Today's Reading: Mark 8: 1-10
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Mark 8: 1-10
Bible Study
Not long ago in Mark 6: 30-44 records Jesus feeds the five thousand. Now, we have Jesus "did it again" miracle of feeding four thousand. What's the difference?
Well, two more loaves, a thousand less people, and five fewer baskets remaining. And, since from chapter 7 of Jesus' ministry extended to the Gentile's territory, this second feeding means a wider group than simply Jewish people.
This is one more important thing that we need to notice is that the length of time the crowd has been with Jesus was not one day but three days. Unlike the earlier feeding, there are no villages nearby where they could go to get food. So the situation is more urgent.
What does Jesus wants to tell us in His second feeding? Why 4,000 men(there should be more including children and women) were willing to follow Jesus for three days? There were no villages nearby so where did they sleep? Why they ate all their food and still did not want to go home?
The answer is very clear: It's more important to listen to Jesus' teaching and to see Jesus' miraculous healing and driving out of demons than other basic needs like eating and sleeping at home.
The interest thing is what N.T. Wright says, "Unlike Matthew and Luke, Mark doesn't include in his gospel a version of the Lord's Prayer; but the Jesus he shows us is precisely one who would encourage us to pray not only that God's kingdom would come on earth as in heaven, but also that God would give us this day our daily bread. Many Christians fail to appreciate and appropriate this personal concern that their Lord has for them."
Do you believe that if you put down the desire for your own personal gains and needs Jesus is going to provide you with your basic need that you will never have the fear of losing your job that you and your family have nothing to eat?
Have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to God as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
My Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Fear of nothing to eat!
Wow, for so many days, what I've got is still on the theme of "fear"!
It a great fear that we and our family have nothing to eat due to our lose of job, poor health, sickness, death and all kinds of uncertainty. We as human beings are always so "insecure"!
Jesus told me just a few minutes ago to read the first three verses carefully for some new insight. I did that and find out that it is not those thousands of people complaining that they had nothing to eat but Jesus' compassion on their willingness to follow Him for three days without thinking of their basic need: food and a bed to sleep. Then His miraculous act shows that He is really the Lord who will provide for our daily bread!
Have you got that kind of fear that you and your family would have nothing to eat? If so, let Jesus give you His assurance that He is the Provider and He will give you your daily bread!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to remove all our fear away because we believe and experience you are the Lord of Lord and King of Kings, in you we lack nothing and we shall not want anything but you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Chinese praise song - 这一生最美的祝福 The Most Wonderful Blessing of My Life
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