the subject of "what is good". But I can't seem to attract a lot of viewers to my site or get them to talk with me about "what is good". I don't understand this lack of interest in this subject. Here is the link to my site: http://christianityetc.org. Any suggestions that anyone has that might help me to increase interest in the resources on my site would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Bob
Posts: 449 | From: Rockford Illinois | Registered: Nov 2003
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
Amen!
There certainly is bread that lasts forever -- however many never find it -- those that do find it rarley eat of it -- those that eat of it never go hungry again! Amen?
God is good and great!
--------------------
With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Carol Swenson
Admin
Member # 6929
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posted
Riddle! ![[wave3]](graemlins/18.gif)
This is the sermon Jesus preached on the morning after - the morning after the day in which He fed five thousand; the morning after the night in which He walked on the water and calmed the sea. The crowd found Him on the other side of the lake. He surprised them and He surprises us. They wanted more bread and fish. Today He refused to do what He was so ready to do the day before. Instead, He preached a sermon. In that sermon are three riddles ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) that tell us three aspects of His nature.
The first riddle is in verse 27: "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." There is a bread that never grows stale. The second riddle is in verse 35: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." There is a bread that ever satisfies. The third is in verse 51: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If a man eats of this bread, he will live forever" (NIV). There is a bread that gives eternal life.
http://www.dabar.org/Homiletics/Above/Ch15.htm
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
Nice post, Carol.
It is amazing how our fleshley needs (wants) can overshadow our spiritual needs, which can only be found through Jesus Christ and what he did on the Cross with his completed work.
Yes, people do at times try to manipulate God -- but it will always get them no where.
For example, the Prosperity Doctrine, which teaches that if you give to God that God will reward you by blessing you with more than you gave....
This is such a misguided teaching and drives people to give only to receive -- which is a selfish reason to give and not a spiritual reason to give.
In their hearts they think, "If I give to God's work he will give me more."
To me that is trying to manipulate God into giving them what they want instead of seeking spirtual things by just giving for the sake of giving.
We all have so much to learn, lol.
Great post Carol & welcome back -- I was missing your posts and your conversation.
Godbless.
--------------------
With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Carol Swenson
Admin
Member # 6929
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posted
 JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE. REALLY?
Read John 6:22-42.
We see what we want to see. Unfortunately, what we see is commonly determined by our interests at the moment, not by the obvious which stares at us. As a result, we often search for something that is not there, and are completely oblivious to what is in plain view right in front of us.
Let me set a little background for the reading. Jesus took the 12 to the uninhabited side of the sea of Galilee. Mark 6 states Jesus made this trip with the intent of providing all 13 of them with some rest. Jesus had become so popular it was hard for him to find time to eat. The 12 had successfully completed a mission which both elated them and exhausted them.
Thousands of people recognized them and went by foot to where Jesus and the 12 went by boat. In Mark, this huge group of people are described as sheep without a shepherd, and Jesus had compassion on these thousands of people. He spent a day planned for rest teaching and healing these thousands.
Late in the day, Jesus told the 12 disciples to feed the group. The 12 were astounded, and replied, "Two hundred days wages would not be enough to buy food for this group!" Jesus then with very little food fed the huge group all they wanted to eat, and he did it in a very orderly manner.
At dusk he told the 12 to go back across the sea of Galilee while he stayed and prayed on the mountain alone. It was that evening Jesus walked on the sea to them in windy, wavy conditions.
I. Now let me focus your attention on what happened in our reading
A. The people Jesus fed woke up the next morning knowing the 12 had left by boat but that Jesus had stayed.
1. Yet, they could not find Jesus, and they were hungry again.
2. They were totally confused as they tried to understand what had happened.
B. Around that time small boats began to arrive at this uninhabited area.
1. Many decided they should take the boats, go to Capernaum, and see if they could find Jesus.
2. He obviously was not there, so the only option they had was to look for Jesus on the other side.
C. They found Jesus on the other side.
1. Their first question, "Rabbi (teacher), when did you get here?"
a. Jesus' response: "You look for me for the wrong reason."
b. "You are here because you are hungry."
c. "You are not here because you understand I have something to teach you about God and eternal life."
d. "Do not work for food which rots in a short time; seek eternal life from God."
2. Their second question: "What should we do to do God's work?"
a. These were people who lived in a religious nation devoted to God their entire lives.
b. These were people who went to the synagogue every Sabbath.
c. These were people who had heard God's laws discussed since birth.
d. Yet they asked, "What are we supposed to do?" (Sounds too much like us!)
e. Jesus' answer, "Put your faith in God and me--that is God's work!"
3. Their third question: "If we are to place our confidence in you, you need to give us a sign. What are you going to do?"
a. (I smell manipulation coming on!)
b. They even had the sign they wanted him to do: "Our forefathers ate manna in the wilderness when they left Egypt--Moses gave them bread out of heaven (and gained their confidence).
c. Jesus replied, "You need to get your facts straight!"
i. Moses did not give them bread out of heaven.
ii. God gave them bread out of heaven.
iii. When God gives bread, God's bread gives life.
II. The incident they are trying to use to manipulate Jesus into feeding them is recorded in Exodus 16
A. The Israelites spent about 2 months in the wilderness traveling to Sinai where they would receive the Ten Commandments.
1. They are not to Sinai, but they are quite close.
2. They begin to complain, "We wish we had died in Egypt where we had meat to eat and could eat bread until we were full. Moses, the only reason you had for bringing us out here in the wilderness was to kill us."
3. God said to Moses, "I am going to give them what they want, and I am going to do it in a way that will reveal if they trust me."
a. "I am going to send them bread."
b. "But Sunday through Thursday they can gather only one day's supply."
c. "On Friday they will gather two days' supply."
d. "If Sunday through Thursday they gather more than one day's supply, it will rot, stink, and will not be eatable."
e. "But the two days' supply they gather on Friday will not spoil; it will still be good to eat on the Sabbath."
4. "I will prove again to them that I am God."
a. "At night they will have all the meat they want in the quail I send."
b. "In the morning they will have all the bread they want to eat in the manna I send."
B. Early in the morning, around the camp, a heavy dew fell.
1. When the dew dried up, it left a fine flaky substance that looked like frost.
2. When the sun got hot, it melted the manna.
3. Note: God provided the manna, but the Israelites had to gather it.
C. The only description of how it tasted was it was like honey wafers.
1. Honey wafers was not the common food of slaves!
2. Yet, Israel was to have honey wafers every morning.
3. While they were unfamiliar with manna, they knew bread did not come from dew!
a. The first morning manna appeared, the Israelites asked, "What is that?"
b. Moses replied, "It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat."
III. To hear the giving of manna from the perspective of the Israelites in John 6, Moses gave Israel manna, and Israel exerted little or no effort
A. From their perspective, I hear them trying to manipulate Jesus by saying, "Now it is your turn! If we are to believe in you, show us something!"
1. "Give us this bread that gives life!"
2. "We are hungry (physically), and it would be wonderful never to be hungry (physically) again.
B. Listen carefully to Jesus' response.
1. "I am that bread God sent."
2. "I am the solution to hunger and thirst."
3. "I am the one who can give you life."
4. "The problem: you do not believe in me."
5. "Everything God will send to people He will send through me."
6. "I will not lose those who come to me; I will resurrect them."
7. "Eternal life is believing in me and my power to resurrect."
C. I want you to pay careful attention to something.
1. They did not say, "Look at what he did for us; he must be who he says he is."
2. "We better listen to him!"
3. Instead, they grumbled.
a. "He says he is the bread--that is not what we want!"
b. "We know who he is and where he came from--how can he possibly say he is from heaven!"
4. They only saw what they wanted, not what was!
IV. Do not try to manipulate God
A. God's primary purpose is not about the physical but about the eternal.
B. Do not be so focused on physical expectations and desires that you do not see eternal realities!
C. Do not be obsessed with what you want; be obsessed with what God wants.
May God grant us the "eyes" to "see" the permanent. May we not seek to manipulate God, but seek to surrender to God and His purposes.
(David Chadwell)
http://www.westarkchurchofchrist.org/chadwell/2005/051120pm.htm
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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