Podcasts about Almighty

Step into a realm of enlightenment through the latest Meditative Prayers Podcast episode, gently guided by Zach Clinton. This edition invites us on a profound journey, unveiling the art of embracing each day with both grace and purpose. Within the intricate tapestry of our faith expedition, we encounter moments where the weight of life's trials threatens to cast shadows upon our path. Yet, take solace in the knowledge that with the unwavering companionship of the Divine, we possess the innate ability to transcend adversity and discover renewed strength. Join us as we glean wisdom from the timeless words of John 14:27 in the revered King James Version, diving into its profound teachings to navigate and transcend moments of vulnerability. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Step into another captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers Podcast, expertly guided by Zach Clinton. In this edition, embark on a journey of transformation, delving into the art of embracing each day with grace and purpose. Amidst the intricate fabric of our journey in faith, we encounter moments where the burdens of life's trials loom, threatening to obscure our path. Yet, find comfort in knowing that with the Lord steadfastly by our side, we possess the inherent capacity to transcend adversity and uncover newfound resilience. Join us as we glean insights from the timeless verses of Psalm 147:3, as found in the revered King James Version. Together, we will explore these profound teachings, navigating and transcending moments of vulnerability with wisdom and grace. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to another enlightening episode of the Meditative Prayers Podcast. Join us as Zach Clinton expertly guides you through a transformative journey, revealing the profound art of embracing each day with grace and purpose. In the intricate tapestry of our faith expedition, we often encounter moments where life's trials threaten to cast shadows on our path, leading to feelings of anxiety and vulnerability. Amidst these challenges, find solace in the unwavering companionship of the Divine. Together, we will discover the inherent strength to rise above adversity and experience true comfort. In this episode, we draw inspiration from the timeless words of John 11:35, delving deeply into profound wisdom. Join us as we navigate and transcend moments of vulnerability, finding enduring comfort and renewed strength through the power of faith. Tune in to this soul-nourishing session, tailored for those seeking guidance on conquering anxiety and finding solace in the embrace of faith. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Step into another captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers Podcast, where Zach Clinton's thoughtful guidance leads the way. This edition initiates a journey of transformation, unveiling the skill of embracing each day with both grace and purpose. Amidst the complex mosaic of our spiritual voyage, we encounter junctures where the burdens of life's trials loom, threatening to dim our path. Yet, find reassurance in the awareness that with the Lord as our steadfast companion, an inherent capability resides within us to ascend beyond challenges, unearthing revitalized resilience. Join our exploration, as we extract insight from the ageless verses of Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 in the esteemed King James Version. This immersive exploration delves into profound teachings, facilitating navigation and elevation beyond moments of fragility. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week we started a two-part mini-series called, Do You Know Who We Are? And if you missed the message, you can hear it online when you go to … Moody Presents DOT o-r-g.! And while you’re there, be sure to bookmark the page so you can return at any time to hear Mark’s past programs, or to keep updated on our current resources like the book Approaching the Almighty: 100 Prayers of A. W. Tozer. But, right now, let’s turn our attention to today’s message from Mark Jobe. We’re starting in First Peter 2:9-12 …Become part of our Advance Team: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/moodypresents/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This teaching is taken from Proverbs 9:10-11 and teaches you about extending your life. If you have any questions, or you would like to share how our teachings have affected your life, please email us or visit us at rejoicingheart.net God bless you! Rob and Donna Rejoice In You From the Integrity Music Release One, featuring Planetshakers Ministries Int'l ©2009 Planetshakers Publishing (APRA) (admin. By Music Services, www.musicservices.org) All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Proverbs 9:10-11 (KJV) 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. 1 Kings 3:12 (KJV) 12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. Proverbs 1:7 (KJV) 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 4:7 (KJV) 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Hosea 4:6 (KJV) 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. James 1:17 (KJV) 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. John 10:10 (KJV) 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Psalm 91:16 (KJV) 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psalm 91:1 (KJV) 1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Proverbs 3:7-8 (KJV) 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Proverbs 4:20-22 (KJV) 20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Deuteronomy 34:1 (KJV) 1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, Deuteronomy 34:7 (KJV) 7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. Proverbs 10:27 (KJV) 27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

On this week's Keepin It Real, Cam realizes that he really had no choice over what he gave up for Lent - it was given to him and he's not happy about it.  ----- Our new puppy continues to rule the house and my life. She was trained by the breeder to urinate on a pee pad which is exactly what it sounds like – an absorbent mat for dogs to urinate on indoors. At our house, that means the carpet. She'll trot off the hardwood floors, pass the open back door to find the Persian rug and squat and look at me with an expression of "look how good I am!" Meanwhile the whole yard in available to her. Making this a bit more challenging is, as I write this, my wife is in Raleigh with her parents, and my twins are in the throes of their senior year of high school which means friends are greater than puppies. That leaves me. I find myself explaining to the puppy why a yard is better than a rug to leave her mark. Her expression is, well, skeptical. As I write this it is my deceased mother's birthday, giving me a solemn feeling and I learned today that I had volunteered to spend the night with my father after his knee surgery helping him dress and get to the bathroom and all that. All this leads me to this – apparently, I gave up happiness for Lent. I don't remember choosing this. I think it was put upon me by the Almighty. And it has started out strong, I must say. I can only hope it's easier from here on out. I mentioned my Lenten happiness sacrifice to a friend and he paused and said, "Yeah, but Cam, is that truly a sacrifice for you? I mean, is that really much of a change?" which stung a bit and made me unhappy. However, considering that I've committed to unhappiness for lent, I thanked him. In order to maintain my commitment, I plan to do the following until Easter: First, I will read the headlines and scroll through social media within five minutes of opening my eyes each morning. This will set the unhappiness expectations for the rest of the day. If something that I've seen or read gives me lift, I'll immediately add flavored creamer to my coffee which will return me to my targeted Lenten disposition. Next, I'll list all my unachievable goals and list everything I've ever wanted to own and don't own. I'll read the lists aloud each day. Third, I'll live in the past and recall my regrets and worry about the future and the bad things that will certainly befall me. That's a good one. Happiness evaporates when you do that. Works every time. Fourth, I'll become an Auburn fan. Fifth, I'll beg my sons to get a haircut. If I run out of ideas and find myself slipping into happiness, there are a few of you I know I can call to get me right. You seem to have mastered unhappiness. Not only are your cups half empty, your cups are full of holes. Normally I avoid you but until Easter, I'll need your help. I'm Cam Marston and I'm just trying to keep it real.

Episode Summary: Trials and crises are inevitable. Jesus warned us they would come. While we cannot choose the trials we face, we can choose how we respond to them and look at them as opportunities to grow and learn more about God. In this episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, I am joined by Lynne Rienstra, author of the inspiring book Sacred Refuge: Finding Unexpected Shelter in Your Crisis. Lynne shares how her personal life crisis became a gateway to discovering God’s indestructible shelter. Through her book, she introduces women to a sacred sisterhood that unites modern and biblical stories of overcoming fear, loss, debt, and loneliness. Together, we explore how God’s love and compassion provide a soul-safe refuge, even in the midst of the most difficult challenges. Quotables from the episode: When COVID hit and like a lot of people, I just kind of went under fear. And after a week of not sleeping well, not eating well, kind of like what's happening and what's coming, I said, "This is crazy. "I am a blood bought and beloved child of the living God. "I am not going to let the enemy have any more time in my headspace or my spirit. And it was a time to boot him out and say, “you're done. I will not live in fear.” The Bible actually says, do not fear 365 times, right? One for every day of the year. And that was over. And then I started realizing if I'm dealing with fear, maybe other women are dealing with fear and struggling to find this safe refuge in who God is for us. This is an invitation, as you mentioned, for women to come out of hiding, which is what fear, of course, puts us in, and into a soul -safe place that Jesus has built for us in the gospel. He is so good and so powerful he can actually use the worst of circumstances for our good, which is to draw us to himself and to make us more like Jesus. I've learned how to do this over the years, to identify his lies. And then because he's a liar and the father of lies, you flip them and you begin to hear in scripture and in the voice of the Lord, the truth. So, all three persons of the Trinity have something very specific to tell me about who I am. And that means that his Father's heart is delighted in us. That's the invitation to take off the masks. That's the freedom that Jesus has purchased for us. Crisis comes with a gift. It's the gift nobody wants. I've had seasons of my life as a Christian speaker, as a pastor's wife, as a leader, all those things, where I'm just like, you know, I just want to veg out. I just want to take three hours and binge something on Netflix, or I just want to eat that half thing, a half carton of ice cream, or I just, I want to check out. And I call those my other lovers, the things I go to apart from Jesus, who is our first love, Revelation tells us, right? - Yes. - When we turn to those other lovers over anything, overeating, over drinking, working, busy -ness can be another lover. Scripture References: Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Isaiah 61:10 “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 49:16 “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…” Psalm 91:1-16 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague. He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon. Though a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will come near you. You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD your dwelling—my refuge, the Most High—no evil will befall you, no plague will approach your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent. “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him. When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.” Recommended Resources: Sacred Refuge: Finding Unexpected Shelter in Your Crisis by Lynne Rienstra Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Lynne Rienstra: Website / Instagram Connect with Dr. Bengtson: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Guest: Lynne Rienstra serves Samaritan’s Purse as a regional director and has seen crises up close through her travels. She recently navigated her own crisis through cancer. Trained in English at Smith College, she also holds a certificate in Spiritual Formation. Along with her callings as pastor’s wife, women’s event speaker, and writer, Lynne finds joy in traveling, family and friends. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Ashton Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If God is light, why does the Bible talk about His shadow? In Scripture, God's shadow isn't darkness - it's evidence of His nearness. A shadow only forms when something is close. Throughout the Psalms, we see that the shadow of the Almighty is a place of refuge, rest, and even joy. Today, we will learn how to dwell under God's shadow, which is the safest place to be!Support the show

Ben is joined by Malachi Ray Rempen to discuss Almighty.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/five-games-for-doomsday--5631121/support.Support the show here

Parshat Terumah:  Why And How Do We Build A Tabernacle?  -  English only.  The Scriptures command us to make a sanctuary for the Almighty. Why did God give us this commandment? How can we follow this mitzvah today?  Recorded February 22, 2026.

Revelation 15 ESV The Seven Angels with Seven Plagues15 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,“Great and amazing are your deeds,    O Lord God the Almighty!Just and true are your ways,    O King of the nations!4 Who will not fear, O Lord,    and glorify your name?For you alone are holy.    All nations will come    and worship you,for your righteous acts have been revealed.”5 After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, 6 and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, 8 and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.

Click here to WATCH LIVE STREAM Worship Service on our Youtube Channel. That You May Believe, Part 4 John 2:1-11   John 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 2:1-11 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:1-2 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.   John 2:3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”   John 2:4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”   John 2:6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.   John 2:7-8 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it.   John 2:9-10 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”   John 2:11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.   Jesus provides a new and better covenant.   Jeremiah 31:31-34 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Mark 14:22-24 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.   Jesus provides lasting purification. Mark 7:5-9 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!   Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.   Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high   Jesus provides unending joy.   1 John 1:1-4 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.   Mark 14:25 “Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”   Revelation 19:6-9 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”   Isaiah 55:1-3 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.”   Respond | Connect | Next Steps The post John: That You May Believe appeared first on Charleston Baptist Church.

A Sermon for the First Sunday in Lent Ephesians 2:1-10 by The Rev'd Dr. Matthew Colvin             Week after week, I see Pastor Bill preaching the Bible to you on Sundays, and I want to commend him to you. I'm not sure you are aware how rare it is to have a pastor who does his own translation work in the Hebrew and Greek, and who attempts, with diligence and great effort, to read the text of the Bible anew, divide it up properly, and serve it to you. What matters to Pastor Bill in his preaching to you is what the Bible actually says — the actual point of the gospels' stories, or the actual meaning of the prophecies of the prophets, or the actual meaning of Paul's arguments in his letters — not what famous theologians have used the Bible to say, or what scholastic medieval philosophy says it can and cannot mean, or the way modern self-help gurus can use Bible verses out of context to tell a very different story. If you attend to the words delivered from this pulpit, you are being trained to understand the Bible on its own terms, rather than watching as a slick speaker uses the Bible to express his own ideas. The story needs to be your story; you are to think of yourself as a child of Abraham, as a sharer in Israel's Messiah, as someone in covenant with Israel's God. Since it is the first Sunday in Lent, we are confronted with the very first episode of Jesus' public ministry after his baptism by John the Baptist. This story has much to teach us about Jesus' work as the Messiah, the nature of his sufferings, and ultimately, the way we ought to think about God Himself. I want to start by thinking about what it means when the Messiah goes into the desert. In Acts 21, when Paul is arrested in Jerusalem, the Roman centurion is surprised that he knows Greek: “Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?" -Acts 21:38 (I joke to my Greek students that knowing Greek is handy if you are ever suspected of being a terrorist.) In Acts 5, Gamaliel mentioned Judas of Galilee and Theudas, false messiahs who also started their rebellions against Rome by going out into the wilderness. Why do so many messiahs begin this way? Because they are attempting recapitulate of Israel's story. And the true Messiah also relives the story of Israel, embodying it in the events that happen to him: he has already gone down to Egypt to escape a tyrannical attempt to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem, much as Pharaoh tried to kill all the male Hebrew babies; he has already been baptized in the Jordan, as Paul says Israel was “baptized in the cloud and in the sea” of the Exodus; and now he goes into the Wilderness to be tempted for 40 days, as Israel was tempted for 40 years. Covenant history rhymes, as the saying goes. So that is why Jesus is in the desert. There remains explain why he is being tested, and how he resists that temptation, and what these things tell us about the Messiah and about God. We must recognize that Jesus resisted Satan's temptation as true man, as a matter of his messianic office. Jesus' self-understanding as the Messiah was in terms of the latter chapters of Isaiah, i.e. the suffering servant. This understanding of his calling is why he girded himself with a towel and washed his disciples' feet at the Last Supper; it is why he set his face like flint to go to Jerusalem; it is why he undertakes to drink the cup of suffering, and sheds sweat like drops of blood falling to the ground during his agonized prayer in Gethsemane. Being this kind of Messiah involved contradicting the expectations that other men had about what the Messiah would be like. When Jesus is on trial, the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate, for instance, asks him — in a question whose statement-like word order indicates incredulity — “You are the king of the Jews?” (that is the word order, sarcastic or incredulous), and then puts over his head a sign reading “Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews,” in three languages, so that everyone could get the joke. Pilate mocks Jewish pretensions to even have a king. That is why he refused to change the sign to say only “He claimed to be the king of the Jews.”  It is also why he also brings out Barabbas and asks the Jews, “Whom do you want me to give to you? Barabbas, or the king of the Jews?” Pilate is operating with the standard pagan understanding of kingship: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28) Pontius Pilate and the Romans were expecting someone taller, perhaps. Of course, Jesus could have met those expectations, as he told the soldiers who arrested him in Gethsemane: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53) It isn't that he couldn't just blow the Romans away with fire from heaven. But that is not his agenda. That is not what the Messiah has come to do. He has come “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus also has to correct the expectation of the Jews about what the Messiah is to be like — even the expectation of his own disciples! It is this self-understanding that makes Jesus tell his disciples in Mt 16:22-23 that “he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." Peter's suggestion that Jesus could be the Mesiah without suffering and dying is so inimical to Jesus' self-understanding and his mission that he calls Peter “Satan.” And rightly so, because what Peter is suggesting is pretty much of the same spirit as what Satan himself suggests in our gospel lesson this morning. So that is the background: Jesus as the true Israelite, the Messiah, is in the desert, not to lead a rebellion or a gang of terrorists, but to be tested as Israel was tested. Against all this background, we are ready to hear the words, both of Satan tempting, and of Jesus answering, and hear them with richer and fuller meaning — meaning not from Greek philosophy or self-help gurus or even systematic theologians, but rather, from the story of Israel. With his first temptation, Satan seeks to exploit Jesus' hunger: “The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written,  "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:3-4) Any of you who have ever been hangry know exactly why Satan is doing this. Jesus, no less than we, lived his earthly incarnate life in a body, and that body was subject to weakness. Jesus is not like Superman, so that bullets or nails would bounce off his skin. He was capable of suffering, and he did suffer. Satan is suggesting that Jesus should exploit his Messianic status — for that is what is meant by “If you are the Son of God” — and use it to avoid this suffering. Take your authority over all creation and use it to transform stones into bread. This is not a ridiculous suggestion. It is similar to Jesus' first miracle in John's gospel, where he turned water into wine for the wedding at Cana. But the aim of the action here would be quite different. Satan's meaning is basically the same as Peter's suggestion: “Suffer from hunger? Why put up with that? This shall never happen to you!” Jesus' answer is a quotation from Deuteronomy 8:3. (In fact, all three of Jesus' answers to Satan are from Deuteronomy. (Dt. 8:3, 6:16, and 6:13). That is, they are taken from Moses' instructions to Israel about how to live with the Lord. Jesus is the one who follows Deuteronomy's description of the faithful Israelite perfectly.) As so often, however, Jesus' quotations of the Old Testament are metaleptic —a fancy Greek word that means “takes along with it.” The idea here is that if I say, “We stand on guard for thee,” it would be a mistake for someone to try to understand that utterance merely by using a dictionary to look up “stand” and “guard” and so forth. The meaning of that phrase is rather to be found in the larger context of the Canadian national anthem as a whole, because that is how everyone who hears it will immediately start thinking in their minds: all the other verses will come flooding into your minds; you will perhaps recall occasions when you sang it: in school, or at sporting events; or watching a Olympic medal ceremony. Just so, when Jesus quotes the Old Testament, every Israelite hearer will not just think of the words he quotes; he will think also of the surrounding context, the story in which those words first occurred. So when we look at Deuteronomy 8:3, we should also think about the immediately preceding verse: "The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers. And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.” (Deuteronomy 8:1-2) And then it goes on to say, in the very next verse, “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) This is what Jesus has in mind: he has been in the wilderness for forty days, being humbled, being tested. He answers Satan from the very passage of Deuteronomy that has to do with his situation: it is about testing in the wilderness. He has been thinking about this verse for a while now. The tempter's second try is with a more showy possibility: Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,  "'He will command his angels concerning you,'  and  "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" -Matthew 4:6 This would be an impressive display! Who could fail to follow a Messiah who had made such a proof of divine power? Jesus had answered the first temptation by quoting Scripture. But the devil can quote Scripture for his purposes, so Satan appeals to lines from Psalm 91:11-12. And again, he knows what he is doing: at a time when Jesus feels alone, when he is in the desert, Satan tempts him with lines from that most comforting song: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” It is full of promises of God's protection and deliverance: in battle, from wild animals, from dangerous diseases. And yet it is singularly inappropriate for Jesus' messianic vocation: He has come to suffer and die. To avail himself of divine protection against these sufferings would be to deny his messiahship. So Jesus replies with words from Deuteronomy again. "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" -Matthew 4:7 This is from Deuteronomy 6, that chapter which contains the Shema, the single verse of the Torah that could be called the creed of Israel: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” It is the core chapter of the Torah about Israel's relationship with God. He has rescued her from Egypt and taken her to Himself to be His bride; at Mount Sinai, he has married her. But Israel was not faithful. She tested the Lord like a wife acting up to trying to make her husband angry. When there was no water to drink, Exodus 17 says, “Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?" (Exodus 17:2) The verb used here, and also by Jesus in Matthew 4:7, is πειράζω. Note well: Who was doing the testing in the wilderness for 40 years? Exodus and Deuteronomy say it clearly: Israel was testing YHWH. And thus, we may perceive some clever irony in Jesus' answer to Satan here. For Satan is called “the tempter,” and in Greek, that is nothing other than a participle form of this same verb πειράζω, literally, “the testing one.” So on the one hand, Jesus' quotation of Deuteronomy 6:16 could mean, “You are asking me to test God by throwing myself down from the Temple. I am not going to do it, because Moses warned Israel not to test God.” But it could also mean, “You are testing God, Satan.” Satan doesn't take the hint. He keeps on testing Jesus. There will be more attempts later, but the last temptation that Satan tries on Jesus in the wilderness is narrated like this: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." -Matthew 4:8-9 Why does Satan take him to a very high mountain? In the Bible, mountaintop scenes are real estate transactions. If I sell you this pen, it's simple enough: you put money in my hand, and I put the pen in yours, and you carry it away with you. But houses and land don't fit in your pocket. So we have other procedures. In our day, we get banks and notaries involved and sign a lot of documents. But in the ancient world, you took possession by inspecting the property after the transfer.  This is done in the case of Abram in Genesis 13:17: “Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” The same thing happens when Moses is about to die; in one sense, Moses doesn't get the promised land, because he dies before he can enter into it; but in another sense, God actually gives him the land, because he takes him up on a mountain and shows it to him, and this is the formal transfer of the land: “Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho; view the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession..” (Deuteronomy 32:49) Satan is attempting to use the same convention in Matthew 4:8. He is trying to get Jesus to make a deal, offering the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship. But Jesus has no need to make such a bargain, for God had already promised to give the Messiah everything Satan is offering, and Jesus, whose self-understanding as the Messiah is shaped by Isaiah's description of the suffering servant, knows it very well from Isaiah 49: The Lord says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6) He knows it also from Psalm 2: I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. Ask of God. Not of Satan. The nations belong to the Lord, not to Satan. Jesus has no intention of making a bargain to purchase what Satan wrongly claims to own. In Matthew 12, after the Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Satan, Jesus replies that, How can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. (Matthew 12:29) And he does plunder it. We see the result in Revelation 20: “And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer...” -Revelation 20:3 And as for the real estate deal Satan was trying to make, well, we see the end of that at the very end of Matthew's gospel. For the Great Commission too takes place on a mountain, and this setting seems significant, especially in light of Jesus' declaration that “all authority in heaven and earth” has been given to Him. This is a pointed contrast with Satan's lying statement, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.” (Luke 4:6 NKJV) Quite the contrary, Jesus, having refused Satan's bargain, and having bound him and plundered his goods, now bestows the kingdom on His disciples and takes possession of the nations by sending his disciples to teach and baptize them. I want to end by correcting three misapprehensions that some people might have about this story, which may prevent them from grasping what it teaches us about God. One mistake some have is that Jesus didn't really suffer in the wilderness; that His divine nature was smirking and unbothered by Satan's temptations aimed at his human nature; that all these things just rolled off of Jesus like water off a duck's back. We know this was not the case. Recall Gethsemane again, where Jesus begged the Father to “take this cup from me,” and his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood — drops of blood, not water off a duck's back. A second mistake would be to think that, yes, Jesus suffered, but that's only because He is human. But that is not what the Bible says. It says that Jesus revealed the Father by his sufferings; that if you want to know what the Father is like, you should look at Jesus, for He who has seen Him has seen the Father. Greek philosophers say that God is an unmoved mover, and that God cannot suffer because he is perfect; but the Bible tells us that Jesus was “made perfect by sufferings.” (Heb. 5:9) Greek philosophers tell us that God cannot be afflicted; the Bible says that “in all their afflictions, He was afflicted.” (Isaiah 63:9) Greeks and Romans thought that suffering was miserable and degrading, and that if you are suffering, you must not have any glory or power; the Bible says that Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore — not in spite of his sufferings, but because of them! — God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.” (Philippians 2:8) There is no clearer picture of Israel's God than the cross of Jesus Christ. That is where we finally see God fully revealed. Finally, a third mistake would be to think that, yes, Jesus' sufferings were powerful and important, but ours are not. The truth is exactly the opposite. As George MacDonald put it, “The Son of God suffered, not that we might not suffer, but that our sufferings might be like His.” And they are. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory...” (2 Corinthians 4:17) We are in the Messiah. His story, Israel's story, is our story. In Him, we are faithful Israelites, true to Deuteronomy 6. In Him, we are the suffering servant of Isaiah's prophecies. In Him, the kingdoms of the world belong to us. In Him, we too are victorious over Satan. Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, for our sake you fasted forty days and forty nights: give us grace so to discipline ourselves that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit, we may always obey your will in righteousness and true holiness, to the honour and glory of your name; for you live and reign with the Father and Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Meditative Prayers Podcast, thoughtfully curated and presented by Zach Clinton. In this enlightening discussion, we embark on a transformative journey, unraveling the powerful concept of embracing each day with unwavering faith. Within the intricate tapestry of our faith voyage, we encounter junctures where the weight of life's challenges seeks to cast shadows on our path. Yet, take heart, for the promise of resilience and inner fortitude awaits. With the Lord as our steadfast guide, we possess the ability to transcend adversity and greet each day with newfound vigor. Join us as we draw wisdom from the timeless verses of Psalm 23:6 in the revered King James Version, delving into its profound essence to navigate moments of vulnerability and find solace. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.” (1 Samuel 9:1–2 NLT) David was in many ways the opposite of King Saul. Saul came from a family that loved him; David came from a family that neglected him. Saul was the most handsome man in all Israel; David was a handsome enough guy, but relatively ordinary. Saul was attractive on the outside, but on the inside, he was vain, shallow, and devoid of true integrity. In contrast, David had a deep spiritual life and an intense devotion to God. If you want to know about David’s spirituality profile, just read some of the psalms he wrote. They are like windows into his soul. For example, in Psalm 23:1–3, he says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name” (NLT). David was perfectly content in his relationship with the Lord. And in Psalm 139 he says, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. . . . Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” (verses 1, 6 nlt). David was in awe of God’s limitless wisdom and knowledge. He felt blessed to be known by the Almighty. And when he sinned against the Lord, David experienced deep guilt and shame. Look at his words in Psalm 51:2–3: “Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night” (NLT). Saul’s problem was that he was full of himself. So, the Lord rejected him. David was full of the Lord. So, God accepted him. As we saw in an earlier devotion this week, the Lord seems to go out of His way to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. That way, people are more likely to recognize the Lord’s hand at work and give credit to Him rather than to human beings. Just as surely as God plucked David from obscurity, He is looking for men and women whom He can use in these critical days in which we are living. God is looking for people to touch this generation. He is looking for people to change this world. Second Chronicles 16:9 says, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war” (NLT). What kind of person does He look for? Someone strong? No. He looks for someone He can show His strength through—someone whose heart is turned toward Him. Does that describe you? Is your heart totally turned toward God? If so, He can and will accomplish great things through you. Reflection question: How can you help people see God’s strength in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do You See the Angels? by Autumn Dickson The beginning of Abraham's story is a well-known one in our church. He was almost sacrificed on an altar because he believed in the one true God. The priests “laid violence” upon him, and then this happened. Abraham 1:15 And as they lifted up their hands upon me, that they might offer me up and take away my life, behold, I lifted up my voice unto the Lord my God, and the Lord hearkened and heard, and he filled me with the vision of the Almighty, and the angel of his presence stood by me, and immediately unloosed my bands; Abraham calls out to God, and he receives a vision of the Almighty. An angel stood by him and loosed his bands. Here's my question. How did this event play out for the priest? Did he see the angel or did he turn around and Abraham was free and running? The scriptures later note that the priest was smitten, but that could mean anything. Did the angel smite him right there? Did he die later for something that seemed natural? The rest of the land was smitten by famine; this comes from the Lord, and yet, how many of the people saw the Lord's hand in it? And then, of course, this also happened. Abraham 1:11 Now, this priest had offered upon this altar three virgins at one time, who were the daughters of Onitah, one of the royal descent directly from the loins of Ham. These virgins were offered up because of their virtue; they would not bow down to worship gods of wood or of stone, therefore they were killed upon this altar, and it was done after the manner of the Egyptians. What did the priest see when he sacrificed these three women? I'm almost positive that he wouldn't answer, “Divine intervention.” What did the virgins see? Maybe nothing at first. Maybe there was no vision or angel to comfort them as they passed through to the other side, but they saw enough that they refused to bow down to idols. And then, after passing through to the other side, I'm sure they saw something wonderful. When you look at your own life, what do you see? Do you see the angel? Do you see the loosed bands or are you still laying on the altar, convinced that you're still tied down? Do you see the intervention of God? Do you see the Lord standing ready to welcome you to where you're going? Do you see the end from the beginning? Maybe not exactly, but do you see it? I type my prayers. I've said it before, and I'll say it a million more times. Writing down my prayers has changed my life. In this specific context, I have realized that writing my prayers helps me see. There have been times where I have seen the Lord's hand as I've looked back. There have been times when I've written and asked for something very specific in my prayers only to find them answered with exactly what I asked. There have been times when I was subconsciously led to write something down, and I found the Lord intervening on my behalf according to what I wrote down. But it goes beyond that. Writing my prayers has helped me see, to an extent, what the Lord has coming for me. One of my favorite games to play is, “How do I want this to turn out?” Whenever I'm facing hard decisions or moving parts or uncertain details, I pray for the end that I want. I pray for my most important things, sometimes I add in a couple of extras that I would like, and then I end it with asking for His will. It is so soothing. Our world is often plagued with anxiety. People find themselves overwhelmingly frightened by what the coming days could bring. Writing my prayers often placates that anxiety, not because Heavenly Father is going to give me whatever I want, but because praying reminds me that He's going to give me what's best for me. There are times when I'm praying, and I feel guided. He starts to guide my words in a different direction. Sometimes I pray for a different solution that addresses things I didn't anticipate. Sometimes I pray for deliverance, and He guides me to pray for growth and spiritual gifts to rise to the occasion. Even if I'm not delivered, I often feel empowered. There are times when I'm praying, and I don't necessarily feel guided. I simply feel much better after visualizing some of the best ways my scenario could play out. Honestly, it increases my faith. Even if my idea of a best-case-scenario doesn't play out, I am reminded that the Lord is writing the best-case-scenario. I get to look at what I believe is a neat and tidy “happy ending” and remember that the Lord is writing my story. I'm not sure Abraham or the virgins would have written their stories in the same way that the Lord wrote them, but I'm pretty positive that after seeing their “endings,” they applauded the Lord for His wisdom, mercy, justice, and foresight. The Lord is on our team, and He truly does have the ultimate foresight. We can lean on Him for all of it. We don't have to see the end from the beginning in vivid detail. The only end we truly need to see is the one where we are standing by the Lord. That's the happiest ending, and no matter where your road takes you, that ending is available to you. No one can take it away. So can you see it? Can you see the Lord leading you along where you need to go? Can you picture a future where He has taken care of everything? Do you see the angels and the intervention? Do you see the bright future with a grand inheritance like the one He had for the three virgins and for Abraham? Can you see it? He can. I testify that the happy ending is available. When we look at our lives and whatever it is that we're going through, the Lord can lead us to that happy ending. We just need the eyes to see it. It's there. I testify that there are many ways that we can develop the eyes we need to see, but one of those powerful ways includes deep and heartfelt prayer that allows the Lord to guide us along throughout our lives. I testify that He is doing so, and I testify that seeing His hand changes your perspective on everything. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Welcome to a new episode of the Meditative Prayers Podcast, guided by the insights of Zach Clinton. Today, we embark on an enlightening exploration centered around a sentiment that resonates deeply with all, especially our fellow travelers on the path of faith: the profound sense of being cherished. Within the intricate tapestry of our spiritual journey, we encounter junctures where the burdens of life threaten to dim our spirits. Yet, take heart, for in the presence of our Divine guide, we unearth the strength to transcend challenges and uncover a wellspring of resilience. Join us as we draw wisdom from the timeless verses of Luke 12:24-26 in the revered King James Version, delving into their depths to navigate and rise above moments of vulnerability. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bible affirms the greatness of God—He is THE Almighty and we acknowledge what he WILL do. But have you ever considered what God will NOT do?

Welcome to another enlightening installment of the Meditative Prayers Podcast, thoughtfully guided by Zach Clinton. In this episode, we embark on a transformative journey, uncovering the art of embracing each day with grace and purpose. Within the intricate tapestry of our faith expedition, we encounter instances where the weight of life's trials threatens to cast shadows on our path. However, take solace in the knowledge that, with the Lord as our unwavering companion, we possess the inherent ability to rise above adversity and discover renewed strength. Join us as we draw wisdom from the timeless words of Matthew 6:34 in the revered King James Version, delving into its profound teachings to navigate and transcend moments of vulnerability. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine hearing, “I am Almighty God; walk before me…” Abram heard those words and they are applicable today. Oh, to walk before the Almighty!

Monday Systematic and Expository Bible Study for February 9th 2026 at The Deeper Life Bible Church Headquarters Gbagada Lagos, Nigeria.

Reflection on Preaching and Unworthiness Feeling unworthy to preach, considering the great men who have preached before. Feeling like “the least of the least.” Finding strength in God’s presence and help. Acknowledging dependence on God, stating, “It has to be God in it or nothing good will come out of it.” Requesting prayers due to feeling unwell and facing spiritual opposition. Experiencing difficulties in studying due to various distractions. Finding peace through God’s assurance: “I’ve got you. We can do this.” Focusing on magnifying God through testimony. Sharing personal testimony as a way to magnify God. Experiencing blessings from God for this approach. Testimony of Past Struggles and Salvation Having a tough life and experiencing bad things. Being raised in church with a preacher father, but still making wrong choices. Acknowledging that upbringing doesn’t guarantee salvation. Recognizing personal responsibility for choices. Experiencing a difficult breakup 25 years ago and seeking to fill a void. Turning to drugs and alcohol, which provided temporary relief but worsened problems. Facing dangerous situations and engaging in harmful behaviors. Having guns pulled, being stabbed, and experiencing jail time. Acknowledging having done “about every bad thing you can do.” Experiencing a turning point about a year ago when God intervened. Overdosing on drugs and being revived multiple times. Feeling death approaching and hearing a voice offering a choice between God and goodbye. Promising to live for God if given another chance. Waking up in the hospital without withdrawal symptoms or cravings. Experiencing no withdrawal symptoms from heroin addiction. Having no desire to return to a former lifestyle. Being called to preach and share testimony. Seeking to share testimony in jail to prevent others from making similar mistakes. Expressing gratitude for God’s unwavering hold and protection. Believing that God maintains a “hedge of protection” even when one strays. Scripture Reading and Prayer Reading Proverbs 3:5-9 about trusting in the Lord, acknowledging Him, and honoring Him with substance. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thy own understanding.” “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of thine increase.” Offering a prayer for guidance and help in delivering God’s message. Feeling inadequate but acknowledging that “little is much when you’re in it, God.” Asking God to remove self and use Brother Dan to help others avoid a destructive path. Praying for God to anoint Brother Dan and use the message for His purpose. God’s Plan and Protection Reflecting on God’s goodness and protection even during times of sin. Recognizing God’s “shield of protection” during past sinful behavior. Believing God knew Brother Dan would return and live for Him. Emphasizing God’s plan for everyone and His ability to redirect those who stray. Referencing James 4:8: “Draw near to God and He’ll draw near to you. Submit yourselves to God and resist the devil and he’ll flee.” Highlighting the need for faith, trust, and reliance on God. Asserting that God is the answer to every problem, including drug addiction. Sharing personal experience as proof of God’s power to overcome addiction. Expressing gratitude for prayers offered during times of living in the world. Acknowledging the impact of prayers from family and others. Recognizing the importance of serving God fully and consistently. Feeling convicted about not always giving 100% to serving God. Emphasizing the need to serve God not only for oneself but also for loved ones and co-workers. Highlighting the importance of living a consistent Christian life. Recognizing that one may be the only “Bible” some people read. Promises of God and Personal Reliance Reading Psalm 91 about dwelling in God’s secret place and finding refuge. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.” Trusting in God more and experiencing positive changes. Noting that things work out when relying on God, unlike when living for the devil. Describing the deceptive nature of worldly temptations. Drugs initially seem good but ultimately lead to destruction. Emphasizing that God sees the whole picture and desires what is best. Recognizing that God’s plan may differ from personal desires but is ultimately better. Acknowledging God’s deliverance from the snare of the fowler. Expressing gratitude for being delivered from the devil’s grip. Realizing that personal stubbornness and the devil’s influence contributed to past struggles. Taking responsibility for past choices and acknowledging the importance of staying near God. Stating, “God didn’t put me there. I put myself there.” Highlighting the importance of being a doer of the word, not just a hearer. Referencing Hebrews on the importance of acting on what is heard. Overcoming Temptation and Sin Recognizing the tendency to be mentally absent during church services. Acknowledging the struggle with the “old flesh” that resists participation. Finding prayer as an escape route from temptation. Believing that God provides a way out of temptation. Understanding that sin separates us from God. Referencing Isaiah 59:1-2 about iniquities separating us from God. Emphasizing the importance of repentance and forgiveness. Recognizing that living in sin leads to missed blessings. Expressing gratitude for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and conviction. Appreciating the conscience that helps in making good decisions. Finding protection under God’s wings and truth as a shield. “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Letting God Work and the Assurance of Salvation Recognizing that we often hinder God’s work due to worldly desires. Prioritizing work over church and making excuses to avoid serving God. Highlighting God’s care, guidance, and protection. Acknowledging God’s role in making crooked places straight. Sharing personal experiences of God’s faithfulness and protection. Recalling near-death experiences where God intervened. Emphasizing the importance of prayer and righteous living for the salvation of loved ones. Recognizing the power of prayer and its impact on daily life. Understanding that trials grow faith. Comparing trials to working out muscles at the gym. Expressing gratitude for God’s sacrifice and the promise of heaven. Knowing that God created heaven for everyone, even sinners. Reiterating that God will do anything for our betterment if we trust and believe. Encouraging everyone to have the assurance of salvation. Inviting those without assurance to seek guidance. Expressing hope that something said will be helpful. Acknowledging the message may be scattered but trusting God’s word will accomplish its purpose. Offering encouragement to those struggling with addiction or having loved ones who are. Believing that the same God who delivered Brother Dan can deliver others. Urging the church to focus on serving God and living righteously. Emphasizing the importance of speaking boldly about God.

Welcome to a fresh edition of the Meditative Prayers Podcast, under the thoughtful guidance of Zach Clinton. In this installment, we embark on an insightful voyage to uncover a universal emotion that resonates deeply with many, especially our fellow brethren in Christ: the invaluable essence of encouragement. Within the tapestry of our faith journey, there emerge junctures where the weight of life's challenges threatens to overshadow our spirit. Yet, take heart, for the promise of hope and resilience awaits. As we stand alongside the Almighty, we unearth the ability to ascend beyond adversity, discovering newfound vigor. Join us as we draw from the timeless wellspring of Proverbs 12:25 in the revered King James Version, peering into the depths of its wisdom to illuminate our path. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I am the resurrection and the life." - Jesus in John 11:25 Martha says to Jesus as he arrives too late to save her brother Lazarus, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died." Mary says the same thing to Jesus.  Jesus had let them down. More so, God's chosen one had let them down. Thus, God had let them down. But who has not been disappointed with God? Who hasn't wanted - at least once in their life - a good old fashioned reckoning, an explanation from the Almighty? If you're never had questions, never demanded proper answers, never wondered why God seems so God-forsaken slow to respond to a crisis or an injustice - then you must check your pulse. To live in this world - under these rules - whatever they are, is to experience divine disappointment at the subterranean level of your soul. Yet...some disappointments are not forever.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord God, He Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty (the Ruler of all). ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ Do not grow weary in well doing

The sermon centers on the transformative power of prayer and the divine encounter that results in a profound awareness of God's presence, holiness, and grace. Drawing from key biblical moments—including the shaking of the prayer meeting in Acts 4, the earthquake in Philippi, the theophany at Sinai, Isaiah's vision of God's holiness, and the cosmic events at Christ's crucifixion—it emphasizes that true revival is marked by a spiritual trembling before the Almighty. This shaking is not merely physical but a deep, reverent awakening to God's power, holiness, and redemptive love through Christ, leading believers into a deeper dependence on His grace. The preacher calls for a renewed pursuit of God, urging the church to seek Him with diligence so that they may experience the same boldness, unity, and supernatural empowerment seen in the early church. Ultimately, the message is that genuine spiritual revival arises when hearts are shaken by the reality of God's nearness, resulting in transformed lives and a vibrant, grace-filled witness.

Welcome to a brand-new installment of the Meditative Prayers Podcast, led by your host, Zach Clinton. Today, we embark on a profound journey into the realm of prayer, delving into its transformative power to illuminate our faith path. Join us as we navigate the intricate tapestry of spirituality, where moments of vulnerability and unease are met with a divine remedy: the art of prayer. Amidst the contours of our faith expedition, there arise junctures where the weight of life's challenges can leave us feeling diminished and besieged. In these instances, we find solace in the unwavering companionship of the Almighty, enabling us to not only endure but to flourish. This episode is a guiding light, revealing how the practice of prayer, rooted in the timeless wisdom of Philippians 4:6 within the revered King James Version, empowers us to transcend these fleeting moments of fragility. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's special episode of Pray.com's Meditative Prayers podcast with Zach Clinton, we address a topic that resonates deeply with Christians all around the world: The need for Comfort. Our spiritual journey brings both moments of strength and times of vulnerability. For every woman of faith who has felt the weight of the world, remember that comfort is close by. With the Lord as our guiding force, we can navigate and overcome these feelings of anxiety. Rooted in the wisdom of Psalm 94:19 from the King James Version, we offer insights and solace to uplift and rejuvenate the spirit during life's trying times. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

   A true friend will support you!Listen to what the Bible says, from Job.(click for podcast)Daq ghaH 'Iv ghaH ready Daq puj, kindness should taH shown vo' Daj friend; 'ach Daq ghaH 'Iv forsakes the taHvIp vo' the HoSghaj.To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.Online BibleListen to the Word, it helps us navigate the stars and beyond.

In today's episode of Pray.com's Meditative Prayers podcast hosted by Zach Clinton, we explore a sentiment that touches many, including our brothers and sisters in Christ: the feeling of feebleness. As we walk our faith journey, there are moments when we might feel weak or overwhelmed. But the good news is, with the Lord by our side, we can rise above and find strength. Drawing inspiration from 1 Peter 5:7 in the King James Version, we delve deep into understanding and transcending these moments of frailty. If you're seeking to enrich your spiritual journey and immerse yourself in more Christian meditation, heartfelt prayers, and peaceful sleep content, we encourage you to download the Pray.com app.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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Del James He's a lifelong friend and road manager of Guns N' Roses, but also is an accomplished author, journalist and lyricist whose credits include GN'R, Testament, the Almighty and others. Del James joins us to discuss his gritty new graphic novel, “Consensual Violence,” his time at RIP magazine, his love of wrestling, plus a couple sidebars on Junkyard and Danzig. In his words, it's all been a “beautiful blur.” Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

The Times' Money desk has been investigating the UK's student debt system – and has discovered some bombshells. After being promised a loan that would be like paying a ‘phone bill every month', graduates are weighed down by tens of thousands of pounds in ever-increasing debt. So how did we get here? And is there a plan to fix it?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Mary Downer, Money reporter, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Sophie McNulty.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Plan 2 student loan interest is unfair, says Lucy PowellFurther listening: The Budget unpackedClips: BBC, Parliament Live, ITN, Channel 4 News, LBC.Episode artwork: Times Media.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scripture Reading: Revelation 16:1-11 The Nature of the Human Heart Revelation 16 contains the third, and last, series of divine judgments on the population of the earth during the coming day of tribulation.  It is a description of the seven bowl judgments.  God is declared to be just because He has poured out His wrath on the wicked. "Just are you, O Holy One . . . for you have brought these judgments . . . Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments" (Rev 16:5,6). The overwhelming response of the people of the earth to these frightful, awesome acts of God will be to curse Him ... and the statement is repeated three times in this chapter (Rev 16:9,11,21).  "People . . . cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds" (Rev 16:11). The Bible clearly reveals to us what the natural human heart does with the truth about God and why it responds as it does.  Given clear information about God in creation, the human heart suppresses the truth.  "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God" (Rom 1:18,21).  This is the response of every sinful human heart before conversion. The reason for this suppression of the truth is a love for sin. ". . . people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil" (Jn 3:19).  It is only the grace and power of God which can free the heart from its natural affection for the darkness of sin.

But God! Ephesians 2:1-10 by William Klock Earlier this week Veronica and I watched an episode of the X Files that unintentionally had some pretty sound theology embedded in the story.  Agents Mulder and Scully were called to investigate some strange goings-on in a small town—as usual.  As it turned out, a guy cleaning out an abandoned storage locker found a genie.  And the genie gave him three wishes.  As you would expect, it didn't go well.  He wished to be able to make himself invisible so that he could spy on people.  And not being terribly bright, he prompted got killed crossing the street, because he was…invisible.  His brother claimed the genie and didn't fare any better.  His wish ended up blowing up his house with him in it.  And so Mulder ended up, unexpectedly, with the genie and three wishes.  And he asked the genie why the wishing thing always ends in disaster and the genie told him that it's because people are stupid and selfish.  So Mulder thought long and hard and in his best effort at altruism, he wished for world peace.  St. Paul would call it shalom.  And he went outside to discover that he was the only person left on earth.  Because the genie knew fallen human nature and getting rid of all of us was the only way to bring world peace.  Thankfully, Mulder had two more wishes so he could undo the first and set the genie free with the third. And I thought that St. Paul would probably have a bit of a chuckle at that.  Because Paul knew the same thing the genie knew: we are all sinners, idolaters who worship anything and everything but the God who created us and loves us.  And, like Agent Mulder, but unlike the genie, Paul also knew that there is no shalom without human beings in our rightful place.  Creation groans in eager longing for the day God will finally set us to rights, he says in Romans, Creation waits for the day when God restores us to our position as his stewards, to rule creation and to serve him in his temple.  That, Brothers and Sisters, is shalom, peace.  Creation can never be complete without us in our proper place—filling the vocation God created us for in the first place.  That's why God doesn't just “Deal with evil” like so many people want him to.  Like the genie, he'd just have to remove us all from creation—and that's not how creation is supposed to be.  This is why Paul practically shouts out ho de Theos, at the beginning of Ephesians 2:4: “But God!”  Because he knew that in setting creation to rights, God can and will, first, set us and our fallen, sinful hearts to rights—something no genie could ever do. And so far, in Ephesians 1, Paul has begun with a great shout of praise for what God has done in Jesus the Messiah and then he's told the Ephesians how he prays for them—that they would know, that they would understand this great story of redemption, the power behind it to renew creation, so that they can be part of this story that ends with the knowledge of the glory of God filling the earth.  Remember at the end of chapter one, closing his prayer for them, he wrote about the church, united with Jesus and full of the Spirit being the “fullness of the one who fills all in all.”  It's a prayer that God, that Jesus, that the Spirit, that the scriptures would form and shape them and truly make them the church.  And while we might miss the significance of Paul's language of filling and fullness and being all in all, it was not lost on the Ephesians.  This was temple language. It's the language of God coming to dwell with his people.  The way he did with Adam and Eve in the garden.  The story ever since has pointing in that direction.  The restoration of God's temple, the return of his presence, and God dwelling with his people forever.  This is what the Exodus was all about.  God rescued and created a people, he gave them a law to make and to keep them pure and holy, so that he could take up his residence in their midst—so that he could tabernacle with them.  It wasn't perfect.  The people needed to offer sacrifices repeatedly so that they could be purified by that blood.  A veil separated them from the direct presence of the Almighty.  But this model of new creation pointed forward to the day when God would set his people and his creation fully to rights.  The long exile, first from the promised land and the temple, then from the presence of God, primed Israel with hope for that coming day.  And now Paul's ready to explain to the church that they—that we—are the beginning of that fulfilment.  In us, God has established a new temple.  By the blood of Jesus he has purified us.  Through the gift of his Spirit he has taken up his dwelling in us.  He has begun the work of setting our hearts to rights.  And in that, he has made us the working model of his new creation and stewards of his good news—that we might, to use the language he used with Adam and Eve, that we might be fruitful and multiply, spreading the gospel, until the earth is filled with the knowledge of his glory. Brothers and Sisters, this is the story we need to inhabit.  Too often Christians have got it backwards.  We think the gospel story is a story of escape from creation—that in Jesus, God forgives our sins, so that someday he can take us away from earth and up to heaven to live with him.  But it's really just the opposite.  Through the blood of Jesus he has purified us and made us fit to be his holy temple, so that he can dwell with us.  Jesus is the model, Immanuel, God with us.  This is the story Paul wants to get across in Ephesians 2.  Ideally we'd cover the whole chapter all at once, but we'll have to break it into two halves.  This temple story will jump out at us in the second half.  The first half begins with our sin problem. How did these mostly Gentile Christians in Ephesus find themselves in this oh so Jewish story?  He writes beginning at verse 1, “Well, you were dead because of your offenses and sins in which you used to walk, keeping in step with the world's ‘present age'; in step, too, with the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is, even now, amongst the children of disobedience.” “You”—he's addressing them as Gentiles.  In verse 3 he'll link them with “us”—the Jews.  You were dead.  Because you walked—there's that great word peripateo again—you walked, you lived a life of offense and sin against God.  And we can't hear these two words sin and death together without it taking us back to Genesis.  And if we go back to Genesis 3 and Adam and Eve's choice to listen to the serpent's lie, not just to disobey God, but to reject their vocation as priests of God's temple and to try to become gods themselves, if go way back to the beginning of the story there, we should understand that sin and death aren't about God just setting up a bunch of rules and then condemning the people who disobey them.  Sin, and especially “offence”, are what we call it when human beings, created to bear God's image—that means to be his priests and his representatives in the temple, in creation—sin and offence are what we call it when we reject that vocation.  When we try to take the temple for ourselves.  And death is not an arbitrary punishment, but the natural result of turning away from the God who is the source of life.  That's why the wages of sin is death. And, of course, once humanity chose that path of disobedience and death it just snowballed.  Human culture and even those unseen powers that God had put in place to oversee the nations went horribly wrong.  The Jews called it the present evil age, because they lived in hope of the age to come when God would set creation to rights.  But the Gentiles had no hope.  They just went with the sinful flow.  We see it today as the world rejects Christianity.  Jeffrey Epstein and his cabal of degenerate, paedophile friends would have been right at home in pagan Greece or Rome and they're exactly what you get when a people rejects God.  The devil didn't just tempt the man and woman to reject God.  He and his cronies continue to steer and influence fallen humanity.  Paul will have more to say about this later when he writes about “principalities and powers”.  In our baptismal rite, we put this in terms of the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. All these forces work together to keep humanity lost in idolatry and sin.  And so far as this goes, Paul is just restating the standard Jewish analysis of the Gentiles.  But then in verse 3 Paul goes on and writes, “We all used to live this way, in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of flesh and mind.  We, too—he means he and his fellow Jews—were by nature children of wrath, just like everyone else.”  Paul recognised that even though his own people had the torah, God's law, and were trying to live by it, they were suffering the same problem as the Gentiles.  The corrupt desires of flesh and mind had just as much a grip on Israel as they did the peoples of the nations.  The whole world, all of humanity was mired in darkness, Jew and gentile alike. And this where, at the beginning of verse 4 Paul interjects this powerful, earth shattering: “But God!”  Into the darkness, into the hopelessness, into the condemnation, into the death, God intervenes to bring light, to bring hope, to bring deliverance, to bring life.  “But God,” Paul writes, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, he took us at the very point where we were dead through our offenses, and made us alive together with the Messiah.  Yes, by grace you are saved!” Israel knew about God's mercy and love.  The story they told of their history with God was full of mercy and grace.  And occasionally some gentile would hear that story and be drawn to it, because the God of Israel was unlike any of the other gods.  Zeus and Poseidon and Hades, Aphrodite and Artemis, people might believe all sorts of things about them, but no one ever believed that the gods loved them.  The gods served themselves.  If they sometimes showed favour to this person or to that city, it wasn't because of love; it was to further their own schemes and ambitions.  No Greek or Roman—no Egyptian or Persian, for that matter—would have ever said of their gods anything even remotely like what Paul says here of the God of Israel: that he is rich in mercy, that he loves us with a great love, or that he has shown us kindness.  Zeus and Hera, Osiris and Isis, they were all purely transactional.  If you did something good for them and you were lucky, they might do something nice for you.  We need to be careful, because Christians can fall into the same pagan way of thinking about God—making deals with him or treating him like a divine vending machine.  But Paul makes it clear that the God of Israel isn't like that.  Instead, he's full of mercy and love and kindness.  Yes, his purpose is to fill the earth with his glory, but he is glorious precisely because he is unlike the gods humans dream up.  He is full of mercy and love. And Paul reminds the Ephesians: By his grace, God has taken what he did for Jesus when he raised him from death, and has made it true of us.  If we are “in the Messiah”, then we are alive together with him.  He goes on in verse 6: “He raised us up with him and made us sit with him, in the heavenly places in Messiah Jesus.  This was so that in the ages to come he could show just how unbelievably rich his grace is, the kindness he has shown us in Messiah Jesus.”  This is how God reveals his glory.  Not merely with a show of strength or power, but by showing his grace. Again, what is true of Jesus is true of the church—of the Ephesians Christians, and of us.  And it's not just Jesus' resurrection, his being made alive again.  Paul has said that before.  But here he also stresses that Jesus' ascension is somehow true of us too.  God didn't just make us alive with Jesus the King; he's made us alive in order to sit us with the Messiah, with the King in the heavenly places.  So Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of his Father.  He's the King and that's what kings do: they take their thrones and they rule.  But Paul is saying that if we are “in the Messiah”, then we're right there with him. The resurrection part of that, the being made alive with Jesus probably isn't too hard for us to wrap our heads around.  In Jesus, God has made us a promise.  Even though we'll die, because we are in the Messiah, he will raise us to life again just as he did with Jesus.  If we have any doubts, Paul would remind us that God has filled us with his Spirit to give us a taste of and downpayment on resurrection life with him.  That part I think we can pretty well wrap our heads around.  But what does it mean to be seated with him in the heavenlies? This is where we need to make sure we've got the story right.  Because if we understand the climax of the story as someday escaping from earth, as escaping our bodies, to live a sort of disembodied spiritual life forever in heaven, we're going to miss Paul's point.  Again, the story isn't about us going up; it's about God making us fit, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, to be his temple—so that he can come down—to us. Consider: Jesus has already done this.  Remember the end of Chapter 1, where Paul said that Jesus is the one in whom heaven and earth—all of creation—are summed up, are brought together, are unified, the way it was in the beginning: heaven and earth overlapping, God and human beings dwelling together.  That's how it began and that's the ending towards which God is taking history—to set his broken, sin-sundered creation to rights.  Jesus is the prototype, the signpost who points us to, who shows us what God's future will be like.  In him, God has joined our nature to his own.  In him, heaven and earth have been brought back together.  Think of that great Ascension Day hymns, “See the Conqueror Mounts in Triumph”: He has raised our human nature, on the clouds to God's right hand; there we sit in heavenly places, there with him in glory stand.”  Brothers and Sisters, Jesus is the temple in person.  And Jesus is the whole of creation—heaven and earth—in miniature. And what is true of him is equally true of those who are united with him by God's grace.  As we'll see in the second half of the chapter, the church—the Ephesian Christians and you and me—we are also that temple and if we have any doubts, all we need to remember is that God has come to dwell in us in the person of his Spirit.  And remember the goal, the one promised by the prophets so long before, the goal is for the knowledge of the glory of God to fill the earth.  The church is his means of making that happen.  He didn't just send his son to be the on-earth-as-in-heaven man, through his son and through his Spirit he has created a whole community of on-earth-as-in-heaven people to do just that: to live out in our lives, in our relationships, in our community heaven on earth—to be a people who show the world God's love and mercy and grace and kindness.  To be a working model of his new creation and to give the world a taste of that future right now.  To reveal the glory and the beauty and goodness of God in our lives and in our own proclamation so that everyone around us will know his glory and be drawn to him. This is then what Paul gets at in verses 8-10.  He writes, “For you have been saved by grace, through faith. This is not of your own doing; it is God's gift.  It isn't on the basis of works, so no one is able to boast.  You see, we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Jesus for the good works that he prepared, ahead of time, so that we should walk in them.”  What does he mean?  Well, Paul's reminding them that there was a time when Jews and gentiles were separated by the law, by torah.  God poured out his grace on Israel, set them apart with his law as a way to teach them how to love him and to love their neighbours, so that they could be a light to the gentiles—so they could make his glory known in the earth.  Israel failed in that mission, but God acted in grace again.  He gave his son to be the faithful Israelite and in Jesus, Israel's mission to witness the grace and glory of God was fulfilled.  And now these gentile Ephesians who have encountered the risen Jesus, who have heard the gospel, and been filled with God's Spirit—they've been united together with faithful Jews in Messiah Jesus.  In them, God's promises—all the way back to Abraham and even to Adam—are being fulfilled.  In them, God's glory is on display before the nations.  And there is no longer a need for the division that had been given by torah.  Now the Spirit is teaching them and enabling them to love God and to love each other for all the world to see.  In Jesus and the Spirit, God has made them a people who are fulfilling the very thing that torah was meant to do, not just because we keep a set of rules or live according to a certain moral code—there's a sense in which we actually do do that—but because, through Jesus and the Spirit we actually live out and put on display the new creation, God's future that is breaking into the world in the midst of the old. Paul puts it beautifully, but in a way we might miss in English translation, when he says that we—the church—are God's “workmanship”.  The Greek word is poiema.  We get our word “poem” from it.  The Greek word doesn't mean “poem”—maybe we could almost say it means “artwork”.  In the Old Testament it's often used to describe the creative work of God.  In other places it's used to describe things that are carefully and meticulously crafted for his use, like the garments of the priests or the vessels of the tabernacle.  Brothers and Sisters, we—the church—are God's carefully, purposefully, and wonderfully created masterpiece.  He's given his son and he's given his Spirit to craft, to create, to work us into something good—to restore his broken creation in us.  And, Paul sums up, God has done this work in us so that in our own lives and in the life of the church together, we can do such good work too.  Not doing good works to please him or to earn his favour.  That would be like going back to the pagan world of people doing things to manipulate the gods.  God is pleased by our good works, but he's created and enabled us to do good works as a way of showing his new creation to the world, a way of fulfilling the law he had given to Israel, as a way of loving him and loving each other—ultimately as a way to restore us to that vocation as his image bearers, to be the priests of his temple who steward his goodness and his good rule for the sake of creation. Brothers and Sisters, this is the story that God has written for us.  The story of our priesthood, reject and lost, but now restored through Jesus and the Spirit, a story of renewal and a story of hope—as it points us toward the day when God finishes his great work of bringing heaven and earth back together, of the day when he will return to dwell with us as he did in the beginning.  This the story that reminds what Jesus and the Spirit have made us.  It's the story that reminds us of our vocation as the church—that we're not just the people who long for things to be on earth as they are in heaven; we're the people who find our very identity in Jesus, the heaven-and-earth Messiah, and who are, ourselves, called to be the heaven-on-earth people—a people who reflect back to the world God's love and grace, his justice and goodness, who are by our very redemption witnesses of his faithfulness and, above all, his glory.  We are his workmanship.  May the world, by God's grace, see his glory in us and in our life together. Let's pray: Heavenly Father, our Collect today reminded us that without love, nothing we do is worth anything.  Fill us with your grace, that we might truly love.  Love you.  Love our neighbours.  Making us the heaven-on-earth people you intend for us to be, so that the world may see your glory on display in your church.  Through Jesus we pray.  Amen.

In this compelling episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, Dr. Tim Clinton, a distinguished host renowned for his insightful perspectives, invites listeners on a reflective journey centered around the theme of Sacrifice. Available on Pray.com, this episode delves deep into the essence of Sacrifice, a profound concept deeply intertwined with the fabric of our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual odyssey, there are pivotal moments where making Sacrifices takes precedence over personal accomplishments. These Sacrifices not only deepen our faith but also strengthen our bonds with others, guiding us closer to our individual aspirations. With the unwavering guidance of the Divine, we find the resilience to endure and the courage to make Sacrifices, ultimately infusing our journey with renewed purpose and hope. Drawing inspiration from sacred texts, we embark on a soul-stirring exploration of this transformative human experience. For those seeking solace and direction in their journey of Sacrifice and faith, we extend a sincere invitation to explore the Pray.com app. Through a simple download, embark on a transformative path rooted in the enduring presence of the Divine. Together, let us embrace the extraordinary potential for Sacrifice within us, finding profound inspiration and resilience in our shared spiritual voyage. Join us in this enlightening episode as we delve into the depths of Sacrifice and unearth the profound sense of fulfillment it bestows upon each 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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 acknowledging our spiritual aspirations—a topic deeply resonant within our Christian community. Along our spiritual journey, there come moments when acknowledging our progress and receiving validation becomes a significant longing. These instances not only deepen our faith but also rejuvenate our connections, propelling us closer to our individual dreams. The comforting truth remains steadfast: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we possess the inherent capacity to recognize these aspirations, uncovering refreshed hope and clarity in our journey. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an introspective journey into this transformative aspect of the human experience. For those seeking guidance in acknowledging their spiritual aspirations along their faith journey, we extend a sincere invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative path of faith and resilience, firmly rooted in the constant presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the remarkable potential for acknowledgment within us, finding endless inspiration and fortitude during our collective spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of acknowledging our spiritual aspirations and uncovering the extraordinary sense of validation 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 service—a concept deeply intertwined with our Christian faith. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are moments when engaging in meaningful acts of service becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only deepen our connection to God but also strengthen our bonds with others, propelling us toward our collective mission. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to engage in impactful service, bringing about transformation in our lives and communities. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative aspect of human experience. For those who seek guidance in serving others 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 service 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 engaging in service 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.Dr. Tim Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 recognizing our spiritual journey—an endeavor that deeply resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual odyssey, there are moments when acknowledging our progress and experiencing personal recognition becomes a significant longing. These moments not only deepen our faith but also enrich our connections, propelling us toward our individual aspirations. The comforting truth remains steadfast: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we possess the innate capacity to recognize these aspirations, uncovering renewed hope and purpose in our path. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those seeking guidance in recognizing 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, firmly grounded in the steadfast presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the remarkable potential for recognition within us, finding limitless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual voyage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we journey toward a profound understanding of recognizing our spiritual aspirations and discovering the extraordinary sense of recognition that resides within each 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psalm 91 reminds us that God is our ultimate protector. No matter what challenges we face or circumstances we find ourselves in, we can rest assured that God is with us, guiding and leading us toward life. If you need a shot of hope for your day or week, listen in to this guided Lectio Divina meditation to be reminded that God is with you, and you can find refuge in him. You can find Jodie at http://www.jodieniznik.com/ Instagram @jodieniznik Facebook @JodieGNiznik Download free sample chapters from my Bible studies here. Download your free Lectio Divina / Scripture Meditation Journal here. The full meditation text is: Psalm 91:1-4, NIV 1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore the nature of God as Almighty. Fr. Mike discusses three important points to keep in mind about the reality of God's power. The first is that God's power is universal. God rules over everything; it is an infinite power. He is loving, he adopts us as his sons and daughters and shows us his mercy. Fr. Mike concludes with a reflection on God's mysterious power in relation to the reality of the problem of evil and suffering in our world. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 268-278. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

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 obedience to God—an essential aspect within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are moments when obeying God's will becomes our paramount desire. These moments not only deepen our faith but also strengthen our relationship with Him, guiding us toward our individual callings. The comforting truth remains unchanging: with the Lord as our unwavering guide, we possess the inherent capacity to follow His commands, discovering renewed faith and direction in our journey. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative aspect of human experience. For those seeking guidance in obeying God's will 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 obedience and trust, firmly grounded in the presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for obedience within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength as we submit to God's will during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of obedience to God and discover 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ChatGPT 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 prosperity in our spiritual journey—an endeavor deeply resonant within our Christian community. Along the path of faith, there are moments when attaining prosperity and embracing abundance becomes a paramount longing. These moments not only enrich our faith but also rejuvenate our relationships, propelling us toward our individual dreams of prosperity. The comforting truth remains unwavering: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we possess the inherent capacity to manifest these aspirations, uncovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey of prosperity. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on a voyage to explore this transformative human experience. For those seeking guidance in realizing their spiritual aspirations 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 anchored in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the remarkable potential for prosperity within us, discovering boundless inspiration and fortitude during our collective spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we journey toward a profound understanding of experiencing prosperity in our spiritual aspirations and uncovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 blessings in our spiritual journey—a topic deeply resonant within our Christian community. Throughout our walk with faith, there are moments when encountering blessings and experiencing divine favor becomes a fervent desire. These moments not only deepen our spiritual connection but also rejuvenate our relationships, guiding us closer to our personal dreams. The comforting truth remains unwavering: with the Lord as our constant companion, we possess the inherent capacity to embrace these blessings, uncovering fresh hope and purpose along our path. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred texts, we embark on a journey to explore this transformative aspect of human existence. For those seeking guidance in encountering blessings along their spiritual journey, we extend a heartfelt 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. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the remarkable potential for blessings within us, discovering boundless inspiration and fortitude as we journey together in faith. We invite you to join us in this illuminating episode as we delve into a profound understanding of encountering blessings in our spiritual journey and uncovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that dwells within each 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parshas Yisro is a tale of two narratives. It begins with the dramatic arrival of Jethro, father-in-law of Moshe. He heard about all the miracles that the Almighty performed for the nation during the Exodus and decided to join the nation. The Parsha details his arrival together with Moshe's wife and their two sons, the […]

In this compelling episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, your guide is the insightful Zach Clinton, and it's all accessible on Pray.com. Our focus shifts to the theme of service within our Christian community—a journey explored through the lens of the profound impact we can make. Throughout our spiritual expedition, there arise moments when the desire to serve becomes a paramount calling. These instances not only deepen our faith but also strengthen our connections, propelling us towards the fulfillment of our individual dreams of service. The unwavering truth remains: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we possess the innate capacity to realize these aspirations, uncovering renewed hope and purpose in our journey of service. Drawing profound inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this transformative human experience. For those seeking guidance in their journey of service and spiritual aspirations, we extend a warm invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By downloading it today, you can initiate a transformative voyage of faith and resilience, deeply grounded in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for service within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. Join us in this enlightening episode as we venture towards a profound understanding of service, exploring 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 cultivating virtues—a pursuit that resonates deeply within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual journey, there are moments when embodying virtuous qualities and fostering personal goodness becomes a paramount desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us toward our individual ideals. The reassuring truth remains constant: with the Lord as our steadfast guide, we have the innate ability to embody these virtues, 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 cultivating virtues 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 virtue 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 virtues and discovering the extraordinary sense of virtue that resides within each one of us, guided by the insightful Zach Clinton. 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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump says God is proud of him. During a bizarre, softball-filled press appearance marking his first year back in office, Trump claimed divine approval for his presidency—offered without evidence or irony. We unpack the religious delusion, the collapse of press accountability, and what it means when a sitting president openly frames himself as God's chosen leader. Beyond Trump, we take on a parade of church–state absurdities: Florida prisons ban the Bhagavad Gita for being "written in code," Oklahoma sheriffs tout Christian jailhouse conversions until lawyers step in, and a Texas county installs a Ten Commandments monument to dare the courts to stop them. We also cover Catholic leaders warning that U.S. foreign policy has lost its moral compass, new Pew data showing Catholicism rapidly declining in Latin America, and a sharp debate over protesters disrupting a Minnesota church linked to an ICE official—forcing the question of where religious freedom ends and accountability begins.