Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

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Matthew 14:1-36
The Death of John the Baptist
1When Herod Antipas F76 heard about Jesus, 2he said to his advisers, "This must be John the Baptist come back to life again! That is why he can do such miracles." 3For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod's brother Philip). 4John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to marry her." 5Herod would have executed John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.
6But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias's daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, 7so he promised with an oath to give her anything she wanted. 8At her mother's urging, the girl asked, "I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!" 9The king was sorry, but because of his oath and because he didn't want to back down in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders. 10So John was beheaded in the prison, 11and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12John's disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they told Jesus what had happened.
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
13As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages. 14A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."
16But Jesus replied, "That isn't necessary—you feed them."
17"Impossible!" they exclaimed. "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish!"
18"Bring them here," he said. 19Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God's blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. 21About five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves, in addition to all the women and children!
Jesus Walks on Water
22Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people home. 23Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. 24Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.
25About three o'clock in the morning F77 Jesus came to them, walking on the water. 26When the disciples saw him, they screamed in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 27But Jesus spoke to them at once. "It's all right," he said. "I am here! Don't be afraid."
28Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water."
29"All right, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.
31Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him. "You don't have much faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?" 32And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.
33Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.
34After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35The news of their arrival spread quickly throughout the whole surrounding area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36The sick begged him to let them touch even the fringe of his robe, and all who touched it were healed.
FOOTNOTES:F76: Greek Herod the tetrarch. He was a son of King Herod and was ruler over one of the four districts in Palestine. F77: Greek In the fourth watch of the night.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

~ Lena’s Journalin’~
As I’m reading this first verse this morning I’m thinking about when the world called people “Christians”, Herod called Jesus a “Baptist”, a replica of John. Remember who the Bible said John had the same spirit of? Elijah, who would turn the hearts of fathers to children, children’s hearts to fathers and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, making a people ready for the coming of the King. People are recognized by what spirit they are of. We can have like mindedness, but to be one in spirit, we would have the spirit of God and of Christ at work in us. What Herod- a worldly king saw in Jesus was God, what he saw in John was God, what “he” should see in us is God. Of what spirit are we? That of the world, or that which is so different from the world that the world sees and begins to question the spirit we are of? It’s so the time to stir up questions among those we influence by our everyday lives. The world and its kings should ask, “what spirit are you of?”
One way they will know what spirit we are of is our standard of holiness. Love and truth rescues persons from the death grip of hell. John told Herodias truth, because he wanted her to repent and be rescued from hell. Uncorrectable and rebellious people think when truth is spoken, it is just the person desiring to put them down. They are already going down without words of truth to bring them up from the pits of destruction. John was executed for speaking the truth. How many are of that same spirit in our day that are willing to die for our own reputation to rescue someone else’s soul? Better a Christian die physically for speaking truth, than a sinner die and go to hell.
What about in our homes- are we willing to lay down our own self-life to speak the truth- IN LOVE? The love of God that truly is desirous of the rescue of a soul? It amazes me that a Christian spouse in an unequal yoke does not first get on their knees and cry out for the salvation of the spouse and ask for angelic help and pray for messengers of God to surround and bring their spouse into God’s kingdom, daily, praying until it happens, looking fervently for open doors to speak truth without any malice in the home.
I’ve heard so many say, “I cannot talk to them about it.”
Who has been set up by God to talk to them about it, but a plant inside of their very own home, which just so happens to be you? It is time to lay down self life- risk the present state of the relationship and speak the words of truth. Now if they don’t see the spirit of Christ and God in you, you may have sabotaged your reputation as a Christian, so you must cry out to God to show you how repair that, be humble and repent and speak the truth. Life force is the greatest witness and the best proof, but even if I don’t live it, the word is still truth and without Jesus as Lord we go to hell. To wait for yourself to get right would be a mistake, for you do not know when another’s or even your own life’s witness will pass away. Time for change, time to live and risk your own self life and speak!
Herod was very interested in his self life and the gospel message was silenced by the removing of the headship of Christ and the voice of his word being spoken (in that instance). Self life, and a dose of good worldly reputation will kill the gospel message.
After the tragedy of the main voice being silenced in that day, by the grace of God, it was time for the message to multiply through disciples. If you won’t, by God’s great grace someone else will. Eternal life is counting on it. Jesus said to the disciples YOU feed the multitudes! They said,” we can’t, it’s impossible!” Well, alone that is true, you can’t and it is impossible (to speak to and save that spouse), but offer them to God, give thanks in prayer by faith, believe, distribute the word of life, be the bread of life, let them eat of you and drink of you. Break down walls in prayer, crying out for the supernatural miraculous help of the spirit. Watch God do a miracle at your own hands! Surround yourself with other disciples who will agree with you in prayer!
Before and after every move, every miraculous feat, Jesus prayed. Prayer is the key, the prayer of faith brings the desired end. How much do you pray in fervent faith for a specific soul, especially your spouse?
Jesus is walking on water to you for this. He wants these people saved far more than we do. Ok there’s a storm, it is a distraction to try to thwart your faith. It is a smokescreen to get you to think the situation is greater than God is. That’s a lie. NO situation is greater than God, except in our heads. So spirit, soul and body Magnify the Lord with me, let us exalt His name together! He is great and greatly to be praised, if we believe in His miraculous power, we’ll praise Him.
Can you imagine heaven’s view of earth, even of a large storm? The Lord and heaven’s angles are waiting to see how we respond to a storm, we’ve been given back the Adam assigned power over elements and over our situations by Jesus. We have these keys, it is time to use them! The Lord of heaven’s armies awaits the earth executives call for help.
We even have a certain rule over angels. The word says they hearken to the voice of His word- “storm be still.” It says they offer ministry to those who are heirs of salvation, that’d be every Christian and also those destined to be saved.
So we execute the voice of His word - “Angles of God go forth and set my spouse up to hear truth. Be relentless until they surrender, set them up circumstantially with laborers of the gospel of truth, trip traps of enemies that try to plan lies around them. In Jesus’ name we believe they are heirs of salvation and we call for all elements of life to steer them into faith in God and in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Change the course of your day, Change the course of your family’s day with your executional words of faith. Speak creative God empowered words into your world. Frame it by words of faith in God. Let the impossible happen for you! Watch many more than just your little household be fed the bread of life. Believe God as never before and speak the truth in a true heart of love and compassion, a heart that looks at the outcome and is so in love with who God loves that they’d lay down selfish reputation for truth.

Daily Repetitive Verses -
John 17:15 I'm not asking you to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one.