What is “Sweet Bread” and how can I get it?
We read in the New Testament where one day one of Jesus’ disciples made the request, “Lord teach us how to pray.” Jesus then gave them what is known as the “Lord’s prayer”. He said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us each day our daily bread.—”
The prayer went on a little more, but lets stop and look at this last sentence. “Give us each day our daily bread.”
Jesus’ Hebrew disciples understood the significance of this statement on two levels, from history and from personal experience.
They knew that nearly 1,500 years earlier in the history of the Jewish nation, God had literally supplied their forefathers with bread from heaven on a daily basis. This was recorded in what they had for a Bible, (what we would refer to as the Old Testament).
They also knew that this bread from heaven, called manna, was no ordinary bread. It was recorded that this bread tasted like it was made with honey. In other words it was special, it was “Sweet Bread”.
Jesus’ disciples had also already seen Him feed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread, on more than one occasion, along with many, many other miracles. Blind people had received their sight, sick people had been healed, dead people had been raised and sinners had been set free from the bondage of sin, just to name a few.
They understood that the “daily bread” He was talking about, was more than just food for the stomach. No doubt they were familiar with verses from the Old Testament that showed this. Like;
Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.
Psalm 63:5, “My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods, with singing lips my mouth will praise Him.”
Isaiah 55:1-3, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.”
As was already stated, at that time all they had for a Bible was the Old Testament, but now we have the New Testament also, which tells us about Jesus and what He did for us.
It is clear that the Old Testament “foretells” the New Testament, and that the New Testament “fulfills” the Old Testament. After studying the Bible as a whole, we see it over and over again. The two fit together like a hand in a glove.
Hebrews chapters 7-8 in the New Testament goes into great detail about how this works. It shows that Jesus is the embodiment of the Old Testament prophesies and that this “new covenant” or agreement, not only fulfills, but is superior to the “old covenant” because it is based on “grace” rather than “law”.
Jesus talks about this in John chapter 6, in verses 48-51 He says, “I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”
So we find that Jesus is the true “Sweet Bread”. Just ask anybody who has been physically or emotionally healed in the name of Jesus how “Sweet” it is, or ask someone who has been delivered from the bondage of an addiction in the name of Jesus how “Sweet” it is. What might be even more convincing would be to ask a person who displays peace, joy, and contentment, despite great suffering, when Jesus is Lord of their life!
So maybe you’re asking yourself, “How can I get this Sweet Bread?”
If we look at both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the answer is the same.
Exodus 16 tells us that the Lord sent the manna from heaven every morning, (except on the Sabbath). The people were then responsible for going out and collecting what the Lord had provided for them each day, it could not be saved up, (except for the day before the Sabbath). It took some daily effort on their part, but this interaction is what sustained them.
Jesus says in John 6:35, “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.”
In both cases we see God supplying for people, but we also see that each person is then responsible for collecting, or accepting what the Lord has provided.
Do you eat once a week? How about twice a week? Almost all of us would say “no” to these questions because we understand that our physical body needs daily food to operate at its peak.
So it is with our spiritual body. We need a daily relationship with Jesus to operate at our spiritual peak. Some people are under the impression that if they go to church once a week, or pray once in a while, they are spiritually ok. But, just like physical food, spiritual food must be consumed daily or we will begin to starve in a spirtitual sense.
No matter how often we eat physical food there will come a day when we will die. Jesus told us that when we partake of Him, the Living Bread, we will live forever. He is talking about eternal life with Him in heaven.
The living God wants a daily relationship with us that lasts forever, because that’s how much He loves us. I’m convinced this is the reason why He compares our relationship to Him, with that of a husband and a wife. It is the best analogy He can use to show us what type of relationship He desires to have with us, an intimate relationship based on love.
Once we truly begin to understand just how much God loves each of us, we will never be the same. It will affect every area of our life. Our priorities will change and we will find ourselves yearning to be used by God and overjoyed when we are. Spending time in prayer and worship will not be a chore, but a delight!
At one time or another we will each face various problems in this life. Health problems, financial problems, relationship problems, and spiritual issues are just some of the many. A personal relationship with Jesus is the only way we can face these challenges and have continued hope for the future. While this doesn’t make us immune to life’s problems, it provides us with a foundation that we can stand on as we deal with the problems.
If you would like to take Jesus up on His offer, and are ready to have a personal relationship with Him, please go to the “Plan Of Salvation” page for an easy step by step guide.
If you would like to learn more about what this daily relationship with God can involve, you can go to “Saved By Angels” page, or the “Media Center” and view or listen to the part-1 and part-2 videos titled “God Talks To Everyday People Are You Listening?”. For even more detail you can go to the “What We Offer” page and order the book, “Saved By Angels To Share How God Talks To Everyday People”.
Jesus said that He comes to the door of our heart and knocks, I pray that you are led to open the door and begin an eternal relationship with Him!
Plan of Salvation
What would you say is the most important decision a person will ever make?
What their job is? Who they will marry? Where they will live? What investments they will assemble?
We could list several important decisions that a person must make in this life, but there is only one decision that will determine where we will spend eternity.
Each of us has the choice to live in heaven forever, or be confined to hell forever. This means eternal joy, or eternal suffering when we leave this world. We get to choose!
Please don’t be confused, religion won’t save you, only a relationship with the Lord will, (Matthew 7:21-27). This means we don’t get to go to heaven based on how “good” of a person we are, what church we belong to, (or don’t), or how much money we have given to charity.
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
This simple verse has been called the “gospel in a nutshell” because it gives us all the important facts about our salvation. Please read it again and look for the “who”, “why”, “what”, “where”, and “how” of etrnal life.
There is an example in the Bible where the apostle Peter was preaching to a crowd and telling them about this “gospel truth” and the people cried out, “What shall we do?”
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-” (Acts 2:37-39)
Friend be assured that this “plan of salvation”, this blue print for eternal life also applies to you and to me!
The Bible tells us that God loves all people, (regardless of what we’ve done), He is patient with us and that He doesn’t want any one to perish, but wants all men to be saved from an eternity in hell. (John 3:16, 1st Timothy 2:3-4, 2nd Peter 3:9)
If we look at Peter’s words he first says that we should repent. To start this process we need to admit that we are sinners. (If you have ever sinned, you are a sinner. Romans 3:23).
After we realize our sinfulness we must aknowledge that the Bible says the wages of sin is death, (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God, (going to hell). (2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9) These truths should create in us a Godly sorrow for our sins that leads us to repent, or desire to turn away from our sins. (2 Corinthians 7:8-11)
Because God loves each of us so much, He sent Jesus to bear our sin and die in our place. (John 3:16)
Romans 5:8 says it this way, “God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Although we can’t understand how, the Bible says that our sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place as our substitute. On Easter morn He rose back to life and thereby conquered sin, death, and the devil. It is Christ’s blood and resurection that assures us of everlasting life when we make Him our Lord and Savior. This is God’s “plan of salvation” for us.
Romans 10:9-10 shows us how easy it is to implement this plan. It says, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
If you understand that you are a sinner, and you believe that Jesus came for the purpose of saving us from the penalty, power, and presence of sin, then you understand God’s “plan of salvation” for us. It is available to all who would accept it. Faith is the only condition and this is not from ourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)
The question is have you accepted this gift? Have you made Jesus your Lord and Savior? Do you realize that the spirit inside of you will either spend eternity in heaven, or eternity in hell?
You might think that you don’t have to make this decision today. Be Careful!!! Some of the people reading this have less time left on this earth than they might think. Please understand that this is not some lame scare tactic, it is the simple truth. Things beyond our control can happen in the blink of an eye. Just pick up any newspaper for the proof.
If you desire to take God up on His offer, then just pray a simple prayer like this;
“Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I am sorry for all the things that I have done wrong and I ask for your forgiveness. Jesus I want you to be my Lord and Savior and I yield my life to you. Please send your Holy Spirit to live inside of me and guide me for the rest of my days. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”
If you decided to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, congradulations and welcome into God’s family! Please contact us and let us know of your decision.
Your next step should be to get baptized as commanded By Jesus.
Find other believers that can answer your questions, support you, and fellowship with you.
Get involved with a local church where you can regularly worship the Lord.
Read the Bible and pray daily so that you will mature in you relationship and grow closer with the Lord.
May God bless you and your relationship with Him.
Statement of Faith
1. The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, that it was inspired by Him and therefore is the supreme authority that declares His design and plan for mankind. (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21, Matthew 5:17-19, John 6:45)
2. The Trinity
We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that they work in harmony with each other towards one common purpose, refered to as the will of God. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 1:9-11, John 1:1-5, Acts 1:4-5)
3. Jesus
We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary and is true God and true man. He led a sinless life and performed many miracles until He was sacrificed on the cross for our sin. We believe according to Scripture that after 3 days in the tomb He bodily rose from the dead, later ascended into heaven and is there now at the right hand of God as head of the Church and as our advocate and intercessor. (Luke 1:26-38, Mark 15:25-16:8, John 10:30, Acts 1:1-11)
4. Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned willingly, and thereby ushered evil into the world, causing physical and spiritual death. We believe that everyone has sinned many times in their lives and that this erects a barrier between man and God that man is not capable of overcoming on his own. We therefore all deserve eternal separation from God. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 3:1-19, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12-14)
5. Substitutionary Atonement
We believe that Jesus was our substitutionary sacrifice on the cross. In other words we believe that He took the sins (all the things that we do against God, each other, and ourselves) of the world on His shoulders, and died on the cross in our place, as our substitute. So Jesus completely atoned for, or payed the penalty for all our sins, past, present, and future. It was through this method that God was able to satisfy both His perfect righteousness and justice while at the same time demonstrating His amazing love and mercy. (1 John 2:1-2, 1 Peter 3:18, Romans 3:23-26, Romans 5:15-19)
6. Death
We believe physical death is the separation of the spirit from the body. When a believer dies his/her spirit goes to be with the Lord. When an unbeliever dies his/her spirit goes to a place of torment awaiting the final judgement where he/she will be consigned to eternal punishment. This shows that death is the beginning of our future, not the end of the story. (Acts 7:54-59, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, Philippians 1:21-23, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
7. Salvation
We believe that every person can have restored fellowship with God, or become a child of God by trusting Jesus to forgive his/her sins and save him/her from eternal condemnation. This happens when we acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior, repent of our sins, and put ourselves under His authority. Salvation is by God’s grace (undeserved love), through faith in Jesus, apart from works (good deeds) performed by man. If you desire to become a saved child of God, please go to the “Plan of Salvation” page for a step by step guide. Please beware that this decision has eternal consequences either way. (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 8:34-38, 1 Corinthians 2:2, Ephesians 2:8-9)
8. The Christian’s Role
We believe the Christian is called to be God’s representative and witness to the world. Due to this a Christian should live a “Holy” life or a life that is distinctly different from other people. We believe this is only possible when an individual yields to the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit in his/her life. We do not believe we are perfect; we just love God and want to live in a way that makes Him happy as a response to His love for us. God does not call us to live apart from the world, but rather in the world so that others might see God and His truths lived out through His people. Every Christian must have concern for the needs of others and be a servant as Jesus was. Therefore love is the ultimate sign of a Christian heart. (Matthew 20:26-28, John 17:13-19, Galatians 5:16-26, Philippians 2:1-8)
9. Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God has given you many gifts and talents. We believe that the Holy Spirit adds to those natural gifts and talents as He chooses with a whole new set of gifts. It is the believer’s privilege and responsibilty to eagerly desire, understand, develop, and properly use these gifts within the Church and with people in the world around him/her. We believe that these gifts are to be prayerfuly tempered with balance and self control. We also believe that although the gifts are all different, together they compliment each other and are used for the common good of the Church body. (Romans 12:1-8, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:7-13, 1 Peter 4:10-11)
10. The Church And Its Mission
We believe God saves people individually but He has called them to be a part of the community of believers past and present, which is His Church. This group consists of people who throughout time have accepted God’s offer of redemption through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ (regardless of religous denomination, social class, race, or gender). We believe that the Church’s mission is to reach all people with the Gospel of salvation, to help everyone grow in their knowledge and understanding of God, and to cultivate their relationship with Him and with others. We also believe the most powerful, honest, and effective method of encouraging people to meet Christ is through living a life that demonstrates the power and effectiveness of knowing Christ ourselves. (Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 13:29, Romans 10:12-15, Galatians 3:26-29)
11. Intimate Relationship
We believe that the Lord desires to have an intimate relationship with each one of us. This involves learning about Him, talking to Him, and listening to Him. One way He makes this relationship personal is through the seven different ways that He communicates with us. (See the “Saved By Angels” page for more on this.) A relationship with God (Jesus) is the only thing that will fulfill our deepest longings here on earth and get us into heaven, therefore this relationship should be at the top of our priority list. Once we realize how much God loves us it will affect every area of our lives. (See “What Is Sweet Bread And How Can I Get It?” Page) (1 Timothy 2:3-4, 2 Peter 3:9, Acts 4:12, Luke 19:5-10)
12. The Return Of The Lord
We believe that Jesus is preparing to come back and establish a new world using those that know and serve Him. Our Lord’s return will be visible and universal; it will be the end of history as we know it. We do not know the time of His second coming, therefore it is our duty to live in readiness. We believe that there will be a bodily ressurection of both the saved and the unsaved. At the time of the final judgement the saved will enjoy living with the Lord forever in His kingdom, while the unsaved will be confined to eternal punishiment in the lake of fire. (Matthew 24:42-44, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, Revelation 21:1-8)