Podcasts about 16god

June 4, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer 3rd PetitionDaily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 12:1-14; John 11:1-16God's will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God's name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will. (The Small Catechism, The Lord's Prayer, The Third Petition)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Those are words you hopefully speak daily at least. But when it comes to the will of God, do you actually reflect on it? How often do you act or even pray for things without reflection on God's will? It's pretty easy to go through our day-to-day activities without thinking much about what God's desire is for us. Or we can overcomplicate it. We can pray about every minute detail as though if we make a left turn instead of a right turn because we left our house at 8:35 instead of 8:37, we have deviated from God's will and now He must be angry with us.  But what is God's will? As Luther explains it so well, he shows that it relates to breaking and hindering every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature. And what do these enemies do that is deviant from God's will? They seek that we would not hallow His Name, nor let His Kingdom Come. They seek that the Word of God would not be taught in its truth and purity, and that we as Christians would not lead holy lives according to the Commandments. Likewise, they seek that God's Spirit would not bring faith in God's Word to those people in order that they would lead holy lives here in time and there in eternity.  So what are we praying for? We are praying for God's defense of us in the faith. We are praying that God would guard and keep us from the devil, who would seek to destroy our faith, and our own sinful temptations, which would be drawn to unholy living contrary to God's will revealed in the Ten Commandments.  So, how does God work this protection? Thankfully, by how He operates in the world. However, we can certainly be assured of protection in His Word. It is in that Word where He continues to speak faith into ears, to feed faith to us in His Supper. By these, He strengthens us in our daily struggles with sin, and gives us rest always in the forgiveness of the cross of Christ. Amen.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Your gracious will on earth be done, as it is done before Your throne, That patiently we may obey, Throughout our lives all that You say. Curb flesh and blood and every ill That sets itself against Your will. Amen. (LSB 766:4)Rev. Matthew Zickler, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Western Springs, IL.

First Sunday after Pentecost Trinity Sunday Old Testament: Genesis 1:1-2:4a 1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." 7So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. 9And God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. 14And God said, "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth." And it was so. 16God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. 20And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky." 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 24And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so. 25God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."27So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." 29God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. 31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. 1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude.2And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. 4These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. Psalm: Canticle 13 Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *        you are worthy of praise; glory to you. Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *        we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *        on the throne of your majesty, glory to you. Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *        we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Glory to you, beholding the depths; *        in the high vault of heaven, glory to you. Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *        we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Epistle: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 11Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. 13The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Introduction: That Can Happen to Me: Reality Check About God's People and Disqualification. (1 Corinthians 10:1-13) Taking God's BLESSINGS for Granted: That Can Happen to Me. (1 Cor 10:1-6) Falling into SIN: That Can Happen to Me. (1 Cor 10:7-10) IDOLATRY. (1 Cor 10:7) IMMORALITY. (1 Cor 10:8) TESTING God. (1 Cor 10:9) COMPLAINING. (1 Cor 10:10) Claiming God's PROMISES When Tempted: That Must Happen By Me. (1 Cor 10:11-13) God's Promises When You're Tempted (1 Cor 10:13) COMMON. (1 Cor 10:13a) BEARABLE. (1 Cor 10:13b) AVOIDABLE. (1 Cor 10:13c) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Audio Transcript 00:36-00:41Open up your Bibles with me, please, to the book of 1 Corinthians 10.00:43-00:46While you're turning there, let's just pause.00:46-00:53Please pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's Word clearly and accurately.00:54-01:00I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what the Lord is teaching.01:03-01:06Because as usual, There's something here for each of us.01:07-01:08Let's pray.01:10-01:21When all of God's people said, "Amen, we'll try next week." "That won't happen to me." Did you ever say that?01:23-01:23Did you ever say that?01:23-01:27"That won't happen to me." Do you know who says that?01:29-01:33Well, I think everybody, but do you know who most often says that?01:34-01:38in their teenage years and in their 20s.01:39-01:40That won't happen to me.01:42-01:43Right?01:44-02:01You're out somewhere and you see some little kid disrespecting their parents, and you're like, "When I have kids, that won't happen to me." And then you have kids.02:04-02:14Or, you see kids all glued to their screens, their iPads and their iPhones and all that, and you're like, "Look at that.02:16-02:17Those parents have their kid addicted to screens.02:17-02:36That won't happen to me." And then you have kids, and you're like, "Can't you just go play the iPad for a few hours?" "That won't happen to me." I think we've all said that in considering maybe some of the things that our parents have said.02:37-02:50I think back to when I was a teenager, hearing some of the things my dad would say, I'm like, "That won't happen to me." And now I find myself, even just the other day, "Who left the lights on?02:50-02:56"I don't work for Wes Penn." That won't happen to me.02:57-02:58You know what the biggest one though was for me?02:58-03:09I know this might sound dumb, but, As a much younger man, I see these people get married and have kids and then they get the minivan.03:10-03:12And I'm like, "That won't happen to me.03:15-03:16We've had too many vans.03:18-03:20That won't happen to me." You ever said that?03:22-03:22Have you ever said that?03:22-03:29"That won't happen to me." Well, before we look at this passage, just back up a verse.03:31-03:49Chapter 9, verse 27, Paul's given this sports athlete analogy, and he says, "But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." What's he talking about?03:49-03:59This whole section that we've been in these past few weeks, this Q&A section, the issue is should a Christian eat meat sacrificed to an idol?03:59-04:03And that turned into a whole discussion about your witness.04:03-04:04Like I don't want to offend.04:05-04:13And then he started talking about disciplining yourself so that you don't get disqualified.04:14-04:15He's talking about his witness.04:16-04:25Like I want to reach lost people, and if I'm disqualified, if there is sin in my life, I've shot my testimony.04:26-04:28He's not talking about losing your salvation.04:29-04:34He's talking about losing the opportunity to be used by God.04:34-04:35That's what he's talking about.04:35-04:38He's talking about your witness, your testimony.04:39-05:02And he says, "Last, after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified." And of course, people can read that in the Corinthians day and in our day and say things like, "Well, maybe you have something to worry about." But that won't happen to me.05:04-05:05That won't happen to me.05:08-05:10A lot of Christians have said that.05:12-05:21They see the sin of others and think, "That won't happen to me." And it did, right?05:22-05:45How many Christians have we seen who have ruined their testimony, maybe because it's been found out that they are guilty of some kind of abuse toward a spouse, toward a child, or it comes out that there's some kind of addiction that they've been keeping hidden for years.05:47-05:48That won't happen to me.05:51-05:52How about pastors?05:52-05:54How many pastors have we seen disqualified?05:55-05:56No longer usable.05:58-05:59They've ruined their testimony.05:59-06:04How many times have we seen that with affairs, with embezzlement?06:06-06:07That won't happen to me.06:09-06:13Well this section that we're looking at today is a warning to God's people.06:14-06:15And here's the warning.06:15-06:20Being blessed by God can make you think that you're above failing.06:23-06:54When you know God, when you're walking with God, when you're experiencing the blessing knowing God, the danger is you can get to the point where you say, "That won't happen to me." And the key to all of this is verse 12. Jump down there for a second. Chapter 10 verse 12, he says, "Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed, lest he fall.06:58-07:10So are you telling me that you think that people who have been so blessed by God, who have been so used by God in such powerful ways, you think they couldn't possibly fail?07:12-07:22You think God's people, even God's people, you think there's no way that they could be disqualified from being usable to God.07:27-07:29Well, let me tell you about Israel.07:32-07:33That's where Paul goes.07:33-07:43If you're jotting things down in your outline, the heading, "That can't happen to me." So this is a reality check, church.07:43-07:48This is a reality check about God's people and disqualification.07:50-07:51That can't happen to me.07:51-07:57Number one, right, just taking God's blessings for granted, that can happen to me.08:00-08:07Now Paul here is going into this illustration from Israel from Old Testament times.08:08-08:13And he's talking about Israel when they were going from Egypt to Canaan.08:16-08:26And if you're familiar with that story at all, you know that they were blessed incredibly.08:28-08:37They saw God's hand at work in their lives, in their nation, every step of the way.08:39-08:39Right?08:40-08:41They were so blessed.08:42-08:43Like, how?08:43-08:45Well, look at chapter 10, verse 1.08:46-08:54Paul says, "For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud." Stop there.08:54-08:58That's the first blessing that they experienced.08:58-08:59They were led by God.09:00-09:03This cloud - we're not going to look up all these passages.09:03-09:05We'll be here until Thanksgiving.09:07-09:11But Paul here is giving sort of a paraphrase of the history.09:12-09:13But you can jot them down.09:13-09:14You can look them up later.09:15-09:16What's the cloud? Exodus 13.09:17-09:20The Bible says this is how they were led.09:20-09:23By day, it was a pillar of cloud.09:24-09:26By night, it was a pillar of fire.09:26-09:27That's how Israel was led.09:28-09:32You realize, not one of the Israelites could have ever said they never saw God.09:33-09:37He was right in front of them every single step of the way, right?09:37-09:38So they were led by God.09:38-09:41Secondly, Paul says they were delivered by God.09:42-09:43Look at the rest of verse 1.09:44-09:52He says, "And all passed through the sea." You probably could guess what that is, right?09:52-10:00Exodus 14, God basically led Israel to a dead end.10:00-10:02He led them to a dead end.10:03-10:05And now there's the sea.10:05-10:07Here comes the Egyptians after them.10:07-10:09They're like, "We are doomed." Do you remember what happened?10:10-10:12God parted the waters, so they walked through.10:12-10:14The Egyptians followed them.10:14-10:16God closed the waters, drowned the entire army.10:19-10:20That's what He's talking about here.10:21-10:25So not only could none of them say, "Well, I never saw God." They did.10:26-10:30Not one of them could say they never experienced God's power to save.10:32-10:33They were all delivered by God.10:35-10:39Thirdly, they were given a great leader by God.10:40-10:40Look at verse 2.10:44-10:56He says, "And all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea." Baptized into Moses - that's just talking about their identification with Moses as a leader.10:57-11:00I mean, you think you have a great leader.11:02-11:11Well, they had, who is in my opinion, the greatest human in the Old Testament, Moses.11:11-11:13I don't think there's anybody greater than Moses.11:13-11:14He was their pastor.11:16-11:16Awesome.11:18-11:19Given to them by God.11:20-11:22All right, they were also provided for by God.11:22-11:24Look at verses 3 and 4.11:26-11:42It says, "And all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ." They were provided for by God.11:42-11:43How did they eat?11:44-11:44Manna.11:45-11:47It was food that God just put on the ground.11:47-11:55They gathered it up every day, except the Sabbath, but God just put this perfect food for them on the ground.11:57-11:59And He gave them water from a rock.12:00-12:03God handed them everything they needed.12:03-12:17By the way, when it says, "The rock was Christ that followed them around," Paul is telling is that somehow, these provisions that Israel received literally came through Jesus.12:17-12:22Paul is saying Jesus Christ was literally with them every step of the way.12:25-12:30But you notice in these first four verses the word "all." He says it five times.12:30-12:30All.12:30-12:31All.12:31-12:31All.12:31-12:32Five times.12:34-12:40Every single Israelite experienced God's presence and His provision.12:41-12:41Alright?12:42-12:58He says in verse 5, "Nevertheless, with most of them, God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness." With most of them, God was not pleased.13:00-13:05Most scholars estimate there was about two million Israelites in the Exodus.13:06-13:08Most of them God was not pleased.13:08-13:11There were, do you know how many there were that God was pleased with?13:12-13:15Two, Joshua and Caleb.13:16-13:18I did the math on that.13:19-13:21Two people out of two million, do you know what that is?13:22-13:30That's 0.00001% of the people God was pleased with.13:31-13:32All the rest.13:35-13:36The rest, Paul would say most of them.13:38-13:41They were disqualified.13:43-13:51God's like, "You're not usable to Me because you refuse to be faithful." They were disqualified to death.13:53-14:00So Paul's point here in these first five verses is just simply this, Old Testament Israel, They saw all they saw.14:00-14:06They experienced all they experienced, and they got disqualified.14:09-14:09So what's the point?14:10-14:11That was like thousands of years ago.14:13-14:14Why are you telling us this?14:16-14:34Verse 6, he says, "Now these things took place as examples for us that we might not desire evil as they did." So this is an example for who?14:36-14:37It's an example for who?14:38-14:49It's an example for us, because those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, right?14:53-15:12made everything they saw. Everything they saw. Like, what was the problem? It tells us right here what the problem is. They desired evil. That's the problem. They desired evil.15:12-15:23See, the problem was God was with them, but their hearts weren't with God. And Paul says Hey, He's talking to us, church.15:25-15:27Their story is our story.15:27-15:29You know those provisions we just listed?15:30-15:31Can we say the same?15:32-15:40I would argue we can say God's provision for us has been greater than God's provision for Old Testament Israel.15:41-15:42Here's what I mean.15:43-15:47We just said they were led by God, right?15:47-15:48Are we led by God?15:50-15:54Much greater than a cloud and fire, as awesome as that was.15:54-15:56You realize how God leads us?15:56-16:05He put His Spirit in us, and He put His wisdom down in this book so that we can have guidance directly from God Himself.16:07-16:07Wow.16:11-16:13Have we been delivered by God?16:15-16:16If you know Jesus Christ, you have.16:17-16:24And again, as awesome as the Red Sea had to have been, do you realize your deliverance was so much greater?16:25-16:39That because of your sin, you were heading to hell, and God sent His Son to die in your place to bear the wrath of God on Himself while He suffered on the cross, and then to raise from the dead so that we can have eternal life.16:40-16:41We have been delivered.16:46-16:47We've been given great leaders.16:49-16:53I couldn't possibly overstate the greatness of the elders that lead this church.16:57-17:00We have been blessed with great leaders in this church.17:03-17:04All of our needs have been met.17:07-17:09So much more than manna and water from a rock.17:09-17:12You have so much more than any of these Israelites ever had.17:14-17:14Right?17:18-17:20We have the same problem, don't we?17:21-17:22We have the same problem.17:22-17:24We - what do you say?17:25-17:25desire evil.17:30-17:39Even as redeemed people, those of you who know Christ, even the redeemed, we live in in this fallen flesh.17:41-17:44And this fallen flesh still hungers for sin.17:46-17:49That's why we've been talking about self-control.17:50-17:59And I remember as a young Christian, I prayed so often that God would remove any desire from me for sin.17:59-18:01I prayed that so many times as a young Christian.18:02-18:06And then as I grew in my faith, I realized that's just not how it works.18:07-18:11Because as long as you live in the flesh, you're gonna have a desire for sin.18:12-18:17Instead, what I needed to pray for and what I continue to pray for until today is self-control.18:18-18:19That is a fruit of the Spirit.18:19-18:20That's how God works.18:20-18:21That's what he's commanded us to.18:25-18:30So Israel failed to get their hearts devoted to God.18:32-18:33That's the moral of that story.18:34-18:45"How are you doing? How are we doing, church?" You're like, "Well, how did Israel fail?" Well, let's get specific, shall we?18:46-18:49That takes us to number two, "I'm falling into sin.18:51-18:56That can happen to me." First, they took God's blessings for granted, as we do.18:57-19:01Secondly, falling into sin, that can happen to me.19:02-19:05Sin hasn't changed, you know that.19:06-19:15And these blessed people under Moses fell into the same sins that we can fall into.19:16-19:16It's the same.19:18-19:20Specifically, jot these down.19:20-19:21We're gonna go through these quickly.19:22-19:27Pastor Taylor's gonna be unpacking some of these on the series in July.19:29-19:31Letter A, idolatry.19:35-19:37The sins they fell into that we can fall into.19:37-19:38Idolatry, look at verse seven.19:39-19:42He says, "Do not be idolaters as some of them were.19:43-19:53"As it is written, "if people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." Idolatry.19:53-19:54We've talked about this.19:54-19:56It was a big issue in Corinth, wasn't it?19:57-19:59And it was a big issue in Israel.20:02-20:05Now here he's speaking specifically of the golden calf incident.20:05-20:06Are you familiar with that?20:07-20:09If not, just jot down Exodus 32.20:09-20:11You can go back and read this later.20:11-20:15But what was happening was Moses was up talking to God.20:17-20:20Moses was in like the ultimate business meeting with God.20:20-20:22God was giving Moses the 10 commandments.20:23-20:26And what were the people doing while Moses was talking to God?20:26-20:34praying for Moses, fasting, excitedly seeking the Lord, you know, wondering what is God going to do for Moses?20:35-20:41You read your Bibles, what you see is instead, Israel just got tired of waiting.20:44-20:45We don't know what happened to Moses.20:45-20:54So they go to his brother Aaron, and they're like, "Can you make us like a God that'll go before us?" Golden calf.20:56-21:00And the point is this, idolatry, you're going to worship something.21:02-21:16And if it's not the living God, if you're not worshipping the living God, if Jesus Christ is not everything to you, something else is going to get your attention and your affection.21:18-21:20Idolatry, look, that can happen to me.21:22-21:23That can happen to me.21:23-21:28I can take my eyes off of Christ, and all of a sudden, something much lesser is so much more important.21:29-21:30That can happen to me.21:32-21:37By the way, it says they sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.21:41-21:45To play, that doesn't mean shoots and ladders, okay?21:46-21:47That leads us actually to letter B.21:47-21:48Write this down, immorality.21:50-21:50Immorality.21:53-21:55Sexual immorality bleeds right into this.21:56-22:08He says, "We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and 23,000 fell in a single day." That's Numbers 25.22:09-22:10You can read that.22:11-22:18Israel saw the daughters of Moab and went hubba hubba.22:21-22:24God sent a plague that killed 23,000 people.22:26-22:29Israel disqualifies from usefulness, disqualified to death.22:30-22:36And we've talked so much these past few weeks about sexual immorality, but here it is again, it comes up again.22:36-22:38Look, it's gonna disqualify you.22:39-22:50If you choose to engage in sexual immorality, unrepentant, you're gonna be disqualified.22:52-22:53That can happen to me.22:55-22:56That can happen to me.22:58-22:59Idolatry can happen to me.22:59-23:01Immorality, that can happen to me.23:02-23:03Letter C, testing God.23:04-23:06Testing God, look at verse nine.23:07-23:17He says, "We must not put Christ to the test as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents." Testing God, right down on Numbers 21.23:19-23:29Numbers 21, Israel spoke against God and Moses, the Bible says, "You brought us here to die." Right, was that your plan, Moses?23:29-23:31You brought us out of Egypt to die.23:31-23:33Moses is like, "Yeah, that was my plan.23:34-23:36You caught me." Sarcasm.23:38-23:41They said, "You brought us out here to die, Moses.23:42-23:44You brought us out here." They said, "There's no food.23:45-23:45There's no drink.23:46-23:50All we have is this worthless manna." They said that.23:53-23:58Can we just pause for a second and acknowledge how horrific that statement is?23:59-24:00Worthless manna?24:01-24:02Worthless manna?24:02-24:06Do you mean the supernatural food that God provided for you every day?24:07-24:08That worthless manna?24:08-24:16Do you mean the stuff that all you have to do is bend over and pick it up and stick it in your mouth?24:16-24:18You mean that worthless manna?24:18-24:23Oh, and by the way, manna was the perfect food.24:23-24:25It was absolutely perfect.24:27-24:27How do you know?24:28-24:28Did you have any?24:28-24:29No, I didn't have any.24:29-24:30Not today.24:33-24:40But you know, in the Old Testament it talks about how their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.24:40-24:41You ever see that in there?24:41-24:51Like, "Well, their feet didn't swell, what's that mean?" There's a disease called beriberi that's a result of malnutrition, and it makes your feet swell.24:52-24:57And what the Bible's telling us is this food was perfectly nutritious, so they were not malnourished.24:59-25:01Banana was perfect food.25:02-25:28And Israel gets in God's face and says, "All we got is this worthless stuff that you gave us." Well, God sent serpents, serpents that bit many of the people died, and that's when God told Moses to make the bronze serpent on the pole look to this, "You will live." Jesus said that was a picture of Himself lifted up when you look to Him.25:29-25:30You'll be saved.25:33-25:34Testing God though, testing God.25:35-25:36What's it mean to test God?25:37-25:43It's when you have this hard attitude towards God where you say, "God, why did you do this?25:44-25:45Why did you do this, God?25:46-25:51God, you don't love me because God, if you loved me, this wouldn't be happening to me.25:52-25:54God, what have you done for me lately?25:55-26:24Or God, you need to prove yourself to me." testing God. That can happen to me. That can happen to me. How much irreverence do you think God tolerates? How much? I would say, let's not find out. But I imagine it's not Not too much.26:24-26:31When your attitude is constantly accusing God, testing God, he says don't do that.26:34-26:36Letter D - complaining.26:37-26:38Complaining.26:38-26:45Verse 10, he says, "Nor grumble as some of them did and were destroyed by the destroyer." Complaining.26:45-26:50Literally, it's expressing unwarranted dissatisfaction.26:51-26:54expressing unwarranted dissatisfaction.26:54-26:55That's what complaining is.26:56-27:00That's what this literally is talking about in this passage.27:00-27:03You're like, when did the Israelites complain?27:03-27:04When did they ever complain?27:10-27:14If you're looking for some examples, numbers 11, numbers 14, numbers 16.27:16-27:19Complaining though, you're like, complaining really?27:19-27:21How did that make the list?27:22-27:26I mean, everyone does it.27:27-27:27Right?27:28-27:30I mean, everybody complains now and then.27:30-27:34I mean, is complaining really that big of a deal?27:36-27:40Well, apparently to God, it is.27:43-27:48Because the Bible says were destroyed by the destroyer.27:48-27:50Look up those passages.27:50-27:51Read the book of Numbers.27:51-27:55You'll see so often when there was complaining, do you know how God responded?27:57-28:00Fire, swallowing people by the earth, sending plagues.28:01-28:05God is not a fan of complaining at all.28:06-28:10He takes complaining very seriously.28:13-28:21You're like, "What's the big deal?" Well, just imagine you take your kid to Disney World.28:22-28:27If you don't have a kid, just imagine you've got a niece or a nephew, or you take a kid to Disney World.28:29-28:30And you're like, "You know what?28:32-28:33You can have whatever you want.28:34-28:40You get them the Fast Pass, they ride all the rides, they get the mouse ears, right?28:40-28:43and everything they want.28:46-29:04And then partway through the day, as you've provided everything, you just kind of lean down and you say, "So how do you like Disney World?" And they say, "Disney World stinks!" Like, what's the matter?29:04-29:08They're like, "I wanted curly fries, They were straight fries.29:11-29:12How would you react to that?29:14-29:15Not good.29:17-29:18Are you kidding me?29:19-29:20And see, that was Israel's story.29:21-29:49God was handing them everything, and they're like, "We don't like man anymore." We can point the finger, but that is so me, and that is so you, that God showers millions of blessings on us every day, and we have the audacity to complain about the two or three things in our lives that we don't prefer.29:51-29:52That can happen to me.29:54-29:59So idolatry, sexual immorality, testing God, complaining.29:59-30:00Well, sin hasn't changed.30:03-30:05People haven't either, right?30:06-30:06Can happen to me.30:08-30:08Can happen to me.30:11-30:14It's a reality check about God's people and disqualification.30:16-30:20Taking God's blessings for granted, that can happen to me.30:20-30:22Falling into sin, that can happen to me.30:24-30:25Let's change gears, all right?30:26-30:32Number three, claiming God's promises when tempted, that must happen by me.30:33-30:35That must happen by me.30:35-30:37Claiming God's promises when tempted.30:38-30:39Look at verse 11.30:39-30:53He says, "Now these things happened to them as an example, "but they were written down for our instruction "on whom the end of the ages has come." End of the ages, he just means we live in the last days.30:53-30:54That's all that means.30:54-31:03"Ever since Christ ascended, until He returns, we're living in the last days." That's an example for the Corinthian church, and we're in the same days as them.31:04-31:06But notice again, this is an example.31:06-31:07He said it in verse 6.31:07-31:09This is an example to instruct us.31:10-31:13Okay, verse 12, the key verse in all of this.31:14-31:23He says, "Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed, lest he fall." It's a warning.31:24-31:26This whole passage is a warning against pride.31:29-31:30You think you stand.31:30-31:31You think you stand.31:32-31:37You think sin is something that affects other people.31:37-31:43You think getting disqualified from ministry and being usable by God, that only happens to others.31:44-31:46That won't happen to me.31:48-31:50And Paul says, "You better humble yourself here.31:52-33:03think you stand, you think you're on a different level, you better humble yourself because it absolutely can happen to you. It can. It is a scary thing, church, but do you realize you are, each of you, each of you are one bad decision away from ruining your life. Do you know that? You are one bad decision from wrecking your family. You are one bad day away from destroying your testimony. Do you realize that? You're like, "Well, I don't want to be disqualified." Great, because here's the encouragement. This is where Paul lands. It doesn't have to happen to you. It doesn't have to. Because look at verse 13. He says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.33:03-33:11But with the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to to endure it.33:14-33:28We pray as our Lord taught us, rightly we pray, lead us not into temptation, but there will be times temptation shows up at your door.33:32-33:34So here's God's promises when you're tempted.33:35-33:35Alright?33:37-33:48I was going to give you like the ABCs of it, after studying through this, it's CBA. It's CBA. That's just how it is, right?33:49-33:56CBA. Remember God's promises when you're tempted. The first one, "C" is for common.33:57-34:37Common. Did you see that? Look at verse 13 again. He says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man." That's the first promise from God. Look, When you're struggling in a sin, any kind of sin, whatever it is, whether it is sexual, whether it's with your mouth, whether it's coarse joking or gossip or fits of rage or whatever sin you struggle with, Satan loves to come along and lie to you and convince you you're the only one. You know this problem you have? You know in the history of mankind you're the only person ever had that problem.34:40-34:42And you're like, "I am a sin freak.34:43-34:48I'm doing something that nobody in the history of mankind has ever done." That is a lie.34:49-34:54The thing that you're dealing with has been dealt with by countless other people.34:56-34:58You are not the only one.34:59-35:00You're not the only one.35:00-35:04And you're like, "Well, why is this happening to me?" Do you know why it's happening to you?35:04-35:05It's just your turn.35:09-35:10It's common.35:12-35:18You have never, you will never face anything that hasn't been faced by countless others before you.35:18-35:19And that's encouraging.35:20-35:21That's encouraging.35:23-35:27That when you're faced with temptation, you can say, "Oh, this temptation, it's nothing new.35:27-35:31"Others have resisted, I can too." Right?35:31-35:32So it's common.35:32-35:34I'll let it be as forbearable.35:36-35:37Be as forbearable.35:40-35:57Look at the middle part of verse 13, he says, "God is faithful and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability." By the way, this is the most misquoted verse in the Bible, I think.35:59-36:17How many times you're going through struggling of some kind, you're suffering, you're going through some kind of trial, the storms, you're going through the storms of life and somebody comes along and says, "Well, you know, the Bible says God won't give you any more than you can handle." And that's just not at all what this says.36:19-36:20It's just not.36:21-36:28Actually, I think God will give you way more than you can handle so that you learn to depend on His strength and not your own.36:29-36:34But this verse, three times in this one verse, He says temptation.36:34-36:36He's talking about temptation.36:36-36:39He's not talking about suffering and trials and storms and all that.36:40-36:41He's talking about temptation.36:43-36:54And the reality is, church, God does not tempt, James 1.13, God does not tempt, but nothing happens to you without God's permission.36:56-36:57There is nothing that's coming into your life.36:58-37:02No temptation is coming to you that God doesn't okay first.37:04-37:09And God has promised that He's not going to allow you to face more than you can handle.37:10-37:12And this is individualized, by the way.37:13-37:14He knows.37:15-37:15God knows.37:17-37:20No one can say, "You know what?37:20-37:21I sinned.37:21-37:21Yes, okay.37:21-37:22I sinned.37:22-37:23I'm guilty of sin.37:23-37:24But you don't understand.37:25-37:26I sinned because I couldn't help it.37:27-37:28It was just too much for me.37:29-37:32God makes sure that it's never too much for you.37:32-37:33That's the promise.37:34-37:35He makes sure.37:37-37:46And this might be a tough pill to swallow, but according to this verse, maybe it's why you don't have more money.37:49-37:51For some of you, you're like, "You know, I've tried and I've tried.37:52-37:53Financially, I just can't seem to get ahead.37:54-37:59Why do I not have more money?" Because God knows that more money would be too much temptation for you.37:59-38:02I was like, "I don't want him to go there.38:02-38:07I'm going to make sure that he doesn't." For some of you, you're like, "I don't understand.38:07-38:08I applied for this job.38:08-38:09I was a perfect candidate.38:10-38:11It would have been the perfect job.38:12-38:14Why didn't I get the job?" I'll tell you why you didn't get the job.38:14-38:20God knew something was going to happen at that job that was going to be too much temptation for you.38:20-38:30Whatever that is, God's like, "No, they're not going to be able to handle that, so I'm I'm not going to let them have that job." Maybe for some it's a relationship.38:30-38:37You're like, "Man, I was so into this person and we just kind of started dating and I really thought it was going to be a long-term thing that worked out.38:38-38:46Why did it not work out with this person?" Because God knew that there was going to be too much temptation for you there.38:47-38:50He says, "I'm just...I'm not going to allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.38:50-38:57I'm not going to do it." And you know, that's encouraging, church, because God knows me better than I do.38:59-39:01And He's not going to put me in a hopeless situation.39:03-39:04All right?39:04-39:07So the CBA is here of temptation, God's promises.39:08-39:09It's common, it's bearable.39:10-39:13And letter A, it's avoidable.39:14-39:15It's avoidable.39:15-40:23Look at the end of verse 13. He says, "But with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it." God promises that when temptation comes, He's always going to provide a way out. You know, for the person that says, "I had no choice but to sin." I had no choice but to sin. That's that's not actually how we say it. You know how we say it? It's an addiction. And look, I'm not denying that addiction is a real thing. I know addiction absolutely is a real thing, but I think a lot of Christians have just slapped the addiction label on any sin propensity, and all of a sudden now it's not my fault. I can't help it, I have an addiction." Well, maybe the problem isn't you have an addiction, maybe the problem is you chose not to look for the way out that God provided.40:26-40:35Because if you're like, "Well, I was forced to sin, there was no option, I was just forced to sin," well then you're basically calling God a liar because He's promised that there's there's always going to be a way out.40:35-40:40He's going to make sure that you're not cornered into some "I must sin" situation.40:42-40:44There's no excuses.40:44-40:46There's no one to blame but myself when I sin.40:48-40:51And I will remind you that temptation isn't sin.40:51-40:52Jesus was tempted.40:53-42:07But it is on you to find the way of escape that God has provided so that you can avoid in to the temptation. And that's encouraging. That means I'm never forced to sin. God always provides the way out. "Oh, that won't happen to me. That won't happen to me." Remember blessed, tempted to sin, not exempt from disqualification. And we are just like Israel, but today we have an opportunity to make different choices than many of them did. I just have to ask you, is your reputation worth it? Is your testimony worth it? Is Jesus Christ worth it? Will you bow your heads with me, please?42:10-42:13Father, we just want to pause and we want to thank you.42:16-42:26Sometimes we idealize Old Testament Israel, but your word here reminds us that we're just like them.42:29-42:51Father, I pray for my brothers and sisters here, that we would make better choices, is that we would not lean into the craving for evil that we have, but instead, Father, I pray that we would claim and live the promises that You have given us regarding temptation.42:52-43:02Father, we thank You that we know there's nothing that we're going to face today that hasn't been faced by countless people before us.43:02-43:04That's encouraging to us, Father.43:04-43:04Thank you.43:06-43:16Father, we thank you that you're making sure that we're not suffocated by temptation, that we're in some kind of a hopeless situation.43:16-43:23Your word is clear, God, that you have promised that you are not going to allow us to be tempted beyond our ability.43:24-43:28Thank you, Father, for that individual care that you give for every one of your people.43:31-43:33God, I thank you that you provide the way of escape.43:34-43:36I just ask, Father, you give us eyes to see it.43:38-43:48Yes, we need to avoid situations where we might be tempted, but when we get in those situations, Father, show us very clearly the way out.43:50-44:03Father, above all, give us humility today, because I'm sure there's gonna be people walking out the door still thinking that it can't possibly happen to them when your word so clearly says otherwise.44:04-44:05Humble us, Father.44:06-44:08Give us the faith to humble ourselves.44:08-44:10We pray in Jesus' name, amen.44:39-44:40 Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 10:1-13What was your big take-away from this passage / message?In what ways has the church been blessed as Old Testament Israel was? How can these blessings make us feel exempt from being disqualified (i.e. no longer useable by God)?What does it mean to “test the Lord”? How can people do that today (1 Cor 10:9)?Why is complaining (1 Cor 10:10) such a serious sin in the ears of God?Many people, talking about trials, wrongly quote 1 Cor 10:13 by saying, “God doesn't give you any more than you can handle.” Explain why this statement is wrong when it comes to suffering. What is 1 Cor 10:13 actually saying?BreakoutPray for one another.

Introduction: Psalm 32:5 – I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Conceal or Confess? If You Want to Confess: (1 John 1:5 - 2:6) You Have to Be Done LYING About Your Sin. (1 John 1:5-10) 3 Lies You Have to Stop Claiming: I BELIEVE in God. (When You Don't LIVE Like It.) (1 John 1:6-7) I'm a GOOD Person. (1 John 1:8-9) I Don't SIN. (1 John 1:10) You Have to Come to JESUS. (1 John 2:1-2) Your LIFESTYLE Proves Your Sincerity. (1 John 2:3-6) Hebrews 4:14 - Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Audio Transcript 00:00-00:09Open up those Bibles to the passage that Levi just read, 1 John 1.00:12-00:14While you're turning there, let's just quiet our hearts for a moment.00:14-00:19And I'm going to ask that you would please pray for me to faithfully communicate God's Word.00:21-00:29And I'll pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us from His Word tonight.00:29-00:31All right, let's pray.00:33-00:44Father in heaven, I pray that this time would allow us to feel the weight of what it is we're remembering here tonight.00:46-00:48We're so distracted with so many things.00:50-01:02I just pray, Father, by the power of Your Spirit, everything is off our minds and hearts except your word.01:06-01:14And that we would be honest enough with ourselves to see things as you see them.01:18-01:24Thank you, Father, for the sacrifice that was made.01:26-01:29You spared not your own son.01:34-01:38We pray in the glorious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen.01:40-01:41Amen.01:41-01:46We're in this series, this short series called Respect the Office.01:49-01:54That if Jesus presented a resume, it would have a lot on it.01:56-02:00But there are three roles in particular.02:02-02:07We're just sort of slowing down and looking at, and last Sunday Pastor Rich talked about Jesus as prophet.02:08-02:10He is the word of God.02:10-02:14Who God is, is represented in Jesus.02:16-02:22Tonight, we're going to see that Jesus Christ is our priest.02:25-02:27What is a priest, anyways?02:28-02:36Well, in the simplest terms, the prophet represented God to man.02:37-02:42And the priest represents man to God.02:43-02:50And in the Old Testament, the priests offered sacrifices from sinners to God at the temple.02:51-03:12So tonight, as our minds naturally think of Jesus Christ on the cross, what you need to see in your mind in that moment when Jesus was on the cross, was He was not only the the sacrifice that was being offered for sin.03:12-03:17At the same time, He was the priest who was offering the sacrifice.03:19-03:28Jesus Christ, as our priest, came to deal with our sin.03:32-03:51There is one thing you must do Before you can receive forgiveness, before you can have a relationship with God at all, there's one thing you have to do.03:52-03:53You have to confess.03:55-04:09And if you're a Christian, if you are truly born again, and you're sitting here tonight, and you're wondering why your walk is so weak, why you aren't the strong Christian that you thought you would be by now.04:13-04:15Maybe you stopped confessing.04:16-04:19Look at verse 9 again.04:21-04:30If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.04:34-04:36We're going to talk about confess tonight.04:37-04:39What does it mean to confess?04:41-04:44Well, in the Greek, it's a compound word.04:44-04:54It literally means, "say the same." In other words, to confess means that you're agreeing with God.04:56-04:58Agreeing with God that you are a sinner.04:58-05:02Agreeing with God that your sin is wrong.05:05-05:06I agree with God.05:07-05:08It's saying I'm guilty.05:09-05:11I'm not a good person.05:11-05:16I look at my actions and I do things that are just shameful.05:18-05:21I hear the words that come out of my mouth sometimes.05:22-05:24What is wrong with me?05:27-05:27Shameful.05:29-05:38So I look into my heart and I realize, there's something broken in me.05:40-05:41There's something evil in me.05:44-05:47How is it that I can be so full of selfishness?05:47-05:51How is it that I can be so full of hatred sometimes?05:52-05:53How is it that I can be so full of lust?05:55-05:56Why is that?06:00-06:01Confessing is agreeing with God.06:05-06:10And the three hardest words that you will ever say, it's not, "I love you." Those ones are hard.06:10-06:12But there are three harder words to say.06:13-06:24And those words are these, "I have sinned." To get to the point where you are saying this from your heart, "I've sinned.06:25-06:26I have sinned.06:27-06:30You know, I was thinking about that a lot this week and preparing for this message.06:31-06:32Why is that so hard?06:35-06:46I mean, it's clear in the Bible, it's clear from observation that we have a problem, but why is it so hard for me to get to that place where I say, "I have sinned"?06:46-06:49Why is it so hard for you to admit that, to confess that?06:52-06:53I think it's a lot of things.06:55-06:57I think the big reason is pride, right?06:58-07:02To admit that you're a sinner is also an admission of weakness.07:02-07:06I'm not the morally strong person that I want to think that I am.07:07-07:15Maybe it's hard to confess that I am a sinner because deep down the reality is we actually kind of like our sin.07:16-07:19We would miss it if it wasn't in our lives.07:19-08:13is that. If you're sitting here tonight and you're like, "Well, I don't feel like I love my sin. I want out of it, but I feel trapped in it. I'm in bondage to it." That's hard to confess. That something is so ruling over you. "I don't want to do this, but I keep doing it. What is my problem?" You know, I think really for a lot of us, it's hard to say I have sinned because it's just so hard to not see yourself as the hero in your own story. Sometimes you're the bad guy. So am I. Acknowledging sin is uncomfortable. It's offensive. And it just it goes against our natural inclinations.08:17-08:18Here's the reality from God's Word.08:20-08:21Unsaved people.08:22-08:29People who don't sincerely know the Lord, are always going to try to downplay sin.08:31-08:32It's not that big of a deal.08:33-08:36And one of the ways they do that is by trying to redefine sin.08:36-08:40We won't call it sin, we'll call it something else and kind of soften the blow.08:41-08:46But the big one is, unsaved people conceal their sin.08:47-08:48Let's keep it hidden.08:48-08:50Let's make sure nobody finds out about it.08:50-08:52They conceal their sin.08:55-09:05Saved people, on the other hand, according to that passage Levi just read, saved people confess their sin.09:08-09:10So tonight I just want to ask you one question.09:12-09:12What are you doing?09:16-09:18Conceal or confess?09:19-09:20Which one are you?09:25-09:32Bible's so clear about this and what's at stake in this.09:33-09:40Psalm 32.5 says, "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity.09:41-09:49I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." Do you see that?09:51-09:52Conceal or confess.09:55-10:20Same thing, Proverbs 28.13 says, "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper. But he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." So what are you doing with your sin? Are you concealing it? Or are you confessing it?10:23-10:33So on your outline, if you're taking notes, it says at the top, "Conceal or confess?" And there might be some people in here that are honest enough to say, you know what, I'd rather just conceal it.10:34-10:37And I would say respectfully, I don't know why you're here tonight.10:41-10:42You should have stayed home.10:45-10:48But I do know that there are some people here tonight that are like, you know what?10:51-10:53It's gone on beyond too long.10:54-10:54I need to confess.10:56-10:57I need to confess.10:57-11:03Well, I'm so glad you're here, if that's you, because I want to help you with that, from the Word of God.11:03-11:07So on your outline, if you want to confess, number one, this is where you have to start.11:09-11:11You have to be done lying about your sin.11:11-11:12You have to be done with that.11:13-11:16You have to be done lying about your sin.11:18-11:19Again, look at verse five.11:20-11:29He says, "This is the message we have heard from Him "and proclaimed to you, God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.11:30-11:31God is light.11:32-11:38We could spend a whole sermon series talking about that, but the bottom line is this, that represents life.11:39-11:40That represents holiness.11:41-11:43There is no death in God.11:43-11:45There's no unholiness in God.11:45-11:46There's no sin.11:46-11:48There's no darkness of any kind in God.11:49-11:54A man, on the other hand, I probably don't have to sell you on that, do I?11:57-12:04And you see, when we talk about confessing, yes, you absolutely must confess with your mouth.12:07-12:10But, it has to ultimately start in your heart.12:12-12:18Because you can say something with your mouth that isn't actually true in your heart.12:20-12:27And when you say something that's not true, that's called telling a lie.12:28-12:30And that's where John starts here.12:31-12:32Like, you want to confess?12:33-12:33You've got to be done lying.12:36-12:46You see, three times in this passage, he says, "if we claim" or "if we say" "if we say" "if we say" He's pointing out the lies We tell ourselves.12:47-12:48He goes, you've got to stop that.12:49-12:50Let's look at them quickly.12:51-12:53Three lies you've got to stop claiming.12:54-12:55You've got to stop these.12:55-12:57Number, or letter A, sorry, letter A.12:58-13:00Here's a lie that a lot of people are saying.13:01-13:02I believe in God.13:05-13:07When you don't live like it.13:09-13:15People are saying, yeah, I believe in God, but they don't live like they know Him at all.13:16-13:18It's a lie, right?13:18-13:19Not my opinion, look at verse six.13:20-13:31He says, "If we say we have fellowship with Him, with God, while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.13:32-13:35If we claim we have fellowship with Him," do you know what that is?13:36-13:40That's the guy or the girl that says, "Oh, I believe in God.13:41-13:42"Oh yeah, yeah, I believe in God.13:42-13:43I know God.13:44-13:49I mean, yeah, I'm a Christian." But he says they walk in darkness.13:49-13:54They're living in some secret, sinful lifestyle.13:57-13:59And John points out here, look, you're living a lie.14:00-14:02You're just, you're living a lie.14:03-14:05I don't know who you think you're fooling, but it's not God.14:07-14:08And this is a hard truth.14:11-14:14that I think tonight we need to confront ourselves with.14:15-14:18Not everyone who claims to know God actually does know God.14:20-14:23Not everyone who claims they know God is actually heading to heaven.14:26-14:33Not everyone who's sitting in a church, not just tonight, any church, week after week, not everyone sitting in a church is saved.14:37-15:04I got to tell you, I talk to a lot of people who will be talking about a family member of theirs, their brother, or their adult children, or their parents, and we'll be talking about these family members, and I'm like, "Well, do they know the Lord?" And they'll say, "Well, yeah, they're Christians." And then they say, "But they haven't gone to church "in years, they're not interested in praying.15:05-15:08They really don't want to have any spiritual conversations.15:09-15:12You know, I invited them to Good Friday service and they absolutely didn't want to come.15:14-15:15But yeah, he's a Christian.15:18-15:24I mean, yeah, he's living in adultery right now.15:25-15:26Oh, he's foul-mouthed.15:27-15:29And he is such a heavy drinker.15:32-15:32But he's a Christian.15:35-15:36Based on what?15:37-15:39What are you basing that on?15:39-15:41And you know what the response usually is?15:41-15:47Well, one time we were in a church and they said they believed in God.15:48-15:51They like raised their hand in a service one time.15:54-15:55But what does the Bible say?15:56-15:58Do you see that in verse six?15:58-16:03If we say we have fellowship, but we're walking in darkness, what does your Bible say?16:04-16:05It says you're lying.16:06-16:06It's just not true.16:10-16:12But on the other hand, look at verse seven.16:12-16:25He says, "But if we walk in the light, "as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, "and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." Walking in the light.16:26-16:27No hidden sin.16:29-16:35No secret sin that you hope to heaven nobody finds out about.16:43-16:46You sin, you confess.16:48-16:49You are walking in the light.16:50-16:51You're like, yeah, I did sin.16:51-16:53That was wrong what I did.16:53-16:54It was wrong in God's eyes.16:54-16:55I've sinned against my family.16:55-16:56I'm confessing that.16:56-16:58I'm getting with God on this.16:58-17:04I'm getting accountability on this to help me drag this to the light.17:07-17:09So what's your plan tonight?17:09-17:10Are you going to conceal?17:12-17:13Or are you going to confess?17:20-17:23You're walking in the light or you're walking in darkness?17:26-17:28There's no middle ground, by the way.17:29-17:33The Bible doesn't talk about walking in half light or half dark.17:33-17:36What typifies your life right now?17:37-17:39Which one describes you?17:40-17:42Are you walking in the light?17:45-17:47Or is there a whole lot of stuff that you're trying to keep concealed?17:51-17:53Well, John says, "Stop lying.17:54-17:54"Stop lying.17:54-17:59"Your claim of believing in God means nothing if your life is characterized by sin.18:00-18:03All right, so that's a lie you have to stop claiming.18:03-18:06Here's another lie you have to stop.18:07-18:08Letter B, I'm a good person.18:11-18:12I'm a good person.18:12-18:14Well, let's see what the Bible says about that, verse eight.18:14-18:22If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.18:23-18:25We claim we're without sin.18:26-18:27I'm not that bad.18:28-18:32I mean, I'm actually a good person.18:33-18:39Like deep down, you know, deep down, I have a good heart.18:40-18:42I'm a good person deep down.18:44-18:45God knows that.18:48-18:49Here's what God knows.18:51-18:54God knows that you were born with a sin nature that you inherited from Adam.18:55-18:58that's been passed down from generation to generation, and you got it.19:02-19:02Don't believe me?19:04-19:07Sometimes I have people challenge me on this, like I don't think that we're born with a sin nature.19:08-19:09I don't think that that's true.19:09-19:11I don't think that we are born with a sin nature.19:11-19:13I'm like, have you ever been around a kid?19:14-19:15Ever?19:17-19:18(congregation laughing)19:19-19:21That's exactly what I'm talking about.19:25-19:28That's exactly what I'm talking about, that little sinner tried to hijack the sermon.19:31-19:33You just proved my point, little lamb.19:40-19:43And look, if you don't have kids, there's plenty of people around here that do have them.19:43-19:45I'm sure they'll let you hang out.19:47-19:49I'm sure they might ask you to watch them for a few days.19:55-19:56Who has ever taught a kid?19:58-19:59I mean, think of a little toddler.20:00-20:01Think of little Joey back there.20:02-20:06Does dad ever sit down with him and say, "Listen, listen, Joey, I'm gonna teach you "something important here.20:07-20:12"If you learn how to lie convincingly, "you're gonna go far in life, all right?20:13-20:17"I guess, son, what I'm saying is "always cover your tracks, okay?20:18-20:25"Because if you got away with it, then you've mastered the art of deception.20:26-20:29Has any dad sat down with their kid and taught them that?20:29-20:30I sure hope not.20:30-20:31You're a monster.20:31-20:33You're a monster if you're teaching your kid how to sin.20:34-20:36But you don't have to.20:37-20:45How is it that these kids automatically know how to sneak, how to lie, how to steal, how to be selfish?20:45-20:46How do they know that?20:47-20:50Like, were they reading some manual in the womb?20:50-20:51Like, what is going on here?20:54-20:55We're born with a sin nature.20:57-20:59So if you're like, "Well, you know what?21:00-21:01I'm really not that bad.21:01-21:05I'm not really a bad person." The Bible says you're deceiving to yourself.21:05-21:09You're telling a lie, and then you're turning around and believing the own lie that you just told yourself.21:12-21:13You say you have a good heart?21:15-21:30Actually if that's your stance, if that's your stance here tonight, to think that you're You're really a good person, I've got to tell you, you're in a hopeless situation when it comes to the gospel, because you're not going to confess.21:32-21:36What can God do for someone who doesn't think that they need Him?21:39-21:40It's a hopeless situation.21:44-21:45Look at verse nine again.21:45-21:56If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, excuse me, forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.21:59-22:02I did a lot of reading this past week in preparing for this.22:02-22:12And you get to this verse, and these scholars and commentators are like, is this verse for believers, or is this verse for unbelievers?22:16-22:28The answer is yes. The answer is yes. Confession is like repentance. Think about repentance.22:29-22:44Is repentance something you do when you first come to Christ? Yeah. But if you're a true born again believer in Christ, when do you stop repenting? Never. In Matthew 3.8, Luke 3.8, both say the exact same thing.22:45-22:49Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.22:49-22:53Repentance is to be the lifestyle of the follower of Jesus.22:54-22:56And confession is exactly the same.22:56-22:59In coming to Christ, you have to confess.22:59-23:07And if you're a Christian, your life is typified by constant acknowledgment of your sin before a holy God.23:11-23:18regular occurrence in our walk with Christ, Christians are characterized as confessors.23:20-23:23A true Christian is always going to God.23:23-23:25"God, I hate my sin.23:25-23:27God, this is what I did.23:27-23:29I messed up.23:29-23:29I sinned.23:30-23:33God, specifically, here is what I did.23:34-23:35God, I need to change.23:35-23:37God, I'm confessing that.23:38-23:42Thank You for the forgiveness that You've purchased through Your Son, Jesus Christ, God.23:42-23:49I need the power of Your Spirit to help me repent." That is how a Christian confesses their sin.23:51-23:54And John says that God's response is to forgive and purify.23:56-23:57Why does He do that?23:59-24:00Because you're worthy?24:03-24:03Not hardly.24:04-24:09John says he does that because he, he is faithful and just.24:11-24:17See, God's forgiveness is based on his promise, not your performance.24:17-24:21God's forgiveness comes to you on his terms, not your terms.24:22-24:28And God's forgiveness, the assurance that we have that we are forgiven is because of God's integrity.24:30-24:39that I can say, "I know that I have the promise of heaven," not because of me, I know I have the promise of heaven because I believe in a God who always keeps His word.24:41-24:42And this is what He's promised.24:45-24:50So if you're sitting here tonight, you're like, "Yeah, I'm a good person." You're really not.24:52-24:59As long as you think you are, you're not going to understand what the cross of Jesus Christ was all about.25:01-25:03Three lies you need to stop claiming.25:04-25:07Letter C, same vein here, right?25:07-25:08Letter C, I don't sin.25:11-25:12I don't sin.25:13-25:15Believe it or not, I've met people that have made that claim.25:15-25:16Look at verse 10.25:16-25:30He says, "If we say we have not sinned, "we make him a liar and his word is not in us." If we claim we have not sinned, that's the person, And again, I've met these people, they're like, "Sin?25:33-25:43I don't sin." Well, you did just call God a liar then because He says differently.25:46-25:50It's one of the interesting things about sin, wouldn't you say?25:50-26:00interesting, that we tend to minimize our sin and we maximize other people's sin.26:02-26:08Ours is so small and insignificant, but somebody else's, oh boy, they really blew it.26:14-26:16God wants to deal with you about your sin.26:18-26:24And you can't confess Jesus as a Savior if you say you don't have what He saves from.26:27-26:36And if you refuse to acknowledge your sin, you refuse to admit, you refuse to confess your sin, then the cross means nothing.26:38-26:45And we come to a service like this, we think of Jesus Christ on the cross, and we're really left wondering why did he die in the first place?26:48-26:49Concealer confess.26:53-26:53What are you doing?26:58-26:59Concealer confess.26:59-27:01Are you going to leave tonight lying to yourself?27:04-27:07Or are you going to finally agree with God?27:12-27:23So if you want to confess, if that's you, and I want to help you, first of all, you gotta stop lying to yourself, you gotta stop lying to God, you gotta stop lying to everybody, you gotta stop the lies.27:23-27:27Number two, you have to come to Jesus.27:30-27:33Confession is about the person of Jesus Christ.27:33-27:47Look at verse one, he says, in chapter two, "My little children, I'm writing these things to you "so that you may not sin." But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.27:49-28:01John says, "Look, I'm writing this so you don't sin." God's Word doesn't allow us to have a dismissive attitude about sin, which a lot of Christians have.28:02-28:05It's like, "Well, yeah, I sin, but it doesn't really matter.28:05-28:10I'm forgiven in Christ." we just sort of dismiss it.28:12-28:13John goes, "No, no, no, no.28:14-28:35I'm writing these things to you so that you are turning from sin." He goes, "But if anybody does sin, and you will," spoiler alert, "you will," John says, "when you sin, you have an advocate, if you're in Christ." And this is one of the most beautiful pictures in all the Bible.28:36-28:39You know, it's a courtroom scene actually.28:39-28:45Revelation chapter 12 says that Satan is the accuser of the brethren.28:45-28:46Do you know what Satan does?28:47-28:52He goes before God, and if you're a follower of Christ, Satan accuses you before God.28:53-28:55Satan's like, he's no good.28:57-28:58Did you hear what he said?28:58-29:00That's one of your guys?29:00-29:01Did you hear what he said?29:02-29:03That's what Satan does.29:03-29:06Satan, he's a slanderer, he's an accuser.29:06-29:10But you see, when Jesus Christ is your advocate, he is your defense attorney.29:11-29:22That when Satan says, "Do you see what a miserable person this is?" Jesus steps up and says, "He did sin, "but I took his sin on myself when I died on the cross." He's forgiven.29:22-29:25He is not guilty because I paid that penalty.29:27-29:28And Satan goes to the next person.29:28-29:30You see what a miserable person she is?29:30-29:31Do you hear how she talked?29:31-29:32Do you see what she did?29:33-29:43Jesus says, "I died for her." All of the sin that was committed by her, Jesus said, "When I was on the cross, I paid the penalty." She is not guilty.29:45-29:50That's what it means that Jesus as our advocate, and that is way better than Edgar Snyder.29:53-29:55Owen might not think so.29:57-29:58If you know, you know.29:59-30:00Look at verse two.30:03-30:10He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.30:11-30:12Propitiation.30:12-30:15Oh, that's like one of the best words in the Bible.30:15-30:20John's just hitting like all of the most awesome concepts in a row right here.30:21-30:27Propitiation, your Bible might translate it, atoning, sacrifice, but this is a concept that you really need to understand.30:28-30:29Propitiation just simply means this.30:30-30:34God is satisfied with what Jesus did on the cross.30:35-30:36That's what it means.30:36-30:43When Jesus was on the cross, God was pouring out his wrath on Jesus for my sin and for your sin.30:44-30:47God put all of the wrath that I deserve on Jesus.30:47-30:50And that is awesome news because you know what that means?30:50-30:52God has no more wrath left for me.30:54-30:57And if you're in Christ, he has no wrath left for you.30:57-31:07And Christian, you've gotta get this in your head I've talked to so many Christians that are like, "I just really feel like God's mad at me, "and I feel like God's so disappointed in me." He's not!31:08-31:16It's not like God poured out His wrath on Jesus, and then God turns around and sees you sinning, and is like, "Oh, I'm still mad!31:17-31:20"I gotta punish her now, too!" That's not how it works.31:22-31:23Propitiation, God is satisfied.31:24-31:29He has no wrath for you if you've truly received Jesus Christ.31:32-31:47And not just for you, not just for you, look at verse two, he goes on to say, "Not for ours only, "not for our sins only, "but also for the sins of the whole world." Again, this is where a lot of scholars get caught up.31:50-31:55I just, you're like, "Oh, you think you're smarter than those scholars." No, I don't.31:55-31:57I think they're too smart sometimes.31:58-32:01I think they make this way too complicated.32:03-32:04You know what I mean by that?32:04-32:16You know, I was reading, and I heard some pastoral panel thing, they were talking about this very verse, and they were like, what is being talked about here for the sins of the whole world?32:16-32:19Is he talking about the elect?32:19-32:20Like it's just for the elect?32:22-32:25Is this speaking to limited atonement?32:28-32:33You're making this way more complicated than it needs to be.32:33-32:34Do you know what this means?32:35-32:36Do you know what this verse means?32:36-32:38I'll tell you what this verse means.32:39-32:39Right here.32:41-32:49What this verse is saying is I can confidently say to anyone, when you believe in Jesus, you will be forgiven of your sins.32:50-32:52You will be adopted as a child of God.32:52-32:54I can say that to anybody, because it's for the whole world.32:54-33:04I can say that here, I can say that in Thailand, I can say that in Blonox, it doesn't matter where I am, this truth holds, Jesus forgives sin.33:06-33:08Let God figure out all that other stuff.33:10-33:14My job is to tell the world, and your job too.33:16-33:17Concealer confess.33:19-33:19Conceal or confess.33:21-33:31At this point, if you're still wanting to conceal, you're committed to walking out of here like, "Yeah, I just can't, I can't come clean about my sin.33:31-33:38"Not to God, not to anybody." Well, it's not gonna go well for you.33:39-33:45Remember what the Proverbs writers say, that if you conceal your sin, you're not gonna prosper.33:46-33:48It's not gonna go well for you.33:51-33:57But if you want to confess, that's business that you have to do with Jesus.33:59-34:16Not only confessing who you are as a sinner, but confession includes saying who He is, agreeing with God who Jesus is, agreeing with God that Jesus is your advocate, agreeing with God that Jesus is your propitiation, agreeing with God about that.34:17-34:24If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.34:28-34:34So this night more than any other probably reminds us why Jesus is the only one who can take your sin away.34:35-34:36Nobody else can do that.34:38-34:46Nobody else can make you be pronounced not guilty in the courtroom of God.34:49-34:50Conceal or confess?34:52-34:59Well, if you want to confess, number three, your lifestyle proves your sincerity.35:02-35:04Your lifestyle proves your sincerity.35:05-35:07Look at verses 3 through 6 again.35:08-35:13He says, "And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.35:15-35:20Whoever says, "I know Him," but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.35:21-35:27But whoever keeps His word in him, truly the love of God is perfected.35:28-35:34By this we may know that we are in Him.35:35-35:41Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.35:44-35:48I'm sure if the hospitality team grabbed every person on the way out, do you wanna confess?35:48-35:50I'm sure they would get 100%.35:50-35:51Yeah, I confess.35:51-35:52I can, yeah, I confess.35:58-36:02We'll find out if it's sincere by how you live, right?36:03-36:05That's why he says it in verse three.36:05-36:06He says it at the end of verse five.36:07-36:08We know that we have come to know him.36:09-36:10We know that we are saved.36:10-36:12Like what's the evidence?36:12-36:15How do I really know if I'm saved or not?36:15-36:16How would I know that?36:16-36:17He tells you right here.36:17-36:19Here's how you know that you're saved.36:19-36:20You keep his commands.36:22-36:28The proof that you know God is just simply you do what he says.36:32-36:34It's not just what you claim.36:37-36:38Are you saved?36:38-36:38You know the Lord.36:39-36:40And people say, well, you know what?36:40-36:46I was baptized 17 years ago at First Baptist Church of so-and-so.36:47-36:47Goody.36:49-36:51That's not evidence that you're saved, though.36:53-37:05Or somebody says, "Well, I go to church almost every week." I mean, not when Declan has lacrosse, but every other week I'm in church.37:05-37:06Great.37:08-37:10I strongly encourage church attendance.37:10-37:13I think that's a good thing, but that's not evidence of salvation.37:14-37:17Evidence of salvation is I do what God tells me to do.37:19-37:22It's just that simple, according to John.37:24-37:30I believe, I believe not verified by what you say, I believe is verified by how you live.37:30-37:32Are you gonna conceal or are you gonna confess tonight?37:33-37:34Which is it?37:36-37:51Because obviously, if you really agree with God that sin is evil, you're going to be constantly confessing and forsaking sin.37:55-37:57So do you live a life of confession?38:01-38:04Do you agree with God about your sin?38:06-38:19And do you agree with God concerning what He said the crucifixion of His Son accomplished for the person who will turn to Him?38:22-38:23Our worship team would make their way back up.38:26-38:54And our communion servers, we're gonna close our time around the Lord's table And you do not have to be a member of Harvard's Bible Chapel to take communion, but you do have to be a born-again believer in Christ. This is for believers.38:58-39:02And fellow Christians, it is gathering around the Lord's table.39:02-39:06Well, this is a time to confess everything.39:08-39:11Everything that John said in this passage, we get to confess that right now.39:13-39:21When we take these elements, what we're saying, what we're confessing, I confess that my sin is evil and wrong in the eyes of God.39:22-39:23I confess that.39:24-39:27I confess that Jesus Christ died for my sin.39:29-39:35I confess that God is satisfied with the work that Jesus accomplished on my behalf.39:37-39:40I confess Jesus Christ is my advocate.39:41-39:46I confess that I need His Spirit to make me who God wants me to be.39:49-40:00I confess that I will prove that I believe when I obey God in every area of my life.40:03-40:16Hebrews 4.14 says, "Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.40:18-40:22Let us hold fast our confession.40:24-40:36We're going to ask, when you're ready, if you would come down to the center aisles and receive the elements from one of our pastors, and you can return to your seat by the outside aisle.40:37-40:49I'm going to ask that you hold on to it, and let's confess together tonight, church, that We are agreeing with God in all these things.40:52-40:54So please come, take the elements.40:56-40:57This is our confession.40:59-41:05This is our agreeing with God that Jesus is who God said He is.41:06-41:09And that Jesus accomplished what God said He accomplished.41:11-41:16The Bible tells us on the night that Jesus was betrayed, He took bread and he broke it and he gave thanks.41:17-41:20And he said, "This is my body, which is broken for you.41:21-41:45Eat this in remembrance of me." After the meal, Bible tells us that Jesus took the cup and he said, "This cup is my blood, the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sin.41:46-41:48Drink this in remembrance of me.41:50-41:51What are you doing tonight?41:54-41:56Conceal or confess?41:59-42:01Jesus has quite a resume.42:04-42:06As the prophet, he is the word of God.42:08-42:11As the priest, he takes away our sin.42:12-42:15I want to invite you to come back in two days on Sunday.42:15-42:26Pastor Taylor is going to talk about the other role that Jesus has, the King of Kings.42:27-42:28You don't want to miss that.42:30-42:31You are loved. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 John 1:5-2:6What was your big take-away from this passage / message?BreakoutPray for one another.

  Readings NRSV: Psalm 33; Genesis 1.1-19; John 6.28-40. Led by Felicity Scott, a prayer minister in Queensland, Australia. The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website. https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com Welcome to Monday Evening prayer. We proclaim the Good News message of our Lord Jesus Christ: GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA With faithfulness we respond to the good news message: We acknowledge Christ our Saviour has already saved us and accept with gratitude, that we are forgiven for all wrong doings, past and present. To honour the gift of forgiveness, we release our burden of guilt and rise up to live in the glory of God forever more. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever. Let us Pray.   1 May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit we may abound in hope.  Romans 15.13   Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:  as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.    2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of Hope The spirit of the Lord God is upon me:  because the Lord has anointed me  to bring good tidings to the afflicted.  The Lord has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted:  to proclaim liberty for the captives,  and release for those in prison,  To comfort all who mourn:  to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,  The oil of gladness instead of mourning:  a garment of splendour for the heavy heart.  They shall be called trees of righteousness:  planted for the glory of the Lord.  Isaiah 61.1–3     3 The Opening Prayer The day is now past, and the night is at hand.  Let us pray with one heart and mind.    Silence may be kept.   Father of lights, receive the prayer and praise we offer you as our evening sacrifice; make us a light for all the world, delivered by your goodness from all the works of darkness; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.    The readings disclaimer. The readings that follow are from the NRSV bible Old and New Testament. The bible readings are included to bring understanding of God's relationship over time with people. The readings represent an old historic way of life, and the biblical instructions contained in the readings are illustrative of old ways and are NOT for use in today's modern world. Today we adopt tolerance and the modern legal justice system to bring order and govern all countries.   4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each. Psalm   5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow God who wonderfully created us and even more wonderfully restored our humanity: strengthen us by your Holy Spirit to triumph over suffering and death and grant us eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.   6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.   1st Reading Genesis 1.1-19 1 When God began to create the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6 And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. 9 And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. 14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.   Hear the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.   2nd Reading Revelation 8.1-6 The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer 1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. The Seven Trumpets 6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets made ready to blow them. The readings may be followed by a period of silence for reflection, a hymn or Hear the message of Christ. Thanks be to God.   7 The Canticle, A Song of God's Children In Christ Jesus, the life-giving law of the Spirit:  has set us free from the law of sin and death. All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God:  It is the Spirit that enables us to cry, ‘Abba!' Father.  The Spirit bears witness that we are God's children:  and if God's children, then heirs of God.  We are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ: For the creation waits with eager longing: For the revealing of the children of God. Romans 8.2, 14, 15, 19     8 The belief and principle is said I believe in God, creator of heaven and earth, whose love and merciful forgiveness endures everlasting. I believe in Christ the saviour, whose example of love and compassion, taught us a restored way to live, in collaborative unity with all people. I believe in the Holy Spirit, whose divine guidance, brings us together to be one with the Holy Trinity.     9 The Prayers Lord have mercy.  Christ have mercy.  God have mercy.    9 The Lord's Prayer Our Father in heaven,  hallowed be your name,  your kingdom come,  your will be done,  on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our sins  as we forgive those who sin against us.  Save us from the time of trial  and deliver us from evil.  For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours  now and for ever. Amen.        Prayer of the Week on the Sunday of the Baptism of the LORD. Baptism of the LORD Almighty God, who anointed Jesus at his baptism with the Holy Spirit and revealed him as your beloved son, inspire us your children who are born again of water and the spirit, to surrender our lives to your service, that we may rejoice to be called your children, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen   10 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need. Let us Pray.   A thankful Prayer GOD, how great thou art. We thank GOD for the gift of forgiveness. We thank GOD for the gift of rebirth into new life free from the burden of all sin. We thank GOD for the gift of Christ's sacrifice. We thank GOD for the gift of life on earth. We thank GOD for the gift of our planet of abundance. We thank GOD for the gift of our free will. We thank GOD for the gift of our families. We thank you GOD for the gift of your grace and your presence. Amen   God of abundance, we honour your greatness and thank you for all you give us. For the beauty of earth and sky and sea. For the richness of mountains, deserts, and rivers. For the songs of birds and the beauty of flowers. We praise you for these good gifts, and pray that we safeguard our heritage to the honour and glory of your name. Generous GOD - hear our prayer   Merciful God, we pray for your mercy to be given to the country of Russia, to Ukraine, Palestine and Israel. We pray for your intervention, to impart peace as an initiative in the minds of all those at war across the world. We ask this in Jesus Christ's name. Generous GOD hear our prayer     11 The Evening Collect Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray:  and in your great mercy defend us  from all perils and dangers of this night. for the love of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen.   12 The Lord be with you. And also with you.  Let us praise the Lord.  Thanks be to God.    Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.  Amen. Hebrews 12.1 Music: Song name: Sing my soul, His wondrous love by Ned Rorem – Choir of St John's college, Cambridge & Andrew Nethsingha. A reminder disclaimer to the listener. The readings in the podcast may include ancient and old-fashioned sayings and instructions that we do not in any way condone as in use or to be used in today's modern world. The readings have not been modernised to reflect todays thinking, instead the readings remain from the old version of the NRSV bible. The podcast owners explicitly declare that each listener is responsible for their own actions in response to the bible readings and the podcast owners bare no responsibility in this sense.  

Passage(s): Psalm 119:9-16God's Word is a treasure, therefore we must treasure it. We need God to move in our hearts so that we can hide His Word in our hearts and guard our hearts! 

Body Image | Created & DesignedSunday, September 28, 2025Geoff WrightGenesis 1, Psalm 139.13-16God has intentionally created and designed your body. The incredible thing is He made you in His image. Every person who has ever lived has been made in His image, which shows that each person has immense value. Because God has designed us, it is Him alone that gets to state how to use the gift of the body.

September 14, 2025 | JEREMIAH 33:14-16God has kept His promise to bring restoration! Jesus is the righteous Branch who accomplished God's will and is restoring His people, and He will one day, fully and finally restore His creation.

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Faith Talks, Anna Faith Gillmore sits down with Christine Rokoduru, a pastor's wife in Fiji whose testimony shines with surrendered faith and steadfast service. From her dramatic salvation and bold decision to remain in Fiji rather than move to the U.S., to becoming a pastor's wife at just 18 years old, Christine's story is a compelling portrait of a woman fully yielded to the call of God. Her wisdom, humility, and joy in serving the Lord will challenge and encourage you to trust Him with every step of your journey.Topics DiscussedChristine's clear and powerful salvation testimonySaying "no" to the opportunity to move to AmericaHow she began praying for her future husband at 16God's answer in bringing her together with MalachiBecoming a pastor's wife at 18 and growing through ministry trialsFears from childhood and ministry—and the Scriptures that anchored herEncouragement for young women preparing to serve the LordHer life verses: Proverbs 3:5–6 and Psalm 37:4Key TakeawaysGod's call is not always to go—but to stay, and obedience brings peace.A simple prayer of faith can shape a lifetime of blessing.Ministry isn't easy, but it's worth it when your focus stays on Christ.Trust and surrender are not one-time acts, but daily choices.Your background doesn't determine your future—God does.Faith Talks is a monthly program on the Thee Generation podcast designed to help young ladies discover greater ways to nurture and exercise their faith in their day-to-day walk with Christ. To leave a question for the Faith Twins or our guest, send an email to faithtalks@theegeneration.org. If you've been encouraged by this podcast, please take the time to give us a five-star rating and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the Thee Generation for others. For more faith inspiring resources and information about joining Thee Generation, please visit theegeneration.org.

TEXT: Psalm 18:16God drew you out of many waters because of Christ1. Call on Him when you are in the waters2. Praise Him for drawing you out of the waters

For more information about our ministry, please visit: highwaydeliveranceministries.org   If you would like to visit, our address is: 431 15th St. NE. Washington DC. Thanks for listening. Scripture notes:The Finished Work Of The Cross/ The Holy SpiritJohn 6:41 John 16:5-15 John 17:17 Jesus is the truth. The only way we can be sanctified.1 John 2:20,26-Know false doctrine when you hear it. If it doesn't align with the word of God then it's false doctrine. Be aware of seducing spirits.Hebrews 13:17 Forever God's Word 1 Corinthians 6:11 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Ephesians 4:7-16God bless.

1 Timothy 3:14-16God calls the Church to hold the truth of the Gospel through conduct and teaching.

Ephesians 4:1-16God wants us to walk worthy of our calling, work together, and wait upon Him.

The devotion for today, Wednesday, June 26, 2024 was written by Donald (Luke) Day and is narrated by Dana Goodenow. Today's Words of Inspiration come from 1 John 4:16God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in that person. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.  Support the Show.

Ephesians 6:11-16God loves all of mankind that He created. But, the choice He gave us is ours to serve Him. Do not allow evil to dictate where you will spend eternity. 

Called and Compensated - Matthew 20: 12-16God grants salvation to whomever He choosesGod calls each individual in the timing He calls themThe reward for following Jesus is the same for allWe must not be jealous over God's graciousness

Anchor Passage: Romans 8:14-16God is our perfect Father. How can we begin to understand the weight of this simple truth? Join us as we explore the amazing privilege of being children of God! 

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

14And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years. 15And let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the Earth." And it was so. 16God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well.… Genesis 1: 14-16Each time I think of the cycle of the Earth, the above verses of scriptures come to mind; I pause and ponder, looking at it closely, and all I see is a cycle. I ask myself, does this cycle, this movement, literarily affect everything that the earth warehouses?In asking this question and researching the topic, I came upon this article titled 'Milankovitch (Orbital) Cycles and Their Role in Earth's Climate by By Alan Buis, 'Our lives revolve around cycles: series of events repeated regularly in the same order. Hundreds of different types of cycles exist in our world and the universe. Some are natural, such as the change of the seasons, annual animal migrations, or the circadian rhythms that govern our sleep patterns. Others are human-produced, like growing and harvesting crops, musical rhythms, or economic cycles.Cycles also play critical roles in Earth's short-term weather and long-term climate. A century ago, Serbian scientist Milutin Milankovitch hypothesized the long-term, collective effects of changes in Earth's position relative to the Sun are a strong driver of Earth's long-term climate and are responsible for triggering the beginning and end of glaciation periods (Ice Ages).Specifically, he examined how variations in three types of Earth orbital movements affect how much solar radiation (known as insolation) reaches the top of Earth's atmosphere as well as where the insolation reaches. These cyclical orbital movements, which became known as the Milankovitch cycles, cause variations of up to 25 percent in the amount of incoming insolation at Earth's mid-latitudes (the areas of our planet located between about 30 and 60 degrees north and south of the equator).' https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2948/mi... Milankovitch cycles%20include%3A,is%20pointed%2C%20known%20as%20precession.Looking at this research above, I see some answers to the question I have entertained for a while now, which has influenced my thoughts in this video. One's ignorance of things somewhat does not release the person from the consequences of not knowing, but it will put the person in an advantageous position if the individual is armed with a certain level of information and vis-a-vis knowledge that the person can manipulate in surmounting the challenges the person is likely to faceSupport the show

Fight For the Faith: Woe To the UngodlyJude 1:11-16 1. A historic warning: v. 11Learn from the Past. 2. Pictures of ungodliness: v. 12-13If Jude were to create an image for your life, what would it be? 3. God's Judgement is Predicted and Just: vs. 14-16God's judgment is for all people. 2 Corinthians 5:10 We can have confidence in our eternity. Romans 8:1-2 Who or what are you following?What is your next step toward Jesus?     

Reading IEx 32:7-14The LORD said to Moses,“Go down at once to your peoplewhom you brought out of the land of Egypt,for they have become depraved.They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them,making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it,sacrificing to it and crying out,‘This is your God, O Israel,who brought you out of the land of Egypt!'The LORD said to Moses,“I see how stiff-necked this people is.Let me alone, then,that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them.Then I will make of you a great nation.”But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying,“Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people,whom you brought out of the land of Egyptwith such great power and with so strong a hand?Why should the Egyptians say,‘With evil intent he brought them out,that he might kill them in the mountainsand exterminate them from the face of the earth'?Let your blazing wrath die down;relent in punishing your people.Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel,and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky;and all this land that I promised,I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.'“So the LORD relented in the punishmenthe had threatened to inflict on his people.Responsorial Psalm106:19-20, 21-22, 23R.        (4a)  Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.Our fathers made a calf in Horeb            and adored a molten image;They exchanged their glory            for the image of a grass-eating bullock.R.        Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.They forgot the God who had saved them,            who had done great deeds in Egypt,Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,            terrible things at the Red Sea.R.        Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.Then he spoke of exterminating them,            but Moses, his chosen one,Withstood him in the breach            to turn back his destructive wrath.R.        Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.Verse Before the GospelJn 3:16God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.GospelJn 5:31-47Jesus said to the Jews:“If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.But there is another who testifies on my behalf,and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.I do not accept human testimony,but I say this so that you may be saved.He was a burning and shining lamp,and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.But I have testimony greater than John's.The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,these works that I perform testify on my behalfthat the Father has sent me.Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,and you do not have his word remaining in you,because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.You search the Scriptures,because you think you have eternal life through them;even they testify on my behalf.But you do not want to come to me to have life.“I do not accept human praise;moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.I came in the name of my Father,but you do not accept me;yet if another comes in his own name,you will accept him.How can you believe, when you accept praise from one anotherand do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:the one who will accuse you is Moses,in whom you have placed your hope.For if you had believed Moses,you would have believed me,because he wrote about me.But if you do not believe his writings,how will you believe my words?”

Holiness is the essence of what God is. Everything about God is holy, so in order to get a revelation or understanding of His holiness, we need to know who God is and what He is like.7 attributes of God:God is Light - 1 John 1:5God is Love - 1 John 4:8-11God is Justice and Judgement - Deuteronomy 32:3-4 & Genesis 18:25God is Anger and Wrath - Nahum 1:2 & Revelation 22:18-19God is Mercy and Lovingkindness - Psalm 51:1 & Psalm 106:1God is Grace - Hebrews 4:16God is Power - Psalm 93:1-4

January 11, 2022 - How does God talk to us?Genesis 13 - 16God appears to Abram five times in the hundred years we see him in Genesis. How does he talk to Abram? How would he talk to us today? Let's find out together as we continue the story of Abram. When you finish, ask God what He wants to say to you today.

In this special Thanksgiving Episode Saso and Ben give thanks to God for His many blessings. THANK'FULNESS,noun Expression of gratitude; acknowledgment of a favor.1. Gratitude; a lively sense of good received.The celebration of these holy mysteries being ended, retire with all thankfulness of heart for having been admitted to that heavenly feast. Websters 1828 Key Verse Ephesians 5:20 1 Thessalonians 5:18 We are thankful to God for: God's grace John 1:16God's provision Genesis 22:14 & Psalm 107God's love Romans 8:38Our wives Proverbs 18:22Jaden Surgery / Recovery 1 Peter 1Friends and fellowship Acts 2:42Pastors and Church James 3:1Missionaries Luke 10:2 Psalm 28:7 Psalm 100:1-5 Happy Thanksgiving and may God bless you. Remember to give thanks to our great God! Support the show (https://abundantlife.fm)

In this special Thanksgiving Episode Saso and Ben give thanks to God for His many blessings.THANK'FULNESS,noun Expression of gratitude; acknowledgment of a favor.1. Gratitude; a lively sense of good received.The celebration of these holy mysteries being ended, retire with all thankfulness of heart for having been admitted to that heavenly feast.Websters 1828Key VerseEphesians 5:201 Thessalonians 5:18We are thankful to God for:God's grace John 1:16God's provision Genesis 22:14 & Psalm 107God's love Romans 8:38Our wives Proverbs 18:22Jaden Surgery / Recovery 1 Peter 1Friends and fellowship Acts 2:42Pastors and Church James 3:1Missionaries Luke 10:2Psalm 28:7Psalm 100:1-5Happy Thanksgiving and may God bless you. Remember to give thanks to our great God!Support the show (https://abundantlife.fm)

Luke 15:10, John 15:20-21, Acts 9:15-16God is truly real. Sometimes He will reveal to you through His word with visions and dreams of how to deal with situations and circumstances in your life. He is an awesome God.

Please note that the audio on the live-stream failed at the end of Phil's preach, so the last part is missing.Do you believe God is good and intends good for your life?You may say you do, but is that something you're sure of in the core of your being?Psalms 84:11No good thing does He withhold. No. Good. Thing. That's who God isGod is love, and His true nature is good.Psalm 33:5The world may be full of bad, but the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. We can choose to either focus on what is good or on the bad stuff that happensIt's good for the health of our souls to focus on his goodness.1. The Goodness of God explains everythingWhen we face difficulties, we want answers, not fully understanding how God uses that  in our lives.Remember Joseph and what happened to him. When he revealed himself to his brothers after their betrayal, he said to them, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good."God's goodness  brought explanation to Joseph's very bad experience and circumstance.What the enemy sends to defeat us, God turns around and uses it to complete us.2. The Goodness of God surrounds everythingPsalm 23:6His goodness goes before us and is behind us. On our right and on our left.We are surrounded by the goodness of God! Psalm 5:12 tells us that His favour (unmerited goodness) surrounds us like a shield!Everywhere we go.3. The Goodness of God frees us from everythingPsalm 27:13despair - a combination of emotions such as sadness, discouragement, feelings of depression, and the feeling of wanting to quitHis goodness frees us from all of those things because we believe we are going to see His goodness in the land of the living.4. The Goodness of God satisfies everythingPsalm 145:16God leads us with an open hand.He is always opening His hand to give, to bless, to heal, to encourage, to strengthen, and to die for us!5. The Goodness of God changes everythingRomans 2:4It's not how sorry we are that leads us to repentance. It's how GOOD He is.When we see His goodness, it changes how we look at Him.6. The Goodness of God shapes everythingRomans 8:28Covid 19 has meant many trying to figure everything out, trying to get their life back to some sort of normality.God is trying to move our lives to something so much better.We can embrace the reality that some really bad things have happened in our world. We can embrace that reality because, through the finished work of the cross, He causes these things to result in something good.He's not just the author of our faith. He is the finisher too. So, trust Him to finish what He started in you!Philippians 1:6Hebrews 12:27. The Goodness of God uses everythingGod can use a good day and a bad one.8. The Goodness of God restores everythingGod will right every wrong. Life will wrong you. People will wrong you.BUT GOD! He will be the one who turns it for GoodJoel 2:259. The Goodness of God outlasts everythingJeremiah 32:40When will His goodness stop? Never.His goodness will outlast everything.v41 Not only will God's goodness outlast every bad thing in your life, but HE DELIGHTS IN DOING GOOD THINGS FOR YOU!Get ready! Be expectant! You will see His glorious goodness all the days of your life!10. The Goodness of God provides everythingRomans 2:4The goodness of God is the generosity of God.He gives all things.Questions● Do you believe His personal goodness, even when things around you seem to say otherwise?● What has been your experience in Knowing the Goodness of God? Even if that meant something didn't work out how you would have hoped● He's the Author and finisher of our Faith. What does that mean for us?● How can we encourage o

“So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah” 1 Kings 17:15-16God is looking for obedient and faithful children in these turbulent times that we are living in."But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you." Mathew 6:33 You see the widow only had enough food for one more meal, then she and her little son would die of starvation. She had a choice to make - Was she going to obey the word of the Lord or was she going to make a plan. She decided to obey the word of the Lord. And what happened, she and Elijah had enough food for many, many days.Today, you and I have to make that same decision. Are we going to obey the word of the Lord in our lives or are we going to try and do it in our own strength? We need to be obedient, but you say: "But I don't have enough." No, you don't but He does - He has more than enough and we need to obey Him.You know I remember so clearly like it was yesterday, in 2008 when we had the Mighty Men Conference here on the Shalom farm. We hired the biggest tent in the world, we had hardly any money. I remember we had R500 in our savings account and it cost millions to hire that tent. Well, we stretched our faith and eventually, the mighty tent arrived. I think seventeen pantechnicons (30-ton rigs) brought it onto the farm.When they erected it and we put the chairs inside we had 30 000 chairs inside, I know because my son-in-law cable-tied each chair. Then my son came to me, another son, and said: "Dad, we need more money." I said we don't have any more budget. He said: "Dad, we need more speakers." I said: "But you've got hundreds of speakers."He said, "The sound team engineers have said there's only enough sound to go to a certain row of chairs, after that there is no more sound."I said we can't.He said, "Dad if you don't those men will hear nothing."I had a choice to make, just like you have a choice to make today and like the widow had to make.I said,” Ok, let's continue to trust God - Go for it.”He ordered more banks of speakers, right to the end of the tent on both sides. But you know what was happening at the very same moment, a farmer was woken up by the Lord, a sheep farmer, and God told him to sell a flock of his sheep and to put the money in the campaign account. Which he duly did. You know something, it was the exact amount that we needed to cover the cost of the speakers!I want to say to you today, just do what the Lord tells you to do, He will undertake for you as He did for that widow and her little boy.God bless you and have a wonderful week.

Psalm 7:1-2 The enemy threatens to tear David apart7:3-5 If he is guilty, may he be judged7:6-11 He calls on the LORD to arise in judgment7:12-16 Judgment will fall upon the head of the wicked7:17 Final praiseGod as judge from Psalm 7God is judge of all peoples- 7:7-8God is a righteous judge- 7:11God is angry with sin- 7:6, 11God punishes the wicked- 7:9, 11, 12-16God vindicates the righteous- 7:8, 9, 10I made a mistake around the 22 minute mark in talking about the word in the Greek translation for "Arise." It is actually the word in the Greek translation for "lifted up" which also appears in the same verse. 

What does having a call on your life look like? The simple answer to this question is to follow the discussion between host  Nicson Silvanie and co-host Adnie Gaudin regarding Abraham within Genesis 15 and 16God's renewed covenant with AbramThe renewed covenant is to help Abram understand that God was still working.God had Abram to attempt to count the stars so he could show him how great his descendants would beGod has Abram bring five different animals for sacrificeThe blood seals the promise of the covenant Abram falls asleep and sees a visionThe explains Abrams vision and tells him what will befall his descendantsThey were going to be enslaved for 400 yearsGod will deliver them out of slaveryThe blood covered Adam and Eve when they sinned.Abram, Sarai and HagarAbram received a promise from God, but he listened to his wife and disobeyed GodHagar gave birth to Abram's sonAbram named Hagar's son Ishmael (God hears) The way to salvation:Hear: Romans 10:17Believe: Hebrews 11:6Repent: Acts 17:30-31Confess: Matthew 10:32Be Baptized: Mark 16:15-16Be faithful unto death: Revelation 2:10J3Days Apparel This apparel company seeks to lift up Christ for He is the Savior and the Redeemer! (John 12:32). A Call to SalvationSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CalledbyGod)

First Thursday - Crowned with Loving-KindnessReadings today are:Psalm 103: 1-4John 3:16God loves you and He wants you to accept that love to the fullest!

Psalm 132:1-18 Matthew 1:3-16God doesn't take back his promises to us. He fulfills His promises to us. He at times may say "no", "yes"or "not yet". The Lord reigns! He is doesn't delay the process he is always on time.

INSTAGRAM: @youth_bioyPSALM READING: Psalm 143:1–12NEW TESTAMENT READING: Revelation 6:1–17OLD TESTAMENT READING: Malachi 1:1–2:16God is the Sovereign Lord of history. But we are not mere robots. You are not being moved around like a piece on a chessboard. Rather, you have a part to play. God involves you in his plans. God works out his purposes in co-operation with his people.

Work and NurtureVocation or work deals with the “doingness” of life. Even those withthe most cerebral of jobs end up in some way doing physical labor ofsome sort, even if it means merely pushing computer keys.What do the following texts teach us about work—using “hands” as asymbol?Deut. 16:15Eccles. 9:10Prov. 21:25Jer. 1:16God has given us “the work of our hands” so that we can find fulfill-ment and joy (see Prov. 10:4, 12:14). In psychology, “self-efficacy”describes the belief that every person has the ability to accomplishsomething meaningful in life. Self-efficacy is not increased by repeat-ing “I think I can! I think I can!” Only actually doing somethingincreases self-efficacy.While “the work of our hands” is God’s blessing to us (see Ps. 90:17)and allows us to live a meaningful life, God’s ultimate plan is that “thework of our hands” would bless others. Paul writes that we must work,doing something useful with our hands, so that we may have somethingto share with others. Paul surely lived by that principle:“You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied myown needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, Ishowed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak,remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessedto give than to receive’ ” (Acts 20:34, 35, NIV).Nehemiah’s simple prayer should be ours: “Now therefore, O God,strengthen my hands” (Neh. 6:9, NKJV).What is your attitude toward your work? What ways might yoube able to use your work to be more of a blessing to others?

God's People, God's Place, God's Rule, 2 Samuel 5:1-16God is at work in this passage, and it points forward to something even more wonderful that God was going to do in the future.

Scriptures to read with this sermon....  Jonah 3:10 - 4:11God had compassion on the Ninevites, even though they were a very sinful city. Jonah was envious because of God's generosity of his forgiveness.  Romans 9:6-16God is not an unjust God. God is the one that decides who he will have mercy upon. God is the one who decides who he will have compassion on.  Matthew 20:1-16 (sermon verses)Jesus tells us about unfairness. It is not our decision, on what is fair and what is not. It is ultimately God's decision. But that's a good thing! We hope you enjoy this message! If you have any questions you can email us at:votl.podcast@gmail.comInstagram: @votlchurchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/votl.org/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbssSY_GyJMabh9W-sSVQpQ Online: https://votl.org

This week Michael is back on the podcast, and makes Brent guess the movie based off it's 1-star review on Amazon. Then, Brent gets further into the 10 Key Truths to Understanding the “Whoever” Salvation that Jesus Provided he mentioned on Sunday:God does not will for any person to perishSo it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. - Matthew 18:14The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9God sent his Son to be the Savior of all peopleFor God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16God desires all people to be saved[God our Savior] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. - 1 Timothy 2:4God purposes to show mercy to all peopleFor God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. - Romans 11:32God is not partial in gifting his salvation to peopleSo Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality.” - Acts 10:34Jesus fully satisfied God’s wrath toward the sins of all peopleHe is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. - 1 John 2:2 Jesus, through his crucifixion, is drawing all people to himselfAnd I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. - John 12:32Salvation by grace is available for all who believeFor the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people - Titus 2:11For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9God’s will and human will both play a part in salvationO Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! - Luke 13:34A person can reject God’s purpose for their life...but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. - Luke 7:30Working together with him, then we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. - 2 Cor. 6:1Finally, if you have questions you'd like for Brent to answer, just email them to michael@citipointchurch.com

Series: DisruptedMessage Text: Exodus 1-16God’s laws were given to Israel to rehumanize them after slavery. In the same way, the commands of God remind us who we are to be after sin has done its work on us. The way of Jesus is the way to an abundant life.

1 Corinthians 7:16God has a secret and divine plan for each of our lives. His wisdom is hidden, it is not found in the values of this world. This episode dives into trusting in His divine plan, learning to build a kind and strong spirit, and leaving margin in our lives for generosity.

Philippians 1:3-6 & Ephesians 3:20-21 & 4:1-16God has a picture, a dream, in mind when He looks at Journey Church. He sees what it is and what it is to become. Just like a Lego set, the Creator has thought through Journey Church, He knew who would be a part of it, who would be here today, who will be a part of it in the future and He wants the beautiful picture that He has in mind for Journey Church to come to life. And just like a Lego set, every piece matters. This is why you matter. You have a place. You can only see the finished work if all the pieces are in place.Journey Group Guide: https://journeybg.church/sermons/thisisus-missionSupport the show (https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/92323)

SCRIPTURE: Malachi 2:10-16God values faithfulness: both our faithfulness to him, and our faithfulness to one another. In this section of Malachi, God accuses the people of treachery against him by way of their treachery against their own wives. The Isrealites respond by denying it, accusing God of no longer paying attention to their offerings, and refusing to give them what they want. But the Israelites’ suffering is the logical byproduct of their decisions to behave seflishly! God’s rejection of their offerings, Malachi says, is the only right response of a God whose character is unimpeachable and whose passion for justice is complete. If the Israelites want God’s favor again, they must first recommit themselves to the kinds of relationships and promises God values. The truth is that we all have a common father in God: we were created by him, and therefore, we need to treat each other with the faithfulness we owe to family members. If we do this, Malachi predicts the coming of a day--and a king--whose reign will bring restoration, grace, and forgiveness for all. This morning, we want to explore the temptations that keep us from faithfulness...and be challenged to lay down our own weaknesses at the foot of a God whose strength can and will make us true to one another. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:Do you think of your church as family? What would change in your commitment to your church if you saw them as your brothers and sisters?The Bible often uses marriage to illustrate the relationship between God and his people. Why is this a powerful metaphor? Does experiencing Jesus’s faithfulness make you more faithful? How? Twice in Malachi 2:15-16, Malachi tells the Israelites to “guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith (be unfaithful)” How do we guard against possible unfaithfulness in our relationship with God?Do you need to seek forgiveness from being unfaithful (to God or in a relationship)? Is there anyone you need to forgive for being unfaithful to you?

In this episode Bri Grimes joins the podcast to lead our thoughts on a tough topic. How do we trust God- His goodness and His sovereignty, when are hearts are broke? She shares vulnerably about her journey of infertility and all that she learned and experienced in the loving arms of God in the midst of loss. Take some time to listen, learn, and be inspired! About the Speaker: Bri Grimes is a 28-year-old wife and mother to a sweet baby boy named Parker. She serves in the full-time ministry and leads the campus ministry in the San Diego Church of Christ alongside her husband, Evan. Bri loves her family, refinishing furniture, and eating Cane's chicken fingers. Episode Notes: A question most of us have asked is "If God is in control, then how can he be good during traumatic circumstances?"David in the bible teaches to wrestle with God- because He can handle our emotions! "Even if I don't understand, will I still trust God?"Proverbs 21:30- God is ALWAYS in control! Lamentations 3:37God's sovereignty and His goodness are always in harmony with each other! He never pursues His glory and the expense of His goodness. God doesn't just create something and walk away- He sustains all things! Our confidence in God's sovereignty is what enables us to trust Him in the midst of any circumstances- His way is perfect. (Psalm 18:30)"Trusting God isn't a matter of my feelings, but a matter of my will!"Psalm 118:6Satan always works to get us to question God's goodness. He wants to convince us that God is either in control OR that He is good. But the truth is that He is both! And although we might not get answers to ALL of our questions, we can trust in God's sovereignty and goodness. Psalm 32:101 John 4:82 Timothy 2:13Isaiah 49:16God is doing everything in His all-encompassing power to bring you good! This isn't the prosperity gospel, it's the loving heart of a father to His precious daughter. "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:17-18Support the show (https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/678206?giving_to=Woven%20In%20Truth%20Podcast)

Ephesians 2:12,16God wants to reconcile you. Are you lost and without Christ? Are you an alien from God? You are separated from God, but God wants to reconcile you to Himself. God wants to save you, can you be saved? Will God save all people? Will God save every race? Find out what you have to do to be reconciled to God... Watch the video version of this podcast | https://cozort.org/admonition/god-wants-to-reconcile-ep-44/

14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and to mark the seasons and days and years. 15And let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so. 16God made two great […]

God is Going before You Preparing the Victory for you to Triumph in it.God is going before you lining up the right people. He is arranging the right breaks, the right opportunities.So Do not Worry or be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord Goes personally ahead of you.It is the Lord Who goes before you; He is with you Always; He will not fail you or abandon you or let you go or forsake you; (Deuteronomy ‭31:8‬)God goes before us:'The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf...Deuteronomy 1:30You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Psa 139:5 (NLT)For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. Is 52:12I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. Isa 45:2To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; Psa 136:16Your situations and circumstances is not a surprise to God. He planned all your day, and broke them in his book for you live one day. Psalms 139:16God is not in heaven, scratching his a time to figure out what you need and how to get to. No, God specifically chose Matthew 6:8 – I know the things you need for you ask Me.God has already written every day of your life in your book. He knew exactly when that thing is facing you was going to happen. And he knows exactly what he's doing bring him glory.The good news is he's already arranged the answers that you need for you ask him. He has your comeback prepare. He has the answer you're seeking for coming to you. He has that situation under his watchful eye the brain him glory.Before you had the problem God already has the solution. God is doing for you right now pairing the next chapters of your life. Just as he said be 210: our My Workmanship Grade in Christ Jesus for the good Works which I prepared in advance for you do, living the good life I've given you to liveGod has your future written in his book about you your book which he wrote all your day..God has Greater Things in Store for You. Greater Big, Gray to Fulfill Greater Success Cause God Is on Your Side, and He Is with You. God knows exactly how he's going to help every situation and circumstance of life, for you know about.When you understand this simple press: God is God in control of all the details of your all the details of the universe. Then you won't be concerned about how he is going to do it, or when he is going to do it, because you know being his child he's going to do it for you.You will stay in peace knowing The Most High God, the creator of the universe, The One Who Controls It All is going before you; and he promised: He Will Fight You Back, Is Your Victory, He Will Make Your Wrongs Right.He Makes You More Than a Conqueror in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:37. You're Going to see the Hand of God Working on Your behalf, Because He Already Is. Jesus Tells John 5:17: My Father Has Always Been, and He's Working Even Now. And Is Working on Your Behalf Is Dear Child.In God's Grace He is not only moving the wrong people out of the way, he will pay you back for every injustice, he will make up for lost time, and get to where are supposed to be in His Perfect Timing Paragraph God Is Never Late, God Is Always on Time.He says: I will go before you and level the mountains [to make the crooked places straight]; I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron. (Isaiah ‭45:2‬)He's making crooked places straight, he's directing your path going before the move in the boulders out of your path that he knows shoot dress and turmoil in trouble. Paragraph God is your good Shepherd whispers to you is online so shall not want, I AM the Lord your God invites all your needs.He looks years down the road pairing solutions for situations and circumstances that you don't even know you gonna have.Listen to the word of God what God himself promises to you: I AM going before you, making your crooked places straight.You may have gone through a bad situation but take heart in your future God has already lined up something that, greater than you can even think hope ask or imagine.New friendships, new opportunities, are just up ahead.

Habakkuk 3:3-16God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. SelahHis splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord ? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation? You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. SelahYou split the earth with rivers. The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice; it lifted its hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger.You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. SelahYou pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters. I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.SERMON NOTES

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

Readings: Genesis 2:18-24; Mark 10:2-16God creates human community in Genesis and Jesus upholds a Kingdom-formed community based in mercy and grace as a witness to God's love in the world. 

Joshua 24:14-16God expects the man to leadGod expects a man to be the moral compassGod expects a man to be a man of faith