Podcasts about Abijah

In this Bible Story, Abijah rules with a brutal fist and sinful arrogance. His son, Asa, rules with the fear of God and a righteous heart and is able to topple the idols in Judah and bring the people of God back to their first love. This story is inspired by 1 Kings 15 & 2 Chronicles 13-16. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 1 Kings 15:12 from the King James Version.Episode 121: Abijah was harsh, like his father Rehoboam, and his reign was filled with war and strife. Constantly fighting against his brothers in Israel. Yet in all this despair God was faithful to His promise to David that there would always be a king from his line on the throne. After Abijah died, his son Asa came to rule. His heart was turned toward rescuing the people from the idolatry in Judah and with God's help, he galvanized the people of Judah into a spirit of unity.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Bible Story, we learn about the downward spiral of Judah and Israel. Their kings, Rehoboam and Jeroboam, lead their people into an era of idol-worship, war, and cynicism. The past glory of David and Solomon seems like a distant memory, and the people of Israel grow accustomed to sin and shame. This story is inspired by 1 Kings 14, 15:33-34 & 2 Chronicles 12. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Chronicles 12:6 from the King James Version.Episode 120: King Jeroboam's son Abijah was sick, and as he sat at the boy's bedside, he called for his wife to disguise herself and seek out the prophet Ahijah. When she arrived, his message for her was not one of hope but of judgment and of recompense for her husband's sins. And as she rode home in heartbreak, her son Abijah died.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 15; 2 Chron 13-14; Philippians 4 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the June 14th, 2025 episode of the Daily Radio Bible! On today's journey through Scripture, your host Hunter guides us through the stories of kings and battles in 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 13–14, and finishes with the encouragement-packed Philippians 4. Together, we'll reflect on the legacy of King Asa, who learned from his father to trust God against impossible odds, and discover how faith in God's help can lead to overwhelming victory—even when the situation looks dire. In Philippians, we're reminded not to worry, but to pray with thanksgiving and let the peace of God guard our hearts. Hunter wraps up with a time of prayer and gentle encouragement for your day. So settle in, breathe deep, and let gratitude fill your heart as we journey together through the Word and into God's presence. TODAY'S DEVOTION: God helps the powerless against the mighty. That's the lesson passed down from Abijah to Asa, and now to us. When Asa found himself wildly outnumbered by the Ethiopian army—two to one, with one million men coming against Judah—he remembered what his father had done before him. Abijah had also been outnumbered, had also stood against impossible odds, and in that desperate moment, he cried out to God. God answered, and victory was given. Asa follows that same path: not by his own might, but by calling on the Lord for help. It's easy for us to look at overwhelming obstacles—those two-to-one situations in our lives—and feel defeated before the first step, to let fear and anxiety be our first response. But today's readings remind us that God is with us when the odds do not favor us. He sees, he hears, and he moves on behalf of those who trust him. Our strength is never really in our numbers, in our plans, or in our own hands, but in a God who delights to show himself strong for those who depend on him. The apostle Paul, too, speaks to this truth. He encourages us not to worry about anything, but in prayer and thanksgiving, to let our requests be made known to God. He promises us God's peace—a peace that doesn't make sense to the world—will guard our hearts and minds. That's not just for the easy days, but for the hard ones. Not just when the sun is shining, but when the odds seem impossible. Let's take this lesson into our own lives. When you face what seems insurmountable, when you are outnumbered and overwhelmed, remember: our God helps the powerless against the mighty. Victory belongs to him. Pray, trust, give thanks, and stand firm in God's peace. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Gracious and everlasting God, you have brought us through the shadow of night into the promise of a new day. You go before us with your mercy, sustain us by your grace and keep us from wandering paths of fear or pride. Let every word we speak and every step we take be formed by the goodness of Christ. O Lord, gather your people far and near. May every tribe and tongue come to know your peace. Let justice roll like a river and healing flow where there has been division. Pour out your spirit upon all flesh and bring us closer to the day when your kingdom comes in fullness through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the Glory forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

This weeks show starts off with classics from Culture, Errol Alphonso & King Tubby, Patrick Andy, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Dennis Brown, Black Uhuru & Ranking Joe, Hortense Ellis, Barry Brown, Burning Spear, Junior Murvin, Garnet Silk, Johnny Osbourne, Nitty Gritty, and Sugar Minott. New music this week comes from Clinton Fearon, The Cimarons, Niney The Observer, Keith & Tex, B. Davis, Glen Washington, Abijah, Young Garvey, SunDub, The Meditations, Khago, Pachyman, Roots Architects, Kabaka Pyramid, Yeza & Rory Stonelove, Inna Vision, and Kingston Express featuring Cheshire Cat. Also this week we celebrate Father's Day with selections from Wareika Hill, The Pioneers, Ky-Mani Marley, Ginjah, Luciano, Queen Omega, and Mellow Mood.  Enjoy!  Culture - This Train - Africa Stand Alone - VP Records Errol Alphonso & King Tubby - Chant Jah VictoryJah Victory Dub - Yabby You: Jesus Dread 1972-1977 - Blood & Fire Clinton Fearon - Can't Stop Us - Jah Is Love - Baco Music/Boogie Brown Productions Wareika Hill - Father's Day - Wareika Hill - Jump Up Records Patrick Andy - Youths Of Today/Youths Of Today Version - Vivian Jackson Presents: Living In Mount Zion - Pressure Sounds Inner Circle & The Fatman Riddim Section - Down Rhodesia - Heavyweight Dub/Killer Dub - Blood & Fire Ky-Mani Marley - Dear Dad - The Journey - Shang Muzik Bob Marley & The Wailers - Crazy Baldhead (Unreleased Alternative Album Mix) - Rastaman Vibration - Tuff Gong Dennis Brown - Want To Be No General - The Promised Land - Blood & Fire Black Uhuru w/ Ranking Joe & Sly & Robbie - Rent Man/Rent Man Style/Rent Man Dubwise - Ranking Joe Universal 12” Pioneers - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone - Trojan Soulful Reggae Box Set - Trojan Records Still Cool - Angel Of Love - Still Cool - Uprising/DKR Hortense Ellis - Woman Of The Ghetto - Demon Records 7” Mikey General - Only Jah Know - Poor Man's Friend Records Barry Brown & Dean Fraser - Ital Rock/Ital Rock (special dubplate cut) - Jah Fingers Burning Spear - Travelling/Walking - Spear Burning: Burning Spear Productions - Pressure Sounds Ginjah - I Love Papa - The Message Album - Black Metro Music Junior Murvin w/ Welton Irie & Prince Weedy - Cool Out Son/Nice Up The Party - Joe Gibbs 12” Reggae Discomix Showcase Vol. 1 - VP Records Garnet Silk - Bless Me - Garnet Silk Meets Conquering Lion: A Dubplate Selection - Earthman Music Garnet Silk - Splashing Dashing - Reggae Anthology: Music Is The Rod - VP Records Johnny Osbourne - Chopper - Darace Nitty Gritty - Hog In A Minty - King Jammy: Selectors Choice Vol. 1 - VP Records Sugar Minott - Time Longer Than Rope - Time Longer Than Rope - Greensleeves Luciano - Good Papa - Great Controversy - Jet Star Cimarons - Oh Jah - Harder Than The Rock - Evidence Music Niney The Observer - Judas - Niney The Observer - Observer Music Keith Poppin - Speak Out - Speak Out - Keith Smith Clinton Fearon - It Go So - Jah Is Love - Baco Music/Boogie Brown Productions Keith & Tex - Give Me One Reason - Gun Life - Liquidator Music B. Davis & The HiFi Rockers feat. Jim The Boss - Jah Lead Me/Jah Dub Me - Midnight Version - HiFi Rockers Queen Omega - Big Up Papa - Dis Ya Time Riddim - Special Delivery Music Glen Washington - Evil Alters - Leroy Sibbles Presents: Vibes Man Riddim - Tad's Records Abijah - Warrior Mode - Leroy Sibbles Presents: Vibes Man Riddim - Tad's Records Young Garvey - Cool Natty - Leroy Sibbles Presents: Vibes Man Riddim - Tad's Records SunDub - Love & Humanity - Brooklyn Riddim - Easy Star Records The Meditations - Things You Do - Brooklyn Riddim - Easy Star Records Joe Yorke & The Co-Operators - All Night Skanking - Waggle Dance Records Naoki HiFi - All Night Skanking Dub -Naoki HiFi Khago - 2Times - 2Time Riddim - Long Chain Global MIkey Spice - I Am I Said - Reggae Virus First Dose - Tad's Records Khalia - Flowers - Silly Walks Discotheque Khalia & Silly Walks Discotheque - Flowers (Greg Morris III Dub Mix) - King Size Dub Hamberg - Echo Beach Dr. Dubenstein - Flabba's Ipad - Conspiracy Theory - Big D Records Jubba White - Balance - My Random Thoughts - White Stone Productions Pachyman - Berlin - Another Place - ATO Records Scientist Meets Blanc du Blanc - Treading Eternal Resonance - Before The Beginning - Soul Selects Records Barry Boom - The Wicked Shall Fall/Crack Of The Whip Dub (Original 80's Mix) - Fashion Records Wailing Souls & Roots Radics - Busnah/Busnah Dubwise - Iration Steppas: Dubs From The Foundation - Greensleeves Roots Architects, Roberto Sanchez feat. Vin Gordon & Glen DaCosta - In The Shadow Dub - From Dub Til Now - Fruits Records Horace Andy - Rock To Sleep - Midnight Rocker - On U Sound Horace Andy - Sleepy's Night Cap - Midnight Scorchers - On U Sound Wayne Jarrett w/ Roots Radics & Scientist - Love In A Mi Heart/Dangerous Match Nine - Junjo Presents: Wins The World Cup - Greensleeves Noel Ellis - Dance With Me - Noel Ellis - Light In The Attic Records Mellow Mood - Daddy - Large - La Tempesta Dub Kabaka Pyramid - Jamaica - Pon Di Island Riddim - Bebble Rock Music Yaksta - Pon Di Island - Pon Di Island Riddim - Bebble Rock Music Yeza & RoryStonelove - Road Runner - Black Dub Music Sister Nancy - Bam Bam - One Two - Techniques Admiral Tibet - Serious Time - Prince Jammy Presents Vol. 4 - Live & Love Admiral Tibet w/ Shabba Ranks & Ninjaman - Serious Time - Digital B Inna Vision feat. Mellow Mood - Faith and Deeds - Faith And Deeds - Reggae Lives Kingston Express & Cheshire Cat - Just Pass - Unfinished Business - Kingston Express Records

Judgment on the House of Jeroboam 14 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. 2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Please arise, and disguise yourself, that they may not recognize you as the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Indeed, Ahijah the prophet is there, who told me that I would be king over this people. 3 Also take [a]with […]

In this powerful sermon, Pastor Anthony James Hayes dives into 2 Chronicles chapter 13, examining the story of King Abijah and the war where God delivered him from his enemies despite his lack of full commitment. Pastor Hayes challenges believers with a sobering message: Don't let your victories turn into failures. Just like Abijah, many Christians experience God's grace, favor, and deliverance in tough situations—but still refuse to fully surrender to God's will and word. This teaching reminds us that partial obedience is still disobedience, and that God is looking for hearts that are fully devoted to Him.If you've ever found yourself praising God in the storm but drifting once the skies clear, this message is for you. Let this word encourage, convict, and lead you to deeper commitment in your walk with Christ.Watch now and discover how to turn your spiritual wins into lasting faith, and avoid the trap of surface-level devotion.Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and follow us on Facebook also leave us a review If You Like To donate to this podcast you can through cashapp or email us at brothersjustsearchingpodcast@gmail.com for more infoAnything is appreciated Cashapp infoBJSmediaThis podcast is brought to you by BJS MEDIA. A christian media production from the swamps of Louisiana. Teaching THE WORD OF GOD (The Bible) and discussing religion, cults, and other world events. Affiliated Sponsors Give A Dermhttps://shop.giveaderm.com/?ref=zyA9wlUDw9uNpRutu.be%2FeGRF2tub4po%3Fsi%3DDO4PRKnvcGrypsSj&fbclid=IwAR1EAmS-mrfubYHuM6aL7f9uKozOYrRk2kDCm8__iUpQ1ztlC51haKoSv74_aem_AUuYoYViCm0qUXrtwS3Q3fuV5o73YPUrkg5n90zEvcA8-16reKuedx-UKzwCFON1Q7EPromo Code: BJSMEDIA10Hairclubhttps://www.hairclub.com/lp/refer?rfsn=7664433.5668a3b&pub=IPREFCLRERECA12476&referralCode=BJSMEDIA10Promo Code: BJSMEDIA10Brothers Just Searching Links Check out our website https://brothersjustsearching.wordpress.com/Check out Our Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/bjspodcastCheck out our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/channel/UCSKi3Aywyd1PQWQ5K1rrIUAhttps://campsite.to/bjsmedia#Bible Study Podcast #Bible Study # Going Through God's Word

MOST OF THE kings of Judah, and all of those who ruled the northern kingdom of Israel, “did evil in the sight of the LORD.”  One notable exception was Asa, king of Judah between about 910 and 873 BC, whose “heart was wholly true all his days.” He got rid of the idols erected by his father, Abijah, and banished male cult prostitutes from the land. The account of his reign in 2 Chronicles further records the religious reforms instituted by Asa, who even removed his mother (or grandmother) Maacah from her position as queen mother because she'd erected an Asherah pole. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Our new book The Gates of Hell is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Derek's new book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821) Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon)Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch Follow us! • X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation• Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship JOIN US AND SPECIAL GUEST CARL TEICHRIB IN ISRAEL! Our next tour of Israel is October 19–30, 2025 with an optional three-day extension to Jordan. For more information and to reserve your place, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel. Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store. Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the right-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org.

MOST OF THE kings of Judah, and all of those who ruled the northern kingdom of Israel, “did evil in the sight of the LORD.” One notable exception was Asa, king of Judah between about 910 and 873 BC, whose “heart was wholly true all his days.” He got rid of the idols erected by his father, Abijah, and banished male cult prostitutes from the land. The account of his reign in 2 Chronicles further records the religious reforms instituted by Asa, who even removed his mother (or grandmother) Maacah from her position as queen mother because she'd erected an Asherah pole.

Northwest Bible Church – May 4, 2025 – Matthew – Alan Conner Matthew 1:1-17  The Family Tree of Jesus Intro A. THE NAMES AND TITLES FOR JESUS (Matthew 1:1). 1. Jesus Christ -   2. Son of DAVID -  2 Sam. 7:12-13 3. Son of ABRAHAM -  Gen. 12:3; 17:5.   B. A WALK THROUGH THE GENEALOGY (Matthew 1:2-16). 1. First section (Matthew 1:2-6). a. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah.     (1) Tamar (Matthew 1:3) -   (2) Rahab (Matthew 1:5) –  (3) Ruth (Matthew 1:5) –  (4) Bathsheba (Matthew 1:6) - b. Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David.   2. Second section (Matthew 1:6-11).     a. David; Solomon; Rehoboam –  b. Abijah;   Asa;  Jehoshaphat  c. Jehoram;  Uzziah;  Jotham;  Ahaz;   Hezekiah   d. Manasseh;  Amon;  Josiah;  Jeconiah  3. Third section (Matthew 1:12-16).   Babylonian exile.   a. Zerubbabel –  b. Matthew 1:13-15.    9 names are unknown.   c. Jacob, Joseph, the husband of Mary by whom Jesus was born.  B. THE THEMES FROM THE GENEALOGY. 1. Why the emphasis on “fourteen” (Matthew 1:17)?    2. Full of sinners to highlight the grace of God.   3. Jesus is qualified to be the Messiah as a son of David.  God is faithful! 4. Lays foundation for the virgin birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:16). 5. The three phases of history.  OUT OF DARKNESS, LIGHT! Conclusion

2 Chronicles 29:1-3 (KJV) Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. 3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.

Matthew 1:1-17This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife, 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiahand his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.12 After the exile to Babylon:Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, 15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. Series: Fix Your Eyes upon Jesus Hebrews 12:1-2 "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of faith"  Importance of Genealogy  God the Promise Keeper: Jesus is the fulfillment of God's Covenant.  God, the Grace Giver: Jesus is the revelation of God's Grace  God, the Loving Father: Jesus is the mediator of God's Love  Our Response  

Join us as we explore the story of Jeroboam, whose pride led to devastating consequences for his family and Israel. See the difference between Jeroboam's stubbornness and King David's humble response when both faced their sins. Listen now and be inspired to approach God with a humble heart!

Jesus Is The Way - Humility To Glory (3) (audio) David Eells – 3/16/25 We've noticed that Jesus taught a lot on humility, although He didn't necessarily always use that term, so today, I'd like for us to look at humility as the demand of discipleship because humility is the process of crucifixion, the process of taking up our cross and following Jesus (Matthew 10:38; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). So how do we take up our cross? The main way that we take up our cross is through obedience to God's commands, because His commands are humbling to the flesh, which is crucifying to the flesh. We have to lose our life to gain our Life (Matthew 10:39; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:25; etc.), and Jesus' commands were designed to cause us to lose our life; they were designed to humble the old man and bring him to naught. Let me share with you a few places where I think Jesus particularly pointed out this humble walk to us. (Mat.5:1) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: (2) and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, (3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What does that mean, “the poor in spirit”? Well, we're warned by Scripture to beware of the rich because they usually exercise their authority and their power to take advantage of the poor (James 2:6-7; 5:1-6; etc.) And so the poor in spirit is a people that have been humbled because they don't have the authority, they don't have the means by which to take full advantage of the world, or to be peers with the rich of the world. For God's people to be poor in spirit is obviously to be a humbled people.   (Mat.5:4) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.   Obviously, we mourn. The world is full of laughter and enjoying everything that's going on around them but, like Lot (2 Peter 2:7-8), we're grieved in our hearts. When we put the Word of God in our heart, the Jesus Who is in us is grieved at the things that go on around us, is grieved at the advantage that the wicked take of us, is grieved at the persecution that they bring against us. Losing your life can be painful, of course, but if we obey Jesus' commands, He will make it as quick as possible. Thank You, Lord!   (Mat.5:5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. There's something about the meek that the Lord loves, and the ones whom He picked to be His disciples that weren't meek, He humbled. He doesn't want people to be bold and demanding their own will, their own way, using their own strength to negotiate with the world. That's not the way of the Lord. That's not the way of His people.   (Mat.5:6) Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. That's a good promise, although obviously the great majority of God's people don't “hunger and thirst after righteousness.” No, they're quite satisfied with what they have. They believe they've been told the Truth, so they think they have it all summed up, but God doesn't want us ever to be satisfied. I like what David said, “I'll never be satisfied till I wake in thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15). That's the kind of thinking that God wants us to have. He wants this desire to be in us, this hunger and thirst to be full of His righteousness.   (Mat.5:7) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. The Lord is teaching us that if we show mercy, forgiveness, and grace towards others, He's going to multiply it back to us. (Luk.6:37) And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released: (38) give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.   (Mat.5:8) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Who are “the pure in heart”? It's the people who have a heart that has been renewed by the Word of God, who have hungered and thirsted after righteousness, who are convicted by the Word, who read it for the advantage of gaining Christ (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23; etc.)   (Mat.5:9) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God. So many people are picking sides nowadays! And sadly, many of God's people choose a worldly side; they want to fight with the world against the world. They're confused about where the Kingdom of God stops and the kingdom of the world starts, and that's why we need discernment from the Lord, a discernment that only the Word can give to us. We're here to make peace. We're here not to choose between the lesser of two evils, but to choose God's Kingdom in the midst of all evil because it's all evil. All the nations of the world are evil; they're all fallen.   (Mat.5:10) Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Another Scripture tells us, (2Ti.3:12) Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. If you're going to live Godly, as Jesus walked, you are going to suffer persecution, and it's for the purpose of crucifying that old man. But notice He said, “Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake” because if we suffer for doing evil, we don't receive glory or gain any advantage for that (1 Peter 2:20,3:17). And many of us do suffer God's chastening for doing things that are contrary to His Will, but that's because He loves us and wants us to turn and go the other way.   (Mat.5:11) Blessed are ye when [men] shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. We don't like to suffer persecution, or people speaking lies against us, and so on, but God said, “Blessed are you.” This is more of God's humbling process, that we should accept what's being spoken against us. Jesus told His apostles, (Joh.15:20) Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. If they did it to our Lord, they'll do it to us and so we should be rejoicing in our persecution. In fact, look at what the very next verse says.   (Mat.5:12) Rejoice, and be exceeding glad (Notice that's our command from the Lord.): for great is your reward in heaven… We're going to receive a reward because of all the things that the wicked, and wicked Christians, and wicked worldly people, say against us. We're going to get a reward for that and so He tells us to rejoice and give thanks to God. I don't believe when we're on the other side of our trial looking back, brethren, that we're going to think, “Boy, I'm sorry I went through that!” It says in (Heb.12:11) All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness. Obviously, we're going to see the results of God's blessings and the things that He's provided for us because we have gone through that, and because of the peaceable fruit that God is working in our heart by our going through this. No, I believe we're going to thank God.   (Mat.5:23) If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, (24) leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. God doesn't want to accept anything from our hand as priests of the Lord, until we make things right with anybody that we have offended. Now we know there are ways we offend people that are perfectly legal and right. Jesus offended people quite a bit, but He offended them by speaking the Word of the Lord. He didn't offend them by foolishness and sin, which is what this is talking about. We will offend people, but Jesus didn't ask forgiveness for speaking the Word of the Lord and speaking the Truth, even if it hurt.   However, some people are a little overbalanced in speaking what they call the “truth.” They don't have grace in what they say, and they don't build people up in what they're doing, which is wrong. And when we outgrow that, we should go back and tell those people we're sorry that we did such things, because our youthful exuberance sometimes causes trouble, and hurts people more than it helps. (Mat.5:25) Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.   Yes, if we have offended someone, we need to quickly go and make it right. If not, God may make us pay because of the damage that we've done to somebody else. Also notice that if someone doesn't make things right, they'll be “cast into prison.” Do you know who serves as God's “officers” in prison? It's the tormenting spirits that people labor under, and are chastened under, and so forth. (Mat.5:26) Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing. We have to pay for some sins. We need to repent quickly before God calls in our debt.   The same thing is seen in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, where the servant was forgiven by his master, but afterward wouldn't go on to forgive his fellow servant. Let's read that in (Mat.18:32) Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: (33) shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? (34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. “Tormentors” is the word basanistḗs; the “place of torments” is básanos. These tormentors are the demons that God permits to torment people because of their evil works until they repent and humble themselves under the mighty Hand of God.   (Mat.18:35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. There is no choice; we have to forgive. We may feel that these people are not worthy of our forgiveness. They did us wrong, and they were evil, they really hurt and abused us, and so on, and all those things could be true, but it doesn't make any difference. We did all those things to God. We were wrong; we were evil; we deserved what we got and yet, He forgave us. And Jesus came and bore the penalty for our sins, thank God! We'd all be destroyed otherwise. God is humbling us, and He gives us help with this humbling process. When we're not willing to do it ourselves, He causes us to count the cost for our low living until we realize, “Well, it's not worth it, so I need to turn to the Lord.”   (Mat.5:38) Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: (39) but I say unto you, resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. We often need to be reminded of this because it doesn't come naturally to us and it really irks the old man to “resist not…evil.” We think that we self-righteously deserve God's goodness since, in our eyes, we've been good, but God sees otherwise. He sees that down inside of us, there is something that would rise up to defend self and, of course, self cannot be defended in any way, legally. In the Name of Jesus, self cannot be defended because self is the enemy of God and must be crucified. And our Lord Jesus, Who went to the Cross, didn't deserve what He got but He bore it for us. Praise the Lord!   Now, “resist not him that is evil” doesn't mean to “resist not the devil,” because the Bible says, “resist the devil” (James 4:7). Nor does it mean that we don't resist false prophets who come in to teach lies and take advantage of the people, because we see that Peter, Paul, John, and Jesus Himself spoke against false prophets to defend the disciples from the faith (Matthew 17:15, 24:5,24; John 5:43; etc.) What it does mean is resist not the evil that comes against you personally, because these are the times when “self” rises up and really wants to fight back. And we're going to reap what we sow if we do that (Galatians 6:7) since the people of the world don't have any restraint upon them to fight, nor do the wicked so-called “Christians.” And you're going to always keep reaping from these people what you sow. They'll just continue to fight, and continue to fight. You're the only one that can stop it, and as you deny the old man the right to defend himself, he dies a little bit more each time and it becomes easier and easier.   (Mat.5:40) And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. Years ago, a good brother I knew was plundered by some people who were working with him. They stole all his machinery and other equipment, then they lied to the police and said that he owed it to them. So he came to tell me what happened and asked, “What am I going to do?” I replied, “Well, I can only tell you what Jesus told us. It's one of those ‘bitter pills' that doesn't go down easy, but it's what Jesus said.” Just as when the wicked came and robbed Job, and Job said, (Job.1:21) … Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.   Again, in (Mat.5:40) And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. (41) And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. These things are all very humbling, are they not? These commands put us in the place of weakness; they put us in the place of crucifixion when we obey them.   (Mat.5:42) Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. That's another command, but sometimes we wonder, “Should I or should I not?” Well, sometimes we become judges instead of just obedient servants, and the Lord doesn't want that of us. He says, “Give to them that ask of thee.”   (Mat.5:43) Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: (44) but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you… Of course, this is another one of those bitter pills that goes down hard, but I tell you, the best thing to do for your own heart, and for theirs, is to pray for them. And another text that's very similar is, (Rom.12:38) Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. Notice, it's those that persecute you. Now there are places in the Scriptures where what people would consider to be curses were spoken, even by disciples of God. Were they disobeying this command? No.   When Paul turned a man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, it was so that the man's spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:5). Paul didn't have any personal thing to gain by doing this; he did it because it was good for this man. So you see, there are some curses that are not curses at all. They're blessings. A chastening from the Lord is a blessing. If you don't chasten your child, he gets worse and worse (Proverbs 13:24), therefore it's not a curse when it's a blessing, even though it may function in effect as a curse. So “Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not,” is saying, “Don't resist personal affronts against you. Bless and curse not.”   Here's another example of a curse, which is actually being a blessing. (Act.13:6) And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus; (7) who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. (8) But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.   (9) But Saul, who is also [called] Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, (10) and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? (11) And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. (12) Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.   Certainly, most people would consider that a curse, but Paul didn't speak that because someone was persecuting him personally; it was to defend a man from another, wicked, man. God Himself delivers us over to the curse, and He can use vessels like the apostle Paul, or like us, in the Spirit, but He's never going to do it if we're retaliating or fighting against people whom God has sent to crucify us. We see Jesus didn't resist crucifixion. He could have called down a curse on all those people that were being used to crucify Him, but He didn't. He said, (Luk.23:34) … Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…      (Rom.12:15) Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep. (16) Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits. (These are all good attributes of humility.) (17) Render to no man evil for evil. (In other words, anybody that brings evil to you, render not evil back to them. Trust in God. Let God retaliate if He wants to.) Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. (Make sure you're representing Christ before others; make sure that you are being a revelation of God to them.)   (18) If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. (19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath (Give-in to whatever wrath man brings against you, because it goes on to say,): for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. (20) But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. (21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.   All of this brings us into the place of humility, the place of crucifixion, and it's a work of God in our heart. He wants to put “self” to death. Now it's not necessarily what we have done; it's who we are. God is dealing with the man down on the inside of you that is called “self.” The old man, the carnal man, has to be put to death. Even if you have never let him live through you, it doesn't make any difference. God wants to kill him, and we need to give God His way, because this is what yields that peaceable fruit, that humility in our hearts. People don't know what a selfless man is; people need to be able to see that in us. They need to see Jesus in us.   Returning to Matthew 5 again, Jesus says, (Mat.5:43) Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: (44) but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; (45) that ye may be sons of your Father (This is what a son of God is.) who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. (46) For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (47) And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the Gentiles the same? (48) Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. What would bring us to perfection? Undoubtedly, it's this crucifying of the old man by loving your enemies, turning the other cheek, and resisting not the evil. All of these are the most powerful tools that God uses to crucify the old man.   The next chapter is also very good concerning humility, because we love to take the glory or the credit for doing things, but God constantly tells us to deny that in ourselves. Jesus said, (Mat.6:1) Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them… Now God wants righteousness to be manifested through us and He wants it to be seen. If we go back to chapter 5, we read, (Mat.5:16) Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. These two verses may seem contradictory; however, God does want us to show forth good works so that men would give glory to God but not glory to self. Chapter 6 is speaking here about doing good works so that we may receive glory.   (Mat.6:1) Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them (Just like the Pharisees, who always wanted to be seen for the good things that they did.): else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. (Whenever we glory in what we're able to do by God's grace, we'll lose our glory because we're robbing God.) (2) When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. (If you receive the glory of men, then you have the only reward you're ever going to get.) Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. (3) But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: (4) that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.   Do you want a reward from the Father? Then do your best to find the shadows, kind of like the Lone Ranger. He would always do good works and help people out by saving them from the villain, but when people would turn to give him credit for it, he was gone. He had already slipped out the back door or whatever, and we have to be that way, too. The only thing phony about the Lone Ranger was he was the only one who got to wear the white hat, and so everybody knew he was the good guy all the time but, be that as it may, he tried to avoid the limelight, avoid the credit, and slip out. [Editor's Note: Wikipedia says: “The Lone Ranger is an American Western drama television series that aired on the ABC Television network from 1949 to 1957.”]   (Mat.6:5) And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. (Oh, yes, there's a lot of that nowadays, too, “official prayers” that you know are only skin deep and not really coming from the heart.) Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. (6) But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.   (7) And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. God makes it clear that He doesn't want us to take credit for praying, or brag about praying, or brag about fasting, or any such thing as those. He wants us to keep all that between us and Him. Anything that would build up the flesh and give it reason to be proud or give it reason to claim credit is the opposite of humility, is it not? God wants us to be humble. (8) Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Amen, He does.   We all have to be very careful that what we think justifies us before God. We need to be careful of our attitude. We should make sure we're being humble before God and not taking any credit or robbing Him of any of His glory. The Law does that; it robs the glory of God. That's why God found fault with the Law and He brought us under grace, where we can receive no credit; everything comes from the Lord. (Luk.18:9) And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous…   Now I don't know if you've ever been there, but I have. The first full-Gospel religion I was in taught me to trust in myself that I was righteous because I had done certain things, all of which were good things, but the things that we've done are not our justification. Our justification is because we've received the Lord's mercy and He's done it all at the Cross. If we take any credit for anything that we've done, what we're saying is we've done it and He's not done it.   (Luk.18:9) And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought… Isn't that the way of religion? And we did that a lot in that first religion I was in over 40 years ago. We “set all others at naught.” We judged others just like those Pharisees did. But after getting out of that religion, I saw that their judgment was coming back upon them, and it was coming back upon me, too. God was showing me that I was a Pharisee and that I needed to repent.   Reading again, (Luk.18:9) And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought: (10) Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (Publicans were traitors to the Jews.) (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself (I underlined that in my Bible. He prayed “with himself,” in other words, God wasn't there. God wasn't hearing it. He was just all by himself since God was ignoring him.), God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week… Did you ever fast twice a week? I usually leave it up to the Lord now, but I used to fast regularly twice a week. I did it to pray and get close to God, but then I felt like I was under the Law, so I decided I'd let the Lord tell me when to fast and I learned as I grew up a little bit in that.   (Luk.18:12) I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get. You've been lied to, people, from a lot of preachers who say you're not going to have the favor of God unless you tithe. That is not the truth of the New Testament. Tithing is of the Law. Jesus told the Jews, not the Christians, not the people who were following Him, He told the Jews in (Mat.23:23) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done (Notice that's past tense.), and not to have left the other undone. So Jesus said tithing was of the Law, and He never put the tithe on His people.   In fact, He also said in (Luk.14:33) So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. This humbles us even more because we're not even owners of the 90%. Now we're stewards of the 100% and we have to put it all in God's Hand. He's the One Who tells us what to do with it. Well, this Pharisee was seeking to be justified by works of the Law, something that we're told over and over in the New Testament is impossible (Acts 13:39; Romans 4:2; Galatians 2:16; etc.) You cannot be justified, you cannot be accepted or favored by God, because you tithe. God wants you to get away from that and start listening to His Spirit and find out what He wants for you in the New Testament.   Back to our text in (Luk.18:13) But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, be thou merciful to me a sinner. See, he was not doing all the things that were considered correct “Christianity”, and he was failing God a lot, but he recognized himself as a sinner and he humbled himself to ask for mercy from God. (Luk.18:14) I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled (It doesn't matter how many good things he's doing.); but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. If we want to be exalted by God, the way is to choose to be humble, and to choose not to be proud that we're being humble, either, but to choose to be humble because God loves that and God will lift us up and bless us, and we need that desperately.   Now you may have heard the saying that “with knowledge comes power,” but with knowledge also comes responsibility, as Scripture says. Let's read that in (Luk.12:47) And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes]; (48) but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more.   So I'd like for us to go back and look at this text in Matthew. (Mat.11:20) Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. (21) Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (22) But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. (23) And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day. (24) But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.   You see, God makes people responsible when they see the glory of God, when they see the works of God; He makes them more responsible than others. A so-called “Christian nation,” although I don't believe there exists such a thing except for the spiritual nation that covers the earth, is more responsible to do something with the Word than a lost nation. It will receive more judgment than a so-called “wicked” nation. In fact, the so-called “Christian nation” that's going about doing their own will and following their own agenda will receive more judgment.   And then people don't connect this next text with the previous one. (Mat.11:25) At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes. What are “these things”? All of God's wondrous wisdom is hidden from those whom the world considers to be the “wise and prudent,” but in this particular case, He's also talking about the text before it concerning “the day of judgment.”   Have you ever noticed how most apostates nowadays don't believe that their nation can be judged? They're more a part of their earthly, physical nation than they are a part of the nation that they're supposed to belong to, which is New Testament spiritual Israel. The demon spirit of patriotism, that's killed even more people than religion, creeps in and they take sides with their natural nation against their spiritual nation. They're thinking according to the flesh. Far too many Christians in America are very prosperity-minded and they don't know anything about the crucified life.   They teach against, they even rail against, the fact that, yes, God is judging and will judge this nation. It's hidden from them, hidden from the proud “wise and prudent.” (Matt.11:26) Yea, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. (27) All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal [him]. And, of course, God will reveal Himself to the humble babes, those who just trust in their Father.   (Mat.11:28) Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (If you're toiling under the heavy burdens of the curse of this world, if you're being crushed by your sins, Jesus gives you the cure. He gives you rest. How?) He says, (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (Our problem is we're prideful and puffed-up. We're strong to do our own will, and it brings a heavy curse upon us.): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. The Lord wants us to humble ourselves so He can show us the coming judgment, and cause us to avoid it, if we will humble ourselves.   Can God deliver His people from the coming beast if they will just humble themselves? Yes, and here's a story that teaches exactly that. It's something which I believe is happening even now. Let's go to (2Ch.12:1) And it came to pass, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of the Lord (He wasn't depending upon the strength of the Lord. He was strong, and he forsook being obedient to God's Word.), and all Israel with him. (So as went the leadership, so went the people.) (2) And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against the Lord… Notice it's always for that reason. The enemies come up to conquer us and to bring us under and to bring us to our cross, because we have trespassed against the Lord.   Shishak represents the beast kingdom of that day, which was the Egyptian empire that conquered Israel of that day. Rehoboam represented the leadership of Israel and Jerusalem represented the leadership of God's people in Israel. They were strong, but God brought the beast against them to bring them down and we have just such a thing happening in America today. The government is going after the greedy preachers who have kept a whole lot more than they should have kept as their own. They don't believe in participating in equality among the brethren, which is commanded in 2 Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9. And the government, the beast kingdom, is coming against them to conquer them.   (2Ch.12:2) And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against the Lord, (3) with twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen. And the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians. (4) And he took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came unto Jerusalem. The Lord told me years ago what Judah represents in the New Testament. “Judah” means “praise” and it represents the Spirit-filled people. Now I know “Spirit-filled” is a term that's used very loosely, because we see in the Old Testament they sinned, too, and they brought the judgment of God upon themselves, too. However, they had less of an excuse because they were the people who worshipped at the true Temple and the Presence of God was in their midst, as the in-filling of the Spirit represents.   (2Ch.12:5) Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. (We know God is raising up a beast kingdom right now that's a worldwide kingdom, so notice that those who forsake the Word of the Lord, and those who are strong in themselves and think they can defend themselves, will be conquered by the beast kingdom.) (6) Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, the Lord is righteous.   (2Ch.12:7) And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves: I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance… The phrase “some deliverance” could also be translated as “deliverance within a little time or a little while,” or “a few that shall escape.” But notice that the king, the man who was strong in himself, the king humbled himself along with the leaders, and God had mercy. He didn't totally destroy them. He wanted to crucify them; He wanted to chasten them because of their evil.   Saints, nobody ever gets away with anything. The Bible says clearly in (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. But if you humble yourself, it won't be total destruction, either. And that's what we need to do, because there's a great beast kingdom on the horizon and it's rising up against God's people even now.   (2Ch.12:7) And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves: I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. (8) Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. In other words, “Who would you rather serve? Would you rather serve the Lord by humbling yourself, or would you rather have to serve the nations?” Many times God's people ended up under the thumb of the nations, under the thumb of the beast kingdoms, because they didn't take the easy way of humbling themselves and serving the Kingdom of God.   (2Ch.12:9) So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house… I've mentioned before, in this particular country, the beast kingdom is rising up against the greedy preachers because of their fleet of airplanes and their castles that they're building all over the country. And notice here that the beast kingdom took away the “treasures of the house of the Lord.” Now listen, very soon they're going to take away the tax exemption “and the treasures of the king's house,” too. It's all going to happen exactly the way the Bible says.   (2Ch.12:9) So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house: he took all away: he took away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made. (10) And king Rehoboam made in their stead shields of brass (He wanted something to possibly fool the people and save some face for himself.), and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, that kept the door of the king's house. (11) And it was so, that, as oft as the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and bare them, and brought them back into the guard-chamber.   (12) And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him… Now this was not a good king among the kings of Israel. If he could do this, then anybody who is truly the called and blessed of God can do this. Are you living under any kind of a curse, even though you're walking by faith in the promises? One of the most important things you can do is to humble yourself.   (2Ch.12:12) And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there were good things [found]. Again, this is talking about the Spirit-filled people. And it's true that there are good things to be found among God's Spirit-filled people, but there's also a vast rebellion going on so there needs to be some humbling.   (2Ch.12:13) So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess. (14) And he did that which was evil, because he set not his heart to seek the Lord. Well, this was an evil king, yet he was capable of humbling himself because he knew what it would take for God not to let His full wrath come upon him. In other words, to him it was “fire insurance,” but still the Lord didn't pour out His full wrath upon him because he humbled himself. And notice, “He did that which was evil, because he set not his heart to seek the Lord.” That's evil in any of us, if we set not our heart to seek the Lord. You don't have to necessarily go out and do many bad works or evil things, but if you just set not your heart to seek the Lord, that's evil before Him.   (2Ch.12:15) Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. (Pay attention to that now. Here's a person who was evil before the Lord and God never let him get out from under the curse of warfare; it was nothing but war, war, war, all the rest of his life.) (16) And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.   If we're living under any kind of a curse, we can see 2 Chronicles 12 is a good advertisement for us to humble ourselves before the Lord. Of course, we should still continue to walk by faith and confess the promises, those things are all necessary, but also anything that we can do to put down this old flesh is pleasing to God because the mind of the flesh is the enemy of God. (Rom.8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: (7) because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: (8) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Our battle is to crucify that old man. Humbling ourselves is the process of crucifying that old man, and all of Jesus' teachings demand that as disciples. We humble ourselves, we accept the crucifying Nature of Jesus Christ as our own.   Jesus and His disciples were a demonstration of humility to the people of their time. History must repeat so: The Man-child reformers and their disciples will be in our time. So, I will share a few revelations concerning this.     The Davids Send Disciples from Zion Kendall Remmick - 10/08/2009 (David's notes in red) In a dream, David and I were standing in a house of an old friend of mine (This is the old man; self) whom I hadn't seen in a very long time. He wasn't there, but David (representing the end-time body of Davids prophesied to lead God's people out of corruption, as Jesus did) David and I had met there to have dinner together (feasting on the Word with the Davids). I was a bit confused at how I got there with him. As I was looking around, I noticed large bugs were starting to surround us and the room was littered with trash and old leaves (This is corruption, the old house of the old man). I said, “I think we need to get out of here,” and in a flash we were in a very nice house. (We must leave the old house of corruption for the new house of “Christ in You”.) This was a Frank Lloyd Wright-style house. David was sitting at the dinner table, just smiling, and hadn't said anything in this dream. I walked over to the table and sat down; right then my phone rang, and it was an emergency. I was frustrated and a bit embarrassed. I answered and said, “I told you I had to take care of this, and it would be just a moment”. (I feel this represents the world interrupting my Bible studies -- having to go to work or running errands, when I would rather be studying the Word coming from UBM; like the riches and cares of the world.) (There's no time to waste; seek to be in God's Word now.) Then I raced back inside and I saw a butler standing by the table, but David was gone. The second I asked, “Where is David?” I was on top of a mountain and David was strapped into a red hang glider, getting ready to launch. (This represents being caught up to the throne of David ministries on Mount Zion by overcoming the world and its gravitational allure. Hang gliders are not man-powered but wind-powered and lifted. Wind and Spirit are the same original word in the Bible. From Zion, disciples, in whom Jesus lives, will launch out to the rest of the world with the Gospel. (Rom.11:26) ...There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer; He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. (Psa.53:6) Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Then shall Jacob rejoice, [and] Israel shall be glad.) Now, back in the '80s, in my younger days, I had a hang glider and I used to launch off a mountain at the foot of Golden, Colorado. The locals called it Lookout Mountain, but the official name of the mountain is MOUNT ZION! (Representing the Bride, according to John in [Rev.21:9,10], who, under the Man-child, will save God's people, as in the prophecy of Esther and Song of Solomon.) This mountain is also the grave of Buffalo Bill, who is a cowboy famous for killing thousands of buffalo (killing our fleshly beasts). So, here I am on Mount Zion (the Bride city where David, Jesus in the Man-child rules) looking at David strapped into a red hang glider ready to launch. I asked David if he needed some help launching and he just smiled at me and lifted the hang glider up and as he did, the wings started to get bigger, bigger and bigger! Then the color changed to a crimson (washed in the blood) and covered the top of the mountain. David then pointed to the left where there was an entrance into the hang glider made out of the red cloth. Some other people and I walked in. Here we sat down and rested (Resting is ceasing from man's works to keep the spiritual New Testament Sabbath) and we were all looking out over the valley and commenting on what a nice view it was from there (Meaning ready to launch out overcoming the world below and seeing this from heavenly places in Christ).   Disciples Going Forth with Miracles Michael Duncan - 10/06/2009 - 3:16 AM (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was with some clients in a different -city. (Michael was with UBM but others were listening to him.)  I was asked to take them home. I told them I only have a little room in the car but they could squeeze in. We went into a house and they all fell asleep. (These people represent those who inspect our teachings and the city of God but are not interested and return to their spiritual sleep.) I never made it back to work. I was then in a field (Jesus said, “The field is the world.) where there were lots of people milling about what looked like a catastrophe relief refuge, like at wartime. (The right and the left are at war now in 2025) I saw a woman named Eleanor Clayton (this is the receptionist at my job - her entire name means shining light in a clay settlement) who was there trying to load up a mail sack onto a mail pole at a train station so a passing train could pick it up. (This represents those who are a shining light, who will send out the Word to the world in the ancient fashion of the early disciples of Christ.) I watched as the train was racing past, and it was almost at the end, and Eleanor barely got the mail loaded just as the caboose was passing by, but she successfully loaded it in the nick of time. (The end-time message gets out.) The people in the camp began to clear out and I saw the clients in my car waiting for me. (After judgment, the clients become interested. In the natural, America is becoming a nation of refugees after the many attacks of the DS. Looks like communications may be reduced to more simple methods in this refuge. The DS has already tried to take down the electrical grid.) I was then at a gas station (a place where power is stored). I saw David Eells there with some people. (Representing the David ministries and their disciples of Christ.) There was a certain woman with no arm; she had a small nub of an arm on her left shoulder. (The worldly church will have no power to do the works of God for they lack the arm of the Lord Jesus.) She was explaining to everyone how something in the womb (perhaps a chemical reaction) prevented the arm from growing to completion. David asked the woman, “Have you believed God for healing?” (They never grow to maturity through trusting doctors, with their drugs or pharmakeia.) David and I walked over to the woman, and I grabbed the nub and we began to pray. I was praying in the Spirit and, as we prayed, a demon came out of her, causing us to let go of her. I made a motion of pulling the nub, as if I was pulling it out. As I did that, I watched as the arm grew out and was completely whole. (Through the revelation of the Word, witnesses will raise up many from the apostate church and restore their power to do the works of Jesus. They will destroy the beast kingdom. Isa.51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Is it not thou that didst cut Rahab in pieces, that didst pierce the monster? Isa.53:1 Who hath believed our message? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed? Once the “arm” of the Lord's strength is revealed to God's people, they will become the “hand” through whom it is manifested to the world. 53:10 Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong his days [in His seed], and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand [His seed].) I was crying and thanking God and we were rejoicing. David looked at the arm and when he saw that it was whole his eyes opened wide and he smiled with great contentment and nodded his head, saying, “That's our God!” I began to tell everyone about this awesome miracle of God. It seemed like a beginning of many more to come. (Probably the latter rain will come after the earthquakes. Davids will train and send disciples to heal and cast out demons and do mighty miracles, just as it was under Jesus, the son of David.) I was then on my old road, called Harper Road. (meaning “minstrel or harpist”; which is seducing the people through music) I was in my front yard with my daughter, when a whole parade of red convertible corvettes with seductive decals of women on the sides began to drive by. These cars were low to the ground and were very decorative. At a closer glance, I saw young kids doing sensual stuff in the cars. (The immature Christian organizations will become more and more worldly in attempts to seduce the worldly with their harlot ways.) I tried to protect my daughter from seeing it (Those groups born of true disciples will not want to be polluted with their sins.). I told my oldest daughter about the miracle healing of the woman at the gas station. It was as if I was trying to get her mind on heavenly things. Next, I was driving, and I received a cell phone call to see if I wanted to do a concert, so I drove over to where the concert would be, and I saw thousands of people waiting around; it was a college campus atmosphere. (There will be great hunger for truth from those who discern it and an opportunity for discipleship.) I drove through the crowd and came to a group that would not move out of the way, and they were selecting new wheels and rims for their car. (There will be some who try to hinder the way because of their love for the ways of the world. We see now in 2025 people who are rioting and blocking highways.) I saw my friend David Faulk (meaning “falcon”, a bird that preys on other birds) and we went into a room and I began to tell him about the miracle healing of the woman at the gas station as we were rejoicing. (Even some shepherds who have plundered the flock will turn to righteousness when they see the miracles, like Nicodemus.) I noticed there was a girl in the room who began to manifest demons as I spoke. She was stopping her ears and began to be in torment. (Many apostate assemblies will hate to hear the truth.) We began to rebuke the demons in Jesus' Name. She ran out of the room and then the evil spirit seemed to get stronger as it was trying to break down the door to get back in. (1Jn.2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us.) We were holding the door shut and saying, “In the Name of Jesus!” (Without [speaking of the bride city] are the dogs Rev.22:15.) As we were attempting to say, “In the name of Jesus”, it seemed we could not get the name “Jesus” out. It was as if the air in our lungs was restrained. So it sounded like, “In the name of -----”. We eventually squeaked out the name, “Jesus” and the girl with the evil spirit became a small dog and I was slamming the dog around, saying, “In the name of Jesus”. It was a serious battle. (This reminds me of, I fought with beasts at Ephesus in (1Co.15:32). The demon-possessed religious systems try to stop our use of the name of Jesus in their political correctness, just as with the early disciples in [Acts 4:17-19].) Then the scene changed and I was now in a vehicle with David Eells. It was a very large and high military vehicle with an open top (heavenly spiritual warfare). David was behind the wheel and we were leaving very swiftly from the previous place (departing from spiritual Babylon). We were proceeding down Maple Road (where sweetness was, the Sweet Waters) very fast on a curvy, steep hill downward (humbling ourselves). We almost lost control around a sharp curve, but then, suddenly, a lightning bolt struck the power lines above us and it also came into us, preventing us from going off the road. (The power of God in us will keep us on the path.) This strike did not hurt us. David was explaining how the jolt went through us and that it was okay (This is the latter rain anointing of the Holy Spirit, Who will empower the man-child Davids and the two witnesses after them.). I felt a sensation in my head where the lightning bolt went through. We stopped in to a restroom (getting rid of the waste of Babylon, i.e. sanctification). I introduced myself to David as one who helps with the book covers for UBM (And he's done a great job, too). I mentioned to him that it was neat that we have not ever met face to face before, and here we were out ministering together, and God was doing miracles. It seemed as if it was the days of the Book of Acts once again. (The latter rain disciples going forth to administer the benefits of the Kingdom.)

Send us a textWitness the incredible healing power of equine therapy as Sally Mixon from Abijah on the Backside shares her expertise in helping military personnel and first responders overcome PTSD, trauma, anxiety, and depression. Sally, a dedicated counselor and horse enthusiast, illustrates how retired racehorses can reflect human emotions, offering a unique means for individuals to confront their inner battles. Experience the transformation of trauma recovery through collaborative wellness programs that fuse the benefits of nature and experiential healing. Our partnership with Sally's nonprofit, Abijah, enriches our Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASSIST) program by integrating equine therapy and other outdoor experiences like ice baths and saunas. We also draw on the expertise of psychologist Brittany and retired Hennepin County deputy Mike Hendricks, creating a multi-layered support system that emphasizes mental well-being and recovery.Stories of hope and resilience are at the heart of this episode, where we explore profound connections between horses and humans. From horses lying down in snow to mirror a person's inner turmoil, to the touching tale of a horse named Finn symbolizing personal challenges, these narratives showcase the extraordinary empathy of horses. Sally discusses the aspirations of the Abijah program and the ongoing development of a professional equine therapy team, inviting listeners to discover this unique therapeutic journey that promises healing and empowerment.Produced by Phil Ewert Productions Theme Music: Hero's JourneyJoel Loopez Tunepocket.comLicensed by: Phil Ewert Productionshometownherooutdoors.org

In this episode of The Woman of Faith Podcast, we explore the power of faithfulness and the dangers of turning away from God. When we stay committed to Him, we position ourselves for His favor, protection, and victory. But when we turn away—whether out of pride, complacency, or fear—we face the consequences of walking outside His will.In 2 Chronicles 12 & 13, we see two kings with very different outcomes. Rehoboam abandoned God's ways and suffered loss, while Abijah stood firm in faith and saw victory—even when the odds were stacked against him. Their stories are a mirror for us today. Are we standing firm in our faith, or are we allowing the distractions of life to pull us away from God?In this episode, we're breaking down the rewards of faithfulness, the dangers of spiritual complacency, and how we can stay anchored in God through every season. Plus, I'll share some real-life examples and self-reflection questions to help you apply these lessons to your own journey.

Any luck with these kings?

Message by Doug Bunnell, recorded live January 5, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Kristen Frankland. Join us this year as we read the New Testament together. OUTSIDERS TURNED INSIDERS So many ‘begats', do you notice any surprises? Do you know the history of these four women? Anything they all hold in common? What might Mary have in common with them? What does it mean that outsiders become insiders? How might you better celebrate your insider status? Matthew 1:1-16 The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah 1 An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, 4 and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, who bore Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

église AB Lausanne ; KJV 1 Kings (3 Kings) 14 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people. And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child. And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age. And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman. And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings. Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone. ...

This weeks show is part one of our look back at Reggae music in 2024. You will hear music from Linval Thompson, Perfect Giddimani, Tristan Palmer, Abijah and Mikey Melody, TravelerZ, Mosiah, Barrington Levy, Lutan Fyah, Sean Paul, Carlton Livingston, Macka B, Kimeco & Little Lion Sound, Mikey Dub and Don Hartley, Essah, Busy Signal, Dukes Of Roots, EyeGen, Rokkku, Kazayah, Christos DC, Exco Levi, Solo Banton, Black Roots, Romain Virgo, Luciano, Ini Kamoze with Lila Ike', The Co-Operators, Robert Lee & Admiral Tibet, Teacha Dee, Mighty Joshua, Ras Jem & Jah T Jr., Ka'ra, Don Dada, Dub idren, Roots Architects, Sammy Dread with Nazamba and OBF. Pluss Many Many More. Enjoy!  Linval Thompson & Little Lion Sound - Dem A Come - Evidence Music Perfect Giddimani Meets House Of Riddim - Reggae Saved My Live - House Of Riddim Terry Linen & Anthony Red Rose - No Heathen - Tad's Records Triston Palma & Irie Ites - Happy Times/Happy Dub - Zion Garden Riddim - Irie Ites Records Abijah - The World - Rescue The World Ep - Taitu Records Mikey Melody - Rescue - Rescue The World Ep - Taitu Records TravelerZ - Tears On Fire - Culture Dub Records Mosiah - More Than Gold - I-Frequency - Ragatac Music Barrington Levy - Tell Dem Already - Murda Dem Riddim - Irie Ites Records Lutan Fyah - None Shall Escape - Big Bus Records Sharon Marley & Big Youth - Steppah - Gong Gyal Entertainment/Tuff Gong International Sean Paul - No Evil - Dutty Rock Productions Carlton Livingston - Marcus Mosiah Garvey - Walls Of Jerusalem Riddim - Heartical Sound & BDF Macka B - No Bad Vibes - Walls Of Jerusalem Riddim - Heartical Sound & BDF Basque Dub Foundation - Walls Of Dub - Walls Of Jerusalem Riddim - Heartical Sound & BDF Subajah - Lion - Dashan Records Kimeco & Little Lion Sound - Frontline - Uhuru Riddim - Evidence Music Mikey Dub & Don Hartley - Causeless Shall Not Come/Causeless Shall Not Dub- Dubophonic Records Indra - Nuttin They Can Say - Reality Shock Records Geo - Ackee Tree - Geo Music Eesah - Behold The Conquering Lion - Deep Medz - King I-Vier Music/Loud City Busy Signal - Jah You Know - Brimstone Riddim - Dutty Rock Productions Marcus I - War Zone - Brimstone Riddim - Dutty Rock Productions Quan-Dajai - Brimstone - Brimstone Riddim - Dutty Rock Productions Dukes Of Roots feat. Stephen Marley - Stick With Love - Dukes Of Roots - Migration Records/Young Pow Productions EyeGen - All Right - Musically Unifying Skygrass & Mykal Rose - Sensi - Future Sounds Of Reggae Vol. 3 - Future Sound Of Reggae Rokkku - Target On Lock - Rokkku Music Kazayah - Ready Fi Di Road - The Road Riddim - Jah T Jr. Christos DC - Dread & Alive - Kung Fu Action Theatre - Honest Music Exco Levi - H.I.M. - Born To Be Free - Penthouse Productions Jesse Royal - Roots And Culture - Roots And Culture Riddim - Silly Walks Discotheque Reemah - As Far As I Can See - Roots And Culture Riddim - Silly Walks Discotheque Black Roots - So Many Things - Roots - Nubian Records Solo Banton feat. Joe Yorke - Acting Like That - In This Time - Irie Ites Records TrueSounds w/Jah Mirikle & Lone Ranger - Time Get Ruff - X Files Riddim - True Sounds Romain Virgo feat. Jesse Royal - Bridges - The Gentle Man - VP Records Don Hartley & I-niverse - Orthodox Soldier - Song Of Creation - Don Hartley Music Luciano - Roots - Twisted Reality Riddim - Mildenburg Records Ini Kamoze feat. Lila Ike' - I Want You - XTM Nation O.B.F. & Iration Steppas - What A Ting - Revelation Time - Dubquake Records Linval Thompson w/ JonQuan & Victor Rice - Cultivator/Ganja Dub - Easy Star Records Abka Kaba - Mighty People - Abendigo Records The Co-Opertaors feat. Joe Yorke - Hard Road - Sounds From The Fridge - Waggle Dance Records  The Co-Operators feat. Kitma - Nefarious - Sounds From The Fridge - Waggle Dance Records  Carlton Livingston - Any Day - South Rockers Records Robert Lee - Sound A Go Dead - Grubby Mitts Admiral Tibet - Dem A Fight (dubplate mix)/Knockout Dub - Grubby Mitts Teacha Dee Meets House Of Riddim - City Life - House Of Riddim Inna Vision w/Mr. 83 & Bengali Arkangel - Roots Like This - Reggae Lives Kingston Express feat. Cheshire Cat - War Among The Poor - Foundation Rock - Kingston Express Records Mighty Joshua - Ital Way - Dreaducation - Mighty Music Mighty Joshua - Iron Sharpen Iron - Dreaducation - Mighty Music Ras Jem - Cutlass - Royalty - Jah T Jr. Jah T Jr. - Cutlass Dub - Royalty Dub - Jah T Jr. Linval Thompson - Ganja Man - Ganja Man - Irie Ites  Linval Thompson & Irie Ites - What Time Is It/Time To Dub - Ganja Man - Irie Ites Records Ka'ra - True Love - Black Wadadah/Dove Muzik Don Dada - Rise Up - The Heart & The Mind - Ruff Cutt Studio Dub Idren - Public Enemy - Dubophonic Records Roots Architects feat. Vin Gordon, Ernest Ranglin & Karl Bryan - Squirrel Inna Barrel - From Then Til Now - Fruits Records JungleGod - Kiki - JungleGod Music Dr. Ring Ding - Follow Dis on Yah Sound - Bass Jam - Anaves Music Sammy Dread, Nazamba, & OBF - Evening Love/She Nah Lie/Morning Dub - Dubquake Records U-Brown & The Ligerians - Rootsman Party/Rootsman Dub - Still Chanting Rub A Dub - Irie Ites Records

Reading IIs 62:1-5    For Zion's sake I will not be silent,        for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,    until her vindication shines forth like the dawn        and her victory like a burning torch.    Nations shall behold your vindication,        and all the kings your glory;    you shall be called by a new name        pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.    You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,        a royal diadem held by your God.    No more shall people call you “Forsaken,”        or your land “Desolate,”    but you shall be called “My Delight,”        and your land “Espoused.”    For the LORD delights in you        and makes your land his spouse.    As a young man marries a virgin,        your Builder shall marry you;    and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride        so shall your God rejoice in you.Reading IIActs 13:16-17, 22-25When Paul reached Antioch in Pisidia and entered the synagogue,he stood up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Fellow Israelites and you others who are God-fearing, listen.The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in theland of Egypt.With uplifted arm he led them out of it.Then he removed Saul and raised up David as king;of him he testified,‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;he will carry out my every wish.'From this man's descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am?  I am not he.Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'”GospelMt 1:1-25The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.Abraham became the father of Isaac,Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,whose mother was Tamar.Perez became the father of Hezron,Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab.Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,Nahshon the father of Salmon,Salmon the father of Boaz,whose mother was Rahab.Boaz became the father of Obed,whose mother was Ruth.Obed became the father of Jesse,Jesse the father of David the king.David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,Rehoboam the father of Abijah,Abijah the father of Asaph.Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,Joram the father of Uzziah.Uzziah became the father of Jotham,Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,Manasseh the father of Amos,Amos the father of Josiah.Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothersat the time of the Babylonian exile.After the Babylonian exile,Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.Abiud became the father of Eliakim,Eliakim the father of Azor,Azor the father of Zadok.Zadok became the father of Achim,Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar.Eleazar became the father of Matthan,Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.Thus the total number of generationsfrom Abraham to Davidis fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile,fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,fourteen generations. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.Such was his intention when, behold,the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfillwhat the Lord had said through the prophet:    Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,        and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”When Joseph awoke,he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.

Matthew 1:1-17 (NASB) 1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, and Hezron fathered Ram. 4 Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon. 5 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, and Obed fathered Jesse. 6 Jesse fathered David the king. David fathered Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. 7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, and Abijah fathered Asa. 8 Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, and Joram fathered Uzziah. 9 Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, and Ahaz fathered Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, and Amon fathered Josiah. 11 Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 12 After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah fathered Shealtiel, and Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel fathered Abihud, Abihud fathered Eliakim, and Eliakim fathered Azor. 14 Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim, and Achim fathered Eliud. 15 Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, and Matthan fathered Jacob. 16 Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Lk 1:5-25 - In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. Once when he was serving as priest in his division's turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord." Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." And the angel said to him in reply, "I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time." Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, "So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others." Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Cardinal Müller: “A Church that no longer believes in Jesus the Christ is no longer the Church of Jesus Christ” https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/cardinal-muller-a-church-that-no-longer-believes-in-jesus-the-christ-is-no-longer-his-church/

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,there was a priest named Zechariahof the priestly division of Abijah;his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,and her name was Elizabeth.Both were righteous in the eyes of God,observing all the commandmentsand ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barrenand both were advanced in years.Once when he was serving as priestin his division's turn before God,according to the practice of the priestly service,he was chosen by lotto enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outsideat the hour of the incense offering,the angel of the Lord appeared to him,standing at the right of the altar of incense.Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah,because your prayer has been heard.Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,and you shall name him John.And you will have joy and gladness,and many will rejoice at his birth,for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,and he will turn many of the children of Israelto the Lord their God.He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijahto turn the hearts of fathers toward childrenand the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,to prepare a people fit for the Lord."Then Zechariah said to the angel,"How shall I know this?For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."And the angel said to him in reply,"I am Gabriel, who stand before God.I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.But now you will be speechless and unable to talkuntil the day these things take place,because you did not believe my words,which will be fulfilled at their proper time."Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariahand were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.He was gesturing to them but remained mute.Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,"So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fitto take away my disgrace before others."

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Mt 1:1-17 - The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.  Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar.  Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab.  Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab.  Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth.  Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.  Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph.  Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah.  Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.  Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.  Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok.  Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar.  Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.  Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations. Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Cardinal Müller: “A Church that no longer believes in Jesus the Christ is no longer the Church of Jesus Christ” https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/cardinal-muller-a-church-that-no-longer-believes-in-jesus-the-christ-is-no-longer-his-church/

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Mt 1:1-17 - The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.  Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar.  Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab.  Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab.  Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth.  Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.  Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph.  Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah.  Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.  Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.  Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok.  Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar.  Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.  Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac,Isaac the father of Jacob,Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron,Hezron the father of Ram,Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,Nahshon the father of Salmon,Salmon the father of Boaz,whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed,whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse,Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon,whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,Rehoboam the father of Abijah,Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham,Jotham the father of Ahaz,Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,Manasseh the father of Amos,Amos the father of Josiah.Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothersat the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile,Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim,Eliakim the father of Azor,Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim,Achim the father of Eliud,Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan,Matthan the father of Jacob,Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Thus the total number of generationsfrom Abraham to Davidis fourteen generations;from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,fourteen generations.

December 17, 2024Homily: God's promise always comes trueFr. BennyGospelMt 1:1-17The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,the son of David, the son of Abraham.Abraham became the father of Isaac,Isaac the father of Jacob,Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron,Hezron the father of Ram,Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,Nahshon the father of Salmon,Salmon the father of Boaz,whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed,whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse,Jesse the father of David the king.David became the father of Solomon,whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,Rehoboam the father of Abijah,Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham,Jotham the father of Ahaz,Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,Manasseh the father of Amos,Amos the father of Josiah.Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothersat the time of the Babylonian exile.After the Babylonian exile,Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim,Eliakim the father of Azor,Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim,Achim the father of Eliud,Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan,Matthan the father of Jacob,Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.Thus the total number of generationsfrom Abraham to Davidis fourteen generations;from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,fourteen generations.ST JOSEPH'S ONLINE:Web: https://www.stjmod.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stjmod/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stjmod/Giving: https://ppay.co/yohL5SoVCT8

The Great Myth of the Sun GodsBy Alvin Boyd KhunIt may be that many of you have come to this lecture with the expectation of hearing about the superstitious beliefs of some ancient fire-worshippers or sun-worshippers. You may wonder why we should presume to waste an evening dilating upon the childish fancies of early peoples who could conceive of no more exalted form of deity in the universe than the physical body of our sun. Can there possibly be anything important in the study of such forms of crude fetishism?Let me disabuse your minds of any such prepossession at once. We have not invited you to hear of infantile nonsense of early child-humanity. On the contrary, it is our opinion that there is not a theme within the entire range of religious interest of such sublimity and authentic grandeur as this subject of the Sun-gods. We have come to the persuasion that this is the most important lecture that we have given or shall ever give. In it there is to be found the central thesis of all religion. We have asked you to hear an exposition of the cardinal principle of all true religion. Instead of dealing with an erratic notion of primitive barbarism, we have to present to you this evening the long-lost supreme datum of all high religion. And it is our design to show that religion in the world has drifted so far away from its original base that it no longer recognizes the very first and fundamental conception about which it was in the beginning constructed. The myth of the Sun-gods is the very heart's core of religion at its best.It is commonly supposed that religious honors were paid to the sun as a deity by a few isolated peoples or sects, such as the Parsees and the ancient Ghebers of Persia, and some African tribes. In correction of this view we are prepared to support the declaration that the worship of the Sun-god was quite universal in the ancient world. It ranged from China and India to Yucatan and Peru. The Emperor and the Mikado, as well as the Incas, and the Pharaohs were Sun-god figures. And is the belief only an empty myth? So far from being such, it is at once the highest embodiment of religious conception in the spiritual history of the race.Since the word "myth" occurs in the title, it is necessary to define it so that we may the better glimpse the nature of the subject. To the modern mind the word carries with it a derogatory implication. To reduce any construction to the status of a myth is to put it out of court and render it valueless. We regard a myth as a fiction and a falsity. To show that a theory or a belief is only a myth, is to relegate it to the world of non-reality, and dismiss it from further consideration as a thing of value.Not so with the ancients. With them (the ancients) a myth was a valuable instrumentality of knowledge. It was an intellectual, even a spiritual, tool, by the aid of which truth and wisdom could at one and the same time both be concealed from the unworthy and expressed for the worthy. The ancients rightly regarded spiritual truth and experience as being incapable of expression or impartation by means of words simply. A myth or an allegory could be made the better means of conveying subtly and with a certain added force, the truth veiled under a set form of dramatic presentation. The myth would enhance spiritual truth as a drama reinforces moral situations. It was all the more powerful in its message precisely because it was known not to be outwardly a true story. No one was caught by the literal falsity of the construction. Attention could therefore be given wholly to the hidden import, which was not obscured by the outward occurrence. The myth was known to be a fiction; therefore it deceived nobody--until the third century. But at the same time it was most ingeniously designed to instruct in the deepest of spiritual truths. It was a literary device to embalm lofty wisdom in the amber of a tradition that could be easily remembered, in the guise of a human story. It was truth incarnated in a dramatic occurrence, which was known to be untrue. Outwardly fictitious, but inwardly the substance of a mighty truth, was the myth. And as such it was the universal dress in which ancient knowledge was clothed.To indicate the universality of the Sun-god myth it is only necessary to enumerate some thirty of the chief figures known as Sun-gods amongst the nations about the Eastern Mediterranean, before the advent of Jesus. There were in Egypt, Osiris, Horus, Serapis, Hermes or Taht (Thoth), Khunsu, Atum (Aten, Adon, the Adonis or Phrygia), Iusa, Iu-sa, Iu-em-hetep; in Syria, Atis, Sabazius, Zagreus, Kybele (femine); in Assyria Tammuz; in Babylonia, Marduk and Sargon; in Persia, Mithra, Ahura-Mazda and the Zoroasters; in Greece, Orpheus, Bacchus (Dionysus), Achilles, Hercules, Theseus, Perseus, Jason, Prometheus; in India, Vyasa, Krishna, Buddha; in Tibet the Boddhisattvas; besides many others elsewhere.Likewise in the ancient Mystery dramas the central character was ever the Sun-god the role being enacted by the candidate for initiation in person. He went through the several initiations as himself the type and representative of the solar divinity in the field of human experience.Moreover, the Patriarchs, Prophets, Priests and Kings of Biblical lore are no less Sun-god figures. For in their several characteristics they are seen to be typical of the Christos.From the study of a mass of the ancient material the sincere and disingenuous student becomes ere long convinced of the fact that the Jesus figure of the Gospels, whether he lived historically or not (and there is much question of it even among theologians), is just another in the long list of the solar gods. They were figured by ancient poetic genius as embodiments of divine solar glory living among men, if they were not purely the mythical constructions of the allegorists.These Sun-god characters, of none of whom can it be said positively that they were living personages, were, it must be clearly noted, purely typical figures in the national epics of the several nations. They were symbols, one might say. But of what were they symbolical? That is the point of central importance. They were representative characters, summing and epitomizing in themselves the spiritual history of the human individual in his march across the field of evolving life on earth. They were the types and models of the divine potentiality pictured as coming to realization in their careers. They were the mirror held up to men, in which could be seen the possibilities locked up in man's own nature. They were type-figures, delineating the divine life that was an ever-possible realization for any devoted man. They were the symbols of an ever-coming deity, a deity that came not once historically in Judea, but that came to ever-fuller expression and liberation in the inner heart of every son of man. The solar deities were the gods that ever came, that were described as coming not once upon a time, but continuously and regularly. Their radiant divinity might be consummated by any earnest person at any time or achieved piecemeal.They were typed as ever-coming or coming regularly because they were symboled by the sun in its annual course around the zodiac of twelve signs, and the regular periodicity of this natural symbol typified the ever-continuing character of their spiritual sunlight. The ancients, in a way and to a degree almost incomprehensible to the unstudied modern, had made of the sun's annual course round the heavens a faithful reproduction of the spiritual history of the divine spirit in man. The god in us was emblemed by the sun in its course, and the sun's varied experiences, as fabulously construed, were a reflection of our own incarnational history. The sun in its movements through the signs was made the mirror of our life in spirit. To follow the yearly round of the zodiac was to epitomize graphically the whole history of human experience. Thus the inner meaning of our mortal life was endlessly repeated in the daily, weekly, monthly and yearly cycle of the sun's passage, the seven or twelve divisions of which marked the seven- or twelvefold segmentation of our spiritual history or our initiations. (They were figured at first as seven, later as twelve, when the solar gods came upon the cosmic scene.)The careers of these solar gods, then, were a type of what is occurring to every man who is dowered with the spark of divine soul within his breast. Each one of us has had or will have his festival of conception in June, his birth into the world of fleshly life in the autumn, his spiritual awakening at Christmas, and his glorious resurrection from the dead body of this life at Easter.The Christians say the Christos came once in a single character in history, Jesus of Judea, saying nothing about his coming to Everyman at all times. They present to the world the Only-Begotten Son of the Father, confusing in one historical figure two distinct characters of ancient philosophy, the Logos and the Christos, and making both historical in a human being born of woman. Suffice it to say that neither character was historical in the ancient systems. The Logos and the Christos were cosmic forces, and the erring Christians confounded these "personages" of ancient philosophy with the mundane career of the man Jesus, who was not other than one of the mythical Sun-god heroes, or national type-figures. What a travesty of truth the Christian representation has become! What a caricature the Gospels have made of the divine spiritual principle in man's life!The ancients had no "only-begotten" son because the term used in their systems, miserably mistranslated "only-begotten," was something with quite a different connotation. It was in Greek "monogenes," and in Latin "unigenitus," and was far from meaning "only-begotten." It meant that which was begotten of one parent, the father, alone, not the offspring of the union of father and mother. By the term the ancients meant to designate him who was the projection into matter of the spirit forces of life, not the final product of the union of spirit and matter, or the male and female elements. Had the early Christian Fathers known of the inner meaning of the symbolism of the Egyptian Ptah, as Khepr-Ra, who was typed by the male beetle that incubated in the ground and without union with the female transformed and regenerated himself after twenty-eight days (exactly a moon cycle) in the form of the young scarab, symbol of the new-born sun in the moon, they would have been intelligent enough to have avoided the great schisms that divided the Church into Roman and Greek Catholic bodies over the abstrusities of this very origin of the persons of the Trinity. But Egypt was farther away from Rome of the third century than it is from us, who can now read the inscriptions that were sealed from them.All this ancient scriptural data accentuates the fact that not the historical Jesus, but the spiritual Christ, or the god within the individual heart (as expounded in the lecture on Platonic Philosophy in the Bible) is the subject of the sacred writings of old, and the kernel of the whole religious ideology. Angelus Silesius has expressed this in a stanza which should be a perpetual reminder of the futility of clinging to the historical interpretation of Gospel literature.Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born, But not within thyself, thy soul will be forlorn; The cross on Golgotha thou lookest to in vain, Unless within thyself it be set up again. And the Christian hymn, "O Jesus, thou art standing, outside the fast-closed door," gives expression to the kindred idea that while we look across the map to localize the Christos in Judea, we keep the spiritual mentor of our own lives standing without, seeking an entrance into our lives in vain.By the aid of archaic sacred books we have been enabled to trace authentically the origin of the name Jesus. And it is of great importance to present this material, because it throws a flood of clear light upon the ancient conceptions of the Messiah and the coming Son, or Sun-god. In this light the name will be seen to be a type-designation and not the personal name of an historical being.It is derived from the two letters (or numbers) which in the beginning of typology symbolized the two first elements, spirit and matter, into which the primal One Life bifurcated. They are the I (or 1) symboling the male or spirit, and the O (letter) or 0 (cipher) symboling the female or material universe. Together they represented the biune male-female deity. We have, then, the letters IO, or the number 10. As the vowels were freely interchanged, in ancient languages, the name was written either IO, IA, IE , or IU, and all these forms are found. Next the I transformed into consonantal value and became a J (as it is yet in Latin), so that we find the names JO, JA, JE and JU, from each of which many names have arisen. When the creation had combined the male and female and the two had given birth to the Son, or Logoic universe, the name was given the form of three letters, and we then find such forms as IAO, JAH, IEO, JEU, ZUE. When the universe became founded on the four cardinal points or the square of four dimensions, the name was spelled variously as IEOU, JOVE, ZEUS, JEVE, DIOS, T/HEOS, HUHI, IHUH and others. In its character as a sevenfold or seven-lettered name, it took the form of JEHOVAH, SABAOTH, DEBORAH, DELILAH, SEP/HIROT/H, MICHAEL, SOLOMON, and others of seven letters. The I permuted with l (el) or 1 (one), so that IE became LE or, inverted EL, the great Hebrew character of deity. The EL and the IAH (JAH), became the most frequent determinatives of divinity, as a host of names will testify. There are Bethel, Emanuel, Michael, Israel, Gabriel, Samuel, Abdiel, Uriel, Muriel Azazel, and many others, in which the EL is prefixed. The JAH is seen in such names as EliJAH, AbiJAH, while the IAH comes in a host of such names as Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Obediah, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Messiah, Alleluiah and more.But whence comes the "s" in Jesus's name? This is of great importance. It is derived from an Egyptian suffix written either SA, SE, SI, SU, or SAF, SEF, SIF or SUF (SAPH, SEPH, SIPH or SUPH) and meaning "the son," "heir," "prince" or successor to the father. (The F is an Egyptian ending for the masculine singular.) When the original symbol of divinity, IO or IE, JO or JE, was combined with the Egyptian suffix for the succeeding heir, SU or SA, the resultant was the name IUSA, IUSE, IUSU, or IOSE; or IESU, JESU, IUSEF, IOSEF, JOSEF. One of the many forms was JESU and another was JOSEF. The final F became sibilant at times and gave us the eventual form of JESUS. The name then meant the "divine son," and combined in the Egyptian IU the idea of the coming one. Hence JESUS was the Messiah, the coming son of the divine life. There was in Egypt for ten thousand years B.C. the character of this functionary under the name of IUSA. Later he was the Iu-em-hetep, which means "the divine son who comes with peace (hetep). But most interestingly, this last word also means seven. Hence Jesus is he who comes as the seventh principle to complete the six elementary powers of natural evolution with the gift of divine intelligence, which supplants the elementary chaos with the rulership of love and intelligence and thus brings peace into a warring situation. Hence finally, Jesus is the seventh cosmic principle, announced in all religious lore as he who comes to bring peace and good will to men. And as such he was announced in the Christian Gospels. But there was more than one Jesus or IUSA or IU before the coming of the alleged historical Jesus.Startling as are the implications of this bit of etymology, a far more amazing denouement of Bible study is the revelation that not only were there over thirty Sun-god figures in the cults of the various nations of old, but there are immediately in the Bible itself, in the Old Testament, some twenty more Sun-god characters under the very name of Jesus! Are we speaking arrant nonsense or sober truth when we make a claim which seems at first sight so unsupportable? Twenty Jesus characters in the Old Testament! Let us see. We have noted the many variant forms of the Jesus name. There are still others in the Old Testament, never suspected as being related to the name of the Christian Redeemer. There are Isaac, Esau, Jesse, Jacob, Jeshu, Joachim, Joshua, Jonah and others. All these are variant forms of the one name, which has still other forms among the Hebrews in secular life, Yusuf, Yehoshua, Yeshu, etc. Joshua, Hosea and Jesse are from this name indisputably. A few might be the subject of controversy.Furthermore, beside these that bear the original divine name, there are other Sun-god figures in the Old Testament under a wide variety of names. They are Samson (whose name means "solar"), David, Solomon, Saul (equals soul, or sol, the sun--Latin.), Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Jephtha and the like. Their actions identify them as solar representatives.Now let us see what the conception of our divinity as a Sun-god in reality meant to the sages of old, and what it should mean to us. It meant that the divinity within us, our divine soul or Self, was itself the Sun-god, or solar deity. And what does this signify in concrete terms for us? Just this; that the god within us is constituted of the imperishable essence of solar light and energy! In short, we ourselves, in our higher nature, are solar gods in potentiality! Our highest nature is an incorruptible body composed of the glorious essence of the sun's energy! The gods in the Bible were always symboled by the light or fire of the sun. We are now enlightened to see it as a description of our nature as veritable truth and fact. We are Sun-gods. Our immortal spirits within us are composed of the radiant substance of solar energy.At the very time we were first assembling the material for this lecture, there came an announcement in the daily press of a discovery by a modern physicist, Dr. George W. Crile, of the Cleveland Laboratories, which practically fixed the seal of truth upon every word we have uttered or shall utter in this lecture. It was most startlingly corroborative of our exegesis. He announced that he had discovered at the heart of every living organism a tiny nucleus of energy, all aglow, with temperatures ranging from 3000 to 6000 degrees of heat, which he called "radiogens" or "hot points." These, he said, were precisely akin to the radiant energy of solar matter. He affirmed, in short, that a tiny particle of the sun's power and radiance was lodged within the heart of every organic unit! The light and energy that has life. What would be Crile's surprise, however, if he were to be shown a sentence taken from Hargrave Jennings' old book on the Rosicrucians, written over sixty years ago: "Every man has a little spark (sun) in his own bosom?" For this was one item in the teaching of the Medieval Fire-Philosophers, and the reason they were styled such. They knew what Crile has discovered, as likewise did the ancient Bible-writers. They based their Sun-god religions upon it. Our souls are composed of the imperishable essence of solar light! We are immortal because we are Sun-gods.But many will impatiently rise to expostulate with us, and ask why, if this was the universal fundamentum of the old religions, the Bible itself does not categorically carry this message and state this central fact. Wait a moment! Who that knows this primary datum has searched the Bible to see if it has nothing to say on the point? We, too, believed the Bible was remiss in expressing this conception, until we searched with a more watchful eye. And now let us hear what the Bible says as to our solar constitution, and determine for ourselves whether it is silent on the groundwork of religion or not. Let us hear first the Psalms. "Our God is a living fire," say they; and "Our God is a consuming fire." "The Lord God is a sun," avers the same book. "I am come to send fire on earth," says Jesus, meaning he came to scatter the separated sparks of solar essence amongst mankind, a spark to each soul. In Revelation the angels scatter the fire and the incense of their seven censers over the earth, among the inhabitants. Then says John the Baptist: "I indeed baptize you with water, but he that cometh after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire!" Jesus says: "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." (Satan was the descending Lucifer, or Light-bringer, before he was lifted up and divinized.) The fire that falls on Jeremiah's altar and many another in the Bible narrative types the deity coming to dwell with mortals. Says Jesus: "When I am in the world I am the light of the world." Again he said: "Ye are the light of the world," and "Let your light so shine that others may . . . glory your father which is in heaven." The Lord, say the Psalms, "made his angels messengers and his ministers a flame of fire." The New Testament Jesus, following the well-known Egyptian diagram of the Ankh, the solar disk with the spread wings, is described as "the sun of righteousness, risen with healing in his wings." John has Jesus saying that the condemnation of the world lay in that it rejected the light when it was sent into the world. Says Job: "Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle and his candle shall be put out with him." Isaiah writes: "Behold all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks; walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled." We are adjured to "Rise, shine, for thy light is come." "The Lord is my light," reiterates the Psalms. And again: "In thy light shall we see light." "Light is sown for the righteous." "We wait for light," cry the souls in the darkness of incarnation, far from their original fount of light. John declares that the Christos "was the true light" which was to come Messianically for the redemption of our lower nature. And again he declares that with the Christos "light is come into the world." No cry echoes with more resounding intensity down to this age than Paul's exhortation to our souls buried in lethal darkness: "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon thee!" And in Revelation there are those mighty pronouncements: in the spiritual resurrection "there shall be no more need of the sun to shine by day nor the moon by night, for the glory of the Lord did lighten it." And there is no more heartening assurance anywhere in the Bible than Jesus's statement: "Ye have light in yourselves."And these are only a gleaning from the great score of similar passages with which the Bible teems. And still folks will say they find no warrant for the Sun-god idea in the Bible!In Rome the sacred fire in the temple of Vesta was guarded by seven Vestal Virgins, chosen for purity and for psychic vision. If they permitted the fire to die out (symbolic of the light of deity dying out in the heart) the penalty upon them was death. If they violated their sexual purity, they were buried alive in the city. And from the great old Egyptian Book of the Dead we take just one passage among scores: "Lo, I come from the Lake of Flame, from the Lake of Fire, and from the field of flame, and I live." And again, from an old Book of Adam and Eve we quote a great passage in which the Lord says: "I made thee of the light, and I wished to bring out children of the light from thee." If only we had been taught by our religious teachers that our spiritual natures are woven and fabricated of solar light, we should have had a clearer apprehension of our potentialities for divine education.Supplementing all this material from the Bible and ancient scriptures, there is at hand for our supreme enlightenment one grand pronouncement from Greek Platonic philosophy which we conceive to be that lost ultimate link between science and religion. It is the truth before whose altar both science and religion can kneel at last and find themselves paying tribute to the same god,--the god of solar radiance. It is a sentence from the learned Proclus, last of the Great Platonists: "The light of the sun is the pure energy of intellect." Are we big enough to catch the mighty significance of that statement? Is it not the essence of what the modern physicist means when he talks of "mind-stuff?" The fiery radiance of the sun is already the motivating genius of intellect! Matter is itself intelligent and intelligence! Here is the basic link between all naturalism and all spirituality. Matter enshrouds and contains the soul of mind and spirit. The light of the sun is the deific flash of intellect! And the very core of our conscious being is a spark of that infinite indestructible energy of solar light. There is the "seminal soul of light" or the seed of fiery divinity (Prometheus's "fire" stolen from the gods) in each of us. It makes us a god.Armed with this unquenchable fire which is intellect, we are sent on earth to inhabit a body which is described as a watery and miry swamp. The body is nearly eighty per cent. water! It is the duty of the fiery spark to enlighten the whole dark realm of mortal life, to transmute by its alchemical power the baser dross of animal propensity into the finer motivation of love and brotherhood. This life is a purgation--Purgatory--because it is a process of burning and tempering crude animal elements into the pure gold of spiritual light. In Egyptian scriptures the twelve sons of Ra (the twelve sons of Jacob, and the twelve tribes of Israel) were called the "twelve saviors of the treasure of light." An Egyptian text reads: "This is the sun within us, the seminal source of light. Do not dim its luster or cause it to suffer eclipse." And another runs: "Give ye glory as to the sun; he is the chief, the only one coming from the body, the head of those who belong to the race of the sun."With this force of fire we must uplift the lower man and transmute his nature into the spiritual glow of love and intelligence. With it we must turn the water of the lower nature into the wine of spiritual force. Around it we must aggregate the refined material which we shall build into that temple of the soul, that body of the resurrection, the great garment of solar light, in which we shall rise out of the tomb of the physical corpus and ascend with the angels. This is the radiant Augoeides of the Greeks, the Sahu of the Egyptians, in which the soul wings its flight aloft like the phoenix, after rending the veil of the temple of the body. It is our garment of immortality, the seamless robe of glory, in prospect of which we groan and travail, says St. Paul, as we earnestly desire to be clothed upon with the garment of incorruption. As flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of heaven, we must fashion for our tenancy there this body of solar glory, in whose self-generated light we may live eternally, having overcome the realms of darkness, or spiritualized the body. Jesus prays the Father to grant unto him that glory that he had with him before the world was, and his prayer is fulfilled in the formation of the spirit body out of the elements of the sun.Who is this King of Glory?--says the Psalmist. And we are exhorted to lift up the aeonial gates, the age-lasting doors, to let the King of Glory enter into our realm. The King of Glory is the Sun-soul within us, raised in his final perfection in the fulness of Christly stature to the state of magnificent effulgence. The King of Glory is the immortal Sun-god, the deity in our hearts; and when at last he blazes forth in the heyday of his glory, and comes in majesty into our lives, then we behold his glory, as of the alone-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And when he appears to those still sitting in the shadow of darkness, they report that "they have seen a great light, and to those that sat in the valley of darkness did the light shine." And this light, seen ever and anon by some illuminated son of man, as he gropes in the murks of incarnation, is truly "that light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world."And when that light shineth clearer and brighter unto the perfect day, then, indeed, we know of a surety that we ourselves are nucleated of that same glorious essence of combined intellect and spirit. Then we know that we ourselves are the Sun-gods, and that the ancient allegory is not a "myth," but the very essence of our own Selfhood.The Great Myth of the Sun GodsBy Alvin Boyd Khunhttp://mountainman.com.au/ab_kuhn.html This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dwtruthwarrior.substack.com/subscribe

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold 5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

Abijam reigns as the next king of Israel after the death of Reheboam: Abijam was also known as Abijah - the significance of the two different names Abijam gives a good sermon to Jereboam Abijam dies as a disgraced king Asa his son reigns in his place Asa and Abijam have the same mother??   Need more? I don't blame you! Click the links below to see other P40 stuff:  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries  Website - https://www.p40ministries.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries  Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com  Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-6493869  Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk  Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop  YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle    Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee  https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40   This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries

Luke 1:5-25 5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”   Key Words: Priest, Duty, Angel, Good News, Vision Keystone Verse: I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. (Luke 1:19)     Download Bulletin

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ 1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,[a] 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,[b] 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,[c] and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,[d] and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Sermon Series: “The Incarnation: God's Unwavering Commitment to His World” Sermon Text: Luke 1:5-17, 76-79 Sermon Title: “Love Means Always Saying You're Sorry” Sermon Slides: SLIDE 1 – Sermon Title Slide SLIDE 2 – Today's Big Idea: True Love Means True Repentance. But True Repentance Isn't our Chore … it's God's Grace! SLIDE 3 – Point 1: God's Unwavering Commitment … Sends His True Prophet. (Lk. 1:5-17) SLIDE 4 – 1 Chronicles 24:1-8 – “The divisions of the sons of Aaron were these. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar became the priests … David organized them according to the appointed duties in their service … They divided them by lot, all alike, for there were sacred officers and officers of God … the eighth [lot fell] to Abijah.” SLIDE 5 – Insert a Copy of Point #1 of Sermon SLIDE 6 – Numbers 6:1-3 – “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes … the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink.” SLIDE 7 – Ephesians 5:18 – “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” SLIDE 8 – Insert a Copy of Point #1 of Sermon SLIDE 9 – Point 2: God's Uncompromising Communion … Requires Our True Repentance. (Lk. 1:76-79) SLIDE 10 – Romans 12:1 – “I appeal to you therefore … by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” SLIDE 11 – Romans 2:4 – “Do you presume on the riches of his kindness … not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” SLIDE 12 – Insert a Copy of Point #2 of Sermon SLIDE 13 – 2 Corinthians 7:10 – “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” SLIDE 14 – Four Uses of This Sermon for Our Church and Lives. SLIDE 15 – Christmas Isn't About Sentiment … It's About Our Salvation. SLIDE 16 – Our Relationship with God Comes by Subtraction, not Just Addition. SLIDE 17 – Where Do We Need to Repent … To Prepare this Advent? SLIDE 18 – John is God's Preparation … for Jesus, God's Incarnation.

Ch:12-Egypt invades Judah Ch:13-Abijah's war with Jeraboam Ch:14-Asa's reign --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leapoffaithpodcast/support

Send us a textThe Genealogy of Jesus Christ1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,[a] 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,[b] 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,[c] and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,[d] and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.Join Pastor Daryl as he journeys through the entire Bible. Read or subscribe to his devotional at simplythebible.blog. Visit the church website. If you enjoy Simply the Bible, please give us a rating and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. That helps us a lot!

We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info!Embark on a journey in 1 Kings 15 through the tumultuous reigns of Judah and Israel's kings, as we explore their profound impacts on history and faith.Rehoboam and Abijah's Reigns: Rehoboam's reign was marked by idol worship and divine displeasure, setting the stage for Judah's struggles. His successor, Abijah, followed similar paths of sin, yet God preserved the Davidic line, showing His faithfulness.The Rise of Asa: Asa, a righteous king, brought reform to Judah by eradicating idol worship and restoring faithfulness to God. His strategic alliance with Ben-Hadad of Aram helped secure Judah's borders against Baasha of Israel, ensuring peace and prosperity.Kingdoms in Turmoil: Israel faced instability with rapid successions of kings, including Nadab, Baasha, Elah, and the short-lived Zimri, each doing evil in the Lord's eyes. These turbulent times noted in 1 Kings 15 paved the way for the rise of Omri and the imminent arrival of the prophet Elijah.Thank you for being a part of the club for Season 11.Show NotesBlogThe Kings of IsraelJerusalem in the Time of David and SolomonThe TabernacleThe Temple 2012 discovery of a reservoir Contact Bible Book ClubLike, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

Pastor Rodney speaks about The Birth of Christ Part 2; specifically about The Course of Abia (Abijah).

Daily Dose of Hope October 8, 2024 Day 3 of Week 28   Scripture:  1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13-14; Titus 3   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope.  I know that many of us are waking up this morning with a sense of anxiety or even dread.  We have a hurricane headed our way and we have absolutely no control over it.  If you need help preparing your home, please let us know.  We have people more than willing to help you get things as safe as possible.  Text 813-689-4161 if you need help.    Let's get into our Scripture for today.  With 1 Kings 15, we begin the saga of various kings reigning over both Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and Judah (the Southern Kingdom).  In the Northern Kingdom, there is a quick turnover of leadership, which naturally leads to instability.  There is also a blatant disregard for God's laws, including what has become a culture of pagan worship.  We see God occasionally send a prophet to hold the king accountable, and regardless of whether the king changes his behavior, we can see the Lord attempting to be in relationship with his people and call his people back to him.   In the Southern Kingdom, there were also a number of leaders, some who disobeyed God and others who made an earnest attempt to follow God's law.  In today's chapter, we meet King Asa, who does what was right in the Lord's eyes.  He cleans up the pagan symbols and altars, the shrine prostitutes, and brings the precious articles back to the temple.   What's interesting is that in the Southern Kingdom, even when the kings are disobedient, God extends grace because of David's obedience and devotion.  In some ways, God gives them a pass because he remembered the faithfulness of their forefather David.  Even when the kings were sinful, God kept his promise.  He promised that a descendent of David would sit on the throne forever and he made it so.     Our God is a God who keeps his promises.  How many of you need to hear today that God keeps his promises?  Even when we fall away, God keeps his promises.  Even when life feels hard, God keeps his promises.   Below is a list of just a few of God's promises.  On this day filled with so much uncertainty because of the storm, let's focus on God's promises:   1.         God promises to always be with you.  Matthew 28:20 (and surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age), Hebrews 13:5 (Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Romans 8:38-39 (For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.)   2.        God promises strength. 1 Cor. 10:13 (No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.), 2 Cor. 12:9 (But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me), Phil. 4:13 (I can do all this through him who gives me strength.), Eph. 6:10 (Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.)   3.        God promises peace.  John 14:27 (Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.), John 16:33 (“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.”)   4.        God promises to answer prayers.  Luke 11:9 (“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.), John 16:24 (Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.). Matthew 7:8 (For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.   5.        God promises to take care of your needs. Matthew 6:32-33 (For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.), 2 Cor.9:8 (And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.)   6.        God promises freedom from sin.  John 8:36 (So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.), Romans 6:22 (But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.), Romans 8:1 (Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...)   7.        God promises everlasting life.  John 3:16 (For God so loved the world...), I John 5:13-14 (I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life...)   2 Chronicles 13-14 writes about the succession of the kings of Judah in more detail, specifically Abijah and Asa.  It appears that Judah is more obedient to God's laws than Israel.  What other differences do you notice between the Northern and Southern kings?   For our New Testament passage, we are finishing up the book of Titus.  In this chapter, we see that Paul didn't want the Cretans to cause a scene and stir up political discontent.  What was most important was the spread of the Gospel.  Creating political conflict would not help the cause of the young church and Paul wanted to be sure they understood that.  Again, they were not to get involved in quarrels and arguments that simply weren't that important.  They needed to show the world that there was something different about them: humility, gentleness, and kindness.  Rather than get involved in political messes, they should get involved in doing good in their community.  It simply wasn't about them and their personal preferences, it was about reaching people for Jesus.   How much more could we all do for the Kingdom if we worried less about personal preferences and politics and focused more on spreading the Good News of Jesus?  Again, don't major in the minors.  Keep laser focus on what truly matters.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 97Dominus regnavit1The Lord is King;let the earth rejoice; *let the multitude of the isles be glad.2Clouds and darkness are round about him, *righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne.3A fire goes before him *and burns up his enemies on every side.4His lightnings light up the world; *the earth sees it and is afraid.5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, *at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.6The heavens declare his righteousness, *and all the peoples see his glory.7Confounded be all who worship carved imagesand delight in false gods! *Bow down before him, all you gods.8Zion hears and is glad, and the cities of Judah rejoice, *because of your judgments, O Lord.9For you are the Lord,most high over all the earth; *you are exalted far above all gods.10The Lord loves those who hate evil; *he preserves the lives of his saintsand delivers them from the hand of the wicked.11Light has sprung up for the righteous, *and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.12Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, *and give thanks to his holy Name.Psalm 99Dominus regnavit1The Lord is King;let the people tremble; *he is enthroned upon the cherubim;let the earth shake.2The Lord is great in Zion; *he is high above all peoples.3Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; *he is the Holy One.4“O mighty King, lover of justice,you have established equity; *you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”5Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our Godand fall down before his footstool; *he is the Holy One.6Moses and Aaron among his priests,and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, *they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.7He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.8“O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; *you were a God who forgave them,yet punished them for their evil deeds.”9Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our Godand worship him upon his holy hill; *for the Lord our God is the Holy One.Psalm 100Jubilate Deo1Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *serve the Lord with gladnessand come before his presence with a song.2Know this: The Lord himself is God; *he himself has made us, and we are his;we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.3Enter his gates with thanksgiving;go into his courts with praise; *give thanks to him and call upon his Name.4For the Lord is good;his mercy is everlasting; *and his faithfulness endures from age to age. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Lessons2 Chronicles 29:1-3English Standard Version29 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.2 Chronicles 30English Standard Version30 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month— 3 for they could not keep it at that time because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem— 4 and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. 5 So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed. 6 So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, “O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. 8 Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. 9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”10 So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11 However, some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.13 And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very great assembly. 14 They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the brook Kidron. 15 And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. 16 They took their accustomed posts according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests threw the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the Lord. 18 For a majority of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.” 20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord. 22 And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers.23 Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests consecrated themselves in great numbers. 25 The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in heaven.1 Corinthians 7:32-40English Standard Version32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 21O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

In this week's message, Minister Mark Ashton teaches about King Abijah's life and the ongoing conflict between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. Discover the surprising twists and turns of this biblical tale, filled with political intrigue, military battles, and spiritual insights.

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, September 11, 2024Worship Service: 2:00 p.m.Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. — The Book of HebrewsAll are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relativeVisit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”Archive of BULLETINS2 Chronicles 29:1-11 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east and said to them, “Hear me, Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filth from the Holy Place. For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the LORD our God. They have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD and turned their backs. They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel. Therefore the wrath of the LORD came on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. My sons, do not now be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.” Philippians 3:1-21 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. The Ten Commandments What is the sixth commandment? You shall not commit adultery. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.

When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”Samuel's Warning Against Kings10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. 11 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men[a] and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”The Lord Grants Israel's Request19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”

Our reading today examines the lives of two descendants of David who each reigned as king over Israel. First: Abijah, who reigned for only 3 years, but who made an impassioned speech against Israel's king Jeroboam, warning him that he should not wage war against the Lord and those who serve Him. Abijah's son Asa takes the throne after him, and Asa devotes himself to the Lord for most of his life. The Lord rewards Asa's faithfulness by blessing the nation of Judah with a long period of peace. When the threat of war finally becomes immanent, Asa fails to consult the Lord, and instead turns towards another king for help. 2 Chronicles 13 - 1:13 . 2 Chronicles 14 - 5:59 . 2 Chronicles 15 - 10:10 . 2 Chronicles 16 - 13:29 . 2 Chronicles 17 - 16:34 . Isaiah 5 - 19:52 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Luke 1:1-5 1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.   Today, let me begin by again asking you to pray for our grandson Luke. He is being taken back into surgery this morning for shunt failure. Of course this is not good news.  Kimberly and Chris and our family are so thankful for your faithful prayers during this discouraging and difficult time.   The Gospel of Luke reminds us that God is always at work in this world whether we can see or feel it or not. We can never doubt God's love when we read and believe His Word about His Son Jesus Christ. God Himself becomes a baby in a manger for the purpose of becoming flesh and blood so that He might suffer and bear the full punishment for our sins. Hebrews 2:14-15, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”   Yesterday we talked about how God uses ordinary people to do extra ordinary things. Of all the writers of the New Testament, Luke is probably the least known. He is mentioned only three times by name in the New Testament. In this very first chapter of Luke we meet three other people, who for the most part, were also very ordinary people that God is going to use to do extra ordinary things. Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth, a very old couple. And also, a young virgin girl named Mary who lived in Nazareth, a very dark region of Israel.   If I could pick two verses that give us the heart beat of God and Luke for giving us this Gospel account of the life of Jesus they would be Luke 2:10 and Luke 19:10. The angel announced to the shepherds in Luke 2:10, “Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” And in Luke 19:10, Jesus Himself said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." The Gospel of Luke is a message of “good tidings of great joy” for everyone because we have a Savior who has come to seek and save us!!!   It was indeed a dark day for the nation of Israel. The people had heard no prophetic Word from God for 400 years, not since Malachi had promised the coming of Elijah (Mal. 4:5-6). The spiritual leaders were shackled by tradition and, in some instances, corruption; and their king, Herod the Great, was a tyrant. He had nine (some say ten) wives, one of whom he had executed for no apparent reason. But no matter how dark the day, God is at work behind the scenes and always has His devoted and obedient people that He has prepared to accomplish His purpose and will. Yes, ordinary people like you and me!   Zacharias, Elizabeth and Mary had no idea of how God was going to work through them to let a dark world know how much He cares and loves! In the midst of the darkness that might surround you today, remember God loves you, and He has a very special plan and purpose for your life, to be beacon of light to the people around you!   God bless!

Thursday, 1 August 2024   and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:25    “And he knew her not until that she brought forth the Son, her Firstborn. And he called His name JESUS” (CG).   In the previous verse, it said that after his visitation by the messenger, he thoroughly aroused from his sleep and did as the angel commanded him, taking to him his wife. Now, Matthew continues the narrative, saying, “And he knew her not.”   This is a biblical euphemism, meaning that he did not have intercourse with her. The first of many times this is mentioned in Scripture is in Genesis 4 –   “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the Lord.'” Genesis 4:1   Joseph refrained from consummating his marriage to Mary until a certain point. However, at some point after that time, they would have come together as husband and wife. That is seen in the next words, “until that.”   The Greek says heós hu, until that. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says of this concerning the word heós, “with the genitive of the neuter relative pronoun οὗ [hou] or ὅτου [hotou] it gets the force of a conjunction, until, till (the time when).” In other words, up until a certain point, Joseph did not know his wife intimately. However, that certainly changed after the time “she brought forth the Son.”   The birth of Jesus was untainted by any hint of sexual intercourse between Joseph and Mary. She was a virgin, and her virginity remained until the birth of her Son, “her Firstborn.”   The words are a standard designation. They do not imply she had other children. It simply calls out that this Child, regardless of whether He had siblings or not, was the Firstborn of Mary. As He is also God's only begotten, Jesus is also the Firstborn of God –   “For to which of the angels did He ever say: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You'? And again: ‘I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son'? 6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.'” Hebrews 1:5-6   Of this, the words of Exodus 4:22 should be reviewed –   “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.”'”   Israel, the nation, is said to be the Firstborn of the Lord. This means through adoption. God selected them to carry out His purposes, leading to the coming of the Messiah. However, Jesus is the Firstborn in the sense of being begotten.   A couple who could not have their own children might adopt a child who becomes their firstborn. However, later that condition could change, and they beget a child through the life-generative process. This is the difference between the two.   Next, and in accordance with the words of the messenger, Matthew notes, “And he called His name JESUS.”   It is Joseph who named the Child in accordance with the divine instructions. Mary was also told that His name was to be Jesus, but the text records that Joseph is the one who is credited with following through with what he was instructed. Mary, though the human mother of Jesus, is seen to otherwise portray a minor role in the events that take place in the gospel records.   Life application: Although the biblical record does not speak of any future intimacy between Joseph and Mary, the way that Matthew writes of Joseph's keeping separate from Mary until a certain point is a strong indication that their refraining from intercourse was only temporary. For example, this is recorded in Genesis 38 –   “So Judah acknowledged them and said, ‘She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.' And he never knew her again.” Genesis 38:26   When something is set and final in this manner, the Bible generally says so to highlight the matter. Not only is there no such statement concerning Joseph and Mary, but exactly the opposite is the case. This is contrary to the aberrant teaching of Roman Catholicism, which dogmatically states that Mary was a perpetual virgin.   There is no biblical support for this. The teaching was only decided upon in the year 553, hundreds of years after anyone could have known whether this was the case or not. In other words, it was a decision based on vapor and nothing else.   But why would the church want to make this claim? It is the same reason for innumerable decisions in the Roman Catholic Church: to direct people's attention away from Jesus. Contrary to Scripture alone, the RCC holds to the Bible, plus the authority of the church. Contrary to Christ alone, the RCC holds to the mediation of Christ, plus the intercessory ability of Mary, the Pope, etc. Contrary to faith alone, the RCC holds to faith plus works in the process of justification. Contrary to grace alone, the RCC teaches merit apart from the grace of God. Contrary to the glory of God alone, the RCC uses exalted titles for the dead (such as Mary) and the living (the living pope at any given time), etc.   There is nothing acceptable about the doctrines of the RCC. Everything taught is tainted with the machinations of man. Whether Joseph and Mary came together or not after the birth of Jesus is not specifically addressed in Scripture because it has no bearing on where our eyes should be directed, which is to Jesus. Let us not get caught up in strange teachings that misdirect us from this key doctrine.   Lord God, may we be faithful to hold to Scripture alone for our doctrine concerning You and the theology that we pursue. Keep us from those who would misdirect us and confuse us in our walk. Thank You for Your word which is sufficient to instruct us. And thank You for Jesus who is the central figure presented in Your word. Amen. Mathew 1   1 Scroll: Genealogy Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham.   2Abraham begot Isaac, and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3And Judah begot Perez and Zerah from Tamar, and Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4And Ram begot Amminadab, and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5And Salmon begot Boaz from Rahab, and Boaz begot Obed from Ruth, and Obed begot Jesse. 6And Jesse begot David, the king.   And David, the king, begot Solomon from the of Uriah. 7And Solomon begot Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. 8And Asa begot Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9And Uzziah begot Jotham, and Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10And Hezekiah begot Manasseh, and Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. 11And Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers upon the Babylon deportation.   12And after the Babylon deportation, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13And Zerubbabel begot Abiud, and Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14And Azor begot Zadok, and Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15And Eliud begot Eleazar, and Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom birthed Jesus, being called the Christ.   17Therefore, all the generations from Abraham until David, generations fourteen. And from David until the Babylon deportation, generations fourteen. And from the Babylon deportation until the Christ, generations fourteen.   18And the birth of Jesus Christ was thus: For his mother Mary, having been betrothed to Joseph, rather before they came together, she was found – from Holy Spirit – having in womb. 19And Joseph, her husband, being righteous and not willing to expose her to disgrace, intended to send her away secretly. 20And him, having pondered these, behold a messenger of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, you should not fear to receive Mary your wife, for that having been begotten in her – from Holy Spirit is. 21And she will bring forth a son, and you will call His name JESUS. For He will save His people from their sins.”   22And this all has come to pass that may be fulfilled that having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23“Behold, the virgin will have in womb, and will bring forth a Son, and they will call His name Emmanouél,” which is being translated, “With Us: The God.”   24And Joseph, having thoroughly aroused from the sleep, did as the messenger of the Lord commanded him, and received his wife. 25And he knew her not until that she brought forth the Son, her Firstborn. And he called His name JESUS.  

Our readings today examine the lives of two descendants of David who each reigned as king over Israel. First, there's Abijah (or Abijam), who reigned for only 3 years, but who makes an impassioned speech against Israel's king Jeroboam, warning him that he should not wage war against the Lord and those who serve Him. Abijah's son Asa takes the throne after him, and Asa devotes himself to the Lord for most of his life. The Lord rewards Asa's faithfulness by blessing the nation of Judah with a long period of peace. In 2 Chronicles we'll also read about two of Israel's kings: King Nadab is the son of Jeroboam, but he and the rest of Jeroboam's lineage are cut down and destroyed in accordance with God's judgment. Baasha becomes king after killing Nadab, and reign for 24 years. 1 Kings 15 - 1:07 . 2 Chronicles 13 - 7:28 . 2 Chronicles 14 - 13:03 . 2 Chronicles 15 - 16:15 . Psalm 119:1 - 20:03 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Are your insecurities overshadowing your faith? Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. This week, we are in 1 Samuel 8. I've titled this chapter "When Our Insecurities Define Us." Today, our text is 1 Samuel 8:1-3, which reads: When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. — 1 Samuel 8:1-3 First, as we read these verses, we are drawn to the comparison between Eli and his sons and Samuel and his sons. Many commentators have attempted to dissect the similarities and differences, but one detail stands out. Samuel was a faithful follower and judge of Israel throughout his life. Second, as a parent and spiritual leader, these verses especially cause me to stop and reflect. When I read them, I immediately insert myself into the story and play forward the lives of my children. I think about my daughter, both of my sons and my son-in-law. More than anything in this life, I want them all to know Jesus. I hope what is said here will never be told about my children. Yet I also realize that my children have to make their own decisions about Jesus and that I have a spiritual responsibility to lead them, but I am not spiritually responsible for them. Let me pause and say this is also true for you. You have a spiritual responsibility to not for your children. I know parents are reading this devotional today who have children who do not fear or follow the Lord. They have turned aside, and your heart is heavy for them. All I can tell you is that you should never give up hope. Here are four things you can do. First, you can pray for them. Second, you can speak the truth to them. Third, you can live obediently to Jesus and pray this impacts them. Fourth, you can hold onto all hope. If this is you today, I will pray for you and your children today. But back to the text. Two factors create tension in the chapter. The first factor is Samuel's old age as a judge and leader. The second factor is the looming reality that they lack a suitable successor because his sons are unjust judges. Isn't it interesting that old age and disobedient children create a leadership concern, which gives the opportunity to wedge God out of the nation? You cannot make this up. The timing of this text and what is happening in our country are fascinating. These two factors open the door to all kinds of insecurity about the future. They create a swelling concern that is not resolved by faith in God but faith in a man—the appointment of the first king of Israel. God will be edged out as King, and the people will insist on a king like all other nations. And it is right here in human history where the Theocracy ceases, and the Monarchy rises. Leadership insecurities can cause people to think irrationally and act disobediently. This is true in a nation, a business, a church, or a family. The important thing is to anticipate the insecurities or acknowledge them when they occur and find the right solutions for them. Looking ahead in the chapter, the insecurities anticipated create a bit of a national crisis, which leads the people to find the wrong solution to the wrong problem, which complicates their relationship with God. Here's a prayer for you today: God, today I pray for all parents with children who do not believe in you. Please draw them back to you. Help us be faithful in praying for them, speaking the truth to them, and modeling obedience. And God, in all our insecurities, lead us to faith in you and not faith in mankind. Amen. #FaithfulParenting, #TrustInGod, #OvercomingInsecurity Ask This: How can you actively demonstrate your faith and trust in God to your children, even when they seem to be straying from His path? In what areas of your life are insecurities leading you to seek human solutions rather than trusting in God's guidance and provision? Do This: Be faithful in your insecurities. Pray This: Lord, help me to trust You completely with my children's lives and to guide them with faithfulness and love. Grant me the strength to overcome my insecurities and to lead by example, always pointing them toward You. Amen. Play This: With Confidence.

In this Bible Story, Abijah rules with a brutal fist and sinful arrogance. His son, Asa, rules with the fear of God and a righteous heart and is able to topple the idols in Judah and bring the people of God back to their first love. This story is inspired by 1 Kings 15 & 2 Chronicles 13-16. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 1 Kings 15:12 from the King James Version.Episode 121: Abijah was harsh, like his father Rehoboam, and his reign was filled with war and strife. Constantly fighting against his brothers in Israel. Yet in all this despair God was faithful to His promise to David that there would always be a king from his line on the throne. After Abijah died, his son Asa came to rule. His heart was turned toward rescuing the people from the idolatry in Judah and with God's help, he galvanized the people of Judah into a spirit of unity.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13-14; Philippians 4 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to another episode of the Daily Radio Bible. I'm your host, Hunter. Today, we delve into a powerful story of faith and divine intervention that spans generations. In this episode, we explore the account of Asa and his father Abijah, two kings who faced overwhelming odds with an unwavering faith in God. When both were dramatically outnumbered in battle, they cried out to the Lord, and God granted them victory. We'll reflect on how this timeless lesson of relying on God against seemingly insurmountable challenges is relevant for each of us today. Together, we'll be reminded of the promise that God helps the powerless against the mighty, giving us peace and victory when we trust in Him. Join me as we unpack this incredible narrative and its implications for our own lives. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, they kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL We are reading through the New Living Translation from Tyndale Publishers  

In this Bible Story, we learn about the downward spiral of Judah and Israel. Their kings, Rehoboam and Jeroboam, lead their people into an era of idol-worship, war, and cynicism. The past glory of David and Solomon seems like a distant memory, and the people of Israel grow accustomed to sin and shame. This story is inspired by 1 Kings 14, 15:33-34 & 2 Chronicles 12. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Chronicles 12:6 from the King James Version.Episode 120: King Jeroboam's son Abijah was sick, and as he sat at the boy's bedside, he called for his wife to disguise herself and seek out the prophet Ahijah. When she arrived, his message for her was not one of hope but of judgment and of recompense for her husband's sins. And as she rode home in heartbreak, her son Abijah died.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.