Latest / Abide Meditation App / Gospel Sleep [Focus on Jesus 4K Sleep Meditation] - Abide Meditation App
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: Find rest as you listen to this peaceful bedtime story.
- 0:05Speaker 1: For more Bible stories that bring you refreshing sleep, download
- 0:09Speaker 1: the Abide app in the iTunes or Google Play store.
- 0:24Speaker 2: Hello, and welcome to this Abide bedtime story. Tonight we
- 0:32Speaker 2: will meet Zachias, a man hated by his fellow Jews
- 0:38Speaker 2: in a way few people were hated. In his day.
- 0:43Speaker 2: He was not only a tax collector for the Roman government.
- 0:47Speaker 2: He was the chief tax collector, the worst of the worst.
- 0:55Speaker 2: And then he met Jesus and everything changed. Isn't that
- 1:02Speaker 2: true for all of us? Before we begin our story,
- 1:09Speaker 2: I invite you to settle into your bed, lay your
- 1:13Speaker 2: head on your pillow and get really comfortable. Close your
- 1:22Speaker 2: eyes and notice the noises around you. Acknowledge them, and
- 1:35Speaker 2: then let them stay in the background. Take a few
- 1:43Speaker 2: deep breaths to steady your heart and invite the Holy
- 1:47Speaker 2: Spirit to rest upon you and give you peace. Tonight.
- 1:57Speaker 2: You're at the end of your day. It's time to
- 2:01Speaker 2: let God give you sweet rest. As you listen to
- 2:08Speaker 2: Zechias's story, invite God to change you, to make you
- 2:15Speaker 2: more and more like his son Jesus. Continue slow and
- 2:26Speaker 2: easy breathing as you listen to my voice. If you want,
- 2:35Speaker 2: you can choose calming background music from the Abide app
- 2:39Speaker 2: to play behind my voice. Let me pray as we begin,
- 2:51Speaker 2: Heavenly Father, thank you for this day in the all
- 2:56Speaker 2: that it held, and thank you that now I can
- 3:00Speaker 2: find my rest in you physically and sleep. Thank you
- 3:07Speaker 2: for loving me just as I am, but too much
- 3:13Speaker 2: to want me to stay just as I am. Thank
- 3:18Speaker 2: You for always wanting me to grow and love and grace,
- 3:22Speaker 2: abounding in peace and joy. I invite you into my
- 3:28Speaker 2: dreams tonight to remind me of how much you love
- 3:32Speaker 2: me and the plans you have for me. Help me
- 3:38Speaker 2: now to sleep deeply and peacefully. It's in Jesus' name
- 3:44Speaker 2: I pray Amen. The place was Jericho and ancient Israel,
- 3:57Speaker 2: the city that had fallen to the people of God
- 3:59Speaker 2: by miraculous men means people marching around the city and
- 4:03Speaker 2: blowing trumpets. Who ever heard of such a thing? And
- 4:08Speaker 2: now Jericho was a wealthy city and oasis that boasted
- 4:14Speaker 2: nice temperatures all year round. It was the place to be.
- 4:21Speaker 3: Rich.
- 4:21Speaker 2: People had beautiful homes both in Jericho and Jerusalem. Traders
- 4:26Speaker 2: had to pass through Jericho, and people reaped the benefit
- 4:31Speaker 2: of the traffic through there. Well, some people reaped the benefits.
- 4:38Speaker 2: Mostly the rich reaped the benefits. The rich like Zachias. Oh, Zachias,
- 4:53Speaker 2: he walked through the city with his chest puffed out
- 4:55Speaker 2: like he owned the place, which he practically could with
- 4:59Speaker 2: all the money he stole. Zachias wasn't a thief, you understand,
- 5:05Speaker 2: at least not officially, but in his job as the
- 5:11Speaker 2: chief tax collector, he certainly took more than he was
- 5:15Speaker 2: supposed to from his people. His people, Oh, how they
- 5:23Speaker 2: hated Zachias. When he walked by people crossed to the
- 5:28Speaker 2: other side of the street, he would have thought he
- 5:32Speaker 2: had the dreaded disease leprosy the way they treated him.
- 5:38Speaker 2: Though he acted big, it made him feel very small.
- 5:43Speaker 2: It was Zakias's job to oversee the tax collectors in
- 5:47Speaker 2: his area. He had bit well and received the position,
- 5:53Speaker 2: thinking it would make him big and important. He wanted
- 5:57Speaker 2: to feel big. He was longing to feel important, but
- 6:04Speaker 2: that wasn't the way he was feeling. He thought about Matthew,
- 6:11Speaker 2: his coworker up in Galilee. Matthew had left everything he
- 6:16Speaker 2: had worked for to follow the Rabbi Jesus Zechias wondered
- 6:22Speaker 2: about that. He wanted to see this Jesus. He wanted
- 6:28Speaker 2: to know what it was about him that caused Matthew
- 6:31Speaker 2: to leave his lucrative job to follow him. And then
- 6:39Speaker 2: it happened. He caught the murmurings around Jericho. Jesus was coming.
- 6:46Speaker 2: This was his chance. Down the road, he saw a
- 6:52Speaker 2: large group of people walking towards the center of the city. Oh,
- 6:56Speaker 2: that must be him. But how was Zakias going to
- 7:01Speaker 2: get to him? People shoved him out of the way
- 7:06Speaker 2: as the group got closer. He tried to see through
- 7:09Speaker 2: the crowd, but it was just too thick. No one
- 7:13Speaker 2: would let him through. And then he spotted the sycamore
- 7:20Speaker 2: fig tree. He wrinkled his nose a bit, knowing that
- 7:24Speaker 2: the fruit of the tree was tasteless, knowing that only
- 7:27Speaker 2: poor people ate the fruit of that tree. But it
- 7:31Speaker 2: was handy because the branches were so close to the
- 7:34Speaker 2: ground that if he could just climb that tree, he
- 7:39Speaker 2: would be able to see Jesus. He wasn't going to
- 7:44Speaker 2: be eating the fruit after all. Maybe he could hear
- 7:48Speaker 2: what Jesus was saying to the group following him. So
- 7:52Speaker 2: glancing around to see if anybody noticed him, because what
- 7:56Speaker 2: he was about to do wasn't very Dignifiedkia hiked up
- 8:00Speaker 2: his robe and ran to the sycamore fig tree and
- 8:06Speaker 2: began to climb. Zachias climbed until he was just far
- 8:13Speaker 2: enough above the crowd that he could see beyond him.
- 8:19Speaker 2: Some had noticed his climb and mocked him, laughing at
- 8:22Speaker 2: his graceless ascent, but he didn't care. Something in his
- 8:30Speaker 2: heart was stirring. Soon he could see Jesus, still surrounded
- 8:40Speaker 2: by the crowd. But as the teacher came in range
- 8:47Speaker 2: of where Zachias perched, he stopped. He turned toward the
- 8:55Speaker 2: tree with a smile on his face, and looked up.
- 9:01Speaker 2: Zachias couldn't believe his ears as he heard Jesus's voice, Zachias,
- 9:08Speaker 2: hurry and come down, for I must stay at your
- 9:12Speaker 2: house today. The crowd was stunned at these words. This
- 9:22Speaker 2: was Zachias. Didn't Jesus know who he was. He was
- 9:28Speaker 2: the one responsible for taking more than half of what
- 9:31Speaker 2: they earned to turn over to the despised Roman government.
- 9:36Speaker 2: He was scum, He was garbage in their eyes, but
- 9:43Speaker 2: Zachias ignored all their murmurings. He scrambled down from his
- 9:48Speaker 2: perch in the tree and joyfully led Jesus to his home.
- 9:54Speaker 2: He heard the whispered words of the religious leaders. He
- 9:58Speaker 2: has gone in to be the as to a man
- 10:00Speaker 2: who is a sinner. He glanced at Jesus, knowing that
- 10:08Speaker 2: he would have heard the words as well. Oh he
- 10:13Speaker 2: received was a smile. And so they ate and drank
- 10:24Speaker 2: and laughed, and Zachiahs felt something change in him. He
- 10:30Speaker 2: felt as if his heart would burst. Unable to contain
- 10:35Speaker 2: it any longer, he leapt up from the table. He
- 10:39Speaker 2: turned to Jesus and declared, behold, Lord, the half of
- 10:45Speaker 2: my goods I give to the poor. And if I
- 10:49Speaker 2: have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. The
- 10:59Speaker 2: murmur of the others around the table grew even louder.
- 11:04Speaker 2: This was over and above what even the law required.
- 11:10Speaker 2: Had Zakias gone mad? What was he thinking? But Jesus smiled.
- 11:19Speaker 2: Today he said, salvation has come to this house, since
- 11:28Speaker 2: he also is a son of Abraham. For the son
- 11:32Speaker 2: of Man came to seek and save the lost. These
- 11:45Speaker 2: words of Jesus were not lost on the gathered Jews.
- 11:51Speaker 2: Suddenly they knew that something significant had happened. No longer
- 11:58Speaker 2: was Zachias unclean and impure. He was Zachi, pure, righteous, clean.
- 12:15Speaker 2: Zakias's life was forever changed when he encountered Jesus. Scripture
- 12:23Speaker 2: doesn't tell us what became of him after this meal
- 12:25Speaker 2: he shared with the Lord, but we can imagine that
- 12:29Speaker 2: he did pay back all that he owed, and though
- 12:33Speaker 2: he kept his job, he treated people as fairly as
- 12:38Speaker 2: he could. Like the nation of Israel was blessed to
- 12:43Speaker 2: be a blessing, Zachias would be a blessing to his people.
- 12:52Speaker 2: Genesis twelve one through three says now the Lord said
- 12:57Speaker 2: to Abram, go from your country and your kindred and
- 13:01Speaker 2: your father's house, to the land that I will show you,
- 13:07Speaker 2: and I will make of you a great nation. And
- 13:10Speaker 2: I will bless and make your name great, so that
- 13:13Speaker 2: you will be a blessing. I will bless those who
- 13:18Speaker 2: bless you, and him who dishonors you, I will curse,
- 13:24Speaker 2: and in you all the families of the earth shall
- 13:28Speaker 2: be blessed. Jesus changes everything. Sakias went from being a
- 13:41Speaker 2: hated man to being a blessing. Nobody thought that was possible,
- 13:49Speaker 2: but all things are possible with God. Listen now to
- 13:57Speaker 2: the words of Psalm one five of David. Imagine Zachius
- 14:05Speaker 2: singing these words and praise to God for his transformed life.
- 14:12Speaker 2: I will extol you, my God and King, and bless
- 14:17Speaker 2: your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless
- 14:22Speaker 2: you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is
- 14:32Speaker 2: the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness
- 14:37Speaker 2: is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another,
- 14:44Speaker 2: and shall declare your mighty acts a the glorious splendor
- 14:49Speaker 2: of your majesty, And on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
- 14:55Speaker 2: They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
- 14:58Speaker 2: and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth
- 15:04Speaker 2: the fame of your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud
- 15:08Speaker 2: of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow
- 15:16Speaker 2: to anger, and abounding and steadfast love. The Lord is
- 15:21Speaker 2: good to all, and his mercy is over all that
- 15:25Speaker 2: he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you,
- 15:30Speaker 2: O Lord, and all your saints shall bless your name.
- 15:37Speaker 2: They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and
- 15:41Speaker 2: tell of your power to make known to the children
- 15:45Speaker 2: of man your mighty deeds and the glorious splendor of
- 15:49Speaker 2: your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your
- 15:58Speaker 2: dominion and throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in
- 16:07Speaker 2: all his words, and kind in all his works. The
- 16:13Speaker 2: Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all
- 16:19Speaker 2: who are about down. The eyes of all look to you,
- 16:25Speaker 2: and you give them their food, and due season you
- 16:30Speaker 2: open your hand. You satisfy the desire of every living thing.
- 16:38Speaker 2: The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and kind
- 16:43Speaker 2: in all his works. The Lord is near to all
- 16:47Speaker 2: who call on him, to all who call on him.
- 16:52Speaker 2: In truth, he fulfills the desire of those who fear him.
- 16:59Speaker 2: He also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord
- 17:07Speaker 2: preserves all who love him, but all the wicked you
- 17:12Speaker 2: will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
- 17:18Speaker 2: and let all flash bless his holy name forever and ever.
- 17:30Speaker 2: I will close our time with prayer. Jesus, we exalt
- 17:38Speaker 2: you tonight. I pray your blessing over your child tonight,
- 17:44Speaker 2: so that they may be a blessing to others. Remind
- 17:49Speaker 2: them through the night that nothing is impossible with you,
- 17:54Speaker 2: and if there is something or someone that they want
- 17:59Speaker 2: to see transformed, that you are able to accomplish that
- 18:05Speaker 2: transformation for your purposes. Please bring peace and rest to
- 18:13Speaker 2: them tonight. Restore to them the joy of their salvation,
- 18:20Speaker 2: that they may serve you all their days. I ask
- 18:26Speaker 2: this for them in your precious hallowed holy name. Amen.
- 18:49Speaker 2: In Proverbs three twenty four, it says, when you lie down,
- 18:55Speaker 2: you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your
- 19:01Speaker 2: sleep will be sweet. And in Psalm three five, the
- 19:09Speaker 2: psalmist writes, I lie down and sleep. I wake again
- 19:18Speaker 2: because the Lord sustains me. So as you lay your
- 19:27Speaker 2: weary body under the sheet and blanket, allow yourself to
- 19:33Speaker 2: sink into the bed and allow the pillow to carry
- 19:39Speaker 2: the weight of your head. Feeling your bed carry the
- 19:45Speaker 2: weight of your body. Like plants need water to survive,
- 19:52Speaker 2: your body and mind needs rest to renew itself. Close
- 19:59Speaker 2: your e Breathe in peaceful thoughts. Exhale worry and anxiety.
- 20:15Speaker 2: Stretch your feet and toes, relieving tight muscles, slowly rotating
- 20:23Speaker 2: your ankles. Feel the sense of relief in your tired
- 20:27Speaker 2: feet that have carried you to and fro throughout the day.
- 20:36Speaker 2: Relax now, Heavenly Father, how I thank you for bringing
- 20:44Speaker 2: me safely to the end of the day, and I
- 20:48Speaker 2: praise and thank you for your loving kindness and great
- 20:54Speaker 2: goodness to me today. Thank you for the many blessings
- 21:02Speaker 2: and provisions that you bestowed on me, for keeping me
- 21:08Speaker 2: safe and guiding me, and bringing me once again to
- 21:14Speaker 2: that time of day when I can recharge my spirit
- 21:18Speaker 2: and soul with a refreshing night's sleep. Forgive me, I pray,
- 21:27Speaker 2: if I have said or done anything that was not
- 21:30Speaker 2: honoring to your name, or have sought to do things
- 21:35Speaker 2: in my own strength rather than relying totally on you.
- 21:41Speaker 2: For I praise you that your grace is sufficient, for
- 21:46Speaker 2: your strength is perfected in my weakness. And Now, Lord,
- 21:55Speaker 2: as I lie down, I prayed that you would watch
- 21:58Speaker 2: over me to protect and keep me safe. Give me
- 22:06Speaker 2: a deep and refreshing sleep. And may I cast any
- 22:12Speaker 2: burdens or difficulties on you, and not allow my mind
- 22:17Speaker 2: to fret or worry. For you have promised to carry
- 22:23Speaker 2: all my burdens if I will just give them to you.
- 22:29Speaker 2: Protect those I love, and Father, draw those who are
- 22:36Speaker 2: far from you close to your embrace. I thank you
- 22:44Speaker 2: that my life is safe in your arms. This I
- 22:49Speaker 2: pray in Jesus name, Amen, with your eyes closed, nie
- 23:00Speaker 2: tonight takes us to a beautiful forest. The pine trees
- 23:08Speaker 2: tower above your head. The lingering rays of sunlight fade
- 23:16Speaker 2: as the evening darkness takes over the light of day.
- 23:22Speaker 2: Through the haze of the dusk sky, you see a
- 23:26Speaker 2: cabin in the distance. A candle flickers through the windows.
- 23:35Speaker 2: It seems strange that this cabin would be in such
- 23:39Speaker 2: a secluded place, but you are tired. Could this be
- 23:46Speaker 2: my place of rest for the evening, you ask yourself.
- 23:52Speaker 2: As you approach the inviting, quaint cabin in the woods,
- 23:59Speaker 2: you notice the door is slightly open. A crooked sign
- 24:05Speaker 2: hanging on an old, rusty nail reads, come in, make
- 24:11Speaker 2: yourself at home. Even though the sign says you are welcome.
- 24:17Speaker 2: You hesitate, but you slowly push open the worn wooden
- 24:23Speaker 2: door to peek in. As you look into the cabin,
- 24:30Speaker 2: Jesus says, come in, my child. He says, I've been
- 24:36Speaker 2: waiting for you. He looks at you and says, let
- 24:42Speaker 2: the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,
- 24:48Speaker 2: for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these. Then,
- 24:57Speaker 2: because so many people were coming and going that they
- 24:59Speaker 2: didn't not even have a chance to eat he says
- 25:03Speaker 2: to you, come with me to a quiet place and
- 25:10Speaker 2: get some rest. In the corner of the cabin, you
- 25:16Speaker 2: notice a bed made of willow wood and two fluffy
- 25:21Speaker 2: pillows leaning against the headboard crafted of bent willow branches.
- 25:27Speaker 2: As Jesus in a rocking chair next to the warmth
- 25:31Speaker 2: of a fire, he says, I am the vine. You
- 25:39Speaker 2: are the branches. Whoever abides in me, and I in him.
- 25:45Speaker 2: He it is that bears much fruit. For apart from me,
- 25:52Speaker 2: you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me.
- 25:58Speaker 2: He is thrown away a branch and withers, and the
- 26:03Speaker 2: branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. You
- 26:12Speaker 2: begin to drift off to sleep under the watchful eye
- 26:16Speaker 2: of Jesus, the Son of God, the Prince of Peace.
- 26:27Speaker 2: Jesus repeats those words as found in John fifteen fifty six. Remember,
- 26:34Speaker 2: my child, I am the vine. You are the branches.
- 26:42Speaker 2: Whoever abides in me, and I in him. He it
- 26:47Speaker 2: is that bears much fruit. For apart from me, you
- 26:52Speaker 2: can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me,
- 26:58Speaker 2: he is thrown away like a branch and withers, and
- 27:03Speaker 2: the branches are gathered thrown into the fire and burned.
- 27:12Speaker 2: The fruit that Jesus speaks of is simply evidence of
- 27:16Speaker 2: your relationship with him. Fast asleep now in this little
- 27:25Speaker 2: cabin in the woods, you realize you've not known this
- 27:30Speaker 2: place of peace before. You become more comfortable in your
- 27:35Speaker 2: bed as the candle flickers across the room. Jesus continues
- 27:41Speaker 2: to pray for you as he sits in his handmade
- 27:45Speaker 2: rocking chair. As you drift further into a land of dreams,
- 27:55Speaker 2: do you see the vineyard just outside the cabin. You
- 28:00Speaker 2: hadn't noticed it on your journey to the cabin, as
- 28:04Speaker 2: there is a thick wall of darkness, But now you
- 28:09Speaker 2: see miles and miles of grapevines. Each plant is loaded
- 28:17Speaker 2: with grapes. Imagine the growth you see in your life
- 28:25Speaker 2: as the fullness of Christ's resurrection fuels and nurtures such growth.
- 28:33Speaker 2: Imagine the fruitfulness that you would like to see, and
- 28:37Speaker 2: know that God supports you in pursuing it. Jesus continues
- 28:45Speaker 2: to watch over you as you drift into a deep sleep.
- 28:54Speaker 2: Abide in Jesus. Now rest in God's grace. The rhythm
- 29:06Speaker 2: of your breathing gets deeper and deeper, abide in him,
- 29:15Speaker 2: and he will abide in you, as Philippians one six says,
- 29:23Speaker 2: he who began a good work in you will complete it. Father,
- 29:36Speaker 2: As I come to the end of another very busy day,
- 29:41Speaker 2: I praise and thank you for the gift of sleep
- 29:45Speaker 2: in the wonderful way that the nighttime hours seem to
- 29:49Speaker 2: sweep away all my cares and melt away all my worries.
- 29:57Speaker 2: As I rest in you, Thank you that I may
- 30:04Speaker 2: confidently cast all our cares and concerns upon you, and
- 30:10Speaker 2: lay all of our burdens down at your feet, knowing
- 30:15Speaker 2: that you love me with a perfect love, and care
- 30:20Speaker 2: for me with fatherly concern. Keep me safe this night
- 30:28Speaker 2: from any perils and dangers. Enlighten the darkness of this
- 30:34Speaker 2: night with your perfect peace, your gracious tranquility, and your
- 30:43Speaker 2: serene grace. Protect me through the hours of darkness. Thank
- 30:54Speaker 2: you that you are my shield and protection, my rock
- 31:00Speaker 2: of salvation, and my hope and strength. Hold me close,
- 31:08Speaker 2: Lord Jesus, I pray that I may sleep securely knowing
- 31:15Speaker 2: that you are by my bed every moment of the night.
- 31:22Speaker 2: Thank you that moment by moment I am kept in
- 31:29Speaker 2: your love. Amen, Rest in the truth of God's word.
- 31:43Speaker 2: As you abide in Christ, remember Proverbs three twenty four.
- 31:51Speaker 2: When you lie down, you will not be afraid. When
- 31:56Speaker 2: you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Continue to
- 32:05Speaker 2: sleep knowing abide in Him, and Jesus will abide in you.
- 32:30Speaker 2: Now imagine you are Peter, Jesus disciple. Several days have
- 32:37Speaker 2: passed since Jesus rose from the dead. You've seen there
- 32:42Speaker 2: is in Christ. You've spoken with him, you've touched his body.
- 32:50Speaker 2: But on this cool, crisp night, you and a few
- 32:56Speaker 2: friends have decided to go fishing on the Sea of Tiberius,
- 33:01Speaker 2: or better known as the Sea of Galilee. James and
- 33:05Speaker 2: John have tagged along, so have Nathaniel and Thomas, and
- 33:10Speaker 2: a couple of others. It's the perfect night for fishing.
- 33:16Speaker 2: The wind is calm, so is the water. As you
- 33:23Speaker 2: get ready to push the boat out to sea, you
- 33:28Speaker 2: take a deep breath and enjoy the smells of the night,
- 33:35Speaker 2: the moisture of the air, the blooming plants along the shore.
- 33:43Speaker 2: Your feet dig into the still warm sand as a
- 33:47Speaker 2: seagull races along the shore just a few feet away,
- 33:55Speaker 2: hunting for worms. You listen as the waves gently splash
- 34:03Speaker 2: on the shore. Over and over and over. You look
- 34:13Speaker 2: up at the dark, cloudless sky.
- 34:18Speaker 3: What do you see?
- 34:21Speaker 2: Thousands of stars are shining, far too many to count.
- 34:27Speaker 2: You find the North Star. You gaze at the Big Dipper.
- 34:33Speaker 2: You marvel at Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. It brings thoughts
- 34:39Speaker 2: of worship to your mind. Jesus made those stars and planets,
- 34:48Speaker 2: the same Jesus that I know created them. Hum the
- 34:54Speaker 2: thought is overwhelming. To the east, the moon slowly begins
- 35:02Speaker 2: to rise. Then you hear a voice, Peter, let's get going.
- 35:13Speaker 2: It's John. He and James are needing help. Pushing the
- 35:17Speaker 2: boat from shore. You place your hands onto the wooden
- 35:22Speaker 2: hull and gently thrust into the sea. Everyone jumps in
- 35:27Speaker 2: and grabs a paddle. You begin rowing. What a night
- 35:33Speaker 2: to fish, you say to the others. You look up
- 35:38Speaker 2: once again at the twinkling stars in the sky. You
- 35:42Speaker 2: find the milky Way. The words of David from Psalm
- 35:48Speaker 2: nineteen come to mind. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
- 35:55Speaker 2: The sky is display his craftsmanship. Day after day. They
- 36:02Speaker 2: continue to speak, night after night. They make him known.
- 36:09Speaker 2: They speak without a sound or word. Their voice is
- 36:15Speaker 2: never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth
- 36:22Speaker 2: and their words to all the world. Six hours have
- 36:34Speaker 2: passed since you push the boat into the water, but
- 36:39Speaker 2: for some reason, the fish aren't biting Tonight. Everyone is tired.
- 36:48Speaker 2: Thomas suggests quitting and going home. The sun will be
- 36:52Speaker 2: rising soon, he says. You look to the yeast. You
- 36:59Speaker 2: see if faint orange red glow on the horizon. You
- 37:05Speaker 2: glance again at the moon, then at the stars, then
- 37:10Speaker 2: again at the palette of brilliant but dim colors caused
- 37:15Speaker 2: by the dance between day and night. You remember why
- 37:20Speaker 2: you enjoy morning so much. Then you hear a voice
- 37:28Speaker 2: from a man on the shore. He's about one hundred
- 37:32Speaker 2: yards away. Do you have any fish? He asks, It's
- 37:40Speaker 2: too dark to make out his face. No, you reply.
- 37:48Speaker 2: He suggests, cast the net on the right side of
- 37:51Speaker 2: the boat and you will find some. You're skeptical, but
- 37:58Speaker 2: something within you tells you to give it a try.
- 38:03Speaker 2: You stand up in the boat, careful to maintain your balance. James,
- 38:09Speaker 2: John and the others do the same. Everyone grabs the wet,
- 38:14Speaker 2: heavy net. One two three, someone says, and the net
- 38:23Speaker 2: flies through the air into the sea. Huh. A few
- 38:27Speaker 2: minutes later, Thomas and John begin pulling up the net,
- 38:33Speaker 2: but it won't budge. They ask for help. Look, Thomas says, surprised, it's.
- 38:41Speaker 3: Filled with fish.
- 38:43Speaker 2: John two is shocked, yet his emotions quickly turn to
- 38:48Speaker 2: joy as he points to the shore. It is the Lord.
- 38:56Speaker 2: You look at the shore and see Jesus watching you
- 39:01Speaker 2: and the others. He he's smiling. You think you even
- 39:08Speaker 2: see him chuckle. He's the reason you caught these fish.
- 39:16Speaker 2: The miracle worker performed another miracle. Filled with awe and
- 39:25Speaker 2: wonder and elation, you dive into the water and swim
- 39:30Speaker 2: to shore. You then run to Jesus. His arms are
- 39:37Speaker 2: stretched out. You hug him, He hugs back, and then
- 39:47Speaker 2: you remember what he told you long ago. He will
- 39:52Speaker 2: always provide for your needs. It seems like it was
- 39:58Speaker 2: just yesterday you were watching him preach to the crowds
- 40:02Speaker 2: on mountain side. As he said, do not worry about
- 40:08Speaker 2: your life. What you will eat or drink, or about
- 40:13Speaker 2: your body what you will wear, is not life, more
- 40:18Speaker 2: than food in the body, more than clothes. Look at
- 40:23Speaker 2: the birds of the air. They do not sow or
- 40:26Speaker 2: reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
- 40:31Speaker 2: Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than
- 40:35Speaker 2: they can any one of you by worrying at a
- 40:41Speaker 2: single hour to your life. And why do you worry
- 40:46Speaker 2: about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow.
- 40:53Speaker 2: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you
- 40:58Speaker 2: that not even Solomon, in all his splendor, was dressed
- 41:01Speaker 2: like one of these. If that is how God clothes
- 41:07Speaker 2: the grass of the field, which is here today and
- 41:10Speaker 2: tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much
- 41:15Speaker 2: more clothe you, you of little faith. So do not worry,
- 41:22Speaker 2: saying what shall we eat, or what shall we drink?
- 41:27Speaker 2: Or what shall we wear? For the pagans run after
- 41:31Speaker 2: all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you
- 41:35Speaker 2: need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
- 41:44Speaker 2: and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore,
- 41:50Speaker 2: do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
- 41:58Speaker 2: Each day has enough trouble of its own. You and
- 42:04Speaker 2: Jesus trade stories about the past few days, the past
- 42:08Speaker 2: few weeks, the past few years. You laugh, He laughs,
- 42:16Speaker 2: this is the third time you have seen him since
- 42:18Speaker 2: he rose from the dead. But you're still amazed. You
- 42:25Speaker 2: thought he would be dead forever, but now he's standing
- 42:31Speaker 2: right in front of you, alive, breathing, talking. You're overcome
- 42:39Speaker 2: with emotions. Go warm yourself, he says, he has prepared
- 42:47Speaker 2: a charcoal fire for you and the other disciples. Sparks
- 42:52Speaker 2: rise to the sky. Smoke does too. It's a splendid
- 43:01Speaker 2: calming sight. You're still wet and cold from your earlier swim,
- 43:09Speaker 2: so you walk to the fire. It's warmth feels incredible
- 43:17Speaker 2: on your skin. The other disciples are back at shore.
- 43:23Speaker 2: They join you. Jesus looks around. Bring some of the
- 43:30Speaker 2: fish that you have just caught. He says, you're dry
- 43:35Speaker 2: and warm now, so you volunteer to get them. You
- 43:41Speaker 2: walk across the sand board the boat and begin gathering
- 43:46Speaker 2: the fish. You also count them. There's one hundred and
- 43:52Speaker 2: fifty three fish. You tell John. Everyone is amazed. Come
- 44:01Speaker 2: and have breakfast, Jesus says. You remember the times you
- 44:08Speaker 2: failed Jesus, but he forgave you. He restored you. He
- 44:17Speaker 2: loves you unconditionally. He's even prepared breakfast for you. You
- 44:27Speaker 2: remember the words of the Psalmist. He does not punish
- 44:32Speaker 2: us for all our sins. He does not deal harshly
- 44:36Speaker 2: with us as we deserve. For His unfailing love toward
- 44:42Speaker 2: those who fear him is as great as the height
- 44:46Speaker 2: of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our
- 44:51Speaker 2: sins as far from us as the east is from
- 44:54Speaker 2: the west. The Lord is like a father to his children,
- 45:01Speaker 2: tender and compassionate to those who fear him, For he
- 45:08Speaker 2: knows how weak we are. He remembers we are only dust.
- 45:20Speaker 3: Jesus loves you.
- 45:24Speaker 2: He protects you, He provides for you, He forgives you,
- 45:35Speaker 2: much like a mother caring for a sleeping baby. God
- 45:40Speaker 2: is holding you in his arms. Rest in his care,
- 45:48Speaker 2: Abide in his presence. Please let me pray for you now,
- 45:59Speaker 2: Holy God, Thank you for this sweet child of yours.
- 46:06Speaker 2: Thank you for their desire to know you more. Thank
- 46:12Speaker 2: you for their longing to love you more. Thank you
- 46:16Speaker 2: for their heart. Thank You for the peace and the
- 46:20Speaker 2: rest and the infinite love that only you provide. I
- 46:27Speaker 2: ask that you God will grant them your patience, your presence,
- 46:35Speaker 2: in your peace as they rest. It's in Jesus name
- 46:41Speaker 2: that I pray. Amen.
- 46:47Speaker 3: Jesus is with you, He protects you, he provides for you,
- 46:56Speaker 3: he forgives you.
- 46:59Speaker 2: He love you. Trust in Christ, Abide in Christ. Rest
- 47:19Speaker 2: in Christ.
- 47:31Speaker 4: Jesus washes the disciples feet taken from the Book of John,
- 47:35Speaker 4: chapter thirteen. This fictionalized look at this classic lesson from
- 47:42Speaker 4: Jesus about serving others is from the perspective of Nathaniel,
- 47:47Speaker 4: one of Jesus' first disciples, who recognized Jesus as God
- 47:53Speaker 4: as soon as he was called by him. Settle into
- 48:01Speaker 4: your bed. Place your head on your pillow, and relax
- 48:07Speaker 4: all your muscles, breathing deeply and slowly as you're ready
- 48:16Speaker 4: yourself for sleep. Let go of the cares of the day.
- 48:29Speaker 4: Listen to my voice and let it soothe you as
- 48:32Speaker 4: you drift into a peaceful, RESTful sleep. Tune out any
- 48:42Speaker 4: noises that might distract you. Keep breathing slowly and steadily.
- 48:56Speaker 4: Let me pray as we begin, Lord Jesus, thank you
- 49:04Speaker 4: for your love for us and for the things you
- 49:07Speaker 4: said to the disciples that night before passover. You were
- 49:13Speaker 4: so misunderstood when you walked on this earth. I pray
- 49:19Speaker 4: that you would help us understand more fully who you
- 49:22Speaker 4: are in our life right now. I pray for your
- 49:28Speaker 4: child listening to this story tonight. I pray that you
- 49:33Speaker 4: would lead them into RESTful sleep as they listened. Take
- 49:39Speaker 4: their burdens and their cares upon your strong shoulders so
- 49:44Speaker 4: they may be at peace. Amen, And now to our story.
- 49:58Speaker 4: Nathaniel looked around him at his friends. He had spent
- 50:03Speaker 4: three years walking with each of them, learning from Jesus,
- 50:09Speaker 4: but this had been a long, strange, yet exciting week
- 50:12Speaker 4: for all of them. The crowds shouting in praise to
- 50:17Speaker 4: God as Jesus rode that donkey into Jerusalem. That was amazing.
- 50:27Speaker 4: Finally people realized who Jesus is. But then there was
- 50:33Speaker 4: that weird plot by the chief priest to have Lazarus killed.
- 50:39Speaker 4: What was that all about? Why couldn't they just rejoice
- 50:44Speaker 4: that a man who had been dead was brought back
- 50:46Speaker 4: to life. Their meal was drawn to a close and
- 50:54Speaker 4: everyone was relaxed, reclining at the table, talking softly. Occasional
- 51:01Speaker 4: light laughter could be heard. Nathaniel looked at each of
- 51:07Speaker 4: his companions, thankful for them. Then he noticed Jesus looking
- 51:12Speaker 4: at each of them as well. There was such great love,
- 51:16Speaker 4: but also some sadness in his eyes. As Nathaniel watched,
- 51:24Speaker 4: Jesus slowly got to his feet and took off his
- 51:26Speaker 4: outer robe.
- 51:29Speaker 2: What is he doing?
- 51:30Speaker 4: He wondered? Jesus then walked over to a cupboard sitting
- 51:36Speaker 4: against a nearby wall and took a picture of water,
- 51:39Speaker 4: a stone basin, and a towel from the cupboard. Wrapping
- 51:43Speaker 4: the towel around himself, he returned to the table, knelt
- 51:47Speaker 4: down beside Andrew, who looked as startled as everyone else,
- 51:52Speaker 4: and took off Andrew's sandals. There was a collective gasp
- 51:58Speaker 4: in the room. They had all washed their hands before
- 52:02Speaker 4: the meal, as was required, but they had been walking
- 52:06Speaker 4: all day. Andrew's feet were filthy. He started to draw
- 52:12Speaker 4: them back, but Jesus pulled them gently toward the basin
- 52:17Speaker 4: and began to wash them. Tears filled Nathaniel's eyes as
- 52:24Speaker 4: he watched. He wanted to protest, but he knew that
- 52:29Speaker 4: Jesus never did anything without reason, but this just seemed
- 52:35Speaker 4: so wrong. Moving on to James, and then John, and
- 52:43Speaker 4: then Matthew, Jesus continued to take off their dirty sandals
- 52:48Speaker 4: and wash their grimy feet, drawing them with the towel
- 52:53Speaker 4: around his waist. There was more than one man in
- 52:57Speaker 4: tears now. When Jesus came to Peter, he the impetuous one,
- 53:05Speaker 4: said to Jesus, Lord, do you wash my feet. His
- 53:11Speaker 4: tone was incredulous. Jesus looked at Peter with great compassion.
- 53:17Speaker 4: What I am doing. You do not understand it now,
- 53:20Speaker 4: but afterward you will understand. Peter cried out, you will
- 53:26Speaker 4: never wash my feet. Nathaniel didn't move a muscle, He
- 53:33Speaker 4: just stared wide eyed at the Lord. It hadn't Peter
- 53:37Speaker 4: spoken out of turn before and been rebuked by the Lord.
- 53:42Speaker 4: Nathaniel held his breath for Jesus reply. But the Lord
- 53:47Speaker 4: was kind. He simply said to Peter, if I do
- 53:52Speaker 4: not wash you, you have no share with me. And
- 53:57Speaker 4: of course, Peter, being Peter, said Lord, not my feet only,
- 54:02Speaker 4: but my hands and my head.
- 54:05Speaker 2: Hm.
- 54:07Speaker 4: Jesus chuckled, knowing Peter so well. The one who has
- 54:12Speaker 4: bathed does not need to wash except for his feet,
- 54:16Speaker 4: but is completely clean. And you are clean. And then
- 54:21Speaker 4: Jesus's eyes turned sad again, and he said, but not
- 54:26Speaker 4: every one of you. Nathaniel looked around at all the
- 54:31Speaker 4: others in the room. What did Jesus mean, he wondered.
- 54:37Speaker 4: Everyone had washed, he was sure of it, But Jesus
- 54:41Speaker 4: did not stop his task. He moved on through the group,
- 54:47Speaker 4: finally coming to Nathaniel himself. Nathaniel thought his heart would
- 54:55Speaker 4: burst within him. He did not want Jesus to humble
- 54:59Speaker 4: himself so and wash his feet, but he let him,
- 55:03Speaker 4: tears rolling down his cheeks. Jesus looked at him with
- 55:08Speaker 4: so much compassion, and then he finished this service, got
- 55:14Speaker 4: up and returned the basin and pitcher, and took the
- 55:18Speaker 4: towel from around his waist and laid it on the cupboard.
- 55:22Speaker 4: Putting on his outer garment again, he sat down at
- 55:26Speaker 4: his place at the table as before. Jesus looked each
- 55:32Speaker 4: one of them in the eye with so much love,
- 55:35Speaker 4: and then he said, do you understand what I have
- 55:39Speaker 4: done to you? You call me teacher and lord, and
- 55:45Speaker 4: you are right, for so I am. If I, then
- 55:50Speaker 4: your lord and teacher have washed your feet, you also
- 55:55Speaker 4: ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given
- 55:58Speaker 4: you an example that you also should do, just as
- 56:02Speaker 4: I have done to you. Nathaniel wanted so badly to
- 56:09Speaker 4: understand what Jesus was saying. He knew from experience that
- 56:15Speaker 4: what he said could not just be taken at face value.
- 56:19Speaker 4: He knew Jesus meant more than just washing feet. And
- 56:25Speaker 4: then Jesus continued, truly, truly, I say to you, a
- 56:31Speaker 4: servant is not greater than his master, nor is a
- 56:35Speaker 4: messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you
- 56:39Speaker 4: know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
- 56:46Speaker 4: Many more things were spoken that night, and Nathaniel treasured
- 56:51Speaker 4: them all in his heart, From hearing that someone in
- 56:54Speaker 4: their group was going to turn against Jesus, to the
- 56:58Speaker 4: Lord telling them to love each other as he had
- 57:01Speaker 4: loved them, and then another warning to Peter, a warning
- 57:08Speaker 4: that he would deny three times that he even knew Jesus.
- 57:15Speaker 4: It was all so much to bear, so hard to understand,
- 57:21Speaker 4: so frightening to all of them. Yet being with Jesus
- 57:25Speaker 4: was the best thing that had ever happened to Nathaniel.
- 57:31Speaker 4: As he contemplated the foot washing again, he thought he understood.
- 57:37Speaker 4: If Jesus, who was the Messiah, could stoop so low
- 57:41Speaker 4: as to wash their grimy feet, then there was nothing
- 57:45Speaker 4: that was beneath them. They should serve one another in
- 57:48Speaker 4: whatever way they could, And if he had to guess,
- 57:54Speaker 4: Nathaniel thought that Jesus didn't just mean the twelve of
- 57:57Speaker 4: them who were sitting with him that night. Hadn't he
- 58:01Speaker 4: once before said that if they wanted to be great
- 58:04Speaker 4: in God's kingdom, they must become the least. They must
- 58:09Speaker 4: be the servants of everyone. As he lay on his
- 58:14Speaker 4: mat that night, looking at the stars thinking about all
- 58:18Speaker 4: these things, Nathaniel wondered what that would mean for him.
- 58:25Speaker 4: It all seemed too much, and yet he remembered another
- 58:29Speaker 4: conversation from an earlier time. Jesus had been saddened when
- 58:34Speaker 4: so many Jews walked away from him because the things
- 58:38Speaker 4: he was saying were just too hard to hear. Jesus
- 58:42Speaker 4: turned to them and asked them, do you want to
- 58:47Speaker 4: go away as well? Peter, who didn't often say the
- 58:54Speaker 4: right thing, had looked solemnly at Jesus and said, Lord,
- 59:00Speaker 4: to whom shall we go? You have the words of
- 59:04Speaker 4: eternal life, and we have believed and have come to
- 59:07Speaker 4: know that you are the Holy One God. Yes, Nathaniel thought,
- 59:19Speaker 4: no matter how hard it might seem to be to
- 59:21Speaker 4: all of them, he knew that Jesus alone had the
- 59:25Speaker 4: words of eternal life, and he would do whatever he
- 59:28Speaker 4: was asked to do. Dear Lord, we are in awe
- 59:36Speaker 4: of your love and your kindness. Thank you for showing
- 59:42Speaker 4: us exactly what it means to be a servant. You
- 59:47Speaker 4: left your heavenly throne, gave up all your glory in
- 59:51Speaker 4: order to come down and save us because you love
- 59:55Speaker 4: us so much. As your precious child sleeps tonight, I
- 1:00:02Speaker 4: pray that you would give them peace because they know
- 1:00:05Speaker 4: that you are always by their side, and that you
- 1:00:11Speaker 4: do indeed have the words of eternal life. Thank you
- 1:00:18Speaker 4: for wanting us to share that life with you. We
- 1:00:22Speaker 4: love you. Amen.
- 1:00:39Speaker 5: As you prepare for sleep, remember Jesus said, seek and
- 1:00:45Speaker 5: you will find. As you seek Jesus tonight, may he
- 1:00:50Speaker 5: visit you in your dreams and you find comfort he brings.
- 1:00:58Speaker 5: Before we begin, get under the covers, letting your body
- 1:01:04Speaker 5: get in a very comfortable position. When you feel ready
- 1:01:14Speaker 5: and relaxed, close your eyes. Listen to your breathing. Don't
- 1:01:25Speaker 5: change it, just listen to it as you gently inhale.
- 1:01:35Speaker 5: Breathe in all the love God has for you. As
- 1:01:42Speaker 5: you exhale, feel all your distractions. Leave any aches and pains,
- 1:01:55Speaker 5: any worries, in all distractions. Put your hand over your heart,
- 1:02:11Speaker 5: feel your heart beating the heart God created for you.
- 1:02:21Speaker 5: Colossians two, verse six says, Therefore, as you received Christ
- 1:02:27Speaker 5: Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. From very early times,
- 1:02:35Speaker 5: Jews use the word walk to speak of the manner
- 1:02:38Speaker 5: in which one conducted one's life. Tonight, we will walk
- 1:02:44Speaker 5: with Jesus and learn as the disciples did by observing
- 1:02:48Speaker 5: the Messiah's actions. Let's pray Holy Spirit anoint my eyes
- 1:02:58Speaker 5: and ears to see and hear from you tonight in
- 1:03:04Speaker 5: the company of Jesus. May I know where true joy
- 1:03:09Speaker 5: is to be found, and in the presence of God.
- 1:03:13Speaker 5: May your inner beauty shine forth. Lord, help me not
- 1:03:18Speaker 5: to lean on my own understanding, but in everything acknowledge you,
- 1:03:24Speaker 5: so that you can direct my words, thoughts, my actions,
- 1:03:29Speaker 5: and my steps in Jesus' name. Amen. Located on Jerusalem's
- 1:03:42Speaker 5: Mount of Olives, This historic garden, the name of which
- 1:03:47Speaker 5: means olive press, has been sprouting olive trees since Jesus' lifetime.
- 1:03:56Speaker 5: Jesus came to this lovely place with his disciples to pray.
- 1:04:02Speaker 5: He came here after the Last Supper and the day
- 1:04:05Speaker 5: before his crucifixion, where he was plagued by sorrow. Look
- 1:04:12Speaker 5: for a picture in your mind. You are on the
- 1:04:16Speaker 5: summit of the Mount of Olives. Just a few feet
- 1:04:20Speaker 5: away is a large olive tree. Jesus is there waiting
- 1:04:26Speaker 5: for you. He smiles and calls you by name. Go
- 1:04:32Speaker 5: to him. Jesus takes you into his arms with a
- 1:04:39Speaker 5: warm hug. I'm so glad you came, he says, Come,
- 1:04:45Speaker 5: let's sit down and be together for a while. So
- 1:04:49Speaker 5: you sit on a soft patch of green grass and
- 1:04:53Speaker 5: enjoy each other's company. Jesus takes you by the hand,
- 1:05:00Speaker 5: and he says, I have been with you always, through
- 1:05:04Speaker 5: times of joy in times of sadness. Then Jesus shows
- 1:05:12Speaker 5: you moments in your life, beginning when you were very young.
- 1:05:16Speaker 5: He shows you how he was there, sharing each moment
- 1:05:20Speaker 5: with you. This is a meaningful place for Yeshua, for Jesus,
- 1:05:27Speaker 5: he came here often. John chapter eight, verses one through
- 1:05:33Speaker 5: two says, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives
- 1:05:38Speaker 5: at dawn. He appeared again in the temple courts, where
- 1:05:41Speaker 5: all the people gathered around him, and he sat down
- 1:05:45Speaker 5: to teach them. On this evening, he sits down with
- 1:05:52Speaker 5: you to teach. The delightful fragrance of the olive trees
- 1:05:58Speaker 5: fill your senses. The Mount of Olives rises to the
- 1:06:02Speaker 5: east of the city of Jerusalem. It's a beautifully warm day.
- 1:06:09Speaker 5: You have a glorious view of the sunset over the
- 1:06:12Speaker 5: old city of Jerusalem. And then Jesus says, at your
- 1:06:19Speaker 5: baptism you became a child of God for the Father,
- 1:06:23Speaker 5: and a member of the Body of Christ through the
- 1:06:27Speaker 5: Holy Spirit. I will be with you forever, during the
- 1:06:31Speaker 5: good times and the difficult times. Putting his arm around you,
- 1:06:38Speaker 5: he prays for you. The moment causes you to understand
- 1:06:44Speaker 5: he is the one who not only loved this place,
- 1:06:48Speaker 5: that loved you enough to come, offering himself to be
- 1:06:52Speaker 5: your light in the darkness. He reminds you that he
- 1:06:59Speaker 5: is the only true light in the world. He alone
- 1:07:04Speaker 5: is the source of all light, and he alone is
- 1:07:08Speaker 5: the only one that can deliver you from your fears
- 1:07:12Speaker 5: and your hurts. Jesus looks into your eyes and he says,
- 1:07:21Speaker 5: I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me
- 1:07:26Speaker 5: will not walk in darkness, but will have the light
- 1:07:30Speaker 5: of life. Tears begin to fall from your eyes. He
- 1:07:40Speaker 5: comforts you, pulling you into his chest. Resting for a
- 1:07:48Speaker 5: while in his embrace, he invites you to another place
- 1:07:54Speaker 5: of great meaning for him. Much of jesus ministry occurred
- 1:08:00Speaker 5: on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The sight
- 1:08:04Speaker 5: of many settlements in trade of that time. It's here
- 1:08:09Speaker 5: that Jesus recruited some of his apostles, as well as
- 1:08:13Speaker 5: give sermons on a hill overlooking the area. As the
- 1:08:18Speaker 5: two of you walk, Jesus points out a stream that
- 1:08:23Speaker 5: feeds into the lake and invites you to go into
- 1:08:27Speaker 5: the water to renew yourself as you call to mind
- 1:08:31Speaker 5: your baptism. As you stand in the stream with Jesus,
- 1:08:39Speaker 5: you hear voices from heaven cheering and clapping. Jesus laughs
- 1:08:44Speaker 5: and says you hear our family, the church greeting you.
- 1:08:51Speaker 5: They are the family and friends you meet every day,
- 1:08:55Speaker 5: and all those in heaven and around the world who
- 1:08:58Speaker 5: pray for you. Together, you go hand in hand. To
- 1:09:05Speaker 5: your surprise, the water is warm and life giving. With
- 1:09:10Speaker 5: great joy, Jesus gently dips you into the water. As
- 1:09:17Speaker 5: you come up, the water falls from your face, and
- 1:09:25Speaker 5: Jesus issued an invitation and a challenge to his disciples
- 1:09:29Speaker 5: to follow in his footsteps, and he issues you the
- 1:09:34Speaker 5: very same invitation. As you leave the water, you become
- 1:09:42Speaker 5: completely dry and your heart fills with God's grace. As
- 1:09:49Speaker 5: you continue your walk with Jesus, you realize that you
- 1:09:54Speaker 5: can tell him anything, and he listens to you your
- 1:10:00Speaker 5: every word. It's God's son, Jesus Christ, who opened for
- 1:10:08Speaker 5: you the pathway to walk through the valley of the
- 1:10:12Speaker 5: shadow of death and fear no evil, and whose spirit
- 1:10:18Speaker 5: helps you to walk in the light. It's a glorious day.
- 1:10:28Speaker 5: You can see a hillside flowing with green grass, next
- 1:10:32Speaker 5: to the lake, which is blowing gently in the breeze. Again,
- 1:10:37Speaker 5: Jesus takes you by the hand up the gentle slope,
- 1:10:42Speaker 5: and as you look out over the Sea of Galilee,
- 1:10:46Speaker 5: rays of sun bounce off the surface. In the distance,
- 1:10:52Speaker 5: you can see an older fisherman with wrinkled skin. He's
- 1:10:56Speaker 5: in a hand carved boat casting his nets. As the
- 1:11:03Speaker 5: sun warms your body, you glance at Jesus. He's in
- 1:11:08Speaker 5: a long robe and sandals on his feet. You see
- 1:11:12Speaker 5: his smiling face. You can feel his love reaching out
- 1:11:19Speaker 5: to you. It wraps you like a warm blanket. He
- 1:11:25Speaker 5: is so glad to be with you. He is overjoyed
- 1:11:29Speaker 5: that you have chosen to follow him, to follow in
- 1:11:34Speaker 5: his footsteps. It's in this same place that Jesus fed
- 1:11:44Speaker 5: five thousand people Matthew fourteen. It tells us when Jesus
- 1:11:54Speaker 5: heard what had happened. He withdrew by boat privately to
- 1:11:58Speaker 5: a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him
- 1:12:04Speaker 5: on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw
- 1:12:09Speaker 5: a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed
- 1:12:13Speaker 5: their sick As evening approached, the disciples came to him
- 1:12:18Speaker 5: and said, this is a remote place and it's already
- 1:12:22Speaker 5: getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go
- 1:12:27Speaker 5: to the villages and buy themselves some food. And Jesus replied,
- 1:12:34Speaker 5: they do not need to go away. You give them
- 1:12:38Speaker 5: something to eat. We have here only five loaves of
- 1:12:43Speaker 5: bread and two fish, they answered. Bring them here to me,
- 1:12:47Speaker 5: he said, and he directed the people to sit down
- 1:12:52Speaker 5: on the grass, Taking the five loaves and the two fish,
- 1:12:57Speaker 5: and looking up to Heaven, he gave thanks and broke
- 1:13:01Speaker 5: the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and
- 1:13:06Speaker 5: the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate
- 1:13:12Speaker 5: and were satisfied, and Jesus picked up twelve basketfuls of
- 1:13:17Speaker 5: broken pieces that were left over. The number of those
- 1:13:23Speaker 5: who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
- 1:13:30Speaker 5: With this vision on your heart, the sun continues to set.
- 1:13:37Speaker 5: Jesus tells you it's time to go, But first he
- 1:13:42Speaker 5: has something for you, something that will unite you closer
- 1:13:48Speaker 5: to him. He takes from his cloak a small loaf
- 1:13:53Speaker 5: of bread. He blesses it, breaks it, and says, this
- 1:14:00Speaker 5: is my body. Take and eat together. You share the meal.
- 1:14:11Speaker 5: Now you both prepare to go. He invites you to
- 1:14:15Speaker 5: return any time and says he will be waiting. He
- 1:14:20Speaker 5: tells you he will be with you throughout your journey.
- 1:14:27Speaker 5: Let your walk with Jesus tonight and the subsequent ordering
- 1:14:33Speaker 5: of your steps be done in a spirit of grateful
- 1:14:36Speaker 5: joy and humble hope. Because it is God, the Great Jehovah,
- 1:14:43Speaker 5: the creator of all things, the provider of all needs,
- 1:14:49Speaker 5: inviting you to personally, inviting you to be personally involved
- 1:14:56Speaker 5: in a lifelong love relationship with him. Father, God, take
- 1:15:05Speaker 5: over these scenes each day. May Jesus come alive as
- 1:15:13Speaker 5: you drift further asleep, surrender to his complete control, allowing
- 1:15:23Speaker 5: him to do a deep work in you. Lord, just
- 1:15:29Speaker 5: like you, multiply the loaves and the fishes. Multiply whatever
- 1:15:34Speaker 5: is needed in this dear one's life. Open the doors
- 1:15:39Speaker 5: that need to be opened. So that miraculous provision will arrive.
- 1:15:47Speaker 5: And now may the Lord bless you and keep you.
- 1:15:54Speaker 5: The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be
- 1:15:58Speaker 5: gracious to you, and lift up his countenance upon you,
- 1:16:05Speaker 5: and give you peace in Jesus name, Amen,