God Already Sees the Details

John 6:5 (GNB)

Jesus looked around and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, so he asked Philip, “Where can we buy enough food to feed all these people?”

Jesus, why exactly did You ask this question? Was it a question of whether we are able to feed them, or was it so we would acknowledge that You are fully aware of the crowd surrounding us?

Life rarely presents us with "small crowd" situations. More often, we are faced with overwhelming circumstances. Seeing You ask this question reminds us that You are already aware of the numbers, the statistics, and the timing. Your will for us is not to be consumed by these factors, but to fix our eyes on You.

Once we acknowledge the "large crowd" and our own inability to provide in that moment, we can look to the One who desires to be our source, our strength, our peace, and our everything.

Just as He did with Philip, Jesus asks us the same questions today:

How will you get the wisdom to raise your children?

Where will you find the ideas to build this business?

How will your business thrive, even in this recession?

As I ponder these questions, my answer is simple: “Lord, I don’t know how.”

The very next verse reveals the heart of the matter:

John 6:6 (GNB)

He said this to test Philip; actually, he already knew what he would do.

It wasn't a question of information; it was a test of perspective. Jesus knew Philip had seen the problem, but He wanted to see if Philip had the faith to carry the weight of the miracle about to be performed.

It is as if He is saying:

 "Philip, relax. Let me show you that in this Kingdom, we don't build by human might, but by My Spirit."

This revelation stirs such emotion in my heart. Jesus is never short of resources to respond to the "large crowds" that surge our way. Before we even notice them, He has already seen the details—and He is simply waiting for us to say, "Jesus, help me."

Stay Revived!

It is no longer I who live, but the Holy Spirit who lives in me Galatian @:20

Some time ago, the Lord asked me a question. He said, “Why do people, during war, rub blood on their faces and bodies?”

I thought about it and responded, “They do it to appear dead—to escape being attacked.”

Then my mind went to the Israelites in the Book of Exodus, when they were instructed to put blood on their doorposts. The blood was a sign—so that when the Lord passed through, He would see it and pass over them. It marked them as His own.

This brought a deeper understanding: if by the blood of the covenant I am saved, set free, and delivered—if it is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me and I in him—then why should I become troubled when situations of life try to weigh me down?

God never promised that challenges would not come. If that were the case, He wouldn’t have said in Book of Psalms 23 that He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies.

Being dead and alive in Christ means that daily, you yield yourself to His authority and His government over your life. It means dying daily in surrender and living fully in obedience to Him.

So the next time trouble or disease tries to steal your joy, speak to it boldly:
“It is no longer I who live, but the Holy Spirit who lives in me.”

Stay Revived! 

Graced for This Moment

 What if God’s plan isn't to take us out of a situation in a flash, but rather to walk with us through the journey of it?

I recently read the biography of a famous actress who overcame a dehumanizing childhood filled with poverty. There was a specific moment when, after witnessing her mother being abused, she ran into the kitchen and cried out to God to rescue her if He truly loved her.

So often, this is our prayer. When we feel stuck, we want to wish the situation away instantly. We want the pain to end "in the blink of an eye." But how can we truly understand that "all things work together for the good of those who love God" if we only ever seek to escape the process?

God doesn't want us to suffer just so He can say, "I told you that you couldn't make it without Me." Instead, He wants us to learn to trust Him in every circumstance. Whether it is a project He has whispered for us to start, a relationship He has asked us to surrender, or a new season He is calling us into—He asks us to keep our eyes fixed on Him.

The Promise of Fullness

Look at the promise in John 3:34:

"The one whom God has sent speaks God's words, because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit." (GNB)

There is sufficient grace for every situation we face. As long as we choose to align with God’s way and listen to His voice, He reassures us: "I know, my daughter, that you want this to end. I know, my son, that you feel you shouldn't be at this point. But because this is a journey, I will walk you through it so you do not grow weary."

You Are Graced

You are graced for this specific moment.

You are graced to carry your seed to full term.

The doctor may have delivered a diagnosis, but you are graced to win this battle.

Rejections may have thrown you off balance, but there is a grace within you capable of carrying you safely into your next season.

We can choose alignment. We can choose to say: "God, in the moments where I am weary, let praise be my answer. Even if life tries to break my heart into pieces, life will not drain out of me—because I do this not by my own strength, but because I am graced for this moment."

As you go through your day, do not let life dictate its report to you. Instead, choose to say: "I see through the struggle, and I see that God has graced me for this moment."

Stay Revived!

Oh Give thanks to the Lord

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His mercies endure forever.

Whenever I think of a thanksgiving scripture, these words from the book of Chronicles stood out.

As I reflected on what to share today, I began to wonder—how many of us have paused to give thanks to the Lord today? How many of us have truly given thanks for where we are right now?

You may not be where you want to be, but you are certainly not where you used to be.

When you look at the life of King David, you will see a man who constantly faced opposition—from his father’s house to his own family. His life was marked by challenges and battles. Yet, this same David would boldly declare: “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His mercies endure forever.”

Beloved, understand this: being alive is a testimony.

The Bible says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” God has kept you. That alone is reason enough to give thanks.

You may not have received everything you desire, but God is not done with you yet.

Perhaps you feel like you are in a valley—like the valley of dry bones—but even there, God is present. And today, He is calling you to give thanks.

He says, “Come into His presence with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.”

Do not measure your life by the standards of others. Your true measure is your ability to bring God’s Kingdom here on earth and to live a life that reflects Jesus.

So today, give thanks—not just for what you have, but for who God is, and for what He is still doing in your life.

Stay Revived!