Podcasts about Beloved

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 15-16; Hosea 1 ; Hebrews 1 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, and happy Fourth of July to all our listeners tuning in today! In this episode, your host Hunter invites you to join him as he journeys through day 186 of the year, reading from 2 Kings 15 and 16, Hosea 1, and Hebrews 1. Together, you'll witness the tumultuous reigns of Israel and Judah's kings, the heartache and prophecy in the story of Hosea, and the ultimate message of hope and love declared in the opening chapter of Hebrews. Hunter encourages us to hear not just words of judgment, but Christ's words of belonging and love spoken over our lives. As you listen, you'll be guided through prayer, reflection, and a reminder that—no matter where you are or what day it is—you are truly loved. So grab your Bible, settle in, and let's let the Scripture shape our hearts today. TODAY'S DEVOTION: God's final word is not judgment, but life. Throughout the long story of Israel, we see a heartbreaking pattern—God reaching out in love through the prophets, but the people turning away again and again. The story we heard today, through the tragedy of Hosea and Gomer, is a vivid picture of this unfaithfulness: Israel behaving like a wayward spouse, wandering far from her first love. The consequences are deeply painful—names like “Not Loved” and “Not My People” are spoken over Israel, words that carry the weight of loss and separation from God. But God doesn't leave the story there. His final word to us isn't one of rejection or shame. The book of Hebrews begins by telling us that, though God once spoke through the prophets, now he has spoken to us by his Son. And the words that Christ speaks over us are utterly different. They are words of embrace, words of forgiveness and peace, words that say, “You are my people and you are loved.” Through Jesus, God has made a way for us to come home. Not by our own striving, not by following a set of laws or rituals, but by receiving the gift of his love and belonging poured out through Christ. The words that once named us “outsiders” are replaced by the words of the gospel: “Beloved, you belong.” Wherever the message of Jesus is received, hearts are changed. The reality of belonging, being chosen and loved by God, takes root deep inside, and everything changes. So today, hold fast to these words that Jesus speaks over you. Don't let the old words of judgment or shame take hold. Let the gospel's word—“You are mine, you are loved”—sink in and bring you peace. That is my prayer for my own soul today. That is my prayer for my family—for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that is my prayer for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

The Rumors Are True Podcast features a powerful and heartfelt conversation with Joe Musten, the legendary drummer and vocalist known for his work with Beloved, Advent, The Almost, Torn, and more. In this episode, Joe dives deep into his musical and personal journey—from the emotional weight and passion that shaped Beloved's melodic hardcore sound, to the aggressive, no-holds-barred intensity of Advent, and his time playing drums with Aaron Gillespie in The Almost.Joe talks about growing up in the North Carolina scene, the DIY roots of his early bands, and how faith, family, and personal struggle have shaped his approach to music and life. He shares stories of touring, breakups and reunions, mental health, and what drives him to keep creating honest, soul-stirring music even decades into his career.Listeners will get an inside look at what it takes to stay true to yourself in an ever-changing scene and how Joe continues to use his voice—both literally and figuratively—to speak truth with conviction. Whether you've moshed in a sweaty club to Advent or cried to a Beloved breakdown, this episode is a raw, real, and redemptive look at one of hardcore's most respected and enduring artists.Produced by Wesley Hill @thebigwesArtwork by Jared Chase Bowser @jaredchasebowserMusic by Brian Jerin R.I.P.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 6-7; 2 Chronicles 26-27; Philemon 1 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where every day is an opportunity to gather around the Scriptures and be reminded of God's unfailing love. In today's episode for July 3rd, 2025, your host Hunter invites you into a journey through Isaiah 6 and 7, 2 Chronicles 26 and 27, and the book of Philemon. Together, we'll witness Isaiah's transformative vision of God's glory, reflect on the rise and fall of King Uzziah, and listen to Paul's heartfelt appeal to Philemon—a call to radical love and laying down our rights for the sake of others. Hunter encourages us to allow these passages to wash over our lives, offering rest, insight, and a fresh perspective on what it means to live out the gospel each day. Whether you're joining for the first time or returning as a long-time listener, get ready to experience Scripture in community, prayer, and hope—reminding us all that we are loved, and called to participate in God's work of making all things new. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Lay down your rights for love's sake. The only way this world is going to be made right is if someone puts aside their rights and offers love instead. That is the request that Paul makes of Philemon. Onesimus was Philemon's slave who had run away from him, and in God's providence both men had been led to the Lord by Paul. Now Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon, who by law still owns him. In this moment, Paul is challenging Philemon to discover the depths of the gospel—the radical extent to which the gospel transforms individuals and societies. Paul is reminding Philemon, and us, that the only way this world will be made right is if people put aside their rights and extend love instead. Legally, Philemon has every right over Onesimus, but Jesus has shown us a better way. Jesus set us free by giving up his own rights and becoming a servant, a slave, so that we might be set free by God. Paul, in Philippians chapter two, says that Jesus “gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.” Jesus gave up what was rightfully his in order to set the world free. That is the only way broken people and this broken world are made right—by the man who gave up his rights. Now, Paul is calling Philemon—and he is calling you and me—to follow this example. This isn't just a word for an ancient slave owner, but for every one of us who is trying to live in the light of Christ. There's no greater demonstration of love than to lay down our lives, our privileges, and our rights for another. When we do, we participate in the very life of the One who is making all things new. That's the prayer I have for my own soul today—that I would join Christ in learning how to lay aside my rights, my privileges, in the service of others. It's my prayer for my family—my wife, my daughters, my son. And it's my prayer for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Jesus is my shepherd. You have called me by my name into the life of the Beloved. Here in the stillness, I remember that I am not alone. I belong to you and to the great communion of saints and sinners held together in your love. Remind me, Lord, that every breath is grace. Every encounter is a chance to give what I have received—mercy without measure. When I forget who I am, when I lose my way, lead me again to still waters. Restore my soul, renew my hope. Reroute me in the joy of simply being yours. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.” — 2 Timothy 2:12 We must not imagine that we are suffering for Christ, and with Christ, if we are not in Christ. Beloved friend, are you trusting to Jesus only? If not, whatever you may have to mourn over on earth, you are not “suffering […]

Pastor Sean Gleason's message Radical Love: Beloved Identity centers on the truth that our identity isn't found in what we do, but in being radically loved by God. Using Mary Magdalene's encounter with Jesus in John 20, he shows that when Jesus calls your name, He calls you “Beloved.” Pastor Sean explains that God gives new names in Scripture to declare purpose and identity, and that true transformation comes through receiving the spirit of adoption, not striving. Beloved identity breaks shame, ends competition, and leads to unity. We can only truly love God when we understand how deeply we are loved by Him.

TVC 696.6: Christopher Fryer, co-author, along with Robert Crane, of Three-Cornered Circle, shares a few of his favorite stories about his encounters with John Candy, including the time when he, Bob, Candy, and then-NBC broadcaster Bob Costas were all stuck in the same car together along the Garden State Parkway while heading for a concert in New Jersey. Three-Cornered Circle is available through Kill Fee Publishing.

After all the deep truths covered in 1 John, we see an added “P.S.” in John’s following epistles. Pastor Greg Laurie shares they’re filled with love, warning, and encouragement. Notes: Focus verse - 2 John 1 2nd and 3rd John are filled with love, warning and encouragement. We can find comfort in God’s Word—His ultimate love letter to us. 1st John was written to give assurance to believers.(1 John 5:13) The Bible promises, “He who began a good work in you will complete it.”(Philippians 1:6) Salvation is God’s work from beginning to end. It’s not based on how you feel, it’s based on what Jesus did. John was refuting something called Gnosticism. Gnostics did not believe that God came into this world and walked among us. “If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.”(1 John 4:2) To be a Christian, you must believe that Jesus was born of a virgin and was God among us; that He was fully God and fully man and He died on the cross for our sins, and He bodily rose three days later and will come again. 1 John can be divided into three sections:1. God is Light (1 John 1:1–2:2)2. God is Love (1 John 2:3–4:21)3. God is Life (1 John 5) Read: 2 John 1:1–3 1. God wants us to walk in truth and love. Truth without love is harsh. Love without truth is hollow. Truth anchors us while love moves us.Truth gives us the message; love gives us the method. Love is obeying the Lord. 2. When we walk in truth and love the devil will be opposing us.(2 John 1:7–8) John has warned us about both Antichrist and Antichrists. 3. God cares about every area of your life.(3 John 1:1–2) “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”(3 John 1:2) God does want us to prosper, but what is Biblical prosperity?In short, it is knowing and walking with God and bringing forth spiritual fruit. God can and will bless you with wealth, but with that wealth comes responsibility.(1 Timothy 6:17–18) If you are blessed financially that’s not a sin, it’s a stewardship. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”(3 John 1:2) God does not heal everyone, but He does still heal today. 4. Coming to Christ is life-changing; continuing with Christ is life-sustaining.(3 John 1:3–4) “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”(3 John 1:4) “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who love you and were helped by you will remember you, so carve your name on hearts, not marble.” —C.H. Spurgeon 5. God’s people should underwrite God’s work.(3 John 1:5–8) It pleases God when we support God’s Word financially.(3 John 1:6) We should not have a discomfort talking or hearing about giving.The Bible speaks more about giving than prayer or faith. There are over 2,000 verses on the topic of money, possessions, and giving. Giving is not just about finances, it’s a test of trust and obedience to God. We share in the reward when we invest our money. 6. There are real and fake believers in the church.(3 John 1:9–11) Ultimately, it is God who will sort out the real and the counterfeit. 7. Be a Demetrius not a Diotrephes.(3 John 1:9, 12) Demetrius v. DiotrephesHad a good testimony. Had a poor testimony.Respected by all. Rebuked by John for being divisive and proud.Welcoming and faithful. Kicked people out of the church and drove them away. 1. Walk in truth and love.2. Support God’s people and God’s work.3. Be a bridge-builder, not a bridge-burner.4. Leave a godly legacy.5. Don’t be a Diotrephes, be a Demetrius. Learn more about this year's Harvest Crusade! --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After all the deep truths covered in 1 John, we see an added “P.S.” in John’s following epistles. Pastor Greg Laurie shares they’re filled with love, warning, and encouragement. Notes: Focus verse - 2 John 1 2nd and 3rd John are filled with love, warning and encouragement. We can find comfort in God’s Word—His ultimate love letter to us. 1st John was written to give assurance to believers.(1 John 5:13) The Bible promises, “He who began a good work in you will complete it.”(Philippians 1:6) Salvation is God’s work from beginning to end. It’s not based on how you feel, it’s based on what Jesus did. John was refuting something called Gnosticism. Gnostics did not believe that God came into this world and walked among us. “If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.”(1 John 4:2) To be a Christian, you must believe that Jesus was born of a virgin and was God among us; that He was fully God and fully man and He died on the cross for our sins, and He bodily rose three days later and will come again. 1 John can be divided into three sections:1. God is Light (1 John 1:1–2:2)2. God is Love (1 John 2:3–4:21)3. God is Life (1 John 5) Read: 2 John 1:1–3 1. God wants us to walk in truth and love. Truth without love is harsh. Love without truth is hollow. Truth anchors us while love moves us.Truth gives us the message; love gives us the method. Love is obeying the Lord. 2. When we walk in truth and love the devil will be opposing us.(2 John 1:7–8) John has warned us about both Antichrist and Antichrists. 3. God cares about every area of your life.(3 John 1:1–2) “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”(3 John 1:2) God does want us to prosper, but what is Biblical prosperity?In short, it is knowing and walking with God and bringing forth spiritual fruit. God can and will bless you with wealth, but with that wealth comes responsibility.(1 Timothy 6:17–18) If you are blessed financially that’s not a sin, it’s a stewardship. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”(3 John 1:2) God does not heal everyone, but He does still heal today. 4. Coming to Christ is life-changing; continuing with Christ is life-sustaining.(3 John 1:3–4) “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”(3 John 1:4) “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who love you and were helped by you will remember you, so carve your name on hearts, not marble.” —C.H. Spurgeon 5. God’s people should underwrite God’s work.(3 John 1:5–8) It pleases God when we support God’s Word financially.(3 John 1:6) We should not have a discomfort talking or hearing about giving.The Bible speaks more about giving than prayer or faith. There are over 2,000 verses on the topic of money, possessions, and giving. Giving is not just about finances, it’s a test of trust and obedience to God. We share in the reward when we invest our money. 6. There are real and fake believers in the church.(3 John 1:9–11) Ultimately, it is God who will sort out the real and the counterfeit. 7. Be a Demetrius not a Diotrephes.(3 John 1:9, 12) Demetrius v. DiotrephesHad a good testimony. Had a poor testimony.Respected by all. Rebuked by John for being divisive and proud.Welcoming and faithful. Kicked people out of the church and drove them away. 1. Walk in truth and love.2. Support God’s people and God’s work.3. Be a bridge-builder, not a bridge-burner.4. Leave a godly legacy.5. Don’t be a Diotrephes, be a Demetrius. Learn more about this year's Harvest Crusade! --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jude 1:3 - Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Send us a textThis podcast talks about how as believers we have a new ministry of the New Covenant of Christ. Paul says not to lose heart though since this ministry involves suffering and persecution. 1 Peter 4 gives us a clue saying, ‘Beloved, don't think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as thought some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.' This helps trails make sense so listen to Paul's explanation in this chapter of Corinthians. Support the show

Song of Songs 2:16, "My Beloved is mine, and I am His!" What a sweet and wondrous relationship exists between the believer and the Lord Jesus! What a privilege to call Him my Beloved! He is not only my Savior, but my daily Bread, my hourly Companion, my constant Joy. The more I know Him, the more I love Him. This short verse is a wellspring of soul-satisfying truth. It is the language of holy intimacy, breathed from the heart of a redeemed sinner who has been saved from eternal perdition by Jesus. Here the sincere Christian speaks with the warmth of experiential knowledge: "My Beloved is mine, and I am His!" "My Beloved is mine!" Who is this Beloved? He is the altogether lovely One, the fairest of ten thousand, the eternal Son of God. The believer dares to say that this glorious Person--this Prince of Heaven--is his! The One who reigns over angels, who upholds all creation by the word of His power--has freely given Himself to His redeemed people. All that He is, and all that He has, becomes theirs. His righteousness covers them. His intercession sustains them. His Spirit indwells them. His love surrounds them. His promises anchor them. Oh what infinite condescension, that such a Savior would belong to such unworthy and Hell-deserving sinners. "And I am His!" The believer belongs to Jesus--not merely by profession, but by redemption. He is bought with a price, sealed with His Spirit, and set apart for His glory. The Christian is not his own. His heart, his will, his time, his affections, his very life--are bound up in the One who gave Himself for him. What a glorious blessing it is to wholly belong to the tender, faithful, wise, and holy One, who loves us perfectly.

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports that a slain Minnesota lawmaker's beloved dog, Gilbert, stays with her as she and her spouse lie in state

In a season of Stillness, but I'm still here. ❤️‍

In this episode of the 4:13, we're heading back across the pond to chat with Rev. Chris Lee—an English vicar whose sixty-second sermons on Instagram have resonated with millions of people around the world.  Why? Because with all of the constant noise and distractions that keep us from entering the presence of God, his sermons are a timely invitation to pause, breathe, and remember who you are before God—something our entire 4:13 family needs to do.  So today, I've asked Rev. Chris to lead the charge!  He'll teach you to step back from the chaos, quiet your soul, and remember you are God's beloved. And, my friend, what a difference it makes when you are still before God, focus on His promises, and ponder His incredible love for you! So, let's do it! Settle in, take a deep breath, and turn your gaze to God. SHOW NOTES: 413Podcast.com/356  Enter to win the GIVEAWAY and read the episode TRANSCRIPT in the show notes. Get my weekly email, Java with Jennifer, to be notified when a new podcast episode releases. Subscribe HERE.

As we listen to St. Isaac the Syrian in Homily Three his focus shifts from speaking of the necessary foundation to be laid in the spiritual life, purity of mind, to drawing us further to purity of heart. Purity of mind is established through the toils of the ascetic life, including vigils, fasting, prayer and meditation upon the scriptures, etc.  One's attraction to the life of virtue grows. However, Isaac warns us that as quickly as it is formed within us, it can be lost. A soul may allow into the mind a thought or image that once again stirs up the passions and what has been gained through much prayer and struggle is lost quickly. Purity of heart, however, is something that only emerges by the grace of God and His action in our lives. All that St. Isaac speaks of in the ascetic life continues. However, purity of heart, the purification of the “sense of senses” comes only by many afflictions, deprivations, separation from fellowship with the world, and deadness to all things. It is truly a dying to self and self will and abandoning oneself to God completely. This is the stumbling block for the majority of mankind, including many Christians. It is to embrace the Cross. One is no longer soiled by little things, nor dismayed by conflicts and struggles. What Isaac is suggesting here is that a soul begins to be fed on solid food indigestible to those who are weak. Such purity of heart comes through many afflictions and is acquired over a long period of time. One's focus becomes fixed upon the Beloved and he becomes the lens through which one views everything. Saint Isaac describes it as a state of limpid purity, of that natural innocence once lost.  To regain such a state is difficult living in a world surrounded by so many things that foster not knowledge of God but rather knowledge of many evil realities. There is only one path to this purity and that is simplicity – desiring the one thing necessary and shaping one's whole life around that reality. This is the immediate goal of the spiritual life as St. John Cassian teaches. We are to abandon what is small in order that we might find what is truly great. We are to spurn what is superfluous and without value in order to discover that “treasure hidden in the field”. We are to become dead to the world in order that we might not live unto death. Saint Isaac reminds us that martyrs are not only those who have accepted death for belief in Christ, but those who die for the sake of keeping his commandments. He does not varnish the gospel for us, but rather brings into clear view the necessity of loving Christ above all things, including our own lives. What the world needs is martyrs – those who bear witness to the very love of the kingdom. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:01:31 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to "descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there. 00:01:55 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Heart as explained by Philip Sherrard 00:02:16 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: One of the translators of the Philokalia 00:03:37 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 133, first paragraph on this page, 22nd paragraph from start of this homily 00:08:57 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to "descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there. 00:09:14 Adam Paige: The monastery in Egypt is working on a legal appeal at the moment https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/foreign-policy/1272520/sinai-monastery-working-out-legal-appeal/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email# 00:09:45 Adam Paige: Reacted to "The receptacle of gr…" with ❤️ 00:12:22 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to "descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there. 00:13:59 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to "descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there. 00:14:02 Myles Davidson: I'm quite happy to pay for your content Fr 00:24:44 Jamie Hickman: The purification of the mind seems more possible on earth whereas the purification of the heart seems more likely to occur in purgatory

Kim and Trey Bowman's daughter Bella went through a long period of unexplained illnesses until she was diagnosed with an Ependymoma Brain Tumor on New Years day of 2011. During her treatment she went through a period of Proton Radiation which led to a diagnosis of Brain Stem Necrosis, which she was unable to get past. Bella ultimately passed away from this form of Pediatric Brain cancer on December 23 rd of 2011, nearly one year after her original diagnosis. 

Our Identity is wrapped up in our Heavenly Father's Love! This love isn't earned but it's freely given!  Welcome to Encounter! We are a house of prayer and a house of His presence. We're endeavored to create a resting place for the Lord. Regardless of where you're listening: your car, your workplace, your home, you can host the presence of God!   Connect with us more below:   Website: www.encounterthelord.com Instagram + Facebook: @encounterthelord

An outpouring of love is being shown for 26-year-old singer and musician Brendan Siddall, who Chicago police said died in a hit-and-run crash Saturday morning.

Jesus Delivered Us (2) (audio) David Eells – 6/25/25 I'm going to continue speaking about how Jesus has delivered us. When the Syrophoenician woman asked Jesus to deliver her daughter in (Matthew 15:21-28), who was “grievously vexed with a demon” (Mat.15:26) … He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. Deliverance is for God's people; deliverance is “the children's bread.” Those who think they can go and just cast demons out of any lost person do not know anything about deliverance. In the first place, it's a very dangerous thing to do. We are the ones who are in covenant with God, the covenant being deliverance from the curse of sin and of death (Rom.8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.). This is our covenant. We have a right to total deliverance from bondage of the flesh and from bondage to demon spirits. We have the right, but that does not mean we will attain it. The right to deliverance comes when we receive knowledge and understanding of the promises, and then we enter into those covenant promises by faith. The Bible says in (Heb.4:3) …the works were finished from the foundation of the world. So the only thing remaining is for us to enter into those works through faith. It also says in (Heb.4:2) …but the word of hearing did not profit them (the Jews), because it was not united by faith with them that heard. When the Israelites were supposed to conquer their Promised Land, all they needed to do was what Joshua and Caleb did; they believed the Word of God. Ten of the twelve spies who came back did not believe the Word of God. They believed only what they saw, felt, and heard, and those were the things they confessed. They did not enter into the Promised Land because they brought back a bad report. Let's read that. (Num.13:25) And they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. (26) And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. (27) And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us; and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. (28) Howbeit the people that dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. (29) Amalek dwelleth in the land of the South: and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the hill-country; and the Canaanite dwelleth by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan. (30) And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. (31) But the men that went up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. (32) And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.  (33) And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (Num.14:1) And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. This is also a type and shadow. There are ministers today who do not believe that we can be holy. They do not believe we can overcome sin and the devil. God wants to lead us through our Promised Land or Land of Promise to come against our enemies and conquer them all. But you have no authority to cast a demon out of a person who is full of bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, and resentment. You'll waste a lot of breath trying to deliver these people because, without true repentance, they can come back. And you do not know the tormentors; you just know that they are demons. They could be demons of spiritual infirmities or they could be unclean spirits. Anyone wanting to help in the ministry of deliverance should first be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need this gift, and a person who is not filled with the Holy Spirit has no business in any deliverance ministry. In the days of the first disciples, all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they would make sure other disciples were also filled with the Holy Spirit. (Act.19:1) And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples: (2) and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they [said] unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was [given]. (3) And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John's baptism. (4) And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus. (5) And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit is God's authority to know what is going on in people. We are to live under the law of the Spirit (Romans 7:6,8:2,4; etc.). The Old Testament Law, all those rules and regulations, was given to Israel because they did not have the Spirit of God, and so they didn't know what to do when they got into such-and-such a situation. It does not work that way in the New Testament because we have the Holy Spirit to lead us. (Gal.5:18) But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. He guides us in the ministry of deliverance from lusts of the flesh and demons that rule over the lusts of the flesh. The most common reason why people don't get delivered from demons is because they are not right with their brother, and what often happens is that not being right with their brother does not get revealed. Jesus tells us to make things right with our brother before we bring our gift before the altar; otherwise, He will turn you over to the jailer and the jailer will throw you into prison. That “jailer” is the devil. (Mat.5:23) If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, (24) leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (25) Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Jesus came to set the captives free. That is what we were, but that is not what we are now supposed to be. We were captive to the lusts of the flesh, representing the old man of the land, who seems like a giant to us, and were captive to the devil. We were in prison, having no hope without God. In Luke 4, Jesus was quoting from Isaiah, (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound… Liberty to the captives has been proclaimed, but not everybody is entering into this liberty being cowards before their giant flesh. Our job as ministers of reconciliation is to minister the same thing that Jesus ministered. (2Co.5:18) But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation. Our job is to proclaim the liberty that was given to us at the Cross. This liberty is deliverance from bondage to the flesh man, and deliverance from the demons that rule over the him. Then Jesus went on in (Luk.4:18) … to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of the sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. He did not quote the second part of the sentence in (Isa.61:2) To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God… He only quoted the first half of this verse because the day He was ministering in was the day of the Lord's favor, but in these days we're coming to the second half, “the day of vengeance of our God.” While grace and liberty to the captives are being offered, to the extent that we will humble ourselves to the Word is the extent we can enter into it. The Bible says in (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. Even though we have authority to cast out demons, there won't be anything lasting you can do for a person who is adding to or taking away from the Word. If you think you are going to deliver them from that curse, then you're deceived, and you haven't read Deuteronomy 28 for yourself. So that person should fill themselves with the Word to keep their gift. It was not the devil who put the curse on this earth; it was God. He sent the curse because of man's rebellion. The curse is designed to motivate us to run to the Cross and to make us run to Jesus Christ, Who has the only antidote for the curse. The world likes to deceive us into thinking they can solve our curses for us, but it's not possible. All the world can do is just shove the curse around without solving a thing, and they're about to see the truth of that now. For example, diseases they thought they had wiped out are coming back, and they're coming back stronger than ever because of man's intervention. And mans so called cure is killing a lot of people.  You see, it's not possible to destroy a curse that God has put out there, but He also sent Jesus Christ to deliver us from that curse when we repent. God is so merciful that He sent the curse to turn us away from the wrath of hell. The devil will laugh at you when you want to deliver somebody who has not repented. It's a waste of breath and time, and I know because I've tried to do it. When you have people who have not repented, it doesn't matter that they call themselves “Christians.” It makes no difference, lasting deliverance from the curse comes by repentance, faith, and obedience. There's no way we can get around that.  Jesus said, (Mat.28:18)… All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. This does not leave anything for the devil if it is not given to him, since Jesus delegated His authority to us when He said, (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. That was delegating authority to us; so how is it then that the devil gets his authority? He gets it from us. When we walk out from under the Blood and walk in the flesh, submitting to demon spirits, we give the devil authority. The only way to take away his authority in that case is through repentance and faith that Christ delivered us. The apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit, turned a man over to Satan (1Co.5:5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Again, you cannot get around this. If you had come to that man after Paul had turned him over to the devil, thinking to cast out all of the demons from him, you would have been deceived because those demons will literally play with you. Sometimes they'll act as if they are gone, and sometimes they will even come out, but they will not be gone for long. When you turn your head, they're right back, and if you ask them, “Hey, what are you doing? I thought I cast you out of there!” They'll tell you, “No, we have a right to be here. They want us to be here.” Or, “They invited us to be here.” I've actually heard demons say that. The demons know when they have a right, and you'll be wasting your time because they'll just deceive you. What does the Bible say will happen if you cast demons out of a person who does not repent? They may come back seven times worse. (Mat.12:43) But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. (44) Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. (45) Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation. These were apostate covenant people. Mere flesh can be dealt with by repentance and faith, but sometimes you find that even when you exercise repentance and faith, you are still not having success. That's because demonic oppression or possession is a compelling bondage that goes beyond just mere flesh. It is still repentance and faith that gets rid of the bondage of a demon spirit, but first you have to take away the “stink” that brings them. The “stink” arises when someone is giving in to the flesh or sin. “Flies” represent demons, and the “flies” come to the stink. Beelzebub, the devil, is known as the “Lord of the Flies.” Scripture calls him “Beelzebub the prince of the demons.” (Mat.12:24) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons. As long as you have the stink, the flies will come because they have a right to come. If you repent of the stink and get rid of the stink, that will cast out the demon or demons, and they won't be able to come back. Most deliverance happens when people do not have the foggiest idea that they have ever been delivered of anything. A lot of deliverance happens when people get saved. By the depth of their commitment to Christ, they are delivered of many demon spirits. I, and others close to me, have had demons from which we were delivered. We mentioned a man whom Paul turned over to Satan in 1 Corinthians 5:5. Did you know this man was a Christian? So what was it that caused him to be delivered over to Satan? It was the lusts of his flesh. You are protected if you walk under the Blood of Jesus Christ, but willful disobedience is not under the Blood. The Bible warns in (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. Willful disobedience brings judgment by the “tormentors,” who are demons. (Matthew 18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. Demons can bring forth sickness and corruption of all kinds. When Jesus cast out demons, who was receiving that deliverance? Well, what did Jesus say? (Mat.15:24) … I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It was not the Canaanites who lived around them; it was the Israelites, the people who had God's Covenant promise. Jesus said that casting out demons is for God's children. He did not cast demons out of the world, because deliverance is the “children's bread” (Mark 7:27). This makes it clear that the Covenant people were the only people out of whom Jesus was casting demons. Deliverance is what God has provided for His children. The world is not in covenant with God, and they have no right to deliverance, healing, or any of the promises of the New Covenant, nor the blessings of the New Testament. If it is the “children's bread,” then it is not to be given to the world; however, Jesus had to have been awed at the Syrophoenician woman's great faith. Since He was right on the edge of a new covenant, He counted her as a believer and He gave her what she asked. (Mar.7:26) Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. And she besought him that he would cast forth the demon out of her daughter. (27) And he said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. (28) But she answered and saith unto him, Yea, Lord; even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. (29) And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the demon is gone out of thy daughter. The Bible says, (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. You see, there's a condition in the Gospel that has to be met in order to receive deliverance, healing, soul salvation, and so forth, and that condition is believing what the Gospel says. You may ask, “Does God ever cast a demon out of somebody who does not believe or even think because they are totally possessed?” Yes, He does, but it's usually because they are among the elect and will later believe, like with the demoniac of the tombs (Mark 5:1-20; Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 8:26-39). Sometimes they are oppressing others who have a right to peace. In most cases it takes repentance and belief in order to get deliverance. (Mat.8:16) And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: (17) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases. This word “our” is talking about us. Christians spoke and wrote these words. Jesus took the curse from us. Did He bear the curse for the world? Yes, but it is ultimately to “whosoever will” (Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:34; Revelation 22:17; etc.) Who is “whosoever will?” The Bible says, (Joh.6:44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him… The elect will; this is absolutely clear. The elect are those who bear fruit and were chosen before the foundation of the world, as the Bible says. (Eph.1:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: (5) having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: (7) in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (8) which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, (9) making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him (10) unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, [I say,] (11) in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; (12) to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: (13) in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (14) which is an earnest (down payment) of our inheritance, unto the redemption of [God's] own possession, unto the praise of his glory. The “elect” are the overcomers who will be standing at the end of their time of testing (Romans 12:21; 1 John 5:4; Revelation 2:7,11,17,26-28; 3:5,12,21; etc.). Many of the called will not, but the elect will have gotten what Jesus was talking about here because the elect are those who bear fruit. (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen. The Greek word here for “chosen” is the same word for “elect,” eklektos. Many are the called, as we see from when God called the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10; Hosea 11:1-7). He said in (Mat.2:15) … Out of Egypt did I call my son. He also said in (Jud.1:5) Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. You see, “calling” is not “election”; “calling” is on the way to election. “Calling” just means “an invitation,” from the Greek word klētos, “to invite.” Jesus has invited us to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. If we do this, we will not have any problem bearing fruit. 2Pe 1:10  Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:  The Bible says, (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. So you may be wondering how a Christian can have a demon and the Holy Spirit at the same time. It's simple; let me explain. The body is a temple. (1Co.6:19) Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; (20) for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. The ancient manuscripts say, “a temple of the Holy Spirit” because the Temple was threefold (Exodus chapters 25-27). It had an outer court, a holy place, and the Holy of Holies, and the outer court was called the “Court of the Gentiles” (Revelation 11:2). Were Gentiles holy? No, and we have proof from Old Testament examples that evil people did come into the outer court. They even laid hands on the horns of the altar to receive mercy (1 Kings 1:50; 2 Chronicles 23:12;15; Matthew 23:35), and sometimes they found mercy and other times they did not. So we see that evil could come into the outer court, but it could not come into the Holy of Holies. Some people like to say that the Spirit of God will not dwell in an unclean temple. If you're talking about the flesh, the flesh is unclean and it's also the enemy of God. (Rom.8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: (7) because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: (8) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. In fact, when the Bible talks about the lusts of the flesh, those lusts have the same nature as the demons do because the flesh is unclean and it's not going to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. (1Co.15:50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Only the “High Priest” Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, dwells in your “Holy of Holies,” your spirit. The demons do not enter into the spirit. Except for the High Priest, anybody who came into the Holy of Holies was struck dead. (Lev.16:2) And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. No evil could go into the Holy of Holies because that was the place of only the High Priest. The Holy Spirit is not dwelling in an unclean temple when He dwells in your spirit. Your spirit is clean. He has to give you a new spirit before He can even come and dwell there. You need to be born again before He can come and dwell in that spirit. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Demons come into the flesh with the desire to possess your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions. The Lord comes into your spirit with the desire to possess your soul. The warfare is between spirit and flesh; God and demons seek to possess the soul. (Act.10:38) Even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. We've been lied to about the supposed difference between “possession” and “oppression.” “Possession” is when the demon is reaching out of the flesh and into the soul, taking control of the mind, the actions, and the character of the person. If you've ever seen a schizophrenic, where one moment they are given over to the lusts of the flesh, and the next minute they seem to straighten right back up. Is that person possessed or not? They are possessed when that happens and they are not possessed when the demon backs off. The demon is still in them; he hasn't gone anywhere. All he's done is just back out of the soul into the flesh, becoming dormant, and he remains there until the next time he wants to take control. The Holy Spirit is the same way. Just because you have the Holy Spirit does not mean you are being led by the Holy Spirit. Having the Holy Spirit is not even going to save you! (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. You can have the Holy Spirit, but not be led by Him, and it's the same with demons. You can have demons, without the demons being in control. We should desire to give possession of this “land” to the spiritual man (Hebrews 6:4-8). God, through the Spirit, gives our spiritual man the power to possess our soul. When you walk after the flesh, the Bible says you must die. (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. When you walk after the flesh, you permit the demon's power to reach into your soul to take control of your thinking, actions, and character, your very nature. In the world they call this “schizophrenia,” but it's demon possession. There is only one nature that is the “real you”. The demons like to come into Christians and impart their own thoughts to deceive them into thinking that this is their nature. The demons give themselves up to the lusts of the flesh and then rule the Christians by speaking in their minds and blending into their characters so that they do not even know that it is them. Christians think it's themselves, but those demons can be forced to manifest by the Authority of God. Some of you may have heard or seen the Gospel being preached and demons manifesting in Christians. They are forced to manifest because they hate the Gospel. They hate tongues and they hate the Blood of Jesus. They hate all things that are Godly. If you learn the things that they hate, those are your best weapons against them. Some of you have already found out that these demons can hide in you very tactfully, convincing you that their thinking is your thinking. Thoughts coming through your mind might seem to be yours, but when forced to manifest by the Word of God, you realize they're coming from a demon. Where the Word of God is tormenting these demons, they will manifest, and this is exactly what happened in Jesus' Presence. The Word of God forced them to manifest. (Mat.8:28) And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming forth out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way. (29) And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? If you have a repentant person and you command these demons to give their name and to manifest in some way, they will do it. If they have never been commanded to manifest, you may have never actually felt their presence. When they are commanded to do so, they will literally speak out of a person and give their name, but they'll also argue with you and lie to you. They will do all the things that demons like to do. Now it's helpful to have other people alongside, but you can deliver yourself because we have that authority. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. If you suspect something is more than just flesh, then exercise your authority and command those demons to go. Sometimes they will speak in your mind, or you'll get their name in your mind. Sometimes their names will come right out of the person's mouth. Many times, a strong, compelling desire turns out to be a demon, not the flesh, but the devil wants you to think that it is only flesh. We are in the process, called “sanctification,” of being delivered of two things: defilement of flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1). But is your spirit defiled? If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in a new, clean spirit Who is called the Spirit of Christ in you. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. This is a Christian. God says, (Eze.36:26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. 27  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes… Notice, a “new spirit” and then “My Spirit” or the Holy Spirit. You do not have a defiled spirit, so why does Scripture say to Christians, “let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit”? It's because this defilement of spirit is talking about the defilement of you by demon spirits. This is not talking about the defilement of your spirit because your spirit is the only part of you that is totally white and clean. If it is not, you are not a Christian. The defilement that we have the authority to get rid of is the defilement of our souls by the flesh and evil spirits. Do you know what “self” is in the Bible? It is a synonymous term for the word “soul.” One Gospel will say “self” and another Gospel will say “soul” in a same text in another Gospel. “Self” and “soul” are the same. We want to be delivered of all defilement of our soul by both flesh and spirits. (Col.3:5) Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; (6) for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: (7) wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; (8) but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: (9) lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, (10) and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him. The Bible tells us in (Eph.4:27) Neither give place to the devil. The Greek word “place” there is a geographic term meaning “region” or “area.” This is the exact thing God talked about when He was cleansing the Promised Land from the pagan tribes that controlled it. (Deu.7:1) When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and shall cast out many nations before thee, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than thou… All these “ites” had their demonic “gods” (Deuteronomy 32:17). If you leave a place for the lusts of the flesh to live in your land, you are going to sin because they will make you sin, so we are not to leave them any place in our land. (Deu.7:2) And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and thou shalt smite them; then thou shalt utterly destroy them: thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them; (3) neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. (4) For he will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and he will destroy thee quickly. When Jesus delivered the woman with a “spirit of infirmity” in (Luke 13:11), He said in (Luk.13:16) And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, [these] eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath? Jesus called this woman a “daughter of Abraham,” and you might think, “Well, He's just talking about Jews,” yet Jesus never called the literal, physical Jews “daughters and sons of Abraham.” These Jewish leaders and their followers were professing Abraham to be their father, but Jesus totally disagreed with them because a daughter or son of Abraham, like the woman He loosed, is someone who is truly in covenant with God. (Joh.8:38) I speak the things which I have seen with [my] Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from [your] father. (39) They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. Here's the point: “Ye would do the works of Abraham.” (Joh.8:40) But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. (41) Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God. (42) Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. (43) Why do ye not understand my speech? [Even] because ye cannot hear my word. (44) Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. Paul said the same thing; he said that people who walk by faith are the sons of Abraham. (Gal.3:7) Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. Jesus never disagreed with this. This woman who was loosed, got her deliverance because she was a daughter of Abraham. The people who were coming to Jesus were Covenant people, just as we are Covenant people. They had the right of the Covenant and therefore they got healing and deliverance from God. We are proving ourselves through this “trial in the wilderness,” through the things that we're going through, to be either sons of Abraham or sons of the devil. The Bible says in (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Sons of the devil in the world have no Covenant rights, and you're just casting the children's bread to the dogs when you try to deliver an unrepentant person (Mark 7:27). You'll have the same problem, too, if you're trying to give deliverance to a Christian who is unrepentant. We are proving who are overcomers, those who truly belong to Christ. They are going to be the ones who are proven to be the Elect of God (Philippians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:10). We can prove ourselves just as much sons of the devil by our actions as these people proved themselves sons of the devil by their actions. Jesus pointed out to them, “No, if you were of your father Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham!” Amen.

Beloved,  You MUST Listen In to This Life-Shaping Message Concerning Faith In Action. The Holy Spirit Used Pastor Natalie In A Mighty Way To Shake The Foundations Of Our Hearts.   This Word Touches Everyone.... Genuin Faith In Action Part 2

"Do not love the world or anything in the world." 1 John 2:15 There are two ways in which a person may attempt to displace the love of the world from the heart: 1. By a demonstration of the world's vanity, so that the heart shall be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regards from an object that is not worthy of it. "When I surveyed all that I had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve-everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun!" Ecclesiastes 2:11 "This world is passing away along with its desires!" 1 John 2:17 2. By setting forth another object, even Christ, as more worthy of its attachment, so that the heart shall be prevailed upon to exchange an old affection for a new one. The best way to overcome the world, is not with morality or self-discipline. Christians overcome the world by seeing the beauty and excellence of Christ. They overcome the world by seeing something more attractive than the world-the Lord Jesus Christ! "Yes, He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

This year Utah Valley celebrated the opening of The Ruth, the new theater on the doTERRA campus in Pleasant Grove.  The new state of the art theatrical facility is part of the legacy of Ruth and Nathan Hale and replaced the smaller Hale Center Theater in Orem whose plays entertained audiences for 30 years. In this episode, FM100.3 Host Rebecca Cressman is joined by The Ruth's Marketing Director Brighton Sloan and Director of Customer Experience Kristine Witdfeldt who highlight this season's plays and the new theater's impact on the arts in Utah Valley.  

An outpouring of love is being shown for 26-year-old singer and musician Brendan Siddall, who Chicago police said died in a hit-and-run crash Saturday morning.

Unity is a non-denominational Spiritual Community in Central Oregon. Join us each week for some great music, a little bit of silliness, and a lot of inspirational soul food. All are welcome! This week: Kate Cavanaugh shares, “Walking in the Light of Love”. This Sunday, June 22nd is my Beloved and my 23rd wedding anniversary. It is an amazing time to be sharing the soul of what we've come to know through the Precepts of Beloved Partnership—a path of conscious love, sacred commitment, and healing connection. We'll explore the everyday choices we make to hold one another in the highest way… to surrender, to remember, and to rise in love. Whether you're in partnership, seeking it, or simply devoted to walking in love with life itself—this message is for you. Come join me as we open our hearts, align with the divine, and walk this luminous path together. ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ Submit your prayer claims online!: http://bit.ly/prayerclaim Please TXT donations to: (833) 455-1960 or Donate on our website: https://unitycentraloregon.org/donate/ Donate via Paypal: http://bit.ly/donateunitybend More goodness on our website: [www.UnityCentralOregon.org](http://www.unitycentraloregon.org/)

An outpouring of love is being shown for 26-year-old singer and musician Brendan Siddall, who Chicago police said died in a hit-and-run crash Saturday morning.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 11-12; 2 Chronicles 24; 1 Timothy 6 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where together we journey through the pages of Scripture and warm our hearts by the fires of God's love. In today's episode, Host Hunter guides us through powerful stories from 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and 1 Timothy. We witness the dramatic rise of young King Joash, hidden away during a time of evil, and learn how God is always working behind the scenes—even when darkness seems to rule. As we explore the restoration of the temple and the steadfast hope of God's advancing kingdom, Hunter reminds us that grace is never transactional; it is given freely, before we've done a thing. Settle in as we seek encouragement, realign our hearts with God's truth, and remember together: you are deeply loved—no strings attached. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Seven years is a long time. That's how long Athaliah, the evil queen, ruled over the land and the people of God. Seven years had gone by since she committed unspeakable evil, murdering her own grandchildren. She wore the crown, her power seemed unshakable. She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and the darkness of her reign must have felt never-ending for God's people. It can often feel, in our own lives, that evil is entrenched—that things will always remain as they are, with pain, injustice, or sorrow wearing the crown. But the story of Joash shows us something different: things are not always as they seem, and they will not always be as they are. Even when it looks as though evil is sitting on the throne, God is quietly at work, hidden away, preparing something new, something hopeful. Inside the temple, out of sight, there is a boy—a son. And at just the right moment, when all hope might seem lost, he is revealed. Joash's crowning is a signal: God's kingdom is advancing, even when we cannot see it, even when evil appears enthroned. The crown is placed on Joash's head, the true king is revealed, and the evil reign comes to an end. But Joash, as faithful as he may have been, is not the perfect king we ultimately need. His story, though hopeful, is unfinished and flawed. Our true King is Jesus, God's own Son, who does not falter or fail as Joash did. Jesus is the hidden King, waiting for the right time to be revealed in glory. He is at work—accomplishing all the Father asks, reigning forever. The evil that seems so strong will not last. The kingdom of God will be seen by all. The pages of Scripture remind us that God is always at work behind the scenes. His real King is alive and coming. In times when darkness lingers, when evil seems to rule, do not despair. Hold fast, by the Spirit's power, to the hope of His coming. See and hear this truth—your King is coming. That is my prayer for myself, my family, and for you, dear listener. May we hold on to the hope of Christ's reign, and may we remember: God is at work, even now, in ways we cannot see. Let this hope strengthen us and fill us with courage, as we wait for our King. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Jesus is my shepherd. You have called me by my name into the life of the Beloved. Here in the stillness, I remember that I am not alone. I belong to you and to the great communion of saints and sinners held together in your love. Remind me, Lord, that every breath is grace, every encounter is a chance to give what I have received—mercy without measure. When I forget who I am, when I lose my way, lead me again to still waters. Restore my soul. Renew my hope. Reroute me in the joy of simply being yours. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Contrition is love! To many this will seem to be an absurdity, but when we look not only to the writings of the fathers, but to the life of Christ himself something far more beautiful begins to emerge. Contrition, in order for it to be genuine and not to lead to despair, must be tied to a depth of love that does not allow for any other response from the heart than to weep. One of the perfect examples came tonight through the teaching of Abba Poimen. “On one occasion, as he was returning to Egypt, Abba Poimen saw a woman sitting on a tomb and weeping bitterly. He said to himself: ‘If all of the delights of the world were assembled in front of her, they could not comfort her soul, because she is mourning. So, also, should the monk always have contrition in his soul'”. This woman lost her beloved and no one and no thing in this world could prevent her from mourning his loss. For example, when a couple has been married for many years and, as Christ tells us, the two become one, the loss of this love is like the dying of part of oneself. The depth of the love is mirrored by the intensity of the experience of the loss. Similarly, a soul who not only understands that Christ is her Beloved, but has experienced it in the depths of her heart, and lives it on a daily basis, is going to experience the loss or betrayal of this love as something that pierces the heart.  Contrary to public opinion, love is not blind. In fact, just the opposite. Love, the more that the heart has been purified and freed of selfishness and pride, is going to see things with a perfect clarity such that the individual participates in the experience of the Other. The great example of this is Mary, the Mother of our Lord. It is prophesied by Simeon that her child was destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel and that a sort of sorrow would pierce through her heart as well. Mary was not an outside observer but through her humility and love participated radically in the ministry and suffering of her son. The death of the beloved, of Love, could not help but pierce her heart, transfixing it to her son's. Such should be our experience of contrition. The deeper our love for the Lord becomes the more we see of our poverty and of His immeasurable compassion, the more our hearts are pierced with sorrow when we turn away from Him. In this sense, nothing is small or inconsequential. We see how our hearts can betray us and betray Christ. This is part of the reality of allowing ourselves to be drawn into the mystery of the Cross; not only to allow ourselves to be stretched out in love for others, but to experience how our own betrayal and neglect adds to the poverty of a world darkened by sin.  Weep we must because love demands it. This we must understand literally as we see Christ himself weep at the tomb of his friend Lazarus and how shaken he is when he sees the multitude that are like sheep without a shepherd, abandoned, wounded and beyond recognition. May God have mercy on us, and may our faith be such that we allow love to pierce our hearts as Christ allowed it to pierce His own. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:13:36 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 261, # 4 00:29:59 Maureen Cunningham: Page ? 00:34:07 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Page ?" 252 #6 00:36:02 Anthony: In reading Archbishop Raya, The Face of God. He says in Byzantine Rite, forgiveness comes in giving praise to God, in a different way than Sacramental Confession. 00:49:59 Anthony: If it's not tied to faith in God, such superattentiveness will drive you batty trying to sort what thoughts are actually yours, how culpable you are, multiplying thought on thought. Faith has to cut it off and say No more! 00:53:38 Rebecca Thérèse: It seems that the boy chose to be hit with the bowling ball. If you warned him several times, it was selfish of him to obstruct you when it was your turn. He probably never thinks of this event at all. 00:56:09 Kate : Is there a certain fear of contrition in the sense that if we really saw the truth about our sins we wouldn't be able to bear it? 01:00:15 Anthony: St Gregory of Narek,  Lamentations, is the best book I've found to balance grief and hope. He's a guide on not being overwhelmed. 01:07:19 Rick Visser: "when he calls upon God with discernment" ?? 01:09:10 Julie: I don't know if this is related, but Fr Sophrony was asked,” give me a word for the salvation of my soul” Without hesitation he replied.” Stand at the brink of the abyss of despair, and when you see that you cannot bear it anymore, draw back a little and have a cup of tea “. 01:13:30 Maureen Cunningham: Is your birthday soon 01:14:02 Nypaver Clan: That IS NOT old!!!! 01:15:04 Bob Čihák, AZ: You'll get used to being "old", I bet. 01:15:26 Maureen Cunningham: Both good 01:15:36 Janine: Thank you Father 01:16:15 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️  

Key Takeaways from the Rocksolid Families Podcast on HomosexualityIntroduction•Hosts Linda and Merrill Hutchinson discuss the sensitive topic of homosexuality in a grace-filled manner.•They draw insights from the book “People to Be Loved” by Preston Sprinkle, emphasizing the importance of approaching the topic with love, humility, and biblical truth.Main Themes Discussed1.Respecting Individuals:•Both hosts stress the importance of recognizing the person behind the label. Regardless of one's sexual orientation, everyone deserves love and respect.2.Diversity vs. Similarity:•The podcast highlights the need to celebrate human similarities while respecting diversity. It emphasizes that behind every issue, there is a person who needs compassion and understanding.3.Grace and Truth:•A central theme is the balance between grace and truth in discussing issues related to homosexuality. Jesus is presented as the model for this balance, embodying both love and truth without condemnation.4.Sin and Acceptance:•They clarify that while same-sex attraction is not a sin, acting on that attraction can be. The hosts encourage Christians to accept individuals as God's creations without necessarily affirming their behaviors.5.The Role of the Church:•Merrill and Linda encourage the church to create welcoming spaces for individuals identifying as LGBTQ, encouraging love and acceptance without compromising biblical truths.•They call for a shift away from “fire and brimstone” approaches to a more loving, compassionate outreach.6.Avoiding Self-Righteousness:•They caution against cherry-picking sins and highlight that all people are sinners in need of grace. The ground is level at the foot of the cross, and all sins should be viewed equally without judgment.7.Identifying Truth:•Listeners are encouraged to identify and ground their beliefs in a solid foundation of truth—specifically, the Bible. This helps prevent wavering beliefs influenced by societal changes.8.Empathy and Listening:•The need for empathy and genuine listening is emphasized, suggesting that people often need to be heard before they can open up to the truth of Christ.9.Caring without Compromising:•They highlight that one can care for and support someone in the LGBTQ community without compromising one's beliefs. It's important to engage in conversations with grace, respect, and a willingness to understand.10.Call to Action:• A call for Christians to approach the topic of homosexuality with a spirit of humility, aiming to build connections rather than barriers.Final ThoughtsThe podcast serves as a reminder that conversations about sexuality should be rooted in love, compassion, and a commitment to truth, reflecting the heart of Jesus in every interaction. It encourages a community that welcomes dialogue and fosters understanding while remaining faithful to biblical teachings.We invite listeners to continue engaging with these difficult topics while being conscious of the real people affected by them.Recommend Preston Sprinkle's resources (book, podcast, The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender)https://rocksolidfamilies.orgSupport the show#Rocksolidfamilies, #familytherapy, #marriagecounseling, #parenting, #faithbasedcounseling, #counseling, #Strongdads, #coaching, #lifecoach, #lifecoaching, #marriagecoaching, #marriageandfamily, #control, #security, #respect, #affection, #love, #purpose, #faith, #affairs, #infidelity

Are you searching for a deeper understanding of what it means to love your church?Today's talk explores the essence of the church, emphasizing that it's not just a building, but a community of believers. It answers:- What does it truly mean to love your church?- How does the relationship between husband and wife mirror Christ's love for the church?- Why is being part of a church community essential for spiritual growth?- How can you contribute to your church in a meaningful way?- What does it mean for the church to be the bride and body of Christ?- What does it mean to be the salt of the earth?New Vision Church serves online and in Fayetteville, Georgia.newvisionc.comBelong. Be Loved. Believe. #Church #Faith #Community #Love #Christianity #Belonging #NewVisionChurch #Jesus #God #Worship #Sermon #Message

AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on the celebration of a beloved saint.

He built a lucrative seminar empire in the 80s, owned an Italian Villa, founded a “spiritual university,” and travelled the world with a harem of handsome young initiates. Roger Hinkins claimed to be inhabited by another consciousness that he called “John the Beloved” and the “Mystical Traveller,” which taught the secrets of out-of-body experiences. As he copied those teachings from elsewhere, his lies eventually caught up with him. But he told his loyal followers that critics and defectors were infected with an infectious demonic energy called “The Red Monk.” For this self-contained installment of his popular Roots of Conspirituality series, Julian tells the fascinating story the Movement for Spiritual Inner Awareness, and how its leader fooled devotees into thinking he was clairvoyant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Navigating family relationships when you disagree with your family's church choice is one of the most challenging situations Christians face. Pastor Heath Lambert provides biblical wisdom for this delicate balance between family loyalty and theological convictions. Using the framework of theological triage, this episode helps believers understand when to compromise, when to stand firm, and how love should guide every decision in church conflicts.TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Introduction: The Family Church Dilemma0:39 - The Question: Attending Unbiblical Churches for Family Unity1:49 - Why This Question Matters: Children and Family Dynamics2:51 - Understanding Biblical vs Unbiblical: Not All Errors Are Equal3:06 - Theological Triage: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Issues4:05 - Primary Issues: Salvation-Essential Doctrines4:55 - Secondary Issues: Important but Not Salvation-Critical5:16 - Baptism Example: Baptist vs Presbyterian Practices6:46 - Tertiary Issues: End Times and Christian Disagreements8:17 - The Law of Love: 1 John 4:7 as the Ultimate Guide8:53 - Pride vs Conviction: Testing Our Motivations9:26 - When Love Means Compromise vs When Love Means Standing Firm10:13 - Final Answer: It Depends on Error Type and Love's DirectionKEY POINTSThe Reality of Family Church Conflicts: Christians often find themselves where their theological convictions differ from their family's church choice, creating tension between honoring family and maintaining biblical faithfulness.Theological Triage Framework: Not all biblical errors are equally serious. Churches can be "unbiblical" in different ways requiring different responses - understanding this hierarchy helps believers respond appropriately.Primary Issues - Salvation Essential: Doctrines so central that denying them prevents salvation, like salvation by grace through faith alone. Churches with primary errors should generally be avoided regardless of family pressure.Secondary Issues - Important but Not Salvation-Critical: Matters affecting church practice but not salvation, like baptism methods. Faithful Christians can disagree while remaining in fellowship.Tertiary Issues - Ongoing Christian Disagreements: Matters where good Christians disagree until Christ returns, like millennium details. These shouldn't divide churches or families.The Law of Love as the Ultimate Test: Love for both family and God must guide decisions. Love sometimes requires compromise on preferences, other times demands taking a stand for essential truth.Submit your questions for future episodes to MarkedbyGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES1 John 4:7 - "Beloved, let us love one another" - The law of love as the guiding principle for all theological and relational decisionsActs 5:29 - "We must obey God rather than men" - Referenced principle for when obedience to God requires standing against family pressure

The first principle is that no man can suffer for Christ until he is able to deny himself (Matthew 16:24). Self-denial naturally comes before sufferings. Beloved, in a time of suffering, the interests of Christ and of self meet like two men on a narrow bridge; one must of necessity go back or the other cannot pass on. If you cannot now deny self, you must deny Christ. The yoke and dominion of self must be cast off or else Christ's yoke and burden cannot be taken on.

1 John 3:2-3, "Beloved, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him--for we shall see Him as He is!" Let us endeavor to realize our present sonship; it will produce . . . boldness at His throne of grace, contrition at His cross, confidence in His Word, love to His person, contentment with our lot, victory over the world, zeal for His glory, and encouragement under all our trials and troubles! We are either children of God, or enemies of God! Every child of God . . . mourns over sin, flies to the Savior, and departs from iniquity! God is now his Father. All the promises are his. The eternal inheritance is his. Let us look back to the rock from whence we were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence we were dug: How base was our origin--the dust! How degraded was our condition--slaves of sin and Satan! How fearful was our character--enemies to God! How dreadful was our eternal doom--the lake which burns with brimstone and fire! Contrast this with . . . our present relationship--children of God; our high standing--in heavenly places in Christ; our glorious privilege--justified from all things; our fixed destiny--to be forever with the Lord! And to what is this astonishing change to be ascribed? To the love of God in Christ Jesus! "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us--that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1 What a mystery of mercy is this! But if we are unbelievers, then we are . . . God's enemies, children of wrath, under the curse, in imminent danger! Satan is our father! Sin

Rev. Sam Taaffe

Send us a textWelcome back everyone for the conclusion of my interview with former Ventura Chapter President of the Hells Angels, George Christie. But first a disclaimer. I do not and never have condoned criminal behavior. I was a cop for 25 years and my heart is with the men and women who enforce the law and bring criminals to justice. That being said, I wanted to bring you the listener/viewer a different kind of perspective. One from an unapologetic outlaw living out the last chapters of his life (who knows, maybe he will live to a 100). I think it's good to see both sides of the coin. I may not agree with everything he says or stands for, but we can sit down and have a civilized conversation, something that is desperately missing in today's society, I think.  So, my guest on today's show George Christie, has spent some time in prison and was the president of the Ventura Chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club from 1978 to 2011. In 2011 he walked away from the Hells Angels and resigned his membership. A short time later the club turned their backs on him and considered him in ‘bad standing' which is a kick in the gut for someone who dedicated his life to the outlaw club. It's kind of like it never happened. George's life is like something out of a movie. He has gone to war with rival bike gangs like the Outlaws and Mongols and has had at least two contracts out to kill him. He was in the hotseat on the news show 60 Minutes where he was grilled by Mike Wallace.  He spent a year in solitary confinement and also carried the Olympic torch for the 1984 games in Los Angeles and even had a blowup with the Kennedy's. One thing is for sure, George is not boring. Please enjoy the conclusion of my interview with George Christie.In today's episode we discuss:·      His 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace and Mike flirting with his wife.·      FBI informant Anthony Tate. ·      His time in jail / prison and the effects of being in solitary confinement for a year. ·      The difference between the Hells Angels now and when he was leading a charter? ·      The hit television show Sons of Anarchy. What he and other Angles thought of David Labrava (Happy Lowman), Rusty Coones (Rane Quinn), Sonny Barger (Lenny Janowitz), and Chuck Zito (Frankie Diamonds) being on the show?·      His stormy relationship with Sonny Barger.·      Everything, including your patch, motorcycle, and even jewelry is club property?·      Is it still a straight, white male club? What are females' roles in the club? Old Ladies?·      What about fake Angels? If I get a counterfeit patch and decide to ride my bike in Hells Angels territory, what should I expect?·      How he wound up quitting the Hells Angles. ·      Being the spokesman for the Hells Angels.·      Riding a motorcycle is moving Zen.·      The book, Exile From Front Street.All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Ride over to George's website to learn more about him and his books!Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante JusticeWhat would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?https://a.co/d/2UsJPbaSupport the show

Jesus has invites both his beloved and betrayers to His table. 1. The Power of Greed 2. The Warning of Betrayal 3. The Body and the Blood

I share a revelation many believers long for but few truly live from: You are God's beloved, and His love has never let go of you. This episode is for the one who feels disqualified by past mistakes… the one who teaches about love but forgets how to receive it… the one who is ready to know, not just believe, how deeply they are loved.In This Episode, You'll Discover:A prayer to reframe identity: “Teach me who You are. Teach me who I am.”The healing truth that love, not shame, is your starting pointWhat Jesus' life and death reveal about the heart of GodHow to disarm shame and reject lies about your worthWays to recognize God's voice even in seasons of silenceResources & Next Steps:

Discover why Great Smoky Mountains is America's most visited national park with Johnny Mac as he explores the misty peaks, cascading waterfalls, and rich cultural heritage of Appalachia. Navigate the tourist attractions of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to find authentic mountain experiences, then venture into Cades Cove for the best black bear viewing and preserved mountain history. Learn which waterfall hikes offer the biggest rewards for the least effort, how to experience the park's famous scenic drives, and when to visit for spectacular fall foliage. From the challenging Appalachian Trail sections to easy family-friendly walks, Johnny reveals how to balance the park's incredible popularity with meaningful wilderness encounters. Understand the deep mountain culture preserved within park boundaries and why these ancient peaks continue to capture hearts with their timeless beauty. For a commercial free experience please visit www.caloroga.com/plus

A Sermon for the First Sunday after Trinity St. Luke 16:19-31 & 1 St. John 4:7-21 by William Klock Jesus stopped in another town along the route of his final trip to Jerusalem.  Or maybe the people in the town stopped him.  They all wanted to see, to touch, to hear, to experience that walking bubble of God's future for themselves.  A chance to encounter the long-promised and long-awaited kingdom.  And as things settled down, Jesus sat down and started to preach.  He told them a story—our Gospel today that begins at Luke 16:19.  He said: “There was once a rich man.  He was dressed in purple and fine linen, and feasted sumptuously every day.”   This man wasn't just rich.  He was filthy, stinking rich.  No one was that rich in this town, but there were some Pharisees standing over there and some eyes wandered that way as Jesus spoke.  They weren't feast-every-day or dressed-in-purple rich.  Almost no one was.  But they did wear fine clothes and you had to be pretty well off to live like the Pharisees did with their scruples and rules about everyday things.  Jesus continued: “A poor man named Lazarus, who was covered with sores, lay outside his gate.  He longed to feed himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man's table.  Even the dogs came and licked his sores.”   Jesus paints a picture of extremes.  First there's the rich man.  Super rich.  Ostentatiously rich.  He lived like a king.  And then there's Lazarus.  He's destitute.  He's covered in sores, which means he's unclean.  He's probably lame.  Jesus describes him as having been deposited at Lazarus' gate.  He couldn't get there on his own.  He watched the rich man and his friends come and go.  He heard the music and laughter from the other side of the wall.  He smelled the meat roasting.  He would have been happy with the bread the rich people used to wipe their hands.  But there was nothing for poor Lazarus.  And to make his life worse, as he lay there helpless, the feral dogs of the town would come to lick his oozing sores and leave him stinging. Jesus puts a new spin on an old story the rabbis told.  There was a story—it's been preserved in the Talmud—that originated in Egypt and was brought back to Judah by Alexandrian Jews.  It was a story about a rich tax collector and a poor torah scholar.  They both died.  Of course, everyone attended the rich man's funeral, but no one could be bothered to show up at the funeral of the poor man.  But then few days later, a friend of the poor man had a dream of paradise, and there in the middle of paradise was the poor torah scholar enjoying everything he'd sacrificed in life for the sake of God's law.  And not far away was the rich man, parched and in torment, struggling to reach the stream, but forever held back.  When the story was told that way, everyone had sympathy for the poor torah scholar and hated the rich tax collector.  But Jesus changes the details—something he liked to do to make a point.  The rich man in Jesus' version is just a rich man—maybe even a Pharisee.  And the poor man's just a poor a man.  And when it's told that way, given the thinking of the day, most people would have had their sympathies reversed.  Riches—so long as they weren't gained from collecting taxes for the Romans—riches were a sign of God's favour.  And the poor man?  Well, think of the disciples' question to Jesus about the blind man.  “Who sinned?  This man or his parents?”  A lot of people would have chalked up the poor man's state to his sins.  He was out of favour with God and deserved his miserable lot in life. But that's not the only change Jesus makes to the story.  In the typical telling, it's the rich man who has a name.  As he tells the story his way, Jesus gives a name to the poor man instead.  He calls him Lazarus, which means “God helps”.  More importantly, Lazarus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Eliezer.  Jesus would have said “Eliezer”, but remember that Luke is writing in Greek.  So I suspect that Jesus was making a deliberate connection with Abraham's servant, Eliezer of Damascus.  If we go back to Genesis 15 we read how Abraham lamented to the Lord that he was childless and that his only heir was Eliezer of Damascus.  In response, the Lord promised that he and Sarah would have a son.  When Isaac was born he displaced Eliezer, a gentile and an outsider, as Abraham's heir.  In Jesus' parable, the rich man is one of Abraham's sons.  Again, people would have seen his riches as a sign of his election and a sign of God's blessing on him.  Even though Lazarus was a Jew, people treated him like an outsider: he was unclean and destitute, so obviously God was punishing him.  He was an outsider, like Eliezer of Damascus, and undeserving of Abraham's inheritance. And yet look at what happens.  Verse 22: “In due course the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.  As he was being tormented in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.” Both men died.  The rich man was buried.  That was really important in Jewish society.  He had all the funeral rites and a parade of mourners through the streets of the city.  He was honoured in his death.  But Lazarus?  He had no one.  The dogs ate his body and carried away his bones in the night and no one was the wiser.  Except for the Lord.  He saw.  He'd been watching all along.  And he sent his angels to escort Lazarus into paradise—to Abraham's bosom. The Jews described the Messianic age to come as one in which God's people would feast and banquet in the kingdom, but in the meantime the dead would rest in the fellowship of Father Abraham.  Lazarus was probably as surprised as anyone, not only to be carried by the angels into paradise, but to be seated at the table right next to Abraham, in the place of highest honour.  That was the place reserved for someone like the rich man—not the place for a poor, lame, unclean beggar.  And yet there he was. Again, with stark contrast, Jesus describes the situation of the rich man.  Despite his high status in life, he wakes to find himself being tormented in hades.  Where Lazarus finds himself feasting at Abraham's side, the rich man finds himself on the far side of a great gulf that separates him from that banquet and from Abraham and from any hope of knowing God's age to come.  The tables have been turned.  In life the rich man feasted and a great gulf kept Lazarus away and starving. Now, it needs to be emphasised that Jesus' parable is not meant to give us teaching about the afterlife.  A lot of people down through the ages have gone to this parable assuming that Jesus' point was to teach us about the intermediate state or about heaven and hell.  That highlights the danger of pulling portions of Scripture out of context.  Jesus was using a well-known folk tale to make a point.  Think of it this way.  We tell jokes and stories about people being met at the pearly gates by St. Peter with his list, but St. Peter and his list are never the point of those stories.  We don't believe that this is what actually happens when we die—it's a popular folk tale in our culture.  The point is usually what happens to the people in the joke when they get there.  Jesus is telling a story like that here.  He's using the elements of a common folk tale, not to teach about the afterlife, but to rebuke the people for their love of money and for their failure to truly live out the law and the prophets—to truly live as Abraham's heirs.  As the Lord had been generous to Israel with his grace and his provision, the people of Israel should have been generous with their grace and provisions with each other—and especially with people like Lazarus.  That bubble of God's future in the present that they all came to Jesus to encounter?  That's what Israel was supposed to be—for each other and for the nations.  Instead, Israel had been like the rich man in the story. So back to the story.  The rich man and Lazarus have their places reversed when they die.  And yet the rich man still doesn't get it.  He sees Lazarus seated at the table with Abraham and he calls out in verse 24: “‘Father Abraham!  Have mercy on me!  Send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue!  I'm in agony in this fire!'”   The rich man calls out to “Father Abraham”.  His entire life he had deceived himself into thinking that Abraham was his father simply because he was one of Abraham's biological descendants.  Like so many others in Israel, he was convinced that his genetics, his circumcision, his diet, his sabbath observance, his separation from gentiles and from all things unclean, and all his sacrifices and offerings made at the temple guaranteed him a seat at the great banquet.  And yet he feasted away his days while poor Lazarus starved at his gate.  We should be reminded again of the Lord's rebuke through the prophet Hosea: I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,          the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6) Or as Jesus puts it in Matthew 9:13, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” The rich man doesn't understand Lazarus' position either.  Not only is he still calling out to Abraham as if he has a claim on Abraham, but he calls out to Abraham to send Lazarus to him with some water.  He sees Lazarus at Abraham's side and misreads the situation.  It never occurs to him that Lazarus is there to be honoured.  He thinks that Lazarus is there as Abraham's servant: a waterboy in hades.  Abraham has to explain the situation to him.  Look at verses 25-26: “My child, remember that you in your life received good things, and in the same way Lazarus received bad things.  Now he is comforted here, and you are tormented.  Besides that, there is a great chasm standing between us.  People who want to cross over from here to you can't do so, nor can anyone get across from the far side to us.”   The same thing happens in the folktale as it was usually told.  Abraham puts the rich man in his place.  Lazarus wasn't taken by the angels to be Abraham's servant—or the rich man's for that matter.  And the rich man hasn't landed in a place of torment by mistake.  The rich man, too late, realises that the way he lived his life was wrong—he'd been presumptuous about God's grace and favour.  Again, Jesus' point isn't to teach us the geography of the afterlife.  He's warning his people, he's warning Israel: Judgement is coming and the role reversal that happened in this folk story could very well happen to them.  They'd better watch out.  The kingdom was at hand, judgement was coming soon, and they had little time left to repent. But then, in the last verses of the chapter, Jesus changes the story again.  The way people were used to hearing it, the rich man realised the error of his ways and asked for warnings to be sent to his brothers lest they suffer the same fate—and the Lord or Abraham obliged.  As Jesus tells the story, just the opposite happens.  The warnings have already been sent.  Look at verses 27-31: “‘Please, then, Father,' the rich man said, ‘send Lazarus to my father's house.  I have five brothers.  Let Lazarus warn them, so that they don't come into this place of torment.'  But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets.  Let them hear them.'  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone went to them from the dead, they would repent.'  ‘And if they do not hear Moses and the Prophets,' came the reply, ‘neither would they be convinced, even if someone rose from the dead.'”   “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither would they be convinced, even if someone rose from the dead.”  That's pretty ominous.  With the coming of Jesus, the kingdom of God was breaking into the world.  God sent Jesus to lead his people out of their long exile.  He sent his son to conquer sin and death and to lead his people out of their bondage to both.  And so with every sickness healed, with every demon cast out, with every sin forgiven Jesus was showing that the kingdom had come, that God's new future was beginning.  This is why tax collectors and sinners were celebrating.  Jesus was setting them free.  Imagine the joy of Lazarus as he was carried by the angels to feast at Abraham's side.  This is the reality that Jesus was making known to the poor and the outcast and to sinners. And yet so many grumbled, especially the Pharisees, every time they saw Jesus doing these things.  The men who were sons of Abraham and who spent their lives in devotion to God's law, they couldn't accept what Jesus was doing.  He was inviting all the wrong people to the banquet!  And so Jesus is rebuking them; he's calling them to repentance just as he called the tax collectors and sinners to repent.  And here he warns them: They're like the rich man who refused poor Lazarus even the bread thrown under his table.  They've been entrusted with the light, but they refuse to share it with those living in darkness.  They've been entrusted with the law and the prophets—God's Word and the means of redemption for the nations—but they'd rather keep it to themselves and see the nations, the poor, the unclean tormented in hades.  And at the end of the day, it's just that attitude towards the poor and towards sinners and towards all those on the outside—it's their refusal to celebrate as Jesus heals and forgives and makes new—that reveals that while they have the law and the prophets, they've never truly understood them and they've never truly lived them.  They're supposed to be little bubbles of God's future in the present, but instead they've been little bubbles of darkness.  And because of that, they may be surprised to find themselves, just like the rich man, on the receiving end of God's judgement.  If they don't repent and recognise that in Jesus the kingdom has come, they will have forfeited their inheritance and it will be given to others.  They will have no share in the kingdom. This is where Jesus' choice of the name Lazarus or Eliezer comes back into the story.  When Isaac was born, the gentile Eliezer lost his inheritance.  The Pharisees—and the rest of Israel—are the nation born of Isaac.  They are the inheritors of God's promises to Abraham.  But with those covenant promises come covenant obligations—not just circumcision, avoiding unclean food, and sacrifices at the temple, but a seeking after justice and mercy and truly living out the lovingkindness of God in the world.  If Israel refuses to fulfil those obligations and if she refuses to acknowledge that in Jesus they are being fulfilled, she will lose those covenant promises—she will lose her inheritance and it will be given to others, to outsiders grafted into Jesus who is the true Israel and the one truly faithful son of Abraham.  Eliezer will inherit the promise after all. This is one of the key themes of Luke's gospel—ever since Mary sang out: He hath put down the mighty from their seat,          and hath exalted the humble and meek; He hath filled the hungry with good things,          and the rich he hath sent away empty. (Luke 1:52-53) This was the message that John the Baptist was preaching: “You'd better prove your repentance by bearing the proper fruit!  Don't start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father'; let me tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones!  The axe is already standing by the roots of the tree—so every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:8-9).  This was the warning that Jesus gave when he told the people to strive to enter through the narrow door before it's shut, before it's too late: “He will say to you, ‘I do not know where you people are from.  Be off with you, you wicked lot.'  That's where you'll find weeping and gnashing of teeth: when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in God's kingdom, and you yourselves will be thrown out.  People will come from east and west, from north and south, and sit down to feast in God's kingdom.” (Luke 13:27-29). The rich man and his brothers, just like the Pharisees and just like unfaithful Israel, all had the law and the prophets.  They didn't need any more witnesses.  Jesus' rebuke that even if someone should be raised from the dead they still wouldn't believe is a prophetic look ahead at Israel's fate.  They refused to listen to the law and the prophets.  Jesus came to renew Israel, and she refused to hear him, she cried out for his crucifixion, and she continued to reject him even when he rose from the dead.  And so others are being grafted in: unclean people, sinners, and gentiles are being grafted in and through Jesus are being given the inheritance that Israel forfeit. Now, what does this mean for us?  Brothers and sisters, we have Moses and the prophets, but more importantly we have Jesus and the Spirit, too.  We've been renewed.  The Spirit has given to us the one thing that the old Israel lacked: he's inscribed God's law on our hearts.  He's made it a part of us.  He's made it such a part of us that St. John can say in our Epistle today: Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and all who love are born of God and know God.  The one who does not love has not known God, because God is love….If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is completed in us.  That is how we know that we abide in him, and he in us, because he has given us a portion of his Spirit.” (1 John 4:7-8, 12-13) Maybe this is why the Spirit appeared as tongues of fire on the heads of the disciples at Pentecost.  They became light in the Spirit—very visibly those little walking bubbles of God's light-filled future, God's new creation, pulled into the present for the sake of the world.  That's the day when, through his Spirit, God made his people to truly be what he'd intended them to be all along. Brothers and Sisters, it was easy for those First Century Judeans to take their convent status for granted.  It should not be so for us.  They were the natural sons of Abraham, but we are the dead wood that has been grafted into the living vine—by the Spirit, into Jesus.  We're the ones who have received an inheritance that was not naturally ours.  The Table we come to this morning, the bread we eat and the wine we drink, remind us of our own poverty and the amazing grace and generosity of God towards us.  In so many ways and for so many reasons, we do not deserve his invitation to this table, but he has been gracious and merciful to us.  He's given his own son to die so that we can be a part of this family.  May we never take his grace or our position before him or his table for granted.  May we, redeemed by his blood and filled with his Spirit, embody his love for the sake of the world.  May we always be faithful and living witnesses of God's new creation—light in midst of darkness, love in the midst of hate; hope in the midst of fear. Let's pray: O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

(Airdate: 6.19.25) Today we say goodbye to a true kitchen queen, Beloved celebrity chef Anne Burrell has passed away at just 55 years old. Fans, friends, and foodies are mourning a one-of-a-kind flavor icon. Meanwhile in Hollywoodland: Brad Pitt says he's down to reunite with Tom Cruise—as long as he doesn't have to hang off a plane. Pitt's message: keep the stunts grounded and the egos in check. And Orlando Bloom's headed to Jeff Bezos' wedding solo, as Katy Perry bows out due to “prior commitments.” Trouble in pop paradise? The Venice wedding's gonna be lavish, but Orlando showing up stag might be the real headline. And @HalleBerry Listen to the daily Van Camp and Morgan radio show at: https://vancampandmorgan.com/stations buy us a coffee    

Join Wifestyle: HERE In this heartfelt solo episode, Autumn opens up about the unexpected unraveling of her relationship with her business — and the truth it revealed: ✨ That for years, she was sourcing her sense of safety, worth, visibility, and even love from her brand, her clients, and her success. When her desire to be seen publicly shifted earlier this year, she was forced to ask: What happens when the thing that once made me feel powerful, validated, and adored... no longer does? This episode is an honest reflection on:

We have been skimping on including independent booksellers in our show lately (and we are sorry) but here is a whole show worth of bookseller conversations!  Source Books in Detroit Michigan is owned by Janet Webster Jones.  And Print: A Bookstore in Portland ME is owned by Emily Russo.  These are two incredible independent booksellers with two incredible stores.  It's a master class in bookselling on this week's Book Case! Find books mentioned on The Book Case: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/shop/story/book-case-podcast-reading-list-118433302 Books mentioned on this week's episode: Beloved by Toni Morrison These Precious Days by Ann Patchett The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jenette McCurdy This is Happiness by Niall Williams Lobster by Guillame Lecasble Sky Daddy by Kate Folk Win by Harlan Coben The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“My Beloved is mine, and I am His: He feedeth among the lilies. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my Beloved, and be Thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.” — Song of Solomon 2:16, 17 Surely if there be a happy verse in the […]

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A jury in Maryland has found a 34-year-old man guilty of first-degree murder for the brutal killing and dismemberment of a cherished elementary school teacher, who was attacked while taking a walk in a park.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this powerful, mindset-shifting episode of The Mark Casto Program, we take aim at the silent killer of Kingdom entrepreneurship: chronic negativity. Mark Casto walks you through the real reason so many faith-driven entrepreneurs stay stuck—not because of strategy, but because of self-belief. This isn't about toxic positivity or hype. This is about identity. You'll learn how self-doubt, fear, and religious performance mindsets are robbing you of your calling—and how to flip the script by rooting your business in beloved identity, not burnout. This episode is your roadmap to inner transformation, psychological strength, and spiritual clarity—so you can finally build your business from peace, not pressure.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 20-21; 2 Chronicles 17; Colossians 3 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, host Hunter guides us through day 169 of our year-long journey through the Scriptures. We begin with the dramatic stories of First Kings 20-21, witnessing the confrontations between King Ahab, Ben-Hadad, and the tragic story of Naboth's vineyard. We continue into Second Chronicles 17, where King Jehoshaphat's faithfulness brings strength and blessing to Judah. Our reading concludes in Colossians 3, with the Apostle Paul's powerful reminder to embrace our new life in Christ and to clothe ourselves with love, forgiveness, and gratitude. Hunter brings these ancient texts to life, reflecting on God's impartial love, the futility of viewing our relationship with Him as transactional, and the good news that we are all included and deeply loved. Join us as we listen, pray, and let the truth of God's Word shape our hearts today. TODAY'S DEVOTION: God has no favorites. I have three daughters and there have been times in life when people have asked me, Hunter, who's your favorite? And I have to chuckle when I hear that because my mind doesn't even go there. I don't think in terms of one daughter being favored over another because they're all my kids. They're my girls. I love them dearly. I have no favorites. And we're told that God has no favorites. We are all his children. It doesn't matter whether we're Abigail, Magdalene, or Eden Hunter, or Heather, or you, or whoever. It doesn't matter. Whether we are Jew or Gentile, circumcised, uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave or free, it doesn't matter. Christ is all that matters. He is the favored one. And we—our lives—are hidden in his. That's what Paul says. Our real life is hidden with God in Christ, the favored one. He has no favorites because we're all favored. We're all loved. We've been included. God has reconciled the whole world to himself. Paul says he has no favorites because we are all loved by him. And that, my friend, is such good news. And the prayer of my own heart today is that I will see who I am in Christ, favored and loved. And that's a prayer that I have for my family, too—for my daughters, for my wife, and for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Jesus is my shepherd. You have called me by my name into the life of the Beloved. Here in the stillness, I remember that I am not alone. I belong to you and to the great communion of saints and sinners held together in your love. Remind me, Lord, that every breath is grace, every encounter is a chance to give what I have received—mercy without measure. When I forget who I am, when I lose my way, lead me again to still waters. Restore my soul, renew my hope. Reroute me in the joy of simply being yours. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory Forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Fr. Mike connects today's reading from Songs to the teachings of St. John Paul's Theology of the Body. He also points out how helpful it is to track the timelines of the kings of Israel and Judah as we read from Kings and Chronicles simultaneously. The readings are 1 Kings 15-16, 2 Chronicles 16-17, and Song of Solomon 4. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.