Who is the Bread of Life?
A Good Question!
Evangelist - Diana Gray
(Your Sister in Christ)
Copyright © 1999-2002 All Rights Reserved

    A "Warm Welcome,"  I pray that this Bible Study is a blessing to you and that  you grow in the Lord's Word. When you do this kind of Study, hopefully you will begin to increase your spiritual growth.  You see, I don't want you to just achieve head knowledge, but more importantly, I desire that you learn "spiritual knowledge" and hopefully some "spiritual growth" will develop within you.  Wherever you are spiritually, I desire to draw and move that part of your faith.   Let's together, try  to challenge your faith to move to a higher level.   Much deeper than you where before this study.
     Never study the Word of G-d without reaching to be challenged.  Always push and prod yourself to grow more and more spiritually on a daily basis.  Never let yourself be complacent and satisfied with where you are at in your spiritual walk but stretch to reach a higher walk with the Lord.   Read and study your Bible like a hungry person who hasn't had a meal in a long time.  Remember this saying, "If you're not spiritually growing, then you're spiritually dying.  "That includes every "tiny hidden area" of your life!  I really care about you! Yes I really care!  I want you to come to know Jesus as your "personal" friend and Lord like I do. Spiritual growth is so important, not just head knowledge. 
     Success in your spiritual walk is so much more important than your fleshly,  physical walk.  Your spirit will live for eternity ( in Heaven or Hell), but your physical fleshy body will die and pass away.  Think of it this way.  I used to see the world really large and important, but at the same time, I would see Heaven small.   Heaven was something to think about at a later time, maybe when I grew old.  Praise the Lord, now I have learned to think of just the opposite. 
     Now Praise the Lord! To me the world is so small and unimportant compared to a tremendous and glorious Heaven we will soon be able to go to.   Heaven and all eternity goes on and on yet this world will only be bu a blink of an eye.  See what I mean?  Try to understand and get these things in their proper perspective.  My eyes are focused on the Lord and all I can see with my faith and love is a wonderful eternal Heaven.  I just don't ever want to lose this close relationship that I have with the Lord.  He’s everything to me and I hope to instill the same kind of faith in you.   Try seeing everyone through the wonderful loving eyes of Jesus. 

      In these Bible Studies I would like you to "read, think and contemplate" the answers "before" you try reading the answers.  I’m asking these questions for a very important reason,  I desire that you "spiritually grow" in your faith.   Be sure to always pray first for the Lord to reveal His Word to your heart and that you may grow spiritually. 
      Afterwards take a piece of paper and cover up the answers so that you can have.... 'thinking' time.  You want to see if you can answer the questions first, (this will help bring you into a deeper level of learning.)  Then remove the paper and find out if you came to the right answer.  As you read  the answers you will find that your mind will retain the aswers.  This method reinforces  a deeper learning  into knowledge and "spiritual matters." Not only will your faith grow, but "biblical understandings" as well.  All right now, let us begin:

 John 6:48-51  "I am the bread of life.  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.   I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

ANSWER 1.)
     FOR THE ANSWER READ THESE ('KJV') BIBLE VERSES...EXODUS 16
     Exodus 16:1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt......16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:.....16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
     Exodus 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no......16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. .....16:14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground......16:15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
     Exodus 16:21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted......16:31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey......16:32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.

     These Bible verses in Exodus tells us about special  bread from Heaven.  The original translation of the name Manna is called  "what is it."  It is believed (in the natural sense,) that manna was a small, round, white, type of flaky seed, similar to coriander seeds. It is believed that the people made it into bread and baked it.  Another thought about manna, was that it was "Heavenly bread" brought down from Heaven by G-d but in any case it was sweet and good.
    Exodus 16:4 reads "Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you;"
     This would be a supernatural explanation for this delicious sweet bread. No matter what, "G-d" provided it.  Some people have thought that maybe small insects left a filmy substance that the people called manna or the insects themselves were manna.  No matter what the case was, the Lord did provide a healthy food for the Israelites.
     Manna came by the will of G-d.  Possibly brought in by soft winds, it fell in the cool evenings floating in on soft breezes.  People said that it tasted sweet like little flaty tender sheets of honey.  They would gather delicate manna every morning and bake it into warm sweet bread.
     The Israelites’ food ran out and so The Lord sent manna, a gift from Heaven, "good fortune," to feed the hungry.  In the Exodus account of Moses and the Israelite's flight into the wilderness, bread was an important food commodity. They needed it to live and survive their harsh dry environment.
     This wonderful bread would only keep for one day.  The exception was the sixth day when they collected enough for the Sabbath.  It was previously an unknown food item and demonstrated God’s Holy Glory.  It also fully demonstrated the fact that He loved His  people and took care of them with this food.

QUESTION 2. )
     COULD THIS KIND OF ANCESTRAL BREAD (MANNA) KEEP US FROM STARVATION TODAY? ( Just think of the starving people around the world that could be helped by this bread.)

ANSWER 2.)
     All of the food that we eat has the ability to keep us alive for only a short period of time.  Nothing that we eat can sustain us for all eternity as the true precious bread of life, (Jesus Christ) can.

QUESTION 3. )
     WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL OF THE PAST OLD TESTAMENT PEOPLE INCLUDING MOSES WHO ATE "MANNA"?    In John 6:50 Jesus said, This is the bread which came down from heaven: that a man may eat thereof, and not die.   (Jesus is the bread of life so in John 6:50, he was referring to himself who brings eternal life.  So, what happened to all of the peolpe who ate the bread from Heaven called "Manna?")

ANSWER 3.)
     All of the Old Testament people including Moses have  died and "many" have gone to Heaven.  The gift of manna kept them alive for a time but Jesus’ gift of Himself, the bread of life, will last for all eternity.

QUESTION 4. )
     WHY DOES JESUS REFER TO HIMSELF AS THE "LIVING BREAD" WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN IN JOHN 6:50-51 IN THE BIBLE?     

ANSWER 4.)
    This is what it reads in John 6:32-35 "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
   Jesus means that he was the spiritual bread living in a fleshly form as a man. He was sent from Heaven by God to bring us eternal life. Now think for a minute, why do people eat a food like bread?  To nourish and support physical human life, right?
     Our "spiritual life" can only be nourished and supported by "spiritual means" and that is through Jesus our Savior.  He nourishes and feeds us through His Word, our faith and submission to His Holy and perfect will. When we pray with sincere faith, He hears us and is there with us in the spirit.  We are one with Him closer then brothers.

 QUESTION 5. )
     WHAT DID JESUS MEAN, "THE BREAD THAT IS HIS FLESH," HE WILL GIVE FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD?    
 

ANSWER 5.)
     He came down and lived in a fleshly form as a man to suffer and die on the painful cross for our sins.  He loved us so much that he laid down his life and died for us.  On the third day He arose again and now sits on the right hand side of the Father. This was done so that we may have eternal life through Salvation.  Upon our sincere repentance and acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior we have Salvation.

QUESTION 6. )
     WHAT MESSAGE IS JESUS TRYING TO CONVEY HERE MEANING WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MANNA AND JESUS AS BOTH WERE HOLY G-D GIVEN BREAD?    

ANSWER 6.)
     That Jesus is the bread of life.  Manna was temporary food that lasted for only one day.  Jesus, being "the bread of life" gave us the gift of Salvation.  This wonderful gift Salvation, enables us to live with Him in Heaven for "all eternity." Praise the Lord! So the temporary bread called Manna could only sustain life for a few days at best but the bread of life Jesus Christ will sustain believers for all eternity.

QUESTION 7. )
     IS JESUS CHRIST THEN THE BREAD THAT WE PHYSICALLY OR SPIRITUALLY EAT?    Now take a minute to think about this answer.  There are some Christian  churches out there that believe at the time of Communon, the bread becomes the physical body of Jesus.  Consider this fact, if you eat physically, wouldn't you still need to eat again the next day?  So if you physically ate would it last comparred to spiritual food?

ANSWER 7.)
     Jesus satisfies our 'spiritual needs' for all eternity so the answer is that we need to spiritually eat.  He takes care of our physical needs as well when we open up  ourselves to Him in prayer and a sincere heart.    He fills us with His presence and anointing.  We spiritually eat His Word into us and grow in His love with our prayerful fellowship.  Jesus uses bread as an "illustration" to show that when we become one with Him he fills us and cares for us.   He becomes our bread (nourishment,) for the rest of our lives when we accept His Salvation. 

QUESTION 8. )
     JESUS SAID, "I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE," WHY? WHAT DOES HE MEAN, HE'S THE BREAD OF LIFE?  John 6:53-58 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.   He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.   As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eathth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

   ANSWER 8.)
     When you take Jesus into your heart to love and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, He becomes (for you,) the "bread of eternal life." Through Him and only through Him, can you have the precious gift of Salvation and an eternity in Heaven with the Lord.
     In other words when you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you live eternally in Heaven instead of Hell.   You have participated completely with Jesus, by asking Him to come into your life. You draw Him within yourself so you become as inseparably one person.  Think of it like this, you become closer then a best friend or brother (sister).  He’s with you always helping you throughout your life.

QUESTION 9. )
     DO YOU THINK THAT AT THE TIME JESUS MADE THES STATEMENT, HE WAS REMEMBERING SATAN TEMPTING HIM IN THE WILDERNESS TO MAKE BREAD OUT OF STONES?    
 

ANSWER 9.)
     Jesus would certainly have remembered that He was  strongly tempted by Satan in Matthew 4:3-4, and that He was able to fight and overcome that temptation.  His fleshly physical desires were not as important as "every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."His Word the Bible, is the bread of life for all of us because "Jesus is the bread of life!" All of the Words that proceedeth out of the mouth of God are His Words. Read John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and  the Word was God." etc…

QUESTION 10. )
     JOHN 6:56-57 "THEN JESUS SAID UNTO THEM, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, EXCEPTE YE EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN, AND DRINK HIS BLOOD, HATH ETERNAL LIFE; AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY."   I'm sure eating flesh and Blood doesn’t mean that we are to eat people does it? So What do these verses really mean?

ANSWER 10.)
     Of course it doesn’t mean that we should literally become a group of strange people looking at mankind as food. We have to search into the scriptures for a "deeper meaning" then the literal meaning. Remember that I want you to spiritually grow.  We need to faithfully search for the spiritual meanings hidden within God’s Word.
      What it does mean is that we should be taking into ourselves "Jesus’ precious life." We should strive to become one person with Him.  He reveals to us the truth of the Word of God and as we pray He begins to live within us more and more.  Each day we can by worshipful prayer, reading, and studying His Word grow closer to Him.  Close enough to Him until He is a deep part of us.  We become one person spiritually.

QUESTION 11. )
     IS BREAD THAT IS GROWN OUT OF GRAINS, A NECESSARY FOODITEM? I MEAN, DOES OUR BODIES NEED THE GRAINS OF THE EARTH TO SUSTAIN OUR FLESHLY LIFE AND TO KEEP IT HEALTHY?  
  
ANSWER 11.)
     Yes, bread is not only delicious but it’s really very healthy for our bodies. Bread is full of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals.  In fact the bread recipe that God gave to Ezekeil is a survival bread.   Ezekiel 4:9-12 lived on that Holy bread for over a year. I have the "Ezekeil type Bread Recipe" in fact in the "Recipe" section of Diana Gray Ministries. There is a lot of "Food Storage Recipes" there. To check them out go here http://dianagrayministries.net/recipes/index.html...(After the study!  We wouldn't  want you to miss any of this study.)

QUESTION 12. )
     SO IF JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE, AND BREAD IS NECESSARY FOR US TO LIVE PHYSICALLY, DO OUR SPIRITS NEED TO "SPIRITUALLY" LIVE TOO?
    
ANSWER 12.)
     Your spirit is eternal.  It will survive for all eternity. There is one of two places for your spirit to go to.  First a happy glorious Heaven, or a second place not so comfortable, Hell.  This is a horrible place which is full of torment and suffering for all eternity.  The choice is for each of us to make. No one can make it for us. If we want to live spiritually and go to Heaven, we have to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  We have to seriously accept "the bread of life which is Jesus Christ."

QUESTION 13. )
     DO UNSAVED PEOPLE NEED JESUS CHRIST TO BECOME THEIR BREAD OF LIFE?  DO THEY NEED THE BREAD OF LIFE, JESUS?     

ANSWER 13.)
     This question touches my heart deeper then any other one. Oh yes! How badly unsaved people need Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  If unsaved people only knew the joy that I feel and know. Having the Lord so much a part of my life has been the greatest joy of my life.  I get up every day and praise the Lord for one more day. One more day to try to share the Good news about Him.
     All we really have is today, yesterday is gone and only the Lord knows what the future will bring. Believe me, I have problems just like you do, but with the Lords help I get through them one day at a time.
     "If we start out our day and every day praising the Lord, go to bed at night praising the Lord, than we can say that we had a good day."  It might not have been easy, full of pain but if we can still praise the Lord at the end of the day no matter what, we had a good day.  This applies to minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and even years.
     If you started last year out praising the Lord and ended it praising the Lord, then you had a "good year!"  It might not have been an easy year. It might have been full of hurts and sorrows, but it was a good year because you can still praise the Lord.

QUESTION 14. )
     DO SAVED PEOPLE STILL NEED TO EAT THE "BREAD OF LIFE, JESUS CHRIST" AFTER THEY ARE SAVED?
    
ANSWER 14.)  No, we only have to eat (accept Jesus Christ as our Savior)  once to be saved....BUT we still need to be filled daily with spiritual food in order to spiritually grow.     I’m saved and I still "need" the Lord and  I know that you need the Lord too.  How can we ever get through the problems of life if we don’t have our Savior to turn to? Jesus is my Lord but He is also my dear friend, closer then any brother or sister could be.  Just as I need to eat from the "bread of life Jesus" and His Word the Bible, you need to do it too!
     When we constantly pray, read His Word the Bible and study His precious messages in my heart, we can feel so close to Jesus our Savior.  There is such a loving close bondship between us.  He’s my spiritual friend ( I love Him so much) and I pray that He becomes yours too.  I hope that this Bible Study is touching your heart and your faith is growing spiritually.  I pray that you more and more come to know Jesus as your friend, closer then a brother too.

QUESTION 15. )
     DON'T WE NEED TO EAT BREAD FOR OUR PHYSICAL BODIES TO LIVE AND GROW?
     
ANSWER 15.)
     We can eat other food items but bread is a main source of nutrition which our bodies should really have if we are to maintain good health.   Some people say you can live along time on just bread and water.   I wouldn't care to try it though, It would be boring and not as healthy as when we eat fruits and vegetables too but bread along with water can sustain our life.

QUESTION 16. )
     THEN DO YOU THINK THAT WE NEED TO ASK JESUS CHRIST  TO FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS AND COMEINTO OUR LIFE  IN ORDER TO GET "THE BREAD OF LIFE?"
   
ANSWER 16.)
     Is the Lord revealing anything to your heart right now?  You have to have the bread of life within you to know the Lord Jesus because He is the bread of life!  You have to ask Jesus to become your Lord and Savior to live in Heaven.  Accepting Him into your life as your Savior you gives you the bread of life within you.  Understand?

QUESTION 17. )
    AFTER REPENTING OF SIN AND ASKING FOR THE SALVATION OF JESUS CHRIS TO COME INTO OUR LIFE, HOW DO WE FURTHER SPIRITUALLY GROW?
   
ANSWER 17.)
     Eat G-d’s Word over and over again.  Eat G-d’s Word, (read, read, read,) with your eyes, your heart and specially your faith like a hungry person that hasn’t had a meal in a long time. Do you want to be a tall person? Get down small on your knees and pray asking Jesus to come into your life to be your Lord and Savior.

QUESTION 18. )
    DO YOU NEED TO READ YOUR BIBLE AND 'PRAY EVERYDAY' TO GRWO SPIRITUALLY OR CAN YOU JUST DO IT ONCE IN AWHILE AS THE MOOD LEADS? 
   
ANSWER 18.)
     Healthy Growth can’t happen physically without eating food everyday. The same goes with Spiritual growth, it can’t happen without eating G-d’s Word everyday.  You need to take everything in your life to the Lord in prayer.  The bible tells us to take all things in to the Lord in prayer.  In other words, if you desire to have a close relationship with someone  you need to keep in touch with that person.  The same is true with the Lord.  A close relationship can only happen if you pray and talk to the Lord on a daily basis.  In other words you need to eat the Word!

QUESTION 19. )
     WHY CAN'T WE READ THE BIBLE ONCE IN AWHILE WHEN WE FEEL LIKE AND STILL SPIRITULLY GROW?
  
ANSWER 19.)
     Faith is the reason why we need to make a conscience effort as often as possible to read the Bible.  Faith comes by what.....Faith comes by hearing and hearing of the Word of G-d. Without a daily feeding of physical food for your  flesh, your body gets tired, weak, and sickly.  You can’t think or work properly much less enjoy life to the fullest. You have no protection from desiese to survive and live.  Your body needs energy to keep moving throughout your whole lifetime and that energy comes from the food that you eat.  Food gives you energy and strength!  Well the same goes with feeding your spiritual self.  It gets weak, tired and spiritually susceptible to the sinful temptations and desieses that Satan brings. The Word of God is our sword to fight temptations off and without the full armor on we fall into hopeless situations without proper protection. 

     Rom.10:9-11,13 reads, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
     The Bible says in phil. 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need  according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
John 6:58 he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever

     Have you tasted of "the bread of life" that is Jesus Christ the Lord, by asking Him into your heart?  You’re never too old to do so.   It’s never too late to ask Him into your heart.  If you haven’t asked Him in, why not do it now?  Are you saved? Do you know for sure? Don't take that for granted!

     Lord Jesus, I’ve been a sinner for as long as I can remember. I never knew the joy that I could have by accepting you into my life. I know that you hear my prayers.  I need you to be my Savior.
     You have always been there loving me, throughout everything  in my life.  Forgive me for all of my sins.  I am so sorry for the  way I have acted, and the way that I have behaved towards you and others.  You died on the cross for me.  You loved me that much, how can I ever thank you enough for loving me like that.
     Forgive me for all the things that I have done.  Please come into my life to wash away all of my sins.  I desire eternal life with  you.  Be my Savior and Lord of all of my life.  I want to be in heaven with you for eternity and feel your love.  I worship you and thank you Jesus, with ever bit of gratitude and love that I  can feel towards you. I love you Lord Jesus, with "all of my heart."

      If you have said this prayer from the bottom of your heart, and have sincerely asked Jesus to become your Savior, than you have been born again. Rejoice with the knowledge that the angels in heaven are rejoicing with you.  This is truly wonderful and you must tell someone. You can email me, I would really enjoy hearing from you.  I want to rejoice with too!

     Check back soon for more Bible studies.The next one is being heavily prayed into for the Lord's leading and wisdom.  I also pray that when you leave this forum that you have felt an anointing touch of sincere love from Jesus, and that you feel welcomed to come back often. Amen.

May God bless you and make you happy all the days of your life, 

Yours in Christ, Sister Diana Gray

    You might want to go back to our web site "Diana Gray Ministries" and check out all of the wonderful teachings about the Lord's Word, the Bible. Here's a site that might be of interest to you as an example.