Podcasts about be ready

On this episode of the THINK Business Podcast, Deb Lapin shared five timeless takeaways for any business person looking to think sharper, prepare better, and lead with confidence. Deborah S. Lapin is a shareholder at Maddin Hauser known for her sharp litigation skills and client-first approach. Top 5 Takeaways for Any Business Person Looking to Elevate Their Game: The Power of Being Underestimated Fundamentals Always Win Anticipation Is a Competitive Advantage Over-Prepare and Stay Adaptable to Be Ready for Anything Being True to Yourself Is the Ultimate Strategy --- Deborah (Deb) S. Lapin, a shareholder in Maddin Hauser's Financial Services and Real Property Litigation group, is a zealous advocate who blends creativity, determination, and pragmatism to obtain favorable outcomes in real estate litigation and a wide range of business disputes. Always cognizant that her efforts must consider the bigger picture and the bottom line, Deb develops individual case strategies that align with her clients' broader strategic objectives and financial and reputational interests. The foundation of Deb's courtroom acumen is the intensive trial experience she gained during her time as a public defender in New York City and as an associate in a busy plaintiff's litigation firm. She has since complemented the advocacy skills and insights she developed in these roles with extensive and immersive work handling real estate litigation, particularly mortgage-related issues and title insurance coverage disputes. Her practice also extends across the full spectrum of business litigation matters, where she leverages the firm's cross-disciplinary capabilities and resources to supplement her efforts on behalf of clients spanning multiple industries. Tough but reasonable, she is as adept at obtaining early resolutions of disputes as she is at securing verdicts in her clients' favor. Appreciating the internal pressures and priorities her institutional clients face, Deb is committed to transparent communication, thoughtful efficiency, and strong, collaborative working relationships. She makes the litigation experience less stressful and taxing for clients, who appreciate her clear expectation-setting and personable counseling style. Deb enjoys speaking and blogging on topics relevant to her practice and clients and regularly presents continuing legal education courses to her colleagues. She also takes an active interest in the industries where her clients do business, including serving on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Recreational Boating Industries Educational Foundation. Connect with Jon Dwoskin: Twitter: @jdwoskin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.dwoskin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejondwoskinexperience/ Website: https://jondwoskin.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwoskin/ Email: jon@jondwoskin.com Get Jon's Book: The Think Big Movement: Grow your business big. Very Big! Connect with Deb Lapin:Website: https://maddinhauser.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaddinHauser X: https://twitter.com/MaddinHauserPC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maddin-hauser-roth-and-heller-pc YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maddinhauserlaw *E - explicit language may be used in this podcast.

Why Joe Rogan Beat Late Night TVWhen I was a kid, hearing Johnny Carson's theme music meant it was time for bed. Today, nobody has to stay up for anything. And that one shift explains a huge part of why late night is fading and why your podcast has to work harder to earn attention.Conversation vs Promotional AppearancesIn the early years of Johnny Carson, the show was 90 minutes and they actually had conversations as apposed to the "tell me about your family vacation, and let's roll the clip" interviews we see on late night showsAppointment Viewing is DeadThe days of "must see tv" on Thursday night died with the VCR and DVR. I haven't watched live TV in years. So now the audience that is staying up to watch live is much older (somewhere between age 60-70), and is about HALF of the audience comparing it to the days wheh David Letterman get almost 7 million a night.The Celebrity Mystique is GoneI once stayed up to watch B.B. King on the tonight show. Why? Because I couldn't hear him on the radio. I was too young to go to a concert. If I did that today and wanted to see Joe Bonamassa I wouldn't need to wait to see him on TV. I could see him on his YouTube channel, or multiple interviews on podcasts.#1 in Late Night is a Big Fish in a Much Smaller PondKeep in mind that Steven Colbert being #1 in late night in 2026 is way different than being #1 in late night in 1993. Late-night TV revenue has reportedly fallen from about $400 million a year to $200 million a year—a 50% decline—while some shows that once drew 7–8 million nightly viewers now struggle to reach 3 million.YouTube Doesn't Pay the SameAccording to one report, YouTube pays one tenth of what a network ad spot would go for. When you audience is cut in half, you have less advertisers. When the advertisers you have are paying you 90% less and your expenses stay the same that is a problem.Keep Control of Your ContentRemember big companies with big payouts WANT CONTROL. Conan focused on owning his content and that resulted in a 150 million dollar payout.Only Amazing Content Will Stand OutIf you want podcast growth, you need to make sure you are doing as many of the following as possible.Make them:laughcrythinkgroanMake Sure The ContentEducatesEntertainsSaves the audience timeSaves them moneyMakes them FEEL somethingIf it's information you can get any place else, even better. A great podcast can be boiled down to content and delivery. So this episode is focused on content.Be Ready to PromoteWhen someone says, "Oh, you do a podcast?" be ready to explain what it is, what its about, and how people benefit from consuming your content (and say your website). We hear how Macaulay Culkin dropped the ball so bad on the Ellen show.Housekeeping: How to Pitch a PodcastI am still preparing to launch this show and I'm accepting stories. I had some things pop up that are taking my attention as they are time sensitive. It's coming...Mentioned in this episode:Live AppearancesI will be at the Empower Podcasting Conference (Year 3!) in Charlotte North Carolina. This is my favorite type of conference with a cap at 250 people, it's a great crowd without being overwhelming. Great speakers, great networking, and a great location.Where Will I Be?Podcasting in Six Weeks Starts SoonIf you've tried to start a podcast before and got lost in the jargon, and felt overwhelmed, this is the course for you. We will meet LIVE for six weeks and go step by step in launching your successful podcast. The best part, we are only charging $1 Check it out at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeksPodcasting in Six WeeksQuestion of the MonthThis might be harder question to answer because when I ask people, the sometimes freeze. The question? How do you measure success for your podcast beyond download numbers? I need your answer by June 26th, 2026. Don't forget to tell us a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the show notes.Question of the MonthYouTube Matching Just Got CheaperThe amazing YouTube Matching feature available at Podpage was previously available on the top "Elite" tier, but is now available on the "Pro" tier. This give you MORE value for LESS money. Start your free trial today at Podpage.comPodpage

In this profound exploration of Matthew 25:1-13, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb unpack the parable of the ten virgins, revealing it as far more than a simple warning about preparedness. Moving beyond dispensational "rapture ready" interpretations, they demonstrate how this parable addresses the spiritual condition required for entrance into God's consummated kingdom. The discussion centers on the critical distinction between outward religious profession and genuine possession of the Holy Spirit's grace. With pastoral sensitivity and theological depth, the hosts examine the meaning of the oil, the significance of the midnight cry, and the urgency of both evangelism and personal examination. This episode challenges listeners to consider whether they possess not just the lamp of profession, but the oil of saving grace that alone sustains faith through the waiting period before Christ's return. Key Takeaways The oil represents saving grace, not perfect obedience - The critical distinction in the parable is not between those who stayed awake versus those who slept (all ten virgins fell asleep), but between those who possessed oil and those who didn't. The oil symbolizes the indwelling, regenerating, sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit—the grace that comes through effectual calling and genuine conversion. This parable warns against mere outward profession - All ten virgins carried lamps and waited for the bridegroom, representing outward religious activity and profession. The difference lay in the interior spiritual reality—whether that profession was accompanied by the transforming grace of the Holy Spirit or remained empty formalism. The "midnight cry" represents both personal death and Christ's return - Historically, Reformed expositors understood the midnight cry as either the actual cry of Christ's angels at His return or the voice of God in individual death. Each person's death functions as their personal midnight that irrevocably fixes their eternal state. Readiness is not about sinless perfection but possession of grace - The parable is not teaching a fearful "rapture ready" theology where Christians must be perfectly sinless when Christ returns. Rather, it teaches that readiness consists in possessing saving grace through faith in Christ, which sustains believers even when they "sleep" (fall into sin or spiritual drowsiness). There is urgency in the gospel call - The parable emphasizes that the opportunity for salvation has a deadline—"you know neither the day nor the hour." This creates urgency both for unbelievers to trust Christ and for believers to share the gospel, since no one knows when their personal "midnight" will arrive. Calvin's insight: you "buy" oil by receiving it freely through faith - Though the parable speaks of "buying" oil, Calvin notes this doesn't imply paying a price. Just as Isaiah invites people to buy wine and milk without money, we obtain the oil of grace not through merit or payment, but by receiving through faith what Christ freely offers. Key Concepts The Oil as Symbol of the Holy Spirit's Grace The oil in this parable has been consistently interpreted throughout church history as representing the grace of the Holy Spirit—specifically the indwelling, regenerating, and sanctifying presence that comes through genuine conversion. This interpretation aligns with Old Testament symbolism where anointing oil signified the Spirit's presence (as in "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit"). The crucial distinction Jesus makes is not about external religious activity (both groups had lamps and waited), but about internal spiritual reality. Just as a lamp cannot burn without oil, religious profession without the Spirit's grace has no sustaining power. This oil cannot be shared or borrowed; it must be personally possessed. The parable thus exposes the deadly danger of assuming that outward Christian activities—church attendance, biblical knowledge, moral behavior—constitute genuine Christianity when the transforming work of the Spirit is absent. All the Virgins Slept: Grace Overcomes Human Weakness One of the most important details often overlooked is that both the wise and foolish virgins fell asleep while waiting for the bridegroom. This demolishes any interpretation suggesting the parable is about maintaining perfect spiritual vigilance or sinless living. The wise virgins' readiness was not based on their superior wakefulness or moral stamina—they fell asleep just like the foolish ones. Their preparedness came from having secured the oil beforehand. This has profound theological implications: our salvation and readiness for Christ's return does not depend on our ability to maintain perfect spiritual alertness or sinless perfection. Even when believers "sleep"—when they fall into sin, experience spiritual dullness, or fail in vigilance—they remain prepared because they possess the oil of the Spirit's grace. The parable thus provides comfort alongside its warning: those who have truly received Christ need not live in constant fear that a moment of weakness will disqualify them when He returns. The Midnight Cry and Personal Eschatology The midnight cry in verse 6 functions on multiple levels theologically. Universally, it points to Christ's unexpected second coming at the end of history. But Reformed interpreters have also recognized its application to individual eschatology—each person's death serves as their personal "midnight cry" that ends all opportunity for preparation. This dual meaning creates urgency both for evangelism and self-examination. The parable warns that whether Christ returns globally or death comes individually, that moment will arrive unexpectedly ("at midnight," the hour of deepest sleep) and irrevocably fix one's eternal state. Once the door is shut, no amount of pleading ("Lord, Lord, open to us") can change one's condition. This underscores a biblical truth often denied in contemporary theology: there is no post-mortem opportunity for salvation, no remedial path after death. The time for obtaining oil is now, in this life, before the cry sounds. Memorable Quotes Every man's death to him is the coming of Christ. That's when our state is irrevocably fixed. And so there's an urgency here—an urgency of evangelism and self-examination because the midnight cry may come at any moment. The difference between the wise and the foolish virgins is not that one of them stays awake and one of them falls asleep. The difference between the wise and the foolish is that the ones that are wise are prepared for when the bridegroom comes, even though they fell asleep. The only way to be prepared for the end is to turn to Jesus. It's not about whether or not you've turned to Jesus and have become perfectly sinless. None of us are like that. It's about trusting Jesus. Full Episode Transcript Welcome to episode 494 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  [00:01:10] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother.  [00:01:15] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. Looks like you and I need to get a midnight oil check. That's if you know, you know, that's what's coming up on this episode, and we're headed to Matthew 25 to do that oil check. We're still firmly in all of these beautiful parables that Jesus tells us, and this one goes by various names. You might know it as the parable of the 10 virgins, or if you're Petra. That classic Christian rock group who produced a song called Midnight Oil, which is absolutely a banger that that should be like the the theme song of this episode. If you haven't heard that song, go check out Midnight Oil by Petra and then come back and listen to us. Like, I wish we had the rights to that. We could just drop it in right here. But we're not that cool and we're not gonna edit that. So I'm gonna leave it up to you to craft your own version of this podcast with that great backing track. Have you heard that song?  [00:02:09] Tony Arsenal: I actually haven't. I, I came, uh, came into Christianity sort of at the tail end of Petra's Big Influence. So I know, I knew who Petra is. I've listened to a few of their songs, but they weren't mainstream by any sort, sort of, uh, stretch of the imagination when I was listening to Christian music. So  [00:02:28] Jesse Schwamb: this one's so good. It's so good. And it's right on point for our conversation today. So we're gonna get into all that stuff. The oil check, the midnight nature of it, the 10 virgins. What does it all mean? Of course, Tony and me, we have for you what I believe to be the definitive exegetical and hermeneutical reflection on the parable. So that's what you've come to expect from us and we're happy to deliver, but before we deliver on that, we got all the things we have to deliver to you, and that is affirming with or denying against something that's that point of course in the podcast or our conversation where we choose something they firm with that we think is. Undervalued, something we might recommend or conversely to deny against something that maybe is a little bit too overvalued or just not that great. So Tony, as is our customer, I say to you, sir, what are you doing? Are you affirming with something or are you denying against something?  [00:03:16] Denial Memory Blank [00:03:16] Tony Arsenal: I'm denying something. This is like denial. Ception is what's going on here. So, uh, first of all, thank you, Jesse for, uh, pitch hitting a solo episode at like, literally the last minute, last week. Um, I think we normally record at seven 30 on the Lord's Day, and I think I texted Jesse like 6 45 and was like, I just don't have it in the tank today. Can you do something? And he just hopped behind the mic. So that's a bonus affirmation there. But, uh, Jesse and I were, we're having a little bit of a pregame, uh, today, very much, you know, like five minutes of how you doing and are you ready to go? And, uh, I realized I, I had a really great affirmation last week, all ready to rock. I remember being super excited about it. I remember, uh, when I decided, or when we decided you were gonna do a solo episode thinking, I gotta make sure I remember this for next week. Right? And it has totally left my brain. It's gone. And, uh, it's, it's the worst feeling in the world when that happens. And I remember reading at some point, like, there's a biochemical reason why this happens and why it feels so weird. Like, it, it feels like you should be able to just dive into your mind and like search around enough and find it. And that's just not actually how your, how like your memory works. It's not, um. I think we think of memory as though it's like a big filing cabinet and you can just, like, you can just flip through the CAD catalog like long enough and find it. That's not how it works. Um, it's kind of like more organic network kind of stuff. But yeah, the, the, it's gone. It's just gone and I hate that feeling and it's gone. And that's what I'm denying is that feeling and losing your mind and feeling like you don't remember anything.  [00:04:56] Jesse Schwamb: I'm totally with you because incidentally, as we talked, we discovered we both had that experience because I had something too. And it's not just that, well, you know, we try to set aside or do a little prep on the affirmations and denials because you know, we come across something great in life, or again, the opposite. And you think, I gotta remember this because I wanna talk about this with Tony. And the worst part of that is like twofold. One, it never is great to forget something that you had or you knew you knew at one time, but it's all the less satisfying when it was something that you're super excited about and you're like, this is gonna be great. And it's that thing that you've completely forgotten that's like double the worst. So I'm, I'm totally with you in this denial. [00:05:35] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, it's, it's a really frustrating, terrible feeling. And there's not much you can do about it. And the, the secondary denial to that is it always comes back to you in the worst possible part of whatever conversation you're having. It's like you hem and hover it and you think about it and you, and I'm doing it right now. You, you sit here and you, you continue to try to talk thingy. It's gonna come, it's gonna come. Yes. It's gonna get here.  [00:05:59] Jesse Schwamb: Yep.  [00:06:00] Tony Arsenal: And then just when you finally have resigned yourself and, and the conversation moves on, that's when it comes back around. So I don't know if that's gonna happen or not, Jesse. If it does, I will try my best to ignore it, but I probably won't be able to. So No, I think you probably should get moving. So whatever it was the amazing affirmation, I don't remember. It can come back to us.  [00:06:16] Jesse Schwamb: It can come back. Yeah. I'm hoping that it does. And when it does, you guys just tell us you got, just let it, let it rip. Like even if we're like right in the middle of some deep, heavy, robust, thick theology, I just wanna be like. I, I can't even imagine what your affirmation was. It must have been like something pretty, pretty good.  [00:06:33] Tony Arsenal: I don't know. I don't know. I, I'm sure it was something interesting. I don't even, I'm  [00:06:37] Jesse Schwamb: trying to draw it out of you now.  [00:06:38] Tony Arsenal: Course. I can't even like, think of the ballpark of what part of like, what, what the category even was. It's just totally, it's totally gone. Like it never happened. Yep. It's, it's totally, totally gone. So I keep on saying, and you would think with all of my talk of like note taking apps and how important it's to keep a journal and all the stuff we've talked about that I would finally get around to like just jotting down in Apple Notes what my affirmations are and I just never do it. So. Yeah,  [00:07:05] Jesse Schwamb: I have every intention, but then I think, well, this is the record of them and I'll have it available to me when it comes time. The talk that's, and sometimes it just goes away. Has it happened yet? I'm still trying to draw it out of you by talking.  [00:07:15] Tony Arsenal: No, I'm just gonna give up. It's just gone. It's gone. That's just gone.  [00:07:19] Jesse Schwamb: That's, that's fair enough. Maybe. What do you  [00:07:21] Tony Arsenal: got for us, Jesse?  [00:07:22] Prayer and Anointing [00:07:22] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I was gonna say, maybe I can just help push it along, as it were by my own. So I'm also affirming with something, lemme just read a couple verses from James chapter five. Is anyone Among You Sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and there to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will save the one who's sick and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, they'll be forgiven him. I had really just the profound opportunity and privilege today to participate in this because. My wife at the end of this week, uh, which will be a week past when this is, this airs, is about to go undergo that serious surgery, which she spoke about in an episode, I don't know, maybe several weeks ago. And, uh, my pastor asked if it would, if he'd like us and the elders, um, to come and to pray over my wife. And they did so after our service today. And it was just a really incredible thing. Even I'm still processing it. I don't really know. Like the words to say with what I can bring forward is just like words of gratitude and gratefulness for this kind of living out of the scriptures. What I can say is that the way in which he brought this forward and the elders prayed was just so incredibly loving and genteel and spirit-filled. And I think which is a manifestation of, of God's love for us in this moment as we prepare for this great thing to give us peace, peace, and to increase our faith and to do so by just following what the scriptures say here. So my affirmation is maybe twofold. One, it's for this particular experience, it's certainly for pastors, for elders who make it their objective to care for their flock and to do so under the rubric and the instruction of the scriptures. So I'm grateful, and if you have those kind of pastors and elders in your life, I hope that you'll be grateful to them for them as well, and that you might express that gratefulness. So this was a really incredible and, and lovely thing, and, uh, fills us with a kind of hope and encouragement. And if anything else was a reminder of the feel, there's something different going to experience like this armed fully with the promises of God and asking that he would be glorified, that our testimonies would be strong, and that of course, that he would bring healing through it. So I'm ever so grateful and affirming what this passage and this passage put into practice.  [00:09:51] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And if you are listening to this, when, uh, when it comes out or shortly after, probably not even shortly after, probably for a couple weeks after or months after, um, uh, Jesse's wife Jen did talk about the surgery and the condition she's been suffering under. So, uh, she's part of the Reformed Brotherhood family. She is, uh, just as important to the show, uh, as Jesse and I are in terms of the support that our wives give us and, and the space that we need to do this. So please do pray for Jen. Um, she'll be recovering when you hear this, if it's anywhere near the time that this comes out. Uh, it's a fairly large surgery with a, a, a moderately long recovery time. So please, uh, please do pray for her, uh, and, and make sure that you're lifting her up. Um, we are trusting the Lord for good things, uh, for her. Yes. And uh, we're confident that he, his will will be done 'cause it always is. But yeah, definitely pray for her. [00:10:42] Jesse Schwamb: Yes. Thank you for saying that, Tony. I appreciate that as her husband and. We are encouraged that we've said this before, but this is where our theology matters, isn't it? It's in the times where we come before the Lord in faith and in full trust, because one, there's nowhere else to go. He has the words of life for us. He is our life, but also because. In his son, this beautiful gift of salvation whereby his son is the suffering servant. So he's well acquainted with all of this kind of thing. And so stands with us in every conceivable way to be both so incredibly transcendent and above the nonsense and the noise of our world with full power and sovereignty over all things. And at the same time, to be fully eminent. To be literally with us in all the ways. In all the things. And again, well acquainted with our condition, including the grief and the suffering, the anxiety, the all of this, which we experience as part and parcel of what it means to be human, who is like our God in this way. And so we do sense his great and uncommon care for us, and it would be dishonest of me even in the midst of these difficult and challenging things to say that he doesn't care for us. He has good and he loves us, and he's making a way, even though that way be hired. So we're sensing even from, I think, following that time of prayer, that whether we receive the bread of affliction. Uh, or the, the water of of agony that we hear God's voice behind us saying, this is the way, walk in it, and he's with us. So I hope that's encouragement maybe to others who are also going through their own things and who isn't going through something, right?  [00:12:18] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:12:18] Jesse Schwamb: So we all have this great promise in the gospel that God is for us, and I love that James here gives us some practical instruction to that end. [00:12:29] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, for sure.  [00:12:31] Support the Show [00:12:31] Tony Arsenal: Well, before we move into our topic for the evening, uh, the internet tells me that I'm supposed to do this at this point in the show rather than at the very end like we usually do. Well, let's do it. Um, we are a listener supported episode, not like PBS, uh, not like other things. Uh, maybe kind of a little bit like PBS Yeah, a little bit. Anyway, uh, we have a, a pretty dedicated group of Patreon supporters who, uh, donate a little bit and sometimes some people, a lot, a bit of their discretionary income, uh, to help make the show go. And we've said before, like, we are not interested in providing special content or special gear or swag every once in a while. I think we did it once and we've, we've got plans to do it again sometime in the future. We'll send out a thank you gift to those who are subscribing through Patreon. Um, but we are committed to producing the show and making everything that we put online and everything that we make available, available to everybody. And really the only reason that we can do that, especially in today's economy, is uh, because there are people who support the show. And so we always want to make sure that we're saying we're thank you to those people. Yes. Um, they are a part of this show. I don't know if we are not gonna do like executive producer credits, but they're as close to that as you can get. Since we don't do that, um, we really wouldn't be able to do the show, at least not the way that it is without that supporting group of people. So if that's something that you hear and you no, I kind of think that maybe I wanna be a part of that. We would love for you to go to patreon.com/reform tears. There's no special swag, there's no early releases or anything like that. Um, but we would love if you would partner with us. Um, this is a lowercase m ministry, and if you've listened to the show for a long time, you know what I mean by that. Uh, we, we do consider this to be a calling, something that God has given us and we, we understand there's a responsibility with it, but we also know that we can't do it alone. So if you're interested after you've fulfilled all your personal finance obligations, your obligation to your local church and your immediate area, if there's a little bit left over that you're looking to spend somewhere on something that is valuable, uh, please do consider going to patreon.com/form Brotherhood. [00:14:39] Jesse Schwamb: And if you've been listening for a while and you've thought, you know what, I wonder who else is out there that's like me, that's listening to these guys on the internet. Guess what? You can actually meet some of those people. They have a little spot where they hang out. It's called Telegram. It's just a chat app, and we have our own little section of that app. If you just go to your favorite browser, whatever it is, you can choose and go to wherever you like, just go to t me slash Reform Brotherhood. And that link will take you into kind of a preview land where you can see the space where everybody's talking, and you can peruse some of the different channels, everything from uh, channels just for prayer, for a crusting, prayer to general conversation, talk about the episodes, talk about baptism, all kinds of things. It is, as we always say, one of the kindest, most charitable, most loving corners of the internet. Guaranteed. You can test us on that. So in fact, you should by going to t.me back slash reform Brotherhood, Tony, back to you. [00:15:36] Eschatology Shift [00:15:36] Tony Arsenal: Well, let's just slam it right into gear. We, we, we haven't figured out how to do transitions into or out of, uh, Patreon announcements, uh, or telegram announcements,  [00:15:46] Jesse Schwamb: right?  [00:15:46] Tony Arsenal: So this, I, maybe this is the awkward charm of the show, or maybe it's just the awkwardness of the show. It's just charm, Jesse,  [00:15:53] Jesse Schwamb: all charm. [00:15:53] Tony Arsenal: We need to talk about some things tonight. We need to talk about some oil. Yes. We need to talk about some lamps. Yes. We need talk about some bridegrooms.  [00:16:00] Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  [00:16:00] Tony Arsenal: It's the parable of the 10 virgins or the 10 lamps, or the parable of the oil flasks. Yes. There's lots of different things that it's called. Uh, it's what it isn't, it's not the parable of, uh, the 24 hour Jiffy Lube, which is what it made, what you made it sound like when you talked about the midnight oil check. Um,  [00:16:18] Jesse Schwamb: I  [00:16:18] Tony Arsenal: didn't even think about that. But yeah. This is, this is a good one. And I think we've, we've sort of. I've sort of observed that the parables do tend to clump around systematic theology themes, and they clump within the narrative of the gospel within Matthew itself around themes. So the last three parables that we talked about were all sort of like parables of judgment against the Pharisees and a, a lot of things like unconditional election and reparation were all baked into that pie. You know, we talked about with the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coins and the lost, um, the lost, uh, brother. We talked about how that has a lot to do with like election. It has to do with salvation and what the gospel looks like in terms of justification in the father's initiative. And we're moving into a section of Matthew, um, where Jesus is starting to teach on the last days. And so the parables in this section start to move toward ha to have more of an eschatological bent. Yes. We talked a little bit about some of the eschatology and the parables when we, we went through the, um, through the, the. Um, my brain just left me. It happened again, Jesse. The, the denial thing, uh, when we talked about the parable of the tears and the wind field and the, the, the different kinds of soils back on track, there was an eschatological element to that. But we are in like straight up eschatology Yeah. In these, these sections now. That's right. So we're coming to the end of Matthew, uh, our plan right now and who knows what the Lord has for us. But the plan right now is once we finish Matthew, to go back and visit some of the parables that are present in the other gospels. And there's not too many of 'em, but that are present in the other gospels that aren't necessarily, uh, present in Matthew. So, like you said, there's not a ton of 'em. Uh, we do want to hit all of 'em. And if there's, if there's time, and I say if there's time as though we have some sort of time constraints, um, if there's time we probably will talk a little bit about some of the I am statements and some of the things in John. 'cause John doesn't do parables quite the same way in quite the same fashion, but he does have sort of some of this. Allegorical figurative language baked into some of his, um, some of his writings or some of the accounts of Jesus that he, he, um, captures that are probably worth talking about in the seam light. So right now we're, we're coming up quick on the end of the parables of Matthew. Um, there's not very many left and then we'll, we'll keep moving on. Uh, that said. We are, it's almost unbelievable to say this. We're going to be coming up to the end of the parable series sometime in the next, I dunno, six to 10 months. Uh, if you've got ideas for what you think the next series should be, start thinking about those now. Bring 'em to the telegram chat. Let's start percolating those ideas up, right? And, uh, like a good coffee maker. And we'll, uh, we'll brew some goodness. How many more parables? How many more, uh, metaphors can I throw in there? Puns, can I throw in there? But yeah, Jesse, let's get started. This is a good one.  [00:19:08] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that was a really, I think, fine introduction. I always enjoyed this parable because it has some really fun, dramatic elements, but I think I, I really haven't really appreciated all the eschatological underpinnings that you were just mentioning. And when you think about it as we're, I think we're gonna soon find here. That this is one of the most searching and solemn parables, actually, that Jesus uttered, and you start to get a sense for that as we've just kind of been hitting them, one after the other. As you said, this one belongs to the great olive discourse. It's delivered by Jesus to his disciples on the Mount of Olives just days before his crucifixion. It's in direct response to their questions about the destruction of Jerusalem and the sign of his condiment coming and the end of the age. So you're right. I think this carries like unmistakable eschatological weight because it's not merely this fable about preparedness in general, which sometimes is where we go. Yeah. But it's really more of like a precise theological warning about the spiritual condition required for entrance into the consummated kingdom of God at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  [00:20:11] Tony Arsenal: Yeah,  [00:20:11] Jesse Schwamb: I think that's the full setup.  [00:20:12] Read Matthew 25 [00:20:12] Jesse Schwamb: We, we've gotta go to the scriptures, right?  [00:20:15] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:20:16] Jesse Schwamb: Alright. It's time. You want me to read it? [00:20:17] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, yeah, go ahead.  [00:20:18] Jesse Schwamb: Okay. Here we go. Matthew 25, beginning in verse one, then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bride groom. Now, five of them were foolish and five were prudent for when the foolish took their lamps. They took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout. Behold the bridegroom come out to meet him. Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the prudent, give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out. But the prudent answered saying, no, there will not be enough for us and for you too. Go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves. And while they're going away to make the purchase, that bridegroom came and those who already went in with him to the wedding feast and the door was shut. And later the other versions came also saying, Lord, Lord, open for us. But he answered and said, truly, I say to you, I do not know you. Therefore, stay awake for you do not know the day nor the hour.  [00:21:27] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:21:29] Assurance Not Fear [00:21:29] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, this one's heavy. And I just wanna say, kind of coming into this, right, I think a lot of our audience, and I would, I would include myself in this, um, we, we came to sort of like an awareness of faith. And I, I don't say that in a sort of tongue in cheek fashion. What I mean, um. I'll, I'll just speak from my perspective, but I think it's probably one that resonates. I came to faith when I was a, you know, a relatively young teenager, 15 years old, and, um, when you first become a Christian, you're not aware of all the different theological debates or even all of the major implications of the Christian faith. And I think a lot of us and myself, uh, as, as sort of the example when we be started to become aware of the different conversations happening in different dynamics and some of the more, uh, maybe third or fourth tier doctrines that you learn when you're, um, sort of being catechized as a new Christian, uh, catechized in sort of an informal sense, eschatology is probably one of those ones that comes along fairly, fairly late in the game. And I recall, um, when I first became aware of the left behind books, right? And so I, I came to faith in a large Lutheran megachurch, uh, that wasn't really as Lutheran as you would think, cup being a large Lutheran megachurch. It was very dispensational. And I think there is a sense of dread and fear associated with rapture ready theology. And I don't, I don't think all dispensationalist that, um, believe in a, a literal rapture of the church either prior to or following or in the middle of the tribulation. I don't think all dispensationalist fall into this category. But there are definitely dispensationalist out there that would emphasize being rapture ready. And you know, you think of like the song, I wish We'd All Been Ready, you know, and, and this, this sort of existential fear that the Rapture's gonna come and I'm not gonna be ready and I'm gonna be left behind. Right. There's an, the entire book series is about people who thought that they were Christians who thought that they were justified and saved and then weren't. And, and I don't think the book gives all that much explanation other than sort of like a general sense of like, these are sort of nominal fake Christians that maybe some of them think they're saved and some of them don't. I know there were definitely characters in the book who really thought that they were followers of Jesus and then they didn't realize they weren't until they were not raptured with everyone else. The only reason I sort of launch into that progam is I think that the tendency in most circles because of the pervasive. Sort of all expansive influence of dispensationalism in the United States, and particularly sort of this like rapture ready, left behind theology that is a, a major thread within, um, American dispensationalism. There's a tendency to look at this almost exclusively in light of that sort of rapture ready fear that right the end is gonna come and I'm not gonna be ready and. I don't, I'm not a dispensationalist, I don't hold to a rapture in that sense. I don't think you do either. Jesse and I, I think there's an element of this that has that same flavor that we have to acknowledge, but I don't think we should read this in light of like, you think you're gonna be fine, but actually you're not. So you better get it together. I don't think that that's the point of the parable. Um, and I wanna say that upfront because it is easy to read a parable like this and to, to become extremely fearful to the point that it actually shakes whatever assurance you may have had. And I've said it before and, and I, I will say it again, it is not, I am not in the business of robbing the assurance away from Christians. The assurance of faith and the assurance of salvation is the rightful possession and inheritance of all those who are Christ. And so I have no, no desire to shake or rob you of your assurance. That's just not my jam. Um, so I wanted to get that out there. Like I don't think that this parable is here. To scare the daylights out of us and make us question whether or not we actually belong to the bridegroom. I actually think it's here for a different reason.  [00:25:39] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I agree.  [00:25:40] Watch and Be Ready [00:25:40] Jesse Schwamb: I, I think this may have more in common with like the tears in the wheat parable that we've spoken about before versus trying to promulgate a particular understanding of eschatology. There's no doubt that this is calibrated to the period preceding the perusia. At the same time, the parable is a reminder that describes like the visible professing church on earth as it moves toward that consummation. So this is why I think it is important for us to talk about, well, what do we mean by these 10 virgins? What do we mean about the lamps themselves? What is this saying generally about God's church? And again, him addressing the question of what does it mean for that church to be consummated in his kingdom?  [00:26:18] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I, I'm, I'm trying to find the specific passage, but um. We also should not miss the verbal affinity here. Uh, at the end of the parable, when it says truly, I say to you, I do not know you. We should really read this in light of, um, the, um, the statements. You know, I was hungry and you didn't feed me. I was, you know, and you say, Lord, we did these things. He said, away from me. I never knew you. We really should read this parable. I think in light of that passage and that phrasing, I think that's, that's actually the punchline of this  [00:26:54] Jesse Schwamb: Yes. [00:26:55] Tony Arsenal: Punchline. That's, that's the point. Parable is that last phrase, and then the, the extra parable, the outside of the parable, um, payoff or sort of like explanation that Christ gives is watch. Therefore, for you neither know the day nor the hour. The point is not, um, you may think you're a Christian. You may think you're, you're on top of things, but you actually, you might be totally wrong. And so you better get your stuff together. The point is what, what happens? Or the point is the same thing as I think it's the author of Hebrew is like, today is the day of salvation, right? Like, do not wait to turn to Christ. Do not wait. That's right to trust in Jesus. Do not wait to enter the kingdom of heaven until the last minute. Do not wait because you don't actually know when the end is coming. And I, I read this when I, when it's watch, therefore for, you know, neither the day nor the hour. I read this less in light of, um. Like universal eschatology, uh, every single person that, that Jesus was speaking to in this original audience that he actually delivered this parable to, did not see that, like, did not see the last days. Right. Whatever the last days looks like. And I mean, like, yes, the last days is from the resurrection to the end of the age. So some of them saw those last days. But what I mean is none of these people saw the return of Christ, like the second return of Christ and that the last judgment. So he would, it would be sort of meaningless to be delivering this parable to those people. With only whatever the last things are with only the rapture in mind with only Right, exactly. The great judgment. None of that would make any sense. So I read this more in light of you never know when your day and hour is coming. Not, not necessarily like the day, like the day of the Lord, although that's true. Yes. There will be a generation on earth who the last day, the final judgment is also their last day in terms of their ordinary human life. But I think this is more of a general call to all of us, and especially to those, um, out there who are in the orbits of the church who are exposed to the gospel, um, and have not yet trusted Christ. [00:29:09] Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  [00:29:09] Tony Arsenal: Um, there is a call to turn to Jesus and to, uh, to, to come into the kingdom of heaven, to be prepared by coming into the kingdom of heaven here. That's, that's the main point of the peril that we have to land on.  [00:29:21] Bridegroom And Virgins [00:29:21] Jesse Schwamb: I agree with you, and I think all of the imagery here points in that direction. So even starting with this image of these 10 virgins, which of course you've been listening to us talk for long enough, or you've read through the Old Testament, you're gonna quickly, and I think cogently see that this is the Old Testament imagery of Israel as the bride or the covenant community. It's also of course, like the Greco Roman custom in which the bridesmaids attended the bride and accompanied the wedding procession when the bride groom arrived to claim his bride. So to your point, what I think is really interesting about this is that we're basically saying that this parable is not speaking of like strangers or enemies, but those who have made a profession of faith. And so even this like idea of the bridegroom who, who's without a question? Christ here, that's a self-identification that's rooted in like John chapter three, where even John the Baptist calls himself merely the friend of the bridegroom and a revelation where you are going already, where the marriage supper of the lamb consummate, consummate redemptive history. [00:30:19] Lamps And Oil Meaning [00:30:19] Jesse Schwamb: So once we get through the idea of we have those whom Jesus is speaking about, and even those who he's speaking to as those who have made some kind of profession, religious or otherwise, to me, where this hinges is in this idea of the lamps or these torches or or burning lamps, which I take to be like this outward profession. And so the question is you have all of them coming with these lamps. Lambs represent this external common to true or false professors alike. But I think to what you are driving at, it's whether within that profession there is a true and actual reliance on Christ himself for righteousness.  [00:30:57] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, oil, I think the oil is really key here too, right? Oil in the, uh, in the scriptures, particularly in the Old Testament. Um, but also in some places in the New Testament, oil is associated with the Holy Spirit.  [00:31:11] Jesse Schwamb: Yes,  [00:31:11] Tony Arsenal: exactly right. So if, if we wanna sort of take the symbolism here, take, take the, the situation sort of as a mixture of, of different kinds of symbols. We have these folks that have all of the outward things necessary to be able to light the lamps. They have the lamps, the wicks are there. Um, they're, they're sort of ready to go. They're, they're ready and waiting for a time. Uh, but what they don't have is they don't have oil, they don't have the Holy Spirit. So yes, we, we need in some senses about false professors, but I do think it's broader than that.  [00:31:43] Salvation Has A Deadline [00:31:43] Tony Arsenal: I think this is, um, again, is a generalized parable about. The, the fact that the hour of salvation, the day of salvation, the opportunity to turn to God, the opportunity to come into God's kingdom is not an indefinite opportunity. It's not going to be out there as a possibility forever. There is a day and an hour and a minute for every single person where that opportunity is no longer available. And of course we're the reformed brotherhood, not the Armenian Brotherhood, right? We're the reformed brotherhood. So yes, God has ordained who will come and who will not. He's ordained the hour and the minute of those who will, and he's ordained that some will never come. But that all operates on God's God's level in God's knowledge. And that's not something we have access to know down here, right? Deuteronomy 29, 29, the sacred things belong to the Lord, but the things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever. And one of the things that's revealed is that God calls us to salvation. He calls us to repent and trust in Jesus. And here in this passage, he is cutting us to do that, to not delay doing that.  [00:32:53] Personal Evangelism Story [00:32:53] Tony Arsenal: I think there are a lot of people, um. I can actually think of a couple really specific examples in when I was in high school. Um, I was, I, I don't do as much personal evangelism as I I did when I was, uh, when I was in high school and younger. I, I don't know for sure what the reason is. Some of it's probably my own cowardice, but I think probably just that's normal, that as you grow and you kind of settle into different kinds of relationships, you have a different context. But I remember a, a friend of mine named Dave, I'm not gonna say his last name, I remember his last name, but I'm not gonna say it, but a friend of mine named David, um, who. All of us were coming to faith, like all, all of our friend group were coming to Faith. There was one of my friends, James was sort of like the first guy who, he was raised in a Christian home and he sort of came to faith in a very real faith, real way. And he sort of brought all of us along with him and sort of one by one we, we sort of like, it was like Domino's falling. And we all came to a genuine, true saving faith kind of all right in a row. And then there was Dave and Dave just didn't like he, he with us. He did all the things we were doing. And I remember having a conversation with him where I was like, what are you waiting for? Like, what's, what's the hold up here? And I didn't have any, again, I didn't have any framework for like what apologetics were, I wasn't trying to make an argument or any sort of like, um, any sort of like persuasion. It was just a real raw like we are all loving this. We're all, we're all so joyful and happy. The lives are changing and we. This is real, Dave, what, what are you waiting for? He never had a real answer. He, he didn't ever make an argument against the faith. He was very clear that he believed that God was real. He believed that God existed, that the sort of the facts of the gospel were true. Like he, he, um, to sort of put like theological language on it, um, he had, he had a ticia and a census, right? Right. He, he acknowledged he knew the true facts of the gospel and he acknowledged the reality that, that those facts were true. He just never actually took the step to trust in Jesus. And I don't know what happened to Dave. Uh, there's another friend of mine named Theo that very similar kind of situation. I don't know what happened to Dave and Theo. I have no idea whether they eventually came to faith or not, but, but it was like, you guys never know when the day in the hours. That's the kind of person that I think this is pointing to.  [00:35:15] Against Rapture Ready Fear [00:35:15] Tony Arsenal: Not necessarily the person within the church, um, who has made some sort of credible profession of faith, but thinks, but like, because like they haven't stopped swearing yet, or because they still have lustful thoughts once in a while. Like I think that's the rapture ready theology is like. You better not hope that like that's the day that a pretty girl walks by and you have a lutful thought. 'cause if Jesus comes back right after that, you're really in trouble. Like those are, those are actually, um, again, this is, this is a caricature of dispensationalism, but it's a caricature that I experienced. It's, it was people who were being characters of themselves. Right? This idea that, look, you better, you better not sin ever. You better not be asleep. And being asleep means sinning. You better not ever sin. Because if you happen to sin right before the rapture, then Jesus is gonna leave you behind. Right? You're not gonna fly up in the clouds if you're not perfectly rapture ready. And like, again, not all dispensationalist are like that. I actually think most dispensationalist these days would probably not fit into that category. Right? But when I was coming to faith in the late nineties and early two thousands, that was the real theology being presented. I don't think that's what this is. This is about a life orientation of preparedness. This is about an entire life. Yes. That is prepared for Christ's second coming or for the hour of our death. And that the only way to be prepared for that is to be happy in Christ, is to be blessed, blessed assurance, like to have your blessed assurance because Jesus is mine. Oh, what a, you know, oh, what a happy delight like that is. The only way to be ready for death, to be prepared for the end is to turn to Jesus. It's not about whether or not you've turned to Jesus and have become perfectly sinless. None of us are like that, right? It's not about, I just got done writing this series of articles on John Piper's affectional theology, affectional Justification, like it's not about perfectly treasuring Christ. There are gonna be times where your emotions do not sync up with what you actually believe. It's not about being perfectly obedient or wanting to be perfectly obedient. It's about trusting Jesus. And there's only one day an hour that that opportunity closes, and you never know when that is, when that day an hour is gonna be. [00:37:26] Wise Versus Foolish [00:37:26] Jesse Schwamb: We know that to be true in this particular parable because of what's written for us in verse two, how Jesus himself bifurcates and labels these two groups. He says five of them were foolish and five were wise. So Christ himself introduces the critical distinction, not of course, with reference to whatever the external practice is, because both of these groups are carrying lamps, both weight, both know the bridegroom is coming, but with an interior character judgment one is literally foolish, which is the same contrast that Christ employs actually in the parable of the two builders at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, where the wise man hears and does, while the foolish man hears, but does not translate hearing into obedient transformation. So I'm with you on this. The terms carry, I think, significant Old Testament fruit because in the all the wisdom literature, wisdom is synonymous with the fear of the Lord, that true knowledge of God, right? And that practical orientation, I think as you were saying, of one's entire life toward God. The fool is not like an intellectual simpleton, but it's a world spiritual category. It's one who lives as though God does not exist or God does not matter, or refuses in the light of incontrovertible evidence to come before God and to submit to him In this way. They are foolish or they are wise. And so again, I like what you're saying. It's not as if like they've just exhibited some kind of quick departure or they've fallen into temptation or sinfulness, but instead, rather, there's something way larger at stake here with respect to a spiritual category. And I think that's really what Jesus is after, as he's bringing these two groups apart from each other, explaining that essentially that they access the same things. They heard the same stuff, they had the same on the outward, at least the same priorities, but the true internal character, the interior character of who they were, was not compatible. These are not the the same kind of person.  [00:39:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:39:21] All Virgins Fall Asleep [00:39:21] Tony Arsenal: And this is actually something, um, that I hadn't picked up on before. Right. I think we can get into these ruts when we're reading and understanding, uh, the scripture, especially really familiar passages like this. Um, probably like at some point in the past, someone has taught it to me in this way. I heard a sermon or I heard it at a youth group in a particular way, and I just never really went back. The, the wise virgins also fall asleep.  [00:39:46] Jesse Schwamb: Exactly.  [00:39:46] Tony Arsenal: Like, like that, that's amazing to me, like Right. I've always heard this passage as though like, falling asleep is the equivalent of spiritual death.  [00:39:54] Jesse Schwamb: Yes. [00:39:55] Tony Arsenal: But the reality is, in this passage, the difference between the wise and the foolish virgins is not that they, one of them stays awake and one of them falls asleep. One, the, the, the difference between the wise and the foolish is that the ones that are wise are prepared for when the bride root clump comes, even though they fell asleep and, and actually, uh, they're, they're shown to be even more wise because they all fell asleep. Yes. Right. If they hadn't fallen asleep, then the foolish ones probably would've had time to go get more. But the, the wise virgins in this, uh. And not only were they wise in terms of like they had the stuff they needed, they were ready to go, but so wise that in fact their wisdom overcame sort of this happenstance that they were in a state of, of preparedness being asleep when the comes is a state of Unpreparedness, but they have able to compensate for the ready in every other area. And I think this also kind of like mitigates away away from the idea of like the, um. The, the emphasis of the parable here, the readiness of the par of the virgins is not based on the wakefulness of the virgins, right? Yes. The virgins are ready because they have the supplies they need. Right. They're not Exactly, they're not exactly, they're not un 'cause they fell asleep. They're ready because they've, they've prepared by purchasing the supplies they need, by having the supplies they need when the breadroom comes. That's true. Whether they fall asleep or not. So I think like this whole parable needs to sort of like be reoriented in reference to the way a lot of us have, A lot of us have been taught and understood this parable. I was always taught that the, the foolish virgins were foolish because they fell asleep. Yeah, that's probably partially true in that it's foolish to fall asleep when you're waiting for something, but that can't be the only thing that makes them foolish. 'cause it doesn't make the other virgins foolish. [00:41:51] Jesse Schwamb: Yes, exactly.  [00:41:52] Oil As Saving Grace [00:41:52] Jesse Schwamb: And that's why it's so interesting that Jesus basically doubles down or elaborates in verses three and four by saying for when the foolish took their lamps. They took no oil with them. Yeah, but the wises took flasks of oil with their lambs. I think it's actually, as you're, I think leading us into like the theological height of this whole thing, the foolish virgins took their lambs, but no oil. The wise took lambs and extra oil in vessels. And of course the lambs cannot burn without oil in the same way. I think what we're led to believe here is profession without grace has no sustaining power. So I know like throughout church history, this idea of the oil has been interpreted in various ways, in various forms. I think there's a lot of unification though on the point that the oil is more or less like a representation of the grace of the Holy Spirit. That like specific indwelling regenerating, sanctifying presence of the spirit imparted in effectual calling and genuine conversion. And that's why I think this has a lot in common with both like the tears and the wheat parable. But also what you've been saying about the time that is appointed onto a man to die, either for Christ to return or just for you and I to die. And so this understanding, I think is consistent with the Old Testament symbolic use of, like you said before, anointing oil is a sign of the spirit's presence. Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit. And so I'm seeing here like this oil is, I mean, is it going too far to say almost like a saving grace? It's, it's not common grace, it's not the gifts of the spirit, which the reprobate may possess, but I think we're, we're seeing here like that special sanctifying preserving grace, which is inseparable from true election and calling. [00:43:29] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I mean, I think that's spot on. While you were talking, I was actually just looking up, uh, what Calvin has to say on this. I, I think it's funny because I constantly am saying things that I feel like I'm discovering for myself in real time. But if I actually just took the, a little bit of time to read some of our great sources a little more carefully, I would run into them. This is what he says. He says on, uh, verse five, he says, some interpret this slumbering in a bad sense as if believers along with others abandon themselves sloth. And they were, they were asleep amidst the vanities of the world. This is all together inconsistent with the intention of Christ as structure of the parable. [00:44:05] Slow Down And Read [00:44:05] Tony Arsenal: Like I think it's clear now here as we're working through this and this, and this is the main benefit, um, of taking time to just walk through the parables, any, any text of scripture, but the parables is what we're looking at. Taking time to just actually slow down and read them. I didn't intend to get to like a whole discussion about Bible reading plans, but the typical, I'm gonna read the Bible through, uh, the entire Bible in a year that typically has you reading three to five chapters a day is the average. That's probably too much if you want to be reading for understanding. And there is, there's definitely value. I've, I've commented in the past, there's huge value in reading large tracks of scripture all at the same time. Like if you wanna sit down over 10 chapters of Scripture day and you've got the time and the energy and the discipline to do it, then more power to you. But I think it's not realistic to think you're gonna sit down and read 10 chapters of scripture and have good comprehension and retention of the 10 chapters that you read. This is a really good example of that. If you sit down and you read three chapters, you're gonna be reading this, you're gonna be reading, uh, another parable. The parable of the talents you are gonna be reading. You know, the all of it discourse all at the same time, all in one sitting. Um, it's not until just now when I slowed down to really look at these passages, verse by verse individually and take an hour to discuss 13 verses with my brother-in-law in front of a microphone, right? Then I realized all of the virgins fall asleep. Like that's the kind of stuff that you really only, um, you only overcome. The assumed teaching that you heard when you were in high school, 15, you know, 15, 20 years ago at a summer camp. You really only overcome that when you slow down enough to read things and actually comprehend them. So that's not much of a commentary on the passage, but it is something that I'm learning as we do these parable studies. Just slow down, slow down and read them, read them multiple times, read it over and over again. Um, it is totally fine. The, this is the last, uh, Bible reading soapbox thing I'll say tonight. Um, I think like, because. Of the influence of like expository preaching and like wanting to read things in, in context, and all of those things are good. I think there is this tendency to think that if you sit down and just read a very short portion of scripture, that you're kind of automatically taking that out of context. I don't think that's the case. Like it's totally fine to sit down in the morning and go, you know what? I've got, I've got 10 minutes, I've got five minutes. I've got two minutes before the kids are up. I've got two minutes before the bus stop, you know, before the bus gets here. I'm standing at the bus stop. I've got 30 seconds before the coffee's done. It's totally fine to open your Bible app. And read two or three verses of scripture, that's a totally fine thing to do. It's totally fine because you've got 10 minutes before the kids got up. Oh, and by the way, you've gotta unload the dishwasher before they do. Totally fine to sit down and go, I've got time to read 13 verses of scripture today. So that's what I'm gonna get done. Um, and, and then just think about those things like meditate on those scriptures all day. I just think there's a lot of values to that and that's maybe that's my takeaway from this episode. I know like that's not a takeaway directly related to this passage. That's good. But I think we can oftentimes. Have and understand that isn't right because we've been taught it and we don't ever have the time or space in our life to like realize that what we were taught is maybe exactly right. This is like something so obvious on the surface of the text. It didn't even take any real thought. It just took slowing down and actually reading the words  [00:47:45] Jesse Schwamb: right. It's also a good reminder, like we said from the beginning, that our goal here shouldn't be to torture every detail, to like press it for some kind of allegorical significance.  [00:47:55] Tony Arsenal: Yes.  [00:47:55] Jesse Schwamb: But to take it on the face and to understand in context what's being said. And by context I just mean the context of the story. Of the accounts of the drama that's unfolding. And it is pretty remarkable that all 10 virgins sleep, that maybe even as you start with the details might not be your impression that that was gonna be, was gonna be the difference here, but both the wises and the foolish alike fall asleep. So to me, the parable is not condemning sleep per se, but I think it's the absence of oil which the sleep merely reveals, right? That's the critical detail here. And so Jesus delivers that to us and that's why it's, I think, important to think about these, these variables about what the oil represents and the context in which they're tested with their preparedness. But it's not because like they had it almost times you get the impression, it's like what we're saying here is the wise had more stamina, that they were the ones that were just willing to tough it out, and they knew the bridegroom was coming. And so as a result of that, they decided that they were going to ensure that they stayed awake, even if they had the drink, a couple of extra cups of coffee, just to make sure that was the case. But really their sleepiness, which they both have to endure, is the very context in which proves that they do are not prepared by having sufficient oil, not that they're unprepared by having sufficient energy or stamina.  [00:49:18] Prepared Despite Fatigue [00:49:18] Jesse Schwamb: Well, with all.  [00:49:21] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, that's a good takeaway too, is, is we all, um, we all will succumb to temptation in this life,  [00:49:32] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:49:33] Tony Arsenal: Right. Every single one of us. And even if we think of sleeping in this negative sense, which I think we probably need to move away from it, even if we do, I think the point that you're making is really good, for instance, between the foolish and the wises is not their ability to stay awake. So I do think that, I do think there's a slightly negative connotation to drowsy and slept here. Like I think that, I think it's intended to show some level of fatigue. Fatigue, maybe not like a moral right, maybe not a moral, uh, negativity, but there's a fatigue. There's something that overcomes both wise and foolish virgins in this parable. Fatigue and drowsiness overcomes them and they sleep. And it's because the bridegroom was delayed, right? We wanna talk about eschatology, right? This is probably also more a commentary on the church as a whole. The church becomes drowsy and sleeps right, and then there's the foolish and the wise. The foolish are the ones who are not prepared even though they are drowsy and sleep. And then there's the wise who are foolish, or the wises who are prepared and are drowsy and sleep. But E, either way, if we think of drowsy and sleep, even in moral negative terms, right? All of us will succumb to temptation. All of us will succumb to sin in this life. I would even go so far as to say all of us sin in every moment of our life in that we never love God. Truly. Yes. With our full hearts and souls. You got that right soul the way that we're, we're commanded to. Right. Right. So all of us become drowsy and sleep. The difference is not in those who pull themselves up by their bootstraps and tape their eyelids open so that they don't fall asleep. Right. I don't, I don't know if you ever like had trouble staying awake in school, but I used to, like I used to sit at my desk with my pencil under my chin. Oh my Lord. So if I started to fall asleep, it would like jab me and I would wake up so I could stay awake in school. Oh. It's not about like gimmicks to stay awake.  [00:51:20] Jesse Schwamb: Right, right.  [00:51:21] Tony Arsenal: It's about the fact that those of us who have trusted Christ. Have received the oil. Yes. So even when we sleep, yes. Even when we are drowsy, even when we are overcome by the fatigue that prevents us from, uh, from resisting sin. Right. Even when that happens, we still have the oil. We still have the grace of the Holy Spirit. We still have the empowering presence and the, the, the justifying reality of Christ's death For us, in my mind as I read this parable, that really is what it is, right? Get the oil, go get the stinking oil now, because you never know when the day or hour is coming. Mm-hmm. Whether that's the day or the hour that you fall asleep and you're not prepared, or whether that's the day or the hour that the bridegroom was, even if you're awake. That's the other element of this. Even if the virgins had stayed awake, they didn't have the oil.  [00:52:11] Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  [00:52:12] Tony Arsenal: So it it's not as though, it's not as though had they stayed awake, they would've had time to go get the oil and come back. They, they wake up right away. Like there's nothing in the parable that's like, oh, it took 'em a little while to get up. So that's why they didn't have time to get the oil. They, they didn't have time to get the oil. 'cause there wasn't time to get the oil  [00:52:31] Jesse Schwamb: right.  [00:52:32] Tony Arsenal: So the only way you're going to be properly prepared when the bridegroom comes is if you already have the oil and you're already ready to go. Regardless of whether you fall asleep or not.  [00:52:42] Gospel Call Get Oil [00:52:42] Tony Arsenal: So I, I think, I think we have to kind of close this with like a gospel, a gospel call here. Like we don't do this very often on the show, and I think the vast majority of our show are professed, regenerate Christians. I don't, I don't know anyone who listens to the show that is outwardly not a Christian, but I think this is a time for us to say, listen, if you are hearing the sound of my voice, be diligent to make your calling an election. Sure. And that both takes the form of what Peter talks about, where he talks about growing in graces and walking in, walking in the qualities of holine

2 Timothy 4:1-8, 16-17"Be Ready, Stand Firm"Daniel, Outreach Resident

About the Show:"There's something here for everybody in Northwest Arkansas, and it's the kind of place that, you know, you really can make your dreams come true in a space like this. It's not gonna be easy, but because, you know, people are really open to building relationships and really connecting with you, I mean, I can't think of more fertile territory for you to start something."— Randy WilburnOn this episode of I Am Northwest Arkansas®, recorded in partnership with the Startup Junkies Podcast, Daniel Koontz and Ty Steele welcome Randy Wilburn, founder and host of I Am Northwest Arkansas®, to share his journey from Boston to Fayetteville and the power of community, storytelling, and entrepreneurship in the region. Randy talks about building the podcast he wished existed when he moved here, the growth and unique character of Northwest Arkansas, and how relationships are the secret ingredient for business success.Randy shares why he believes the region is fertile ground for founders, thanks to its welcoming ecosystem, mentorship opportunities, and teams willing to support even newcomers. Whether you're inspired by the stories of Walmart, Tyson, and J.B. Hunt or you want tips for discovering your "why" and connecting with your audience, this episode gives you the tools to dream big—and start small.Relationships Matter: Success in Northwest Arkansas starts with building authentic connections. Taking time to network and ask for help—from mentors or other founders—can open the right doors 08:32.It's a Fertile Land for Founders: The region's collaborative spirit, from the legacy of local giants like Walmart and Tyson to today's startups, makes Northwest Arkansas a unique place to launch and grow a business 10:16.Embrace Change and Be Ready to Pivot: The market speaks loudly. Randy shares the lesson that knowing when to change course is critical for lasting success 13:32.Storytelling is Timeless: Every founder needs to be able to clearly articulate their story and their why. Start with knowing who you are and what makes your business stand out 18:44.Incremental Growth Wins: Focus on getting just 1% better every day, and over time you'll see huge results, both for yourself and your business 25:33.Take Advantage of Local Resources: From free tech tools to the Fayetteville Public Library and organizations like Startup Junkie, Northwest Arkansas has what founders need to test ideas and get started without huge upfront costs 37:40.Listen to the Market: Seeking honest feedback—beyond friends and family—is the fastest way to know if your idea has potential. Don't ignore what real customers want 14:32.All this and more on this episode of the I Am Northwest Arkansas® podcast.Important Links and Mentions on the Show*I Am Northwest Arkansas® Podcast WebsiteFayetteville Public LibraryStartup JunkieOnyx CoffeeZweig GroupSam Walton's AutobiographyAtomic Habits by James ClearNorthwest Arkansas CouncilJB HuntTyson FoodsThis episode is sponsored by:FindItNWA.com - Find It Fast. Find It Local.Signature Bank of ArkansasONBoardNWA.com HyperLocal Jobs in NWAThis episode is sponsored by*FindItNWA.com - Find It Fast. Find It Local.Signature Bank of Arkansas "Community Banking at its Best!"Try ONBoardNWA.com Today!*Note: some of the resources mentioned may be affiliate links. This means we get paid a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.Connect more with I am Northwest Arkansas:Grab our Newsletter Email Us at hello@iamnorthwestarkansas.comConnect With Our Facebook Page Connect With Us on Threads Connect With Our Instagram Connect With Our LinkedIn PageJoin The Facebook Group Connect with our Fearless Host, Randy Wilburn on LinkedInThank you for listening to this I am Northwest Arkansas podcast episode. We showcase businesses, culture, entrepreneurship, and life in the Ozarks.Consider donating to our production team to keep this podcast running smoothly. Donate to I Am Northwest ArkansasMentioned in this episode:FindItNWA.comLooking to discover the best local businesses in Northwest Arkansas?

Be Ready to Give. Honor the King.  

2 Peter - Living in the Light of Jesus' Return - 4. He's Coming Back...Be ReadyPassage: 2 Peter 3v1-18Speaker: Pastor Ashley Gardner

Send us a messageAs the Prophetic Word of God continues to unfold with “Be Ready” convergence, the Holy Spirit is calibrating the dividing line between Light and Darkness, Truth and falsehood, and the Wheat versus the tares. And while there are many races, belief systems, and nationalities, there are really only two important categories that comprise the people of earth – at least in the realty of the eternal destiny of every man and woman – and that is those who are saved unto Eternal Life, in the Blood Atonement Resurrection power of Jesus  – and those who are still lost in the abyss of Satan's sin and darkness.Recognizing the difference has become more difficult in this hour of great deception, because Satan's counterfeits are masterfully orchestrated to mimic Salvation's assurance – leading many to the day when Jesus will declare “I never knew you.”Therefore, understanding the “many are called – yet few are chosen” reality is vitally important – especially now – because time is very short – and Jesus comes quickly.Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

Today's poem is You Reading This, Be Ready by William Stafford.The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “We spend so much money in this country on things we think will make us happier and more fulfilled, but presence isn't a thing at all — it's an action inside us. Being present costs us nothing. It requires no special equipment. No special location. We can all do better at noticing, and at keeping ourselves open to what we're experiencing right now.”This show is supported by gifts from listeners. Support The Slowdown with a donation and get access to the sponsor-free version of The Slowdown today. Slowdownshow.org/donate

Nobody feels ready. Not elite athletes before competition. Not doctors before a high-stakes exam. Not leaders before the moment that defines them.Psychologist Lisa Martin has spent her career working with people at the edge of their performance. Her finding: readiness isn't a feeling you arrive at. It's a practice you build. The people who perform when it counts aren't calm because they're confident. They're composed because they know how to come back to themselves when pressure hits.Lisa and Andrew unpack what readiness actually requires: self-awareness, flexibility, and the willingness to sit with discomfort rather than run from it. And the mark of someone who's truly ready? They don't dread the storm approaching. They walk toward it.Find Dr Lisa Martin at: Level One Psychology — https://www.levelonepsychology.com/ LinkedIn — https://au.linkedin.com/in/lisa-martin-phd-506067a Use Code "PQPODCAST10" to get 10% off your Lumo Coffee order:https://lumocoffee.com/ Interested in sharing your story? Email Producer Shannon at support@performanceintelligence.com today with your story and contact details. Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/Watch the Performance Intelligence Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@performanceintelligencepodcastIf you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

In this final episode of Health Nonprofit Digital Marketing, Spencer Brooks shares why he's wrapping up the podcast after 91 episodes and four years. He talks about how his consulting work has increasingly focused on helping nonprofits that provide health information adapt their digital strategy to the rise of AI-powered search, and why that shift is pushing him toward speaking and writing as his primary channels for thought leadership. Spencer also shares where to follow along with his work going forward. Resources The Future of Search Is Already Here and Nonprofits Need to Be Ready: https://brooks.digital/health-nonprofit-digital-marketing/future-of-search/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerbrooks/ Contact Spencer Email: spencer@brooks.digital

Tribulation and Gross Darkness (1) (audio) David Eells – 4/8/26 Gross Darkness Byron Searle - 9/22/25 Jeremiah 13:16-17, 16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. 17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock is carried away captive. My son, because of the pride in My Church, I have now brought GROSS DARKNESS upon this nation. (The Lord said, Not imminent but coming) It is no small thing that the Church has done. The pastors whom I have placed over My children have led them astray and into the world. They have taken My Holiness and mixed it with vanity. They have taken My Word and twisted it to fit their own doctrines. The pastors have abused My children and satisfy their lust in the flesh. GROSS DARKNESS HAS NOW FALLEN ON MY CHURCH - AND THE SHAKINGS HAVE BEGUN. My son, THE WORLD HAS NOW ENTERED INTO A NEW PARADIGM. AS NATIONS HAVE NOW DIVIDED MY LAND - I WILL DIVIDE THEIRS. (WWlll, Nations who signed the Abrahamic Covenant two state solution) GREAT BRITAIN, CANADA, FRANCE AND AUSTRALIA - YOU WILL FEEL MY WRATH. THE MANY NATIONS THAT WANT TO DIVIDE MY LAND WILL NOW FEEL THE GROSS DARKNESS - AS I HAVE REMOVED MY HAND. The minions of satan have been loosed, and now men will understand GROSS DARKNESS. Much blood will be shed and flow like water. I have said to humble yourselves before Me and turn from your evil ways, but you have neither humbled nor turned. The pride of man grows only more wicked, and THE DAY HAS ARRIVED THAT ALL THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT I AM GOD. My son, CRY NOT for this nation, but CRY for mercy to be shown. For My blind church will have their eyes opened, and I will allow them to see the GROSS DARKNESS. There are many of My Remnant now ready to reap the harvest. BE READY to minister as the eyes of the blind are made to see, and many will need the truth. Stand on My Word! Seek Me in all things! Brace yourselves to Me! I AM THE ONLY WAY! Do not get caught up in the events of the world. There will be chaos, bloodshed, and much confusion. But I AM HERE - ALWAYS WITH YOU - THROUGH the perilous times. My Church - Repent now!! Turn from your evil ways and seek Holiness in Me! Pray much and seek Me! THE POINT OF NO RETURN IS PAST. I AM COMING SOON TO DISPELL THE GROSS DARKNESS! Amen Jesus Christ   Darkness Is Closing Opportunities Anonymous - 09/26/2013 (David's notes in red) I wanted to share a vision the Lord showed me during our prayer time the morning of the 26th of September. I saw two windows side by side. One was filled with bright light (right side), the other darkness (left side). I felt the one filled with darkness meant that the window was closed. (Darkness is the absence of light, which represents truth and the Word in the Bible. The window of opportunity for these to be given openly is closing. The Antichrist spirit will take over humanity. Persecution will begin in earnest. Iran, Nigeria,Africa) As the vision progressed, the window that was filled with light slowly began filling with darkness. I felt the Lord was showing me that window was slowly being closed. As the vision lifted, both windows were completely dark (closed). When I opened my eyes, I shared the vision with my husband and I asked the Father for a word. I received two. The first word, I believe, is about those who do not make it through the window or door/gate. Hos.8:8 Israel is swallowed up: now are they among the nations as a vessel wherein none delighteth. (Through the slanderous lies of darkness, persecution will come to Israel and the Church. The window of opportunity to escape is closing.) The second word I believe shows there is hope, if we (Walk by faith and) take heed to do all we can to get through the window or door/gate while there is still time. Eze.37:22 ... and I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all; (Done) 23 ... neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling-places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. I feel the Lord is showing that the windows of opportunity are being closed as well as doors/gates. There is no longer time for foolishness. The doors, gates, and windows will close soon. The clock is ticking, the alarm is set, and it will be buzzing soon! Time to prepare is running out. There is still time at this moment to rid ourselves of every idol, unclean thing and whatever the world is trying to offer, but that time is very short. Take heed!   Michael Hare - 09/29/2013 A few years ago, I had an open vision of darkness almost covering the sky, with only a little light left and the darkness was rapidly closing in on the light. (It could have been like 80% of the sky was dark.) Within the last few months, I saw darkness covering the whole sky, except for a very minute sliver of light, and the darkness was about to close out that sliver of light.   Grant McComb Dream - October 2011 (David Dengler's notes in green) (David's notes in red) I was standing in a radio-controlled airplane-flying field. (RC airplanes used to be my hobby, but I gave that up when I got serious about living for God.) (Radio-controlled planes? We have many dreams likening the US to an airplane. This plane is being controlled remotely through the airwaves. (The ‘powers that be' have controlled the MSM, leaving the Beast's voice, like it was under communism. When people only hear perversion, they are controlled and perverted. Then comes destruction. The coming of NESARA/GESARA the darkness is being pushed back for a short time.) I looked over the trees and could see a big city with skyscrapers (similar to New York City or something like that). (The big city, that is, 'the great city', represents Babylon and the skyscrapers are the Tower of Babel. (In another parable, Babylon is the US.) So these are the earth dwellers in Revelation trying to build their tower to Heaven, as in Genesis. From the beginning to the end, nothing has changed. History repeats.) I then saw multiple explosions within the city with massive smoke and flames rising up, consuming the entire city. I was probably several miles away from the city and saw the smoke coming toward me. I immediately got in my car and shut the door. Everything around me became dark (outside of the car) because of the smoke, and then I woke up from the dream. (Gross darkness is coming because truth will be outlawed more and more.) The multiple explosions are the many judgments, as spoken in Revelation, to come. (And the U.S., as the head of the Babylonian Beast, will be darkened first.) The smoke coming toward you represents that the tribulation is soon coming, and even the saved believers will go through it - there will be no all-fly-away rapture. A car represents traveling without effort. In this dream, the car is the Bride company going through the tribulation. The closed door represents the shutting out, or no one else (and no corruption) will be allowed to enter into the Bride company. For those outside the Bride, the whole world will become dark. Isa.60:2 For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Jer.13:16 Give glory to Jehovah your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.) A note for consideration: Notice also that the door to the car, that is the Bride, is closed after the explosions began; this may indicate timing for us. I would like to see confirmation on this. (Judgment will bring the end of freedom as we know it, and the Beast covenant will come with the seven-day Marriage Feast. The Bride is in the King's house, as in Esther, before the Beast makes war on the saints.) I firmly believe we are approaching the end of the last days. A couple of signs that give me full confidence of this is the fact that we are at a time in human history where no one has ever before been able to run to and fro throughout the earth, and knowledge has increased. There are many other signs, but those two cannot be denied.   A Telling Dream Michael Boldea - 06/01/2013 [link] The following is a dream I had three times over Memorial Day weekend. … I dreamt I was standing beside a path leading into a forest, and although snow blanketed the ground, the path was still visible, clear, and well defined. Although I wasn't cold in my dream, I could see my breath and as I looked around, trying to understand what I was seeing and why I was seeing it a beautiful buck made its way up the path toward me. Although I can't say I've seen many bucks up close, this seemed like a fine specimen, regal in its bearing, almost prancing up the path with its head held high. I stood beside the path unmoving, not wanting to spook the animal in any way. If it saw me it did not let it show as it passed by and continued trotting down the path. I continued to watch it follow the path toward the forest until suddenly it veered off and began to make its way through the packed snow. Although its pace slowed and it was having a difficult time making headway once it veered off the path, the buck seemed stubborn in its insistence, and though progress was slow, it continued its march. I started to look around for something else, not really understanding what I was seeing or why I was seeing it when a sharp crack drew my attention back to the buck. Although the animal was a good distance from me, I could see what had happened with great clarity. The buck had stepped into a hole which had been masked by the snow, and had snapped its front left leg. I didn't know what else to do, so I just stood and watched as it forced itself up, and though evidently in great pain, it began to continue on its journey away from the path. Its progress was slow, and I could hear the echoes of its bleating, but wounded as it was, the animal was insistent in its purpose. After some time, the buck stopped suddenly and began to sniff at the air. An instant later, the mournful sound of howling wolves reached my ears, and I understood what the buck had smelled. With renewed vigor, the buck tried to run, but hampered by its wound, its progress was slow. I was so focused on the buck that at first I did not acknowledge the movement in my peripheral vision, but as they drew closer, I shifted my focus, and I could see the source of the howls approaching swiftly. At first, it was one wolf, then two, then five, then an entire pack, all in a semi-circle chasing down the wounded buck as it tried to flee. I was anxious to see what would happen. I strained to see every detail, but as the wolf pack drew closer and closer to the buck, I woke up. Troubled by the dream I'd had, I prayed a prayer and tried to go back to sleep, but no sleep would come. The next morning, we made our way to Lake Havasu, and after having our evening meeting and a late-night dinner, I went to sleep only to dream the exact same dream again. Everything was the same, from the path and the snow, to the buck and its broken leg, to the howls and the wolves, and to waking up fully alert just as the wolves were closing in on the buck. Once again, I prayed and tried to go back to sleep, and once again, sleep would not come. The next morning, we had church, then drove a couple of hours to a place called Aguila, Arizona, where we had some wonderful fellowship, then drove back to Las Vegas, where we would catch our flight home the next morning. It was already past midnight when we got in, and having preached twice and driven for about seven hours that day, I was as exhausted as a man can get. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, and once again the same dream began to play out. Just as the wolves were ready to attack and take down the buck, I was awakened by a loud noise coming from the pullout sofa in the room. It was Gene. He was snoring. I was halfway to throwing a pillow at Gene and telling him to roll over when I saw the man standing at the foot of the bed, arms crossed over his chest, and a half smile on his face. 'Ask your question,' he said. 'Why can't I see what happens? Why can't I see the end of the dream?' I asked. 'Because it is inconsequential,' he answered. 'The instant the animal wandered off the path and wounded itself, its end was a certain and foregone conclusion. It matters not which wolf fells it. Once it is felled, they will all feast. The same can be said of this nation with one exception. The animal had no one to help it; this nation rejected the help offered it, believing it could heal its own self of the wounds it had inflicted upon itself. The wolves have gathered. They sense the weakness, they smell the blood, and they are confident in the outcome of their endeavor.' (In these days, many revelations were given of the days that are now ahead.) In an instant, the man was gone, and I found myself standing halfway out of bed with a pillow in my hand, pondering what I had just heard. We reject repentance at our own peril. We reject righteousness, sanctification, and the pursuit of holiness to our own detriment. Though there is safety on the narrow path, we've taken it upon ourselves to blaze our own trail, indifferent to the untold perils and dangers awaiting those who stray. (In a recent broadcast[link], I spoke of the enemy within, ultimately enabling Russia and China and allies attacking from without, hoping we would be careful not to alienate these enemies and also be prepared.) I wish with all my heart I could write happy things in my letter to you today. I wish I could tell you the sun will come out tomorrow, and the storm clouds will pass, but our refusal to accept God's help, our refusal to submit and humble ourselves before Him, only hastens judgment. (And all the money of NESARA will not save this nation from the Rev 13 mark.) The wolves have gathered, the hunt begins, and this weakened nation is the prey. I will now repeat what I preached during one of the aforementioned meetings because I believe it is relevant, timely, and apropos. The level of your relationship with Christ today will determine whether you stand or fall by the wayside tomorrow. Know that you are resting in Him, know that you draw your strength from Him, and know that you have placed your hope and trust in Him. On Christ the solid rock we stand, for truly, all other ground is sinking sand. Psalm 124:6-8, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth”.   Tribulation Dreams Linda Conner - August 2006 (David's notes in red) In a dream, my husband and I had learned that our son, Christopher Joel (Christ-bearer; Jehovah is God), had been picked up and thrown in jail. We were sad about this and were wondering what had happened. (The Christ-bearers for whom YHWH is the true God will soon be the outlaws of society.) I just knew in the dream that he had something on his record that he had not taken care of. He had some infraction that he could have cleared up at any point, but he had chosen to ignore getting this cleared up, and now he had been picked up and thrown in jail. (Those who have not cleared up their infractions against God's Word before the mid-tribulation and are going into bondage to count the cost and to pay the price to lose their old life.) The judge sentenced him to 3 1/2 years in jail. My husband and I were very, very sad. (The great Judge's sentence is bondage for the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation during the mark of the beast. 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. 26 Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the last farthing. Jesus came to lead those who were captive to freedom through obedience to His Word. Isa.61:1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah 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. Those who obey will escape this beast prison. Psa.125:3 For the sceptre (The rod of authority) of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous... Rev.3:10 Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that [hour] which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. The beast will bring the saints into bondage for the hour, which is 3 1/2 years. Rev.17:12 And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour. Rev.13:5 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them...)   Invasion Dream Linda Conner - 12/12/2004 (David's notes in red) This dream is all part of the same dream, but comes in short clips of different scenes. The dream starts off with this “group of people” putting on some kind of a show out in the field (world) north of our house. (The bondage of the beast came to the house of Israel from the North: Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome, Eze.38, 39) We live out in the country. My husband, brother, and I were in our house. We watched as these people marched by to set up their show. There was no levity in these people. It was all very serious and somber. It was dusk and turning into night quickly. (Joh.9:4) The night cometh when no MAN can work... (only the Lord) I felt an awful dread about this 'show' but my husband and brother thought it would be all right to go. I remember looking out a window during this show and seeing the atmosphere above them aglow with a brilliant orangish-red with black streaks (war). I was frightened. My husband and brother came back. I don't think they actually went over there all the way to see what was going on. It was just too ominous. It was downright dark and scary. (The invasion is not a physical conquering enemy but the spiritual forces of darkness invading the people as they become fully possessed as the body of the beast and force the devil's false peace on the world. The show that they are putting on in the heavenlies is the first four seals of Revelation 6:1-8, which is war and death for the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation. This is to frighten people into submission, including the mark of the beast that comes after.) The show was over, and these men came into the house, and there were men everywhere outside too. (The show being over indicates that the fifth seal of Revelation 6:9 is beginning when the saints will be persecuted and killed for refusing the mark at the beginning of the last 3 1/2 years. At this time, those who took the mark and returned to their fellowships “came into the house” as the sons of perdition, and those outside the house are the rest of the beast body.) I remember sitting and talking with my husband. I was kind of reclining and leaning on my hand when one of these men started staring at me, and I knew that he could “read” me. Somehow, he could tell if I had been indoctrinated or not. But it seems like it was even more than that. He could tell by scanning my head if I had been marked or not. (The mark comes at the beginning of the second 3 1/2 years.) So, I put this khaki-colored denim jacket that I happened to have with me up higher to where it blocked my head from his view, but I had to do it pretending that I was examining the buttons on the jacket. If the man suspected I did it on purpose, he would've come over to me, and who knows what would happen. I remember thinking that it was too late to escape. They were everywhere. The time to escape out of the house and into the woods would've been during the “show”. (The time to escape out of the house of apostate Christianity and into the wilderness and out of man's help and works is now, and in the first 3 1/2 years when the show is still going on. Luk.21:34 But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: 35 for [so] shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. Luk.21:36 But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. In the Book of Acts, angels sprung the saints free from prison, and so it will happen to some in the last 3 1/2 years. Jesus passed through the midst of His enemies because He said, “no man taketh my life”. He never had to die, but did for our sacrifice.) One of the scenes is with my husband and me, and we were trying to get somewhere. It seemed like all of society was under martial law or something with these people everywhere. (The corporate body of the beast) They were suspicious of the slightest behavior. It was extremely dangerous to be out and about. I remember we ducked into this kind of narrow alleyway off the sidewalk and were trying to climb this almost straight up hill (The Kingdom of God) by grabbing the plants (Those rooted in the Kingdom will help bear the burden of the weaker ones.) that would hold our weight. It was muddy and slick. I finally said I couldn't go this way, and we got back down and walked. A woman stopped me and questioned whether I was one of the “enemy”. I need to stop and explain that throughout the dream, the idea is that we have been overtaken by an enemy who has demanded that we all take some kind of a mark, and they let us live, but it is under horrific circumstances. (Those who do not climb the Kingdom will find themselves having to face the One World Order Beast.) If we do not take this mark, then we are the enemy. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide at all, because they are EVERYWHERE, and these people are just trained to look at you and determine whether to let you live or die right on the spot. They have the authority to just kill you right where you stand. Many, many of these people used to be citizens of the USA, and some are the conquering enemy. (What are now citizens of the US will be citizens of the world beast seeking to conquer all that is not.) So, this woman who stopped me decided I looked suspicious because I was not carrying a gallon of water with me. Another one of these trained ones (a man) said to her, “No, she is with this man”. Pointing to my husband, I said, “That is right, I am with him”. My husband was carrying a gallon of water. (Because of the wars, the land and water will be poisoned. The beast will ration water to those with the mark.) They let us go, and we slipped into a public restroom that was a few steps beyond the encounter, just long enough to gather our wits about us. Of course, when I was stopped, we had to act as UNsuspicious in nature and as calm and cool as possible. (Pro.28:1) The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.) In another scene, many people are in a big room, and up front are some of the conquering enemy. These don't seem to be some of the people who have taken the mark, but these conquering enemies are much more cruel even than they. (The invaders are enforcers may not have to initially take the physical mark. The people who enforced the vax didn't take the vax either. Some of these may be converted to the Lord after the mark is given.) They had told us all to turn in anything we had of value. I had gone back to my purse, which was sitting on a folding chair toward the back of the room, and gotten out a huge wad of money and some coins, and had taken it up in a mock cheerful attitude and handed it in. I remember saying, “Here you go, I don't need it anyway”. Well, I wouldn't have needed it if I had the mark, but I really need it since I didn't have the mark. I believe that money was used to buy essentials in some kind of underground. But I had to pretend at the peril of my life that this money meant nothing to me. I looked up as I got back to my purse, and they had this woman standing up there. She was a lovely-looking woman, about 60 years or so of age, with blonde, well-groomed hair. She was standing there in so much fear that she really couldn't move. She was looking straight ahead in terror, and she was shaking all over. She had done something wrong. Then, I watched as one of the men put his gun to her temple and blew her away, and her body slumped to the floor. There was just a clip of another scene where my husband and I are running across an open field, trying to get to some shelter without anyone seeing us. We seemed to have a tent in the woods. (The tabernacle in the wilderness is where the saints will take shelter from the curse.) That was our shelter. It was all we had. ... And all we need. :o)   Righteous Preserved in the Coming Flood G.C. (David's notes in red) (G.C. hasn't forgotten a single detail of this dream since having it at age 7.) When I was seven, I went to bed one Saturday night and awoke on the sea. I was in a small wooden boat with my sister and dad. The boat had no oar or motor. I looked around, and there was a very overwhelming sight before my eyes; it seemed as if the whole world was on the sea as well, everyone inside small wooden boats just like ours. The sea went on forever and so did the boats; it was quite breathtaking. I got the impression that inside the boats were families, like what was inside mine. After what seemed like a long time of just looking around and drifting helplessly in the sea, a giant head with a man's face appeared in the sky. (The head is giant because it represents a corporat body head of the beast.) The giant head was what seemed like the size of a planet, and upon this head was a golden crown. The head did not speak, and really did not give the impression it was alive, but it was. It rotated on an axis and just looked straight ahead, never blinking. After I saw this head, I looked at the sea, which was once docile and calm, but had become the exact opposite; it became fierce and raging. (The sea is the peoples who have been demonized through the mark.) The waves were huge and damaging, breaking many boats in half and causing many people in the boats to fall out and drown. Mothers screamed for their children as they drowned before their eyes. People were clinging to life and crying out in fear as most of them were swallowed up by the sea. My boat (The Ark of abiding in Christ) and the three members of my family inside were quite safe and protected, although we were in the same type of boat and in the same environment; we were not in the least affected by the storm that ravaged the other boats and people. I was not in fear as I watched this head in the sky, which was quite shocking, and the people drowned before my eyes under it. This went on for what seemed like 7 or 8 hours. I don't know why I recall this number, but I feel that it was 7 or 8 hours. Finally, after a long time, the head disappeared, and the water calmed down. The sea swallowed up all the wreckage and the dead bodies. Then, where no land had been before, land suddenly appeared to my left. It was a beach with tents along the shore and flagpoles next to the tents. Then some kind of force drew us to the shore -- our boat as well as a number of other boats with their occupants safely inside. I didn't know that any other boat had survived this storm, but there were more survivors, but just a very small number compared to the large number that I saw in the beginning. We all drew near to the shore, and as the boat hit the shore and I stepped out, I woke up. It was Sunday morning. We went to church and I told the pastor my dream, but he didn't understand at all. (Many will not survive the test of the tribulation waters ahead. They will be judged by the waters of the Word.)   Spiritual Mark of the Beast G.C. (David's notes in red) A few years ago, I had another dream where I awoke in a huge field and found myself walking along a fence line. I was trying to conceal myself for some reason as I walked this fence line. I do not know why, but I knew that certain people were looking for me, who wanted to hurt me. As I walked for a while, I came upon a house. I knew right away this house would be a safe refuge. I walked in, and I saw many people in the house, people of many races, grouped together in their family units. It was shown to me in the dream that this was a Christian safehouse. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the house because the people seemed so happy and full of joy. What made this so amazing was that in the outside world, there were terrible things going on; it was shown to me that a tribulation was going on outside the house, but these people were happy and safe here. After a while, a large young man walked in; it was shown to me that he was living in the outside world and wanted to find his family, and since he knew where they were, he came back to them. He had a large red mark on his forehead; it looked like a fancy tribal tattoo, kinda creepy really. As soon as he walked into the house, many inside the house began to weep and wail; some grabbed their children and held them close to them, because they saw this mark on his forehead. The young man began to get frightened by the response the people gave him, and looked really worried. His father, who was an elder who lived in the house, walked up to him and was crying as he talked to him. Everyone could see this red mark on his head, but he was clueless that he had it. (The spiritual mark of the beast in the forehead, represents the mind of the flesh.) It wasn't until his dad told him what was on his head that he realized what was really going on. He started really freaking out at this point and was in panic. He ran up to me and was speaking in a very panicked fashion, but I could do nothing for him. No one could do anything for him, and he knew it. The weird thing was, he never even knew this mark was on his head until it was pointed out to him. I wondered to myself, how could this great red mark on his forehead get there without him even being aware of it? I really cannot recall what happened next. (There is a spiritual mark of the beast that will cause all who have it to take the physical mark. Most do not know they have it. See chapter 13 of Hidden Manna For the End Times.)

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 15:50)‘I Think It's Time': The End of Pam Bondi's Tenure as Attorney GeneralPart II (15:50 – 20:52)A Brewing War Over Supreme Court Appointees: Liberals are Watching the Aging Conservative Justices —And They Intend to Be Ready to FightPart III (20:52 – 26:52)What is Man That You are Mindful of Him? The Glory of God and the Dark Side of the MoonSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

Join us this week for our Palm Sunday Celebration, including our Children's Palm Parade and a powerful, practical life lesson drawn from the Palm Sunday Scriptures. If you've ever found your life to be confusing and wondered how to find God's will in all the chaos, this Sunday is for you!

The Steve Gruber Show | Fake Moderates, Real Consequences: How the Middle Class Gets Crushed --- 00:00 - Monologue 18:51 – Nick Hopwood, Certified Financial Planner and Founder of Peak Wealth Management. Hopwood shares a personal story about a trip to Jamaica that turned into a mission effort following hurricane devastation. He discusses helping rebuild homes and the impact of stepping in to serve communities in need. 27:43 – Sen. Camera Bartolotta, representing Pennsylvania's 46th Senatorial District. Bartolotta discusses concerns about widespread fraud and how deep the issue may go. She outlines ongoing investigations and the need for accountability. 37:49 - Monologue featuring Ivey Gruber 46:38 – Tom Simon, spokesperson for Home Title Lock and former FBI Special Agent with 26 years of experience. Simon discusses a case involving a $1.5 million home in Burbank that was allegedly stolen through real estate fraud. He explains how these schemes operate and how homeowners can protect themselves. 56:39 – Justin Davis, Director of Public Affairs for the NRA. Davis discusses the NRA's “Be Ready” campaign amid rising concerns about security threats. He emphasizes the importance of preparedness and responsible firearm ownership. 1:05:30 – Ivey Gruber, President of the Michigan Talk Network. Gruber discusses personal safety and preparedness, including the importance of training and responsible firearm use. The conversation also touches on the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor and broader legal implications. 1:15:38 - Monologue 1:24:30 – Jeanne Allen, Founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform and the Yass Center for Education. Allen discusses recent developments suggesting the Department of Education is moving closer to potential restructuring or shutdown. She explains what this could mean for education policy nationwide. 1:34:20 – Wendy Block, Senior Vice President of Business Advocacy for the Michigan Chamber. Block discusses key ballot and policy issues, including opposition to a graduated income tax proposal and a potential constitutional convention. She also addresses concerns about proposals affecting political spending and business advocacy. 1:43:08 – Ivey Gruber, President of the Michigan Talk Network. Gruber discusses the Army raising the enlistment age to 42 and whether declining health among young Americans is a factor. The segment also explores the broader issue of obesity and the importance of healthier lifestyles and nutrition. --- Check out our brand new podcast, 'Forgotten America'... The sixth episode is live NOW at Steve Gruber on YouTube! Link below: https://youtu.be/aKxApESBYuo

Send us Fan MailJoin Pastor Matt for the 3rd Calamity revealed to David Wilkerson regarding what is coming and already happening in America. Each day is a literal prophetic milestone to the End of this current Age... Be awake, be aware, and Be Ready!!!

1. When Life Is Hard2. Prepare to Be Used3. Be Ready to MoveToday's sermon explored how the ancient struggles Joel faced with locust plagues mirror our modern battles with worldly distractions, personal sin, and spiritual warfare. Just as Joel called God's people to return wholeheartedly to the Lord, we are being called today to wake up, prepare ourselves to be used by God, and be ready to move in obedience. The message emphasized that we live in the most strategic time in history, positioned in a generation where multitudes stand in the valley of decision, and God desires to pour out His Spirit on all who will surrender to His purposes.Takeaways:- When Life is Hard, Remember Your Purpose: The gnawing, creeping, and stripping locusts represent the cares of this world, unchecked personal sin, and the enemy's attempts to destroy us. Yet God promises to restore the years the locusts have eaten when we fully return to Him with our whole hearts.- Prepare to be Used by Rending Your Heart: True preparation for God's work begins with tearing open our hearts before Him, retreating back to our starting point with fasting, weeping, and genuine repentance. We cannot bore the Christian life with our lack of desire to fully serve the Lord—He calls us to be holy men and women proclaiming salvation to a dying world.- Be Ready to Move in the Power of the Holy Spirit: God hasn't called us to serve in the power of our own weakness but promises that His power is made perfect in our weakness. Whether through Palm Sunday, Good Friday, or Easter Sunday outreach, now is the time to invest in eternal souls, pointing others to Jesus who alone can bring hope in the midst of chaos.As we approach this Easter season, let's ask ourselves: Will we pray? Will we be available to share the hope of Jesus with those around us? Our mission field is only 36 inches away. Let's not squander the greatest message of all humanity by keeping silent when multitudes stand in the valley of decision.

1. When Life Is Hard2. Prepare to Be Used3. Be Ready to MoveToday's sermon explored how the ancient struggles Joel faced with locust plagues mirror our modern battles with worldly distractions, personal sin, and spiritual warfare. Just as Joel called God's people to return wholeheartedly to the Lord, we are being called today to wake up, prepare ourselves to be used by God, and be ready to move in obedience. The message emphasized that we live in the most strategic time in history, positioned in a generation where multitudes stand in the valley of decision, and God desires to pour out His Spirit on all who will surrender to His purposes.Takeaways:- When Life is Hard, Remember Your Purpose: The gnawing, creeping, and stripping locusts represent the cares of this world, unchecked personal sin, and the enemy's attempts to destroy us. Yet God promises to restore the years the locusts have eaten when we fully return to Him with our whole hearts.- Prepare to be Used by Rending Your Heart: True preparation for God's work begins with tearing open our hearts before Him, retreating back to our starting point with fasting, weeping, and genuine repentance. We cannot bore the Christian life with our lack of desire to fully serve the Lord—He calls us to be holy men and women proclaiming salvation to a dying world.- Be Ready to Move in the Power of the Holy Spirit: God hasn't called us to serve in the power of our own weakness but promises that His power is made perfect in our weakness. Whether through Palm Sunday, Good Friday, or Easter Sunday outreach, now is the time to invest in eternal souls, pointing others to Jesus who alone can bring hope in the midst of chaos.As we approach this Easter season, let's ask ourselves: Will we pray? Will we be available to share the hope of Jesus with those around us? Our mission field is only 36 inches away. Let's not squander the greatest message of all humanity by keeping silent when multitudes stand in the valley of decision.

Who has God placed in your life that might need a seed planted… or a little watering? And if the moment came, would you feel ready? Join us as we wrap up our message series, Intimidation, with Part 3: Be Ready. Together, we'll look at how to recognize those opportunities and be ready to share your faith in simple, meaningful ways.

In this video, we break down what OpenAI's new ChatGPT ads mean for B2B marketers, and why it's probably not the performance channel you should be betting on in 2026.We cover:→ The background behind OpenAI's push into advertising and why they're starting with B2C→ Why ChatGPT ads are unlikely to impact B2B marketing anytime soon (ad-free business/enterprise tiers, limited tracking, shopping-focused formats)→ How buyer discovery is shifting from search + social toward AI assistants→ Our 3-point framework (based on the Five B's) to prepare your B2B marketing for the age of LLMsIf you are a B2B founder or marketer wondering whether you should be spending on ChatGPT ads, or trying to figure out how to get your brand surfaced in AI-driven search results, this episode is for you.Tune in and learn:✅ Why the fundamentals of trust-building and demand gen matter more than ever✅ How to tighten your ICP messaging so LLMs actually surface your brand✅ The content and distribution strategies that build organic visibility in ChatGPT✅ How to set up measurement and UTM practices now so you're ready when B2B ads do arrive-----------------------------------------------------

Silver Quintette - "Sinner's Crossroads" [0:00:00] Southwest Michigan State Choir - "Spirit of the Lord" [0:03:30] Victory Chorus - "What Are We Going to Do?" [0:08:18] Harmonizing Four - "Keep Me All the Way" [0:12:19] Holy Travelers - "Search Me Lord" [0:15:30] Rev. Robert Henderson - "If the Preaching Makes It, I Will" [0:18:28] Quinn Tornadoes - "Heaven in My View" [0:25:20] Doyle Sherman and His Fabulous Doylettes of St. Albans, NY - "Jesus is My Friend" [0:27:56] Genesse Gospel Travelers - "Where Could I Go But to the Lord?" [0:33:05] Union Gospel Singers - "Use Me Lord" [0:36:35] Golden Travelers - "He Knows" [0:39:37] Seniors of Harmony - "I Can't Feel at Home" [0:44:17] Sensational Brown Brothers - "I Want to Be Ready" [0:45:33] Sensational Five Singing Sons - "Nobody But Jesus" [0:48:05] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/162363

Do you truly understand how sealed, loved, and alive you are in Christ? In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Roderick Webster continues through the 27 blessings of Ephesians (KJV) and unpacks three more that every believer must claim today — starting with the seal that nothing and no one can break.In this episode:Blessing 7: Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise until the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13–14)Why the Holy Spirit can be grieved — and how to guard against it (Eph. 4:30)Blessing 8: Greatly loved by a God who is rich in mercy (Eph. 2:4)How Christ's love for the church sets the standard for every husbandBlessing 9: Made alive together with Christ when you were dead in sins (Eph. 2:5–6)What it means to already be seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus

Claim Your Blessings — 27 Spiritual Blessings Every Believer Already Has (Ephesians 1 | KJV)Do you know what you already have in Christ — or are you living far below your blessings? In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Roderick Webster steps into Ephesians 1 (KJV) and walks through the first six of 27 bountiful blessings Paul lists for every believer. These aren't blessings you have to beg for. They are already yours in Christ Jesus.In this episode:Blessing 1: Blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Eph. 1:3)Blessing 2: Chosen, predestinated, and adopted as God's children (Eph. 1:4–5)Blessing 3: Furnished with grace — God's unmerited, unconditional favor (Eph. 1:6–8)Blessing 4: Redeemed and forgiven through His blood (Eph. 1:7)Blessing 5: Given the mystery of Christ now revealed (Eph. 1:9, 3:4–6)Blessing 6: Recipients of His eternal inheritance (Eph. 1:11)Bonus: Sealed with the Holy Spirit — no one can take you from God's hand

Table of Contents: Updated Group Prayer–List of Current Event Prayer Points–Part 2 Top War Headlines Non-Shia Muslim are saying IRANIANS ‘TOO SCARED’ FOR UPRISING Will the US Implement the Draft over the Iran Conflict US to blame for strike on Iran girls’ school that killed 175, Pentagon report finds after Trump accused Tehran  Iran claims massive cyberattack on US as retaliation for ‘brutal attack’ on elementary school  Iran plotting drone attack on California as retaliation for the war, terrifying FBI alert reveals  Trump Admin Sends Alert To Law Enforcement Warning Iran Sent Encrypted Messages To Trigger Muslim Sleeper Cells “BE READY”: Iran Activates Sleeper Cells, Warns to Stay 1-Km Away from US, Israeli Banks – Is this how the monetary reset will come? Comment: The Pagan Muslim Month of Ramadan Ends This Wednesday Evening on 3/18/26—Beware of Islamic Iranian Sleeper Cell Attacks!–The annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the five pagan pillars of Islam and lasts 29 to 30 days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next, to honor the pagan moon god Allah! The Austin Texas mass shooting has been confirmed to be a TARGETED TERROR ATTACK against American civilians–The Muslim terrorist was a 53 year old WEST AFRICAN MIGRANT from the Islamic nation of SENEGAL–Federal law enforcement has told Infowars he was angry over the elimination of Iran's supreme leader–Shiite sleeper cells are being activated in America! An Armed Muslim Man Wearing Military Gear Arrested After Trying to Enter a Texas Elementary School! Michigan Synagogue Attack: Muslim Shooter Threw EXPLOSIVE After Ramming Car Into Temple! ‘Awakening’ of terrorist sleeper cells sparks World Cup PANIC This is what they will never tell you about the attack on the Iran! “Obliterated”: Trump Hails “One of the Most Powerful Bombing Raids in the History of the Middle East” against Iranian Oil Terminal MUSLIMS in the US are recording themselves taking over Christian Churches and converting into Mosques… while they MOCK Christians! Muslim Devil Mayor Zohran's NYC: Thousands of Muslims Praying to the Pagan Moon God Allah Flood Times Square A demon possessed Muslim cleric in New York City just said the quiet part out loud… He announces they are TAKING OVER the city and the entire crowd erupts in chants of “Allahu Akbar”! The Muslim Take Over is in Full Swing! See the Islamic New York City Hall Meeting Under Muslim Mayor Mamdani–This is not AI Emergency Freedom Alerts: 2-7-22-Part 1–Table of Contents:…Researcher Claims Almost All Churches in America Have Muslim Spies in Them Who Are ‘Cataloging' Every Christian in Preparation for Jihad—This In Addition To the Traitorous Clergy Response Team “Pastors” Selling Out Their Congregations Plus the Witches and Warlocks Hidden in the Church… Emergency Freedom Alerts: 8-3-20-Part 3–Table of Contents: Pastor Walt Mansfield Spills the Beans on how the “Clergy Response Team” Pastors will sell out their congregations!!! ISLAMIC INVASION UNCHECKED—Islamic Prayer Rooms in all middle and high schools in GWINNETT COUNTY Georgia—All the Muslim Students can pray to the devil pagan moon god Allah! Meet Sophia Jetpuri-Naviwala who is the DEI specialist from Islamic Schools League of America, faculty of Al Falah Academy, and also co-President of Parkview High School, Gwinnett County. Sophia proudly brags about the Ramadan accommodations that were added to GCPS middle and high schools. Obviously, this is part of an Islamization process and an effort to convert students to Islam. Islamic outreach groups are now distributing materials like qurans, hijabs and brochures on Sharia during school events tied to Ramadan awareness! After decades of efforts to remove Christian influences and practices from America's public schools, various school districts across the country are now offering free, taxpayer-funded Halal-certified take-home meals to students observing Ramadan, providing them meals outside of school hours. “Remember, halal meat has to be slaughtered in an Islamic ritual with the animals facing mecca and Islamic prayers being said over them.” This is happening in multiple places, including districts in California (like San Diego Unified), Washington (Federal Way Public Schools), Michigan (Dearborn), Virginia (Henrico County), and others! Muslim Sex Grooming Gangs (Targeting the Raping of Little Girls) Spread to Canada Psa 97:10: Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Pro 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. More Texas Islam Alerts A Demon Possessed Muslim man in Dallas extremely threatened a Christian preacher for boldly declaring “Jesus is Lord” in public–This is why the First Amendment matters–Truth in the open will always offend someone and make demons manifest! The question is: do we defend the right to preach it? Religious freedom isn't just for comfortable sermons inside church walls–It's for the streets–It's for Dallas—It's for America! Texas AG Paxton launches investigation into another massive Sharia compound in Kaufman County, Texas over sovereignty concerns! Dallas has FALLEN–Dallas Schools Approved a whopping 1,200+ foreign alien H1-B VISAS! When Americans are struggling to get a job, and kids are being indoctrinated…Dallas ISD imports the Third World!! Stop the INVASION! Breaking news from Wylie TX! This Muslim man decides to trespass on someone property to pray to the moon god allah! Breaking news out of prosper Texas! Muslim Hijab's being sold at the Walmart in Prosper Texas! The Pagan Satanic Islamic & Hindu Takeover in Texas—Defiling the Land! Islam and Hinduism are One—Animal Urine and Feces Are Regularly Ingested in both of these sick pagan death cults!!!! PDF: Emergency Freedom Alerts 3-16-26 Click Here To Play The Part 1 Audio Source

Does your behind-the-scenes service for God really matter? In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Roderick Webster opens Ephesians 6:21–23 (KJV) and introduces one of the most faithful unsung heroes in Paul's ministry — Tychicus. No pulpit. No platform. Just a beloved brother and faithful minister who carried the letters, delivered the offerings, and comforted the churches.In this episode:Who Tychicus was and why Paul trusted him with everythingWhy no ministry moves forward without faithful helpers behind the scenesWhat it means to be a beloved brother and a faithful minister — not just onePaul's benediction of peace, love, and faith — and what it means for your daily walkThe assurance of salvation rooted in God's promise, not your performance (1 John 5:10–15)How Tychicus comforted the churches at Ephesus and Colossae simply by showing up

Send us a messageWhile the topic of the Rapture is hotly debated, the Scriptural truth behind it is certain, as is the Holy Spirit's discernment leading to readiness and the reward that awaits those who are longing for our Savior's appearing. But much more than that, it is a sacred proclamation the Finished Work of Christ on the Cross – the Power of His Shed Blood for the Remission of sins – and Redemption's Assurance that Blood Atonement Sacrifice has provided for those who have been purchased and sealed by it.In this message, Scriptural evidence will be granted with confirmation to that glorious assurance with the call to not only “Be Ready” but to be all the more diligent to proclaim the true Gospel of Jesus Christ to those still lost, while there is yet time to do so.Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

Are you bold enough to share the gospel — or has silence become your default? In this final episode of Be Ready for Battle, Pastor Roderick Webster opens Ephesians 6:19–20 (KJV) and delivers Paul's most personal prayer request to the church: pray that I would open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.In this episode:Why Paul asked for boldness — not release, not healing, not comfortWhat it means to pray for all saints — including the difficult onesHow to make your prayer requests specific and faith-filledWhy so many believers go silent about their faith — and how to change thatWhat it means to be an ambassador in chains, representing heaven on earthThe mystery of the gospel: simple, free, and available to all who believe

Do your prayers feel routine — or do they feel like warfare? In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Roderick Webster opens Ephesians 6:18 (KJV) and shows why the soldier of God must be prayed up before the battle begins.In this episode:What supplication really means — asking, pleading, treating humbly before GodHow the Holy Spirit helps you pray when you don't know what to say (Romans 8:26)Why perseverance in prayer is not doubt — it's a weaponEsther's model of humble, faith-filled asking (Esther 4:8)Jacob's all-night wrestling match and what it teaches us (Genesis 32:24–28)The Canaanite woman who wouldn't stop until Jesus answered (Matthew 15)What it means to "watch and pray" — and why your flesh wants to quit

When you don't know what to do — don't do anything. Just pray. Daniel knew the writing was signed. He knew the cost. He didn't close his windows. He kneeled and prayed anyway. That is the kind of prayer that wins battles — and Pastor Roderick Webster shows you how to pray with that same fearless faithfulness.In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Webster draws from Ephesians 6:18, Psalm 55:17, Daniel 6:10, and Colossians 4:2 (KJV) with a deep and practical word on prayer:Why prayer must be your first response — not your last resortPsalm 55:17 — evening, morning, and noon: what a life of constant prayer looks likeHow God relieves distress when you cry out to Him — Psalm 4:1Daniel's fearless prayer — open windows, three times a day, no matter the costWhy ministers must give themselves continually to prayer and the Word — Acts 6:4How to pray about everything — especially when you don't know what to doWhy you must continue in prayer without ceasing even when the answer hasn't come

In this episode of Hungry for Love, we're talking about something so many people believe they're missing: confidence. Most of us were taught that confidence is something you need before you take action. That one day you'll finally feel ready, brave, certain, and then you'll go after what you want. But the truth? Confidence doesn't come first. Confidence is created through action. If you keep waiting to feel ready, you may end up waiting forever. In this episode, I'm breaking down the lie we've been sold about confidence and sharing what actually builds it—especially if you've experienced emotional abuse, toxic relationships, or years of self-doubt. We'll talk about: Why waiting to feel ready slowly erodes your confidence How fear and avoidance keep you stuck in cycles of hesitation Why your brain resists new things (and how to work with it instead of against it) How toxic voices from the past can become the loudest voice in your head Why confidence grows through repetition and self-trust, not perfection I'll also share a personal story about becoming a yoga teacher and how saying yes before I felt ready completely changed my relationship with confidence. Because real confidence isn't about avoiding failure. It's about knowing you'll have your own back no matter what happens. If you've been waiting to feel ready to start the thing, say the truth, or pursue the life you want—this episode will help you understand why action is the very thing that builds the confidence you're looking for. Ready to get support in losing weight, ending emotional eating, and truly healing from those toxic relationships?  Come work with me.  Schedule your free consultation to learn more: www.bodyyoucrave.com/schedule  Chapters (00:00:02) - Jillian Scott(00:00:34) - In the Elevator With Confidence: Overcoming impatience(00:03:22) - What Confidence Is Really About(00:10:33) - Can I Let Failure Help Me Believe in My Own Self?(00:18:38) - How to Get Back to Self-Confidence(00:19:27) - Teaching Yoga: Building Confidence(00:24:06) - Be Ready to Do This!(00:30:52) - What It's Really Like to Choose Yourself(00:36:52) - I'm Not Giving Up on My Self-confidence(00:38:18) - Breaking the Cycle: How to Get Out of Binge Eating and

You own the most powerful weapon ever placed in a believer's hands. The question is — do you know it well enough to use it? Because a believer who doesn't know the Word cannot use the Word. And the enemy knows exactly where that gap is.In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Webster moves through Ephesians 6:17–18, Hebrews 4:12, Luke 18:1, and 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV) to complete the sword and introduce the final piece of battle preparation — prayer:How the sword of the Spirit works offensively — transforming lives from darkness to lightWhy you must know, love, believe, and practice the Word to use it effectivelyWhy prayer is the lifeline and spiritual blood of every believer in battleHow to pray anywhere and anytime — walking, driving, kneeling, standing, eyes open or closedWhy the early church prayed continually — and what that looks like todayWhy you must be prayed up before the next battle — not after it starts

How is artificial intelligence reshaping the future of crypto and the internet as we know it?In this conversation, Punit and Gokhan explore the current landscape of AI and break down its core concepts in simple terms before diving into the fundamentals of cryptocurrency. The discussion highlights how AI is increasingly shaping the crypto ecosystem, from real-world use cases to the evolution of Web 3.0 and what may come next. The episode concludes with insights into the growing convergence of AI and crypto and how these technologies together are transforming the digital economy.Tune in to gain practical insights, stay ahead of emerging trends, and learn how to get involved in the AI–crypto revolution.KEY CONVERSATION 00:02:09 Gokhan's Introduction 00:03:35 How would you put AI in a few words 00:06:22 What is crypto and what is it all about 00:10:42 What is this web 3.0 or is 4.0 on the way 00:12:09 Cases in which AI is being used in crypto and it's changing the game 00:21:01 What is happening with crypto and AI combined 00:28:25 About Gokhan's podcast 00:31:10 Get in Touch with Gokhan ABOUT THE GUEST Gokhan Polat, a visionary leader on a mission to transform challenges into opportunities and foster growth in every endeavor. With a rich background in strategic growth, risk management, and community building, Gokhan has honed his skills in the dynamic realm of crypto asset services. As a seasoned leader, he navigated the intricacies of enterprise risk management, mastering the art of problem-solving in high-stakes environments. Driven by a profound desire to empower others, Gokhan co-founded the Databulls community, cultivating a vibrant space for learning and collaboration in the tech and business spheres. This experience reinforced his belief in the transformative power of collaboration and shared knowledge. Gokhan leads strategy and business development at his company, where he thrives on crafting and executing ambitious plans that fuel sustainable growth. His strategic acumen and collaborative approach empower teams to surpass expectations and achieve remarkable results. Gokhan's leadership style is characterized by a human touch, fostering strong, motivated teams through open communication, trust, and a focus on personal development. With strategic foresight, he translates vision into actionable plans, driving growth and maximizing team potential. His deep industry knowledge, spanning both crypto and professional services, equips him with invaluable insights into diverse domains. Gokhan is a champion of community, believing in the transformative power of collaboration and meaningful connections.  ABOUT THE HOST   Punit Bhatia is one of the leading privacy experts who works independently and has worked with professionals in over 30 countries. Punit works with business and privacy leaders to create an organization culture with high privacy awareness and compliance as a business priority. Selectively, Punit is open to mentor and coach privacy professionals.    Punit is the author of books “Be Ready for GDPR'' which was rated as the best GDPR Book, “AI & Privacy – How to Find Balance”, “Intro To GDPR”, and “Be an Effective DPO”. Punit is a global speaker who has spoken at over 30 global events. Punit is the creator and host of the FIT4PRIVACY Podcast. This podcast has been featured amongst top GDPR and privacy podcasts.    As a person, Punit is an avid thinker and believes in thinking, believing, and acting in line with one's value to have joy in life. He has developed the philosophy named ‘ABC for joy of life' which passionately shares. Punit is based out of Belgium, the heart of Europe.   RESOURCES  Websites www.fit4privacy.com,www.punitbhatia.com, https://growskills.store/ Podcast https://www.fit4privacy.com/podcast Blog https://www.fit4privacy.com/blog YouTube http://youtube.com/fit4privacy Insights https://growskills.store/insights/ ISO Standard Courses at https://growskills.store/courses/ 

You own the most powerful weapon ever placed in a believer's hands. The question is — do you know it well enough to use it? Because a believer who doesn't know the Word cannot use the Word. And the enemy knows exactly where that gap is.In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Webster draws from Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 4, Psalm 119:105, Romans 15:4, and 2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) to show why the Bible is the supreme weapon of defense against every attack of Satan:Why the Bible is the source of spiritual growth — and why you need it like a newborn needs milkHebrews 4:12 — why the Word is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged swordThe Bible as your source of guidance, comfort, correction, and instructionWhy Satan attacks hardest in the exact areas where you are weakest in the WordHow Jesus defeated every temptation in Matthew 4 with a precise passage of ScriptureWhy you must know God's Word before you can use it — and what to do starting today

Send us a messageAs Prophetic Precursors continue to converge with “Be Ready” urgency, in Part 2 of “A Call To Awaken,” I share some vital information regarding AI that was offered by Yuval Noah Harari at the 2026 WEF meeting in Davos, Switzerland.Although he almost certainly is not fully aware of the prophetic significance, the information he shares most definitely points to the prophetic indicators that are held in the realm of AI's beyond imagination capabilities, and how by way of its technology components, it is building the framework for the Global Empire of the Antichrist.Not only will AI control surveillance of all people on earth, including what they can buy or sell, but it is also in the process of creating its own Bible and its own “digital god” which of course will be a technical manifestation of Satan himself.With all of this empowering the Antichrist in his global deception and control. Truly, it is time to “Awaken” and lift our heads – for our Redemption draws nigh!Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

If you're fighting the devil with anger, retaliation, or his own methods — you are already losing. The only weapon that makes him run is the one Jesus himself used in the wilderness: the Word of God. Pastor Roderick Webster shows you how to pick it up and use it.In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Webster completes the armor of God through Ephesians 6:16–17, Hebrews 11, Matthew 4, and James 4:7 (KJV):Shield of Faith recap — the fiery darts of unbelief and how faith stops themMoses by faith — how he chose affliction with God's people over Egypt's treasuresThe Helmet of Salvation — why head protection means being certain of your salvation and never letting doubt inThe Sword of the Spirit — the only offensive weapon in the armor and why it is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged swordHow Jesus defeated Satan three times in Matthew 4 using only Scripture — and how the devil left HimWhy you must submit to God before you resist the devil — and why the order is everything

Send us a messageThe Greek word for “understand” in Ephesians 5:13-17 is “suniemi” and means: “to bring together in the sphere of mental perception, to hear, notice, perceive, and recognize. It is collecting all the pieces of the puzzle and putting them together,  in order to seize and take hold of the revelations held therein.”As the Holy Spirit leads His us into all Truth, He is granting us this Divine understanding as Prophetic precursors continue to converge with “Be Ready” urgency.By His Word, certain criteria have been made certain to us. Jesus proclaimed that His Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), and that His true followers are not of this world either (John 17:16). It is Lucifer who has temporary rulership over this world and all the systems that comprise it (John 12:32; 2 Cor. 4:4). These Scriptural truths must be solidly settled in our minds and hearts, otherwise there is danger of being deceived by Lucifer's masterful counterfeits that attempt to draw believers into a worldly version of true faith. And we are actually seeing that travesty at work in much of what is known as Christianity today. And this takes us to our current study on “Mystery Babylon” which is the seat of Lucifer's wickedness – and the Throne upon which he sits as he wields his nefarious intentions to “rob, kill, and destroy.” And why it is important to understand this truth.Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

The enemy is not firing randomly. He is aiming straight for your heart — and if he can win your heart, he can have you. Pastor Roderick Webster shows you the three pieces of armor that keep your heart protected, your feet grounded, and every fiery dart stopped cold.In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Webster walks through Ephesians 6:14–16, Philippians 4:6–9, and 1 John 4:4 (KJV) to unpack three critical pieces of God's armor:The Breastplate of Righteousness — why doing right is chest protection and why the enemy aims for the heartThe Shoes of the Gospel of Peace — why you cannot step out without the gospel and why losing your peace means losing your mindHow to exchange anxiety for God's peace through prayer — Philippians 4:6–7Why your thought life determines your peace — Philippians 4:8–9The Shield of Faith — why Paul says "above all" and how faith quenches every fiery dart before it landsGreater is He that is in you — 1 John 4:4

Mar. 8, 2026 - Be Ready! (Matthew 25:1-13) - Matthew - Barry Smith - cpcspokane.org

Are you fully covered — or are you leaving parts of yourself exposed to the enemy? Your conflict isn't really with people. It's with unseen spiritual forces operating behind them. Pastor Roderick Webster shows you exactly how to dress for this battle.In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Webster walks through Ephesians 6:12–14, Colossians 2:15, and 1 Peter 3:22 (KJV) to explain who our real enemy is — and how the first two pieces of God's armor equip us to stand:Why our battle is not against flesh and blood — and what it actually is againstHow principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness operate against believersWhy Christ is set far above every one of them — and what that means for youThe Belt of Truth — why truth is the first piece and why the enemy leads with liesThe Breastplate of Righteousness — why righteousness is works and truth is wordsWhy leaving any part of yourself exposed gives the enemy an open door

The enemy is fighting you every single day. The question is — do you know how? If you can't recognize his devices, you can't defend against them. Pastor Roderick Webster exposes exactly how Satan attacks the believer's mind — and how to stop him.In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Webster draws from 2 Corinthians 10, Ephesians 6, 1 Peter 5, and Revelation 12 (KJV) to break down the enemy's four main weapons against every believer:Why our weapons are not carnal but mighty through GodHow Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers — and tries to blind yoursHow he corrupts the mind to pull you away from the simplicity of ChristWhy Peter compares him to a roaring lion seeking whom he may devourHow his deception has changed — and destroyed — countless livesWhy you cannot stop fighting and expect the enemy to stop too

How is artificial intelligence reshaping the future of crypto and the internet as we know it?   In this conversation, Punit and Gokhan explore the current landscape of AI and break down its core concepts in simple terms before diving into the fundamentals of cryptocurrency. The discussion highlights how AI is increasingly shaping the crypto ecosystem, from real-world use cases to the evolution of Web 3.0 and what may come next. The episode concludes with insights into the growing convergence of AI and crypto and how these technologies together are transforming the digital economy. Tune in to gain practical insights, stay ahead of emerging trends, and learn how to get involved in the AI–crypto revolution.KEY CONVERSATION 00:02:09 Gokhan's Introduction 00:03:35 How would you put AI in a few words 00:06:22 What is crypto and what is it all about 00:10:42 What is this web 3.0 or is 4.0 on the way 00:12:09 Cases in which AI is being used in crypto and it's changing the game 00:21:01 What is happening with crypto and AI combined 00:28:25 About Gokhan's podcast 00:31:10 Get in Touch with Gokhan  ABOUT THE GUEST Gokhan Polat, a visionary leader on a mission to transform challenges into opportunities and foster growth in every endeavor. With a rich background in strategic growth, risk management, and community building, Gokhan has honed his skills in the dynamic realm of crypto asset services. As a seasoned leader, he navigated the intricacies of enterprise risk management, mastering the art of problem-solving in high-stakes environments. Driven by a profound desire to empower others, Gokhan co-founded the Databulls community, cultivating a vibrant space for learning and collaboration in the tech and business spheres. This experience reinforced his belief in the transformative power of collaboration and shared knowledge. Gokhan leads strategy and business development at his company, where he thrives on crafting and executing ambitious plans that fuel sustainable growth. His strategic acumen and collaborative approach empower teams to surpass expectations and achieve remarkable results. Gokhan's leadership style is characterized by a human touch, fostering strong, motivated teams through open communication, trust, and a focus on personal development. With strategic foresight, he translates vision into actionable plans, driving growth and maximizing team potential. His deep industry knowledge, spanning both crypto and professional services, equips him with invaluable insights into diverse domains. Gokhan is a champion of community, believing in the transformative power of collaboration and meaningful connections.  ABOUT THE HOST   Punit Bhatia is one of the leading privacy experts who works independently and has worked with professionals in over 30 countries. Punit works with business and privacy leaders to create an organization culture with high privacy awareness and compliance as a business priority. Selectively, Punit is open to mentor and coach privacy professionals.    Punit is the author of books “Be Ready for GDPR'' which was rated as the best GDPR Book, “AI & Privacy – How to Find Balance”, “Intro To GDPR”, and “Be an Effective DPO”. Punit is a global speaker who has spoken at over 30 global events. Punit is the creator and host of the FIT4PRIVACY Podcast. This podcast has been featured amongst top GDPR and privacy podcasts.    As a person, Punit is an avid thinker and believes in thinking, believing, and acting in line with one's value to have joy in life. He has developed the philosophy named ‘ABC for joy of life' which passionately shares. Punit is based out of Belgium, the heart of Europe. RESOURCES  Websites www.fit4privacy.com,www.punitbhatia.com, https://growskills.store/ Podcast https://www.fit4privacy.com/podcast Blog https://www.fit4privacy.com/blog YouTube http://youtube.com/fit4privacy Insights https://growskills.store/insights/ ISO Standard Courses at https://growskills.store/courses/ 

David had no sword. One stone. And total confidence in God. How? Because he understood something that changes everything: the battle was never his — it was the Lord's. Pastor Roderick Webster shows you what that means for the giant you're facing right now.In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Webster draws from 1 Samuel 17, Romans 13, and 2 Corinthians 6 (KJV) to complete the David and Goliath account and connect it to the armor God has already prepared for you:Why David ran toward Goliath instead of away — and what that tookHow David's victory was never about David — it was about showing God's greatnessWhat the armor of light is and why it works best in your darkest momentsHow putting on Christ covers what your flesh would otherwise exposeWhy taking the battle one step at a time is the key to walking in God's victory

Has someone told you that you're not equipped to win the battle you're in? They may mean well — but if the advice isn't from God, the armor won't fit. Pastor Roderick Webster shows you why God's armor is the only armor made for you.In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Webster draws from 1 Samuel 17 and Ephesians 6 (KJV) to show how David faced his giant — and how you can face yours:Why God's armor is tailor-made for you specificallyHow David encouraged himself in the Lord by remembering past victoriesWhy David rejected Saul's armor — and what that means for you todayHow to face your giant in the name of the Lord, not your own strengthWhy the people around you may mean well but still give you the wrong armor

AI is transforming the world—but is it transforming privacy for better or for risk? We trust our GP with our deepest secrets, but can we extend that same trust to AI-powered systems and cloud-based suppliers? And if AI can re-identify people even in anonymized research data, is “anonymous” still real anymore? In this episode, Punit Bhatia and Tania Palmariellodiviney reveals how AI tools reshape confidentiality, integrity, availability, cloud sprawl, supplier risk, clinical transcription accuracy, re-identification, and even personal fears like voice-based deepfakes. The voice of experience rings clear: digital trust isn't a checkbox…it's engineered early with transparency, responsible data use, privacy by design, and safety by design. 

AI is transforming the world—but is it transforming privacy for better or for risk? We trust our GP with our deepest secrets, but can we extend that same trust to AI-powered systems and cloud-based suppliers? And if AI can re-identify people even in anonymized research data, is “anonymous” still real anymore? In this episode, Punit Bhatia and Tania Palmariellodiviney reveals how AI tools reshape confidentiality, integrity, availability, cloud sprawl, supplier risk, clinical transcription accuracy, re-identification, and even personal fears like voice-based deepfakes. The voice of experience rings clear: digital trust isn't a checkbox…it's engineered early with transparency, responsible data use, privacy by design, and safety by design. 

What does AI really mean in simple terms? What are the biggest security and privacy risks for companies—especially in healthcare? How can organizations manage these risks effectively and stay compliant with fast-changing AI regulations? And why should businesses and professionals consider getting certified in ISO 42001, the new international standard for AI management systems? In this episode, Punit Bhatia talks with Walter Haydock, an expert in AI security and compliance, about how companies can use ISO 42001 to manage AI responsibly. They discuss the real-world risks of AI, practical steps to reduce them, and why certification can help build trust, credibility, and resilience in an AI-powered world.

"I don't think I had a choice—this is just how my river runs."In this episode of Real Things Living, host Brigitte Cutshall talks with Yousef Benhamida, the systems-driven entrepreneur behind the national brand Humboldt's Secret. Yousef shares his journey from childhood "hustles" to bootstrapping a national empire. He explains why he values a "clean house" and organized systems over raw hustle, and how a relentless refusal to lose drives his success.3 Takeaways:(1) Focus on Not Losing: Yusuf views his habits as a way to avoid the pain of loss rather than following a formal "discipline".(2) Scale through Systems: To grow, you must eliminate chaos by organizing every file and warehouse process so the business can "fly".(3) Be Ready for the "Draft": Success comes from years of preparation so you are positioned to perform when the big opportunity arrives.Connect with Yusuf Benhamida - https://yousefbenhamida.com/Humboldt's Secret Supplies - https://humboldtssecretsupplies.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yousefbenhamida/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yousefbenhamida/

It can feel like everyone else has it all together, especially on social media. But beneath the surface, chaos is the norm for just about everyone. Especially us runners. Today's Episode of the Show is Sponsored by Be Ready on Race Day: How to Create a Custom Training Plan for Your Next Marathon or Half Marathon http://BeReadyonRaceDay.com Love the show? Check out the support page for ways you can help keep the Diz Runs Radio going strong! dizruns.com/support Become a Patron of the Show! Visit Patreon.com/DizRuns to find out how. Subscribe to the Diz Runs Radio Find Me on an Apple Device dizruns.com/itunes
Find Me on an Android dizruns.com/stitcher
Find Me on SoundCloud dizruns.com/soundcloud Please Take the Diz Runs Radio Listener Survey dizruns.com/survey Win a Free 16-Week Training Plan Enter at dizruns.com/giveaway Join The Tribe If you'd like to stay up to date with everything going on in the Diz Runs world, become a member of the tribe! The tribe gets a weekly email where I share running tips and stories about running and/or things going on in my life. To get the emails, just sign up at dizruns.com/join-the-tribe The tribe also has an open group on Facebook, where tribe members can join each other to talk about running, life, and anything in between. Check out the group and join the tribe at www.facebook.com/groups/thedizrunstribe/

What does AI really mean in simple terms? What are the biggest security and privacy risks for companies—especially in healthcare? How can organizations manage these risks effectively and stay compliant with fast-changing AI regulations? And why should businesses and professionals consider getting certified in ISO 42001, the new international standard for AI management systems?In this episode, Punit Bhatia talks with Walter Haydock, an expert in AI security and compliance, about how companies can use ISO 42001 to manage AI responsibly. They discuss the real-world risks of AI, practical steps to reduce them, and why certification can help build trust, credibility, and resilience in an AI-powered world.

Thursday, December 25th, 2025Today, Judge Crenshaw has canceled Kilmar Abrego's criminal trial and ordered the government to prove they didn't vindictively and selectively prosecute him; the Justice Department says it just found a million new Epstein files from the SDNY so it's going to be a while longer; a federal judge has ruled that Trump's revocation of lawyer Mark Zaid's security clearance was illegal; top Heritage Foundation officials flee to Mike Pence's non profit; ICE plans to hold 80K immigrants in warehouses across the country; and Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.Subscribe to the MSW YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MSWMediaPods StoriesExclusive: Justice Department scrambling to find holiday volunteers to redact the Epstein files, internal DOJ email says | CNN PoliticsDOJ says it has found over a million additional documents potentially related to Epstein | CNN PoliticsJudge blocks Trump effort to strip security clearance from attorney who represented whistleblowers | AP NewsTop Heritage Officials Flee to Mike Pence's Nonprofit as Think Tank Fractures | WSJICE documents reveal plan to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses | Washington Post Good Trouble - https://near.tl/sm/ik-ZushRaRest. Recharge. Be Ready.From The Good Newshttps://www.instagram.com/VisibilityBrigadeCoVaAdopt Melia - NYAnimal Shelter | Hempstead Town, NYMelia for adoption on facebookBREAKING: SUPREME COURT CENSORS BOOKS AND ATTACKS PUBLIC EDUCATION IN MAHMOUD V. TAYLOR BOOK BAN CASE; GLAAD, AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS RESPONDGroups nationwide eye Supreme Court hearing on Montgomery County LGBTQ books in schools case - Maryland Matters→Go To DailyBeansPod.com Click on ‘Good News and Good Trouble' to Share YoursOur Donation LinksPathways to Citizenship link to match Allison's Donationhttps://crm.bloomerang.co/HostedDonation?ApiKey=pub_86ff5236-dd26-11ec-b5ee-066e3d38bc77&WidgetId=6388736Allison is donating $20K to It Gets Better and inviting you to help match her donations. Your support makes this work possible, Daily Beans fam.http://itgetsbetter.org/dailybeansdonateJoin Dana and The Daily Beans and support on Giving Tuesday with a matched Donationhttp://onecau.se/_ekes71National Security Counselors - Donate