And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?
-Mark 8:16-18

Stop focusing on your problems

No matter how big or small our problems are, Jesus can handle them. I think that too often, we can get distracted by what’s missing or what’s wrong with our lives rather than God’s plan for our future and the fact that He has gained victory over all of our problems through Jesus.

Focus on the power of God

Instead of looking at the situation through our own eyes, we should look at them as opportunities for God to do something great. Doubt causes us to see whats there with no room for expansion, faith sees the opportunities for growth and possibilities for God to move.

Don’t forget miracles God did in your life

Jesus is rebuking his disciples because they seem to have forgotten the miracles he did right in front of them with the very thing they’re worried about (v.19-20)… When doubt comes in and tries to choke out faith, the best way to combat that is to think back on all of the miracles (whether “small” or large) that God has done in our lives (such as saving us!).

Trusting in Jesus even when I have no bread,
Tom Fogarty

Monday, I began feeling pains in my stomach throughout the day. I didn’t really understand why, but I was still able to eat and the pain seemed constant, never actually getting worse. So, of course, I just figured I might as well keep eating! That evening, I ate a 10-course dinner, possibly one of the best dinners I’ve ever had. That night, I laid in bed, having that feeling like any moment,  I may get to taste it again as I cried out to God for deliverance… well, (warning: post gets a little nasty right here) I managed to throw up every bit of it. Turns out I have some sort of stomach virus or something… I opened my Bible application on my phone as I laid in bed shortly before all of the fun began and read this verse from Psalm 119:

This is my comfort in my affliction,
that your promise gives me life.
-Psalm 119:50

I was given hope in a time where I had possibly felt my worst, simply because I realized that no matter what I go through in this body, His promise gives me life, and I have eternal life in God. I was so thankful & humbled by God’s promise to ME!

Thanks to all who have been praying, I love you all.

-Tom

I’ve been studying the book of First Samuel recently and I must say it’s really been one of my favorite studies I’ve ever done.

Reading the prayer life of Hannah in chapter one of First Samuel, here’s what God was showing me:

• God himself closed the womb of Hannah for His sovereign purpose. (V.5)
• The enemy used her weakness to attack her, but God used it to bring out her strength. (V.6)
• She had faith; she wasn’t willing to settle for a life of sadness. She passionately sought the Lord through fasting and weeping, doing whatever it would take to get an answer from God. (V.7-11)
• She prayed so hard that she couldn’t even speak with her mouth. My translation says she was “pouring out her soul before the Lord” (V.12,13,15,16)
• Her answered prayer made her happy! (V.18)
• God doesn’t forget our prayers (V.19)
• She recognized her answer came from the Lord, naming her son “Samuel” meaning “heard of God.”

I see a woman who did everything it took and stretched her faith so far to get an answer from the Lord. On the flip side, I see the sovereignty of God in pushing her to stretch her faith and to pray and fast fervently, not religiously.

When’s the last time you wanted to hear from God so badly that you did everything it took to get an answer?

When we are seeking something, we are “seeking in order to find.” We seek because we desire; I doubt you would be seeking for something you don’t want to find. Maybe you’ve found what you’re seeking and you think, “Well, I have found it; I am satisfied.” However, when we are truly seeking something, we are not just content with our findings, we discover that our findings lead to more findings. True seeking involves thinking, meditating, and inquiring further into what we are seeking. Therefor, seeking is a continuous pursuit.

We have to be careful what we are seeking, then… understanding that what we seek is what has our attention and that our findings will define us. What we seek, therefore, should be absolute and not a changing idea or philosophy. If we are seeking a changing idea, we will be dissatisfied, because we will only come to find that what we are seeking is changing, not us. If we seek the Unchanging One who is God, we will find satisfaction in knowing that it is not Him that changes, but Him who changes us. God will never get better, we can only get better by our pursuit of Him.

Fortunately, God is not simply an idea; He is the Supreme Being, and we can inquire of Him as we seek after Him. If we seek to know Him, we can actually ask Him questions, and He will answer! The word “seek” occurs 229 times in my Bible translation (ESV), often encouraging to seek God, to seek an attribute of His in particular, and occasionally telling us what not to seek. As we seek God, we’re not only seeking to know more of Him, we’re also seeking to be more like Him. This means as we find more about Him, we seek those attributes of Him that should be displayed in our own lives and we seek to remove what hinders our seeking of Him.