YOUR CONTRIBUTION IN GOD'S HANDS

Today, I encourage my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to always be ready to bless somebody - whether they be a believer in Christ or non-believer. We help move someone toward a decision for a life with Christ when we bless the non-believer. We strengthen the Body of Christ when we bless other Christians. We show the love of God in both cases as we do not neglect either.

In order to be prepared for these kind of opportunities at any moment, God instructs us to just use what we have on hand to minister one-to-another - be real, be genuine. In the miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand it is stated,

"As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, 'This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.'

Jesus replied, 'They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.'

'We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,' they answered.

'Bring them here to me,' he said." (Matthew 14:15-18)

The thrust is to be authentic in your blessing and/or relationship building. Don't try to drum something up or try really hard in this area. First, bring yourself and your blessing to Christ, then allow Him to break it, bless it and multiply it. 

"Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over." (Matthew 14:19-20)

This is exactly what He did with the amount provided and I believe He will do the same for us in all areas of our lives.

Did you know that this event had a precursor? The Feeding of the Five Thousand was foreshadowed in 2 Kings 4:42-44 with the Feeding of One Hundred.

"A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. 'Give it to the people to eat,' Elisha said.

'How can I set this before a hundred men?' his servant asked.

But Elisha answered, 'Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’ Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord."

Not only a message delivered twice in history, but the same kind of miracle! This should cause students of The Word of God to perk up and take particular notice. 

1 Peter 3:15-16 has the kind of spirit I am wanting you to acquire in your awareness.

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

However, more than waiting for someone to ask for "the reason for the hope that you have" - be proactive with your opportunities. Look for chances to bless others. Keep your radar/antenna alert for Your Contribution In God's Hands.

GOD'S TIMING IS PERFECT

Hindsight is always 20/20 vision. However, that does not stop me from asking God - why now? Or why then? I think it is an understatement to call God's Timing interesting at what seems to be pivotal times in our lives. But we have to trust in God's plan and control for our lives, otherwise we might go crazy sounding like a 4 year old saying "Why" all the time.

Jesus has timed His answer to issues at different points along several struggles. Take for example - The Feeding of the Five Thousand (Matt. 14:13-21), Christ Asleep in the Boat (Mark 4:35-41), and the Raising of Lazarus (John 11, esp. 11:17). 

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There was a crowd of five thousand, just counting the men, following Jesus one particular day. He was healing their sick and having compassion on them when evening time was upon everyone. The disciples, knowing that the masses probably knew the lay-of-the-land and where to get a bite to eat, said to Jesus, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” But Jesus shockingly replied,  “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 

You know the rest of the story. The disciples share what they have, Jesus breaks the food, blesses the food and the food miraculously multiplies. Jesus' answer to this issue was ahead of what could have been a bad situation for 5,ooo plus people. His timing preceded a massive dilemma. 

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What? God never sleeps? Well, at least Father God and the Holy Spirit do not. Jesus on the other hand did because He was human. However, He chose to sleep at some curious moments. 

"That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side.' Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion." (Mk. 4:35-38)

It is interesting that then and now, followers of Christ have seen His faithfulness in their lives; previous works only Jesus could have performed and when a dire crisis comes along we not only forget about Christ's faithfulness, but we disregard the power we possess just by Him being in the boat.

That boat was NOT going to sink even with the waves breaking over the boat, "so that it was nearly swamped". But - "The disciples woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?'”

Thank God that Jesus did not put on another blanket and turn over and ignore their earnest request. The record shows - "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'” See how Jesus addresses the disciples - with loaded questions - (1) Why are you so afraid? I am with you in the boat. (2) Do you still have no faith? After all you have already witnessed with me and from me - what is a little rain, wind and waves?

"They were terrified and asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!'”

God replied to the call in the middle of this situation. The storm was upon the disciples and at full throttle with no end in sight when they approached the sleeping Son of God. If He is on your boat, peacefully resting or not, your boat won't sink - it will make it to it's destination!

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Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:". A time to live and a time to die. And in the case of Lazarus, a time to live and die again, because of Jesus. John 11:17 states, "On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days." It would seem Jesus is a tad late in this situation. But as we find out, the delay was to display God's Power and Glory even after the situation seems closed. We start with a prime example of how we question God's Timing.

“'Lord,' Martha said to Jesus, 'if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.'”

"Martha answered, 'I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'”

"When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.'”

"But some of them said, 'Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?'”

However, Jesus knew that Yahweh is God at all times - before, during and after a crisis. He is also knew that He was the answer to the situation - the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. So, He prayed, evidently out loud, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

After He had prayed this prayer, He raised Lazarus by His Words - "Lazarus, come out!" There is not a situation so far gone that Christ cannot help. He proved that point here by spitting in death's face and breathing life back into a decaying body with The Word of God by The Word of God in flesh!

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In the movie Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf says, “A wizard is never late. Nor is he early; he arrives precisely when he means to.” My God does this also and He is more powerful and more compassionate than a wizard. So, the next time you are starting to wonder, are wondering or have seemingly given up wondering on an answer from God, reflect on these situations and remember God's Timing Is Perfect.