Podcasts about Almighty

We introduce the section of the Ketoret with the proclamation, "Ata Hu Hashem Elokenu…," stating that "You are Hashem our G-d" to whom our ancestors would offer incense in the Bet Ha'mikdash. Our custom is to recite this introduction each time we recite the Ketoret – toward the beginning of Shaharit, before Alenu at the end of Shaharit, and at the beginning of Minha. The question arises as to why this introduction is necessary. Before we recite the verses discussing the daily Tamid sacrifice, we do not make a similar pronouncement, that Hashem commanded us to offer the Tamid sacrifice that our ancestors would bring in the Bet Ha'mikdash. Why do we introduce the Ketoret with this declaration? One explanation is given by the Noda Bi'Yehuda (Rav Yehezkel Landau of Prague, 1713-1793). He notes that before the recitation of the Ketoret toward the end of Shaharit, we recite "En K'Elokenu," a hymn poetically declaring that there is no being comparable to Hashem. This hymn concludes, "Ata Hu Elokenu, Ata Hu Abinu, Ata Hu Malkenu, Ata Hu Moshi'enu" – "You are our G-d, You are our Father, You are our King, Your are our Savior." As a natural continuation of this phrase, we add, "Ata Hu Hashem Elokenu She'hiktiru…" The Noda Bi'Yehuda explains that we introduce the Ketoret with "En K'Elokenu" because of the Gemara's teaching (Yoma 26a) that the Kohen who offered the Ketoret was rewarded with wealth. We, too, aspire to earn wealth through the recitation of the Ketoret, and so we begin by proclaiming "En K'Elokenu" – acknowledging that everything we have, all our material blessings, have been given to us by Hashem, that there is no one and nothing in the world like Hashem, as He and only He provides us with everything we have. (Another explanation for the recitation of "En K'Elokenu" is based on the comment of the Talmud Yerushalmi (Yoma 1:5) that nobody was allowed in the Bet Ha'mikdash at the time when the Kohen offered the incense. Even the angels were barred from the Temple during those moments, so the Kohen could be alone with the Almighty. We therefore introduce the recitation of the Ketoret by emphasizing that "En K'Elokenu" – there is no one like Hashem, and thus only He was present at the time the Ketoret was offered.) The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) offers a different explanation for the "Ata Hu Hashem Elokenu" introduction to the Ketoret. He contrasts this introduction with the prayer that introduces the recitation of the section of the Tamid (the verses about the daily animal sacrifice in the Temple) – a prayer asking Hashem to consider our recitation of the Tamid as though we actually brought the sacrifice on the altar in the Bet Ha'mikdash. Before reciting the Ketoret, we do not say such a prayer, and we instead emphasize that the Ketoret was offered only by our ancestors during the times of the Temple. The reason, the Ben Ish Hai writes, is that it was a grievous infraction if the Ketoret was missing even one of its eleven ingredients when it was offered on the altar. If our recitation of the Ketoret would be regarded as the actual offering, then if a person read this section quickly and mistakenly omitted one of the ingredients, he would be guilty of offering an invalid Ketoret. Hence, instead of asking Hashem to accept our reading as though we actually offered the Ketoret, we do just the opposite – emphasizing that this is what our ancestors did and what we are unable to do. This way, if we miss a word, our recitation would still have value as reading about the Ketoret offering, but we would not be guilty of bringing a deficient offering.

With endless praise to the Almighty for all goodness that he has done for us, we hereby present the final episode of the Ethics podcast. We began this project in 2017 and now, thanks to the boundless help from the Almighty, we have finally finished this grand initiative  May the Almighty continue to give us […]

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, Dr. Tim Clinton, our insightful host, delves into the profound theme of guaranteeing our spiritual aspirations—a pursuit that deeply resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are pivotal moments when ensuring the realization of our goals and experiencing a personal guarantee becomes a paramount desire. These instances not only enrich our faith but also breathe vitality into our relationships, propelling us toward the fulfillment of our individual dreams. The reassuring truth remains unwavering: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we possess the innate ability to secure these aspirations, uncovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those seeking assurance in realizing their spiritual aspirations along their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. Simply by downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, firmly grounded in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for guarantee within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of securing our spiritual aspirations and discovering the extraordinary sense of guarantee that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Dr. Tim Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the transformative theme of being equipped for our spiritual journey—an endeavor that profoundly resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our walk of faith, there are moments when being equipped and fortified for the challenges becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only deepen our faith but also strengthen our relationships, propelling us toward our individual dreams. The comforting truth remains steadfast: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we possess the innate ability to be equipped for our spiritual journey, discovering renewed hope and purpose in the process. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those seeking guidance in being equipped for their spiritual journey along their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for being equipped within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of being equipped for our spiritual journey and discovering the extraordinary sense of readiness that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a feature article on their website, Jehovah's Witnesses set out to prove government corruption will end by pointing to the Governing Body's future heavenly influence, as well as the Bible... where we read about the Almighty's failed attempts at non corrupt governments. Awkward. TWITTER: @exjwpodcastINSTAGRAM: survivingparadisepodcast

In this compelling episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, Dr. Tim Clinton takes the hosting reins, guiding us through the transformative theme of navigating trials in our spiritual journey. Accessible on Pray.com, this episode delves into the challenges and triumphs that resonate deeply within our Christian community. Along the path of our spiritual endeavors, we encounter trials that become significant milestones in our faith exploration. These moments not only strengthen our connection with the divine but also fortify our relationships, propelling us forward in the pursuit of our individual dreams. The unwavering truth persists: with Dr. Tim Clinton as our knowledgeable guide, we possess the inherent capability to navigate these trials, uncovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Anchored in sacred scriptures, we embark on a profound exploration of the transformative human experience amid life's trials. For those seeking guidance in navigating spiritual trials along their faith journey, we extend a warm invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By downloading it today, you can embark on a resilient journey of faith deeply rooted in the steadfast presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for triumph within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. Join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of navigating trials in our spiritual journey and discovering the extraordinary resilience that resides within each one of us. Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Because Jesus will ultimately triumph over every enemy, we must live with faithful hope in his victory. Revelation 19:11–16, 19–21; 20:7–10 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 20 7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Audio Transcript How are we this morning? Excellent. All right. It's my privilege to bring the word to you this morning, so let's get into it. Recently I read a story about a young man who never wanted to be a soldier. He had no visions of fame or ambitions of glory. When his father announced that he'd secured him an appointment to West Point, the boy protested. He wanted to be a farmer or perhaps work the river trade. But his father was not a man to be argued with, and so the 17 year old boarded a coach east. Sick with dread, he got off to a rough start. Through a clerical error, his name was copied incorrectly and it would stick permanently. He hated the academy. He finished 21st of 39 cadets, distinguished only in horsemanship and mathematics. The Mexican War found him a reluctant quartermaster, competent, but unnoticed afterward posted to lonely garrisons on the Pacific coast. Far from his wife Julia and the children he barely knew, he began to drink. In 1854, facing either court martial or resignation over his drinking, he resigned his commission in disgrace and went home with empty pockets. What followed were the worst years of his life. He tried farming on land his father in law gave him outside St. Louis, and the crops failed. He hauled firewood through the city streets in a worn army overcoat, occasionally passing former West Point classmates who looked away embarrassment. He pawned his gold watch one Christmas to buy presents for his children. He tried bill collecting and was terrible at it. He tried real estate and failed at that, too. By 1860, at 38 years old, he was working at a clerk in his younger brother's leather goods store in Galena, Illinois, earning $800 a year. He was a man whose life, by every visible measure, had failed. Then Fort Sumter fell. The quiet clerk who couldn't sell harnesses turned out to understand something that most West Point polished generals did not. The war was not about elegant maneuvers or reputation, but about pressing forward relentlessly, accepting losses and refusing to stop. Donaldson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, the Wilderness, Appomattox. The failures had taught him things that successful men never learned. What it was to be underestimated, to be written off, to keep moving even when the odds looked long. The boy who didn't want to be a soldier, the the lieutenant who resigned in shame, the farmer who failed, and his brother's store. Hiram Ulysses Grant, or as the West Point Clerk mistakenly wrote, U.S. grant, ended the war as General of the armies, the man who had saved the Union and later President of the United States. It turned out that the long road had been the training. Weeks before his death, Grant wrote the preface to his personal memoirs, saying, man proposes and God disposes. There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice. Most of us at some point will know what it is to be in our own wilderness. We will know what it is to wait, to wait through years that seem to lead nowhere, to feel forgotten by God, to look out at a landscape that gives no sign that he is at work. And we will be tempted in those years to conclude that nothing is happening, that God has misplaced us, that our life is being spent in vain. This morning, as we come to a passage in the Book of Exodus that speaks directly into that experience. It is the story of 40 silent years in the life of Moses and 400 silent years in the life of Israel. It is the story of a God who appears to all human eyes to be doing nothing. And it is the story of how, beneath that silence, he was doing everything. So if you would with me open your Bibles, please, to the Book of Exodus. And this morning we're going to finish chapter two, verses 11 to 25. One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, why do you strike your companion? He answered, who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? Then Moses was afraid and thought, surely the thing is known. When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. Now, the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. The shepherds came and drove them away. But Moses stood up and saved them and watered their flock. When he came home to their father, Reuel, he said, how is it that you have come home so soon today? They said, an Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and even drew water for us and watered the flock. He said to his daughters, then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man. And he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he Said I have been a sojourner in a foreign land. During those many days. The king of Egypt died and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God, and God heard their groaning. And God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel and God knew. Let's pray. Father. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts this morning be acceptable in your presence. Lord, I pray, after my words are long forgotten, that your word would be remembered. Jesus name. Amen. Exodus is an epic of God's love and redemption of his people. Every scene reads like an action novel. The baby in the basket, the burning bush, the plagues, the angel of death. The parting of the Red Sea, the thunder and lightning around Mount Sinai, the covenant with the Almighty. Before we dive into our text, we must read Exodus rightly. We have to read it Christologically, that is, in relation to Jesus Christ, who is our perfect sacrifice, who saved us out of our bondage to sin and delivered us into a right relationship with God. When Jesus appeared to his disciples on the road to emmaus in Luke 24:27 Records beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. If Jesus started with Moses when describing himself, perhaps we can also we also read it historically. Scholars debate whether the Exodus took place around 1446 BC or around 1260. Good evidence exists for both dates and ancient Israel did not work with an absolute calendar the way we do. But what matters for us this morning is not the precise year, but the fact that it is history, not myth. The renowned Old Testament scholar Nahum Sarna observed that no nation would invent for itself and then faithfully transmit for thousands of years an inglorious origin story of slavery, grumbling and and idolatry. Israel did not flatter itself into existence. This happened. Exodus 2:11 to 25 sits at 1 of the great hinge moments of redemptive history. The book opens with the sons of Jacob settling in Egypt under the protection of Joseph. But there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph. What begins as refuge becomes bonding. Hebrews multiplied, and Pharaoh, fearing them, enslaved them and decreed that every male child be cast into the Nile. Into that decree Moses is born. Wes laid out for us last week that Moses mother hides him, his sister watches over him, and then Pharaoh's daughter draws him out of the water. He grows up in the palace, Stephen tells us in Acts 7:22 that he was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in his words and deeds. And that is where our passage begins. The structure that we will use this morning breaks down into four movements. Verses 11 to 14 Moses takes matters into his own hands. Verses 15 to 17 Moses flees and is shaped at a well. 18:22 Moses is welcomed and becomes a sojourner. 23 To 25 While Moses tends sheep, Israel groans and God acts. Start with 11 to 14. Moses has grown. Now the infant in the basket has become a man in Pharaoh's court, raised as Egyptian royalty. How much did he know about his true background growing up? Wes mentioned last week that Moses mother was allowed to nurse him. So did they still have a relationship? Certainly possible. There are so many unanswered questions. Did he live with a divided heart for years? Did he spend endless nights pleading with Pharaoh? Was he embarrassed by his background and didn't want to believe it? We have no idea. What we do know is that he was raised to be a prince of Egypt. But by the time he was 40, he knew exactly who he was and who his brothers and sisters truly were. Were. One day he goes out to his brothers, the Hebrews, and he looks on their burdens. And what he sees he cannot unsee. An Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own. He looks this way and that, and when he sees no one watching, he strikes. Strikes the Egyptian down and buries him in the sand. Now this raises a nagging question for me. If Moses was a member of Pharaoh's household in the royal family, so to speak, why would he have feared killing someone? Wouldn't a royal be able to kill a lowly Egyptian taskmaster with little to no reprisal? This goes into the historical context at the time. Exodus 1:8 says, now there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph. Commentators note that this likely indicates a dynastic change. A new royal house with no political or familial loyalty to the previous regime. In fact, during either time period, you believe royal houses at that time were very politically unstable, with different factions having different claims to the crown. The princess who had adopted him was almost certainly aging or dead. And the reigning pharaoh would have viewed an adopted Hebrew with suspicion, not affection. And the man Moses killed was not a slave. He was an Egyptian official, a representative of Pharaoh's economic and political authority. This is crucial. In ancient Egypt, killing a Hebrew slave was something an Egyptian could do with little consequence. But a member of the royal household killing one of Pharaoh's taskmasters. This probably would not have looked so much like murder. It would have looked like the potential beginning of an insurrection. The next day, Moses goes out and this time he finds two Hebrews fighting each other. He steps in to make peace, and the man in the wrong rounds on him with words that must have cut deeply. Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill us as you killed the Egyptian? And Moses is afraid. The secret is out. Beneath these interactions is something deeper that the New Testament helps us understand. The writer of Hebrews tells us this whole episode began in faith. By faith. Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the Reward. That's Hebrews 11:24-26. When Moses walked out of the palace, he was not slumming, he was choosing. He looked at the gold of Egypt on the one hand and the suffering of God's people in the other. And he chose the suffering. That is faith. So what went wrong? Well, it can be summed up in the next phrase. He looked this way. That a long line of preachers have lingered over those words and noticed what was missing. As Chuck Swindoll says, he looked east, he looked west, he looked over his shoulder, but he didn't look up, did he? He looked in both directions horizontally, but he left the vertical completely out of it. Moses was a man with a true call, but a glance still fixed on the ground. Here is the heart of the problem. Moses tried to bring about by his own hand what God had promised to bring about by his covenant. The deliverer was right, the cause was right, the method was wrong, and the time was not yet. And the proof is what he is in what he does next. He hides the body in the sand, as if sand could keep a secret from God. Within a day, the rumor was loose. Within a week, Pharaoh wants him dead. Three things to take from these opening verses. First, a true call from God does not exempt a man from from the discipline of God's timing. Moses had the right cause and the right collar. But he ran ahead. And it will take 40 years in the desert to refine him. Second, hidden sin is a poor investment. Sand is a thin grave. What God means to expose, no man can keep buried. Third, there is mercy for those with juvenile or immature faith. John Calvin's pastoral word on this passage is really helpful. Even the obedience of the saints, stained as it is by sin, is still sometimes acceptable to God through his mercy. So Moses runs, but God was not finished with him. He was only beginning verses 15 through 17. Verse 15 begins with collapse. However noble Moses motives may have been, when he took matters into his own hands, he was outside the will of God. And yet God still had a plan for him. This is one of the great promises of Scripture. God uses sinners for his glory. It's the only kind he has to work with. When you read the heroes of the faith, they read a lot more like a Alcoholics Anonymous meeting than a catalog of superheroes. I can almost see them in a church basement, sitting in a circle on folding chairs, sipping bad coffee, introducing themselves. Hi, I'm Abraham and I'm a liar who pimped out my wife. Hi, I'm Jacob. I'm a deceiver and I'm a thief. How? Hi, I'm Samson and I'm a lust addicted vow breaker. Hi, I'm David. I'm an adulterer and a murderer. Hi, I'm Jonah and I'm a racist runaway. Hi, I'm Peter and I'm a coward who denied my Savior. Hi, I'm Moses and I'm a murderer. When Janet and I lived in Atlanta, we had a pastor who was fond of saying that God doesn't look for ability, he looks for availability. God uses broken people because it's his strength, it's his wisdom, it's his power, and it's for his glory. God would be using Moses, but he had some seasoning yet to experience. Verse 15. When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. There's no firm consensus on where exactly Midian was, but the traditional and most widely accepted location is in northwest Arabia, east of the Gulf of Agapa, in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia. The Midianites appear to have been a semi nomadic people, so Midian may refer to an area where the tribe ranged rather than a specific location. Calvin, commenting here, sees in Moses flight not cowardice, but the sovereign hand of God, breaking a man down before he builds him up. Calvin's instinct is that the Lord put his servant through a long banishment precisely so that he would learn humility and dependence, because the work for which he was designed was greater than human strength could compass. 40 Years of palace training had to be matched by 40 years of desert undoing. Augustine, in a different connection, spoke of being in the region of unlikeness that far country, where the soul learns who it is by losing what it had. Moses, sitting by that well is in the region of unlikeness. Verse 15 ends noting that Moses, obviously exhausted, sat down by a well. One of the beauties of Scripture is the inclusion of what so often to us seems like pointless details. But wells, as it turns out, is an important location in the Bible, specifically, if you are looking for a wife. In Genesis 24, Abraham's servant meets Rebekah, Isaac's future wife, at a well. In Genesis 29, Jacob meets Rachel at a well. This time, who is Moses going to meet? Verses 16 and 17. Now, the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up to save them and watered their flock. Moses is once again faced with injustice. Has he learned anything? A group of young women have come to the well to draw water, and a group of shepherds is going to give them a hard time. Moses, again courageously rises to their defense. Already we see clues that he is learning from his past mistakes. The text does not record that he killed the shepherds, and not only that he served the young women by watering their flock. For the first time, he was learning what it was to be a deliverer. He stands firm for what is just and begins to practice true leadership, which is born out of service. It would have been unthinkable at the time for a man to perform a menial task for women. But Moses stooped to serve. And by learning to serve, he was learning to lead. For all God's leaders are servants. He, in time, the one who is the true and better. Moses would himself kneel and wash 12 pairs of dirty feet and tell his disciples that whoever wants to be great must be a servant of all. Service is always one of the first courses in God's leadership training. Anyone who aspires to spiritual leadership, especially in the church, should begin by finding a place of humble service. If you travel to my alma mater, Wheaton College, one of the most striking little buildings on campus is the Marion E. Wade center, which houses the largest collection of C.S. Lewis writings in the world. Its namesake, Marian Wade, was an American businessman and founder of the large company Servicemaster. Wade was a man of deep faith who established a tradition called six weeks on the front lines. Every future executive at the company would spend six weeks scrubbing floors on hands and knees, doing the work of those they would later lead. Wade believed that those who refused to serve had no business leading. One of the other blessings of servant leadership is that when kids watch authentic service from their parents, it has a tendency to be passed down through the generations. The other founder of Service Master was a gentleman by the name of Ken Hanson. Ken's son, Walter Hanson, when he grew up, would move to Cleveland. He started a little church in his living room. And it grew, and it grew to about a thousand. In 10 years, the church would grow into what is now called Parkside Church. And if that name rings a bell, it would be because it's the church that Alistair Begg just retired from. It's amazing how these things pass down. Moses is being molded. Though he must feel lost and alone, God is right there, directing the most salient detail, refining his champion. God creates this dress rehearsal. The stage is a backwater. Well, the cast is seven anonymous girls, but the script is the same script that would one day be played out at the Red Sea. This is how God so often works. CS Lewis, in his collected letters, wrote that the great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's own or real life. The truth is, of course, that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life, the life God is sending one day by day, Moses thought his real life had ended at the border of Egypt. In fact, his real life was just beginning in Midian. There are seasons of our lives where it seems to have been derailed, where the calling we thought we had has collapsed and we find ourselves sitting by a well in some unfamiliar place. The temptation is to read those seasons as God's absence. But this text invites us to read them as God's curriculum. The God who is going to deliver Israel is at this very moment teaching his deliverer how to stand up for seven helpless women at a watering trough. Nothing in your wilderness is wasted. Turn to verses 18 to 22. The daughters return home and their father called Ruel here or Jethro elsewhere, most likely the same man. So don't get confused. Very common at the time for there to be multiple names for somebody. And he asked why they're early, and they say, an Egyptian delivered us. It's a quietly ironic line. Moses has gone out to deliver Hebrews and was rejected as a meddling Egyptian. He flees to Midian and is received as a generous Egyptian. The man cannot escape his identity, and yet his identity is not what God will make of it. Ruel rebukes his daughters for leaving the man unhosted. Call him that. He may eat bread and Moses is brought in. Verse 21 simply says Moses was content to dwell with the man. The Hebrew verb here ya all carries the sense of consenting, of being willing, even of resigning oneself. Moses is not striving anymore. He has come to the end of his striving. He sits down and he stays. The Book of Acts tells us that 40 years passed between Moses flight to Midian and his encounter with God at the burning bush. D.L. Moody is often quoted as saying Moses spent 40 years in Egypt learning to be something. 40 Years in the desert learning to be nothing. And 40 years in the wilderness proving God to be everything. Philip Reichen notes that whenever we are tempted to grow impatient with God's timetable for our lives, we should remember Moses, who spent two years of preparation for every year of ministry. Zipporah is given to Moses as a wife and a son is born. Moses names him Gershom new meaning I have become an alien in a foreign land. The name comes from the Hebrew verb garash, which means to drive out or expel. It may refer to Moses own experience of being driven out of Egypt. It also sounds like the Hebrew words ger and sham, which is a pun that means an alien there. Every time Moses speaks his son's name, he confesses that he does not belong. Midian is not home. Egypt is not home. He is a man between worlds. The Puritans loved this theme of sojourning. John Owen described the believer as a stranger and a pilgrim traveling through a country not his own, with his heart fixed on a city whose builder and maker is God. Jonathan Edwards preached a famous sermon called the Christian Pilgrim, in which he said that the true Christian travels on through this world as a wayfaring man and looks not upon any of the enjoyments of this world as his own. GK Chesterton, with his usual paradox, put it this way. How can we contrive to be at once astonished at the world and and yet at home in it? The answer of Scripture is that we cannot. Not fully, not yet. We are pilgrims. Gershom is the name of every saint. But notice Moses, sojourning is not a punishment, it is a preparation. RC Sproul emphasized that the entire 40 year sojourn in Midian was God's way of thinking. Moses for leadership, a man trained only in Pharaoh's court could not lead Israel through Pharaoh's wilderness. But a man who had himself become a shepherd of sheep in that very wilderness could one day shepherd God's people through it. The geography of Midian is the geography of the Exodus. Route. The skills Moses learned watering Reuel's flock are the skills he would use leading Israel's flock. God was not killing time. God was forging an instrument. And Moses doesn't know he names his son after his displacement. He doesn't name him soon to be deliverer or heir of promise. He names him Sojourner. The man cannot see what God is doing. Alistair Begg has spoken movingly of how God's people are very often in the dark about the brightness of God's plan for them. Moses is in the dark, but the brightness is gathering. If you are a Christian, you are a Gershom. You are a sojourner in a foreign land. The disquiet you feel, the restlessness, the sense that this world is not home is not a defect of your discipleship. It is a feature of it. CS Lewis spoke of this often when he talked about the pilgrim longing in Mere Christianity. He wrote, if we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world. The long ordinary years in which it seems nothing of eternal weight is happening to you are very likely the years in which God is doing his deepest work. Verses 23 and 20 through 25. And now the camera pulls back, just like in a movie. We get a break from the action in Midian and the screen flashes. Meanwhile, back in Egypt. Verse 23. During those many days, the king of Egypt died and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. 40 Years have passed. A Pharaoh has died, another has come. Nothing has changed for Israel. They are still in chains. Bricks still must be made, whips still fall. And from those brick fields raises a sound. The text uses the strongest words in Hebrew for it. A groaning, a crying, a shrieking that goes up out of the dust. Where does the cry go? To all human eyes, the cry goes nowhere. Pharaoh doesn't hear it. The Egyptians don't hear it. Moses doesn't hear it. And then come four of the most precious verbs in the Old Testament. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God, and God heard their groaning. And God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel, and God knew. God heard. God remembered. God saw. God knew. John Piper has called these four verbs the Gospel before the Gospel, the announcement hundreds of years before Bethlehem that the God of heaven is not a deistic clock maker, but a covenant father who hears the groaning of his enslaved children. Each verb carries a war world. God heard, not merely overheard, the Hebrew implies attentive, responsive, hearing the cry that no human ear answered, the cry that seemed to die in the air over the Egyptian sky. The cry arrived at the throne of heaven. The silence of God is never the deafness of God. When his people cry, he hears with the ears of a father. God remembered. This does not mean that God had forgotten and now recalled. To remember in the covenantal sense is to act upon a prior commitment. When Scripture says God remembered Noah, the next thing is that the waters subside. When it says he remembered Hannah, the next thing is that she conceives. When it says he remembered his covenant with Abraham, the next thing is the Exodus. God's remembrance is the prelude to his deliverance, the covenant he made 400 years before. I will be a God to you and to your offspring after you has not faded. He was about to honor it. God saw. The verb is the same verb used in Genesis 1. And God saw that it was good. It is the verb of attentive, evaluating, sight. He saw the bruises, he saw the broken backs. He saw the widows, the unburied babies. There is no suffering of his people that is hidden from him. The Scottish divine Samuel Rutherford, writing from his imprisonment in Aberdeen, often returned to the image of God as the watchman over Israel, who never slumbers, whose people's tears are gathered in heaven long before they fall to the ground. God sees and God knew. Interestingly, the verb stands alone in the Hebrew. There is no object God knew. Some translations may supply one. God knew their condition, but the Hebrew leaves it bare. Why? Perhaps because what God knows here is larger than any object can contain. He knows their pain, he knows their bondage, he knows their names, and he knows what he is about to do. Jonathan Edwards taught that every act of God in history is the unfolding of a purpose conceived before time began. God knew. While Moses sits in Midian thinking he had been forgotten, and while Israel cries in Egypt, thinking that they have been forgotten, neither has been forgotten. God is doing two things at once. In Midian, he is shaping his deliverer. In Egypt, he is hearing their cries. The two threads are converging towards a burning bush in the next chapter. But neither Moses nor Israel can see it. Yet Augustine in his Confessions, wrote this sentence. Thou, O Lord, wert more inward to me than my most inward part and higher than my highest. That is the God of Exodus 2. He is closer to Israel's groaning than the chains on their wrists. He is closer to Moses weariness than the dust on his sandals. He is not far off. He is not distracted, he is at work. Four thoughts to close. First, be still and know that he is God. What we are very often is people who run ahead of God. Moses is not alone in this. Abraham had the promise of a son and and couldn't wait until he took Hagar. And the household of faith has lived with the consequences ever since. Jacob had the blessing already promised to him, but couldn't wait, and so he stole it with a goatskin and a lie. Peter had a lord he loved and couldn't bear to see him arrested. So he drew a sword in Gethsemane and cut off a man's ear. The pattern is older than Moses, and it is as new as this morning. The right cause can be pursued in the wrong way and the wrong time. Bradley Gray puts it bluntly. Nothing good happens when you get ahead of God and take matters into your own hands. Second, the silence of God is not the absence of God. 40 Years passed in Midian and 400 years in Egypt before God spoke from the bush. But not one of those years was empty. God was hearing, he was remembering. He was seeing, he was knowing. If your life feels like a wilderness right now, if you have been sitting by your own well in Midian waiting for a word from heaven that just doesn't come, take this passage and press it to your heart. The silence is not absence. The God who shaped Moses in obscurity is shaping you now. In his 1967 book Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders quoted this anonymous poem. When God wants to drill a man and thrill a man, and skill a man. When God wants to mold a man to play the noblest part, when he yearns with all his heart to create so great and bold a man that all the world shall be amazed. Watch his methods, watch his ways, how he ruthlessly perfects whom he royally elects. How his hammer he hammers him and hurts him and with mighty blows converts him into trial shapes of clay which only God understands. While his tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands, how he bends but never breaks when his good he undertakes, how he uses whom he chooses and with every purpose him by every act induces him to try his splendor out. God knows what he's about. Third, your sojourning has a destination. Moses named his son Gershom because he felt the foreignness of his life. But the foreignness was not the end of the story. It was the prelude to a calling. The writer of Hebrews tells us that all the saints acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. They desired a better country. That is a heavenly one. Your pilgrimage is not a pointless one wandering. It is a movement towards a country God has prepared for you. Fourth, and most importantly, the God who heard Israel has heard you in a fuller way still. The end of Exodus 2 is a foreshadowing. The four verbs heard, remembered, saw new, find their final fulfillment not at Sinai, but at Calvary. There the Father heard the cries of his people. There he remembered the covenant he had made before the foundations of the world. There he saw his Son lifted up between heaven and earth, bearing the groaning of every enslaved soul in his own body. And there he knew in a way only the triune God could know the cost of redeeming a people for himself. If God heard Israel groaning under Pharaoh and he sent Moses, how much more has he heard your groaning and sent his son? The exodus from Egypt is the shadow. The exodus from sin and death is the substance. And the same four verbs hover over the cross. Today God hears your cries that come up from the dust of this fallen world. God remembers his covenant with you. God sees you right now in this room, in your struggle, in your brokenness. And God knows exactly what he's doing. Let's pray. Father, thank you for this text. Father, thank you for your covenant with us. That you know us, that you love us, that you see us, that no prayer goes unheard, no silence is a waste. And that wherever we are in our life, whatever burdens we are carrying, that you're right here. That you are molding us and you are creating us in just the way that you had planned for us before the creation of the world. Thank you for who you are. In Jesus name, amen. The post Moses Flees to Midian – Exodus 2: 11-25 appeared first on Red Village Church.

Wednesday May 27, 2026

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of resolving our spiritual aspirations—an endeavor that profoundly resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are moments when finding resolution and experiencing personal fulfillment becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us toward our individual dreams. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to realize these resolutions, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in resolving their spiritual aspirations along their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for resolution within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of resolving our spiritual aspirations and discovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of seeking justice—a mission that profoundly resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are moments when our pursuit of justice and the righting of wrongs become a paramount desire. These moments not only fortify our faith but also strengthen the bonds in our relationships, propelling us toward our individual ideals of righteousness. The comforting truth remains constant: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we have the inherent capacity to establish justice, thereby discovering renewed hope and purpose on our path. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in pursuing justice along their journey of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for justice within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of achieving justice and discovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this engaging episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound realm of understanding and navigating our complex emotions—a journey that profoundly resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual voyage, there are moments when comprehending and processing our innermost feelings becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only deepen our faith but also enrich our relationships, guiding us toward a deeper connection with our inner selves. The comforting truth remains constant: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we have the innate capacity to fathom these emotions, discovering renewed solace and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in understanding and managing their emotions along their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of self-awareness and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for emotional insight within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of our emotional landscape and discovering the extraordinary depth of feelings that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

16:7-14God is ferociously and relentlessly attacking Job. God is the subject of almost all the verbs in this unit. The name El, God, is used in vs. 11. Most of the verbs are 3rd masculine singular with the subject being He (vs.7a, 8b, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14).  Verse 10 is the exception to this because it used 3rd person plural verbs translated they. Eliphaz stated that Job is attacking God in 15:25-26, but Job insists that it is God who is attacking him in these verses. 16:7  You have laid waste all my company- The word company is the same word used in 15:34. Eliphaz pictured the company of the godless as barren in 15:34 and God has certainly done that to Job laying waste his whole company. Job has lost his children and most of his servants (1:13-19; 19:13-20).  16:8 You have shriveled me up, It has become a witness;- The word for witness is used here and in vs. 19 of the chapter. His physical appearance screams of his guilt. 16:9 His anger has torn me and hunted me down- The word torn, taraph, indicates a wild animal tearing a person (Gen. 37:33) or another animal apart (Ex. 22:13). The verb is used in the picture of the wicked tearing the righteous in Ps. 7:2; 17:12. When God is portrayed as doing the tearing, it is a result of the people's sins (Hos. 5:14; 6:1). In 18:4 Bildad uses the same verb torn to say that Job has torn himself. He has gnashed at me with His teeth;- The phrase gnashing the teeth is used of the wicked's treatment of the righteous (Ps. 35:16; 37:12). This the only time God is pictured in Scripture as gnashing His teeth in Scripture.  My adversary glares at me- This line speaks of God as an adversary against His people (Lam. 2:4). .  16:10 They have gaped at me with their mouth,- Three verbs with 3rd common plural suffixes are used in 16:10 and are translated they. Job is attacked both from above and below. God's violent opposition lead to the crowds turning against Job. Since Job's sufferings were viewed as a result of his sins and God is viewed as the source of Job's sufferings, then his enemies would feel free to unleash their fury on Him. They have slapped me on the cheek with contempt;- To be slapped on the cheek is a great insult (I Kings 22:24; Ps. 3:7). The “loss of dignity is just as agonizing for Job as the excruciating physical pain.”16:11 God hands me over to ruffians- While God (El) is the subject of the verbs in this section (vs.7-14), this is the only instance where He is specifically mentioned. And tosses me into the hands of the wicked- Instead of the wicked suffering intensely as Eliphaz described in 15:17-35, Job as an innocent man has been handed over to them.  16:12 I was at ease, but He shattered me,- And He has grasped me by the neck and shaken me to pieces- God is the predator who has captured Job by the neck and destroyed him. Gen. 49:8; Ex. 23:27 show the powerful grabbing his enemy by the neck.16:13 His arrows surround me- The Almighty shots at Job with His arrows in Job 6:4; 30:12. We see the same idea of the LORD shooting at His people in Ps. 38:2; Lam. 3:12. In Ps. 64:7 He shoots at the wicked. Without mercy He splits my kidneys open;- The word mercy, chamal, sometimes describes God's mercy or compassion upon His people (II Chron. 36:15; Ezek. 16:5). More frequently it is used to describe God as having no compassion or

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of finding absolution on our spiritual journey—an endeavor that profoundly resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are moments when seeking forgiveness and experiencing personal absolution becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also revitalize our relationships, guiding us toward our individual redemption. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to attain this absolution, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in finding absolution along their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for absolution within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of achieving absolution and discovering the extraordinary sense of peace and forgiveness that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this intriguing episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of cultivating patience in our spiritual journey—an endeavor that deeply resonates within our Christian community. Along our path of faith, there are moments when impatience and the desire for instant gratification can be overwhelming. These moments not only challenge our faith but also strain our relationships, making it essential for us to nurture the virtue of patience. The comforting truth remains unwavering: with the Lord as our constant guide, we possess the innate ability to develop and nurture patience, finding renewed hope and purpose in our spiritual journey. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on a transformative exploration of this essential human experience. For those who seek guidance in fostering patience along their faith journey, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply grounded in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for patience within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of cultivating patience in our spiritual journey and discovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

Experiencing The Feast Of Shavuot  Part 12:  All That God Has Spoken, We Will Do  -  English and Spanish.  Before the Almighty gave us the Torah on Chag Shavuot, we promised to do everythiung that He said. Ruth repeated this promise but from a new perspective! Recorded during the Chag Shavuot afternoon services on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Viviendo la fiesta de Shavuot  Parte 12:  Todo lo que Dios ha dicho, lo haremos  -  Inglés y español.  Antes de que el Todopoderoso nos entregara la Torá en la fiesta de Shavuot, prometimos cumplir todo lo que Él dijera. ¡Ruth repitió esta promesa, pero desde una nueva perspectiva!  Grabado durante los oficios de la tarde de Shavuot, el domingo 24 de mayo de 2026.

In this thought-provoking episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, guided by the wise Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we explore the transformative journey of emerging from foolishness within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual path, there are moments when we find ourselves ensnared in unwise choices, lost in the labyrinth of our own folly. Yet the reassuring truth remains unwavering: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to emerge from foolishness, discovering renewed purpose and wisdom on our journey. Drawing inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience, where the journey out of foolishness can lead us to unexpected insights. For those who seek guidance in stepping out of foolishness to deepen their faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey marked by faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for emerging from the depths of foolishness within us, finding unexpected inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of the beauty and wisdom that can be found in emerging from the clutches of foolishness within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

[Psalm 91:1-2] Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [2] This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.Peace is not found in _______________, it is found in _______________ to God.[John 15:4] Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.Peace is found in _______________ with God.[Isaiah 43:2a] When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. The danger of life is _______________, but God is _______________.[Psalm 91:5] Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.The farther you _______________ from God, the _______________ fear becomes.[Romans 8:38-39] And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. [39] No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.Your greatest security is not that life will go _____________, it's that God will never _______________ you.[Psalm 91:15-16] When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. [16] I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation."[Hebrews 13:5] Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."The safest place in the world is not the absence of _______________, it is the _______________ of God.

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Dr. Tim Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of eternal hope—a subject that deeply resonates within our Christian community. As we continue on our spiritual journey, we encounter moments when the yearning for spiritual accomplishment gives way to a desire for a connection with the eternal. These moments not only enrich our faith but also strengthen the bonds within our relationships, propelling us toward the realization of our spiritual dreams. The comforting truth remains unwavering: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the inherent ability to discover everlasting hope and purpose in our life's journey. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance on their spiritual journey and aspire to connect with the eternal, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unending presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for eternal hope within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of discovering eternal hope and the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Dr. Tim Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we explore the profound theme of nurturing hope in our spiritual journey—an endeavor that profoundly resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our walk with faith, there are moments when embracing hope and experiencing a deep sense of purpose becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us toward our individual dreams. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to kindle these aspirations, discovering renewed hope and direction in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in cultivating hope along their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for hope within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of nurturing hope in our spiritual journey and discovering the extraordinary sense of purpose that resides within each one of us. Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's readings.. (Joshua 8), (Isaiah 12), (1 Timothy 1-3)We usually have a reasonable idea of what we are going to talk about as today progresses, also some of the things that are likely to be part of our thoughts and conversations tomorrow – but it is invaluable to meditate on what the 6 verses that make up the entire 12th chapter of Isaiah told Israel and tells us of what “you will say on that day.”  How utterly wonderful to be among those who will say, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD God is my strength …” [v.2]   Of course, believing in God and his Son should always be the foundation on which our “strength” rests – it is not physical strength is it!  What strength of mind do you have?  How much does your mind meditate on the ultimate future? In v.3 we read “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation”. This takes our thoughts to what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “… whoever drinks of the water that I will give him …(it) … will become in him (or her) a spring of water welling up to eternal life” [John 4 v.14] We link this saying with his words “on the last day of the feast” that the one “who believes in me … out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” [7 v.38]    After Jesus left them, “the Spirit” [v.39] was to flow out of the heart of the disciples to produce more of the words of God – on which we can (and must) feed our minds.Now back to Isaiah, the last 2 verses vividly picture the time when the redeemed will “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously … Shout and sing for joy. O inhabitant of Zion. For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”  These words take us to “the song of the Lamb” in Revelation 15.  Let us live so that, by the grace of God we will be there to experience and sing this “in that day” “Great and amazing are your deeds O Lord God the Almighty!  Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!  … For you alone are holy.  All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” [v3,4]   At the moment they have been concealed – except to those who read and mediate on God's word and prepare themselves for what they “will say (and sing) in that day”

The countdown to UK Games Expo 2026 is officially on, and the boys from the Polyhedron Collider Cast are heading back to the Birmingham NEC for one of the biggest tabletop gaming conventions in the world! In this special preview episode, we dive into the most anticipated board games, card games, miniatures, and hobby highlights coming to this year's Expo. From blockbuster new releases and hidden indie gems to sprawling strategy games and exciting roleplaying adventures, we break down the titles we're most excited to demo, buy, and rip the shrink off before we even get to the car park. If you're planning your own UKGE wishlist, this episode is packed with recommendations, hype, and convention tips. Come see Polyhedron Collider LIVE at UK Games Expo 2026! We'll be recording a live podcast episode at the NEC, so come along, say hello, and join in the tabletop chaos. Expect the usual ramshackle nonsense on Friday – Piazza 4, Dice Room – 10am. Polyhedron Collider Live  Learn more about the Expo here:  UK Games Expo Official Site  Check out Rory's full UKGE Most Anticipated Games GeekList: UKGE Most Anticipated Games GeekList  Whether you're attending UKGE 2026 in person or following along from home, this episode is your essential guide to the biggest upcoming games and hobby highlights from the UK tabletop scene. Let us know what we've missed, over on our [Discord server]!   Podcast Contents 00:07:51 Bunny Kingdom Town 00:10:06 Enormity  00:14:00 Behind the Lens: Photographing Earth, Earth Express, and Earth Animal Kingdoms 00:17:44 Akropolis Pantheon expansion 00:21:21 Prague Unseen  and Night at the Zoo 00:24:00 Three Kobolds in a Trenchcoat 00:26:58 Pivot and Container 00:30:30 Lost in the Woods and Foxglove Farm 00:34:31 All's Well that Ends 00:37:32 Thieves of Eldris 00:40:22 Almighty 00:42:29 1975 White Christmas and L'oaf 00:47:04 Drillers 00:49:03 Berlin: 1960, Gaudi, Shugendo     00:54:45 8 Dragons  00:56:59 12 rivers 00:61:44 Infinity: Operation Mazebreaker and Intelliwar: Accession To The Throne 00:61:19 Ringyō 00:64:53 Epochs 00:66:47 Mariners ⭐Show Sponsor: E Toys World When you sign up to an account with E Toys World use this link [https://www.etoysworld.co.uk/discount/PHC10] to bag yourself a wee discount and help support the show.  Let's face it, you were going to buy a board game anyway

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Dr. Tim Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of experiencing love in our spiritual journey—a subject that deeply resonates within our Christian community. Along the path of faith, there are moments when seeking love and experiencing deep connections with others becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us toward the fulfillment of our spiritual aspirations. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to discover boundless love and a renewed sense of purpose in our journey. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in cultivating love and deep connections on their spiritual journey, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for love within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of experiencing love in our spiritual aspirations and discovering the extraordinary sense of connection that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Daily Morning Prayer (5/21/26): from Trinity Anglican Church (Connersville, IN) Psalm 105; 2 Kings 24; Matthew 19; Metrical Psalms 24:1-4, and a brief reading from the Books of Homilies1 This spacious earth is all the Lord's, the Lord's her fullness is. The world, and they that dwell therein, by sov'reign right are his. 2 He framed and fixed it on the seas, and his Almighty hand Upon inconstant floods has made the stable fabric stand. 3 But for himself this Lord of all one chosen seat designed; O! who shall to that sacred hill desired admittance find! 4 The man whose hands and heart are pure, whose thoughts from pride are free; Who honest poverty prefers to gainful perjury. If you find this ministry edifying, please consider making a one-time donation or becoming a regular contributor here: https://trinityconnersville.com/give/To read along, visit: https://ie.dailyoffice1662.com/To sing along with the Brady and Tate Metrical Psalter, visit: https://www.friendsofsabbath.org/cgmusic.com/workshop/newver_frame.htmTo own a Bible, visit: https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com/product/kjv-center-column-reference-bible-with-apocrypha/

Daily Morning Prayer (5/21/26): from Trinity Anglican Church (Connersville, IN) Psalm 105; 2 Kings 24; Matthew 19; Metrical Psalms 24:1-4, and a brief reading from the Books of Homilies1 This spacious earth is all the Lord's, the Lord's her fullness is. The world, and they that dwell therein, by sov'reign right are his. 2 He framed and fixed it on the seas, and his Almighty hand Upon inconstant floods has made the stable fabric stand. 3 But for himself this Lord of all one chosen seat designed; O! who shall to that sacred hill desired admittance find! 4 The man whose hands and heart are pure, whose thoughts from pride are free; Who honest poverty prefers to gainful perjury. If you find this ministry edifying, please consider making a one-time donation or becoming a regular contributor here: https://trinityconnersville.com/give/To read along, visit: https://ie.dailyoffice1662.com/To sing along with the Brady and Tate Metrical Psalter, visit: https://www.friendsofsabbath.org/cgmusic.com/workshop/newver_frame.htmTo own a Bible, visit: https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com/product/kjv-center-column-reference-bible-with-apocrypha/

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Dr. Tim Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of experiencing divine absolution—a concept that deeply resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are moments when seeking absolution and finding solace in God's love becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only strengthen our faith but also rekindle our connections with others, guiding us toward the realization of our innermost spiritual yearnings. The unwavering truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate capacity to discover absolution, renewing our sense of hope and purpose along our sacred path. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in experiencing divine absolution on their spiritual journey, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative voyage of faith and resilience, firmly grounded in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for absolution within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of experiencing divine absolution and discovering the extraordinary love that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Dr. Tim Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of cultivating love within our Christian community—a journey that deeply resonates with our spiritual souls. Throughout our walk of faith, there are moments when nurturing love and experiencing profound connections with one another become a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also breathe new life into our relationships, guiding us towards our individual dreams. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we possess the innate capacity to kindle love, uncovering fresh hope and purpose in our spiritual journey. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on a heartfelt exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in fostering love and deep connections along their path of faith, we extend a sincere invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a journey of spiritual growth and resilience, firmly rooted in the enduring presence of the Divine. Let us collectively embrace the incredible potential for love within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture towards a profound understanding of nurturing love within our Christian community and discovering the extraordinary sense of connection that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you be physically delivered but still spiritually trapped? In Part 2 of the powerful series, Behold the Army of God, Pastor Mark Stroud exposes "The Lust Trap"—the hidden baggage that has the power to sabotage your destiny, steal your blessings, and change the entire trajectory of your life. ​When the children of Israel miraculously marched out of the land of Egypt, they left with absolute health, wealth, and the supernatural backing of the Almighty. God had completely broken their physical chains. Yet, as they journeyed toward the Promised Land, many carried a deadly secret in their bags: the literal and spiritual idols of Egypt. ​They left the land of slavery, but they brought the culture of slavery with them. ​In this message, we unpack exactly how these hidden idols hindered Israel's relationship with God, led them directly into sin, and brought avoidable misery and pain into their lives. More importantly, Pastor Mark shares critical, biblical keys on how we can identify and avoid these modern-day "lust traps" in our own lives today so we don't block the blessings God has engineered for us. ​

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Dr. Tim Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of nurturing love within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are moments when cultivating love and deepening our connections becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us toward a deeper understanding of divine love. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to foster love, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in nurturing love and strengthening their spiritual bonds, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for love within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of nurturing love within our spiritual aspirations and discovering the extraordinary sense of love that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With deep appreciation to the Almighty for all that He has bestowed upon us, I am happy to share that Chaya and I we are blessed with a healthy baby boy this past week. Thank God, mom and the baby are doing phenomenal. On Friday night, the community was invited to our house for a […]

Is the Jezebel spirit alive in today’s church? In this eye-opening teaching, Michael Rood exposes how spiritual leaders manipulate authority, ignore sin, and misuse the name of the Almighty to protect their positions. Just as Jezebel seized power in ancient Israel, the same pattern may be unfolding in modern churches and Messianic congregations. This is a direct call to repentance for pastors, teachers, and believers. Are leaders protecting truth—or themselves? Join this channel to get access to perks: / @aroodawakening Watch more on the Michael Rood TV App! https://bit.ly/2X9oN9h Join us on ANY social media platform! https://aroodawakening.tv/community/s... Your Donation keeps these videos going! Thank you! https://aroodawakening.tv/donate/ Support us by visiting our store! https://roodstore.com/ Support us with purchases on Amazon!* https://amzn.to/3pJu9cC Have Questions? Ask us Here! https://aroodawakening.tv/support/con... "PLEASE NOTE: This is an affiliate link. This means that, at zero cost to you, A Rood Awakening! International will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arnold Allen got back in the win column by spoiling the first UFC main event spot for Melquizael Costa with fantastic showing int the main event of UFC Vegas 117. After his much-needed victory, where does "Almighty" go in the absolutely loaded featherweight division? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee put on the matchmaking hats following the UFC's latest Fight Night event, and discuss what's next for Allen after his win over Costa? Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Doo Ho Choi after his Fight of the Night stoppage win over Daniel Santos, Juan Diaz following his finish win over Malcolm Wellmaker, along with fellow main card winners Modestas Bukauskas, Bernardo Sopaj, Khaos Williams, and more. Plus, some listener suggestions and thoughts on the MVP MMA event on Saturday. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arnold Allen got back in the win column by spoiling the first UFC main event spot for Melquizael Costa with fantastic showing int the main event of UFC Vegas 117. After his much-needed victory, where does "Almighty" go in the absolutely loaded featherweight division? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee put on the matchmaking hats following the UFC's latest Fight Night event, and discuss what's next for Allen after his win over Costa? Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Doo Ho Choi after his Fight of the Night stoppage win over Daniel Santos, Juan Diaz following his finish win over Malcolm Wellmaker, along with fellow main card winners Modestas Bukauskas, Bernardo Sopaj, Khaos Williams, and more. Plus, some listener suggestions and thoughts on the MVP MMA event on Saturday. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Dr. Tim Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of embracing love within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are moments when experiencing love and sharing it becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us toward a deeper connection with one another. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to express and receive love, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in embracing love along their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for love within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of embracing love and discovering the extraordinary sense of connection that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arnold Allen got back in the win column by spoiling the first UFC main event spot for Melquizael Costa with fantastic showing int the main event of UFC Vegas 117. After his much-needed victory, where does "Almighty" go in the absolutely loaded featherweight division? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee put on the matchmaking hats following the UFC's latest Fight Night event, and discuss what's next for Allen after his win over Costa? Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Doo Ho Choi after his Fight of the Night stoppage win over Daniel Santos, Juan Diaz following his finish win over Malcolm Wellmaker, along with fellow main card winners Modestas Bukauskas, Bernardo Sopaj, Khaos Williams, and more. Plus, some listener suggestions and thoughts on the MVP MMA event on Saturday. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan, a student from our youth ministry at New Vision Church in Fayetteville, Georgia, walks through what Scripture actually says about testing every spirit, seeking God first, and why information is not the same thing as wisdom. The question he ends with is worth carrying with you: what are you trusting most — the algorithm or the Almighty?In a time when AI can produce sermons, prophecies, and spiritual-sounding content indistinguishable from the real thing, discernment isn't a bonus skill for believers. It's a requirement. The method of deception hasn't changed since Genesis — it's just faster now and harder to spot.New Vision Church — Fayetteville, GeorgiaA community to belong, be loved, and believe.newvisionc.com | @nvcnextgen

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of receiving blessings in our spiritual journey—a theme that profoundly resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual path, there are moments when we long for God's blessings and desire to experience His divine favor. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us toward our individual dreams. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to receive His blessings, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in receiving God's blessings along their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for blessings within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of receiving God's blessings and discovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A question I am learning to ask for so many reasons…. Psalms 91:1 says – "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." So the question again is where am I? In any given moment how I am feeling inside is a gigantic indicator, Jesus gave such an understanding of prayer we will run to on Today's Christian Car Guy Show.

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the essential theme of providing for our spiritual aspirations—a pursuit that profoundly resonates within our Christian community. Along our spiritual journey, there are moments when extending support and nurturing these aspirations becomes a paramount goal. These moments not only strengthen our faith but also nurture our relationships, propelling us toward our individual dreams. The enduring truth remains unwavering: with the Lord as our constant guide, we have the inherent capacity to fulfill these aspirations, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we set out to explore this transformative human experience. For those seeking guidance in provision for their spiritual aspirations along their faith journey, we warmly invite you to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for providing for our spiritual aspirations within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of providing for our spiritual aspirations and discovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Let God arise!" the people of Israel used to sing. "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee before Him," is the rest of the verse from Psalm 68. Well, today we'll look at the joyful moment when the Almighty answers that prayer. We'll move quickly through the middle chapters of Revelation, but we'll start with chapter 9, verse 18. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS05152026_0.mp3Scripture References: Revelation 9-16

The Battle of Gog and Magog Ezekiel 38:1-3 “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.” This chosen text from the opening verses of Ezekiel chapter 38 serves as the foundation for our exposition of the battle of Gog and Magog. The prophecy spans Ezekiel 38 and 39, two chapters that form a unified oracle delivered by the prophet during the Babylonian exile. Ezekiel, whose name means “God strengthens,” was a priest carried into captivity in 597 B.C. alongside King Jehoiachin. His ministry, spanning roughly 593 to 571 B.C., addressed both the judgment upon Judah and the future restoration of God's people.    In these chapters, the Lord shifts from messages of immediate hope and restoration (as seen in Ezekiel 36–37) to a dramatic foretelling of an end-times invasion that will demonstrate His sovereign power over the nations.    The prophecy is set explicitly “in the latter years” and “latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8, 16), pointing to a future period when Israel has been regathered to her land.   By historical geography and biblical genealogy, we understand and believe Gog to be the leader of Russia and Magog as the country itself—Russia. This aligns with a careful reading of the ancient names in light of biblical genealogy, historical geography, and etymological connections preserved in early sources.    The prophecy is not vague symbolism but a specific geopolitical forecast involving a northern power and its allies descending upon a restored Israel.  The structure of the prophecy unfolds in clear stages. Here are the pertinent details presented as bullet points in the order they appear in the biblical text, each accompanied by its primary scripture reference: The divine summons to prophesy against Gog of Magog: The Lord commands Ezekiel to set his face against “Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” and to declare God's opposition (Ezekiel 38:1-3).   God's sovereign control over the invasion force: The Lord declares He will “turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,” drawing forth Gog and his vast army of horses, horsemen, and fully armed troops (Ezekiel 38:4).   The composition of the multinational coalition: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya join with shield and helmet; Gomer and the house of Togarmah from the north quarters come with all their bands, along with “many people” (Ezekiel 38:5-6).   • The command to prepare for battle: Gog and his company are told to be prepared and to act as a guard for the assembled forces (Ezekiel 38:7). The precise timing of the invasion: “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them” (Ezekiel 38:8).   The nature and scale of the assault: The invaders ascend “like a storm” and cover the land “like a cloud,” with Gog and all his bands and many people (Ezekiel 38:9).   The evil thought that motivates the attack: At that time, thoughts will arise in Gog's mind: “I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey…” (Ezekiel 38:10-12).   • The inquiry of observing nations: Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish with their young lions question the invaders' intent to seize spoil, silver, gold, cattle, and goods (Ezekiel 38:13). The confirmation of Israel's security at the time of attack: When God's people Israel dwell safely, Gog will know it (Ezekiel 38:14).   The geographic origin and military character of the force: Gog comes “from thy place out of the north parts,” with many people riding upon horses—a great company and a mighty army (Ezekiel 38:15).   • The divine purpose behind the invasion: God Himself brings Gog against His land so that “the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes” (Ezekiel 38:16). The ancient prophetic witness: God asks whether Gog is the one spoken of “in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel” (Ezekiel 38:17).   The unleashing of divine fury: When Gog comes against the land of Israel, God's fury rises; a great shaking occurs in the land (Ezekiel 38:18-19).   • The cosmic and terrestrial convulsions: All creatures shake at God's presence; mountains are thrown down, steep places fall, and every wall collapses (Ezekiel 38:20). Internal chaos and supernatural judgments: God calls for a sword against Gog throughout the mountains; every man's sword turns against his brother; pestilence, blood, overflowing rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone fall upon the invaders (Ezekiel 38:21-22).   The magnification of God's name: Through these acts, God magnifies and sanctifies Himself so that many nations know “that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 38:23).     Turning to Ezekiel 39, the prophecy continues without break, detailing the complete destruction and its aftermath:   The repeated address and partial decimation: God again declares Himself against Gog and will turn him back, leaving only a sixth part, bringing him upon the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 39:1-2).   The disarmament and slaughter of the army: God smites the bow from Gog's left hand and causes arrows to fall from his right; Gog and all his bands fall upon the mountains of Israel and are given to ravenous birds and beasts (Ezekiel 39:3-5).   Fire sent upon Magog and the isles: God sends fire on Magog and those dwelling carelessly in the isles (Ezekiel 39:6).   The sanctification of God's holy name in Israel: The Lord makes His name known in the midst of Israel and prevents further pollution; the heathen know He is “the Holy One in Israel” (Ezekiel 39:7).   The declaration that the day has come: “Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord God; this is the day whereof I have spoken” (Ezekiel 39:8).     The seven-year burning of weapons: Israel's inhabitants burn the shields, bucklers, bows, arrows, handstaves, and spears for seven years, using no wood from field or forest (Ezekiel 39:9-10).   The burial of the multitude: Gog and his multitude receive a place of graves in Israel—the valley of the passengers east of the sea, called the valley of Hamon-gog; it stops the noses of passersby (Ezekiel 39:11).   The seven-month cleansing process: The house of Israel buries them for seven months to cleanse the land; all the people participate, and men are employed continually to search and bury remains; a city is named Hamonah (Ezekiel 39:12-16).   The call to the great sacrificial feast: God commands every fowl and beast to assemble for a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the mighty, princes, rams, lambs, goats, bullocks, horses, chariots, and mighty men (Ezekiel 39:17-20).   The global recognition of God's glory: Through this judgment, God sets His glory among the heathen; the house of Israel knows He is the Lord their God from that day forward (Ezekiel 39:21-22).   The explanation to the nations: The heathen learn that Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, but God now hides His face no longer and pours out His Spirit upon the house of Israel (Ezekiel 39:23-29).     This ordered sequence reveals a meticulously orchestrated drama in which human aggression serves divine purpose. Let us now develop these details more fully, verse by verse and concept by concept, so that the exposition remains clear yet grounded in scholarly observation.   The opening command in Ezekiel 38:1-3 is striking in its directness. The Hebrew phrase “set thy face against” (sim paneyka) is a technical prophetic expression used elsewhere in Ezekiel to denote focused opposition (see Ezekiel 4:3; 6:2).    Gog is not merely a title but the personal name of the leader; Magog is the land—identified here as Russia. Scholarly support for this draws first from Genesis 10:2, where Magog appears in the Table of Nations as a son of Japheth.      The first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus explicitly links the descendants of Magog to the Scythians, a fierce nomadic people inhabiting the region north of the Black Sea and Caucasus Mountains—the very territory that became southern Russia.    Early Greek writers such as Hesiod (7th century B.C.) made the same identification. The phrase “chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” further specifies the geographic origin.    The Hebrew “nasi rosh” is best rendered “prince of Rosh,” where “Rosh” is widely understood by many expositors as an ancient designation for the people who later became known as Russians (the name “Rus” appearing in 10th-century sources). Meshech and Tubal, also Japhethite descendants, are associated with regions that later developed into areas around Moscow and Tobolsk.    Thus, the leader Gog emerges from the far northern power of Russia, heading a coalition that includes ancient names now corresponding to modern Iran (Persia), parts of Africa (Ethiopia/Cush and Libya/Put), and northern allies (Gomer and Togarmah, often linked to regions in modern Turkey).     God's control is absolute: “I will put hooks into thy jaws” (Ezekiel 38:4).    This vivid metaphor, drawn from ancient Assyrian and Egyptian practices of leading captives with hooks through the lip or nose, underscores that even the most powerful ruler moves only at the sovereign direction of the Lord.  The army is described with military precision—horses, horsemen, bucklers, shields, swords—reflecting the cavalry-heavy forces of ancient northern steppe peoples, yet the language accommodates any future mechanized equivalent. The coalition's preparation (Ezekiel 38:7) is ironic; they ready themselves, yet they are merely instruments.   The timing is critical and repeated for emphasis: “in the latter years” and “latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8, 16).    Israel must first be “brought back from the sword” and “gathered out of many people” to dwell “safely” on the mountains once waste (Ezekiel 38:8).    This regathering, described in Ezekiel 36–37 as a national resurrection, has its modern counterpart in the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral land. At that moment of apparent security—unwalled villages, no bars or gates (Ezekiel 38:11)—Gog conceives an “evil thought” of plunder.    The motive is economic and strategic: spoil, prey, cattle, goods, silver, and gold (Ezekiel 38:12-13). Observing merchant nations (Sheba, Dedan, Tarshish) question but do not intervene, highlighting the isolation of the attack.   The invasion route is unmistakable: “out of the north parts” (Ezekiel 38:15; 39:2). In biblical geography, “the north” (tsaphon) frequently denotes the direction of ultimate threat (Jeremiah 1:14; 4:6), and from Israel's perspective, the extreme north aligns precisely with Russia's latitude. The force is massive—“a cloud to cover the land” (Ezekiel 38:9, 16)—emphasizing overwhelming numbers.   Yet the true actor is the Lord Himself. He brings Gog against His land precisely “that the heathen may know me” (Ezekiel 38:16). The prophecy echoes earlier oracles (Ezekiel 38:17), indicating this event fulfills long-standing warnings. When the attack begins, divine fury erupts (Ezekiel 38:18).      The “great shaking” (ra'ash) is both literal earthquake and cosmic upheaval (Ezekiel 38:19-20), reminiscent of theophanies at Sinai and in the prophets. Internal confusion turns the invaders' weapons against themselves (Ezekiel 38:21), while supernatural plagues—pestilence, blood, rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone—complete the rout (Ezekiel 38:22). The purpose is unambiguous: “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations” (Ezekiel 38:23).   Chapter 39 intensifies the judgment. Only a sixth part survives the initial onslaught (Ezekiel 39:2). The army falls on Israel's mountains and open field, becoming food for birds and beasts—a reversal of the sacrificial imagery used against Israel earlier in the book (Ezekiel 39:4-5). Fire falls on Magog itself and the “isles” (coastal or distant lands), signaling global repercussions (Ezekiel 39:6). Israel's seven-year burning of weapons (Ezekiel 39:9-10) and seven-month burial operation (Ezekiel 39:11-16) portray the totality of victory and the thorough cleansing of the land. The valley of Hamon-gog (“the multitude of Gog”) and the city Hamonah become monuments to the defeat. The great sacrificial feast (Ezekiel 39:17-20) echoes the language of Isaiah 34 and Revelation 19, portraying the invaders' destruction as a divine banquet for creation.   The theological climax is restoration and recognition. Israel knows the Lord is their God from that day forward (Ezekiel 39:22), and the nations understand the reason for past captivity and the reality of present divine intervention (Ezekiel 39:23-29). The outpouring of the Spirit seals the renewal.   In summary, this prophecy reveals the Lord's absolute sovereignty over history. A Russian-led coalition, drawn irresistibly southward in the latter days against a restored and apparently secure Israel, meets catastrophic judgment on the mountains of Israel. The event is not the final battle of history (that occurs later, after a thousand years, in Revelation 20:7-9), but a distinct pre-millennial demonstration that the God of Israel alone is Lord.    The details—names, geography, timing, motives, and judgments—cohere with remarkable precision when read in their plain, grammatical-historical sense. The prophecy calls every reader to recognize the God who controls nations, judges evil, and restores His people.        It stands as both warning and comfort: no alliance, however vast or northerly, can thwart the purposes of the Almighty.

On May 4, President Trump issued a proclamation which reads: In special honor of 250 glorious years of American independence and on the weekend of Rededicate 250—a national jubilee of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving—Jewish Americans are encouraged to observe a national Sabbath. From sundown on May 15 to nightfall on May 16, friends, families, and communities of all backgrounds may come together in gratitude for our great Nation. This day will recognize the sacred Jewish tradition of setting aside time for rest, reflection, and gratitude to the Almighty.  It is worth pausing on what an astonishing thing that is. For most of Jewish history, when the most powerful ruler in the world turned his attention to the Jews, it was not to encourage their devotion to Jewish law. It was to constrain the Jews, to tax them, to suppress them, to expel them, or to put an end to the miraculous story of the Jews in history. So did Pharaoh, Antiochus, Hadrian, the kings of England and Spain, and the tsars. Even more benign monarchs—the Habsburg emperors, or Napoleon—conditioned the protections of civic life on the Jews giving up some of their distinctiveness. America is exceptional. And now, in the year of America's 250th birthday, the incumbent of the most powerful office on earth has issued a formal proclamation encouraging the Jews to be more Jewish. To discuss this momentous occurrence, Mosaic's editor Jonathan Silver is joined by the historian, writer, former government official, and Washington insider Tevi Troy, who recently wrote an article titled, "A National Sabbath for American Jews." The article appeared on May 14, 2026 in the Wall Street Journal, and is the point of departure for today's discussion.

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, guided by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of pursuing our spiritual aspirations—a journey that deeply resonates within our Christian community. Along our spiritual path, there are moments when the pursuit of our goals and the relentless quest for personal growth take center stage. These moments not only nurture our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us towards our individual dreams. The unwavering truth remains steadfast: with the Lord as our constant guide, we possess the inherent capacity to chase after these aspirations, unearthing renewed hope and purpose in our pilgrimage. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we set out on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in chasing their spiritual aspirations along their faith journey, we warmly invite you to discover the Pray.com app. By downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, firmly rooted in the unshakable presence of the Divine. Let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for pursuit within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We welcome you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture towards a profound understanding of pursuing our spiritual aspirations and discovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of freedom in our spiritual journey—a topic that deeply resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our quest for spiritual growth, there are moments when the pursuit of personal freedom becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us toward our individual dreams. The comforting truth remains steadfast: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we possess the innate ability to embrace this freedom, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in finding spiritual freedom along their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for freedom within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of achieving spiritual freedom and discovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is reported that the Arizal made a point of reciting all the prayers quietly, without raising his voice – even the chapters of Tehillim recited in the Pesukeh De'zimra section. He felt that praying in a low, subdued voice reflected awe, fear and humility, which is the appropriate manner in which to stand in prayer before the Almighty. On Shabbat, he raised his voice somewhat during the prayers as an expression of honor for the special sanctity of Shabbat. Nevertheless, there are those who recite the prayers (besides the Amida, which must be recited quietly) out loud and with great emotion and enthusiasm. Hacham Ovadia Yosef writes that this is allowed if this helps a person pray with greater Kavana (concentration). Ultimately, he says, a person should pray in a manner that helps him serve G-d to the best of his ability. However, those who pray out loud to enhance their Kavana must ensure that their prayers do not disturb the people around them, for if they do, then the benefits of their Kavana are offset by the harm caused to other people's prayers.

In this compelling episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of redemption in the context of our Christian community. Along our spiritual journey, there arise moments when the pursuit of redemption becomes a fervent longing. These instances not only deepen our faith but also rejuvenate our relationships, propelling us closer to our individual dreams. The reassuring truth endures: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we possess the inherent capacity to find redemption, unveiling renewed hope and purpose in our pilgrimage. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on a journey to explore this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in the quest for redemption along their path of faith, we extend a warm invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, firmly anchored in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for redemption within ourselves, discovering limitless inspiration and strength as we navigate our shared spiritual journey.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound theme of finding salvation in our spiritual journey—an endeavor that profoundly resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our path of faith, there are moments when seeking salvation and experiencing divine grace becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us toward our individual dreams of eternal salvation. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to attain this salvation, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek guidance in finding salvation on their path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for salvation within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of achieving our spiritual aspirations and discovering the extraordinary sense of salvation that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we explore the profound theme of seeking favor within our Christian community—an endeavor that deeply resonates in our spiritual journey. Throughout our walk of faith, there are moments when receiving divine favor and experiencing the gracious blessings of the Lord becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also strengthen our relationships, propelling us towards our individual dreams. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we possess the innate ability to attain His favor, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those who seek divine favor in their spiritual journey along the path of faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, deeply rooted in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for favor within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1905 a scruffy young man holed up in his apartment in Bern, Switzerland, engaging in complex thought experiments regarding the nature of the universe. With frenzied focus, the physicist worked and reworked his calculations. Four mind-crunching months later, this man had rewritten much of what was known about how the world works. The man was Albert Einstein. He was twenty-six. The year 1905 is now famously called “the miracle year,” the moment Einstein peered into God’s design of the universe. Yet despite possessing a great scientific mind, Einstein said, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” The Bible frequently points to the majesty of God reflected in His creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1), and Job predated Einstein’s words: “Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens” (Job 11:7–8). But God’s creation glory is even greater than the expanse of universes: “In the beginning was the Word. . . .The Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). There are no mathematical calculations that can explain God’s extraordinary act of entering humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. God is not just “out there” in a universe we cannot begin to know, but He’s here alongside us, the Word among us, the light of life (1:4) whom we can know personally and intimately. When Christ was born in Bethlehem, that was the true “miracle year.”