Songs of Deliverance Magazine  

Cindy Davis Ministries

You are my hiding place;   You will preserve me from trouble;  You will surround me with songs of deliverance.    Psalm 32:7

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

Are you facing a situation in your life that seems to have no answer?  Philip was a man who found himself in a situation that wasn't his making or his responsibility to fix.  It was Jesus' ministry and his responsibility to handle whatever needed to be done but all of a sudden Philip found himself in the spotlight as Jesus asked him where they could buy food to feed over 5,000 people.

Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”  John 6:5-6

Why did he ask Philip where they could 'buy' food knowing they didn't have enough money to buy it? Jesus wanted to show how limited we are in our own ability to do what needs to be done in the HIS ministry.  Philip's answer reflects the world's way of thinking but it also pointed out that he was aware that wasn't a solution that would work.

When we face situations we can't handle we often hear these questions, "What are you going to do? How are you going to pay? Where will you get the money?" Jesus is still asking these questions, even though he already knows what he wants to do.

Philip could easily have gone to the other disciples sharing how bad the situation was and asking them to give so they could feed the hungry.  He could have taken up an offering from the people to pay for the food but I guess if they had the money they would have bought their own food. He could have organized a caravan of raiders to attack a town and take what they wanted. He could have written letters with pictures of starving kids, begging people to 'listen to God' and send him money.

But Jesus already knew what he wanted to do and he knows what he wants to do in your situation. Philip's answer showed how overwhelmed he was to be the answer to the problem.  In essence he said, "This is too much for me to handle."

When a miracle occurs there is no way to explain how it happens.  If Philip had taken an offering or sought funds that would have been an answer to the situation but not a miracle.  The world has a way of doing things that seems wise in their own eyes.  Sadly, we Christians often take the world's way and say it is God's way. It is no wonder the world laughs at our miracles. They can see how it was done.

We are boasting a lot of things about God and then working to make them happen because we really don't believe God will do it.  We expect God to provide the money we need to fund our dreams but we limit him to the world's way of doing things.  We have shoved him into a box, only letting him operate if we can control how it is done.

God asks, "What are you going to do about this situation?"

I answer, "I don't have what it takes to to do anything about this."

Then he steps in and does a miracle that no one can point a finger at, saying, "I can do the same thing."

God help me to always see Jesus as the answer to my problems. I can't work hard enough to produce miracles.  I can't think fast enough to figure out God's solution. I don't want to be the answer to anyone's problems. I don't want to spend my days trying to raise funds or talk people out of their money to "help" do God's work. 

But God is asking me what I am going to do about what is going on in the world today.  He is asking you the same thing. 

GET THE STARS OUT OF YOUR EYES

Jesus didn't give performances when he worked miracles, healed the sick or cast out demons. He didn't care what people thought about what he was doing and he never sought to please them.

How did the operating of the gifts of the Spirit deteriorate into a spectator sport? Could it be we have blown that aspect of the Gospel out of proportion? The gifts should be a sign to the unbeliever that God is real but we have turned it into Christian entertainment, seeking the gifts instead of the giver.

Christians flock to huge stadiums to hear popular preachers, hoping to see a miracle. You hear about buses filled with church people traveling many miles to be in a healing service. What you don't hear about is advertisements encouraging non-christians to come. We aren't going into the world to show them what God can do. We are expecting them to come to us whether we invite them or not.

Everything Jesus did pointedly showed how good and loving God is. He healed the lost, not the Pharisees. We have a problem being compassionate with our brothers and sisters in Christ much less having it for the world.

Jesus was able to do what he did because he spent more time in prayer with God than sitting in a building waiting for people to come to him. He was saturated with the presence of God and didn't have to set up special meetings, telling people he would heal them. He just walked out into the world and let the Holy Spirit draw people to him.

If we could break free of our pre-conceived ideas of how things should be done (this is religious thinking) we might be able to do the greater works Jesus said we would do? People today are star-struck, looking for someone they can look up to, someone to worship. We Christians need to get the stars out of our eyes so we can show them the true One who is worthy of worship.

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