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What if the hunger that keeps you up at night isn’t about food, success, or certainty, but about a source you cannot generate? Pastor Harry Barens walks through John 6:35–37 and sits us in the crowd’s sandals—where bread means survival, thirst means danger, and the daily grind makes self-preservation feel like wisdom. Jesus’ words land with seismic force: “I am the bread of life.” He is not offering advice, a system, or steps. He is offering Himself as the end of the endless cycle to secure your own life.

We trace how Jesus emphasizes identity before explanation, turning a familiar phrase into a claim of divine source. Then the message confronts a modern reflex: seeing is not believing. Evidence, exposure, and even miracles fail to produce faith if faith is fundamentally God’s work. That diagnosis removes both pride and panic. You do not muscle your way into belief; you receive it. And the comfort is as deep as the confrontation is sharp: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Divine initiative creates real desire, and the Son’s welcome is unwavering for all who come.

Across this conversation we explore dependence vs. self-sufficiency, why coming and believing are acts of trust rather than mere agreement, and how grace reframes assurance. The takeaway is not that life gets easy, but that your source changes. Where fear once drove constant control, rest grows as you feed on the life Christ gives. If this reframed your view of faith, share it with a friend, subscribe for more teaching through John, and leave a review to help others find the show.

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Please visit www.chosenbydesign.net for more information on Pastor Harry’s new book, "Chosen By Design - God’s Purpose for Your Life."

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Hungry for change but exhausted by striving? We open John 6:22–34 and walk with the crowd who chased Jesus for another meal while missing the meaning of the miracle. Pastor Harry Burns draws a clear line between the life we try to manage on our own and the life Jesus alone can give. The tension is real: we often want the gifts without the Giver, upgrades without surrender, resurrection without crucifixion. This conversation refuses easy answers and points us to the heart of the gospel—grace does not merely comfort; grace empowers surrender.

We trace the crowd’s questions, their demand for signs, and Jesus’ surprising reply: “Do not work for the food that perishes.” When they ask for steps—“What must we do?”—Jesus levels our strategies with a single sentence: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” Belief becomes more than mental assent; it is God’s miracle in us, the end of self-reliance and the start of receiving. From there, the focus shifts from manna to the true bread. The bread of God is not a commodity to manage; He is a Person to trust. The Father is giving life, not as a product on our terms, but through the Son who will be broken and raised.

Along the way, we confront our own bargains with God: fix this and then I’ll trust you; show me a sign and then I’ll obey. Pastor Harry shows why those deals keep us on the shore of unbelief and how grace invites us off the cliff of control into the safety of Christ. Death to self is not the enemy of Christian life; it is the doorway through which resurrection becomes personal and worship becomes real. If you’re weary of rowing harder and ready to receive the Savior, this teaching offers clarity, courage, and hope.

If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can discover the Bread of Life and find new creation in Him.

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Please visit www.chosenbydesign.net for more information on Pastor Harry’s new book, "Chosen By Design - God’s Purpose for Your Life."

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Bread filled a hillside, but the real turning point happens on black water where oars bite wind and fear tastes like salt. We pick up in John 6:16–21 and trace the movement from provision to presence, watching Jesus walk into the very place his friends feel most helpless. The disciples obey, the storm rises, and instead of a quick fix we hear a voice over the waves: “I am.” That order—revelation before relief—reframes how we think about peace, obedience, and what it means to be led by God when the shoreline disappears.

Together we explore why storms are not proof of failure but often the fruit of faithfulness. John highlights the God-claims embedded in the scene, echoing Job and the Psalms where the Lord treads the sea and rules chaos. We also weave in Matthew’s angle: Peter steps out at a word, sinks when his focus shifts, and is caught immediately. It’s the pattern that keeps us honest and hopeful: God commands, our limits surface, and grace supplies what strength cannot. The miracle does not end with water-walking; it culminates as Jesus climbs into the boat and they are immediately at the shore—a quiet picture of how presence finishes the journey.

If you’re rowing through grief, pressure, or decisions that felt clear until the wind rose, this conversation offers more than tips. It offers a Person. We talk about faith formed by storms, peace rooted in identity, and how to move from crowd comfort to costly trust without glamorizing pain. Expect thoughtful Scripture, practical reflection, and an honest invitation to lift your eyes from the waves to the One who stands above them. If this lands with you, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s in headwinds, and leave a review with one takeaway—what word steadied you today?

Support the show

Please visit www.chosenbydesign.net for more information on Pastor Harry’s new book, "Chosen By Design - God’s Purpose for Your Life."