Podcasts about bibles

Miguel Angel Angeles, executive director of Bethel Radio & TV, shares the history of a ministry that started with one Christian asking a radio station to play audio cassettes of his sermons on the air. As the radio ministry encouraged and built up the church, it expanded into Venezuela, Colombia, and other areas. Today, Bethel is a network of hundreds of radio and television stations, based in Peru and reaching Spanish speakers all over Latin America and the world. Miguel will share about his own start serving in IT with Bethel TV, and how he came to understand the importance of bringing awareness of the persecuted body of Christ through Bethel programming. “My first time listening about the persecuted church was when Petr Jasek came to a conference in Peru to share his testimony,” Miguel said, “and it created a hunger for me to learn more.” After hearing Petr Jasek speak at a conference about his own arrest in Sudan, Miguel's church began to meet every Monday to pray for the persecuted church and to learn more about fellow believers facing Christian persecution. Week after week, God prepared Miguel's heart as it was continuously stretched by the stories of bold faith in the face of hostility and persecution. After reading Tortured for Christ, by Richard Wurmbrand, the founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, Miguel knew he needed to share about persecuted Christians with the broader church in Latin America and with his radio audience. Listen as Miguel shares the heart of his church for missions. Churches dedicate one Sunday a month to focus on missions and missionaries. You and your church will be encouraged to make missions and praying for persecuted Christians a regular part of your worship gatherings as well. Pray this week for Miguel, his family, and Bethel Radio & TV as they continue serving the Lord and sharing the voice of persecuted Christians with Spanish-speaking people around the world. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as providing free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Hey y'all ! Welcome to another Friday with CWCOI ! In this week's episode, our host, Ally Yost reads the entire book of 1 John. This book is a letter in the New Testament written by the Apostle John. Although it is only five chapters, it is full of encouragement, truth, and wisdom. It emphasizes the importance of loving one another and fellowship with God. So grab your Bibles if you're able to and let's read together :) "If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers." 1 John 4:20-21 _____________________________________________  ☆ REP CWCOI MERCH ➤ https://allyyost.com ☆ MY BIBLE (code ‘ALLYYOST' at checkout) ➤ https://hosannarevival.com/collections/beautiful-bibles/products/nlt-notetaking-bible-versailles-theme  ☆ TUMBLER LINK ➤ https://allyyost.com/products/travel-tumbler ☆ JESUS FREAKS | OFFICIAL TRAILER ➤ https://youtu.be/DbbJHm0WfJg?si=ErjC8Z9_TmC5VLar ☆ EARLY ACCESS TO EPISODES AND BONUS PERKS ➤ https://patreon.com/CWCOI  ☆ GIVE TO CWCOI ➤ https://www.paypal.me/CWCOI _____________________________________________  Connect further with us ! TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@christwithcoffeeonice  Instagram ➤ https://instagram.com/christwithcoffeeonice _____________________________________________  Connect further with Ally !  TikTok (2M) ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@ally_yost  Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/ally_yost/  ShopMy ➤ https://shopmy.us/allyyost Pinterest ➤ https://www.pinterest.com/ally_yost1/_created/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Holy Spirit corrects His church not to make them feel bad, but to pull them back onto the life saving "Narrow Path!"  Only someone that loves you VERY much will correct behaviors that will kill you!  Read this list and if any apply to you today, call this show your eer-loving saving grace that will cause you to repent and save yourself from total destruction.  Praise God for His Fatherly love and correction which is for our best interest! If you are blessed by today's Bible study, please support my channel by liking, subscribing, commenting, and sharing with your friends and family!  I am not a Pastor, and agree with God's word that women are not supposed to be Pastors.  However, It is perfectly acceptable and Biblical for women to lead Bibles studies outside the church, and especially if it is a viable avenue for study of the Word on a daily basis, paving the way for all of us to be closer to the Lord and become more knowledgeable of the Bible. If you care to contribute to my work with the Daily Bible study and sharing the Gospel, as part of your tithes and offerings, you can do so through PayPal by sending it to my PayPal address of: ReneHoladay@gmail.com  Thank you all for watching and God Bless you all! ;() --------------------- The primary study bible that Rene' uses is the 'Spirit-filled Life Bible, by Jack Hayford, and is available in hard cover or faux leather on Amazon at:  https://amzn.to/434fBnQ You can watch this episode on Youtube at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v9ekffu7ds Please be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, and SHARE!

It's Thursday, May 29th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Christianity growing in Asia despite persecution International Christian Concern reports that Christianity is growing in Asia despite severe persecution. In 2024, there were 415 million Christians in Asia, making up 8% of the continent's population. That's up from 3% in 2010. Since 2020, Christianity's growth rate in Asia has been 1.6% per year. The church is growing in Communist, Buddhist, and Islam-dominated countries like China, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. All this growth continues despite persecution in the from of harassment, anti-conversion laws, restrictions on Bibles, arrests, imprisonments, and even violence and murder.  In 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, the Apostle Paul wrote, “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed .  … persecuted, but not forsaken … always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” 50% of kids in United Kingdom do not live with both biological parents Research from the Marriage Foundation found that nearly half of children in the United Kingdom do not live with both of their biological parents. The report showed a record 45% of teenagers are not living with both parents by the age of 14.  This trend is not driven by divorce which is at its lowest level since 1970. Instead, family breakdown is driven by a collapse in marriage rates. Harry Benson, the Research Director for the Marriage Foundation, said, “The level of family breakdown in the UK is at epidemic proportions and is set to get worse.” French House voted to legalize assisted suicide France's National Assembly voted in favor of a bill to legalize assisted suicide on Tuesday.  The measure allows adult patients with painful and incurable illness to take a lethal substance. The bill must also pass in France's Senate. Matt Vallière, the Executive Director of the Patients' Rights Action Fund, warned, “The French National Assembly cast a fateful and terrible vote that will put a great many at risk of deadly harm and discrimination under an unprecedented euthanasia regime.” Proverbs 12:10 says, “The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” Supremes declines case of Christian kid's t-shirt affirming 2 genders In the United States, the Supreme Court declined to hear a free speech case Tuesday. The case involves a Massachusetts public school student named Liam Morrison. In 2023, he wore a T-shirt to class that said, “There are only 2 genders.” In response, the school banned him from wearing the shirt. The Morrison family challenged the decision; however, the courts ruled against them. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito authored a dissenting opinion to the court's decision to not hear the case. He said the free speech case “presents an issue of great importance for our Nation's youth.” Listen to viral comments from Liam, the boy at the epicenter. He made them before his school board. MORRISON: “What did my shirt say? Five simple words. ‘There are only two genders.' Nothing harmful, nothing threatening. Just a statement I believe to be a fact. “I have been told that my shirt was targeting a protected class. Who is this protected class? Are their feelings more important than my rights? … “Not one person, staff or student, told me that they were bothered by what I was wearing. Actually, just the opposite. Several kids told me that they supported my actions and that they wanted one too.” Defense Secretary Hegseth affirms homeschooling for military families Earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth  ordered the department to review how well it supports homeschooling for military families.  The directive follows an executive order from President Donald Trump on supporting school choice in the military.  Hegseth wrote, “Homeschooling offers an individualized approach for students and highlights the significant role parents play in the educational process.” Liberal Presbyterian Church (USA) keeps losing members The Presbyterian Church (USA) lost nearly 50,000 members last year according to its latest report.  The liberal denomination has been losing a similar number of members each year since the COVID-19 pandemic. Their unbiblical stands have cemented their own demise. In 2014, it voted to allow pastors to marry two homosexual men or two lesbians.  Plus, PC(USA) contends that there should be no laws restricting abortion. At its current rate of decline, the PC(USA) will likely fall below one million members this year. Protestors harass Christians promoting Biblically-defined family, sexuality And finally, MayDay USA held a prayer event in Seattle, Washington last Saturday. The group gathers Christians to seek God, proclaim the Gospel, and promote the “sacredness of gender and family as defined by God.” In response, violent rioters, including Antifa members, showed up to harass the Christians. This ended in police making over 20 arrests.  Sadly, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell blamed the Christians for the violence.  In response, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino  announced, “We have asked our team to fully investigate allegations of targeted violence against religious groups at the Seattle concert. Freedom of religion isn't a suggestion.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, May 29th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

"Immorality Defiles the Church" and "Immorality Must Be Judged" How long have we been told that we are not supposed to judge others?  Is that true, or are we called to learn to discern according to God's ways so we can judge and be like Him? In the New Millenium, we will be in charge of His court and we will judge angels.  This passage actually describes who we are supposed to judge, and who we are not supposed to judge, as well as who to actually remove from our churches.   If you are blessed by today's Bible study, please support my channel by liking, subscribing, commenting, and sharing with your friends and family!  I am not a Pastor, and agree with God's word that women are not supposed to be Pastors.  However, It IS perfectly acceptable and Biblical for women to lead Bibles studies outside the church, and especially if it is a viable avenue for study of the Word on a daily basis, paving the way for all of us to be closer to the Lord and become more knowledgeable of the Bible. If you care to contribute to my work with the Daily Bible study and sharing the Gospel, as part of your tithes and offerings, you can do so through PayPal by sending it to my PayPal address of: ReneHoladay@gmail.com  Thank you all for watching and God Bless you all! ;() --------------------- The primary study bible that Rene' uses is the 'Spirit-filled Life Bible, by Jack Hayford, and is available in hard cover or faux leather on Amazon at:  https://amzn.to/434fBnQ You can watch this episode on Youtube at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sch66IqXTQc Please be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, and SHARE!

"For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman."  ...Verse 9: For God did not appoint us to wrath."  Verse 11: Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you! If you are blessed by today's Bible study, please support my channel by liking, subscribing, commenting, and sharing with your friends and family!  I am not a Pastor, and agree with God's word that women are not supposed to be Pastors.  However, It is perfectly acceptable and Biblical for women to lead Bibles studies outside the church, and especially if it is a viable avenue for study of the Word on a daily basis, paving the way for all of us to be closer to the Lord and become more knowledgeable of the Bible. If you care to contribute to my work with the Daily Bible study and sharing the Gospel, as part of your tithes and offerings, you can do so through PayPal by sending it to my PayPal address of: ReneHoladay@gmail.com  Thank you all for watching and God Bless you all! ;() --------------------- The primary study bible that Rene' uses is the 'Spirit-filled Life Bible, by Jack Hayford, and is available in hard cover or faux leather on Amazon at:  https://amzn.to/434fBnQ You can watch this episode on Youtube at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v9ekffu7ds Please be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, and SHARE!

How the Bible Was Formed E3 — Today, most Bibles are a single book that's easy to carry and flip through. But the Bible started as an assortment of scrolls, bound together into a collection. The Hebrew Bible—or the Old Testament—went through a centuries-long, iterative development process with a variety of scribes and prophets. It didn't come into its final form until roughly the time of Jesus. So how does this history interact with a view of Scripture as God's word? In this episode, Jon and Tim continue exploring the formation of the Bible, discussing how to hold a high view of these sacred texts while also acknowledging the humans who shaped them. CHAPTERSAn Inspired, Collaborative Work Over Centuries (0:00-12:00)A Final Shaping of the Hebrew Bible After Exile (12:00-26:59)The Second Temple Period's Flourishing Literary Culture (26:59-43:42)The Tanak's Standardization as the Masoretic Text (43:42-53:32)Wisdom Literature Designed for Meditation and Formation (53:32-1:00:03)Coming to Peace With the Bible's Formation (1:00:03-1:05:02)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode's official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESThe Journey from Texts to Translations: The Origin and Development of the Bible by Paul D. WegnerYou can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books here.SHOW MUSIC“Nice Day ft. Marc Vanparla, John Lee” by Lofi Sunday “Know My Name” by Lofi Sunday, Opto Music “But Hopeful ft. Maddox.” by Lofi Sunday “Forever Yours ft. Cassidy Godwin” by Lofi SundayBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, and he also edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Mika Edmondson joins our study of People in the Old Testament for our fourth week of reading the flawed, faithful, and profoundly human experiences in Scripture. From doubt and destruction to relief and redemption, let's explore what these ancient stories can teach us today!Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 4 of She Reads Truth's People in the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our People in the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this episode:Use code NAMES15 for 15% off the Plan Name collection at ShopSheReadsTruth.com.Mary Reading the TorahShe Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramMika Edmondson on Instagram*If you purchase something through our links, She Reads Truth may earn an affiliate commission.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Magellan AI - https://docsend.com/view/5vdvbdx7cr4tikmyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Welcome to Day 2638 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2638 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2638 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2638 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today's Wisdom Nugget, we're embarking on a trek through a different kind of terrain – the deep, often turbulent waters of lament. We're opening our Bibles to Psalm 69, starting with verses 1 through 8 in the New Living Translation. Psalm 69 is one of the Bible's most poignant and powerful lament psalms. It's a raw cry from a soul in deep distress, feeling overwhelmed by suffering, enemies, and profound reproach. While it speaks to the personal agony of the psalmist, often attributed to David, it is also a profoundly Messianic psalm, with many of its verses finding their ultimate fulfillment in the suffering of Jesus Christ. For our trek today, however, we'll primarily focus on the psalmist's immediate experience, allowing his desperate plea to resonate with our own moments of overwhelming hardship. Lament is a vital part of faith. It's the language we use when life doesn't make sense, when we feel abandoned, attacked, or misunderstood. The ancient Israelites understood this well; their psalms provided a divine vocabulary for every human emotion, including profound sorrow and confusion. This psalm offers us a sacred space to bring our deepest pain and rawest emotions before God. So, let's immerse ourselves in the opening verses of Psalm 69. (Reads Psalm 69:1-4 NLT) Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can't find a foothold. I am drowning in deep waters; the floods overwhelm me. I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is hoarse. My eyes are swollen red from weeping for my God. Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs on my head. These enemies who want to destroy me are powerful. They make me pay for crimes I didn't commit. I am forced to return what I didn't steal. Guthrie Chamberlain: What a visceral, immediate cry for help! The psalmist wastes no time in conveying the urgency and desperation of his situation. He uses powerful, evocative imagery of being consumed by water: “Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can't find a foothold. I am drowning in deep waters; the floods overwhelm me.” This is more than just a metaphor for trouble; it speaks to a profound sense of being utterly submerged and losing control. In the ancient Near East, deep waters, floods, and mire often symbolized chaos, death, and overwhelming peril. When the psalmist says the waters are “up to my neck,” it means he is on the verge of suffocation, barely clinging to life. He's not just in the water; he's sinking into “mire,” thick mud that offers no solid ground, no hope of escape. He's being “overwhelmed” – completely overcome and consumed by the torrents of his troubles. Have you ever felt like that? Like you're sinking, unable to find firm ground, with the pressures of life threatening to swallow you

The FIRST random turning in the NEW Bible!  What' the Christening Passage??  None other than 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18!  Astonishing how this theme is central to this show across my usage of 5 different Bibles!  The Holy Spirit is clearly preparing the people watching this show for the next greatest even to happen in the history of humanity!  Covering a few new aspects of this famous Rapture verse!  Come and see!   If you are blessed by today's Bible study, please support my channel by liking, subscribing, commenting, and sharing with your friends and family!  I am not a Pastor, and agree with God's word that women are not supposed to be Pastors.  However, It is perfectly acceptable and Biblical for women to lead Bibles studies outside the church, and especially if it is a viable avenue for study of the Word on a daily basis, paving the way for all of us to be closer to the Lord and become more knowledgeable of the Bible. I have lead the Word of the Day to our international Radio audience for the past 5 years now, and this is the next phase of that which I am carrying on with YouTube.  If you care to contribute to my work with the Daily Bible study and sharing the Gospel, as part of your tithes and offerings, you can do so through PayPal by sending it to my PayPal address of: ReneHoladay@gmail.com  Thank you all for watching and God Bless you all! ;() --------------------- The primary study bible that Rene' uses is the 'Spirit-filled Life Bible, by Jack Hayford, and is available in hard cover or faux leather on Amazon at:  https://amzn.to/434fBnQ You can watch this episode on Youtube at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v9ekffu7ds Please be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, and SHARE!

It's Monday, May 26th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Armenian Christian details abuses in Iranian prison Hakop Gochumyan, an Armenian Christian arrested in Iran in 2023 for his Christian faith, recently sent a letter to Christian Solidarity Worldwide detailing abuses he's endured while imprisoned, reports International Christian Concern.  In the letter, published on May 9, Gochumyan explained that Iranian authorities have “subjected [him] to psychological violence” and threatened to take his life and the lives of his family.  Mervyn Thomas, president and founder of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, called for “Gochumiyan's immediate and unconditional release” and rallied the “international community … to hold Iranian authorities to account” for their human rights abuses.  Gochumyan was detained just outside of Tehran, in Pardis, in August 2023 and sentenced to 10 years in prison in February 2024. His charges include “engaging in deviant proselytizing activity that contradicts the sacred law of Islam” by allegedly associating with “a network of evangelical Christianity.”  The couple, along with their two children, were in Iran to visit family and, while attending a dinner at a friend's house, police arrived, and arrested them. Allegedly, Gochumyan possessed copies of Farsi-language New Testaments, which are banned in Iran, and had attended several churches during his visit.  Spreading the Gospel of Christ to non-Christians is illegal in Iran. Additionally, possessing Bibles written in Farsi, the nation's official language, isn't allowed as it could draw a non-Christian to Jesus. Christian conversion is something the Iranian regime strongly discourages and attempts to dissuade, often through psychological manipulation, overt intimidation, physical abuse, and imprisonment.  However, the light of Christ continues to shine in the region and cannot be extinguished. In John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Trump vows a 25% tariff on iPhones if made in China or India President Donald Trump vowed to enact “at least” a 25% tariff on iPhones that are not manufactured and built in the United States — in a sharp warning to Apple CEO Tim Cook, reports One America News. Apple currently manufactures the majority of its iPhones in China, and does not have a domestic smartphone production supply chain.  Apple announced a move to India in an effort to “diversify its supply chain and reduce reliance on China.” But Trump wants the iPhones built here in America. Judge overturns Biden rule forcing employers to allow time off for abortions A federal judge in Louisiana has struck down regulations that would have forced most U.S. employers to provide pregnant workers with time off to kill their babies by abortion, reports LifeNews.com. Issued Wednesday by U.S. District Judge David Joseph, the ruling invalidated a provision of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's regulations under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which had been pushed during the Biden administration. Initially, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which passed with bipartisan support in December 2022, was designed to ensure that employers, with 15 or more employees, provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers, such as time off for medical appointments or relief from heavy lifting. However, the Biden administration, to its shame, twisted the initial intent of the law to classify abortion as a “related medical condition” to pregnancy and childbirth. That forced pro-life employers to facilitate the termination of unborn lives against their moral and religious convictions. Alaskan volcano could blow Located 80 miles from Anchorage, Alaska, Mount Spurr is about to blow, reports the Alaska Volcano Observatory. The last time it blew was 1992. If you're picturing massive lava flows, think again, explains Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.  The biggest threat will actually be the ash which could reach as high as 50,000 feet into the sky, according to DailyGalaxy.com.    Volcanic ash could blanket Anchorage. If the eruption happens during daylight, the ash cloud could block out the sun for hours, plunging the area into total darkness. Ash is dangerous to breathe. It damages cars and machinery and can disrupt daily life.   And then there's air travel. Ash could rise high into the atmosphere, and the tiny glass-like particles, can reharden inside jet engines, posing a serious threat. Since Alaska's airspace is a major route for Trans Pacific flights, this eruption could affect a lot more people than just those in Anchorage, including flights from Toronto to Seoul or Hong Kong to Memphis. Psalm 95:4-5 reminds us that God, Who created Mount Spurr, is in control. “In His hand are the depths of the Earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.” Tapper confessed: Conservative media was right about Biden's decline And finally, in an intriguing interview with Megyn Kelly, CNN's Jake Tapper confessed that “conservative media was right” about Biden's dramatic mental decline. Tapper's new book is entitled, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. Listen. KELLY: “Leading up to the debate which you anchored, that June 27 debate, 2024 there was a ton of news leading into that debate in that month. We looked back at your coverage and found that you ignored the freeze up that he had at the Juneteenth Celebration. You ignored what happened at the G7 when he, [Biden], wandered off and Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, had to go find him." TAPPER: “Megyn,” KELLY: “You ignored the freeze up at the George Clooney L.A. fundraiser. You didn't cover it. You only covered it after the debate, after George Clooney wrote his op-ed. Your network at every turn was telling us those were, ‘cheap fakes.'  And you're not combating that narrative. CNN was actively misleading us on what our very eyes were showing us. That's the truth. That's the record.” TAPPER: “I will acknowledge that after I was named co-moderator of the [presidential] debate, I tried to make sure that my coverage was fairly vanilla, both about Trump and about Biden, because I just wanted to get to the debate. I remember that moment, the glitch at the immigration event, and not getting much attention outside of conservative media at all. “Alex and I are here to say the conservative media was right and conservative media was correct. There should be a lot of soul searching, not just among me, but among the legacy media to begin with, all of us, for how this was covered or not covered sufficiently. 100%. I mean, I'm not here to defend coverage that I've already acknowledged I wish I could do differently.” Prior to the release of this book, CNN's Jake Tapper, in his refusal to tell the truth about Biden's mental decline, did not heed the commandment found in Exodus 20:16. It says, “You shall not bear false witness.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, May 26th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Lesson 052 of Heart Dive's Heartbeat of God, where we are finding how God's heart beats throughout His Word so we can find Him in the world. Today, we are studying Leviticus 24-25 in the Old Testament.VISIT OUR SHOP: heartdiveshop.com2024 videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdqyC_w_7Gwgd93fCHH-OZdxB3fYuPXIW&si=nvsUzGRu71ISQ8bsFREE RESOURCES: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/mobile/folders/1Tvms_gB-OWMum61DiCXvFV8R8jKXpIVIMy Bible Notes: https://heartdive.org/daily-notes-with-kanoe/2025 Digital and Print Planners: heartdiveshop.comFacebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartdiveAmazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/shop/kanoegibson/list/1ED3COSB79TAQ?ref_=aipsflistLOGOS Software affiliate link: http://www.logos.com/heartdiveFree Reading Plan and Daily Newsletter sign up: http://heartdive.org/newsletterLink to recommended Bibles: https://heartdive.org/recommendations/ Support the Ministry: https://heartdive.org/support/ 

In this heartfelt Memorial Day episode, host Stu Epperson welcomes Michael Woolworth from the Bible League to reflect on the meaning of the holiday, honor fallen U.S. service members, and highlight a powerful opportunity to give back spiritually. Michael shares sobering updates on the persecution of Christians across Africa, where believers are imprisoned, tortured, and even killed for their faith. Despite these hardships, they're not asking for pity, they're asking for Bibles. Through the “Open the Floodgates: Bibles for Africa” campaign, listeners are encouraged to send the Word of God to those in need.

Introduction: The Trustworthiness Test (Matthew 5:33-37): Do I Need to CONVINCE OTHERS of the TRUTHFULNESS of what I say? (Matt 5:33–34a) Do I Look for LOOPHOLES to GET OUT of what I say? (Matt 5:34b–36) Matthew 23:22 – And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. 1 Peter 2:22 – He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. Do I Always FOLLOW THROUGH on what I say? (Matt 5:37) James 5:12 – But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. John 8:44 – You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 5:33-37What was your big take-away from this passage / message?How can you strengthen your reputation when it comes to honesty and trustworthiness? How can you weaken it?Do you ever make excuses or look for loopholes to get out of what you say?Do you struggle with being a “yes or no” person? How do you fail to be reliable and follow through on what you say?What does it look like to truly repent of deception and make things right with those you have lied to?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Return your Bibles to Matthew chapter 5 verses 33 through 37.Matthew chapter 5 verses 33 through 37.Is it safe to say that trust is in short supply in 2025?We are constantly bombarded with lies, conspiracies, fraud,lame excuses, propaganda, cover-ups.With each passing year, we become less and less trustingas others seem less and less trustworthy.I was going to use an object lesson to prove this point,but for the sake of unity, which you'll see in a minutewhy I'm not doing this, I'm going to have you use your imaginations instead.Imagine with me that a bunch of images are from the screens behind meof famous individuals, politicians, billionaires, tech gurus, celebrities,social media influencers, world-renowned doctors,and popular preachers who you see pop up on Spotify, YouTube, and television.And with each image, with each person, I ask this very simple question,is this person trustworthy?And with some of these famous people, the answer would be a decisive yes,while others would be a resounding no.But some examples may prove to be a bit controversial and divisive.It may be a bit of a mixed reaction, which could lead to some frustration,heated debates, and strained relationships.Hence my unwillingness to show these images in service today.What if I were to close out this slideshow with a picture of you?And for the final time, I ask this very simple question, is this person trustworthy?What would be the response?What would your family members, friends, and fellow church members say about you?Maybe you don't want to play along with my made-up scenario,because you're afraid of what other people would say about you.But you cannot be oblivious in this area of life, because your reputation,when it comes to honesty and trustworthiness, is not a throwaway issue.Your credibility with others on the outside speaks to your integrity before the Lord on the inside.We've been studying the Sermon on the Mount for the past few months,and now this is the fourth week of our latest section, "The Heart of the Law."And throughout Matthew chapter 5, Jesus doesn't lessen the Old Testament law.He elevates it. He doesn't abolish it and throw it away.He digs down deep into our hearts to show how it applies at the deepest levels of who we are.Jesus proves that obeying God's commands and displaying true righteousness are matters of the heart.Jesus cares way more about the internal than the external,because who you are internally shapes all that you say and do externally.So far, we have covered what Christ commands and expects when it comes to anger,sexuality, and marriage.In Matthew chapter 5, verses 33 through 37,the Lord turns your attention to what he has to say about making promises and keeping your word.To help you gauge your own personal credibility, Jesus assigns an important testthat you cannot afford to skip or to fail.And this test is the trustworthiness test.Before we dig into the first question, let's go to the Lord in prayer.Please pray that I will faithfully proclaim God's word.While I pray that you will faithfully and joyfully receive God's word.Father, we thank you for the gift of your word.It is a mirror that you hold up to our hearts to show us what means to change.Lord, this morning you're going to show us some very challenging and difficult things about ourselvesthat we do not want to see,but we must recognize them and we must make changes by the power of your Holy Spirit.So may you do the work that only you can.We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.All right, who is ready for the trustworthiness test?Well, we're going to take it anyway. So the trustworthiness test, question one.Do I need to convince others of the truthfulness of what I say?Do I need to convince others of the truthfulness of what I say?Let's read verses 33 through 34.Jesus says, "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old,'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.'But I say to you, do not take an oath at all."This is the fourth time in Matthew chapter 5 that Jesus repeats the same verbal pattern."You have heard that it was said, but I say to you."So let's cover what was said in the past."You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn."You will not find this exact sentence word for word in the Old Testamentbecause it is a mashup of three different passages about keeping oaths.With the Nicos 19-2, Numbers chapter 30 verse 2 and Deuteronomy 23-21.In the Old Testament, oath taking was serious business.It wasn't something to be entered into lightly or carelessly.Vows were reserved for important matters.And God put them in place as a first line of defense against dishonesty.I find it helpful to view Old Testament oaths like spiritual speed bumps.Why do speed bumps exist?To cause you to slow down and keep pedestrian safe.Let me ask you, do speed bumps always do that?No, we've all seen maniacs treat speed bumps like challenges and jumps instead of warnings.And maybe you've been that maniac from time to time.Oaths were set up by God to curb the natural tendency to be deceitful and unreliable.They were like speed bumps.By taking an oath, you were saying,"God, you can bring judgment and cursing upon me if I do not keep my side of the bargain."But these spiritual speed bumps could not stop all dishonesty.It couldn't do away with people being deceitful.So vows help provide accountability, but they could not change the human heart,which is seen most clearly in the lives of the religious leaders of Jesus' day.The rabbis, the scribes, the Pharisees misinterpreted the Old Testament commands about vowsand twisted God's word to advance their own dishonest agenda.They believe that you shall not swear falsely, only spoke to perjuring yourself in a court of law.We'll talk about this in even greater detail in a few minutes,but they also believe that the instruction you shall perform to the Lord what you have swornleft some room for coloring outside the lines when it came to keeping your word.If you weren't in a court setting or you didn't make vows directly to Godand in His name there was some wiggle room to tell some lies.It wasn't ideal, but hey, not a big deal.As long as you said the right things and as long as you kept their man-made rules.Once again, the religious leaders are taking God's word, taking His commandsand putting it into their own man-made box.Their standards were shallow and their righteousness was phony.But Jesus calls His followers to a greater righteousness, to a higher standardwhen He says, "But I say to you, do not take an oath at all."This command brings up an important question that we have to answer.Is Jesus saying that it's always sinful to make a promise or a vow of any kind at any time?Well, some Christians, some scholars and pastors certainly think so,but that's a really hard stance to defend from the rest of Scripture.The Apostle Paul kept and he made and kept a vow in Acts 18-18.In Revelation chapter 10 verses 5 through 6, the Apostle John records an angel swearing enough.In the Old Testament, God made oaths to show the seriousness of His covenant promises.God didn't do that because he had a shaky reputation.He lovingly did that to give His people a rock-solid confidence in His trustworthinessand the certainty of His purposes and His plans.God's vows were like exclamation points that highlighted His credibilitybecause we so often do not trust Him even though His track record is flawless.The Lord established the Old Covenant with Israel and He has established a new covenant with all who believein the life, death, and resurrection of His Son.And at its core, a covenant is an oath-bound relationship that is built upon promises being keptand the Bible is crystal clear that God always keeps His promises.And speaking of covenants, the Bible describes marriage as a covenant relationshipwhich means that as a good and godly thing, you swear your devotion to your spouse.You know, 11 years ago, Pastor Jeff married my wife and Iand when he asked me to repeat my vows to Kate after him, I didn't say, "Whoa, wait preacher boy,I don't make promises or take vows. Don't you study the Bible for a living?Shouldn't you know that? Pass." Did I do that? Jeff, do you remember that? I don't think I did that.Let's move from the marriage ceremony to the courtroom.I'm called to testify in a very important case and the judge tells me to raise my right handand he asked me, "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"What should I say?Sorry, judge. I'm a Christian. I can't do that. You may as well call the next witness. I'm out of here. Deuces.Is that going to go very well with the judge?Listen, Jesus is not condemning vows in the context of a courtroom or a wedding ceremony.Jesus is forbidding the practice of taking frivolous oaths and making pointless promises in everyday life situations.He's saying, "Do not be the kind of person who needs to swear on something or someone to be believed.Do not be the kind of person who needs to clarify that you're not lying.Who needs to clarify that you're telling the truth.Be so trustworthy that your word can be taken at face value without jumping through hoops.As a follower of Christ, you shouldn't need the spiritual speed bumps of promises, oaths, and vows to be taken seriously.You should be a person of such great integrity that promises are unnecessary because your past performance speaks for itself.Others should trust you implicitly because you have proven yourself explicitly.Your heart should be so full of the truth that lying doesn't even register as a valid option to choose or path to take.For the Christian, honesty is like breathing.You inhale the truth of God's word and then you exhale the truth in every situation.You don't tell white lies because you understand that there are no such thing as white lies.Every lie, no matter how small, is a huge deal to the Lord.You don't embellish your stories or add on extra details to impress people because who cares what other people think about you.What matters most is what God thinks about you.And He knows what you're saying is not true.You don't cut corners at work because you ultimately serve the Lord of all creation who sees everything,not the human boss across the hall who cannot see into your heart.You cannot control much in this life, but you do have the ability to deepen your credibility or destroy it,to strengthen it day by day or to willingly weaken it.You have no right to be offended when someone doesn't believe you if you have a shady history of saying things that are not trueand making promises that you didn't keep.You are simply reaping the consequences of what you have sown.You are receiving the label of untrustworthy, which is a title that you have repeatedly earned.The trustworthiness test.Move on to the second question.And it will not be easier than the first.Do I look for loopholes to get out of what I say?Do I look for loopholes to get out of what I say?So Jesus pulls the rug out from underneath the religious leaders and exposes their ridiculous schemes in verses 34 through 36.But I say to you, do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,or by the earth, for it is His footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.As I said earlier, the scribes and Pharisees were experts at looking for loopholes and creating escape patches to get out of what they said,especially if what they said wasn't made in a court setting.So instead of swearing in God's name, they would swear by heaven, they would swear by the earth, the city of Jerusalem, or even their own heads.In their minds, swearing on these things was not binding like swearing in God's name.This is the verbal equivalent of crossing your fingers behind your back whenever you make a promise.They thought they were so clever. They found their own get out of oaths free card.But Jesus shows them that this line of thinking is childish and dumb.He destroys their loopholes and he closes their escape patches.Let's follow his logic.Jesus says, "Do not swear by heaven because who does heaven belong to?"All right. I know it's early. I'm going to ask that question again.Who does heaven belong to?It is His throne.And Matthew actually reinforces this later on when Jesus says,"And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it."He also says, "Don't swear by the earth because who does it belong to?"Once again, I'm going to try it again. Who does the earth belong to, everyone?It is His footstool. God is so awesome. He is so big.The earth is like a teeny tiny ottoman where He puts His feet up.The earth belongs to God, so don't swear by it.It's also not a great idea to swear by Jerusalem because who does it belong to?Great job, everyone.The king of Jerusalem, the king of the earth, and that is God.You swear by Jerusalem. You swear by the one who created and rules over Israel.And He also says, "Don't swear by your own head."It seems kind of weird, right? What does that even mean?Well, it means this. "If I don't keep my word, let me be decapitated."A modern day equivalent of this would be, "Cross my heart and hope to die. Stick a needle in my..."These words mean nothing and they control nothing.Jesus says, "You cannot make one hair white or black."Back in those days, people could not control their hair color with hair dye like we can today.Once your hair started going gray, there was no going back.But even today in 2025, you can't speak a change of hair color into existence, right?You can't say, "Let my hair be black. Let my hair be blonde again."You cannot do that.So Jesus is saying, "If you cannot even control the color of your hair with your words,your words definitely cannot control if you're decapitated or not."God is saying, "My words certainly control that."Which means, "I own you. I own your head. I am the one who controls all things.So do not swear by heaven, by earth, by Jerusalem, or your own head."Jesus even exposes the other things the religious leaders swore by in Matthew chapter 23 verses 16 through 22.They would swear by the gold of the temple instead of the temple itself.They would swear by the gift on the altar instead of the altar itself.Jesus doesn't actually commend them for their shrewd thinking and their creative brainstorming.He calls them blind fools who cannot see the stupidity of their own actions.He labels them as blind guides who have fallen into a sinful pitand are calling the rest of Jerusalem to join them in the darkness.I know what you may be thinking at this point.Taylor, this is an interesting history lesson at all.I just don't see how this relates to me.I haven't sworn by anything or anyone for a long time.I haven't said, "I swear on my mother's life. I swear on my grandma's grave.I swear by my life that I'm not lying."So how does this relate to me? I haven't done that for many years.Well, here's how the text relates to you."Don't be a sneaky word ninja like the scribes and Pharisees.Do not be a sneaky person.Do not look for escape hatches and loopholes to get out of what you say,because that does not honor the Lord."Let me give you some examples that may hit close to home.Husbands, you're supposed to carry out a task for your wife, but then you forget.Yeah, stretch your imagination because that never happens, right?Then your wife calls you on it and to save face you say, "Oh, I was just about to do it.You didn't give me enough time. That's sneaky. So don't do it."You commit to a small group, but on one particular night, you don't really feel like going.So you call your small group leader, "Oh, man, I'm really under the weather.I don't want anybody else to get what I have. So I'm not going to make it tonight."That's sneaky. So don't do it.Someone texts or calls, someone texts or emails youand really annoying message that you do not want to respond to.So the next time you see that person, you pretend like you accidentally missed it.That's sneaky. So don't do it.You get invited to an event that you desperately do not want to go to.So what do you say? "Yeah, maybe that might work. Let me get back to my calendar and get back to you."You ain't getting back to them about nothing. You are going to ghost this person.That's sneaky. So don't do it.Unfortunately, you do get sucked into that event that you do not want to go to.Instead of biting the bullet and attending, you call that person the day of,"I really wanted to come, but something came up."But nothing came up.That's sneaky. So don't do it.And I know what some of you are saying to yourselves right now."Taylor, this seems like really small potatoes in the grand scheme of things."Shouldn't we move on to something a bit bigger?I mean, come on. These kinds of excuses are harmless and they hurt no one.Actually, these kinds of excuses are harmful and they hurt everyone, including you.You are numbing yourself to the deceitfulness of sin.And you are paving the way to lie in bigger and bolder ways moving forward.Listen, no one starts out as a pathological liar.It starts with one compromise that you get away with.And then it's way easier to make another compromise.You cross the line, you get away with it,and then you make a habit out of pushing boundaries and testing the limits.If you keep this up, you will end up saying and doing things that you never thought you were capable of.Sneakiness is a way of slipping into your heart and taking over if you're not on guard against it.But most importantly, these kind of devious excuses are sinful and sinning against the Lord.And that alone should give you pause and cause you to cut this behavior out of your life.It is not wise, it is not right to walk in the sneaky footsteps of the scribes and Phariseeswho rejected and murdered the Son of God.Instead, walk in the footsteps of the one who committed no sin.Neither was deceit found in his mouth.Jesus always told the truth even when it cost his own life.Jesus never made excuses to get out of his mission of dying on the cross.You must always tell the truth even when it gets you into trouble.Never make excuses even when it seems like everyone else around you is.The final question of the trustworthiness test.Do I always follow through on what I say?Do I always follow through on what I say?Jesus wraps up by showing the alternative to being an undependable and sneaky person in verse 37.Let what you say be simply yes or no.Anything more than this comes from evil.Well, according to our Lord, being an honest person is not a complex concept.Say yes if you'll do something. Say no if you will not do something.That's super easy, right?Not really.It is so simple, but it is also so hard to live out.It isn't convenient to be a yes or no person, but it is the freest way to live.It is so stressful to not keep your word.It is so stressful to have all those deceitful plates spinning in your mindbecause at some point one will come crashing down and you will have to deal with the consequences.It is exhausting to put on a mask and pretend to be someone who you are not.It is painful to not be the person who you project yourself to be.It is embarrassing to be unreliableand to have the reputation of being a constant flake and not an unshakable rock.When I am closing things down in my office for the day and packing things up,I often text my wife to let her know that I am on the way home.But sometimes I get distracted with other things after I send that text.Writing down a sermon thought that I don't want to lose,wrapping up a task that I forgot to complete, or talking to Pastor Jeff.That never happens, right Jeff?Several months ago I arrived home way later than I told Kate that I would.And I profusely apologized and I will never forget her blunt response with a loving smile on her face."Oh, that's okay. I always add an extra 15 minutes to your arrival time when you text me."Ouch!That loving burn really stung my conscience.My wife gave me some extra wiggle roombecause she was aware that I often missed the target of my stated arrival time.Do people need to give you wiggle room because they know that you often missed the target of keeping your word?They know you'll be somewhere off on the board but way off-center,or maybe you'll miss the board completely.You mean well, you have good intentions but your follow-through fall short.Maybe you feel very discouraged by your unreliable reputation.You're thinking to yourself, "I don't want to be this way. I want to help everyone.I want to be there for everyone but I can't seem to keep all of my commitments."Well, it sounds like you have a no problem.You say yes to everything because you don't want to let anyone down.But in the process, you let everyone down because you cannot equally serve everyone.If you say yes to everyone, your word will not carry weight with anyone.And to be clear, saying no can be wrong and sinful.Some of you in this room say no way more than you should at home, at work, and even in this church.God may be calling you to step up more, not step back less.But at the same time, saying no can also be right and productive.Because you have to recognize that you are not God.You cannot be everywhere all the time and you cannot do everything at the same exact time.You are a limited person.You need to count the cost of what you are committing yourself to before you say yes or no.It takes great wisdom and discernment to say no to good things.So that you can say yes to the best things.And Jesus is so direct at the end of verse 37 and says that anything beyond being a yes or no person is evil.It is wicked.And this is recapt in James 512.Some translations of Matthew 537 say that this kind of behavior beyond being a yes or no person is from the evil one.Meaning if you live this kind of deceitful lifestyle, you are way worse off than just being like the scribes and Pharisees.You are also like their spiritual father, Satan.Listen to what Jesus says to religious leaders in John 844.You are of your father the devil and your will is to do your father's desires.He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.When he lies, he speaks out of his own character for he is a liar and the father of lies.My kids bear a family resemblance to Kate and me.They have my eye color and thankfully they have her good looks.After service, you see them running around.It shouldn't come as a surprise that they belong to Kate and me because they look just like us.There are two spiritual families and it's obvious which one you belong to based on which father you resemble the most.Do you resemble Satan who lies, cheats and steals or do you resemble God who tells the truth, does the right thing in the right way and selflessly serves?Which father do you resemble the most?We've reached the end of the trustworthiness test.How did you do?Did you pass or did you fail?Did you stick the landing or did you crash into the runway?Maybe the Lord has encouraged your heart and revealed to you that you have a strong and solid reputation that is well deserved.If that's you, keep up the good work, keep your foot on the gas pedal and keep moving forward by the grace of God.Maybe you're convicted that yes, you are in the family of God, but you sure aren't acting like it right now.Instead of hiding away and keeping your lies a secret, be honest about your dishonesty to God and to those you have betrayed.It is not enough to just stop lying from now on. You also have to uncover the lies that you've already told.I know that's hard. I know that feels shameful.But remember, if you are a true believer in Christ, there is no condemnation for you.You can be honest about your sin and ask for forgiveness from others because the penalty has already been paid by Jesus Christ.We can share openly about our failures because they're no longer held against us.Maybe you've come to the realization that you resemble the evil one and belong to the wrong family.For years, you've unapologetically told bold-faced lies. You've shared half truths.You've led people on. You've been underhanded and you've covered your tracks so you can avoid getting in trouble.You may feel crushed under the weight of your own dishonesty right now.If that's you, please do not try to do better or be better on your own.Do not try to clean up your act because that will not solve the problem.Self-improvement and self-help are fools errands that lead straight to hell.Those worldly methods will not solve the problem that is truly within you, which is the problem of your heart.Please come clean and confess your sins to the Lord.Turn from your deceptive ways and throw yourself at the mercy of Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose again to save liars like you and me.If you do that, the Lord will give you a brand new heart that loves the truth, that desires the truth.A heart that is overflowing with a desire to share the truth with everyone.Only the most trustworthy one in all of existence can truly turn you into a trustworthy person.Let's pray.Father, I am a man of unclean lips who dwells among the people of unclean lips.Lord, we have sinned against you with our deception and our lies and our half truths.Lord, on our own, we are so helpless. We are so hopeless.But we thank you for your redeeming work.We thank you that you have cleansed us.You've cast our lies away from us as far as the east is from the west.Lord, help us not to be sneaky anymore.To not be deceptive anymore. To not make untrue excuses.Lord, help us to be people of our word who don't need to make promises.Help us to be people who have a solid reputation because our reputation impacts your reputation in this world.Lord, there's someone in this room who does not know and love you.May today be the day where they finally make the most important decision of their livesand are transformed and changed forever.We thank you for your goodness. We thank you that you are unchanging even though we're constantly changing.We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

Seth and guest Dr. Peter Gurry discuss New Testament manuscripts, textual variants, scribal errors, and challenges Christians may face in holding to the belief that the Scriptures are without error in the original writings. Can you say your ESV Bible is God's Word? Do the writers of the gospels contradict each other? How should we think about the section in Scripture that are bracketed off in our Bibles that say, "earliest manuscripts do not include"? https://textandcanon.org Scribes & Scripture

Psalm 119:11, "I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Your Bibles printed on paper are a blessing, but to have the Scriptures written on the heart is far better. We need not so much the doctrine which has been driven into the brain by reason, but the truth wrought into the soul by experience, through the teaching of the blessed Spirit. Charles Spurgeon, with his unmatched clarity and spiritual insight, reminded believers that truth must not merely reside in the intellect, but must be etched upon the heart. While printed Bibles are a precious treasure, there is a deeper blessing in having the Word of God engraved within the soul. It is not enough to possess a well-marked Bible; what matters most is a Bible marked in the heart. The doctrines of Scripture, no matter how sound, are worthless if they dwell only in the intellect. Theology can sharpen the mind, but only the Holy Spirit can soften the heart. What the Christian cannot do, the Spirit accomplishes--He takes divine truth and applies it personally, experimentally, and powerfully to the soul. This is not merely understanding, but transformation. It is not cold assent, but warm submission. When God's Word is written on the heart, it becomes the believer's compass, comfort, and conviction. Paul did not say, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in your minds richly," but rather, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Colossians 3:16). That is, in the very core of your being--where affections are stirred, where the will is moved, and where life is directed. Truth must not merely be driven into the brain by logic, but planted in the soul by the Spirit. Only then does it become fruitful,

Friday, 23 May 2025   “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16   “You behold! I, I send you as sheep in wolves' midst. You become, therefore, sagacious as the serpents and simple as the doves” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told the apostles what it would be like on judgment day for the cities that rejected their message. He now continues His words to them, saying, “You behold! I, I send you as sheep in wolves' midst.”   The pronoun is emphatic, “I, I send you.” Jesus is personally sending them, knowing in advance what they will face. The emphasis looks back on everything He had already faced, knowing that they too would receive like treatment. Thus, they shouldn't feel that what they were to experience was unique or unknown to Him.   As for the metaphors, they are self-explanatory to anyone who knows the difference between wolves and sheep. This wording was known to Israel from their writings, such as when the Lord, through Ezekiel, spoke of the leaders of Israel in their treatment of the people –   “Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain.” Ezekiel 22:27   This and other instances from Scripture told them that they should expect ill-treatment. They were like lambs. Their message was harmless and should be taken as inoffensive. And yet, when it was heard, they would face vile accusations, possibly be attacked, and so forth. Because this was expected, He next says, “You become, therefore, sagacious as the serpents.”   From the earliest account of man on earth, the serpent is portrayed as a cunning beast. It is the serpent that caused Adam to fall through his deceptive tongue. Barnes notes that the Egyptians used the serpent in their hieroglyphics as a symbol of wisdom. Thus, this was something understood beyond the borders of Israel as a common theme.   Jesus is telling them to be cunning like serpents, not in a negative way, but in the sense that they should be aware of the attacks that would come against them and respond accordingly in a sagacious manner to the situation at hand. Further, He says, “and simple as the doves.”   The adjective translated as simple, akeraios, is most literally translated as unmixed, being derived from the negative particle a and the verb kerannumi, to mix. Saying unmixed, however, may leave the reader not sure what is being referred to.   However, the word simple is from the Latin word simplus which then carried through old French. It signifies a medicine made from one constituent. Thus, it is unmixed or pure. This meaning continues in intent today.   As for the dove, they are just that, pure, untainted by other constituents that might corrupt them. They simply act as doves regardless of the world around them being fraught with terror or easy manipulation. In other words, they don't join in the terrorizing, nor do they cunningly try to manipulate their surroundings to obtain what they need.   As such, one can see the beauty of the symbolism of the dove representing the Holy Spirit. He meets His purpose within the Godhead without any form of terror or manipulation. Rather, He inspires, helps, edifies, and leads according to the love and wisdom of God, reassuring and comforting those who are His.   Life application: Today, there are nations that have carried the gospel message for eons. The nation itself has been identified with the Christian faith. There are those who are within such nations who are trying to retain their country within that same context. Therefore, they go out and preach the gospel in the streets, hand out tracts, appeal to the masses concerning what is right, etc.   It is true that some of these people are annoying to the point that nobody wants to listen to them. Some of them stand on street corners and condemn everybody to hell. That is not a very good selling point concerning one's message, but they do it anyway. Despite people like that, there are those who truly care about sharing the grace of God in Christ Jesus, they pass on a message that is inoffensive, pure, harmless, and good. And yet, there are wolves out there that literally attack them, steal their Bibles, publicly tear them apart, stomp on them, etc.   Some will come up and shout in the faces of these people as if what they are doing is harmful. And yet, it is the most loving thing they could do. They just want people to know Jesus. Some are converted, making their efforts worthwhile. Some will never be converted and continue to rage against Jesus. They must face the same judgment Jesus spoke of in the last verse. It will be more sufferable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for them on that day.   Despite this, it is right that we present the gospel, even if it receives serious animosity and blowback from those we speak to. Our words will serve their purpose if they are rightly spoken in accord with the words of Scripture. So be bold, cunning, and simple all at the same time. But be sure to speak!   Lord God, help us to be people of powerful pronouncement as we walk in Your presence. May our words convey to others the knowledge we possess concerning the riches and glory of the gospel so that others can be saved. Without us, who will speak? Help us to do so! Amen.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (05/22/25), Hank answers the following questions:If certain verses in Scripture that aren't in the oldest manuscripts, why are they still in our modern Bibles? Roger - Modesto, CA (0:47)A guy was asking me about Christianity. He wondered why so many laws are put here to keep humanity in check. Can you help? Matt - Charlotte, NC (5:35)I want to do what is right concerning tithing. I have been giving 10%. I think I should tithe off my gross. How do I go about giving tithes? Chris - Wake Forest, NC (7:15)What is the true meaning of “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven”? When are we considered “rich”? Ron - Los Vegas, NV (15:13)Can you recommend some of your books that will help me study the Bible? Steve - Seattle, WA (20:59)Can you explain the three-day journey into the desert in Exodus 5:3? Was Moses lying to Pharaoh about this? AJ - Murray, UT (23:15)

When you consider spiritual disciplines, where does fasting rank? Most Christians pray, read, and study their Bibles regularly. Praise God! Many engage in fellowship, discipleship, and evangelism. Yet, fasting often falls lower on the list of our practiced disciplines. Why is this? I propose fasting is among the most powerful spiritual disciplines a believer can adopt, impacting their lives in ways that prayer, Bible study, and fellowship alone cannot achieve. I also propose that the significance of fasting as a means of grace in the Christian life will challenge common misconceptions and encourage us to consider its place in our pursuit of holiness. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/how-the-gift-of-fasting-can-change-your-life/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Not everyone responds to God's word with an open heart. Here we see a few different responses to God's word, and learn an important lesson about how we (and others) respond to truth.Send Mike a quick message! Support the showCheck out outloudbible.com for helpful study resources, and to discover how to bring the public reading of God's word to your church, conference, retreat, or other event.

Cameron Sutter is a sci-fi/fantasy author and the inventor of Plottr – the popular visual story planning software. Many authors have used Plottr to outline and flesh out their book creation process. Now, Cameron joins us to talk about Storysnap, a tool he designed to help authors create story bibles and streamline their creative process. //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//  Looking for your path to self-publishing success? Draft2Digital is the leading ebook publisher and distributor worldwide. We'll convert your manuscript, distribute it online, and support you the whole way—and we won't charge you a dime.  We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan.  • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog  • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com  Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.

Lesson 51 of Heart Dive's Heartbeat of God, where we are finding how God's heart beats throughout His Word so we can find Him in the world. Today we are studying Lev. 22-23 in the Old Testament.VISIT OUR SHOP: heartdiveshop.com2024 videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdqyC_w_7Gwgd93fCHH-OZdxB3fYuPXIW&si=nvsUzGRu71ISQ8bsFREE RESOURCES: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/mobile/folders/1Tvms_gB-OWMum61DiCXvFV8R8jKXpIVIMy Bible Notes: https://heartdive.org/daily-notes-with-kanoe/2025 Digital and Print Planners: heartdiveshop.comFacebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartdiveAmazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/shop/kanoegibson/list/1ED3COSB79TAQ?ref_=aipsflistLOGOS Software affiliate link: http://www.logos.com/heartdiveFree Reading Plan and Daily Newsletter sign up: http://heartdive.org/newsletterLink to recommended Bibles: https://heartdive.org/recommendations/ Support the Ministry: https://heartdive.org/support/ 

Today, more than ever before, we live in a herd environment, a human herd. Mass advertising in a great variety of media confronts us hour after hour, creating a herd mentality. We reflected on this as we read Paul's words this morning. He told the Thessalonians that we “give you in ourselves an example to imitate.” [2 Thess. 3 v.9]What do we imitate? What or who do we take as our examples in life? A parallel question – why do we see them as examples that we feel inclined to imitate?Bad examples abound today; there are also things which are not specifically bad but there is nothing really worthwhile in them. We need to ask ourselves, ‘ what is spiritually nutritious' in each thing we watch, read or do?. Paul writes, “you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it … that we might not be a burden to you.” [v.7,8]Are we pulling our weight, doing our share? We live in a drastically changed world to 3 months ago. The coronavirus has bought our lives to a stop. At this time we have opportunity to consider the course of our life. How is our worship to God? How are we caring for our vulnerable loved ones? Today more than ever we need to consider our attitude and what is the outworking of our faith. Soon we will be reading the letter to the Hebrews where it is stated, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” [13 v.7] Believers then did not have the blessing of a Bible to read every day, but, if they had, they would surely have read it in nearly every hour that could be spared from their essential tasks.But today with so many Bibles available, what part does God's word take in daily life? One of the smallest “books” in the Bible is the 3rd letter of John. “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” [v.11] We cannot physically “see” God but we can – with “the eyes of (our) hearts” [Eph.1 v.18] – see God – using his “living word” which cleanses hearts. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” [Matt. 5 v.8]. All such will be sure to experience the wonderful time described in today's Isaiah reading, “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” [11 v.9] 

In April, we asked VOM Radio listeners to to Christians living in restricted nations and hostile areas. This week, Ty Scott, VOM's Regional Leader for East and Southern Africa, tells us about the work and effort involved in actually placing Bibles into the hands of Christians living in cities and villages in Sudan, Tanzania, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Statistically, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania are majority-Christian nations. Yet each has communities where almost every person is a Muslim. How is the gospel spreading in such places? And how are new followers of Christ treated by their families and the wider Islamic community? Ty will share about family persecution in Comoros, a country we've never discussed on VOM Radio, where Christians comprise only tenths of a percent of the population. Listen as Ty and VOM Radio Host, Todd Nettleton, discuss places where ethnic identity and Islam are completely intertwined. As gospel workers share the hope of Christ in those places, they don't ask people to leave their ethnicity but to fulfill what God would have them be. Hear the amazing testimony of a young man who brought his father, an imam (Islamic prayer leader), to faith in Christ, and how the gospel brought many into Christ's kingdom through his father's witness. Ty will also share specific ways you can pray for Christians in eastern and southern Africa.

Nick Connolly is back for Week 3 of People in the Old Testament and is bringing so many incredible insights to our reading! We're so thankful for how Nick reminds us of God's relational, personal, and powerful presence in each of the stories you'll read this week.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 3 of She Reads Truth's People in the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our People in the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this episode:Use code NAMES15 for 15% off the Plan Name collection at ShopSheReadsTruth.com.She Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramNick Connolly on InstagramDon't Give Up Just Yet by Nick Connolly*If you purchase something through our links, She Reads Truth may earn an affiliate commission.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Magellan AI - https://docsend.com/view/5vdvbdx7cr4tikmyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

A year ago, Pine Creek High School lacked an official Christian club. But after a group of students stepped out in faith to hand out Bibles, God began something incredible. One student, initially mocking the outreach, stopped for a gospel conversation and accepted Jesus. Since then, McKenzie and her team launched a thriving club, hosted two large outreaches, and seen many students come to faith. Sylvie's school has also experienced revival as students who once showed no interest in the gospel are now engaging and committing to Christ. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __   

In a short Wednesday Night Bible Study series, we discuss angels. We look at what they are, who they are, and how they function. We're glad that you made it to this Bible Study! We're also available on Youtube. For more information on our Bibles studies or church as a whole, visit fbcwest.com

Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters joins James Poulos to discuss the war over America's future. From putting Bibles back into classrooms to fighting teachers' unions and woke indoctrination, Walters has a bold vision for reclaiming public education and restoring Judeo-Christian values in America's schools. He continues to fight the woke Left by banning pornographic content in libraries, restoring parental rights, and launching the first religious charter school in the country. With Trump's victory in 2024, education reform has become a central issue for the MAGA movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When something bad happens, we naturally want to find someone to blame.The disciples even did this, when they saw a man born blind, and asked Jesus, "“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”Jesus answers them, saying,“Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him" (John 9:1-3)While some forms of suffering come as a direct consequence of our own sinful choices, some come simply to give God an opportunity to do a great work through a difficult circumstance.As our series on suffering continues, we explore the difficult question of "Who's to Blame?" today. The answer may even surprise you!Turn your Bibles to 1 Peter 4. It's time to Rinse and Repeat!

Welcome to the Podcast of Southwest Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona. WHO ARE WE? • We are a group of people who are committed to living the grace life as set forth by the apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. • We come together to study our Bibles, and yes, we believe we have God's perfect Word in the King James Bible. It and it alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! • We do not come together and study our Bibles for the intent of being smarter than others. We understand that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is purely vain and serves no Godly purpose. • We do come together and study our Bibles for the intent of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that we have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that because Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and we should not live for ourselves but for Him, who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15) • We do not claim to have attained to these lofty goals, but we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) You can donate to this ministry through www.butnow.org and the PayPal button on the homepage.

Welcome to the Podcast of Southwest Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona. WHO ARE WE? • We are a group of people who are committed to living the grace life as set forth by the apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. • We come together to study our Bibles, and yes, we believe we have God's perfect Word in the King James Bible. It and it alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! • We do not come together and study our Bibles for the intent of being smarter than others. We understand that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is purely vain and serves no Godly purpose. • We do come together and study our Bibles for the intent of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that we have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that because Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and we should not live for ourselves but for Him, who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15) • We do not claim to have attained to these lofty goals, but we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) You can donate to this ministry through www.butnow.org and the PayPal button on the homepage.

“There are a lot of people out there who just don't know how evil the world can be,” says Scott Payne, a retired undercover FBI agent who spent his career infiltrating violent motorcycle gangs and white supremacist groups. After growing up in a Christian home, he briefly fell into Satan worship until an encounter with a real demon sent him running back to his Baptist church. But that wasn't his only face-off with a dark underworld in a career marked by burning Bibles, lighting crosses, and sacrificing goats, while undercover with the KKK and a new strain of young white supremacist chaos agents known as “accelerationists.” He and Glenn discuss George Floyd, Gretchen Whitmer's kidnapping, Aleksandr Dugin, and the humanitarian costs of an open U.S.-Mexico border. Scott reveals the connection between gangs, cults, extremism, and even radical jihad but says he remains an optimist through it all thanks to his family, the prayers of his wife, and his relationship with Jesus. In a time when so many don't trust law enforcement or the FBI, Glenn asks Scott, “Is the FBI good or bad?” You'll have to decide for yourself.   GLENN'S SPONSORS        Relief Factor   Relief Factor can help you live pain-free! The three-week quick start is only $19.95. Visit https://www.relieffactor.com/ or call 800-4-RELIEF.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April, we asked VOM Radio listeners to sponsor Bible delivery to Christians living in restricted nations and hostile areas. This week, Ty Scott, VOM's Regional Leader for East and Southern Africa, tells us about the work and effort involved in actually placing Bibles into the hands of Christians living in cities and villages in Sudan, Tanzania, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Statistically, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania are majority-Christian nations. Yet each has communities where almost every person is a Muslim. How is the gospel spreading in such places? And how are new followers of Christ treated by their families and the wider Islamic community? Ty will share about family persecution in Comoros, a country we've never discussed on VOM Radio, where Christians comprise only tenths of a percent of the population. Listen as Ty and VOM Radio Host, Todd Nettleton, discuss places where ethnic identity and Islam are completely intertwined. As gospel workers share the hope of Christ in those places, they don't ask people to leave their ethnicity but to fulfill what God would have them be. Hear the amazing testimony of a young man who brought his father, an imam (Islamic prayer leader), to faith in Christ, and how the gospel brought many into Christ's kingdom through his father's witness. Ty will also share specific ways you can pray for Christians in eastern and southern Africa. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as providing free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Everything a believer believes, hinges on whether the Bible can be trusted. Has it been corrupted? Was the Book of Enoch removed from the Bible? Why do the Catholics have a different canon? Did the 'lying scribes' corrupt our Bibles? Travel with PD through history and uncover the evidence! TABLE OF CONTENTS • What do we do with the Apocrypha, such as Enoch or Jubilees? • Were the Apocrypha originally in the Bible, and later removed? • Did "the lying scribes" tamper with the Bible? • Did the Catholic Church decide on the books of the Bible? • What about different canons that exist among different denominations? • Where does losing trust in the Biblical text lead people? • Above all, we will see what Jesus has to say about the books contained in the Bible. Support Rise on Fire Ministries by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/rise-on-fireRead transcript

Lesson 050 of Heart Dive's Heartbeat of God, where we are finding how God's heart beats throughout His Word so we can find Him in the world. Today, we are studying Leviticus 19-21 in the Old Testament.VISIT OUR SHOP: https://heartdiveshop.com/(SHIRTS COMING!)2024 videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdqyC_w_7Gwgd93fCHH-OZdxB3fYuPXIW&si=nvsUzGRu71ISQ8bsFREE RESOURCES: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/mobile/folders/1Tvms_gB-OWMum61DiCXvFV8R8jKXpIVIMy Bible Notes: https://heartdive.org/daily-notes-with-kanoe/2025 Digital and Print Planners: heartdiveshop.comAmazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/shop/kanoegibson/list/1ED3COSB79TAQ?ref_=aipsflistLOGOS Software affiliate link: http://www.logos.com/heartdiveFree Reading Plan and Daily Newsletter sign up: http://heartdive.org/newsletterLink to recommended Bibles: https://heartdive.org/recommendations/ Support the Ministry: https://heartdive.org/support/

If you have your Bibles, I would invite you to open them up to the book of Genesis. In chapter two, we're going to begin with the blessing known as the Kiddush, which means to set apart. And whenever we talk about sanctification, we're speaking about being set apart in regard to the purposes of God.To donate please visit us at:https://loveisrael.org/donate/Checks may be sent to:LoveIsrael.org6355 N Courtenay ParkwayMerritt Island, FL 32953Feel free to download our MyBibleStudy App on telephonehttps://get.theapp.co/yjjqwe don't know how long we can post the teachings on YThttps://www.instagram.com/mybiblestudyofficial/ To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1256/29

"We are not called to mold our lives into something impressive. We are called to yield to the Potter who is forming something eternal. God gives us dreams, and FOR SURE, we can chase those dreams with boldness and hope. We can do cool stuff with the clay God gives us. But make no mistake: We don't shape God into our image. He shapes us into His."Leave a comment for Jennifer: https://incourage.me/?p=252508--It's graduation season! Shower your grad with love and reminders of the plans God has for their future. Find inspiring books, student Bibles, cards, and gifts at DaySpring.com, and celebrate your graduate's special milestone! The (in)courage podcast is brought to you by DaySpring. For over 50 years, DaySpring has created quality cards, books, and gifts that help you live your faith. Find out more at DaySpring.com.Connect with (in)courage: Facebook & Instagram for daily encouragement, videos, and more! Website for the (in)courage library, to meet our contributors, and to access the archives. Email us at incourage@dayspring.com. Leave a podcast review on Apple!

Welcome to The Portions Podcast! Join us as we unpack Leviticus chapters 21 through 24 and explore how priests are called to represent the Lord as well as God's appointed times. Grab your Bibles and a pen, because we're about to dive deep in the next 20 minutes!Be sure to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss a video from TFI! Donate to TFI: https://www.togetherforisrael.org/givingpageVisit our Website: https://www.togetherforisrael.orgDownload our App: https://subsplash.com/togetherforisrael/download-appJoin us for a tour: https://www.tfi.tours

It's Thursday, May 15th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark 1,518 executions worldwide in 2024 A report from Amnesty International found there were 1,518 executions around the world last year. That's up 32 percent from 2023. Nations with the most documented executions include Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.  These numbers do not include executions in China, North Korea, and Vietnam. China is considered to be the world's leading executioner, with potentially thousands of executions last year. All of these countries are ranked on the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.  British city council no longer bans street preachers A local government district in England has backed down from banning street preachers. Back in March, Rushmoor Borough Council sought to criminalize street preaching, praying for people, singing, or handing out Bibles. Local churches, supported by the Christian Legal Centre, opposed the plan. Thankfully, the council backed down.  Jamie Broadey, a local evangelist, said, “Since we found out about the injunction and asked for prayer, we have been contacted by Christians from across the UK. The issue is uniting preachers and Christians and we are prepared to challenge this as far as need be to prevent the Gospel being criminalized.” Acts 5:29 says, “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.'” $1.2 trillion economic package with Qatar United States President Donald Trump is visiting countries in the Middle East this week. Yesterday, he signed an agreement with Qatar that would generate an economic exchange worth at least $1.2 trillion. This includes an historic sale of Boeing aircraft and GE Aerospace engines to Qatar Airways worth $96 billion.  Trump budget insists on work requirements for Medicaid This week, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled the “big, beautiful bill,” as the president calls it, to advance Trump's agenda.  The bill includes tax breaks, spending cuts, and border security.  Notably, the measure would cut $900 billion from Medicaid spending. It would also require many people to prove they are working, volunteering, or pursuing education to be eligible for Medicaid. Listen to comments by House Speaker Mike Johnson. JOHNSON: “We are protecting Medicaid for the people who need and deserve it. This program is an essential lifeline for our most vulnerable Americans: pregnant women, single mothers, low income seniors, the disabled. That's who Medicaid is intended to be for, and that's who we're protecting while we're eliminating fraud, waste and abuse to improve Medicaid. “These are reforms to restore and preserve the system so that it doesn't collapse on itself. That means ensuring illegal aliens don't get coverage meant for Americans in need. It means implementing work requirements to ensure that adults who can work, but refuse to, cannot keep cheating the system. We're going to continue to call this out.” Trump's bill defunds Planned Parenthood The “big, beautiful bill” from Republicans also paves the way for defunding Planned Parenthood. The legislation would bar federal funds from going to prohibited entities that perform abortions in many cases. The measure would also cut taxpayer funding for transgender surgeries for minors.  U.S. drug overdose deaths down Drug overdose deaths in the United States declined last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 80,000 people died from overdoses in 2024. That's down 27 percent from 2023. It's the largest drop in overdose deaths on record. However, overdose deaths are still higher now than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.  Inflation down and egg prices down Annual inflation was lower than expected last month. The consumer price index rose 0.2 percent in April. That put the 12-month inflation rate at 2.3 percent. Inflation is now the lowest it's been since 2021. Notably, egg prices fell by over 12 percent. However, they're still up about 50 percent compared to a year ago. Worldwide Bible engagement update And finally, the American Bible Society released the second chapter of its State of the Bible USA 2025 report.  The chapter looks at Bible engagement around the world.  People are most actively engaged and committed to the Bible in areas that are majority Christian like Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.  Interestingly, people are the most receptive to new ideas and other religions in Muslim-majority areas like North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.  The greatest indifference to the Bible is found in the secular west and certain majority-Christian areas like the U.S., Western Europe, Russia, and Eastern Europe.  Of countries in the secular West, the U.S. had the highest rates of Bible usage and church attendance.  Isaiah 45:22 says, “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the Earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, May 15th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

"I count it one of the greatest gifts of my life to have been embraced by the Hornsby family. Their love and kindness left a permanent mark on my heart. My prayer is that you and I would live the kind of lives that carry the love and legacy of Christ."Leave a comment for Karina: https://incourage.me/?p=252542--It's graduation season! Shower your grad with love and reminders of the plans God has for their future. Find inspiring books, student Bibles, cards, and gifts at DaySpring.com, and celebrate your graduate's special milestone! The (in)courage podcast is brought to you by DaySpring. For over 50 years, DaySpring has created quality cards, books, and gifts that help you live your faith. Find out more at DaySpring.com.Connect with (in)courage: Facebook & Instagram for daily encouragement, videos, and more! Website for the (in)courage library, to meet our contributors, and to access the archives. Email us at incourage@dayspring.com. Leave a podcast review on Apple!

Welcome to the Podcast of Southwest Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona. WHO ARE WE? • We are a group of people who are committed to living the grace life as set forth by the apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. • We come together to study our Bibles, and yes, we believe we have God's perfect Word in the King James Bible. It and it alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! • We do not come together and study our Bibles for the intent of being smarter than others. We understand that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is purely vain and serves no Godly purpose. • We do come together and study our Bibles for the intent of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that we have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that because Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and we should not live for ourselves but for Him, who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15) • We do not claim to have attained to these lofty goals, but we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) You can donate to this ministry through www.butnow.org and the PayPal button on the homepage.

Welcome to Rock Harbor Church on Sermon Audio. In this powerful teaching, Pastor Brandon Holthaus exposes the dangerous rise of unrestrained behavior—both in the world and inside the modern Church. From the orgiastic rebellion at the Golden Calf to today's woke culture and apostate pulpits, this message traces the biblical pattern of casting off restraint and highlights the cost of refusing to confront sin. Drawing from Exodus 32, Psalm 2, Romans 1, and 2 Thessalonians 2, Pastor Brandon unpacks the spiritual, societal, and prophetic implications of moral chaos and the Church's God-given role as a restrainer in the last days. This isn't just about culture—it's about leadership, courage, and the call for believers to stand as salt and light in a decaying world. Are we delaying the decay… or contributing to it? Grab your Bibles, take notes, and prepare to be challenged.

Welcome to Rock Harbor Church on Sermon Audio. In this powerful teaching, Pastor Brandon Holthaus exposes the dangerous rise of unrestrained behavior—both in the world and inside the modern Church. From the orgiastic rebellion at the Golden Calf to today's woke culture and apostate pulpits, this message traces the biblical pattern of casting off restraint and highlights the cost of refusing to confront sin.Drawing from Exodus 32, Psalm 2, Romans 1, and 2 Thessalonians 2, Pastor Brandon unpacks the spiritual, societal, and prophetic implications of moral chaos and the Church's God-given role as a restrainer in the last days. This isn't just about culture—it's about leadership, courage, and the call for believers to stand as salt and light in a decaying world.Are we delaying the decay… or contributing to it?Grab your Bibles, take notes, and prepare to be challenged.

"We don't have to wait and wait and wait for the fear to go away. It would certainly be more comfortable to be fearless when it is time to move forward. But, true to life as a believer, choosing to do "it" afraid asks more of us. Jesus calls us to strength and courage despite fear — and He promises His presence in the process, because He knows this is a valuable avenue for experiencing joy and growth . . . in and through Him."Leave a comment for Crista: https://incourage.me/?p=252120--It's graduation season! Shower your grad with love and reminders of the plans God has for their future. Find inspiring books, student Bibles, cards, and gifts at DaySpring.com, and celebrate your graduate's special milestone! The (in)courage podcast is brought to you by DaySpring. For over 50 years, DaySpring has created quality cards, books, and gifts that help you live your faith. Find out more at DaySpring.com.Connect with (in)courage: Facebook & Instagram for daily encouragement, videos, and more! Website for the (in)courage library, to meet our contributors, and to access the archives. Email us at incourage@dayspring.com. Leave a podcast review on Apple!

4:21 - What should we do with Pastors that condone heresies? / 20:42 - Why did Jesus have to leave so the Holy Spirit could come? / 34:05 - What are the other books of Chronicles mentioned in the kings? / 39:00 - Can we encourage believers to read their Bibles?

"In sharing my pitfalls, I pray I help you avoid making your own. What's more, I want you to understand that there are glorious possibilities that await you in finding friends. It doesn't matter if you've been the mean girl, the needy girl, the shy girl, the nervous or wary girl, or you've been the girl who has done the work of both people in a friendship. It's possible for you to find your friends too."Leave a comment for Kristen: https://incourage.me/?p=252610--It's graduation season! Shower your grad with love and reminders of the plans God has for their future. Find inspiring books, student Bibles, cards, and gifts at DaySpring.com, and celebrate your graduate's special milestone! The (in)courage podcast is brought to you by DaySpring. For over 50 years, DaySpring has created quality cards, books, and gifts that help you live your faith. Find out more at DaySpring.com.Connect with (in)courage: Facebook & Instagram for daily encouragement, videos, and more! Website for the (in)courage library, to meet our contributors, and to access the archives. Email us at incourage@dayspring.com. Leave a podcast review on Apple!

Nancy Guthrie is a Bible teacher we adore and deeply respect—and she's joining the podcast to talk about the stories in Week 2 of People in the Old Testament! Nancy shows us the good, perfect God behind the painful and messy stories in this week's reading, reminding us that Jesus's redemptive purpose has been foretold for our good and God's glory since the very beginning of Scripture.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 2 of She Reads Truth's People in the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, app, or with our People in the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this Episode:She Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramNancy Guthrie on Instagram*If you purchase something through our links, She Reads Truth may earn an affiliate commission.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Magellan AI - https://docsend.com/view/5vdvbdx7cr4tikmyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Thomas Jefferson once famously took a razor blade to his Bible and cut out the parts he disliked. And while most of us haven't literally chopped up our Bibles in that way, we often cut out certain passages in our minds, skipping past uncomfortable verses that talk about God's wrath and the punishment for sin.

Bibles exempted from Trump's tariffs, Trump health adviser cites "demonic forces" as source of childhood diseases, more bad news for Kim Davis, Sikhs shut down Pride parade in northern India, Mormons defeat Texas town, Utah governor says America should be more like Utah, and Donald J. Trump is a ridiculous buffoon who also wants to be pope.

Beloved friend of She Reads Truth, Russ Ramsey, is back on the podcast to help kick off Week 1 of our reading plan, People in the Old Testament. Russ unpacks some things we can learn from the real, messy, and hope-filled stories in the Bible—stories about people that, like us, were used by God to accomplish His will in the middle of their imperfection.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 1 of She Reads Truth's People in the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, app, or with our People in the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this episode:Use code SUBSCRIBESUMMER in May 2025 for $5 off your 3-month subscription at ShopSheReadsTruth.com.Rembrandt Is in the Wind by Russ RamseyVan Gogh Has a Broken Heart by Russ RamseyShe Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramRuss Ramsey on Instagram*If you purchase something through our links, She Reads Truth may earn an affiliate commission.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy