SEARCH 158 – GOD MEETS OUR NEEDS

Key Verse

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
— Isaiah 26:3

Peace

Mark 4:35-41; 5:1-20

  • John 16:33
  • Isaiah 57:20-21

Our Lord was a miracle-working Savior on earth, both in the lives of men and in nature. We know He is the same in our day. He gave peace to those who had no peace—He will do the same today. He caused the winds to cease and calmed the raging water—He can do the same today as He puts at rest the storms in the lives of men.

QUESTIONS

  1. Note the scriptural description of the storm on the Sea of Galilee as given in the text: “There arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.” Have you ever been on a ship at sea during a storm? What significance is shown by Jesus’ restfulness during the storm?
  2. What caused the Lord to awaken from His sleep? And what was His response?
  3. The Lord rebuked His disciples for being afraid. Why? Is there never reason for us to fear? What lesson can we apply to our own lives from this happening?
  4. “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” the disciples wondered after the calming of the storm. Name several other instances in which Jesus displayed His power over nature. (See Matthew 14:20,25; 17:27; 21:19.) What do these miracles prove, and what should be our response?
  5. In what condition did Jesus and the disciples find the demoniac? What was the cause of this condition?
  6. What were the results of man’s efforts to help the situation?
  7. How was the man healed? What was the evidence of his healing?
  8. What was the attitude of the citizens of the city and country? What did the man who was delivered want to do? What instructions were given to him by the Lord?
  9. For what purpose was the Son of God manifested? See 1 John 3:8.
THEME THOUGHTS
With his very first breath, the newborn infant begins to grope through the maze of existence, seeking to satisfy his need for warmth and food. Every sense seems to be one of desire. But as he grows, the average person soon realizes his complex nature requires more than gratification of physical needs. He becomes aware of a need for love, for security, for acceptance, for inner peace—the principal ingredients that bring fulfillment and direction in life. The search for the satisfaction of all these needs becomes a predominant drive, a quest with only one true solution. That solution is found in God—the only One who can and will meet all of these needs. It is this thought which provides the theme for this quarter. Each lesson should be centered on the fact that God cares for us in every detail of our lives. He has promised to provide our physical needs, but even more importantly, He is concerned with our spiritual needs. With this thought in mind, we begin the series by focusing on the fact that God has provided mercy, thus opening the way for a personal relationship between God and man. Once that relationship has been established through the experience of salvation, the way is open for God to supply the other needs of those who trust in Him. As you study the succeeding lessons, use the Scripture, “All things work together for good to them that love God” Romans 8:28). We must realize that God, in His infinite wisdom, knows what is best for us. What we see as a need may, in God’s sight, be something which would not prove to be for our good. Accepting that verse as the basis for the quarter will help us see that true happiness is based on God’s control of the circumstances of our lives. We will recognize that as our trust is in Him, our needs truly will be supplied in the manner He knows is best.

Resources