John 6: 25-35
John 6: 25-35 : When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Yesterday I shared about my tiredness, which is a real theme with me right now! On one level I am cool with it, it is my reality and I just have to work with what I have. And I know that God is teaching me through this time of tiredness, as quite often when my resources are depleted I am reminded of the need to rely even more on God.
And then I read this passage.. wow! Here the disciples are keen to serve Jesus, they want to do all they can in their power to impress Jesus, to be all out for God. But the issue is that they are still very focused on what they can do and who they are. Jesus spots this and directs their view from themselves to Him.
What work must I do? Jesus replies: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” Who provides all I need? Jesus replies: ‘my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”’
So as I start my work day here at Bible Society I am thinking about what I need to do and of how tired I feel, and find this passage seriously challenging. In my work, my interactions, the decisions I am to make, I need to make sure that first and foremost, I am relying on God. Lord I turn to you, give me energy and direction!
Lord I thank you for my tiredness and for this amazing passage and for the reminder of my need to rely on you in all things. I invite you Lord into my day, come Holy Spirit, guide, advise and direct me.
Wonderful!
God bless,
Rev Mark
Thanks for your prayers! I slept right through last night and really do appreciate your support.
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Journey Deeper Into God's Word 
Hi. well, I think God wants you to get some rest. I don’t know where you are in a sense…
but. off top my head, it’s God’s will for us to get rest. Sure sometimes we don’t get any, doing things, I understand this, at the same time, rest is as important as eating.
Selah
Dear Mark,
Let me 1st ask, Can a person receive a gift of prophesy,but question if it is from God and not a false prophet. If it is of the Lord, from the Bible, and uses the Bible an prayer to convict that persons action is that ok?
Here is my spritual story: I’ll try to make it brief but just remember it is very involved. 1st Issue 2 in Ohio is very imortant to me and I was for and then against and then confused and then went to a rally at OSU. Last night I could not sleep, I’ve been very reslest about our country and I am just a small farmer, homeschool mom and not a big political activist. Until recently! I have stepped way out of my comfort zone and have had some real amazing revelations. I have turned to God’s Word furvently and last night I got up and read in the 1yr Bible on Oct 14. I went to sleep and went to the rally today. I prayed, Lord please keep me in check with your will, GUIDE me and show me what to do. I get there jeans and a farm cap, didn’t know anyone, I started talking to someone and then a gentleman grabs us by the arm and wanted us on stage! I wasn’t there 4orNO! I’m on stage by the steps I was called the gatekeeper caus I had to move each time a speaker came up. They prayed b4 starting and it was beautiful, then afterward I got a chance to speak to elected officials, farmers, etc. each one led me to someone else saying I needed to speak to so and so. I cross referenced with the NIV and KJ I feel the Bible is God’s way of communicating to me what and how to act. I try very hard to be obedient even though it may not be popular. I am just amazed at the words I read the night b4, the actions that took place today and how I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that I want to share with everyone who will listen. In your above story, I felt that u would understand, that “eating” from what man say’s in not the same as eating the bread of life. I was convinced to vote Yes, I have to admit I do not like 100% of it but feel God is my shepard, I have to obey him wether I understand or not. He has a plan to use everyone saved or not and if I am with Him no one can stand up against Him and win and He will never let me go hungry. Thank You Kim
I too share this sentiment, at times I go beyond the call, get so busy with volunteerism. But what I have discovered is God never lets us damage ourselves, He puts us to sleep rather we want to or not. And I find when this happens I get up being so much energized and reay to put in the double again. I believe this will continue because as Jesus said the Harvest is plenty but the laborers are few…
Allow God to lead the way to take control and He will smoother than we know.
I needed to hear this today. I am a stay-at-home homeschooling mother of 3. (One is in public high school) A girl and 2 boys. We’ve all been sick over the last couple weeks. Thanks for the reminder of Who is in charge and Who I need to turn to in my tiredness and for encouragement. I appreciate your ministry.
God Bless,
Janet
Hello
Thank you so much for this little passages. They truly encourage me every time I read them.
God Bless,
Valencia
Hey Mark,
Thanks for the reflection.
There is warning to yourself in your own words. In a decade of following Jesus, I have more than once seen Christian leaders losing the plot and hurting people without even knowing it. The pattern I’ve seen is it started when they did not take God seriously and have regular time off, blaming the need to get the work done. Please take care, what you do is a blessing to many but we’d rather have less blessing over a longer time than a quick flash of what you offer! Rest assured I’ll add my prayers for you.
Don
Thank you. As a job hunter – no career hunter – living in circumstances that are truly provided by God – I still fail to rely on Him for direction. While I am not sure why you are tired, I recently realized how negativity surrounded so much of my life from an early age, and became a habit for me. Today, as I write this comment, thanks to your blog, I am praying for my vision to be positive and show me the direction to proceed.
I do think about this passage, and realizing that God does want us to rest. And that it is his will for us to take care of ourselves. Without him, nothing can compare.
by the looks of this blog I can see why he tired
It is all about God,We are not to serve God to impress anyone.We are to search the Bible for the truths of God.It is not what church we go to,or how many groups we get involved with.It boils down to excepting Gods salvation plan,that is asking forgiveness for our sins,asking Jesus into our hearts.Alot of the Bible is examples of Jesus life on earth that we are to pattern our life after.We are all saved by the GRACE of Jesus.Alot of people do not know who they are when they become a christain.Our sin becomes white as snow.God wants you to belive in Jesus that he sent to this earth for each of our sins.
Thanks for reminding me once again to not be overly obsessed and worry about the next meal or the new coat that I want to buy, I have seen enough and I believe that God always has my meals prepared and my coats weighed and tailored just for me. Thank you, for always taking me where I want to go and live my day in rememberance of God and in thanks giving. I know with all you do it must be exhausting, I am sure God is going to give you the power you need and I am sure you needed this moment to notice some stuff you might have over looked in your busiest days. Thank you again and God bless!
just wanted to say your verses are very conforting . thank you for takeing the time to do this. i’m glad that someone is not ashame of the lord and his wonderful word.
hi. i really enjoy your site and want to know if you can advise how I can get mine going on facebook and twitter. I tend to write and my daughter has said that I should share. I wrote my latest on prayer and relationships on my blog. Just curious if you have pointers.
Also,,,I have truly been going thru, facing eviction and such..This passage was needed. I will continue to work for the Lord, tired or not!
The more I read your blog, the more I thank GOD for the many opportunities he gives me in staying in his word I just got back from my prayer meeting and was very tired but I just had to check the scripture reading for today. I’m always hungry for the Bread Of Life. Now I will go rest. Goodnight and may God Bless.
My son going though some medical problems right now his appendix busted.One min things look good then the next they don’t.. I pray that God looks out for him makes things better…I get up set about this and then I pray…Today I had one of those moments. Where I yelled and my faith seemed like it was going down hill..Then I got one here tonight and read the verse that I get on my home page.It help me…God has a way to show us that things will be ok and keep our faith.No matter what…
I love and appreciate your posts. I saw your post on Faceboook today about being tired. I am more tired than I have ever been in my life. I’m struggling, physically and emotionally. I’m searching for understanding, I’m sure God is trying to show/tell me something but it is getting so hard…. Please pray for me, thank you.
Hey,
Thanks for this. I’ve been a pornography addict some years ago, and longed to find some rest. Thank God however, I got it. I also got free of the addiction as well. Also, I lost my job around that time, so I was looking for work.
I found a job at Target working at 4AM unloading trucks. It was hard work, and I was often tired. I found that God gave me peace and rest in time of need. He also gave me days off (while other were not) and given great opportunities to share his Word by believing and growing and living by example.
That was long (or seems like it 🙂 ), but God still continues to give me rest in time of need.
thanks alot for this woundrful script it means a lot to me and my family at this point of our lifes it really touches me and what im going through right now may god continue to shower his blessing amoung you and our family. once more thanks for the message.
I have a question maybe someone can give me insight into. I have been a single mom for 1 1/2 years now. I have been struggling financially constantly and continue to do so. I have tried to hard to rely on God and while I know there have been miraculous times that He has provided for me, I have also gone deep into debt that I see no way out of. How is it that God promises He will supply all our need, but yet I have a mountain of debt because there have been many many months that I could not pay my rent or bills or buy food w/o my credit card? I feel as though I am a lousy testimony for what God says He will do but for some reason, did not do over the last year. He gave the Israelites food for 40 years but didn’t make sure I had enough to pay my bills. I’m not talking about extravagances. My car is paid for and my rent is cheap. My bills are basic necessities. Any thoughts? I am not trying to question God although I guess I am a bit.
Dear Teresa, I know you wrote Mark, but I wanted to comment
Have you told it to Jesus like you told it here?
oh I bet Jesus would like to hear you say these things, lol
let me just shoot the lie. — being broke is no meter of where you are in God’s plan or will. it has nothing to do with his favor in your life.
money is never a meter
never
somehow you just need to move over a little little bit to the faith side
and kick the devils teeth in, with Hebrews 11
if you get time, look how those christians got treated
where was their God? and how does modern day tv evangelist preachers line up with Hebrews 11? they don’t
While God cares for our needs, he’s not too into our wants.
he is when we are spiritual men and women
but generally speaking, he’s into our salvation
… you just speak what shall be
“one way or the other, this bill is going to get paid”
don’t say ” I dont know what im going to do”
you do know, you’re going to do what you know to do
after that, you just leave it in God’s care
keep your thoughts on him
i’ve had bad stuff happen right in the middle of prayer
looking back, that’s what I get for some sins I did
all trouble is not from sin, all sin brings trouble
faith honors God honors faith
–
each of us have our own conscience
you know what you need to do
I was reading the scripture from the passage saying bread from heaven to earth that gives life remains me that we need the word like we need air to breathe. We need Gods word to stay alive in him as we need food for our body to stay alive. I am really saying all these things to myself. Sometimes wonder why I feel tired and grow weary in doing the things that I do not want to do, but still do those things anyway because I am not breathing the word, If we would just know that we need Jesus his word and the Holy Spirit even more then the air we breathe.