Podcasts about bibles

Join us for Week 6 of This Is the Old Testament! Raechel and Amanda are joined by Terry Parkman to walk through several Minor Prophet books. Listen in as they discuss the timeless call to inward faithfulness to God over and above outward appearances of holiness.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 6 of She Reads Truth's This Is the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our This Is the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this episode:Use code NT15 for 15% off the This Is the New Testament collection at ShopSheReadsTruth.com.She Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramTerry Parkman 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

It's Thursday, June 25th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Cuban Communists keep sick Protestant pastor imprisoned Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports a Protestant pastor remains in prison in Cuba amid concerns for his health. Pastor Alexis Padrón Lorenzo leads the Communion in Faith Church in Havana. Authorities detained him on June 10, physically abused him during interrogation, and blocked family members from contacting him. This happened after Lorenzo expressed opposition to the country's communist system.  Please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ in Cuba. The country is ranked 24th on the Open Doors World Watch List of the most oppressive countries worldwide for Christians. Write a polite, 2-sentence note of objection to Cuba's top diplomat: Lianys Torres Rivera, Cuban Consulate, 2639 16th Street NW, Washington DC, 20009. Rubio urges new Columbian president to end illegal immigration to U.S. As The Worldview reported on June 23rd, the citizens of the South American country of Colombia narrowly elected conservative Abelardo De La Espriella, who was Trump-endorsed, over left-wing candidate Iván Cepeda.  De La Espriella promised a crackdown on crime.  g the election, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted, “The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with your incoming administration to advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen our economic ties.” Daniel 2:21 reminds us that God “changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings.” Biden's illegal immigration drove up housing costs In the United States, a recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found illegal migration under the Biden administration drove up housing costs. The report estimates that unauthorized immigrant worker flows explain  about 30% of the total growth in house prices and 20% of total growth in rents.  Listen to comments last year by Vice President J.D. Vance on the subject. VANCE: “When we talk about housing and why costs are so high, we don't talk enough about demand. One of the drivers of increased housing demand, we know, is that we've got a lot of people over the last four years who have come into the country illegally.” Four years since Roe v. Wade overturned: Pro-life laws in 19 states Four years ago, on June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The ruling said the U.S. Constitution does not include a right to abortion. It also handed regulation of abortion to individual states. Since then, 19 states have passed anti-abortion laws. Thirteen states ban abortions in most cases. Four states ban abortions at 6 weeks of pregnancy. And two states ban them at 12 weeks. Trump ends sexually explicit school teen programs The Daily Signal reports that the Trump administration will cut funding to many teenage pregnancy prevention programs in schools this week. The Department of Health and Human Services reviewed Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants. It decided to terminate most of them, ending $67 million in grants.  The administration described the grants from the Biden-era as “medically inaccurate,” “age-inappropriate,” and “sexually explicit.” U.S., Mexico, & Canada Bible societies share Christ during World Cup Bible societies are using the 2026 World Soccer Cup to engage millions of fans with Scripture. The United States, Canada, and Mexico are hosting the event. So, the American Bible Society, the Mexican Bible Society, and the Canadian Bible Society are promoting Bibles, devotionals, and evangelistic booklets.  Christian Daily International notes, “These efforts reflect a broader trend among Bible societies worldwide. As major global events attract billions of viewers, organizations are increasingly developing resources that connect Scripture with cultural moments and reach people who may not normally engage with churches or religious programs.” For example, Living Waters, founded by Evangelist Ray Comfort, has printed 2 million copies of the 2026 World Cup million-dollar bill tract available for free when you cover the shipping. They are an effective tool because there is: Instant curiosity: People pick it up and ask questions Natural transition: From “World Cup” to The Cup of Grace Clear Gospel message: Simple, direct, and memorable And it's easy to share: Great for friends, coworkers, and public outreaches Visit the website: www.LivingWaters.com/WorldCup Major League Baseball no longer requires Christian players to support perversion And finally, Major League Baseball recently announced it will not require players to wear uniforms that promote sexually perverted lifestyles.  The issue arose after three San Francisco Giants players added Bible verses to the Rainbow Homosexual Pride caps which they were initially required to wear. Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri posted a letter from the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Hawley wrote, “The Major Leage Baseball Commissioner writes to me and admits they were wrong to threaten the Giants players over Bible verses and promises never to fine or discipline these players -- or any players for their religious beliefs.” Several San Francisco Giants Christian pitchers — Landen Roupp, Ryan Walker, and J.T. Brubaker  — referenced Genesis chapter 9 on their hats about the true meaning of the rainbow. In verses 14 and 15, God said, “It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the Earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” Landon Roup was asked about his hand-written Scripture on his cap at a press conference. ROUP: “God's covenant, and a promise that He makes to us, that His faithfulness and His mercy. It's kind of something I believe in. I stand firm in that.” Amusingly, Cyd Ziegler, the homosexual co-founder of OutSports, was enraged by the Scripture the Christian pitchers had added to the hats. ZIEGLER: “It defaced the Pride Rainbow with a Bible verse telling the LGBT community that they do not own the rainbow, that God owns the rainbow.” Mr. Ziegler, I've got news for you.  God does own the rainbow! Send a two-sentence thank you note to Robert Manfred, Major League Baseball Commissioner, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. And send a 2-sentence thank you note to Landen Roupp for his Christian witness and outspokeness. San Francisco Giants, Oracle Park. 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94107. Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, June 25th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Open up your Bibles to Galatians 5 and we’re going to add a few more to the list of yuck – Yes, the left side of the list under the label “Without the Holy Spirit”. We’re looking at what we do and who we naturally become the Holy Spirit isn’t given room in our lives and we’re directed by the world and our flesh. This list is like a blarring alarm, “WARNING, THIS ISN’T WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU”. If you find yourself doing these things continually, you can now know why. If someone you love is doing these things, you can know why. Wrong director. Wrong influence. Wrong side of the list. Looking at Galatians 5: 19-21, in part 1 we studied “sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures and idolatry”. In Part 2 we studied “sorcery, hostility, quarreling and jealousy”. Well, that’s been fun, hasn’t it? Let’s address the next 5 today with what happens when our lives aren’t following the direction of the Holy Spirit, “Outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division”. These are 5 attitudes and behaviors that damage our relationship with God and with other people. 1. Outbursts of Anger This is a desire to control situations or people when things don’t go our way. We lash out, we say things to hurt others, we lose control of our emotions and our mouth. This is not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. God never leads us to just blow up. It’s never his desire for us to lose our temper. Scripture says, “In your anger do not sin.” It’s okay to be angry sometimes. There are things that should make us angry. But there’s righteous anger and outbursts of anger. There’s anger that leads to healthy change, and there’s anger that just hurts people. Check your anger sis. God didn’t design you to be continually angry and disgruntled about something. Some of us walk around continually angry about life and we wonder why we struggle to have good relationships and feelings of happiness. Girl, you’ve got a grouchy bug in you. 2. Selfish Ambition This is a self-seeking attitude that says, “What’s in it for me?” Do you have a unique way of making everything all about you? Yeah, that’s selfish-ambition, and guess what, that’s not from the Holy Spirit. When we pursue our own success, happiness or advantage at the expense of everyone else, this not only makes us look like a real crap person, but it grieves God. Selfish was NOT the example of Jesus. Never once do we see Jesus in all of his righteousness, in all of his glory, in all of his power making everything about him at the expense of others. When really, it really was all about him. He was and is the answer to everything, but he sits down with the sinner, he draws near to the pain, he stretches out a hand to the hurt. If we’re going to be like Jesus, all our selfish ambition has to be stripped away. If we’re going to be like Jesus, we will willingly bend down and wash feet even if we are the greatest in the room. So really, what is the Holy Spirit calling you to do in the group you’re in … he’s calling you to make it about them and not about you. 3. Dissension This might be a new word for you. What does this mean? Dissension is a critical spirit that constantly looks for flaws and faults in others. Rather than building up, it tears down, creating conflict, tension, and division. Have you ever heard someone use the expression, “Well, I’ll be the devil’s advocate”, then they stream a bunch of negative punches and critiques. Hey let me tell you something, the devil doesn’t need an advocate! Why would we advocate for the one who is against us? Why would you ever speak up for him sharing his opinions? The child growing up under dissension feels never good enough. The wife living in dissension feels continually defeated. You know that if you’ve lived in it. Now the question is, are you creating it in your home? Are you constantly correcting, belittling, nagging and critiquing? Is it just never good enough for you, always needing improvement. The dish washer just can’t be loaded right by anyone else. Their driving is never okay. The way they fold laundry drives you insane. And oh my gosh, why do they do what the do the way they do it? Girl, stop that! That is dissension. That’s looking for the flaw. That’s creating fault. And it’s coming from a heart that is more focused on finding faults than extending grace. If you’re searching for weaknesses and tearing down rather than building up, that’s simply NOT from the Holy Spirit. That’s the other side of the list. – Game around the table – imitate someone else – if they were to imitate you at the table, in the car, at the office, would you like what you heard and saw? – Friends – Monica’s mother – that’s dissension Being the fault finder is not our calling! 4. Division Instead of bringing people together, sometimes we thrive in dividing people and putting them against one another. We create an “us against them” script. We retell the story so more gather on your side. But opps, take a look where that is on the lists, that’s the wrong side. This isn’t what the Holy Spirit guides us to. This is what the world does. This is what our flesh desires. Some families do this against eachother. There’s mom’s side versus dad’s side, and you have to choose one. Hey let me tell you what that creates – a whole bunch of losers. No one wins in that game. You’re just divided. 5. Envy This is like jealousy, but even more so than you wanting what someone else has, you don’t want them to have it either. Envy comes from a deep insecurity and unhappiness with self. The Holy Spirit wants you to have a holy confidence in precisely who you are and where you stand with God because when you don’t you project that doubt onto others. If you can’t celebrate someone else, there’s a problem. If you are in a constant mental comparison with someone else, there’s a problem. If you’re secretly wanting someone else to fail, there’s a problem. And let me tell you, that’s such a foothold to the enemy of your soul. He’ll eat you up with envy and he’ll turn you into someone you never wanted to be. You can’t be grateful when you’re envious. You can’t be happy when you’re envious. So you’re left weak, disappointed, and sad. That’s NOT the direction of the Holy Spirit. Outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy. With each of these is an invitation to examine ourselves. Is this showing up anywhere in our lives? Where does it come from – NOT from the Holy Spirit. Where does it lead – NOT to God’s good plans for you. What can you do about it? Recognize it – take responsibility for it – ask forgiveness for it – and seek God for special strength to change it. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

In this special FOC Show compilation from the ReAwaken Reunion in Tulsa, we bring you powerful backstage conversations with Lara Logan, Ann Vandersteel, Clay Clark, Dr. Troy Spurrill, Leon Benjamin, and Kurt Horwath. From media deception and spiritual warfare to the foster care system, faith under fire, prophetic warnings, and the mission to get Bibles into the hands of people who need them most, these interviews capture the heart of what made the ReAwaken Reunion so impactful. Each guest brings a bold and timely message for America, calling people to wake up, stand firm, seek truth, and return to God. You'll hear from journalists, pastors, prophetic voices, entrepreneurs, and truth-tellers who are challenging the narratives, exposing what they believe is happening behind the scenes, and encouraging the remnant to rise with courage and conviction.Watch now and share with someone who needs to hear it.TO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONTENT: www.theflyoverapp.com Follow and Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFlyoverConservativesShow To Schedule A Time To Talk To Dr. Dr. Kirk Elliott Go To ▶ https://flyovergold.comOr Call 720-605-3900 ► Receive your FREE 52 Date Night Ideas Playbook to make date night more exciting, go to www.prosperousmarriage.comJohn BamberWEBSITE: www.wavwatch.com/FLYOVER PROMO CODE: FLYOVERLara LoganTWITTER: https://twitter.com/laraloganWEBSITE: https://laralogan.com RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/c/LaraLogan?e9s=src_v1_cmd Lara Logan with Troy Brewer: https://rumble.com/v7bi8x4-disclosure-day-aliens-vs.-demons-with-pastor-troy-brewer-going-rogue-with-l.html?e9s=src_v1_s%2Csrc_v1_s_o&sci=986504db-f18b-4438-9c71-b80a85df4252Ann VandersteelWEBSITE: www.americamadefoundation.org X: https://x.com/annvandersteel Clay ClarkWEBSITE: www.thrivetimeshow.comText FLYOVER to 918-851-0102 to learn moreDr. Troy SpurrillWEBSITE: www.officialsynapse.com Pastor Leon BenjaminWEBSITE: www.therealremnantchurch.comX: www.x.com/leonbenjamin Kurt HorwathFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561495495597  

Why did changing "brothers" to "brothers and sisters" in some Bibles make so many Christians upset? Kaitlyn unpacks why older translations often said "brothers," "men," or "mankind," and why many newer translations now use more inclusive language. She talks about language, culture, and why it matters that every child knows God's Word is speaking to them.   0:00 - Theme Song   0:25 - Feeling Promotional   1:57 - Why Does it Say "Brothers" in the Bible Instead of "Sisters"   5:02 - Translation Reasons   12:29 - Sponsor - CBE International - Register today at https://www.cbe.today/chicago2026 and use code CURIOUS20 to receive $20 off!   13:21 - Why Doesn't Scripture Condemn Sexism?   21:27 - Why Bother Changing Translations?   28:09 - End Credit

It's easy to point out the flaws and faults of others. What's harder is to see our own imperfections. The Bible has an example of this in the account of the scribes and Pharisees in John chapter 8. They brought a woman to Jesus with an accusation of adultery, and Jesus exposed their hypocrisy in a single sentence: "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." (John 8:7) Hypocrisy is stone throwing while not wanting any stones thrown back at us. It's fault finding while not wanting anyone to see anything wrong with our behaviors. It is calling someone intolerant while practicing intolerance. None of us is perfectly righteous, so we all need to put the stones down. Let's examine this passage to see how Jesus shut down the hypocrisy, and how we can avoid becoming self-righteous hypocrites in our own view of people. Be sure to visit the Shop at Keep the Heart for books, Bible studies, beautiful Bibles, and more! NEW: Peace Beyond Panic: A Heavenly Perspective on Anxiety and Depression by Dr. John W. Vaprezsan Apply: Living What We Learn-A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor FOR COUPLES: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor Vitamins for the Soul: A Study on Maintaining Spiritual Health by Kathy Ashley NEW: Crossbody Sling Bag for Beverage Bottles Support this podcast HERE Follow Keep the Heart on Instagram Like Keep the Heart on Facebook

Welcome to Day 2889 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2889 – “A Shocking Agenda”  based on Luke 9:12-27 Putnam Church Message – 05/24/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “A Shocking Agenda.”   Last week's message was “Welcome to the War,” in which we learned that as we go about our daily lives, we go in the name of Jesus Christ, who has already won the decisive victory. Today, we continue with our twenty-fourth message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: A Shocking Agenda.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:12-27, which is found on page 1608 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” 13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah 18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” 20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God's Messiah.” Jesus Predicts His Death 21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with open hearts and honest minds. We thank You for the Good News of Jesus Christ, but we confess that sometimes we want the blessings of Your Kingdom without the surrender of discipleship. We want provision, but not dependence. We want victory, but not the cross. We want comfort, but not transformation. Lord Jesus, teach us today. Show us who You truly are. Help us receive Your provision with humble gratitude, confess You with courage, and follow You with obedient hearts. May we not merely admire You from a distance but walk behind You daily as faithful disciples. In Your holy name, amen. Introduction: When Jesus' Agenda Shocks Us This passage begins with one of the most familiar miracles in the ministry of Jesus: the feeding of the multitude. In fact, this is the only miracle of Jesus — aside from the resurrection — recorded in all four Gospels. That alone should make us pause. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all say, “You need to see this.” But they do not merely want us to see bread multiplied. They want us to see who Jesus is. They want us to see what kind of King He is. And they want us to see what it means to follow Him. In the previous message, “Welcome to the War,” we saw Jesus send the Twelve out with power and authority. / They proclaimed the Kingdom of God. / They healed the sick. / They cast out demons. / They came back excited, exhausted, and full of stories. / They had stepped into the battle. / They had tasted ministry. / They had seen God work through them. But now, before they can fully rest and process what happened, the crowds find Jesus again. Thousands of people come into the wilderness, bringing hunger, sickness, confusion, and need. The disciples had just returned from weeks of powerful ministry, but suddenly they face a need they cannot meet. They can preach. They can heal. They can cast out demons. But they cannot feed thousands of hungry people with five loaves and two fish. And Jesus uses this moment to teach them — and us — something vital: The disciple is not the source. /The disciple is the servant. / Jesus is the supply. But then the passage turns sharply. After feeding the crowd, Jesus asks, “Who do the people say I am?” Peter answers correctly: “You are the Messiah sent from God.” But then Jesus shocks them. He says the Messiah must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and be raised. That was not the agenda they expected. They expected victory. Jesus speaks of suffering. They expected a throne. Jesus points to a cross. They expected power over Jesus calls them to deny themselves. This is why the agenda is shocking. |We will see this agenda in our four truths today. Found in the Bulletin Insert on the side that says “A Shocking Agenda.” Main Point 1: Jesus Uses Our Inadequacy to Reveal His Sufficiency The disciples had gone with Jesus toward Bethsaida for rest. They needed it. Mark tells us that so many people were coming and going that they did not even have time to eat. Can you relate to that feeling? Maybe you have had days when you never quite get to sit down. The phone rings. Someone needs you. A problem appears. A plan changes. One need gets handled, and three more show up. The disciples were tired. They had been ministering. They had been traveling. They were probably physically drained and emotionally full. - Then the crowd arrives. Luke tells us Jesus welcomed them. He taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those who needed healing. That fits everything we have seen in Luke so far. Jesus welcomed the sinful woman in Simon's house. He welcomed the desperate touch of the suffering woman. He welcomed the cries of Jairus. He welcomed the man tormented among the tombs. He welcomed the crowds even when they interrupted rest. But as evening approaches, the disciples see a practical problem. / The crowd is hungry. / They say, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.” That seems reasonable, doesn't it? They are not being heartless. They are being practical. They are looking at the sun going down, the size of the crowd, the remoteness of the place, and the emptiness of their hands. Then Jesus says something shocking: “You feed them.” Now imagine the disciples looking at one another. “Us?” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,”  “Do You see how many people are here?” “Even if we had money, where would we buy that much bread?” “Lord, we just came back from ministry. We are tired too.” John's Gospel tells us that Jesus already knew what He was going to do. He was testing them. / Not tempting them to fail. Testing them to grow. /He wanted them to confront the difference between their resources and His sufficiency.   Object Lesson: The Empty Basket ...

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Welcome to Week 5 of This Is the Old Testament! Amanda and Raechel are joined by Matt Smallbone to discuss the next six books of the Old Testament: Jeremiah through Joel. As we continue our seven-week survey of the Old Testament, Matt reminds us of God's relentless pursuit of His people.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 5 of She Reads Truth's This Is the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our This Is the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this episode:She Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramMatt Smallbone 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

The term “law” occurs eight times in Romans 7:1-6, and it is among the topics of greatest confusion for believers today. What is the believer in Jesus' relationship to the Law of Moses and the entire Old Testament? What do we do with this giant first chunk of our Bibles? These verses show us that, while the law is good (Rom. 7:12), Jesus is better. In other words, the New Covenant is better than the Old Covenant. For you “have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” (Rom. 7:4) Take-Home Message: Believers have been joined to a better husband.The Purpose of the Law (1-3)What is the purpose of the Law?A Teacher: The Law teaches me about the Lawmaker.A Mirror: The Law reveals my sinfulness.A Guardian: The Law prepares me for Christ.A Christ-Exalter: The Law reveals and exalts Jesus.The Believer's New Way of Life (4-6)The Believer's New Way of Life:Believers have been released from our old way of life (5).Believers have been joined to a better husband (4).Believers are joined to Christ to bear fruit for God (4).Believers bear fruit through the Holy Spirit (6).

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. I first read those words more than twenty years ago in John Pipers The Pleasures of God. Second only to the Bible, that book has had a profound impact on my life. I have owned several copies over the years; my first copy had to be replaced because I wore it out, and the copy on my shelf today is well marked. To give you a sense of why Pipers book means so much to me, let me read something I underlined from his chapter, The Pleasure of God in His Creation: What is the universe but the lavish demonstration of the incredible, incomparable, unimaginable exuberance and wisdom and power and greatness of God! What a God he must be! In that book, Piper says this about prayer: God is the kind of God who delights most deeply not in making demands but in meeting needs. Prayer is his delight because prayer shows the far reaches of our poverty and the full riches of his grace. Then he gives an image for prayer that has stayed with me. He says, Prayer is the walkie-talkie on the battlefield of the world. It is not a domestic intercom to increase the comforts of the saints, but a wartime means of calling upon God for courage, protection, provision, reinforcements, and the advance of His Word. It is not that I didnt believe Pipers words then; it is that prayer was not part of the culture of my heart in the same way that it is now. My prayer is that what we learn from Revelation 8:15 will help us see prayer the way heaven sees it. Last week, we saw that John heard the number of Gods sealed people144,000 from the tribes of Israelbut when he looked, he saw a great multitude no one could number from every nation, tribe, people, and language. I do not believe these are two different peoples of God, but Jews and Gentiles gathered into one redeemed people through Israels Messiah, the Lamb who purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. We also saw that the list of the 144,000 has the feel of a military census, like Numbers 1, where Israel was counted by tribe according to the men able to go to war. But Revelation 7 begins with Judah, because from Judah came the Lion who is also the Lamb. In other words, Revelation 7 gives us a symbolic picture of the people of God gathered, sealed, and ordered around the conquering Lamb. Whatever you believe about the 144,000, their commitment and loyalty to the Lamb is a picture of discipleship and abiding in Jesus. Revelation 14:4 says, It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They are not pictured as passive spectators. They are sealed saints who live with a wartime ethic. Now, when we come to Revelation 8:15, there is a dramatic pause of silence. At the center of that silence stands an angel at the altar with a golden censer. Revelation has already linked incense with prayer. In Revelation 5:8, the elders held golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. In Revelation 6, the martyred saints cried out beneath the altar, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long? Now, in Revelation 8, the prayers of all the saints rise before God with the smoke of the incense. Then the angel takes fire from the altar, fills the censer, and throws it to the earth. The prayers of the saints rise before the throne, and the fire of Gods judgment falls upon the earth. The Silence Before the Throne of God Notice what precedes the silence in heaven. Remember what I said previously: if the six seals describe what is happening on the world stage in Gods theater, then Revelation 7 shows us what is happening behind the curtain during the first six seals. Notice the language used in Revelation 7:1517: Therefore they are before the throne of God,and serve him day and night in his temple;and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,and he will guide them to springs of living water,and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Remember whose vision this is. It is Johns vision. The John who wrote these words in our Bibles is the same John who heard Jesus say, If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also (John 12:26). To the hungry and thirsty, John heard Jesus say, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst (John 6:35). Regarding our need for a shepherd, John heard Jesus say, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11). What is my point? The language used to describe Johns vision of the multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language before the throne is the language of abiding brought to its final fulfillment. Revelation 7:1517 shows us the completed experience of abiding in Christ and where it ultimately leads: Those who abide in Jesus now, will dwell before God then. Those who come to Jesus as the Bread of Life now, will hunger no more then. Those who drink from Jesus as the fountain of living water now, will thirst no more then. Those who follow Jesus as the Good Shepherd now, will be guided by the Lamb forever then. To be a Christian is to be a person who abides in Jesus. Jesus never made this optional. If you are struggling to see the connection, let me share what Jesus said in John 15: I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. (vv. 14) Then Jesus said of all who abide in Him, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (John 15:7). The evidence that you are abiding in Jesus is that you desire to follow the Lamb wherever he goes (Rev. 14:4). And one of the evidences that you are following the Lamb is that you pray. Listen, abiding in Jesus and prayer are not separate. You cannot abide in Christ apart from a praying life. Prayer is the language of abiding. The sealed people of the Lamb are not passive spectators. They are not casual in their Christianity, and they are not content with merely warming chairs on Sunday morning. They are consecrated saints living with a wartime ethic, and one of the primary ways they wage war is by bringing their poverty, weakness, burdens, and cries before the throne of God. So, against the backdrop of Revelation 7, where John hears the people of God numbered as 144,000 and then sees them as a great multitude before the throne, the Lamb opens the seventh seal. And when He does, heaven falls silent. The Prayers Before the Throne of God Remember what I have said about the book of Revelation: it is the crescendo of the whole counsel of Gods Word, packaged into twenty-two glorious chapters. The themes that run from Genesis 1:1 through Jude 25 converge in Johns apocalypse. Genesis begins, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Jude ends by praising the God who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy (Jude 24). Between Genesis and Jude, one of Scriptures great themes is clear: the people of God live in the middle of a war. Martyn Lloyd-Jones rightly said, There is no grosser or greater misrepresentation of the Christian message than that which depicts it as offering us a life of ease with no battle and no struggle at all.... The first thing we must realize is that the Christian life is a warfare, that we are strangers in an alien land, that we are in the enemys territory. The war is ongoing and unrelentingbut our strength to engage it does not come from within ourselves; it comes from the Lord. This is why Paul wrote, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). This is why Revelation does not picture the church as passengers on a cruise ship drifting comfortably through calm waters. No, we are at war, and the church is made up of sealed, redeemed people who follow the Lamb, resist the dragon, refuse Babylon, and find their source of power and strength before the throne of God through prayer. That is why Paul urges us to put on the whole armor of God so we may stand against the devils schemes (Eph. 6:11). Yet the armor of God is not secured by human effort, self-discipline, or religious activity. It is ours because we are in Christ. He is our truth. He is our righteousness. He is our peace. He is our salvation. He is the Word who gives us the sword of the Spirit. We put on the armor by abiding in Jesus, and we stand firm in it by praying at all times in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18). Now, with the image of 144,000 sealed warriors of the Lamb, clothed in the armor of God and standing firm in prayer, we are ready to understand why Revelation 8:15 matters so much. Do not miss where the angel stands in verse 3. He stands at the altar with a golden censer, and he is given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne. Remember, this is not the first time Revelation has connected incense with prayer. In Revelation 5:8, the elders held golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Then, when the fifth seal was opened, John saw the souls of the martyrs beneath the altar crying out, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? (6:10). Here in Revelation 8, John sees these prayersthe prayers of all the saintsrising before God with the smoke of incense in the presence of God Almighty. Notice that what rises before God is not only the prayers of the martyrs but the prayers of all the saints. Not only the prayers of pastors, but all the saints. Not only the prayers of the spiritually mature, but also the prayers of those who are struggling. The prayers of all the saints rise before God. Every person whose faith rests in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, has access to the throne of God through the blood of Jesus. This means that even the weakest cry of the weakest saint, offered through Christ, is not ignored in heaven. All of this takes place within the silence of heaven, but what John sees cannot be misunderstood: God hears the prayers of all who have been redeemed by the blood of His Son. At this moment, John watches the angel take the censer, fill it with fire from the altar, and cast it to the earth. Then peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake pierce the silence. These are the images and sounds of the perfect justice of a holy God. Heaven is silent, but God is not indifferent. His people cry out, and He answers in His time, in His way, and according to His holy character. Joel Beeke says of these verses, Prayer is powerful and effective in this world because God takes more notice of the prayers of His saints than He does the dictates or decrees of governments. When the prayers of the saints ascended to God in heaven, John writes that the earth was shaken with thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake as seven angels prepared to sound seven trumpets. God wants to impress upon us the effectiveness of prayer.... God is saying this: By your prayers, I will overthrow governments. I will confound human plans; I will turn the world upside down, casting the wicked to the ground and delivering My ransomed people. That is why prayer is not a small thing. Prayer is one of the means by which God accomplishes His purposes in history.It is not that our prayers bend God to our will, but as we abide in Christ, we bend to His will. And this same God, who does all that he pleases (Ps. 115:3), is pleased to hear the prayers of His people. Proverbs 15:8 says, the prayer of the upright is His delight (BSB). Conclusion So, permit me to leave you with three questions: If prayer is the language of abiding, what does your prayer life say about your dependence on Jesus? If prayer is the walkie-talkie on the battlefield of the world, have you been using itor have you been trying to fight in your own strength? If heaven receives the prayers of all the saints, can you really say that God has not heard you, or that your prayers do not matter to Him? Listen to me: even the weakest saint, crying out in the name of Jesus, is heard before the throne of God. If you are a Christian, you have access to the throne of God through the Son of God because of the blood of the Lamb. So pray. Pray when you feel weak. Pray when you are afraid. Pray when you do not know what to do. Pray for your family. Pray for this church. Pray for the lost. Pray for those suffering for the name of Christ. Pray for the kingdom to come and for the will of God to be done on earth as it is in heaven. John Piper closes his chapter on prayer with a quote from Patrick Johnstone that I believe serves as an appropriate conclusion to this sermon: Let us mobilize prayer! We can tip the scales of history. Christians can be the controlling factor in the unfolding drama of todays worldlet us not allow ourselves to be chased around by the enemy, but let us go up at once and take the kingdoms of this world for Jesus (Numbers 13:30; Daniel 7:18)He is delighted to give them to us (Daniel 7:22, 27; Luke 12:32). In practical terms, may these truths make our prayer lives as individuals, and in prayer meetings, outward-looking, Satan-shaking, captive-releasing, kingdom-taking, revival-giving, Christ-glorifying power channels for God! Prayer is not how we bend God to our will; prayer is how we abide in Christ, draw near to the Father, and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, join in the purposes of the sovereign God who hears the prayers of all His saints.

Today we finished out 1 Peter 4! Open your Bibles and follow along.

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.

They Boldly Spoke the Word of God Acts 4 by William Klock Chapter and verse breaks in the Bible are not part of the original text.  Chapter breaks were added about eight hundred years ago and verses about five hundred.  There's an old biblical studies urban legend that Robert Estienne, the French printer who published one of the early New Testaments with verse division, marked them out while riding on horseback from Paris to Lyon, explaining the often frustrating way they cut through thoughts and sentences.  Chapter breaks can be just as annoying.  I say this because last week we left off our study of Acts at the end of Chapter 3, but the end of Chapter 3 isn't where this story ends.  You'll remember that this story about Peter and John and the lame man followed right on the heels of Pentecost.  Peter and John were on their way to the temple to pray when they met a lame man begging at the temple gate.  “Silver and gold have I none,” said Peter, “but such as I have I give.  In the name of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, get up and walk!”  And he lifted up the man the man began to jump up and down and to praise God.  And as everyone began to gather around, Peter began to preach.  He reminded them of their own story, of God's promises going all the way back to Abraham, and how all those promises were fulfilled and how the story was brought to its climax in the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus. I won't repeat everything I said last Sunday, but needless to say—and even if you aren't familiar with the story—you probably knew that trouble was coming.  But that pesky chapter break.  It saved you from an hour-long sermon, but it also cut the story in half.  So we'll pick up after the break, with Chapter 4, now.  [It's page 1083 in the pew Bibles.] Luke continues: “As they were speaking to the people, along came the priests, the chief of the temple guard, and the Sadducees.  They were greatly annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming that the resurrection of the dead had begun to happen in Jesus.  They seized them and put them under guard until the next day, since it was already evening.  But a large number of the people who had heard the message believed it and the number of men grew to five thousand.” The idea of the resurrection of the dead was a big deal for the Jews and you'd think that announcing that it had somehow begun in Jesus would be good news.  And obviously it was for the thousands who believed.  Not so much for the Sadducees.  They were sad, you see, because they didn't believe in the resurrection of the dead.  Okay, not really.  Their name goes back to Zadok, the high priest in the days of David and Solomon.  That name, Zadok, is also related to the Hebrew word for righteousness.  So the Sadducees thought of themselves not only as the sons of Zadok, but also as the righteous ones.  And in the First Century, they controlled the priesthood.  They were aristocratic and they were in power and people like that don't usually like revolutionary ideas, and if there was there was a great revolutionary idea alive in Judah, it was the idea of the resurrection of the dead.  Resurrection means that things are broken and that God will, one day, come to set things to rights—and that implied that the Sadducees were part of the problem needing to be set right.  So they're upset at Peter's preaching.  The Pharisees didn't like this talk either.  As far as they—and everyone else who hoped for resurrection—were concerned, all God's people would be raised from the dead at the end of the age.  The idea that Jesus was raised all by himself was like heresy.  And, of course, if Jesus had been raised, it meant he was the Messiah and they refused to accept that idea.  So no matter how many eyewitnesses there were to the risen Jesus, it had never happened, so far as they were concerned. But back to the Sadducees.  They controlled the priesthood and the priests were the gatekeepers of Israel.  And this talk about Jesus as Messiah and his being resurrected, which means he'd initiated the age to come already, that was the sort of talk that might spark a revolution.  And, of course, a revolution was what was already happening as the gospel and the Spirit were beginning to do their work.  But just as they hadn't recognised it in Jesus, the leaders of Israel refuse to recognise it now and they have Peter and John locked up for the night.  Even still, Luke goes to the trouble to make the point that thousands believed anyway.  The gospel cannot and will not be stopped! Verse 5: “On the next day their rulers, the elders, and the scribes gathered in Jerusalem, along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family.  When they'd stood them in the midst, they asked, ‘How did you do this?  What power did you use?  What name did you invoke?'  Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.  ‘Rulers of the people and elders,' he said, ‘if the question we're being asked today is about a good deed done for a sick man, and whose power it was that rescued him, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that this man stands before you fit and well because of the name of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead.  He is the stone which you builders rejected, but which has become the head cornerstone.  Rescue won't come from anyone else.  There is no other name given under heaven and among men by which we must be rescued.'” Do you remember that scene in Luke 11 where Jesus is confronted after casting out a demon?  “You can only cast them out, because you're one of them,” they accused him.  The same thing is happening again.  I think Luke wants to highlight that what's happening here might be an “act” happening through the apostles, but it's still ultimately Jesus acting.  Or the Spirit, which amounts to the same thing.  Luke makes a point of saying that Peter was full of the Spirit when he answered the accusation.  So just like Jesus, when the council asks them in whose name they healed the lame man, not only is Peter bold to announce that it's Jesus of Nazareth, they boldly assert that he is the Messiah—the one they crucified, but whom God raised from the dead.  So Peter is reasserting everything: It's Jesus.  Yes the one they crucified.  And this isn't just about a lame man walking again, this is about the resurrection of the dead.  It's about the fact that Jesus is Lord and that the revolution has begun.  The age to come, new creation, the kingdom of God is here.  In fact, they quote Psalm 118 at the council to explain it all.  Psalm 118 is a psalm of the temple.  It's about people going up to the temple to celebrate God's new day to claim his rescue, his salvation.  It's a psalm about God's life-giving power and it's about God bringing his people through trouble and rescuing them from danger. It's a psalm about trusting in God's mercy and it's a psalm about God's victory over the powers of the world.  “It is better trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man…than to put confidence in princes,” says the Psalmist (vv. 8-9). So they're saying, “It's Jesus.  He really is the Messiah and he really has inaugurated God's new age.  But then it's like they're deliberately poking a stick in these folks' eye.  The Sadducees (and the Pharisees, too, and most people) were all about the temple.  It was the embodiment of Israel's hopes for God's rescue and for the fulfilment of his promises to one day come again to dwell with his people.  And so this whole episode started with a man who'd been sitting in the temple gate for years, hoping for a rescue, yet never healed, and now suddenly healed by Peter and John—in the power of Jesus.  So that's the first thing.  It says that God has, in fact, returned to dwell with is people, but instead of being in the holy of holies, he's indwelling the disciples of Jesus.  And then, in case they hadn't made the connection, Peter, inspired by the Spirit, quotes Psalm 118 at them.  Yes, the hope of God's return is happening—in Jesus.  Yes, God is now present in his temple—but that temple isn't made of stone, it's these Jesus people.  And yes, God has come to rescue us just as he promised, to set this broken world to rights, to wipe away the tears—through Jesus.  And at the same time, it would be hard for the council to miss the hint that the mortal princes, the people from whom God's people need to be rescued are not the pagan nations, but the Sadducees and elders and scribes who are rejecting Jesus.  (Yes, the pagan nations, too, but first, God's got to deal with the corrupt leaders of his own people.) It's the same thing Peter has been preaching, first on Pentecost, then to the crowd who gathered around the lame man when they saw him jumping up and down.  Every time, Peter grounds God's salvation in Jesus as the fulfilment of his promises and of Israel's story.  Every time, it's the announcement that Jesus is Lord; that he's come to rescue his people; and every time, it's a call to repentance and faith.  This sort of situational astuteness and gospel boldness is what it looks like to be full of God's Spirit.  And the council recognised this, even if they didn't want to admit what (or who) it was.  Verse 13: “When they saw how boldly Peter and John were speaking and realised that they were untrained, ordinary men, they were astonished and they recognised them as men who had been with Jesus.  And when they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.  They ordered them to be put out of the assembly while they conferred amongst themselves.  ‘What can we do to these men?' they said.  ‘This is a spectacular sign that has happened through them.  All Jerusalem knows it, and we can't deny it.  But we certainly don't want it to spread any further amongst the people.  So let's threaten them with awful consequences if they speak anymore in this name to anyone.'  So they called them in and gave them orders not to speak at all or to teach in the name of Jesus.” It's comical and I think that's what Luke intended.  It's like they've completely missed the significance of what Peter and John have seen.  They've seen Jesus risen from the grave.  They saw him ascend to his throne.  They heard everything he said.  They saw everything he did.  And now they're doing the same sorts of things themselves in his name.  They know, without a doubt, that in Jesus God has come, that Jesus is Lord, that the kingdom is now, and that the days of the principalities and powers, the old temple, and its priests are numbered.  Peter and John know which is the winning side…without a doubt.  Threatening them isn't going to change that. Brothers and Sisters, we really need to think on that.  Don't just read Acts and let it go in one ear and out the other.  Stick a finger in one ear if you have to, but let this sink in.  Because you and I have just as much reason to be as confident as Peter and John.  No, we aren't eyewitnesses to the resurrection or the ascension, but we have every reason to believe the accounts of them.  Someone a while ago asked me about difficulties with the creation accounts in Genesis and with the history of the Exodus.  There are difficulties in the Bible.  There are hard philosophical questions for which I haven't yet found the perfect answer.  But I do know that Jesus rose from the dead.  I've heard all the arguments against it.  And they don't hold up.  I don't want to get into those details here, because that's not what our text today is about.  My point is simply that we have every reason to believe that Jesus rose from the dead and just like St. Paul, confronted by that inescapable reality, we have to accept that Jesus is the Messiah and that the rest of it all is true—even we have to wait til the New Jerusalem to understand the ins and outs of exactly how some of it is true.  It's true.  As Matt reminded us last week: Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.  And not only do those three facts change everything, they ought to give us confidence and boldness to proclaim the good news that Jesus is Lord, that God has come to our rescue, and that his kingdom is now.  I'm not terribly concerned, for example, about Bill C-9.  But even if I were, I'm not going to let it stop me proclaiming the good news.  Because Jesus is King and in him the resurrection of the dead has begun.  And that truth ought to be as revolutionary for us as it was for Peter and John and the King and his Parliament and his Prime Minister ought to be just as afraid of this resurrection revolution as the Sadducees, the elders, and the scribes were. So Luke goes on in verse 19: “But Peter and John gave them this reply: ‘You judge,' they said, ‘whether it's right before God to listen to you rather than to God.  As far as we're concerned, we can't stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.'  Then they [the council] threatened them some more, and let them go.  They couldn't find any way to punish them because of the people, since everyone was glorifying God for what had happened.  After all, the man to whom the sign of healing had happened was over forty years old. Brothers and Sisters, don't stop talking about what you have seen and heard.  Peter and John were witnesses to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.  You know what you're a witness to?  You're witness to the transforming power of those events.  Somehow most Christians seem totally unaware of this witness.  Maybe it's because we're so oblivious to our own history.  Maybe we need to read up on history so that we'll be aware of the power of the gospel.  The very thing that Peter and John looked forward to is now—at least partially—in our past.  Luke says there were five thousand believers in those days just after Pentecost.  Brothers and Sisters, today there are 2.6 billion.  They lived in a world in which no one outside Judaea had ever heard of Jesus.  We live in a world where Jesus is known the world over.  They lived in a little Jewish pocket surrounded by pagan nations so mired in moral filth it's hard for us to image the depth of depravity, because even as bad as might think the world is today, it has been so dramatically transformed by the gospel.  Our world, even the secular parts of it, value things like mercy and compassion, because of the transforming power of the gospel.  Brothers and Sisters, we live in a world that has been radically transformed by the power of the gospel.  If Peter and John had reason to be confident, you and I have even more. But notice, too, what they do when faced with opposition.  Verse 23: “When they had been released, they went back to their own people and told them everything that the chief priests and the elders had said.  When they heard it, they all together lifted up their voices to God.  ‘Sovereign Lord,' they said, ‘you made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them.  And you said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David, your servant, “Why did the nations fly into a rage, and why did the peoples think empty thoughts?  The kings of the earth arose and rulers gathered themselves together against the Lord and against his anointed Messiah.” It's true, Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the nations and the peoples of Israel, gathered themselves together in this very city against your holy servant Jesus, the one you anointed, to do whatever your hands and your plan had foreordained to take place.  So now, Lord, look on their threats and grant that we, your servants, may speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand for healing, so that signs and wonders may come about through the name of your holy servant Jesus.'” It would do us well—and it would do the kingdom well—if we responded to opposition the way the disciples did.  We need to pray more and fret less.  There is a battle raging in the world.  Jesus has won the decisive victory, but that doesn't mean that the powers of this old age aren't trying to maintain their grip.  They're like the bad guys in the movies, hanging on to the edge of the cliff with their fingers—doomed, but unwilling to give up.  To pray is to stomp on their fingers and to send them falling.  Pray.  Pray the psalms.  Pray Psalm 2 the way they do here.  This was Israel's prayer, but Jesus and the events surrounding those first Christians reoriented it.  They cry out with the Psalmist: Why do the nations rage?  Why do the peoples think with empty thoughts? The kings of the earth have huddled together against the Lord.  Except this time Israel herself had become one of the nations, her priests huddled together with Pontius Pilate.  They'd crucified Jesus.  And yet the disciples, in their prayer, also acknowledge that God is sovereign.  Remember that for Jews to quote a line from a Psalm was to call to mind the whole thing.  And in Psalm 2, yes the nations raged and their kings gathered together against his anointed, but then—do you remember Psalm 2?—God laughs at them, because they're fools.  And God establishes his king on Mount Zion.  The once raging nations become his inheritance.  And Peter and John and the rest knew that in Jesus this psalm was being fulfilled.  The Psalm concludes addressing those kings, “Now therefore, O Kings, be wise” and just so the disciples pray, “Now therefore, Lord, look on their threats and grant that we, your servants, may speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand for healing, so that signs and wonders may come about through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”  Brothers and Sisters, pray the Spirit-inspired scriptures back to God and things will happen.  Luke writes in verse 31: “When they had prayed the place where they were gathered was shaken.  They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they boldly spoke the word of God.” We should learn this prayer.  When the principalities and powers of the old age push back, pray this prayer.  When the local council or the legislature or Parliament or the King or the courts push back, pray this prayer.  When the gospel gets you in trouble with your family or at school or in your work, pray this prayer.  When you become discouraged, if you're struggling to keep the faith, if you're wrestling with sin, if you feel cornered by the world, the flesh, and the devil, pray this prayer.  Remember that you are a witness to the power of the gospel in the world.  And pray this prayer. And immediately Luke shows us the church—not just boldly proclaiming the good news—but also living it out as a community.  Luke shows us the church as the working model of God's new creation in the midst of the old.  Luke shows us the church being the new temple: the place of God's presence and the fulfilment of his promises of abundance and generosity.  Look at verses 32-37.  I was tempted to save these for next week as they lead us into Chapter 5.  I actually think they could warrant their own sermon.  But look at them now: “The company of those who believed had one heart and one soul.”  Remember Paul telling the Philippians to “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Messiah Jesus”?  Be of one Jesus-like mind.  That plays out in all sorts of ways and Luke shows us one here: “Nobody said that they owned their property; instead they had everything in common.  The apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power and great grace was upon all of them.  For there was no needy person among them, since any who possessed lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sale, and placed it at the feet of the apostles, who then gave to each according to their need.  Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, to whom the apostles gave the surname Barnabas, which means ‘son of encouragement', sold some land which belonged to him, brought the money, and laid it at the apostle's feet.” As I said a few weeks ago when we looked at Chapter 2, this doesn't mean they became a bunch of proto-Marxists.  Luke's point is that they became a family that live out the generosity and abundance of God's new creation.  We know from what we read later, that they had their own homes in which to meet.  And the focus of their charity was on the truly indigent, especially widows—on people notably with no family to take care of them.  And Paul will warn in his own letters that the able-bodied should get jobs instead of mooching off the community.  Again, the point here is that they very visible became the community in which torah itself was being fulfilled.  They've become the land of overflowing with milk and honey.  They've become the people who truly love their neighbours.  They've become the new temple in which God has returned to dwell with his people.  And they're doing and being this community right in Jerusalem: showing up the old Israel, exposing the priest and the council, showing that the old temple and its sacrifices are done.  God has fulfilled his promises and he's done so in Jesus and in the people who gathered around him in faith. And, Brothers and Sisters, we ought to be the same sort of new creation, heaven-on-earth community here.  As in Peter and John's day, the powers that be will tell us to go away and concentrate on heaven while they run the earth.  They'll warn us not to shove our religion down anyone's throat, while they, of course, will do their best to shove their materialism, their commercialism, their hedonism down our throats.  They'll get frustrated with us when we refuse to worship in their temples to money and power and sex and politics and war.  And when that happens, Brothers and Sisters, pray.  And remember that Jesus has died, Jesus has risen, and that Jesus will come again.  Be shaped by that story.  Be confident, knowing that God has and is and will fulfil his promises.  Be bold knowing that the gospel has power and that we live in a world transformed by that power, even if everyone ignores it or denies it.  Pray.  Remember.  Be bold.  And then remember that we are the family of the Messiah, marked out by his powerful name in our baptism and that in those baptismal waters, he's plunged us in to his Spirit.  He has made us new and we're not the family meant be and to bring and to live out his new creation, to live out heaven on earth in anticipation of the day when Jesus finally sets it all to rights.  We are the family that refuses to stop singing his praises and proclaiming his glory.  That's what we were created to do in the first place.  That's what Jesus has rescued us to do right now.  And it's what all creation will one day, by his grace, do again. Let's pray: O Lord, hear us in your mercy, we pray, and grant that we, to whom you have given the desire to pray, may be defended and comforted by your mighty aid, and strengthened in all dangers and adversities, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The rainbow is a powerful symbol. Its beautiful colors can fill a sky. But what does this symbol stand for, and should it matter to you? I believe so.Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn why.Scripture Used in Today's MessageGenesis 9:12-16To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/realtomshort

https://youtu.be/KO73WzejTXI https://www.uncommen.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/June-19-fixed.mp3 There is a silent but devastating epidemic spreading through the modern church, and it has absolutely nothing to do with a lack of access to Scripture. The crisis is happening on bedside tables, in glove compartments, and on phone screens across the country — Bibles owned but unopened, reading plans downloaded and abandoned, chapters started and never finished. Far too many men own the Word. Far fewer live inside it. We hear the same confession from men everywhere: “I know I should be reading more.” They intend to engage. They mean to get back to it. But the gap between intention and discipline keeps widening, and the cost shows up in their marriages, their leadership, and their faith. Building a consistent bible reading plan for men is not a spiritual luxury reserved for pastors and seminary students — it is the baseline infrastructure of every man who wants to lead well and stand firm when pressure arrives. The modern definition of spiritual maturity has tricked men into measuring themselves by church attendance, by grace before dinner, by the Bible verse they post on social media. But a real bible reading plan for men goes far deeper than surface performance. It is a daily, aggressive, intentional encounter with the living Word of God. In this article, we are breaking down seven ways a real bible reading plan for men actually works — not in theory, but in the daily grind of a man's real life. Quick Answers What is the best bible reading plan for men? The best bible reading plan for men is one you will actually stick with — and one that includes accountability. Whether you read chronologically, book by book, or topically, pairing your structure with daily devotions for men and at least one other man who will ask you where you are in the Word makes all the difference. Structure without accountability is just good intentions stored in an app you will delete in three weeks. How do I build a consistent bible reading plan for men? Start small and start with someone else. Two chapters per week in a men's Bible study outperforms ten chapters per day in isolation every single time. The men who stay consistent in their bible reading plan for men are not the ones with the best apps or the most natural discipline — they are the ones who made the Word a shared commitment rather than a private intention. Escaping the Checkbox Trap: When Bible Reading Becomes Empty Religion The number one enemy of a sustainable bible reading plan for men is not busyness. It is treating Scripture like a task to complete rather than a God to encounter. Men are wired to accomplish things — check the box, close the app, move on. That same efficiency that makes men effective in the boardroom becomes a catastrophic liability in their walk with God when it reduces daily devotions for men to a spiritual obligation with zero actual transformation. The checkbox trap looks like this: you open your bible reading plan for men app, read three chapters in seven minutes, tap “complete,” and close it before your coffee cools. Nothing changed. No prayer was prayed over what was read. You technically stayed in the Word, but you may as well have read a user manual. Spiritual performance — the appearance of discipline without the substance of encounter — is one of the enemy's most effective tools against men who actually want to grow. A bible reading plan for men is not a reading goal. It is a relationship tool. The men in Scripture who were shaped by the Word wrestled with it, prayed before they opened it, returned to the same passages repeatedly, and brought the text into direct conflict with their actual lives. That is what a real bible reading plan for men requires — and it starts by killing the checkbox entirely. Pray Before the Page: The Nehemiah Model Nehemiah contains one of the most powerful models in all of Scripture for what a bible reading plan for men actually produces in practice. When Nehemiah received devastating news about Jerusalem — the walls destroyed, his people in disgrace — his immediate response was not a to-do list. It was prayer.  Nehemiah 1:4 (ESV) records it directly: “As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” Sustained, serious, grief-driven prayer — not efficient prayer. But here is where the Nehemiah model goes further than most men expect: prayer was not the substitute for action. It was the preparation for it. After his sustained season of prayer, Nehemiah walked into the throne room of the most powerful king on earth and asked for permission to rebuild what was broken. He prayed, and then he moved. A bible reading plan for men that is genuinely rooted in prayer does not produce passive men who offer “I'll pray for you” as a polite exit from someone else's pain. It produces men who are ready to act when the moment comes — because the preparation has already been done on their knees. Men's Bible Study: Why You Cannot Stay Consistent Alone No bible reading plan for men survives in isolation. This is not an opinion — it is a biblical pattern. The disciples traveled in pairs. Paul always had a companion. David had Jonathan. Elijah had Elisha. The mythology of the lone spiritual warrior who grows deep in God without community around him is a fantasy that leaves men alone, stale, and inconsistent. Men's Bible study is not a soft option for men who need emotional support. It is a combat tactic. Men's Bible study works for the same reason a workout partner works: you show up when you do not feel like it because someone is counting on you. Your bible reading plan for men stops being a private intention and becomes a shared commitment. When you read together, things happen that never happen alone — someone spots a connection you missed, asks a question that cracks the passage open, or brings a real-life application from their week that makes the text land in a completely different way. Most men who fall off their bible reading plan for men do so because no one ever asks where they are. Build accountability into the structure. Two chapters a week in a men's Bible study far outperforms ten chapters a day in silence. Reading Through the Dark Seasons: What David and Elijah Teach Us Here is exactly where most bible reading plans for men break down: the dark season. The health scare, the business failure, the marriage conflict, the month where everything goes wrong at once. Men who were reading consistently hit a wall of pain and quietly stop — because the last thing they feel like doing is opening the Word when God feels absent or the circumstances feel impossible. David did not have that option. When Absalom launched a coup against his own father and David fled Jerusalem in humiliation, the Psalms he wrote during that period are some of the most honest, raw words in all of Scripture. He cried out. He questioned. He accused. And then, in the same poem, he praised:  Psalm 18:2 (ESV) — “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.” His daily devotions for men were not performed during easy seasons. They were forged in the hardest ones, written from the middle of betrayal and exile and fear. Elijah provides the other side of the same coin. One day after his greatest spiritual victory — calling fire from heaven, publicly dismantling the idol worship of an entire nation — he ran into the wilderness and asked God to kill him. The spiritual high had crashed into an emotional trough he could not climb out of. God's response was to feed him, let him sleep, and tell him to get back up. The men who sustain a bible reading plan for men through the dark seasons are the men who built the habit during the good ones, before the bottom dropped out. Your Bible Reading Plan for Men Has a Mission Bigger Than You One of the most convicting threads in Scripture is the concept of planting seeds. Paul wrote it plainly in 1 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV): “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” Most men evaluate the effectiveness of their faith by results they can measure — decisions made, prayers answered on schedule, people they personally watched cross a line of faith. But a mature bible reading plan for men shapes you to be a planter, not a harvester on demand. What you read this week is building something in you that will emerge in a conversation six months from now that you cannot predict. Your daily devotions for men are not just personal — they are missional preparation. The man who stays consistently in his bible reading plan for men is the man who, when a colleague gets the diagnosis or a friend calls at 11 PM with nowhere to go, has something real to say. He is not scrambling. He has been sitting in the Word long enough that it comes out of him naturally, without performance. Men's Bible study and consistent daily devotions for men do not just make you more spiritually literate. They make you more useful to God, because the enemy never knows when the seeds you have been quietly planting are going to bear fruit. Read What You Have Never Read: Explore the Whole Bible Most men who drift from a bible reading plan for men are actually drifting from the same ten chapters they have always read. They know Matthew, Proverbs, a handful of Psalms, and maybe Romans. The rest of Scripture — Nehemiah, the minor prophets, the pastoral epistles, First Kings — remains almost entirely untouched. And the untouched portions of the Bible are consistently where the richest, most specific application is found. A real bible reading plan for men moves through the whole counsel of God. It reads Nehemiah and finds a complete model for prayer and decisive action. It reads First Kings and stands inside the most extravagant construction project in human history — a temple so covered

In our current generation, we face the unclean froglike teachings such as: Critical Pedagogy, Postcolonial Theory, Critical Race Theory and Queer Theory. We need to stand apart from these, be uplifted and guided from the principles found in the Bible. Then we will “keep our garments” and be ready for Jesus' return. A @Christadelphians Video: [Inspiring] We, as Christadelphians, found this final instalment of the Watchman Report to be an outstanding and wonderfully revealing exposition of the spiritual battle raging for our minds. This thought-provoking and insightful presentation cuts through the noise of modern culture, exposing how the “frog‑like spirits” of Western Marxism and critical theory are reshaping society, education, and even our understanding of truth. Using the sword of the Spirit – our Bibles – we are called to watch, to fight, and to stand firm until our Lord returns. If you're seeking clarity in a confused world, this video is a must‑watch.**Chapters** 00:00 – Introduction 00:27 – The Battle for Our Minds 01:00 – The Sixth Vial and Christ's Message 01:54 – Frog‑like Spirits: A Challenge for Believers 02:50 – Western Marxism and Antonio Gramsci 04:30 – The War of Position: Redefining “Normal” 05:39 – Civil Society as the Battleground 06:12 – All Education is Political 07:35 – Critical Pedagogy 08:55 – Postcolonial Theory 10:53 – Critical Race Theory 12:31 – Queer Theory 13:36 – Fighting with the Sword of the Spirit 15:04 – The Blessing of Watching 16:10 – Conclusion and Call to Action**Bible Verse Category**

When it comes to studying our Bibles, one important concept we need to understand is the difference between an eternal salvation and a salvation related to the here and now. While it is the finished work of Christ alone that saves us from an eternal hell, there are many things we can do on this …

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.

In this episode, Logan and guest co-host Vanessa Loney are back with another listener mailbag, tackling your questions across every corner of the events world. From what an event bible actually looks like to the best questions to ask your AV tech, F&B creativity, and how to celebrate your team without a monetary bonus, they cover it all. They also dig into the business side for freelancers, from raising your rates and marketing yourself to managing contractor friendships and getting a handle on your finances.SHOW NOTES:Purchase our on-demand How to Start an Event Planning Business Workshop: https://bettereventspod.com/workshopConnect with Vanessa Loney:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessaloneyWebsite: https://www.blueribbon-events.com/Instagram: @vee_loneyLearn more about the pod, Better Events Conference and more: https://bettereventspod.com/the-latestLogan's Pasta shape - Radiatori: https://www.mamadepandi.com/product/radiatori-dried-pasta/Google Sites: https://workspace.google.com/products/sites/SCORE Mentoring: https://www.score.org/aboutProfit First Book: https://amzn.to/3PxXK66Want our updated free run of show template? Download it here: https://bettereventspod.com/templates/p/run-of-show-template-freeTHANKS FOR THE LOVE! Love this podcast? Please share with your event friends, tag us, and leave a review!——FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:@bettereventspod@loganstrategygroup_events (Logan)@epeventsllc (Mary)

The Chief Justice's Open Bible #RTTBROS #NIGHTLIGHT #USA250 #AMERICA250 #NATION250The Chief Justice's Open Bible“"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”— Psalm 119:105THE STORYJohn Jay is one of the most important and most forgotten men of the founding era.He co-authored the Federalist Papers alongside Hamilton and Madison. He served as the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, appointed by Washington himself. He was a diplomat, a governor, a statesman of the first rank. And he was, without qualification or apology, a committed Christian who made no separation between his public life and his personal faith.Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers," Jay declared, "and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.Jay served as president of the American Bible Society. He believed that the Bible was the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. The first Chief Justice of the United States spent his final years distributing Bibles.THE REFLECTIONThere is a tendency in our time to divide the founding era between religious founders and secular founders. John Jay will not cooperate with that narrative.Here was a man at the absolute center of America's legal and political founding, the first interpreter of the Constitution, and he believed that the Bible was the foundational text for human happiness. He said it publicly, repeatedly, without embarrassment.What he models for us is something rarer than political savvy: the integration of faith and public life without apology. He did not have a public faith and a private faith. He had one faith, and he carried it everywhere.Psalm 119:105 was not a decorative verse for John Jay. It was an operating principle. The Word of God was the lamp by which he navigated the most consequential legal questions of the new nation.THE PATRIOT'S PRAYERLord, we thank You for men who carried Your Word into every room, the courtroom, the congress, the cabinet, without shame and without compartmentalization. Forgive us for the faith we have kept private when it should have been public. Let Your Word be a lamp to our feet in every room we enter today, not just the sacred ones. In Jesus' name, Amen.PRAY IT FORWARD: Is there a room in your life, a workplace, a relationship, a role you occupy, where you have left your faith at the door? Ask God for the courage to carry it in.

Welcome back to Build Your Bible Habit, where you can listen to a chapter of Proverbs in under five minutes. Reading Proverbs has so many benefits: drawing us closer to God, teaching us how to be better at relationships, helping us with principles of money management, child training, and more! Wisdom makes life better, and you are gaining wisdom as you Build Your Bible Habit! If you are looking for a helpful devotional to add to your collection, Apply: Living What We Learn will give you practical examples in for form of mini-devotions coupled with the simple assignment of reading a daily Proverb. Get this tool HERE:  Apply: Living What We Learn--A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart for books, Bible studies, beautiful Bibles, and more! NEW: Peace Beyond Panic: A Heavenly Perspective on Anxiety and Depression by Dr. John W. Vaprezsan Apply: Living What We Learn-A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor FOR COUPLES: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor Vitamins for the Soul: A Study on Maintaining Spiritual Health by Kathy Ashley NEW: Crossbody Sling Bag for Beverage Bottles Support this podcast HERE Follow Keep the Heart on Instagram Like Keep the Heart on Facebook

Welcome to Day 2884 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2884 – “Welcome to the War”  based on Luke 9:1-11 Putnam Church Message – 05/17/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Welcome to the War.”   Last week's message was “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost,” in which we learned that the crowd may overlook you. Fear may accuse you.  Shame may silence you. Death may threaten you. But Jesus says, “You matter to Me.” Today, we continue with our twenty-third message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: Welcome to the War.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:1-11, which is found on page 1608 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve 1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. 7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him. 10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today grateful that Your Kingdom is still advancing in this world. We confess that we often forget we are part of a spiritual battle. We become distracted by comfort, criticism, fear, busyness, and self-reliance. Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see Your mission clearly. Teach us to trust Your authority, / depend on Your provision, / endure rejection with grace, / and return often to You for rest and renewal. May Your Word shape us today, not only as listeners, but as faithful disciples sent into the world with good news. In Jesus' name, amen. Introduction: The War We Did Not Start, But Are Called to Enter Today, we continue in Luke's Gospel with the twenty-third message in our New Testament series, and the title is “Welcome to the War.” That may sound strong at first. We may think, “War? I thought we were talking about the Good News.” But Luke has been showing us from the beginning that the Good News of Jesus is not merely a comforting message for private spiritual reflection. It is the announcement that the Kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus Christ, and that means the dominion of evil is being overthrown. When Jesus preached in the synagogue in Nazareth, He announced good news to the poor, freedom for captives, sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed. When He healed the sick, forgave sinners, calmed the storm, delivered the demon-possessed man, restored the woman who had suffered for twelve years, and raised Jairus' daughter, He was not simply doing random acts of kindness. He was showing that the Kingdom of God was breaking into a broken world. In our previous messages, we have watched Jesus minister with compassion and authority. / We saw Him show love and grace to a sinful woman in the Pharisee's house. / We asked, “Where Are You in This Picture?” -> as Jesus taught about the soils of the heart. /  We saw “Freedom From Bondage” when Jesus delivered the man among the tombs. /  We saw that no one is “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost” when Jesus stopped for the suffering woman and raised Jairus' daughter. Now, in Luke 9:1–11, something shifts. Up until now, the disciples have been watching, learning, assisting, asking, and following. They have seen Jesus preach. They have seen Jesus heal. They have seen Jesus command demons. They have seen Jesus calm nature itself. But now Jesus calls the Twelve together and sends them out. The students become participants. The observers become messengers. The apprentices enter the battle. Jesus does not merely gather followers to sit near Him. He forms disciples to join His mission. So today, let's walk through Luke 9:1–11 under four main truths. Main Point 1: Jesus Sends Ordinary Disciples with His Power and Authority Luke tells us that Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. Then He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. / This is remarkable. These are the same disciples who were afraid in the storm. These are the same men who often misunderstood Jesus. These are not polished professionals. They are fishermen, tax collectors, ordinary men and women from ordinary places. And yet Jesus sends them. / That should encourage us. God's mission does not depend on perfect people. It depends on the authority of a perfect Savior. /  Luke uses two important words here: power and authority. Power refers to ability — the strength to accomplish what could not be accomplished naturally. Authority refers to the right to act on behalf of another. A police officer directing traffic is a helpful picture. The officer may not have the physical power to stop a moving vehicle with his bare hands. But when he raises his hand, cars stop because he carries delegated authority. He acts on behalf of a higher government. Jesus gives His disciples both. He gives them divine ability and delegated authority. / They are not going out in their own names. They are going out in His name. / And what are they sent to do? They are sent to proclaim the Kingdom of God and demonstrate the mercy of the Kingdom through healing and deliverance. In ancient times, a herald would enter a town square and speak on behalf of the king. The herald's message carried weight because it did not originate with the herald. He spoke with delegated authority. That is the picture here. The disciples are heralds. They are announcing that God's Kingdom has drawn near in Jesus. / This connects directly with the broader story of Scripture. In Genesis, humanity was created to live under God's good rule. But sin brought rebellion, brokenness, death, and bondage. Throughout the Old Testament, God promised that His Kingdom would come, His enemies would be defeated, and His people would be restored. The prophets looked ahead to a day when captives would be freed, the sick would be restored, and God's reign would be made known among the nations. Jesus is that fulfillment. And now He sends His disciples to announce it. Object Lesson: The Badge and the Battery Hold up two objects: a badge and a battery. A badge represents authority. It says, “I have been authorized to act.” A battery represents power. It supplies energy to do what needs to be done. A badge without power may represent a title but no ability. A battery without authority may have energy but no direction. Jesus gives His disciples both. For us today, not all of us have the same calling as the Twelve. Their mission in Luke 9 was specific to that moment in Jesus' ministry. But the larger principle remains: Christ still sends His people into the world as witnesses. We go not because we are impressive, / but because Jesus is King. We speak not because we know everything, / but because we know Him. We serve not because we have unlimited strength, / but because His strength is made perfect in weakness. ...

Welcome back to Husbands in Christ. In this powerful episode, hosts Brandon and Billy return to the baseline of building a strong, godly household. Diving straight into Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5, they break down the foundational blueprints for family dynamics: the true meaning of submission, leading without bitterness, and protecting your marriage from the noise of the world.Parenting in the modern era comes with its own trial by fire. The guys open up transparently about their own journeys—unlearning harsh habits, setting healthy boundaries with discipline, and fighting for the attention of their children against a hyper-connected social media landscape. Finally, they look outward at how a believer handles earthly authority, whether on the job or in the community, reminding us that we don't just work for eyeservice—we serve the Lord Christ.Pull up a chair, open your Bibles, and let's get back to the foundation.Key Scripture References from This Episode:Colossians 3:18-25 — Instructions for Christian HouseholdsEphesians 5:22-33 & 6:4 — Loving your spouse as Christ loves the ChurchDeuteronomy 6:6-9 — Teaching your children diligently through lifeProverbs 22:6 — Training up a child in the way they should goConnect With Us: Check out our back catalog on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch us visually on YouTube! If this message touched your soul, leave a review and share it with someone in your community.

Welcome to Week 4 of This Is the Old Testament! Amanda and Raechel are joined by Dr. David Filson to discuss the next five books of the Old Testament: Psalms through Isaiah. As we continue our seven-week survey of the Old Testament, Dr. Filson reminds us that Christ holds all things together.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 4 of She Reads Truth's This Is the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our This Is the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this episode:Use code NT15 for 15% off the This Is the New Testament collection at ShopSheReadsTruth.com.She Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramDavid Filson 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

Send us Fan MailListen to a message from Emmanuel Baptist Church of Longview, TX. Church Bible Publishers produces high-quality King James Bibles that are not only beautiful, but durable enough for daily study, preaching, teaching, and life. These aren't flimsy, disposable Bibles. They're Smyth-sewn, carefully bound, and made to endure years of faithful use. If you want a Bible that feels solid in your hands and will still be standing long after trends fade, check out Church Bible Publishers today at churchbiblepublishers.com.  RG33 Candle Co. doesn't just make candles — they honor a life. Each hand-poured soy candle was created to celebrate the spirit and legacy of RG Gray III, a young man whose love, joy, and unforgettable personality inspired this company's mission.If you want a candle that feels personal, uplifting, and full of purpose — check out RG33 Candle Co. Visit rg33candleco.com and use code PODCAST10 for 10% off your purchase. Support the show

Send us Fan MailListen to a message from Emmanuel Baptist Church of Longview, TX. Church Bible Publishers produces high-quality King James Bibles that are not only beautiful, but durable enough for daily study, preaching, teaching, and life. These aren't flimsy, disposable Bibles. They're Smyth-sewn, carefully bound, and made to endure years of faithful use. If you want a Bible that feels solid in your hands and will still be standing long after trends fade, check out Church Bible Publishers today at churchbiblepublishers.com.  RG33 Candle Co. doesn't just make candles — they honor a life. Each hand-poured soy candle was created to celebrate the spirit and legacy of RG Gray III, a young man whose love, joy, and unforgettable personality inspired this company's mission.If you want a candle that feels personal, uplifting, and full of purpose — check out RG33 Candle Co. Visit rg33candleco.com and use code PODCAST10 for 10% off your purchase. Support the show

It's one of the most beloved stories in the Gospels, yet most modern Bibles flag it with a note: "the earliest manuscripts don't include John 7:53-8:11." So does the story of the woman caught in adultery belong in John? Should it be preached on a Sunday morning? In this video teaching, Pastor Cean explains inspiration, textual criticism, and why we can trust our Bibles, then shows how that leads us to handle this passage in our John sermon series.

The Dead Sea Scrolls contain a version of Deuteronomy 32:8 that most modern Bibles don't show you — and what the original text says rewires how you read the entire Old Testament. When God divided the nations of the earth, He didn't do it according to the sons of Israel. He did it according to the sons of God. Fallen angels. Assigned to every nation on earth. That one manuscript difference changes everything. Lance Wallnau goes deep into the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Septuagint, and the ancient Hebrew texts to uncover the hidden architecture of world history — a heavenly council of angelic overseers, a divine courtroom where God calls them to account, and a Tower of Babel that wasn't a building at all, but a portal technology designed to merge humanity with those same spiritual intelligences. And the connection to what's being built right now — AI, neural links, transhumanism — is harder to ignore than you'd think. In this episode: * The Dead Sea Scrolls vs. your Bible — what was changed and why * The Tower of Babel was a ziggurat: a spiritual portal, not a skyscraper * Psalm 82 decoded: God judges the angels He assigned to run the nations * The EU Parliament building and its disturbing Tower of Babel design * AI, neural links, and the Antichrist's "one mind" over 10 rulers * Michael Heiser's scholarship on the divine council and the Unseen Realm * Your end-time assignment: taking back territory from rebellious angels This is Genesis and Revelation read together — and the picture that emerges is not what most churches are teaching. Podcast Episode 2150: Why Jesus "descended into hell" - What He Did Will Blow Your Mind | don't miss this! Listen to more episodes of the Lance Wallnau Show at lancewallnau.com/podcast

Motion Church | Sisterhood: "Locally Grown" "Welcome to the sisterhood, where we are gonna fill your cup up." This special women's gathering kicks off with a theme of "locally grown" — and a celebration of how women grow together in community, in faith, and in friendship. Tonight's big idea: "how can we locally grow as women in Christ together in community"? The answer comes down to one thing — sharing our story, sharing our testimony. Shelly opens with a hilarious, heartfelt rundown of growing up in what she calls an "over saved home" — Bibles in every room, a "Jesus lamp" with eyes that followed you down the hallway, a cordless phone with a cord that didn't move past the school desk in the middle of the house, and a mom who insisted "if you do something wrong... God's gonna tell me." For years, Shelly didn't think she had a testimony because, as she puts it, "I just thought I had to go do a bunch of bad stuff and come back to Jesus to have a testimony." But her mom set her straight: "Your testimony is God's faithfulness in your life, protection in your life." From there, Shelly tells the story of her one (and only) homegrown bell pepper — the result of 45 days of watering, bug-checking, and effort — which she refused to share with anyone, even her own family. "I did not share what I watered, and what I grew with the people that I care about." But God used that moment to speak to her: "You share your story. And you share with others what I've done for you... We want everyone to taste the goodness of God." Drawing from Mark 5, the story of the man freed from demon possession who was sent home to "tell your family everything the Lord has done for you," the message lands on this truth: "Your personal testimony and your personal experiences mean more to people than any fact." And no matter how different each story is, "there's one thing that's the same in every story, is that we are all sinners in need of a savior. And that is what matters the most, and that's what brings us together." A night of laughter, honesty, and women sharing their own stories — because every story matters, and every story points back to him.

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.

Introduction: If you have your Bibles let me invite you to open with me to the book of Revelation chapter 19. if you are new to St. Rose Community Church we want to welcome you into our study of the book of Revelation…, We have been working through this book verse by verse for a little over a year now…,…

Your phone doesn't love you. It studies you, predicts you, feeds your fears, rewards your outrage, and keeps you scrolling—but it doesn't love you. The problem isn't that we treat our phones like a Bible. The problem is we treat our Bibles like a phone—scrolling for the parts we agree with and skipping the parts we don't. In this message, we'll explore why the greatest threat to your faith isn't technology—it's the sinful desire to be your own authority. We'll talk about echo chambers, itching ears, self-made gods, and the life-changing difference between a God who agrees with you and the God who saves you. Because the question that shapes your life isn't just what gets your attention. It's who gets the first word.

Every week, Pastor Keith Foskey and his wife Jennifer tackle questions from around the world on theology, ministry, culture, and the Bible, while interacting live with viewers in the chat. From serious doctrine to fun conversation, Your Calvinist Live is a place for thoughtful discussion, biblical insight, and a few laughs along the way. Join us live and be part of the conversation!Questions and Timestamps:Womens Bible study recommendations 54:15If you could not be a baptist anymore, what denomination would you choose? 1:01:22What's the best season of Psych and why is it season 3? 1:04:54Can you recommend 3 - 5 study Bibles that you recommend? 1:08:07Catechism Resources and Ideas 1:14:00Do you hold to Kuyperian Sphere Sovereignty? 1:18:30How should we think about previous generations of Christians averse to theatre and entertainment? 1:21:30Questions about finding a publishing company 1:29:50How does Christ “fulfill” laws such as the clipping of one's beard, etc? 1:35:40Is 1 Corinthians 3 about individuals or specifically teachers? 1:44:40How do we encourage the body to share the Gospel & get people excited about salvation again? 1:51:41How do you help people find their spiritual gifts? 2:05:30Questions and concerns about joining a Christian dance academy? 2:10:15Is it normal for a wife to be excluded from the words “Christ's body broken for you” at communion? 2:18:09Support the Show: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/Yourcalvinisthtto://www.page50.com/yourcalvinistPage50 is a Marketing Company that is committed to helping you build your brand with truth, goodness, and beauty. They do web design, videography, SEO, content creation, branding, and consulting. And for a limited time, you can get a free website audit, which can help you discover how your website is performing and what you can do to improve it. Just go to page50.com/yourcalvinist to get started.https://www.TinyBibles.comYou can get the smallest Bible available on the market, which can be used for all kinds of purposes, by visiting TinyBibles.com and when you buy, use the coupon code KEITH for a discount.Love Coffee? Want the Best? Get a free bag of Squirrelly Joe's Coffee by clicking on this link: https://www.Squirrellyjoes.com/yourcalvinistor use coupon code "Keith" for 20% off anything in the storeDominion Wealth Strategies Visit them at https://www.dominionwealthstrategists.comhttp://www.Reformed.Moneyand let them know we sent you! Spiraling Impressions — Custom Stickers — Facebook: Spiraling Impressions Website: spiralingimpressions.com.COUPON CODE: YourCalvinist (gets 10% 0ff)https://www.HighCallingFitness.comHealth, training, and nutrition coaching all delivered to you online by confessionally reformed bodybuilders and strength athletes.Visit us at https://www.KeithFoskey.comIf you need a great website, check out https://www.fellowshipstudios.com

The Miracle Fog#RTTBROS #Nightlight #USA250 #Nation250 #America250The Miracle FogAnd it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these.— Exodus 14:20THE STORYBy the night of August 29th, 1776, the American cause was almost certainly finished.Washington's army had been routed at the Battle of Long Island. Nine thousand American soldiers were trapped on Brooklyn Heights with the British fleet waiting to close off their escape. Washington made the only decision available: retreat across the East River in small boats under cover of darkness.As dawn approached, thousands of soldiers remained on the Brooklyn shore. Daylight would expose them completely.Then the fog came in. A thick, heavy fog settled over Brooklyn Heights, so dense a man could not see ten feet in front of him. It covered the crossing completely. When the last boat, carrying Washington himself, pushed off from the shore, the fog began to lift. The British arrived at the water's edge to find nothing but empty boats. Every one of nine thousand men escaped. Not a single soldier was lost in the crossing.THE REFLECTIONWashington recorded no detailed theological reflection on the fog. He did not need to. The facts spoke for themselves.But those who had read their Bibles recognized the pattern, because it was not the first time God had used a cloud to cover His people's retreat. Exodus 14 tells the story of another desperate escape, another body of water, another moment when destruction seemed certain. God placed a cloud between the Egyptians and Israel. It was darkness to one army and light to another.Providence does not always announce itself with trumpets. Sometimes it arrives as weather.We serve a God who uses the ordinary things, fog, storms, the timing of a wind, to accomplish the extraordinary. He did it in Egypt. He did it at Brooklyn Heights. He is doing it still, in ways we will only see clearly when we look back from the far shore.THE PATRIOT'S PRAYERPray It Forward: Look back over the last year and identify one moment where, in hindsight, God's timing or providence protected you in ways you did not recognize at the time. Thank Him for it specifically.

Guest: John PudaiteMinistry: Bibles For The WorldPosition: President and CEOTopic: a follow-up conversation in the aftermath of the ministry's participation in "GO Day" in May, with a goal of distributing 1.4 million copies of the Gospel of JohnWebsite: biblesfortheworld.org

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.

Send us Fan MailListen to a message from Emmanuel Baptist Church of Longview, TX. Church Bible Publishers produces high-quality King James Bibles that are not only beautiful, but durable enough for daily study, preaching, teaching, and life. These aren't flimsy, disposable Bibles. They're Smyth-sewn, carefully bound, and made to endure years of faithful use. If you want a Bible that feels solid in your hands and will still be standing long after trends fade, check out Church Bible Publishers today at churchbiblepublishers.com.  RG33 Candle Co. doesn't just make candles — they honor a life. Each hand-poured soy candle was created to celebrate the spirit and legacy of RG Gray III, a young man whose love, joy, and unforgettable personality inspired this company's mission.If you want a candle that feels personal, uplifting, and full of purpose — check out RG33 Candle Co. Visit rg33candleco.com and use code PODCAST10 for 10% off your purchase. Support the show

Now that we have all 5 pieces of our armor, the belt of truth around our waist, the breastplate of righteousness covering our heart, the shoes of peace for our ready feet, the shield of faith in one hand to protect us from the fiery arrows, and the helmet of salvation protecting our mind, we have one last thing to do … Ephesians 6:17, “Take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” We have been given a sword to fight this battle. That sword is the very word of God. That word is given to us by the Holy Spirit. Notice Paul says, “Take the sword of THE SPIRIT, which is the WORD OF GOD.” This is more than just having the Bible app on your phone. More than posting a few scriptures on your social when you're having a bad day. This is the Holy Spirit giving you a literal weapon to use in the spiritual battle raging all around you. That weapon is a sword in the word of God. The Bible isn't a book of magic words to repeat to get what we want. Speed reading it isn't going to arm you, that's just going to check a box. The ol' “let me crack this puppy open and just see what scripture jumps out at me” isn't a real sword for the battle against evil. Here's what the Bible really is, it is GOD-BREATHED. God breathed his very word into the writers of scripture. Our Bibles are HOLY and DIVINE, unlike any other book ever written. We attribute books to Moses, David, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, and others … but the foundation of our belief is that it's ALL from God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “ALL Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” When you understand the sheer miracle it is to be able to hold God's actual word in your hands and read it with your own eyes – wow!!!! Before modern day, God's word was reserved for a select few. It was all handwritten on scrolls of parchment or animal skin, stored away somewhere sacred. To hear his word read, you would have to go to the temple. For this reason, people would literally seek to memorize God's word fully so they could carry it with them. Did you know Kings of Israel were require to transcribe the Bible for themselves to have while they ruled their country? To lead well, they had to let God's word get within them and know it personally, so they wrote it word for word themselves. Hey, I don't know what you're leading – if it's a family or a business, a circle of friends or a mission of some sort, but it's very clear what you need to lead that well – YOU NEED GOD'S WORD. It's not enough to just have someone read it to you. You need to know it for yourself. If you're wondering what's wrong with your life, God's word will reveal it to you. If you're seeking the right thing to do, God's word will reveal it to you. Your answers are all here. And of course, that's why in this spiritual battle the enemy has tried everything to keep you OUT OF GOD'S WORD. No, he doesn't want that sword in your hand! Some of us finally have that sword in our hand, but we don't know how to use it. We're just randomly pulling out scriptures, twisting them to fit our situation. We're throwing around God's word, hoping something sticks and makes a magical change. No, girl – you need Sword School. You have to know how to hold the sword of God's word. How to swing it. How to stand with it. How to fight with it. I once had a little stalker incident that scared the bejesus right out of me. Someone had broken into our home and stolen all our photo albums and a few of my very personal items – nothing of monetary value. The next day, my husband bought me a pistol and he took me out to the desert to teach me how to shoot it. Just having the gun didn't give me any safety – in fact, it just made me dangerous. I had to know where to find it for quick access. I had to learn how to handle it. I had to know how to load it. How to take the safety off. How to aim and pull the trigger. No amount of instruction could give me the confidence to handle this weapon – I had to use it for myself. I had to get familiar with it. I had to practice using it until I could do it in the dark. What good is a weapon if in the middle of the night the bad guy comes and I'm like, “Ahhh, wait a second, let me turn on the light so I can find my weapon and figure out how to get it ready to point at you.” Isn't that the way we are with our Bibles? We don't know how to use them. We don't know it's power. We're not trained up for this battle. And honestly, with our habit of just pulling out random scriptures and trying to apply what feels good at the moment, we are dangerous. Just a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible. I just looked up random scriptures online to pull them out when needed. And yes, it got me through a few battles, but I wasn't trained up. I didn't know how to hold that sword. I didn't know how to swing that sword. I had no confidence fighting in the dark. I was more of an imposter than a swordsman. In February 2024, I bought a bible and a pack of bible highlighters. I began my Sword School. This training has given me confidence unlike anything before. I've trained for and run several full marathons.- they never gave me this kind of confidence. I've put on a fancy dress, worn the good jewelry, and had my hair and makeup done by a professional – I learned to walk with purpose and power – all of that never gave me the confidence of my Sword School! True confidence comes from knowing the God-breathed word of our Bible. Knowing God's ways, knowing his promises, understanding how to use his power. It's in his word we begin to understand what his voice sounds like. And once you know what his voice sounds like, you can know when it's God speaking to you and when it's not. We all want to hear from God. We all want that divine direction and clear path. It's available to each one of us if we will study his word with the intention of letting it shape and form us. If the intention is to check a box, then a checked box will be our only reward. If the intention is to impress someone with highlights on pages or a memorized scripture, then that will be our only reward. But if you are studying God's word as Sword School so you know how to hold it, how to swing it, how to stand with it, and how to fight with it … then girl, your life is about to change. There's only one problem with my Sword Sessions and Sword School. I never seem to graduate. I can read the same scripture I did a year ago and there's something more for me to learn. Isn't it bizarre how God's word can fit your specific situation so absolutely perfectly, and yet it was written thousands of years ago? Or how crazy it is that his word will speak to you so divinely in this moment, but it was there all along? So, because I'm still learning so much, I must always carry my sword with me. And that's a problem for me – you see, I travel full time. And I travel light. I've been traveling internationally for the past 3.5 months and I have only a carry on and backpack. Everything – all my outfits, all my shoes, my hiking clothes, my mountain clothes, my beach clothes, my retreat clothes, my tolitires – all of it has to fit into a carry on and small backpack. BUT MY SWORD COMES FIRST. My sword is a worn out, falling apart, turquoise Bible filled with notes, stickers and letters. It's heavy, it's bulky, and totally NOT travel friendly. BUT I'M GOING NOWHERE WITHOUT IT! It's an absolute requirement! You know why? Because I'm in a battle and I know this is my weapon. These are God-breathed words I carry. Holy instructions for life. Battle plans for victory. I must be ready at all times! Now here's the truly beautiful thing – with Sword School (my fancy little name for personal Bible study), something divine happens … You begin depositing God's word IN YOU. And Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “The world of God is ALIVE and POWERFUL. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword …” Reading God's word to actually deposit it into your life and receive it, puts something LIVING inside of you. Then you have his word growing because it is alive. And yes, it is powerful. With God's living word in you, you begin seeing things differently. You begin responding differently. Your heart's desires begin to change. Your will becomes meshed with his will. Your life changes because the living word is alive in you, unleashing its power. And girl – that's how you show up for battle! Every time you sit down and study God's living word, you are preparing yourself for the battle. You are learning how to hold this sword. You're learning how to swing this sword. You're learning how to stand with this sword. You're learning how to fight with this sword, his living word. And the more your practice, the more confidence you have. You're becoming a real life swordsman! God-breathed words. Words that are alive. Words that have the power to radically change your life. Words that will win this spiritual battle. So my sister, take up your sword given to you by the Holy Spirit, God's breathed words, his divine instructions, his eternal promises and truths. Practice using it every day. Let it take hold of you. Take it with you everywhere you go. Get serious about your Sword School. Then let's stand together with our swords and take down the devil! I challenge you to study Matthew 4: 1-11. This is the account of Jesus himself fighting the devil with the sword of God's word. You gotta know how to handle it in this fight! Jesus shows us how. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

For millions of believers around the world, access to God's Word is something many of us take for granted. Yet there are still people in remote villages, persecuted regions, and hard-to-reach places who are praying for a Bible they can read and understand. This week my guest is Michael Woolworth with Bible League International, sharing powerful stories of faith, courage, and lives transformed through God's Word in their language!! Learn how Bible League Intl. is placing Bibles into the hands of believers around the world and partnering with Joy Radio WRJZ, WOAY in Beckley, WV & WKTS - The Bridge and our listeners to bring Bibles in their language, bringing the light and hope of Jesus Christ into some of the darkest places on earth. You'll be inspired by stories of  believers who treasure a single Bible, share it with entire communities, and risk everything to follow Christ. "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." — Psalm 119:105. For only $5 a Bible, you can be a part of changing people's lives! Go to the wrjz.com banner.

New York Times bestselling author Eric Ries applies his startup philosophy to churches. Carey and Eric cover how to know when to take a risk, how to get past broke thinking in your church, and why the harder path is often easier.

Welcome to Day 2879 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2879 – “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost”  based on Luke 8:22-39 Putnam Church Message – 05/10/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost.”   Last week's message was “Freedom from Bondage,” in which we learned that, regardless of the storms of life we face or the bondage we have experienced, through Christ we can withstand them and live free because believers fight on the winning side. Today, we continue with our twenty-second message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost.” Our core passage today is Luke 8:40-56, which is found on page 1607 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman 40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[a] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”  46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” 49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don't bother the teacher anymore.” 50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” 53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today as people who sometimes feel rushed, overlooked, unclean, afraid, delayed, or disappointed. We confess that we often measure people by status, strength, influence, or usefulness, but Jesus never does. Lord, open our hearts to Your Word today. Help us see that no one is too little for Your attention, and no one is too lost for Your grace. Teach us to trust You when life is urgent, when hope seems delayed, and even when it feels like death has spoken the final word. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing to You, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. Introduction: Jesus Looks at the One I read a story about the former president of Taylor University, Jay Kesler, who once said with a smile, “I have an office full of pictures in which I'm shaking hands with great dignitaries, all of whom are looking at someone else.” That line makes us laugh because we know exactly what he means. We have all seen it. Someone important shakes your hand, but their eyes are scanning the room. They are already looking for the next person, the next opportunity, the next more important conversation. But Jesus is never like that. If Jesus were to shake your hand, He would not be looking past you. He would not be distracted by the crowd behind you. He would look into your eyes, into your soul, into the places you hide from everybody else, and He would say, “You matter to Me.” That is the heartbeat of our message today: Never Too Little, Never Too Lost. We are continuing in Luke 8:40–56, and I encourage you to read the full passage from the New Living Translation. Luke places two stories together that belong together: the dying daughter of Jairus and the suffering woman who touched the edge of Jesus' robe. One is a young girl from a respected household. / The other is an unnamed woman pushed to the edges of society. One has a father who can publicly plead her case. / The other has no public advocate at all. One is twelve years old. / The other has suffered for twelve years. One is loved in the center of the community. / The other has lived on the outside, isolated by illness, shame, and ceremonial uncleanness. And Jesus moves toward both of them. That is good news. Which brings us to the first of four truths today. Main Point 1: Jesus Is Never Too Busy for the Broken Luke tells us that when Jesus returned to Galilee, the crowd welcomed Him because they had been waiting for Him. This is important. In the previous passage, Jesus had crossed the lake into Gentile territory. There, He delivered a man who was possessed, tormented, isolated, and living among the tombs. We called that message “Freedom from Bondage.” The people of that region saw a transformed man sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind — and they asked Jesus to leave. Now Jesus comes back across the lake, likely to the area around Capernaum, and this crowd is waiting. Can you imagine the scene? People are pressing forward. Some are hoping for healing. Some are curious. Some are desperate. Some just want to see what Jesus will do next. And then a respected man steps out of the crowd. His name is Jairus. Luke calls him a leader or official of the synagogue. He was probably not a rabbi, but a lay elder — the kind of man who helped oversee worship, teaching, building care, and community matters. / In a Jewish village, the synagogue was not merely a church building. It was the center of communal life. Jairus would have been known, respected, and influential. But on this day, Jairus is not standing tall as a dignified religious leader. He falls at Jesus' feet. Why? Because his only daughter is dying. Parents understand this scene immediately. There are few fears deeper than the fear of losing a child. Jairus does not come to debate theology. He does not come to protect his reputation. He does not come wondering whether being seen with Jesus might damage his standing among other leaders. His daughter is dying, and suddenly nothing else matters. It reminds us of the centurion in Luke 7, whose beloved servant was near death. It reminds us of the widow of Nain, whose only son had died, and Jesus stepped into her grief before she even asked. In that message, we said, “There is Always Hope.” Here again, Luke shows us that Jesus moves toward human sorrow. And notice this: Jesus goes with Jairus. He does not say, “I am too busy.” He does not say, “There are too many people here.” He does not say, “You synagogue leaders have not always supported Me.” He does not say, “I just came back from a stormy voyage and a difficult rejection.” Jesus goes. Object Lesson: The Calendar and the Empty Space Imagine holding up a packed calendar or a long to-do list. Every line is filled. Every hour is claimed. There is no margin. Then hold up a blank sticky note and place it in the middle. That blank space represents the interruption. Most of us do not like interruptions. We say, “I was on my way to something important.” But Jesus shows us that sometimes / the interruption is the ministry. Jairus interrupted Jesus' public welcome. / The suffering woman will interrupt Jairus' emergency. /...

Send us Fan MailListen to a message from Emmanuel Baptist Church of Longview, TX. Church Bible Publishers produces high-quality King James Bibles that are not only beautiful, but durable enough for daily study, preaching, teaching, and life. These aren't flimsy, disposable Bibles. They're Smyth-sewn, carefully bound, and made to endure years of faithful use. If you want a Bible that feels solid in your hands and will still be standing long after trends fade, check out Church Bible Publishers today at churchbiblepublishers.com. Support the show

Send us Fan MailListen to a message from Emmanuel Baptist Church of Longview, TX. Church Bible Publishers produces high-quality King James Bibles that are not only beautiful, but durable enough for daily study, preaching, teaching, and life. These aren't flimsy, disposable Bibles. They're Smyth-sewn, carefully bound, and made to endure years of faithful use. If you want a Bible that feels solid in your hands and will still be standing long after trends fade, check out Church Bible Publishers today at churchbiblepublishers.com.  RG33 Candle Co. doesn't just make candles — they honor a life. Each hand-poured soy candle was created to celebrate the spirit and legacy of RG Gray III, a young man whose love, joy, and unforgettable personality inspired this company's mission.If you want a candle that feels personal, uplifting, and full of purpose — check out RG33 Candle Co. Visit rg33candleco.com and use code PODCAST10 for 10% off your purchase. Support the show

Welcome to Week 3 of This Is the Old Testament! Amanda and Raechel are joined by Ashley Gorman to discuss the next eight books of the Old Testament: 1 Kings though Job. As we continue our seven-week survey of the Old Testament, we find deep assurance in these books that God has no rival.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 3 of She Reads Truth's This Is the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our This Is the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this episode:Use code OT15 for 15% off the This Is the Old Testament collection at ShopSheReadsTruth.com.Exclusive $35-off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/READSTRUTH. Promo Code READSTRUTHShe Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramAshley Gorman 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

In many countries today, “privilege” has become a loaded term. But in the midst of a dying world, those saved by the Gospel truly are privileged. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to transform our lives, communities and eternal futures. But Gospel Privilege also requires us to walk a road of sacrifice, suffering and faith. What does that look like for you?David Joannes, a missionary in Southeast Asia, joins Andy on this episode of the Christian Emergency Podcast to unpack this concept of Gospel Privilege. David has served for over 20 years in southeast Asia and is passionate to see unreached people groups gain access to the Gospel.David borrows from his experiences - such as smuggling Bibles in China, being interrogated, or serving in conflict zones - to help us understand how we can live joyful, faithful lives despite challenges. He threads history, theology and missions together to help us better understand our task. This context and insight will help you rise to your calling to live Gospel-privileged lives.If this information is helpful to you, please give us a 5-star rating and a positive review. Likewise, share this episode with friends and fellow believers who need help standing up under mounting pressures.To learn more about resources mentioned in this episode, see the following.David Joannes (Website): www.davidjoannes.comDavid Joannes (Twitter): @davidjoannesGospel Privilege: The Unearned Advantage that's meant for Everyone (Book), by David Joannes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998061182/Tears of the Saints (Music Video): https://youtu.be/VtQbzRmmMfkWithin Reach Global (Ministry Website): https://withinreachglobal.orgFree Burma Rangers (Ministry Website): https://www.freeburmarangers.org/Joshua Project (Missions Information Website): https://joshuaproject.net/Christian Emergency Alliance: https://www.christianemergency.com/Follow the Christian Emergency Alliance on Twitter: @ChristianEmerg1Follow the Christian Emergency Alliance on Facebook: @ChristianEmergencyThe Christian Emergency Podcast is a production of the Christian Emergency Alliance.Soli Deo Gloria

This video reflects on the profound cost of biblical accessibility throughout history, emphasizing how the translation and distribution of Scripture were once acts of radical courage under severe persecution. It traces the journey from Wycliffe's laborious hand-copied Bibles to Tyndale's pioneering English translation, which was smuggled abroad and burned upon discovery in England, underscoring the life-threatening stakes of reading God's Word in one's own language. The narrative highlights how figures like Erasmus, Luther, and later Geneva scholars continued the work, enabling the Bible's spread even during the reign of Mary Tudor, when dissenters fled to places like Geneva for safety. Ultimately, the sermon calls the audience to reverence the Bible not as a mere text, but as a legacy of sacrifice, urging gratitude for the freedom to read Scripture today and a renewed commitment to its truth and authority.

Welcome to Week 2 of This Is the Old Testament! Amanda and Raechel are joined by Jennie Allie to discuss the next five books of the Old Testament: Joshua though 2 Samuel. As we continue our seven-week survey of the Old Testament, we find hope in God's evident, unshakable plan to rescue and redeem His people.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 2 of She Reads Truth's This Is the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our This Is the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this episode:The Lie You Don't Know You Believe by Jennie AllenExclusive $35-off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/READSTRUTH. Promo Code READSTRUTHShe Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramJennie Allen 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