Podcasts about 18i

June 11, 2026Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeJoshua 1:16-18I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for over 25 years. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word verse-by-verse and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church Support the show

Introduction: Introduction: How Do I Love? (1 Corinthians 13:1-7) Love ABSENT. (1 Cor 13:1-3) Love ACTIVE. (1 Cor 13:4-7) 1 John 4:8 – God is love. Ephesians 5:1 – Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. LOVE is Patient. LOVE is Kind. LOVE Does Not Envy. LOVE Does Not Boast. LOVE Is Not Arrogant. LOVE Is Not Rude. LOVE Does Not Insist On Its Own Way. LOVE Is Not Irritable. LOVE Is Not Resentful. LOVE Does Not Rejoice At Wrongdoing. LOVE Rejoices With The Truth. LOVE Bears All Things. LOVE Believes All Things. LOVE Hopes All Things. LOVE Endures All Things. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Questions and Answers: How Do I Love? Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:36Open up your Bibles with me please to the book of 1 Corinthians and chapter 13 While you're turning there as is our custom I'm going to ask that you would please pray for me to communicate God's word clearly and accurately as I should and I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us from his word today All right? Let's just take a moment and pray. Father, just a few minutes ago we were talking about being watchful in prayer. Father, make us watchful for the fruit that will come as your word is applied. The radical difference There will be when your people in this church apply what it is you've told us in this passage we're looking at today. Let your Spirit be our teacher. Father, open our hearts up. Remove any distractions from our hearts and minds. Help us to really dial in right now. We ask in Jesus' name.02:03And all of God's people said, Amen. Amen. 1 Corinthians chapter 13. If you've been with us through this study in 1 Corinthians, you've seen that Paul was going through problem after problem after problem after problem in the church. This church had a lot of problems. There were cliques and there were lawsuits There was sexual sin, and there was people insisting on their rights, and they made the Lord's Supper a fiasco. But really, if you wanted to sum up chapters 1 through 12, it really all boils down to one thing. Paul's saying, your lack of love for one another is the problem.03:04They just didn't love each other the way that God has called us to love. And because that's the problem, now we get to chapter 13 where we get to the solution. It's love. It's love. And some of you might be like, ah, yes, yes, yes. 1 Corinthians 13, I know this one. This is where Paul writes the wedding poem.03:34But this passage is used a lot at weddings, but I want you to understand, Paul wasn't in the middle of addressing the church's problems and was like, yeah, we've got to figure out this spiritual gift thing because you're all messed up. Oh, I just had an idea for a wedding poem. I better write this down while it's fresh. It's not a wedding poem.04:00Pastor Taylor talked last week about how the Corinthian church was so messed up about spiritual gifts. And Paul's like, no, no, no, I'm going to show you a more excellent way. Here's the more excellent way. The heart of ministry. The heart of using spiritual gifts. It's not talent.04:30It's not who works the hardest. It's not who puts in the most hours. It's not who's the most creative. The heart of ministry is love. And if you're sitting here today and you're like, yeah, love's not really my thing. Well, it's God's thing. And if you're like, well, you know, I'm just not really a loving person.05:00Well, then you better get on board. Because love is at the top, according to God. When the fruit of the Spirit is listed in Galatians 5, what's first? It's love, right? Paul tells us in Romans 13 that love fulfills the law. Jesus in John 13 said, Do you know? Oh, come on. I gave you so many hints. It's love. It's love. We've got to get on board. We have a little problem, though, in our language. We use the word love so generically, right? We say love for everything, right? But it doesn't all mean the same thing, right?06:00I can say I love hockey and I love my dog and I love my wife, but I don't love all those things the same way. You see, the Greek was a more specific language. They had different words for love. One word was eros. That's where we get the word erotic. That's the hubba hubba, husband and wife kind of love. Another word for love is, That's friendship love. Like Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. But the grandest word for love we're going to be talking about today is agape love. Agape. Agape is self-sacrificing. Agape is you ahead of me.07:02And understand that love isn't about feeling. All right? Feelings come, sure. And feelings go. But love isn't about feeling. Love is about doing. Right? Did Jesus love? Did Jesus love? How do we know? Everything from washing the disciples' feet to laying down his life on the cross, everything he did was an experience.07:30of love.07:35So how about you?07:38Are you a loving person?07:45Oh, in church we certainly idealize it.07:49Right?07:52But do we actually do it?07:56So on your outline today, how do I love?08:00I want to encourage you to not let, look, okay.08:04Because some of you have told me that you like to try to fill in the blanks ahead of time.08:10All right, fess up. Who does that? Raise your hand. Who tries to fill in the blanks? Okay.08:14Come on, this is a safe place to confess, and it's also a good place to repent.08:18I'm going to ask you to please not do that, because you're going to look at the outline today, and be like, oh, this one's easy. Love, love, love, love, love, love.08:25I'm going to ask you to hold on, hold on, all right?08:28and just walk in step with me. Will you do that? All right. So how do I love? In this passage we're looking, it's a very familiar passage, and he just talks about two things. There's two things here, right? And the first one is love absent. Love absent. Look at the first three verses. He says, if I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love.09:01I'm a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.09:08And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but have not love, I am nothing.09:22If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned I have not love.09:31I gain nothing.09:36You see this list here, what he's doing.09:38He's mentioning certain spiritual gifts here.09:42Did you see that?09:43And what he's doing is he's giving exaggerated examples of using spiritual gifts.09:51Like using them to the max.09:54But he says, if I use spiritual gifts, even to their peak performance, if I use them, but I don't genuinely love people, it results in, you see it? Nothing. It's not worth a thing if you don't love. See, the Corinthians, like us, so many times want the gifts of the Spirit, but not the fruit of the Spirit.10:24Paul says anything done without love is useless. Look at this example list of spiritual gifts. First of all, he talks about tongues. We're going to spend in a couple weeks quite a bit of time talking about what the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues is about. But notice here, he says, if I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, like what's angel language? What is that? Well, biblically, there is no such thing.10:54You see throughout these verses, He's exaggerating everything. He's saying, even if I speak a language that they only speak in heaven. He says, even if I did that, but I don't genuinely love people, it's just noise. It's just like banging a gong over and over.11:24How would you last? Probably not very long, right? And somebody would say, well, what happened in church? And you would say, nothing happened in church today. Well, there was some great music. And then the pastor got up and thought he was on the gong show. It was ridiculous. Next, he talks about prophecy.11:54Oh, by the way, he says prophecy is the greatest gift. In chapter 14, verse 1, we talked about this before. Prophecy literally means speak before. It's speaking God's truth before people. We cannot possibly overstate the magnitude of what happens when the Word of God is proclaimed.12:24I was reading about preaching this past week, and one preacher put it this way. He says, when the Word of God is proclaimed, we are bringing eternity into time. I was like, wow, wow, that's what's happening. But to get up and proclaim the Word of God, motivated by self-glory or fame or pride, but not motivated by loving people, it's nothing.12:54Next gift he talks about is knowledge. Do you notice the exaggeration? Here it is again. He says, understand all mysteries and all knowledge. More exaggeration, right? Like, who understands all knowledge? Who understands all mysteries? Like, what do you mean by mysteries? Well, the mystery was just things unknown to man, things only God knows. He's like, even if I knew Every single thing that God himself knows. Things no one else knows. You see, church, you can be highly educated. You can know the Bible frontwards and backwards. But if you don't love people, it's a big nothing.13:55All right, next gift, he talks about his faith. Do you see that? He says, if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains. Does that sound familiar? Faith moving mountains. Jesus talked about that. Matthew chapter 17, Matthew chapter 21. You know, it's the person that's like, you know, I have all faith. I believe. I believe for it. I claim the promise. I believe for it.14:24I just don't love those church people. Paul says you're nothing. And then he talks about the gift of giving. Again, exaggeration, hyperbole. He says I could give away every single thing that I own. And we do know that giving can be motivated by man's applause, right? Matthew 6. Giving can be motivated by guilt or peer pressure or obligation.14:57But if your giving isn't motivated by love, it gets you nothing. Even, even giving your body to be burned. You're like, time out, time out. Who gives their body to be burned? Like, what other motivation could somebody have for giving up their life for someone?15:24or for a cause or... Well, you could ask the Muslims. Because in Islam, dying as a martyr is the only sure way to heaven. They tell these young men, yeah, if you give your life to the cause of Islam, when you get to heaven, you're going to have 70 virgins to enjoy for all of eternity. Do you think they're motivated by love? So see, you can be a martyr.15:56But it doesn't necessarily have to be motivated by love, does it? Here's the bottom line with these first three verses. Paul's saying it doesn't matter what you do in ministry. It doesn't matter how well you do it. Because if you don't love people, you're wasting your time. To what degree? Well, notice in verse 1, he says if you don't love, you produce nothing.16:23Right? Just a clanging cymbal. You produce nothing. Verse 2, he says, if you don't love, you are nothing. And in verse 3, he says, if you don't love, you gain nothing. You've wasted your time. Since this is true, we better understand how to love people.16:53Love Absent. Secondly, let's talk about Love Active. You didn't start filling in your outline yet, did you? Like getting ahead? You didn't start getting ahead, did you? Okay. All right, Love Active. Love Active. Like, okay. A lot of people have different ideas about what love means, what it looks like, how to do it. What does the Bible say? Well, I get some great news for you. There's no ambiguity here whatsoever.17:23Actually, there are 15 words and phrases here that describe love. All right? 15 sub-point sermon. When's the last time you had one of those? All right? Look at verses 4 through 7. He says, love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast.17:53It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Yep.18:27That's not really the point though, is it? The point's not FYI. The point is not for you to walk out here today to say, well, now I have a better understanding of how the Bible defines love. That's not the point. The point is, is this how you love? The point is, Does this list describe you? Does this list describe me? And isn't it just so ironic that church can be the hardest place to love people? Do you notice that? Sometimes it is. Why is that?19:27Well, we're not all BFFs, right? We're just not. We're a family. We're a body. It's easy to love the people that you like. But God allows difficult people in the church.19:53And difficult people are here to test you. To see whether you really love or not. Do you? We'll find out when you encounter somebody that's hard to love. So, here's what we're doing with your outline. You know, 1 John 4 and verse 8 says, God is love.20:26In Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 1, says, therefore be imitators of God as beloved children.20:35So, if God is love, and we are called to imitate God, that means we are to imitate God's love.20:51So your outline here this morning is more of a test. And this is going to show you where you need to grow in love. Since God is love, and since we are to imitate God, here's what we're going to do as we go through, and we're just going to spend a moment on each of these.21:21in the Bible, you should be able to put your name in the blank. And if you truly love like God, the passage should still make sense. Right? So here's what I want you to do. As we go through these, I want you to write your name on the blank. And I want you to hold on to this outline. I want you to keep it as a bookmark in your Bible. And I want this to be a test that you give yourself to say, Does this describe me? Is this how I love people in the church? Alright? It's going to get uncomfortable. But we're committed to this. Right? Put your name down. First it says, love is patient. Put your name down. Can you say that? Can you say, Jeff is patient?22:23Is that you? Because you realize some people just require more patience. Have you noticed? Have you noticed that there are people that we deal with in the church are like, they should have gotten it by now. They should have gotten it six months ago and they still haven't gotten it. Are you a patient person? Patience means I don't write them off.22:51You know what? I'm done. Patience says, you know what? I'm committed to them. Put your name down. Jeff is patient. Can you say that? Secondly, love is kind. Put your name. Jeff is kind. Are you a kind person? The Greek root for the word kind is literally It's always trying to benefit others. Always looking to bless others. Kindness is not tearing people down. It's looking to build up and encourage. That's what kindness is. Can you say that? Jeff is kind. Put your name in there. Next. Love does not envy.23:51Jeff does not envy.23:56We saw last week in verse 31, Paul says, you're coveting the showy gifts.24:05Paul's like, you just want to look like you're the most spiritual person at the church.24:13They had a problem with envy.24:17So let me ask you, how are you doing with envy?24:23Like when somebody in church is talked about, and somebody says, wow, they are such a godly example. And you hear somebody being honored at church, and ooh, that just rubs you the wrong way. And you're like, they're nothing special. Jeff doesn't envy. You know why? Because love looks at people's gifts.24:50different. Love is glad when someone is used by God. Not critical. Love is cheering the rest of the team on. Not envying. Jeff doesn't envy. Next. Love does not boast. Put your name in. Can you say that? Jeff does not boast. This could literally be translated blowhard boasting. It's the person that does and says everything to make himself look good. Everything they do, everything they say, put the spotlight on me. Do you see how awesome and godly and great and perfect and biggest, best, most, goodest I am? Always wanting the attention, always wanting the accolades, You see, envy, wants what other people have. Boasting is to try to make people envy what you have. And love does neither. Right? Can you say that? Jeff does not boast. Next, love is not arrogant. Put your name in the blank. Write it down. Write it down. You're like, I haven't signed my name this many times since I bought a house. Right? Write your name down. Can you say that? Jeff is not arrogant. Arrogance is just the force behind boasting. Right? It's that belief that I'm better than everyone else. I'm the most spiritual person here. But you know, when you truly love other people, you're not going to exalt yourself over them. You're like, you know what?26:50I'm nothing special. I'm a saved sinner. Just like the rest of you. I'm not on any higher plane or exalted status. We're all in the same place here. Sinners saved by grace. So what do I possibly have to be arrogant about? Put your name in the blank. Can you say that? Jeff is not arrogant. Next, love is not rude.27:21Jeff is not rude.27:26That's just treating or speaking to people with disdain.27:32Right?27:32We talked about the rudeness of the Corinthians, right?27:35They had their potluck and people would show up early.27:41And they brought a tuna new casserole or whatever to share with everyone.27:45But they'd show up early and they'd hog it all down themselves.27:48And then people would come later and there wasn't anything for them. Do you know what that's called? Rude! That's rude! And love is not rude. So Jeff should not be rude. And you should not be rude. Right? Lots of ways to be rude. There's lots of ways. Interrupting people. Just talking right over them. Making sure you get in your jerky comment. Go zing them! Right?28:18Just being dismissive. Love isn't rude. Next, love does not insist on its own way. Can you say that and it still makes sense? It's convicting, isn't it? You think the only reason I'm sweating is because it's 120 degrees?28:51Jeff does not insist on getting his own way.28:59That's the biggest problem in church.29:04We're all self-centered.29:06We're all self-centered.29:08I want everything how I prefer.29:10Okay?29:11Church will be great as long as I get everything that I prefer.29:14The music, the kids' ministry, how money is spent, etc., etc., No, no, no, no. Jeff doesn't insist on getting his own way. Love says, look, I want what's best for everyone. I trust the leadership to make decisions. And if things are decided at the church, even if it's not my preference, I just want what's best for everyone. That's what love says. I was thinking about these characteristics, by Jesus, specifically this one, you realize Jesus never did anything just for himself. Did you ever notice that? Everything Jesus did was in perfect submission to his Father and to benefit and bless other people. Jesus never took a day where he's like, you know what, today's about me. I'm having a me day. I'm having a mental health day. I'm going to the spa. Jesus never did that.30:19Jeff does not insist on getting his own way. Next, love is not irritable. Can you say that? Put your name in the blank, write it down, write your name. Jeff is not irritable. This term, irritable, it's actually an explosive term. It's talking about the outbursts.30:48it comes when you're annoyed to the point of breaking. Do you know what I'm talking about?30:56Do you know what I'm talking about?30:58You're annoying me now. Do you know what I'm talking about?31:02I'm getting a little irritated.31:03Do you know what I'm talking about?31:05Where you're just like annoyed and you just keep eating it and annoyed, you just keep eating it and then find like, enough!31:11I've had enough!31:13It's explosive, right?31:15That's what this word means.31:17Like, irritable. Irritable. And some people just, they're personally offended by everything. Some people are just personally offended by everything. What will offend me today? They just roll out of bed on my way to church. What's going to offend me at church today? Is it going to be something said in a sermon? Is it going to be something said in a conversation where the ironing board used to be?31:50What's going to offend me today? Just constantly looking for something to irritate them. But no, no, no, no. Love doesn't do that. Love doesn't take up an offense. Love doesn't get irritated. I care too much about these people to take issue with everything. Jeff isn't irritable.32:18Next. Love is not resentful. Put your name down. Jeff is not resentful. By the way, your name. I keep saying Jeff because that's my name. I better not see your outline where it says Jeff down. Your name. Okay, so like irritable is the explosive term. Resentful is the slow burn term. Resentful. It's just, it's holding a grudge.32:47That's what it is. Actually, in the Greek, it was an accounting term. That's why some Bibles translate this, love keeps no record of wrong. Jeff is not resentful. Jeff should never keep a record of wrong. Can you say that? Oh, we're so good, right? Our memory is terrible.33:17except when it comes to other people's mistakes. Then our memories are great. Right? I don't like her. Why? Because this one time she said this. I don't like him. Why? Because this one time, you know, back in 1987, he did this. I will never forgive her for doing that. It's resentful. You know, somebody, that person could have been having a bad day.33:46The whole thing could have been a complete misunderstanding, but no, no, no, no. I got that in the vault now. All right? I'm resentful. I'm resentful. But love keeps no record of wrong. Do you know why? Do you know why? Do you know who else doesn't keep record of wrong? God. What is it? Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 8, a promise so glorious. He said, in both testaments. God has promised under Jesus Christ He will remember our sins no more. And if there's ever anybody who is justified to keep a record of wrongs against me, it would be God. That because of Jesus Christ, when you receive Him, when you believe in Jesus Christ, when you accept Him as your Lord and Savior, He takes your sin away.34:48And he keeps no record of it. God keeps no record of sin. Love says, Jeff shouldn't either. Right? Can you say that? Next, love does not rejoice at wrongdoing. Jeff does not rejoice at wrongdoing. You're like, rejoice at wrongdoing?35:16Who does that? Everybody does that. We take pleasure. We take pleasure in other people's sins. Like, what do you mean? But just imagine if one of the leaders of our church was caught in some sin. Oh, you're going to see some nastiness come out of people if that would happen. One is you're going to see, People comparing themselves to that leader. You're like, well, I'm not a great person, but I'm not as bad as him. Or the gossip, right? The leader was caught in some sin. There'd be so much gossip. Hey, did you hear what he did? Did you hear about that? There'd be so much gossip going around about that. We delight in other people's sin.36:16Oh, and the slander. That guy, you know, Gossip's ugly cousin, slander. Like, oh, did you hear what he did? Oh, he's not so high and mighty now, is he? Oh, he, oh, leader in the church, huh? Oh, look at him now. Love doesn't rejoice at wrongdoing. So Jeff should not rejoice at wrongdoing because if something offends God, why would I take joy in that? Love is never happy at someone else failing.36:46But love rejoices with the truth. Jeff rejoices with the truth. Dishonesty leads to distrust. Relationships must be built on truth. Can you say that? You rejoice with the truth. You rejoice with honesty because dealing in truth is God's way. And homestretch here.37:16Love Bears All Things. Jeff Bears All Things. Your name Bears All Things. What does that mean? Bears All Things. Literally, the word means to cover. That's literally what the Greek word means. It's covering. It's covering someone's failures and covering someone's sins. Now, yes, when someone is in sin, we talked all about this, we address sin.37:46But what we do not do is parade it around for other people. Like we tell our kids, don't tattle. Right? Don't tattle. Why? Because love doesn't do that. Right? When I was a kid, you know what we called tattling? See who remembers. Being a narc. How many people remember being a narc? Okay? Don't be a narc. All right?38:16we address sin, but we don't parade it around. All right, next, love believes all things. Jeff believes all things. Your name believes all things. But that doesn't mean you're gullible. She'll believe anything. Like, hey, the moon's made out of ham. Like, oh, didn't know that. Like, no, no, that's not what it means.38:46It means believing the best about a person. That's what it means. It's believing the best about a person. It means not being suspicious. That means if a comment is made, if a comment is made that can be taken one of two ways, you take it the good way. That's what it means. I believe the best about them. I don't believe that he said that to hurt my feelings.39:15I believe the best about them. That's what it means. Does that describe you? Or like you hear some rumor, right? Like somebody's like, hey, you know, last Thursday I heard, I was at Walmart and the Browns were in Walmart and I heard Taylor cussing out his wife. I would say, I don't believe that. I don't believe that. Why? Because I believe the best about Taylor.39:47That's what love does. Like, I know this guy. He wouldn't do that. Love believes the best about people, right? Negative example, Job's friends. Remember we went through Job a while back. Remember them? They come to comfort Job and they're like, so you're having a bad day, are you? Well, you must be a terrible sinner. No, love believes.40:15best. Love hopes all things. Jeff hopes all things. Your name hopes all things. Can you say that? It's never giving up on a person. That's what it means. It's never giving up on a person. Oh, he messed up again. I'm disappointed again. Love remembers. Jeff remembers. You remembers. We are all works.40:45in progress. Every single one of us works in progress. And love says, he'll get there. He'll get there. I'm not giving up hope. And then finally, love endures all things. Jeff endures all things. Your name endures all things.41:18Can you say that? That means we survive. The relationship that we have survives even terrible times. That's what that means. With all this patience and kindness and selflessness, you know, the hard times are going to come.41:48And when the dust settles, I'll still be here.41:56No matter what happens, listen, I am for you.42:04No matter what.42:06Because love never lets go.42:13Our worship team would make their way back up to the platform. You might be looking at your list right now. And like me, you look at some areas here. You're like, wow, this doesn't quite describe me the way that I wish that it did. What do I do about that?42:43that are like, meh, meh. I guess I gotta try harder, huh? No. No. Because you can't, look, when it comes to love, you can't fake love. But you also can't muster it up. There's only one thing you can do with love.43:14And that's funnel it. It has to come from God. So I want you to hang on to this. Because wherever you are deficient, you need to take that to God. And I'd like us to do that right now. If you just bow your heads for a moment, please.43:43Just bow your heads. And I want to pray a prayer that is for all of us. Father, we look at your word, we look at this list that under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote to the Corinthians and ultimately to us. We look at this list, Father, and there's so many ways that we fall short. So many ways we should be doing so much better. So many ways we have completely blown it.44:15But Father, we thank you that this list describes you. You haven't given up on us. You continue to pursue and change us. Father, you have called us to imitate you. But the only way we can have love at all because you first loved us.44:48So Father, I pray not just for myself, but for my brothers and sisters here, for those who are streaming or listening to the podcast later.44:56I pray, Father, that we would take this list before you and take an honest assessment and cry out to you for the kind of heart change that only your Holy Spirit can bring about.45:13And Father, might we be a church where more and more our testimony is.45:25We're not perfect and we've got a lot of growing to do, but we are committed to loving one another.45:34We ask this in Jesus' holy and precious name.45:38Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 13:1-7What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Which aspect of love (1 Cor 13:4-7) seems the easiest (“most natural”) for you? Why?Which aspect of love do you personally find the most difficult for you? How can you grow in this area?Why do you think the kind of love described in these verses can be so difficult in the church? BreakoutPray for one another.

Introduction: Mark 1:8 - I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Since I'm a Member of the Body of Christ… (1 Corinthians 12:12-31) I shouldn't DOUBT the Part I Play (1 Cor 12:14-20) Because That DENIES My Purpose (1 Cor 12:14-17) Because That DISHONORS God's Design (1 Cor 12:18-20) I shouldn't DOWNPLAY the Roles of Others (1 Cor 12:21-26) By Acting Like I Don't Need ANYONE ELSE (1 Cor 12:21-24) By Exclusively Focusing on My NEEDS (1 Cor 12:25-26) By Shining the Spotlight onto ME (1 Cor 12:27-31) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Questions and Answers: How is the Church Like a Body? Taylor Brown Download Audio Transcript 00:36Please turn your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 12, verses 12-31. 1 Corinthians 12, verses 12-31. Isn't it frustrating to witness someone not do his or her job correctly? Maybe you have an employee or a direct report who constantly comes late, makes excuses, or has a suspicious number of grandparents that he has funerals he has to attend.01:06How many grandparents do you actually have? You hire a contractor to carry out a project in your house and he makes huge mistakes. And he acts very inconvenient when you come, when you ask him to come back and fix those mistakes. Your waitress has a horrible attitude and never checks on your table because she is constantly texting. You know what's even more frustrating than that? Witnessing or experiencing someone else.01:36not allow others to do their jobs correctly. You watch your favorite team lose yet again because one key player can't get his act together and he messes it up for everybody. You have a boss who is an expert in incompetence. He expects everyone to do their jobs as well as his job. You have a co-worker who makes your job so hard you can't finish this project at work because she has constantly dragging your feet and she is not communicating with you.02:10And instead of accepting that blame, taking it on herself, she points the finger of blame at you and says that it's your fault.02:19You know what's infinitely more frustrating than all the examples I've given already?02:24Witnessing a Christian refuse to do his or her job in the church.02:30or experiencing another Christian attempt to hinder you from carrying out your job in the church. Instead of contributing to the team, this person backs away, tries to go solo and do his or her own thing. Instead of building others up and encouraging them, they tear others down and diminish them. Wasted potential is a sorry sight to behold. Misused talents are squandered resources.03:02Missed opportunities for ministry are to be grieved. As you learned over the past eight months in 1 Corinthians, the church is commanded to be unified and purified. Unfortunately, this unity is undervalued, ignored, and tested by many who should know better. This purity is jeopardized, abused, and cast aside by many who claim to know and love Jesus Christ.03:30Excuses are made and commitments are unkept. Complaints are spoken instead of genuine praise. Zooming in on me and what I want is far more common than focusing on us and what we need. Am I describing you? Am I describing your contribution to the church?04:00Ask yourself, am I contributing to the unity and purity of Harvest Bible Chapel, or am I subtracting from it? Are you neglecting to do your job in the church? Are you standing in the way of others and making it hard for them to carry out their jobs in the church? Take a moment to go before the Lord and consider those questions.04:32Quiet your heart and ask God to convict you today. Ask God to challenge you today. Ask God to change you today. Go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we come before you as your people for the most important appointment of the week. May we not be distracted. Or may we truly dial in to what what you want to teach us this morning. Lord, may you show us who you've called us to be and what you've commanded us to do. I pray we'd all walk out of this room with a different vision of the church and a different idea of what we are called to do individually in the church. I ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. We are in the Q&A section of 1 Corinthians. Paul is addressing questions that this congregation asked him in a previous And last week, Pastor Jeff showed us Paul's answer to the Corinthians' question about spiritual gifts. Every single believer is given at least one spiritual gift that is to be used to bless the church and advance the gospel. No one is skipped over. No one is forgotten. No one is left giftless. And these gifts are to unite, not divide.06:00And Paul continues to answer this question in chapter 12, verses 12 through 31, by providing a powerful illustration. He compares the unity of the church body to the unity of a physical human body. Check out what he has to say in verse 12 of chapter 12.06:30So it is with Christ. I'm going to ask you a very easy question, and I'm even going to let you cheat to get the right answer. So everyone, look down and give yourself a quick once-over. Come on, go do it. Are you ready for my question? How many bodies do you have? It's not your question. Just one, you got the answer right. Great job.07:01I'm asking you an easy follow-up question. You can look down again if you have to. How many body parts do you have? Do you have more than one body part? Yes, you have more than one. According to Dr. Google, which is never wrong, you have 78 organs, 206 bones, and 30 to 40 trillion cells. You have individual body parts, legs, feet, toes, toenails, arms, Arms, Hands, Hands, Fingers, Fingernails, Heart, Lungs, Kidney, Stomach, Pancreas, Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Nose, Nose, Hairs, Mouth, Teeth, Gums, Tongue, Uvula.07:41And on the list goes. Sorry, Pastor Jeff's uvula was swollen this week, and you're talking about it a lot, so I had to add that.07:50He was sick. That was the reason why.07:54But these individual parts do not operate or function independently from one another.08:00Instead, they work together as one body. They serve different roles. They carry out the same mission to keep you alive and kicking. And Paul is saying this truth about your physical body applies to the church body as well. Yes, we all have different roles. We all have different functions. But we do not operate independently from one another. We work together as one body.08:30same mission to lift high the name of Jesus Christ by making disciples.08:37And you may be thinking, hold on a minute.08:39This illustration seems to break down a bit because I've always had my physical body.08:44It's the only one I've got.08:46How did I become a part of the church body?08:48When did that happen?08:50It's a great question.08:52Thankfully, Paul answers it in verse 13.08:55He says, For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and all were made to drink of one Spirit. You realize at one point you didn't exist. There was no you. Then you popped into existence and you grew in your mother's womb. And at one point you were born into this world with your physical But if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, if you have been saved and given new life in Him, you have experienced more than just one birth. According to God's Word, you've experienced a new birth. And on your spiritual birthday, you were brought into the body of Christ. You became a part of the body of Christ. And this second birth is a work of the Holy Spirit, who Paul That sounds really cool. What in the world does that mean? Baptized in the Holy Spirit. Well, 2,000 years ago, John the Baptist baptized men and women in water as a sign of their repentance. But John was up front. He was very clear that he was not the point. He was not the be-all and end-all. He came to point to someone greater than him. He says, He says, I baptize with water, but He will baptize with the Holy Spirit.10:37Who is this greater person?10:39Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit?10:42Jesus Christ Himself.10:46This has massive implications for my life, your life, and the life of this church body.10:52This means that I, Taylor Samuel Brown, wasn't just baptized in water on July 30, 2000 by Pastor Jesse Boggs at Northgate Church. Yes, that was an important day. That was an important baptism. But I experienced an even more important day, an even more important baptism years prior. Before that, I was baptized in the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ. I was saved from my sins.11:25I was made into a new person.11:27I was brought into the body of Christ.11:32My water baptism was simply an outward symbol of the salvation I experienced.11:39Of this baptism in the Holy Spirit that I experienced.11:45And Paul even says that I drank of the Holy Spirit.11:50Again, sounds great, but what in the world does that mean? Well, think about it this way. When you drink something, you are filled with that liquid, aren't you? Whether it's water, coffee, wild cherry, Pepsi, or kombucha. When you drink a liquid, you are filled with that liquid. When you drink of the Holy Spirit, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. He lives within you. He takes up residence within you.12:20If you have trusted in Christ, you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. You have been filled with the Holy Spirit. In verse 13, Paul mentions different factors that would divide people back in his day. He mentions ethnicity and social status. In 2026, we live in a world where we are constantly being tried to be ripped apart because of our many differences. We have different backgrounds. We have different skin colors. We come from different financial situations. We have different careers. We have different personalities. We have different temperaments. We are different in so many ways. And as we'll discover soon, that is good news to celebrate. But we are the exact same in the most important ways. We have the same Heavenly Father. We have been redeemed by the same Savior.13:20been changed by the same Holy Spirit. We belong to the same body. Our differences may be great, but our unity in Christ and His Spirit is even greater. So after this long and theologically heavy introduction, you may be thinking, all right, this is all very interesting, but what's the point? I get it. I'm a member of the body of Christ.13:49Now, you need to be encouraged to do your job in the body of Christ. Now, you need to be encouraged to let other people do their jobs in the body of Christ. So on your outline, since I'm a member of the body of Christ, number one, I shouldn't doubt the part I play. I shouldn't doubt the part I play.14:19Some of you in this room and watching online struggle to truly believe that you have an important part to play in the life of this church. You may think to yourself, I mean, sure, this is my church and I'm involved, but if I left, nothing would change. No one would notice. I don't have an upfront role that matters. I don't play an instrument. I don't really matter here. And as one of your pastors, it deeply saddens me that some of you feel that way about you.14:51It deeply saddens me that you believe a lie about yourself instead of believing what God's word says about who you are. You do matter. You do have a part to play at Harvest. This church does need you and it wouldn't be the same without you. And I'm not just saying that to make you feel good. I'm saying that because that's what God's word says. Listen to what Paul says in verses 14 through 17.15:19For the body does not consist of one member, but of many. If the foot should say, because I'm not a hand, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?15:49I didn't doubt the part I play. Letter A on your outline, because that denies my purpose. Because that denies my purpose. You claiming that you have no part to play in the body of Christ because you don't have the gifting of another person is as ridiculous as your foot saying, I have no part to play in the body because I'm not a hand. I'll never be able to hammer a nail into the wall. I'll never be able to type on a keyboard, so I just give up.16:18I mean, sure, your hands can't do, your feet can't do what your hands can do. But your hands can't do what your feet can do as well, right? Walking is pretty important, right? Most of you don't agree with that. Walking is really important, right? Your hands can't do that. Okay, good. Man, you are sitting right now, but eventually you will have to get up and walk away.16:45You claiming that you have no part to play in the body of Christ is as insane as your ears saying, I have no part to play in the body because I'll never be able to look at the Grand Canyon. I'll never be able to stare up at a starry night. So I'm just going to tune out and call it a day. I mean, yeah, your eye is important, but your eyes can't do what your ears can do. Without your ears, you wouldn't be able to hear anything. Just imagine if your entire body was just just one feature. Eyes are beautiful, aren't they? I love my wife's eyes the most, and I could stare into her eyes for hours. But imagine if Kate was just a big eyeball and nothing else. There's a big eye bouncing around my house and sleeping in the bed next to me at night. That sounds like the premise of a horror movie. I mean, yeah, I'd still love her because I made a vow to her 12 years ago, but That'd be pretty rough. That'd be hard. A big eye has 20-20 vision, but it can't really do anything else. A big ear has great hearing, but it can't really do much else. Now imagine if every single person in this church had the same exact gifting and function. Would that be productive or disastrous? It would be a total and complete I have been in a room with thousands of preachers before.18:20Imagine if those thousands of preachers tried to carry out the same function in the same church.18:27There would be arguments about who does what.18:29The bills would never get paid.18:31The building would fall in disrepair and probably burn down.18:34Preaching is an essential function of the church, but is not the only function.18:41Some of you men in this room do have a preaching gift.18:44We are so thankful for you. You realize it's very different. It's very unique to have this many guys who can preach a message in a church. That doesn't happen everywhere. God has gifted this church. But others of you guys do not have a preaching gift. And that is not something to be upset about. That is not a bad thing. Not everybody has the gift of preaching. Not everyone has an upfront role.19:14If your part is behind the scenes, it matters. Maybe your part is in the AV booth. Without Mike back there, without all the AV team back there, no one would be able to hear the sermons. I'd just scream at the top of my lungs for you to hear me. Without Ben and Lincoln working on the sermons afterwards, people across the country and across the world wouldn't be able to hear it, which does happen.19:43Maybe your part is being on the prayer team. You show the rest of the body what it looks like to faithfully lift up the needs of the saints to the Lord. Maybe your part is security. You function as the antibodies of the church that keeps the rest of the body safe. Maybe your part is working at Harvest Academy or working as an adult leader in Arrow. You are training up the future generation in Jesus Christ.20:14is leading a small group. You are on the front lines of congregational care and discipleship. Maybe your part is on the relocation and building committee with Pastor Rich and the others. You help formulate the budget. You count on Sundays. I can keep going and going and going. Without a doubt, you do have a part to play. Stop believing that you do not matter. Stop being envious of others. Stop denying your purpose at harvest.20:45I shouldn't doubt the part I play because that denies my purpose. Letter B, I shouldn't doubt the part I play because that dishonors God's design. Because that dishonors God's design. Let's look at verses 18 through 20. But as it is, God arranges the members in the body, each one of them as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be?21:18When you badmouth a team's starting lineup and strategies, who are you ultimately dishonoring? The coach who decides who starts and designs the place. If you pick apart every single detail of a restaurant and complain about it to everyone that you know, who are you dishonoring ultimately? The manager, the owner, who decides who to hire, who makes all the big decisions. If you complain about your gifting and part in the body, who are you ultimately dishonoring? God himself. He is the one who created you. He is the one who designed his church. Paul says that God arranges the members in the body, each of them as he chose. When you are discontent with your part in the church, you aren't just hurting yourself, and you are hurting yourself.22:13You aren't just shortchanging your fellow members. You aren't just making ministry hard for the pastors, elders, and other leaders. You are accusing God. You are saying something about Him that is not true. You are shouting this message to your Creator. God, you made a mistake with me. I deserve a do-over. You could have done better. Is that a great message to send to the most important and powerful person the universe. No, it is not. Because God doesn't need a do-over. Because he nails everything on the first try. God did not make a mistake with you. He designs you purposefully and puts you into his church with purpose and design. It's a complete waste of time, energy, and effort to resist the Lord. So cut it out. Get on board with his plans for the body. Lean into your God-given part instead of backing away from it. Do your job in the church because it was personally chosen for you. Since I'm a member of the body of Christ, I shouldn't doubt the part I play. Since I'm a member of the body of Christ, number two on your outline, I shouldn't downplay the roles of others. I shouldn't downplay the roles of others.23:44from sabotaging yourself to sabotaging others. It is foolish to stand in your own way, but it is wicked to stand in the way of other people. As we just talked about, many of you struggle with a low view of yourself and how God has gifted you. Others of you have the exact opposite problem. You have a low view of others and how God has gifted them.24:13In the next several verses, Paul warns you to not downplay the roles of others in the church. Listen to verses 21 through 24.24:43which are more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it. I shouldn't downplay the roles of others, letter A on your outline, by acting like I don't need anyone else. By acting like I don't need anyone else. So Paul turns the tables on the Corinthians as well as you and me in these verses. He flips the scenario.25:13First, he says it's dumb for a foot or an eye to say that they're not a part of the body. Now he says it's dumb for the eye or the head to tell other parts of the body that they don't matter. This kind of attitude is arrogant. This game of comparison misses the point. You know, naturally, we all create lists of importance and systems of ranking.25:43a to-do list that you want to complete, right? Where do you put the items that you think are the most important? Top of the list, right? Where do you put the items that you think are probably the least important? At the bottom of the list. Several months ago, many of you took part in the college basketball brackets, right? You decided which teams you thought were the best and which teams you thought were the worst. If I were to ask you your favorite movies, you could list them very quickly. If I were to ask you to list your least favorite movies, you could do it even quicker. We naturally evaluate everything. We're constantly grading other people's performances. We form our own personal rankings. And this was happening in the Corinthian church back in the first century. There were the spiritual elite at the top of the charts who looked down on those they thought were weaker, less honorable, and even unpresentable.26:45Paul says those brothers or sisters who seem weaker are actually indispensable. Those who seem to have a less than honorable role deserve greater honor. Those who seem unpresentable should be treated with the utmost respect. You may be thinking, oh, Pastor Taylor, I'm not spiritually elite. I don't look down at other people. I don't act like I don't need anyone else.27:16Are you sure about that? Are you sure? Do you make excuses for why you can't be in community with other believers? Do you refuse to join a small group or be involved in other ministries that we offer here like fishermen, live, laugh, lunch, precepts, mugs and moms? You say you don't have time or energy for these things, but inwardly you know that's not true.27:43By not joining a small group or participating in any of these ministries, you are communicating a loud and clear message, I'm doing just fine on my own. I don't need anyone else. I am self-sufficient. Maybe you are a part of a small group of one of the other ministries that I mentioned, but as soon as you walk in, you put up your defense shields. You don't share a detail of your life with anybody. No one knows anything about what you're struggling with or how they can pray for you because you don't.28:13tell them. You don't want to trust anybody else because they might let you down. You were hurt in the past and so you think, well, it's going to happen again, so I'm not even going to try. Are you someone who comes in late and leaves early because you are terrified of knowing others and being known? You're acting like you don't need anyone else. Are there people in this room or the other service that you actively avoid?28:45Is there a guy in your small group that you intentionally leave out of conversations and hangouts? Is there a woman down the aisle from you who you are blatantly rude to face to face and make fun of behind closed doors? All of these behaviors are childish. All of these behaviors are reflective of the Corinthians, not Christ. All of those behaviors hurt the body and do not help the body.29:14I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by acting like I don't need anyone else. Letter B, I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by exclusively focusing on my needs. By exclusively focusing on my needs. Let's read verses 25 through 26. That there may be no division in the body, that the members may have the same care for one another.29:44All suffer together. If one member is honored, all rejoice together.29:53Have you ever been walking around your house minding your own business whenever you stub your pinky toe on the bed or a bench or a chair?30:01Let me ask you, in that moment, is it just your pinky toe that reacts?30:07Does the rest of your body think, man, sucks to be pinky, too bad for him.30:11I'm just gonna kinda do my own thing for a little while he calms down. No, when you stub your pinky toe, the pause button is pressed on life and nothing else matters. Your whole body reacts, your face grimaces, your mouth yells out some things that you hope nobody else hears. Your back arches, your hands reach down and grab your damaged foot and you pogo stick around on the undamaged foot and then your eyes inspect the damage. Your whole body reacts to the pain.30:43You ever had a bad back problem? Or a nagging tooth pain? Are you able to compartmentalize that and not think about it? Now when your back hurts, it's game over for your day. If your tooth is throbbing, you have one all-consuming thought, end the pain right now. Your whole body feels the pain of even its smallest member.31:12The same should be true of the body of Christ. If one person is in pain, all of us should be in pain. If there is a need, we should all rise up to meet that need. If someone in your small group has a big surgery or a major medical issue, start a meal train. Go visit them in the hospital. Take care of tasks around the house.31:41If there's someone on your serving team who loses a family member, show up at the funeral. Show up at the visitation. Your presence will speak far louder than any words you could possibly share. Care about the pain of other people. Meet the needs of others. Care about what other people need, even more than what you need. If one member suffers, all suffer together.32:11If one member is honored, all rejoice together. Here's a question that's been nagging at me all week. Do I love to celebrate the victories of other people? Very often the answer is no. What about you? Do you love to celebrate the victories of other people? Do you rejoice with other Christians?32:41When something good happens to another Christian in your life, do you think, praise the Lord, what a blessing? Or do you think, man, when's it going to be my turn? Nothing good ever happens to me like it does to that guy. When there's a couple in this church that has a solid marriage and really great godly children, do you think to yourself, man, what a great example that I want to follow? Or do you think to yourself, when will my family get it together? I'll never be like Mr. and Mrs. Perfect. I wish they'd stop rubbing it in my face.33:13You have to understand that other people's success is not your failure. According to Paul, their success is your success because you are a part of the same body. Let's share in the pain together. Let's share in the joy together. Let's thank the Lord in the good times together. And let's trust the Lord in the hard times together.33:41I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by acting like I don't need anyone else. I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by exclusively focusing on my needs. Finally, I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by shining the spotlight onto me. By shining the spotlight onto me. Let's wrap up with verses 27 through 31. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, These verses are jam-packed with a ton of stuff that we cannot get into. We don't have the time right now.34:41But it's really important to see that Paul mentions an office that no longer exists today. The office of apostle. Some churches have not got that memo yet. God is not posting apostleship jobs on Indeed. He is not hiring or looking to fill that position in 2026. Paul also talks about the sign gifts like speaking in tongues, miracles, and healing. Thankfully, I don't have to wade into that controversial topic because Pastor Jeff did it last week and he'll do an even deeper dive this summer.35:11Sometimes it pays to be the associate pastor.35:15But for now, catch the principle that Paul is communicating instead of getting bogged down in the details.35:21And the best way to do that is to answer the layup questions that Paul asks.35:25Let's go through the list.35:26And you have to participate.35:27You have to answer the question.35:29There's one obvious answer for all of them.35:31Are all apostles?35:33Good job.35:34Are all prophets?35:36Are all teachers?35:38Do all work miracles?35:39Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? What's Paul's point? God has given every single believer a spiritual gift or several spiritual gifts, but he has not given any believer all the spiritual gifts. That's not possible. You know, we have a lot of talented musicians and vocalists here at Harvest, don't we? Let's give them a round of applause and thank them for all they do for us.36:13You know, Jesse Hogan, he can sing, he can play the guitar, he can play the drums, he can play the piano. He can play three instruments and I can play none. I guess I shouldn't rank our abilities, right? I shouldn't compare. I'm sorry, I'm still learning that lesson myself. I shouldn't compare with Jesse. Jesse can play all those things, but he can't play every single instrument in the world of which there are over 1,500.36:39Also, Jesse can't play all those instruments at the same exact time. If Jesse tried to come up here and do a one-man band and try to run between the guitar, the piano, and run between the drums, he would make a total and complete fool of himself. Because prideful exaltation always leads to forced humility. Jesse needs the rest of the band around him.37:09He needs everybody else. He needs the vocalists who can't reach the notes that he cannot. He needs Chris or Jay on bass. Jesse needs everybody else working with him. You know, the Corinthians were experts in self-exaltation. Many in the church wanted to shine the spotlight onto themselves. Look again at verse 31. Paul says, On a first glance, it may look like Paul is commanding the Corinthians to seek after the biggest and best gifts, but that totally misses the point of what he's actually saying. If you pay attention to the context, he's saying the exact opposite. This word, earnestly, is most often used in the context of envy and jealousy. A better translation of this verse is, But you are jealous for the higher gifts Paul is not commending them He is not celebrating them He is correcting the Corinthians Because they desired the flashy and showy gifts Serving wasn't on their mind because they wanted to show off Paul is telling them You're not the point So stop trying to be You're not in competition with one another You are working together Be in sync with one another do your job and help other people do their job as well. And he concludes by saying, and I will show you a still more excellent way. What is that still more excellent way? It is the way of love, which Pastor Jeff will talk about next week. This whole topic of spiritual gifts and the unity of the body should be viewed the lens of love.39:05The love of Christ for us, our love for Christ, and our love for each other. Otherwise, we'll miss the point of why God even gifted us in the first place. If you have been saved by Christ, never forget that you belong to Christ. Never forget that you belong to Christ's beloved body. Since you're a member of the body of Christ, you shouldn't doubt the part that you Since you're a member of the body of Christ, you shouldn't downplay the roles of others. As this sermon concludes, some of you in this room may feel a bit left out because you're not a Christian. You are not a member of the body of Christ. As of now, you are a detached hand or foot that has no function in the church body. As of right now, you are a detached eye or ear that is not connected to anything greater than yourself. As of now, the life-giving blood of Christ does not flow in you and through you. I have to warn you, if you continue in this state of self-isolation, you will wither away and die in your sins. You will experience a life without purpose, and you will endure an eternity separated from the giver of life.40:35and the other recipients of his life. If that's you, I beg you to turn from your sin and turn to Jesus. Place the full weight of your faith upon him, what he has done through his life, death, and resurrection. And then, and only then, will you be forgiven and given new life. Then, you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit. You will be brought into the body of Christ.41:04you will be placed into the perfect role that you were made for. You will be given the high honor and responsibility of serving Christ and his body. We'd love for you to join us. Let's pray. Father, we come to you and we thank you for your word. We thank you for the encouragement and the conviction that we all experienced. Lord, if there is someone in this room who is currently not a member of the body of Christ, who is not saved. May today be the day where they finally say no to sin and yes to your son.41:43And for the rest of us, Lord, may we do our jobs.41:47May we let other people do their jobs.41:49May we work together and encourage each other.41:51Lord, we thank you for all that you're doing with this new building project.41:57Lord, none of that matters if we can't work together now.42:01May we be faithful now.42:03May we work together now. We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 12:12-31What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Re-read 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 - What does it mean that we are baptized in the Spirit and drink of the Spirit? Why is this so important for church unity? Do you ever doubt the part you play in the body of Christ? How can you fight against this discouragement? How do you see professing Christians standing in the way of others and downplaying their roles in the church? How do you see this disturbing trend within yourself? What does it look like to prioritize the needs, hurts, and victories of other members in the church body over your own? BreakoutPray for one another.

Introduction: How Should I Receive the Lord's Supper? 3 Things You'd Better Get Right: (1 Corinthians 11:17-34) PURPOSE. (1 Cor 11:23-26) What is the Purpose of the Lord's Supper? REMEMBRANCE. (1 Cor 11:24-25) PROCLAMATION. (1 Cor 11:26) ANTICIPATION. (1 Cor 11:26) Luke 22:15-16 - And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” POSTURE. (1 Cor 11:27) PREPARATION. (1 Cor 11:28-34) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Questions and Answers: How Should I Receive the Lord's Supper? Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:36Open up your Bibles with me please to the book of 1 Corinthians. So 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and let's just bow our heads and I'm going to ask that you would please just take a moment to pray for me that I would be faithful to do nothing but clearly communicate the Word of God as presented. And I will pray for you to have your hearts open to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us today in this passage. Let's pray.01:07Father in heaven, we are talking today about something that is very serious to you and therefore should be to us. So I pray we would all be dialed in. That we would, as Pastor Taylor prayed earlier, our hearts would be ready to receive what it is you want to tell us and that we would, respond accordingly.01:41Thank you, Father, for being a God of truth, being a God of grace, the love that you've shown us, Father.01:51We praise you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.01:56All of God's people said, Amen.01:591 Corinthians 11.02:01Many, many, many years ago at a previous church, before our Wednesday night kids activities, one time a month, we would have a potluck. And somehow, this particular potluck Wednesday snuck up on us. And Erin was like, oh no, tonight's the church meal thing. And she was running around the house trying to find something.02:31to take over. And lo and behold, Mother Hubbard's cupboards were bare. And she goes, what are we going to... Well, she found in the cupboard that once upon a time, she bought a whole bunch of rice bowls from Big Lots. They were on clearance. She bought a whole bunch of these. They were like these individual serving thing, you know, you put water in it and throw it in the microwave and ta-da, cheap lunch.03:01So she bought a whole bunch of these on clearance. And she's like, this is all that I have to share at the meal. So she made a whole bunch of rice bowls. And by the way, they were all different flavors. She's like, I'll just make them all and just mix them together. Like I said, it came in several mouth-watering versions.03:33So we had jasmine and teriyaki and salmon and I don't know, chocolate caramel. And anyway, she took all of these rice bowls and put them like in a casserole dish. And she goes, all right, now here's what I need you to do. She says, I need you to get over there early and sneak this in so that nobody knows where it came from. And I'm telling you this because you need to know that I was an accessory to this crime.04:00So mission accomplished. I snuck the bowl in. I was poof gone like a ninja. Nobody knew where that dish came from. So we had our meal. We had our kids program. And at the end of the night, I went to sneak back to get our casserole dish. And inside the dish was a note. And the note said, whoever made this, please give me the recipe.04:35So today we're going to be talking about a good old-fashioned potluck because Corinth had a fellowship meal. Sort of like the one we had that one Wednesday night a month. And they would have this fellowship meal. They'd have their potluck and then afterwards they would take the Lord's Supper together and they made it a Real Seen.05:03Look at verse 17.05:06Paul says, But in the following instructions, I do not commend you.05:12Because when you come together, it is not for the better, but for the worse.05:20Paul's like, You guys, you're ruining worship.05:28You're ruining your worship time.05:30And that's a theme that goes through chapter 11, 12, 13, 14. Paul's like, you're ruining it. Look at verse 14. I'm sorry, verse 18, excuse me. He says, for in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and I believe it in part. Divisions. We spent a whole lot of time talking about that. There were cliques. Everybody had their favorite preacher, and there were divisions.05:59Literally, the word divisions means arguing over opinions. And there was a lot of that. Paul says, yeah, I certainly believe it. Verse 19, interesting side note, he says, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. As I said, we spent a lot of time talking about the factions.06:29the cliques and the divisions in chapters 1-4.06:34But Paul points out here, you know, there is one good thing about factions.06:42He says all of the fighting has a way of showing you who is genuine.06:50Who's an authentic, mature believer and who's not.06:56But Paul says, you want to learn who's spiritual?06:59You want to learn who is unspiritual and probably unsaved? Paul says, just watch how people handle disputes. And that is 100% true. Watch how people handle disputes, and you'll see how spiritual they are. But he goes on. Verse 20, he says, when you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat, For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. You see what's going on here? Paul says you're making the Lord's Supper into something that is not the Lord's Supper. At their fellowship meal, first of all, we saw there's cliques. Everybody sit with their people.07:59Don't sit with anybody else. Make sure you sit with your people. And Paul pointed out some of them were, they were showing up early and just eating all the stuff that they brought to share. They're showing up with their casserole dish full of the hodgepodge rice bowls, and they're just sitting and eating it all themselves. They got their tuna noodle casserole or their beef stroganoff that they meant to share with everyone.08:29and they're just hogging it down themselves.08:35He says, you're not sharing.08:37And as a result, some of the poorer people were going hungry.08:44Oh, and if that's not enough, some of them were showing up early, not only eating too much, but they were drinking too much.08:52He says, some of you are drunk.08:53I mean, can you see this scene?08:56You're showing up for church for a fellowship meal before the Lord's Supper is even served. Some people were drunk. Paul was rightly outraged. Look at verse 22. He kind of lets them have it. He goes, what? Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate?09:26those who have nothing. What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. Paul's like, what are you doing? Can't you be a hog at home? Like, what's going on here? Do you hate the church? Is that what's going on here? Do you get happy about being cruel to poor people? Paul's like, what do you want me to say? What do you want me to say?09:57I'm not going to say that.10:01It's a serious rebuke.10:04Because there's a serious problem.10:07They were making a mockery of something that should be absolutely sacred to the church.10:14And that's the Lord's Supper.10:19What is the Lord's Supper?10:23You read about the Lord's Supper in all the Gospels.10:26But it was Jesus' last meal with His disciples before He died on the cross. They were Jews celebrating the Passover meal. So what is the Passover meal? Well, that was a sacred observance that God gave the nation of Israel to remember that they were hopeless slaves in Egypt and God saved them. He sent someone to deliver them from bondage.10:56The Passover meal would have four different cups at different intervals in the meeting. You would eat bitter herbs together. There would be a retelling of the Exodus story. They would eat unleavened bread. They would sing some of the Psalms. That's what the Passover meal was. And in the Lord's Supper, when Jesus had it with His disciples, He made it new. You see, it went from, remember, the Exodus to remember that Jesus Christ came to save you from your sins. And you can trace this in your Bible. The early church did it on a regular basis, Acts 2.42. And at some point, the early church started doing it weekly, apparently, from Acts 20.7.11:52But in Corinth, the Lord's Supper was tacked onto a meal of gluttony and drunkenness and selfishness. So in the section we're looking at today, Paul says, you, Corinth, are greatly dishonoring the Lord with your conduct. And he says, if you're coming together to take the Lord's Supper as a church, you better get a clue as to what the Lord's Supper is about.12:26All right, so on your outline, how should I receive the Lord's Supper?12:31This is something that we do as a church.12:34We are going to do it in a few minutes.12:36So I think this is something that we should really tune into.12:43How should I receive the Lord's Supper?12:44Well, there's three things you better get right.12:48All right?12:50I alliterated them for you so that something not just for today, but every time we take the Lord's Supper together, these three things, you've got to get these right if you're going to do this. Number one is purpose. Purpose. What is the purpose of the Lord's Supper? Why do we do this? Well, Paul, That's where he starts. He goes, maybe you need reminded. Maybe you've been so off base you just need reminded of what this is about. Look at verse 23. He says, for I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you. That the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread. Stop there for a second. Most scholars believe that 1 Corinthians was actually written before the Gospels were completed. So this information that Paul is giving is directly from Jesus. So Paul says, let me remind you what the Lord's Supper is about, the purpose. On your outline, what is the purpose of the Lord's Supper? It's really about three things he's going to show us here. Letter A, why do we take the Lord's Supper? Letter A, R is for remembrance. Remembrance. Look at verse 24.14:20He says, when Jesus, the night He was betrayed, He took bread, verse 24, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, this is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. The body, the bread represents the body.14:49The bread represents the body of Christ, the incarnation, the glorious mystery that God Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, became a man. But notice in verse 24, Jesus said, this is my body which is, what are those last two words? I'll give you another run at that. This is my body which is for you.15:19You should have that underlined in your Bible for you. Do you realize everything that God did in the incarnation was for you? Why did God become a man?15:49It was for you. Why did he suffer the way that he suffered? For you. Why was he willing to lay down his life as a sacrifice? For you. And he says, do this. Do this. That's a Do this. Why do we receive the Lord's Supper? We're commanded to do that. Do it, church. Do it, small groups. Do it. This is something that we are commanded to do. Verse 25, he says, in the same way, also, he took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.16:49It's a new covenant in the blood of Christ. What is a covenant? It's just a promise. It's an agreement. There was an old covenant where sins were atoned with the blood of animals. But this is the new covenant. This is a new promise where Jesus said, I will take away all of your sins forever with one sacrifice.17:19It's the covenant of blood. See, blood speaks to the violent death that Jesus endured. It made the new covenant possible. But notice both the body, the blood, the bread, the cup, and both do this in remembrance.17:49on this because we talked about this three weeks ago. But in the Jewish mindset, remembrance was more than just recalling something. You know, it's not like we come to church like, wait, who are we worshiping? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Jesus, that's right. Now I recall. Remembrance is so much more than that. We saw this back in chapter 10, verse 16, where Paul said, taking the Lord's Supper together as a church is participation.18:19That's what remembrance is about. It's embracing everything that the body and blood means.18:30See, the Lord's Supper isn't just about reminding ourselves of an event that happened so long ago. This is about our life right now. This is who God is. This is how He has revealed Himself. This is what He has done because of His love for me. He laid out his life for me.18:51He calls me to carry my cross and follow him daily.18:57The Lord's Supper brings us to that place where we're engulfed with all of that.19:05It's remembrance.19:10What's the purpose of the Lord's Supper letter B?19:11It's proclamation.19:13Look at verse 26.19:17He says, For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.19:29As often, He says that again in verse 25, there's no magic number.19:36As often, some churches do it weekly, some monthly.19:39As often as you do it, what are you doing?19:43He says you're proclaiming the Lord's death. You realize when you take the Lord's Supper, you're giving a sermon. It is a beautiful and profound thing that when we take the Lord's Supper together, church, it is as if we together are giving a sermon together. Every time you take it, you're preaching a sermon. You're like, well, what's the content of my sermon? When you take the Lord's Supper, you're saying, I believe that Jesus is the Messiah.20:15I believe He is the Son of God.20:18I believe that Jesus died for me.20:22I believe that my sins are forgiven, not by anything that I can do, but by everything that He did on my behalf.20:29I believe that.20:32You're preaching a sermon every time you do this.20:36You proclaim the Lord's death.20:40So the purpose of the Lord's Supper is remembrance, His proclamation, letter C.20:43It's anticipation.20:46You proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.20:49Do you see that? Until He comes.20:52We believe that Jesus is returning.20:57Do you believe that?20:58Do you believe Jesus is coming back?21:01Well, when you take the Lord's Supper, you're saying that you believe that.21:05Right?21:06That we are going to...21:08When we take the Lord's Supper now, We are communing with Jesus. We are participating in this together. But do you realize what we're saying? We're saying that we believe that someday we will commune with Him personally at the marriage supper of the Lamb. You know that's how the Bible describes heaven. That's how the Bible describes the return of Christ and the The Bible describes as the marriage supper of the Lamb. Have you ever been to a wedding? Have you ever been to a wedding reception? They are a real hoot. It's a big party and there's so much laughter and joy and celebration. And that's exactly how the Bible describes our ultimate reunion Jesus Christ when the church is brought into His presence and glory.22:17Jesus talked about this.22:18Luke 22 verses 15 and 16.22:22And He said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.22:29Look at this.22:30For I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.22:37So we are communing with Christ spiritually.22:41now in the anticipation that today's going to come when we are communing with Christ in His actual presence. Can we grasp how sacred this is? Do you see why this is such an important remembrance that the Lord has given us?23:11One of them we celebrated last week in baptism. This is the other one. Do you see why this is so important? And that's where Paul starts. He's like, remember the purpose of the Lord's Supper. It's remembrance. It's proclamation. It's anticipation. So how should I receive the Lord's Supper? Well, three things you've got to get right. The first one is purpose. This is why we do it. Number two is posture.23:41Posture.23:47Talking about the posture of your heart.23:50What is your heart's attitude in going into the Lord's Supper?23:56Because it matters.23:57Look at verse 27.24:00Paul says, Whoever therefore eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Unworthy manner. Did you realize that you can take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner? Did you realize that? That's what the Bible says. Let's be clear. It doesn't mean sinless. The Bible is crystal clear on that. If you had to be sinless to receive the Lord's Supper, none of us.24:38would take it, right? We just leave the trays up here and look at them. None of us could do it. Well, so how can we take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner? Well, there's really two ways. One way you can take it in an unworthy manner is being unrepentant. First of all, the Lord's Supper is not for unbelievers.25:09And if you're here, and we are so glad that you are here, but if you're here and you're like, you know what, I have not personally received Jesus Christ. I think I'm seeking right now, and I'm trying to understand, and we're so glad that you're here. But if you are not a born-again believer in Christ, you absolutely should not take the Lord's Supper. This is for His people. Okay? But, If you are here, and you say that you are a born-again believer in Christ, but you have resolved yourself to some sin. Meaning this, look, we all sin, but we're talking about being committed to the sin. You know what I'm talking about. It's, I'm not committed to seeking repentance right now. There is a sin in my life right now that God has been speaking to me through his word his spirit has been bringing great conviction in me there's the sin in my life and i have just been telling god no i have been just flagrantly disobeying god and i know what he wants me to do and i've refused to do it if that describes you you should not take the lord's supper you should not take the lord's supper if you are in a state of being unrepentant flagrant Rebellious, Unrepentant Sin. The second way you can take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner is being not just unrepentant, but being irreverent. Meaning, you don't receive it in an attitude of worship. And church, I think we can be so prone to this, that it's time to take the Lord's Supper, we just mindlessly go through the motions. That we line up, we take the elements, we have our seat, we bread, cup, done, and we've given like no thought to it. We never really stop to think about what was happening. That's just what we do. We go through the motions. That's irreverent. And when you do that, notice he says, you're guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. When you do that, when you take the Lord's Supper, unrepentant or irreverent, you are dishonoring Jesus and all that He's done. Because you didn't receive the Lord's Supper in a posture of worship. You understand the gravity of that? Imagine I brought an American flag up here. And I just threw it on the ground and stomped all over it. I'm not going to. But I just threw it on the ground and stomped all over it and wiped my feet on it. Would you be outraged by that? You should be. And I said, well, what's the big deal? It's just a piece of cloth. You're like, the big deal is what that represents.28:37That's the big deal. And an even bigger deal is what stomping on that represents. You see, it's the same principle with the Lord's Supper. That's why we are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord when we do it irreverently. It's like stomping on the flag. It's stomping on Jesus. Because God takes this very seriously.29:07If you're in sin, that you haven't confessed to God, you haven't turned from, you sinned against a person, and you haven't made things right with them, you haven't sought horizontal forgiveness, you should not take the Lord's Supper. You should just quietly abstain. All right? And look, if your heart isn't in it, if you're like, you know what, if I go do this today, it's just going to be a mindless ritual. It's not going to be active worship.29:37for me, then you should not take the Lord's Supper. You should just quietly abstain. But we are in a room of peer pressure, right? Where you're like, but if everybody gets up to take the Lord's Supper and I don't, what are people going to think? Who cares? Who cares what people think?30:08By the way, no one's noticing. No one has a scorecard. Well, you didn't get up and take communion today, but I'll write that one down for the record. Nobody cares. All right? What matters isn't what people think. What matters is what does God think? Because if you take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner, you're guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, and you should be way more concerned with what God thinks.30:41You should receive this in a posture of worship.30:49So, number three, how should I take the Lord's Supper?30:52Well, we saw the purpose.30:53We saw the heart posture.30:58Three, P is for preparation.31:03Because of the seriousness of this, We should prepare ourselves. Look at verse 28. He says, let a person examine himself then. And so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. Examine yourself. You should do this before church every Sunday anyways. But especially before you take the Lord's Supper, you need to take time for personal inventory. You need to ask yourself right now in my life, am I personally, actively, seeking the Lord.31:42Have I prepared myself to commune with the Lord?31:48And if you refuse to examine yourself, look at verse 29.31:53He says, for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.32:06If you take this irreverently, you're bringing judgment on yourself. Now the word judgment is literally chastisement or discipline. Okay? And understand, he is talking to believers here. Like, well, what kind of judgment am I going to face if I irreverently take the Lord's Supper? Well, he tells us, verse 30, he says, that is why.32:36Many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. If you're a believer who takes the Lord's Supper in an irreverent way, God will discipline you physically. Do you see that? All levels. Some end up weak, just not feeling great.33:06Some are ill, like really not feeling great. And Paul says, and some have died. Like done feeling anything. Right? There are so many prayer requests that have to do with health things. Do you notice that? Anytime somebody says, hey, does anybody have any prayer requests. Very rarely do we hear the, hey, I have an unsaved neighbor, pray that the Lord opens the door to share the gospel, or pray that I can better disciple my kids. Those are more rare. It seems to me like 90-some percent of prayer requests, we just drag out all these health things. And there are so many people here dealing with health issues.34:05And I have to ask you, in light of this verse, could it be that your health issues have been brought on by God for taking the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner?34:33You're like, does God do that? Yeah. Yeah, He does. Now, obviously, listen, listen close. Obviously, no one is saying that that is the cause of all sickness and death. Nobody's saying that. But if you call yourself a Jesus follower and you take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner, you are a candidate for God's discipline.35:02And for some of you, that might be exactly why you are sick. That might be exactly why you've had this physical thing going on that you just can't get over. For some of you, that's why. Look at verse 31 and 32. He says, but if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.35:32But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. Paul just basically here says judge yourself or God will. Either take an honest assessment of your heart and act accordingly or disregard the state of your heart. Take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner and God will act accordingly. You're like, whoa, whoa, whoa.36:01Are you saying I could lose my salvation? Oh, absolutely not. Absolutely not. In fact, he clarifies that in this verse. God will discipline you, even let you die. He says so that you won't be condemned with the world. But that's how serious this is to God. God will remove you from the earth before he allows you to discipline.36:31honor him in the way that you take the Lord's Supper. I'm going to last two verses. He says, so then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you come together, it will not be for judgment.37:01About the other things, I will give directions when I come. Okay, so easy application for the Corinthians, right? Paul's like, so here it is, Corinth. When you have your potluck, can you just wait for everybody to show up? Can you do that? Like, oh, Paul, that sounds so un-American. Wait to eat? We don't do that.37:35I just laugh sometimes I'll hear people say, you know, I got stuck at such and such place. I had to go six hours without eating. Like, wow, I can't believe you're alive to tell the tale. Look, you can wait. You can wait. Right? Paul says, he says, are you hungry? You can't wait.38:01Why don't you just eat at home instead of being drunken hoggers at church before the Lord's Supper? How about that? But you see, there's a principle for them and for us. The Lord's Supper should be worshipful. Prepare yourself for it. Poor worship team would make their way back up.38:33to apply this right now.38:36I'd like you to just bow your heads.38:39I'd like you to just bow your heads and close your eyes.38:41I just want you to focus on your own heart.38:47Because in just a few moments, if our communion servers also would come up, in just a few moments, we are going to take the Lord's Supper.38:57And I want you, first of all, to just, in light of this passage, is to remind us why we're doing this. This doesn't save you. This doesn't make you into a more spiritual person. Paul tells us exactly the purpose of this. We are remembering. We are proclaiming. We are anticipating. That's why we're doing this. Also, your posture. This is a sacred act of worship.39:30And I have to ask you, is that the posture of your heart right now? Are you here to worship? Or have you been checked out even before you walked in the door? How is the posture of your heart right now? In preparation, examine yourself. Is there unconfessed sin that you have committed yourself to?40:05Look, believer, you are forgiven in Christ. You need to live like it. Are you genuinely seeking the Lord right now? Father in heaven, we're about to come to your table. And I don't know of any other teachers in your word that's more serious about this event than this passage that we just looked at. Father, this is a very serious thing to you. So Father, I pray that none of us would take this in an unworthy manner, that we would have the faith to stay in our seats and pray rather than invite discipline on ourselves.41:02Father, we thank you for this meal and everything that it means.41:08That God, you so loved us.41:13And you so wanted our sin removed from us that you came and did the job yourself.41:24So Father, as a church, let us, in receiving this, proclaim the excellencies of your grace as we anticipate the day that we get to sit down with Jesus personally at the marriage supper of the Lamb. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 11:17-11:34What was your big take-away from this passage / message?How would you explain the Lord's Supper to a brand new Christian, who is completely unfamiliar with the ordinance?Jesus said to take the Lord's Supper “in remembrance” of Him. What exactly does that mean? How does this relate to the concept of “participation” (1 Corinthians 10:16)?What are some ways a believer can take the Lord's Supper in an “unworthy manner” (1 Cor 11:27)? Does this mean you have to be sinless? Why or why not?1 Cor 11:28 says “examine yourself”. What exactly are you examining in yourself before you take the Lord's Supper?BreakoutPray for one another.

OPEN HEAVENSMATALA LE LAGI MO LE ASO FARAILE 1 ME 2026(tusia e Pastor EA Adeboye) Manatu Autu: O le aao malosi o le Atua 1 (The mighty hand of God 1)Tauloto Tusi Paia: 1 Tupu 18:46 “Sa ‘iā Elia le ‘a‘ao o le ALI‘I; ‘ona fusi ai lea o ia i lona sulugātiti ma tamo‘e i luma o Aapo, ‘ua o‘o i le mea e ui atu ai i Isereelu.”Faitauga - Tusi Paia:Neemia 2:1-18I le tele o tausaga talu ai, na ou sue ai i se suega o le Matematika, ma ina ua aumai le pepa suega, ou te vaai atu e leai ma se fesili ou te iloa le tali. E ui ou te lelei i le numera, na matuā leai ma se mea na ou iloa i lea taimi. Ua amata ona ou afu malulū. Na ou tilotilo solo ma ou vaai atu i a'u uo o loo punonou ma tusi a latou tali. Ona ou te iloa e mafai e tamaiti e lē pasi i le suega ona toe su'e i le tausaga fou, ua ou manatu e sili loa pe a ou alu i fafo, ae sei oo i le tausaga fou. A'o ou tū atu i luga, na ou lagona se lima malosi, e ui ou te leiloa atu, o oomi a'u e nofo i lalo. Ina ua maea leisi 15 minute o tau mafaufau poo le a leisi gaoioiga e faia, na ou manatu o le a ou toe faitau lelei fesili. Na faafuafesi ona ou iloa, ua toe oo mai le malamalama ia te a'u ma ua ou iloa tali o fesili. Na amata loa ona tusitusi tali o fesili ma na uma lelei le pepa suega i le taimi faatapula'a. I le alofa tunoa o le Atua, na pasi maualuga lau suega lea. I le tele o tausaga mulimuli ane, ua ou iloa, o le aao malosi o le Atua na faanofoina au i lalo i le nofoa i le suega lea, na ia toe faafoisia lo'u malamalama ma aumai ia te a'u le vave. E ui na amata lemu, o lona aao na fesoasoani ia te a'u na vave ai ona maea le suega, na vave atu foi i a'u uo, o ē na uluai amata tusitusi a latou tali i lō a'u. I le tauloto mai le Tusi Paia o le asō, na iai le aao malosi o le Atua ia Elia, ona tamoe lea ua vave atu i le kariota a le tupu, e ono tosoina e ni solofanua pito i saosaoa i totonu o Isaraelu i lea taimi. O le aao malosi o le Atua na avatu ia Elia le vave faale Atua. E faapena foi i le faitauga mai le Tusi Paia o le asō, ina ua naunau Ieremia e toe foi i Ierusalema e toe fauina pa o Ierusalema, o le aao malosi o le Atua na avatu ia te ia le alofa tunoa i luma o tupu sa galue ai ma taitai sa iai i Ierusalema. Na ia maua le vave faale Atua i le toe fauina o pa puipui ma faitotoa o Ierusalema ona o le aao malosi o le Atua sa i ona luga. Le au pele e, afai o oe o se atalii poo se afafine o le Atua, e mafai foi ona e tofo ma maua le aao malosi o le Atua i ou luga e ala i le faaalu o lou taimi i le tatalo ma suesue i lana Upu i aso uma. E tatau foi ona e faamaulalo i ona luma ma tuu atu uma ou ala ia te ia, ina ia e maua lona alofa tunoa e fanau mai ai le vave faale Atua (Iakopo 4:6). Ou te tatalo mo oe i le asō ina ia iai i ou luga le aao malosi o le Atua ma foai atu le manino ma le vave faale Atua i soo se vaega o lou olaga, i le suafa o Iesu. TataloTamā, faamolemole ia iai i ‘ou luga lou aao malosi ma foai mai le malamalama, vave ma lou alofa tunoa, i le suafa o Iesu, Amene

+ Holy Gospel according to Saint John 10: 11 – 18I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father."The Gospel of the Lord

Dr. Deb Muth 0:03What are the answers to your child’s chronic allergies, ADHD, or autism?weren’t just in another prescription, but in restoring balance to their body chemistry. Today’s guest has spent nearly two decades uncovering those answers through integrative and biomedical medicine. That’s a mouthful, isn’t it?Helping children heal when nothing else seemed to work.This is the conversation about science, compassion, and changing the future of pediatric care.Welcome back to Let’s Talk Wellness Now. The show where we uncover the root causes of chronic illness, explore regenerative breakthroughs, and empower you with the practical tools to heal. I’m your host, Dr. Deb, your medical detective, and today’s episode is one every patient should hear.My guest is Dr. Anu Usman Singh, Medical Director of True Health Medical Center in Naperville, Illinois, and the owner of Pure Compounding Pharmacy.And for over 17 years, she has been pioneering evidence-based integrative interventions for children with ADD, autism, allergies, and complex gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders. She’s not only a practicing physician, she’s a researcher who’s investigated copper-zinc imbalances.metallonine dysfunction, biofilm-related infections, vitamin D in pregnancy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.Dr. Usman serves on the executive board of TACA, and is a faculty member at MAPS, training other practitioners in pediatric integrative care. So get ready for a conversation that will open your mind and heart to the possibilities of when medicine truly becomes holistic.If you guys can insert the ad in here, that’d be great.Well, welcome back. I’m so excited to have Dr. Usman with me today. I have known her for, oh my gosh, 15, 17 years, something like that. We’re aging ourselves. Anju 02:32Oh, yeah, when we were in our 20s, right? Dr. Deb Muth 02:35Yes, exactly. So, welcome back, and I am so excited for you to be here, because you have literally helped thousands of families over the years.But I’d love for you to share a little bit about your journey, kind of who you are, what drew you into exploring integrative and biomedical approaches for helping children and families. Anju 02:58I think my journey is similar to a lot of you out there, the audience. I mean, we’re looking to help our families, and our kids, and ourselves, and I was doing my residency at Cook County Hospital, downtown Chicago, in the 80s.And I thought, oh my goodness, if I could take care of the sickest patients, then I can take care of anybody. So I came from Indiana, and I went to Cook County, and my children, my eldest daughter, started having, severe allergies and asthma, really, really at a young age.And I went to, like, my residence, and I went to my attendings, and I said, this baby is wheezing. And they told me, babies don’t have asthma.And I said, she has all the symptoms of asthma. She has asthma. And I remember with, in her crib, I would just nebulize her, you know, and I was like, what is going on?And I figured out that she had a lot of food allergies, and I was nursing her, eating the foods that she was allergic to, and back then, in the 80s, you know, we didn’t have the internet, we didn’t have Whole Foods, and I just…being a doctor, and I didn’t even know what to do, and I felt so hopeless. And I thought, gosh, you know, I’m a doctor, I have these, like, skills, I have… people I can talk to, and I still feel so… it’s so difficult. And then this… my particular daughter, the oldest one, her name is Priya, and she developed severe, asthma, and I couldn’t figure it out. She was in junior high. Every time she would walk into the lunchroom, she would have a severe asthma attack.And I’ll be like, what’s going on? What’s going on? I kept her home over the weekend, she was better. I sent her back to school, she was bad again.And we figured it out that it was other people eating peanuts. Dr. Deb Muth 04:54Severe peanut allergy. Anju 04:56And I went to the school, and I said, she…can you, like, put her somewhere else? Can… they said, oh, no, that’s not fair to other kids and their food. And this was in the 90s. Dr. Deb Muth 05:10Yeah. Anju 05:10And so, I just…You know, my heart goes out to families who are struggling to find answers for their kids, and my daughter Priya, the one I told you about, she ended up passing away from a peanut allergy.And so, I’ve just… Dr. Deb Muth 05:26Yeah. Anju 05:27My heart goes out to parents and my own kids and their illnesses.And so I just started working with families, with kids, andIt just kind of grew from there. Dr. Deb Muth 05:40Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and I think being a mom who went through that yourself, and…was seen but not heard, and turned away from the traditional medical community, you’re forced to start finding answers on your own. And we always feel like we’re on an island by ourselves in the medical world when we’re doing that. Anju 06:01Yeah, I, it was really hard when I found out, you know, about…Integrative medicine, and just different…ideas and approaches to diet and supplements, I thought, how come I wasn’t trained in any of this?And… Dr. Deb Muth 06:21So angry when I learned some of the things that I learned in the beginning. I was like, same thing, like, how did they not teach us this? And then I think, you know, it’s my fault, was I asleep, was I not paying attention, whatever. And then you just realize, like, there’s this whole part of the human body.That they just didn’t teach us. Anju 06:42Yeah, so then I… I, probably like you, we had to learn it on our own. There weren’t, like, classes or any way to learn this stuffAnd I just reached out. There’s a clinic that,I don’t know if you’ve heard of the Pfeiffer Treatment Center? Dr. Deb Muth 07:00No. Anju 07:01Do you know Carl Pfeiffer from the attendees.He has a clinic called the Pfeiffer Treatment Center in New Jersey. It was called the Princeton Brain Bio Center. Dr. Deb Muth 07:12And in the 70s, they did orthomolecular medicine for patients with ADD. Anju 07:18And schizophrenia. Dr. Deb Muth 07:20Mmm… Anju 07:21and depression.And they used to categorize them in 3 categories, and at the time, they called them histopenics, histidelics, and pyrolurics. Dr. Deb Muth 07:31Okay. Anju 07:32Histapenix were low histamine patients.Delix were high histamine patients, and pyrolurics were their own kind of category. We added another category of copper-zinc imbalances, and then we would categorize that population into high histamine, low histamine, pyrolurics, and copper-zinc.Now we talk about under-methylation, over-methylation. Sure. So, under-methylation is the, you know, the high histamine people, they can’t clear the histamine. And the over-methylators are, you know, what we call about low histamine now.And, and then pyrolurics and copper zinc. So…I lost my train of thought, but in the 80s, when I was going through this, in the 90s, I reached out to the Pfeiffer Treatment Center.He’s like, can I calm and just hang out and, like, see what you guys do? Because I need some answers.And I started working there and, started doing research on copper-zinc imbalances, and I did it in children with autism.And that’s how people started coming to me, and I kinda got, like. not famous, but I, you know, the word spread about, okay, we could talk about it, and Dr.Walsh was the, you know, PhD there that did a lot of the research, so we worked together for 8 years. Dr. Deb Muth 09:05Isn’t it crazy to think that we knew about histamine issues way back in the 70s? You know, I got the pleasure of being trained by, environmental medicine doctors. Dr. Wayne Konetsky and Glenn Toth taught me about environmental medicine, and what we called histamine issues that we call it today, mast cell, right? But when I was learning in the early 2000s, it was labeled as chemical sensitivity. And so it was just people that would react to everything, and we really didn’t know why, and they didn’t necessarily have this very specific allergic reaction, but we knew they were reacting, and we would try to treat them, to lower the histamine way back then. And it’s taken all these years, 25 years, to get to a point where we understand mast cell activation now, and histamine issues.And it’s really sad to me that it’s taking this long for us to identify things.And we’ve all got our journey, and I loved back in those days, too, because as I learned, I would call people up and say, hey, I just got a patient from you, and they told me this great story, and I have other people, can I come see what you were doing? And back then, everybody was very open. They were like, yes, please, come, learn. Now everybody’s like, oh, we can’t teach you, we can’t give you our secrets, but…Or pay me $20,000 to come learn with me. But back then, I mean, everybody was just… we were all in the same boat. We were all just trying to learn from each other. Anju 10:36Oh, yeah, oh yeah, and any bit of knowledge you got, you’re like… Dr. Deb Muth 10:41Yes. Anju 10:41God, you know, I learned this piece, and… Dr. Deb Muth 10:43Hmm? Anju 10:44We just kind of built from that. I keep thinking about back then, you know,the under-methylators, over-methylators, copper, zinc, and then I learned about metals.And then, as a physician, I was like, oh, okay, well, there’s mercury in vaccines, there’s aluminum in vaccines, and now I’m seeing these high levels. Dr. Deb Muth 11:04In my patients, now what happens? Anju 11:07And then we started, kind of, trying to get the word out about those things. Dr. Deb Muth 11:13Yeah. Anju 11:13And in 2000, a lot of the people that I knew put out a paper about, you know, mercury. Dr. Deb Muth 11:22And then… Anju 11:22And we all got on the Mercury bandwagon. Dr. Deb Muth 11:25Yes. Anju 11:26And did that for a while, and then we started learning about other things, like mitochondrial issues in chronically ill people, and these chronic infections, like Lyme disease, and so… and then now, you know, understanding mast cell activation, cell danger response. Dr. Deb Muth 11:44On endocrine, and adrenals, and hormones, and… Anju 11:48Yeah. Dr. Deb Muth 11:49biofilms. Anju 11:50Biofilms, I started talking about that in 2007. Dr. Deb Muth 11:54And so then… Anju 11:56It just… it just kind of keeps adding, and keeps adding, and keeps adding, and it’s like…Sometimes you think, how come I didn’t know about this back then? But I feel like it’s a process. Dr. Deb Muth 12:06It definitely is a process, and it’s amazing to seehow many people are researching different things, and they’re all, like, putting a piece of the puzzle together. And I think this is really important for our listeners to understand, is when you see a practitioner and they don’t have all the answers, this is why. It’s very complicated, it’s not black and white. And I’ve had patients over the years say to me, well, why didn’t you say this to me 6 months ago? And the truth of the matter was, I didn’t knowabout it 6 months ago. Like, all of this stuff is just… it’s evolving constantly, and when you’re a practitioner like Dr. Usman and myself, you are learning every single day. Our training has never stopped from the day we stepped into integrated medicine, and you just… you keep learning new things, and sharing new things, and talking to new people, and that’s what expands our knowledge base. Anju 12:57Yeah, the more I learn, the less I feel like I know. Dr. Deb Muth 13:01Yes, me too. Every time I go to a conference, I’m like, how did I not know this? How am I stupid? And I know we shouldn’t say that word and call ourselves that, but sometimes you feel like that. It’s like, how did I not know? Anju 13:14Or you’ll see a patient, and you’ll look at them, and you’re like, how come I didn’t realize this about this particular patient? Dr. Deb Muth 13:20Yes. Anju 13:21Yeah, they present differently, see things differently. I think that’s why it’s good to find a doctor that you trust and that you can work with, because it’s evolving. Dr. Deb Muth 13:31Yes. And, you know, we have those patients that they come, and I get those. I call myself, like, a tertiary care center. Anju 13:38You know, you get those patients that have been everywhere, and seen every doctor, and then they’re like, you’re my last hope, you’re gonna solve all my problems, and…I say to them. We’re a team, like, we’re gonna solve these together, but it takes time for me to unravel this puzzle. Dr. Deb Muth 13:54Excuse me? Anju 13:54And it… and sometimes, you know, there’s a few hits and misses along the way. Dr. Deb Muth 14:00Yup, but if. Anju 14:00If we keep at it, you know, we also say it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Yes. You know, if we keep at it, we can kind of figure it out together. Dr. Deb Muth 14:09Yeah, and a partnership, for sure, because without the feedback of the person you’re working with.understanding, like, we do this, and this happens to you, it’s very complicated as a practitioner to then be able to figure out, what do we do next? I see more and more clients these days, they come in and they just want to ask me within the first 5 minutes of, what am I changing? And I’m like, I have no clue yet. Like, you have to tell me what’s happened since the last time we did something, and then we have to look at labs, and we have to look at this, and we… it’s a synopsis.that we have to look at. You know, it’s not that black and white for us to be able to put the pieces together for them. Anju 14:47I think my most successful patients are the ones who are able to communicate with me.Their ups and downs. Yeah. And they also use their own intuition. Help me guide them. Dr. Deb Muth 15:06Yeah. Anju 15:07So, there are some people that they just hear, you do it, and you tell me.There are people who try to tell me everything. Dr. Deb Muth 15:15Okay. Anju 15:15Say, I want you to do this, do this, do this. Dr. Deb Muth 15:17Yeah, so I was like, okay. Anju 15:19I can do those things, but, you know, like. Dr. Deb Muth 15:21Yep. Anju 15:22think about blah blah. But, like, this… that collaboration.and, intuition. I kind of feel like even thoughI’ve trained allopathically as a traditional medical doctor. I feel like as I learn, I learn that being open and,Letting go of fear. Dr. Deb Muth 15:46Yeah. Anju 15:47And, not trying to jump on every, like, new thing, and being. Dr. Deb Muth 15:53consistent. Anju 15:54and diligent. really helps. Dr. Deb Muth 15:58It helps a ton. We see that, too, you know, the latest…Instagram influencer that’s talking about the latest topic, and all of a sudden, everybody sees themselves in there, and they must have that, but not realizing putting those connections together. It’s like when MTHFR came out, right? We were all so excited that this was going to be the detox gene.And then we learned so much more about genes, and now MTHFR is very popular again, and everyone’s talking about it, but they don’t understand how some of those other genetics fit together. And if you don’t understand that, we’ve all done it, we’ve all made people worse instead of better, sometimes when we’ve given too many methyl groups together, or this supplement without this support before we knew that there was another gene that we had to support for that.And I think it’s really important for people that are listening to us today talk about this, is don’t just jump on the bandwagon. Like, you really want to work with somebody seasoned who understands how all these pieces fit together. Anju 16:57Yeah, and I think that’s what individualized medicine is about.And there is no magic here, a magic bullet.I think that example of MTHFR is really good. Now, President Trump talked about Leukovorin. Dr. Deb Muth 17:14Yes. Anju 17:15in, and, you know, he’ll get up and say something like, leukovorin cures autism.And then the rest of us are like…Did you just say that? Dr. Deb Muth 17:26Yep, he did. Anju 17:30It’s folinic acid, it’s calcium folinic acid, it’s been around a long time. We’ve been using it for 20 years. Dr. Deb Muth 17:37Yeah. Anju 17:38But it does help a subset of people who potentially have what we call cerebral folate deficiency.And some of those people are misdiagnosed as autism. Dr. Deb Muth 17:50Yeah. Anju 17:51So, are you treating autism, or are you treating cerebral folate deficiency?same thing I could say about… I have a lot of cases of kids who recovered from autism.and severe ADHD using chelation type of. Dr. Deb Muth 18:06up. Anju 18:06Approaches, or detox approaches.again, did we treat their ADD and their autism, or did we treat their lead…Toxicity or lead burden, and their symptoms of those things got better. Dr. Deb Muth 18:20Yeah. Anju 18:20So, like, to put a big, like, a label like, oh, ADD on something, or autism on something, I think it does a disserviceTo the individuals, because it’s such a broad issue. Dr. Deb Muth 18:35It is, and I think the diagnosis has gotten to be much more popular these days.And yes, thank goodness we’re getting better diagnostics, but sometimes we’re getting over-diagnosis, or like you said, it may look like one thing, but it could be something else, but because it looks like autism, they’re going to get labeled with autism.And in some respects, that’s good, they can get more services that way, but sometimes we’re missing the actual picture of it. Can you talk a little bit about how autism is different than the cerebral folate deficiency? Anju 19:11Yeah, so there are some people that make an antibody to their folate receptor. Dr. Deb Muth 19:18Hmm. Anju 19:20So, to get folic acid into your cells, there’s a receptor on your cells. Dr. Deb Muth 19:25And then the folate has to bind to it, and then it lets it enter into the cells. Anju 19:30And there’s these receptors that allow folic acid to get into your brain.Now, you and I know when you put folate in your brain.On one end of the folate cycle, you help make more neurotransmitters. You’ll make something called BH4, and that’ll help make serotonin and dopamine, and then norepinephrine and epinephrine. So folate is really important for making your neurotransmitters, folate and B12.On the other end, it’s like, another cycle on the other end of folate is our methylation cycle.And methylation is so important for our RNA and our DNA, and making choline, phosphatoly choline, and making creatine for speech.And helping us with all the precursors for detoxification.So without folate in our brain, we can’t make our neurotransmitters efficiently, we can’t break them down efficiently, and we can’t detox our brain.Imagine what that will do to your brain. Dr. Deb Muth 20:36Yeah, Anju 20:37And you will see symptoms like speech delays, cognitive delays, processing issues, poor attention.All of those things. Excitation, anxiety.All of those, and so if the folate isn’t getting into the brain efficiently, then we’ll have all these symptoms, and we’ll end up with diagnoses like these. Dr. Deb Muth 20:59Yeah, so is there a way that people who are listening to this can request a test to see if they make this antibody to folate, or is it more of a diagnosis of exclusion? Anju 21:14That’s a great question. When I first started doing this, like, 20 years ago, there was, like, a university that was doing this.studies, and it was Dr. Quadros. He was the guy, and we would take samples and send them to his lab, and he would tell us about these blocking and binding. Dr. Deb Muth 21:30folate antibodies. Anju 21:32And if patients had positive blocking or binding folate antibodies, we would follow his protocol. And he’s done papers on patients with severe autism.Where he found these folate antibodies, and then did spinal taps on the kids, and they were associated with this cerebral folate deficiency. the cerebral… spinal fluid.And in his papers, he gave .5 to 2 milligrams per kilogram of calcium folinic acid, which is leukovorin. It’s a vitamin. And over a 6-month to a 12-month period.The majority of those patients improved drastically.Some of them regained speech, and some of them lost their autism diagnosis. Dr. Deb Muth 22:26Because they never truly had autism. Anju 22:29Well, they have autism symptoms, and that’s what autism is, but we call it autisms. Dr. Deb Muth 22:36Yeah. Anju 22:37And so now, like, we need the research to categorize these people. You know, what percentage of autism is cerebral folate deficiency? Yeah. What percentage of autism is, heavy metal. Dr. Deb Muth 22:51Bourbon. Anju 22:52And what percentage of autism is Clostridia overgrowth, or… Dr. Deb Muth 22:57Hmm. Anju 22:57microbiome… Dysfunction, and then there’s overlap. Dr. Deb Muth 23:01Right, yeah, Lyme and mold and viruses. Anju 23:04and infections, and you can see… Dr. Deb Muth 23:07injury from medications and things like that that happen, or birth traumas. Yeah, I mean, it’s not… it’s not as simple as what people think autism is.Why do you think that we’re seeing so much more autism today than when you and I were kids? We didn’t see this that often. I know environment has a lot to do with it, but do you have a couple of things that you suspect are contributing to the rise of autism these days? Anju 23:38Yeah, I mean, that’s a million dollar question. Dr. Deb Muth 23:40Right. Anju 23:41And, just because I work with children, you know it’s not just autism that’s epidemic, and yeah. Dr. Deb Muth 23:49You know that. I mean, it’s… it’s probably… if you add all the epidemics that are happening to children. Anju 23:54Autism still supersedes it.Now it’s 1 in 33s, 1 in 35 boys, I mean, it’s…children. It’s really sad. When I was in med school, it was 1 in 10,000. Dr. Deb Muth 24:10That’s crazy. Anju 24:11What’s causing it? I mean, obviously it’s multifactorial. Dr. Deb Muth 24:15Yeah, 80,000 chemicals in the environment that we never had before. Anju 24:20I, I, I, look, I’ve… 219 million. Dr. Deb Muth 24:26Oh my gosh. Anju 24:27I looked it up today. Dr. Deb Muth 24:29119 million different chemicals in the environment. Wow. Anju 24:33We don’t know how many of those are super toxic. Dr. Deb Muth 24:36Yeah, and we don’t know what they do together. Anju 24:38A lot of them were, like, before, like, grandfathered in and all of that.Yeah, it’s really crazy about the chemicals. So, chemicals… I kind of… feel like…you know, this burden of all this, it’s not just on our children, it’s on our mothers. Dr. Deb Muth 24:56Yes. Anju 24:56oh my gosh, the moms of these children that… And they don’t even realize it, you know, we’re just so happy to be pregnant and have a kid.So I think it really, really starts with that piece. Care, good prenatal care, yeah. Yeah, and not just what we think is prenatal care, taking your prenatal vitamins. Dr. Deb Muth 25:18Yes. Anju 25:19And going to your gynecologist, but what you and I think is prenatal care, you know, before you get pregnant, let’s detox, let’s clean up our diet, let’s get rid of those chemicals, let’s make sure we’re not in a moldy environment.You know, let’s do our due diligence, clean air, clean water, clean food, sunshine. When I did my residency at county, I don’t think I saw the sun for 3 years. Dr. Deb Muth 25:44How?Yeah. Anju 25:46it’s just that intense, and I was pregnant twice, and my eldest hasthe allergies and asthma. Number 2 is type 1 diabetes and mold sensitivities and allergies and asthma. Number 3 has severe chemical sensitivities, mast cell activation,Hormonal issues. Dr. Deb Muth 26:09Yeah. Anju 26:09And… number 4 is my… Golden, baby. Dr. Deb Muth 26:15And those three, you know, those years that you’re there, and you’re not seeing the sunlight, there’s vitamin D deficiency, and we don’t talk about vitamin D that much during pregnancy.I still am appalled that we’re giving folic acid these days during pregnancy instead of folate, but… Anju 26:36Folenic, or methylfolate? Dr. Deb Muth 26:38Yeah, nothing. So, when, when you,discovered vitamin D in pregnancy, and it’s linked to neurodevelopment outcomes. How did you stumble across that? Anju 26:50Well, in… when I started working on Copper Zinc, Dr. Walsh and I would go to the, like, DAN conferences.Yeah. At the time, and it was interesting, because DAM conferences were a collaboration between parents.And practitioners, and researchers. Dr. Deb Muth 27:10Very unique for. Anju 27:11That’s how that new IACC committee is. It’s a collaboration of parents. Dr. Deb Muth 27:17Hmm. Anju 27:18Practitioners, researchers, And individuals with autism. Dr. Deb Muth 27:25Yeah, so for those of you who are listening to us, it’s… we’re talking about the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee that Bobby Kennedy just put together. It’s called IACC, and they are on a mission to try to do the research to figure out what’s causing autism. Anju 27:43Yeah, and not just causing it, like, these people have been living it, most of the people on that committee have been living it, and their whole lives, for some of them.And being able to bring forwardlike the question about vitamin D, we started seeing a lot of patients in Minnesota. Dr. Deb Muth 28:04Mmm. Anju 28:05who were from Somalia. Dr. Deb Muth 28:08Okay. Anju 28:09Who were… it was, like, 1 in 4 families with kids with autism.And the theory was that the vitamin D levels that they get in Somalia versus the vitamin D levels that the moms get in Minnesota. Dr. Deb Muth 28:27Hmm? Anju 28:28Affected the immune system. Dr. Deb Muth 28:31Yeah. Anju 28:32predispose them. So there’s a few papers on that. Dr. Deb Muth 28:36Yeah, that’s a… I mean, it would be a very significant difference, and when you’re thinking about genetically, like, what their culture, who they are as a species.was used to and adapted to with the sunlight and different things from a different region, geographical region, and then they moved to a new geographical region, that can take decades before the body adapts and readjusts.to that new environment. We don’t think about those things in…traditional medicine, and conventional medicine, as most people know it, but we do in functional medicine. Anju 29:14Yeah, so again, the clinicians were bringing this up, like, why am I seeing so many families? Dr. Deb Muth 29:18Yeah. Anju 29:18Then let me go to the… and then in the think tank, the vitamin D researcher said it’s vitamin D. Dr. Deb Muth 29:24Yeah. Anju 29:25And then they started researching it, and it was almost like a backwards… backwards. Dr. Deb Muth 29:31Thank you. You know, they didn’t first… Anju 29:33Think it. Dr. Deb Muth 29:34Think about it, yeah. Anju 29:35Until you start seeing… and that’s why I think that, like.clinicians like you and me, who are… I consider us on the front lines. We’re the front lines. We are seeing… we’re seeing this epidemic unfold. Dr. Deb Muth 29:46Yes. Anju 29:47front of our eyes, we’re seeing, like, the gut issues and the severe inflammation. We’re seeing the autoimmunity, and now they have to study it. Dr. Deb Muth 29:57Yeah. Anju 29:57They have to study this. They really, really, we really need, we really need protocols, we need tools, we need things that you and I have been figuring out anecdotally with our colleagues over the years, and, oh, how do we treat yeast? How do we treat Lyme? How do we treat metal burden?For this podcast today, I wanted to talk about low-level lead exposure, because for me.1 in 3 children have a lead level, above 5. 1 and 3. Dr. Deb Muth 30:31Yeah, that’s very high. Anju 30:33800 million children. Dr. Deb Muth 30:36And let’s clarify this, because the first thing people are going to think of is, what are they eating? They’re not eating lead paint to get this. That is not what’s happening here. They are getting lead from someplace else, and their bodies are not able to detox this. Anju 30:53And the reason I’m bringing this up is because when I was in residency at County in the 90s, I ran a… I worked at a lead clinic. Dr. Deb Muth 31:01And back then. Anju 31:03When we looked… we just diagnosed lead toxicity, the level was 60. Dr. Deb Muth 31:10Their level had to be 60 to diagnose them. Anju 31:13Correct. Dr. Deb Muth 31:13Oh my gosh. Anju 31:14And that’s when we would treat.And back then, there was a study, it’s called the TLC study, where they used DMSA, which is a drug to lower lead.And our goal was to get it from 60 to 20. Dr. Deb Muth 31:33And was the normal range the same back then as it is today? Anju 31:37The normal range has gone from 60 to 40 to 20 to 10 to 5 to 3.5.But you and I know I’m the normal range. Dr. Deb Muth 31:47Yes. Anju 31:47Zero. Dr. Deb Muth 31:48Zero. Anju 31:50So… so again, in my… in the lead clinic, we were given DMSA, and we got the lead from 60 to 20, and the number one thing was to get rid of the lead in the environment. Dr. Deb Muth 32:02Yeah. Anju 32:03But we haven’t evolved since then.Because in that study, It did not improve cognitive abilities. So if you think about what lead does, it causes attention issues, slow processing, it affects hearing, it can cause hyperactivity, it can cause impulsivity, it can cause aggression, it can cause constipation, it can cause hypotonia.So if you think about all these kids with ADD and autism, how many of them have low-level lead exposure from the lead pipes? In Chicago, it’s a big, a big problem. Dr. Deb Muth 32:37Yeah, Milwaukee. Anju 32:38Everybody thinks Flint, Michigan, but Flint, Michigan is not the only place. Dr. Deb Muth 32:42Right. Our infrastructure is so terrible, it has not been updated, and even though you might look in your house and you might see a white PVC or plastic pipe, what’s coming under the ground to the house in the cities is usually still lead. Anju 32:58Right. Right. Dr. Deb Muth 33:00Yeah. Anju 33:01So, I guess the point is, is that…the… the idea of, like, studying this. So, again, they study this, and they say, well, we’re not going to treat low-level lead exposure because it doesn’t improve their cognition.But did they really treat it? Dr. Deb Muth 33:18Right. We got it from 60… we got it from 60 to 20. Right. But when I know, where is the lead hiding? Anju 33:24So high. Look at the bones, it’s gonna be coming out. It’s gonna be coming out, especially during puberty. What happens to some of our kids during puberty? They just go a little wonky. Comes out again during menopause. Dr. Deb Muth 33:38Yes. Anju 33:39I don’t know, male menopause, too. Like, we’re all losing bone mass then, and our lead is coming out, our blood pressure goes up. So, again, these are some of the areas that I think, like, really need some… hard… looks. Dr. Deb Muth 33:53Right, yeah. So, what are you hopeful about this committee? Like, are you hopeful that this committee is going to be able to research some of these big things, and we’re really going to be able to find answers around some of the functional things and the biochemical things that we see, you and I know happen in the body, that might give some standardization and education to practitioners in the future. Anju 34:23Well, I think this committee understands the scope of the issues.And they’re coming from different perspectives, like I mentioned, research. Dr. Deb Muth 34:33Yeah. Anju 34:35really highly qualified MDs. MDs like you and me, who have been on the front lines. moms. Dr. Deb Muth 34:43Yeah. Anju 34:44dads, patience, And so, the strategy would be to get, again, their input, and then…get the places… people in places to do their research. And even make some guidelines and some, like, you know, thoughts about what we want to put out there. Dr. Deb Muth 35:05Yeah. Anju 35:05You know, how do we want to strategize for… Dr. Deb Muth 35:08Prevention. Anju 35:10Like, the pre-pregnancy thing. Dr. Deb Muth 35:12Yeah, I’m really hopeful that this doesn’t become a… political football,And it doesn’t get taken away if the administration changes or whatever, because people need to understand that this kind of researchthis is going to take decades for people to do. Granted, we have AI, and AI can help a little bit and get some things quicker.But trying to figure out all of these nuances to why the body does what it does is not gonna be, like, next week we’re gonna find out that this was the single cause, and I know a lot of people, they’re afraid of the vaccines, and that’s gonna be the sole answer.And that has a piece of it, but it is just a small piece of it for some people larger, but at the end of the day, that’s not what this is about. This isn’t about just labeling one thing that is the cause of autism, because it is not one thing. It is so multifactorial. Anju 36:09And I think that whole cause, I know,A lot of money has gone into. Dr. Deb Muth 36:16Yeah. Anju 36:16looking at that. They’re looking for the gene, right? The gene that causes it, and… Dr. Deb Muth 36:23answer. Anju 36:24They have not… they’ve spent millions of dollars looking for this.And it’s not gonna pan out. It’s not. Dr. Deb Muth 36:33I’m not. Anju 36:34pan out. It’s more complex, like we’re talking about. Dr. Deb Muth 36:38Yeah. Anju 36:38And, I do think that sometimes, you know.Even though, like, politically, it seems like it’s a political topic, but it has zero to do with politics. Dr. Deb Muth 36:52Yeah, exactly. This is our children. This is the future of our country, the world. I mean, America’s not the only place that has kids with autism. I mean, this is the future of humanity. If we don’t figure out what’s injuring our children, there will not be a humanity that you and I have seen. It will be different. And, and this is important, we owe it to the future of our generations, we owe it to our children to figure this out and clean up our environment, and make it safe for everybody. Anju 37:24Yeah. Clean up our air, clean up our water, clean up our food… Dr. Deb Muth 37:29Yeah. Anju 37:30You know, our lifestyle a little bit, but… Dr. Deb Muth 37:32hoodie? Anju 37:33It’s… it’s… it’s everywhere. I travel all over. Dr. Deb Muth 37:36Bye. Anju 37:37Consult with doctors in different countries, in Italy, in India, Bulgaria, Romania… Dr. Deb Muth 37:46Yeah. And. Anju 37:48we’re going to Australia for med maps to treat doctors in, in April. And it’s a problem everywhere. Dr. Deb Muth 38:00Yeah. Anju 38:01really big problem, and it affects everybody. Even if you don’t have a child with autism or a grandchild with autism, it’s still affecting families, becauseI kind of think of ADD as being on the spectrum, in the sense thatI think the same kind of positive issues that lead to the autism are causing the ADD, just to… you know, your genetics are playing a little bit of a different role, whatever… whatever protection you have is a bit more there, but we’re seeing kind of, like, similar metabolic… issues in our ADD population. Dr. Deb Muth 38:43Yeah. Yeah, there’s so many different levels of this, and it does affect everyone. Like, I think everybody knows… a family or someone in their classroom or their school or their community that’s affected by, definitely, ADHD, Asperger’s, autism, all of those things, whether you’re high functioning or not functioning or whatever.everything is affected. The school system is affected, your social circles are affected, your families are affected.the healthcare is affected. I mean, everything is affected. We owe it to our families and our communities to help people try to figure this out. Anju 39:22Yeah, and I think even if it’s not ADD, or ADHD, or autism we’re talking about, or even OCD, anxiety, depression, I mean, you know… Dr. Deb Muth 39:33Candace? Anju 39:34Any kind of chronic illness that people are dealing with has underpinnings of these kinds of, you know, issues. Dr. Deb Muth 39:43Yeah. Anju 39:44Any autoimmune issue? That’s great. Dr. Deb Muth 39:48inflammatory syndrome that we’re seeing these days, I mean, the pants-pandas piece, the biofilms, the strep, I mean, our environment is just so laden with infections and biofilms, and And, you know, when you and I first were learning about this, we never thought anything could cross the blood-brain barrier, right? It was pristine, there’s nothing getting in there unless you could drive it in there, and now we know that’s different, and now we’re seeing bugs in the brains of people who have had Alzheimer’s disease and dementia because they’ve donated their brains for research, and we can see what’s crossing the blood-brain barrier, and it’s really scary. Anju 40:24Yeah, yeah. There’s a lot of things we don’t know. Remember when we just found out that they… the brain had a lymphatic system? Dr. Deb Muth 40:33And that wasn’t About, what, 5, 6 years ago? 7 years ago, maybe? Yeah, not that long ago. Anju 40:38You’d be like, why wouldn’t the brain have a lymphatic system? Dr. Deb Muth 40:41Yeah! Yep. Anju 40:44Yeah, so things get in and out. Dr. Deb Muth 40:46They, they definitely. Anju 40:47You know, they get in easier than they get out, I think. Dr. Deb Muth 40:50I agree, I think they do, for sure, for sure. You know, when you’re talking to a family who’s undergoing issues like this, what’s the role, do you feel, in personalized nutrition to help them make things better? Anju 41:10I kind of go through, like, a little bit of a start here, start there, and then do this. I always start, number one, I say, okay, you gotta clean up your environment, because… We gotta do that. Dr. Deb Muth 41:24But that’s a… Anju 41:24process. And then number 2 for me is cleaning up the diet. And then, when you say personalized nutrition. To me, figuring out what is a good diet for the individual. Dr. Deb Muth 41:38Makes it a little bit difficult. Yeah. Anju 41:41I mean, there is, like, healthy eating concepts, where, you know, eat upside-down food pyramid kind of concept, I guess, is the new one, but whole foods, whole grains, organic as much as possible, especially for animal products, good fats, avoiding, you know, hydrogenated oils, and those seed oils, and… Just some basics, and then individualizing for my patients, a lot of people with any kind of autoimmune condition, and we kind of put autism in that neuroimmune, autoimmune, inflammatory That, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free kind of go there, like, as a given. If there’s a lot of gut issues, a lot of our folks have oxalate issues. And then we have to sometimes do low or limited oxalate diets. Many of my patients can’t convert glutamate to GABA efficiently. Dr. Deb Muth 42:44Yeah. So, high glutamates associated with OCD, and kind of looping or repetitive behaviors. Anju 42:51So, low-glutamate diets. And then some of my patients have SIBO, and then we do the low FODMAPs diet, and then some of my patients have messel, and we’ll do the fail-safe kind of concept with the fail-safe diet, so nutrition can get a little bit complex for certain people, but there are some basics, and then there are some, like, more of… Individual, kind of, diet approaches. And then there’s supplementation. There’s some things that I call foundational. For me, certain things most people need that have a chronic illness. Dr. Deb Muth 43:26Yeah. Anju 43:26Vitamin D3 is one of those. Omega-3s are another one for most. And then, because I did a lot of research on copper, zinc, I think 3 mineral… 4 minerals. I feel like people underdo minerals. They’re so important. Every single enzyme has a mineral cofactor, so… zinc is really important for my population with autism and ADD. 99% of them had high copper or low zinc in. Dr. Deb Muth 43:58Wow. Anju 43:59Over 400 patients that we tested. Dr. Deb Muth 44:01Wow. Anju 44:03And, magnesium.So, zinc, magnesium, and then the other two minerals I really like are selenium for glutathione. and molybdenum for sulfation, and glycolysis. So… So those are kind of my foundational pieces, and then I like to work on the gut next. So, from a nutritional perspective, prebiotics are my new favorite. Dr. Deb Muth 44:29Yeah, we go in and out with prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics. Anju 44:34Yeah, exactly, symbiotics. Dr. Deb Muth 44:36Yes, exactly, exactly. Anju 44:38demos, and… Dr. Deb Muth 44:40Yeah. Anju 44:40So yeah, biofilm busting, and all of that, so… And then I go into my other nitty-gritty stuff, like you probably do. Dr. Deb Muth 44:47individualized, right? So, you created, True Healing Nature, a supplement line, a supplement company, correct? Anju 44:56Yeah, True Hing Naturals. Dr. Deb Muth 44:58Truly Naturals, okay. Anju 44:59True, he is hard. Dr. Deb Muth 45:01Oats! Anju 45:01True! Dr. Deb Muth 45:01Healing natural. Got it, sorry about that. Tell us a little bit about what made you decide to create a supplement company. Was it because you couldn’t find formulations that you wanted? Couldn’t find clean products? That’s a big problem for people, for sure. Anju 45:19Yeah, a little bit of both. I told you that my kids were really sensitive, they had a lot. Dr. Deb Muth 45:23I know. Anju 45:24And when I would even try to give them things like ibuprofen. Dr. Deb Muth 45:28or Benadryl. Anju 45:30For allergies, they couldn’t tolerate the products that were over-the-counter. Dr. Deb Muth 45:35Yeah. Anju 45:35So, in 2007, I opened a compounding pharmacy so I could make things clean for them. Dr. Deb Muth 45:42Yeah. Anju 45:43And I thought it was so valuable. And so then I started seeing, like, certain issues with my patient population, for instance, say, mitochondrial issues. So, I would compound a mito cocktail. in my pharmacy. And then I had True Healing Naturals manufacture it, so I didn’t have to have patients get it compounded. Dr. Deb Muth 46:08Got it. Anju 46:09So that particular product’s called Mito Rescue. Okay. But then, I started… I do a lot of oats testing. Organic acid urine tests. Dr. Deb Muth 46:19Yeah. Anju 46:20But there’s, like, a marker on there for, oxalates, and I saw a lot of patients with oxalates, and oxalates inhibit some… an enzyme called, pyruvate decarboxylase. And that basically means you can’t take your carbs and turn them into energy. Dr. Deb Muth 46:38Okay. Anju 46:39So, if I saw this pattern with high oxalates and high pyruvic acid, I knew that that enzyme wasn’t working very well, and that enzyme is B1, molybdenum, and biotin dependent. So, I started compounding doses of that. And then I turned that into a product called Motor Connect, because high doses of biotin help with connectivity in the cerebellum. Dr. Deb Muth 47:08Got it. So, I did come… kind of start with the compounding pharmacy, try it, use it, and then turn it into. Anju 47:17products, and I have one for copper-zinc imbalances called True Minerals. Dr. Deb Muth 47:21Yeah, to fix the problems that were not commercially available. Could you talk a little bit for people who don’t understand what a compounding pharmacy is? Anju 47:32So, when you guys go to a pharmacy, you, you know, you send a prescription, and it’s already, it’s manufactured, and you get it. Well, a compounding pharmacy actually makes that for you. So they get the raw ingredients, and then they make that prescription. So it’s still prescription-based. But, for instance, say, I want Nystatin. And I go to Walgreens or CVS, and the nystatin there is a liquid, and it has yellow dyes and sugar. Dr. Deb Muth 48:02Yep. Or it’s a title, and it’s red. Anju 48:04or it’s bread, and a tablet, and I, like, oh, I want to treat the yeast, but I don’t want to use this. So I sent my nystatin prescription to a compounding pharmacy, and it’s Nystatin. That’s what you got. Yep. Dr. Deb Muth 48:17disappear. Anju 48:18So, pure compounding pharmacy, it’s pure, it’s pure stuff. Especially for our mast cell people. They’re so sensitive, and, you know, my kids are all mast cell, and so I just find that excipients, some people will say, oh, this doesn’t work, and I said, it’s probably the excipient that’s stimulating your mast cell activation. So, yeah. So, compounding pharmacies, You know, with all the big, kind of. conglomerates and big companies, they’ve become… they used to be, like, mom-and-pop kind of places. And my pharmacy is like that. It’s just… it’s… it’s a few of us, and we… we do it, and it’s nothing big or fancy, but we get the job done. So, we compound things like methylcobalamin injections, hydroxycobalamin, low-dose naltrexone. Different things for chelation. So, it’s nice. I love having it. Dr. Deb Muth 49:11Yeah, the compounding pharmacies really have made a huge difference for people who are sensitive. You know, so many ingredients are contaminated with corn and gluten and soy and dairy and all the big things that we want to stay away from, especially if we’re trying to treat the immune system. And even if the manufacturer says that’s not in our product. it’s contaminated, usually, because they’re usually preparing it in a facility that has those things floating around. Right. And for people who are really sensitive, that’s going to create some issues. Anju 49:45Yeah, people who are sensitive are sensitive to parts per trillion. Dr. Deb Muth 49:48Yeah. Anju 49:49I found that with my daughter with chemical sensitivity. You don’t have to see it, or you don’t have to smell it, but they could react to it. Dr. Deb Muth 49:55Yeah. And, a lot of these, like. Anju 49:58These different, substances, for instance, like enzymes, even the natural enzymes. Dr. Deb Muth 50:03They’re cultured in Aspergillus. Anju 50:07And so they’re extracted from mold. Dr. Deb Muth 50:10Yeah. Anju 50:11And so the really mold-sensitive people will maybe take a digestive enzyme, and they’ll have a reaction, and they’ll not understand why. Yeah. But it’s not because of the enzyme, it’s because of where it’s coming from. Dr. Deb Muth 50:22Yeah, where it’s cultured from. And if you have mold toxicity and mold sensitivity, and we’re looking at your mold test, wondering why are you getting a hit while we’re trying to clear it out, sometimes we forget that those products, and a variety of products that we used are cultured from molds. Yeah. Anju 50:40Yeah, yeah. It’s hard for the laypeople to understand all. Dr. Deb Muth 50:45You know. Anju 50:45of these pieces, but I think that… It used to be, like, the insurance companies would cover prescriptions from compounding pharmacies, but over the years, the lobbying and all of that has gotten so intense where, you know, a lot of that ends up out of pocket, but it’s really… it doesn’t really get that much more expensive than a copay would be. Dr. Deb Muth 51:05Right, right. Anju 51:06People just don’t know about it, yeah. Dr. Deb Muth 51:08Yeah, absolutely. So, you’ve been doing this now for more than 17 years, and you’ve made some remarkable progress with your patients. Can you share some success stories that still inspire you to do what you do every day? Anju 51:27I don’t know about you, but, like, when you first start, I think, God puts you… God puts all those really gray cases in front of you, because you’re like, whoa! Dr. Deb Muth 51:37Yes, and maybe… Anju 51:38I gave this patient methylcobalamin, and they started talking. Yeah. So methyl B12 back in the day was huge. you know, Dr. Nebrander’s protocol, and we would use that, and we would get speech, and… I mean, I’ve… it’s just… there’s hundreds of cases. There’s hundreds of cases, and same with Leukovorin now. Not for everybody, but when it really works, it’s really, really decent. Dr. Deb Muth 52:07Yeah, and worth a try, you know, if… if we suspect that’s what’s going on, these things are worth a try, because sometimes you just never know what’s going to be the key that unlocks the answer for them. Anju 52:19Yeah, but I think, you know, like, I can say… chelation, or… you know, I can, like, throw out a bunch of stuff. Dr. Deb Muth 52:26Okay. Anju 52:27In terms of, like, I’ve… I… I have those families, and I have those kids who are just… they’re just amazing, and they’re in college, and having jobs, and having kids, and… Dr. Deb Muth 52:38Yeah. Anju 52:38you know, all of that, but I think, you know, the ones that really strike me are the ones that I have to work really hard to get. Dr. Deb Muth 52:44And then we’. Anju 52:45they go, it’s not like, oh, I just did the diet, I’m cured, or I did this, and I’m better, or… Right. And I have those cases where the parents come to me and they say, I never thought my kid would Be going to college. And I never thought we would be here. So, those are the ones that really, like, when I get the little notes, or the, like, the college or the high school graduation pictures, and they… and some of them, you know, you lose touch with because they don’t need me anymore. Dr. Deb Muth 53:19Yeah. Anju 53:20And then you hear about it later. And then, I think the ones that don’t get better are the ones that, like, sit with me the most They just sit with me, and we’ve had this population of children with severe apraxia. So, apraxia is a motor planning issue, but if you saw these patients, you would think that they were… mentally deficient. Dr. Deb Muth 53:44Hmm. Anju 53:45Because they can’t talk. Dr. Deb Muth 53:46Yeah. Anju 53:47They’re the classic person that you would see that looks autistic. You know, running around, excited, verbal stimming, no speech. Dr. Deb Muth 53:57Hmm. Anju 53:58And that group of patients are incredibly Brilliant. And we are just finding out about how smart they are. There’s a book called Underestimated by J.B. Hanley and his son Jamie. JV has all the resources in the world. He used to put those ads in the New York Times about autism and vaccines. He could take his kid anywhere and do any treatment, and still, we… Blocked. Locked. Couldn’t get through. Couldn’t get through. And they started, spelling. To communicate, and this speller’s method, and it just opened a door. And it opened a door for so many of my patients who are metabolically challenged, so we do help them metabolically. Getting that ability to communicate. Some of them never got high school diplomas, and they went back to get their high school diplomas so they could go to college. Dr. Deb Muth 54:56Oh, wow, that’s amazing stories. Anju 54:59Yeah, and Elizabeth Bonker is one of those spellers, and she… she was a valedictorian in her high school, college. And she did a valedictorian speech that went. Viral, and she’s one of the people on that committee. Dr. Deb Muth 55:13That’s awesome. Anju 55:14He’s non-speaking. She… she can’t not speak. Dr. Deb Muth 55:20Wow. Anju 55:21But they asked her to be on this committee. Dr. Deb Muth 55:24That’s fantastic. Anju 55:26Huge. Dr. Deb Muth 55:27That’s huge. It is huge. There’s a way she can communicate, she just can’t verbalize the way you and I verbalize. Anju 55:34She’s brilliant. I mean, people on that committee, the, the individuals with autism on that committee, I know they’re brilliant people. Wow. But if you… if… If people saw them, they wouldn’t see that. Dr. Deb Muth 55:47Right. Anju 55:47So, I guess, for me, it’s like seeing the brilliance, seeing the competence in individuals, and as a practitioner, just trying to optimize it. But I know, like, the neurodiversity people say, okay, you know. We’re fine, and it’s like, yes, you are fine, you’re fine, and it’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay. But if you’re struggling metabolically, and we can help you feel better. What’s… what’s the harm in that? Dr. Deb Muth 56:13Right, let’s do that. Yeah. So you’re also part of something called MAPS, and you’re educating doctors worldwide. Tell us a little bit about MAPS, and how do you see the integrative pediatrics evolving in the next decade as a result of what we’re learning today? Anju 56:36I think we’re at a crossroads, and Maps is kind of in the middle of that crossroads. It used to be called Dan. Dr. Deb Muth 56:47Okay. Anju 56:47Autism Now. Dr. Deb Muth 56:48Yeah. Anju 56:49And then they kind of dissolved Dan and turned it into MedMaps. And MedMaps is Medical Academy for Pediatrics and Special Needs. So it’s not just special needs, it’s pediatrics. as well.So it’s kind of like the functional medicine for peds. And our goal is to train an army of clinicians to be the frontline. And how medicine should be, and how people should be trained. We should train them to do these types of things from the beginning. Because now it’s backwards. Dr. Deb Muth 57:28Right. Anju 57:30they come see us when nobody else can help them. But, so, we have some good leadership, and then… We are just trying to get people trained so that they understand that this is the future. Dr. Deb Muth 57:50If there’s a practitioner that’s listening to this, how do they get involved in MAPS? Anju 57:55They could come to a conference. Dr. Deb Muth 57:57Okay. Anju 57:58And the website is medmaps.org. And there’s 2 conferences a year. And we have scholarships, and we want people to come, so contact You know, the executive director, and… We just want people to come, share… their experiences, learn about functional medicine, it’s evidence-based, we try to… it’s really scientific, you know, we talk a lot of science. Dr. Deb Muth 58:25Oh yeah, a lot of science. Anju 58:26We talk a lot of science, and and so hopefully we can move all of this forward. Baster. Dr. Deb Muth 58:35I think the greatest thing, when you get into the functional medicine integrative space like this, and MAPS, and some of the other environmental academies and things like that. A lot of people might think it’s not science-based, and I’m always amazed at how much science we have, and it’s right, it’s all the things that you and I learned in biochem class, and chem class, and organic chem, and we were like, oh, let’s just learn this to be done with it. And then you get back, and you start doing integrated medicine, and you realize, like, all of that biochemistry stuff is what we needed to truly understand to fix people these These days, and you go back and you have to learn that in an intense version of it. Anju 59:18I felt like I finally understood the Krebs cycle, when I learned how it made metabolic stents, instead of just memorizing these cycles for… For the… Dr. Deb Muth 59:30Right? Like, they, like. Anju 59:32They just make sense to me. Dr. Deb Muth 59:34Yeah. Anju 59:35And I think that’s so important to understand, that all of this has science behind it, and it’s there, and the research is there. Dr. Deb Muth 59:46It’s just us having to learn how to utilize it, and recognize that not every person is going to be straightforward, and what we do for one might not work for another. There’s… It’s not as easy as prescribing a prescription and letting the person walk out the door in 10 minutes. That’s not what this is about at all. Anju 01:00:05No, and at MedMaps as well, they have a call for abstracts, and so we’re always looking for research, experience, so if any of the clinicians out there have, you know, things they want to share. then send an abstract to Maps. What a great blonde. I think, one of my doctor friends is doing an abstract on research that was done on sensory qigong massage. Dr. Deb Muth 01:00:34Oh. Anju 01:00:34And it helped with speech, and the theory was that, we were all thinking of the sensory system in the brain, the sensory system. In the periphery being affected neurologically, and how to turn that back on. So, it was… it’s… Dr. Deb Muth 01:00:51That’s neat. Anju 01:00:51Again, with the research, and with the science behind it, and with, like, clinical trials, and all of that. Dr. Deb Muth 01:00:58That’s awesome, I love that.For parents that are just starting in this journey, what would you recommend be their first one or two steps? Anju 01:01:10Educate, educate, educate? How do you get educated? I do think that, TakaNow.org is a good place for, like, a biomedical approach, or this functional approach for autism. It’s the Autism Community in Action. MedMaps is doing a parent conference in March. Dr. Deb Muth 01:01:31Oh, awesome. They usually do that around, Memorial Day, right? Anju 01:01:36They’ll do it around Labor Day in September. Dr. Deb Muth01:01:40Labor Day in September, okay. Anju 01:01:42Yeah, and then mid-March. Dr. Deb Muth 01:01:44Okay. Anju 01:01:45Yeah. And they hadn’t done a parent conference before, but we had parents that wanted to come to the conferences, and it was just for clinicians before. Dr. Deb Muth 01:01:54Got it. Is it Autism One that does theirs around Memorial Day? Anju 01:01:59Oh yeah, they don’t exist anymore. Dr. Deb Muth 01:02:01Don’t, really. Anju 01:02:03conferences. There was. Dr. Deb Muth 01:02:06NAA, the National Autism Association. Anju 01:02:09They don’t do a lot of parent conferences in functional medicine either, so there’s a few left. Documenting Hope. That’s another really nice one. Oh, that’s great. Dr. Deb Muth 01:02:21So, what last words do you want to leave with our listeners? Anju 01:02:29You know, that’s… people always ask that at the end of these… I, I do feel that, Listen to your heart, you know, follow your intuition. Dr. Deb Muth 01:02:40I’ll let that guide you. Anju 01:02:42There’s a lot of information, sometimes it gets to be too much information. It’s hard to process everything, try not to make impulsive decisions about things. And… If you have a child with special needs, or if you have a grandchild with, issues. Presume competence. There’s a lot there. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:04Yeah. Anju 01:03:05Especially some of these kids with behavior issues. I don’t know how many patients of mine are… Put on psychotropic meds. Metabolic issues, and, you know… It’s like, a lot of them have pain, like headache, abdominal pain, and inflammation, and they’re treating them with psych meds. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:25Yeah. That’s sad, isn’t it? Anju 01:03:28I think, you know, try to look for the underlying cause. Not just band-aid things. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:34Where can listeners, learn more about your work and what you do? Anju 01:03:40Oh, that’s tough. I don’t have a book. One of these days. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:48Yes! Anju 01:03:49Yes, one of these days. I think, you know, med maps, we have a… if they’re clinicians. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:55Hmm? Anju 01:03:56I have lectured a lot. For, for, communities like Taka, so there’s just a lot of… lectures that I’ve given online. Dr. Deb Muth 01:04:09Awesome. Well, thank you for taking your time with us today. It’s been a great conversation with you. Anju 01:04:15Thank you so much for inviting me, Debra. I’m honored to be here, and thank you for doing the work that you do to put Put this out there for people, because it’s really important information. Dr. Deb Muth 01:04:27Thank you. Thank you for joining me today on Let’s Talk Wellness Now. Today’s discussion with Dr. Usman reminds us that there’s always more we can do. We can look deeper into biology, environment, and lifestyle. to heal the next generation. If this episode inspired you, please share it with a parent or a practitioner who believes every child deserves a chance to thrive. And to learn more about Dr. Usman, you can visit TrueHealthMedical.com or TrueHealingnaturals.com. And if you’re ready to explore your own root cause healing, visit us at Serenityhealthcarecenter.com. You can also follow me on Instagram, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of Let’s Talk Wellness now. Until next time. I’m Dr. Deb, reminding you to nurture your body, mind, and spirit. Be well, and I’ll see you soon.The post Episode 262 – The Root Cause of ADHD & Autism: Beyond the Diagnosis with Dr. Anju Usman Singh first appeared on Let's Talk Wellness Now.

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.

Dr. Deb Muth 0:03What if everything you’ve been told about getting healthy is backwards?What if chasing symptoms with pills, procedures, and quick fixes is exactly why you’re still sick? Tired, inflamed, and frustrated. Today, I’m sitting down with Dr. Holly Donahue, a naturopathic doctor who walked away from corporate burnout to discover the truth.Your body already knows how to heal. You just need to remove what’s blocking it, and give it what it’s missing. If you’re done with Band-Aid solutions and ready for real, lasting transformation, this conversation changes everything. Welcome back to Let’s Talk Wellness Now, the show where we uncover the root causes of chronic illness, explore cutting-edge regenerative medicine, and empower you with the tools to heal. I’m Dr. Deb, your medical detective, and today, we’re diving into the hidden truth about whole body wellness, and why treating symptoms will never give you the vibrant health you deserve. I’m joined by Dr. Holly Donahue, a licensed naturopathic doctor with over two decades of clinical experiencing Helping high performers heal from burnout, chronic fatigue, hormone imbalance, and stubborn weight issues. She’s the founder of Simple Health, and she’s here to share the science-backed approach to root cause healing that addresses your body, mind, and spirit, not just your lab values. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with a chronic condition, or is struggling with unexplained symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, hormonal chaos, or chronic inflammation. This episode is for you. Please share it with them. So, as usual, grab your cup of coffee, tea, or whatever helps you unwind, settle in, and let’s get started on your journey to deeper healing. And we’ll be right back after a word from our sponsor. All right. So, Dr. Donahue, let’s start with the question that’s on everyone’s mind, right? How did you transition away from corporate and into the world of, naturopath… natural medicine, naturopathic medicine, root cause medicine, all the wonderful terms we’re using for this these days? Dr. Holly Donahue 02:56Yeah, first of all, thanks for having me, Dr. Debb. I so appreciate it, and that is a beautiful question, and I will share with you my health journey and why I got into this, and… how I got to do this amazing work, right? Because I always believed, for me, my higher being is God, and it walked right into me, right? Because I was pretty happy in the apparel industry. So, just as you said, I was in the apparel industry, I, my education doesn’t really matter, but double, like, marketing and textile marketing, and I was in design, and I was working in design. from LA to London to the East Coast. And 2 days after September 11th, to sum it up, I got laid off. Even though I had been pulled out of a job where my vice president of the company was like, I want you to come down here with me, and the apparel industry, you’re switching every two to three years. For those that don’t know it, that’s just how the journey works, and I was known as a changemaker in the field. And so, here we are two days after September 11th, and I was seeing a naturopath, and I was, let’s see, 29 to 30, right? And so, prior to that, the reason why I searched out for a naturopath was because in my teenage years, and… Up until that time, I was suffering with horrible menstrual cramps and horrible depression, hence why I moved to LA, thinking if I was in the sun all the time, my life would change, which we all do, change our place, change our time, things will change. Had nothing to do with family or roots, but I thought, if I’m around sunshine all the time, I won’t be depressed. Well, wherever you go, there you are, because it went with me, right? So I had my foot down to the ground, and I was just like, I am committed to not living life like this, right? Even at 7 years old, I had strep ear all the time, and my mom’s like, we’re gonna have your tonsils out, and I’m like, no we’re not. And she goes, no, you’re gonna feel so much better, no more strep ear. And I’m like, God gave them to me for a reason, you’re not taking them out. She’s like, okay, like, I was really strong. And so, let’s wind up to 2 days after September 11th. Prior to that, I had started to retake chemistry and biology, because I haven’t taken it since my textile years, which was a different chemistry, right? And so, I thought, well, I’ll just start and see where it goes, because my naturopath at the time. Dr. Dadama was like, we need more naturopaths, and I’m like, I’m really good where I am. I love what I do, I love corporate America, I love designing, I love product development. And he’s like, no, no, no, so he kept talking. Well, when this all fell… And 2 days after September 11th, I raised my hand and I said, God, I hear you. I went off to naturopathic medicine school in my 30s. And I never looked back, and I just really believe the gift of healing was, put together for me in so many ways. And so, why do I love talking about natural medicine, naturopathic medicine? Because I was not gonna just take an antidepressant, which is what the medical world… they wanted to give me a pill for a nail, that’s what I call it. I didn’t need to be on birth control. I wasn’t sexually active. Right? So none of that made sense to me. And it wasn’t until I really changed my nutrition, began to understand who I am as a person, and what my body really needed, did I heal. Dr. Deb Muth 06:20Isn’t that amazing? Like, I think so many of us enter into the alternative quote-unquote world. Because what is happening over here in what is known as the traditional medicine world isn’t working for people, and no one’s listening to them, and we just follow the traditional protocol, whether it makes sense or not, this is the protocol, everybody gets it. There’s no individuality, no personalization, nothing that happens in that world. And so, people tend to go looking for that… that uniqueness that natural medicine and naturopaths allow to happen. And that’s where true healing actually begins, for so many people. Dr. Holly Donahue 07:02 Yes, and honestly, once my hormones were healed, hence why I talk about hormones all the time, and my thyroid was healed, and I was eating the right nutrition, and for those of you that are listening, please stop playing with nutrition, like, get on that… get on that connection of what works for you. And I’ll be honest, like, none of us as doctors can… we can guide you. what’s really good in eating, but figuring it out for yourself is important. And the other naturopath that I saw. Never healed me. I only got so far by just taking supplements and herbs. And I speak that into that, that’s why I’m so driven around the foundation of our medicine. I am not just saying this, is your nutrition. And until I changed my nutrition, and I figured out what workouts work best for me, and I took all the toxicity and mucus out of my body, I was just inflamed, and I didn’t really it. I was eating all the wrong foods. Right? My body can’t do searches and simple sugars, hence why I talk about it, and so many people are addicted to sugar, and they deny it. Dr. Deb Muth 08:11Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 08:11It’s a comfort food, right? So, I always say, I can’t heal you until I fix your nutrition and your sugar, and if that’s not something that you’re willing to work on with me with love, I am not the right practitioner. Because I remember it didn’t heal me. Dr. Deb Muth 08:29Yeah. I think we forget that nutrition is our medicine, right? Food is thy medicine. And it’s so easy for us to just say, but it’s easier to just take 10 supplements than it is to change my diet, cook for the whole family, and then cook for me. Nutrition is really, really difficult for people, because so much of who we are is born into nutrition, right? All of those family traditions of what we make at Christmas, or Easter, or what do you do for a celebration, when all of that changes, you kind of… you have a loss for things. So how do you work around that with people? Dr. Holly Donahue 09:12Yeah, so I look at that as, I’m always suggesting to individuals in all these different celebrations, like, if you’re the one, kind of. that is the pinnacle that’s creating the celebrations, could you change that, right? So maybe you always have people over for your children’s birthday parties, and you have cake, and, you know, you have a spaghetti dinner, whatever it looks like. I’m not judging, I’m not here to judge, I just know what works, right? Then maybe you get to change that. How about doing an outdoor activity with the children? Maybe choosing to go on a hike to the beach where they’re active. And then, you know, you do a healthy treat with them, or do we always have to have these celebrations around sugar? And I’m talking America, because I never saw this when I lived in Europe, like, the way it is here, right? Or, as adults, we’re celebrating with alcohol all the time, right? I removed sugar and alcohol from my diet years ago just because I knew I just didn’t feel good with it. I’m not judging that that’s what you need to do. So, back to your question, the other suggestion I say, if you can with your family, because I know there’s all sorts of… Hidden rules, quiet rules, ways you have to do things to be fit in. First of all, stand up for your own health, so I suggest that. And secondly, how about if you bring something to that meal that you can share with everybody that you know that you can eat? If that doesn’t work, I’m pretty sure, I’m pretty confident, unless I’m really not connected, and I’ve never had anybody not be able to maneuver this. When you go to a meal, look at where… what the protein is there, look at what vegetables are there. And if you’re wanting to have a piece of cake, or a bread, or whatever that looks like for you as you’re carbohydrate simple starch, choose one or the other, and make those choices. And secondly, never go to a holiday, or a meal, or a function, or a gathering starving. Dr. Deb Muth 11:22That is a great suggestion, because once you go there starving, it’s a smorgasbord of food, right? And you’re just grabbing whatever, because you’re so hungry. we don’t think about that. Most people do go to the party starving because they know there’s going to be all this amazing food there that tastes good but might not be healthy for us, but we’re looking forward to having those kinds of things. Dr. Holly Donahue 11:45And just have a little bit less, right? So, like, extreme, you know, maybe, like, grab 2 tablespoons of something if you want to have it, if that’s something. And the other truth is, is that I don’t want people to not live their life and enjoy their life because they’re learning what works for them. And when I say that, like, the 7 pillars of wellness, like. I’m saying movement, I’m saying relationships, I’m saying lifestyle, I’m even saying job, you guys, like, emotions, how you were born and raised, what that, like, that is all important for your health. And I always say, lots of times, I’m not even having constant medical conversations with patients, I’m really having discipline and connection. Like, how can you change how you’re doing things Because we’re so wired. to do… do it the way that we knew how to do it, and it’s really hard to change our neurological habits, and it’s really hard to change our wiring, especially if that’s how we were born and raised, right? And so, sometimes that can really trigger us. But, if you’re going to go to that meal, right, that we’re talking about. Then how about you can, like, encourage everybody afterwards, if it’s nice out, to go for a walk, or have some sort of movement together, so that you had what you wanted, you showed up, you didn’t feel like you were, like, out in left field, and you couldn’t have what everybody had, but you’re still grounded in your own truth, and making decisions, and then you’re like, hey, how about if we all go for a walk, like, and have a chat together? You know, like, you know, and you’re changing, probably, in the family, and then the deeper one that I love, Dr. Deb, the deeper one, is that ripple effect. Once people start to see you heal, they’re gonna ask you what you did. Dr. Deb Muth 13:42Yeah, that is so true. Dr. Holly Donahue 13:43effect is in the family. Dr. Deb Muth 13:45And people notice. We don’t always think people notice. They might not always say things, but they do notice when somebody’s changing. When they look better, their skin is better, their hair is better, they are more vibrant, they have more energy, they’re thinking better. They notice those types of things. Dr. Holly Donahue 14:04Yeah. And you’re not as short with loved ones, right? Because when you don’t feel good and you’re eating, you know, sugar, like, and I mean simple starches, because patients will be like, Dr. Donnie, I don’t eat sugar. And I’m like, okay, well, if you’re not eating sugar, why is your glucose 120 and your hemoglobin A1C 6?So the glucose is immediate, for those that are listening, don’t know. That’s an immediate reading of your glucose, or the hemoglobin A1C tells me what happened over the 3 months, right? A 3-month cycle, so then I get a clip picture of it, and I also test insulin as well, but what I say to them is, okay, you’re not eating sugar.But your body’s seeing something as sugar, because your glucose is still elevated, and your hemoglobin A1C is over 5.4 to 5.6, right? 5.8, you know what I mean? That’s when we start to look at prediabetes, and what people don’t understand is when those numbers, like hemoglobin A1C, are at that elevation, that didn’t just start yesterday. That has been fire in your body for a very long time. Same with cholesterol. Dr. Deb Muth 15:12Yeah.Yeah, we forget about that. You know, this is coming from decades of what we do, not 3 months of what we do. And most people, if we look back on their lifestyles. starting at a very young age, and it saddens me to see young little… little children, babies, right, 2 and 3 years old, that are drinking soda in a bottle. They’re drinking pure sugar everywhere, you know, Gatorade and all this stuff. That’s full of dyes and toxins and sugars, and then we wonder why they’re going crazy, driving mom and dad crazy, bouncing off the walls, or can’t sit still in school and can’t concentrate, because we’ve just fed them a drug that’s just wired them up. And then we just tell them to hurry up and be quiet, right? And that just doesn’t happen, but that… what we’re seeing now is starting at such a young age, you know? So many young people are feeding their kids just garbage all the time, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s terrible. Dr. Holly Donahue 16:14And it’s fascinating, because I’ll use an example of that. Every year, my family and I go to Antigua for a couple weeks, and I just got back a couple weeks ago, and we go in March, right? And so, when… I was at, like, I’ll say the breakfast buffet, right? It’s healthier foods, and I’m not judging, but, like, my family would grab eggs, and we’re like, where’s our protein? Okay, you can do yogurt, you know what I mean? Like, choosing, right? And then our fruit would be our carbohydrate, and then there was nuts there, and so we were really, like, being choice, and then we all do like coffee, right? And so, we chose… I was looking around at the children there that were beautiful, like, little kids, and they’re so sweet, and they’re on their vacation at this nice resort with their family, and they’re eating Froot Loops, and they’re eating all these sugary donuts. Of course, the resort makes them, right? Because a lot of those places, they’re made, they don’t bring them in. Dr. Deb Muth 17:14And they’re. Dr. Holly Donahue 17:14eating croissants and breads, and then they’re, you know, running around, and the families are, like, chasing them. And then, over in another corner.there was a very well-behaved little boy with a mother and father that you could tell was very quiet, very grounded in what they fed the baby, and I just happened to talk to them later. And she happens to be a holistic wellness, yoga and Reiki practitioner, and he happens to be a yoga instructor, and they’re very cautious what they eat, so I noticed they were asking for a lot of vegetables and protein like we were doing, even at lunch and dinner. And I said, you guys are so grounded. But there’s the difference. I’m not trying to compare, but the difference is, just give your kid whatever they want on vacation. Well, you can’t take them back and be like, okay, now you can’t have that at home. like, they’re gonna start to eat the way you eat, so if you don’t go up and get a donut and a croissant, I’m just using simple examples, you are really making the way for the health for your child for the rest of your life. Or for their life, I should say. Dr. Deb Muth 18:29And it’s so important, right? Because we see so much disease happening at such a young age. I don’t know how you are, but in my practice. We have so many young people, you know, 10, 12, 14, 16, that are sick. And really, really sick. And you… it kind of keeps going. We go back and forth with this, like. why do we see so many more young people? One of my doctors treats autism, so we’ve always had young people in our office. But now we’re seeing the young teenagers that are sick, that are not autistic, but they’re now sick, and it’s more and more and more of them, and we just haven’t seen that. I’ve been in practice 25 years. We didn’t see that before. You know, you didn’t see people that were sick until they were, like, in their 40s, because they were burning the candle at both ends, and they just got burned out. But now that’s happening younger and younger. Dr. Holly Donahue 19:24100%, and that goes back to everything that we were talking about. And if you want to step into the other piece of it, it’s all the chemicals and the toxicity that are around us, the radiation from the cell phones. We are vibrational frequency beings. That is not a woo statement, that’s true, that’s how our cell structure is. Then we’re putting all this unnatural makeup and fake eyelashes, a lot of people are wearing, non-organic, natural makeup, you know, underarm deodorant that has aluminum in it, cleaning products that are full of toxicity, we’re breathing them in, you know, there’s mold in so many houses as well. And really, if we don’t have a really strong nutrition protocol for ourself, sleeping well, sleeping soundly as a child, or even as an adult, we’re not spiking cortisol all the time. You know, how can we build up our immune system as a young person, or even as an adult? I mean, these young people are in, like, they tell me all these things they were in, and I’m just like, oh my gosh, I’d be exhausted before, like, 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Dr. Deb Muth 20:36Right? Right. Dr. Holly Donahue 20:38because their parents are trying to work two jobs, they think the more they do, the better they are, the more it’ll look better on the resume, or at school, or the college that they get into. And it’s like, we’re telling this messaging to go, go, go. When do we tell them to meditate and pray and just be quiet? Dr. Deb Muth 20:55Yeah, we never do. Dr. Holly Donahue 20:56Creative. Dr. Deb Muth 20:57We never do. I have a young man in my practice, and he’s just amazing. Typical Type A personality, mast cell. He’s out of college, he’s on a sports team.And they literally go from 5 in the morning until midnight, and then these kids have to stay up and study, get their homework done, and so they’re running on maybe, if they’re lucky, 2 to 3 hours of sleep, and this happens 5 to 6 days a week.How do we possibly think that this is healthy for these kids? Dr. Holly Donahue 21:27Hmm. Yeah, then they’re living in dorms that probably aren’t healthy. Like, my niece lived in a dorm that was full of mold, right? And my sister got her an air purifier, but still, it’s still coming in. And then the food that these institutions feed you, and then I’ll have these, you know, because I live near UNH, my clinic is near UNH, and they’ll be like, but we’re on the meal plan, do you know what I mean? And so I try to teach them the best way to maneuver, like, a buffet and a meal plan. But the truth is, is like, is it really organic foods? Healthy, quality foods? Probably not. So then it’s like, you can’t really… it’s hard for you to get off the meal plan, like, it’s all these, like… I call it the matrix kind of connections, like, you can’t… there’s not flexibility, and then if you have mast cell, it’s like, holy cow, your immune system is already overfiring itself, and now you’re burning the cortisol at all ends, like, how can you calm that flame down? Dr. Deb Muth 22:27Yeah, I remember when my daughter went to college, she had celiac disease, and they forced her to do the meal plan as a freshman, even though we said there’s not going to be anything she can eat, it’s all going to be contaminated. So they forced us to purchase the meal plan, even though she couldn’t have anything on the meal plan. And so she had to go outside of school to eat, which made it more difficult. And just all the way around, they don’t make anything easy for kids that have special dietary needs in these colleges. Dr. Holly Donahue 23:00It’s… it’s… It’s very unfortunate, you know what I mean? And then it… and then what is the first thing that people release, which they really need, is to move their body and do exercise and movement, so when they’re exhausted, they have to show up to so many classes, or they’ll get dinged, but yet they’re not getting sleep at night, and then they’re showing up exhausted, then they’re trying to eat, they’re trying to function. And then here we step in trying to help them, and it’s just like they’re already overloaded, and so to give them a protocol to follow. it’s just really hard for me to watch that maneuvering, so then I just say, okay, let’s just do one thing at a time. It’s gonna be a slow healing, but one thing is better than the other. Dr. Deb Muth 23:49Right. Dr. Holly Donahue 23:50Nothing. Dr. Deb Muth 23:51Yeah, let’s… let’s turn our conversation a little bit, because we’re already heading in that direction, to the burnout, you know?This is epidemic in our country, and especially among high-performing women, the college kids, even the high school kids, the leaders, the busy moms, and everybody’s trying to hold everything together. What are you seeing in your practice in this population? Dr. Holly Donahue 24:13Yeah, and I actually have a lot of entrepreneurs and, like, executives, and believe it or not, I have a lot of nurses and some doctors in my program. I am seeing aha moments that they, even though some of the medical practitioners I have know that sleep is important, they’re just like, I had no idea, right?that sleep was so important, and that shutting off the, light, and your computers, and your email and everything, like, to create a sleep ritual, right, for them. They are so shocked with that. But I am seeing, if you’re asking me diagnosis, I am seeing more autoimmunity than I’ve ever seen before, especially in women.I am seeing… I only used to see, because I do the blood type nutrition, because Dr. Dadamo trained me in that. Dr. Deb Muth 25:07I use… Dr. Holly Donahue 25:07to only see diabetes in O blood type. And prediabetes. I would see some sugar tweaks in A’s and ABs and B’s, but not too much. Like, I see more nervous system dysregulation in an A, and I didn’t see a lot of cardiac in A’s, I saw it more in O’s. That almost… he’d probably roll over in his grave, but that’s almost, like, debunked now, because I’m seeing diabetes in A’s all day long, I’m seeing it in B’s, I’m seeing insomnia like there’s no tomorrow, I’m seeing a lot of, you know, undiagnosed mold and Lyme, where people are completely exhausted, and I know the labeling of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia is just a catch-all diagnosis, so… Many of my patients know I don’t like to label, because if I tell you you have a condition, how many people hold on to that condition and use that as messaging for their life? And I… what I tell them is, let’s look at your labs functionally. I’m seeing very disrupt… I see a lot of mast cell now. I’m seeing a lot of long-haul COVID, or even lung conditions that… We have no idea where it’s coming from. Like, shortness of breath, wheezing, and they’re being diagnosed with asthma, but all the treatments that I’ve done over the years with asthma isn’t healing it. So I’ve got two people that are really at a risk, and have been on rounds of prednisone, and it’s really hard for me to watch, and so I’m stepping back into, you have to slow down, you get to do what you love, who are you being? everyday life, and how are you showing up? And your body, even though as an O, you can take a lot of stress. Dr. Deb Muth 26:57But yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 26:58your body is too stressed out. And it’s shocking that the first thing that… not really, but it still is to me, the first thing people let go of is the nutrition, and the movement, and the sleep. Dr. Deb Muth 27:13Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 27:14And the main things… Dr. Deb Muth 27:15We need to heal. Dr. Holly Donahue 27:16Exactly. So when you ask me that, the biggest piece is blood sugar and stress, cortisol, and adrenals. Dr. Deb Muth 27:24Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 27:24Without a label. Dr. Deb Muth 27:26Yeah, we’re seeing a lot of the same thing. The autoimmunity, the mast cell is huge. More recently, probably the last two months, we’ve been seeing a lot of, very rare, strange cancers that don’t make sense. Dr. Holly Donahue 27:38Oh. Dr. Deb Muth 27:38We’re seeing a lot of undiagnosed mold and Lyme and things like that as well. I mean, it’s just so much more unusual things than what we’ve seen before.and struggling with patients, like things that we used to do, kind of like what you’re saying with the asthma, things that we’ve always done that have worked are not working the same way as they used to, not responding the same way. Since 2020, things have really changed a lot. It’s very difficult.Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 28:07And I think we’re in such transition in the world itself, like, with the nutrient depletion of the soil. And so it’s like, okay, like, how much do we supplement? How much do we use herbs? Like, I love… I personally use a lot of homeopathy. You know, even… that was my go-to. I lost my dad a year ago, we, and I’ve been in a round of grief, and it’s real, you know, and so my go-to was homeopathy, because I had all the other pieces together. However, I did notice, like, the fatigue was real, like, I just kind of wanted to sleep more, you know what I mean? Because it was just, like… but I’ve allowed that to happen, right? And I’ve just had to pivot my schedule, but I know I can as an entrepreneur, but still, you can too. You just have to ask those questions. Do you know what I mean? Like, you gotta figure out what works for you. But if you keep in that go-go state, like you and I just mentioned, all these diagnoses, they’re all, like, almost to me, epigenetics from the outside world, and then the pressure that we’re putting on ourselves, and then when we put that pressure on ourselves, our cells are just completely disrupted. Our gut microbiome is off. If our gut is off. then our immune system can’t heal, so then if COVID or Lyme or something, we get reinfected, that our immune system knows, it almost doesn’t know it anymore, because it’s full of toxicity. Dr. Deb Muth 29:34Yeah, I agree. Dr. Holly Donahue 29:35People are constipated! Dr. Deb Muth 29:36Yes, yes, just about everybody we see is constipated these days, yeah.I really like your approach. I appreciate how you focus on not just supplements and protocols, but you address all of it, like sleep, nutrition, lifestyle. Why is that whole body approach so critical when you’re working with people that have either been burnt out or just have been ill for a while?What is it about that approach that makes it so, so much better than what we do traditionally? Dr. Holly Donahue 30:09Well, first of all, the first thing that comes to my mind is that, I don’t believe the body, you can use one system and one drug at a time. Pharmaceuticals are indicated when they’re indicated. I have somebody that came in with incredibly high elevated cholesterol and hemoglobin A1C, was put on Wegovy and was put on a statin, for example.Those were indicated then and there. Wegovy, I don’t know, but it’s okay, we can work through it, right?But if we just leave that individual there, whether I do herbs or drugs, I’m never getting to the root cause of what’s happening. I’m never getting to, what is your relationship with your wife? Do you enjoy work? Do you… what do you do? How many times do my patients, I say to them, don’t focus on weight.Like, what do you do for joy? So this, to me, is the whole person. The person is just not the pancreas, the blood sugar, the cardiovascular system, and the lungs. Those are very important in the whole arterial system, or we won’t. Dr. Deb Muth 31:18Right. Dr. Holly Donahue 31:18But, like, even the movement, if I don’t talk about movement, like, I don’t know about you, but after, like, a podcast, or after I go live, I have to get up and walk around. We’re not meant to be. It’s not good for our backs, right? Dr. Deb Muth 31:32Hmm? Dr. Holly Donahue 31:33And then if we don’t use the whole body approach, like massage, and I do colon hydrotherapies at the clinic, and muscle stim, and ultrasound, and visceral management, and craniosacral, like, but the biggest thing that heals is removing the toxicity, like with saunas, you know?And it’s like… If I just focused on… One system, for example.And, for example, thyroid. How many women have Hashimoto’s thyroid? Like, they’re gonna be on thyroid medicine for the rest of their life. Is that truth? No! I have gone on thyroid and come off thyroid when I was really sick, right? The receptors aren’t connecting to what’s going on, because my receptors, they’re all mooky, right? Dr. Deb Muth 32:19Like… Dr. Holly Donahue 32:20I’m using non-medical terms so they understand. It’s like, all of this toxicity, it can’t get to it, right? Because there’s so much toxicity in the body. So if I just focus on not doing the whole person… then I’m not getting to the root cause, and what’s gonna happen, and this is in my mind, because I’ve been through it, I’m just gonna only heal a little bit, like I did when I was a teenager. with… if I’m just giving supplements, and I’m not doing the whole body approach, right? And if I’m not looking at the bone health of women as they age, as estrogen and progesterone and menopause. Dr. Deb Muth 32:56cousin. Dr. Holly Donahue 32:56and I’m not focusing on that, then long-term, I mean, I’ve had my patients for 25 plus years, long-term.we’re gonna end up with bone challenges, osteopenia, osteoporosis, right? Placking of the arteries, so if I just do one system.I’m not doing you service. Dr. Deb Muth 33:17Yeah, I love that. I love that. And that’s so true, because we don’t think about, necessarily think about 10 years from now, 15 years from now. Everyone’s focused on.what’s going on right now, let’s fix right now. But that person still has to live in their body, no matter what we do right now. We’ve got to get them past that and get them to a place where they can function 10, 15, 20 years from now. And that makes a huge difference, and like you were saying, the toxicity, I mean, the toxins that we’re exposed to today are so much worse than they were 25 years ago when you and I started this. And it was bad then, but now it’s really bad, and trying to get these things out of people so they don’t develop autoimmune disease, they don’t develop cancer, they don’t get neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia and Parkinson’s. It becomes harder and harder, and the sooner you do that, the better success you have without getting those things later on, when you do get older and your immune system falls a little bit. Dr. Holly Donahue 34:11Yeah, and we are probably, even though most of our research is done on men, and thank God we’re, you know, getting more and more research on women, like the cardiovascular disease in women and heart attack myocardial infarctions. you guys is very different in women, so please ask and find out, because there’s a lot of women that we’re losing in the ER because they’re trying to do the diagnosing of a male, and that’s coming out now. I can’t remember the doctor that’s done several podcasts on it. I think she’s out of Stanford, and it’s like, she’s starting to speak up, right? This isn’t a gender thing, but it is a gender thing, right? And it’s not saying, poor me because I wasn’t research, I’m saying, like, we are different beings. When I treat a male.His wiring, when I treat him, is very different the way I treat a female.Right? A female’s ready to make changes, they’ve had to be flexible, you know, and a man is just wired very differently. Until they have an emergency, are they gonna jump on and really do something? And I’m not talking every man, if you have men that watch this. Dr. Deb Muth 35:18I’m tired. Dr. Holly Donahue 35:18We’re talking the average person. The other thing that I briefly want to speak into is, like, we have so much research on drugs. Why don’t we have more research on herbs, which actually start the beginning of drugs, often, with the synthetics, right? I would love to see that. Dr. Deb Muth 35:36Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 35:37I see so much crap being taken out of our food, and not that we’re talking about different people, because I don’t want to talk about them online, though it’s out there if you want to find it, creating and putting chicken in vats and feeding it to you. So, I don’t know about you, but I’m never eating chicken at a restaurant, unless I know the farm where my chicken came from. Right. Like, this is real, you guys, like, they are doing genetically modified food.The other question that I have is America’s such a growing, knowledgeable country, why do we have 1.3 trillion diagnoses and chronic disease? Dr. Deb Muth 36:11Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 36:11And climbing. Yeah. That’s what brings tears to my eyes every time. Dr. Deb Muth 36:15What am I saying? Dr. Holly Donahue 36:16Say it. Dr. Deb Muth 36:16I agree, I agree, and I’m right there with you on the research of women. I just wrote a book called Seen It Last, and when I did the research to see how do we research women and men and how different it is, it’s ridiculous. We just assume women are smaller versions of men. Half the time, women are not even involved in a study. They’re not allowed because of our reproductive abilities, and they don’t want anybody in there at that point.Which I totally understand. You want to try to, you know, prevent having something happen to somebody if they didn’t know they were pregnant, but that totally excludes us from the research to say, you know, does lisinopril work the same way for men as it does for women? If we don’t have women in the study, we have no idea. And we’ve been dismissed so many times over the years, and it’s like thalidomide, right? Like, hello? And it’s the same type of thing over and over again, year after year for women, and it is not right. It’s what we’re dealing with, but if we don’t all start speaking up, it’s gonna continue to be our legacy. Dr. Holly Donahue 37:17Yes, and it’s also, like, if we… even for both genders, if we give a drug, like. that person should understand the drug. Like, I just had somebody been given a drug, they gave Losartan, and then they also got ritorvastatin. They’re like, I’m on a statin, I don’t want to be on a statin, and I’m like, that’s what you were just given. Dr. Deb Muth 37:39Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 37:39And I’m the one who didn’t prescribe it, and I’m not feeling bad for myself, but I’m the one that’s the bearer of the bad news to be like, have you looked at the risks and benefits? You probably need it right now, but then do you also know how difficult it is to come off, like, lisinopril or Losartan? Dr. Deb Muth 37:59Right. Dr. Holly Donahue 38:00Like, once your body gets used to a lot of those calcium channel blockers, those beta blockers, it’s a lot of rebound blood pressure that you’re gonna be dealing with. So, I feel like the medical world should share that with them, and say, hey, do you want to do lifestyle first? And how about go see a naturopath, or we have a functional medicine practitioner on our team, are you willing to do the work? Unless they’re gonna… unless they’re We’re in an acute situation. And they’re gonna have a myocardial infarction, or congestive heart failure, you know, which, don’t get me started on that diagnosis, like. Radiologists are like, congestive heart failure is… the wrong diagnosis in so many cases. All that means, you guys, is that your heart isn’t pumping the way that it should be. Why can’t we have different levels? And cardiologists will say the same thing, it’s an awful term. Dr. Deb Muth 38:55It is. We have cardiologists… we text a lot of D-dimers post. Dr. Holly Donahue 39:00Oh, night. Dr. Deb Muth 39:01post the you-know-what, and we have some of them that come back, almost all of them come back high, but some come back really high, like 5 or 6, and we send them to cardiology for a workup, and the cardiologists are like, we don’t care, it’s not high enough for us to do anything with. And I’m like…It’s five! Are you kidding me? It’s supposed to be less than 1, and we’re not concerned about it? And they’re like, no, we’re not concerned about it. And I’m like, until the person has a stroke, or a heart attack, or has something happen, they’re not doing anything about this stuff.And as naturopaths, you and I look at this and go, wait a minute, there’s something happening in the body. We need to fix this before we have a big event that occurs. But nobody is looking at that. They don’t care anymore. Dr. Holly Donahue 39:44Hmm. Dr. Deb Muth 39:46Frustrating. Dr. Holly Donahue 39:46so exhaust, you know, I’m not making excuses for them, but, you know, my dad had an amazing primary care physician, and now he stepped out of, being in the medical system, you know? And he went off, and he’s doing, concierge primary care, direct primary care with another female doctor, and I think that was the best thing, because when my dad passed away, how many doctors call your family and wanted to show up for the funeral, and then said to my mom, your daughter, just meaning me, because I happen to. Dr. Deb Muth 40:25Have a mess. Dr. Holly Donahue 40:25medical license. Of course, my other sisters were amazing love and care and. Dr. Deb Muth 40:29Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 40:29But from a medical perspective, he’d be like, ask… you know, ask her, what can she give him for, like, decreased motility and for constipation? He passed at 91… at 92, you know what I mean? And his body was shutting down, but he had a desire to live. But he also said, like, if it wasn’t for all those supplements and the food that you fed him, and the love that you gave him, he wouldn’t have lived as long as he did, and he might have had a cardiac event. and not just died at home with his lung… I mean, his lungs were… he only had a third of his lung on his left side that was still functioning. That’s not the point. The point is, is when you ask me, why do I do whole body medicine? He had wished he had listened to me years ago about his diabetes, but he was too busy… he was too busy building. Dr. Deb Muth 41:19building a. Dr. Holly Donahue 41:20Business Entrepreneurs, like we just covered. Dr. Deb Muth 41:22Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 41:22He was too busy making income for his family, and he couldn’t stop, because he had a commitment to be successful in business, and boy, was he. But at what toll did that take him? We never saw him when we were children. We… he knew we loved her, you know what I mean? Right. But there’s a price that you pay exchanging your health for time and your job that you don’t spend time with loved ones, and that’s why I do lifestyle medicine. Dr. Deb Muth 41:52Yeah, and that makes… that is so true. I mean, I think that statement is so powerful, because it’s easy for all of us to get busy and get tied up in chasing the dollar and chasing what we want to be known for. And just go, go, go, go, go. But just putting it into that simple framework. That, yes, you can chase that, but you’re giving up these things on the other side, and this is what your life may look like when you are retired, makes a huge difference, because you’ve lost out on so much of that life then, as a result. Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 42:27Yeah, and then when he got to the point where he was doing really well, he’s like, let’s all go on vacation, let’s… and we’re like, honey, we have jobs. Dr. Deb Muth 42:34Yeah, can’t do it now. Dr. Holly Donahue 42:36You know? Like, we have to, like, make the time, and then let’s do it, you know what I mean? Dr. Deb Muth 42:40Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 42:41You can’t just, like, up and be like, okay, we’re outta here, like. Dr. Deb Muth 42:43Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 42:44Since we gotta go now, you know. Dr. Deb Muth 42:45Yeah, right? We think that someday when we have money, it’s like that, but it isn’t like that, unfortunately.Well, this has been such a great conversation. I have one last question for you. It’s the question that we ask everyone. If you had an opportunity to sit down with the changemakers in this country for healthcare, what would be the number one thing you would ask them to change? Dr. Holly Donahue 43:09The nutrition and how we grow it, and, you know, the toxicity, and the pesticides that are being sprayed, and all the farmers that are really being put out of business, because bigger, faster, you know, we werewe would feed more people by doing this. We have people that are starving every single day, and I… and I just think, like, if we were healthier on that movement, then we would have a healthier culture. And, you know. Everything would flow so much easier. Dr. Deb Muth 43:43Yeah, I agree. I think that’s where it has to start, really. Like, we can talk about all these other things that we could change, and yes, it makes great things and great sense, but the foundation has to be solid so people stop getting a lot of these diseases because they’re nutrient deficient and they’re full of toxins and everything else.That’s how we truly change the world of health and wellness, is nutrition out of the gate. Dr. Holly Donahue 44:07Yes, and, you know, with that being connected, I also wish that we could tell people, just because they have this label and diagnosis, that they can heal. as long as they get the foundation and the lifestyle pieces that you and I covered with the nutrition, which goes back to my answer, you don’t have to carry a label and a diagnosis the rest of your life. Dr. Deb Muth 44:35Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 44:36you have to ask yourself, how did I allow this in my body? How did it come in? And then work with practitioners to remove it. Dr. Deb Muth 44:44Yeah, that’s often.So… Dr. Hawley, how can people find you? And you have a big event coming up, so… Dr. Holly Donahue 44:51Cheers, man. Dr. Deb Muth 44:51information about that with our listeners. Dr. Holly Donahue 44:53Thank you so much. So, you can, you can actually find me on, Instagram at Dr. HollyDonoghuend and Facebook, so I’m in both of those, you know, both of those arenas all the time, my team, we’re out posting. And I also, thank you for asking, I also am doing a, summit, where I bring on speakers, which we love to have you sometime, where I bring on speakers, and it’s my give back. And we are hosting a 5-day summit, one day live on the 20th through the 24th, and it’s all about hormones. And we’re saying, like, we’re bringing on these medical detectives as practitioners that are speaking into how your vitality, you know, your hormones are disrupted. from all the pieces that you’re doing, whether it’s blood sugar, whether it’s your actual hormones, your hunger hormones, and how to actually solve that problem and have the energy and the desire to actually heal yourself. So we’re going to walk everybody on a journey on different arenas that will talk about, really the truth that doctors aren’t talking about, because they don’t share this information. They’re always constantly putting outAnd then with that, when we’re going to step into a metabolism reset challenge right after the summit, it’s a 5-day challenge that will go even deeper. And my goal is there’s a lot of people on GLP-1s, Ozempic, Wegovy, Moderna, and all of that, and they really don’t know, A, why they’re on it, they think they’re on it for weight loss, which could be true, but it does have really good benefits that weWe do see.But do you really have to be it on the rest of your life, right? Or if you’re not on it, and you really want to learn how to balance your metabolism, I’m gonna walk you through 5 days of teaching you all the pieces of the puzzle that I taught about today in a much deeper way, so that at the end of the actual challenge, you’ll have tools that you can actually make changes for yourself. Dr. Deb Muth 46:57Oh, that’s awesome. I love that idea. That is a great thing, because people need to learn that. And we do a lot of GLP-1 support, too, but the big, big question that everybody has is, do I have to be on this forever? And the answer is no, as long as you’re using it as a toolto make the changes that you need to change your metabolism, then you don’t need this forever. But if you’re not making the lifestyle changes, then yes, then you’re going to have to be on it forever, because you haven’t done the work to change it in the first place. So, that sounds awesome. Thank you. Dr. Holly Donahue 47:27Yeah, you’re welcome. Dr. Deb Muth 47:29Anything else you want to share with our listeners? Dr. Holly Donahue 47:31No, I just, you know, I don’t say no, but what I would love everybody to hear is, like.Natural medicine, and what Dr. Deb and I do, it’s not a magic bullet, but it… all the efforts that you put in to change your life and adjust your nutrition and change your habits, like I talked about in the very beginning, it becomes a ripple effect, and the more people that you bring on board to follow you on natural wellness and healing.you’re gonna hear comments like, what are you doing? You know what I mean? Your life is better, your sex life is better, your energy is better, your relationships are better, work is easier, there’s more joy in your life. And who doesn’t want to have all that? And it just is putting those pieces together, but you can have that as well. Like, anti-aging is all over the place, and biohackingBut what if we just go back to the basics so you learn how to become your own doctor and, like, what you need and can advocate for yourself? That’s my goal long-term. Dr. Deb Muth 48:36I love that, and that is so true. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for joining me. Dr. Holly Donahue 48:41Thank you so much for having me, I really appreciate it. Dr. Deb Muth 48:47Thank you for joining me today on Let’s Talk Wellness Now. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who could benefit from learning the truth about root cause healing and whole body wellness. A huge thank you to Dr. Holly Donahue for sharing her wisdom with us today, and her clinical expertise. If you want to learn more.About her, or explore how naturopathic medicine can help you heal from burnout, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, or chronic illness. Visit simplehealthnh.com.Or you can reach out to Dr. Donahue directly at DrDonahue at SimpleHealthNH.com. We will have those links for you below in the show notes as well. And remember, wellness isn’t just about feeling good. It’s about thriving in every area of your life.If you’re ready to explore how root cause medicine can help you break free from the symptom chasing, cycle, and build real sustainable health.Visit Serenityhealthcarecenter.com. And remember, no supplement, no hormone, no protocol can overcome ongoing toxin exposure, chronic stress, poor nutrition, gut dysfunction, and inadequate sleep.True healing requires your active participation. You have to be willing to address the root causes and change the lifestyle factors that disrupted your health in the first place.Root cause healing amplifies your body’s natural healing capacity, but you have to create the internal environment where healing can actually happen.Until next time, I’m Dr. Deb, reminding you to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Be well, and I’ll see you on the next episode.The post Episode 261 – Root-Cause Healing and Whole-Body Wellness first appeared on Let's Talk Wellness Now.

April 7, 2026Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 19:13-18I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church Support the show

Introduction: What Does God Want Me to See and Know This Easter? (Ephesians 1:15-23) The HOPE THAT IS FOUND in Belonging to Christ. (Eph 1:18a) The UNENDING RICHES THAT ARE AVAILABLE in Christ. (Eph 1:18b) The RESURRECTION POWER of Christ. (Eph 1:19-20a) The SIMPLICITY OF SUBMITTING TO THE KINGSHIP of Christ. (Eph 1:20b-23) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Audio Transcript 00:00-00:05Please turn your Bibles to where Sydney just read, Ephesians chapter one, verses 15 through 23.00:06-00:10Ephesians chapter one, verses 15 through 23.00:12-00:16You know, kids are so easily distracted, aren't they?00:17-00:19Their kids, their heads are often in the clouds.00:20-00:22They're not thinking about what they should be thinking about.00:22-00:25They're not looking where they should be looking.00:25-00:28They don't know important things that they need to know.00:29-00:33I know this from first-hand experience with my own kids, Sam and Emmy.00:33-00:40Sam and Emmy are so easily distracted, and it can be so hard to get their attention.00:41-00:47Sometimes I physically have to put my hands on their faces to redirect their focus.00:47-00:49Why do I do that?00:49-00:55'Cause I want them to see something so that they will know something.00:56-01:02Sam makes a huge mess and he's not cleaning up despite my many pleas for him to clean it up.01:02-01:07I have to gently put my hands on his face to redirect him to the disaster zone.01:08-01:14I want him to see the mess so he will know that he needs to clean up the mess.01:15-01:21Emmy throws a temper tantrum about something completely unreasonable and she's not listening to reason.01:22-01:26I lovingly put my hands on her face to redirect her focus to my eyes.01:27-01:37I want her to see the seriousness of my face so that she will know that she needs to say sorry, she needs to ask for forgiveness, and stop her pouting.01:38-01:46My kids are so easily distracted, and they need parental reminders from their mom and dad.01:47-01:50But if we're honest, we're not much better than kids, are we?01:51-01:53You and I are easily distracted.01:54-01:58You and I do not think about what we should be thinking about.01:58-02:01You and I do not look where we should be looking.02:02-02:06You and I do not know important things that we need to know.02:07-02:15You and I need our Heavenly Father to lovingly grab a hold of our faces and redirect our focus.02:17-02:25You and I need to see and know important truths that God wants us to see and know.02:26-02:33You and I need to truly see Jesus Christ for who he is so that we can truly know him both now and forever.02:34-02:45You and I need to truly see what is expected of us in this book so that we will know what responsibilities we need to carry out from day to day.02:45-02:47We're at the end of our latest series.02:49-02:49Respect the office.02:50-02:53Jesus' roles determine my responsibilities.02:53-03:00Last Sunday, we saw that Jesus is the ultimate prophet who perfectly represents and speaks for his Father.03:01-03:10When you truly see Jesus as prophet, you know that you must listen and believe whatever he says.03:13-03:25This past Good Friday, Pastor Jeff showed us that Jesus is our great high priest who laid down his own life, who shed his own blood as a sacrifice for our sins on the cross.03:26-03:36When you see Jesus as priest, you know that you must confess your sin, you must repent of your sin, you must ask for forgiveness of your sin.03:38-03:51This morning we will see that Jesus Christ is the king of all, who is high above any ruler, any president, any CEO, any billionaire, and nothing and no one can compare to Jesus Christ.03:51-03:58And when you see Jesus as King, you know that you must obey whatever he says.04:00-04:10As is our custom at Harvest, please pray for me that I'll faithfully proclaim God's word, and I will pray for you that you will faithfully receive God's word.04:13-04:18Father, we come to you, And we thank you for what this day represents.04:20-04:27We thank you that because of your son, because of what he has done, we can have true hope.04:27-04:30We can have true life.04:31-04:36And if there are people in this room who do not have true life, may you seek and save the lost today.04:36-04:39May you bring the dead to life.04:39-04:42May you give faith where there previously was no faith.04:42-04:48And for the rest of us, Lord, may we be comforted, may we be encouraged, may we be challenged and built up by your word.04:48-04:52I thank you so much that you watch over your word to perform it.04:52-04:54Your word never returns to you empty.04:54-04:57It always accomplishes the purpose for which you sent it out.04:57-05:00And Lord, I trust you and we trust you this morning.05:00-05:03We ask that you would do a great and mighty work in all of our hearts.05:04-05:08We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.05:10-05:19In the original Greek, the apostle Paul writes, one long run-on sentence in Ephesians chapter one, verses three through 14.05:19-05:26Have you ever listened to a family member or friend who breathlessly tells you a story, they're really, really excited, they just wanna get it out?05:26-05:30That was me growing up, no one could understand any story I was telling growing up.05:31-05:33That is the Apostle Paul in this passage.05:33-05:40He is so blown away by who Christ is and what he has done for the Ephesian church.05:41-05:48He gives a huge list, they have been redeemed, they have been rescued, they have been adopted into the family of God.05:48-05:54They have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, and on and on the list goes.05:56-06:03In Ephesians chapter one, verse 15, Paul takes a deep breath, so he can go on for another run-on sentence.06:04-06:07So let's read the beginning of Paul's second run-on sentence.06:08-06:10In chapter one, verses 15 through 17.06:10-06:12of Ephesians.06:12-06:38He says, "For this reason, because I have heard "of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love "towards all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks "for you, remembering you in my prayers, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, "the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom "and of revelation and the knowledge of him." Paul isn't indifferent to the Ephesian church.06:39-06:40He isn't like, eh, whatever.06:41-06:46He has a deep love for these people because he ministered in Ephesus for years.06:46-06:50He personally led many of the Ephesians to Christ.06:51-06:55And since the day he left Ephesus, he has been receiving reports about them.06:55-06:56He's been checking in on them.06:56-07:01He's been hearing about their deep faith in Christ and their love for one another.07:03-07:13All that the Ephesians have been given in Christ and all they've been doing for Christ Paul to constantly give thanks and pray for them?07:15-07:16What is he praying for?07:17-07:19What is he asking for on their behalf?07:21-07:35Well he tells us in verses 17 through 18 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation and the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know.07:38-07:39Let's stop there for a minute.07:39-07:41pick up the rest of Paul's thought very soon.07:42-07:44What is Paul's prayer for the Ephesians?07:45-07:48To see so that they will know.07:49-07:57To see important truths with the eyes of their hearts so that they will know these truths in their hearts for the rest of their lives.07:59-08:09The truths that Paul wants the Ephesians to see and know are the same exact truths that you need to see and know on April 5th, 2026.08:11-08:14Some of you are here because you really wanna be here.08:14-08:20You couldn't wait to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord with other brothers and sisters in Christ.08:21-08:23Others of you would rather be someplace else.08:24-08:26You're really hoping, I won't talk for too long.08:27-08:37You're really hoping that this service will be mercifully short so you can get back home, eat Easter lunch, hunt for some eggs, and pass out from a food comb on the couch.08:38-08:42And if that's you, I want you to hear a loud and clear message from me.08:42-08:44I am so glad that you're here.08:45-08:48I have been praying for you all week long.08:48-08:54I have been praying that you would see and know what God wants you to see and know.08:55-09:01Whether you are excited or unenthused to be here, you need to ask yourself one question this morning.09:02-09:06What does God want me to see and know this Easter?09:07-09:11What does God want me to see and know this Easter?09:12-09:15Number one, your outline, the hope that is found in belonging to Christ.09:16-09:19The hope that is found in belonging to Christ.09:22-09:26Let's return to Paul's thought that we left hanging a minute ago in verses 16 through 18.09:27-09:45He writes, "I do not cease to give thanks for you, "remembering you in my prayers, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, "the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom "and of revelation and the knowledge of him, "having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, "that you may know." What does he want them to see and know?09:46-09:50What is the hope to which he has called you?09:51-09:57Paul wants the Ephesians to see and know the hope that is found in belonging to Jesus.09:59-10:02Have you ever noticed that the hardest words to define are the simplest?10:04-10:06We use words like hope every single day.10:07-10:08But what does it actually mean?10:08-10:10What is hope?10:12-10:13There are actually two definitions for hope.10:14-10:18There is the worldly definition and there is the biblical definition.10:19-10:24There is the wrong definition and the right definition.10:25-10:30And your personal definition depends upon your status relationship with Christ.10:33-10:38If you do not love and follow Jesus, hope is only wishful thinking and nothing more.10:39-10:42Hope is crossing your fingers and wishing for the best.10:43-10:47Hope is knocking on wood and longing that nothing bad will happen to you.10:49-10:52You have no basis for this hope beyond your desire for it.10:54-10:57That kind of hope is no hope at all.10:59-11:09In the next chapter of Ephesians, Paul says that until you trust in Christ for salvation, you are without hope and you are without God in the world.11:11-11:16So that is the wrong and unbiblical definition of hope.11:17-11:21Let's talk about the right and biblical definition of hope.11:22-11:28According to God's word, hope is confident expectation in the character and plans of God.11:29-11:34Hope is confident expectation in the character and plans of God.11:34-11:48When you trust in Christ and belong to him, you have a confident expectation that every single one of your sins have been wiped away, have been paid for, that your past, present, and future offenses are no longer held against you.11:49-11:57When you trust in Christ and belong to him, You have a confident expectation that God will keep every single promise in this book.11:57-12:06When you trust in Christ and belong to him, you have a confident expectation that you are bound for heaven and not hell.12:09-12:13These hopes aren't maybes or mightbes that you're unsure of.12:13-12:16These are firm and fixed realities that cannot change.12:18-12:23If you're a true born-again believer in Christ, You have no need for wishful thinking.12:23-12:25You have no need for crossing your fingers.12:25-12:27You have no need for knocking on wood.12:28-12:37When you truly belong to Jesus Christ, you see that he is trustworthy, and you know that there is a 0% chance that he will fail you.12:40-12:43What does God want me to see and know this Easter?12:44-12:48Secondly, the unending riches that are available in Christ.12:49-12:53the unending riches that are available in Christ.12:57-13:07At the end of verse 18, Paul goes on to pray that the Ephesians would see and know what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.13:08-13:14If I were to ask you to come up with your net worth off the top of your head, would you be able to do it?13:16-13:19Some of you uber savvy and prepared individuals exact number.13:20-13:25This would also be really easy for you teenagers and college students because your net worth is practically zero.13:26-13:27You own nothing really.13:28-13:30Others of us would need to sit down and crunch the numbers.13:31-13:33Subtract our debts, add our assets.13:35-13:39Do you realize that all of your assets will belong to someone else?13:40-13:43All of your stuff will be passed on.13:45-13:52Maybe you've already thought about the family heirlooms, the keepsakes that you wanna pass down to your kids, your grandkids, your friends, your relatives.13:52-13:57Maybe you've already been the beneficiary of a very small or a very big inheritance.13:59-14:01You inherited a house and all that came with it.14:02-14:06You inherited a decent chunk of money that you were not expecting.14:08-14:19No matter what you've inherited in the past or what you plan to pass down to others in the future, these things pale in comparison to the inheritance that God gives to his children.14:20-14:21I mean, think about it.14:21-14:22What is God's net worth?14:24-14:25It's limitless.14:25-14:26It's incalculable.14:26-14:28What does God own?14:30-14:32You are the first service, so I'll give you some grace.14:32-14:33Let's try that again.14:34-14:36What does God own?14:37-14:41So if you belong to him, what do you stand to gain?14:42-14:43Everything.14:45-14:46God isn't a cheapskate.14:47-14:53If you're a born again believer in Christ, God doesn't put you on a weekly allowance plan that is based on your performance.14:54-15:08God's not up in heaven thinking, "Well, I was gonna loosen the purse strings a bit more "and give Taylor more this week, "but he really let me down, he really failed me, "so too bad for him, maybe next week, if he behaves better." That is not how God operates at all.15:09-15:11He is unbelievably generous towards you.15:12-15:15He's unconditionally loving towards you.15:18-15:21I know what some Christians in this room and watching online are thinking right now.15:21-15:23Taylor, that sure sounds nice.15:25-15:26But that's not my experience.15:27-15:31You're saying that I have everything, but I feel like I have nothing.15:33-15:35Life isn't going very well for me right now.15:37-15:40I get that, and I felt that.15:41-15:43You may feel like you have nothing.15:44-15:47You may feel like you are running on empty.15:48-15:52You may feel like you have nothing left to give.15:53-15:59But I want you to see and know all that is available to you in Christ.16:00-16:04In Christ, you have unlimited access to God the Father in prayer.16:04-16:10You can come to him 24/7 to bring your request, your Thanksgiving just to talk to him.16:11-16:14You've been given the very word of God.16:14-16:18You can talk to God in prayer and God talks to you in his word.16:19-16:23You've been filled with the Holy Spirit who leads, guides, and comforts you.16:23-16:29You have a protective and older brother named Jesus who is constantly interceding for you in heaven.16:32-16:37As a pastor, I hear so many people tell me, I just want more of God.16:38-16:40I just want more of the Holy Spirit.16:40-16:42I just want more from God.16:43-16:48Listen, in Christ, you have been given everything that God has.16:49-16:50You have been given all of him.16:51-16:55God cannot give you more of himself because he's given you all of it.16:58-16:59Do you really believe that?17:01-17:03Do you really live like you believe that?17:05-17:07No gift has been reserved.17:07-17:09No blessing has been withheld.17:10-17:13No grace has been kept back from you.17:15-17:19Even if you are financially poor, you are spiritually rich.17:20-17:25Even if you feel empty, you have been filled with the fullness of God.17:27-17:31If the past 12 years, my wife and I have shared a joint bank account.17:31-17:41And whenever we open that account, For some reason, PNC Bank put her name in bold letters on the top of the checks and me in smaller letters underneath of hers.17:43-17:44I'm told that's not how it usually goes.17:44-17:45Am I right?17:46-17:47It's very emasculating.17:48-17:51I think PNC laughs at me every time they print those checks for us.17:52-17:53But here's the thing.17:54-17:56My checks clear just as well as Kate's does.17:58-18:03My card withdraws money out of our account just like Kate's card does.18:05-18:14I have unlimited access to a bank account with my wife, but I also have unlimited access to an even greater account.18:14-18:18I share the resources of someone even greater than my wife.18:18-18:21I share the infinite riches of an infinite God.18:22-18:31On our account, his name is huge and mine is teeny tiny small, but I still get to access those riches whenever I want to, whenever I need them.18:33-18:37And the same is true for you if you've been adopted into the family of God.18:38-18:48And the same can be true of you today if you let go of the unsatisfying garbage of this world to grab a hold of the infinitely satisfying treasures of heaven.18:51-18:56God wants you to see and know the riches that are available to you in Christ.18:58-19:01What does God want me to see and know this Easter?19:02-19:04Thirdly, the resurrection power of Christ.19:05-19:07The resurrection power of Christ.19:11-19:21In verse 19, Paul prays the Ephesians would see and know what is the immeasurable greatness of his, God's power towards us who believe.19:22-19:23Power.19:25-19:28Power is such a foreign concept to so many people.19:28-19:34Power is such a foreign concept to most people who fill churches Sunday after Sunday.19:34-19:38Most Christians feel so powerless.19:40-19:44They feel powerless to resist temptation so they give in without a fight.19:45-19:49They feel powerless to serve the church so they sit on the sidelines.19:50-19:54They feel powerless to share the gospel so they stay silent.19:55-20:03They feel powerless to be the husbands and wives they've been called to be, so they settle for being passive rather than active.20:04-20:09They feel powerless to be godly parents, so they make excuses.20:12-20:13How about you?20:15-20:17Do you feel powerless?20:20-20:22If you feel powerless, you're not alone.20:23-20:24I certainly feel that way.20:26-20:31I certainly feel that way as a homeowner because I am not a handyman whatsoever.20:32-20:39If there's something broken at your house, I wouldn't recommend calling me as your first, second, 20th, 100th option.20:40-20:45When something breaks at my house, I mostly feel powerless to address it.20:47-20:52Recently, the toilet paper roll holder ripped off our downstairs bathroom wall.20:52-20:56I wasn't surprised, it's the bathroom my kids use the most and they're not gentle with the toilet paper.20:57-21:00It's like they're on the Price is Right rolling down the toilet paper.21:05-21:10I walked into the bathroom, I assessed the damage and I'll be honest with you, I felt an initial wave of powerlessness.21:12-21:16And I thought, well, guess what's gonna be savages in keeping toilet paper on the bathroom sink from now on.21:18-21:22But then I thought to myself, wait a minute, I own a drill.21:23-21:24I own wall anchors.21:25-21:31I have a teeny tiny screwdriver set that can be used as teeny tiny screw that locks this toilet paper holder into place.21:33-21:38I realized that I already had all that I needed to fix this issue.21:40-21:41And guess what?21:41-21:42I did fix it.21:44-21:45Thank you.21:48-21:52The next time you come to my house, I'll show you the glories of the toilet paper holder.21:57-22:09Whenever you feel that initial wave of powerlessness as a Christian, remember that you already have all that you need to face the issue in front of you.22:10-22:13What you already have is far better than a cheap set of tools.22:14-22:17You have the very power of the God of the universe.22:19-22:24And Paul tells us in verses 19 through 20 what this power is truly capable of.22:24-22:38He says that he wants the Ephesians to see and know what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead.22:41-22:47The power of resurrection isn't just something that Jesus experienced and no one else will ever again.22:49-22:57The power of resurrection is something that everyone who trusts in Christ experiences right now.22:57-23:03It is something that you will experience for all of eternity if you've given your life over to him.23:04-23:07Please catch this because this is truly life-changing.23:08-23:20If you have trusted in Christ for salvation, that same power that brought him back from death and raised him from the grave 2,000 years ago resides within you.23:21-23:26That same power raised you from spiritual death and gave you new life.23:27-23:36That same power will enable you to share the gospel, not caring what anyone thinks about you, not worrying about what the response will be.23:37-23:43That same power will inspire you to not believe the lies and discouragement of the enemy.23:43-23:49That same power will motivate you to love your wife, respect your husband, serve your children.23:50-23:56That same power will equip you to use your spiritual gifts in the life of the church.23:58-24:01Yes, in and of yourself, you are powerless.24:02-24:14In and of yourself, you cannot do anything of value for anyone, but in Christ, you have access to the death-defying, life-giving power the God of the universe.24:14-24:19It is at your fingertips whenever you want it, whenever you need it.24:24-24:33Do not insult the sacrifice and resurrection of your Savior by believing that he has left you unequipped for the responsibilities you've been given.24:36-24:41At this point in the message, you may be thinking, wasn't this supposed to be about seeing and knowing Jesus as King?24:41-24:42when is that part gonna come up?24:44-24:47Well, I'm gonna take a page out of Pastor Jeff's preaching book.24:47-24:49Everything I've said so far has been the introduction.24:50-24:51Here's the actual sermon.24:52-24:53Don't worry, it'll be short, it won't be long.24:55-24:56Everything leading up to this has been the warmup.24:57-24:57Here's the main event.24:58-25:01What does God want me to see and know this Easter?25:02-25:06Finally, the simplicity of submitting to the kingship of Christ.25:08-25:11the simplicity of submitting to the kingship of Christ.25:17-25:23When you hear the gospel story, it's usually concluded with the resurrection of Jesus.25:25-25:26Usually goes like this.25:26-25:30Jesus, God himself, took on flesh and came to this earth.25:30-25:31He lived a perfect life.25:32-25:36He had a three year long ministry filled with miracles and sermons.25:36-25:41He was crucified in the tomb for three days, rose again, roll credits, the end.25:44-25:45Is that actually the end of the gospel story?25:47-25:57There is a major event that is missed, and that is the ascension of Christ, which is a fancy theological way of saying that Jesus went back to heaven.25:59-26:05Paul wants the Ephesians as well as you and I to see and know the importance of the ascension.26:06-26:26In verses 20 through 21, he says, the same power that raised Christ from the dead also seated him at the Father's right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.26:28-26:33Through his crucifixion, Jesus is the Savior who destroys the power of death.26:34-26:39Through his resurrection, Jesus is the victor who destroys the power of death.26:41-26:48Through his ascension, Jesus is the king who defeats the power of those who challenge his rightful rule and authority.26:50-27:00Yes, Satan and the forces of darkness seem to be winning right now, but I promise you they have lost already because they cannot compete with the one who sits on heaven's throne.27:01-27:13Yes, people do and can resist the king right now, but one day, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.27:15-27:16You have two options.27:17-27:23You can willingly bow the knee right now, or you can be forced to bow in eternity.27:25-27:35You can joyfully proclaim that Jesus is your savior, your Lord in the present, or you can begrudgingly admit that you were wrong and he was right in the future.27:38-27:45No matter what you say, no matter what you do, you cannot change the reality of this universe's political situation.27:46-27:49Jesus Christ rules and reigns.27:50-27:55But your position, your side of this political reality can change.27:56-27:58Will you choose team pride?27:59-28:00The captain of that team is Satan.28:01-28:04Spoiler alert, that team is gonna lose big time.28:06-28:14There is team submission, and the captain of that team is Jesus Christ himself, who wins every single game in an absolute shutout.28:16-28:17What will you choose?28:19-28:22Will you resist, or will you submit?28:24-28:29Let's wrap up by reading more about the kingship of Jesus in verses 22 through 23.28:29-28:48Paul writes, "And he, God the Father, put all things under Christ's feet and gave him his head over all things of the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." Jesus Christ is the head, the ruler, the boss, the king of the church.28:49-28:56He's in charge around here, not me, not Pastor Jeff, not Pastor Rich, not the elders, not you.28:56-28:59Jesus Christ is head over the church.28:59-29:03He is in charge of every true church across the face of this planet.29:04-29:11And the church should be a living example of what it looks like to submit to the kingship of Jesus.29:12-29:16The church should be on the front lines displaying the love of Christ.29:16-29:21The church should show a watching world what it looks like to obey the word of God.29:24-29:29How are most Christians doing at setting that example of submission in 2026?29:32-29:32Not the best.29:33-29:42Most professing Christians act like they know Jesus, but they live like they do not know Jesus.29:43-29:49Many professing Christians seem to care more about their own personal opinions than the authoritative word of God.29:50-29:58Most professing Christians seem to love themselves more than the lost, more than their fellow church members.30:00-30:04Do you profess to know Jesus, but make Jesus look bad?30:08-30:13Do you give others around you a totally inaccurate picture of what it looks like to submit to King Jesus?30:15-30:21If your answer to those questions is yes, it's time for repentance, it's time to change course.30:22-30:31Earlier I said that God can never give you more of himself and that's 100% true, but you can always give God more of yourself.30:32-30:34God withholds nothing from you.30:35-30:37What are you withholding from him?30:39-30:40Is it your finances?30:42-30:47Do you foolishly think that all the money in your account belongs to you when it actually belongs to God?30:48-30:49Is it your time?30:50-30:57You've been wasting the most precious gift you've been given, time, by spending it on yourself and no one else.30:59-31:00Is it social media and entertainment?31:01-31:06You're constantly consuming garbage, yet you act surprised that garbage comes out of your mouth?31:07-31:09Is it your status and reputation?31:10-31:16You care so much about what people think of you that you're willing to tear others down and lie your way to the top.31:17-31:22Listen, care about nothing and no one more than Jesus.31:24-31:26The Christian life is so simple.31:28-31:31Do you want me to share the not so secret secret of the Christian life?31:33-31:34Doesn't seem like you want it, no one said anything.31:35-31:38Do you want the not so secret secret to the Christian life?31:39-31:40All right, fine, I'll share it with you.31:41-31:43Just do what Jesus says.31:46-31:47Just do what Jesus says.31:48-31:50Obey his word.31:50-31:56Life is so much simpler when you submit to Jesus in every single way.31:56-32:00It's so complex to figure out other masters to follow.32:00-32:06It's so unsatisfying to be the boss of your own life 'cause if you are honest enough to admit it, you are clueless.32:07-32:08You have no idea what you're doing.32:09-32:10You have no idea what's going on.32:13-32:17Yes, the Christian life is simple, but it's also challenging, isn't it?32:18-32:24It is absolutely pride crushing to admit that you know nothing and Jesus knows everything.32:25-32:29It's humbling to acknowledge that he is in control and you are not.32:30-32:35It's difficult to follow Jesus, not cater to your own personal preferences.32:37-32:39I have to tell you, you will feel miserable.32:40-32:48You will feel directionless until you see and know that submitting to Jesus is the only way to lasting joy.32:50-32:52The worship team can now make their way forward.32:54-32:59Do you see and know that Jesus is the ultimate prophet?33:01-33:05He spoke the truth 2,000 years ago and he still speaks the truth to this day.33:06-33:10Do you see and know that Jesus is the high priest?33:10-33:17He laid down his own life, he shed his own blood on the cross to wash away your many sins.33:19-33:22Do you see and know that Jesus is the king of all?33:23-33:31He resurrected from the grave, he ascended to heaven where he sits at the Father's right hand, where he rules and reigns right now.33:32-33:37This position of prominence proves that He is God and you are not.33:38-33:45This position of prominence proves that He is a rightful claim over your life and you have none.33:47-33:52If your heart is still unyielded to Christ, if your knee is still unbowed, what are you waiting for?33:53-34:00There is no better time to obey Jesus' command to believe in Him than this very moment.34:02-34:06There is no better opportunity to trust in Jesus for salvation than right now.34:08-34:16There is no better day than Easter Sunday to draw your line in the sand and say, today is the day when I gave my life to Jesus.34:16-34:19Today is the day when everything changed for me.34:21-34:29If you turn from your sin and you place your faith in Jesus, the old you will die.34:30-34:33never to be seen or heard from again.34:34-34:43A new you will rise from the grave with Christ, and one day you will live with Christ forever and ever.34:45-34:51That is the ultimate truth that God wants you to see and know this Easter.34:52-34:53Let's pray.34:56-34:59Father, this amazing news often seems too good to be true.35:00-35:10How could a holy, perfect, all-powerful God care about weak people like us?35:11-35:15People who have rebelled against you, who've wanted nothing to do with you.35:16-35:34Lord, instead of just turning your back on us, instead of just consigning all of us to hell forever, You sent your one and only Son to become one of us, to live the perfect life we could never live, to die the death that we deserved to die.35:36-35:38Lord, let this news never become old to us.35:39-35:40May it never become normal.35:41-35:42May it always blow us away.35:43-35:49And Lord, I do lift up those of us in this room who are still resisting, who are still doubting.35:51-35:54God, I can't change anyone, but you can.35:56-35:57I know you can save.35:58-35:59I know you can bring the dead to life.35:59-36:02Lord, I ask you would do that this very moment.36:04-36:05Lord, we thank you for who you are.36:05-36:09We thank you for what you've done, and we thank you for all that you continue to do for us.36:10-36:13We ask all this in Jesus' name, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead Ephesians 1:15-23What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What is the difference between worldly hope and biblical hope?What are the riches and blessings that have been made available to you in Christ?What does it mean that you share in the resurrection power of Jesus? How should this truth change how you live from one day to the next?How are you failing to submit to the kingship of Christ right now?BreakoutPray for one another.

NEVER Forget The Cost Of Jesus Crucifixion As You ALWAYS Remember The Victory Revelation 22:17-20 17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. 18I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. 20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

4-5-26 PM "A Revelation of the Risen Christ"Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:9-20,Sermon Text: Revelation 1:18I. His Eternal Deity A. The Idea of His Eternal Deity B. The Importance of His Eternal DeityII. His Glorified Humanity A. A Real Humanity B. A Mediating HumanityIII. His Redemptive Victory A. An Eternal Victory B. A Comforting VictoryRev. Greg Lubbers

Hebrews 10:11–18I. The Work of Christ on Our Behalf – 11-14II. The Witness of the Spirit on Our Behalf – 15-18

3-29-26 Pm "The Gift of the Holy Spirit"Scripture Reading: John 14:15-18I. A Benefiting GiftA. Through True FaithB. Sharing Christ's BenefitsII. A Comforting GiftA. The Need for the Comforting GiftB. The Manner of the Comforting GiftIII. An Abiding GiftA. Abiding throughout LifeB. Abiding throughout DeathRev. Greg Lubbers

Introduction: Are You Committed to Winning People with the Gospel? (1 Corinthians 9:15-23) SACRIFICE: Do You Give Up Your Rights in Order to WIN People? STEWARD: Do You See Yourself as ENTRUSTED with the Gospel? 2 Corinthians 5:19 - that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. SHARER: Do You Know the Joy of Sharing the Blessings of the Gospel? Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Audio Transcript 00:00-00:04Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians 9.00:07-00:10While you're turning there, let's just take a moment.00:10-00:18I'm going to ask that you would please pray for me to proclaim the Word of God as I should.00:19-00:26And I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us today.00:27-00:28Let's pray.00:31-00:38Father, we understand that what is about to happen is supernatural.00:42-00:46This isn't giving some TED Talk.00:48-00:55This is the proclamation of your eternal word that somehow your Holy Spirit works with your word.00:59-01:01to conform us into the image of your Son.01:03-01:08Father, I pray that you would do a mighty work in all of us this morning.01:11-01:16Thank you, Father, in advance for the work that you're going to do.01:17-01:20We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.01:22-01:241 Corinthians 9, are you there?01:24-01:29Before we start this, Doug, did Taylor get paid this week?01:31-01:31He did not.01:32-01:34We don't usually do this publicly, but would you pay Taylor?01:40-01:41(congregation laughing)01:45-01:49You gotta keep the pastor humble, thank you, Doug.01:50-01:51You gotta keep the pastor humble.01:54-01:56Don't expect anything else for like a month.01:58-01:59You're gonna have to stretch it.02:01-02:03You got him the king-size Kit Kat, right?02:03-02:06Okay, then I don't wanna hear nothing about no second service.02:07-02:09You got plenty.02:10-02:10Don't be a hog.02:14-02:33When Erin and I were first married, we lived in town and we had a neighbor up the street that would often walk his dog right by our house and he would often stop in our front yard and let his dog do what dogs do on walks.02:35-02:37And there was no cleanup, by the way.02:39-03:09But this went on for some time and one day he was walking the dog up the street on the sidewalk in front of our house and Erin was outside and she said, "Hey, I'm buying you a shovel for Christmas." He got a little smile on his face and he goes, "So, you think I'd look pretty good with a shovel?" I think he thought that Erin was flirting with him.03:10-03:15And if so, that is a really weird pickup line to use.03:17-03:19Hey baby, you look good with a shovel.03:22-03:23It's pretty easy to miss the point, isn't it?03:24-03:25At least it was for him.03:25-03:28It was easy to miss the point.03:29-03:40And as we get to this next section in 1 Corinthians, I think that's what's going on here is I think Paul wanted to make sure that none of the Corinthians missed his point.03:42-03:42All right?03:42-03:44This is the Q&A section.03:44-04:03In this section in particular, they had asked him about eating meat that was used in pagan worship and they're like, "Well, it's just meat, but it bothers some of the weaker Christians that are, you know, just kind of fresh coming out of paganism." So what do we do about that, Paul?04:04-04:21Paul says, "You are free." But love says, "I will lay down my rights so that I don't offend a weaker brother." And then Paul, led by example, that's what we saw last week.04:21-04:24Paul goes, "Look, I'm showing you an example from my own life.04:25-04:36I have every right to be paid to preach." And he went through all the reasons it is legitimate for the pastor to get paid.04:36-04:38He gave us five very compelling reasons.04:39-04:43"Yes, the pastor should be paid." He said, "That's a right that I have.04:44-05:48That's a freedom that I have, but I'm laying it down for the sake of the gospel." And I think when you get to this point in chapter 9, Paul knew that some of the Corinthians were going to miss the point, and Paul's talking about paying the pastor, paying the pastor, while you pay the past year's while and they're like, "Ah, um. Yeah, Paul, we asked about meat. That was what we asked about. It's a bigger issue. It's not about the meat." "Oh, not about the meat. Oh, oh, this is about getting paid to preach. No, no, no, it's not about the money. That's like saying the fall of man. That's like saying Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden is a story about fruit trees. You missed the point.05:50-05:59The bigger issue is this, examining how does what I do affect somebody else?05:59-06:00That is the issue.06:03-06:12It's about not letting anything be an obstacle to not only loving a weaker brother, but winning people to Christ.06:19-07:26people to Christ. How high of a priority is that for you? I mean, can we just take an honest assessment today? How often do you think about winning somebody to Christ. How committed are you to personal evangelism? I thought so much about this this past week. And I want you to hear what I'm saying here because this isn't pack your bags we're going on a guilt trip. This is deeply convicting to me. And I'm right here with you, church. Please hear me, corporately and individually, corporately and individually, church, we are distracted and we are insulated.07:29-07:36We are, first of all, distracted. We're distracted. We are so distracted. Winning people to Christ, What are you talking about?07:37-07:38Oh yeah, I guess that is a thing.07:38-07:43I've been so distracted, distracted with good things.07:44-07:48Work and sports and home projects.07:48-07:53There is so much that demands our attention.07:56-08:00I think especially in a church like ours, we're insulated.08:02-08:10How much of our lives revolve around going to church, going to small group, going to event at the church.08:11-08:20And then when we're not at Harvest Bible Chapel, we are sending our kids to Christian school, or we volunteer at a Christian school.08:20-08:25And all of that is great stuff, obviously.08:26-08:31But I have to ask, how often are we even interacting with lost people?08:33-08:35I think we're insulated.08:38-08:40Look, there's so much.08:42-08:48There's so much that this church does so well when it comes to discipleship.08:49-08:51We have an excellent small group ministry.08:55-09:02We just had two excellent conferences, one for the men last month, one for the women yesterday.09:03-09:04Excellent.09:08-09:12Our giving to missions, I've never seen a church like this one.09:13-09:22Whether it's the Vision Appalachia or Thailand or somebody taking a short-term trip, our Forgiving to missions is excellent.09:28-09:34But when we get to this passage, we have to ask ourselves, "When was the last time that you led somebody to Christ?09:37-09:39When was the last time that happened?09:41-09:45When was the last time that you even shared the gospel with someone?09:45-09:51When was the last time that you even invited somebody to come to church to hear the gospel here?09:56-09:58Are you committed to personal evangelism?10:02-10:06Not just talking about the church at large, obviously that is a concern for me.10:06-10:07I'm talking about you as an individual.10:08-10:09Are you committed to that?10:12-10:14Look down at verse 23 here in chapter 9.10:16-10:27Paul says, "I do it all for the sake of the gospel." Paul says, "Everything in my life revolves around the gospel.10:27-10:41Everything in my life revolves around winning people to Christ." And this verse has a very special place in my heart because our missionary in Thailand, This is His verse.10:42-10:46This is the verse that fuels everything that He does.10:46-10:55Several years ago, He was at our house and He was talking to Erin and I about how this verse fuels everything in His ministry.10:55-10:58"I do all things for the sake of the gospel." He kept going back to that.10:58-11:04"I do all things for the sake of the gospel." Twenty-three churches, four children's homes, a Bible institute.11:06-11:12I do all things for the sake of the gospel." That's how that mission started, by the way.11:12-11:13Do you know how that started?11:14-11:20It was Barnabas, this Burmese man going through the northern mountain jungles of Thailand looking for villages.11:22-11:30Looking, looking for lost people in the middle of the jungle and finding a village and walking in and just sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.11:31-11:32That's how that started.11:36-11:38All things for the sake of the gospel.11:39-11:43He is like spiritually hilarious to talk to.11:43-11:50He was telling me recently about a telemarketer that was calling to try to sell him on some kind of goofy energy pills or something.11:50-11:52And do you know what he told her?11:54-11:54The gospel!11:55-11:56He told her the gospel.11:56-11:58He also told me, this was just a couple weeks ago.11:59-12:04He had a couple guys show up to pump their septic tank.12:04-12:05And do you know what he told them?12:06-12:08The gospel, yeah.12:10-12:13One of my favorite stories, he had to get some sound equipment.12:13-12:18They do this big outdoor Christmas program as an outreach.12:20-12:25It's kind of like open air preaching and the Lisu tribe, they're dancers and there's this whole thing, right?12:26-12:27But he had to get like this PA system.12:28-12:35So he goes into the store, the electronics store, where they sell these things, and he wants to buy one.12:35-12:37He goes, "I wanna try it out." Remember this, Justin?12:37-12:49He goes, "I wanna try this out." And they're like, "Okay, you can try it out." He's like, "I wanna make sure it works." So they fire up this PA system, and he gets on the microphone, and do you know what he says?12:51-13:06"He proclaimed the gospel to the whole store!" I'm gonna give you the short version of the story, I don't have time to get into all of it, but he told me about a village across the border that was guarded by four armies that needed fish.13:08-13:12And he took them fish, and I said, "How did you keep the fish from spoiling?" He's like, "What are you talking about?13:13-13:29"What do you mean spoil?" I'm like, "Well, he said it took him 10 days "to walk through the jungle with these fish." I'm like, "Fish is gonna get bad after a while." He goes, "No, no, no, no, no, no, live fish." I'm like, "How did you take live fish?" And then it hit me.13:30-13:31I said, "Hang on, hang on.13:33-13:53"Did you carry bags of water full of fish "through the jungle for 10 days "to take fish to a village?" And as a matter of fact, he just says, "Yeah, they needed fish." You carried an aquarium through the jungle for 10 days.13:54-14:00He's like, "They needed fish." Why would somebody do something like that?14:01-14:04What would possess a man to do something like that?14:04-14:06I'll tell you what possesses a man.14:07-14:09He does all things for the sake of the gospel.14:09-14:19He says, "The reason I'm taking these fish to them is it's going to open the door for me to share the gospel with them." Who does something like that?14:20-14:23A person who wants to win people to Christ, that's who.14:28-14:28So what about you?14:30-14:31Do you love lost people?14:38-14:53You're like, "Man, I guess I don't love lost people like that." Now, this section here in 1 Corinthians shows us what the heart of an evangelist looks like.14:55-14:56I think there's something here for all of us.14:56-15:09I just want to go through the text, and then I want to go back and pick up some of the key principles that motivated Paul here, but let's pick up in verse 15.15:13-15:21Paul says, "But I have made no use of any of these rights." He didn't use his right to get paid to preach.15:21-15:22That's what he's talking about.15:22-15:24Like, why didn't you do that?15:25-15:26Well we talked about that.15:27-15:32Paul didn't want anybody to think that he was using some new religion to try to get rich.15:36-15:38He didn't want people to assume that he had bad motives.15:39-15:40Time out here for a second.15:40-15:52They're like, "Well, if Paul had this conviction, why didn't the other apostles have this conviction?" I mean, it makes sense, but why didn't the others have this conviction?15:52-15:53And the answer is very simple.15:53-15:56Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles.15:58-15:59He was reaching pagan people.16:00-16:06That Peter and the rest that were going to the Jews, the Jews already had this system in place about paying the spiritual leaders.16:07-16:08That wasn't a weird concept to them.16:09-16:11Paul going to the Gentiles, it was a different ball game.16:14-16:15All right, look, keep going to verse 15.16:16-16:27He says, "Nor am I writing these things "to secure any such provision." Paul's like, "I'm not writing this to you "to secure provision." Like, what's he mean by that?16:27-16:34Paul's saying, "To be clear, "I'm not trying to use reverse psychology here "to make you pay me." All right?16:34-16:44Paul's like, "I'm not trying to be like, "Well, you know, I'm just out here preaching for free." And then you're like, "Oh, poor Paul, preaching for free.16:45-16:46"We should pay him.16:46-16:47"He shouldn't have to do that.16:47-16:51"We should pay him." Paul's like, "I'm not trying to reverse psychology you, okay?16:52-17:00"This isn't, I'm not throwing this out there "so that you're convicted to pay me." He goes, "That's not it at all." All right, go on.17:01-17:09He says, "For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting." Wow.17:10-17:24Paul says, "I would rather die than somebody accuse me of using the gospel to rip people off." But what's this boasting thing?17:25-17:26You see that?17:26-17:35He says, "Deprive me of my ground for boasting." So that word for boasting literally is rejoicing.17:35-17:38Usually when we hear boasting we have a bad connotation with that.17:38-17:40The word literally is rejoicing.17:41-17:41Okay?17:42-17:45And boasting is really not a bad thing, it just depends on what you're boasting in.17:46-17:48Because we're called to boast in the Lord, right?17:50-17:52But the question is, what is Paul's ground for boasting?17:52-17:53What is it?17:54-17:55What's he boasting about?17:55-17:58What about this is occasion for boasting?17:58-18:01Well, first he tells us what it's not.18:01-18:08Look at verse 16, he says, "For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting.18:09-18:11For necessity is laid upon me.18:11-18:14Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.18:16-18:28If I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship." He says, first of all, the boasting is not about preaching the gospel.18:28-18:29Let's get that off the table.18:29-18:34That's not...because that's not in the actual preaching the gospel itself.18:34-18:47I'm not like boasting in the opportunity to preach, because you realize, church, the gospel leaves no room for boasting, right?18:49-19:00You can't earn your salvation not by what you do, not by who you are, not by who you You know, you cannot do a thing to earn your salvation.19:00-19:08You can't do a thing to make God happy with you because you are a guilty, rebellious sinner before the eyes of your holy creator.19:08-19:09That's reality.19:10-19:12There is not a thing that we can do.19:12-19:14We are guilty of sin.19:15-19:18But God, because of His great love, He's given us grace.19:18-19:30God says, "Because I love you, I am providing salvation, not through what you do, but through what my son did on your behalf." It is a gift, and when you receive a gift, there is no room for boasting.19:34-19:36So okay, so what is the reward?19:36-19:37What is it?19:38-19:40Well, he tells us, look at verse 18.19:41-19:43He says, "What then is my reward?19:44-19:59That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel." See, Paul says, "You know what thrills me?19:59-20:02Do you know what I'm really like fired up about?20:03-20:04It's this.20:05-20:19There's this one thing, this one thing that I can choose to do, and that is to preach the gospel for free." In other words, Paul is saying, "God's not making me do this.20:22-20:27God's not making me lay down my right to be paid." Paul goes, "I chose that.20:27-20:29That is my contribution.20:29-20:31That is Paul's contribution to the kingdom.20:32-20:38I choose to do it for free." He's so excited in this passage.20:39-20:45He's so excited to forfeit his rights so he can preach.20:45-20:52Paul's like, it is such a joy for me that I have the ability to love people in a unique way.20:52-20:56That I can give to them and not get a thing in return from them.20:56-20:58That is such a joy for me!21:01-21:05Right now, somebody's like, look good with a shovel.21:05-21:08I don't get it. I don't get it.21:10-21:19Who gets joy from denying themselves something that they are rightfully entitled to?21:23-21:24Who does that?21:26-21:29The person who wants to win people to Christ, that's who.21:33-21:48Verse 19, he goes on, "For though I am free from all, "I have made myself a servant to all "that I might win more of them." He's like, I'm free, I'm a child of God.21:49-21:55My salvation is not based on my performance, but I made myself a servant for the sake of winning people.21:57-22:00Paul is always about winning people.22:01-22:05And Paul would do anything to win someone to Christ.22:05-22:10He found so much joy that he could give up his rights to win people to Christ.22:12-22:21So what does that look like, to lay down your rights in order to share the gospel?22:21-22:25What does that look like, to lay down your rights for the sake of evangelism?22:26-22:27Well, he tells us what it looks like.22:27-22:28Look at verse 20.22:30-22:36He says, "To the Jews, I became as a Jew in order to win Jews.22:37-22:53To those under the law, I became as one under the law, though not being myself under the law, that I might win those under the law." So Paul says, let me tell you what that's like.22:53-22:57When I'm with the Jews, I'm not going to violate the law in front of them.22:59-23:04Paul saying, "I'm not going to walk into the synagogue eating a ham sandwich in front of them.23:04-23:06That would really offend them.23:06-23:08Like, "Look, I'm free in Christ.23:08-23:17I can eat a ham sandwich." Like, he goes, "I would never do something like that." I mean this is all through the book of Acts.23:20-23:24All throughout, you see in Acts chapter 15 with the Jerusalem council, that's what that whole thing was about.23:25-23:27You see it in Acts chapter 16, that was an interesting story.23:28-23:30Paul had Timothy circumcised.23:31-23:31Like why?23:31-23:32So Timothy can get saved?23:32-23:34No, no, no, that has nothing to do with that.23:36-23:42Paul had Timothy circumcised so that they didn't offend the Jews that they were trying to win.23:47-23:49Boy, that had to have been an awkward exchange, don't you think?23:53-23:53Did you imagine?23:53-24:28Paul's like, "I will do whatever it takes to win people!" And Timothy's like, "Yeah!" And Paul's like, "Make any sacrifice for the gospel!" And Timothy's like, "Yeah!" And Paul's like, "Circumcise Timothy!" And Timothy's like, "What?" Paul's like, "Are you committed or not?" That's the point, though.24:30-24:31Anything.24:31-24:32What's it going to take?24:32-24:33What's it going to take?24:36-25:05He goes on, verse 21, he says, "To those outside the law, I became as one outside the law," being outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ, clarifying. We'll talk about that more in a minute. He says that I might win those outside the law. You see, you also see that in Acts, right? When Paul was with the Gentiles, he acted like the Gentiles.25:05-25:11Not in a sinful way, but he assimilated with them. You see it in, what is it, Acts 17.25:12-25:14Paul quoted one of their poets.25:14-25:15It was a bridge.25:15-25:17He goes, "You know what one of your poets says?25:17-25:24Ah, he was on to something." And he uses that as a bridge, but he assimilated with them.25:24-25:25That's what he's talking about.25:25-25:33Verse 22, he says, "To the weak I became weak that I might win the weak.25:33-25:39I have become all things to all people that by all means I might save some." The weak.25:40-25:41We've been talking about the weak.25:41-25:42These are the baby Christians.25:43-25:45These are the people that are coming out of paganism.25:45-25:50It's just so hard to let go of things that we were so used to.25:50-25:54And that's what really the whole meat issue was about, right?25:54-26:06And Paul goes, "Oh, if eating meat is a problem for them, I will be a vegan." And then we land on verse 23.26:06-26:06Here it is.26:08-26:20I do it all for the sake of the gospel that I may share with them in its blessings." That's the thesis.26:21-26:24That's the thesis of the passage.26:25-26:30That's the thesis of Paul's whole life.26:31-26:33Everything I do is for the gospel.26:35-26:36Is that the thesis of your life?26:41-26:45You see the passion for winning lost people in the past?26:45-26:45Did you see it?26:49-26:50Don't miss it.26:51-26:53You think I'd look good with a shovel, don't miss it.26:58-26:59It's passion for the lost.27:01-27:03So on your outline, I just want you to draw some things down here.27:06-27:17You see, three big ingredients, three things that motivated Paul that I have to ask myself and you have to ask yourself.27:20-27:22Are you committed to winning people with the gospel?27:22-27:22Are you?27:23-27:24Are you?27:25-27:30Are you committed to winning people with the gospel?27:39-27:42The first ingredient, it's the most obvious one, right?27:42-27:43It's sacrifice.27:44-27:47Sacrifice, do you give up your rights in order to win people?27:49-27:51Do you give up your rights in order to win people?27:53-27:58Again, Paul found laying down a freedom for the sake of the gospel to be an absolute joy.27:58-28:00He goes, "I will go along with whoever I'm with.28:02-28:19Gray areas, I'll give up anything that might cause an offense." You're like, "Wait, wait, so you're saying that you win people by accommodating them?" No, that's not what we're saying at all.28:20-28:23You accommodate yourself so that you have the right to speak to people.28:24-28:25That's what he's saying.28:26-28:34If you offend somebody because you insist on your freedom, you lost the audience.28:35-28:36They're not going to hear you.28:37-28:41That's what he's talking about, removing anything that would offend.28:44-28:45What does that look like today?28:48-28:50Here's a few examples today of what that could look like.28:50-29:04Let's say you have some Catholic friends that you've been witnessing to, and you know that they're faithful Catholics, but you're not sure if they truly know Christ.29:04-29:10And it's Lent season, and you invite them over to your house for dinner on a Friday.29:12-29:13You're not serving hamburgers.29:16-29:16You see?29:18-29:20You're gonna offend them right out the gate, and they're not gonna hear you.29:24-29:30Let's say you have some Muslim neighbors, and it's summertime, and you're like, "I wanna reach them with the gospel.29:30-29:34"I wanna have an opportunity to share Jesus with them." You invite them over to your house for a barbecue.29:34-29:36You're not having pork at your barbecue.29:38-29:41You offend them, you've lost your audience.29:46-29:48Let's talk about the big one.29:49-29:56Is there any issue in our day that really quickly brings offense?29:57-29:58Can you think of anything?29:59-30:00Say anything at all.30:00-30:03Anything at all that you could mention that people would immediately get offended.30:05-30:07Politics, right?30:10-30:18Let's say that you have a neighbor that is a true blue Democrat and you are of the MAGA persuasion.30:18-30:20This isn't a political statement, okay?30:21-30:22This is an illustration.30:23-30:29But if you're inviting your hardcore Democrat friend to your house, you're putting away the MAGA stuff, okay?30:30-30:32You're not wearing your little red ball cap to the dinner table.30:40-30:44Why would you want to offend them over something you don't need to offend them over?30:44-30:45It works the other way too, by the way.30:47-30:54If you're a Democrat and you have a Republican friend over, take down your Bernie Sanders banner.30:57-30:59By the way, it's 2026.31:01-31:02You've needed to take that down anyways.31:07-31:13And I think one of the biggest places where we're so quick to offend people is in social media.31:15-31:20Look, if you're one of these social media people, yes, post your Bible verses, sure.31:20-31:23Post your excerpts from the devotional.31:24-31:26But can I tell you this just lovingly?31:27-31:31Stop posting all the political garbage, because you know what you're doing?31:32-31:34You're losing half your audience.31:35-31:38And someday you're going to want to tell them about the gospel.31:38-31:47Someday you're going to have an opportunity, and they're not going to want to hear it because they know that you're on the other side of the political aisle, and we know that automatically makes you a demon.31:50-31:56Either way, all things to all people.31:58-32:00Not compromising the gospel.32:00-32:01We have to be clear about that.32:01-32:03Not compromising the gospel.32:03-32:05Church, this is a call for discernment.32:05-32:08You have to discern what is optional and what is not.32:09-32:12Some things are not optional, right?32:12-32:26Some things are not optional, like the truth, like Jesus, like the gospel, like God's command to repent, God's command to believe, not optional.32:28-32:29Truth is not optional.32:29-32:30You know what else is not optional?32:35-32:48walk." Meaning, in no way is Paul saying, he made this very clear, that you should sin to fit in. Right? You think, "Oh, I'm gonna win them. I'm gonna be just like them.32:49-33:03We're gonna get into the crude anatomy jokes so he'll know I'm one of the boys." No. No. Gossip. Well, they're all gossiping. I jump in the gossip with them. No.33:07-33:33Getting drunk. No. We're not compromising our walk. That's not optional. But there are some things that are optional. Like we've said, food, music played. Maybe you know they have a big issue with tattoos, and you go to tattoo, you wear long sleeves and cover it up, so you don't offend them.33:38-35:08Nothing at the expense of the gospel, nothing at the expense of being an ambassador of Christ, but if it's a gray area that might offend, I'll always seek to take the high road, because committed to winning people means committed to giving up your rights. So that's the first S and these are all alliterated. I get paid more when that happens. The second S is steward. What are the ingredients? What are the ingredients of somebody that's committed to people with the gospel? The second one is steward. Do you see yourself as entrusted with the gospel? Do you see yourself as entrusted with the gospel. Look at verse 17 again. The very last phrase, he says, "I am still entrusted with a stewardship." God is trusting you to give this out. He's trusting you. You got a Bible on your lap? He's trusting you with that, to give it out. You're entrusted. Like, "Well, yeah, that's good for Paul. I mean, he obviously was. What about the rest of us? He ropes us all in." Look at 2 Corinthians 5.19. Look, that is, "In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, thanks to Jesus.35:09-35:21Look at this last phrase, "and entrusting to us, us, the message of reconciliation." Do you realize how awesome that is?35:22-35:32That the God of the universe, your Creator and your Savior said, "Here, here, here is the message that's going to forgive sin.35:32-35:35Here is the message that's going to transform people.35:36-35:39Here is the message that's going to save people from hell.35:40-35:40Here it is.35:40-35:41Here it is.35:41-35:42And I'm giving it to you.35:47-35:48Do you know the gospel?35:50-35:51You know it?35:53-35:56If you do, that means that God's entrusting you to make sure that people hear it.35:57-35:58He's trusting you with it.36:02-36:13You know, last week, Bob Brown and Jesse Boggs went down to deliver some boxes that were packed.36:13-36:22Our small groups donated boxes for the needy that were given out through the ministry Vision Appalachia.36:24-36:28And to nobody's surprise, they packed way more boxes than our target goal, right?36:29-36:31How many boxes were sent, Bob?36:32-36:33250.36:34-36:38How many were asked, like, we were shooting for like 25 or something from this church, right?36:39-36:41And didn't we get like, we got 30.36:41-36:42All right.36:43-36:44Nobody's shocked, Bob.36:44-36:45Nobody's shocked.36:46-36:48Again, you guys are so generous.36:50-36:53But Bob and Jesse took the boxes down.36:54-36:58Let me ask you, they had the U-Haul trailer right out here.36:59-37:08Bob, want you another van we had out here?" With all these boxes with the donations for Vision Appalachia, let me ask you this.37:09-37:11Did Bob and Jesse have a choice in what happened with those boxes?37:13-37:14Did they have a choice what would happen with them?37:16-37:16No.37:17-37:17No.37:20-37:21Not convinced of that?37:21-37:21Okay.37:22-37:27What if Bob would have drove that U-Haul back to his house and him and Jesse threw the mother of all block parties with those supplies.37:31-37:32Would you have been like, "Good for you, Bob.37:33-37:36Live it up." Is that what you would have said?37:38-37:39You would have been like, "What are you doing?37:40-37:43That was given to you to give to them.37:44-37:51What are you doing?" We trusted that stuff to them, and they are faithful stewards.37:51-37:53They got it where it needed to go.37:53-37:54principle here, church.37:55-37:57God is trusting you with His message.37:58-37:59You don't have a choice.38:01-38:03Like, I don't really feel like a steward.38:03-38:04You are a steward.38:09-38:12God did not give you the option to keep it to yourself.38:13-38:14He didn't give you that option.38:17-38:25And somehow we get saved and down the road we forget and we get all self-focused and all we care about is our walk with Christ.38:31-38:39I'm going to tell you, it's so convicting to me, you know, you plant a church because you want to win lost people for Christ.38:39-38:43You want to win lost people, and then you get down the road, you know what we end up doing?38:43-38:47We end up swapping complaining sheep with other churches.38:47-38:48That's what we end up doing.38:50-38:59The guy complaining about his last church is now here, and the person leaving this church complaining about this one is going there, and we call that doing gospel ministry.39:04-39:11You know, we're talking about putting up this new building, an opportunity to win more people to Christ, but are we winning people to Christ here and now?39:14-39:26If we're not passionate for the gospel and reaching lost people here and now, what makes us think that we're going to get this new building and all of a sudden we're going to be magically converted into evangelists.39:32-39:35Committed to winning people means you've got to see yourself as entrusted with the gospel.39:37-39:38You're a steward.39:41-39:45The third S, number three, is shareer.39:46-40:00a word. You know how I know it's a word? Is my computer didn't give me a red squiggly line underneath it when I typed it. And in my world, that's a word. Share.40:02-40:27Do you know the joy of sharing the blessings of the gospel? Look, there is there is nothing more exciting than leading someone to Christ. Have you ever done that? If you have, you know, right? If you have, you know. There is nothing more exciting than that, seeing them baptized and knowing that God used you to reach somebody for eternity. There is nothing in the world greater than that.40:30-40:45Look at verse 23 again. This is the verse, "I do it all for the sake of the gospel," look, "that I may share with them in its pleasures," in its blessings, excuse me, "share with them and its blessings.40:51-40:53Think of everything you've experienced as a follower of Jesus.40:55-40:57Everything you experienced, think of it.40:58-40:59If you're a Christian, you get it.41:00-41:01You know the forgiveness of sin.41:01-41:03God will never hold your sins against you.41:04-41:17You know the joy that comes, the peace that you have no matter how horrible things get, The comfort God gives you in the tragedies of life, the fellowship of the church, oh and the hope of heaven that our best days are ahead of us.41:18-41:25Everything you experience as a Christian, to go to somebody that doesn't have that and say you can have all of that too.41:31-41:36Sharing the blessings, that should be a natural inclination, you know?41:37-41:37You know?41:38-41:40It's like, imagine this scenario.41:40-41:47Imagine Erin and I are at a restaurant and we order different dishes, something neither of us have ever had before, but we got different things.41:47-41:52And I take a bite and I'm like, this is the best thing I've ever tasted.41:54-41:55I gotta be sure.41:55-41:56And I take another bite.41:57-41:58I'm like, yeah, verified.41:58-42:02This is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life.42:06-42:08What's the next part of that story?42:09-42:18Oh, oh, Erin goes, "Can I try it?" I'm like, "No, eat your own." That's not how the story goes, is it?42:18-42:19That's not how it goes.42:19-42:21The story goes like this.42:22-42:23This is the best thing I ever had in my life.42:24-42:25Erin, you have got to try this.42:26-42:27You have got to try this.42:27-42:29And she's like, "I don't want to try it." You're trying it.42:31-42:33That's actually happened, hasn't it?42:34-42:34Both ways.42:35-42:37I'm like, she's like, this is so, I don't wanna try that.42:37-42:41Erin's like, you know, next thing you know, she's like, the fork can go in your mouth or in your forehead, pick one.42:52-42:53You gotta try this.42:54-43:02See, when you have something, when you experience something so glorious, so beautiful, there's something in you that wants to share that.43:04-43:05God put that in us.43:06-43:08That's how it is with the gospel, by the way, to that lost person.43:09-43:11Like, bro, you have got to get in on this.43:12-43:33You have got to get in on all of the blessings that comes in the gospel, knowing Jesus, the fellowship of the church, serving Him locally and in international missions, worshiping Him together, oh, and heaven, we'll get to share that one for all of eternity.43:36-43:42One of your greatest joys in life should be winning people to Jesus and sharing in the blessings of knowing Him.43:44-43:49Because committed to winning people means sharing in the blessings of the gospel.43:50-43:55Our worship team would make their way back up front.43:58-44:02Next week, our Easter series begins.44:04-44:05I don't really like the word Easter.44:06-44:07It doesn't mean anything to me.44:07-44:11I call it Resurrection Day, but you know what I mean.44:15-44:47Our Easter series begins next week, and it's a season where talking about Jesus and inviting someone to church is going to be much more natural. God is entrusting you to share the blessings of the gospel. Will you do whatever it takes to win someone? Let's pray.44:50-45:58Father in heaven, I confess before you in front of my brothers and sisters here that this passage tears me up because we look at the life of Paul and we look at the life of like Barnabas today, we look at people like that and we see Father Such passion to win lost people and we look inwardly and don't see that in ourselves sometimes, a lot of times. Father we come to you because you're the God who changes us, you're the God who transforms us, and I pray Father, I just pray simply this, that you would stir in the hearts of all of your people here to have the same mindset of Paul, an attitude of sacrifice, an attitude of being a steward, and the joy that comes in sharing the blessings of Christ.45:58-46:15Stir that spirit in us, Father, so that evangelism isn't some mechanical, obligatory thing that we think we have to do, but it's just so natural for us to to share the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.46:16-46:18It's in his name that we pray, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 9:15-23What was your big take-away from this passage / message?How would you respond to someone who says, “I don't really share the Gospel with anyone. I don't know what to say.”?Reread 1 Cor 9:17. What does Paul mean that he was “entrusted with a stewardship.”? Is that true of all Christians? See 2 Corinthians 5:19.What are the “blessings to be shared” when you win someone to Christ (1 Cor 9:23)?BreakoutWhen was the last time you shared the Gospel with someone or invited them to church? What happened? Who has God put on your heart to win with the Gospel? What are you doing about it?Pray for one another.

March 10, 2026Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 17:18I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

Introduction: Three Valid Reasons for Liberty (that Don't Work When You Have a Weaker Brother). (1 Corinthians 8:1-13) I Have KNOWLEDGE. (1 Cor 8:1-3) Philippians 1:9 – And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment I Have WISDOM. (1 Cor 8:4-7) I Have GOOD THEOLOGY. (1 Cor 8:8-13) Matthew 18:6 - whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 25:40 - Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:36-00:39Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians 8.00:41-00:49Oh, that sweet, sweet, quiet lull of early service on Daylight Saving Sunday.00:51-00:52So tranquil.00:54-00:55Let's kick that up, shall we?00:55-00:56Let's have a fight.00:58-01:01Amen, somebody came ready to rumble.01:04-01:06Not like a fist fight.01:07-01:09Let's just have a good old fashioned argument.01:10-01:12All right, that'll get the blood boiling.01:13-01:15All in favor of having an argument?01:16-01:16Some of you.01:17-01:18(congregation laughing)01:19-01:20Little too eager.01:21-01:22All right, here we go.01:23-01:24Is a hot dog a sandwich?01:27-01:29Oh, did you hear that Pastor Taylor?01:30-01:31Apparently we struck a nerve.01:32-01:34Show of hands, how many people say that a hot dog is a sandwich?01:35-01:36Okay.01:37-01:39Some of you, okay, how many people insist that it's not?01:41-01:41Whoa.01:43-01:46Whoa, you might wanna pump the brakes on that.01:46-01:49I mean, what, it's like meat and condiments in bread, right?01:51-01:53Isn't that the very definition of a sandwich?01:54-01:57And you're like, well, but it's shaped different.01:58-01:59Well, I'm shaped different.01:59-02:00Does that mean I'm not a human?02:00-02:01Like, come on, what's that?02:05-02:07Some of you are a little too emotional about that.02:09-02:10It's silly though, right?02:10-02:14We're not really going to fight about that.02:16-02:24But when we get to this next section in 1 Corinthians, believe it or not, and you will, it was a food controversy.02:25-02:26That's what's going on.02:26-02:31They had a food controversy, but it wasn't about hot dogs.02:33-02:40It was about something that was much bigger problem for the church.02:41-02:44All right, let's just stop for a minute.02:44-02:51This is a challenging text, but we are going to get through it together.02:52-02:55I'm gonna ask you to pray for me, and I will pray for you.02:56-02:58Let's see what the Lord has to teach us today in His Word.02:58-03:01All right, let's just take a moment and pray.03:09-03:11Father, fire us up to receive your Word.03:13-03:17We don't wanna go into a lull because we lost an hour of sleep or whatever.03:17-03:23God, this is your Word, and we should be excited to see what it is that you have told us in your Word.03:26-03:30and we should be looking to see how we can reflect the truth of your word in our lives.03:30-03:46So God, give us the faith to really believe what you said to the point that it takes root, to the point that it's manifest in our hearts, in our minds, in our attitudes, and ultimately in our conduct.03:47-03:57We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and all of God's people said, Amen, amen.03:57-04:03In this section in 1 Corinthians, it's kind of like a big Q&A session, right?04:03-04:05And look at chapter eight, verse one.04:06-04:07Do you see the first two words in your Bible?04:08-04:13He says, in this chapter, he says, "Now concerning." We talked about that, right?04:13-04:17It seems to be like, okay, next subject, right?04:17-04:20That's his clue that we're moving on to a new subject.04:21-04:46And the next topic that again is going to span next three chapters is Christian liberty. Just in case we didn't offend anybody with the last part of it, let's talk about liberty, shall we? Am I free to do whatever I want? I'm free in Christ! I can do whatever I want to do, right? Right?04:46-04:46Right?04:46-04:46Right?04:50-04:53Oh, legalism versus liberty.04:54-04:58It's the issue literally as old as the church herself.05:01-05:02Legalism.05:04-05:05That's one side.05:05-05:06Legalism.05:06-05:11The people that are legalists say to be accepted by God, here's some things you can't do.05:11-05:13Here's your list of things that you cannot do.05:14-05:16And if you keep the list, you're accepted by God.05:17-05:19That's the legalist likes the rules.05:19-05:24But on the other hand, you have the liberty people.05:26-05:28The liberty people say, "Hey, I'm saved by grace.05:28-05:30My performance doesn't matter.05:30-05:35Nothing can change the fact that I'm saved by grace and I can do whatever I want to do.05:36-05:38Nothing will separate me from the love of Christ.05:38-05:55I am free to do whatever I want to do." Well their particular liberty issue that became a problem for the church is what Paul is addressing in chapter 8, 9, and through 10.05:57-05:57Here's their issue.05:59-06:01Look again, chapter 8, verse 1.06:01-06:15He said, "Now concerning food offered to idols." That's meat that was sacrificed to a pagan God.06:17-06:19Like what in the world is going on here?06:21-06:24Understand in the Greek culture, they had gods for everything.06:25-06:29It was part of every aspect of life.06:30-06:33There was a God for literally everything.06:37-06:48And when a pagan worshiper would offer a sacrifice to a God, that sacrifice was divided into three parts.06:49-06:59Part was burned for the pagan God, part went home with the worshiper, but then the third part went with the priest.07:00-07:02The pagan priest, right?07:04-07:05How much pot roast can you eat?07:06-07:11Okay, so you can imagine, these priests, they had an abundance.07:11-07:14So they would take the extra down and sell it at the market.07:17-07:29There was other pagan meat at the market as well, because in the Greek culture, they believed that an evil spirit could enter you through what you ate.07:29-07:31So they believed that an evil spirit could get in the meat.07:31-07:34And when you ate the meat, now you had the evil spirit inside you.07:35-07:41So they would sacrifice to a God who would make sure that there were no evil spirits in the meat.07:41-07:53And on top of that, because it was such a pagan culture, the temple was sort of the community center, meaning weddings and parties were commonly held at the temple.07:53-07:55You're gonna see that come up here in this text.07:55-08:04And here's the point, my friends, Almost all the meat in this culture was used for pagan worship somehow.08:05-08:06Almost all of it.08:10-08:11So maybe you begin to see the problem.08:13-08:19For the church, for the Christians, for the Jesus followers, there was division.08:20-08:27For some, they were like, "Should we eat the pagan meat?" Absolutely not.08:27-08:28I'm not touching that.08:29-08:32They use that meat in pagan worship.08:32-08:34I'm not touching that with a 10 foot pole.08:35-08:37No way am I touching that.08:39-08:46And then there were more mature believers that were like, a hamburger is a hamburger, bro.08:48-08:50The boogeyman doesn't live in the hamburger.08:51-08:52Just eat it.08:52-08:52Come on.08:55-08:57Can you see why that would be a problem in the church?09:00-09:16People saying, "Eat the meat." People saying, "Absolutely, you shouldn't go near it." So in chapter eight here, and we're gonna be looking at the whole chapter, Paul is addressing the mature Christians who insisted on their liberty.09:19-09:26These mature Christians who said, "Hey, it bothers some of the weaker Christians that we eat the meat, but look, I'm free in Christ.09:27-09:28It's not haunted meat.09:28-09:31Am I not free to eat the meat if I want to eat the meat?09:38-09:44I'm gonna go way out on a limb here and guess that this probably isn't an issue for this church.09:45-09:46Right?09:48-09:58I don't imagine you've had to sit down at the table debate whether or not the boogeyman was in the steak, if you should eat it or not.10:02-10:06But you know there's always been issues of legalism and liberty in the church.10:07-10:25Always. Always. Okay so we're not arguing about the pagan meat, but I mean look at look at church history. We have this, even very recently, we are constantly At odds trying to figure out some things.10:26-10:28Issues of legalism versus liberty.10:30-10:32Like things like playing cards.10:34-10:39I know young people that might be hard to believe, but there was a time that that was a big issue in the church.10:39-10:41Should you be allowed to play cards?10:43-10:50Things like dancing, movies, hairstyle, dress.10:50-10:50Yes.10:53-10:55Things you can do on Sunday.10:57-10:59You can't go to a restaurant 'cause you're making people work.10:59-11:00You can't wash your car on Sunday.11:00-11:01That's considered work.11:02-11:05And you're breaking the Sabbath and there's so much wrong with that thinking.11:05-11:06But it's an issue.11:07-11:08It's an issue.11:09-11:11Things like yoga.11:16-11:20Last and certainly my favorite, Trick or treat.11:26-11:27I hate Halloween.11:29-11:32Not because you dress up like Spider-Man and get a Kit Kat.11:32-11:33I think that's kind of cool.11:34-11:42But just what it does in the church, because you have people that are like, it's fun, let's let them dress up and get candy and see the neighbors.11:42-11:45And then you have people that are like, it's demonic.11:46-11:49And like, I don't know what to do.11:51-11:53That's kind of the flavor of what we're getting here.11:55-11:56See, all these things are gray areas.11:56-12:04There's nothing explicit in the Bible that we can point to where the Bible says, do not do this, do not go trick or treating, do not dance.12:05-12:09Yet we can't find verses in the Bible that explicitly say.12:09-12:12So what do we do with these gray areas?12:12-12:18And the liberty person would say, I'm free to do whatever I want to do.12:19-12:20'Cause I'm free in Christ.12:20-12:22I'm free in Christ, man.12:22-12:24I can do whatever I want, right?12:27-12:28No.12:29-12:37No, not if doing one of these gray area things could cause a brother to sin.12:40-13:34So Paul addressing their issue with the meat gives us principles that apply for all times even until today. I want you to think about this scenario as we go through this passage because here's a real-life scenario that could happen to you where you need to apply these principles, this could happen to you this week. Just imagine the issue of alcohol. First of all, are you free to drink alcohol? Well, the Bible warns about drunkenness, but yes, the Bible does not say, "Thou shalt not ever touch alcohol." Okay? So yes, technically you are free, you are free to drink alcohol.13:37-13:42If you're of age and avoid drunkenness and all that, sure, sure, sure.13:43-13:50Okay, but imagine this scenario, a man who recently comes to harvest decides he wants to go to your small group.13:52-13:55But this man is coming out of an addicted background.13:57-14:00He had a really bad problem with alcohol, he went to rehab.14:02-14:05And this man ends up coming to know Christ.14:05-14:06He's born again.14:06-14:08He received Jesus as his Lord and Savior.14:08-14:10He's been transformed.14:10-14:14And now this man hates how alcohol has wrecked his life.14:16-14:21And this man sees alcohol a whole lot different than you or I might look at alcohol.14:23-14:34All right, so that guy says, "Pastor Taylor, I want to get involved in one of your small groups." And Pastor Taylor gets the guy coming to your small group.14:35-14:43And this week, you're having a barbecue at your small group because the weather is oh so great as it has been.14:45-14:53And as a small group leader, you're wondering, "Well, can I have beer at our small group barbecue?14:58-14:58Can I?15:01-15:46We have alcohol at a church event?" And you're like, "Okay, well this guy's coming and Pastor Taylor sort of told me this man's background and I know that if we have alcohol at our barbecue, it's going to bother that guy. I know that, but I'm free. I'm free to drink it. Why is his problem my problem? Should I still have it even though this guy's coming? I mean, I can have it, so let's just go ahead and have it and he can figure that out, right? Well, that was the Corinthian dilemma. Some mature believers were eating the meat regardless of how it affected the weaker believers.15:47-15:53And I'm glad you're sitting down because you're going to be shocked that this resulted in more disunity problems for Corinth.15:55-15:57Those people fought about everything.15:59-16:00And here's another issue.16:03-16:12So on your outline, listen very closely to this next sentence because you have to understand the angle at which Paul's going after them.16:13-16:26Paul, in 1 Corinthians 8, is going after the three reasons that the mature believers were using to justify eating the pagan meat.16:29-16:33It's okay for us to eat it, and here's why it's okay for us to eat it.16:33-16:39Paul goes after those reasons, and they're the same reasons we use today.16:41-16:55And interestingly enough, Paul agrees with them, but he shows them why their reasons for eating the meat, their reasons for liberty, do not apply in light of how it's going to affect a weaker believer.16:57-16:58All right?16:59-17:03That's why the heading on your outline, it's a big one.17:04-17:10Three valid reasons for liberty that don't work when you have a weaker brother.17:12-17:17All of these are legit reasons for liberty, but they do not work when you have a weaker brother.17:18-17:18Y'all with me?17:19-17:20I can start over.17:21-17:22It's a hot dog and sandwich.17:25-17:28Three valid reasons for liberty that do not work when you have a weaker brother.17:29-17:31Here's the first one, number one, write this down.17:31-17:32I have knowledge.17:33-17:34I have knowledge.17:34-17:36I know some stuff.17:37-17:38I know, okay.17:40-17:40Back to verse one.17:40-17:50"Now concerning food offered to idols, we know that all of us possess knowledge." Stop there.17:52-17:57You see, they were saying, Look, I know I can eat the meat sacrificed to the...17:57-17:58I can do that because I know, I know.17:59-18:01I know what the Bible says about food, okay?18:01-18:05And Peter had that vision, Acts 10, the sheath, everything's clean.18:06-18:09I know about that, I know, I know, I know.18:09-18:11And look, meat is meat, I know.18:14-18:16We do the same thing, by the way, with alcohol, right?18:17-18:18We know, we know some stuff.18:19-18:22Okay, small group leader thinking about having beer at your barbecue.18:22-18:26I know, I know, I know what the Bible says, okay?18:26-18:31And in fact, you know, back in biblical times, they didn't have refrigerators.18:32-18:37So their grape juice fermented, and it was really only like a 3% alcohol on some things.18:37-18:40And it was, but some of the drinks was only 1% alcohol.18:41-18:48And (mimics barking) Look, knowledge is great.18:49-18:56Actually, God's word exalts knowledge, knowing God's truth.18:57-19:01But here's the thing, knowledge isn't everything.19:02-19:02Okay?19:04-19:06Knowledge isn't everything because look at the rest of verse one.19:07-19:18He says, "This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Just having knowledge puffs up.19:18-19:20Knowledge makes people proud.19:21-19:22That's what he's saying.19:22-19:23Knowledge makes people proud.19:24-19:25Have you ever been around that guy?19:26-19:27You know that guy?19:28-19:30The actually guy?19:31-19:32You know that guy?19:32-19:33That's like actually.19:33-19:34You know, you've been around that guy?19:36-19:37If you are that guy, I hope you repent.19:38-19:39But you know that guy.19:39-19:43You're like, man, it was like 80 degrees today.19:43-19:47Actually, it was 77 degrees.19:48-19:49(sniffling)19:50-19:51You got me.19:52-19:53I'm a big fat liar.19:54-20:00Or you're like, strawberries are my favorite fruit.20:01-20:04Actually, a strawberry is not a fruit.20:04-20:05It is a member of the rose family.20:06-20:08Actually, a banana actually is a berry.20:09-20:09Actually.20:14-20:15Knowledge puffs up.20:15-20:19The guy that's just knowledge, obnoxious.20:23-20:29He says, "But love, love builds up." You see, knowledge is about me, but love is about you.20:30-20:32Love is about building you up.20:32-20:37And that's why you gotta have love with your knowledge.20:37-20:38That's Paul's point here.20:39-20:41Actually, he said the same thing, Philippians 1:9.20:42-20:51"And it is my prayer that your love may abound and more with knowledge. You see that? Love with knowledge and all discernment.20:53-20:59All your Bible knowledge does you no good if you aren't operating from a position of love.21:01-21:16So look at verse 2. He says, "If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know." Knowledge is a funny thing, isn't it?21:16-21:20You think you know something, and you don't.21:21-21:30The guy that's walking around thinking he's the expert and he knows everything, usually doesn't really know near as much as he thinks he knows.21:34-21:38You mature people, Paul says, you mature people insisting on your liberty.21:38-21:43You think you're so smart, but you don't know as much as you think you do.21:44-22:04because you're missing what the Christian life is all about and it is love. Biblical knowledge should move you to love. You're like, "Wait, wait, hang on.22:04-22:12How does that work? How does knowledge and love, how does that How does that work together exactly?22:12-22:17And Paul's like, "Like your relationship with God Himself." Look at verse 3.22:18-22:26He says, "But if anyone loves God, he is known by God." There it is.22:26-22:31Knowledge and love working together in your relationship with God.22:31-22:33Both of them have to be present.22:34-22:36So you can know about God without loving Him.22:38-22:45But you don't really know God without loving Him.22:48-22:49So what's he saying?22:49-22:50Here's the bottom line, alright?22:51-22:53Here's the CliffsNotes version of this chunk.22:53-22:58He says, "Your knowledge means nothing without love." That's what he's saying.22:58-22:59Your knowledge means nothing without love.22:59-23:06God doesn't care that you know stuff if you don't love your weaker brother.23:06-23:07That's the point.23:09-23:13So again, you're thinking about having beer at your small group barbecue.23:15-23:20Listen, and that guy's coming that's had the struggle in the past.23:20-23:26Look, that guy that's coming, he doesn't need your list of alcohol facts.23:26-23:27Okay?23:27-23:35What he needs is you to love him enough that you care more about him growing in Christ then you do you having your beer.23:39-23:48So if you're insisting on your liberty on the basis of, I know some Bible verses, you missed the big picture.23:50-23:52All right, I have knowledge.23:54-23:55Great, great.23:57-24:01Doesn't matter in the face of a weaker brother, you gotta love him.24:02-24:03I love 'em.24:03-24:06Number two, jot this one down.24:06-24:06I have wisdom.24:08-24:09I have wisdom.24:10-24:11There's a difference, right?24:12-24:13Knowledge, you know the facts.24:14-24:19Wisdom is like knowing how to apply the facts, knowing how knowledge works together.24:21-24:23Look at verses four through six with me.24:24-24:39He says, "Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that an idol has no real existence, and that there is no God but One.24:41-25:14For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords. Yet for us, there is one God the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." Wow. I could do like a whole series just on like the end of verse 6 there.25:15-25:16That is such an awesome verse.25:16-25:17You should highlight that in your Bible.25:21-25:23That's the gospel right there in verse 6.25:23-25:24This is the gospel.25:24-25:39God came to us in Christ, and we go to God in Christ.25:43-25:44That's awesome.25:47-25:50Regarding the issue at hand, Paul's here saying, "Look, right on, right on.25:51-25:52Hey, I'm with you.25:52-25:54The idol is just a trinket.25:54-25:55There's no boogeyman in the meat.25:56-25:57You have wisdom.25:57-26:03You understand the world in light of the truth of God's Word." Awesome.26:04-26:12Verse 7, "However, not all possess this knowledge." See that?26:13-26:14Paul's agreeing with him.26:14-26:15Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it.26:16-26:16I get it.26:17-26:18The idol's a trinket.26:19-26:19Right.26:21-26:22The meat's not haunted, I get it.26:23-26:23You're right.26:24-26:34However, however, look, God in his word has told us everything he wants us to know about him.26:38-26:42But we are all at different levels of understanding.26:43-26:50Some of us are just a little further down the road on our journey than others in maturing with Christ.26:50-26:51That's just the way things work.26:52-26:54We learn, we grow, we mature.26:54-26:56Some of us are more mature than others.26:56-26:57That's just reality.26:59-27:00And that's what Paul's saying here.27:00-27:01He's, "Look, good for you.27:01-27:02You know some things.27:02-27:04You know some things about the idols.27:04-27:05Guess what?27:05-27:07Not everyone understands.27:08-27:09Not everyone's where you are.27:12-27:13Not everyone gets it.27:15-27:42Look at the rest of verse 7, he goes, "But some," talking about the weaker brothers here, "but some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience being weak is defiled." Your conscience, he says, "These weaker brothers having a problem with their..." What is the conscience?27:42-27:44We talked about this way and through the book of Hebrews.27:45-27:46Your conscience, what is your conscience?27:46-27:57The conscience is the part of your mind that approves or condemns what you do, based on how you understand right and wrong.27:59-28:00That's your conscience.28:00-28:04And some, Paul says, have a weak conscience, meaning it's immature.28:06-28:28not fully understanding yet. And if a weaker brother eats the pagan meat, they go against their conscience and Paul says, "They are defiled." That word "defiled" actually means "guilty." They feel guilty for doing it. They went against their conscience.28:35-28:49Have you ever believed something for so long that even when you learn the truth, it's hard to let go of that old belief that you held onto for so long?28:51-28:52I think we've all been guilty of that.28:53-28:54You know, here's one for me.28:56-29:01When I was a kid, I've always been an excellent singer.29:04-29:06(congregation laughing)29:14-29:14What is going on here?29:21-29:23Learning to have grace with the weaker brothers.29:24-29:25(congregation laughing)29:28-29:30Pastor Taylor, you are absolutely right.29:30-29:32That statement was sarcastic, you are right.29:33-29:34He is absolutely right.29:34-29:36He's not the weaker brother, he's right.29:36-29:38But I have always been a great singer.29:38-29:49But anyways, when I was little, I would sing at the dinner table, 'cause I'm always singing, I'm singing, doing everything, but I'd come to the dinner table and I'd sing.29:50-29:51And do you know what my mom told me?29:52-29:57She says, "You can't sing at the table because it," anybody know?29:59-30:00She made this up.30:01-30:05My mom said, she says, "You can't sing at the table "because it makes the angels cry."30:07-30:08(congregation laughing)30:12-30:13I am dead serious.30:14-30:18Now I found, I just this minute realized she just made that up.30:20-30:21'Cause I was expecting somebody to shout that out.30:22-30:23Nope.30:25-30:29So I grew up like, don't sing, when I get to the table, I'm like, don't sing, why?30:29-30:38because all the angels in heaven are like, "Oh, please." At first I thought it was just like anybody singing, but I think mom meant my singing.30:39-30:41My singing offended the holy angels.30:41-30:56But so I was like, "Don't sing at the table "because the angels, it just made the angels cry." And you're like, "That's silly." It is, admittedly.30:57-31:05But I gotta tell you, to this day, if I'm eating somewhere and I hear somebody singing, do you know what the first thing is that I think of?31:08-31:09You're making the angels cry.31:10-31:11Way to go.31:13-31:14Do you know what I mean?31:14-31:22I know that's not true, but I do cringe when I hear somebody sing at the table because it was just so ingrained in me my whole life growing up.31:22-31:23Don't sing at the table, don't sing at the table.31:24-31:24Angels are weeping.31:27-31:27Like...31:30-31:34And it was true in this culture that Paul's dealing with here.31:35-31:40Imagine the person that got saved out of idolatry.31:41-31:42That's a huge change.31:44-31:57You know, all this time, for all these years, the evil spirits live in the meat, got to sacrifice to the gods, you get the spirits out of the meat, the evil spirits live in the meat, and then they come to Christ, They get the truth of the gospel, and they're like, "That's not true.31:58-31:59There's no evil spirits in the meat.32:00-32:07It's not true at all." It's totally safe to eat, right?32:08-32:12I mean, it is safe, right?32:17-32:23But, I mean, it is pagan meat.32:23-32:41eat. I mean, I guess it's okay to eat it. I mean, gosh, I just don't feel right about eating it. You see the dilemma? I know, but I...32:46-32:55See, mature believers, mature believers, maybe you understand the real truth about the idols and the mate.32:55-33:05Paul's like, "But your weaker brother, he's not there yet." And love says, "I will forego something that might bother the weaker brother." That's what love says.33:06-33:13Look, spiritual maturity is deeper than right and wrong.33:16-33:30The mature believer says, "How does what I do affect the baby Christians?" And you see with the whole alcohol, with the small group barbecue thing, it's the same principle in play.33:31-33:38If the weaker brother is coming to the barbecue, the loving choice is to not have any alcohol there at all.33:40-33:42Not being legalistic, being loving.33:44-33:48I don't want this to be a problem for you, so we're just going to take it off the table.33:49-33:51We'll have a Dr. Pepper.33:55-34:05Look, if you're insisting on your liberty on the basis of, "I have wisdom, I know the ways of the world and how it works," you've just missed the whole picture.34:08-34:08One more.34:11-34:15Three valid reasons for liberty that don't work when you have a weaker brother.34:17-34:19"I have knowledge." That doesn't work when there's a weaker brother.34:19-34:22"I have wisdom." That doesn't work.34:22-34:26When you have a weaker brother, number three, here's one that we often use, I have good theology.34:28-34:30And see, these all do kind of bleed together, obviously.34:32-34:33But I have good theology.34:36-34:37Look at verse eight.34:38-34:41He says, "Food will not commend us to God.34:42-34:55"We are no worse off if we do not eat "and no better off if we do." Interestingly, that word commend is literally draw us near to.34:58-35:01What you eat is not going to draw you closer to God.35:04-35:04And that's what he's saying.35:05-35:11Eating doesn't make you holy, nor does eating make you a sinner.35:13-35:15That's good theology, right?35:16-35:16It's good theology.35:18-35:20What you eat will not draw you near to God.35:21-35:24There's only one way to draw near to God, and that's Jesus Christ.35:25-35:29He provided access to God through his death, through his resurrection.35:29-35:32That's the only basis you have of coming to God.35:33-35:35The only way you can draw near is through Jesus Christ.35:36-35:38But it certainly isn't in what you eat.35:41-35:43That's great theology, right?35:45-35:53So God doesn't care what we eat, But, but God does care about his weaker children and the way we love them.35:54-35:55He cares about that.35:55-35:57Look at verses nine and 10.35:58-36:05He says, "But take care that this right of yours "does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.36:07-36:23"For if anyone sees you who have knowledge "eating in an idol's temple, Will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?36:27-36:30Stumbling block, stumbling block.36:30-36:33That's something that makes you sin, right?36:33-36:34That's a stumbling block.36:35-36:41And Paul here says, you're insisting on your freedom can make the weaker brother sin.36:45-36:45What do you mean?36:46-37:03Just simply this, if their conscience says, don't eat the pagan meat, and they see you eating, they're going to feel pressured to go against their conscience and eat, and that will make them miserable.37:06-37:11They're gonna feel the pressure, they're gonna eat, and then they're gonna immediately, I shouldn't have eaten that.37:13-37:20But you know, he makes me feel guilty if I don't join in and eat, but then I do eat, and now I feel guilty that I did.37:23-37:24You see an obvious application, right?37:26-37:33You decide you're gonna go ahead and have alcohol with your little small group barbecue, volleyball extravaganza thing.37:33-37:35And you're like, I'm still gonna have alcohol there.37:36-37:39And that recovering addict shows up.37:40-37:43And he's like, yeah, I don't drink anymore.37:44-37:45It ruined my life.37:48-37:50But everybody else is drinking.37:51-37:54Man, I kind of feel like the odd man out here.37:55-38:01Maybe I should, I mean, these are new friends and I should try to fit in, right?38:01-38:06So, I don't want to look like a weirdo.38:08-38:08And then he drinks.38:10-38:11How does he feel about himself afterwards?38:14-38:15I can't believe I did that.38:22-38:26Listen, never ever violate your conscience.38:28-38:36I have people come to me for counseling all the time and it can be a gray area matter and they'll say, "I just have this conviction about this.38:36-38:39"Is that right?" I tell them the same thing, ask anybody that's come.38:40-38:42I'm like, I will never tell you to violate your conscience.38:43-38:50If you have a conviction and it's different than mine, and it's a non-biblical issue, I am not going to tell you to violate your conscience on that.38:51-38:56And at the same time, do not ever ask someone else to violate theirs.39:01-39:06With your conscience, yes, understand, seek to understand why you feel how you do.39:07-39:11Evaluate if it is from God, but never violate your conscience.39:11-39:13Look, you're going to mature in Christ.39:13-39:19Your understanding of God's word is going to mature, but don't force it.39:23-39:27Let the growth happen naturally for you and for the weaker brother.39:31-39:48And I know at this point in the message, there's still somebody, somebody's inwardly protesting all this, saying, "Why should I care what my choices "have to do with somebody else's conscience?39:48-39:55"Like, why is that any of their business?" Well, look at verse 11.39:57-40:07Paul says, "And so by your knowledge, this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.40:13-40:13Why should you care?40:16-40:18Because Jesus does.40:20-40:23How much does Jesus care about this weaker brother, really?40:23-40:25How much does Jesus care?40:26-40:27Jesus died for him.40:28-40:30That is how Jesus regards this man.40:30-40:35That is how Jesus so loves this man that Jesus was willing to die for him.40:36-40:38And that's why you should love him too.40:41-40:57Verse 12, he says, "Thus, sitting against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ." Wow.40:59-41:00Paul ratchets it up.41:01-41:03This is the top of the mountain here.41:04-41:10He goes, "Do you need a reason to not offend the weaker brother?41:10-41:13Do you need a reason for that?" He goes, "Here's your reason.41:13-41:15Here's number one.41:17-41:21Jesus takes any mistreatment of his people very seriously.41:22-41:29You sit against that weaker brother, you're sitting against Jesus himself." And Jesus takes this very seriously.41:32-41:41Look, if you pressure my son into doing something he doesn't wanna do, we are having words.41:45-41:51Jesus has a much stronger stance on this than I do, actually.41:54-42:14Matthew 18.6, "Whoever causes," these are the words of Jesus, "Whoever causes one of these little ones "who believe in me to sin, "it would be better for him to have a great millstone "fastened around his neck "and be drowned in the depths of the sea." You sin against a weaker brother, you're sinning against Jesus.42:15-42:16He takes that pretty seriously.42:17-42:32And again, Matthew 25, verse 40, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, "As you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers, "you did it to me." Serious business.42:34-42:36And finally, verse 13.42:39-42:58Paul says, "Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, "I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble." Paul's like, "Look, run the risk of sinning against Jesus?42:58-42:59Nuh-uh, uh-uh.43:00-43:18I'm not going to insist on my liberty, my rights." Paul says, "I will become a vegan before I cause a brother to stumble, because loving Loving my weaker brother is more important than having a burger.43:20-43:24And loving my weaker brother is more important than having a beer.43:28-43:35So if you're insisting on your liberty on the basis of, "Well, I have good theology," you missed the big picture.43:37-43:37All right.43:38-43:39That was the introduction.43:41-43:42Here's the sermon.43:44-43:47Your liberty goes only as far as love.43:50-43:56Like the Corinthians, you can say, "Well, I know the Bible and I understand spiritual truths.43:57-43:59My theology is on point.43:59-44:06I am free in Christ to do whatever I want!" No, you aren't.44:09-44:14You must be willing to lay down your rights if it means protecting your weaker brother.44:17-44:19For communion servers would come up, our worship team.44:23-44:32I'll give you one more reason why we should lay down our rights out of love.44:35-44:37And it's because we have a great example.44:37-44:45You know, the Bible says Jesus did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped.44:45-44:46Wrap your head around that.44:47-44:55Jesus had the right to insist on all of the privileges that come with being God.44:58-45:02And he humbled himself to give them up.45:05-45:11The question I have for you this morning is, will you follow Jesus in that?45:13-45:19Are you willing to lay down your rights, your freedoms, out of love?45:21-45:22I want you to stand.45:25-45:31And when you're ready to receive the Lord's Supper, by the way, if you're a born again believer in Christ, this is for you.45:32-45:37You don't have to be a member of Harvest Bible Chapel, but you do have to be a born again believer in Christ.45:38-45:39And if you are, he invites you.45:40-45:49Come down the center aisle, receive the elements, and I'm gonna ask that you take them back to your seat by going to the outside aisle.45:49-45:56And when everyone has the elements, we will receive the Lord's Supper together as an act of church unity.45:56-45:57All right, please come.46:01-46:03Why should I choose to lay down my rights?46:07-46:11because I have a great example in my Lord.46:13-46:20The Bible tells us the night Jesus was betrayed, He took bread and He broke it.46:20-46:43He gave thanks and He said, "This is my body which is given for you. Eat this in remembrance of me." After the meal, Jesus took the cup He said, "This cup is the blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sin.46:45-46:47Drink this in remembrance of Me." Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 8:1-13What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Do you tend to lean more on the side of “legalism” or “libertine”? Why?What exactly is meant by “stumbling block” (1 Cor 8:9)? How could you be responsible for someone else sinning (1 Cor 8:12)?Besides alcohol, what are some examples of gray areas today that we need to be careful to “not make a weaker brother stumble”?BreakoutPray for one another.

Big Idea: Even with shaking knees, step boldly into your destiny.Esther 2:15-18I. Chosen by character Esther 2:15Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai who had adopted her as his own daughter. When her turn came to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king's eunuch, keeper of the women, suggested. Esther gained favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.II. Crowned by God      Esther 2:16-17She was taken to King Ahasuerus in the palace in the tenth month, the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other virgins. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.III. Celebrated by all   Esther 2:18The king held a great banquet for all his officials and staff. It was Esther's banquet. He freed his provinces from tax payments and gave gifts worthy of the king's bounty.Next Steps:Believe: I believe God has chosen me for salvation today.Become: I will work on my character this week.Be Sent: I will pass on God's blessing to someone in need this week.Discussion Questions:How can you distinguish between circumstances and the hand of God in your life?What area of your character is most like Christ?What area still needs some work?When did God last do something great in your life that might look like a coincidence?  Explain.How can you embrace your God-given destiny this week?Name someone who needs to hear about Jesus this Easter.Pray for God to use you to serve someone in need this week.

February 17, 1016Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 16:18I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

Introduction: 4 Things to Say To Yourself When You're Tempted: (1 Corinthians 6:12-20) I can't EXCUSE sin. (1 Cor 6:12-14) I am ONE with Christ. (1 Cor 6:15-17) God says to RUN from sexual sin. (1 Cor 6:18) My body BELONGS to God. (1 Cor 6:19-20) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:43-00:45What kind of a church is this?00:46-00:48We are a church that sits on four pillars.00:50-00:53We proclaim the authority of God's Word without apology.00:55-00:58We lift high the name of Jesus in worship.00:59-01:01We believe firmly in the power of prayer.01:02-01:05And we share the good news of Jesus with boldness.01:09-01:19Speaking of that first pillar, we're going through a series here Corinthians, and we go where the text takes us.01:21-01:23And today we're going to talk about sexual immorality.01:26-01:28I'm going to be direct but not explicit.01:28-01:33The question comes up, "Should my child listen to this?" But parental discretion advised.01:33-01:36Again, direct but not explicit.01:37-01:44I would encourage you parents, whether you're sitting here or whether you're streaming somebody's going to be talking to your kids about this.01:44-01:54You should be, but they're going to be hearing a lot of different opinions regarding matters of marriage and sexuality.01:54-01:56I think it might do them good to hear God's opinion of it.01:58-02:10So I'm just going to ask you would please pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's word clearly, and I will pray for you to have your heart open to receive what He wants to tell us today.02:17-02:30Father in heaven, let this not just be another sermon sat through, but let Your Word transform our hearts and minds.02:30-02:36Father, give us the faith to believe and act upon what You have already pronounced to be true.02:39-02:41Let this be the day of repentance.02:42-02:52Let this be a day of joy and celebration and truly embracing Your gifts.02:53-02:55Your Word says every good and perfect gift comes from above.02:56-02:57Father, we believe that.03:01-03:04And I thank You, Father, ahead of time for the work that You're going to do.03:05-03:12We pray in Jesus' name and all of God's people said, "Amen." Amen.03:12-03:331 Corinthians chapter 6, we're in a series through 1 Corinthians called "Unified and Purified." Unified, that's the first four chapters, unified, where Paul says, "Church, collectively, get it together." Right?03:34-03:53In this next section that we're in, the church purified, Paul says, "Each of you, be who Jesus saved you to be." And today we are going to be talking about sexual immorality.03:54-04:14And those of you who have been going through this series with us might be saying at this point, "Oh, Pastor Jeff, maybe the cold is affecting your brain, but didn't we talk about that guy two weeks ago?" Oh, you think there was just one person in that church struggling with it.04:16-04:18Did you hurt your head when you fell off the turnip truck?04:19-04:19No.04:20-04:32There wasn't just one person at that church dealing with it, and I guarantee you there's There's not just one person in this church dealing with it.04:32-04:34Look down to verse 18.04:34-04:36This is the sermon.04:38-05:10Verse 18, Paul says, "Flee from sexual immorality." "Flee from sexual immorality." See, in Corinth, they were famous for their temple to Aphrodite, And their priestesses were actually prostitutes, and they would by those means help men worship according to their religion.05:12-05:14That was their context.05:16-05:20But the principles in this passage aren't limited to that.05:20-05:22And you have to get that.05:23-05:37You know, we don't want guys sitting here going, "Well, I'm doing pretty good because I've never been with a prostitute." Flea, sexual immorality, that word sexual immorality covers it all.05:38-05:54Whether it's an affair, or pornography, or one of these apps that allow you to meet up with people, it's anything outside of God's design for marriage and sexuality.05:55-05:59And look, there is nothing new under the sun.06:00-06:06The problem that this church had is the same problem that the church has today.06:06-06:07We touched on this a couple of weeks ago.06:08-06:08Here's the problem.06:09-06:13It's not viewing sex as sacred.06:14-06:14That's the problem.06:17-06:24We've turned this gift from God into some gross form of self-gratification.06:27-06:30So what is the purpose of sex?06:31-06:32What is it?06:33-06:38Well, what is the purpose of everything that God created?06:41-06:44The purpose of everything that God created is to glorify Him.06:46-06:48So what is the purpose of marital intimacy?06:50-06:51You're like, "Really?06:51-06:53To glorify God?" Yeah.06:54-06:54Yeah.06:55-07:01Need I remind you that the whole idea of marital intimacy was God's idea.07:01-07:08The whole idea that this was to be a pleasure shared between a married couple, that was God's plan.07:10-07:12He designed that, right?07:12-07:15Genesis tells us male and female, He created them.07:16-07:19The two shall become one flesh, Genesis 2.24.07:20-07:30That's the purpose of intimacy, but what's the objective of sex?07:30-07:33What's the objective of sexual relations?07:34-07:45Well, some would say, "Well, the objective is procreation, that's it." That's not the primary objective.07:47-07:55And for some, they would say, "It's pleasure." There's that, but that's not the primary objective of sex.07:56-07:59The primary objective is intimacy.08:03-08:05And you need to learn this statement from God's Word.08:08-08:10Intimacy is for those in the covenant.08:13-08:15Intimacy is for those in the covenant.08:18-08:26See under the new covenant, God desires the closest relationship possible that He can have with His people.08:26-08:27So what does He do?08:28-08:31He lives inside the heart of a believer.08:34-08:40And the Bible tells us that marriage and sex is a picture of the gospel.08:41-08:45The man representing Jesus, the woman representing the church.08:45-08:47Ephesians 5, you can read that later.08:48-08:49Same point though.08:51-08:54God's relationship with man, man's relationship with his wife.08:55-08:58Intimacy is for the covenant.09:01-09:05And sex is the physical manifestation.09:05-09:08It's the illustration of such intimacy.09:13-09:19Because in the covenant of marriage, the man representing Jesus is initiating a love relationship.09:20-09:28And the woman representing the church is receiving an intimacy that the two exclusively enjoy.09:29-09:39And the fact right now that people would hear something like that and start to snicker and start to giggle shows you the problem.09:41-09:43That the whole idea of sex has been perverted.09:45-09:47Like obviously, right?09:48-09:49Like how did that happen?09:52-09:56Well the Bible tells us when Adam and Eve sinned, they immediately noticed what?09:58-09:59They noticed that they were naked.10:00-10:01Isn't that strange?10:02-10:06Because up until that point, they only ever saw each other naked.10:07-10:15Now all of a sudden that sin is in the world, now they cast a whole new light on this.10:18-10:22But all of the sudden they had to cover themselves up.10:28-10:33There is a shame associated with sexuality because of sin.10:37-10:46God's wedding gift to men and women has been misused and abused and perverted.10:48-10:58And like the Corinthians, the world's profane, disgusting view of sex has been brought into the church.11:02-11:10And like them, there are many people here that are indulging in some form of sexual sin.11:15-11:18So what's it going to take to get you to break free?11:18-11:18What is it?11:21-11:23I've been doing this a long time.11:23-11:24I know how sermons work.11:24-11:27This is the part of the sermon where you get the stats, right?11:28-11:36You get the statistics on pornography and usage in the church and out the church.11:37-11:39That doesn't make a difference to people.11:41-11:49Or this is the part of the sermon where I can tell you the effect that pornography will have on your marriage and your relationships.11:49-12:05And I can get, you know, line graphs up there or quotes from brilliant scientists talking about the effect that it has on your marriage and the effect that it has on your brain, and that's not going to move anybody.12:07-12:11We could talk about the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.12:15-12:24I don't really think any of those things are very effective to get people on track with God's design for marital intimacy.12:25-12:27What we need is the power of the Holy Spirit.12:28-12:31What we need is the wisdom that comes from the Word of God.12:33-12:37So on your outline, that's what we're going after today.12:38-12:50That when you find yourself in a place of temptation, through this passage you're going to see, there's four things that you need to say to yourself when temptation shows up.12:52-12:52Alright?12:52-12:55Number one, break this down, I can't excuse sin.12:56-12:59I just can't excuse sin.13:04-13:12You see, the Corinthians, in their culture, they had some popular sayings that they used to excuse sin.13:12-13:14Look at your Bible, here's two of them.13:14-13:26Verse 12, "All things are lawful for me." Verse 13, "Food is meant for the stomach, and the stomach for food." Stop there.13:26-13:32Those were two of the sayings of the culture, two of the, you know, secular proverbs, so to speak.13:33-13:39But when they wanted to excuse and justify their sexual sin, they would say one of those statements.13:39-13:44And what we have here in 1 Corinthians 6 is Paul systematically breaking them down.13:44-13:51He's like, "Your reasoning is really messed up here." So let's look at it.13:51-13:58First of all, verse 12, he says, "All things are lawful for me." Stop there.14:00-14:01Is that true?14:05-14:20Look, if you are a born-again believer in Christ, if you are truly regenerate, if you are truly saved, you have freedom in Christ.14:21-14:25Yes, nothing can separate you from the love of God.14:25-14:30No sin that you commit will disqualify you from being a child of God.14:30-14:31That is true.14:31-14:32All right?14:34-14:35But let's look at what Paul says.14:35-14:48He says, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful." Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.14:48-14:49This is Paul's first argument.14:51-14:54Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.14:57-15:01Can I have gummy bears and cream soda for breakfast?15:04-15:07Aaron, can I have gummy bears and cream soda for breakfast?15:09-15:11Yes, I can.15:12-15:15And you were all witness that she nodded her head yes.15:16-15:19Look, God's not going to condemn me for that.15:22-15:23Is it very helpful though?15:24-15:26What about, can I play the lottery?15:27-15:29Can I play the...oh, Aaron says no on that one.15:31-15:35For purposes of illustration, can I play the lottery?15:37-15:38Sure I can.15:40-15:44God's not going to send me to hell if I buy a scratchy ticket, right?15:45-15:49If I buy a scratchy lottery, Pastor Taylor, God's not going to send me to hell for that.15:53-15:54But does that make it a good idea?15:57-15:58It's not helpful, is it?15:59-16:00It's not wise.16:00-16:03The lottery is just a tax on people who are bad at math.16:06-16:11Okay, now how about sleeping with someone you're not married to?16:12-16:17If you're a true Christian, that is not going to send you to hell.16:21-16:29Saying that it is not helpful is one of the biggest understatements of all time.16:32-16:33I think that's Paul's point.16:35-16:35It's not helpful.16:37-16:39Sleeping with someone you're not married to is not helpful.16:40-16:44It can result in an unwanted pregnancy.16:47-16:50If she's married, you're going to deal with an angry husband when he finds out.16:52-16:56You're going to deal with shame in your workplace, in your church, in your community.16:59-17:03Your testimony, if you're a Christian, certainly not going to help that.17:04-17:10Oh, and if she's married, now you've destroyed two families, yours and hers.17:11-17:15And if you're not married, you've done damage to future spouses, yours and hers.17:18-17:19There's consequences.17:20-17:21So that's where Paul starts.17:21-17:25He's like, "All things are lawful for me." He's like, "Bag that excuse.17:26-17:30Not all things are helpful." Let's look at the next one.17:31-18:12Back in verse 12, he says, "All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved anything. Some translations, "I will not be dominated by anything." He goes, "Why would I mess around with something that could enslave me? Why would I do that?" It's just, it's foolishness, right? And sexual sin is addictive, right? Talk to the guy who struggled with looking at things on his computer that he shouldn't be looking at.18:13-18:14It's addictive.18:15-18:21Talk to the girl who's in that wrong relationship that she just keeps going back to.18:21-18:22It's addictive.18:25-18:31I mean, with any sin, one and done is bad enough.18:32-18:43But when you have a sin that just keeps drawing you back in, Paul says, "You really want to mess around with something that's going to consume your life?18:44-18:53I'm not going to be dominated by anything." He's like, "You can bag that excuse too." But there's another one.18:53-18:54Look at verse 13.18:55-18:59He says, "Food is meant for the stomach, and the stomach for food.19:01-19:15And God, this is Paul's commentary on that saying, he goes, "And God will destroy both one and the other." The body's not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.19:19-19:21See that was the other excuse for sexual sin.19:21-19:24Food is meant for the stomach, and the stomach's for food.19:24-19:25You see that argument?19:26-19:37The argument is this, look, the act of physical intimacy, it's just biological, right?19:37-19:39It's just a biological thing.19:39-19:43I mean, you guys are a little too uptight about that.19:43-19:46It's just a biological function.19:47-19:49I mean, let me break it down for you.19:49-20:00and my tummy is hungry, and I see food, I'm like, well, I see a connection here.20:00-20:02You two were sort of made for each other.20:03-20:04Let's get this together, right?20:05-20:07It's obvious what needs to happen here.20:08-20:10The food needs to go in my tummy.20:15-20:18He applied that same logic to sex.20:20-20:28It's like, "Look, I have body parts and there is a woman, so it's obvious what needs to happen here.20:28-20:36These two were made for each other." You see, Paul shoots that one down, foolish thinking.20:36-20:40He goes, "Yeah, food and stomach, that's an appropriate match.20:41-20:46body doesn't match with sexual sin.20:48-20:52What body matches with is the Lord.20:53-20:58So your little analogy is fundamentally faulty.21:00-21:04And Paul says further, "More food for the stomach." That's a temporary thing.21:08-21:10That's just a temporary thing.21:10-21:12But your body is the Lord's.21:14-21:15That's an eternal thing.21:16-21:26In other words, Paul says your analogy breaks down because while digestion, yes, is a biological function, sex is not just a biological function.21:26-21:28It's not just a physical act.21:28-21:28It's not.21:31-21:34By the way, your body is not going to be destroyed.21:35-21:36It's going to be glorified.21:36-21:5214, Paul says, "And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by His power." Paul is saying, "Your body has a glorious destiny.21:54-22:01Don't use it for lust." Paul is like, "Bag that excuse.22:01-22:03It's just a biological function.22:04-22:06You are not a dog, okay?22:08-22:15This act of intimacy is more than just some biological function like eating or drinking.22:19-22:23That saying, "All things are lawful for me," boy, that one didn't go away, did it?22:24-23:18I think we all know people that are like the ultra-grace people that are like, "Hey, because Christ died for me, I can do whatever I want. I have freedom in Christ to do whatever I want." That mindset overtook the Corinthians, and so many Christians today have such a skewed view of God's Word. Look, liberty is not license. All right? Liberty is not license. And I want to say this with as much love and compassion as I can muster here, but you are either unregenerate or you're a toddler Christian if you think freedom in Christ is a green light for anything and everything that you want to do." Those were their sayings.23:20-23:25Boy, we could spend a lot of time talking about some of the sayings that we threw around in our day, right?23:26-23:30We have other popular sayings that we use to excuse sin.23:31-23:32I've heard them all.23:34-23:40Here's a big one, you've heard this one, when people want to excuse their sexual sin, they're like, "Everyone does it." You heard that one?23:40-23:41Everyone does it.23:41-23:45Oh, okay, that's the measure of what's appropriate, right?23:45-23:47As long as everybody's doing it, then it must be okay.23:50-23:52You can bag that excuse.23:54-23:55Here's one that I hate.23:56-24:08I've heard so many times people say, "Well, you wouldn't buy a car without test driving it, huh?" A problem with that analogy, we're talking about a human being, not a car.24:08-24:17If I go to a lot and test drive a car and decide not to buy it, that car isn't going to carry emotional damage with it for the rest of its life.24:21-24:22You use cars.24:23-24:24You don't use people.24:25-24:27Beg that excuse.24:28-24:37You hear people say, "Well, you know, come on, a man has needs." Yeah, yeah, a man does have needs.24:37-24:38A man needs Christ.24:39-24:41Let's focus on that need.24:41-24:43That's the most important need.24:43-24:44Let's go after that one.24:45-24:46Or how about this one?24:48-24:49"Oh, you don't understand.24:49-25:01We love each other." Okay, well if you love her that much, then you should enter into a covenant with her and honor the Lord with it.25:02-25:10But if you don't love her enough to enter the covenant with her in marriage, then you shouldn't be physical with her.25:12-25:13Beg that excuse.25:15-25:18Paul says, "Your body's not meant for sexual sin.25:18-25:20It's not meant for self-gratification.25:20-25:21It's meant for the Lord.25:21-25:22It has a glorious destiny.25:22-25:31And here's the bottom line, church, you are never going to repent if you're always looking for an excuse to sin.25:36-25:43So next time you are tempted, you need to stop and say, "I can't excuse sin.25:44-25:45I can't excuse this.25:47-25:51There's nothing I can say before God that would make this sin okay.25:53-25:54I can't excuse sin.25:56-25:56All right?25:56-26:05Number two, when you're tempted, you need to learn to stop and say this, "I am one with Christ.26:07-26:09I am one with Christ." Look at verses 15 through 17.26:11-26:18Paul goes on, he says, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?26:22-26:28Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?26:28-26:29Never!26:32-26:39Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her?26:41-26:45Or, as it is written, the two will become one flesh.26:48-26:54But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.26:55-26:57I am one with Christ.26:57-27:05You see, Paul was talking to the Corinthians who were worshipping with the temple prostitutes.27:06-27:16Like you're taking a body, your body, the personal property of Jesus, and using it to gratify yourself in a relationship with a godless woman.27:19-27:25And this is equivalent to dragging Christ Himself into prostitution.27:26-27:29That is an absolutely horrible thought, but that's what He says.27:31-27:32Think about that.27:33-27:38Think about how repulsive and appalling this is.27:38-27:39Think about it.27:42-27:46I mean, would you call Pastor Taylor up and say, "Hey, a bunch of us are going down to the strip club.27:46-27:48You want to go with us?" Would you do that?27:52-27:54Not in a million years would I do that.27:58-28:05Or would you call up Pastor Rich and say, "Hey, we're going to go downtown and see if we can pick up some women.28:05-28:10You want to come with us?" You would never do that.28:14-28:18But see, the reality, according to God's Word, is far worse.28:20-28:29Because the Bible says we are one with Christ, and engaging in sexual immorality is joining Christ Himself in the act.28:33-28:36Be like asking Jesus to go pick up prostitutes with you.28:40-28:41Absolutely foul.28:43-28:50But you know, it's the same principle, men, when you're looking at things on your computer that you shouldn't be looking at.28:51-28:52It's the same principle.28:52-29:15It would be like calling Jesus up and saying, "Hey, why don't you come over and surf the net with me. Let's look at some stuff together. Would you do that? It's the same principle when you're sneaking around with a co-worker. "Hey Jesus, we're going to call my wife and say we're working late, but we're really going to meet up with so-and-so." Would you do that?29:17-29:21Or when you use an app to meet up with people for a physical relationship.29:24-29:28Look, if you're a Christian, the very thought of that's repulsive.29:28-29:30There's nothing funny about that at all.29:32-29:36So the next time you're tempted, you need to stop and say, "What am I doing?29:36-29:39I am one Spirit with Christ.29:39-29:44Why in the world would I drag the Lord into engaging in this garbage?29:48-29:56I'm one with Christ." Number three, four things to say to yourself when you're tempted.29:56-30:00Number three, God says to run from sexual sin.30:02-30:11Here it is, verse 18, "Flee from sexual immorality." Flee.30:12-30:13Get away.30:18-30:19This is how you win.30:25-30:26I grew up in the '80s.30:28-30:38And I, you know I never, I don't like bragging.30:40-30:44But I'm going to, for a couple of minutes if you'll indulge me.30:47-30:52But I grew up in the '80s, and one of my favorite things about the '80s was Mike Tyson.30:54-31:00Now some of you might remember, or might know of Mike Tyson, rather, seeing him in movies, or cartoons, or whatever.31:01-31:02That's not the Mike Tyson that I knew growing up.31:03-31:05Growing up, I could not wait.31:06-31:23HBO would show his fights, he'd come out with the ripped towel over his head, he had the coin laced in his boot, and he would just come out, and it would be like, "Ding, blaka blaka!" Like, "Ouch!" Look it up on the YouTubes if you don't believe me.31:23-31:28It was, he was an absolute monster.31:32-31:39You know, always the highlight, you know, to watch the usually 90-second fight or whatever.31:41-31:44But okay, I don't, but listen, like I said, I don't want to brag.31:47-31:52But I have never lost a fight to Mike Tyson.31:56-31:58And I know what some of you are thinking.31:59-32:10Some of you are thinking, "Yeah, Pastor Jeff, well, Mike Tyson probably didn't fight ten-year-olds." And I would say, "Look, my record speaks for itself.32:12-32:19I have never lost to Mike Tyson. Not one time. Do you know why I've never lost to Mike Tyson?32:20-32:26Because I wasn't stupid enough to show up to fight him. That's the principle here.32:29-32:37Look, it's the same thing with sexual sin. If you stay and try to fight, you will lose.32:39-33:04That's why you don't fight it. The Bible says you run from it. You run from it. And I got to tell you guys, that's why many of you are losing the battle with pornography today. You've isolated yourself again. You're on your computer or your phone again, and you lost again because you showed up.33:08-33:22That's why some of you continue to go too far physically with that person that you're not married to, because you ended up alone with her again, and you gave in to desire with her again.33:22-33:26You showed up again, and you lost again.33:30-33:34You will give in every time you show up.33:35-33:37That's why God says to run.33:38-33:38Run!33:42-33:42Why?33:42-33:44What's the urgency here?33:44-33:45Look at the rest of verse 18.33:47-33:49This is about as serious as it gets.33:49-33:59He says, "Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.34:00-34:01Please hear me.34:01-34:09Sexual sin is not the worst sin, but it is unique in its consequences.34:10-34:15The Bible says when you sin sexually, you are actually sinning against your own body.34:18-34:23Other sins don't affect you the same way that sexual sin does.34:27-34:28Other sins affect outwardly.34:29-34:33There's something different about sexual sin, it affects you inwardly.34:39-34:40Why is that?34:40-34:41Listen closely, please.34:42-34:55No other physical act that you commit in your body carries the spiritual weight that sexual intimacy does.34:55-35:02So no other sin is going to bring the impact that sexual sin brings.35:07-35:10It consumes, it destroys like no other sin.35:13-35:21You know, over the years I've seen a lot of preachers who have disqualified themselves for ministry because of sin.35:22-35:24Do you know what the most common reason is?35:27-35:28You could probably guess, huh?35:31-35:32I do a lot of counseling.35:33-35:38Do you know what's the most common area we find where people need help?35:43-35:44You probably guess.35:46-35:53We've lost ministry, we've hurt our families, we're doing damage control all because we didn't flee.35:54-35:59We showed up, we thought we could handle it this time, and we lost again.36:02-36:04Nobody's surprised but you.36:06-36:20So the next time you're tempted, stop, stop, and say, "This is so serious that God says I should run from it." All right?36:21-36:25And finally, number four, four things to say when you're tempted.36:25-36:28Number four, "My body belongs to God.36:31-36:35My body belongs to God." Look at verse 19.36:37-36:51He says, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?" Humans have a unique capacity.36:54-37:00are the only thing in creation that have the ability to be indwelt by God Himself.37:01-37:03No other creature can say that.37:05-37:10God lives inside you if you're a follower of Christ, if you're a believer.37:11-37:13You know, you are the temple of God.37:13-37:31In the Old Testament, the temple of God was a building, and when Jesus walked the earth, The temple, the tabernacle of God was in one man, Jesus Christ, but now under the new covenant, God's temple is in the heart of every believer of Christ.37:35-37:35You're the temple.37:38-37:38What would you think?37:40-37:54What would you think of someone who, during sermon time today, they were looking at explicit of the opposite sex on their phone during the sermon, what would you think about that?37:55-37:57Wouldn't you just sort of be appalled?38:00-38:04Like, I can't believe during the preaching of the Bible somebody was looking at that.38:04-38:05Wouldn't that be appalling?38:06-38:17Or what would you think if there was someone in this church that was having an affair, and they decided that this room was a perfect private place?38:17-38:22Some night through the week when nobody's here, they sneak in here and have an affair right in this room.38:22-38:23What would you think about that?38:24-38:28Wouldn't you be like, "What is the matter with you?38:28-38:39You did that in church?" I don't want to burst any bubbles, but this room, this room is really nothing special.38:40-38:41This is an office building.38:47-38:49That was a rumpus room before we moved in here.38:51-38:53And who knows what they'll do with it when we're gone.38:54-38:56This room is nothing special at all.38:59-39:02You are the temple of God.39:02-39:04You are holy property.39:04-39:15God says, "You are where I live." So every time you commit sexual sin, no matter where you do it, you're doing it in God's living room.39:19-39:35He goes on, look at verse 19, he says, "You are not your own, for you were bought with a price to glorify God in your body." You have a holy obligation to Jesus.39:35-39:36You are not your own.39:37-39:40Listen, you have no right to yourself.39:44-39:53You have no right to yourself, because you were bought with a price.39:55-39:56What did it cost to buy you?39:58-40:00It cost the blood of Jesus Christ.40:08-40:10You know, everybody is so concerned about their rights.40:12-40:14"I have rights!40:15-40:16I'm going to stand up for my rights!40:17-40:24I know my rights!" You know, as Christians, we have no rights.40:25-40:26Did you know that?40:30-40:34As a Christian, all I can say is, I'm not my own.40:36-40:37I don't even belong to myself.40:40-40:44This body belongs to Jesus.40:45-40:47This body was heading to hell.40:48-40:56This body was going to be separated from God forever, and Jesus Christ bought this back with His own death.40:57-40:59So this belongs to Jesus.40:59-41:00He paid for it.41:04-41:13So, you know the saying that was so popular, and there's still remnants of it, people walking around going, "My body, my choice." That's not biblical.41:15-41:34You want to make it biblical, you say it this way, "Christ's body, Christ's choice." So, he says, "So, glorify God in your body." We are a wholly motivated church.41:34-41:36We are wholly motivated.41:36-41:38Our highest priority is to glorify God.41:40-41:51Physical intimacy in the covenant of marriage, the purpose for which God designed intimacy, When that act occurs, that glorifies God.41:52-42:00And refusing to allow your passions to control you, when you flee from sexual immorality, you glorify God.42:03-42:07So next time you're tempted, you need to stop and say, "No, no, no.42:09-42:19This belongs to God." You know, the church is called the Bride of Christ.42:22-42:35Jesus desires intimacy with His bride, so He entered a covenant with His bride, and He keeps His covenant because He is faithful to His bride.42:35-42:39And that is exactly what we are called to emulate as children of God.42:40-42:49I keep my covenant to my bride because that's what my Lord does." Her worship team would make their way back up front.42:53-42:58Look, when you leave here today, at some point you're going to be tempted.43:00-43:09You're going to be tempted to think of something you shouldn't, to look at something you shouldn't, to do something that you shouldn't.43:09-43:34going to be tempted. Some of you, it might be tomorrow or Wednesday. Some of you, it might be on your way to the car from church. I want to encourage you, if that's a struggle for you, keep this outline and make it a steady habit in your devotions to read and review These principles from God's Word.43:36-43:45If you're unmarried and you keep finding yourself tempted, sit down and read these together with your boyfriend or girlfriend.43:48-43:53How about you make these four statements the lock screen on your phone?43:55-43:59I can't excuse sin because there is no excuse.44:00-44:03Number two, I am one with Christ.44:06-44:09God says to run from sexual sin.44:11-44:14And my body belongs to God.44:16-44:16Let's pray.44:20-44:32Our Father in heaven, I pray, Father, again by the power of your Holy Spirit, by the wisdom of your Word that today would be the day of repentance.44:34-44:46That some people for too long have just made excuses or shrugged their shoulders or have just given up any thought that this is a sin that can be avoided.44:47-45:07I pray today, Father, that we reexamine the purpose of it and that we would be a people You are truly wholly motivated to enjoy this gift in the way which you told us to enjoy.45:09-45:22Thank you, Father, for this glorious picture that you've given us of Christ faithful to His bride.45:25-45:26Give us the faith to imitate that.45:26-45:28We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 6:12-20What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Explain the expressions the Corinthians used to justify sexual sin (1 Cor 6:12-13)?What expressions do people use today? How do you refute those?How exactly is sexual sin different from other sins (1 Cor 6:18)?How would you respond to a Christian that justifies their sin by saying, “I have freedom in Christ to live how I want!”? (See 1 Cor 6:19-20) BreakoutPray for one another.

January 14, 2026Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 14:16-18I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

December 31, 2025Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 13:15-18I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

Sunday AM ServiceJohn 1:1-18I. The Identification of JesusII. The Introduction of JesusIII. The Incarnation of JesusSupport the show

10-12-25 PM "The Disciples of Jesus"Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6:10-18I. The Reason for the Petition A. Our Own Spiritual Weakness B. Our Enemy's Unrelenting AssaultII. The Essence of the Petition A. A Prayer for Providential Guidance B. A Prayer for Spiritual StrengthIII. The Goal of the Petition A. The Description of the Goal B. The Way to the GoalRev. Greg Lubbers

10-05-25 "The Death of Jesus"Scripture Reading: I Peter 2:21-25, 3:18I. It was a legal act.II. It was a final act.III. It was a voluntary act.Rev. Pontier

OPEN HEAVENSMATALA LE LAGI MO LE ASO  FARAILE 26 SETEMA 2025(tusia e Pastor EA Adeboye) Manatu Autu:  Faafoisia e le Atua (Divine turnaround) Tauloto Tusi Paia –  Salamo 126:1 “Na fa‘afoisia mai e le ALI‘I o Siona nai le tāfeaga, ‘ona tusa ai lea o i tatou ma tagata ‘ua fai a latou miti.”‭Faitauga - Tusi Paia: Mataio 17:14-18I le 1984, na sau se fafine ia te a'u mo tatalo mo le itu tau tupe. Na ou fai iai, ‘aua e te popole, e saunia e le Atua mea uma mo oe. Ia alu loa i le fale'. Sa ia tali mai, ‘ e lē mafai ona ou alu i le fale, ona e leai sa'u tupe ou te pasese ai'. Sa tau leai foi ni a'u tupe i lea vaitau, peitai na ou vaeluaina sina tupe na ia te au, ona ou foai lea iai le isi afa. Sa tupu lea tulaga ia Iuni. E oo atu ia Aokuso, na sau lenei fafine ma aumai se manu papalagi aua le fonotele a le Ekalesia. E mafai e le Atua ona faafoisia talaaga o tagata ma suia mo le lelei o latou olaga i se taimi puupuu. I tausaga e tele talu ai, na ou faalogo i se tala i se fafine e pā. Sa tatalo lana faifeau ia maua sana tama mo le tele o tausaga peitai e lei manuia. Na oo ina valaau iai le faifeau ma faapea atu, ‘o fafine pā uma na ou tatalo ai ua avea uma ma tina. Aisea e ese ai lau mataupu?'. Na fai lea o le fafine i le faifeai, i le taimi ao talavou ai, sa tō ma taumafai e faapau le pepe peitai e lei manuia. Ina ia faasaoina lona ola, na aveese e fomai lona toala fanau (tulou). Ua fesili atu le faifeau, ‘e leai sou toala fanau?' Na tali le fafine, ‘ioe'. Na toe fesili le faifeau, ‘aisea la e te manao ai ou te tatalo mo oe ia e tō?'. Na tali le fafine, ‘ ae o oe na e aoao mai e leai se mea e lē mafaia e le Atua'. Na amata mai le aso lea ona alo le faifeau pe a vaai mai i lenei fafine. O so'o se taimi e vaai atu ai o savali mai le fafine, e liliu ma savali i le isi itu. Na faaauau pea mo se taimi, ona oo lea i se tasi aso, ona faapea lea o le fafine ia te ia, ‘e le afaina, afai o loo alo le faifeau mai ia te au, o le a taulai la'u vaai i le Atua ae aveese mai ma ia'. I le na po, sa fai lana miti o loo tu i le ogatotonu o se potu. Ona sau lea o se tamaloa maualuga i totonu o le potu e ati mai le puipui o le potu, o loo uu mai se pa'u o se manu i lona lima. Ua fefe o ia ma ua lē mafai ona gaoioi. Ina ua oo atu le tamaloa ia te ia, na ia ufiufi o ia i le pau o le manu ona toe mou ese lea. Na tei ane i luga, ua luluina o ia ma ua afu, peitai na ia iloa vave, na afio mai le Atua e foai atu sona toala fanau fou. O ia o se tina o se fanau aulelei e toatele i le taimi nei. Le au pele e, o Iesu o le taitai sili e faafoisia so'o se tulaga leaga ma faaletonu. Afai o lo'o e ui ma soifua i se tulaga lē lelei i le taimi nei i lou olaga, ou te folafola atu, e faafoisia e le Atua matautia lena tulaga i le suafa o Iesu. E mafai e le Atua ona feliuaina soo se tulaga faaletonu ma lē lelei ina ia atagia ai lona manalu, i le suafa o Iesu, Amene. 

OPEN HEAVENSMATALA LE LAGI MO LE ASO TOONAI 12 IULAI 2025(tusia e Pastor EA Adeboye) Manatu Autu: O se tatalo faigofie (A simple prayer) Tauloto –  Mareko 1:35 “O le taeao ‘ua ala pō ai o ia, ‘ona ulufafo lea o ia ma maliu atu i le mea tu‘ufua ma tatalo ai.”‭‭Faitauga o le Tusi Paia: Iakopo 5:16-18I tausaga ua mavae, na faaletonu ai le mafaufau o le toalua o le isi tamaloa ma sa ave o ia i se fai vai fa'anatura e togafiti ai. Sa umi se taimi o togafiti e le fomai fa'anatura e le'i manuia ae na o le faateteleina o le ma'i. Na sau se tasi ma ta'u mai ia te a'u le mea ua tupu ma o'u manatu loa o'u te alu e tatalo mo le fafine. Ina ua o'u taunuu atu, sa fai la'u tatalo puupuu ma o'u toe alu ese. Ina ua o'u alu sa o nisi ma logo le toalua o le fafine ma fai i ai, “O le tamaloa lea na sau ma tatalo mo le na o le lua minute. E lua minute o le tatalo mo le ituaiga faafitauli lea?!” Ona latou te lē talitonu i le mana o le tatalo, na toe o ai ave le fafine I le falema'i o le mafaufau. Ina ua taunuu i le falema'i na fai i ai le foma'i faapitoa, “Se'i o tatou maitauina lenei tinā mo sina taimi se'i o tatou iloa ai le ituaiga vailaau e togafiti ai.” Ina ua uma le lua vaiaso, na aami e le fomai le toalua o le tinā ma fai atu i ai, “Afai e te faapea mai o loo i ai se tulaga faaletonu i le tinā lenei, o lona uiga o oe o loo I ai le faaletonu.” E leai ni vailaau ua na o se tatalo faigofie na malōlō atoatoa ai le tinā.I le 1 Tupu 18:36-38; o le tatalo a Elia na pa'ū ifo ai le afi masalo na o ni nai minute le umi. A fai e auauna a le Atua tatalo pupu'u ma tutupu ai vavega tetele, e mafua auā e tele itula na mafuta ai ma le Atua i le mea lilo. Ina o feafioa'i Iesu i luga o le fogaeleele, e tasi lana fetalaiga ma tutupu vavega. Peita'i o loo faamauina i le Tusi Paia le tele o taimi e tuua ai e Iesu ona so'o ma isi tagata ae afio i se nofoaga e tatalo ai e pei ona o tatou faitau i le fuaiupu tauloto o le asō. O le mealilo lea e ala ai ona tele le fa'au'uga ma le mana o tatalo pupu'u.O taimi uma lava e tatalo ai Elia o loo tāua I le Tusi Paia, e pupu'u lava ana tatalo ae tutupu ai suiga. I le 2 Tupu 1:9-12, ina ua ia faatonuina le afi e pa'ū ifo mai le lagi ma fa'aumatia ai ta'ita'i e toalua ma a la ‘autau na faia lava i nai upu e faapea; “Afai o le tagata o le Atua a'u, ia alu ifo le afi mai le lagi e fa'aumatia ai oe ma le to'alimagafulu.” O le faitauga mai le Tusi Paia o le asō o loo ta'u mai ai ia i tatou le mafuaaga o loo i tua atu o nei poloaiga pupu'u ae malolosi. O Elia o se tagata ia e tusa ma i tatou, ua matua'i tatalo ia ona tali mai lea o le Atua ia te ia (Iakopo 5:17). Afai e te mana'o e te tatalo i se tatalo puupuu ma faigofie ae tutupu vavega ma mea tetele i luma o tagata e toatele, e tatau ona e galue faamaoni ma filiga i tatalo i le mea lilo. O faaiuga tetele ma loloto e vaaia i luma o tagata e toatele fa'ato'ā tutupu ma fananau mai ina ua matua'i naunau e faitaulaga na o oe ma le Atua i le mea lilo. I le suafa o Iesu, Amene.

Reading IActs 12:1-11In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jewshe proceeded to arrest Peter also.–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–He had him taken into custody and put in prisonunder the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.Peter thus was being kept in prison,but prayer by the Church was fervently being madeto God on his behalf.On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,Peter, secured by double chains,was sleeping between two soldiers,while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by himand a light shone in the cell.He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,“Get up quickly.”The chains fell from his wrists.The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.”He did so.Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”So he followed him out,not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;he thought he was seeing a vision.They passed the first guard, then the second,and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,which opened for them by itself.They emerged and made their way down an alley,and suddenly the angel left him.Then Peter recovered his senses and said,            “Now I know for certain            that the Lord sent his angel            and rescued me from the hand of Herod            and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”Reading II2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,and the time of my departure is at hand.I have competed well; I have finished the race;I have kept the faith.From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,which the Lord, the just judge,will award to me on that day, and not only to me,but to all who have longed for his appearance.The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,so that through me the proclamation might be completedand all the Gentiles might hear it.And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.The Lord will rescue me from every evil threatand will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.To him be glory forever and ever.  Amen.GospelMatthew 16:13-19When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippihe asked his disciples,“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”Simon Peter said in reply,“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.And so I say to you, you are Peter,and upon this rock I will build my Church,and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

14Yet it was kind of youto share[a]my trouble.15And you Philippians yourselves know thatin the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia,no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.16Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.17Not that I seek the gift, but I seekthe fruit that increases to your credit.[b]18I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied,having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent,a fragrant offering,a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.19And my Godwill supply every need of yoursaccording to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.20Toour God and Father beglory forever and ever. Amen. 21Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.The brothers who are with me greet you.22All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. 23The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

patreon.com/commonprayerdaily------Opening Words:Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1 (ESV)------Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.------The Invitatory & Psalter:Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.Pascha Nostrum (Christ our Passover)Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed: Come let us adore him.Alleluia.Alleluia. Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast,Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So also consider yourselves dead to sin, * and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, * so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed: Come let us adore him.Alleluia.------The Psalms & LessonsPsalm 119: ZayinRemember your word to your servant, *because you have given me hope.This is my comfort in my trouble, *that your promise gives me life.The proud have derided me cruelly, *but I have not turned from your law.When I remember your judgments of old, *O Lord, I take great comfort.I am filled with a burning rage, *because of the wicked who forsake your law.Your statutes have been like songs to me *wherever I have lived as a stranger.I remember your Name in the night, O Lord, *and dwell upon your law.This is how it has been with me, *because I have kept your commandments. Psalm 119: HethYou only are my portion, O Lord; *I have promised to keep your words.I entreat you with all my heart, *be merciful to me according to your promise.I have considered my ways *and turned my feet toward your decrees.I hasten and do not tarry *to keep your commandments.Though the cords of the wicked entangle me, *I do not forget your law.At midnight I will rise to give you thanks, *because of your righteous judgments.I am a companion of all who fear you *and of those who keep your commandments.The earth, O Lord, is full of your love; *instruct me in your statutes. Psalm 119: TethO Lord, you have dealt graciously with your servant, *according to your word.Teach me discernment and knowledge, *for I have believed in your commandments.Before I was afflicted I went astray, *but now I keep your word.You are good and you bring forth good; *instruct me in your statutes.The proud have smeared me with lies, *but I will keep your commandments with my whole heart.Their heart is gross and fat, *but my delight is in your law.It is good for me that I have been afflicted, *that I might learn your statutes.The law of your mouth is dearer to me *Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.------Wisdom 4:16-5:8The righteous who have died will condemn the ungodly who are living, and youth that is quickly perfected will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous. For they will see the end of the wise, and will not understand what the Lord purposed for them, and for what he kept them safe. The unrighteous will see, and will have contempt for them, but the Lord will laugh them to scorn. After this they will become dishonored corpses, and an outrage among the dead forever; because he will dash them speechless to the ground, and shake them from the foundations; they will be left utterly dry and barren, and they will suffer anguish, and the memory of them will perish. They will come with dread when their sins are reckoned up, and their lawless deeds will convict them to their face. Then the righteous will stand with great confidence in the presence of those who have oppressed them and those who make light of their labors. When the unrighteous see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear, and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous. They will speak to one another in repentance, and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say, "These are persons whom we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach-- fools that we were! We thought that their lives were madness and that their end was without honor. Why have they been numbered among the children of God? And why is their lot among the saints? So it was we who strayed from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness did not shine on us, and the sun did not rise upon us. We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction, and we journeyed through trackless deserts, but the way of the Lord we have not known. What has our arrogance profited us? And what good has our boasted wealth brought us?------Colossians 1:24-2:7English Standard Version24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God.------Luke 6:27-38English Standard Version27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God.------Cantemus Domino (The Song of Moses)Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted;  the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my refuge;  the Lord has become my Savior. This is my God and I will praise him,  the God of my people and I will exalt him. The Lord is a mighty warrior;  Yahweh is his Name. The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea; * the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them;  they sank into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might;  your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy. Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods?  who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in renown, and worker of wonders? You stretched forth your right hand;  the earth swallowed them up. With your constant love you led the people you redeemed;  with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling. You will bring them in and plant them  on the mount of your possession, The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord,  the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established. The Lord shall reign  for ever and 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.------The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.------The PrayersLord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us; And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern us And lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousness And let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your people And bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O Lord And defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O God And take not your Holy Spirit from us.Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others.------The CollectsSpecial Collects:The Fourth Week of EasterO God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for Grace O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for Mission Almighty and everlasting God, who alone works great marvels: Send down upon our clergy and the congregations committed to their charge the life-giving Spirit of your grace, shower them with the continual dew of your blessing, and ignite in them a zealous love of your Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.------General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.------DismissalLet us bless the Lord Thanks be to God!BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

patreon.com/commonprayerdaily------Opening Words:Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1 (ESV)------Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.------The Invitatory & Psalter:Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.Pascha Nostrum (Christ our Passover)Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed: Come let us adore him.Alleluia.Alleluia. Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast,Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So also consider yourselves dead to sin, * and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, * so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed: Come let us adore him.Alleluia.------The Psalms & LessonsPsalm 119: ZayinRemember your word to your servant, *because you have given me hope.This is my comfort in my trouble, *that your promise gives me life.The proud have derided me cruelly, *but I have not turned from your law.When I remember your judgments of old, *O Lord, I take great comfort.I am filled with a burning rage, *because of the wicked who forsake your law.Your statutes have been like songs to me *wherever I have lived as a stranger.I remember your Name in the night, O Lord, *and dwell upon your law.This is how it has been with me, *because I have kept your commandments. Psalm 119: HethYou only are my portion, O Lord; *I have promised to keep your words.I entreat you with all my heart, *be merciful to me according to your promise.I have considered my ways *and turned my feet toward your decrees.I hasten and do not tarry *to keep your commandments.Though the cords of the wicked entangle me, *I do not forget your law.At midnight I will rise to give you thanks, *because of your righteous judgments.I am a companion of all who fear you *and of those who keep your commandments.The earth, O Lord, is full of your love; *instruct me in your statutes. Psalm 119: TethO Lord, you have dealt graciously with your servant, *according to your word.Teach me discernment and knowledge, *for I have believed in your commandments.Before I was afflicted I went astray, *but now I keep your word.You are good and you bring forth good; *instruct me in your statutes.The proud have smeared me with lies, *but I will keep your commandments with my whole heart.Their heart is gross and fat, *but my delight is in your law.It is good for me that I have been afflicted, *that I might learn your statutes.The law of your mouth is dearer to me *than thousands in gold and silver.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.------Wisdom 4:16-5:8The righteous who have died will condemn the ungodly who are living, and youth that is quickly perfected will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous. For they will see the end of the wise, and will not understand what the Lord purposed for them, and for what he kept them safe. The unrighteous will see, and will have contempt for them, but the Lord will laugh them to scorn. After this they will become dishonored corpses, and an outrage among the dead forever; because he will dash them speechless to the ground, and shake them from the foundations; they will be left utterly dry and barren, and they will suffer anguish, and the memory of them will perish. They will come with dread when their sins are reckoned up, and their lawless deeds will convict them to their face. Then the righteous will stand with great confidence in the presence of those who have oppressed them and those who make light of their labors. When the unrighteous see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear, and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous. They will speak to one another in repentance, and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say, "These are persons whom we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach-- fools that we were! We thought that their lives were madness and that their end was without honor. Why have they been numbered among the children of God? And why is their lot among the saints? So it was we who strayed from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness did not shine on us, and the sun did not rise upon us. We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction, and we journeyed through trackless deserts, but the way of the Lord we have not known. What has our arrogance profited us? And what good has our boasted wealth brought us?------Colossians 1:24-2:7English Standard Version24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God.------Luke 6:27-38English Standard Version27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God.------Cantemus Domino (The Song of Moses)Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted;  the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my refuge;  the Lord has become my Savior. This is my God and I will praise him,  the God of my people and I will exalt him. The Lord is a mighty warrior;  Yahweh is his Name. The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea; * the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them;  they sank into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might;  your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy. Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods?  who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in renown, and worker of wonders? You stretched forth your right hand;  the earth swallowed them up. With your constant love you led the people you redeemed;  with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling. You will bring them in and plant them  on the mount of your possession, The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord,  the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established. The Lord shall reign  for ever and 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.------The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.------The PrayersLord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us; And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern us And lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousness And let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your people And bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O Lord And defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O God And take not your Holy Spirit from us.Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others.------The CollectsSpecial Collects:The Fourth Week of EasterO God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for Grace O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for Mission Almighty and everlasting God, who alone works great marvels: Send down upon our clergy and the congregations committed to their charge the life-giving Spirit of your grace, shower them with the continual dew of your blessing, and ignite in them a zealous love of your Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.------General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.------DismissalLet us bless the Lord Thanks be to God!BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

patreon.com/commonprayerdaily------Opening Words:Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1 (ESV)------Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.------The Invitatory & Psalter:Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.Pascha Nostrum (Christ our Passover)Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed: Come let us adore him.Alleluia.Alleluia. Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast,Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So also consider yourselves dead to sin, * and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, * so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed: Come let us adore him.Alleluia.------The Psalms & LessonsPsalm 41Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! *the Lord will deliver them in the time of trouble.The Lord preserves them and keeps them alive,so that they may be happy in the land; *he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.The Lord sustains them on their sickbed *and ministers to them in their illness.I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; *heal me, for I have sinned against you.”My enemies are saying wicked things about me: *“When will he die, and his name perish?”Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words; *their heart collects false rumors;they go outside and spread them.All my enemies whisper together about me *and devise evil against me.“A deadly thing,” they say, “has fastened on him; *he has taken to his bed and will never get up again.”Even my best friend, whom I trusted,who broke bread with me, *has lifted up his heel and turned against me.But you, O Lord, be merciful to me and raise me up, *and I shall repay them.By this I know you are pleased with me, *that my enemy does not triumph over me.In my integrity you hold me fast, *and shall set me before your face for ever.Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, *from age to age. Amen. Amen.Psalm 52You tyrant, why do you boast of wickedness *against the godly all day long?You plot ruin;your tongue is like a sharpened razor, *O worker of deception.You love evil more than good *and lying more than speaking the truth.You love all words that hurt, *O you deceitful tongue.Oh, that God would demolish you utterly, *topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling,and root you out of the land of the living!The righteous shall see and tremble, *and they shall laugh at him, saying,“This is the one who did not take God for a refuge, *but trusted in great wealthand relied upon wickedness.”But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; *I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.I will give you thanks for what you have done *and declare the goodness of your Name in the presence of the godly.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.------Wisdom 1:16-2:11,21-24But the ungodly by their words and deeds summoned death; considering him a friend, they pined away and made a covenant with him, because they are fit to belong to his company. For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves, "Short and sorrowful is our life, and there is no remedy when a life comes to its end, and no one has been known to return from Hades. For we were born by mere chance, and hereafter we shall be as though we had never been, for the breath in our nostrils is smoke, and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our hearts; when it is extinguished, the body will turn to ashes, and the spirit will dissolve like empty air. Our name will be forgotten in time, and no one will remember our works; our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud, and be scattered like mist that is chased by the rays of the sun and overcome by its heat. For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow, and there is no return from our death, because it is sealed up and no one turns back. "Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist, and make use of the creation to the full as in youth. Let us take our fill of costly wine and perfumes, and let no flower of spring pass us by. Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither. Let none of us fail to share in our revelry; everywhere let us leave signs of enjoyment, because this is our portion, and this our lot. Let us oppress the righteous poor man; let us not spare the widow or regard the gray hairs of the aged. But let our might be our law of right, for what is weak proves itself to be useless. Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray, for their wickedness blinded them, and they did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hoped for the wages of holiness, nor discerned the prize for blameless souls; for God created us for incorruption, and made us in the image of his own eternity, but through the devil's envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his company experience it. ------Colossians 1:1-14English Standard Version1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:Grace to you and peace from God our Father.3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God.------Luke 6:1-11English Standard Version6 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” 3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” 5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”6 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God.------Cantemus Domino (The Song of Moses)Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted;  the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my refuge;  the Lord has become my Savior. This is my God and I will praise him,  the God of my people and I will exalt him. The Lord is a mighty warrior;  Yahweh is his Name. The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea; * the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them;  they sank into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might;  your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy. Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods?  who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in renown, and worker of wonders? You stretched forth your right hand;  the earth swallowed them up. With your constant love you led the people you redeemed;  with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling. You will bring them in and plant them  on the mount of your possession, The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord,  the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established. The Lord shall reign  for ever and 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.------The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.------The PrayersLord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us; And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern us And lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousness And let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your people And bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O Lord And defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O God And take not your Holy Spirit from us.Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others.------The CollectsSpecial Collects:The Fourth Week of EasterO God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for Grace O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for Mission Almighty and everlasting God, who alone works great marvels: Send down upon our clergy and the congregations committed to their charge the life-giving Spirit of your grace, shower them with the continual dew of your blessing, and ignite in them a zealous love of your Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.------General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.------DismissalLet us bless the Lord Thanks be to God!BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

4-20-25 AM "The Discovery of a Risen Jesus"Sermon Text: John 20:1-18I. Discovered by Seeking Disciples A. Disciples Who Loved Jesus B. Disciples Who Followed JesusII. Discovered by Ignorant Disciples A. Ignorant of the Word of Jesus B. Ignorant of the Work of JesusIII. Discovered by Revealing Jesus A. Revealing His Identity B. Revealing His ExaltationRev Greg Lubbers

John 2:24-25 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. These two verses are insightful. First, Jesus did not believe in man's believing as a result of merely undeniable facts, such as signs. The word entrusting comes from the word pistis (faith), which comes from the root peitho (to persuade or convince). When we believe something, we trust in it. Jesus did not trust in man's natural faith. Nor should we. Second, Jesus knew all men. The comment is interesting because John didn't say that Jesus knew these specific believers in His name, but that He knew all men. He knew what was in them, namely, the sin of unbelief and the inability of man to generate within himself new life. He knew He could not entrust Himself to any man unless the Father testified to Him that they were His, which leads us to the next insight. Third, Jesus didn't need anyone to testify or witness on behalf of man because the only testimony He needed was the testimony of the Father, that is, revelation by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men concerning who He is. We see this most clearly in the encounter between Jesus and Simon Peter recorded in Matthew 16:16-18. Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Do you see it? Once Jesus heard His Father's testimony on Simon's behalf, the declaration that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, He knew Simon could be trusted with the keys of the kingdom. No one else could testify for Simon that He believed in Jesus' name. God-wrought faith is the testimony of God concerning each man. I get this from Hebrews 11. In verse 2, it says, “For by it the men of old gained approval.” The word translated approval is the same root word in John 2:25 translated testify. So, faith is an assurance or a testimony that men receive or gain from God, which testifies of His approval. Then the author went on to write about God testifying to Cain, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and many more that they were righteous by giving them faith. Without the testimony of His Father, Jesus would not entrust Himself to anyone. So we learn from these verses that there's a difference between the testimony of men who say they believe in Jesus and the testimony of God that produces saving faith in Jesus. Love for God and love for His people is the fruit of God's testimony concerning a man or woman. That's why I say we have been called to glorify God by living to love with Jesus. It is God's testimony to us that we truly have a God-wrought faith to which Jesus entrusts Himself. Please follow my line of reasoning. Love is the fruit of His life. If love is the fruit of our lives, not that we are perfect in love all the time, but that it is the practice of our lives, then Jesus has entrusted Himself to us. Isn't that assuring?! Living to love with Jesus is God's testimony to the world that we are His and Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.

Spirit of Praise - May the Fourth be with you!Website: http://www.battle4freedom.com/Network: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4FreedomPsalm 7:18I thank Adonai for his righteousness and sing praise to the name of Adonai `Elyon.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2029%3A35%2CGenesis%2038%3A29%2CDaniel%203%3A25&version=CJBThree verses on Fourths!Genesis 38:1 It was at this time that Y'hudah went off from his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah who was an `Adulami. 2 There Y'hudah saw one of the daughters of a certain Kena`ani whose name was Shua, and he took her and slept with her. 3 She conceived and had a son, whom he named `Er. 4 She conceived again and had a son, and she called him Onan. 5 Then she conceived yet again and had a son whom she called Shelah; he was in K'ziv when she gave birth to him.Genesis 38:6 Y'hudah took a wife for `Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But `Er, Y'hudah's firstborn, was evil from Adonai's perspective, so Adonai killed him. 8 Y'hudah said to Onan, "Go and sleep with your brother's wife — perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and preserve your brother's line of descent." 9 However, Onan knew that the child would not count as his; so whenever he had intercourse with his brother's wife, he spilled the semen on the ground, so as not to give his brother offspring. 10 What he did was evil from Adonai's perspective, so he killed him too.Genesis 38:11 Then Y'hudah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Stay a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up"; for he thought, "I don't want him to die too, like his brothers." So Tamar went and lived at home with her father. 12 In due time, Shua's daughter, the wife of Y'hudah, died. After Y'hudah had been comforted, he went up to be with his sheep-shearers in Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the `Adulami. 13 Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law has gone up to Timnah to shear his sheep." 14 So she took off her widow's clothes, completely covered her face with her veil, and sat at the entrance to `Einayim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she still was not being given to him as his wife.Genesis 38:15 When Y'hudah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face. 16 So he went over to her where she was sitting and said, not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, "Come, let me sleep with you." She answered, "What will you pay to sleep with me?" 17 He said, "I will send you a kid from the flock of goats." She said, "Will you also give me something as a guarantee until you send it" 18 He answered, "What should I give you as a guarantee?" She said, "Your seal, with its cord, and the staff you're carrying in your hand." So he gave them to her, then went and slept with her; and she conceived by him. 19 She got up and went away, took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes.Genesis 38:20 Y'hudah sent the kid with his friend the `Adulami to receive the guarantee items back from the woman, but he couldn't find her. 21 He asked the people near where she had been, "Where is the prostitute who was on the road at `Einayim?" But they answered, "There hasn't been any prostitute here." 22 So he returned to Y'hudah and said, "I couldn't find her; also the people there said, `There hasn't been any prostitute here.'" 23 Y'hudah said, "All right, let her keep the things, so that we won't be publicly shamed. I sent the kid, but you didn't find her."Genesis 38:24 About three months later Y'hudah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been acting like a whore; moreover, she is pregnant as a result of her prostitution." Y'hudah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned alive!" 25 When she was brought out, she sent this message to her father-in-law: "I am pregnant by the man to whom these things belong. Determine, I beg you, whose these are — the signet, the cords and the staff." 26 Then Y'hudah acknowledged owning them. He said, "She is more righteous than I, because I didn't let her become the wife of my son Shelah." And he never slept with her again.Genesis 38:27 When she went into labor, it became evident that she was going to have twins. 28 As she was in labor, one of them put out his hand; and the midwife took his hand and tied a scarlet thread on it, saying, "This one came out first." 29 But then he withdrew his hand, and his brother came out; so she said, "How did you manage to break out first?" Therefore he was named Peretz [breaking out]. 30 Then out came his brother, with the scarlet thread on his hand, and he was given the name Zerach [scarlet].Did Onan die because he did not want to have children?Levirate-marriage is a strange custom for us today.  It required one brother to marry the wife of a brother who died and who did not have a son. Our question is about Onan who did not want this responsibility. The custom of levirate-marriage was practiced throughout the Old Testament (Genesis 38:6-10; Ruth 4:10) and even into Christ's time (Matthew 22:24). It is clear this was a divine principle during the time of the book of Genesis, and it was finally written down as part of the Mosaic Law,https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2025%3A5-10&version=CJBDeuteronomy 25:5-105 "If brothers live together, and one of them dies childless, his widow is not to marry someone unrelated to him; her husband's brother is to go to her and perform the duty of a brother-in-law by marrying her. 6 The first child she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be eliminated from Isra'el. 7 If the man does not wish to marry his brother's widow, then his brother's widow is to go up to the gate, to the leaders, and say, `My brother-in-law refuses to raise up for his brother a name in Isra'el; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother for me.' 8 The leaders of his town are to summon him and speak to him. If, on appearing before them, he continues to say, `I don't want to marry her,' 9 then his brother's widow is to approach him in the presence of the leaders, pull his sandal off his foot, spit in his face and say, `This is what is done to the man who refuses to build up his brother's family.' 10 From that time on, his family is to be known in Isra'el as `the family of the man who had his sandal pulled off.'Credits:https://unsplash.com/@xangriffin - Person Praisinghttps://unsplash.com/@danist07 - Clouds

OPEN HEAVENSMATALA LE LAGI MO LE ASO TOONAI 18 IANUARI  2025(tusia e Pastor EA Adeboye) Manatu Autu: Fai ni atalii (Produce Sons) Tauloto -Tusi Paia–1 Tesalonia 5:14 “Matou te ‘ai‘oi atu fo‘i ‘iā te ‘outou, le ‘au uso e, ‘ia ‘outou apoapoa‘i atu i ē amio fa‘atalanoa, ‘ia fa‘amafanafana i ē loto iti, ‘ia fesoasoani i ē o vaivai, ‘ia ‘outou ‘onosa‘i i tagata uma lava.”‭‭Faitauga – Tusi Paia – Filemoni 1:10-18I faamatalaga o le autū o le asō, o se atali'i o se isi e foliga ia te oe ma e maua ai nisi o ou uiga. I le tusi 1 Samuelu 22, na faamaopopo e Tavita tagata sa maumausolo, ma mulimuli ane a'oa'o i latou e avea o ni tagata totoa e pei o ia. E na o le tolu ma le afa tausaga na faatasi ai Iesu Keriso ma ona so'o, peita'i e o'o ifo i le taimi ua ia tuua i latou, ua matua'i iloga suiga, ua popoto pei o nisi ua fa'ai'uina a'oa'oga (Galuega 4:13). A lua mafuta ma se isi mo se vaitaimi, e mafai ona maitauina e tagata se suiga lelei i lea uso?Fai mai le Tusi Paia a e a'oa'oina ma le faapelepele se auauna e afua mai ina itiiti, mulimuli ane e fai o ia ma atali'i ia te oe (Fa'ataoto 29:21).O le tama itiiti o loo tā'ua i luga o se taimi o le olaga o le tagata e lei malamalama tele I le soifuaga. Afai o i ai ni tagata o tou galulue, tausi ma fesoasoani i ai pei o sau fanau. Fa'asa'o ma a'oa'i i latou pe a sesē, a'oa'o I ai mea uma e tatau ona o latou iloa ma aua e te musu gofie a o taumafai i latou e faaleleia o latou vaivaiga. E uma ifo se taimi o le a avea i latou pei o ni atali'i ma ni afafine ia te oe.E toatele tagata e fai mai e lē mafai ona faasaga i amioga faavalevalea a'o le tulaga moni e leai se loto onosai mo tagata. O tagata faapea ua galo ia i latou o le onosa'i o se tasi lea fua o le Agaga (Kalatia 5:17).O le toatele o tagata o loo lagolago ia te a'u i aso nei na amata mai e tele vaivaiga, pe a tu'u i se gagana faigofie. Peita'i na o'u a'oa'o i latou e ala i le fesoasoani mai o le Alii ia te a'u. Ou te le'i lēlavā pe musu e a'oa'o ma e uma ifo, ua avea i latou pei ni fanau ia te a'u, o loo fai ni a'oa'oga tāua.Afai e fia avea oe o se ta'ita'i manuia, ia e iloa faaalu lou taimi i tagata.I Yorubaland, fai mai se fuaitau, o le tagata e toatele lana fanau e lē mafai ona ita gofie. O nisi taimi, o le mafuaaga o le lagona tu'ulafoa'iina o tagata ona ua o latou tuliesea fanau na avatu e le Atua ia i latou ona o le leai o so latou loto faapalepale. E toatele tagata o loo feoa'i solo ma le tele o le agava'a e mafai ona tula'i mai o ni tagata lelei pe ana i ai se tasi e a'oa'oina i latou. Peita'i, e lē o fai atu e tatau ona tumau lou tu'u avanoa i tagata o e faaauau pea ona fai mea leaga poo le aafia i soligā tulafono. Afai ua tele ni fautuaga ma ni taumafaiga e sui tagata faapea ae lē fia faalogo ma lē taumafai e sui, ua mafai loa ona e fai pei ona faia e le aposetolo o Paulo I le Tusi 1 Korinito 5:5. Peita'i afai o tagata e iloga i latou e amio lelei ae i ai nai uiga faaletonu, ma o loo naunau e aveese ma sui i le lelei, aua e te oso i lou mā'ale'ale ma le leai o se onosai e lafoa'i ai i latou i le lalolagi. Saili ia e tapenaina ni atali'i lelei mai tagata e avatu e le Atua i lou olaga, i le suafa o Iesu, Amene. 

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.Isaiah 40:5 Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 45Eructavit cor meumBCP p. 647My heart is stirring with a noble song;let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.2You are the fairest of men; *grace flows from your lips,because God has blessed you for ever.3Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *in your pride and in your majesty.4Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *and for the sake of justice.5Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.6The peoples are falling at your feet, *and the king's enemies are losing heart.7Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;you love righteousness and hate iniquity.8Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *with the oil of gladness above your fellows.9All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.10Kings' daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *on your right hand is the queen,adorned with the gold of Ophir.11“Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *forget your people and your father's house.12The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *he is your master; therefore do him honor.13The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *the rich among the people seek your favor.”14All glorious is the princess as she enters; *her gown is cloth-of-gold.15In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.16With joy and gladness they are brought, *and enter into the palace of the king.17“In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *you shall make them princes over all the earth.18I will make your name to be rememberedfrom one generation to another; *therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.” Psalm 46Deus noster refugiumBCP p. 649God is our refuge and strength, *a very present help in trouble.2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;3Though its waters rage and foam, *and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.4The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.5There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *the holy habitation of the Most High.6God is in the midst of her;she shall not be overthrown; *God shall help her at the break of day.7The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.8The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.9Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, *what awesome things he has done on earth.10It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; *he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,and burns the shields with fire.11“Be still, then, and know that I am God; *I will be exalted among the nations;I will be exalted in the earth.”12The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsIsa. 35:1-10A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;        the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;    it shall blossom abundantly        and rejoice with joy and singing.    The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,        the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.    They shall see the glory of the Lord,        the majesty of our God.            Strengthen the weak hands,        and make firm the feeble knees.    Say to those who have an anxious heart,        “Be strong; fear not!    Behold, your God        will come with vengeance,    with the recompense of God.        He will come and save you.”            Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,        and the ears of the deaf unstopped;    then shall the lame man leap like a deer,        and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.    For waters break forth in the wilderness,        and streams in the desert;    the burning sand shall become a pool,        and the thirsty ground springs of water;    in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,        the grass shall become reeds and rushes.            And a highway shall be there,        and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;    the unclean shall not pass over it.        It shall belong to those who walk on the way;        even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.    No lion shall be there,        nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;    they shall not be found there,        but the redeemed shall walk there.    And the ransomed of the Lord shall return        and come to Zion with singing;    everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;        they shall obtain gladness and joy,        and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Revelation 22:12-17,21A Reading from the Book of Revelation.“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”  Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.  “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”  The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Luke 1:67-80A Reading from the Gospel According to Luke.And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,    “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,        for he has visited and redeemed his people    and has raised up a horn of salvation for us        in the house of his servant David,    as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,    that we should be saved from our enemies        and from the hand of all who hate us;    to show the mercy promised to our fathers        and to remember his holy covenant,    the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us    that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,    might serve him without fear,    in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.    And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;        for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,    to give knowledge of salvation to his people        in the forgiveness of their sins,    because of the tender mercy of our God,        whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high    to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,        to guide our feet into the way of peace.”              And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed 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 fathers * and 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 salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the 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. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages AV. Show us your mercy, O Lord;R. And grant us your salvation.V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy.V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;R. For only in you can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.V. Let your way be known upon earth;R. Your saving health among all nations.V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.   The CollectsCollect of the DayPurify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

You're not alone. God has NOT abandoned you in your pain and sickness. Romans 8:18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

[teaching text] “ 1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants-things which much shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,2 who bore witness to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Revelation 1:1-3. Revelation: disclosure of that which was previously hidden or unknown “The book is the record of what the Apostle John saw and head with the purpose to provide the setting for the revelation of Jesus Christ.”- Study Bible “9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,' and, ‘What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, to Laodicea.'12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 his feet were like fine brass, as if refined in the furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.'” “This book is the revelation OF, CONCERNING, and FROM Jesus Christ”- Susan C. Howell “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 “Early Christians gathered in small private homes, known as house churches, but a city's whole Christian community would also be called a church.”- Susan C. Howell “John's life work was to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and salvation through him...he was told to stop teaching about Jesus. He did not. His punishment was to be shipped to Patmos.”- Susan C. Howell #1. “Things which have been seen” (Rev 1:1-20) • ThisisthePatmosvision #2. “Things which are” (Rev 2:1-3:22) • The7churches #3. “Things which must take place after this” (Rev 4:1-22:5) • Thepartthatconfuses,fascinates,worriesmost “seven golden lampstands” and in the midst of these he sees “one like the Son of Man” 1) His head and hair were white as wool, white as snow o “Represent his purity and eternity”- G. Cambell Morgan. 2) His eyes were as a flame of fire o “The suggestion is that of infinite and infallible knowledge, eyes that pierce and penetrate, from which no secret thing can possibly be hidden.”- G. Cambell Morgan. 3) His feet like burnished brad, as if refined in a furnaceo “The feet are the symbols of procedure and indicate the continued activity of Christ.”- G. Cambell Morgan. 4) His voice is the voice of many waters o “There is no subject upon which He has not something to say. Many waters, many messengers, many messages, yet one voice, one word, one revelation.”- G. Cambell Morgan. 5) In His right hand seven starso “The right hand is mark of authoritative administration.”- G. Cambell Morgan. 6) Out of His mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword o “Here is symbolized another aspect of His speech to men, that namely of His pronouncement on things of men...It's double action condemns the fault and approves the excellence.”- G. Cambell Morgan. 7) His countenance has as the sun shineth in his strength o “The countenance is the sum total of all the features of his face.”- G. Cambell Morgan. John is writing to churches that have been in existence for some time now, have heard the good news and been moved by this love of God like John, have face continued persecution, and now are receiving a message from an awesome glorified Jesus who stands in the midst of them CHURCH OF EPHESUS-the loveless church “1To the angel of the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and have found them liars; 3 And you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-unless you repent.6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.'” Rev 2:1-7 “You are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 The Nicolaitans are thought to have taught Christians could practice idolatry and immorality and it was permissible to practice such things and remain Christian. The idea was whatever was done in the body did not affect the soul. This teaching could allow such things as participating in temple prostitution, compromising their faith, or a confession of Cesar as Lord.”- Thomas Penney LaboredforHisname'ssake Patienceandperseverance CannotbearthosewhoareevilliketheNicolaitans Testedthosewhoareapostlesandarenot,findingthemto be liars “Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” Rev 2:4 “The church of Ephesus was still a remarkable church, but it lacked the element of that enthusiasm...He says in effect, there is much of excellency, but I miss the first love.”- G. Cambell Morgan “remember therefore from where you have fallen repent and do the first works...” Rev 2:5 In the consciousness of the infinite love of His heart your love was born, and the first flesh of that young love of yours was pure, unselfish, humble, bur...

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost The Collect: O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Old Testament: 2 Kings 4:42-44 42A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.” 43But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” So he repeated, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.'” 44He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord. Psalm: 145:10-19 10 All your works praise you, O Lord, *        and your faithful servants bless you. 11 They make known the glory of your kingdom *        and speak of your power; 12 That the peoples may know of your power *        and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; *        your dominion endures throughout all ages. 14 The Lord is faithful in all his words *        and merciful in all his deeds. 15 The Lord upholds all those who fall; *        he lifts up those who are bowed down. 16 The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, *        and you give them their food in due season. 17 You open wide your hand *        and satisfy the needs of every living creature. 18 The Lord is righteous in all his ways *        and loving in all his works. 19 The Lord is near to those who call upon him, *        to all who call upon him faithfully. Epistle: Ephesians 3:14-21 14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Gospel: John 6:1-21 1After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, “Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all.11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” 15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”21Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

Send us a Text Message.In this episode I discuss how to launch your kids into to success with money in early adulthood.Depositing $1000 and adding $200 month is the recipe for $100,000 at age 18I use the 529 Education Saving Plan as the preferred tool to use to fund education and with the recent SECURE Act 2.0 changes this is a no brainer529 Resource https://www.morningstar.com/specials/what-is-a-529-college-savings-planContact The Savings CaptainTalking Trading - Expert trading tactics so you can excel in the sharemarket.This is how traders and investors excel.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

OPEN HEAVENSMATALA LE LAGI MO LE ASO SA 2 IUNI 2024(tusia e Pastor EA Adeboye) Manatu Autu: E tauia ma faamanuia e le Atua (God rewards) Tauloto -Tusi Paia– Efeso 6:8  ‘o iloa e ‘outou o lē na te faia se amio lelei, e toe maua lea lava e ia mai le Ali‘i pe se nofo pologa o ia, po o se sa‘oloto.' Faitauga – Tusi Paia – Mataio 6:1-18I le silia ma le 50 tausaga ua ou auauna ai i le Atua, ua ou maitauina ai e tauia ma faamanuia pea e le Atua e lē aunoa i latou e foai atu ia te ia ma galulue mo ia. A fai e te ola fa'apaiaina, o oe o lona atali'i, e faafetai atu ia ia te oe mo so'o se mea e te faia mo ia. I ni tausaga ua mavae, sa o'u alu ai i Port Harcourt, o se taulaga I Nigeria I Saute mo se sauniga faa talalelei. Na fai mai le Atua ia te a'u e tatau ona o'u nofo i le fale o se uso sa ma fetaui i se fonotaga fa'avāomalō a tamā Full Gospel. E na o le pau lea o le taimi na ma feiloai ai ma lea tamā. Sa o'u valaau i le uso ma faailoa i ai le fetalaiga a le Atua ma sa ia alaga ma tagi i le olioli. Sa o'u nofo i le fale o le tamā lea ma sa sili lo'u fiafia i lana ulumatua, o se tama tino laititi. I se tasi aso a o o'u sauni o'u te alu i le sauniga, na taunuu mai le fanau a le uso mai le aoga ae lē i sau ai la'u uō. Sa o'u fesili i lona tamā poo fea o i ai le atali'i ae tali mai o loo tigaina i le falema'i, ua ia inu ina se mea oona a'o i le aoga. Na ou faalogoina i le taimi lea le fetalai mai o le Atua, “O le mafuaaga lenā na ou fai atu ai e te nofo iinā.” Na silafia e le Atua le puapuaga o lo'o agai mai i le fale o lenei tamā, o le ala lea na fai mai ai ou te nofo ai i lo latou fale. Na o'u iloa mulimuli ane, o le tamā lenei, ua uma ona fai i le latou mafutaga a tamā I le Full Gospel na te totogiina a latou galuega tāla'i uma o le tausaga atoa. Ona o lana taulaga, na finagalo ai le Atua e puipui ma lavea'i lona āiga mai le puapuaga. Sa ou alu o'u tatalo i le atali'i I le falema'i i lea afiafi ae o'u te le'i alu i le sauniga. Ina ua ou taunuu atu, na faailoa mai e le foma'i ua leai se faamoemoe e toe manuia le atalii, peita'i na ou tatalo pea mo ia, ma ou te toe fo'i atu i le fale ina ua uma le mafutaga, ua tu'u mai ai le atali'i ua tea mai i le falema'i ua manuia. Na fai taulaga le tamā i le Atua, ae taui faamanuia i ai le Atua ma lavea'i lona atalii mai le oti. E faamanuia ma tauia sautualasi e le Atua i so'o se taimi tatou te foa'i ai ia te ia mai le taele o tatou loto. I la tatou Tusi faitau o le asō, o le a e malamalama ai e ati le silafaga a le Atua i mea uma tatou te faia faalilolilo mo ia ma ia tauia oe fa'aaliali. E lē galo so'o se mea e te faia mo le Atua. Ua e faia ni mea mo le Atua e fa'atupu ai lona finagalo fia taui faamanuia ia fau ma soloi mo oe? I le suafa o Iesu. Amene.

Super Bowl statsPop News TimeToby KeithWomen assaulted in BahamasMichael Jordan's sneakers auctionedPatrick Mahomes fatherReality RoundupWendy Williams documentary on Lifetime Feb 24John Carpenters Suburban Screams on PeacockQuiet on Set on ID/Hulu March 17 and 18I'll be Gone in the Dark on MAXJoin to conversation!www.youtube.com/@logicallyirrationalwww.facebook.com/logically_irrationalmelissa@logicallyirrational.com866-7-LOGICA (866-756-4422)Executive Producer is Riley Peleuses + Ryan Kershner for YEA Networks / YEA Podcasts If you are interested in advertising on this podcast or having Melissa and Tye as guests on your Podcast, Radio Show, or TV Show, reach out to podcast@yeanetworks.com

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________SexagesimaO Lord, how manifold are your works! in wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.Psalm 104:25 (BCP) ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: 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. SeptuagesimaLord, you have been our refuge: From one generation to another. Venite Psalm 95:1-7Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Psalm 7 Domine, Deus meus1O Lord my God, I take refuge in you; *save and deliver me from all who pursue me;2Lest like a lion they tear me in pieces *and snatch me away with none to deliver me.3O Lord my God, if I have done these things: *if there is any wickedness in my hands,4If I have repaid my friend with evil, *or plundered him who without cause is my enemy;5Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me, *trample my life into the ground,and lay my honor in the dust.6Stand up, O Lord, in your wrath; *rise up against the fury of my enemies.7Awake, O my God, decree justice; *let the assembly of the peoples gather round you.8Be seated on your lofty throne, O Most High; *O Lord, judge the nations.9Give judgment for me according to myrighteousness, O Lord, *and according to my innocence, O Most High.10Let the malice of the wicked come to an end,but establish the righteous; *for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God.11God is my shield and defense; *he is the savior of the true in heart.12God is a righteous judge; *God sits in judgment every day.13If they will not repent, God will whet his sword; *he will bend his bow and make it ready.14He has prepared his weapons of death; *he makes his arrows shafts of fire.15Look at those who are in labor with wickedness, *who conceive evil, and give birth to a lie.16They dig a pit and make it deep *and fall into the hole that they have made.17Their malice turns back upon their own head; *their violence falls on their own scalp.18I will bear witness that the Lord is righteous; *I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High. 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. The LessonsGenesis 9:8-17 English Standard VersionThen God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. You are God(Te Deum laudamus)You are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. Mark 8:27-9:1 English Standard VersionAnd Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Praise(Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34)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. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. Sexagesima (Anglican Prayer Book)O LORD God, you who see that we do not put our trust in anything that we do: Mercifully grant that by your power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________EpiphanyAnd nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.Isaiah 60:3 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: 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. EpiphanyThe Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him. Venite Psalm 95:1-7Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Psalm 45 Eructavit cor meum1My heart is stirring with a noble song;let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.2You are the fairest of men; *grace flows from your lips,because God has blessed you for ever.3Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *in your pride and in your majesty.4Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *and for the sake of justice.5Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.6The peoples are falling at your feet, *and the king's enemies are losing heart.7Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;you love righteousness and hate iniquity.8Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *with the oil of gladness above your fellows.9All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.10Kings' daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *on your right hand is the queen,adorned with the gold of Ophir.11“Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *forget your people and your father's house.12The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *he is your master; therefore do him honor.13The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *the rich among the people seek your favor.”14All glorious is the princess as she enters; *her gown is cloth-of-gold.15In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.16With joy and gladness they are brought, *and enter into the palace of the king.17“In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *you shall make them princes over all the earth.18I will make your name to be rememberedfrom one generation to another; *therefore nations will praise you for ever and 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. The LessonsPhilippians 3:1-16 English Standard Version3 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. You are God(Te Deum laudamus)You are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. Acts 9:1-22 English Standard Version9 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Praise(Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34)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. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. Conversion of St. Paul (BCP 1979)O God, by the preaching of your apostle Paul you have caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we pray, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show ourselves thankful to you by following his holy teaching; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________EpiphanyAnd nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.Isaiah 60:3 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: 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. EpiphanyThe Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him. Venite Psalm 95:1-7Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Psalm 7 Domine, Deus meus1O Lord my God, I take refuge in you; *save and deliver me from all who pursue me;2Lest like a lion they tear me in pieces *and snatch me away with none to deliver me.3O Lord my God, if I have done these things: *if there is any wickedness in my hands,4If I have repaid my friend with evil, *or plundered him who without cause is my enemy;5Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me, *trample my life into the ground,and lay my honor in the dust.6Stand up, O Lord, in your wrath; *rise up against the fury of my enemies.7Awake, O my God, decree justice; *let the assembly of the peoples gather round you.8Be seated on your lofty throne, O Most High; *O Lord, judge the nations.9Give judgment for me according to myrighteousness, O Lord, *and according to my innocence, O Most High.10Let the malice of the wicked come to an end,but establish the righteous; *for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God.11God is my shield and defense; *he is the savior of the true in heart.12God is a righteous judge; *God sits in judgment every day.13If they will not repent, God will whet his sword; *he will bend his bow and make it ready.14He has prepared his weapons of death; *he makes his arrows shafts of fire.15Look at those who are in labor with wickedness, *who conceive evil, and give birth to a lie.16They dig a pit and make it deep *and fall into the hole that they have made.17Their malice turns back upon their own head; *their violence falls on their own scalp.18I will bear witness that the Lord is righteous; *I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High. 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. The LessonsProverbs 3:1-7 English Standard Version3 My son, do not forget my teaching,    but let your heart keep my commandments,2 for length of days and years of life    and peace they will add to you.3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;    bind them around your neck;    write them on the tablet of your heart.4 So you will find favor and good success    in the sight of God and man.5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,    and do not lean on your own understanding.6 In all your ways acknowledge him,    and he will make straight your paths.7 Be not wise in your own eyes;    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. Proverbs 3:11-12 English Standard Version11 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline    or be weary of his reproof,12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,    as a father the son in whom he delights.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. You are God(Te Deum laudamus)You are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. Ephesians 2:11-22 English Standard Version11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Praise(Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34)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. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. EpiphanyO God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________The First Week of AdventThe glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.Isaiah 40:5 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us.Officiant & People: 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. In AdventOur King and Savior now draws near: Come let us adore him. Venite Psalm 95:1-7Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Psalm 7 - Domine, Deus meus1O Lord my God, I take refuge in you; *save and deliver me from all who pursue me;2Lest like a lion they tear me in pieces *and snatch me away with none to deliver me.3O Lord my God, if I have done these things: *if there is any wickedness in my hands,4If I have repaid my friend with evil, *or plundered him who without cause is my enemy;5Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me, *trample my life into the ground,and lay my honor in the dust.6Stand up, O Lord, in your wrath; *rise up against the fury of my enemies.7Awake, O my God, decree justice; *let the assembly of the peoples gather round you.8Be seated on your lofty throne, O Most High; *O Lord, judge the nations.9Give judgment for me according to myrighteousness, O Lord, *and according to my innocence, O Most High.10Let the malice of the wicked come to an end,but establish the righteous; *for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God.11God is my shield and defense; *he is the savior of the true in heart.12God is a righteous judge; *God sits in judgment every day.13If they will not repent, God will whet his sword; *he will bend his bow and make it ready.14He has prepared his weapons of death; *he makes his arrows shafts of fire.15Look at those who are in labor with wickedness, *who conceive evil, and give birth to a lie.16They dig a pit and make it deep *and fall into the hole that they have made.17Their malice turns back upon their own head; *their violence falls on their own scalp.18I will bear witness that the Lord is righteous; *I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High. 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. The LessonsIsaiah 1:21-28 - English Standard VersionHow the faithful city    has become a whore,    she who was full of justice!Righteousness lodged in her,    but now murderers.Your silver has become dross,    your best wine mixed with water.Your princes are rebels    and companions of thieves.Everyone loves a bribe    and runs after gifts.They do not bring justice to the fatherless,    and the widow's cause does not come to them.Therefore the Lord declares,    the Lord of hosts,    the Mighty One of Israel:“Ah, I will get relief from my enemies    and avenge myself on my foes.I will turn my hand against you    and will smelt away your dross as with lye    and remove all your alloy.And I will restore your judges as at the first,    and your counselors as at the beginning.Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,    the faithful city.”Zion shall be redeemed by justice,    and those in her who repent, by righteousness.But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,    and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. You are God(Te Deum laudamus)You are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. Mark 1:14-28 - English Standard VersionNow after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Praise(Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34)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. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety.Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth.Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. The First Week of AdventAlmighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

All of us go through stages of learning in our Bible study. Each time we read something like Paul’s letter to the Romans, we see it with new eyes. Unless, of course, we feel as though we have been given approved explanations and put them in a box, put a ribbon on it, stick it on a shelf, and lay it aside. If you don’t do that—if you keep if open to where you can see it—you’ll learn some things.The problem with dogma is it tends to prevent growth. A given doctrine or dogmatic reading of a passage leads us to think we have arrived. And in this life, folks, we never arrive at our final destination. And what I’ve found is that cultivating an open mind is an important element of continuing to grow.Now, I’ve done Romans before. I taught it in college for about seven years; I’ve done it in The Life and Teachings of Paul; I’ve done in on radio in the Christian Origins series; and yet every time I come back in here the idea develops further. Peter understood this about Paul’s letters, writing:And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable twist, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things beforehand, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.2 Peter 3:15–18I don’t want to suggest that there aren’t places where we know exactly where we are, and the 3rd chapter of Romans closed with a mile marker—it’s unmistakable—as we begin today’s study in Romans, chapter 4.

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 45Eructavit cor meum1My heart is stirring with a noble song;let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.2You are the fairest of men; *grace flows from your lips,because God has blessed you for ever.3Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *in your pride and in your majesty.4Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *and for the sake of justice.5Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.6The peoples are falling at your feet, *and the king's enemies are losing heart.7Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;you love righteousness and hate iniquity.8Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *with the oil of gladness above your fellows.9All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.10Kings' daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *on your right hand is the queen,adorned with the gold of Ophir.11“Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *forget your people and your father's house.12The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *he is your master; therefore do him honor.13The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *the rich among the people seek your favor.”14All glorious is the princess as she enters; *her gown is cloth-of-gold.15In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.16With joy and gladness they are brought, *and enter into the palace of the king.17“In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *you shall make them princes over all the earth.18I will make your name to be rememberedfrom one generation to another; *therefore nations will praise you for ever and 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 forever. Amen. LessonsEzra 5English Standard Version5 Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?” 4 They also asked them this: “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and his associates, the governors who were in the province Beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. 7 They sent him a report, in which was written as follows: “To Darius the king, all peace. 8 Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands. 9 Then we asked those elders and spoke to them thus: ‘Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?' 10 We also asked them their names, for your information, that we might write down the names of their leaders. 11 And this was their reply to us: ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 12 But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. 13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. 14 And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, these Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 15 and he said to him, “Take these vessels, go and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.” 16 Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been in building, and it is not yet finished.' 17 Therefore, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.”Revelation 4English Standard Version4 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,    who was and is and is to come!”9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,    to receive glory and honor and power,for you created all things,    and by your will they existed and were created.” The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)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 fathers * and 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 salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the 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. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 25Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen