He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do!

John 6:1-15

After this, Jesus crossed over the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. And a huge crowd, many of them pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for the annual Passover celebration, were following him wherever he went, to watch him heal the sick. So when Jesus went up into the hills and sat down with his disciples around him, he soon saw a great multitude of people climbing the hill, looking for him.

Turning to Philip he asked, “Philip, where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” (He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.) Philip replied, “It would take a fortune[a] to begin to do it!” Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a youngster here with five barley loaves and a couple of fish! But what good is that with all this mob?”

“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus ordered. And all of them—the approximate count of the me n only was five thousand—sat down on the grassy slopes. Then Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks to God and passed them out to the people. Afterwards he did the same with the fish. And everyone ate until full! “Now gather the scraps,” Jesus told his disciples, “so that nothing is wasted.” And twelve baskets were filled with the leftovers! When the people realized what a great miracle had happened, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”

Jesus saw that they were ready to take him by force and make him their king, so he went higher into the mountains alone.

Food for thought!

Today, we begin the sixth chapter of the gospel of John. We shall dwell on this chapter for some days. It is full of eternal truths. First and foremost, look at this phrase: "After this, Jesus crossed over the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. And a huge crowd, many of them pilgrims on their way t o Jerusalem for the annual Passover celebration, were following him wherever he went." 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. God sometimes allowes the storm, the challenge, the problem in our life . . . with a plan to use it ALL for your good and HIS glory! Did you notice that "When the people realized what a great miracle had happened, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”? God wants us to praise him at the end our ordeal.

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 lilttle. 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.