Vicki's Wednesday Word

  John 6:1-14 6  After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias.  2  A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.  3  Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him.  4  (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.)  5  Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?”  6  He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.  7  Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”  8  Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up.  9  “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” 10  “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they a...

  Matthew 10:1-4 New Living Translation   10  Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.  2  Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother),  3  Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, 4 Simon (the zealot),  Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).   Being selected can evoke many kinds of responses. Being chosen for the playground team in the early rounds can give your confidence a boost. I imagine we can all relate to the sensation of being called upon in class for an answer we don’t have! In that split second your stomach drops and your mind goes totally blank, followed by total embarrassment. There is another type of selection, a type of being called, that underlies the Gospels....

  1 Peter 2:18-25 New Living Translation     18  You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.  19  For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment.  20  Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.  21  For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.  22  He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.  23  He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.  24  He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and l...

    1 Peter 2:11-18 New Living Translation   11  Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.  12  Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.  13  For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state,  14  or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.  15  It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.  16  For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.  17  Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and r...