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<DIV><FONT size=4>... 75% of Americans give to charities annually at an average
of $1800 or 3.5% of their incomes. Totaling it up, one quarter trillion dollars
is shared with others, 75% of it coming from private individuals. This private
giving could finance the annual gross domestic product (GDP) of either Norway,
Sweden or Denmark. (Brooks) The purpose of sharing these numbers is not to give
us cause to boast, but to recognize together that many have seen the love of God
in Christ Jesus and the worldwide impact of these charitable ministries is
significant. Jesus was right when he said in Palestine so long ago, "you haven't
seen anything yet."</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/predigt.php?id=240&kennung=20070527en">http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/predigt.php?id=240&kennung=20070527en</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>David Zersen</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>When God wants to give us a greater blessing he does so by
letting us feel temporarily forsaken by him. This was how he led the people of
Israel into the promised land. He took them through the desert. And in the
desert they felt so deserted that they were ready to give up on the entire
journey with God. Let's go back to Egypt, they said, back to slavery. At least
that was better than being here in the desert. But the way to the promised land
went through the desert. The way to the blessing went through them feeling
forsaken by God. But they were never forsaken. God was with them all the
time.</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.sigurdgrindheim.com/sermons/spirit.html"><FONT
size=4>http://www.sigurdgrindheim.com/sermons/spirit.html</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Sigurd Grindheim</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>In one series, he has Snoopy, that hound of heaven, thinking
and talking about Woodstock, that would-be bird of paradise. Snoopy says,
"Someday, Woodstock is going to be a great eagle. He's going to soar 1,000 feet
above the earth." About that time, Woodstock takes off, gets about 100 feet
above the earth, but then soars down for awhile and begins to twirl around in
all sorts of dervish movements. And Snoopy has second thoughts. He says, "Well,
maybe just 100 feet above the earth." And about that time, Woodstock plummets to
the earth, lies on his back half dazed, and Snoopy concludes, "Maybe he'll just
be one of those eagles that walks around on earth.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/dunnam_4006.htm">http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/dunnam_4006.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Maxie Dunnam, 1996</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>I’ve never known of anybody who could measure up to the works
of the Lord. And yet this is what he says, "See what I’m doing. What I’m doing
you’ll be able to do," and then he adds, "and greater works than these shall ye
do because I go unto my Father."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>When I asked my pastor about that when I was a young boy he
said it’s because we don’t have enough faith. That didn’t quite wash with me
because Jesus doesn’t say you might do it if you have enough faith. He says, you
will do it. I think that the problem is this, that we are so impressed with the
power of God that we fail to see that the miracles are not about his power but
about his love. What Jesus did he did not so much to demonstrate his power but
to express his love.</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/campolo_4001.htm">http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/campolo_4001.htm</A></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Tony Campolo, 1996</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>- - - -
-</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>But what is Jesus telling us anyway, when he says that if we
ask him for anything in his name, he will do it?</FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT size=4>Well, the whole Gospel for today is a pep talk to his followers,
for he is going away. He is talking about removing his physical presence from
his disciples, after the resurrection, after his work is completed.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>How often we might have wanted to walk up to Jesus and ask him
what he meant by saying this and other things or why whatever is going on in our
lives is happening. We are like St. Philip, the apostle of our Lord. All he
wanted was a clear presentation of God, so he could trust Jesus. But even if he
or we could see God any clearer than he saw Jesus, we would still have to trust
him. We have to place our confidence in him, or in someone, something
else.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Placing our confidence in someone or something else is worse
than betting on a sports team. You have no idea what is going to happen. A vote
of no confidence in the power and presence of Jesus is not stepping onto solid
ground but trying to walk on water. As I recall only One person was successful
in doing that.</FONT></P>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-7/050501-3-e.html">http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-7/050501-3-e.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Hubert Beck, 2005</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></FONT></DIV>
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