Jesus had the crowd sit in groups of about fifty each to receive the food God had blessed them with. Miraculously, five loaves and two fish fed more than 5,000 people (with twelve baskets of leftovers to spare). When doing kingdom work, we don’t fight our own battles. He blesses the offerings we give so that many are sated with new life, and refreshment for the soul. Those who are broken and hurting may include some of our own loved ones. Let’s give in faith the small portion we have and He will make it increase to more than enough. -Teresa #welovebecauseHelovedlavishly

Luke 9: 10-17 (ESV)

10 On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. 12 Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” 13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

The night sky turned to dawn as my husband and I walked past this beautiful tulip tree. Once, Jesus spent the whole night in prayer ready to choose twelve who would carry on His ministry. He then healed those who not only sought him out but who were suffering. Power came out from Him. – Teresa #timeinprayer

Luke 6: 12-19 (ESV)

12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Jesus Ministers to a Great Multitude
17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

Sitting at the feet of our Rabbi, Jesus, we can receive revelations of truth. His authority should not surprise us- after all, he is the Holy One of God. Many saw him as the young man who grew up in Nazareth. There is a more significant revelation, however, about his identity that made even the demons tremble and obey him. He has power over all creation.- Teresa #thewordofGod

Luke 4:31 (ESV)

31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha![a] What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

When children need a safe place, they cry out trusting that the parent will be attentive to them. When God’s children sing praises every morning they joyfully proclaim their trust in His caring provision. With maturity comes understanding that even in difficult circumstances His unfailing love is present. – Teresa #safeplace #understandingHisdemonstrationoflove

  Psalm 59:16,17 (ESV)

16 But as for me, I will sing about your power.    Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.

For you have been my refuge,

    a place of safety when I am in distress.

17 O my Strength, to you I sing praises,

    for you, O God, are my refuge,

    the God who shows me unfailing love.

A double rainbow makes us happy because we remember not just once but twice God’s covenant signature. When the whole earth flooded, God’s regret let loose in remembrance of His perfect creation. We trust you, LORD. Even when we are tossing with worry or overcome by a flood of dissipation (1 Peter 4:4) our mantra is to remember You. Why? Who else collects our tears in a bottle and keeps count of our tossing? Who else bought us back to what He originally intended? #peacewithGod- Teresa

 Psalm 56:8-11 (ESV)

You have kept count of my tossings;[c]

    put my tears in your bottle.

    Are they not in your book?

9 Then my enemies will turn back

    in the day when I call.

    This I know, that[d] God is for me.

10 In God, whose word I praise,

    in the Lord, whose word I praise,

11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

    What can man do to me?

By believing there is no God (or rejecting God), the fool suffers God’s rejection. Lacking knowledge, working evil and persecuting others, the fool ultimately becomes terrified at nothing and his bones are scattered. Calling upon God, we can avoid foolish behaviors and understand salvation. – Teresa #byreceivingforgivenesswecanforgive

Psalm 53: 1-6 (ESV)

53 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;

    there is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven

    on the children of man

to see if there are any who understand,[b]

    who seek after God.

3 They have all fallen away;

    together they have become corrupt;

there is none who does good,

    not even one.

4 Have those who work evil no knowledge,

    who eat up my people as they eat bread,

    and do not call upon God?

5 There they are, in great terror,

    where there is no terror!

For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;

    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

    When God restores the fortunes of his people,

    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

 Although the scribes had a position of honor and respect, their conduct was less than respectable. By devouring widows’ houses (or getting rich off of the devoted hearts of the poor), their judgment was determined by the Creator. Jesus Christ our Lord sees the heart of every matter and judges rightly. -Teresa #bewiseinurgiving

 Mark 12:38-44

38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Offering

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.[a] 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”