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What carries us from this life to the next? God's grace—freely given, endlessly sufficient, and eternally secure.

Rochester City Council candidates in the Democratic primary, part 4In our second hour, we welcome candidates in the Democratic primary for Rochester City Council. It's part four of five in our series, where we give candidates the opportunity to discuss their backgrounds, platforms, and priorities for office, and answer questions from community members. Our guests: Ann Lewis, candidate for Rochester City Council  Mitch Gruber, candidate for Rochester City Council  *Note: Tonya Noel Stevens was scheduled to join this discussion, but her team has since notified WXXI that she has decided to step away from the campaign.

June 1st, 2025 | The Love of God | 1 John 1:1-4In the opening message of our summer series, The Love of God, Pastor Daniel Norris unpacks 1 John 1:1–4 with a compelling question: What does real love actually look like?Not filtered, feel-good love—but the kind that changes everything.This week, we explore how the love of God is:Revealed in a Person – Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine.Brings Eternal Life – Not just improvement, but resurrection.Shared in Fellowship – A deep, Spirit-formed bond we share as the family of God.Makes Our Joy Complete – A joy rooted not in circumstance, but in Christ.Whether you've never encountered this love or simply need to be reminded of it, this message will invite you back to the heart of the gospel: The life-changing love of God in Jesus.Do you know JESUS?: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nblongview.org/do-you-know-jesus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need PRAYER?: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nblongview.org/pray⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUPPORT through giving: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nbbctx.org/giving⁠⁠

God is cool with your questions. In this message, Pastor Jamie Nunnally answers YOUR submitted questions.  1. What does it mean to be a disciple and how does that look in our everyday lives?A disciple is anyone who follows Jesus. The Greek word is similar to the idea of an apprentice—someone who learns by working with a mentor.Luke 9:23More info: "I Have Decided" sermon series, January, 2021 2. What does the Bible say about interracial relationships?Absolutely nothing. Interracial marriage is not wrong. Nehemiah 13:27 Bottom line: Any biblical warning against intermarrying is about idolatry not ethnicity. 3. Is it okay for people to keep Old Testament laws like not eating pork or celebrating Jewish feasts/festivals if they still believe we are made right with God through Jesus?The Jewish dietary laws and the feasts were part of an old covenant with ancient Israel. Now, they hold no power when it comes to our holiness.Colossians 2:16Galatians 5:4In 2 Corinthians 3:6 Paul calls the OT law the "ministry of death." More info: Even More Elephants pt. 2: Christians & Jews (August 2017) 4. When is the last time that you gave a sermon that was not scheduled weeks in advance?Although I have a plan, I don't write sermons until Friday the week of. And of course, everything is always subject to change. Scheduling in advance is a good thing. 5. How do you handle anger at your spouse when you're spiritually mismatched? They say they are a believer but refuse to go to church and aren't really showing any kind of relationship with God.James 1:20 says the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.-Communication -Intercession -Demonstration - Show them what a Christian is like.1 Corinthians 7:14 6. What's the difference between demonic possession and demonic oppression? How can children of God be affected by either?Revelation 12:9Three levels of influence by a demon: possession, oppression, persuasion.The way someone becomes affected by a demon is to agree with that spirit's primary objective.1 Peter 5:8-9More info: VFC courses 102 & 104 7. Where did God come from?Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God...God is an uncreated spirit. He is eternal in the future and in the past. 8. Can you explain what is meant by Progressive Christianity? Is it a good thing or bad thing?Progressive Christianity is a trending movement among Christians that questions traditional Christian beliefs and often rejects orthodox theology and embraces current cultural beliefs.Matthew 16:6 "Watch out!" Jesus warned them. Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees".A few markers of progressive Christianity:1. A low view of Jesus and a high view of mankind. 2. Having a low regard for scripture.3. An over-emphasis on social justice.More info: Elephants in the Room 2021, Part 5.Are you trusting God with your questions?

Send us a textMusic, madness, and way too many drinks — this is Riffs & Rhythms, baby.If you would like to SUPPORT the podcast, JOIN our Patreon page.https://www.patreon.com/RiffsnRhythmsPodcast.LISTEN on Apple Podcast, Leave us a RATING and Reviewhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drums-and-rums/id1503281559?uo=4In this wild and unfiltered episode, we welcome Treasure Coast outlaw-country artist Bethany Lynn — and nothing's off-limits. From quitting the music industry (briefly), to detailing yachts in hurricane season, to being allegedly banned from venues (thanks, Mom), Bethany dishes out hilarious and heartfelt stories about life as a working musician. We talk Nashville, carpal tunnel, retirement home gigs, and how old men flock to her like "flies on

Send us a textThe devotion for today, Friday, May 02, 2025 was written by Thomas Riggs and is narrated by Adam Carter. Today's Words of Inspiration come from Isaiah 6:1-4In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;    the whole earth is full of his glory.”At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. Support the show

Send us a textThe devotion for today, Monday, April 21, 2025 was written by Dan Peeler and is narrated by Larry Carter. Today's Words of Inspiration come from Genesis 1.1-4In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now, the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.And God said, “Let there be light. And there was light, and God saw that the light was good and separated the light from the darkness. Support the show

Send us a textThere's only so many harmonically pleasing combinations… the goal is to make something tried and true feel new.If you would like to SUPPORT the podcast, JOIN our Patreon page.https://www.patreon.com/RiffsnRhythmsPodcastLISTEN on Apple Podcast, Leave us a RATING and Reviewhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drums-and-rums/id1503281559?uo=4In this episode, Kevin and Paul are joined by returning guest Apostoli Floyd, who shares the story behind his unique name and the international roots of his musical identity. Apostoli discusses the influences behind his eclectic sound—from blues to rock, hip-hop to R&B—and how collaboration is at the core of his next creative chapter. He also gives insights into recording his album Dusk Till Dawn at the legendary Criteria Studios in Miami.The crew reviews David Kimes Jr.'s track "Live It Up,"  in their signature "Riffs & Rhythms" breakdown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PykWQr-qGSkSpirited banter, stories from bike week, and plenty of laughs make this episode as lively as ever.

Send us a textGet ready for an unfiltered ride through music, madness, and magnetic energy as we sit down with Apostolic Floyd — a rising artist who's fusing blues, funk, soul, and straight-up South Florida fire into something fresh called “Beach Blues.”

The Charles Manson Story: Hollywood's Dark Secrets & The LAPD - Crime Time Inc. Ep. 4In this episode of Crime Time Inc., we delve into the intriguing history of Los Angeles, highlighting the transformation from a modest seaport town to a cultural epicenter. Explore the racial and social dynamics that shaped the city, the rise of Hollywood and its influence, and the role of the LAPD during turbulent times. Learn about key incidents like the Watts Riots and the emergence of L.A. as a music industry powerhouse. Discover the stark contrasts in the justice system and how celebrities lived under different rules. This episode sets the stage for the infamous arrival of Charles Manson and his subsequent impact on Los Angeles. Tune in for a comprehensive look at the darker facets of L.A.'s history.00:00 Introduction to The Charles Manson Story00:17 The Evolution of Los Angeles01:22 Hollywood's Rise and LAPD's Role03:51 A Night of Mischief in Beverly Hills08:09 The Watts Riots: A City in Turmoil10:46 Post-Riot Tensions and Racial Divides12:07 The Rise of L.A.'s Music Scene21:02 The Sunset Strip and Youth Rebellion23:13 The Darkening Mood of Late '60s L.A.23:55 Conclusion and Teaser for Next EpisodeTom Wood is a former murder squad detective and Deputy Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police in Scotland. Tom worked on many high profile murder cases including Robert Black, Peter Tobin and was part of the team investigating The World's End Murders from day one until 37 years later when the culprit, Angus Sinclair was finally convicted. Tom was latterly the detective in overall charge of The World's End murder investigation. Tom is now retired from the Police and is a successful author.Tom Wood's Books Ruxton: The First Modern Murder https://amzn.eu/d/25k8KqGThe World's End Murders: The Inside Story https://amzn.eu/d/5U9nLoPSimon is a retired Police Officer and the best selling author of The Ten Percent, https://amzn.eu/d/5trz6bs a memoir consisting ofstories from the first part of his career as a police officer. From joining in 1978,being posted in Campbeltown in Argylll, becoming a detective on the Isle ofBute, Scotland, through to the Serious Crime Squad and working in the busy Glasgowstation in Govan.#CharlesManson,#MansonMurders,#truecrimepodcast,#helterskelter,#CrimeHistory,Further reading on the Charles Manson which helped influence this podcast:Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson by Jeff GuinnHelter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt GentryCharles Manson, the CIA and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eén der instructeurs van de VO lichting 82-6 was de toenmalige sergeant de Koning. Van Indische komaf, duidelijk articulerend, uitgedost met flinke beharing tussen neus en bovenlip. Daarna ben ik hem uit het oog verloren maar ben sinds de start van deze podcast naarstig naar hem op zoek geweest. Door toedoen van een aantal andere commando gebrevetteerde Indo’s kom ik uiteindelijk met hem in contact en zegt zijn medewerking toe. Lichting 76-4In deze aflevering van de Mutsdas Podcast op https://stichtingjouwverhaal.nl/series/mutsdas/ het levensverhaal van cdo majoor bd Paul de Koning.Support 'Jouw Verhaal': https://stichtingjouwverhaal.nl/nl/jouw-verhaalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the Weight and Healthcare newsletter. If you like what you are reading, please consider subscribing and/or sharing!Content note: this piece will discuss research around binge eating, including behaviors and frequency. In part 1, we looked at the authors and methodology of a 2024 study called “Evaluating dietary restriction as a maintaining factor in binge-eating disorder” by Bartholomay et al., whose authors claim that the findings “challenge the assumption that dietary restriction maintains BE [binge eating] among all individuals with BED [Binge Eating Disorder]. Rather, results suggest that dietary restriction may be largely unrelated to BE maintenance in this population, and that reducing dietary restriction generally does not have the intended effect on BE frequency.”Too Long Didn't Read Version:When analyzing research, it's important to check to see if the research that the authors cite to support their claims actually does support their claims. In this case, these authors are drawing large, broad-based conclusions that would support a weight-centric/weight-loss paradigm based on small, short-term, and decades old studies that offer only weak conclusions. They are also completely ignoring the success of a weight-neutral intervention that is included in on of the studies they cite. Let's dig in!When I teach research analysis, I recommend checking something I call “The Do-Do's” which encompasses two questions: Do the citations support the claims? Do the study data support the results?In this part of our three-part analysis, we're going to examine the first question. Regular readers may have noticed me pointing out in my analyses how often the studies that are cited don't support the claims. In the case of this study, the question “do the citations support the claims” is particularly important since they are using them to bolster a very limited experimental design, so I've devoted this section to some examples.Bartholomay et al. claim:“randomized controlled trials conducted among individuals with overw*ight and ob*sity demonstrate that assignment to a low-calorie weight loss diet (e.g., 1200 calories per day) produced greater decreases in binge-eating symptoms than assignment to a wait list control group (Goodrick et al., 1998; Klem et al., 1997; Reeves et al., 2001).”What I want to note here is that the study authors have created a false binary between low calorie weight loss diets and wait list control group which would be bad enough. In this case, they've done so by blatantly ignoring the inclusion of a weight-neutral intervention in the very first study they cited.Let's look at the three studies they cited to, in theory, support this claim:The first study they cite is1998 Nondieting versus dieting treatment for overw*ight binge-eating womenG K Goodrick 1, W S Poston 2nd, K T Kimball, R S Reeves, J P ForeytDOI: 10.1037//0022-006x.66.2.363This study evaluated non dieting vs dieting treatment for what they described as “overw*ight binge-eating women.” There were 219 subjects and they were assigned randomly to diet treatment, non-diet treatment, or wait-list control (which is a form of control group in which participants are told that they were on a wait list for the intervention, while being offered no intervention.)The diet intervention was a restricted diet “reinforced with behavioral strategies” and the non-diet treatment was “therapy designed to help participants break out of their dieting cycles.” It involved 18 months of contact - 6 months of treatment followed by 26 bi-weekly maintenance meetings. They checked in on the subjects 6 months later and 18 months later and at both follow-up points the Binge Eating Scale of both the diet and non-diet group was significantly better than the weight list group and at 18 months both experienced weight gain. They concluded that “Results indicate that neither intervention was successful in producing short- or long-term weight loss.”I would suggest that this means that the weight loss intervention is a failure since its goal was weight loss and binge eating reduction but the non-diet intervention was a success since it's goal was to reduce binge eating disorder. I would also suggest that it may have been more effective if the therapy included more specific techniques to reduce binge eating.What it means for sure is that a higher-weight cis woman (the only group included in the sample and thus the only group we can draw conclusions about) who wants to reduce binge eating without risking the experience of another failed diet (and the physical and psychological risks that can come with it) would be best served by a non-diet approach.Second, they cite:1997 A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight lossM L Klem 1, R R Wing, M T McGuire, H M Seagle, J O HillDOI: 10.1093/ajcn/66.2.239The study discusses the ridiculous National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) which I often use as a peak example of the embarrassingly poor methodology that gets passed off as research in the weight-centric paradigm. I've written about it in detail previously but the short story is that they collect commonalities among an incredibly small group of dieters (literally 10,000 out of what is estimated to be over a billion attmpts) and then make unsupportable claims about those commonalities. I am unclear why Bartholomay et al cited this since the only reference to binge eating disorders is two studies that happened to include those who binge that tracked the mean lifetime weight loss of participants in order to compare it to the mean lifetime loss claimed in the NWCR. Not only could I find no claim here about whether weight loss attempts impacted binge behaviors, what I did find was that:”20% of the sample indicated a worsening in time spent thinking about weight and 14% reported a worsening in time spent thinking about food.”I would argue that, being as generous as I possibly can, this study has nothing to do with the authors claims and, being a bit less generous, this could be seen as a bit of a refutation of the claims.And this is why we check the references. Finally they cite2001 Nutrient intake of ob*se female binge eatersR S Reeves 1, R S McPherson, M Z Nichaman, R B Harrist, J P Foreyt, G K GoodrickDOI: 10.1016/S0002-8223(01)00055-4In this very small, short study 46 cis women were given a behavioral self-management intervention (6 months of weekly, 1-hour classes taught by registered dietitians) and the other group was a wait list control group. The researchers wanted to measure any change in calories consumed, percentages of calories from fat, protein, and carbohydrates, grams of fiber per 1,000 calories and change in number of self-reported binge days.After 6 months they found no significant difference between nutrients in either group. The behavioral self management group reported a greater reduction in binge days than the control group.Their conclusion was quite weak, finding that “Our results suggest that collecting dietary information from participants identified with binge eating disorder is challenging. Dietitians who conduct behavioral weight management programs may require additional training in identifying and understanding the psychological characteristics of participants with binge-eating disorder.”For this conclusion to have merit, behavioral weight management programs would have to be effective and there is no research supporting that and plenty suggesting that it is not.Overall these studies are small, short term, and quite old. The most recent was conducted about 24 years ago. It makes me wonder if there really isn't more recent data, or if more recent data exists but didn't support their conclusion? Also, remember that Barholomay et al. claimed “randomized controlled trials conducted among individuals with overw*ight and ob*sity demonstrate that assignment to a low-calorie weight loss diet (e.g., 1200 calories per day) produced greater decreases in binge-eating symptoms than assignment to a wait list control group.”I think their claim is seriously overstated. First of all, they should have been clear that this was the case in short-term, small sample studies. They also failed to mention that a non-diet treatment also produced greater decreases in binge-eating symptoms than in weight list control group - I wonder why they left that out of everything?Ok, let's look at another claim from Bartholomay et al.. They claim that adolescent girls with BN (which they explain is “bulimia nervosa, a disorder characterized by both binge eating and extreme compensatory behaviors; American Psychiatric Association, 2013”) who were assigned to participate in a healthy dieting intervention promoting weight control through moderate reductions in caloric intake, exhibited greater reductions in binge eating than girls who were assigned to a wait list control group.The first issue here is the claim that there is any such thing as a “healthy dieting intervention.” This is, in fact, a claim and not a fact, and it requires evidentiary support, which they don't offer. They don't even offer a definition of “healthy” nor proof that this intervention is, in fact, healthy by any definition. Again as we often see in research propping up the weight loss paradigm the authors have substituted “just saying stuff” for anything resembling scientific precision. In this case they are repeating a mistake originally made in the 2006 study they are citing by Burton and Stice called “Evaluation of a healthy-weight treatment program for bulimia nervosa: a preliminary randomized trial.” This study included 85 cisgender female participants with “full- and sub-threshold bulimia nervosa” who were randomly assigned to a 6-session “healthy dieting intervention” or a waitlist control group and assessed after a 3 month follow up. Their conclusion was that “These preliminary results suggest that this intervention shows potential for the treatment of bulimia nervosa and may be worthy of future refinement and evaluation. Results also provide experimental evidence that dieting behaviors do not maintain bulimia nervosa, suggesting the need to reconsider maintenance models for this eating disorder.”In using this study to support their claim, Bartholomay et al seem to be heavily glossing over words like “preliminary” and “may be worthy.” Also, even if we believe the results (without a deep dive into them) the fact that people on diets can suppress binging (or report suppressing binging) over 9 months is a far cry from showing what impact that restriction has over the long term.Back to Bartholomay et al., they make another claim that“Importantly, although longitudinal studies indicate that self reported dietary restraint predicts the future onset of binge-eating symptoms (Field et al., 1999; Killen et al., 1994; Stice, 2001; Stice et al., 2002), these results stand in stark contrast with findings from experimental treatment studies testing the causal effect of dietary restriction and restraint on the maintenance of binge eating.”This is an odd claim that, to me, is made with far too much confidence/bias. Longitudinal studies look at a longer time period, often quite a bit longer, than experimental treatments. Bartholomay et al. do not have a method to determine whether any difference is due to experimental design or simply due to the fact that experimental treatment studies capture a much shorter time frame. If what is true is that people who are on diets can suppress binge behaviors short term, but that the restriction drives additional binge behavior long-term, then the longitudinal studies could be more accurate.Let me offer an example to help illustrate the issue: It takes from 10-40 years for symptoms of asbestos conditions to appear. Let's stay that a study claimed “Importantly, although longitudinal studies indicate that exposure to asbestos causes mesothelioma, these results stand in stark contrast with findings from [6 month - 1.5 year] experimental treatment studies testing the causal effect of asbestos on mesothelioma, which found no relationship.”If the effect takes longer to appear than the time over which the experiments are conducted, there is a significant risk of missing the effect. That effect may be identified by longitudinal studies.Overall, I don't think the studies they are citing come anywhere close to, as they claim:“challenge the assumption that dietary restriction maintains BE [binge eating] among all individuals with BED [Binge Eating Disorder]. Rather, results suggest that dietary restriction may be largely unrelated to BE maintenance in this population, and that reducing dietary restriction generally does not have the intended effect on BE frequency.”In part 3 we'll investigate to see if the rest of the article's data supports their conclusions. Did you find this post helpful? You can subscribe for free to get future posts delivered direct to your inbox, or choose a paid subscription to support the newsletter (and the work that goes into it!) and get special benefits! Click the Subscribe button below for details:Liked the piece? Share the piece!More researchThe Research PostMore resourcesThe Resource Post*Note on language: I use “fat” as a neutral descriptor as used by the fat activist community, I use “ob*se” and “overw*ight” to acknowledge that these are terms that were created to medicalize and pathologize fat bodies, with roots in racism and specifically anti-Blackness. Please read Sabrina Strings' Fearing the Black Body – the Racial Origins of Fat Phobia and Da'Shaun Harrison' Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

Send us a textAll the results talked about in this episode: https://jmedia.notion.site/deep-research-links?pvs=4In this episode, we dive deep into AI's newest superpower—Deep Research—testing 4 leading models on real business tasks. We reveal which platforms offer unlimited deep research capabilities, which ones require hefty subscriptions, and how these tools are revolutionizing everything from competitor analysis to cold outreach personalization.From building prospect lists in seconds to uncovering hidden legal issues, we share exactly how business owners can implement these tools today, the automation possibilities that will multiply your productivity, and why deep research is fundamentally changing how we gather intelligence.____________________________________________Hosts: Mark Webster & Gael Breton____________________________________________A special thanks to our sponsors for this episode, Digital PR Agency, Digital PR:https://digital.pr/____________________________________________Looking for 100s of more episodes like these?Check out our main YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AuthorityHackerPodcastOr visit our podcast page: https://www.authorityhacker.com/podcast/____________________________________________► Grab our FREE list of 45+ under-the-radar tools that will boost your business:https://www.authorityhacker.com/freebies/tools-swipe/► Subscribe: http://bit.ly/2QB51kf to stay ahead of the curve► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorityhacker/► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorityhacker► Twitter: https://x.com/authorityhacker/► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/authorityhacker/____________________________________________Looking to expand your remote team in the next year?Save yourself the hassle of trying to find good candidates, and use our recruitment company to lock in team members that are ready to add value from Day 1 - for a fraction of the price you'd pay locally.Did we mention that it's 100%-risk free?Book a call with Marketing Pros for any of your recruitment needs today:

No one else compares to the love of our God: He pardons our sins! 1. Our shepherding God. (v.14-15) 2. Our terrifying God! (v.16-17)3. Our compassionate, forgiving, faithful, loving God. (v.18-20) In what specific ways is God second-to-none?Name God's classic unique act. Ex. 15:11, Rev. 15:4In what ways is God unparalleled? Psalm 71:19, 1 John 3:20Who can match God's forgiveness? Luke 15:11-24, 1 John 1:9

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” - 3 John 1:4In that verse, the Apostle John praises his friend Gaius and other believers for their generosity toward missionaries. As parents, we want our children to be generous toward God's Kingdom. Dr. Art Rainer joins us today with some steps we can take to grow our kids in generosity.Dr. Art Rainer is the founder of the Institute for Christian Financial Health and Christian Money Solutions. He is also the author of The Money Challenge: 30 Days of Discovering God's Design for You and Your Money and the Secret Slide Money Club, a book series designed to teach young readers about God's way of being wise with money. Why Teaching Generosity MattersParenting is a high calling. Everything we say and do influences our children's lives, shaping their worldview and their relationship with God. Generosity is part of God's plan for His people, so we must intentionally guide our kids away from selfishness and toward selflessness.But how do we teach children to be generous when human nature tends to favor holding on rather than giving away? It starts with a few key principles.1. Model GratefulnessBefore kids can learn to give, they must first recognize the blessings they've received. A heart of gratitude fosters a heart of generosity.Regularly express thankfulness for the resources God has given your family. Teach your children that everything belongs to God—we are simply stewards of His gifts. Share stories of how generosity has impacted your own life and how giving frees us from the grip of money.Gratefulness leads to an open-handed posture toward money and possessions.2. Talk About GenerosityChildren won't naturally connect giving to their faith unless we explain it to them. Conversations about generosity help shape their understanding of why we give.Explain that we give because God first gave to us (John 3:16). Share personal testimonies of times when generosity blessed others—or when you were blessed by someone else's generosity. Connect giving to the gospel: Just as God gave us His Son, we reflect His love when we give to others.3. Model Generosity in Everyday LifeKids have a strong radar for hypocrisy. If we talk about generosity but don't practice it, they'll notice. That's why we must demonstrate generosity in tangible ways.Let them see you giving—to your church, to charities, or to people in need. Discuss the needs of others. Ask them, “Have you ever needed help? How did it feel when someone helped you?” Involve them in acts of giving, such as donating food, helping a neighbor, or supporting a ministry.When children witness generosity in action, they begin to understand its value.4. Let Them Earn and GiveFor kids to truly grasp generosity, they need to experience both the sacrifice and joy of giving. One way to do this is by allowing them to earn their own money.Provide opportunities for them to do small jobs or earn an allowance. Encourage them to set aside a portion for giving, just as they do for saving and spending. Let them choose where to give—whether it's to the church, a missionary, or a local charity.Handling their own money makes giving more meaningful and personal.5. Prioritize Giving to the Local ChurchOne of the best ways to instill a habit of generosity is by encouraging children to give to their church.Introduce them to pastors and missionaries so they can see how their giving impacts the Kingdom. Show them how to give—let them physically place money in the offering plate rather than only giving online. Reinforce that their giving contributes to something much bigger than themselves.6. Encourage Giving with Joy, Not GuiltGiving should be joyful, not forced. Pressuring kids to give out of obligation can lead to resentment rather than a cheerful heart. Instead, celebrate their generosity and show them the blessings that come from giving freely.As 2 Corinthians 9:7 reminds us, “God loves a cheerful giver.”Raising generous children requires intentionality. By modeling gratefulness, discussing generosity, and providing opportunities for them to give, we can help shape their hearts to reflect God's generosity.Want to dive deeper into this topic? You can read more in Faithful Steward, FaithFi's brand-new quarterly publication that equips families to align their faith and finances for God's glory.To start receiving Faithful Steward every quarter, become a FaithFi Partner by giving $35 or more per month or $400 annually. Visit FaithFi.com/give to partner with us and receive this inspiring publication delivered right to your mailbox.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I have a 401(k) with about $128,000 in it, and I'd like to invest $60,000 into an annuity. The person I talked to said I would get an 8,600-dollar bonus immediately if I invested the $60,000. He also said I could take out 20% of the annuity after two years. What do you think about this annuity option?I am 51 years old. I retire at the end of next year and have a state pension. In addition, I also have some 401ks and 403bs that I've tapped into over the last, you know, 30 years that I've been employed or contributed to. Instead, what do I do with those 401k's and 403B's at that time of retirement?Half of my portfolio is in real estate, and the other half is in stocks. The old advice was to move more into bonds as you get older, but bonds haven't done well lately while the stock market has been incredible. What are your thoughts?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly PublicationLook 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.

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Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Christmas Vocations Part IIIDevotional: 2 of 4In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (Luke 2:1)We're in a series exploring the vocations of some of the characters in the Christmas narrative and what they can teach us about our own work today. Today we come to Caesar Augustus.This secular leader has a mixed legacy including brutal tales of how he came to rule over the Roman Empire. And yet, God chose to work through Augustus and his census to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Micah 5:2 that God's chosen Messiah would be born in the town of David.This reminds us of a remarkable truth we see all throughout Scripture—namely that God works in this world through non-believers and believers alike. This is one element of “common grace” which my friend Mike Kelsey (lead pastor at McLean Bible Church) defines as “the reality that God extends his goodness to and through people apart from a saving relationship with him.”The number of ways common grace should practically shape our work are legion. Let me share just three today.First, submit to leaders so long as their edicts don't contradict God's Word. Yes, even leaders you loathe. Why? Because “the one in authority is God's servant for your good” (see Romans 13:1-7). I doubt Mary and Joseph agreed with Caesar Augustus's politics. But they obeyed his commands and the world was blessed because of it.Second, trust that God is at work in your workplace even if your leaders don't believe in him. It can be really hard to work for leaders who are agnostic or even hostile towards your faith. But don't fall for the lie that God is not working through them. Caesar Augustus reminds you that he is. There is no such thing as a truly “secular” workplace, because God is at work through believers and non-believers alike to accomplish his good and perfect will.Finally, call out the good God is doing through non-Christians as a means of evangelism. There are many things your secular co-workers do that are not good by God's standards. But God can use those same co-workers to bring about genuinely good things in the world. When you see your non-Christian co-workers working with justice, love, and beauty, call them out on it, encouraging them that you see God working through them and their work. And see how those otherworldly words of blessing can open up doors to share the gospel today!

December 8, 2024Pastor Matt KendrickThe Widow's MiteLuke 21:1-4In this passage, the widow didn't give more in the sense of a higher dollar amount, but her sacrifice was greater. The world would never notice this woman or this gift, but Jesus notices. Jesus was more interested in why she gave than what she gave because God is after her heart. He wants all of your heart, like His Father had all of this poor widow's heart.Jesus' radical generosity toward us is a model for our radical generosity toward others.God gives some people more, so they can share with those who have less.God wants His people to enjoy what He's given to them.Money cannot make anyone happy.It's good to save money and build wealth.Any of these principles taken alone will leave you out of balance, but holding them all in tension together will provide you with a biblically sound and balanced approach to your money and possessions.Thank you for listening!For more info on Redemption City Church check out our website. If you'd like to connect with us further, please fill out a Connection Card and one of our staff will get in touch with you.Follow us on on social media: Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Chad Cronin - 2 Peter 1:3-4In this sermon, Chad emphasizes the preciousness of the saving knowledge of Christ and urges the listeners to treasure it above all else.

4In this episode of the Revitalized Womanhood podcast, Gina jumps into how to harness the power of positive thinking, tackle fear and anxiety head-on, and master your mindset. With real-life stories and practical advice, she shares how self-awareness, community, and small, actionable steps can make a huge difference. Gina highlights the importance of celebrating even the little wins and creating a supportive, positive environment to fuel personal growth and resilience. Chapters 00:00 Introduction  03:11 The Power of Positive Thinking 06:14 Overcoming Fear and Anxiety 12:00 Changing Your Mindset 18:21 Empowerment and Action Steps Connect with us on all social media platforms! ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/revitalizedwomanhood ✅ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revitalizedwomanhood/

Passage(s): Genesis 12:10-13:4In a fearful world, there is an Almighty, all-faithful God who loves His people well. Trust in Him!

Passage(s): Genesis 11:1-9; 12:1-4In our life, we can either settle in Babel, and bet on pride, or we can humbly sojourn by faith to the land of promise.

The Minor Prophets - Malachi #2Malachi 1:2-4In this episode we continue our look at the Book of Malachi, and we try to understand why Malachi declared that Jacob was loved by God, while Esau was hated. Why, when Jacob was no better, - and perhaps worse than Esau? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bradley Freeman Jr. knows how to get to Sesame StreetA Fresh Story Podcast, season 9, episode 4In this episode, we sit down with Bradley Freeman Jr., a passionate Muppet performer on Sesame Street, to discuss his inspiring journey from a young puppet enthusiast to achieving his dream role. Bradley shares how his early fascination with puppetry and practical media shaped his career, detailing his experiences in training at the prestigious Sesame Workshop and the profound impact of meeting legendary Muppet performers. From childhood influences to creative development, Bradley's story is one of perseverance, overcoming self-doubt, and the unwavering support of his family.As we delve deeper into Bradley's journey, he reflects on the collaborative and supportive nature of the Muppet community. He candidly discusses the humanity of his idols, revealing that even those we admire have their own insecurities and flaws, making them relatable and inspiring. Bradley also highlights the crucial role that Muppets play during times of crisis, offering a unique blend of silliness and unity that brings comfort and a sense of camaraderie to audiences of all ages.Bradley leaves listeners with valuable advice for those pursuing their passions, emphasizing the importance of discerning feedback, constant self-improvement, and being a lifelong learner. His story is a testament to the power of following one's passion, the impact of emotional hydration, and the importance of surrounding oneself with a supportive community. Tune in to hear Bradley's journey and gain insights into the world of puppetry, creativity, and the magic of the Muppets.Learn more about Bradley here: https://sesameworkshop.org/about-us/press-room/bradley-freeman-jr-tamir-wes/Bradley's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradleyfreemanjrMentioned in this episode:Join the Fresh Starts Collective!Whether you're an ambitious entrepreneur, a dedicated student, a heads down writer or simply striving to achieve your professional goals, the Fresh Starts Collective is here for you. We believe that surrounding yourself with a supportive community can be the key to unlocking your full potential. The Fresh Starts Collective offers daily community gathering - whether it's VirtualCo-Working and Body Doubling, Open Office Hours or Accountability Hour - community support and growth, networking opportunities and access to marketing, design and writing professionals to bounce ideas off of, pick the brains of or crowd source some ideas. The Fresh Starts Collective is $35/month.Fresh Starts CollectiveBecome a Fresh Starts Expert!What is the Fresh Starts Expert Membership? The Fresh Starts Expert Membership is a business membership for entrepreneurs, experts, and small business owners to support them in business development, marketing efforts, public relations, networking, and community engagement. The membership includes a standalone profile on Fresh Starts Registry's website, weekly virtual coworking, open hours business coaching, and accountability groups, as well as exclusive press and media opportunities, workshops, seminars, a content and video library of resources, a podcast episode, and so much more. Membership is $55/month. Fresh Starts Registry is the first and only support registry platform for people to access the items and experts they need during life transitions. Fresh Starts has been featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, The Today Show, and more. It was founded in 2021 by sisters Olivia Dreizen Howell and Genevieve...

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” -2 Corinthians 1:3-4In this week's Connecting Clip of the Week, Paul and Shelby discuss this passage and the divine comfort that comes through suffering, which enables us to comfort others who are suffering in the future.To hear more of Paul and Shelby's conversation on grace, check out The Connecting Podcast Ep. 031: https://youtu.be/5fAGPilnQCc?si=PQXIPaF69QZq5gl4

4In this episode, we hang out with Gina and her friend Julie Packer, chatting about Julie's amazing weight loss adventure. Julie chats about why she went for weight loss surgery after a tough battle with her weight and dieting flops. Which ultimately led to more amazing self-discovery's including how she got into running, fell in love with health and wellness, and discovered a bunch of wins beyond the scale, sparking a whole wave of self-love and putting herself at the top of her priority list. She also shares her surprise baby stories and the hurdles she jumped along the way! Julie talks about managing life as a mom of four, the mixed feelings about weight loss surgery, and why she ended up having it in Mexico. Julie's all about eating with purpose, making mindful lifestyle shifts, finding your "why," and setting goals that stick. She's a big cheerleader for walking your own journey, tweaking things along the way, sticking to it, and balancing it all for the long haul.  _____________________________________________ Connect with us on all social media platforms! ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/revitalizedwomanhood ✅ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revitalizedwomanhood/ ✅ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kO4VA94zZlKY3VS3cdbeP?si=3ec91bf5ea4c43a8

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________LentJesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”Mark 8:34 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. LentThe Lord is full of compassion and mery: Come let us adore him.Venite Psalm 95:1-7Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord is full of compassion and mery: Come let us adore him. Psalm 15Domine, quis habitabit?1Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *who may abide upon your holy hill?2Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *who speaks the truth from his heart.3There is no guile upon his tongue;he does no evil to his friend; *he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.4In his sight the wicked is rejected, *but he honors those who fear the Lord.5He has sworn to do no wrong *and does not take back his word.6He does not give his money in hope of gain, *nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.7Whoever does these things *shall never be overthrown.Psalm 24Domini est terra1The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, *the world and all who dwell therein.2For it is he who founded it upon the seas *and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep.3“Who can ascend the hill of the Lord? *and who can stand in his holy place?”4“Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, *who have not pledged themselves to falsehood,nor sworn by what is a fraud.5They shall receive a blessing from the Lord *and a just reward from the God of their salvation.”6Such is the generation of those who seek him, *of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.7Lift up your heads, O gates;lift them high, O everlasting doors; *and the King of glory shall come in.8“Who is this King of glory?” *“The Lord, strong and mighty,the Lord, mighty in battle.”9Lift up your heads, O gates;lift them high, O everlasting doors; *and the King of glory shall come in.10“Who is he, this King of glory?” *“The Lord of hosts,he is the King of glory.” Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Lessons1 Samuel 2:27-35English Standard Version27 And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28 Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. 29 Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?' 30 Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,' but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men. 34 And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day. 35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Penitence(Kyrie Pantokrator)O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, * God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,and of all their righteous offspring:You made the heavens and the earth, * with all their vast array.All things quake with fear at your presence; * they tremble because of your power.But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; * it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.O Lord, you are full of compassion, * long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.You hold back your hand; *you do not punish as we deserve.In your great goodness, Lord,you have promised forgiveness to sinners, * that they may repent of their sin and be saved.And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, * and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, * and I know my wickedness only too well.Therefore I make this prayer to you: * Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.Do not let me perish in my sin, * nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, * and in me you will show forth your goodness.Unworthy as I am, you will save me, in accordance with your great mercy, * and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, * and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen. Matthew 7:15-27English Standard Version15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Praise(Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34)Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you.Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; * on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you, beholding the depths; * in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. St Matthias (BCP 1979)Almighty God, who in the place of Judas chose your faithful servant Matthias to be numbered among the Twelve: Grant that your Church, being delivered from false apostles, may always be guided and governed by faithful and true pastors; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________LentLet my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.Psalm 141:2 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. O Gracious Light Phos hilaronO gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life,and to be glorified through all the worlds. Psalm 15Domine, quis habitabit?1Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *who may abide upon your holy hill?2Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *who speaks the truth from his heart.3There is no guile upon his tongue;he does no evil to his friend; *he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.4In his sight the wicked is rejected, *but he honors those who fear the Lord.5He has sworn to do no wrong *and does not take back his word.6He does not give his money in hope of gain, *nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.7Whoever does these things *shall never be overthrown.Psalm 92Bonum est confiteri1It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, *and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;2To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning *and of your faithfulness in the night season;3On the psaltery, and on the lyre, *and to the melody of the harp.4For you have made me glad by your acts, O Lord; *and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.5Lord, how great are your works! *your thoughts are very deep.6The dullard does not know,nor does the fool understand, *that though the wicked grow like weeds,and all the workers of iniquity flourish,7They flourish only to be destroyed for ever; *but you, O Lord, are exalted for evermore.8For lo, your enemies, O Lord,lo, your enemies shall perish, *and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.9But my horn you have exalted like the horns of wild bulls; *I am anointed with fresh oil.10My eyes also gloat over my enemies, *and my ears rejoice to hear the doom of the wicked who rise up against me.11The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, *and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.12Those who are planted in the house of the Lord *shall flourish in the courts of our God;13They shall still bear fruit in old age; *they shall be green and succulent;14That they may show how upright the Lord is, *my Rock, in whom there is no fault.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsJeremiah 17:5-14English Standard Version5 Thus says the Lord:“Cursed is the man who trusts in man    and makes flesh his strength,    whose heart turns away from the Lord.6 He is like a shrub in the desert,    and shall not see any good come.He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,    in an uninhabited salt land.7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,    whose trust is the Lord.8 He is like a tree planted by water,    that sends out its roots by the stream,and does not fear when heat comes,    for its leaves remain green,and is not anxious in the year of drought,    for it does not cease to bear fruit.”9 The heart is deceitful above all things,    and desperately sick;    who can understand it?10 “I the Lord search the heart    and test the mind,to give every man according to his ways,    according to the fruit of his deeds.”11 Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch,    so is he who gets riches but not by justice;in the midst of his days they will leave him,    and at his end he will be a fool.12 A glorious throne set on high from the beginning    is the place of our sanctuary.13 O Lord, the hope of Israel,    all who forsake you shall be put to shame;those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth,    for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;    save me, and I shall be saved,    for you are my praise. Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Mary - MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as It was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. 1 Corinthians 10:1-13English Standard Version10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Simeon - Nunc dimittisLord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesThat this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. First Sunday in Lent (BCP 1979)Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceMost holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.A Collect for Aid against PerilsBe our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.For MissionKeep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionMay the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Romans 15:13

Transfiguration Sunday The Collect: O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Old Testament: 2 Kings 2:1-12 1Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.” 4Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.” 6Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lordlives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan.8Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. 9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” 10He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” 11As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. 12Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. Psalm: Psalm 50:1-6 1 The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken; *        he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, *        God reveals himself in glory. 3 Our God will come and will not keep silence; *        before him there is a consuming flame,        and round about him a raging storm. 4 He calls the heavens and the earth from above *        to witness the judgment of his people. 5 “Gather before me my loyal followers, *        those who have made a covenant with me        and sealed it with sacrifice.” 6 Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause; *        for God himself is judge. Epistle: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.4In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. 6For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Gospel: Mark 9:2-9 2Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. 9As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Scripture Reading: Acts 7:44-60 44 Our ancestors had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as God who spoke to Moses ordered him to make it according to the design he had seen. 45 Our ancestors received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors, until the time of David. 46 He found favor with God and asked that he could find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, as the prophet says,49 ‘Heaven is my throne,and earth is the footstool for my feet.What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,or what is my resting place?50 Did my hand not make all these things?'51 “You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did! 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! 53 You received the law by decrees given by angels, but you did not obey it.”54 When they heard these things, they became furious and ground their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look!” he said. “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 But they covered their ears, shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent. 58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 They continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he died.Main ThemesWhere We Left OffLast week we covered most of Stephen's speech. Stephen recounts the lives of the heroes of the faith: Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. Several connections can be drawn between them and Jesus, with the most prominent connection being the idea of a deliverer that was rejected by his people (particularly evident in the stories of Joseph and Moses). This is evidence that the Jews' rejection of Jesus does not mean Jesus was an impostor nor that, if Jesus really was the Messiah, God's plan failed. Instead, it is the mark of a true deliverer. Christ's rejection is fulfilled scripture (see also, Isaiah 43:1-4). It is a greater, alas the greatest, fulfillment of that archetype in scripture.Stephen also reminds his hearers of their sins—their constant sins. Their idolatry merited exile, which climaxed with the Babylonian empire's conquest of Israel. But, their sinful hearts were present even during the exodus. This is evidence that the Jews' sinful behavior against Jesus was expected. As with the prior example, given Jesus' identity, the Jews' sinful behavior against God in the flesh is the greatest fulfillment of this archetype in scripture.Now that Stephen's words are fresh in our minds, let's continue to read his conclusion and the audience's reaction. David & God's HouseOur ancestors had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as God who spoke to Moses ordered him to make it according to the design he had seen. Our ancestors received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors, until the time of David. He found favor with God and asked that he could find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. But Solomon built a house for him. Yet the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, as the prophet says,‘Heaven is my throne, and earth is the footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is my resting place? Did my hand not make all these things?'“You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did! Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! You received the law by decrees given by angels, but you did not obey it.” Acts 7:44-53When David, Israel's greatest king, ruled the promised land, did God need a temple? Not only is the answer no, but God did not allow David to build a temple. Sure, Israel had a tabernacle, but that only furthers Stephen's point. God will dwell where he will dwell. Moreover, even when the people had the tabernacle they still practiced idolatry continuously. A temple would not change that.David's son was finally allowed to build a temple. Although we already know the answer, let's ask, Did God need a house to dwell among his people? Isaiah 66:1-2, quoted by Stephen, settles the matter.‘Heaven is my throne, and earth is the footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is my resting place? Did my hand not make all these things?'This is why Stephen can confidently say, “Yet the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands . . . .” As the NET translators explain:The phrase made by human hands is negative in the NT . . . . It suggests “man-made” or “impermanent.” The rebuke is like parts of the Hebrew scripture where the rebuke is not of the temple, but for making too much of it . . . .The temple was an accommodation to human need, but God desired pure worship, not simply a place or institution.Notice that in verses 40 and 41 of chapter 7, idolaters make gods with their own hands and worship them. In utter opposition, verses 48 and 49 tell us that nothing made can contain God because God has made all things.Reversing the Charges, Circumcision of the HeartOpposing the Law and the TempleRecall from chapter 6 that Stephen faces two charges: he opposes the law and the temple. As we just discussed, Stephen argues against making too much of the temple. God was with his people before they had a temple; God refused Israel's greatest king's offer to build him a temple; God cannot be contained in anything created. Notice, this is not an anti-temple argument. Stephen is not advocating for the destruction or even the abandonment of the temple. Stephen is requesting that the temple be placed in proper perspective against the backdrop of God's infinitude.In verse 51, Stephen addresses the charge that he opposes the law. As we have discussed before, a common ancient rhetorical technique was to reverse a charge on the accuser. (This would have been terribly unwise in a trial context—at least if one wished to receive mercy. That is clearly not Stephen's goal.) Stephen, in no uncertain terms, answers the question: who is disobeying the law? His accusers. They are spiritually uncircumcised (7: 51), murderers of the prophets (7: 52), and general disobeyers of the law (7: 53). His hearers' resistance against the Holy Spirit places them in the same category as those who rejected the biblical prophets.Circumcision of the HeartGod's ideal was always that his people's hearts be circumcised. We see this throughout the Old Testament.Therefore, cleanse your hearts and stop being so stubborn! Deuteronomy 10:16In this verse, the text translated as “cleanse” literally reads, “circumcise the foreskin of.” As the NET translators explain, “Just as that act signified total covenant obedience, so spiritual circumcision (cleansing of the heart) signifies more internally a commitment to be pliable and obedient to the will of God . . . .”God makes clear that an external circumcision without a circumcision of heart was never any good.The Lord says, “Watch out! The time is soon coming when I will punish all those who are circumcised only in the flesh. That is, I will punish the Egyptians, the Judeans, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and all the desert people who cut their hair short at the temples. I will do so because none of the people of those nations are really circumcised in the Lord's sight. Moreover, none of the people of Israel are circumcised when it comes to their hearts.” Jeremiah 9:25-26This is a fundamental Christian belief—and Stephen's speech makes it clear that it was fundamental to Judaism as well. We generally speak of Judaism as a religion based purely on strict adherence to laws. Notice, that is not entirely correct. As I have repeated before, Jesus' followers are not attempting to replace Judaism with a new religion but to “do” Judaism correctly.Sincere BeliefLet's explore this idea of sincere belief in one's heart. There are many New Testament passages to this effect.Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9, emphasis addedTherefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. Hebrews 10:19-23, emphasis addedBlessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8, emphasis added“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many powerful deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!' Matthew 7:15-23, emphasis addedBecause of verses such as these, Christians generally believe that outside behaviors will not save a man. Only Jesus saves. And Jesus will only save those who earnestly wish to be saved; those who wish to be righteous; those who wish to love and be loved the way that Love himself would have it; those who truly wish for true Heaven. Those people not only believe in God but believe God. God is not only real but the master and the prize.Stephen—The First MartyrMartyrs, in the ancient world and today, function as models. They are like brave soldiers who die upon the battlefield inspiring other soldiers. Stories of martyrs were not foreign to ancient Jews. The Maccabean martyrs would have been well-remembered examples at the time of Jesus. Gentiles (i.e., non-Jews) had their martyr stories too.Stephen is the first Christian martyr. As such, the church fathers regarded him as the “protomartyr,” offering an example for many to follow. Stephen's martyrdom is also special because of the parallels with Jesus' death. See below for a chart from Craig Keener's commentary on Acts that compares the deaths of Jesus and Stephen. The Sanhedrin's Power to ExecuteI discussed the Sanhedrin's inability to carry out capital punishment during our study of John. Here I will provide a brief reminder.Rome jealously guarded the power of capital punishment. Generally, only the Roman representative in the area (e.g., governor) could approve it. Local councils could pronounce capital punishment but, without ratification from Roman authorities, carrying it out would have been a serious affront against the empire. The Sanhedrin was no different. (To be fair, some scholars think that Rome allowed the Sanhedrin to execute capital sentences directly, but this is highly unlikely and not widely accepted. Moreover, that theory does not make sense of Pontius Pilate's involvement in Jesus' death.)The Roman authorities may have looked the other way in the case of lynchings—since they would not have been a deliberate and organized defiance of Rome. However, even deaths by lynching could generate complaints to Rome.For these reasons, scholars debate whether Acts 7 is narrating a formal trial of Stephen, a trial and a later lynching, or a trial quickly followed by a lynching. If Acts 7 describes a trial and a formally executed punishment, perhaps the Jewish authorities sought Roman ratification of Stephen's death penalty after the fact. Proponents of this theory suggest that otherwise (that is, without Roman approval), the Jewish persecution of Christians involving arrests and investigations reaching as far as Damascus, would have met Roman resistance.The second proposal is that Stephen's trial and Stephen's death were not immediately successive events. Some time passed and a mob did what the Sanhedrin could not. To take this view, one must believe that Luke collapsed and confused both events in his narrative. This view does not treat the text seriously and there are more plausible alternatives.What about a trial and an immediate lynching? Perhaps the Sanhedrin did not intend to execute Stephen on the spot, but things just got out of control. Oops. I am sure they were devastated. Mob violence was a common phenomenon of ancient life, particularly in Jewish court settings. Jewish trials often devolved into unruly shouting and could degenerate further than this. Surprisingly, throwing stones at one's legal adversaries was not unusual. So, the proposition that the action went from throwing stones to a stoning is not hard to believe.The Great ReversalI will argue that there is a running double entendre beginning on verse 7:54 and ending with verse 8:1. At every turn, what is happening on earth is the opposite of what is happening in heaven. The good guys are the bad guys, the condemned is innocent, human justice is God's injustice. Ultimately, the winners are the losers, and the losers are the winners. The effect of the juxtaposition is to give us hope than one day all will be set right.Furious, Grinding Their TeethThe Jewish accusers became “furious” with Stephen—a strong word used only once more in the New Testament, the prior trial of the apostles in chapter 5. Unlike chapter 5, no Gamaliel intervenes. In their anger, the accusers “grind their teeth.” The literal expression is “gnashed their teeth.” This could indicate anger or frustration (see, for example, Psalm 112:10), but it often conveyed anguish. The phrase appears in relation to judgment and hell. For example:Then Jesus traveled throughout towns and villages, teaching and making his way toward Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” So he said to them, “Exert every effort to enter through the narrow door because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord, let us in!' But he will answer you, ‘I don't know where you come from.' Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' But he will reply, ‘I don't know where you come from! Go away from me, all you evildoers!' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves thrown out. Then people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table in the kingdom of God. But indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Luke 13:22-30, emphasis addedThe reversal—the irony— is that those who gnash their teeth in anger persecuting the righteous will gnash their teeth in anguish upon the final judgment.Looking to Heaven; Seeing God's GloryToday, we pray by bowing our heads and closing our eyes. There is nothing inherently spiritual about this. It is a cultural preference. In Jesus' day, looking to heaven was a common posture for prayer. Presumably, this was because God resided in heaven.Stephen does exactly as expected and looks intently towards heaven. Before his prayer, he has a vision. He sees the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Some other Jewish texts presented similar heavenly visions, although they were often ambiguous. The speaker may have been narrating events as if he were actually seeing them when both him and his audience understood that he was not. Stephen's case contains no such ambiguity. Both the narrator and Stephen tell us he is genuinely seeing something.Stephen claims that the heavens opened. We have heard these words before.Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. And while he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight.” Luke 3:21-22, emphasis addedFurther, notice that Stephen sees God's glory in heaven rather than in the temple. As Stephen has just declared, heaven is God's throne, rather than any earthly temple containing him.Most important, however, is that Stephen's vision of the Son of Man at God's right hand clearly parallels Jesus's announcement of the Son of Man at God's right hand.Now the men who were holding Jesus under guard began to mock him and beat him. They blindfolded him and asked him repeatedly, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” They also said many other things against him, reviling him. When day came, the council of the elders of the people gathered together, both the chief priests and the experts in the law. Then they led Jesus away to their council and said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” He answered them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “Why do we need further testimony? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!” Luke 22:63-71, emphasis addedStephen's vision confirms to him and to us that his sacrifice is not in vain. The promises of Jesus are true. He reigns. Jesus lives so Stephen shall live again. We should also note that the title “Son of Man” is rare outside the Gospels and barely ever occurs on anyone's lips but Jesus'. Stephen is relying on the words of his lord.Right HandThat Jesus is at the Father's right hand emphasizes the claim of his exaltation as sovereign Messiah and Lord, the “Lord” of Ps 110.Here is the Lord's proclamation to my lord: “Sit down at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” The Lord extends your dominion from Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies. Your people willingly follow you when you go into battle. On the holy hills at sunrise the dew of your youth belongs to you. The Lord makes this promise on oath and will not revoke it: “You are an eternal priest after the pattern of Melchizedek.” O Lord, at your right hand he strikes down kings in the day he unleashes his anger. Psalm 110:1b-5, emphasis addedEven if the Sanhedrin did not believe Stephen, they would have felt the political defiance embedded in his alleged vision. Stephen is claiming that the Jesus they crucified claims an alternate kingdom, a greater kingdom. Here is the second piece of the double entendre. The Sanhedrin believes itself to be sovereign. If they are sovereign at all it is of a small kingdom. The true sovereign is Jesus, sitting at the right hand of God almighty.The True Trial—StandingStephen sees Jesus standing at God's right hand. This is unusual. Generally, Jesus is depicted as sitting next to the Father (e.g., Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3; Ephesians 1:20-21).The Old Testament depicted witnesses as standing. (A vindicating witness would stand at the right hand of the accused.) Here, recall that Stephen is being accused by false witnesses, who presumably would also be standing to testify against Stephen. A standing Jesus conveys the contrasting image that as Stephen is accused by the earthly tribunal at the hands of deceitful men, he is vindicated in the heavenly tribunal by the testimony of Jesus.The motif of vindication is reinforced by the fact that although judges generally sat though cases, tradition is that they stood to render a verdict. So, a standing Jesus also conveys the idea that as Stephen is convicted by the earthly tribunal, Jesus acquits him.Hear No EvilUpon Stephen's description of his vision, the crowd rushes at him with “one intent.” Perhaps the crowd is outraged by what they interpret as further blasphemy. Perhaps the crowd is outraged because they understand Stephen's words as a political claim that defies the authority of the Sanhedrin. Perhaps both are true.When the crowd launches at Stephen, they cover their ears and shout (or “cry”) in a loud voice. Why would they do this? Covering one's ears to prevent hearing further blasphemy may have been considered a pious act. In a sense, they were keeping themselves clean from Stephen's blasphemy.Here is another, powerful ironic reversal. The crowd shuts its ears and cries to make sure the message will not reach it. Recall what Stephen said just a few verses before, “You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did!” The Jews think they are closing their ears to lies when they are closing their ears to truth.The PunishmentCast OutStephen is “driven out” of the city, also translated as “cast out.” Standard Jewish custom was to cast someone out of the city before executing them. Jesus was also “cast out” in the parable of the vineyard.Then he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey for a long time. When harvest time came, he sent a slave to the tenants so that they would give him his portion of the crop. However, the tenants beat his slave and sent him away empty-handed. So he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed. So he sent still a third. They even wounded this one and threw him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my one dear son; perhaps they will respect him.' But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir; let's kill him so the inheritance will be ours!' So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? Luke 20:9-15, emphasis addedStoningGreeks and other peoples, like Jews, executed people by stoning. Roman law limited these local forms of punishment, but even in this period Roman law could not prevent stoning from occurring altogether, since it was a common way for mobs to execute vengeance without regard for official laws. Stoning was often a mob action both in Israel and elsewhere.Stoning was simply the most ready-to-hand form of public violence available, including in Judea. Stoning was appropriate for blasphemy, among other offenses, and had to be done outside the city.Oftentimes God's people tried to stone God's prophets.God's Spirit energized Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why are you violating the commands of the Lord? You will not be prosperous. Because you have rejected the Lord, he has rejected you!'” They plotted against him and by royal decree stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord's temple. 2 Chronicles 24:20-21Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with this people?—a little more and they will stone me!” Exodus 17:4In a stoning, witnesses were the first to cast stones, perhaps as a deterrent to false witnesses.Laid Their CloaksThe hostile witnesses discard their “cloaks” (ἱμάτια). Most people wore a tunic or shirt composed of two pieces of cloth sewn together. The simplest form was sleeveless, but in cooler weather one could add a himation (a rectangular piece of cloth draped around the body). Thus the removal of the cloak does not involve complete nakedness.Why did the witnesses remove their cloaks? For a simple but morbid reason. Because they were about to engage in strenuous exercise to stone Stephen. Nevertheless, the self-stripping gives us our last “great reversal.” Prisoners were often stripped naked before they received their public punishment, such as lashings or stoning. Nakedness increased their shame. (Nakedness had been shameful for Jewish people throughout their history.) Luke portrays the Hellenist accusers as stripping themselves for a strenuous physical activity but, in so doing, portrays them ironically as the guilty party.The PrayerLike I mentioned above, today we pray in silence (except in some corporate settings), but ancient Jews prayed out loud. So, people generally heard the supplicant's prayer. Also, kneeling was a common posture for prayer, denoting submission. Stephen's prayer was:Lord Jesus, receive my spirit! Lord, do not hold this sin against them!This prayer recalls Jesus' prayer before his death.But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34a*Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Luke 23:46(*There is some textual controversy regarding the first part of verse Luke 23:34. The verse may not be original but still historically authentic.)The person addressed in Stephen's prayer is significant. He is “calling on the name of the Lord” fulfilling the words of Peter's speech (quoting the prophet Joel).And then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21Moreover, notice that in the gospels Jesus addressed the Father. Stephen call out to “Lord Jesus.” This is highly significant. Stephen thought of Jesus as God.The climax of the scene of Stephen's martyrdom (before his death) is his prayer for his persecutors. Jesus taught prayer for one's oppressors.But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor” and “hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don't they? And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don't they? Matthew 5:43-47Stephen's prayer for his accusers is particularly shocking if we understand their culture. Jewish people believed in confessing sins before God as a form of atonement. Normally death was considered sufficient suffering to atone for a Jewish person, if coupled with repentance. Thus one in danger might pray for safety and add, as a precaution, “May my death atone for all my sins.” People condemned to capital punishment were invited to make confession a few feet from the site of execution so that they could share in the coming world.So, imagine the shock when Stephen confesses not his own sins but those of his opponents. Also shocking is the fact that unlike most martyrs who prayed for vindication, Stephen's prayer was for mercy rather than justice. This is Christ's love. This is Christian love.

When Will You Start?Genesis 12:1-4In episode 129 of 'Your Life', hosts Dan DeBruler and Dr. Tony Haire dive into the challenges of leaving behind comfort and familiarity to pursue God's plan. Reflecting on Genesis 12 and Abraham's journey, they discuss the importance of stepping out in faith, trusting in God's sovereignty, and embracing the unknown to fulfill our true potential. This episode inspires listeners to take the first step towards a life guided by faith and purpose.(00:00) Leaving Familiarity for GrowthEmbrace change, trust the journey, leave comfort behind, start now, fulfill purpose, become a blessing.(07:29) Trusting God and Taking First StepFaith and obedience in uncertainty, using Abram's story as a parallel. Trusting God's plan, stepping out of comfort zones, and impacting others.(11:08) Trust God's Plan, Become a BlessingAbraham's journey with God at 75, societal expectations vs. God's call, personal transformation, changing perspectives, trust and obedience, diverse backgrounds, touching hearts before hands, supporting those without paternal figures, influence in each other's lives.(25:41) Taking the First StepDiscover your unique purpose by heeding a divine call to action, trusting in God's guidance, and taking the first steps towards your passions.

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________EpiphanyAnd nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.Isaiah 60:3 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. O Gracious Light Phos hilaronO gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life,and to be glorified through all the worlds. Psalm 15 Domine, quis habitabit?1Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *who may abide upon your holy hill?2Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *who speaks the truth from his heart.3There is no guile upon his tongue;he does no evil to his friend; *he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.4In his sight the wicked is rejected, *but he honors those who fear the Lord.5He has sworn to do no wrong *and does not take back his word.6He does not give his money in hope of gain, *nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.7Whoever does these things *shall never be overthrown. Psalm 21 Domine, in virtute tua1The king rejoices in your strength, O Lord; *how greatly he exults in your victory!2You have given him his heart's desire; *you have not denied him the request of his lips.3For you meet him with blessings of prosperity, *and set a crown of fine gold upon his head.4He asked you for life, and you gave it to him: *length of days, for ever and ever.5His honor is great, because of your victory; *splendor and majesty have you bestowed upon him.6For you will give him everlasting felicity *and will make him glad with the joy of your presence.7For the king puts his trust in the Lord; *because of the loving-kindness of the Most High, he will not fall.8Your hand will lay hold upon all your enemies; *your right hand will seize all those who hate you.9You will make them like a fiery furnace *at the time of your appearing, O Lord;10You will swallow them up in your wrath, *and fire shall consume them.11You will destroy their offspring from the land *and their descendants from among the peoples of the earth.12Though they intend evil against youand devise wicked schemes, *yet they shall not prevail.13For you will put them to flight *and aim your arrows at them.14Be exalted, O Lord, in your might; *we will sing and praise your power. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsEzekiel 3:16-21 English Standard Version16 And at the end of seven days, the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. 20 Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.”Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Mary - MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as It was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. John 2:1-12 English Standard Version2 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Simeon - Nunc dimittisLord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesThat this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. EpiphanyO God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceMost holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.A Collect for Aid against PerilsBe our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.For MissionKeep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionMay the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Romans 15:13

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________The Third Week of AdventThe glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.Isaiah 40:5 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. In AdventOur King and Savior now draws near: Come let us adore him. Venite Psalm 95:1-7Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Psalm 1 Beatus vir qui non abiit1Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *nor lingered in the way of sinners,nor sat in the seats of the scornful!2Their delight is in the law of the Lord, *and they meditate on his law day and night.3They are like trees planted by streams of water,bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; *everything they do shall prosper.4It is not so with the wicked; *they are like chaff which the wind blows away.5Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, *nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.6For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, *but the way of the wicked is doomed. Psalm 15 Domine, quis habitabit?1Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *who may abide upon your holy hill?2Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *who speaks the truth from his heart.3There is no guile upon his tongue;he does no evil to his friend; *he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.4In his sight the wicked is rejected, *but he honors those who fear the Lord.5He has sworn to do no wrong *and does not take back his word.6He does not give his money in hope of gain, *nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.7Whoever does these things *shall never be overthrown. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsJeremiah 23:9-15 English Standard Version9 Concerning the prophets:My heart is broken within me;    all my bones shake;I am like a drunken man,    like a man overcome by wine,because of the Lord    and because of his holy words.10 For the land is full of adulterers;    because of the curse the land mourns,    and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up.Their course is evil,    and their might is not right.11 “Both prophet and priest are ungodly;    even in my house I have found their evil,declares the Lord.12 Therefore their way shall be to them    like slippery paths in the darkness,    into which they shall be driven and fall,for I will bring disaster upon them    in the year of their punishment,declares the Lord.13 In the prophets of Samaria    I saw an unsavory thing:they prophesied by Baal    and led my people Israel astray.14 But in the prophets of Jerusalem    I have seen a horrible thing:they commit adultery and walk in lies;    they strengthen the hands of evildoers,    so that no one turns from his evil;all of them have become like Sodom to me,    and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.”15 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets:“Behold, I will feed them with bitter food    and give them poisoned water to drink,for from the prophets of Jerusalem    ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. You are God(Te Deum laudamus)You are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. Luke 12:35-48 English Standard Version35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Praise(Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34)Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you.Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; * on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you, beholding the depths; * in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. The Third Week of AdventO Lord Jesus Christ, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise make ready your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient toward the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world, we may be found a people acceptable in your sight; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________The First Week of AdventThe glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.Isaiah 40:5 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. O Gracious Light Phos hilaronO gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life,and to be glorified through all the worlds. Psalm 15 Domine, quis habitabit?1Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *who may abide upon your holy hill?2Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *who speaks the truth from his heart.3There is no guile upon his tongue;he does no evil to his friend; *he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.4In his sight the wicked is rejected, *but he honors those who fear the Lord.5He has sworn to do no wrong *and does not take back his word.6He does not give his money in hope of gain, *nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.7Whoever does these things *shall never be overthrown. Psalm 19 Cæli enarrant1The heavens declare the glory of God, *and the firmament shows his handiwork.2One day tells its tale to another, *and one night imparts knowledge to another.3Although they have no words or language, *and their voices are not heard,4Their sound has gone out into all lands, *and their message to the ends of the world.5In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; *it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;it rejoices like a champion to run its course.6It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavensand runs about to the end of it again; *nothing is hidden from its burning heat.7The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul; *the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.8The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart; *the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes.9The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; *the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.10More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, *sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.11By them also is your servant enlightened, *and in keeping them there is great reward.12Who can tell how often he offends? *cleanse me from my secret faults.13Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;let them not get dominion over me; *then shall I be whole and sound,and innocent of a great offense.14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, *O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsIsaiah 3:1-3 - English Standard VersionFor behold, the Lord God of hosts    is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judahsupport and supply,    all support of bread,    and all support of water;the mighty man and the soldier,    the judge and the prophet,    the diviner and the elder,the captain of fifty    and the man of rank,the counselor and the skillful magician    and the expert in charms. Isaiah 3:8-15 - English Standard VersionFor Jerusalem has stumbled,    and Judah has fallen,because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord,    defying his glorious presence.For the look on their faces bears witness against them;    they proclaim their sin like Sodom;    they do not hide it.Woe to them!    For they have brought evil on themselves.Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them,    for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him,    for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.My people—infants are their oppressors,    and women rule over them.O my people, your guides mislead you    and they have swallowed up the course of your paths.The Lord has taken his place to contend;    he stands to judge peoples.The Lord will enter into judgment    with the elders and princes of his people:“It is you who have devoured the vineyard,    the spoil of the poor is in your houses.What do you mean by crushing my people,    by grinding the face of the poor?”declares the Lord God of hosts.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Mary - MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as It was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Revelation 5 - English Standard VersionThen I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,“Worthy are you to take the scroll    and to open its seals,for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God    from every tribe and language and people and nation,and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,    and they shall reign on the earth.”Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,to receive power and wealth and wisdom and mightand honor and glory and blessing!”And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lambbe blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Simeon - Nunc dimittisLord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesThat this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. The First Week of AdventAlmighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceMost holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.A Collect for Aid against PerilsBe our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.For MissionKeep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionMay the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Romans 15:13

Bekijk De Verkenners  ook via: https://www.blckbx.tv/binnenland/de-verkenners-4In de politieke podcast De Verkenners verkennen Bert Brandsma en Bas Reijnierse in de nieuwe studio samen politieke gebeurtenissen en volgen ze de ontwikkelingen richting de Tweede Kamerverkiezingen op 22 november 2023.In de aflevering van vandaag onder andere:Nog één maand tot de verkiezingen. Wat kunnen we vanaf nu verwachten?De eerste politieke scheurtjes worden zichtbaar naar aanleiding van de onrust in Israël.Frans Timmermans houdt een cruciale speech tijdens het GroenLinks-PvdA-congres.Wat wil Henri Bontenbal (CDA) met Nederland?Waardeer je deze video('s)? Like deze video, abonneer je op het YouTube kanaal en steun de onafhankelijke journalistiek van blckbx met een donatie ➡ https://www.blckbx.tv/donerenOver Stichting blckbxStichting blckbx is een stichting zonder winstoogmerk die primair wordt gefinancierd door de donaties van haar eigen publiek. Voor de mensen, door de mensen en met de mensen is waar we voor staan.Hoewel we zorgdragen om de kosten zo minimaal te houden, zijn er toch doorlopende kosten om gedegen professionele onafhankelijke content te maken. Hierbij valt te denken aan de techniek, de regie, de redactie, de webredactie en het onderhoud van de studio. Daarom kan blckbx alleen voortbestaan via het eigen publiek, dus door jou.Als je deze uitzending waardeert en de urgentie van Nederlands grootste onafhankelijk nieuwsplatform inziet, dan kan je meehelpen om de continuïteit van blckbx te waarborgen. Alleen door (regelmatige) donaties kunnen wij immers onafhankelijke content blijven produceren en dit verder uitbreiden, met als doel om met elkaar - en met steeds meer - de wereld beter te begrijpen.Steun je ons?Doneren kan via https://blckbx.tv/doneren----Wil je op de hoogte blijven?Twitter - https://twitter.com/blckbxnewsTelegram - https://t.me/blckbxtvFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/blckbx.tvInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/blckbx.tvLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blckbxnews/Support the show

Greetings, beautiful souls. I'm Matthew Adams, and today, we submerge our hearts into an ocean of divine dialogues, wherein the Shepherd's voice doesn't merely instruct but intimately intertwines within our narratives, guiding, shaping, and eternally altering our paths.Scripture"[The flock] follow [their shepherd] because they know his voice." - JOHN 10:4In an era bustling with a myriad of voices, each nudging us towards different pathways, our souls often wrestle with discerning that divine whisper amidst the chaos. The Shepherd's voice, unlike any other, cascades with a consistent undercurrent of unfathomable love, profound wisdom, and impeccable reliability, inviting us into a dance where hearing and following become inseparable elements of our spiritual journey.The Power Of God's Whisper is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Driving Point 1: Unveiling Divine Dependability Through His VoicePicture this: You're traversing through a forest, uncertain, lost, and the very fabric of your reality seems to fray with every passing moment. Then, it emerges, a voice, not just any voice, but one saturated with a familiar, reassuring tenderness. The Shepherd, when He speaks, emanates not just words, but a bridge, spanning across our uncertainties towards His certainties, inviting us to traverse with a resolute trust in His divine dependability. His voice, dear souls, is not a mere communication but an assurance, a vow of unwavering presence, guidance, and eternal love.Driving Point 2: Sowing Seeds of Obedience in Fertile HeartsGod's voice, a rich, vibrant seed, seeks fertile soils – hearts willing to nurture it with obedience and trust. He sows these divine utterances within us, not merely for our preservation but for blossoming into fruits that feed, inspire, and lead others towards Him. Our willingness to sow seeds of His words into the terrains of our actions, decisions, and lives cultivates a harvest rich with His blessings, providence, and divine purpose.Driving Point 3: The Harmonious Dance of Receiving and ReleasingReceiving His words is an intimate embrace, yet it is in the release, through our actions, choices, and obedience, where a divine symphony is composed. This symbiotic dance between receiving His voice and releasing it through our lives forms a harmonious rhythm that permeates through our existence. It's a melody that speaks not just through our words but our actions, becoming a beacon that guides others towards the Shepherd's loving embrace.ConclusionFriends, our spiritual journey, adorned with His whispers, becomes a sacred echo, reverberating through our beings, crafting tales where His guidance transforms not just our paths, but those intersecting ours, becoming a collective narrative of His divine presence, guidance, and unending love.Call to ActionToday, ponder upon His whispers within your soul. How is His voice seeking to intertwine within your narrative, and where is He guiding you to echo His love, wisdom, and guidance within your world?PrayerOh, gentle Shepherd, Inundate our beings with Your whispers, let Your voice cascade through our spirits, minds, and actions. As we receive Your divine utterances, empower us to release them through our lives, becoming echoes of Your love, wisdom, and guidance in this world. Amen.Your journey, illuminated by His divine whispers, beckons you to become an echo of His eternity within your world. I'm Matthew Adams, inviting you to intertwine His whispers within your narrative, allowing them to shape, guide, and perpetually echo within your existence and beyond. May your paths be ever serenaded by His divine dialogues Get full access to My Reasons To Believe at myr2b.substack.com/subscribe

There's an inherent beauty in the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep, one that's been celebrated throughout history and scripture. This relationship captures the essence of trust, guidance, and deep-seated care that transcends our understanding. My name is Matthew Adams, and as a Christian Podcaster, I invite you to dive deep into the profound implications of the Shepherd's voice and its significance in our lives.Scripture:[The shepherd] walks ahead of [his flock]. JOHN 10:4In an era where countless voices compete for our attention, discerning the right direction can be overwhelming. Analogous to the lost sheep wandering in vast pastures, we too find ourselves at crossroads, often unsure of the path ahead. However, Jesus assures us that, like a shepherd leading his flock, He walks ahead, guiding us safely.The Power Of God's Whisper is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Driving Point 1: The Infallibility of the Shepherd's VoiceOur senses and reasoning might betray us, but the Shepherd's voice never wavers. In the cacophony of life's challenges, it remains consistent, clear, and compassionate. By learning to hone in on this voice, we begin to differentiate between the transient and the eternal, ensuring our steps align with a divine purpose.Driving Point 2: The Promise of a Preceding PresenceOne of the most comforting aspects of our journey with Christ is His assurance that He has already charted the terrain we tread on. Our Shepherd doesn't merely give directions from a distance but actively walks the path, ensuring our safety and wellbeing. This promise dispels fear, granting us confidence as we embark on life's journey.Driving Point 3: The Final Destination – A Testament to FaithfulnessWhile there might be moments of doubt and despair, followers of Christ can find solace in the knowledge that the Shepherd ensures a safe destination. Like the green pastures that await a diligent flock, so does a destiny filled with hope and joy await those who heed His call.Conclusion:Hearing the Shepherd's voice isn't about discerning a distant call, but about fostering an intimate relationship where guidance and love flow seamlessly. It's a journey of faith, with the promise of a guiding presence that has already trodden the path, ensuring we reach the destination He has prepared for us.Call to Action:In the midst of life's hustle and bustle, let us take a moment each day to truly listen. To shut out the noise and tune into the voice that assures, guides, and loves unconditionally. Let's commit to following closely, trusting His lead, and celebrating the journey He's crafted for us.Prayer:Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being our guiding Shepherd. As we navigate the intricate pathways of life, help us to always recognize and heed Your voice. Give us the faith to trust Your leading, knowing that You've already paved the way for our journey. Keep us close to You, ensuring that every step we take aligns with Your divine purpose.The voice of the Shepherd is more than just a guiding force; it's a testament to His unwavering love for us. As we journey together, let us remember that we're never alone, for He has promised to walk ahead, guiding our every step. This is Matthew Adams, praying that the divine voice leads you to pastures of peace, purpose, and profound joy.Thank you for reading The Power Of God's Whisper. This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to My Reasons To Believe at myr2b.substack.com/subscribe

इंग्लिश ग्रुप इंडिया - "न्यू क्रिएशन".mp3 // Gospel of John (Catholic Douay Version) 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. 88He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. 9That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name. 13Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of  15John beareth witness of him, and crieth out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: He that shall come after me, is preferred before me: because he was before me. 16And of his fulness we all have received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Patrick Schneider (Hasbro Global Marketing Director, Star Wars & Indiana Jones) joined Todd and Charlie to talk about the world of geeky stuff.Madame Webb bring us the latest news ! 2024's gonna be kinda quiet in theaters/on TVAhsoka and the Blue Man groupIt's Wonka Time Superman Legacy bringing the heat visionBond as a baddie? All the cool stuff happening at SDCCSDCC exclusivesSDCC Panels that may or may not happenIn the Geek Easy, we chatted about "1982: The greatest Geek year", "Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning" and "Secret Invasion" episode 4In the Thunderdome, we talk about "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" and spoilers are ahead.Get a free one week trial of our Patreon at Secret Friends Unite Patreon and get benefits like our Patreon producers: Sean, Stella and Henry Nyhus, Missy Merchant, Andee Milliken and Jamie Prinkey Visit our new website at www.secretfriendsunite.comSubscribe to our Youtube channelFollow us on Twitter: @secretfriendsu, @Toxtra, @TheCeeThree Join our discord server to be part of the community

The Murder of Lydia Blanche Cassady | Part 2 of 4In episode 2, Carolyn Hundley describes plans that were discussed that would help Lydia leave the relationship she was in with Kenneth Strange. Those plans included using funds from Lydia's father's estate, after he passed away in October 2021.  Oddly enough, Lydia's murderer had other plans for her money.We learn that after her father's death, and Ken's constant insistence that he spend the estate money, Lydia's demeanor toward Ken changed dramatically, as if she was through with him and the relationship.  In the weeks leading up to the murder, Lydia gets a job, offering some financial independence, new friends and relationships and bolsters her confidence.In our interview, another woman comes into the picture, Ken leans in harder with wedding plans and Carolyn describes seeing her sister, for the last time.Go to the Murder Police Podcast Merch Store HEREShop for Murder Police Podcast swag by clicking HERE today! 10% of ALL swag and merch proceeds are donated to the DNA Doe Project.

The god of this world and the sudden vision of people in San FranciscoWe are witnessing Biblical levels of spiritual blindness in D.C., in New Orleans in schools; if people opened their eyes and ears to God, much of this would stop. But, spiritual blindness becomes cultural blindness and we land at this point. Rich people in the richest parts of San Francisco--truly the top 1%--say they hate what their City “has become.” They say this because a colleague was stabbed in the chest, begged people for help from people, was ignored and died. But, what their City “has become?” The San Francisco Police Commissioner, who is not physically capable of any form of street duty and had nothing to say about the effort to find this latest killer, did say he is disturbed to see this killing “politicized” and he wants Elon musk to shut-up about it. San Francisco didn't “become” a thing, San Francisco was made into a thing by people who would not allow in their businesses the combination of incompetence and blatant intent to harm but have funded it in San Francisco. People made culturally blind can sit and witness a culture utterly gutted by godlessness, government-installed aimlessness, family structures destroyed by engineered dependency and still decide the issue, the deep problem is, “gun violence” as a clip from New Orleans demonstrates when a news crew nearly sees a beatdown become a shoot-down. Gladly, miraculously, beautifully, God stands ready to peel the scales from their eyes. He is telling us to be an instrument of that, just as such an instrument led Lenny Kravitz to becoming a Christian. What does God say?2 Corinthians 4:4In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of GodMan threatens family, gets beat up, chain snatched, and disarmed during a news report on violence…Easter message: Lenny Kravitz shares powerful moment he became a true Christian and wept before God…Stabbing death of tech executive unleashes torrent of anger from VCs and techies who ‘hate what San Francisco has become'Video Shows Cash App Founder Bob Lee Begged Bystanders For Help After Being Stabbed, Got IgnoreSan Francisco Police Commissioner @KevinMBenedicto speaks on Bob Lee killing. "We don't know all the facts...But I find it premature and distasteful to try to fit this horrifying act of violence into a preconceived narrative and use it to advance a political agenda."Republicans believe that criminals with guns should go to jail. Democrats don't. So who wants more gun violence? Chief of the D.C. Metro PD, Robert J. Contee: "The average homicide suspect has been arrested 11 times prior to committing a homicide."https://4patriots.comStock up on 4Patriots Survival Food Kits. Use code TODD to save 10% on your first order.BioOptimizershttps://magbreakthrough.com/toddUse promo code TODD for 10% off your order. Bonefroghttps://bonefrog.usEnter promo code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your subscription. Bulwark Capital https://bulwarkcapitalmgmt.comAct now and get Bulwark Capital's “Common Cents Investing guide FREE. GreenHaven Interactivehttps://greenhaveninteractive.comGet seen on Google more with your worldclass website! Healthycellhttps://healthycell.com/toddJourney to better health and save 20% off your first order with promo code TODD. My Pillowhttps://mypillow.comUse code TODD for Closeout pricing on all All Season Slippers. RuffGreenshttps://ruffgreens.com/toddGet your FREE Jumpstart Trial Bag of Ruff Greens, simply cover shipping. SOTA Weight Losshttps://sotaweightloss.comSOTA Weight Loss is, say it with me now, STATE OF THE ART! Texas SuperFoodhttps://texassuperfood.comTexas SuperFood is whole food nutrition at its best.

Part 3 of 4In this episode Jerry talks about developing Spec 911 racing series.  He also gives his opinion on what he thinks separates racing drivers (and other high end athletes) from average people.Send questions and suggestions to bracken621@gmail.com https://www.circuitsixfour.com/https://www.instagram.com/circuit6four/https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inboxhttps://www.tiktok.com/@user2120922840085/

Part 2 of 4In this episode Jerry talks about the era of the 935 racing.  Specifically the car he crewed for.  The car referred to as the car that goes by many names like Garretson Enterprise car, Dick Barbour car, Paul Newman car or made in Mountain View car. Send questions and suggestions to bracken621@gmail.com https://www.circuitsixfour.com/https://www.instagram.com/circuit6four/https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inboxhttps://www.tiktok.com/@user2120922840085/

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: The Work Beneath Your WorkDevotional: 3 of 4In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)We're in a four-week series exploring the work beneath our work—in other words, the ultimate why underneath what we do.Now, if you are subscribed to my devotionals, part of your motivation for your work is undoubtedly to leverage your vocation for the glory of God and the good of others. But if you find yourself consistently overworking—if you find that you're unable to rest and “turn your brain off” at home—it's worth asking whether there are deeper motivations for your work that are less than God-honoring.Last week, we looked at one of those motivations: performance. Today we look at another: avoidance.I know a lot of Christians who are using their work as a narcotic to avoid dealing with their depression, conflict with a family member, or a sense of inadequacy they feel when they're at home compared to when they're at their desk.It's a lot easier to work hard at the office than it is to deal with these things. And so we work hard to numb the pain that comes with doing the harder work that awaits us when we step away from our laptops and workbenches.How do we free ourselves from this work beneath our work? By looking to Christ.As today's passage reminds us, Jesus was under no obligation to enter our mess and save us. It was perfectly within his rights to avoid our sin and suffering. And yet, he “did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing,” on our behalf (Philippians 2:6-7).What is our response to Christ's unfathomable grace and mercy? To “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5) which includes entering into the messes around us rather than using overwork as an anesthetic against hard things.Is God bringing to mind something you're trying to avoid with your overwork? Ask him for the Christ-like courage to lean into that hard thing today for his greater glory.

Isaiah 9:6-7Summary: The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the beginning of the establishment of God's eternal Kingdom. Jesus has come to redeem and rescue but one day in the future, He will take His place as the One True King.Isaiah 9:6–7 (ESV) 6For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.Understanding the Big Picture of the Kingdom.1)   God is Creator and King.  Genesis 1:1 (ESV)n the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.John 1:1–5 (ESV) 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men.5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.2)   The devil leads a rebellion against the LORD.Isaiah 14:12–15 (ESV) 12“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' 15But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.3)   The Devil is judged BY GOD!  Luke 10:18 (ESV) And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.4)   The Devil leads man to rebel against God.Genesis 3:15 (ESV) I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”5)   God promises a Savior and KING to the world. Gen 3:14,15Genesis 3:14–15 (ESV) 14The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”6)   Jesus brings us the Good News of His Kingdom.John 3:16–17 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.7)   HE CONTINUES THE WORK OF THE KINGDOM THRU HIS CHURCH.Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV) And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”8)   AT THE APPOINTED TIME HE WILL RETURN TO PUT HIS KINGDOM INTO FULL EFFECT!Revelation 19:11–16 (ESV) 11Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.12His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.9)   The One True King will reign forever and ever.Revelation 21:1–6 (ESV) 1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Isaiah 9:6-7Summary: The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the beginning of the establishment of God's eternal Kingdom. Jesus has come to redeem and rescue but one day in the future, He will take His place as the One True King.Isaiah 9:6–7 (ESV) 6For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.Understanding the Big Picture of the Kingdom.1)   God is Creator and King.  Genesis 1:1 (ESV)n the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.John 1:1–5 (ESV) 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men.5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.2)   The devil leads a rebellion against the LORD.Isaiah 14:12–15 (ESV) 12“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' 15But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.3)   The Devil is judged BY GOD!  Luke 10:18 (ESV) And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.4)   The Devil leads man to rebel against God.Genesis 3:15 (ESV) I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”5)   God promises a Savior and KING to the world. Gen 3:14,15Genesis 3:14–15 (ESV) 14The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”6)   Jesus brings us the Good News of His Kingdom.John 3:16–17 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.7)   HE CONTINUES THE WORK OF THE KINGDOM THRU HIS CHURCH.Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV) And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”8)   AT THE APPOINTED TIME HE WILL RETURN TO PUT HIS KINGDOM INTO FULL EFFECT!Revelation 19:11–16 (ESV) 11Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.12His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.9)   The One True King will reign forever and ever.Revelation 21:1–6 (ESV) 1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

The Murder of Aubrey Nuckolls | Part 2 of 4In this episode, we hear detectives Paul Williams and Billy Richmond move the case further down the road.  Who Aubrey Nuckolls is only gets more mysterious.  A search of a storage unit becomes and eye opener, a search of a post office box leads to more interviews, phone records tick away at the case and an uncashed check reveals a relationship that was in the dark itself.And simple things, someone dropping a car off in a rural area and getting a ride home, prove to be major breaks in the case.  Oh, and did me mention you might hear the name of a suspect?  Well, there is that…The Murder of Aubrey Nuckolls | Part 1 of 4 | 10/25/2022The Murder of Aubrey Nuckolls | Part 2 of 4 | 11/1/2022The Murder of Aubrey Nuckolls | Part 3 of 4 | 11/8/2022The Murder of Aubrey Nuckolls | Part 4 of 4 | 11/15/2022Go to the Murder Police Podcast Merch Store HEREShop for Murder Police Podcast swag by clicking HERE today! 10% of ALL swag and merch proceeds are donated to the DNA Doe Project.

Rotterdam, and The Netherlands in general, have a long history of fighting water. But how are they adapting to climate change where they can have both too much and too little water? We interview Johan Verlinde, Program Manager for Rotterdam's Climate Adaptation Plan about their efforts to make Rotterdam climate proof by 2030. This is an episode coming from Abby's summer trip touring sustainability infrastructure in several European cities.ResourcesRotterdam Climate Adaptation ProgramArticle on drought threatening Dutch homes built on wooden polesBenthemplein Water SquareIn action - Instagram video 1 (look how happy Abby is that it's raining)In action - Instagram video 2In action - Instagram video 3In action - Instagram video 4In action - Instagram video 5Sponge GardenSparta Stadium and underground water storageZOHO rain barrels and gardenMiscellaneous photos from Abby's time in Rotterdam

Sign up for the new FREE 6-hour Affiliate Marketing training: https://odiproductions.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=podcast-3-4In this episode, ODi Productions and Kit Fach discuss the question of: "Do you need to have a big social media following to do affiliate marketing successfully?"Try JetPage to get an affiliate marketing website in minutes: https://jetpage.co?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=podcast-3-4

Andrew & Lindsey recap episodes 4 & 5 of Stranger Things season 4In episode 4:: Max is in grave danger and running out of time; a patient at Pennhurst asylum receives visitors; in Russia, Hopper is hard at work.In episode 5:: Owen takes El to Nevada, where she's forced to confront her past; the Hawkins kids comb through a crumbling house for clues; Vecna claims another victim.Check out this week's sponsor!Go to athleticgreens.com/time and get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D & 5 travel packs with your first order