Podcasts about although god

(This is an unscripted devotional sharing the story of a 7 year miracle in the making.) Story of the Prodigal – Luke 15: 11-24 Waited for 4 years – began to run out of hope – tried in desperation to do it my way – to regain control – to force, manipulate Story of Waiting – John 5: 2-9 38 years, but he still showed up there. He still had someone carry him there that day to await for the healing that still hadn’t come. God asked me for 30 years. Would I still trust him if it took 30 years for my daughter to come home? Would I choose joy over misery while waiting for 30 years? The moment I intentionally chose joy even if it took 30 years, I was given the gift of PEACE. Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Although God asked me for 30 years, HE DID IT IN SEVEN!!!!!!! The wedding – the party – the perfect peace! Here’s what I have learned: • 1. In the wait, you have a choice – choose faith and joy. Misery does not honor God. Psalm 42:11, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God!” • 2. There’s power in your thoughts. KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS FIXED ON GOD and HIS PROMISES. Again, Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” • 3. You can’t always make it better, but you can make it worse – DON’T MAKE IT WORSE. • 4. Do everything in LOVE. If you can’t do it in love, don’t do it. • 5. Stop trying to save them from their testimony. Let God do his work in their lives. • 6. God is faithful beyond measure and his promises will stand through it all. (God had made promises to the Israelites of a future home of bountiful provision and blessings. A land he would make their own after hundreds of years of slavery in Egypt. Although the Israelites got lost along the way, wandered and wavered, God brought them to the land he promised. Joshua 21:43-45, “So the Lord gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies. NOT A SINGLE ONE OF ALL THE GOOD PROMISES THE LORD HAD GIVEN TO THE FAMILY OF ISRAEL WAS LEFT UNFULFILLED; EVERYTHING HE HAD SPOKE CAME TRUE.” • 7. Drop your expectations of perfection and trust God’s eternal plan. Every single thing I “wished” wouldn’t happen actually happened and then God used it all for good. I wished there wouldn’t be drugs or addiction involved. Then there was. God worked with that. I wished there wouldn’t be a baby. Then there was. God worked with that. I wished it wouldn’t get worse before it got better. Then it got worse. God worked with that. If you’re so busy with expectations of what you think it’s supposed to look like, you may miss the full blessing of God’s best plans. Proverbs 19:21, “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” Isaiah 55:8 the Lord says, “My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” JUST TRUST HIM – HIS PLAN – HIS TIMING – HIS WAYS! You know what I realize now … God wasn’t just working on my daughter, HE WAS WORKING ON ME! I had so much to learn and so far to grow. I can honestly say today I’m better because of the long hard wait. I know how to pray. I know how to trust. I know how to seek. I know how to love. I know how to wait. I know how to live in peace. I know how to choose joy. If God pulled off a 7 year miracle for my family, he can pull off a 7 year miracle for your family! If I could find peace and joy in the wait, my friend, so can you! If God can receive glory in my story, then he can receive glory in your story. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Title: “Let No One Deceive You” Part 3 Text: 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 FCF: We often struggle fearing the deception that is to come. Prop: Because all who did not receive the love of the truth will be deceived, we must let no one deceive us. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. In a moment we'll read yet again the text starting in verse 3 and going to verse 12. Today I'll be reading from the Legacy Standard Bible but you can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. You'll notice on the screen that this is part 3 of this sermon. If you have not heard parts 1 and 2, I would encourage you to catch up on the teaching Paul has given regarding the man of lawlessness. The previous two sermons are foundational in understanding what is going on here and how we are to think about the end times. However, the sermon today, although relying on some of the conclusions we've made in the last two sermons, is by far the most standalone of the three. The message today is terrifying. It is gut wrenching. Because it speaks of a time when God is truly done with giving mercy to people who have rejected Him. And although God has done similar things in the past – it has never happened like this and only once on this scale. It is also terrifying because it remains in a context which emphasizes that many of the people who are being discussed here who have rejected God, are those who at one point believed in Him. But as terrifying as this message is – there is hope and comfort in holding fast to saving faith. Let's read once more. Please stand with me to give honor to and focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Gracious, Merciful, and Holy Father, You have endured the wickedness of men for thousands of years. You are longsuffering, extending mercy to all and allowing men to profane Your name and reject Your Son while You continue to bless them and give them common grace. But one day You will remove Your Restrainer and allow the man of lawlessness to come forth. One day Your mercies will end. One day Your common grace to wicked men will cease. And one day You will judge the world. I pray that even now You would be merciful and gracious to those in this room. Speak now words of comfort to Your people through this text…but Gracious God, send Your Spirit to open the eyes of the blind here and speak words of terror to those who are perishing. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] ”It is the creed of every sound evangelical church that those who do go back to perdition were persons who never really believed in Jesus.” A.A. Bonar “None sink so far into hell as those that come nearest heaven because they fall from the greatest height.” William Gurnall [Slide 3] “To forsake Christ for the world is to leave a treasure for a trifle…eternity for a moment, reality for a shadow, all things for nothing.” William Jenkyn “To see a ship sink in the harbor of profession is more grievous than if it had perished in the open sea of profaneness.” William Secker [Slide 4] “The essence of apostasy is changing sides from that of the crucified to that of the crucifier.” John Stott “Scripture does not need to be denied for apostasy to begin: all that is needed is that scripture takes second place in our calculations.” Iain H. Murray Let these words prepare your heart for the preaching of God's Word today. I.) The Man of Lawlessness will be powered by Satan to deceive all the perishing, so we must not let ourselves be deceived. (9-10) a. [Slide 5] 9 - whose coming is in accord with the working of Satan, i. The LSB has put hash marks into the previous verse to set it off from what follows in verse 9. ii. This is incredibly helpful because for we western English readers, this would be quite jarring, since we would assume the “coming” he is talking about now is still the coming of Christ. iii. What we don't see that would make this even more jarring, is that in the Greek the word for “coming” is… parousia. Advent. iv. However, Christ will not come in accord with the working of Satan. v. Paul is going back now to the topic of the man of lawlessness. And Paul intentionally points to the mockery of Satan here by using the same word he has used repeatedly to refer to the return of Christ. Only this time he refers to the coming of the man of lawlessness. vi. That the man of lawlessness comes in accord with the working of Satan, clarifies and affirms that the man of lawlessness is indeed a man. vii. Much like Judas Iscariot was a man who was possessed by Satan Himself, so also this man of lawlessness is a man that will come in accord with the working of Satan. viii. This is probably an idiomatic way to say that this man too will be possessed by Satan. ix. Now just like the scriptures always see Judas as culpable for his own actions… he was not a victim… so also this man of lawlessness is not a victim either. x. This man will do and say things that are so egregious and so infamous that he could not be a mere man. xi. And this man will go along with it, willingly obeying his father the devil. xii. Again, this points to the mockery of Satan. xiii. Jesus did and said things that indicated that He was no mere man too, all in willing obedience to His heavenly Father. But this Anti-Christ figure will have an advent that is similar but will do the opposite. xiv. But that isn't the end to the similarities. b. [Slide 6] with all power and signs and false wonders, i. Part of the working of Satan happening for this man is that he is coming with all Satan's power and influence. ii. He will be able to perform signs and wonders, all of which will be false. iii. How do we determine if a sign or wonder is false? iv. Scripture gives two criteria 1. [Slide 7] In Deuteronomy 18:20-22 Yahweh clearly says that if a prophesy does not come to pass, then they know that what the prophet said was not from Him and that prophet has spoken presumptuously and should be put to death. 2. [Slide 8-9] Let's go to Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and read this together. Because what if the signs and wonders do come true? What if they are effective? a. Notice what God says… b. If a prophet performs signs and wonders that come to pass but they advocate worshipping other gods, they should not listen to that prophet. Why? c. Because Yahweh sent (take note of that. Yahweh sent) that prophet to the people to test their love for Yahweh. d. Then God reinforms them of the command. They should walk after Yahweh, fear Him, obey His commands, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. e. But the prophet should be put to death for His attempt to mislead God's people. v. [Slide 11] The wonders and signs the man of lawlessness commits won't be false because they won't be powerful, effective, or come to pass. They will be false because they will be used to encourage people to worship him instead of Yahweh. Or to worship him as Yahweh or Jesus Himself. vi. We know how our Lord Jesus is coming next. He is coming on the clouds. He will gather us to Himself. That is how we will see Him next. In the air. vii. EVERY ESCHATALOGICAL FRAMEWORK AGREES! viii. Remember that my friends. Remember God's people. We will see Him next in the AIR. ix. No matter what signs or wonders a man does on earth… He isn't Christ if we don't meet Him in the air. He isn't Christ if we must go to Him. The Real Jesus will bring us to Himself. We will be CAUGHT UP. c. [Slide 12] 10 - and with all the deception of unrighteousness i. Another key factor that is hinted at in Deuteronomy 13 was that a person bringing signs and wonders that advocates for the breaking or distorting of God's laws – cannot be sent from God. ii. Jesus Himself said that a house divided against itself cannot stand. How can the real Jesus appear and lead people to conclude that living unrighteous lifestyles is… fine? iii. That disobeying the law of God… is fine? iv. Did Jesus do this at His first advent? v. He fulfilled the law, but He never rejected it or broke it. Nor did He ever advocate His followers do so. vi. As loving as He was to sinners and as much as He healed people what did He say? “Go and sin no more!” vii. He said, “Your righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees.” viii. He said, “You must be holy as my heavenly Father is holy.” ix. When Jesus walks this earth again… x. HE WILL NOT TREAT SIN WITH KID GLOVES. xi. In Isaiah 11, where Paul pulled the reference to Christ consuming the man of lawlessness with His breath, in that same context it says that in that day “they will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain. “ xii. The man of lawlessness though, will be a man who advocates a reversal of God's laws. Perhaps emphasizing love and peace over righteousness and blamelessness. xiii. Indeed, his only law is that all must worship… him. xiv. But what Paul says next is absolutely essential for a proper understanding of this time. d. [Slide 13] for those who perish, i. Notice that the power, the lies, the signs, these are all aimed at a specific group. ii. The perishing. iii. The bible gives us warnings and we must absolutely heed them. But just because the warnings exist doesn't mean that there is a chance that God's promises won't be fulfilled. iv. God has promised that He will seal all His people until the day of redemption. v. Just because the bible gives warnings of falling away and believing a lie doesn't somehow make God's promises null and void. vi. Instead, we must look for a way to make both truths of scripture stand with all their strength without contradiction. vii. And the church has, for thousands of years, understood that it is by hearing the word of God that we receive faith. Not just faith to believe on Christ but faith to believe all that God has said. viii. God's word is effective to produce change in the hearts of God's people. His Word will not return void or empty. ix. Warning passages accomplish their purpose to cause true believers to be alert and vigilant. x. This is the means God uses to prevent them from falling away and succumbing to a lie so powerful that if it were possible the elect would be deceived. xi. Paul makes it clear, that the man of lawlessness will be able to deceive ONLY those who are perishing. Why? xii. Because true believers, believers that have genuine faith, will heed these warnings, continue to reject sin and pursue Righteousness, and continue to believe God. xiii. Paul writes this as a comfort to a church whom he is convinced is counted worthy of God's Kingdom, whom he is convinced received the gospel in power. He is not uncertain about their identity as children of God. Therefore, this comment is designed to give them comfort. The perishing are the ones who will be deceived. xiv. So, they must not let themselves be deceived. xv. But why are they perishing? e. [Slide 14] because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. i. The wording here is actually quite important. 1. The expression we might expect is that these people who are perishing would be those who did not believe the gospel. Or perhaps that they did not believe the truth. Or that they did not receive the truth. 2. But that isn't what saves a person and eliminates their possibility of being deceived by this Satanic Superman. 3. Christ Himself said that in the last day there would be many who said to Him, “Have we not prophesied in your name, and performed miracles and cast out demons in your name, but I will say to them depart from me lawbreakers, I never knew you.” 4. Paul says that people who did not receive THE LOVE of the truth are those who are perishing. 5. Only those who cherish the truth will be saved. 6. What does it mean to cherish the truth? We'll get to that, because a little later Paul is going to give us the opposite of this. Just hang tight for now. ii. So, the deception of the man of lawlessness will reach all the perishing because they didn't receive the love of the truth. What does that mean? iii. Right now, the gospel call goes out to all men. All men are given at least natural revelation that there is a Creator God who must be worshipped and obeyed. And all men are called to repent and believe the gospel. iv. But one day that general call will stop. v. At some point – when this man of lawlessness steps on the scene, the general call of the gospel to all men will no longer be available. vi. That isn't to say no more will come to saving faith in Christ at this time… vii. God may still effectually call people to Himself. viii. But those who are perishing, those whom God has not elected, will believe the lies of the man of lawlessness. f. [Slide 15] Summary of the Point: Paul has presented who the man of lawlessness is and the blasphemies he will commit. He has discussed when he will come and how he will end. Now, Paul reveals how he will deceive and who will believe him. The perishing, whether they have professed Christ or not, all those who have not received the love of the truth will believe the power, signs, and wonders of the man of lawlessness, and will be deceived into unrighteousness. God's general call to all men to repent and believe the gospel will ultimately go extinct as all the perishing are given over to the lies of this man. If we are truly elect of God, and we have received the love of the truth, we will not succumb to these lies. But how do we know we are elect and have received the love of the truth? We do not let ourselves be deceived. We hold fast to what we have been taught. We trust God no matter what our senses say. [Slide 16 (blank)] Transition: Perhaps you wrestled with that statement regarding the gospel call. Perhaps you were uncomfortable thinking that there will be a time when God is going to stop calling all men to believe the gospel and will only call those who are elect. Well, if you struggled with that. Buckle up. It is about to get very uncomfortable. Paul will now reveal how it will be so that all the perishing believe the lies of the man of lawlessness. II.) In order to judge them, God will actively reprobate the perishing, so we must not let ourselves be deceived. (11-12) a. [Slide 17] 11 - And for this reason, God sends upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, i. For this reason – meaning because the perishing have not received the love of the truth. ii. God is not forcing them to not receive the love of the truth – but as a response to them not receiving it… God will act. iii. Why do I say that the general call of the gospel will cease? iv. Because God will send a different message. He has already sent the gospel call to all men. v. But He has not sent out another message to all men yet. vi. All the lies and deceit and questioning of God's truth today is all generated by the lies of demons and by evil men. vii. But one day they will not be the only voices spreading misinformation. viii. One day, God Himself will send an influence that deceives the perishing. ix. Ok. Stop right there. We all know that God cannot sin. Specifically, we know that God cannot lie. So how can we interpret this differently so God isn't lying. x. Well does this text actually say that God will lie? xi. It doesn't. xii. It says that God will send a deluding influence. The Greek word for “influence” here suggests it is strong and inescapable. xiii. Notice that it does not say “allow” either. The Greek word here, translated “send” cannot mean that God simply is “allowing or permitting” this influence to occur. The Greek word means to cause to go somewhere. xiv. God will cause a deluding influence to go to the perishing. xv. God isn't lying, He is sending someone or something to lie to the perishing. xvi. Why? xvii. So that they will believe what is false. xviii. The general call of the gospel ceases because God sends something to make sure they believe something else. xix. Why would God do this? b. [Slide 18] 12 - in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness. i. God wants to make sure that every single person who is perishing, is justly judged. 1. This phrase here is the explanation of what it means to NOT receive the love of the truth. It means to not believe the truth but to take pleasure in unrighteousness. 2. These are not, however, two items. They are one. 3. The New Testament often defines genuine belief as belief unto obedience. To have saving faith is to love righteousness. So, if we see someone taking pleasure in unrighteousness, they cannot believe the truth, no matter what they say they believe. ii. But attentive bible students might wonder why God needs to send a deluding influence at all. iii. If God did nothing, wouldn't they still be judged? iv. [Slide 19] The answer is yes. 1. The doctrine of election is a doctrine of God's intervention. a. In order for anyone to be saved, God must intervene. b. No matter what kind of Christian you are, you must believe that God saves us and must intervene to do this. c. Otherwise, you are a Pelagian and a heretic. d. God's elect are those whom God has chosen, according to the counsel of His will and based on nothing of us, to intervene for and rescue from our sin. e. The others that God has not elected will not inherit salvation, but not because God has intervened to keep them from salvation. Rather they will not inherit salvation because God has chosen to NOT intervene for them. f. God judges them according to THEIR deeds which are evil. 2. In short, all men are deserving of judgment and wrath because of their sin. God intervenes for some by electing them to salvation. v. So, what is different here? vi. God is no longer passive. He intervenes… but in order to assure that the perishing are judged for their rejection of the gospel and their unrighteousness. vii. This is what we would call the doctrine of reprobation. God closes and seals the door actively rather than passively. The outcome is the same, but God's activity in the matter is markedly different and it signals an end to God's mercy and common grace toward the perishing. viii. And the really interesting thing is, although we've only seen God do this on this scale once in the global flood, it was not accompanied by God sending a lie. But we do have smaller cases of this happening. 1. [Slide 20] In I Kings 22, King Ahab had long heard the prophesies of Micaiah. God's prophet. Yet Ahab continued to refuse the counsel of the Lord. He continued to ignore and dismiss what God said. a. God determined that Ahab's time… was up. That it was time for him to be judged. b. To ensure that Ahab would earn His judgement to the fullest, God met in a heavenly council. He and angelic beings took council and God determined the course of action. c. He determined that a spirit must go and deceive Ahab. In that setting a spirit stepped forward and volunteered to be a lying spirit to the prophets of other gods and encourage them to tell King Ahab that he should attack a city because he would be victorious. A lie. d. Of course, God's prophet told Ahab that he would fail and even relayed the story of this heavenly council. e. But Ahab continued to choose to believe these false prophesies rather than believe God's prophet. f. Would Ahab had suddenly changed his mind and listened to Micaiah had God not done this? No. He wouldn't have. g. But that is not what the story is about. h. It isn't about Ahab's rejection of God… it is about God's rejection of Ahab. i. And that is what makes the story so harrowing. j. Ahab rejecting God, is just par for the course. k. But God rejecting a King of Israel to the point that He sends a lying spirit to convince Him to continue to DISOBEY Him? That is what is terrifying. 2. [Slide 21] In 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 we see the same thing. a. We see God being fed up with Israel's disobedience under David's rule. b. The text of Samuel says that God incited David to take a census, and 1 Chronicles says that Satan enticed David to take a census. c. So, which is it? d. The devil is God's devil remember? e. God used Satan to accomplish His will. Which was to incite David to disobey so that God could judge Israel. f. Would they have earned His judgment without His intervention? g. YES!!! h. Again, this says more about God than about man. i. God's mercy does come to an end. At some point, God says, enough. ix. [Slide 22] And that is what is terrifying here friends. x. Wicked people loving their sin and rejecting God's truth? That has happened since Cain killed Abel. That isn't new or scary. xi. God sending a delusion to make sure ALL THE PERISHING reject Him? That is God rejecting, forever, those who are not His people. And that my friends… has never happened before. xii. There will be a day when God says… “I'm done with wicked mankind.” xiii. And it will coincide with a day when another says… “I'm God, I accept you as you are, come and worship me.” xiv. And everyone who hasn't received the love of the truth… will believe and worship that Satan empowered man. c. [Slide 23] Summary of the Point: For their comfort, Paul shows the Thessalonians that one day those who are persecuting them will be given over to the worship of the man of lawlessness. One day they will be judged. Paul's thought isn't quite complete. He will continue through the rest of the chapter to encourage them with positive news for them. But it is important that they know the end of the wicked. In order to judge them, God will give over those who did not receive the love of the truth to a reprobate mind so that He may judge them. They will believe and worship the beast and succumb to the pleasure of unrighteousness. So, what are the Thessalonians to do? Keep believing what they were taught. Hold fast and stand firm in the truth and do not let themselves be deceived. Why? Because with this man of lawlessness will come a great apostasy too. They must hear the warning of this passage and not let themselves be deceived, for only those who are truly elect will do so. Conclusion: So, CBC, what have we learned today that refines our beliefs and directs our lifestyles? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 24] In his correction of the lie that the Thessalonians have allowed themselves to believe, Paul has reminded them of all that he had taught them concerning the man of lawlessness. And in these concluding thoughts about him, Paul reveals his influence and who will be deceived by him. There is no doubt that Paul does this to draw a contrast between the Thessalonians and those who will be deceived. He will make that even more apparent with next week's text. But the fact remains, that when the man of lawlessness steps on the scene, he will be empowered by Satan to convince all those who did not receive the love of the truth, that he should be worshipped as Yahweh. God is not passive in this, but rather than intervening to prevent this, God's mercy has reached an end, and God will send along with him a deluding influence to convince all the perishing to believe his lies. God will give them over to reprobation so that He may judge them for their love of unrighteousness. Paul's opening application to the Thessalonians remains the application. Don't allow yourself to be deceived. First must come the apostasy and the man of lawlessness and the deception of the perishing. Then and only then will the Day of the Lord come and the Lord return to gather His people to Himself. Don't believe anything but what we have already taught you. Otherwise, they too will succumb to the lies of this man and the deluding influence of God. But what does this mean for us? How can we be sure that we don't let ourselves be deceived? 1.) [Slide 25] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the perishing are those who do not receive the love of the truth. a. Notice once again Paul's wording here. b. They do not receive the love of the truth. c. But wait a second, doesn't the bible simply talk about belief, faith being the way God unites us to Christ? d. It does. e. Isn't this a contradiction? f. Not at all. g. Just as we use the same word to talk about different aspects of the same thing, words like the cup which could mean 8 fluid ounces or just a drinking receptacle, so also the bible uses words differently depending on context. All doesn't always mean all. Call doesn't always mean the same thing. And as John the apostle demonstrates in his gospel, believe doesn't always mean the same thing. h. Here Paul is defining the kind of faith that saves. The kind of faith that unites us to Christ. It is not a faith that merely receives the facts. It is not a faith that merely respects the authority of the name of Jesus. i. The kind of faith that is saving… is a faith that receives the truth… and loves it. j. If salvation is a gift, we've all received gifts that we love. We have also all received gifts that we… do not love. k. We are warned in the gospels, that of the four soils of our hearts, three of them receive the gospel message. But only one produces fruit and is, therefore, useful to the farmer. l. The test of true and genuine saving faith is not in whether or not you believe in God or in Jesus… it is whether or not you love and cherish the truth of the gospel in your daily life. Is it precious to you to reflect on how you were once a sinner, doomed to hell, and Christ died to set you free? It is precious to you that Christ gave you His righteousness so that you could be declared righteous before God's judgment? Is it precious to you that the Lord sends His Spirit to all who are His and He enables us to live in obedience to Christ in an ever-growing way? Is it precious to you that Christ has united you to an assembly of people locally and universally who hold you accountable and encourage you? Is it precious to you to look hopefully toward Christ's coming as you live holy lives in preparation for His Kingdom? m. This is why when Paul later characterizes those who will be deceived, he says both that they did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness. n. In order to be saved by faith – it has to be a God-given kind of faith. What kind is that? One that propels you to seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness… first. o. Only those who love the truth… will deny the lie. 2.) [Slide 26] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the man of lawlessness will deceive the perishing. a. Everyone else. b. No matter what you say you believe. No matter how much time you've spent coming to church, reading your bible, or praying. c. Everyone who does not love the truth and take pleasure in righteousness. Everyone who does not seek God's Kingdom first and His righteousness. d. Everyone else… will worship the man of lawlessness as God and submit to His rule over their lives. e. Fearing that they will lose their jobs, their possessions, their land, their homes, their wealth, they will take his mark and worship him as God. f. And mark my words… a good percentage of them will be those who have claimed to believe on Jesus. Many of them will have said the sinner's prayer. Many of them will have gone to church and come from a Christian family. 3.) [Slide 27] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that in the last days God will give over the perishing to a deluding influence. a. See it doesn't all come down to this man of lawlessness' cunning or his power. b. Paul doesn't give him all that credit. And Paul doesn't want to mislead the Thessalonian church. c. This man of lawlessness will be a Satanic Super Man… but if God wished to oppose Him, this man would not deceive even one. d. The fact of the matter is that when this man steps on the scene, when the restrainer is removed, God will actively send an influence, probably Satan himself, to deceive every single person who has not received the love of the truth. e. He will do this not because they have not already earned their judgment. But because He is done with evil mankind. He is ready to remake the world. His Kingdom is coming in full. f. Why will this man be so successful? The short answer? Because God wants him to be. g. But… 4.) [Slide 28] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that the elect will succumb to the deluding influence. a. In spite of the strength of the lie, based on this text, based on what Paul will say next, and based on the other promises in scripture – we must not conclude that God will allow any of His elect to be deceived by this deluding influence. b. Jesus said that in those days, IF POSSIBLE, the elect might be deceived. Jesus' wording leaves no room for misinterpretation. It isn't possible. c. The question then that must be asked, is how does God preserve us? 5.) [Slide 29] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” The Perseverance of the saints is primarily about God preserving us. a. The statement, “Once saved always saved.” Is technically true but oftentimes it communicates something that the bible flatly rejects. Even in this text. b. Just because you have professed Christ doesn't mean that you are saved. And just because you are saved, doesn't mean that you don't need to persevere. c. This doctrine must be primarily about God. d. God gives to all His elect a faith that endures. So much so that if we see our faith fail, it is not because we have lost it or because we did not persevere. It is because we were not given saving faith. We were a soil that received the message of the gospel but it did not produce fruit. e. The apostle John says of people who walked away from the faith, “that left us because they were not of us.” Not, “they left us because they are no longer of us.” f. God is the primary agent in preserving His people and enabling them to persevere… g. But… that doesn't mean we are passive. 6.) [Slide 30] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must not let ourselves be deceived. a. We are not passive in our own perseverance. b. Instead, God's true children will take warning passages such as these and, with fear and trembling, they will cling all the tighter to the gospel of Christ and the pursuit of holiness and righteousness, without which none will see God. c. God's true children will see the coming of this man of lawlessness, his empowering by the Devil, and God's active role here, and they will run back to what the scriptures teach and reject the lies even when all their senses tell them it is truth. And even when it will cost them everything. d. We must hold fast and stand firm in what we believe. e. So when we combine the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints with our role in persevering we realize that though we are certainly not passive in persevering… we are also… Praise the Lord… NOT ALONE. 7.) [Slide 31] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that Jesus accepts us as we are. Believing this is a symptom of not receiving the love of the truth. a. There is a teaching alive and well today that insists that Jesus accepts us as we are. b. Now what could be meant by that teaching is that there is no prerequisite to repenting of sin and trusting Christ. c. Meaning you don't have to be perfect in order to believe on Jesus. You don't have to have stopped sinning in order to become a Christ follower. You don't have to join a church, get a tattoo, be circumcised or any other prerequisite. d. If that is what is meant – then this is true. e. However, oftentimes this message ends up being – Jesus accepts you no matter what lifestyle you choose to keep living. Jesus will never ask you to be someone you aren't. Jesus just wants to love you for who you are. f. This… is a lie. g. Jesus died because of who you were. Jesus died because you fall short. You miss the mark. You are not good enough. That is why Jesus died. To pay for your shortcomings and to make you like Him. To change you. He died to make you a NEW CREATURE. Old has died… and new is taking its place. h. Jesus says in order to be His disciple you must crucify yourself… daily… and follow Him. i. He told the rich young ruler to sell everything he had and give it to the poor and follow Him. j. Christ's message is clear. k. Turn from your sin, follow Him and sin… no… more. l. There is no such thing as a Christian who loves his sin and Jesus too. m. There is no such thing as a Christian who dislikes God's law. n. There is no such thing as a Christian who loves this world. o. They simply… do not exist. p. They may call themselves Christians… but in the last day… they will be deceived, take the mark and worship the Anti-Christ, so that God may justly judge them. q. Jesus is so not satisfied with who you are, that He submitted to death to change you to be like Him. r. If you disagree – its time to really listen hard… 8.) [Slide 32] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” In the last days, many that profess Christ today will take the mark of the beast and worship him as God. a. The tension in the scripture is clear. b. Although God by grace alone unites His people to Christ's sacrifice through giving them faith in His Son, the kind of faith that God ALWAYS gives, is a faith that changes the person to whom it is given. c. When God gives faith, it is like when someone gets hit by a bus. d. Their life is going to be different from that day forward. It will change… because it must. e. The soil of the heart is prepared by the Lord to receive His truth and produce fruit. f. All other soils may look like they have received the truth… but things choke or scorch them to death. g. There will be many in that day who have prayed a prayer and accepted a cheap grace that forgives sin and asks nothing of them. A grace that has less to do with you being a citizen of God's royal family and more to do with keeping you from going to hell. h. But the same grace that keeps you from hell, makes you into a citizen of His family and conforms you to His standard. It's a package deal. You don't get one without the other. i. So how do you avoid being yet another dupe? How do you avoid standing at the judgment seat of Christ wondering why the books containing your works did not prove you were His? j. You must be born again. You must have your heart prepared by God to receive the love of the truth. k. How do you know God has done that for you? l. Well – is He stirring you now? Do you feel the Spirit of God pulling on you now? That is a pretty good sign that your heart is ready to receive the love of the truth. m. So, turn from sin. Turn from your pleasure in unrighteousness. Turn from worshipping and pursuing things on earth. Money, relationships, careers, possessions, lusts, passions… n. Turn from your desires, your pursuits, your will o. Lose your identity so that you can be absorbed into Christ's. p. Trust Him and love Him and what He has done for you. Love Him so much that He becomes your first priority. q. Submit to His rule over your life as your one and only King. r. Trust Him and love Him enough to leave all other things you trust and love behind. s. Then… and only then… will you start to see the Lord change you into His own possession. t. If that is you today… don't wait to tell someone. u. Don't walk out the door and think -I'll just tell them later. I'll just call them later. No. v. If you need to follow Christ. If you are done following you. Tell someone you know is a Christian here. We would like to rejoice with you and help you in the next steps. [Slide 33 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the church father Augustine of Hippo In a vast wilderness full of snares and dangers, look! At your enabling I have cut off many of them, thrusting them out of my heart. And yet so many of these things buzz on all sides about my daily life. Do I dare say that nothing of this sort catches my attention, or causes even the slightest interest? True, I do not spend time in the worst kinds of entertainment, I do not dabble in astrology or the occult. I detest all those sacrilegious mysteries. And I owe you my humble and singlehearted service, O Lord my God. Yet the enemy, with tricks and suggestions, looks for a way in. So I beg you, by our King, even if I am far away from consenting to the enemy, may it ever be farther and farther away. You enable me, and will enable me, to follow you willingly, doing what you want me to do. We ask this for ourselves in Jesus' name, Amen. Benediction: Now may He who raises the poor from the dust, The needy from the ash heap; And makes them sit with nobles And inherit a seat of honor. Bear you through troubled days, To you who trust in God's unchanging love. Until we meet again, Grace and Peace to you.

Acts 2:1-4 When the wind and fire came, it got everyone's attention. God had appeared in fire before (Exod 3:2-5; 14:24; 19:18; 40:33-38; Lev 9:22-24; Deut 4:24; 2 Chron 7:1-3). Speaking in tongues is a miracle wherein God's spirit enables someone to speak a foreign language without learning it (1 Cor 14:2, 14). Acts 2:5-11 Pentecost was a major Jewish festival that brought pilgrims in from all over the surrounding regions. Although God always cared about the nations (Gen 10), he confused their languages at the Tower of Babel (Gen 11) and began working with Abraham and his descendants (Gen 12). Now that Jesus had brought salvation, God was taking the nations back—all who call upon the name of the Lord. Acts 2:12-21 Peter pointed to Joel's prophecy to answer the question, “What does this mean?” The spirit of God had gone public—and it happened prior to the end of the age! Acts 2:22-24 Finally, Peter gets to talking about Jesus. He tells them two accepted claims followed by two startling claims. Acts 2:25-33 Looking to David's prophecy in Psalm 16, we see that this event was predicted centuries before. That the spirit has been poured out is now proof that Jesus indeed is the messiah exalted to God's right hand in heaven. Acts 2:34-42 When he boldly confronted the people for crucifying their own messiah, they asked, “What should we do?” Peter told them to repent and be baptized. If they did, they would receive forgiveness for their sins and the gift of the holy spirit too!The post God's Spirit Poured Out first appeared on Living Hope.

2435-26 - 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.

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

Exodus 5-6 As we continue the sermon series on the book of Exodus, we find the Israelites struggling with Pharaoh's treatment. Although God promised through Moses and Aaron that he would deliver them from Egypt, they began to murmur and complain. God had to remind them all of His faithfulness through generations. Moses gave excuses as to why he couldn't confront Pharaoh, but he was reminded that God was in control. God starts with grace even though He has every right to start with wrath. God gives grace when we bring our good and our bad to Him. We should operate in His grace. Website: immanuelde.com Facebook: immanuelchurchwilmington YouTube: Immanuel Church Wilmington DE

Ephesians 3:1-13. Although God has united all believers, from all nations, into one spiritual body called “the Church”, not all Christians experience the life of that body. Where there is legalism, pride, traditionalism, or familiarity, the life of the body is diminished. Where there is grace, humility, unity and a living faith, we taste and […]

In this week's message Pastor Samuel Vander Klok talks a lot about the life of Samson and how despite all that Samson did God still used him. Although God can use you no matter what don't use that as an excuse to get as close as you can to disobeying God. Imagine how much more God could have used Samson if he had served the lord with all he had from the beginning. Enjoy and have a blessed week.

Jesus sent forth his apostles and told them to leave behind anything that would weigh them down as they went out to share the Good News of the Gospel. This advice remains true for each of us today who wish to faithfully follow our Lord. It can be easy to feel "weighed down" by our daily concerns and responsibilities—with a list of emails, errands, appointments, and phone calls making any given day a whirlwind of activity. Although God have assigned each of us certain responsibilities, and expects that we faithfully carry them out, he never desires for us to feel overly burdened or trapped by circumstances.  What is the Lord asking you to surrender—perhaps fear, doubt, distress, or worldly concerns? Trust that in Jesus, you have all you need. Then, "travel lightly" throughout this day.

Micah paints a gloomy picture of the society in his day: the rulers demanded gifts, the judges accepted bribes, and the powerful dictated what they desired. On top of that he observed a blatant disrespect for God, the family unity, and for the dignity of life and living. He warned the people of their terrible fate and yet, right in the middle of gloom and doom he spoke a word of encouragement: God will not abandon His people. Although God did turn His back, He never completely abandoned the people in Micah's day. How much more us if we continue to trust Him and keep our eyes fixed on Him?! (if we like Daniel refuse to lessen our ways with God.)  VF-2345 Micah 7:1-13 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2026 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved

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 just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! 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.   

Sr Therese Mills MGL explores the grief and confusion felt when God doesn't answer prayers the way we hope. Although God's ways can seem mysterious, Jesus' compassionate presence remains with us in our grief and can transform suffering into a source of grace

The idea of Fat Tuesday is to party hard and get sin out of our system before seeking forgiveness on Ash Wednesday and moving into Lent. The Christian life does not work this way because all sin has consequence. Although God forgives us, we must strive to live a life that is obedient to Him at all times, making nothing else an idol.

The idea of Fat Tuesday is to party hard and get sin out of our system before seeking forgiveness on Ash Wednesday and moving into Lent. The Christian life does not work this way because all sin has consequence. Although God forgives us, we must strive to live a life that is obedient to Him at all times, making nothing else an idol. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/640/29?v=20251111

Although God in them requires universal holiness of us, yet he does not do it in that strict and rigorous way as by the law, so as that if we fail in any thing, either as to the matter or manner of its performance, in the substance of it or as to the degrees of its perfection, that thereon both that and all we do besides should be rejected. But he does it with a contemperation of grace and mercy, so as that if there be a universal sincerity, in a respect to all his commands, he both pardons many sins, and accepts of what we do, though it come short of legal perfection; both on the account of the mediation of Christ.

In this series, we're talking about God's view on growth and multiplication. Although God has some limitations on growth, today I want to emphasize that growth, or lack of growth, can be directly tied to God's favor. In Deuteronomy 7, God told Israel that obedience to His commands would result in the benefits mentioned in ... The post God's Word on Growth and Multiplication: Part II appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Is it possible to earn salvation? Join pastor Jacob Bauder as he shares the perspective of Scripture in Romans 4. The answer is, "no." It is not possible to be good enough to get to Heaven. But there is good news! Although God's justice and righteousness require a punishment for sin, Jesus willingly gave His life so we can be restored to good standing with the Father, only by faith in God's grace and mercy.

Do you know how many yellow cars there are on the road? It's not what jumps out as a popular car color, but there are more of them than you might think. The key is that you have to be on the lookout for them. Likewise, God is guiding and directing our path and shows up in big and small ways in our lives. Again, we need to be on the lookout for it. Today as we go to Esther Chapter 6, we are going to see this in a number of examples. Although God is not specifically mentioned at all in the Book of Esther, it's obvious that He is there. Also, we are going to see that we need to be people who look out of the window and not gaze in the mirror; our lives are made whole when we put the needs of others above our own. The contrast in how Mordecai and Haman live clearly illustrates this.

Although God's judgment falls on a great commercial empire, all is not lost; restored wealth goes to God's servants.

In his sermon on Romans 1:18-32, Pastor Collin explains why humanity desperately needs the righteousness and salvation offered through Jesus Christ. Although God has clearly revealed Himself through creation, people suppress the truth, refuse to worship or thank Him, and instead turn to idols and foolish thinking. As a result, God's wrath is revealed—not primarily as direct punishment, but by “giving people over” to their sinful desires, allowing them to reap the consequences of their rebellion. This leads to widespread moral breakdown, including sexual immorality, idolatry, greed, hatred, gossip, and all kinds of wickedness. Pastor Collin emphasizes that these sins are not just targeting one group, but reveal the universal brokenness of humanity when we exchange the truth of God for lies. The solution is to repent, reject our idols, humbly acknowledge our sin, and return to wholehearted worship of the Creator, finding hope and healing through the righteousness of Christ.

This week's Gospel reading Matthew 5:13-20,  speaks of salt and light. Imagine going out for a really good meal- the table is set and you're with great company. You're full of anticipation, ready to enjoy the food brought to the table. But precisely as the dishes are delivered, the waiter blows out the candles on your table. You're plunged into darkness. The food is placed on the table and you begin (with difficulty) to eat. It's then that you discover not only can you not see the good food- it's tasteless, with no seasoning at all. How might your experience of the meal be affected?             Now consider our human life and that of others being like this same meal. Although God made a world that is good, we live in darkness- surrounded by sin and its effects. How can we shine God's light in this context? How about the food? Could we add the goodness of a sprinkle of God's Word to every day? How might this change the experiences of ourselves and those around us? Let's pray this week to be someone who reflects the light and goodness of God to others, working with God to bring His Kingdom more fully into our world. Amen.The message was presented by Pr. Allan Taruste Support the show

Jehu was God's weapon of judgment upon Ahab and Jezebel. He carried out his mission with intensity and zeal. Although God has not called the church to violence, we should, nevertheless, imitate Jehu's zeal in our mission to love. 1 Kings 16:30-33 Ahab did more to provoke God to anger than all the kings of Israel who came before him. He introduced and sponsored the worship of Canaanite gods, including Baal and Asherah. His wife, Jezebel of Sidon, was a religious zealot who relentlessly persecuted the prophets of Yahweh, including Elijah (1 Kgs. 19:2). 1 Kings 21:5-7 When righteous Naboth refused to sell his vineyard to Ahab, Jezebel took matters into her own hands. After she had Naboth executed, Ahab took possession of his neighbor's plot. 1 Kings 19:15-17; 21:19-29 God ordained that Jehu become king instead of Ahab. This Jehu would be God's weapon of vengeance upon Ahab's house. 2 Kings 9:4-13 After a young prophet anointed the military commander, Jehu, king, his officers immediately supported his bid for the throne. 2 Kings 9:30-31 Jehu first confronted and the reigning king Joram, Ahab's son. Then he came for Jezebel. Next, he arranged for the death of all Ahab's seventy sons. 2 Kings 10:18-19 Last of all, Jehu killed as many worshipers of Baal as he could and turned the temple into a latrine. John 3:16-17 Jesus is the true and better Jehu. However, God did not send him to condemn the world, but to save it. Revelation 19:11-16 Nevertheless, when Jesus comes again, he will come in judgment, making Jehu's zeal look small in comparison. Pastor Sean uses the Bible version NRSVUEThe post Forgotten Kings: Jehu first appeared on Living Hope.

Message Take Aways:1. Although God previously utilized King Baasha to fulfill His prophesied word against the household of Jeroboam, Baasha's depravity provoked the Lord to anger resulting in a promised judgment against his own household—“Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, For the reward of his hands shall be given him.” Isaiah 3:112. While King Zimri's treason against King Elah served to fulfill God's promised judgment against Baasha's household, his selfish wickedness led to the shortest reign and his own destruction—“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:123. Though King Omri established a dominant kingdom in this temporal world, the eternal word of God remembers him as evil in the eyes of the Lord—“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Mark 8:36

Reuben was Israel's firstborn son, but he forfeited his birthright.  Jacob prophesied that the tribe of Reuben was unstable as water and would not excel.  The descendants of the tribe of Reuben include the Franks, who settled northern France and parts of Holland and Germany.  Although God allowed this people to be powerful for a moment in history, they will not be power players in the end times.  VF-2362 Genesis 49:3-4 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2025 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved

Joseph's life story is one of the most masterful literary arcs in the whole of scripture. It goes far beyond just an example of brotherly jealous provoked by parental favoritism. The complex characters are fully developed so that no one is entirely guilty or innocent. The setting changes from pit to palace to prison as the storyline progresses. Although God does not make a dramatic appearance to Joseph, like the burning bush or a wrestling angel, he speaks to him in dreams, both his own and others. The entire time a tension hangs over the story asking the reader to discern between human agency and divine providence. Support the show

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.

In this podcast episode Pastor Jackson speaks on Jesus Christ being laid down in a manger which is a cattle trough. God laid himself down in the filth and the ugliness of the manger. From the beginning of time we see God being willing to get his hands dirty. Although God is holy, he is not intimidated by the mess in our lives. He is willing to minister to us. God is not ashamed of our dirt, he is actually willing to use it for his glory.

The story of Noah and the flood is not for little children. The story of the flood is horrific, frightening, and tragic. The flood is the justifiable holocaust of an entire generation with the exception of one solitary family. Had any of the children that day survived the flood and been asked to draw on paper what they had experienced, I do not believe you would have seen anything close to what we see in our churches today like the image below: Instead, what you would have seen is something like the pictures some of the children who survived the tsunami of 2004 that killed over 200,000 people drew to illustrate their experience: After Cain murdered Abel and was driven away from his family to be a wanderer with his wife, we are told that the hearts of his descendants grew increasingly evil. Cains great, great, great grandson Lamech was much more violent than Cain and became known for twisting the institution of marriage by taking two wives instead of one (see Gen. 4:24-24). After Seth was born, we learn that people began to call upon the name of the God of Adam and Eve (4:26). Through Seth, another bloodline was started to counter the bloodline of Cain. Cains line represents evil, while Seths line represents the line through which the promised Deliverer would come. Cains line grew to be both secular and violent, while Seths line represented godliness in a world when calling upon the name of the Lord was rare and unpopular. The Wickedness on the Earth Became Great Through Seth, God would fulfill the promise made to Adam and Eve, but there were dark powers that would seek and strive to keep the Descendant of Eve from ever being born! It is to that part of the story we now turn our attention: Now it came about, when mankind began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the Lord said, My Spirit will not remain with man forever, because he is also flesh; nevertheless his days shall be 120 years. The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Gen. 6:1-4) Three groups of people are named in Genesis 6:1-4. There are the sons of God, the daughters of mankind, and the Nephilim. There are also three main views that have served to explain who these three sets of people were, I will share the three ways theologians throughout the ages have understood who these people are in Genesis and then I will offer a fourth possible way of understanding these verses: The sons of God represent the line of Seth, and the daughters of men represent the line of Cain. The intermingling of Seths descendants with Cains line blurred the distinction between those devoted to God and those who had turned away. This union led to a moral collapse that hastened humanitys corruption and ultimately brought about Gods judgment through the flood. One widely held perspective is that the sons of God (a phrase frequently referring to angels)[1] were fallen angels who took on human appearance and engaged in relationships with human women, referred to as the daughters of men. According to this interpretation, these unions resulted in the birth of the Nephilimfigures described as formidable, possibly giant warriors who were both feared and renowned. This view has been prominent throughout Jewish and Christian tradition. Another interpretation suggests that the sons of God were regional kings who were exalted as divine figures by the people they governed. Much like Lamech, these rulers acted with unchecked authority, taking as many wives from among the daughters of men (ordinary women) as they desired, often practicing extensive polygamy. The offspring of these unions became influential princes, celebrated as mighty men of old, men of renown. I used to hold to the first view, but have since rejected it, and I have always struggled with the second view for the simple fact that angels are spiritual beings (Heb. 1:14) who do not share our DNA and therefore make it impossible to impregnate human women. However, I do believe that fallen angels (sons of God) possessed the sons of god (regional rulers/kings) who took the daughters of men as wives for themselves. The reason why I believe this is because of what Jude and Peter wrote about concerning Genesis 6:1-4.[2] According to Jude and Peter, what happened in Genesis 6 was a demonic overstepping so severe that they were judged immediately before the rest of the demons who will eventually be cast into the lake of fire. Let me share with you where I land on what is happening in Genesis 6:1-4 that seems to best fit the context and progression of sin from Cain to the flooding of the earth. Here is the way I see it: By the time we get to Genesis 6, the culture of humankind has grown exceedingly promiscuous and violent. Cain killed Abel. Lamech killed a man and a child and took two wives for himself, and then one generation later we are introduced to the sons of god taking the daughters of men to have children known as the Nephilim. There was little regard for the sanctity of life and Gods design for sex within the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. When we come to Genesis 6, we are told, The Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually (v. 5). In light of what we know about the religious practices of the ancient East and that fallen angels are capable of demonic possession of humans (see Mark 5:1-20), It is possible that the sons of God (fallen angels) possessed regional kings who were so wicked that they welcomed the possession of demons they may have worshiped as gods (see Deut. 32:15-17; 1 Cor. 10:20). It is possible that the regional kings, while under the influence of those fallen angels, took on a harem of women (the daughters of men). The regional kings of Genesis 6 opened themselves up to being demonized, and that fallen angles used their bodies to further pervert the sanctity of marriage as an institution created and sanctioned by God. We will certainly see this when we get to the book of Revelation in January, but for now what you should know is that the institution of marriage was always designed to function as a portrait of Christs relationship to the Church; the apostle Paul goes as far as to state the original design of the institution of marriage in Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:18-25, Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband (Eph. 5:3133). It was because of the violence against the image of God and the perversion of the sanctity of marriage that we are told in the following verses: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. So the Lord was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Then the Lord said, I will wipe out mankind whom I have created from the face of the land; mankind, and animals as well, and crawling things, and the birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them. (Gen. 6:5-7). Gods Infinite Goodness Overcomes the Deepest Wickedness It was only because the wickedness of Noahs generation was so great, pervasive, and unrelenting that He chose to flood the earth. Yet, even in the midst of great evil and wickedness, God chose to spare a man and his family to start over, and he did it through Noahs family (v. 8). So, God instructed Noah, The end of humanity has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of people; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch (Gen. 6:13-14). Only Noah, his family, and two of every animal according to their kind were spared, as God intended to begin anew through them (notice that God specified "kind," not "species"). To Noah, God declared, But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the arkyou, your sons, your wife, and your sons wives with you. Of every living creature of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female (vv. 18-19). So, Noah and his family entered the ark, and then the floodwaters came, resulting in the destruction of thousands under the judgment of a holy God. Although God could have rightly destroyed every living creature, He chose to spare Noah and his family. Through Noah, his family, and a chosen group of animals, protected in an ark made from wood, God demonstrated mercy. God then assured Noah with a promise: Now behold, I Myself am establishing My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you.... I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be eliminated by the waters of a flood, nor shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth (vv. 8-9, 11). What would be the sign of the covenant made with Noah? Here is what God said: This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth (Gen. 9:12-13). The rainbow stands as a powerful reminderto us and to Godthat He has set aside His warriors bow, placing it in the sky as a sign of peace. The flood cleansed the blood stained soil of the earth caused by the wickedness of humanity and washed away the rampant perversion that became a part of the culture. Gods promise to Adam and Eve that a deliverer would comethe hope they saw in Seth and his descendantswas kept through Noah, who remained righteous in a corrupt world. God overcame human wickedness with the flood, but in His goodness, He also provided a way for the coming of Christ. Not long after Noah and his family were saved from the judgment of God, we are reminded that no flood can remedy the problem of the human heart. In Genesis 9:20-29, we learn that Noah got drunk and passed out naked and his son Ham looked upon his fathers nakedness in a way that was shameful and disrespectful. Ham was cursed to become a servant of the descendants of his older brothers, while Shem would carry on the bloodline that would eventually lead to the birth of Jesus Christ. The sins of Adam, Cain, Lamech, Noah, and Ham are our struggles too. We all have a heart problem that only Christ can fix. The trees provided the gopher wood that saved Noah and his family from the flood of Gods wrath, and yet it was also a treethe crosswhere Jesus, the descendant of Adam, Seth, Noah, and Shem, was nailed to bear the curse we deserved. Although Noah was considered righteous in Gods sight, he still struggled with the same sin-problem that plagued every generation before him. In contrast, Jesus was perfectly righteous, as Scripture declares: For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18a). Conclusion Please listen closely to what I am about to share. The rainbow, given by God as a sign of His covenant with Noah, was never meant to be used as a justification to redefine, distort, or undermine the institution of marriage or the sacredness of sex within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. God did not create the sun to shine and its light to form the beautiful arc of colors in the sky through rain, so that anyone might feel free to alter the biological nature with which they were created and choose an identity apart from His design. The rainbow is a powerful reminder that God takes all sin seriouslyincluding heterosexual sins such as sex before marriage and any form of sexual relations with anyone other than your spouse. It calls us to recognize that Gods standard for purity and faithfulness within marriage apply to everyone and serves as a visible sign of both His justice and His mercy.[3] The rainbow serves as a vivid reminder of Gods undeserved mercy, highlighting the justice that, by all rights, should fall upon us. When we see a rainbow stretched across the sky, its not a testament to our worthiness and rights, but instead displays Gods compassion that permits us to behold it. We must understand that, according to Gods perfect justice, we deserve not only death but eternal separation from Him. Yet, by His mercy alone, we are given the blessing of another daynot so we can pursue our own desires, but so we may be drawn to the cross where Gods Son was slaughtered for our sins. Ultimately, it is only through the cross of Christ that we can be saved from Gods just wrath. Jesus alone is qualified and able to bear the judgment our sins deserve, offering us true hope and redemption. The tree that Christ was cursed upon in our place is not permission to run to our sin, but the demand to run from our sin to the One who bore all of it, for our salvation from the floods of Gods wrath that we each deserve.Man [1] The term sons of God refers to angels in several Old Testament passages, specifically inJob 1:6,2:1,38:7, andPsalms 29:1and 89:6. [2] Jude 67. And angels who did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling place, these He has kept in eternal restraints under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these angels indulged in sexual perversion and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. 2 Peter 2:4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, held for judgment... [3] Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. (Heb. 13:4)

The story of Noah and the flood is not for little children. The story of the flood is horrific, frightening, and tragic. The flood is the justifiable holocaust of an entire generation with the exception of one solitary family. Had any of the children that day survived the flood and been asked to draw on paper what they had experienced, I do not believe you would have seen anything close to what we see in our churches today like the image below: Instead, what you would have seen is something like the pictures some of the children who survived the tsunami of 2004 that killed over 200,000 people drew to illustrate their experience: After Cain murdered Abel and was driven away from his family to be a wanderer with his wife, we are told that the hearts of his descendants grew increasingly evil. Cains great, great, great grandson Lamech was much more violent than Cain and became known for twisting the institution of marriage by taking two wives instead of one (see Gen. 4:24-24). After Seth was born, we learn that people began to call upon the name of the God of Adam and Eve (4:26). Through Seth, another bloodline was started to counter the bloodline of Cain. Cains line represents evil, while Seths line represents the line through which the promised Deliverer would come. Cains line grew to be both secular and violent, while Seths line represented godliness in a world when calling upon the name of the Lord was rare and unpopular. The Wickedness on the Earth Became Great Through Seth, God would fulfill the promise made to Adam and Eve, but there were dark powers that would seek and strive to keep the Descendant of Eve from ever being born! It is to that part of the story we now turn our attention: Now it came about, when mankind began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the Lord said, My Spirit will not remain with man forever, because he is also flesh; nevertheless his days shall be 120 years. The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Gen. 6:1-4) Three groups of people are named in Genesis 6:1-4. There are the sons of God, the daughters of mankind, and the Nephilim. There are also three main views that have served to explain who these three sets of people were, I will share the three ways theologians throughout the ages have understood who these people are in Genesis and then I will offer a fourth possible way of understanding these verses: The sons of God represent the line of Seth, and the daughters of men represent the line of Cain. The intermingling of Seths descendants with Cains line blurred the distinction between those devoted to God and those who had turned away. This union led to a moral collapse that hastened humanitys corruption and ultimately brought about Gods judgment through the flood. One widely held perspective is that the sons of God (a phrase frequently referring to angels)[1] were fallen angels who took on human appearance and engaged in relationships with human women, referred to as the daughters of men. According to this interpretation, these unions resulted in the birth of the Nephilimfigures described as formidable, possibly giant warriors who were both feared and renowned. This view has been prominent throughout Jewish and Christian tradition. Another interpretation suggests that the sons of God were regional kings who were exalted as divine figures by the people they governed. Much like Lamech, these rulers acted with unchecked authority, taking as many wives from among the daughters of men (ordinary women) as they desired, often practicing extensive polygamy. The offspring of these unions became influential princes, celebrated as mighty men of old, men of renown. I used to hold to the first view, but have since rejected it, and I have always struggled with the second view for the simple fact that angels are spiritual beings (Heb. 1:14) who do not share our DNA and therefore make it impossible to impregnate human women. However, I do believe that fallen angels (sons of God) possessed the sons of god (regional rulers/kings) who took the daughters of men as wives for themselves. The reason why I believe this is because of what Jude and Peter wrote about concerning Genesis 6:1-4.[2] According to Jude and Peter, what happened in Genesis 6 was a demonic overstepping so severe that they were judged immediately before the rest of the demons who will eventually be cast into the lake of fire. Let me share with you where I land on what is happening in Genesis 6:1-4 that seems to best fit the context and progression of sin from Cain to the flooding of the earth. Here is the way I see it: By the time we get to Genesis 6, the culture of humankind has grown exceedingly promiscuous and violent. Cain killed Abel. Lamech killed a man and a child and took two wives for himself, and then one generation later we are introduced to the sons of god taking the daughters of men to have children known as the Nephilim. There was little regard for the sanctity of life and Gods design for sex within the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. When we come to Genesis 6, we are told, The Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually (v. 5). In light of what we know about the religious practices of the ancient East and that fallen angels are capable of demonic possession of humans (see Mark 5:1-20), It is possible that the sons of God (fallen angels) possessed regional kings who were so wicked that they welcomed the possession of demons they may have worshiped as gods (see Deut. 32:15-17; 1 Cor. 10:20). It is possible that the regional kings, while under the influence of those fallen angels, took on a harem of women (the daughters of men). The regional kings of Genesis 6 opened themselves up to being demonized, and that fallen angles used their bodies to further pervert the sanctity of marriage as an institution created and sanctioned by God. We will certainly see this when we get to the book of Revelation in January, but for now what you should know is that the institution of marriage was always designed to function as a portrait of Christs relationship to the Church; the apostle Paul goes as far as to state the original design of the institution of marriage in Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:18-25, Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband (Eph. 5:3133). It was because of the violence against the image of God and the perversion of the sanctity of marriage that we are told in the following verses: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. So the Lord was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Then the Lord said, I will wipe out mankind whom I have created from the face of the land; mankind, and animals as well, and crawling things, and the birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them. (Gen. 6:5-7). Gods Infinite Goodness Overcomes the Deepest Wickedness It was only because the wickedness of Noahs generation was so great, pervasive, and unrelenting that He chose to flood the earth. Yet, even in the midst of great evil and wickedness, God chose to spare a man and his family to start over, and he did it through Noahs family (v. 8). So, God instructed Noah, The end of humanity has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of people; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch (Gen. 6:13-14). Only Noah, his family, and two of every animal according to their kind were spared, as God intended to begin anew through them (notice that God specified "kind," not "species"). To Noah, God declared, But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the arkyou, your sons, your wife, and your sons wives with you. Of every living creature of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female (vv. 18-19). So, Noah and his family entered the ark, and then the floodwaters came, resulting in the destruction of thousands under the judgment of a holy God. Although God could have rightly destroyed every living creature, He chose to spare Noah and his family. Through Noah, his family, and a chosen group of animals, protected in an ark made from wood, God demonstrated mercy. God then assured Noah with a promise: Now behold, I Myself am establishing My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you.... I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be eliminated by the waters of a flood, nor shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth (vv. 8-9, 11). What would be the sign of the covenant made with Noah? Here is what God said: This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth (Gen. 9:12-13). The rainbow stands as a powerful reminderto us and to Godthat He has set aside His warriors bow, placing it in the sky as a sign of peace. The flood cleansed the blood stained soil of the earth caused by the wickedness of humanity and washed away the rampant perversion that became a part of the culture. Gods promise to Adam and Eve that a deliverer would comethe hope they saw in Seth and his descendantswas kept through Noah, who remained righteous in a corrupt world. God overcame human wickedness with the flood, but in His goodness, He also provided a way for the coming of Christ. Not long after Noah and his family were saved from the judgment of God, we are reminded that no flood can remedy the problem of the human heart. In Genesis 9:20-29, we learn that Noah got drunk and passed out naked and his son Ham looked upon his fathers nakedness in a way that was shameful and disrespectful. Ham was cursed to become a servant of the descendants of his older brothers, while Shem would carry on the bloodline that would eventually lead to the birth of Jesus Christ. The sins of Adam, Cain, Lamech, Noah, and Ham are our struggles too. We all have a heart problem that only Christ can fix. The trees provided the gopher wood that saved Noah and his family from the flood of Gods wrath, and yet it was also a treethe crosswhere Jesus, the descendant of Adam, Seth, Noah, and Shem, was nailed to bear the curse we deserved. Although Noah was considered righteous in Gods sight, he still struggled with the same sin-problem that plagued every generation before him. In contrast, Jesus was perfectly righteous, as Scripture declares: For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18a). Conclusion Please listen closely to what I am about to share. The rainbow, given by God as a sign of His covenant with Noah, was never meant to be used as a justification to redefine, distort, or undermine the institution of marriage or the sacredness of sex within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. God did not create the sun to shine and its light to form the beautiful arc of colors in the sky through rain, so that anyone might feel free to alter the biological nature with which they were created and choose an identity apart from His design. The rainbow is a powerful reminder that God takes all sin seriouslyincluding heterosexual sins such as sex before marriage and any form of sexual relations with anyone other than your spouse. It calls us to recognize that Gods standard for purity and faithfulness within marriage apply to everyone and serves as a visible sign of both His justice and His mercy.[3] The rainbow serves as a vivid reminder of Gods undeserved mercy, highlighting the justice that, by all rights, should fall upon us. When we see a rainbow stretched across the sky, its not a testament to our worthiness and rights, but instead displays Gods compassion that permits us to behold it. We must understand that, according to Gods perfect justice, we deserve not only death but eternal separation from Him. Yet, by His mercy alone, we are given the blessing of another daynot so we can pursue our own desires, but so we may be drawn to the cross where Gods Son was slaughtered for our sins. Ultimately, it is only through the cross of Christ that we can be saved from Gods just wrath. Jesus alone is qualified and able to bear the judgment our sins deserve, offering us true hope and redemption. The tree that Christ was cursed upon in our place is not permission to run to our sin, but the demand to run from our sin to the One who bore all of it, for our salvation from the floods of Gods wrath that we each deserve.Man [1] The term sons of God refers to angels in several Old Testament passages, specifically inJob 1:6,2:1,38:7, andPsalms 29:1and 89:6. [2] Jude 67. And angels who did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling place, these He has kept in eternal restraints under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these angels indulged in sexual perversion and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. 2 Peter 2:4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, held for judgment... [3] Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. (Heb. 13:4)

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. ~Exodus 3:2 One of my favorite comic strips is Kudzu, written and drawn by Doug Marlette from 1981 through 2007. The title character is a 16-year-old boy named Kudzu from Bypass, North Carolina. But my favorite character is the town's pastor, the Reverend Will B. Dunn. In one of my favorite strips, we see the Reverend Dunn on his knees in front of a burning bush. He has an elated look on his face as he kneels with his hands folded before the miraculous shrub. The preacher exclaims, "At last!... A burning bush to speak to me!... It's a sign from above!... Just what I've always wanted! A voice to tell me exactly what to do!" The next frame is only a giant blue blob with the word "SPLASH!" written all across it. In the final frame, we see the Reverend Dunn and the bush, both soaking wet, all the flames extinguished, the preacher with an exasperated look on his face, and Smokey the Bear walking away with a shovel in one hand and an empty bucket in the other. The story of Moses' encounter with a burning bush in the book of Exodus ends differently. Yet, the word Moses hears from God is not exactly what he expected or wanted. Although God doesn't usually speak to us in such dramatic ways, God's word to us is often unexpected and surprising. It might be a burning bush or a bucket of water, but it will surely start us on a new path. We'll explore that idea on Sunday.

Daily Dose of Hope August 29, 2025   Scripture – Luke 13:1-21   Prayer: Father God, hear our prayer this morning.  We are awed by your power and strength.  We are amazed by your love.  Thank you, Lord, for the many ways you show in our lives to teach us and care for us.  Help us gather our scattered thoughts right now and focus on you.  In these next few moments of silence, help us (help me) be still and know that you are God...Come Holy Spirit, and help us walk through this Scripture in a way that honors you.  Show up and help us discover whatever it is you want us to learn.  This is your Word and we want to hear from you.  In Your powerful name, Amen.   Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we dive into the first half of Luke 13.   Our reading begins today with Jesus' discission about repenting.  It seems that the death of the Galileans is weighing heavy but what happened to them is not clear.  Most scholars agree that there was a group of Galileans who died at the hands of the Roman government, possibly engaging in resistance.  Keep in mind, the Galileans would have been Jewish.  After killing them, Pilate mixed their blood with the blood of animals used in sacrifices.  Of course, this would have been appalling to the Jews.   Surprisingly, Jesus in this text is not concerned with anger toward the Romans or empathy toward the Jews.  He is concerned with repentance.  He tells the group around him that their sins, whatever they are, are not less than the Galileans killed for their resistance.  Keep in mind, in that culture, there would have been a general consensus that suffering was a result of great sin.  But Jesus is clear, we are all guilty of sin in God's eyes and we need to repent.  Don't get too caught up pointing out the sins of others; we are all sinners.  Every single one of us.  Be careful who you point fingers at.   We move from there to another healing on the Sabbath.  A woman crippled for eighteen years is set free by Jesus.  If Jesus didn't seem to have compassion about the Galileans, he certainly shows it here.  The Jewish leaders insist that healing should only occur on the six working days and not on the Sabbath.  But he calls them out on that, “Don't you guys take your animals out to get water on the Sabbath?  And you won't allow me to free this poor woman from bondage?”  He doesn't hesitate to point out their hypocrisy, which has been a theme over the last few chapters.  It sure is easy to hold others to a standard to which you don't hold yourself.    We close with the final part of today's reading.  Jesus gives us two examples of what God's Kingdom is like. First, he says that the Kingdom is like a mustard seed. The listeners would have been familiar with these little seeds; they were the smallest of all the garden seeds available in Palestine during the time of Jesus. But even though they were small, these seeds could grow into a really big bush or tree. It was actually against the law to plant these seeds in a public garden because they would literally take over and choke out the other plants. It's amazing that something so little, almost invisible really, became something that took over the whole garden.   Jesus then moves from the garden to the kitchen and says the Kingdom of God is like yeast that a women mixed with sixty pounds of flour until it was all mixed through. Yeast is also really small. Of course, what we know is that the woman would not have used yeast from a little package like we have (that's a modern invention). In Jesus' time, when you prepared dough for baking, you would take a small piece of leavened dough (dough with the yeast already in it) that you had been saving, and mix it in the new batch of dough. When the new batch was done, you would take a small piece of the dough from that and save it for the next batch. So picture this: the woman has one piece of leavened dough and she takes it and works it all the way through sixty pounds of flour. That's a lot of flour!   Jesus puts these two parables together to help us get a glimpse of the Kingdom of God. You see, in God's Kingdom, small things can yield really big results. Tiny seeds can produce a big tree, so big that birds can nest in it. A little bit of yeasty dough can be mixed with flour to make enough bread to feed hundreds of people. Here are some thoughts about this:   · God's economy is different. In the world, 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.   · God does the work but human action is required. In each of these parables, there is human action that was part of the growth. The seed must be planted in the ground and probably watered too. The yeast must be worked through the flour. Although God could accomplish these things on his own, he asks people to invest part of ourselves in his work. Then, God honors that obedience, he honors our effort, our willingness, and our faith, no matter how small and insignificant we think it is and he grows it exponentially.   · Things aren't always as they seem. God works in ways we cannot see or understand. Science is amazing in that it can show us what is happening under the ground with the seed and what's going on in that loaf of bread, but science can't necessarily explain why it happens. In God's Kingdom, things aren't always what they seem. This is important: 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.   God is at work there in ways you can't see. The chronic health issue that is so debilitating and limiting-God's at work there in ways you can't understand. Your troubled marriage, your difficult job situation, your finances-God has the ability to work in and through them (with your help) in ways you can't see or understand.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope August 25, 2025   Scripture – Luke 11:1-13   Prayer:  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us.  Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.    Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we dive into the first portion of Luke 11.   Today, we have some very important teaching on prayer.  On one hand, prayer is simple–its talking to God. It is basic, it's central to who we are as Christ-followers. For Christians, prayer is as necessary as breathing. You can't maintain a relationship with anyone without communication, the same is true with God.   On the other hand, prayer is complicated.  What exactly should we pray for and what should we not pray for?  Do we always pray for healing?  Do we pray to get that new job?  Do we pray for our favorite team to win?  That seems a bit self-serving.  And while prayer is simply talking to God, are there certain ways we should go about it?  In the Sermon on the Mount, we know Jesus says not to pray like the Pharisees who stand in public and pray loud, flowery prayers, to receive attention and admiration from others.  Prayer is never about impressing others.  It's always about sincerely connecting with God.    So, for what are we supposed to pray? How does God want us to pray?    There is so much we don't understand about prayer. But the disciples were in the same boat. In our scripture today, the disciples saw Jesus praying and asked him, “Lord, teach us to pray.  And Jesus gives them a beautiful template for how to pray intentionally and for what to include in that prayer.  Of course, we call this the Lord's Prayer.   This is how Jesus breaks it down:   ·      Our Father in heaven – Jesus teaches us to start the  prayer with some kind of words about who God is to us.  He is my father in heaven. 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.  By saying my father in heaven means that God is close to me.   ·      Hallowed be your name – Here we are saying that God is holy, he is worthy, and we give thanks for all he has done for us.   ·      Your kingdom come – We've talked a lot about God's Kingdom so you know the Kingdom was the way God always intended his world to be, it is the place where Jesus is ruler and his values are in practice – love, justice, mercy, righteousness, and so forth.  In saying this, we are asking to be part of making God's Kingdom a reality right here, right now.   ·      Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven - What I find interesting is that we haven't asked God for anything yet! We are half-way through this prayer template and we haven't even gotten to a list of stuff we want or need. We've just been affirming who God is, thanking him, and praying that we can be part of making his will a reality here on earth.   ·      Give us today our daily bread – Now we are getting to the asking. But notice, we aren't asking for filet mignon, it's simply our daily bread. It's asking God to provide for us what we need for today. This is where we struggle in western culture at times, asking for what we need and what is good for us, not everything we want.  I certainly ask God for what I want (probably too often really) but when I do, I have to recognize that he is going to do what is best for me.  There is a much bigger picture that I can't see.   ·      And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors - Unconfessed sin drives a wedge in our relationship with God.  Unforgiveness does the same.  It breeds bitterness; it's like a poison that can move throughout the body.    ·      And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one - Although God doesn't tempt us, we recognize that we are easily tempted, and we need God to help direct our paths.    This is a wonderful template that allows us to be sincere and intentional in our prayers.  It includes important elements that encourage us to acknowledge who God is to us, making his Kingdom a reality on earth, not allowing our asking to get too extravagant, being sure to address forgiveness, and even thinking about temptations.  I want us to be careful, though, about not getting legalistic about it.  Jesus isn't saying that every single prayer must follow this format.  His disciples have asked for help in praying and he is offering them some guidance.  But we can look at Jesus' prayers to the Father and see that he doesn't always pray exactly like this.  Sometimes, we simply need to pray what's on our heart.   What else do we learn from today's reading about prayer?  Well, Jesus continues with some parables.  He tells a story about a man who needs some bread for a friend who is visiting.  He goes to the neighbor's house and asks for bread but the neighbor doesn't want to be bothered.  It was late and the kids were in bed.  But the man keeps banging on the door until the neighbor gets up and gives him the bread he needed.    Pray persistently.  Keep on praying, don't just pray one time and stop. If you truly need something, if God has laid it on your heart, then don't stop praying. How often have we prayed and prayed for something and then stopped?  It seems God isn't listening or isn't willing to give us this desire.  But Jesus is clear – don't get disappointed and don't stop praying.  Be the annoying neighbor who keeps banging on God's door.   We also learn to pray expectantly.  Ask, seek, knock.  Pray expecting that God will answer your prayer. I can remember a woman in Cuba who prayed for help with her business.  She pleaded with the Lord to offer her assistance so she could earn money and care for her family.  She just knew that God would do this for her.  And then we arrived not long after and gave her some assistance to get started.    And yet, this is difficult scripture. Some of you might be thinking, “Well, I prayed for my mother, or my son, or my husband to be healed and I prayed both persistently and expectantly, and it didn't work. Things didn't turn out, the relationship is still broken, or they still succumbed to their illness.  My own dad was convinced that God would heal him from ALS.  He told everyone who would listen that God was going to heal him.  But he did die an earthly death, just two years after his diagnosis. I believe he did receive a healing; it just wasn't the earthly healing we all desired.   What are we to make of this?  I think part of it is understanding the context. Just as Jesus often used parables in his teaching, he also used hyperbole.  Hyperbole, as many of you know, is an overstatement or an exaggeration, and this was a common way of explaining things at that time, in that particular culture.  We, on the other hand, are products of twenty-first century modern life. In our culture, we tend to read everything very literally. And this isn't a bad thing–we just need to consider that Jesus was trying to make a point.   The reality is that this world would be even more chaotic if Jesus' words on prayer were meant to be taken literally. For instance, if we could just pray to have money and it appeared, well, then why work? If we could just pray to have an A on a test without studying for it, then everyone would have A's and grades wouldn't really have much meaning. That doesn't mean we don't pray, and it doesn't mean we don't pray boldly, because God intends for us to do so, but it means we know that prayer isn't a get rich quick scheme or a way to get all our dreams to come true.  It is a way to communicate with and get closer to God, a way for God to sustain us, a way to know that God is always with us. Pray expectantly because prayer does change things, but not always the way we want them to be changed. Pray expectantly because God always answers prayers, sometimes just not the way we want them to be answered.    There are certainly examples of unanswered prayer in the New Testament.  The most obvious one is the apostle Paul, the greatest Christian missionary of all time. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul speaks of having a thorn in his flesh and pleading with God to take it away.  We don't know what this thorn was, but we do know it was extremely painful.  Paul says this, beginning in verse 8, “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”   Paul, although he prayed hard for this thorn to be removed, eventually came to the place in which he knew God would not remove this malady because it would help him grow into the person God wanted him to be. He also rested in the assurance that although he had to deal with this weakness, God would walk with him every step of the way.   Then, there is the incredible example of Jesus in his last hours in Luke 22, praying for God to remove the cup from him, to take away the terrible suffering and death he would experience the next day – trial, torture, and then the cross. But we know God did not take that cup from him...rather, it was used to redeem the world.   Really, I think the bottom line is that prayer is an act of surrender. In our on-going relationship with God, it's an act of trust.  There is really no other way to put it.  We are declaring, “You are my God, I am your child. I need you.”  Tim Keller, a brilliant pastor and writer, wrote this, “To pray is to accept that we are, and always will be, wholly dependent on God for everything.”   That's probably more than enough for today.  Let's chat again tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Haggai Hello, welcome back to our minor prophets series. This week we are looking at the book of Haggai. This is another short book, consisting of just 2 chapters. As with several of the other minor prophets, we don't know much about Haggai himself. We can be quite sure about the dating of the book though, because Haggai included precise dates for the oracles he received from God. These details place the book in the year 520 BC, and between the months of August and December. Haggai was a contemporary of the prophet Zechariah. In 539 BC Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered and overthrew Babylon. One of the first things Cyrus did was make an edict that allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the temple. This action was predicted by the prophet Isaiah and recounted in the first two chapters of the book of Ezra About 50 000 Jews, including Ezra, returned to Jerusalem in 536 BC and they began to rebuild the city. Ezra encountered significant opposition to his work and the building work stalled. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem 13 years later to spearhead another major push to rebuild the walls. His building team managed to complete the building of the walls but they also faced hostile opposition and the population of Jerusalem was still relatively small and vulnerable. The people had a dramatic experience of repentance and revival under Nehemiah's leadership but after he'd left them to go back to his job in Babylon the people quickly slipped into sinful ways. By the time we reach the prophecy of Haggai, 16 years have passed since the origin return of the first exiles to Jerusalem. King Darius is ruling the kingdom of Persia, which now includes the territory of Judah. The people of Jerusalem have settled back into their city and they have built houses for themselves. But there is a problem. They have left the temple in a state of decay and ruin.  God sends his word via Haggai to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the high priest:  “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” (Haggai 1:2) The people have busied themselves in the building of their own houses but they have procrastinated about rebuilding God's house, the symbol of God's presence amongst them. God explains to the people that because of their indifference and neglect of his house, he has frustrated their efforts to be fruitful and productive in their farming and manufacturing. They have been working hard to produce clothes and food but yet they cannot seem to get warm or satisfied. God cannot stand by and allow his house to be neglected in this way whilst the people simply pursue their own interests. Once the people hear this and realise the source of their failure, they obey God and commence the work on the temple. They have physical work to do and also emotional work to do, turning their hearts back towards God. The people respond with respect and fear of God and God reassures them: Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, “I am with you, declares the LORD.” (Haggai 1:13) Some of the people of Jerusalem would have been old enough to recall Solomon's temple in the days before the fall of Jerusalem and the exile to Babylon. Once the building work got underway it became obvious to them that the rebuilt temple would be nothing like the old temple; it would be much plainer and far less glorious. So God sends word to Haggai again to encourage the people. ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. (Haggai 2:3-5) God speaks with great comfort and love to his people and assures them that he is not going to leave them and they have no need to be afraid. God promises that he will fill the temple with the treasures of the nations and, more than that, he will fill it with his very presence, making it more glorious than the first temple. God's next word is to the priests, three months after the rebuilding began. He reminds them that something that is ceremonially clean cannot make an unclean thing holy by touching it, but something unclean is capable of defiling something holy. In the same way, the ruin of the temple has rendered all of the offerings of the people unholy and inadequate. Although God has punished his people by limiting the fruitfulness of their produce, he promises to bless them again, once the temple is rebuilt. The final part of the book is addressed to Zerubbabel the governor. On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts.” (Haggai 2:23) Zerubbabel was a descendent of king David. In this section God is confirming his promise to bless his people, and eventually the whole world, through the house of David. A signet ring was a used to make a mark in wax or other soft material as an official seal and sign of royal approval and authority. God sets Zerubbabel over his people as his chosen instrument. And, lo and behold, if we look ahead into Matt 1:12-13, we find Zerubbabel's name in the genealogy of Jesus. So what can the prophet Haggai teach us today? Firstly, although the focus of the prophecy is on the rebuilding of the temple, the message is not primarily about a building, it's about a relationship. God was concerned with the neglect of the temple because it was a sign of the people's neglect of their relationship with God. God is not pursuing and saving and loving bricks – he's interested in people. Sometimes we are called to embark on literal building projects for the sake of God's kingdom. There is often hard physical work to be done and practical things to be arranged, but the point of it is to bring people into a relationship with God. It's all for his glory and his name. Sometimes our labours are less about bricks and mortar and more about learning and teaching or writing and blogging. Sometimes they are about planning or hosting events or arranging meetings and conferences. These things can be very important in building up the body of Christ, but they are not to exist simply for their own benefit. It is not primarily about the well-written lesson or sermon or book or blog. Neither is it just about the successful event, the well-attended talk or the popular conference. It's about a relationship with the creator of the universe. No matter how hard we slave away under the guise of working for God, if we've neglected our relationship with him, the works will be useless. God wants our hearts and our minds first of all. He wants our love. We cannot prove our love in our works, we need to experience it as a reality in our relationship with God, and from this our works will follow. Paul says it like this in 1 Corinthians 13: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.(1 Corinthians 13:1-3) Secondly, God wants our work for him to take a place of highest priority in our lives. When Jesus teaches his disciples about worry, he tells them to stop being so concerned with what they are going to eat or drink or wear. He then says: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) Jesus says that God knows what we require and he understands our physical needs, but if we will only make his kingdom work our first priority, he will see to our other needs as well. Haggai reminds us that all things come from God in the first place, so it really is quite foolish to hang onto our stuff so tightly, when it all came from God's generous hand in the first place.  Finally, Haggai reminds us that a more glorious temple is coming, and in fact has already come. Haggai spoke God's prophecy about a temple that would be filled with God's glory, more glorious than the first temple. When Jesus died on the cross the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The way to God was opened and there was no longer a need for God's people to meet him within the confines of the physical temple, through the mediation of a priest. The old temple became obsolete and the new temple is now made up of living stones, the individual believers in Christ. Peter describes it like this: You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5) In the book of Haggai, God promises to the people of Judah that he is in their midst. In the book of Revelation we see the ultimate realisation of this promise. In chapter 21 of Revelation the apostle John writes about his vision: I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it. (Rev 21:22-26) Next week we're going to be looking at some selected highlights from the longer book of Zechariah. It's one of the Old Testament prophetic books that is quoted numerous times in the New Testament and there is some incredible prophecy that we see fulfilled in the life of Jesus. Join me again next week to find out more! Right Mouse click or tap here to save this as an audio mp3 file

When bad things happen and we wonder where God is, we're tempted to dismiss or deny him. Although God is not in control of everything, he is always working with us to bring good out of anything, even something evil.For links and more info, visit: https://www.meadowheights.com/hub

August 4, 2025Today's Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-26Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 18:10-30; Acts 27:27-44“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.C.S. Lewis once said, “God likes matter; he invented it.” And once you open up the Bible, it doesn't take you long to discover exactly how true that is. God is a God of means. God gave Adam and Eve every tree of the garden to eat, except for the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Even in their sin, guilt, and shame, God used something else of his creation—the skin of a sacrificed animal—to clothe them. God sent the animals two by two to Noah, who built an ark. God fed manna and quail to Israel in the wilderness. God gave atonement and forgiveness through the flesh and blood and sacrifices of the tabernacle and temple. God is a God of means who loves to use the matter he created to bless and serve his creatures with his good Gifts.Solomon knows that God is a God of means. Although God is heavenly, high, and holy, he also loves his creation, comes down to his creatures, and uses the stuff of his creation to bless his people in body and soul. Food. Drink. Rest. These simple, ordinary, daily things are gifts from God's hand. This is what we pray for in the Fourth Petition of the Lord's Prayer: give us this day our daily bread. So, when you eat breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this is from the hand of God. When you put on your socks or sport mode your Crocs, this is from the hand of God. But that's not all that comes from God's hand. God is a God of means at his table as well. God takes his extraordinary grace and mercy and gives it to us in the ordinariness of water, human speech, a piece of bread, and a cup of wine. God still likes matter, and he uses it to bring you the Gifts that matter the most: forgiveness, grace, mercy, peace, and joy. The water poured over your head at Baptism was from the hand of God. The words of Good News given to you in Scripture and Absolution are from the hand of God. The bread and cup placed in your hand, Jesus declares is his Body and Blood for you; this, too, is from the hand of God. After all of that, what else is there to do but to eat, drink, and rejoice in the labors of Christ for you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.In what You give us, Lord, to do, Together or alone, In old routines or ventures new, May we not cease to look to You, The cross You hung upon– All you endeavored done. (LSB 853:4)Rev. Samuel Schuldheisz, pastor of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milton, WA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Step back in time to the late Reformation and learn about a divisive yet inspirational figure: Matthias Flacius Illyricus. His contributions to Lutheranism still echo in our teachings today, from the Magdeburg Confession to parts of the Lutheran Confessions. Learning about Flacius's life will help you understand more intricacies of the Reformation than ever before.

In this sermon, Pastor Chris Romig explores the theme of hope and faith in the midst of suffering and persecution, using both the story behind the hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" and the passage from Revelation 6. Romig begins by recounting how the hymn was inspired by the deep faith of a suffering couple, reminding us that God cares for even the smallest sparrow and, even more so, for His children. He connects this message to Jesus' words in Matthew 10, emphasizing God's intimate knowledge of our lives and His care for us during difficult times. Chris then delves into Revelation 6, where the souls of martyrs cry out to God for justice during the Great Tribulation. Although God's response is a call to patience and trust in His timing, it is also a reassurance of security and righteousness for those who suffer for their faith, symbolized by the gift of white robes. Applying this to the present day, Chris highlights the reality of Christian persecution globally and urges believers to consider their own faith and courage in standing for Christ. He calls for prayer and support for persecuted Christians and reminds his audience that God remains sovereign, just, and compassionate. Ultimately, Chris encourages Christians to find strength in the knowledge that God's love is steadfast and that the faithful will one day be vindicated and welcomed into His eternal kingdom.

(SKIP TO 6:00 TO SKIP INTRO) Hey everyone and welcome back to the Podcast!! In today's epsiode, we tuned into another audio story about teen Liam, who experiences how a lash out on his sister, allowed God to councel and correct him through Conviction. Often a feeling of regret, uneasiness, and discomfort when we sin or do something that is wrong. Although God does not put conviction in our spirits to make us shameful or to condemn us, it is brought to make us more aware of our wrongdoings. Giving us the chance to change, repent, and to grow closer to God's rightousness. Godly grief (conviction) = salvation! Rejoice! So, what did Liam choose to do after being convicted of his attitude towards his sister? Did he apologize? Did he dust it off? Watch to find out, and to learn more!

Although God wants everyone to follow Him, He will never force obedience. Christ never commanded His disciples to go into the world and force people to follow him...instead he commanded them to share the good news and present a better way of living.

7/6/25 Rev. Clint Smith Sermon Direct Link In God We Trust (Hebrews 2:5-13) Although God is not bound by time, He knows and controls the future. On a specific day at a specific moment in ... Read More The post In God We Trust – Hebrews 2:5-13 appeared first on Town Creek Baptist Church.

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  

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

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.   

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 

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.

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

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.