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We often romanticize Christmas with cozy sweaters, twinkling lights, and sentimental nostalgia. But the reality of that first Christmas was scandalous. God looked at broken humanity and became one of us, born to an unwed teenage mother in a forgotten town, arriving in a stable because there was no room anywhere else. This is love at its purest.In 1 John 4:7-12, 19, we discover what real love looks like. John repeatedly calls us "beloved" because that's our starting point. God's love makes us beloved, and from that place, we're called to love one another. Not tolerate. Not coexist. Actually love.Love comes from God, and because God is infinite, love is an inexhaustible resource. When we love others, it reveals two things: we're born of God and we actually know Him personally. If our faith doesn't produce growing love for people, we've missed the point entirely.God's love is defined by three actions: Love initiates (God came after us when we were hiding), Love does (God didn't just think warm thoughts but sent His Son), and Love sacrifices (Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for our sins).Because of the cross, God isn't disappointed in you. You stand before Him clothed in Christ's righteousness, not your own. You're not just tolerated but delighted in. Holy. Blameless. Beloved.The question is simple: will you receive that love? Stop performing. Stop pretending. Stop running. Jesus came so you could be free to live and love like He does.URF WEBSITE: ➤ http://www.urfellowship.comSOCIALS: ➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urfellowship/➤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urfellowship
Author Kassidy Brewer discusses her book, "Blameless."
If you appreciate my work and would like to support it: https://subscribestar.com/the-saad-truth https://patreon.com/GadSaad https://paypal.me/GadSaad To subscribe to my exclusive content on X, please visit my bio at https://x.com/GadSaad _______________________________________ This clip was posted on December 17, 2025 on my YouTube channel as THE SAAD TRUTH_1966: https://youtu.be/PL6P2u0UUSo _______________________________________ Please visit my website gadsaad.com, and sign up for alerts. If you appreciate my content, click on the "Support My Work" button. I count on my fans to support my efforts. You can donate via Patreon, PayPal, and/or SubscribeStar. _______________________________________ Dr. Gad Saad is a professor, evolutionary behavioral scientist, and author who pioneered the use of evolutionary psychology in marketing and consumer behavior. In addition to his scientific work, Dr. Saad is a leading public intellectual who often writes and speaks about idea pathogens that are destroying logic, science, reason, and common sense. _______________________________________
Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com The Mahotmetan writers suggest that Elizabeth was 89 years old… what does that say in the natural? Luke 1: 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. **Blameless but childless Historically in these times it meant that Elizabeth was cursed, a sinner punished by God. Only God knows your heart, your prayer your need You can be blameless and wonder to God… what is happening. You can be blameless and others won't see it. advanced in years. GK Pro-bay-ee-No elderly saints 8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. There are over 20,000 priests and Zachariah is old… probably has given up on many of his dreams… Being able to go into the Holy of Holies Having a Child 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, (STARE AT HIM) standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. He's praying but not for a child… that has long passed! Luke 1:18 And Zachariah said to the angel, By what shall I know and be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years. 19 And the angel replied to him, I am Gabriel. I stand in the [very] presence of God, and I have been sent to talk to you and to bring you this good news. 20 Now behold, you will be and will continue to be silent and not able to speak till the day when these things take place, because you have not believed what I told you; but my words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the appointed and proper time.
"They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." Luke 1:6
The sermon centers on the biblical qualifications for church elders as outlined in Titus 1:5–9, emphasizing that the health and spiritual maturity of a congregation depend on the appointment of godly, biblically qualified leaders. It highlights two essential qualities: doctrinal soundness, requiring elders to hold fast to faithful, scriptural teaching in order to exhort and convict, and personal holiness, marked by blameless character, moral integrity, and a life reflecting Christ-like virtues such as self-control, hospitality, and peaceableness. The preacher underscores that elders are not to be self-appointed or driven by ambition, but chosen through discernment and ecclesiastical authority, with a focus on humility, a gentle spirit, and a commitment to truth over popularity. The passage also addresses cultural challenges, such as the immoral reputation of Crete, and warns against the dangers of pride, quarrelsomeness, and worldly conformity, urging the church to seek leaders who are both orthodox in doctrine and exemplary in life, ultimately pointing others to Christ.
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL.https://goodgodgospel.comHouse Church & Lifestage Events:https://www.churchproject.org/housech...Give to Church Project:https://www.churchproject.org/give
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL.https://goodgodgospel.comHouse Church & Lifestage Events:https://www.churchproject.org/housech...Give to Church Project:https://www.churchproject.org/give
Though Paul primarily addresses aspiring church leaders in 1 Timothy 3:4–5, nevertheless every Christian should aim for a biblically blameless household—one that is well-ordered to the glory of God. Christ-motivated cosmos rather than chaos is to characterise our homes.
Title: “Not An Empty Visit” Part 2 Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 FCF: We often struggle functioning as a church the way God intended us to. Prop: Because the church ought to function like a family, we must lovingly spur for one another toward spiritual growth. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. In a moment we'll begin reading starting in verse 1 from the New English Translation. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Last time we covered the first of this three part sermon regarding the visit Paul and his companions had with the Thessalonians. Paul calls on The Thessalonian church to remember exactly how things came about. This is precipitated by unbelieving Thessalonians who are trying to dissuade the believers from following after this Jesus and, in their minds, ruining their lives. They accuse Paul and his companions of having a faulty message, using dishonest methods, with greedy motives. Paul denies all of this and asserted that the gospel belongs to God. They are simply bearing it to them as an act of service to Him. Today, Paul will continue to explain why he remembers their visit as one that was not empty or fruitless. Indeed, it was quite profitable. And one evidence for that is the familial nature of the relationship between the church and the evangelists. Stand with me please in order to focus on and give honor to the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Heavenly Father you have sent Your Son to be our older brother, the firstborn from the dead. Now we are Your children, adopted into Your royal family, and wed to Your Precious Christ. Your Spirit is now in us as our Counselor and friend guiding us into all truth and leading us in the way we should go. Father give us a true vision of how we, all true believers, are now part of your family. And because we are in Your family together – we also are family. Deeper than human blood can bind us, the precious blood of Your Son has woven us together as children of glorious light. May we live toward one another with this perspective we pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “He cannot have God for his Father who refuses to have the church for his mother” Augustine of Hippo “Those that would enjoy the dignities and privileges of Christ's family must submit to the discipline of it.” Matthew Henry “There is nothing more unchristian than a solitary Christian.” John Wesley Keep these thoughts from these fellow Christians in your mind as we continue today. I.) The body of Christ functions like a family, therefore we must affectionately and selflessly give of ourselves to one another. (7-9) a. [Slide 3] 7 - although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; i. Some of your translations have this phrase as a part of verse 6. ii. Remember that the verse numbers and chapter divisions are not inspired. The chapters were added in the 1200s and the verses in the 1500s. iii. There actually isn't even agreement among the various compiled Greek New Testaments as to where this phrase goes. iv. The difficulty in knowing exactly where to put this phrase comes from its transitional nature. v. Paul has just refuted 6 practices that he and his companions were being accused of by the friends, family, and neighbors of the Thessalonian church. vi. The effort was probably directed toward tarnishing the evangelists' reputation so as to convince the Thessalonian believers to abandon their new Lord and go back to the way they were before. vii. But now Paul will turn his attention toward the positive example that they set. viii. This phrase neither goes with the negative traits that Paul denies nor with the positive traits that Paul and his companions did show. ix. However, I have put it in this section primarily because verses 7-12 speaks of the way the missionaries behaved in Thessalonica in relational language. x. Did they come like apostles of Christ who could have imposed their weight? xi. They did not. xii. Could they have? Yes. xiii. As apostles, or sent ones, of Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory – they could have come expecting the Thessalonians to care for them, house them, and even support them financially. xiv. Not to excess as to be greedy for gain – but certainly to care for their basic needs. xv. However, Paul and his companions did not do that. xvi. They did not adopt a Master – Servant kind of relationship, even though as Christ's messengers it may have been right for the Thessalonians to see them in this way. xvii. So, if Paul and his companions didn't throw around their title, how did they behave among the Thessalonians? xviii. What kind of relationship did they have with them? b. [Slide 4] instead we became little children among you. i. The manuscript evidence here is not unanimous. ii. The difference between the words in question is 1 letter. iii. Many manuscripts read “instead we became gentle among you.” iv. Many translations follow this, noting the awkward use of little children right before comparing the evangelists to a nursing mother. v. It would be odd for Paul to compare he and his companions to little children and then a nursing mother where the Thessalonians are the children in the same sentence. vi. However, there are three very early manuscripts that support this word being “little children”. vii. And one rule in deciding which manuscripts are most likely the original, is to take the more difficult reading, since a copyist would likely not make the reading more difficult but instead make it easier. viii. Another rule is to give the earlier and proven reliable manuscripts more weight than later ones. ix. Therefore, it seems best to me to see this as “little children”. x. Paul says they didn't come as apostles, expecting to be treated as such – but instead they became like little children – meaning they were humble and meek. xi. Little children cannot impose their own will on anyone, because they are too small to do so. xii. Even though these men were sent by Christ, they didn't choose to throw that status around to get things from the Thessalonians. xiii. Instead, they were givers… c. [Slide 5] Like a nursing mother caring for her own children, i. The word for nursing mother here is actually the word used of a wet nurse. Someone who nurses a child that is not their own child. ii. This is something one usually does as a favor or act of service to a mother that is not able to or has died during child birth. iii. However, Paul here points out that it is the nurse's own children that she is nursing. iv. In that sense then, it is an act of service but one borne not of a sense of duty only but also with great care and love. A point we will see very soon. v. Another point here is that although a wet nurse may actually accept compensation for her work to nurse children who are not her own – she certainly would not be expecting any compensation for nursing her own children. vi. Both the motivation of loving care and not expecting any compensation for their work are emphasized as we go forward, making them both plausible and perhaps both intended. d. [Slide 6] 8 - with such affection for you we were happy to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. i. Here first is the loving care aspect. ii. Paul reveals that he and his companions, like a wet nurse with her own nursing baby, were quite fond of the Thessalonian church. iii. They were dear to them. iv. To the extent that they were more than happy to share with them what was needed for them to grow. v. Not just the gospel of Jesus Christ, but also to devote themselves to their growth and maturing in Christ. vi. But to what degree did they devote themselves to the Thessalonians? e. [Slide 7] 9 - For you recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. i. Paul for the fourth time calls on them to look to their own knowledge and need for them to remember the events of the evangelist's mission to their city. ii. We should probably not see this as Paul claiming that he, Silas, and Timothy never slept. iii. Nor should we think that they preached the gospel every moment of the day. iv. Instead, Paul is probably referring to he, Silas and Timothy working full time jobs during the day and in the early morning and late into the evening engaging in the gospel ministry with them and throughout the city. v. Paul and his companions did this specifically so that they might not be a burden to the Thessalonians. vi. Paul didn't want to charge those who received the message of the gospel of Christ. vii. Paul wouldn't have been wrong to get provisions from them. viii. In fact, we learn in Philippians that Paul did receive provisions while he was in Thessalonica from the Philippian church. He accepted this with thanksgiving. ix. However, in Thessalonica especially, Paul didn't wish to burden them with supporting himself and his companions while they ministered to them. x. So let's pause and break down what Paul has said thus far. f. [Slide 8] Summary of the Point: Although part 1 of this sermon focused on the message, methods and motives of the evangelists, part two emphasizes the relational posture of the evangelists. Paul and Silas, at least, could be referred to as apostles, and if the term is used loosely, it could be applied to Timothy as well. Nevertheless, even though they were sent by Christ to share the gospel to all who would hear, and even though they could have expected those who believed to take care of them while they continued in Thessalonica, and beyond, Paul and his companions did not take the posture of a Rabbi – pupil relationship. They did not see themselves on a higher echelon than the newly birthed Thessalonians. Instead, they were humble and meek like children and saw themselves as mothers nursing their new borns on the milk of the Word of God. We are the family of God. And God consistently uses family language in the scriptures to speak of how His people interact with each other and how He interacts with them. Therefore, like the evangelists' did, we should affectionately and selflessly give of ourselves to one another. Transition: [Slide 9 (blank)] But the family language does not stop here. Paul continues to illustrate their relational posture toward the Thessalonians through further familial imagery. Let's see what else he compares himself and his companions to… and why. II.) The body of Christ functions like a family, therefore we must demonstrate a godly life to one another and dedicate ourselves to helping one another to do the same. a. [Slide 10] 10 - You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe. i. Paul continues to look to the Thessalonians and God Himself to be witnesses to how the Thessalonian mission was conducted. ii. Since the beginning of the chapter he has referenced their own memory and knowledge five times now, calling on them to reject what others are saying because of their own experience to the contrary. iii. And Paul has also, for the third time now, mentioned that God can and does examine their hearts and provide validation as to the nature of how the mission was conducted. iv. But Paul no longer emphasizes the meekness and care of their mission to the Thessalonians. Now he focuses on their conduct among them. v. They saw how the evangelists conducted themselves. And God did too. vi. Their conduct was holy, righteous, and blameless. vii. Each of these words mean something slightly different than the other. viii. Holy conduct means conduct that is different, distinct, and unlike others. It is conduct that is set apart for some purpose relating to God's service. Therefore, it must be pure and worthy of God. ix. Holy conduct serves as the summary description with the other two operating as subpoints. 1. Righteous conduct refers to their moral uprightness before God. They conducted themselves in a way that was set apart for God's service. They were obedient to the laws of God as they ministered to the Thessalonian people. In this way their conduct was holy. 2. Blameless conduct refers to their character viewed through the eyes of men. To the extent that if some would accuse or slander them, it is unbelievable because such accusations would be wholly out of character. In this way their conduct was holy. x. One final note, it is important to see that their conduct is toward and being viewed by the Thessalonian church especially. xi. We know that there are non-believing Thessalonians who have a different opinion of the evangelists. Paul is not ignoring that his reputation is being attacked. xii. But he is challenging the Thessalonians to remember their experience and the conduct they observed and put that ahead of the slander of their unbelieving friends and family. When they do this they will find that none of the accusations can hold up. b. [Slide 11] 11 - As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children, i. Again, for the seventh time now, Paul relies on their personal experience as to how they were among them. ii. And again Paul uses relational language to communicate further their posture among them. iii. Paul says that the evangelists not only didn't demand honor as apostles, were like children and like a nursing mother, but that they were also like a father and how he treats his own children. iv. The family language is complete. v. They are fellow children with them while also occupying both parental roles as well. vi. But how exactly were the evangelists father figures to the Thessalonians? c. [Slide 12] 12 - exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory. i. What is clear here, is that the holy, righteous, and blameless conduct that they demonstrated before the Thessalonian church is the pattern they wished to reproduce, to duplicate in the church itself. ii. Again we see the idea of discipleship being equated to imitation and duplication. iii. A father – a good father – a godly father, is one that exhorts and encourages and insists. iv. Again, this triad of words have subtle differences in meaning and again we should see the first as the governing word with the others providing two particular aspects of the first. v. To exhort is to preach, to counsel, or to come alongside. It is to both teach truth and apply it while demonstrating it. 1. The first subpoint of exhortation is encouragement. This provides a motivational backdrop by which this exhortation occurs. It is not given as a Lord or King over a vassal. Instead, this exhortation is provided in order to benefit the student. It is for their good. It is to build their spirits and give them a sense of success at living the particular way you want them to live. The exhortation happens along side them not over or in front of them. The exhortation is accompanied by a helping shoulder. 2. The second subpoint is the other side of that coin. To insist implies that this exhortation is not actually optional. If someone says, “I encourage you to look into this matter.” We might think – ah yes, when I get time, I will do that. But when someone says “I insist that you look into this matter.” That we hear not as a request but as a command that should be observed. So although exhortation happens alongside and under someone… it is not standing still or sitting down. It is moving forward. It is a gentle push forward. 3. This is why I have often defined exhortation and edification as encouragement with teeth. The teeth of exhortation is the insistence for the advice to be obeyed. It is not a suggestion although it is kindly and joyfully given. vi. But what are the Thessalonians being exhorted, encouraged, and insisted toward? vii. A lifestyle worthy of God. viii. It is the role of godly fathers, a role which the evangelists took up, to exhort, encourage, and insist that their children live a lifestyle that is in service to God. ix. But not a God who has made you a mere serf on his land. x. Instead, it is a God who has called each of His slaves to His own family and kingdom and to share in His glory. xi. We have been made sons and daughters of God. Heirs to His throne. We will reign with Christ. We will judge angels. xii. All of this communicates that this life is MANDATORY of all who bear the royal name. xiii. A name we have inherited through adoption and by marriage to the King. d. [Slide 13] Summary of the Point: The family language to describe the body of Christ endures in this second point. Where the first point emphasized the affectionate and selfless love of a fellow child and nursing mother, this second point emphasizes the demonstration and dedication of a father to ensure his child lives rightly. Paul takes two triads to describe their conduct among the Thessalonians as well as their posture toward them. These blend together to show us that the evangelists lived out what they wanted the Thessalonians to imitate. They demonstrated holy, righteous, and blameless conduct and dedicated themselves to exhorting, encouraging, and insisting the Thessalonians live a life worthy of God. Therefore, we also must demonstrate a godly life to one another and dedicate ourselves to helping one another do the same. Conclusion: So CBC, what basics have we learned today that instruct and correct our faith and shape and guide our practice? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 14] The general posture we should have toward one another should look more and more like a family. A functional, godly, loving, and Christ-centered family. Paul demonstrates this by comparing he and his companions to fellow children, nursing mothers, and godly fathers. As fellow children they were humble and meek, not imposing their title or position upon others. As nursing mothers they were affectionately and selflessly giving of themselves to the believers at Thessalonica. As godly fathers they demonstrated godly lifestyles while dedicating themselves to helping the Thessalonian believers do the same. God's people come together as a family. We function this way. Therefore, there are two basic applications we must take from this. We must affectionately and selflessly care for one another's spiritual growth while remaining humble and meek regardless of what position we occupy within the church. We also must demonstrate a holy life to one another while dedicating ourselves to helping others to do the same. In short – we must be like the family Paul describes. But let's get a little more specific with these applications. 1.) [Slide 15] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the church should function like a family. a. Were this the only passage in the New Testament to use such language, we might not be able to make such a strong case. b. However, throughout the scriptures God's people are referred to as His children. We are called the bride of Christ. God compares Himself to both a faithful husband and a nursing mother delivering His word as milk. c. We are called brothers and sisters in Christ. Christ is called our brother. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved His church and wives are to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord. d. As we introduced the Eldership transition to you several years ago, we made the case that the Elders of a church would occupy a relationship to the church much like a husband to his wife or even as parents to their children. And although we didn't reference this passage – it seems to prove that point quite well. e. In short – the church should function like a family. Because we are a family. f. The church is a body of people called out of darkness and into God's kingdom of light. In this way we have more in common with each other, simply by our adoption into God's family, than we do with any other person on earth who is not in this family. g. Many churches today function more like a business, or a democracy, or a country club, rather than a godly family. h. They design programs around superficial earthly things we have in common, effectively dividing the body into interest groups rather than seeing it as a family that must live together in spite of differences in age, places in life, circumstances, or even cognitive understanding. i. They treat every decision as a group decision rather than establishing the headship of Christ and his Elders. j. They commit time and money to things that work rather than things that God has commanded us to do. k. But this is not how the church should be. l. We are not an organization at all. We are a family. The universal church and the local church too. All those who are truly believers are a family. m. We should act like it. n. How? 2.) [Slide 16] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must stop enforcing too rigid or loose a spiritual hierarchy in the church. a. Hierarchy exists in the family. b. Fathers have headship over their families, as the scriptures clearly teach. c. But they are not Lords or kings over their families. d. Headship = responsibility more than it does authority. Although some authority is implied especially as the wife and children are commanded to submit and obey respectively. e. But husbands also have commands and responsibilities. They must love and lead their wives and admonish their children. f. They must do this because they will answer to God for their stewardship of their family. g. In a similar way then, the church functions with a spiritual hierarchy but this is often too rigidly or too loosely applied. h. Oftentimes churches see their Elders and Deacons as hirelings to do the ministry of the church while the rest of the church does nothing. As if they are customers and it is the job of the officers of the church to serve them since they have paid for it with their offerings. i. Or churches see their pastors as inspired agents of God who cannot be questioned. This has all the makings of a cult. j. Or they have no respect for their Elders at all, like an arrogant child thinking overly critically toward his father. This arises from America in general having an authority problem. k. Spiritual leadership ought to be respected, prayed for, and submitted to… but not because they have authority. Instead it is because they have responsibility. l. The church as a whole should function as a family in how it sees its leadership and how all the responsibilities are ultimately, shared responsibilities. m. How else does seeing the church as a family change how we live? 3.) [Slide 17] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must affectionately provide care for one another's spiritual growth. a. Families, with few exceptions, operate this way concerning physical growth. b. Parents work together to provide for the growth and maturing of the children and to sustain each other's needs. c. This is done both because of the innate sense of responsibility placed on parents to care for their children and also out of love and affection for each other. d. The same is true in the family of God. e. We must provide for one another what is necessary for spiritual growth. Certainly, we should care for each other's physical needs too. f. As nursing mothers care for their newborn children, so we as the church must spiritually nurture and provide for one another to grow in our faith. g. If we are not actively seeking those in our local assembly who we can spiritually nurture, then we are failing to see this assembly as a family. 4.) [Slide 18] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must demonstrate godly lifestyles to one another. a. Godly fathers live before their children demonstrating what it means to be holy. b. They do this by obeying God's laws and living blameless lives before men. c. Their yes is yes and their no is no. d. They are faithful to their wives. e. They have a consistent time they spend with God, whether someone is watching or not. f. They submit to authority because they know that the best leaders know how to submit. g. In a similar way – we must demonstrate godly lifestyles to one another. h. Someone is always watching. And whether we like it or not, we are always influencing others. i. Certainly, this is abundantly true of parents to children. Waverly and Moira both say and do things that are very clearly things that they have imported from Kadie and I. j. But we are not the only influencers on our children. k. Kadie and I just remarked on how both of them have been expressing mannerisms that are not from Kadie and I. They are from other people in this church each girl has observed and obviously wish to be like. l. Knowing that we have this effect on others – even if we don't desire it to be that way – we must be abundantly cautious that our lifestyles are lived in a worthy way so as to be imitated. m. We must be holy, righteous, and blameless. So that we can cultivate godly lifestyles in each other. 5.) [Slide 19] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must dedicate ourselves to exhorting others to live a godly life. a. A couple sermons ago we made an observation that although formal discipleship doesn't happen very well in our culture, we certainly do pay attention to the example of other believers and attempt to live like them. b. I made the case that imitation and emulation go a long way to form a disciple and train them to be Christlike. c. However, I did not intend to imply that this was by any means sufficient. d. And Paul, makes that case here in this text. e. It is not enough that they lived holy, righteous, and blameless lives before these Thessalonians. f. They also exhorted, encouraged and insisted upon them living that same life too. g. We must dedicate ourselves to doing the same. h. Not just providing an example by how we live, but coming along side and teaching, encouraging, edifying, and provoking each other to love and good works. i. As so many things – it is not an either/or but a both and. j. We must teach by example and by word. By action and by instruction. k. But why do we live this way? Why strive so hard to live a godly life? 6.) [Slide 20] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” Our motivation for living godly lives is that we've been adopted into God's family with God's name and will share in God's glory in God's Kingdom. a. Were we not but wretches? b. Were we not but slaves to sin, hell, and our Father the Devil. c. Were we not part of another family? The seed of the serpent? d. What has God done? e. He severed the rights of our father the devil. f. He has adopted us as His child. g. He has given us His most holy and glorious name. h. And when He brings His Kingdom, we will share in the glory of His Son – Forever. i. Does this not spur us to live for Him? j. Could He have given anything more to spur us to live holy, righteous, and blameless lives? k. Take Comfort Oh Christian! Observe!... 7.) [Slide 21] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” How blessed people are we to be part of God's family! a. Oh Christian. b. How blessed we are to be in the family of God! c. Remember what you were! And now be reminded what you ARE in Christ. d. From enemy to sons and daughters? There is no earthly King who would do such a thing. e. Only a Holy Lord could do this. f. We are so blessed to have Christ as a brother, God as a Father, the Spirit as a comforter. We are so blessed to be Children of God, The Bride of the Prince, and a royal priesthood. g. My friends… Are we not blessed beyond measure? h. And to you- who are still not a member of Christ's family. Who are still on the outside of belief… 8.) [Slide 22] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” Behold what glorious benefits are available to those who are in Christ. a. Oh unconverted sinner. b. Paul in Romans says that it is the mercy of God which draws men to repentance. c. I implore you to behold the mercy of God. d. God crushes all His enemies. All of them. e. But some of them, He crushes, and remakes them into His children. f. Do you not long to be part of this heavenly kingdom? Do you not long to be part of this royal family? g. Would you not do all in your power to receive such rich and eternal blessings? h. There is no King except Jesus. And He offers not simply life, but abundant life to All His people. i. Would you not perform herculean tasks to obtain what He offers? j. But would you balk at repenting of your sin and trusting in Him as Savior and Lord? k. Naaman in the Old Testament scoffed at the prophet's words to bathe in the filthy Jordan river 7 times. l. He almost didn't do it. But his servants pointed out – that would the prophet have demand wealth and riches untold, he would have gladly paid it to be free of his leprosy. Then they ask – why is he so opposed to doing something as simple as trusting the prophet's words and bathing in the river. m. Will you too be too proud to trust the Word of God and be bathed in His cleansing power? Will you let the simpleness of faith keep you from these benefits He alone offers... by faith alone? n. Come. Repent. Believe. And join a new family. [Slide 23 (end)] Let me close with a word of prayer from the church father Serapion Scholasticus. God of compassion, I stretch out my hand upon your people and pray that the hand of truth may be stretched out and blessing given them on account of your lovingkindness. May a hand of devotion, power, sound discipline, cleanness, and all holiness bless this people. Would you continually preserve them and help them grow through your only begotten Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit, both now and to all the ages of the ages. It is in His name we pray this… Amen. Benediction: And now may Christ, Who is adored in the highest heaven, The everlasting Lord, the Prince of Peace and Sun of Righteousness, Fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Until we meet again – go in peace.
What can we learn from the example of Daniel?Reading Plan: Old Testament - Daniel 5-6Psalms - Psalm 139:9-16Gospels - John 14:1-14New Testament - Revelation 9:13-21Visit https://www.revivalfromthebible.com/ for more information.
Podcast: PrOTect It All (LS 26 · TOP 10% what is this?)Episode: Inside Cyber Incident Response: Military Lessons, OT Challenges & the Power of Blameless CulturePub date: 2025-12-01Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationCyber incidents don't just test your technology - they test your people, your processes, and your culture. In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow sits down with Daniel Swann, Cyber Incident Commander at Rockwell Automation, to pull back the curtain on what really happens during IT and OT incidents. With decades of experience across the U.S. Air Force, enterprise environments, and industrial operations, Daniel shares lessons learned the hard way - from managing chaos in real time to building a culture where teams can learn without blame. You'll learn: Why documentation and scribe roles can make or break an incident response How blameless postmortems actually strengthen team performance What military-style discipline can teach us about OT and IT incident handling How to run effective tabletop exercises that expose real gaps The human factors - communication, clarity, ownership - that reduce downtime and panic Practical strategies to evolve your incident response plan before the next breach Whether you're developing your first IR playbook or leading seasoned response teams, this episode delivers actionable, real-world insights that help you prepare, respond, and recover with confidence. Tune in for battle-tested wisdom from military operations to industrial control rooms - only on Protect It All. Key Moments: 00:00 "Protect IT/OT Cybersecurity Podcast" 03:30 Cybersecurity: Versatility Is Key 07:52 "Balancing Bureaucracy and Flexibility" 10:20 "Practice Makes Plans Effective" 14:17 "Learning While Doing" 18:44 "Document Key Info in Incidents" 19:46 "Versatile Team Role Importance" 22:45 "Tracking Lessons with Visibility" 28:34 Proactive Reporting Encouraged 29:33 Safe Reporting Prevents Phishing Incidents 32:52 "Bridging IT and OT Safely" 37:15 Team Collaboration Enhances Outcomes 41:00 Military Preparedness and Logistics Planning 42:59 Preparing for Unlikely Scenarios 47:20 AI Threats to OT Systems 48:32 "AI's Impact on Learning and Jobs" About the guest: Daniel Swann is a seasoned Cyber Incident Commander at Rockwell Automation, bringing 17+ years of IT leadership and nearly a decade of cybersecurity experience. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he has led global cyber operations, responded to major vulnerabilities like Log4J, and driven large-scale improvements in incident response and vulnerability management. Daniel is highly certified, mission-driven, and recognized for building strong, resilient security teams. Links : Video of Daniel Swann with Kate Vajda, Director of Vulnerability Research and Malware Threat Research, Dragos : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zotgrPk8vI Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-daniel-swann/ Connect With Aaron Crow: Website: www.corvosec.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronccrow Learn more about PrOTect IT All: Email: info@protectitall.co Website: https://protectitall.co/ X: https://twitter.com/protectitall YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrOTectITAll FaceBook: https://facebook.com/protectitallpodcast To be a guest or suggest a guest/episode, please email us at info@protectitall.co Please leave us a review on Apple/Spotify Podcasts: Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/protect-it-all/id1727211124 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Vvi0euj3rE8xObK0yvYi4The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Aaron Crow, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.
Lights in the World 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor […]
Revelation 14:1-5
You can find Painless, Blameless, and Peaceful, and more information here:https://store.ancientfaith.com/painless-blameless-peaceful-orthodox-christian-reflections-on-death-dying-and-eternal-life/
You can find Painless, Blameless, and Peaceful, and more information here:https://store.ancientfaith.com/painless-blameless-peaceful-orthodox-christian-reflections-on-death-dying-and-eternal-life/
11/20/25. Five Minutes in the Word scriptures for today: 2 Corinthians 8:20. Blameless Stewardship. Resources: biblehub.com; logos.com; ChatGPT; and Life Application Study Bible. Listen daily at 10:00 am CST on https://kingdompraiseradio.com. November 2021 Podchaser list of "60 Best Podcasts to Discover!" LISTEN, LIKE, FOLLOW, SHARE! #MinutesWord; @MinutesWord; #dailybiblestudy #dailydevotional #Christian_podcaster https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9zaXqv64YaCjh88XIJckA/videos https://m.youtube.com/@hhwscott
At every Divine Liturgy in the Orthodox Church, we pray for a painless, blameless, and peaceful end to our lives. Yet when the end comes, there is often fear, chaos, and guilt. Join the Louhs and their guest, Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis, as he discusses his new book, available in the Ancient Faith Store.
At every Divine Liturgy in the Orthodox Church, we pray for a painless, blameless, and peaceful end to our lives. Yet when the end comes, there is often fear, chaos, and guilt. Join the Louhs and their guest, Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis, as he discusses his new book, available in the Ancient Faith Store.
Mets and Yankees offseason expectations and Jaxson Dart isn't blameless. Reacting to David Stearns previewing the offseason at the GM meetings.
Blame is easy—but growth requires ownership. In this powerful episode of The Paul D. Jones Show, we explore the science of personal responsibility and how choosing to be blameless can elevate your mindset, leadership, and lifestyle.You'll learn why great leaders don't waste energy pointing fingers—they learn, adjust, and move forward. We'll break down real-life examples of how taking responsibility—even when it's not entirely your fault—can unlock new levels of discipline, maturity, and success.Being blameless isn't about ignoring what happened; it's about refusing to let blame block your blessing.
Pastor Chris preaches from Daniel 6, which teaches us that persecution as a Christian will happen and how to know what it is, what to expect, and how to prepare.
What if your life could run on the quiet power of being wanted? In this message, Brian Durfee walks through Ephesians 1 to show how God reframes our identity from the ground up, moving us from an orphan mindset to the settled confidence of sons and daughters who live “before Him”—face to face with the Father—every hour of the day.We begin by separating the method of sonship from its source. The gospel is the method—Jesus dies and rises so we can receive life. The source is the Father's heart—He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Together we unpack the language and the stakes: “every spiritual blessing” is not distant theology but a present-tense reality flowing from union with the exalted Christ. “Holy” means set apart for God—belonging before behaving. “Blameless” means unblemished integrity—purity within that relationship. And “before Him” paints the intimate picture: the Father lifting His child eye to eye, delighting, steadying, and sending with love.From there, the message turns to ordinary life. Sonship changes Monday morning more than it changes your someday; it resets the first truth about you before email, expectations, and memory of mistakes. When we stumble, we run to the Father, not from Him, trusting the grace that forgives and the presence that restores. We learn to carry the family name into work, parenting, and friendships so others catch a glimpse of the Father's patience, courage, and mercy through us. And we remember that this isn't a solo journey—we live as brothers and sisters in His kingdom now, practicing nearness to God in the middle of busy schedules and real struggles.For anyone weary of earning their place or bracing for rejection, this message is an invitation to live from a deeper center: chosen, loved, holy, blameless, and always before His face.We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.Subscribe to our Podcast & YouTube channel to find past sermons, classes, interviews, and more!Find us on Facebook & Instagram
Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) shares his remarks to the Bank of England on critical vulnerabilities in financial infrastructure. Drawing from the July 2024 CrowdStrike outage which brought down teller systems at major US banks, Patrick discusses how regulatory guidance inadvertently created dangerous software monocultures. He also examines the stablecoin market, its impressive growth, and the elephant tethered to the room. He also delivers a message from Silicon Valley to other centers of power on the urgent necessity of waking up regarding AI, which almost the entire world currently far underrates.–Full transcript available here: www.complexsystemspodcast.com/talking-to-the-bank-of-england/–Sponsor: MercuryThis episode is brought to you by Mercury, the fintech trusted by 200K+ companies — from first milestones to running complex systems. Mercury offers banking that truly understands startups and scales with them. Start today at Mercury.comMercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.–Links:The Bank of England: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/ Bits about Money, Why the CrowdStrike bug hit banks hard: https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/crowdstrike-bug-hit-banks-hard/ Scaling Laws for Neural Language Models" by Kaplan et al: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2001.08361 Stripe Annual Letter 2024: https://stripe.com/annual-updates/2024 –Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(01:48) The importance of implementation-level understanding(03:00) Single points of failure(04:25) Can a 22-year-old engineer close all the banks?(05:18) The CrowdStrike incident: A case study(08:34) The culture of "shut up and shuffle"(09:54) Blameless postmortems(12:25) What actually happened during CrowdStrike(18:01) Five whys: Root cause analysis(19:03) How software monocultures are created(22:54) Understanding endpoint monitoring software(25:25) Distributed systems and the nature of CrowdStrike(31:22) The economics of software monocultures(33:29) Why wasn't there defense in depth?(37:05) Why was recovery so difficult?(40:32) The domino effect across financial institutions(43:36) What went right: Electronic systems remained up(45:10) This was a near miss(49:29) Potential policy responses(54:03) Switching gears: Stablecoins(01:01:37) The elephant in the room: Tether(01:15:32) Who loses if Tether implodes?(01:16:59) AI and the future of trading(01:26:47) AI risks in the trading space(01:30:41) Closing
1 Timothy 3 SummaryPaul describes the qualifications for leaders in the church: overseers (bishops) must be above reproach, self-controlled, able to teach, and have a good reputation; deacons must be dignified, honest, and faithful, managing their families well. Paul explains that the church is the “pillar of truth” and affirms the mystery of godliness, focusing on Christ's incarnation and exaltation.Your words were found and I ate them
Series: EphesiansScripture: Ephesians 1:4, 4:1-3, 17-32October 12, 2025 - Worship Service
Message from Jeremy Plum on October 5, 2025
Powerful Revival By Pastor Paul Jones
1:1 And that man was blameless and upright- Job will be described as blameless and upright in 1:1, 8; 2:3. The emphasis in this verse is not on the time Job lived nor where he lived but on his character. “Job's blameless is given precedent over the more external description of Job's family and wealth" (Clines, 9) His character both begins (vs. 1) and ends (vs. 4-5) this section. The word translated blameless is a pivotal word in the book (8:20; 9:20, 21, 22). The same root word appears in 12:4; 36:4; 37:16 and its feminine form appears in 27:5; 31:6. In 9:20 the word blameless (or guiltless in the NASB) is used in parallelism with the word righteous and an antonym for blameless is to declare guilty. In 9:22 blameless or guiltless is the opposite of the wicked. Blameless is not sinless. Job acknowledges “iniquities of my youth” in 13:26; 14:16-17. This root word for blameless is used of Noah (Gen. 6:9), Abraham (Gen. 17:1), and to describe the sacrificial animals in Ex. 12:5; 29:1; Lev. 1:3. In Ps. 19:13 blameless is defined as being kept back from great transgression.1:5 “With such an expression of Job's concern, his own still-future temptation would be foreshadowed" (Clines, 16). The very thing that Job feared his children would do, curse God in their hearts, is what the Satan says that Job will do if his blessings are taken away in 1:11; 2:5. It will also be what his wife encourages him to do in 2:9. The word translated curse is actually the Hebrew term for bless. We know that it means curse because of its connection with the word sinned in 1:5. Why was the term for bless used when curse is its meaning? While we can only speculate on the why it is possible that the thought of cursing God was so abhorrent that the scribes could not bring themselves to write these words and used bless as a euphemism for curse. (Alter, 12). The same phenomena appears where Naboth is accused of blessing (cursing) God and the king in I Kings 21:10, 13; Psalm 10:3. The weakness with this argument however is that there are places in the Old Testament that speak of cursing God and use the word generally rendered curse- Exodus 22:28; Lev. 24:14, 15, 23; Isa. 8:21. Each time the word bless is used we must examine whether it means bless or its opposite. (Seow, 254-255).
What does it mean to stand blameless and truly innocent before God? In today's episode, host Lauren Alessi invites us to explore the transformative idea of innocence—not just as something we strive for, but as a gift we're given through Christ. Together, we'll reflect on Colossians 1:22 and uncover how, because of Jesus' sacrifice, we can be seen as holy, without blemish, and free from accusation. We'll also discuss what it looks like to surrender our past—whether we've made mistakes or experienced hurt—and allow God to restore and renew us from the inside out.Join our community in this heartfelt devotional as we pray for grace to embrace our innocence in Christ and welcome God's loving view of us into every part of our lives.Want to get resources related to this episode? Enter your info at https://www.mymorningdevo.co/newsletter/ and we'll send it to your inbox!Click here to listen to Metro Life Worship's new song “Innocent” Tap HERE to send us a text! BECOME A FOUNDING "MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL" MEMBERIf you enjoy your 5 minute daily dose of heaven, we would appreciate your support, and we have a fun way for you to partner with the MMD community! We've launched our "Buy Me a Coffee" membership where you can buy us a latte, OR become a founding member and get monthly bonus video episodes! To donate, go to mymorningdevo.co/join! Support the showNEW TO MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL? We're so glad you're here! We're the Alessis, a ministry family working together in a church in Miami, FL, and we're so blessed to partner with the My Morning Devotional community and continue the great work done by the show's creator and our friend, Alison Delamota.Join our Community Subscribe to the show on this app Share this with a friend Join our newsletter and get additional resources Follow Us on Instagram and Facebook Leave a review Support Our Friends and Family Connect with the original host of MMD Alison Delamota Follow our family podcast The Family Business with The Alessis Check out our Worship Music Hear the new music project "Praise the Lord EP" from Metro Life Worship and Mary AlessiListen on SpotifyWatch on YouTube
Whiskey Review: Highland Park 12 Year (Viking Honour) Discussion: What is an Elder? Follow us on all your podcast platforms and: Instagram: @manhoodneat X: Manhood Neat (@ManhoodNeat) / X Youtube: Manhood, Neat Podcast - YouTube Reach out: manhood.neat@gmail.com Show Notes: Biblical Qualifications for Elders/Overseers/Pastors Overview: Terms "elder" (presbyteros), "overseer" (episkopos), and "pastor" (poimen) are interchangeable in Scripture, focusing on character over credentials. Key Bible verses: 1 Timothy 3:1-7: Must be above reproach, faithful to wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not drunkard/violent/quarrelsome/greedy, manage family well, not recent convert, good reputation. Titus 1:5-9: Blameless, husband of one wife, faithful children, not arrogant/quick-tempered/drunkard/violent/greedy, but hospitable, lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, disciplined; hold firm to sound doctrine. 1 Peter 5:1-4: Serve willingly, not for gain, as examples without lording over other Specific Roles According to the Bible Interchangeable roles: Acts 20:17-28 shows elders as overseers who shepherd (pastor) the flock. Core responsibilities: Shepherd/protect: 1 Peter 5:1-4—Watch over flock willingly, as examples. Teach/preach: 1 Timothy 3:2 ("able to teach"); 1 Timothy 5:17—Honor those laboring in preaching/teaching. Oversee/lead: Acts 20:28—Guard against false teaching; Ephesians 4:11-12—Equip saints for ministry
The Tony's are back with commentary on the alleged Rapture before they give reviews of projects from Jay Electronica's trio of "A Written Testimony" EP's, Sho Baraka's "Midnight of A Good Culture", Jackie Hill-Perry's "Blameless" and Cardi B's sophomore album "Am I The Drama".Episode was recorded on Sept 24, 2025
This is the Engineering Culture Podcast, from the people behind InfoQ.com and the QCon conferences. In this podcast, Shane Hastie, Lead Editor for Culture & Methods, spoke to Tameem Hourani about building a blameless engineering culture through radical transparency, focusing on system resilience over individual blame, and creating high-performing teams that can embrace change and learn from failures. Read a transcript of this interview: http://bit.ly/42rq1yv Subscribe to the Software Architects' Newsletter for your monthly guide to the essential news and experience from industry peers on emerging patterns and technologies: https://www.infoq.com/software-architects-newsletter Upcoming Events: InfoQ Dev Summit Munich (October 15-16, 2025) Essential insights on critical software development priorities. https://devsummit.infoq.com/conference/munich2025 QCon San Francisco 2025 (November 17-21, 2025) Get practical inspiration and best practices on emerging software trends directly from senior software developers at early adopter companies. https://qconsf.com/ QCon AI New York 2025 (December 16-17, 2025) https://ai.qconferences.com/ QCon London 2026 (March 16-19, 2026) https://qconlondon.com/ The InfoQ Podcasts: Weekly inspiration to drive innovation and build great teams from senior software leaders. Listen to all our podcasts and read interview transcripts: - The InfoQ Podcast https://www.infoq.com/podcasts/ - Engineering Culture Podcast by InfoQ https://www.infoq.com/podcasts/#engineering_culture - Generally AI: https://www.infoq.com/generally-ai-podcast/ Follow InfoQ: - Mastodon: https://techhub.social/@infoq - X: https://x.com/InfoQ?from=@ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/infoq/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InfoQdotcom# - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/infoqdotcom/?hl=en - Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/infoq - Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/infoq.com Write for InfoQ: Learn and share the changes and innovations in professional software development. - Join a community of experts. - Increase your visibility. - Grow your career. https://www.infoq.com/write-for-infoq
In a world where negativity dominates headlines, it's easy to think things are only getting worse. Yet broader trends—declining poverty, rising productivity, and a greener planet show reasons for hope. Still, our hearts often default to grumbling in the face of suffering, much like the Israelites in the wilderness who, despite God's miracles, chose doubt and complaint over trust. Paul's letter to the Philippians contrasts this response with living blamelessly as children of God, reminding us that bitterness is not just a reaction but a choice to overlook God's goodness and provision.
“Blameless”, Jackie Hill Perry's new album, is about her personal faith journey and the importance of conviction in her work. She reflects on her weaknesses, the challenges of marriage, and the creative process behind her music. Jackie emphasizes the significance of community, trust in God, and the need for curiosity in one's spiritual journey. She also shares insights on sustaining a career in music and the importance of making art that honors God while being excellent.
Scott Petrak joined Baskin and Phelps to break down the Browns' week 2 loss to the Ravens. He talked about where the team fell short and whether or not Kevin Stefanski should be to blame for the loss, whether or not the team should consider benching Joe Flacco, and if there were any bright spots on the day.
Send us a text→ Stay Connected Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifechurchuk/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifechurchfolkestoneYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@lifechurchuk1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertmaasbach/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertmaasbach/→ Give It's the generosity of many that enable Life Church to fulfil all that God has called us to do https://www.lifechurchuk.org/give/→ New to Life Church?If you're new we would love to get in touch and connect with youhttps://lifechurchuk.org/new-to-life-church/
Send us a text→ Stay Connected Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifechurchuk/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifechurchfolkestoneYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@lifechurchuk1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertmaasbach/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertmaasbach/→ Give It's the generosity of many that enable Life Church to fulfil all that God has called us to do https://www.lifechurchuk.org/give/→ New to Life Church?If you're new we would love to get in touch and connect with youhttps://lifechurchuk.org/new-to-life-church/
Send us a text→ Stay Connected Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifechurchuk/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifechurchfolkestoneYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@lifechurchuk1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertmaasbach/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertmaasbach/→ Give It's the generosity of many that enable Life Church to fulfil all that God has called us to do https://www.lifechurchuk.org/give/→ New to Life Church?If you're new we would love to get in touch and connect with youhttps://lifechurchuk.org/new-to-life-church/
What if your everyday complaints were actually a form of blasphemy? In this powerful exploration of Philippians 2:15-18, we discover the radical call to become "blameless and harmless children of God" in a world that values self-defense and righteous anger.The ancient Greek word "akareos" paints a striking picture of Christians as defenseless lambs without horns – completely vulnerable yet protected by the ultimate Shepherd. This counterintuitive approach challenges our natural instinct to defend our reputation, "clap back" at critics, or vindicate ourselves when wronged. Through personal stories and biblical insights, we see how taking the high road isn't weakness but profound spiritual strength.The episode concludes with a powerful reminder that our entire Christian journey begins and ends with simple trust in God. Just as the Israelites forgot God's mighty works and focused on their inadequacies, we too can lose our effectiveness when we shift the spotlight from God's power to our limitations. When facing impossible situations, our testimony should remain unchanged: "I trust God."My hope is that this podcast helps grow your faith and equips you to accomplish your dreams and goals!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookFollow me on TikTok
Ben Maller closes out Monday’s show talking about Tom Brady trying to avoid blame by saying he’s only the soundboard for the Raiders front office, how Ben Roethlisberger thinks Patrick Mahomes' best years are behind him, should Tua Tagovailoa be under a ton of pressure heading into the season + new edition of Maller Militia Feud! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.