Food in The Wilderness.

Photo by:  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Eugenio_Hansen,_OFS

Then they (Israel) spoke against God; They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? "Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, And streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?"  Psalm 78:19,20

for they did not believe in God

or trust in his deliverance.

Yet he gave a command to the skies above

and opened the doors of the heavens;

he rained down manna for the people to eat,

he gave them the grain of heaven.

Human beings ate the bread of angels;

he sent them all the food they could eat.  Psalm 78:22-25

Although God had worked so many miracles for Israel, each time they were in need of something they did not trust God. As crazy as it sounds to humans, yes, God can furnish a table of food in the wilderness.

Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?"  He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.
 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”  John 6

Jesus answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "That would take more than half a year's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?" Mark 6:37

This took place at the feeding of the five thousand. The disciples had just returned from their missionary journey where they had healed the sick and cast out demons. (Mark 6). Jesus tested them on their faith. Would they say to Jesus, "We know you can provide bread." No, they only saw the impossibility of his request.

Feeding of the 4,000.

And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, "I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way."

The disciples said to Him, "Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?"

Even though they had seen Jesus feed 5,000 people earlier, they still lacked insight and faith that they could do anything, even with Jesus standing right there in front of them.

When I read this I thought about myself. Do I believe God can put a feast into my wilderness? Do I think my problems are insurmountable? Even though he has helped me in the past do I forget what he has done? 

Whatever your wilderness is, God can do something. It may not be exactly what we want, but he can do something wonderful for us in our dry, empty wilderness. The best thing he does is hold our hand and walk through the wilderness with us. We are never alone.

"I was so foolish and ignorant--I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:22-26

Do Not Put Faith in People.

by Dwight L. Moody

FAITH IS AN OUTWARD LOOK. 

We are to have faith in God, and not in man. A great many people place their faith in men, and they pin their faith to other people’s doctrines and creeds. If their church teaches it, they believe it. All the churches in the world can’t save a soul. It is not to have faith in this church or that church, this doctrine or that doctrine, this man or that man, but it is to have faith in the man Christ Jesus at the right hand of God. That is the only faith that will ever save a soul.

PUT NO CONFIDENCE IN MAN. 

Let me call your attention to a few verses where God has warned us not to put faith in man: Jeremiah xvii. 5: “Thus says the Lord; Cursed be the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good comes; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.” You will find some men have not faith in God; they are like a tree that is withered and blasted. And there is a man perhaps right along next to them who has strong faith in God; “he is like a tree planted by the rivers of water; his leaf also shall not wither.” Why? He trusts in the living God. 

It is a terrible thing for man to put faith in man. Then Psalm cxlvi. 3: “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 

"“Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; ...Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” 

Now here we are told very plainly by God that we are not to put our trust in this man or that man—not to lean upon an arm of flesh. All the ministers in the world and all the potentates in the church put together cannot save one soul. It is thoroughly impossible. 

It is the Lord who can save, and the Lord alone; therefore we want to get our eyes away from man, from the church, and right straight up to the man Christ Jesus. We read in Mark 11:22 whom we are to believe in. Christ says—and how sweet it sounds—“Have faith in God.” I never saw a man or woman in my life that had faith in God who was confounded; I do not care what their troubles or trials were. Have faith in God, and not in man.

Worry

I paraphrased Matthew 6:25-34

Do not be worried about your life as to food, drink and clothing. Life is more than that!
Look at the birds of the air. God feeds them. You are worth much more than the birds.

Worry cannot add a single hour to your life.
Are you worried about clothes? Look at the beautiful flowers. God clothes them, he will clothe you also.

Have faith!

God knows you need all these things, so don't worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Seesaw- Up and Down I Go.

In my spiritual life I see my emotions and faith in God seesaw up and down. For days I am up and full of joy, thanking God for everything. Then one day, something happens and I am down. I feel frightened and overwhelmed, sad and discouraged. Because of that I then feel embarrassed my faith is so weak. Joyce Meyer has taught me to quote scripture during these times and I usually remember to do that. But what gets me is how fast I can plummet from faith to despair!

My daughter told me I can't feel happy all the time. True, but I think what I meant was having peace all the time. When I don't, I feel guilty and believe I have let the Lord down. When I was thinking about this, I remembered Elijah and how he worked for God on the mountain top, praying for fire from heaven that did come down and proved to the people God was God and not the idol Baal. Then that evening Elijah got frightened and fled from  Queen Jezebel who had threatened to kill him.

After Elijah had run for 40 days God came and asked him twice, "Elijah, what are you doing here?" Then He sent him back to finish the work God had for him to do. God had not sent Elijah into the wilderness. And God was so gentle towards Elijah's lack of faith.

I guess if Elijah can get frightened and try to run away, I shouldn't feel so bad about myself. I'm no Elijah.

Who is for Me?

I read these verses last night and they encouraged my spirit.

"Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the workers of sin? Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would have dwelt in silence like the grave.

When I said, 'My feet are slipping,' your loving kindness held me up O Lord.
When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul."

Psalm 94:16-19

I believe God stands up for us against the powers of darkness. Satan would have us discouraged and rebellious, but the Lord stands up against him and helps us. Where would I be without God? In the depths of despair.

When we are slipping in our faith, when our feet slip and we make mistakes or do wrong, God is there helping us. When we are depressed and discouraged, his words and Spirit cheer our souls. What a wonderful God we worship!

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

When I said, My foot slippeth - When I found myself so weak and my enemy so strong, that I got first off my guard, and then off my center of gravity, and my fall appeared inevitable: -

Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up - יסעדני yisadeni, propped me. It is a metaphor taken from any thing falling, that is propped, shored up, or buttressed. How often does the mercy of God thus prevent the ruin of weak believers, and of those who have been unfaithful!

http://bible.cc/psalms/94-18.htm

Look Up.

I just finished reading a book by Mitch Albom called, "Have a Little Faith". Mitch's rabbi, Albert Lewis, asked him to give his eulogy when he died. Mitch felt he needed to know the rabbi better if he was to do this so he came to visit and interview Albert Lewis in the years before he died. In the beginning, Mitch had no faith; by the end he did. I loved this book. Here is a passage from it:

"I used to think I knew everything. I was a "smart person" who "got things done," and because of that, the higher I climbed, the more I could look down and scoff at what seemed silly or simple, even religion

But I realized something as I drove home that night; that I am neither better nor smarter, only luckier. And I should be ashamed of thinking I knew everything, because you can know the whole world and still feel lost in it. So many people are in pain - no matter how smart or accomplished - they cry, they yearn, they hurt. But instead of looking down on things, they look up, which is where I should have been looking too. Because when the world quiets to the sound of your own breathing, we all want the same things: comfort, love and a peaceful heart."

Why Did You Doubt?

When Jesus was walking on the water to meet his disciples on the lake, Peter saw him and asked, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." And Jesus said, "Come."

"And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and took hold of him, and said to him, 'You of little faith; why did you doubt?'"

Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wind and waves. He became frightened and Jesus had to save him from sinking. He looked at his circumstances instead of at God.

Most of my life I have been afraid.
Afraid of what may happen in the future.
Afraid of a loved one dying.
Afraid of my own death and the pain that may entail.
Afraid for my family's salvation.
Afraid for my own salvation.
Afraid of getting old, infirm and senile.
Afraid people will not like me if they really knew me.

Fear of anything is a lack of faith as Jesus pointed out to Peter. It is an unbelief in God's abiding presence in our lives and that he is in control of everything and will help us through anything.  Fear is an arrow sent by the enemy of all good.

I am slowly learning to be unafraid. It is a much more peaceful and happy life that I now live by faith in the Son of God. Of course my faith is not perfect, but as Paul says, "...one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians3:13-14

Do What We Can Do.

I was watching Joyce Meyer the other day. She was talking about how God will ask us to do something and if we do it, Jesus will do what we cannot do.

She spoke about the man in the temple who had a withered arm. Jesus said to him, "Stretch out your hand." The man made the effort and was healed completely. (Matthew 12:13

Jesus said to the man waiting by the pool, "Get up, pick up your bed and walk." Even though the man had been ill for 38 years, he tried to get up and when he did God healed him. (John 5:8)

Jesus told a blind man, "'Go wash in the pool of Siloam.' So the man went and washed and came back seeing." (John 9:7)

Ten lepers who came to Jesus to be healed were told by him to, "Go show yourselves to the priests." As they walked towards the temple they were healed.

Jesus asked these people to exercise faith in him before he healed them. I would suppose it is the same for us today. If he asks us to do something and we don't think we can do it, if we take one step towards it I think Jesus will move in with the miracle.

Joyce kept saying, "If you believe God wants you to do something, then do what you can do, God will then do what you cannot do." I like this teaching. It is based on faith and belief, two things I want to grow in my life.

None of these people said to Jesus, "I can't do that." I wonder how I would have reacted. I hope I would have reacted with faith.

Faith

I've been reading the book of Hebrews and have finished chapter 11. I love what Paul says about faith. I'd like to write some verses down and what they mean to me.

"Now faith is the assurance you will receive what you hope for." verse 1

When I was first a Christian, I had little faith but I know I had some, for Jesus told us all humanity has a seed of faith in them. But at that time, I was afraid of God. I thought if I did any small thing wrong, he would turn away from me and then punish me. Little wonder I didn't enjoy my walk with Christ.

Over the years my faith has grown. I know God loves me. I know I am his child. What do I hope for? I hope some day to live with him in heaven. I hope to sit at his feet and hear his stories, his wisdom and his love. I believe I will receive what I hope for. By God's grace I will be with him in heaven to be happy and at peace forever more.

"Faith is the conviction of things you have not seen." verse 1

I have never seen God except in dreams, but I believe in him. I cannot see love, truth or justice, but I believe in them. I cannot see the results of the sacrifices I have made, but I believe they will bear fruit. I cannot see why I have had certain trials, but I believe there is a reason and I will understand one day.

"By faith we understand the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made of things which are visible." verse2

I believe in the creative power of God. I believe he made the whole universe out of nothing. I believe he created the world in six days and rested the seventh day. I believe he made man in his own image. The world says no, it could not have been done that way. But the Bible says in the fourth commandment, "For in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in it..."

Oh Lord, may our faith grow each day. Help us to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Dread or Faith?

In my other blog, Tales From a Loser, at http://belle-goodmorninggod.blogspot.com I wrote last night about the fact a roommate of my grandson bought a python, a snake that can even kill and eat a deer! I was very upset at the news and was feeling sick about it and crying when I went to bed.

I've been re-reading a book by Joyce Meyer called, "New Day, New You," and the first chapter I opened last night was entitled , "Dread Drains, Faith Energizes." I thanked God right away, for I knew this was a subject I needed to read about. She quoted a verse from the Bible: "Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:22

The last paragraph in this teaching was: "The future is coming, no matter how much we fear or dread it. God gives us what we need for each day, but he does not give us tomorrow's grace or wisdom today. If we use today trying to figure out tomorrow, we feel pressure because we are using what we have been allotted for today. Probably one of the greatest ways we show our trust in God is by living life one day at a time. We prove our confidence in him by enjoying today and not letting the concern of tomorrow interfere."

Today, I will choose Faith instead of Dread.

Moses' Faith.

"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
He considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward." Hebrews 11:24-26

I feel stirred inside when I read these verses. All around us in the news we here of what people will do for power and riches. Then we see Moses, who gave it all up and followed God. He knew what was truly valuable in life; knowing God and living for him.

Moses made a terrible mistake when he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. He thought he was ready to lead the Hebrews to freedom. But he was wrong, and in the desert, for forty years, he learned patience, faith and love until God could finally use him to free Israel from slavery.

What an example Moses was for us! We can learn so much from his life.

We are Not Alone.

I heard a preacher say, "Sometimes when you obey God, you will be all alone." I thought about that and remembered that Jesus was alone; his friends ran off and left him to be arrested by himself. Noah was alone. Of all the families in the world, his was the only one to obey God and go into the ark. Daniel was alone when the law was passed forbidding prayer and he prayed anyway. He was alone in the lion's den. Esther was alone when she risked her life and walked up to the king's throne.

These people didn't care what other people thought of them. They did what they knew was right, even though everyone said they were wrong. They were alone by human standards, yet they knew they weren't alone, for God was with them.

Jesus said, "He who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone..." As it was for Jesus, so it is for us. God will not leave us alone.

"Look, I am with you always, even until the end of the world." Matthew 28:20

Joseph - A Slave, A Convict, A Prime Minister.

I have always admired Joseph. The story of his life is found in the book of Genesis Chapters 37-50. For me, he is the ideal believer in God. He never lost faith and trusted God in every circumstance.

Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers. Imagine yourself, a 17 year old, being sold as a slave. What would be your feelings? I would guess:terror, sadness, despair.

Did Joseph turn from God because God had let this terrible thing happen to him? No. He was such a good slave that his master Potifar, Captain of the bodyguards of Pharoah, promoted him. "...he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge."

In Chapter 39 verse 2, the Bible says, "The Lord was with Joseph..." Yet a new trial awaited him. Potifar's wife wanted to sleep with Joseph and asked him over and over. Joseph said to her, "How could I do this great evil and sin against God?" But this made her angry and she accused Joseph of trying to rape her. Potifar had him thrown into prison.

In verse 21 it says, "But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer." He gave Joseph the job of looking after all the prisoners.

These are the years of Joseph's life that I especially admire. It seems that nothing on earth could shake his faith in God. In this age, when many preachers tell us God will make us rich - God will prosper us in every way - God will not let anything bad happen to us if we have faith; I look at Joseph and I know this is not true.

We do not know the plans God has for our lives. He could have kept Joseph safe from all these troubles, but he didn't. It would have been so easy for Joseph to question God's love but he didn't. God's wisdom is so far above ours we can trust that whatever is happening in our lives, he is with us as he was with Joseph.

Abraham and Fear.

Abraham married his half-sister. She was so beautiful that two kings wanted her for a wife; one was a Pharoah of Egypt, one was Abimelech, King of Gerar. Abraham had asked Sarah that when they traveled together to tell people she was his sister, not his wife. He was afraid men would kill him to have her.

Twice, God had to save Sarah from the kings who had taken her. Twice, he kept her from having sex with another man. She was to be the mother of a new nation and was to bear a child given to her by God. This was God's plan for Sarah and he would let no one change it.

Abraham did not trust God to protect him when it came to Sarah. He feared for his life, so he lied. Later on, his son Isaac did the same thing with his wife Rebecca.

How do we find faith when we believe our lives are threatened? How do we stay calm and believing in a situation like that? There are some statements from Jesus and God that can help us.

When the authorities were wanting to kill Jesus, the scripture says, "So they were seeking to seize him; and no man laid his hand on him, because his hour had not yet come." John 7:30

There was a time and an hour for Jesus to be arrested and to die. Many times people tried to kill him, but God did not allow it. Jesus lived as a man, he lived how we must live: dependent on God. After praying in Gethsemane, he said to his disciples, "It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners." Mark 14:41

In Psalm 91:7 it says, "A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not approach you." This verse doesn't mean we will never die when thousands around us are dying. But it does mean that if God doesn't will it, you will not die at that time. David also said, "My times are in your hands." Psalm 31:15

Abraham may have had an excuse for lying about his wife once. But why after God intervened with the King of Egypt did he do it a second time? He had still not learned to trust God with his life. But what is wonderful about this story is how God looks. He comes through shining in glory and goodness. He protected Sarah, he forgave Abraham, he talked with pagan kings and was kind to them.

Thank you Lord that you are a loving, patient and kind God. We are so fortunate to have you ruling the Universe. Be with us God as we live on this dark planet. Keep us from the evil one as you have promised. In Jesus name, Amen.

Do We Deserve to be Sick?

John Chapter 9.

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?"

Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work."

"While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Then Jesus healed the blind man.

While Jesus was in the world he was showing what God was like. He healed every person who asked. He does not do that now. Jesus went back to heaven and he hears all prayers, yet he does not heal everyone now.

My husband has Carcinoid Syndrome, I have fibromyalgia, some people are paralyzed, and some are blind. I have known some Godly women who have died; one of diabetes and one of breast cancer. They both had small children. Many prayers were said for these women. They were anointed with oil, yet God did not heal them.

Sometimes I hear sermons on TV and preachers say that God doesn't want us to be sick. God will heal us if we will only believe. But I disagree. I think the reason God doesn't heal everyone now and didn't heal everyone before Jesus was a man on earth is because if he did - all sick people would come to God just to be healed. No one would die, because if faith can always heal us then we would never die.

We are not sick because of our sins. Jesus himself said this. We are not being punished and God is not mad at us. Jesus said that that this man's blindness was so God's works might be displayed in him. What did he mean?

My husband has been asked time and again why he is so cheerful when he is always in pain and constantly feels weak. This has given him the chance to tell people how God has helped him through his illness. God has given him peace and joy in spite of how he feels. He has learned to lean on God for strength and patience. What Jesus said has happened; God's works have been displayed through his illness.

Many people come to God when they are sick or dying. The pleasures and trinkets of this life pale in comparison to the unknown ahead of them. God can take something negative, like illness, and use it to bring people to an eternal life with him where there is no pain, no sickness and no death. Therefore, God's works are displayed.

Life can make us bitter. Chronic illness can make us bitter. Both my husband and I wish we weren't sick, we have both been tempted to feel angry about it and bitter about all the things we can't do any more. But we have both talked with God about our feelings and he has given us peace and acceptance. We believe God will always bring good out of evil for people who trust him.