Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

Matthew 2:1 "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem," Last week we studied Jesus as the Light of the World and that He is a person. He is NOT an apparition or a vision. He is NOT an idea or concept to wrap our minds around. He is a person. Flesh and blood. We read about Mary taking care of her baby. The shepherds finding them in the manger. The Christmas story we celebrate is much bigger than we allow it to be. Knowing Jesus will make your joy complete at Christmastime and the rest of the year too. This week we will study another group of people who came seeking the newborn King. "...behold, there came WISE MEN from the EAST to Jerusalem," Traditionally we refer to them as the Three Kings. Over the generations, our enthusiasm for the manger scene has inspired people to fill in details we simply do not know. We don't know their number. It has to be two or more. We know t...

Luke 24:41-43 "41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And He took it, and did eat before them." After His death and resurrection, Jesus was hungry and ate. His Disciples witnessed it and recorded it! This is to point out that Jesus is a person with human needs. Even after His resurrection! He wasn't an apparition or a vision. He wasn't an idea or concept to wrap our minds around. He is a person. Flesh and blood. God in the flesh and blood. When He was a newborn, Mary wrapped up her baby, fed and washed her baby. When the angels told the shepherds about His birth, the shepherds went and found the helpless baby in the manger. Jesus is not an idea. He is a person. The Disciples write about hearing Him speak. They saw Him in their day-to-day lives. They touched Him and He touched them. Flesh and blood. He is the Light that has come into the ...

Luke 2:15&16 "15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger." They FOUND HIM! The angels in dazzling glory announced the arrival on the Messiah to this group of shepherds. They went and sought out this new born king and FOUND HIM! He was a baby. A person. In the flesh. He wasn't an apparition or a vision. He wasn't an idea or concept to wrap their minds around. He was a little baby boy. They found Him in a manger. There was no room for them in the inn. Born in poverty, having all the vulnerabilities and needs of a newborn baby, the Word made flesh! Dwelling with us! God chose to do this, this way. It's God's plan from the beginning. God wants us to have a Savior. God wants us to pay attentio...

Luke 2:7 "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laith Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." This week we are studying Jesus being the Light of the world. We turn to the second chapter in the Gospel of Luke for the record of Jesus's birth. We come from John's Gospel where he plainly states that Jesus is GOD. The birth of Jesus was miraculous. The world doesn't want to focus on the miraculous. The world doesn't want a Savior, it wants a teacher. Give us important lessons we can learn and use to make our lives better. Help us to be noble and wonderful, fully realized human beings. But, does the world pay attention to Jesus' teachings? What's the cross about? Jesus was born. Jesus died. What about His resurrection? The Christmas story is much bigger than we often allow it to be. Too many people do not have room for Jesus in their lives. Just like Bethlehem when He was born. "...th...

John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." This week we are studying Jesus being the Light of the world. In these opening verses of the Gospel of John, Jesus is at the creation of the universe! Plainly stating that Jesus is GOD. Keeping this in mind when thinking about the swaddling baby in Mary and Joseph's arms makes the manger scene all that MORE INCREDIBLE! Today's verse lays it all out. The birth of Jesus was miraculous. The world doesn't want to focus on the miraculous. The world doesn't want a Savior, it wants a teacher. Give us important lessons we can learn and use to make our lives better. Help us to be noble and wonderful, fully realized human beings. But, does the world pay attention to Jesus' teachings? What's the cross about? Jesus was born. Jesus died. What about His resurrection? The Christmas story is much bigger than ...

John 1:4&5 "4 In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." This week we are studying Jesus being the Light of the world. In these opening verses of the Gospel of John, Jesus is at the creation of the universe! Plainly stating that Jesus is GOD. Keeping this in mind when thinking about the swaddling baby in Mary and Joseph's arms makes the manger scene all that MORE INCREDIBLE! We take comfort and joy in the birth of Jesus. As we should. Christmas is a HAPPY time. But, it's not always filled with merriment. Even at this moment, the Slaughter of the Innocents is a shadowy presence in the background. It's just like our world, filled with darkness. Bombings. Shootings. Fires. Disasters. Illness. Enmity of all kinds and so much more. What we can experience or think of is just the tip of the iceberg. Most of us don't want to be a part of this muck and mire. We know we are not exem...

John 1:1-3 "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made." This week we are studying Jesus being the Light of the world. Jesus was very blunt when teaching His Disciples. He said, "In the world ye shall have TRIBULATION:" Followers of Jesus are going to experience great trouble or suffering. It's true. It seems the stronger the FAITH the more troubles one experiences. We can take courage from the rest of the verse, "but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Jesus wins in the end! And His followers will share in that victory! With Jesus's ultimate victory in mind, it makes the celebration of His birth even more meaningful. As we ponder that precious baby in the manger, we also need to remember the Holy Trinity. Specifically, Jesus was around before the Virgin Birth! It is very eloq...

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Last week we studied Jesus feeding the 5k! People that witnessed this event began to have their own ideas of what they could do with this miracle making Son of God. Like them, in our day and time, it is easy to get wrapped up in our own plans. We can think that we have GREAT ideas. BUT! Do our ideas line up with God's plans??? Are we focusing on everlasting life OR are we thinking about material gain in our material world? It's something we need to pray about. This week we are going to study Jesus being the Light of the world. Today we turn to a verse where Jesus has been teaching His Disciples. Jesus is very clear on this point; "In the world ye shall have TRIBULATION:" The Disciples and followers of Jesus are going to experience great trouble or suffering. It's true. It seems the stro...

John 6:25-27 "25 And when they had found Him on the other side of the sea, they said unto Him, Rabbi, when camest Thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed." Jesus fed the 5k! It had to be an amazing sight to behold! Jesus used the Disciples to DISTRIBUTE the food. Others helped accomplish the end goal! Without Jesus, this miracle wouldn't have happened. After seeing this spectacle, people are not only believing, they are also getting ideas of their own! Our own imagination can run wild with ideas of what you could do with an unlimited supply of fish and bread! That's not the reason Jesus is here! These "inspired" people were very persistent. ".....

John 6:14&15 "14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take Him by force, to make Him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone." Bread King! What an amazing sight to behold, the feeding of 5k people! Starting from meager resources, "...five barley loaves, and two small fishes!" Jesus used the Disciples to DISTRIBUTE the food. He used others to accomplish the end goal! Without Jesus this miracle wouldn't happen. AND, He made enough for LEFTOVERS! "...filled twelve baskets with the fragments!" Jesus requested that "...that nothing be lost." There should be no waste. The blessings from God are not to be squandered. After seeing this spectacle, people are not only believing, they are also getting ideas of their own! "When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come an...

John 6:12&13 "12 When they were filled, He said unto His disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten." LEFTOVERS! They started with almost nothing. No one came prepared to feed anyone, let alone 5k people! One among them brought a lunch. A little boy, he had "...five barley loaves, and two small fishes!" These "loaves" would have been the size of a dinner roll. And, the "fishes" maybe a little bigger than sardines! Meager resources at best. And, it was MORE than enough in the hands of GOD!!! Jesus used the lunch from the young boy. Jesus also used the Disciples to DISTRIBUTE the food. It's Jesus's miracle without a doubt. And, He used others to accomplish the end goal! We can look into our own life experience and see where GOD is using the pro...

John 6:9-11 "9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would." The Disciple, Andrew, like many of us, wanted to do his part to help God. Like a child helping his parents, it's with the best of intentions. In today's verses he suggests taking a boy’s lunch to feed thousands of people! It had to sound ludicrous when spoken, "...five barley loaves, and two small fishes!" These "loaves" would have been the size of a dinner roll. And, the "fishes" maybe a little bigger than sardines! Meager resources at best. And, it's more than enough in the hands of GOD!!! "...

John 6:6-8 "6 And this He said to prove him: for He Himself knew what He would do. 7 Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto Him," We are studying the only miracle to be reported in all FOUR Gospels! A great multitude followed Jesus because He was miraculously healing people. It's GREAT to draw a crowd! It's exciting! Thrilling! And, what's going to happen when they get hungry? Who's responsible for the logistics? Who will be blamed if things go wrong? Jesus asked the question that Philip answers in today's verses. Basically saying,  "We have NO WAY to feed all these people." I kind of think some of the Disciples might be panicking inside. Some could be fearing the very worst. Some are trying to come up with ideas, like Andrew. Like many of us wanting to do His part to help God. Like a child help...

John 6:3-5 "3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. 4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 5 When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" During Advent, we are studying Children of GOD. Besides the resurrection, this is the only miracle to be reported in all FOUR Gospels! The Gospel writers considered this a significant miracle. In yesterday's verses we learn that "a great multitude followed Him," because He was miraculously healing people. People needed Jesus' help! With this great need comes great responsibility. As we read in today's verses, "...Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" It's GREAT to draw a crowd! It's exciting! Thrilling! And, what's going to happen when they get hungry? Who's responsible for the logistics? Who will be blamed if things go wrong??

John 6:1&2 "1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He did on them that were diseased." During Advent, we are studying Children of GOD. Last week we read about GOD adopting us as His children. He chose you and me! Our FAITH is a gift from God. And, it's a gift that you cannot even take with you! It is something you can SHARE. Please, share it. And, as we read "...from the beginning, that we should LOVE ONE ANOTHER." This week we will study a VERY important Gospel event. One of the few events recorded in all FOUR Gospels! Besides the resurrection, this is the only miracle to be reported in all FOUR Gospels! Each Gospel writer has a different point of view. Each makes distinct points and yet, the major points are all the same. Here, in the opening verses of chapter six, we read that "a great multitude followed Him," because He was ...

1 John 3:11 "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." GOD looks upon His followers as His children. His favorite children. God has adopted you into His family! It's NOT something you did. We are NOT earning a paycheck. We are NOT born into the heavenly family. It's a gift from God. And, it's a gift that you cannot even take with you!? It is something you can SHARE. Please, share it. This is what today's verses points out. "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should LOVE ONE ANOTHER." Yesterday's verse instructs us to be RIGHTEOUS. We can get caught up in what is righteousness. Who is and who isn't. But, what it all comes down to is do we "LOVE ONE ANOTHER." It sounds easy, but it's hard. It's challenging and it's worth doing. AMEN! 🙏✝️

1 John 3:10 "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." God's love is a gift! Like the children from Luke chapter eighteen, the blessings we receive are not due to effort or motivation from us! This is God's gift! This is God's GRACE! It is truly amazing! We have turned to First John, chapter three, to reinforce this teaching. John wrote this letter when he knew about GOD'S love in a way you and I do not understand. John knows that GOD looks upon His followers as His children. His favorite children. In yesterday's verse he called God's children "BELOVED." God has adopted you into His family! It's NOT something you did. We are NOT earning a paycheck. We are NOT born into the heavenly family. It's a gift from God. And, it's a gift that you cannot even take with you!? It is something you can SHARE. Please, share it....

1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." We want to Receive the Kingdom of GOD Like a Child. We read from Luke chapter eighteen, where people were bringing their babies to Jesus for a blessing. Jesus uses this as a teaching moment. The blessings the children are receiving is due to no effort or motivation from the children! This is a beautiful picture of GRACE! We have turned to First John, chapter three, to reinforce this teaching. John wrote this letter at the end of his life. He knows about GOD'S love in a way you and I do not understand. John knows about Receiving the Kingdom of GOD Like a Child. GOD'S love is different from the way the world loves. The world sees Christians as poor, humble, meek and despised. The world doesn't see that GOD looks upon His followers as His children. His favorite children. BELOVED is ...

1 John 3:1 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." We are studying Receiving the Kingdom of GOD Like a Child. We have just read from Luke chapter eighteen, where people were bringing their babies to Jesus for a blessing. The Disciples were stopping them. Jesus uses this as a teaching moment, saying, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." We commonly think of this as innocence and a carefree attitude. But, look again at this scene. The babies are receiving Jesus's Grace. They are carried to Him by their parents. Some of them are not able to talk. Most are not able to understand what is happening or what the grown-ups are talking about. The blessings they are receiving are due to no effort or motivation from the children! This is a beautiful picture of GRACE...

Luke 18:17 "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." People were bringing their babies to Jesus for a blessing. The Disciples thought that He was too busy and too important to spend time blessing children. Jesus stopped His Disciples from going too far and uses this as a teaching moment. Jesus shows kindness to those not capable of doing anything for Him. It is Christ's idea that little children should be brought to Him. The promise is to all of us, He will bid us welcome. And we must receive His kingdom as children. In other words, there is nothing we do to earn it. It's a gift from our Father in Heaven! "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." We commonly think of this as innocence and a carefree attitude. But, look again at this scene. The babies are receiving Jesus's Grace. They are carried t...

Luke 18:16 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." God wants us to be His children. We are in the Gospel of Luke. It was common practice for people to bring their babies to a Rabbi for a blessing. The Disciples thought that Jesus was too busy and too important to spend time blessing children. It's easy for us to see that this was a messed-up situation the Disciples were creating. Jesus stopped His Disciples from going too far in the wrong direction; "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." The Disciples saw that there was no benefit to entertaining little children. But, Jesus knows how to show kindness to those not capable of doing anything for Him. It is Christ's idea that little children should be brought to Him. The promise is to all of us, He will bid us welc...

Luke 18:15 "15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them." Last week we studied the Exodus record of Moses's beginning. We saw parallels between those events and God sending His Son down the river to be adopted into the family of people. To be raised among us. To grow up and overthrow the evil that rules people's hearts and minds. Moses faced incredible challenges, and he looked to God for guidance in everything. Something we can learn to do this season and always. If we can do this, we will be Children of God! This week we will read verses in the New Testament to learn about how God wants us to be His children. We read in the Gospel of Luke "And they brought unto him also INFANTS, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they REBUKED them." It was common practice for people to bring their babies to a Rabbi for a blessing. The Disciples thought that Jesus was too busy an...

Hebrews 11:23-27 "23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible." This week we have studied the Exodus record of Moses's beginning. It's wonderful how people will step in to stop evil plans. In desperate situations, God inspires people to do the right thing. And, help fulfill God's plan. If we overlay these events with the Christmas events. We see God sends His Son, down river to be adopted...

Exodus 2:10 "And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water." Pharoah's daughter had something her father lacked; sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings and misfortunes of others. She saved this baby boy from the dangerous waters of the Nile River. On que, the baby's sister just happens to be there to facilitate getting the baby back in the care of his birth mother. And, she was paid by Pharoah's daughter to take care of her own son!  In today's verse we learn his famous name; "And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name MOSES: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water." It's a remarkable series of events! It's also wonderful how other people will step in to stop evil plans. In desperate situations, God inspires people to do the ri...

Exodus 2:5-7 "5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?" "...she had compassion on him..." She had sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings and misfortunes of others. Pharoah's daughter had something her father lacked. Possibly, she was rebellious to her father. In any case, the baby is saved from the dangerous waters. And, like a well planned caper, the baby's sister just happens to be there to facilitate getting the baby back in the care of his mother. It's a remarkable series of events! It...

Exodus 2:2-4 "2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him." The midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, refused to help the evil Pharoah with his horrific plan. God rewarded the midwives. Pharoah resorts to plan b, ordering his people to throw the Israelites' baby boys into the Nile River to drown! Ending the threat of the Israelite population to the king's power.  Moses' parents were the Levite, Amram, and his wife, Jochebed. Into these terrible times, they brought a baby boy into the world. "...he was a goodly child, she hid him three months." Hiding a newborn baby is not easy. They kept up the mission for 90 days! How many da...

Exodus 1:17&18 "17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?" Shiphrah and Puah are the midwives named in yesterday's verses. The king of Egypt, Pharoah, is never named. Who he was has been forgotten by history. What he did is remembered. He brutally oppressed the Israelites. Enslaved them, abused and tortured them, mentally and physically. In the sequence of events we are studying, his monstrous plan is to have the midwives KILL all the baby boys as they are being born. It's a terrible evil. So terrible that Shiphrah and Puah are unwilling to do it! Today's verses; "But the midwives FEARED God, and did NOT, as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why hav...

Exodus 1:15&16 "15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live." We are in Advent. This is a period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and also the Second Coming of Christ. We should think of Advent as the meat and potatoes of our FAITH to the dessert that is Christmas. We are studying the CHILDREN of GOD. This week our focus is BABY MOSES; The First Deliverer! We are in the book of Exodus where the Israelites find their one time sanctuary of Egypt has turned into a nightmare prison. The Egyptian king brutally oppressed the Israelites. Slavery is an inhumane practice. The slaves were abused and tortured mentally and physically. Euphemistically touched on in yesterday's verse...

Exodus 1:12-14 "12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve WITH RIGOUR: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was WITH RIGOUR." After Thanksgiving, everyone's eyes become focused on Christmas. Too many people have forgotten about Advent. Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30. This is a period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and also the Second Coming of Christ. We should think of Advent as the meat and potatoes of our FAITH to the dessert that is Christmas. In our preparation we will follow a series called CHILDREN of GOD. And, this week our focus is BABY MOSES; The First Deliverer! We turn to the book of Exodus where the at one time sanctuary of Egypt ha...

Matthew 28:20  "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." This wraps up or series on FAITH WORDS. There is no better verse to finish with than the last verse from the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus's own last words for His Disciples. Instructions and words of encouragement. First, "Teaching them..." Jesus is referring to His "new laws" of life, exceeding broad, deep, and challenging from the Sermon on the Mount. His new commandment of LOVE. And, His new practice of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord, our Holy Communion. Second, the assurance that He will ALWAYS help His followers. Now and forever. With this knowledge, we have no need to worry. We can address our GOD with intense conviction, sincerity and humility. Even begging when necessary. And, always very thankful to GOD for literally everything. The good, the bad and all else. We can be secure in GOD'S PE...

Philippians 4:6&7 "6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Jesus gives us His PEACE.  From the Prince of PEACE, a priceless gift.  Jesus also gives us the Advocate in the person of the Holy Ghost.  Jesus taught His Disciples many things and they wrote them down so future generations could know and believe!  We need to worship our good and gracious God every chance we get. Praying without ceasing, studying the Holy Bible, reading Biblical commentaries, and listening to sound biblical teachers and leaders. Today's verses are some of the Apostle Paul's outstanding advice; "Be careful for nothing;" or, don't be anxious.  "but in every thing by prayer and supplication" that is asking or begging for something with intense conviction, sincerity a...