Miracles Do Still Happen

RISE AND SHINE FOR JESUS! \O/

By Pam Iannello (my late mother)

A ministry of New Beginnings Baptist Church @ www.nbbconline.com

John 6:5-9 (KJV)

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? [6] And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. [7] Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. [8] One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, [9] There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

In our previous lessons, we’ve considered the lad’s role in the feeding of the five thousand and we’ve looked at Philip’s perspective toward addressing the overwhelming odds against us and fulfilling the important needs of men, women and children. Today I want us to consider Andrew’s attitude toward the whole situation. After processing the question Jesus posed to Philip and hearing Philip’s reply to Christ, we find that Andrew immediately started searching for a possible solution to Jesus desire to feed everyone. What a blessing saints like these are to the work of the Lord! In fact, if you remember, Andrew was quick to believe God’s power and very dedicated to the Savior as well as the spiritual well-being of others. His automatic trust in God’s abilities is displayed through his soul winning activities found in John 1:41, “He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.”

But ladies, there is a colon in the center of Andrew’s presentation that has me a little concerned. Let’s look at his comment again: “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” What do you think caused an enthusiast like Andrew to dip his findings in doubt before hanging them out to dry? Was it his old nature? It could have been… It may have also been Philip’s faithless perspective that put a damper on the particulars that Andrew brought to the table. I can just imagine him reporting back to Jesus that he found a lad in the audience with 5 barley loaves and 2 small fishes and Philip snickering while rolling his eyes at his findings, causing Andrew to add, “…but what are they among so many?” Whether or not this occurred we don’t really know, but the fact is we all have the potential of putting a damper on the faith of individuals who are quick to believe in the power of the Messiah, the Annointed One! And that is a very dangerous practice! Matthew 18:6, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Ladies, just because you aren’t too impressed with the Lord’s attributes doesn’t mean that you should disannul the faith of others! If Andrew really thought God couldn’t fill the need of the hour any way He wanted, why did he bother to report back his findings at all? I am inclined to believe Andrew thought nothing was impossible for the Lord, but somehow doubt crept into his heart and almost robbed everyone of a miracle…

As my husband and I were discussing this portion of scripture this morning, we were reminded of our own personal circumstances in relation to the recent engagement of our daughter. Some believers have responded as skeptically as Philip and some have responded as enthusiastically as Andrew… And we have learned a great deal about who believes God is able to meet so great a need in a day when good, godly marriage partners are hard to find, male or female! Praise the Lord our daughter and her fiancé are rejoicing in the fact that their faith in the Lord and their obedience to parental management was rewarded and they know their union is a miracle, as do we… And we have encouraged them not to allow their belief in God to be dipped in doubt by faithless perspectives.

Just as the lad with the barley loaves and fishes was privy to the conversation between Christ and His disciples about the likelihood of fulfilling so great a need, so too are our children. Is what they are hearing at your house helping their trust in the Lord or hurting it? Will your sons and daughters believe that God will honor their faith and obedience one day by the way you view events in other people’s lives, or have you shattered their hope of ever experiencing any miracles of their own because of your lofty reservations? Have you disannulled the examples God has placed in your child’s path so that they won’t ever believe God is able to do for them what looks impossible? If so, you are tampering with a young person’s belief in God! Don’t turn your Andrews into Philips – keep your little ones excited about God and what He can do, what He did, and still does! The Lord can meet a need any way He chooses and it’s usually not the way we expected it would transpire. Aren’t you glad you can’t figure God out? I am! Even so, while our own faith needs grooming, we must be sure we are not guilty of putting a damper on the faith of another saint, particularly those coming up behind us. Backslidden parents and worldly minded adults will have much to answer for one day… Why would you want to be responsible for any child drowning in a sea of despair when in truth the Messiah has come? Mom, take the millstones off the neck of your little ones – miracles do still happen!

God Bless,

Pam

Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2005 Pamela A. Iannello