What is Communion?
It’s really easy to forget. Sometimes we can even forget where we are at. Sometimes I even forget what I had for breakfast this morning. Time tends to erase many things. I don’t know about you, but not many people knew their great great grandparents, or even their great grandparents. They may have come from different countries, in different times. My grandfather passed six months ago and I was just recently looking for something when I found a painting of my favorite team, the Lakers. I did the painting when I was in middle school. That painting brought my grandfather to mind. It was dedicated to him, so I thought: why is it, it’s only been six months, why am I not thinking of my grandfather that often? It’s not that I have completely forgotten about him, I was just not thinking about him recently. Because time erases things, Jesus wants us to commune with him daily, even participating in the supper he left for us to remember him with. Communion is more that a piece of bread and grape juice, though it does not have to be fancy. God does not need communion to connect with us. He is always there. It is for us, because we are human and we forget things and we tend to get consumed with our kids, our jobs, our problems. We tend to forget what Jesus has done for us. Communion is a symbolic act. If you read about it, at the end of the book of Luke, they are having a meal. They are in a house and they are having a meal together when Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Hours later, Jesus was to be arrested, beaten, he was going to be falsely accused and he was going to die. Jesus death was not in a special way for those times. A lot of people were killed in that grotesque way, being crucified on a cross. But we do not remember so much the details of the way he died, we remember what he did three days later. Jesus conquered death and is alive to live with us today. This is what we celebrate! The rememberance of him on the cross is a sign of his love for us. We don’t want to forget that Jesus needed to die for us. We could not save ourselves. He died for our sins, to make us right with God. Communion is a way of saying ‘Thank you, Jesus.’ It is a moment to pause, to be grateful, to celebrate, to block all the noise and remember what he did for us, to remember how much he loves us. And to celebrate our life with him. The Daily Communion Blogger.
How often do we commune?
As a person who takes communion daily, I have encountered some concerns from others. They wonder: If you do it every day, doesn’t it lose some of its meaning? Does it become rote or repetitive? As the “Daily Communion Blogger”, I would like to address these questions. For me, the more important question is: Why don’t we do it more often? Communion is a celebration of the relationship that we have with Jesus Christ, as part of his body. It’s like the relationship of a wife to her husband. You would never say we shouldn’t spend so much time celebrating our relationship. Or we wouldn’t say that we should limit our time together to once a week because we don’t want our time together to lose its meaning or become rote. No, we actually want to cherish every opportunity we can have together as husband and wife. By communing with Him, including partaking of the Lord’s Supper, we are taking advantage of the opportunity to celebrate His provision for us that came from His undying love and favor toward us. If you think about 1 Corinthians 10 and Paul’s words about when we partake of the bread and the cup. He said, “As often as you do it, remember Him.” In other words, Paul wants us to keep Christ as the center of partaking of the cup and the bread. How often is this: as often as we do it. For many people, doing it often or even daily is the choice that they make. Also, it’s helpful to consider that we can’t have the Lord’s supper too frequently any more than we can have a sermon, the preaching of the word, too frequently. We generally wear our wedding rings daily as a reminder of our marriage covenant. The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of God’s new covenant with us that was made by the spilled blood of Jesus. God is the one who made the promise to accept us as his children because of Jesus’ sacrifice. He seals that promise with the Lord’s Supper, a recurring reminder of His promise to us. God himself, in Christ his son, pledged by word and deed that he is ours and we are his. This pledge is celebrated and remembered with the Lord’s Supper. We aren’t always perfect. Yet, though we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot break his oath to us. So, for all the people who were curious about communing daily, we do it because it is our privilege! We are happy for those who join us for the celebration. May God Bless You The Daily Communion Blogger
3 tips on How to take Communion
In this blog, I want to share with you a simple three-step process for how to take communion. Respecting and honoring God with communion is not reserve reserved for Sunday or special days like Easter. I want to encourage that any time you take communion to remember and to practice these three things. Now, step number one is to REFLECT. Oftentimes, we don’t take enough time to actually reflect on the sacrifice, the suffering, and the pain that Jesus Christ went through on the cross to pay for our sins. As a matter of fact, Jesus said, “As often as you eat of this bread and drink of this cup, do it in remembrance of me.” Think, remember and reflect on Jesus! So, for just a few moments while you’re reading this blog and every single time you take communion, I want you to start reflecting. I want you to reflect on the fact that they stripped Jesus of his clothes and humiliated him. I want you to reflect on the fact that they took a crown of thorns and pressed it into his forehead; the thorns went into his head and the blood came streaming down. I want you to reflect on the fact that they took whips and whipped Jesus, they took rods and beat him, they took a spear and pierced him in his side, they took nails and nailed his hands and feet to the cross. Simply take a few moments to reflect on the sacrifice, the suffering, and the pain that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ went through on the cross for you and for me. And, my friends, if we do that first step, it will naturally lead to the second step. The second step, which is not only to reflect but also to REPENT. My friends, whenever we take communion, this is a great opportunity for us to take a close look at our own lives and see if there’s anything standing between us and God or us and others. See if there’s anything that we’ve said, anything that we thought, anything that we’ve done that might be offensive to the God or hurtful to other people. Repent means to ‘change our mind.’ We need change our mind about the wrong things we are doing; we need to let go, we need to forgive and we need to receive God’s forgiveness, committing in our heart that we will respond to Jesus’s great love for us by loving Him back and putting His will in front our our own. Getting our hearts right with God before communion is so important. Paul actually tells the people of Corinth, in Corinthians chapter 11… “So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.” The good news Paul also passed on is this…“If we would examine ourselves (there’s that phrase again), we would not be judged by God in this way.” If you do these first two steps, then it’s going to ultimately lead you to the third and final step. The third step is to REJOICE. And, my friends, this is the time for all of us to shout with joy. This is the time for us to celebrate. This is the time for us to thank God and rejoice because God could have left us in our sin. God could have left you in your mess. But He did not! God came and loved you and I enough to die on the cross and pay the price for our sins, for the sins that He didn’t even commit, and to transform our lives so that we are not the people that we used to be. My friends, this is giving us every reason to simply rejoice and thank God. So, the next time you take communion, we need to reflect, also to repent, and then finally we need to rejoice. And here comes my final thought. You don’t have to wait until communion Sunday in order to take communion. You can do this in your home. You can do this with your spouse, you can do this with your children, you can do it DAILY. And it is a powerful experience, it’s becoming part of the powerful movement of the Holy Ghost whenever you are spending time with God and share His Last Supper either by yourself or in a small group of people or with loved ones. Do it often and let me know how God meets and blesses you. What are your thoughts about communion? Are there any other tips that you would want to add? Let me know, “The daily communion blogger”, in the comment section below and let’s talk about it. If you found this blog helpful, feel free to share it with a friend. God bless you.
What does Communion really mean?
Let me tell you a quick story. Really early when I began praying and going to church, we were celebrating communion. It was my time to lead. So I said a few words before we began the celebration. We started taking communion and when the whole group of people left, there was just this guy, his fiance, their three-year-old and I should mention that she was about eight and a half months pregnant. So there they were and, for better or worse, I decided to give them communion. I said, “Take and eat the body of Christ.” The pastor came along with the wine. “Take and drink. This is the blood of Christ.” The pregnant woman, she grabbed the cup and she looked at me and she whispered, “Sir, is this real wine?” So I tried to respectfully say, “Yes. It is real wine.” And her fiance started to get embarrassed. And he said, “Just drink it.” She said, “I can’t. I’m pregnant.” She was mentally wrestling back and forth. And, finally, she looked at the pastor with these big eyes and she said, “Pastor. Will this hurt me?” Her fiance was so embarrassed, he said, “Fine.” And he drank his cup. He grabbed hers. To be honest, it was a bit embarrassing for all of us, but we got through. A few months later they joined a Bible class and we talked about communion. I remember, in the class, she put her hand up and asked the pastor, “Pastor. I’m not sure if, at that time, we totally understood what was happening.” Thankfully, she finally understood. That encounter made a lasting impression on me. You see, both those people had grown up in church. Both of them had celebrated communion before. But when the pastor actually talked to them about what communion was, neither of them really understood it. They didn’t know what it was or exactly why they were doing it. They just kind of grew up in churches where communion happened. This is why I take helping people understand about communion very seriously. I want everyone to receive this great gift that Jesus intended. Unfortunately, I also know that some people just grow up in religious homes. And they don’t fully grasp what Jesus did for us as represented in communion is about. I think about what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11. This is, by the way, probably the best chapter to hear what the Bible says about communion. Near the end of that chapter, it says: There’s something really interesting about communion. It apparently can bless you or if you take it in the wrong way, it can hurt you. It can forgive your sins or you can actually sin while taking it. It’s almost like a prescription medicine. Right? In and of itself, it’s a good thing that can really help people. But I’m guessing the last time you went to the doctor, the prescription meds weren’t in the lobby for you to decide what you should take and what you shouldn’t. No. It took someone who knew the medicine, who would examine you, and help you figure out what medicine fit your need. If you can understand the similarity, you need to examanine yourself and make sure that communion ‘fits’… This means: forgive and receive forgiveness. Writing this blog, is my way, as best I can, have a quick conversation or two with you to bring to mind our union in Jesus. I enjoy talking about the beauty of communion.And then to encourage you to really celebrate. Not with you wondering, “What is this?” But with you knowing exactly what this is. So, however your church practices communion, I hope you take it seriously. Communion is a great, wondeful gift from God. It’s a wonderful way for God to connect with usand forgive us of our sins. And we thank Jesus when we do it well and Biblically. Let’s pray. Dear Jesus,We understand that there is no appendix in the Bible to know exactly how to do communionor how often to do communion. Or nothings tells us how to know all the right things to say before we take communion.But, we really do want to be faithful. But we do want there to be a real union with you and with one another as we celebrate this gift. So, give all of us wisdom as people of faith to know how honor you as we celebrate communion. We ask all of this, Jesus, in your incredible name. Amen.
Let’s take communion at home
Communion is a tradition that followers of Jesus have practiced for millennia. It’s a moment for us to pause, reflect, and remember Jesus’ sacrifice. Communion also reminds us that we are part of a worldwide church. Despite our diverse origins and languages, we are united in this celebration. Don’t worry; it’s not complicated. Anyone who has chosen to follow Jesus can partake. First, find something to eat and drink. While bread and juice are commonly used, any available food and drink will suffice. As you prepare, I’ll share more about the significance of communion. On the night before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, he shared a final meal with his disciples. He distributed bread and wine, asking them to consume these as a remembrance of his life and sacrificial death. The bread symbolized his body, broken for us, and the wine, his blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins. These elements are symbolic, and communion can be observed with any food and drink. Jesus used bread and wine; I’m using a cracker and water. Use what you have. Now that you have your food and drink, let’s pray. God, as we take this time to remember your Son’s sacrifice and death on the cross for our sins, please remove all distractions, allowing us to focus solely on you and your Son’s sacrifice. In Jesus’ name, amen. On the night he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and said, “This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Let’s eat together, reflecting on Jesus’ love and his life given for us all. Similarly, after supper, he took a cup of wine, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people, confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me whenever you drink it.” Let’s drink together, contemplating Jesus’ sacrifice and how his death grants us new life. Let’s pray again. God, we are immensely grateful for who you are and for your Son’s sacrifice. We cherish the new covenant that allows us to have a relationship with you. God, as we go about our lives, help us to remember not only your sacrifice but also the example set by the Lord Jesus. We thank you, in Jesus’ name. Amen. Thank you for sharing communion with me and the Daily Communion family. I hope this experience encourages you to regularly pause and reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice through communion, not just today, but in the weeks, months, and years to come. ~~~~~~~~~~BingCommunion is a tradition that followers of Jesus have practiced for millennia. It’s a moment for us to pause, reflect, and remember Jesus’ sacrifice. Communion also reminds us that we are part of a worldwide church. Despite our diverse origins and languages, we are united in this practice. Don’t worry; it’s not complicated. Anyone who has chosen to follow Jesus can partake. First, find something to eat and drink. While bread and juice are commonly used, any available food and drink will suffice. As you prepare, I’ll share more about the significance of communion. On the night before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, he shared a final meal with his disciples. He distributed bread and wine, asking them to consume these as a remembrance of his life and sacrificial death. The bread symbolized his body, broken for us, and the wine, his blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins. These elements are symbolic, and communion can be observed with any food and drink. Jesus used bread and wine; I’m using a cracker and water. Use what you have. Now that you have your food and drink, let’s pray. God, as we take this time to remember your Son’s sacrifice and death on the cross for our sins, please remove all distractions, allowing us to focus solely on you and your Son’s sacrifice. In Jesus’ name, amen. On the night he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and said, “This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Let’s eat together, reflecting on Jesus’ love and his life given for us all. Similarly, after supper, he took a cup of wine, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people, confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me whenever you drink it.” Let’s drink together, contemplating Jesus’ sacrifice and how his death grants us new life. Let’s pray again. God, we are immensely grateful for who you are and for your Son’s sacrifice. We cherish the new covenant that allows us to have a relationship with you. God, as we go about our lives, help us to remember not only your sacrifice but also the example set by the Lord Jesus. We thank you, in Jesus’ name. Amen. Thank you for sharing communion with me and the Daily Communion family. I hope this experience encourages you to regularly pause and reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice through communion, not just today, but in the weeks, months, and years to come. ~~~~~~~~~Original.Communion is a practice that followers of Jesus have been doing for thousands of years. It’s an opportunity for us to pause, reflect, and remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Communion is also a way for us to remember that we’re part of a global church. Even though we come from different places and speak different languages, we can all share in communion. Don’t worry. It’s not complicated and anyone who has decided to follow Jesus can participate. First, find something to eat and drink. You may have seen communion presented with bread and juice but it can be anything that you have available. We’ll get started in a minute and you can keep reading as you get ready and I’ll share a little bit more about communion. On the night of Jesus’ arrest and death on the cross, he gathered his friends for a final meal. Jesus passed bread and wine around the table and
Prayers Before Communion
Let’s pray before having communion together: Father, we believe in your son the Lord Jesus. We believe in your amazing love for us. Father God, in the name of Jesus, we recognize that we have a covenant with you. This New Covenant was ratified by the shed blood of Jesus on the cross at Calvary. Right now, we acknowledge that Jesus bore our sins, our sicknesses, diseases, sorrows, griefs, fears, torments, unforgiveness, strife, and lack for us. Everything on that cross. Yes, Lord, we believe that Jesus’ body was broken for us. His precious blood was shed on our behalf. We praise and thank you for Jesus. Glory to your name. By Jesus’ stripes, we are healed in every cell, in every organ, in every function of our body. Thanks to Jesus, our youth is renewed with long life. You will satisfy us, Father. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we have total and complete redemption. We are totally delivered from the devil in every single way. We are new creations in Christ. Our freedom has been bought and paid for. Yes, we are forgiven. We are redeemed. We are free. Hallelujah. In Jesus’ name, we give you thanks. The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread and when he had given thanks, he brake it and said, “Take, eat. This is my body which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me.” We will eat now. Thank you, Father. After the same manner also, he took the cup which he had supped, saying, “This cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” We take the cup in our hand and hold it up to you right now, Father. This represents the blood of the new covenant in which all our sins, past, present, and future, are all remitted. They are all forgiven through the blood of Jesus. Praise your Holy Name. Through his blood, we and our family are redeemed from every, every ancestral curse, from every single curse of the law. Let’s pray again!Thank you. We will drink now. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You’re a good, good God. You gave up your Son to remove the barrier standing between you and us. Thank you so much, Father. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you that above all else, you desire that we prosper and be in health, even as our soul prospers. We declare a new dimension of health, a new level of faith, a new realm of energy and divine strength. We declare that we are living, walking testimonies to all those around us who are defeated in this world. We have victory and new life in Jesus. Oh, that the world would come to know you. Protect, preserve, bless, and reach every single person in our family and our friends in the wonderful and precious name of Jesus. We pray, amen.
How do I get closer to God?
If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you may have experienced moments when God seemed distant. Reflecting on your life, there are likely times when you felt close to God and confident in your beliefs. Perhaps an inspiring sermon or a refreshing retreat bolstered your faith, or you had a consistent routine of devotions. But now, things feel dry, and with this dryness comes guilt. You might wonder, “What’s wrong with me? Why does God feel far away? What should I do?” Today’s blog aims to address these questions as best we can. We’ll explore how to get right with God and offer four helpful tips for Christians struggling to find God amidst their hardships. Tip number one: Go to the cross.While this blog presents four tips to help you get right with God, it’s crucial to grasp this fundamental truth: You cannot get right with God on your own. Many fall into the trap of thinking, “I need to clean up my life to get right with God.” But getting right with God isn’t about praying and reading the Bible daily, consistent church attendance, or tithing. To elaborate, God is holy, perfect, and just beyond measure. Being good in the present doesn’t erase past failures or future mistakes. We lie, act selfishly, and may struggle with past sins like sexual immorality or bitterness. We’re sinners, and Romans 6:23 states that the wages of sin is death. Jesus died on the cross to pay our penalty, dying in our place. Believing that Jesus died for our sins allows us to have a close relationship with a perfect and holy God. Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved—saved from hell and eternal separation from God. So, when you feel the need to get right with God, remember that it’s not about doing good deeds. You’re right with God by acknowledging His love and accepting Jesus’ sacrifice for the wrongs you have done. Reading, praying, and attending church should stem from gratitude and love for God, not from trying to earn His favor. Focus on your relationship with God, not on following rules. Tip number two: Feelings are not reliable; God’s word is.It’s essential to understand that feelings can differ from reality. In John 14:16, Jesus promises His disciples an advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will never leave them and lead them into all truth. Despite feelings of distance, if you’re a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells within you and is close to you. Romans 8:38-39 assures us that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Our feelings can mislead us, making us think God is far or loves us less, but the truth is that God is near and nothing can sever His love. To align your feelings with truth, regularly read God’s Word. Tip number three: Input equals output.Galatians 6:7-8 warns us not to be deceived; we reap what we sow. If your life were a field, you’d plant seeds for the fruit you want to harvest. Reflect on what you’re sowing in your life. Excessive social media, binge-watching videos, or endless entertainment can drown out God’s voice. Consider your eyes and ears as gateways to your heart. What grows there depends on what you plant. Are you nurturing your faith with prayer, scripture, fellowship, and service? When engaging in spiritual practices, disconnect from distractions to focus. Tip number four: Sin can destroy.This tip relates to the previous one. In your life’s field, something harmful might be growing unchecked. James 1:14-15 explains that temptation leads to sin, and sin leads to death and Hell. Sin can ruin relationships, confidence, and intimacy with God. Following God requires denying sinful desires and carrying our cross daily, as Jesus instructs in Luke 9:23. Examine your life for sin and take steps to remove it, seeking help if needed. Jesus emphasizes the seriousness of dealing with sin in Matthew 5:30. In summary, we’ve shared four tips on getting right with God: As you pursue God, remember James 4:8’s promise: Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. God isn’t a distant deity; He desires a relationship with you. Our prayer for you is that you continue in your walk with God, understanding that you are going to have some high points and some low points. God uses both. So keep going and know that Jesus loves you. God bless.