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Gathering Up the Fragments

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on October 1, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , .

Skip-stitch_coiled_basket_a_624x352Gathering Up the Fragments

10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments of the five barely loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

I find it interesting that that the other three gospels, make a point of the fact that there were 12 baskets of food left over.

Let me point out something important in the Bible. The number 12 is a significant number. Jacob, had twelves son, which eventually became the 12 tribes of Israel. Jesus chose 12 disciples which became the 12 Apostles.

Some might say Paul was an apostle, which he was, but he was not part of the original twelve disciples, of with Matthias was chosen to replace Judas. These twelve made up the beginning of the Christian church, just like the twelve sons of Jacob, made up the original church of God in the Old Testament. Therefore the number 12 is representative of God’s true church, the church of the Old Testament and the apostolic church of the New Testament. Therefore, we should find it a significant fact that John makes the point of emphases, what the other gospels don’t. They made the point that were 12 baskets, of leftover food collected. John adds to this by stating that it was Christ Himself that directed that the leftover food be collected in baskets. As it says in verse twelve, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”

Jesus was making a point by having the disciples gather up the fragments. He had supplied the needs of the people without limit. In fact, they had more than they could wish for. But now, lest anyone should that that the bounteous miracle gave license to wastefulness. Instead Christ was giving us an example that just because the Lord can supply our needs beyond what we can comprehend, we have a responsibility to manage those resources wisely. We should be careful not to waste the resources he has wisely given to us.

For us today the same holds true, in our church and even in our personal lives, God has blessed us with blessings beyond our ability to comprehend. As Christ gave us an example of managing that which God has given us, we should follow that example both at church and in our personal lives.

We could also make the point that since sin has entered this world, society is in fragments. Therefore, Christ is directing the Christian church, His true church to gather up the fragments and bring them into the church.

God wishes that none would be lost, and although we often suffer the lack of faith, the same lack of faith of the disciples, Christ still uses us despite our lack of faith and feebleness to do his work.

Therefore, let us rededicate our lives to doing the work Christ has set before us. Doing it to the best of our ability and when we have done all that is humanly possible, then let God step in and do the rest.

Your Law and Testimony are My Light

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on September 29, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

IMG_0253Your Law and Testimony are My Light

                                                     נ    Nun

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path

106 I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments.

107 I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD according to Your word.

108 Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me Your judgements.

109 My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law.

110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.

111 Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart.

112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statues forever, to the very end.

Because of sin, the world is dark, spiritually dark.  God’s Word illuminates the way so that men and women may walk safely in spiritual darkness.  The light from God’s word is the light to guide him or her upon the spiritual path keeping us from stumbling.  Why? Because the path is beset with evil.

Peter confirmed this in his second letter where he says: And we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and morning star rises in your hearts. II Peter 1:19.

Yet, we must obey the law and manifest great care in carrying out the law within our heart.  Therefore, we should pledge within our heart to obey the law, which shines its light upon our path.  We should cooperate with God to keep every worthwhile resolution of the heart because we have pledged our heart God.

Philippians 1:29 says: For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.  For you see, trials develop a noble character and teach us to rely upon God.  His word illuminates the Path that leads us to Christ, in which Christ then places His robe of Righteousness instead of our filthy rags.

Paul in his letter gives us the key as to how this is done, when he says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13.

Therefore, since Christ has promised to strengthen us, we should further resolve in our heart not to turn aside to find safety in sin, forgetting God’s law.  If we seek our safety in sin, we risk our life. But Christ gives us the strength to resist sin, and find comfort it His Law, which is a reflection of His character.

In verse 109 David reminds us that our life is continually in my hand because it is my choice and your choice if we follow God and when I choose God, then I place myself in His hands and thus out of the reach of the wicked that have laid a snare for me.  Therefore, I have not strayed from Your precepts and your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever.  Your precepts and Your testimonies are in my heart and cause it to rejoice for I have turned away from the world and stretch out my arm toward my God and My Saviour.  Therefore I will not regard iniquity in my heart and offer a prayer that I may be acceptable to God,  When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accept this disposition and effort as man’s best service and He makes up for the deficiency of man with His own divine merit.

Therefore, His word is my light to light my path as I travel to the Throne of God.

Five Loaves and Two Fish

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on September 24, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , .

 

5-Loaves-and-2-Fish-Jesus-Feeds-the-5000Five Loaves and Two Fish

 

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His sings which He performed on those who were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

7 Philip Answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.”  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down in number about five thousand.  11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”  13 Therefore they fathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves and which left over by those who had eaten.  14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is come into the world.

As Philip was showing his lack of Faith, Andrew the brother of Peter was trying to find a solution to the problem.  As we saw in two previous miracles performed by Christ, when man has done all he can, Christ makes up the difference.  We saw this in the healing of the Noble man’s son and turning the water into wine.  Now again we see the same thing taking place.

First a person must exercise their faith. For the Noble man, it was believing Jesus would heal his son and so he returned to his house without Jesus.  In the turning of water into wine, it was the faith of Mary, the mother of Jesus, the faith of the servants to go fill the water pots.  When they had done all they could, then Jesus supplied the rest to complete the miracle.  In this way, mankind participates in the miracle and is blessed by the miracle because of the exercise of his faith, but also by the fact that he has done all that he can.

I learned a long time ago from another pastor that God always rewards effort.  When we faithfully do our part God will complete what we have started out by faith to do.

Andrew set out to find a solution to the problem.  He realized it was unrealistic to think they could purchase enough food and also understood that at the late hour it had become, there was little opportunity to buy enough bread to feed 5000 men, not counting women and children.

Andrew found a lad, a small boy whose mother had packed him a lunch of five loaves of barley bread and two small fish.  More than enough food for a young person.  Yet so interested in what Jesus was teaching that he failed to notice he was growing hungry.  Then when Andrew came and noticed what the boy had he asked the boy if he would be willing to share.

Herein lies another great spiritual lesson.  We must be willing to share what we have in order for it to be multiplied.  When I share, what I do have grows.  My part is small, but when I have put forth my effort, God then takes over and multiplies my small effort.  It is in this way that from one, many are blessed.  But it all starts when we by faith, give of what we have and share with others, that Christ takes over and finishes what we have started.  But it all starts by a heart that is willing to share and by faith relies upon Christ to finish what we are powerless to complete.

So Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.”  Now there was much grass in the place.  So men sat down, in number about 5000.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the people and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

When we share the gospel, it is similar in that we share what we have and Christ makes up the difference.  Our delivery of the gospel message may not be perfect, but when we do it with love and sincerity, then God will take the effort we have expended and multiply it.  Not for our glory, but for his.

Therefore let us diligently search for the solution to the problem of spreading the gospel message instead of wanting to turn the people away.  As the boy with the loaves and fishes, we must be willing to share, exercise our faith and see the miracle that God will produce in the lives of the people around us.