Mark 8:1-10 – Jesus feeds four thousand men with seven loaves of bread

Application:

Right now in my life I feel like both my time and my talent amount to seven loaves; I feel overextended. What I want is to get to the end of my day and feel like I have baskets left … but I don’t. I feel like it’s all gone, including my portion. Perhaps the problem is that I’m relying only on my seven loaves, or maybe I’m not sufficiently thanking for and asking God to bless them. Either way, I know there is more. I know that God has baskets for me, so that I can hand out everything I have and have baskets left over.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for my seven loaves – let me not be ungrateful for the bounty in my life. Please bless my time, and bless my talent so that everyone around me has received everything they need from me without want for more. Let my source be you, Lord. I know that my stores will never be enough – that I need to come to you in order to give more than I have, and I know you are more than capable. I love you, Lord.

Mark 6:56 “Wherever Christ went – in villages and cities and out on the farms – they laid the sick in the market plazas and streets.  The sick begged him to let them at least touch the fringe of his robe, and all who touched it were healed.”

Observation:

Jesus’ ministry … even when I think about the word “minister” as defined by offering care or aid is so different than what we see in churches today; we have “Adult Ministries” and “Youth Ministries” and “Children’s Ministries.”  Jesus healed people.  I wonder if all the accounts we had of Jesus preaching verses Jesus healing what the split would be.  In any case, Jesus didn’t need to “do outreach” as we think of it today – that was his entire mission, and because of that people were drawn to him.  He didn’t have to knock on doors.  He didn’t have to hold “seeker friendly” events.  People knew that if they came, they would receive healing … how much more “relevant” can you get?

Application:

I’m so grateful this is the direction Life Center is headed.  This is the direction I need to head as a “minister” to my world.  What are my resources?  I have no robe with healing powers, but I have lots to offer.

Prayer:

Lord – help me identify what I have to give, how to do so, and where I can minister those gifts.

Revelation 19:10 “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Observation:

Usually when I think of prophecy I think of a foretelling  of the future … in some ways I guess testimony of Jesus is just that.  But it also makes it seem so available.

Application:

I need to broaden my understanding of the gift of prophecy – and more than likely, all spiritual gifts.  However, this also means I need to re-evaluate the spiritual gifts accessible to me, starting with prophecy.  I can be a prophet for Christ – and it’s not difficult.  I don’t have to wait for divine inspiration – I already have it!  Whenever I do or say something that communicates Christs love, his power, or his salvation, I am prophesying. Perhaps not in the same manner as Ezekiel, or our general typical understanding of a prophet, but if I genuinely believe that all spiritual gifts are accessible to anyone, then I need to consider that each gift is available in varying portions and I need to accept it, claim it, and put it to use!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for every gift – I submit my life to you in hopes that you can use me.  Help me be aware when you have given me something with a divine purpose.

Micah 3:8 “But as for me, I am filled with power and the Spirit of the Lord.  I am filled with justice and might, fearlessly pointing out Israel’s sin and rebellion.”

Observation:

Before I opened up my Bible and as I was asking God to speak to me I was thinking that I mostly just feel like a “good person” – doing the “right” things and not doing the “wrong” things (in general).  But not a person like Micah describes himself in this verse.  It occurs to me that most people aren’t prophets and that most Christians live out fairly normal lives doing normal things … it’s odd – I don’t really desire to be a pastor or teacher, or a great evangelist … really any of the gifts described throughout scripture.    And I don’t aspire to them.

Prayer:

As I w as thinking and talking to God – my prayer was, and is, to be transformed.  I feel like God has filled my deficiencies and dulled my sharp edges, but I just feel like me.  I want to be filled with power and the Spirit of the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 11:9 “Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes.  Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.”

Observation:

I really enjoy Ecclesiastes.  It illustrates the complexity of God and life.  Wealth and poverty do not accompany wisdom and foolishness.  Wisdom and skill do not accompany leadership and success.  Action A does not equate to result B.  Because of these incongruities, Solomon says “Do it!”  It reminds me of the movie “Yes Man” with Jim Carrie – he joins a self-improvement group where he is taught to NEVER turn down an opportunity.  The opportunities that actually arise aren’t necessarily the “impulses of the heart” but it’s a … “yes” to life.  Tempered by what is a simple (if not difficult) command: Fear God and obey his commands (12:13).  So much of the culture of Christianity is about restraint – Solomon outlines the vast freedom we have in God.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for being a God of good times – a God of joy.

Psalms 33:15 “He fashioned our hearts, and understands everything we do.”

Observation:

Knowing that the God I worship, the God of all creation, the God  in ultimate control understands what I do is comforting.  He knows my temptations, he knows my brokeness, he knows my heart and thoughts completely.  He knows exactly what is broken, and exactly how to fix it.  Paul says God will complete His good work in me (Phil. 1:6) – Jeremiah says He has good plans for me (Jer. 29:11).  Christ identifies with my struggle against sin, and God knows my struggle in sin – It makes it not feel quite so secret, not so isolating.

Application:

I need to be patient and trust that God is completing a good work in me, and that he is doing the same in others.  He knows and understands where we all are.  I need to remember these things when I’m frustrated with myself, and when I’m frustrated with others.

Prayer:

Thank you Lord for your omniscience.

Matthew 25:29 “To those who use well what they are given, more will be given, and they will have an abundance.  But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away.”

Observation:

Despite knowing better, in my heart I feel like I don’t really have anything to offer or to “use well.”  When I think about how I could better use my “talent,”  I can’t help but be stopped with the begged question:  What are my gifts?  What could I be offering?  Beyond this, I am afraid I am more like the cautious “wicked” servant.  I am not ambitious, not particularly given to passion for causes, and even my interests seem fickle.

Application:

Because I know that ultimately it is a lie that I have nothing to offer, I need to seek the truth – I need to figure out what my gifts are and then how to use them.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for gifting me.  I know that you have plans for my life, and tasks for which you created me.  I submit my life to you, show me where you want me to go.

1 Cor 7:24 “Dear brothers and sisters, whatever situation you were in before you became a believer, stay there in your new relationship with God.”

Observation:

Though this verse refers to our marriage “situation” I think it can be carefully applied across our lives. When God calls us and we offer our life to Him – it is not His intent to relocate us. He wants US, exactly as we are, but without the devastation of sin (it is, after all, being “saved”). God created us, and he loves our incarnation.

Application:

Sometimes I feel pressure to relate to God and others in a cookie cutter fashion, but I need to remember that God uniquely crafted me and my life should reflect my uniqueness.

Prayer:

Remind me, Lord, that you love my core, the things that make me different, and then help me use those differences for your good.