Podcasts about Afterall

The newest data from the Real Estate Staging Association just dropped for Q2 and Q3, and I need to share something with you that honestly broke my heart a little bit when I saw it. The ROI numbers? Absolutely extraordinary. We're talking about the kind of returns that would make any financial advisor pause and say, "Wait, are we talking about a Ponzi scheme here?" But here's what got me: The average staging investment sits under $5,000. A $3,800 to $4,300 investment producing anywhere from $58,000 to $100,000 in additional seller equity. Now, I'm not sharing this to make you feel bad about your pricing or to pressure you into arbitrary price increases. This isn't about comparison or judgment. But when you place those incredible ROI numbers next to what our industry is charging on average, it creates a powerful moment for reflection. So today's conversation is really about one question: Does the price I charge reflect the value I create? In this episode, I'm walking you through the latest RESA statistics, breaking down the neuroscience behind why pricing feels so hard and inviting you to start tracking your own data so you can price from confidence instead of fear. Afterall. We are entering into a new season and better now than ever.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: The staggering new staging ROI numbers from Q2 and Q3 and why they matter more than ever. Why many staging CEOs undercharge from outdated brain patterns. How to build your own staging statistics and stop relying on national averages to justify your pricing. A reflection framework to help you assess alignment between your pricing and the outcomes you create.   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible

Maybe like so many today you relate faith to the beginning of the Christian life? Afterall, we know that it takes faith to become a Christian right? Today on a Daily Walk pastor John Randall will show us that biblical faith is actually so much more than that. It's a key to being and doing all that God intends for us. Turn if you would to Hebrews eleven as pastor John points out the importance of faith! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1368/29?v=20251111

Seasoned with “grace.”   (1-Minute Devotion) - What's that all about?   Am I supposed to simply “roll-over” when I know I'm right?   Afterall, I deserve respect … right?#toughquestionsforgod #questionsforgod #dailydevotion #devotional #graceWebsite: www.toughquestionsforgod.orgyoutube @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC769G9moIYN53BNHlGNf-hA

Any person of Christian faith who is in position of leadership will find it easy to speak about prayer.  Afterall, prayer is an essential part to the Christian life.  But it might be more challenging for us to understand its practical power.  Being men and women of action, we rely often on our own strength to make things happen.  Given that sense of responsibility what value does prayer have?  In this final talk in our seris on Joyful Leadership we explore the practical power of prayer in our lives.

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Daily Dose of Hope November 25, 2025   Scripture - Acts 5:17-42   Prayer:  Holy and Merciful God, Thank you for a new day during this Thanksgiving week.   We are so very grateful that your mercies are new every morning.  We are thankful for your mercy, grace, and patience with us.  Help us, Lord, gather our scattered thoughts and focus on you and your Word.  In these next few moments of silence, help us be still and know that you are God...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently walking through the book of Acts.  Today, we are finishing Acts 5.   The apostles are witnessing and people are coming to faith in Jesus.  They are seeing signs and wonders.  Even Peter's shadow falling on people is leading to healing.  The Holy Spirit is working in powerful ways to demonstrate God's glory and grow the young church.  Healing and deliverance are the norm, not the exception.    This really makes the Jewish leaders jealous and worried.  Afterall, they want to control their perceived grip on religious power.  The apostles are thrown in jail but freed by an angel.  They go right back to the Temple courts and witness to the Gospel.  When the Jewish leaders question and threaten the apostles, the believers are clear that they are going to follow God over man.  Their boldness is amazing.  It's clear the Spirit is in them in a powerful way.  But what I am always alarmed by is their joy at being suffering disgrace for the Gospel.  I mean they are flogged!  That's extremely painful.  And they praise God for this.    This leads to some pretty difficult questions for us.  First, when have you suffered disgrace for the Gospel?  Second, when have we experienced discomfort for the Gospel?  Seriously, what is the worst we have experienced for the Gospel? And finally, if you have experienced disgrace or discomfort, were you filled with joy?   I think we tend to go to great lengths to avoid disgrace and discomfort.  Why?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

It's a well-known fact that leaders in industry and society are men and women of action.  If we're in charge, it's to produce a result.  But living under this kind of pressure can sometimes weaken that is necessary for success.  Afterall, we didn't get involved just to be a machine.  We got involved in order to lead and leadership is much more than just producing results.  In this seventh part of our series on Secrets To Joyful Leadership we explore the power of beauty and its capacity to motivate a joyful leader. 

Daily Dose of Hope November 24, 2025   Scripture - Acts 5:1-16   Prayer: Almighty God, As we move into a new week, we pray that today will be a day that we see glimpses of your glory.  We need you, we yearn for you.  Lord, help us set aside our distractions and settle our scattered thoughts so we can focus on you and you alone.  In the next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers... In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently walking through the book of Acts.  Today, we are staring Acts 5, specifically the first sixteen verses.   The story of Ananias and Sapphira is kind of disturbing.  But keep in mind that this is happening within the context of the new church community.  This is a community in which people are selling all their possessions and living in unity, of the same mind and spirit.  Then, Ananias and Sapphira, in contrast, tell everyone they are selling a piece of land and giving all the profit to the church.  But they secretly keep a big chunk for themselves.  This is the thing – if they had been honest and said they were splitting the proceeds and keeping some for themselves, it would not have been a big deal.  Afterall, it was their property and their money.  They could decide how to use it.  The issue was in the deception.  Rather than being filled with the Holy Spirit (as we see in the rest of the community), they were filled with a spirit of evil.    Here is an interesting question – were Ananias and Sapphira true believers?  They probably were.  Their story is told in the context of the actions of "all the believers" in Acts 4.  They knew the Holy Spirit.  It's possible that Ananias may have earlier promised to give the whole amount of the sale of the property to the church and then they changed their mind and decided to be deceptive rather than truthful.  Maybe the best evidence that they were believers is that they were disciplined for their actions.  They wanted attention and accolades but they lied to get it.  They were even given a chance to fess up but they stuck to their lies.  As a result, they died.    It shows us that believers can be led into bold, obvious sin.  And really, don't we see this often in the church?  A respected church leader falls from grace – the inappropriate relationship, embezzled funds, something is just not right.  Satan is active and at work in our lives and we have to be on guard, prepared with the full armor of God.  You guys, spiritual warfare is real.    If this story seems harsh, it is.  You are totally right.  I've thought about this.  The church was young.  They were really setting boundaries.  The apostles were establishing their own leadership.  This was a warning to the church as a whole.  Deception and evil will not be tolerated.  We are not to look like the culture at large.  We belong to Jesus.  We reflect Jesus.    Does New Hope reflect Jesus?  What can we do better?  What can you do better?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

El panorama político internacional se centra en el conflicto entre Ucrania y Rusia; Putin se muestra abierto a una resolución pacífica pero amenaza a Ucrania con más escalada si no se discuten propuestas. Zelensky tiene un plazo para responder a un acuerdo que incluye cesiones territoriales, reducción del ejército y renuncia a la OTAN. En España, la inflación es elevada, con el IPC en octubre en 3.1%, afectando alimentos, energía y tasas de recogida de basuras; se prevé un aumento en las pensiones. Un hombre de 66 años ingresa en prisión sin fianza por la muerte de Encarnita Polo. En deportes, el equipo español de tenis disputa la final de la Copa Davis contra Italia. El Barcelona es líder provisional en La Liga. En Fórmula 1, Sainz es tercero y Alonso séptimo en el Gran Premio de Las Vegas. La "hora vintage" recuerda 1989 con la canción "After All" y programas como "El tiempo es oro", "RocKopop", "MacGyver", "La Luna", "Tribunal Popular", "El precio justo" y "Brigada Central". Los ...

Lately, we've been seeing stuff about this shared dream referred to as Mall World, so we thought we would look into it. We found some interesting theories about it. So, here we go.Beverage: Thanksgiving Punch, or at least my version of it. Apple cider, cranberry juice, rum, pumpkin spice, grenadine. Serve warm.

Lately, we've been seeing stuff about this shared dream referred to as Mall World, so we thought we would look into it. We found some interesting theories about it. So, here we go.Beverage: Thanksgiving Punch, or at least my version of it. Apple cider, cranberry juice, rum, pumpkin spice, grenadine. Serve warm.

Title: “Not An Empty Visit” Part 1 Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 FCF: We often struggle boldly giving the gospel without allowing in worldly influence. Prop: Because the gospel is God's power unto salvation, we must boldly give the unaltered gospel of God. Scripture Intro: CSB [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. In a moment we'll read from the Christian Standard Bible starting in verse 1. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. I realize that it has been over two years since we have studied a New Testament letter. When we study this genre, it usually consists of 2 or 3 thoughts that are being conveyed, not in story, but in logical exposition. This requires us to simultaneously zoom in to individual thoughts while continuing to keep the broader picture in mind. So, with that being said – let's review what Chapter one talked about before we move into chapter two. Chapter 1 began with a greeting to the Thessalonian church and then immediately Paul expressed his and his companions' thankfulness to God for them – and for the cardinal Christian graces that they continue to demonstrate. Of course, the reason that they are thankful for the Thessalonian church is because the evangelists know that they are God's elect. How do they know that? First, because of the way the gospel came to them in the power of the Spirit. Second, because they have observed how the Thessalonian church has become imitators of Christ and are setting a good example for all believes both in how they receive the Word in joy amid persecution and how they shared their testimony. Paul will now turn his attention to the evangelists' example when they were among them. So, let's read Paul's next thought, starting in verse 1 and going to verse 12 of chapter 2. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: All Powerful God, we come to you today to revel in what You have done. You have rescued us from Your Holy Justice. You have placed on Christ our just reward for our sin. You have given us His righteousness by which we can, by faith, walk worthy of our holy calling. I pray that You would use Your Spirit to open our eyes to what we must be for Your glory. And Lord, give new hearts to those who need them so they too can respond to the gospel of light and life. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “We do not evangelize because we expect results. We evangelize because we are sent men.” Joe Blinco “Every single believer is a God-ordained agent of evangelism.” R.B. Kuiper “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.” C.H. Spurgeon Let these ideas roll over you as we set into the text this morning. I.) The gospel is God's power unto salvation, so we must boldly preach the gospel of God in spite of opposition. (1-2) a. [Slide 3] 1 - For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit with you was not without result. i. The word “for” obviously beckons us to look backward. 1. This conjunction explains something mentioned previously. 2. Since Paul goes on to explain how he and his companions came to Thessalonica and how they were received, we should see this entire section as an explanation of the statement from verse 9. 3. Which itself is a further result from what was stated in verse 5, how the Thessalonians knew what kind of men the evangelists were by how they conducted themselves in Thessalonica. 4. Verses 1-16 of chapter 2 is an explanation or an elaboration from the evangelists' point of view on those same events. 5. The more perplexing question is, why is Paul reviewing this content if the Thessalonians got it right? If they accurately remembered all of this information – why say it again? a. Some scholars believe that Paul is explaining how they were different from other traveling teachers and their sordid practices. b. Some scholars insist that Paul is merely reemphasizing their example to the Thessalonians so that they and their leaders could continue to imitate them. c. Still others think that Paul is addressing accusations against the evangelists raised by unbelieving people in Thessalonica, in an attempt to dissuade the Thessalonian church from abandoning their lifestyles. 6. It is my point of view that all of these can be true all at once. And most likely – they probably are all true to some degree. ii. Paul again uses the word “know” and Paul again says they know. They know what? iii. Specifically, Paul says that they know that it was not without result. 1. The words “without result” is also much debated. 2. If you want a full explanation on all the options, you should come to Thursday Night Bible Study where we always take a behind the sermon look at the text. 3. But it seems best to me to think that Paul is saying that their time with the Thessalonians did not prove to be without fruit. iv. So how was their ministry there fruitful? b. [Slide 4] 2 - On the contrary, after we had previously suffered and were treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, i. Part of the proof of the fruitfulness of the mission was is in the humble and tumultuous beginnings of the Thessalonian mission. ii. Paul and his companions didn't ride into Thessalonica with groupies and with pomp and fanfare. iii. They didn't come into the city having grown accustomed to overwhelmingly positive responses to their presence. iv. In other words – they know a poor reception when they see one. v. And it doesn't get much poorer of a reception as it did in Philippi. vi. As a reminder to us – what happened in Phillipi? 1. While going down to the river to pray, a demon possessed girl who was being used by men for the spirits' fortune telling capabilities, came against the apostles. The spirit did so, so frequently, and so obnoxiously, that Paul eventually grew irritated and cast the demon out. 2. The men who prostituted her for her sad condition were furious because their source of income had dried up. 3. They brought Paul and Silas before the city magistrates. They were beaten and thrown in prison without a trial. 4. Of course, God freed them from the jail, which led to the conversion of the Philippian jailer. But eventually they were forced to leave. vii. Paul, to the Thessalonians confesses that this treatment was outrageous, even by gentile standards. viii. So, the Thessalonian mission did not begin with an expectation of the evangelists to be received well. ix. But what did happen that made sure their entrance was not in vain? That it produced results? c. [Slide 5] we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition. i. After they arrived from Philippi, they did not come in gun shy. ii. They didn't come timidly. iii. They came emboldened by God. They were given courage by God to speak His gospel to them. iv. Now what might Paul mean “in spite of great opposition?” v. This is most certainly referencing the opposition in Thessalonica itself. vi. We know that only 3 weeks into the mission in Thessalonica, Paul had to abandon his teaching in the synagogue, since the Jews had, for the most part, rejected the message of the gospel. vii. Over the next few weeks, the Jews became increasingly more and more jealous of the success of the gospel to persuade many gentiles to receive Christ. This is when they raised up a mob. viii. In spite of this, the evangelists were given boldness by God to preach His message and because of God, the results bore much fruit. d. [Slide 6] Summary of the Point: In these first two verses Paul demonstrates quite clearly that the courage to preach the gospel, the message of the gospel, and the results of the gospel are always sourced in God Himself. In the book of Romans, Paul puts this succinctly when he says that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. And let's imagine that these evangelists are humans like you and I. Do you think the evangelists, in their flesh, arrived in Thessalonica and were a little hesitant about preaching the gospel? Do you think they'd rather teach something else or at least do it quietly at first to make sure they weren't immediately booted out of Thessalonica too? Do you think they were tempted to use the gospel to serve themselves and care for themselves? Most likely they arrived in Thessalonica still bearing bruises and cuts from their beatings in Philippi. Do you think they were not tempted to keep a low profile or even to alter their message so it wasn't as offensive? Maybe they should focus on befriending everyone first and then worry about preaching the gospel. Instead, Paul says that the courage, the message, and the results are all of God. So, like the apostles, we too must boldly preach the gospel of God in spite of opposition. Transition: [Slide 7 (blank)] So, we see the positive side of why their mission was not vain, empty, or fruitless. It was emboldened by God, with His message and therefore He produced the results. But if you are thinking, ok, what was there to succumb to? What were the apostles tempted to replace the boldness and message of God with? What would have rendered their mission there, empty? In the next four verses, Paul identifies 6 fleshly motives they did not bring with them to preach to the Thessalonians. These 6 motives would have rendered their mission there fruitless and in vain. So, what are they? II.) The gospel is God's power unto salvation, so we must preach the gospel in accordance with His will. (3-6) a. [Slide 8] 3 - For our exhortation didn't come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive. i. This word “for” is again an explanatory conjunction. ii. But what is it explaining? iii. It is explaining how they know that God emboldened them to preach his message in spite of persecution. And the evidence is in what they did not do. iv. Paul doesn't tell them what they already know happened. He tells them what they know DIDN”T happen. Which is probably to counter things that are being spoken against the evangelists. v. So what are Paul, Silas, and Timothy being accused of? 1. Paul says that their exhortation, their appeal, their plea for them to receive the gospel, did not come from error. 2. Error here carries with it the idea of unintentional ignorance. Paul and his companions did not come, begging them to receive Christ, because they were delusional or ill-informed or doctrinally imprecise. 3. Paul says they did not make their appeal from impurity either. 4. Impurity is often used to describe sexual sins, but here in the context it seems that this isn't what Paul intends. 5. More likely Paul means the more general idea that is to mix something pure with something impure. 6. And so Paul is saying that their gospel appeal was not made with their mouths while they had ulterior motives in their hearts. It isn't a bait and switch. It wasn't given to them in order to accomplish some selfish goal. 7. Finally, Paul says they did not make their appeal by way of deceit or as the CSB translates it, with intent to deceive. 8. The CSB helps us here to understand that this is by far the most egregious accusation. That the evangelists came with skillful treachery to intentionally lead them astray. vi. Paul denies all these claims and goes back to his original point. b. [Slide 9] 4 - Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts. i. The source of their message and even their commissioning is God Himself. ii. God approved them for this work and entrusted them with the gospel. This word entrusted is the same word we use when we talk about belief or faith. God trusted them, His apostles, and by extension, His church, with His gospel message. iii. Therefore, they don't have the low aspiration with their appeal to woo people to themselves or to tell people what they want to hear. iv. Paul even warns in a later letter that in the last days people will gather to themselves preachers who tickle their ears. Who tell them what they want to hear. v. Indeed, part of the reason such preachers are popular is because they'd never be caught teaching anything that might offend someone. 1. Joel Osteen was on a Larry King once with John MacArthur. The question was raised concerning homosexuality. 2. Of course, John MacArthur articulated well the ancient teaching of the scriptures regarding the sinfulness of the lifestyle. 3. But Osteen, who today has a church attendance of around 52,000 people on average, did all he could to avoid taking any stand at all on the issue. He bumbled his way through trying desperately to say nothing at all. 4. Why? 5. He is an ear tickler. He tells people what they already think. He tells them what they want to hear. And if he wants to keep the 52,000 congregation… he'll continue to do just that. vi. The evangelists did not try to tickle the ears of the Thessalonians and preach something that would please them or confirm what they already thought. vii. Why? viii. Because the evangelists will not stand before the Thessalonians someday to give an account for how they handled the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead, they will stand before God Himself. ix. Why? x. Because the gospel is GOD'S! It is God's power to salvation. It's message and Its effect all belong to HIM. And Him alone. We do not have the liberty to alter it or use it for selfish ends. xi. And here is the great warning to us… xii. God EXAMINES the thoughts and intentions of the hearts of every evangelist. Despite our best efforts to hide, if we have these motives, God would see right through us. xiii. Instead, the Evangelists endeavor to please God and fulfill the commission that He has given them. c. [Slide 10] 5 - For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy motives—God is our witness— i. So, the evangelists did not make their appeal to them because they were ill-informed, had ulterior motives, wished to deceive them or wished to please them and gain popularity. ii. They also NEVER wished to flatter them in order to extort them. iii. We should see this flattery of speech and greedy motives as connected and not two separate things. iv. They never used buttery language set in honey to fleece them. v. It was quite common for traveling preachers to pop into a city for a short time and sell their snake oil. vi. Cults continue to make unseemly amounts of money off of people primarily by crafting their message around what people want to hear and flattering them with only positive language. vii. Before you know it, you are writing checks for the ministry. Big checks too. Why? viii. Because big gifts = big rewards. ix. But the evangelists never wished to get anything from the Thessalonians. They didn't peddle the gospel for money. Paul worked hard as a tentmaker to ensure that his expenses were paid so that he did not have to live by those who received the gospel. x. As he mentioned earlier – God sees their hearts… so God can bear witness to the fact that they did not do this to make money. xi. How else did the evangelists NOT come to Thessalonica? d. [Slide 11] 6 - and we didn't seek glory from people, either from you or from others. i. Sometimes traveling teachers would not come in for money, or for popularity, but in order that they would make a name for themselves. ii. That they would be renowned as an excellent speaker. iii. But Paul assures the Thessalonians – that isn't us. iv. May Christ increase and we decrease was their motto. v. They wished to spread the fame of Jesus' name – but not their own. vi. Paul, Silas, and Timothy, were blameless in their giving of the gospel. Because they wanted nothing from the Thessalonians other than for them to hear about God and His Christ who died to save sinners from the wrath to come. vii. They preached this message boldly, not for their hearer's sake, but primarily to please God who had approved of them and entrusted them with the gospel. e. [Slide 12] Summary of the Point: Paul once again, in different words, makes the same point. He says in no uncertain terms that God approved and entrusted the gospel to these evangelists. And God continued to examine their hearts too as they took His gospel wherever they went. By extension we can say that God approves and entrusts His church with His gospel as well, and continues to examine our hearts as we take it to the nations. What does this mean? Essentially it is the same point as before. The gospel is God's power unto salvation. What does that mean we must do? It means that we must not appropriate the gospel for selfish ends, and we must not alter the gospel or dilute the gospel to please those to whom we preach it. Since it is God's gospel and His power and His results which He entrusts to us, we should be very careful that our message, methods, and motives all align with His will. And we would do well to recognize that He sees our motives all the time. Conclusion: So CBC, what basic concepts have we learned today that informs and corrects our faith and shapes and guides our practice? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 13] The Gospel belongs to God. It is His. Its message, its power, its effect, its calling, its distribution all belong to God. It is His power unto salvation for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. Because, beginning to end it all belongs to God, full stop. Because of this, we have some explicit warnings in this passage that we would do well to heed. First, we should preach it with confidence, even in the midst of great opposition. He will give us boldness to preach His message. Why? Because it belongs to Him. And so, by the way, do we. We are not given the luxury of preaching the gospel only when it is convenient, comfortable, or pleasant. A second application we can draw from the fact that the gospel belongs to God is that we must be abundantly careful that we do not succumb to the temptation to dilute the gospel's message and/or use worldly methods to preach it, in order to pursue selfish motives. But let me rail on this a little. Because if you think that American Christianity doesn't have a problem with this – you have been living under a rock. 1.) [Slide 14] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the Gospel is God's power unto salvation. a. In 1741 in Enfield Massachusetts, Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon titled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” b. Enfield was known as a fairly sinful community and was at this time host to various preachers coming for the week. c. It is said that during his sermon people interrupted him several times. But the interruptions were not rude or antagonistic. Instead, they were weeping, rolling on the ground, grabbing hold of the pillars of the church building, crying out to God for mercy and to spare them His wrath. d. This sermon became famous for officially beginning the Great Awakening in the American Colonies. e. Now if you hear this Historical record and your first thought is that Jonathan Edwards must have been a very powerful speaker. Well, there are two things wrong with you. First, you haven't listened to the sermon up to this point and second you know nothing of Jonathan Edwards. f. Jonathan Edwards had somewhat of a weak voice. He read/memorized his sermon. He was not a boring man but he was by no means an entertainer or an exceptionally gifted speaker. g. And perhaps you think – well perhaps he wasn't an especially gifted speaker but gifted writing even in the hands of poor speakers can still have great impact. h. Ahh, two problems again. First, you haven't listened to the sermon up to this point. Second, This wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last time Jonathan Edwards would preach this sermon. i. If it were an especially excellent homiletical work, we might expect it to render results on everyone who sees it or hears it. Afterall, especially gifted pieces of art fascinate most from the connoisseur to the ignorant. Though you know nothing of musical composition, to sit and listen to Brahms, Beethoven, Bach, or Vivaldi, you cannot help but be in awe of the way the notes weave themselves together. j. And yet, history records for us that although others responded to the same sermon, it was never as powerful as it had been that day in Enfield. k. All this proves the point which Paul so masterfully drives home. l. The gospel is God's message. He gives it power and persuasion as He brings its truths to bear upon the hearers. He also gives His preachers the boldness to preach such a message. He approves and entrusts the gospel message to them while examining their hearts to be sure they are empty of self. m. The gospel is God's power unto salvation. n. Not only should men not take and meddle with it – ultimately, they cannot. o. The real power of the real gospel belongs exclusively to God. p. What does this mean for us? q. Well positively we must conclude that.. 2.) [Slide 15] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must preach the gospel boldly even amid great opposition. a. Now think about this. If the gospel's power relies on our power of persuasion. If we are responsible for convincing and drawing and wooing men to the gospel… b. How might opposition and severe persecution hinder the gospel? c. If God has entrusted the gospel to us, to the extent that the conversion of every person relies on our excellence in preaching the gospel… d. Then my friends – we are sunk. e. You might say – No Chris! I'm not afraid of persecution! They can do anything they want to me. I'll still preach the gospel with the same power and vigor. f. My friend, you are either a fool or a liar. g. In your flesh, you would crumble and succumb. Were it not for the emboldening of God, Paul, Silas, and Timothy would not have preached the gospel in Thessalonica. h. But the message of the gospel, the power of the gospel, the boldness to share the gospel, the results of the gospel, the commissioning of the gospel, the entrusting of the gospel, the examination of the gospel… is all from the Eternal and Omnipotent God of the Universe. i. Oftentimes our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak. But the Lord has approved us and entrusted us with the gospel. He has sent us into this world to be His representatives. To take His gospel to the nations. To make disciples. j. We can go and do this with confidence – not trusting in our own resolve or ability to stay cool under pressure or amid threats against us – but rather trusting in His strength to sustain us and to equip us. k. Despite having just come from terrible persecution and stepping into more – Paul, Silas, and Timothy boldly shared the gospel in the strength and power of God. l. We too must do this. m. But what negative application does this truth have on us? 3.) [Slide 16] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must stop preaching the gospel with a diluted message, worldly methods, and selfish motives. a. If the gospel is God's message, and He gives us boldness to speak it, infuses it with power so it renders results upon those whom He is calling to repentance and faith, and He entrusts us with it while examining our hearts as we take it to others… b. What makes us think that we can be innovative in how we share His gospel? c. Imagine you have a desk job. You have your own cubicle and computer with which you do your job every day. Or perhaps you work in a shop and you have your own station with your own tools which you come into every day to accomplish your tasks. d. But you go on vacation. And you approve and entrust your work station and your work to another person at your workplace. e. Now imagine when you return to your job you find that all your desktop icons have been moved and some of them are no longer there. There are programs missing from your computer. The computer has been moved next to the coffee maker and now shares the outlet with it. In the shop, your tools are rearranged and some of them are missing. Some tools have been modified, with portions filed off for some unknown reason. f. Would it be safe to say that you might be a little angry about this? g. What was your expectation? Is it reasonable that your expectation would be that they would change nothing and simply do the job to the best of their ability but in the same manner with the same tools that you did the job? h. I think it is abundantly reasonable to expect exactly that. i. How ludicrous is it then that the God of the universe has given us His message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, has entrusted it to us, and promised to give us boldness to preach it, promising that He will empower it to render the results He desires… and then we change it. j. We think – well, it isn't exactly popular for people to hear that they are sinners, that their prized habits and pastimes, identities and orientations are wickedness before God. And that these sins will condemn them to suffer the eternal wrath of God. i. So why don't we just chop off that part of the gospel? ii. Let's just talk about how God loves everyone and has a wonderful plan for their life. iii. Let's just talk about how He sent Jesus to start a relationship with each of us. iv. God sent His most prized possession because we were worth it! v. That is much less offensive. vi. That actually makes people feel good. vii. We should preach that instead. k. Or we think - It isn't exactly pleasant to hear that we are condemned before God and there is literally nothing we can do, say, or think that will change that. i. So, let's preach that we can do something. ii. Let's preach that we can get baptized, go to church, take communion, give to the poor, confess our sins, pray a prayer, invite Jesus into our hearts – and at the end of the day one of these things is bound to save us. iii. Or because God says that salvation is by faith that must mean that we all have some pretty remarkable faith inside us and if we'd just use it God would give us salvation. iv. That is much better for us! We aren't completely hopeless. We have our human gumption and innate faithfulness that will get us there. l. Or we observe that It isn't exactly pleasant to hear that in salvation Christ not only rescues us from the wrath of God on sin, but He also cleanses us from unrighteousness and makes us into the righteousness of God whereby we become slaves to righteousness and live holy lives in order to see God. i. So, let's just preach that all you have to do is make 1 choice to believe a list of things about Jesus and then you'll go to heaven. ii. Don't want to go to church often? No problem. You decided Jesus was real. That's all that really matters. You probably don't need other people around you who did the same. And they certainly don't need you. All you need is Jesus right? Maybe you can just attend online. Or maybe you can just come for the children's church. That should be enough. iii. Don't want to love your neighbor? Sure… that's ok, I don't either. Remember – God loves YOU. That's what is important. iv. Don't want to turn from sleeping with someone who isn't your spouse? I get it! Don't worry about it. God will forgive you! v. Don't want to submit to your authorities in the church, the home, or the government? No problem. You are just fiercely independent. Jesus was a rebel too. vi. Don't want to be part of a church in order to serve other believers? That's totally fine. After all – what about your needs right? You are special after all. At least that is what mommy told you. m. Or we notice that It is very difficult to warn people that there is a cost to following Christ. That they may be hated and maligned for it. That the world will reject them just like they rejected Jesus. i. So instead, why don't we tell them that God wants them to be wealthy and healthy. ii. God always desires to heal and bless. iii. And when they come to Jesus their life will be great. iv. We can even tell them all the celebrities that have claimed to be Christians. v. Don't you want to be just like Chris Pratt and Kanye West and Kat Von D? vi. Man, that will really get them excited. They can join the club that these folks are in! Awesome! n. Or we lament that It isn't exactly compelling to hear that we need to go preach the gospel to please God. God is invisible and it is tough to be highly motivated to go out and preach the Word primarily for His glory. Especially when we see little results. i. So why don't we talk about how everyday people are going to hell? ii. Yeah, that is a great motivator – guilt. iii. Let's really lay it on thick and tell people that the only reason that people go to hell is because we never shared the gospel with them. iv. This goes perfectly with our gospel message that never mentions sin. v. Let's tell them that the fate of their friend's souls rests on whether or not they share the gospel with them. vi. That will really light the fire under them. vii. Afterall, the only thing stopping people from receiving the gospel is that they have never heard it… right? o. Do you see what happens my friends. When we meddle with the gospel: its message, or our own methods and motives in preaching it? What happens? We no longer have the gospel. Just like you no longer had your work station. It has become something else entirely. p. The gospel is the power of God. He emboldens us to speak it. He gives it power. He produces results through it. He has entrusted us with it and He will continue to examine our hearts as we preach it. q. It is best to not tamper with what isn't ours. r. But as a believer perhaps you are quite upset by this. Perhaps you are afraid that you are going to mess it up inadvertently. Maybe you'd never do it on purpose – but what if you mess up God's gospel on accident? 4.) [Slide 17] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God makes the gospel fruitful, sometimes in spite of us. a. Despite all these philosophies of evangelism and these truncated and bastardized versions of the gospel floating around today… b. People are still, by the grace of God, coming to Christ. People are still sharing the gospel to save people from hell rather than to please God. It is a great humanitarian effort rather than an act of worship and obedience. c. They still take the message of praying a magic prayer and that somehow changing you. And yet – people still come to Christ through that. d. Is that proof that Paul is wrong in this passage? e. No my friends. That is proof that God is abundantly gracious. f. In Philippians Paul comments on a group of preachers who are going around and accurately preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. But they are doing it to make money, gain popularity, and steal popularity from Paul. g. Do you know what Paul's comments are on this? h. He praises God that the gospel still goes out despite these wicked motives. i. How can this be? How can the message get garbled, the methods be odious, and the motives be wicked and people still receive Christ? j. Friends have we forgotten already? k. Answer me these questions so I know you haven't forgotten! l. Who does the gospel belong to? And whose power is in the gospel? Who gives the results of the gospel? m. Yes… God alone. n. If God can use disobedient and delinquent preachers to call His people to Himself… I'm sure He can use your bumbling words to save His own too. o. It doesn't give us an excuse to not be as zealous and accurate as we can be… but it does give us comfort that we can't prevent, by our weakness, who God is drawing to Himself in His strength. It doesn't work that way. p. And finally – we've talked a lot about the gospel this morning. Around it mostly. What does this text teach us about the gospel message? 5.) [Slide 18] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” The gospel is not a talking point of which you need to be convinced. The gospel is the power of God to take something dead and make it alive. a. The definition of what is a Christian is a fairly muddled mess today. b. Many people simply assign it to a particular religious affiliation. c. It is an organization. It is an identity. d. It is interesting to me that some who would complain about a woman identifying as a man yet looking nothing like a man, have no problem identifying as a Christian yet looking nothing like Christ. e. We see Christianity as another religion in a long list of religions. Even if it is the one that makes the most sense or lines up with our values – when we do this, the gospel is little more than the elevator pitch to join the movement. f. It is the marketing mechanism to get butts into the pews. g. It is the talking point to join at the grass roots. h. Because the gospel is misunderstood or misarticulated in this way, it is possible to convince people in their heads of the truth of the gospel without them actually getting a new heart from God and receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ. i. My friends the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified for sinners, risen, and coming again is not a sales pitch. It isn't a talking point. It isn't the path to getting in on the ground floor. j. In fact, it isn't a mechanism that you can access by any human means. k. The gospel is something that happens to you more than it is something that you do. You don't go and get the gospel… it falls in your lap and you receive it. l. You can intellectually understand the Jesus died on a cross for sinners and rose again the third day and is coming again. But until God closes the loop for you and you realize that i. YOU are the sinner who rebelled against a Holy God ii. You are the one Christ came and was tortured, bloodied, bruised, ripped open, spilled out, hung up and asphyxiated for. iii. YOUR Sins are the ones that Christ endured the cup of wrath from God for iv. You are the dead one that Christ's resurrection promises life for v. You are the one He has entrusted His Work to. vi. You are the one who will suffer for His name vii. You are the one that will live a holy life viii. You are the one who will be saved one day by His return ix. You are the one who will reign with him in the New Kingdom... m. Until GOD DOES THIS IN YOU… you are still dead in your sins. n. In short, there is a difference between knowing the facts of the gospel… and experiencing them. o. So, has God made you experience these truths this morning? Then I'd invite you to repent of your wickedness before Him. And trust that He has done this… For you. p. And would you tell an Elder, myself or another, that you have experienced His gospel today? We'd love to rejoice with you and guide you on your next steps. [Slide 19 (end)] Let me close with a prayer from the Puritan Joseph Alleine. For those who do not know you yet, Lord, grab on to them now, and do your work. Take them by the heart, overcome them, and persuade them, until they say, "You have won. You are stronger than I." Lord, did you not make me a fisher of men? We have worked all this time and caught nothing. Have we spent our strength for nothing? We will cast our net one more time. Lord Jesus, stand on the shore and show us how and where to spread our net. Give us the words to enclose the souls YOU seek, that they will have no way out. Now, Lord, for a multitude of souls. Now for a full portion. Lord God, remember us, we pray, and strengthen us, O God. Amen. Benediction: May the One who sent His Son with power to save From guilt, and darkness and the grave, Whose ways are mercy and truth; May He never stop doing you good; May He inspire you to fear Him so that you will never turn aside from Him. Until we meet again, go in peace.

Send us a textThis week's tale is one of true love. A love that has lasted for centuries, literally. The couple are vampires. E. Everett Evans's story, “The Undead Die,” tells of their meeting, their transformation and their undying love.In the vein of “Interview with the Vampire,” by Anne Rice, our story raises the same question— “How much humanity do vampires retain after transformation?” If wolves, black vultures and prairie voles mate for life, why can't the creatures of the night? Afterall, love is love.MusicFesliyan Studios: "Ghost," "Halloween" "Scary Music," "The Lovers"Audio Jungle: "Halloween Waltzes" Pro Effects Sound Library: "Evil Music Box"Narration: Robert BreaultPlease join us! Like and follow our Facebook page to become " patron of the Cemetery Hills Library, or (even better!)  jump on our Patreon page and become a VIP Patron.                         Mugs, tee-shirts and eternal thanks await you!                                                                  Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=61177769&fan_landing=trueWebpage: http://www.afterwordsparanormal.comFacebook: After Words Paranormal Podcast

Send us a textThis week's tale is one of true love. A love that has lasted for centuries, literally. The couple are vampires. E. Everett Evans's story, “The Undead Die,” tells of their meeting, their transformation and their undying love.In the vein of “Interview with the Vampire,” by Anne Rice, our story raises the same question— “How much humanity do vampires retain after transformation?” If wolves, black vultures and prairie voles mate for life, why can't the creatures of the night? Afterall, love is love.MusicFesliyan Studios: "Ghost," "Halloween" "Scary Music," "The Lovers"Audio Jungle: "Halloween Waltzes" Pro Effects Sound Library: "Evil Music Box"Narration: Robert BreaultPlease join us! Like and follow our Facebook page to become " patron of the Cemetery Hills Library, or (even better!)  jump on our Patreon page and become a VIP Patron.                         Mugs, tee-shirts and eternal thanks await you!                                                                  Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=61177769&fan_landing=trueWebpage: http://www.afterwordsparanormal.comFacebook: After Words Paranormal Podcast

Elyce Arons is a cofounder of Kate Spade and the cofounder and CEO of Frances Valentine. Elyce grew up on a cattle farm in Kansas before attending the University of Kansas where she met her lifelong best friend, Katy Brosnahan. Together they helped launch the multibillion-dollar bag company Kate Spade, with Katy's eventual husband Andy Spade and Pamela Bell. Elyce is also the author of the book, We Might Just Make it After All.  In this episode we discuss the following:  The great advice Elyce gave about the value of writing thank you notes. Not only has Elyce written countless thank you notes, but also she has helped countless others write thank you notes through her stationery line at Kate Spade. After this interview with Elyce, I ordered a box of thank you notes and a pack of stamps. I first wrote a note to thank my wife Keshia for being so wonderful. And then I wrote a note to Elyce, thanking her for coming on the podcast. And just like that, I'm on track for 25 notes in six months when I check back in with Elyce. I encourage all of you to follow Elyce's advice to write thank you notes to people you meet with. By doing so, you will make others' lives better.

In this chapter of Soul Of The Fire, Bert's decision to have a vote in Anderith is questioned, but he assures everyone it's for the best. Afterall, they only need to delay Richard and Co. long enough for the Order to arrive, and then all their problems are solved. In the meantime, Richard get's to do whatever he wants - except read the one book he came here to find.

We had to try it. We couldn't help ourselves. And, can you blame us?!? Afterall, who can resist a $20 Barolo from Costco's Kirkland Brand, or Trader Joe's Diamond Reserve label?!? Not us, and we bet not you either. The question on your lips, of course, is “are the wines worth their $20 price tag?” Look, you need to listen to the episode to find out, but here are a few things that might entice you even further. First, the wines are both from Serralunga d'Alba, both have pretty decent ratings from online sources, and both are made by very reputable and well known Barolo producers. So what could go wrong?!? We'll give you our honest opinion about these wines, and we'll also tell you about what all the hubbub is about Barolo. BTW, if you didn't know, Barolo is considered by the majority of wine nerds to be the best of the best of Italian wines. We also have a scintillating wine in the news story about bribes and luxury watches, and an interview with a member of our tribe! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2020 Trader Joe's Diamond Reserve Barolo from the Bersano Estate Lot #6, 2019 Costco Kirkland Signature BaroloSend us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we'd love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us: https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: joe@thewinepairpodcast.com

"If this task had to be repeated 100 times, would you still want to be doing it?" This is the question I ask every staging CEO, and honestly, it's the one that opened the door to the world of automations for me. In this episode, I am sharing why automations became one of my favorite leadership tools. Not because they're techy or trendy, but because they create clarity, consistency, and real breathing room inside a business. Especially a staging business like ours where there are so many processes and repeats. From my early days building simple workflows to now helping staging business owners at various phases streamline theirs, I've learned that automations don't take away the human side of your business, they amplify it. Afterall, it is when the backend runs smoother and calmer that you get to focus on the work only you can do; the real staging business owner duty. Wonder what automations can do for you? Listen to find out!   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why automations are leadership tools and how they shift you from reactive to intentionally designed operations. The first workflow I ever built and why it still runs eight years later The causes of business bottlenecks and how automations support all three. How to identify your next automation opportunity  RESOURCES:   Learn more about the Automation Atelier here Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom! ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible  

Daily Dose of Hope November 12, 2025   Scripture – John 19   Prayer: Holy God, You are a God of order and a God of purpose.  The world may seem chaotic, but you are not.  You have ordered your world with perfection.  Help us trust you.  Lord, fill us with your perfect peace.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  As most of you know, we have been walking through the Gospels and will soon walk through Acts.  Today, we begin John 19.    Our passage begins with Jesus before Pilate.  Even Pilate, the Roman official, recognizes that Jesus has done nothing wrong. Pontius Pilate is an interesting guy.  He knows that Jesus hasn't done anything wrong, certainly nothing worthy of execution, and he truly wants to free Jesus.  The text indicates that Pilate is somewhat scared of Jesus. He tries to placate the Jewish leaders.  He has Jesus flogged.  He offers to release Barrabas, a noted insurrectionist, thinking for sure they would rather have Jesus set free rather than a murderer.  But that isn't what happened. And Pilate isn't willing to stand up for what he knows is right.  His own role in Jesus' death lands him a mention in the Apostle's Creed, the most famous and oldest Christian Creed.  Think about it, for two thousand years, Christians around the globe have been declaring that Jesus died under Pontius Pilate.    Bottom line:  The Jewish officials are desperate to get rid of Jesus. They are blinded by fear, jealousy, and contempt. In an attempt to get Pilate to cooperate with their plans, they threaten to report him to Caesar. After all, Jesus claimed to be king and anyone who made such a claim would be considered a threat to the emperor. The great irony here is that the Jews are essentially presenting themselves as better Roman citizens than Pilate, the Roman official. When it's convenient for them, they are happy to use the pagan Roman government to get their way. They will sacrifice their own ethics to ensure that Jesus is killed.   The thing about sacrificing our ethics is that it's a slippery slope, is it not? These Jewish officials were probably very pious men. They thought they were doing the right thing. Afterall, Jesus was saying blasphemous things and he didn't follow their rules. They needed to step in and take care of it. But gradually their dislike of Jesus became hate. They so badly wanted him gone that they were willing to do anything, break their own laws, disobey Torah, simply to get rid of him. They were willing to do anything, no matter how shady it was or low they had to go.   Has your hatred of another person ever made you compromise your own values? We think we are so much better than these Jewish officials but I think sometimes we are just like these Jewish officials. Dig deep today, friends. Examine your own heart. The remainder of the chapter is pretty powerful.  Jesus carries his own cross to the place of his execution.  The soldiers cast lots for his clothing.  He breathes his last breath without any of his bones being broken by the soldiers.  They pierced his side with a spear.  Lots of prophecy being fulfilled here.   Finally, two faithful Jewish men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, take Jesus' body and place it in a tomb.  Not a lot can be done to prepare the body for burial because it's Friday afternoon and the Sabbath is upon them.  Things will have to wait.  But things may look a lot different on Sunday morning.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Actress Erika Christensen joins Vanessa to talk about her new film After All, where she plays a daughter caring for her ill mother. Together, they explore the unexpected intimacy of birth, death, and everything in between. To connect with the team and gain access to behind the scenes content, join our community at joinparents.com You can also find us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ & ⁠Youtube⁠. If you have questions you want Vanessa to try to answer, or just want to tell us what you think of the show, email us at parents@campsidemedia.com. Can't wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hometown Radio 11/10/25 3p: Director Kersti Karlhuber shares her new film "After All"

Daily Dose of Hope October 31, 2025 Scripture – John 13:18-38 Prayer: Abba Father, We come to you today, grateful for your love and care in our lives. Thank you for your presence and your peace. Help us to gather our scattered thoughts and set aside distractions so we can focus on what you have for us today. In the next few moments of silence, Lord, help me be still and know that you are God...We give you all the glory, Lord Almighty. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan. As most of you know, we have been going through the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish up John 13. In John's Gospel, there is an extended text about Jesus predicting Judas' betrayal. When asked who will be the one to betray him, Jesus says the one he dips the bread and offers it to. Jesus then dips the bread and gives it to Judas. He tells Judas to do what he is going to do and do it quickly. I often wondered why the disciples didn't notice this interaction more. They seem someone oblivious and lost in their own thoughts. Maybe they each wondered if they could be the one to betray their Master? John writes of a point in which Judas allows Satan to enter him. He had previously been influenced by Satan but now he has allowed the devil to have his way with him. At first, he opened the door a little. Then, he just opened the door wide. The devil had been feeding him lies, and Judas started believing them, totally and completely. The devil tempted him with money, and Judas found 30 pieces of silver more valuable than the God. Jesus told Judas that joy was to be found in sacrificially serving others, but Judas believed that Satan's way of putting self first was better. We recently went to a clergy training on deliverance, led by Pete Bellini, a professor at United Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. It was absolutely incredible and I would highly recommend Dr. Bellini's books. But one of the things that Dr. Bellini said was that we as Christ-followers cannot be possessed by Satan. We belong to Jesus so we can never totally belong to Satan. But we can become oppressed. We can open the door to the demonic through various means, i.e. porn use, messing with occult-related activities, and when we do so, demons can attach themselves to us. Satan can oppress certain parts of us. We may not even be aware of it. That is when deliverance is necessary. So, was Judas possessed or oppressed? Did he know Jesus? Did he believe? I don't know if we will ever know this side of heaven. Most of the scholars I read said they thought he was totally possessed by Satan at the end. Who knows? I would love your thoughts. Let's move on in our passage. Verses 34 and 35 are really incredible, A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." It's as if, in two sentences, Jesus has summarized all his teachings to his disciples. And they aren't easy because they center on how we love one another. If we were to take these verses and look at church history, we would wonder if we were looking at the same faith. Christian history has done horrific things in Jesus' name. I think he must weep and mourn at this. Everything Jesus did was about teaching others to love and serve each other. And somehow, this got terribly corrupted. As we keep reading, Peter makes a very bold, ambitious claim that even if everyone else fell away and disappeared, he would not. Jesus doesn't mince words. He tells Peter that he will betray Jesus three times by that night (or as the text says, by the time the rooster crows two times). But Peter, and all the others, insist that they will follow Jesus even until death. I've thought about this a lot. At this time, the disciples still don't understand Jesus' ministry or purpose. They think they will follow him no matter what but we know what happens. They all scatter once Jesus is arrested. Peter does deny him three times in just a few short hours, consumed with fear for his own safety. When push came to shove, they weren't quite as invested in Jesus' mission as they thought. But then things changed. After the resurrection, the disciples were changed in fundamental ways. Peter, who was initially impulsive and fearful, becomes strong and bold, a superb leader in the early church. After experiencing both the risen Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit, their whole outlook on life is transformed. And all of them, except for John, are martyred for the Gospel. They do end up following Jesus to their own earthly death, just not in the timing they expected. I've asked this question before but it's worth repeating - would you follow Jesus to the point of giving up your life? If you were being tortured and persecuted for your faith, would you stay faithful to Jesus or would you give in to the pressure and deny Christ? It is not outside the realm of possibility that such a situation could exist for us. Afterall, it does exist for Christians all over the world. Reflect on this and spend some time in prayer. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 24, 2025 Scripture - John 11:1-44 Prayer: Almighty God and Risen Lord, King of Kings, We come before you today with praise and a sense of awe. Forgive us, for we struggle to keep a focus on you. Help us gather our scattered and distracted thoughts. Help us remember who and whose we are. Holy Spirit, speak to us today. We want to hear your voice. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently working our way through the Gospels and Acts. Today, we begin John 11. In today's text, we again meet Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. This is a family that Jesus loves dearly. Mary and Martha definitely know that Jesus had the ability to heal Lazarus. They request his presence when Lazarus becomes ill. After he dies, they still want Jesus to come. Afterall, when we are grieving, we desperately need those in our inner circle who will offer comfort and give us a shoulder to cry on. The sisters knew that Jesus loved them and their brother, and that alone would have been enough reason for Jesus to come. But it's precisely because he loves this family that we wonder why Jesus didn't rush to their side earlier. We all know, based on his miracle-working skills, that Jesus could have healed Lazarus with the first sniffle. But Jesus stayed. He didn't go anywhere. It was like he intentionally waited before heading out to go see the siblings. But we soon learn that it is precisely because Jesus loves them so much that he waits. He knows that his glory will be revealed in a tremendous way, and it will be one more sign that Jesus is Lord. It isn't surprising that Martha does not hide her disappointment from Jesus. She goes out to meet him an tell him that if he had only been there, then Lazarus would not have died. At the same time, we can see in Martha a faith that is quite strong. Even though her brother is dead, she knows Jesus can still do something. But will he do it? The short answer is yes. Jesus has something much bigger planned. But I do love that we see Jesus' humanity here in a very real way. When an anguished Mary finally leaves the house to meet Jesus, along with all the mourners, Jesus himself is moved to tears. Think about it. Jesus knows that he will raise Lazarus from the dead. That was his whole reason for delaying his visit. But when he sees Mary's grief and the tears of the people around him, he is moved to weep as well. When we see grief around us, when people are sobbing, and you can just feel their pain and anguish, it isn't unusual to begin to cry as well. We can feel the pain of others. It's called empathy. Jesus loved Lazarus, he loves Martha, and he loves Mary. He feels their pain. He is pained that they are having to go through this. And he weeps. But there is also great dialogue here and I don't want us to miss it. Lazarus has been in the tomb four days. There was no refrigeration, no embalming. The body would have deteriorated in that climate. So, Jesus asks the sisters to remove the stone from the tomb where Lazarus was laid. Martha protests that the smell is going to be really bad. But that's when Jesus says this in verse 40, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?" Don't we all want to see the glory of God? Don't we want to see the beauty of God's Spirit? Don't we want to see his goodness and his power? It's here that Jesus says if we believe, we will, in fact, see the glory of God. With that, Jesus prays to the Father and then invites Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus did come out. He was still bound up with grave clothes. Before the body was placed in the tomb, it was wrapped with linen clothes and treated with various spices. And Jesus says to unbind him. Lazarus was alive. How often do we live bound up in grave clothes? We continue to be tied to old, destructive habits and attitudes. Even though we may know Jesus, we still are bound by old patterns of behavior. It's only Jesus that can remove those from us so we can experience new life in him. Lazarus was alive but he still needed to remove the remnants of death. He needed to be loosed. Do you need to be loosed? What aspects of your old life do you continue to hold onto? Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 22, 2025 Scripture - John 10:1-21 Prayer: Almighty God, We come before you on this Wednesday, in the middle of our week, with both humility and gratefulness. You are so powerful, so holy, and so wise. We need you. We seek you. We are desperate to hear a word from you today, Lord. We also know that we have failed over and over again. Lord, forgive us for our sins, for the ways we fall short. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...Jesus, help us stay focused on you and your Word today. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. As most of you know, we are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we begin John 10. Today, we have come to our third and fourth I AM statements from Jesus, "I am the door of the sheep" and "I am the good shepherd." Let's go deeper here. Jesus begins the chapter with an analogy about sheep. Most of us aren't going to get the deeper meaning because we generally don't know a lot about sheep. From what I understand, a shepherd has a distinctive call for his sheep. His sheep know his voice and his call. They aren't going to respond to a stranger, they know the voice of their own shepherd. It's the shepherd that enters the sheep pen by the front gate. He doesn't need to sneak in by climbing the fence. He safely leads the sheep out to pasture. He is the one that the sheep can trust. Then, why does Jesus say he is the gate? Afterall, we expect him to say he is shepherd, he has literally just given us this shepherd language that makes a fair amount of sense. Why a gate? This took some research. In the middle east at the time, the sheep slept in a pen without a gate; there was just an opening. The shepherd was literally the gate for the pen. He would lay his body across the opening. No sheep would step over him and a wolf couldn't get in without getting past the shepherd first. He was literally the gate. If this is the case, we can see how Jesus could easily be both the gate and the shepherd at the same time. Other scholars say that Jesus is speaking of a literal gate and they cite his use of the word doorkeeper as evidence. Regardless of a literal gate or a shepherd using his body as the gate, I think the meaning is the same. Jesus is protecting the sheep. The thieves and robbers come to wound and destroy. Jesus, as the gate, protects life at nighttime and offers life during the day by taking the sheep out to pasture. It's all about living the life abundant. If you haven't figured it out by now, we are the sheep and Jesus is our shepherd. He is the voice we need to seek, he is the one who provides and protects, and he is one who offers abundant and full life. And Jesus is a very good shepherd. He laid down his life for his sheep, for us. He wasn't coerced into this, but rather he voluntarily died for our sins. There will be other religious leaders, hired hands as Jesus calls them, who will abandon their followers at the first sign of trouble. But Jesus, on the other hand, is our eternal protector. He is always with us and will always be with us. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 20, 2025 Scripture - John 8:12-59 Prayer: Holy God, We pause before you. We become still, recognizing that you are God. You are Creator, you are Provider, you are Sustainer. Thank you, Lord. We repent for how we have failed you. We repent for our pride, our anger, our bitterness, our flawed view of others. We repent for not putting you first. Forgive us, Lord. We are broken and sinful people. Lord, use us anyway. We pray that you can lead us to a place of healing and peace so that we can then be useful to your Kingdom. Help us be your servants, open to your leading and direction. We are yours. We belong to you. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. As most of you know, we are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish up John 8. This chapter is an interesting and complex set of narratives about Jesus' identity. In verses 12-30, Jesus attempts, unsuccessfully, to explain that he does not need the two witnesses required by the Law in any testimony because he already has them: his own and the Father's. To the Jews, this would have been impossible. No one could testify on their own behalf. Afterall, the Law, to ensure fairness and objectivity, required at least two witnesses. But let us not forget that the gospel is not necessarily historical but theological. We are reading the account of an early Jewish-Christian community engaged in heavy theological debate with the synagogue, a sort of family feud if you consider that everyone here is Jewish. Beginning in verse 31, John states Jesus is speaking to Jews who had believed in him. I think the tense is important here. These were once followers of Jesus but now they are not. Jesus tells them that if they hold to his teachings, they are his disciples. And Jesus continues to say that it is then that they will know the truth and the truth will set them free. But this gets them all confused. But why in the world would they need to be set free? They are Abraham's descendants and they have never been enslaved. Jesus explains that they are, in fact, slaves to sin. Keep in mind, that this is a group who thinks they will go to heaven simply because of their blood line. They are Jews, they are God's chosen people. How they think and behave is far less important than to whom they are related. And yet, Jesus pushes up against this. As the text continues, in verses 37-59, Jesus and the Pharisees and other Jewish authorities throw accusations at each other. Jesus says they are being children of the devil; they accuse him of being demon-possessed and a Samaritan. One can hardly think of a worse situation. No one was listening to one another. But John is making a point. He is leading up to Jesus saying in v. 58, Before Abraham was, I am. Of course, he is speaking of himself using the Biblical way of referring to God. He is saying that he is God. This escalates things. The Jews begin to pick up stones to begin to throw at him but he slips away. Jesus is God. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Episode 268: It's a World of Fascism, After All by Craig Johnson

Before and After | All in All | Part 4 If we truly believe that we have been raised with Christ, we are to look higher to live deeper. This week, we invite you to mediate on Colossians 3:1-14: “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

Daily Dose of Hope October 13, 2025   Scripture - John 6:1-24   Prayer: Holy and Almighty Father, We come to you today with humble hearts.  We know we are broken and need you.  We are weak.  We are vulnerable to temptation.  Lord, fill us with your strength.  Give us your stamina and wisdom.  We can't do this life without you, Lord.  It's in the powerful name of Jesus we pray, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin a deep dive into John 6.    We start with John's text describing the feeding of the 5,000.  Jesus has taken his disciples away, trying to find a quiet place to rest.  That doesn't happen.  People follow them.  Jesus was probably quite a sight.  He said things people had not heard before and he did miracles.    The crowd that followed Jesus this time was quite large.  Thus, they sit down on the side of the mountain and Jesus asks Philip (mainly to test him), “Where in the world are we going to get food to feed all these people?”  Of course, Jesus already knew what he would do.  The interesting thing to me is that Jesus didn't get annoyed with the crowds, he was never exasperated.  He took it in stride and everything was a learning lesson.  Everything was a Kingdom lesson.   Jesus had tremendous compassion for the people.  If you think about Jesus' ministry, he was often interrupted, probably on his off day.  He would frequently be planning to do this one thing but pulled away in a different direction.  But it was in those interruptions, those distractions that Jesus did amazing work, that we get to see God at work in amazing, miraculous ways.  He heals the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years because she “interrupts” him on his way to the Roman official's home.  Think of the man whose friends created a hole in the roof to lower their friend in front of Jesus and “interrupt” his teaching.  He was interrupted by a demon-possessed man at the synagogue and he heals him.  I counted something like 35 “interruptions” and it was in those interruptions that Jesus healed, taught, loved, and demonstrated God's glory.    And I'm wondering if it might be the same for us.  We get so busy, so task-focused, but might it be in the interruptions that God is calling us to demonstrate HIS compassion toward others?  Sometimes, the most important things in our lives happen in the interruptions.  I think God wants us to pay attention to the interruptions because interruptions involve people who Jesus loves.  God uses individual people to bless others, to take care of the needs of others.  But let's get back to the feeding.  Exactly how it happened, we don't know.  What we know is that it happened.  Jesus took a little and turned it into a lot.  In that moment, we see God's Kingdom in all its fullness.  In God's Kingdom, there is no sickness so Jesus healed.  In God's Kingdom, there is no hunger so Jesus fed.  Most of us in here are pretty well fed but that was not the norm in first century Palestine.  People did not get enough to eat.  That's why in the Lord's Prayer we say, “give us today our daily bread” because daily bread was not a given.  Those 10-15K people that Jesus was caring for that day (the men plus their wives and children), these were peasants.  They were hungry people.  There was a huge disparity between rich and poor in the Roman Empire and some argue, quite convincingly, that was intentional.  But Jesus fed everyone until they were full (probably something they were not accustomed to at all).  And when all were fed, the leftovers were collected and there were twelve basketfuls remaining.  Amazing abundance.  Jesus demonstrated the abundance of God's Kingdom.  To these people following Jesus, there was a lack of food, so it made sense to demonstrate abundance that way.  For most of us, we typically eat until we are full so maybe that wouldn't make sense to us.  But for many of us, we still operate our lives from a SCARCITY mindset.  We've talked about this before but it's worth revisiting.  A scarcity mindset means we worry that there won't be enough, we are fearful of running out, that there won't be enough for me.  We live always thinking, “well, what if this happens or that happens?”  But if we view our lives from the lens of scarcity, then we will always be fearful and anxious.  And we will miss so many of the blessings that God has in store for us. And Jesus wants us to operate from the ABUNDANCE mindset.  He wants us to trust that he will provide all our needs and then some.  There were 12 baskets left over.  Jesus wants us to have a stewardship mentality, recognizing that all we have, God has generously put into our hands.  All our resources – they are a gift from God, our health – gift from God, our children/grandchildren/friends – all a gift from God, our time – a precious gift from God.  Just as Jesus was asking his disciples to do in this miracle, he is asking each of us to do --- look beyond what's in front of you.  Look up from this physical, earthly reality and see that there is so much more.  I've got you.  I'm here for you.  Trust me.  The world tells us to be afraid, hold on tight to whatever you have, send the people away.  But Jesus is saying, “Look beyond the world.  Look beyond what's right in front of you.  Look at my Kingdom.” One thing I like about John's Gospel is he gives us a little more detail.  He writes about how, after Jesus feeds all the people, the disciples cross the lake back to Capernaum.  The people follow him again and ask for more bread.  Afterall, they were hungry people.  But Jesus wants them to go deeper.  He knows their needs are deeper.  All of our needs are deeper.  Anyway, Jesus says to them later, in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life.”  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry…   Of course, he is no longer talking about bread.  Those places of scarcity in our soul – the fear, the anxiety, the anger, the doubts, the pain, the past trauma, the bitterness, the insecurity, the emptiness, the bondage to things of this world – Jesus takes all of that and if we let him, will fill us, heal us, strengthen us, nourish us.  Christ, the bread of life, satisfies the deepest longings of our life.  And friends, I need that.  You need that.  We have a whole community who needs it, yearns for it.  The last part of our reading is Jesus walking on water.  Keep in mind that Jesus had the ability to defy the laws of nature.  His miracles included healings but they also included the calming of the storm and walking on the Sea of Galilee.  When the disciples see him do this, they are afraid.  How often are we afraid when we see Jesus act in unexpected ways? Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

In this episode, we continue exploring Walter Russell in the context of the upcoming release of the NeuroHarmonic Method. Once again, the key point is that while Russell—who passed away in 1963 and is still regarded as one of the most accomplished figures in history, was a fourth grade drop out who always gave full credit for his success to his ability to tap into the intelligence of the higher power within him. When I first began researching Russell several years ago, I came across a book called The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe. Its author had spent considerable time interviewing Russell, who explained that he lived by five basic rules for success. The author then offered Russell's explanation about each one of them. What struck me when I first read them was how different they were from the usual advice about achieving success that I had read. They didn't emphasize hard work, setting goals, or carefully planning a strategy. Instead, Russell focused on cultivating inner states of consciousness that align us with the higher intelligence within us. He believed that accessing these inner conditions naturally lead us our best selves. Now, I had long been aware of the idea that there is an incredible inner world within us—one we can uncover through practice and awareness. But I had never considered that this inner world might be essential to achieving outward success. Somehow, those two things had always seemed separate to me. But Russell insisted the opposite: success begins inwardly, not outwardly. He taught that if you look reverently within, toward your higher inner self, you will be amazed by what you discover. And one of his principles that surprised me even more, was that he emphasized joy. He said joy is not optional but essential to our success, because it replenishes consciousness and reveals our natural state. This is a far cry from the “head down, work harder, push to the goal” approach that most of us are taught in school. With all this in mind, let's dive into this episode, and explore Walter Russell's Five Laws of Success.   The Five Laws of Success   In the last episode, I discussed some of the research I've done on Walter Russell. As I mentioned, a chance encounter with a stranger led me down this unexpected path. I had never heard of Russell before and I was completely amazed by what I found. Not only was he one of the most accomplished people in American history, a self-made millionaire, master painter, sculptor and musician, architect and builder, friend of presidents and kings, as well as scientist and teacher, but incredibly, he was a fourth-grade drop-out, with almost no formal education.           And if that wasn't remarkable enough Russell claimed that due to some extraordinary events he had experienced, he was able to tap into the intelligence that powers the entire universe. He said not only was this intelligence within him, he also claimed that it's inside everyone of us, and we all have the potential to tap into it like he could.           While enticing, I found these ideas to be pretty incredible, but as he used to say, his life spoke for itself. In that regard, Thomas J. Watson, a close friend and associate, and the legendary founder of IBM, said that Russell had achieved seven lifetimes worth of accomplishments and that he had “reduced the philosophy of thought power to a science, and demonstrated that science in his own achievements.”            One of the books I had purchased about Russell called “The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe' included a section in which he listed what he called his Five Laws of Success. I found them to be intriguingly different from what I had expected. Russell didn't stress hard work, long hours, detailed planning or setting goal benchmarks. Instead, he stressed the power of nurturing certain inner states of consciousness that naturally expand our ability to focus on the higher levels of intelligence that are within our awareness. These inner states help bring about the best in us.  And the more we align with the best parts of ourselves, the more we naturally do our best, and ultimately become our best. So here is a very brief overview of Walter Russell's Five Laws of Success. It's pretty simple, but I've read it hundreds of times, and I still don't think I'm really getting it.     The first Law of Success is humility. When it comes to true success in any area of life, it all starts and it all ends, with humility. According to Russell, nothing of real value, nothing that brings authentic, lasting fulfillment, can be done without a humble understanding of our true position in the larger scheme of things. We need to truly understand that we are each 100% dependent on our breath to survive. We simply cannot live without it. And no one, no matter their position or accomplishments, has any control over it whatsoever. Life comes to each one of us by its own power which is, and probably will remain, far beyond human comprehension. And, according to Russel, we need to surrender to that power to accomplish anything of real significance, indeed be truly fulfilled.               He said, “Early in life I found that to achieve greatness one had to go only one inch beyond mediocrity, but that one inch is so hard to go, that only those who become aware of God in them can make the grade, for no one can achieve that one inch alone.” According to him, our own individual awareness is actually just a part of the larger universal intelligence.  “The ‘I' must be forgotten,” he said.  “One must not be the part; he must be the whole. Until one learns to lose oneself, he cannot find himself.”     From this humble awareness, a natural desire to help others begins to flow, increasing in power, continually elevating the consciousness to higher perspectives. Russell said he often felt like he was “placing himself within all others through acts of thoughtfulness and service.” So, the first step is authentic humility. There is no substitution for it. Although our miniature ego may always be around, expressing its miniature opinions, we have to surrender to the highest. Afterall, as he observed, “No great man has ever wise-cracked his way into greatness.”   The second Law of Success is reverence. He used to say that when he was entering his workplace, he felt like he was entering a cathedral. He once put it this way, “I learned to cross the threshold of my studio with reverence, as though I were entering a shrine, set apart for me to become co-creator with the Universal Thinker of all things.”           When I first read this, it was a completely new idea to me because it was so radically different from any concept I had about work. Like most other products of the Puritan Work Ethic which was the foundation of the American education of my early years, my idea of work is that it was a form of drudgery, something you had to do. Like I had been consigned to a life of hard labor.           This was like night and day, saying that you can experience a grateful reverence for the opportunity to apply your intelligence in joyful service to the greater good. Russell said that there is a hidden gem within every action we make, and we can uncover it by becoming conscious of the innate greatness of life itself. This has vast implications.              As he said, “If you look reverently in the inward direction toward your inner self, you will be amazed at what you will find. If you are alone long enough to get thoroughly acquainted with yourself, you will hear whisperings from the universal source of all consciousness which will inspire you.... You will soon find yourself using the cosmic forces. instead of working blindly in the dark.”   The third Law of Success is Inspiration. We all know that acting from inspiration represents an ideal state of being. We say that we saw an inspiring movie or play or someone sang an inspired song or gave an inspired speech. Or we saw an inspiring painting or sculpture.  There are thousands of examples.  But, in our way of  thinking, inspiration is something that we stumble upon every once in a while. It doesn't have to be this way, according to Russell. He said that inspiration is always present within our consciousness, we just ignore it. We haven't been taught to value it, so, we just take it on a hit or miss basis. But he said we can do much better than that.     “Inspiration is that deep awareness of the consciousness of Being, which differentiates the genius or mystic from the being of average intelligence,” he said. “It is the language of light, through which man and God inter-communicate. Inspiration comes only to those who seek it with humility toward their own achievements and reverence toward the achievements of God.” He taught that through humility and true inspiration, a higher access to knowledge can be gained.  “Knowledge is yours for the asking,” he said. “You have but to plug into it. You do not have to learn anything. In fact, all you have to do is recollect it, or recognize it, for you already have it as your inheritance.” I guess it sounds easy enough.     The fourth law of success is Deep Purpose.    According to Russell, you have to learn how to focus your energy exclusively on completing your purpose. As he put it, “You have to gather your energy together, conserving it and insulating it from dissipation in every direction other than that of your purpose.” But he also took it a little deeper. According to him, we have two parts of our consciousness, one part is connected to the finite world and the other part is connected to the Infinite. And to produce a truly great accomplishment, we need to be conscious of both.   Our finite purpose is the obvious goal that we wish to accomplish. But along with it, our infinite purpose is to continually grow in consciousness where we can be living and expressing what he called, “The Life Triumphant.”  This is the state of being where you are giving out far more than you are receiving. He said a fruit tree in full bloom was a perfect example. The tree is taking in what it needs in terms of nutrients from the soil, water and air. But it is giving out far more than it is taking in, constantly supplying beautiful, nutritious, delicious fruits, with each bearing seeds that can be the source of more trees, indeed of entire forests.   This is the ultimate goal of living, to embody what he called the divine plan behind creation, which is the constant multiplication of giving. This is the law of nature. But sometimes humans get out of tune, producing creations that are not in harmony with the big picture. And nature doesn't go along with it. As he warned, “You may command nature only to the extent that you are willing to obey her.”             The final Law of Success is Joy.             Russell had a unique point of view regarding the importance of happiness and joy. He said inner joy carries a power in it that replenishes our consciousness in a way that is unmatched because the very essence of our being is actually happiness. Joy is our natural state. And we function best when we are in it.  That's when we are truly successful.           It surprised me to hear that he put such an emphasis on being happy. I hadn't been expecting it. But Russell said it was more than just being happy. He said he was ecstatic. “By ecstatic I mean that rare mental condition which makes an inspired man so supremely happy in his mental concentration, that he is practically unaware of everything which goes on around him extraneous to his purpose, but is keenly and vitally aware of everything pertaining to his purpose.” He went on to say that this ecstatic state was common among great artists and he described it this way, “Inspiration in man is accompanied by an intense mental ecstasy which is characteristic of all who become intensely conscious of their closeness to God. The great composers, sculptors, painters, inventors and planners of all time were in such an ecstatic condition... By ecstasy I mean inner joyousness, and by inner joyousness I mean those inspirational fires which burn within the consciousness of great geniuses.” It may not be obvious on the outside, but as he said, “There is nothing dramatic about it. But there is some subtle light in the eye of the inspired one, or some even more subtle quiet emanation which surrounds the inspired thinker, which tells you that you are in the presence of one who has bridged the gap which separates the mundane world from the world of spirit.” So that's a quick overview of Russell's Five Laws of Success. It seemed to me that they were designed to tune your consciousness to its highest levels of intelligence. Because our conscious intelligence is the source of all our thinking, emotions, intuition and ultimately decision making, it is the very compass that we use to navigate our way through life. And in that regard, what could be more valuable than tuning your consciousness to the Infinite Intelligence? It reminds me of a famous quote from Lincoln, who spent a number of years in his youth as a woodsman, chopping down trees. “Give me six hours to chop down a tree,” he said. “And I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Again, here is something that makes perfect sense, but you would hardly ever think of it, unless, of course, you actually knew what you're doing. So, to me Walter Russell's Five Laws of Success are pretty amazing, as surprising as they are enlightening. But the obvious question is, of course, do they work? And for me the obvious answer is – try them and see. The upside potential seems so great, and I don't see a downside.  Maybe we won't have the kind of results that Russell had. Maybe we won't suddenly become concert pianists, great painters, sculptors or scientific geniuses, but I always feel like if something makes me a truly better person, even by a fraction of a percentage point, it's still a major win. Now not to get over mercenary here, but one half of one percent of ten billion dollars is still fifty million. And it might be tight, but I think I could get by on that. Well anyway, that's the end of this episode. As always, keep your eyes, mind and heart open, and let's get together in the next one.

Darrell Castle talks about President Trump's 20-point proposal to bring peace or at least the absence of war and famine to Gaza. Transcription / Notes WILL THERE BE PEACE IN GAZA Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 3rd of October in the year of our Lord 2025.  I have decided to talk about what seems to be most important for the United States and the world in this report. The government shutdown will have to wait but it might be a good thing anyway. President Trump's 20-point proposal to bring peace or at least the absence of war and famine to Gaza is my beat for today. The people of Gaza are certainly important and certainly worth talking about because they and their land are central to Mr. Netanyahu's plan for the Middle East. Israel seems to appear in almost every discussion about almost everything today. Keeping all that in mind, I have a question to ask before I begin the discussion of Trump's proposed peace plan. According to articles by Max Blumenthal who has done yeoman's work on the subject, Charlie Kirk had expressed to him his one fear and it was not trans people, homosexual activists or anyone of that ilk. No, he said that what he feared the most was the “the Israeli regime backed by powerful and wealthy Jewish donors in the United States.” He went on to allege that Bibi Netanyahu offered Charlie $150 million to come back into the Zionist fold but Charlie chose to keep his honor. According to Blumenthal, sources within Charlie's inner circle said that Charlie and Erika had been attending Catholic Mass together. Why is that important, well Mr. Netanyahu was apparently very frightened by it. Candace Owens, close friend of Charlie's and a recent convert to Catholicism confirmed that for several weeks before his murder Charlie had been distancing himself from the Israeli donors. The investigation by Blumenthal revealed through conversations with Charlie's inner circle, that many members of that circle as well as members of the Trump administration, believed that Israel killed him. Blumenthal admitted that such beliefs might not be correct, but he was shocked that they were so widespread even with no help from the media. Reportedly, Israeli donors were furious and shocked that Charlie refused Bibi's money and more importantly his invitation back to the fold. Apparently, Charlie discounted Bibi's open boast that he controlled America. Afterall isn't it obvious that both American political parties support Israel's policies one way or the other. Those donors thought they could threaten Charlie with the end of his career if he didn't cooperate. He was obviously aware of the threats and intimidation but that did not stop him. I could make this entire report about Charlie again, but I promised Gaza in the introduction so how is Gaza related in any way to Charlie Kirk. Apparently Charlie was separating from the views of his Israeli donors over Gaza and that links them together, but one more thing about Israel and Mr. Netanyahu before I let it go. Foreign Agents Registration Act documents reveal that the Israeli government is paying pro-Israel influencers $7000 per Instagram and Tik-Tok post for each post spreading Netanyahu's propaganda. So, we know they were putting that $4 billion U.S. taxpayers give them each year to good use. Before I get into Trump's peace proposal I will ask the question that if members of the Trump Administration really believe that the Israelis killed Charlie as his inner circle believes then how can the U.S. Government, the shining light on the hill, the bastion of freedom, the world's example of rule by law and not by men continue to act as if nothing happened. The answer to that question would appear to be very frightening indeed.  Well, having said all that Donald Trump, like so many presidents before him, has developed a plan for peace in the Middle East, specifically Gaza. Netanyahu quickly accepted the plan publicly,

Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf picks up right after Joe Dante's original The Howling but there's no denying that this movie is a ruthless slice of low-fi gothic cult film making, making it a huge success. It's not a film that everyone will love, but for those of you who enjoy unconventional cult classics, Howling II is a movie that may be right up your eccentric alley. After waiting almost an entire year to speak to her, I am excited to say that it was an absolute honor and pleasure to have spoken to the legendary actress herself and getting to know her on a more personal level. There was a lot to take in during this interview, but I must admit that I was intrigued the entire time. Knowing what kind of career Sybil Danning has built up for herself over the past four decades, you have to admire her. Afterall, she is essentially the Queen of Hollywood. No one could have played Stirba better than her in the film. The back history of the film, behind the scenes, what it was like to be on the same set as Christopher Lee; all this is spoken by her is priceless knowledge. You cannot label her as an amateur actress, but only as a legend who has seen and been through it all. More notably, as an actress who continues to reign the reels of Hollywood and I cannot wait to see more of her work on the big screen.

Daily Dose of Hope September 29, 2025   Scripture - John 1:1-18   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you in this new week with humility and gratefulness.  We praise your powerful name.  Thank you, so much, Lord, that you came to earth to dwell among us and show us a different way of being.  Help us to pay attention to your example.  Help us to be more loving and more merciful in all we do.  Help us to be even but a small reflection of you.  You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Thank you, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  This is the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  Today, we are starting our final Gospel, John.  And John is different from the other three Gospels, we will see that as we work our way through it.  It's also a beautiful Gospel.  It goes deep.  Be prepared for life change as we engage with the book of John.    This first chapter is John's Christmas story.  It's quite different from the other Gospels.  In fact, the Gospel of John doesn't have any of the Christmas characters we know and love so well–no Joseph or Mary, no shepherds or angels, no manger and animals, no wise men traveling from the east. John didn't need to rehash those details of the incarnation. Afterall, the other Gospels had already been written and did a great job telling the story of baby Jesus. John chose to go about it differently, focusing less on how Jesus came and more on why Jesus came, and how the whole idea of the incarnation was so incredible, so mind-blowing, so amazingly significant for all people for all time. For in Jesus, God announced to the world that “I'm with you!” and that has made all the difference.   We find John's Christmas story in two verses in this chapter: John 1:1,In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.   What does this mean? Both the Jewish and Greek listeners would have been familiar with the term “Word,” which was Logos in Greek. -Jews were in the habit of substituting the Word of God for God himself in their concept of wisdom/reason---wisdom/reason is one of the meanings for LOGOS. -Greeks thought of Logos as the ruling principle of life and the universe. -Gnostics–believed the Spirit was imprisoned in the physical body and the secret to get it out was gnosis, knowledge, logos. (They didn't believe Jesus possessed a true, physical body.)   So when John writes that the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, he means that the Word, LOGOS, is Jesus Christ. Please know that this was a mind-blowing claim. Jesus wasn't just a little baby who was born under unusual circumstances when Caesar Augustus was governor of Syria. He wasn't just a wise man who told amazing stories and fed a lot of people. No, Jesus (the Word) was present at the very beginning of time, Jesus (the Word) was with God, and Jesus (the Word) was God himself. To the Jews, John says the Word of God (GOD) is Jesus. To the Greeks, John says the ruling principle of life/universe is Jesus. To the Gnostics, John says the secret knowledge that leads to freedom is Jesus who had a true, physical body and dwelt among us. Jesus was not some mental concept, some intangible thought life; No, Jesus, God himself, became flesh and made his dwelling among us.   Let's unpack this a bit more because it's pretty amazing.  Let's start with the Word dwelt among us. A more accurate translation of the term “dwell” actually is “tabernacle” or “pitched his tent.” When a Jewish listener heard this, they would immediately think of the tabernacle in the Exodus. The tabernacle was where God met with his people before the temple was built---it housed the ark of the covenant and it represented God's presence/God's dwelling among his people. Now, John is saying, God has chosen to dwell among his people in an even more personal way, in the Word became flesh, in the person of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God chose to dwell among his people.   What was the benefit of God dwelling among the people? Think about this. You can kind of know someone, but when you dwell with someone, when you live with someone, then you really get to know them. If you've ever had a roommate, you know this well. You might be friends and know about one another but when you dwell together, when you live with one another, then you know all the stuff–the good and the bad. It's the same when you get married and live together. You know if they put their dishes in the dishwasher, you know if they leave trash around, you know the thoughtful things they do, you know the annoying things they do .You don't just kind of know them. You truly know them.   When God came to earth to dwell among us in the person of Jesus, it was so humans could truly understand who God was, truly know God. God is Jesus and Jesus is God. So the character of Jesus was the character of God. The teachings of Jesus were the teachings of God. The miracles of Jesus were the miracles of God. When Jesus voluntarily gave his life on a cross for the sins of all humanity, it was a demonstration of God's amazing, expansive love for us. When Jesus was resurrected three days later, it was a demonstration of how God conquered death once and for all, meaning that we could have new life now and eternal life in the future. God dwelling among us in Jesus meant that God was not some distance, far off, hard to understand deity.  No, the WORD was with us, hanging out in the living room, sitting at the kitchen table with us, and we could get to know him in a very personal, very intimate way. I love to think about Jesus walking with the disciples, dining with the tax collectors and prostitutes, spending a few days resting in the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. He dwelled with the people in a very intimate way.   So the WORD made his dwelling among us. But some of you might be like---but that was so long ago. We personally did not walk with Jesus and talk with Jesus. He didn't literally dwell with Us personally. I would argue that Jesus does in fact walk among us and speak to us today. Afterall, we serve a living God and God's presence is everywhere. There is no place that we can go where God's presence is not. God's presence is here through the presence of the Holy Spirit.   And we can also still dwell with the Word in another way – through the Bible. Just as the Word came to dwell among us, we can dwell in the Word. The Bible is the Word of God. We meet Jesus, Logos, God on the pages of Scripture. As we dwell in Scripture, we enter into the life of God and God enters into our lives.   The Bible is not simply for information but for transformation. The purpose of Scripture is for us to get to know and love God more fully and be drawn more deeply into the life of faith so we can be changed from the inside out. It is not a textbook---we don't simply study it to acquire information and show people how smart we are. This is God's story from Genesis to Revelation. We learn about God's character. We learn about how God has been present throughout history. We learn about God's mission and plan of redemption for all people for all time. We learn about Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection. We learn about the Kingdom of God and how Jesus demonstrated this new way of doing life, the way God always intended his world to be. We learn about the early church and the coming of the Holy Spirit. We learn about how God's mission continues through the church, through us, not in our own power but as God works through us.   And while God revealed himself in Scripture through a specific people group, the miracle of God's Word is that it transcends time and place. When we dwell in the Word, God continues to reveal himself to us in new ways, we get to know God better, we begin to be transformed little by little. As we dwell in God's Word, the WORD, Jesus, becomes more real to us.  How has the Bible become more real to you as we have worked our way through Mark, Matthew, and Luke?    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Ochelli Effect 9-25-2025 SNAFU NEWS OVERNIGHTActually went LIVE 530 AM EasternJust to get on it ahead of tomorrows shorts X Mess, and firestorm meltdowns , here we go...Let's start with a typical Americans target something that makes no sense because someone wants you to believe an unproven motive you may have forgotten from June of this year. NOTE all The MSM agree to play the BS Motive game especially when COPS who NNNEEEEEVVVVEEERRRRR Lie present BS without investigation or the narrative they or those that support them enjoy. We report, we decide and you keep buying it, should be the American MSM mantraLPhotos show Waymo vehicles on fire during LA protests as company cuts downtown servicehttps://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/09/photos-waymo-fire-la-protests.htmlRWaymo cars set on fire as Los Angeles immigration raids protests continuehttps://www.foxla.com/news/waymo-cars-fire-los-angeles-immigration-raids-protestsNow think critically if you can?Ochelli SEZ The Grouypers Strike againWitnesses say there were intentional pauses between shots that seemed as though targets were selected carefully and if true aside from bullets strikes the building all bullets landed on Detainees NOT ICE COPSGunman wrote 'ANTI-ICE' on unused bullet in fatal attack on Dallas immigration officehttps://www.reuters.com/world/us/three-injured-shooting-ice-facility-dallas-local-media-reports-2025-09-24/THE THING THEY SLIP BY YOU ON AUTISM WHILE IDIOTS ARGUE OVER HOW EFFECT or DESTRUCTIVE TYLENOL IS = THE NEW QUID PRO OR QUO THAT IS A BRAND NEW SHINY FDA APPROVAL FOR A LEGACY DRUG COMPANY THAT CHANGED IT's NAMES and MERGERS with MERGERSGSK plc is a publicly traded company, so it is owned by its shareholders. Major shareholders include institutional investors like The Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and Schroder Investment Management Ltd.. The company was formed in 2000 by the merger of Glaxo Welcome and SmithKline Beecham, creating a multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company headquartered in London.RIGHT AFTER THE SILENT DEAL CUT AS REAL REPS OF CORPOARTION AMERCAN DREAM ALLOWED TRUMP TO EAT (whatever they hell they served) OVER AFTER HIS PLATDATE WITH LESSER ROYAL CHARLES in WINDSOR where EPSTEIN IMAGES bounced off the wall DOUBLED THE DISTRACTION. AFTER ALL every devil knows IN PERSON is the only way you TO SELL LIVES OR SOULS. FDA, in unusual step, aims to repurpose old GSK drug as autism treatmentAfter reviewing existing published literature, the agency initiated the approval of Wellcovorin — which GSK stopped selling more than two decades ago — for a condition associated with autism.https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/fda-gsk-wellcovorin-leucovorin-autism-cerebral-folate-deficiency/760840/So a little false hope and a bottle of lame alleged vitamins land on the hot shelf, and Ochelli bets A.J. is pissed he didn't get in on that medicine showhttps://www.newsnationnow.com/health/what-leucovorin-treat-autism/AS THE WORM TURNS... in RFK Jr's Brain I guess...---IN OTHER SPORTS and WWE R THE WORLD HIGHLIGHTSMLB is now going to the Video game Style ABS system for making sure Balls and Strikes get called without having to factor in Umpire Bias. Too bad they are about 30 years late on that. Also too bad we can't have a BS meter on any screen where American Politicians open their mouths!https://www.mlb.com/news/abs-challenge-system-mlb-2026Press Secretary Leavitt alleged intentional sabotage by UN staff after an escalator stopped while the Trumps were on it and a teleprompter failed during the president's speech. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3493045087501295&set=a.101711856634652&type=3AND IF YOU CAN'T ACCEPT FED-BOOK I know you'll accept FOX NEWSFox News host Jesse Watters says the US should bomb the UN over Trump's broken escalatorhttps://www.the-independent.com/tv/news/trump-escalator-un-bomb-us-jesse-watters-video-b2832888.htmlIf you give a toddler an army and nuclear code He will get some Ice Cream.Orange Jesus already delivered his BS to the U.N. before FOX even had time to start Griping and casually suggesting eliminating those who dare defy LORD TRUMPFact-check: Trump misleads about ending 7 wars, US economy, renewable energy in UN speech https://www.politifact.com/article/2025/sep/23/trump-un-general-assembly-speechIf YOU GASLIGHT THE GASLIT HOW MANY FIRES DOES A GASLIGHT LIGHT IF A LIGHT COULD BE BRIGHT?Italy sends warship to accompany Gaza flotilla following Israeli attackhttps://www.middleeasteye.net/news/footage-shows-apparent-attack-gaza-bound-global-sumud-flotillaBTW no article or REFERENCE LINKS but Jay Z has a lot of rumored issues with allegations flying about Paternity, Connections to Puffy, Underage Partners, Hush Money, Divorce, and Maybe getting Too much Destiny out of Beyonce's Besties in Destiny's Child. So Plenty of Drama that maybe has an In Law Mama keeping the facade of a hip-hop pop empire intact.From the bottom of The Ochelli Heart, Even though I see Black Twitter, and Respect 50 Cent, I just can't bother to care, except I miss when this might have been the scandal that was the why is America so stupid international Press I just can't muster the energy to give a full shit. Government Shutdowns Q&A: Everything You Should Knowhttps://www.crfb.org/papers/government-shutdowns-qa-everything-you-should-knowFROM THE KIMMEL KENNEL Trump slams Kimmel's return: "We're going to test ABC out on this"https://www.axios.com/2025/09/24/trump-jimmy-kimmel-return-abcWhat Really pissed off Donald?Jimmy Kimmel's first show back on September 24, 2025, drew approximately 6.26 million viewers, a significant increase from his previous average of around 1.77 million viewers in the second quarter of 2025. This represents a viewership increase of roughly 250% compared to his recent average, making it the show's highest-performing regularly scheduled episode in over a decade.and that was just his LIVE viewers without all of the regular channels participating.Meanwhile Southpark Pussyed out last week in the hot kitchen then released "Conflict of Interest" EPISODE 5 of the current season into LOOney Tunes Lame 2025. Spoiler, It wasn't worth talking aboutwebelos kid Maybe a dude or a chickPrediction Marketing Betting AppsGazza Satan and Trump are having a baby Trump makes a little PLAN B SoupApps and Undue Influence Via Social MediaKyle's Mom is gonna Strike Gazza MaybeI wouldn't want to be a hospital in PalestineALSOIT'S FAT BEAR WEEKhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/sep/25/donald-trump-james-comey-fbi-ice-texas-latest-us-politics-news-updates-liveFormer FBI director James Comey expected to be indicted on criminal charges, reports say – US politics liveCharlie Kirk https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BGRhw0C7JL0Mark Cubanhttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/x7AuftuT04wA Very Strong Case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrU6F-S8VMo---BE THE EFFECTEmergency help for Ochelli and The NetworkMrs.OLUNA ROSA CANDLEShttp://www.paypal.me/Kimberlysonn12 new Social Media experimentsBLUESKYhttps://bsky.app/profile/ochelli.bsky.socialTRUTH SOCIALhttps://truthsocial.com/@Ochelli---NOVEMBER IN DALLAS LANCER CONFERENCEDISCOUNT FOR YOU10 % OFF code = Ochelli10https://assassinationconference.com/Coming SOON Room Discount Details The Fairmont Dallas hotel 1717 N Akard Street, Dallas, Texas 75201BE THE EFFECTListen/Chat on the Sitehttps://ochelli.com/listen-live/TuneInhttp://tun.in/sfxkxAPPLEhttps://music.apple.com/us/station/ochelli-com/ra.1461174708Ochelli Link Treehttps://linktr.ee/chuckochelliAnything is a blessing if you have the meansWithout YOUR support we go silent.---NOVEMBER IN DALLAS LANCER CONFERENCEDISCOUNT FOR YOU10 % OFF code = Ochelli10https://assassinationconference.com/Coming SOON Room Discount Details The Fairmont Dallas hotel 1717 N Akard Street, Dallas, Texas 75201. easy access to Dealey Plaza

Daily Dose of Hope September 25, 2025   Scripture – Luke 24:1-35   Prayer:  Today we pray an ancient prayer from St Ambrose of Milan, who lived from 337-397 AD...O Lord, who has mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of Your Holy Spirit. Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore You, a heart to delight in You, to follow and to enjoy You, for Christ's sake.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently working our way through a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin a deep dive into Luke 24.    We start with Luke's resurrection account. And today, we find ourselves walking with the women: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others.  These are real women who traveled with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem, they cared for his needs, learned from him, witnessed his power and glory, and loved him.  This has been a horrible week for them.  They helplessly watched him die.  And now, filled with grief, they want to anoint his body for burial.  They need to do this.  I should mention that Jesus was crucified on a Friday.  His body was hastily put in a tomb just before the Sabbath began (Friday sundown to Saturday sundown).  So they have to wait to prepare his body for burial.  Saturday night, it would have been too dark to take care of the body so we are meeting them probably very early on a Sunday morning.  They are ready.  They have brought their spices, they plan to attend to the body properly.  In the Jewish culture, a proper burial demonstrated honor for the deceased and for these women, it was an act of love and respect.    But when they get there, the most unexpected thing happens.  The stone has been rolled away from the tomb and the tomb is empty.  Jesus' body is simply not there.  This doesn't make sense to them.  And it was while they were wondering about where the body is, totally confused and perplexed, that two men in dazzling clothes (clothes that gleam like lightening), we can assume they are angels, they stand by the women.  And the women put their faces down, they were probably scared out of their minds.  And the men say, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”    Such a bizarre question.  Why do you look for the living among the dead?  They are at a tomb, which is typically where dead bodies, not living bodies, are kept.  And they fully expected Jesus' dead body to be there.  Afterall, they saw Jesus die.  They were the last to leave the cross.  They saw his limp, lifeless body placed in the tomb.  What do you mean?  Why do you look for the living among the dead?  But the sparkling men continue…he is not here, he is risen.  Remember how he told you these things?  Way back when you were in Galilee, he told you this was going to happen?    It was then that they remembered his words.  Multiple times, Jesus had said told them but it didn't make sense at the time.  Whether they simply weren't paying enough attention or they didn't want to know the truth, they didn't understand. Luke 9:22, And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”   Now, it's all coming together.  They do remember! Maybe they don't completely understand but they know that something totally unexpected, something totally amazing has happened, and they can't wait to tell the others.  So they burst into the room where the male disciples are hiding and out it comes.  They spill their guts.  They tell them about their morning.  You can picture it.  They are probably talking really fast and they might have been talking over one another and kind of out of breath.  They are excited.  They are so excited!    And the guys, well, let's just say aren't impressed.  They don't believe the women, saying their words were nonsense.  Other translations say the men tell the women they were spreading an idle tale, that what they were reporting was fake news.  It wasn't what they were expecting so it must not have been true.  Wow.    The narrative ends with Peter getting up and running to the tomb.  He also finds it empty, with the strips of burial cloth that would have been wrapped around Jesus' body just lying there on the ground.  And he walks off, wondering what really happened.    And then the narrative shifts to a different scene. Two of Jesus' disciples, not the twelve but two other male disciples, one named Cleophus and the other left unnamed, were walking from Jerusalem to their home in Emmaus.  There are some walks that are longer than others — not because of the miles or even because of the landscape, but because of the burdens. This was a 7 mile walk but it might as well been a 27 mile walk because these men are distressed.  They are grieving.  They have been following Jesus.  They believed him to be the Messiah and Savior and they have just seen him killed, murdered on a Roman cross.  So, they are walking slowly and speaking intensely.  The Greek suggests they may have been having some kind of theological argument.  Bottom line:  they are tired, weary, sad, and confused.  They don't understand what they have just witnessed.  And now they have to go back home and continue with their lives.  You can kind of imagine the kinds of questions they had.  Why did this happen?  How did God allow this to happen?  I can relate to their distress.  Every one of us, at some point, will have to take a walk to Emmaus. Some of you have been down this road already or you are walking it right now! In this world we will have trouble. And it will hit close to home. There will be times when all hope seems lost, and our world seems to be crumbling around us.  Maybe it's a walk out of an office where you have given years of your life but you are now being let go.  Maybe it's a walk out of the doctor's office after your spouse has just been given a terminal diagnosis.  Maybe it's the walk out of the attorney's office after the divorce papers have been finalized.  These are painful walks, in which we question God.  God, how could you let this happen?  God, I thought you were powerful and real.  What in the world is going on here?  In some way, all of us have experienced a walk like that.  Now, Jesus interrupts their argument, but they don't know it's Jesus at this point.  They are kept from knowing him.  He is a stranger to them.  I love this.  Because Jesus shows up to them JUST as he shows up to us.  We don't always recognize his presence either.  I don't know about you, but I've had times in my life that were so difficult, so painful, so anxiety-provoking, that I am so consumed with those feelings and then I look back and realize later, that Jesus was there with me.  His presence was real.  It was protecting me, guarding me, guiding me.  Jesus has a way of showing up when we need him most.  We just don't always recognize it.  Here's the thing.  Jesus could have said, “Hey guys, its me.  I'm here.  I've fixed everything.  Look, I'm alive!”  But he doesn't do that.  Instead, he says, “Don't YOU understand?”  And he begins to explain, starting at the very beginning of Scripture and walks them through the prophecies, walks them through how God said he would send a Savior who would have to suffer and die.  Hope and faith must have begun to stir their hearts as he spoke. They must have never heard, really heard, the gospel like this before—a gospel that included the suffering of the Messiah before entering his glory—told by the resurrected Lord himself!  Now, keep in mind, their circumstances have not changed but their perspective is beginning to change.  Faith is budding. They invite Jesus (still a stranger to them) to come stay with them.  It's late and they insist that he come and dine with them.  It was at the table, when they were breaking bread together that they recognize him.  Just as he did on Thursday night in the Upper Room --- it's when he takes the bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and offers it to them.  Their eyes are opened and they know – this is our Jesus.  Are our eyes open to Jesus when we break bread together?  Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Ever thought about making your fridge as stylish as your wardrobe or living room? Afterall presentation is important. Welcome to the world of fridgescaping, a trend that's taking TikTok by storm.  It's all about transforming your fridge into a piece of art. Gone are the days of a simple, functional pantry. Now, you can adorn your fridge with beautiful vases, garlands, and even photos. How Does Fridgescaping Work? Why Bother with Fridgescaping? Is It Hygienic? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: ⁠How are social media influencers making money through rage baiting?⁠ ⁠What is the olive theory from Tiktok?⁠ ⁠How is AI slop invading the internet?⁠ A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. First Broadcast: 10/10/2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can't talk about climate action without discussing inequality. Afterall, the effects of climate change are distributed incredibly unequaly. Furthermore, it's the people who are responsible for the least amount of carbon emissions that most often face the deadliest and most damaging consequences of the crisis.  On today's episode, we sit down with Tony Juniper, renowned environmentalist and author of Just Earth to explore the profound intersection of inequality and the climate crisis. As the climate emergency intensifies, the disparities between those who contribute the least to climate change and those who suffer the most from its impacts are only gettting worse. Juniper sheds light on how economic and social inequalities exacerbate inaction, creating a vicious cycle that hinders all global efforts to combat the climate crisis. We delve into the historical context of these issues, examining how past and present policies and global agreements have shaped the current landscape. Juniper shares insights from his extensive career, highlighting the importance of integrating social justice into environmental strategies and where the movement has often fallen short in doing so. He argues that without addressing the root causes of inequality, efforts to mitigate climate change are doomed to fail. In this conversation, Juniper provides a deeper understanding of the systemic changes needed to create a more equitable and sustainable world. From policy reforms to grassroots movements, he outlines actionable steps that individuals and communities can take to drive meaningful change based off what he's learned in his nearly 40-year career doing this work.  Tony Juniper CBE has spent decades fighting for major climate and environmental initiative. His career has included leading major environmental nonprofits, running global campaigns, and serving as a government advisor. He's an author and his books include the multi-award winning What Has Nature Ever Done For Us? and Harmony, which was co-authored with King Charles III. He has received many awards and widespread recognition for his environmental work and in 2017 he was appointed Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to conservation. He is now the Chair of the British Government's official conservation agency Natural England and a Fellow with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to our newsletter/podcast, The Climate Weekly, to help support this show. Your contributions will make the continuation of this show possible.  Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and more! Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Read Just Earth: How a Fairer World Will Save the Planet

We all know that Rome wasn't built in a day, but I think it's worth asking why ‘Rome', of all the great cities of antiquity, was chosen as the subject of idiom.Now, setting aside historical-bias, my best guess for this being the case is that the level of infrastructure at the time of the phrase's coining (1190) was well beyond anything available or imaginable. Afterall, the “Dark Ages” earned their moniker because so much of the knowledge that “built Rome” had been lost to time, leaving people ‘in the dark' when it came to using systems that had been put in place for centuries.   And while I've strayed as far into the territory of amateur historian as I feel comfortable, the reason for this though was something my guest said in his latest book: “Until you have systems in place, you don't have a business, you just have a job”.If Rome wasn't connected by all the systems they'd put in place, they'd have had a village, not a City.My guest this week is Brian Glass. A Personal Injury Attorney, Brian was recently named one of Virginia's Top 40 Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers Association, and is co-author of “Renegade Lawyer Marketing”, now in its second edition and a best-seller on Amazon. We discuss the constantly evolving landscape of legal marketing, why being a good lawyer is only one piece of a much larger puzzle, and how the best leaders learn to celebrate other's victories. Enjoy the show! Listen to Legal Grounds wherever you get your Podcasts.

On this week's show we look at an article from What Hi-Fi titled “I just tested one of 2025's best small OLEDs – and it proves most companies are focusing on the wrong thing”. And that thing is brightness. We look at what would make a perfect TV. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Major TV streaming service abruptly hikes prices 33% Everything you need to know about new ESPN streamer You Don't Actually Own That Movie You Just “Bought.” Brightness Isn't Everything We saw an article over at What Hi-Fi titled “I just tested one of 2025's best small OLEDs – and it proves most companies are focusing on the wrong thing” and thought there is a lot of truth to what the author is saying. So today will expand on this article with the HT Guys take.  The author argues that TV manufacturers like LG, Samsung, and Sony focus too much on making OLED TVs brighter to compete with Mini LED sets. After testing 2025's top small OLED TVs, he believes brightness isn't the key to a great viewing experience. Instead, authenticity, color accuracy, and balanced performance are more important for delivering a cinematic experience true to the director's vision. Here are six takeaways from the article: The Brightness Obsession: A Misguided Priority? The What Hi-Fi? article criticizes the TV industry's focus on maximizing brightness, which can harm picture quality. In tests comparing 48-inch OLEDs (LG C5, Samsung S90F, Panasonic Z90B), brighter screens often lost subtle details and immersion. For instance, in Dune: Part Two's desert scene, an overly bright TV turned nuanced red and orange dune shades into stark white, flattening the image. OLED TVs were historically dimmer than LED TVs, but new tech like Micro Lens Array and QD-OLED has boosted their brightness to 2000-3000 nits, closing the gap. However, the focus on brightness often overshadows OLED's strengths—precise light control, deep blacks, and vibrant colors. The What Hi-Fi? review notes that manufacturers prioritize specs over overall picture quality, while the Panasonic Z90B shows a better balance. The Panasonic Z90B: A Lesson in Balance The 48-inch Panasonic Z90B excels in cinematic authenticity, prioritizing accurate colors and contrast over exaggerated brightness. In Civil War, it delivers precise highlights in dark scenes, and in Oppenheimer, it maintains natural skin tones and subtle details in low light, outperforming competitors that lose color depth. Panasonic's approach aligns with what serious movie fans crave: a picture that immerses you in the story, not one that distracts with exaggerated brightness. The Z90B's ability to retain detail in both bright and dark scenes, like the sparkling desert dunes or the intricate chandelier in a White House scene, shows that controlled brightness—used only where needed—creates a more three-dimensional, authentic image. This echoes sentiments from TechRadar, which praises Panasonic's focus on “filmmaker-approved” accuracy over flashy specs, a philosophy rooted in the brand's collaboration with Hollywood colorists to tune its TVs for true-to-life visuals. The Small OLED Advantage: Why Size Matters Small OLEDs, like the 48-inch models tested, are often overlooked in a market obsessed with supersized screens. Yet, as What Hi-Fi? notes, these TVs are “severely underrated” for their versatility. They're ideal for space-constrained homes, secondary rooms like bedrooms, or even as high-end gaming monitors thanks to their dense pixel structure, which delivers sharper images. The LG C5, for instance, boasts four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K/144Hz gaming, making it a powerhouse for both movies and interactive entertainment. However, small OLEDs face unique challenges. Their denser pixel layouts generate more heat, which can limit brightness and risk burn-in if not managed properly. What Hi-Fi? suggests that adding heatsinks, as seen in some larger models, could unlock more brightness headroom for 42- and 48-inch sets without sacrificing quality. This could make small OLEDs even more competitive, offering flagship-level performance in compact packages. The Audio Achilles' Heel One glaring flaw across all tested OLEDs—LG C5, Samsung S90F, and even the Z90B—is their underwhelming built-in audio. The LG C5's 2.2-channel 40W speakers sounded flat and centralized, while the Samsung S90F's 2.1.2 60W system lacked power, allowing testers to hold conversations at max volume. What Hi-Fi? is blunt: for a true home cinema experience, a separate soundsystem is non-negotiable. We have been saying this for a number of years now, TVs, especially smaller ones, prioritize aesthetics over speaker space. What Manufacturers Should Learn The author tested 2025 OLED TVs and found that brightness isn't everything. LG and Samsung make great TVs like the C5 and S90F, but Panasonic's Z90B stands out by using brightness carefully to improve contrast and depth. Panasonic's Z95B flagship prioritizes performance over a super-slim design, a choice the author supports.  Afterall, a three-inch-thick TV is still about 90% thinner than our first rear projection HDTVs of the same screen size. What Hi-Fi? emphasizes that 48-inch models like the Z90B and C5 are “Goldilocks” options—cinematic yet practical for most homes. Manufacturers should invest in optimizing these sizes, incorporating technologies like heatsinks to boost performance and addressing audio shortcomings with better built-in solutions or seamless soundbar integration. The Future of OLED: A Balanced Approach Looking ahead, the TV landscape is evolving. Emerging technologies like PHOLED and “true” QLED promise even brighter, more vibrant displays without the burn-in risks of traditional OLEDs. But brightness alone won't win over cinephiles. The future of TVs lies in balancing these advancements with authenticity, ensuring that MicroLED or next-gen OLED panels prioritize cinematic immersion over raw specs. For now, the Panasonic Z90B sets a high bar. Its “as the director intended” philosophy proves that a TV doesn't need to be the brightest to be the best. If manufacturers shift their focus to color accuracy, controlled contrast, and practical features like better audio and small-screen optimization, they'll deliver what viewers truly want: a window into the filmmaker's vision, not a spotlight that blinds it.

Daily Dose of Hope August 28, 2025   Scripture – Luke 12:35-59   Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are the hope of the world but you are also our hope.  I pray for all those who need hope today.  May they seek you.  I pray for all those who need healing.  May they run to you. I pray for all those who need forgiveness.  May they come to you.  Lord, we all need you.  Before we run to the things of the world, may we rest in you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish Luke 12.   In today's reading, the servants (the disciples in this case) are told to be ready for the return of the master, Jesus, from a wedding banquet.  In the Old Testament, wedding banquets often represent the eschatological hope of God's people.  When we say eschatology, we are referring to the last judgement or the last things, the ultimate destiny of God's people and world.  In the New Testament, the wedding banquet imagery would be centered around Jesus and the hope he brings.  He is the one who came to redeem the world and he is the one who will ultimately come to judge the world.  The disciples are called to be ready and actively waiting for Jesus' return.  And so are we.    The return of Jesus is certain.  When he will return is not.  Are you ready?   The next portion of our reading is difficult.  If I were to ask you why Jesus came to earth, how many of you would say “to bring conflict?”  Hmmm...probably not many.  And yet, Jesus says here that he has come to bring fire on the earth.  He has come to bring division.  How do we reconcile this with Jesus being a Prince of Peace?    I think it's important we look at the context.  Jesus is speaking of the conflict and division his coming will cause.  There was and is division in families because some believe and others don't.  Jesus is saying to expect this rather than be surprised by this.  Following Jesus well is a revolutionary thing.  Maybe following Jesus as a cultural Christian doesn't bring much discord, but truly following the ways of Jesus (as described in the Gospels) puts us at odds with our culture and the greater society.   In the final portion of our reading today, interpreting the times, we find Jesus again referring to the Pharisees as hypocrites.  Afterall, he says, they can interpret the weather, understanding when it's going to rain, but they can't interpret the meaning of Jesus' presence.  They have no idea how significant it is that Jesus is there, nor do they understand his teachings or purpose.  They truly have no idea that the God of the universe has come down among them.    How often do we fail to recognize God in our midst?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

On the afternoon of Friday, August 26, 2005, the National Hurricane Center changed the predicted landfall of Katrina from the panhandle of Florida to Mississippi. As the storm continued to increase in size and intensity, Federal, State, and local officials, began planning for the worst case scenario.   For Gulf Coast residents, it was a familiar dilemma: to stay or to go? Boarding up homes and businesses, packing up and heading north was a costly effort that too many times, proved unnecessary. Afterall, it had been some 36 years since Hurricane Camile, the yardstick by which all hurricanes were measured, had devastated the Gulf Coast. What were the odds that Katrina could cause that level of destruction?   In our first episode, we look back on the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina. We examine the choices that were made and why. We hear first-hand accounts by key decision makers of the Mississippi Army National Guard including Major General Harold "Hac" Cross, Major General Bobbie Ginn, and Major General Janson "Durr" Boyles.   We also hear from Dr. David Holt, Associate Professor of Geography in the School of Coastal Resilience at USM, and Dr. Deanne Stephens, Co-Director of the Center for the Study of the Gulf South at USM.   To these voices, we add the stories of Mississippians from all walks of life, recorded shortly after the storm. From these raw accounts of survival and resiliency, we will hopefully gain a deeper perspective of how they prepared to meet the moment that fateful weekend in August of 2005.   Hosted by Bill Ellison Produced by Ross Walton  Executive Producer Dr. Kevin Greene. Written by Ross Walton, Isabel Loya, Jerra Runnels, Andrew Leib, and Holli Parker. Additional interviews were conducted by Isabel Loya, Jerra Runnels and Andrew Leib. Special thanks to the Center for the Study of the National Guard and the Mississippi Humanities Council.

Daily Dose of Hope August 26, 2025   Scripture – Luke 11:14-54   Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, I come before you today with humility.  You are holy, you are perfect, and I am painfully flawed.  Forgive me, Lord, for the way I fall short over and over again.  Forgive me for not being loving, patient, and kind.  Jesus, I want to follow your example.  I want to have a clean and pure heart.  How I need you.  Create in me a pure heart, Lord, and renew a right spirit within me.  I love you.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish up Luke 11.   Today's reading starts with Jesus healing a man possessed by a demon who makes him mute.  The healing leads the Pharisees to make some pretty serious misjudgments.  They were talking amongst themselves but Jesus knows their thoughts.  The Pharisees say that Jesus is healing through the power of Beelzebub, the Prince of Demons.  Jesus tells them that Satan won't drive himself out.  A divided Kingdom will not stand.    Why their resistance to belief?  Why are they so fiercely against Jesus?  Most likely because Jesus doesn't look, talk, or behave as they think a Messiah should.  He challenges their fundamental beliefs.  If we are honest, Jesus challenges some of our fundamental beliefs too.  The question is always:  Will we choose to believe or will we reject like the Pharisees?  Jesus says that whoever is not with him is against him.  There is no half-way with Jesus.    One other interesting tidbit about this part of the passage is at the end, when a woman from the crowd calls out, “Blessed is the mother who gave birth to you and nursed you.”  As a mom, I think this is kind of sweet, but Jesus clearly redirects her.  Blessedness doesn't come from biological connectedness.  Blessedness, according to Jesus, comes from obedience.  Mary was blessed but it was because she was obedient to God, not because her womb was somehow holy.   The people, including the religious leaders, continue to want signs and miracles.  Jesus calls them a wicked generation.  He knows that more miracles will not make them believe.  Afterall, he has already done incredibly ministry with all kinds of miracles of healing and abundance.  Jesus has already performed the miracles that the Old Testament spoke about – the blind see, the deaf hear, the oppressed are set free.  What kind of sign would it take for them to really believe?   He tells them that the only sign they would get would be the sign of Jonah.  Remember that Jonah avoided Ninevah by jumping on a ship and trying to hide from God.  He ended up being swallowed by a large fish and he stayed in the belly of that fish for three days before God allowed him to be spit up and see the light of day.  Thus, the sign of Jonah, for an unbelieving people, is a reference to Jesus' impending death, followed three days later by resurrection.  Will that make them believe?    Next, Jesus talks about the eyes being a lamp which lights the entire body.  The eyes are like the doorway to our souls.  When Jesus referred to “good” eyes, he meant eyes that not only see well but also perceive well. It is not only what we see, but how we perceive what we see that makes the difference between godliness and ungodliness, between light and darkness. Bad eyes lead to bad perception, but if our eyes are good, our whole person will be illuminated. If we are in a lighted room, we see things clearly. We can move around obstacles and locate whatever we're looking for. But walking in darkness results in stumbling and falling.   Our reading today closes with the woes to the Pharisees.  The Pharisees notice that Jesus doesn't do the ceremonial handwashing before the meal and they are surprised.  Jesus responds with some pretty harsh words.  Basically, who cares if the outside of your cup is clean if the inside is filled with filth?  The Pharisees and teachers of the law looked so good on the outside, doing all the right things, but their hearts were filled with greed, arrogance, and evil.  Then, Jesus begins a series of woes:   Verse 42 - Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God.  They loved their religion more than they loved God and neighbor.  The Pharisees had a lot of religious busyness, a lot of stuff they did for God.  They were so careful to tithe 10% of their herb garden but they treated people poorly, they neglected the poor, they didn't care for their neighbor.  They didn't really love God.  They loved the idea of God.   Verse 43 - Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.  The most respected teachers and elders sat at the front of the synagogue facing the congregation. In fact, if you visit some old churches, they may have chairs on the platform for the elders, pastor, and other leaders of the church to sit. But is sitting up front wrong? No, it's sitting up front to be seen by others. The issue is their pride. The Pharisees loved receiving special honorary greetings in the marketplace too.   You see, if we are doing what we are doing for the wrong reason, if you are serving where you are serving for the wrong reason, then we are totally missing the point and woe to us.    Verse 44 - “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” In Israel tombs were white-washed (they still are) and this wasn't just so they looked pretty.  Not at all.  This actually was done to prevent people from accidentally stepping on them and contracting ritual uncleanliness. Numbers 19 says if you touch a bone or grave, then you would be unclean for a week until you underwent a cleansing process. Jesus turns this upside down.  He says, you guys are totally missing it.  In fact, you are missing it so much that when people come in contact with the you, Pharisees, they get infected and unclean.  That's how dirty your hearts are.  Ouch!    Verse 45 - One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”  I picture Jesus kind of looking at him and thinking, duh?  But this is what he says, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.  These experts in the law would study the Old Testament Scriptures and develop guidelines for the people to follow.  Many of the rules that these experts would impose on the people were really burdensome.  The average poor Jew, someone who maybe worked in the fields, could not possibly carry out the Jewish law the way the experts in the law would say they should.    But the woes keep coming.  Verses 47-48, “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Jesus is saying to the teachers of the law, “Your ancestors killed the prophets. And you think that if you had been there, you wouldn't have done that.  So you build these tombs to the prophets to make up for that.  And yet, the prophet of all prophets is right here before you and you have rejected him.”  And of course, he is referring to himself.  This is where we have to be so careful about judgement.  We have this tendency to think “Well, if I had been there, I wouldn't have done that.  I wouldn't have killed that prophet.  I wouldn't have persecuted that person.”  Friends, be careful.  That's kind of like saying, “We would never have called out Crucify Him.”  But we are weak people.  Recognizing the weakness and frailties of our heart is the first step.  We have to recognize that we are vulnerable and we are sinful.  We need the power and strength of Jesus in us to even have a chance to get our hearts right.  Let's finish the Scripture with verses 52-54, “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in something he might say. Jesus tells them, “You aren't helping people understand God's Word.  You are making it harder, more convoluted.”  I think this is a really fair warning to all of us who are teachers and preachers and leaders in the church – are we making the Bible easier to understand or harder?  This isn't just in what we say but also in what we do.   One thing I think God has taught me through this passage is that I need to humble myself and make sure my whole heart is right with God.  Think about it.  The Pharisees thought they were doing it all right.  They thought that what they were doing was what made them acceptable to God.  They thought they were being righteous gatekeepers.  And Jesus said, YOU ARE TOTALLY MISSING THE POINT!  Jesus saved his harshest words for the religious people and last time I checked, that's us. Y'all, it is so very easy to be religious, it is a lot harder to be loving.  It is so very easy to “do the stuff that appears to make us look like good Christians.”  It's a lot harder to do the stuff that actually makes us good Christians, to really, really love God and to really, really love others and to acknowledge that those two things can't be separated.    Jesus could care less about the outside.  He doesn't care about steeples.  He doesn't care about stain-glass windows.  He doesn't care about the façade we present to the world.  He doesn't care if I wear a nice dress and heels.  None of that matters to him.  He cares about our hearts.  He can see our hearts.  He knows us through and through.  He knows what we value.  He knows what we think about others.  He knows.  He doesn't just see the outside of us.  He sees us.  The Pharisees believed the lie that God sees as man sees.  They were wrong.  God sees with ex-ray vision the true nature of our soul.    And that sends me to the foot of the cross.  More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

Daily Dose of Hope August 22, 2025   Scripture – Luke 10:25-42   Prayer:  Lord, How we need you.  Thank you for your presence, thank you for the way you continue to pursue us.  Lord, in these next few moments of silence, help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Happy Friday!  Today, we dive into the second half of Luke 10.   The first portion of today's reading is the parable of the Good Samaritan.  The story begins with an expert in religious law asking Jesus, “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” It's possible this lawyer/religious academic type is actually trying to trap Jesus.  These guys tended to think Jesus had a low regard for Law. But this man didn't realize that Jesus was actually smarter than him. Jesus answers, “What does the law say?” As you know, the Old Testament law is really long and rather than just starting to read the whole law in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, it was not uncommon to summarize it with two precepts: ·      Deut. 6:5 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with your soul and with all your strength.” ·      Lev. 19:18 says, “...love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”   Now, these are really, really hard principles.  The law expert, a smart man, would have known there was really no way for him to obey this law on his own. But he wanted to justify himself.  He wanted to keep trying to find a way that he could obey the law in his own power, so he asks Jesus, “Well, who is my neighbor?”  And, as we know, Jesus uses this opportunity to share a parable.    He says that a man was traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Now, the first thing we need to understand about this road is that it was really, really dangerous. Think more dangerous than Nebraska Ave. at midnight. But there weren't a whole lot of options so people did it. Now part of what made the road so dangerous was its geography. It was 17 miles long and drops 3,000 ft. during those 17 miles. The geography also lended itself to lots of caves and nooks where bands of thieves and robbers could hang out and just wait for their next victim.   What's kind of interesting here is that Jesus does not give us a lot of information about the man who is traveling. The people Jesus was speaking to would probably automatically assume the man was a Jew like them. What we do know is that he was beaten, stripped, is probably unconscious, beaten, bloodied, and is unidentifiable. The guy was left for dead.   Now, the first man that walks by this poor guy, lying half-dead on the road, is a priest, a man of God. The Scripture says that “he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.” Then a temple assistant, a Levite, walked by. This time, we are given information that he looked at the man lying there, but he also decided to walk to the other side and pass the dying man without providing any help.   Next comes a Samaritan man. Many of you know that the Samaritans were despised by the Jews. 800 years before Jesus, the Northern Kingdom was conquered by the Assyrians. What the Assyrians did was disperse the Jews living there and sent groups of pagan peoples to settle in the area. The result was a lot of intermarrying between the Jews and these other people groups. So, the “purer” Jews, from the Southern Kingdom, considered the Samaritans half-breeds and looked on them with extreme contempt. In fact, the relationship between the Jews and Samaritans could probably best be described by the relationship between Jews and Palestinians – conflict, violence, and hatred.   The Samaritan finds the man half-dead along the road and he decides to care for him. He treats the man's wounds, puts him on a donkey, and carries him off to an inn. He pays for his care and makes sure that he is nursed back to health. He offers over the top kindness, the kind that is never expected and never could be repaid.   Okay, let's start with the most obvious questions.  Why did the priest and Levite walk by the dying man?  Why did the neglect someone who was obviously suffering?  Well, it would have made them ritually unclean to come into contact with blood.  They were afraid of that.  They would have found it time-consuming and maybe even embarrassing to arrive at the Temple and say, “Hey, guys, I'm unclean, can't do my work today.”    There was also the fear of physical harm (are the guys who robbed him still around?) and the reality of inconvenience.  All of these are excuses that could have been overcome and dealt with but they weren't willing to do it.   The Samaritan man could have been plagued by the same fears. He could have been attacked, he dealt with inconvenience, he gave sacrificially in order to save this man's life. But he did it anyway.  And that is what we are called to do.  What does it mean to be a neighbor?  It means being like this Samaritan.  It means dealing with the mess, the risk, and the inconvenience to show love and mercy to another person.   The last portion of today's reading is the story of Mary and Martha.  I think we often misunderstand this story. Afterall, the problem with Martha is not that she is busy serving and providing hospitality. Certainly, Jesus commends this kind of service to neighbor many times, notably in the parable of the Good Samaritan that we just read. The problem with Martha is not her serving, but rather that she is worried and distracted. She is fluttering about, messing with the food preparations, legitimately more concerned with finishing dinner than anything else.   Martha's distraction and worry leave no room for the most important aspect of hospitality--gracious attention to the guest. In fact, she breaks all the rules of hospitality by trying to embarrass her sister in front of her guest and by asking her guest to intervene in a family dispute. She even goes so far as to accuse Jesus of not caring about her (Lord, do you not care...?). Martha's worry and distraction prevent her from being truly present with Jesus. She has missed out on the “one thing needed” for true hospitality: listening to your guest (especially if the guest is Jesus!) Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.   Jesus' words to Martha may be seen as an invitation rather than a rebuke. Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. The one thing needed is for Martha to receive the gracious presence of Jesus, to listen to his words, to know that she is valued not for what she does or how well she does it, but for who she is as a child of God.   In a culture of hustle and bustle and over-scheduling, we are tempted to measure our worth by how busy we are, by how much we accomplish, or by how well we meet the expectations of others. We are often Marthas, thinking the busier we are, the more productive we must be. But being distracted and worried often gets in the way of our spiritual walk. Being distracted and worried gets in the way of us listening to Jesus.   When is the last time you sat at the feet of Jesus and simply listened to him? How often do you set aside time to just be still before God? Even Jesus himself made time, in the midst of a very busy schedule, to be alone with God. We know that God calls us to be listeners of his Word and doers of the Word. But how often do we participate in activities without really soaking up God first? When we do that, we are bound to serve without joy, with pride, for the wrong reasons.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Do you advocate for customers? How often? To what degree? Do customers bear witness to instances where you deliver on advocating for them, or do they just hear empty words? We all have inter-company directives, goals, and objectives, but the employees don't chip in and pay invoices for the goods and services we provide to customers. So, why don't we put the customer needs above ours? Afterall, customers pay the invoices that fuel our paychecks! Sometimes priorities can be really simple!Support the show

Jeffrey Epstein was a man who got around New York city and it didn't matter what political party you belonged to. All that mattered to him was that you were willing to play ball. Unfortunately for the rest of us, there were plenty of people who were willing to sell their soul to increase their power or status, even if that meant ignoring what and who Jeffrey Epstein was. Afterall, the only sin in that world is the sin of being poor. In this episode we dive into the new article from The Wall Street journal about two of the top bundlers for the Trump campaign in 2016 and their connection to Jeffrey Epstein. to contact me:bobbycapuci@protonmail.comsource:How Jeffrey Epstein Tried to Tap Into Trump's Circle - WSJ

Jeffrey Epstein was a man who got around New York city and it didn't matter what political party you belonged to. All that mattered to him was that you were willing to play ball. Unfortunately for the rest of us, there were plenty of people who were willing to sell their soul to increase their power or status, even if that meant ignoring what and who Jeffrey Epstein was. Afterall, the only sin in that world is the sin of being poor. In this episode we dive into the new article from The Wall Street journal about two of the top bundlers for the Trump campaign in 2016 and their connection to Jeffrey Epstein. to contact me:bobbycapuci@protonmail.comsource:How Jeffrey Epstein Tried to Tap Into Trump's Circle - WSJBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Daily Dose of Hope August 20, 2025   Scripture - Luke 9:28-62   Prayer:  Almighty God, We come before you today, in the middle of our week, with both humility and gratefulness.  You are so powerful, so holy, and so wise.  We need you.  We seek you.  We are desperate to hear a word from you today, Lord.  We also know that we have failed over and over again.  Lord, forgive us for our sins, for the ways we fall short.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...Jesus, help us stay focused on you and your Word today.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to all my Daily Dose of Hope friends!  Today, we are finishing up Luke 9. I always mention Recharge on Wednesdays but today is a special Back to School Bash Recharge Night.  Kids are to be dropped off at the Life Center Gym for all kinds of fun activities, including inflatables.  Adults are heading to the main sanctuary at 6:30pm for worship and a special time of community.  Hope to see you there!   Now, let's get to our reading.  A lot happens in this chapter.  Let's start with the transfiguration.  We read about this in Mark and Matthew as well.  Jesus has brought his three closest disciples with him up the mountain – Peter, John, and James.  They think they are heading up there to pray but Jesus transfigures before them.   Luke says that Jesus' face changed and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.  Remember, this would have been shocking to the disciples, as they had only known the flesh and blood Jesus. We might expect Jesus to wear dazzling white robes and be all shiny and glorious. Afterall, he is Lord of the universe. But they didn't. Right before their very eyes, they get a glimpse of Jesus' glory and it was totally unexpected. Jesus was radiating the very presence of God.   Then, Moses and Elijah appear before them.  Here we have two Old Testament figures that anticipated the coming of Jesus, the final prophet to come and deliver God's people once and for all. Their work, their ministries, are basically fulfilled by the person of Jesus. They are servants of God but they weren't God. Jesus, on the other hand, is God and the disciples get a glimpse of that right here.   Not surprisingly, Peter struggles to simply rest in the presence of God's glory. Wouldn't we?  He doesn't know what to do or say so he blurts out, “let's set up three shelters–one for you, Jesus, and one for Moses and Elijah.” Now, Peter is referring to the festival of booths or tabernacles which faithful Jews participate in every year. They make structures in their yards as a sign of when God will tabernacle with his people. So, this might seem like a weird thing for Peter to say to us but it wasn't too off the wall. He is like, “umm...I think God is tabernacling with us and we need to make the shelters.” It seemed like a good thought at the time. What Peter doesn't quite understand is that before his eyes God's dwelling with humanity is present, for Jesus is the new tabernacle of God dwelling with humanity. The shelters aren't needed. God is present with his people through Jesus Christ.   Things keep getting weirder though.  A voice, God's voice, comes down from heaven and announces that this is his Son, the one he has chosen, and they should listen to him.  With that, the disciples were alone with Jesus and head back down the mountain.  Luke says they don't share this with anyone (although they must have eventually shared it because here it is, written down.)   We go from the transfiguration to Jesus healing a demon-possessed boy.  The disciples had tried to heal him but it didn't work.  Just as a reminder, earlier in the chapter, Jesus had already given them actual authority and power to cast out all demons and to heal the sick.  He commanded them to go and heal the sick.  Why couldn't the disciples do it?  Jesus seems to indicate that their lack of belief was a big part of the problem.  In the same story in Matthew, Jesus rebukes the disciples for the lack of faith.    I wonder what it would be like to be in the disciples' shoes.  Everything going on around them would be new and a bit overwhelming.  They are watching miracles, hearing powerful teaching, and pushing up against the powerful.  At times, they probably felt like they were on top on the world and other times, it might have been horribly uncomfortable.  We may, without even thinking about it, judge the disciples for their inability to cast out the demon.  But would we?  How is our faith?  Do we have faith to cast out the demonic?   It keeps getting harder.  Jesus predicts his death again.  The disciples still don't get it.  This is a lot.  There is opposition from all sides.  The Samaritans are mad that they are headed to Jerusalem.  The Jews are mad that they fraternize with Gentiles.  Boundaries are being pushed and broken and it's getting messy.    I was trying to think about what a similar analogy would be today when it comes to pushing boundaries.  What do you think?   Luke ends Chapter 9 with the cost of following Jesus.  It's high, y'all.  Maybe not if you are entrenched in cultural Christianity.  Maybe not if you never get uncomfortable.  Maybe not if you never push boundaries.  But Jesus has called us to something else.  We can't accept the comfort of the Gospel without the challenge of the Gospel.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

We're treading into some deep waters today on Light on the Hill as we discuss the trinity! You may have stayed up late into the night trying to understand what the trinity is all about. Our minds find this truth difficult to fully comprehend. And that's ok. Afterall this is God were talking about, and there are some things about Him we won't fully understand this side of heaven. But today pastor James Kaddis will take us to Romans chapter eight and point out why and how this triune God is beneficial to us. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1459/29

How should we understand the words, “in him all things were created” in Col 1.16? Although commonly taken to mean Christ created the universe, this view has contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. In what follows I’ll name six problems with old-creation readings before laying out why a new creation approach makes sense. I presented this talk at the 2025 Unitarian Christian Alliance (UCA) conference in Uxbridge, England. Scroll down to see the full-length paper. For those listening to the audio, here’s a quick reference to Colossians 1.15-20 Strophe 1 (Col 1.15-18a) 15a      who is (the) image of the invisible God, 15b      firstborn of all creation 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him 17a      and he is before all things 17b      and all things hold together in him 18a      and he is the head of the body of the Church,[12] Strophe 2 (Col 1.18b-20) 18b      who is (the) beginning, 18c      firstborn from the dead, 18d                  in order that he may be first in all things, 19        for in him was pleased all the fulness to dwell 20a      and through him to reconcile all things in him, 20b      making peace through the blood of his cross 20c                  whether the things upon the earth 20d                  or the things in the heavens Here’s Randy Leedy’s New Testament Diagram Here are the slides in the original PowerPoint format Download [13.82 MB] Here are the slides converted to PDF Loading... Taking too long? Reload document | Open in new tab Download [3.16 MB] To read the paper, simply scroll down or read it on Academia.edu.   Listen on Spotify   Listen on Apple Podcasts —— Links —— Check out these other papers by Sean Finnegan Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Finnegan on X @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play it out on the air Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here Get Finnegan’s book, Kingdom Journey to learn about God’s kingdom coming on earth as well as the story of how Christianity lost this pearl of great price. Get the transcript of this episode Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Below is the paper presented on July 25, 2025 in Uxbridge, England at the 2nd annual UCA UK Conference. Access this paper on Academia.edu to get the pdf. Full text is below, including bibliography and end notes. Colossians 1.16: Old Creation or New Creation? by Sean P. Finnegan Abstract  How should we understand the words, “in him all things were created” in Col 1.16? Although commonly taken to mean Christ created the universe, this view has contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. In what follows, I will explain the difficulties with the various old creation readings of Col 1.16 along with five reasons for a new creation approach. Then I'll provide a new creation reading of Col 1.16 before summarizing my findings in the conclusion. Introduction  Colossians 1.15-20 is a fascinating text of great importance for Christology. Commonly understood to be a hymn, it is fascinating in its cosmic scope and elevated Christology. Although many commentators interpret Paul[1] to say that Christ created the universe in his pre-existent state in Col 1.16, not all scholars see it that way. For example, Edward Schillebeeckx writes, “There is no mention in this text of pre-existence in the Trinitarian sense.”[2] Rather he sees “an eschatological pre-existence, characteristic of wisdom and apocalyptic.”[3] G. B. Caird agreed that Paul's focus in Col. 1.15-20 was not pre-existence (contra Lightfoot), rather, “The main thread of Paul's thought, then, is the manhood of Christ.”[4] In other words, “All that has been said in vv. 15-18 can be said of the historical Jesus.”[5] James Dunn also denied that Paul saw Christ as God's agent in creation in Col 1.15-20, claiming that such an interpretation was “to read imaginative metaphor in a pedantically literal way.”[6] James McGrath argued that “Jesus is the one through whom God's new creation takes place.” [7] Andrew Perriman likewise noted, “There is no reference to the creation of heaven and earth, light and darkness, sea and dry land, lights in the heavens, vegetation, or living creatures,”[8] also preferring a new creation approach.[9] To understand why such a broad range of scholars diverge from the old creation interpretation of Col 1.16, we will examine several contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. While explaining these, I'll also put forward four reasons to interpret Col 1.16 as new creation. Then I'll provide a fifth before giving a new creation reading of Col 1.15-20. But before going any further, let's familiarize ourselves with the text and structure. The Form of Col 1.15-20  To get our bearings, let me begin by providing a translation,[10] carefully structured to show the two strophes.[11] Strophe 1 (Col 1.15-18a) 15a      who is (the) image of the invisible God, 15b      firstborn of all creation 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him 17a      and he is before all things 17b      and all things hold together in him 18a      and he is the head of the body of the Church,[12] Strophe 2 (Col 1.18b-20) 18b      who is (the) beginning, 18c      firstborn from the dead, 18d                  in order that he may be first in all things, 19        for in him was pleased all the fulness to dwell 20a      and through him to reconcile all things in him, 20b      making peace through the blood of his cross 20c                  whether the things upon the earth 20d                  or the things in the heavens Here I've followed the two-strophe structure (1.15-18a and 18b-20) noted more than a century ago by the classical philologist Eduard Norden[13] and repeated by James Robinson,[14] Edward Lohse,[15] Edward Schweizer,[16] James Dunn,[17] Ben Witherington III,[18] and William Lane[19] among others. By lining up the parallel lines of the two strophes, we can clearly see the poetic form. Strophe 1 15a who is (the) image… 15b firstborn of all creation 16a for in him were created all things… 16e  all things have been created through him… Strophe 2 18b who is (the) beginning, 18c firstborn from the dead … 19 for in him was pleased all… 20a and through him to reconcile all things in him… Such striking repeated language between the two strophes means that we should be careful to maintain the parallels between them and not take a grammatical or exegetical position on a word or phrase that would disconnect it from the parallel line in the other strophe. Some scholars, including F. F. Bruce,[20] Michael Bird,[21] David Pao,[22] among others proposed vv. 17-18a as an independent transitional link between the two strophes. Lohse explained the motivation for this unlikely innovation as follows. Above all, it is curious that at the end of the first, cosmologically oriented strophe, Christ is suddenly referred to as the “head of the body, the church” (1:18a κεφαλή τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας). Considering its content, this statement would have to be connected with the second strophe which is characterized by soteriological statements. The structure of the hymn, however, places it in the first strophe.[23] For interpreters who prefer to think of the first strophe as cosmogony and the second as soteriology, a line about Christ's headship over the church doesn't fit very well. They restructure the form based on their interpretation of the content. Such a policy reverses the order of operations. One should determine the form and then interpret the content in light of structure. Lohse was right to reject the addition of a new transitional bridge between the two strophes. He called it “out of the question” since vv. 17-18a underscore “all things” and “serve as a summary that brings the first strophe to a conclusion.”[24] Now that we've oriented ourselves to some degree, let's consider old creation readings of Col 1.16 and the problems that arise when reading it that way. Old Creation Readings  Within the old creation paradigm for Col 1.16 we can discern three groups: those who see (A) Christ as the agent by whom God created, (B) Wisdom as the agent, and (C) Christ as the purpose of creation. Although space won't allow me to interact with each of these in detail, I will offer a brief critique of these three approaches. As a reminder, here is our text in both Greek and English. Colossians 1.16 16a      ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα 16b                  ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, 16c                  τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, 16d                  εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· 16e      τὰ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται· 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him 1. Christ as the Agent of Creation Scot McKnight is representative in his claim that “The emphasis of the first stanza is Christ as the agent of creation … and the second is Christ as the agent of redemption.”[25] This view sees the phrase “in him were created all things” as Christ creating the universe in the beginning. However, this position has six problems with it. Firstly, the context of the poem—both before (vv. 13-14) and after (vv. 21-22)—is clearly soteriological not cosmogonical.[26] By inserting vv. 15-20 into the text after vv. 13-14, Paul connected the two together.[27] V. 15 begins with ὅς ἐστιν (who is), which makes it grammatically dependent on vv. 13-14. “It is widely accepted,” wrote Dunn, “that this passage is a pre-Pauline hymn interpolated and interpreted to greater or less extent by Paul.”[28] By placing the poem into a redemptive frame, Paul indicated how he interpreted it. The fact that God “rescued us from the authority of darkness and transferred (us) into the kingdom of his beloved son” is the controlling context (v. 13).[29] As I will show below, I believe vv. 15-20 are ecclesiology not protology, since ecclesiology naturally flows from soteriology. Rather than remaining in the old domain of darkness, vulnerable to malevolent spiritual powers of this age, Colossian Christians are transferred into the new domain of Christ. The context makes it more natural to interpret the creation language of vv. 15-16 in light of Christ's redemptive work—as references to new creation rather than old creation. Doing so retains the contextual frame rather than jumping back to the beginning of time. A second problem arises when we consider the phrase “image of the invisible God” in v. 15. Although some see a Stoic or Wisdom reference here, I agree with F. F. Bruce who said, “No reader conversant with the OT scriptures, on reading these words of Paul, could fail to be reminded of the statement in Gen. 1:26f., that man was created by God ‘in his own image.'”[30] Immediately after making humanity in his own image, God blessed us with dominion over the earth. Philo also connected humanity's image of God with “the rulership over the earthly realms.”[31] But if the Christ of v. 15 is the pre-existent son prior to his incarnation, as the old creation model posits, “How can he be the ‘image of God,'” asked Eduard Schweizer, since “the one who is thus described here is not the earthly Jesus?”[32] It is precisely by virtue of his humanity that Jesus is the image of God not his pre-existence.[33] Thus, image-of-God language points us to the creation of a new humanity. A third problem is that “firstborn of all creation” prima facia implies that Christ is a member of creation (a partitive genitive). This is how Paul thought about Christ as firstborn in Rom 8.29 when he called Christ “firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Clearly he saw Christ as a member of the “ἀδελφοῖς” (brothers and sisters). Furthermore, “πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως” (firstborn of all creation) in v. 15 parallels “πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν” (firstborn from the dead) v. 18. Although the former (v. 15) can be taken as a genitive of subordination (firstborn over creation) or as a partitive genitive (firstborn of creation), the latter (v. 18) is unambiguously partitive. Because v. 18 includes the word ἐκ (from/out of), instead of a multivalent genitive, it must mean that Jesus was himself a member of the dead prior to his resurrection. Likewise, he was the firstborn member of creation. To take v. 15 as a genitive of subordination and v. 18 in a partitive sense allows theology to drive exegesis over against the clear structural link between v. 15b and v. 18c. In fact, as the BDAG noted, Christ is “the firstborn of a new humanity.”[34] He is chronologically born first and, by virtue of that, also preeminent.[35] Fourthly, the phrase, “ἐν αὐτῷ” (in him), implies soteriology not protology as it does throughout the Pauline corpus. The prepositional phrases “in Christ,” “in the Lord,” “in him,” and others that are similar occur more than a hundred times in Paul's epistles. McKnight elucidated the sense nicely: “This expression, then, is the inaugurated eschatological reality into which the Christian has been placed, and it also evokes the new-creation realities that a person discovers.”[36] Creation in Christ is not likely to refer to Genesis creation. In fact, apart from Col 1.16, there is no text within Paul or the rest of the Bible that speaks of the origin of the universe as something created “in Christ.”[37] Sadly translators routinely obscure this fact by translating “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “by him.”[38] Amazingly, the NASB and ESV render “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “in him” in every other usage apart from Col 1.16![39] For the sake of consistency, it makes better sense to render “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “in him” and let the reader decide how to interpret it. Fifthly, the line, “and he is the head of the body, the Church” (v. 18a) clearly roots the first strophe in redemptive history not creation. Our English translations follow Robert Estienne's verse divisions, which confusingly combine the last line of the first strophe (v. 18a) and the first line of the second (v. 18b), obscuring the native poetic structure. As I made the case above, the structure of the text breaks into two strophes with v. 18a included in the first one. As I mentioned earlier, vv. 15-20 are a pre-existing poem that Paul has modified and incorporated into the text of Colossians. Ralph Martin pointed out that the poem contains “no less than five hapax legomena” and “about ten non-Pauline expressions.”[40] Additionally, there appear to be awkward additions that disrupt the symmetry. These additions are the most explicitly Christian material. It is likely that the original said, “and he is the head of the body” to which Paul appended “the church.” Edward Schillebeeckx commented on this. In Hellenistic terms this must primarily mean that he gives life and existence to the cosmos. Here, however, Colossians drastically corrects the ideas … The correction made by Colossians is to understand ‘body' as a reference to the church, and not the cosmos. This alters the whole perspective of the cultural and religious setting … The cosmic background is reinterpreted in terms of salvation history and ecclesiology. In fact Christ is already exercising his lordship over the world now … however, he is doing this only as the head of the church, his body, to which he gives life and strength. Thus Colossians claims that the church alone, rather than the cosmos, is the body of Christ.[41] If this is true, it shows Paul's careful concern to disallow a strictly old creation or protological reading of the first strophe. For by inserting “of the church,” he has limited the context of the first strophe to the Christ event. “The addition of ‘the church,'” wrote Dunn, “indicates that for Paul at any rate the two strophes were not dealing with two clearly distinct subjects (cosmology and soteriology).”[42] Karl-Joseph Kuschel wrote, “The answer would seem to be he wanted to ‘disturb' a possible cosmological-protological fancy in the confession of Christ … to prevent Christ from becoming a purely mythical heavenly being.”[43] Thus Paul's addition shows us he interpreted the creation of v16 as new creation. Lastly, theological concerns arise when taking Col 1.16 as old creation. The most obvious is that given the partitive genitive of v. 15, we are left affirming the so-called Arian position that God created Christ as the firstborn who, in turn, created everything else. Another thorn in the side of this view is God's insistence elsewhere to be the solo creator (Isa 44.24; cf. 45.18). On the strength of this fact, modalism comes forward to save the day while leaving new problems in its wake. However, recognizing Col 1.15-20 as new creation avoids such theological conundrums. 2. Wisdom as the Agent of Creation Dustin Smith noted, “The christological hymn contains no less than nine characteristics of the wisdom of God (e.g., “image,” “firstborn,” agent of creation, preceding all things, holding all things together) that are reapplied to the figure of Jesus.”[44] Some suggest that Col 1.15-20 is actually a hymn to Wisdom that Paul Christianized.[45] The idea is that God created the universe through his divine Wisdom, which is now embodied or incarnate in Christ. Dunn explained it as follows. If then Christ is what God's power/wisdom came to be recognized as, of Christ it can be said what was said first of wisdom—that ‘in him (the divine wisdom now embodied in Christ) were created all things.' In other words the language may be used here to indicate the continuity between God's creative power and Christ without the implication being intended that Christ himself was active in creation.[46] Before pointing out some problems, I must admit much of this perspective is quite noncontroversial. That Jewish literature identified Wisdom as God's creative agent, that there are linguistic parallels between Col 1.15-20 and Wisdom, and that the historical Jesus uniquely embodied Wisdom to an unprecedented degree are not up for debate. Did Paul expect his readers to pick up on the linguistic parallels? Afterall, he could have just said “in her were created all things” in v. 16, clearly making the connection with the grammatically feminine σοφία (Wisdom). Better yet, he could have said, “in Wisdom were created all things.” Even if the poem was originally to Wisdom, Paul has thoroughly Christianized it, applying to Christ what had been said of Wisdom. However, the most significant defeater for this view is that applying Wisdom vocabulary to Christ only works one way. Wisdom has found her home in Christ. This doesn't mean we can attribute to Christ what Wisdom did before she indwelt him any more than we can attribute to the living descendants of Nazis the horrific deeds of their ancestors. Perriman's critique is correct: “The point is not that the act of creation was Christlike, rather the reverse: recent events have been creation-like. The death and resurrection of Jesus are represented as the profoundly creative event in which the wisdom of God is again dynamically engaged, by which a new world order has come about.”[47] Once again a new creation approach makes better sense of the text. 3. Christ as the Purpose of Creation Another approach is to take ἐν αὐτῷ (in him) in a telic sense. Martha King, a linguist with SIL, said the phrase can mean “in association with Christ everything was created” or “in connection with Christ all things were created.”[48] Lexicographer, Joseph Thayer, sharpened the sense with the translation, “[I]n him resides the cause why all things were originally created.”[49] William MacDonald's translation brought this out even more with the phrase, “because for him everything … was created.”[50] The idea is that God's act of creation in the beginning was with Christ in view. As Eric Chang noted, “Christ is the reason God created all things.”[51] G. B. Caird said, “He is the embodiment of that purpose of God which underlies the whole creation.”[52] The idea is one of predestination not agency.[53] Christ was the goal for which God created all things. A weakness of this view is that purpose is better expressed using εἰς or δία with an accusative than ἐν. Secondly, the parallel line in the second strophe (v. 19) employs “ἐν αὐτῷ” in a clearly locative sense: “in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell.” So even though “ἐν αὐτῷ” could imply purpose, in this context it much more likely refers to location. Lastly, Paul mentioned the sense of purpose at the end of v. 16 with “εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται” (for him has been created), so it would be repetitive to take “ἐν αὐτῷ” that way as well. To sum up, the three positions that see Col 1.16 as a reference to old creation all have significant problems. With these in mind, let us turn our attention to consider a fourth possibility: that Paul has in mind new creation. Reasons for a New Creation Reading I've already provided four reasons why Col 1.15-20 refers to new creation: (1) calling Christ the image of God points to the new humanity begun in Christ as the last Adam;[54] (2) since the firstborn of the old creation was Adam (or, perhaps, Seth), Jesus must be the firstborn of the new creation; (3) saying Jesus is the head of the church, limits the focus for the first strophe to the time following the Christ event; (4) the context of the poem, both before (vv. 13-14) and after (vv. 21-22) is soteriological, making an old creation paradigm awkward, while a new creation view fits perfectly. The Catholic priest and professor, Franz Zeilinger, summarized the situation nicely: “Christ is (through his resurrection from the realm of death) Lord over the possession granted to him, of which he is the ἀρχή (beginning) and archetype, … and head and beginning of the eschatological new creation!”[55] Additionally, a new creation paradigm fits best with Paul's elaboration of what visible and invisible things in heaven and on earth he has in mind. Once again, here's our text. 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him By specifying thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities, we discern Paul's train of thought. Form critics are quick to point out that v. 16d is Paul's addition to the poem. Without it, the reader may have thought of sky, land, and animals—old creation. However, with v. 16d present, we direct our attention to political realities not God's creative power or engineering genius. Martha King noted the two possible meanings for εἴτε: (1) specifying the “invisible things” or (2) giving examples of “all things.” Taking the second view, we read “in him were created all things, including thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities.”[56] Randy Leedy also presented this position in his sentence diagrams, identifying v. 16d as equivalent to v. 16c and v. 16b, all of which modify τὰ πάντα (all things) at the end of v. 16a. (See Appendix for Leedy's diagram.) Perriman pressed home the point when he wrote: The fact is that any interpretation that takes verse 16 to be a reference to the original creation has to account for the narrow range of created things explicitly listed. … The Colossians verse mentions only the creation of political entities—thrones, lordships, rulers and authorities, visible and invisible—either in the already existing heaven or on the already existing and, presumably, populated earth. What this speaks of is a new governmental order consisting of both invisible-heavenly and visibly-earthly entities.”[57] Understanding v. 16d as equivalent to “all things” in v. 16a nicely coheres with a new-creation paradigm. However, taken the other way—as an elaboration of only the invisible created realities—v. 16d introduces an asymmetrical and clumsy appendix. A New Creation Reading of Col 1.16 Now that we've considered some problems with old creation views and some reasons to read Col 1.16 from a new creation perspective, let's consider how a new creation reading works. New creation is all about the new breaking into the old, the future into the present. G. F. Wessels said, “Paul made clear that there is a present realized aspect of salvation, as well as a future, still outstanding aspect, which will only be realized at the eschaton.”[58] New creation, likewise, has future and present realities. Exiting Old Creation Before becoming part of the new creation, one must exit the old creation. “Our old humanity was co-crucified“ (Rom 6.6). “With Christ you died to the elemental principles of the world” (Col 2.20). “As many as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death” (Rom 6.3). We were “co-buried with him through baptism into the death … having been united with the likeness of his death” (Rom 6.4-5). Our death with him through baptism kills our allegiance and submission to the old powers and the old way of life “in which you formerly walked according to the zeitgeist of this world, according to the rule of the authority of the air, the spirit which now works in the children of disobedience” (Eph 2.2). Entering New Creation As death is the only way out of the old creation, so resurrection is the only way into the new creation. “You have been co-raised with Christ” (Col 3.1). God “co-made-alive us together with him” (Col 2.13).[59] By virtue of our union with Christ, we ourselves are already “co-raised and co-seated us in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2.6). The result of this is that “we also may walk in newness of life” (Rom 6.4). For those who are “in Christ, (there is) a new creation; the old has passed away, behold (the) new has come into existence” (2 Cor 5.17). “They have been ‘transported,'” wrote Schillebeeckx, “they already dwell above in Christ's heavenly sphere of influence (Col 1.13)—the soma Christou … that is the church!”[60] Community For the people of God, “neither circumcision is anything nor uncircumcision but a new creation” is what matters (Gal 6.15). Those who “are clothed with the new” are “being renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created, where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, (or) free, but Christ (is) all and in all” (Col 3.10-11). Through Christ God has nullified the law “in order that he might create the two into one new humanity in him” (Eph 2.14-15). Thus, within new creation, ethnic identity still exists, but it is relativized, our identity in Christ taking priority ahead of other affiliations and duties. Lifestyle When the lost become saved through faith, they become his creation (ποίημα), “created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Eph 2.10). This means we are to “lay aside the former way of life, the old humanity corrupted according to deceitful desires” and instead be clothed with “the new humanity created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph 4.22-24). Rather than lying to one another, we must “strip off the old humanity with its way of acting” and “be clothed with the new (humanity), renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it” (Col 3.9-10). “The ones who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts” and instead “walk by the spirit” (Gal 5.24-25). Ultimately, All Creation Although new creation is currently limited to those who voluntarily recognize Jesus as Lord, all “creation is waiting with eager expectation for the unveiling of the children of God” (Rom 8.19). Because of the Christ event, the created order eagerly awaits the day when it will escape “the enslavement of corruption” and gain “the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (v. 21). Like a bone out of joint, creation does not function properly. Once Christ sets it right, it will return to its proper order and operation under humanity's wise and capable rulership in the eschaton. Eschatology God predetermined that those who believe will be “conformed to the image of his son, that he be firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Rom 8.29). Thus, the resurrected Christ is the prototype, “the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15.20). Whereas “in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (v. 22). We await Christ's return to “transform the body of our humble station (that it be) shaped to his glorious body according to the energy which makes him able to also to subject all things to himself.” (Phil 3.21). This is the end goal of new creation: resurrected subjects of God's kingdom joyfully living in a renewed world without mourning, crying, and pain forevermore (Isa 65.17-25; Rev 21-22). The Powers Taking Col 1.16 as a new creation text adds key information about the present governing powers to this richly textured picture. In Christ God created thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities. He made these through Christ and for Christ with the result that Christ himself is before all things, and in Christ all things hold together (Col 1.17). He is the head of the body, the Church (Col 1.18). We find very similar language repeated in Ephesians in the context of Christ's exaltation.[61] Ephesians 1.20-23 20 Which [power] he energized in Christ having raised him from the dead and seated (him) on his right (hand) in the heavenlies 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name named, not only in this age but also in the one to come; 22 and he subjected all things under his feet and gave him (as) head over all things in the Church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in all. The parallels are striking. Both speak of Christ's resurrection, Christ's exalted position of authority over all the powers, Christ's role as head of the church, and both mention the fullness. It's easy to miss the connection between these two passages since most think of Eph 1.20-22 as ascension theology and Col 1.15-20 as creation theology. But, if we adjust our thinking to regard Col 1.16 as new creation, we see how the two fit together. In Ephesians we see Christ's ascension to God's right hand as the reason for a cosmic reordering of authorities with the result that all rule, authority, power, and dominion are subjected to him. (Though we may be accustomed to reading these powers in Eph 1.21 as only malevolent owing to Eph 2.2 and 6.12, the list here must be mixed, since only benevolent powers will survive the final judgement and continue into the age to come.) Instead of exaltation, in Colossians Paul employed the language of creation to describe Christ's relation to the powers. Perhaps lesser terms like reassign, reorder, or establish were just too small to adequately express the magnitude of how the Christ event has changed the world—both in heaven and on earth. The only term big enough to convey the new situation was “creation”—the very same word he routinely used elsewhere with the meaning of new creation.[62] We can gain more insight by considering what the powers of Eph 1.21 and Col 1.16 mean. McKnight saw them “as earthly, systemic manifestations of (perhaps fallen) angelic powers—hence, the systemic worldly, sociopolitical manifestations of cosmic/angelic rebellion against God.”[63] I partially agree with McKnight here. He's right to see the powers as both heavenly and earthly, or better, as the heavenly component of the earthly sociopolitical realities, but he has not made room for the new authority structures created in Christ. John Schoenheit helpfully explained it this way: Not only did Jesus create his Church out of Jew and Gentile, he had to create the structure and positions that would allow it to function, both in the spiritual world (positions for the angels that would minister to the Church—see Rev. 1:1, “his angel”) and in the physical world (positions and ministries here on earth—see Rom. 12:4-8; Eph. 4:7-11).[64] We must never forget that Paul has an apocalyptic worldview—a perspective that seeks to unveil the heavenly reality behind the earthly. He believed in powers of darkness and powers of light. In Christ were created thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities (Col 1.16). He is “the head of all rule and authority” (Col 2.10). These new creation realities make progress against the old powers that still hold sway in the world outside the Church. Although the old powers are still at work, those who are in Christ enjoy his protection. With respect to the Church, he has already “disarmed the rulers and authorities” (Col 2.15). We can don “the armor of God that we be able to stand against the methods of the devil” (Eph 6.11) and “subduing everything, to stand” (v. 13). We find glimpses of this heavenly reality scattered in other places in the Bible. Peter mentioned how Christ “is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and power having been subjected to him” (1 Pet 3.22). In John's Revelation, he addressed each of the seven letters to the angels of their respective churches.[65] Although it's hard for us to get details on precisely what happened at Christ's ascension, something major occurred, not just on earth, but also in the spiritual realm. Jesus's last recorded words in Matthew are: “all authority in heaven and upon earth was given to me” (Mat 28.18-20). Presumably such a statement implies that prior to his resurrection Jesus did not have all authority in heaven and earth. It didn't exist until it was created. Similarly, because of his death, resurrection, and ascension, Christ has “become so much better than the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to them” (Heb 1.4). Once again, the text implies that Christ was not already superior to the angels, but “after making purification of the sins, he sat on the right hand of the majesty on high” at which time he became preeminent (Heb 1.3). Perhaps this also explains something about why Christ “proclaimed to the spirits in prison” (1 Pet 3.19). Another possibility is that Christ's ascension (Rev 12.5) triggered a war in heaven (v. 7) with the result that the dragon and his angels suffered defeat (v. 8) and were thrown out of heaven down to the earth (v. 9). Sadly, for most of the history of the church we have missed this Jewish apocalyptic approach that was obvious to Paul, limiting salvation to individual sins and improved morality.[66] Only in the twentieth century did interpreters begin to see the cosmic aspect of new creation. Margaret Thrall wrote the following. The Christ-event is the turning-point of the whole world … This Christ ‘in whom' the believer lives is the last Adam, the inaugurator of the new eschatological humanity. … Paul is saying that if anyone exists ‘in Christ', that person is a newly-created being. … In principle, through the Christ-event and in the person of Christ, the new world and the new age are already objective realities.[67] New creation is, in the words of J. Louis Martyn “categorically cosmic and emphatically apocalyptic.”[68] In fact, “The advent of the Son and of his Spirit is thus the cosmic apocalyptic event.”[69] In Christ is the beginning of a whole new creation, an intersecting community of angelic and human beings spanning heaven and earth. The interlocking of earthly (visible) and heavenly (invisible) authority structures points to Paul's apocalyptic holism. The Church was not on her own to face the ravages of Rome's mad love affair with violence and power. In Christ, people were no longer susceptible to the whims of the gods that have wreaked so much havoc from time immemorial.[70] No, the Church is Christ's body under his direct supervision and protection. As a result, the Church is the eschatological cosmic community. It is not merely a social club; it has prophetic and cosmic dimensions. Prophetically, the Church points to the eschaton when all of humanity will behave then how the Church already strives to live now—by the spirit instead of the flesh (Gal 5.16-25). Cosmically, the Church is not confined to the earth. There is a heavenly dimension with authority structures instantiated under Christ to partner with the earthly assemblies. God's “plan for the fulness of the times” is “to head up all thing in the Christ, the things upon the heavens and the things upon the earth in him” (Eph 1.10). Although this is his eschatological vision, Zeilinger pointed out that it is already happening. [T]he eschatological world given in Christ is realized within the still-existing earthly creation through the inclusion of the human being in Christ, the exalted one, by means of the proclamation of salvation and baptism. The eschaton spreads throughout the world in the kerygma and becomes reality, in that the human being, through baptism, becomes part of Christ—that is, in unity with him, dies to the claim of the στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου (2.20) and is raised with him to receive his eschatological life. The people thus incorporated into the exalted Christ thereby form, in him and with him, the new creation of the eschaton within the old! The body of Christ is thus recognizable as the expanding Church. In it, heavenly and earthly space form, in a certain sense, a unity.[71] The Church is a counter society, and embassy of the future kingdom shining the light of the age to come into the present in the power of the spirit with the protection of Christ and his heavenly powers over against the powers of darkness, who/which are still quite active—especially in the political realities of our present evil age (Gal 1.4). We bend the knee to the cosmic Christ now in anticipation of the day when “every knee may bend: heavenly and earthly and subterranean” (Phil 2.10) and “every tongue may confess that Jesus Christ (is) Lord” (v. 11). Christ's destiny is to fulfil the original Adamic mandate to multiply, fill, and have dominion over the earth (Gen 1.28). He has already received all authority in heaven and earth (Mat 28.18). God has given him “dominion over the works of your hands and put all things under his feet” as the quintessential man (Ps 8.6). Even so, “Now we do not yet see all things subjected to him” (Heb 2.8), but when he comes “he will reign into the ages of the ages” (Rev 11.15). Until then, he calls the Church to recognize his preeminence and give him total allegiance both in word and deed. Conclusion We began by establishing that the structure of the poetic unit in Col 1.15-20 breaks into two strophes (15-18a and 18b-20). We noted that Paul likely incorporated pre-existing material into Colossians, editing it as he saw fit. Then we considered the problems with the three old creation readings: (A) Christ as the agent of creation, (B) Wisdom as the agent of creation, and (C) Christ as the purpose of creation. In the course of critiquing (A), which is by far most popular, we observed several reasons to think Col 1.16 pertained to new creation, including (1) the image of God language in v. 15a, (2) the firstborn of all creation language in v. 15b, (3) the head of the Church language in v. 18a, and (4) the soteriological context (frame) of the poem (vv. 13-14, 21-22). To this I added a fifth syntactical reason that 16d as an elaboration of “τἀ πάντα” (all things) of 16a. Next, we explored the idea of new creation, especially within Paul's epistles, to find a deep and richly textured paradigm for interpreting God's redemptive and expanding sphere of influence (in Christ) breaking into the hostile world. We saw that new Christians die and rise with Christ, ending their association with the old and beginning again as a part of the new—a community where old racial, legal, and status divisions no longer matter, where members put off the old way of living and instead become clothed with the new humanity, where people look forward to and live in light of the ultimate transformation to be brought about at the coming of Christ. Rather than limiting new creation to the salvation of individuals, or even the sanctifying experience of the community, we saw that it also includes spiritual powers both “in the heavens and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities” (Col 1.16). Reading Col 1.15-20 along with Eph 1.20-23 we connected God's creation of the powers in Christ with his exaltation of Christ to his right hand “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Eph 1.21). The point from both texts is clear: as “the head of the body, the Church” (Col 1.18; Eph 1.22), Christ is “before all things” (Col 1.17), “first in all things” (Col 1.18), and “far above all” (Eph 1.21), since God has “subjected all things under his feet” (Eph 1.22). Christ is preeminent as the firstborn of all new creation, “the new Adam … the starting point where new creation took place.”[72] Although the old powers still hold sway in the world, those in the interlocked heaven-and-earth new creation domain where Christ is the head, enjoy his protection if they remain “in the faith established and steadfast and not shifting away from the hope of the gospel” (Col 1.23). This interpretation has several significant advantages. It fits into Paul's apocalyptic way of thinking about Christ's advent and exaltation. It also holds together the first strophe of the poem as a unit. Additionally, it makes better sense of the context. (The ecclesiology of Col 1.15-18a follows logically from the soteriological context of vv. 13-14.) Lastly, it is compatible with a wide range of Christological options. Appendix Here is Col 1.16 from Leedy's sentence diagrams.[73] Of note is how he equates the τὰ πάντα of 16a with 16c and 16d rather than seeing 16d as an elaboration of τά ὁρατά. Bibliography Bauer, Walter, Frederick William  Danker, William F. Arndt, F. Gingrich, Kurt Aland, Barbara Aland, and Viktor Reichmann. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000. Bird, Michael F. Colossians and Philemon. A New Covenant Commentary. Cambridge, England: The Lutterworth Press, 2009. Brown, Anna Shoffner. “Nothing ‘Mere’ About a Man in the Image of God.” Paper presented at the Unitarian Christian Alliance, Springfield, OH, Oct 14, 2022. Bruce, E. K. Simpson and F. F. The Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament, edited by Ned B. Stonehouse. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1957. Buzzard, Anthony F. Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian. Morrow, GA: Restoration Fellowship, 2007. Caird, G. B. New Testament Theology. Edited by L. D. Hurst. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 2002. Caird, G. B. Paul’s Letters from Prison. New Clarendon Bible, edited by H. F. D. Sparks. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1976. Carden, Robert. One God: The Unfinished Reformation. Revised ed. Naperville, IL: Grace Christian Press, 2016. Chang, Eric H. H. The Only Perfect Man. Edited by Bentley C. F. Chang. 2nd ed. Montreal, QC: Christian Disciples Church Publishers, 2017. Deuble, Jeff. Christ before Creeds. Latham, NY: Living Hope International Ministries, 2021. Dunn, James D. G. Christology in the Making. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996. Dunn, James D. G. The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. New International Greek Testament Commentary, edited by Gasque Marshall, Hagner. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996. Heiser, Michael S. The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019. King, Martha. An Exegetical Summary of Colossians. Dallas, TX: SIL International, 1992. Kuschel, Karl-Joseph. Born before All Time? Translated by John Bowden. New York, NY: Crossroad, 1992. Originally published as Beforen vor aller Zeit? Lane, William L. The New Testament Page by Page. Open Your Bible Commentary, edited by Martin Manser. Bath, UK: Creative 4 International, 2013. Leedy, Randy A. The Greek New Testament Sentence Diagrams. Norfolk, VA: Bible Works, 2006. Lohse, Edward. Colossians and Philemon. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1971. MacDonald, William Graham. The Idiomatic Translation of the New Testament. Norfolk, VA: Bibleworks, 2012. Mark H. Graeser, John A. Lynn, John W. Schoenheit. One God & One Lord. 4th ed. Martinsville, IN: Spirit & Truth Fellowship International, 2010. Martin, Ralph. “An Early Christian Hymn (Col. 1:15-20).” The Evangelical Quarterly 36, no. 4 (1964): 195–205. Martyn, J. Louis. Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997. McGrath, James F. The Only True God: Early Christian Monotheism in Its Jewish Context. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2009. McKnight, Scot. The Letter to the Colossians. New International Commentary on the New Testament, edited by Joel B. Green. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2018. Norden, Eduard. Agnostos Theos: Untersuchungen Zur Formengeschichte Religiöser Rede. 4th ed. Stuttgart, Germany: B. G. Teubner, 1956. Originally published as 1913. Pao, David. Colossians and Philemon. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament, edited by Clinton E. Arnold. Grand Rapid, MI: Zondervan, 2012. Perriman, Andrew. In the Form of a God. Studies in Early Christology, edited by David Capes Michael Bird, and Scott Harrower. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2022. Philo. The Works of Philo. The Norwegian Philo Concordance Project. Edited by Kåre Fuglseth Peder Borgen, Roald Skarsten. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2005. Robinson, James M. “A Formal Analysis of Colossians 1:15-20.” Journal of Biblical Literature 76, no. 4 (1957): 270–87. Schillebeeckx, Eduard. Christ: The Experience of Jesus as Lord. Translated by John Bowden. New York, NY: The Seabury Press, 1977. Schoberg, Gerry. Perspectives of Jesus in the Writings of Paul. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2013. Schweizer, Eduard. The Letter to the Colossians. Translated by Andrew Chester. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1982. Smith, Dustin R. Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2024. Snedeker, Donald R. Our Heavenly Father Has No Equals. Bethesda, MD: International Scholars Publications, 1998. Thayer, Joseph Henry. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996. Thrall, Margaret. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Vol. 1. The International Critical Commentary, edited by C. E. B. Cranfield J. A. Emerton, G. N. Stanton. Edinburgh, Scotland: T&T Clark, 1994. Wachtel, William M. “Colossians 1:15-20–Preexistence or Preeminence?” Paper presented at the 14th Theological Conference, McDonough, GA, 2005. Wessels, G. F. “The Eschatology of Colossians and Ephesians.” Neotestamentica 21, no. 2 (1987): 183–202. Witherington III, Ben The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary of the Captivity Epistles. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007. Yates, Roy. The Epistle to the Colossians. London: Epworth Press, 1993. Zeilinger, Franz. Der Erstgeborene Der Schöpfung. Wien, Österreich: Herder, 1974. Footnotes [1] Since the nineteenth century biblical scholars have been divided over whether Paul wrote Colossians. One of the major reasons for thinking Paul didn't write Colossians is his exalted Christology—the very conclusion this paper seeks to undermine. A second major factor to argue against Pauline authorship is the difference in vocabulary, but this is explainable if Paul used a different amanuensis. The theologically more cosmic emphasis (also evident in Ephesians) is likely due to Paul's time in prison to reflect and expand his understanding of the Christ event. Lastly, the proto-Gnostic hints in Colossians do not require dating the epistle outside of Paul's time. Although Gnosticism flourished at the beginning of the second century, it was likely already beginning to incubate in Paul's time. [2] Eduard Schillebeeckx, Christ: The Experience of Jesus as Lord, trans. John Bowden (New York, NY: The Seabury Press, 1977), 185. [3] Schillebeeckx, 185. [4] G. B. Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, New Clarendon Bible, ed. H. F. D. Sparks (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1976), 177. [5] Caird, 181. [6] James D. G. Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, New International Greek Testament Commentary, ed. Gasque Marshall, Hagner (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996), 91. “[W]hat at first reads as a straightforward assertion of Christ's pre-existenct activity in creation becomes on closer analysis an assertion which is rather more profound—not of Christ as such present with God in the beginning, nor of Christ as identified with a pre-existent hypostasis or divine being (Wisdom) beside God, but of Christ as embodying and expressing (and defining) that power of God which is the manifestation of God in and to his creation.” (Italics in original.) James D. G. Dunn, Christology in the Making, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996), 194. [7] James F. McGrath, The Only True God: Early Christian Monotheism in Its Jewish Context (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2009), 46. [8] Andrew Perriman, In the Form of a God, Studies in Early Christology, ed. David Capes Michael Bird, and Scott Harrower (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2022), 200. [9] In addition, biblical unitarians routinely interpret Col 1.16 as new creation. See Anthony F. Buzzard, Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian (Morrow, GA: Restoration Fellowship, 2007), 189–90, Robert Carden, One God: The Unfinished Reformation, Revised ed. (Naperville, IL: Grace Christian Press, 2016), 197–200, Eric H. H. Chang, The Only Perfect Man, ed. Bentley C. F. Chang, 2nd ed. (Montreal, QC: Christian Disciples Church Publishers, 2017), 151–52, Jeff Deuble, Christ before Creeds (Latham, NY: Living Hope International Ministries, 2021), 163–66, John A. Lynn Mark H. Graeser, John W. Schoenheit, One God & One Lord, 4th ed. (Martinsville, IN: Spirit & Truth Fellowship International, 2010), 493–94, Donald R. Snedeker, Our Heavenly Father Has No Equals (Bethesda, MD: International Scholars Publications, 1998), 291–92, William M. Wachtel, “Colossians 1:15-20–Preexistence or Preeminence?” (paper presented at the 14th Theological Conference, McDonough, GA, 2005), 4. [10] All translations are my own. [11] Stophes are structural divisions drawn from Greek odes akin to stanzas in poetry or verses in music. [12] Throughout I will capitalize Church since that reflects the idea of all Christians collectively not just those in a particular local assembly. [13] Eduard Norden, Agnostos Theos: Untersuchungen Zur Formengeschichte Religiöser Rede, 4th ed. (Stuttgart, Germany: B. G. Teubner, 1956), 250–54. [14] James M. Robinson, “A Formal Analysis of Colossians 1:15-20,” Journal of Biblical Literature 76, no. 4 (1957): 272–73. [15] Edward Lohse, Colossians and Philemon, Hermeneia (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1971), 44. [16] Eduard Schweizer, The Letter to the Colossians, trans. Andrew Chester (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1982), 57. [17] Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, 84. [18] Ben  Witherington III, The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary of the Captivity Epistles (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007), 129. [19] William L. Lane, The New Testament Page by Page, Open Your Bible Commentary, ed. Martin Manser (Bath, UK: Creative 4 International, 2013), 765. [20] E. K. Simpson and F. F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Ned B. Stonehouse (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1957), 65. [21] Michael F. Bird, Colossians and Philemon, A New Covenant Commentary (Cambridge, England: The Lutterworth Press, 2009), 50. [22] David Pao, Colossians and Philemon, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapid, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 87. [23] Lohse, 42. [24] Lohse, 43–44. [25] Scot McKnight, The Letter to the Colossians, New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Joel B. Green (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2018), 144. [26] Col 1.13-14: “who rescued us from the authority of darkness and transferred (us) into the kingdom of his beloved son in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of the sins.” Col 1.21-22: “And you being formerly alienated and hostile in thought in the evil deeds, but now he reconciled (you) in his body of the flesh through the death to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him.” [27] In fact, we can easily skip from vv. 13-14 to vv. 21-22. [28] Dunn, Christology in the Making, 187–88. [29] Sadly, most translations erroneously insert a paragraph between vv. 14 and 15. This produces the visual effect that v. 15 is a new thought unit. [30] Bruce, 193. [31] Moses 2.65: “τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τῶν περιγείων” in Philo, The Works of Philo, The Norwegian Philo Concordance Project (Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2005). See also Sirach 17.3. [32] Schweizer, 64. [33] For a helpful treatment of how the image of God relates to Christology, see Anna Shoffner Brown, “Nothing ‘Mere’ About a Man in the Image of God” (paper presented at the Unitarian Christian Alliance, Springfield, OH, Oct 14, 2022). [34] Walter Bauer et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000), s.v. “πρωτότοκος,” 2.a. [35] Franz Zeilnger wrote, “Christ is temporally the first of a series that essentially proceeds from him, and at the same time its lord and head.” Franz Zeilinger, Der Erstgeborene Der Schöpfung (Wien, Österreich: Herder, 1974), 182. Original: “als “Wurzel” ist Christus zeitlich der erste einer Reihe, die wesentlich aus ihm hervorgeht, und zugleich ihr Herr und Haupt.” [36] McKnight, 85–86. [37] The closest parallels are 1 Cor 8.6; Heb 1.2; and John 1.3, which employ the preposition δια (through). Upon close examination these three don't teach Christ created the universe either. [38] ESV, CSB, NASB, etc. Notably the NET diverges from the other evangelical translations. Roman Catholic, mainline, and unitarian translations all tend to straightforwardly render “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “in him” in Col 1.16; cf. NABRE, NRSVUE, OGFOMMT, etc. [39] Chang, 150. [40] Ralph Martin, “An Early Christian Hymn (Col. 1:15-20),” The Evangelical Quarterly 36, no. 4 (1964): 198. [41] Schillebeeckx, 186. [42] Dunn, Christology in the Making, 191. [43] Karl-Joseph Kuschel, Born before All Time?, trans. John Bowden (New York, NY: Crossroad, 1992), 336. [44] Dustin R. Smith, Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2024), 5–6. For more on wisdom Christology in Col 1.16 see Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, 89, Roy Yates, The Epistle to the Colossians (London: Epworth Press, 1993), 18–19, 23, G. B. Caird, New Testament Theology, ed. L. D. Hurst (Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 2002), 46, McGrath, 44, 46. [45] See Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, 89. See also Yates, 18–19, 23. [46] Dunn, Christology in the Making, 190. [47] Perriman, 199. [48] Martha King, An Exegetical Summary of Colossians (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 1992), 53. [49] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), s.v. “ἐν,” 1722. He recognized the cause was both instrumental and final. [50] William Graham MacDonald, The Idiomatic Translation of the New Testament (Norfolk, VA: Bibleworks, 2012). [51] Chang, 147. Similarly James McGrath wrote, “[I]f all things were intended by God to find their fulfillment in Christ, then they must have been created “in him” in the very beginning in some undefined sense, since it was axiomatic that the eschatological climax of history would be a restoration of its perfect, original state.” McGrath, 46. [52] Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, 172. [53] “God so designed the universe that it was to achieve its proper meaning and unity only under the authority of man (Gen. 128; Ps. 86). But this purpose was not to be implemented at once; it was ‘to be put into effect when the time was ripe' (Eph. 110), when Christ had lived a human life as God intended it, and had become God's image in a measure which was never true of Adam. Only in unity with ‘the proper man' could the universe be brought to its destined coherence. For one who believes in predestination it is but a small step from this to saying that the universe was created in him.” Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, 178. [54] See also Paul's Adam Christology in Rom 5.12-21; 1 Cor 15.21-22, 45-49. [55] “Christus ist (durch seine Auferstehung aus dem Todesbereich) Herr über den ihm verliehenen Besitz, dessen ἀρχή und Urbild er ist, … und Haupt und Anfang der eschatologischen Neuschöpfung!” Zeilinger, 188. [56] King, 54. [57] Perriman, 200. [58] G. F. Wessels, “The Eschatology of Colossians and Ephesians,” Neotestamentica 21, no. 2 (1987): 187. [59] I realize my translation is awkward, but I prioritized closely mirroring the Greek over presenting smooth English. The original reads, “συνεζωοποίησεν ὑμᾶς σὺν αὐτῷ.” [60] Schillebeeckx, 187. [61] Scholars who make this connection include Caird, New Testament Theology, 216, Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, 177, McGrath, 44, Perriman, 201. [62] In fact, only two of the texts I cited above explicitly say “new creation” (2 Cor 5.17 and Gal 6.15). In all the others, Paul blithely employed creation language, expecting his readers to understand that he was not talking about the creation of the universe, but the creation of the new humanity in Christ—the Church. [63] McKnight, 152. [64] Mark H. Graeser, 493. [65] Rev 2.1, 8, 12, 18; 3.1, 7, 14. [66] See Gerry Schoberg, Perspectives of Jesus in the Writings of Paul (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2013), 280–81, 83. [67] Margaret Thrall, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, vol. 1, The International Critical Commentary, ed. C. E. B. Cranfield J. A. Emerton, G. N. Stanton (Edinburgh, Scotland: T&T Clark, 1994), 423, 26–28. [68] J. Louis Martyn, Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997), 122. [69] Martyn, 121. [70] Whether the old gods actually existed or not is a topic beyond the scope of this paper. Interested readers should consult Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019). [71] “[D]ie in Christus gegebene echatologische Welt verwirkliche sich innerhalb der weiterhin existenten irdischen Schöpfung durch die Einbeziehung des Menschen in Christus, den Erhöhten, mittles Heilsverkündigung und Taufe. Das Eschaton setzt sic him Kerygma wetweit durch und wird Wirklichkeit, indem der Mensch durch die Taufe Christi Teil wird, d. h. in Einheit mit ihm dem Anspruch der στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου stirbt (2, 20) und mit ihm auferweckt sein eschatologisches Leben erhält. Die so dem erhöhten Christus eingegliederten Menschen bilden somit in ihm und mit ihm die neue Schöpfung der Eschata innerhalb der alten! Der Christusleib ist somit als sich weitende Kirche erkennbar. In ihr bildet himmlischer und irdischer Raum gewissermaßen eine Einheit.” Zeilinger, 179. [72] “Der neue Adam … Ausgangsort, in dem sich Neuschöpfung ereignete,” Zeilinger, 199. [73] Randy A. Leedy, The Greek New Testament Sentence Diagrams (Norfolk, VA: Bible Works, 2006). This is now available in Logos Bible Software.

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Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture Trump has sent out new tariff letters, the world is about to change, he is hitting the [CB] system hard and is reversing what they had in place. The US is taking back control of the production of coal and rare earth minerals. Trump hits Powell again, Bernie Moreno calls for Powell to resign. The [DS] is in a panic, investigations have begun and one will lead to another. The conductor is Obama and all the investigation will lead back to him. It has now come out that Epstein worked for the CIA, was the [DS] using Epstein to blackmail people in the US around the world and were they working with foreign governments, most likely yes. The storm is forming and all the treasonous acts are coming together to create the perfect storm.   Economy https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1943046253232713988 25%  12. Japan: 25% 13. South Korea: 25% 14. Brunei: 25% 15. Moldova: 25% 16. Philippines: 20% These tariffs are set to go live on August 1st. President Trump says any retaliation will be met with increased tariffs. Trump also says there will be no further tariff pause extensions. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");   50% TARIFF will reverse the Biden Administration's thoughtless behavior, and stupidity. America will, once again, build a DOMINANT Copper Industry. THIS IS, AFTER ALL, OUR GOLDEN AGE!  Trump Administration Takes Stake in Rare Earths Firm In Move To End China's Control  The Trump administration is deepening its effort to sever U.S. reliance on Chinese rare earth supplies, committing $400 million in equity financing to MP Materials Corp. as part of a broader plan to expand domestic production of rare earth magnets used in advanced weapons systems and industrial technologies. The Department of Defense will acquire a newly issued class of preferred stock in MP Materials, convertible into common shares, along with warrants to purchase additional equity. Following the transaction, which is expected to close Friday, the Pentagon will become the company's largest shareholder, with a potential stake of about 15%, according to MP Materials. The deal also includes a 10-year commitment by the U.S. government to support pricing and demand for domestically produced rare earth magnets. The Defense Department has guaranteed the purchase of 100 percent of the output from a planned magnet manufacturing facility—dubbed the “10X” plant—at a minimum price of $110 per kilogram for neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr), a key rare earth alloy used in missile guidance systems, fighter jets, and electric motors. The U.S. imported roughly 70 percent of its rare earths from China in 2023, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The push to reshore the supply chain gained urgency during the trade war launched by President Trump, when Beijing threatened to restrict rare earth exports. Source: breitbart.com Political/Rights https://twitter.com/dogeai_gov/status/1943128485758706090 of America's livestock and food supply. https://twitter.com/HansMahncke/status/1943139533572252007   https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/1943147963074711683 AND THERE IT IS: California Governor Gavin Newsom Announces Funding for New ‘Multifamily Rental Hou...