The Desire of Ages--39--Give Ye Them to Eat

[Richard Myers]

Amen and amen!!   God cares for us more than we know!  I remember at my baptism sharing that thought  and quoting the verses Jim has shared from Matthew 10. It is unbelief that causes Christians to doubt God's love and care for us. It  is so very true that we are unworthy, but what is grace if not His love for the unworthy?

This morning I was greatly impressed that I have found a few friends that want so very much to know Jesus and as they learn of Him more and more each day, they also want to impart to others that "living water" which we receive. It encouraged me that God is sending workers into His vineyard which is ripe and ready for the harvest. A small number now, but as we impart that which which we are given, the Lord will bless even more!

     The means in our possession may not seem to be sufficient for the work; but if we will move forward in faith, believing in the all-sufficient power of God, abundant resources will open before us. If the work be of God, He Himself will provide the means for its accomplishment. He will reward honest, simple reliance upon Him. The little that is wisely and economically used in the service of the Lord of heaven will increase in the very act of imparting. In the hand of Christ the small supply of food remained undiminished until the famished multitude were satisfied. If we go to the Source of all strength, with our hands of faith outstretched to receive, we shall be sustained in our work, even under the most forbidding circumstances, and shall be enabled to give to others the bread of life.   

He who is first will be last and he who is last will be first. Let take to give and we surely shall be filled with love, joy, and peace!

 

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Jim, Dorine, and Richard! What a wonderful Savior we see in how He cared for the hungry multitude, relying on God to provide for the genuine necessity of the needs not only of those around Him, but also the needs of His disciples and His own need of food. When God has full possession of the heart, we will have an experience like that of Jesus--one in which God is glorified, and souls around us are blessed. We would do well to consider what is the greatest purpose of our lives--not to get more and more, but to grow more and more like Jesus, having the abiding comfort of His presence. That is my hunger and thirst today. Is it also what you desire? Jesus will give you His presence through the day, so that whatever your needs and necessities, you may have peace with Him (and all of the other fruits of the Spirit without one missing), because you have Christ living in you, the hope of glory!

   "Jesus did not seek to attract the people to Him by gratifying the desire for luxury. To that great throng, weary and hungry after the long, exciting day, the simple fare was an assurance not only of His power, but of His tender care for them in the common needs of life. The Saviour has not promised His followers the luxuries of the world; their fare may be plain, and even scanty; their lot may be shut in by poverty; but His word is pledged that their need shall be supplied, and He has promised that which is far better than worldly good,--the abiding comfort of His own presence." {The Desire of Ages, page 367, paragraph 2}

Abide with Jesus--it is worth far more than the fulfillment of any earthly desire, though we need never fear as to whether God will provide for our needs. He cares for us and sustains us moment-by-moment to give us life and breath, and most of all He desires that we remain in continual communion with Him by saving faith (surrender of all we have and are to Him). In His presence is "fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11)! 

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

I really appreciate the abiding comfort of Jesus' presence in all my life experiences. Jesus wants each of us to experience this in a personal way through union and communion with Him. Full surrender, and continual surrender to Him, allows Him to work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. Souls are encouraged as they see the evidence of Christ abiding in us, so that flowing in and through us all of the fruits of the Spirit are revealed--not one will be missing!

"Jesus did not seek to attract the people to Him by gratifying the desire for luxury. To that great throng, weary and hungry after the long, exciting day, the simple fare was an assurance not only of His power, but of His tender care for them in the common needs of life. The Saviour has not promised His followers the luxuries of the world; their fare may be plain, and even scanty; their lot may be shut in by poverty; but His word is pledged that their need shall be supplied, and He has promised that which is far better than worldly good,--the abiding comfort of His own presence." {The Desire of Ages, page 367, paragraph 2}

[Dorine]

"The means in our possession may not seem to be sufficient for the work; but if we will move forward in faith, believing in the all-sufficient power of God, abundant resources will open before us."

About two weeks ago I had an experience to prove this promise. As I've mentioned at another time in another place, I am making quilts to donate to the city food bank where my son-in-law is manager. I had very little to work with but I started with old scraps I had saved from my own past sewing projects.

When I sent the first completed quilt to the food bank my son-in-law posted a picture of it on their Facebook page. That evening several large boxes of quilting material were dropped off at our place by someone who had seen the post on F.B. My heart was overflowing with praise to God for such a quick response. Someone else is supplying all the thread I need and they want me to let them know when I get low on material and they will supply me with more.

Not one cent has come out of my own pocket for this project. My time has been the only cost. God and I are partners in this and He has multiplied the supplies to fill the peoples needs. Each quilt leaves here with much love and many prayers for those in need that will be receiving them.

[Sister Marie]

This is such a beautiful experience you have had. Paying tithe is the same, giving offerings is the same, we just can't out give the Lord. He is there for us all the time. Thank you so much for sharing this with us dear sister.

[Richard Myers]

Amen and amen!!  God is faithful to supply our needs as we abide in Him. It is His work, so of course it will prosper as we surrender fully to Him. After over 30 years of doing self supporting ministry, I can proclaim it is not self supporting at all. It is Christ that supports the work I have done. He has been so very GOOD! The reading this morning tells us that the key to success is entire dependence upon Him who gave all that we might know His character.

   The means in our possession may not seem to be sufficient for the work; but if we will move forward in faith, believing in the all-sufficient power of God, abundant resources will open before us. If the work be of God, He Himself will provide the means for its accomplishment. He will reward honest, simple reliance upon Him. The little that is wisely and economically used in the service of the Lord of heaven will increase in the very act of imparting. In the hand of Christ the small supply of food remained undiminished until the famished multitude were satisfied. If we go to the Source of all strength, with our hands of faith outstretched to receive, we shall be sustained in our work, even under the most forbidding circumstances, and shall be enabled to give to others the bread of life.   

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

God is the mighty provider! We are truly blessed to recognize Him in His gifts, and to trust Him for the provision for whatever He desires done in our lives. While we often speak of financial or material blessings, what a greater thought that Christ, in each experience in which we impart out of faith and step in His will, is forming something even more glorious--His own self-sacrificing character is being wrought out in us, and each time we act in humble, trusting faith because of a vital union and communion with Him, we experience how He makes the character in harmony with this assurance of His word: "I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir" (Isaiah 13:12). It is His own character wrought out in us that is the selfless motive behind God's invitations to trust Him to give who first gave all to us. What more could we desire?

"The means in our possession may not seem to be sufficient for the work; but if we will move forward in faith, believing in the all-sufficient power of God, abundant resources will open before us. If the work be of God, He Himself will provide the means for its accomplishment. He will reward honest, simple reliance upon Him. The little that is wisely and economically used in the service of the Lord of heaven will increase in the very act of imparting. In the hand of Christ the small supply of food remained undiminished until the famished multitude were satisfied. If we go to the Source of all strength, with our hands of faith outstretched to receive, we shall be sustained in our work, even under the most forbidding circumstances, and shall be enabled to give to others the bread of life." {The Desire of Ages, page 371, paragraph 1}   

[Dorine]

The disciples were the channel of communication between Christ and the people. This should be a great encouragement to His disciples today. Christ is the great center, the source of all strength. His disciples are to receive their supplies from Him. The most intelligent, the most spiritually minded, can bestow only as they receive. Of themselves they can supply nothing for the needs of the soul. We can impart only that which we receive from Christ; and we can receive only as we impart to others. As we continue imparting, we continue to receive; and the more we impart, the more we shall receive. Thus we may be constantly believing, trusting, receiving, and imparting.   

What a profound thought. This means so much to me this morning. I can not say this any clearer or better than what has been written. My bible is full of quotes that are special to me and this is one more to add to it. Those who feel depressed or have lost their vision of service for God will find great joy and healing in following this plan.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Sister Dorine! I was drawn to the same paragraph!!

When we realize that through a full surrender to our lovely Jesus we are simply a channel of His blessing to others, we have great joy in seeing how He can use us to bless and help others heavenward! There is nothing good in us by nature, but when Christ abides in us by a living faith, He imbues us with His Spirit so that not one of the traits of the divine nature is missing (Galatians 5:22-23) because He has imputed His righteousness to us! What a joy it is to be dependent upon Christ who will never fail to supply our need to impart to others, and to keep us growing in this experience!!

"The disciples were the channel of communication between Christ and the people. This should be a great encouragement to His disciples today. Christ is the great center, the source of all strength. His disciples are to receive their supplies from Him. The most intelligent, the most spiritually minded, can bestow only as they receive. Of themselves they can supply nothing for the needs of the soul. We can impart only that which we receive from Christ; and we can receive only as we impart to others. As we continue imparting, we continue to receive; and the more we impart, the more we shall receive. Thus we may be constantly believing, trusting, receiving, and imparting." {The Desire of Ages, page 370, paragraph 1}   

I have heard the phrase "you cannot outgive God." And this promise we just read shows us why--because imparting means that God entrusts us with more! The person that I spend time with sharing the gospel of His grace with will in turn reach others, and there is far more blessing in seeing others converted and transformed than merely retaining a blessing for ourselves. In fact, if we truly receive anything from Christ as He would have us receive it, then we receive it with a continual prayer of "how may this be used to glorify Thy name, Abba?" When we are like little children waiting to be led and taught how to share what He has given us, we will keep growing in character manifest in a richer and more abundant expression of all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing! All of God's gifts in Christ are infinite!

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Every time one more precious soul surrenders their life to Jesus, it is so encouraging to think of the infinite possibilities that God has in store for how He will allow them to be used to share His character with others! We need not be afraid for the future as we remember how Jesus has led in our past, and the things He has taught us! He invites us to never become discouraged and to always look to Him in every need we have!

  "The work of building up the kingdom of Christ will go forward, though to all appearance it moves slowly and impossibilities seem to testify against advance. The work is of God, and He will furnish means, and will send helpers, true, earnest disciples, whose hands also will be filled with food for the starving multitude. God is not unmindful of those who labor in love to give the word of life to perishing souls, who in their turn reach forth their hands for food for other hungry souls." {The Desire of Ages, page 370, paragraph 2}   

[Dorine]

In our work for God there is danger of relying too largely upon what man with his talents and ability can do. Thus we lose sight of the one Master Worker. Too often the worker for Christ fails to realize his personal responsibility. He is in danger of shifting his burden upon organizations, instead of relying upon Him who is the source of all strength. It is a great mistake to trust in human wisdom or numbers in the work of God. Successful work for Christ depends not so much on numbers or talent as upon pureness of purpose, the true simplicity of earnest, dependent faith. Personal responsibilities must be borne, personal duties must be taken up, personal efforts must be made for those who do not know Christ. In the place of shifting your responsibility upon someone whom you think more richly endowed than you are, work according to your ability.

When we recognize our own spiritual need we are not to excuse ourselves from responsibilities because others are more talented or are in a more favorable situation than we are. God has an individual work for each one and He wants us to work according to our ability with earnest dependent faith. What encouraging thoughts for those who feel they have very little to offer. Look what Jesus did with that little lunch. He will do the same for us today when in humble faith we give Him our all.

[Beacon]

"The means in our possession may not seem to be sufficient for the work; but if we will move forward in faith, believing in the all-sufficient power of God, abundant resources will open before us. If the work be of God, He Himself will provide the means for its accomplishment. He will reward honest, simple reliance upon Him. The little that is wisely and economically used in the service of the Lord of heaven will increase in the very act of imparting. In the hand of Christ the small supply of food remained undiminished until the famished multitude were satisfied. If we go to the Source of all strength, with our hands of faith outstretched to receive, we shall be sustained in our work, even under the most forbidding circumstances, and shall be enabled to give to others the bread of life. "]Desire of Ages Chap 39

When the Master of the Universe makes a promise of this magnitude and we choose not to believe Him how shall we answer on the final day of Judgement and expect not to be found - " Wanting " Is it not in similar manner the same as denying Jesus?
Perhaps we should say, as did the father of his child.... "And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark 9:34

[Richard Myers]

Amen, Beacon. There is no greater sin than unbelief. If God says it, we believe it. If we don't believe it, then that is unbelief.
The devils believe, but they are full of unbelief. If we are fully surrendered to Christ, then when we are following His plan, He will give us what is needed to bless others no matter how little we have.

    And when we are brought into strait places, we are to depend on God. We are to exercise wisdom and judgment in every action of life, that we may not, by reckless movements, place ourselves in trial. We are not to plunge into difficulties, neglecting the means God has provided, and misusing the faculties He has given us. Christ's workers are to obey His instructions implicitly. The work is God's, and if we would bless others His plans must be followed. Self cannot be made a center; self can receive no honor. If we plan according to our own ideas, the Lord will leave us to our own mistakes. But when, after following His directions, we are brought into strait places, He will deliver us. We are not to give up in discouragement, but in every emergency we are to seek help from Him who has infinite resources at His command. Often we shall be surrounded with trying circumstances, and then, in the fullest confidence, we must depend upon God. He will keep every soul that is brought into perplexity through trying to keep the way of the Lord. 

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Each of us has our place in the eternal plan of heaven, and as we look about us and see where God put us--with our unique personality, talents, background, ability, desires, strength, and capacity, we can be encouraged to know that when what we are called to do seems "beyond our ability" that God can increase our ability and provide the very help that will meet the situation! When we look at Jesus surrounded by the five thousand men besides women and children, and as His disciples unsure of what to do, we can realize that Jesus feels the need. He also was hungry and weary. He also was one with them, and seeing the genuine need, He relied upon His Father to supply it. What are your needs? What are your wants? Bring the whole situation to Jesus and watch Him provide in a manner as to exceed your highest expectations! Jesus loves to have us sense our need of Him, so He can provide in a miraculous and healing way!

"In our work for God there is danger of relying too largely upon what man with his talents and ability can do. Thus we lose sight of the one Master Worker. Too often the worker for Christ fails to realize his personal responsibility. He is in danger of shifting his burden upon organizations, instead of relying upon Him who is the source of all strength. It is a great mistake to trust in human wisdom or numbers in the work of God. Successful work for Christ depends not so much on numbers or talent as upon pureness of purpose, the true simplicity of earnest, dependent faith. Personal responsibilities must be borne, personal duties must be taken up, personal efforts must be made for those who do not know Christ. In the place of shifting your responsibility upon someone whom you think more richly endowed than you are, work according to your ability." {The Desire of Ages, page 370, paragraph 3}

I love how "Jesus knows our infirmities and has Himself shared our experience in all things but in sin; therefore He has prepared for us a path suited to our strength and capacity." {Child Guidance, page 246, paragraph 5} For example, Jesus knows I love snow, time zones, state lines, and driving. So He planted me in a pastoral district where I get to have many months of stunning snow, minister in both Eastern and Central time zones, live minutes from the Wisconsin border in Michigan, and have long drives as a regular part of my ministry circuit! God is so good! What one finds easy, another may find taxing, and I am glad that Jesus has a loving way of putting us where we would be happiest, because "the happiest place on earth" is "the place where God would have [us] to be" {Patriarchs and Prophets, page 126, paragraph 3}

Happy Sabbath to all! I am so glad to get to lead out in the Communion Service this Sabbath in the Houghton Seventh-day Adventist Church and share in a small way what it is like to break the bread of life where Jesus would have me to be. May God bless you all with Jesus' love today!!

[Richard Myers]

Amen Pastor Sean. Our wisdom is foolishness. When we seek wisdom from God, He will lead us in the very best way. We may only  bread and water, but this is the path that will bless us the most. May your congregation be drawn close to Jesus as you minister unto them.

I often think of the hungry in the world and how socialism has contributed to this. But, capitalism is also to blame. In God's kingdom there are restraints upon capitalism. There will be no selfishness where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. There will be no buying low and selling high.

   If men today were simple in their habits, living in harmony with nature's laws, as did Adam and Eve in the beginning, there would be an abundant supply for the needs of the human family. There would be fewer imaginary wants, and more opportunities to work in God's ways. But selfishness and the indulgence of unnatural taste have brought sin and misery into the world, from excess on the one hand, and from want on the other. 

As we look unto Jesus for our wisdom and strength, we will not be disappointed. God will use what we have to accomplish all that we can do to bless others and give glory to Him. He is the source of all strength and wisdom. Let us depend upon Him who has all the gold and silver and the cattle on a thousand hills.

[Beacon]

Amen Pastor Sean -- I found your testimony very encouraging - Thanks!

"The disciples finally came to Him, urging that for their own sake the people should be sent away. Many had come from far, and had eaten nothing since morning. In the surrounding towns and villages they might be able to buy food. But Jesus said, "Give ye them to eat," and then, turning to Philip, questioned, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" This He said to test the faith of the disciple. Philip looked over the sea of heads, and thought how impossible it would be to provide food to satisfy the wants of such a crowd. He answered that two hundred pennyworth of bread would not be nearly enough to divide among them, so that each might have a little."

"Then He bade the disciples seat the people on the grass in parties of fifty or a hundred, to preserve order, and that all might witness what He was about to do. When this was accomplished, Jesus took the food, "and looking up to heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude." "And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes."  He who taught the people the way to secure peace and happiness was just as thoughtful of their temporal necessities as of their spiritual need."

What a great assurance we find in this story to know that our Saviour is concerned not only about our spiritually need but also our physical necessities and that He is more than able to provide for both. sometimes it seems like my faith is just as small as was that of the disciples. No wonder we need to have daily manna from above to help us rise above our humanity. By daily beholding our loving compassionate Jesus we become changed our courage renewed and find strength to press on in the activities of daily living.

[Dorine]

"Christ has bidden us, through the prophet, "Deal thy bread to the hungry," and "satisfy the afflicted soul;" "when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him," and "bring the poor that are cast out to thy house." Isaiah 58:7-10. He has bidden us, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15. But how often our hearts sink, and faith fails us, as we see how great is the need, and how small the means in our hands. Like Andrew looking upon the five barley loaves and the two little fishes, we exclaim, "What are they among so many?" Often we hesitate, unwilling to give all that we have, fearing to spend and to be spent for others. But Jesus has bidden us, "Give ye them to eat." His command is a promise; and behind it is the same power that fed the multitude beside the sea."   
Such a blessed promise. These experiences have been recorded for our benefit that we may know that God is with us and will carry out the same work in cooperation with us. What a partnership we have with Jesus. He is teaching us to trust in Him to fully provide for our needs and to lay self aside in the work of helping others. It's a promise. May we show our faith in His promises by our works.

[Beacon]

"The providence of God had placed Jesus where He was; and He depended on His heavenly Father for the means to relieve the necessity. And when we are brought into strait places, we are to depend on God. We are to exercise wisdom and judgment in every action of life, that we may not, by reckless movements, place ourselves in trial. We are not to plunge into difficulties, neglecting the means God has provided, and misusing the faculties He has given us. Christ's workers are to obey His instructions implicitly." [/size]

Could it be that our apparent past failures have been because of our personal neglect in preperation and we were trying to do it "OUR WAY by OUR OWN POWER and HUMAN WISDOM" ?

"The work is God's, and if we would bless others His plans must be followed. Self cannot be made a center; self can receive no honor. If we plan according to our own ideas, the Lord will leave us to our own mistakes. But when, after following His directions, we are brought into strait places, He will deliver us. We are not to give up in discouragement, but in every emergency we are to seek help from Him who has infinite resources at His command. Often we shall be surrounded with trying circumstances, and then, in the fullest confidence, we must depend upon God. He will keep every soul that is brought into perplexity through trying to keep the way of the Lord."

The Bible says in James 1:4-6...."But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon! We need to realize our continual need of Jesus so that we may, like He did, depend implicitly upon our Heavenly Father to guide us and provide for our every need!

"The miracle of the loaves teaches a lesson of dependence upon God. When Christ fed the five thousand, the food was not nigh at hand. Apparently He had no means at His command. Here He was, with five thousand men, besides women and children, in the wilderness. He had not invited the large multitude to follow Him; they came without invitation or command; but He knew that after they had listened so long to His instruction, they would feel hungry and faint; for He was one with them in their need of food. They were far from home, and the night was close at hand. Many of them were without means to purchase food. He who for their sake had fasted forty days in the wilderness would not suffer them to return fasting to their homes. The providence of God had placed Jesus where He was; and He depended on His heavenly Father for the means to relieve the necessity." {The Desire of Ages, page 368, paragraph 2}

When you and I face situations when it seems that what we need is not nigh at hand, let us remember that faith creates resources! As Jesus prayed in faith, the food was multiplied! God can do great things for us as we trust Him in childlike, confiding faith--a faith which works by love and purifies the soul so that all of the fruits of the Spirit are manifest in our lives without one missing!   

[Dorine]

The Holy Spirit impressed me this morning with this promise.

"If we go to the Source of all strength, with our hands of faith outstretched to receive, we shall be sustained in our work, even under the most forbidding circumstances, and shall be enabled to give to others the bread of life."[/size][/font]

Without Jesus to provide for the five thousand that day where would they have been with only the little boys' lunch? How many times are we satisfied with the meagre results that come from 'our' efforts rather than relying on the power of God to give abundantly more then we could ever imagine.

If pride is hindering us from full trust and reliance on Jesus then we need to lay pride at the foot of the cross. That is where our hearts will be melted, softened and self will be crucified with Jesus. He will become more precious to us and our lives will show it through our obedience to Him and our love and concern for others. Do we really want it any other way?