Podcasts about although god

Daily Dose of Hope June 18, 2025   Scripture – Matthew 13:24-58   Prayer:  Holy and Merciful God, We come to you today rejoicing in your holy name.  It's amazing that you, the God of all, care about the minute details of our lives.  I mean, who are we?  But yet, you love us, you care, you died for us!  Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Help us, as we move on throughout this day to remember your presence.  Guide our words, our actions, and our thoughts.  Help us hear your voice as we engage with your Word today.  We love you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today is Wednesday and that means Recharge Day!  Hope we see you tonight, in the New Hope Garage, at 6:30pm for worship, prayer, fellowship, and small community.   For our Scripture, we are finishing up Matthew 13.  This portion of Scripture includes many more parables.  Let's start with the wheat and the weeds.  Y'all, this parable is powerful.  It has really been important in my own spiritual journey.  Here is where I have landed on it...   In the parable, the owner sows good seed but the enemy comes in the dark of night and sows weeds. The workers are understandably upset and ask the owner if he caused this. This is actually a theodicy question–how can a good God allow bad things to happen.  Basically, God, we thought you were good, why did you allow the “weeds” to grow in our lives? As believers, it is okay to question God and ask why the horrible occurred. This theology of protest doesn't demonstrate a lack of faith, but actually is an “expression of faith.” It's okay to be angry with God, question God, shake your fist so to speak, but stay in the conversation! This is, in itself, an act of faith.   Jesus also addresses the source of the weeds–the enemy has spread them. God is not the source of evil–God does not cause evil to occur so that we might grow spiritually or to perpetuate some grander divine plan. Rather, God's enemy is the source of all evil. Matthew 13:39 refers to the devil as God's enemy. Satan is real and there is real evil in our world, which both inhabits and transcends individuals, families, communities, nations, cultures, and economic structures. Why doesn't the owner in the parable want the workers to pull the weeds? Because in doing so, both the weeds and the wheat would be pulled out (Matthew 13:29). God can't just do away with all evil because, whether we like it or not, we are all are a complex and confusing mix of both good and evil. Furthermore, this isn't how God deals with the world. Although God has the power to eliminate evil using brute force (the way humans might deal with it), this goes against God's character. God instead acts through the loving and yet “weak” power of the cross. God's answer to evil was sending Jesus Christ, the one who truly understands what it means to suffer and also the only one through which true and complete healing can occur.   But the parable doesn't end there. In Matthew 13:41-43, Jesus explains how in the end, evil will be vanquished; it will not have the final word. Although I firmly believe this is true, it fails to offer much comfort in the midst of counseling someone who is grappling with the death of a baby or a sexual assault in the here and now. What is helpful, however, is to point out how God's work in the world is often difficult to understand (think about the parable of the mustard seed and the yeast). We might not always see God's power at work, but it's there in the smallest and most unusual ways, changing and transforming us, guiding us, and leading us closer to Jesus (power in the form of “loving weakness”). God is waging war on evil, just not necessarily in ways we see or understand.   It makes sense, then, that Jesus would follow up this parable with the mustard seed and yeast.  You see, in God's Kingdom, small things can yield really big results. A tiny seed can produce a big tree, so big that birds can nest in it. Seeds are really interesting things as well. They can reproduce themselves exponentially. It takes one seed to make that big mustard tree and from that tree, many, many more seeds are produced. A little bit of yeasty dough can be mixed with flour to make enough bread to feed hundreds of people.    God's economy is different.  In the world, our default setting, big things are valued–big money, big jobs, big cars, big houses, big, flashy, noticeable---these are all things that indicate power, prestige, control. In God's Kingdom, it's okay for things to be small. Small, seemingly insignificant things can make a huge difference. Mustard seeds, yeast, loaves & fishes, a random act of kindness, a kind or encouraging word, spending time with God in prayer, offering a prayer over someone else, the widow's mite, a humble life lived with integrity, sharing our faith story with someone, or our willingness to serve others. Small things that all can yield huge results for God's Kingdom. Our daily prayers can yield huge, miraculous results.   These parables, along with the others from this chapter, all give glimpses into God's Kingdom.  What is it like living under the reign of God?  We are getting snapshots.    But that doesn't mean people get it or appreciate it.  As we read at the end of the chapter, when he went to his hometown (which we know is Nazareth), the people were amazed at his teaching.  But they were also skeptical.  He was too familiar to them.  They saw this boy grow up.  They knew his parents and his siblings.  It created an obstacle to belief.  So there, he didn't do many miracles.  He moved on.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. We live in a day that is cynical about leaders and institutions. This is true in government, education, business, health care and the arts—but maybe especially in the church. Sadly, in some instances this cynicism is warranted due to abuses of power and position. However, the existence of such counterfeits doesn't invalidate the legitimacy of the real thing. A counterfeit $20 dollar bill does nothing to invalidate the legitimacy of a real $20 dollar bill. Therefore, certainly, it is necessary to be shrewd in one's engagement with any given church. We must be discerning, seeking a congregation preaching the historic gospel and operating according to the manner of Jesus Christ. A church that's not addicted to the latest and greatest, but a church rooted in and faithful to the doctrine and practice of the apostolic church. We should be wary of leaders marked by power trips but seeking and commending leaders marked by the patient service and care of God's people (Mark 10:43-45; 2 Timothy 2:24-26). Now, once we find such a church, we need to link ourselves to the communion and discipline of that local body. Admittedly, this can be difficult for many of us who have been burned by bad churches and bad shepherds. However, it doesn't relieve us from the responsibility of seeking to do so. Rather, we must trust God and carefully take it one step at a time. Although God's church is not perfect, it is being perfected, and we along with it. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”~1 Peter 5:1-7 (ESV) “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”~Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)

Daily Dose of Hope May 29, 2025 Day 4 of Week 8   Scripture – Matthew 6:1-18   Prayer: Lord, We come to you today with humble hearts.  Help us think less of ourselves and more about others.  Help us focus more on you, and less on our own wants.  It is our inclination to complain and whine.  Forgive us, Lord.  We need you.  More of you and less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional that complements the New Hope bible reading plan.  We are currently going through the Gospels and the book of Acts.  Today, we look at the first half of Matthew 6.  We are continuing to study the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus is giving us this beautiful picture of what it means to follow him --- your outward actions matter but so does your heart.  Citizens of heaven act differently.  There is a different way of living, a new way of being human, one in which is drastically different from the ways of the world.   The first portion of the Scripture from chapter 6 speaks about giving to the needy.  Don't give like the hypocrites who want attention and honor.  Rather, give quietly and discreetly.  I've had a few acquaintances over the years who really loved to talk about all the wonderful causes they gave to and all the wonderful ways they served.  It was hard to listen to.  Maybe you have been there.  Jesus is basically saying that our giving is an act of the heart.  It's between us and God.    The next portion of the Scripture talks about prayer.  Jesus again speaks of the hypocrites, those who pray loudly in the temple courts and how they have already received their reward – the attention and adoration of on-lookers.  The word hypocrite refers to a play actor on a stage; these people were acting out a part, looking for attention, looking for people to think they were so holy, they were seeking to impress others with their prayers.  Jesus was saying don't be like that – prayer is not about getting attention.  It's about a connection with God. The world tells us that it's influence and approval that matters.  Jesus says not so in the Kingdom of God.  Pray should be sincere and intentional.   Thus, Jesus gives us a pattern of prayer that allows us to be very intentional.  We call this the Lord's Prayer.  We say this almost every week as a family of faith.  This doesn't mean we have to pray exactly like this, but this provides an outline or guideline for us to follow. Let's unpack this.  Jesus starts the prayer this way, “Our Father in heaven...” This first line encourages us to start our prayer with some words about who God is to you - God is my father.  We tend to think of heaven as far off place, but in Greek, the word heaven was equivalent to the sky and all that is in it.  So God is my father who is close to me.  And then he continues, “hallowed be your name.”  This is acknowledging that God is holy, he is worthy, and we give thanks for all he has done for us and all he has blessed us with. Jesus then says, “your kingdom come...”  Remember, God's Kingdom was the way God always intended his world to be, a place where Jesus is ruler and his values are in practice.  These are values like love, justice, mercy, righteousness, and so forth.  So God, help me be part of making your Kingdom a reality right here, right now.    Then we have, “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” What you might notice is that using this outline that Jesus offers us, we haven't asked God for anything yet!  There's been no list of stuff we want or need, we are just affirming who God is, thanking him, and praying that we can be part of making his will a reality here on earth.   Then, we get to the asking.  Jesus continues, “Give us today our daily bread.” Please notice, we aren't asking for filet mignon, it's give us today our daily bread.  It's provide us what we need for today.  I think this is where we struggle in western culture.  We tend to ask for a lot of wants rather than needs.  I include myself in that one.     The next line Jesus offers us is this, And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. This is acknowledging that unconfessed sin gets in the way of our relationship with God.  Unforgiveness does the same.  It breeds bitterness, it's like a poison that seeps throughout the body.  We have to take care of that to ensure our connection with God and others. And finally, Jesus closes with, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Although God isn't the one who tempts us, here we recognize that we are easily tempted.    In the second century, the early church added a closing portion from 2 Samuel that said, “For thine is the Kingdom and the glory and the power forever.”  This just provides one more reminder that it is not about me but about God – it's HIS Kingdom, not mine, HIS glory, not mine, and HIS power.    Again, this was not meant to be legalistic but to provide an intentional structure for our genuine, sincere prayer.   What are your big takeaways about prayer from these scriptures?  What has resonated most with you.    Take a moment and think about all of Jesus' teachings from the Sermon on the Mount thus far.  What has made the biggest impact on you?    Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

rwh24may Ep.365 – Run With Horses Podcast – Goal Setting Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube:  https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Author pages with links to all books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BCSDDVLB – James Norman Smith https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BMGW51FW – Susan Jane Smith    **(24:00)** Do you find yourself wandering through life, one day morphing into the next and one year much like the last? Is your life lacking the clear spiritual progress you would like to see? IF so, today may be just for you. We are looking at pursuing clear Biblical goals to get out of a rut and back on track.   Welcome to Run With Horses! My name is Norman and my goal is to help you thrive as a follower of Jesus. The spiritual life is simple in many ways, but potentially the most difficult part of your life. God invites you to grow, to live intentionally and to join in His mission. It's very cool that we can do that together! Thank you for joining me today! “If you're new here, you can check out past episodes at runwithhorses.net. As always, I appreciate your feedback, questions, and reviews!”   **(23:00 – 0:00)* *  PART 1     Goal setting is useful for followers of Jesus—especially for Baptist Christians who want to be disciple makers—because it helps us live intentionally, steward our time wisely, and align our lives with Christ's mission.   ### 1. **Keeps Us Focused on the Mission**   Jesus commanded His followers to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19–20, NKJV). Setting specific goals helps us stay focused on this Great Commission. Without clear direction, it's easy to drift. But when we prayerfully set goals for relationships, spiritual growth, and ministry opportunities, we live with purpose. Why do we drift so easily? The world is full of distractions. Even good things can hinder us from pursuing the best things. Our priorities should be clear but often seem fuzzy.   ### 2. **Encourages Faithful Stewardship**   Ephesians 5:15–16 says, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Goal setting helps us steward our time, talents, and resources for eternal impact. It keeps us from wasting energy on things that don't contribute to Christ's kingdom. Every resource is ultimately God's. Our time is our most valuable resource and the easiest to waste. Clear goals help us evaluate the use of all of our resources in light of God's work in our life and in the world.   ### 3. **Provides a Framework for Spiritual Growth**   2 Peter 3:18 urges us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Setting personal spiritual goals (e.g., daily devotions, Scripture memorization, sharing the gospel weekly) helps us pursue maturity as disciples—so that we can help others grow as well. Although God always does His work of sanctification, He invites us to be part of the process. making clear decisions based on His Word and His Work is part of the process. There are clear choices that help us to grow toward maturity. Prayer, Bible reading and involvement with the church family are foundational and it is easy to set simple realistic goals for each on that will help us stay on track.   ### 4. **Promotes Intentional Relationships**   Disciple making requires time and intentionality. Setting goals to meet regularly with a younger believer, to start a Bible study, or to mentor a new Christian helps ensure we are actively investing in others for their spiritual benefit (2 Timothy 2:2). Disciple Making is about people. Using our time wisely gives us more time for investing in others. Keeping our lives simple helps us free up time and resources to be generous in all areas of life.   ### 5. **Builds Accountability and Encourages Perseverance**   When we set godly goals and share them with others in the church, we create a structure for encouragement and accountability (Hebrews 10:24–25). This helps us persevere when we face discouragement, setbacks, or spiritual warfare. We need to ask for accountability. IT is difficult to do that when we aren't actually working on anything related to our spiritual growth. With clear goals it is easy for others to talk with us about how God is working in us. Those conversations can be encouraging and help us perevere when times are tough.   ### 6. **Reflects the Wisdom of Planning Under God's Sovereignty**   Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty.” While we trust God's sovereignty over our lives, we are still called to plan wisely and act in faith. Goal setting is an act of diligence that honors the Lord when it is submitted to His will (James 4:13–15).God has a plan. He is organized and purposeful in all that he does. If we are to be growing in Christ-likeness, we are to be growing in purposeful choices that lead us closer to Him.   **In summary:** For a believer who wants to make disciples, goal setting is a practical expression of faithfulness. It helps us be intentional about growing spiritually, investing in others, and fulfilling Jesus' mission—always depending on God's grace and guidance every step of the way.   **(00:00) END PART 1** **(27:00 – 5:00) BEGIN PART 2**   Implementing goal setting into a personal spiritual journey is a way for a disciple of Jesus to grow in Christlikeness and become more effective in making disciples. As a disciple committed to the authority of Scripture and the Great Commission, goal setting should be approached prayerfully, biblically, and purposefully.   How do you begin implementing goal setting in your spiritual life?   ### 1. Start with God's Purpose, Not Personal Ambition   Our goals must flow from God's purposes—not personal preferences. God's purpose for every believer is to be conformed to the image of Christ and to make disciples.  

When we go to worship in a church building we can thank God for those who built it and who make it available for us even today. Although God is present everywhere. He has promised to be present in a very special way where two or three are gathered in his name, and when we receive the Lord's Supper where Jesus' body and blood are present in a mysterious, miraculous, and merciful way.God delights to be with us. We should delight to be with him as well. 

Although God created all things good, we live in a world that is not as it should be. What happened? Today, Sinclair Ferguson takes several lessons from the Bible's teaching about the fall of humanity into sin. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-tragedy-of-the-fall/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Pastor Pete unpacks Chapters 11 and 12 to reveal our spiritual vulnerability when we step out from under God's Kingship – whether by living in habitual sin, or by isolating ourselves from others. Although God is faithful to rescue us when we cry out to Him, we must remember that we have an enemy who is always on the prowl. To live spiritually victorious lives, we need to remain close to God, walk in continual repentance and stay connected to a community of believers.

What happens when God's people completely violate their covenant with Him? Well, today's study is another history-rich explanation of Judah's demise and the historical and religious events that led up to it. Join us in this important lesson on a key event in the history of the Bible. DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    According to verse 2, how long had been Nebuchadnezzar's siege against Jerusalem? In verse 3, what impact did it have? If you had endured such a thing for two years, how would you have turned to the Lord?  2.    What do the Babylonians do to Zedekiah? How was this a fulfillment of God's warnings for all this time? 3.    What did they do to the Temple in verse 9? How was this a fulfillment of God's warnings from 2 Kings 20:16-18? 4.    What did they do to the wall in verse 10? 5.    What did they do to the people in verse 11? 6.    Who was Gedaliah and what did he say to the people in verse 24? What would you have done if you were in that situation?  7.    Sometimes life brings difficult circumstances. Occasionally, people worry that they are some kind of judgment from God. How does the Gospel help us know that God will never inflict this kind of judgment on His people?  8.    Although God's judgment has finally come upon Judah, what promises do we have about her restoration? What does this tell us about the ultimate mercy of God?  Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

The Covenant made as Sinai was defective in that one of the parties - Israel - was unable to live according to its terms. That made a New Covenant necessary. Although God's terms are the same for both covenants, the new one is to be written on the heart instead of on tablets of stone. The New Covenant like the one at Sinai must be ratified with the blood of a sacrifice. In this case, the blood was that of the Messiah.

Text: Proverbs 21:15,16 (ESV) 15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.16 One who wanders from the way of good sense will rest in the assembly of the dead. TRUE JUSTICE & FREEDOM Where is true justice based? True "justice" is that which corresponds to God's will and His standards, is it not? (Prov 1:1–7; 21:3). When truth and goodness are enforced, punishment for the guilty of doing wicked is done. Then, the wicked people are rightly afraid (Prov 3:25–26; 10:24). Because courts and institutions are led by imperfect leaders, no all punishment is just (Prov 17:26). Many Christians are persecuted or even martyred in hostile places. But, someday the Lord will execute justice upon their persecutors, and believers will rejoice that the Lord has vindicated them. Jesus said, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Mat 5:11–12). This is a reality every believer must embrace. Peter says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”[1 Pet 4:12]. Scholars suggest he may have been referring to Emperor Nero's practice of burning Christians alive at the stake. Peter tells his readers to "rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (1 Pet 4:13). When Christ's glory is revealed, evildoers will be terrified (2 Thess 1:5–10; Rev 19:11–21). In verse 18, the mention of ‘way' is about a person's lifestyle and choices in life. Life's choices could be considered wise and truly free if one fears the Lord. (Prov 1:7). The more he follows truth the more closely one follows God's will ((Prov 18:15; 8:13; 10:14). This is the lifestyle of the righteous. The consequences of deviating from a lifestyle of fearing God can be earthly, eternal, or both. But, the way of the unrighteous is the result of his bondage to sin. They choose to live for pleasure, fame, or fortune, but destruction lies at the end of such a life. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Mat 7:13–14). Although God's way may present various trials, it is always the right way. All other ways may seem appealing, but they lead to eternal death (Prov 12:28; 14:12). Listen and FOLLOW us on our podcast -------------------------Visit and FOLLOW Gospel Light Filipino on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram

In this lesson, Pastor Dale teaches on how to cultivate a life of peace. Although God has freely given us His peace, our cooperation is required to receive this gift. As with any other blessing promised to the born-again believer - such as healing, prosperity, etc. - we must mix our faith with God's Word in order to activate His promises in our lives.

“God's Defense of His Chosen Servant and the Consequences of Jealousy and Rebellion.” This chapter highlights themes of divine authority, humility, leadership, punishment for speaking against God's anointed, and the power of intercession. It teaches that God defends those He appoints, humbles those who challenge His order, and disciplines with justice and mercy. Numbers 12 is a striking account of jealousy, leadership, divine justice, and mercy. It tells the story of Miriam and Aaron challenging Moses, God's appointed leader, and the severe consequences that follow. This chapter highlights a critical theme in Scripture: God defends those He calls, and He does not tolerate rebellion against His anointed servants. While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn't He spoken through us too?” But the Lord heard them (Numbers 12:1-2, TLB). Miriam and Aaron, the older siblings of Moses, begin to speak against him. The first issue they raise is that Moses has married a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman. There is some debate about who this woman was--whether she was Zipporah, his Midianite wife (Exodus 2:21), or another wife from Cush (modern-day Ethiopia/Sudan). Regardless, their criticism of Moses' marriage is only a cover for a deeper issue: jealousy over Moses' spiritual authority. Miriam and Aaron challenge Moses' leadership, essentially saying: “Is Moses the only one God speaks through? Aren't we also prophets?” Their complaint suggests a power struggle, as they resent Moses' special relationship with God. Miriam, who was called a prophetess (Exodus 15:20), may have felt entitled to equal authority. Aaron, as high priest, may have also desired more influence. Their words reveal pride and a failure to respect God's appointment. What they fail to realize is that their rebellion is not against Moses--it is against God Himself, who chose Moses as His servant. The last phrase of verse 2 is key: “But the Lord heard them.” God does not ignore this attack on His anointed leader. Now Moses was very meek, more so than any other man on earth. So immediately the Lord summoned Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to the Tabernacle: ‘Come here, the three of you,' He commanded. So they stood before the Lord (Numbers 12:3-4, TLB). Moses does not respond to his siblings' attack. Instead, the text emphasizes his humility--he is called “more meek than anyone on earth.” This shows that Moses does not defend himself, but God steps in to defend him. God immediately summons Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to the Tabernacle, where His presence visibly descends in a pillar of cloud. This divine intervention underscores the seriousness of their challenge. When God personally calls someone to judgment, it is never a small matter. God speaks directly to Miriam and Aaron, explaining why Moses is different from all other prophets: If there were prophets among you, I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams. But not with my servant Moses. Of all my house, he is the one I trust. I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the Lord as He is. So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses? (Numbers 12:6-8, TLB). This is a powerful declaration. While prophets typically receive visions and dreams, Moses has a unique relationship with God--he speaks to Him directly, face to face. God calls Moses the most faithful in His house, a phrase later echoed in Hebrews 3:5. God is asking: “How dare you speak against the man I have chosen?” The anger of the Lord burns against them, and His presence departs--a sign of judgment. As the cloud moved from the Tabernacle, Miriam suddenly became white with leprosy. When Aaron saw what had happened, he cried out to Moses, ‘Oh, sir, do not punish us for this sin that we have so foolishly committed. Don't let her be like a stillborn baby, already decayed at birth' (Numbers 12:10-12, TLB). As soon as God departs, Miriam is struck with leprosy--a severe skin disease that turns her “white as snow.” This is an ironic punishment because she had complained about Moses' Cushite wife, possibly due to her darker skin tone. Now, Miriam herself is stricken with a disease that makes her own skin appear unnatural. Aaron, seeing his sister's suffering, immediately repents and pleads with Moses to intercede. It is significant that Aaron is not punished in the same way--likely because Miriam was the instigator of the rebellion (her name is listed first in verse 1). Aaron, as high priest, also had sacred duties that required ritual purity, and leprosy would have made him unfit to serve. In a beautiful act of mercy, Moses intercedes for his sister, praying: “Oh God, I beg You, please heal her!” (Numbers 12:13, TLB). Even though Miriam spoke against him, Moses does not seek revenge. Instead, he prays for her healing, demonstrating the same humility and grace that Jesus would later model. But the Lord said to Moses, ‘If her father had spit in her face, wouldn't she be defiled for seven days? So let her be shut out of the camp for seven days, and after that, she may be accepted back.' So Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days, and the people waited until she was brought back before they traveled again (Numbers 12:14-15, TLB). Although God hears Moses' prayer, He does not immediately heal Miriam. Instead, He imposes a seven-day banishment outside the camp--this was the required punishment for lepers (Leviticus 13:46). This public humiliation serves as both a discipline for Miriam and a lesson for Israel: God will not tolerate rebellion against His chosen leaders. Significantly, the entire nation must wait until Miriam is restored before moving forward. This highlights her importance as a leader but also shows the consequences of sin affecting the entire community. Once Miriam is brought back, the Israelites resume their journey toward the Promised Land. God chooses whom He wills. Miriam and Aaron thought they deserved equal authority with Moses, but God had chosen Moses for a unique role. We must be careful not to challenge God's appointed leaders out of pride or jealousy. God defends His servants. Moses did not have to fight for himself; God stepped in to vindicate him. This is a reminder that when we walk in obedience, God is our defender (Romans 8:31). The danger of speaking against others is clear. Criticism, especially against God's anointed, has serious consequences. Jesus warns in Matthew 12:36 that we will give an account for every idle word we speak. The power of humility is demonstrated by Moses, who is called the most humble man on earth (Numbers 12:3). True leadership is marked by humility, not pride. God disciplines those He loves. Miriam's punishment was severe, but it was meant to restore her. Hebrews 12:6 reminds us that God disciplines those He loves so they may return to Him. Intercession brings healing. Moses' prayer of intercession saved Miriam from further suffering. This points to Jesus Christ, our ultimate intercessor, who prays for us (Hebrews 7:25). Numbers 12 is a powerful warning against jealousy, pride, and rebellion. Miriam and Aaron's actions remind us of the importance of respecting God's authority, while Moses' response teaches us about humility, mercy, and intercession. Ultimately, this chapter reminds us that God sees all things, hears every word spoken, and will uphold His divine order. As believers, we must walk in humility, obedience, and trust in God's leadership rather than seeking power or position for ourselves.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.

God's Will is Done (Audio) David Eells – 2/26/25 Do you know and understand that God is sovereign over the minds of all men? An angel recently told me that they could influence men's minds and they do. (Pro.21:1) The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever he will. It is amazing to me how many Christians today can be so ignorant of the sovereignty of God when there is so much of it in the Word, though so many, even in the Old Testament, understood this truth. We would get a good argument if we said some of these things in almost any church, but we should be able to say anything that the Scripture says and feel good about it. When we quote the Scriptures and we do not feel easy about it, it is because we are wrong in our thinking. In this way, we can know if we have false doctrine and our mind needs to be renewed. There are many verses ignored by the modern church because they are uncomfortable to the carnal mind. Here is one of those verses. (Dan.4:17) The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men. Why is it that people do not understand this today? There are so many Christians today that are so politically-minded they think that they have the ability by banding together to put somebody in office that God does not want. Be careful about matching numbers with the wicked. According to the truth of the broad road, there is no moral majority. It is not by might and not by power. Throughout history, God has set up over the kingdoms of men the lowest of men not the highest who are disciples of Christ and born of the Word. God has a good reason for doing this. It was the reason that the lowest of men judged Jesus, and it is the same reason that we need the lowest of men to rule over us now. Good people will not nail you to a cross, but without the cross, there is no crown. Even though at this time our Cyrus is overthrowing Babylonish Deep State kingdom to bring in one more favorable to conservative Christians, apostacy and corruption has not been corrected in the Church. This will give us a time of relative peace for the Man-child reformers to get the true Word out. Then that Word will be tested in them. In Biblical times, when God's people fell into apostasy, He raised up a beast kingdom to crucify them into repentance. Six world-ruling kingdoms – Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece and Rome – were raised up to bring little Israel to their cross. Is it an accident that world kingdoms thought it important to subject the smallest of kingdoms? History and the Word of God are plain. (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. To bring to repentance a worldwide apostate (meaning: fallen away) Church, now God is raising up a seventh and eighth worldwide beast kingdom, which will incorporate the seed of all the previous kingdoms (Rev.17:11). We read about Nebuchadnezzar, a man who was so proud of the great kingdom that he thought he had built. (Dan.4:30) The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? (31) While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, [saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee: (32) and thou shalt be driven from men; and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. This vessel of clay taking credit for God's work reminds me of the statement made by the Titanic's engineer, “We built a boat that God could not sink.” (Ecc.5:2) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. This sovereignty of God instills respect. When King Nebuchadnezzar was walking in his palace bragging about his accomplishments, the Lord turned his mind over to the mind of a beast for seven times. This is a type of the last seven years of tribulation when God will turn the kingdoms of the world over to the dragon of Revelation 12 and then the beast of Revelation 13, giving them the mind of a beast in Revelation17. For seven seasons, that great boastful king ate the grass of the fields, symbolizing the flesh of men, until he came to the revelation in Dan.4:25 the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever He will. The first thing we should see here is that God made this arrogant man king and gave the rebellious people of God into his hand. God has repeated this habit throughout history. God through Daniel warned the king of his judgment ahead of time to make him responsible to repent. This is an example to us to fear God and not touch His glory. (Dan.4:35) And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; (It is not the world that is important in God's plan but those who are born from above.) and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Nobody can push God's hand away and say, “What are you doing?” Nobody can stop Him from doing what God wants him to do. This should give us faith, rest, and the fear of God. Since God is doing exactly what He wants, why does He set up these evil men over the world? We thought God wanted to go the other way with the world. He, obviously, does not share the majority's opinion on that. God has no interest in saving the world through world politics; He has never done it before. This is the thinking of ignorant Christians who want to help God out. Their plan is to always put Christians at the head to make favorable laws and judgments for us so that we will never be under persecution, oppression, or on the cross. The problem with this is that deeply spiritual men have no desire to rule over men. They only desire to serve the kingdom in fulfilling the Great Commission. (Mar.10:42) And Jesus… saith unto them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. (43) But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister (Greek: “servant”). Political Christians are left with those who desire power among men as their choice. These people and the world they rule over serve the larger plan of bringing sons to maturity. (2 Sam.7:14) I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. Political Christians would love to take away God's rod. If so many Christians did not have a name that lives while they are dead (Rev.3:1), there would be no need for the rod of men. When it comes to politics, I am totally neutral because I want to be on God's side not man's side. God does not always want to put in the good man we think He wants to put in. He did not do it with Clinton or Obama did He? Most Christians would agree with me there. God wanted to put a wicked man in office, because a wicked man is the only kind that would bring this wicked country into the chastening it needed. (Rom.13:1) Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the [powers] that be are ordained of God. God did not put these types in because they were our preference but because that was what we needed. No father prefers to chasten his child, but bless him. God put Bush in office because Christians asked Him to. Now, He can prove that we don't have discernment. He couldn't save nor keep us from chastening, either. You may ask, “Is it God's Will to use the true Christian vote to put in office someone like Clinton, Obama or Biden?” No, because if God uses a Christian, He wants to use a true Christian as a vessel of honor. Then would He have us not vote? When He desires to put someone like that in office, the answer is yes. When does He want us to vote? The short answer is when He tells us to. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. He wants us to vote when He wants to do something very unusual, like put a better man in office. We know that God has ordained that Cyrus/Trump be in office at this time. God wants to always use us as vessels of honor. God will use those who refuse to be used as vessels of honor as vessels of dishonor. God will use the wicked to put in a wicked man if He wants the wicked in there. If you disagree with me on that, at least agree with me on this. “There is no power but of God; and the [powers] that be are ordained of God.” This was written in the time of the Herods, Caesars and the Neros, and after that it was true of Hitler and Stalin. Listen, we cannot argue with the Scripture if we want the truth. According to the Word, if wicked men are in a position of power, God put them there. This gives me peace. I do not have to worry. I saw so many Christians worried that Clinton was going to get into office. They were erroneously thinking that it was their responsibility to make sure the right man went in, instead of just obeying God. I did not have to worry about that because my God reigns. I told many before Clinton's first term that God was going to put him into office. I was told that God would not do that. Well, He overruled them. God rules in the kingdom of men, and He rules in the heavens, and He never falls off the throne. Many are deceived into thinking that God's plan is to rule the world by democracy. In such a case, the broad road gang wins. He already rules through theocracy. Romans 9:21 clearly states that He has vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor. God has a good purpose for His vessels of dishonor, as we shall see. Who was it that killed Jesus? The Jews who were recognized as the people of God were the voters who cried, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Let me show you Who was behind the voters. Do you know what “Barabbas” means? “Barabbas” means “Son of the father.” Barabbas was the criminal who represented us. The voters set Barabbas free and demanded that Jesus be crucified. (Act.2:22) Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; (23) him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay. God delivered up Jesus to lawless men including their religious leaders. God could not use men who would not slay the Lamb. God put the people in power that would carry out His “determinate counsel.” Who was it that delivered up and smote the shepherd? It was not just the voters of Judas, Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, the Romans, and the Jews. We have to look behind all of them. (Mat.26:31) Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended in me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. Even though all these vessels of dishonor are guilty, these are only secondary wills. We have to look behind the secondary wills and see the sovereign Will of God. God said, “I will smite the shepherd.” Thank God His plan was not to stop there because there is a lot more crucifying necessary. (Zech.13:7) Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn my hand upon the little ones. God is sovereign, and His plan is to crucify the sheep, the little ones. How else can we account for the persecution of Christians throughout history, throughout the world? Unless we take up our cross and follow Jesus, we cannot be His disciples. Of course, we would like to get rid of evil governments and be accepted by the world so that we could enjoy the good life, but all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim.3:12). If we are disciples of Christ, we will be persecuted. Jesus said, “I am the way.” The way to what? The way to heaven. How do you go? The same way Jesus went. If God were going to turn His hand upon the little ones in the way of crucifixion, would you take away His tools? How is God going to bring His plan to pass without the wicked being in rule? Can you see the earth, the dirt, and the plant? The dirt kills the seed coat, and the plant brings forth fruit. Sometimes God permits childlike thinking. If we understood some of these things without a good foundation, we might be tempted to charge God with doing evil and, of course, God never does evil. For this reason, God permits baby Christians to have this “God is in a war with the devil” concept. But when they mature and study the Scriptures, they should come into the knowledge and understanding that God is sovereign and does not make mistakes. He is creating sons. He created and is using the wicked for the day of evil, and they are necessary to crucify the sons. Prosperity and freedom have caused us to lose sight of this fact. (Mat.16:24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. We must lose our carnal life to have God's spiritual life. (Acts 4:27) For of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, (28) to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel foreordained to come to pass. God foreordained these wicked men to crucify Jesus for our salvation and His plan for us to be crucified as well. Not always physically, but absolutely the old man must die to self that the new man may live. God uses people around us to bring us to our cross. If you have ever thought, “I don't need this person in my life,” then you need this person in order to bear the fruit of Jesus. Difficult people are used to bring out the worst in us so that we may choose to walk in the light of the Word and be cleansed of this corruption (1Jn.1:7), or disobey the Word and not bear fruit. This is the whole reason for the most hated command in the Scriptures: non-resistance to evil. We are commanded to be as sheep in the midst of wolves (Mat.10:16), to resist not evil and turn the other cheek (Mat.5:39), to love our enemies (Mat.5:44), to bless those who persecute us (Rom.12:14), and to avenge not ourselves (Rom.12:19) to list a few. These are the natural actions of the one who obeys Jesus and forgives from the heart. God will turn all others over to the tormentors or demons. (Mat.18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. (35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. When we are faced with the wicked and we obey these commands of non-resistance, we can feel the fiery trial burning up the wood, hay, and stubble of our old life. Every time our flesh rises up on the inside and we deny it, it dies, and we get more of the gold, silver, and precious stones of the valuable life of Christ. We are to consider flesh, self or the old man, to be dead because it was crucified with Christ. Rom 6:6  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; …11  Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. 12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof.  This is faith and the key to arriving at death to self. You can slap, insult, or rob a dead man and he will ignore you. Stop feeding the flesh and see how quickly it dies. We should see the crucifiers as God's gift to us, even if they are being used as vessels of dishonor. All these wicked people are gathered together to do whatsoever God's hand and God's counsel has foreordained to come to pass. In other words, God does not have any trouble out of any of them. They all do exactly what they are supposed to do. All these rebellious people fulfill the Will of God perfectly. Just as God works in us to will and do of His good pleasure, He also does in them. (Pro.16:9) A man's heart deviseth his way; But the Lord directeth his steps. Decide what you want to be, but no matter what you are, God will use you. Pity, forgive, and have mercy on those who are being used of God, through the devil, as vessels of dishonor. Some of them will repent through your prayers and faith and love. (Psa.75:5) Lift not up your horn on high (I.e. Let not your might, power, or voice be heard.); Speak not with a stiff neck. (6) For neither from the east, nor from the west, Nor yet from the south, [cometh] lifting up. (7) But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and liftest up another. Much has been said recently about the hidden powers that are manipulating the duped masses to get their man into office, and there is truth to this, but God is sovereignly behind it all to work His Will. Fleshly power, wisdom, manipulation, or money lifts up no one. The men of means do not rule this world by their own design; it only appears that way for God's purpose. Just as God sovereignly puts into office, He takes out of office. He also gives us signs of this control along the way. The president in office on every twentieth year died in office until Reagan. 1840: William Henry Harrison (Died in office) 1860: Abraham Lincoln (Assassinated) 1880: James A. Garfield (Assassinated) 1900: William McKinley (Assassinated) 1920: Warren G. Harding (Died in office) 1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt (Died in office) 1960: John F. Kennedy (Assassinated) 1980: Ronald Reagan (Survived assassination attempt). Why did this obvious pattern stop with Reagan and is he the last? God knows. I believe God used the faith and prayers of many Christians who knew about this cycle to bring it to an end. The millennial Sabbath or the actual year 6000 A.M. (September 2001 - 2002) may be the beginning of a new dealing with the sins of God's people. Spiritually, according to type, judgment comes on those who do not cease from their own works on the Sabbath. Two of the most famous of these Presidents who were 100 years apart had obviously God-ordained parallels. • Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946. • Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960. • Both were concerned with civil rights. Both their wives lost children while living in the White House. • Both Presidents were shot on a Friday. Both Presidents were shot in the head. • Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln. • Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson. • Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808. Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908. • Both assassins were known by their three names. • Both names are composed of 15 letters. • Lincoln was shot at the theater named “Ford.” Kennedy was shot in a car called “Lincoln” made by Ford. • Booth and Oswald were killed before their trials. Coincidence? It takes less faith to believe in a sovereign God! These signs are to show us the sovereignty of God. (Psa.75:7) But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and liftest up another. You cannot always judge by looking at the circumstances whether one is being lifted up or put down. For instance, look at Job. Job's friends certainly thought that God was putting him down, but God was lifting him up to sanctify him and to double what he had before (Job 42:10). Joseph is another good example of this. He was sold into bondage by his brothers, falsely accused by his master's wife, and thrown into prison, all as a type of Jesus. Through all Joseph's tribulations, God was actually promoting him over all. Pharaoh then promoted him, making him second only to himself. Joseph confirmed that all of the evil his brothers had done against him was for his good. (Gen.50:20) And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. When God is through manifesting His sons, they will be promoted, and the usefulness of the vessels of wrath will come to an end. (Isa.10:24) Therefore thus saith the Lord, God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian, though he smite thee with the rod, and lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. (25) For yet a very little while, and the indignation [against thee] shall be accomplished, and mine anger [shall be directed] to his destruction. Then God's elect will rule by Him. (Psa.75:10) All the horns (power) of the wicked also will I cut off; But the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up. Someone recently made the following comment to me: “So raising all these millions of dollars to promote a candidate is not necessary.” God is behind that also, even to put the one He wants into office. Those who do not love God need a natural reason for why things happen. Have you ever watched an ant colony behind glass? They carry on through instinct their own purposes, not realizing that they are being watched, and in our case tried. As long as only the natural is seen, God's purpose of a trial environment is established. It is God's purpose that both He and the devil stay hidden until the end. God is looking for those who will overcome walking by sight and will mature to a higher order of living by faith. After the candidate gets into office, it makes no difference. You may think that if you vote for a good conservative, he will be God's servant. He will always make decisions and choices we can trust because he is “God's man.” Has not God shown us the fallacy of that? G.W. Bush has taken away more civil rights because of terrorism than Clinton ever did. We know of a Christian, voted into office by Christians because they believed he would further the Christian cause. He made some of the most ignorant mistakes and foolish decisions, accomplishing nearly nothing. God teaches us lessons, not by the might of the Republican Party, nor by power of the ballot. We are not to trust in men like Israel who ran to Egypt for help against Babylon But we are to walk and speak faith so God can use a monkey. The issue is not about God's Will being done, because whoever gets elected, what he does will be God's Will. It will not, however, always be His wish. Let me explain. (2Pe.3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. “Wishing” in this verse has been incorrectly translated “willing” in some versions. If God was not willing that any should perish, believe me, none would perish since He worketh all things after the counsel of His will (Eph.1:11). Every good parent does things they do not wish to do, but they will to do, in order to train children. In like manner, these world rulers will do the Will of God but not necessarily His wish. The real issue is who we put our faith and trust in. If we believe that we can blindly follow the good conservative we helped to elect instead of God, we will trip and fall on our misplaced trust. And this, too, is God's Will. (Pro.21:1) The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever he will. Just as a channel turns the water, the Lord turns the king's heart. If He rules the head, He rules the tail. If He rules the king, He rules the people. God does what He wants by turning hearts. Either He turns their hearts as vessels of dishonor for our sake or He turns their hearts to righteousness. He has given us a method by which we can be His vessels to do this. If we forsake His way for the world's ways, the country will crumble. If we think we are going to turn our country around through politics, we are deceived. We cannot politically force evil people to be good. Only the Gospel has the power to change the hearts of the wicked. It is the power of God to save the one that believes it (Rom.1:16). Therefore we should be focused on obeying the Lord and preaching the Gospel to change this nation. Jesus and the apostles are our examples. They focused on the spiritual war and were not deceived into wrestling with flesh and blood. If our country is turned around, it is because people repent; when people repent, God gives them a good government. Since God's people rarely repent without chastening, our nation will hate us. (Mat.24:9)… Ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. We must never fear the will or conspiracies of men or governments. They are all working for His Name's sake. God predestines and does according to His Will. (Psa.103:19) The Lord hath established his throne in the heavens; And his kingdom ruleth over all. (20) Bless the Lord, ye his angels, That are mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word, (Angels fight for us and are unlimited when we agree with God's Word, as it was with the Prophets. For instance: We cannot kill but they can.)(21) Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts, Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. (22) Bless the Lord, all ye his works, In all places of his dominion: Bless the Lord, O my soul. God is doing everything that is being done. Through many vessels, He is bringing to pass His eternal creation through the last Adam, Jesus Christ. We need to differentiate between the kingdoms of the world and the kingdom of God. The devil offered Jesus authority over all the kingdoms of the world (even your country!) as a temptation, but He turned the position down (Luk.4:5). Some Christians are not turning the devil down. They are being deceived into working in and for the wrong kingdom. Politics is the world's method for ruling the world. The Gospel is God's only method for building His kingdom. Jesus said, My kingdom is not of this world (Joh.18:36). Although God has people everywhere, in order for them to obey the Great Commission, they are forbidden to entangle themselves with the affairs of this life (2 Tim.2:4). Jesus said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you (Luk.17:20-21). In other words, the kingdom of God is not to be seen or physical. It is within you; it is the spiritual or born-again man, the one who submits to Jesus as King. Many Christians are building a physical kingdom thinking it to be God's kingdom. Many are worshiping God and country, thinking their country to be God's kingdom. We are here to seek first the kingdom of God, but many are seeking and serving the world and the flesh, which are passing away. Have you ever noticed how the church usually aligns itself in any dispute according to its patriotic nationalism? For instance, during WWII the church in Germany for the most part aligned itself with Hitler while the church in the United States aligned itself patriotically with this country. Christians went out to kill Christians, members of their own kingdom! (1Pe.2:9) But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Our kingdom is one race in the midst of all races and one nation in the midst of all nations. Our brothers and sisters do not have national bounds or ethnic divisions as the world does. We are a spiritual race and nation sent to the fleshly races and nations to “show forth the excellencies of him.” Shall we show the world how to kill in the name of Christ? The lost, who are killed, will never have another opportunity to have eternal life. The following excerpts from God's Word should answer that question: “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword”; “Love your enemies”; “Resist not him that is evil”; “I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves”; “Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not”; “Render to no man evil for evil”; “Avenge not yourselves”; “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink”; and “Overcome evil with good.” God's people are confused into being members of the wrong kingdom. If we align ourselves with the world, we are God's enemies! (Jas.4:1) Whence [come] wars and whence [come] fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your pleasures that war in your members? (2)… ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not. (4) Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. Religion or patriotism is the cause of most wars, sending multitudes to hell. We are forbidden to fight with people and only allowed to fight with evil spirits. (Eph.6:12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. In the days ahead, God will open our eyes to this adultery with the world. The whole world, including apostate (fallen away) Christianity, will unite against God's people. When this happens it will cause true Christians to unite behind Christ. (Mat.24:9) Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. The whole world will follow the beast to make war on the saints (Rev.13:7-8). To those same saints, God says, If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints (Rev.13:10). Many will disagree with me on the grounds of their own reasoning instead of God's Word. I have been asked, “If we do not fight for our country, who will?” Those who are on the broad road, who are not disciples, will, and God will use them as well if He wants to save their country that way. We can and should fight for our country God's way. (2Co.10:4) For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds.

When we become Christians, the Bible says that we are born again (John 3:3). This is more than just a good analogy, it means that we are immersed into a whole new life with a new heart, new mind, and a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17). Although God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), we still have to grow into spiritual maturity. In theological terms, this process of spiritual growth is referred to as “sanctification.” As Christians we are growing in knowledge, grace, discernment, wisdom, love, and faith (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15; 2 Corinthians 10:15). Our growth in Christ will never end in this life, which means that wherever we are right now is not the end of the road because there is always more. In our passage today, the Apostle Paul encourages the church at Philippi by reminding them that our maturity in Christ starts with God but requires our participation as well.   Speaker: Pastor Ben Dixon Scripture: Philippians 2:12-13 Series: Stand Alone Series   For more information visit www.BenDixon.org

Although God is described as light, why has our journey toward God often been described in terms of 'darkness'?Support us on Patreon for Member access to our special podcast series on the Gospel of JohnApply for Saint Paul's House of FormationEmail usMusic by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications 

Send us a textFor an ad-free version of the podcast plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month and also help keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free  for listeners everywhere at;patreon.com/JeremyMcCandlessSubscribe here to receive my new church history podcast every few weeks at.https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.comWelcome & Study Notes: Welcome to Today's Episode!In this episode, we continue our journey through the book of Joshua, focusing on chapter 2. Last time, we saw God's commission to Joshua and the Israelites' pledge of obedience. Today, we explore Joshua's strategic decision to send spies into Jericho—a move that teaches us a valuable lesson about preparation in fulfilling God's plans.Although God had already promised victory, Joshua understood the necessity of gathering information and preparing wisely. We also encounter Rahab, a surprising yet pivotal figure, whose faith and actions secured not only her safety but also her place in God's redemptive plan.Study Notes: Key Themes & Lessons from Joshua 21. The Role of Preparation in Fulfilling God's Will (Joshua 2:1)2. Rahab's Act of Faith & God's Grace (Joshua 2:2-7)3. Faith That Leads to Action (Joshua 2:8-24)4. The Spies' Report & God's Sovereignty (Joshua 2:23-24)Practical Takeaways:Preparation is key – Knowing God's will isn't enough; we must take practical steps to act on it.Faith requires action – Rahab didn't just believe; she acted on her belief.God's grace is for all – No one is beyond redemption; God can use anyone who trusts in Him.God is always working ahead of us – Like the spies discovered, God often prepares the way before we even arrive.Final Thought: Rahab's scarlet cord serves as a powerful symbol of God's redemptive grace, pointing to Jesus Christ. Her story reminds us that no matter our past, faith in God can lead to transformation and inclusion in His plan. As we move forward in our own journeys, let's embrace both faith and preparation, trusting that God is always ahead of us, guiding our steps.Thanks for joining this study! Stay tuned as we continue through Joshua and uncover more about God's faithfulness and our call to trust and obey Him.Faith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!Breaking down faith, culture & big questions - a mix of humor with real spiritual growth. Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showFor an ad-free version of my podcasts plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month whilst also helping keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free for listeners everywhere support me at;|PatreonSupport me to continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

God is described as One who picks up an individual lamb to protect and carry it close to His heart.Although God is all-powerful and the nations are as dust before Him, He still cares for each of His own in a personal way.We must never think that God is so majestic that He ignores the needs and problems of the individual believer.Blessings,Presiding Elder Barbara HayesUBC WFT | FLSB

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” Those are lyrics from the Old Hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Those words describe the human tendency that we all face to wander away from God, even though He has been so gracious to us. In today's message, Pastor Bill warns you about the dangers of drifting away from God. Although God is sovereign over all and has the power to keep you, it's your responsibility to walk with Him and not wander from Him.

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” Those are lyrics from the Old Hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Those words describe the human tendency that we all face to wander away from God, even though He has been so gracious to us. In today's message, Pastor Bill warns you about the dangers of drifting away from God. Although God is sovereign over all and has the power to keep you, it's your responsibility to walk with Him and not wander from Him.

You don't get by with sin. That's the message we hear loud and clear from Hosea chapter 5. Although God patiently waits, the time of judgment for each one of us will inevitably come.

Chapter 4 tells of the angel giving Moses 3 powerful supporting signs to convince the resistant Hebrews to believe God and His prophet and representative, Moses. The sign of the staff that would turn into a snake; the sign of the hand that would become leprous before being healed; the sign of waters of the Nile (Egypt's life blood) becoming blood (itself the symbol of life) turning to blood and bringing death. Still Moses poses excuses to Yahweh as to why someone else should be God's spokesman. In anger his Sovereign tells Moses not to give any more excuses – you will have Aaron, your brother, to support you. Aaron will become your mouthpiece and your prophet. Moses returned to Egypt with his wife and sons. And the message for Pharaoh, “Israel is My firstborn son; let My son go to serve Me; or I will slay your firstborn son”. The challenge from the God of Israel was to issued to the gods of Egypt, of whom Pharaoh was their incarnation. In the inn the angel sought to slay Moses because Moses, despite being sent as the leader of the circumcised(covenanted) people, had neglected to circumcise his own son, Gershom. What an unforgettable lesson to Moses and to ourselves. Although God can and does use us; He relies on no individual for His plan to proceed (with the exception of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ). Psalm 56 is Miktam of David telling of his plea to the Almighty for help, when he was hopelessly lost in Achish's prison in Gath. It also calls upon all hearers to praise God for His capacity and willingness to save. God vindicated David's trust and delivered him. Yahweh would recompense the Psalmist's foes; and for these reasons God would be extolled by David and all mthe ladies prighteous. In confidence the Psalmist tells of offering thanksgiving offerings in the glorious icoming Kingdom Age.Psalm 57 is likewise a Miktam of David's and shares the background of the 56th psalm. It is a plea for mercy and the image of a defenceless, trembling bird find a place of refuge beneath the protective wings of the Almighty. Our Lord Jesus the same metaphor in describing his desire to protect his people, Israel (see Matthew 23 verses 37-39). God's purpose for the psalmist would be fulfilled and his foes put to shame. David, like Daniel later, felt as if he was in a lions' den. This possibly is a description of the desperate 600 men who had gathered themselves together with David, during his exile. His Sovereign would, nonetheless, turn them into a band of courageous, faithful warriors. David then described his pursuers, in Saul and his army, as having spread a net in which they themselves would be ensnared. Because of his trust in the LORD, David remained steadfast, immovable. The psalmist would praise his God for His steadfast faithfulness and loving kindness. Yahweh will be exalted and His glory fill the earth. In Romans 9 Paul explains his frustration at his nation's failure to grasp the glory God was offering his people. The Apostle shows from Scripture that this failure was foretold and follows a persist pattern of behaviour demonstrated by Israel. Nonetheless the Almighty's sovereign selection would stand upon the principles of the Divine grace and mercy, not because of any effort or merit on the part of any individual within the Chosen People. The Scriptures stand true and the restoration of the former people of God's choosing would be by His actions through which anyone to be saved could on one basis alone – by faith in the foundation stone the Father set in Zion (Isaiah 28 verse 16) His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

If only God would show up for us like a G.P.S. - That voice that tells us exactly where to go in life. Although God doesn't actually use Garmin to guide us, that doesn't mean he doesn't speak to us and help keep us on the road following him. In this message, we examine what it means to follow Jesus on the journey and how to be better followers.

For the first program of 2025, the Ladies of LoveTalk Network dive into the Scriptures to determine God's favorite four-letter word, "Love," as well as Jesus' most overlooked four words, "Have you not read?" Although God's love is complete and certain, it cannot sustain us unless we know we can rest in its embrace. In Scripture, Jesus repeatedly challenges us to read God's Word in order for us to understand all God offers us. Start the New Year with Cathy, Kerri, and Marlene and learn to embrace both God's love.

For the first program of 2025, the Ladies of LoveTalk Network dive into the Scriptures to determine God's favorite four-letter word, "Love," as well as Jesus' most overlooked four words, "Have you not read?" Although God's love is complete and certain, it cannot sustain us unless we know we can rest in its embrace. In Scripture, Jesus repeatedly challenges us to read God's Word in order for us to understand all God offers us. Start the New Year with Cathy, Kerri, and Marlene and learn to embrace both God's love.

Presented by Lauren Stibgen For many women the creation story in Genesis feels like a story of their subordination to men. Afterall, God made Adam first. In Genesis 2:18, God says, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Out of everything in creation there was “not a helper found fit for him.” Different than everything in creation, even Adam, Eve was made from the rib of Adam. She was the only part of creation that was not formed from the ground. While we are blessed with the details in Genesis 2, we learn in Genesis 1 that God created man “in our image, after our likeness.” Specifically in Genesis 1:27 it says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” And in verse 28, “And God blessed them.” Although God created Adam first and Eve specially for him, we forget this happened on the 6th day. There wasn't some terrific lag in time, and there was certainly not a connotation of the woman being less. Both man and woman were created in Imago Dei—the image of God. Genesis 2:18 is where we see the reference to “Ezer” or helper. As it is with many Bible translations, our definition of helper in English in not adequate to describe Ezer. In the Oxford dictionary, we see help as a verb, noun and an exclamation. The verb help is defined as making it easier for someone to do something by offering services, or to serve someone with food or drink. The noun is the action of helping someone. And the exclamation—needing urgent assistance. All this insinuates assistance in some form or fashion. Now, don't get me wrong. God absolutely wants us to be this type of helper—and I will come back to this—but the definition and its connotations fail in comparison to the type of helper God made the first woman to be (and arguably every woman thereafter made in God's image). If we know God is described as Jehovah Ezrah and we also know women are created to bare the image of God, we can begin to imagine just how significant it is to be an Ezer in the kingdom of God. Unfortunately, after the fall in Genesis 4, the sin nature of man shifted to a dominating, patriarchal role, but this does not mean this is God's plan for women and men! We know God is redeeming both men and women in his Kingdom through salvation in Christ Jesus, but we are still sinful. This, coupled with our poor English translation has created patterns in how we think of women and work that have made certain roles feel “less than”. Culturally, the word helper has been used for roles that women would take to offer assistance. Teacher's helper, Sunday school helper, lunchroom helper, field trip helper. Somewhere along the line we became more sophisticated and inserted the word chaperone, but helper was very prevalent. These roles in a classroom or at a school were reserved for stay-at-home moms. Women who worked could not find a place as this type of helper. While I think this is less pervasive today with more women at work, I know this is something many of the women in our ministry struggle with. As working women, they often cannot be this type of helper, and they would like to be. Or perhaps they have a husband who fills the role of helper in this way. Men often face being one among many women still to this day. I know my husband is the primary teacher for our homeschooled son, and he is the only male hall helper in our homeschool cooperative. Beyond these helper titles in settings that involve children, there are connotations surrounding titles that women hold at work. While some men are holding these titles today, we spent a lot of time making women “helpers” in the workforce. What do I mean by this? Assistants. These positions were held only by women. Honestly, what type of candidate pool of Administrative Assistant staff are men? Even today? Men make up on 11% of the administrative pool in the United States. Why the gender imbalance? Well,

We welcome you to join us as Prophet Hari Rao teaches from the life of Samuel, showing us how to develop the priest within each of us - our highest calling and primary function in life Even after Moses and Joshua led the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, they frequently sinned and rebelled, which resulted in their captivity. In the Old Testament, we see that God established a system of sacrifices to cover their sins and raised judges and priests as deliverers to rescue them. Although God was their King, He chose to rule through His representatives—the priests and judges. While all sin is destructive, there is a particular kind of sin that leads people into captivity, giving the enemy dominion over their lives.  This is often the consequence of persistent rebellion and disobedience to God's ways. 1.⁠ ⁠When God is not honored in your life: Dishonoring God is a sin that leads to captivity and allows the enemy to take over your territory, causing you to lose dominion. However, as long as you are walking in His precepts, even if you stumble, God has made a provision for your recovery. 2.⁠ ⁠When you become the God of your life:  Where God is no longer the author of your life. You're a slave if you cannot walk away from that sin; it gains dominion over you, causing you to lose ground & become a principality in your life.  Learn not only to walk in victory but also to sustain it.  Dominion shouldn't be a place of visitation; it must become a habitation.   In 1 Sam 7, we read that, because of the presence of one man, God's hand was against an entire nation.  In the kingdom, God is not a respecter of people; he's a respecter of principles.  Samuel is a postcard; if you can glean from his life you can duplicate his results.  When the entire nation, including the priesthood, had lost its way, the little boy, Samuel, ministered unto the Lord. He understood that he was an offering unto the Lord and that he had a priestly obligation over his life. Prayer is not an option for a priest; it's a divine obligation. The primary function of the priest is a consistent prayer life. During the Mosaic law, the majority of what the priests did inside the Tabernacle was hidden. While the average Israelite brought offerings to the Lord about 3-5 times a year, the priest was required to minister in His presence daily, ensuring the lamp remained burning. But today believers have mastered the outward life that is on display but fall short in the hidden parts. True power flows from the secret place of intimacy with God. Samuel was a Levite from a priestly lineage, but he went from serving as a priest to walking in the office of a prophet and eventually ruled as a judge who anointed kings.  The priestly office is a birthing place. You can't develop the prophet in you if the priestly office in you is undeveloped. 4 areas you have to develop as a priest:  -Pray Daily -Worship Daily  -Sacrifice Daily -Make contact with the Word Daily Your primary function is to operate as a priest, where you commune with God. Your outside life is evidence of your inside life.

Fr. Mike focuses on the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch and how it demonstrates the importance of having guidance when reading Scripture. Although God's Word is infallible, we can easily misunderstand it without proper interpretation, which is why we have the Magisterium of the Church. Lastly, Fr. Mike also touches on the role of persecution in the life of the Church, and St. Paul's encouragement to abide by the law of love. Today we read Acts 8, Romans 13-14, and Proverbs 27:15-17. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Although God is infinitely greater than the words we use to describe Him, we can still say true and meaningful things about the Lord. Today, R.C. Sproul explains the significance of anthropomorphic language in Scripture and theology. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ultimately-with-rc-sproul/describing-god-in-human-terms/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

With over thirty years' experience in leading organizations, I've discovered several ways that business has shaped my faith. The first and most memorable way is through cash flow challenges.   Over the years, there have been times I've been uncertain how we were going to pay our employees. Although God doesn't have to provide, God has ... The post Five Ways Business Shapes Our Faith: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

You don't have to get it perfect. But you do have to get it right. Raising a son can be one of the hardest experiences of your life. And it's very easy to focus on all the ways you fall short. Although God never commands you to be a perfect parent– He does give some guidelines. Ephesians says not to provoke your son. Proverbs reminds you to be diligent in discipline. Deuteronomy encourages you to regularly discuss Scripture with your boy. And of course, we should also pay close attention to the verses about doing all things with love and a gentle spirit. On the days when you mess up, ask God for grace, ask your son for forgiveness, and keep moving forward. God will give you what you need. For more ideas on raising boys to be godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

What's wrong with this world and how does God call us to interact with a culture in rebellion against him? After Abraham served God himself and two angels a meal, he asked God to extend mercy on flagrantly wicked people. Although God rescued Abraham's family members, Abraham watched cities burn in terrible judgment, within twenty-four hours. Discerning how to be engaged with a culture that is against God has always been challenging for God's people. Together, we look for wisdom by learning from God's judgment and his mercy.Support the show

When was the last time you caught yourself in a situation where you admitted to your fault without arguing or putting up a fight? If you can think of a situation right away, good for you! Most of us justify our actions because we like to think of ourselves as right, and many times just misunderstood. The Bible tells us that God knows the intentions of the heart and judges the motives of our actions. Although God gives us the free will to choose our actions, they do come with their own consequences. Free will and God's Sovereignty, is something that theologians and thinkers have tried to resolve for centuries, and even if it is a tough subject to navigate, it is important for us to try and understand as it brings meaning to our search for satisfaction. Man's satisfaction devoid of an understanding of God's Sovereignty is ultimately flawed! Get you Bibles opened to the book of wisdom we're searching for satisfaction that is guided under God's Sovereignty!

2435 - From Tel Megiddo, the Bearded Bible Brothers uncover Josiah's greatest mistake which lead to his own demise. How easy is it for Believers to rise up in pride and legalism today? Although God held back the coming of antichrist Nebuchadnezzar and the Neo-Babylonian Empire, will He restrain the coming of Babylon the Great and the Beast in our day? Joshua and Caleb give a final call for Israel and America to repent, as they stand before the Knesset in Jerusalem.

Daily Dose of Hope October 29, 2024 Day 3 of Week 31   Scripture:  Amos 1-3; Matthew 13 Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope!  I want to extend a huge thank you to Pastor Roberto who helped with this devotional while I was traveling in Mozambique.  I'm back but still jet-lagged so forgive me if today's post is not polished.  I should mention that our trip to Mozambique was amazing.  Zoe Empowers is the best poverty alleviation model I have ever seen and we witnessed the resilience of young people who will become leaders in their communities.  Most importantly, they walk closely with Jesus and rely on his strength just to get by.  To learn more about Zoe Empowers, be sure to check out their website at zoeempowers.org.  With that, let's move to our Scripture for today.  We start with Amos 1-3.  Amos was an unpopular prophet. He prophecies to the Northern Kingdom in the 8th century when Jeroboam II is king of Israel. This was a time of relative peace and prosperity for the area so the people thought this must mean that they had God's blessing. Things are going pretty well, the upper crust are living the good life and here comes Amos with this message of warning. Financially, the northern kingdom was doing great. The land was producing well. There wasn't any war. When Amos brings this warning of impending destruction, people thought he was crazy. Why did Amo's bring this warning to the people of Israel? Well, because while some people were living quite well and enjoying the bounty of the land, many others were not. The first part of the book of Amos, the prophet is proclaiming judgment against the nations around Israel. You can kind of picture the people cheering him on at this point...But then, it gets personal. In chapter 2, God, through Amos, gives a running list of the sins that Israel had committed. Amos 2:6-8,This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent. They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. (While some were doing quite well and living a good life, others weren't. In fact, there was gross income inequality. Many people were so poor, they were going into debt to buy small items. In fact, the good religious people were living quite well while many in their community were literally selling themselves into slavery to feed their family or being sold into slavery because they could not pay a debt. Amos is emphasizing the low value placed on human life. The prophet continues in 2:7...They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. (Again, those who are poor and vulnerable are being oppressed. The powerful landowners stepped on the poor by using the courts to twist justice. The poor were literally being treated like dirt. As the book continues, we see this theme woven throughout–those who are religious, those who profess faith in Yahweh, are either actively engaging in this oppression or apathetic to the suffering of those around them. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name. (They misuse female slaves and break covenant with God) The Scripture continues in 2:8, They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. In the house of their God they drink wine taken as fines. (Garments taken on pledge would be clothing or items taken from the poor to pay a debt, the wine also would have been collected on late debts...) All of these accusations had to do with oppressing the weak, the poor, the most vulnerable of society. God is saying that the injustices that the people commit repulse him. Thus, he rejects their worship. What does it mean when God rejects our worship?  More on this tomorrow.    Matthew 13 is our New Testament chapter.  It includes quite a few of Jesus' most famous parables.  I thought today that I would focus on the parable of the wheat and the weeds.  It's powerful and it isn't one we talk about a lot.   In this parable, the owner sows good seed but the enemy comes in the dark of night and sows weeds. The workers are understandably upset and ask the owner if he caused this. This is actually a theodicy question–God, we thought you were good, why did you allow the “weeds” to grow in our lives? As believers, it is okay to question God and ask why the horrible occurred. This theology of protest doesn't demonstrate a lack of faith, but actually is an expression of faith.   Jesus also addresses the source of the weeds–the enemy has spread them. God is not the source of evil–God does not cause evil to occur so that we might grow spiritually or to perpetuate some grander divine plan. Rather, God's enemy is the source of all evil. Matthew 13:39 refers to the devil as God's enemy. Evil (Satan, the devil, whatever term you prefer) is a real force which both inhabits and transcends individuals, families, communities, nations, cultures, and economic structures. Why doesn't the owner in the parable want the workers to pull the weeds? Because in doing so, both the weeds and the wheat would be pulled out (Matthew 13:29). God can't just do away with all evil because, whether we like it or not, we are all are a complex and confusing mix of both good and evil.   Furthermore, this isn't how God deals with the world. Although God has the power to eliminate evil using brute force (the way humans might deal with it), this goes against God's character. God instead acts through the loving and yet “weak” power of the cross. God's answer to evil was sending Jesus Christ, the one who truly understands what it means to suffer and also the only one through which true and complete healing can occur.   But the parable doesn't end there. In Matthew 13:41-43, Jesus explains how in the end, evil will be vanquished; it will not have the final word. Although I firmly believe this is true, it fails to offer much comfort in the midst of counseling someone who is grappling with the death of a baby or a sexual assault in the here and now. What is helpful, however, is to point out how God's work in the world is often difficult to understand (think about the parable of the mustard seed and the yeast). We might not always see God's power at work, but it's there in the smallest and most unusual ways, changing and transforming us, guiding us, and leading us closer to Jesus (power in the form of “loving weakness”). God is waging war on evil, just not necessarily in ways we see or understand. When this seems insufficient, I lean on 2 Cor. 12:9, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...”   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Many of us believe that when God is at work, every detail—where to go, what to do, the timing—will be laid out clearly before us. While we want this to be true, it's not quite the case. Although God knows the full plan from beginning to end, we rarely have the privilege of seeing the entire picture ahead of time. He offers us guidance through instructions and reassurances through His promises, but He often withholds the finer details. This requires us to walk in faith, trusting Him step by step, even when the path ahead is not fully visible or understood.

“And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.” (1 Kings 3:28) Although God’s w... More...

“And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.” (1 Kings 3:28) Although God’s w... More...

We all need encouragement every now and then, but few people are willing to give it in fear of building a big ego. Rather than letting anything stop us from encouraging others, we should simply encourage them as God leads us to, and let God deal with a person's ego. Although God does not need it, He loves for us to praise Him, and in doing so we ourselves gain encouragement. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/640/29

Rather than doubting God, we need to trust Him. The more we trust in Him, the greater our hearts will fill with Him hope and peace. Our incurable diagnosis might look intimidating, but it will not endure forever. One day, this illness will be healed and we will be freed from it in Heaven. All of this is only because of God. SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Finding Hope in God after a Distressing Diagnosis By Vivian Bricker Bible Reading “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).  Recently, I have been in and out of doctor's appointments nonstop. Due to persistent pain and flu-like symptoms, I went to the doctor to try to get help and later had to go to the hospital. With all the symptoms I'm having and the tests that have been run, my doctors have come to the conclusion that I have an incurable diagnosis. What I first thought was a virus turned out to be my body attacking itself in a faulty autoimmune response.  Sadly, this diagnosis will stay with me for the rest of my life as there is no cure. Thankfully there are medicines to alleviate pain and symptoms. Throughout the course of this illness and the long process of my diagnosis, I have had periods where my trust in God deepens as well as I have had times where I question His goodness. Sometimes we have to experience both of these things before we emerge on the other side.  At first, my walk with God suffered due to my intense symptoms. I felt as though God had left me to the wolves and my lot in life was to suffer. During an intense episode of symptoms, I thought I might die of the pain and I reasoned with myself that I was ready to go. There have also been times where I prayed for God just to take my life because I was in so much pain and I wanted the pain to just end.  As time has progressed, I have seen God in my pain. While He did not cause the pain, I know He is helping me through it. My symptoms have gotten better at times and this shows me God is working through the situation. Through continued prayers and petitions, I have acknowledged my dependence on Him. Even though He will not take me out of this situation, He will walk with me through this valley of death (Psalm 23).  Most of the time we think about how much an incurable diagnosis has taken from us, but I try to think about the things it has given me. The things it has given me is a renewed love for things I once enjoyed and the opportunity to appreciate the little things in life. My incurable diagnosis has filled my life with new changes and sometimes I am too tired to even get to talk walks—something I once used to enjoy.  However, on the days I feel good, these little blessings are all the greater. Being able to take an hour walk and feel good is a true blessing. I used to see exercise as a punishment to my body, but now I see it as a gift. Feeling good enough to go out for a walk, go for a hike, or run through a field are all gifts from the Lord. It is funny how we take these things for granted when we are feeling well, yet we crave them when we are ill. When we face an incurable diagnosis, we start being thankful for these little things and these mighty wonders. What might be an everyday task for someone could be a blessing in disguise for someone with an incurable diagnosis.  Each day is a gift, but sometimes our joy has to be taken away before we truly see its beauty.  Intersecting Faith & Life: The Apostle Paul tells us, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). As Paul says here, God is the God of all hope, and He will fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in Him. All of this will ensure our hearts overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Whenever our incurable diagnosis has us feeling down, we need to turn to God. He can fill us with hope as we trust in Him. It can be hard to trust God with hard things, such as an incurable diagnosis, but we need to trust Him with all things. Although God doesn't normally heal people supernaturally in the present day, there is no reason to believe that He won't help us go into remission and fight our illnesses. Rather than doubting God, we need to trust Him. The more we trust in Him, the greater our hearts will fill with Him hope and peace. Our incurable diagnosis might look intimidating, but it will not endure forever. One day, this illness will be healed and we will be freed from it in Heaven. All of this is only because of God. Challenge Questions: Is it hard for you to find hope in God during difficult times? Are you facing an incurable diagnosis? How might you find hope in Him today? Whether you have an incurable diagnosis or not, you can still take time to thank God for the little things. What might you thank Him for today? “Dear God, coping with this incurable diagnosis has been very hard. Looking ahead, I only see pain, tears, and bitterness. I'm giving all of these fears over to You. I don't know what will happen to me, but I trust in You. Please heal me and give my soul lasting peace. In Your Son's Name, I pray, Amen.”   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The nation of Judah was in a downward spiral. Although God had warned them to return to Him, they did not. So, Jeremiah was writing to a nation under God's judgment. This passage is extremely relevant to us as a nation and as individual believers. Like Judah, we need to hear the message of repentance. The only way out of our downward spiral is to look up. (Jeremiah 8:4-8)

"God has never stopped speaking. Although God may come on the scene with thunderous roars, He can pierce through the hardest hearts with the gentlest whisper. God is faithful to step into our whirlwinds. Instead of matching the fury of a storm, He encloses us in His arms, tucks us to His chest, and speaks the words that we desperately need to hear."Leave a comment for Jenny: https://incourage.me/?p=241104--If you love listening to the (in)courage podcast, then you'll love our books, devotionals, agenda planners, Bible, and Bible studies! Shop the full (in)courage collection at dayspring.com – and use code PODCAST10 to save $10 on your purchase! The (in)courage podcast is brought to you by DaySpring. For over 50 years, DaySpring has created quality cards, books, and gifts that help you live your faith. Find out more at DaySpring.com.Connect with (in)courage: Facebook & Instagram for daily encouragement, videos, and more! Website for the (in)courage library, to meet our contributors, and to access the archives. Email us at incourage@dayspring.com. Leave a podcast review on Apple!

In order to remember and celebrate God's deliverance of His people, Mordecai calls for the yearly celebration of the feast of Purim. The feast's name is a reminder of the lots that Haman had cast to find the right day to destroy God's people, which God reversed to bring about the day He delivered His people. As the hectic events settle down, King Ahasuerus institutes a new tax as an indication that order is being restored. In that context, Mordecai is promoted to second in command in the Persian empire. This is a reminder that it is the LORD who has been at work all along in the book of Esther to direct the events of history for the good of His people.  Rev. Andy Jagow, pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Alexandria, VA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Esther 9:20-10:3.  "For Such a Time As This” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Esther. Although God is never explicitly named in the book of Esther, He remains the One who directs all the events of the book. Happenings that seem coincidence, chance, or luck are truly God at work. He puts Mordecai and Esther in the right places and moments to work through them to deliver His people.  

When the thirteenth day of the twelfth month arrives, two contradictory Persian decrees are both legal. On the one hand, the enemies of God's people are allowed to slaughter them; on the other hand, God's people are allowed to defend themselves. Through a divine reversal, the people of God ably defend themselves from those who are trying to kill them. Haman's sons particularly are executed, and the people of God in Susa are given an extra day to defend themselves, but they do not take any plunder. In response, God's people rest with feasting and gladness.  Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Esther 9:1-19.  "For Such a Time As This” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Esther. Although God is never explicitly named in the book of Esther, He remains the One who directs all the events of the book. Happenings that seem coincidence, chance, or luck are truly God at work. He puts Mordecai and Esther in the right places and moments to work through them to deliver His people.  

After Haman's execution, Ahasuerus gives Haman's house to Esther, and he gives his signet ring to Mordecai. Esther risks going before the king a second time, and he extends his scepter to her again. She asks for a second decree to be made to counteract the first, since the first could not be repealed under Persian law. With the king's authority, Mordecai writes a decree that allows the people of God to defend themselves from those who would attack them. This causes some residents of the Persian empire to join themselves to the Judeans and brings joy to the people of God.  Rev. Carl Roth, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Esther 8:1-17.  "For Such a Time As This” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Esther. Although God is never explicitly named in the book of Esther, He remains the One who directs all the events of the book. Happenings that seem coincidence, chance, or luck are truly God at work. He puts Mordecai and Esther in the right places and moments to work through them to deliver His people.  

Immediately after Haman's shame at being forced to honor Mordecai, he is taken to Queen Esther's second feast. There Esther reveals her request to Ahasuerus: she asks that he spare her and her people from destruction. When the king asks who is behind such wickedness, Esther names Haman as the foe. As Haman realizes his imminent demise, he pleads for his life from Queen Esther, but the king sees it as an assault on his wife and orders that Haman be executed on the very tree Haman had intended for Mordecai's death. To see Haman receive what he deserved in being executed on a tree reminds us of the curse of our sin that Jesus took upon Himself when He went to the cross for our salvation.  Rev. Jason Schockman, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, School, and Early Childhood Center in Oconomowoc, WI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Esther 6:14-7:10.  "For Such a Time As This” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Esther. Although God is never explicitly named in the book of Esther, He remains the One who directs all the events of the book. Happenings that seem coincidence, chance, or luck are truly God at work. He puts Mordecai and Esther in the right places and moments to work through them to deliver His people.  

The king attempts to secure his sleeplessness by having the book of memorable deeds read to him. When Ahasuerus learns that Mordecai has received no honor for the way he had saved the king from a homicidal conspiracy, the king asks Haman for his counsel. Confident that the king means to honor him, Haman recommends the highest accolades. To Haman's shame, he is forced to honor the man he hates, Mordecai. This reversal sets the stage for Haman's downfall, which the LORD is about to accomplish for the deliverance of His people.  Rev. Andrew Belt, pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Marshfield, WI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Esther 6:1-13.  "For Such a Time As This” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Esther. Although God is never explicitly named in the book of Esther, He remains the One who directs all the events of the book. Happenings that seem coincidence, chance, or luck are truly God at work. He puts Mordecai and Esther in the right places and moments to work through them to deliver His people.

After three days and nights of fasting, Esther goes before the king without an invitation. He spares her life by extending his scepter to her, and he tells Esther to present her request. Using her God-given wisdom, Esther simply invites both the king and Haman to her feast that night. There, she promises that she will present her request when they come to her second feast the following evening. Haman's joy at the honor of being invited by the Queen in this manner is dashed when he sees Mordecai refuse to bow down yet again. His family and advisors encourage him to prepare for Mordecai to be executed the very next day.  Rev. David Boisclair, pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Overland, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Esther 5:1-14.  "For Such a Time As This” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Esther. Although God is never explicitly named in the book of Esther, He remains the One who directs all the events of the book. Happenings that seem coincidence, chance, or luck are truly God at work. He puts Mordecai and Esther in the right places and moments to work through them to deliver His people.  

Hosea 4:17-19 Among the worst judgments God can bring someone is this: letting him have his own way. Israel had stubbornly pursued her lusts and loyalties. She had made up her mind that she wanted her petty idols and cheap pleasures more than she wanted God. Although God repeatedly warned her that she would regret such decision-making, she stubbornly persisted until God relented and let her alone. Be careful what you ask for!

Although God created all things good, we live in a world that is not as it should be. What happened? Today, Sinclair Ferguson takes several lessons from the Bible's teaching about the fall of humanity into sin. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-tragedy-of-the-fall A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://www.ligonier.org/donate/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Fr. Mike focuses on the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch and how it demonstrates the importance of having guidance when reading Scripture. Although God's Word is infallible, we can easily misunderstand it without proper interpretation, which is why we have the Magisterium of the Church. Lastly, Fr. Mike also touches on the role of persecution in the life of the Church, and St. Paul's encouragement to abide by the law of love. Today we read Acts 8, Romans 13-14, and Proverbs 27:15-17. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.