Podcasts about Aquila

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 144 Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144   Blessed be the LORD, my rock,    who trains my hands for war,    and my fingers for battle;2   he is my steadfast love and my fortress,    my stronghold and my deliverer,  my shield and he in whom I take refuge,    who subdues peoples1 under me. 3   O LORD, what is man that you regard him,    or the son of man that you think of him?4   Man is like a breath;    his days are like a passing shadow. 5   Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down!    Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6   Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;    send out your arrows and rout them!7   Stretch out your hand from on high;    rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,    from the hand of foreigners,8   whose mouths speak lies    and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9   I will sing a new song to you, O God;    upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10   who gives victory to kings,    who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11   Rescue me and deliver me    from the hand of foreigners,  whose mouths speak lies    and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12   May our sons in their youth    be like plants full grown,  our daughters like corner pillars    cut for the structure of a palace;13   may our granaries be full,    providing all kinds of produce;  may our sheep bring forth thousands    and ten thousands in our fields;14   may our cattle be heavy with young,    suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2  may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15   Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!    Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Numbers 30 Numbers 30 (Listen) Men and Vows 30 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the LORD has commanded. 2 If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Women and Vows 3 “If a woman vows a vow to the LORD and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father's house in her youth, 4 and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the LORD will forgive her, because her father opposed her. 6 “If she marries a husband, while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. 8 But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he opposes her, then he makes void her vow that was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she bound herself. And the LORD will forgive her. 9 (But any vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.) 10 And if she vowed in her husband's house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, 11 and her husband heard of it and said nothing to her and did not oppose her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. 12 But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning her pledge of herself shall not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the LORD will forgive her. 13 Any vow and any binding oath to afflict herself,1 her husband may establish,2 or her husband may make void. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or all her pledges that are upon her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them. 15 But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.” 16 These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses about a man and his wife and about a father and his daughter while she is in her youth within her father's house. Footnotes [1] 30:13 Or to fast [2] 30:13 Or may allow to stand (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Obadiah 1–14 Obadiah 1–14 (Listen) 1 The vision of Obadiah. Edom Will Be Humbled   Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom:  We have heard a report from the LORD,    and a messenger has been sent among the nations:  “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”2   Behold, I will make you small among the nations;    you shall be utterly despised.13   The pride of your heart has deceived you,    you who live in the clefts of the rock,2    in your lofty dwelling,  who say in your heart,    “Who will bring me down to the ground?”4   Though you soar aloft like the eagle,    though your nest is set among the stars,    from there I will bring you down,      declares the LORD. 5   If thieves came to you,    if plunderers came by night—    how you have been destroyed!—    would they not steal only enough for themselves?  If grape gatherers came to you,    would they not leave gleanings?6   How Esau has been pillaged,    his treasures sought out!7   All your allies have driven you to your border;    those at peace with you have deceived you;  they have prevailed against you;    those who eat your bread3 have set a trap beneath you—    you have4 no understanding. 8   Will I not on that day, declares the LORD,    destroy the wise men out of Edom,    and understanding out of Mount Esau?9   And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman,    so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter. Edom's Violence Against Jacob 10   Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob,    shame shall cover you,    and you shall be cut off forever.11   On the day that you stood aloof,    on the day that strangers carried off his wealth  and foreigners entered his gates    and cast lots for Jerusalem,    you were like one of them.12   But do not gloat over the day of your brother    in the day of his misfortune;  do not rejoice over the people of Judah    in the day of their ruin;  do not boast5    in the day of distress.13   Do not enter the gate of my people    in the day of their calamity;  do not gloat over his disaster    in the day of his calamity;  do not loot his wealth    in the day of his calamity.14   Do not stand at the crossroads    to cut off his fugitives;  do not hand over his survivors    in the day of distress. Footnotes [1] 1:2 Or Behold, I have made you small among the nations; you are utterly despised [2] 1:3 Or of Sela [3] 1:7 Hebrew lacks those who eat [4] 1:7 Hebrew he has [5] 1:12 Hebrew do not enlarge your mouth (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: 1 Timothy 1 1 Timothy 1 (Listen) Greeting 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Warning Against False Teachers 3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship1 from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. 8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,2 liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound3 doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners 12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.4 Amen. 18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. Footnotes [1] 1:4 Or good order [2] 1:10 That is, those who take someone captive in order to sell him into slavery [3] 1:10 Or healthy [4] 1:17 Greek to the ages of ages (ESV)

Andronicus is counted as one of the Seventy. He and his fellow-worker Junia are mentioned by St Paul in his Epistle to the Romans: "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles, who also were in Christ before me" (Romans 16:7). Some, troubled that a woman is mentioned as an Apostle, have attempted to translate "Junia" as "Junias," a man's name; but the Fathers are united in treating her as "Junia." It may be that they were husband and wife, like Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18), but the ancient witnesses do not tell us.   Andronicus became Bishop of Pannonia, but did not stay in one place, instead travelling throughout the world to proclaim the Gospel. Both Andronicus and Junia were granted the gift of wonder-working. Both of them suffered for Christ and were finally martyred.

"PETER AND THE SHEET (THE BOB DYLAN FACTOR)" Kids Ministry Coffee Break 30: Learning to expect the unexpected and embracing change will lead us into a fruitful life of faith and ministry. If you don't know this story, you can find it in both chapter 10 and 11 of Acts. https://sundayschool.works/lessons/peter-and-cornelius-acts-10-sunday-school-lesson-and-activities-for-kids/ It's a crucial part of the story of Luke volume 2. Things are changing in the work of the Holy Spirit through the church. Suddenly…hundreds of years of tradition and practice are changing…because Peter had a vision and then saw the Holy Spirit working in a new way. It's a great story…both times. And it's our story. The times are always a-changing, aren't they? At times it feels like we live in a different world than we did 2 years ago. Remember pre-pandemic? Remember gathering close together with other human beings and NOT thinking about what was in the air all around you? The world is always changing. The church is always changing. While God is not always changing, our understanding of God IS. Do you think the same things about God today that you did 2 years ago? or 10 years ago? Chance's are very strong you'll experience more change in the years to come. Some people fear change. They resist it. They try and stop it. They get all worked up and paint a picture like the sky is falling when things change. Change is how it works. Peter came to know that. First he stopped being a fisherman… Then he learned all about a new definition of Messiah… Then he learned about a new understanding of the power of God in the face of death… Then he suddenly was able to speak in different languages through the Holy Spirit… Then he learned he could raise people from the dead… Then he saw a sheet and blew the whole tradition wide open when he entered the house of a gentile and saw the Spirit at work. People like Peter, Paul, Aquila, Mary, and many others had to reach a point when they knew change was going to keep coming into their lives and into their understanding of God and into their life of faith in Jesus Christ. https://youthgroupministry.com/lessons/youth-ministry-lesson-acts-10_1-33-peter-and-cornelius/ The Holy Spirit is ALWAYS bringing change. Our real joy comes when we can learn to expect the unexpected… When we can celebrate the new things God is doing… When we can be open to change and no longer afraid… The times, they are a-changing…because that's what time does; it brings change. We are moving more and more into a future that is closer and closer to what God has already established as accomplished in and through Christ. If we are to get to that place…then things must change. So…spend some time in prayer and reflection understanding why you may struggle with change. It's okay to struggle—every single biblical character struggled with change. You are not alone. But consider the joy and promise that change provides. Dream about the kind of change that excites you. Pray for the kind of change that frees you and others for a life more well-lived. Ask the Holy Spirit to stir you up and move and mold and make you into something new…something your ministry setting needs for today…tomorrow…and then the day after that. When we can live a life embracing change and welcoming shifts…life begins to get really fun, meaningful, and…heavenly. https://10bibleverses.com/scripture-quotes/evangelism-scriptures-bible-verses-on-soul-winning-and-evangelism/ Message brought to you be Rev. Joseph Sanford of Sanford Curriculum (Student ministry resources available on The Sunday School Store written by he and Lauren Sanford). Music by The Muse Maker

Hello and thank you for listening to Into the Pray. "...when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed." (Hosea 7:1)CORRECTION: Nick mis-spoke regarding the “unashamedly egalitarian” church which is in fact Stirling Baptist Church (NOT Perth Baptist Church).This session with Nick and Mairi today is a "bonus episode" looking at what we consider to be one of the most serious problems facing the Church today.One of the most potent demonic roots of chaos within the Body of Christ is in the form of egalitarianism.But this commonplace and ramping heresy is also a sign-post to those with 'ears to hear', who are being prepared for the Second Coming of Christ and the reforming "Church of Preparation"You can also watch this podcast on YouTube. Last year we did a collaborative vlog with a select few church leaders to expose the fallacious notion of female leadership in the Church and the fundamental death and dearth of spiritual authority in the Church that results (link below). This is major deception and not slight; it is impossible to overstate the significance of this. ESSENTIAL/related content: Mike Winger's leg-work on the absurd egalitarian "conviction". Nick's article, The Death & Dearth of Spiritual Authority. Our Tribute to Melvin Tinker, "Destroying Our Gender"TGC Article, cited. Should you leave your church? (part one), part two here, part three here.Our new teaching series through the gospel of John is previewed for you here. Other NEW VLOGS:Wim Hoff, the Demonic & the BBCOrder our new gospel tract for your parish here. Did you hear Aimee's STUNNING Good Friday testimony? You can watch our full length conversation with her via YouTube here and her flagship testimony film  here. If you have any questions, thoughts or testimonies, please contact us here. How to pray for Ukraine (and other nations)? See a new video here. Our flagship content:

Hello! Thank you for listening to Into the Pray. Today's Friday session is the audio from the third part of a YouTube series that went live last night. You can watch the video here if you prefer. In recent weeks we have been posing the difficult question, "Should I Leave My Church?". This is clearly a weighty matter and, as such, we have dealt with the question over three separate weeks (on YouTube) culminating today in considering what one should do in order to transition from a context of idolatry into one of faithfulness. Nick shares candidly from experience in following the leading of the Holy Spirit away from lukewarm, spirit-killing compromise. Upcoming episodes of this podcast in the next fortnight will include looking at a case for historic pre-millennialism as well as a session on Aquila and Prisca. Our new teaching series through the gospel of John is previewed for you here. Other NEW VLOGS:Should you leave your church? (part one) and part two here.Wim Hoff, the Demonic & the BBC.Order our new gospel tract for your parish here. Did you hear Aimee's STUNNING Good Friday testimony? You can watch our full length conversation with her via YouTube here and her flagship testimony film  here. If you have any questions, thoughts or testimonies, please contact us here. How to pray for Ukraine (and other nations)? See a new video here. Our flagship content:

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 6–8 1 Samuel 6–8 (Listen) The Ark Returned to Israel 6 The ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us with what we shall send it to its place.” 3 They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from you.” 4 And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. 5 So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you and your gods and your land. 6 Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had dealt severely with them, did they not send the people away, and they departed? 7 Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there has never come a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them. 8 And take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart and put in a box at its side the figures of gold, which you are returning to him as a guilt offering. Then send it off and let it go its way 9 and watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land, to Beth-shemesh, then it is he who has done us this great harm, but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it happened to us by coincidence.” 10 The men did so, and took two milk cows and yoked them to the cart and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they put the ark of the LORD on the cart and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors. 12 And the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh along one highway, lowing as they went. They turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh. 13 Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it. 14 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there. A great stone was there. And they split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD. 15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was beside it, in which were the golden figures, and set them upon the great stone. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices on that day to the LORD. 16 And when the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron. 17 These are the golden tumors that the Philistines returned as a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron, 18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and unwalled villages. The great stone beside which they set down the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh. 19 And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the LORD. He struck seventy men of them,1 and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great blow. 20 Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?” 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to you.” 7 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the LORD. 2 From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. Samuel Judges Israel 3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only. 5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah. 7 Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. 10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car. 12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen2 and called its name Ebenezer;3 for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites. 15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. And he built there an altar to the LORD. Israel Demands a King 8 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” Samuel's Warning Against Kings 10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. 11 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men4 and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” The Lord Grants Israel's Request 19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.” Footnotes [1] 6:19 Most Hebrew manuscripts struck of the people seventy men, fifty thousand men [2] 7:12 Hebrew; Septuagint, Syriac Jeshanah [3] 7:12 Ebenezer means stone of help [4] 8:16 Septuagint cattle (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 119:9–16 Psalm 119:9–16 (Listen) Beth 9   How can a young man keep his way pure?    By guarding it according to your word.10   With my whole heart I seek you;    let me not wander from your commandments!11   I have stored up your word in my heart,    that I might not sin against you.12   Blessed are you, O LORD;    teach me your statutes!13   With my lips I declare    all the rules1 of your mouth.14   In the way of your testimonies I delight    as much as in all riches.15   I will meditate on your precepts    and fix my eyes on your ways.16   I will delight in your statutes;    I will not forget your word. Footnotes [1] 119:13 Or all the just decrees (ESV) New Testament: 1 Corinthians 15–16 1 Corinthians 15–16 (Listen) The Resurrection of Christ 15 Now I would remind you, brothers,1 of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. The Resurrection of the Dead 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope2 in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God3 has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”4 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. The Resurrection Body 35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”;5 the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall6 also bear the image of the man of heaven. Mystery and Victory 50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:   “Death is swallowed up in victory.”55   “O death, where is your victory?    O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. The Collection for the Saints 16 Now concerning7 the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. Plans for Travel 5 I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 10 When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11 So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers. Final Instructions 12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will8 to come now. He will come when he has opportunity. 13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love. 15 Now I urge you, brothers9—you know that the household10 of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints—16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people. Greetings 19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!11 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. Footnotes [1] 15:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 31, 50, 58 [2] 15:19 Or we have hoped [3] 15:27 Greek he [4] 15:33 Probably from Menander's comedy Thais [5] 15:45 Greek a living soul [6] 15:49 Some manuscripts let us [7] 16:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1; also verse 12 [8] 16:12 Or God's will for him [9] 16:15 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 20 [10] 16:15 Greek house [11] 16:22 Greek Maranatha (a transliteration of Aramaic) (ESV)

Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 NLT   Women should learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly. 1 Timothy 2:11-12 NLT   1. NEVER READ A VERSE ALONE 2. REMEMBER, THAT THE BIBLE IS WRITTEN FOR US BUT NOT TO US. 3. THE BIBLE DOES NOT CONTRADICT ITSELF   Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don't want you to misunderstand this. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice ; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. 1 Corinthians 12:1,4-5,7-11 NLT   DID PAUL HONOR WOMEN OR DISCOUNT THEM?   PHOEBE   I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God's people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me. Romans 16:1-2 NLT   PRISCILLA AND HER HUSBAND, AQUILA   Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. Romans 16:3 NLT   Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John's baptism. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately. Acts of the Apostles 18:24-26 NLT   MARY & JUNIA   Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did. Romans 16:6-7 NLT   DID PETER HONOR WOMEN?   ‘In the last days,' God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy.' Acts 2:17-18 NLT   HOW DID JESUS VIEW WOMEN?   WHAT ARE OTHER BIBLICAL EXAMPLES?   MIRIAM   I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. Micah 6:4 NIV   DEBORAH   Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. Judges 4:4 NIV   HULDAH   IPROVERBS 31    WHAT WAS GOD'S INTENTION AT CREATION?   So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:27-28 NLT   The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 NIV But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 NLT   But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! The eye can never say to the hand, “I don't need you.” The head can't say to the feet, “I don't need you.” All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:18-19,21,27 NLT   “Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth, or power. Those rewards create almost as many problems as they solve. Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter, so that the world will be at least a little bit different for our having passed through it.” Rabbi Harold Kushner   1. FIND THE GIFTS GOD HAS FOR YOU 'A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. ' 1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT   2. CULTIVATE THE GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU     'Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives. 1 Corinthians 14:1 NLT   'This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you. ' 2 Timothy 1:6 NLT   3. USE THE GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU 'God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. ' 1 Peter 4:10 NLT   Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”Matthew 28:18-20 NLT  

In part 3 of our Upstream series, Mike looks at the ministry of Aquila and Priscilla and shares three ways we can encourage others.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. So glad you could join us today as we study the Word of God together; specifically in the book of Acts. Last week we found in our study of the book of Acts chapter 18 that Paul has now begun his third missionary journey. And he had come to the city of Ephesus. Now with him were Priscilla and Aquila (a Jewish couple who were companions of his in ministry). Now Paul had to leave in order to make it to Jerusalem for Pentecost, where he wanted to complete his vow. And he leaves Priscilla and Aquila to carry on the work of building up the Church there. And he promises to return. But meanwhile, while Priscilla and Aquila are there, a Jewish man from Alexandria, Egypt by the name of Apollos comes to Ephesus. And it says… Acts 18:24b (ESV)— He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. γραφή— And while it may be obvious to some, I want to make sure it is clear that we are talking about the Old Testament scriptures, not the New. The word “scriptures” that is used here is the Greek word γραφή. And whenever that word occurs in the New Testament, it always is referring to the Old Testament. Apollos is an Old Testament scholar who is skilled at teaching Old Testament scripture. But all of that eloquence and knowledge and giftedness (which we expounded upon last week) was based on his natural ability, not on his having the Gifts of the Holy Spirit; because he was not yet a Christian. Now of course every gift comes from God, but Apollos did not yet have the fruit or gifts of the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come to faith in Jesus Christ. Now some say he was a Christian because of the very next phrase, which says of Apollos… Acts 18:25a (ESV)— 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. “instructed in the way of the Lord”— That has led some to conclude that (because Jesus is Lord) that Apollos had already been instructed in the Christian faith; and his knowledge simply was not yet as full as it needed to be. However, many who take that interpretation fail to take into account the fact that that phrase the way of the Lord is not a new phrase coined by Christians. No, it is a phrase used throughout the Old Testament beginning all the way back in the book of Genesis, the very first book of the Bible. It is a very broad, general term for Old Testament instruction in the things of God; the standards that God has set for people to follow. There is no reason to infer from that phrase that Apollos was a Christian. It is way too general a phrase. κατηχέω— Plus look at the word that precedes the phrase the way of the Lord; the word “instructed”.  This may help us to understand what kind of knowledge Apollos had. The Greek word is κατηχέω. And κατηχέω means to teach orally by repetition. By the way, what word does κατηχέω sound like? Catechism. And what is a catechism? It's a method of teaching in which you learn orally by repetition; you read a line (the question) and then you read the answer. And then you go on to the next. It is something you repeat over and over again until you have it ingrained in your brain. And so this is how Apollos learned the way of the Lord. Now having said all this, we do see that phrase the way of the Lord funnel in and become more focused in… Isaiah 40:3 (ESV)— 3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. A Fruit of John's Ministry— Now who is that a prophecy of? John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. That is where the knowledge of Apollos had stopped. He did know at least something about Jesus, which we will see in a minute. And that may be because of the ministry of John the Baptist; it is possible that (because Alexandria was such a center of learning) that some of John the Baptist's disciples came there during Jesus' earthly ministry and proclaimed that He was the Messiah. It is even believed by some that Apollos may have been a disciple of John the Baptist. We don't know. But he apparently had learned at least a little bit about Jesus and His teachings because it says in… Acts 18:25b (ESV)— And being fervent in spirit,[a] he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. An Incomplete Knowledge— And so while Apollos may have known some of the basic facts about Jesus he may not have yet known about Jesus' atoning work on the cross, His resurrection, or the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. But whatever the case, his knowledge was incomplete. Now everything he said was true, but he did not yet have the rest of the picture. A New Map— I remember once Tanya and I were on our way to visit my parents in Kentucky. And we had been following GPS; not on our phones but on an actual GPS unit that (in the good old days) you bought as a separate unit. Ours was a TomTom; and I remember you even had to pay to get the maps it contained updated. Oh how things have changed. But that night I remember we got to about twenty minutes from where my folks were living but the GPS suddenly showed that were were going off-road, even though we were definitely still on the road. And the directions suddenly went all wonky and we lost our way. Now what had happened is that some major road revisions were made (actually a new road), but (because we hadn't updated the map on our TomTom) the TomTom was still operating with the old map, which of course did not match up with the current roads. We needed a new map. Well, the same was true of Apollos. He was preaching the Old Testament the best he knew how, but he likely did not yet have the new information he needed concerning the atoning work of Christ. And so he couldn't get people to where they needed to go. Well, here's where the providence of God comes in. Because one day he goes in to the synagogue to preach. And it says in… Acts 18:26 (ESV)— 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. Gentle Instruction— Now I love how Priscilla and Aquila see someone who does not yet fully understand and are courageous enough and loving enough to try to help to point him in the right direction. And they do very lovingly; because note that they do not rebuke him publicly, which would have just confused the Jews he was preaching to. No, they quietly pull him aside (maybe even taking them home with them for a Sabbath dinner) and tell him what he still needed to know about Jesus and also about the coming of the Holy Spirit. And I also love how teachable he was. He didn't brush them off, but seems to have eagerly received the knowledge that they had to offer. And that may have been the secret to some of his incredible knowledge, by the way. He was humble enough to be taught. He didn't have an I-already-know-it-all attitude. Not Familiar With The Sensation— Some time ago my wife and I watched the show Downton Abbey. And in it there is a highly-opinionated mother. And once another character in the show asked her, “How does it feel to be wrong?” And she (always quick on her feet) responded (puffing up like a peacock), “Wouldn't know, my dear. I'm not familiar with the sensation.” Now let me tell you, a person who has that kind of attitude, who can never admit they're wrong or that their knowledge is deficient in any way, can learn very little. If you want to know it all, then you have to truly believe and posture yourself as if you don't. Because only those who remain teachable and humble actually  become true know-it-alls. Apollos' Conversion— Well, this was Apollos' spirit. He humbly received their instruction. And it was at this time that he became a convert to Christianity, received the Holy Spirit, and then went out to proclaim the message of the Gospel. And he may have even gone back to the synagogue the following Sabbath to share with the Jews the rest of the story. But he didn't stop there. Like any person who has received the Good News of Jesus Christ and placed his/her faith in Him, Apollos was eager to help spread the Good News about Jesus; and he is therefore eager to cross into Achaia. And the Ephesian church already highly recommended him, because it says in… Acts 18:27a-28 (ESV)— 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. {And in the following verses we see that immediate fruit is born out of his ministry. It says…} When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. A Powerful Witness— And so we see that Apollos quickly became a monumental force for the kingdom of God. We see in the very next chapter that Apollos ministers for a time in Corinth. And hardly any time has gone by at all before Paul writes back in 1 Corinthians to the Corinthians (who are quarreling and becoming faction-oriented) and says (1 Cor. 1:10-12, 3:4-6, 22, 4:6)… 1 Corinthians 1:12b (ESV)— …one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” {Then in}… 1 Corinthians 3:5 (ESV)— 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. Quickly Esteemed— And so what happened is that (perhaps because of Apollos' great gifts) [Some of the Corinthians became more enamored with Apollos than with His message.] And so they became faction-oriented. Now these factions were not Apollos' fault any more than they were Paul's or Peter's. But I mention it here because of how remarkable it is that at this very early stage of Apollos' ministry, he already had become so highly esteemed, to where he (though not an apostle) is placed right after Paul and even before Cephas. It is amazing to see how mightily God was at work through him. Three Elements— And there were three elements to this that are directly relevant to us. First, he had pursued and gained a solid understanding of the Word of God. Secondly, he was skilled in his presentation; he took time to hone in his skills in presenting the Word of God in a way that would be effective. But there was also something else; and we see it in verse 25, which says that he was fervent in spirit. In Greek it literally means boiling in spirit. The only other time that word is used is in… Romans 12:11 (ESV)— 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Hearts on Fire— Some of my favorite movies of all time (watched them many times over) are the Rocky movies. And in those movies one of the things Rocky demonstrates (though sometimes it has to be re-kindled) is a heart on fire; the burning heart. And that is what this word means; and it is what is lacking in the chests of many Christians today. What the world needs most are men and women of God whose hearts are on fire for Him; who have a determination and drive (purified and directed by the Holy Spirit) to serve the Lord with all of who they are; with their hearts, souls, mind, and strength. Men and women who are mighty men and women of the word who know how to bring its truth to hungry souls. If we have hearts like that, the world will have no other recourse but to acknowledge that we know and walk with He who truly is the Savior of the world.

We speak to Ryen Leayva on the trials and tribulations when selling his family business, Infinity Software, to Aquila, a division of Constellation software.

After a last-minute teaching engagement, SippinWitSammie invites one of the schoolteachers, Rayne (Totem Aquila) to sit down and chop it up on Sippinwitsammie, beyond teaching tech, Totem Aquila also is a producer and musical artist bringing a unique sound and perspective to his art. Barstool talk from the biggest sipper in Philly with some of the most innovate people in the world, Sammie is the one to sit and sip wit if you wanna enjoy conversation. 00:00 COUGHING ON YOUR OWN SAGE 07:09 TRAILERS 07:24 INTROS 09:54 SAMMIE THE TEACHER 17:18 TEACHING PROGRAMMING, CODING, & GAME DESIGN 23:40 UNDERSTANDING TECH IS GETTING OVER THE FEAR OF NOT KNOWING 25:39 TOTUM AQUILA MUSIC 32:02 FALLING IN LOVE WITH SCORES 36:30 TO MAKE A MOVEMENT YOU GOT TO MOVE FIRST 42:10 LAUGH AT YOURSELF 45:20 RAYNE'S FAVORITE RAPPERS 49:45 KNOWING YOUR LINEAGE 56:00 THE IMPACT OF BIGGIE 1:02:00 PRODUCING MUSIC 1:09:00 PHILADELPHIA, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HERE TIL YOU REALLY LOOK 1:18:30 TAKE THE NO AND ASK YOURSELF WHY 1:22:00 SHOUT OUT PHILLY TEACHERS 1:25:00 SYNETHESIA 1:32:15 OUTROS #sippinwitsammie #ifuaintsippinwitsammieyouaintsippin #ifuaintsippin #geturfuckinglifetogether #craftbeerandcognac #victorybeer #glocawearradiostation #promotion #politics2potatochips #exposure #outlet #platform #pullupistrill #letstalkaboutit #iswear #toreup #hennessy #heineken #flytalk #thankgodimfly #backwoods #producer #neosoul #singer #entrepreneur #hiphop #phillyhiphop #phillyentertainment #phillymusic --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sippinwitsammie/support

Paul exercises spiritual disciplines. Priscilla and Aquila speak to Apollos about the baptism of the Spirit.

Message from Pastor Warren Johnson on May 4, 2022

Referencias: EMERGEO WORKING Group – Rilievi geologici di terreno effettuati nell’area epicentrale della sequenza sismica dell’Aquilano del 6 aprile 2009. Lanzo G., Pagliaroli, A. (2010). Il terremoto Aquilano del 2009: valutazione preliminare degli effetti di sito. Moretti, M., Nostro, C., Govoni, A., Pignone, M., La Longa, F., Crescimbene, M. and Selvaggi, G., (2011). L’intervento del Centro Operativo Emergenza Sismica in occasione del terremoto del 2009 a L’Aquila, Quaderni di Geofisica, No. 92. VV.AA. (2009). Valutazione della risposta sismica locale di alcuni siti dell’alta e media valle dell’Aterno. Pasqualini, L., 2022. El terremoto de L’Aquila (Italia) de 2009: un resumen 10 años después Tierra y Tecnología. Disponible en:

What helps you to be patient? How about Easter?  There's something about the risen Christ that can make us the most patient people in the world. Christ is alive, he's ruling, and he's for us. That kind of confidence can make us unhurried, patient, and humble people. Two thousand years ago, God changed the world through two followers of Christ, Aquila and Priscilla, who demonstrated patient confidence. We're glad you're with us today to hear how Christ's resurrection changed their lives. It's still God's plan to change us…and the world.

Old Testament: Judges 9 Judges 9 (Listen) Abimelech's Conspiracy 9 Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother's family, 2 “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother's relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5 And he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem. 7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.' 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?' 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.' 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?' 12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.' 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?' 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.' 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.' 16 “Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved—17 for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian, 18 and you have risen up against my father's house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative—19 if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech.” 21 And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and lived there, because of Abimelech his brother. The Downfall of Abimelech 22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech. 26 And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say1 to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.'” 30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly,2 saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up3 the city against you. 32 Now therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an ambush in the field. 33 Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as your hand finds to do.” 34 So Abimelech and all the men who were with him rose up by night and set an ambush against Shechem in four companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from the ambush. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops!” And Zebul said to him, “You mistake4 the shadow of the mountains for men.” 37 Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners' Oak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them.” 39 And Gaal went out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. 41 And Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives, so that they could not dwell at Shechem. 42 On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told. 43 He took his people and divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. And he looked and saw the people coming out of the city. So he rose against them and killed them. 44 Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and killed them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed the people who were in it, and he razed the city and sowed it with salt. 46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith. 47 Abimelech was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I have done.” 49 So every one of the people cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women. 50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower. 52 And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull. 54 Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.'” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. 56 Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. Footnotes [1] 9:29 Septuagint; Hebrew and he said [2] 9:31 Or at Tormah [3] 9:31 Hebrew besieging, or closing up [4] 9:36 Hebrew You see (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 110 Psalm 110 (Listen) Sit at My Right Hand A Psalm of David. 110   The LORD says to my Lord:    “Sit at my right hand,  until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2   The LORD sends forth from Zion    your mighty scepter.    Rule in the midst of your enemies!3   Your people will offer themselves freely    on the day of your power,1    in holy garments;2  from the womb of the morning,    the dew of your youth will be yours.34   The LORD has sworn    and will not change his mind,  “You are a priest forever    after the order of Melchizedek.” 5   The Lord is at your right hand;    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.6   He will execute judgment among the nations,    filling them with corpses;  he will shatter chiefs4    over the wide earth.7   He will drink from the brook by the way;    therefore he will lift up his head. Footnotes [1] 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces [2] 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains [3] 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 110:6 Or the head (ESV) New Testament: Romans 16 Romans 16 (Listen) Personal Greetings 16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant1 of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. 3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert2 to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia,3 my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles,4 and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers5 who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. Final Instructions and Greetings 17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites,6 and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.7 Doxology 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Footnotes [1] 16:1 Or deaconess [2] 16:5 Greek firstfruit [3] 16:7 Or Junias [4] 16:7 Or messengers [5] 16:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17 [6] 16:18 Greek their own belly [7] 16:23 Some manuscripts insert verse 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen (ESV)

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. So glad you could join us today as we study the Word of God together. You know, I don't know how you are in the are of gratitude, but I have had the Lord point out to me numerous times how poor I often am in this area. I don't usually forget to thank people. But for some reason I do often forget to thank God for both answered prayers, but also even just the everyday blessings. You know, devout Jews thank God every morning for the gift of life. And lately I have been trying to change the way I start my day; to thank God for His gift of life and acknowledge my dependence on Him the moment I wake up in the morning. Now I mention this because when it comes to the life of Paul, I am amazed how much he always managed to live in that grateful orientation of heart. Here in Acts chapter 18 we find him leaving the city of Corinth for Syria (where Palestine is). And he does so with his companions Pricilla and Aquila. But when they reach Cenchrea (the port town of Corinth) Paul has his hair cut on account of the fact that he had taken a Nazirite vow, which was a vow of special devotion to God that Jews would sometimes take as a symbol of thanksgiving to God for a special blessing they had received from Him. And Paul had received a special blessing; the fulfillment of God's promise to both protect him and bless his ministry in Corinth. But now that his vow has been completed, he has his hair ceremonially cut and will eventually complete the ceremony (where you would burn the hair) when he eventually arrives at Jerusalem. But what is remarkable to me is that, as he's moving around from place to place now, he is carrying around this lump of hair with him (a symbol of his thanksgiving towards God) which he hopes to be able to offer at the temple in Jerusalem. And this week that caused me to stop and ask myself what symbols there are in your life and in mine to remind us to live in constant awareness and thanksgiving for what God has done for us. Something to think about. Now in verse 19 it says… Acts 18:19a (NKJV)— 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; Dropped Off— Left who there? Priscilla and Aquila. It's funny how Paul always seems to be dropping people off. It must've been such an adventure to follow Paul, because you never knew where he might place you. He's dropping off Timothy and Silas here and there; and Priscilla and Aquila are getting dropped off places and then picked back up later. You never knew where you were going to be when you were with Paul and where Paul might place you and then leave you to carry on the work. And here he places them in Ephesus. It is about the year 52 and its not until year 57 that they appear again in Rome. So they could have remained here as long as five years. But what is awesome to see is that Paul writes back to the Corinthians, saying, “The church has been established in their house.” So once again, we see how effective Paul's ministry strategy was. Now while Paul is here in Ephesus, it says… Acts 18:19b-23 (NKJV)— but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; {(and now we know why Paul is in such a hurry to get back to Jerusalem. There is a festival in Jerusalem; during which he wants to complete his vow as an expression of thanks to God. We don't know what feast it was; very possibly the Feast of Pentecost, which would be extraordinarily significant because it was also during Pentecost that the Holy Spirit had been given, who would empower all Christians to live in such a way that the Nazirite vow only anticipated. But whatever feast it was, Paul no doubt turns these new Ephesian converts over to Priscilla and Aquila for further discipleship and then says)} but I will return again to you, God willing.” {And he leaves. But he does keep that promise to return, which we will see later. But for now it says:} And he sailed from Ephesus. 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea {(that's the Mediterranean seaport west and just a little north of Jerusalem)}, and gone up and greeted the church {by which Luke means “the church in Jerusalem”, because you always go up to Jerusalem because of how much higher it is than everything around it. You don't have to mention the city; the preposition gives it away. And it is here in Jerusalem that Paul no doubt went through all the rituals related to his vow, after which it says}, he went down to Antioch. 23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. Paul's 3rd Missionary Journey— And what this means is that Paul has now started his third missionary journey. Where did he go? All the places he went on his second missionary journey? Where were those places? Well, they were all the places he went on his first missionary journey. Start With A Few— A famous missionary once said this: “No man has the right to hear the gospel twice until every man has heard it once.” Let me tell you, that is absolutely false. Paul (not to mention Jesus) would totally disagree with that principle. Paul went back to the same group of people three times. And that's because the kingdom of God isn't built by people running all over the globe, frantically trying to quickly share an overly simplified version of the Gospel at least once to every person. No, the way you change the world is like Jesus did; like His apostles did. Start with a few, pour into them. Give them the full Gospel; declare (as Paul says in Acts 20:27) the whole counsel of God. Take time to show them how to bring all of their lives under the authority of Christ; train them to disciple others. And then they will go and do likewise. And God's kingdom will grow not a mile wide and an inch deep, but will grow exponentially both in scope, but also in depth. Back To Ephesus— Now, as I said, this marks the beginning of Paul's third missionary journey. But at this point the narrative shifts away from Paul back to Ephesus, from which he had recently departed and left Priscilla and Aquila to carry on the ministry there. And Ephesus was a very pagan city, as it was the center of worship of the Greek goddess Artemis, whose Roman name was Diana; a multi-breasted fertility god whose temple there in Ephesus was so magnificent, it [was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.] However, during Paul's time we see that while the city had been an important political and commercial center, at this time it had lost some of that importance and [was turning more to the temple to support its economy.] Apollos— Now it is in Ephesus that we meet an extraordinary man; a man who happened to come there at the right time for Priscilla and Aquila to minister to and lead to Christ; a man by the name of Apollos. It says in… Acts 18:24a (ESV)— 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. Alexandria— And so we see that Apollos is from Alexandria, which of course is in Egypt. There was actually a very large group of Jews living in Egypt during this time, estimates running in at around 1 million. You had four different sections/quarters of the city that were populated by Jews. And it is important to remember this whenever we think about the flight of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus into Egypt. We always have this image like they were strangers in a foreign land, when in reality (although they were outside of Israel) they were living in and amongst a very significant Jewish population. And this is relevant to our discussion of Apollos, because although he was in Egypt, we will see that he is still very much a part of Jewish society and education. And Alexandria in general was an Egyptian city that was very much centered on education. In fact it was [the most learned city in the Greco-Roman world.] It boasted of both a university and a library; the library containing almost 700,000 volumes. And we're not talking printed, but hand-copied volumes; a massive treasury of very valued knowledge. And this man Apollos had been raised there in Alexandria and we see was very educated, being especially grounded in the principles and practices of Judaism and especially in the scriptures. It says in... Acts 18:24b (ESV)— He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. an eloquent man— And the phrase “eloquent man” is actually a translation of a very unique word in the Greek; in fact it doesn't occur anywhere else in scripture. It is a word that combines the idea of learning with eloquence. And so what it tells us is that not only was the content of his preaching rock solid, but his presentation (his skills and giftedness as an orator) were tremendous. In fact, he may have been a much better speaker than Paul was, which might be inferred from 2 Corinthians 10:10, in which Paul says… 2 Corinthians 10:10 (ESV)— 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” δυνατὸς— And so it seems that Paul's writing was where he shined best. His physical presence wasn't very impressive and his oratory skills even less so. Now that's not to put down Paul. But it does help us to understand the power and might of this man Apollos. He was a very gifted speaker, but even more so, he was (the text says) competent in the Scriptures. Now that is a very boring translating of a powerful Greek word. The word translated “competent” is actually the word δυνατὸς. It means “mighty”. In fact δυνατὸς is where we get our English word “dynamite”. And so here is a man who knows how to rightly divide the Word of Truth, but also how to deliver that truth in a powerful and compelling way. He is eloquent, dramatic and dynamic. You never fell asleep and fell out of a window, and died on impact while listening to Apollos. By the way, that actually happened during one of Paul's messages, which we will see when we come to chapter 20. But nothing like that ever happened with Apollos. You were wide awake for every one of his messages. He was eloquent and mighty in the scriptures. Mighty In The Word— And let me tell you, we need more men and women of God who are mighty in the scriptures; who have saturated themselves with the Word of God and can accurately teach it, defend its truth and be able to safeguard it against those who might want to twist it to their own ends. Now you and I want to be able to do that, but that kind of knowledge and ability comes at a cost. Give The World— There was once a [young man who came to a Bible teacher after he taught and he was so overawed by the teaching and the strength of the man and his teaching and the – and the ability and the power and the knowledge. And he said to him, he said, “I just was so thrilled by your teaching.” He said, “I'd give the world to be able to teach the Bible like that.” And the man said, “Good, because that's exactly what it will cost you.”] And you know, he's right. Christ can use anybody, but the extent to which He can use you may be limited by your dedication and willingness to pursue the knowledge He has already made available to you in His Word. If we want to be effective, we must first know Him; and the only way to know Him is in and through prayerful engagement with His Word. And so let that be our challenge this week. Let's be intentional about making time to engage with God in and through His Word so that He might equip us with everything we need for life and for ministry. Amen.

Job 4–7 Job 4–7 (Listen) Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper 4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: 2   “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?    Yet who can keep from speaking?3   Behold, you have instructed many,    and you have strengthened the weak hands.4   Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,    and you have made firm the feeble knees.5   But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;    it touches you, and you are dismayed.6   Is not your fear of God1 your confidence,    and the integrity of your ways your hope? 7   “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished?    Or where were the upright cut off?8   As I have seen, those who plow iniquity    and sow trouble reap the same.9   By the breath of God they perish,    and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.10   The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,    the teeth of the young lions are broken.11   The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,    and the cubs of the lioness are scattered. 12   “Now a word was brought to me stealthily;    my ear received the whisper of it.13   Amid thoughts from visions of the night,    when deep sleep falls on men,14   dread came upon me, and trembling,    which made all my bones shake.15   A spirit glided past my face;    the hair of my flesh stood up.16   It stood still,    but I could not discern its appearance.  A form was before my eyes;    there was silence, then I heard a voice:17   ‘Can mortal man be in the right before2 God?    Can a man be pure before his Maker?18   Even in his servants he puts no trust,    and his angels he charges with error;19   how much more those who dwell in houses of clay,    whose foundation is in the dust,    who are crushed like3 the moth.20   Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces;    they perish forever without anyone regarding it.21   Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them,    do they not die, and that without wisdom?' 5   “Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?    To which of the holy ones will you turn?2   Surely vexation kills the fool,    and jealousy slays the simple.3   I have seen the fool taking root,    but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.4   His children are far from safety;    they are crushed in the gate,    and there is no one to deliver them.5   The hungry eat his harvest,    and he takes it even out of thorns,4    and the thirsty pant5 after his6 wealth.6   For affliction does not come from the dust,    nor does trouble sprout from the ground,7   but man is born to trouble    as the sparks fly upward. 8   “As for me, I would seek God,    and to God would I commit my cause,9   who does great things and unsearchable,    marvelous things without number:10   he gives rain on the earth    and sends waters on the fields;11   he sets on high those who are lowly,    and those who mourn are lifted to safety.12   He frustrates the devices of the crafty,    so that their hands achieve no success.13   He catches the wise in their own craftiness,    and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.14   They meet with darkness in the daytime    and grope at noonday as in the night.15   But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth    and from the hand of the mighty.16   So the poor have hope,    and injustice shuts her mouth. 17   “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves;    therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.18   For he wounds, but he binds up;    he shatters, but his hands heal.19   He will deliver you from six troubles;    in seven no evil7 shall touch you.20   In famine he will redeem you from death,    and in war from the power of the sword.21   You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue,    and shall not fear destruction when it comes.22   At destruction and famine you shall laugh,    and shall not fear the beasts of the earth.23   For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,    and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.24   You shall know that your tent is at peace,    and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.25   You shall know also that your offspring shall be many,    and your descendants as the grass of the earth.26   You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,    like a sheaf gathered up in its season.27   Behold, this we have searched out; it is true.    Hear, and know it for your good.”8 Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just 6 Then Job answered and said: 2   “Oh that my vexation were weighed,    and all my calamity laid in the balances!3   For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea;    therefore my words have been rash.4   For the arrows of the Almighty are in me;    my spirit drinks their poison;    the terrors of God are arrayed against me.5   Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass,    or the ox low over his fodder?6   Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt,    or is there any taste in the juice of the mallow?97   My appetite refuses to touch them;    they are as food that is loathsome to me.10 8   “Oh that I might have my request,    and that God would fulfill my hope,9   that it would please God to crush me,    that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!10   This would be my comfort;    I would even exult11 in pain unsparing,    for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.11   What is my strength, that I should wait?    And what is my end, that I should be patient?12   Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze?13   Have I any help in me,    when resource is driven from me? 14   “He who withholds12 kindness from a friend    forsakes the fear of the Almighty.15   My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed,    as torrential streams that pass away,16   which are dark with ice,    and where the snow hides itself.17   When they melt, they disappear;    when it is hot, they vanish from their place.18   The caravans turn aside from their course;    they go up into the waste and perish.19   The caravans of Tema look,    the travelers of Sheba hope.20   They are ashamed because they were confident;    they come there and are disappointed.21   For you have now become nothing;    you see my calamity and are afraid.22   Have I said, ‘Make me a gift'?    Or, ‘From your wealth offer a bribe for me'?23   Or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary's hand'?    Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the ruthless'? 24   “Teach me, and I will be silent;    make me understand how I have gone astray.25   How forceful are upright words!    But what does reproof from you reprove?26   Do you think that you can reprove words,    when the speech of a despairing man is wind?27   You would even cast lots over the fatherless,    and bargain over your friend. 28   “But now, be pleased to look at me,    for I will not lie to your face.29   Please turn; let no injustice be done.    Turn now; my vindication is at stake.30   Is there any injustice on my tongue?    Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity? Job Continues: My Life Has No Hope 7   “Has not man a hard service on earth,    and are not his days like the days of a hired hand?2   Like a slave who longs for the shadow,    and like a hired hand who looks for his wages,3   so I am allotted months of emptiness,    and nights of misery are apportioned to me.4   When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?'    But the night is long,    and I am full of tossing till the dawn.5   My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt;    my skin hardens, then breaks out afresh.6   My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle    and come to their end without hope. 7   “Remember that my life is a breath;    my eye will never again see good.8   The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more;    while your eyes are on me, I shall be gone.9   As the cloud fades and vanishes,    so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up;10   he returns no more to his house,    nor does his place know him anymore. 11   “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;    I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;    I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.12   Am I the sea, or a sea monster,    that you set a guard over me?13   When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,    my couch will ease my complaint,'14   then you scare me with dreams    and terrify me with visions,15   so that I would choose strangling    and death rather than my bones.16   I loathe my life; I would not live forever.    Leave me alone, for my days are a breath.17   What is man, that you make so much of him,    and that you set your heart on him,18   visit him every morning    and test him every moment?19   How long will you not look away from me,    nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?20   If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of mankind?    Why have you made me your mark?    Why have I become a burden to you?21   Why do you not pardon my transgression    and take away my iniquity?  For now I shall lie in the earth;    you will seek me, but I shall not be.” Footnotes [1] 4:6 Hebrew lacks of God [2] 4:17 Or more than; twice in this verse [3] 4:19 Or before [4] 5:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [5] 5:5 Aquila, Symmachus, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew could be read as and the snare pants [6] 5:5 Hebrew their [7] 5:19 Or disaster [8] 5:27 Hebrew for yourself [9] 6:6 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [10] 6:7 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [11] 6:10 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [12] 6:14 Syriac, Vulgate (compare Targum); the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain (ESV)

Today on the show, still doing something different, I talked about technology, what's happening and how to protect yourself. Also, I discussed how to leverage your podcast after a show and finally shared the story behind the dHarmic rising star Spotify playlists. And just as a teaser, we will be having guests from all over the world very soon. So, strap up your seatbelt and enjoy this wonderful episode on the dHarmic Evolution podcast.   As a preview:  On technology, I switched to the Brave browser, an ad-blocking privacy browser that helps keep my browsing info private. Whenever I'm doing something sensitive, especially relating to my financial accounts, I use Brave. Another cool perk is you get paid for the viewing ads of your choice!  Regarding podcasts, I wanted to drop some growth hacks. When you are invited to a show, leverage that opportunity as an infomercial. Don't just shut off your microphone and move on, take some steps to promote. Share it across your socials and even follow up just to get feedback and continue to build on a blossoming relationship. Lastly, the dHarmic rising stars Spotify playlist is a Spotify playlist of 30 songs each that I created and named after certain star constellations. A very eclectic bunch of great songs from various genres are available on these playlists! Also, as a guest on the podcast, you get to put one of your songs on the playlist for free. Listen and enjoy  Quotes: “I worry that we are getting too complacent on letting our private information run rampant on the Internet”  “Keep your software updated and turn your phone off at least once a day”  “After your show is done, think of ways of how to keep it alive”  “Having your infomercial is very powerful, you took the time to do this, you showed up, you invested the energy and did the right things; don't let it die”  “There are always things right in front of us that we tend to overlook” “I've been doing this for a long time, and I am very comfortable in trying to make people comfortable on the show”  “You're tired of your own music at times. Where do you go for inspiration? Other artists, of course!”  Time Stamps: 00:33 Special shoutout to Indian listeners  03:36 Talking about technology & privacy 04:07 My switch from Chrome to the Brave browser 06:00 The Brave AdBlocker 06:23 The BAT token 09:03 Jeff Brown 10:56 Light pollution and E.M. radiation 12:22 What do you do with your podcast after being on someone's show? 13:48 Requirement for getting onto the show 15:28 My secret super link strategy 18:29 Identifying your warm leads 20:21 More marketing techniques 21:23 Introducing the dHarmic Rising Stars Spotify playlists 23:08 Why did I start the dHarmic Rising Stars Spotify playlist? 24:47 Rules guiding the Rising dHarmic Stars Spotify playlists 26:48 Worrying about copying other artists. 29:01 Megan Nadin's Beautiful Things from the Aquila playlist 31:46 Introducing A Million Miles Away from the Fighting for Frequency Band 36:14 The Lust in Between from Laura Cheadle 39:48 Introducing Stone Senate 41:45 Whiskey Helps starts playing Spotify Playlist: Make sure you're not missing out on all our “Rising dHarmic Stars Spotify Playlists”. We already have four (4) playlists where you can find over a hundred songs from our very own dHarmic Evolution alumni. Don't forget to share them with your family and friends as well and let the world support these amazing indie artists! Check out the links here:  dHarmic Rising Stars: Aquila dHarmic Rising Stars: Orion  dHarmic Rising Stars: Lyra dHarmic Rising Stars: Scorpius   dHarmic Evolution links:  Stay up-to-date with our new releases! You just simply need to go to dharmicevolution.com and subscribe to your favorite podcast platform – there is a lot to choose from! Let me know what you think as well by leaving comments or reviews! And if you're digging this show, please share it with somebody either on social media or just forward it to a friend and let them join the growing dHarmic Evolution Community!  Hey, do you know someone who is suffering from anxiety and depression? Please help them out by suggesting the book “7 Steps to Mental Freedom.” It will be a great read for them. You can easily find it as well on the main page of the website or you can just send them to https://tinyurl.com/25a994tw  Keep yourself updated with what's going on with dHarmic evolution, check out our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dharmicevolution, if you are an artist, an author, or a keynote speaker, who is trying to find a safe place to post your content, you can check out our own Facebook community page and let the world support you! Check out the link here: dHarmic Evolution Community.  Special Links and Mentions Tim Ferris Brave Jeff Brown DE254 David Burkus, teaching us how to leverage what we already have! DE290 Megan Nadin, Debut Album “This Was Then” One of Her Beautiful Things DE312 Fighting for Frequency Brings Us Together with Their Music DE176 Laura Cheadle | Teaching us how to “Chill” DE328 Stone Senate Keeps Southern Rock Alive from Dawn to Dusk Listen to James Kevin O'Connor's Connected

Message from Pastor Warren Johnson on April 27, 2022

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. In recently weeks we have been discussing Paul's ministry in the city of Corinth. It was a city that was so lost to paganism and idolatry that Paul probably wondered if it was possible for God to do anything there at all. But then Paul receives a vision in which God gives Him a command and a promise. He commands Paul to speak boldly (so there's that faith element, which almost always comes first) and then promises to protect him. And so Paul takes that step of faith and lo and behold God steps in; because though some of the unbelieving Jews sought to get the proconsul (Gallio) to prosecute Paul, Gallio does the complete opposite and sets a precedent that Rome was not going to get involved in Jewish affairs (which they saw Christianity as being, seeing it as just another sect of Judaism). And so God kept His promise. But not only did God protect Paul, but He also blessed his ministry, as it tells us that Paul was even able to establish a church there in Corinth; a church that bore tremendous fruit. And this is a reminder to us that when things seem darkest and we feel the most broken, it is then that God is often able to produce some of His greatest fruit. One of the greatest verses in scripture that you and I can ever lean on actually comes from one of his letters to this Corinthian Church. It says in… 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)— 9 And He {(“the Lord”)} said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. God Always Comes Through— What a wonderful reminder that even we we might feel we have nothing left to give, God still promises to use us and come through for us. Now because of this reprieve, Paul was able to stay in Corinth and minister without any hindrance. It says in… Acts 18:18a (NKJV)— 18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, Syria— Now Syria is where Palestine is. But remember that Paul's all the way over in Greece. And that's no small distance. And so what he had to do was he had to get on a boat and sail about 15 miles which, when you consider how slow boats were during this time, it was a fairly long trip. And it's interesting that it tells us… Acts 18:18b (NKJV)— and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. Priscilla & Aquila Come— Now the only way Paul would have allowed this was if there were others who could take on the responsibility of pastoring the Corinthian Church. And so the fact that the church there no longer needed him and no longer needed Pricilla and Aquila tells us how Paul was building up that church. Did he preach and teach? Yes, we are told that in verse 11. But just as importantly we see that that included training church leaders. And that is so key, because the way you know your church is doing well or not is by answering a simple question: What would happen if my pastor (like Paul) left for a prolonged period of time? Would the church fall apart because he had absorbed all the focus and ministry? Or would the church carry on as usual (completely un-phased) because he had given proper attention to the discipleship and training of new leaders? That's one of the strength of Paul's ministry, which of course is a reflection of the ministry of Jesus. Invest in the few to reach the many. That is how the Church is built up. So we see that Paul leaves with Priscilla and Aquila. And Priscilla and Aquila don't abandon their leather-working & tent-making business. They simply pick up and move it. And all three make their way to Cenchrea. And it says of Paul in… Acts 18:18c (NKJV)— He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, “hair cut off”— Now this is kind of an unusual event to have recorded for us in scripture. We don't typically think of haircuts as a big deal; unless of course men it's your wife who has gotten her hair cut; and then it is a big deal and you better notice. But even so, why do we have THIS haircut recorded for us for all Christians to read about for the rest of time? We know that the Holy Spirit inspired and guided Luke to include only what He wanted; but it seems like such an odd thing to focus on. This is further seen when we note that at this time Cenchrea (and we know this from Romans 16) had a church. But the Holy Spirit skips any mention of that church and jumps right to the haircut, only using the location of Cenchrea to signify where it was that Paul's haircut took place. But we begin to see the significance of this when it says of Paul in… Acts 18:18d (NKJV)— for he had taken a vow. The Nazirite Vow— And so we see that this haircut has to do with vow; a special kind of a vow that we find in the Old Testament (and which described in detail in Numbers 6:1-21) called the Nazirite Vow. It was a special kind of vow taken when a Jew wanted to thank God in a special way for some blessing that he had received from God. Now what had Paul received from God? Well, he had received a promise from God (in a vision) to protect him and bless his ministry. And so (like any good Jew whose heart is filled with gratitude towards God) Paul wants to express his thankfulness. And the Nazirite Vow was the best ways he could of think of to do that. Origin of Nazirite Vow— But what is a Nazirite Vow and where did it come from? Well, no one knows exactly where the Nazirite practice first came from. The directives given in Numbers 6 didn't actually establish the practice, but rather regulated it in order to bring it into harmony with the larger body of the Mosaic law. It was likely around for much longer. Meaning of “Nazirite”— But we are well-equipped to tell what it means; because the term “Nazirite” [comes from the verb nāzar, to “separate,”]. And so the Nazirite is someone who has separated themselves from certain things so that they might be more fully devoted to God (cf. Gen. 49:26; Deut. 33:16). And those things the Nazirite was to abstain from were the eating of meat, partaking of the grapes of the vine (which included abstaining from drinking wine), and coming into any contact with a dead body (even the body of a close relative). And the key physical trait that distinguished the Nazirite was that the Nazirite would allow his hair to grow for the full length of whatever was the period of his vow. The typical period for a Nazirite Vow was 30 days, though some went for 60 days, some for 100 days, and some were for life. We have only three examples of Nazirites who were Nazirites for life: Samson (Judg. 13:5, 12-14), Samuel (1 Sam. 1:11), and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15). Now we don't know how long Paul had been under this Nazirite Vow; perhaps he began when he started making preparations to leave Corinth. But whatever the span of time, he was abstaining from meat, the fruit of the vine, and anything dead. And he's allowing his hair to grow long. Why The Hair?— Now why was the hair (of all things) chosen as the outward symbol for the Nazirite? Well the word nēzer in Hebrew (which contains the original idea of nāzar) means a “diadem”. What is a diadem? A crown. Where does a crown go? On the head. And so the hair was seen as the crown, the ornament of the head (6:5; cf. 2 Sam. 14:25-26). And so [the Nazirite is {seen to be} a “crowned one,” because “his separation to God is on his head” (Num. 6:7). Now long uncut hair (though ordinarily not thought appropriate for a Jewish man to have) was nevertheless a symbol of strength and abundant vitality (see 2 Sam. 14:25-26). But for the Nazirite there was also a spiritual side to it, because it was an outward reminder that he was dedicated to God; that he belonged to God in a special way. It was a diadem not just because having long hair was luxurious (as every hair product commercial will tell you) but because he had become crowned with God Himself. And so Paul is, in a posture of thanksgiving, living under a symbol of gratitude, sanctification, and awareness of the presence of God in His life. Now you and I may never take a Nazirite Vow, partially because we are not Jews. But nevertheless, shouldn't there also be in our lives symbols of thanksgiving and consecration? What can I do to demonstrate (to consummate with my actions) the love and devotion I say I have for God? That is something worth taking the time to answer. Closure of the Vow— Now at the time of the end of the vow, what would happen (and this is no doubt what Paul did) was he would bring an offering to the temple and would then [cut off his “dedicated head of hair” (i.e., the hair that had grown during the period of his consecration) at the door of the Tabernacle {(though we see Paul cut his off earlier)} and…put it into the fire under the sacrifice on the altar.….When all the service was concluded the late Nazirite was again at liberty to drink wine (Num. 6:20).] A Priestly Life— Now all this may seem kind of strange to us, but when we understand the purpose of this practice (being consecrated to God in a special way) and how the Nazirite was considered to be “holy to the Lord” (as Numbers 6:8 says), we see that there is a lot of significance in this for us as well. It is interesting that two Jewish philosophers (Philo and Maimonides) describe the Nazirite as being similar in their standing with God as the priests themselves. The only difference was that Nazirites had no official service at the sanctuary and their time of dedication was temporary and voluntary. But the Nazirites were to live a priestly life during the period of their vows, being free of anything connected with death or the sinful pattern of this world. They were to live during the period of their vow lives of self-surrender to God. Now this is incredible, because you will remember that on Sinai, God gave Moses a vision of what He wanted Israel to become. It says… Exodus 19:3-6 (NKJV)— 3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I [a]bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” A Picture of Sanctification— And so we see that God's goal, of which the Nazirite's sanctification was a picture, was that all people might become His priests; that they might be consecrated to Him and live lives holy/set apart to Him, free from anything that might defile. And that cleansing was to be not temporary (like the Nazirite Vow) but permanent. In fact, listen to Paul talk about this when he writes to the Corinthian church in… 2 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV)— 17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” Us Set Apart— You see, Paul saw it necessary that every Christian live lives set apart to God. Now although this was simply a vow (a work) that the Nazirite gave, we have to recognize that [it was also a work of the Spirit of God which dwelt in the congregation of Israel]. Because the prophet Amos describes [the raising up of Nazirites along with prophets as a special manifestation of divine grace”]. And anywhere in Israel's history where they were doing really well spiritually, there was an abundance of Nazirites. When Israel was the sickest spiritually was also when there were the fewest Nazirites. There was usually a strong strong correlation between the two. Few Set Apart— And the same thing is true in our nation. Our nation is more spiritually weak now than it has ever been. And that is not because of a lack of Christians. It is because many of the Christians we have are not yet fully given over to Jesus Christ. We are looking forward to future crowns in heaven, but are not wearing in this world the diadems of lives sanctified and set apart to God. We are not living as sojourners in this world. We are living as permanent residents. But Paul definitely saw himself differently; and he certainly was not a permanent resident of this world or really any place in this world. He was constantly moving from place to place, his eyes set on the Kingdom and doing what he could to grow that Kingdom. Be Set Apart— And you know, that is how you and I need to live; not necessarily as Nazirites, but as people set apart, recognizing that we have been called out from the world to be holy unto God. Let us commit to allow God to make us holy unto Him, in every way. Amen.

There's a proper way of bringing men who don't fully understand the truth to the truth. In all we do we must ensure we don't quench the zeal of men. In love and wisdom the souls of men will be preserved for true purpose..

Dr. Dominic Aquila joins Camden Bucey to speak about the history of Presbyterian publications. While they focus primarily on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Dr. Aquila connects this storied history to the recent past and the dramatic shifts in communication that have come about with the introduction of the Internet and technologies such as social media. Dominic Aquila is the President of New Geneva Seminary, and editor of The Aquila Report. He has pastored churches in Virginia, California, Colorado, and Florida. Dr. Aquila has served on a number of Committees in the Presbyterian Church in America, including Mission to the World (MTW) and the Standing Judicial Commission.

Dr. Dominic Aquila joins Camden Bucey to speak about the history of Presbyterian publications. While they focus primarily on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Dr. Aquila connects this storied history to the recent past and the dramatic shifts in communication that have come about with the introduction of the Internet and technologies such as social […]

With family: Leviticus 25; Psalm 32 Leviticus 25 (Listen) The Sabbath Year 25 The LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the LORD. 3 For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, 4 but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. 5 You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. 6 The Sabbath of the land1 shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves2 and for your hired worker and the sojourner who lives with you, 7 and for your cattle and for the wild animals that are in your land: all its yield shall be for food. The Year of Jubilee 8 “You shall count seven weeks3 of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years. 9 Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. 10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan. 11 That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. 12 For it is a jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field.4 13 “In this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his property. 14 And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. 15 You shall pay your neighbor according to the number of years after the jubilee, and he shall sell to you according to the number of years for crops. 16 If the years are many, you shall increase the price, and if the years are few, you shall reduce the price, for it is the number of the crops that he is selling to you. 17 You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the LORD your God. 18 “Therefore you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely. 19 The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and dwell in it securely. 20 And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?' 21 I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years. 22 When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating some of the old crop; you shall eat the old until the ninth year, when its crop arrives. Redemption of Property 23 “The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me. 24 And in all the country you possess, you shall allow a redemption of the land. 25 “If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what his brother has sold. 26 If a man has no one to redeem it and then himself becomes prosperous and finds sufficient means to redeem it, 27 let him calculate the years since he sold it and pay back the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and then return to his property. 28 But if he does not have sufficient means to recover it, then what he sold shall remain in the hand of the buyer until the year of jubilee. In the jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property. 29 “If a man sells a dwelling house in a walled city, he may redeem it within a year of its sale. For a full year he shall have the right of redemption. 30 If it is not redeemed within a full year, then the house in the walled city shall belong in perpetuity to the buyer, throughout his generations; it shall not be released in the jubilee. 31 But the houses of the villages that have no wall around them shall be classified with the fields of the land. They may be redeemed, and they shall be released in the jubilee. 32 As for the cities of the Levites, the Levites may redeem at any time the houses in the cities they possess. 33 And if one of the Levites exercises his right of redemption, then the house that was sold in a city they possess shall be released in the jubilee. For the houses in the cities of the Levites are their possession among the people of Israel. 34 But the fields of pastureland belonging to their cities may not be sold, for that is their possession forever. Kindness for Poor Brothers 35 “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. 36 Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. 37 You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. 38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. 39 “If your brother becomes poor beside you and sells himself to you, you shall not make him serve as a slave: 40 he shall be with you as a hired worker and as a sojourner. He shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. 41 Then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and go back to his own clan and return to the possession of his fathers. 42 For they are my servants,5 whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. 43 You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God. 44 As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are around you. 45 You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their clans that are with you, who have been born in your land, and they may be your property. 46 You may bequeath them to your sons after you to inherit as a possession forever. You may make slaves of them, but over your brothers the people of Israel you shall not rule, one over another ruthlessly. Redeeming a Poor Man 47 “If a stranger or sojourner with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him becomes poor and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner with you or to a member of the stranger's clan, 48 then after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him, 49 or his uncle or his cousin may redeem him, or a close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he grows rich he may redeem himself. 50 He shall calculate with his buyer from the year when he sold himself to him until the year of jubilee, and the price of his sale shall vary with the number of years. The time he was with his owner shall be rated as the time of a hired worker. 51 If there are still many years left, he shall pay proportionately for his redemption some of his sale price. 52 If there remain but a few years until the year of jubilee, he shall calculate and pay for his redemption in proportion to his years of service. 53 He shall treat him as a worker hired year by year. He shall not rule ruthlessly over him in your sight. 54 And if he is not redeemed by these means, then he and his children with him shall be released in the year of jubilee. 55 For it is to me that the people of Israel are servants.6 They are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. Footnotes [1] 25:6 That is, the Sabbath produce of the land [2] 25:6 Or servants [3] 25:8 Or Sabbaths [4] 25:12 Or countryside [5] 25:42 Hebrew slaves [6] 25:55 Or slaves (ESV) Psalm 32 (Listen) Blessed Are the Forgiven A Maskil1 of David. 32   Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,    whose sin is covered.2   Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,    and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3   For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away    through my groaning all day long.4   For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;    my strength was dried up2 as by the heat of summer. Selah 5   I acknowledged my sin to you,    and I did not cover my iniquity;  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah 6   Therefore let everyone who is godly    offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;  surely in the rush of great waters,    they shall not reach him.7   You are a hiding place for me;    you preserve me from trouble;    you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah 8   I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.9   Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,    which must be curbed with bit and bridle,    or it will not stay near you. 10   Many are the sorrows of the wicked,    but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.11   Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,    and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Footnotes [1] 32:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 32:4 Hebrew my vitality was changed (ESV) In private: Ecclesiastes 8; 2 Timothy 4 Ecclesiastes 8 (Listen) Keep the King's Command 8   Who is like the wise?    And who knows the interpretation of a thing?  A man's wisdom makes his face shine,    and the hardness of his face is changed. 2 I say:1 Keep the king's command, because of God's oath to him.2 3 Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.3 6 For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble4 lies heavy on him. 7 For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9 All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt. Those Who Fear God Will Do Well 10 Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised5 in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity.6 11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God. Man Cannot Know God's Ways 14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun. 16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one's eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out. Footnotes [1] 8:2 Hebrew lacks say [2] 8:2 Or because of your oath to God [3] 8:5 Or and judgment [4] 8:6 Or evil [5] 8:10 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts forgotten [6] 8:10 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also twice in verse 14 (see note on 1:2) (ESV) 2 Timothy 4 (Listen) Preach the Word 4 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound1 teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. Personal Instructions 9 Do your best to come to me soon. 10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia,2 Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. 12 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Final Greetings 19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. 21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.3 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.4 Footnotes [1] 4:3 Or healthy [2] 4:10 Some manuscripts Gaul [3] 4:21 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters [4] 4:22 The Greek for you is plural (ESV)

What Matters Most As A CEO - Mark E. Watson III; Founder & Chairman at Aquila Capital Partners | Riderflex - Recruiting & Sourcing For over 25 years, Mark E. Watson III has been an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. Throughout his career, Watson ran 2 public companies—saving one from insolvency and turning it into a market leader with $10 billion in assets—acquired dozens of companies, both public and private, hired thousands of people, and navigated through major world crises. Through his investment firm Aquila Capital Partners, which he cofounded in 1998, Watson supports the next generation of entrepreneurs who build innovative, technology-enabled companies. With expertise in investment, capital allocation, and strategy, Aquila has been helping innovative entrepreneurs build and scale their companies for over 25 years, by providing both financial and intellectual capital. Invested in over a dozen companies in: - FinTech/InsureTech - AI - BioTech - Direct-to-Consumer brands https://www.aquilacapitalpartners.com/ Watch the Full Interview: https://youtu.be/qUu012Yz6-U On the Riderflex podcast, CEO Steve Urban interviews some of the most successful entrepreneurs, CEO's, and business leaders. Hear them tell the "REAL" stories of what it's like to start and lead businesses. Riderflex is a national, Colorado based, premier headhunter, RPO and employment agency; recruiting and searching the top talent for staffing your teams. Top Executive Recruiting Firm - https://riderflex.com/ Podcast sponsor: Marketing 360 is the #1 platform for small business and it's everything you need to grow your business. marketing360.com/riderflex #MarkEWatsonIII #AquilaCapital #startups #podcast #interview #entrepreneur #ColoradoRecruitingFirm #TopExecutiveRecruitingFirm #staffingagency #employmentagency #headhunter #recruitingfirm #staffing #staffingfirm #Denver #Colorado #National #Riderflex --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/riderflex/support

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 29–30 Deuteronomy 29–30 (Listen) The Covenant Renewed in Moab 29 1 These are the words of the covenant that the LORD commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant that he had made with them at Horeb. 2 2 And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: “You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, 3 the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. 4 But to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear. 5 I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet. 6 You have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink, that you may know that I am the LORD your God. 7 And when you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out against us to battle, but we defeated them. 8 We took their land and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites. 9 Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may prosper3 in all that you do. 10 “You are standing today, all of you, before the LORD your God: the heads of your tribes,4 your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel, 11 your little ones, your wives, and the sojourner who is in your camp, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water, 12 so that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is making with you today, 13 that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 14 It is not with you alone that I am making this sworn covenant, 15 but with whoever is standing here with us today before the LORD our God, and with whoever is not here with us today. 16 “You know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed. 17 And you have seen their detestable things, their idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them. 18 Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the LORD our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, 19 one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.' This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike. 20 The LORD will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and the curses written in this book will settle upon him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven. 21 And the LORD will single him out from all the tribes of Israel for calamity, in accordance with all the curses of the covenant written in this Book of the Law. 22 And the next generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, will say, when they see the afflictions of that land and the sicknesses with which the LORD has made it sick—23 the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger and wrath—24 all the nations will say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land? What caused the heat of this great anger?' 25 Then people will say, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt, 26 and went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they had not known and whom he had not allotted to them. 27 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, bringing upon it all the curses written in this book, 28 and the LORD uprooted them from their land in anger and fury and great wrath, and cast them into another land, as they are this day.' 29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Repentance and Forgiveness 30 “And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God has driven you, 2 and return to the LORD your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. 4 If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. 5 And the LORD your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. 6 And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. 7 And the LORD your God will put all these curses on your foes and enemies who persecuted you. 8 And you shall again obey the voice of the LORD and keep all his commandments that I command you today. 9 The LORD your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the LORD will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, 10 when you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. The Choice of Life and Death 11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. 15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God5 that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules,6 then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” Footnotes [1] 29:1 Ch 28:69 in Hebrew [2] 29:2 Ch 29:1 in Hebrew [3] 29:9 Or deal wisely [4] 29:10 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew your heads, your tribes [5] 30:16 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God [6] 30:16 Or his just decrees (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 94 Psalm 94 (Listen) The Lord Will Not Forsake His People 94   O LORD, God of vengeance,    O God of vengeance, shine forth!2   Rise up, O judge of the earth;    repay to the proud what they deserve!3   O LORD, how long shall the wicked,    how long shall the wicked exult?4   They pour out their arrogant words;    all the evildoers boast.5   They crush your people, O LORD,    and afflict your heritage.6   They kill the widow and the sojourner,    and murder the fatherless;7   and they say, “The LORD does not see;    the God of Jacob does not perceive.” 8   Understand, O dullest of the people!    Fools, when will you be wise?9   He who planted the ear, does he not hear?  He who formed the eye, does he not see?10   He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?  He who teaches man knowledge—11     the LORD—knows the thoughts of man,    that they are but a breath.1 12   Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD,    and whom you teach out of your law,13   to give him rest from days of trouble,    until a pit is dug for the wicked.14   For the LORD will not forsake his people;    he will not abandon his heritage;15   for justice will return to the righteous,    and all the upright in heart will follow it. 16   Who rises up for me against the wicked?    Who stands up for me against evildoers?17   If the LORD had not been my help,    my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.18   When I thought, “My foot slips,”    your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.19   When the cares of my heart are many,    your consolations cheer my soul.20   Can wicked rulers be allied with you,    those who frame2 injustice by statute?21   They band together against the life of the righteous    and condemn the innocent to death.322   But the LORD has become my stronghold,    and my God the rock of my refuge.23   He will bring back on them their iniquity    and wipe them out for their wickedness;    the LORD our God will wipe them out. Footnotes [1] 94:11 Septuagint they are futile [2] 94:20 Or fashion [3] 94:21 Hebrew condemn innocent blood (ESV) New Testament: Acts 18 Acts 18 (Listen) Paul in Corinth 18 After this Paul1 left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews2 made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this. Paul Returns to Antioch 18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers3 and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit,4 he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. Footnotes [1] 18:1 Greek he [2] 18:12 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verses 14 (twice), 28 [3] 18:18 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 27 [4] 18:25 Or in the Spirit (ESV)

People are always complaining that Hollywood's run out of ideas: Everything's a remake or a sequel or a comic book movie. But in 1985, things were wild. Wanna make a movie about a guy who turns into a wolf and a chick who turns into a bird so that they can never be together? Go for it; we'll even throw in Matthew Broderick and a score by Alan Parsons. The Shat Crew's been waiting a long time to do "Ladyhawke," but it took listener Jose to stand up, raise his sword high in the air, and dedicate this medieval fantasy in the name of true love. It's a movie that taught us not to take "Game of Thrones" for granted, a movie that Ash felt needed talking animals, and a movie that made Big D ponder life's big questions, like "Can a crossbow shoot a hawk in flight?" and "How does a werewolf get his clothes back?" But most of all, "Ladyhawke" was a movie that bet on Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Alfred Molina being able to bring a wild-ass tale with a funky-ass soundtrack to life. How did they do? Listen and find out.  SUBSCRIBEAndroid: https://shatpod.com/android Apple: https://shatpod.com/apple All: https://shatpod.com/subscribe CONTACTEmail: hosts@shatpod.com Website: https://shatpod.com/movies Leave a Voicemail: Web: https://shatpod.com/voicemail Leave a Voicemail: Call: (914) 719-7428 SUPPORT THE PODCASTDonate or Commission: https://shatpod.com/support Shop Merchandise: https://shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. Today we will be continuing our study of Acts chapter 18. So if you have your Bible, go ahead and turn with me there. You will remember that Paul has (most recently) entered into the city of Corinth, the political and commercial center of Greece. And it is here that he works as a tentmaker alongside a Jewish man and woman (Aquila and Priscilla) who themselves have been driven out (as all the Jews were) from Rome. And so during the week they make leather tents (and perhaps other leather items as well) and sell them. But on the Sabbath Paul would reason in the synagogue with the Jews and Gentiles who had gathered there to worship and persuaded some of them of the truth of the Gospel. Now Silas and Timothy eventually arrive. And 2 Corinthians 11:9 tells us that they do so bringing financial aid. And this allowed Paul to be more freed to devote himself fully to preaching the Gospel. But enemies had set themselves against Paul; and Paul had faced the rejection of many of his own people, most recently here in Corinth. And so it is a time of discouragement. And he may be wondering how he is ever going to do what God has called him to do. But God gave Paul an amazing promise that extends to you and me as well. And today I would like to take a look at that promise. Remembering 9/11— You know, most of you (myself included) remember right where you were when you heard the news that terrorists had hit the World Trade Center buildings on 9/11. It's a day we will never forget. But recently I read (I think for the first time, though I had seen part of it before) the 911 call from United Airlines Flight 93, where a very terrified passenger by the name of Todd Beamer was frantically telling the dispatcher about the hijacking of their plane. And the dispatcher confirmed for him what he had already heard, that hijackers had crashed two planes into the World Trade Center and that both towers were gone. “Oh God —help us!” he said. She told him that a third plane was taken over by terrorists, who crashed it into the pentagon; and his plane may also be part of their plan. Then Todd, in shock, asked the dispatcher (whose name was Lisa) to call his pregnant wife (whose name, surprisingly, was also Lisa) and their two boys, tell them what happened, and tell her that he loves her and will always love her; and to tell his boys that their daddy loves them and that he is so proud of them. Later in the call another dispatcher joins in the conversation. Goodwin: Hello Todd. This is Agent Goodwin with the FBI. We have been monitoring your flight. Your plane is on a course for Washington, DC. These terrorists sent two planes into the World Trade Center and one plane into the Pentagon. Our best guess is that they plan to fly your plane into either the White House or the United States Capital Building. Todd: I understand…hold on……I'll…….I'll be back.. Lisa: Mr. Goodwin, how much time do they have before they get to Washington? Goodwin: Not long ma'am. They changed course over Cleveland; they're approaching Pittsburgh now. Washington may be twenty minutes away. Todd: (breathing a little heavier) The plane seems to be changing directions just a little. It's getting pretty rough up here. The plane is flying real erratic….We're not going to make it out of here. Listen to me….I want you to hear this….I have talked with the others….we have decided we would not be pawns in these hijackers suicidal plot. Lisa: Todd, what are you going to do? Todd: We've hatched a plan. Four of us are going to rush the hijacker with the bomb. After we take him out, we'll break into the cockpit. A stewardess is getting some boiling water to throw on the hijackers at the controls. We'll get them….and we'll take them out. Lisa, …..will you do one last thing for me? Lisa: Yes…What is it? Todd: Would you pray with me? They pray: Our father which 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 our trespassers, And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory Forever…..Amen The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want… He makes me to lie down in green pastures He leads me beside the still waters He restores my soul He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me….. Todd: (softer) God help me…Jesus help me….(clears throat and louder) Are you guys ready?…….. Let's Roll…………………… Thou Art With Me— And of course we know that Todd and the other passengers succeeded. They (at the cost of their own lives) were able to overcome the terrorists and crash the plane, saving God knows how many lives in what is no doubt one of the greatest acts of heroism in American history. Now I cannot imagine how afraid Todd and those passengers must have been. Yet they were somehow able to rise above that fear and take action. And the secret to that courage might be found in the last words Todd prayed from Psalm 23: for thou art with me. I don't know if there are any more encouraging words in scripture than those; to know that in the midst of whatever we face, God is with us. Perhaps that is why God has seen fit to interweave this promise throughout all of scripture. He says in… Genesis 28:15 ESV— Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Joshua 1:9— "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Isaiah 41:10— "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 43:2 ESV— When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Deuteronomy 31:6— "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Zephaniah 3:17— "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Matthew 28:20— "Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” A Promise That Carries Us— It is this promise of God to be with us no matter what that can help us to carry on His work in the face of the most intense trials and persecutions. And it is no surprise that it is this promise that God gives to Paul as he is no doubt discouraged from his having faced rejection and adversity in just about every place he has been ministering in, most recently from his Jewish brothers there in Corinth. And so God comes to him by night and appears to him in a vision. It says in… Acts 18:9-10 (NKJV)— 9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” A Dark Situation— Now the reason that God said this was because remember that recently Crispus, the synagogue ruler, converted to faith in Christ in and through the ministry of Paul. And that was great, because it opened up more opportunities for Paul to evangelize. But it also brought more opposition from the enemy. The unbelieving Jews in Corinth were furious at Paul's success and set themselves against him and his ministry with the aim to silence and get rid of him. Now Luke does not give us much detail on this, but it seems that between verses 8 and 9 the situation has become especially difficult and dangerous for Paul; so dangerous that Paul may have even been thinking about leaving Corinth altogether, as he had been forced to do from some of the other cities he had ministered in. But, as we have been talking about, God always provides encouragement when we need it most. And that encouragement can come through His Word, through the ministry of other people, or even directly from God through prayer. But no matter how He does it, God speaks to us when we need Him most. And God tells Paul that because He is with him, he doesn't need to be afraid, but can speak freely without feeling like he needs to keep silent in order to be safe. Fear Not— Now there have probably been times in your life when you have heard God speaking a soft and tender “Fear not!” into your life to quiet your heart and give you peace amidst the storms of life. “Fear not!” [is the way He assured Abraham (Gen. 15:1), Isaac (Gen. 26:24), and Jacob (Gen. 46:3), as well as Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20:15–17), Daniel (Dan. 10:12, 19), Mary (Luke 1:30), and Peter (Luke 5:10).] And that is how God assures us as well. “it is a fact!”— [British preacher G. Campbell Morgan used to read the Bible each week to two elderly women. One evening, when he finished reading the closing words of Matthew 28, Morgan said to the women, “Isn't that a wonderful promise!” and one of them replied, “Young man, that is not a promise—it is a fact!”] Paul Experiences “Immanuel”— And that was definitely a fact for Paul. [Jesus had already appeared to Paul on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1–6; 26:12–18) and also in the temple (Acts 22:17–18). Paul would be encouraged by Him again when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem (Acts 23:11) and later in Rome (2 Tim. 4:16–17). Our Lord's angel would also appear to Paul in the midst of the storm and give him a word of assurance for the passengers and crew (Acts 27:23–25).] And this really shows that the title we call Jesus by (especially during Christmas time), “Immanuel—God with us” (Matt. 1:23) is a name that our Savior really lives up to. And I want to tell you today that Jesus is with you. And therefore you can take courage. One hymn speak this Word of God into our lives like no other: “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.” “When through the deep waters I call thee to go, The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow; For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless, And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.” Know this week that Christ is with you in whatever you are facing; and that, if you abide in Him, He will do His work through you. Amen.

A healthy Christian marriage is itself a tremendous witness for Jesus in the world. 

5 Lent First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137   By the waters of Babylon,    there we sat down and wept,    when we remembered Zion.2   On the willows1 there    we hung up our lyres.3   For there our captors    required of us songs,  and our tormentors, mirth, saying,    “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4   How shall we sing the LORD's song    in a foreign land?5   If I forget you, O Jerusalem,    let my right hand forget its skill!6   Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,    if I do not remember you,  if I do not set Jerusalem    above my highest joy! 7   Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites    the day of Jerusalem,  how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,    down to its foundations!”8   O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,    blessed shall he be who repays you    with what you have done to us!9   Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones    and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144   Blessed be the LORD, my rock,    who trains my hands for war,    and my fingers for battle;2   he is my steadfast love and my fortress,    my stronghold and my deliverer,  my shield and he in whom I take refuge,    who subdues peoples1 under me. 3   O LORD, what is man that you regard him,    or the son of man that you think of him?4   Man is like a breath;    his days are like a passing shadow. 5   Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down!    Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6   Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;    send out your arrows and rout them!7   Stretch out your hand from on high;    rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,    from the hand of foreigners,8   whose mouths speak lies    and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9   I will sing a new song to you, O God;    upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10   who gives victory to kings,    who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11   Rescue me and deliver me    from the hand of foreigners,  whose mouths speak lies    and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12   May our sons in their youth    be like plants full grown,  our daughters like corner pillars    cut for the structure of a palace;13   may our granaries be full,    providing all kinds of produce;  may our sheep bring forth thousands    and ten thousands in our fields;14   may our cattle be heavy with young,    suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2  may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15   Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!    Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalms 42–43 Psalms 42–43 (Listen) Book Two Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul? To the choirmaster. A Maskil1 of the Sons of Korah. 42   As a deer pants for flowing streams,    so pants my soul for you, O God.2   My soul thirsts for God,    for the living God.  When shall I come and appear before God?23   My tears have been my food    day and night,  while they say to me all the day long,    “Where is your God?”4   These things I remember,    as I pour out my soul:  how I would go with the throng    and lead them in procession to the house of God  with glad shouts and songs of praise,    a multitude keeping festival. 5   Why are you cast down, O my soul,    and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,    my salvation3 6 and my God.   My soul is cast down within me;    therefore I remember you  from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,    from Mount Mizar.7   Deep calls to deep    at the roar of your waterfalls;  all your breakers and your waves    have gone over me.8   By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,    and at night his song is with me,    a prayer to the God of my life.9   I say to God, my rock:    “Why have you forgotten me?  Why do I go mourning    because of the oppression of the enemy?”10   As with a deadly wound in my bones,    my adversaries taunt me,  while they say to me all the day long,    “Where is your God?” 11   Why are you cast down, O my soul,    and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,    my salvation and my God. Send Out Your Light and Your Truth 43   Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause    against an ungodly people,  from the deceitful and unjust man    deliver me!2   For you are the God in whom I take refuge;    why have you rejected me?  Why do I go about mourning    because of the oppression of the enemy? 3   Send out your light and your truth;    let them lead me;  let them bring me to your holy hill    and to your dwelling!4   Then I will go to the altar of God,    to God my exceeding joy,  and I will praise you with the lyre,    O God, my God. 5   Why are you cast down, O my soul,    and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,    my salvation and my God. Footnotes [1] 42:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 42:2 Revocalization yields and see the face of God [3] 42:5 Hebrew the salvation of my face; also verse 11 and 43:5 (ESV) Old Testament: Exodus 10:21–11:8 Exodus 10:21–11:8 (Listen) The Ninth Plague: Darkness 21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived. 24 Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” 25 But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 26 Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.” 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.” 29 Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.” A Final Plague Threatened 11 The LORD said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” 3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people. 4 So Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.' 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.' And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. (ESV) New Testament: 2 Corinthians 4:13–18 2 Corinthians 4:13–18 (Listen) 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self1 is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Footnotes [1] 4:16 Greek man (ESV) Gospel: Mark 10:46–52 Mark 10:46–52 (Listen) Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus 46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (ESV)