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Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North Sermons - Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North
Introduction: Introduction: What Should I Do If I'm Not Content? (1 Corinthians 7:17-24) I should recognize THAT MY CALLING IS A GIFT. (1 Cor 7:17) 1 Timothy 6:6 - But godliness with contentment is great gain, I should resolve to OBEY NO MATTER WHAT. (1 Cor 7:18-19) John 14:23-24 - Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. 1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. I should remember WHO I AM IN CHRIST. (1 Cor 7:20-23) Philippians 4:11-13 - Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. I should rejoice THAT GOD IS WITH ME. (1 Cor 7:24) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:36-00:40Please open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 7, verses 17 through 24.00:41-00:451 Corinthians chapter 7, verses 17 through 24.00:47-00:53Have you ever stopped to consider how much of your life is beyond your control?00:55-00:57And some of you are thinking, no, because that sounds very depressing.00:57-01:00It doesn't sound very fun at all.01:00-01:02And I get that, but just go with me for a second.01:03-01:07Did you have any control over when you came into this world?01:08-01:17You had no say on who your parents were, how much money they had, what hospital you were born at, what doctors delivered you.01:18-01:21Did you have any control over your genetic makeup and DNA?01:23-01:32You had zero input into what you would look like, what inherent talents you would possess, and what natural personality you would receive.01:33-01:35Are you able to control the weather?01:36-01:39Are you able to keep snow storms and frigid temperatures away?01:41-01:44If you're able to do that, you have failed us these past two months.01:44-01:47What have you been doing if you're able to control those things?01:47-01:48Where were you last night?01:50-01:54Are you able to control every single situation that pops up in your life?01:55-01:59Are you able to keep all forms of pain and suffering away?02:00-02:06I assume not because if you're able to do that, you'd be a billionaire right now because you sold your secret methods to others.02:08-02:11So much of your life is beyond your control.02:13-02:18Discontentment comes when you fail to acknowledge and submit to this basic truth.02:19-02:27And at its core, dissatisfaction, discontentment, is you not being happy with what God has given to you.02:28-02:34you being dissatisfied with who the Lord is and the life he has entrusted to you.02:36-02:41So many of your problems come from trying to control the uncontrollable.02:42-02:50Guys in the room like me who are under six feet tall, I'm sorry, those exercises, those stretches will not add any inches to your height.02:50-02:52Those height-boosting shoes aren't fooling anybody.02:54-02:56We're just gonna have to enjoy the view from down here.02:58-03:03So many of your frustrations find their root in trying to stop the inevitable.03:05-03:09Ladies, I'm sorry to say it, please don't pelt me with tomatoes and other produce.03:11-03:15You're going to get older, and there is going to be signs of aging.03:16-03:19Okay, good. (laughs) No produce, phew.03:20-03:22It's impossible to avoid.03:23-03:29Instead of resisting this, accept that your meaning is not bound up what you look like on the outside.03:30-03:32What truly matters is what you look like on the inside.03:34-03:39So many of your disappointments come from an unwillingness to accept your limitations.03:40-03:50And I'm sorry to burst your bubble, I'm sorry to ruin all the lessons you learned from Disney movies growing up, but you cannot be whoever you wanna be and do whatever you wanna do.03:52-03:54I see some of you not agreeing with me internally.03:55-05:21I'm sorry, but it's not every boy's future athlete. It's not in every girl's future to be a famous celebrity or singer. There are things that you are good at and you should work on honing those natural talents and abilities. But there are other things that you stink at and no matter how hard you try you'll never rise above mediocrity when it comes to those activities. At this point you may be thinking, "Taylor, this is my favorite sermon so far. Are you saying that I have no control over my life at all? I'm actually not saying that. You do have some control over your life, but you do not have as much control as you would like. You cannot control the life you receive from the Lord, but you can't control what you do with the life you receive from the Lord. You cannot control the calling that you are given from the hand of God, but you can control if you are discontent or content with the calling you have received from the hand of God. Which best describes you in this season of life? Discontent or content? Dissatisfied or satisfied? Unfulfilled or or fulfilled.05:23-05:28I don't think it would take much introspection for some of you to realize that you are not content right now.05:29-05:31That you lack true joy.05:33-05:37That you wake up with a sense of dread that you have to be you.05:38-05:40And that you have to deal with what's in front of you.05:42-05:44You feel like your life is stuck in limbo.05:44-05:47You feel like things will never get better.05:47-05:50feel like things will never improve.05:52-05:55You may be wondering, what should I do if I'm not content?05:56-05:59What should I do if I'm not content?06:01-06:11We're towards the beginning of the Q and A section of 1 Corinthians and that is the exact question that the Apostle Paul answers for us in 1 Corinthians chapter seven, verses 17 through 24.06:12-06:25And just like the Corinthians, you need to be reminded that true contentment is not found in your circumstances, which are always changing, true contentment is found in Jesus Christ, who never changes.06:28-06:30Let's go to the Lord in prayer and ask for His help.06:30-06:37Please 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.06:41-06:49Father, we thank you for yet another opportunity to worship you together, sit under your word together as your people.06:49-06:52Lord, this is a subject that touches every single one of us.06:53-06:58There isn't a single person in this room who isn't struggling with a sense of discontentment on some level.06:59-07:02I pray you'd use your word to comfort us.07:03-07:06You would use your word to challenge us.07:07-07:10You would use your word to point us to Christ.07:11-07:14We ask all these things in Jesus' name, amen.07:16-07:21The first Corinthians 7 is mainly about marriage and singleness.07:21-07:29Two weeks ago, Pastor Jeff preached on two gifts, the gift of sex and marriage and the gift of contentment and singleness.07:30-07:34And last week, you heard four sermons for the price of one.07:36-07:41If you are single and you want to stay single and remain single.07:42-07:46If you are single and do not want to remain single, get married.07:47-07:50If you are a Christian couple, stay married.07:52-07:56If you are married to an unbeliever while you are a believer, stay in that marriage.07:57-08:01Do not cut and run once you become a Christian.08:01-08:06God may use you to save your unbelieving spouse.08:07-08:11You can only control yourself in that situation.08:12-08:14You can control if you stay.08:14-08:19If that unbelieving spouse chooses to leave you, that is on him or her.08:20-08:22You cannot control what they do.08:22-08:25You can only control what you do.08:26-08:28And this kind of marital situation is hard.08:28-08:29I don't wanna sugarcoat it.08:29-08:32It's not easy or simple on any level.08:32-08:37It's painful, but according to this text, that will be used by God for his purposes.08:38-08:43No matter your relational status, it is not your job to figure out what God is up to.08:44-08:49It's your job to submit to the life that God has given to you.08:50-08:56It's your job to play the cards you've been dealt instead of throwing them down and walking away from the table.08:57-09:02This principle for marriage and singleness applies to every other area of life as well.09:02-09:08your social status, your family, your finances, your career, and the list goes on and on.09:09-09:18In verses 17 through 24, Paul jumps off the main highway of marriage and singleness to explore a much needed detour.09:19-09:23So let's return to our main question for this morning that sums up this detour.09:23-09:26What should I do if I'm not content?09:27-09:30What should I do if I'm not content?09:31-09:35Firstly, I should recognize that my calling is a gift.09:36-09:39I should recognize that my calling is a gift.09:44-09:47Let's read chapter seven, verse 17.09:47-09:55The apostle Paul writes, "Only let each person lead the life "the Lord has assigned to him "and to which God has called him.09:56-10:02"This is my rule in all the churches." Do you have house rules in your family?10:04-10:07Do you have expectations that are to be followed?10:08-10:19No Nerf gun bullets to the face, no running with scissors, bedtime is at 8 p.m. sharp, only kind and respectful words will be spoken in this family.10:20-10:27In this verse, the Apostle Paul makes it crystal clear that he has a house rule for the Corinthian church and every other church as well.10:28-10:32He establishes an expectation as for each person in all the churches.10:34-10:36Are you a person in the church?10:37-10:38Then this verse applies to you.10:39-10:43Paul gives no wiggle room, he gives you no excuse, he gives you no hall pass.10:44-10:49If you were a Christian, you were expected to obey what the apostle Paul has to say.10:50-10:51And what does he have to say?10:53-10:55Be faithful where God has placed you.10:56-11:00Be faithful where God has placed you.11:01-11:06Instead of constantly daydreaming about what's next, focus on what's in front of you.11:08-11:10Is that hard for anybody else besides me?11:12-11:16It's so tempting for life to become a series of what's next.11:17-11:20You and I can think, oh man, this current season of life stinks.11:20-11:23I can't wait for the next thing 'cause it's gonna be so much better.11:25-11:28When you're in middle school, what are you looking forward to?11:30-11:35High school, you're excited to get out of those years of early puberty and Axe body spray.11:36-11:37You can't wait.11:39-11:41When you're in high school, what are you anxious for?11:42-11:45Getting out of high school and going to the workforce or college.11:45-11:49Once you're in the workforce or college, what are you looking forward to?11:51-11:53Meeting that special someone?11:56-11:59And then once you meet that special someone, what are you anxious for?12:01-12:02Marriage and children.12:03-12:17And then once you're married and you have kids, or one kid, two kids, three kids, four kids, five kids for even some of you, when you're in the midst of the hardship of parenting, what are you anxious for?12:19-12:20Getting them out of the house.12:21-12:21Thank you, Andrew.12:22-12:23You're very excited to say that.12:25-12:29For your kids to mature, to get older, and to get out of the house, as Andrew Colburn would say.12:30-12:33You're excited for the house to be quiet.12:35-12:37But once the house is quiet, what are you anxious for?12:39-12:45For the loud noises to come back in the form of grandkids, to finally reach that retirement you've been working so hard for.12:45-12:47You don't want to set your alarm anymore.12:48-12:52But then once you're retired, you're thinking, What's next?12:52-12:54What is going to be my final chapter?12:56-12:59So much of my life can be spent on wishing it away.13:00-13:05And so much of your life can be spent on wishing it away.13:06-13:12Instead of being present in the moment, you and I can be fixated, I'm pressing the fast forward button so we can just get on with it already.13:14-13:17Because satisfaction must come when you climb that next ladder.13:18-13:19But then it doesn't.13:20-13:23So you keep climbing and you keep being disappointed.13:24-13:28The grass must be greener once you ascend that next hill, but then it isn't.13:29-13:34You keep walking up and down each hill, hoping for what won't be there.13:36-13:41The next thing has to be more fulfilling than this current season of life.13:42-13:49It won't be, because if you're not content with what you have right now, you will not be content with what you have then.13:51-13:58It's never been more challenging in the history of the world to be fully present than it is in 2026.13:59-14:06You and I have a device in our pockets that are gateways to discontentment and thanklessness.14:08-14:14You're constantly bombarded with videos and images of people's lives that seem better than your own.14:15-14:18"Oh, if only I could have that SUV or that minivan.14:18-14:20If only I could have a house that nice.14:21-14:24If only I could have that remodeled kitchen or bathroom.14:25-14:28If only I could afford that dream vacation.14:29-14:32If only my husband was as handy as that guy on that reel.14:34-14:38If only my wife was as supportive as that woman on that account.14:40-14:43If only my kids were that well behaved.14:44-14:49If only I didn't live in a place that was gray and overcast and snowy for what seems six months of the year.14:50-14:53If only, if only, if only, if only.14:55-14:56If only is a thief of joy.14:57-15:00If only is a recipe for discontentment.15:01-15:07If only obscures the reality that your life and the calling given to you from God are precious gifts.15:10-15:15To be clear, I'm not saying that it's wrong to consider the future, that it's wrong to plan ahead.15:15-15:20It's wise to think over, pray over, and make career moves.15:21-15:26It's a good thing to save for retirement and wanna leave something for your kids and grandkids.15:27-15:30It's not a bad thing to move or want a bigger space for your family.15:31-15:41Godly ambition can be a good thing, but there is a very thin line between godly ambition and ungodly discontentment.15:43-15:46Godly ambition and ungodly discontentment.15:48-15:49What's the difference?15:50-15:52Godly ambition looks like this.15:52-15:55God, thank you for all the good gifts that you've given to me.15:55-16:03Help me to invest my talents, my resources, my efforts into your kingdom for the sake of my family and for the sake of your glory.16:05-16:08Well, ungodly discontentment looks like this.16:09-16:12God, what you've given me is not good enough.16:12-16:14I need more.16:16-16:21Godly ambition is a life of open-handedness to the Lord.16:22-16:27Everything that you have belongs to Him, and everything you do is for His sake.16:28-16:33While ungodly discontentment is a life of pointing the finger of blame at God.16:34-16:39Everything that you have is yours, and everything you do is for your sake.16:39-16:40Do you see the difference?16:42-16:52In this verse, Paul is telling you enough of ungodly discontentment, enough of bitterness and resentment, enough of being thankless.16:52-16:55Stop being faithless and start being faithful.16:56-17:01No matter your circumstance, no matter your station in life, you can honor Christ.17:03-17:06What life has the Lord assigned to you?17:08-17:12What calling has God given you in this season of life?17:13-17:19Are you a teenager or a college student who's tired of taking tests, writing papers, and sitting in a classroom?17:21-17:24Recognize that your calling as a student is a gift from God.17:26-17:33Give your studies 100% of your effort because you are not working for your parents, you're not working for your teachers or your professors.17:33-17:34Who are you working for?17:36-17:37You are working for Christ.17:38-17:40You're working for the Lord himself.17:42-17:45Are you a mom whose life feels like Groundhog's Day?17:46-17:52Every single day feels the exact same, it's just the same thing over and over and over again.17:54-17:58Recognize that your calling as a mother is a gift from God.17:59-18:05Be faithful and pour into your children, point them to Jesus Christ every single chance that you get.18:05-18:13you'll never be able to press the rewind button and see your kids at the age they are now, even though you'll desperately want to.18:14-18:17Be faithful with this opportunity that God has given to you.18:19-18:21Are you in a job that you hate?18:23-18:27Are you in a job that is thankless and unfulfilling?18:28-18:34Recognize that that calling is a gift from God, even when it seems like a curse.18:35-18:37Don't be lazy, don't just skate by.18:38-18:45Outwork every single person at work, at the office, until that next opportunity arises.18:46-18:51Share the gospel, be faithful in showing your coworkers who Jesus Christ is.18:52-19:02I wish I had the time and ability to address all of your specific circumstances, but I don't really need to, because this principle from Paul applies to every single one of you.19:03-19:09Whatever you do and wherever you are, recognize your calling is a gift from God.19:10-19:13Be content, be thankful, be faithful.19:15-19:21Because Paul says elsewhere, godliness with contentment is great gain.19:23-19:30Discontentment always leads to loss, while contentment always leads to gain.19:32-19:33What should I do if I'm not content?19:34-19:37Secondly, I should resolve to obey no matter what.19:38-19:40I should resolve to obey no matter what.19:46-19:54After Paul commands the Corinthians to be faithful and content, he provides a real life example of what it looks like to be faithful and content.19:55-19:56Let's read verse 18.19:57-20:00Was anyone at the time of his call circumcised?20:00-20:03Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision.20:03-20:06Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised?20:07-20:09Let him not seek circumcision.20:10-20:11I know what you're thinking.20:12-20:15Oh dear, this is not the direction I expected this passage to take.20:15-20:17How is Pastor Taylor gonna apply this to my life?20:18-20:19How is he gonna explain this?20:19-20:25Well, I'm gonna take a page out of Pastor Jeff's book and not be explicit, but be straightforward.20:26-20:30In Paul's day, circumcision was not a medical issue.20:31-20:34It was a societal and religious issue.20:35-20:40Under the old covenant, the Israelites were commanded to circumcise their baby boys on the eighth day.20:41-20:51And circumcision was an outward sign that these boys were to be set apart for God and different than the pagan nations surrounding them.20:52-20:54And this outward sign is no longer needed.20:54-21:01this side of the cross and the empty tomb and the new covenant, we are not expected or commanded to carry out circumcision.21:03-21:12In this verse, Paul is addressing two sets of men in Corinth, those who are already circumcised and those who are not circumcised.21:13-21:16He has a very similar message for both groups.21:16-21:22If you're circumcised, don't try to remove the marks of your circumcision to blend in with the Gentiles.21:24-21:28I have no desire to get into the details of what that exactly means.21:28-21:38Let me just say that 2,000 years ago, Jewish Christian men had the option to have a surgery to undo what was done to them as infants.21:39-21:42And you may be thinking, why in the world would they wanna do that?21:42-21:43That sounds horrible.21:44-21:47We have to remember that Corinth was a Roman city.21:48-21:52It was filled with anti-Semitism, with hatred of Jews.21:52-21:57So Christian men would be tempted to make this change to blend in.21:58-22:08To use a modern day example, this would be like moving to Cleveland and to add insult to injury, you trade in all of your Steeler stuff for Cleveland Browns memorabilia.22:10-22:11Why do you do that?22:12-22:13'Cause you don't wanna be ridiculed.22:13-22:14You don't wanna be made fun of.22:14-22:17You wanna blend in in this new place that you live.22:18-22:21You make an external change to please other people.22:22-22:27And that was the temptation for Jewish Christians in Corinth.22:28-22:34On the other hand, Paul calls those who were uncircumcised to not seek circumcision because that would be pointless.22:35-22:42Back then there was a group called the Judaizers who believed that you had to be circumcised as a man to be saved.22:42-22:46But that totally goes against the message of Paul and the other apostles.22:47-22:52Paul is saying in this verse, if you were a Jewish Christian, Don't try to be like a Gentile Christian.22:53-22:56If you're a Gentile Christian, don't try to be Jewish.22:56-22:59That's a waste of time because you're both on equal footing.22:59-23:01You're both one in Christ.23:04-23:06And Paul explains this in even more detail in verse 19.23:07-23:21He says, "For neither circumcision counts for anything "nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God." that you're faithful.23:22-23:26An uncircumcision does not prove that you're unfaithful.23:27-23:32What matters, according to this text, heartfelt obedience to the Lord's commands.23:34-23:38God isn't after external religious rituals that cannot change you.23:38-23:42He is after an inward change that leads to an outward change.23:42-23:47God doesn't want you just to look the part and pretend that you have true faith.23:47-23:50He wants you to act the part and live out your faith.23:51-23:58And the test of true faith is that you are willing to obey God no matter what.23:58-24:09You are willing to obey Him even when life is hard, even when life isn't going the way you want it to, even when the world is telling you to do the exact opposite.24:10-24:16The Roman world pressured Jewish Christians to blend in while God commanded them to stand out.24:17-24:45The Judaizers pressured Gentile Christians to follow the ceremonial law that they could blend in with them while God called them to a deeper level of obedience and submission. Who should the Jewish Christians obey? The Romans and Corinth or God? God. Who should the Gentile Christians obey? The Judaizers or God?24:46-24:47You guys can do a lot better.24:47-24:49I'm giving you one more chance for this third one.24:50-24:54Who should you obey, this sinful culture or God?24:55-24:56Much better.24:58-24:59Here's the thing.24:59-25:04It's so challenging to obey God and his word when you are discontent.25:06-25:06Why is that?25:08-25:14When you are discontent, you can believe that God isn't holding up his end of the bargain, so why should you?25:16-25:20You can view your relationship with God as an exchange of goods and services.25:21-25:33God gives you material wealth, he gives you good health, he gives you easy weeks with the least amount of road bumps possible, and in exchange, you obey him with joy in your heart and a smile on your face.25:36-25:54But when your health takes a bad turn, when you get a pay decrease, when you receive a pink slip, when you experience the hardest week of your life, you feel betrayed by the Lord, and you no longer wanna give Him what He has owed.25:55-26:02You feel like Charlie Brown, when he went to kick the football at the last minute, it's pulled away by Lucy, and he has a somersault into his back.26:02-26:08You just feel totally dejected, totally betrayed.26:11-26:13You just want to take your ball and go home.26:16-26:23But friends, it is in those moments when you come face to face with the real motivation for your obedience to the Lord.26:24-26:28Do you obey Him because of who He is?26:30-26:32Or do you obey Him for what you can get from Him?26:33-26:37Do you listen to Him because you desire to twist His arm into giving you what you want?26:38-26:43Or do you listen to Him no matter what.26:45-26:48Do you follow his instructions because you love him?26:50-26:52Or do you follow his instructions to use him?26:55-26:57The Lord sees right through your exterior.26:58-27:03He sees right through the polished outside you can have, and he sees your motivations.27:06-27:08Like the Corinthians, you can focus on the wrong thing.27:10-27:18You can focus on the outside instead of the heart, instead of the obedience that God is calling you to.27:19-27:26You can come to church, you can participate in small group but still live in blatant disobedience behind closed doors.27:27-27:29You can say the right things but not do the right things.27:30-27:32You can talk the talk but not walk the walk.27:33-27:34Is that you today?27:36-27:37Am I describing you at all?27:38-27:40If I am, it's time to stop faking.27:41-27:42It's time to own up to your sin.27:42-27:49It's time to come to grips with your discontentment and your warped rationale for obeying or disobeying the Lord.27:50-27:55It's time to keep God's commandments no matter what, no matter what life throws your way.27:57-27:58This isn't my opinion.27:58-28:00This is God's authoritative word.28:01-28:05Listen to what Jesus says about this in John 14, 23 through 24.28:06-28:10He says, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word.28:11-28:17Whoever does not love me does not keep my word." Could it be any clearer than that?28:21-28:37The apostle John ups the ante in 1 John 5, 3, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome." Your love for God is not proven by checking all the Christian boxes.28:38-28:43Your love for God is not proven by having all the correct theological answers.28:44-28:47Your love for God is not proven by your feelings.28:48-28:51Your love for God is proven by your obedience.28:53-28:54It's an objective test.28:55-28:59And obedience, no matter what, is hard, but it's rewarding.29:00-29:08Obedience no matter what will take everything that you have, but it will give you more than you could possibly imagine.29:10-29:13Obedience no matter what is costly, but it's not impossible.29:16-29:18What should I do if I'm not content?29:19-29:22Number three, I should remember who I am in Christ.29:22-29:26I should remember who I am in Christ.29:30-29:35So, Paul gives another practical example of faithfulness and contentment in action.29:36-29:44He moves on from a controversial and uncomfortable topic to an even more controversial and uncomfortable topic, slavery.29:45-29:47Let's read verses 20 through 21.29:48-29:50Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.29:51-29:52Were you a bond servant when called?29:53-29:54Don't be concerned about it.29:55-29:59But if you gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.30:00-30:11I could spend half this sermon talking to you about how slavery 2,000 years ago looked a lot different than it did in America, and how it looks across the world today.30:11-30:27I could deliver a long and boring lecture about indentured servitude, which is the truth that in the first century, many people willingly sold themselves into slavery to pay off debts, to manage households, to have a successful business.30:30-30:37I can tell you that 50% of the Roman Empire were slaves, and most of the time manual labor was not a part of the deal.30:38-30:44I keep going and going and going, but I'm not going to preach my homework because it doesn't affect the meaning of this text.30:44-30:51Paul is in no way trying to celebrate or endorse slavery in this passage or anywhere else in his letters at all.30:52-30:55Paul is not a fan of slavery on any level.30:56-30:57Is that clear to everyone?30:58-30:58Okay, good.30:59-31:04In fact, Paul even says, if you have an opportunity to gain your freedom, take it.31:05-31:06Grab a hold of it.31:06-31:07Enjoy your freedom.31:09-31:17But he also offers a very blunt reality to those Corinthian Christians who are slaves but will not receive their freedom anytime soon.31:18-31:20He says, don't worry about it.31:22-31:23Don't be concerned about it.31:24-31:25Remain where you are.31:27-31:29How could Paul say something like that?31:29-31:31It sounds so cold and unfeeling.31:34-31:34Well, not really.31:36-31:41Paul was never willing to call people to something that he wasn't willing to do himself.31:43-31:48Sure, Paul wasn't a slave, but he was a prisoner for a decent chunk of his life.31:48-31:51Did Paul resist that God-given assignment?31:52-31:56Did he waste his time complaining and hatching elaborate escape plans?31:57-32:02No, he remained in the position that God called him to with humility and contentment.32:04-32:04I'll prove it to you.32:04-32:11Listen to Philippians 4, 11 through 13, the most out of context taken passage in the history of the Bible.32:12-32:13And most people totally do not understand.32:14-32:17Paul wrote this while he was a prisoner.32:17-32:22I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.32:23-32:28I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound in any and every circumstance.32:28-32:33I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance, and need.32:34-32:35What's the secret, Paul?32:36-32:40I can do all things through him who strengthens me.32:41-32:44I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.32:46-32:48Paul practiced what he preached.32:48-32:50He led by example.32:50-32:57He learned through experience that Jesus was all he needed because there were many times when Jesus was all that he had.33:01-33:04If that doesn't convince you, check out Paul's rationale for remaining as a slave.33:04-33:11In verses 22 through 23, he says, "For he who was called to the Lord as a bondservant is a freed man of the Lord.33:12-33:47Likewise, he who was free when called a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price. Do not become bondservants of men. So what's Paul's rationale here for remaining as a slave? If you are a Christian slave, remember that you are free in Christ. Because of Christ's death on the cross, this victorious resurrection, you have been forgiven, you have been redeemed, you have been ransomed from the slave market of sin, you've been set free from the power and penalty of sin.33:47-33:52Your sinful debt has been paid in full and you owe nothing.33:56-34:06And if you're a Christian who is not enslaved to an earthly master, don't look down on your Christian brother or sister who is enslaved to an earthly master.34:07-34:13Because even though you may not have a earthly master in this life, you have a heavenly master that you are enslaved to.34:13-34:16You are enslaved to Jesus Christ.34:17-34:21Your life is to be in service of him and what he has called you to do.34:21-34:24So don't be high and mighty because you are a slave.34:27-34:30He says to both groups, you were bought with a price.34:31-34:34You were bought with the precious blood of Jesus.34:36-34:40You have immense value because God says that you do.34:41-34:47God would not spend the most valuable resource in existence on that which is worthless in his eyes.34:49-34:51Again, you have worth because God says that you do.34:53-34:58In light of this, Paul commands the Corinthians to not become bondservants of men.34:59-34:59What does that mean?35:00-35:05Don't become enshackled to the thoughts and opinions of others.35:05-35:10How other people view you has no bearing on how God views you.35:10-35:17Your man-given identity in the world does not affect your God-given identity in Christ.35:17-35:24The opinion of others matters very little in comparison to the authoritative opinion of the creator of the universe.35:27-35:30Maybe you feel down about yourself right now.35:31-35:35You feel like your contribution to this church is negligible.35:36-35:40You're envious of those who seem to have a lot of talents 'cause you don't think you're good at anything.35:42-35:46You're envious of those who have a lot of confidence because you have no confidence.35:48-35:50You're embarrassed to tell people what you do for a living.35:51-35:54You're even embarrassed to invite people over to your small house.35:56-35:58Or maybe you're on the other side of the spectrum.35:59-36:00You have a very high view of yourself.36:01-36:04You feed on the praise and affirmation of others.36:04-36:06You're buying into your own press.36:08-36:12Do you know who can both lift you up and bring you back down to earth at the same time?36:14-36:14Dogs.36:17-36:18Some of you were surprised by that.36:18-36:20Brian thought something different I was gonna say.36:21-36:23If you have a dog, you know exactly what I mean.36:24-36:27My dog Murdoch has no regard for my appearance.36:28-36:31He couldn't care less if I'm skinny or overweight.36:32-36:34He couldn't care less if I'm up 20 pounds or down 30 pounds.36:36-36:39Murdoch has no regard for the money in my account.36:41-36:46If I were to list my many successes to him, he wouldn't be impressed at all.36:47-36:52If I were to list my many, many, many more failures, he wouldn't judge me or look down on me.36:54-36:59Whether this sermon tanks or succeeds, Murdoch will treat me the same exact way when I get home.37:00-37:06He'll run up to me with that goofy grin on his face, with his tail wagging and pawing at me for attention.37:07-37:09Murdoch's love for me has not changed from day to day.37:10-37:12His love is firm and fixed.37:13-37:16Murdoch shows no partiality or preferential treatment.37:18-37:22Do you know who else doesn't show partiality or preferential treatment?37:23-37:23The Lord.37:24-37:27God does not play favorites with his children.37:28-37:34He loves low-status Christians just as much as believers who are viewed as successful and accomplished.37:34-37:39He cherishes women who cannot have biological children just as much as women who can.37:41-37:49God's view of you does not depend upon your status and popularity, God's view of you depends upon His Son and what He has done for you.37:52-37:57If you don't feel content right now, stop looking at your circumstances.37:57-38:05Start looking at the cross of Christ where God's love for you was displayed in the most graphic and conclusive way possible.38:08-38:11Stop thinking about who you are in the eyes of the world.38:11-38:13Think about who you are in the eyes of God.38:14-38:25Consider who you are in Christ, loved, cherished, adopted, free from the power of sin forever and bound to Jesus Christ forever.38:28-38:29What should I do if I'm not content?38:30-38:34Finally, I should rejoice that God is with me.38:35-38:37I should rejoice that God is with me.38:42-38:47Paul makes one final appeal, to be faithful where God has placed you.38:47-38:48Let's read verse 24.38:50-38:58So brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there, let him remain with God.39:00-39:03What's the motivation for remaining where you are?39:03-39:07What's the motivation for being faithful where God has placed you?39:08-39:12That same God is with you wherever you go.39:12-39:16No matter what job you have, God is with you.39:16-39:19No matter your financial struggles, God is with you.39:20-39:24No matter your relational status, God is with you there.39:25-39:28And he will never leave you or forsake you.39:30-39:33Have you ever had to go on a walk with a fast walker?39:34-39:37Or go on a hike with someone that you cannot keep up with?39:37-39:46No matter how hard you try, no matter how much you lengthen your stride, there is always way ahead of you and you are lagging so far behind.39:49-39:52So often that's how we feel when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.39:53-39:57Like he's an infinite amount of steps in front of us and we'll never be able to catch up.39:57-39:58It just feels hopeless.39:59-40:00He's always gonna feel so distant.40:00-40:03He's always gonna feel so far away.40:05-40:06Is that actually true?40:08-40:11God is in step with you the entire time.40:11-40:19He is right there with you, comforting you, encouraging you, calling you to keep it up instead of giving up.40:20-40:22Do you feel discontent?40:24-40:26Do you feel alone?40:27-40:29Do you feel like no one cares about you?40:29-40:31No one sees the struggles that you're going through?40:33-40:38It's my hope this morning that you will believe in God's nearness like never before.40:39-40:45It is my prayer that you will believe in God's presence even when he feels far away.40:48-40:53You may be discontent this morning because the content of your life is so shallow.40:54-41:00You are discontent because you do not know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.41:01-41:09You are trusting in the provision of this world, which never satisfies, instead the provision of Christ, which eternally satisfies.41:10-41:22You will never experience true and lasting fulfillment until you turn from your sin and and you turn to Jesus Christ, who will satisfy you both now and forever.41:24-41:29He won't give you all that you want, but he will give you all that you need.41:31-41:35On the other hand, you may know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, but you're still discontent.41:37-41:38And why is that?41:40-41:44Because you were expecting what God never promised in the first place.41:45-41:55You're forgetting that Jesus Christ didn't come to this earth to suffer, die, and rise again to give you more of the stuff of this world that will just be taken away from you when you die.41:56-42:07Jesus Christ came and did all those things to give you that which can never be taken away from you, to give you that which will be even more satisfying and enjoyable when you stand in his presence.42:09-42:20Until that day, be faithful, no matter your location, no matter your calling, no matter your limitations, live the life that God has assigned to you.42:20-42:26Enjoy every single moment he gives you as a precious gift.42:27-42:33God didn't save you from your sins so you could lead a successful life in the eyes of the world.42:34-42:42God saved you so that you would faithfully do what he's called you to do in every single season of life.42:43-42:44Let's pray.42:47-43:00Father, we come to you as your people and we admit that we can be discontent, that we grumble, we complain both internally and externally, we grumble in our minds and we grumble with our mouths.43:01-43:12Lord, help us to remember how truly blessed we are in Christ that we have been forgiven, we have been redeemed, we have been adopted into your family and we are bound for heaven.43:13-43:19And when life is hard, help us to remember that it's through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven.43:19-43:22It shouldn't be a surprising thing that we go through fiery trials.43:24-43:27Lord, it should be a constant reminder of how much we need you.43:29-43:32It should be a constant reminder that we can't live this life on our own.43:34-43:37I'll lift up those who do not know you this morning.43:38-43:44May they not be able to leave this room until they place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.43:45-43:53And for those of us who do know and love you, but are struggling with discontentment, Father, help us not to leave this room until we talk to someone else about this.43:54-43:57Until we ask someone else for prayer, we ask someone else for encouragement.43:57-44:05Help us to be the body of Christ this morning, not just individuals coming and then leaving, but a family who is here for one another.44:06-44:09We ask all these things in Jesus' name, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 7:17-24What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What is the difference between godly ambition and ungodly discontentment?What are you the most discontent with right now? How can you take steps to address this dissatisfaction in your heart?What is your calling and assignment from the Lord in this season of life? How can you be faithful where He has placed you?BreakoutPray for one another.
This weekly women's Bible study on Revelation includes lectures by me, Elizabeth Ficken, which coordinate with the study guide “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”This lecture follows lessons 23 and 24The workbook can be found on Amazon.More info at my website https://www.elizabethficken.com
Bach's music turns up everywhere from cigar ads to horror films. You can probably hum bits of Bach even if you're not a classical fan. But what makes his music so popular and why is he still so influential 300 years on? To celebrate The Bach Choir's 150th Anniversary, we've made three special episodes all about Bach and his best-known compositions. This time our host and Musical Director, David Hill, is joined by BBC Radio 3's Linton Stephens to talk about six of Bach's most famous pieces. Along the way they tackle musical taboos (why can't most classical musicians improvise?), classical music wrangles (did Bach actually write the Toccata and Fugue?), and great stories (why did Bach once threaten a bassoonist with a sword?). Plus, we hear from some of our friends - including superstar organist and broadcaster Anna Lapwood - about their favourite Bach pieces.Want to see the video version of this podcast? Watch here on YouTube – https://youtu.be/etxZzSAo-6QChaptersIntroduction - 0.00Linton's favourite Bach piece - 4.09Bach's beginnings (Toccata and Fugue in D minor) - 5.35A melody that transcends time (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) - 12.24The essence of Bach, and of music itself (Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major) - 17.40Why can't classical musicians improvise anymore? (Brandenburg Concertos) - 24.02The father of harmony (Well-Tempered Clavier) - 28.44A painting with just two colours (Air on a G String) - 32.46Anna Lapwood's favourite Bach works - 37.35Bach's legacy - 38.32If you'd like to hear more from David Hill and The Bach Choir, our newsletter is the answer. Every month we send out performance videos, musical analysis, exclusive offers and details of The Bach Choir's live concert dates. We're currently giving away a free concert video of Rachmaninoff's Vespers to new subscribers. Sign up here to have that full concert video sent to your email address – https://thebachchoir.org.uk/thanks-for-listening-signup/Linton's podcast So, Hear Me Out, which he presents with Gillian Moore for Southbank Centre, is also all about getting more people into classical music. You can listen or watch it here – https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/so-hear-me-out/Change Your Tune is a Podcart production. The series producer is Jayne Morgan. Video by Joe Garvey.Pieces in this podcast (in order)JS Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565Performed by Kevin MacLeodJS Bach – Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 (‘Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring')Performed by The Bach Choir (choir and piano version)JS Bach – Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147Performed by Orchestra Ali Armonici (orchestral version)JS Bach – Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147Performed by Michel Rondeau and Aline Letendre (organ and trumpet version)JS Bach – Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007 (‘Air on a G String')Performed by Philip MilmanJS Bach – Double Violin Concerto in D minor, BWV 1043Performed by the Advent Chamber Orchestra with David Parry and Roxana Pavel GoldsteinJS Bach – Prelude No. 1 in C major, BWV 846 (‘Well-Tempered Clavier')By Audio LibraryJS Bach – Goldberg Variations, No. 25, BWV 988Performed by Shelley KatzJS Bach – Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068 (‘Air on a G String')Music provided by Classical Music Copyright FreeJS Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 538 (‘Dorian Toccata')Performed by Jarle FagerheimJS Bach – Concerto in G Major, BWV 1048 (‘Brandenburg Concertos')Performed by Advent Chamber Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Read OnlineWhen Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Matthew 1:24The human person is a fascinating subject of study. Throughout the ages, countless philosophers, theologians, and social scientists have sought to understand the complexities of human nature. Within the Catholic philosophical tradition, Saint Thomas Aquinas stands out as an influential and trustworthy teacher on this topic.Aquinas teaches that while a person sleeps, the external senses are inactive. However, sense images within the imagination can still be active to varying degrees, depending on the depth of sleep, leading to the formation of dreams. Human reason is not entirely inactive during sleep, but it operates in a diminished capacity, which often results in dreams being nonsensical. Because the intellect's judgment is not fully engaged, the content of dreams is generally neither moral nor immoral.There is, however, another form of dream that transcends the normal and natural type. This is exemplified in Joseph's dream. In such divinely inspired dreams, like Joseph's, human reason is fully active—not because of the natural workings of the imagination—but because the dream is a direct result of divine intervention. In Joseph's case, his reason and intellect were fully engaged, allowing him to comprehend the divine message delivered by the angel. He was presented with a choice, and with his reason fully operative, he freely chose to say “Yes” to God's communication, thus embracing his role in the divine plan.This “Yes” to the divine plan is clearly illustrated in the passage quoted above. Upon awakening, Joseph “did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.” His choice was made during his divinely inspired dream, and his will fully acted upon this decision when he awoke.Though divinely inspired dreams like Joseph's are uncommon, they do happen. We, however, do not need to wait for such a dream to imitate Joseph's obedience to God's will. Like Joseph, we have been given divine Truth. For us, that Truth comes primarily through Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church. The writings of the saints also help clarify all that God speaks to us.At times, our imaginations can lead us astray, much like in a dream. When we allow irrational thoughts to dictate our actions, we might find ourselves filled with anxiety, worry, and confusion. Imitating Joseph does not mean waiting for a divine dream; rather, it means actively engaging our minds with divine Truth as revealed through the Church and Sacred Scripture. We must then listen to that truth, dismiss irrational thoughts, and use our reason to command our will to act in obedience to God's will. Reflect, today, on whether you tend to dwell on irrational ideas or whether you turn your intellect to divine Truth as the basis for what you believe and how you act. Just as Joseph trusted in the Truth revealed to him by the angel and acted upon it, we too must place our trust in the Truth and act accordingly.My trustworthy Lord, You have revealed to us all Truth as is given to us through the Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church. When my imagination leads me astray into obsessive thinking and worrying, please speak to me and help me to hear Your voice. May every decision I make and action I take be in accord with Your Truth. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Finoskov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
Dr. David Hughes brings the word this week from Matthew 1:18-24The name of Jesus changes everyone…
Elevate His Spirit In You By Making The Choice To Evacuate Self 21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24The one who keeps God's commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
This article is part 2 of the “How to Walk in Freedom” series. The full series can be found here.To watch a video of this article being ready by me on a YouTube video, click here.In the previous article, we began discussing what it actually means to have freedom in Christ. In short, we defined it as freedom from self and sin in order to serve others in the service of Jesus Christ. As well, we honed in on the fact that freedom from sin means loving our neighbor as ourselves — as commanded by Jesus and the Law. In this article, we will discuss how freedom from sin relates to addiction.THE ISSUE IS BIGGER THAN ADDICTIONSometimes, especially for those of us who've struggled with addiction, we tend to think of freedom from sin mainly in terms of being free from harmful addictions, such as pornography addiction, drug addiction, gambling addiction, etc. However, we need to understand that those addictions are merely symptoms of the true bondage we're experiencing — bondage to a self-serving way of living.As an example, if I watch pornography, I'm placing my fleshly desires above my wife's needs. I'm using what was intended for her to serve only myself. Even if I'm not married yet, I'm still doing damage to my future wife and devaluing her needs by warping my own sexual desires, which will affect how I view her when that time comes. Moreover, if I watch pornography, I'm showing no care for all those who are harmed by the porn industry. Instead, I'm placing myself first. That is not Christianity. That is not Christ-like. That is the fruit of the sin-dominated, self-serving flesh of fallen mankind.We could go through each major addiction, but let's just briefly talk about one more — smoking addiction. “How is smoking self-serving?”, you might ask. Well, if I use my finances to buy cigarettes, who am I serving with my finances? The answer isn't God. Nor is it others. It's self. As well, if I expose others to second-hand smoke, I am not loving my neighbor as myself. Smoking does no good for anyone else and sometimes does harm. Smoking accomplishes nothing but gratifying the desires of the flesh. It is a fleshly, self-serving habit that fails to offer to Christ what is rightfully His:“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1“What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20If any of you are smokers, you might feel like I'm picking on you, but all of these same principles could be applied to any number of issues, including the things I struggle with.In addition to questions of how we use our bodies or spend our money, there's also the issue of whether our time is spent in service of self or service of others. Every minute, hour, day, and week we spend gratifying our own fleshly desires is time when we are doing nothing to serve others in the service of Christ.None of this is to say it's always inherently wrong to spend some time relaxing or to occasionally buy something we don't really need — although the truth is that most of us probably spend way too much time and money on self-centered activities. With addiction, these things aren't usually just small expenses or occasional activities. Substance abuse is extremely expensive. Those who watch pornography are usually wasting hours and hours of time that could be spent serving others. But aside from all that, the things I'm talking about are inherently harmful to self and others. Love does no harm to others:“Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:10CONDEMNATION IS NOT THE GOAL HEREBefore we continue, let me be very clear, I'm not writing any of this to condemn you. My aim is for you to be free from these outgrowths of the self-seeking life and free from the condemnation that comes with them. As well, I'm well aware that I have not vanquished self-seeking from my own life. I need to experience growth as much as anyone else! I'm just here to share some of the things I've learned on my own journey. Now that we've cleared that up, back to our discussion.FREEDOM FROM ADDICTION ISN'T ENOUGHIt is quite possible that I could be free from all the major addictions people think of — sexual immorality, drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc. — and still be living in complete bondage to sin. The reason should already be clear from what I've said so far, but let me say it again clearly:Bondage to sin is bondage to the self-seeking, self-serving life.Even if my life is free from vice, if I spend all my time and money doing nothing but serving myself and living a life of leisure, entertainment, recreation, and material pursuit, I am living a life in bondage to sin. And contrary to popular belief, living such a lifestyle will not yield the fruit of joy. It might produce temporary happiness, but lurking in the shadows will be the emptiness that comes from failing to do what I was designed to do — love God and love others, not just in word, but in deed and in truth:“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18WE CAN'T SERVE TWO MASTERSWhen a temptation to watch pornography or to smoke a cigarette comes along, and I'm already living my life in service of self, I'm already in a position of defeat. A temptation towards vice in those circumstances is just a temptation to do what I have already been doing — serving sin. For example, when I'm vegging out on excessive television-watching or video-game-playing and my flesh tempts me to light up a cigarette or search for pornography on the Internet, the master I have already been serving is just telling me to do something else. When that happens, the battle was already over before it began. Walking in freedom isn't just about being free from doing some self-serving things while continuing to do others — with no desire to do otherwise. If that's our mindset, it's like we're trying to win some of the battles while having already conceded the war. It's like we're willingly continuing to serve our old slave master but trying to temporarily change masters when the old slave master tells us to do something we don't want to do. It just won't work. No one can serve two masters:“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24The above statement from Jesus is in reference to mammon (a KJV word for riches) but the principle applies to our discussion as well. If sin is our master, we will ultimately do what sin tells us to do. We can't willingly serve sin 98% of the time and then somehow change masters temporarily the other 2% of the time when we don't like what our master is telling us to do.So, instead of focusing only on one or two battles, we need to pay attention to the war, and instead of only trying to rid ourselves of one or two symptoms of the self-seeking life, we need to acknowledge that we have bigger problems. We need to repent of our self-seeking, self-serving ways and begin the process of learning to depend on Jesus to re-orient our entire mode of living. The more we learn to walk in love in every area of our lives, the more these temptations toward addictive, self-seeking behaviors will lose their luster.THE PHYSICAL SIDE OF ADDICTION IS REALBefore moving on, I want to clarify that I'm not saying addiction is only about selfishness or wrong priorities. There's also a real physical component to it in many cases — chemical dependence, withdrawal, and changes in the body that make quitting extremely difficult. I'm not overlooking that or suggesting that simply recognizing the self-seeking nature of these addictions will make those physical aspects disappear. Even after we've repented of the self-life, we still need to learn to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the physical aspects of addiction. What I'm trying to convey is simply that the self-life is the deeper, bigger issue that must be dealt with first before we can even begin to address chemical dependency issues.WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT JESUSTo be clear, nothing in this article is to say we can live the crucified life — the life of serving others in the service of Christ — in our own strength or without the power of the Gospel. Merely having a desire to put off the self-seeking life and walk in the love of Christ isn't enough to actually accomplish it. We are but branches who can do nothing apart from the True Vine — Jesus Christ (see John 15:4-5). Even when our spirit becomes willing, the flesh is still weak:“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Romans 7:18SUMMARYThe main point of this article is not that the key to overcoming addiction is to first overcome the self-life. The main point of this article is that the main goal is to overcome the self-life — and overcoming addiction is just one of the spoils of winning that war.I hope you see the difference there. Let me say it again more succinctly to drive it home: The main goal of learning to walk in freedom is not overcoming addiction.The main goal of learning to walk in freedom is overcoming the self-life.Overcoming addiction is a secondary issue in comparison to the primary pursuit of learning to live for others rather than self.I'm also not saying that to overcome addiction, all you have to do is stop being so self-seeking all the time. Our propensity towards self-seeking isn't something we can just whisk away or muster up the willpower to overcome. It's a deep-seated spiritual issue that can only be addressed by the cross. Without learning to rely on the finished work of the cross as the defeat of our old master, we won't find the ability — or the freedom — to serve any other master. Get full access to Matt's Notes at www.mattsnotes.faith/subscribe
Service and Sacrifice - Matthew 20:17-28‘Cursed by anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.' And the people shall say, ‘Amen.' - Deut. 27:19‘Accept atonement, O LORD, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.' So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD. - Deut. 21:8-9Those who reject biblical truth have always promoted godless ideas that have very bad consequences in the real world. Now those ideas are more accessible than ever online and on social media. 1 in 3 college students say it's okay to use violence to stop speech you disagree with (FIRE).Jesus knows what awaits Him, but still goes - V. 17-191st statement of deathMatt. 16:21-22From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.2nd statement of deathMatt. 17:22-23As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.”3rd statement of deathMatt. 20:17-19And on the way said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and He will be raised on the third day.”Crucifixion was reserved for the worst of the worst criminals – those Rome wanted to make examples of. What neither the Jewish nor Roman officials understood was that they would be fulfilling prophecy.But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. - Isaiah 53:5-6The Disciples are more concerned about their glory than Christ's suffering - V. 20-24The sons of Zebedee were John and James, and Salome was their mother. It's possible she was Mary's sister, which meant she was Jesus' aunt (Draw your own conclusion by studying Matthew 20:20-28; 27:55-56; Mark 15:40-41; 16:1-8; John 19:25).Unfortunately, their faith was still very selfish and focused in on “what's in it for me” mentality. They also wanted to be viewed as greater than their fellow disciples. Far too often, we are just like them.The first cup Jesus refers to is the “cup of judgment” due wicked sinners (Psalm 11:6, 75:8; Isa. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:15, 17, 28; Rev. 14:10, 18:16).The second cup Jesus refers to is the cup of salvation given to those whose faith is in God and sins forgiven by Christ (Psa. 116:13; Matt. 26:27).Greatness in God's eyes is gained through servant leadership - V. 25-28In response to the disciples pride, Jesus gave instructions in verse 26-27 that have changed not just true Christian practice but affected every leadership structure in cultures heavily influenced by Christianity – Jesus introduced to the world “servant leadership.”Notice Jesus doesn't criticize their ambition to be great – He channels it! By Jesus' definition every Christian can be great, no matter how simple their life position and natural talents. Everyone can do what Jesus did – serve others as He served the world.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. - Col. 1:24Jesus Christ sacrificed to actualize salvation for all who repent and believe. We make sacrifices to give others access to that saving message!
Having a well-structured consultation process for your medspa can transform both your client experience and the success of your esthetic practice.In today's episode, Andrea and Taleesa are chatting about the importance of having a consistent process for consultations and sharing how you can create a seamless and client-focused consultation process for your own esthetic practice. Listen to this episode to get practical tips for how you can improve client satisfaction and build trust with your client base through consultations. If you enjoyed this episode please share, rate and review it! Also mentioned in today's episode: Why the consultation process is so important 2:50Check-in process and the client experience 12:24The consultation warm up 15:25The importance of creating a physical treatment plan for clients and the follow up 23:59Closing the consultation and aftercare 33:02Links:Show transcripts: https://smithandcrawford.com/notesEmail us: hello@smithandcrawford.comJoin our newsletter: https://smithandcrawford.com/newsletterhttps://calendly.com/smithandcrawford/30-min-strategy-session?back=1&month=2024-10https://calendly.com/smithandcrawford/aesthetically-discovery-call?back=1&month=2024-08https://smithandcrawford.com/
Chris Distefano and Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad 3/24The final year of my radio journey holds a special place in my heart, made even more poignant by the loss of my cherished friends, Carl Ruiz and Vic Henley. Reflecting on that time, I rediscovered the pure passion and exhilaration that drew me to radio in the first place. Amidst the chaos and challenges, we found endless moments of hilarity and camaraderie. Alongside Carl, Vic, and Sherrod Small, we shared unforgettable experiences both on and off the airwaves, our tight-knit bond shining through every episode. That year also marked Carl Ruiz's meteoric rise to stardom, inspiring me to launch the Opie Radio podcast with him. I'm immensely grateful to Erock, Clubsoda Kenny, Paul, and Louis for joining us on this wild ride. Get ready to dive into the rollercoaster of emotions—the highs, the lows, and the laugh-out-loud moments—that defined my last year in radio.
Your Sorrow Will Turn into JoyJohn 16:16-24The sorrow and the suffering of the cross, but the rejoicing at the resurrection. Peter had sorrow because he denied the Lord, but after he wept bitterly and repented, his sorrow was turned into joy. Judas had sorrow, but no repentance; only regret.
The Unassailable Promises of God, Part 1 Genesis 29:1--30:24The sermon explores the enduring nature of God's promises, demonstrating that human scheming cannot thwart divine fulfillment, exemplified through Jacob's journey and marriage to Leah. Despite Laban's deceptive tactics and Jacob's own impulsive actions, God's plan to establish a nation through Jacob unfolds, highlighting the importance of trusting in God's sovereignty and recognizing that even seemingly disappointing circumstances can serve a greater purpose in aligning with His ultimate design for salvation and blessing.
In this episode, we dive deep into the Islamic definition of manhood. From emotional intelligence to God-consciousness, we explore the traits that make a man truly strong in the eyes of Allah. We discuss how the Prophet ﷺ was the perfect example of masculinity, how to lead with responsibility, and what we'd want in a son-in-law. DeenTour is a podcast and channel where 3 brothers showcase their love for islam through reminders, brotherhood, motivation, entertainment, and more!Let us know if you enjoyed this video and if you'd like to see more of this!!Get your Islamic trivia card game with 100 questions to learn more about Islam! https://deenified.com/FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deentourr/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deentourrIntro - 0:00Hussien got a haircut - 0:30The topic: What it means to be a man in Islam - 3:51What defines a man? - 5:31Why the Prophet (pbuh) was the best example - 6:31God consciousness - 7:53Having true belief in Allah & His plan - 9:25Developing emotional intelligence - 10:30Earning your rights as a man - 12:25Some characteristics we'd look at in a potential husband if we had daughters - 13:36Not everything easy if going to be good for you - 16:39Having responsibilities over other people - 18:24The ability to control anger - 22:17How would we handle if we found out our daughter was in an abusive relationship - 22:53Lowering the gaze - 24:49Devaluing your partner - 27:51Having gheera out love for Allah - 28:58The example of Prophet Muhammad pbuh - 30:05Taking on the role a man should be natural - 30:53Outro - 31:40
Dr. Case Thorp | Philemon 1-24The dramatic setting surrounding the book of Philemon, involving Onesimus, Aristarchus, and more, make for a great look at the early church, and the power of the Gospel in relationships.
Throughout history, whenever society falls into greater immorality and the tides of violence and hatred rise, God responds in remarkable ways. Chip wraps up his study in Philippians chapter 2 in this program with this astonishing revelation. Join us to learn about the life-changing work God is doing worldwide, and the passionate men and women He is looking for to join Him in His work.What is God looking for?Ezekiel 22:30-312 Chronicles 16:9Question:Why does God use some people and not others?Answer: Philippians 2:19-30The purpose for sending Timothy?Paul cares! --Philippians 2:19The reason Timothy was chosen?Timothy cares! --Philippians 2:20-24The reason Epaphroditus is sent? Epaphroditus cares! --Philippians 2:25-30Summary:Timothy and Epaphroditus exemplify the kind of person God uses to fulfill His purposes on Earth. 4 things God is looking for:Do you have a servant's heart?Are you willing and available?Are you faithful in the assignments God gives you?Are you loyal and teachable?Broadcast ResourceDownload Free MP3Message NotesAdditional Resource Mentions"I Choose Joy" Book"I Choose Joy" Home Church StudyMid Year MatchMid Year MatchConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
Marriage isn't just about sharing a life—it's about sharing a pursuit of God. And one of the most important roles you play in your spouse's life is being their spiritual encourager. Not their critic. Not their personal Holy Spirit. But a voice of grace that fans the flame of faith within them.Our springboard for today's discussion is:"Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." — Hebrews 10:24The truth is, your spouse will go through seasons—some filled with spiritual passion, and some marked by silence, doubt, or exhaustion. And when that happens, they don't need pressure. They need encouragement.They need someone who sees what God is doing in them—even when they can't. Someone who will speak life when their faith feels dry. Someone who says, “I believe in who God is shaping you to be.”Here's what that could look like:* Praying out loud for your spouse's calling, even if they're unsure of it themselves.* Speaking Scripture over their fears or insecurities.* Celebrating their spiritual wins, no matter how small.* Reminding them that God still uses broken vessels.Spiritual encouragement doesn't mean having all the answers. It means showing up with faith when they've run out of it.And sometimes, encouragement means silence. Just sitting beside them in the waiting, listening to God on their behalf, and loving them through the process.You are not your spouse's Savior. But you are called to be their ally in the Spirit.So lift their arms when they're tired. Speak truth when they forget it. And never stop praying them into the fullness of what God created them for.Question of the Day:How can you spiritually encourage your spouse this week—without pushing or pressuring?Mini Call to Action:Ask your spouse, “How can I be praying for you right now?” Then write it down—and pray for it every day this week.Let's Pray:Lord, make me a source of life and encouragement in my spouse's journey. Help me to point them to You, speak Your truth in love, and never stop believing in what You're doing through them. In Jesus' name, amen.Let's Get To Work!You were never meant to run this race alone—and neither was your spouse.Support MyR2B Ministries:MyR2B Ministries is our full-time ministry. Your paid subscription helps sustain this work and expand our ministry outreach. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myr2b.substack.com/subscribe
In today's episode of the Small College Basketball Podcast, listeners will hear host Chris Cottrell interview Coach Elliot Steinmetz, from NCAA Division III Yeshiva University discuss “REBOUND" - a documentary currently airing on Fox Nation that followed the 2023-2024 Yeshiva University men's basketball team following the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel. Cottrell and Steinmetz discuss the attacks and their impact on the campus community and men's basketball team at Yeshiva University. They also discuss the decision to make the documentary, continue playing the season and the team's foreign trip to Israel. Link to the Documentary, "REBOUND" on Fox Nation:https://nation.foxnews.com/watch/85104a2726c387b4bfd1197f1d5b9f89/2023-2024 Yeshiva University Men's Basketball Rosterhttps://yumacs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster2023-2024 Yeshiva University Men's Basketball Schedulehttps://yumacs.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2023-24The 2025 Small College Basketball Award winners can be found here...https://www.smallcollegebasketball.com/awardsThe Small College Basketball Podcast has been named #8 of the "Top 30 College Basketball Podcasts" by Feedspot.... and the 61st best College Basketball Podcast by Million Podcasts. Please click below for the full lists... https://ncaa.feedspot.com/college_basketball_podcasts/ https://www.millionpodcasts.com/college-basketball-podcasts/For more information on today's episode and Small College Basketball you can tweet at us @coach_cottrell_ or @smcollegehoops… or email smallcollegebasketball@gmail.comFor all of the latest news and highlights of NCAA D2, NCAA D3, NAIA, NCCAA and USCAA Men's Basketball follow Small College Basketball on Twitter @smcollegehoopsor visit www.smallcollegebasketball.comFor more information visit https://anchor.fm/scb_podcastYou can follow Host Chris Cottrell onTwitter @Coach_Cottrell_LinkedIn @Chris Cottrell
In this continuation of the Bhagavad-gita Wisdom Series we discuss the complex topics of mind and consciousness from both scientific and yogic perspectives.Many scientists stubbornly insist that there is a single “energy” (the material energy) which exists and is perceivable by us. This idea, however, gives rise to the fundamental challenge in understanding consciousness, that is how consciousness arises from atomic particles or complex chemical compounds. This problem is sometimes referred to as the 'hard problem of consciousness'.The Vedic and yogic perspective is that consciousness is a quality of another type of ‘energy', the spiritual being (ātmā or ‘self). The understanding is that the spiritual being has two coverings or bodies: a gross physical body and a subtle body, with consciousness being the quality of the ātmā/self that pervades both.Some quotes that were referenced in the talk:“Consciousness poses the most baffling problems in the science of the mind. There is nothing that we know more intimately than conscious experience, but there is nothing that is harder to explain. All sorts of mental phenomena have yielded to scientific investigation in recent years, but consciousness has stubbornly resisted. Many have tried to explain it, but the explanations always seem to fall short of the target. Some have been led to suppose that the problem is intractable, and that no good explanation can be given.” “- David John Chalmers, a philosopher and cognitive scientist.“The hard problem of consciousness is the problem of explaining why any physical state is conscious rather than nonconscious.”O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminates the entire body by consciousness. Bhagavad-gītā 13.34Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul. - Bg 2.17"The soul (atma/self) is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence. This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air (prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, samāna and udāna), is situated within the heart, and spreads its influence all over the body of the embodied living entities. When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material air, its spiritual influence is exhibited." - Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.9The seer (atma) is pure (transcendental) even though it perceives this world through the mind. - Yoga-sūtra 2.20The mind is not self-illuminating being itself an object of perception (that which is knowable). Yoga-sūtra 4.19 Not being self-luminous, the mind cannot be aware of an object and itself (as perceiver and perceived) at the same time. Yoga-sūtra 4.20 The pure and transcendental consciousness of the atma (self) is unchangeable. When the mind receives the reflection of that consciousness it is able to perceive and appears like the seer. Yoga-sūtra 4.22 The mind, being able to perceive due to its reflecting both the atma (self) and objects of perception, appears to comprehend everything. Yoga-sūtra 4.23 Even though the mind has accumulated various impressions (and desires) of various types it is always at the disposal of the atma (self). This is because the mind cannot function without the power of the perceiver. Yoga-sūtra 4.24The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind. - Bhagavad-gītā 15.7"One must deliver themself with the help of one's mind, and not degrade themself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well. For one who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy. " Bg 6.5-6
How am I to worship God? Horatius Bonar Man asks, "How am I to worship God?"And he has answered it also in his own way: "In the gorgeous temple, in the pillared cathedral, with incense, and vestments, and forms, and ceremonies, and processions, and postures!" he says. But these performances are the 'will worship' of self righteousness, not the obedient service of men worshiping God in ways of His own choosing. Man cannot teach man how to worship God. When he tries it he utterly fails. He distorts worship. He misrepresents God, and he indulges his own sensuous or self righteous tastes. His "dim religious light" is but a reflection of his own gloomy spirit, and an ignorant misrepresentation of Him "who is light." God's answer to man's question is given in the Lord's words, "those who worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:24The vestments may or may not be lovely--that matters not. The music may or may not be beautiful. The knees may or may not be bent. The hands may or may not be clasped. The place of worship may or may not be a cathedral, or a consecrated building. These are immaterial things; mere adjuncts of religion, not its essence. The true worship is that of the inner man--and all these other exterior things are of little importance. As it is with love, so it is with worship. The heart is everything! God can do without the bended knee, but not without the broken heart!"My son, give Me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways!" Proverbs 23:26
Join host Cheri Dotterer in this insightful episode of The Writing Glitch as she speaks with Marion Waldman, the founder of Teach My Kid to Read. Marion shares her personal journey of navigating literacy challenges with her own child and how that experience led her to create a nonprofit dedicated to equipping librarians, educators, and parents with the tools they need to support struggling readers.This episode also highlights Podcastathon, a global initiative amplifying nonprofit voices, and how Teach My Kid to Read is playing a pivotal role in shaping library-based literacy interventions. Learn how libraries can become literacy hubs, the science behind effective reading instruction, and how YOU can support dyslexia-friendly reading spaces in your community.Don't forget to subscribe and leave a comment about your favorite literacy resources!**************************************************************************Products MentionedTier 1 Interventions PodcastDisability LabsRelief in 3d Subscription BoxHandwriting Brain Body DisConnect Monthly Math and Writing Webinar Teach My Kid to Read Online Membership Community Podcastathon **************************************************************************TIME STAMPS00:21 What is Podcastathon?01:00 Meeting Marion Waldman: The birth of Teach My Kid to Read02:09 The struggle of librarians and educators03:46 Understanding dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD 06:40 Marion's journey08:11 The hidden gaps in literacy instruction and the science of reading09:09 Finding Orton-Gillingham-based instruction12:00 The role of decodable books 14:49 How Teach My Kid to Read is transforming library programs17:24The challenges of getting libraries 20:00 How parents and caregivers can access free literacy resources22:23 Bringing writing and math to the literacy conversation27:02 Exploring Teach My Kid to Read's online membership community****************************************************************************BOOKSHandwriting Brain Body DISconnect Digital Version: https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/hwbbd On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Handwriting-Br...*****************************************************************************SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to the Audio version of the podcast here on YouTube or your favorite podcast app.APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-writing-glitch/id1641728130?uo=4SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rU9kLxjkqJE5GbyCycrHEAMAZON MUSIC/AUDIBLE: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/894b3ab2-3b1c-4a97-af60-b1f2589d271fYOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWritingGlitchPodcast*****************************************************************************FREE WEBINARSpecial Offer coming in March. Sign up TODAY! https://3MathInterventions.eventbrite.com*************************************************************************Other ways to connect with Cheri Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheridott...FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tier1...IG: https://www.instagram.com/cheridotterer/X: https://twitter.com/CheriDottererTi...
Are you making this critical mistake in your marketing? In today's episode, I'm sharing the one mistake that might be the reason why you're not selling out your offers quickly. The Shoot It Straight Podcast is brought to you by Sabrina Gebhardt, photographer and educator. Join us each week as we discuss what it's like to be a female creative entrepreneur while balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood. If you're trying to find balance in this exciting place you're in, yet willing to talk about the hard stuff too, Shoot It Straight Podcast is here to share practical and tangible takeaways to help you shoot it straight. This episode is brought to you by Magical Momentum, a 21-day marketing challenge designed to help you show up with confidence, consistency, and results. Throughout the challenge, you'll receive done-for-you marketing prompts that will get you out of your marketing rut. Plus, you'll get access to a group Instagram chat where you can cheer each other on, share your wins, and ask questions. If you're ready to make marketing magic together, sign up today. Review the Show Notes: plus 1:24The big mistake that you're making (2:50)Getting them in the mood for your offer (4:38)Pushing people to email (8:34)Once the cart opens (10:27)Give yourself a month off of selling (12:05)Connect with Sabrina:Magical Momentum Challenge: sabrinagebhardt.com/challengeMarketing That Attracts: sabrinagebhardt.krtra.com/t/hWKA5zJm9GZaInstagram: instagram.com/sabrinagebhardtphotographyWebsite: sabrinagebhardt.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Choose Rest not Wrath - Matthew 11:20-30When the child of GodLooks into the word of GodAnd sees the Son of GodThey are transformed by the Spirit of GodInto the image of GodFor the glory of God-Warren WiersbeI brought up Warner Sallman's “Head of Christ” to point out that our image of Christ needs to be shaped by what we read of Jesus in the Bible, not in popular images of Jesus. In today's passage we find images that remind us that the Bible speaks of Him as being like BOTH a Lamb and a Lion.“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him (the Messiah) the iniquity of us all.” - Isaiah 53:6Jesus speaks stern words to those who won't repent - V. 20-24The people of this triangle of cities had seen Jesus work many mighty miracles, but Jesus denounced them because they did not repent and turn to Him. They wanted physical blessings, not Jesus' rule in their life.Woe is a judgment word making us think of how unbelievers will fare on the Day of Judgment. In Matthew 23 Jesus “ROARS” woe to the hard-hearted Pharisees – but here it is used of people who had more exposure to His teaching and miracles than anyone else during His earthly ministry. His ROAR still needs to be heard by those who have often heard the gospel but refused to believe in Jesus and follow Him.The day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remains. - Jer. 47:4 (see also Ezekiel 26).Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and all surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. - Jude 1:7Earlier in Matthew we saw that God promises degrees of reward for Christians who love and serve God now. Remember Matthew 6:20, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.” Now we see that there will be degrees of punishment in Hell for those who never repent based on how much teaching they rejected (Revelation 20:11-15).Jesus speaks comforting words to those who come to Him - V. 25-30God would rather save people than judge them. God has to judge unrepentant rebels, but He would rather transfer their sins to the cross and forgive them.
“There are four principles we need to maintain: First, read the Word of God. Second, consume the Word of God until it consumes you. Third believe the Word of God. Fourth, act on the Word.” - Smith Wigglesworth Matthew 25:14-30What we think about God is the rudder of our lives24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man... Matthew 25:24The primary way we get to know God is through His Word39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. John 5:39-40
In this podcast we talk about the preparation for young muslims when it comes to the aspect of marriage. Becoming better versions of ourselves, finding the right person, renewing our intentions, and more!DeenTour is a podcast and channel where 3 brothers showcase their love for islam through reminders, brotherhood, motivation, entertainment, and more!Let us know if you enjoyed this video and if you'd like to see more of this!!Start your FREE Trial in Guided Success! https://www.skool.com/guidedsuccessRead about finding your purpose and our journey to getting closer to God!! Cop Our E-Book!! Deentour.shop JOIN THE DISCORD:https://discord.gg/xUdqnuDY6wFOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deentourr/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deentourrIntro - 0:00Unreal marriage expectations - 1:36Don't miss the opportunity to become the best version of yourself - 3:18Where your loyalty should be - 4:45Allah will give us what we are deserving of - 5:40Constant reflection keeps you sincere - 6:40Spouses who mistreat each other - 8:43Dealing with women - 9:30The most important qualities to look for in marriage - 10:22Understand the level of reflection your potential spouse does - 11:15Asking the right questions to really get to know someone- 14:06Your actions will show regardless of your word - 15:40Honesty is the best policy - 16:59Avoiding arrogance - 18:36Don't get complacent in any phase of life - 19:39There's levels to how much good you can do - 21:21Allah knows your intentions far better than you do - 22:47People make time for what they really care about - 25:55Avoiding things of no benefit - 26:55Going after what you want is not going to be easy - 28:24The people who are successful - 29:24Everything is a choice and the burden is upon us - 31:04Reflecting on how certain actions may affect our hearts - 32:20Outro - 35:14
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it." - 1 Corinthians 9:24The apostle Paul exhorted the early church at Corinth to run in such a way as to win the prize, but sometimes, with finances, it feels like we're in a race with no end! Today, Rachel McDonough joins us to talk about setting financial finish lines. Rachel McDonough is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA®), and a regular Faith & Finance contributor.What Are Financial Finish Lines?Financial finish lines answer the question: How much is enough? This concept is built around two primary purposes for financial resources:Provision: Ensuring we meet our personal and family needs.Kingdom Impact: Using resources generously to advance God's Kingdom.While there's no finish line for Kingdom impact—our generosity can grow indefinitely—establishing clear finish lines in the provision bucket enables us to responsibly allocate more resources for generosity.Setting Finish Lines in the Provision Bucket1. Lifestyle SpendingDefining “enough” for lifestyle spending is the first step. One approach is to use a multiple of the poverty line income for your household. For instance, in 2024, the poverty line income for a family of four is $31,200. Using this as a benchmark, you can determine an appropriate multiple to guide your lifestyle choices.By setting these parameters, you can also calculate how much you'll need for retirement with greater clarity.2. Gifts to Family MembersAnother key area is determining how much is enough when giving to children or grandchildren. While it's natural to want to help, large, unearned gifts can sometimes have adverse effects. Prayerfully discern how to meet the needs of each family member in a way that fosters responsibility and independence. Like Ron Blue has often said: “If I love my children equally, I will treat them uniquely.”3. Asset AccumulationFinish lines for asset accumulation answer the question: How much is enough for future provision? Without setting limits, resources that could be used for Kingdom impact may remain stalled in a “potential future needs” category. Financial planning helps determine this figure, often incorporating a margin for unexpected circumstances.Catalyzing Kingdom ImpactEstablishing finish lines within the provision bucket frees resources for the Kingdom impact bucket. These funds can be directed toward generosity, allowing you to partner with God in advancing His work.A Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA®) can be an invaluable partner in this process. They can provide tools for cash flow management, budgeting, and financial planning to help you discern how much is enough. As you reflect on your financial goals this year, consider setting finish lines in key areas of your provision. Doing so not only brings clarity and peace but also opens the door to greater Kingdom impact.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm married, but my wife and I disagree on budgeting and spending. I feel we need a budget to manage our money better, but she is more liberal with spending than I am. How can I get us on the same page?I recently bought a car, but now it's not fitting into my budget. The insurance went up, and I have no extra money. I'm worried I'll end up in a hole. Can I return the car or get out of it without hurting my credit?Resources Mentioned:Money and Marriage God's Way by Howard DaytonChristian Credit CounselorsLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.
Trae Watch: 8:24The follow-up: 57:36Gaming News: 1:23:12Sonic 3: 1:34:56The Saturn Studs Podcast is a banter driven wild ride through the nerd culture entertainment landscape. Each week your hosts Kurt, Peter, and Jake engage in entertaining discussions about the latest trailers, box office winners and losers, the latest happenings in the world of video games, and whatever off-topic nonsense pops into their heads Support the show by donating: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/902676cb-9b03-4021-9042-cf79635436f9/donations. Visit Saturnstuds.com for links to all of your Saturn Studs side projects,social media, and more. Join the Saturn Studs discord server at https://discord.gg/kgdnhJd. Follow @StudsSaturn on twitter or visit facebook.com/saturnstuds to stay up to date on the latest news episode releases and audio highlights from each show.
Introduction: Weekly Forecast 11-4-24The stars push you off the diving board right now, making you take the plunge into your wildest dreams. It's thrilling and scary at the same time. How about choosing exhilaration? Transparency and radical honesty bring you creativity and success this week. You have the ability to strive for great success when you fine tune how you make business deals, focus on long term plans and revise your strategies to include your own satisfaction. Key Highlights:1. New Moon Energies· Discover how the lingering energies of the New Moon (November 1st) create the perfect environment to set your sights on future goals.2. Thought Power· Learn how to harness your thoughts, focusing on joy, power, abundance, and freedom, rather than reductive stresses or drama.3. Set Yourself Up for Success· This first week of November is ideal for stirring dreams, creating plans for the future, and taking small but significant steps towards long-term goals.Fun Facts:Rule of Three'sTo keep your mind engaged constructively, make a list of three fun personal activities and three key business connections to pursue.Secret PowerhouseIf you're an Intuitive Visionary, this week is especially potent for you to own your superpowers and make bold moves.Take your TimeCreative Superstars need to be extra mindful of not falling prey to overwhelm by turning off distractions and finding moments of peace.Additional Resources: · Re-think the way you view the Seasons for more personal success!o Check out our latest blog post and podcast to discover the Four Seasons of growth, and how you can translate each into a bigger bottom line and stronger alignment with your clients and yourself.§ BLOG: How to Use the Seasonal Energies for Your Success§ PODCAST: Podcast #110: Unlock Business Success Through Intuitive Seasonal Planning· Open the Floodgates of Money for a Special Price!o Realize your true purpose and create wealth using astrology in 2025! Find out more about how this breakthrough can guide you to achieve your goals in the new year: https://www.kimwoods.com/events/· The New Era is Here!o Discover how the new energies of tomorrow are already landing in our ever-changing world today, and how you can be one step ahead in navigating them: The New Era is HereTune in to explore the cosmic influences guiding you through November and equip yourself with the wisdom and strategic insights to thrive. Don't forget to rate and review! Until next time, happy soul tidings!
Trae Watch: 7:24The follow-up: 38:35Gaming News: 1:10:18Joker: Folie à Deux: 1:32:16The Saturn Studs Podcast is a banter driven wild ride through the nerd culture entertainment landscape. Each week your hosts Kurt, Peter, and Jake engage in entertaining discussions about the latest trailers, box office winners and losers, the latest happenings in the world of video games, and whatever off-topic nonsense pops into their headsSupport the show by donating: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/902676cb-9b03-4021-9042-cf79635436f9/donations. Visit Saturnstuds.com for links to all of your Saturn Studs side projects,social media, and more. Join the Saturn Studs discord server at https://discord.gg/kgdnhJd. Follow @StudsSaturn on twitter or visit facebook.com/saturnstuds to stay up to date on the latest news episode releases and audio highlights from each show.
“Christian Humphreys” 10/09/24The time has come to drop the puck on the Pittsburgh Penguins' 2024-2025 season!Today we're joined by Pittsburgh native and 2024 draftee of the Colorado Avalanche, Christian Humphreys. You'll hear Christian's first-hand account of the U18 World Championship game, a matchup in which he opened scoring with a scrappy net front goal. Plus, personal reflections on Humphreys's being taken by the Avs in the seventh round of the NHL entry draft in Las Vegas.Good friend of the pod and lifelong Rangers fan, Nick Spagnolo joins Jeff at the top of the episode to make some predictions about tonight's Penguins season/home opener.Penguins. Rangers. Sidney Crosby and the Pens face off against Igor Shesterkin and the Blue Shirts. Tonight at 7:30pm EST on TNT // 105.9theX FMThank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on Twitter: @penspodJeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewtonLETS GO PENS.JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIOThis episode includes portions of the following musical selections:Keeping Up by Blue Dot SessionsHardboil by Blue Dot SessionsKid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions
October 5, 2024Homily: PresumptionFr. BennyGospelLK 10:17-24The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.Behold, I have given you the power‘to tread upon serpents' and scorpionsand upon the full force of the enemyand nothing will harm you.Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,for although you have hidden these thingsfrom the wise and the learnedyou have revealed them to the childlike.Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.All things have been handed over to me by my Father.No one knows who the Son is except the Father,and who the Father is except the Sonand anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”Turning to the disciples in private he said,“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.For I say to you,many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,but did not see it,and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”ST JOSEPH'S ONLINE:Web: https://www.stjmod.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stjmod/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stjmod/Giving: https://ppay.co/yohL5SoVCT8
Welcome to this week's episode! Today, I had the pleasure of speaking with the insightful Sherry Shaban, an osteopath and life and fitness coach, who brings a wealth of knowledge on the bio-psycho-social influences on chronic pain. I was particularly eager to dive into Sherry's unique, multi-disciplinary approach to addressing chronic pain—a method that looks beyond just the physical symptoms and considers the whole person.In our conversation, we explored the bio-psycho-social model, breaking down each aspect—biological, psychological, and social—and how they collectively contribute to chronic pain. But we didn't stop there; Sherry also shared practical solutions within each area that can help manage and alleviate chronic pain.It's a fascinating and deeply informative discussion that I know you'll find valuable. So, stay tuned as we unpack the causes and solutions to chronic pain with Sherry Shaban!We discussed:2:30Sherry's background 19:00Where Sherry's drive to compete came from27:12The Bio-psycho-social model of health37:27The biological aspects of pain48:24The psychological aspects of pain1:09:10The social aspects of pain1:19:16The role social networks play in overcoming pain1:24:30Targeting biological factors to treat pain1:42:51Psychological aspects to alleviate painYou can find Sherry @:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SherryShabanFitnessInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherryshabanfitness/Twitter: https://twitter.com/SherryShabanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sherryshabanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherryshaban/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZDsDeXdFBPiWbtdZFeQktw/featured Send us a textSupport the Show.Don't forget to leave a Rating for the podcast!You can find Leigh @:Leigh website - https://www.bodychek.co.uk/Leigh's books - https://www.bodychek.co.uk/books/ Eliminate Adult Acne Programme - https://eliminateadultacne.com/Radical Health Rebel YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@radicalhealthrebelpodcast
Send us a Text Message.What Our World Needs Now // Patience // Jono Contestabile // 7-14-24The journey of transformation has a glorious promised conclusion; we will be like Jesus. This hope produces a different perspective and offers a resource for dealing with challenges and suffering.Scripture: Romans 8:16-28Helpful Links:Check out this week's sermon study.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Watch on Youtube.Crossroads 2023 worship Spotify playlist.Info on Crossroads Church.If you'd like to give you can do so here.
REPLAY OF PODCAST THEORY LIVE 7.1.24The first-ever Empowered Podcasting Conference went down June 28th thru June 30th with podcasters, creators, and livestreamers from around the world coming together in Charlotte, NC.The event was a true testament of community and the knowledge and wisdom that was shared throughout the weekend has the podcast world buzzing.I was part of the festivities, handling some emcee duties and moderating a panel discussion on how podcasting is becoming a better version of social media.Now that the event is in the history books, it's time to reflect on the weekend that was.In this installment of Podcast Theory Live, I'm sharing five of my big takeaways from the inaugural Empowered Podcasting Conference. Discover what you may have missed if you weren't in attendance or, if you WERE in attendance, relive some of the great things that took place in Charlotte. ____________________________________Every weekday, I go live on the Bombtrack Media YouTube channel for new episodes of Podcast Theory Live featuring tips, strategies, and commentary focused on the world of podcasting.Please subscribe on YouTube and click the bell so you can join me and interact while these episodes unfold. But just in case you miss the sessions live, they'll be available on YouTube in the archives, as well as your favorite podcast streaming and listening apps under Season 4.Set yourself up for podcasting success! Schedule a Podcast Strategy VIP Day today. Visit bombtrackmedia.com/vip to get startedThank you for being part of the Podcast Theory experience! Past seasons of this podcast include:Season 1: 125 episodes of podcasting tips and strategies (known as Pod Theory)Season 2: Debunking Myths & Misconceptions of Podcasting (known as Pod Theory)Season 3: A Deep Look at Solo Podcasting (known as Solo Podcasting Simplified)Season 4: Replays of daily livestreams that take place every weekday on YouTubeGet hands-on, comprehensive assistance with your podcast efforts. Click here to learn moreCurrent Theme Music courtesy of Alex Grohl via pixabay.comPodcast Theory is A Bombtrack Media Production
"There Will Be Blood: God's Judgment and Our Only Hope" Exodus 7:14-25 Rev. Craig Luekens 06.23.24 Preview: • 06/23/24 Sermon Preview Bulletin: https://cpmfiles1.com/cpcnewhaven.org... The Book of Exodus: • The Book of Exodus --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cpcpodcasts/message
A central theme in Ian Shapiro's extensive body of research is the concept of domination, which captures the reactive nature of human beings towards power structures. Unlike traditional political theories that imagine societies designing just orders from scratch, Ian argues that political institutions evolve in response to the rejection of unacceptable power dynamics. This reactive nature is evident in the historical shifts from feudalism to absolutism, and eventually to democracy, driven by people's resistance to absolute power.Ian Shapiro is Sterling Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs at Yale University. In his latest book Uncommon Sense, he explores why citizens in many democracies are profoundly alienated and some democracies are in danger of failing. Key highlightsIntroduction – 00:24The fight against domination – 02:50The role of political parties in resisting domination – 05:41Disillusionment with democracies and the role of deliberation – 11:24Amartya Sen and development as freedom – 23:16Betting on hope – 34:29 HostProfessor Dan Banik (@danbanik @GlobalDevPod)Apple Spotify YouTube Subscribe:https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.comhttps://globaldevpod.substack.com/
Today's society tends to make a mockery of the role of fathers, making them look like buffoons as we often see on TV sitcoms. The Bible, however, takes a different view. It instructs fathers in the following way:Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.--Proverbs 22:6Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: And the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; So are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.--Psalm 127:3-5Hearken unto they father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.--Proverbs 23:22The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.--Proverbs 23:24The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.--Proverbs 20:7This broadcast reflected the truth of these verses as listeners shared special words of tribute for their fathers.
Today's society tends to make a mockery of the role of fathers, making them look like buffoons as we often see on TV sitcoms. The Bible, however, takes a different view. It instructs fathers in the following way:Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.--Proverbs 22:6Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: And the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; So are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.--Psalm 127:3-5Hearken unto they father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.--Proverbs 23:22The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.--Proverbs 23:24The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.--Proverbs 20:7This broadcast reflected the truth of these verses as listeners shared special words of tribute for their fathers.
QUESTIONS1:37 - What has been your biggest challenge in growing your business online and how did you overcome it?2:32 - How do you stay motivated and inspired in the face of setbacks?3:28 - What is a breakthrough moment that significantly changed your business trajectory?4:13 - How do you balance your personal branding with company branding in your marketing strategy?5:05 - I'm struggling with creating viral content that resonates with my audience. What is your secret?5:34 - How do you leverage influencer marketing to boost your own brands' visibility?6:05 - What strategies have you found most effective for scaling your ad spend profitably on social media?6:51 - What's the best way that you identify and capitalize on emerging trends in digital marketing?7:54 - How much do you pay attention to data analytics and how does it play a role in your decision-making in your business?8:45 - Can you share a story about a successful collaboration you've had with a celebrity or influencer?9:21 - What is the best way to establish trust in your brand?9:55 - I'm building my first sales funnel. What are the key elements of a successful sales funnel in your experience?10:43 - We're struggling to keep customers. How do you approach customer retention and loyalty in your brand and business?11:50 - I'm just getting my start in digital marketing. What is one piece of advice you would give me right now?12:39 - How do you look at and measure ROI of all of your marketing campaigns?12:57 - What's your approach to content creation and distribution across all of your different platforms?13:34 - How do you manage and motivate a large team to achieve high performance?14:39 - What do you think will be the biggest change in the next five years in the digital marketing and social media space?15:03 - A couple of bad reviews have set our business back a lot. How do you handle negative feedback or criticism about your brand online?16:31 - What is the most valuable lesson you learned from your worst failure?Connect with Rudy Mawer:LinkedInInstagramFacebookTwitter FULL TRANSCRIPT0:00Rudy, what is the most valuable lesson you learned from your worst failure?0:04I think probably the biggest lesson, which is kind of ironic is I'm struggling with creating viral content that resonates with my audience.0:12What is your secret?0:13Something I've learned from a lot of people that are very successful on socials is just like, what do you think will be the biggest change in the next five years in the digital marketing and social media space?0:24The next five years, biggest change will probably be, we're already ahead.0:28I would say we've been doing it over 18 months now.0:31I think it's gonna change how content's made, how content's produced the ability to create content.0:37I think that's gonna be the biggest change.0:38It's a good question too.0:39I think a breakthrough...
In this interview, Dr. Ashley Beckham discusses her personal and professional journey with mold exposure after moving into a new home where early signs were initially overlooked. She shares how her health issues led to the discovery of high mold levels in her home and body, influencing her career to focus on environmental health. Dr. Beckham emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the root causes of mold for overall health, and advocates for increased awareness and systemic changes in the health industry to better address environmental toxins.
Today I'm talking to Chef Nina Compton, a James Beard award-winning chef based in New Orleans,Louisiana. She's the owner and creative mind behind Compère Lapin and Bywater American Bistro. You'll hear about her experience on Season 11 of Top Chef, - Saint Lucian roots What you'll learn from Nina Compton Chef Nina Conpton's unique and flavorful upbringing in St. Lucia 2:35The sweet scents of a childhood in the Caribbean 3:44The influence of her grandmother in her cooking 5:54Cakes of the Caribbean 7:26Nina Compton's journey to becoming a chef 8:35Why she went to culinary school 9:26A detour in her plans to get back to the Caribbean 11:50How Nona Compton brings together the flavors of New York, Miami, and the Caribbean 14:36The surprise hit dish that she can't take off of the menu 15:27Staples that have remained on the menu 16:57The reopening of her neighborhood restaurant 17:56How the menus at her two restaurants differ 21:25Practicing the power of restraint 22:28Her strong involvement in the bar program and New Orleans expectations 24:03The less-familiar sources of her Italian wines 25:42How seasonality is reflected in her food 26:51Her experience on Top Chef 28:40The lengthy process of making the cut 31:13A day in the life of a Top Chef contestant 32:26Why she doesn't want to return to Top Chef as a contestant 35:34The evolution of the New Orleans culinary scene 36:59The sharing nature of local chefs 38:57Origin of the nameCompère Lapin 41:47Her culinary tour of New Orleans 44:03Her simple guilty pleasures 46:04Recent cookbooks to explore 46:57Kitchen pet peeves 48:23The worst trend she's seeing in the industry 51:42Her advice for working your way up in the business 52:24The chef she would like to collaborate with 53:54Her alternative career if she wasn't a chef 54:37 I'd like to share a potential educational resource, "Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door", my new book that features dialogues with accomplished culinary leaders from various backgrounds and cultures. It delves into the future of culinary creativity and the hospitality industry, drawing from insights of a restaurant-industry-focused podcast, ‘flavors unknown”. It includes perspectives from renowned chefs and local professionals, making it a valuable resource for those interested in building a career in the culinary industry.Get the book here! Links to other episodes with the chefs Don't miss out on the chance to hear from these talented chefs and gain insight into the world of culinary techniques. Check out the links below for more conversations with chefs from New Orleans.Conversaion with chef Nathanial ZimetConversation with chef Michael GulottaListen to my conversation with chef Alex HarrellListen to my conversation with Chef Rebecca Wilcomb Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode) Chef Sheldon Simeon Chef Andy Doubrava Chef Chris Kajioka Chef Suzanne Goin Social media Chef Nina Compton Instagram Social media Compère Lapin Instagram Links mentioned in this episode Compère LapinBywater American Bistro (BAB's) SUBSCRIBE TO THE ‘FLAVORS UNKNOWN' NEWSLETTER
SummaryIn this episode, Lisa Davis and Jenny Munro discuss how older individuals can determine if they need help and when it may be time to consider moving to a care facility. They highlight the signs to look out for, such as difficulty with stairs, recent falls, medication mismanagement, inability to cook or maintain a proper diet, and unpaid bills. They also discuss the challenges of aging in place and the importance of personal care, especially for individuals with dementia. Communication strategies for bathing individuals with dementia are also explored. The episode concludes with information about Home Instead and a preview of the next episode on the Home Instead 47 rule.TakeawaysSigns that an older person may need help include difficulty with stairs, recent falls, medication mismanagement, inability to cook or maintain a proper diet, and unpaid bills.Aging in place may not be suitable for everyone, and it is important to consider the individual's safety and well-being.Personal care, especially for individuals with dementia, is crucial and may require communication strategies to ensure the individual's comfort and dignity.Financial indicators, such as unpaid bills, can be a sign that it may be time to consider moving to a care facility.Long-distance caregiving presents unique challenges, and it is important to have open and honest conversations with loved ones about their needs and preferences.Chapters00:00Introduction00:20Services provided by Home Instead01:02Signs that an older person may need help04:18The importance of personal care05:10The role of dementia in activities of daily living06:12Communication strategies for bathing individuals with dementia07:36Financial indicators that it may be time to consider moving09:38Gradual transition to care10:21The importance of care professionals as additional eyes in the home11:15The impact of driving ability on the need for care12:09The role of socialization and loneliness in considering a move13:24The challenges of long-distance caregiving14:18Conclusion and information about Home Instead14:50Preview of next episode
Why do Christians gather on Sunday mornings? Does it matter where we gather? Who is welcomed at these meetings? What should we be doing when we gather? In this message, Pastor Jamie shares who we truly are as "the church".History of the word "church":Ekklesia: not a religious term. It means a gathering, a congregation, or an assembly of people.In the first English translations, ekklesia was correctly translated as "congregation." But in 1611 the King James Version unfortunately opted for "church" instead, based on the German word "kirche".The church is not a building, but a gathering of believers. Its not somewhere you go, its something you are. Samaritan woman at the well who asks where to worship- The temple or the mountain?John 4:20-21;24The location of worship is not as important as the way you worship.The question isn't "WHERE do I worship God? but HOW should I worship God?"True worship is the result of knowing the one you worship, not where you worship Him. You are the location where Christianity takes place.1 Corinthians 3:16-17God is jealous for you like religious people are jealous for their holy sites. Act 7:48 There are no sacred places, only sacred people. What is a church?A church is an intentional gathering of people who follow Jesus. IntentionalJeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."If you're gathering with believers less and less these days, you're going the wrong way. If you're going everywhere but church, you're going the wrong way."Successful people do consistently what normal people do occasionally." Craig GroeschelGatheringChurch is a collective noun, meaning it describes a group.Hebrews 10:25 You can be a Christian by yourself, but you can't be church by yourself.Jesus never discipled individuals, he always discipled groups.Jesus had groups of 3, 12, 70 , 120 , & 500.Online viewing is good as an exception. But watching a church service online is like watching a video of a fire—you can see the light but you can't feel the warmth. You're getting teaching, but you're missing out on gathering. People who follow Jesus:Church is not where you meet with friends; its where you meet with family. You don't choose your family—God gives them to you, and your family often aren't people you're naturally drawn to.Colossians 3:11 It doesn't matter who someone has been, it only matters who they are now."Christ is all and in all" - Jesus is the point of everything, so find the Jesus in people when they annoy you.The biggest threat to the church is not from outside of the church, but from within. Its disunity.John 17:21 Galatians 3:26-28 Put on Christ. Wear your Jesus jersey. Prioritize Jesus over all other labels.Are you embracing your church family?
We asked for questions. And wow did you folks have questions! Here's a solo podcast to start off the April reader mailbag, including:Putting Purdue's title game loss in some sort of philosophical and cultural contextThe lessons we learned from college basketball in 2023-24The lessons we should've learned from UConn, especially offensivelyDoes a Sweet 16 run get Woodson a contract extension?How does Calipari leaving Kentucky affect the IU-UK rivalry? Would Kentucly hire Dawn Staley?Stay Tuned for Part 2. You never know, there may be other parts after that.
The continued reliance on a "business as usual" model is insufficient for countering the detrimental consequences of global warming. Numerous studies, including the influential reports from the IPCC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, have sparked a keen interest in understanding the prerequisites for the societal transformations necessary to address climate change effectively. However, a significant disconnect persists between the scientific consensus on global warming and the actions taken by political leaders at international, national, and local levels. In many of my interactions with policymakers from around the world, I often hear that despite being a global challenge, the discourse around global warming is disproportionately influenced by the perspectives and priorities of rich countries. Politicians in the global South in particular claim that this imbalance often results in global agreements that neglect the complexities of local justice and the intricate local politics involving competition for limited resources. Lan Marie Nguyen Berg is the Deputy Leader of the Green Party and a Member of the Norwegian Parliament. She previously served as Oslo City Commissioner for transport and the environment. @Lan_MarieKey highlightsIntroduction – 00:24The importance of voting as a step for political action– 04:24Balancing short-term voter appeasement with long-term climate goals– 08:48How Oslo became greener – 14:07Radical policies for long-term benefit and trade-offs – 19:28The welfare state and growing citizen expectations – 31:10Why the Global South reacts to preaching from the Global North – 37:58Online abuse and the future of young European leaders – 47:44 HostProfessor Dan Banik (@danbanik @GlobalDevPod)Apple Spotify YouTube Subscribe:https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.comhttps://globaldevpod.substack.com/
SummaryIn this episode, Lisa Davis and Jenny Munro discuss how older individuals can determine if they need help and when it may be time to consider moving to a care facility. They highlight the signs to look out for, such as difficulty with stairs, recent falls, medication mismanagement, inability to cook or maintain a proper diet, and unpaid bills. They also discuss the challenges of aging in place and the importance of personal care, especially for individuals with dementia. Communication strategies for bathing individuals with dementia are also explored. The episode concludes with information about Home Instead and a preview of the next episode on the Home Instead 47 rule.TakeawaysSigns that an older person may need help include difficulty with stairs, recent falls, medication mismanagement, inability to cook or maintain a proper diet, and unpaid bills.Aging in place may not be suitable for everyone, and it is important to consider the individual's safety and well-being.Personal care, especially for individuals with dementia, is crucial and may require communication strategies to ensure the individual's comfort and dignity.Financial indicators, such as unpaid bills, can be a sign that it may be time to consider moving to a care facility.Long-distance caregiving presents unique challenges, and it is important to have open and honest conversations with loved ones about their needs and preferences.Chapters00:00Introduction00:20Services provided by Home Instead01:02Signs that an older person may need help04:18The importance of personal care05:10The role of dementia in activities of daily living06:12Communication strategies for bathing individuals with dementia07:36Financial indicators that it may be time to consider moving09:38Gradual transition to care10:21The importance of care professionals as additional eyes in the home11:15The impact of driving ability on the need for care12:09The role of socialization and loneliness in considering a move13:24The challenges of long-distance caregiving14:18Conclusion and information about Home Instead14:50Preview of next episode
Many nations around the world are grappling with the challenge of providing reliable and sustainable energy access to their populations. Half a billion people, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia, still rely on biomass for their basic needs, underscoring the urgent necessity for innovative energy solutions. The quest for electrification, especially in rural and underserved regions, is not just about lighting up homes but igniting opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic development. Yet, as we dig deeper, it becomes apparent that the link between electricity access and economic prosperity is nuanced and multifaceted.Jörg Ankel-Peters co-heads the research department “Climate Change and Development” at RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research in Germany and is a Professor of Economics at the University of Passau. @jrgptrs ResourcesRural electrification, the credibility revolution, and the limits of evidence-based policyGrid or solar: Looking for the best energy solution for the rural poorDo improved cooking stoves inevitably go up in smoke? Evidence from India and SenegalThe forgotten coal: Charcoal demand in sub-Saharan Africa Key highlightsIntroduction – 00:24The global energy poverty challenge – 03:44The electricity-economic growth relationship – 10:27Expanding the grid versus mini-grids and off-grid solutions– 17:10Health and education impacts of rural electrification– 24:27The charcoal conundrum – 29:07Impact of Rwanda's Electricity Access Roll-out program (EARP) – 36:32 HostProfessor Dan Banik (@danbanik @GlobalDevPod)Apple Spotify YouTube Subscribe:https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.comhttps://globaldevpod.substack.com/
In this episode, host Rob Lee welcomes Raeghan, a talented artist who delves into the history of black punk rock through her comics. They discuss Raeghan's artistic journey, the inspiration behind her work, and the importance of representation in the music scene.
Today, I'm talking to chef Rico Torres from Mixtli in San Antonio, TX. Born and raised in El Paso, the vast desert landscapes helped inspire his creativity. His proximity to the border of Mexico fed his love for south of the border culinary traditions, made evident through the food he dishes up at Mixtli. You'll hear how he embraces his Mexican cultural roots in the food he creates, and how he cleverly weaves the history of the people and the land into every menu. He shares his early passion for art and explains how that led to a love for culinary creativity. You'll hear about his progression through the world of cooking, his impressive skill set as a self-taught chef, and his thoughts on the future of food. What you'll learn from chef Rico Torres at Mixtli The birthplace of chef Rico Torres creative roots 2:24Smells that bring him back to his childhood 4:13Rico Torres artistic background 4:52How his love of art eventually translated into a love for food 5:44His transition into entrepreneurship 6:56Business lessons chef Rico Torres adopted from his dad 8:06Learning on the job and being resourceful 9:39Tips on buying and prepping BBQ Brisket 11:31Going from catering to pop ups 12:28When he met his business partner 13:19Trading pop ups for permanence 14:32Where the name Mixtli originated 14:47What he did differently when he started his business 16:26A very intimidating first table on opening night 17:25His second shot at impressing Rick Bayless 18:37Approaching food from an individual ingredient perspective 19:10How Rico Torres pairs ingredients together at Mixtli 19:47Undercover learning of tools of the trade 20:50The concept of the menu at Mixtli 21:40Why you can't have a latte at the end of dinner 23:40How he makes his Café de Olla 24:30And example of building a menu out of history 26:09The fake champagne parties of old Mexico 27:02Planning ahead for menu themes 28:14His biggest business struggles 30:37How they collaborate to make decisions 33:08His mission for the restaurant in terms of culinary history 34:38Thoughts on the future of food 37:04Focusing on food as fuel and feeling 38:05Why Mixtli has an open kitchen 39:33Five hotspots in San Antonio 40:58His guilty pleasure 41:43Books that have inspired chef Rico Torres 42:48His kitchen pet peeves 43:20His wildest ingredients 43:38What and who he would cook for if he could 45:48The new business he's looking forward to launching 46:26The connection between food and storytelling 4:38Switching from artist to architect in a kitchen 5:43The connection between food and memories 7:14Why do you have to take care of your team 7:55How management changes your creativity 8:24The importance of consistency 9:10Realizations about training staff 10:48The challenges of translating recipes and techniques from one culinary culture to another 11:22The French contribution to worldly cuisine and going beyond French culinary techniques 13:03A new wave of inspiration 13:57What's missing from the pages of food history 15:16Reaching into the “back pocket” of Mexican cuisine 16:21Shifting the threshold for what “chef” implies 17:31The power of the internet in culinary education 18:35“Fusion” versus evolution 20:14Combining culinary techniques from one culinary culture to another 22:32Surprising challenges faced by professional chefs 23:53Inspiration for their work, including the influence of international cuisine and food destinations 25:43 I'd like to share a potential educational resource, "Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door", my new book that features dialogues with accomplished culinary leaders from various backgrounds and cultures. It delves into the future of culinary creativity and the hospitality industry, drawing from insights of a restaurant-industry-focused podcast, ‘flavors unknown”. It includes perspectives from renowned chefs and local professionals, making it a valuable resource for those interested in building a career in the culinary ...
Use the timestamps below to guide you better as a leader or individual:What's holding leaders back? 0:00One of the top adversaries that paralyzes leaders today is procrastination.Procrastination is putting things off.Is procrastination keeping you from moving forward? 2:06Is procrastination keeping you from moving forward.Life moves fast and keeps going with or without you.The art of keeping up with the hustle. 3:34Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.The concept of procrastination.Bust your butt to make it happen. 5:13Get theox out of the ditch.Hustle is not the only answer.What is procrastination and what does it mean? 7:39Procrastination is a learned behavior and an adversary.What procrastination really is.What is procrastination and how does it work? 9:24The word procrastination originated from the latin word pro.Procrastination lack of self-discipline.Procrastination is self harm. 11:31Procrastination is self-harm, says Dr pierce steele.Behavioral psychology research has revealed time inconsistency.Why procrastination is a bad reason to do it? 13:13Why procrastination is not a bad reason to procrastinate.The importance of prioritizing.Procrastination is habitual. 15:57Procrastination as a form of short-term mood repair.Addressing the habit of procrastination.How to avoid the snooze button? 18:20Avoid hitting the snooze button.Tackling the monster tasks today.Tackling big tasks early on is a healthy and energy replenishing discipline.Put in healthy metrics.
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