Quotes to Share: "Be Not Afraid"
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Six more quotes for you to download and share as we study the miracle of feeding the 5,000, Christ and Peter walking on water, and Christ being the living bread (Matthew 14-15; Mark 6-7; John 5-6 “Be Not Afraid”). Thank you for your support as I share these quotes, my thoughts, and testimony with you. It’s so much fun to learn together! Remember to get your New Testament Textables for April as well.
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So many great things to learn from the miracle of Christ feeding the 5,000 (and later the 4,000). One of the things I love is how Christ can take what we bring, what we offer, and make it enough. There are often tasks put in front of us that seem impossible. Sometimes we take that first leap of faith to embark upon them but as we struggle and find our way, we begin to doubt ourselves. Whether our five loaves and two fishes offering is our efforts in our callings or our daily striving, it can be enough when we include Christ in our equation. It’s enough in the beginning, middle, and end. Keep trusting in our Savior Jesus Christ and do not forget that He will help us.
“Elder [Spencer J.] Condie noted, ‘Isn’t it remarkable what people with five loaves and two fishes do to build up the kingdom of God.’ This kind of quiet, devoted service to me is surely a fulfillment of the word of God ‘that the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers’ (D&C 1:23)” (President James E. Faust, “Five Loaves and Two Fishes”).
What a beautiful lesson to remember as we study the miracle of the loaves and fishes this week. Of course we fall short of perfection on our own. There is no way we can return to our Father in Heaven without the grace of Jesus Christ. The best part? It never runs out. Now that’s a miracle.
Find this quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in the New Testament Student Manual.
I love this reminder of what millions of people can do with only five loaves and two fishes. That’s you and me together with Christ making miracles happen today. Thank you for all that you do. It matters. It’s appreciated.
Discover this quote from President James E. Faust is his talk, “Five Loaves and Two Fishes.”
Christ invites us to not simply know but to become. That’s why Christ is the living bread. It’s not something that we simply need to memorize and spat out for a test. We need to become as He is. That’s why Peter took those steps out of the boat and on top of the water. He was willing to become. Are we willing to become likewise?
Find this great quote in the talk, “The Challenge to Become” by President Dallin H. Oaks.
We learn in Matthew 14:25 that it was the fourth watch when Christ’s disciples see Him walking on water. The fourth watch is from 3 am to 6 am. The disciples had likely been fighting the wind and waves for about 9 to 12 hours by this time. That’s a long time. Does it ever feel like a long time before Christ comes to your rescue? I know you know that we can learn much in our adversity but boy is it hard to be patient in the midst of afflictions! When I was diagnosed with leukemia, I spent the first couple of months in the hospital. I went in to the ER and was originally told a couple of weeks which turned into a couple of more and a couple more. I kept setting goals for myself. I want to be out of the hospital by the time by kids start school. I want to be out of the hospital by the time the oncology unit moves to another floor. I want to be out of the hospital by the time the balloon festival comes. I want to be out of the hospital by the time my son turns eight. None of that happened. It can be so frustrating when you are trying to so hard to meet certain goals and you keep failing. You are doing everything you possibly can and you still keep failing or things don’t feel like they are improving. Sometimes it even gets worse. In those times though it becomes so much easier to wipe away the clutter of daily life and focus on our relationship and dependence on our Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s in those moments that we choose to sink or walk on water. It’s in those moments that we choose to become and not simply believe. We spend all our strength, give up control and trust in the Lord. It’s terrifying but so worth it. What’s something you have learned as you have waited for Christ to come to your rescue in the fourth watch?
Discover this quote from Elder Bruce R. McConkie in the New Testament Seminary Teacher manual (very end of the lesson in the commentary).
I also recommend listening to "The Fourth Watch: Divine Help When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered" by S. Michael Wilcox. He shares some great perspective to help you as you struggle.
How many times have you uttered these words? What I love about the story of Peter walking on water is 1) He had the faith to do. He went beyond knowing, he was willing to take action and act on his faith. 2) When he does start to sink, he doesn’t swim back to the boat. He asks the Lord for help. How many times have we tried reaching for the boat instead of our Savior? It never works out very well when we do. When we reach for the Savior though, oh the beauty, the comfort, and the overwhelming love that follows.
Each week I learn so much more as we continue to study the New Testament. This week, as I was studying the scriptures with the Seminary Teacher New Testament manual, I came across this tidbit. It’s a little thing but it helps me ponder the mercy and compassion that is included in this miracle for the man by the pool of Bethesda as well as the mercy and compassion Christ has for each of us. Many of you may have questions about the pool of Bethesda’s healing powers as well. Elder Bruce R. McConkie cleared this up for us. He stated, “No doubt the pool of Bethesda was a mineral spring whose waters had some curative virtue. But any notion that an angel came down and troubled the waters, so that the first person thereafter entering them would be healed, was pure superstition. Healing miracles are not wrought in any such manner.” The pool probably bubbled up from time to time because there was spring that flowed into the pool causing it to bubble up.
