Podcasts about Baptism

What happens when a few college students say YES to God? On September 14, student-athletes at the University of Toledo organized a Night of Worship and Baptism, and nearly 400 people showed up. They expected about five people to be baptized. By the end of the night, 50 had stepped into the water. “How the night came to be, was a mighty work of the Lord,” said Ben Sahakian. In this special episode, Lina talks with her nephew Ben Sahakian, one of the catalysts behind the event, about how a simple vision became a night of worship, testimonies, the Gospel, and lives changed. Living With Power had the privilege of helping sponsor the night, but this story is really about what can happen when young people are willing to step out in faith and let God do the rest.   Helpful resources: Sports Spectrum article about the UToledo Baptism Night  Lina's new book All Your Life Watch the conversation on Youtube More about Lina: www.livingwithpower.org  

The 1662 Liturgy for Baptism is an excellent reminder of our need for doctrinal cohesion.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260917dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22 No Keeping Score Three strikes and you’re out. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. We all have limits for how often we will allow someone to offend us. We can understand and forgive one offense. Maybe even two. But if someone offends or hurts us three times? That’s it. So when Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive a brother who sins against him, he thought he was being generous by offering to forgive seven times. Jesus had just been teaching his disciples about forgiveness. Peter thought his question showed the lesson was sinking in. Jesus’ response showed Peter, and us, just how much we need to grow in our understanding of forgiveness. He turned Peter’s generous offer of seven into a fraction. “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus wasn’t giving Peter a bigger number to keep track of. Imagine getting to offense number seventy-eight and saying, “Finally! Now I don't have to forgive you.” Jesus’ point was the opposite: stop keeping score. That is hard. When someone hurts us repeatedly, we remember. We keep a mental record. We can recall what they said, what they did, and how many times they have done it. Eventually, we decide they have used up their supply of forgiveness. Thankfully, that isn’t how Jesus treats us. How many times have you committed the same sin? How many times have you lost your temper, spoken selfishly, entertained the same sinful thought, or failed to love someone? Yet you have never reached the limit of Jesus' mercy. He carried every one of those sins to the cross and paid for them completely. Jesus doesn’t stand over you with a tally sheet. He stands before you with nail-scarred hands and says, “You are forgiven.” Because his forgiveness has no limits, we don’t need to put limits on ours. We can put down the scorecard and forgive again. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for forgiving me again and again. Help me stop keeping score and freely forgive others as you have forgiven me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

As you listen to this message, we pray it will feed your faith, and encourage you to trust God with all your heart.

Sunday Morning Service: September 13, 2026 Signs of Grace Pastor Beth        As we start a new series. Pastor Beth leads us through a sermon that highlights the significance of baptism and communion in a Christians walk with God.

He was born to wealthy and noble parents in Carthage (north Africa), and became a prominent lawyer in that city. Around the year 246 he embraced the Christian faith and was baptized by the priest Caecilianus. Immediately he gave all his goods to the poor and retired to a quiet place in the country to devote himself to prayer and study of Christian writings. In 248 or 249 he was elected Bishop of Carthage by the insistence of the people, though some priests opposed the consecration of such a new Christian.   Soon after his election, the Emperor Decius began a terrible persecution of Christians, during which Cyprian, in hiding, upheld his flock by letters. During this time many Christians gave in to fear of death and either sacrificed to the idols or signed statements that they had done so. When the persecution ended, the problem arose of how to treat the apostates who wished to be received back into the Church. Rigorist groups such as the Novatians and Montanists held that these lapsi had removed themselves from all hope of salvation and could never re-enter the Church. Cyprian rejected this view (as well as the position of some who would immediately reconcile the apostates); he established the position, still standard in the Church, that apostates could be restored after confession and long penance. His position led to a schism in the Church at Carthage when Cyprian's opponents set up Maximus the Montanist as a rival Bishop. The schism was only ended by a plague that swept the Empire and the city of Carthage in 253-254, together with a renewed persecution of Christians. Saint Cyprian's tireless care for the suffering during this time won most of the schismatics back to his side. When peace returned, Cyprian called a series of Councils in Carthage to resolve the conflicts that had troubled the Church. He upheld the African (and Eastern) churches' practice of reconciling heretics to the Church by Baptism rather than by laying on of hands, as was done in Rome; though Cyprian did not seek to impose this practice on other churches, Rome was not so tolerant and broke with the African church until the death of Pope Stephen.   In 256, yet another persecution broke out under the Emperor Valerian. Cyprian was arrested and brought before the Proconsul of the region. He refused to defend himself, and when told that he was to be executed, said only Deo Gratias!(Thanks be to God!). At his execution the holy bishop ordered that twenty-five gold pieces be given to the executioner, and put on the blindfold with his own hands.   Note: St Cyprian is missing on this date from traditional martyrologies because he was once confused with St Cyprian of Antioch (October 2). Today is the date of his martyrdom and the date of his commemoration on the Latin calendar.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260916dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20 God Meant It for Good Joseph didn’t call evil good. His brothers had betrayed him and sold him into slavery. Joseph described their actions honestly: “You intended to harm me.” But their evil intentions were not the only intentions at work. Joseph continued, “God intended it for good.” Through Joseph’s suffering, God placed him in Egypt. Through Joseph’s position in Egypt, God provided food during a severe famine. Through that food, God preserved Joseph’s family, including the family line through which the Savior would eventually come. The brothers intended harm. God accomplished salvation. That does not excuse what the brothers did. God did not approve of their sin. But their sin could not defeat his gracious plan. The same is true at the cross. Jesus’ enemies intended to silence him. Judas intended to betray him. Religious leaders intended to destroy him. Roman soldiers intended to execute him. Yet through their evil actions, God carried out his saving purpose. Jesus’ suffering became the means by which God rescued sinners. We cannot always see what God is accomplishing through the wrongs committed against us. We should not minimize evil or pretend that suffering is painless. But we can trust that evil never gets the final word. The God who turned Joseph's suffering into the saving of many lives turned Jesus’ death into the salvation of the world. He is still able to bend what others intend for harm toward his good and gracious purposes. Prayer: Lord God, when I cannot understand the evil and suffering around me, help me trust your saving wisdom and your gracious purposes in Christ. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

‘The Chosen' actor Elijah Alexander opens up about the powerful first words fellow actor Jonathan Roumie spoke to him off camera and how they helped launch his journey to Jesus. Raised Jewish, Elijah tells Jase, Al, and Zach how playing the Roman Atticus eventually led him from searching for God to becoming a disciple and getting baptized on set. He also reflects on his lifelong love of biblical storytelling and his role as King Nebuchadnezzar in the upcoming film Daniel and the Fiery Furnace. In this episode: 1 John 4:7; Acts 17:26-27; Matthew 28:19; Romans 8:28; John 1:38 Want to watch the Lost Episodes of Unashamed, only on EKKL? Get 20% off with code UNASHAMED, and watch faith- and family-friendly movies, podcasts, and more: https://ekkl.com/ “Unashamed” Episode 1420 is sponsored by: https://preborn.com/unashamed - Visit the PreBorn! website or dial #250 and use keyword BABY to donate today. https://homechef.com/unashamed - Get 50% off and free shipping on your first box plus free dessert for life! https://duckstamp.com/unashamed - Get your digital duck stamp online and keep it right on your phone! http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ - Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://open.spotify.com/show/3LY8eJ4ZBZHmsImGoDNK2l Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters 00:00 Meet ‘The Chosen' Actor Elijah Alexander 04:18 From Jewish Roots to a Search for God 12:06 The Call That Changed Elijah's Life 19:28 Jonathan Roumie's First Message to Elijah 25:48 Finding God in Higher Learning 29:09 Filming the Crucifixion Changes Everything 34:18 Elijah's Journey to Baptism 41:45 Why Jesus Asked So Many Questions 46:08 The Unforgettable Baptism Request - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we obey God by being baptized, God meets us and responds to our obedience. Baptism is something God does for more than something we do for Him. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the invitations God holds out to us and the importance of accepting those opportunities. He teaches specifically on water baptism, its history, and what it symbolizes: repentance, a burial and resurrection, and the beginning of a new life in Christ. Jesus Himself was baptized, and He taught His followers to do the same. If we want our lives to be transformed, then we need to take hold of every opportunity God presents us to cooperate with Him—beginning with being baptized into His Kingdom.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (09/15/26), Hank answers the following questions:Are we supposed to be baptized in the name of Jesus only or in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Don - IN (1:03)Can you address Planned Parenthood and its founder Margaret Sanger's role in the high proportion of abortions among the black population? Ron - Nashville, TN (5:11)Can you explain Joyce Meyer's teachings in more detail? Tom - Tacoma, WA (18:03)

I've known Kara Mosher for a few years now and she has one hell of a story. Her road to Orthodoxy was already pretty wild. She spent years involved in the occult, New Age spirituality, psychedelics, and all kinds of things she thought might give her answers or healing. Eventually, that search led her somewhere she never expected: the Orthodox Church. This conversation is about love, loss, and what it means to surrender someone you love to God.  Kara shares the story of Jody, her partner of sixteen years, his long struggle with addiction, and the tragic fire that left him fighting for his life. In those final hours, Kara was given an unexpected opportunity to do something that Jody had wanted but never completed: baptize him into the Orthodox Church. We talk about that day, the firefighters who brought Jody back, the baptism, grief, providence, and what Kara means when she says this experience "crucified her will." This is a heavy conversation, but it's not a hopeless one. It's about discovering that loving someone doesn't mean you can save them—and learning to trust God when His answer looks nothing like the one you prayed for.  Guest Website: https://www.karamosher.com/ Sponsors: Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast!  Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com  Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA  Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

"An actor, he first mocked at Christians before Julian the Apostate. On one occasion, when he was mimicking the Christian mystery of Baptism, he was dipped into the water, pronouncing the words: 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.' When he emerged from the water, he cried out: 'Now I am a Christian!' Everyone thought that this was in jest, as always, but he held firm to it, stopped mocking Christians and finally suffered for Christ. He was beheaded in 361, and entered into the Kingdom of Christ." (Prologue)   We rightly condemn worship that is purely external; but the life of St Porphyrius reminds us in a striking way that the 'externals' of the Faith have a power that can work to convert the heart of man. St Porphyrius used the words of Holy Baptism not only carelessly but mockingly, yet by God's grace he emerged from the waters truly renewed into Christ.

"Who are you?" Before the world tells you who you are, remember the identity God gave you at your Baptism—you are His beloved child.

To find out more about Momentum: Momentumcc.org  – Download 'Church Center' App: Connect with 'Momentum Christian Church' – Social Media: Facebook.com/momentumcc.org Instagram.com/momentum.cc – Connect: Momentumcc.org/Connect – Baptism: Momentumcc.org/Baptism  – Online Giving: Momentumcc.org/Giving – NextGen: Birth–Elementary: Momentumcc.org/kidmotion Middle–High School: Momentumcc.org/moxie

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260915dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?” Genesis 50:19 In God’s Place Joseph had the power to make his brothers pay. He was a ruler in Egypt. His brothers had betrayed him and sold him as a slave. Because of them, Joseph had endured years of hardship, false accusations, and imprisonment. Now they stood helpless before him. Joseph could have acted as judge, jury, and executioner. Instead, he asked, “Am I in the place of God?” Joseph was not denying that his brothers had sinned. He was refusing to claim a position that belonged to God. Judgment and vengeance were the Lord's responsibility, not his. When someone hurts us, we often want to take God’s place. We replay the offense, pronounce the person guilty, and decide what punishment would be fair. We may refuse to speak to them, hope that they suffer, or look for an opportunity to hurt them back. But God has not called us to be his executioners. He calls us to forgive. That does not mean pretending that sin does not hurt. It does not always mean immediately restoring trust or removing appropriate consequences. It means releasing our personal claim to revenge. We place the matter into God’s hands. We can do that because God did not treat us as our sins deserved. Jesus stepped into our place and received our punishment. God’s undeserved forgiveness frees us to surrender our desire for revenge and show mercy to those who have wronged us. Prayer: Merciful God, keep me from taking your place as judge. Help me entrust justice to you and forgive others as you have forgiven me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

As we dedicate Fox River's new baptismal font, pulpit, and Communion table, we celebrate much more than beautiful new furnishings. Each represents something essential about who we are as followers of Christ.The font reminds us that we belong to God and to a community of grace. The pulpit calls us to listen for God's Word and allow it to shape our lives. The table extends Christ's invitation to come, receive grace, and remember him.Together they proclaim a simple message: Belong. Listen. Come. Go. We receive God's grace, hear God's Word, gather at Christ's table, and then are sent into the world to love and serve.As we dedicate these new furnishings, we also rededicate ourselves to what they represent, and pray that future generations will encounter the love and grace of Christ through the ministry of Fox River.

Restoring Kingdom Authority:  What Adam Lost Jesus Restored | BLTV092026 Biblical Life TV DESCRIPTION Did Jesus come only to save humanity from sin—or did His redemptive work also restore something Adam surrendered in the Garden? In this edition of Biblical Life TV, Dr. Michael Lake examines the biblical theology of KINGDOM AUTHORITY. From Genesis to the Great Commission, Scripture reveals that humanity was created not merely to exist upon the earth but to represent God, exercise stewardship, guard sacred space, and function under the authority of the King. Adam was given everything he needed to fulfill that assignment. Yet the serpent did not begin by attacking Adam and Eve with overwhelming force. He began with a question: "Did God actually say…?" — Genesis 3:1 That question remains one of the enemy's most effective weapons. Has God really said this is sin? Has God really said believers have authority over the kingdom of darkness? Has God really said we can resist the devil? Has God really said His Word can be trusted? The moment the believer begins questioning what God has clearly established, the enemy attempts to separate authority from its source. Adam surrendered ground. But Jesus came to restore what was lost. This teaching examines the biblical restoration pattern: Adam lost fellowship—Christ brings reconciliation. Adam brought condemnation—Christ brings justification. Adam brought death—Christ brings resurrection life. Adam lost access to God's presence—Christ restores access. Adam corrupted humanity's calling as God's image-bearers—Christ restores the image. Adam surrendered ground to the serpent—Jesus crushes the serpent's head. Adam failed to guard sacred space—Jesus defeats the powers of darkness. Adam's dominion became corrupted—Jesus declares that ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and earth belongs to Him. Humanity lost its royal-priestly vocation—Christ creates a Kingdom of priests. Creation entered corruption—Christ ultimately brings the new creation. The Gospel is therefore not merely about getting people into heaven. It is about restoring redeemed humanity to proper relationship with God and bringing believers back under the government of Jesus Christ. ALL AUTHORITY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO CHRIST Before issuing the Great Commission, Jesus makes an extraordinary declaration: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." — Matthew 28:18 Then He says: "Go therefore…" — Matthew 28:19 The commission flows from His authority. Jesus commands His disciples to make disciples, baptize believers, and teach them to observe everything He commanded. This means discipleship itself is an exercise of Kingdom authority. Baptism is an act of allegiance. Obedience is spiritual warfare. Standing upon Scripture is spiritual warfare. Sanctification is spiritual warfare. Choosing righteousness instead of sin is spiritual warfare. Every time the believer chooses God's Word over the enemy's deception, another string of manipulation is cut. THE FIRST DIMENSION OF AUTHORITY: YOU CAN SAY NO The teaching explores the Greek word exousia, translated "authority." One of its important dimensions involves the right or freedom to act. Before redemption, humanity is enslaved to sin. In Christ, the believer can finally say: NO. No to sin. No to temptation. No to deception. No to the manipulation of the enemy. And: YES to God. YES to righteousness. YES to obedience. YES to the Word. YES to the Kingdom. Learning to exercise that choice is part of learning Kingdom authority. JESUS SHOWS US HOW AUTHORITY WORKS Matthew 4:1–11 records Satan tempting Jesus after forty days of fasting. The enemy attacked at a moment of tremendous physical weakness. Yet Jesus did not defeat temptation through emotion, physical strength, religious excitement, or a dramatic display. Three times His response was essentially: IT IS WRITTEN. The authority of the believer is therefore not based upon how powerful the believer FEELS. Authority rests upon Christ, His victory, His Word, and our obedient submission to Him. If Heaven stands behind the Word, Hell must yield to the authority of that Word. AUTHORITY OVER THE POWER OF THE ENEMY Jesus tells His disciples: "Behold, I have given you authority…over all the power of the enemy." — Luke 10:19 The episode examines an important distinction between exousia—authority—and dunamis—power. The kingdom of darkness may attempt to intimidate believers through manifestations of supernatural power. But supernatural manifestations do not cancel the authority Christ has delegated to obedient believers. The enemy wants Christians to become impressed by his power so that they forget their authority. Jesus teaches precisely the opposite. Do not become fascinated with demons. Do not become intimidated by supernatural manifestations. Do not build your identity around spiritual warfare. Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. — Luke 10:20 AUTHORITY GROWS THROUGH TRAINING David did not begin with Goliath. Before the giant came the lion and the bear. In the same way, God can use smaller battles to train believers in obedience, faith, discernment, and Kingdom authority. Every temptation presents a choice. Every spiritual conflict provides an opportunity to stand upon Scripture. Every act of obedience strengthens the believer's ability to remain faithful when greater battles arrive. God trains His people before the Goliath moment. BINDING AND LOOSING This episode also examines two important passages concerning binding and loosing: Matthew 18:15–20 Matthew 16:13–19 Matthew 18 concerns authority and discipline within the believing community. Matthew 16 takes place in the region of Caesarea Philippi, against the backdrop of Mount Hermon and the "gates of Hades." The teaching connects this location with the spiritual rebellion associated with Genesis 6 and presents Jesus' declaration as a direct challenge to the kingdom of darkness: "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." — Matthew 16:18 THE BREAKER SWITCH One of the strongest illustrations in this episode compares spiritual authority to an electrical breaker. Enormous electrical power can flow through a system. Yet a relatively small breaker can interrupt that power—not because the breaker possesses greater raw energy, but because it has the AUTHORITY and function to interrupt the circuit. The enemy may display power. The believer has been given delegated authority in Christ. The question is: Will we believe what God has said? THE BATTLE RETURNS TO GENESIS 3 The enemy still whispers: "Has God really said?" The believer must answer: YES, HE HAS. God has spoken. His Word remains true. Jesus Christ has triumphed over the kingdom of darkness. All authority belongs to Him. And believers who submit themselves to the King are called to carry out His Kingdom assignments under His authority. The closing prayer asks God to teach His people their authority, establish confidence in the validity of His Word, and deepen their trust in His righteous character so that they can be used for His glory. KEY SCRIPTURES DISCUSSED ·      Genesis 2:15 ·      Genesis 3:1 ·      Deuteronomy 32:4–5 ·      Psalm 145:17 ·      Matthew 4:1–11 ·      Matthew 16:13–19 ·      Matthew 18:15–20 ·      Matthew 28:18–20 ·      Luke 10:17–20 ·      Isaiah 40:29–31 ·      Isaiah 41:10 ·      1 John 1:6 ·      Daniel 11:32 ·      Jude 1:9 ·      1 Corinthians 5:1–5 CALL TO ACTION The enemy's question has not changed: "Has God really said?" Our answer must not change either: YES, HE HAS. Now is the time to learn the Word, trust the character of God, pursue holiness, close doors to the enemy, and learn to exercise the authority Jesus Christ has given His people. If this teaching has strengthened you, please LIKE this video, SUBSCRIBE to Biblical Life TV, and SHARE this episode with believers who need to understand their Kingdom authority. COMMENT BELOW: What Scripture has helped you most in understanding the believer's authority in Christ? PARTNER WITH BIBLICAL LIFE TV Biblical Life TV exists to provide Spirit-filled biblical teaching designed to nurture, prepare, and empower the remnant for the days ahead. The program opens by emphasizing the need for believers to study the Word, pursue the Kingdom, and become "ablaze with the fire of God" in this generation. Kingdom Intelligence Briefing and Biblical Life TV are made possible through the prayers and financial support of our partners worldwide. If these teachings have strengthened your walk with God and helped prepare you for the days ahead, please prayerfully consider supporting Biblical Life TV. Biblical Life P.O. Box 160 Seymour, Missouri 65746-0160 Online giving is also available through the Biblical Life store. Thank you to everyone who prays, gives, shares these programs, and stands with us as we work to prepare the remnant for the unfolding of end-times prophecy. HASHTAGS #KingdomAuthority #KingdomIntelligenceBriefing #BiblicalLifeTV #SpiritualWarfare #AuthorityInChrist #BelieversAuthority #JesusChrist #Genesis3 #GreatCommission #ArmorOfGod #Remnant #BiblicalTruth #KingdomOfGod #ChristianDiscipleship #EndTimes

Baptism doesn't save us, but it's a meaningful step of obedience that publicly shows we belong to Jesus. If you've trusted Jesus but haven't been baptized, this message walks through some common hesitations and why baptism is worth taking seriously.

A Study of Baptism - Archie Parrish, Part one

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260914dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” Genesis 50:15 Forgive the Unforgivable Years had passed, but Joseph's brothers were still afraid. Long ago, they had been jealous of Joseph. Their jealousy turned into hatred, and their hatred led them to do something terrible. They sold their own brother into slavery and let their father believe Joseph was dead. But Joseph did not stay a slave. Through a remarkable series of events, God eventually placed Joseph in a position of great power in Egypt. Years later, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt looking for food during a famine. They were shocked to discover that their brother was alive and in such a position of power. Their father was thrilled to learn that his long-lost son was alive. All was well. But then their father died. The brothers were terrified. Maybe Joseph had only been kind to them in order to please their father. Maybe now he would finally get revenge. They could imagine punishment. They could imagine Joseph making them pay. What they could not imagine was forgiveness. Guilt can do the same thing to us. It reminds us of the worst things we have done. It tells us that some sins are too serious, too shameful, or too deliberate to be forgiven. We may believe that God forgives sins in general, yet still wonder, “But will he forgive this?” The answer is yes. God does not forgive reluctantly. He is not pretending to forgive while secretly planning to punish you later. Jesus already took the punishment your sins deserved. On the cross, he paid for every sin completely. Joseph did not take revenge on his brothers. He reassured them, cared for them, and spoke kindly to them. Your Savior does even more. When guilt tells you that God must still be angry, listen to Jesus instead. His cross says the punishment has been paid. His empty tomb says the payment was enough. What seems unforgivable to you is not beyond the forgiveness of Jesus. Prayer: Lord Jesus, when guilt makes me doubt your forgiveness, direct me to your cross and assure me that my sins have been paid for completely. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Nephilim Death Squad continues the LIVE Q&A with Raven, Top Lobsta, and Matt tackling generational curses, spiritual warfare, Jehovah's Witnesses, faith healing, Biblical fasting, Noah's Ark, Christian symbolism, moon worship, and some of the stranger questions surrounding Biblical history.The conversation begins with questions about generational iniquity and whether a pregnant Christian can break spiritual ties connected to Freemasonry or family bloodlines without fasting. The discussion turns toward prayer, the blood of Jesus Christ, Scripture, deliverance, and whether Christians can become too focused on curses and demons instead of pursuing God directly.From there, the guys debate baptism, living water, fasting and prayer, and whether NDS should ever host an old-school tent revival. That opens a larger discussion about faith healers, charismatic Christianity, public healing ministries, William Branham, performative prayer, church culture, and the difference between genuine Christian ministry and turning Christianity into a show.A major portion of the episode examines Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower system. The discussion covers the Trinity, whether Jesus is God, the 144,000, Watchtower teachings, failed end-times predictions, shunning, love bombing, family relationships, church authority, and the dangers the hosts see in highly controlled religious systems.The Q&A then moves into Biblical history and ancient America. Could Florida's so-called “gopher wood” have any connection to Noah's Ark? Could America have been inhabited before the Flood? The hosts discuss Pangea, Peleg, Genesis, ancient civilizations, and theories surrounding the pre-Flood world.They also investigate the mysterious “Lady in Blue,” Sor María de Jesús de Ágreda, reports of bilocation, Native Americans receiving Christian teaching, Catholic apparitions, and how Christians might test unusual supernatural claims.Finally, the conversation explores fasting, the symbolism of the cross, New Jerusalem as a cube, Saturn symbolism, the Trinity, the Ark of the Covenant, lunatics, lunar influence, moon worship, Biblical cosmology, Flat Earth questions, astrology, and numerology.What do you think? Drop your Biblical case in the comments and join the discussion.Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere podcasts are available.► Subscribe for more Biblical analysis, Christian worldview discussions, and conspiracy research through a Biblical lens.00:00 NDS LIVE Q&A Part 2 Intro06:09 Turtle Stories & Listener Questions09:26 Generational Curses During Pregnancy13:49 Baptism, Living Water & Spiritual Cleansing18:12 Christian Culture, Catholicism & Discernment23:06 Breaking Spiritual Ties & Bloodline Curses24:20 Tent Revivals, Faith Healing & Deliverance31:30 Performative Christianity & Church Culture37:19 What Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe?45:40 Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus & the Trinity49:15 Watchtower Society & Religious Authority51:48 The 144,000 & End-Times Predictions55:38 Failed Prophecy, Shunning & Family Control61:37 Religious Systems, Grooming & Church Authority64:07 Was America Inhabited Before the Flood?64:52 Gopher Wood, Noah's Ark & Florida68:24 The Lady in Blue & Supernatural Bilocation74:33 Biblical Fasting & Prayer80:29 Is the Cross a Bad Christian Symbol?82:47 New Jerusalem, Saturn's Cube & the Cross83:54 Trinity Symbols & Christian Imagery88:16 Ark of the Covenant & the Presence of God93:24 Lunatics, the Moon & Lunar Influence95:53 Moon Worship, Witchcraft & Biblical Calendars99:10 Flat Earth, the Moon & the Tides99:42 Astrology vs Numerology100:34 501(c)(3) Churches & Religious SystemsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nephilim-death-squad--6389018/support.☠️ Nephilim Death Squad — New episodes 5x/week.Join our Patreon for early access, bonus shows & the private Telegram hive.Subscribe on YouTube & Rumble, follow @NephilimDSquad on X/Instagram, grab merch at toplobsta.com. Questions/bookings: chroniclesnds@gmail.com — Stay dangerous.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260913dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.” Matthew 18:27 Forgiven How many times, just today, have you and I failed to love God with all our heart? Do you know? I don’t. Yet, every one of those failures was a sin. Or similarly, how many times, just today, have you and I failed to trust God completely? Do you know? Again, I don’t. Probably a whole bunch. Or again, how many times, just today, have you and I failed to focus our attention on God’s Word? Or failed to love our neighbor perfectly? Or failed to realize that someone needed a helping hand from us? Wow! How many sins have we piled up, just today? It’s probably quite a list. Hundreds? Thousands? More? Who knows? Well, God knows. And he knows not only about today, but about yesterday. And the day before that, and the day before that, and … well, you get the picture. And it isn’t pretty. What’s amazing is what God has done with all of those sins. He’s wiped them ALL away. Every single one of them. He placed all of them onto the back of his Son, Jesus, at the cross and paid for every single one of them. In doing so, Jesus canceled our debt because he paid for it in full. What a loving and gracious God we have! Prayer: Lord Jesus, to you I make confession of all my many sins. Thank you for paying the price for them at the cross. Help me live today in a way that reflects my gratitude for your great gift. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260912dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!'” Ezekiel 33:11 What does God want from me? “What does God want from me?” We’ve probably heard it; perhaps we’ve thought about it. In our Bible verse today, God first tells us what he DOESN’T want. He doesn’t want to send us to hell. He doesn’t want to condemn us. Oh, it’s true, that's what we deserve, because of our sinfulness. And if we consistently, stubbornly rebel against God, refusing to believe in him, then God has no choice, and he will send us to hell. But truly this isn’t what God wants So, what DOES God want? In short, he wants us. He wants our heart, our affection, our trust. He wants us to spend eternity with him. He wants you and me so badly that he—Jesus—became one of us, dying on the cross to pay for our sins in full. God wanted you that badly; God loved you that dearly. And God wants you to have the benefits of Jesus’ work—forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and much more—for all eternity. That’s what God wants for you! Prayer: O Savior, thank you for claiming me as one of your children. Although I’d rebelled against you, you wanted me. What grace! Lead me to always turn to you, to focus on you, to live in a way that makes clear that I appreciate what you’ve done for me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Corey Russell calls the church to fresh baptism, deeper prayer, and a greater hunger for the Holy Spirit at Holy Spirit Conference.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260911dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. . . “[We] know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.” Galatians 2:11,16 Hard Conversations The apostle Paul had to have a hard conversation with Cephas, better known as the apostle Peter. You know the kind of conversation—the one that puts your stomach in knots and that you'd really rather avoid. Paul had to call Peter out in front of the whole church because Peter’s actions were damaging the church. As more and more Gentiles came to faith in Jesus, cultural questions naturally arose. Did these non-Jewish believers have to follow Jewish customs to belong to the Christian church? Did they have to live like Jews in order to be true Christians? The Bible’s answer is clear: of course not. Yet Peter had stopped eating with Gentile Christians and ate only with Jewish Christians. By his actions, he was sending the message that faith in Jesus was not enough. If you wanted to be a true believer, you needed faith in Christ and obedience to the Old Testament ceremonial laws. Paul saw what was happening and recognized the effect it was having on the other believers. Without hesitation, he confronted Peter. Paul was not concerned about fitting in, hurting feelings, or offending people. He was concerned for the spiritual welfare of the entire church. He recognized Peter’s actions for what they really were: a threat to the very message of forgiveness through faith in Jesus alone. So, Paul reminded them that we are justified—acquitted in God’s courtroom—not by what we do, how we act, or how we live, but solely by what Jesus has done for us. Jesus calls us to confront a brother or sister’s sin not only for that person’s sake, but also for the good of the whole church. When we refuse to have those difficult conversations, our silence can strengthen others in their sin as well. Confronting sin is never easy. Yet God gives his people the privilege and responsibility to have these hard conversations for the greater good of his people. Prayer: Lord Jesus, please keep me mindful of the importance of having hard conversations about sin. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

“Where do we see the sacraments in early Church history?” This question opens a discussion on the foundational role of sacraments, while also addressing how the sacrament of marriage can lead to sainthood, the biblical basis for confirmation, and the significance of exorcised salt in baptism. The conversation touches on various aspects of sacramental theology and its historical context. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:01 – Where Do We See the Sacraments in the Early Church? 16:20 – Could you expound how the sacrament of marriage is also a path to sainthood since we see so many examples of celibate people as saints? 22:00 – Is confirmation really in the Bible? 31:46 – What was the role of Exorcised salt in the Sacrament of Baptism prior to the Consilium's reforms 35:19 – What if someone passes away while going through OCIA or before confirmation and they are never able to receive the Eucharist? Are they at risk of not being accepted into Heaven? 42:39 – What book on John Duns Scotus do you recommend? 45:24 – why do you have to wait so long to make your first confession?

All who believe in God don't know Him: No peace. Trump Dividend? Man targets ex-wife. Jason Coxon AI warning. Mother forgave Kohberger. Lady accused a father of trafficking!

Full Text of Readings Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 441 The Saint of the day is Saint Cyprian Saint Cyprian's Story Saint Cyprian is important in the development of Christian thought and practice in the third century, especially in northern Africa. Highly educated and a famous orator, he became a Christian as an adult. He distributed his goods to the poor, and amazed his fellow citizens by making a vow of chastity before his baptism. Within two years he had been ordained a priest and was chosen, against his will, as Bishop of Carthage. Saint Cyprian complained that the peace the Church had enjoyed had weakened the spirit of many Christians and had opened the door to converts who did not have the true spirit of faith. When the Decian persecution began, many Christians easily abandoned the Church. It was their reinstatement that caused the great controversies of the third century, and helped the Church progress in its understanding of the Sacrament of Penance. Novatus, a priest who had opposed Cyprian's election, set himself up in Saint Cyprian's absence (he had fled to a hiding place from which to direct the Church—bringing criticism on himself) and received back all apostates without imposing any canonical penance. Ultimately he was condemned. Cyprian held a middle course, holding that those who had actually sacrificed to idols could receive Communion only at death, whereas those who had only bought certificates saying they had sacrificed could be admitted after a more or less lengthy period of penance. Even this was relaxed during a new persecution. During a plague in Carthage, Cyprian urged Christians to help everyone, including their enemies and persecutors. A friend of Pope Cornelius, Cyprian opposed the following pope, Stephen. He and the other African bishops would not recognize the validity of baptism conferred by heretics and schismatics. This was not the universal view of the Church, but Cyprian was not intimidated even by Stephen's threat of excommunication. He was exiled by the emperor and then recalled for trial. He refused to leave the city, insisting that his people should have the witness of his martyrdom. Saint Cyprian was a mixture of kindness and courage, vigor and steadiness. He was cheerful and serious, so that people did not know whether to love or respect him more. He waxed warm during the baptismal controversy; his feelings must have concerned him, for it was at this time that he wrote his treatise on patience. Saint Augustine remarks that Cyprian atoned for his anger by his glorious martyrdom. His liturgical feast is celebrated on September 16. Reflection The controversies about Baptism and Penance in the third century remind us that the early Church had no ready-made solutions from the Holy Spirit. The leaders and members of the Church of that day had to move painfully through the best series of judgments they could make in an attempt to follow the entire teaching of Christ and not be diverted by exaggerations to right or left.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Death puts asunder. A wife is bound while her husband lives — but if he dies, she is free. Finishing Romans 6 and opening Romans 7, Father Genard Lazar drives home Paul's hard edge: the wages of sin is death you earn; eternal life is a gift you cannot merit — and it comes only through Jesus Christ our Lord.You cannot serve sin and praise God. Oil and water do not mix. When we chose immorality and the world's patterns, we were free from righteousness — free from obedience to God. Baptism put us to death with Christ. We became Christians at the font, not by reading Scripture alone. Now we are called to be slaves to holiness, bearing fruit whose end is eternal life. “Once saved, always saved” collapses under Paul: we died to the law by the body of Christ so we might belong to Him who rose — and bring forth fruit unto God.Be holy, for the Lord your God is holy. From Adam's side came Eve; from the pierced side of the second Adam come blood and water — and we are His bride. If the shoe fits, wear it. Repent. The gift is free because Christ paid the debt.Key takeaways:• The wages of sin is death — earned; eternal life is God's gift — not a wage or a merit• Eternal life is only through our Lord Jesus Christ, not through any other name or council• Baptism is death with Christ; death puts asunder the old bond so we may belong to the risen Bridegroom• Holiness and evil do not mix — sanctification is God's will for those set apart at the fontListen, share, and let the double-edged sword do its work in you today. Rate and review the podcast so more people encounter the living Word.

Luke 3:21–22 — The Baptism of Jesus

We need the same power of the Holy Spirit today that the early church had! We have the same challenges now that they had then! The challenges today require a spiritual resistance! Without the dimension of power that comes from the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, you will not be prepared for the depth of deception and demonic intrusion that is coming before the return of Jesus! You can read the Bible, attend church, pray, volunteer, and do all that goes with being a believer. But without the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, you will be ill prepared for the coming world chaos. Do you have a close enough relationship with the Holy Spirit that you are able to easily resist the pull of the world, the pull of your own flesh, and the pull from the demonic? Resources: Stay connected with the Victory Church app See what's happening on the Weekly Bulletin Discover more on our website: victorychurchraleigh.com Subscribe to our Weekly Podcast An Appointment with God's Power: Order E-Book on Amazon

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260910dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?” Ezekiel 33:11 God Wants Sinners to Live It’s the middle of the night. Loud banging pounds on your front door. The doorbell rings without stopping. Small stones tap against your bedroom window. Then your phone starts ringing and doesn’t stop. The ruckus is anything but welcome. But when you look out the window, you discover your house is on fire, and your neighbor has been desperately trying to wake you up and save your life. Thank God he did! And wouldn’t you do the same for him? Wouldn’t you do whatever it took to rescue him from the flames? That is what God is talking about through the prophet Ezekiel. Warning fellow believers about the danger of sin is rarely appreciated at first. But just as a neighbor makes a racket to save someone from a burning house, God sounds the alarm because he loves us. Through Ezekiel, God made it clear that a warning about sin is not intended to be an unwanted disturbance. It's a message of life! God rings our doorbell, pounds on our door, and sends fellow Christians to get our attention. Maybe it is your parents. Maybe a Christian friend. Maybe your pastor. However the warning comes, it comes in love, because God wants sinners to live. How much does he want that? He chose the death of his own Son over the death of the wicked. Jesus’ death gives you forgiven life. Jesus’ resurrection gives you eternal life. And as surely as Jesus lives, he wants nothing more than for us to be alive with him, forever, in heaven. That is why God sounds the alarm. Not to knock sinners down, but to lift them up with the gospel. Not to condemn, but to call them to the Savior who forgives. So, whichever end of the warning you are on, remember God’s purpose. His goal is never your death. His goal is your life! Prayer: Sovereign Lord, thank you for turning me from my sin and giving me life in Christ. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

As you listen to this message, we pray it will feed your faith, and encourage you to trust God with all your heart.

People hear about infant baptism, and they have immediate questions when they are not used to this practice. How can we baptize an infant who has not yet made a profession of faith? Does baptism mean that the child is necessarily regenerate? Does the water itself wash away sin?Baptism is not a magical act, nor is it a declaration that we know with certainty what God has done in the heart of an individual. Rather, baptism is a sign of God's covenant. It is God's testimony that his promises are true and that salvation is found in Christ.Baptism points us to the great reality of the gospel: Christ has passed through death in the place of his people. The waters of death have no ultimate claim upon those who are united to Christ. He entered into death, endured its judgment, and emerged victorious in his resurrection. Our cleansing is not ultimately found in the water of baptism. Our cleansing is found in Christ. Baptism simply testifies that the church is the place where we see the people who have passed through death. Set Apart in ChristIn 1 Corinthians 7:14, Paul says that the children of a household with even one believing parent are holy rather than unclean. That language is significant. Paul is not saying that every child of a believing parent is automatically regenerate or guaranteed salvation. He is saying that these children are set apart unto the Lord. They belong to the covenant community and are to be raised as covenant children.This is consistent with the way God has always dealt with his people. God works through families and households. Children were included in the covenant in the Old Testament, and Paul exhorts children as members of the covenant community in the New Testament.So when we baptize our children, we are not saying, "This child is definitely saved because he has received water." We are saying, "This child has been set apart unto the Lord. This child belongs to the covenant community. This child has been given the sign and pledge of God's promises." This is why we say that the child can pray to God. This child is in covenant with the Lord. We should not see the sign as a sign of our faith, but a sign of the Lord's covenant. Washed by ChristThere is a challenge that Paul is addressing. The challenge is: how do we view our children when only one parent is a professing believer? Do we see the children as unholy or holy? Paul literally tells us that based on the profession of one parent, we see the children as holy. Paul also says otherwise they would be unclean. This means that the children would be outside the covenant. “Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.”When we say that members of the covenant are washed by Christ, we should see that this does not mean that they are necessarily saved. It does not mean that they take hold of Christ by faith. This is like Israel passing through the sea. They were all vindicated in the sea in that they emerged triumphant. God delivered them, but it does not mean that all of them were in the right relationship with the Lord. Paul reminds us that God was not pleased with all of them. (1 Cor. 10:1-5)This means that we teach them to pray to their God. We don't treat them as outsiders who have no relationship to the covenant until they can somehow prove themselves worthy of entering it. We raise them as children who have been set apart unto the Lord, praying that the Holy Spirit will bring them to genuine faith in Christ. So they pray to our God. They are exhorted to live for our Lord's glory. The sacrament comes to the community with a warning. The sacrament doesn't permit us to presume upon God's grace. The sign points us to Christ and calls us to take hold of him by faith. The same waters that speak of salvation also remind us of judgment. Think about the flood. Think about Israel passing through the sea (1 Corinthians 10:1-5). Think about those who were outside the ark (1 Peter 3:21). The point is, there are a people set apart unto the Lord, and there are those who are washed away. So baptism gives us both comfort and warning. It comforts us by reminding us that Christ has really washed a people unto himself. He really has passed through death. It is the assurance that as we take hold of Christ by faith, we are washed. However, if we turn away, that washing is washing us away from the covenant family. When one walks away from the Lord's promises, then the washing is the drowning in the sea or being consumed by the water. This is the other side of good news. ConclusionDo we trust Christ, or do we trust ourselves? Do we rest in his righteousness, or do we think we can add our own works to what he has accomplished? Do we embrace the reality to which the sign points, or do we turn away from it?That is why baptism is such a beautiful sign of the gospel. It doesn't point us ultimately to ourselves. It points us to Christ.We are reminded that we have been set apart unto the Lord. We are reminded that his promises are real. We are reminded that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ has conquered death for his people.So let us not put our confidence in the water. Let us put our confidence in Christ. Let us be refreshed by the promises of God, take hold of Christ by faith, and live as those who have been consecrated and set apart unto him.

Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss what stands out to them in Luke 3. They discuss multiple points. The title of the episode is connected to the written devo to which you can link below.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=26745The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260909dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.” Ezekiel 33:7-9 Sound the Alarm It was two o’clock in the morning when I was treated to one of the most unsettling sounds ever invented: a tornado alarm blaring from the cell phone on my nightstand. As unpleasant as it was, it served a good purpose. A tornado had touched down nearby, and the alarm warned me to take cover. When God told the prophet Ezekiel that he was a watchman, he was giving him the responsibility to sound the alarm about sin so that the wicked would not die in it. If Ezekiel failed to warn them, the sinner would die for his own sin, but Ezekiel would be held accountable for failing to speak. If the warning was sounded and the sinner refused to listen, then the sinner alone would bear the guilt. Here God lays before his people an unsettling but loving responsibility. Whether you are a pastor, a parent, a child, a brother, a sister, or a friend, God calls you to warn sinners and urge them to turn from their wicked ways. That is not a responsibility to take lightly. To remain silent is not merely to leave someone in danger. It is neglecting the call God has given you. But when you sound the alarm, you are speaking God’s Word, not your own. Your motivation is love. The goal is life, not condemnation. Just as no one seeks shelter from a tornado they never knew was coming, a sinner will not turn to the Savior without first seeing the danger of sin. And what a privilege it is to say to those who turn from their wickedness: “God completely forgives your sin because of Jesus.” Prayer: Lord, forgive my silences and make me a vigilant watchman for your people. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Does the New Testament require baptism by full immersion, or can baptism also be performed by pouring or sprinkling? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Brayden Cook responds to major Protestant objections to the Catholic understanding of baptism. He explains what baptism washes away in infants, whether Paul's comparison between baptism and circumcision supports infant baptism, and what Mark 16:16 teaches about the necessity of baptism. Brayden also examines whether Cornelius receiving the Holy Spirit before baptism proves that regeneration occurs apart from the sacrament, whether the thief on the cross disproves baptismal necessity, and whether Scripture requires personal belief before baptism. Finally, he addresses how Catholics can say baptism washes away sin while also affirming that it is Christ's blood that cleanses us from all sin. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:29 – Where does the New Testament authorize pouring or sprinkling instead of immersion?   11:50 – If infants have committed no personal sins, what sins does baptism wash away—and where does Scripture say that Adam's guilt is removed through infant baptism?  16:45 – Is the Catholic comparison between baptism and circumcision (Col. 2:11–12) really valid, or does the new covenant require conscious faith rather than mere physical descent?  20:55 – If baptism is necessary for salvation, why does Mark 16:16 say that the one who does not believe is condemned, rather than the one who is not baptized?  25:05 – Cornelius received the Holy Spirit before he was baptized (Acts 10:44–48). Doesn't that prove he was already regenerated and saved before baptism?  36:40 – The thief on the cross was promised paradise without being baptized (Luke 23:39–43). Doesn't that disprove the claim that baptism is necessary?  46:10 – Don't Jesus' words, “Whoever believes and is baptized” (Mark 16:16), establish the biblical order: personal belief first, baptism afterward?  51:21 – If Christ's blood cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7), why does the Catholic Church claim that baptism washes away sin? 

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260908dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 18:18 Binding and Loosing In Matthew, chapter eighteen, Jesus explains that, if a Christian sees a fellow Christian caught in a sin, they have a responsibility to point it out to them. He goes on to say that if the person refuses to listen to repeated warnings and persists in unrepentant sin, there comes a point when they are to be regarded as an unbeliever. But if they listen, acknowledge their sin, and turn from it, then, Jesus says, “You have won them over.” They are restored, and all is well again between them and God! Jesus explains why this is true: “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). Jesus is not saying that Christians make statements on earth that somehow become true in heaven. It’s actually the opposite. What we declare on earth simply reflects what is already true before God in heaven. When a Christian continues to live in sin despite repeated warning from other Christians, that sin is bound to them. It is like a heavy chain they cannot break. As long as they persist in it, they remain guilty before God. Since that is already true in heaven, wouldn’t you want them to know it here on earth? By warning them, you give them the opportunity to turn from their sin and live. Because when a sinner acknowledges their sin, turns from it, and trusts in Jesus for forgiveness, that burden is loosed. The chains are removed. They are forgiven. Jesus has already paid for that sin by his death on the cross. Forgiveness was won long before they ever sought it. Since that forgiveness is already theirs before God through Christ, wouldn’t you want to announce it to them here on earth? That is what binding and loosing are all about. You simply declare on earth what is already true in heaven: warning the unrepentant of their danger and assuring the repentant of Christ's full forgiveness. Thank God for brothers and sisters in Christ who do the same for you! Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to confident speak what is true before you in heaven here on earth. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

If faith comes through hearing the gospel and believing in Christ brings salvation, what does baptism actually add? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Brayden Cook responds to some of the strongest objections to the Catholic understanding of baptism. He addresses what happens to those who never hear the gospel, the biblical and historical evidence for infant baptism, and whether requiring baptism contradicts salvation by grace through faith apart from works. The discussion also examines whether baptism is merely an outward symbol or actually brings regeneration, what 1 Peter 3:21 means when it says “baptism now saves you,” whether being “born of water and the Spirit” in John 3 refers to baptism, and why Catholics baptize using the Trinitarian formula despite Acts describing baptism “in the name of Jesus.” Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:18 – Paul says that faith comes through hearing the gospel (Rom. 10:17). If hearing and believing bring salvation, what does baptism actually add?  11:30 – If baptism is necessary for salvation, what happens to people who never hear the gospel or are never taught that they must be baptized?  20:45 – If infant baptism is apostolic, why is there no unambiguous example of it in Scripture—and what is the earliest historical evidence that Christians actually practiced it?  29:10 – If we are justified by faith apart from works (Rom. 3:28; Eph. 2:8–9), why does the Catholic Church insist that the work of baptism is necessary for salvation?  31:15 – Isn't baptism simply an outward sign that someone has already been saved, rather than a sacrament that actually causes regeneration?  36:00 – Doesn't 1 Peter 3:21 explicitly deny that physical washing saves and locate salvation instead in an appeal—or pledge—of a good conscience toward God?  46:50 – If Jesus meant baptism when he said we must be “born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5), why didn't he simply say “baptized”?  51:45 – Why does the Catholic Church use the Trinitarian formula of Matthew 28:19 when Acts repeatedly describes baptism “in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5)? 

Anna and Matt help parents navigate one of the biggest questions that can come up when raising kids in the faith: How do I know if my child is ready for baptism? Children can genuinely love and trust Jesus, but parents also want wisdom to discern between a passing moment and lasting evidence of the Holy Spirit's work. ❤️ The REAL Marks of Grace

“I follow Paul.” “I follow Apollos.” The Christians in Corinth are picking sides, and Paul has a pointed question for them: Was your favorite preacher crucified for you? As we begin our study of 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses a divided church as saints, gives thanks for the grace God has given them, and calls them back to the crucified Savior whose name they bear in Baptism.  The Rev. John Zimmerman, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and St. John's Lutheran Church in Pittston, Pennsylvania, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 1:1-17.  To learn more about Immanuel in Scranton, visit immanuelscranton.org. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

This week we discuss Galatians 3:26-27 further, showing that one is not clothed with Christ unless he has faith and has been baptized into Christ. At the end of this episode, we also look at the devasting consequences for one who is not clothed with Christ.DescriptionVisit our linktree: https://linktr.ee/scatteredabroadnetworkVisit our website, www.scatteredabroad.org, and subscribe to our email list."Like" and "share" our Facebook page: https:// www.facebook.com/sapodcastnetworkFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ the_scattered_abroad_network/Subscribe to our Substack: https://scatteredabroad.substack.com/Subscribe to our YouTube channel: The Scattered Abroad NetworkContact us through email at san@msop.org. If you would like to consider supporting us in any way, don't hesitate to contact us through this email.

MICHAELBASHAM.COMThank you for listening! Have a wonderful day, fellow warrior!! We touch upon past guiding and leadings of the Holy Spirit! Precious Virginia Brandt Berg message at the end! A little on who GK Chesterton was! Lots and lots of Bible!Become a Spirit Force Warrior today!

This week we're taking a short break form our series "Wisdom From Proverbs". This week's message is called Baptism given by Pastor EJ Tena. If you would like to support this ministry visit wwwtheremodeledchurch.co/give. Visit theremodeledchurch.co for more information about us and our ministry.

What blessings are we actually receiving when we take the sacrament each week?In this episode of This Is Kingdom, Grace, Talon, TJ, and Hollis dive into Lesson 2 of Chapter 9, “You Are Blessed by Priesthood Power and Authority.”After kicking things off with some Labor Day stories (including terrible high school jobs

God places His name on us in our baptism, marking us out as those called to trust in the Father, believe in the Son, and live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Today, Sinclair Ferguson singles out the central truth of baptism. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/named-in-baptism/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Even people have never set foot in a church have probably heard of “baptism” and know that it's something…well…Christian. But what exactly IS baptism? Why do Christians do it? How do they do it? Who get baptized? And why don't Christians all think the same thing about baptism? Why has it been so divisive and such a hot-button issue over time? Join Dan for this week's episode as he untangles this familiar, but still baffling, practice. SUPPORT US: www.axismundi.us www.irmce.org - our supporting nonprofit Books :

In this Bible Story, the heavens are opened up as John baptizes Jesus. The signalling of Jesus' earthly ministry has begun, and all of history is about to be shaped forever. Then Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he is tempted by Satan. This story is inspired by Matthew 3:1-17, Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:9-13, Luke 3:21-22, Luke 4:1-13, John 1:19-34. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Mark 1:11 from the King James Version.Episode 176: “Repent and be baptized for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” yelled John the Baptist as he preached to the people on the banks of the Jordan river. John knew that the day of The Lord was coming soon and he sought to prepare the hearts of the people for His arrival. As John was going about this mission, Jesus made His way through the crowd to be baptized by John. And though he did not fully understand why Jesus would make this request, he obeyed. As Jesus was coming up from the water, the skies opened and the people heard the audible voice of God for the first time in over four hundred years! This marked the beginning of Jesus' ministry…and His temptation.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the ⁠Pray.com⁠ app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices