Tuesday 7/24/12 Another Fish Story 2

Matthew 14:15 - As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late.  Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."  16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  17 "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.  (NIV)

Good Tuesday evening, my dear brothers and sisters.  Tuesday and today I am asking you to center your prayers on peace.  Here in the United States of America we read about wars and rumors of wars, but we do not need to look far to see shootings on our city streets.  Teenagers who should be home in bed are shot or shoot others in the middle of the night.  You know where I am coming from.  You do not need to go to a foreign country to see this, it is here ... We need to humble ourselves and ask God to bring on peace.

Praise Report.  Beth had tests done today and the reports were all good.

Praise Report.  Pamela Bower, our ministry partner who had been having back problems, is doing GREAT ... Glory be to God ...

Praise Report.  Dolores was rechecked for infection that had her in the hospital several weeks ago.  Tests came out excellent.  Praise be to God.

Here is our big list from yesterday, please keep praying for these folks.  Pray for Allison, cancer.  Joann Zimmerman, who must have surgery again this week.  Leonard Dietz, bleeding ulcer (hospital). Ruth (hospital). Joe, cancer. Patsy Emig (rehab hospital). Barbara (hospital). Betty Deardorff (hospital), and with Betty, please pray for her family as they make a decision on life support. Vicki, a full plate of health issues. Sarah Weiser, recovering from surgery. Beverly, depression.

Please add Art Breneman to your prayers, this for his eyesight.  Art and his wife Elaine live across the street from us.  Better neighbors one could not ask for.  These "rock solid Christians" are great prayer warriors, and on many occasions we have prayed together right out along the road.  Thanks, Neighbors!!!

Dear Father in Heaven, Thank You so much for hearing our prayers and thanks for your healing hand on those listed.  All honor and glory is Yours, dear Father.  Please forgive us this day of our sins and even our sinful thinking.  Hear our prayers again this day and act on them according to Your will for us.  Lord, I thank You for this line and for keeping it open.  I thank You for all of our neighbors and I thank You for Art and Elaine.  In the mighty name of Jesus, I ask You this day to please touch the eyes of Art and restore his vision.  All honor and glory is Yours, dear Jesus.  Also this day, I ask You to please, please humble this country so that we might return to You and have peace through You.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Another Fish Story (Day Two).  Matthew 14:15 - As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late.  Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."  16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  17 "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.  (NIV)

Remember how Jesus wanted to be alone after He found out His dear friend John The Baptist had been martyred by being beheaded?  But when a crowd of people heard about where he was going, they went to that place and waited for Him.  When Jesus arrived, He at once healed all their sick.  Now let's look at the scripture of today.  The Bible tells us that evening was approaching and His disciples came to Him and said it was time to send them on their way, as they might want to stop at the villages in the area and go to McDonald's and grab a burger.  Just keeping you awake, folks.  The disciples did come and suggest to Jesus that He should send them so they could stop and get something to eat.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, we are not going to send them away, you give them something to eat.  Let me ask you right now, have you ever had a bunch of people stop by and you were about to eat and you asked them to stay and eat with you, and they all said okay.  Oh my gosh, you are thinking, what am I going to put together for these folks, and you might have ten guests.  So you start to think, how much water can I add to a few cans of tomato soup, and how can I feed ten folks with just a few things?  You were going to have hamburgers and you start to think ... If I cook up the burgers and put it in the tomato soup, add a can of tomato paste or two which was in the back of the cupboard.  Shake on some spices, and pray over it a lot, and your pasta sauce is on the way.  Let me see, you find a few slices of cheese and a two pound box of macaroni.  So you make it, a nice size pot of macaroni soup.  Oh my, still not enough, and you pray some more and wow, there is a half a bottle of catsup so you put some water in the bottle and shake it up and into the pot it goes ... And you all had something to eat ...

But wait a minute, over five thousand needed to be fed by the disciples.  Now the disciples said, Jesus, we have only five loaves of bread and two fishes and you want us to feed everyone here?  Now this is not your fish story from a fisherman, this fish story is in the Bible.  What happens now?  Come back tomorrow and join in and see just how Jesus fed all those people.  I will also share a story that one pastor said happened that day ... Wait until you hear this.

Now go forth and share your blessings, and yes, you can share your food for it is a blessing.  Love ya, Pastor Dan.