The Power of Daily Devotions.
Part 13 – “Give Us…Our Daily Bread” II (Divine Downloads)
Welcome to Part 13 of our small group sessions. The last time we met, our subject was “Give us our daily bread.” We discussed the value of eating the food provided in scripture.
Jesus in responding to the disciples urging Him to eat some food, said there was food to eat that they didn’t know anything about. Understand that they had left Him at the well to go and buy food in the city. (See John 4:7-8) Upon their return, they expected and justifiably so that He would have been hungry. Instead, He was busy ministering to a Samaritan woman. Here again was the Lord’s answer:
In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
John 4:31-32 NKJV
What was this food He was talking about? And how was it to be eaten? We will investigate a greater portion of the chapter and other scriptures later to answer this question squarely.
Scripture Memory (Re-read and Recognize)
Please take a few minutes to reread the Memory Verses from previous sessions. Which ones are you most familiar with? Here is a new one: John 3:31. Try it!
Mark 1:35, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, 1 John 2:6, Acts 17:30, Luke 11:13, Galatians 5:22-23, Acts 10:38, Romans 14:17, John 6:35, John 3:31
Guided Discussions.
Divine Downloads
Downloads have become a common word in everyday language. Today we download apps, music, information, books, articles, movies, and whatever has been digitized onto personal computers and smartphones. It has been said that in place of crude oil data is now the most valuable asset/resource in the world. Interestingly, all downloadable information or data is stored in some “cloud” of sorts. Apple and Google are leading cloud managers. Isn’t that interesting?
A divine download is knowing God’s will by revelation about a matter so we can abide by what He has revealed. The Bible talks about Jesus being taken up into the clouds to heaven (He will also descend from Heaven) which is located above not below. In a similar manner that we download information from data clouds today we are able also by God’s grace to download from Heaven critical spiritual data for our work and walk here on earth. Never let the enemy tell you otherwise. The big difference is we make ourselves available for the Lord Himself to initiate whatever He wants to download. See Romans 12:1-2
Read and discuss what you see in the Holy Scriptures.
2 Kings 3:14-20, Matthew 9:1-8, Matthew 16:13-17, John 4:1-42,
- Prophet Elisha received a divine download and prophesied (spoke forth.) 2 Kings 3:15-16.
- Jesus knew the thoughts of the scribes. Matthew 9:1-8
- Peter knew who Jesus was. Matthew 16:13-17.
- Do you think Jesus and anybody else received downloads in His discourse with the Samaritan woman in John 4? If so what were they? Describe your conclusions. See John 4:4, Vs. 16-18, Vs. 28-29, Vs. 32-34, Vs 39-42
Part 13 Summary and Conclusion
We need to hear from our Father in whatever way He chooses to speak to us. When Jesus taught the early disciples to “labor for the bread that does not perish, He reiterated the importance of hearing from God to live our lives successfully on earth. This was exactly what Moses told the Children of Israel in the wilderness when he said “Man shall not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”
May our minds working in consonance with the Holy Spirit in us become a divine data mine for storing Heaven’s precious truths for a blessing to the nations in Jesus’ name.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 NKJV
Prayer Time
- Any Praise Reports or Prayer Requests to share?
- Pray for a hunger for the bread of Heaven (the word) in each of us.
- Pray that as we “Go Deeper With Jesus” in 2024 our minds become a mine of God’s wisdom
- Pray that our witness for Jesus will lead many to a download of who Jesus is.
- Pray for one another as needed.
Announcements
- The Next and last Small Group for this season is on Wednesday, April 24. This will be a time of fellowship and review of the highlights of our discussions.
- Prayer Summit Saturday, May 4, 2024, Noon – 3 pm. Plan to be there and come fasting. Invite someone who is prayer-hungry.