TGN: Concerns

Daily Prayer: LORD, I love You. LORD, I need You. You mean everything to me. I desire more and more of You in my life. Speak today, as You always do through Your Word. Reach people exactly where they are, to bring them to where You have established for them to be. You are so good LORD. Thank You for Your Word today. In Jesus' Name Amen.

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www.biblegateway.com
Mark 8 (NLT)

:1- 10 Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

1 About this time another large crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples and told them, 2 "I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance."
4 His disciples replied, "How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?"
5 Jesus asked, "How much bread do you have?"
"Seven loaves," they replied.
6 So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd. 7 A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to distribute them.
8 They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. 9 There were about 4,000 people in the crowd that day, and Jesus sent them home after they had eaten. 10 Immediately after this, he got into a boat with his disciples and crossed over to the region of Dalmanutha.

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So to bring you up to speed, in chapter 6 Jesus fed over 5,000; that was a different miracle. Just to give you a little context: The 5,000 fed at that time, were mostly Jews. This time Jesus was ministering to a non-Jewish crowd in the Gentile region of the Ten Towns. It was very important for Mark's (writer of this book) primarily Roman audience to see that Jesus had compassion for non-Jews as well.

So first let's discussed the disciples. I have to bring to our attention (as I did in Matthew), how easily they forgot what Jesus was able to do when He trusted in God. There were at least 1,000 people less than the first miracle and the disciples still questioned Jesus on how they were going to find food to feed the people. I love how Jesus just went straight to providing for the people's needs. He didn't bother explaining; He just allowed the power of God to do what He desires to do; take care of His people.

Do you ever feel that God is so busy with important concerns that He can't possibly be aware of your needs? Do you often forget about the need He just took care of a second ago, just to grow concern about your next? Just as Jesus had compassion for these people's need for food, He is concerned about our daily needs too. At another time, Jesus said this about our daily concerns, "So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing... Your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs" (Matthew 6:31,32 LASB). Do you have concerns that you think would not interest God? Have you forgotten how great and faithful Your God is? He KNOWS your EVERY NEED. There is nothing too large for Him to handle and no need to small to escape His interest.

Tell God today, how you're going to trust Him to take care of your needs: and actually trust Him.  The 4,000 were so occupied by being fed by Jesus spiritually, that there is no concern recorded from them about their physical need of more food; they didn't move an inch.  This is trust, keep our eyes on Jesus, make it a priority to feed our spirit-man and let Him provide all that we need.  He is faithful in giving us the steps we need to take, if any.  Learn to wait on Him!  Trust God!

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Daily Prayer: O, LORD, how I trust You with every concern and need in my life today. There is no One greater to place it all in the hands of. LORD, where I am weak in my trust, I ask You to make me strong. Where I am struggling, I ask that You show me my foundation which is in You and Your Word. LORD, enlightened my eyes, mind and spirit with Your holy wisdom. Let me live my trust in You and throw every concern out of the window. For You are faithful and You will not turn Your back on me. You never have and You never will. Show me anything that is unclean in me, and hindering Your full glory from flowing in my life. I want to be a total open vessel, used by my King. In the awesome Name of Jesus. Amen.
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Resources: biblegateway.com, NIV Women's Devotional Bible- Classic Edition, Life Application Study Bible.