Matthew 14:13-21
13Now when Jesus heard it, he withdrew from thence in a boat, to a desert place apart: and when the multitudes heard thereof, they followed him on foot from the cities. 14And he came forth, and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. 15And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert, and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food. 16But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat. 17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18And he said, Bring them hither to me. 19And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 20And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21And they that did eat were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Scripture Testimony Index stories for this passage
Just minutes after surviving what turned out to be one of the most disastrous earthquakes in history, Dr. Henry Tristram Holland and his son Dr. Harry went to work helping survivors, treating wounds, directing the removal of corpses, and giving injections in an effort to prevent a cholera outbreak.
Mr. Fernandus was touched by the poor condition in which the sick and abandoned Adivasi children were made to live in, so with a heart full of compassion, he made it his duty to care for the worse-off among these children from his very meager resources. He fed them, housed them, and taught them the way of the Lord.
Heidi, like the Lord Jesus Christ, was faced with a situation where the food available at an event would not go round the many hungry people (mostly children and widows) who were there. And just like Jesus did, Heidi took what was available, have thanks to God Almighty and began to share it and you the amazement of all, every single person got to eat. For Jesus had multiplied what was available.
Mary Bird committed to using her gifts to care for mentally unstable people in Kerman. With courage and love, she cared for them; confident that Christ Himself was within her and ministering to them.
While Sarah is committed to helping prostitutes turn a new leaf, her husband Joshua, is committed to helping victims of human trafficking regain their freedom. Together, they make a team, committed to helping these vulnerable groups of women.
God sustained Jackie Womack and her five children for a week by multiplying her meager supplies. When the cupboards were finally bare, God spoke to a friend of Jackie’s, through whom He supplied for the pantry.
Dr. Bob Pierce's heart of compassion toward a young orphan girl in China challenged other believers to rally together and support children in similar conditions, with over a million children around the world currently benefitting.
Inspired by the selfless example of a missionary in China who laboured to keep hungry children alive; Bob, a UN war correspondent to China, was moved to do something about the condition of the hungry Children in Korea. Like that kind missionary woman, he too, armed with faith in God, started an orphanage in Korea.
When Sundar Singh visited the Lepers' Home at Chandkuri, he spoke to them of the love of God and also demonstrated that by taking the time to speak individually and bring comfort to the sick there. Even before leaving, he left them with the comforting prayers of Apostle Paul; asking that God's peace remain with them!
Twenty-year-old Smith Wigglesworth had a heart for the poor; he would work and earn good money but would then go ahead to spend it all on the needy leaving nothing for himself. And he wasn't only concerned about their temporal needs, as he was used by God to bring many of them to His Kingdom!
On a rather cold night, Dr. Andrew Park Stirrett was in the slums of Liverpool to lodge, just so he could minister to the souls there. And finding a young homeless fellow shivering in the cold, he gave up his room, and food for that needy fellow. Choosing to instead, exercise through the night, it was just then that a friend saw him and took him home for night!
Mel Tari narrates a story wherein his evangelist friend, Abel, experiences God’s wonderful provision for the material needs of a revival team. God fed the team three meals a day for several days from a single two-person portion of food.
A small vitamin bottle continually produced drops for those in need, Corrie Ten Boom found it hard to believe. Her sister Betsie compared it to the story of the widow of Zarephath whose oil never ran dry while she fed Elijah. Betsie described it as a "surprise from a Father who loves you.”
When in 1877, a famine of unprecedented levels struck China, strenuous efforts were made by God's people across denominational lines to provide relief for the country's people; many of whom were dying daily in their hundreds. God's people put their life on the line, notwithstanding the initial opposition from the government with some paying the ultimate price.
The Sanborns took in a very large, last-minute outreach team that did not have a sufficient budget for their needs. Art was optimistic, while Ellen was discouraged. But this was God's plan, and He proved it by feeding the whole team from bottomless pots of food.