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NASB | John 6:6 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 6:6 But He said this to test Philip, because He knew what He was about to do. |
Subject: Are you being put to the test? |
Bible Note: Hi Ray..I do not believe we are in disagreement. Let's take a look at this from a different perspective...However, I am not speaking specifically about money. In the case of the need for food and not enough money, Jesus could have just as easily chosen to multilpy the money. He was testing Phillip to see where his confidence was , in what he could see and understand (it takes money to buy food)or in Jesus the provider. " I think that since the fall we have had to work by the sweat of our faces". I believe we are to work..Paul said that if a man did not work, neither should he eat. The difference is our attitude or belief rather about our work. I should be at the job God wants me to be at and understand why He wants me there. Many are working for a living and view God as seperate. In reality we should be at the job He chose, making the income He chose, and using the money as He directs. Everything we do (our job, our family responsibilities, etc.) are to be God centered. If we are 'God in me' minded we would first ask the Holy Spirit for His wisdom and guidance in all things. Now at first when we begin to discipline our carnal nature to seek spiritual counsel on things we will feel overwhelmed because we are accustomed to just handling them ourselves and see no need to consult with God, and indeed in this busy busy world we live in we often operate on automatic pilot. Our resources are carnal, but provided by God to be used in accordance to His direction. Let's say in the matter of money, it is His and we are merely the stewards. It may be that we face a crisis such as with the need for food and not enough money or maybe there is enough money but the Lord desires us to trust Him in another way. Here in America where we can make pretty good money, I believe our tendency is to stop relying on God as our provider, and to stop asking Him what to do in situations simply because we have the resources to meet the need without Him. (As I said, it is His and we are the stewards). Let's look at the woman with the issue of blood. She spent all she had and was none the better but in fact grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she said that if she could but touch the hem of His garment she would be made whole. Now a person today may spend all they have when indeed God desired them to simply turn to Him. As I said, in America we often use our own resources before even asking God, and then when our resources are inadequate (and money can't fix broken lives)our faith is under developed and we don't know how to believe God, so we panic. "But I see nothing wrong with exhausting our resources that we have worked to acquire; the problem comes when after they are gone we begin to be "anxious". The problem I see with this is that although you realize God gave you the strength, good health, ect., to get the resources, giving the implication that we are to rely on it first then turn to God when it is gone. I suggest rather that we seek God first. As to His offering the free bread of life I agree because as it has been pointed out on the forum many times, Jesus is the perfect teacher. He knew how to demonstrate and point to the spiritual truth through carnal means and was therefore constantly giving these un born again believers something to relate to. This is why the word is alive, it is so multifaceted!!! "So we seek spiritual things, then keep working knowing (by faith) that God will provide the necessary physical things." Let's take this one more step. Working too is a spiritual thing because we are spirits and where we are God is. We are not working for provision of our physical needs. Our jobs should be viewed as our ministry(If we are sure we are where He wants us to be). He could just as easily tell you to give your entire income away and provide your needs another way. This understanding frees us from the fear of losing our job and frees us to obey the Spirit of God on our job. My point is simply this....We are not to 'depend' on our jobs as our provision, but rather view first in our mind and heart that God is the provider and the job may or may not be the means. But we should be sure we are asking and listening for God's direction first and not relying on our resources, just in case He wants to do something different, just like He wanted to do something different here. After all, if we lived somewhere where it was impossible by man's standards to make an adequate living, we would be forced to do this, but God in His grace placed you and I here and put us in a postion of choice to seek Him first in all things. As you referenced Matthew 6:33. |