Tag: miracles

Where is our Total Satisfaction with nothing but a young boy’s five loaves of bread and two fish? Mark 6:41-42

Mark 6:33-44 New American Standard Bible

Five Thousand Men Fed

33 The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus went [a]ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. 35 And when it was already late, His disciples came up to Him and said, “[b]This place is secluded and it is already late; 36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves [c]something to eat.” 37 But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they *said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred [d]denarii on bread, and give it to them to eat?” 38 But He *said to them,  “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they *said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 And He ordered them all to recline by groups on the green grass. 40 They reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He gave them to the disciples again and again to set before them; and He divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied; 43 and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces of bread, and of the fish. 44  There were five thousand [e]men who ate the loaves.

Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

When Jesus directed the disciples to feed a crowd of 5,000 men, plus women and children, with nothing but a young boy’s five loaves of bread and two fish, they faced a seemingly impossible situation.

As Andrew questioned, “What are they for so many?” (John 6:9).

But the Twelve did as Jesus directed them: they sat the people down, separated them into groups, and then they divided the loaves and fish. And divided. And divided. And before they knew it, a miracle of satisfaction had just unfolded.

The five loaves and two fish managed to feed thousands—and not just with the tiniest servings of food but with such an abundance that “they all ate and were satisfied.”

In truth, in a rather miraculous turn of events, there were even twelve wicker baskets of leftovers – 1 for each of the disciples to carry over their shoulders and go among the roadways and back alleys of neighboring villages to feast upon.

Just as God had done centuries earlier with the manna in the barren wilderness (Exodus 16), here the Great Shepherd of Israel proved His identity and provided for His people’s needs, both literally and symbolically.

It should be impossible for us to consider this story and not recognize that God takes unmanageable situations and unbelievably limited resources and greatly multiplies them for the well-being of others and the glory of His name. And He can miraculously do this with our lives and with our neighbors lives as well.

Perhaps, if you are the only Christian, practicing Christian, in your family, in your class, or at your job, you may rigorously, vigorously wonder, like Andrew, “What am I to do among so many? What should I say? What can I hope do?”

Mark 12:41-44 New American Standard Bible

The Widow’s Coins

41 And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and began watching how the [a] people were putting [b]money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large amounts. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two [c]lepta coins, which amount to a [d]quadrans. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all [e]the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their [f]surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, [g] all she had to live on.”

Jesus and His disciples watch a widow put coins into the treasury offering box.

But here is the real question to ask:

“Have I truly offered up my “meager” resources to God—my time, talents, my energy, gifts, and finances?” They may not be much. But He can multiply them!

https://www.google.com/search?q=Gladys+Aylward&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Christian missionary Gladys Aylward lived in London with no education and no savings.

What she had, though, was a passionate longing to go to China to share the gospel.

This small-statured lady, who had long, straight, black hair, thus began a journey by train and then by ocean liner, and eventually ended up in Shanghai.

As she stood on the deck, looking out on the city, she saw all the small-statured Chinese people with their straight, black hair, and suddenly realized that God had had a plan and purpose for her all along.

He’d even established her DNA in such a way she would be perfectly suited to become the “Little Woman” who would reach countless tiny children with the gospel—because she offered up her life to God He multiplied it for His glory.

As you look out on your day and your week, offer yourself to God. Your inability is His opportunity. Your weaknesses and your sense of dependence will form the very basis upon which He shows Himself to be stronger. With nothing but mere loaves and fish, He satisfied thousands. Be in no doubt that He can use you to do great and miraculous things of eternal worth, if you will only pray to Him.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Praying …

Psalm 23 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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If I were you in all your ashes, I would immediately appeal to God; would lay my cause before Him, as He performs wonders which cannot be fathomed, miracles which can never be counted. Job 5:8-16

Job 5:8-16 The Message

What a Blessing When God Corrects You!

8-16 “If I were in your shoes, I’d go straight to God,
    I’d throw myself on the mercy of God.
After all, he’s famous for great and unexpected acts;
    there’s no end to his surprises.
He gives rain, for instance, across the wide earth,
    sends water to irrigate the fields.
He raises up the down-and-out,
    gives firm footing to those sinking in grief.
He aborts the schemes of conniving crooks,
    so that none of their plots come to term.
He catches the know-it-alls in their conspiracies—
    all that intricate intrigue swept out with the trash!
Suddenly they’re disoriented, plunged into darkness;
    they can’t see to put one foot in front of the other.
But the downtrodden are saved by God,
    saved from the murderous plots, saved from the iron fist.
And so the poor continue to hope,
    while injustice is bound and gagged.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

These verses from Job highlight the miraculous insight the author of Job made thousands of years ago regarding God’s unlimited power. How does one who is living in such ancient of days rightly conclude that Our God is a God of miracles?

When I see countless videos of countless Christmas lights shining brightly on a dark night all over the globe, I like to think about the fact God is constantly up to something miraculous–much higher and more often than I could ever count.

From the very beginning we read, in wonderment we see God’s light is always overcoming the darkness in our world. Do we ever pay attention to notice it? (Genesis 1 and John 1:1-14)

God operates in ways that are far beyond our limited human understanding.

God’s wonders are too great to fully grasp, and this is precisely what makes them so miraculous. When we encounter situations in our lives that seem impossible, we must remember that nothing is too difficult for God to do. 

These verses also speak of the authors incredible insight of God performing so many miracles they can’t be counted. God’s miraculous power is not confined to a few select moments in history. Instead, God is continually doing miraculous work in such an over abundance that we can’t even understand or count it all.

From His timely answering of our prayers to working through creation, God is 1000% performing miracles all the time – even if we don’t always recognize it. 

When you pray about it, over it, try to count how many times you have been protected, provided for, or blessed without even realizing it was God at work?

The breath in your lungs, the beating of your heart, the peace that sustains you through difficult times are all evidence of God’s wonderful work in your life. 

God is always ready and willing to do something wonderful for you, if you ask him to do so. God invites you to walk unto him with your needs and dreams.

He wants you to pour out your thoughts and feelings honestly, and to seek his help. God is approachable, compassionate, and eager to intervene in your life.

We don’t need to hesitate to ask God to perform a miracle when we need one. 

God’s miracles are often linked to faith. While God is not limited by your faith, God loves to know that you implicitly trust him and his vast power to help you.

When you come to God with faith, believing that He is really able to help you, you open innumerable long locked doors for God to do miracles in your life. 

One of the hardest challenges you face is waiting for God’s miracles, especially when you’re going through those difficult seemingly unassailable challenges.

But just because you and I and we don’t see an obvious miracle immediately doesn’t mean that God is not at work.

God’s timing is always going to be different from yours because He sees the bigger picture. God’s delays are not necessarily denials. Instead, they’re divine setups for something immeasurably infinitely, greater than you can imagine. 

Not all miracles are dramatic or spectacular. Some miracles are as simple as a timely word of blessings, encouragement, an unexpected provision, or a broken relationship healing. It’s important to learn to recognize and appreciate these everyday miracles because they’re just as significant as extraordinary miracles.

God never sleeps, God is ever vigilant, is constantly working behind the scenes, constantly, continually orchestrating events for your good. (Romans 8:28) 

So, live life, love life, with the unyielding expectation that God is always ready to do something wonderful in your life. His wonders are beyond what you, I, we, can understand, and believe his miracles are beyond counting. Approach God with faith, lay your causes before him, wait expectantly for God to answer you. 

No matter what you’re facing today – a financial burden, a health crisis, a broken relationship, or a season of uncertainty – know that God is always able to perform miracles beyond what you can imagine. He is not only capable, but also willing to intervene on your behalf, reveal such miracles for others to see! 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you reach for Bibles, read through His promises, consider how God is busy with something wonderful, miraculous in your life, reflect on these questions: 

  • When was the last time you witnessed or experienced a miracle, big or small? How did it affect your faith? 
  • In what areas of your life do you need to appeal to God and lay your causes before him? What is holding you back? 
  • How can you start expecting God to work wonders in your life? 
  • Are there any “small” miracles in your life that you may have overlooked or taken for granted? How can you develop a greater sense of gratitude for God’s daily blessings? 
  • How can you encourage someone else who is struggling to see God’s miracles in his or her life? What testimony can you share to inspire faith?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 105:1-6 The Message

105 1-6 Hallelujah!

Thank God! Pray to him by name!
    Tell everyone you meet what he has done!
Sing him songs, belt out hymns,
    translate his wonders into music!
Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs,
    you who seek God. Live a happy life!
Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works;
    be alert for signs of his presence.
Remember the world of wonders he has made,
    his miracles, and the verdicts he’s rendered—
        O seed of Abraham, his servant,
        O child of Jacob, his chosen.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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“What is the supposed plan here?” from the viewpoint of all those 5000 gathering, what are we be pondering, our viewpoint, thoughts, theirs, our 2024 expectations? Matthew 14:13-18

Matthew 14:13-18 Complete Jewish Bible

13 On hearing about this, Yeshua left in a boat to be by himself in the wilderness. But the people learned of it and followed him from the towns by land. 14 So when he came ashore, he saw a huge crowd; and, filled with compassion for them, he healed those of them who were sick.

15 As evening approached, the talmidim came to him and said, “This is a remote place and it’s getting late. Send the crowds away, so that they can go and buy food for themselves in the villages.” 16 But Yeshua replied, “They don’t need to go away. Give them something to eat, yourselves!” 17 “All we have with us,” they said, “is five loaves of bread and two fish.” 18 He said, “Bring them here to me.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

This story about Jesus feeding more than 5,000 people is usually told from the viewpoint of the disciples.

I see Jesus – this whole story revolves around his actions.

I see the twelve disciples.

I see the enormous expanse of curious people coming from all directions.

I sit here in my dining room writing this devotion, from a viewpoint focused squarely on what I know what Jesus is about to do – his healing of the sick and the disabled, his challenging his disciples to come up with a plan that will feed all those who have come right there in that moment – not sending them home.

I look at the wonderment coming from the confused minds of his 12 disciples at the enormous task that their Rabbi just handed over to them with that obvious expectation they will arrive at a workable doable solution and feed everyone.

I can see them scratching their collective heads, waving their collective arms all over the place, pushing, chattering and shouting and screaming at each other.

I can see Peter struggling to use some semblance of authority trying to gain some sense of control and give order – but the huge scope of the mission is not allowing for any fruitful results – and the longer that it goes on, the greater the chaos to fulfill their Rabbi’s command. From my 2024 eyes – I am bewildered.

I wonder what it was like to be those panicked disciples, a person in the crowd?

I would have loved to been that fly buzzing around from shoulder to shoulder trying to listen to their confused and chaotic efforts, a fly on Rabbi Jesus hands.

I can imagine walking around, or observe myself flying around surrounded by those thousands of people—men, women, children of all shapes, sizes, ages.

Everyone is trying to find their places to sit and keep their families together.

You would probably see oblivious young children rollicking, running around in play as their parents are desperately trying to corral them along the shoreline.

And seniors slowly shuffling to find a place close enough to Jesus so they could hear him speak.

It was probably an example of what people have called “organized chaos.” Even Jesus’ disciples didn’t know what to do with the hungry followers (vv. 15-17).

What was it like to observe the calm and measured face of Jesus in the midst of such a hectic scene? How did Jesus know he could actually feed all those hungry, exuberant newly healed people with just “five loaves of bread and two fish”?

Jesus always knew he could and would feed the healed, starving crowd because he was and is the compassionate Son of God, who not only provided the bread and fish but too created the earth, established everything in it, from the waters where the fish lived to the land which provided the grain used to bake bread.

Knowing the power of the Creator gave Jesus the opportunity to invite others to know him too. But in this moment, what was it that the twelve disciples knew of their Rabbi, could wrap their finite intellect around and the crowd of thousands, how much did they know, even care aside from the healings which stirred their “what is next” curiosity, did they come to expect a miracle or just full bellies?

What will happen to us if we are generous? We never run out of things to give be it money, goods, intellect or anything that we are generous of giving. Everything flows back in return a hundredfold.  Why is this so? The reason behind is, the moment we give; we don’t only give to the person who needs it we also give to Jesus. And Jesus whom we can never outdo in generosity gives back to us many times over what we give Him.

The crowd in the gospel who were following Jesus had nothing more left in them, they were hungry. And Jesus saw this that’s why He graciously did the miracle of loaves and fish. With five loaves and two fish He feed the nearly five thousand people not including women and children. After all of them had eaten from this miraculous abundance, they had an excess of twelve wicker baskets.

The simple message of the gospel for us from this text is we must be generous and thankful at all times. This is for the reason that God will never run out of anything to give and the more that he give the more that we would give also. God has no limits or boundaries on what He will provide, responding to us all.

As we witness Jesus being compassionate, merciful and generous to the utmost especially to the poor so we must be also make our own sacrifice of self. Let us not worry if our pockets will hurt from our being merciful and generous. For Jesus will always see to it we’ll be filled, motivated with anything that we need, observe with compassionate eyes, act with healing hands, not minding chaos. 

Having observed the twelve, the crowds, what are our 224 collective responses?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

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Psalm 23 King James Version

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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