>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
00:00:20.55\00:00:22.95
A friend told
me this true story.
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I know how it can
be with true stories;
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you wonder sometimes
just how true they really are.
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But this is a true
story told to me by the man
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who was right in
the middle of it.
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In a rural area in a country
in Africa, there was to be
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a big celebration as a
new church was being opened.
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People would be
coming from near and far.
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But, it was at a time of
real financial challenge,
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and there wasn't money
enough to feed the crowd
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that would assemble.
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So what do you do?
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Well, these people
knew just what to do.
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They prayed and they
asked God to provide.
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But a situation arose where they
had to drive a long distance
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to pick something up that
was needed for the big day.
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So they drove
several hours to the city,
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picked up what they needed, and
then started the long drive back
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along the lonely road.
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Ahead of them
was a flatbed truck.
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In the United Kingdom you'd
call it a lorry, most likely.
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In the United
States, maybe a semi.
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In the South
Pacific, it's a...a truck.
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And as they were
gaining ground on the truck,
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they noticed
something fly off the back.
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They stopped and realized
it was a 10-kilogram sack,
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a 20-pound sack of mealie meal--
maize meal, cornmeal, basically.
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It's what you'd use to
make sadza, or ugali, or pap--
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depending on what
part of Africa you're in.
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Now, I know
what you're thinking:
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Now they have food
for the celebration.
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But no, they wanted to return
it to the driver of the truck.
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So they got back on the road
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and pursued the
truck and its driver.
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But then another 10-kilogram
sack of mealie meal flew off
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the back of the truck.
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So they stopped
to retrieve that.
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And then
another, and then another,
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until, loaded
down with mealie meal,
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they couldn't hope
to catch the truck,
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and it sped off
into the distance.
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They had to call it
providence, a miracle, even.
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The church opened, and there
was plenty of food for all.
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Can God provide?
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Yes, He can. He does.
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And as we continue our series,
"Great Chapters of the Bible,"
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we see that God
can do the amazing,
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that He can provide for
us in ways we don't expect,
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and that when He does, it's
for reasons we want to remember.
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We're looking at John chapter 6.
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There's so much
going on in this chapter
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we could talk about it all day.
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We'll start at the
beginning of the chapter.
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Verse 1 says, "After
these things Jesus went
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over the Sea of Galilee,
which is the Sea of Tiberias."
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And you'll notice in
verse 2 that "a great multitude
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followed Him, because they
saw His signs which He performed
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on those who were diseased."
00:03:03.65\00:03:05.65
Now, the tense used indicates
they "were following" Him,
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constantly,
because they "were seeing"
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Him do these great miracles.
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Up on a mountainside
overlooking the Sea of Galilee
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in the north of Israel,
"Jesus lifted up His eyes,
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and seeing a great
multitude coming toward Him,
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He said to Philip,
'Where shall we buy bread,
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that these may eat?'"
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He wanted Philip to
really understand Jesus
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and His mission.
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Philip remarked that even 200
days' wages wouldn't be enough
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to buy food for
a crowd that size,
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when Andrew, the
brother of Peter, said,
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"There is a lad here
who has five barley loaves
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and two small fish, but
what are they among so many?"
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So Jesus asked that the little
boy's lunch be brought to Him.
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And notice what happened next:
"And Jesus took the loaves,
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and when He had given
thanks He distributed them
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to the disciples, and the
disciples to those sitting down;
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and likewise of the
fish, as much as they wanted.
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So when they were filled,
He said to His disciples,
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'Gather up the
fragments that remain,
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so that nothing is lost.'"
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Of course, a skeptic is going
to say, "How's that possible?"
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And I'd say, "Remember
who we're dealing with here."
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This is God, who
does the impossible.
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He created the world.
00:04:26.66\00:04:28.06
He formed Adam and Eve
from the dust of the ground
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and breathed the breath
of life into their bodies.
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This is Jesus, who raised
the dead and healed the sick.
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We shouldn't be
amazed by the things He does.
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We should be blessed.
We should be encouraged.
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But we shouldn't be amazed.
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The God of heaven is
a vast God, a great God.
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And you don't want to limit Him.
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Verse 14 says, "Then those
men, when they had seen the sign
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that Jesus did, said,
'This is truly the Prophet
00:04:57.93\00:05:01.90
who is to come into the world.'"
00:05:01.93\00:05:04.47
This was evidence
that Jesus was the Messiah,
00:05:04.50\00:05:07.97
the Savior of the world,
and if you allow it to do so,
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it'll convince you of that.
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Some thoughts to
consider about this miracle...
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Number one: Jesus
provides for our needs.
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It's what He does.
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There were hungry
people, and He met their needs.
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Remember that He
provides for you.
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When you're in a tight
spot, remember that God is able.
00:05:23.95\00:05:26.65
Even when things are good,
remember that "every good gift
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and every perfect gift is
from above, and comes down
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from the Father of
lights," as James wrote.
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Don't forget where
your blessings come from.
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Now, notice that Jesus fed
them with...bread and fish.
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Now, these were barley
loaves, very simple food.
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The little fish
were sort of a side dish,
00:05:45.97\00:05:48.64
which was fine, of course.
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But He didn't
provide caviar and champagne
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or french fries and
burgers or a 10-course meal.
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He gave them something
that was good for them,
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adequate for their
needs, and not excessive.
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Yes, God promises
to bless you richly.
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Read in Malachi about
how God wants to open up
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the windows of heaven
and pour out so much blessing
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that we won't have
room to receive it.
00:06:09.76\00:06:11.53
But God has promised
to provide our needs,
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not all of our wants.
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If He's blessed you with
health and a home and a family,
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be careful about
wanting an extra million dollars
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and a mansion.
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Of course, those
things can be okay,
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but be careful where you focus.
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If you're following Jesus
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thinking He's going
to give you more stuff,
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it could be that your priorities
are in the wrong place.
00:06:29.65\00:06:32.85
Jesus could have
given away 100-dollar bills.
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He could have given
away new clothing and tickets
00:06:35.82\00:06:38.03
to sporting events.
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But He didn't
give away luxuries.
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The people went home
no richer, no smarter,
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but they went away blessed.
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And He encouraged them
to gather up the fragments
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so that nothing would be lost.
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In other words, don't waste.
00:06:51.57\00:06:54.48
Now, when I was growing
up, we didn't waste anything
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because we couldn't afford to.
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I read that a third of Americans
spend more money on coffee
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than they do on
their retirement plan.
00:07:02.65\00:07:04.89
Now, that's what
we would call a waste.
00:07:04.92\00:07:08.12
One government agency said
that the average U.S. household
00:07:08.16\00:07:11.36
spends one percent of
its yearly income on alcohol,
00:07:11.39\00:07:15.06
but that's the average.
00:07:15.10\00:07:16.43
There are people who spend
thousands of dollars a year
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on something they could
very easily live without,
00:07:18.73\00:07:21.17
something they
should live without--
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and I'm just getting started.
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Our blessings are from God.
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Wasting them isn't
part of God's plan.
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You notice in
another account of the story
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Jesus says, "You give
them something to eat."
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He's encouraging us: Help
others; provide for others.
00:07:35.58\00:07:39.65
The blessings He's given us
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are to be used in
relieving the needs of others.
00:07:40.96\00:07:44.89
And one more:
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All the boy had
was loaves and fishes,
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and with God's
blessing it was enough to feed,
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according to Matthew, 5,000
men, plus women and children--
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easily 10,000 people.
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You think you don't have much?
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Much talent, much
to give, much faith?
00:08:00.21\00:08:02.84
Bring what you have to Jesus
like that little boy's loaves
00:08:02.88\00:08:05.65
and fishes and see how
He multiplies what you have.
00:08:05.68\00:08:09.52
A little with
God's blessing is a lot.
00:08:09.55\00:08:13.86
In a moment, more
from John chapter 6:
00:08:13.89\00:08:15.82
water that
doesn't act like water.
00:08:15.86\00:08:18.79
That's right ahead.
00:08:18.83\00:08:20.16
¤[music]¤
00:08:20.20\00:08:24.83
>>Announcer 1: There is nothing
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for your financial future
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>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:09:29.76\00:09:32.03
We're continuing our series,
"Great Chapters of the Bible."
00:09:32.07\00:09:36.37
John chapter 6 opens
with Jesus feeding a multitude
00:09:36.40\00:09:39.94
with only five
loaves and two fish.
00:09:39.97\00:09:42.34
If that doesn't convince
you that He's the Son of God,
00:09:42.38\00:09:45.28
the chapter continues
with another phenomenal story.
00:09:45.31\00:09:49.15
John 6:15 says,
00:09:49.18\00:09:51.69
"Therefore when Jesus perceived
that they were about to come
00:09:51.72\00:09:54.66
and take Him by
force to make Him king,
00:09:54.69\00:09:57.63
He departed again to the
mountain by Himself alone."
00:09:57.66\00:10:00.80
Now, it's really
interesting that Matthew says
00:10:00.83\00:10:02.50
He "constrained," or compelled,
His disciples to get into a ship
00:10:02.53\00:10:07.24
and go to the other side
of the lake, ahead of Him.
00:10:07.27\00:10:10.74
Jesus wasn't on the earth for
the sake of earthly greatness.
00:10:10.77\00:10:14.44
He had His chance to
make political change here,
00:10:14.48\00:10:16.91
and He didn't take it.
00:10:16.95\00:10:19.38
Jesus was on
earth to change hearts.
00:10:19.41\00:10:22.85
He was serious about this,
reflected in His instruction
00:10:22.88\00:10:25.72
to the disciples and to
the people who He sent away,
00:10:25.75\00:10:29.36
according to Matthew's account.
00:10:29.39\00:10:31.56
Then Jesus went up on a
hill to pray on His own.
00:10:31.59\00:10:37.23
Now, what do you
think He prayed for?
00:10:37.27\00:10:38.57
The Bible doesn't
tell us explicitly,
00:10:38.60\00:10:41.00
but you'd expect He would've
prayed for His disciples,
00:10:41.04\00:10:43.54
who seriously
misunderstood His mission.
00:10:43.57\00:10:46.64
If they were supportive of
the mission to make Jesus king,
00:10:46.68\00:10:50.25
they clearly didn't get it.
00:10:50.28\00:10:52.35
In that group
were James and John,
00:10:52.38\00:10:54.02
who thought
force was appropriate.
00:10:54.05\00:10:55.95
Remember they wanted to
call fire down from heaven
00:10:55.98\00:10:58.82
on one occasion
00:10:58.85\00:11:00.16
and incinerate people
that they didn't agree with.
00:11:00.19\00:11:02.72
Jesus told them at the time
00:11:02.76\00:11:03.86
they did not know "what
manner of spirit" they were of.
00:11:03.89\00:11:07.13
This was a year
before Jesus' death.
00:11:07.20\00:11:09.20
It was Passover time.
00:11:09.23\00:11:10.97
Jesus would die at
the following Passover.
00:11:11.00\00:11:13.84
And here were the people
and His closest followers
00:11:13.87\00:11:17.44
missing the point of
His mission by miles.
00:11:17.47\00:11:22.21
Now, keep in mind
that Jesus prayed,
00:11:22.24\00:11:24.71
and if Jesus found
it necessary to pray,
00:11:24.75\00:11:28.15
don't you think most
of us could do something
00:11:28.18\00:11:29.75
about our prayer life?
00:11:29.78\00:11:31.35
I don't ever remember hearing
00:11:31.39\00:11:32.55
about anyone who said
that they prayed too much.
00:11:32.59\00:11:35.62
One study showed that
55 percent of Americans
00:11:35.66\00:11:38.99
claim to pray every day.
00:11:39.03\00:11:41.53
Seems to me a lot of the
people who answered that survey
00:11:41.56\00:11:43.93
might need to
pray for forgiveness.
00:11:43.97\00:11:46.27
It's important to pray.
00:11:46.30\00:11:48.00
Life doesn't happen
well without prayer,
00:11:48.04\00:11:51.67
and in prayer you
are connected to God,
00:11:51.71\00:11:54.14
and you receive His
presence in your life.
00:11:54.18\00:11:57.45
But it's what happened next
00:11:57.48\00:11:59.35
that we tend to
remember the story for.
00:11:59.38\00:12:02.12
The disciples were
heading across the lake
00:12:02.15\00:12:03.75
towards Capernaum,
00:12:03.79\00:12:04.82
which is at the north
end of the Sea of Galilee.
00:12:04.85\00:12:07.36
It's about 15
miles in a straight line
00:12:07.39\00:12:09.22
from southern Lebanon,
not much further from Syria.
00:12:09.26\00:12:13.03
It was dark at the time, and in
Matthew's account of the story,
00:12:13.06\00:12:15.73
it says that "the boat was
now in the middle of the sea,
00:12:15.76\00:12:18.97
tossed by the waves,
for the wind was contrary."
00:12:19.00\00:12:23.51
You have to wonder what was
on the mind of the disciples.
00:12:23.54\00:12:27.34
Now, they wanted to
see Jesus made king,
00:12:27.38\00:12:30.95
and their hopes
had been disappointed.
00:12:30.98\00:12:34.48
So it's likely
they were brooding.
00:12:34.52\00:12:37.45
The storm clouds were a
reflection of what was going on
00:12:37.49\00:12:39.99
in their minds, and
as God so often does,
00:12:40.02\00:12:43.22
He allowed something to happen
that would get their minds off
00:12:43.26\00:12:45.86
pointless concerns and on
to something that matters.
00:12:45.89\00:12:50.03
John 6:18 says,
00:12:50.07\00:12:52.60
"Then the sea arose because
a great wind was blowing."
00:12:52.63\00:12:55.94
They've navigated for
about three or four miles,
00:12:55.97\00:12:57.94
which should have
brought them to Capernaum,
00:12:57.97\00:12:59.77
except, no doubt,
they'd been blown off course.
00:12:59.81\00:13:01.71
And it was desperate
out there on the big lake.
00:13:01.74\00:13:04.81
And then they see Jesus
walking to them on the water.
00:13:04.85\00:13:08.95
They thought it was
a phantom of some kind.
00:13:08.98\00:13:11.92
I imagine they weren't
expecting Jesus to show up
00:13:11.95\00:13:14.49
right then and there.
00:13:14.52\00:13:16.16
Jesus said to them,
"It is I; be not afraid."
00:13:16.19\00:13:20.56
And verse 21 says,
00:13:20.60\00:13:22.30
"Then they willingly
received Him into the boat,
00:13:22.33\00:13:24.97
and immediately the boat was at
the land where they were going."
00:13:25.00\00:13:30.27
But in Matthew's account
of the same story, Peter says,
00:13:30.31\00:13:33.17
"Lord, if it is You, command
me to come to You on the water."
00:13:33.21\00:13:38.15
And so Jesus says,
"Come" to me on the water.
00:13:38.18\00:13:41.38
Peter did.
00:13:41.42\00:13:42.65
He, he got out of the boat and
walked on the water to Jesus.
00:13:42.68\00:13:47.46
Now, we know what happened next.
00:13:47.49\00:13:49.39
The text says that "when he saw
that the wind was boisterous,"
00:13:49.42\00:13:52.73
he began to sink,
which is interesting.
00:13:52.76\00:13:55.06
It hints that Peter's focus was
on the wind and not on Jesus.
00:13:55.10\00:14:00.37
When he was worried
about his surroundings,
00:14:00.40\00:14:02.10
concerned about what was
going on around him, he sank.
00:14:02.14\00:14:07.04
When his focus was on
Jesus, he walked on water.
00:14:07.08\00:14:11.18
Is there a lesson there?
00:14:11.21\00:14:12.88
When your focus is on
Christ, you stay upright.
00:14:12.91\00:14:15.88
When you let Jesus get out
of view, you begin to sink.
00:14:15.92\00:14:20.82
So how are you
doing in keeping your eyes
00:14:20.86\00:14:22.66
where they ought to be?
00:14:22.69\00:14:24.29
This world is
full of distractions,
00:14:24.33\00:14:26.93
and we fall for them too easily.
00:14:26.96\00:14:30.10
Now, you might think
that Peter couldn't be blamed.
00:14:30.13\00:14:31.73
After all, they were out
there in the midst of a storm,
00:14:31.77\00:14:33.77
and he was walking on a lake.
00:14:33.80\00:14:36.64
But that was all the more
reason for Peter to watch Jesus,
00:14:36.67\00:14:39.91
to keep his eyes
where they needed to be.
00:14:39.94\00:14:42.98
If things are
difficult around you,
00:14:43.01\00:14:44.95
that's all the more reason
00:14:44.98\00:14:46.95
to keep Jesus right where
you can see Him at all times.
00:14:46.98\00:14:51.99
It was about this
time that Peter prayed
00:14:52.02\00:14:53.82
a three-word prayer.
00:14:53.86\00:14:55.29
Matthew records it
as "Lord, save me!"
00:14:55.32\00:14:59.03
Sometimes there's no
time for flowery praying.
00:14:59.06\00:15:01.56
Sometimes you've got to
come right to the point,
00:15:01.60\00:15:03.70
and Peter's prayer is the model
prayer for sinners everywhere.
00:15:03.73\00:15:07.20
If you're
sinking, "Lord, same me."
00:15:07.24\00:15:09.40
If you're lost and you need
to be found, "Lord, save me."
00:15:09.44\00:15:12.61
The passage tells us
Jesus did save Peter.
00:15:12.64\00:15:15.74
He took him by the hand,
and He got him back to the boat.
00:15:15.78\00:15:18.61
When you pray that prayer,
you can know that God saves you.
00:15:18.65\00:15:22.55
When things are going
bad, don't focus on the bad.
00:15:22.58\00:15:25.25
Remember that there is a God.
00:15:25.29\00:15:26.55
When trouble comes up, it
might be that you feel like
00:15:26.59\00:15:29.52
you're at the end of
your rope, but Jesus is there.
00:15:29.56\00:15:32.36
The disciples were
battling a stormy sea,
00:15:32.39\00:15:34.30
and Jesus was
right there with them.
00:15:34.30\00:15:37.33
You can do the impossible.
00:15:37.37\00:15:39.37
When Jesus calls you, even if
He calls you to walk on water,
00:15:39.40\00:15:42.84
you can do it because
God's will is being wrought out
00:15:42.87\00:15:45.87
in your life.
00:15:45.91\00:15:47.11
As long as it's the call of God,
it can be done in your life.
00:15:47.14\00:15:50.95
Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13,
00:15:50.98\00:15:53.15
"I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me."
00:15:53.18\00:15:56.89
That's still true today.
00:15:56.92\00:15:59.12
If God calls you to do something
big, something unlikely,
00:15:59.15\00:16:01.76
keep your eyes on
Him, and it'll get done.
00:16:01.79\00:16:04.56
Take your eyes off
God, and you'll sink.
00:16:04.59\00:16:07.76
And when you pray for God
to save you, He saves you.
00:16:07.83\00:16:10.63
Believe that. He just does.
00:16:10.67\00:16:13.27
Have faith that He will
do that for you, and He will.
00:16:13.30\00:16:18.81
In a moment, John 6 finishes
with the vast majority of people
00:16:18.84\00:16:24.11
walking away from Jesus.
00:16:24.15\00:16:26.82
I'll be right back.
00:16:26.85\00:16:27.92
¤[music]¤
00:16:27.95\00:16:34.19
¤[soft piano music]¤
00:16:37.26\00:16:41.66
>>Man 1: What does the
Bible say about astrology?
00:16:41.70\00:16:44.47
>>Man 2: Why do bad
things happen to good people?
00:16:48.64\00:16:51.81
>>Girl: What color is Jesus?
00:16:56.98\00:16:59.61
>>John Bradshaw: If
you have a question,
00:16:59.65\00:17:00.88
we'd love to find an answer
00:17:00.92\00:17:02.28
for you from the Bible.
00:17:02.32\00:17:03.49
Line Upon Line
00:17:03.52\00:17:04.62
from It Is Written TV.
00:17:04.65\00:17:06.69
>>John: It was
like a ticking time bomb
00:17:07.59\00:17:09.49
just waiting to explode.
00:17:09.52\00:17:11.23
And when it did, [rumbling]
00:17:11.26\00:17:12.69
a city was plunged into chaos,
00:17:12.73\00:17:15.16
a town was completely destroyed,
00:17:15.20\00:17:17.53
more than 300
people were left dead
00:17:17.57\00:17:20.40
and thousands left homeless.
00:17:20.44\00:17:22.47
It remains one of the
nation's least-known atrocities,
00:17:22.50\00:17:26.24
yet it was one of the
most destructive race riots
00:17:26.27\00:17:28.84
in United States history.
00:17:28.88\00:17:30.18
¤[harmonica music]¤
00:17:30.21\00:17:31.48
Join It Is Written on
location in Tulsa, Oklahoma,
00:17:31.51\00:17:35.22
for "Black Wall Street"
00:17:35.25\00:17:37.39
as we look at
the problem of evil.
00:17:37.42\00:17:40.46
We'll investigate the
destruction of a community
00:17:40.49\00:17:42.96
and ask some
searching questions.
00:17:42.99\00:17:44.63
¤[ominous music]¤
How can this happen?
00:17:44.66\00:17:47.13
And who would do such a thing?
00:17:47.20\00:17:49.00
How do good people
commit truly wicked acts?
00:17:49.03\00:17:52.33
"Black Wall Street"
will take you there,
00:17:52.37\00:17:54.37
to the very streets
where evil reared its ugly head
00:17:54.40\00:17:57.61
in a way not often seen.
00:17:57.64\00:17:59.91
Don't miss "Black Wall Street"
00:17:59.94\00:18:02.51
on It Is Written TV.
00:18:02.54\00:18:05.55
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:18:08.28\00:18:10.49
We're looking at John chapter 6
00:18:10.52\00:18:12.39
in our series "Great
Chapters of the Bible."
00:18:12.42\00:18:16.02
The chapter starts with
Jesus feeding a multitude
00:18:16.06\00:18:18.29
with only five
loaves and two fish.
00:18:18.33\00:18:20.50
Then Jesus walks on water,
00:18:20.53\00:18:22.46
and looking at Matthew's
account of the same story,
00:18:22.50\00:18:24.83
we see that's when
Peter walked on water, too.
00:18:24.87\00:18:27.90
So you'd think, then, that
if you see miracles like that,
00:18:27.94\00:18:30.41
you're going to believe
that Jesus is the Messiah.
00:18:30.44\00:18:33.84
Well, that belief is tested
in the remainder of the chapter.
00:18:33.88\00:18:39.11
It was the next day.
00:18:39.15\00:18:40.65
The story of how
Jesus walked on water
00:18:40.68\00:18:42.92
undoubtedly is
by now well-known.
00:18:42.95\00:18:45.52
And a large crowd
had come to Capernaum
00:18:45.55\00:18:47.96
wanting to know
how Jesus got there
00:18:47.99\00:18:50.26
when they knew He hadn't taken
the same boat as the disciples.
00:18:50.29\00:18:54.66
And Jesus said
in verses 26 and 27,
00:18:54.73\00:18:58.20
"Most assuredly, I
say to you, you seek me,
00:18:58.23\00:19:02.87
not because you saw the signs,
00:19:02.90\00:19:05.27
but because you ate of
the loaves and were filled.
00:19:05.31\00:19:08.31
Do not labor for
the food which perishes,
00:19:08.34\00:19:10.95
but for the food which
endures to everlasting life,
00:19:10.98\00:19:13.82
which the Son of
Man will give you,
00:19:13.85\00:19:16.35
because God the Father
has set His seal on Him."
00:19:16.38\00:19:20.82
They were following Jesus,
but from the wrong motives,
00:19:20.86\00:19:24.76
and this would
become painfully obvious.
00:19:24.79\00:19:28.43
So they asked Jesus
what sign He would perform
00:19:28.46\00:19:30.73
so that they
could believe in Him.
00:19:30.77\00:19:32.97
It's a lot like asking how
many times you need to fall
00:19:33.00\00:19:35.14
in a river to be
convinced the river is wet.
00:19:35.17\00:19:38.31
They talk about the
manna in the wilderness,
00:19:38.34\00:19:40.58
and Jesus
responds by saying this:
00:19:40.61\00:19:43.71
"My Father gives you
the true bread from heaven."
00:19:43.75\00:19:46.98
"Then they said to Him, 'Lord,
give us this bread always.'"
00:19:47.02\00:19:50.19
And then He said, "I
am the bread of life.
00:19:50.22\00:19:54.62
He who comes to me
shall never hunger,
00:19:54.66\00:19:57.06
and he who believes in
me shall never thirst."
00:19:57.09\00:20:00.30
That's John 6, verse 35.
00:20:00.33\00:20:02.93
Jesus makes this
wonderful promise in verse 37:
00:20:02.96\00:20:06.84
"All that the Father
gives me will come to me,
00:20:06.87\00:20:09.54
and the one who comes to me
I will by no means cast out."
00:20:09.57\00:20:14.84
But the Jews complained,
according to verse 41:
00:20:14.88\00:20:19.05
"Is not this
Jesus, the son of Joseph,
00:20:19.08\00:20:21.88
whose father and mother we know?
00:20:21.92\00:20:24.45
How is it then that He says,
'I have come down from heaven'?"
00:20:24.49\00:20:27.86
Jesus responds by
saying, "No one can come to me
00:20:27.89\00:20:31.13
unless the Father
who sent me draws him;
00:20:31.16\00:20:34.13
and I will raise
him up at the last day."
00:20:34.20\00:20:37.40
Now, starting in verse 47,
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:20:37.43\00:20:42.60
he who believes in
me has everlasting life.
00:20:42.64\00:20:47.01
I am the bread of life.
00:20:47.04\00:20:50.15
Your fathers ate the manna
in the wilderness, and are dead.
00:20:50.18\00:20:54.05
This is the bread
which comes down from heaven,
00:20:54.08\00:20:56.69
that one may eat
of it and not die.
00:20:56.72\00:21:00.16
I am the living bread
which came down from heaven.
00:21:00.19\00:21:03.83
If anyone eats of this
bread, he will live forever;
00:21:03.86\00:21:07.66
and the bread that I
shall give is my flesh,
00:21:07.66\00:21:11.33
which I shall give for
the life of the world."
00:21:11.37\00:21:14.74
Now, this perplexed the
people who had gathered.
00:21:14.77\00:21:18.34
They acted as
though they were offended.
00:21:18.37\00:21:20.94
Keep this in mind:
00:21:20.98\00:21:22.38
Here was a group of
people who'd follow Jesus
00:21:22.41\00:21:24.48
because He could
feed thousands of folks
00:21:24.51\00:21:26.35
using a little boy's lunch.
00:21:26.38\00:21:28.25
He walked on water.
00:21:28.28\00:21:29.35
The disciples said that
even Peter walked on water.
00:21:29.38\00:21:32.29
They knew He
had healed the sick.
00:21:32.32\00:21:34.06
They wanted a deliverer.
00:21:34.09\00:21:36.32
But Jesus refused to
be the kind of deliverer
00:21:36.36\00:21:38.73
they were looking for.
00:21:38.76\00:21:40.10
Instead, He was saying, "Eat
my flesh and drink my blood."
00:21:40.13\00:21:44.97
He went on to explain that,
00:21:45.00\00:21:46.43
"The words that I speak to you
are spirit, and they are life."
00:21:46.47\00:21:50.64
In other words,
"You want a deliverer?
00:21:50.67\00:21:52.67
I'm giving my words to
you. That's real deliverance,"
00:21:52.71\00:21:57.21
Jesus was saying.
00:21:57.25\00:21:58.95
To eat the flesh and drink the
blood of Jesus is to receive Him
00:21:58.98\00:22:02.15
as a personal Savior,
00:22:02.18\00:22:03.79
believing that He
forgives your sins
00:22:03.82\00:22:06.22
and that you
are complete in Him.
00:22:06.25\00:22:08.72
You "eat" Him and "drink" Him by
accepting Jesus into your life,
00:22:08.76\00:22:13.43
by having Him
become part of your being.
00:22:13.46\00:22:16.33
You feed on Him.
00:22:16.36\00:22:17.57
You feed on His words so
that His life becomes your life.
00:22:17.60\00:22:21.84
You assimilate
His grace and love.
00:22:21.87\00:22:26.61
And did the
people want to do that?
00:22:26.64\00:22:29.08
We'll look at John 6, verse 66,
00:22:29.11\00:22:32.55
some of the most
tragic words in the Bible:
00:22:32.58\00:22:37.05
"From that time many
of His disciples went back
00:22:37.09\00:22:41.36
and walked with Him no more."
00:22:41.39\00:22:43.99
Can you imagine that?
00:22:45.33\00:22:47.13
They turned and walked away.
00:22:47.13\00:22:49.73
Imagine being Jesus,
00:22:49.76\00:22:50.93
knowing you'd come to
save these very people,
00:22:50.97\00:22:52.93
knowing you
were their only hope,
00:22:52.97\00:22:55.17
you lay it on the line for them,
00:22:55.20\00:22:57.67
and they hear
what you have to say,
00:22:57.71\00:23:00.78
and they turn
their backs...and leave.
00:23:00.81\00:23:04.25
That's what happened.
00:23:04.28\00:23:05.71
And it's what happens today.
00:23:05.75\00:23:07.98
There's no other
savior but Jesus.
00:23:08.02\00:23:11.55
No other way of life, no
other way to eternal life.
00:23:11.59\00:23:16.29
Only Jesus.
00:23:16.32\00:23:18.33
And yet people walk
away from Him all the time.
00:23:18.36\00:23:21.83
Before Jesus
turns to His disciples,
00:23:21.86\00:23:23.37
let me suggest this to you.
00:23:23.40\00:23:24.83
You know what Jesus
is talking about here
00:23:24.87\00:23:26.37
is a full surrender:
00:23:26.40\00:23:28.07
laying aside your
will, your desire,
00:23:28.10\00:23:30.94
and deciding it's more important
for you to know God's will,
00:23:30.97\00:23:33.41
God's desire for your life.
00:23:33.44\00:23:35.84
This isn't somebody who says,
"Oh, Jesus, I'm a follower."
00:23:35.88\00:23:39.28
There were lots
of people following,
00:23:39.31\00:23:40.82
but they weren't real followers
because they weren't prepared
00:23:40.85\00:23:44.05
to eat His flesh
and drink His blood.
00:23:44.09\00:23:46.15
They weren't prepared to live
"by every word that proceeds
00:23:46.19\00:23:48.32
from out of the mouth of God."
00:23:48.36\00:23:50.23
They didn't want
their life lived God's way.
00:23:50.26\00:23:52.63
That's not what they wanted.
00:23:52.66\00:23:53.80
You see, Jesus is
calling for our heart here.
00:23:53.83\00:23:57.27
He's saying,
"Give me your heart.
00:23:57.30\00:23:58.50
Let my life become your life
and your life become my life."
00:23:58.53\00:24:02.94
And Jesus wants to give us
a complete mind change here.
00:24:02.97\00:24:07.24
The people weren't willing.
00:24:07.28\00:24:09.28
And so Jesus
turns to the disciples;
00:24:09.31\00:24:11.11
He said, "Do you
also want to go away?"
00:24:11.15\00:24:15.22
Peter answers for
them in verses 68 and 69.
00:24:15.25\00:24:18.05
He says, "Lord,
to whom shall we go?
00:24:18.09\00:24:22.22
You have the
words of eternal life.
00:24:22.26\00:24:25.39
Also we have come to believe and
know that You are the Christ,
00:24:25.43\00:24:30.13
the Son of the living God."
00:24:30.17\00:24:32.53
There's the
question and the answer.
00:24:32.57\00:24:34.54
"To whom shall we
go?" Who else is there?
00:24:34.57\00:24:37.87
You have the
words of eternal life.
00:24:37.91\00:24:39.94
You're the Christ,
the Son of the living God.
00:24:39.97\00:24:41.71
He was then,
friend, and He is now.
00:24:41.74\00:24:44.88
To whom will you
go, if not to Jesus?
00:24:44.91\00:24:47.75
Where else would
you turn, if not to Him?
00:24:47.78\00:24:50.22
Are you eating His
flesh and drinking His blood,
00:24:50.25\00:24:52.19
feeding on His Word,
His life in your life?
00:24:52.22\00:24:57.09
Jesus is still
the bread of life.
00:24:57.13\00:25:00.53
He's your hope.
He's your strength.
00:25:00.56\00:25:02.83
He's your spiritual food.
He's your spiritual health.
00:25:02.86\00:25:06.53
You know, if you don't eat,
00:25:06.57\00:25:07.70
you get weak, and then you
get sick, and then you die.
00:25:07.74\00:25:11.27
Which is why we see so
many dead men walking--
00:25:11.31\00:25:13.61
zombies-- even in the church.
00:25:13.64\00:25:16.34
If you don't feed
on Jesus, you get weak.
00:25:16.38\00:25:18.31
Temptation overwhelms you.
00:25:18.35\00:25:19.95
You get spiritually sick, and
then you're spiritually dead.
00:25:19.98\00:25:25.59
But Jesus is the bread of life.
00:25:25.62\00:25:28.56
If you have Jesus in your life
radically, totally, completely--
00:25:28.59\00:25:33.43
and you can when you invite
Him to be just that for you--
00:25:33.46\00:25:37.13
His life becomes your life,
00:25:37.17\00:25:39.70
and then you live knowing
that eternal life is yours.
00:25:39.73\00:25:44.97
>>Announcer 1: There is nothing
in this world more precious
00:25:46.37\00:25:48.61
than a meaningful
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:25:48.64\00:25:51.65
Today's free
offer, "Steps to Christ,"
00:25:51.68\00:25:53.68
is one of the
best books ever written
00:25:53.72\00:25:55.55
on how to build a successful
relationship with Jesus
00:25:55.58\00:25:58.55
that will see you
through to eternity.
00:25:58.59\00:26:00.66
To receive your free copy,
00:26:00.69\00:26:01.79
call 800-253-3000
00:26:01.82\00:26:04.63
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:26:04.66\00:26:08.03
Get "Steps to Christ" today,
00:26:08.06\00:26:09.90
800-253-3000
00:26:09.93\00:26:12.87
or online at iiwoffer.com.
00:26:12.90\00:26:15.74
>>John Bradshaw: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:26:16.67\00:26:18.64
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:26:18.67\00:26:22.08
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:26:22.11\00:26:25.25
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:26:25.28\00:26:29.58
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:26:29.62\00:26:31.05
to the address on your screen,
00:26:31.09\00:26:32.55
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:32.59\00:26:36.29
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:26:36.32\00:26:39.06
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:26:39.09\00:26:43.26
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:43.30\00:26:46.37
>>John Bradshaw:
Let's pray together.
00:26:47.37\00:26:48.84
¤[soft music]¤
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:48.87\00:26:50.04
we thank You that
Jesus is the bread of life.
00:26:50.07\00:26:53.21
Yes, He fed the thousands
with loaves and fishes,
00:26:53.24\00:26:56.75
yes, He walked on
water, but what is that to us,
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unless we eat His
flesh and drink His blood?
00:27:01.48\00:27:04.92
Unless we feed on Your word,
00:27:04.95\00:27:06.79
unless we're filled
with Your Holy Spirit?
00:27:06.82\00:27:10.39
Allow Jesus to be in our lives
everything that He wants to be.
00:27:10.43\00:27:14.46
Friend, are you
reaching out to Jesus now?
00:27:14.46\00:27:17.67
Can you say, "Lord God, I want
to have a serious relationship."
00:27:17.70\00:27:20.20
If you've never
surrendered to Jesus,
00:27:20.24\00:27:21.60
you can do so now.
00:27:21.64\00:27:23.20
"Lord, take my
heart and make it Yours."
00:27:23.24\00:27:26.07
As we end this prayer, you can
know that you're a child of God.
00:27:26.11\00:27:30.35
Lord, we thank You,
not just for the miracles,
00:27:30.38\00:27:32.48
as wonderful as they are,
as much as we appreciate them.
00:27:32.51\00:27:35.98
We thank You for the
greatest miracle of all:
00:27:36.02\00:27:37.85
the miracle of salvation.
00:27:37.89\00:27:40.46
Let Jesus be our life today.
00:27:40.49\00:27:43.19
In Jesus' name we pray.
00:27:43.22\00:27:46.19
Amen.
00:27:46.23\00:27:47.50
Thanks so much for joining me.
00:27:47.56\00:27:48.73
Looking forward to
seeing you next time.
00:27:48.76\00:27:50.33
Until then, remember:
00:27:50.37\00:27:52.67
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:52.70\00:27:56.04
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:56.07\00:28:00.38
¤[theme music]¤
00:28:00.41\00:28:05.75