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Eighth Sunday after Pentecost The Collect: Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Old Testament: 2 Samuel 7:1-14a 1Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.' 3Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.' 4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: 5Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 6I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. 7Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?' 8Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; 9and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Psalm: Psalm 89:20-37 20 I have found David my servant; * with my holy oil have I anointed him. 21 My hand will hold him fast * and my arm will make him strong. 22 No enemy shall deceive him, * nor any wicked man bring him down. 23 I will crush his foes before him * and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and love shall be with him, * and he shall be victorious through my Name. 25 I shall make his dominion extend * from the Great Sea to the River. 26 He will say to me, ‘You are my Father, * my God, and the rock of my salvation.' 27 I will make him my firstborn * and higher than the kings of the earth. 28 I will keep my love for him for ever, * and my covenant will stand firm for him. 29 I will establish his line for ever * and his throne as the days of heaven.” 30 “If his children forsake my law * and do not walk according to my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes * and do not keep my commandments; 32 I will punish their transgressions with a rod * and their iniquities with the lash; 33 But I will not take my love from him, * nor let my faithfulness prove false. 34 I will not break my covenant, * nor change what has gone out of my lips. 35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness: * ‘I will not lie to David. 36 His line shall endure for ever * and his throne as the sun before me; 37 It shall stand fast for evermore like the moon, * the abiding witness in the sky.' “ Epistle: Ephesians 2:11-22 11 So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called ‘the uncircumcision' by those who are called ‘the circumcision'—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— 12remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. 15He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God. Gospel: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. 53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, 55and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
Sermon Guide Book of Galatians Part 4 - "Hypocrites" Big Idea: There's no such thing as a better Christian. Galatians 2:11-21 11But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter's hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? 15“You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners' like the Gentiles. 16Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” 17But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. Discussion Questions 1. Do you have trouble reading the Old Testament because of all rules and regulations? Were you aware that all those laws were made to show you that you need a savior? Name some laws that you think are weird or ridiculous. 2. Like Peter, what is an area in your life where you are most afraid of criticism? 3. What is your “plus”? What other thing besides Jesus do you feel like you need to feel whole, valued, loved? What is it that, if you just got THAT THING, you would feel whole, complete?
When You Don’t Get The Answer You Desire Or Expect, Remember God Knows The Larger Picture And Has Something Bigger Planned 2 Samuel 7:8 - 16 8“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders a over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. “ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me b ; your throne will be established forever.’ ”
If he is a foreigner in the Universe who does not recognize the essence of the Universe, no less is he a foreigner, who does not recognize what comes to pass in it. A fugitive is he who runs away from the reasonable law of his City; a blind man, he who shuts the eye of the mind; a beggar, he who has need of another and has not all that is necessary for life in himself; an abscess on the Universe, he who rebels and separates himself from the reason of our common nature because he is displeased with what comes to pass (for the same nature that produces this has produced you as well); a fragment cut off from the City, he who cuts off his own soul from the soul of rational creatures, which is one. ----------"Fear of Hashem is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline" (Mishlei 1:7)"Fear of Hashem is the discipline of wisdom, and before honor is humility" (Mishlei 15:33)Rambam: Mishneh Torah, Sefer ha'Mada, Hilchos Yesodei ha'Torah 4:12When a person contemplates all of these things and recognizes all of the creations – from angels, to celestial bodies, to man, etc. – and sees the wisdom of HaKadosh Baruch Hu in all of the forms and creations – his love for God will increase, his soul will thirst, and his flesh will yearn to love God; and he will be in fear and trepidation from his own lowliness, insignificance, and frailty when he compares himself to even one of these large, holy bodies – and certainly to one of the pure forms which are utterly separated from matter – and he will find himself to be like a vessel filled with shame and embarrassment, empty and lacking. See also Aurelius - Meditations 4:4: The Commonwealth of Mind----------If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.----------Stoic texts:The Meditations of Marcus AureliusLetters from a Stoic Master (Seneca)The Discourses of EpictetusThe Enchiridion (Handbook) of Epictetus----------Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweissBlog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": https://tefilah.buzzsprout.com
Principle 29 – Prayer for Physical Healing Psalm 30:1-12When we are physically sick, we should not hesitate to ask spiritual leaders to pray for our healing. Support the show (http://www.bibleprinciples.org/donate)
FAITH MULTIPLIESWould It Be Ok With You If God Multiplied Your Financial Resources? Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand - John 6 1Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.Three Acknowledgements: God Always Starts With What You HAVE. The Miracle Happened IN The HANDS of Jesus.Multiplication Always Produces A Party - In God’s Honor!One Principle: Everything Has To Be RETURNED To It’s Creative Source BEFORE It Can Be Multiplied. I Am Believing That God CAN And WILL Multiply The RESOURCES I Return To Him. The Only Alternative Belief Is That God DOES NOT LOVE ME & SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED With The Resources He Created.It’s Either One Or The Other!Tithing Is God’s Financial TRAINING WHEELS (10%) For Us To Learn The Principle Of Multiplication As A WAY OF LIFE in ALL THINGS! Tithing Isn’t Giving, It’s RETURNING. We RETURN Everything We Have To MULTIPLY Everything He Touches. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. 11“Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the LORD of hosts. 12“All the nations will call you ble
Ephesians series message 41Text: Ephesians 6:10-12When life is full of difficulties and distractions, sometimes we lose sight of the spiritual warfare that surrounds us. Before we engage God's provision in our passage - the armor of God - let's first talk about the necessary disposition and mindset for every Christian. The New Testament is replete with commands such as be alert, be sober-minded, and be watchful. We must not be aloof in this process, but fully engaged and laser-focused.
Michael Geter shares a word about how to stay the course in Him. Scripture ReadingProverb 4:11-18"11I have taught you the way of wisdom;I have led you in the paths of uprightness.12When you walk, your step will not be hampered,and if you run, you will not stumble.13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;guard her, for she is your life.14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,and do not walk in the way of the evil.15Avoid it; do not go on it;turn away from it and pass on.16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.17For they eat the bread of wickednessand drink the wine of violence.18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,which shines brighter and brighter until full day."
Chris Chmura, PhD, CEO and Chief Economist of Chmura Economics, appears on the Mississippi Prospects Podcast. Introduction: 0:00How data can be used by economic developers: 2:40State of Mississippi's economy: 5:03Comparing different labor data: 7:25Resources for finding labor data: 11:18How economic developers currently use data: 12:12When data became a focal point: 14:12Is it possible to use too much data? 16:42Wrap-up: 18:15
Acts 21:126 (ESV) Paul Goes to Jerusalem And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home. 7When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day. 8On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11And coming to us, he took Pauls belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. 12When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 14And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, Let the will of the Lord be done. 15After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge. Paul Visits James 17When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, 21and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. 22What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. 25But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. 26Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.
In this episode, I sit down with Skylar Sokolowski, Food Photographer/Content Producer. We talk about food, A LOT! She shares her 'must-try' quarantine recipe, we discuss baking vs. cooking, the key to making home cooking look good looking, getting out of a social media rut, how to build a following and when is 'good enough' to post on social media (for all my fellow overthinkers :). All this and more on this episode with Skylar!The Quarantine Recipe That You Have to Try: Dalgona Coffee - 1:11How Mark got into eating healthier - 6:38Sous Vide 8:40How Skylar got into Veganism - 12:05Skylar’s Instagram - 16:55Everyone is cooking! - 18:32Quarantine friendly recipes - 21:30Yeast-free recipe - 21:59Baking vs. Cooking - 25:26Why Baked Goods are sexier - 27:28Tips to make your food better looking - 31:35How to get back into social media - 39:12When is the best time to start? - 42:13Living life for the camera - 46:21Who pays the most attention to your posts? - 52:14How to build a following on social media - 54:24Do you have to be clever on Twitter? - 57:07Is it necessary to be on every social media platform? - 57:44Do you need a content calendar for a personal brand? - 59:49Skylar’s time working with Daily Harvest - 1:00:34The secret big brands use to make food look so good - 1:03:39When is good enough to post? - 1:05:13Skylar’s Quarantine Things - 1:07:58
John 6:10-12When you sit down by God:You'll learn some thingsYou'll leave some thingsIf you give God what you have, You'll be surprised by what God does with it!
What steals hope?1. Failure as an indicator of the future2. Hope in the wrong things3. Lost perspectiveWhen you’ve been through life, when someone has stolen your hope, when you’ve surrendered your hope to a situation, when you move from hopeful to hopeless, we’re in need of some spiritual boy scout fluid, aren’t we? When I feel like wet wood, I need “whoosh” in my life. I need some hope- something to light me up, something to move me along.“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when desire comes it is the tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12When we do something stupid or fail, and we say, “That’s it, we failed. That’s all there is. I am now- I didn’t just fail- I am a failure.” When I take my failure, my foible, my problem, my mess-up, and I use that as an indicator of my future and go, “That’s all there is. I’m just going to be that guy.” “I’m just going to be that girl.” “I got laid off from my job so I’ll never have a good career.” “That marriage went bad so I’ll never have a good marriage.”All of that. And so we say that bad thing that happened or the bad thing that I brought onto myself- I use that and I project it and I say, “That’s my future.” Why would you go forward? You’d be a psychopath if you thought that was a good thing to walk into. And it’s a false projection- it’s not true.“Failure is the opportunity to begin more intelligently.” Henry Ford“Winners never quit”- yes they do. They regularly quite doing stupid stuff that didn’t work. If you place your hope in the wrong things, people can’t hold your hope- they’re not capable of it. Place your hope in that career and then they fire you, place your hope in that marriage and then it ends- you place your hope in the wrong things. In Christianity we call this “idol worship”.God has a plan for you and it has nothing to do with stuff.“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for your harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11“Men and women are limited not by their intelligence, nor by their education, not by the color of their skin, but the size of their hope.” John Johnson“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4I have an internal perspective that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes. I might not see it this side of death’s door, but I’ll see it over there. 100% of our investments are where moth and rust cannot destroy. All of these things that I have learned are getting me ready for that walk on those golden streets. Getting you ready, because your Heavenly Father- He’s crazy about you. He’s got a plan for you. I want to tell you- you got this, you can do this. Whatever your momentary trial is- it’s momentary- your Dad is walking with you, and He’s not the kind of dad that’s going to let you down. He’s worthy of the trust. Trustworthy.
James 1:2-12When the difficult times come into your life, what is your response? While it may seem tempting to look for a shortcut out of the discomfort, that’s not the kind of attitude God desires from us. Instead, He wants His children to remain submitted to Him, though that may not end the affliction. But it is the Lord’s will that we hold our heads high and press on through the pain.
Find us online at: AdventNYC.orgEmail us at: Podcast@AdventNYC.orgTalk with us at: Advent Sermons & Conversations on FacebookCome to a service Sunday morning 9am and 11am in English and 12:30pm in Spanish at 93rd and Broadway.Reading for this Week:First Reading2 Kings 4:42-4442A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to [Elisha,] the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.” 43But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” So he repeated, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ” 44He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.PsalmPsalm 145:10-1810All your works shall praise | you, O Lord, and your faithful | ones shall bless you. 11They shall tell of the glory | of your kingdom and speak | of your power, 12that all people may know | of your power and the glorious splendor | of your kingdom. 13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your dominion endures through- | out all ages. You, Lord, are faithful in all your words, and loving in | all your works. R 14The Lord upholds all | those who fall and lifts up those who | are bowed down. 15The eyes of all wait upon | you, O Lord, and you give them their food | in due season. 16You open | wide your hand and satisfy the desire of every | living thing. 17You are righteous in | all your ways and loving in | all your works. 18You are near to all who | call upon you, to all who call up- | on you faithfully. RSecond ReadingEphesians 3:14-2114For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.GospelJohn 6:1-211Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” 15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. 16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
THE MIRACLE OF MULTIPLICATION 09.25.16 - In God We Trust Series Would It Be Ok With You If God Multiplied Your Resources? Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 1Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wagesa to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. Three Acknowledgements: God Always Starts With What You HAVE. The Miracle Happened IN The Disciple’s HANDS - Not The Lord’s. Multiplication Always Produces A Party - In God’s Honor! ONE PRINCIPLE: Everything Has To Be RETURNED To It’s Creative Source BEFORE It Can Be Multiplied. I Am Learning To Believe That God CAN And WILL Multiply The RESOURCES I Return To Him. The Only Alternative Belief Is That God DOES NOT LOVE ME & SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED With The Resources He Created. Tithing Isn’t Giving, It’s RETURNING. Tithing Is The Financial Training Wheels (10%) For Us To Learn The Principle Of Multiplication As A WAY OF LIFE in ALL THINGS! We Don’t GIVE More To GET More. We RETURN Everything We Have To MULTIPLY Everything He Touches. The Goal Of Multiplication: To Make A Multiplied Meal For Many From My Measly Morsels. The Benefit Of Multiplication: SATISFACTION And LEFTOVERS. The Choice Of Multiplication: Control Or Surrender?
TransformersThis is Rev. Marnie Leinberger’s from Sunday, August 7, 2016. The scripture is Isaiah 1:1, 10-20. In our service we read from the New Revised Standard Version and from The Message, a modern interpretation by Eugene Peterson. We read both with the hope that our understanding will be enriched.This is from The Message:1 The vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw regarding Judah and Jerusalem during the times of the kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. 10 “Listen to my Message, you Sodom-schooled leaders. Receive God’s revelation, you Gomorrah-schooled people. 11“Why this frenzy of sacrifices?” God’s asking. “Don’t you think I’ve had my fill of burnt sacrifices, rams and plump grain-fed calves? Don’t you think I’ve had my fill of blood from bulls, lambs, and goats? 12When you come before me, whoever gave you the idea of acting like this, Running here and there, doing this and that—all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship? 13“Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more! 14Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. 15When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. 16Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don’t have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong. 17Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless. 18“Come. Sit down. Let’s argue this out.” This is God’s Message: “If your sins are blood-red, they’ll be snow-white. If they’re red like crimson, they’ll be like wool. 19If you’ll willingly obey, you’ll feast like kings.20But if you’re willful and stubborn, you’ll die like dogs.” That’s right. God says so.The New Revised Standard Version can be found here.
Pastor Zenzile Legend February 16, 2014 Judges 61The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. 2Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 3Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. 4They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. 5They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. 6Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help. 7When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.” 11The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” 13“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” 15“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” 17Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.” And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.” 19Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. 20The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so. 21Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared. 22When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” 23But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” 24So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 25That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.” 27So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. 28In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! 29They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” 30The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” 31But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” 32So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.” 33Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them. 36Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. 39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew. Judges 7 1Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. 4But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” 6Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. 7The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” 8So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. 9During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. 13Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” 14His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” 15When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 16Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. 17“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ” 19Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. 22When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.