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IX. The Correction of FearYou believe that being afraid is involuntary. 2But I have told you many times that only constructive acts should be involuntary.105 3I said that Christ-control can take over everything that doesn’t matter, and Christ-guidance can direct everything that does, if you so will.1062 Fear cannot be Christ-controlled, but it can be self-controlled. 2Fear is always associated with what does not matter, and prevents me from controlling it. 3The correction is therefore a matter of your will, because its presence shows that you have raised the unimportant to a higher level than it warrants. 4You have thus brought it under your will, where it does not belong. 5This means you feel responsible for it. 6The level confusion here is perfectly obvious. 7The reason that I cannot control fear for you is that you are attempting to raise to the mind level the proper content of lower-order “reality.”107 8I do not foster level confusion, but you can will to correct it.3 You would not tolerate insane behavior on your part, and would hardly advance the excuse that you could not help it. 2Why should you tolerate insane thinking? 3There is a fallacy here you would do well to look at clearly. 4You believe that you are responsible for what you do but not for what you think. 5The truth is that you are responsible for what you think, because it is only at this level that you can exercise choice. 6What you do comes from what you think. 7You cannot separate the two by giving autonomy to your behavior. 8Behavior is controlled by me automatically as soon as you place what you think under my guidance.4 Whenever you are afraid, it is a sure sign that you have allowed your mind to miscreate; that is, you have not allowed me to guide it. 2It is pointless to believe that controlling the outcome of misthought can result in real healing. 3When you are fearful, you have willed wrongly. 4This is why you feel you are responsible for it. 5You must change your mind, not your behavior, and this is a matter of will. 6You do not need guidance except at the mind level. 7Correction belongs only at the level where causation is possible. 8The term does not really mean anything at the symptom level, where it cannot work.5 The correction of fear is your responsibility. 2When you ask for release from fear, you are implying that it isn’t. 3You should ask, instead, for help in the conditions which have brought the fear about. 4This always entails a willingness on the part of your separated mind. 5At this level, you can help it. 6You are much too tolerant of mind wandering, thus tacitly condoning your mind’s miscreations. 7The particular result never matters, but this fundamental error does. 8The fundamental correction is always the same. 9Before you will to do anything, ask me if your will is in accord with mine. 10If you are sure that it is, there will be no fear.6 Fear is always a sign of strain, which arises whenever the will to do conflicts with what you do. 2This situation arises in two major ways:1. 3You can will to do conflicting things, either simultaneously or successively.108 4This produces conflicting behavior, which would be tolerable to the self (though not necessarily to others) except for the fact that the part of the will that wants something else is outraged.2. 5You can behave as you think you should, without entirely willing to do so. 6This produces consistent behavior, but entails great strain within the self.7 If you think about it, you will realize that in both cases the will and the behavior are out of accord, resulting in a situation in which you are doing what you do not will. 2This arouses a sense of coercion, which usually produces rage. 3The anger then invades the mind, and projection in the wrong sense becomes likely.109 4Depression or anxiety is virtually certain.8 Remember that whenever there is fear, it is because you have not made up your mind. 2Your will is split, and your behavior inevitably becomes erratic. 3Correcting at the behavioral level can shift the error from the first type to the second, but will not obliterate the fear. 4It is possible to reach a state in which you bring your will under my guidance without much conscious effort, but this implies the kind of habit pattern which you have not developed dependably as yet.9 Although people say that God will never ask you to do more than you can, they do not understand it themselves. 2God cannot ask more than you will. 3The strength to do comes from your own undivided will to do.110 4There is no strain in doing God’s will as soon as it is also your own.10 The lesson here is quite simple, but particularly apt to be overlooked. 2I will therefore repeat it, urging you to listen. 3Only your mind can produce fear. 4It does so whenever it is conflicted in what it wills, thus producing inevitable strain because willing and doing become discordant.111 5This cannot be corrected by better doing. 6But it can be corrected by higher willing.11 The first corrective step is knowing it is fear. 2After taking this step, you might benefit temporarily by adding another step before going on with the corrective process: Try saying to yourself that you must have willed not to love somehow or somewhere, or the fear which arises from behavior-will conflict could not have happened. 3Then follow the previous instructions.11212 If you consider what the process really means, it is nothing more than a series of pragmatic steps in the larger process of accepting the Atonement as the remedy. 2From this viewpoint, the steps can be reworded as follows:1. 3Know first this is fear.2. 4Fear arises from lack of love.3. 5The only remedy for lack of love is perfect love.4. 6Perfect love is the Atonement.7The final procedural step is inherent in the last statement.113 8We have emphasized that the miracle, or the expression of Atonement, is always a sign of real respect from the worthy to the worthy.114 9This worth is reestablished by the Atonement.13 It is obvious, then, that when you are afraid, you have placed yourself in a position where you need Atonement because you have done something loveless, having willed without love. 2This is precisely the situation for which the Atonement was offered. 3The need for the remedy inspired its establishment. 4As long as you recognize only the need for the remedy, you will remain fearful. 5However, as soon as you use the remedy, you have also abolished the fear. 6This is how true healing occurs.14 It may help if you say this prayer to me:2I would like to pray that my will be united with thine, recognizing that thy perfect love will suffice (or correct) for my imperfect love.3I pray that I may accept the Atonement with conviction, recognizing its inestimable worth, and my own divine worth as part of this identification with thine.4I pray that my fear be replaced by an active sense of thy love, and thy continual willingness to help me overcome the split or divided will which is responsible for my difficulty with this.5I accept the divinity of the messages I have received,115 and affirm my will in both accepting and acting upon the Atonement principle.6Here I am.15 The major problem that you have is the continuing split will, which naturally interferes with your true identification. 2To the extent that you hold onto this split, it will take longer to get through and will markedly interfere with your own integration efforts. 3Reliance has to be placed on me, which is sufficient once you do this without distantiation or division in loyalties. 4This will be strengthened through a continual affirmation of the goal you want to achieve and an awareness of its inevitability. 5In this way, you will perceive and know your true worth, and the importance of maintaining a complete identification.

VII. The Miracle as the Means of HealingThe new emphasis will now be on healing. 2The miracle is the means, the Atonement the principle, and the healing is the result. 3Those who speak of “the miracle of healing” are combining two orders of reality inappropriately. 4Healing is not a miracle. 5The Atonement, or the final miracle, is purely a means, while any type of healing is a result.2 Atonement is the remedy. 2The degree of error to which it is applied is irrelevant. 3Essentially, all healing is the release from fear. 4But to undertake this you cannot be fearful yourself. 5You do not understand healing because of your own fear. 6I have been hinting throughout that you must heal others.89 7The reason is that their healing merely witnesses to yours.3 A major step in the Atonement plan is to undo error at all levels. 2Illness, which is really “not-right-mindedness,” is the result of level confusion in the sense that it always entails the belief that what is amiss in one level can adversely affect another. 3We have constantly referred to miracles as the means of correcting level confusion.90 4In reality, all mistakes must be corrected at the level at which they occur.4 Only the mind is capable of error. 2The body can act erroneously, but this is only because it has responded to misthought. 3The body cannot create, and to believe that it can, a fundamental error responsible for most of the fallacies already referred to, produces all physical symptoms.5 All physical illness represents a belief in magic. 2The whole distortion which made magic rested on the belief that there is a creative ability in matter, which can control the mind. 3This fallacy can work either way; that is, it can be believed either that the mind can miscreate in the body or that the body can miscreate in the mind. 4If it can be made clear that the mind, which is the only level of causation, cannot generate effects beyond itself, then neither confusion need occur.6 The reason why only the mind can make or create is more obvious than may be immediately apparent. 2Spirit has been created. 3The body is a learning device for the mind. 4Learning devices are not lessons in themselves. 5Their purpose is merely to facilitate the thinking of the learner. 6The most that a faulty use of a learning device can do is to fail to facilitate learning. 7It does not have the power in itself to introduce actual learning errors.91 8The body, if properly understood, shares the invulnerability of the Atonement to two-edged application. 9This is not because the body is a miracle, but because it is not inherently open to misinterpretation.7 The body is merely a fact in this world. 2Its abilities can be, and frequently are, overevaluated. 3However, it is almost impossible to deny its existence in this world. 4Those who do are engaging in a particularly unworthy form of denial. 5The use of the word “unworthy” here implies simply that it is not necessary to protect the mind by denying the unmindful. 6There is little doubt that the mind can miscreate. 7If one denies this unfortunate aspect of its power, one is also denying the power itself.928 All material means which you accept as remedies for bodily ills are simply restatements of magic principles. 2It was the first level of the error to believe that the body created its own illness. 3Thereafter, it is a second misstep to attempt to heal it through noncreative agents. 4It does not follow, however, that the application of these very weak corrective devices is evil. 5Sometimes the illness has sufficiently great a hold over an individual’s mind to render him inaccessible to Atonement. 6In this case, one may be wise to utilize a compromise approach to mind and body, in which something from the outside is temporarily given healing belief.9 This is because the last thing that can help the non-right-minded (or the sick) is an increase in fear. 2They are already in a fear-weakened state. 3If they are inappropriately exposed to a straight and undiluted miracle, they may be precipitated into panic. 4This is particularly likely to occur when upside-down perception has induced the belief that miracles are frightening.10 The value of the Atonement does not lie in the manner in which it is expressed. 2In fact, if it is truly used it will inevitably be expressed in whatever way is most helpful to the receiver, not the giver. 3This means that a miracle, to attain its full efficacy, must be expressed in a language which the recipient can understand without fear. 4It does not follow by any means that this is the highest level of communication of which he is capable. 5But it does mean that it is the highest level of communication of which he is capable now. 6The whole aim of the miracle is to raise the level of communication, not to impose regression (in the improper sense) upon it.11 Before it is safe to let miracle workers loose in this world, it is essential that they understand fully the fear of release. 2Otherwise, they may unwittingly foster the belief that release is imprisonment, which is very prevalent. 3This misperception arose from the attempted protection device (or misused defense) that harm can be limited to the body. 4This was because of the much greater fear (which this one counteracts) that the mind can hurt itself.93 5Neither error is really meaningful, because the miscreations of the mind do not really exist. 6That recognition is a far better protection device than any form of level confusion, because of the advantages of introducing correction at the level of the error.12 It is essential that the remembrance remain with you that only mind can make or create. 2Implicit in this is the corollary that correction belongs at the thought level and not at either level to which correction is inapplicable. 3To repeat an earlier statement, and also to extend it somewhat, spirit is already perfect and therefore does not require correction. 4The body does not really exist, except as a learning device for the mind. 5This learning device is not subject to errors of its own, because it was made but does not make.94 6It should be obvious, then, that correcting the maker (or inducing it to give up miscreation) is the only application of creative power which is inherently meaningful at all.13 We said before that magic is essentially mindless, or the destructive (miscreative) use of mind.95 2Physical medicines are a form of “spells.” 3In one way, they are a more benign form, in that they do not entail the possession fallacy, which does enter when a mind believes that it can possess another. 4Since this is considerably less dangerous, though still incorrect, it has its advantages.96 5It is particularly helpful to the therapist who really wants to heal, but is still fearful himself. 6By using physical means to do so, he is not engaging in any form of enslavement, even though he is not applying the Atonement. 7This means that his mind is dulled by fear, but is not actively engaged in distortion.14 Those who are afraid of using the mind to heal are right in avoiding it, because the very fact that they are afraid has made them vulnerable to miscreation. 2They are therefore likely to misunderstand any healing they might induce and, because egocentricity and fear usually occur together, may be unable to accept the real Source of the healing. 3Under these conditions, it is safer for them to rely temporarily on physical healing devices, because they cannot misperceive them as their own creations. 4As long as their own vulnerability persists, it is essential to preserve them from even attempting miracles.

9This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. 11Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12God saw how corrupt the earth had […]

9This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. 10And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and full of violence. 12And God looked upon the earth and saw that it was corrupt; for […]

Amos Disasa preaches - John 5: 1-9This is part 2 of a 7 part worship series.To find out more on how you can get involved with First Presbyterian Church of Dallas visit us at www.fpcdallas.org and Follow us on Instagram and Facebook

9This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. 10And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and full of violence. 12And God looked upon the earth and saw that it was corrupt; for […]

9This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. 10And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and full of violence. 12And God looked upon the earth and saw that it was corrupt; for […]

“‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”  Luke 13:7-9This is an image that reflects our souls many times.  Often in life we can fall into a rut and our relationship with God and others struggles.  As a result, our lives bear little or no good fruit.  Perhaps this is not you at the present moment, but perhaps it is.  Perhaps your life is strongly grounded in Christ or perhaps you are greatly struggling.  If you are struggling, try to see yourself as this fig tree.  And try to see the person who commits to “cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it” as Jesus Himself.  It’s important to note that Jesus does not look at this fig tree and discard it as worthless.  He is a God of second chances and He is committed to caring for this fig tree in such a way as to offer it every necessary opportunity to bear fruit.  So it is with us.  Jesus never just throws us away, regardless of how far we have strayed.  He is always ready and willing to reach out to us in the ways we need so that our lives can once again bear much fruit.Reflect, today, upon whether you feel as though you are in need of allowing Jesus to “cultivate the ground” around you.  Do not be afraid to let Him provide you with the nourishment you need so as to once again bear an abundance of good fruit in your life.Lord, I know that I always am in need of Your love and care in my life.  I need to be nourished by You so that I can bear the fruit that You desire from me.  Help me to be open to the ways in which You wish to nourish my soul so that I can accomplish all that You have in mind for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2020 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.  And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders.  John 8:7–9This passage comes from the story of the woman caught in adultery when she is dragged before Jesus to see if He would support her stoning.  His response is perfect and, in the end, she is left alone to encounter the tender mercy of Jesus.But there is a line in this passage that is easily overlooked.  It is the line that states, “…beginning with the elders.”  This reveals an interesting dynamic within human communities.  Generally speaking, those who are younger tend to lack the wisdom and experience that comes with age.  Though the young may find it hard to admit, those who have lived a long life have a unique and broad picture of life.  This enables them to be far more prudent in their decisions and judgments, especially when it comes to the more intense situations in life.In this story, the woman is brought before Jesus with a harsh judgment.  Emotions are high and these emotions clearly cloud the rational thinking of those who are ready to stone her.  Jesus cuts through this irrationality by a profound statement.  “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Perhaps, at first, those who were younger or more emotional did not allow the words of Jesus to sink in.  They probably stood there with stones in hand waiting to start throwing.  But then the elders began to walk away.  This is age and wisdom at work.  They were less controlled by the emotion of the situation and were immediately aware of the wisdom of the words spoken by our Lord.  As a result, the others followed.Reflect, today, upon the wisdom that comes with age.  If you are older, reflect upon your responsibility to help guide the younger generation with clarity, firmness and love.  If you are younger, do not neglect to rely upon the wisdom of the older generation.  Though age is not a perfect guarantee of wisdom, it may be a far more significant factor than you realize.  Be open to your elders, show them respect, and learn from the experiences they have had in life.Prayer for the young: Lord, give me a true respect for my elders.  I thank you for their wisdom stemming from the many experiences they have had in life.  May I be open to their counsel and be guided by their gentle hand.  Jesus, I trust in You.Prayer for the elder: Lord, I thank You for my life and for the many experiences I have had.  I thank You for teaching me through my hardships and struggles, and I thank You for the joys and loves that I have encountered in life.  Continue to pour forth Your wisdom upon me so that I may help guide Your children.  May I always seek to set a good example and lead them according to Your Heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2020 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Eighth Sunday after Epiphany; February 23, 2020 (Year A); Preached at St. Paul’s BrooklineExodus 24:12-18; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9This morning we remember the Transfiguration, when Jesus ascends the mountain with three of his followers, is transfigured before them, and stands with Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets. This morning we remember Peter, whose impulse it is to build places for Jesus and Moses and Elijah to stay. We remember God’s voice again proclaiming Jesus God’s beloved child. And we remember that all of this disappeared as quickly as it arrived, as Jesus and his followers go back down the mountain, toward Jerusalem and all that waits for them there.This morning, we are invited to consider how we might “practice Transfiguration”in our own lives, today.Chances are that most of you are here this morning because, at some point in your life, you experienced a transfiguration of your own, though you may not have used that language.But you may have had an experience of God that planted a seed within you that would keep you seeking that experience for the remainder of your lifetime; a word spoken by an elder; knowing the unconditional love of another, or offering it yourself.I know I have had mine. The reason I find myself ordained and leading a congregation is due to a deep desire I have for others to know what I have known in my life about the transformative love of God in Christ, and to experience those moments of Transfiguration again for myself.I wonder what transformative, if not transfigurative, experiences are being held in your heart that have sustained you in your lives.Or maybe you are here because you have heard someone talk about an experience of God they have had in their life and you long for a mountain-top experience like that for yourself.Whatever longing you have in your heart, God has placed it there, and it’s all there in this story from Matthew’s Gospel. Though it seems ancient and maybe a little sci-fi, I love this story because it strikes at a basic truth for all of us who strive to follow Jesus. And that truth is that we might glimpse God on a mountaintop, and that glimpse might leave us certain of the presence of God in our life, but we are always led, from those experiences, back into the “real” world where we are to serve God, no matter how unsure of the presence of God we might again become.We keep trying to climb mountaintops, and God keeps sending us into hard work of the world.Peter wants things to stay like they were at the peak, up in the clouds. He offers to build tents for Jesus and Moses and Elijah. Set apart from the world, basking in the certainty of God’s voice and Jesus’ glow, Peter wants things to stay just like that. And who can blame him? Peter, quite literally, has his head in the clouds.But Jesus knows that the Kingdom of God is not on that mountain peak. It is back down the mountain and toward Jerusalem where he is certain of the task in front of him. The path down the mountain will lead him to the cross.We climb the mountain with Jesus, Peter, James and John this morning as we do every year on the last Sunday after the Epiphany, the last Sunday before Lent.This feast is, in our liturgical calendar, the moment we descend the mountain top seasons of Christmas and Epiphany and head into the forty days of Lent that leads us to Jerusalem and to the cross. We will turn our attention from the radiant experiences of God’s revelations among us; as an infant, as one worshiped by the Magi, presented in the temple, and baptized in the River Jordan. For weeks we have heard the stories of our faith that center on the revelation of God to the world, weeks reminded of where God is in the world and how God is moving. Weeks of mountaintop experiences.But we cannot stay there. We cannot build tents and live in Christmas or Epiphany. We must head into the world where the Kingdom of God lives.We must practice Transfiguration. (Many thanks to Carl Greg for his ideas on “practicing transfiguration.” https://www.patheos.com/blogs/carlgregg/2011/02/lectionary-commentary-practicing-transfiguration-for-march-6-2011/)To consider how we might practice Transfiguration in our own lives, we might ask ourselves how we are intentionally creating time and space to climb the mountain with Jesus as our guide. How might you place yourself in the presence of God? What feeds your relationship with God and how intentional are you about practicing it? Maybe it is weekly worship, or daily prayer. A time of intentional silence or a long quiet walk along the Muddy river. Where is God waiting to meet you, to show you the radiance of God’s glory that you might be fed and sustained for the work ahead of you?That is practicing Transfiguration.Practicing Transfiguration is also asking ourselves what tents we have built in our lives to keep God from slipping through our grasp. Is it hard to see Christ in the world because we have left him back up on the mountaintop?The tents we build have power over us. Nostalgia tricks us into thinking God was more present “back then” or “back there.” We invent the “good old days” and we place God in a place and time not our own. Remember back when Sunday schools were overflowing, back when churches were packed, back life was easier and people were nicer.More than shining faces and voices from clouds, the real myths of the Transfiguration are the tents we have built for God in our lives. These tents do nothing but rob us from God’s presence in the here and now and they ignore the reality that, while some might have been living on the mountaintops of the “Good Old Days,” it was only because countless others were living out their lives on Calvary.We are not meant to live out our lives on the mountaintop. They are but momentary and fleeting glimpses of the Divine. These glimpses serve to nourish us for the journey back into the world where we see the face of Christ in everyone we see. Down the mountain and in the world where we clothe the body of Christ, liberate the prisoner Christ, free the slave Christ, feed the hungry Christ, soothe the suffering Christ, and heal the broken Christ. We do all this, sustained by the power of the Risen Christ who is always waiting to greet us at the empty tomb.So, come. Hear the Good News. Receive the Peace of Christ and hear that you are God’s beloved. Share with us in the Breaking of Bread where we know the Lord Jesus. Experience the healing power of Christ’s Love. Bask in the radiance of God’s glory sung in joyful voices. Be transformed, and maybe even transfigured. Enjoy this time on the mountain, for there is a world of Jerusalems waiting for you, needing you, just on the other side of those doors. Alleluia. Amen.While all direct and indirect quotes are always cited, there are sources I read regularly in preparation for sermon writing. Chances are thoughts have been spurred by these sources and so I list the usual suspects here: David Lose, In the Meantime, The New Interpreters Bible, Sacra Pagina .© 2020 The Reverend Jeffrey W. Mello

This week, we explore the passages in Ephesians 5:21-6:9This sermon was recorded on Sunday, December 1, 2019

DON'T LOOK BACK - Jan. 5, 2020“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" Isaiah 43:18-20Lot’s Wife - Genesis 1915At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. “Hurry,” they said to Lot. “Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out right now, or you will be swept away in the destruction of the city!”...17When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”23Lot reached the village just as the sun was rising over the horizon. 24Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. 25He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. 26But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.Abraham’s Death - Joshua 1 1After the death of Moses the LORD’s servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, 2“Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. 3I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— 4from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ 5No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.Jesus: Your Plow, Not Your Past - Luke 951As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” 55But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56So they went on to another village. 57As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”59He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”60But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”61Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” 62But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” The Plan: Joshua 1 6“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”Jesus’s Words 32Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! 33If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. Luke 17:32, 33

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This week, we explore the passages in Ephesians 5:21-6:9This sermon was recorded on Sunday, December 1, 2019

In this message, Joel shares on Psalm 37:7-9This message was given at Open Heavens Church in Orange, NSW.

“As You Go” message given by Shannon Meadors at FOB on 05/12/2019.Scripture:Deuteronomy 6:4-9This message features the audio from an awesome video created by the good folks at The Bible Project. You can watch it here: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/shema-listen/Join us for FOB on Sunday mornings at First Baptist Nashville. www.nashvillefirst.org

“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.  And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders.  John 8:7-9This passage comes from the story of the woman caught in adultery when she is dragged before Jesus to see if He would support her stoning.  His response is perfect and, in the end, she is left alone to encounter the tender mercy of Jesus.But there is a line in this passage that is easily overlooked.  It is the line that states, “…beginning with the elders.”  This reveals an interesting dynamic within human communities.  Generally speaking, those who are younger tend to lack the wisdom and experience that comes with age.  Though the young may find it hard to admit, those who have lived a long life have a unique and broad picture of life.  This enables them to be far more prudent in their decisions and judgments, especially when it comes to the more intense situations in life.In this story, the woman is brought before Jesus with a harsh judgment.  Emotions are high and these emotions clearly cloud the rational thinking of those who are ready to stone her.  Jesus cuts through this irrationality by a profound statement.  “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Perhaps, at first, those who were younger or more emotional did not allow the words of Jesus to sink in.  They probably stood there with stones in hand waiting to start throwing.  But then the elders began to walk away.  This is age and wisdom at work.  They were less controlled by the emotion of the situation and were immediately aware of the wisdom of the words spoken by our Lord.  As a result, the others followed.Reflect, today, upon the wisdom that comes with age.  If you are older, reflect upon your responsibility to help guide the younger generation with clarity, firmness and love.  If you are younger, do not neglect to rely upon the wisdom of the older generation.  Though age is not a perfect guarantee of wisdom, it may be a far more significant factor than you realize.  Be open to your elders, show them respect, and learn from the experiences they have had in life.Prayer for the young: Lord, give me a true respect for my elders.  I thank you for their wisdom stemming from the many experiences they have had in life.  May I be open to their counsel and be guided by their gentle hand.  Jesus, I trust in You.Prayer for the elder: Lord, I thank You for my life and for the many experiences I have had.  I thank You for teaching me through my hardships and struggles, and I thank You for the joys and loves that I have encountered in life.  Continue to pour forth Your wisdom upon me so that I may help guide Your children.  May I always seek to set a good example and lead them according to Your Heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Setting The Captives Free - “ Don’t Forget To Praise Him!!”The topic this week: “ Don’t Forget To Praise Him!!”Scripture Ref : Psalms 103: 1-9This week: God is urging the man of God to preach to us about being grateful and thankful. When we offer up thankfulness to God it should be kindled by the fire of our praise. The blessings of the Lord are limitless and have no boundaries. We must make sure that our praise matches what God does for us. If you want to see the true blessings of God no matter how hard or bad your life is going. No matter how good things may be in your life don’t forget to praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ God bless amen!!!Setting The Captives Free is a podcast like no other. God allowed me to go thru a 27-year wilderness experience. Thru my trials and tribulations, I have developed a non-judgemental spirit. God has challenged me to love all to preach to all and if I do that, he will save all!!https://www.facebook.com/raleigh.thorntonhttps://www.facebook.com/stormtalk365msb/https://www.facebook.com/stormtalk365msb/www.stormtalk365radio.comAll information, content, and music provided solely for general information, reference and entertainment purposes only. No copyrights infringements impliedDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and do notnecessarily reflect the official policy or position of Storm Talk 365 Radio, any of the affiliates or concerned parties represented by the network.Tags: settingthecaptivesfree ministerraleighthornton stormtalk365 religion spiritualwarfare spirituality religion christianity talkshow

Setting The Captives Free - “ Don’t Forget To Praise Him!!”The topic this week: “ Don’t Forget To Praise Him!!”Scripture Ref : Psalms 103: 1-9This week: God is urging the man of God to preach to us about being grateful and thankful. When we offer up thankfulness to God it should be kindled by the fire of our praise. The blessings of the Lord are limitless and have no boundaries. We must make sure that our praise matches what God does for us. If you want to see the true blessings of God no matter how hard or bad your life is going. No matter how good things may be in your life don’t forget to praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ God bless amen!!!Setting The Captives Free is a podcast like no other. God allowed me to go thru a 27-year wilderness experience. Thru my trials and tribulations, I have developed a non-judgemental spirit. God has challenged me to love all to preach to all and if I do that, he will save all!!https://www.facebook.com/raleigh.thorntonhttps://www.facebook.com/stormtalk365msb/https://www.facebook.com/stormtalk365msb/www.stormtalk365radio.comAll information, content, and music provided solely for general information, reference and entertainment purposes only. No copyrights infringements impliedDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and do notnecessarily reflect the official policy or position of Storm Talk 365 Radio, any of the affiliates or concerned parties represented by the network.Tags: settingthecaptivesfree ministerraleighthornton stormtalk365 religion spiritualwarfare spirituality religion christianity talkshow

Advent 2018 - Temporary Tenant - message 2Text: II Corinthians 8:9This time of year we hear a lot about peace, joy, and love - Jesus is definitely all about these things! But when do you hear people talk about grace at Christmas? "God and sinners, reconciled" - that's GRACE! Jesus came full of grace - "grace upon grace"! By being a temporary tenant in both His manger and tomb, God and sinners are being beautifully reconciled in Him. And God's will is that we receive His grace every day, that we live in it and that we give it to others!

Setting The Captives Free - " Gods Goodness Is Able To Recue You!!"Topic this week : " Gods Goodness Is Able To Recue You!!" Scripture : psalms 107 :1-12 ,Romans 10:9This week are being reassure of the Goidness of God. Keep trusting and believing in God. When life goes haywire Jesus is able to rescue you.

Setting The Captives Free - " Gods Goodness Is Able To Recue You!!"Topic this week : " Gods Goodness Is Able To Recue You!!" Scripture : psalms 107 :1-12 ,Romans 10:9This week are being reassure of the Goidness of God. Keep trusting and believing in God. When life goes haywire Jesus is able to rescue you.

*We apologize for the sound quality on this recording.* This is the 16th class on the book of Hebrews. This Bible class was taught at the Pilot Point Church in Pilot Point Texas. The following is the outline of the class. Christ the Mediator of a New Covenant The old covenant was inadequate and faulty, the new covenant is complete will never age The old covenant was inadequate because of its nature/law of works. The old covenant was inadequate because of its national/civil function and administration. The old covenant was faulty because its membership did not know God – had to be taught about God. The old covenant was faulty because once you sinned God could not make you right with that covenant. The old covenant was faulty because it was not designed to last forever. The Place of Jesus Ministry Hebrews chapter 9 9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered Ark of the Covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. 1 Kings 6 (NIV) 14So Solomon built the temple and completed it. 15He lined its interior walls with cedar boards, paneling them from the floor of the temple to the ceiling, and covered the floor of the temple with planks of juniper.16He partitioned off twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 17The main hall in front of this room was forty cubits[i] long. 18The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; no stone was to be seen. 19He prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there. 20The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar. 21Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. 22So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary. Leviticus 16 11“Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. 12He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain. 13He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die. 14He is to take some of the bull’s blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover. Hebrews 9 (NIV) 6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. • 7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. • 8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. • 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. • 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order Matthew 27 45From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[c] lema sabachthani?” (Which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[d] 47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” 48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” 50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split Hebrews 9 (NIV) 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order 11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. The Son’s Sacrifice is Superior to the O.T. Sacrifice Hebrews chapter 9:12-10:18 Hebrews 9 (NIV) 11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[a] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. Hebrews 9 (NIV) 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 9 16In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. (NIV) 16For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. • (NASB) Hebrews 9 (NASB) 18Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. • 19For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20saying, “THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU.” 21And in the same way he sprinkled both the [v]tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22And according to the [w]Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Matthew 26 (NASB) 27And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9 23Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; Subscribe to the podcast: {Apple Podcasts}{Stitcher}{Google Play}{IHeartRadio}

Jesus Has Entered The Building! - 05.28.17 The Good Book Series Luke 4:16-21 (NASB) 16And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” 20And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Isaiah 61 Prophecy) BE LOVE SUMMER: Offering free to the community, asking nothing in return! Drive-Thru Prayer every Thursday - June 1st, Thursday 6:00 PM Life Skills Camp for Special Needs children, offered in partnership with Dance for a Cause - Starts June 5th, Monday 8:00 AM-12 PM Outreach Night, take water bottles to the Soccer Complex - June 7th, Wednesday 7:00 PM Wednesday Night Youth Group Hang-Outs for the rest of the summer - June 14th, Wednesday 7:00 PM Parent’s Night Out, Glow in the Dark, Jesus Is The Light, Night, One year olds to 5th Graders - June 16th, Friday 6:00 - 9:00 PM RiverTown Originals with Jennifer Mozley, Free Concert for the Community - June 23rd, Friday 7:00-8:00 PM All-American Hoedown, Square Dance and Karaoke, Family Fun Night - July 5th, Wednesday 6:00 PM Relationally Parenting Teens, A Free Parenting Seminar by Patrick Doyle of Veritas Counseling - July 6th, Thursday 6:30-8:30 PM Bridges of Faith Work Day in Verbena, AL to support ministry to Ukranian Orphans - July 14-15th, Friday-Saturday Parent’s Night Out: Water Play Night, Learn that Jesus is Living Water, One year olds to 5th Graders - July 21st, Friday 6:00-9:00 PM Back To School Pig Roast, Roasting On-Site a 100lb hog for Fourth-Sunday Feast. - Sunday, July 23rd - After 11:00am Express Service Take the City Outreach - July 28th-29th, Friday 6:30 PM and Saturday 12:30 PM Family Night In: See the kids show what they learned during our Parent’s Night Outs - August 4th, Friday 6-9 PM: WHY? The BE LOVE Question: Who And How Many People Would Be UnLoved If You Weren’t Here? 1 John 4:7-13, 19 (NIV) 7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13This is how we know that we live in him and he in us. 19We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:7-14 7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. V 7 –love comes from God. People who exhibit Christian love have been born of God and know God. Love comes from the new life that we receive at salvation and from fellowship with God. 1 John 2:3-6 3We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. V 8 – if you don’t love, you don’t know God. People who carry out violence and whose speech is full of hate and say they do it in the name of God – do they know God? No. Love is intrinsic to the character and nature of God. If you know Him and follow Him, you will walk in His love. V 9 – God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. We forget, but we were destined for justice. Our sin would bring us death. There was no escaping, nothing we could do. We were born in sin and committed sin ourselves. The wages of sin is death. But God showed his love among us. He sent His one and only Son that we might live. V 10 – this is love: God loved us when we didn’t love Him. Jesus did not come in response to our love for God. God went first. He initiated. He took a risk. He sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin. Christ’s death satisfied God and His demands for justice and righteousness. Christ’s death so satisfied Gods’ demand for righteousness that now grace and mercy are abundantly available to us. V 11 – Since God loved us, we should love each other. V 12 – Among believers, this invisible God lives (abides) in us and His love is complete in us. V 13 – There is a mutual abiding – we abide with Him and He with us – for believers. The phrase “He has given us of His Spirit” is literally, “He has given us out of His Spirit.” When you and I love, we are drawing love from God’s Spirit. Love is the product of the Spirit’s work in you and me. V 14 – “We have seen” – The indwelling God, whose presence is manifested in the midst of a loving Christians, becomes in a sense truly visible. Though no one has seen God, believers who abide in Him have seen the Son as He is manifested among loving Christians. Christians who have seen this manifestation can testify to this truth: “the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” Our love for people comes from abiding with Christ. There is no other way. You cannot work hard enough to love people. It only comes from living and walking with Christ for a long time. Our love for people is to be like God’s love for us. His love is courageous. He loved us first, took a risk, did not wait for our response. We were not seeking him, loving him, looking for him, trying to make things right – Then he broke through the silence. This is the kind of love we’re supposed to have for others – love that breaks through the silence. Is there silence in your marriage? Christ’s love in you breaks through the silence, courageously and selflessly and demonstrates love. Is there silence between you and someone else because of hurt feelings or unforgiveness? Christ’s love in you breaks through the silence to bring reconciliation. Is there silence between you and friends – about things that matter? You talk about EVERYTHING else but God? Christ’s love in you breaks through the silence and causes you to spur each other on in faith.