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The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, United States Daily Devotional for Saturday, 19 August 2017
Today please be in prayer for
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Howard UMC
Parsons District
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Independence: First UMC
Parsons District
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Independence: Grace Memorial UMC
Parsons District
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The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, United States Daily Devotional for Friday, 18 August 2017
Today please be in prayer for
Frontenac UMC
Parsons District
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Galena UMC
Parsons District
| 
Farlington UMC
Girard UMC
Parsons District
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The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, United States Daily Devotional for Thursday, 17 August 2017
Today please be in prayer for
Bartlett, KS UMC
Chetopa UMC
Edna UMC
Parsons District
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Elk City UMC
Havana UMC
Parsons District
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Elk Falls UMC
Grenola UMC
Longton UMC
Moline UMC
Parsons District
|
The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, United States Daily Devotional for Wednesday, 16 August 2017
Today please be in prayer for
Coffeyville: First UMC
Parsons District
| 
Coffeyville: Trinity UMC
Parsons District
| 
Dennis UMC
Thayer UMC
Parsons District
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The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, United States Daily Devotional for Tuesday, 15 August 2017
Today please be in prayer for
Chanute: Otterbein UMC
Parsons District
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Cherokee UMC
Columbus, KS: First UMC
Weir UMC
Parsons District
| 
Cherryvale UMC
Parsons District
|
The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, United States Daily Devotional for Monday, 14 August 2017
Today please be in prayer for
Altoona UMC
Buffalo UMC
High Prairie UMC
Parsons District
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Caney UMC
Parsons District
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Chanute: First UMC
Parsons District
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The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, United States Daily Devotional for Sunday, 13 August 2017
Today please be in prayer for
Arma UMC
Pittsburg: Grace UMC
Parsons District
| 
Baxter Springs: First UMC
Parsons District
| 
Bethlehem UMC
Neutral UMC
Parsons District
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Today's Devotional for Saturday, 19 August 2017
1 Peter 4:8-11
1 Peter 4:8 More than anything, keep loving each other actively; because love covers many sins.[1 Peter 4:8 Proverbs 10:12] 9 Welcome one another into your homes without grumbling. 10 As each one has received some spiritual gift, he should use it to serve others, like good managers of God’s many-sided grace — 11 if someone speaks, let him speak God’s words; if someone serves, let him do so out of strength that God supplies; so that in everything God may be glorified through Yeshua the Messiah — to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
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Today's Devotional for Friday, 18 August 2017
Psalm 150:1-6
Psalm 150:1 Halleluyah!
Praise God in his holy place!
Praise him in the heavenly dome of his power!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds!
Praise him for his surpassing greatness!
3 Praise him with a blast on the shofar!
Praise him with lute and lyre!
4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing!
Praise him with flutes and strings!
5 Praise him with clanging cymbals!
Praise him with loud crashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise Adonai!
Halleluyah!
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Today's Devotional for Thursday, 17 August 2017
Psalm 91:1-16
Psalm 91:1 You who live in the shelter of ‘Elyon,
who spend your nights in the shadow of Shaddai,
2 who say to Adonai, “My refuge! My fortress!
My God, in whom I trust!” —
3 he will rescue you from the trap of the hunter
and from the plague of calamities;
4 he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his truth is a shield and protection.
5 You will not fear the terrors of night
or the arrow that flies by day,
6 or the plague that roams in the dark,
or the scourge that wreaks havoc at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand;
but it won’t come near you.
8 Only keep your eyes open,
and you will see how the wicked are punished.
9 For you have made Adonai, the Most High,
who is my refuge, your dwelling-place.
10 No disaster will happen to you,
no calamity will come near your tent;
11 for he will order his angels to care for you
and guard you wherever you go.
12 They will carry you in their hands,
so that you won’t trip on a stone.
13 You will tread down lions and snakes,
young lions and serpents you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he loves me, I will rescue him;
because he knows my name, I will protect him.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him.
I will be with him when he is in trouble.
I will extricate him and bring him honor.
16 I will satisfy him with long life
and show him my salvation.”
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Today's Devotional for Wednesday, 16 August 2017
Acts 12:1-5
Acts 12:1 It was around this time that King Herod began arresting and persecuting certain members of the Messianic community; 2 and he had Ya‘akov, Yochanan’s brother, put to death by the sword. 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Judeans, he went on to arrest Kefa as well. It was during the Days of Matzah, 4 so when Herod seized him, he threw him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each, with the intention of bringing him to public trial after Pesach. 5 So Kefa was being held under watch in prison, but intense prayer was being made to God on his behalf by the Messianic community.
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Today's Devotional for Tuesday, 15 August 2017
Mark 9:38-41
Mark 9:38 Yochanan said to him, “Rabbi, we saw a man expelling demons in your name; and because he wasn’t one of us, we told him to stop.” 39 But Yeshua said, “Don’t stop him, because no one who works a miracle in my name will soon after be able to say something bad about me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Indeed, whoever gives you even a cup of water to drink because you come in the name of the Messiah — yes! I tell you that he will certainly not lose his reward.
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Today's Devotional for Monday, 14 August 2017
Psalm 32:8-11
Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct and teach you
in this way that you are to go;
I will give you counsel;
my eyes will be watching you.”
9 Don’t be like a horse or mule
that has no understanding,
that has to be curbed with bit and bridle,
or else it won’t come near you.
10 Many are the torments of the wicked,
but grace surrounds those who trust in Adonai.
11 Be glad in Adonai; rejoice, you righteous!
Shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
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Today's Devotional for Sunday, 13 August 2017
2 Timothy 1:1-7
2 Timothy 1:1 From: Sha’ul, an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua by God’s will, which holds forth a promise of life through being united with Messiah Yeshua
2 To: Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and shalom from God the Father and the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.
3 I give thanks to God, whom, like my forbears, I worship with a clean conscience, as I regularly remember you in my prayers night and day. 4 I am reminded of your tears, and I long to see you, so that I might be filled with joy. 5 I recall your sincere trust, the same trust that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice had first; and I am convinced that you too now have this trust.
6 For this reason, I am reminding you to fan the flame of God’s gift, which you received through s’mikhah from me. 7 For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline.
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Lectionary Readings for Sunday, 13 August 2017
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33
Scripture Texts: Genesis 37:1 Ya‘akov continued living in the land where his father had lived as a foreigner, the land of Kena‘an.
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33
Scripture Texts: Genesis 37:1 Ya‘akov continued living in the land where his father had lived as a foreigner, the land of Kena‘an.
2 Here is the history of Ya‘akov. When Yosef was seventeen years old he used to pasture the flock with his brothers, even though he was still a boy. Once when he was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, he brought a bad report about them to their father. 3 Now Isra’el loved Yosef the most of all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long-sleeved robe. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they began to hate him and reached the point where they couldn’t even talk with him in a civil manner.
(ii) 12 After this, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father’s sheep in Sh’khem, 13 Isra’el asked Yosef, “Aren’t your brothers pasturing the sheep in Sh’khem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” 14 He said to him, “Go now, see whether things are going well with your brothers and with the sheep, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him away from the Hevron Valley, and he went to Sh’khem, 15 where a man found him wandering around in the countryside. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” he answered. “Tell me, please, where are they pasturing the sheep?” 17 The man said, “They’ve left here; because I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dotan.’” Yosef went after his brothers and found them in Dotan.
18 They spotted him in the distance, and before he had arrived where they were, they had already plotted to kill him. 19 They said to each other, “Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 So come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these water cisterns here. Then we’ll say some wild animal devoured him. We’ll see then what becomes of his dreams!” 21 But when Re’uven heard this, he saved him from being destroyed by them. He said, “We shouldn’t take his life. 22 Don’t shed blood,” Re’uven added. “Throw him into this cistern here in the wilds, but don’t lay hands on him yourselves.” He intended to rescue him from them later and restore him to his father.
(iii) 23 So it was that when Yosef arrived to be with his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the long-sleeved robe he was wearing, 24 and took him and threw him into the cistern (the cistern was empty; without any water in it). 25 Then they sat down to eat their meal; but as they looked up, they saw in front of them a caravan of Yishma‘elim coming from Gil‘ad, their camels loaded with aromatic gum, healing resin and opium, on their way down to Egypt. 26 Y’hudah said to his brothers, “What advantage is it to us if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Yishma‘elim, instead of putting him to death with our own hands. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers paid attention to him. 28 So when the Midyanim, merchants, passed by, they drew and lifted Yosef up out of the cistern and sold him for half a pound of silver shekels to the Yishma‘elim, who took Yosef on to Egypt.
Psalm 105: 1 Give thanks to Adonai! Call on his name!
Make his deeds known among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him,
talk about all his wonders.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let those seeking Adonai have joyful hearts.
4 Seek Adonai and his strength;
always seek his presence.
5 Remember the wonders he has done,
his signs and his spoken rulings.
6 You descendants of Avraham his servant,
you offspring of Ya‘akov, his chosen ones,
16 He called down famine on the land,
broke off all their food supply,
17 but sent a man ahead of them —
Yosef, who was sold as a slave.
18 They shackled his feet with chains,
and they bound him in irons;
19 until the time when his word proved true,
God’s utterance kept testing him.
20 The king sent and had him released,
the ruler of peoples set him free;
21 he made him lord of his household,
in charge of all he owned,
22 correcting his officers as he saw fit
and teaching his counselors wisdom.
45 in order to obey his laws
and follow his teachings.
Halleluyah!
Romans 10:5 For Moshe writes about the righteousness grounded in the Torah that the person who does these things will attain life through them.[Romans 10:5 Leviticus 18:5] 6 Moreover, the righteousness grounded in trusting says:
“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend to heaven?’” —
that is, to bring the Messiah down — 7 or,
“‘Who will descend into Sh’ol?’” —
that is, to bring the Messiah up from the dead. 8 What, then, does it say?
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”[Romans 10:8 Deuteronomy 30:11–14] —
that is, the word about trust which we proclaim, namely, 9 that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be delivered. 10 For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgement and thus continues toward deliverance. 11 For the passage quoted says that everyone who rests his trust on him will not be humiliated.[Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16] 12 That means that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — Adonai is the same for everyone, rich toward everyone who calls on him, 13 since everyone who calls on the name of Adonai will be delivered.[Romans 10:13 Joel 3:5(2:32)]
14 But how can they call on someone if they haven’t trusted in him? And how can they trust in someone if they haven’t heard about him? And how can they hear about someone if no one is proclaiming him? 15 And how can people proclaim him unless God sends them? — as the Tanakh puts it, “How beautiful are the feet of those announcing good news about good things!”[Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7]
Matthew 14:22 Immediately he had the talmidim get in the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the crowds away. 23 After he had sent the crowds away, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night came on, and he was there alone. 24 But by this time, the boat was several miles from shore, battling a rough sea and a headwind. 25 Around four o’clock in the morning, he came toward them, walking on the lake! 26 When the talmidim saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said and screamed with fear. 27 But at once Yeshua spoke to them. “Courage,” he said, “it is I. Stop being afraid.” 28 Then Kefa called to him, “Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come!” he said. So Kefa got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Yeshua. 30 But when he saw the wind, he became afraid; and as he began to sink, he yelled, “Lord! Save me!” 31 Yeshua immediately stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “Such little trust! Why did you doubt?” 32 As they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 The men in the boat fell down before him and exclaimed, “You really are God’s son!”
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John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Verse 2
[2] These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
These are the generations of Jacob — It is not a barren genealogy, as those of Esau, but a memorable useful history.
Joseph brought to his father their evil report — Jacob's sons did that when they were from under his eye, which they durst not have done if they had been at home with him; but Joseph gave his father an account of their ill carriage, that he might reprove and restrain them.
Verse 3
[3] Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
He made him a coat of divers colours - Which probably was significant of farther honours intended him.
Verse 5
[5] And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
Though he was now very young, about seventeen years old, yet he was pious and devout, and this fitted him for God's gracious discoveries to him. Joseph had a great deal of trouble before him, and therefore God gave him betimes this prospect of his advancement, to support and comfort him.
Verse 18
[18] And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
And when they saw him afar off they conspired against him — It was not in a heat, or upon a sudden provocation, that they thought to slay him, but from malice propense, and in cold blood.
Verse 21
[21] And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
And Reuben heard it — God can raise up friends for his people, even among their enemies. Reuben of all the brothers had most reason to be jealous of Joseph, for he was the first-born, and so entitled to those distinguishing favours which Jacob was conferring on Joseph, yet he proves his best friend. Reuben's temper seems to have been soft and effeminate, which had betrayed him to the sin of uncleanness, while the temper of the two next brothers, Simeon and Levi, was fierce, which betrayed them to the sin of murder, a sin which Reuben startled at the thought of. He made a proposal which they thought would effectually destroy Joseph, and yet which he designed should answer his intention of rescuing Joseph out of their hands, probably hoping thereby to recover his father's favour which he had lately lost; but God over-ruled all to serve his own purpose of making Joseph an instrument to save much people alive. Joseph was here a type of Christ. Though he was the beloved Son of his Father, and hated by a wicked world; yet the Father sent him out of his bosom to visit us; he came from heaven to earth to seek and save us; yet then malicious plots were laid against him; he came to his own, and his own not only received him not, but consulted, This is the heir, come let us kill him. This he submitted to, in pursuance of his design to save us.
Verse 24
[24] And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
They call him into a pit — To perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies.
Verse 25
[25] And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
They sat down to eat bread — They felt no remorse of conscience, which if they had, would have spoiled their stomach to their meat. A great force put upon conscience commonly stupifies it, and for the time deprives it both of sense and speech.
Verse 26
[26] And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
What profit is it if we slay our brother? — It will be less guilt and more gain to sell him. They all agreed to this. And as Joseph was sold by the contrivance of Judah for twenty pieces of silver, so was our Lord Jesus for thirty, and by one of the same name too, Judas. Reuben it seems, was gone away from his brethren when they sold Joseph, intending to come round some other way to the pit, and to help Joseph out of it. But had this taken effect, what had become of God's purpose concerning his preferment, in Egypt? There are many devices of the enemies of God's people to destroy them, and of their friends to help them, which perhaps are both disappointed, as these here; but the counsel of the Lord that shall stand. Reuben thought himself undone because the child was sold; I, whither shall I go? He being the eldest, his father would expect from him an account of him; but it proved they had all been undone, if he had not been sold.
Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b
Verse 3
[3] Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
Glory — Glory in the God whom you serve, as the only true God.
Verse 4
[4] Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
Seek — The Lord in his strength, in his sanctuary, or before the ark, which is called God's strength.
Face — His gracious presence.
Verse 5
[5] Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
Judgments — The punishments which he brought upon Egypt by his mere word.
Verse 6
[6] O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
Of Jacob — The only branch of Abraham's seed to whom the following blessings belong.
Verse 16
[16] Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
Staff of bread — Bread, which is the staff or support of our lives.
Verse 19
[19] Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
His word — That word or revelation which came first to Pharaoh in a dream, and then to Joseph concerning the interpretation of it.
Purged — From those calamities which were cast upon him, and so prepared the way for his release.
Romans 10:5-15
Verse 5
[5] For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
For Moses describeth the only righteousness which is attainable by the law, when he saith, The man who doeth these things shall live by them - that is, he that perfectly keeps all these precepts in every point, he alone may claim life and salvation by them. But this way of justification is impossible to any who have ever transgressed any one law in any point. Leviticus 18:5
Verse 6
[6] But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
But the righteousness which is by faith — The method of becoming righteous by believing. Speaketh a very different language, and may be considered as expressing itself thus: (to accommodate to our present subject the words which Moses spake, touching the plainness of his law:) Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven, as if it were to bring Christ down: or, Who shall descend into the grave, as if it were to bring him again from the dead - Do not imagine that these things are to be done now, in order to procure thy pardon and salvation. Deuteronomy 30:14.
Verse 8
[8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
But what saith he — Moses. Even these words, so remarkably applicable to the subject before us. All is done ready to thy hand.
The word is nigh thee — Within thy reach; easy to be understood, remembered, practised. This is eminently true of the word of faith - The gospel.
Which we preach — The sum of which is, If thy heart believe in Christ, and thy life confess him, thou shalt be saved.
Verse 9
[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
If thou confess with thy mouth — Even in time of persecution, when such a confession may send thee to the lions.
Verse 10
[10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For with the heart — Not the understanding only.
Man believeth to righteousness — So as to obtain justification.
And with the mouth confession is made — So as to obtain final salvation. Confession here implies the whole of outward, as believing does the root of all inward, religion.
Verse 11
[11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Isaiah 28:16.
Verse 12
[12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
The same Lord of all is rich — So that his blessings are never to be exhausted, nor is he ever constrained to hold his hand. The great truth proposed in Romans 10:11 is so repeated here, and in Romans 10:13, and farther confirmed, Romans 10:14,15, as not only to imply, that "whosoever calleth upon him shall be saved;" but also that the will of God is, that all should savingly call upon him.
Verse 13
[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Joel 2:32.
Verse 15
[15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
But how shall they preach, unless they be sent — Thus by a chain of reasoning, from God's will that the gentiles also should "call upon him," St. Paul infers that the apostles were sent by God to preach to the gentiles also.
The feet — Their very footsteps; their coming. Isaiah 52:7.
Matthew 14:22-33
Verse 22
[22] And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
He constrained his disciples — Who were unwilling to leave him. Mark 6:45; John 6:15.
Verse 24
[24] But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
In the evening — Learned men say the Jews reckoned two evenings; the first beginning at three in the afternoon, the second, at sunset. If so, the latter is meant here.
Verse 25
[25] And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
The fourth watch — The Jews (as well as the Romans) usually divided the night into four watches, of three hours each. The first watch began at six, the second at nine, the third at twelve, the fourth at three in the morning.
If it be thou — It is the same as, Since it is thou. The particle if frequently bears this meaning, both in ours and in all languages. So it means, John 13:14,17. St. Peter was in no doubt, or he would not have quitted the ship.
Verse 30
[30] But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
He was afraid — Though he had been used to the sea, and was a skilful swimmer. But so it frequently is. When grace begins to act, the natural courage and strength are withdrawn.
Verse 33
[33] Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Thou art the Son of God — They mean, the Messiah.
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Contact InformationThe Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 East Boston, Suite 160
Wichita Kansas 67207, United States
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org
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