Podcasts

God Will Provide

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

God Will Provide! We read In Exodus and in John’s Gospel great examples of God providing for the needs of the people. In John 6 they went looking for Jesus. They were hungry, as were the Israelites in the desert. And aren’t we hungry in our desert? Aren’t we searching for more, something more than this? We can trust that God will provide it:

In Exodus 16:4   The LORD said to Moses: I am going to rain down bread from heaven. And in verse 15, after the quail came and the dew evaporated into manna, Moses told them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.”

God Will Provide

In John 6:27, Jesus told them, “ Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. And again in verse 32,  Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

God Will Provide

What are you searching for, asking God for? Isn’t it something more than bread? Aren’t you hungry to have more in your life, more significance, make more of an impact? And truly, more of God’s peace? Jesus tells us in verse 35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Come to Jesus in all humility and gratitude for all the blessings in your life. Respond with generosity, and trust that… God Will Provide

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Where Can We Buy Enough?

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little [bit].” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. [John 6:5-13] 

I love the Gospel of John’s version of the feeding of the thousands. Here we have this little boy offering up his family’s food. There’s no way one family’s cache of bread and fish could be enough to feed 5 thousand people. But this boy, undaunted by Andrew’s cynicism, stepped out in faith and gave what they had. 

Did Jesus need that family’s supper in order to feed the crowd? No. He could have called down steak and loaded baked potatoes, dessert included, for everyone. But, He waited until someone acted. Jesus took what was given, multiplied it, and provided amply for all. He worked a miracle!

Jesus wants us to step out in faith and give. He will take our gifts, no matter how insignificant we think they may be, no matter if we think we need that money to provide for our family. He wants us to give sacrificially because He will take our gifts to work miracles. Ask yourself this question, “Is anyone missing out on a miracle because I didn’t give?”

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What Seperates You from God’s Peace?

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

What separates you from God’s peace? St. Paul tells us that Jesus is our peace. Ephesians 2:14 says, “For He is our peace, He who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through His flesh.”

What is your dividing wall – what keeps you having God’s peace? Is it stress from striving to advance your career to make more money? Does that, then, lead to even more stress due to time demands? Does our society’s definition of happiness fuel your consumeristic drive to buy more stuff, to go on extravagant trips?This usually results in higher credit card balances which only exacerbates our stress. Do you worry about money?

Is it our pride that hopes that by having the right house, the right car, the right clothes, going to the best restaurants, seeing all the first-run shows, vacationing on the Riviera, is that the money we need to spend so that others think of us as successful? Is that what it takes for us to feel good about ourselves?

These are walls of enmity. The world’s ways to peace and happiness are hostile to God. They divide us from God. They lead to anxiety and animosity, and keep us from becoming better stewards, holier disciples. It is only in putting God first in every facet of our lives that we gain the peace we truly seek. This is an over-arching message of this ministry.

Embrace the truth of how much God loves you, how much He blesses you. And then respond by accepting the challenge of putting God first. First in your time each day. First in using your Talents to serve. First in spending your Treasure to help the poor. Do that and see if you don’t begin to gain a sense of His peace in your life.

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Take Nothing for the Journey

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

Mark 6:7-8,12-13   He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. So they went off and preached repentance.They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

The apostles left everything to obey Jesus’ instructions. Anything they thought they might need to thrive on their trek, they left it behind. They took nothing for the journey. Surely, that made them nervous. But note: Jesus didn’t send them out solo. He paired them up to send them out two by two. Together in community, they willingly detached from their insecurities, and trusted God to provide. And in doing so, they successfully carried out His mission.

Living stewardship is not meant to be done in isolation. God knows our need for each other, our need to be in community. As community – our family, our brothers and sisters in Christ, the Knights of Columbus and the Columbiettes as examples – together, when we put God first, when we obey Him and trust Him, we, too, successfully carry out His mission. We may have some anxious moments. But when we put others’ needs ahead of our own desires for more money and possessions, we are more effective in changing our environments for the good of His kingdom. And we feel a sense of satisfaction for doing what God asks us to do. 

Let’s join together in fraternity. Together, let’s put God first. Let’s detach from the things we think we need to be comfortable and successful, trust that God will provide our needs, and obey His commands to give and serve. Like the apostles were sent two by two, let’s join together to carry out the mission of preaching repentance for our consumerism, and drive out the demons of materialism. Doing this will bring you the peace, joy, contentment, and happiness you truly desire.

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A Thorn in the Flesh

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

St. Paul had a truly awesome revelation. He shares how God kept him grounded. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 we read, “That I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’”

Paul’s thorn was given him to help him deal with being too elated by what he could legitimately boast about. Don’t we sometimes boast about our successes? We can get a little too caught up in ourselves. We buy stuff and do things that, in essence, say, “Look at me. Look at what I’ve done. Look at what I have. Aren’t I wonderful.”

Many people have opportunities to boast, be it due to financial and business success, physical health and beauty, and other seemingly good reasons. But as good stewards, we know that we truly do not have any reason to call attention to our accomplishments, or good fortune, or least of all, any fleeting beauty. We know that all of these are gifts from God. We are to receive them gratefully. Humbly. In gratitude for them, we are to give praise and thanksgiving to God.

When Jesus performed miracles, He usually instructed the healed person to tell no one. He deflected all acclaim to God. All glory goes to God the Father. It certainly is not due us. Hence, we, like Paul, may need a thorn in our side. 

What is your thorn? What do you struggle with when it comes to putting God first in your finances? Is it worry – worry about what others might think or say about you if you have to decline invitations to go out on the town? Is it concern about how you might not look so successful if you give sacrificially instead of having that money to spend on luxuries? Whatever your thorn, bring it to God in prayer. Leave it at the cross for Jesus to handle. In humble gratitude give God praise for all of His blessings, be obedient to His commands, give courageously to the needs of the poor and trust that God’s grace will be sufficient for you.

 

Photo Credits: Robert Davis

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