Monday
When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. - Mark 6:34 ESV
More Than Just a Meal
Sir James Barrie, the British journalist and playwright, cherished his privacy and did not appreciate the intrusiveness of many reporters. A reporter once visited his home with the hope of obtaining an interview. When Barrie opened the door, the reporter smiled and said, “Sir James Barrie, I presume?” Barrie replied, “You do,” and slammed the door in the reporter's face. (Today in the Word)
In Mark 6, Jesus and the disciples had withdrawn for some much-needed alone time. However, the crowd’s desperation interrupted their rest. Jesus’ compassion moved Him to ministry. Eventually, His compassion led to feeding the 5,000, and more than that, it led to a teaching opportunity for the disciples. This was more than just a meal.
Reflection
How do you feel about interruptions? God is always at work, even in the little things. When do you think God may have interrupted you lately to teach you something or to use you?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God for the compassion of Jesus toward you. Ask God to help you see where He is at work today, where He wants to interrupt you, and to join Him.
More Than Just a Meal
Sir James Barrie, the British journalist and playwright, cherished his privacy and did not appreciate the intrusiveness of many reporters. A reporter once visited his home with the hope of obtaining an interview. When Barrie opened the door, the reporter smiled and said, “Sir James Barrie, I presume?” Barrie replied, “You do,” and slammed the door in the reporter's face. (Today in the Word)
In Mark 6, Jesus and the disciples had withdrawn for some much-needed alone time. However, the crowd’s desperation interrupted their rest. Jesus’ compassion moved Him to ministry. Eventually, His compassion led to feeding the 5,000, and more than that, it led to a teaching opportunity for the disciples. This was more than just a meal.
Reflection
How do you feel about interruptions? God is always at work, even in the little things. When do you think God may have interrupted you lately to teach you something or to use you?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God for the compassion of Jesus toward you. Ask God to help you see where He is at work today, where He wants to interrupt you, and to join Him.
Tuesday
And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” - Mark 6:35-36 ESV
How Do We Respond To Problems?
When D.L. Moody was building his great Sunday School in Chicago, children came to him from everywhere. They often passed by other churches and Sunday Schools to be with Mr. Moody. When asked why he walked so far to attend Moody’s Sunday School, one boy replied, “Because they love a fella over there!” The children could tell the difference. (Borrow Be Diligent)
Jesus loved people. Jesus and the disciples saw the same problem but they saw different solutions. To the disciples, the crowds were a hungry problem but to Jesus, they were as sheep without a shepherd. The disciples thought it would cost too much and they didn’t have enough to feed all these people. Jesus believed they already had all that they needed to meet the need.
Reflection
How do you think you would have responded to the hungry crowds that day, more like Jesus or more like the disciples? How does what we learned about this story, in Pastor Jim’s sermon, change how you should view your daily problems?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God for giving you everything you need when you need it. Ask God to give you spiritual eyes to see His solution to the problems you and the people around you are facing.
How Do We Respond To Problems?
When D.L. Moody was building his great Sunday School in Chicago, children came to him from everywhere. They often passed by other churches and Sunday Schools to be with Mr. Moody. When asked why he walked so far to attend Moody’s Sunday School, one boy replied, “Because they love a fella over there!” The children could tell the difference. (Borrow Be Diligent)
Jesus loved people. Jesus and the disciples saw the same problem but they saw different solutions. To the disciples, the crowds were a hungry problem but to Jesus, they were as sheep without a shepherd. The disciples thought it would cost too much and they didn’t have enough to feed all these people. Jesus believed they already had all that they needed to meet the need.
Reflection
How do you think you would have responded to the hungry crowds that day, more like Jesus or more like the disciples? How does what we learned about this story, in Pastor Jim’s sermon, change how you should view your daily problems?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God for giving you everything you need when you need it. Ask God to give you spiritual eyes to see His solution to the problems you and the people around you are facing.
Wednesday
And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” - Mark 6:38 ESV
What Resources Do We Try to Use?
Three preachers were out fishing bright and early one Saturday morning. After they'd found a good spot and cast their lines, one of them suddenly remembered he'd left his lunch on shore. Stepping out of the boat, he walked casually to shore, retrieved it, and returned to the boat. Then the second preacher remembered he'd left his tackle box on shore. He repeated the first man's exploit.
The third preacher sat stunned by the 'walks on the water' he'd just witnessed. Not to be thought lacking in faith, he announced he'd left his hat on shore and stepped out of the boat. Splash! The first preacher turned to the other and asked, 'Do you suppose we should have shown him the rocks to step on?' (Today in the Word)
Jesus is the rock we step on by faith to accomplish great things. The disciples had more than 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish to feed the crowd. They had Jesus. You have more than what’s in your bank account to live on and meet your needs. You also have Jesus. The old saying is still true “Where God guides, He provides.”
Reflection
Pastor Jim reminded us we have food and we have faith as a resource. What did God say to your heart as you listened to the difference between faith and food in the sermon?
Praise/Prayer
Thank God for His presence, power, and His provision in your life. Ask God to grow your faith in His ability to provide you with what you need.
What Resources Do We Try to Use?
Three preachers were out fishing bright and early one Saturday morning. After they'd found a good spot and cast their lines, one of them suddenly remembered he'd left his lunch on shore. Stepping out of the boat, he walked casually to shore, retrieved it, and returned to the boat. Then the second preacher remembered he'd left his tackle box on shore. He repeated the first man's exploit.
The third preacher sat stunned by the 'walks on the water' he'd just witnessed. Not to be thought lacking in faith, he announced he'd left his hat on shore and stepped out of the boat. Splash! The first preacher turned to the other and asked, 'Do you suppose we should have shown him the rocks to step on?' (Today in the Word)
Jesus is the rock we step on by faith to accomplish great things. The disciples had more than 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish to feed the crowd. They had Jesus. You have more than what’s in your bank account to live on and meet your needs. You also have Jesus. The old saying is still true “Where God guides, He provides.”
Reflection
Pastor Jim reminded us we have food and we have faith as a resource. What did God say to your heart as you listened to the difference between faith and food in the sermon?
Praise/Prayer
Thank God for His presence, power, and His provision in your life. Ask God to grow your faith in His ability to provide you with what you need.
Thursday
And they all ate and were satisfied. - Mark 6:42 ESV
What Are The Results When We Trust God?
Julie Link writes: One of my favorite childhood toys is making a comeback—the hula hoop. My friend Suzi and I spent hours on the front lawn perfecting our technique and competing to see which of us could keep a hoop circling our waist longer. This year I relived that part of my childhood. While sitting in a park, I watched as children of all ages and sizes tried their hardest to keep hula hoops from falling to the ground. They twisted and turned with all their strength, but despite their exertion the hoops landed on the ground. Then a young woman picked up a hoop. With hardly any motion, she moved it smoothly and rhythmically up and down from her waist to her shoulders and back to her waist. Her success depended on strategic movement, not vigorous motion. (Julie Ackerman Link)
Jesus was strategic and wanted the disciples to become strategic. Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and fed 5,000 men and still had left overs. Everyone ate and was “satisfied.” God used the little boy and the disciples to feed the crowd. The success was not based on their effort. The success was based on their strategic reliance on our Father in heaven to provide.
Reflection
Are there any areas of your life that you feel like you are trying to manage like keeping up a hula hoop?
Praise/Prayer
Reflect on ways in the past God has provided for you without you making it happen. Praise God for His past faithfulness and ask Him to do it again in other areas of your life.
What Are The Results When We Trust God?
Julie Link writes: One of my favorite childhood toys is making a comeback—the hula hoop. My friend Suzi and I spent hours on the front lawn perfecting our technique and competing to see which of us could keep a hoop circling our waist longer. This year I relived that part of my childhood. While sitting in a park, I watched as children of all ages and sizes tried their hardest to keep hula hoops from falling to the ground. They twisted and turned with all their strength, but despite their exertion the hoops landed on the ground. Then a young woman picked up a hoop. With hardly any motion, she moved it smoothly and rhythmically up and down from her waist to her shoulders and back to her waist. Her success depended on strategic movement, not vigorous motion. (Julie Ackerman Link)
Jesus was strategic and wanted the disciples to become strategic. Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and fed 5,000 men and still had left overs. Everyone ate and was “satisfied.” God used the little boy and the disciples to feed the crowd. The success was not based on their effort. The success was based on their strategic reliance on our Father in heaven to provide.
Reflection
Are there any areas of your life that you feel like you are trying to manage like keeping up a hula hoop?
Praise/Prayer
Reflect on ways in the past God has provided for you without you making it happen. Praise God for His past faithfulness and ask Him to do it again in other areas of your life.
Friday
And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. - Mark 6:43 ESV
Some Reminders We Should Consider
A comedian told his audience that he was fully committed to his wife. People clapped for him. Then he said, "You know why I'm fully committed? You ever seen those dead possums lying in the middle of the road? Those were partially committed possums!" And as he said, "I don't want to be partially committed." A casual commitment produces problems in a lot of areas! (Lifeway)
Jesus wants to use our total commitment to produce fruit. After feeding the 5,000, there were twelve full baskets left over. Each basket served as a reminder for each of the twelve disciples of what Jesus can do. The word “full” in Mark 6:23 implies abundance with no gaps. Jesus was reminding them he could fill their deepest need. He was also reminding them that He could use each one of their surrendered lives.
Reflection
In what ways are you partially committed to Jesus? What do you think would change in your life if you were totally committed?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God for some of the blessings He has filled your basket with. Surrender any areas of your life to Jesus right now that you are only partially committed in.
Some Reminders We Should Consider
A comedian told his audience that he was fully committed to his wife. People clapped for him. Then he said, "You know why I'm fully committed? You ever seen those dead possums lying in the middle of the road? Those were partially committed possums!" And as he said, "I don't want to be partially committed." A casual commitment produces problems in a lot of areas! (Lifeway)
Jesus wants to use our total commitment to produce fruit. After feeding the 5,000, there were twelve full baskets left over. Each basket served as a reminder for each of the twelve disciples of what Jesus can do. The word “full” in Mark 6:23 implies abundance with no gaps. Jesus was reminding them he could fill their deepest need. He was also reminding them that He could use each one of their surrendered lives.
Reflection
In what ways are you partially committed to Jesus? What do you think would change in your life if you were totally committed?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God for some of the blessings He has filled your basket with. Surrender any areas of your life to Jesus right now that you are only partially committed in.
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