Podcasts about bible wisdom

What is wisdom? What is righteousness? Who are the primary role-models in wisdom and righteousness in the Old Testament, and how do they point us to Christ? As we conclude our last episode in our Gospel Spice Proverbs series, Stephanie invites us to take a final look at what righteousness and wisdom truly are, and then we will gaze at the Face of Him who is our righteousness. We ponder perseverance and endurance in the faith in our struggle against lust--in whatever form. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom On righteousness: Proverbs talks a lot about the righteous and the wicked, the lazy, the fool. It teaches by example—what is righteous by showing what is wicked.  The moment you accept Christ, life does not become a stroll in the park. Perseverance in your faith is the hallmark of your faithfulness. Your authenticity is proven by your walk. The walk of faith is a slow transformation with lots of roadblocks and dead-ends and detours, many coming from the past – past idols trying to trip you up in guilt and shame. But you are a new creation in Christ. You are the Bride of Christ, pure and blameless and spotless and righteous—not on your own strength but HIDDEN IN HIM. If you think that conversion is a fast-pass to transformation, you are in for a deception. Faith is slow-cooked more often than it is pressure-cooked, though both happen. Righteousness is valuing God above all else. It means that ethics and morality find their source in respecting God as the ultimate worth. Righteousness is more than doing the “right” thing: righteousness is valuing God as ultimate in all things. Valuing God as ultimate in all things is the ultimate right thing, and that is what makes you righteous in His eyes. Our righteousness is exhibited when we too value and respect the worth of God without wavering and upholding it in all that we do, to the nest of our strength in Christ. In other words, We as humans are to practice righteousness towards the goal of obtaining it, knowing it is already ours in Christ. On wisdom: Solomon was the wisest king who ever lived, yet we have seen that he didn't end so well. The consequences cannot be overstated. Proverbs extols wisdom associated with a man who, by everyone's judgment, was considered wise and is so to the present day. Yet he failed to live by wisdom. The result is further affirmation of the testimony of the Law, that our hope is in One. Even so great a force as wisdom, when it is nurtured and embraced, cannot rescue us from the evil that resides in our hearts. Solomon's details and bad ending, moral of the story: even the wisest man, apart from Christ, is not wise enough. “The universal Voice of God was by the ancient Hebrews often called wisdom.” (A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God) “This habit of explaining the Voice by appeals to natural law is at the very root of modern science. In the living, breathing cosmos there is a mysterious Something, too wonderful for any mind to understand. The believing man does not claim to understand. He falls to his knees and whispers, “God.” The man of the earth kneels, too, but not to worship. He kneels to examine, to search, to find the cause and the how of things.” A.W. Tozer Folly is looking for an explanation in the dirt of the earth, under the sun. Wisdom is knowing that God will be found above the sun. And so, wisdom, the voice of God, calls and searches the one who wants to cultivate their spiritual heart. If you have ever experienced inexplicable loneliness, or otherworldly longing, or a feeling of awe and wonder, a moment of light and lightness – that is the Voice of God guiding your spiritual heart to find your rest in Him. On wisdom from above, in the Face of Christ Jesus: Jesus describes the wisdom that is from above in His Sermon on the Mount. Take the Beatitudes and write them in reverse – you will get the wisdom from the world: accumulate riches. Be selfish. Be on the lookout for Number One. Live for this world alone. Jesus is not offering an opinion here. Jesus never gives opinions. He gives truth. HE KNOWS. His wisdom is not from under the sun like Solomon's. His wisdom is not the result of his study of human nature or nature itself. Jesus gives truth because He is fully God. He is speaking from within the intimacy of the Trinity.  His words are not opinions. They are truth. The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' definition of wisdom that is from above. So, worship God, who is from above the sun. Worship Christ, the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. This is taken from Hebrews 1:1-5, which tells us that God spoke wisdom through the Old Testament, in Proverbs for example, but that He went all out in Christ: "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs." ---------------Note to PARENTS--------------- We CARE about your family!! As usual, Stephanie brings in a fictitious character to illustrate our theme. This week's trait is lust. Therefore, the initial illustration, while not explicit, might not be for the youngest ears--unless you are ready to answer spicy questions about intimate relations. Stephanie's mention is brief, but an inquisitive little heart may pick up on questions worth asking! Decide for yourself when to best listen to the first 5 minutes of this episode! Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom MORE ABOUT OUR FICTIONAL GUESTS Over the last few weeks, we have sought to cultivate God-centered hope, faith and joy by pondering wisdom from the Book of Proverbs. We have followed fictitious characters who have role-modeled various options open to us as believers. Today, we will conclude our series by highlighting key takeaways from each one. Samantha has shown us what foolishness is, so that we could know what wisdom from above means. We have seen that embracing Wisdom will bring us knowledge and discernment. We have learned how wisdom undergirds our God-breathed process towards deeper hope, faith and joy. Brian has exemplified the danger of refusing to let God be God. We called this “spiritual adultery,” and discovered guilt that leads to repentance and restoration. We have chosen to embrace integrity and truth in order to enjoy a clear conscience. Brian has shown us that our quest is rooted in our identity. Jessica lived a life rooted in fear and anxiety. She is learning to replace them with faith and trust. With her, we have chosen to embrace faith, as it will lead to peace and serenity. She would tell us that God's love for us is where our heart finds its rest. Lauren's life moved from self-pride to genuine humility. With her, we have embraced a Christ-centered humility that leads to God-honoring gratitude. With Lauren and Jessica, we have pondered this truth: fear stems from a delated view of God; pride stems from an inflated view of self. Eve chose to move away from her self-centered lifestyle, and towards selfless love. She has discovered that true God-grounded love leads to compassion. With her, we have identified the God-given challenge of the Christian life: to nurture our craving for the One who will never disappoint. John's life was deeply rooted in self-destructive greed. Idolatry happens when we love something—anything—more than God. We are all guilty. We all rob ourselves of joy when we choose greed. Because greed robs us of joy, we choose generosity and a purpose rooted in hope, faith and joy. Finally, Lizzie indulged in a lifestyle of selfish numbing and comfortable little pleasures. She created for herself a bubble that isolated her from the real world God had been inviting her to take her place in. We pondered the importance of self-control as the means to the life of freedom that God has for us. Hope, faith and joy are the expression of this God-given, God-glorifying freedom. Through all of them, we have seen that, when we become serious about our intimacy with God, distractions, dangers and hindrances will come knocking. Our life is a spiritual battleground. Our hearts will either side with God, or with the enemy of our soul. Hope, faith and joy lie in the balance. They are the means to the great Reward of life itself: intimacy with God. Worship is the secret of a vibrant relationship with God. Worship is valuing Him as ultimate in all things. First, it means that hope, faith and joy will not grow in the soil of your life without cultivating a heart of gratitude. Also, it means that there cannot be true worship without complete surrender to God's sovereignty. That is spiritual wisdom. Surrender is not adopting a martyr's pose in submission; it is the glad agreement that God is right. Such faith is cheerful, joyful, and approving. Worship is embracing the truth that God is wise, and that we grow in hope, faith and joy under the shadow of His wings, His wisdom, His guidance. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Will we dare to diagnose our distractions? This heavy topic is on our mind today as we ponder the lessons from the Book of Proverbs about priorities, and distractions. Stephanie introduces us this week to a new fictitious character, who constantly seeks to maintain herself in a state of numbing and escape from the real world. And so, we look at the ever-increasing numbing that comes from seeking pleasure or relief in the wrong places, so predominant in our culture today. We talk about misplaced loves: we are wired for joy and pleasure and delight, but we need to beware of seeking these in the wrong places, even the “innocent” ones. God is the only safe place for us—in everything, including our delight and joy and pleasure. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom The author of the Book of Proverbs suffered from an acute case of escapism. King Solomon was addicted to women, and to wine (see Proverbs 31:1-9). He learned the lesson, but too late-- from 1Kings 11 to the entire book of Ecclesiastes, Scripture attests to the failure of the world's wisest man to choose delight in God at the twilight of his royal life. Solomon stopped delighting in God's glory and started delighting in his own. Does this mean that our own desire to delight in God, and to escape escapism, is a doomed quest? Not so! Because we have access to the wisdom that is from above the sun--the very wisdom of God through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, in the name of Christ. We have what Solomon never had.  Disclaimer – pleasure itself is not a bad thing. We are wired for pleasure and joy and delight. But beware where you seek it! Jesus loved pleasure and joy and delight, and role-models how to place these desires rightly: squarely in the lap of our heavenly Father, on our knees. The questions we are challenged to answer this week: Would we rather garner praise from humans for our own works, or praise from God for our dependence on Him? Would we rather build our own little kingdom, bound in time and space under our own wisdom, and be its ruler for a season -- or be part of the larger, infinite, eternal Kingdom of God with the place of honor of a child? Jesus opened the way of wisdom on the cross by surrendering to the Father, and invites us into the same. His passion was the climax of a life of resisting the temptation to delight in Self-glory. For example, the wilderness temptations were all attempts at distractions from His mission. And, so was Gethsemane: it was the final battle for resolve, the culmination of a lifetime of battles against sin and temptation. Jesus did what we could not do: a life of perfect surrender to God (which is perfect freedom) so that He could give us that freedom through the Cross. Freedom from sin; Freedom from Self; Freedom to surrender to the Son. Why would we want to be our own master, when Christ offers to be the master we could never be for ourselves?  What the world needs most right now is our personal intimacy with God. Only then will we be truly equipped to reach the world in His Name. So, Stephanie ends this highly personal episode with several of her own personal tips and experiences of trusting God. They include: - Early morning routine; - Prayer; - Bible study, intake, memorization (raking for leaves and digging for diamonds both); - Discipline; - Worship. Are we PERFECT? NO. But the general direction is a growth in our moment-by-moment dependence on God by His Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord. That's the spirit of the Book of Proverbs. Don't give up. Trust God, not yourself.  Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/proverbs MEET OUR FICTIONAL GUEST TODAY | LIZ Lizzie loves a good shopping spree. She finds peace in the endless rhythm of browsing the racks, and trying things on, and spending hours in search of the one perfect item she is looking for. She usually does not know what she needs until she finds it, but then, she knows. She jokes that Target has a memory erasing device at the entrance of their stores—she comes in for milk, and leaves with 3 trendy pillows, a pretty dress, and a new kitchen gadget. And then she has to send her husband to the store after work because she forgot the milk. Oh, her husband. He's a good man. Lizzie loves to spend hours on social media. She's been known to let dinner to burn, or forget to get it started, because she was down a rabbit hole on Twitter. Good thing she can order takeout at the click of a button. Her husband is very supportive. Her favorite evenings are spent with a glass of wine—or two—watching her favorite shows. Yes, she has been known to binge watch. She just can't resist the pull of a good story. She loves to bury herself in the comforting world of make-believe characters and their fascinating stories, especially easy romance. Her own life is dull and humdrum—nothing like those exciting adventures. Married, kids out of the house, not much to report. Well, on the surface at least. She doesn't really want to think about the long evenings her husband has to work to provide for them. All this stress is exhausting. Lizzie loves the little cocoon she has woven for herself—all those well-deserved, innocent comforts to escape reality. She remembers a time in life when it seemed like she could handle a lot more—more stress, more activities, more relationships. Maybe it's just part of aging. That's why Lizzie loves to take naps: there is nothing like the feel of drifting away from reality to embrace the sweet comfort of sleep. She just decided to quit her job as a part-time administrative clerk; it is just too much pressure. Yes, it is going to put financial stress on her hard-working husband, but her wellbeing is important, right? He keeps telling her that God will give her purpose and passion. That sounds like too much work. She's not interested. She'd rather stay home and get some rest. Distractions build a smoke and mirror kingdom that will take us away from God's calling on our lives. Because we are wired for joy and hope and faith, we need to see the danger of distractions, even “innocent” ones. Accumulated distractions will build for us a small world of delusion and fantasy. Lizzie is seeking refuge in her little make-believe bubble of comforts. This small escape world only exists in her mind. It is the sum of her misplaced loves. The Book of Proverbs teaches us that wisdom is placing our love in God Himself. No less, no more. God invites us to live out the fullness of our identity in Him. Lizzie is too distracted to care about identity, calling and purpose. She has numbed herself into the comfortable oblivion of manifold distractions. So, unlike Lizzie, let's dare to diagnose our distractions. Let's dare to refuse self-deception and self-numbing. Let's seek to cultivate the root of our hope, our faith, our joy in God Himself. Let's be ruthlessly honest and see distractions as they really are in our own heart, even when comfort beckons. Especially when comfort beckons. And let's dare to ask ourselves: what if God was using our uncomfortable circumstances to personally mentor us into deeper intimacy with Him? Would it make difficult seasons worth it? We have a choice. Our circumstances can distract us away from genuine faith, hope and joy, or they can draw us closer to God. We cannot grow closer to God while building our own little kingdom through self-numbing and worldly comforts. Instead, God invites us to join His bold and ambitious work to build His larger, infinite, eternal Kingdom. To accomplish our purpose in this life, we need to be laser-focused on God's calling over us, and shun the worldly distractions. What the world needs most right now is our personal intimacy with God. Only then will we be truly equipped to reach the world in His Name. Take a listen to Gospel Spice Podcast Episode 390 to find out many more ways that our world aims to distract us from God today. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Send us a textIn this episode Peter reminds us that the world as we know it is coming to an end. In light of this truth, how should we live? What should our priorities be? Join as we discuss some practical ways to live like we are dying.Questions:Vs 7 - If you knew the exact date of Jesus' return, or the day you were going to die, how would it change the way you live today?What would become important to you that isn't now?Vs 8 - Are people your priority? Are you committed to making their lives better? What are some ways we can show love to others?Peter's statement “love covers a multitude of sin”, sounds like he is telling us to avoid conflict, or ignore someone's bad actions… Real love doesn't avoid or ignore, it looks past to help people overcome their issues. That's not easy!How can we become people who love big and lead others to the truth?Vs 9 - An invitation to someone's home, lets us know we wanted and accepted. Meeting a base need like a place to stay or a meal, lets us know we matter and have value.Are you comfortable and quick to invite others into your home? How can meeting someone's needs open the door to conversations about their life and relationship with Jesus?Vs 10 - Here's a short list of some spiritual gifts listed in the Bible: Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Teaching, Leadership, Serving others, Mercy, Giving, & EncouragementWhere do you see yourself?Vs 11 - What gift(s) can you offer to your community that will help it grow and be stronger?Thank you for listening to the One Loud Voice podcast. If you are interested in joining or starting a group study, please visit our website, oneloudvoice.org/groups for more information.If you like this content, we encourage you to also follow us on Facebook or Instagram

Will I dare ask myself if greed is an issue in my life? Will I dare ask myself if greed is an issue in my life? What is keeping me away from God today? Could greed be a problem? There's a French saying: some people are so poor, all they have is money. Today we are talking about replacing greed, and all forms of idolatry, with joy. Greed. What does the Bible say about it?  Proverbs 1:19 - Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors. Proverbs 11:28  -Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. Greed doesn't give. Greed robs. Greed robs YOU of joy. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom To start us off, Stephanie challenges us--and herself--with seven questions to self-diagnose if we have unknowingly fallen victim to greed, in one form or another: 1.     Is it MY money or God's? 2.    What would I do differently if I knew I would be dead in a year? 3.     WHY do I want more money? 4.     How do I spend my time? thinking of ways to earn more, or of ways to advance God's Kingdom? 5.     How would I behave if I lost everything? 6.     Am I truly generous? 7.     Do I compromise character to make more money? Then we ponder the link between joy and righteousness and the only true cure against greed. Idolatry is misplaced worship.  Proverbs describes where joy cannot be found. The summary of the entire book of Proverbs can be found in Mark 8:36: "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" That's the definition of unrighteousness. Joy "must be sharply distinguished both from happiness and from pleasure" - CS Lewis Joy is “unsatisfied desire, which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” – CS Lewis again. God promises to give us a joy that surpasses anything this world has to offer. Here's the question: how much of your life to do you spend experiencing this joy, vs looking for joy elsewhere? Psalm 35:27 - Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” Haydn, the great musician, was once asked why his church music was so cheerful, and he replied: "When I think upon God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap, as it were, from my pen ; and since God has given me a cheerful heart, it will be pardoned me that I serve Him with a cheerful spirit." Joy is the juice of gladness that comes from the fruit of peace, itself springing up from the ground of righteousness – our righteousness in Christ. Matthew Henry defines joy as "a constant delight in God." Who does the work of transforming our hearts to find satisfaction in God? God Himself is the One who transforms our heart to increasingly see Christ as our supreme treasure, even as we seek to find our satisfaction in Him. Cyprian was a third-century North African. As he was anticipating death, he penned these last words to his friend Donatus in 258AD: “It's a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people are the Christians—and I am one of them.” This is an episode you do not want to miss. We look forward to serving you through it this week! MEET OUR CHARACTER OF THE WEEK  It had been a good year for John. He had managed to obtain a bonus packet worth a small fortune. It would go towards the purchase of his new beach house. Despite this formidable win, it bothered him that others in his industry made more. After all, he deserved every Benjamin, and then some. Sure, his recent promotion had come by a lot of backstabbing. Good for him. The corporate pie was only big enough to share among the most ruthless sharks, and he wants the biggest slice he could get his teeth on. John was determined to keep his focus on multiplying his assets this year, and fast. Today is all that matters. Faster, stronger, better. Last week, in the middle of a heated discussion about a takeover bid that was going to earn him that next nice bundle, John had a stroke. He is now on his hospital bed, slowly recovering. For the first time since he can remember, he has time to think. He is wondering if big money really is all that it is cracked up to be. He loves life with money, but what would money be without life? Hum. Would you say that John has reaped joy from the money he is accumulating? There's a French saying: “some people are so poor, all they have is money.” John is plagued with a self-imposed case of greed. Greed is idolatry: it is valuing something—anything—more than God. It's the “just-a-bit-more” mentality: “if only I had this, then…” The problem is, it is a moving target that never satisfies. Greed is the agony of “never enough.” It makes us ignore or forget God in our pursuit of “more.” Eventually, it slowly brainwashes us to believe that God, like everything else we've tried, is “never enough.” Greed makes us forget about eternity; it replaces our God-given perspective of Heaven with a world-centered focus on today. The change can be so subtle, though, that it is almost never self-diagnosed. Let's be the exception! Whether the Holy Spirit whispers it to us through our time in prayer, or in the study of His word, or through a true friend, let's identify any seed of idolatry in our heart. Greed, like any form of idolatry, never gives. Greed robs. It robs us of joy. The alternative to greed is joy—joy in God Himself. It is joy in our relationship with Him, not for what He can give us, but for the sheet delight of relationship. As C.S. Lewis puts it, joy in God is “unsatisfied desire, which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” This is what I would wish to tell John: God promises to give us a joy that surpasses anything this world has to offer. Scripture challenges us to embrace the universe through the lens of faith. This perspective from Heaven promises us hope and joy. And yet, how often do we look for joy elsewhere? As Christians, we easily acknowledge that God is the almighty, living, ruling Lord of all. He is one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who dwells in heaven, a place of eternal joy. The psalmist says, "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:1, NIV). But do we really experience this? Joy has been God's ambition since Day One—literally. God created the universe for His own pleasure and enjoyed doing it. He created planet earth as our breathtaking dwelling place. He fashioned man and woman in His image to glorify Him, to live and rule in peace and joy. The totality of His creation made Him smile and He called it "very good." Then something went very wrong. Iniquity appeared, and earth became a place of sorrow, a troubled segment of the universe where idolatry and greed now reign in humans' hearts. God knew it would unfold so. The plan was already in place: at the appointed time, His Son Jesus came on a pre-planned mission to free the earth from its curse and return its people to an abundant life of hope, joy, and faith. Nothing could be further from puny greed. "For the joy set before Him," Jesus endured the cross. It means that He took our sin from us, accomplished our salvation, died, and rose again to everlasting life in the kingdom of heaven. To those who receive Him as Lord and acknowledge Him as Savior, Jesus Christ promises forgiveness, redemption from sin, a new birth, answers to prayer, the outpouring of His Holy Spirit of love, victory over death, and the everlasting joy of heaven. Jesus lives today at the Father's right hand in resurrected glory and fullness of joy; He has promised to come back for His church and to take us where He is. That is the essence of joy in God, and it is ours to cling to. We invite you to listen to this week's episode of the Gospel Spice Podcast to find out what happened to John, and to unpack the deeper truth of abiding in God's joy today. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Are you ready for a fresh, spicy approach to the love of God today? We've all heard that God loves us. Do we really believe it? How can we live in deeper awareness of God's love for me? The Book of Proverbs might not be overtly explicit about God's love, but it is the underlying foundation for the entire book. So, today, we are pondering God's love: what does it mean that "God is love"? Why is He love? What does His love look like? We're not staying in shallow waters. We are peeking under the hood of Proverbs to look at how the engine of this book truly functions. And we discover that Love is the fuel behind every motion in Proverbs. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom Stephanie starts us off this week with a powerful quote by her countryman, Blaise Pascal, on his famous "God-shaped hole" in the human heart: “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself” -- Blaise Pascal, 1670. We see that, IN God, our primary life calling: to REST in LOVE and DELIGHT in HIM in return. To make God our rest and my delight. We are created to LOVE and BE LOVED. We are attracted by LOVE like an irresistible magnet. And, we can only love well when we are loved well. Love is an experience of the heart AND mind. It is a decision of the will that transforms your heart and turns living into loving. Stephanie challenges us to embrace the challenge of the Christian life: to nurture the One Craving of craving the One--Christ, that is. And we discuss practical ways to do just that. They may sound overworn and cliche, but there's a reason some paths are well-trodden by countless generations of Christ-worshipping believers across time and space: these well-worn paths actualyl work, and actually lead us deeper into God. They are called prayer and the study of Scripture. Stephanie gives us a fresh perspective to rejuvenate our desire to walk these paths daily. We are challenged to learn to experience the consequences of growing in our craving of God alone. Then, we look at the practical outcome: True love is binding yourself to the One you love. It is a surrender of freewill to embrace freedom to love another. God displays His supernatural glory through human impossibilities. He chooses us to make us a willing partner of His acting through us. Love the Lord your God, and then love your neighbor as yourself. - Jesus. Join us today for a fresh, in-depth dive into the love of God! Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/proverbs MEET OUR CHARACTER OF THE WEEK Eve has always wanted to get married but does not feel very comfortable with the idea of long-term commitment. Now in her early 40's, she would describe herself as pleasing, accommodating and bubbly. And she has an amazing body that she works hard to fine-tune. In social situations, Eve shines. It makes her job as an events coordinator all the more enthralling. She craves the thrill of success. If it takes a perfectly fitting shirt or some batting of the eye lashes — in the end it gets the job done. God helps those who help themselves, right? Eve recently began attending a church in town. The music is so unique compared to the boring hymns she grew up with! She felt exposed, however, when the pastor's wife invited her to attend a women's event. You see, Eve just doesn't get along with women that well, and naturally shies away from female friendships. In this case however, given that it was church, she agreed to attend ONE event. After all, she's always looking for opportunities to coordinate an event and land some new clients, so she decided to go ahead with it. Fast forward a few months. The women's event was so enjoyable that Eve started attending a Bible study. Surprisingly, she finds herself learning to like some of the women. One woman invited her for coffee and started asking more personal questions. This left Eve feeling anxious and uncomfortable. No one had ever probed like this. Yet it also felt so caring and loving. Weird. Eve is starting to feel nervous that she might not know how to connect. She wonders if there is more to life than the fancy events, the fine-tuned body, the bubbly interactions. She thinks she wants something more but has no idea for what that would look like. Eve is looking for God's love, and she does not know it. She is feeling what my compatriot, Blaise Pascal described in the 1650's in his Pensées as “this infinite abyss [that] can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself.” You may have heard this referenced to as a “God-shaped hole” in every human heart. Blaise Pascal never said it was a merely a hole or a vacuum. It's an infinite abyss. Only God can fill the abyss of our heart. And that is, because only God is pure love. We often settle for substitutes, even good ones. And yet, nothing short of God's infinite love will truly satisfy. Even the “perfect” family, the dream job, the best ministry—they may satisfy for a season, but the “infinite abyss” of our heart intuitively discovers that they do not fill. Only the love of our infinite God can fill the infinite abyss of our heart. So, what does God's love look like, and how do we experience it so that it fills our heart? I would venture to say, in the same way that we experience anyone else's love! God has given us human interactions so that we would learn from them how to spot true love, and then infinitely extrapolate the experience to embrace God's love. In other words, how do you know anyone loves you? I think it is the sum of what they say and what they do. And so it is with God. Ponder what Scripture tells you about what God says about you, what He promises you, and what He has done for you both in the past and in the present. For example, Zephaniah 3:17 describes you as the recipient of the overflow of the love of God: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke y but will rejoice over you with singing.” To need and to want; to love and be loved. This is the experience God invites us to enjoy in Him. Love is an experience of the heart AND mind. It is a decision of the will that transforms your heart and turns living into loving. So, how do we do this? First, be inspired by others who DO delight in Him. Who do you know, who loves the Lord with all of their heart and mind and strength and soul? Seek them out, and then surround yourself with them; learn from them. And second, YOU be inspiring to others who seek to delight in Him! Never place yourself intentionally on display, but intentionally invite Him to use you as His earthen vessel in a jar of clay. In other words, love God, and love others like yourself. What does it look like? I would sum it up in one word: Crave. Crave Him. The more you spend time with others who crave Him, the more you will crave Him. It will happen through prayer and study of His Word. It will happen through a deeper living-out of the set-apartness of knowing you are His, and He is yours. It will happen as you practically set out to love others in His Name. And it will not happen in your own strength—that's the secret. God displays His supernatural glory through human impossibilities. Crave God. He will satisfy. Love God. He will teach you to love Him through the Spirit. Love others. He will act through you. Join us this week on the Gospel Spice Podcast to find out how Eve is discovering the mysterious miracle of intimacy with God. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Wisdom. Most of us would say we possess some measure of it. And yet, we would probably all sign up for more, if it didn't prove so, well… elusive? Unattainable? Reserved for the “truly spiritual”?  What if our desire for wisdom led us to look for the right answers in the wrong places? What if wisdom was accessible to anyone who asks? Most importantly, how do we get this wisdom that is not of the world? Gospel Spice Ministries invite you to ponder the wisdom of the book of Proverbs through a Christocentric perspective over the next few weeks. We promise spiritual flavor explosions steeped in the biblical concepts of hope, faith, and joy in the Lord. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom Every week, we invite you to meet a fictional character who teaches us much about God. Today, meet Lauren. Lauren is a talented interior designer, and she knows it. That's why she hates it when an outsider tries to teach her something in her field of expertise. It happened just recently again when Mary and Bob gave her advice on how to use color to accent a room. That conversation drove her crazy. She respectfully tuned out their poor advice while mentally listing superior alternatives, before sharing that list with them. She did them a favor—their silence was proof of approval. Or take the other day, when she was asked to volunteer to help clean the church kitchen after an event. That made her angry. Don't they know she has important things to do with her time, and better ways to use her gifts? For example, she recently met with this famous movie star and they really hit it off. She loves telling people how she, Lauren, gave sensible advice to this actress for her next role. See, she has more important things to do. She encourages her tendency to compare to others, in every area. She sees it as a competitive spirit. Comparison has been encouraged by her teachers and her parents as far as she can remember. She truly believes it's the path to personal growth—when you measure yourself up against others, and increasingly notice progress. Since comparing is a source of growth, she does others a favor by flaunting her latest success. She just lost 15 lbs and is letting everyone know. She would not mention the actual weight loss, but her tight-fitting clothes show the progress well enough. She has noticed the appreciative looks around her at the firm. She is proud to know she is inspiring them to try too. God knows some of them could use some weight loss too—take Sharon and Kim, for example. She got aggravated with that stupid Bill at work recently, who dared hint that she was judgmental. What a complete idiot. But here is the truth: if people don't have their act together, that's because either they're not trying hard enough, or they choose to rely on others rather than work hard. She makes a point of never asking anyone for help. What would they think? She prides herself on her humility. Take her house, for example. Considering her status and salary at the designing firm, she could afford a much bigger one. So, there. Plus, she is at church most Sundays. They should be grateful, because here's the honest truth: that church really is not half as good as it could be. Hum… maybe she will give the head pastor some much-needed advice next time she sees him. Our world is full of Laurens. Do you know one? She might never have heard a key Scriptural message from proverbs: God gives grace to the humble, but justice to the proud. Jesus Himself, in Matthew 7:1-2, warned us that we will be judged by the very standard we use to judge others. God won't even pull up the ten commandments; He will look at how we treated others, and that will be the basis of how He treats us. A sobering thought. Indeed, it is a terrifying thought, apart from the grace of God. Mark Twain famously said, “It's not the parts of the Bible I can't understand that bother me; it's the parts that I do understand.” The way I see it? Anything short of begging for grace is sheer folly. In our previous article and podcast episode, we focused on fear, and we saw that fear stems from a deflated view of God. Today, we see that pride stems from an inflated view of self. French is going to come to our help by showing us that bad pride always stems from comparison. In French, we have two words for your one English word “pride.” Orgueil (pronounced [ɔʁɡœj]) is always negative, and it is always pride in relation to someone else: it's comparing to others, and coming out on top. Conversely, fierté (pronounced [fjɛʁ.te]) is generally in relation to yourself. You are your own standard, and you measure improvement against yourself. It is much more positive. Orgueil and fierté  teach us that true pride is humble because it knows its limits and surrenders to God. The true glory of mankind is not to seek glory for ourselves—that is worldly pride. Humans are truly glorious when we seek to know God. Our purpose and identity are found, not in pridefully seeking to make ourselves equal to God, but in seeking to know God. Humble pride seeks not to be God, but to know Him. As believers, we have an awe-inspiring privilege: we are beckoned to enter the Throne Room boldly… on our knees. That is pride rooted in humility; it is God-dependence rooted in gratitude. When we approach the Throne to pray, for others and for ourselves, we nurture humility which, in turn, breeds gratitude and compassion. Pride cannot pray. Therefore, prayer is the antidote to our all-pervasive pride; prayer is both the soil and fruit of humility. You can't enter the Throne room without being captivated by the beauty of the Sovereign. His beauty is supremely displayed in the Son, the radiance of the Father's glory (Hebrews 1:3) cloaked in the humility of human flesh (Philippians 2:5). The Book of Proverbs highlights the wisdom that is from above: a crucified Lord, foolishness to the proud but salvation to the humble. Take a listen to the Gospel Spice Podcast, Episode 379, to further ponder the beauty of our Lord's humility. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Wisdom. Most of us would say we possess some measure of it. And yet, we would probably all sign up for more, if it didn't prove so, well… elusive? Unattainable? Reserved for the “truly spiritual”?  What if our desire for wisdom led us to look for the right answers in the wrong places? What if wisdom was accessible to anyone who asks? Most importantly, how do we get this wisdom that is not of the world? Gospel Spice Ministries invite you to ponder the wisdom of the book of Proverbs through a Christocentric perspective over the next few weeks. We promise spiritual flavor explosions steeped in the biblical concepts of hope, faith, and joy in the Lord. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom Today, Stephanie takes us deep into the topics of fear, insecurities and anxiety in order to ponder the Christ-centered alternative: faith and trust. Many proverbs are centered on the concept of fear--both as something to avoid when it is the fear of man, and as something to nurture when it is the fear of God. What do these proverbs mean, and what can they teach us today? As has now become our habit, we start off by meeting a fictional character who embodies the traits we will be pondering today. Her name is Jessica, and she tries hard to please everyone! Stephanie takes us to a profound quote by Thomas Chalmers about the "expulsion power of a new affection" as the underlying secret to replace fear by faith. We examine fear to conclude that it is always a secondary motivation in the transformation process, and that growing in faith makes for a much more powerful vector of transformation. Faith predates the fall in the garden, but fear follows it. Therefore, in Christ we are given the opportunity to return to our deepest roots, restoring the harmony of our intimacy with the Father in the garden, and even more. Because of the transformative power of faith in Christ, we can become salt and light--this is actually the context of Jesus' famous teaching about our identity as salt of the earth and light of the world! We ponder that genuine faith and trust in God are only possible when we rejoice and delight in God first, and foremost, and, actually, all in all. Faith is grounded in who God is; fear is grounded in who we are in our own eyes, or in the eyes of the world. We examine this powerful thought by Saint Augustine, that challenges us to give up the "fruitless joys we are afraid to lose" in order to "embrace the joy-filled fruit we cannot lose." We do this, by looking at Peter's faith when he dared to step out of the boat. Will we dare to step out of our own boats in faith, keeping our eyes on the One who holds our hand? This event in Peter's life teaches us that, if we have faith in mankind, we will have the fear of man; but if we have faith in God, then we will cultivate the only healthy fear: the fear of God, which is the "beginning of wisdom" and the "beginning of knowledge" as Proverbs teach us. So, what is the fear of God? How can it be good, since we've expounded on fear being bad, so far? It requires a look at who God is. His preeminence in presence, power, goodness, justice, love, patience and kindness set Him so very much apart, that He is a category all His own. To be "set apart" literally is the root of the word "holy." The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge because God is a category all His own, and we cannot fear Him as we fear man. It's not the same fear because it's not the same category. The fear of God is wise because it is awe and reverence and worship and adoration--not cowering in fear of getting hurt by a vengeful tyrant. God's identity makes Him trustworthy and, therefore, make His guidance much sought after. We end with yet another favorite quote of Stephanie's, "complaint supposes ill-usage." If we complain that God has not come through for us (as we all are prone to do!) we basically state that God is out to get us, or that He does not have our best interest at heart; that He behaves towards us with ill-will. When we take time to think this through, we realize it is not consistent with who we know God to be. In other words, complaining against God is always rooted in a faulty understanding of His grace and heart on our behalf. It means we can correct our faulty view, and therefore grow in joy and contentment! What a delightful prospect. Such promises are NOT for the fearless, perfect version of you, some time in the future. They are for you TODAY, as you are, imperfections and all. And that is the best news we can hear all day! If it is true that we become what we behold, then behold Christ. Anything lower is beneath you as a royal priesthood, adopted child of God. MORE ABOUT TODAY'S EPISODE | MEET JESSICA! So, today, meet Jessica. It's been a long weekend for Jessica, and she's glad to be back home. She's dirty, sweaty, smelly, and exhausted. The family went camping—the kids had been begging for months, and her husband had gotten new gear, including a comfortable sleeping pad for her. He knew how much she values her comfort. What he doesn't know is how viscerally Jessica hates camping. He wouldn't know, of course, because she makes a point of not letting her preferences get in the way of theirs. That's what a good wife and mom does, right? Actually, the family loved it so much, they agreed to go again next month. She agreed to go, too. She is not looking forward to it, but it's vastly preferable to being home alone all weekend anyway. Jessica is extremely loyal to her loved ones. She asks their opinion about everything before making a decision, and then asks their feedback about everything she has done. She enjoys being with them 24/7. Actually, one of her greatest fears, causing sheer panic at the thought, is to be alone all weekend at home. She would hate that even more than camping. Her loyalty is one of her key defining traits, in her opinion. It's not just with family. Jessica prides herself on being a good friend and follower. She may not be gifted at taking initiative, but she thrives in following loyally. This means the occasional sacrifice, but isn't that what friends do for each other? And this applies to her church family, too. For example, she often gets called on to cook meals for her church body, when a new mom has a baby or when someone is sick. The truth is, she doesn't enjoy cooking at all. But Jesus said we are to bear our cross, right? Plus, they really need her. Jessica values looking young and good. She is always put together, with a smile on her face. Projecting such a confident image serves two purposes, in her mind: it makes Christ look good to outsiders, and it helps her avoid the anxiety she knows she would experience if she was seen at the grocery store with less than her best makeup and outfit on. With every passing year, she becomes more and more health conscious and seeks to ward off aging. She is always the first to get her flu shot. She eats well, knows all her vitamins, buys expensive anti-wrinkle cream, and exercises several times a week. Plus, it beats being home alone when the kids are at school and hubby is at work. She stay informed about what is happening in the world, and especially the tragedies of life. She spends a lot of time imagining how she would react if those calamities happened to her. Her mind always goes to the worst-case scenarios; she calls it wisdom in being well-prepared. She is not sure how that happens, but she always lands in the same hypothetical scene: what would happen if her husband died and she was left to fend for herself? She knows it does not sound very trusting in God, but she really doesn't know what to do about it. So, Jessica prays that the faith of her church friends will somehow rub off on her, because she does not seem to be able to muster much of it on her own. And in the meantime she seeks to forget her growing anxiety by numbing it with escapes to a world of make-believe: she spends a lot of her days watching innocuous shows on Netflix and reading copious amounts of romance fiction. And then there's always the escape of the ever-comforting deep house cleaning. She has more and more often found herself deep-cleaning at three in the morning when sleep would not come, despite the sleeping pills she's gotten accustomed to. House cleaning is soothing. As she is scrubbing the kitchen tile again, she wonders: is she living the best version of her life? What would you tell Jessica? Would you pick up a brush and join her on her kitchen floor? Would you make her a cup of tea and tell her to take a deep breath and chillax a little? Proverbs challenges us with two options when fear paralyses us: to numb it, or to expulse it. Proverbs 31:6-7 describes the numbing through wine and forgetfulness. Jessica would recognize herself there. The alternative to numbing is expulsing the fear. Thomas Chalmers writes in the 1750's about the “expulsion power of a new affection.” He means that removing fear is not enough; it needs to be replaced by something else: a deeper, more powerful affection. Jesus shared the story of the demon-possessed man who found himself in a worse situation when seven more demons came to invade the house that had been cleaned, but not filled (see Luke 11:24-26). In other words, fear is always a secondary motivation in the transformation process. It needs to be kicked out, but then the void left must be filled by something superior: faith and joy in God are the alternative proposed in Scripture. Joy is always a more powerful motivator than fear, because joy in God existed before the fall of man which ushered in fear. Joy in God predates fear in the garden of Eden. Joy in God will exist through all of eternity future when fear is but a dim memory. We will experience lasting change today when we choose to rejoice in God more than we choose to fear hypothetical scenarios, or even the consequences of our very real actions. Fear comes from a disordered life, which is the result of disordered loves. Jessica loves, but she loves disorderly. Her loyalty is sincere but misguiding. Fear and love cannot truly, deeply cohabitate in the same soul: perfect love drives out fear (1John 4:18, NIV). We see this most evidently in the relationship that God calls us to have with Him: we are called into the love of the Father, even more than we are called away from sin. Fear is self-centered, while faith is Christ-centered. Faith is grounded in who God is; fear is grounded in who I am on my own. The cure against anxiety and unbelief is not more information; it is joy in God. Faith and trust become more real when we choose to delight and rejoice in God, rather than fear our own inadequacies. This is what Jessica needs to discover. If you have faith in man, you will live in the fear of man; if you have faith in God, you will delight in the fear of God. Fearing God, in the Proverbial sense, is true wisdom (Proverbs 1:7, Psalm 110:10). Don't think of the “fear of God” as cowering before a powerful tyrant. The fear of God is a well-placed, reverent awe of His greatness and beauty and power. His great love does not preclude His majesty, but only enhances it. We must expulse fear, but we can only do so when we replace it with something more powerful and lasting: joyful faith in God. We are salt and light as result of experiencing the transformative glory of God through Christ. We invite you to discover Jessica's full story from fear to faith on the Gospel Spice Podcast this week, and to hear more about joyful faith in God as YOUR daily reality, starting today. Don't wait. God awaits you there. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom   We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

In this impactful episode, Pastor Lee Jenkins shares a transformative perspective on wealth, blending his financial expertise with biblical principles to inspire you on your wealth building journey. Tune in as Pastor Jenkins breaks down the mindset shifts necessary to close the racial wealth gap and create generational wealth. You'll learn: Why living below your means is the foundation of wealth-building. How to seize opportunities with strategy and purpose. Practical tips on saving, investing, and creating a lasting financial legacy. The spiritual and financial alignment that drives prosperity. Pastor Jenkins challenges us to rethink wealth—not as what we have but as who we are—and to take bold, disciplined steps toward our full financial potential. This conversation is for those ready to rewrite their financial story and leave a legacy of abundance. Tune in now and start cultivating your path to financial freedom! KEY POINTS:  - Money as the root of all evil? - Pastor Jenkin's financial mistakes and realizations  - The balance between financial success & maintaining faith - The importance of financial education - Some biblical perspectives on wealth - Mindset, habits, and wealth-building strategies - Four essential steps to developing the wealth within you - The value of investing in faith, family, and future QUOTES:  “Money is not the root of all evil. It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil.” – Pastor Lee Jenkins  “But remember the Lord, your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” – Pastor Lee Jenkins  “Wealth is not just what you have. Wealth is who you are.” – Pastor Lee Jenkins  GUEST RESOURCES  Pastor Lee Jenkins  IG | @leeallenjenkins RESOURCES:  Did you miss The Owning It & Living It Experience 2024?? The OILI Experience is coming back in 2025!!!

Wisdom. Most of us would say we possess some measure of it. And yet, we would probably all sign up for more, if it didn't prove so, well… elusive? Unattainable? Reserved for the “truly spiritual”?  What if our desire for wisdom led us to look for the right answers in the wrong places? What if wisdom was accessible to anyone who asks? Most importantly, how do we get this wisdom that is not of the world? Gospel Spice Ministries invite you to ponder the wisdom of the book of Proverbs through a Christocentric perspective over the next few weeks. We promise spiritual flavor explosions steeped in the biblical concepts of hope, faith, and joy in the Lord. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom  How should we prioritize wisdom and holiness? Why should our lives aim to reflect our Lord's? Our intention is to create and nurture a lifelong quest to cultivate holy wisdom in practical ways by acquiring new perspectives on daily living and “being transformed by the renewing of our minds.” Biblical wisdom is irresistibly attractive because it centers on Jesus Christ. In this episode, we will learn to see our heart as the driver behind our will (yes, the pun is absolutely intended!) and how we can surrender our will to God's perfect wisdom from above the sun. Our will both shapes and is shaped by our identity, so we will wonder: how can we center our identity on Christ? We follow Lady Wisdom and Folly in the pages of Proverbs today. We look at seven things the Lord hates, and how they all speak of behavior-based identity. We see that the road of flattery and deceit leads to death, but the road of integrity and truth leads to life. Then, we dare to dive into what it means to consider Christ as our Bridegroom. How is He our spiritual Husband? What does it mean? What does Scripture teach on that? And how is a human marriage as God intends, between a man and a woman, a picture of His heavenly intention of a spiritual marriage between Christ and His bride, the Church universal composed of all the true believers across time and space? Proverbs provides us with two mirrors to understand life: the self-centered-love mirror, with a distorted reflection; or the Christ-centered-love mirror, which points to God. We end with a powerful word picture helping us see that we live inside the picture book of God's universe, where marriage and wisdom are but stick-figure picture of the true Reality, with a capital R, that awaits us beyond the book. We live inside this universe-book today, but the Holy Spirit beckons us already, in Christ and through wisdom, to peek over the edge of the page into the glorious bottomless infinity of God's weighty presence. Through the Book of Proverbs, God invites you to taste the intoxicating love of His Son through the Holy Spirit. Come and be filled. Taste and see that the Lord is good today! Each week, we will meet a fictitious character embodying a specific trait we hope to learn from. Comfort and forgetfulness, foolishness and lack of perspective, lust and envy, pride and arrogance, selfishness and self-centeredness, fear and anxiety, greed and vanity, deceit and manipulation. We have a rocky road ahead—where a glorious Savior awaits. And so today, meet Brian. Brian has a charming, magnetic personality. He is extremely pleasant in public company, and able to make fascinating conversation. This is due partly to his vast intelligence, and partly to his self-reliance and ability to perform well. He has cultivated his many talents in eclectic ways and has become accustomed to being admired for them. He plays the violin with quite some skill. His academic knowledge often makes him the most learned person in the room. He is well-traveled and loves to experience new foods at the latest fashionable restaurants in his little town. It started as a genuine quest for joy and happiness, and who could blame him? Over the years, he developed a craving for this feeling of superiority. He performed to cultivate the tinge of admiration in the voices of others. Adulation became the leitmotiv of his joy. He placed his hope in his super-sized abilities. He decided that his faith is best placed in himself. Brian's superior intelligence allowed him to outsmart most people with impunity: he realized he could get away with a great deal… and increase his status in people's eyes—and in his own eye. The deceit and will-full manipulation started innocently enough; it was lying for a good cause—at first. He loved feeling in control of his environment through flattery. Over time, his insatiable hunger to be admired and in control, because it was met with success, enticed him to come to a powerful conclusion: he was truly superior to others. He started having adulterous affairs to soothe his ever-growing right to be loved, admired, and in control. He craved that feeling of being the giver and the receiver of all things—to be a god, really. He was growing closer to divinity—ultimate in control and power and influence. For a while more, his self-deception worked well enough to mask the looming chasm of hopelessness. When it didn't, light drugs bridged the gap and helped Brian maintain his own self-image and deep-seated sense of superiority. Not to mention, drugs gave him reprieve from the stress of having to remember the many threads of deceit in his business and his personal life. He increased the dosage when he needed drugs to drown his own accusing conscience until he forgot its voice altogether. What a relief! Most recently, Brian has turned to more powerful drugs for yet one more reason: to dim the pain of wondering, deep down inside, if he is not as significant as he thinks he is. He is wondering if that is why he never really left his small hometown to try the “big leagues.” Better to be a large fish in a tiny pond, where he can use others as a self-reflecting mirror to boost his own self-proclaimed divinity. Brian's mom, his last advocate, keeps warning him to stay away from the lure of addiction to women and drugs. He ignores her. What does she know, the old hag? Unfortunately, he recently had to move in with her—he lost his business due to his drug addiction, and his latest wife just kicked him out after she found out he had slept with her best friend. He doesn't even remember why he had married her in the first place. Her loss. What would you tell Brian today? Like most of us, Brian desires hope and joy. He turned to deceit and manipulation because he thought he could control them into a fastpass to happiness. They appealed to him because his heart was rooted in the wrong quest—the quest for happiness within himself. Our quest is rooted in our identity, and Brian's identity is misplaced: he places his worth in himself. He has recently come to the unsettling realization that he might not be the equivalent of a modern-day god. He is created in the image of God, but he is not God. There is a world of difference. As believers in Christ, we all intend to build our life with hope, joy, and faith. Brian shows us that there are two paths we can take in this life: the first is the road of deceit and self-deception that ends in death. It has pitstops and long residencies in manipulation, lying and adultery. The second path is the road of integrity and truth that ends in life. It lingers in and develops self-sacrifice, love, and self-awareness. This second path teaches us that we discover who we are when we are loved for who we are. Brian never allowed anyone to love him for who he truly was, and he never even allowed himself to love himself as he was—warts and all. Brian doesn't see that our physical world with its longings and passions is but a picture book of the greater spiritual realities that tug at his heart. Our gifts and abilities and talents are shadows pointing to greater spiritual realities. Brian mistook his many talents for divinity. He mistook the shadow for the real thing. He is imago Dei, but he is not God. The Bible teaches that the universe is a stick-figure picture book to show us the great Reality of God. We humans live inside the picture book of the universe as the crowing act of creation. Our many abilities are shadows of a greater, spiritual reality—we are created in the image of God; we ourselves are not God. Imagine a children's book illustrating each alphabet letter with a corresponding word. Imagine you have never actually seen a duck, which is the photo for the letter D. Seeing the photo of the duck is not the same thing as actually experiencing the duck. Knowing it's not a donkey, a donut or a dandelion is not enough to know what a duck is. If you have never seen a duck in real life, you cannot say that the picture book is a satisfactory substitute. The picture book is only a sample of the true Reality, a stick-figure shadow of it. The universe points to the Reality of God, but it is not the same thing as experiencing God in His fullness. How tragic it would be to be content with the picture book when Reality awaits! Brian has mistaken the 2D-flat rendition of the duck for the real thing; he has confused his many-talents imago dei identity with being dei–being God. We have not yet experienced complete Reality. God is much more real, tangible and weighty than anything we have ever experienced on this side of the picture book. Unlike Brian, let us keep the eyes of our faith on the true foundation of our hope and joy. None of us has ever experienced the fullness of the presence of God. And yet, in Christ, the Holy Spirit beckons us through wisdom to peek over the edge of the page into the glorious, bottomless infinity of God's weighty glory and presence. Heaven and the material universe meet in Christ Jesus: God “has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:2b-3a, NIV). Christ is pure and glorious and enthralling and intoxicating with otherworldly beauty. He makes Himself ours, and He calls us His beloved, His cherished, His bride. That is the foundation of our identity. It is the only solid ground for life-giving, long-lasting, true-Reality hope, and faith, and joy. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom  DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Wisdom. Most of us would say we possess some measure of it. And yet, we would probably all sign up for more, if it didn't prove so, well… elusive? Unattainable? Reserved for the “truly spiritual”?  What if our desire for wisdom led us to look for the right answers in the wrong places? What if wisdom was accessible to anyone who asks? Most importantly, how do we get this wisdom that is not of the world? Gospel Spice Ministries invite you to ponder the wisdom of the book of Proverbs through a Christocentric perspective over the next few weeks. We promise spiritual flavor explosions steeped in the biblical concepts of hope, faith, and joy in the Lord. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom How should we prioritize wisdom and holiness? Why should our lives aim to reflect our Lord's? Our intention is to create and nurture a lifelong quest to cultivate holy wisdom in practical ways by acquiring new perspectives on daily living and “being transformed by the renewing of our minds.” Biblical wisdom is irresistibly attractive because it centers on Jesus Christ. Each week, we will meet a fictitious character embodying a specific trait we hope to learn from. Comfort and forgetfulness, foolishness and lack of perspective, lust and envy, pride and arrogance, selfishness and self-centeredness, fear and anxiety, greed and vanity, deceit and manipulation. We have a rocky road ahead—where a glorious Savior awaits. And so today, meet Samantha. Samantha goes to church every Sunday and tithes faithfully. She remembers the time when she accepted Christ with fondness and nostalgia—life was so simple then! She wonders sometimes: “Was is really the same me? When did my life become so busy?” She is married, raising two teenagers, and working full time. At work and at home, she is risk-averse and values intelligence. Having a backup plan seems common sense, and she prizes her own wisdom in making sure all the angles are always covered. Samantha has an active social life, between her husbands' business partners and her own friends and clubs, including her gym. She loves social media—such a great avenue to share her amazing life with the world, and to hear from her many friends! Samantha places a high premium on people's opinion of her. Actually, she might go as far as calling herself a people pleaser. She gives to a selection of charities when she gets their ask letters in the mail. She also spends quite a lot on herself, but she feels she deserves it. At church, she is always inspired by those who seem to have deep intimacy with God. She notices them everywhere—on the worship team, or sitting next to her during the message, or praying with one another between services. She wonders how they do it, but she would never actually ask them: what would they think? She knows she would probably benefit from spending more time with God than just at church on Sundays; but that will have to wait. All her friends seem to be running the same race; she figures it is the way life is. After all, she's already giving God a portion of her time and money. Recently, something quite undefinable has shifted. She feels it most when the busyness subsides for a moment. She finds herself increasingly critical of her husband and kids, and short of patience when they don't satisfy her expectations—which seems to be a more common occurrence. She finds herself looking forward to that glass of wine every night, just to unwind. She has slowly developed anxiety and seeks relief on her fridge's shelves. She has gained 18 pounds and lost countless hours to sleeplessness. And she is not feeling better. Her phone informs her weekly that her screen time increases in double digits. Apparently, she is seeking solace with her social media friends. It's hard to believe, because Facebook does not bring her the soothing forgetfulness it once did. She regularly leaves her social media scroll feeling restless and anxious at how she does not measure up anymore. What must her friends think? Hum. What do you think, dear reader? The world would tell us that Samantha is wise. She is hedging her bets. She is doing it all—the family, the career, the social life, the church attendance, the regular physical exercise. She has one foot firmly planted in the world, and the other tentatively resting on her Christian faith. What would the Book of Proverbs say to Samantha? Proverbs differentiate the wise from the simple, the fool and the wicked. It teaches us that the first step of wisdom is to unlearn the ways of the world—the very ones that are still so pervasive and influential in Samantha's life. Wisdom begins by unlearning the world's values to acquire humility. Proverbs highlights the path of the wise, rooted in humility and grounded in Christ. Humility is to see everyone the way God does. Proverbs is the Old Testament roadmap to Christlikeness, not primarily because it tells us how to live, but because it shows us the God who maps our road. Wisdom is available to all who seek it. It is rooted in a Biblical, Christocentric approach to God. Wisdom is a God-breathed process that will take us ever deeper into intimacy and wonder. The Book of Proverbs challenges us to pursue God as our highest goal. This is the wisest thing we could choose to do with our life. We invite you to discover the rest of Samantha's story, and the wisdom of God Himself in the pages of the Book of Proverbs on the Gospel Spice Podcast this week. Stephanie challenges us to ponder these nuggets of wisdom in Christ: Wisdom is genius.  Humility is heroic. Faith is daring. Love is extravagant. And, surrender to God is true boldness. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom  DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

On this episode, I'm sharing the second half of the principles and wisdom from the bible that will help you become a Wealthy Woman. Once again, I pray this blesses you and is a catalyst for you building a solid foundation to gain wealth through God. This is part 2. TIME STAMPS: 01:40 - Thank You 04:20 - Prayer 06:33 - What the Holy Spirit Revealed To Me 18:37 - #6 Renew Your Mind & Spirit Daily 32:35 - #7 Work Diligently 37:53 - #8 Invest 41:47 - #9 No Debt 45:19 - #10 Be Generous & Have A Generous Heart Posture FINANCIAL FAST: https://stan.store/thedonibrown/p/pre... MORE WEALTHY WOMAN: Learn more about the podcast: http://wealthywomanpodcast.com Follow the show on Instagram:   / wealthywomanpodcast   Follow Doni on IG:   / thedonibrown   Follow Doni on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonibrown?... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wealthywoman/support

On this episode, I'm sharing principles and wisdom from the Bible that will help you become a Wealthy Woman. I pray this blesses you and is a catalyst for you building a solid foundation to gain wealth through God. This is part 1. TIME STAMPS: 01:34 - Why I'm making the podcast about God. 03:55 - Background info on me and my faith 23:33 - What Wealthy Woman Is Now 26:49 - Fear the Lord 30:33 - Wisdom and Understanding 41:14 - Stewardship 47:58 - Obedience 01:03:55 - Mentorship FINANCIAL FAST: https://stan.store/thedonibrown/p/preorder-21-day-financial-fast MORE WEALTHY WOMAN: Learn more about the podcast: http://wealthywomanpodcast.com Follow the show on Instagram: http://instagram.com/wealthywomanpodcast Follow Doni on IG: http://instagram.com/thedonibrown Follow Doni on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonibrown?lang=en --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wealthywoman/support

Bloomers in the Garden • 8.10.24 • Wild Weeds & Bible Wisdom • Dividing Daylilies • Skeeter on Peter (Mosquitoes) • Roses for Autumn • What's Buggin U?!? Grease Ants!! Weeds Gone Wild and Wisdom from the Bible! During our 1st segment we'll tell you how to successfully stop weeds motivated by this ancient principle. If you love your dayililies as much as we...you want more. You can double even triple what you have now by dividing them. Hear how in our second segment! Julio & Len we're talking and it seem Mosquitoes have been more aggressive then ever! We're going to discuss what you can do in our 3rd Segment! How are your Roses looking?? Fall is the second spring and with a little maintenance your roses will look incredible this fall!!! We'll tell you what to do during our 4th segment! "What's Buggin You?!" Grease Ants are those tiny ants that seem to appear out of nowhere! Usually in the kitchen or areas where food is served or prepared! We'll discuss how to handle these frustrating insects in our final segment! Philadelphia, South Jersey, & Delaware Valley Saturdays at 8am 860am WWDB-AM Saturday at 6am & 5pm 93.5FM & 1540am WNWR "The Word".... NYC Tri-State Area Sundays at 8am 1250 AM "Classic Oldies" WMTR Bloomers in the Garden helps you and your neighbors have more beautiful yards, gardens and landscapes. Len and Julio are your “go-to” source for practical information, solid “local” advice that applies to the Delaware Valley. Learn about products and plants you can pronounce that are available at local Independent Garden Centers. Get inspired and confident to try new things, building on our past successful recommendations. Your hosts, Len Schroeder & Julio Zamora Len Schroeder has a rich family heritage of horticulture dating back over 100 years. His own experience spans over 30 years as Owner of Bloomers Home & Garden Center. Bloomers is a Retail Garden Center that caters to the home gardener and the do-it-yourself landscaper. Bloomers prides itself on its staff training. We translate the often confusing gardening information into easy to understand, executable tasks. Len brings a professional lifetime of sorting out plants and products that work when customers get them home. Julio Zamora has worked within Bloomers Nursery Department for over a decade and is a life-long gardener. Julio's unique passion for customers inspires Gardeners of all ages to try new things. His relaxed friendly demeanor and enthusiastic joy when discussing the benefits of gardening is inspirational. Julio's authentic love and concern for people makes him and exceptional individual and host! Have a question for us or a topic you like us to discuss? Have a question for us or a topic you like us to discuss? Call the Bloomer's Garden Hotline” at (609)685-1880 to leave your question, your name and the town you're from! You can also write to len@bloomers.com or julio@bloomers.com

In this engaging podcast episode, the hosts navigate a diverse array of topics, blending humour, insightful commentary, and audience interaction. The episode kicks off with a light-hearted discussion on football fashion, particularly the French team's outfits, before transitioning to a debate on the ethics of publicly shaming children as punishment. The conversation then explores the social dynamics of travel, the phenomenon of "bedroom bullies," and pop culture, including a humorous take on Lionel Messi's voice and the language of Minions. The hosts delve into the complexities of Christianity, discussing faith, sin, and biblical interpretations, with a focus on the Ten Commandments and the importance of a personal relationship with God. They also touch on financial principles in the Bible and their societal impact. The episode features listener contributions, including a fan's excitement about completing university exams and a favourite Bible verse, John 21:6. The episode concludes with a promotion for "The Grace Brunch," a Christian day party event.Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOIOo7ybnNFNdwjSCgYDtOw/joinCheck us out: https://90sbabyshow.komi.io/PLANTMADE: Click here https://bit.ly/44oLLJy and use discount code, “90SBBY15”, which enables customers to receive 15%* off their first order. Information around the specific products received can be found on the information cards provided in the package or on our website.Hello Fresh: HelloFresh has generously provided us with an exclusive offer available for a limited time. Click here http://www.hellofresh.co.uk/HELLO90SBABY to enjoy 60% off your first box, along with 20% off the next two months plus FREE DESSERTS FOR LIFE. Alternatively, you can use our code HELLO90SBABY. AVA ESTELL: Click here http://bit.ly/40zFutt and use discount code, “90SBABY20”, which enables customers to receive 20%* off their order. PO Box 5038 HORNCHURCH RM12 9JX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Saddleback Church's Doable Discipleship podcast in a series on Navigating the Bible. Have you ever wondered how to read the Bible? What do you need to know about different sections of the Bible that would help you read it better? This series seeks to give you a primer on the different major sections of the Bible. Each week, host Jason Wieland is joined by a different Bible expert to talk through the major details, authors, cultural context, and other important information on the major sections of the Bible. This episode focus in on the Wisdom Literature. Jason is joined by Dr. Dan Estes, distinguished professor of Old Testament at Cedarville University. The conversation looks at what biblical wisdom is, parallels between the wisdom literature and the rest of the Bible, Solomon, Job, and much more.Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by the Saddleback Spiritual Growth Team. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 350 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback). Doable Discipleship is a proud part of the Saddleback Family of Podcasts. To learn more about the Saddleback Family of Podcasts, visit saddleback.com/podcasts. Resources by Dr. Dan EstesThe Message of Wisdom - https://www.amazon.com/Message-Wisdom-Learning-Living-Lord/dp/1783599820/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=Wb63U&content-id=amzn1.sym.cf86ec3a-68a6-43e9-8115-04171136930a&pf_rd_p=cf86ec3a-68a6-43e9-8115-04171136930a&pf_rd_r=146-2118787-5054754&pd_rd_wg=uYvVz&pd_rd_r=dfb48d8c-5435-4a60-98f5-a9d8b44602a3&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dskOther Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: Navigating the Bible: The Prophets - https://youtu.be/uaGKGEgT6zANavigating the Bible: The Historical Books - https://youtu.be/_PQNI7rNlPUNavigating the Bible: The Pentateuch - https://youtu.be/mmChxhfsLq0Navigating the Bible: The Epistles - https://youtu.be/mcdECIOmegI Navigating the Bible: The Gospels - https://youtu.be/fkfJKrgauC4 4 Tips for Reading Your Bible - https://youtu.be/QwCvKslWXrI How Does the History of the Bible Affect How We Read It Today - https://youtu.be/l9I2WlvEeA8 Why Are There So Many Bible Translations? - https://youtu.be/BqeAS2HQljg

What is Inerrancy? Join George Shamblin on a journey to strengthen your faith and dive into the heart of preserving biblical teachings. In this down-to-earth chat, Shamblin warns against picking and choosing from the Bible, urging us to keep our faith foundation strong. Learn about biblical inerrancy – understanding that every part of the Bible is true, reliable, and trustworthy. Say goodbye to "cafeteria Christianity" and commit to the unaltered Word of God. Let's navigate through the Bible's anchor in tough times, finding guidance for righteous living. Come along for a simple, transformative insight into faith. (Bible Wisdom, Trustworthy Scriptures, Strong Faith, Faithful Living) #inerrancy #biblicaltruths #faith #guardyourfaith #georgeshamblin#leadingyoutoChrist www.georgeshamblin.com  @TheCallwithNancySabato  The Call with Nancy Sabato: Discover Jesus' Life-Changing Power | Christian Talk Show & Faith Stories To learn more about this ministry, go to HTTPS://thecallwithnancysabato.com youtube.com/@TheCallwithNancySabato --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nancy-sabato/message

Join Pastor Ken Senchal in this soul-nourishing podcast episode, where he unravels the profound wisdom found in the Book of James, tackling the pressing issue of **"Temptations."** Whether you're on Spotify or iTunes, get ready for an insightful journey into the scriptures and practical strategies for navigating life's temptations.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 74. Imagine a time when King David brought a special chest, called the ark, to his city. This chest held important things, and David was so happy that he danced in the street to celebrate. But they had to be very careful with the ark because touching it was not allowed. It reminds us that some things are very precious and need to be treated with great respect, and celebrations can be a way to show how much we care. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WESTERN WISDOM  "Know a Sagebrush Philosopher?" audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series.  "Local Sagebrush Western Philosopher" blog post article found here:  https://www.blybooks.com/2023/10/western-philosopher/ Sign Up on BlyBooks.com on blog page to receive RSS feed by email for podcast blog notices. Related blog article with podcast embed will arrive every Tuesday and Thursday. Look to the right of the LINK PAGE for “Subscribe to the Blog via Email” and “Enter your email address”. Would greatly appreciate if you a) SUBSCRIBE, b) RATE, c) REVIEW the podcast. FULL PODCAST INFO: https://bit.ly/3xCxckS Music by WinkingFoxMusic from Pixabay

1 Kings 3:6-9

In this insightful episode "Managing Your Manageables," Pastor Ken takes us deep into the art of decision-making and how it impacts our lives. We kick off this episode by discussing the consequences of mismanaging our lives, which can lead to long-term problems, stress, and regret. Managing your life well means aligning your choices with what is right, ultimately inviting God's blessings into your journey. We've previously explored managing relationships and the power of our words. In today's discussion, we unravel the intricate process of managing our decisions. Over the coming weeks, we'll also tackle how to manage your body and finances, offering you a comprehensive guide to holistic life management. Bad decisions can leave emotional, mental, and relational scars, which is why we believe it's crucial to equip you with five essential tests to help you make good decisions: **1. The Agreement Test:** Does it align with God's Word? Discover why seeking guidance from God's wisdom is crucial in decision-making and how it can illuminate your path. **2. The Integrity Test:** Would you want everyone to know? Learn why maintaining integrity in your decisions is vital and how it impacts your reputation and character. **3. The Improvement Test:** Will it make you a better person? Explore the concept of making decisions that contribute to personal growth and purpose. **4. The Freedom Test:** Could it become addicting? Understand the importance of safeguarding your freedom in Christ and avoiding decisions that might lead to bondage. **5. The Influence Test:** Will it negatively impact anyone else? Dive into the significance of considering how your choices affect those around you, both within and outside the Christian community. Throughout this episode, we emphasize the value of making decisions that honor God, even in situations where there may be shades of gray. Your God-given conscience, coupled with God's Word, can serve as a reliable compass in navigating life's complexities. We wrap up with a reminder of the ultimate decision – choosing to follow Jesus. This decision, we believe, is the best one you can make, offering salvation, direction, purpose, and hope. Visit www.youronechurch.com to explore more resources and connect with our community. For inquiries, reach out to us at info@youronechurch.com. #ManagingYourManageables #LifeManagement #FaithfulDecisions #PurposefulLiving

WESTERN WISDOM  "Saddle Blanket Advice" audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series.  "Rules For Saddle Blankets & Kids" blog post article found here: https://www.blybooks.com/2023/08/saddle-blanket/Sign Up on BlyBooks.com on blog page to receive RSS feed by email for podcast blog notices. Related blog article with podcast embed will arrive every Tuesday and Thursday. Look to the right of the LINK PAGE for “Subscribe to the Blog via Email” and “Enter your email address”. Would greatly appreciate if you a) SUBSCRIBE, b) RATE, c) REVIEW the podcast. FULL PODCAST INFO: https://bit.ly/3xCxckS Music by WinkingFoxMusic from Pixabay

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 25. Join Moses and Aaron on a brave adventure to ask Pharaoh to let their people go free. With determination and help from above, they face challenges and show that even big problems can be solved. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 24. Discover the incredible journey of Moses, who grew up with a big heart for his people suffering in Egypt. Even though he had doubts, he was chosen by God to lead his people and bring them to freedom, showing that anyone can do extraordinary things. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 22. Discover how Joseph bravely shows his true self and happily reunites with his whole family. It's a special story about forgiveness, love, and coming together again. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 20. Follow Joseph's amazing journey from being a slave in Egypt to standing strong with honesty, even when faced with trouble from Potiphar's wife. He teaches us that doing the right thing is important, even when things don't go as planned. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 19. Discover the fascinating story of Joseph, a boy favored by his dad Jacob, and how his brothers felt jealous. Explore how they learned about sharing love and understanding in a family, even when things get tough. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 18. Discover the exciting story of Jacob wrestling with God, where he learns important lessons and even gets a new name! Join Jacob on his journey of self-discovery, showing how struggles can lead to positive changes. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 15. Join the adventure as we discover Jacob's amazing vision of a ladder and his determination to marry Rachel, Laban's daughter. Follow Jacob's journey as he works hard for seven years to win Rachel's heart in this heartwarming tale of dreams and love. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 14. Discover the exciting story of how Rebekah and Jacob cleverly tricked Isaac to receive a special blessing. Follow their adventurous journey as they show how determination and quick thinking can lead to surprising outcomes. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 13. Discover the stories of Abraham's family, including his son Isaac and his wife Rebekah. Follow the exciting adventures of their sons, Jacob and Esau, as they make their mark in the world and learn important lessons about life and family. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 12. Discover the touching story of Isaac, as he deals with the loss of his mother, Sarah, and finds love in the heartwarming meeting with Rebekah, his future wife. Join us on this journey of love, family, and new beginnings! Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 11. Explore the incredible story of Abraham and his son Isaac, where they face a test from God that challenges their faith and love for each other. Discover how their courage and trust in the divine help them navigate through this extraordinary journey of sacrifice and strength. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 10. Discover the amazing story of Abraham and Sarah, who received a special promise from God and had a son named Isaac. Learn about God's wonderful plan for Ishmael, too, as this exciting adventure unfolds. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 9. Discover the amazing story of how God made a special promise to Abram and Sarai, changing their names and transforming their lives forever. Join them on a journey of faith and love in this captivating tale of hope and destiny. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 8. Follow the incredible journey of Abram and his nephew Lot as they part ways, facing battles and challenges along the way. Experience the heartwarming bond between Abram and Lot, and witness how God's unchanging promise shapes their destinies. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Julia Jeffress Sadler as she takes us on an incredible adventure in Episode 7. Embark on a fascinating journey as you learn about Abram, a chosen and blessed figure by God. Follow his path of obedience as he sets the foundation for God's grand plan of salvation, discovering the profound significance of faith, destiny, and divine guidance along the way. Sign up to receive Kids Bible in a Year devotionals in your inbox every weekday: https://www.kidsbibleinayear.com/  Get ready to experience the Bible designed specifically for children with the official KidsBibleinaYear.com podcast, led by Julia Jeffress Sadler. This captivating audio series presents the age-old wisdom of the Bible in an engaging format that will captivate your kids. Each episode Julia translates biblical teachings into real-life applications, making Bible comprehension a breeze for young minds.  And if you want more Christian resources and content, you can download the Pray.com app. Pray.com is the digital destination for faith, offering over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime Bible stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible. For more resources on how to live a successful Christian life, visit Julia Jeffress Sadler's website at https://ptv.org/julia/. This episode is sponsored by Little Passports. Visit LittlePassports.com/blessed and use promo code BLESSED to receive 20% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bethlehem was beyond blessed to have Pastor Anson McMahon teach last week's services. We were even more fortunate to borrow a few minutes of his time for the podcast, along with Pastor Jason. Tune in as they tell us the history of their friendship, how to dive deeper into the Bible , and other great topics. Don't miss this fun conversation.

This teaching is taken from Proverbs 12:11 and teaches you about how working will prosper you while inactivity will cause you poverty. /// If you have any questions, or you would like to share how our teachings have affected your life, please email us or visit us at www.rejoicingheart.net God bless you! Rob and Donna /// Rejoice In You From the Integrity Music Release One, featuring Planetshakers Ministries Int'l ©2009 Planetshakers Publishing (APRA) (admin. By Music Services, www.musicservices.org) All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:” ‭‭ - Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬ "a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” ‭‭ - Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:” - ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬ “a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,” ‭‭ - Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

"There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him...” ‭‭ - Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬ “...haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood..." - ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

WESTERN WISDOM,  Season 5, Episode 16, "Hollow Horns and Hotheads" audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series.  "A Hollow Horn Hothead" blog post article found here: https://www.blybooks.com/2023/05/hothead/Sign Up on BlyBooks.com on blog page to receive RSS feed by email for podcast blog notices. Related blog article with podcast embed will arrive weekly. Look to the right of the LINK PAGE for “Subscribe to the Blog via Email” and “Enter your email address”. Would greatly appreciate if you a) SUBSCRIBE, b) RATE, c) REVIEW the podcast. FULL PODCAST INFO: https://bit.ly/3xCxckS Music by WinkingFoxMusic from Pixabay

FAITH, Season 3, Episode 14, "Signs of a Spiritual Home" audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Recorded at Fillmore Bible Church, Fillmore, California, 1984. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series.  "What Makes a Spiritual Home?" blog post article found here: https://www.blybooks.com/2023/04/spiritual-home/Sign Up on BlyBooks.com on blog page to receive RSS feed by email for podcast blog notices. Related blog article with podcast embed will arrive weekly. Look to the right of the LINK PAGE for “Subscribe to the Blog via Email” and “Enter your email address”.Would greatly appreciate if you a) SUBSCRIBE, b) RATE, c) REVIEW the podcast. FULL PODCAST INFO: https://bit.ly/3xCxckS Music by WinkingFoxMusic from Pixabay

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