Jesus Glory and Goodness

With that miracle, Jesus showed forth His glory and His goodness. Rodney Howard Browne explains that the reason Jesus turned water into wine as His first miracle was because He wanted that to be a statement. Providing the wine is probably the least that He could have done.

First of all, Jesus came to save from sin and heal sick bodies. The last thing down the line would be to provide wine for a friend’s wedding. But I believe He’s trying to say, “I do the least thing I can do first, because I want to show you that there’s nothing in your life that I can’t take care of. If you accept Me as your Savior and your Healer, I’ll also be your Provider, so that when you have a need, you know I will supply everything that you need.”

In John 15:7, Jesus says, If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Whatever you need, ask, and He’ll give it. After this, Jesus went to the farther side of the sea of Galilee — that is, the Sea of Tiberias,

And a great crowd was following Him because they had seen the signs (miracles) which He [continually] performed upon those who were sick. And Jesus walked up the mountainside and sat down there with His disciples.

Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was approaching. Jesus looked up then, and seeing that a vast multitude was coming toward Him, He said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread, so that all these people may eat? But he said this to prove (test) him, for He well knew what He was about to do.

Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennies’ (forty dollars) worth of bread is not enough that everyone may receive even a little.

Another of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,

There’s a little boy here, who has [with him] five barley loaves, and two small fish; but what are they among so many people?

Jesus said, Make all the people recline (sit down). Now the ground (a pasture) was covered with thick grass at the spot, so that the men threw themselves down, about 5,000 in number.

Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed to the disciples and the disciples to the reclining people; so also [He did] with the fish, as much as they wanted. When they all had enough, He said to His disciples, Gather up now the fragments (the broken pieces that are left over), so that nothing may be lost and wasted. So accordingly they gathered them up, and they filled twelve [small hand] baskets with fragments left over by those who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

JOHN 6:1-13 AMP

This is a very powerful miracle of provision. People are hungry so Jesus takes a little boy’s lunch and then He multiplies it. Now it’s one thing to hear that God provides food and drink in Bible times, but it happens now too. When my family was living in the Transkei region of South Africa, I heard of a miracle of provision among Baptist missionaries. About sixty people had gathered one night at the mission, and all they had was one chicken. But they prayed and God multiplied their one chicken. All sixty ate chicken and were filled!

God’s provision is not just for Bible times — it’s for right now. It’s for you and me. If we just believe God, He’ll make a way where there is no way. God wants His people to live in a higher realm of the supernatural. It’s time to move up and live in a higher realm of the provision of God in our lives. We’ve got to quit looking at our own resources. If we’re looking at our salary as our source of supply, we’re

going to be devastated if our company closes down tomorrow.

This has got to become real in your daily life. It’s easy to clap your hands and sing in church, “He’s my Provider.” But it’s another thing to really trust in Him when you’re in the middle of a problem. When you lose your job, suddenly you find out how much you really believe in the Lord’s provision

Our Hope

The people of this world are starving for true hope while, as believers, each of us is filled with hope and the light of God. It is up to us to be available so that we can share our message with unbelievers.

Rodney Howard Browne teaches that there is absolutely no hope in this life, or in the life to come, apart from a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Because of Christ, we have righteousness before God and the promise of resurrection—all because Jesus died in our place. All the hope we need for living in this life and eternity comes through Him.

According to Romans 5:6, Christ died for the ungodly—each and every person who will ever live. So what was Jesus’ plan for getting His message of salvation to all of these people? In Matthew 28, He commissioned the saved to share the Good News with the lost. In fact, spreading the word of God through people is the only method given in the Bible. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (v. 19). His disciples went without question. The Lord is still calling us to go, whether our field is a faraway country or our own workplace.

When God calls us, He doesn’t want excuses or pleas to wait; He wants our obedience. If we are surrendered to Him, the only thing we can answer when He calls us is yes. Could it be that God wants you to lay aside your plan for your life and take up His call—spreading hope to a rapidly changing world?

• 1.
• And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

• 2.
• And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

• 3.
• As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

• 4.
• Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

• 5.
• Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

• 6.
• And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake , hearing and seeing the miracles which he did .

• 7.
• For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies , and that were lame, were healed .

• 8.
• And there was great joy in that city.

• 9.
• But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery , and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

• 10.
• To whom they all gave heed , from the least to the greatest, saying , This man is the great power of God.

• 11.
• And to him they had regard , because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

• 12.
• But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized , both men and women.

• 13.
• Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized , he continued with Philip, and wondered , beholding the miracles and signs which were done .

• 14.
• Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

• 15.
• Who, when they were come down , prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

• 16.
• (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

• 17.
• Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

• 18.
• And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given , he offered them money,

• 19.
• Saying , Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

• 20.
• But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

• 21.
• Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

• 22.
• Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

• 23.
• For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

• 24.
• Then answered Simon, and said , Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

• 25.
• And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

• 26.
• And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying , Arise , and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

• 27.
• And he arose and went : and, behold , a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship ,

• 28.
• Was returning , and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

• 29.
• Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near , and join thyself to this chariot.

• 30.
• And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said , Understandest thou what thou readest ?

• 31.
• And he said , How can I , except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

• 32.
• The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer , so opened he not his mouth:

• 33.
• In his humiliation his judgment was taken away : and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

• 34.
• And the eunuch answered Philip, and said , I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

• 35.
• Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

• 36.
• And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said , See , here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized ?

• 37.
• And Philip said , If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest . And he answered and said , I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

• 38.
• And he commanded the chariot to stand still : and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

• 39.
• And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip , that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing .

• 40.
• But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.