Podcasts about balkan peninsula

Title: “Providence and People” Part 1 Text: Acts 18:1-6 FCF: We often struggle balancing God's providence with our action. Prop: Because God's providence does not preclude human responsibility, we must engage in earthly and spiritual work. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 18. In a moment we'll begin reading in verse 1 from the Legacy Standard Bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Last time in the book of Acts we saw Paul complete his ministry in the city of Athens. During the Macedonian portion of the mission, the theme that seemed to be on display was the logical and biblical nature of the gospel message. That against the tightest scrutiny, the gospel holds up in every way. The greatest test for this was standing before the Areopagite and defending the Christian worldview. Which Paul did successfully. As Paul travels now to a new city, Luke pivots back to the central theme of Acts. What theme is that you might ask? Well, it is one we've heard many times before and will hear many more times before we are done. God is at work to providentially grow His church to the uttermost parts of the earth. How does He do this? Through the church itself. Please stand with me to give honor to and focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Heavenly Father, we know that You are the source for our life and all that we have. We know that without You we are nothing. We confess that You are in absolute control over all things that You guide all things to happen according to Your will to accomplish Your purposes. We also confess that we are favored participants in Your will and do often receive the gift it is to join You in Your work. So Father I pray that as You communicate these truths to us today that we would listen and we would enter into Your service, appreciating the gift it is to join You in Your work. Give us eyes of faith today we pray in Jesus' name… Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] A great philosophical question that has made its rounds several times has been, what came first the chicken or the egg. Such a question is rife with not just philosophical debates but also religious debates. At the center of it all is the question of origin. From the scriptures we can prove quite readily that the chicken absolutely came first. God created His creation with age and maturity. But at the core the question is a seeming paradox. For if you say the chicken, you must ask but from where did the chicken hatch? If you say the egg, you must ask but from what was the egg laid? In the scriptures today we see another paradox that like the question about the chicken and egg can be answered by understanding what the scriptures teach. The paradox is… God has determined all that will be and man is commanded to obey Him. How do these fit? For if God has determined all that will be, man's obedience is already determined, isn't it? And if God has commanded men to obey, doesn't this mean that God has not determined whether they will or will not? And round and round we go. But as we will see today, God's providence does not preclude human responsibility. Let's look. I.) God's providence does not preclude human responsibility, so we must continue to work for earthly provision. (1-4) a. [Slide 3] 1 - After these things he departed Athens and went to Corinth. i. After successfully defending the worldview of Christianity against the wisest men humanity had to offer, they could not condemn him for teaching about new demons. But their “wisdom” could not allow them to accept the foolishness that is Jesus Christ crucified and risen again. ii. Nevertheless, the Lord led a few to Himself through the ministry of Paul in Athens. iii. After this, Paul continues to Corinth, the capital of the province of Achaia. iv. Let's take a few minutes to learn about the city of Corinth. 1. [Slide 4] The city of Corinth was positioned on an Isthmus which was less than 5 miles across at its narrowest point. a. The Aegean and Mediterranean seas posed significant risk to cargo ships being lost. Salling around the lowest portion of the Balkan Peninsula, called the Peloponnese Peninsula, only heightened that risk as cargo ships attempted to transport goods around Greece. b. The Isthmus provided a unique opportunity to short cut days off of that journey. c. A paved road called The Diolkos, was made to connect both ports over land. Grooves were set in the road so cargo and even some small ships could be loaded on a large wooden platform and wheeled by men or animals. They drug the goods 6 kilometers to the other port and then unloaded it so they could continue the journey. d. This process would take several hours to complete. e. What does that mean? f. That means that the sailors and personnel on these ships had time to kill. g. And that is where Corinth came in. h. Corith was an extremely wealthy city. Not only did this sea route offer many customers to their several marketplaces, but even a land route running North and South brought customers as well. 2. [Slide 5] This made Corinth a hotbed of trade, worship, and literally any vice that you could think of. a. The population is estimated to be around 200,000 people plus around double that in slaves. b. By the time Paul arrived Corinth had a reputation for being the premier city for banking. c. When Julius Caesar reestablished the city, he designed it to present the majesty of Roman culture, religion, and values. Thus, Roman pagan worship and emperor worship was on full display at the time Paul arrived. d. Corinth also hosted the biennial Isthmian Games. Resembling our Olympic games, this was a series of athletic and even musical competitions to honor the Greek God Poseidon. i. Since the games were played on the Isthmus, the sea would literally surround the games. ii. Victors would be rewarded with a wreath crown made of wild celery and later Pine which was a sacred tree to Poseidon. e. [Slide 6] Although there is evidence that indicates that much of Corinth's reputation for sexual license is primarily related to Athenian propaganda to compete against the juggernaut city – we certainly know that pagan worship and sexual immorality go hand in hand. f. Indeed, when Paul writes to the Corinthian church in a few years – he will address their continued need to kill off these sins in their midst. v. So, Paul arrives in Corinth. What does he set out to do there? The answer – may be somewhat surprising. b. [Slide 7] 2 - And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, and his wife Priscilla, who recently came from Italy because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them, i. Early on in the book of Acts, we noticed that at the Pentecost after Christ's ascension, Jews from all over the Roman world were represented in Jerusalem for the festival. ii. One of those areas represented with a large Jewish Diaspora population would have been Pontus. iii. Pontus is on the Southern Coast of the Black Sea in Modern Turkey. iv. Aquila or as some pronounce it Akilla, was from this region. v. His wife, Priscilla or as is mentioned elsewhere in scripture, Prisca, is with him now in Corinth due to a rather interesting development. vi. Around the time that Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke were in Philippi, the Emperor Claudius issued a decree to expel all Jews from the city of Rome. vii. Why? 1. According to the Roman historian Suetonius, there was significant unrest and disturbances among the Jewish community due to disputes being raised between Jews and Jewish Christians. It is in Suetonius' works we find that the Christians were led by someone he calls Chrestus, which his most likely his misunderstanding of the word Christos or Christ. 2. And so just because Paul hasn't gone to Rome with the gospel – we ought not think that Christianity had not yet made it to Rome. 3. In fact, as we will see, the book of Romans is written to Christians in Rome, long before Paul arrived in Rome. viii. Apparently, Aquila and Priscilla were in Rome during this time (on the side of the Christians of course) but were still expelled since they were Jews. ix. So, Paul comes to them and joins with them… why? x. Certainly, because they were believers already living in the city of Corinth. But why else? c. [Slide 8] 3 - and because he was of the same trade, he was staying with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. i. Paul's primary mission for coming to Corinth most certainly is the evangelistic opportunity that such a large city would offer. ii. It was a strategic city to be in to share the gospel, of that we can be certain. iii. But on a more practical side, we see here and realize that Paul… is probably out of money. 1. Remember back to when he and Silas left Antioch of Syria. What was their intention with this mission? 2. It was to revisit the places they had preached the gospel previously and check in on those churches. 3. They had long since accomplished this mission. Having done so, Paul continued to search for new places which he could start an evangelistic work. Remember that the Spirit of God actually prevented them from going west toward Ephesus and then again prevented them from going east toward Bithynia. 4. Then the Lord led them via a dream to Macedonia. They have been in Macedonia while in Philippi, Berea, and Thessalonica. 5. Now he is in Achaia having spent time in Athens and now to Corinth. 6. In other words, the part of the trip they did not plan on has probably been as long if not longer than the part they did plan on. 7. While it is true that in Macedonia Paul was probably provided for by several people, in Athens his reception was limited and in Corinth he arrives with need to support himself. 8. Another potential reason that Paul needs to work, is because oftentimes, sheisters and hucksters would peddle their teachings for a price. Paul did not wish to be financially dependent on the contributions of those to whom he preached. This would ensure that his message and his livelihood were separate. iv. And so here we see Paul, not taking a break from evangelistic endeavors, but putting a priority on earning an income to fund the next leg of the missionary journey. v. Paul is a tent-maker by trade. 1. There is some discussion here as the word for tentmaking could be linked to leather work. 2. Since Paul was a Jew and this skill was no doubt one that he learned as a child, it is unlikely that he would have worked with animal skins to tan them and make leather, since that would be handling the carcass of an animal rendering him ritually unclean. 3. However, what might be intended by leather worker is some kind of artisan leather worker making specialty leather works. In which case he would work with leather already tanned and craft it into something unique. 4. But the arguments for leather worker are not significantly stronger than tent-maker. 5. So it could also refer to him making the outer rain proof layer of tents known as cilicium, a fabric which was produced primarily in Cilicia, which is where Paul grew up. vi. In any case, Paul had to work with his hands to support himself and build back ministry funds before he could launch into a full-time mission in Corinth. vii. But we know Paul don't we. viii. Do we think that he is going to take a vacation from preaching the gospel while he earns funds? ix. No… d. [Slide 9] 4 - And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks. i. On his day off, the Sabbath, he would go to the synagogue and reason together with the local Jews concerning the revelation of the Messiah. ii. Reasoning here has the idea of discussing a topic and debating or proving it. iii. Paul is not taking a break from ministry. He is simply taking a break from full-time ministry in order to replenish his earthly resources. iv. But he is still trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, and the Lord. e. [Slide 10] Summary of the Point: In this first point we recognize some familiar themes Luke is emphasizing in the book of Acts. On display is the sovereign hand of God to bring about by providence all of His divine will. God obviously wills that His church and His gospel would go forward to the whole world. Paul is part of that work. But that doesn't mean he is all of it. Here we meet two individuals from the city of Rome who are believers already. Paul hasn't arrived there yet, and still the church has already been established in the capital of the empire. We also notice God's providential hand to bring them all together in the city of Corinth where the gospel will go forward again. Nevertheless, even though God's sovereign hand is putting in big pieces of the puzzle, and even though Paul is one of those pieces, God did not provide to Paul a limitless supply of earthly provision to enable him to continue to do his spiritual work. So what did Paul do? Did he spend time in prayer? Did he assume that he didn't have enough faith and that is why God wasn't providing? Did he start to question whether he was doing something wrong or not? While it is true that if we are doing what God wants us to that He will provide what is needed for us to finish our work – that doesn't' mean He will always provide in the way or in the timing we think He will. Here God provided to Paul by providing him Christian friends to join in work so he could raise funds. The application for us then, is that even if we are engaged in spiritual work for the Lord, even work that God is leading us to accomplish, it still may require us to use our talents, skills, energy, and time to provide for earthly resources for that spiritual work. We still have a responsibility, even though God is in control of all things. Transition: [Slide 11] So in this first point we see God's work in the flourishing of the church throughout the Roman Empire, even outside of Paul's missionary work. In this, Paul continues to provide for himself with earthly resources for the spiritual work there in Corinth. Both God's providence and man's responsibility are at work here. We'll see that continue throughout the entire Corinthian episode. II.) God's providence does not preclude human responsibility, so we must continue our spiritual labors. (5-6) a. [Slide 12] 5 - But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly bearing witness to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. i. As we commented in an earlier sermon, the timeline here gets a little uncertain. 1. Silas and Timothy were supposed to join Paul in Athens and based on his letters to Thessalonica, letters he wrote during his stay in Corinth, Silas and Timothy did eventually join him in Athens when he was there. But Luke omits any of that. 2. Here we see Silas and Timothy coming from Macedonia. While this could mean Thessalonica, it could just as easily be any or all of the cities they had visited before. 3. No doubt Paul had met them in Athens and then sent them back to check on some of the churches throughout Macedonia while he went to Corinth to replenish the missions trip coffers. ii. Now Silas and Timothy rejoin Paul, having checked on the status of the Macedonian churches. iii. And with them there, Paul devotes himself once again to the full-time ministry of the word. iv. Why would their arrival enable him to do this? v. In a later letter he would write to Philippi from prison in Rome, Paul mentions and thanks the Philippian church for sending financial aid to him while he was in Corinth. vi. This reveals to us that the Philippian church helped to bankroll the ministry there in Corinth so he would not have to continue to be bi-vocational. vii. And what his the full-time ministry look like? viii. To the Jew first – as was Paul's motto. ix. He wanted to bear witness to them with all seriousness that Jesus is their Messiah. The next step in true Judaism. x. But as we have seen so many times before… the Jews did not have ears to hear. b. [Slide 13] 6 - But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” i. Again, we find the Jews being slow to hear the gospel. ii. They resist and even blaspheme their own Lord because they cannot accept the terms He offers. iii. That they were lost and needed one to rescue them first from the tyranny of sin and death and not first from the national oppression they faced – that was a mountain they could not climb. iv. To accept that Yahweh would don human flesh and die to save His people was something they couldn't quite wrap their heads around – in spite of all the prophesy which makes the teaching so plain. v. Paul says in Corinthians that he endeavored to make known to them nothing but Christ crucified. This was the stumbling block of the gospel for them. The one aspect of the truth that they needed to hear and receive. vi. But they couldn't do it. vii. So, Paul shakes out his garments. A sign of judgment and woe. It is a sign of leaving them to the fate they had earned. viii. He tells them in no uncertain words that he is blameless for their eventual judgment. And that he will now focus on the Gentiles. ix. We should be careful here not to think that Paul is forever abandoning the Jews. x. We should only apply this to his ministry here in Corinth. For as we go forward in the book of Acts we will continue to see Paul go to the Jew first. xi. We will also see that just because he goes to the Gentiles, doesn't mean he is done with all the Jews in Corinth either. xii. More on that next week. c. [Slide 14] Summary of the Point: In this second point we see the providence of God in a new way. God has provided to Paul the necessary funds for him to continue his full-time missionary efforts. By the sacrificial giving of the Philippian church, the Lord has relieved the financial burden on Paul so that he can devote himself to the preaching of the gospel. Which is exactly what he does next. For us then, we must recognize the providential hand of the Lord and respond in faith and obedience. Paul's primary mission was not to stay in Corinth and make money. He was probably making good money there. His primary calling was to preach the gospel throughout the Roman world. We too must keep our calling and mission at the forefront of our minds. We too can be easily distracted and must seek to recognize when God has equipped us to move forward in our spiritual labor. Conclusion: Even though this is only part 1 of this message, what have we learned so far CBC? How then shall we live? Doctrinal takeaway: [Slide 15] As we've seen several times in the book of Acts, the title of this book could easily be the Acts of God through His faithful church. This is the summary of the book and it is the summary of this text. Since this sermon is part 1, you can probably guess what next week's message will be about as well. God's providence is something we cannot deny. We must believe that the sovereign hand of God orchestrates and controls every detail in the world to accomplish His purposes. We must believe this because the book of Acts teaches it. We must believe it because the whole of the bible teaches it. We must believe it because without such a teaching, much of the things the scriptures command us to do, think, believe, or trust in, make absolutely no sense if God is not in sovereign control of everything. If every detail of His creation is not under His direct authority and control, then all of Christianity crumbles. But, just because God is in absolute and complete control over every single molecule, does not mean that God has nothing for us to do within that. God's providence does not preclude human responsibility. God's providence and plan did not stop Paul from working for a living in Corinth. It did not stop Claudius from kicking the Jews out of Rome. It did not stop the church at Philippi from delivering sacrificial gifts to Paul in Corinth. It did not stop Paul from preaching the gospel to the Jews and the Gentiles in Corinth. It did not stop the need for humans to do things. In fact, for God's people, it only fueled their faith to be used to accomplish His will. God's providence and man's responsibility work hand in hand and not against each other. Therefore, we must be found faithful to engage in earthly and spiritual work, with our whole hearts, and all our efforts, not because it depends on us, but because it depends completely on God who has called us to do so. And we will see Him work His will through us, around us, and in us as we do. But let me apply this a little more closely to our daily lives. How does all this affect us here and now? 1.) [Slide 16] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must believe that the Sovereign Lord will always providentially accomplish His will. a. Now why must we believe this? b. Of course because the scriptures teach us this. c. Of course because all of Acts so far is a testament to this very truth. d. But think of what is at stake if this is not true. If God most of the time accomplishes His sovereign will and occasionally He doesn't get what He has decreed… what would that mean? e. Think of all the promises God has made to us in the scriptures. Now which one would you be ok with God not being able to come through on? f. Think of all the future events He has predicted for us in His word. Which of these are you willing to not come to pass? g. Think of all that He has taught us as absolute truth. Which of these will you discard because God couldn't make sure it was true. h. You see my friends, there is much more at stake than merely the free will of men when we start tampering with this doctrine. i. Man's free will has become the battle cry but the outcome is ripping down the certainty of all that God has promised us in His Word. Man's free will, a teaching that cannot be clearly found in scripture, is the altar on which we sacrifice the certainty of God's promises. j. Oh my friends. Man is free in his will, but only to act according to his nature. Man is free in his will, but only to act according to the decrees of God. k. God always… ALWAYS providentially accomplishes His will. l. He may not always do that with a miracle. He may not always do that in ways we would expect or hope for. But God ALWAYS providentially accomplishes His will. m. And it is to our great comfort and joy to confess such a truth. For in doing so, we confess the surety that all that God desires will come to pass. n. But, of course, we cannot pendulum swing too far can we? 2.) [Slide 17] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must stop using God's providence as an excuse for passivity, laziness, or disobedience. a. God is a delegator. b. He delegated humans to keep and tend the garden and exercise dominion over it. c. He delegated angelic beings to watch and care for the human race and point them to worship Yahweh. d. He will delegate rule to the bride of Christ in the New Kingdom. e. God can and does act unilaterally to accomplish His will. f. But MOST OF THE TIME God uses secondary causes to accomplish His will. g. In this the obedience of His people, the wickedness of men, the disobedience of His people, and the uncommon decency of the wicked are all used to accomplish His will. h. God works in and through our natures and our wills to accomplish His purpose. With enough grace He could prevent us from sinning or guarantee our obedience… why then doesn't He do that? i. Is there only so much grace to go around? Or is it possible that even our failure works to accomplish His divine purpose? j. We are neither robots only fulfilling what we have been programmed to do nor are we passive agents floating along and no matter what we do God will still get what He wants. k. We believe in the sovereignty and the providence of God… but that doesn't mean we are fatalistic. l. Fatalism says, “What will be, will be.” There is nothing I can do to change the outcome. No matter what I do, it does not change what will be. m. We deny this. n. But our belief is that though God has determined or decreed what will be – we contribute to that end with our actions. He has already baked our actions in to those decrees. We get to participate in what He has said. o. So sitting around saying –. i. If God wants me to get that job, I won't need to fill out an application. ii. If God wants us to have kids, we don't even need to try. iii. If God wants me to get married, He'll bring her to me. iv. If God wants me to be in the ministry, He'll make me serious about His Word at some point. v. If God wants me to stop doing this sin, He'll stop me. vi. If God wants me to preach the gospel in Corinth, He'll supply the funds. p. You see my point. q. Idleness, laziness, and passivity are not the appropriate response to confessing that God is sovereign and uses providence to accomplish His purposes. r. Instead, it should be obedience. 3.) [Slide 18] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must obey our Lord and follow His guidance. a. No future surety should enter our decision making when we consider what we should or should not do. b. To act in one way or another in order to attempt to secure an outcome that God alone determines, is to exit our lane of influence. c. Human responsibility does not enter the realm of results or outcomes. It stays, always, in what we choose to do within the confines of our nature. d. All men are told to obey the Lord. The Redeemed are able, by nature, to choose to obey the Lord. e. But we must be very careful as we discuss God's providence next to man's responsibility that we do not allow our responsibility to breech into trying to secure God's decreed purposes. f. The study of ethics like whether we should kill to save our family begins with a premise that you can and will determine their fate by your actions. It begins… flawed. Why? Because God ultimately determines their fate. You are only responsible for your own individual decisions. g. Therefore, the question should not be would I kill to save my family… the question should be… Does God permit me to kill to defend my family. For that is truly the beginning of the issue. Whether or not your family will be saved is not up to you. You are only responsible for the spheres of influence you actually have. Which is primarily your own responsibility to obey the Lord. h. I say all of this, hopefully, to simplify what we so often muddy. i. If God is in absolute control of everything and uses human action to accomplish what He has already determined, then we must be very careful, for our own sake, to do what He has commanded us to do. Because our actions will contribute to what God has already determined. j. If that is the case, it is only harmful for us when we disobey. Our disobedience will not stop His will from coming to pass – whatever that may be. Therefore, for our own sake, we must do as God has commanded. k. Paul knew that God had called him to preach the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. But Paul neither went to idleness, nor did he cast his hands up and say “no matter what I do God will have His way” l. Instead, Paul obeyed the Lord and took opportunities that were presented that did not violate God's commands. m. We are responsible not for outcomes but for obedience. n. Obey the Lord. Why? Because He is God and He said to and it will go well for you. 4.) [Slide 19] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God will not allow His purposes to fail or succeed because of you. a. We have a responsibility to obey the Lord. We must do as He has told us to do. b. Paul preached because the Lord Jesus threw him down on the road to Damascus and told Him to do so. c. He preached because he loved the Lord he once persecuted. d. He labored in tent making because he wanted to be free of financial burden so he could preach the word of God freely to all who would hear. e. But this passage especially shows the work of God and His church to be much bigger than Paul. f. As big of a piece of the puzzle as Paul is… he is insignificant to the providential and sovereign work of the Lord to accomplish His own will. g. Let this be a great comfort to us Christians. h. God doesn't need us and will accomplish His purposes without us. i. But what a blessing it is to be used of Him. j. Let us therefore purpose in our hearts to be willing vessels for His honorable use. Let me close with a prayer by the English Reformer Thomas Becon Maker of heaven and earth, you have created a path for us to walk in, and you have commanded that we wander neither to the right nor to the left —according to your will, without adding our own good intentions or fleshly imaginations. So as you have commanded, good Lord, give me the grace to do. Help me not to follow my own will, nor the fancies of other people. And never let me be duped or beguiled by the mask of traditions, decrees, ancient laws, or any other person or thing that conflicts with your holy ordinances and commands. Help me to faithfully believe and steadfastly confess that true godliness is only learned in your holy Bible. Then help me to order my life accordingly, to the praise of your holy name. We pray this in Jesus' name…Amen. Benediction: And now O Lord, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; So that your people may be mature and complete, never lacking anything. Until we meet again. Go in peace.

In this episode of the I Can't Sleep Podcast, fall asleep while learning about Bulgaria. We explore the history, culture, and geography of this fascinating European country. Located in southeastern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria is one of the oldest countries in Europe, with a rich heritage that includes Thracian, Roman, and Ottoman influences. From the picturesque mountains and Black Sea coast to the unique traditions and folk music, Bulgaria's story offers a calming yet intriguing look into its past and present. So, sit back, relax, and drift off as you immerse yourself in facts about Bulgaria. Happy sleeping! Ad-Free Episodes Want an ad-free experience? Follow this link to support the podcast and get episodes with no ads: https://icantsleep.supportingcast.fm/ GhostBed Visit GhostBed.com/sleep and use code SLEEP for 50% off. ProLon Get 15% off Prolon's 5-day nutrition program at ProlonLife.com/ICANTSLEEP. Factor Head to FACTORMEALS.com/icantsleep50 and use code icantsleep50 to get 50% off. DoorDash Get 50% off up to $20 and zero delivery fees on your first order when you download the DoorDash app and enter code ICANTSLEEP. BetterHelp Visit BetterHelp.com/icantsleep today to get 10% off your first month HelloFresh Go to HelloFresh.com/50icantsleep and use code 50icantsleep for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months. Jupiter CBD Oil Save 20% off your first purchase by entering GETSLEEP upon checkout, or click here: https://www.getjupiter.com/share/icantsleep SleepPhones Follow this affiliate link to purchase headphones you can fall asleep with: https://www.sleepphones.com/?aff=793 then enter the code ICANTSLEEP10 at checkout to receive a discount. This content is derived from the Wikipedia article Bulgaria, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. The article can be accessed at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to another Flavors and Knowledge Podcast episode hosted by Chef Walter Potenza. Today, we're embarking on a culinary journey through the Balkan Peninsula, a region rich in history, culture, and delicious food. The Balkans, encompassing countries like Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia offer a diverse and flavorful cuisine influenced by centuries of cultural exchange. Historical Connections: The cuisine of the Balkans is a melting pot of influences from various empires and cultures that have ruled or interacted with the region. The Ottoman Empire, which controlled much of the Balkans for centuries, significantly impacted local food. Many dishes contain traces of Turkish, Greek, and Middle Eastern flavors. Additionally, the Austro-Hungarian Empire introduced Central European elements, while the Mediterranean influence is evident in the coastal areas. More podcasts by Chef Walter

146 BCE - 1204 CE - This is the story of the Balkan Peninsula from its post Classical Greek and Hellenistic period when it was conquered by the Roman Republic, through to the defeat of the Byzantine Empire by the Latins of the Fourth Crusade. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyoftheworldpodcast/message

fWotD Episode 2451: Theodore II Laskaris Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day where we read the summary of the featured Wikipedia article every day.The featured article for Saturday, 20 January 2024 is Theodore II Laskaris.Theodore II Doukas Laskaris or Ducas Lascaris (Greek: Θεόδωρος Δούκας Λάσκαρις, romanized: Theodōros Doukas Laskaris; 1221/1222 – 16 August 1258) was Emperor of Nicaea from 1254 to 1258. He was the only child of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes and Empress Irene Laskarina. His mother was the eldest daughter of Theodore I Laskaris, who had established the Empire of Nicaea as a successor state to the Byzantine Empire in Asia Minor after the crusaders captured the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Theodore received an excellent education from two renowned scholars, Nikephoros Blemmydes and George Akropolites. He made friends with young intellectuals, especially with a page of low birth, George Mouzalon. Theodore began to write treatises on theological, historical and philosophical themes in his youth.Emperor John III arranged for Theodore to marry Elena Asenina in 1235, to forge an alliance with her father, Ivan Asen II, Emperor of Bulgaria, against the Latin Empire of Constantinople. According to Theodore himself, their marriage was happy, and they had five or six children. From 1241, Theodore acted as his father's lieutenant in Asia Minor during his frequent military campaigns in the Balkan Peninsula. From around 1242, he was his father's co-ruler, but was not crowned as co-emperor. During this period, his relationship with some prominent aristocrats, particularly Theodore Philes and Michael Palaiologos, grew tense.Theodore succeeded his father on 4 November 1254. He dismissed many high officials and army commanders of aristocratic origin, replacing them with loyal friends, including some of low birth. The same year, he made a defensive alliance with Kaykaus II, the Seljuk Sultan of Rum, against the Mongol Empire. In 1256, he repelled a Bulgarian invasion of Thrace and Macedonia and forced Michael II Komnenos Doukas, the ruler of Epirus, to cede Dyrrachium on the coast of the Adriatic Sea to Nicaea. He reformed the military, recruiting more soldiers from among the native peasantry of Asia Minor. Eventually, Michael II of Epirus forged an alliance with Stefan Uroš I, King of Serbia, and Manfred of Sicily against Nicaea. Theodore's newly appointed generals could not resist their joint invasion in 1257. Theodore fell seriously ill and could rarely take part in state administration during the last months of his life. He appointed George Mouzalon regent for his underage son, John IV, before dying of either chronic epilepsy or cancer. In ten days, Mouzalon fell victim to an aristocratic plot, and Michael Palaiologos assumed the regency, usurping the throne soon after.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:48 UTC on Saturday, 20 January 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Theodore II Laskaris on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm Kendra Standard.

Inhabiting the Balkans in antiquity, the Illyrians played a vital role in Ancient History. From their renowned reputation as skilled craftsmen, through to their seafaring ways - the Illyrians left their mark on the archaeological record. But what do we actually know about the Illyrians, and were they actually traders - or did they have a more sinister reputation on the high seas?In this episode Tristan welcomes Dr Danijel Dzino to the podcast, to delve into the mysterious world of the Illyrians. Looking at what the archaeology tells us about their tribal societies, how their civilisation flourished, and whether it's fair to call them Pirates - is it possible to define who the Illyrians were? And what can we learn about them from the Balkan Peninsula today?Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code ANCIENTS sign up now for your 14-day free trial HERE. You can take part in our listener survey here.

In the sweeping landscape of European history, few events proved to be as transformative or as destructive as the outbreak of World War I. This tragic epoch was set into motion when the intricately balanced scales of power tipped towards conflict on July 28, 1914, as Austria-Hungary declared war on the small but resolute nation of Serbia. This seemingly regional dispute, fueled by a web of political alliances, burgeoning nationalistic sentiments, and a steady undercurrent of unresolved tensions, sparked a global conflagration that forever changed the course of history. In the early 20th century, Europe was a mosaic of empires, each poised precariously on the brink of change. The continent's political landscape was marked by a tense yet delicate equilibrium maintained by two alliances - the Triple Entente, comprising France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, and the Central Powers, consisting primarily of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. This polarized setting was not one of peace, but a cold waiting room of war, where each player held their breath, waiting for the spark that would ignite the looming catastrophe. In this climate, the Balkan Peninsula earned its moniker as the "Powder Keg of Europe". A tinderbox of ethnicities, religions, and competing interests, it was a region plagued with volatility, its nations like Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina caught in a relentless tussle for freedom and dominance. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, was the proverbial spark that ignited this powder keg. A distant gunshot in Sarajevo resonated throughout the palaces, parliaments, and war offices of Europe, leading to the world's first truly global war. Our journey through this turbulent chapter of history begins here, at the genesis of a conflict that would soon embroil the entire world, and continue to shape the geopolitical landscape even a century later. We'll traverse through tangled alliances, national aspirations, human courage, and the tragic costs of war. As we delve into the events leading up to, during, and after Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia, we'll uncover not just a story of nations and leaders, but also the extraordinary tales of ordinary individuals caught in the storm.

Have you ever wanted to sound just like a native speaker and create your own identity in a language? In the 4th episode of Samthing To Say, Sam and Eliseu received Andrijana, a polyglot, to discuss the creation of an identity in a foreign language, the Macedonian language, Brazilian Portuguese, the cultures of the Balkan Peninsula and much more. - Andrijana Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/andrijana.dri/ Instagram "Art Of Saudade": ⁠https://www.instagram.com/art_of_saudade/ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/stihijana/ Art Of Saudade Website: https://artofsaudade.com/ - Polyglosam Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@polyglosamInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyglosam/channel/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0TwtufgjkUzdccvRKjsVVQ- PolyglosamTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@polyglosam - LingoCast - Social Instagram: @LingocastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071060924652https://linktr.ee/lingocastLanguageBoost - Use the coupon LINGOCAST for 5% OFF on the entire website: https://languageboost.biz/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lingocast@eliseurjr

Located in southeastern Europe is the Balkan Peninsula. It is home to multiple ethics groups, languages, and religions.  It has one of the most dynamic and confusing histories of anywhere in Europe, with multiple migrations of people arriving over the centuries.  Not surprisingly, it has also been the source of many conflicts, some of which are still ongoing today. Learn more about the Balkans, its history, and what it consists of on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsor If you're looking for a simpler and cost-effective supplement routine, Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1 year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase. Go to athleticgreens.com/EVERYWHERE.  Subscribe to the podcast!  https://link.chtbl.com/EverythingEverywhere?sid=ShowNotes -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Peter Bennett & Thor Thomsen   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Update your podcast app at newpodcastapps.com Discord Server: https://discord.gg/UkRUJFh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 24, 2023 is: balkanize • BAWL-kuh-nyze • verb Balkanize is an often-capitalized verb meaning "to break up (a region, a group, etc.) into smaller and often hostile units." It can also mean "to divide or compartmentalize." // Opponents argue that the proposed legislation would only serve to Balkanize the country. // Rock is one of many musical genres that has been balkanized into an array of subgenres. See the entry > Examples: "The so-called Clean Networks Initiative used a 'trusted-country-of-origin' requirement to insulate the U.S. from Chinese technology, while pressing American allies to exclude Chinese equipment from their 5G telecom networks. But splitting the digital world in half would balkanize the technical standards that companies and governments use to collaborate across borders, thereby restricting their ability to innovate." — Andy Purdy, Fortune, 9 May 2021 Did you know? The Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe is lapped by the Adriatic Sea in the west and the Black Sea in the east. It is named for the Balkan Mountains, a mountain range which extends across Bulgaria from its border with Serbia to the Black Sea. (Balkan comes from the Ottoman Turkish balḳān, meaning "wooded mountain or mountain range.") The Balkan States are commonly characterized as comprising Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia, with mainland portions of Greece and the European portion of Turkey often being included as well. The English word, which is often capitalized, is the lexical offspring of geography and history: the decline of the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century led to a series of revolts that accelerated the fracturing of the region into smaller states whose unstable coexistence led to violence that came to a head in World War I. Since the early 20th century, balkanize and its related noun, balkanization, have come to refer to the kind of divisive action that can weaken countries or groups, among other things.

Brett Wilson has a fascinating conversation with nature photographer and author, Erik Stensland, about his journey from Europe's Balkan Peninsula to the beauty and solitude of Rocky Mountain National Park. His books and stunning mountain and desert images are breath-taking,reaching deep into the heart and parallel the human soul, tying Nature inwith our own humanity. They have won several national awards, includingBest Travel Book of the Year, Best Nature and Environment Book of theYear, and Best Inspirational Book of the Year.He has spent nearly twenty years celebrating the beauty of the natural world through photography and encouraging all of us to listen to the whisper within that calls us to a deeper life. Along with his Images of the Desert Gallery in New Mexico, he owns Images of RMNP based right here in Estes Park, Colorado at the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park.One of the most kind, humble and thoughtful people on the planet, we areproud to welcome Erik Stensland to the show.

What does it mean to be the religious minority in a country? Part 1 of this conversation describes the challenges and opportunities disciples confront in a religious society where a Protestant is less than 1% of the population. Matej Sakec of the Evangelical Theological Seminary and Marko Romanjik, founder of the Startup venture Go!ng Places talk with Dennis

Instead of waking up on the wrong side of the bed, in Croatian, you say you step on your left leg first. Croatia is a country located in the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula, full of rich history and culture. In this episode, I will be talking with Irena, a native Croatian speaker from Split. She'll be providing a linguistical overview of Croatian, like pronunciation, dialects, and grammatical structures, including the 7 different types of 'cases' and what they are. We'll talk about her favorite Croatian words and idioms and what advice she has for any learners interested in Croatian. Finally, we'll conclude the conversation with a fun discussion of Croatian coffee culture and other unique festivities. Please check out her Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/irenascrocafe/

Albania is a predominantly Muslim country located on Southeastern Europe's Balkan Peninsula — a beautiful country with a fascinating history, natural beauty, to-die-for Mediterranean cuisine, and colorful culture. For a long time, it was one of the last communist countries. Known as Europe's unpolished diamond, the country has untapped potential despite its many challenges. Tongue Out is one of the organizations working in the country with the mission to provide support and alleviate the quality of life for its citizens, with the help of no less than the organization's President in Albania,  Luis Jonas.This episode features the rare privilege of having the organization's head as a guest. Luis Jonas generously shares his time and lets us peek behind the curtains of his team's hard work as well as the opportunity areas in the country - one of which is the health sector.   Memorable Quotes:“Love God, love people, and have a blast.” — Luis Jonas“Life is what happens when you make other plans.” — Paul Roberts“I believe if God is calling me to go somewhere, he is going to also not only equip me but also provide the resources necessary for me to get there.” — Luis Jonas“Don't analyze this and don't analyze that, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” — Luis JonasOther Resources: Tongue OutNovoAbout the Guests:Luis Jonas is the president of Tongue Out Medical Missions and Food Pantry Director at Crossline Community Church. Under his leadership, the organization has helped hundreds of lives and increased awareness on poignant health issues in the country.About the Host:Dung Trinh, MD is the Chief Medical Officer of Irvine Clinical Research, medical missionary with TongueOut Medical Missions, and holds leadership positions with multiple health care organizations in Orange County. He is a keynote speaker, best-selling author, and Host of “Health Talks with Dr. Trinh” which can be heard weekly on OC Talk Radio.Connect with Dr. TrinhHealthTalks OC WebsiteTongue OutFacebookLinkedInYoutube

*Please note: this podcast series contains graphic audio content that some may find difficult to listen to. Discretion advised.*  The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day this year is 'One Day'.  Every day this week, we are marking the event with a daily podcast, read by Carol Jempson, a member of the Isle of Man Jewish Community. Carol shares the stories and experiences of real people, recalling One Day in history that changed their lives. Today, a story from the Balkan Peninsula, as a former refugee recalls their childhood being changed forever One Day, when their home in the regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina was wracked by war.

Comprised of more than 2000 islands on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece is bounded by bluer-than-blue water. Ionian Sea! Aegean Sea! Mediterranean Sea! Go anywhere in the country, and you're never more than 85 miles/137km from the ocean. And there are more than 250 sunny days every year. Greece also boasts mountainous national parks, monasteries perched on dramatic mountaintops, and ancient temple ruins from about 2000 years ago. Plus, a capital city known as the cradle of Western civilization. Add rousing folk music, intoxicating spirits (Ouzo! Retsina! Metaxa!), and Greek food — olives and olive oil, the freshest of fish, layers of phyllo dough, pillowy pita, meat on skewers — and you've got the makings of a great escape. In this episode, we briefly discuss Greece's influential history and wax lyrical about all the country offers as a travel destination. Then we recommend five books that transported us there on the page: a graphic novel that celebrates rebetiko music, a gripping family saga, a gorgeous retelling of Greek mythology, a literary novel about living in a liminal space, and an over-the-top (in just the right way) mystery-romance. Opa! For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-12-20-greece Books covered: Circe by Madeline Miller Middlesex: A Novel by Jeffrey Eugenides Rebetiko by David Prudhomme The House on Paradise Street by Sofka Zinovieff This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart Do you enjoy our show? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter  Instagram Facebook  

Title: Assessing the Battlefield Text: II Timothy 4:9-22 FCF: We often struggle ministering to each other. Prop: Because the members of the body of Christ need each other, we must minister to one another. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy 4. Today will be our last sermon in II Timothy, and the Pastoral Epistles as a whole. I have found them to be incredibly challenging, uplifting, rebuking, and exhorting. I trust that you have too. For those of you who have sat under my preaching for a little while, you may be thinking – so 14 verses – we are going to be here a while. Well it won't be as short as last week, but we should be able to get through these last verses in a normal amount of time. Paul will finish the last letter we have of his with some final commands to Timothy. Within those commands we will find an incredibly relevant truth that we desperately need today, along with a particularly poignant application. Join me one more time in II Timothy, chapter 4. I'm reading from the NET which you can follow in the pew bible on page 1344. Transition: Difficult as it may be to draw much from a text like this – we must look closely or we may miss a powerful message. I.) Because the members of the body of Christ need each another, we must be among each other. (9-13) a. [Slide 2] 9 – Make every effort to come to me soon. i. Even though Paul is convinced he will die soon, he doesn't know when. So, what does he do? He goes right into planning as if things will continue. ii. There is a lesson for us here. No matter how bleak it gets – we are never at liberty to give up and resign ourselves to death or a fate we are certain of. Instead, we continue on doing what the Lord has called us to do. Until He calls us home. iii. Timothy's next movement, as Paul repositions his troops, is to come to Paul. iv. And Timothy must make every effort to do that… soon. v. Don't delay. Why? b. [Slide 3] 10 – For Demas deserted me, i. Of course, we need to ask ourselves a question… a question we will be asking a lot in this text. ii. Who is this person? Who is Demas? iii. Demas is mentioned in Colossians and Philemon as a co-laborer of Paul's in the gospel. These prison epistles were written under his first Roman imprisonment which occurred around 60 or 61 AD. iv. So about 5 or 6 years later, Demas went from a co-laborer to a deserter. v. Why? c. [Slide 4] Since he loved the present age and he went to Thessalonica. i. Paul doesn't elaborate on this – but loving the present age is the reason he cites. ii. That could mean anything from wanting to preserve his life, to earthly concerns like money, pleasure, power etc. iii. In any case, he did not finish his race. He did not keep the faith. He did not persevere. iv. Is it any wonder why Paul wrote this book the way he did, with such strong commands for Timothy to endure! v. Although we don't know for sure, tradition holds that Demas was from Thessalonica. vi. So in all these troop movements of God's forces aligned against the forces of darkness, Demas – went home. He quit to pursue more earthly passions – whatever those might have been. d. [Slide 5] Crescens went to Galatia i. So who is Crescens? ii. We have no idea. He is only mentioned here in the whole of the New Testament. iii. We know he went to Galatia. iv. We don't even really know if that is a good thing that he went there. Paul doesn't claim to have sent him. v. But if he too had abandoned Paul, we might think that Paul would have mentioned it. e. [Slide 6] And Titus to Dalmatia. i. Titus we should know well since we just finished studying an entire letter addressed to him. ii. As a reminder, Titus was with Paul at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15 and Gal 2:1-3); He was an emissary to the church in Corinth (II Cor 7:6-7; 8:6; 16); Here we see that he went to Dalmatia after his mission was accomplished in Crete. iii. [Slide 7] Since Dalmatia is very close to Nicopolis which is where Titus was to meet Paul after he was done in Crete – I think we can reasonably assume that both Crescens and Titus were not deserting Paul. They simply were not with him because they had gone on their own assignments. iv. And that is why he wants Timothy to come. Much of Paul's inner circle of companions are not with him. v. But Paul is not completely alone. f. [Slide 8] 11 – Only Luke is with me. i. Luke is probably the closest companion of Paul throughout the course of his ministry. ii. He was a doctor and regularly tended and cared for Paul's medical needs while he was in prison. iii. He was also a co-laborer in the gospel ministry and is mentioned in several letters from Paul. iv. If we went by word count or verse count, Luke is the author of about 40% of the New Testament having written both the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. v. So Luke is the only one there, but adding Timothy would still not be enough. g. [Slide 9] Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is a great help to me in ministry. i. Mark or John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas, and an early companion of Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. ii. When they reached Perga John Mark, for unknown reasons, departed the two men and went back to Jerusalem. This was a point that Paul interpreted negatively. iii. Barnabas suggested John Mark again on a subsequent journey to which Paul refused. This led the two to part ways amicably. Barnabas took Mark to Cyprus and Paul took Silas. iv. In Colossians 4 (so by his first Roman imprisonment) Paul has Mark with him in Rome, indicating that his status for Paul has been restored to a co-laborer. v. And here we see Paul asking Timothy to stop and pick up Mark (probably in Asia minor somewhere) because he is a great help to Paul in the ministry. Clearly Paul has changed his perception of John Mark. vi. Interestingly enough, it was probably around this time – perhaps even in Rome with Paul – that Mark wrote his gospel. vii. But other troops, other generals in the Kingdom of light have also been sent away. h. [Slide 10] 12 – Now I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. i. Tychicus was a companion of Paul in the province of Asia Minor ii. He was sent with Onesimus to deliver the prison epistles. iii. He was one of two men considered to replace Titus in Crete. He was ultimately not selected for that job. Instead, he was sent to Ephesus – one would think – to replace Timothy. iv. What a strong vote of confidence Paul puts in this man to replace Timothy. Of course, we knew that since he was also being considered to replace Titus “The hammer” in Crete. v. But it is not only people Paul needs, but also items. i. [Slide 11] 13 – When you come, bring with you the cloak I left in Troas with Carpas and the scrolls, especially the parchments. i. Paul needs a cloak. This coupled with the thought of Timothy coming before winter seems to suggest that Paul was not very comfortable in the prison he occupied at this time. ii. His first imprisonment was more like house arrest while he awaited release. This seems to be worse conditions as he awaits execution. iii. [Slide 12] So, the cloak must be obtained from Troas. iv. From Ephesus Timothy's most likely path of travel would take him north along the coast of Asia Minor and the Balkan Peninsula, since sailing across the Aegean to get to the pass in Corinth would have been especially dangerous. Along the way Timothy can get Mark, stop in Troas and pick up the items Paul needs, and then be on his way. v. Carpas is only mentioned here so we don't know anything about him other than he has Paul's coat! vi. [Slide 13] Paul also needs the scrolls and parchments. vii. The reason he needs the parchment is fairly obvious. He intended to write more letters, although we have no more recorded from him. viii. Scrolls, however, is an enigma. Some have suggested something as grand as a theological creed or confession for the Roman church all the way to documents proving his Roman citizenship. In any case, Paul needed what was written on them. j. [Slide 14] Passage Truth: Through all this, even though it seems Paul's life is coming to a close, he still needs God's people around him for ministry to others and to be ministered to. That is why he calls Timothy to his side along with John Mark. Until the Lord takes him, the ministry continues, and he cannot do it alone. k. Passage Application: So, Timothy must make haste to leave to be with Paul. l. [Slide 15] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out we know and understand that we each are not an island unto ourselves. We as the body of Christ, in order to function as we must, cannot expect to have all gifts, or be able to say to another believer – we don't need what God has given you. Indeed, in order to minister effectively, we need one another. m. Broader Biblical Application: So here at CBC we need to be among one another. We realize this, still remembering the early days of the pandemic when we considered it unwise to meet in person. Although a temporary necessity, it became quickly apparent that it could not continue indefinitely. We needed each other. And not just over the phone or in a zoom chat. We needed to be with each other. So that we could minister to one another. Even now there are several out sick, or who have been unable to attend for some time because of one ailment or another. We need them among us and they need to be among us when they are able. There is no replacement for personal, face to face meeting of God's people. Transition: [Slide 16(blank)] But merely being together is not enough for the body of Christ to thrive. We need more. II.) Because the members of the body of Christ need each another, we must watch out for those who oppose us and support those in need. (14-18) a. [Slide 17] 14 – Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm. i. Answering the question of who is Alexander the coppersmith is a difficult one. ii. There are several Alexanders in scripture. iii. Mark 15:21 - Son of Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross of Jesus. iv. Acts 4:6 – a member of the High Priest's family. v. Acts 19: 33 – A Jew wanting to defend Jews against accusation that they started the riot in Ephesus. vi. I Tim 1:20 a man part of the problem in Ephesus with Hymenaeus whom Paul handed over to Satan. vii. And finally, here a coppersmith who did great evil to Paul. viii. Ultimately, we don't have a lot of evidence to suggest that any of these men are the same as one another because we know that Alexander is a very common name in the Roman empire at this time. ix. Added to this, the only time the descriptor of “coppersmith” is used is right here in this text. x. Therefore, it is very likely that this is the only reference to this man in scripture – but there is some reason to believe that he could still be the same Alexander from I Timothy – still causing trouble like Hymenaeus. xi. What exactly he did to Paul is unknown, although we know that he opposed the teaching of Paul. xii. Some have suggested, believing that Alexander the coppersmith is the same as the Alexander from I Timothy, that having been excommunicated from the church he turned Paul in to the officials and even went to Rome to bear witness against him. xiii. Although it is an attractive option to help explain how Paul got from I Timothy and Titus to II Timothy, it is mostly guessing. b. [Slide 18] The Lord will repay him in keeping with his deeds. i. This is an allusion to Psalm 28:4 – an imprecatory prayer of David calling on the Lord to repay those who do evil for their deeds. ii. Imprecatory prayers get a lot of questions from New Covenant believers as we bristle at the thought of asking God to punish evil doers. How is this loving our enemies to pray that God would smite them? iii. Well, first of all, we don't view our prayers like the heathens whose prayers are meant to compel or invoke their god to action. We are not forming an incantation or spell to bring about calamity. God has sovereign freedom to ignore or even rebuke us for asking amiss. iv. But also, God has promised all men that He will repay them for their deeds. Evil for evil and good for good. And so, praying that God would do as He has already said – is not praying outside of His will. v. Paul doesn't tell God to do it now, or next Tuesday. It may be an eschatological context in which he is referencing. Meaning the final judgment is in view. vi. In any case, it is not wrong for us to pray that God would punish wicked men and women. Especially when we are not praying against personal enemies for personal reasons, but against enemies of God. But we should also be praying that He saves His people… who are all also at some point in their lives….enemies of God. vii. Can we pray for the punishment and salvation of someone in the same breath? I think we can. How? In the Lord's prayer asking for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven… that is praying exactly that. That God would either kill off the flesh of a man and raise up His spirit, or that He would punish the wicked. viii. So, Paul prays that Alexander the coppersmith be given what he deserves. Indeed, he is sure it will be. ix. But until that time… c. [Slide 19] 15 – You be on guard against him too, because he vehemently opposed our words. i. Timothy has his second major command in the text. ii. To be on guard against Alexander. Don't trust him. iii. Why? iv. He is not a gospel believer. He opposed our words. v. In short, he is probably an example of someone who has committed the unforgivable sin. vi. Meaning someone who believes the gospel is true but opposes it. vii. Paul telling Timothy this means that either this man is in Ephesus now, in Troas, or perhaps even in Rome. Paul is sure that Timothy will cross paths with him. So Timothy must remain vigilant. d. [Slide 20] 16 – At my first defense no one appeared in my support; Instead, they all deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it. i. In the trial of a Roman citizen there would be two hearings. ii. The first is to establish the facts of the case and determine if there is even a need for a trial. iii. This would sort of be a formal place to debate ideas and information without the muckiness of whether the person is innocent or guilty. iv. After that there would be a full trial to determine guilt or innocence. v. This first defense is this preliminary hearing which was held before a magistrate. vi. Paul is calling out some of his companions for not appearing to bear witness in his favor and thus he received a vote from the magistrate that his case would go to trial. vii. Nero was presiding over all Christian trials at this point – and he certainly would find a Christian leader as prominent as Paul guilty and execute him. viii. But why did all these companions desert him? Most likely because of fear. If they go, give him a glowing character witness, and the trial goes forward anyway with Paul being executed – guess who is next to stand trial? ix. But Paul asks the Lord for mercy. Much like Jesus and Stephen ask for mercy from those who lead to their death, Paul asks for mercy upon his friends. x. Here we note the contrast between Alexander the coppersmith and all these dear friends who were too scared to help him. xi. Why? xii. Alexander knew exactly what he was doing and stood in opposition. Paul's companions fled for fear and weakness. xiii. We may wonder if Paul is just complaining here or using this as a way to bring shame on those who abandoned him. I think though, it is the opposite. I think, having not named these people, he is writing this to assure them that he bears no grudge and that he has released them from their failure. xiv. It is actually a sweet and kind gesture to all who would feel certain shame for abandoning the apostle. xv. Besides, Paul ultimately did not need them. He drew strength from the one who is never weak. e. [Slide 21] 17 – But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. i. As is our hope when we are alone and none are left to help – The Lord is our strength and shield. ii. If God has called us to be and do something – He is faithful to supply all we need to be and do what He has planned. iii. Paul was sent to the Gentiles – and where better to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ but to the courts of Rome in the heart of the Gentile world. iv. Before the very emperor of the known world Paul would stand and boldly preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. v. And because he did this… f. [Slide 22] And so, I was delivered form the Lion's mouth! i. But wait. Isn't he going to be executed? ii. How can he say he was delivered from the lion's mouth? iii. My friends, Paul is already speaking beyond this world. iv. He has been pursued by the forces of darkness and demonic lies since Christ threw him off that horse on the road to Damascus. v. And with His final delivery of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the very courts of Rome… the forces of darkness have utterly failed to stop what God sent Paul to do. vi. And ultimately, the greatest weapons of the evil one, sin and death, have no hold on Paul. vii. Why? g. [Slide 23] 18 – The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. i. The Lord will deliver him from every evil plan done against him, and death will not ultimately win, for His sin has been paid and His eternal life secured. ii. This is the great hope of all who serve the Lord. That we will be broken and spilled out but delivered through the pale to the bright and glorious city of light. iii. To live is Christ but to die is gain. h. [Slide 24] To him be glory for ever and ever! Amen. i. And for such a thought ii. The strengthening and empowering of God to finish strong, to look death in the eye, to stare at the teeth of the evil one and there boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, iii. To know that Christ will present us faultless before the throne of God… iv. Indeed, for this He deserves all glory forever and ever. v. Amen? i. [Slide 25] Passage Truth: So once again Paul emphasizes the role Christians have toward one another. Certainly, all His strength is from the Lord and that is all he needs, but genuine brotherly support from likeminded believers is a welcome gift from the Lord. j. Passage Application: So Timothy must be vigilant against those who are not likeminded, and seek to support Paul by being with him. k. [Slide 26] Broader Biblical Truth: The whole of scripture shows that God is indeed our strength, our shield, and even when we are utterly alone – He is all we need. But He has also given His church to protect one another from threats and support one another through trial. l. Broader Biblical Application: And so we at CBC must protect each other from threats and support each other in trial. It should be ok for a pastor, church leader, or even mentor to say something like… “be careful of that teacher – I've read some of what he says and he may not have the truth.” It should be ok for all of us to warn each other to be careful of who we listen to and getting trapped in our own echo chambers too. And it should be normal to reach out and support one another when we desperately need it. If you are thinking… yeah, when the next person here has a trial that they need support in… I'll be there… You are in luck. There are some going through some pretty tough stuff right now. It's your chance! Transition: [Slide 27 (blank)] God has all we truly need. He is our strength. He is our shield. But in that He has also designed His church to function like a body caring for itself. And so we need one another's presence, protection, and support. But even this is not the end of what we need from one another. III.) Because the members of the body of Christ need each another, we must unconditionally love those of like faith and practice. (19-22) a. [Slide 28] 19 – Greetings to Prisca and Aquila i. So now Paul's final command to Timothy of this letter is to greet people in his area from Paul and his companions in Rome. ii. First on the list is Prisca or Priscilla and Aquila. iii. Paul first encounters this couple in Ephesus because they too were tentmakers. (Acts 18:2) Paul would leave them in Ephesus (18) which God providentially used them to disciple Apollos (26) iv. On Paul's 3rd missionary journey, he returned to Ephesus and wrote I Corinthians. Here he greets the Corinthians from Aquila and Pricilla (16:9) v. Evidentially they didn't stay in Ephesus much longer because by the following year they had a church meeting in their home in Rome. (Romans 16:3-5) They also risked their lives to help Paul, although we aren't sure of the details. vi. So now, about a decade later, they are back in Ephesus and Paul wishes to greet them. b. [Slide 29] And the family of Onesiphorus. i. Mentioned only in this book, Onesiphorus was a dear help and friend to Paul in Rome with his current imprisonment. Paul is asking to greet his family. ii. Now since Paul says Luke is the only one with him, we may wonder where Onesiphorus is. iii. It is very hard to know. iv. It is clear that although Luke is the only one with Paul – he is not the only Christian with him. Probably just the only one of his inner circle. Later Paul sends greetings from others. So we know Paul is not completely alone. v. So Onesiphorus could still be with Paul, he could be en route to Ephesus or perhaps he is delivering the letter itself. vi. It is hard to know. In any case, Paul wishes for a second time, goodness and kindness toward his family. c. [Slide 30] 20 – Erastus stayed in Corinth. i. Erastus is an assistant of Paul and someone Timothy had worked with before in Macedonia (Acts 19:22) ii. In Romans we find out that he was originally the city treasurer in Corinth (Romans 16:23) iii. And according to this passage, he stayed in Corinth. d. [Slide 31] Trophimus I left ill in Miletus. i. Trophimus is a possible brother of Tychichus from Ephesus (Acts 20,21) ii. Here we see that he went with Paul to Miletus which is a city on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. Unfortunately, Paul had to leave him there because he was ill. iii. So what do we make of all these descriptions of people and where they are, are going, or have been sent? iv. It seems that Paul is encouraging Timothy and even the church in Ephesus with the news that many are still out and active in the gospel ministry. They are stationed throughout the Roman empire and are still working for the gospel. And so, Paul is showing his battle map and where the generals of Jesus Christ and His church are positioned. God is still moving… even though Paul is in prison. When Paul dies – the gospel of Christ will not die with him. e. [Slide 32] 21 – Make every effort to come before winter. i. But Paul's primary general needs to be in Rome. And he needs to be there very soon. Like before winter. ii. On the Aegean if you wait until winter to travel somewhere – then you are waiting until spring to travel somewhere. iii. Paul doesn't want winter to turn into spring because he may not have another spring left. f. [Slide 33] Greetings to you from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters. i. Paul sends greetings from those with him in Rome. ii. Every single name here does not have any other reference besides here. iii. These may be leaders or simply members of a local church who have cared for him and helped him get these letters out. iv. Along with many others there. g. [Slide 34] 22 – The Lord be with your spirit. i. This is a personal wish to Timothy alone that God would be with Timothy's spirit. ii. That God would give him strength to do all that Paul has commanded and to safely transport him to Paul's presence soon. iii. That the Spirit of God would strengthen his spirit to endure as The Spirit has for Paul. h. [Slide 35] Grace be with you. i. What could be viewed as a redundant phrase opens up when we realize that the “you” here is plural. ii. Paul wishes a final hope for the grace of God to be with all who are there in Ephesus. Not just Timothy – but all the church there as they face the battle for truth. i. [Slide 36] Passage Truth: So Paul finishes as he does most of his letters, with greetings. But these people will probably never meet. Still, Paul mentions some by name. How interesting to find how close knit this body of Christ is, and how much we need each other, that we are instantly comfortable with a person of like-faith. j. Passage Application: So Timothy must warmly greet those in Ephesus from those in Rome. One body, united in Christ, but miles apart. k. [Slide 37] Broader Biblical Truth: This is the glorious truth of the bride of Christ. The great sad story of it all is that as wonderful as our local bodies are – they do not compare to the whole of Christ's bride gathered from the corners of the earth. One day we will all be together and will all rejoice in His presence. l. Broader Biblical Application: It is that hope and that future that motivates us to greet others of like-faith and practice with energetic greetings. It is the tie that binds us together in Christian love, even when we barely know one another. Conclusion: So how do we apply this CBC? Even the Apostle Paul needed the company and support of the people of God. As influential as he was, he needed the church to minister to him and to help him minister to others. Do you realize that in about 2000 years of church history, the concept of Christ being your personal savior is probably only about 200 years old. As with all twists of truth, the concept is rooted in truth. Certainly, we all have an individual calling and election. Certainly, each of our individual souls are saved. We don't become 1 amalgum of souls to be the one bride of Christ. But we should also not be mistaken. All of Christ's true church share the relationship together to Christ. You cannot have an exclusively personal relationship with Christ. A personal relationship with Christ without the body of Christ is actually no relationship with Christ at all. So just as there is no such thing as personal, private interpretation of the scriptures, where each Christian gets to assign whatever meaning he thinks to the text… so also there is no such thing as a personal private practice of our faith. We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord. And therefore, our lives are laid bare before one another. We must be present with one another. We must protect one another from wrong teaching. We must support one another in trial. And we must love one another – even if all we know about each other is that we are of the same faith. And this is incredibly relevant to us today for two reasons. I'll start with the grand reason and end with the intimate one. The grand reason this message is intensely relevant for today is because although we live in a world where communication with anyone is mere seconds away – we are among the most isolated and independent living people that have ever existed. No one likes leaving their homes. No one likes interacting with others. The pandemic only made this excusable. And I feel bad for those who are genuinely introverted people – because those who are too lazy or prideful to form relationships with others have labeled themselves introverts to provide to themselves an excuse. And that is all well and good in the world. But we as believers have an opportunity here, once again, to not be like the world. We have a chance at not being like the other nations. We can be so peculiar. We can be so different. How? By loving the assembling of ourselves together. By protecting each other from teaching that is in error. By supporting each other in meaningful ways, even if it could potentially mean great harm to ourselves. We could really leave the world scratching their head today by meeting a fellow Christian and instantly treating them like family. Stop using introvertedness as an excuse. Don't be lazy. Don't be prideful. Love one another as Christ loved us. The second reason which is a very intimate reason that this message is so relevant for us today, is because in a few moments we will head upstairs and partake in one of the most intimate practices of the church. Communion. A meal we share together to feed upon and be sustained by the very atonement of Christ… which He gave to us! Collectively! We the body, eat His body which was torn for us to provide a new and living way to access our God. We who are members of the New Covenant, do drink His blood which is the New Covenant which sprinkles us clean from our sin and will present us faultless before the throne of God. In just a few moments, we all – the true followers of Christ – will go a share a meal where all of us are sustained by Christ – which is a physical sign of the spiritual truth that we are all as one body sustained by Christ. My friends. All we need is our God. He is our strength. But He has given us a body for which we are but a member. Before we dismiss let me give a warning. If you plan to join us today and have never confessed Christ – please do not partake with us. This meal is a sacred spiritual meal and could have dire consequences upon your mortal life if you eat of it unworthily. If you plan to join us today and have confessed Christ but are currently holding on to a sin that you do not desire freedom from – please do not partake with us. Christians know they are Christians because of their hate of their own sin and their love of God's law. To love a sin with no desire to free yourself of it means that you cannot truly be sure you are a Christian. If you see communion as a way to earn grace, get saved, please God, or otherwise merit something for your eternal reward – please do not partake. You do not understand what this meal is and isn't. But friends, if you desire freedom from sin, fellowship with God's people, spiritual filling, righteousness, fullness of Christ, victory over sin, power to carry on in all God has called you to… then I beg you to come and dine. Be filled on the very truth of the atonement of Christ. Come and feast with us. And grow with us.

@stojche Cvetanovski (born in 1984 in Skopje, Macedonia) is just a regular rebel trapped in the urban chaos of the 21st century. The trigger factor that inspired him, was the local underground techno scene in Skopje. A city described by Derrick May and Juan Atkins as “the leading hub for Detroit techno on the Balkan Peninsula”. The expansion of the motor city sounds in the Macedonian capital and his mania for vinyl records triggered Stojche to explore his path and dig deeper in this futuristic music phenomenon. After a decade devoted to djing, he shifted to producing, and in 2009 he co-founded "argumento-music-group. He is one of the names on the European circuit that broke through with contributions to labels like A.r.t.less, DMK, Conform (@user-751044313), @subwax-bcn, @grounded-in-humanity, @sounds-benefit-records, @freundderfamilie alongside others. In 2011 he launched his solo imprint “Tangible Assets”. An outlet that has given him the freedom to explore and refine his trademark Detroit – influenced dubbed out productions. “Tangible Assets” reflects a personal statement with emphasized appreciation for the techno history. His discography marked him as one of the names that is still pushing forward the timeless envelope of the initial “hi-tech soul” legacy. In contrast, his dj sets provide further evidence of years spent behind the turntables, resulting in pounding journeys with a dose of emotional content. His constant pursuit for inspiration sits balanced with the pulse of the city life. Locked away in his studio in Berlin where passion and process all catalyze into waveforms of intense voyages, executed by a man who is well in tune with his craft. Stay Rave with #R13!

Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin...One language or different languages? Well, today we discuss the historical aspect and how the Serbian language developed. We also give you some examples of phrases used in different regions :)Pozdrav/Ćao/Adio! Support the show (http://www.buymeacoffee.com/mozekafapodcast)

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Christian moved from a very small country in the Balkan Peninsula, Macedonia with a population of less than 2 million people across the ocean to New York City first and then Chicago. Although very small, Macedonia offered the cultural and linguistic diversity that helped Christian in his new journey in America. He is now a successful entrepreneur, founder and CEO of his own company OXUM Corporation and shares with me the opportunities that America offered him among other things. 

In today's episode, we are joined by Parimatch's award-nominated content creator Vlad Dunyenko. We discuss all the usual goings-on and some surprise events in Kharkiv and on the Balkan Peninsula.

In our recent analysis titled “Turkey Assumed the Chairmanship-In-Office of the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP)”, we referred to the 1934 Pact of Balkan Entente (shortly 1934 Balkan Pact) and described this treaty as the precursor of the South-East Europe Cooperation Process. In this context, we emphasized that the Balkans is the core of the “South East Europe” sub-region of Europe. Geographically, this subregion is fundamentally and primarily coterminous with the Balkan Peninsula, hence, is historically known as the Balkans. Historian Maria Todorova, who is well known for her work on the history of the Balkans, in titled book “Imagining the Balkans”, elaborately elucidates the Turkish roots of the toponym “Balkans” and explains how the terms of “Southeastern Europe” and “Balkans” are used interchangeably.

Title: Introduction to I Timothy Text: I Timothy Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to I Timothy chapter 1. Today we will begin our study of the Pastoral Epistles. The plan for today is to give a brief introduction to all three of these books (I and II Timothy and Titus) but then give a more substantial introduction for I Timothy, and then read the book itself. That should just about deplete our time for today. So there won’t be a lot of “preaching” today – mostly teaching. First let me introduce the Pastoral Epistles generally. Now why are they called the Pastoral Epistles? As we crack open each of these books, what will become apparent is that this is sort of an unfortunate name. When hearing the name “Pastoral Epistles” one might assume that these epistles give instruction to anyone who would be a pastor in a church on how to be a pastor in a church. Such assumptions has led many to conclude that, if they are not a pastor, then these books really weren’t written with them in mind. I assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. What makes these epistles, “Pastoral”, is that they were, all three, written to pastors. Yet, even this is somewhat untrue in the sense that Timothy and Titus were installed ELDERS, overseers, or bishops, of the churches in which they exercised their gift of pastor/teacher. As Paul reveals in Ephesians 4 – apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers are gifts given by Christ for the formation and stability of the church. Pastor is less a title or office and more a gift. Of course, we don’t use the term bishop since it has been used (and maybe abused) by the Roman Catholic Church. Overseer describes more an action than a title. Elsewhere in scripture we see this role described as Elders, which has Jewish roots to the elders of cities, clans and tribes who would judge disputes and exercise general leadership. But even if we corrected this and said that these epistles are Elder Epistles, we’d still miss the mark slightly. Although these epistles were written to Elders in two particular churches, the truth is that most epistles were written to elders in particular churches. So, what makes these epistles unique? I think if I could just be in charge of renaming it, I’d probably call these three epistles The Ecclesiastical Epistles. Meaning they were written specifically to talk about the order, practice, behavior, purpose, direction and focus of the entity known as the ecclesia, the assembly, the church. Not the building, but the people. Not necessarily on an individual level, as most epistles are written, but as a body of believers. These letters, written to the Elders presiding over the church, are primarily instructing the Elder how to order the church, correct people, what to do, how to do it and all this with the backdrop of being gospel-formed, gospel-shaped, and gospel-preserved people defending the faith and representing Christ and His Kingdom, well. Within this, there is specific instruction to each Elder (Timothy and Titus) but what is clear is that this instruction is in reference to their role in forming the church into this gospel changed assembly. So, when we say the Pastoral Epistles, we must understand that these are written for and to the church, the assembly of God, in a particular time and context but with truths and expectations for every church in every time and context. And who would be better to trust and charge with enacting such instruction, than the very people God has put in place to serve and lead each church? So, if you’ve ever thought – oh, Pastoral epistles, probably nothing for me there. You couldn’t be more wrong. So now that we know what these three books are – let’s talk about who wrote them. Authorship: [Slide 2] Paul introduces himself in the typical greeting in each book. So immediately we are a step ahead of the epistles of John, who in all three does not name himself. So now, the question is not who are they written by, but rather, is it authentic? In other words, the question of who wrote this book is not a question of identification but of canonization. If Paul is not the author, than these books should not be in the bible at all. It has been argued by recent scholars that these epistles are not distinctly Pauline. Much of the argument comes from analyzing the vocabulary Paul uses in his other letters, as well as sentence structure and idioms and phrases common to Paul. What is remarkable, and indisputable, is that these 3 epistles have much fewer similarities to Paul’s other 10 epistles than these 10 have to one another. The 10 epistles we know are Pauline (which doesn’t include Hebrews) have remarkable similarities in style, syntax, and vocabulary. All this pushes us to conclude that the pastoral epistles are very different than the other 10 by Paul. But, does that really mean Paul didn’t write it? Of course not. We have already talked about the unique purpose behind this group of letters. And the fact that they all claim Pauline authorship and are remarkably similar to each other, tells us the most likely reason they differ so sharply from the other Pauline letters, is not because someone else wrote them, but because Paul’s purpose is drastically different in these letters than in all his other letters. When you add to this that these letters have been quoted by Polycarp, Athenagoras and other early church fathers as both Pauline and divinely inspired, it makes the counter argument for non-Pauline authorship seem fairly weak. Added to this, the personal connections to both Timothy and Titus and the authority upon which the author speaks, makes our conclusion that Paul is the author, inescapable. So we have Paul’s primary theme in these letters and that he wrote them – but when? Date: [Slide 3] The trouble with dating these books comes when we try to assign them into the account of Paul’s journeys in Acts. Paul leaving Timothy in Ephesus and going on to Macedonia, Paul leaving Titus on Crete – all of these events do not fit into any context of the 28 chapters of Acts. We can guess that Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, recorded in Acts 28, took place probably around AD 60-61. It was here that Paul wrote the prison epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon). What has long been held as tradition, although we don’t have a lot of evidence to support it, is that after 2 years in prison, and perhaps after the fires in Rome set by Nero himself, Paul was released due to lack of evidence against him. At that point, Paul went on his fourth missionary journey reaching the outer limits of the Roman empire – possibly as far west as Spain. If he was journeying that far, it would make complete sense for him to appoint Elders that he trusted in churches with problems. Two of which were Ephesus and Crete. Assuming this is true – and since there are no other clear answers – we can guess that Paul writes I Timothy from Macedonia, travels around the Balkan Peninsula, or perhaps across it, and settles in a city called Nicopolis on western shore of Greece on the Ionian sea. Perhaps as he travels around the Balkan Peninsula he passes by Crete, putting him of the mind to write to Titus. From there, we have no idea where Paul goes – but we do find him writing again to Timothy from prison in Rome. This time, the conditions seem different. He asks for a cloak indicating that he is in a less comfortable prison than he was when he wrote the prison epistles. So the writing of I Timothy and Titus is probably somewhere between AD 63-65 and II Timothy around AD 65/66. Corpus or Thematic Series? [Slide 4] From here on out, we won’t treat these Epistles the same way we did the epistles of John. John’s epistles shared a similar context, audience, theme, and goal and therefore addressing each of them independently but as one unit was quite appropriate. However, the Pastoral epistles while linked thematically, vary widely in audience, and even situation. Although it is true that of the 3 I Timothy and Titus are very similar, even then we must understand that Crete and Ephesus, while needing similar instruction, had unique contexts to present that same information. While The epistles of John could be viewed as 3 parts of one story – the Pastoral Epistles would be more like 3 stories in one series. All that to say – that now we will address each book independently knowing that they are connected by theme – but otherwise should be treated more independently from one another that we did for John’s Epistles. So let’s get specific to I Timothy. Who is Timothy? Reader: [Slide 5] Timothy was the son of a Gentile father and Jewish mother named Eunice. His mother came to Christ prior to Paul’s 2nd Missionary journey. His mother and grandmother Lois were responsible in teaching him the scriptures. (Most of this we discover in II Timothy) He lived in Lystra. He came to Christ during Paul’s first missionary journey when he visited Lystra in Acts 14. During the second journey Paul and Silas added Timothy to their party (Acts 16). Paul had him circumcised mainly to not be a stumbling block to those he ministered to since he was half Jewish. Timothy co-wrote with Paul 6 of his 10 non-pastoral epistles. He was sent to Thessalonica, Macedonia, Philippi and Corinth. Overall, Paul trusted him implicitly, although there was one character flaw with Timothy. Paul in a couple places speaks of how timid Timothy was. He was probably not a coward so much, as he was simply soft spoken and easy to be steamrolled. What is the particular occasion of I Timothy? Or to put it differently – what was the trouble in Ephesus? Occasion: [Slide 6] Even a cursory reading of I Timothy and Titus allows us to see that there is some kind of false teaching rising up in the church in that area. The writing of this predates John’s epistles by 30 years or so – so it may well be that this heresy is the predecessor of the secessionist’s teaching, although there are elements of it that suggest otherwise. It is difficult to know exactly what the heresy is, simply because it has so many facets that we don’t see coming together in any known heretical teaching. That could mean either that this is a form of heresy was ultimately eradicated, or perhaps Paul is confronting many different heresies that are arising within the church. So let’s look at the facets of the rising heresy. It seems to have some Jewish elements - Those of the circumcision (Titus 1:10) - Fight over the law (Titus 3:9) - Teachers of the law (I Tim 1:7) - Myths and genealogies (the jewish allegorical approach to the OT) - Anti-Gentile and perhaps even anti-authority. - Food laws - Emphasis on genealogical patterns and numerology. It also has some early Gnostic elements: - Things falsely called knowledge - Asceticism – avoiding indulgence or pleasure of any kind - marriage, childbirth, dietary laws - Speculation to the interp of the OT - Low view of the physical world - Mythological explanation for Yahweh and the creation of the physical world It even has some pagan elements: - Women church leaders All of this is checked by Paul as he instructs both Timothy and Titus to focus on what is important and reject what is a distraction. Things brings us to the purpose of I Timothy specifically. Why was this letter sent to Timothy? Purpose: [Slide 7] Paul actually includes two statements to spell this out to us. 1 – Oppose false teaching – This is found in chapter 1 right after the greeting. This is probably the primary purpose Paul intends for Timothy. 2 – How the church should operate in relation to the gospel and the world – This is found really from chapter 2 on and is certainly a purpose for Timothy but is also clearly intended for all the church to read and observe. Within these two purposes, we see several key themes running through this book which are connected to the whole counsel of God. Key Themes: [Slide 8] Adherence to sound doctrine that they have received. Dismissal of needless controversies that distract from the gospel The Gospel leads to practical and visible change in the lives of those who believe it – both in the church’s order and in each individual life Inner workings of the church. How the church is to function, what is its purpose, and how does it achieve that? Qualifications of Elders and Deacons Specific groups within the church living according to the doctrine they have confessed Phrases to keep an eye out for: [Slide 9] As we study this book, we need to keep our eyes open for a couple phrases. 1.) Occasionally Paul breaks out in praise to God. What do I mean by that? Paul will be talking about something and then all of a sudden, he will start extoling the character of God and end the sentence with Amen. As if it was a prayer, song, or poem he did not feel as though he could control. It would be good for us to pay attention to when that happens. There is a common theme that pushes Paul to this. This happens twice in I Timothy, and once in II Timothy. 2.) There is one other phrase we should keep our eyes peeled for. Paul states 3 “this is a trustworthy saying” statements in this book. All three are axioms of truth. We would do well to grasp hold of those truths as core truth and doctrine. There is 1 more in both Titus and II Timothy as well. Theological Challenges and Spicy Topics [Slide 10] 1.) Universalism – at some points Paul suggests that God or Jesus is a savior or redeemer of all men. Are all men saved? 2.) Women’s modesty is brought up. 3.) Women in authority – Paul makes a strong statement about women in leadership of the church. Spoiler alert, it is not politically correct. 4.) Can women be deacons? 5.) Homosexuality and Slavery will be mentioned in the book. 6.) Being a part of the assembly and either having no money or a lot of it is addressed. (watch your pocket books) 7.) Paul insists on giving financial assistance only to those who are truly helpless and truly godly in the church. The rest can, in his words, get married. 8.) How can you confront an Elder? It is different than regular church discipline. Outline of I Timothy [Slide 11] Finally, by way of introduction, I have provided for you an outline to the book of I Timothy. I do extend a disclaimer though. As I study the book more deeply, these divisions may change. Still, this should give us a good start on Paul’s first Letter to Timothy. As we read the letter itself, you can follow along in the text and with this outline in front of you. I.) Greeting – From Paul an apostle to Timothy his true child in the faith – 1:1-2 II.) Charge to protect the gospel – 1:3-20 a. Using the law rightly – 1:3-11 b. The Law vs. Paul – 1:12-17 c. Restated charge to protect the gospel – 1:18-20 III.) Gospel formed order in the church - 2:1-3:13 a. Pray for all kinds of men – 2:1-7 i. All men ii. Even kings and gentiles b. The testimony of gospel changed people to the world – 2:8-15 i. Prayerful men ii. No fighting iii. Pure women iv. Women not in authority v. Women in their role as child-rearers c. Authority is given to those in the church who are God-qualified. 3:1-13 i. The Elder’s qualifications – 3:1-7 ii. The Deacon’s qualifications – 3:8-13 IV.) What is the church? – 3:14-16-4:5 a. The purpose of the letter = How God’s people ought to conduct themselves - 14 b. The church’s position and role - 15 c. The church’s confession - 16 d. Why this matters - The Coming apostasy – 4:1-5 V.) Instructions to Timothy 4:6-6:21 a. Feed on the word teachings you have heard and confessed. Reject all else – 4:6-10 b. Persevere as an example for your people – 4:11-16 c. Dealing with particular groups of people i. Correcting people like family – 5:1-2 ii. Stipulations for helping widows – 5:3-16 1. Widows with family, do not help – 5:3-8 2. Qualifications for widows to be helped – 5:9-10 3. Young widows do not qualify – 5:11-15 4. Family bears primarily responsibility for the care of widows – 5:16 iii. Dealing with Elders – 5:17-24 1. Elders are worthy of pay – 5:17-18 2. Elders accused of sin and discipline of an Elder – 5:19-22 3. Elders and wine – 5:23 4. Do not fear corrupt Elders, people cannot hide what they are forever – 5:24 iv. Slaves and their masters – 6:1-2 d. Monetary wealth and the gospel – 6:3-16 i. Godliness with contentment is gain – but not in this life. – 6:3-10 ii. Hold fast to your confession and practice – 6:11-16 iii. Having a lot of wealth in the church – 6:17-19 e. Timothy, stay focused in grace – 6:20-21 [Slide 12 (end)]

  Musings In Macedonia With Digital Nomad & Not Just A Tourist Mahsa Homayounfar Chatting With Motorcycle Travelers Mahsa & Gerald Lakeside in Ohrid   Sometimes the stars line up or there’s the perfect storm that brings people together. I’d been chatting with Mahsa via text and Skype for more than two months. Hoping we would connect somewhere on the Balkan Peninsula, we finally arrange to meet just a week before my return to the USA. "Not Just A Tourist" Mahsa and her Yamaha XT660R Gerald and his 1991 BMW. Mahsa travels the world on her motorcycle while operating here business “Not Just 
A Tourist.” And as the community of world traveling motorcycles intersects and the crossroads and forks in the road, she also managed to connect with Gerald, another rider from Austria. Over breakfast, while looking out over the place Lake Ohrid and with the breeze of the mild autumn air, we chatted about motorcycles, travel, and connections. Tune into this short Podcast for a fun and revealing conversation—one that may inspire you!

Greece is among both the oldest and among the newest wine nations in the world. Although it got cooking with winemaking more than 6000 years ago, a huge break in the action took it out of the winemaking game from about the mid 1400s until the 1990s. It's back these days, and as it has always been grapes are grown everywhere in this small but diverse country.  With the best wines made from indigenous grapes and select regions, you'll want to listen to this show to know what to seek out. And don't forget to look at a map while or after listening!  Here's a rundown of the topics we covered:  Geography: We go over where the heck Greece is and what’s here that’s good for grapes! Greece is in the southern end of Balkan Peninsula between Italy and Turkey Climate: Mesoclimates matter to quality wine! Mountainous & semi-mountainous vineyards: altitude moderates climate, cools down the temps Islands and the coast: Maritime climate/Mediterranean climate but very hot. Growers need cool sites for grapes to thrive Volcanic Vineyards:Santorini especially - volcanic soils layers of which are 30 to 50 meters thick, VERY DRY -- high acidity of the grape of Santorini History We discuss the entire deal – from evidence of wine in Greek peninsula since the 4000 B.C. to Ottoman Rule which destroyed much of Greek viticulture until the early 1800s to the rebirth of viticulture of the last few decades.   Classification:Before we launch into the regions and wines, we tell you about the classification For PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)wines – higher quality): Onomasia Proelefseos Anoteras Piotitos (OPAP) Dry wines Onomasia Proelefseos Eleghomeni (OPE) --sweet wines For PGI level (Protected Geographical Indication): cover larger areas, more styles and grapes Topikos Oinos (local/country wine) Epitrapezios Oinos (table wine)      The Regions and Grapes Northern Greece: Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace Thrace –isbordered by Turkey and Bulgaria in the North, Aegean in the south, makes mostly international wine varieties Greek Macedonia– borders the Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria in the north and the Aegean sea in the south. It’s semi-mountainous, and the rocky soils make it great red wine country Xinomavro (Kseen-oh-MAHV-roh):RED GRAPE. Best when from Naousa in Macedonia Firm tannins, bright acidity with flavors like red fruit and flowers, tomatoes, olives, dried prunes, nuts (compared to Nebbiolo) Other growing areas: Northern and central Greece, Rapsani in Thessaly Malagousia (mala-GOO-zee-ah):WHITE GRAPE.From Macedonia, near Thessaly Full bodied wines with strong acidity, peach, lime, lemon, and soft textures. There are sweet or dry versions Thought to be extinct -- professors and top growers, brought it back –resurrected by a winery Ktima Gerovassiliou (ktima = “estate”)   Epirus: NW Grecian mainland, mountains are essential to high quality. Wines have great acidity – the PDO of Zitsa is making excellent sparkling wines and floral dry whites from Debina (WHITE GRAPE)     Central Greece: Central Greece, Thessalia Central Greece (this is where Athens is): Hot and dry, more white than red Saviatiano (sa-VAH-tee-AH-no) WHITE GRAPE is the most widely planted grape in Greece. It makes dry wines but is known for Retsina, which tastes like the pine resin that’s added to the must before fermentation.   Thessalia (Thessaly): Borders Greek Macedonia, Central Greece, the Aegean Sea  – Mediterranean climate with continental influences. Best areas are in the mountains that surround the region Rapsani is on south facing slopes on Mt Olympus at altitude and makes Xinomavro and red blends      Southwestern Greece: Ionian Islands, Peloponnese Peloponnese: Where Sparta and Olympia were this is a peninsula on the southern edge of mainland Greece. Best areas are on the eastern side of the Peloponnese, at altitude Roditis (Ro-deet-is) WHITE GRAPE: dry, food-friendly, high-acid with lime, melon, saline, bitter citrus. Grown all over. Agiorgitiko (ah-YOUR-yee-TEE-ko) RED GRAPE: Full-bodied with sweet raspberry, black currant, and plum, nutmeg and Italian herbs, smooth tannins. Wines from mountains are best especially Nemea Moschofilero (MOSH-ko-fah-LAIR-oh)WHITE GRAPE:Lychee, rose, lemon flavored with good acidity and medium body. Grown in Mantinia: One of the coolest growing regions of Greece, specializes in the grape Mavrodaphne (MAHV-roh-DAF-nee) RED GRAPE:Sweet, late harvest, red wine that usually tastes of raisins and chocolate with high tannins. Better when blended. Grown in Patras   Ionian Islands: Ruled by Venetians in Middle Ages – today tourism = shrinking vineyards Robola, WHITE GRAPE:is Probably Ribolla Gialla from northeastern Italy. Lemon with pineapple, beeswax, quince, tart apple, can be rich and terroir-driven. Grown in Cephalonia     CRETE Crete: Largest Island (150 miles long), on the southern edge of Aegean. Hottest vineyards in Greece. Mandilaria, RED GRAPE: found throughout Greece and Crete in particular. It is too powerful to be made alone. Flavors are like stewed fruit, leather, with VERY powerful tannin     Aegean Islands Santorini: Volcanic island, most famous WHITE GRAPE is Assyrtiko (ah-SEER-teek-oh)grown in basket-like vines (see below) Dry Assyrtiko: lean, mineral, concentrated whites Nykteri (“nith-terry”): oaked with creme brûlée, pineapple, fennel, sugar cookie notes Vinsanto: Made with Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Athiri with cherry and raspberry notes. Tannic, high acidity, and can have high VA (‘nail polish’ smell)    Samos: Muscat of Samos, WHITE GRAPE, possibly homeland of Muscat Blanc Límnos: Limnio, RED GRAPE with raspberry fruit and herb notes. Paros: Monemvassia, WHITE GRAPE. From Peloponnese but cultivated only on Has mineral, citrus, nectarine flavors with a medium body, refreshing acidity.     To sum up: Best whites:Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Moschofilero, Debina, Robola, Muscat of Samos Best reds:Xinomavro, blends with Agiorgitiko, sometimes Mandalaria or Limnio Best regions:Naousa (Xinomavro), Nemea (Agiorgitiko blends), Mantinia (Moschofilero), Santorini (Assyrtiko), Samos (Muscat)   ______________________________________________  Thanks to our sponsor this week: Halpern Financial Imagine a path to wealth that just works. A team of experts at your beck and call, technology to keep tabs on your money 24/7, financial education and the personal touch that makes organizing your financial life feel achievable, rather than daunting.Halpern Financial is a fiduciary, fee-only, independent advisor that offers a combination of online tools and personal connection to help clients systematically achieve their goals. Go to halpernfinancial.com/wine for more information!     Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople  And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!      Most of the info for this show came from the Official Wines of Greece Web site: https://winesofgreece.org/

The Eastern, Balkan Question, Eastern European Nationalism represented the struggle for nationalism doñe by the Slavs, the Balkans in the Balkan states of Eastern Europe. The Balkan Peninsula is made up by several small states including Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Rumelia, Rumania, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Latvia and Croatia. In the 19century, the Ottoman Empire was dwindling leaving the vacant of dominating the Balkan region to the giant West European nations including the Russian Empire. Here, lets us listen carefull the episode.

If you have decided to take a break from your Chemistry study to read some classic literature or take in a Danny Boyle film whilst traveling through Australia or traversing the Balkan Peninsula then you will be well placed to excel in this round of trivia training. For everyone else, this is your moment to ratchet up your trivia skills to the next level. Thanks for choosing to undertake your trivia training with Pub Quiz Prep.

If you have decided to take a break from your Chemistry study to read some classic literature or take in a Danny Boyle film whilst traveling through Australia or traversing the Balkan Peninsula then you will be well placed to excel in this round of trivia training. For everyone else, this is your moment to ratchet up your trivia skills to the next level. Thanks for choosing to undertake your trivia training with Pub Quiz Prep. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pubquizprep/message

Get insider advice for enjoying the less-visited corners of the Balkan Peninsula, from Bosnia's atmospheric mosques to Montenegro's scenic coast. And as we mark the centennial of the "Great War," hear about the most compelling places in Europe to learn about American soldiers' contributions to World War I. Plus, listen in as tour guides share their tips for enjoying Kraków, the cultural and spiritual capital of Poland. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Host David Ahearn is joined by cast member Oliver Tull and musical director Ray Sharp as they reminisce about the 2015 Armed Forced Entertainment Tour throughout Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. Four Day Weekend's book "Happy Accidents: The Transformative Power of Yes, and at Work and in Life" is available at Barnes & Noble and on Amazon. More information about Four Day Weekend performances, improv classes, corporate training and more available at www.fourdayweekend.com. We welcome your questions, comments, and input! Reach out to us at: happyaccidents@fourdayweekend.com

Norman Robert Guiscard, entered at the dawn of the Norman conquest of Italy, defeated his enemies and pushed aside his competing family members to take the whole of southern Italy, much of Sicily, and parts of the Balkan Peninsula.

As Europe observes the centennial of the "Great War," learn about the WWI sites you can visit to better understand American doughboys' role on the battlefields. We'll also share tips for visiting Kraków, the cultural and spiritual capital of Poland. And we'll get insider advice for enjoying WWI sites in some less-visited corners of the Balkan Peninsula. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

What do we have to do with white folks business? Are we living in critical times? Are we all on the brink of collapse? Yes... Greece the so-called cradle of Western Civilization is failing due to those who started WW1 and WW2. Tonight we will talk about the reason we should be concerned. Greece: Greece's population is around 10.8 million. Athens is the nation's capital and largest city, with Thessaloniki being the second largest and referred to as the co-capital. Greece is strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to the northeast. The Modern Greek state, which was established in 1830 following the war of independence from the Ottoman Empire, traces its roots to the civilization of Ancient Greece, which is considered the cradle of all Western civilization. So why are they letting the foundation of Western Civilization fall by the wayside?