What happens when a person filled with the burdens of failures kneels down and with tears rolling down the face speaks? What happens when an addict to alcohol, drugs, sex abuse, or even bad choices in life, failed relationships. What happens when all of these people find theirselves on their knees, speaking out words about their pain?
To whom are their words addressed? To whom do people in despair surrender? To whom do people humble their self along with selfish, self-serving serving and destructive ways? Why has human after human, person after person chosen this same method of finding help when their lifestyle causes despair?
People over thousands of years have begged for help. Why, because it works. Each person knows a change is offered intimately within their soul. Its' like each soul now knows a secret about life.
They know what it means to experience being in the presence of the Lord. A divine and personal promise of hope comes into each life, let's call it the growth of faith. But a decision about life is required.
Do you accept a new path to walk, or continue to do as you please? Faith calls each to walk a new walk, through life and nature with a personal relationship with our Father, His Son and the Holy Ghost.
What part of faith do you struggle to understand? I believe the people who experienced the five loaves and two fishes, feeding five thousand men plus women and children likewise struggled to understand their doubts about faith.
With their need for physical nourishment fulfilled, without having to do any work. They wanted to make Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ) the king of Israel. Being only a earthly king over one country is not part of the mission of Yeshua, or of the plan of God.
No wonder Yeshua sent his disciples away and then retreated up the mountain for prayer. During the night and storm, Yeshua reunited with his disciples by walking on the water.
John 6:24-25 (CJB) Accordingly, when the crowd saw that neither Yeshua nor his talmidim were there, they themselves boarded the boats and made for K’far-Nachum in search of Yeshua. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Those who experienced the event of the miraculous feeding where perplexed about where Yeshua was. They saw his disciples leave without him. Since he was no longer on the desolate place they went searching, the calling upon each soul. Seeking him is within our spirit. Finding him on the other side and with his disciples. Just how could Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ) have gotten here?
Somewhere and sometime about here, you would think the miraculous events of their historical past would come back into focus. Remember God feeding the wandering children of God with bread from heaven. Remember God leading the freedom seeking slaves through parted waters of the Red Sea. What was God trying to teach by these experiences? How about His presence is here, now, and with each person.
Why is it so common place for God's miraculous presence to often escape the human mind? What part of faith do you struggle to understand?
John 6:26-27 Yeshua answered, “Yes, indeed! I tell you, you’re not looking for me because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate the bread and had all you wanted! Don’t work for the food which passes away but for the food that stays on into eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For this is the one on whom God the Father has put his seal.”
There is an important answer here. Understand faith begins with a relationship with the one God has put his seal. This is a sign of who the Messiah is. He will have a special relationship with:
Adonai (Lord and Master)
El Elyon (The Most High God)
El Olam (The Everlasting God)
El Shaddai (Lord God Amighty),
Elohim (God)
Ha Shem
Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Host)
Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
Yahweh (Lord Jehovah)
So special of a personal relationship Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ) knows Elohim to be Elohim HaAv, God the Father. Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ) knows of the compassion the Father desires his people to experience. Hear the words inviting seekers to know life as given to the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 55:1-5 (CJB) “All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You without money, come, buy, and eat! Yes, come! Buy wine and milk without money — it’s free! Why spend money for what isn’t food, your wages for what doesn’t satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and you will eat well, you will enjoy the fat of the land. Open your ears, and come to me; listen well, and you will live — I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the grace I assured David. I have given him as a witness to the peoples, a leader and law giver for the peoples. You will summon a nation you do not know, and a nation that doesn’t know you will run to you, for the sake of Adonai your God, the Holy One of Isra’el, who will glorify you.”
God is inviting humankind to know His blessings, and His grace, His presence. But the calling is not just for you. It is an invitation you are expected to share with others. Even peoples of nations you do not have intimate knowledge of.
Please hear this caution, that I share with you. Maybe you might experience the hair standing on your neck when you hear someone speaking not in our language but speaking in a foreign language. During these moments I have to ask myself; if my attitudes and behaviors are sharing the invitation of God's Good News?
John 6:28-29 (CJB) So they said to him, “What should we do in order to perform the works of God?” Yeshua answered, “Here’s what the work of God is: to trust in the one he sent!”
The question about the struggle to understand faith is asked from the perspective of what works does God want me to do? Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ) makes it crystal clear, faith is not a work you begin. It all starts by a mitzvah. It all starts by a commandment of God. That people believe and trust God and the one he has sent, His Son.
John 6:30-33 (CJB) They said to him, “Nu, what miracle will you do for us, so that we may see it and trust you? What work can you perform? Our fathers ate man in the desert — as it says in the Tanakh, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Yeshua said to them, “Yes, indeed! I tell you it wasn’t Moshe who gave you the bread from heaven. But my Father is giving you the genuine bread from heaven; for God’s bread is the one who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.”
What part of faith are these who experienced God's presence struggling to understand? People love their heroes. They will cheer for their successes in life. They will buy jerseys with names, they will argue debates about decisions and statistics. But what about what God has done? The blessings and grace of God has given so much more.
What Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ) is telling the people is a truth we all need to understand and with this understanding; accept, believe and trust. Your ancestors were given food and protection because God was present and God provided.
What part of faith do you struggle to understand?
Consider this scenario. You are standing in front of your house one night just enjoying life. Suddenly a car pulls up and numerous thugs jump out approaching you with guns pointing at you. Into whose hands is your life controlled by? The evil persons or God?
There are numerous scenarios that can play out. The sound of another car coming can scare the thugs into a quick departure. The sound of a siren, an emergency vehicle traveling to a different event can scare the thugs. God could have even intended for this to be the way you are called away from this life. No matter the way this story goes next, God is with you. That is the struggle faith plays in our human lives.
ISISL has used twelve year old boys in the evil action of beheading adult men. Was the presence of God there in that event of terror? Was the battle between evil and good won by the horror or by what happens next? Wherever there is physical nature, there is also the presence of:
Adonai (Lord and Master)
El Elyon (The Most High God)
El Olam (The Everlasting God)
El Shaddai (Lord God Amighty),
Elohim (God)
Ha Shem
Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Host)
Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
Yahweh (Lord Jehovah)
I saw the face of one adult being executed by a child. His face showed the knowledge of the evil about to happen. But he was a Christian. And that was why his physical life was about to be taken. Also I know that God's presence was there as well.
Welcome to the struggle of faith. Is God a billion light years away from us, after all you cannot see God. Is God too busy controlling the planets and stars to be where you are? Is it a roll of the dice that brings you good things in life or is it by God?
John 6:34-35 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread from now on.” Yeshua answered, “I am the bread which is life! Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever trusts in me will never be thirsty.
In verse 34, the people asked for God to fill their stomaches always. But do you understand how that is missing the point of the teaching? Getting your physical needs met is like having half opened eyes. Its like calling the Son of God, a respectful title "Sir" but not comprehending the divine presence before you.
While many English translations of verse 35 will use the english word "trust" the action expressed in Hebrew language is Emunah.
The illustration for its meaning is included in English words like assurance, belief, confidence, faith, reliability, trust. But what is meant is having these attitudes and behaviors expected of a firm craftsman. A craftsman confident in his labors as a someone firm in the belief the presence of the Lord is here with us.
This firm belief is what God expressed to Moses when Moses asked for the Name of God.
Exodus 3:14 God said to Moshe, “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh I am/will be what I am/will be,” and added, “Here is what to say to the people of Isra’el: ‘Ehyeh I Am or I Will Be has sent me to you.’"
Until the desire of the soul is to know the presence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; always and everywhere. The Father will keep calling.... calling me.... calling you.
