Podcasts about 10god

Welcome Dr. Jeff and Sherry Newman, our Baptist Mid-Missions Missionaries!!1 Thessalonians 1:1-10God wants us to live out the Great Commission in our everyday lives.

Pastor Jeremiah Gabbard | 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10God calls every born again Christian to live a life of unwavering faith, to be a fruitful witness, and to have a steadfast hope in Christ.

Greetings, my friends.God loves you unconditionally and desires that you live a life of abundance. Let's talk about it!… The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly.  – Jesus – John 10:10God promises that there will always be seasons in our lives and careers.“As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”  - God – Genesis 8:22“Don't be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.”Galatians 6:7“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” – Jesus – Luke 6:38Tony

We'll often phrase questions about the existence of evil as, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"There's a problem with this question: there are no good people. If we view the problem evil through the lens of our goodness, we will see ourselves as victims. But when we see the problem of evil through the lens of God's goodness, we will see ourselves as victors.Scripture tells us that God is good. James 1:16-17Like the lights in the sky, His goodness is constant. When life is bad, God is good. Don't get mad at God during times of pain, run to God during times of pain. John 10:10God is the solution to, not the author of life's tragedies. Matthew 7:11If your theology has your heavenly Father doing things that we would put an earthly father in jail for doing, you need to change your theology.Why do bad things happen? Bad things happen for three reasons:1. We make badGod didn't create evil, He created the ability to make choices. Evil is not a thing but an absence of a thing, like dark and light. When we "turn down" God, we turn down good and we are left with bad. Every one of us is good at making bad decisions. Romans 5:12Why did God create choice? So we could love Him and love others. You can't love without the possibly of not loving. Joshua 24:15The pain in this world doesn't reflect on God's goodness, it reflects on our brokenness.2. Our spiritual 1 Peter 5:8-9We have an evil and active adversary. 1 John 5:19Ephesians 2:22 Corinthians 4:4We live behind enemy lines. Don't blame God for what the devil does.3. Our broken Romans 8:19-22This planet is sick with sin, just like humanity is. Natural disasters aren't "acts of God" but "results of sin." Genetic disorders, viruses, contagions, infections are the natural result of a fallen world.Why doesn't God just stop bad things from happening?1. God isLove does what's best for the other person. Pain is necessary to let us know something is wrong. If God shielded you from your spiritual sickness, you would think everything is fine, and die in your sins before receiving the antidote.2. God is a good . Good parents know that children must experience consequences.How can we fear no evil?1. Deal with . 2 Tim 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.Worry is a fear response when you feel out of control. Renew your mind and retrain your brain.2. Be prepared to .Ephesians 6:10-113. Expect things.Romans 8:28Anything bad that happens to us, God is going to make good.4. Be ready to meet           Luke 13:1-5  Do you fear evil or do you fight evil?

Author J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote, “A man that flies from his fear may find that he only has taken a shortcut to meet it.” In this message, Chip will help us confront this intimidating emotion as he continues his series, Experiencing God's Presence. Learn from Psalm 46 what we, as Jesus' followers, can do to stand our ground when feelings of fear come.Main PointsLife Lessons from Psalm 46:We don’t have to be afraid because God is “for us.” -Psalm 46:1-3God's presence provides an unlimited supply of joy, protection, security, and deliverance, even in the midst of our most severe adversity. -Psalm 46:4-7God implores us to come and experience His presence in our times of greatest need. -Psalm 46:8-10God’s presence sustains us moment by moment as we learn to trust Him. -Psalm 46:11Broadcast ResourceDownload Free MP3 Message Notes Additional Resource MentionsGospel of John Truth Cards About Chip IngramChip Ingram’s passion is helping Christians really live like Christians. As a pastor, author, and teacher for more than three decades, Chip has helped believers around the world move from spiritual spectators to healthy, authentic disciples of Jesus by living out God’s truth in their lives and relationships in transformational ways.About Living on the EdgeLiving on the Edge exists to help Christians live like Christians. Established in 1995 as the radio ministry of pastor and author Chip Ingram, God has since grown it into a global discipleship ministry. Living on the Edge provides Biblical teaching and discipleship resources that challenge and equip spiritually hungry Christians all over the world to become mature disciples of Jesus.Connect 888-333-6003 Website Chip Ingram App Instagram Facebook Twitter Partner With Us Donate Online 888-333-6003

Text: Acts 3:1-10God prepares hearts to understand the preaching of the Kingdom1. A helpless situation: the lame man lays2. A healing Name: the lame man rises3. A happy response: the lame man leaps

Apr 21, 2024  GRAND PARKWAY BAPTIST CHURCHNeil McClendon, Lead PastorLessons Along The WayActs 16:1-151. Our experiences are not always intended for our benefit, v.1-52. God leads by closing doors as well, v. 6-10God doesn't always send you where you want to go. He puts you where you need to be in order to hear what you need to hear which prepares you for what you will need to do. This is so that when you get there, your faith is proportional to the task at hand.Three things about a closed door in your life…a) it's not punishment but invitationb) it's not no but betterc) it's not now but later3. Evidence of faith is what you do with your stuff, v. 11-15Here are some other successful business women in Acts...leading women of Thessalonica, 17:4women of high standing in Berea, 17:12Damaris in Athens, 17:34Priscilla in Corinth, 18:2Notice two things in this section…a) they thought differently about family back thenb) they thought differently about their stuffThere is a difference in entertaining and showing hospitality…Entertaining is about impressing people with your home, your decor, my cooking. Hospitality seeks to minister, it doesn't try to impress but to serve. Entertaining puts things before people. “As soon as I get the house finished, the living room decorated, my house just like I want it- then I will start having people over.” Hospitality puts people before things. “We have no furniture; we'll eat on the floor.”Entertaining subtly declares, “This is mine- these rooms, this decor; this is an expression of who and what I am. Hospitality whispers, “What's mine is yours.”               -Karen Mains, Open Heart, Open HomeMental worship…1. Are other Believers strengthened in the faith by the way you live out your faith?2. Has God ever closed a door in your life and how did you respond to it?3. How do you use your stuff/home as a tool for ministry?4. How do you think about your family? Corporate or individual?5. Have you been baptized since professing faith in Christ?

Does money make you happy? Google – 766m hitsThere are 2,350 verses about money in the bible – More than those on faith and prayer combined!Tithing is an OT principalLeviticus 27:30/32 In Malachi God has an argument with Israel because of their tithe and its quality! God declared that it is not right.Tithing in the OT was mandatory, part of the Jewish Law and culture, but they recognised that everything came from God, the provider of life and sustenance.In the NT Jesus brings a different perspective – Jesus affirms the practice of tithing (Matt 23:23) but he also urges us to think about justice, mercy and faith rather than just the law.Matthew 23:23It is all about what is in your heart.  It's not about following the letter of the law, it's giving out of a heart in love with God.Luke 18:10-14 Jesus continually teaches us it's not your outward actions that count. We can't earn God's favour by our works – it's all by grace – We are justified by our faith in Jesus and recognising we are sinners that need to be saved by GRACE!!Mark 12:41-44When we give, do we hold back? Do I give as an act of obligation or of worship? The Widow dared to love God, to have faith that he would provide, to give it all. Do we have that attitude?God owns everything anyway!J John – God owns all the doughnutshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I03Jlj4-ZQYThe question for us – what are you going to do with yours? What if God said give your 9 away. That's where faith comes into play – God will provide all my needs!Proverbs 3:5,9&10God's promise to us. Trusts God and rely on his promises!Three areas to be careful about in thinking about money1.    Your treasureMatthew 6:21 “that wherever our treasure is – that is where our heart will be” Conversely – where our heart is, that's where our treasure will be.2.    PrideGod owns everything,  we are stewards of what he entrusts us with – Pride can enter our hearts and we believe that we OWN what we EARN – because we deserve it! Ezekiel 28:4-5 ITS MINE is the cry of our selfish heart  - It can so easily become our possession, our right and precious!3.     The Enemy.He is a liar from the beginning and will lie to you about everything including your money, possessions and heart attitudes.A:  He will say - It's your money. You earned it. You spend it. You deserve it!Truth - All we have is God's – we are stewards - he owns all the doughnuts!B: He will tell you that you won't have enough for yourself if you give it away!Truth – Generosity of heart enables God to give us moreProverbs 11:25C: He will tell you that God will not provide for you and that God is not interested in your financial situation!Truth – God cares for every part of your lifeMatthew 6:25v33Have faith v30. This is the key.Luke 6:38God's heart for us: He is not a God that gives us just enough, he is generous and extravagant in all he does for us -he wants us to have the same heart“Freely you have received – freely give” Matt 10:8You cannot out give God.Pray about money and ask God how much to give – he will often give you a specific amount. This is how the church works: love each other through giving and sharing doughnuts!Questions1.     How do you feel about giving after this talk?2.     Has anything helped in understanding the biblical principals involved here?3.     How do you feel about praying and asking God if he wants to use any of your doughnuts this week?4.     What is your fear when it comes to money and finance?

Hello to all the spiritual warriors tuning in today! I am Matthew Adams, a devoted Christian and your guide in this podcasting journey exploring the deep facets of our faith and understanding God's voice. Today, let's delve deeper into discerning God's instructions and beholding the beauty in His commands as we navigate through our spiritual battlegrounds.Scripture“The laws of the LORD . . . are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.” - PSALM 19:9-10God's Word, a treasure chest containing commands more desirable than the finest gold and sweeter than the lushest honey, is pivotal in the life of a spiritual warrior. Psalm 119 and various scriptures vividly describe the splendor and necessity of God's commands. However, a nuanced understanding arises when we contemplate why obedience to these laws doesn't inherently breathe life into our spirits. Herein lies the divine mystery: following His instructions without surrendering to the spirit behind them culminates in religious ritual, not a thriving relationship with our Creator. Let's explore together how, as spiritual warriors, we can embrace His commands and cherish the Spirit from whence they flow.The Power Of God's Whisper is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Driving Points* The Sweetness in SurrenderThe essence of God's laws emanates from His intrinsic nature - pure, loving, and just. Surrendering to His spirit doesn't merely mean adhering to the commands but willingly aligning our hearts, discerning the sweetness encapsulated in every decree, and ensuring our actions are fragranced with love and genuine devotion, not obligation.* The Gold in God's EssenceUnderstanding the richness of God's commands implies recognizing His character and enveloping His essence, which is more precious than the purest gold. Spiritual warriors, let us not merely follow the command; let's seek to embody God's essence, showcasing His love, mercy, and justice through our every action and decision.* The Dual Path: Obedience and RelationshipEncountering the life in God's word involves recognizing the harmonious dance between obedience and relationship. Living by His laws while nurturing a relationship that aligns our heart with His fosters a sanctuary where our spirits are not bound by legalistic observance but liberated in love-infused obedience.ConclusionThus, spiritual warriors, our path is carved not merely in adhering to God's commands but in immersing ourselves into His essence, understanding the spirit behind every word, and embedding His nature into our spiritual armor. It is in this sacred confluence of obedience and relationship that our souls find the true, life-giving sustenance in God's words.Call to ActionDear warriors, let us embark on a pilgrimage where our actions are not mere adherence to commands but a reflection of our relationship with the Almighty. Let's traverse beyond the words, discovering God's heart and ensuring our obedience blossoms from a place of love and profound connection.PrayerDear Spirit of God, breathe life into our understanding of Your words. Steer us away from the barren lands of mere compliance and lead us into the lush fields where obedience springs from a well of love and relationship with You. May our actions, forged in the richness of Your essence, reflect not just adherence but a vibrant embodiment of Your divine nature. Amen.Thank you, fellow spiritual warriors, for journeying through this exploration of understanding and living God's commands with me, Matthew Adams. May our paths be illuminated by the genuine spirit of His words, and may our armors be ever forged in the true essence of His commands. Until next time, continue to be warriors of His spirit and essence. Get full access to My Reasons To Believe at myr2b.substack.com/subscribe

Hello to all the spiritual warriors tuning in today! I am Matthew Adams, a devoted Christian and your guide in this podcasting journey exploring the deep facets of our faith and understanding God's voice. Today, let's delve deeper into discerning God's instructions and beholding the beauty in His commands as we navigate through our spiritual battlegrounds.Scripture“The laws of the LORD . . . are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.” - PSALM 19:9-10God's Word, a treasure chest containing commands more desirable than the finest gold and sweeter than the lushest honey, is pivotal in the life of a spiritual warrior. Psalm 119 and various scriptures vividly describe the splendor and necessity of God's commands. However, a nuanced understanding arises when we contemplate why obedience to these laws doesn't inherently breathe life into our spirits. Herein lies the divine mystery: following His instructions without surrendering to the spirit behind them culminates in religious ritual, not a thriving relationship with our Creator. Let's explore together how, as spiritual warriors, we can embrace His commands and cherish the Spirit from whence they flow.The Power Of God's Whisper is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Driving Points* The Sweetness in SurrenderThe essence of God's laws emanates from His intrinsic nature - pure, loving, and just. Surrendering to His spirit doesn't merely mean adhering to the commands but willingly aligning our hearts, discerning the sweetness encapsulated in every decree, and ensuring our actions are fragranced with love and genuine devotion, not obligation.* The Gold in God's EssenceUnderstanding the richness of God's commands implies recognizing His character and enveloping His essence, which is more precious than the purest gold. Spiritual warriors, let us not merely follow the command; let's seek to embody God's essence, showcasing His love, mercy, and justice through our every action and decision.* The Dual Path: Obedience and RelationshipEncountering the life in God's word involves recognizing the harmonious dance between obedience and relationship. Living by His laws while nurturing a relationship that aligns our heart with His fosters a sanctuary where our spirits are not bound by legalistic observance but liberated in love-infused obedience.ConclusionThus, spiritual warriors, our path is carved not merely in adhering to God's commands but in immersing ourselves into His essence, understanding the spirit behind every word, and embedding His nature into our spiritual armor. It is in this sacred confluence of obedience and relationship that our souls find the true, life-giving sustenance in God's words.Call to ActionDear warriors, let us embark on a pilgrimage where our actions are not mere adherence to commands but a reflection of our relationship with the Almighty. Let's traverse beyond the words, discovering God's heart and ensuring our obedience blossoms from a place of love and profound connection.PrayerDear Spirit of God, breathe life into our understanding of Your words. Steer us away from the barren lands of mere compliance and lead us into the lush fields where obedience springs from a well of love and relationship with You. May our actions, forged in the richness of Your essence, reflect not just adherence but a vibrant embodiment of Your divine nature. Amen.Thank you, fellow spiritual warriors, for journeying through this exploration of understanding and living God's commands with me, Matthew Adams. May our paths be illuminated by the genuine spirit of His words, and may our armors be ever forged in the true essence of His commands. Until next time, continue to be warriors of His spirit and essence. Get full access to My Reasons To Believe at myr2b.substack.com/subscribe

Are you ready to embark on a wild adventure with God? Join me as I she sits down with my friend Kristin Kurtz who is a true Woman of Wonder. Kristin shares her incredible journey of faith, from radical deliverance of addiction to discovering the many ways God speaks to her. Get ready to be inspired as Kristin encourages you to lift your head up and look around, because God can speak through anything. She also shares powerful insights on trusting God, releasing control, and finding beauty in imperfection and even be challenged to show up on social media with no Makeup! May you greatly enjoy this episode and find great wonder in the Lord today. 00:01:02Radical deliverance from addiction 00:04:43God rescues, transforms life instantly. 00:06:46God speaks through details. 00:10:54Wild adventure with God's winks. 00:14:24God's goodness shared 00:17:53Trust in God, wait training, patience. 00:20:10God's will, not ours: beauty, no makeup. 00:24:27Love yourself: Embrace, Speak Truth. 00:26:44Spoken word empowers VERSES: Psalm 34:5 and Proverbs 3:5-6 Book referenced: Gift of the Red Bird by Paula D'arcy https://a.co/d/0QyW6W4 Connect with Kristin: Website - https://msha.ke/newwings Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/moodykurtz/ Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenofwonderwar Instagram - @renew.wings Connect with Christa Joy: www.christajoyministries.com⁠ Powerful Whispers devotional link: ⁠https://a.co/d/4uBLtPg⁠ Facebook:  ⁠https://www.facebook.com/ChristaJoyMinistries⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/christajoyministries/

Genesis 1:1-31 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And there was evening, and there was morning the first day. 6And God said, Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water. 7So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8God called the vault sky. And there was evening, and there was morning the second day. 9And God said, Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear. And it was so. 10God called the dry ground land, and the gathered waters he called seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so. 12The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening, and there was morning the third day. 14And God said, Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth. And it was so. 16 God made two great lights the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening, and there was morning the fourth day. 20And God said, Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky. 21So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth. 23And there was evening, and there was morning the fifth day. 24And God said, Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind. And it was so. 25God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. 27So God created mankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them;male and female he created them. 28God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground. 29 Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in itI give every green plant for food. And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morningthe sixth day. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shcc/message

This summer, we're exploring stories together that can shape our spirituality and reveal the truth of God. After all, you never know who you will meet and what you will hear while sitting around the campfire.__What's the Issue Anyway? (Matthew 8:18-22)The call to ________________ ______________ just might be an ___________________ to embrace ___________________.Following Jesus is more ___________________ than our ________________ ________________ and our ________________ _____________ in this life.We only get ___________ ___________; nobody gets ___________. What are you going to do with your ___________?What Wisdom Does Scripture Offer Us?We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been CALLED according to His purpose. Romans 8:28Every person has a ________________.God, by grace through Christ, has CALLED you to become God's people. Gal. 1:6 (NCV)The Greek word translated CALLED is ______________. It is about your ___________________ inlife, your ________________, your ________________ in life.Before you saw the light of day, I (God) had holy plans for you. Jeremiah 1:5 (MSG)Your CALLING is ___________________ to ______________ ______________.For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10God is good. Psalm 73:1“We are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.” –Mother Theresa...comfort those who are frightened, take tender care of those who are weak. 1 Thess. 5:14 (LV) When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. Romans 12:13 (NLT)Don't Miss This!Your CALLING will ___________ the ______________ of your ______________ and ___________________.For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph. 6:12Although Jesus was ________________, he had this ________________ to ___________.“Jesus promised those who would follow him only three things: that they would be absurdly happy,entirely fearless and always in trouble.” –Greg LevoyYour CALLING will ________________ the greatest ___________________ and ________________ in your life.How can I live this in my everyday, normal life?Get _______________ about your CALLING for your ________________.What is God inviting you into today?Thought Provoking Questions:If following Jesus may be an invitation to poverty, hardship and distress, why doesn't the church teach it more?How clear are you about God's calling or challenge for your life right now; not what it may have been 5 or 10 years ago, but now?When you hear Jesus says you are salt and light is it hard for you to imagine it being true? Why or why not?How has following Jesus tested the limits of your faith? Give specific examples.Do you resonate with Greg Levoy's words about what followers of Jesus will experience in life? Whyor why not?

Feast of The Trinity The Collect: Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Old Testament: Genesis 1:1-2:4a 1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. 9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. 14And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. 20And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. 25God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”27So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” 29God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. 1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude.2And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. 4These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. Psalm: Psalm 8 or Canticle 2 or 13 1 O Lord our Governor, *        how exalted is your Name in all the world! 2 Out of the mouths of infants and children *        your majesty is praised above the heavens. 3 You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *        to quell the enemy and the avenger. 4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *        the moon and the stars you have set in their courses, 5 What is man that you should be mindful of him? *        the son of man that you should seek him out? 6 You have made him but little lower than the angels; *        you adorn him with glory and honor; 7 You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *        you put all things under his feet: 8 All sheep and oxen, *        even the wild beasts of the field, 9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *        and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea. 10 O Lord our Governor, *        how exalted is your Name in all the world! or Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *        you are worthy of praise; glory to you. Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *        we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *        on the throne of your majesty, glory to you. Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *        we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Glory to you, beholding the depths; *        in the high vault of heaven, glory to you. Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *        we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Epistle: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 11Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. 13The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Isaiah 54:10God is an infinite and diverse being that we are unable to capture in a single description. So Christian scriptures and tradition have employed a variety of metaphors to help us understand God and God's relationship with us. This morning we look at one of the oft ignored metaphors revealing a God who bears suffering because of deep love for us.

In The Potter's Hand - Jeremiah 18 :1-10God does not give up on youThe marred vessel is full of possibilityThe reshaped vessel is the Potter's masterpieceThe Potter always has a purposeOnce pottery is fired, the only way to change it is to break it

1In thebeginning, God created the heavens and the earth.2The earth waswithout form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3And God said,Let there be light, and there was light.4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6And God said,Let there be an expanse[a]in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.7And God made[b]the expanse andseparated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that wereabove the expanse. And it was so.8And God called the expanse Heaven.[c]And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. 9And God said,Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear. And it was so.10God called the dry land Earth,[d]and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11And God said,Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants[e]yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth. And it was so.12The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. 14And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be forsigns and forseasons,[f]and for days and years,15and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth. And it was so.16And Godmade the two great lightsthe greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the nightand the stars.17And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,18torule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. 20And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds[g]fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.21SoGod created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.22And God blessed them, saying,Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 24And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kindslivestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so.25And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said,Let us make man[h]in our image,after our likeness. Andlet them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 27So God created man in his own image,in the image of God he created him;male and female he created them. 28And God blessed them. And God said to them,Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.29And God said, Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit.You shall have them for food.30Andto every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food. And it was so.31And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Teaching Notes“...Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10Sometimes our kids feel like thornsTherefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,...” 2 Corinthians 12:7That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.2 Corinthians 12:10God gives us exactly what we can't handleBut he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9Rest in the mess (& not after)Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9Let God and others into your messThat is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 Going DeeperWhat's the worst mess you've ever made that your Mom (or a mother figure) helped you (or had to) clean up?Is there any “thorn” in our life that God can't use to greater shape you into his image?What does true rest look like for you?Are you comfortable letting others into your mess?What's one way that you can say to the mother figure in your life “My mess is mine?” and take a load off her plate? Sunday Set ListWFC Lenexa/OnlineHouse of The Lord- Phil WickhamJireh- Maverick CityHoly Spirit Come- Patrick MayberryPromise Keeper- Hope DarstWFC SpeedwayHere Again- Elevation WorshipJireh- Maverick CityHoly Ground- Passion CityBe sure to save our Spotify Worship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday's set!

Teaching Notes“...Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10Sometimes our kids feel like thornsTherefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,...” 2 Corinthians 12:7That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.2 Corinthians 12:10God gives us exactly what we can't handleBut he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9Rest in the mess (& not after)Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9Let God and others into your messThat is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 Going DeeperWhat's the worst mess you've ever made that your Mom (or a mother figure) helped you (or had to) clean up?Is there any “thorn” in our life that God can't use to greater shape you into his image?What does true rest look like for you?Are you comfortable letting others into your mess?What's one way that you can say to the mother figure in your life “My mess is mine?” and take a load off her plate? Sunday Set ListWFC Lenexa/OnlineHouse of The Lord- Phil WickhamJireh- Maverick CityHoly Spirit Come- Patrick MayberryPromise Keeper- Hope DarstWFC SpeedwayHere Again- Elevation WorshipJireh- Maverick CityHoly Ground- Passion CityBe sure to save our Spotify Worship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday's set!

 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. I Peter 2: 9-10God's people are  both special and chosen. They  are in the world but are different from the world .

How do rockets go so fast, and so high?? In this episode, Joshua and Evyn learn about the amazing power of rocket fuel, and how the Holy Spirit can power us in the same way! —This episode's memory verse comes from Galatians 1:10God is the One I am trying to please... If I wanted to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ—Learn more about the amazing universe around you and the Indescribable God who created it with resources like Indescribable: 100 Devotions for Kids About God and Science, and How Great Is Our God: 100 Indescribable Devotions About God and Science from Pastor Louie Giglio: https://passion.link/pkr—Little brothers or sisters at home! Snuggle up with them and show them this amazing God with Indescribable for Little Ones! https://passion.link/pkr—Want to know about Pastor Louie Giglio? Visit LouieGiglio.com!—Want something to watch? Check out Passion Kids Online: https://passion.link/passionkidsonline 

“The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.” Luke 11:34Remember, the eye is the window of the heart, so we need to ask ourselves a question today - What are we looking at? We need to discipline ourselves severely. There are so many people at the moment that are suffering from depression, fear and anxiety.What are we watching? When it comes to things like TV, social media, cellphones... remember, the quickest way to poison our souls is through what we watch. I heard such a sad story just yesterday: A lovely young thirteen-year-old girl, just coming into bloom, committed suicide. She took her life. You see, she got involved in a toxic social media group.Be very careful moms and dads, to monitor what your children are watching on their cellphones. You know it is just like eating healthy food and keeping good strong friendships. We need to look at godly wholesome programmes on our devices and on television. Some people say, “No, it is okay to watch negative, ungodly material because that is how you learn about what is safe and what is dangerous - I disagree completely. You know, when they teach people to decipher between counterfeit and real money, they never let them look at the counterfeits, only at the real authentic notes.Now, I looked up the Oxford Dictionary to find out the true meaning of counterfeit, this is what it says: "Made in exact imitation of something valuable with the intention to deceive or to defraud." And that is what the devil is doing. Now, when these people are looking at these notes, these banknotes, every now and again they will slip in an artificial note and straight away it is easily recognised.Today, keep your eyes on Jesus.He is the One who will bring you joy and hope and abundant life.John 10:10God bless you and goodbye.

We talk to Noelle RathCOMPLETE TRANSCRIPT (unedited):We went to theater school together. We survived it, but we didn't quite understand. 2 00:00:15That's 20 years later, we're digging deep talking to our guests about their experiences and trying to make sense of it all 1 00:00:21Theater school. And you will too. Are we famous yet? 2 00:00:28Hi, I haven't talked to you 10 years. Been 1000 years. How 1 00:00:35They celebration? I mean, I know there wasn't a big celebration, but 2 00:00:39It, it was great. It was a bit of a weekend though. Friday was great. I, yeah, I had a great day. We went out to dinner. We had a great Italian dinner and it was lovely and I got some nice presence and it was, it was great. And I, and I wrote a blog post about, 1 00:01:02I just read it cause my friend left so good. I'm going to pimp it out today. 2 00:01:06Oh, that's right. Your friend. Who's your friend that's there or was that 1 00:01:10God gone? So that's something I want to run by you is like how to in our middle age to navigate friendships that I don't think she listens to this. So I don't, but that for me are very challenging and that's just the truth. So anyway, continue. Well, we'll talk about that. 2 00:01:29Well, we'll get to that. Yeah. We'll get to that. So on Saturday I got the autopsy from my sister and she is no surprise. She died from alcohol intoxication. We already knew that or alcohol poisoning, but for some reason, my mom and I were both kind of fixated on like what her blood alcohol content was going to be. And I never really looked that much into it. You know, like I know 0.08 is the legal limit for driving, which I think ends up. Meaning like, even if you might even be in trouble, if you have one drink or two drinks 1 00:02:08For most people's weight, but I don't. Right, 2 00:02:11Right. Hers was 0.46. Yes. So I looked up on Wikipedia. Like there's actually a very handy little chart there that breaks down for you all the different levels and like what the impairments are and starting at 0.01. I mean, there's, there's observable differences, at least in terms of like, if you're hooked up to machines, I guess, and they're observing you, they may not be that noticeable to other people. But anyway, there's impairments that begin from drink one. 2 00:02:51And by the time you get to 0.3 is complete blackout. And by the time you get to 0.4 it's onset of coma and respiratory failure, he was at 0.4, six. Yeah. And 0.5 is just death. Like no, no bones about it. If your alcohol is the blood in your alcoholic, if the alcohol in your blood gets to 0.5, you're definitely dead. So it was like surprisingly so upsetting. I don't mean it's surprising that I don't know what, what, I'm not totally sure what it was about that number that had me so rocked. 2 00:03:34But I was talking to my mom and I was saying like, when I used to drink, when I was younger, I mean, I still drank. But like when I used to really drink for, for partying or whatever you wanna call it, if I got up to five drinks, I was definitely throwing up and I never measured my blood alcohol level. But I'm guessing it would have been, I mean, point, I don't know. I'm guessing it would have been up there. I don't know how you get, how you physically get don't you just start to throw up. And my mom said practice. Yeah. That's what I was going to say. It's tolerance and my blood turn cold when she said that just the chill went up my spine, like, okay. 2 00:04:22So she had to have been drinking a lot for a long time. She did not have she had the beginnings of cirrhosis, but it wasn't even like, yeah, because it took my dad 11 years to die from, from alcoholism and he had hepatitis. So it was like, it wasn't making a sense to me. It must be. I, I don't, I really don't know how to understand it. Aaron says th I mean, this is suicide. This is not, not that she was intending. It necessarily all those, she might've been, but he was saying like, you have to he's does this hand gesture, you have to be glug, glug, glug, ING, basically to, to get to that blood alcohol level is not an easy thing to do. 2 00:05:12And so here's what I want to say about it. She was the fifth person of my family to die from alcohol toxicity. And, you know, there was a member of my family that knew she was struggling with it knew she had gone to rehab and she went to rehab. I didn't know any of this. Oh yeah. She went to rehab. Yeah. And th and actually, until I told this family member that we got the, you know, cause of death, that person was telling me that person was not telling me that she was in rehab. That person was telling me that she went away for work. 2 00:05:55Like she's dead. What's, what's the secret that you're hiding. And this person also hid in her bedroom was a book, the big book of alcoholics anonymous. And this person put, hid that. And, and, and the way they were saying it was like, and of course, should I put that away because that's nobody's business. And I'm like, are you fucking kidding me? First of all, I hope to God that her kids know that this is what she died from. 1 00:06:29Not 2 00:06:30One should know, 1 00:06:32Oh one should know for so many reasons, if nothing else that, oh, this runs in our family and I should be really careful. 2 00:06:41Exactly. 1 00:06:42They don't. They might not know. I bet they don't know. 2 00:06:45So this is the way that denial kills us, because we don't want to talk about what's really going on. And so, so, so that when somebody is suffering to the point that they want to drink that much, they assume that they're the only person who's suffering like that. They assume that there's no help. They assume that there's no hope for them. Which really, I mean, talking about this stuff only, ever in genders, hope in people, you know what I mean? Because you can't tame it until you name it. It's not the expression. Yeah. So like, how the fuck is anybody supposed to tame, you know, these sicknesses, these, unless they know what they are. 1 00:07:25It's really, it's really unlike devastating to find out that like, you know, someone that you love. And even if you're, you know, whatever you're strange from them, it doesn't matter. It was suffering. That's the part I think right. Was suffering and felt alone. I mean, I think that's the devastating part. And that's what my father's suicide, the same thing. Like my dad, whether he did it on purpose or not the guy overdosed and my mother country and other family members continue to say that he died to something else. The fuck is wrong. It is insane. 1 00:08:06That is the insanity of this, of the disease of addiction and mental illness that we at all costs 2 00:08:16At all costs. I almost want, I almost want to say, and maybe I'll just say it here on this forum. I want to say that if you're somebody who is covering up for somebody else who is in, in, in harm's way with substance, you are a killer. Yep. 1 00:08:38Yep. You are. You were helping too. You were like an accomplice to murder. Like really. 2 00:08:43Absolutely. Absolutely. And I think that that is probably going to sound harsh to a lot of people, but it's just the truth. It's just the truth. Because, because, and the reason I it's the truth is because if you did the opposite of that, if you said, wow, you're really struggling. I want to help you. What can I do to help you? Or if you don't get help, I'm afraid I can't continue in this relationship. If you're not doing that, then you are. And also the last person you're doing a favor for is that person. Right? You know what I mean? Like I, I have this thought that people at my family think that if we say that this is what she died from that we're tarnishing her memory. 2 00:09:24I mean, it's, 1 00:09:27It has tarnished already because of the disease and the secrecy. So like, if anything, you'd be shining a light and, and, and, and helping her memory to be one of the person had a disease that wasn't there. It was a no fault illness. 2 00:09:43Exactly. That's what I want to say too. It's it's not her fault. I mean, she was an alcoholic. It may have been her, it may have been her responsibility. I mean, it was her responsibility to do something about it, but yeah, nobody, nobody decides that they want to grow up one day and drink themselves to death. That's just not how it works. 1 00:10:06Oh my God, that's intense. Oh my God. 2 00:10:10It was intense. I, I, but you know, another win for me is that I totally dealt with it. I did not sweep it under the rug. I felt sad. I cried. I talked about it. I felt low, you know, that day and the next day. And, and, and I, you know, that's, all I can do is honor the feeling. 1 00:10:30Right. And, and I think like breaking the cycle right. Of denial. And also, yeah, the way that you talk about it, you know, that's a huge step in a direction that is the opposite direction of the secrecy and the like, shame, right? Like I think that shame, like busting the shame, breaking the shame and saying, you know, this is the truth. This is what happened. And, and shining a light and not being willing to let whatever shame for me anyway, whatever shame keeps us quiet. It really does. 1 00:11:10It really does allow other people to do the same. And I think that's the only way out of, of the hell, which is addiction and mental illness. And so you're doing that so good for you, but, oh, my Najah, that is like a hard weekend situation after you're. Okay. Okay. 2 00:11:32So, but now I want to hear about your, 1 00:11:35Okay. So I, it's interesting. I, as I, as I progress in age, I wonder, I noticing, and I wonder if you notice it, that things, what is it it's that they, they always say, oh, as you get older, you get stuck in your ways. And I was always like, that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard, and it's not true, but I think it's really hard for me to change my routines to change my, I it's just so strange. So I had this friend come lovely human being, but I, but you know, but we have one bedroom and I think I stayed in your house. 1 00:12:23Yeah. It was a terrible idea and no, and a no fault, again, a no fault situation. But what I need to do is say, Hey, the, the, this, this whole staying in our one bedroom on our sofa and our, our sleeper is not going to work unless you're a teenager and a small person. And don't mind being woken up at 5:00 AM, by a dog. And if any of those things are not true, you can't stay here. No, it has nothing to do with that. And it's interesting because it's like, it really brings up sort of like people pleasing stuff for me of like, well, if I ask someone to stay in a hotel, or if I, if I, if I do that, then that means I'm mean, or I'm not. 1 00:13:10I mean, that has really come up for me. And someone said to, or I read people pleasing and it really hit home is a form of manipulation. So, wow. So it is not, it is, that is really like at the root. And I was like, okay, well, if I look at it like that, I don't want to manipulate others. I really don't because I don't like being manipulated. So if I see people pleasing as that, instead of just like we're talking about and like covering up for someone, if I see it as dangerous and not acceptable behavior and something that I wouldn't want happen to me, then that helps me to make choices and how I interact in my relationships. 1 00:13:53So amazing reframe that's exactly what it is. And I could never put my finger on it before, because I think, well, people pleasing sounds nice, please. People sometimes, no, it's manipulation. It's total manipulation. And it, it, it it's, it's, it erodes the fabric of relationships and you can't have a real relationship. So like, right. I rely, I've also relied on other people like to say, oh, you know, they have a one bedroom. I'm not going to stay there, but people are going to do what they're going to do, whether it's for financial reasons, or it doesn't matter, they do their dance. That's not my responsibility. 1 00:14:34My responsibility is to not manipulate through people pleasing because I'm afraid to, to say, Hey, our place is teeny. You cannot stay here. Cause we'll all lose our mind. And she wanted to stay five nights originally. And I said, no, no, no. I said three. And we left Santa Barbara for one, I took her away to Santa Barbara, which was the smartest thing I could have done just for space reasons. And, but anyway, but I'm just learning like, as I get older, like there are things that used to be negotiable for me that are non-negotiable in terms of like sleep. I need a certain amount of sleep for my mental health and physical health. 1 00:15:15I need a certain amount of, I have to respect my husband's space and sleep, and I have a dog and it's a whole different thing. And the dog, I brought this dog into our lives. So to say to the dog, you have to behave differently because we have a guest and you're you're three months old, 3.5 months old is also not okay. I mean, look, the dog is fine. And I, but like learning that I have to take responsibility for my life. It all comes down like this is nobody else's life. This is nobody else's house. This is nobody else's journey. 1 00:15:55And, and, and I'm going to stop manipu, being a manipulator. And by doing that, I have to really commit to, to not being a people pleaser. It's really interesting. It's really, it hit home so hard when I saw that quote, I was like, oh my God, that is the truth. 2 00:16:11Yeah. That, that just changed me. I, it makes perfect sense because the way, the reason that we became people pleasers was for our own survival. It's not like we said, gosh, this person really needs are. I mean, it's really not altruistic in, in any way. It's, it's the opposite of that. It's just as selfish as the Eddy other behavior might be considered 1 00:16:37Really interesting. And I think it, it, it, it for women and stuff, it sort of becomes second nature and like, like acceptable, you know, people pleasing does sound really great. And like, you're being very compassionate, but it's not that for me, it is definitely, I don't want to feel an uncomfortable feeling and I don't want to risk you being mad at me. So I'm gonna just do this and then be resentful and then nothing changes. And I reinforced the behavior. 2 00:17:08You get the impression that that person also understood that it wasn't a great idea. 1 00:17:16No, because I get it. I think that that person is just in doing their own thing and isn't, and has a different, I don't know, like it is not a people, pleaser is more of a something else. And so that's why we attracted each other. And so, yeah, I just got the feeling that that person was just doing their thing and like, could not sense. 2 00:17:44Yeah. And the other thing is when you live in LA New York, Chicago, or maybe even some of the other large cities, people are always coming into town and people are always wanting to stay with you and you always have the right to say is, it's just not going to work. I love to see you. I'd love to hang out with you. I can recommend a great hotel across the street. Right. But you just can't stay. 1 00:18:09No, it just doesn't work. And it does, it really upset, upsets the, the, what is it? Homeostasis of the, of my whole vibe, my whole life, you know? And, and, and yeah, and that's just the truth. 2 00:18:22I personally can't imagine at my age ever wanting to stay. I mean, I don't even want to stay with my own family. Like I do. I go and stay with my mom, but I, you know, if, if I had all the money in the world, I would always just stay in a hotel. Yeah. It's just, it ma it makes for a better time together when you're with the person, if there isn't any resentment about like, how, what you like the temperature to be when you're sleeping or how loud you can be, or what time you getting rid of that. 1 00:18:57Yeah. And that's just the way to do it. So I'm learning, you know, I'm a learning and we're learning, what else is going on? 2 00:19:05What else is going on? I do. I'm doing like some intense sort of writing exercises with my theater group, where we started this new thing of writing five minute plays. So you, so we have, we pick a, there's a word of the week. We pick up the word and then there, we pick a prop and we pick a line of dialogue that everybody has to use. And then we'd go away and write the little play and come back and present it the next Monday. So we just did it for the first time, this past weekend. And we presented last night and it was really fun. I ended up writing something that I don't know that I would have written otherwise, like, you know, because I had to incorporate these other things. 2 00:19:50And it's, it's actually a really good way. Writing exercises are a very good way to get out of your own ruts. You know, like if you find yourself always writing the same character, always writing the same type of dialogue. If you get some externally imposed restrictions on what you can write, it leads you to think in a way that you might not otherwise. That's fantastic. And what else, what else have you got going on meetings or writing wise? 1 00:20:21Nothing. Right now. It's interesting. It's sort of like a lull in between. People are supposedly reading my script. I'm the head of roadmap to see who he thinks might be a good rep, but he, but like life, like people forget about you. I mean, that is just the truth. It's not that you're forgettable. It is that we're all forgettable really. And that people have a big life. So I, I wrote him and said he was supposed to read it and pass it to another person at roadmap writers and say, Hey, which reps do you think that we know might fit this? And what, what do we think this pilot needs? And, and is she ready to be wrapped with this, with this pilot and then that, so I'm in a hole I'm sort of in a holding pattern, but the big news is my husband got a full-time job. 1 00:21:09Praise, Jesus. 2 00:21:11I know. Awesome. 1 00:21:13He got a full-time regular 2 00:21:15Waiting for that for the longest time. It was 1 00:21:17Like two years in the making and the guy hasn't had a full-time permanent job in 20 years. He's been a contractor for 20 years. So this was like a huge step. He starts on my birthday, October four. And, and we were just relieved and so grateful. And it was, you know, it's also though a good reminder, like then I go into, because I'm a human I'm like, oh my God, well, he has to keep this job and he can't lose this job. I mean, it can get insane. So I'm really telling myself, like, stay in the day, the guy just got the job. Everything's a process nothing's permanent anyway, stay in the day, stay in the day. So that's really that's. 2 00:21:54Yeah. That relates to the thing that I wanted to run by you, which is that tendency that urge, you felt to then want to control, like how he stays in the job, or that's very familiar to me. And I was talking to somebody about it recently, somebody who was complaining that in their family, any thing negative is never tolerated anything. You know, it's like any, any challenge or struggle you have is like, you have to stiff upper lip it to the point that this person doesn't feel like they can ever say, I mean, even something simple, like 1 00:22:42I don't like this of like, 2 00:22:44Yeah, I don't. Yeah. It's like, well, but you have food and you you're going to be grateful for it. So, and she was, she was telling me that, you know, there was this long period of time actually, where she hadn't had a job and then she got a job and she hated the job. I mean, she wasn't quitting it, but she, she hated the job. And whenever she would say anything to her family about it, they would say, yeah, but you're really grateful. You have the job. Right. And for a while, she was like, oh yeah, you know, she's feeling badly that she shouldn't have any bad feelings about it. The thing about feelings is you just don't get to decide what they are. I wish you could. I really wish you brought program. 2 00:23:27And just say like, no, Siri, I don't want to have this feeling right now, but that's one thing we haven't outsourced yet. You simply can't control it. What the feelings you have are the feelings you have. The only thing you can control is the outcome. And it makes sense. Like, if you think of people who in past generations, we're in poverty, like there's no room for any, no thing, but you know, putting your nose down and doing the work. And I get that, but we're not living in an agrarian society anymore. And people have complaints. And, and by the way, generations ago, they had complaints to just the, the fact that they weren't allowed to say it out loud. Doesn't mean they lived happy. 1 00:24:05Exactly. Well, I think it's, it's just comes back to exactly what we're saying is about addiction and mental illness and everything is like, just because you don't speak it out loud actually doesn't mean that there's not a whole torrent of storms inside of you. It's still there. It's just that you're not expressing it. And it has to go somewhere. 2 00:24:25They go somewhere. And that makes a lot of sense too. Like if you think about how the body is processing trauma and, and it'll just go somewhere until you, you can deal with it. And same thing is true for frankly, every emotion, you know, the best, the best gift you can give yourself. And certainly the people who you love is the gift of acceptance that this thing has happened. Do you feel this type of way about it and it, and it's okay. It's not. And some people take it too far. It's so, okay. That you can do whatever you want because you have, you know, poor, you, you had to go through. It's not that it's simply just, okay. Yeah. I mean, my, my daughter is actually a good example. 2 00:25:06My daughter, I'll say, she's going through what? I'll call a high, a hypochondria phase. She wants to come to you and say, it hurts when I do this, you know? And I'm like, okay, well, let's, don't do that for a few days. Then I, I mean, in any given day, she'll have seven elements. And my practice is, cause what happens to me inside is I feel, I feel like anxiety shoots up in me immediately. And it actually, it took me a long time to know that that was happening. And then it took me a little while to figure out why would I have that reaction of well, because that's how people reacted to me when I like we can't afford you. 2 00:25:53Can't be sick. You can't have a problem. We can't deal with that. It, it, it, it doesn't work. So I'm practicing. I'll, I'll keep everybody posted on how it's going. I'm just practicing saying, I'm really sorry that you're feeling that way. Let me check it out. Okay. Let me know if it keeps, you know, if it persists, 1 00:26:13Right? I mean, I think, yeah, it is. So it is so right. It is the first step is realizing what your reaction is. Right. And that is huge to say like, okay, like I, when, when, when a member of my family, you know, like get sick or something, I go to rage, like, how dare you be sick? How dare you allow yourself to have a need and inconvenience everybody. And that's because that's how I treated. But it took me a long time to say, why am I like enraged that my husband has a cold, like, this doesn't make any sense, but it does make sense because I wasn't allowed to have a cold. 1 00:26:53Right. But this is now that was, then he's allowed to have a cold. It doesn't mean the end of the world, but it takes a while to figure out what the hell has he been going on? Yeah. 2 00:27:03Yeah. And I think the other thing that comes up for me when I feel anxiety or rage, when somebody is low, I don't mean this word, but I'm being cheeky, like indulge in their needs. The anger is I didn't get to act like that when I was your age. So therefore you don't get to. 1 00:27:25So it even goes to someone, a psychologist was talking about people who have, and this was me for a long time in public places. When an infant is crying, if you have that rage to shut that infant up a lot of times, it's because you were, you felt that you couldn't do that. Also. We feel, we can't do that as adults when we'd like to start screaming and crying and that, and that, that infant is expressing what we all wish we could. And nobody likes that because it's not there. And I was like, that's so true. And when I looked at it that way, look, I still don't like screaming, infants, who does? I mean, it's just annoying, but it wasn't, it didn't, it doesn't trigger me like on planes and stuff anymore as bad because I'm like, oh, that kid is doing that being is doing what we all wish we could. 1 00:28:13And they're the only acceptable outlet for it. If an adult did that, they'd go right to jail and then they'd be checked in, you know? And, and, but that infant gets to express that and like, wow. You know? Yeah. 2 00:28:26Yeah. So the only other thing I wanted to mention to you is that I, for some reason, my kids were like, mom, the Emmy's were on tonight. We've got to watch the Emmy's. They have never watched any award show to my knowledge. I don't. I think my daughter thought that her favorite YouTubers might be like getting awards. And I tried to say, I don't think they do those kind of, they will soon. Sure. I'm sure there's going to be YouTube awards. And I'm sure they're going to be injustice. I'm sure they're going to outpace the Oscar. Exactly. Cause 1 00:28:57They're just, those influencers are on top of it. Yeah. 2 00:29:00But so I started to watch it. Cause that's the thing I usually like is the clothes and I right away. Did you watch it? Nope. Okay. I right away noticed, wow. So many nominees are actors of color. This is, or not just actors, writers, whatever people of colored. This is great. Wow. Who the tightest is suddenly shifting. And then one after the other, it was like, but then the one white guy was in the one white girl, one like 1 00:29:28I, that big thing that 2 00:29:30Was the big, oh, is that what people are saying about 1 00:29:33More? I believe it was more people of color were nominated than ever before and less one, the actual word than ever before. I mean, 2 00:29:41My God it's like, it's like, it's like, it's like, it's like white folks saying you should just be happy just to be nominated. Look at that. Yeah. Yeah. We're not going to let you win. Yeah. There needs to be some type of like in Hollywood. I wish sometimes I wish Hollywood was just like a company that everybody got like a company newsletter, you know? And then this week's newsletter is like, Hey, listen, we are white. Fragility was really showing, you know, you have to remind yourself that it's, you're not recognizing somebody whose work is not doing them a favor. 2 00:30:21It's recognizing their work. It's not doing them a favor when it's your favorite white actress and it's not doing them a favor when it's your favorite blackout. Right. Right. It's recognizing the work it's about the work and all rising tide lifts all boats. And when you have better work, more better work comes out of it. Like, you know, this whole thing about the appetite. Like people always like, well, but it's the American appetite for whatever. Okay. Well guess what Americans, myself included, like the thing that you tell me it alike to somehow agree. And if you tell, and if you tell me that something that I know is shit, you know, is shit. Then, then I go, okay, good. 2 00:31:02I I'm, I, I, that, that tracks with the belief that I already have, we could just make all pro content better. It could all be more interesting. Right. Did you see McKayla Kohl's and I watched, I thought that was brilliant. I thought that was brilliant. She she's brilliant. And that I watched because people kept reposting it and I'm like, oh, she said something brilliant. So let me watch. And I just really appreciated it. And I, I she's, you know, tells you to keep going. And for those of the people who are listening, who don't know the, the, her big thing was it's okay to, or actually you should, as a writer, an unplug because, you know, we get caught up in this web of re what was the word? 2 00:31:48She is, it was not ref visibility, visibility. I think it was, we get caught up in our own visibility and how many people have seen this thing. And we don't, we don't feel like it's real or important until people have seen it, which, you know, there's understandable reasons for that too. But all the time you spend in vexation about whether or not you're being viewed is time that you're not spending, looking at yourself. Yeah. That's what it is. Honestly, we all are just, we want people to see us, but not really see us. Right. We need to see ourselves. So the answer is, as I used to say to my clients, well, the bad news is the problem is you. 2 00:32:28And the good news is the solution is you. 0 00:32:33Well today 3 00:32:39On the podcast, we're talking with Noel wrath. Noel is someone who went to the dealer school for a time when we were there at DePaul university and she left, but wow, she was there. She was a part of what Gina and I have talked about as a spiritual movement or religious movement that kind of swept up the theater school for a time. And she tells us all about that. And she talks about her writing and what she's up to now. And it was very interesting. So please enjoy our conversation with Noel rap. 2 00:33:16She got a French bulldog named Joris. We have a mutt named Wallace, Doris wallets. What's your dog's name? 4 00:33:26Lucky. Lucky. He's a toy poodle. So he's seven pounds of anxiety. 2 00:33:35That's funny. They say that about little jogs that they're nervous. Little suckers. 4 00:33:41No, I know. I was really hoping that I don't know. Somehow we would look out and not have one of those Yippy dogs, but they just bark it everyday. They just are just high alert at all times. 2 00:33:54It's literally their only defense, literally. 4 00:33:58I know. And that's what I keep reminding myself is like, you know, he's just so little and vulnerable that he has to think he's big, but yeah. 2 00:34:08So Noel wrath, congratulations. You survived theater school. Well, 4 00:34:13Yeah, sorta. Yeah, 2 00:34:16You did. You did it and sort of is like the, all for the most part, that's all of us, right. It's like we survived sort of, and we're here, you know? Yeah. 4 00:34:29Well, I mean, I made my own choice to leave, so it's kind of a different scenario, I suppose. I don't think 2 00:34:36I realized that. So yeah. Say the whole time, 4 00:34:40Right? Yeah. I ended up, I ended up deciding to leave right before my senior year started. 2 00:34:48Oh, wow. That was a bold move. What precipitated that 4 00:34:54It, you know, which I suppose we'll get into, but it really was a pretty dramatic spiritual experience that happened while I was in school. And I remember going to Betsy's office to have a conversation with her because I knew a lot of people for whatever reason would take a leave of absence. And I really thought that's what I need to do. I need to kind of figure things out. And I was going in to have a conversation with her about taking a leave of absence. And it was through that conversation that she really kind of, I don't want to say she kind of coached out, but she helped me realize that maybe this wasn't the path for me right now, you know, because I would have to be compromising for, you know, for what I believed was compromising. 4 00:35:54What, you know, what then I was, I was feeling was the sort of like new understanding of, of who I was and my reality. She was like, it's just going to be one compromise after another. And I'm not sure if this is, I mean, she wasn't like, I'm not sure if this is a good fit, but she helped me realize, like I had options. And that was actually really freeing to realize that yeah, 2 00:36:23You said, we'll get into it. Let's get into it right now. I mean, so our, our experience, or I'll say my experience was w w one day a bunch of people seemed like they were all part of one specific group that was, that included the way people dressed, sort of like in long skirts and, and, and going to, I don't even know what the churches, but, but, but going to church, I'm sure. I'm sure it was, it didn't happen in one day, but you're the first person we're talking to who was sort of a part of this. So we'd love to hear what your experience was. 4 00:37:05So well, I mean, just to put it in context, you know, I like coming to the theater school, I was one of those people where like I barely got in, you know, I, I, I did not, I was not as studious person. You know, actually I remember meeting with, I think it was what is her name, Melissa, Melissa Meltzer. And she was like, oh, we'd really love to have you, your, your act scores are a little low. Maybe you could try retaking that. So I actually did, I got a few points higher, but even getting in, I was like right away, sort of on an academic probation, you know, I was just more concerned with my social life than I was about studying, which was sort of what gravitated me towards acting because it's just fun and play and, you know, anyway, so, so as soon as I got to Chicago, I mean, coming from, you know, sort of a small town in Minnesota, I was just like, everything is at my fingertips, you know? 4 00:38:17And I remember one night, you know, kind of innocently with a friend that was in my acting class saying, you know, let's go clubbing tonight. Let's like, see what that's all about. And man, that just opened up a whole kind of world to 1 00:38:35Me that just sucked me in right away. I big world the clubbing. Oh, I did not. I did not. I was not a clubbing. So first of all, were you, were you in the class, did you start school the same time we did I'm con 93, 94 94. 4 00:38:56Yep. So with ed and Erica Yancey who you've had on, I'm trying to think if there's oh, Paul home Quist. Yeah. Okay. And I don't know if, for some reason as I, I always gravitated towards the drug dealers too were like magnets for me. So I had my pick of whatever I wanted and it just really sucked me in big time. So I had a good experience at the theaters go in terms of like, I loved my teachers, I actually got decent roles. I just, as you know, it was always the case with Noel. I wasn't applying myself, you know, like I wasn't really in it. 4 00:39:42I was just so scattered. So, so that was kind of, you know, that sort of like setting the stage or whatever for, I think what ended up being this kind of an awakening for me. So anyway, so it was my third year and I was cast in a two person show Danny and the deep blue sea. And it was, it was Barry was the director and Anthony LoCascio was the, was Danny. And it was really the first like major lead role that I'd ever had. 4 00:40:25I mean, I'd done a lot of musical theater and then leads in that kind of thing, but a straight, you know, dramatic lead was, you know, it was a lot of, it was a lot of responsibility. And I remember Anthony and I taking that really serious. And, you know, we were kind of, you know, like you are, when you're 19, you're, you're exploring, you're having deep philosophical conversations, you know, and we would spend so much time drinking coffee and smoking at the golden app, just philosophizing about life. And we just really were interested in God. 4 00:41:06We were just had a lot of conversations about what is God and what, you know, and in my own, in my own mind, I really thought that I had a clear understanding of who God was and what that meant to me. And I used to always say to him like, well, you're closer than you think. You know, like I really felt like for whatever, I'm like, I had it all too. Like I had it together, like I knew, and I had this close relationship with God because some experience that as I'd had, like as a teenager or whatever, but that's sort of the beauty too, like before you, you do get all indoctrinated is that you are having this experience and it's sort of unfolding as it needs to, instead of someone telling you, this is what you should be believing, or this is what you should be doing or whatever. 4 00:41:57I mean, I really do believe that it's supposed to just sort of unfold and happen in its own time. Do you want to say more about, I'm curious about what happened to you as a teenager that, that sort of exposed you to, well, just, you know, I guess just going way back, I mean, I've just always, I've always been a real sensitive person when it comes to spiritual things and I've always had a deep longing for understanding, you know, what this all is and who I am. I mean, even now with my own kids, I love to talk to them, stuff like that, you know, and just to like, sort of try to pick apart, I mean, I'm always reading spiritual books and just, I don't know where I am. 4 00:42:50Yeah, very much so I don't have any answers, but I just love to dig deep and figure out, you know, what's beyond and how this is all connected and how we're connected and, you know, so I grew up Catholic, but then I had, you know, I went to like some camps with friends, you know, and there you have kind of, you know, emotional experiences and then you feel really close to God for a while. And then about two weeks later, you know who you were. I mean, it was just always this cycle of that, you know, it was like having emotional experiences and, and feeling more in touch with my true self, but then I'm always kind of reverting back to, you know, behaviors that are typical, I guess, if a teen or whoever, but probably weren't the best choices, you know? 4 00:43:54So yeah, so we would, so Anthony and I would, would have these amazing conversations and cliche as it is then of course we developed sort of a relationship, you know, during the show and it, it, you know, that show is very intense. I mean, it's like two hours in my underwear, swearing and slapping each other. It was like, that was the first show that my parents got to see me. Yeah. That's, that's a big one. Yeah. And I remember it was opening night and he comes to me, you know, in the green room or whatever, and he's all excited. 4 00:44:41And he tells me, I went to church and I got baptized today and I was like, whoa, that's, that's awesome. You know, I was so excited for him. And then we go and we do the show and I don't even remember much about the show itself, you know, or truly having any sort of understanding about what we're doing there or who this character really was. But it was kind of after that, that I started going to this church with him and th this church was affiliated with his, his brother, his brother had, had a pretty, you know, again, dramatic conversion, you know, through this church, it's, it's a Pentecostal church. 4 00:45:33And this older man had started a kind of what they call like a daughter work, you know, sort of a satellite church in Schomburg, which is a pretty far suburb outside of Chicago, but that's, that's where they were going. So we started doing a Bible study with Anthony and his brother and his, and his brother's wife. And I just kind of got, I don't want to say I got sucked in, you know, but it really did feel it, it just felt really pure and genuine. 4 00:46:17And I think what's been so helpful for me listening to this podcast specifically is because I don't talk about the experience of, I mean, I don't want to say like joining a cult because I don't think it's a cult. I mean, it has ish tendencies, but I appreciate what you guys have talked about. That everything is sort of a cult. And especially when you're 18, 19 years old, I was always like, how did I let that happen? You know, like how did I let my life like completely go in an opposite direction? 4 00:46:58How did I let myself get so sucked up into like these strangers? Like, I didn't know these people at all. Well, and it's because you are so young and you're completely taken away from your family, you know? I mean, you're, you're out there by yourself. And I think, you know, being in such a, being in such a dark place with the clubbing and the raving and the drugs and everything that goes along with that, I think like deep inside, I was really like longing for something that was more true to me. And, and I was really longing for family and just something that would be like a foundation and stabilize me. 4 00:47:45And it certainly did. I mean, it was a lot of rules, right? You had to follow a lot of rules. It's, it's, it's definitely a more legalistic type of religion and they don't, you know, and it's not like, oh, now you're in like, do this, do that. I mean, they're very, like, I mean, I could tell from the beginning, it was like, no one wanted to talk about it. Like no one wanted to talk about the fact that women are wearing skirts and, you know, like all the other things like, you know, which eventually you start, but it really was more like me realizing it on my own. 4 00:48:26And when I would bring it up, the women would be very like, hold well, but don't worry about that. You know, you just, just do what you're doing. Just, you know, keep coming. Like you could tell that they, they knew that once you are fully in it, typically women start to then have an issue with it, you know, because it's, it is so counter-cultural, and, and there's some pretty extreme things. One being is that you do not cut your hair because it's considered like a covering almost like a veil, like a physical Vale. 4 00:49:11So there, I mean, there was one point where I had hair down to my calves. Like I had not cut my hair in like five, seven years. Yeah. Yeah. So it wasn't too long into the experience with, with Anthony in this church that I don't know, it's probably even just like three, four months that I started to realize like, oh, all these women are, you know, like they don't wear makeup and they're always wearing skirts. And so I started to ask questions and I really did it on my own. I was like, okay, well, that's, that's different, but that's not a big deal. 4 00:49:53I mean, I could try that, you know? So I just, I would go to thrift stores and buy the most hideous, well, this is a long skirt. So that works. I mean, that's what I like is when you say we looked like we walked out of little house on the Prairie it's because we had like, no idea what we were doing, but it really was coming from a pure place. I mean, 1 00:50:17One, I, I, what really sticks out to me, something that you resonate that resonates really deeply with me is the idea that you were looking for family and as someone who, as a former therapist for, you know, for gang members and for all, it's always that looking to belong. And I'm telling you, if I had been approached, I'm telling you right now, if I had been approached by anyone in your group and sat down and said, we love you. We want you to come do this. I would have done it too. I know I would have, I just wasn't in the it's like I wasn't exposed to it so I could see how 4 00:50:56Well that's, why there were so many from our class. And even younger that for a while were pulled into it. Even Mary Kay cook was one Heather Callington Sarah Whitaker. I mean, she and I were, were best friends at the time. I mean, we all, and then there was, there was other, you know, other people too that, you know, came maybe to church once or twice with us, or, you know, I even remember, I mean, it was like this mini revival was breaking out within the theater school. I mean, it was like, you could tell people for so spiritually hungry. 4 00:51:38I mean, they really, I remember one time, you know, we sort of like posted something on the board, like let's just get together and have a Bible study, like anyone that wants to come and we reserved some room I like in the annex or something. And there was there, I, I feel like there was like 20 to 30 people that showed up and there was such a buzz in the air and, you know, no organization or like, who's really leading this. And, but you could tell there was just such an excitement. People were really hungry for it. And I wish that, you know, the, the church and, you know, the philosophies around this particular denomination, weren't so dogmatic and absolute, because I think that we could have together had a bigger impact at that time. 4 00:52:34But, you know, because certain people were, you know, were more about let's follow the church, then let's all have sort of like a, I don't know, just a more open-mindedness about it to honoring like everyone's perspectives and experiences and where they were coming from. But, you know, unfortunately that, that type of denomination was like, no, you know, it has to be this way. And this is, this is the truth. Like, if you don't see it that way, then, you know, I don't want to, we don't really have anything more to say kind of a thing. 4 00:53:14So that's, that's unfortunate. Did you, 1 00:53:18I just have a question. Did you feel that that buzz in the air that sort of yeah, that was like taking, I wanna know. Did, did they, did, did the teachers get involved? What, what went down like okay. Cause I'm really curious about that aspect and like how they handled it and also, yeah, just that, can you talk about like the culture, like, did the teachers say you have to stop this? Or what, how did it go? Cause I, I was so in my own world, 4 00:53:48I would be, I would love to know what they thought, because I'm sure that they were like, what is going on? Like, it just seemed like they didn't really know what to do with us, which is probably why Betsy, you know, was probably the voice of the majority of the teachers saying, I think it's probably be best if you found a different path, you know, a different career or whatever. Right. 2 00:54:25Because one of the, one 4 00:54:26Of the, I mean, cause what do they do? You know? I mean 2 00:54:29Limitations, if I remember correctly, it is the material. Like there was a L a lot of, I mean, it just, it, the things that people were willing to do, the things that the students were willing to do, the students who are part of this changed really quickly, and it became, I don't want to do material with cursing or sex or 4 00:54:55Yeah. I mean, it was, it was crazy and yeah, exactly. Like, I didn't know. I remember having conversations with a couple of MFA actors and just saying like, what, is there out there for Christian actor? I mean, and of course we know it's like not much and really bad and it's already hard enough making it as a regular actor, you know, willing to do anything and then put all of these stipulations on it. I mean, I was fortunate where, you know, I was so I'm, I'm discovering who I am and I'm kind of transforming as a, as a person. 4 00:55:44And I was still cast in some shows. I mean, I'm sure that was probably I'm sure that was probably intentional, you know, from the, from the faculty standpoint and things where I didn't feel compromised, you know, like I did bridge to Terabithia, which is a children's show. And, and then, you know, under milk wood, which is like, everybody was in that didn't get a main stage or something, you know? So I was able to sort of, I was able to sort of exit gracefully and not feel like I was put in a position where, but I do remember I was in bridge to Terabithia. 4 00:56:25I had, I had really short hair. Cause I went through like the nineties pixie cut phase, you know, remember you with your hair on your little burette right here. Right, right. But I remember, and that was probably part of the reason why I got cast because I had this short hair and I was supposed to play this tomboy. And I remember going to the makeup room and I think it was Nan is her name and her saying now, you know, so we're going to have to keep up this short hair. So let me know when you are scheduling another hair cut. And I was like, oh, you know, actually I don't cut my hair anymore. 4 00:57:10It's like, it's like a religious thing. And you know, that was one of the first things where, and she's looking at me and I'm looking at her like, and I think it was even in that moment that I'm starting to realize, oh, there's going to be a lot of this kind of thing. You know, there's going to be a lot of, oh, I can't do this. Or I don't know. I don't know. Looking back. I'm just, I think that's, what's strange now is that like, I'm listening to everyone's stories about either, you know, going on and being, working actors and coming to a place now where, what we're like 20, 25 years later. 4 00:57:53And they're kind of like, wow, this has been a really interesting choice. It's like a very bizarre life, you know? And for me, I've always hung on to this idea, like, like the, what if, what if I hadn't left? What if I had stuck with it? And I'm always kind of, I don't want to say tortured by it, but there certainly is a part of me that's like, as I've never feel like I've found my place, you know, you still feel that I still feel that way. I've never feel like it's like ever since I left, I'm like now what, what am I doing? 4 00:58:37You know, what did you, when I, right after you left, I left. And I immediately, I stayed at DePaul and I immediately enrolled in the English literature department. So I graduated with an English lit degree and I will say that. And I've always said that that leaving in terms of education-wise was one of the best things I ever did because, you know, at that point now I'm more of a straight and narrow. And I, I really got excited about learning and I finally figured out how to study. 4 00:59:19And I was, I had an amazing liberal arts education at DePaul. You know, I was like introduced to so many amazing works and just classes and professors. So I ended up graduating in five years instead of four, you know, so it took me an extra two years or whatever, but that really kind of helped propel me on, you know, in terms of like my later sort of just love for continuous learning and reading. And, but, you know, I remember even standing in line at graduation and, you know, you kind of, with all of these other English lit people and they had a plan, you know, like they all knew what they were doing. 4 01:00:04Or a lot of people knew that they were going to grad school right away. Or they, you know, they were going to be editors or work in publishing or journalism. And I was just like, I just had to pick something, you know, and something that sort of interested me, but I had no idea what I was going to do with it. You know? So I have been all over the map in terms of, you know, a career afterwards, but yeah. 2 01:00:30So what, what are you doing now? 4 01:00:35Actually, I'm a writer right now. I work for an architectural firm and I do technical writing for that. 2 01:00:44Yeah. I mean, that's interesting though that you you're, that's a completely reasonable career choice and yet you feel like you don't, maybe you're not saying you don't belong to your career. Maybe you're saying you don't feel like you belong in a different way or you don't have your, you don't have your group, you don't have your people. I mean, first of all, did you, did you leave the church? 4 01:01:09I did. Yeah. So let's see. I don't know. I had been graduated a couple of years and I was working as a, you know, like a administrative assistant for a window company. And, and I met my husband through mutual friends and he was, you know, he was part of the church. He had grown up in the UPC, but you know, there was always, I could tell right away, because even though I was in it, I always questioned, I was always questioning. 4 01:01:49It's kind of, part of my nature too, is just to question everything and, and I was always like in it, but then I would backslide, you know, and I would not be in for a while. And then I would come back and backsliding. Or 2 01:02:06Did you call it backsliding? 4 01:02:07Yeah, they called it a, no, it was called, what do you 2 01:02:10Mean? Like when you, when you went astray or something like 4 01:02:12That? Yeah. Yeah. You would like go back to your old life ways, your old life. Yeah. Wow. Because you did that basically like stopped going to church. So you had periods of that. Oh yeah, for sure. Okay. Got it. And you know, there were, cause there was just a lot of, a lot of, a lot about it that I felt was very controlling, you know? I mean, because it is like, if you don't go to church, someone's going to call you and ask you where you were, you know, or, you know, it was just like serious business, your church life and your church, family is all encompassing and there really isn't room or time for anything else. 4 01:03:02Was there any money? A lot of money? No, no, nothing like that. And then what did people do in terms of like jobs? Did they do all kinds of jobs. Cause you're saying it's all encompassing. Did you have to get a certain kind of job or? Oh no. No. I mean you, yeah. I mean, no, you, you know, you're living your life, but I'm saying it's like, you know, it's it's church on Wednesdays and then, you know, two services on Sunday, but then there's also all of these midweek things, like maybe you're doing two Bible studies, you know, on or you're involved in. 4 01:03:45I don't know. You're just, there's always something I just felt like, you know, so there just isn't a lot of time for strain, right. Because you're just, it's, you know, you're always with the same people. But so anyway, when I met, when I met my husband, first of all, he, he was going to a different church, but within that same denomination and the church, you know, every church has its own kind of flavor and maybe rules too, you know, more strict or more lenient or whatever. 4 01:04:27And I just felt like he was also like, he was an intellectual, he was okay with questioning things, you know? And so we sort of connected on that level. And even from the very beginning, I just felt like this is someone that I don't want to say, like we're gonna escape together. Like it wasn't that dramatic, please understand. But I just felt like this is someone that I'm like, I'm going to be safe with and that we're going to be going on this journey together. 4 01:05:12Interesting. And that we, you know, I just had that deep sense from the very beginning. And we did, I mean, we did question a lot of things, but we, you know, we stayed in it for a long time, but yeah, we were living in, in Chicago, that's where he was born and raised. And when I was pregnant with my second child, we ended up moving to Minnesota. So back to my hometown and it was kind of there that we started to kind of break away. I mean, there was a church here that we could have gone to and we, and we did for a little while, but we just started to realize, you know, we're living two different lives and it's not, it's not who we really are or how we really believe anymore. 4 01:06:03So yeah. So it's been a long journey. 2 01:06:06Other people, I don't remember if other people cause like Heather Callington was an R year, she stayed all the way through. She graduated. Did other people leave the program that you know of? 4 01:06:17Well, Anthony did. Yeah. Yeah. He and I left at the same time. Yeah. And he's 2 01:06:22Still, I think he might still be a part of that church. 4 01:06:26Yeah. Yeah. He pastors a church actually in the suburbs. Yeah. Okay. 2 01:06:31So that, that does mean though, that there are people who stayed and presumably kept their faith, you know, and figured out a way to make it work at the theater school. Through, through graduation. 4 01:06:50Yeah. Yeah. I suppose I think Heather really is the only one. Yeah. 2 01:06:56Oh, because maybe what you're saying too is like, after you and Anthony left Anthony, by the way, so charismatic, it makes sense that he would have been kind of the leading the effort on this after he left, maybe it kind of died out at the theater school or do you know? I think 4 01:07:13So. Wow. 1 01:07:16I was there any, you know, it's from the little I know about that church that, and maybe I'm wrong. So please tell me, but like, it seems like it's theatrical in its own way. Is that, is that accurate? That there's like a theatrical vibe to it. So it's kind of interesting that you guys, that you were actors and then this church, it's not just like, you know, the, the Unitarian church or something, which is by the way I've, I've been to, and I fell asleep like six times, this is more like, right. It, it offered, it must have offered some kind of fix of the theatrical. Did it, or am I just totally? 4 01:07:57Oh, for sure. I mean, it's a very emotional experience, you know, and that is part of that's part of what I think draws people in is there's, there's like an alter call you at the end of every service where it's designed to invoke a lot of emotion, you know? And if like, if everyone's not crying at the end, then it wasn't as successful, you know? And at some point, 1 01:08:32Which by the way is like acting class, I'm just saying it's very similar to acting class. So a lot of times theater schools and the rehearsal processes are, if the people, if no one cries, did we really do good work that day? I'm just, there's a lot of similarities. So it makes sense to me that it's just like, it's sort of in the name of God versus in the name of the theater, but it's, it's a similar vibe, man. It's a similar, I've seen, you know, like from watching movies and there will be blood and things like that. Like watching, watching that kind of yeah. Emotional response. That's what we're all looking for, dude. Like that's the thing. So it happened to be in Schomburg with people, but it could be anywhere. 1 01:09:16So I just, I really want to sort of emphasize and like say that like I, in the core of my being get how that I might have taken this path too, and that it is, it's just, I just, we're all looking for a home, like, okay, we're all looking for an emotional home where we can feel like we belong and this has happened to be in a church. But I mean, it's just, so anyway, that's what I want him to say. Cause I was like, oh, these are the there's similar. It's similar theatrical. 2 01:09:49Yeah. And, and all, and we've talked to many times on this podcast about how people find theater school. Well, people go to college in general to, in part to find themselves, but there is something specific about theater school. And I think it might actually be for people who are going into acting. I don't know who I am. I don't know how I feel. Let me just go ahead and learn how to be somebody else, you know, for awhile, because maybe through, and it's a perfectly reasonable way to come to know yourself. Maybe you come to know yourself more through the, okay, well, I'm not that that's not who I am. It's not that I'm trying on all these different selves and you know, until I find the one that fits. 4 01:10:33Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I think about too, you know, kind of like how you guys have talked about your are you're so raw at that point, right? Like I had been through two, two and a half years of that sort of stripping down process and now I'm so open to anything. And I think it was just the perfect scenario for me to get swept in, swept up into something like that, that, you know, touches on so many different senses. Right. 4 01:11:13And especially that emotional component. I mean, it was just, yeah, but it's like, I was, I was hesitant honestly, to come on, like, and that's why I had not responded to your emails initially because I was like really humming and high and about whether or not I wanted to talk about it because it's like, although it was, it was, you know, it was sort of a bizarre experience. It was something that happened and it has shaped me and it, in a lot of ways it shaped me for the better, you know, I mean, it really helped me get my act together because I was out of control and, and I keep thinking too, even though there's always this, like what if in my head I'm like, yeah, but what did it prevent me also from experiencing? 4 01:12:07Because if I had gone down that path and ended up in LA and I mean, I was just so naive and so willing to try anything that I'm just, I don't know. It sort of scares me even now when I think about how did I walk out of some of those situations I put myself in, you know, through my club years that I walked out like alive without major trauma or when you do it, a lot of drugs is that what was happening? A lot of drugs, a lot of guys, you know, I mean, it was just not a healthy situation 2 01:12:51Becoming part of the church change any of the relationships with people that you had at the theater school. 4 01:12:59Definitely. Yeah. You know, unfortunately, and, and now what, like looking back, I can understand it because I mean, jeez was like, it did seem like overnight, all of a sudden there was this like group of kids that was just all Jesus freaks, you know? But there were some people that I would've considered pretty close friends that just like cut us off. Like literally wouldn't speak to us. But then there were other people that, you know, just remained true friends and you know, didn't quite understand it, but we're like, whatever, you know, if it's good for you, then that's good. 4 01:13:45You know, I think that's the one thing that I probably regret though, is that, you know, like people walk away from their college experience, like, like you too, you know, and you've known each other since you were 18. And because of the way that I left and, you know, the situation that I was in, I was, I really sort of like cut myself off from a lot of people. And so I just haven't had that same, like, you know, close people that I've known since college, or even been able to like rehash some of these things. That's, what's been so cool about listening to this podcast as a sort of putting pieces to the puzzle together, you know, that I haven't been able to talk about with anyone because I haven't kept in conversation with anybody, you know, over all those 2 01:14:39Touch with anyone that was in the church. I mean, you said, you know, Anthony's is still the church. Do you keep in touch with any of like the Sarah Whitaker's or the, 4 01:14:50You know, we've connected a little bit through social media, but, but not really. Not really, no. 2 01:14:58I'm just sitting here trying to think about, I mean, you and I didn't have a friendship per se, but I, I w I guess the only person in that group that I had a friendship with was Anthony. I don't remember the timing. I wasn't a quasi relationship with him. I 4 01:15:19Feel like I remember it 2 01:15:21Must've been, maybe I, maybe I blame. But when I think about why I would, I was rejecting of people who had become part of that group, all the only thing I can come up with is fear. It's not like anybody started treating me differently. It's not like it was really no skin off my nose that people joined a church. I don't know why I had a problem with it. Actually. Maybe it just, I think it scared me. It seemed sudden, and I didn't really know if it was, I didn't know what kind of church it was. 2 01:16:02I didn't know what it was asking people to do. So actually, you, you, 4 01:16:07Well, I can't blame you for being, I mean, I would have been the same way, you know? I mean, and plus we were just, I think about some of the things that I did, you know, like, I remember we had this one assignment in some acting class where you were supposed to get up and it was just like, sort of like a comedic thing you were supposed to get up. And in one breath, like say all of the expletives that you could, you know, you know, like, like you see that in like a movie, you know, like a Chevy chase scene or something. And, and so I'm sitting there and I'm going, oh my gosh, what am I going to do? 4 01:16:47You know? And I get up and I just, at the top of my lungs scream, I hate you devil What, you know, and actually looking back now, I'm just like, dang Noel. That was really bold of you. I can't imagine something like that now. 1 01:17:10You know, the one thing 4 01:17:11That, you know, but as another classmate, I'm sure they were just like, what? 1 01:17:17Well, first of all, that's a dumb, dumb assignment. I just have to be honest like that. Okay. Let's just, but that's just my judgment about the assignment. But also then knowing that like, look, I think I remember I was away. I think I was not in school when this went down, I had taken a leave of absence, I think. Right. Cause it was right before 4 01:17:39Ready with Nicholas cage. I remember that rumor 1 01:17:43Mill. That's hilarious. You hear that's hilarious. 4 01:17:46Yeah. You were like a unicorn. That's hilarious. 1 01:17:50Meanwhile, I'm like drinking myself to jump over here. But anyway, that's funny, 4 01:17:55Jen is a personal assistant to Nicholas cage. Like I was like the top, you know, like we couldn't believe 1 01:18:04Meanwhile I was, I was miserable, but anyway, so all right. And we, we all were in some ways, but the other thing I'm realizing is that it does take a certain amount of chutzpah to be like, I am going to bel

THE WEEK OF TRINITY XIII - THURSDAYLESSON: ROMANS 1:18‒25“You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.” Matthew 4:10God allows us to love His creatures; that is why He created them and made them good. The sun is a fine creation of God; gold and silver and everything that is fair and beautiful quite naturally engender love in us. God readily permits us to love these creatures. But to cling to them and equate our love for them with our love for Him, this He neither will nor can tolerate. Indeed, it is His will that I should deny and forsake all if He wants me to do so, and that I should be satisfied even if I never saw the sun, money, or any of my property again.Love of creatures must always stand a very long distance beneath love of Himself. Even as He is the supreme good, so He wants us to love Him in the highest manner before everything else. If He does not want me to love anything beside Himself, much less does He want anything to be loved above Himself, although both of these alternatives amount to the same thing.Now, I believe, you can see what it means to love God with your whole heart, and your whole soul, and your whole mind. To love God with your whole heart is to love Him above all creatures. Although many creatures are quite lovable and please me well and I love them, I should still be fully prepared to disregard them and let them go for God's sake, if God, my Lord, so wills it.SL 11:1541 (13‒14)PRAYER: We thank and praise You, heavenly Father, for all the good gifts of Your creation. Grant us the moderation and understanding to use these creatures according to Your will and for our neighbor's benefit, in Christ's name and for His sake. Amen.Editor's note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today's sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 5:17-35.

1 Peter 4:7-11 NLTThe end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 8Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/yourdailybible)

SONGS OF RESCUE - Psalm 124 - Pastor Kent LandhuisTHEME - Danger lurks all around us. Without God, we would be destroyed.OUTLINE1. God chooses us.Deuteronomy 7:7-9Isaiah 8:9-10God promises to be faithful to us in every circumstance. 2. Danger stalks us.Isaiah 43:1-3John 16:31-33Danger threatens to overwhelm us.3. God frees us. Hebrews 11:32-40Galatians 2:20, 5:1We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.NEXT STEPSRead Psalm 124 every day this week with some fellow pilgrims.Celebrate the freedom that comes from being rescued from the snare.After you fall into a snare, keep your eyes open to not go there again.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/cedarhillscr)

Intro: Have there have been times in you life when you made plans, but your plans fell through? Some of those plans could have included some ministries. But, you may hit a snag, or a shut door, or some other obstacle that might legitimately keep you from what you had planned. Let me suggest that it could be that  the Holy Spirit is redirecting you for reasons that you may not understand at that moment. We, you and I, need to get better at letting the Holy Spirit lead. This can be a problem for a Christ follower with a type A personality or a person who has a controlling personality. This passage in Acts 15:36 to 16:10 gives us some important insights about the leading of the Holy Spirit. First, let me explain a little bit about the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit Can Lead During Conflict v.36 -41The argument between Paul and BarnabasBoth were angryBoth left angryBut God uses both teamsBarnabas and Mark to CyprusPaul and Silas to Syria and Cilicia Both teams encouraging the churchesTwo new teamsMore coverage for the gospelTraining more peopleSpreading the gospelFor the glory of GodThe Holy Spirit Calls and Leads Believers  16:1-5TimothyOn the job trainingGood characterPart of a discipling teamTimothy would later become a very effective pastor of a churchPaul looked at Timothy as his son in the LordThe Holy Spirit Can Lead Through Visions V.6-10God can change our plans because He has something else in mindIf we stay obedient to the Word of God, He will show us His will through the Holy SpiritIt seems that God is always preparing the way for His kingdom workWe need to slow down, be in the Word, and listen to the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit will never contradict the Word of God or the will of GodHe will never ask us to do something that is contrary to the Word of GodThe Holy Spirit is the One who opens hearts, teaches, convicts, and invites  Closing:So, I would like to ask all of us this question; Who is leading you? Is it the world's system, the celebrities, the media, or yourself? For a Christ follower, we need to be continually in the Word of God, in prayer, and being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Proverbs 3:5-6.

“Grace”Ephesians 2:4-5Download the Group GuideGod Wants to Be GraciousEphesians 2:4-5John 5:24Grace Must Be Rooted in PowerEphesians 2:4-52 Corinthians 12:9-10God's Grace Is Enough for Today2 Corinthians 12:9-102 Corinthians 9:8Application Points:God's grace is trueGod's grace is rooted in God's powerGod's grace is sufficientGod's grace gives rest

Message Notes“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”Isaiah 9:6The prophecy of Isaiah includes Jesus as our Prince of Peace.Peace is not the absence of conflict but God’s design.PeaceHebrew-shä·lom’-completeness, soundness, welfare, peace of individuals, groups, and nations.Greek-eirene-unity and accord; the spiritual harmony brought about by restoration with God.Peace is desired in our being. John 14:27, Philippians 4:6-7Peace is needed in our interpersonal relationships. Ephesians 4:1-3; Romans 12:18Peace is pursued on earth. John 16:33; Philippians 2:9-11Peace with God is our greatest need. Romans 5:10God’s gift to you is the Prince of Peace.“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”Romans 5:1ScriptureIsaiah 9:6-7, 53:1-5; Matthew 5:9, 10:34-39; Luke 2:14; John 14:26-31,15:17-20,16:33; Romans 5:1,12, 8:5-8, 12:18,14:17,16:20; I Corinthians 14:33; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 2:8-9,14-18,4:1-3; Philippians 4:6-9; Colossians 3:15; I John 5:12Send questions to email@redeemermn.org

                         Isaiah/Part Two:                “The End of Arrogance”                           Isaiah 13:1-16  Pride is the key sin: Isaiah 2:11Pride exalts us over God: Gen. 11:3-4   Three Keys Ending Arrogance: 1.         God's RuleBabylon represents the world system that stands against God. Rev 14:8They are tools in the hand of God: Isaiah 10:5The early church recognized that God was the Lord of history. Acts 4:27-28Thus, they accepted his direction even if it meant persecution. 2.         God's WrathUltimately it is God that is coming; how foolish to trust in mere humans.  Isaiah 2:22            Three reactions to God's Wrath:             1.      Wailing or Howling:  Amos 5:16            2.   Fear: Their courage will fail.            3.   Terror:  It is inevitable like child birth:  1 Thes 5:2-3They are red faced/shamed; They have put their trust in man:  Psalm 25:2-3Who or what are you trusting in? Because evil prefers darkness, darkness it will have: Joel 2:10God is light: 1 John 1:5But Creation will also be liberated: Rom 8:20-223.         God's Abandonment            Three results of Abandonment:            1)    No protectionRemember we have abandoned God first: Isaiah 1:4            2)  No escape  You will be caught and captured.           3)  No mercyGod's judgment involves getting our way: Rom 1:28 Support the show (https://paypal.me/pwp398?locale.x=en_US)

Matthew 5:1-3 (NLT) 1One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2and he began to teach them. 3“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 4God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  5God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. 6God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. 7God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. 9God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.  10God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

1 Peter 4:7-11 NLTThe end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 8Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/yourdailybible)

John 6:27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."1 Corinthians 15:57-5857 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Our Labor Defined Gen 2:15The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.Psalm 24:1-2The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Our Labor CorruptedFrom the Fall,  our labor was based upon ownership not stewardship. Our Labor Redeemed I Corinthians 15:56-5856 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.  John 6:27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." Our Labor Redirected 1 Corinthians 10:31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Our Labor Rewarded Psalm 58:11Then men will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.”2 Chronicles 15:7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”I Corinthians 3:8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.Hebrews 6:10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Revelation 5:1-3Revelation’s seven events1-3 Church on earth4-5 Church in heaven6-18 Tribulation 19 Second coming20:1-6 1000 year rule20:7-15 Great white throne21-22 HeavenMatthew 4:17Revelation 5:8-9The Doctrine of redemptionJesus destroyed the records of my sin.Romans 3:24Jesus became all I need1 Cor 1:30I belong to God 1 Cor.6:20My sins are forgiven forever Eph 1:7I am God’s workmanshipEph 2:10God will finish what He startedPhil 1:6I am set free from any bondage, to be zealous for GodTitus 2:14I will worship the Lord foreverRev 5:9Romans 6:12-13If you enjoyed the sermon please contact us at bluespringsbaptisttemple@gmail.com or call (816) 229-7777 Let us know.

From the 2/26/17 Worship Service Philippians 1:9-11 9And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so

When the disciples looked up, they saw no one but Jesus. We can do the same.Readings for the Second Sunday of Lent (Year A) 8th March 2020.Reading 1Gn 12:1-4All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.PsalmPs 32:-5,18-20,22Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.Reading 22 Tim 1:8-10God calls and enlightens us.GospelMatt 17:1-9His face shone like the sun.

On first sight the Gospel today shows Jesus asking more of his disciples than the law says. But in fact he is making the journey easier.Readings for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) 16th February 2020.Reading 1Eccl 15:15-20He never commanded anyone to be godless.PsalmPs 118:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34 r. 1They are happy who follow God's law!Reading 21 Cor 2:6-10God predestined wisdom to be for our glory before the ages began.GospelMatt 5:17-37You have learnt how it was said to your ancestors; but I say this to you.ShorterMatt 5:20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37You have learnt how it was said to your ancestors; but I say this to you.

Holiness is the condition of being “set apart”.1. Set apart from the world2. Set apart for God Consecration is an intentional and conscious process of personal holiness:1. “I set myself apart from...”2. “I set myself apart unto the purposes of God.”Sanctification is a work of the Spirit to clean me up once I set myself apart.1Peter1:15-16“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy because I am holy.’”STAGE 1:Exodus 33 from verse 1 to 10. Moses has spent 40 days in the tangible manifest presence of God.He comes down from Sinai to find the Israelites worshiping a golden calf that had been handcrafted by Aaron: Ex32;4“He took what they handed him and made it into an idol, cast in the shape of a calf, and fashioned it with a tool.”Aaron led the people astray because he was a people-pleaser. (Gal1:10)Aaron says: “I threw the gold into the fire, and out came a calf.” A blatant lie.1. Idols take time to build in our lives2. Idols are intentionally erected3. Idols are crafted with much dedication4. Idols cost us money.Moses calls out “Whoever is for the Lord, join with me.”They get sent to slay brother and neighbor and friend.Ex32:29“You have been set apart (holy) to the Lord today because you were against your own sons and brothers, and He has blessed you this day.”STAGE 2: God responds! Reading EX33:1-10God sends a plague and many die.Psalm 39:11“When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin, you consume their wealth like a moth...”1. God is holy2. A Holy God does not cohabit with sin - sin separates us from God. “I will not go with you...”3. God punishes sin. Sin is contagious. “If I go with you I might destroy all of you...”4. The wages of sin is death5. Even in the OT, God makes a way. “I will send my angel ahead of you...”6. God always fulfills His promises.James 4:8STAGE 3: MOSES RESPONDS TO GODEx33:11 onwards1. Moses goes to God2. Moses meets with Jesus face-to-face as a man meets with a friend.3. It was an intentional 2km walk to the Tent of Meeting.We need to meet with God.How do we meet with God?1. It is intentional, not accidental.2. Turn your back on the world and leave the camp3. Draw near to God4. Meet with the Trinity:* Holy Spirit ( the cloud at the entrance)* Jesus (face-to-face)* Father (cannot see His face)Questions:1. How can I move forward in setting myself apart for God’s plan?2. Are there things in my life that are displeasing to God? 3. What things do you do to spend time with God?4. What things can we put in place to live in the conscious manifest presence of God?

If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.- Romans 10:9-10God promises that when we put our faith in Jesus, we will be saved. Salvation isn’t something we do, it’s something God does for us.For many of us, the most difficult part of salvation is not believing that Jesus is who He says He is. It’s continuing to believe, through all our ups and downs, that God will make good on His promise — that we have been and are being saved.Reflect: Who do you say that Jesus is? If you have asked Jesus into your life, what are some ways your life reflects that decision?If belief is what saves us, why do you think God also asks us to profess our faith (or say it out loud)?What is one step you can take today to trust God’s plan for your life?Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/yourdailybible)

Preacher: Dawn HydeDate: December 8, 2019Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-10God never quit tinkering with creation.

We need to open our eyes and unstop our ears to understand what our expectations really should be.Readings for the Third Sunday of Advent (Year A) 15th December 2019.Reading 1Isa 35:1-6a, 10God himself is coming to save you.PsalmPs 145:6-7, 8-9a, 9b-10Come, Lord, and save usReading 2Jas 5:7-10Do not lose heart for the Lord's coming will be soon.GospelMatt 11:2-11Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?

God calls us to examine our lives. - 1 Kings 19:9-10God calls us to be refreshed in His presence. - 1 Kings 19:11-12

The Words That Change EverythingYork Moore - 11/3/19Key Passages: Isaiah 54:10God’s Word allows us to live into his love even when everything around is coming ungluedGod Speaks Your Love LanguageIsaiah 54:10Words of affirmationPhysical touchReceiving giftsQuality timeActs of serviceGod’s word is based on a promise of peace that can never be shakenshalom (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם) - safety, wellbeing, happiness, welfare, health, prosperity, rest, and peaceChacad (Hebrew: חָסַד) - understanding love, tender love, and kindness expressed through mercy and grace.John 7:37-38Our identity needs to be grounded in the reality of God’s love, rooted in his promise.God’s Word puts the things of this world in perspective.Isaiah 54:10Acknowledge Jesus as LordThe central focus of your lifeIn Christ our deep despairs disappear and our great hope is satisfied, no matter who we are or what we needIsaiah 24:1, Isaiah 66:15-16, Isaiah 40:6-8

Fierce Joy isn’t dependent on circumstances, but rooted in eternity. Philippians 3:1-111 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. Ephesians 2:8-10God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Welcome to Worship Weekly!This is Josh with First Faith Independent Baptist Church and Reverend Danny Jackson.Rev. Jackson is bringing you short supplemental sermons from the King James bible. Rev. Jackson preaches the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of salvation through Faith and not by works.We will bring you weekly podcast posted on Saturdays so Sundays if you are unable to attend your church you can listen to Rev. Jackson and worship with us.We are available at worshipweekly.buzzsprout.com, Sticher, iTunes, Google Play Music and on Facebook Feel free to reach out to Rev Jackson directly at FirstFaithIBC@gmail.com and he will respond as soon as possible.This week’s sermon is “God Makes A Difference” and we will start reading from Joshua Chapter 2:9-11.This week’s music is “It Still Takes the Blood ” sung by the Mary Ann Loftin. Referenced Verses: Joshua 2:9-11; James 2:25; Hebrews 11:31; Jeremiah 17:9-10God makes a difference in your heart; Matthew 5-8; Genesis 6:5; 1 Peter 1:22-23; II Timothy 2:19-22; Ezekiel 28:13-17; Isaiah 14:12-14; Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 5:5-6 God makes a difference in your home; Luke 10:29; Acts 16:25-34; Joshua 24:14; Joshua 2:18; Deuteronomy 6:6-7 God makes a difference in hardships; Psalms 46:1; Psalms 27:5; Psalm 61:1-3; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 40:29-30 God makes a difference in death; Luke 7:11-17; John 11:41-44; Job 14:1-2, 10 and 14; God makes a difference in the hereafter; John 14:1-6; Psalm 116:15

Key Verses: Jam 4:1-10God expects faithfulness from his children. Where does the conflict between us and God come from? Listen in to hear more. Join us:Pound River Church of the BrethrenThe Lake Rd, Clintwood, VASunday:Sunday School 9:45 amWorship Service 11:00 amWednesday:Adult Bible Study &Youth Ministries 6:30 pmPastor: Bill Rose

9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land “earth,” and the collection of waters He called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation, […]

Changing SeasonsEcclesiastes 3:1-22; Luke 19:10God has ordained seasons of life to teach us our need for him and invites us learn to enjoy his blessings in the midst of them.I. Our Frustration with Changing Seasons (vv. 1-11)A. Shameless Hypocrisy (vv. 2-8)B. The Real Issue of Eternity (vv. 1, 9-11)II. Jesus’ Submission to the Changing Seasons (vv. 2-8, 14-15)A. God Alone Does Things the Last Forever (vv. 14-15; cf. Ezekiel 34:1-15)B. Fullness of time Came into the world (vv. 2-8; Luke 19:10; cf. Galatians 4:4-6)III. Enjoying Life Amidst the Changing Seasons (vv. 12-22)A. Learning to Fear God (vv. 2-8, 14-21)B. Denying Self v. Denying Life (vv. 12-13, 22)Discussion Starters1. Monday—How is what Solomon is wrestling with in chapter 3 the exact opposite of what he wrestled with in chapter 1? How is exactly the same? Are you ever guilty of such hypocrisy?W2. Tuesday—What do you think it means that God has put eternity in our hearts? Why do you think people would want to believe there is no eternity—no afterlife?3. Wednesday—What does it mean that Jesus came “in the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4)? In what way did Jesus submit to the seasons described in Ecclesiastes 3:2-8? Why did he do this?4. Thursday—What does it mean to fear God (v. 14)? Why does the Bible say that the fear of God is a good thing?5. Friday—What is the difference between denying yourself and denying life? Why is one an act of humility and the other an act of pride? What are some ways you can better enjoy God’s gifts?

Changing SeasonsEcclesiastes 3:1-22; Luke 19:10God has ordained seasons of life to teach us our need for him and invites us learn to enjoy his blessings in the midst of them.I. Our Frustration with Changing Seasons (vv. 1-11)A. Shameless Hypocrisy (vv. 2-8)B. The Real Issue of Eternity (vv. 1, 9-11)II. Jesus’ Submission to the Changing Seasons (vv. 2-8, 14-15)A. God Alone Does Things the Last Forever (vv. 14-15; cf. Ezekiel 34:1-15)B. Fullness of time Came into the world (vv. 2-8; Luke 19:10; cf. Galatians 4:4-6)III. Enjoying Life Amidst the Changing Seasons (vv. 12-22)A. Learning to Fear God (vv. 2-8, 14-21)B. Denying Self v. Denying Life (vv. 12-13, 22)Discussion Starters1. Monday—How is what Solomon is wrestling with in chapter 3 the exact opposite of what he wrestled with in chapter 1? How is exactly the same? Are you ever guilty of such hypocrisy?W2. Tuesday—What do you think it means that God has put eternity in our hearts? Why do you think people would want to believe there is no eternity—no afterlife?3. Wednesday—What does it mean that Jesus came “in the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4)? In what way did Jesus submit to the seasons described in Ecclesiastes 3:2-8? Why did he do this?4. Thursday—What does it mean to fear God (v. 14)? Why does the Bible say that the fear of God is a good thing?5. Friday—What is the difference between denying yourself and denying life? Why is one an act of humility and the other an act of pride? What are some ways you can better enjoy God’s gifts?

Jonah 2:1 - 10God’s Command – God’s Creation – God’s CompassionGod’s Command – Jonah 1:2Whenever God Calls Us, He does not Call Us for our own Agenda It’s easier to Hate than to LoveGod’s Creation – Jonah 1:17God Prepared the Fish in order to Prepare the ManJonah was Misguided, Mislead, and MistakenSupport the show (https://carolinachurch.org/giving/)

The answer: lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6. Because you don't know God plan purpose for your life – His Vision.First of all you need to know that God has a plan for your life and purpose. He says in Jeremiah 29:11 that he knows the Plans He has for your Life, Plans for Good and Not for Evil, to Give You a Future and a Hope.1. God Has a Plan for Your Life. He created you for purpose. As a born again child of the living God, you are God's Own Handiwork, Whom He Re-Created in Christ Jesus that you may do those Good Works which God predestinated, planned beforehand for you, taking the past which he prepared ahead of time for you, that you should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 The Father is telling you that He created you with a vision and purpose in mind. He chose you, actually picked you out for Himself as His own in Christ before the foundation of the world, that you should be holy, consecrated and set apart for Him, and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. He planned in love for you to be adopted, revealed as His own child through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will, So that you might be the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians ‭1:4-6‬ Listen to what the Father Says: It was His kind intent and it pleased Him to reveal you as His Own Child, to Reveal His Glorious Grace, He Has Freely Poured out on you who belong to His Dear Son Jesus Christ. Further, he Planned and purposed that you Live the Good Life Which He Prearranged Made Ready for You You to Live. Ephesians ‭2:10‬ And He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable, limitless, surpassing riches of His Grace in His Kindness And Goodness of Heart toward you who are alive together in Union and Fellowship with Christ Jesus. Ephesians ‭2:7‬,5For the Lord Himself tells you in John 10:10: I came that you may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance, to the full, till it overflows. John ‭10:10‬ His Purpose is to give you a rich and satisfying life.You are assured and The Holy Spirit Testifies with Your Own Spirit, That God Being a Partner in All Your Labors, that all things work together and are fitting into His plan plan for Good to and for you who loves God and whom He created in Christ Jesus, according to His design and purpose. Romans ‭8:28‬, Eph 2:10Thus, you LABOR TOGETHER as God's fellow partner with Him to urge others, to receive the grace of God, that merciful kindness by which God exerts His Holy divine persuasion on souls and turns them to Christ, keeping and strengthening them–His purpose to task you with the ministry of reconciliation, to reconcile Them Back in Harmony with Himself through Christ Jesus. ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6:1, 5:18‬‬Behold, now is the time of God's Favor, His Gracious welcome and acceptance of you and others; Behold, now is the day of salvation! Isaiah 49:8, 2 Corinthians ‭6:2‬How to develop God's vision for your life?1. Surrender your whole life to GodKey is recognizing that you are finite and God is infinite, He Is All Knowing and All Press and All-Powerful.So You Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-6‬‬2. Discover your God-given purpose.God has a plan for your life, and he is equipped you with gifts, talents, traits and attributes you need empowered by him to accomplish those good works which he prepared in advance for you to do. Ephesians 2:10God has already written every day of your life in his book, even before you knew there was in you. Psalms 139:163. Live your Life Doing What Matters Most – First.Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven – First, not the things of earth. Colossians ‭3:1-2‬ Then God tells you ‭that:whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.‬Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Colossians ‭3:17, 23‬ 4. Let Everything be Done UnSelfishly. Take an interest in others interest, and Not only your own interest. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Philippians ‭2:3‬ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians ‭2:4‬

*Hymns may not match audio.  All material is used for Spiritual/Educational Purposes. MONDAY Morning Prayer God, come to my assistance.- Lord, make haste to help meGlory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spiritas it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen. HYMN Mary immaculate, star of the morning,Chosen before the creation began,Chosen to bring, for thy bridal adorning,Woe to the serpent and rescue to man. Here, in an orbit of shadow and sadness,Veiling thy splendor, thy course thou hast run;Now thou art throned in all glory and gladness,Crowned by the hand of the savior and Son. Sinners, we worship thy sinless perfection;Fallen and weak for thy pity we plead;Grant us the shield of thy sovereign protection,Measure thine aid by the depth of our need. Bend from thy throne at the voice of our crying,Bend to this earth which thy footsteps have trod;Stretch out thine arms to us, living and dying,Mary immaculate, Mother of God. Melody: Liebster Immanuel 11.10.11.10Music: Melody from Himmels-Lust 1675, adapted and   harmonized by J.S. Bach, 1685-1750Text: F.W. Weatherell   Or: Virgin of virgins,you were untouched by that stain of sin,that first of all evils,the sad inheritance of the human race.From my earliest yearsI have placed my hope in you.Where the power of evil overcomes meand makes my life too sinful for your gaze,all the more will your unbounded compassionshow me your generous love,because my suffering is so deep,my sinfulness so unworthy of your aid. Luis de Leon (1527/1528-1591)   PSALMODYAnt.1 Oh Mother, how pure you are, you are untouched by sin; yours was the privilege to carry God within you. or: Blessed are you, O Mary, for the world's salvation came forth from you; now in glory, you rejoice forever with the Lord.  Intercede for us with your Son. Psalm 90May we live in the radiance of GodThere is no time with God: a thousand years, a single day: it is all one (2 Peter 3:8) O Lord, you have been our refugefrom one generation to the next.Before the mountains were bornor the earth or the world brought forth,you are God, without beginning or end. You turn men back to dustand say: “go back, sons of men.”To your eyes a thousand yearsare like yesterday, come and gone,no more than a watch in the night. You sweep men away like a dream,like grass which springs up in the morning.In the morning it springs up and flowers:by evening it withers and fades. So we are destroyed in your anger,struck with terror in your fury.Our guilt lies open before you;our secrets in the light of your face. All our days pass away in your anger.Our life is over like a sigh.Our span is seventy yearsor eighty for those who are strong. And most of these are emptiness and pain.They pass swiftly and we are gone.Who understands the power of your angerand fears the strength of your fury? Make us know the shortness of our lifethat we may gain wisdom of heart.Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?Show pity to your servants. In the morning, fill us with your love;we shall exult and rejoice all our days.Give us joy to balance our afflictionfor the years when we knew misfortune. Show forth your work to your servants;let your glory shine on their children.Let the favor of the Lord be upon us:give success to the work of our hands,give success to the work of our hands. Ant. 2  The Lord God most high has blessed you, Virgin Mary, above all the women on the earth. Or: You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel; you are the fairest of our race.   Canticle                                                       Isaiah 42:10-16God victor and saviorThey were singing a new hymn before the throne of God (Revelation 14:3)   Sing to the LORD a new song,his praise from the end of the earth:Let the sea and what fills it resound,the coastlands, and those who dwell in them.Let the steppe and its cities cry out,the villages where Kedar dwells; Let the inhabitants of Sela exult,and shout from the top of the mountains.Let them give glory to the LORD,and utter his praise in the coastlands. The LORD goes forth like a hero,like a warrior he stirs up his ardor;He shouts out his battle cry,against his enemies he shows his might: I have looked away, and kept silence,I have said nothing, holding myself in;But now, I cry out as a woman in labor,gasping and panting. I will lay waste mountains and hills,all their herbage I will dry up;I will turn the rivers into marshes,and the marshes I will dry up. I will lead the blind on their journey;by paths unknown I will guide them.I will turn darkness into light before them,and make crooked ways straight. Ant. 3:  Sinless virgin, let us follow joyfully in your footsteps; draw us after you in the fragrance of your holiness. Or: O Virgin Mary, how great your cause for joy; God found you worthy to bear Christ our Savior. Psalm 146Those who trust in God know what it is to be happyTo praise God in our lives means all we do must be for his glory (Arnobius)   My soul, give praise to the Lord;I will praise the Lord all my days,make music to my God while I live. Put no trust in princes,in mortal men in whom there is no help.Take their breath, they return to clayand their plans that day come to nothing. He is happy who is helped by Jacob's God,whose hope is in the Lord his God,who alone made heaven and earth,the seas and all they contain. It is he who keeps faith for ever,who is just to those who are oppressed.It is he who gives bread to the hungry,the Lord, who sets prisoners free, the Lord who gives sight to the blind,who raises up those who are bowed down,the Lord, who protects the strangerand upholds the widow and orphan. It is the Lord who loves the justbut thwarts the path of the wicked.The Lord will reign for ever,Zion's God, from age to age. FIRST READING                                                      Isaiah 43:1 But now, thus says the LORD,  who created you, O Jacob,  and formed you, O Israel:Fear not, for I have redeemed you;  I have called you by name: you are mine. Or                                                       Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. Or                                                      Proverbs 8:22-31   Mary in the mind of God   "The LORD begot me, the first-born of his ways,  the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;From of old I was poured forth,  at the first, before the earth.When there were no depths I was brought forth,  when there were no fountains or springs of water;Before the mountains were settled into place,  before the hills, I was brought forth;While as yet the earth and the fields were not made,  nor the first clods of the world. "When he established the heavens I was there,  when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;When he made firm the skies above,  when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;When he set for the sea its limit,  so that the waters should not transgress his command;Then was I beside him as his craftsman,  and I was his delight day by day,Playing before him all the while,  playing on the surface of his earth;  and I found delight in the sons of men. SECOND READING From a sermon by St. Anselm, bishop(Oratio 52:PL 158, 955-956) Virgin Mary, all nature is blessed in you.   Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night – everything that is subject to the power or use of man – rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace. All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for men or for the praise of God, who made them. The world, contrary to its true destiny, was corrupted and tainted by the acts of men who served idols. Now all creation has been restored to life and rejoices that it is controlled and given splendor by men who believe in God. The universe rejoices with new and indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary’s womb. Through the fullness of the grace that was given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom, and those in heaven are glad to be made new. Through the Son who was the glorious fruit of your virgin womb, just souls who died before his life-giving death rejoice as they are freed from captivity, and the angels are glad at the restoration of their shattered domain. Lady, full and overflowing with grace, all creation receives new life from your abundance. Virgin, blessed above all creatures, through your blessing all creation is blessed, not only creation from its Creator, but the Creator himself has been blessed by creation. To Mary God gave his only-begotten Son, whom he loved as himself. Through Mary God made himself a Son, not different but the same, by nature Son of God and Son of Mary. The whole universe was created by God, and God was born of Mary. God created all things, and Mary gave birth to God. The God who made all things gave himself form through Mary, and thus he made his own creation. He who could create all things from nothing would not remake his ruined creation without Mary. God, then, is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Savior of the world. Without God’s Son, nothing could exist; without Mary’s Son, nothing could be redeemed. Truly the Lord is with you, to whom the Lord granted that all nature should owe as much to you as to himself. RESPONSORYThe God of power has given me his strength. - The God of power has given me his strength.He has kept me in the way of holiness. - And has given me his strength.Glory to the Father... - The God of power has given me his strength. Or: O Virgin Mary, no other daughter of Jerusalem is your equal,for you are the mother of the King of kings,you are the Queen of heaven and of angels. - Blessed are you among womenand blessed is the fruit of your womb.Hail, full of grace; the Lord is with you. - Blessed are you among womenand blessed is the fruit of your womb. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH                                                       Luke 1:68-79Ant. The Lord God said to the serpent: I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring; she will crush your head, alleluia. Or:  Holy Mary, ever-virgin, Mother of God, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.   The Messiah and his forerunner   Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior,born of the house of his servant David. Through his holy prophets he promised of old,  that he would save us from our enemies,  from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathersand to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,to set us free from the hands of our enemies,free to worship him without fear,holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvationby the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our Godthe dawn from on high shall break upon us,to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.  Amen. INTERCESSIONS Let us glorify our Savior, who chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let us ask him:     May your mother intercede for us, Lord. Sun of Justice, the Immaculate Virgin was the white dawn announcing your rising,- grant that we may always live in the light of your coming. Savior of the world, by your redeeming might you preserved your mother beforehand from all stain of sin,- keep watch over us lest we sin. You are our redeemer, who made the Immaculate Virgin Mary your purest home and a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit:  -  make us temples of your Spirit forever. King of kings, you lifted up your mother, body and soul, into heaven:  -  help us fix our thoughts on things above. Our Father... CONCLUDING PRAYERFather,you prepared the Virgin Maryto be the worthy mother of your Son.You let her share beforehandin the salvation Christ would bring by his death,and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.Help us by her prayersto live in your presence without sin.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.   Alternative Prayer   Father,the image of the Virgin is found in the Church.Mary had a faith that your Spirit preparedand a love that never knew sin,for you kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.Trace in our actions the lines of her love,in our hearts her readiness of faith.Prepare once again a world for your Sonwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. May the Lord bless us,protect us from eviland bring us to everlasting life. -  Amen. Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary MONDAY Evening Prayer God, come to my assistance.- Lord, make haste to help meGlory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spiritas it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen. HYMN Mary, crowned with living light,Temple of the Lord,Place of peace and holiness,Shelter of the Word. Mystery of sinless lifeIn our fallen race,Free from shadow, you reflectPlenitude of grace. Virgin-Mother of our God,Lift us when we fall,Who were named upon theCross Mother of us all. Father, Son and Holy Ghost,Heaven sings your praise;Mary magnifies your nameThrough eternal days. Melody: Glorification 75.75.DMusic: Gossner's Choralbach, Leipzig, 1882Text: Stanbrook Abbey   Or: (Chanted by the Monastic Choir of the Abbey of Notre-Dame Fontgombault)Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentesin hac lacrimarum valle.Eia ergo, advocata nostra,illos tuos misericordes oculosad nos converte.Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria. Melody: Salve ReginaMusic: Paris, 1634Text: 11th Century   PSALMODYAnt 1: You are all beautiful, O Mary; in you there is no trace of original sin. Or: Mary received a blessing from the Lord and loving kindness from God her savior. Psalm 136Easter HymnWe praise God by recalling his marvelous deeds (Cassiodorus).     I   O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,for his love endures for ever.Give thanks to the God of gods,for his love endures for ever.Give thanks to the Lord of lords,for his love endures for ever; who alone has wrought marvellous works,for his love endures for ever;whose wisdom it was made the skies,for his love endures for ever;who fixed the earth firmly on the seas,for his love endures for ever. It was he who made the great lights,for his love endures for ever.the sun to rule the day,for his love endures for ever.the moon and stars in the night;for his love endures for ever. Ant. 2 You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel; you are the fairest of our race. Or: The Most High has made his dwelling place a holy temple.   II   The first-born of the Egyptians he smote,for his love endures for ever.He brought Israel out from their midst,for his love endures for ever;arm outstretched, with power in his hand,for his love endures for ever. He divided the Red Sea in two,for his love endures for ever;he made Israel pass through the midst,for his love endures for ever;he flung Pharaoh and his force in the sea,for his love endures for ever. Through the desert his people he led,for his love endures for ever.Nations in their greatness he struck,for his love endures for ever.Kings in their splendor he slew,for his love endures for ever. Sihon, king of the Amorites,for his love endures for ever;and Og, the king of Bashan,for his love endures for ever. He let Israel inherit their land,for his love endures for ever.On his servant their land he bestowed,for his love endures for ever.He remembered us in our distress,for his love endures for ever. And he snatched us away from out foes,for his love endures for ever;He give food to all living thingsfor his love endures for ever;To the God of heaven give thanks,for his love endures for ever. Ant 3: The robe you wear is white as spotless snow; your face is radiant like the sun. Or: Glorious things are said of you. O Virgin Mary. Canticle                                                      Ephesians 1:3-10God our Savior Praised be the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ,who has bestowed on us in Christevery spiritual blessing in the heavens. God chose us in himbefore the world beganto be holyand blameless in his sight,to be full of love. He predestined usto be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,such was his will and pleasure,that all might praise the glorious favorhe has bestowed on us in his beloved. In him and through his blood,we have been redeemed,and our sins forgiven,so immeasurably generousis God’s favor to us. God has given us the wisdomto understand fully the mystery,the plan he was pleasedto decree in Christ.A plan to be carried outin Christ, in the fulness of time,to bring all things into one in him,in the heavens and on earth. FIRST READING                                                       Romans 5:20-21 Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. OR                                                                  Ephesians 5:25-27 Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. OR                                                                  James 3:13-18 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. SECOND READING From a homily delivered at the Council of Ephesus by Saint Cyril of Alexandria, bishop(Hom. 4: PG 77,991,995-996) Mary, Mother of God, we salute you. Precious vessel, worthy of the whole world’s reverence, you are an ever-shining light, the crown of virginity, the symbol of orthodoxy, an indestructible temple, the place that held him whom no place can contain, mother and virgin. Because of you the holy gospels could say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We salute you, for in your holy womb was confined him who is beyond all limitation. Because of you the holy Trinity is glorified and adored; the cross is called precious and is venerated throughout the world; the heavens exult; the angels and archangels make merry; demons are put to flight; the devil, that tempter, is thrust down from heaven; the fallen race of man is taken up on high; all creatures possessed by the madness of idolatry have attained knowledge of the truth; believers receive holy baptism; the oil of gladness is poured out; the Church is established throughout the world; pagans are brought to repentance. What more is there to say? Because of you the light of the only-begotten Son of God has shone upon those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death; prophets pronounced the word of God; the apostles preached salvation to the Gentiles; the dead are raised to life, and kings rule by the power of the holy Trinity. RESPONSORYBy this I know you have chosen me. - By this I know you have chosen me.You have not let my enemy triumph over me. - You have chosen me.Glory to the Father... - By this I know you have chosen me. Or: I shall glorify you, Lord, for you have rescued me. - I shall glorify you, Lord, for you have rescued me.You have not let my enemies rejoice over me - for you have rescued me.Glory to the Father... - I shall glorify you, Lord, for you have rescued me. CANTICLE OF MARY                                                      Luke 1:46-55Ant: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, alleluia Or: All generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me. My soul rejoices in the Lord.   My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed:the Almighty has done great things for me,and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear himin every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm,he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel,for he has remembered his promise of mercy,The promise he made to our fathers,to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. INTERCESSIONS Let us praise God our almighty Father, who wished that Mary, his Son's mother, be celebrated by each generation. Now in need, we ask: Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.   O God, worker of miracles, you made the immaculate Virgin Mary share, body and soul, in your Son's glory in heaven,- direct the hearts of your children to that same glory. You made Mary our mother. Through her intercession grant strength to the weak, comfort to the sorrowing, pardon to sinners,- salvation and peace to all. You made Mary the mother of mercy,- may all who are faced with trials feel her motherly love. You wished Mary to be the mother of the family in the home of Jesus and Joseph,- may all mothers of families foster love and holiness through her intercession. You crowned Mary queen of heaven,- may all the dead rejoice in your kingdom with the saints for ever. Our Father... CONCLUDING PRAYERFather,you prepared the Virgin Maryto be the worthy mother of your Son.You let her share beforehandin the salvation Christ would bring by his death,and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.Help us by her prayersto live in your presence without sin.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.   Alternative Prayer   Father,the image of the Virgin is found in the Church.Mary had a faith that your Spirit preparedand a love that never knew sin,for you kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.Trace in our actions the lines of her love,in our hearts her readiness of faith.Prepare once again a world for your Sonwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever. May the Lord bless us,protect us from eviland bring us to everlasting life. -  Amen.

*Hymns may not match audio.  All material is used for Spiritual/Educational Purposes. MONDAY Evening Prayer God, come to my assistance.- Lord, make haste to help meGlory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spiritas it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen. HYMN Mary, crowned with living light,Temple of the Lord,Place of peace and holiness,Shelter of the Word. Mystery of sinless lifeIn our fallen race,Free from shadow, you reflectPlenitude of grace. Virgin-Mother of our God,Lift us when we fall,Who were named upon theCross Mother of us all. Father, Son and Holy Ghost,Heaven sings your praise;Mary magnifies your nameThrough eternal days. Melody: Glorification 75.75.DMusic: Gossner's Choralbach, Leipzig, 1882Text: Stanbrook Abbey   Or: (Chanted by the Monastic Choir of the Abbey of Notre-Dame Fontgombault)Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentesin hac lacrimarum valle.Eia ergo, advocata nostra,illos tuos misericordes oculosad nos converte.Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria. Melody: Salve ReginaMusic: Paris, 1634Text: 11th Century   PSALMODYAnt 1: You are all beautiful, O Mary; in you there is no trace of original sin. Or: Mary received a blessing from the Lord and loving kindness from God her savior. Psalm 136Easter HymnWe praise God by recalling his marvelous deeds (Cassiodorus).     I   O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,for his love endures for ever.Give thanks to the God of gods,for his love endures for ever.Give thanks to the Lord of lords,for his love endures for ever; who alone has wrought marvellous works,for his love endures for ever;whose wisdom it was made the skies,for his love endures for ever;who fixed the earth firmly on the seas,for his love endures for ever. It was he who made the great lights,for his love endures for ever.the sun to rule the day,for his love endures for ever.the moon and stars in the night;for his love endures for ever. Ant. 2 You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel; you are the fairest of our race. Or: The Most High has made his dwelling place a holy temple.   II   The first-born of the Egyptians he smote,for his love endures for ever.He brought Israel out from their midst,for his love endures for ever;arm outstretched, with power in his hand,for his love endures for ever. He divided the Red Sea in two,for his love endures for ever;he made Israel pass through the midst,for his love endures for ever;he flung Pharaoh and his force in the sea,for his love endures for ever. Through the desert his people he led,for his love endures for ever.Nations in their greatness he struck,for his love endures for ever.Kings in their splendor he slew,for his love endures for ever. Sihon, king of the Amorites,for his love endures for ever;and Og, the king of Bashan,for his love endures for ever. He let Israel inherit their land,for his love endures for ever.On his servant their land he bestowed,for his love endures for ever.He remembered us in our distress,for his love endures for ever. And he snatched us away from out foes,for his love endures for ever;He give food to all living thingsfor his love endures for ever;To the God of heaven give thanks,for his love endures for ever. Ant 3: The robe you wear is white as spotless snow; your face is radiant like the sun. Or: Glorious things are said of you. O Virgin Mary. Canticle                                                      Ephesians 1:3-10God our Savior Praised be the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ,who has bestowed on us in Christevery spiritual blessing in the heavens. God chose us in himbefore the world beganto be holyand blameless in his sight,to be full of love. He predestined usto be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,such was his will and pleasure,that all might praise the glorious favorhe has bestowed on us in his beloved. In him and through his blood,we have been redeemed,and our sins forgiven,so immeasurably generousis God’s favor to us. God has given us the wisdomto understand fully the mystery,the plan he was pleasedto decree in Christ.A plan to be carried outin Christ, in the fulness of time,to bring all things into one in him,in the heavens and on earth. FIRST READING                                                       Romans 5:20-21 Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. OR                                                                  Ephesians 5:25-27 Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. OR                                                                  James 3:13-18 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. SECOND READING From a homily delivered at the Council of Ephesus by Saint Cyril of Alexandria, bishop(Hom. 4: PG 77,991,995-996) Mary, Mother of God, we salute you. Precious vessel, worthy of the whole world’s reverence, you are an ever-shining light, the crown of virginity, the symbol of orthodoxy, an indestructible temple, the place that held him whom no place can contain, mother and virgin. Because of you the holy gospels could say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We salute you, for in your holy womb was confined him who is beyond all limitation. Because of you the holy Trinity is glorified and adored; the cross is called precious and is venerated throughout the world; the heavens exult; the angels and archangels make merry; demons are put to flight; the devil, that tempter, is thrust down from heaven; the fallen race of man is taken up on high; all creatures possessed by the madness of idolatry have attained knowledge of the truth; believers receive holy baptism; the oil of gladness is poured out; the Church is established throughout the world; pagans are brought to repentance. What more is there to say? Because of you the light of the only-begotten Son of God has shone upon those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death; prophets pronounced the word of God; the apostles preached salvation to the Gentiles; the dead are raised to life, and kings rule by the power of the holy Trinity. RESPONSORYBy this I know you have chosen me. - By this I know you have chosen me.You have not let my enemy triumph over me. - You have chosen me.Glory to the Father... - By this I know you have chosen me. Or: I shall glorify you, Lord, for you have rescued me. - I shall glorify you, Lord, for you have rescued me.You have not let my enemies rejoice over me - for you have rescued me.Glory to the Father... - I shall glorify you, Lord, for you have rescued me. CANTICLE OF MARY                                                      Luke 1:46-55Ant: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, alleluia Or: All generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me. My soul rejoices in the Lord.   My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed:the Almighty has done great things for me,and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear himin every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm,he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel,for he has remembered his promise of mercy,The promise he made to our fathers,to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. INTERCESSIONS Let us praise God our almighty Father, who wished that Mary, his Son's mother, be celebrated by each generation. Now in need, we ask: Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.   O God, worker of miracles, you made the immaculate Virgin Mary share, body and soul, in your Son's glory in heaven,- direct the hearts of your children to that same glory. You made Mary our mother. Through her intercession grant strength to the weak, comfort to the sorrowing, pardon to sinners,- salvation and peace to all. You made Mary the mother of mercy,- may all who are faced with trials feel her motherly love. You wished Mary to be the mother of the family in the home of Jesus and Joseph,- may all mothers of families foster love and holiness through her intercession. You crowned Mary queen of heaven,- may all the dead rejoice in your kingdom with the saints for ever. Our Father... CONCLUDING PRAYERFather,you prepared the Virgin Maryto be the worthy mother of your Son.You let her share beforehandin the salvation Christ would bring by his death,and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.Help us by her prayersto live in your presence without sin.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.   Alternative Prayer   Father,the image of the Virgin is found in the Church.Mary had a faith that your Spirit preparedand a love that never knew sin,for you kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.Trace in our actions the lines of her love,in our hearts her readiness of faith.Prepare once again a world for your Sonwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever. May the Lord bless us,protect us from eviland bring us to everlasting life. -  Amen.  

               elcome to Shepherd of the Lakes! We’re here to shepherd Christ’s flock and seek the lost sheep by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all. Come, let us worship!For your convenience, in the back corner of the sanctuary there is a room for any parents with children in need of a quiet place. The restrooms are located on the lower level. Please ask if you have any further questions or concerns. Lord Jesus, you took on our humanity in order to live under the law and redeem us. Grant that I always marvel at your grace, and receive you with joy; AMEN.The Role of the Law in the Life of the Christian:The whole world with all diligence has struggled to figure out what God is, what He has in mind and does. Yet the world has never been able to grasp ‹the knowledge and understanding of› any of these things. But here [in the Apostles’ Creed] we have everything in richest measure. For here in all three articles God has revealed Himself and opened the deepest abyss of His fatherly heart and His pure, inexpressible love [Ephesians 3:18–19]. He has created us for this very reason, that He might redeem and sanctify us. In addition to giving and imparting to us everything in heaven and upon earth, He has even given to us His Son and the Holy Spirit, who brings us to Himself [Romans 8:14, 32]. For we could never grasp the knowledge of the Father’s grace and favor except through the Lord Christ. Jesus is a mirror of the fatherly heart [John 14:9; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3], outside of whom we see nothing but an angry and terrible Judge. But we couldn’t know anything about Christ either, unless it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit [1 Corinthians 2:12]. Large Catechism, Apostles’ Creed (Concordia p. 406)Born to Save Us:There is nothing trite or trivial in what has happened at Christmas: The deepest lowliness is but the mask for the greatest glory, the glory of him who came to be our Savior!How does the birth of Christ comfort & encourage us?OPENING HYMN: 56 – Gentle Mary Laid Her ChildLITURGY: Service of Word & Sacrament, CW p. 26Please rise.PRAYER OF THE DAY:M: Almighty God, grant that the birth of your one and only Son in the flesh may set us free from our old bondage under the yoke of sin; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.The WordFIRST READING: Isaiah 52:7-10God has kept his word: Hidden in the lowliness of the manger is the glory of God for our salvation. 7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of a herald, who proclaims peace and preaches good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God is king!” 8The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voices. Together they shout for joy, because with both eyes they will see it when the LORD returns to Zion. 9Break out, shout for joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, because the LORD is comforting his people. He is redeeming Jerusalem. 10The LORD lays bare his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation from our God. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!PSALM: 98, p. 103SECOND READING: Hebrews 1:1-9In the manger, we see Eternal God in the form of a baby:In the past, God spoke to our forefathers by the prophets at many times and in many ways. 2In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of the divine nature. He sustains all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4The Son became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5For to which of the angels did God ever say: You are my Son. Today I have begotten you? And again: I will be his Father, and he will be my Son. 6And again, when he brought his firstborn into the world, he said: Let all God’s angels worship him. 7About the angels he says: He makes his messengers winds and his ministers flaming fire. 8But about the Son he says: God, your throne is forever and ever, and the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy beyond your companions. THEME VERSE: Galatians 4:4-5Alleluia. When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law. Alleluia. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! These words are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! GOSPEL READING: John 1:1-14As the manger and the Virgin’s arms held him whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, so we too recognize and receive him who has come in human flesh and blood to dwell in us through the Word and sacrament:In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him everything was made, and without him not one thing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5The light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6There was a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as an eyewitness to testify about the light so that everyone would believe through him. 8He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9The real light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not recognize him. 11He came to what was his own, yet his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13They were born, not of blood, or of the desire of the flesh, or of a husband’s will, but born of God. 14The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.Praise be to you, O Christ!HYMN OF THE DAY: 35 – Of the Father’s Love BegottenSERMON based on Hebrews 2: Radiance in HumilityCONFESSION OF FAITH: Nicene Creed, p. 31OFFERINGADULT CONFIRMATIONSPRAYER & LORD’S PRAYERThe sacramentFor our Holy Communion practice, please see the purple sheet in the pew racks.COMMUNION LITURGY: p. 33DISTRIBUTION HYMN: 40 – O Jesus Christ, Your Manger IsSONG OF THANKS: CW p. 36CLOSING HYMN: 58 – See in Yonder Manger LowNOTESNo 7 PM Worship tonight. Stay warm!February 4, Annual Voters’ Mtg.THIS WEEKToday Joshua 19 9:30 - Christmas 1 Worship with Holy CommunionMonday Joshua 20Tuesday Joshua 21Wednesday Joshua 22Thursday Joshua 23Friday Joshua 24Saturday Judges 1 8 AM - Men’s Bible Breakfast @The RanchSunday Judges 2 9:30 - Epiphany 1 Worship with Holy Communion; 40 Years of SOTL 10:58 - Bible Class: Genesis 3 & Godly Discipline                                                  

You are Never Alone. God has Never Left you Nor Abandon you. He Dwell in you Permanent, and He is Always Near youNo Matter How Lonely you may Feel, You are NEVER ALONE. God is with you! Many things can Separate you from Loved Ones at Christmas, distance, separation from others, and other causes they cause you to miss people and feel alone.Listen you may be alone, but you do not have to feel lonely. If your thoughts are continuously anxious, anticipating the pain to come from being alone. Then I have Good News for you!You may feel alone and the disappointments of life seems so unfair that the hurt just... hurts. Maybe you're miles away from family or your longing for marriage and a family of your own, or you maybe you are separated or facing a serious illness, causing you to feel alone.Remeber The Lord Himself gave a prophecy about Himself: a Sign, according to the Eternal Purpose to the Praise of the Glory of His Grace, by which He has made you accepted in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call HIS NAME – EMMANUEL – God with you. (Ephesians 1:6, Isaiah 7:4, Matthew 1:23)God Offers you the Great expectation of His Continual Presence with you MORE than a Promise, it is GOD with you NOW! Although you Feel Alone and LoNely, you are NEVER ACTUALLY ALONE.Talk to Him and Hear Him Who Loves you.-Matt 1:23, Josh 1:5The LORD has not forgotten you. God's gift of His Continual Presence is irrevocable. He never withdraws himself from you, for you are his child, born of his Spirit Who Lives, and He Never Leaves you. Once I has come to live in you, he does not change his mind about you whom He gives His Grace. (Isaiah 49:15, Romans ‭11:29‬)God's Spirit of Truth has been Given to you by the Father, Who is your Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby, Who remains with you Forever–for He lives constantly with you and within you. (John ‭14:16-17‬) your body is the Temple of the Living God, God is with you!God has adopted as His Own child through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will because it pleased Him and was His kind intent– to make you a member of his own family and household. NOW, you are God's child and God is with You! Psalm ‭27:10, ‬Ephesians ‭1:5‬, Galatians 4:4-7, 1 Jn 3:1Take Time to Enjoy God's Presence, Thanking Him for Wrapping you with a Robe of Righteousness to Make you Righteousness, and the Garments of Salvation to Delivery you out of Destruction of Sin and the Enemy into His Safety, to Enjoy Christ's Benefits and Blessings.-Isa 61:10God is With you AT ALL TIMES. Who is the Leader and the Source of your Joy and Peace, and He is also Their Finisher; for Joy and Peace are Fruits of the Spirit of God He Manifest in you and through you Who Love Him.-Matt 1:23, Ps 110:1, Heb 12:2, Gal 5:22The LORD Fulfilled What He Spoke About Himself. She will Bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus which means Savior, for He will Save His people from their Sins that Prevents them from Failing and Missing the True End and Scope of Life, which is God with you.-Matt 1:21, 23Yes? God is With you AT ALL TIMES. Who is the Leader and the Source of your Joy and Peace, and He is also Their Finisher; for Joy and Peace are Fruits of the Spirit of God He Manifest in you and through you Who Love Him.-Matt 1:23, Ps 110:1, Heb 12:2, Gal 5:22The LORD is my Strength and my Impenetrable Shield; my Heart Trusts in, Relies on and Confidently Leans on Him, and I am Helped by Him; Therefore my Heart Greatly Rejoices, Ring Filled with Joy and I Burst Out with Thanksgiving and Praise to Him.-Ps 28:7Do Not Look on Temporary Pleasures, for Lasting Joy and Peace, for they ar Unable to Quench the Thirst of your Soul that God has Reserved for Himself.– search for Lasting Joy and Peace, make it your Ultimate Goal to Seek God.-1 Chron 16:11Live your Life Today as an Extension of the Book of Acts; by the Same Power of God that Turned the World Upside Down. Overcome All Things, Be A World Changer Because you are! For Greater is He Who is in you than He Who is in the World, Being Born of God.-Act 17:6, 1 Jn 4:4, 5:4During this Season of Giving, Remember to Receive All God has Bestowed, Granted, Supplied and Furnished to you in Christ Jesus. For Every Good and Perfect Gift Comes Down from the Father of All Light, Ask to Understand All the Things God has Freely Given you.-Ja 1:17, 1 Cor 2:12God Loves you and He Loves Through you. So, Let Everything you Do be Done in True Love to God and man as Inspired by God's love for you. Above All Things Give His Intense and Unfailing Love to One Another, for Love Forgives and Disregards the Sins of others.-1 Cor 16:1, 1 Pe 4:8

Just Another Ordinary Day==========Acts 3:1-10God uses ORDINARY people like you and meEXTRAORDINARY things happen when God intervenesActs 3:3-6God will NOT BE LIMITED by our limitationsActs 3:6Give EVERYTHING to GodWATCH and EXPECT great things from...

Ezekiel 37:1-10God specializes in resurrections

“Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.” – CS LewisExodus Chapter 1 – Judges Chapter 1 – SummarySlavery in EgyptDeliverance by God through Moses (Red Sea)40 years wandering in the desert with MosesCrossing the river into the Promised Land with JoshuaConquest of the promised landDeath of JoshuaFailure to complete the conquestSyncretism / pluralism in the new landIsrael's disobedience and declineJudges Chapter 2 – SummaryJudges 2:18-19Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. 19 But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.Israel's Cycle (from above) :Israel worships idolsThe Judge diesIsrael attacked by foreign armiesIsrael turns back to GodIsrael cries out to the Lord for mercyGod raises up a leader (Judge)Israel's Cycle (from the side):Call of Samuel(1 Samuel 1)Death of Joshua(Judges 1)So what can we learn from the book of Judges?God is still present, even when things are badGod is still gracious in the midst of the ‘grit' of lifeWe have a tendency to run to God in bad times and forget Him in good timesGod wants our whole lives lived in devotion, not just some partsThe Bible doesn't try to hide the messRight when you think there is no hope, God still has a plan and will bring it to passExodus begins with the death of JosephJoshua begins with he death of MosesJudges begins with he death of JoshuaEven 1 Kings later on, begins with the death of David.Can you think of any others?And so now, we meet our first Judge…Othniel, the boring JudgeJudges 3:7-11And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. 9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. 10 The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. 11 So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.v 7-8forgetfulness, idolatry and God's steadfast lovev 9-10God's double salvationv 11An invitation to restCommunion – offer your ordinary story to God again