“4 Fried Chickens and a Coke”

When Jake and Elwood are rounding up the old band members, they stop in at the Soul Food Café, sit at the counter and place an order. Jake looks at the woman behind the counter (played by the great Aretha Franklin) and says: “Bring me four fried chickens and a Coke.”

That is one big appetite!

We might not have a healthy enough appetite to eat four chickens, but we normally eat to get full and to be satisfied. What about when we are sick or under the weather? We might not want to eat or try but just can’t. We mentally crave a meal but our bodies won’t cooperate. There might also be times when you dislike the food and don not want to eat what is placed in front of you or you might just crave something different. Has this ever happened to you? How did you feel? I bet you felt hungry or underfed.

We can relate this to our spiritual appetite. The Lord always has plenty for us to eat, but sometimes, we are not hungry, or we want something different. We do not always want to read the Bible, we do not always want to pray…and that leaves us spiritually hungry. Sometimes we are spiritually ill. We crave for the Lord’s guidance and love, but not sure where to start. We may even feel lost. Have you ever been to a restaurant and been handed a huge menu with tons of choices? You are hungry but really not sure what you want or have trouble trying to find something you like. By the time you decide, you are almost full from the free bread!

Man cannot live on bread alone. We need to be fed by the Word of the Lord.
-Deuteronomy 8:3

We need to find ways into God’s Word in a way that accommodates our taste and appetite. If you don’t like to pray, try just talking aloud without any formal etiquette behind it. Just spill your thoughts to God, he’s listening! Or, have someone pray for you or with you until you are more comfortable with your own style. If you are having trouble reading the Bible, try finding a daily devotional with a message that you can understand. That is a perfect way to start getting into God’s Word.

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.” -Jeremiah 15:16

Dear Lord, thank you for always keeping us fed. Thank you for the guidance that your Word gives us. Give us an appetite for feasting on your gifts to us and let us not go hungry. 
Amen.

-J

“Our lady of blessed acceleration don't fail me now!”

Elwood: “They're not gonna catch us. We're on a mission from God.”

Throughout the entire movie, Jake and Elwood seem to find themselves running from the law and ending up in a massive high speed police chase resulting in a record-breaking amount of car collisions.

This reminds me of how we tend to attempt running away from God. We sometimes hear what His wants are for us, and we flee in the other direction trying to hide.
“One day the Lord told Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and say to the people, "The Lord has seen your terrible sins. You are doomed!" Instead, Jonah ran from the Lord. He went to the seaport of Joppa and bought a ticket on a ship that was going to Spain. Then he got on the ship and sailed away to escape.” -Jonah 1:1-3
 
Are you running from God? Well I’ve got news for you…You can’t out run or hide from God! Eventually we all get “caught.” We run from God all the time, sometimes without even knowing it. We need to learn that God is on our side. He’s our buddy, our pal, and is there when we need Him most. At times it may feel as if He is letting things happen a certain way to punish us, and we tend to turn away from Him asking, “Why God?” The “why” is that we learn about our purpose and how to be a better Christian when we are put to the test. We learn to lean on God to get us through the rough times.(Proverbs 3:5)
I mean, if He is the one that led us down our path, why would he not be there along the way and when we reach the end? Remember, even Jonah was saved from the belly of a whale after he realized he couldn’t hide and he reached out to God.

The Lord tells us in the Bible, “Do not fear, for I am with you.”-Isaiah 41:10

Dear Lord, We thank you for being a God of compassion and for loving us with more than we can ever imagine. Help us to not run from you, but to lean on you for support when the going gets tough. May we be comforted in your presence and know that we are walking each day at your side, for you are always with us. Amen.

-J

"Hit It"

After Jake and Elwood snuck out of the Big Show at the performance hall, they hopped in their car to race to the Chicago tax office. The Blues Brothers were confident about their expectations…despite an army of a police force chasing them all the way there! They knew that God sent them on a mission and that they would succeed. 

What can you say about the expectations of your mission in life? Are you confident that God will see you through?

The book of Exodus tells us about a story of Moses. He was told by God to go before a mighty Egyptian Pharaoh and demand that he free the Israelites he had enslaved. Moses had confident expectations that God would be there for him and his people. He was confident that God would do what He promised. The Pharaoh eventually, after many plagues, freed the Israelites and Moses led them away. 

I have recently struggled with my own confident expectation…for this very devotional. I have been plagued with “writer’s block” for two weeks and could not think of any details to expand on the many ideas I have for posts to this very blog. I was at first worried about not being able to come up with an entry for my beloved readers, but I was faithful and reliant on God to be with me and to send me words to give to you.

God gives us challenges, but also knows our limitations. He will never give us more than we can handle. All we have to do is know that God will see us through. We have to be confident in our expectations. “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”-Hebrews 12:1 We will sometimes struggle during the race, but we need to run with endurance, meaning we keep faithful that God will see us through. We need not to give up because we cannot see the finish line.

Dear Lord, thank you for always watching over us and for seeing us through our rough times. It is great to know that you will not give us more than we can bear. We will be faithful when you lead us to the unknown with knowledge that you will guide us. What a blessing this is. May your name be praised always. Amen

-J

“S.C.M.O.D.S.”

In The Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood get pulled over after Elwood fails to stop at a red light, which he thought was yellow. He talks to Jake briefly while the officers check Elwood's license.


Elwood: Man, I haven't been pulled over in six months. I bet those cops have got "SCMODS".
Jake: "SCMODS?"
Elwood: "State County Municipal Offender Data System."


I have a way that you can apply SCMODS as a daily affirmation for your walk with Christ. Just remember these three things:

S hare

C hrist with others;

M editate

O n the Word;

D aily

S urrender yourself

The world today can be busy. We get so lost in our daily routines and what we want for us, that we forget about what Christ wants us to do, live for Him. But if we remember "SCMODS," then we have a good start at changing our routine to live our lives the way God wants us to. Everyday we need to find a way to tell someone about Christ. We need to read the Bible, God’s word for us, everyday. Even if it’s just one verse a day, read it and meditate on what in means. And last but not least, surrender yourself daily to God. Pray your praises and concerns to Him each day. Let God take over your day each day. Listen when He is trying to speak to you.


If we do these three things each and everyday, then we are fulfilling God purpose for us. These things are easy to do once you get the hang of it and it’s the least we could do in return for the amazing love that God has for us.


Dear Lord, thank you for your awesome love. Teach us to be your hands and feet in this world. Help us to remember this daily affirmation, to grow closer to you and to help us bring others to you. We want to always have you on our minds so that we are ready to share you with others. We want to read your word and grow closer to you. We want you to come into our lives each day and direct us down your path Lord. We are greatful of your love and we love you with all our hearts. In your name, Amen.

-J

"Spread the Word!"

When Jake and Elwood Blues get the band back together, they set out to spread the word of their big show, the show that would raise the money needed for the orphanage. They did this by strapping a ginormous megaphone to the top of the Bluesmobile and driving all around the town promoting themselves to all they drove past.

Do we spread God's word as Jake and Elwood did? Do we "strap on a megaphone" when we want to tell someone about Christ?

The Bible tells us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 “And because of you, the Lord's message has spread everywhere in those regions. Now the news of your faith in God is known all over the world.” 1 Thessalonians 1:8

We have opportunities everyday to spread the news of Jesus Christ. We need to be ready to tell someone when we are faced with a person that does not know Him.

I had the chance about a year ago to tell a rather large group of people, at least large by my standards, about the love that Christ has for us. I am terrified of getting up on a stage and speaking aloud to a congregation, but on this day I had my fear literally taken from me. I had recently been on a spiritual retreat known as the “Walk to Emmaus” and was given the opportunity to tell of my experience of the retreat. This was my chance to spread the word! I was amazed by how God took my fear and replaced it with confidence to share His love for me.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the Words you have given to us. Please help us to not be fearful of speaking to others about You and your love for us. Let us spread your Word to all that we meet. Replace our fear with confidence to promote You like the Blues Brothers promoting their big show. Amen.

-J

"We're on a Mission from God"

“We’re on a mission from God.” Every one of us, whether we know it or not, are on a mission planned out by God before we were even conceived. Think about that for a second… YOU are on a mission. But what does that mean? What is your mission? How do we find out what mission God has sent to us?

In The Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood are sent out to raise $5000 for the orphanage that raised them. This place meant a lot to them, it was their family, and they knew that God had given them this task. How were they going to raise the money though? Jake had literally just walked out of prison. They decided to start their mission by getting themselves to church. To get right with God as some would say. It was there that Jake saw the light and was overcome by the spirit of the Lord, and the Lord spoke to him. “We’re getting the band back together!” That was their mission.

Jesus said: “I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me.” John 17:18 Jesus was on a mission, no question about that. He was sent here to save us. Jake and Elwood were sent to save the orphanage. What mission has God sent you on?

           

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God has prepared us for a mission before we were even created. We may not know what journey lies ahead for us, but if we seek direction through Christ, then we are on the right path.

Dear Lord, Help us to seek You and your mission for us.  Shine your light upon us to reveal the path you planned. Open our hearts and minds to your direction at all times so that we may be ready to start our mission when you send us. Amen.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Blues Brothers Devotional Blog. I'd like to welcome you here. This is a blog that started with a thought with friends, an idea...and now, here we are. With a love of The Blues Brothers film and a believer in Jesus Christ, I have found a way to combine the two. There are many issues and topics that arise in the film that can relate to biblical lessons.

I hope you enjoying this entertaining look at a Christian devotional.

Thank you for checking it out!

God Bless
-J