Podcasts about Abrahams

David chats with Gary Abrahams, Director of the Melbourne Shakespeare Company's 2026 production of Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl. Eurydice — a modern, poetic reimagining of the Orpheus myth — at fortyfivedownstairs, running until 14 June. The post Gary Abrahams – June 7th, 2026 appeared first on Sunday Arts Magazine.

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·      What are the primary roadblocks for Abrahams and Isaacs to accomplishing the acceleration of the next generation?·      What is the difference between giving honor and being controlled?·      What is the price of isolation?These questions are answered in this insightful podcast by Pastor John Nuzzo based on his book The Acceleration Mandate.  The best roadblock is the one you miss!  The best pain is the one you never experience!  As you listen to this message, you will learn how to avoid the pitfalls that will slow you down.  God is turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers.  When generations unite, it accelerates the Kingdom of God.  Let's remain undivided in church and life relationships so that Jesus can be glorified and the Kingdom of God can expand.  ENCOUNTER CONFERENCE is a 3-day annual youth conference designed to create environments for believers to have an encounter with God so that our region is transformed for the Kingdom.  June 17 – 19, get your students, youth group, and children currently in grades 7-12 to Victory Family Church.  It will transform their lives, and they will have a blast doing it!  Only $59 per person.  Register HERE.The Acceleration Mandate by Pastor John Nuzzo is available wherever books are sold and can be also found HERE.

What it takes to lead as a communicator and communicate as a leader.Leadership isn't just about making decisions — it's about how you communicate them. As Matt Abrahams puts it, “Communication is operationalized leadership.”At a recent Me2We event, in connection with Stanford GSB's Executive Education LEAD program, Abrahams held a live discussion with four of the podcast's most popular guests: Celine Teoh, facilitator of the GSB's famous Interpersonal Dynamics course; Huggy Rao, organizational behavior professor and co-author of The Friction Project; legendary Stanford basketball coach Tara VanDerveer; and Dave Dodson, lecturer and author of The Manager's Handbook.In this special live episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the panel shares frameworks and lessons for leading and communicating more effectively. From Teoh's five A's for inviting dissent to Rao's warning against “jargon monoxide,” from VanDerveer's relationship-first approach to Dodson's case for leading like a teacher, this conversation explores what it takes to communicate as a leader — and lead as a communicator.Episode Reference Links:Celine TeohTara VanDerveerHuggy RaoHuggy's Book: The Friction ProjectDavid DodsonDavid's Book: The Manager's HandbookEp.194 Live Lessons in Levity and Leadership: Me2We 2025 Part 1 Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn Chapters:(00:00) - Introduction (04:18) - Encouraging Dissent (06:40) - The Addition Bias (09:57) - Coaching Through Encouragement (12:12) - Leadership in the AI Era (16:24) - Teaching vs. Managing (17:46) - Making People Feel Appreciated (19:06) - Slowing Down Decisions (21:24) - Listening More (24:24) - Avoiding Jargon (26:31) - Giving Better Feedback (28:53) - Preparing for Communication (29:44) - Using Communication Frameworks (31:15) - Skills for Future Leaders (37:47) - Conclusion

Passage: Acts 11:19-30Preacher: Beejai AbrahamsService: 5pmDate: Sunday 24 May 2026Attribution: For Podcast, DayNightMorning (Free Music Archive) License type (CC BY-NC-ND)

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Surely they can't be serious. In another coup for the Stuff Dreams Are Made Of (our first comedy coup?), David and Ryan of Mandel, Condal and Taylor have a hilarious chat with comedy legend David Zucker. They talk all about Airplane! and the Naked Gun and Scary Movie sagas, what makes spoof work, casting for comedy, and of course, collecting. The guys also learn that Mr. Zucker kept an impressive amount of high-quality prop gags from Airplane!, has absolutely never seen or heard of House of the Dragon, and that he also has a very surprising (and rather serious) collection obsession of his own. Email: dreamsaremadeofpodcast@gmail.com SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/ Check out MasterCrash here: https://www.youtube.com/@MasterCrashComedy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Surely they can't be serious. In another coup for the Stuff Dreams Are Made Of (our first comedy coup?), David and Ryan of Mandel, Condal and Taylor have a hilarious chat with comedy legend David Zucker. They talk all about Airplane! and the Naked Gun and Scary Movie sagas, what makes spoof work, casting for comedy, and of course, collecting. The guys also learn that Mr. Zucker kept an impressive amount of high-quality prop gags from Airplane!, has absolutely never seen or heard of House of the Dragon, and that he also has a very surprising (and rather serious) collection obsession of his own. Email: dreamsaremadeofpodcast@gmail.com SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/ Check out MasterCrash here: https://www.youtube.com/@MasterCrashComedy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this study we will take a look at the women within the Bible. We will look at each one of them and see how their story influences our lives today.As we continue our study in this fantastic insight of the Women of the Bible, this morning we will take a look at Rebekah.Rebecca – We can say that she is Ambitious Rebecca was the much-loved wife of Isaac. A woman of Godly character, but not without her human weaknesses. She had twin sons Esau and Jacob. Esau, born first, should have inherited the role of leader of the tribe, but Rebecca judged that Jacob would be better than his brother, so she and Jacob tricked the old man into giving the leadership to Jacob.Names in the Bible often says something about the person:Rebecca means 'ensnarer'Isaac means 'laughter', perhaps a reference to his mother Sarah's laughter when she heard she was to become pregnant in her old ageJacob means 'heel catcher' - either his brother's heel at the moment of birth, or his brother's inheritance later onEsau was nicknamed Edom, which meant 'red'; he was born with a ruddy complexion then spent most of his time outdoors in the sun, so his face and skin may have been unusually red. What her story is aboutThis story shows the gradual fulfillment of the promise made by Yahweh, that Sarah and Abraham would have many descendents, enough to become a nation.The story of Rebecca contains three different episodes: 1 the engagement and marriage of Rebecca(Genesis 24). Rebecca is introduced as a brave and resourceful young woman; she impressed all the people who met her. She was a good match for Isaac.      2 the birth and youth of Esau and Jacob(Genesis 25:19-34). Rebecca gave birth to two sons with very different temperaments. The conflict between them would be the basis for conflict between later generations and nations.3 Rebecca and the blessing of Isaac(Genesis 27). Rebecca manipulated the situation so that the tribe would be led by an intelligent man rather than a popular but shallow man, so that decisions for the tribe would be based on wisdom rather than impulse or emotion.Now we come to Part 2 of the story, The Birth and Youth of Esau and Jacob In our last study we read the story of Rebekah as Abrahams servant (Eliezer) went back to the homeland of Abraham to bring back a wife for his son Isaac. Now we continue with her story as she is barren and we see Isaac seeking out Yahweh on this issue of Rebekah barrenness.Just as Sarah and Abraham, this was true of Isaac and Rebekah. Rebekah was barren and Isaac prayed for her and Yahweh heard his prayer (Genesis 25:21). Couples need to lift each other up in prayer. There are times when it is your prayers that will help your partner. Rebekah was a woman of prayer and had no less access to Yahweh than Isaac did. Indeed we see her seeking Yahweh over the issue of her children and getting a clear answer (Genesis 25: 22-25). Maybe she had gained her confidence back after becoming pregnant.23.          Two nations are in your womb = What Yahweh said was simple. Rebekah would give birth to twins. The twins would each be ancestors of nations. One of the sons and nations would be greater than the other. The younger son and the nation descended from him would be greater than the older son and his descendants.And the older shall serve the younger = Yahweh commanded that in the case of these twin sons, the long-established practice of privilege for the firstborn be set aside and the younger son be considered as privileged over his older brother. In normal cases, Yahweh recognized the custom of preference for the firstborn and older. Yet Yahweh may upset normal customs and hierarchies to advance His plan and purpose.Despite her beauty, and despite Isaac's love for her, Rebecca did not an easy time of it. She did not conceive for quite some years, and this was considered both a personal misfortune and a sign that she was not favored by Yahweh. Eventually however she became pregnant, but even then it was not plain sailing. She had a difficult pregnancy, since the two babies inside her were constantly moving, so that she had no peace. Like many women before and since, she wondered what she had got herself into.   So she 'went to enquire of Yahweh'. Rebecca was the first woman we hear of who sought Yahweh out and asked Him for some explanation of her condition. This shows her initiative and self-confidence. The method she used to speak with Yahweh is not explained, but a common practice in the ancient world was to consult a prophet or oracle. Rebecca may have followed this practice or, as in Numbers 12:6, the message may have come to her in a dream.   Yahweh told her that'Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.' Couples need to support one another. Taking support from your partner is not a sign of weakness. Rebekah could certainly hear from Yahweh directly, nevertheless she still allowed Isaac to do it when it regarded child birth. My guess is that they had both been praying for children together and as discouragement set in Isaac took it up more aggressively. The next chapter involves Rebecca and King Abimelech in Gerar.The episode is really about water rights in the area, essential to a nomadic people. In the section involving Rebecca (26:1-11), all Rebecca's actions suggest that she was active, not passive, a planner and doer, not a victim. So the episode with Abimelech is likely to have resulted from co-operation between her and Isaac. Indeed, judging from other events in her life, the plan may have originated with her. There was a famine in the land = Though Isaac lived in the land Yahweh promised to his father Abraham and his descendants, it did not mean that life in the land would be without trouble or challenge. As there was a famine in the days of Abram (Genesis 12:10), so there was a famine in Isaac's day.Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar = Isaac began to go south towards Egypt, as Abram did in famine (Genesis 12:10). It seems that Isaac thought to travel along the famous road between Egypt and Canaan that went along the Mediterranean Sea. Gerar was the same place where Isaac's father Abraham met another Abimelech and almost compromised his wife (Genesis 20:1-18). A similar story, comparable in the actions of Yahweh and men, would play out with Abraham's son.The ruler of Gerar was called Abimelech as a title, not as a personal name. This is why both Abraham and Isaac dealt with Abimelech (Genesis 20, Genesis 26). Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com

Hey ya'll welcome to the podcast and thanks for joining us. We are continuing on in our series through the faith hero's in Hebrews 11. Today is Abraham, Bro. dean covers the first part of Abrahams life from Genesis 11-14. Lots of great insight into the start of Abrahams spiritual journey and building faith. We pray this episode is a blessing to you and you are elevated in the word!

In this episode of the Open Bedroom Podcast, I sit down with Jeff Abraham, CEO of Prometheus, a sexual wellness brand. Jeff shares how Prometheus developed their patented delay sprays and wipes to help men with premature ejaculation by reducing hypersensitivity—without numbing their partners. We dive into the "orgasm gap" between men and women, the importance of foreplay and communication, and why normalizing masturbation for men matters. Jeff also talks about female arousal gels, cock rings, and their Go Solo lotion. Throughout the episode, we focus on removing shame around sexual wellness and encourage couples to explore intimacy openly using the right tools.Unrealistic Expectations from Porn (00:00:01)Discusses how porn creates anxiety and unrealistic expectations about sex and performance.Origins of Promescent and PE Treatments (00:01:51)Jeff explains the founding of Promescent, early PE treatments, and the science behind their delay spray.How the Delay Spray Works (00:04:05)Details on the lidocaine-based spray, its unique formulation, and how it avoids numbing partners.The Orgasm Gap and Coping Mechanisms (00:06:14)Discusses the average duration of intercourse for men and women, the orgasm gap, and coping strategies.PE's Prevalence and Misdiagnosis (00:08:42)PE is more common than ED; misdiagnosis and psychological impacts are discussed.Anxiety, Confidence, and Sexual Performance (00:09:57)Explores the link between anxiety, confidence, and sexual performance in men.Impact of Porn on Sexual Expectations (00:13:38)How porn distorts expectations and increases anxiety for both men and women.Communication and Learning Your Partner (00:22:24)Importance of communication, understanding partner preferences, and overcoming shame in sexual relationships.Sex Education and Breaking Stereotypes (00:29:53)Lack of proper sex education, breaking myths about orgasms, and understanding female anatomy.Stigma and Physiology of Premature Ejaculation (00:56:48)Addressing stigma, physiological causes of PE, and the need for open discussion and solutions.Shop Promescent:https://www.promescent.com/Follow The Open Bedroom Podcast:https://www.instagram.com/theopenbedroompodcast/

Send us Fan MailOn today's PoM podcast I sat down and spoke with Biull Yuhasz, speaker, author, podcaster, and co-founder of Known Legacy Ministries. Known Legacy began in 2015 when Bill and Sarah Yuhasz felt a clear calling to help families grow stronger and more intentional. What started in their own life discoveries as a young couple that they were made for more and they wanted to do life differently than they were accustomed to. They knew they were not created to simply exist - God had a bigger purpose for their lives.  They took leaps of faith, made moves relocating from NY to TX and a journey began to unfold as the desire to live on mission, be the Abrahams in their families, set new boundary lines, parent like they have never seen before and this soon grew into a deeper mission.To learn more visit: https://knownlegacy.org/home-3Learn more about The Pursuit of Manliness: https://www.thepursuitofmanliness.com/ Secure your spot in Tribe XVIII https://www.thepursuitofmanliness.com/gear/p/tribe-xviiiJoin The Herd:  https://www.thepursuitofmanliness.com/join-the-herdRegister for our 2026 Fall Men's Retreat: https://www.thepursuitofmanliness.com/gear/p/2026-mens-retreatSupport the show

This week Big S has syph of the ear helix and is feeling the living alone tax. Will Task Rabbit come to her rescue? Hannah's also gonna be alone in a creepy house and Adam is in touch with his weepy side. A very strange demon is pulled out of the haunted Cornish tarot cards... but anyway. Let's get into the stories. Story 1  Big Suze takes us to Hilda and Abrahams spa weekend. Sound... familiar? Story 2  Hannah tells us a story about a strange phonecall... Looking for a good time?  Our Creep Of The Week this week is... drum roll... a time slip story from Ali. It's 1994 on a sunny afternoon in Leicester City Centre... What did she see? Thank yew Hun for sending. (p.s. foxcub is very much a type of BUS and not an actual fox...) We end on a football Hex. Cos why not. LOVE YEW HUNS have a stunning week and enjoy this spring weather. xoxoxox JOIN OUR PATREON! EXTRA bonus episodes AND a monthly ghost hunt for just £4.50!  Or £6 for AD-FREE EPS and weekly AGONY HUNS! We'll solve your problems huns!  Sign up here: www.patreon.com/GhostHuns MERCH IS HERE: https://ghosthuns.co.uk/ HALLOWEEN 2026 TIX HERE: https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/ghost-huns---live-from-cheerful-earful-11-oct-2026-tickets HUNS IN BRISTOL Sunday 10th May: https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/gaffe-comedy-club/sun-10-may-hannah-byczkowski-and-suzie-preece-double-work-in-progress-150828#e150828 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Abrahams and Rob Green are the co-founders of COAT, the climate positive paint company. Rob and Rob join Elliot to talk about how it feels when your grandmother invests in your company and why they believe they're not actually building a paint brand.

In a special episode ahead of the release of the finale of the new series Boycott! on ABC Rewind, which dives into the history of resistance against apartheid South Africa, The Dropped Kick-Off has an exclusive interview. Nick W chats with Wallaby legend Anthony Abrahams about his role in the 1969 and 1971 tours against South Africa, and how the lessons from that time still apply today. Listen to Boycott here, last episode out April 24 on ABC Rewind: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/abc-rewindSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a special episode ahead of the release of the finale of the new series Boycott! on ABC Rewind, which dives into the history of resistance against apartheid South Africa, The Dropped Kick-Off has an exclusive interview. Nick W chats with Wallaby legend Anthony Abrahams about his role in the 1969 and 1971 tours against South Africa, and how the lessons from that time still apply today. Listen to Boycott here, last episode out April 24 on ABC Rewind: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/abc-rewindSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's Legally Speaking Podcast, I'm delighted to be joined by Nick Abrahams. Nick is an AI Pioneer and Business Futurist, creating the world's first AI-enabled privacy chatbot. He is a successful entrepreneur who co-founded Lawpath, an AI-powered legal services platform. Nick spent 25 years in partnership at Norton Rose Fulbright and is now dedicated to working with law firms and in-house teams on their AI strategies. He is also a comedian, with his show ‘The Accidental Lawyer' scheduled for this year's Sydney and Melbourne Comedy Festivals.So why should you be listening in? You can hear Rob and Nick discussing:-  AI Not Replacing Lawyers But Reshaping Their Work- The Real Value Of Legal Services: Peace Of Mind- AI Increasing Legal Disputes, Not Reducing Them- Problem-Led Innovation Overcoming Product-Led Hype- Relationships And Trust Being Key To Driving Change In Law FirmsConnect with Nick Abrahams here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickabrahams/

Morten Aune viser hvordan bibelsk tro ikke avhenger av det vi ser, men griper usynlige realiteter gjennom Guds ord. Håpet som tenner inni oss former et indre syn som lar oss gripe det Gud har lovet, og troen gjør det til virkelighet. Han går gjennom Hebreerbrevet, Abrahams tro og historiene om Marta og Thomas, og inspirerer til å holde troen levende selv når tvilen banker på. Han maner oss til å fylle hjertets øyne med Guds løfter og bygge livet på Hans kraft. 

Time is Now to Overcome (1) (audio) David Eells, 4/5/26 Saints, I want to share some revelations with you to both exhort and encourage you today to overcome and endure in your faith for all the promises the Lord has given us.   Keeping Satan Under Your Feet L. D. – 4/1/14 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was in a big cavern with a wide river where people were waterskiing. But they were skiing on crocodiles' backs, sometimes on purpose, like for sport. There was some class going on in the water explaining how crocodiles slip into the water to attack. But dolphins were used as an example to show us how the crocodiles slipped into the water. (Satan wants us to think his demonic crocodiles are our friends when they actually want to devour us for him.) But then, what I thought were dolphins were actually the body of an underwater serpent dragon. (The demon crocodiles are a part of Satan's body and seek to devour and bring us into his body.) It was moving in a wave in and out of the water. I realized that I was on top of its head! (Notice the serpent dragon, who is Satan, was in the water, representing the peoples, but it was under her feet, who was in the heaven above the earth. Those in the heavens who exercise dominion over Satan are safe, but those who dwell in the earth or waters among the crocodile, serpent, and Dragon are not. Eph.1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: Isa.27:1 In that day Jehovah with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the swift serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent; and he will slay the monster that is in the sea. Rev.12:9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.) The nations are the body of Satan in the earth; they are the body of water in which Satan the Dragon and his many crocodile demons live, but we are to live in dominion over them. Rev.17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Isa.17:12 Ah, the uproar of many peoples, that roar like the roaring of the seas; and the rushing of nations, that rush like the rushing of mighty waters! 13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but he shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like the whirling dust before the storm. 14 At eventide, behold, terror; [and] before the morning they are not. This is the portion of them that despoil us, and the lot of them that rob us. The Sennacherib army is spoken of here, and they are inhabited by Satan and his demons who seek to cause the Bride to stumble, as Peter, who got his eyes on the water and off of Christ, sank to what would have been his death. L.D. had the serpent's head under her feet. An exhortation to all of us that we fall not from heavenly places, dabbling in sin. Gen.3:14 And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this (deceived the woman), cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life (the flesh of man was made from the dust of the earth, which the serpent eats): 15 and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Those who are born of the woman Church, who was deceived, should bruise the serpent's head.) The scene changed just a little. I was alone now with the crocodiles and this big sea serpent in this tall, enclosed cavern. I was very afraid and worried about the many crocodiles in the water, but I knew I was safe on top of this serpent's head. (We are not to be afraid. As long as we take dominion over the head and mind of Satan. In this way we control his body, and we have nothing to worry about. We grow up in Christ higher and higher as we keep the serpent in our flesh under submission. Luk.10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.) The serpent just kept taking me higher and higher. I knew it was only nine feet high (the number 9 symbolizes divine completeness or maturity), but it felt much higher, like 100 feet (completion represents 100%. Satan took Jesus to the top of the temple to test him.). The cavern wall to my right had a door with a cross on it (Through Jesus, the door, one can escape the temptation in the cave through faith and bearing our cross.) and I saw the serpent being cut open by a flashing sword (of the Word - Hebrews 4:12), but then it closed again. I wanted and tried to get through the door, but could not. (Through His Word, God offers many ways of escape from the trials, but some are too slow to take them. I know of brethren who were on prescription pain drugs that were killing their spiritual life and opening them up to Satan. Some were offered the Gospel of healing instead, but became addicted to the drugs and didn't want to hear of the perfect cure that Jesus paid for. This can end with God withdrawing His offer. 1Co.10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it. When the Word offers deliverance from the curse, take it by faith while the conviction is upon you.) Then the serpent spoke to me in my mind and said, “The guy before you got through this way: grace and mercy”. So I said, “Grace and mercy”, and it began to open, and a white light beamed out. (Don't count on your own wisdom or accomplishments. Cry out to God for grace and mercy, saints. It brings the light of truth and purity, for we deserve nothing. Pride, criticism, and unforgiveness can slam the door.) Then the scene changed; it was now unfolding like a camera was moving to the right slowly as it zoomed out. I was a snow leopard. (They are uniquely suited to life in winter snow, which means tribulation or trials.) I was running down a path toward a gazebo, in the top left part of the scene. There was a feast prepared outside in what seemed like a beautiful garden and a white room with beautifully designed golden chairs. (The Marriage Feast is also the time that the Lord's garden, which is His Bride, has borne fruit. Son.4:12 A garden shut up is my sister, [my] bride; A spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 16 Awake, O north wind; And come, thou south; Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden And eat his precious fruits. Son.5:1 I am come into my garden, my sister, [my] bride: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.) There was also a covered porch with more seating. But in the garden part underneath a giant gazebo was a giant snow leopard with a blue pendant, maybe as tall as a one-story house. (This could be Jesus, whom the tested Bride is to come into the image of, since they both are snow leopards. He has a heavenly blue pendant.) It was looking at a small dog on the porch in a playful manner. There were no humans, just animals for now. Then Jesus appeared. He said, “Do you think I will let those who will destroy My dinner/feast come in? (Those who do not have on the wedding garment of the Bride, which represents the righteous acts of the saints, will not be among them, and those invited to the Feast must also have on a clean wedding garment or, as Jesus showed, they will be thrown out into torment.) (I believe he looked at the door at this point.) He said, “Look.” A mirror appeared that looked like the oval blue-and-white one that was given to me, and Jesus was behind me to my right, and I was there. (We must look in the heavenly mirror and see Jesus to have power from God to overcome and be in the Bride garden. 2Co.3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.) He said something and then said, “Look.” I looked again and saw a small portion of the top of a head that looked like it had been burned by fire behind my left shoulder. I became fearful and worried that that could be me if I went to Hell. (A clear warning. We must not see the old man on the left with all his past guilt in the mirror, for it is not faith that we were crucified with Christ, and we don't live anymore, but He lives in us.) But then Jesus said, “Now do you see the fine one?” I saw the fine one behind my right shoulder, healthy-looking, maybe it could be what I should look like in Heaven, but I was still afraid about the bad one. (We have to forget about the bad “us” in our past, meaning behind us in the mirror and walk away. The fine one is who we are now by faith. We cannot wait for Heaven, for it is here that we bear fruit through faith. We have to look forward to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. Php.3:7 Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ (Are you ready to give up every nature that is not Christ to gain Him? Your actions will prove it.), 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, [even] that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith (Jesus took our sin and gave us His life through the reconciliation or exchange): 10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death (Will you suffer with Christ so that you may live with Him?); 11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I could not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing [I do], forgetting the things which are behind (the old man and his sins), and stretching forward to the things which are before, 14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you: 16 only, whereunto we have attained, by that same [rule] let us walk.17 Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample. (Now we begin to see those who are devoured by the crocodiles.) 18 For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and [whose] glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, [that it may be] conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. We exchanged a few words. He was talking about many things, but I don't remember all of them. I wanted to talk with him and ask him so many things, but I just kept remembering, let my words be few. Jesus was correcting me for some sins I had committed. He said, “May all the video games and all that would cause you to lose focus on Me be gone. Just focus on Me!” He cried, almost like a plea, “Be like the fine one!” And He wrapped Himself over me like a ‘duck-and-cover' move and was like a shield over me. I woke up. (Jesus is our covering for the sins of the past and our failures, but not our willful disobediences - Hebrews 10:26. We must now call the things that be not as though they were done at the cross, for this is faith, which is the very substance of the thing hoped for. Rom.3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment ... 23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 whom God set forth [to be] a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; 26 for the showing, [I say], of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus. 27 Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith. 28 We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God [the God] of Jews only? is he not [the God] of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also: 30 if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law. Rom. 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God. 3 For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. 6 Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works, 7 [saying], Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom, the Lord will not reckon sin.) Next, let me share with you a word from the Lord that Debbie Fenske received about a year ago, but the Lord just recently brought to her attention because it's for now.   A Vision of Jesus  Debbie Fenske 4/15/25 (David's notes in red) This word was given on April 15, 2025. I read it to us over the last live stream, March 27, 2026. I've realized how wordy what I said before the actual word was. So, I cut out unnecessary things but left in everything that was needed in explaining what took place leading up to the Lord giving the actual word. After the Zoom meeting this morning, I got in front of my computer to finish up a timestamp assignment that I had been working on. I laid my head back as I was listening to the audio. After just a few minutes, suddenly I had a vision. I saw Jesus. I only saw the right side of Him, at first. What I was looking at was not lit up, like with a bright white light. It was just kind of shadowy-looking. I watched Jesus' feet walking very slowly toward me, then He turned slightly and stood in front of me. I knew that He wanted me to come before Him. So, I got down before the Lord to enter into a real time of worship of Him. I remember how awesome it was, how Jesus gave me each song He wanted me to worship Him with, that morning, He first gave me, Holy Holy Holy Are You Lord. Then, I Live To Know You More. And then, His Love Endures Forever. I was amazed that He specifically wanted me to worship Him with those songs. Each one gave me such a greater desire for Him and to be worshiping Him. And I realized that I had not been giving Him the time before Him in worship and prayer, and being in the Word that I thought I had. Just being alone with Him, I realized His great desire for me to worship Him, to have that time alone with Him. I kept worshiping in awe of Him, telling Him, “Lord, Your Name is being worshipped in heaven forever, on, and on, and on, and on! Your holiness, and Your holy Name, Jesus, is being heard throughout all of heaven, being worshipped, and proclaimed forever, and ever, by all Your holy angels, and all Your saints before Your throne! Suddenly, the vision of Jesus continued. I was not seeing His face. I was now seeing the left side of His body. Then, He turned more toward me, and I could see from the bottom part of His neck and His shoulder, down His left side to about the middle of His robe. Then Jesus held out one hand to me. And then He stretched out both His hands to me like He was giving me something. Then there appeared a scroll in His hands. And suddenly the scroll turned into a Bible. It was closed. Then the Bible just fell open, and there was a bright light shining off and up from the pages. Then, suddenly, the bright light turned into a large flame of fire. That was the last of the vision. I was now in tears, really overcome by all of this. And being in such awe of Him, this is what I said back to Him: “Oh Jesus, You are the Word! Your Word was the scrolls that have become the Bible that we use today. Lord, Your “Word,” that we say too casually every day, should not be just something to do in order to take up some of our time, or something that we read simply to be right with You. It is Your very Life. It is Light. And it is the Fire that you want us to allow to consume us. And so, I just had to repent and acknowledge before Him that I'm not in His Word as much as I want to think I am. I told Him, “Lord, I want all of Your Life and Light. I want the Fire of Your Word to consume My little life so that I can be big in You.” And then He was saying to us: “Again, I say to you, stay in My Life, and Light, and Fire, My Word to you. Dwell there. For there I Am Your Jesus. You must be overcoming the distractions in your life that you feel you have a right to. For no, you do not. You do not have a right to put your distractions and your fleshy enjoyment before Me. I Am your Enjoyment. It has always been My plan. I give you Myself. I give you My Life. I give you My Word to distract you away from the distractions of your fleshy pleasures and enjoyments. Yes, I have given you much to enjoy. I Am your God of love. I love to see My children enjoying wholesome things. But have you noticed that I have taken a lot of that enjoyment away from you? It is because, My Children, the time now is crucial. This is the crucial time. You will not know how to handle it. And you will not know how to help others handle it, if you are not enjoying all of My presence, finding what is My pleasure, and being consumed by My Life. There was not time for leaders of the flesh, who had forgotten their goal, and are no more. Do not forget your goal. The goal of the High calling of your God in Me, in heavenly places. You don't want to be a distraction to others. I gave up all earthly and fleshly pleasure for the Life of the Father, so that you could know My Life in the Father. I gave up My Life to offer you that prize. I am handing the prize over to you. Go for it! Take it! Run after it, and do not stop until you receive the crown! This is My calling for you, My children, My Sons and Daughters of the Kingdom. Do not stop hearing and responding to My call. Very soon is coming the chosen. My children, I desire it to be you. This is why I continue to speak to you, to correct and admonish you. It is for My glory who I choose to be the glory of My Name on the earth.” I know that Jesus led me to this word. You could say accidentally, but it was not accidental. He intentionally led me to this word as I was going to clean out my Proton email box. And as I did some scrolling through, I stopped at this word from Him. In my spirit, this word really seems now like it has such a final and serious tone. A final warning. He has spoken to us about this much. And so, we have to overcome every distraction and realize He wants to be our distraction from those the things that satisfy only our flesh. But only Jesus satisfies us wholly. Everything else is nothing. Jesus is now saying, “I will not warn you anymore about this. This is it, it's either Me living in you continually, as My chosen Bride, using you for the purposes of My kingdom, or it's not. It's up to you.” I found out that this word from April 15, 2025, was not blogged. I looked and looked, but I could not find it in the blog in the area where the date it should have been posted. I discovered this word in an email from Michael that he had sent out then. Somehow, he had it, but it did not get blogged. And after I found it, before I opened it up, I touched something and caused it to be moved somewhere. Well, I couldn't find it anywhere. So I called Julie and tried to explain everything to her. She also couldn't find it on the blog, either. But thank the Lord, with Julie's help and the Lord's, I found it this morning (3/31/26). I feel in my spirit that the way this came about, coming upon this word, that it is God's final warning, being understood by the fact that the Lord hasn't given another word of this matter after the previous one. But He chose to use this one that He had already given before. I just now heard in my spirit, “Let us press on to know the Lord.” I looked that up in a search, and Hosea 6.3, KJV, came up: “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD. His going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” I decided to look it up in the ASV version: Hos 6:3  And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.  Let us follow on.   Keeping Your Focus On The Light Anonymous 10/20/22 (David's notes in red) I was in the shower speaking with the Lord, and then the devil came along and gave me a thought comparing myself to another person. I have been casting down, criticizing, judgmental, and comparing thoughts a lot in the past week. I cast it down and then I heard the Lord say, “Look not to the left or to the right”.  (I.e. Stay on and keep your eyes on the straight and narrow path of the Word. Jos.1:7-8 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.) Then I saw Jesus standing up ahead. He was wearing a glowing white light garment and had His arms open. It felt as if He was waiting for me to continue walking (in this way) to get closer and closer to Him. He was constantly watching me, not taking His eyes off of me. His presence was so patient, gentle, kind, understanding, loving, so peaceful, and there really aren't enough words to describe His presence. (Psa.32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee. Psa 33:18 Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, Upon them that hope in his lovingkindness;) Behind Him was this giant bright light shining, and the closer I got to Him, the brighter and bigger the light was. (Coming into the Sun/Son glory of God.) Behind me was complete darkness, and it kept lessening. It looked kind of like a tunnel of light with darkness all around and an opening of light up ahead with Jesus standing in front of it. The closer I got to Jesus, the more light and peace there was. (And this is the way it is.) I felt this meant about keeping our eyes completely focused on Jesus and our own walk or race to Him and not looking at other brethren to compare our walk with them. Not looking back to the darkness or looking around, but only looking to Him. (2Co 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. Pro.4:25-27 Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil. 2Co.10:12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding. Isa.26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.   Seeking In Secret Anonymous 12/17/22 (David's notes in red) I heard in prayer, and the Lord spoke: He said, “Shut out everything.” (Close off all distractions, the enemy always uses everything he can to distract us from seeking God's presence and to distract us from staying in God's rest.) (Seeking His will through the trials is a test of Faith and devotion to the Word. Just as Job gave acknowledgement and glory to God during his trials. Job.1:8 And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil.) He said, “Prayer closet.” (Dedicate more of your time to God and His Spirit, not the flesh.) (“You have not because you ask not.” Being intimate with God in prayer has eternal rewards. Distractions will try to steal this time with God.) He said, “Have patience.” (Knowing that your prayers will be answered in His perfect time.) Jas.1:3-4 knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. 4 And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. Rom.5:3-5 And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; 4 and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: 5 and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us. (“He that endureth to the end shall be saved.”) He said, “Speak out when you can see the enemy attack and call out to Me.” (Alert the Saints and respond to duty. God sends these tests to cause us to get in line with His Word so the enemy has no advantage.) (There is safety in numbers because some brethren may have overcome some specifics that we have not encountered. It is not only Christ in you, but in your brothers and sisters too.) He said, “Turn up the heat, get into deep, fervent and desperate prayer!” (“The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much.” “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”) He said, “Laugh the enemy to scorn for he does this all the time.” (Call out the enemy's bluff and staying in the resolve of Jesus and the truth of the Word.) (The majority of trials are enemy lies, or a twisted truth to deceive. Symptoms, curses, and afflictions – never last. Only Jesus is the everlasting!) He said, “That test is to turn it all back for what it is.” (Refute and retake the stolen things back from the enemy.) (Act.3:20-21 and that he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus: 21 whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old. Jesus will come and restore all for He bore our curse so we could have Abrahams blessings in all things.) He said, “In humility give all gratefulness that nothing is done for you or to you, unless I allow it.” (Praise God in all things, praise Him for He is in control, and we can trust Him only.) (Psa.149:6-9 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples; 8 To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jehovah.) He said, “Seek Me in fear and gladness for everything.” He said, “Bring the life of Christ into the open.” (Reveal the greatest of things for all to experience.) (Joh.10:10 The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.) He said, “Love all and be showing the example of Him.” (God through us to others.) (Rom.13:8 ASV Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.) He said, “See that nothing is allowed into Me unless it passes the test of being in the image of My Son.” (Nothing of self or evil can ever imitate.) (A final result of our trials is more of Christ revealed. “Christ in you the hope of glory.”) He said, “As you look to Me by the Word and heart, you can see I look through all things.” (There is nothing that can be hidden from God.) (Only the wicked do not believe He sees all and will do anything about it.) He said, “When you see that you need Me in everything and when you are that desperate, you can see Me in others too.” (Everyone is in dire need for more of the Lord Jesus and His salvation.) He said, “Pray in tongues and write down the interpretation you get.” (Exercising the gifts to be trained and gain experience.) He said, “Seeking the Lord in servitude and want.” (Nothing for selfish gain) (But to serve the Kingdom.) He said, “Draw close to Him” (Honestly and sincerely prefer the Lord as priority always.) (Talk to Him for He desires our fellowship.) He said, “Fan the flames that burn the traps and attacks.” (Nothing can withhold you when the fire of the Lord burns everything evil. Praise and worship engulf the evil.) He said, “Add to the fire the fuel of the Word and continue to add each verse in thought as it burns.” (Keep the fire burning with explosive power.) He said, “The light shines as the flames burn brighter in the zeal and desire of the Father.” (Love burns so hot, it eliminates all darkness.) (Return us, Lord, into Your wonderful garden and keep us hedged around and protected from all evil, under Your wings, in Your promises.) Amen!   Partaking of the Bread and Sufferings Marie Kelton 9/15/23 (David's notes in red) During the meeting, I had an open vision of being in heaven. My hair was its natural color (God's creation should show submission to Him). I was wearing a long lace head covering, and I was kneeling. (Marie represents the Bride of Christ, who is veiled and in the position of humble submission to His will.) I saw the Lord walk up to me, His eyes were a flame of fire (Rev.19:12 And his eyes are a flame of fire,...), and He had a flame of fire in His right hand. (This represents the Word of righteousness. Jer.23:29 Is not my word like fire? saith Jehovah… 1Co.3:12-14 But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. Rev.2:17 … To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna… The flame of fire then turned to what I knew was Manna. I knew He wanted me to eat it. (The Manna is the Word of God, Who is Jesus, the Living Bread from heaven. We need to eat it so we can have His Eternal Life in us. Joh.6:48-51 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. He is the Word made flesh.) Then, a Goblet appeared in His hand. He handed the Goblet to me. And I drank from it. (What came to me was the cup of suffering, to partake in His sufferings.) (Mat.26:39 And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. Mar.10:38-39 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 39 And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized) (We eat the Body of Christ, which is the Word of God, for He is the Word made flesh. We drink the blood because the life of the flesh is in the blood – Lev 17:11. Partaking of His life and nature is suffering the loss of our old life and nature. Baptism represents the death and burial of the old man, and coming up represents the resurrection life of the new man in Christ. The baptism of the Holy Spirit empowers us to be able to drink the cup of suffering, which is the death of the old man. This enables us to partake of His holiness.) (1Pe.4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: 13 but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. Php.3:10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death.) (When we choose to overcome in the midst of these trials and tribulations and sufferings like Jesus did, we are taking up our cross to follow Him and be His disciple.)   Endure In Your Faith To The End David Eells Have you ever received promises from God that you really desired but lost faith in because much time passed and there was much failure on your part to live up to your expectations, and you think that is the reason that the promises won't be fulfilled? We have received many times by faith at random – Psa.102:13 Thou wilt arise, and have mercy upon Zion; For it is time to have pity upon her, Yea, the set time is come. (We are on the verge of many promises being fulfilled at this time and also to people who have failed to live up to what they thought they should have been. In all of your failure continue to be ‘Justified by Faith' and also forgive your fellow man their failures and believe now so the promises can come to pass.) We are entering a season of fulfillment! We also have received these verses by faith at random, about NOW is the time. Isa.33:10 Now will I arise, saith Jehovah; now will I lift up myself; now will I be exalted. Psa.12:5 Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy, Now will I arise, saith Jehovah; I will set him in the safety he panteth for. It is now that we have no time for double-mindedness because of past failures or sin. Forget the failures and inability of the past with its condemnation, be justified by faith, repent and believe now. Here is a perfect example of a man receiving an important promise but then went through much unbelief and failure and self-works in his uncircumcised heart but when the time came God reminded him of the promise and brought it to pass through his renewed faith. Rom.4:1-10 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God. (Like many of us, Abraham's faith and works failed him for many years but when the set time was come it was impossible for him to bring it to pass by works of man. He and Sarah were too old and double-minded. Jas.1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. It was then that God reminded him of the promise and renewed his faith.) 3 For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. And then the promise was fulfilled. 4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. (The answer can only come by Grace, which is unmerited and unearned by man's works. Pray for mercy and grace by which faith will come.) 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. (Up to this point, Abraham was ungodly in his works to bring to pass the promises. Only the works of faith are considered righteous.) 6 Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works (of man), 7 saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin. (This grace through faith was given to a man who did not deserve it by his works.) 9 Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness. 10 How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. (The promise was given when Abraham was sowing a seed of uncircumcised flesh. What can that get you? Ishmael. Abraham wanted God to accept him as the promised seed, but God refused because his work was of the flesh of man.) …17-25 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not as though they were. (Abraham and Sarah were dead to any ability to bring forth the promised seed. We are also dead to any ability to bring forth the promised seed of “Christ in you, the hope of glory”. Here is where we can receive the unmerited, unearned favor of God. We cannot pick ourselves up by our bootstraps.) 18 Who in hope believed against hope (of man), to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be. (Within the year of the fulfillment of the promise, Abraham began to believe God by His grace, while ignoring his inability.) 19 And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; 20 yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. (Since it was impossible for them to do this, there was only one other choice: believe God and be counted as righteous so he could have the promise. Rom.3:3-4 For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? 4 God forbid: (It was in this state of unfaithfulness to God's promise that Abraham and Sarah were to confess the promise and be justified in their words.) yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified (Accounted as righteous) in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. We prevail or overcome in Judgment when we confess the Lord's promises with our Words. When we are accounted righteous, we are entitled to Faith, which is the victory that overcomes the world. Back to Rom.4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; 24 but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. When Jesus died, we died; when he was resurrected, we received resurrection life. Have you failed? Ask for faith through grace and confess the promises! “Confess” in Greek is Homo-Logeo, meaning to “speak the same as”. I.e. Say what God says about you and others. Heb.3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus; 4:14 Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Jesus, as our High Priest, must have a sacrifice from us to give to the Father. Mat.10:32 Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. Luk.12:8 And I say unto you, Every one who shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: When we confess in agreement with God's promises, the angels are given authority of Father and Son to fulfill our confession. Psa.103:20 Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, That are mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word. Heb.10:23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised: 13:15 Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name. Speak life into every situation. Pro.18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Mar.11:23 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. “Whosoever” shows that He wasn't only talking to His disciples and apostles at that time, but that He was talking to all disciples because disciples are the only ones who will take Him seriously and recognize this authority as a gift of faith. Again, Jesus was not only speaking to the apostles and disciples back in His time, but to anyone, from them to us, who believes he can have this authority. Is this just a silly statement that no one will ever really take Him up on? No! There have been many people who have commanded their personal mountains and giants out of the way. Multitudes of people have exercised this authority over Satan, over the flesh, over their circumstances, and over the curse. God is faithful to stand by His Word, not because we deserve it, but due to His mercy and grace. He has said, According to your faith be it done unto you (Mat.9:29) and Go thy way; as thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee (Mat.8:13). “Whosoever” includes you and me and any other believer, so this authority has been put in our hands as sons of the last Adam, and not only given to those disciples in Jesus' day, as some say. Mar.16:14 And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. Jesus is referring to the disciples of the disciples. “Disciples” (Greek: mathetes, meaning “learner and follower”) are learners and followers of the Lord. He is our Master, our Lord, our Example, and He is the One Who does the works through us. Mar.16:17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Now we see that these signs will accompany those who simply believe, not only great apostles. That is authority! Jesus is giving authority to the people who believe these first disciples, or forefathers of Christianity, who wrote these pages to us. He has given us this authority to do good in the name of the Lord. All principalities and powers have been put under Jesus (Matthew 28:18), even “his feet” and we are “his body” (Ephesians 1:20-23). We have this authority, but it can be negative or positive. For example, when the Lord brought His people out of Egypt and into the wilderness, they continued to speak negatively and exercise their faith in a negative way. Faith is just what you believe. You can believe what God has spoken to you, or you can believe the things which you see in the world, but Jesus said, According to your faith be it done unto you (Mat.9:29). Faith is both negative and positive. Even fear is faith; however, it's faith in the curse, or faith in reverse – I.e. having faith in adverse circumstances and in the devil. The absolute proof in the world is what people believe happens to them comes to pass. Doctors say that approximately 90% and higher of sicknesses are psychosomatic (Greek: psuche, meaning “soul” and soma, meaning “body”). This implies “soul over body” and your soul is your mind, will, and emotions. Therefore, your mind, will, and emotions are making your body sick. The doctors are wrong in stating that 90% and higher of sicknesses are psychosomatic. That number is 100%. What makes people sick is what they believe. In fact, what you believe can kill you. As we saw in Matthew 18:18, you are the one who binds and who looses, and you are the one who creates your own future. You are the one who gives authority to the devil or gives authority unto God. Jesus needed authority, but when He went to His hometown, he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief (Mat.13:58). They had the authority to say no to God, and they did; they did not believe in Jesus and His Gospel. They believed in the sickness and the curse and they spoke it. We can believe in the blessings of God and speak the blessings, or we can believe in the curse and speak the curse. We will have what we believe because that's the Word of God. Num.14:28 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord, surely as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me. They complained to the Lord that they were brought out into the wilderness to die, and the Lord heard this too many times. The Lord basically gave them what they said. The Lord still does this today, and the Bible declares that He does. One of the fruits of a believer is that they believe in their heart and confess with their mouth (Romans 10:10). Many people profess to be believers, yet don't confess their benefits in Christ, so God says what you say is what you will receive. Num.21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. What is “against God”? It's when God has spoken these awesome promises, and we think we know better and continue to agree with the curse. For example, the 10 spies who spoke and agreed with the curse and brought the bad report led to the threats made by God to those who believed those spies. Joshua and Caleb were the only two who brought the good report, in agreement with God's promises. So, speaking against God can be more subtle than what people might think. When God says you're healed, and you say you're not, then you will remain sick. When God says He's taken away your sins, but you confess what you see and feel in the world, you are speaking against God. Num.21:6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Once again, what they spoke is what they got. I believe the fiery serpents represent the curse. The cure for this was that God commanded Moses to make a “fiery serpent” out of brass and put it on a pole, and as people got their eyes on the serpent on the pole, they were healed (verse 8). As we know, the cure was Jesus Christ, since He was the One who was made sin and was crucified on a cross. So, we have a cure from the curse, but we must confess God to receive this cure. Those who profess Christianity but do not confess the benefits of the Kingdom, so that the curse, which was put upon Jesus, doesn't come on them. We cannot gain the promises in Scripture without faith in those promises. Or, in other words, what we profess must be mixed with faith. Num.21:7 And the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. When people pray, God is merciful, especially if they believe their prayers. But do you have to continue to live under the curse? Is it necessary, when you can agree with God, to have the “fiery serpents” bite you? These serpents are the curse manifested in so many ways. The serpent is, obviously, also the devil, who is a vessel of dishonor that administers the curse on God's people, especially when they don't believe the benefits of God. Jesus told us, According to your faith be it done unto you (Mat.9:29) and Go thy way; as thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee (Mat.8:13). You can speak things into coming to pass. If you speak life, you receive life; if you speak death, you receive death. It depends on what you have your faith in. If your faith is in agreement with God's benefits, then you are justified by faith and receive those benefits. If you agree with what is in the world, then you don't receive God's benefits and have loosed the devil; you have loosed emissaries to continue to administer the curse on you. Many people are learning this and experiencing what I'm saying. This is nothing new, but is the same Gospel which is from the beginning. We have to have a renewed mind so that we understand what to believe and what we should speak. Faith can be both positive and negative. Pro.18:20 A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied. Would you like your needs to be met because of what you say? We would like our lips to come into agreement with the Word of God and learn more and more to walk in His benefits by confessing Him before men. Pro.18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. I remember back in Louisiana, where I came from, there was a church that had a visiting minister who was preaching about death and how it was not to be feared. I know the church and its circumstances and have been there. The minister was actually going to show them how simple it was to die. He pulled up a chair, sat down, and said it was as simple as going to sleep. Then he nodded his head for an example. He stayed like that for a while, until the pastor, whom I know, got nervous and went up and touched him on his shoulder, and then shook him. He was gone. He talked himself right off of this earth. What was God showing with this example? Some people talk themselves right into the grave. Many people die before their time because their faith is to die; their faith is to be cursed and to receive the things that are around them. Their faith is not in what the Lord Jesus has given to them freely. Truly, “death and life are in the power of the tongue.” This is God's Word, and nothing is being taken away or being added to it. We need to agree with God's benefits to have them, and God will supply your every need to do His will if you learn to agree with Him. The tongue doesn't speak on its own. It gets its direction from your thoughts and the words that are in your mind. We need to watch our tongue so we can correct our mind. That's one reason the Lord is telling us to be careful with what we say, because when we are careful, we are correcting our thoughts. He tells us to be quick to hear and slow to speak. That's why we have one tongue and two ears. Mat.12:34 Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. If we want to speak good things, we need to put good things in our hearts and reject the other things that are there. I am sure that your mouth has spoken things that have slipped out that you wish you hadn't said. It's an automatic thing with some people, but we need to slow down and give the Lord time to correct our thinking. Good people speak good things, and bad people speak bad things. In some ways, we are both since we are both ‘son of man' and ‘son of God', but we also have authority over that part of us which is still man. The Son of God in us has authority over that man. As the outer man decays, the inner man is renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). That spiritual man is taking over as we walk by faith and believe more and more of the Word of God, and as we do, more and more of Jesus Himself is being manifested in us, and He is taking more and more ground from the enemy. Mat.12:35 The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Those who get this revelation about the tongue spend much time talking about the tongue, but we must really begin with the heart. We have to repent – change our mind – and believe what the Bible says. Changing your mind and repenting is renewing your mind with what the Word says and agreeing with what it says, but we must do it enough so that it overcomes our natural thinking. Our natural thinking is what kills us and all those whose tongues are connected to their natural man. Mat.12:36 And I say unto you, that every idle (Greek: argos, meaning “unfruitful, barren”) word that men shall speak, they shall give account of in the day of judgment. The Lord obviously wants His Word to bear fruit in us, but there are many words that are unfruitful and don't bear the fruit of Christ in us. Every idle word will bring judgment upon you. The day of judgment is not just that day down the road, the corporate judgment, but it is the day of judgment that you come into. Your idle words, unfruitful or vain, will bring you into judgment. Many people have spoken the curse upon themselves, like the Israelites did. They confessed continuously that they would die in the wilderness and it happened. Mat.12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. The words that justify us are those words spoken in agreement with God. They are words confessing Jesus before God and men, saying what He said and agreeing with what He has taught us in the Word, and also by what He put in the disciples to teach us in the Word. We are accounted righteous, or justified, if we agree with God. But if we don't agree, we fall under judgment, for “by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” If you disagree with God's Word, it's like calling Him a liar. God told the Israelites that He was going to bring them to the Promised Land, and they basically claimed that God was a liar and that He brought them to the wilderness to die. They spoke it from their mouth, and He finally said, “as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you.” There are a lot of people who don't make it through the wilderness – what we call the “world” today. Hos.4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…. They agree with the curse and they receive the curse. It's what they believe; it is their faith. See Jesus in the mirror, all that He is, is yours. 2Co.3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. And 1Jn 4:17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.

Pastor John Nuzzo expounds on the concept of his book The Acceleration Mandate which is about the Abraham generation accelerating the Isaacs.  It's not just God turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, but the children turning their hearts back toward the fathers (Mal. 4:6).  When this happens, the Isaacs will gain access to the wisdom learned by an Abraham's lifelong experience and avoid unnecessary mistakes.  As a result of this relationship, Abrahams will live with great joy—empty hands but a full heart! Learn the steps to and the roadblocks of entering into a generational relationship.  There is an acceleration mandate on the earth right now.  Let us take our part, and it will come to pass!The Acceleration Mandate by Pastor John Nuzzo is available wherever books are sold, or click this link to order here  https://lifeatvictory.com/acceleration-mandate/. https://brushfire.com/lifeatvictory/encounterconference2026/615190/ticketsENCOUNTER CONFERENCE is a 3-day annual youth conference designed to create environments for believers to have an encounter with God so that our region is transformed for the Kingdom.  June 17 – 19, get your students, youth group, and children currently in grades 5-12 to Victory Family Church.  It will transform their lives, and they will have a blast doing it!  Only $39 per person through April 30.  Register here https://brushfire.com/lifeatvictory/encounterconference2026/615190/tickets

From being a comedian in Japan and a creative executive in Hollywood to being a partner in a global law firm, Nick Abrahams has led an extraordinarily diverse career. Here, he reflects on what such a varied vocational journey has taught him, including whether you can be successful by being yourself. Join host Jerome Doraisamy as he speaks with lawyer and comedian Nick Abrahams in this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show. They discuss Abrahams' upcoming shows at comedy festivals in Sydney and Melbourne and what he talks about in those shows, whether one can be successful by being one's self, how he reconciled his creative self with being a lawyer in private practice, and how he came to specialise in digital transformation as a practitioner. Abrahams also gets into futurism and the AI space, finding work that makes sense to him personally and professionally, what he's learnt along the way, and why it's both acceptable and beneficial to have accidental or unexpected movements in one's career.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa is embarking on the largest and most ambitious cycle of infrastructure investment. Ramaphosa says the government has set aside funds to enhance public facilities. Speaking at the 6th South African Investment Conference President Ramaphosa says public and private sector can work together. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Alexandra Abrahams

IAN UNPLUGGED 2612 032126Featured on Sat, March 21, 2026 from 3 - 4 pm on the “IAN UNPLUGGED” segment of Indo American News Radio (www.IndoAmerica-News.com) on 98.7 FM:On “Hey, Wassup?”, Jay & Sanchali delve into Oriental Rugs and speak with Sam and Omana Abraham who are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their very popular and much-admired business, Abraham's Oriental Rugs.

Household Express: A Taste of Tradition with Fayruza Abrahams by Radio Islam

Abide | Prepared and Equipped - Purgatory and Abrahams Bosom | Isaac Goulson | 3.15.26

By all accounts, Eric Liddel, immortalized in the movie Chariots of Fire, was the embodiment of an old soul. At age 22, he won a gold medal at the 1924 Paris Olympics in the 400m race for Britain, and after over twenty years as a missionary to China, died there at age 43 in a Japanese internment camp at the end of WWII. But the real story lies beneath such events. The movie turns on the contrast between Liddel and his Olympic teammate Harold Abrahams and sister Jenny. Abrahams is obsessed with running, determined to win at any cost as revenge for antisemitic prejudice and proof of his superiority. Jenny is obsessed with religious duty and chastises her brother when he misses a prayer meeting, frivolously training for the Olympics. He tells her: I believe God made me for a purpose—for China. But he also made me fast, and I feel his pleasure when I run. Minutes before the start of his Olympic race, while the other runners are stretching and digging starting blocks, brows furrowed, intent on maintaining focus, Liddel, with a sport coat over his running shorts, is smiling and casually walking among them, shaking hands and wishing each one luck. Years later in the Japanese camp, fellow internees wrote of him: I never heard him say a bad word about anybody…he was overflowing with good humor and love for life, with enthusiasm and charm...his last words were, It's complete surrender… Abrahams and Jenny are the same person with different agendas. Driven, anxious, identified only with what they could do. Liddel's genius was to find within every physical task an eternal task always pointing to connection. That true meaning and purpose is found in that connection and nowhere else, and addressing that connection is to never let the hard work of change eclipse the radical acceptance of right now. That to celebrate the connections around us now is to accept ourselves and everything just as we are. Even as we train and strain toward not yet. Everything we do is meaningless… Until the moment duty is no longer obligation and running is no longer winning. Just the feeling of God's pleasure in the breeze of our passage.

Dave Brisbin 3.8.26 By all accounts, Eric Liddel, immortalized in the movie Chariots of Fire, was the embodiment of an old soul. At age 22, he won a gold medal at the 1924 Paris Olympics in the 400m race for Britain, and after over twenty years as a missionary to China, died there at age 43 in a Japanese internment camp at the end of WWII. But the real story lies beneath such events. The movie turns on the contrast between Liddel and his Olympic teammate Harold Abrahams and sister Jenny. Abrahams is obsessed with running, determined to win at any cost as revenge for antisemitic prejudice and proof of his superiority. Jenny is obsessed with religious duty and chastises her brother when he misses a prayer meeting, frivolously training for the Olympics. He tells her: I believe God made me for a purpose—for China. But he also made me fast, and I feel his pleasure when I run. Minutes before the start of his Olympic race, while the other runners are stretching and digging starting blocks, brows furrowed, intent on maintaining focus, Liddel, with a sport coat over his running shorts, is smiling and casually walking among them, shaking hands and wishing each one luck. Years later in the Japanese camp, fellow internees wrote of him: I never heard him say a bad word about anybody…he was overflowing with good humor and love for life, with enthusiasm and charm...his last words were, It's complete surrender… Abrahams and Jenny are the same person with different agendas. Driven, anxious, identified only with what they could do. Liddel's genius was to find within every physical task an eternal task always pointing to connection. That true meaning and purpose is found in that connection and nowhere else, and addressing that connection is to never let the hard work of change eclipse the radical acceptance of right now. That to celebrate the connections around us now is to accept ourselves and everything just as we are. Even as we train and strain toward not yet. Everything we do is meaningless… Until the moment duty is no longer obligation and running is no longer winning. Just the feeling of God's pleasure in the breeze of our passage.

This is the sum of the years of Abrahams life, which he lived; 175 years and then Abraham breathed his last. Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 3-4 & Mark 10:32-52

In this episode of The Doctor Diaries: Amazing Tech StackSeries, hosts Hanya Oversby and Olivia Boddeus sit down with AI futurist, entrepreneur, and legal tech pioneer Nick Abrahams to unpack the real-world impact of artificial intelligence across healthcare and business.Drawing on his experience as co-founder of Lawpath and Adjunct Professor at Bond University, Nick cuts through the hype surrounding AI to explore what's actually working in clinics today. The conversation dives into the rise of AI note-taking, chatbots, and emerging AI agents, while addressing critical topics such as patient experience, compliance, data privacy, and change management.Listeners will gain practical insights into how healthcare teams can adopt AI strategically — improving productivity, lowering service costs, and enhancing patient outcomes — without losing the human connection that underpins quality care. The episode also challenges common fears around job displacement, reframing AI as a tool that augments clinicians rather than replaces them.This is a must-listen for healthcare leaders, practice owners, and clinicians wanting to understand where AI is heading, how to implement it safely, and how to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital healthcare landscape.For more information on Nick Abrahams, please visithttps://www.nickabrahams.com/For more information on Olivia Boddeus, please follow this linkhttps://www.oliviaboddeus.com.au/More information about Hanya Oversby can be found onhttps://hanyaoversby.com.au/ #TechStackPodcast #NickAbrahams #ClinicGrowth#AIinMedicine  #medicalworld #doctordiariespodcast #hanyaoversby #podcast #medicalbusiness #doctorsofinstagram#doctor #secretsource #medicalpodcast Doctor Diaries isa podcast series designed for healthcare professionals, featuring in-depthinterviews with experienced clinicians across medical aesthetics, dermatology,surgery, and integrative medicine. Each episode provides insights into clinicalapproaches, practice development, and the realities of patient care in today'sregulatory landscape.This content is intended forqualified healthcare professionals only and may discuss prescription-onlyproducts, regulated procedures, and clinical experiences not suitable forgeneral public promotion. Always refer to relevant professional guidelines andproduct information.

Join Overland Journal Podcast host Ashley Giordano as she sits down with South African overlander Adrian Abrahams to discuss his love of traveling in Namibia, and how nearly a decade of overlanding has shaped a new 4x4 shop endeavor in Cape Town, South Africa. Adrian also provides practical advice about visiting the country, including destination recommendations, while Ashley tries to pronounce several Afrikaans words essential to the overland traveler.

CapeTalk’s Sara-Jayne Makwala King is joined on Weekend Breakfast by David Kramer and Jody Abrahams. Weekend Breakfast with Sara-Jayne Makwala King is the weekend breakfast show on CapeTalk. This 3-hour morning programme is the perfect (and perky!) way to kickstart your weekend. Author and journalist Sara-Jayne Makwala-King spends 3 hours interviewing a variety of guests about all things cultural and entertaining. The team keeps an eye on weekend news stories, but the focus remains on relaxation and restoration. Favourites include the weekly wellness check-in on Saturdays at 7:35 am and heartfelt chats during the Sunday 9 am profile interview. Listen live on Primedia+ Saturdays and Sundays between 07:00 and 10:00 am (SA Time) to Weekend Breakfast with Sara-Jayne Makwala-King broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/AgPbZi9 or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/j1EhEkZ Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clement Manyathela hosts music executive Randall Abrahams to discuss his life and career highlights. The Clement Manyathela Show is broadcast on 702, a Johannesburg based talk radio station, weekdays from 09:00 to 12:00 (SA Time). Clement Manyathela starts his show each weekday on 702 at 9 am taking your calls and voice notes on his Open Line. In the second hour of his show, he unpacks, explains, and makes sense of the news of the day. Clement has several features in his third hour from 11 am that provide you with information to help and guide you through your daily life. As your morning friend, he tackles the serious as well as the light-hearted, on your behalf. Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Clement Manyathela Show. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 09:00 and 12:00 (SA Time) to The Clement Manyathela Show broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/XijPLtJ or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/p0gWuPE Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Ornstein joins Duncan Castles for a Transfers Podcast special.+ PSG resume Enrique talks+ Madrid to keep Arbeloa+ Man Utd job Carrick's to lose+ Options to replace Amorim+ Would £100m Anderson choose Man Utd over City?+ How City landed Guehi+ Parish calls Glasner's bluff+ Villa, Palace pursue Ramos as Mateta seeks exit+ Atletico tempt PSG's Lee+ Ornstein: How to break an exclusive+ Bournemouth rearm with Hungarian record sale+ Iraola's future+ Brentford's eccentric genius+ Hero & RodriThe Transfers Podcast, powered by FootballTransfers.comJoin Duncan Castles and insiders from across the game for exclusive newsand in-depth analysis of football's biggest stories.WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VadK7lI3LdQV9V3QhY47https://x.com/DuncanCastleshttps://bsky.app/profile/duncancastles.bsky.social00:00 Intro01:24 Luis Enrique, Alvaro Arbeloa06:09 Manager market explodes21:42 Michael Carrick31:36 £100m Anderson41:18 Marc Guehi51:37 Glasner vs Parish 01:06:43 Mateta, Abrahams, Ramos01:16:42 Bournemouth01:25:19 Andoni Iraola01:32:10 Hero & Villain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the next LEADING THE WAY AUDIO . . . Dr. Youssef takes you to where God called Abraham to obediently GO to a new and unknown place, by FAITH! Abrahams obedient faith is an example of living for and serving Jesus today!Support the show: https://au.ltw.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are Christs, then you are Abrahams seed, and heirs according to the promise. Bible in a Year: Genesis 43-45 & Matthew 12:24-50 - The Marshalls

We all know that leaders need to captivate audiences and effectively convey their ideas. But not every speaking opportunity can be prepared and practiced. That's why it's so important to learn the skill of speaking off-the-cuff, and Matt Abrahams, lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and host of the podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart, has advice to help. He explains how to stay calm in these situations, craft a compelling message, and ensure you've made a good impression. Abrahams is author of the book “Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot,” as well as the HBR article “How to Shine When You're Put on the Spot.”

Introduction: The Story We Have Been Telling The entire Bible tells a single, unified storya story that begins in Genesis and finds its fulfillment in Revelation. It opens with God creating the world and placing two trees in the garden: the tree of life, from which Adam and Eve were free to eat, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God, in His loving wisdom, commanded them to avoid. Tragically, instead of trusting Gods goodness and choosing life, Adam and Eve reached for what was forbidden. In that moment, they embraced curse rather than blessing by taking from the tree God had graciously withheld for their good. The pinnacle of creation came when God declared,Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness (Gen. 1:26). Unlike any other creature in Eden or on earth, Adam and Eve were uniquely formed to reflect Gods image. God then blessed them and commissioned them:Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it(Gen. 1:28). Humanity was created to live under Gods rule and to extend His reign throughout the world. I began this sermon series by reading a quote from Owen Strachans bookThe Warrior Savior:It was a tree that damned us. It was a tree that redeemed us. And it will be a tree that heals us in the age to cometime beyond all time.[1] Today, we turn our attention to the tree that ultimately redeemed usthe tree upon which Another was cursed in our place. As Strachan observes,Adam, the first man, was a priest and a king unto God. He lived and ruled under the divine regency of his Maker.[2]Yet Adam failed. Through his disobedience, sin entered the world, and with it came death. As Paul explains,Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind death reigned from Adam until Moses Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come(Rom. 5:1214). Humanity rebelled against God, the curse entered creation, and death became an ever-present reality. But the story does not end there. God promised that the curse would not have the final word. From the very beginning, Scripture reveals not a collection of disconnected stories, but one unfolding storya story of how God moves toward a cursed people and a broken creation with redemption. This morning, we come to a passage where the apostle Paul explainsexplicitly and unmistakablywhat that story has always been about. Galatians 3:1014 is not a detour from the story we have been tracing; it is Paul putting words to it. Here, the curse is named, the problem is clarified, and the solution is revealed with stunning clarity. Paul tells us plainly,All who rely on works of the law are under a curse (3:10; BSB).That statement may sound severe. But it is the biblical diagnosis of the human condition. The origin of that curse is ancient. It reaches back to Eden, where God created humanity for life, fellowship, obedience, and worship. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin entered the world, the curse followed, and spiritual and physical death became the inevitable outcome. The curse did not merely affect humanity inwardly; it affected creation itself. The ground was cursed. Thorns and thistles appeared. Pain, toil, suffering, and death became woven into the fabric of life. From that moment forward, every human has been born under the weight of that curseinclined toward sin, separated from God, and unable to restore what was lost. Pauls point in Galatians is not that the law created the curse, but that the law exposes it. Gods commandments reveal the depth of our problem. They show us that no amount of effort, obedience, or religious devotion can undo what was broken in the garden. As Scripture says,Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them(Gal. 3:10). And none of us has. Our Need Is a Righteousness We Cannot Produce To be under the curse is not to suffer from bad luck, karma, or chance; it is to stand under Gods righteous judgment. Our greatest problem is not circumstance or ignoranceit is that God is holy, and we are not. The law demands perfect righteousnessand we are incapable of producing it. That is why Paul insists,No one is justified before God by works of the law. The righteous live by faith(Gal. 3:11). Think about the people we have looked at throughout this series. Reflect on the gravity of their sins. Adam let Eve eat the forbidden fruit, even though he had been told that doing so would bring death and curse. But as the priest and king appointed by God in Eden, he didnt protest or intervenehe stood by, silent and passiveand then joined her. For what? Because both of them bought into the lie of the dragon that they could be just like God. In that moment, they tore apart the sacred boundary between creature and Creator, unleashing the curse that would plague every generation to come. Consider the violence of Cain and his descendantshow they perverted the sacred institution of marriage and showed no regard for the sanctity of life. Reflect on Noah and his family: even after the flood, even after Gods rainbow appeared in the sky, sin still found its way into their lives. After Noah became drunk, his son Ham committed such a shameful act related to his fathers nakedness that Scripture does not even specify what it was. Think also about the Tower of Babel, where people sought to build an empire not for Gods glory, but for their own. All these accounts serve as a mirror, revealing just how broken and corrupted by sin humanity truly is. Consider Abraham, weighed down by his own failures as a husband and father. Picture Isaachis love for Esau burning brighter than his love for Jacobsplintering their family and sowing seeds of rivalry that tore through generations. Consider Jacobs twelve sons, born to two wives. Their family was marked by jealousy, betrayal, and constant conflict, with discord replacing the harmony that should have filled their home. See Judahdrawn toward idols, taking a Canaanite wife, wandering far from the ways of God, his heart tangled in spiritual darkness. And then Tamar, Judahs daughter-in-lawdriven to the brink by desperation and grief. Her life battered by the wickedness of Judahs sons, she cloaked herself in the garments of a prostitute, her face veiled, her dignity hanging by a thread. She knew Judahs moral weakness. When he passed by, she sold herself for silverpain disguised as survivalhis own lust blinding him to her true identity. This is not a sanitized tale; it is the raw, exposed reality of sins gripbrokenness that bleeds through families, hearts shattered and lives twisted by deceit and desire. Shall I continue? I mustbecause its essential for you to grasp the full gravity of the word cursed. Look at David: the mighty king, the poet, the man after Gods own heartyet swept away by desire, stealing Bathsheba and orchestrating the death of her husband to cover his shame. Blood stained his hands, guilt gnawed his soul, and tragedy ravaged his house. Yet out of this relationshipmarked by betrayal and sorrowGod, in His mercy, brought forth a way for hope to emerge. Their surviving son, Solomon, would rise from the ashes of their brokenness. Through Solomons line would come Joseph, the husband of Mary and stepfather of Jesus; and from Davids son Nathan would descend Mary herself, the mother who would cradle the Savior. Out of scandal and sorrow, God wove together the lineage through which the true and better David would comea King crowned not by conquest, but by grace. What connects all of these individuals is twofoldlisten carefully. First, none could escape the curse of sin, a problem rooted in the heart. Second, nearly all of them stand in the lineage of Jesus. The Law given to Moses revealed to themand to usthat their struggle was one only God could solve: For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did Gods grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many (Rom. 5:15; BSB). As Paul explains,Before faith came, we were held captive under the law So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith(Gal. 3:2324). This is where the story presses us toward hope. If the curse cannot be undone by our obedience, then liberation must come from outside of us. What we need is redemption; what we need is rescue. And that rescue must address the curse at its root. Our Only Hope Is That Christ Became Our Curse What is our hope? Our hope is that there is One who is able to save us from our sins by providing a righteousness that we could never produce on our own. Oh, my dear friends, this is exactly what we learn from Galatians 3:1314. God has provided the righteousness we neednot through our obedience, but through Jesus Christ. Look at verse 13you have to see this:Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for usfor it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree. How is it that a person is cursed on a tree?The answer is found in Deuteronomy 21:2223. Under the Law of Moses, if a man committed a crime punishable by death and was executed, his body could be displayed on a tree or wooden post. This was not merely a method of disposal; it was a public declaration. To be hung on a tree was to be marked as one who stood under Gods judgment. Scripture says plainly,Anyone who is hung on a tree is under Gods curse (Deut. 22:23; BSB).In other words, to be hung on a tree was to be identified as extraordinarily cursed. Now, look directly at the crosssee it for what it is. The very wood upon which Jesus hung was shaped by Roman hands, but in God's eyes, it was a tree. And according to the Scriptures Paul cites, anyone nailed to a tree is branded as cursed, set apart for divine judgment. But here is the shocking, undeniable truthJesus was wholly innocent. He was blameless, completely undeserving of any punishment or condemnation. And yet He was treated as the cursed one. Jesus did not become sinfulHe became the embodiment of the curse itself, willingly standing in the place of those doomed by sin. The full weight of God's wrath, the judgment that should have crushed us, was hurled upon the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! And because Christ took the curse upon Himself, the day He hung on the cross became the moment when God gave undeniable, visible signs that Jesus alone was truly qualified to bear our sin. By fully enduring the wrath of God the Father, Christ the Son broke the power of the curse over sinful humanity. As He hung on the cross, He wore a crown of thorns; when He took His final breath and declared, It is finished, the ground shook; and at that very moment, the curtain in the temple was torn in two. The Crown of Thorns Why does Scripture bother to tell us about the crown of thorns? Because thorns were the visible sign of the curse pronounced in Eden:Cursed is the ground because of you thorns and thistles it shall bring forth(Gen. 3:1718). At the cross, Jesusthe Redeemer of a cursed people and a cursed creationwas nailed to a tree wearing a crown made from the very symbol of that curse. The One who knew no sin bore upon His head what sin had produced. The curse that began in Eden was placed upon Christ. The Quaking Ground When Jesus cried out,It is finished,and breathed His last, Matthew tells us thatthe earth shook, and the rocks were split(Matt. 27:51). Why did the ground quake? Because the ground once cursed in Eden was being redeemed. Creation itself responded as its Redeemer purchased it with His blood. The curse that brought death into the world no longer held uncontested power. The Torn Curtain When Adam and Eve sinned, they were driven from the presence of God. That separation stood visibly in the curtain of the temple, a reminder that sinful people could not freely dwell with a holy God. But when Jesus died, the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. The meaning is unmistakable: because Jesus bore the curse, the barrier has been removed. Through His death, we are no longer exileswe are invited back into the presence of the God we were created to know. Paul tells us why Christ bore the curse:So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles. The blessing promised in Genesisthat through Abrahams seed all nations would be blessedcomes only through the curse-bearing work of Christ. What began in a garden, moved through a family, a nation, and a kingdom, now reaches the nations through the cross. Conclusion The curse is real, but it is no longer final. Forgiveness is secured. Righteousness is given. The Spirit is poured out. New life has begunand yet, the story is not finished. The cross does not merely explain the past; it guarantees the future. Because Jesus bore the curse, the curse itself is living on borrowed time. Because Jesus rose from the dead, death has been defeated. And because God has always kept His promises, Scripture assures us that what Christ accomplished at the cross will one day be completed in full. The Bible ends where it begannot with exile, but with restoration; not with thorns, but with a tree of life standing once again; not with humanity driven from Gods presence, but with God dwelling forever among His redeemed people. And the promise is clear:No longer will there be any curse. And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them; and they will reign forever and ever. As we turn next to the book of Revelation, we are not beginning a new story. We are finally ready to see how the story we have been tracing from the beginning comes to its appointed end. [1] Owen Strachan, The Warrior Savior (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing; 2024), 1. [2] Ibid., 3.

Introduction: The Story We Have Been Telling The entire Bible tells a single, unified storya story that begins in Genesis and finds its fulfillment in Revelation. It opens with God creating the world and placing two trees in the garden: the tree of life, from which Adam and Eve were free to eat, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God, in His loving wisdom, commanded them to avoid. Tragically, instead of trusting Gods goodness and choosing life, Adam and Eve reached for what was forbidden. In that moment, they embraced curse rather than blessing by taking from the tree God had graciously withheld for their good. The pinnacle of creation came when God declared,Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness (Gen. 1:26). Unlike any other creature in Eden or on earth, Adam and Eve were uniquely formed to reflect Gods image. God then blessed them and commissioned them:Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it(Gen. 1:28). Humanity was created to live under Gods rule and to extend His reign throughout the world. I began this sermon series by reading a quote from Owen Strachans bookThe Warrior Savior:It was a tree that damned us. It was a tree that redeemed us. And it will be a tree that heals us in the age to cometime beyond all time.[1] Today, we turn our attention to the tree that ultimately redeemed usthe tree upon which Another was cursed in our place. As Strachan observes,Adam, the first man, was a priest and a king unto God. He lived and ruled under the divine regency of his Maker.[2]Yet Adam failed. Through his disobedience, sin entered the world, and with it came death. As Paul explains,Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind death reigned from Adam until Moses Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come(Rom. 5:1214). Humanity rebelled against God, the curse entered creation, and death became an ever-present reality. But the story does not end there. God promised that the curse would not have the final word. From the very beginning, Scripture reveals not a collection of disconnected stories, but one unfolding storya story of how God moves toward a cursed people and a broken creation with redemption. This morning, we come to a passage where the apostle Paul explainsexplicitly and unmistakablywhat that story has always been about. Galatians 3:1014 is not a detour from the story we have been tracing; it is Paul putting words to it. Here, the curse is named, the problem is clarified, and the solution is revealed with stunning clarity. Paul tells us plainly,All who rely on works of the law are under a curse (3:10; BSB).That statement may sound severe. But it is the biblical diagnosis of the human condition. The origin of that curse is ancient. It reaches back to Eden, where God created humanity for life, fellowship, obedience, and worship. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin entered the world, the curse followed, and spiritual and physical death became the inevitable outcome. The curse did not merely affect humanity inwardly; it affected creation itself. The ground was cursed. Thorns and thistles appeared. Pain, toil, suffering, and death became woven into the fabric of life. From that moment forward, every human has been born under the weight of that curseinclined toward sin, separated from God, and unable to restore what was lost. Pauls point in Galatians is not that the law created the curse, but that the law exposes it. Gods commandments reveal the depth of our problem. They show us that no amount of effort, obedience, or religious devotion can undo what was broken in the garden. As Scripture says,Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them(Gal. 3:10). And none of us has. Our Need Is a Righteousness We Cannot Produce To be under the curse is not to suffer from bad luck, karma, or chance; it is to stand under Gods righteous judgment. Our greatest problem is not circumstance or ignoranceit is that God is holy, and we are not. The law demands perfect righteousnessand we are incapable of producing it. That is why Paul insists,No one is justified before God by works of the law. The righteous live by faith(Gal. 3:11). Think about the people we have looked at throughout this series. Reflect on the gravity of their sins. Adam let Eve eat the forbidden fruit, even though he had been told that doing so would bring death and curse. But as the priest and king appointed by God in Eden, he didnt protest or intervenehe stood by, silent and passiveand then joined her. For what? Because both of them bought into the lie of the dragon that they could be just like God. In that moment, they tore apart the sacred boundary between creature and Creator, unleashing the curse that would plague every generation to come. Consider the violence of Cain and his descendantshow they perverted the sacred institution of marriage and showed no regard for the sanctity of life. Reflect on Noah and his family: even after the flood, even after Gods rainbow appeared in the sky, sin still found its way into their lives. After Noah became drunk, his son Ham committed such a shameful act related to his fathers nakedness that Scripture does not even specify what it was. Think also about the Tower of Babel, where people sought to build an empire not for Gods glory, but for their own. All these accounts serve as a mirror, revealing just how broken and corrupted by sin humanity truly is. Consider Abraham, weighed down by his own failures as a husband and father. Picture Isaachis love for Esau burning brighter than his love for Jacobsplintering their family and sowing seeds of rivalry that tore through generations. Consider Jacobs twelve sons, born to two wives. Their family was marked by jealousy, betrayal, and constant conflict, with discord replacing the harmony that should have filled their home. See Judahdrawn toward idols, taking a Canaanite wife, wandering far from the ways of God, his heart tangled in spiritual darkness. And then Tamar, Judahs daughter-in-lawdriven to the brink by desperation and grief. Her life battered by the wickedness of Judahs sons, she cloaked herself in the garments of a prostitute, her face veiled, her dignity hanging by a thread. She knew Judahs moral weakness. When he passed by, she sold herself for silverpain disguised as survivalhis own lust blinding him to her true identity. This is not a sanitized tale; it is the raw, exposed reality of sins gripbrokenness that bleeds through families, hearts shattered and lives twisted by deceit and desire. Shall I continue? I mustbecause its essential for you to grasp the full gravity of the word cursed. Look at David: the mighty king, the poet, the man after Gods own heartyet swept away by desire, stealing Bathsheba and orchestrating the death of her husband to cover his shame. Blood stained his hands, guilt gnawed his soul, and tragedy ravaged his house. Yet out of this relationshipmarked by betrayal and sorrowGod, in His mercy, brought forth a way for hope to emerge. Their surviving son, Solomon, would rise from the ashes of their brokenness. Through Solomons line would come Joseph, the husband of Mary and stepfather of Jesus; and from Davids son Nathan would descend Mary herself, the mother who would cradle the Savior. Out of scandal and sorrow, God wove together the lineage through which the true and better David would comea King crowned not by conquest, but by grace. What connects all of these individuals is twofoldlisten carefully. First, none could escape the curse of sin, a problem rooted in the heart. Second, nearly all of them stand in the lineage of Jesus. The Law given to Moses revealed to themand to usthat their struggle was one only God could solve: For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did Gods grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many (Rom. 5:15; BSB). As Paul explains,Before faith came, we were held captive under the law So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith(Gal. 3:2324). This is where the story presses us toward hope. If the curse cannot be undone by our obedience, then liberation must come from outside of us. What we need is redemption; what we need is rescue. And that rescue must address the curse at its root. Our Only Hope Is That Christ Became Our Curse What is our hope? Our hope is that there is One who is able to save us from our sins by providing a righteousness that we could never produce on our own. Oh, my dear friends, this is exactly what we learn from Galatians 3:1314. God has provided the righteousness we neednot through our obedience, but through Jesus Christ. Look at verse 13you have to see this:Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for usfor it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree. How is it that a person is cursed on a tree?The answer is found in Deuteronomy 21:2223. Under the Law of Moses, if a man committed a crime punishable by death and was executed, his body could be displayed on a tree or wooden post. This was not merely a method of disposal; it was a public declaration. To be hung on a tree was to be marked as one who stood under Gods judgment. Scripture says plainly,Anyone who is hung on a tree is under Gods curse (Deut. 22:23; BSB).In other words, to be hung on a tree was to be identified as extraordinarily cursed. Now, look directly at the crosssee it for what it is. The very wood upon which Jesus hung was shaped by Roman hands, but in God's eyes, it was a tree. And according to the Scriptures Paul cites, anyone nailed to a tree is branded as cursed, set apart for divine judgment. But here is the shocking, undeniable truthJesus was wholly innocent. He was blameless, completely undeserving of any punishment or condemnation. And yet He was treated as the cursed one. Jesus did not become sinfulHe became the embodiment of the curse itself, willingly standing in the place of those doomed by sin. The full weight of God's wrath, the judgment that should have crushed us, was hurled upon the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! And because Christ took the curse upon Himself, the day He hung on the cross became the moment when God gave undeniable, visible signs that Jesus alone was truly qualified to bear our sin. By fully enduring the wrath of God the Father, Christ the Son broke the power of the curse over sinful humanity. As He hung on the cross, He wore a crown of thorns; when He took His final breath and declared, It is finished, the ground shook; and at that very moment, the curtain in the temple was torn in two. The Crown of Thorns Why does Scripture bother to tell us about the crown of thorns? Because thorns were the visible sign of the curse pronounced in Eden:Cursed is the ground because of you thorns and thistles it shall bring forth(Gen. 3:1718). At the cross, Jesusthe Redeemer of a cursed people and a cursed creationwas nailed to a tree wearing a crown made from the very symbol of that curse. The One who knew no sin bore upon His head what sin had produced. The curse that began in Eden was placed upon Christ. The Quaking Ground When Jesus cried out,It is finished,and breathed His last, Matthew tells us thatthe earth shook, and the rocks were split(Matt. 27:51). Why did the ground quake? Because the ground once cursed in Eden was being redeemed. Creation itself responded as its Redeemer purchased it with His blood. The curse that brought death into the world no longer held uncontested power. The Torn Curtain When Adam and Eve sinned, they were driven from the presence of God. That separation stood visibly in the curtain of the temple, a reminder that sinful people could not freely dwell with a holy God. But when Jesus died, the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. The meaning is unmistakable: because Jesus bore the curse, the barrier has been removed. Through His death, we are no longer exileswe are invited back into the presence of the God we were created to know. Paul tells us why Christ bore the curse:So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles. The blessing promised in Genesisthat through Abrahams seed all nations would be blessedcomes only through the curse-bearing work of Christ. What began in a garden, moved through a family, a nation, and a kingdom, now reaches the nations through the cross. Conclusion The curse is real, but it is no longer final. Forgiveness is secured. Righteousness is given. The Spirit is poured out. New life has begunand yet, the story is not finished. The cross does not merely explain the past; it guarantees the future. Because Jesus bore the curse, the curse itself is living on borrowed time. Because Jesus rose from the dead, death has been defeated. And because God has always kept His promises, Scripture assures us that what Christ accomplished at the cross will one day be completed in full. The Bible ends where it begannot with exile, but with restoration; not with thorns, but with a tree of life standing once again; not with humanity driven from Gods presence, but with God dwelling forever among His redeemed people. And the promise is clear:No longer will there be any curse. And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them; and they will reign forever and ever. As we turn next to the book of Revelation, we are not beginning a new story. We are finally ready to see how the story we have been tracing from the beginning comes to its appointed end. [1] Owen Strachan, The Warrior Savior (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing; 2024), 1. [2] Ibid., 3.

Pastor John Nuzzo announces the release of his first book, The Acceleration Mandate:  God's Blueprint for Generational Impact, and summarizes the content of the book in this month's podcast.  The Acceleration Mandate is available starting January 6 along with a workbook and videos for small group use. The Acceleration Mandate is not a message; it is a mandate and move of the Spirit of God.  God is always dealing with three generations at one time.  God is endeavoring to bring His people to a place where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob do not divide again so that the church can accelerate and the Kingdom of God can expand.  God must turn our hearts toward one another.  The content of the book is an action plan based on Malachi 4:6 – God is going to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers or else the land will be destroyed.God is wanting the emerging generation to be accelerated by the previous generation.  The Abrahams can accelerate with their aged wine. The biblical template of this is Aquila and Priscilla's interaction with Apollos, which accelerated the call of God on Apollos's life.  The Acceleration Mandate provides a step-by-step approach to accelerating the next generation in your church and provides a way to avoid pitfalls that others have had to navigate.  The Acceleration Mandate can be found at major book retailers and online stores. You can also find it Here.

From the opening chapters of Scripture, the narrative of humanity is marked by the presence of a tree. At the heart of Eden stood two trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life offered the promise of ongoing life, while the other was strictly off limits, carrying the warning that eating its fruit would bring death. When the first humans chose to take what God had forbidden, they inherited not blessing but a cursebanishment from paradise and the inheritance of death. Since that fateful day in Eden, we have lived beneath the shadow of that curse outside of Eden, our lives marked by its consequences. Throughout this series,The Tree, we have traced Gods answer to the problem introduced in Eden. We have seen a promised Seed spoken of in the garden (Gen. 3:15), a promise preserved through judgment in the days of Noah (Gen. 69), narrowed through Abrahams only son (Gen. 22), carried forward through broken families and deeply flawed people, guarded through exile and deliverance, and entrusted to kings who both reflected Gods purposes and failed to live up to them. Again and again, the message has been unmistakable: Gods promise advances not because His people are faithful, but because He is. And then, in the fullness of time, the promise took on flesh (Gal. 4:4-7). The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). God did not merely speak againHe stepped into the story Himself (Heb. 1:1-2).Yet Luke 4 marks a decisive moment. Jesus is no longer simply the child of promise or the quiet presence of Immanuel. In Luke 4, Jesus stands up, opens the Scriptures, and for the first time publicly declares who He is and why He has come. It is no mystery that we humans are a mess. Scripture does not flatter us, and history confirms the diagnosis. We are fallen creatures living under the curse of sin. We are born spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1), enslaved to desires we cannot master (Rom. 6:16), inclined to distort what God has called good (Rom. 1:2125), and we live beneath the shadow of deathboth physical and spiritual (Rom. 5:12). Though humanity still bears the image of God (Gen. 1:2627), that image is no longer reflected as it once was. Our thinking is darkened, our lives disordered, and our relationships fractured. We were made for communion with God, yet we live far from Him. This brokenness did not occur in a vacuum. Scripture is equally clear that there is an enemy in the storyreal, personal, and malicious. Satan is the great antagonist of redemptive history, a murderer from the beginning who traffics in lies and delights in death. Jesus said of him,He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him for he is a liar and the father of lies(John 8:44). Yet even in judgment, God spoke hope. To the serpent and the woman He declared that a descendant would comeOne who would be wounded, yet in being wounded would crush the serpents head (Gen. 3:15). Death would strike, but it would not have the final word. From that moment forward, the Scriptures move with expectation. God promised His people a Deliverersomeone greater than Moses (Deut. 18:15; Heb. 3:16), someone greater than David who would reign with justice and peace forever (2 Sam. 7:1216; Ezek. 37:2428), someone who would not merely rule but redeem. Through the prophets, God revealed that peace would come through suffering, that the One who would heal the world would first bear the curse Himself. Isaiah saw it clearly:But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings and by His wounds we are healed(Isa. 53:5). This is why the announcement of Jesus birth was not sentimental but staggering. When angels appeared to shepherds living in darkness, they did not proclaim a teacher or a moral example, but a Savior:For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord(Luke 2:11). As the apostle Paul later wrote,For all the promises of God are Yes in Christ(2 Cor. 1:20; BSB). Jesus is not one promise among manyHe is the fulfillment of them all. It is against this backdrop that Luke 4 unfolds. Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth, enters the synagogue, and is handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He reads words every faithful Jew knew well: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord (Luke 4:1819; Isa. 61:12). After reading, Jesus sat down and declared,Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing(Luke 4:21). We are then told that the immediate response of those in the synagogue that day was that of admiration: And all the people were speaking well of Him, and admiring the gracious words which were coming from His lips; and yet they were saying, Is this not Josephs son? (v. 22). Now listen (or read) what Jesus said next: And He said to them, No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me: Physician, heal yourself! All the miracles that we heard were done in Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well. But He said, Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a severe famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many with leprosy in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. (vv. 23-27) Jesus mentioned two different people who had no biological connection to Abraham nor were they Jewish. A prophet called to speak on behalf of God by the name of Elijah went to Zarephath under the direction of Yahweh, to a town full of Gentiles during a time that a famine also affected Israel, and yet Elijah went to a Gentile widow who God miraculously fed and protected during that famine (see 1 Kings 17:824). Listen, the point Jesus was making is this: The widow of Zarephath was a Gentile outsiderpoor, desperate, and forgottenyet she received the mercy Israel assumed belonged to them alone. A second example Jesus gave was that of Naaman the Syrian who served as a commander of the enemies of Israel. Jesus said, And there were many with leprosy in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian (v. 27). Listen to what we are told concerning Naaman in 2 Kings 5, Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in the view of his master, and eminent, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but afflicted with leprosy (v. 1). And yet, God healed him! How was Naaman healed? He was only healed after he humbled himself in obedience to the word of God delivered by Elisha the prophet (see 2 Kings 5:1-14). What was Jesus main point? He was showing that the promise of a Deliverer and redemption was never exclusive to Israel, but it was intended for all nations. When Jesus read from Isaiah and proclaimed, Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing (Luke 4:21), He wasnt simply interpreting the passageHe was revealing Himself as its fulfillment. In that moment, Jesus was announcing His mission, His authority, and the inclusive nature of His kingdom. He declared Himself as the promised Delivererthe greater Adam, the greater Abraham, the true Israeland made clear that through Him, blessing would extend to every nation, not just one people. In Luke 4:2527, Jesus reminds His hometown that God sent Elijah to a Gentile widow in Zarephath and healed Naaman the Syrianan enemy commandermaking clear that Gods mercy is received through Jesus by faith to all who will receive it, not where privilege assumes it. There are four facets of Jesus ministry that is described in these verses: Jesus Came as Good News to the Poor for All People Jesus clarifies the kind of poverty He has in view when He says,Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven(Matt. 5:3). This poverty is not merely economic. Scripture and experience alike tell us that not all who are materially poor long for God. The poor in spirit are those who recognize their spiritual bankruptcy before Himthose who know they have nothing to offer God but their need. Jesus is good news to such people precisely because it is only through Jesus that one can have God. Those who believe themselves rich in righteousness will feel no need for a Savior, but those who know they are empty will discover that Christ is everything. Jesus Came to Set Captives Free Out from the Nations Scripture declares,For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God(Rom. 3:23). Every human being is born enslaved to sinany violation of Gods holy standard. Human experience confirms what Scripture teaches:The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?(Jer. 17:9). Apart from Christ, every one of us stands under judgment (Rev. 20:1115). This is why Jesus came. As John the Baptist proclaimed,Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!(John 1:29). When Jesus read Isaiah 61 in the synagogue, His hearers assumed He was announcing political liberation and national restoration. What they did not understand was that their deepest captivity was not Roman oppression but spiritual bondage. Jesus came to proclaim liberty to captives whose chains were forged by sin. Jesus Came to Give Sight to the Blind Who Make Up All Humanity While Jesus healed physical blindness throughout His ministry, His greater work was opening spiritually blind eyes. This blindness is not learnedit is native to us. Scripture teaches,The hearts of the sons of mankind are full of evil, and insanity is in their hearts while they live, and afterward they go to the dead(Eccl. 9:3). Like a blind man standing in bright sunlight, the human heart may sense that something is there yet remain unable to see it. The apostle Paul explains this condition plainly:But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned(1 Cor. 2:14). Only Jesus can open blind hearts to see the truth and beauty of God. Jesus Came to Bring Salvation and Redemption as Far as the Curse is Found Isaiah 61 was understood as a promise of a new agean age in which broken people and a broken creation would be restored, an age without tyranny, injustice, suffering, or death (Isa. 11:69; 65:1725). When Jesus read that passage, He claimed to be the One who would inaugurate that renewal. His miracleshealing the sick, restoring the lame, opening blind eyes, and raising the deadwere not merely acts of compassion; they were signs pointing to a greater restoration still to come (Matt. 11:45). Jesus redemption is both spiritual and physical. Though believers continue to struggle with sin and weakness in this life, there is coming a day when resurrection will make us whole:For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality(1 Cor. 15:53), whenwhat is mortal will be swallowed up by life(2 Cor. 5:4). How far reaching is the salvation and redemption Jesus was born to bring? Oh, let the anthem of Isaac Watts great hymn ring true in your heart: No more let sins and sorrows grow Nor thorns infest the ground He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found How far Christian? As far as the curse is found! Far as, far as the curse is found This is the gospel Jesus declared in Nazareth. It is comprehensive, gracious, and costly. It confronts sin, heals blindness, breaks chains, and promises restoration. And yet Luke tells us that this announcement did not lead to repentanceit led to rejection (Luke 4:2830). What Jesus proclaimed as good news, His hometown soon heard as an offense. They wanted a Messiah of their own making, not one who exposed their sin and need of a redeemer! They wanted deliverance on their terms, not salvation on Gods terms. And when Jesus made clear that Gods grace could not be claimed or secured by their religious deeds alone, admiration turned to rejection. Luke 4 reminds us that the greatest danger is not rejecting Jesus outright but rejecting Him after we think we know Him. The Promised One stood before them, opened the Scriptures, and declared fulfillmentand they refused Him. And that leaves us with the same question this passage presses upon every hearer: Will we receive Jesus as He truly is, or will we reject Him because He refuses to be the Savior we want Him to be? He is still good news to the poor, freedom for the captive, sight for the blind, and restoration for the brokenbut only for those willing to receive Him on His terms. The people rejected Jesus because He did not fit their mold of what the Messiah should be. He was not the Savior they wanted, even though He was exactly the Savior they needed. Jesus fulfilled Gods promises, but He refused to conform to human expectations. And Luke 4 presses the same question upon us today: will we receive Jesus as He truly is, or will we reject Him because He will not become the Messiah we want Him to be?

From the opening chapters of Scripture, the narrative of humanity is marked by the presence of a tree. At the heart of Eden stood two trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life offered the promise of ongoing life, while the other was strictly off limits, carrying the warning that eating its fruit would bring death. When the first humans chose to take what God had forbidden, they inherited not blessing but a cursebanishment from paradise and the inheritance of death. Since that fateful day in Eden, we have lived beneath the shadow of that curse outside of Eden, our lives marked by its consequences. Throughout this series,The Tree, we have traced Gods answer to the problem introduced in Eden. We have seen a promised Seed spoken of in the garden (Gen. 3:15), a promise preserved through judgment in the days of Noah (Gen. 69), narrowed through Abrahams only son (Gen. 22), carried forward through broken families and deeply flawed people, guarded through exile and deliverance, and entrusted to kings who both reflected Gods purposes and failed to live up to them. Again and again, the message has been unmistakable: Gods promise advances not because His people are faithful, but because He is. And then, in the fullness of time, the promise took on flesh (Gal. 4:4-7). The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). God did not merely speak againHe stepped into the story Himself (Heb. 1:1-2).Yet Luke 4 marks a decisive moment. Jesus is no longer simply the child of promise or the quiet presence of Immanuel. In Luke 4, Jesus stands up, opens the Scriptures, and for the first time publicly declares who He is and why He has come. It is no mystery that we humans are a mess. Scripture does not flatter us, and history confirms the diagnosis. We are fallen creatures living under the curse of sin. We are born spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1), enslaved to desires we cannot master (Rom. 6:16), inclined to distort what God has called good (Rom. 1:2125), and we live beneath the shadow of deathboth physical and spiritual (Rom. 5:12). Though humanity still bears the image of God (Gen. 1:2627), that image is no longer reflected as it once was. Our thinking is darkened, our lives disordered, and our relationships fractured. We were made for communion with God, yet we live far from Him. This brokenness did not occur in a vacuum. Scripture is equally clear that there is an enemy in the storyreal, personal, and malicious. Satan is the great antagonist of redemptive history, a murderer from the beginning who traffics in lies and delights in death. Jesus said of him,He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him for he is a liar and the father of lies(John 8:44). Yet even in judgment, God spoke hope. To the serpent and the woman He declared that a descendant would comeOne who would be wounded, yet in being wounded would crush the serpents head (Gen. 3:15). Death would strike, but it would not have the final word. From that moment forward, the Scriptures move with expectation. God promised His people a Deliverersomeone greater than Moses (Deut. 18:15; Heb. 3:16), someone greater than David who would reign with justice and peace forever (2 Sam. 7:1216; Ezek. 37:2428), someone who would not merely rule but redeem. Through the prophets, God revealed that peace would come through suffering, that the One who would heal the world would first bear the curse Himself. Isaiah saw it clearly:But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings and by His wounds we are healed(Isa. 53:5). This is why the announcement of Jesus birth was not sentimental but staggering. When angels appeared to shepherds living in darkness, they did not proclaim a teacher or a moral example, but a Savior:For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord(Luke 2:11). As the apostle Paul later wrote,For all the promises of God are Yes in Christ(2 Cor. 1:20; BSB). Jesus is not one promise among manyHe is the fulfillment of them all. It is against this backdrop that Luke 4 unfolds. Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth, enters the synagogue, and is handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He reads words every faithful Jew knew well: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord (Luke 4:1819; Isa. 61:12). After reading, Jesus sat down and declared,Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing(Luke 4:21). We are then told that the immediate response of those in the synagogue that day was that of admiration: And all the people were speaking well of Him, and admiring the gracious words which were coming from His lips; and yet they were saying, Is this not Josephs son? (v. 22). Now listen (or read) what Jesus said next: And He said to them, No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me: Physician, heal yourself! All the miracles that we heard were done in Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well. But He said, Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a severe famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many with leprosy in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. (vv. 23-27) Jesus mentioned two different people who had no biological connection to Abraham nor were they Jewish. A prophet called to speak on behalf of God by the name of Elijah went to Zarephath under the direction of Yahweh, to a town full of Gentiles during a time that a famine also affected Israel, and yet Elijah went to a Gentile widow who God miraculously fed and protected during that famine (see 1 Kings 17:824). Listen, the point Jesus was making is this: The widow of Zarephath was a Gentile outsiderpoor, desperate, and forgottenyet she received the mercy Israel assumed belonged to them alone. A second example Jesus gave was that of Naaman the Syrian who served as a commander of the enemies of Israel. Jesus said, And there were many with leprosy in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian (v. 27). Listen to what we are told concerning Naaman in 2 Kings 5, Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in the view of his master, and eminent, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but afflicted with leprosy (v. 1). And yet, God healed him! How was Naaman healed? He was only healed after he humbled himself in obedience to the word of God delivered by Elisha the prophet (see 2 Kings 5:1-14). What was Jesus main point? He was showing that the promise of a Deliverer and redemption was never exclusive to Israel, but it was intended for all nations. When Jesus read from Isaiah and proclaimed, Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing (Luke 4:21), He wasnt simply interpreting the passageHe was revealing Himself as its fulfillment. In that moment, Jesus was announcing His mission, His authority, and the inclusive nature of His kingdom. He declared Himself as the promised Delivererthe greater Adam, the greater Abraham, the true Israeland made clear that through Him, blessing would extend to every nation, not just one people. In Luke 4:2527, Jesus reminds His hometown that God sent Elijah to a Gentile widow in Zarephath and healed Naaman the Syrianan enemy commandermaking clear that Gods mercy is received through Jesus by faith to all who will receive it, not where privilege assumes it. There are four facets of Jesus ministry that is described in these verses: Jesus Came as Good News to the Poor for All People Jesus clarifies the kind of poverty He has in view when He says,Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven(Matt. 5:3). This poverty is not merely economic. Scripture and experience alike tell us that not all who are materially poor long for God. The poor in spirit are those who recognize their spiritual bankruptcy before Himthose who know they have nothing to offer God but their need. Jesus is good news to such people precisely because it is only through Jesus that one can have God. Those who believe themselves rich in righteousness will feel no need for a Savior, but those who know they are empty will discover that Christ is everything. Jesus Came to Set Captives Free Out from the Nations Scripture declares,For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God(Rom. 3:23). Every human being is born enslaved to sinany violation of Gods holy standard. Human experience confirms what Scripture teaches:The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?(Jer. 17:9). Apart from Christ, every one of us stands under judgment (Rev. 20:1115). This is why Jesus came. As John the Baptist proclaimed,Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!(John 1:29). When Jesus read Isaiah 61 in the synagogue, His hearers assumed He was announcing political liberation and national restoration. What they did not understand was that their deepest captivity was not Roman oppression but spiritual bondage. Jesus came to proclaim liberty to captives whose chains were forged by sin. Jesus Came to Give Sight to the Blind Who Make Up All Humanity While Jesus healed physical blindness throughout His ministry, His greater work was opening spiritually blind eyes. This blindness is not learnedit is native to us. Scripture teaches,The hearts of the sons of mankind are full of evil, and insanity is in their hearts while they live, and afterward they go to the dead(Eccl. 9:3). Like a blind man standing in bright sunlight, the human heart may sense that something is there yet remain unable to see it. The apostle Paul explains this condition plainly:But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned(1 Cor. 2:14). Only Jesus can open blind hearts to see the truth and beauty of God. Jesus Came to Bring Salvation and Redemption as Far as the Curse is Found Isaiah 61 was understood as a promise of a new agean age in which broken people and a broken creation would be restored, an age without tyranny, injustice, suffering, or death (Isa. 11:69; 65:1725). When Jesus read that passage, He claimed to be the One who would inaugurate that renewal. His miracleshealing the sick, restoring the lame, opening blind eyes, and raising the deadwere not merely acts of compassion; they were signs pointing to a greater restoration still to come (Matt. 11:45). Jesus redemption is both spiritual and physical. Though believers continue to struggle with sin and weakness in this life, there is coming a day when resurrection will make us whole:For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality(1 Cor. 15:53), whenwhat is mortal will be swallowed up by life(2 Cor. 5:4). How far reaching is the salvation and redemption Jesus was born to bring? Oh, let the anthem of Isaac Watts great hymn ring true in your heart: No more let sins and sorrows grow Nor thorns infest the ground He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found How far Christian? As far as the curse is found! Far as, far as the curse is found This is the gospel Jesus declared in Nazareth. It is comprehensive, gracious, and costly. It confronts sin, heals blindness, breaks chains, and promises restoration. And yet Luke tells us that this announcement did not lead to repentanceit led to rejection (Luke 4:2830). What Jesus proclaimed as good news, His hometown soon heard as an offense. They wanted a Messiah of their own making, not one who exposed their sin and need of a redeemer! They wanted deliverance on their terms, not salvation on Gods terms. And when Jesus made clear that Gods grace could not be claimed or secured by their religious deeds alone, admiration turned to rejection. Luke 4 reminds us that the greatest danger is not rejecting Jesus outright but rejecting Him after we think we know Him. The Promised One stood before them, opened the Scriptures, and declared fulfillmentand they refused Him. And that leaves us with the same question this passage presses upon every hearer: Will we receive Jesus as He truly is, or will we reject Him because He refuses to be the Savior we want Him to be? He is still good news to the poor, freedom for the captive, sight for the blind, and restoration for the brokenbut only for those willing to receive Him on His terms. The people rejected Jesus because He did not fit their mold of what the Messiah should be. He was not the Savior they wanted, even though He was exactly the Savior they needed. Jesus fulfilled Gods promises, but He refused to conform to human expectations. And Luke 4 presses the same question upon us today: will we receive Jesus as He truly is, or will we reject Him because He will not become the Messiah we want Him to be?

Our 10 favorite communication insights from 2025.The most transformative communication insights are the ones we actually remember to use. That's why host Matt Abrahams is taking stock of his favorite communication tips from this year, so we can carry them into the next.In this annual Think Fast, Talk Smart tradition, Abrahams shares his top 10 communication insights from guests over the past year, from facilitating connection through Gina Bianchini's "proactive serendipity” to Jenn Wynn's use of dialogue as a gateway to synergy. Whether you're looking to build trust, boost productivity, or speak more spontaneously, this year's top 10 insights offer a reminder of all we've learned this year — and a roadmap for better communication in the year ahead.Episode Reference Links:Ep.177 Don't Resolve, Evolve: Top 10 Lessons From 2024Ep.120 A Few of Matt's Favorite Things: 10 Communication Takeaways from 2023's TFTS Episodes  Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (02:21) - Facilitation and Productive Serendipity (03:56) - Toxic vs. Healthy Productivity (06:19) - Dialogue as the Path to Synergy (08:51) - How Actions Build Trust (10:17) - Communication as an Unselfish Act (12:12) - Be Present and Prepare to Be Spontaneous (14:17) - Why Memorable Words Matter (17:32) - Persuasion and Identity (19:21) - Finding Meaning Through Purpose (21:16) - Listening to Negative Emotions (23:33) - Conclusion ********Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart

By Justin Massie - Review of Abrahams life from Genesis chapter 18 through chapter 21.

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO HEAR THE FULL 01:41:00 EPISODE ON OUR PREMIUM FEED:• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $3/month on Supercast⁠: https://taking-the-land.supercast.com/⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $3.99/month on Spotify⁠: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/taking-the-land/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠Subscribe for only $4.99/month on Apple Podcasts⁠: https://apple.co/3vy1s5b⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠In this conversation, Pastor David Abrahams shares his remarkable journey from a Jewish upbringing in London to becoming a pastor in New Zealand. He discusses the challenges he faced growing up in a predominantly non-Jewish environment, his struggles with identity and belief, and how a surfing lifestyle led him to a path of self-discovery. Through various encounters with Christianity and a deep search for meaning, Pastor Abrahams ultimately finds faith and transformation in his life.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Testimony Tuesday01:28 Pastor David's Background and Journey04:10 Growing Up Jewish in a Secular Environment07:01 Teenage Years and Cynicism Towards Faith08:04 Exploring Life Choices and Consequences11:49 Encountering Christianity and Initial Reactions14:39 The Turning Point and Acceptance of Faith16:54 The Encounter with Faith18:10 The Turning Point: Seeking Meaning in Life

Sometimes, dreams really do come true! We're thrilled to have with us the amazing Jerry Zucker, who, alongside his brother David and their friend Jim Abrahams, played a huge part in transforming comedy in the 1980s. Together, they brought a fresh and hilarious twist to the spoof movie genre with the legendary 1980 hit “Airplane,” which the American Film Institute recognized as one of the ten funniest films ever made.Before that, the Zuckers and Abrahams wrote the cult classic, "Kentucky Fried Movie" (1977), a comedy consisting of unrelated sketches. After "Airplane," the Zuckers and Abrahams created "Police Squad!" (ABC, 1982) and turned it into the successful film franchise of today. Next, Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker returned to the big screen with "Top Secret!" (1984). Jerry also directed "Ruthless People" (1986) and "Ghost" (1990), starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. "The Naked Gun - From the Files of Police Squad!" (1988). He produced "First Knight" (1995), "Rat Race," "A Walk in the Clouds" (1995), and "My Best Friend's Wedding" (1997). Additionally, he worked on "Fair Game" (2010).Special thanks to Katie Zucker and Darlene Chan.The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.Executive Producer Kristin OvernCreator/Executive Producer Sandy AdomaitisProducer Terry SampsonMusic by Ethan Stoller

Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myvXGFZLi2o Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd 0:00 - David Zucker (Naked Gun, Airplane!) On How He Broke Into The Comedy Business 12:42 - Why 99% Of Comedy Movies Today Aren't Funny 25:37 - Biggest Difference Between A Bad Spoof Comedy And A Great One 34:30 - If The Audience Doesn't Laugh Out Loud, It's Not Funny Enough 42:53 - First Rule Of Comedy That Filmmakers Need To Know 56:52 - First Steps To Writing A Comedy Movie 1:05:51 - How To Get The Audience To Care About The Characters In A Comedy 1:13:41 - How A Director Builds A Scene MASTERCRASH: A Crash Course In Spoof Comedy https://mastercrash.com BUY THE BOOK - Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! https://amzn.to/3FULs2N Born on October 16, 1947 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, director/writer/producer David Zucker, along with brother Jerry (Ghost, 1990) Zucker and longtime friend, Jim (Hot Shots, 1991) Abrahams, has established himself among Hollywood's (or at least Wisconsin's) most successful filmmakers. Starting out after college, with a borrowed video tape deck and camera, the soon to be legendary trio created the Kentucky Fried Theater, on the UW Madison campus, and moved to California in 1972, quickly becoming the most successful small theater group. in Los Angeles history. After parlaying this success into The Kentucky Fried Movie, the three conceived the idea that would create a whole new film genre. Airplane! (1980) broke all conventions, featuring dramatic actors like Robert Stack and Leslie Nielsen performing zany jokes with straight-laced sincerity. The spoof became the surprise hit of 1980, beginning a streak of hilarious movies including Top Secret! (1984) and Ruthless People (1986), after which David branched out on his own to direct The Naked Guns (1988, 1991, 1994), BASEketball (1998), Scary Movies 3 (2003), and 4 (2006), and others. David also found time to produce the successful, but somewhat less hilarious A Walk in The Clouds (1995) and Phone Booth (2002), and recently completed a feature script, The Star of Malta, a comedy set in the Film Noir era, and an international spy thriller, "Counter Intellijence!". CONNECT WITH DAVID ZUCKER https://mastercrash.com https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001878 SUBSCRIBE TO THE FILM COURAGE YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://bit.ly/18DPN37 PERSONALLY SPONSOR FILM COURAGE https://ko-fi.com/filmcourage (Affiliates) ►BOOKS WE RECOMMEND: THE NUTSHELL TECHNIQUE: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting https://amzn.to/2X3Vx5F THE STORY SOLUTION: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take http://amzn.to/2gYsuMf SAVE THE CAT! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need https://amzn.to/3dNg2HQ ►FILMMAKER STARTER KIT BLACKMAGIC Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K - https://amzn.to/4gDU0s9 ZOOM H4essential 4-Track Handy Recorder - https://amzn.to/3TIon6X SENNHEISER Professional Shotgun Microphone - https://amzn.to/3TEnLiE ►WE USE THIS CAMERA (B&H) – https://buff.ly/3rWqrra ►WE USE THIS SOUND RECORDER (AMAZON) – http://amzn.to/2tbFlM9 ►Stuff we use: LENS - Most people ask us what camera we use, no one ever asks about the lens which filmmakers always tell us is more important. This lens was a big investment for us and one we wish we could have made sooner. Started using this lens at the end of 2013 - http://amzn.to/2tbtmOq AUDIO Audio Recorder - If we had to do it all over again, this is probably the first item we would have bought - https://amzn.to/3WEuz0k *Disclaimer: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, we'll receive a small commission. This helps support the channel and allows us to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for your support!

A man named Jack accidentally fell off the edge of a steep cliff. On the way down he was able to grab ahold of a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror discovered that there were hundreds of feet between him and the bottom of the canyon. He couldnt hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff. So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him. HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? HELP! He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice. Jack, Jack. Can you hear me? Yes, yes! I can hear you. Im down here! I can see you, Jack. Are you all right? Yes, but who are you, and where are you? I am the Lord, Jack. Im everywhere. The Lord? You mean, GOD? Thats Me. God, please help me! I promise if, youll get me down from here, Ill stop sinning. Ill be a really good person. Ill serve You for the rest of my life. Easy on the promises, Jack. Lets get you off from there, then we can talk. Now, heres what I want you to do. Listen carefully. Ill do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do. Okay. Let go of the branch. What? I said, let go of the branch. Just trust Me. Let go. There was a long silence. Finally Jack yelled, HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE? What is faith? Here is the way the Bible defines it: Faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see (Heb. 11:1; BSB). Abraham became known for that kind of faith, but it took a lifetime for him to get to the place of utter dependance upon God. I am not sure what Abrahams hopes and dreams were before he met God, but his home was in the City of Ur where Nanna, the Mesopotamian Moon god, was worshiped and his wife and family lived. Although childless, Abraham was prosperous, settled, and old. What he may or may not have known was that he was a descendant of Noah ten generations removed. When Abraham first heard God's calling, he was seventy-five years old, and his wife Sarah was sixty-five (see Gen. 12:4; 17:17). Despite their advanced age and the fact that they had no children, God gave Abraham a remarkable promise: I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3). This was a profound and hopeful message, especially considering that Abrahams birth name was Abram, meaning Exalted Fathera title that must have felt ironic for a man with no children at seventy-five, and a wife (Sarai) ten years his junior. The name Abram brings to mind other individuals who have been given ironic or unfortunate names, such as the character mentioned in the following well-known song lyric: Well, my daddy left home when I was threeDidn't leave very much to my mom and meExcept this old guitar and an empty bottle of boozeNow I don't blame him 'cause he run and hidBut the meanest thing that my daddy ever didWas before he left, he went and named me Sue[1] God made three foundational promises to Abraham: first, He pledged to give him a land of his own; second, He vowed that Abraham would become the father of a vast multitude of descendants; and third, He assured that all nations would be blessed through him, signifying Gods plan of redemption. Trusting in these promises, Abraham left his home in Ur and journeyed to the land that God would reveal to him. The Promise (Gen. 17:1-9) Before we get to Genesis 17, I need to help you appreciate what Abraham (still Abram) was feeling and experiencing. When we come to Genesis 15, Abraham and Sarah are still childless about 10 years after they were promised a child! Abraham followed God out of obedience and brought his wife with him on the basis of a promise made by God that included many descendants, land, and a legacy that would bless multitudes in the future! At 85ish years old, God reassured Abraham (Abram), but what Gods reassurance was is up for debate based on the different ways Genesis 15:1 can be translated. Consider the ways NASB and the NKJV translated this verse: Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great. (NASB2020) Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward. (NKJV) So what is it? Based on Gods promise in Genesis 13:1-3 and how He will reiterate the promise later in Genesis 15, I think it is both. Here is one way you could paraphrase this verse: Because I am your reward, your reward will be great. Abraham was about ready to give up on believing the promise include a biological son, but then God swore on behalf of His own name that He would honor the promise He made to Abram and Sarah. God then entered into what is called a unilateral covenant of which He was obligated to honor that was not conditioned on anything that Abram did or did not do. God swore to Abraham (Abram), One who will come from your own body will be your heir (15:4b). What was Abrahams response? We are told in Genesis 15: Then he believed in the Lord; and He credited it to him as righteousness. Then about a year later, Sarah (still Sarai) developed a plan for her husband to get her maid, Hagar, pregnant; to have the heir God promised through her. After all, God said the promised heir would come from Abraham a year ago but did not seem to mention Sarai! So again, the forces of darkness were at work to prevent the Descendent promised to Adam and Eve, who would crush the head of the serpent from ever being born.[2] Hagar did get pregnant with Abrahams child, but all that did was bring more dysfunction into Abrahams home, among other problems. Abraham (still Abram) was 86 and Sarah (still Sarai) 76, with no child to show for the promise God made long ago. Now we come to the promise made yet again in Genesis 17, but this time it is 24 years since the couple left Ur and 13 years since the whole mess they create with Hagar and the birth of Ishmael. Before I go any further, let that settle in your heart and mind for a moment. For 24 years Abraham and Sarah waited, longed, hoped for the son that Almighty God promised them. Then 13 years later while Ishmael had reached the age of maturity and Abram resigned that there would be no heir by Ishmael, God appeared to Abraham (still Abram) and spoke yet again: I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. I will make My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly (17:1-2). It is in this moment that God gave Abram the name Abraham which means father of a multitude. The blessing would not come through Ishmael, but through another son. So that there would be no room for confusion, God said to Abraham: As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her by the name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her (17:1516). Abrahams response is understandable: Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth to a child? (v. 17). Nearly one year later, when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old, she gave birth to Isaac, the son of promise (Gen. 21:1-8). The promise made to Adam and Eve, to Noah, and to Abraham would now come through Isaac. A promise that included land, descendants (a great multitude), and the blessing of the nations. Abraham received the promise when he was 75 and his wife past menopause which means to have a child together would have been a miracle at their respective ages, but for 90-year-old Sarah to carry the child of her 100-year-old husband was impossible! And that is the point, isnt it? There was nothing that Abraham or Sarah could do to make Gods promise possible, they could not make it happen sooner, they could not adjust Gods timing, all that they could do is trust and wait for God to do only what He could in His own timing. Their part in Gods promise was to trust, obey, and wait. The Promise of a Better Son (Gen. 22) We are not told how many years it was after Isaacs birth, but when we come to Genesis 22 we are told that God spoke to Abraham and said some of the most horrific words Abraham would ever hear: Then He said, Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you (Gen. 22:2). Things were different this time; Abraham was different this time, for he had known God for many years since he was first called out of his homeland. The Bible tells us that that Abraham, ...got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place of which God had told him (v. 3). There were no arguments, no debate, no protest Abraham simply obeyed because He believed if he followed through with the sacrifice of his own son; God was big enough to raise him up from death to life. This is why when Abraham took Isaac up the mountain, he told the young men he brought with him: Then Abraham said to his young men, Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you (v. 5). Although the exact number of years between Isaacs birth and Gods command for Abraham to sacrifice his son is not specified in the text, we can make a reasonable estimate based on several clues about Isaacs age. First, Isaac was old enough to walk alongside his father for the entire three-day journey while Abraham, advanced in years, rode a donkey. Second, Isaac had the strength to carry the wood for the burnt offering up the rugged slope of Mount Moriah after days of travel. Third, Isaac was old enough to make a critical observation: Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, My father! And he said, Here I am, my son. And he said, Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? (v. 7). These details suggest that Isaac was not a small child; my guess is that he was at least 13 years old. There is something else you should be aware of about Abraham and Isaacs journey and what was said to the young men just before Abraham and Isaac made their way up Mt. Moriah: The journey would take 3 days to get to the place of Isaacs sacrifice. Most scholars believe that Mt. Moriah was the site where Jerusalem would eventually be built. On the third day, Abraham said to the young men, Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you (v. 5). In other words, Abraham believed that there would be a resurrection after he slaughtered his son... ON THE THIRD DAY! So what happened? Did Abraham follow through with what God commanded? Abraham had seen too much to doubt Gods ability and character to do what He had promised. God promised a child through whom would come a great multitude and the nations would be blessed. Here is what happened: Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. And Abraham reached out with his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham! And he said, Here I am. He said, Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me. Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham would have followed through with killing his one and only son had God not stopped him because no longer did he put God in a box He was too big for any boxes because now He knew His God. What was Gods response? He simply reiterated His covenant promise: By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand, which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice (Gen. 22:16-18). Why did God command Abraham to sacrifice his son, and why did He refer to the child as, your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac (v. 2)? The significance lies in the foreshadowing of a greater Son who would come from Isaacs lineageJesus Christ, Gods own Son. In other words, Isaacs story points forward to a future sacrifice on another mount known as Golgotha, God the Father would do what He prevented Abraham from doing: He would slaughter His only unique Son, whom He loved, for the sins of the multitudes to redeem a people for himself by the blood of the greater and more perfect Isaac! While the "lesser Isaac" was confused and unsure of the purpose for the wood he carried, the "greater Isaac," Jesus Christ, carried a wooden cross fully aware of why He was doing it and with unwavering commitment to die in our place as the Lamb of God. Where God provided a ram to spare Isaac, Jesus willingly became our substitute, submitting to the Father's will and taking on the penalty for our sins. Isaac had to be bound before being placed on the altar, but Jesus embraced the cross freely, allowing sinful men to bound Him to the cross on our behalf. Oh dear brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is the true and better Isaac of whom the Scriptures testify: God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). [1] Johnny Cash,A Boy Named Sue,performed by Johnny Cash, written by Shel Silverstein, recorded at San Quentin State Prison, 24 Feb. 1969, released onAt San Quentin,Columbia Records, 1969. [2] Now Sarai, Abrams wife, had not borne him a child, but she had an Egyptian slave woman whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, See now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please have relations with my slave woman; perhaps I will obtain children through her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. (Gen. 16:12)

Today we have San Francisco's very own Jordan Abrahams who is the host of their chastity social Lock & Key and a main coordinator behind the global ChastitySocial group! Jordan shares how our favorite kink has has slowly encroached in the bay area, his favorite bars to be locked (and loaded), and how to start your own chastity social!Check out more of Jordan Abraham here!Look for a chastity social near you/find out how to start your own here!For more chastity content check out our site ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠chastitypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! And follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for live updates! Listeners can get a free nether nudger with purchase of a full Viper or Cobra chastity set at www.kink3d.com and using our code CPOD!Episode edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lip Locked⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Hell-n⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠