Shouts of GraceMfano

## Grace for Miracles "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [works] than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12 NKJV). "Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He [Jesus] was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them" (Mark 6:47-48a). Jesus observed them from the mountain where He was praying. Why didn’t he calm the storm as he had done before? Many of us would have immediately come to their rescue! But it seems he was observing them. How would they react to this crisis? That very day they had fed the 5,000 as the food multiplied in their hands while they handed it out at Jesus’ command. They had just experienced the grace for miracles a few hours before! How wonderful it would have been if they had stood up and shouted to the storm, “Peace! Be still!” They had already healed the sick and cast out demons in his name — authority for miracles was theirs, as well as the grace! (Luke 10:19) But … they stuck to their oars. It seems they needed to be impressed to a greater degree with the power of God … so Jesus came to them walking on the water! And when Peter walked on water also (Matthew 14:28-31), the message was clear: they could do the works of Jesus also -- in His authority and by His grace. The disciples were dumbfounded “for they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened” (Mark 6:51-52). Not understood what? That their hands, by God’s grace, produced the miracle! Their experiences should have impacted their faith. Their testimony should have produced another testimony like it. Sometime later another crowd of 4,000 had no food, and three days passed by with no one to the rescue. How wonderful it would have been if the disciples had said early on, “Lord, all we need is a few loaves and fish! We did this before!” But when Jesus finally addressed the problem, that’s not quite what they said… Then His disciples answered Him, "How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?" (Mark 8:4) Remember that Jesus wanted the disciples to feed them. This is what He had told them at the previous feeding. “You feed them,” He had said. (Luke 9:13) Notice the patience of our God: “He asked them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’” (Mark 8:5) With the same solution as before, the thousands were fed again by the disciples’ hands. Jesus showed them yet again that he had the power - the grace! - to alter the laws of nature … through them! Later, on another ministry trip by boat, the disciples were concerned that only one loaf of bread remained. "But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, 'Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?" (Mark 8:17-21) Their experience with grace for miracles wasn’t informing their day-to-day life. They had seen so much! Heard so much! And yet they were locked in to finding only natural solutions. The last phrase is key to disrupting old ways of thinking: “Do you not remember?” Let’s ask ourselves, “Am I not remembering great miracles?” Let’s rehearse them, apply them to our current situation and believe we will have grace to see miracles multiply! \- Pastor Tracie Ogando #### Faith Declaration By God’s grace I set my mind that next time I see someone who needs a miracle, I will remember miracles He has done through me or others, including the miracles of Jesus, and pray believing for another miracle. #### Journal Directions 1. Read Acts 3:6, 12. Who did the miracle, the disciples or Jesus? 2. Read Revelations 19:10b. What is the connection between sharing a testimony of what Jesus has done and creating an atmosphere where it can happen again? 3. Read Mark 16:14. What can you say to people who haven’t personally experienced very many miracles yet? 4. Jesus was often frustrated by his disciples’ lack of initiative to believe for a supernatural solution. How did they finally access grace to do His works? Acts 4:31-33