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How are you doing with the fruit of peace and joy?  Would you consider yourself a peaceful person?   Are you filled with joy so that others in your life see and sense that joy?  “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”  2 Thessalonians 3:16For more great content, including faith based fitness, be sure to visit https://www.soulstrengthfit.com

Rev. Michael EastNumbers 12: 1-16For more information about FPC Norman, visit www.fpcnorman.org

Life As It Was Meant to Be Part 6: How to Have Hope Louie Marsh, 7-21-2021   Slide of “new” old series! TWO QUOTES:   “What oxygen is for the lungs, such is hope for the meaning of life.” - Emil Brunner   “Hopes are for the living, the dead are without hope. – Theocritus   “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ― Epicurus   “Hope is a waking dream.”  ― Aristotle   1) FIND IT in Christ alone!   “13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, ESV) Christ is God – so my hope is RELIABLE! Jesus is alive so my hope is ALIVE He's coming back – my hope extends beyond this     2) GRASP Hope's full extent.   “15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15–18, ESV)   Hope is for the living & the Hope lasts Hope brings me BACK to Christ.     3) LIVE OUT hope's implications by…   FOCUSING on what I'm doing.   “5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5–6, ESV)   UNDERSTANDING my new nature.   “4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.”…“8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4, 8, ESV)   LIVING by faith.   But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. 1 Thes. 5:8 (NLT)   ACTING in love.   But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation. 1 Thes. 5:8 (Mes)   4) COMPREHENDING my true destiny!   “9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9–11, ESV)   God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master… 1 Thes. 5:9 (Mes)   Your purpose in life is to serve God in a special way!!!  Not to be a object of wrath – but part of His family!        

What's your purpose? God has a plan for your life! If you've ever wondered about your mission or purpose, this is for you. This message is simple but important. Long relationships, chance encounters—don't underestimate your importance or field of influence.Through this series, you'll learn how to live well & enjoy God's promises. You are loved by God; He knows your name. He has a plan for your life. Get helpful advice, encouragement, and hope for a life well lived in 2021 and beyond.Are you walking in faith and victory? Set your eyes on the promises of God. You only have one life journey; say yes to Jesus. Like the parables of the buried treasure and the valuable pearl, stop at nothing to gain your entry into the kingdom of heaven.See full notes and suggested praise and worship here: https://agfaithchapel.org/sermons-messages/focus-on-your-mission-life-is-a-journey-part-16For more sermons and resources, visit www.agfaithchapel.org/sermons. Please consider supporting this ministry at www.agfaithchapel.org/give.This is brought to you by Faith Chapel church in Pleasanton, CA. Learn more at www.agfaithchapel.org.If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review? It's quick and very appreciated!

Esther was a power woman in the Bible. However she wasn’t always a Queen. Pastor Jeremy breaks down her process of becoming who God called her to be.Scriptures referenced in today’s message:· Joshua 1:9· 2 Corinthians 5:17· Jeremiah 1:5· John 14:18· Galatians 4:4-7· Matthew 7:16· Esther 4:12-17· 2 Timothy 1:7· Proverbs 23:7· Matthew 7:16For more information about Destiny Church, click here.Real | Relevant | Relationship

The Gospel of John 2021 Part One: The Glory of the Son By Louie Marsh, 4-18-2021   Intro – 4 cartoons – last one robbed left with bad sheet.   The Glory of Jesus:   1) Jesus is eternally GOD.   “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1–3, ESV)   In the beginning (ἐν ἀρχῃ [en archēi]). Ἀρχη [Archē] is definite, though anarthrous like our at home, in town, and the similar Hebrew be reshith [bərēʾšîṯ; בְּרֵאשִׁית] in Gen. 1:1. There is no argument here to prove the existence of God any more than in Genesis. Three times in this sentence John uses this imperfect of εἰμι [eimi] to be which conveys no idea of origin for God or for the Logos, simply continuous existence.   The Word (ὁ λογος [ho logos]). old word in Homer to lay by, to collect, to put words side by side, to speak, to express an opinion. Λογος [Logos] is common for reason as well as speech. Heraclitus used it for the principle which controls the universe. The Stoics employed it for the soul of the world (ἀνιμα μυνδι [anima mundi]) Marcus Aurelius used σπερματικος λογος [spermatikos logos] for the generative principle in nature.   At any rate John’s standpoint is that of the Old Testament and not that of the Stoics nor even of Philo who uses the term Λογος [Logos]   It therefore signifies both the outward form by which the inward thought is expressed, and the inward thought itself, the Latin oratio and ratio: compare the Italian ragionare, “to think” and “to speak.” As signifying the outward form it is never used in the merely grammatical sense, as simply the name of a thing or act (ἔπος, ὄνομα, ῥῆμα), but means a word as the thing referred to: the material, not the formal part: a word as embodying a conception or idea   As signifying the inward thought, it denotes the faculty of thinking and reasoning (Heb. 4:12); regard or consideration (Acts 20:24); reckoning, account (Philip. 4:15, 17; Heb. 4:13); cause or reason (Acts 10:29).   Vincent (1887) sums this up nicely for us:   As Logos has the double meaning of thought and speech, so Christ is related to God as the word to the idea, the word being not merely a name for the idea, but the idea itself expressed. The thought is the inward word...   The Logos of John is the real, personal God (1:1), the Word, who was originally before the creation with God, and was God, one in essence and nature, yet personally distinct (1:1, 18); the revealer and interpreter of the hidden being of God; the reflection and visible image of God, and the organ of all His manifestations to the world...   He made all things, proceeding personally from God for the accomplishment of the act of creation (1:3), and became man in the person of Jesus Christ, accomplishing the redemption of the world. -   With God (προς τον θεον [pros ton theon]). Though existing eternally with God the Logos was in perfect fellowship with God. Προς [Pros] with the accusative presents a plane of equality and intimacy, face to face with each other.   And the Word was God (και θεος ἠν ὁ λογος [kai theos ēn ho logos]). By exact and careful language John denied Sabellianism by not saying ὁ θεος ἠν ὁ λογος [ho theos ēn ho logos]. The subject is made plain by the article (ὁ λογος [ho logos]) and the predicate without it (θεος [theos]) just as in John 4:24 πνευμα ὁ θεος [pneuma ho theos] can only mean “God is spirit,” not “spirit is God.” So in 1 John 4:16 ὁ θεος ἀγαπη ἐστιν [ho theos agapē estin] can only mean “God is love,” not “love is God” as a so-called Christian scientist would confusedly say. For the article with the predicate see Robertson, Grammar, pp. 767f. So in John 1:14 ὁ Λογος σαρξ ἐγενετο [ho Logos sarx egeneto], “the Word became flesh,” not “the flesh became Word.”   2) Jesus is the CREATOR of the universe.   3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3, ESV)   3) Jesus is the LIFE & LIGHT of all people.   “4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:4–9, ESV)   Jesus is our   “10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:10–13, ESV)   Jesus alone reveals who & what GOD   “14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” (John 1:14–18, ESV)   4) Jesus is the core all true Christian TESTIMONY.   “29The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”” (John 1:29–31, ESV)        

If There Had Been No Resurrection Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there. Clarence W. Hall By Pastor George Lehman On this Easter Sunday I want us to read from God's word from: I Corinthians 15 :12- 19 - Our sermon title: If there had been no Resurrection? I want to ask you a question before I read this scripture, Have you ever heard of a man named Harry Houdini? Many of you have. He died in October of 1926. But his claim to fame was that he was a magician that specialized in spectacular escapes. As a matter of fact, he was said to have laughed at locks, sneered at fetters. They said of Harry that he had the flexibility of an eel. He had the lives of a cat. They did all kinds of things to try to incarcerate him. They would seal him in coffins. He would escape. They riveted him into a boiler. He escaped. They sowed him up in canvas bags. He escaped. They locked him in a milk can. He escaped. They sealed him in a beer barrel. He escaped. They put him in maximum-security prison. And old Harry somehow got out. But then in October 1926, death laid his hands on Harry Houdini and they put him in a grave and he is yet to escape. As a matter of fact, he told his wife, if there is any way out, I will find it. If there is any way out, I'll make contact with you and we'll do it on the anniversary of my death. For 10 years she kept a light burning over his portrait. At the end of 10 years, she turned out the light. Death had Harry and he could not escape. Death laid his hands on the Lord Jesus Christ also. And death put Jesus in a rock-hollowed out tomb. And there was a stone in the mouth of that tomb and the seal of the Roman government was placed upon that tomb. But on the third day, Jesus Christ stirred himself. He rose from the sleep of death. And he left those grave clothes that were wrapped around him like a butterfly would forsake a cocoon. And Jesus Christ passed through the walls of that rock- hollowed out tomb. By the way, the stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out. It was rolled away to let the disciples in to see that Jesus had come back. Jesus Christ is alive. He is not behind us in a tomb. He is before us on a throne. We thank God for that. But I want to ask you a question. Suppose that had not happened. Suppose death still held Jesus like it does Harry Houdini Then what? Suppose there had been no Resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:12 -19 (NIV) – 12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For the dead are not raised, then Christ has not be raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. Now the apostle Paul mentions a thing so unthinkable, and it’s this, suppose there had been no Resurrection. Suppose Jesus Christ is still in that grave. Paul says, our preaching is useless: verse 14, ''And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless* and so is our faith'' The word useless means empty, futile, with no purpose, a colossal waste of time, if there is no resurrection, you and I are wasting our time by watching this message. I'm wasting my time by preaching and you are wasting yours by   listening, we all ought to do something else. Romans 10:9 “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.” But if you don't believe that God raised him from the dead then your faith is foolish, and you won’t be saved. You see, this is the difference between Jesus Christ and the other religions. They lived, they died, they are dead. Jesus lived, he died, and he rose again. Friend, there is no need to follow a loser. Jesus has escaped death. And the Bible said it in Romans 1:4, ''He is shown to be the son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.'' How do I know he is the Son of God? How do I know that he can save me? How do I know the Bible is true? How do I know the promises of God are yes and amen in Jesus Christ? I'll tell you how. God brought him from the dead and that was God's stamp of approval on all that he said and did and taught. He was shown to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. We do not serve a dead Saviour. A dead Saviour is nobody's Saviour. A little boy was in the classroom and the teacher gave this assignment, write an essay on the world's greatest living man. Some wrote about the president. Others wrote about members of Congress. Some wrote about people in the entertainment world. Some wrote about people in the sports world. Some wrote about scientists and philosophers. But one little boy, wrote about Jesus Christ, an essay on Jesus Christ. When the teacher received the paper she said, ''Son, that's a nice paper, but you misunderstood the assignment. I said the world's greatest living man.'' He said, ''But teacher, he is alive.'' He is alive. We don't serve a dead Saviour. That he died for you is not important unless he also rose from the dead, which was the stamp of approval and authenticity upon the full payment for your sins. No resurrection, no Saviour. No Saviour, no forgiveness. No forgiveness, no justification. No justification, no cleansing. No cleansing, the penalty of your sin is upon us. Notice 1 Corinthians 15:20a - ''But now is Christ risen from the dead…” And because he is, preaching is profitable, faith is feasible, the disciples are dependable, sin is subdued, death is defeated, and the future is fabulous because Christ has been raised from the dead. He has taken the sting out of sin. He has taken the gloom out of the grave. He has taken the dread out of death and he has given to us a hope that is steadfast and sure. ''Living he loved me, dying he saved me, buried he carried my sins far away, rising he justified, freely forever. One day He's coming, oh glorious day.'' Thank God that we're no longer in our sins because we have a risen Saviour who has paid the price for our sins Romans 8:11(NIV) – And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.   1 Peter 1:3-5 (NIV) – 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Hebrews 2-5-18 -ESV--5For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. -6It has been testified somewhere, -What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him- -7You made him for a little while lower than the angels- you have crowned him with glory and honor, -8putting everything in subjection under his feet.- Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. -9But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. -10For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. -11For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, -12saying, -I will tell of your name to my brothers- in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.- -13And again, -I will put my trust in him.- And again, -Behold, I and the children God has given me.- -14Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, -15and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. -16For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. -17Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that

"God With Us" Colossians 1:15-20 (NASB95) 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.16For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him.17He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.18He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.19For it was the Fathers good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,20and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Pastor Eric shares a message about how we can have a Merry Christmas in 2020. Scriptures referenced in today’s message: · Matthew 1:23· Isaiah 9:6-7· Isaiah 7:14· Colossians 1:27· Galatians 2:20· 1 John 4:15· Luke 5:16· John 21:16For more information about Destiny Church, you can visit us online here.Real | Relevant | Relationship

Disciple Up # 186 Greater Than, Part 4 Jesus Suffered & Understands Our Suffering; Hebrews 2:5-18 By Louie Marsh, 11-18-2020   Intro.   Angels Won't Rule the World - Hebrews 2:5-8   “5For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” (Hebrews 2:5–8, ESV)   The words “put in subjection” are the translation of hupotasso (ὑποτασσο), a military term used of arranging soldiers in order under the commanding general. The word speaks of an economy, a system of administration.  -  Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 10, p. 54). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. This speaks to the order that God always brings to things. Even when we can't see it or understand it, it's there. Which is why Paul says that God is not a God of confusion but of peace. – 1 Corinthians 14:33 We still marvel at the way nature works to this very day. We marvel at how human creativity works, at how things often seem to come together. This is why people say ignorant things like, “The universe brings this to me.”  NO, it's not the universe – the universe is just an inanimate created thing. IT's God's creation and the order He built into the universe that does all these things. Give Him the glory NOT the things He created! This isn't the usual word for world we see – Kosmos. Kosmos means a world system or what we call culture. But this word means…   The word “world” is the translation of oikoumene (οἰκουμενε), literally, “the inhabited earth,” - Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 10, p. 54). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. So he's really talking about people here. In the world to come – Millennial Kingdom, whatever, Angels won't be ruling over people. God and His people will rule.   6It has been testified somewhere… (Hebrews 2:6a)   I love this!  He doesn't have the reference in mind but correctly quotes the verses anyway! Here's the reference from Psalm 8   “4what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,” (Psalm 8:4–6, ESV) But this isn't happening right now. …Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” (Hebrews 2:8b, ESV)   This is another example of the realism of the Bible. Obviously this world isn't under subjection to God and the Bible makes no attempt to pretend that it is. But someday it will be and that's what this passage is talking about.   The Incarnation:   “9But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9, ESV) Note here how the incarnation and Christ's work on the cross is described:   Lower than the angels for a little while. Crowned with glory and honor because he suffered and died He died for everyone   “10For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”” (Hebrews 2:10–13, ESV) Why is it fitting that Jesus had to suffer? For it was fitting for him, on account of whom (are) all the (existing) things and through whom (are) all the (existing) things, that he as bringing many sons to glory make the Author of their salvation complete by means of suffering. In the case of the Messiah suffering is so far from being an outrageous idea that in the accomplishment of God's grace, that of bringing many sons to glory, it positively accorded with his own nature and his relation to all things to make the Author of their salvation the Author that he is by means of suffering. Nothing else would have befitted God, all Jewish and all human preconceptions to the contrary notwithstanding. The writer does not speak of necessity although one might say that what is fitting and proper for God is, therefore, also necessary for him, for God cannot act in a manner that is unbefitting him. The fact that αὐτῷ refers to God and not to Jesus needs no proof. God is the agent of the passive participles used in v. 9 as he is the agent also of this new sentence. To aid us in understanding his thought the writer does not merely say that “it is fitting for God” but that it is fitting “for him on account of whom all the (existing) things (are) and through whom all the (existing) things (are),” τὰ πάντα as in v. 8. The two διά clauses declare that all the things that exist and occur do so “because of him” and “through him”: they are on God's account, for his sake (i. e., for his glory), as they are also due to his agency (his hand being involved in them all.) - Lenski, R. C. H. (1938). The interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews and of the Epistle of James (pp. 79–80). Columbus, OH: Lutheran Book Concern. So Lenski is saying that it's fitting because it's connected with God's nature and His relationships with His created beings to bring about salvation thru suffering. Man brought sin into the world, sin brings suffering, God suffers to free us from sin and suffering. One source? The words “of one” are literally, “out of one.” We have the ablative of source here. That is, the Lord Jesus and the saints, are all out of one source. Because the Lord Jesus and the saints are all out of one source, the writer says that He is not ashamed to call the saints His brethren. The Greek word for brother (adelphos (ἀδελφος)) means “from the same womb.” That one source is God the Father - Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 10, p. 61). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. How Redemption Works: “14Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:14–18, ESV) The Devil is destroyed Vs. 14   He destroys the devil by first of all removing his authority over death and hell. That now belongs to Jesus thanks to His death, burial and resurrection.  “18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:18, ESV) Our Fear of Death is Removed Vs. 15-16   Once we come to Christ we no longer have to fear death. This doesn't mean many of us don't, just that we have no reason too thanks to the finished work of Christ on the Cross.   He also circles back to his earlier theme of the angels when he mentions Jesus isn't doing this for the angels.   To Fully Redeem He Had to Be Fully Human- Vs. 17   Propitiation – removing God's wrath from those who have sinned. Jesus did this by suffering, bleeding and dying on the cross as a man.   Because He is both God and Man He Understands Our Suffering. – Vs. 18   Now – because He has suffered – He can completely understand our suffering, whatever that suffering may be.  

Eph 2:14-16For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Disciple Up # 184 When Your Side Loses By Louie Marsh, 11-4-2020   Intro:  Another show I'd rather not do but feel it's needed. For the first time in my life I'm actually worried that no matter what happens in the election tomorrow (I'm recording this on Monday November 2nd 2020) that the United States might not stay united. That's BAD!   Two kinds of people after an election – winners and LOSERS!!  It's not fun to be a LOSER! So how do we handle losing, especially when we think it was critical that we win? That's what I want to talk about.   Note: I'm discussing the aftermath of an election; not the election itself and I will not be making any political statements myself. Yes I voted. Who did I vote for? None of your business! Thank God for the secret ballot. It lets me minister to everyone no matter what side they are on!   To understand the Christian view of this issue you have to understand what the sovereignty of God is and how He works His will in this world. You also have to understand the real focus of the Christian life is supposed to be and then you have to learn to cling to that focus and not be pulled off of it.   THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD   “11In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,” (Ephesians 1:11, ESV)   “28And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Romans 8:28–30, ESV)   “29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29–31, ESV)   “16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16–17, ESV)   “7I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things. 8“Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it. 9“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?' or ‘Your work has no handles'?” (Isaiah 45:7–9, ESV)   “33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:33, ESV)   “2“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2, ESV)   “37Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? 38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? 39Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?” (Lamentations 3:37–39, ESV)   “27for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” (Acts 4:27–28, ESV)   “4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love” (Ephesians 1:4, ESV)   “1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,” (Romans 13:1–3, ESV)   HOW TO REACT TO LOSING! 1) Look at my problems from a KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE. 12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Philippians 1:12-14 (ESV) My Natural Perspective On Life: I ME MINE   A Kingdom Perspective: God's Kingdom, Others, Myself   Trouble reveals the true condition of  MY HEART.   13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. 14 Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity. Proverbs 28:13-14 (ESV) Discipleship       2) Put other's salvation ahead of MY COMFORT. 12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, Philippians 1:12-18 (ESV) 3) Always keep God's work in my life ROOTED IN THE GOSPEL. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. Philippians 1:18-20 (ESV) 4) Make Jesus the very REASON I LIVE. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 (ESV) Christ means everything to me in this life, and when I die I'll have even more. Philippians 1:21 (GW) 5) Move forward by SERVING & SACRIFICING for others. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. Philippians 1:22-26 (ESV) This shows my love for them & Christ. I can bring authentic joy into their lives

Sunday Bible Study with Scott Walk with God Exodus 33:12–23 (NKJV) 12Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.' But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.' 13Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” 14And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” 17So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” 18And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” 19Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 20But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” 21And the Lord said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. 23Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.” Philippians 3:10 (NKJV) 10that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, John 14:8 (NKJV) 8Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

BUY THE GO CREATOR GO BOOK & JOURNAL:www.antoinebeane.comhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GV2DK1Vhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GVJ6MP5FOLLOW GO CREATOR GO & TRIUMPH MEDIAWORKS:Facebook & IG: @gogreatorgo & @triumphmediaworksTwitter: @gcreatorgwww.triumphmediaworks.com__________________________SCRIPTURES ON REST & RENEWAL:Matthew 11:28:30 NIVCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. *JESUS CALLS US TO RESTMark 6:31 NIVThen, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.Psalm 34:8Taste and see that the Lord is good;blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. **CALLING OUT TO GOD FOR STRENGTHPsalm 61:1-4Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.PSALM 4:8In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.EXODUS 33:14The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”ISAIAH 26:3You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.PSALM 62:1-2My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. PSALM 62:5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God: my hope comes from him.ISAIAH 40:28-31Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.Jeremiah 31:25 (GOD SAYS)I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. ***DELIVERANCE-DECISION TO REST/TRUST IN GODActs 3:19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.1 Peter 5:7Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.Romans 12:2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.Hebrews 4:9-11Let us therefore strive to enter that rest (the Rest of God/Trusting God), so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.Ephesians 4:22-24You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.Hebrews 4:15-16For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.****GOD'S GOT YOU-DON'T WORRY ABOUT ITPsalms 37:7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:12-13 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. John 14:27 NLT (don’t worry-God’s got it)I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 16:33 (don’t worry-God’s got it)I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.Psalms 116:7Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.Matthew 6:33Seek the Kingdom of God [above all else], and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.Psalms 23

Join Fr Rob as he reflects on the Sunday Gospel readings and how we can apply these reflections to our lives today. 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16For a longer explanation and reflection on this Gospel reading, check out the Catholic Influencers Podcast (Season 4, Episode 11)Support the show (donate.frgministry.com)

Hope For Life with Bob Lenz - an inspiring message for your busy day. This week's devotional theme is Failure. Today's episode will be from Proverbs 24:16.Proverbs 24:16For the righteous falls seven times and rises again,but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.To discover more, visit lifepromotions.org.

1 Samuel 17 David and Goliath 1 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah. 2Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 3The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. 4A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. 5He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7His spear shaft was like a weavers rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. 8Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us. 10Then the Philistine said, This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other. 11On hearing the Philistines words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. 12Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Sauls time he was very old. 13Jesses three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. 14David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, 15but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his fathers sheep at Bethlehem. 16For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. 17Now Jesse said to his son David, Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. 19They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. 20Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. 23As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. 25Now the Israelites had been saying, Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel. 26David asked the men standing near him, What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, This is what will be done for the man who kills him. 28When Eliab, Davids oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle. 29Now what have I done? said David. Cant I even speak? 30He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. 31What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. 32David said to Saul, Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him. 33Saul replied, You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth. 34But David said to Saul, Your servant has been keeping his fathers sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord be with you. 38Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. I cannot go in these, he said to Saul, because I am not used to them. So he took them off. 40Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherds bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 41Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43He said to David, Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44Come here, he said, and Ill give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals! 45David said to the Philistine, You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and Ill strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lords, and he will give all of you into our hands. 48As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistines sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 52Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp. 54David took the Philistines head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistines weapons in his own tent. 55As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, Abner, whose son is that young man? Abner replied, As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I dont know. 56The king said, Find out whose son this young man is. 57As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistines head. 58Whose son are you, young man? Saul asked him. David said, I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.

1 Peter 1:13-16 NLTSo prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/yourdailybible)

Hope For Life with Bob Lenz - an inspiring message for your busy day. This week's devotional theme is Importance. Today's episode will be from Colossians 1:16.Colossians 1:16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.To discover more, visit lifepromotions.org.

Recap of Genesis 13-16For more information on our year-long journey through the Bible and to sign up, visit: - cornerstoneatl.org/windows

Michael Geter shares a word about how to stay the course in Him. Scripture ReadingProverb 4:11-18"11I have taught you the way of wisdom;I have led you in the paths of uprightness.12When you walk, your step will not be hampered,and if you run, you will not stumble.13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;guard her, for she is your life.14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,and do not walk in the way of the evil.15Avoid it; do not go on it;turn away from it and pass on.16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.17For they eat the bread of wickednessand drink the wine of violence.18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,which shines brighter and brighter until full day."

I am thinking about what makes a place home.At first I thought that the answer to that question would be pretty simple. But it really isn’t. If you look around, there are two very different ways that people answer that question.Many people go by the motto that home is where your heart is. From this perspective, home is typically the place where you are from. Or more specifically, home is the place that identifies who you are. That is usually the place where you grew up, but it might be a place that you never even lived that is still an important part of your personal identity. Like your great-grandparents original homestead, for example.I live in the Sand Hills of Nebraska. Very often here in the Sand Hills people who haven’t lived here in decades will have their bodies sent back here to be buried after they die. That is a function of this belief that home is where your heart is. That idea that home is where the heart is lives deeply inside of many of us.For me, I grew up in the other camp. I grew up believing that home is where you hang your hat. We moved around a lot and my dad’s job was the kind where we weren’t really expected to be around for long in the places we lived. So for us home was simply a matter of temporary location. Wherever we were, that was home. And for many people out there, this is the accepted view. From this perspective, home is nothing more or less than the place where you live.Not surprisingly, people who say that home is where your heart is and people who say that home is where you hang your hat tend to have very different views on what makes a place home.But I suggest that we take that debate to a whole new level. I believe that when we say that home is where your heart is, we are grounding our view of home too much in the past. And I believe that when we say home is where you hang your hat, we are grounding our view of home too much in the present.I think that instead of understanding home as being something from our past or something from our present, we should understand home as being something from our future.To this end, I suggest a new saying about home. Home is where you’re headed.The book of Hebrews chapter 11 is a remarkable section of the Bible. It is about this thing we call faith which is, in a nutshell, the only way throughout history that people have been able to relate to God. Faith means that we trust Him, that we believe Him, that we accept Him. Faith is all of those things wrapped up together. And in this one chapter, we get a fast-forwarded tour of faithful people throughout all of Biblical history.The thing we see about all these people in the midst of all the very different circumstances of their lives is that they find their ultimate hope and identity and their ultimate home not in the past or the present, but in the future.For example, regarding a super-important guy named Abraham from the Old Testament we read, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”Hebrews 11:8-10A few sentences later we read, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”Hebrews 11:13-16For the faithful people singled out in this powerful chapter of the Bible, home was not a nostalgic idea from the past, or a ho-hum acceptance of the present. For these people, home is where they were headed.Because they found their home in their faith God, they lived their lives neither wishing for the past nor lost in the present, but moving steadily, hopefully, and faithfully toward their guaranteed future. And I promise you, the thing that God built for them and is building for us is greater than anything we could ever build for ourselves.Therefore, regardless if you call home a patch of land where your great-grandparents set fence posts or just some house or apartment where you haven’t even paid your second month's rent yet, my curiosity is grounded neither in where you come from nor where you are.I’m curious about where you are headed.Who are you living for, and where is it taking you? Who is building the house where you are going to spend eternity, and who are you trusting to take you there? If we are going to figure out what makes a place home, we must first figure out what and who we have faith in.My advice? Have faith in Jesus. He has made an eternal home for us and made the only way for us to get there, which is through faith. For me, I have decided not to live as if home is where I hang my hat and I have also decided not to live as if home is where my heart is. For me, home is where I am headed. How about you?

Listen in as we begin our new series looking at who God is from Exodus 34.Notes//Quotes:Exodus 34:6-7“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” - A.W. Tozer“Here’s how you know if you’ve created God in your own image: he agrees with you on everything…Often what we believe about God says more about us than it does about God. Our theology is like a mirror to the soul. It shows us what’s deep inside.” - John Mark Comer“In the world of the Hebrew Scriptures a personal name was often thought to indicate something essential about the bearer’s identity, origin, birth circumstances, or the divine purpose that the bearer was intended to fulfill.” - Michael KnowlesIsaiah 49:13-16Psalm 103:11-14“What he is, he does. He cannot act any other way. His life proves his heart. Meek. Humble. Gentle. Jesus is not trigger-happy. Not harsh, reactionary, easily exasperated. He is the most understanding person in the universe. The posture most natural to him is not a pointed finger but open arms.” - Dane OrtlundPs. 145:8-9Hebrews 4:14-16For grace proclaims the awesome truth that all is gift. All that is good is ours not by right but by the sheer bounty of a gracious God. While there is much we may have earned--our degree and our salary, our home and garden, a Miller Lite and a good night's sleep--all this is possible only because we have been given so much: life itself, eyes to see and hands to touch, a mind to shape ideas, and a heart to beat with love. We have been given God in our souls and Christ in our flesh. We have the power to believe where others deny, to hope where others despair, to love where others hurt. This and so much more is sheer gift; it is not reward for our faithfulness, our generous disposition, or our heroic life of prayer. Even our fidelity is a gift, "If we but turn to God," said St. Augustine, "that itself is a gift of God.” My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.” - Brennan Manning 

In this episode I talk about the story of the bible, complain about how people put themselves in the bible, and give some exegesis of Genesis 3:1-16For more content visit: http://reasonedrefrain.comFor timeline mentioned in episode visit: http://mygiveonthings.com/timeline/ 

Enter Into the Rest of the Lord - June 15-21Alma 13-16For show notes visit me on instagram @comefollowmeapodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/comefollowmeapodcast/

A prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. 1Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. 2Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. 3For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. 4My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. 5Because of my loud groaning I am reduced to skin and bones. 6I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. 7I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof. 8All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse. 9For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears 10because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside. 11My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass. 12But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. 13You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. 14For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity. 15The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. 16For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. 17He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea. 18Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD: 19“The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, 20to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.” 21So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem 22when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD. 23In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days. 24So I said: “Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations. 25In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 26They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. 27But you remain the same, and your years will never end. 28The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”

11strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has delivered us from the power of darkness and [c]conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14in whom we have redemption [d]through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or [e]principalities or [f]powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

James 3:13-18 (NIV) 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:13-18 (NIV) 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Isaiah 7:10–17 10Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11“Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. 17The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria.”

Hidden walls in your mind & heart can hinder you from your breakthrough. You must get to the root of the issue in order to breakthrough. James 3:14But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. 15Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice. 1. Your mind & heart must agree with the direction that God is leading your life 2. The Holy Spirit is your GPS listen for directions 3. Guard your heart(The word is your shield from sin 4. You must be led by the spirit in order to walk by faith & not by sight 5. Walk in obedience to Gods will, his ways & his word 6. Follow the word, he is leading you toward DESTINY 7. Tighten your circle Psalms 1 #grow #selfcare #selfawareness #heartbreak #fear #anxiety #depression

“For the Sake of the Gospel”1 Corinthians 9:19-23For the Sake of the Gospel Bind Your Life to the Mission of Jesus1 Corinthians 9:19Romans 1:16For the Sake of the Gospel Make More Disciples of Jesus1 Corinthians 9:20-22Galatians 5:13For the Sake of the Gospel Plant More Churches1 Corinthians 9:23

5The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created...

Every man is the slave of his own ambitions and desires. The moment you fall in love with someone or something you become enslaved. The more you love that object or person, the more you become obsessed with it, the more it controls you. It takes over your mind and you can become irrational about. In the end it can totally destroy you. It is for good reason that the commandment says:”Do not covet” The apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” If we love anything more than Jesus, then we are not worthy of Him and we will not enter His kingdom. Jesus said:”He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:37-39. If we love our spouse or parents or children or friends more than Jesus then we will rather please them, than Jesus. Our love for them will cause us to end up in hell. We must love Jesus above all and obey Him more than anybody else. You often hear men say:”Happy wife, happy life.” Satisfying another person does not bring lasting happiness. Lust is never satisfied. Running after your own desires money, possessions, men, women, fame, hobbies, entertainment and lusts will just wear you out and in the end it will destroy you. The more possessions you accumulate, the more trouble you cause for yourself. It is all just chasing after wind. The only way to find true happiness, contentment and eternal life is to follow and obey Jesus. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36. Everlasting happiness is only found in Jesus. I look back on my life. For many years I was chasing wind, sowing to the wind and reaping the whirlwind, even after I became a serious believer. It is only when you become a disciple of Jesus, forsake yourself and follow Him, that you experience His peace and joy. “For He has satisfies the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He fills with what is good.”Psalm 107:9. Jesus invites us to follow Him. He gives peace and joy that surpasses all human understanding. “In the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy; In His right hand there are pleasures forever.”Psalm 16:11. Jesus said:“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”John 7:37,38. If you come to Jesus, obey Him, repent of your sin, be baptized in water as He commanded, and you STAY WITH HIM, He promised to give His Holy Spirit in you to be with you forever, to comfort and guide you so that you can follow Him and enjoy His love, joy, peace, life and contentment. “It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”Psalm 127:2 Have you come to Jesus, repented and been baptized in water? Have you submitted your life to Him? Have you received the Holy Spirit? Are streams of living water flowing from you or are you still thirsty and dry, running after the things of the world and never finding contentment? May Jesus bless you.

Faith without works is dead. Many people confess to believe in Jesus but their works are evil. They are sinners. We read in 1 John 2:3 “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Christians that sin and live in immorality do not know Jesus because they do not keep His commandments, they do not live according to His words, as also recorded in the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. A Christian that refuses to repent and be baptized, as Jesus commanded, does not know nor love Jesus. Jesus said:”If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.“John 14:15. “By this we know that we are in Him:6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” Many Christians believers do not know Jesus and do not abide in Him, because they do not live as Jesus lived and taught His disciples to do. Their faith is in vain because their works prove that they do not know Jesus, nor stay in obedience to Him. They are like the world, the unbelievers that are perishing, they are heading for destruction, they are on their way to hell. We read in 1John 2:15 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” Those who love the world and the things of the world do not have any love for Jesus and therefor they do not obey Him, they practice sin, lawlessness, unrighteousness, their deeds are evil. Many are preachers, evangelists, street preachers, clergy, missionaries, church leaders, but they love the world and their works are evil. Jesus said “ 21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ “Matthew 7:21,22. If we know Jesus, our works will prove it, because we will obey Him and abide in Him.. The apostle John wrote in I John 2:28 ”Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 29If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.” Do we abide in Him? Will we have confidence when Jesus appears, or will we hang our head in shame and shrink away from Him in fear because we did not obey Him. May Jesus bless you. Jesus Christ is alive and hell is real. I am here to introduce you to Jesus Christ so that you can know Him, follow Him and have eternal life. Subscribe to my channel to learn more about Jesus. May Jesus bless you

1 THESSALONIANS 4:13–5:11 13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. --- Clearly some of Paul’s initial teaching was either misunderstood or he simply did not have time to explain. There was confusion or uncertainty of what happens at the end of time including concern about what happens to those that die before Jesus comes back. We can imagine within a hostile environment, some may have been killed for their belief in “another king” (Acts 17:7) between the time of the apostle’s visit and Timothy’s return to Thessalonica, and some may have fallen into despair. Paul’s clarification of the hope we have in Jesus’ resurrection would serve as a catalyst for encouragement and his confirming the unpredictability of the end times would provide reason to hold fast to their faith while under the day-to-day pressure of living in a thoroughly Roman and pagan culture.

1 THESSALONIANS 4:13–5:11 13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. --- Clearly some of Paul’s initial teaching was either misunderstood or he simply did not have time to explain. There was confusion or uncertainty of what happens at the end of time including concern about what happens to those that die before Jesus comes back. We can imagine within a hostile environment, some may have been killed for their belief in “another king” (Acts 17:7) between the time of the apostle’s visit and Timothy’s return to Thessalonica, and some may have fallen into despair. Paul’s clarification of the hope we have in Jesus’ resurrection would serve as a catalyst for encouragement and his confirming the unpredictability of the end times would provide reason to hold fast to their faith while under the day-to-day pressure of living in a thoroughly Roman and pagan culture.

This is the twelfth class on the book of Hebrews. This Bible class was taught at the Pilot Point Church in Pilot Point Texas. The following is the outline of the class. Our Greatest Assurance of Salvation GOD’S WARNING Hebrews Chapter 6:4-8 Hebrews 6(NASB) 1.For in the case of those who have once been enlightened 2. And have tasted of the heavenly gift 3. And have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 4. And have tasted the good word of God 5. And the powers of the age to come, 6. And then have fallen away, 7. It is impossible to renew them again to repentance since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. Different categories of falling away 1.Apostate = someone who leaves Christ for another savior 2. Judaizer = someone who wants to hold on to Christ and Judaism 3. Backslider = someone who leaves Christ to go back into the world 4. Unloving Christian = someone who does not love the brethren 5. False teacher = someone who knowingly perverts a gospel tenet about Jesus 6. Lukewarm Christian = don’t care, selfish Christians GOD’S MEMORY – OUR ENCOURAGEMENT Verses 9-12 9But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Malachi 3 (NIV) 16Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. 17“On the day when I act,” says the LORD Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. 18And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. Hebrews (NASB) 9But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Good Works Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. James 2:18 - Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. James 2:26 - For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Hebrews 13:16 - But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews (NASB) 9But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Matthew 25 31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. The goats on his left. 34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40“The King will reply, ‘truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Hebrews (NASB)9But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. GREATEST ASSURANCE OF SALVATION Verses 13-20 Hebrews 6 (NASB) 13For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.” 15And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, Hebrews 6 (NASB) 13For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.” 15And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, Hebrews 6 (NASB) 13For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.” 15And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, The heirs of the promise Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise Hebrews 6 (NASB) 13For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.” 15And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, Hebrews 6 (NASB) 17In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, 18so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 17For it is attested of Him, “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”  18For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19(for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20And inasmuch as it was not without an oath 21(for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, “THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, ‘YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER’”); Hebrews 6 (NASB) 17In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, 18so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 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This is the eighth class on the book of Hebrews. This Bible class was taught at the Pilot Point Church in Pilot Point Texas. The following is the outline of the class. Jesus the Son is greater than Moses Recap of Chapter 3 verses 1-6 Moses and Jesus were the only two Apostles of God sent to be exodus leaders. vs. 1 Both were faithful ln carrying out their Apostleship vs. 2 Jesus was worthy of greater honor because he created the Israelite race while Moses  was an Israelite- Moses did not make men, children of God, but Jesus does vs 3-4 Moses was a servant as an exodus leader, but Jesus is a Divine Son vs. 4 If we want to follow Jesus, our exodus leader, all the way into the promised land of heaven we need: 1. A hope of salvation to the degree that you glory in it. 2. An outspoken faith Hebrews 3(NKJV) 6but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.  7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:  “Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. 10Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ 11So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” Hebrews 3(NKJV) 6but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. 7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. 10Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ 11So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” 2 ways you can test God 1st way is to trust God – this is a good way. For example a missionary’s prayer. 2nd way is to not believe/trust God – this is a bad way – this is how the Israelites did it – To question God’s motives. Hebrews 3(NKJV) 6but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. 7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. 10Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ 11So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” Numbers 30 (NASB) 1Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which the LORD has commanded. 2If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 3“Also if a woman makes a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by an obligation in her father’s house in her youth, 4and her father hears her vow and her obligation by which she has bound herself, and her father [a]says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5But if her father should forbid her on the day he hears of it, none of her vows or her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her because her father had forbidden her. Hebrews 3(NKJV) 6but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. 7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. 10Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ 11So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” Hebrews 3(NKJV) 12Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, 15while it is said, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.” 16For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Chapter 4 an exhortation to enter God’s rest Hebrews 4 (NIV) 4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands” Difficulties with the word “rest” Definition: anything which God initiates and brings to a conclusion 1st Rest: Gen 1&2 creation started and completed. Was God tired? 2nd Rest: Moses leads God’s people out of the bondage to the promised land 3rd Rest: Jesus leads people out of the bondage of sin to the promised land of heaven Rev 14:13 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” Hebrews 4 (NIV) 4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” rested from all his works.” 5And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” Hebrews 4 (NIV) 6Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands” Difficulties with the word “rest” Definition: anything which God initiates and brings to a conclusion 1st Rest: Gen 1&2 creation started and completed. Was God tired? 2nd Rest: Moses leads God’s people out of the bondage to the promised land 3rd Rest: Jesus leads people out of the bondage of sin to the promised land of heaven Rev 14:13 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” 2 HELPERS TO MAKE US MORE DILIGENT THE WORD - 12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 2. God - 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Jesus our Great High Priest Vs 14 - 16 Jesus is our Great High Priest 14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. One Mediator Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Mediation – access to GOD OLD COVENANT: GOD Prophets Angels Moses Human priesthood THE LAW Man NEW COVENANT: Jesus the God/Man our Great High Priest

This is the sixth class on the book of Hebrews. This Bible class was taught at the Pilot Point Church in Pilot Point Texas. This podcast ends two of us the greatest chapters in the Bible. The following is the outline of the class. Jesus is greater than the Angels Chapter 1:4-2:18 Comparing Jesus with the angels Jesus Only begotten Son • Direct lineage to God • Worship Him • Sits on the throne • God the father calls Him God Angels They're not • They never • Never worshipped • They serve • Ministering spirits Keep this in mind Not only did Jesus become flesh • Not only did Jesus live in the flesh • Not only  die  in  the flesh • But  He was raised in the flesh • He ascended  in the flesh-He is  still  a man, He kept  His humanity  Outline for chapter 2:5-18 Another problem associated with angels In the first chapter the writer emphasizes the Son’s deity now, he emphasizes  Jesus humanity to complete the picture of why the Son is greater than the angels. • Not only God but man and He can bridge a gap that the angelic host could not 5It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? 7You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor 8 and put everything under their feet.”  In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present, e do not see everything subject to them. 9But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, Hebrews 2 (NKJV) 5It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? 7You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor 8 and put everything under their feet. The Jews spoke of 3 worlds The world that was = the world before Mt Sinai 2. The world that is = as a Jewish nation 3. The world to come = when the Messiah comes Hebrews 2 (NKJV) 5It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6But there is a place where someone has testified:  “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? 7You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor 8 and put everything under their feet.  In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them .9But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Philippians 2 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Romans 8 New (NIV) 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. 9But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Suffering and death for God’s violated law 1 Corinthians 2:9 “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. 12He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.” 13And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” To defeat the most powerful angel Lucifer 14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Romans 8 (NIV) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  To defeat the most powerful angel Lucifer 14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 16For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. • 17For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Relating to the 2 different offices of Jesus LORD Work • Obedience • Service • Always relating to His Lordship HIGH PRIEST Sin • Forgiveness • Grace • That’s where we relate to His Priesthood 17For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. He rules the universe and angels and will send one to help me • I have one of my kind raised from the dead in a glorified body assured me I can be in heaven with him • I know he understands and identifies with me • He has rendered powerless my enemy Satan • He's freed me from the fear of death so I don't have to live in that bondage • He's a faithful and merciful High Priest always ready to serve my every need • He has entered into heaven waiting for the day that the father says it's time to go get our people That's the message of the first two chapters of Hebrew Subscribe to the podcast: {Apple Podcasts}{Stitcher}{Google Play}

***It's pretty difficult for me to go back and re-feel all this despair. But God IS good and it's important to know that, even in the really bad times. Photos of Grace are at the end. Prepare yourself or don't look if you don't think you can.*** Psalm 139:13-16For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.Grace’s last weekendI don’t usually write about the weather. I feel like that’s a tactic only used by fourth graders. But when my daughter was last living, it was the most beautiful late autumn Jeff and I had ever seen. We’d had our wedding in the fall only three years before, and back then I would have paid thousands for trees this colorful. The vibrant fall seemed to sum up a perfect pregnancy, and seemed to signal the start of a new season of our lives, one of sheer excitement! (Now, with all the feelings of loss associated with it, I wonder now if I’ll even like the season ever again.)Our third wedding anniversary was October 29, and we didn’t do much to celebrate – besides, what gift can you give one another that is better than the gift of new life, a child?! We were GIDDY!Saturday, I ventured out to a brunch with my mommies group of all pregnant women, and held the first tiny baby born to the group. Soon, I thought, I would be holding my very own baby in my arms! Everyone reminded me that it was November 1, my due date month!Sunday, we went to church, and Grace jammed out to the worship music! She always seemed to have a lot of fun in my belly! I felt extra special that day, and had worn a black dress with four-inch black heels. I was enormous, and it seemed like every stranger I passed congratulated me. Our drive home, we passed the hospital where I would give birth, and I got all excited thinking about how in two weeks this same drive home would be the most happy drive of my life—with a baby in my arms!That evening, we went to the last session of our Bradley natural childbirth class. And Grace kicked all the while. Jeff said how excited he was about labor (ha! I was like, of course YOU’RE excited! I’m the one pushing this thing out!) —we were ready for this! (I was prepared to give birth without pain medications or interventions, and felt very confident in the technique—I’d told everyone about it so I’d keep accountable!) Then we went home and Jeff videotaped actors for a project. And Grace kept right on kicking, as she always did. Later, Jeff gave me my nightly back massage—he’s the best husband ever—and we watched Grace move around in my belly (for what we didn’t know then would be the last time ever).We headed to bed and I reached over and put my hand in the bassinet attached to our mattress, as I had gotten into the habit of doing, and imagined how in a few short weeks I would be stroking my peacefully sleeping baby there, admiring her, my offspring, the greatest blessing I’d ever received.I prayed thanks, and fell asleep.November 3, 2008It was a dark day out, starting to drizzle, but my first thought was how something great was about to happen. I said aloud to Jeff, “For some reason, it feels like Christmas morning!” I cannot get over how weird that feeling was. Maybe God was trying to bless me with a calm before the storm……because the rest of that day can only be described as the worst of my life.Jeff left for work, and I went downstairs to make Grace and I breakfast. I sipped my OJ, but Grace didn’t kick like she usually did with that jolt of fructose. Odd, I thought, but I wasn’t overwhelmingly alarmed, and went on talking to her, telling her I loved her as I always did. I was awake a little earlier than usual, anyway. I showered, but Grace didn’t move like normal with the water’s warmth. I poked the spot where I knew her butt was, but she was obviously sleeping. Still, I thought, it was early. Yet, when I got out, I really started to worry.I went to the nursery and lay down on the floor next to her crib (like Jeff had been doing each morning as he prayed for her, for almost nine months) and gulped cold water, hoping it would wake her up. My heart started to race when she didn’t wake. My doctor’s appointment was scheduled for 9:30 that morning, and I left the house as quick as I could, speeding down the road and arriving ridiculously early. At the stoplight before the doctor’s building, the word started flashing through my head, stillbirth stillbirth stillbirth. Everything was a blur, as they weighed me, took my blood pressure, and Jeff arrived. All I could think or say was “I haven’t felt her kick this morning.”The fluorescent lights in the room made it look so cold and horrible in there, increasing my panic. I could hear heartbeats from Dopplers thumping loudly through the thin walls of the rooms on either side of me. But when they tried to listen to my child’s heartbeat, it wasn’t there. “No,” Jeff said to me, and grabbed my hand tightly as the doctor rushed off to find the ultrasound machine. “She’s fine; it isn’t what you think; they’ll find it; please God.” (How would I have ever survived if Jeff hadn’t come to the appointment that day?)The doctor rolled in the ancient-looking machine and fumbled the cord, clearly flustered, and got another doctor to help her. When they finally got it to work—my stomach is in knots as I type this—the ultrasound machine showed a lifeless little girl, a beautiful heart, but one that had stopped beating forevermore."I’m so sorry," was all the doctor said. I put my hands on my face, where they remained for the next several hours, and whispered, "Oh my God. Oh my God." This is when shock set in—the body’s gift to its emotional state—to help me survive the blow. I had become numb, and would stay that way for the next 24 hours. I thought back to my childhood, about the night when my friend’s dad had passed away in a tragic car accident, and about how we had gone to the hospital that night and saw the family. I remembered how I had hugged my friend and sobbed uncontrollably, but that she was strong and wasn’t crying. I finally understood it. That’s how I felt now. Crushed, flattened, beaten down to silence, to numbness. I couldn’t even cry.Suddenly, I had to get this baby out. She seemed heavier than ever before. I hated how stiff her body felt, preventing me from even being able to expand my lungs and get a full breath, and then I hated myself for disliking anything about my poor child. But I couldn’t handle having this dead baby inside me. I needed her out NOW – it was URGENT! I repeated it to each of the doctors, but didn’t watch to see if they responded or not. Everything was so blurry.Walking out of the office, I noticed that my hands were still on my face. I wondered what everyone in the waiting room thought of me – what did they think was wrong? Were they panicked about their own babies? I thought about all of those people on the news all the time, those women in Iraq or Israel after a bomb exploded and killed their families, and how they would always be running around, screaming and crying. I wondered when or if I would get to that point. Right now, I pretty much felt dead.In the car, I saw our new pink baby carseat all strapped in and ready to go. Overcome with too much emotion, I’m pretty sure I almost passed out. We rushed to the hospital, where the marathon of labor and delivery—that grueling emotional and physical journey—began.The HospitalWe walked in and although we’d already taken a tour of the hospital, were absolutely clueless where to go and wandered around blindly. Jeff asked someone at a desk where labor & delivery was, and with major attitude, she pointed down the hall, and said, “Um, In labor and delivery.” So strange, I thought, how people have so much anger. I had just lost my daughter and I wasn’t as angry as her.It was dark and empty in there that day. The nurses were all huddled around the nurses’ station, probably talking about who they were going to vote for, as it was the day before the presidential elections, and they all turned around when they saw us coming. Immediately, we told them who we were, and silence fell.I felt ill. This was not how it was supposed to go at all. I was supposed to walk in here in labor, already six centimeters dilated, and near ready to push, with everyone in awe at my strength and supernatural pain tolerance. And I would breastfeed my baby girl right away, and dress her in her beautiful pink lacy outfit (that was sitting inside the suitcase in our bedroom, already clean and ironed) and bring her home in that pink carseat to a house all set up just for her. But this? Nurses feeling sorry for me? I wanted to turn around and walk right back out.A nurse brought us to a room on the quiet, empty side of the maternity ward, probably so we wouldn’t have to hear other people giving birth to living, crying babies. I wondered how they assigned a nurse to us. Did they draw straws? Did she owe someone something? I can’t imagine anyone volunteering for such a horrible event.I think we must have been there over an hour before we even thought to call someone. How do you tell your parents, who have been looking forward to meeting their first grandbaby for nine months, that they will never get to? I hated that we would have to make one of these kinds of calls, the kind nobody ever wants to get, the kind that you think are only made in later life when your grandparents are in their 90s. That we would have to make one of those calls now, as healthy happy people in our twenties, it was too much to bear. I told Jeff he could call, but he didn’t have to if he didn’t want, and I sure wasn’t doing it.He was so strong that day. He made the calls to our parents, one by one, out in the hallway. I’m so glad I didn’t have to see his face as he spoke those words. And he called his boss to tell him that he wouldn’t be back in for a very long time. Months later, we learned that his boss actually called our church that day to let them know about the situation, and thus we had our church praying for us from the very beginning.On the phone, my dad didn’t believe the words that Jeff told him, saying that He knew our God was a miracle worker, and that Jesus could raise our baby from death. Until the next day when we left the hospital hours after Grace had been born, Dad didn’t believe that she was really gone. In my shock and numbness, I didn’t have the faith to believe that kind of miracle could happen. I loved my dad for it though—I loved his faith, and I loved his deep love for his granddaughter. If only I could go back, with the faith that I now have, and experience that day, I wonder if that miracle could happen? Could I have believed God and allowed him to work in such a big way? Maybe I wasn’t giving Him an “in.”But God was there, beckoning me to him. Whether I wanted Him or not. All those years of my asking him to “be with me” to “comfort me” to “strengthen me” to “guide me” were coming to fruition. He was answering those prayers when I needed them most.A song started playing in my head, one that I didn’t know I knew, but the words kept playing… “You spread out the skies, over empty space, said let there be light, in a dark and formless world…”“Ugh,” I thought, “Go away music. Go away feelings. Go away everything.” I didn’t want to think, or pray, and I definitely didn’t want music. But the song kept right on playing in my head. “Gosh, where is that song from?”Our nurse sat down on a stool in our room and asked me a gazillion questions. The doctors did too. Had I fallen recently? They all seemed to ask that question. Because, there has to be someone to blame. Had the baby been kicking regularly the last few days? Car accident?Everything had been so normal, the whole pregnancy! I felt not an ounce of guilt. Boy was I thankful at how perfectly I had treated Grace in there all nine months. There wasn’t anything I did that I wouldn’t do again. I wracked my brain, but no, there was nothing. This was as random and tragic as you could get.Before beginning the induction, the doctor came in and prayed with us. One of the great things about our doctors’ office is that it was a Catholic organization, and they were very open about the fact that they prayed for their patients. I don’t remember much about the prayer, except how I thought it was odd that she opened it by calling God “Daddy.” Maybe she did it on purpose, or maybe God just wanted us to hear it, but, He was a daddy too, and He too lost His only child.Because it was so cloudy and gross outside that afternoon, you couldn’t tell if it was day or night, but it seemed like we’d already been there an eternity when 1:15 rolled around and it was time to get things started.As it was still two weeks before my due date, my body wasn’t even slightly ready to give birth. My belly hadn’t dropped, there was zero dilation, no effacement, zip. It looked like Grace hadn’t planned on making her grand entrance for quite a while; she would have probably come quite late. We were well aware that because my body wasn’t ready, this induction may not work, and we could potentially end up having to go home and try this again on a different date or have a c-section—both which sounded like ways to somehow make my worst nightmare even worse.In a small way, though, we felt like that part of things was already taken care of. People were praying for this delivery to go smoothly, and we could already feel God working through those prayers. This induction was going to work. And I was going to deliver a baby—who was no longer living. I’ve never been more scared in my life, or dreaded anything as much as I dreaded what was ahead of me.LaborThe doctor inserted the cervadil, which simply makes your cervix thin out so a baby can come through it. For some people, this alone can trigger labor, although it certainly isn’t the most common outcome. We didn’t think I’d be in that outlier group, and fully expected to be in that hospital for a good long while—at least a day or more—before anything began to happen.But once again, I was the exception to the rule, and labor kick-started almost immediately! I began to have huge contractions every two minutes, sometimes even closer, but the pain was manageable in my typical “go big or go home” mentality. Because of all the hard work I’d put into the natural childbirth classes, I stubbornly insisted on bearing this pain without medications. I was in labor-mode, not allowing myself to think about the reality of this situation or how emotional it was. By that point, I was still in such a state of shock that I had almost forgotten why we were here. So we marched through the halls, pretending like we were every other happy couple about to have a baby, stopping and hunching over when the contractions came.Somewhere in all of that pain, my family and Jeff’s mom showed up at the hospital. It was surreal seeing them there under these circumstances. I was very convinced this was a bad dream. I sat down in my bed, and my dad sat in a chair next to me and began to pray for miracles. Nobody knew what else to say or do. For such a normally chatty group, everyone was quiet.Totally numb, all I could think to say was, “I’m going to become a very bitter and angry person when this is all over.” My mom very quietly but firmly replied that I would not.But I couldn’t even imagine how I would live past this day. I couldn’t imagine how I would feel when the loss of my daughter finally entirely hit me. I couldn’t imagine how I would ever smile again. I knew I would be forever changed.Needing to feel useful, my family asked what they could go out and get us—they felt a need to help in some way! I hadn’t felt the urge to cry until that moment, when I replied that I would need my suitcase--because it had Grace’s coming-home outfit in it. Because, she would still need an outfit—to be buried in.In the evening, the contractions became horrendous, and the nurses begged me to get an epidural. But, I had wanted to keep this one goal of going med-free, this one tiny part of my plan intact, and refused the epidural again and again.But eventually, it dawned on me that there was no real reason to avoid pain meds. There would be no reward at the end of this journey, no living healthy baby who would benefit by having no drugs in her innocent little body. When I had conversations with other mothers later, nobody was going to ask me to share my birth story, and I’d never get to tell about the experience of going epidural-free—nobody would want to know about the birth of a dead baby.And I realized that my fear of epidurals’ risks—becoming paralyzed or even dying because of misplacement of the needle in the spine—were no longer an issue for me. If I died today, I thought, it would be better than having to live the rest of my life without Grace. “Oh God, why her? Why couldn’t you have taken me? I would have gladly given my life for her! I would have done anything for her! A child should not die before her mother, “my soul cried out to Him. I felt so empty, so worthless.I finally took the nurse’s suggestion to “stop being a martyr” and got the epidural. And compared to my emotional pain, I couldn’t even feel the pain of the needle going in. The whole time, though, tears were flowing down my mom’s face and the anesthesiologist asked, “Why are you crying?! You should be excited!” I guess he hadn't been debriefed.ChaosUnfortunately, instead of making this nightmarish journey more bearable, the epidural only made things worse. What control I had felt with managing my own pain and having something to work through to distract me from this horror, was taken away from me. Not only did I become confined to lying down in a bed because of the epidural and Foley catheter, but I also had more side effects from the epidural than I had ever heard of anyone experiencing before!First, I began to shake uncontrollably. The shaking was so bad that I had to have my mom and mother-in-law hold down each of my legs because it was using all my energy to try to keep them still. I felt completely out of control of my body and mind– I felt like a mental patient! Then I started to swell. I hadn’t swollen at all during pregnancy, so this was shocking. My feet blew up and turned purple. My face was huge and puffy. My fingers looked and felt like they would burst.Then I got a fever of 101, so I had to get antibiotics. From there, the drugs continued to multiply. I started to itch—all over—it was unbearable. Everyone kept telling me to sleep, but the itching (on top of having everyone in the room staring at me) made it impossible. I felt like I had bug-bites on literally every millimeter of skin and I was scratching ferociously. So, I got an anti-itch drug in my IV. That didn’t work, so they tried a different one. Now, I had been lying down for some time, not able to sit up because of the epidural, so I got heartburn. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and the stomach acid was eating me alive. So, I got heartburn meds.As everything became more and more chaotic, nurses were telling me to get some sleep so I could have energy for pushing. They had no idea. In their world, things were moving along smoothly. In my world, everything was crashing down. When I closed my eyes, I kept feeling like my soul was being lifted out of my body. In my mind, I could look down and vividly see my lifeless body lying on the bed below—it was as if I was willing myself to die.It was then that a song started playing in my head again. It was the same one as earlier, but this time it grew louder. “You made the world and saw that it was good, You sent your only son, for you are good, What a wonderful maker, What a wonderful savior, How majestic your whispers, And how humble your love…” I still didn’t know where it came from. I didn’t know who sang it, and I was shocked that my brain was reciting the words to a song that I thought I didn’t know. And it didn’t stop until we left the hospital. “With a strength like no other, And the heart of a father, How majestic your whispers, What a wonderful God.”Midway through the night, the nurses decided to speed up the labor even more, so they gave me pitocin. Around that same time, my epidural began to not work. I could feel contractions all through the right side of my body, especially in my leg.This, of course, is when my body decided to begin its “transition”(the most painful) stage of labor. Each contraction lasted two full minutes, with no real breaks in between. I was dilating quickly, so the anesthesiologist had to run in, and take out the epidural and completely re-place it.In all of that pain, I hadn’t even noticed that my water had broken. I looked down to see the soaking wet bed, then stared up at Jeff. I wanted to communicate to him all the disappointment I felt, knowing that instead of having some exciting TV-drama sort of water-breaking moment—out shopping or at church or at dinner with friends—my water had to break like this, under these sad circumstances. This just wasn’t fair.The nurses told me that I was progressing unusually fast, and that in the future I should prepare myself for speedy labors with my next babies. Minutes later, they checked me and with surprised faces, said I was completely dilated and I could push when I felt ready.DeliveryWell, you can never feel “ready” to push out a dead baby. Dread and horror flooded my entire being. So I told myself I’d just hold her in. I simply would not be pushing her out. I couldn’t. I would just hope to wake up from this nightmare, in my own bed at home, and find that my baby was peacefully sleeping and kicking away inside me.When I felt contractions, I would try to ignore them. Of course, only about seven minutes went by before I could feel the baby coming down, whether I was ready or not. The doctor and nurse came in, Jeff held my left leg and my mom and mother-in-law held the right, and it took only 10 quick pushes to get the baby completely out.And when she came out, Grace didn’t cry. (I’m so deeply envious of anyone who has ever heard their baby cry.)This is when the doctor saw the cord wound tightly multiple times around her long, beautiful little leg. Her source of life—the umbilical cord —had become her cause of death. The doctor handed me Grace, and I began to wail.I can’t even remember the depth of the pain well enough to describe it here, for I’d never experienced anything like it before, and I haven’t even experienced it since. It was by far the saddest moment of my entire life.BeautyI cradled her lifeless body gently in my arms.Her skin was torn in places and her lips were a dark crimson red, because she’d been in my womb too long without oxygen. It is unbearable for a mother to see her child like that—to think that any part of her child is imperfect, to imagine that Grace had gone through any pain. I wanted to bandage her skin, I wanted to hug her tight enough to warm her up, I wanted to breathe life into her limp body!But those thoughts are too heavy for any human to bear.And that’s why God blessed me with a hint of joy. For, she was my BABY and I was a proud MOTHER! I got to hold her! It was something I’d waited my entire life to do! She was a precious, gorgeous, perfect gift and I got to ADMIRE her!At seven pounds, she was a chubby little girl for being born two weeks before her due date. She didn’t look tiny or fragile—she didn’t even have that “wrinkly old man” face that so many newborns have—she was completely beautifully feminine, with a soft, full face. Even with the feminine features, we could tell she had more Jeff-genes in her appearance than Heather-genes. Like Jeff, her lips were full, her nose was rounded, her earlobes were meaty, and her eyes turned down at the corners. She inherited the look that drew me to Jeff when we were teenagers! She would have gotten away with so much naughtiness with an innocent, adorable face like that!But her body looked more like me. She was measured at 21 inches long, but we both noticed that when the nurse was measuring her, her little knees were bent, so we’re almost sure she was actually over 22 inches. She would have been tall! Her toes and feet looked exactly like a miniature version of mine, so the ultrasound had been correct in indicating she was going to get the Heather Glasgow bigfoot-ness. Her legs were lanky too, and so were her arms. When everyone held her, we all remarked how heavy and big she felt.Her coloring—porcelain pale with light blonde hair—was like the both of us. Her eyes were most assuredly blue (since we both have blue eyes), but we weren’t able to see them. I tried opening her eyelids, but her eyes had darkened with death—they didn’t look like eyes. And not being able to look into your little girl’s eyes is torture.I can’t even imagine how wonderful it feels to have your baby look up at you. It almost seems too good an experience for any human being to deserve. That type of blessing isn’t even of this world. It is most certainly a piece of heaven itself.When I saw Jeffrey hold her, I fell in love with him a million times over. He looked more handsome than ever before, holding his daughter. He was a natural, completely meant for the role of father. He was so loving and gentle, powerful and strong; he looked like he could carry her every burden. He too would have sacrificed anything for her. It tore me apart to think that I couldn’t watch him hold her or parent her ever again.The Remainder of November 4Somewhere in the whirlwind of everything going on, the doctor stitched me up (I’d torn from such a fast delivery and big-boned baby) and did all the doctorly things. I let the nurse take Grace to be cleaned, measured and dressed in her beautiful pink coming-home outfit. She cut a lock of Grace’s blonde hair for us to keep, and did her footprints. Meanwhile, I threw up several times (from the drugs, anxiety and sheer shock of the situation), and had to get some anti-nausea meds. The placenta was looked at —it was perfect, Grace’s blood and skin sample were taken for genetic testing—all of which turned out perfectly healthy as well; everything about her was ideal. I couldn’t stop thinking what a healthy little baby she had been. I’d given her the perfect life; her entire existence was such a blissful, happy one.Everyone there got to hold our precious gift. She was passed around the room, and my tears flowed as I watched my mom, dad, Jeff’s mom, and each of my sisters (except Jennifer, who was regrettably in CA) admire their long-awaited newest family member. At times, I worried that they might be scared or uncomfortable touching a dead person, but they lovingly assured me that they wanted to keep on holding her.Time stood still as we enjoyed and loved on our little girl.I wanted to hold her forever. I wanted to cuddle her and sing to her and talk to her. But, we didn’t get enough time. She faded so quickly. Within an hour, she no longer looked like the baby I had just birthed. She turned blue, cold, stiff. We didn’t have time to argue which side of the family she looked more like. We couldn’t stare and look at her from every angle. And pictures just don’t capture it all. I didn’t get to experience the little baby “head smell” that everyone says is so sweet. I didn’t even get to see that cute little pudgy butt that had poked out the top of my belly for the last three weeks of her life.I was desperate to be able to nurture her and breastfeed that little open mouth. I wanted to be mommy to my baby. I wanted to bond with her. There were millions of moments that I didn’t get to share with my baby. Millions. I could sit with you and list forever everything I wanted to experience with her.Goodbye My BabyI know that some people will continue to hold their stillborn babies for hours in the hospital, because they can’t bear to part with them, regardless of how quickly the baby’s body fades. With us, though, we knew we would see Grace again. And in Heaven, she would look healthy and beautiful. Boy, I can’t wait!The nurses knew there was no reason for us to remain in the maternity ward with all the happy new mothers, so they allowed us to check out, little more than 24 hours after arriving.Our parents and my sisters left the hospital, allowing us time alone in the dimly-lit room to have our final moments with Grace as a family of three. No words were spoken, except for “I love you so much, Grace” again and again, and of course our silent prayers to God, pleading for as much strength as He could give us, for we simply could not do this on our own.We placed her on the baby bed, and I made sure she was tightly bundled in that warm blanket, so her body wouldn’t get hurt when she was moved to the morgue. I knew it didn’t matter now, but as a mom, I still felt the strong instinct to protect her.My hopes and dreams were all wrapped up in that bundle of blankets, and I would have to leave them all behind at the hospital that day.We told her goodbye, and held hands as I was wheeled out. We silently left the hospital with empty arms.But in Heaven, Grace’s soul was already in the presence of our Almighty God, experiencing peace and joy beyond human description. She was already among angels, worshiping our Father, her hands raised to Him who knew that it was best to allow her to be taken out of our imperfect world. Together with all the souls in Heaven, she now sings out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”I can’t wait to hold you again, Grace. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize There's more to the story, at My journey to a living baby.

Have you ever played or heard of the game bigger and better? You start with something small and keep trying to trade for something bigger and better. The bigger, the better. Bob Goff tells the story of one time his son and his son’s friends played this. They all started with something small and went out into the neighborhood. Golf’s son started out with a dime. The first house he went to he said, I’m playing bigger and better and I was wondering if I could trade you this dime for something bigger or better? The man who answered the door yelled to his wife,  Honey we are playing bigger and better! What do we have that we can trade for a dime? They had an air mattress that they were no longer using- so they swapped that… Now that’s pretty great. A large air mattress is pretty big. However, he kept going. He traded the air mattress for a ping pong table. He traded the ping pong table, and made a dozen more trades as he made his way through the neighborhood… When he came home, he drove home in an old pickup truck, that he had traded for!  Goff said, he didn’t need a truck so he gave it to a local church to give away to a person starting over… That trade was the best, because trading the dime up for bigger and better all the way to a pickup was nothing in comparison in trading the pickup for the great sense of joy and love that came from helping someone in need. In this section of Corinthians, Paul talks about money and how we can trade it for something bigger and better. God is always giving us chances to trade up and be part of something bigger and better than ourselves. Money often creates controversy, and it was causing an issue between the Corinthians and Paul. But it’s not what you would expect. It was creating a problem, not because Paul was requesting funds but because he was refusing them. What? Let’s read this passage and figure out what’s going on. Read 1 Corinthians 9:1-14 Intro: Paul hadn’t needed funds from the Corinthians. He had a means of support that he had worked out through tent making with Aquila and Priscilla- and some of Paul’s critics were using this against him. They were saying that he wasn’t the real deal- that he wasn’t even a full time minister- that he couldn’t be a real apostle if he wasn’t doing this full time. Paul responds defending his apostleship and saying that he did deserve to receive material goods, but that he had forsaken that right because he found he could go farther, faster without relying on the financial support of the church and God had given him an alternative means of income in making tents. Paul’s point is that he not any less of an apostle because of this, he has simply chosen to fund his own ministry efforts. Currently in the FWB partnership of churches we have 2 churches that are on the rebound. They were very near the brink of closing. They had large amounts of debt and had lost just about all of their people. In both instances the pastor who came there had been uniquely gifted in that they had great skills for and opportunities in the secular workplace. James Lindsey in Ft Wayne runs a furniture factory. Travis Penn is a an IT guy and run the IT department for the school corporation in North Indy. Both of these men are not less than pastors. We do not look at them any differently except that we admire their willingness to pastor these churches and work regular work weeks at the other job. Because of their skill set and unique calling, the church is able to afford to move forward. Paul’s response to his critics is strange because he starts by saying I deserve to be paid, even though I’m not. Paul was defending his authority as an apostle, but he wasn’t trying to establish a precedent that all church leaders should find other employment. So he builds the case for his apostleship and the support of church leaders. So the first point here in chapter 9 is Material goods should be supplied to church leaders. 4Have we not power (the right) to eat and to drink? 7Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 13Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Verse 9 is a quote of Deuteronomy 25:4 Refers to the practice of an ox dragging a sledge over grain separating the kernels from the stalk. They were not to muzzle the ox so that he could reap benefits from the grain he was treading. Then Paul asks, is God concerned for the ox? Paul is saying, If God is concerned about the ox, I’m sure he’s concerned about people- about the leaders of the church. Paul is saying, if God wants to make sure that the ox who helps harvest the grain gets a share of the fruits of his labor, surely your spiritual leaders and pastors should receive a share in the harvest- the fruits of his labors. In this passage Paul highlights that fact that every church leader is different, every scenario is different. Paul mentions that some of the apostles had wives that they were bringing along with them in ministry. Obviously Peter’s responsibilities were different than Paul’s. Paul had argued that though he didn’t marry, that was well within the rights of a believer. Paul is now arguing that though he doesn’t receive financial support from the church, that is well within the rights of the church leader. The next two points are what I want to get to… Material goods pale in comparison to Spiritual Benefits. 11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12aIf others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? In verse 11, Paul uses yet another rhetorical question- if we sow unto you spiritual things, is it a big deal that we reap or harvest carnal or material things? In other words, Paul is saying the seeds that we have planted in your lives are producing peace, joy, love, restoration, and purpose. All of these are much greater than what we ask for to support our families and take care of ourselves. Now Paul isn’t calling this a trade. You don’t get the spiritual help because you give financial support. You don’t have to give an offering to receive spiritual benefit. If you call me for counseling and help, I will not discuss payment plans with you first. When you come to the altar, your benefit is not contingent upon the offering. So it isn’t a trade, however, Paul is saying that if we compare what we receive with what we are asked to give, the deal is a pretty good one. However, many people fail to see it this way. For many, because the spiritual benefits are intangible- they can’t bring themselves to give their money which could purchase them tangible things- something that they can hold, or sit on, or ride in, or watch. None of the tangible stuff you have purchased in this life comes close to the value that is in the intangible goods you receive through God’s grace.  We struggle with this. We struggle to give and make an investment in the kingdom of God because we can’t see what we are purchasing. “Faith isn’t a formula or a business deal. In Short there’s nothing on the other side of the equal sign, just Jesus.” - Bob Goff We’ve traded our broken lives for something bigger and better. If we’ve trusted Jesus with our lives and received something far greater- why don’t we trust him to trade our material goods for something bigger and better? My phone is broken. It’s messed up. I can see messages and calls and sometimes I can answer them, but often I can’t. I went to the store to see about getting it fixed. They said, well you’ve got 4 months left on your contract so we’ll let you upgrade, but you have to trade in your phone and since it’s broken, we don’t want it. Well, if it wasn’t broken I wouldn’t need to trade it in… but because it’s broken I do need to trade it in but can’t. When we come to the Lord with our broken and shattered lives, he doesn’t say, “uh, well, I was actually looking to take an exchange on a moderately used life, not a broken one….” When we come to the Lord with our broken and shattered lives, he accepts us, no questions asked. If the Lord is willing to take your broken life- what sense does it make to not trust him with your money? If you are willing to trust God with your very life, why not trust him with your stuff?  Why not trust him with your funds? “You know your trusting God when you trust Him with your money.” - Nieuwhoff. You say, well I’m poor. I hardly have any money. That’s what’s great about the Lord- you don’t have to give a certain amount to qualify- you don’t have to reach some tier of giving- you just need to give.  The Lord calls us to give 10% as a tithe. For some of you, 10% isn’t very much, but it’s still obedience. For some of you, 10% is quite a bit but that means your 90% is still quite a bit. Though our income levels vary, we can all be obedient. Got a small paycheck, you can still be obedient. In fact, Jesus made it clear that the woman who had less to give exercised great faith because she gave out of need, not out of abundance. Though our gifts differ, we can all be part of something bigger and better than us. Then notice what verse 12 says, if others are partakers with you, are not we also? Paul is referring to other church leaders and teachers who had come through that the Corinthians had supported. Paul said, if they are worthy of your support, aren’t we? We established your church and introduced you to the gospel and now we are doing the same thing in another city, doesn’t that qualify as worthy of support? Now think about this in 2 ways. You pay people all of the time. You pay people to work on your car, you pay for tires, you pay for gas, you pay for cable and internet, you pay for fast food, you pay someone to cut your hair, you pay for everything. Paul says, if you are willing to pay for all of these things, shouldn’t you be willing to pay to support the people who lead you in a relationship with Jesus? If the Spiritual is more valuable than the material, why would we only pay to support those that provide the material?? Paul and Silas had established the church in Corinth and were now doing the same thing in another city that didn’t have a church. They were working so that another group of people could experience what they had experienced of the forgiveness and redemption of the Jesus. Our church exists because Free Will Baptists sent funds and offerings to support Bob Helms as he established a new church. We are here because God worked through the generosity of other churches to make this possible. There are missionaries who are doing the same thing right now, they are taking the gospel into cities where it is not represented. They are establishing new churches in places like Eerie, PA, and Irvine, CA and Tokyo, Japan, and India. They deserve our financial support. Last week at the NAFWB we ended the week with the missions service as we do each year. All missionaries who are able to be present come to the stage and are recognized, new missionaries are prayed for and commissioned. It’s very moving. Then this week I read of a missionary couple to Tokyo who are resigning and coming home in September because their funds have dwindled. Material goods are not a motivating factor for noble church leaders. 12bNevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 15But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. 16For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 18What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. Paul only used money to reach the next opportunity to preach the gospel. We are not in this for the money,  we are in this to preach the gospel. verse 12 says we suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel… 16 - I do this out of necessity. - Woe is me is I don’t preach the gospel. Paul was saying, give or don’t give, I’m still going to preach the gospel. Paul says, I’m compelled, I’m called! I must preach the gospel. I do not lead the church because I want the pay- I lead the church because I love the gospel and I must proclaim it! You will not be consumed with money if you are compelled by the gospel. Paul said, I’ll walk away from money to preach the gospel. Paul had traded money and stuff for something bigger and better, the gospel. Some of you, you love money. You cling to it. It consumes you. You are always angling to get more, make more, some of you- money consumes you because you spend it so fast on all the stuff that you want and all the stuff you so desperately want… Let me invite you to trade it for something bigger and better.

Professor Flowers was addressed on the "downgrade" segment of the Pulpit and Pen Podcast hosted by JD Hall.  Hall took issue with Flowers' definition of "Divine Sovereignty," in a recent article ran by SBC Today, yet Hall never really engaged Professor Flowers on their point of contention. Here is a copy of the article from www.soteriology101.com   The attribute of God’s Sovereignty is not an eternal attribute. Sovereignty means complete rule or dominion over others. For him to be in control over others there has to be others in which to control.  He can’t display His power over creatures unless the creatures exist.  Therefore, before creation the concept of sovereignty was not an attribute that could be used to describe God. An eternal attribute is something God possesses that is not contingent upon something else. The eternal attribute of God is His omnipotence, which refers to His eternally limitless power. Sovereignty is a temporal characteristic, not an eternal one, thus we can say God is all powerful, not because He is sovereign, but He is sovereign because He is all powerful, or at least He is as sovereign as He so chooses to be in relation to this temporal world.  As Dr. Ach put it, “Sovereignty is the expression of God’s power, not the source of it.”  If the all powerful One chooses to refrain from meticulously ruling over every aspect of that which He creates, that in no way denies His eternal attribute of omnipotence, but indeed affirms it. It is the Calvinist who denies the eternal attribute of omnipotence, by presuming the all powerful One cannot refrain from meticulous deterministic rule over His creation. In short, the Calvinist denies God’s eternal attribute in his effort to protect the temporal one.  Additionally, an argument could be made that the eternal attributes of God’s love and His holiness are likewise compromised by the well meaning efforts of our Calvinistic brethren to protect their concept of deterministic sovereignty over the temporal world. No one is denying that sovereignty is a current attribute of God, but only in part given that He has not yet taken full sovereign control over everything on earth as it is in heaven. Passages throughout the Bible teach that there are “authorities” and “powers” which are yet to be destroyed, and that have been given dominion over God’s creation. Isaiah 24:21A time is coming when the Lord will punish the powers above and the rulers of the earth. Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Colossians 2:20You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. 1 Corinthians 15:24Then the end will come; Christ will overcome all spiritual rulers, authorities, and powers, and will hand over the Kingdom to God the Father. Don’t misunderstand my point. I affirm that God is greater than these powers and authorities. He created them after all. Colossians 1:16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. And one day God will strip them of that authority: Colossians 2:15 God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world that they were powerless. But, if God has chosen to allow created beings to have dominion and power over something, even for a time, how is His “sovereignty” (as defined by some being “complete and total control/determination over every single thing” eternally) not compromised? God is certainly more powerful than any evil.  He could stifle it at any moment with a word. I don’t think anyone is denying that. And I think we all agree that there’s a sense in which it is proper even to say that “evil is part of His eternal decree.” (Permissively) He planned for it, obviously. It did not take Him by surprise. He declared the end from the beginning, and He is still working all things for His good pleasure (Isaiah 46:9-10), but isn’t there a difference in working evil out for good and unchangeably determining evil yourself? It’s one thing to help my child grow from being bullied, its another for me to hire the bully so as to make my child grow. Most say that God’s role with regard to evil is never as its “author,” but few define the distinction between “predetermining,” “ordaining,” “decreeing,” as contrasted with the concept of “authoring.”  Ask the next Calvinist you speak with to give example of God authoring evil and then an example of God decreeing evil and see if you can find a distinction with an actual difference. Only if he affirms the concept of bare permission (God allowing men to be free and make their own choices) can any real distinction be drawn between those terms. 1 Tim 6:15, Isa 48:11, Isa 42:8. Isa 44:24, Heb 1:3, Rev 19:6, 1 Cor 8:5  

1 Corinthians 9:16; Ephesians 4:1-16For too long the church has struggled to do "every-member-evangelism". In fact we have been making things unnecessarily difficult for ourselves. An understanding of the 4 G's can help untie the knot.

Ryan Hamilton escapes life as a journalist. Mike Huckabee is fighting a war for women, but sadly there’s a lot of friendly fire. Also Fake News.DATES:Ryan Hamilton is at the Comedy Works in Denver February 13-16For more dates, check out his calendar.LINKS:The SoundCloud page has been mostly updated for all of your Dumb Bit needs.Visit HomeShirts.com for great vintage apparel. Get that special someone a T-shirt or sweatshirt of his or her favorite defunct sports team, store, or restaurant.Check out some funny stuff over at Ross Rants. Think of it as a print version of PF’s Tape Recorder. And thanks to Ross for writing the Boehner call from episode 130.Be sure to click over to Fangirl’s blog, CheckCheckHey! and her photo blog. Follow P.F. on Twitter @PF66 and like this podcast on Facebook.PF’s Tape Recorder logo designed by Dan Koabel. Dan and Logan’s new podcast Magic Potion is also available now in iTunes.Email our show here. By PF Wilson

Works for voice and chamber ensemble, and string quartet, performed by Rebel Baroque Orchestra with Derek Lee Ragin, countertenor, and the Borromeo String Quartet.Porpora: “Alto Giove” from PolifemoHandel: “Rompo i lacci” from FlavioBeethoven: String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135, No. 16For any composer of vocal music, the text is an important and often driving force in determining musical content and structure. We begin this episode with two early examples from opera, Porpora’s gorgeous “Alto Giove” from his opera Polifemo—a beautiful prayer of thanks to Jove—and Handel’s fiery and melismatic “Rompo i lacci” from Flavio. Beethoven’s use of text is subtler, but just as important in his final string quartet, opus 135, number 16. At the beginning of the final movement, Beethoven scrawls a fateful-sounding title across the manuscript: “The Difficult Decision.” Alongside the beginning chords, he poses a question: “Must it be?” The quartet chews over the question for a while in the introduction until, all of a sudden, the key changes to F Major and Beethoven gives us his answer: “Yes, it must!” Historians and musicologists have batted around many theories as to what Beethoven meant by this ambiguous question and answer.

http://versebyversebibleteaching.com/wp-content/uploads/Hebrews_3_14_19.mp3 [audio: http://versebyversebibleteaching.com/wp-content/uploads/Hebrews_3_14_19.mp3] 14For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 15While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came […]

The Certainty of God’s Promise  13For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." 15And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Affordable Podcasting $5.99 a month includes Web Hosting Suppport The Classic Blues at Music Maker Visit Recover in Christ Ministries today Visit our 24 hour family friendly radio streaming station Job 14 1Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. 2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. 3And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. 5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; 6Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. 7For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; 9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. 10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 13O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 15Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. 16For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? 17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

Affordable Podcasting $5.99 a month includes Web Hosting Suppport The Classic Blues at Music Maker Visit Recover in Christ Ministries today Visit our 24 hour family friendly radio streaming station Job 14 1Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. 2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. 3And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. 5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; 6Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. 7For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; 9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. 10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 13O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 15Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. 16For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? 17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

click here Visit the Recover In Christ web site. Romans 11 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, 3Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 7What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 10Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 11I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. 29For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.