Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study, Christian Affirmations, Hearing God, Prayer, Holy Spirit, Daily Devotional

Bible Study 101: What Do Numbers Mean in the Bible? Hearing Jesus, Devotional

This episode is part of Bible Study 101, a series teaching a method
Rachael calls the color method. You take one short passage and read it several times, marking something different in each color, and by the end you can see things on the page you'd never catch reading at normal speed. This week the passage is John 6:1-15, the feeding of the five thousand.

Today's color is orange, and orange marks numbers and quantities. Numbers
matter in Scripture, and this is also the place where people go off a cliff, so
Rachael spends real time on the guardrail before she ever picks up a pencil.
What gematria is, why 11:11 is not a message from God, and why the Bible was never written as a code to crack. Then the marking, which turns out to tell the whole story on its own. And at the end, the question of why there were leftovers at all, and who had to carry them.

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Chapters

0:00 The last color of the week

0:37 What orange marks

1:18 Why numbers matter in Scripture

1:46 Verse numbers are not inspired

2:40 A caution about 11:11 and chasing numbers

4:35 What numbers tell you about scale

5:57 What gematria is, and where it goes wrong

7:49 Scripture was not written as a puzzle

9:13 The guardrail

10:11 A listener in a country where following Jesus costs something

11:29 Reading John 6:1-15

13:25 Marking the numbers

17:20 Line the numbers up in order

18:39 What John is actually doing

19:08 Twelve baskets and twelve disciples

20:35 What does this mean, not what does this mean to me

21:05 Why there were leftovers at all

22:23 Who had to carry the baskets

22:55 Prayer

23:49 Homework

What is the color method?

It's a way of studying Scripture that Rachael developed while teaching
sixth and seventh graders who had never been shown how to read the Bible for themselves. She published it in her first book, She Hears.

You take a short passage, ten to fifteen verses, and mark it with colored
pencils or highlighters. Each color answers one question. Green marks the who. Blue marks the supernatural. Red marks the action words. Purple marks timing. Orange marks numbers.

The colors aren't the point. You can't put a color on a word without
making a decision about that word, and you can't make a decision without
slowing down enough to actually read.

What does orange mark?

Numbers and quantities that appear in the text itself. Five loaves, two
fish, 200 denarii, 5,000 men, twelve baskets.

It also covers quantity words that aren't digits. Every, none, both, few,
plenty, enough, nothing, all, as much as they wanted. Anything that counts or
measures.

Are verse numbers part of the Bible?

No, and this matters. Chapter and verse numbers were added centuries
later by scribes and scholars so people could find and reference passages.
Rachael's kids in children's ministry called them the addresses, which is a
good way to think about them. They're a filing system, not Scripture.

So John 6:6 doesn't get marked. The number six in that reference isn't
inspired and it isn't pointing at anything.

Is 11:11 a message from God?

No. And this is where Rachael spends real time, because numbers in
Scripture is the area where people most often go wrong.

Some people treat repeating numbers like 11:11 as a personal signal, and
then go looking up every 11:11 reference in the Bible as if it were a mandate.
But a chapter and verse address carries no more divine weight than the image printed on the cover of your Bible. God can use anything. That doesn't make it a message.

What is gematria, and should Christians use it?

Gematria is a Jewish practice of assigning number values to Hebrew
letters, which means every Hebrew word also carries a numeric value. People
began hunting for hidden codes in those values, convinced that cracking the
pattern would unlock a secret message.

Rachael's caution has three parts. We aren't reading Hebrew, so applying
that logic to English doesn't hold. It isn't something Scripture instructs
anyone to do, it's a practice people developed. And we follow God, not the
practices of the people around Him.

She learned about it in seminary, and points out that seminary also
teaches you about sin and witchcraft. Learning that something existed in a time period doesn't make it biblical.

Was the Bible written as a code to crack?

No. Scripture wasn't written as a puzzle. It was written to be
understood.

The plain meaning of the text, what the words say in their context,
carries far more weight than any value you could calculate by adding letters
together. When people go down the numerology road, it usually ends in a
prediction, which is how you get someone announcing the world will end on a specific date every few years. Jesus said nobody except the Father knows when that will happen, so those predictions are already ignoring the actual Bible. Here's the guardrail. Mark the number. See what it helps you
understand. Ask whether the writer seems to be pointing at something. Then stop, unless the text itself makes the connection for you.

How many people did Jesus actually feed?

More than five thousand. Probably closer to fifteen thousand.

Verse 10 says about 5,000 men were there. In that culture, counting the
men meant the women and children with them weren't included in the number. So John isn't giving you a ceiling. He's giving you the floor.

It's one thing to say Jesus fed people. It's another to hold five loaves
next to five thousand men and feel the size of the gap. That gap is the entire
point of the story.

What are the numbers in John 6:1-15?

Verse 2: a great crowd. Vague on purpose.

Verse 5: a great crowd again. John says it twice. Repetition is
usually significant.

Verse 7: half a year's wages, which some translations render as
200 denarii. A denarius was roughly a day's pay for a laborer, so that's 200
days of work. Also each one and a bite. Philip is measuring in
two directions at once, this much money spread across this many people equals about a mouthful each. That verse is entirely math.

Verse 9: five loaves, two fish, so many. And notice
the word small appears twice. Small loaves, small fish.

Verse 10: plenty of grass, about five thousand men.

Verse 11: as much as they wanted.

Verse 12: all, enough, nothing wasted.

Verse 13: twelve baskets, five barley loaves.

What happens when you line the numbers up?

Something deliberate.

You start with a vague crowd. Philip converts it to money, and 200 days
of wages still isn't enough for one bite each. Andrew brings the resources, and they're five and two, and twice they're called small. Then the crowd gets a hard floor of five thousand.

Then the miracle, and John refuses to quantify it. As much as they
wanted.

Then he counts again on the other side. Twelve baskets.

John establishes how impossible the math is in two directions through two
different disciples, refuses to measure what Jesus did, and then counts the
leftovers precisely. So you know it wasn't barely enough. There's an entire layer of this passage told in nothing but the numbers.

What do the twelve baskets mean?

It's hard to read twelve in a gospel and not think of the twelve
disciples, especially in a passage already pointing back to Israel and the
exodus and the twelve tribes. This is a thread woven into the same fabric as
the Passover, the wilderness, the mountain, and the prophet like Moses.

But here's the question worth sitting with. The miracle was complete when
everyone ate. Everybody had as much as they wanted. The point was already made. There didn't have to be anything left over.

And yet Jesus stops and tells them to gather it so nothing is wasted, and
it fills twelve baskets from five small loaves.

Who picks them up? The disciples. The same men who had been running the
numbers a few minutes earlier and reporting that this was impossible. Philip
with his 200 denarii, Andrew with his what good is this. And now each of them is holding a basket of what was left after thousands of people ate as much as they wanted.

Jesus made sure they had to handle the evidence with their own hands. Rachael's read is that this miracle
may have been more for them than it was for the crowd.

FAQ

Do I need to have heard the earlier episodes? No. This one explains what it needs
to as it goes, and they're evergreen if you want to catch up later.

What do I need to follow along? A Bible or a printed copy of John 6:1-15 that you're comfortable
marking, and something orange. You can print the passage free at Bible Gateway.

What if a passage has no numbers in it? That happens, and sometimes more than one color goes
unused. Do the read-through anyway. The repetition is what builds the
observation.

Is it okay to write in my Bible? Yes. There's an episode earlier in this series that deals with that
directly if it makes you uneasy, or use a printout instead.

What's the homework? Write two numbers in the margin next to verse 10. Five and five
thousand. Sit with those, and pray about them.

What's next? Yellow, the last color, and the most important day of the week. Rachael
explains why it comes at the end instead of the beginning.

Where can I go deeper on the color method? She Hears, on Amazon, teaches it over six weeks through the stories of six women in the Gospels. All the Scripture is printed in the workbook, so you don't have to write in your Bible if you'd rather not.

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This Tuesday episode offers powerful, Scripture-based affirmations to help you step into your week with boldness, peace, and purpose. As the world demands more, God invites you to rely on His strength. Through these promises, you’re reminded that you are never alone, never powerless, and never without purpose.

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

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Today’s daily affirmations are for strength and confidence for the week ahead. Whatever this week holds, you are not facing it alone. God is with you—strengthening you, guiding you, and fighting for you. No matter what challenges you encounter, you can walk in faith knowing that God has already prepared the way for you.

Affirmation: I am strong and courageous in Christ.

Joshua 1:9

Affirmation: I do not fear because God is with me.

Isaiah 41:10

Affirmation: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

Affirmation: I am victorious through Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:57

Affirmation: I have the power of God working within me.

Ephesians 3:20

Affirmation: I will not be shaken because God is my refuge.

Psalm 62:6

Affirmation: I walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

Affirmation: No weapon formed against me shall prosper.

Isaiah 54:17

Affirmation: God fights my battles and I need only to be still.

Exodus 14:14

Affirmation: I am not afraid because God has overcome the world.

John 16:33

Affirmation: I have authority in Christ over every attack of the enemy.

Luke 10:19

Affirmation: I am rooted and established in God’s love.

Ephesians 3:17

Affirmation: I have divine wisdom and strength for today.

James 1:5

Affirmation: I am resilient and I will persevere through trials.

Romans 5:3-4

Affirmation: I am filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8

Affirmation: I will not grow weary in doing good.

Galatians 6:9

Affirmation: God’s grace is sufficient for me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Affirmation: I have peace that surpasses understanding.

Philippians 4:7

Affirmation: I am never alone. God is always near.

Deuteronomy 31:8

Affirmation: I am protected under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1

Affirmation: God’s Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

Affirmation: I stand firm in faith and do not waver.

James 1:6

Affirmation: I am free from fear because God’s perfect love casts it out.

1 John 4:18

Affirmation: I have a spirit of power, love, and sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

Affirmation: God is working all things for my good today.

Romans 8:28

Closing Prayer

Lord, I surrender my fear to You. Fill me with boldness, courage, and confidence in You. No matter what today holds, I trust in Your strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Listen daily and start your morning with God’s truth so you can walk in faith, clarity, and confidence.

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Bible Study 101: Why Does John Mention the Passover in John 6? Hearing Jesus, Devotional

This episode is part of Bible Study 101, a series teaching a method
Rachael calls the color method. You take one passage and read it several times, marking something different in each color, and by the end you see things on the page you'd never catch reading at normal speed. This week the passage is John 6:1-15, the feeding of the five thousand.

Today's color is purple, and purple marks timing. Words like then, after,
already, when, near. That sounds like the least interesting color of the week
until you get to verse 4, which is six words about a festival. It has no people
in it, nothing supernatural, and nobody doing anything, so it sat blank on the
page for four straight days while everything around it filled in. It's also the
sentence that tells you what kind of story you're actually reading.

Links

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Chapters

0:00 What we're doing this week

0:28 The difference between reading and studying

0:55 What purple marks

1:24 Why timing is so easy to miss in Scripture

2:30 The two things timing words do for you

3:53 Reading John 6:1-15

5:41 Marking the timing words

8:29 Back to verse 4

9:23 What Passover actually is

10:26 A crowd in a wild place with no food, during Passover season

11:33 This is not a story about a picnic

12:03 Why the crowd calls Him the Prophet

12:46 Why this is the argument for the whole method

14:19 Writers don't waste sentences

16:06 The grass, and the green pastures

17:03 The mountain, twice

17:32 Prayer

18:20 Homework

What is the color method?

It's a way of studying Scripture that Rachael developed while teaching
sixth and seventh graders who had never been shown how to read the Bible for themselves. She later published it in her first book, She Hears.

You take a short passage, ten to fifteen verses, and mark it with colored
pencils or highlighters. Each color answers one question. Green marks the who. Blue marks the supernatural, the things only God could do. Red marks the action words. Purple marks timing.

The colors aren't the point. The point is that you can't put a color on a
word without making a decision about that word, and you can't make a decision without slowing down enough to actually read. Most of us skim familiar passages without noticing. This makes it impossible.

What does purple mark?

Timing. Think of purple as the clock.

You're looking for when something happened, how long it took, what came
before, and what came after. Words like then, immediately, during, already,
when, after, again, the next day.

Why does timing matter so much in the Bible?

Because Scripture handles time in a way that reading a normal book
doesn't prepare you for.

There are 400 years between the end of the Old Testament and the
beginning of the New. You turn one page and four centuries have passed, and nothing on the page tells you that. Inside a single passage you can cover
generations in three sentences.

Timing words do two things. They tell you the order events happened in,
which matters because our memories compress stories and lose the sequence. And they locate the passage inside the larger story of Scripture, so you know whether you're before the rescue or after it, before the kings or after the kingdom fell apart, before Jesus or after.

What are the timing words in John 6:1-15?

Verse 1: Sometime after this. Right at the start. And notice what
that assumes. After what? Something happened before this, which means John is connecting this scene to chapter 5. Most of us open to a chapter and read like the story begins there. It doesn't.

Verse 3: Then Jesus went up on a mountainside.

Verse 4: The Jewish Passover Festival was near. Mark this one even
though it may not look like timing yet.

Verse 5: When Jesus looked up.

Verse 6: He already had in mind what He was going to do. That's
timing telling you something happened before the conversation even started.

Verse 10: There was plenty of grass in that place. Mark this too,
at least with your pen.

Verse 11: Jesus then took the loaves.

Verse 12: When they had all had enough to eat.

Verse 14: After the people saw the sign.

Verse 15: He withdrew again to a mountain. And notice what
"again" tells you. He'd already done this once, back in verse 3. He
went up, He came down into all of this, and now He's going back up.

Why does John mention the Passover in John 6?

Because it tells you what kind of story you're in.

Passover is the meal Israel ate the night before God brought them out of
Egypt. It's the festival where every Jewish family remembers the rescue. Lamb, bread, deliverance.

And remember what happened right after that rescue. They went out into
the wilderness with no food, and God fed them bread from heaven every morning for forty years.

Now look at this scene. A huge crowd in a remote place with no food. It's
Passover season, so these people are already thinking about the exodus, because that's the entire point of the festival. And in the middle of that remembering, a man goes up on a mountain, comes back down, and hands them bread that should not exist.

This is not a story about a picnic. John put one sentence in verse 4 that gives you the frame for the whole passage.

Why does the crowd call Jesus the Prophet?

Because of everything above. In verse 14 they say, Surely this is the
Prophet who is to come into the world.

That's not a random title. In Deuteronomy 18, God said He would raise up
a prophet like Moses. These people had Moses on the brain because it was Moses season, and they had just watched a man do something Moses-shaped. They connected it immediately.

And they weren't wrong. Which is what makes verse 15 land the way it
does, when they try to make Him king by force and He walks away. They had the right person and the wrong idea of what He came to do.

Why is this the argument for the whole method?

Because of how it was found.

For four days that verse sat white on the page. No people, so no green.
Nothing supernatural, so no blue. Nobody doing anything, so no red. Everything around it filled in and it stayed blank.

The only reason it got looked at is that purple forced a stop on it and
made a decision necessary.

There's nothing special about the colors. If this method doesn't work for
you, that's fine. But what it does is force your brain to slow down on the
things it would otherwise glide past, especially the things a modern reader
isn't wired to catch. We aren't ancient Israelites with Moses on our minds. We
don't feel Passover season coming.

Two small details worth noticing

Verse 10 says there was plenty of grass in that place. That seems
like a strange thing to mention. But in that part of the world, grass means
spring, which lines up with Passover. It also means this crowd sat down in
green pasture, which may bring something else to mind. A shepherd who makes people lie down in green pastures and prepares a table for them.

And the mountain shows up twice. Verse 3, He goes up. Verse 15, He goes
back up. Mountains matter in Scripture. It's where Moses met God and where the law was given, and John has put Jesus on one twice in fifteen verses.

Writers don't waste sentences

John says at the end of his gospel that he saw many things Jesus did that
he chose not to write down. Scripture is God breathed, and God worked through a person who made real decisions about what to include.

Rachael works as a ghostwriter, and she'll tell you that when someone is
paying you to write, you don't waste sentences. You choose what goes in and what stays out.

So out of everything that could have been included in this scene, one
line is about the calendar. If it's in there, it's because God wanted you to
know it.

FAQ

Do I need to have heard the earlier episodes? No. This one explains what it needs to as it goes.

What do I need to follow along? A Bible or a printed copy of John 6:1-15 that you're comfortable marking, and something purple. You can print the passage free at Bible Gateway.

Do I need special supplies? No. Colored pencils from a kid's school supply drawer work. Wax Bible highlighters are nice because they don't bleed through, but a pencil will do.

Is it okay to write in my Bible? Yes. If that makes you uneasy, there's an episode earlier in this series that deals with it directly, or use a printout instead.

What if I mark different words than Rachael does? That's fine. Some words go either way, and God shows different things to different people from the same text.

What's the homework? Pray. Then read Exodus 16, or just verses 1 through 15, which is the account of God feeding His people with manna in the wilderness. Then come back and look at your page again.

What's next? Orange. It's the shortest color of the week and it matters more than it looks like it will.

Where can I go deeper on the color method? She Hears, on Amazon, teaches it over six weeks through the stories of six women in the Gospels. All the Scripture is printed in the workbook, so you don't have to write in your Bible if you'd rather not.

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Monday: I Am Called By God: Daily Affirmations, Christian Affirmations, Biblical Affirmations, Affirmations



Start your day with confidence, peace, and purpose through these Daily Affirmations for Adults. Each episode is a short but powerful way to realign your heart and mind with biblical truth. Speak life over your day, renew your faith, and step into God’s promises with Scripture-based affirmations.

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AD-FREE Daily Affirmations can be found
on my Patreon at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/HearingJesus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Here are your Monday affirmations. I will read the phrase, then you
repeat it, and then I’ll tell you the Scripture it’s from.

Take a deep breath. This is a new day filled with God’s grace and
purpose. You are not defined by your past or your mistakes or the opinions of
others. You are defined by the truth of God’s Word. Let these affirmations fill
your heart as you step into today.



I am a child of God, chosen and loved.

1 John 3:1



I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:14



I am fully known and loved fully by God.

Psalm 139:1–2



I have been chosen before the foundation of the world.

Ephesians 1:4



I am created in the image of God.

Genesis 1:27



I am redeemed and made new in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17



I am set apart for God’s purpose.

1 Peter 2:9



I am God’s masterpiece, created for good works.

Ephesians 2:10



I am loved with an everlasting love.

Jeremiah 31:3



I am called by name and belong to God.

Isaiah 43:1



I am not my past. I am a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17



I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.

1 Corinthians 6:20



I’m seated in heavenly places with Christ.

Ephesians 2:6



I am co-heir with Christ.

Romans 8:17



I am not rejected. I am accepted in Christ.

Ephesians 1:6



I am never alone. God is always with me.

Hebrews 13:5



I am valuable and precious in God’s sight.

Isaiah 43:4



I have been set free by the truth of Jesus.

John 8:36



I am more than a conqueror through Christ.

Romans 8:37



I am a light in this world, shining for Christ.

Matthew 5:14



I am God’s dwelling
place. His Spirit lives within me.

1 Corinthians 3:16



I am forgiven and free from condemnation.

Romans 8:1



I have a divine purpose and calling from God.

Jeremiah 29:11



I am dearly loved and nothing can separate me from God’s love.

Romans 8:38–39



Father, thank You for reminding me who I am in You. Help me to
walk in confidence today, knowing that I am chosen, loved, and called by You. No matter what comes my way, let my identity be rooted in Your truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.



I hope these affirmations spoke to your heart today. If you want to
go deeper, just keep listening. Your full Bible study episode is coming up
next.

Listen daily and start your morning with
God’s truth so you can walk in faith, clarity, and confidence.





#ChristianPodcast #DailyAffirmations
#FaithOverFear #BiblicalTruth #MorningDevotions #RenewYourMind
#HearingJesusPodcast

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Sunday: I Am Aware of God's Presence: Daily Affirmations,
Christian Affirmations, Biblical Affirmations

Today is about looking ahead with God. Before the week begins, we
pause and place what’s coming into His hands. These affirmations are meant to help you enter the week grounded, attentive, and trusting God to lead you one day at a time.

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

AD-FREE Daily Affirmations can be found on
my Patreon at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/HearingJesus⁠

Repeat after me, then listen to the Bible verse.



I place this coming week in God’s hands.

Psalm
31:15 – “My times are in Your hands.”

I
trust God to guide my steps.

Psalm
37:23 – “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him.”

I
enter this week with expectancy, not fear.

Romans
15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in
Him.”

I
invite God into every moment ahead.

Proverbs
16:3 – “Commit to the Lord whatever you do.”

I
trust God to order my priorities.

Matthew
6:33 – “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.”

I
receive God’s wisdom for the days ahead.

James
1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God.”

I
walk into this week anchored in truth.

Psalm
119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet.”

I
trust God with what I cannot foresee.

Isaiah
46:10 – “I make known the end from the beginning.”

I
choose faith over anticipation of stress.

Psalm
56:3 – “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”

I
rely on God’s grace for each day.

2
Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is sufficient for you.”

I
trust God’s timing
this week.

Habakkuk
2:3 – “Though it linger, wait for it.”

I
remain open to God’s leading.

Psalm
25:4 – “Show me Your ways, Lord.”

I
step forward with humility and trust.

Micah
6:8 – “What does the Lord require of you? To walk humbly with your God.”

I
depend on God’s strength, not my own.

Psalm
68:35 – “God gives strength and power to His people.”

I
trust God with every conversation and decision.

Proverbs
20:24 – “A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.”

I
choose obedience over control.

John
14:23 – “Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching.”

I
walk into this week aware of God’s presence.

Exodus
33:14 – “My Presence will go with you.”

I
trust God to work through ordinary moments.

Zechariah
4:10 – “Do not despise these small beginnings.”

I
release anxiety about outcomes.

Psalm
112:7 – “They will have no fear of bad news.”

I
remain attentive to God’s voice.

John
10:27 – “My sheep listen to My voice.”

I
trust God to meet my needs.

Philippians
4:19 – “My God will meet all your needs.”

I
step into this week with courage.

Psalm
31:24 – “Be strong and take heart.”

I
trust God to shape my character.

Romans
8:29 – “To be conformed to the image of His Son.”

I
begin this week grounded in hope.

Hebrews
6:19 – “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul.”

I
rest in God’s faithfulness as I move forward.

Psalm
33:4 – “The word of the Lord is right and true.”



Closing Prayer:

God, as I step into this new week, I place everything ahead of me
in Your care. Go before me, guide my steps, and help me stay attentive to You. I trust You with what’s coming, one day at a time. Amen.


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