Eating a Miracle for Dinner, Part 2

We've grown so accustomed to hearing the familiar story that we often fail to celebrate the phenomenal when Jesus fed 5000 men and all their families. Using nothing more than five loaves of bread and fish was nothing short of miraculous. Today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll re-ignites our sense of wonder. This awesome act of God, no one but Jesus perform such a miracle were looking at Matthew chapter 14 resuming a message started on Fridays program. Chuck titled his message eating a miracle for dinner. We begin with prayer. This is why our father, we reserve the word awesome only for you. You are awesome God of heaven and earth are awesome Creator awesome provider were reminded again. Our father how much you can make of so little hierarchical impossibilities become the platform on which you prefer to work because we have come to an end of ourselves and our strength and our ability and that's where you get started beginning there you providing over and over an abundance of what's needed. Under what we call it amazing Grace amazing Grace for disciples you doubted and people who would've never believed that day because of your amazing grace you provided all they wanted and even much more and you're still doing that.

So our lips from reminders as we tell you what cannot be done and open our hearts to what you do best.

Namely, the impossible by your amazing grace you give us our occupations and through that we earn a living and from that we give like now with great gratitude for your provision. Use the gifts for your purposes and glory.

May they touch lives of people. We will never meet in places we will never go in ways we could never imagine this will make us generous father. This we pray by your grace in the name of Jesus Christ. Everyone said to study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll.

Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies going to Insight world.or/studies. Another message from Chuck that he titled eating a miracle for dinner. Disciples were getting hungry and they're getting antsy about you but I do pretty well until I get hungry and then only my wife would tell you I'm probably supposed to dangerous at that point is I am at any other time in my life and I'm sure most of those disciples were like that. Which is why they said what they did in verse 15 Jesus. This is a remote place. It's already getting late.

Send the crowds away so they may go to the villages and buy food for themselves. You read nothing of compassion in those words. I like Jesus response Jesus said to them, that is a necessary you feed them and there's lowboy that brought a sack lunch brought the loaves and the fish and was looking forward to munching on it for his meal and Andrew talked him out of it and they look at the five loaves and two fish. And they say all we have five loaves of bread and two fish.

Stop is called an impossibility. So he says to them. Look at the verse 18, bring them here. He's holding the bread and the fish in his hand little tiny bit of food and when we read. He looked up toward heaven, and he blessed them, and he broke the loaves and the fish into pieces. He kept breaking up before the miracle took place. By the way, would you notice what he did with that, he handed them to the disciples he has the disciples serve them. Nice touch her. You men pass out the food distributed to all of the people. These people there by the thousands began to eat and began to eat, and please observe the grace and the goodness of our Lord seen in that 20th verse.

They ate as much as they wanted. Not as much as they needed, but they ate as much as they wanted. Why would there be any question regarding his ability to turn this meal into a feast. In light of what they've experienced while the same could be asked of us, how much does God need to do again to remind you of what he's able to do. I was with the seminary students at the seminary this past Wednesday and met a great time together is I had a chance to speak to them in the chapel service and I told him what happened to me when I was a student because many of them often think. They're the first ones to go through this or their situation is the worst could possibly be here difficulties they're dealing with just earth shattering saws limits it would happen to me.

I'm a we went to seminary with nothing, zip candidate have a job I didn't have a job and we came to Dallas and and we moved from Houston to Dallas and while there, the Lord opened up an opportunity to force her to work for a gentleman and then from that to work at a bank and she was earning a living and I was studying and I it. It was a present existence for us what we little apartment so small you to go outside to change your mind really little little apartment and and yet we began to read Hudson Taylor spiritual secret is the story of how God provided for Hudson Taylor in his work in inland China and that we were we ready together is was a great read and we said to each other, what are we what we do. This one we just do what he did without announcing anything to anybody or sending out a prayer chain letter appealing to people's hearts all week, but let's just leave it with the Lord. Let's just tell the Lord we don't we don't have the tuition we were not able to provide for our own here and yet you called us here. So how can we stay out already been accepted on probation which was great. I was so grateful for that. I didn't care if I had had read everything out of a mirror.

I mean it was it. It was grace that got me there.

So I'm ungrateful in second semester came and we had scraped up enough to pay that tuition. I went to the counter to pay it and she said oh what your name and I told her and she goes oh it's been paid. Unlike great men of faith know the name is Swindoll Charles Swindoll be because she goes is that since it that's what I'm reading.

In fact, your tuition is paid from now till you're through with your years at the school I go. Let me see that paper is that amazing, not to God. In fact, would you believe that the man who provided for our tuition, and from then on, the rest of our years did that for 17 other students as well and never wanted his name mentioned publicly. So I told the students last Wednesday. I'm not able to give you his name in case you're wondering they all laugh when I tell you the name is God. That's the name to remember. I could tell you other things that I won't put one after another.

When we finally realized we don't have it in ourselves to meet the deepest needs of our lives. God stepped in and, interestingly, sometime we thought there were needs and they weren't needs. We did meet that need.

We didn't need that we thought we did these people needed food so you provided for it was impossible for the disciples to do that. Which brings me to the major point as long as you operate your life from the horizontal point of view, the only thing you will see through your life is impossibilities as long as you exist and that horizontal level, looking only at the human side of things, you will come up against it over and over and over again, and your life will be marked by the negative, what cannot be done.

The situation is impossible. My marriage is impossible. My adult child is impossible by appointment situation impossible my medical need impossible. The legal battle were going to impossible for us to even meet the demands of the attorney fees.

The financial reversal we been in the him emotional struggle will never get on my equilibrium. This relational breakdown impossible for me to put that back together for me to name a big one. Our national situation you listen to the candidates you watch them in action and you look at one another within the same room and and if you're not careful you turn everything off and say this is this is impossible, really, will maybe need to tell God if you don't know that how laughable for him to hear the word impossible, as if he's out of control is an interesting how we inform him during our prayers and we have to let them know the details of our situation to God must think at times just get to the point just ask you don't have because you don't ask. So we asked for tuition lay doesn't always provide like that in our case by his grace. He did and for 17 other classmates. He did have in your case it may be appealing it may be that letter from your long lost beloved daughter or son you live your day waiting for that to come for the tell you of the whole change in life and in heart.

You see what I want you to get from this is a shift in your thinking so that you really do have a mind-boggling thought here God operates in the realm of possible gaudy rivers you think are unenforceable.any mountains you cannot tunnel through God specializes in things thought impossible. He does those things others cannot do any fines.

Great delight in doing them at the most unexpected time I might add, almost without exception, it's always later than you wish, always takes longer than you thought it may have taken but you look back and realize he has been at work now, in this case they meant the miracle is instant so what am I saying love giving you an outline at the bottom a place to write something in order for you to remember it only to write it down so here we go pull out a plan. If you haven't one I want to give you a line.

I want you to memorize and I want you to repeat it to yourself enough that you can say it almost 2nd nature. I've done that and I say it second nature. I want to give you the words so that you can write them and remember them from now on. This is what we learn from this feeding of the 20 to 25,000 people here we go. We are all faced with a series of great opportunities were all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations were all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situation to be quick to add that when God does what is impossible for us. It may not be a miracle. Be careful about reading every surprise and inputting the word miracle on it like reminding people finding a parking space at Nordstrom's during Christmas time is not a miracle that happens to be someone pulled out, you got to pull them right there if somebody else did get in front of you. You know that it that's a miracle that they don't get it in front of you when you run part. There, or that every meal that's provided is a miracle is not necessarily a miracle, unless of course it cannot be explained in human terms that you got a miracle in your hands. Have a good friend who had cancer of the tongue. It was growing. He called a handful of his friends, and I was one of them means that I'm get ready go to Mayos him taking the x-ray happen to be living in Dallas I was living in California at the time. He said, taking my x-ray with me so they'll see it and he said I want us all to pray God's will be done.

That's all I ask you to pray just playing with me the will of God. Because if this doesn't change. They'll have to take if not all, part of my tongue and if it's going to be done.

I wanted done it Mayos so we all began to pray. Matter fact you know what, I wasn't living in California living in New England so long ago it was, I would down our basement and I had written out a note and I took the note before the Lord, and I pray for him by name I pray specifically for the particular health situation he was facing.

He had had that done all they could do here.

So we went to Mayos to get it looked at and once he got there and checked and he went to see the oncologist and he brought his x-ray in the oncologist took a new x-ray in looked at the one he brought with him and there was no cancer on the new x-ray. So the doctor being a man of great faith, said you brought the wrong x-ray with you and my friend said is my name at the bottom and the doc reluctantly says well yes it is the date such insight. Yes is the doctor who was responsible, is that name in there. The radiologist it yes I sent Doc and Dr. you you have no sign of cancer.

My friend has since died, but not of cancer's tongue never gave them a bit of trouble. From then on I know I know some of you still are not convinced you make something happen that Heather x-ray can't be know I'm sorry for you because you got your hands all full of all the answers God done Phil hands full. He feels empty hands one by one. God took them from me all the things I valued most till I was empty-handed every glittering toy was lost. I walked the earth, highways, greedy MRIs in poverty till I heard his voice inviting those empty hands to me.

So I turned my hands toward heaven many filled in with the store of his own transcendent riches till they could contain no more, and at last I comprehended with my stupid mind and dull God cannot pour his riches in the hand already full, as you get your education, your tendency is to fill your own hands as you begin to be blessed with this world's goods are well tend you to fill your own hands as you enjoy good health through life. Your good health tends to fill your hands as you grow in your skepticism, your skepticism fills your hands before long. That's the way you live your life with hands full of empty stuff God longs to do for you what he does for those with empty hand. I urge you to leave this place with nothing.

Nothing in your hand. Nothing.

Trust him with that impossibility that you have been laboring over and struggling through an worrying about complaining over empty like you to bow your heads, but don't close your eyes, I will want to look at your hands. Their marks on your hands. There are lions there in your hands are empty. The Lord knows our ways as clearly as we know our own palms, our own hands. If is not a place in your past were you trusted in Jesus as your own lord and master, and not a place for you can remember ever giving him your life well is because you're full of yourself and come to Christ means you put yourself aside and you trust in the Lord Jesus with all most, but all your heart, you let him take his place in your life do that now maybe you see the name of the one you are you so concerned about written across the palms as you imagine, is that situation at work or at in the courtroom or in that relationship for the financial matters are, wherever that great opportunity highlights sin opportunity for the Lord God fulfill his will in his own time by his grace. Let it go whatever's coming between you and your trust in the living God with empty hands.

Our father we bow before you.

We spend our lives filling our own hands. That's why we look out for our own selves more than anybody else who were by nature selfish. That's why we have all the answers as to why this won't work out or that one will change because we learned over the years that were self-sustaining. We don't need what you have until today. We realize we don't even have what we need and only you can provide that eternal life. The solution to the things we struggle with the answers over this long period of time. We've not had relief. We ask for the by your grace by thank you father ahead of time for what will occur in your own way and will and timing this week. Say nothing of the rest of this year. Meet our deepest needs which only you were able to through the matchless name of Christ, pray everybody said amen. This is insight for living.

If you'd like to learn more about this ministry. Please visit us online@insightworld.org is possible you feel like the person. Chuck described earlier who has open hands eagerly awaiting a miracle from God baby are faced with a dire medical condition or perhaps it's a relationship that's broken and your loneliness is caused you to doubt God's presence will check with a helpful book on this topic is called faith for the journey. Daily meditations on courageous trust in God we believe the biblical principles in this devotional book if applied will lift your perspective. Supplies of this book from Chuck are limited, and so we encourage you to reach out to us right away to purchase a copy look for the book called faith for the journey@insight.org/offer and then we like to say thank you to all those who gave generously last month.

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Once again, you can reach us by calling us listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8880 or give a donation online@insight.for you heard him teach about the holy land using word pictures to make us feel like we are actually strolling through the old city learning about Jerusalem is fascinating for sure, but seeing the land of Israel with your own his his life changed. In fact, is absolutely magnificent. And now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll and the gracious hosts and experts assembled by Insight for living ministries. Join us on an unforgettable 12 day tour March 6-17, 2022 at special sites along the way, I will teach from God's word will worship at the Mount of Beatitudes and share the Lord's table at the garden to impact will Sail the Sea of Galilee together and will visit places where Jesus walked and talked to learn more or call 1-888-447-0444. Just imagine walking along those sacred sites and seeing the Bible, but come to life before your very mark your calendar for March 6-17, 2022 and make your reservation by calling 1-888-447-0444 or go to insight.org/events insight for living ministries tour to Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend.

I Dave Speicher inviting you to join us again Tuesday when Chuck Swindoll describes what brings us to our knees right here on Insight for living in the preceding message eating a miracle for dinner was copyrighted in 2016 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide.

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