He already knew what he was going to do!

John 6:1-15

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee (some call it Tiberias). 2 A huge crowd followed him, attracted by the miracles they had seen him do among the sick. 3 When he got to the other side, he climbed a hill and sat down, surrounded by his disciples. 4 It was nearly time for the Feast of Passover, kept annually by the Jews. 5 When Jesus looked out and saw that a large crowd had arrived, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy bread to feed these people?" 6 He said this to stretch Philip's faith. He already knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered, "Two hundred silver pieces wouldn't be enough to buy bread for each person to get a piece." 8 One of the disciples-- it was Andrew, brother to Simon Peter-- said, 9 "There's a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that's a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this." 10 Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." There was a nice carpet of green grass in this place. They sat down, about five thousand of them. 11 Then Jesus took the bread and, having given thanks, gave it to those who were seated. He did the same with the fish. All ate as much as they wanted. 12 When the people had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted." 13 They went to work and filled twelve large baskets with leftovers from the five barley loaves. 14 The people realized that God was at work among them in what Jesus had just done. They said, "This is the Prophet for sure, God's Prophet right here in Galilee!" 15 Jesus saw that in their enthusiasm, they were about to grab him and make him king, so he slipped off and went back up the mountain to be by himself.

Food for thought! 

Today, we begin the sixth chapter of John. We shall dwell on this chapter especially next week. It is full of eternal truths. First and foremost, look at this phrase: "Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee (some call it Tiberias). A huge crowd followed him, attracted by the miracles they had seen him do among the sick. When he got to the other side, he climbed a hill and sat down, surrounded by his disciples." As you can see, it was Jesus who lead these people accross the Sea to a place where there was no food to eat. Why did he do this? Why does he do this?

We must remember in our most desperate moments in life that it is God who has often led us to the very place we cry out from... the place where we face impossibilities. And God has led us to this place, as he did to the people in today's gospel reading.

Today, I want you to take whatever burden you carry, whether it be personal, work, church: I want you to look at this burden, this challenge, this problem, then look at the greatness and power of your God and finally realize that Jesus can handle it, he knows exactly what to do. Consider each of your challenges as Jesus challenging you, as he did that day to Phillip:

"Where can we buy bread to feed these people? He said this to stretch Philip's faith. He already knew what he was going to do."

Don’t be deceived, God has allowed the storm, the challenge, the problem in your life . . . with a plan to use it ALL for your good and HIS glory! Sometimes Jesus asks us questions whose answer he knows already. Yes, he asks us questions to stretch our faith or, as we normally say, to pull our leg. Jesus knows what he is going to do in our situations, in our problems and yet he questions us. Remember this and you won't panic as Phillip did. Be like that little boy; just give all you have to the Lord; do your part; do your best; be your best. Don't say like Andrew that it is too little. Remember little with Jesus is much. With Jesus expect the unexpectable. 

The message that Jesus needed the Disciples to understand was that it was by faith that they could deal with lack of bread. It’s the message He wants you to know, as well. In the Bible, people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work (Romans 4:5). 

If God has allowed the challenge, He will make a way through it. Be certain that God is only allowing the challenge because He knows the blessing behind it. Through the challenge, God is giving you the opportunity to experience, first hand, His miraculous and sufficient power in your life.

Like Phillip and Andrew we often are faced with what is absolutely impossible in the eyes of man, but to God, it is merely an opportunity to display His awesome power. It is an opportunity for Him to showcase His ability to overcome any and all situations, without exception!

In your challenges of life, your spirit can be quieted by grabbing hold of the Truth: If God has allowed me to get into this challenge, He will make a way through it. He has assured us that He is with us always. (Matthew 28:20). To him be praise and power and glory for ever and ever. Amen.