Daily Devotional For Thursday, June 26, 2025
If you have been reading these devotionals, you know we are talking about what does following Christ mean? Jesus said this in John 6:33, “For the Bread of God is the Bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (NIV). Jesus came to give life, not diminish it or burden it, but to give life. I think many Christians forget that Jesus is the only One Who can quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger. There is a huge misunderstanding from those who are asked to allow Jesus to give them His life. They think that this means giving up the things they love in exchange for things they will loathe.
And those who allow Jesus to give them His life then think the goal of our discipleship can be reduced to one simple axiom: try harder. They are told that all pleasures, possessions, pursuits and plaudits are wrong. I think this is why so many people who claim to be a Christian have lives that are not much different from non-Christians. Yes, some things in those “p” words are wrong for the Christian, but not all of them. So, many just resign themselves to a self-defeated attitude and live no differently from the culture and the world around them.
We want Jesus for heaven to escape hell, but then on earth we will live as if it is the opposite. Surveys show today that most Christians are just as humanistic, materialistic and sensual as non-Christians. I think the main reason is – most Christians either do not believe or do not accept Jesus’ words that He spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:13-14, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, (14) but whoever drinks the Water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the Water I give them will become in them a spring of Water welling up to eternal life” (NIV). We may say we believe that Jesus is the only One who can satisfy our thirsts and our hungers, but many times our lives do not demonstrate that.
The Apostle Paul says this in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (NASB). Let’s break this down. “Conformed” is the Greek New Testament word [συσχηματίζω, suschematizo]. This word means “the outward form that varies from year to year and from day to day.” A young man at 17 is not the same young man at 77. He is not the same when dressing to work in the yard versus going to the prom or on a date. So Paul says, “Don’t try to match your life to all the fashions of this world; don’t be like a chameleon which takes its color from its surroundings.” This is where we get our English word “scheme.” Paul says, “Do not scheme with the world to resemble the world.”
Then Paul tells us what we are to do – we are to be transformed. This is the Greek New Testament word [μεταμορφόω, metamorphoo]. This is where we get our English word “metamorphosis". As a Christian we are going through a spiritual metamorphosis in our relationship to Christ. How? Through more church attendance? No. Through more tithing? No. Through the intentional commitment to renew our minds. How? Through renewal. The Greek New Testament word is [ἀνακαίνωσις, anakainosis].This word refers to a new way of thinking, a mind desiring to be conformed to God rather than to the world. We will never be truly transformed without this renewing of our mind.
This means that as we mature in our relationship to Jesus Christ, He changes our tastes so that we now love what He loves and loathe what He loathes. Some think this is automatic, but it is not. Our old sinful nature wants to resurrect its dead self. This is why we have to daily honor this verse. So, let’s look at John 6:35, “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the Bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst’” (NASB). In one statement, Jesus makes it clear that He alone is able to satisfy our hunger and quench our thirst.
This is huge in terms of what it means to be a disciple. This reminds me of Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (NIV). To “taste” Jesus means that once you do, you never want to taste anything else to satisfy your hunger nor quench your thirst. Now please do not misunderstand me. I am NOT implying that everything we taste is bad…. but Jesus. The Lord gave us ears to hear beautiful music or the cry of a baby’s first breath at birth. The Lord gave us eyesight to see beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
The Lord gave us taste buds to enjoy the taste of chocolate cake and sweet tea (if you’re a Southerner, HA!). The Lord gave us sensual desires that are designed to be fulfilled in marriage. The Lord gave us a heart to be sensitive to the grief of a believer, the struggle of someone addicted, and the compassion to give to someone who is excluded. These are good and godly things. In the end we have to remind ourselves that our cravings are not for some-thing, but for Someone – Himself.
Assignment: Ask yourself this question: Do I depend totally on the Lord to satisfy my hungers and to quench my thirsts? Why or why not? Whatever your struggles are, your bad habits are, do you just resign yourself to a defeated attitude? Why or why not? Do you tend to scheme with the world or do resist by transforming your mind? Which hungers and thirsts are you most vulnerable to seek another way other than the Lord to meet them?
Scripture To Meditate On: Ephesians 4:22-24, “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. (23) Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. (24) Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, help me to come to You first to satisfy my hunger and quench my thirsts. Please help me to renew my mind with Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. Please forgive me when I go to something else or someone else. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly