SCRIPTURE: John 6:25-29
“The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29)
This sounds like easy enough work.
Go to a class, learn everything you can about Jesus, and believe it.
How hard is that?
This is a wrong way to understand “believe in”.
If someone says they can cure your cancer, to “believe in them” means more than thinking.
It involves going, taking and trusting.
Jesus announces God’s new world order (kingdom of God).
To believe in Him is to join with Him, because we trust Him.
To put all our effort into the vision He is working for.
Loving, serving, forgiving, sharing, caring, showing, teaching, helping, etc.
Working for God, for the kingdom of God, for the rescue of God’s children – with Jesus.
This is soul-satisfying living, a food that endures to eternal life.
Jesus changes everything; believing in Jesus changes everything for us.
And yet, is this the impression we get from the christians we see around us?
Is this the impression people get from us?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I believe in You – in what You have done, in what You represent, in what You taught, in what You did. Help me to believe with my life, not just with my mind.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Faith – an interesting word…it’s the ‘substance’ of things hoped for, the ‘evidence’ of things not seen (Hebrews.11:1) so therefore it IS something, it exists, it is recognizable (I believe) by looking at someone’s actions and the results produced. Because of FAITH, the woman who’d been bleeding for 12 years reached out and touched Jesus’s robe fringe – a bizarre action when someone has a health challenge – yet Jesus said it was her ‘faith’ that made her well. Matthew 9:2 says that Jesus SAW people’s faith so faith is visible – a fruit which can be seen and which identifys (“you will know them by their fruit” – Mt.7:16). Faith makes people who are in challenging situations choose actions DIFFERENT than what would be considered ‘normal‘ or ‘right’ based on popular world view. They choose based on wisdom and guidance revealed after prayer, a complete sense of peace, and above all…absolute trust in God and His Word. God’s ways are NOT our ways – He told Noah to build a boat when there’d never been rain before…how hard must that have been for Noah to obey?? Do we love God enough to obey Him, even when it’s scary and makes no sense in the natural? It’s my belief ‘we’ have to get out of our way and stop taking control so God can move mightily – much better than us – and then He can get all the glory. It may sound simple enough but when the rubber meets the road, choosing to put complete trust in God is just plain HARD!!! (“Without faith it’s impossible to please God” Hebrews 11:6) If Jesus could trust God enough to go to the cross…………….
I know I don’t always believe even with my heart in being who Jesus fully wants me to be. He is so utterly perfect and I know I’ll never be like that but at least He is willing to look over my imperfections and use me anyhow. I hope one day I’ll see the gifts He has instilled in me and use them in a way to glorify Him and others.
Observation/Application
The people followed Jesus because . . . He had fed them?
That is not the answer.
There is a physical and spiritual side to all.
Why do I work? To be fed? To serve? To gain money? What do I love? What do I hunger after?
I must love and serve. The greatest commandment is to love Him and then love my neighbours. Love and serve. The JPY of the Lord God is my strength – Jesus/Others/Yourself – love and serve Him always.
As the people then pursued Him, I need to pursue my Lord and King for He does supply all my needs as I love and serve Him this day and go forward in His power always.
GodStrong
to do His work.
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.
Love Him, love Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Love Him, love Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.
Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.