Mark 6: 30-44
Surprise. Jesus did not feed the 5,000.
The disciples did.
Jesus gave the food to the disciples.
Jesus directed the 5,000 through the 12.
This is key learning for us.
This is why there were 12 baskets leftover.
The Lord wanted each disciple to have a souvenir to take home with them to remember what they had been taught that day.
Jesus works through you in His world, not around you.
He wants to touch His world, and He does it through His Body.
Are you willing to step out into apostleship today.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Monday, April 28, 2008
Four Power Principles of the Kingdom
Jesus put four powerful spiritual principles together when He fed 5,000 + people in Mark 6: 30-44.
- Jesus took 5 loaves and 2 fish. Surrender. When we surrender anything to God, great power isreleased. The situation is now is Jesus' hands.
- Jesus gave thanks. Thanksgiving changes the atmosphere. The spiritual atmosphere had been, "Send the people away." "Let the people save themselves." When the Master began thanksgiving, the atmosphere changed and the Father was invited into the situation.
- Jesus broke the bread. When we are weak, Scripture tells us, then we become strong. It is the humble and the broken that have easy access to the grace of God vs. the proud and the arrogant. Jesus knew that as He broke the bread and tore apart the fish.
- Jesus gave. Luke 6:38 tells us that when we give God gives back to us pressed down, shaken together, full and running over. As Jesus gave to each disciple to distribute, more was given back to Him until 5, 000 + were fed and satisfied.
These are principles of the Kingdom. They work! See which ones the Lord means for you to use in ministry this week with your family, friends, and neighbors and see if a little will go a long way.
Flunking Discipleship 101-Mark 6:30-44
I find it interesting that the 12 are called Apostles at the beginning of the Feeding of the 5,000 and Disciples at the end? A disciple is one who is learning. A disciple is like an apprentice who one day will have the confidence and skill to be a Master.
An apostle, however, is one who has the authority to minister in the Master's name. An apostle is one who has learned and is now ready to use what he or she has been taught.
So why the digression from Apostle to disciple in this passage? Earlier in Mark 6, Jesus sent the 12 to solo in ministry for the first time. Jesus gave them His authority to preach, cast out demons and heal the sick. The 12 were sent 2 by 2, and they succeeded in this work. They had become Apostles. They had watched Jesus do the above and in turn, they themselves were now moving in the authority given to them by the Master.
As Joyce Meyer says, "New level, new devil." The disciples were now faced with a different ministry involving human need and hunger. It was late. They were in a barren place and there were 5,000 + people. You can tell if you are a disciple or an apostle in any given situation by how you respond to the need. The 12 responded to the needs of the 1,000's with soulishness: with their minds, their wills, and their emotions. Apostles respond in Faith and the authority given to them.
The disciples said send the crowd away and let them save themselves. This has always been fallen man's solution to any problem. The disciples would do it again later when mothers brought their children to be blessed by Jesus. What was the response? "Send them away." When the woman came and anointed Jesus feet with costly perfume the response was, "Send her away."
That is discipleship. When we are still learning when we respond like that. Apostleship, however, was modeled by the Master. We can be apostles in some areas and disciples in others. Ask the Lord to show you in each ministry situation or crisis or blessing if you are, in that setting, a disciple (still learning) or if you are becoming an apostle (taking up His authority on His behalf).
An apostle, however, is one who has the authority to minister in the Master's name. An apostle is one who has learned and is now ready to use what he or she has been taught.
So why the digression from Apostle to disciple in this passage? Earlier in Mark 6, Jesus sent the 12 to solo in ministry for the first time. Jesus gave them His authority to preach, cast out demons and heal the sick. The 12 were sent 2 by 2, and they succeeded in this work. They had become Apostles. They had watched Jesus do the above and in turn, they themselves were now moving in the authority given to them by the Master.
As Joyce Meyer says, "New level, new devil." The disciples were now faced with a different ministry involving human need and hunger. It was late. They were in a barren place and there were 5,000 + people. You can tell if you are a disciple or an apostle in any given situation by how you respond to the need. The 12 responded to the needs of the 1,000's with soulishness: with their minds, their wills, and their emotions. Apostles respond in Faith and the authority given to them.
The disciples said send the crowd away and let them save themselves. This has always been fallen man's solution to any problem. The disciples would do it again later when mothers brought their children to be blessed by Jesus. What was the response? "Send them away." When the woman came and anointed Jesus feet with costly perfume the response was, "Send her away."
That is discipleship. When we are still learning when we respond like that. Apostleship, however, was modeled by the Master. We can be apostles in some areas and disciples in others. Ask the Lord to show you in each ministry situation or crisis or blessing if you are, in that setting, a disciple (still learning) or if you are becoming an apostle (taking up His authority on His behalf).
Friday, April 4, 2008
Our Authority In Christ
Recently I found some notes from a class I had taken on Spiritual Warfare and the authority that God has given to His children.
So there we have it. Let’s keep out eyes out for the lies that are behind each trial. Let’s also remember that Jesus has given to us–the Keys to the Gates of Hell so that we, in Christ, can take back what the enemy has been stolen from us! Instead of giving place to the devil, let’s give place to God through our thoughts, words, and deeds. That is where the peace of Christ exists.
The devil can only have power in my life if I acquiesce to him or give him permission.
Remember Eve. Remember the temptation of Jesus. The thief came to steal, destroy and
to kill. We are behind the strong door of God’s grace. We are safe unless we choose to unlock that door.
God has already done everything necessary for me to have authority over the enemy.
The cross made that possible. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross our sins were
forgiven; the power of evil was broken; and we were empowered to ministry through
Jesus’ Spirit.
All lies are simply variations of the first great lie in Genesis–"You are missing something in your life." "God is holding out on you."
At the heart of every lie is the cruelest lie of all–that God is holding out on you. Lie: God is not the most loving being in the universe. God wants to withhold from you good things.
We give place to the devil through our:
Thoughts ("As a man thinketh, so is he." "Above all things, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.")
Words ("Life and death are in the power of the tongue." The tongue is like a bit or a rudder-James)
Actions
So there we have it. Let’s keep out eyes out for the lies that are behind each trial. Let’s also remember that Jesus has given to us–the Keys to the Gates of Hell so that we, in Christ, can take back what the enemy has been stolen from us! Instead of giving place to the devil, let’s give place to God through our thoughts, words, and deeds. That is where the peace of Christ exists.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Strengthening the Offensive Line
Let's say that you are the quarterback for your football team. You have been playing hard for three quarters. Your line is not holding as well as it was, and you are getting tackled more than you like. What do you do?
When a quarterback gets tackled behind his line, a wise coach strengthens his offensive line. In the trials that come our way, you are the quarterback. The Lord Jesus is our coach. The offensive line consists of the people, verses and words that the Lord has given us during our particular trial or "game."
Usually, trials last longer than our energy level can sustain them. Our line grows weak. Verses from Scripture that the Lord gave us at the beginning have worn thin. Fellow teammates who carried the load with us have too grown weary along side us. The game is not over, what do you do? Recently, this happened to me. The Holy Spirit, blessedly, guided me to a friend who said, "Strengthen your offensive line." I asked what that actually meant.
I drew out an offensive line diagram in my journal where I recorded what the Lord is teaching me. I wrote down what had been working as my offensive line against the wiles of the enemy. I began to realize ,y line was tired and and that calling that particular friend was like changing out a player. It was putting someone fresh on the line while the others that had blocked for me could rest for that moment. Just like a coach in the game, he switches out players so the freshest source of strength is available to secure a victory.
Another way the Lord showed me to strengthen the offensive line was to find new verses that were from the Lord," I let former verses rest. These new verses leapt into the game, and the difference was almost immediate.
Our battlefield (game field) is in the mind. In the midst of trials, the warfare rages in our minds. The Word of the Lord is powerful. It bathes our thinking. A bath washes away the dirt and grime of the lies with which satan slimes us. And, it is refreshing to change out the bath water each day. There are other promises in Scripture that will strengthen us. There are other people that the Holy Spirit will use to block those lies for us by defending us with God's truth.
You are God's quarterback in the present situation. Bless your line of players. Bless the people and verses that make it possible for you to pass, hand off, or run His plays. When you begin to get jostled more than you like, check your line. Players may need to be switched out - tired ones for fresh. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Blessings,
Father Scott +
When a quarterback gets tackled behind his line, a wise coach strengthens his offensive line. In the trials that come our way, you are the quarterback. The Lord Jesus is our coach. The offensive line consists of the people, verses and words that the Lord has given us during our particular trial or "game."
Usually, trials last longer than our energy level can sustain them. Our line grows weak. Verses from Scripture that the Lord gave us at the beginning have worn thin. Fellow teammates who carried the load with us have too grown weary along side us. The game is not over, what do you do? Recently, this happened to me. The Holy Spirit, blessedly, guided me to a friend who said, "Strengthen your offensive line." I asked what that actually meant.
I drew out an offensive line diagram in my journal where I recorded what the Lord is teaching me. I wrote down what had been working as my offensive line against the wiles of the enemy. I began to realize ,y line was tired and and that calling that particular friend was like changing out a player. It was putting someone fresh on the line while the others that had blocked for me could rest for that moment. Just like a coach in the game, he switches out players so the freshest source of strength is available to secure a victory.
Another way the Lord showed me to strengthen the offensive line was to find new verses that were from the Lord," I let former verses rest. These new verses leapt into the game, and the difference was almost immediate.
Our battlefield (game field) is in the mind. In the midst of trials, the warfare rages in our minds. The Word of the Lord is powerful. It bathes our thinking. A bath washes away the dirt and grime of the lies with which satan slimes us. And, it is refreshing to change out the bath water each day. There are other promises in Scripture that will strengthen us. There are other people that the Holy Spirit will use to block those lies for us by defending us with God's truth.
You are God's quarterback in the present situation. Bless your line of players. Bless the people and verses that make it possible for you to pass, hand off, or run His plays. When you begin to get jostled more than you like, check your line. Players may need to be switched out - tired ones for fresh. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Blessings,
Father Scott +
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