Mark Chapter 6

Mark 6:7-13 ~ How to Live by Faith

Faith is the opposite of human security.

Mark 6:14-29 ~ The Memorial of the Saints

Jesus is telling them what to expect. There must be death before there is life. It is almost as if today is our spiritual Memorial Day celebration. Remembering those saints who have gone before us; those who suffered hardship and even death, so the gospel might be preached and taught and spread. Jesus’ message is that we must die to ourselves. We who live for ourselves must die to ourselves so that we can experience the life of Christ.

Mark 6:30-44 ~ The Compassion on the Five Thousand

We come to Him on the basis of not trying to solve the problem but how to serve Him in it. Lord, how do You want it done? The Lord gives to those of His disciples, His disciples go and take it and serve the crowds. They do not solve the problem. It is not from their resources. They are servers.

Again, the basic principles. The Lord will create circumstances that are beyond our control and authority so that He can reveal Himself to us and show us what the proper response is. The proper response is, "Lord, I acknowledge that this is of You. You have created this circumstance for a reason and for a purpose. It is beyond my understanding and You want me to trust You with all my heart and not to lean on my own understanding."

The ministry and the authority comes from Jesus Christ, not from me. I am just a server.

Mark 6:45-56 ~ Jesus Walking Upon the Sea

How many times we find ourselves in situations where we say, "Why doesn't the Lord help me? Why doesn't He answer prayer?" Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. All in the Lord's plan, all in His wisdom. Because remember this: circumstances are not created in order to be solved or done away with. The circumstances are created for us to seek the Lord. To put our faith in Him and His ability and His power to sustain us in the circumstance. Not to get rid of the circumstance. The reason why God puts us in every circumstance and in every situation is so that the He can reveal Himself to us in the difficulty.