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Joshua has always been one my favorites from all of the men of the Bible. He is Moses’ mighty right hand, He and Caleb are the only ones who spy the Land of Israel and aren’t afraid. Time after time he does the right thing, even now in his old age he encourages all to be string and courageous. He tells all of Israel in simple times that anyone could understand…here is what the Lord has done for you!

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I came to Christ at the age of 25; I had been witnessed to by a group of men in the weld shop at Davis-Besse for some time. I had shown interest and had read through most of the N.T. when one day one of the men asked me if I wanted to pray and receive Jesus Christ as my Savior…without even thinking about it I blurted out yes.

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Our readings through 1Kings bring us to the end of David’s life, a passing of the mantel of King from David to Solomon. Solomon’s elder half brother Adonijah however claims the kingdom for himself without the knowledge of King David, but with the blessings of the Chief Priest and the General of the armies. Seems like a perfectly acceptable thing to do for most everyone so they join in the coronation celebration. Might makes right…isn’t that the way of the world?

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The O.T. Reading is from 1 Kings 19:4-8 where Elijah had just been a participant in this amazing miracle of God. Having defeated 450 prophets of Baal by calling down fire from Heaven and then slaying them all with a sword…and yet Jezebel scares him? He runs and hides when he hears that she is after him…saying to God: “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” 1 Kings 19:4b

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August 9, 2009 Passage is from Ephesians 4:17-5:2 This week we move from the Gospel of John to what has been the subtext for the last several weeks. John continues on with some further discussion on the Bread of Life, yet this subtext of unity within the body is reaching a crescendo with practical real world applications that we need to address.

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A few years ago while a good friend of mine was on a four month mission trip to Sweden we had a lengthy discussion / debate through e-mail about what is required for salvation. Of course the concept of works was ever present in that discussion. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. Faith, believing is that work?

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There is something about the idea of the bread of life…and living water. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” in John 6:35 and at the end of the verse Jesus also adds “Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” He told the ‘Woman at the Well’ in John chapter four that He would give her ‘Living Water‘ and later while at the Passover Feast in Jerusalem He tells the crowd “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:37b-38.

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John 6:24-35 Jesus cuts right to the chase with these people, v 26 “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.” He say’s your missing the big picture, don’t worry about your bellies being full; seek greater things…eternal life. Isn’t that still the way it is with us today?

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The disciples get in the boat to cross over the sea to Capernaum and a storm whips up. The waves are crashing against them, the wind is tossing them about, and it seems as if they will drown! Yet Jesus is there…in the midst of the storm He is walking on the water, He calls to them “Don’t be afraid I am here!” Isn’t Jesus always here?

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Even though Philip had been there for the turning of water into wine, he was still unable to see beyond the physical limitations before him. The Gospel of Matthew has this event happening after the disciples return from their missionary journey, where they had cast out demons and healed the sick and lame in Jesus’ name…why was the feeding of the crowd seen as an obstacle to them?

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John 6:1-21 We changed from the Gospel of Mark to the parallel passages in the Gospel of John. The Miracles that we skipped over last week we now see here in John. As I read this account of the feeding of the five thousand we see a different dynamic in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus asks Philip an apparently rhetorical question, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Which leads me to ask?

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Reading the Scriptures this morning has left me a bit bewildered…the reading from 2 Samuel speaks of David and the house that will be built. Some of it seems to speak of Solomon and some of it seems to speak of Jesus…I’m not sure how to unravel it?

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