Podcasts about because christ

The Dismantling of the Religious Self Four Lenten Reflections on Delusion, Abandonment, and the Life That Remains in God “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24 The fathers speak very little about religious success. They speak constantly about religious delusion. Not because religion is false, but because the ego can survive inside it indefinitely. It can pray. It can fast. It can obey. It can sacrifice. It can appear humble. It can appear faithful. It can appear entirely given to God. And yet never cease to exist as the center of its own life. The religious self is the final refuge of autonomy. It is the last structure to collapse. Christ did not come merely to forgive sin. He came to destroy the self that lives apart from Him and to raise the person into a life that is no longer his own. This destruction does not occur all at once. It occurs in stages. First, the destruction of false fulfillment. Then, the destruction of false righteousness. Then, the destruction of the self that believed it belonged to God. And finally, the revelation of the life that remains when the self that lived has died. This is not metaphor. It is the path. First Reflection The False Light That Feeds on Devotion On Seeking Fulfillment in Religious Things Instead of God “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?” Psalm 41:3 (42:2) Evagrios of Pontus returns again and again to the command of the Lord because he knows the tragedy of the human heart. The command is heard. It is repeated. It is admired. But it is not yet obeyed. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Matthew 6:33 This is not because the man refuses God. It is because he does not yet know how to live from Him. The soul seeks life with a desperation deeper than thought. It cannot endure emptiness. It cannot endure groundlessness. It must drink from something. And until it drinks from God Himself, it will drink from what surrounds Him. This is the beginning of the spiritual life for nearly every man. He turns away from obvious sin. He enters the life of prayer. He begins to fast. He reads the Scriptures. He studies the Fathers. He orders his days toward obedience and repentance. He removes himself from the chaos of the world and places himself among holy things. Everything outwardly moves toward God. But inwardly, something subtle and terrible begins to form. The man begins to live not from God, but from religious life itself. He begins to draw life from proximity. From belonging to the Church. From serving others. From participating in sacred rhythms. From being known as faithful. From being recognized as someone who has given his life to God. These things give him structure. They give him identity. They give him continuity. They give him the sense that his life has weight and meaning. And this feels like life. But it is not yet life in God. Christ did not say blessed are those who surround themselves with religious things. He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4 The branch may rest against the vine. It may touch the vine. It may appear connected to the vine. But unless the life of the vine flows into it, it remains dead. St. Isaac the Syrian speaks with terrifying clarity about this condition. He writes that the soul seeks rest relentlessly, but until it rests in God, it will rest in created things. Even in holy things. Even in prayer itself. Because prayer can become a place where the ego hides. St. John Climacus warns of this when he writes that vainglory attaches itself to every virtue like a parasite. It feeds on fasting. It feeds on prayer. It feeds on silence. It feeds on obedience. It feeds on tears. It feeds on devotion itself. It is possible to pray constantly and remain centered in oneself. It is possible to serve constantly and remain untouched by God. It is possible to build an entire life around God and never yet have surrendered one's life to Him. Christ speaks of this with devastating simplicity. “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you.” Matthew 7:22–23 He does not deny their works. He denies their communion. They lived around Him. They acted in His name. They built their lives in His presence. But they did not live from Him. This is the great danger of religious life. It offers proximity without union. The ego adapts itself to religious structure because religious structure can sustain its existence indefinitely. The ego does not resist religion. It colonizes it. Abba Macarius the Great said, “The heart itself is but a small vessel, yet dragons are there, and lions are there, and poisonous beasts are there, and all the treasures of wickedness are there. But there too is God.” Both realities coexist for a long time. The man prays, and the ego remains. The man fasts, and the ego remains. The man serves, and the ego remains. The ego does not fear religious activity. It fears death. Because Christ did not come merely to improve the ego. He came to crucify it. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Galatians 2:20 This is not metaphor. It is ontological violence. The ego can survive prayer. It cannot survive crucifixion. This is why the ego draws life from religious participation rather than from God Himself. Because participation strengthens its continuity. Communion destroys its autonomy. Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou writes that God allows the man to labor in the life of the Church for years while this hidden foundation remains intact. Not because God is absent, but because the man is not yet capable of bearing the loss of himself. So God permits him to live from secondary things. From belonging. From service. From stability. From identity. These things are not evil. They are merciful accommodations to weakness. But they cannot give life. The prophet Jeremiah speaks with words that cut through every illusion. “They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13 The tragedy is not that the cisterns are wicked. It is that they cannot sustain life. They leak. They empty. They must constantly be refilled. The man must constantly reaffirm himself. He must remain useful. He must remain faithful. He must remain visible. He must remain necessary. Because his life depends on these conditions. But life in God does not depend on conditions. Life in God survives abandonment. It survives obscurity. It survives uselessness. It survives the loss of identity itself. This is why God begins, at a certain point, to remove the cisterns. Not as punishment. As mercy. He allows the man to lose what sustained his sense of himself. He allows him to lose position. He allows him to lose recognition. He allows him to lose certainty. He allows him to lose the emotional consolations that once accompanied prayer. Prayer becomes dry. Service becomes empty. The structures that once gave life now give nothing. This is the beginning of truth. St. Silouan the Athonite describes this moment as the withdrawal of grace that reveals to the man the true poverty of his soul. He writes that when grace withdraws, the soul sees its own weakness and learns that it cannot live without God. Not without religious life. Without God. The distinction becomes absolute. The man discovers that he does not yet know how to live from God Himself. He only knows how to live from what surrounds Him. This revelation feels like death. Because something is dying. The false center. The imagined continuity. The self that lived from participation instead of communion. Christ spoke of this death when He said, “Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25 This loss is not symbolic. It is experiential. It is terrifying. Because the ego experiences the loss of its foundations as annihilation. Abba Moses said, “Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.” What does the cell teach? It teaches the man that he does not yet live from God. It removes distraction. It removes affirmation. It removes reinforcement. And what remains is his poverty. His inability to give himself life. His inability to sustain himself. His inability to exist without drinking from God. This is the beginning of real prayer. Not prayer that expresses devotion. Prayer that expresses need. Not prayer that affirms identity. Prayer that arises from groundlessness. The publican understood this when he stood at a distance and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Luke 18:13 He had nothing left to sustain himself. And Christ says he went home justified. Because justification begins when illusion ends. God does not remove the false light to harm the man. He removes it to save him. Because whatever the man cannot lose without losing himself has become his god. God removes every false god. Even the religious ones. Until only God remains. St. Isaac the Syrian writes that the man who has learned to live from God alone becomes free from all fear. He can lose everything and remain alive. Because his life no longer depends on created things. It depends on the uncreated God. This is the passage from religious life into real life. The passage from devotion into communion. The passage from illusion into truth. It begins in loss. It ends in God.

February 25, 2026Today's Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16Daily Lectionary: Genesis 8:13-9:17; Genesis 9:18-11:26; Mark 4:1-20“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It could be argued that the best coaches in professional sports are the ones who've been athletes on the field. Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time (that Super Bowl trophy is named after him), understood that playing experience helped to make him a better coach. He once said, “Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their player and motivate.”Can the same be said about Jesus Christ? Is He able to motivate us because He knows what it's like to be human? Is that what makes Him such a great savior... because He doesn't expect us to do anything that He hasn't done Himself?   It's certainly encouraging that Jesus knows what it's like to be human because He is an actual human being! He was conceived, grew, and developed in His mother's womb. He was born and continued to grow from childhood into adulthood, just like human beings do. Throughout His life on earth, He experienced hunger, weariness, sadness, and anger. In every respect, He knows what it's like to be human, and yet He lived His life without sin. He can sympathize with our weaknesses, but He hasn't excused them. It's not like after His 33-year stint on earth, He reported back to His Father, “You know what, that was really hard. I think the expectation You have from them is just too high. You need to lower Your standards and give them some credit for trying real hard. I barely made it. You can't expect them to do much better.” Jesus came in the flesh, not to motivate. He came in the flesh as our substitute- to take our place under God's wrath against sin. He came to cover your sin with His righteousness. If He had not done this, we could never approach His throne of grace with confidence. Instead, we would live our lives in constant fear and trepidation, wondering if we've lived our lives “good enough” to be accepted by Him. Because Christ is our Great High Priest, who has succeeded where we have fallen short and showered us with God's grace and mercy, we have great confidence and hold fast the confession of faith that's been revealed to us. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Christ, You walked the road Our wand'ring feet must go. Stay with us through temptation's hour To fight our ancient foe. (LSB 424: 5) Rev. Chad Hoover serves as Campus Pastor and theology teacher at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, IN and pastoral assistant at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New Haven, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

What keeps the Church standing when culture tries to tear it down? Pastor James Wilson delivers a powerful reminder that the Church's resilience is not rooted in personalities, platforms, or popularity — but in Jesus Christ Himself. Preaching from Matthew 16:16–18, he highlights Jesus' declaration: "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." In a world marked by scandals, division, racism, misogyny, and cultural tension, Pastor Wilson confronts the reality that while the Church has faced internal and external challenges, its foundation remains unshaken. Because Christ builds it, Christ sustains it. This message calls believers back to collective strength, unity, and holiness. The Church is not an individual movement — it is a body. When we stand together, support one another, and embody Christ's character, we operate as salt and light in a dark world. With clarity and conviction, Pastor Wilson urges the congregation to maintain a victorious posture — not defensive, not defeated — but confident in the promise that what Jesus builds cannot be destroyed. When the Church stays unified, holy, and anchored in Christ, no opposition can overturn what God has established. Sermon Scripture: Matthew 16:16-18   We stream live every Sunday at 11 am and every Wednesday at 8 pm. Visit our website: https://perfectingfaithchurch.com  Connect with us on social media!  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerfectingFaithChurch/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perfectingfaithchurch/ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@perfectingfaithchurch  X: https://x.com/PFCNY   Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@perfectingfaithchurch  

And, we're off! Thanks, everybody, for giving our renewed Lectionary.pro format a try. Please continue to offer your comments and suggestions. Just like the original Lectionary Lab, we want to be helpful to working preachers. (“Jesus and Nicodemus”, from the Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Discussion page)RCL Readings: • Genesis 12:1–4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1–5, 13–17; John 3:1–17Text Summaries• Genesis 12: 1-4aGod calls Abram to leave home, security, and everything familiar, and to trust a promise he cannot yet see fulfilled. The promise is bigger than Abram's private future: through him, God intends blessing for all families of the earth. Abram's obedience is strikingly simple — “So Abram went” — and that trustful response becomes the model of covenant faith. In Lent, this text frames discipleship as movement: leaving old certainties, walking by promise, and trusting God's future over present control.• Psalm 121This psalm is a confession of trust for travelers, pilgrims, and anyone feeling exposed. Help does not come from the hills themselves, but from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. The psalm repeats God's “keeping” care: God watches over going out and coming in, by day and by night, now and forever. Rather than denying danger, it places vulnerability inside God's faithful attention. In a Lenten key, it teaches believers to pray honestly about risk while resting in the God who does not slumber.• Romans 4:1–5, 13–17Paul presents Abraham as the prototype of faith: righteousness comes through trusting God's promise, not through human achievement or law-keeping. If inheritance depended on performance, promise would collapse; instead, it rests on grace so that it can include all who share Abraham's faith. God is described as the One “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist,” grounding Christian hope in God's creative power. During Lent, this text shifts the center from religious scorekeeping to grace-shaped trust and hope.• John 3:1–17Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, sincere yet confused, and Jesus tells him that entry into God's kingdom requires birth “from above” — a Spirit-given new beginning, not mere religious competence. Jesus draws on Israel's wilderness story (the lifted serpent) to show that healing and life come through looking in faith to what God provides. The passage climaxes in God's love for the world: the Son is given not to condemn but to save. For Lent, this gospel invites people out of spiritual nighttime into rebirth, faith, and the light of God's saving mercy.Major Themes1. Faith before sight, or perhaps through sight (looking) when our focus is on God2. Promise grounded in grace3. New birth, new life in Christ4. God's keeping care in uncertain journeys5. Salvation as gift, not achievementPreaching ArcThe Call → The Keeper → The Promise → The New Birth1. The Call (Genesis 12): God calls us forward before we have full clarity.2. The Keeper (Psalm 121): We are sustained on the road by God's watchful care.3. The Promise (Romans 4): Righteousness and the future are received by faith, not earned by performance.4. The New Birth (John 3): God doesn't just improve us; God makes us new in Christ.From uncertain beginnings to Spirit-born life, faith walks forward on promise, kept by grace.A Sermon Outline“Called Before We're Ready”Core Claim: God calls us forward by grace, keeps us on the road, and gives new life through Christ.1. Opening: the discomfort of being called into the unknown2. Genesis 12: Abram's yes before clarity3. Psalm 121: God keeps us while we travel4. Romans 4: promise by grace, received by faith5. John 3: new birth is God's work, not self-improvementApplication: one step of trust this weekClosing: we go because God is faithfulOne-sentence takeaway: In Christ, we are called, kept, and made new — so we can take the next faithful step even without full certainty.An Illustration: Does anybody remember the Dunkin' Donuts commercial that featured a bleary-eyed baker rising early every morning, saying, “Time to make the donuts?” Believe it or not, that's a basic illustration of faith in something intangible. A baker starts work at 2:00 a.m. There is no smell of fresh bread yet, no customers, no visible result — just measured ingredients, kneading, waiting, and trust in the process. Hours later, what was unseen becomes nourishment (of a sort) for many.Preaching Bridge: “Faith is often bakery work: done in the dark, trusted before dawn.” (Image from the Upper Room, Discipleship Study Guide)Narrative Lectionary Text: John 13:1-17Text SummaryAt the supper before his passion, Jesus rises, takes a towel, and washes the disciples' feet. Peter resists, then overcorrects, and Jesus teaches that receiving him means accepting this upside-down pattern of love. Jesus, their Lord and Teacher, performs a servant's task and commands them to do likewise. Greatness in his kingdom is expressed through humble, embodied service.Themes Present1. Servant leadership — authority in Jesus is expressed through self-giving care.2. Love made concrete — love is not sentiment; it takes the form of action.3. Receiving before doing — discipleship starts with letting Christ minister to us.4. Humility over status — the gospel dismantles rank-driven identity.5. Imitation of Christ — “as I have done for you” is the shape of Christian community.Preaching ArcIdentity → Humility → Command → Community1. Identity: Jesus knows who he is and where he is going.2. Humility: Secure in that identity, he kneels to wash feet.3. Command: “As I have done for you, you also should do.”4. Community: The church becomes recognizable by practical, mutual, humble love.Because Christ stoops to serve us, we are formed into a people who serve one another.A Sermon Outline“The Towel and the Basin”Core ClaimJesus redefines greatness through humble service, and discipleship means receiving his love and then embodying it toward others.Big MovementStatus → Surrender → Service → WitnessOutline (7–8 min)1. Opening: Our instinct for rank• We naturally measure importance by visibility and control.• Jesus gives a different picture at the table.2. John 13: The shock of the scene• Jesus knows who he is and where he is going.• Precisely from that security, he kneels and washes feet.• True authority is not threatened by service.3. Peter's resistance: Why this feels hard• Peter resists being served.• Discipleship begins with receiving grace, not performing for God.• We cannot give what we refuse to receive.4. “As I have done for you”• Jesus moves from act to command.• Foot washing as pattern: embodied, practical, inconvenient love.5. What this means for a small (or any) congregation• Hidden service is central ministry, not secondary work.• Church health is measured by how we treat one another in ordinary moments.• The towel may look like meals, rides, prayer, repair, listening, forgiveness.Application for the week• Receive: where do I need to let Christ serve and cleanse me?• Serve: one concrete act of humble care.• Repair: one relationship step that lowers pride and raises love.Closing• Jesus is most recognizable when kneeling with a towel.• The church is most faithful when it does the same.One-Sentence TakeawayIn Christ's kingdom, greatness looks like a towel and basin: we receive his love, then kneel to serve.An Illustration: “The CEO with a Mop”A story gets told in leadership circles about a company after a major event: everyone leaves, trash is everywhere, and the cleaning crew is short-handed. One employee comes in early and sees the CEO quietly pushing a mop and picking up cups. No announcement. No photo. No speech. Just service.That moment reshaped the office culture more than any memo did. People said, “If he can do that, none of us are above serving.”John 13 is deeper than leadership technique, but the point lands: Jesus, knowing exactly who he is, takes the towel. Real authority is not threatened by humility.Preaching bridge: In Christ's kingdom, the towel is not beneath us. The towel is how love becomes visible. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lectionarypro.substack.com

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260223ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Romans 5:17 A Champion Do you have a particular song that takes you back to days when you played a sport? If so, the instant you hear that song, it takes you back to a sports locker room—pacing on game day, ready to slap the top of the door as you run out on to the court. At that time, there seemed like nothing else was more important than that game. It seemed like your whole life depended upon the game. And sometimes, when the game is on the line, you need a miracle. In the bottom of the ninth inning or late in the fourth quarter, it helps to have a champion on your team. It helps to have a player who never comes out of the game, who seamlessly transitions into the right position at the right time, and who barely breaks a sweat as he wins the game for his team. That's how we picture a champion. What about when we picture Jesus? Christ came into this world to be on our team. He came to substitute himself into our place and sin. He came to be our champion. But he first came as a lowly baby, born in a stable. Then we see him on the cross. He has a crown of thorns on his head, gashes all over his body, and holes in his hands and feet. Is that the picture of a champion? On the cross, Jesus does not look like a champion. And yet, Saint Paul tells us that Christ has won. He died— and rose again. When we needed it most, Jesus earned a miraculous victory. By his death and resurrection, he brought home the best victory—heaven for us! Because Christ lives, we have life in heaven—a place of perfection, joy, and peace. The joy of heaven will surpass the celebrations in the locker room after the Super Bowl or any other championship. So, yes, Jesus is the champion! When everything was on the line, Jesus entered the game and told us, “Don't worry. I've got this.” Prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank you for being our champion. Sometimes we forget how much we need you. Help us continue to remember that we have received your abundant grace and the gift of your righteousness. Help us trust that you will lead us to life and victory in heaven. A Question to Consider: Do you remember a time where Jesus was the champion for something that happened at work? Do you remember a time where Jesus was the champion for something that happened at home? Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

In Genesis 27, we see what happens when God's promise feels uncertain and His timing feels slow. Rebekah and Jacob believed what God had said, but they did not trust that He would fulfill it without their control, so they resorted to manipulation. Yet despite their scheming, God still carried His covenant forward, proving that His promises rest on His faithfulness, not human effort. Because Christ has secured the ultimate promise, we can trust God as our Provider, Healer, Restorer, and Protector, even when the outcome feels delayed or uncertain.

Because Christ withstood and satisfied the wrath of God for us, we can walk in the Spirit.

Sometimes the hardest seasons feel endless—but Jesus reminds us they are only “a little while.” In John 16, He prepares His disciples for deep sorrow, while pointing them to the unstoppable joy of the resurrection. What feels overwhelming in the moment is temporary in light of eternity. Because Christ lives, sorrow never gets the final word.BIBLE VERSE References: JOHN 16:16-33 | MARK 8:31-33 | MATTHEW 26:39 | 1 JOHN 5:14 | GENESIS 5:5 | JOHN 1:1-4 | 1 JOHN 1:5-7 | LUKE 15:7-10 | PSALM 22:1 | MARK 15:34 | REVELATION 21:4 | HEBREWS 11:39-40 | 1 CORINTHIANS 15:22 | NEHEMIAH 8:10 | LUKE 13:28 | MATTHEW 27:51 | ROMANS 8:37-39 | MATTHEW 10:28*Music tracks by Blue Dot Sessions titled “Glass Beads” and “Come As You Were” were featured in this episode

Because Christ suffered to save us, believers are called to think and live differently. In this passage, Peter moves from Christ's saving suffering to the believer's sanctifying suffering. If Jesus suffered in obedience to the Father, we must “arm ourselves” with that same mindset, choosing God's will over sin, even when it costs us. Peter reminds us that our former life of sinful passions is finished. We don't owe sin another hour. Instead, we now live under a new Master—the will of God. And when we refuse to join the world's patterns, we should expect misunderstanding, rejection, and even hostility. Our holiness will stand out. But we are not left without hope. God is the righteous Judge, and no injustice escapes Him. Though believers may suffer or even die physically, the gospel guarantees eternal life. Just as Christ was put to death in the flesh and made alive in the Spirit, so we share in His pattern of suffering now and glory to come. First Peter 4:1–6 calls Christians to decisive allegiance to Christ, living no longer for human passions, but for the will and glory of God. ________________________________________ Links to Sermon Notes & Answers: ➤Sermon Notes (Blank): https://www.sheridanhills.org/_files/ugd/30fec2_f0a49705cadb439c93dd049de8b4adf3.pdf ➤Sermon Notes (Answers): https://www.sheridanhills.org/_files/ugd/30fec2_fada543e541c48b08ba55b89728545e4.pdf ________________________________________ In this video: Review of previous sermons in series Main Points Application ________________________________________ Subscribe to this channel to catch weekly expositional sermons from the Bible. ________________________________________ Explore more sermons and information: https://www.sheridanhills.org/watch-new ________________________________________ Follow us: ➤Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheridanhills/ ➤Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheridanhills01 ➤Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheridanhills/

"In Galatians 3:26–29, the Apostle Paul brings his redemptive-historical argument to a glorious climax: all who believe in Jesus Christ are sons of God, united to Christ, and true heirs of the promises made to Abraham.In this sermon, we explore how Paul moves from defending justification by faith to unfolding its breathtaking implications. The law, which once functioned as a tutor guarding God's people until the coming of the promised Seed, has now fulfilled its role. Christ has come. Faith has come. And in Christ, believers are no longer slaves—but sons.We consider the doctrine of adoption alongside justification, showing how God not only declares sinners righteous by faith, but also declares them his own children. Through union with Christ—the true Son of God—believers are clothed with Christ himself and share in all his privileges. Because Christ is the Seed of Abraham, all who belong to him are Abraham's offspring and heirs according to promise.Paul's declaration that there is “neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female” is examined carefully, not as an erasing of God-given distinctions, but as a proclamation of gospel unity. Ethnicity, social status, and gender no longer determine access to God or standing in his family. All who are in Christ are one—coheirs of the same inheritance, members of the same body, united to the same Savior.This passage reminds us that the promises given to Abraham find their fulfillment not in physical descent or law-keeping, but in Christ alone. And by faith, those promises now belong to you.You are not a slave. You are not a debtor striving to earn what cannot be earned. You are a son. You are a daughter. You are Abraham's seed in Christ—and an heir of everything God promised.#Galatians #JustificationByFaith #UnionWithChrist #Adoption #AbrahamicPromise #SeedOfAbraham #ChristAlone #GraceAlone #FaithAlone #BiblicalTheology #ReformedTheology #ExpositoryPreaching"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 3:21-23. We all wrestle with insecurity — in relationships, in calling, and in the unknown future. It creeps in quietly and convinces us we're missing something, behind on something, or not enough for something. But Paul gives a truth big enough to shut insecurity down at its roots. So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. — 1 Corinthians 3:21–23 The Corinthians were comparing, competing, and craving affirmation — classic insecurity on display. Paul cuts through it with one reality: you're not missing out. You already belong to Christ, and in Him, you have more than you think. Look again at what Paul says belongs to you: The world — God works within it for your good. Life — every moment comes with a God-given purpose. Death — even your greatest fear has been turned into a doorway to Him. The present — God's presence is here, now. The future — God owns it, secures it, and guides you into it. Paul intentionally stacks these truths to remind believers that insecurity is built on forgetting, while confidence is built on belonging. Security forms with belonging — insecurity forms with forgetting. When you remember who you belong to, insecurity begins to break apart. Fear quiets down. Comparison loses its pull. Anxiety loosens its grip. Because Christ doesn't just hand out spiritual gifts — He gives Himself. And if you have Him, you're not lacking anything. Not now. Not ever. DO THIS: Name one insecurity you battle. Then say aloud: "I am Christ's — and Christ is enough." ASK THIS: What insecurity shapes my decisions more than God's truth? How would I live if I really believed "all things are mine in Christ"? What part of my identity in Christ do I forget most? PRAY THIS: Father, thank You that I belong to Christ. Help me release insecurity and rest in the security You've already given me. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Who You Say I Am"

Psalm 129: Afflicted, Not Destroyed — God's Preserving Grace in Suffering Show: Walking Through the Psalms (Servants of Grace Podcast) | Speaker: Dave Jenkins | Passage: Psalm 129 | Date: Friday, February 6, 2026 Show Summary Psalm 129 reminds us that the journey of God's people is not only marked by blessing, but also by affliction. As a Song of Ascents, this psalm was sung by Israel on the road to Jerusalem bearing witness to generations of suffering, endurance, and the Lord's preserving grace. In this episode of Walking Through the Psalms, Dave Jenkins teaches that faithfulness to God does not shield believers from hardship, but it does guarantee a secure outcome. God's people may be struck down, but they are never destroyed, because the Lord is righteous, His justice is sure, and His sustaining grace holds His people fast. Ultimately, Psalm 129 points us to Jesus Christ—afflicted, rejected, and crucified yet victorious in His resurrection. Because Christ lives, suffering does not have the final word, and opposition cannot undo the promises of God. Listen Watch Call to Action If this episode encouraged you, please consider sharing it and leaving a review. It helps others find trustworthy biblical teaching. Next episode: We'll continue our journey through the Songs of Ascents by looking at Psalm 130.  For more from our Psalm series visit here or at our YouTube. 

December 23, 2025 - Wednesday PM Bible Class   This episode is a recorded Deuteronomy class focusing on the blessings in Deuteronomy 28 (primarily verses 1–14). Led by the instructor with interactive student participation and readings, the session compares the structure of blessings to the curses covered in a previous lesson and highlights key scriptural and theological themes. Topics covered include the covenant framework and conditional pattern (“if you obey, then you will be blessed”), the parallel structure between the comprehensive curses and blessings, and the specific locations tied to the proclamation of blessings (Mount Gerizim) — including a brief cultural note linking Mount Gerizim to the Samaritan woman at the well. The discussion unpacks how the blessings touch every area of life (city and field, health, family, work, harvest, livestock, coming and going) and explains the mix of natural consequences (e.g., health and Sabbath rest improving productivity) and divine intervention (e.g., victory over enemies, providence for rain and harvest). Practical examples like Sabbath rest, the lending/borrowing relationship, and the “head not the tail” image are emphasized. Historical examples are surveyed — the conquest under Joshua, the cycles in Judges, and the faithfulness/decline under the kings — to show that God both promised and enacted blessings when Israel was obedient. A major theological point is stressed: while the curses list many specific violations, the blessings call for wholehearted obedience to all God's commands, warning against selective or partial obedience. The class then moves to New Testament application: Jesus is presented as the one who perfectly obeyed the covenant and thus fulfilled the blessings of Deuteronomy. Because Christ earned what Israel could not, he secures and shares those ultimate blessings with believers by grace. The session closes with pastoral and practical implications: obedience aligns us with God's generous desire to bless (without endorsing a prosperity gospel), grace covers our inability to obey perfectly, and faithfulness matters under the new covenant. Listeners can expect a mix of exegetical teaching, scriptural readings, historical illustration, classroom Q&A, and a Christ-centered theological application tying Old Testament promises to their fulfillment in Jesus. Duration 35:52

The Christian life is not a sprint but a long-distance race, and God calls His people to endure all the way to the finish line. In Hebrews 12:1–3, we are coached to keep running by laying aside every hindrance and the sin that entangles us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, and carefully considering His endurance. Jesus ran the race first—enduring the cross for the joy set before Him—and now sits victorious at God's right hand. As we look to Him and think deeply about His suffering and triumph, we are strengthened to resist weariness and discouragement. Because Christ ran first and finished strong, we can run with confidence, hope, and endurance until the end.

This daily Christian devotion reflects on Psalm 41:13 (ESV), the closing doxology of Book One of the Psalms. After lament, betrayal, confession, and prayer, David ends not with himself, but with God. “Blessed be the Lord” is the final confession of faith—praise that rests not on changing circumstances, but on the unchanging faithfulness of God.Calling Him “the God of Israel” anchors this praise in God's covenant mercy. He is the Lord who binds Himself to His people with promises and remains faithful from generation to generation. The phrase “from everlasting to everlasting” lifts our eyes beyond present trials to the eternal constancy of God. Our days rise and fall, but the Lord remains the same.The double “Amen” is a strong confession of trust. It declares certainty, not wishful thinking. For Christians, this confidence is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is the faithful “Yes” to all of God's promises. Because Christ lives, praise has the final word, even in the midst of suffering.This Christ-centered Lutheran devotion invites believers to end their days, and their prayers, the same way David ends this psalm—with doxology. Whatever the day has held, the Lord remains worthy of blessing.Support this ministry:https://buymeacoffee.com/whitegandalphbuymeacoffee.com/whitegandalphHashtags:#DailyDevotion#Psalm41#BlessedBeTheLord#Doxology#FaithfulGod

Jesus understands temptation because He faced it fully—forty days in the wilderness—yet never gave in, showing us both compassion for our weakness and a model of faithfulness. In Luke 4, each temptation is met not with arguments or excuses, but with God's Word: “the Scriptures say,” reminding us that we resist by anchoring our hearts in Scripture and living under the lordship of Christ rather than the “prince of this world.” We're called to exercise our own will—refusing to simply drift with the dominant culture—and to pursue our vocation with integrity, working as if it depends on us while praying as if it depends on God. Even as we pray boldly for healing and protection, we do not test or leverage God; we submit to His wisdom and timing, trusting that He acts in ways we sometimes can't predict. Because Christ passed this test and ultimately gave His life for us, we are forgiven, made new, and called to live faithfully—marked by integrity, truth, and wholehearted surrender to Him.

January 18, 2026: May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard.  Amen. Twelve years ago tomorrow, I celebrated the Eucharist here for the first time as your Rector.  It was January 19, 2014 at 10:30am.  I remember it well.  I knew way back then I had been called into something amazing – a new relationship with all of you.  And so, twelve years ago today I stood here by God's grace and nothing for me, and I pray for you, has been the same since. That is why the date of January 19th at 10:30am is something I will never forget.  It's the way it is with life altering events, right?  Folks remember the day a child was born, the first date we had with our spouse (and of course the day of the wedding itself – or we better!).  And, on a sadder note, the day a loved one died – their saint day, as we like to call it in the church, is a day each year that doesn't go unnoticed. We remember too moments that changed the country or the world – the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, WWII broke out, President Kennedy was shot, Astronaut John Glenn put his foot out onto the lunar surface, the Challenger spacecraft exploded, the 9/11 terrorist attack, and the January 6th insurrection.  And, those who were around for it remember too when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “Dream” speech to the thousands gathered for the March on Washington for Freedom & Jobs…and where they were when they heard the terrible news that he had been assassinated. These moments changed us – challenged us – demanded something of us.  And we were never the same from those points forward.  And so when we hear in the second part of the gospel of John read today this story of people's first encounter with Jesus, it should not surprise us that the community that wrote this gospel noted something about it.  The gospel account says “The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” …where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.  It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.  That's a kinda funny thing to write down, don't ya think?  What was so special about it being 4pm?  Something tells me it wasn't the first century version of “It's 5 o'clock somewhere.”  Clearly the community that wrote this fourth gospel knew that the lives of first disciples would be changed so much in that initial encounter with Jesus that they would never forget where they were and what time it was when it happened.  That is what call does.  It stops us in our tracks for a moment, and we are forever changed as we accept Christ's invitation to come and see. I suppose the question for each of us now is – do you recognize that moment for you and what will you do about it?  Because Christ is calling us to come and see in this life altering moment for our community and in this country.  As we watch ICE agents, sent by our President only into cities that did not vote for him, terrorize people regardless of citizenship status – wounding and killing children of God as they drag them without warrants out of their homes and businesses, shatter the windows of their cars with children inside, attack those who dare to peacefully protest with tear gas, pepper spray, and flash bombs, as well as using lethal choke holds (like the one that killed George Floyd) on those they detain. As this country fails to support those who are laying their life on the line for democracy in Ukraine, while the President imitates Putin, calling the US to invade Greenland, a sovereign territory of Denmark, and threatening NATO allies that have sent military and financial support to Greenland to prevent it. As we read the social media comments of people who think ICE agents have a right to abuse, kill, or deport people without due process because they are “illegals,” in a land where none of us are originally from here, save those of the indigenous tribes. As we find that our nation's highest court, in defiance of precedent and the US Constitution, affirms the right of ICE agents to target people based on the color of their skin, their accent or the language they speak, or their place of work. As we mourn the 32 killed by this administration ICE enforcement action in 2025, including Jean Wilson Brutus, who died while in custody at Delany Hall in Newark. As we hear our President refer to the countries these people come from as s-hole countries, while saying that we need more people from places like Norway – translation – he wants less people of color or Asian descent and more white people.  As we continue to wait for the Department of Justice to follow the law and release the files associated with the pedophile Epstein and stop protecting anyone who was involved in this horrific human trafficking of young girls for sex. As we hear over and over again the racist, misogynist, homophobic, and xenophobic garbage this President, his staff, and those who support him spew on a near minute by minute basis. I could go on and on and on…it's exhausting, isn't it? But in the midst of all of this – Jesus bids us to follow him as he goes to where he always stays – beside the vulnerable and afraid, alongside the oppressed and the lost.  This is a pivotable moment for every one of us as we stand amid this turning point in our nation.  We see, surely, what is happening.  The question for us is – will be follow Jesus when he bids us to come with him? It is a good question to consider as we celebrate the life of a man who did follow Jesus – followed him all the way to the cross – the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King's final Sunday sermon was at our own Episcopal cathedral in DC.  In that grand pulpit of Washington National Cathedral, King said this: “…Our experience [is] that the nation doesn't move around questions of genuine equality […] until it is confronted massively, dramatically in terms of direct action […] I submit that nothing will be done until people of goodwill put their bodies and their souls in motion and it will be the kind, the sole force brought into being as a result of this confrontation that I believe will make the difference […] On some positions, cowardice asks the question: is it expedient? And then expedience comes along and asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? Conscience asks the question, is it right?  And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular. But [one] must do it because conscience tells [them] it is right.” (https://cathedral.org/blog/today-in-cathedral-history-mlks-final-sunday-sermon/) Folks, that time is now.  Jesus' call to us is now. And here's the thing – the passage in Isaiah about the prophet we heard this morning was telling us something perhaps we need to hear as we consider what Christ is asking of us.  Because in no less a way as was said about the prophet Isaiah, God is saying this to each of you now: “I formed you in the womb to be my servant, and I give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”  And that salvation, my friends, is the hope God has in mind for all of us – that beloved community where all are welcome, and no one is harmed. This is who you were formed in the womb to be – God's transformative agent, following Christ to where he abides – with the least, the last, the lonely, and the lost.  This is our faith, what we committed to in baptism.  And this is how we should honor the saints, like King, too. Because if we truly want to honor people like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., then we have to do more than attend breakfasts and recall his sermons/speeches – we must live as he lived, and be willing to die as he did. And if we truly want to follow Jesus, we must do more than go to church, pray, and read scripture – we must live as he lived and be willing to die as he did.  This past week, the Rt. Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, put it this way: “We are now engaged in a horrible battle that is eternal, that has gone on for millennia. […] and we are now, I believe, entering a time, a new era of martyrdom. Renee Good being the last of note of those martyrs. New Hampshire's own Jonathan Daniels, a man also of white privilege, stood in front of the blast of a sheriff in Haynesville, Alabama, to protect a young black teenager from a shotgun blast. He died and was martyred. We know of the women, the Maryknoll sisters, who stood alongside the poor and the oppressed in El Salvador and were brutally raped and murdered in the name of Jesus. [Archbishop] Oscar Romero, in a mass, called upon the death squads of El Salvador to lay down their arms or risk excommunication [and ] was martyred the next Sunday at the altar.  I have told the clergy of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire that we may be entering into that same witness. And I've asked them to get their affairs in order—to make sure they have their wills written, because it may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable. And it may mean that we are going to have to act in a new way that we have never seen perhaps in our lifetime, except for these remote stories that I've just cited, to put our faith in the God of life, of resurrection, of a love that is stronger than death itself.” (https://www.nhepiscopal.org/blog) Amen Bishop!  Amen. “Now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.” Not everyone can do this to be sure.  Those who care for others, like young children or aging parents, those who face physical, mental, or emotional challenges, and of course – the vulnerable themselves.  The rest of us though – we must make a choice and it is by no means easy.  Neither was it for Jesus, for Dr. King, or for any of the other martyrs of the church.  This does not mean we recklessly engage in violence, but it does mean we act not only on social media, but with our voices, our feet, our very bodies in the streets, in the halls of government, anywhere that children of God suffer – anywhere Jesus calls us to come and see. If we do this, if we follow Jesus, then King's words will come to be.  In the end of that sermon at Washington National Cathedral, he said: “So, however dark it is, however deep the angry feelings and the violent explosions are, I can still sing “We Shall Overcome.” We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice. We shall overcome because Thomas Carlyle is right: “No lie can live forever.” We shall overcome because William Cullen Bryant is right: “Truth, crushed to earth, will rise again.” […] With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair the stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. […] God grant that we would be participants in this newness and this magnificent development if we will, but do it. We will bring about a new day of justice and brotherhood and peace. And that day, the morning stars will sing together and the [people] of God will shout for joy.” And so, as we enter into our thirteenth year together amid these deeply troubling times, as we consider in our hearts the path that lay before us, I leave you with this from the epistle of St. Paul we heard this morning – that you may know my deep gratitude for all that you do in the name of Jesus, and be reminded of all that you have been given by God for the work that lay ahead.: St. Paul wrote: “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind […and] He will also strengthen you to the end.” Amen. For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Sermon-January-18-2026-1.m4a   The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge January 18, 2026 The Second Sunday After The Epiphany 1st Reading – Isaiah 49:1-7 Psalm 40:1-12 2nd Reading – 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Gospel – John 1:29-42 The post “Now Is The Time!” appeared first on Christ Episcopal Church.

"In this sermon from Ecclesiastes 9:1–10, we face one of the most unavoidable realities of life under the sun: death. Solomon shows us that both the righteous and the wicked share the same observable fate in this world—suffering and death—and that God's providence cannot be interpreted merely by what we see happening around us.This passage confronts the temptation to judge God's favor or displeasure by prosperity, suffering, or length of life. Solomon makes clear that such judgments cannot be made from observation alone. Death comes to all, and life in a fallen world is marked by sorrow, injustice, and brevity. These realities are the universal effects of the curse introduced in Genesis 3.Yet Solomon does not lead us into despair. Instead, he teaches us how the fear of God transforms our understanding of life's transitory nature. While death renders all earthly things fleeting, it does not render them meaningless. For those who fear the Lord, suffering and death are not signs of rejection. God's approval rests on His people even as they suffer, and ultimate justice lies beyond this life.Because God has already accepted those who fear Him, Solomon exhorts believers to enjoy life as a gift from God—to eat and drink with joy, to cherish marriage and family, to work diligently, and to receive everyday blessings with gratitude. Life is short, and these gifts will not last forever, but they are real blessings meant to be enjoyed while God gives them.This sermon also points us beyond Ecclesiastes to the gospel itself. The believer's ability to live with joy in a dying world rests on the certainty of eternal life in Christ. Because Christ has been raised from the dead, death does not have the final word. God's approval, secured through justification in Christ, gives us freedom to live gratefully and faithfully even in a world marked by suffering and loss.Life is fleeting. Death is certain. But for those who fear God and trust in Christ, joy is not denied—it is redeemed."

Because Christ is uncondemnable, if we are found in Him, then so are we!

Hebrews 12:1-2 // Because Christ is better and has secured our joy, we endure by laying aside sin and fixing our eyes on Jesus as we run the race set before us.Anchor of the Soul // Michael Crosswhite

When we lose sight of the finish line, we drift toward complacency—but the resurrection of Christ calls us to endurance and hope. To fully enjoy God, we must be fully transformed by Him, and that transformation will come in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at Christ's return. Death does not have the final word in our stories because Jesus has defeated sin and the grave through His resurrection. Because Christ has overcome death, our labor is not in vain. We live and work with confidence, knowing we will be changed through Christ and raised to everlasting life with Him.

Sermon Title: Moment at the MangerMain Scripture: Hebrews 2:14 "Because God's children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death."Synopsis: In this message, we look at the wonder of the incarnation. It is a call to see Christmas not as a means to get more from God, but to worship Him for what He has already given. Because Christ humbled Himself, fulfilled the law, defeated sin and death, and adopted us as God's children, the incarnation is more than enough. Like the shepherds and the wise men, we are invited to leave what's familiar, bow in worship, and respond with gratitude.December 21, 2025 • Kyle Smith• • • • • • • •.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Join us for service in person and online every Sunday at 10am (MST) at the City Life Community Center in Missoula, MT. We believe that you matter. We would love to connect with you and hear your story! https://www.anchorchurchmissoula.com/contactIf you would like to engage financially with Anchor Church you can give by texting any amount to 84321 or by visiting https://www.anchorchurchmissoula.comNeed prayer or have a praise report? https://www.anchorchurchmissoula.com/prayerpraiseFor more information about Anchor Church or ways to get connected visit us at https://www.www.anchorchurchmissoula.com or follow us on our social media platforms below.Instagram - @anchorchurchmissoula - https://www.instagram.com/anchorchurchmissoulaFacebook - @anchorchurchmissoula - https://www.facebook.com/anchorchurchmissoula

Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2 December 21, 2025 AM.We began reading through a harmony of Matthew and Luke birth accounts of Jesus. We looked at a few debated issues, like whether Mary and Joseph wanted to stay in an "inn" but were turned away; whether December 25 was really the date of Jesus's birth, Christmas trees, the abbreviation Xmas, and who the "three kings of orient" are. Why Christmas? Because of the incarnation. And why the incarnation? Because Christ came to reveal God to us, to die for us and rise again, and to call us to repent and receive life instead of judgment. The whole Christian faith is the reason for Christmas. Do not be a grinch that steals the real meaning of Christmas. And do not let the secular society define your belief and practice of Christmas!

Because Christ is born, our faith can stand secure, as we receive God's gift of salvation and trust in His promises.

Because Christ has come, we should love him.In the fourth and final week of Advent, we look at Isaiah 11:1-10 and how it encourages us, in light of the coming of Jesus, to be a people who deeply love him.

Because Christ is the Perfect Image of the invisible God, our all-powerful Creator and Redeemer, we must entrust all we are and have to Him and praise Him as Lord and Savior of all. I. Christ is Preeminent as Creator of All Things (1) He is the Perfect Image of the Invisible God (2) He is the First-Born of Creation (3) He is Before All Thing (4) He Holds All Things Together II. Christ is Preeminent as Redeemer of All Things (1) He is the Head of the Church (2) He is the Beginning (3) He is the Firstborn from the Dead (4) He is Preeminent (5) He is the One in Whom the Fulness of God Dwells (5) He is Our Savior Who Reconciles Us to God by the Blood of His Cross

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 1-5 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! In today's episode, December 16th, 2025, Hunter invites us into the pages of First Peter, encouraging listeners with the message that our God is both with us and is love itself—even when life's trials seem overwhelming. Together, we journey through the themes of hope, transformation, and sincere love for one another, guided by Peter's call to embrace God's grace and kindness, and to support each other in our faith. As Hunter reminds us, the story of God's love ends not in betrayal but in an eternal embrace—a kiss of peace and acceptance. The episode closes with prayers for strength, peace, and unity, urging us to let God's joy be our strength and to share that hope with those around us. Whether you're tuning in during a difficult season or simply seeking daily encouragement, today's message is a gentle reminder: you are deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: This letter ends with a kiss. Peter admonishes the church to kiss one another, to offer each other a kiss of love. Christ offers us a kiss today, too. Even in the reading of this word, we can receive a kiss of love, his embrace. We can receive the kindness that he offers us. That's what we have in Christ. And our story will end just like this letter ends, with a kiss and an embrace from him. Judas offered Jesus a kiss, but it was a kiss of betrayal. All of us have offered God that same kiss of betrayal, in one way or another. We once were enemies of God, opposed to Him. But God was never opposed to us. And he was never our enemy. And he does not deal with us as our sins deserve. He does not betray us as we have betrayed Him. He does not even turn away from us in the wake of our betrayals. No. He does something absolutely scandalous. He offers us love in exchange for our betrayal. He doesn't pay back in kind. He gives us instead a kiss of love. And that love cost Him. The price was paid not in silver and gold, but with his precious blood shed for all of us—the sinless, spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Because Christ gave us a kiss of love for our betrayal, Peter says we must show sincere love for each other as brothers and sisters. You are cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth. So now he says you must show sincere love for each other. Love each other deeply with all your heart. That's verse 22. This letter ends with a kiss. So let's do that. I know that right now is kind of a strange time to be thinking about, let alone actually trying to do what the Scriptures are admonishing us to do here. It might be a real long time before we offer each other a kiss of love at our churches. But there are other ways that we can show kindness to each other. We can embrace each other regardless of our differences. We can do what Peter has said here. We can do what the Spirit implores us to do, even if for a while we have to hold back from actually physically kissing one another. But the point still stands, doesn't it? It does indeed. Christ offers us that kiss today. Go ahead and receive it. Allow yourself to receive that. You might cringe at first at the thought for a whole host of reasons, but just take a moment, will you, and receive God's kiss, God's embrace of you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Because Christ is risen, we who are saints know our future resurrection is certain, our present suffering is not final, and our faith is not in vain—we are still standing.

Because Christ has come, we should rejoice.In the third week of Advent, we consider the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-7. In light of Christ's coming, Christians should be a people of profound joy!

In today's Advent reflection, Paul reminds us that God's heart has always been for all people and that Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promise to bless every nation. Because Christ has welcomed us with open arms, we're called to welcome others with that same generosity — choosing unity over division, mercy over suspicion, and peace over agitation. Romans 15 shows us that God's family is far bigger and wider than we often imagine, and we're invited to live like that's true. As Paul closes with his beautiful blessing — that the God of hope would fill us with joy, peace, and an abundance of hope through the Holy Spirit — we're reminded that these Advent gifts don't come from perfect circumstances but from God's presence with us. Today, we're invited to embody that welcome, that unity, and that hope as we move through our day.Shameless plug: here's a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.You can read today's passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2015%3A%207-13&version=NRSVUEClick here if you'd like to join our GroupMe and receive this each morning at 7:00 a.m. CST. - https://groupme.com/join_group/107837407/vtYqtb6CYou can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, yet many people enter this season exhausted, overwhelmed, or feeling far from joyful and triumphant. In this message, Lead Pastor Aaron Pennington opens our Christmas series, Songs of Christmas, by taking us deeper into the meaning behind the classic hymn O Come All Ye Faithful.Rather than treating Christmas music as background noise, Pastor Aaron shows how this 250 year old hymn is actually a calling to reorient our hearts toward Jesus. Using Colossians 1, Matthew 11, Hebrews 4, and the overarching story of Scripture, he explains what it truly means to adore Christ and why adoration goes far beyond seasonal emotion. It is the highest biblical expression of worship, placing Christ as the supreme affection of our lives.Whether you walked into this season feeling faithful, joyful, or triumphant, or whether you feel weary, broken, disappointed, or unsure about faith, this message reminds you that the hymn is not describing your performance. It is describing the victory of Jesus that you step into by faith.Pastor Aaron also addresses the emotional weight many people carry in December and offers the comfort Jesus gives to the weary. Because Christ took on flesh and experienced suffering, betrayal, exhaustion, and pain, we can never say to God, “You do not understand.” He understands completely and invites us to come boldly to receive mercy and grace.This message will help you slow down, refocus your heart, and rediscover why Jesus is worthy of all devotion, affection, and adoration this Christmas. Learn why Christmas is not about having it all together but about the Savior who came to rescue us, redeem us, and offer eternal life to all who trust him.

Because Christ has come, you should set your hope in Him.Advent Series Description: Advent is the season of the year when Christians reflect upon the coming of Jesus. Our Savior's lowly incarnation & birth at Christmastime was the fulfillment of prophetic hopes the Scriptures had been sounding for centuries. In this series, we explore four key prophetic passages that reveal Christ and point to the Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.To begin the Advent season, we consider the prophecy of Isaiah 40:1-11, a passage that encourages us to set our hope on Christ. Because Christ has come, you should set your hope in Him.

November 28, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: Table of Duties - To Workers of All KindsDaily Lectionary: Isaiah 2:1-22; Isaiah 3:1-4:6; 1 Peter 1:13-25“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.” (Ephesians 6:5–8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The language here is…challenging. Slave. Obey. Earthly masters. Just as you would obey Christ. First of all, slaves. Second of all, I'm not even great at obeying Christ in the first place, let alone sinners like every earthly master. I'm not going to parse the word slave and come up with a definition that's more palatable. I'm not going to wax eloquent on the working class that can't escape poverty. Almost all of you have someone in charge of you. That's plenty to talk about already. When one sinner has power over another, that doesn't naturally produce a sense of peace. Those kinds of power dynamics are easy to abuse. But Luther sees only gift. Vocation isn't just “thou shalt not rage against the machine.” The gift of vocation sees God behind all things. Even sinners who are your boss. Ephesians says to serve them as if you were serving Christ. Because Christ works through your neighbor. Now there are two things to talk about. First, if your boss abuses you, that's always bad. That's never good. God is not pleased by this sin. You can tell, not because He gives you the boss, but because He gives your boss the same Ten Commandments. Second, you can expect God to work good through your boss anyway. Think about it, as sinful as all of us are, and as prone as those power dynamics are to abuse, we have not descended into anarchy. God brings more good from these relationships than we have any right to deserve, but we can expect them anyway because He is gracious. When it comes to your boss, recognize that God wants to care for you through them. Your role as a worker, in whatever phraseology you use, is challenging. Because all of us, in an uneven power dynamic, would rather be God than the Christian. Repent, and recognize just how much good we receive because God, who is powerful, is merciful to us. He even wants to use your boss to make sure you're provided for. It won't be perfect this side of glory, but we can dare to hope because God, who knows your boss too, dares to promise good here. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.In what You give us, Lord, to do, Together or alone, In old routines or ventures new, May we not cease to look to You, The cross You hung upon— All You endeavored done. (LSB 853:4)Author: Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.This new devotional resource by Carl Fickenscher walks you through each week's readings, revealing thematic connections and helping you better understand what is to come in worship each Sunday.

November 27, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 17:11-19Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 1:1-28; 1 Peter 1:1-12“[the lepers] lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.'” (Luke 17:13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today, we celebrate the blessed and historic feast of American Thanksgiving and try to keep the sarcasm off our faces. Pilgrims and Indians ate together, got along perfectly, and avoided arguing about politics. If you sprinkle some Jesus on it, there's a sermon in there about who you're thankful to. The problem is, I'm bad at it. All I can do is hang onto the losses. The what could have beens. I can come up with something to say at the table, but my heart just isn't in it most years. I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me a long list of stuff I can't list here because of word counts. This is most certainly true. Still, it's easier to find two things missing than all the ones there. That's why trying to be more thankful doesn't work for long. We don't need Thanksgiving sermons here. We need Jesus healing the least of these. Us. This is more than just a reminder to look on the bright side. Leprosy sermons aren't about feeling better with your lot in life; they're about Jesus helping people who can't help themselves. He's not with the worthy, but the outcasts, the unclean, and even helps those who don't know what thankfulness really is. Even the nine who fail to return are still healed. Because Christ isn't in it for the thank yous. He did it because He loves them. He bears the cross for them. And He loves you. It isn't measured in how many things you can list at the table to give thanks for. It's measured in the cross. Only Samaritan was truly thankful because thankfulness isn't halfhearted praise, but going back to the source for more. True thankfulness is getting seconds because that means more to whoever cooked for you all day than anything else. Go to the Thanksgiving Meal. The Eucharist. Communion. Then, go back for more. Thanksgiving is just returning to it over and over, heaping everything else that wasn't enough on a pile, and rejoicing in forgiveness and mercy for it all. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Even so, Lord, quickly come To Thy final harvest home; Gather Thou Thy people in, Free from sorrow, free from sin, There, forever purified, In Thy garner to abide: Come with all Thine angels, come, Raise the glorious harvest home. (LSB 892:4)Author: Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.This new devotional resource by Carl Fickenscher walks you through each week's readings, revealing thematic connections and helping you better understand what is to come in worship each Sunday.

As we head into a season full of special occasions, extended family dynamics, and old patterns, I've been thinking a lot about boundaries, forgiveness, reconciliation, and what it actually means to be self-sacrificing.  We all need better boundaries, especially with the people outside our immediate home during the holidays, because boundaries are vital for protecting our peace.  But so often, boundaries feel bad because we confuse protecting our peace with being selfish.  We get told to "offer it up" and "serve others," and while those are beautiful invitations, how we go about doing that matters just as much as the actions we take In today's podcast episode I explore the difference between harboring a grudge and simply being guarded, the distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation, and why you can forgive someone fully and still not want them present in certain spaces of your life. And how setting healthy boundaries to protect your peace can be an act of unconditional love. Because Christ calls us to unconditional love, not servitude.  Self-sacrificial love is intentional, it bears good fruit. If the fruits of your actions are guilt, shame, resentment, or emotional turmoil, that's a sign you might be acting sacrificial, not being sacrificial. And we talk sort through it all in today's value-packed episode! So, if you're wrestling with grudges, navigating historically hard family dynamics, and dreading the upcoming holidays (or even just homeschooling today), then grab your earbuds and join me for: Boundaries, Forgiveness, and Being Self-Sacrificial.   Celebrate the Catholic New Year with me! Use the (case sensitive) code: HAPPYNEWYEAR to take 20% off the Monthly or Lifetime Membership tiers of Happy, Holy Mama HERE!

Because Christ died and rose again, we who are united to Him by faith will also rise from the grave to be in the presence of God.

Main Point: Because Christ is coming again, be patient in suffering and steadfast in faithChrist is Coming Again (5:7-8)God will vindicate his people and give them victory over their enemies. That is a promise! But that promise is something we have to wait forBecause Christ is coming again, we don't have to vindicate ourselves or retaliate against our enemies. We leave the judgment to himBe Patient in Suffering (5:10)Be Steadfast in Faith (5:11)Because Christ is coming again, be patient in suffering and steadfast in faithPut Patience into Practice (5:9, 12)Waiting for the Lord keeps us from turning against one another in times of difficulty (v. 9)Waiting for the Lord keeps us from manipulating others to change our situation (v. 12)

This talk will offer an introduction to the principle that Christ is not a human "person" but is fully human. The first half of the talk will explore how this is expressed in the foundational Patristic writers (especially Cyril of Alexandria), and then the other half will explain why this principle is essential to understanding that salvation flows from Christ's humanity. Because Christ is the person of the Word (with his humanity) we are saved by union with the Word's humanity.

This talk examines the question of whether Jesus Christ possessed the theological virtue of faith and, if not, in what sense he can be called faithful. Drawing upon Scripture, and particularly the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, it argues that while Christ did not have faith in the proper sense—since faith concerns truths not yet seen—he nevertheless embodied its perfection through the beatific vision granted to him from the first moment of his conception. Aquinas teaches that faith and the beatific vision are mutually exclusive: one either sees God's essence directly, as in the vision of the blessed, or one believes in what is unseen. Because Christ, as the Incarnate Word, saw the Father immediately, he did not live by faith but by vision. Yet this vision was necessary for his role as the immovable and perfect principle of human salvation, the “author and finisher of faith” (Heb 12:2). The study further explores the Pauline expression pistis Christou (“faith/faithfulness of Christ”) and argues that even if read as a subjective genitive, the phrase refers not to Christ's personal act of believing but to his unwavering fidelity to the Father's salvific will. Through his obedience “unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8), Christ merited the perfection of faith without sharing its defect of unseeing. Consequently, his beatific knowledge grounds his perfect charity, by which he redeemed humanity. Thus, while Christ did not have faith as a wayfarer does, he was supremely faithful—the exemplar and efficient cause of all faith. His fidelity, flowing from divine vision and perfect love, ensures the faith and salvation of those united to him.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 7-10 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! In today's episode for Friday, November 17th—day 321 of our journey through the Bible—Hunter invites us into a time of reflection, encouragement, and prayer rooted in Second Corinthians chapters 7 through 10. Together, we explore the themes of generosity, spiritual strength, and the source of true Christian living found in Christ. Hunter reminds us of the promises we have in Jesus, guiding us to cleanse our hearts, embrace holiness, and rely on God's power for a life that is both generous and resilient. Through thoughtful prayer and insightful commentary, we learn that we have all the riches and strength we need in Christ, empowering us to serve, give, endure, and heal. Prepare to enter a new day with God's word spoken over you, uplifting prayers for yourself and the world, and encouragement to walk in truth, peace, and hope—trusting in the deep love God has for you. Let's continue this journey together, discovering joy and strength in every step. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Do you want to live a life that is generous and strong? Can you afford to live a generous Christian life? Do you have strength to defend yourself against spiritual attack—or, forget about spiritual attack, just plain old discouragement, depression, or self-loathing? We all need strength to overcome these things, whether spiritual or otherwise. Paul reminds us in the previous chapters where our riches for generous living and the strength for our struggles come from. They come from the One who alone is rich enough and strong enough. They come from Christ. Christ in you. So, do you want to live a life that is generous and strong? Then Christ will be the source of your strength and the source of your riches—your heart partnering with him to serve, to give, to endure, and to be healed. Yesterday's reading sets this up for us: it says that God's power is working in us. And now, in today's passage, 2 Corinthians 7:1, we read, "Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. Let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God." So, what's the promise? It's the promise of Christ's presence in you. What are the earmarks of holy living? Generosity and strength. Because Christ lives in you, you are able to cleanse yourself from everything that defiles your body and spirit. Now, you have the strength and generosity to move forward and to experience real change. Because you fear God, because Christ lives in you, you have what you need. Can you afford a generous life? It depends on how rich you are. Do you have the strength you need to move forward? Well, that depends on how strong you are. How rich are you? How strong are you? If Christ is in you, then you have all the riches you need and then some. If Christ is in you, then you have all the strength you need and then some. And I'm here to tell you, Christ is in you. As John said, "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." So because we have these promises, we can live the Christian life. Let's be awakened today by the presence of God in you, your true life which is hidden in Him. You have been fully embraced in Christ just as you are in Him. You are a new creation, and because of Him, you can be wise and generous—strong. And the prayer of my own heart today is that we will all begin to see this just a little bit more today than we did yesterday. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family—for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

This week, Pastor John Durham concluded our Desert Rose series with a message from Mark 15, reminding us that Jesus entered the deepest form of loneliness so that we would never be alone. On the cross, He was forsaken so we could be accepted, and His separation allowed for our connection with God. Because Christ fills our loneliness with Himself, we can live with confidence that we are seen, we are not abandoned, and we are called to represent His love to others.

Because Christ finished His work for us, there can be no doubt that He will finish His work in us. Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 51-52 & Hebrews 9 

Because Christ, our Divine Warrior, has triumphed over all principalities and powers, we must stand firm in His strength, taking up His armor and persevering in prayer for the advance of His kingdom.

Because Christ has triumphed in the cross, no one can judge Christians based on those things that Jesus has fulfilled. The Old Testament regulations concerning food and drink and Sabbaths are a shadow of the body of Christ who has now been revealed. Although false preachers peddle practices that may look religious, any worship or piety that does not teach us to cling to Christ has no value. Only Christ, the Head of the Church, can hold His body together and cause it to grow and bear fruit.  Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Colossians 2:16-23.  To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit gracebrenham.org. “Letters from Prison” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that studies Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Even when Paul was imprisoned for the sake of Christ, the Word of God remained unbound. The apostle's letters from prison still fill us with the same joy that his chains could never silence. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

"If you knew what that man did to me..." Barry addresses the emotionally challenging (yet liberating) journey of forgiving your father. Tune in to discover what forgiveness truly is, what it is not, and why it is crucial for your personal and generational healing.Get some discipline! Join the FS100 Challenge by signing up today!FS Facebook FS Instagram FS YouTube Got a question? Need some discipline? Email Barry at barry@fatherseekers.orgTIMELINE00:00 How can I forgive HIM?00:33 Because Christ forgave you02:03 Misconceptions About Forgiveness04:34 The True Meaning of Forgiveness06:40 The Journey and Importance of Forgiveness09:11 God's Requirement for Forgiveness16:03 Practical Steps to Forgiveness21:08 fatherseekers.org--FatherSeekers helps fatherless fathers become better fathers.Get discussion guides, devotionals, and more at FS Website

“A Psalm to Help Us Pray” Psalm 20               November 2, 2025 Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn  Sermon Application [file]   ----more---- Psalm 20:1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! [2] May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! [3] May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah [4] May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! [5] May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! [6] Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. [7] Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. [8] They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. [9] O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call.  I. The Nature of Psalm 20 II. This Psalm Points Beyond David to Christ III. Because Christ's Prayers Were Answered, Ours Will Be IV. How This Psalm Helps Us Pray 

Main Idea. Only the blood of Jesus brings sinners out of darkness and into fellowship with God. Question. Why do we need the blood of Jesus to have fellowship with God? 1. Because God is holy (v.5) 2. Because sin breaks fellowship (v.6) 3. Because Christ's blood restores fellowship (v.7) Takeaways (for walking in the light). Cling to Christ. Confess your sin. Live in fellowship.

Because Christ is God the Son sent by the Father and revealed the Spirit, we must give Him our whole attention and follow Him faithfully as Lord and Savior. I. The Declaration by God the Father that this is His Son! v 5 II. The Fear that Fell Upon the Disciples Because of the Presence of God in His Glory v 6 III. The Mediator and the Comfort that Comes When Jesus Draws Near! . vv 7-8

Because Christ paid the ultimate price to redeem us, our love for him should compel us to put aside our old desires and live wholly for him.

Doing something a little different than usual! A full verse-by-verse Bible study on the book of Colossians. This letter isn't just historical... it's prophetic. Paul wrote it to combat spiritual deception, legalism, mysticism, and religious elitism in his day… but it reads like it was written for ours. So that's what this is about digging into. In this in-depth teaching, we'll walk through every chapter of Colossians and expose: -The religious spirit behind Catholicism, Orthodoxy & legalism -The mysticism behind the New Age, asceticism & progressive Christianity -The counterfeit gospel of self, performance, and philosophy -And the TRUE supremacy of Jesus Christ over all creation—past, present, and future. Bring your Bible. Take notes. My prayer is that this one's going to equip you with bold truth in an age of spiritual confusion. Let's study Colossians together. :-) Because Christ is enough. Period.       Follow me on Instagram: @AngelamarieScafidi       -       Ways to Support the Show: