When God Takes Little... and Makes Much!!

Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 31 Friday August 01, 2014 - Thursday August 07 2014 When God Takes Little... and Makes Much!! Sunday, August 3 is The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost. My 9am Sunday message at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 14531 Old Olga Rd., Ft. Myers, FL (and my 5:30pm, Sat., August 2 "Bible Study and Singing" worship message at Faith Lutheran Church, 1160 SW 31st Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL) is drawn from this weekend's Gospel lesson, Matthew 14:13-21. '"We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,' they answered. 'Bring them here to me,' He said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children" (vss. 17-21). There are perhaps none of Jesus' miracles that have grabbed our attention like... THE FEED- ING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND!! 1

Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday August 01, 2014 - Thursday August 07, 2014 I write this devotion, the week following our Bethlehem Lutheran "Weird Animals" Vacation Bible School. This miracle account takes on a very personal perspective... WHAT I THINK IS LITTLE... CAN BE USED BY GOD TO MAKE MUCH!! The Bethlehem community saw this last week... IN A POWERFUL WAY!! A small congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran, endeavored to provide a week of VBS outreach... during their... SMALLEST SEASON!! It is summer in SW FL, and this small congregation is (as most SW FL congregations are in the summertime)... AT IT'S SMALLEST!!... (the snow-birds are all up north... and even a number of the year-around regulars are away on vacation!!) But in Bethlehem's VBS week, God took what was little (just like He did when Jesus fed the five thousand)... AND MADE "MUCH" OF IT!! Bethlehem's VBS had over thirty adult and teen volunteers!! And impacted just shy of thirty children (and their families!!)... During this summer season, when a "good" Bethlehem Sunday Church attendance is 40 to 45... we had over 60 folks (children, teens and adults) active for five days in an amazing VBS ministry outreach week!! This weekend we are singing the beautiful hymn "O Living Bread from Heaven" (verse one) "O Living Bread from heaven, How well you feed your guest! The gifts that you have given, Have filled my heart with rest. Oh, wondrous food of blessing, Oh, cup that heals our woes! My heart, this gift possessing, With praises overflows." Thank you, O Living Bread from heaven (Jesus)... You certainly fed many last week!!... May all who are fed by You... CONTINUE TO GROW IN THEIR WALK WITH YOU!! 2

Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 32 Friday August 08, 2014 - Thursday August 14, 2014 Walking on Water... God's Instruction Manual!! Sunday, August 10, is The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost. My 9am Sunday sermon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 14531 Old Olga Rd., Ft. Myers, FL (and my 5:30pm, Saturday, August 9, "Bible Study and Singing" worship message at Faith Lutheran Church, 1160 SW 31st Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL) is drawn from this weekend's Gospel lesson, Matthew 14:22-33. "When the disciples saw Him (Jesus) walking on the lake, they were terrified. It s a ghost, they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: Take courage! It is I. Don t be afraid. Lord, if it s you, Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. Come, He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, Lord, save me! Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. You of little faith, He said, why did you doubt? (vss. 29-31). During this... LONG GREEN SEASON (this the long summer and fall Pentecost season in the Christian Church... the color for this season is green)... the Pentecost season's appointed Gospel lessons have us exploring Jesus' parables and Jesus' miracles. This weekend's lesson points us to one of Jesus' most dramatic miracles... THAT OF JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER!! 1

Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday August 08, 2014 - Thursday August 14, 2014 But, perhaps the even bigger miracle in this weekend's Gospel lesson, was the fact... THAT PETER HAD THE FAITH TO STEP OUT INTO THE WATER!! This weekend we will sing the beautiful hymn "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" (verse one) " Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, And to take Him at His Word; Just to rest upon His promise, And to know, Thus says the Lord! Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I ve proved Him o er and o er, Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!" That is what the Apostle Peter did... HE TOOK JESUS AT HIS WORD!! We will also sing "He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought" (verse one) "He leadeth me, O blessèd thought! O words with heav nly comfort fraught! Whate er I do, where er I be, Still tis God s hand that leadeth me. He leadeth me, He leadeth me, By His own hand He leadeth me; His faithful follower I would be, For by His hand He leadeth me." That's what the "Walking on Water" Instruction Manual makes very clear to each of us... "Whate er I do, where er I be, Still tis God s hand that leadeth me." 2

Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 33 Friday August 15, 2014 - Thursday August 21, 2014 So, that's what Faith Looks Like!! Sunday, August 17, is The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost. My 9am Sunday sermon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 14531 Old Olga Rd., Ft. Myers (and my 5:30pm Saturday, August 16 worship message at Faith Lutheran Church, 1160 SW 31st Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL) is drawn from this weekend's Gospel lesson, Matthew 15:21-28. "Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly. Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us. He answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. The woman came and knelt before him. Lord, help me! she said. He replied, It is not right to take the children s bread and toss it to the dogs. Yes it is, Lord, she said. Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master s table. Then Jesus said to her, Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted. And her daughter was healed at that moment." This weekend's Gospel accounts is very possibly the Jesus' miracle story, that causes Christians to... SCRATCH THEIR HEADS!! 1

Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday August 15, 2014 - Thursday August 21, 2014 Our first response to reading this story is very possibly, to say to Jesus... HOW COULD YOU BE SO MEAN TO THIS WOMAN?? But then, when examining this powerful account, we began to understand why Jesus was saying these words, as this interaction was unfolding... JESUS ONGOING TEACHING TO HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT FAITH!! This weekend we will sing the beautiful Gospel song,"leaning on the Everlasting Arms" (verse one) "What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the everlasting arms; What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, Leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms." As this weekend's sermon title declares... "So, That's what Faith Looks Like!!"... My faith in Jesus Christ is... when I am "leaning (on Jesus), safe and secure from all alarms." We also will sing the powerful hymn, "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less" (verse one) "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. No merit on my own I claim, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand." Sooo... that is what faith looks like... that "no merit on my own I claim, but wholly lean on Jesus' name!!" My prayer is that this also describes OUR FAITH!! 2

Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 34 Friday August 22, 2014 - Thursday August 28, 2014 Who Do You Say I Am?? Sunday, August 24, is The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost. My 9am Sunday sermon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 14531 Old Olga Rd., Ft. Myers (and my 5:30pm, Sat., August 23 worship message at Faith Lutheran Church, 1160 SW 31st Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL) is taken from this weekend's Gospel lesson, Matthew 16:13-20. "When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?' They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' 'But what about you?' He asked. 'Who do you say I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.' ' Jesus replied, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; what ever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.' Then He ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah." (vss. 13-20). If there ever was a question for EVERY one of us today... IT IS CONTAINED IN THIS WEEK- END'S GOSPEL LESSON!! 1

Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday August 22, 2014 - Thursday August 28, 2014 Many are drawn to this Scripture text, because it is where Jesus gives the Apostle Peter the CLEAR directive to be the leader of this fledgling group of folks, known as... THE CHRIS- TIAN CHURCH!! But perhaps a far more important dialogue, is between Jesus and Peter, when Jesus asks him, "Who do you say that I am?" A number of the hymns and Christian songs that we will sing this weekend were written to answer Jesus' question. We will sing, "His Name is Wonderful" "His name is wonderful, His name is wonderful, His name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord. He's the Great Shepherd, The Rock of All Age, Almighty God is He. Bow down before Him, Love and adore Him, His name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord." The clear question this weekend, is not... WHAT DO OTHERS SAY ABOUT JESUS?? But rather... WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT JESUS?? We will also sing, "Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness". "Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness, My beauty are, my glorious dress; Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head. Bold shall I stand in Thy great day; For who aught to my charge shall lay? Fully absolved through these I am, From sin and fear, from guilt and shame." As we sing, declaring who Jesus is... this weekend. May each of us also...boldly...declare, when asked... JESUS IS MY LORD AND SAVIOR!! 2

Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 35 Friday August 29, 2014 - Thursday September 04, 2014 So, what does a Christian look like?? Sunday, August 31, is the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost. My 9am Sunday sermon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 14531 Old Olga Rd., Ft. Myers, FL (and my 5:30pm Saturday, August 30, worship message at Faith Lutheran Church, 1160 SW 31st Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL) is drawn from this weekend's Epistle lesson, Romans 12:9-21. "9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.in doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head' 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." 1

Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday August 29, 2014 - Thursday September 04, 2014 The question, "So, what does a Christian look like?" is CLEARLY answered by St. Paul's above words, written to the Christians in Rome in the first century. These powerful words are an excellent... GOAL STATEMENT... for each of us to print out, and place near our bathroom mirror... to wrestle with, at the beginning of each new day!! There are many hymns and Praise songs that help us with this theme. This weekend we will be singing "Take My Life, and Let It Be" (verses 1 & 2)) "Take my life and let it be, Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in endless praise. Take my hands and let them move, At the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet and let them be, Swift and beautiful for Thee." Go back and look at a sentence or two of St. Paul's above words. Do his words describe your Christian life and witness? How would God direct you, to grow in that particular area of Christian lifestyle? Would He direct you to:... His Word?... His Church?... His service?... a Christian friend? I believe that God directs us to... ALL OF THESE!!... So, lets get going!! We will also sing the beautiful Gospel song "Living for Jesus" (verse one) "Living for Jesus, a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do; Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me. O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone." What is God's pathway of blessing for you?? May it be... LIVING FOR JESUS!! 2