Podcasts about apostle paul

Today’s Bible Verse – Philippians 1:12-13 (NIV) "Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ." Ever wondered if your struggles have purpose? In Philippians 1:12–13, the Apostle Paul encourages believers by revealing how his imprisonment—what looked like a setback—was actually part of God’s plan to advance the gospel. This verse reminds us that even in pain or limitation, God is working through us for His glory. Want an ad-free Bible study experience?Become a BibleStudyTools.com PLUS Member: Subscribe here Meet Today’s Host: Chaka Heinze Listen to more episodes with Chaka at Your Daily Bible Verse on LifeAudio Chaka Heinze is a Christian writer, speaker, and passionate Bible teacher. She serves on the Prayer and Healing Ministry at her local church and mentors young women in their walk with Christ. After the heartbreaking loss of her 11-year-old son, Landen, Chaka encountered the life-changing depth of God’s love and compassion—a message she now shares with others navigating grief, healing, and spiritual growth. She and her husband of 26 years are raising five children, from college-age to preschoolers. A trained attorney, Chaka also specializes in the fine art of peacekeeping (especially between siblings).

In order to heal the rift between Jewish and Gentile believers, the Apostle Paul was willing to compromise with the very laws and customs he so adamantly preached against. But his plans were not God's plans and despite Paul's good intentions, the Jews of Jerusalem rose up against him. Join Dr. James Boice next time on The Bible Study Hour as he relates a rather bizarre event in the life of Paul and the anger of a mob that almost cost him his life. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/81/29?v=20251111

You are blessed!What a phenomenal promise in Scripture. But the blessing is probably not in what you are thinking.In Ephesians 1:3–14, the Apostle Paul declares a staggering truth: every spiritual blessing we receive from God is found and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. In this Christ-centered Bible teaching, we explore what it truly means to be “blessed” and how our blessing is not in something but in Someone (Jesus).As we step into a new year filled with noise, busyness, and distraction, this passage calls believers back to the supreme focus of the Christian life: delighting in Christ, resting in what He has already accomplished, and living for the praise of His glorious grace.If you want to grow spiritually, understand your identity in Christ, and anchor your life in the unshakable blessings of the gospel, this study from Ephesians will reorient your heart and mind around the preeminence, majesty, and glory of Jesus Christ.Watch this episode as a video on YouTubeCheck out the study notes for this episode-----------------» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.-----------------Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 368View the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/368

Walking in the steps of Christ is the ultimate goal for everyone and to walk in the steps of the Apostle Paul Who followed Christ is a joy—spiritually and literally. Join Jeff as he shares such a journey.

Although the Apostle Paul occupied himself with many labors, he could summarize his life by saying, "one thing I do" (Phil. 3:13). Today, Sinclair Ferguson explores Paul's single resolution and the direction it gives to the Christian life. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/a-resolution-for-the-christian-life/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

His friends and coworkers warned him. A prophet gave him a visual demonstration of what awaited him. Was the Apostle Paul wrong in his insistence to go on to Jerusalem, or was God using Paul's obstinance to fulfill His purpose? Join Dr. James Boice next time on The Bible Study Hour as he leads us through a questionable episode in the life of the great apostle. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/81/29?v=20251111

In this episode of What's the World Coming To?, Pastor Ken Ortize continues his study of the Apostle Paul's warnings about the end times—moving deeper into the spiritual, cultural, and moral conditions Scripture says will define the last days.Part 2 addresses:The rise of extreme self-love, narcissism, and moral decayLawlessness becoming normalized rather than restrainedSudden destruction amid false assurances of peaceThe power of deception and the danger of believing liesWhat happens when truth is rejected and discernment disappearsThis episode challenges listeners to examine not only the world around them—but their own spiritual posture. How do believers remain grounded in truth when deception becomes mainstream? What does faithful living look like in unstable times?A thoughtful, Scripture-driven conversation meant to inform, awaken, and strengthen faith—not provoke fear.

As we continue to step into an uncertain future, let's determine to seek the Lord. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses how we can rely on God and His strength when we're not sure how to persevere. He teaches from the life of the Apostle Paul to demonstrate that in the midst of persecution and hatred, God's strength will allow us to endure—and endure with hope for the future. Now more than ever, our spiritual health is vital, and Pastor Allen shares the importance of prioritizing seeking the Lord. When we're faced with disappointment and hardship, let's remember that we don't have to rely on our own strength; God is faithful to help us.

[00:30] Trumpet Daily: Sports Edition (55 minutes) The Apostle Paul drew many lessons from sports and athletic events. On today's program, we take a look back at the last decade's worth of Trumpet Daily sports moments.

The Apostle Paul was a giant among the leaders of the early church--a man who, by God's grace, accomplished great things in the face of great adversity. Yet he was just a man and experienced the same human emotions as you and me. Join Dr. James Boice next time, on The Bible Study Hour as he shares the intimate scene of Paul's farewell to the leaders of the church at Ephesus. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/81/29?v=20251111

Episode 268 – When Healing Has Not ComeWhat happens when we pray fervently for healing and it doesn't come? This deeply personal exploration takes us into one of Christianity's most challenging questions—not to shake our faith, but to strengthen it with biblical truth. We journey through passages like James 5, where we're instructed to call for elders, pray in faith, and anoint with oil, yet we also encounter the puzzling reality that even the Apostle Paul left co-workers like Trophimus sick and advised Timothy to use medicinal wine for his stomach ailments. The tension is real: we believe wholeheartedly in the gifts of healings mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12, we've seen miraculous breakthroughs, yet we've also watched loved ones suffer despite our prayers. Rather than offering easy answers or blaming either God or our lack of faith, this message invites us into a mature understanding—that progressive healing is still healing, that God sometimes uses medicine alongside miracles, and that our suffering can produce an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs our temporary troubles. Like Job, we're called to trust God even when we can't find Him in our circumstances, declaring 'though He slay me, I will trust Him.' This isn't about giving up on healing; it's about refusing to put God on trial while we continue to press in with obedient faith.

To the amazement of the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul boasted in chapter 11 of all his various sufferings and hardships. He boasted of all the painful persecution that he had endured in his physical and emotional natural man, not so he would be thought of as strong, or crazy, but so he could actually boast about the power and strength of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit. His boast was always in His God and never in his flesh.  And so, he continues with this same theme of boasting in the Lord in chapter 12.

The 20th chapter of Acts chronicles the shift in the Apostle Paul's ministry and a wrap up of his work in Macedonia and Asia. Acts 20 records a time for Paul to visit his churches for the last time as he heads to Jerusalem and then on to Rome. Join Dr. James Boice next time, on The Bible Study Hour as he takes us through this nostalgic journey and important time in Paul's missionary calling. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/81/29?v=20251111

Today we will see all the makings of a Dateline television show: Persecution, Politics, Divisiveness and a Murder plot. Join us as we will see how the Apostle Paul handles all of it as he keeps his eye on Jesus even though his world keeps falling apart!

Today we will see all the makings of a Dateline television show: Persecution, Politics, Divisiveness and a Murder plot. Join us as we will see how the Apostle Paul handles all of it as he keeps his eye on Jesus even though his world keeps falling apart!

Description:  How often do we give up doing what we want to do and never even start what we should do because we lack motivation?  Learn from the Apostle Paul how to unlock unlimited motivation.

Change is something everyone wants, but few know how to experience in a lasting way. In this message, Dr. Trent Langhofer kicks off the Uprooted sermon series by exposing one of the most common but hidden obstacles to spiritual growth: performance based acceptance.Drawing from decades of counseling experience and Scripture, Dr. Trent teaches that real transformation does not come from trying harder or doing more, but from addressing what lies beneath the surface. Using the life and conversion of the Apostle Paul, he shows how striving, shame, and spiritual complacency often grow from the belief that we must earn God's approval through behavior, knowledge, or achievement.This message reveals how God brings change through four catalysts: learning, experience, pain, and love. Through Paul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, we see how God uproots a life built on performance and replaces it with grace, humility, and true freedom.If you are carrying shame, exhausted from striving, or quietly settled into being spiritually okay, this teaching will challenge and encourage you. The gospel reminds us that our standing with God is not based on what we do, but on what Christ has already done for us.This sermon invites us to begin a new year by laying down what is not working and allowing God to uproot whatever keeps us from becoming who He designed us to be.

Why do so many believers desire the Baptism in the Holy Spirit yet struggle to receive it? One of the biggest roadblocks is the belief that speaking in tongues is not of God.In this message, we turn to Scripture to confront that misconception head-on. From the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostle Paul, the Bible clearly reveals God's purpose for speaking in tongues and its role in the life of the believer.If you've ever been confused, hesitant, or taught that tongues are not for today, this message is for you. Let the Word of God bring clarity, faith, and freedom.

Todaywe're going back to Ephesians chapter 4, looking at the section toward the endof the chapter where the Apostle Paul instructs us to put off the old man andput on the new man. He tells us that we can be renewed in the spirit of ourminds, and then clothe ourselves in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Christ'slife is now in us. We no longer live for ourselves, but Christ lives in us. Heproduces the fruit of the Spirit within us, and as a result, we experiencelove, joy, and peace instead of anger, malice, and bitterness. That's what Pauladdresses at the end of this chapter. Paulgives us five sins that we are to put off. Back in verse 25, the first sin hementions is lying. At the root of all lies is the devil himself—he is thefather of lies (John 8:44). He plants the thought in our minds to deceiveothers so that we might look better in their eyes. Paul's instruction is clear:put off lying and speak the truth, each one with his neighbor. Thenin verse 26, Paul addresses the second issue: “Be angry, and do not sin.”Now that's interesting. He doesn't say, “Put off anger,” the way hesays, “Put off lying.” Instead, he says, “Be angry, and do not sin.” At first,that sounds like a strange encouragement—especially since so many peoplealready struggle with anger. But God has created us as emotional beings. GodHimself is an emotional God. He has feelings, and He created us with feelingsso that we can experience love, joy, peace, contentment, satisfaction, andsecurity. These are good emotions. However,there are other emotions—like anger, fear, worry, malice, and hatred—that arenot good emotions. Yet God allows us to experience them. Why? Because they actlike a warning bell, an alarm that tells us something isn't right. They alertus that we may be viewing a situation incorrectly or that something needs to beaddressed.  Sois it possible to be angry and not sin? Yes, it is. In itself, anger is not asin. Scripture tells us that God gets angry. We see this in Deuteronomy 9:8 and20, Psalm 2:12. We also see thisillustrated in the life of Jesus when He was angry in the temple, driving outthose who were greedily selling merchandise and exploiting God's people who hadcome to worship and offer sacrifices. Wemust make the choice about what we will do with the anger we feel. Anger isoften compared in Scripture to fire—it is said to “being kindled” (Genesis30:2; Deuteronomy 6:15). It can flare up when someone says something thatwounds us or when something displeases us deeply. At that moment, we have achoice. Will we allow that anger to smolder within us and turn into malice—anintent to hurt or seek vengeance—or will we allow God to transform it intosomething good? Angeris a burst of emotional energy. We can used that energy to attack a person orproperty, or we can use it to attack the problem. That energy can be used toharm and damage others, or it can be used to drive us to God. We can pray,“Lord, help me understand what You are teaching me through this anger. Help mesee this situation through Your eyes.” We don't see the way God sees. Godjudges perfectly and deals justly with every situation. We don't. And that'swhy anger can easily lead us into sin if we're not careful. Paulthen gives us practical wisdom: “do not let the sun go down on your wrath”.While we're feeling that anger, we are to go to God. We are to go to bed harboringand feeding that feeling of anger. Instead we ask God to forgive us for oursins, and then we ask Him to help us forgive those who have hurt us. Otherwise,anger will grow into bitterness. Paul warns us about this later in verse 31,where he says: “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speakingbe put away from you, with all malice.” Maythe Lord help us listen carefully to this instruction from Paul—not allowinganger to control our lives or lead us into sin, but instead, let it drive us toGod for the grace we need to respond rightly.

Send us a text In this Village Sermons episode, Pastor Mark kicks off our new series on Titus by introducing Paul, Titus, the region of Crete, and what Paul was asking Titus to do and prepare for. He invites us to consider where we may be following the Cretan way, and to reflect on who our spiritual parents are and who our spiritual children might be. Support the showThe Village Church's sermon podcast is more than just a weekly message. It is an invitation into the great and ongoing story of God's work in the world. Pastors Eric, Mark, Susan, Daniel, and other leaders open the Scriptures not as a collection of abstract ideas but as the living, breathing witness to God's kingdom breaking into our midst. Each episode is a call—not merely to listen, but to take part, to step forward into the life of faith with renewed vision and purpose. Week by week, the pastors and leaders explore the deep rhythms of Christian discipleship—prayer, fasting, generosity—not as isolated duties but as part of a larger, richer, and more beautiful whole. They unpack these ancient practices in light of Jesus himself, the one in whom heaven and earth have come together. But they also turn their attention to the realities of everyday life—relationships, finances, the struggles and joys of being human—demonstrating how the gospel is not merely about what we believe but about how we live as God's renewed people in the present age. The Village Churchvillagersonline@gmail.comMore information at www.villagersonline.com

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1. Change My Speech2. Change My Wisdom3. Change My SpiritToday's sermon explored how true change happens not through external makeovers, but through allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our speech, wisdom, and spirit. Using 1 Corinthians 2 as our foundation, we examined the Apostle Paul's radical transformation from a prideful Pharisee named Saul to a humble servant who called himself "the little one." Paul's example shows us that lasting change comes when we surrender our own superiority and embrace God's power working through our weakness. The message called us to examine whether we're willing to let God change us at our core as we move into this new year.Takeaways:- Change My Speech: Paul didn't come with superior words to impress people, but simply preached "Jesus Christ and Him crucified." This year, let's ask God to change how we speak—making our words point to Jesus rather than ourselves, and ensuring our faith rests on God's power, not human wisdom.- Change My Wisdom: The world's wisdom has led us away from God's truth. We must choose to embrace Biblical wisdom over cultural trends, social media influences, or popular opinions. God's Word is our unchanging source of truth in an ever-changing world.- Change My Spirit: As believers, we have received the Spirit of God who reveals spiritual truths we couldn't understand on our own. Let's ask God to awaken our spirits this year so we can truly know Him, hear His voice, and see what He wants us to see.This new year is an invitation to allow God to work deeply in our lives. Whatever happened last year is done—we cannot change it. But we can change what this year looks like by surrendering to the Holy Spirit's transforming work today.

Welcome to the Podcast of Southwest Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona. WHO ARE WE? • We are a group of people who are committed to living the grace life as set forth by the apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. • We come together to study our Bibles, and yes, we believe we have God's perfect Word in the King James Bible. It and it alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! • We do not come together and study our Bibles for the intent of being smarter than others. We understand that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is purely vain and serves no Godly purpose. • We do come together and study our Bibles for the intent of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that we have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that because Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and we should not live for ourselves but for Him, who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15) • We do not claim to have attained to these lofty goals, but we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) You can donate to this ministry through www.butnow.org and the PayPal button on the homepage.

Welcome to the Podcast of Southwest Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona. WHO ARE WE? • We are a group of people who are committed to living the grace life as set forth by the apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. • We come together to study our Bibles, and yes, we believe we have God's perfect Word in the King James Bible. It and it alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! • We do not come together and study our Bibles for the intent of being smarter than others. We understand that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is purely vain and serves no Godly purpose. • We do come together and study our Bibles for the intent of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that we have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that because Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and we should not live for ourselves but for Him, who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15) • We do not claim to have attained to these lofty goals, but we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) You can donate to this ministry through www.butnow.org and the PayPal button on the homepage.

Join in at the beginning of a study of the Epistle of 1 Thessalonians written by the Apostle Paul. Find out the time it was written. See that Paul had visited Thessalonica earlier and wanted to go back to encourage them by teaching more of the Word of God. Learn the difference between being a believer in Christ and becoming a disciple of His. See the conditions Christ laid down for His disciples and be challenged in your own life to decide daily in order to grow spiritually.

In this passage of the book of Colossians, we see the Apostle Paul's teaching on prayer. We as Christians are to be steadfast, watchful, thankful, and driven to intercession for the needs of others. How do we grow in prayer as believers? We explore that by looking at Colossians and other passages to equip us in prayer to our glorious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

In Genesis 9 we read of the LORD's command for this new creation, who had been preserved in the ark with Noah the 8th person (emblematic of Jesus whose name equals 888 in the Greek - compare 1Peter 3verses20-22); "to replenish (or fill) the earth" with this new creation. The fear and dominion of mankind over the lower creatures would be evident. There was a prohibition of eating food with the blood still in it - as the blood was representing life, which belonged to God. There was also a law reinforcing the penalty due to a murderer. Once more the Almighty covenants that He will never again destroy the earth by a flood. The surety of His promise being seen in the rainbow. The offspring from Noah's 3 sons - Shem, Ham and Japheth - peopled the newly refreshed earth. Unfortunately, Noah became drunk, and it seems was sodomised by his son Ham. Noah pronounced a curse on Ham and spoke of a blessing that would come through his son Shem. Jesus Christ came from the Jewish race -Romans 3verses1-2; 9verses3-5. Shem became the ancestral head of the Semitic and Asiatic people; Ham the progenitor of the African people; and Japheth the forbear of the European race. In Genesis 10 we are told of the 70 nations that came from Noah's 3 sons - Shem, Ham and Japheth - see Moses' comment in Deuteronomy 32verses8. There we are told that the number of nations was determined by the Almighty by the number of Israel's (Jacob's) children, who into Egypt (Genesis 46verses8, 27; see also the Apostle Paul's comments to the Athenians in Acts 17verses26).Psalm 11 tells of Yahweh being in His holy temple and mankind must understand this gives Him the authority to judge the wicked. Habakkuk gives us the take home message which we must ponder - 2verses14, 20.In Psalm 12 the psalmist muses, 'Why have the humble vanished and suffered oppression. Surely, the Omnipotent Creator cannot tolerate evil. Surely, He must act for the downtrodden against their oppressors. He gives the assurance that He will rise against them in His faithfulness. In the 13th Psalm the writer personal asks, 'How long will it be till the LORD intervenes in support of the writer. The writer declares that failure on the part of his Sovereign to act is a cause for the wicked to boast and vaunt themselves in the world. We see it constantly, but we can be assured that at the appropriate time judgment will be poured out upon the evil - Acts 17verses30-31.The judgment mentioned in Matthew 7 refers to critical fault finding in others and not the need to show discernment, which is essential for us to exercise, when we judge righteous judgment as we are commanded to do. The askers will receive; the seekers will find; and to the knockers doors will be opened. Our Lord highlights the golden rule - do to others what you would wish them to do for you.Striving to please God must characterise the disciple's life. The witness of those professing discipleship will be evidenced in their fruit; without which our Lord Jesus Christ and His Father will fail to recognisetheir children. Only doers of the Word and not simply forgetful hearers are grounded and established as faith upon the Rock.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

We all want "next time" to look different than "last time," yet we find ourselves repeating the same mistakes in our finances, our marriages, and our parenting. We hope that a new year or a spiritual "mountain top" moment will fix everything, but true transformation isn't found in a feeling—it's found in a new way of thinking. Using the life of the Apostle Paul as a roadmap, Pastor Ryan Kramer breaks down the dangerous assumptions that sabotage our growth and offers a "cheat code" for lasting change. -- The Common Thread: Realizing that we are the recurring factor in our own cycles of regret is the first step toward freedom. -- Encounter vs. Transformation: A powerful moment with God can redirect your life, but only a change in your thinking can transform it. -- The Arabia Season: Why Paul spent three years in "reprogramming" before stepping into his calling, and why you might need to slow down to move forward. -- The Experience Fallacy: Why simply "going through" a trial doesn't make you wiser unless you take the time to evaluate it with God. -- The Knowledge Gap: Knowing better is not the same as doing better; transformation requires a heart-level shift in our priorities. -- The Time Pressure Trap: Why rushing into decisions because "time is running out" almost always leads to the wrong destination. Scriptures for Further Study -- Acts 8:1-3 -- Acts 9:1-6 -- Romans 12:2 -- Galatians 1:15-18 -- Romans 8:28 +++++++ Join us for church this Sunday. For service times and meeting location please visit https://transformtlh.com/

Do you really believe the Bible is true—and if so, is it shaping how you live?In this message from our Do You Believe? series, we walk through Romans 1–6 to answer a foundational question: Who is your master—sin or Jesus?The Apostle Paul makes it clear that grace doesn't give us permission to keep sinning; grace changes masters. Through Christ, we are set free from sin, not free in sin.This message challenges us to examine our lives honestly, confront the sins that try to rule us, and discover what it truly means to be slaves of righteousness.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank discusses whether Christians are guilty of having blind faith and the response to skeptics who say the Bible is full of errors.Hank also answers the following questions:   Could you expound your view of the doctrine of hell? Samuel - Nashville, TN (2:49)What caused the devil to sin if there was no sin in heaven? Brandon - St. Louis, MO (8:26)What is the biblical teaching on those who died before Christ's sacrifice on the cross? Archie - Atlanta, GA (15:59)Could you give me some historical background on the Amish and the Mennonites? Are they considered Christian? Jo - Overland Park, KS (19:58)Did the Apostle Paul perform a resurrection? If so, in what passage of Scripture was it recorded? Josh - Dublin, GA (23:55)

We keep in step with the Spirit by a continual surrendering of our lives to the will of God. His will is revealed to us in His Word. As we follow and obey the Word of God, we are walking by the Spirit. As we abide with Jesus through prayer and worship, our hearts stay in tune with the Holy Spirit.Main Points:1. In the New Testament book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul instructs us to keep up with the Holy Spirit. God is leading our lives. We have put Him in the driver's seat. We have yielded the control of our lives to Him. In fact, we have made Him the Lord of our lives. Our job is to follow. We don't know where we are to go or how we are to live, so we must follow. 2. As Christ followers we have given up being the master of our own lives because we have discovered a better master. We've discovered that following Jesus is worth it and there is no better life to live.3. As you draw near to God, listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit as He guides you to walk in step with Him. Today's Scripture Verses:Galatians 5:25 - “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.Galatians 5:16 - “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”Galatians 5:24 - “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

This message challenges us to rethink the way God transforms the believer.  Transformation doesn't occur in one singular, dramatic event.  It's an ongoing, life-long process, unique to each individual.  The Apostle Paul is a perfect example of this.  Transformation begins when God opens our eyes and moves us into His light, it continues with slow and imperceptible changes throughout our lives, and it will be fully complete when we are in His presence. VF-2524 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

In this episode of the School of Ministry podcast, listeners are urged to make spiritual planning a regular practice in the new year, drawing wisdom from Proverbs, the Apostle Paul, and the planning example of God in Christ. Using Biblical examples — the ant's preparation, prudence, committing plans to the Lord, and Paul's missionary strategy — the message encourages structuring prayer, Bible study, family time, and serving opportunities, intent to grow in faith and serve God's purposes. Practical suggestions include setting aside time weekly to plan prayer lists, devotional reading, and acts of service, while trusting God to direct and bless those plans.

The Apostle Paul was moved with such compassion for his unbelieving countrymen that he was willing to be accursed of God for the sake of their salvation. Jesus Christ had such compassion for us that he did go to the cross to be cut off from his Father and was made to be a curse for us to secure our salvation. Does his compassion for you motivate you to reach Jew and Gentile alike with his glorious gospel? Tune in to hear Dr. Barnhouse on Dr. Barnhouse and the Bible. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/791/29?v=20251111

I’ve been sharing some thoughts on the loneliness epidemic. It’s amazing how many people are very lonely. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity. Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land (Psalm 68:6). I have found this verse to be exactly true in my life. As I have allowed God to make a home for me and to accept his presence as sufficient in my life, I have been set free from the awful heaviness of loneliness. That verse says only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. When we refuse to allow God to be our cure for loneliness, when we continue to try to do it our way and fill the empty void with people and activities, we’ll continue to find loneliness our companion. Your feelings of loneliness may be because you are still rebelling against God’s answers. Maybe it's because you don’t like the idea of learning to let him fill up your empty time and change your lonely feelings. Of course, there's no doubt God created us for fellowship and companionship, and we need people in our lives. When Jesus was facing crucifixion, he took his three closest companions with him while he prayed. He needed God's presence, and he needed their presence and support. The Apostle Paul spoke of his need to be with his companions and his encouragers. If you are lonely because you don't have a good friend or friends, or they're not nearby, I would remind you that to have friends, you have to reach out to others and be a friend. Ask yourself what you could do for someone else to be their friend, to meet their need, instead of waiting for someone to be your friend. We reap what we sow—that's a biblical principle. If you want friendships, sow friendships; become a friend to others. Loneliness can be very crippling, but you can take positive steps—by God's grace—to overcome those depressing feelings of loneliness. Of course, the most important step to take is to spend time developing your relationship with Jesus through Bible study and prayer. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and believe me, he can fill the lonely space inside of you.

In Genesis 3 we have the record of how sin first entered the world through the yielding to temptation by the first created humans - Adam and Eve. The Apostle Paul says also, that at this time death also first came to the Adamic creation as a result of sin - Romans 5verses12. Adam and Eve after their creation - Adam from the dust (Genesis 2verses7), and Eve from Adam's side during a God-induced sleep (2verses20-25) - the man unable to find a suitable partner from the lesser creation; and feeling first, lonely; then joyous with a compatible companion. Chapter 3 commences with an introduction to the snake, who at that era had great powers of observation; limited reasoning capacity; and the ability to talk. The snake suggested that Adam and Eve were being deceived and held back by the Elohim (God). And so, after seeing the fruit of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" was attractive (pleasant to the eyes); it was good, and an excellent quality (good for food); and its clinching appeal - "a tree to be desired to make one wise" (the pride of life. Paul tells us in Philippians 2 that Adam and Eve grasped for equality with God - which thing our Lord Jesus Christ never did when tempted. The Apostle John tells us in his first letter chapter 2verses15-17 that all temptation and sin fall in one or more of these categories. Having sinned they were expelled from the garden; James tells us in chapter 1 the process of sin within every human mind -verses 13-15. Having disobeyed God, He the Almighty must in justice enforce the law He had given. Adam and Eve now had the sentence of death activated within them - this is called "mortality". What was possible before transgressing was now "a law within them" (Romans 7verses21-25) - i.e. now an inevitability. The human race now found that from this point forward all descendants from the first human parents found that sin cannot be overcome in their lives every time that each of us is subjected to temptation -Romans 6 tells us that they were bond slaves to sin. It required God to produce a Saviour, His Son, who although bearing the bias to sin within himself; this being the entail of the effects of Adam and Eve's first sin, would himself be sinless - though Jesus was of our identical nature (Hebrews 2verses12-18.

Parents, here's a challenge to adopt a new years resolution that has you bent on gaining weight. No, I'm not encouraging you to go against conventional new year's resolutions and decide to eat more so that the scale in your home goes on overload. Rather, I'm encouraging you to resolve to weigh yourself down each and every day with the life-giving good weight of ingesting more and more of God's Word into your mind and heart. As the great J.I. Packer once wrote, “Wisdom is divinely wrought in those, and those only, who apply themselves to God's revelation.” The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:16, “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom.” What we need to do is soak ourselves in the Scriptures on a daily basis. As you do that, God will form and conform you more and more into His image. And, not only will you be changed, but you will be better equipped to nurture you children and teens in the faith through your words and your example.

IntroductionIn this exposition of 1 Corinthians 2, Paul's contrast between the natural (fleshly) person and the spiritual person is carefully unpacked in light of the Canons of Dort. The goal is to correct common misunderstandings. We might want to be very moralistic where we impose our will on someone else because we are more Spiritual. We might want to make a distinction in the church. Some are Spiritual Christians, and some are carnal Christians. We all want to be Spiritual Christians. The Spiritual Christian has the mind of Christ. So, how can we be Spiritual with the mind of Christ? Folly's JudgementPaul teaches that the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit. Man does not have a problem of neutrality. Man has a deep moral problem. Man is sinful to the core and does not embrace or even see the Lord's wisdom. Natural man will judge the Gospel and Scripture as folly. Scripture, from Genesis 3 onward, teaches that humanity is not merely sick but dead in sin. Fallen man is in rebellion against God. This is by man's choice. It is the fall into sin that condemns humanity. It is not that man needs to make better choices. Thus, the gospel appears “stupid” or “foolish” to the natural person. This is not because a natural person fails to read the words. The natural person can lay out the Gospel clearly. However, the natural person will never know the Christ of Scripture. We need the Lord to regenerate our hearts to respond in faith. Why Not Be Judged? When Paul says the spiritual person “is not judged,” we might think that we are above the law. We might think that we have immunity from the Lord's judgment. This is not the case. The same word translated “judged” also means discerned or evaluated.Paul is reminding us that we are called to discern what is right before the Lord. As we correctly discern, then we are not judged by man. We are submitting ourselves to the Lord's judgment. As the Lord works in us by the Spirit, he convicts us of our sin. The spiritual person can rightly evaluate life in light of Christ, while the natural person lacks the capacity to discern/judge/learn spiritual truth. They can read the Scripture, they can summarize the Gospel, but they will never live in light of it. We are simply saying that the regenerate, spiritual person has a new bent of the will. It is by the Spirit's work that the Spiritual person sees the wisdom and joy of life in Christ. So, the Spiritual person really desires and begins to conform to the Lord's will. How to Gain Christ's Mind? To have the mind of Christ is not to possess some sort of secret knowledge. It is to hear the gospel, and now see that message as the message of life. This is where the Christian begins to ask, “How do I please my savior?” Rather than, “How does everything please me?” Paul is intentionally undermining Corinthian elitism. The Corinthians equated maturity with spiritual gifts. They prided themselves on having the greatest teachers. The Apostle Paul defines maturity by embracing the cross, the resurrection, and the absolute necessity of Christ's saving work. Paul praises the spiritual Christian or the mature Christian who sees that they need to submit to their Lord and redeemer. The mind of Christ is shaped by doing the Father's will. It is doing the Father's will with joy. It is seeking to discern where we need to die to self. It is seeking to live unto the Lord. This is the essence of a true Christian ethic. A good workflow from faith. Good work is done by the Lord's standard or law. A good work is done for the Lord's glory and not man's approval (Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 91).Those who glory in Christ's humiliation and redemption are the spiritually mature. The reason: the spiritually mature know they need a savior. The spiritually mature want to live for their savior even if that life looks rather ordinary. The spiritually mature will know they need Christ and will not fully arrive at perfection until glory. The spiritually mature see their continual need for their savior. ConclusionHuman depravity is deeper than just a few bad decisions. Our condemnation before God is more than just failing to respond in faith, and we need to be more informed to make better decisions. We need more than the persuasion or assistance of Grace. We need the Lord's radical intervention to regenerate our hearts. Only the Lord can give us that new heart by his recreative power.Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 2 dismantles every attempt to redefine spirituality apart from the gospel. Humanity's problem is not lack of information but spiritual death. Grace does not merely assist; it regenerates. The spiritual person is not superior, autonomous, or elite. The mature spiritual Christian rests in Christ. The mature spiritual Christians realize the grace that is overwhelmed by the Spirit, giving us a new heart in regeneration. The spiritually mature discern the things of Christ and seek to live for him. Let us be a people who want to live for Christ's glory as he is at work in us.

In Part 1 of this three-part series, Pastor Ken Ortize examines the Apostle Paul's warnings about the end times, shifting the focus from Jesus' teachings to what the New Testament letters reveal about the last days.Paul cautioned that the final era would be marked by doctrinal deception, widespread apostasy, and increasingly dangerous times. This episode explores how these signs manifest within the church and the broader culture—and why believers must remain anchored to biblical truth.This teaching challenges modern assumptions, addresses cultural compromise, and calls Christians back to Scripture as the final authority.This is Part 1 of 3.Additional signs will be covered in the next episodes.Key passages:1 Timothy 42 Timothy 3–42 Thessalonians 2Listen now and join the conversation as we ask: What's the world coming to?www.wtwcomingto.com

Our Election in Christ (1) (audio) David Eells 12/31/25 I'm going to talk to you today about our election in Christ. There is much false teaching and many misconceptions in Christianity about the doctrine of predestination, which includes calling and election, yet it's actually been a general power in my life to understand it. It's given me more faith in the Lord and more fear of the Lord. Much of the church, especially in America, rejects and even fights against it. Predestination is opposed by the Armenian doctrine or the “freewillers,” as they are called, but when you look around, you don't see the free will that people say that they have because everybody is serving something. Jesus said in (Mat.12:30) He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. So you are either serving Him or you are serving the devil. (Psa.51:5 KJV) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Someone who is bound in sin is not free to make a godly choice; the ability to do that comes from God Himself and it's a gift. (Joh.15:16) Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. Although experientially it does seem to us that we chose Him, that just lets you know how easy it is for God to put His will in you. (Joh.15:19) If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. You see, not only did He choose us, but in effect, He didn't choose someone else. Out of the whole world, He chose us. Several years ago, I heard something that has really stayed with me. I was listening to a lady talking to her adopted son, and she was trying to explain this to him. She said, “Most moms and dads don't have much of a choice. They just have to settle for what they get. But we chose you; out of all that we knew, we chose you.” That's the way it is between God and us. He didn't just settle for what came along. God knows how this universe goes on the way it does, and He foreknows the end of it. He's the God (Rom.4:17) … who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. And He tells us, (Isa.46:9) … for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; (10) declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. He chose us and He put His will in us. He chose us for what we will be; He chose us for what we will become by the grace of God. It was not the will of man that caused us to come to Jesus, it was the will of God. Paul writes (Php.2:13) … it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. And He's been doing that since before our Christian beginning. (Joh.1:12) But as many as received him, to them gave he the right (The Greek word there is exousia and it means “authority.”) to become children of God, [even] to them that believe on his name. You need to have authority to become a child of God, and only God gives authority to everyone who believes on His name because faith is a gift of God. (Joh.1:13) Who were born, not of blood (Our new birth is not like the Israelites, who had to be born into a family who made them a part of the Covenant.), nor of the will of the flesh.... Now, nothing in our flesh causes us to come to God. (Rom.8:7) Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. Our flesh is the enemy of God, and you would never choose to come to God, especially when you were totally bound in sin. The only One who could set you free is Jesus. (Joh.8:36) If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Back to (Joh.1:13) Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. This choice to come to God was no part of man; it came from God. God put a holy choice in an unholy person. If we had gone on doing our own will, our will would have always led to sin and to never serving anyone else but ourselves. It was God who reached in from the outside and put a will in us to come to Him. Romans 9 is one of the most avoided chapters in the Bible because of all the false teaching coming from the pulpits. People read Romans 9 with their preconceived ideas from their religion, so they can't understand it. If you drop all that and just read what it says, you will be able to understand it. (Rom.9:6) But [it is] not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel (The same thing can be said about the Church.): (7) neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. (8) That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed. (Rom.9:9) For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. (10) And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac– (11) for [the children] being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, (12) it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. (13) Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. Before any of their works Jacob was chosen. The doctrine of Arminianism says that God foreknows the future, and He predestines according to what He foreknows is going to happen or what we will do in the future. This is ridiculous when you think about it. If it was foreknown to happen anyway, why would He have to predestine it? “Predestine” or “foreordain” are two translations of the same Greek word proorizo, which means “to decide the destiny before it comes; to ordain the destiny before it comes to pass.” It doesn't mean that God looked ahead and saw what was going to happen and who would do good. Salvation would have been by works. Truly, God already knows what's going to happen because He does not dwell in time. Jacob didn't always do good but God chose him for what He would make out of him. Remember, God speaks the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). (Rom.8:29) For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained (or “predestined”) [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. That means those whom He knew before the creation, He ordained at that point, so it's not because of their works. It's not based on whether they had done anything good or bad as we just saw. I did a diligent search when I first discovered this in the Scriptures. I decided I was going to be open-minded, and I was going to see what the Bible really had to say about the subject. I wanted to see why God chose me. So I searched and I searched for the reason why God chose me above someone else and I found out, (Eph.2:3) Among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. You see, there is no reason, physically speaking, why God would choose one person over another. I discovered that one “dirt” is just as good as the next “dirt.” It's not the dirt that counts; it's what you are sowing in it. God is interested in creating the spiritual man, which has nothing to do with your old life. The new life is born-again from above and that's the spiritual man. The spiritual man, who is created in the likeness of Christ, is born of the Word. He's born from above and has nothing to do with the old nature. I was looking for a reason why God would choose me above someone else and found there is no reason. (Rom.9:21) Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? God claims the right to make whatever vessel He wants out of this same lump of clay. That means there was no difference in our natural life that caused God to choose us above anybody else. (Rom.9:14) What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. (15) For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. (16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy. After we are born again, I think God spends a lot of time teaching us that it's not by our willpower. We try to save ourselves by our willpower and it doesn't work. We eventually learn that we are to walk by faith, or we won't receive what we're looking for. Some people think grace starts after you choose God, but it starts before you choose God. Otherwise, you wouldn't choose God. (Eph.2:8) For by grace (This is the Greek word charis and it means “unmerited [or unearned] favor.”) have ye been saved.... It's not that you are saved but that you have been saved. The ancient manuscripts and the Numeric text both say this, but the KJV says, “are saved.” No, you were saved, and it was by grace. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God. So, since we were saved by grace and it's a gift of God, that doesn't give us a reason to look down on anyone else, does it? And it doesn't give us a reason to condemn anyone in the world. It's strictly a gift from God and this gift is given to us (Eph.2:5) Even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.... When Christ was resurrected is when He “made us alive together with Christ.” (5) … (by grace have ye been saved), (6) and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places,] in Christ Jesus: (7) that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (And now, we are the benefactors of this grace that was given in Christ 2,000 years ago. The people who were saved, were saved 2,000 years ago. People who are manifesting salvation now were saved then.): (8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. Nobody will be able to brag about this salvation. We are depending upon God now as much as we were then. We have to cry out to God to give us grace to be obedient and to serve Him. He says in (Joh.15:4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. God prepared the works of His Chosen. God wrote your name in the Book of Life from before the foundation of the world (Psalm 69:28; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 20:12). Manifestly, it's being written in the Book of Life when you come to God, but your name was written from before the foundation of the world, just as God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” (Eph.1:4) Even as he chose (This is the Greek verb eklego of the noun eklektos and it means “I pick out for myself, choose, elect, select.”) us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love. God chose us in Him and that means He didn't choose all. Some of you are probably asking, “But what about the ‘calling'?” I was told that God's call goes out to the whole earth to bring people to Christ. Well, that's just not true. I looked up every verse in the New Testament about “calling,” and that word is not used that way at all. (2Ti.1:9) Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal. Notice it says here, “who saved us, and called us.” According to the doctrines of most religions, we are called and then saved; however, this invitation is to Christians only. The Greek word for “called” here is kaleo and it means “invitation.” We see in the parables of Jesus that only His people are kaleo, or “invited,” to partake of the Marriage Feast (Matthew 22:1-14; Revelation 19:9). Every place in the Bible where the word kaleo is used, everyone who was called came to Christ. They were already a Christian. When we go out and call (or invite) people through the Gospel to come to Christ, some accept and some don't, and we're finding out that those who accept are those who have His calling and the others do not. (Eph.1:18) Having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. So He saved us, then He called us and we're going to see that all the called are not necessarily going to be chosen, but all the elect will be chosen. (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen. The word “chosen” there is the same Greek word used above; it's the word eklektos, and it means “elect.” The difference between the called and the elect is that all of the elect are called, but not all of the called are the elect. Those who are saved have an invitation to partake of all of Jesus. As Christians, we are called to partake of His body and blood, which is His nature, His character and His power. The world cannot partake of that invitation; it's not even extended to them because this invitation is a Covenant offering. (Rom.10:20) And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me. That shows the power of God because we did not seek Him. That shows we were not seeking Him when we found Him. It was Jesus Who came for His lost sheep. (Luk.19:10) For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost. We were the lost sheep. Think about the conversion of Apostle Paul on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-30), You say, “God can save anybody!” God went to extremes in order to make Paul His child and His emissary to the world. Truly, God can save anybody He wants to, and He will. We didn't seek Him and the Gentiles didn't seek Him. (1Co.4:6) Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not [to go] beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other. (7) For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? Why should we be puffed up about our salvation? What do we have that we didn't receive? Nothing. We think that we chose Christ. Some people look upon the lost and wonder why they cannot understand what's being said. They're thinking, “Why won't the lost be reasonable?” In a way, they're condemning the lost because they don't realize that only by the grace and mercy of God did they receive what they have. When you understand that you can't convert anybody by your works, you know to first go to God. By your works, you can fill up churches, but you can't convert anybody that way. Salvation is a gift from God. (Rom.11:35) Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? Everything comes from Him. There is nothing that God is ever going to owe anybody. (36) For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him [be] the glory for ever. Amen. Everything came from Him and everything is going back to Him. It didn't come from us and this takes away all room for pride. The first choice we made for God, the first desire we had for God, didn't come from us. It came from Him, and He can put that in anyone. This takes away all reason for pride because it's totally, 100% by God's grace. A good example is (Psa.65:4) Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee,] That he may dwell in thy courts.... The choice comes from God first. He causes us to approach unto Him and dwell in His courts. Salvation from the curse in every form has already been given to us by faith. We need to pray to God to give us the grace to be what we need to be. (Joh.10:16) And other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring (Notice that Jesus is talking about doing this in the future. These sheep weren't saved yet because He said, “I must bring.”), and they shall hear my voice: and they shall become one flock, one shepherd. In the days ahead, we are going to see that one flock and one shepherd, but when we study Ezekiel 34, we find that the Lord talks about how His flock was spoiled by shepherds who were doing their own will. (Eze.34:2) Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel (a type of the Church), prophesy, and say unto them, even to the shepherds, Thus saith the Lord God: Woe unto the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the sheep? (3) Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill the fatlings; but ye feed not the sheep. (4) The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought back that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor have ye ruled over them. The Lord says that He is going to take all those fruitless shepherds away, and He, Himself, has promised to personally be the Shepherd of His flock. (Eze.34:11) For thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. (12) As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. (13) And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country. (14) I will feed them with good pasture; and upon the mountains of the height of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie down in a good fold; and on fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. (15) I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. (16) I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice. So, the Lord is going to have physical shepherds to do this. They will be men who are vessels through whom the Spirit of the Lord is going to flow, and they will not be doing their own will. In that way, God is going to have one flock and one shepherd. But the point I want you to see here is that when Jesus says, “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold,” these are people in the future who are going to come because they were given to Him back then; you belonged to Jesus back then. (2Ti.1:9) Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal. Some people think, “Okay, I'm predestined and there's nothing I have to worry about. I can just sit back and take it easy.” They are justifying their doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” They don't understand that God has methods to predestine. He uses those methods to predestine, and if you ignore His methods, you will not be predestined. Calvin and Luther, the people who made predestination famous, were accused of believing “once saved, always saved,” but that's not what they believed. They taught God's methods of predestination and here's one of them: Jesus said, (Joh.10:26) But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. The people who didn't believe Jesus were not His sheep. (27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.... Jesus' sheep have ears to hear. They hear and they follow, and the rest do not. If you teach only what Jesus taught, you will be able to recognize those who are His sheep and those who are not. Those who do not hear are the self-willed. They're going to be like the son of perdition who sits in the temple of God. (2Th.2:3) Let no man beguile you in any wise: for [it will not be,] except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, (4) he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. He is his own God for he does his own will. We've seen that here with the Unleavened Bread Bible Studies. Some people have their own ideas and as long as we adhered to the Scriptures, they just left, which needed to happen. If it wasn't that way, a little leaven would leaven the whole lump (1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9). Jesus said, (Luk.12:51) Think ye that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division. And the way He came to bring division was to use the Word like a sword. (Eph.6:17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And so He says, (Joh.10:27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. You probably recognize that verse the “once saved, always saved” crowd uses to justify their doctrine, but Jesus is talking about His sheep. “No one shall snatch them out of my hand” and no one can snatch them out of His hand. These are the elect; they are the chosen of God. It's not possible for them to be snatched out His hand because they hear and they follow. (Jas.1:18) Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. By His will, not our will, He brought us forth by the Word of truth. His method is to give you the gift of ears to hear the Word of truth (Deuteronomy 29:4; Matthew 13:15; Romans 11:8; etc.) In the latter days of Israel, having ears to hear is what separated those Israelites who were going into the New Testament from those who would not. And in these latter days of the Gentile Church, having ears to hear is once again separating between those who are going to go on with God and those who do not belong to God. Those who are not part of the elect are going to be drawn aside. (Joh.8:31) Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him ... (43) Why do ye not understand my speech? It's amazing to me how sometimes people just can't understand you when you are saying something very simple, but if they have ears to hear, they understand, and if they don't have ears to hear, they can't understand. Now, sometimes, because of someone's age in the Lord, their understanding may not be very deep; however, anyone who knows God should be able to understand the basic principles. (Joh.8:43) Why do ye not understand my speech? [Even] because ye cannot hear my word. They didn't have the gift of ears to hear. (44) Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do.... I've learned that most people have a blockage for why they don't hear. I know because it's happened to me when I was young and had a false doctrine. To the extent that someone clings to a pet doctrine, to that extent they won't hear and they won't believe anything that challenges their doctrine. Then also there can be a bigger blockage. (47) He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear [them] not, because ye are not of God. That's how God divides between the sheep. People who don't hear the Word of God, people who don't put the Word of God before their own thinking and their own religion, they are not of God. That's how Jesus discovered who was of God, and it's still the same today. Jesus says in (Joh.13:17) If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them. (18) I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen (This is again the Greek eklego, which is the verb of the noun eklektos, and it means “I pick out for myself; choose, elect.”): but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me. Jesus knew whom He had chosen, and He knew Judas was going to fall away. Judas was “called,” kaleo, but he was not “elect,” eklektos. (Joh.6:70) Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? (71) Now he spake of Judas [the son] of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, [being] one of the twelve. Jesus understood that Judas was a son of the devil, yet He chose him to walk among the 12. (Joh.13:18) I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen.... He went on to explain that He was not speaking of Judas, who never had ears to hear. (Joh.6:63) It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. (64) But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him. (65) And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father. Let me point out to you that it's not who receives the call and starts out with you who is chosen; it's who is still with you at the end. (2Jn.7) For many deceivers are gone forth into the world.... John is talking about leaving Christianity. (1Jn.2:18) Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour. (19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out,] that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us. “They” here is referring to antichrists. The Beast is antichrist in the world, but antichrist in the Church is this son of perdition. (2Jn.7) For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, [even] they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. (8) Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. (9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. So it's not “he who began with you” who is chosen; it's “he that abideth in the teaching.” Some people say they love the Word and seem very eager to study the Word, but there comes a point where they decide not to go any deeper, usually because it comes against their flesh. You know, lost people like knowledge. They like knowing things that other people don't know because it gives them a reason to be puffed up. The son of perdition likes knowledge, but when it comes to knowledge that demands a change in their life, that's where those people start filtering out, as the Bible says: (1Jn.2:19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out,] that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us. (2Jn.9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. “He that abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God.” This is saying you have to be obedient to have the Father and the Son. Antichrist are those who go out from among you and are denying the Father and the Son because they are not obedient to the Word. Remember that Jesus said, (Joh.14:15) If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. (23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. That's not a promise to those who are disobedient or to those who start out and don't finish the course. That's a promise to those who endure until the end. (Mat.24:13) But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. (1Co.1:23) But we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness; (24) but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. People who are called understand the wisdom of the Gospel, but to the rest, it's foolishness and a stumblingblock. You may preach the Gospel to somebody today, and they won't come, but they might come later on because the right foundation was finally laid and the right timing has finally come. Just because someone doesn't accept the Gospel today doesn't mean that they're forever lost but only the called are going to come. Only the called have salvation. A good example of that is, (26) For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called:].... It's not many who are called to begin with. The calling is not to all. The calling is internal; the calling is a gift from God to those who are saved. The Bible never says all are called. Everything in this world was created for the purpose of manifesting sons of God and everything that Paul did was toward that purpose. He said in (2Ti.2:10) Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. God called His Son out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1), but then He tried Him in the wilderness to find out who was going to go on to the Promised Land. Those who went on into the Promised Land were God's elect. His whole purpose was for the elect, not for those who fell away in the wilderness. You see, God's grace has been given to all those who are called, but it's the elect among the called who are going to take advantage of it and that's the difference. Paul dealt with many, but everything he did was for the few, the elect. God used Paul to fulfill His purpose. (Joh.6:37) All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. You will know those who the Father gave to Jesus because they shall come to Jesus. This is very interesting because the phrase “come to me” is used many places in Scripture. Jesus told the Jews in (Joh.5:39) Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; (40) and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life. That was obvious about most of the Jews then, who totally rejected everything that Jesus said. And it's obvious about those people today who reject everything that Jesus said, but did you know that some of those people who walked with Jesus, even as disciples, wouldn't come to Him? (Joh.6:66) Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Notice: 666. Only Father can cause a person to come to Jesus: (Joh.6:39) And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. (40) For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. It's not possible for anyone to come unto Jesus, except the Father draws them. It is possible for them to come to church and to believe many doctrines. They can go to an altar and accept Jesus as their Savior, even though we don't see anything in the Scriptures about that. But people will not come unto Jesus unless they are drawn by God.

In this powerful episode of Day of Destiny, Dr. Michelle releases a prophetic word for 2026, calling God's people to rise up in Unstoppable Vision. Drawing from the powerful testimony of the Apostle Paul in Acts 26, you'll discover what it means to be fully obedient to the heavenly vision—no matter the obstacles, opposition, or seasons of waiting. Learn how divine purpose, courage, and unwavering faith position you to fulfill God's calling over your life in the coming year. This message will ignite your spirit, strengthen your resolve, and empower you to walk boldly in the vision Heaven has declared over you.

Now comes the time when we resolve. Right-thinking Christians and Americans, determined to live life better, and in the new year 2025, be better soldiers of the cross and better citizens of the greatest nation in the history of mankind.So, on to DIFFERENT AND BETTER 2025.LIFE. Only one life and that will soon be past. Treasure every moment. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to bring us life more abundantly. Live 2025 in an abundant life. Live as HE said joyfully, live as HE would have you live, that your JOY might be full. Life is good no matter. ENJOY EVERY MOMENT.WORRY. Nothing is more negative. Worry is wrong, perhaps rising to the level of sin. Give no thought at all, my fellow Christians, to the TOMORROW. It is a day with its own good and evil and to worry about a day not yet come ruins this day, the day which the Lord has made.THE FIGHT OF FAITH. Stand up for your faith. Stand tall in the Lord. Never compromise your faith in any way by thought, word, or deed. NEVER!RESIST EVIL. Here comes evil 2025, the devil at work, more aggressive than ever. Resist evil and it will go away, the devil will flee. Resist it with all your Christian might, armor, and strength. Do what is right, and fight back. Never give up. NEVER! In the words of the Apostle Paul:PRESS ON FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.PRESS ON!SALT AND LIGHT. Let you light, my fellow Christians, so shine before all mankind, that all may see your good works, know what you believe, and glorify not you, but:HIM.Whether word or deed, a deed seems to be more lasting and effective than a word in so many ways. Flavor this world with Christian love and forgiveness (salt) and let your light so shine before men. Let it shine brighter than ever.EDUCATE. Now comes a radical, woke, progressive agenda seeking to transform, really destroy so much of America, a culture, system, and group of priorities which is thoroughly and completely:ANTI-AMERICAN.It is wrong. Say so and stand up.YOU. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Care for it, nurture it, preserve it. Live healthy as God would intend and respectfully in the flesh that God has given you.PRAYER. Pray without ceasing. Be guided by the Holy Spirit. Pray always, everywhere. Live in a prayerful environment, where the Holy Spirit rules and you are in constant communication, prayerful communication with your Lord Jesus Christ. Prayer works wonders, whether it comes from the closet, all alone, even with groanings which are interpreted by the Holy Spirit, or in mass assemblies. God hears and answers HIS WAY, at His time, and always for your good.THANKS. In all things give thanks. ALL THINGS. There is no such thing as luck, but only the will of God at work, whether we are aware of that or not. All things happen as HE would will and no matter what they are, good or bad in our opinion, they are His will at work, and in all such things we should be:THANKFUL.And especially, we should be thankful for His:UNSPEAKABLE GIFT,A gift that cannot be adequately described in words:OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.LOVE. No matter how hateful the world is, no matter how alone you may feel or be, the love of our Lord is with you. Christ, closer than a friend or brother, is with you, by your side, even if no one else is, as our Lord was with the Apostle Paul in his final days, all alone in a dungeon. Christ died for you and there is no greater love than that of a man who lays down his life for a friend:YOU AND ME.2025 is the year which the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice therein. Let us resolve to live this great year joyfully, and more productively, and work in his behalf for the night is coming when no man or woman can work.A very blessed New Year's greeting from all of us at the Crawford Broadcasting Co. and may you and yours have a year with the full blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we stand on the threshold of a New Year, Adam Hayes explores the Apostle Paul's radical shift from a checklist-driven life to a singular pursuit: knowing Jesus Christ. Using the "SMART" goal framework, this message challenges us to prioritize our spiritual relationship above all other resolutions for the coming year.

The Apostle Paul has given us a list of things that cannot separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ. But what does it mean by stating that neither height nor depth will be able to separate us from His love? Numerous commentaries and translations have offered a variety of explanations that appear to miss the true meanng intended by the Apostle Paul. Stay tuned as Dr. Barnhouse reveals biblical insight into this puzzling question. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/791/29?v=20251111

In this final episode of the year, we look to Philippians 3 and the words of the Apostle Paul, reminding us that none of us have arrived. We are all a work in progress. While it's wise to reflect on both our failures and our successes, we are not meant to live in either regret or past victories. As this year comes to a close, this episode invites us to pause, reflect, and reset our hearts before stepping into what's next.   Thank you for listening to the Truth for Today Podcast! For more content from Pastor Terry Fant, click the links below! www.youtube.com/@terryfant885 www.facebook.com/terry.fant.14 www.instagram.com/pastorterryfant https://www.truthfortodayministries.org

Bruised and bloodied by an angry mob, the Apostle Paul is given permission to speak to this angry crowd. Paul no doubt weakened by the brutal beating he received, bravely shares his story going back to his conversion, where his eyes were opened and he met the Messiah, and his life changed forever. From that moment on, Paul could not remain silent about who Jesus is and that He came to save all people from their sin. We have a mandate to share our God story and like Paul, we should not remain silent but courageously and joyously share with others what Jesus came to do, redeem all of humankind.  By Dave Bartlett

1 Timothy 1:12-17. Ever feel like your past is holding you back? Or that you're not strong enough to serve God the way you want? In this message, we take a walk—literally and spiritually—through six verses with the Apostle Paul as our guide. Discover how Christ strengthens us for the tasks He appoints, how His grace overflows to cover even the worst of our sins, and why calling yourself the “Chief Sinner” can lead to humility, mercy, and better service. Whether you're a long-time follower or just curious about walking closer with Jesus, this message reminds us that every step we take points to the glory of God.For upcoming events and important announcements at Skyline, visit our Facebook page for the latest details!If you'd like to check out more resources, get to know Skyline Church, or donate to our ministry and missions please visit www.skylineofallon.com. Don't forget to leave us a review and subscribe to have our Sunday message downloaded straight to your phone each week!

The Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians to expose false teaching, for he knew the gospel was at stake. Today, Derek Thomas reveals that the gospel is just as much at stake in our day as it was in the first century. Donate any amount to request R.C. Sproul's commentary on Galatians and Derek Thomas' video teaching series No Other Gospel on DVD. You'll also receive lifetime digital access to all 14 messages and the study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4510/offer   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Get the Galatians commentary ebook, digital teaching series, and digital study guide with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global    Meet Today's Teacher:   Derek Thomas is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and Chancellor's Professor of Systematic and Pastoral Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

(Ephesians 3:14-21) Like Ephesus was in the Apostle Paul's day, our world is filled with money, religion, education, and debauchery. Despite what the current culture is overflowing with, it is God's desire that His church be filled with Himself. What does that look like and how does it happen? (09312251227) Keep Studying  Whether you're a new believer or have walked with the Lord for years, you'll find thousands of free devotionals, Bible studies, audio series, and Scripture tools designed to strengthen your faith, deepen your understanding of the Bible, and help you stay rooted in the Word of God. 

A kinsman of the Apostle Paul, the Holy Stephen was one of the seven deacons (with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas) first appointed by the Church to minister to the people; and it pleased God to receive him as the Church's first Martyr for Christ. Read the long, beautiful and edifying account of his witness in the Acts of the Apostles, chapters 6-8. When Stephen, "full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people," (Acts 6:8), some members of a synagogue in Jerusalem came to dispute with him and, enraged by his proclamation of Christ, stoned him to death. In his death St Stephen revealed Christ's erasure of the boundary between heaven and earth, and the new communion between man and God: his face shone with the light of the Transfiguration, and he was granted a vision of Christ enthroned at the Father's right hand. His dying words were "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60).   According to holy tradition, the martyrdom of St Stephen occurred exactly a year after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. His body was taken and secretly buried by Gamaliel, a member of the Sanhendrin and secretly a Christian.   Saint Stephen's relics were discovered by the priest Lucian in 415 following a vision. They were translated to the church built for them in Jerusalem by the Empress Eudocia, and later taken to Constantinople.   The Saint's missionary speech before his death (like that of the deacon St Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch) reminds us that those appointed to serve the Church materially are not barred, or even excused, from proclaiming the glorious Gospel of Christ.