// Supernatural Response//

When faced with an irrational faith challenge (definition: something that makes you go “How in the world do you expect me to believe under these circumstances), your only response that will push you forward is a supernatural response.

It is where you are fully aware that you are not able to do it, but in God you can. It is where you are aware that He who is in you is greater than He that is in the world. And that He [God] has enabled you. 

He has been the faithful God in the Bible, the one who sees the need then, and He is still the same faithful God today - He sees your needs now.

Think woman with the blood issue, Noah, Joshua, Daniel and even Jesus who was fully human but was able to do everything He did through the faithfulness of His Father. These people’s faith were challenged, but their response were supernatural.

Then there’s Peter. There was a huge storm and the disciples were all on the boat without Jesus. Facing the storm was a faith challenge - What to do without Jesus? - but when Jesus appeared out of no where walking on water, the irrational faith challenge surfaced - Coming out of the boat and walking to Jesus.. on water no less.

Peter responded supernaturally by taking that step out of the boat. His faith in Jesus enabled him. That’s great right? NO! Because he eventually starting sinking. But stick with me now, you see, what Peter should have done but didn’t was continuing to fix his eyes on Jesus after taking the first step. He got overwhelmed by the waves beside Him after that first step and it became His fall. Jesus eventually came to him and pull him up. What impressed me though, was his supernatural response.

See, you may need to make a supernatural response to take the first step out of the boat for something in your life today, and all it takes is that first step. But when you step out, remember to keep focused on Jesus who is our guide, to know where your next step is, because if you don’t, your distractions will be your fall. Fix your eyes on Jesus and He will keep you steady, balanced, with enough faith for the next step and unafraid to complete the challenge.

// Reach Out//

Matthew 8:1-4 “¹ When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. ² And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

³ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 

⁴ And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.””

In Matthew 8, Jesus healed a leper, but before He did, check out the actions of the leper that evoked the response of Jesus.

#1 He worshipped Jesus.

#2 He knew Jesus could heal him and made it vocal

#3 He was desperate; thirsty, hungry for a touch from God.

And Jesus did all of what he had desired - He reached out His hand and touched the leper, spoke to his physical body and brought about physical, emotional and spiritual healing.

In the act of Jesus responding to this leper’s cry, He acknowledged the worship of this one leper who needed His touch, bringing affirmation and assurance not only to the leper but to those who were with Him to know that Jesus is the Son of God. It brought spiritual healing to this leper.

In the act of Jesus stretching our His hand, He approved and accepted the leper in His world. Something that would never happen in the leper’s world. Thus breaking the hurt and doing an emotional healing in the leper’s life.

In the act of Jesus speaking healing and cleansing into the leper’s body, He ridded the leprosy, bringing physical healing.

Our attitude towards God everyday could quite often use the elements of what the leper had - a desire or desperation to want a touch from God, act upon it by vocalising it and worshipping Him only.

Ps Andrew shared on this message yesterday but those weren’t exactly the points he emphasized.. It just spoke to me in a different way.

// Daily Meds//

Our God is always with us, He will never leave us nor forsake us. His faithfulness and love never fails.

“Therefore my heart is glad, my glory rejoices and my flesh will also rest in hope.” Psalm 16

// What Do You Have to Offer?//

In this miracle that Jesus demonstrated, He fed a crowd of more than five thousand with only five loaves and two fishes. It was a miracle of multiplication to meet a need for those who were with him.

Here you have 5000 over people. In my little world of beliefs, I honestly don’t think that ALL five thousand didn’t have any food to eat. I believe that there must have been a handful that had food enough for themselves. Therefore, the point of mentioning the boy offering five loaves & two fishes in verse nine is a matter of - Faith & Obedience.

Stay with me on this - the boy has followed Jesus throughout the day, heard of his teaching, and he believed that He could do what He said He can do. His faith level rose to obedience, and that when he saw a divine opportunity for a miracle to happen, he took ALL he had and offered it to Jesus, with an expectancy of nothing less than a miracle. That day, he saw the miracle happen with his very own eyes.

Now we take a look at Jesus’ disciples. They too have been with Jesus, closer in proximity (therefore heard clearer) all that He taught that day, and yet when the time came to feed the multitude, they looked at the bread and asked “what are they compared to the crowd that we need to feed?” In Matthew, in this same circumstance, Jesus had told His disciples “You give them something to eat.” And the disciples said “We have only five loaves and two fishes.” Realise this, Jesus said YOU give them something to eat. He believed in their ability to perform a miracle, but their eyes were blind to that fact, their lack of faith caused them to miss a divine opportunity to perform a miracle. It was only when they saw Jesus breaking the bread and multiplying them that their faith rose, and they were able to do likewise (- that is why you have 12 basketful of leftovers.)

Do we believe in our five loaves and two fishes today? I just feel that there is only two things that really matter and that is faith and obedience. 

What are our five loaves and two fishes today? In this miracle, the disciples and boy saw the multitude it fed, they saw the product of their faith. Not just people being fed, but that those who saw and ate, acknowledge Jesus’ power and existence. They saw the prophet who has come into this world (verse 14).

Allow me to borrow your imagination to draw this illustration - you know oranges have seeds in them right? And if you take the little seed planted, it will grow into a tree that produces many many more oranges. Do we ever know how many oranges one seed can produce? Does the seed even know? We don’t. What we know and believe is that there will be fruits produced. 

Likewise, we may not get to see the multiplication of our five loaves and two fishes, we may not see the lives it will touch and bless or the work it goes to,  but can we have that faith to believe it will be multiplied to meet the needs of God’s work? We can. And don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we need to give to see a miracle to happen. God doesn’t need our money to perform a miracle, but our obedience is the pipeline to channel a growth of faith in our lives to see a miracle happen. Are we willing to be obedient to offer our five loaves and two fishes today? Do we have faith to believe it will bless a multitude? Are we the little young boy, or the disciples who first lacked faith?

// Speak Life//

Something that has always bothered me is how quick someone becomes cynical or critical towards life. On one hand, they’d be eager to mention how it is good to be thankful or joyful and a minute later you hear the same mouth questioning or being critical about something totally unrelated to them. 

The ones that cross my limits are when I read or hear comments that bring down something worth celebrating for.

And I may just be biting my own hand in writing all of the above since it seems as though I am doing the very one thing that annoys me, but really, my point is

WE NEED TO START TO SPEAK LIFE - INTO BEING, INTO SITUATIONS, INTO LIFE ITSELF!

Especially, especially into things worth celebration and honour; hard work achievements, new life, birthdays, when someone gets a raise, or wins a medal.

Even when someone manages to push through a hard day’s work and comes home beat - a word of ‘Thanks’ or encouragement will go a long way.

Start to see life in a more positive way, live and speak life into people, situations. Be appreciative of the little things.

There is no need and it is absolutely not necessary to question or be critical of everything that is worth celebrating or speaking life into. More so, if it has totally no relations to you whatsoever.

Remember, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Proverbs 18:21

Have you spoken life into anyone today? 

// P. Daddy//

There may be times in your life right now (like me), where we are struggling with God’s promises and the things He said He would do in our life but has yet to come to past, or is short-lived. In times like these, there will be disappointments and wavering hope, and those are valid. But before you write me off, I hope to share with you two of the many insights about an amazing God we serve and how when we are in a relationship with Him, He is bigger than those disappointments, we can place our hope in Him. 

I’ve just done my reading in 1 Kings 17 and it’s given me insight on two characteristics of God and what we can learn from being an ‘Elijah’.

God is our Provider.

Simple yet if you believe in every word, with every ounce you have, this will change your life like how it changed Elijah’s.

In 1 Kings 17:1-8, Elijah upon God’s instruction went into hiding from the evil King Ahab and wife, Jezebel. Not only did God instruct Elijah to go into hiding, He gave instructions on how Elijah would be fed and kept alive; through the waters by the brook and ravens feeding him. 

God had secured provisions for Elijah, He saw to Elijah’s daily needs. How much more personal can God get. And this is God for you, He has your interests at heart. His eyes are on you. You are worth more than a sparrow.

But of course, there has to be a reciprocation of sorts and when God instructs, we’ve got two choices. One to do accordingly or turn the other way. 

In verse 5, it says that Elijah went and did accordingly and he was provided for for as long as it took the brook to dry up. 

When we take God at His Word, we can be sure, that we will be taken care of and provided for, in every area of our lives - family, relationships, ministry, school, work etc…

Next truth, God is the Promiser.

When the brook dried up, God’s next set of instructions to Elijah was to go to this widow whom God said He would use to provide for Elijah. That household never ran out of flour nor oil and they were all provided for, until the son of the widow got very sick and died.

She said to Elijah in bitterness and sorrow, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?” 

Elijah took her dead son in his arms, went to the upper and cried out to God and said “O Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge by killing her son?” and he stretched himself out to the child three times and prayed some more.

Then the Lord heard Elijah and the soul of the child returned to him. And then get this, the widow said, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.”

Not only is God our provider, He is also the promiser. He has promised and given His Word that the widow would provide for Elijah, and He did. They never lacked food throughout the famine. 

The same is for us, that when God promised a plan for our lives, we will never lack. That’s because we have a faithful God. And yet how easy it is for us sometimes to forget the faithfulness, and look only at the promise. How often are we like the widow & Elijah who cried out in bitterness when a tragedy strikes and we completely forget the provisions of God and His faithfulness. 

In 2 Timothy 2:13 it says that when we are faithless, He [God] remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself. And that is the faithfulness of God, that even though we may lose hope and waver in faith, He is still faithful. He still remembers and will keep to His Word.

The promises will never be bigger than our God, and yet He remains faithful and still provides. Just when we think it’s hopeless, when we’ve thrown in the towel, the faithfulness of God prevails and He comes through. He brings it back to life, that we will know He is real. He is the truth, He is the promiser and a promiser doesn’t go back on His word.

Therefore, God is like my P. Daddy - Provider & Promiser. Just two characteristics that showcases His faithfulness. His faithfulness and love prevails. This I’m sure, and this is where I’m placing my faith in, in every season, every aspect of life - regardless.