Title: “When God Hampers Your Faith” by: David Wimpee
Scripture:
Mark 8:8 “So they did eat and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.”
Observation:
Mark 8 is full of many interesting accounts in the life of Jesus, but the feeding of the 4,000 men is especially captivating. The narrative shows that the multitudes have followed Jesus and heard His teaching for three days. It is time to dismiss the crowd so they can return home. For many, it is a long journey and the situation is compounded by the fact that they have nothing to eat and would likely be unable to complete the journey home due to physical weakness. Jesus is moved by compassion and wants to feed them before they depart. Jesus asks his disciples about supplies. All they have is seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Unless there is a miracle, people will go hungry.
Application:
Having seen so many miracles, we might presume that it was nothing for the disciples to believe that Jesus both could and would do something now. Yet there is something about being faced with the impossible, and at times, the improbable that causes us to doubt. That’s when God steps in to hamper our faith. The multitude is instructed to sit, Jesus blesses the food, and distribution begins. Everyone eats until they are satisfied. At the conclusion of the meal, seven baskets of leftovers are collected. That is one basket of leftovers per loaf of bread. This is not the same size of the baskets described at the feeding of the 5,000. Those baskets would hold about two gallons. The Greek word used here is spuris means a large hamper. This size was able to hold an adult male. God is spurring us on to trust Him to do more than is necessary. He is hampering our faith so that we can be encouraged even in the face of the impossible. He is showing us by his compassion that He is willing to use His limitless power to go to any measure to meet our needs abundantly above all we could ask or think.
Prayer:
Lord, may this passage inspire me to trust and believe even when there appears to be no hope. May my faith never waver in any light of any circumstance.

Title: “The Ministry of Cheer” by: David Wimpee
Scripture:
“I pray that the Lord will be kind to the family of Onesiphorus. He often cheered me up and wasn’t ashamed when I was put in jail.”
2 Timothy 1:16 CEV
Observation:
Onesiphorus was a good man. When the ministry in Ephesus was growing and workers were needed, Paul found Onesiphorus to be a valuable helper. When Paul was imprisoned later in his ministry, Onesiphorus did not abandon him. In fact, Paul writes of how this trusted friend would not stop searching Rome until he found him.
Application:
Upon finding Paul, Onesiphorus extended a ministry Paul cherished. The scriptures do not tell us how he did it. Maybe it was a word of encouragement or the meeting of a physical need. Perhaps it was an anecdote designed to bring a smile to the face of Paul. It might have been the reciting of a shared ministry experience or the memory of some great miracle they witnessed. Quite possibly it was simply the presence of a dear friend who sat silently with Paul during his ordeal communicating the love of Christ in a way words could not. Whatever Onesiphorus did, it brought cheer to Paul. Let us desire to be more like Onesiphorus and minister cheer in a world where it is most needed. It just might provide someone the hope they need to make it.
Prayer:
Father, help us to be sensitive to those who are struggling right now. Allow us to impart the ministry of bringing cheer and encouragement. We want to be a blessing to others when life’s circumstances seam so overwhelming. Please allow others to minister cheer to us when our time of need arises. Amen

Title: “Out of the Storm” by: Tammy Harvey
Scripture:
Job 38:1  “Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.  He said:”
Observation:
How awesome is our God that as the Lord – the Sovereign Ruler of our Lives – He will speak directly to man out of his storm.  Job not only had a storm raging on the outside but he was experiencing a storm raging on the inside.  After man has spoken all their limited words, God in all his love speaks to Job, not to his friends or even through his friends.
Application:
How important is it for me to remember that when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I opened up my life to his rule, authority, and voice.  I can trust that the Lord my God  will speak to me even when the inner and outer storms rage.
Prayer:
Father, speak to me as Lord and I will listen.  Thank you for speaking to me in the stormy situations.