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Please label everything including individual glue sticks crayons and pencils with your child’s name. it is also extremely helpful if at least two of your childs pencils are sharpened prior to school.

CL Hoskins called to say thank you for all your prayers. He has seen God moving. He asks for your continued prayers for an upcoming July 9th hearing.

put len maselli’s biography here

Joe
Steve
Dave

Okay…so this little basket was so inspiring for me, I just got to work immediately! Today’s technique lover’s challenge was this mini easter basket by Claire Brennan. Once you see this basket, you’ll want to try it yourself! I couldn’t believe how cute it was and just couldn’t resist. So, to save you a step or two, you can download the template here.

Are you ready?
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Today’s readings are: Leviticus 19:1 to 20:21, Mark 8:11-38, Psalm 42:1-11, & Proverbs 10:17

Two passages caught my attention today. The first is especially for all those youth workers last night:

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
Psalm 42:11 (NLT)

We had a rough night last night with the youth in my opinion. I told 5 of them they were not welcome for the rest of the year. This really saddens my heart. I was only able to talk to 2 of their parents. I did tell the parents that if the youth came in an apologized that I would reconsider. Please pray for the youth. Satan wants them and I think he is winning.

Is anything worth more than your soul?
If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:37-38 (NLT)

I spoke to another youth last night who is dabbling in witchcraft and thinks we should not judge other religions. She is very confused.

We are not here to judge other religions. We are here to help them. They are deceived and are going down the wrong road. I explained to her that if she were to go up 6^th street to highway 34 and then turn to go to Des Moines only one direction would take her to Des Moines. She could not possibly get there going the other direction no matter how hard she tried or how much she believed she was correct.

There will come a day when all will be judged and sentenced until that time last do all we can to help as many as we can to find the Lord.

Dave

Today’s readings are: Leviticus 14:1-57, Mark 6:30-56, Psalm 40:1-10, & Proverbs 10:11-12

They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!”
Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed,
for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.
Mark 6:50-52 (NLT)

This passage puzzled me some about their hard hearts. I found this study note that I thought made good sense.

The disciples didn’t want to believe, perhaps because (1) they couldn’t accept the fact that this human named Jesus was really the Son of God; (2) they dared not believe that the Messiah would choose them as his followers — it was too good to be true; (3) they still did not understand the real purpose for Jesus’ coming to earth. Their disbelief took the form of misunderstanding. Even after watching Jesus miraculously feed 5,000 people, they still could not take the final step of faith and believe that he was God’s Son. If they had, they would not have been amazed that Jesus could walk on water. The disciples did not transfer the truth they already knew about Jesus to their own lives. We read that Jesus walked on the water, and yet we often marvel that he is able to work in our lives. We must not only believe that these miracles really occurred; we must also transfer the truth to our own life situations.

Life Application Study Bible.

I thought this went along well with yesterday’s message. The truth we know about Jesus (and we need to continue to grow in our knowledge) we must apply to our lives by faith.

Jesus often chided his disciples with these words, “Oh, ye of little faith”. It is my hope and prayer that we will know Jesus so well that we will walk in faith continually.

Dave

Today’s readings are: Leviticus 15:1 to 16:28, Mark 7:1-23, Psalm 40:11-17, & Proverbs 10:13-14

Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’
Mark 7:6-7 (NLT)

Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand.
It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”
Mark 7:14-15 (NLT)

Let’s keep our hearts right with God and then we won’t have to worry about our actions for they will stem from what is inside.

Have a great day,

Dave

Today’s readings are: Leviticus 16:29 to 18:30, Mark 7:24 to 8:10, Psalm 41:1-13, & Proverbs 10:15-16

Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret.
Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit,
and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter. Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia,
Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”
“Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.”
And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.
Mark 7:24-30 (NLT)

These verses here and a similar account in Matthew always bother me a little. I like what this commentary says:

Jesus was telling the woman that His first priority in being there was to instruct His disciples. It is not appropriate to interrupt a family meal to give the dogs food from the table. So it was not appropriate for Him to interrupt His ministry to His disciples to give His services to her, a Gentile. But Jesus’ reluctance to help stimulated her faith. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

It appears that Jesus was trying to get away from the crowd and possibly have some time for rest or instruction with his disciples. He did not want anyone to know where he was. We all need time away to refresh and rest from time to time.

God bless you,

Dave