John 6:41-42 Therefore, the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”
The Jews thought they knew Jesus’ earthly father, so there was no way they could accept Jesus’ confession that He was the bread that came down out of heaven. They questioned how He could say that. In their minds, they probably thought He was delusional, so they grumbled about Him. Such is the hardness of heart caused by unbelief.
Unbelief fixes the mind on the circumstances on the earth, whereas faith fixes the mind on Jesus and the word of God. The spokesmen for the crowd couldn’t hear Jesus’ words because of unbelief. We abide in Jesus because we believe His Word, and He therefore is able to love through us. That’s how faith works—through love. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:7-8, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” As we abide in Him, we embrace Jesus’ purpose, worldview, and mindset. We believe what He believes and says.
Can you see that the Jews couldn’t believe what Jesus said because they were focused on their own perception of circumstances as they were on the earth? We are encouraged by these verses not to let the circumstances distract us from who Jesus is (the Son of God), what Jesus is (our high priest), what He has done (made purification of sins), where Jesus is (sitting at the right hand of the Father), what Jesus is doing at the right hand (running all things and interceding for us), and what He has promised (to preserve us through all circumstances in life by His mercy and grace). As we draw near to Jesus at the throne of grace, we receive the grace we need to love whoever God puts in our paths.
I encourage you today, therefore, to overcome unbelief by keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus and what He says. In these verses, He is our daily sustenance, our daily bread from heaven. Father, give us this day, our daily bread.
I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.
