Podcasts about central theme

Send us a textSummaryIn this episode of Bookworthy, Valerie interviews fantasy author Bryan Davis about his latest series, Dragons of Camelot. They discuss the evolution of his storytelling, the importance of faith in his works, and how fantasy literature resonates with young readers. Brian shares insights into his writing journey, the influence of King Arthur on his stories, and the significance of prayer in the lives of young people. He also reflects on the impactful books that have shaped his perspective and hints at future projects.TakeawaysBryan Davis has a long history with dragon-themed stories.The Dragons of Camelot series targets younger readers aged 8-12.Faith is a central theme in Brian's storytelling.Fantasy allows for larger-than-life characters that inspire young readers.Bryan's writing journey began with a collaboration with his children.Prayer is portrayed as a simple conversation with God in his books.Bryan emphasizes the importance of mercy and forgiveness in his narratives.The influence of King Arthur's stories is significant in Bryan's work.Fantasy literature can help children face real-life challenges.Bryan plans to continue writing and expanding his series. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Bryan Davis and His New Series03:02 The Evolution of Dragons of Camelot05:59 Faith as a Central Theme in Storytelling09:02 The Impact of Fantasy on Young Readers12:00 The Influence of King Arthur on Bryan's Writing14:58 The Importance of Prayer in Young Lives18:06 The Journey to Becoming a Writer21:08 Books That Shaped Brian's Perspective24:07 Looking Ahead: Future ProjectsBryan Davis - author - official siteLet's discover great books together!Follow for more:FB: @bookworthypodcastInstagram: @bookworthy_podcastYouTube: BookWorthy Podcast - YouTubetiktok: @valeriefentress

Wednesday, April 30, 2025 pm

In this episode Anthony interviews author Sharon G. Flake about her latest book, 'The Family I'm In,' which continues the story of John John, a character from her earlier work, 'The Skin I'm In.' The conversation explores themes of character development, father-son dynamics, the role of community, and the importance of adult figures in young people's lives. Flake discusses the challenges of writing relatable characters who are flawed yet capable of growth, and the impact her stories have on young readers. The episode also touches on the significance of school settings in her narratives and the evolving expectations of young men in relationships.New ReleasesAll the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis.The Forgotten Summer of Seneca by Camryn GarrettOn Again, Awkward Again by Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame MbaliaPlease Pay Attention by Jamie SumnerStorm Singer by Sarwat Chadda, illus. by Virginia AllynChapters00:00 Introduction to the Book Fair Podcast01:00 Interview with Sharon G. Flake02:36 Character Development: John John and His Journey06:03 Father-Son Dynamics and Community Influence09:31 The Role of Adults in Young Lives12:09 School as a Central Theme in Storytelling15:20 Exploring Gender Expectations and Relationships19:34 Flaws and Growth in Young Characters22:51 New Releases32:21 Headlines

In this episode Anthony interviews author Sharon G. Flake about her latest book, 'The Family I'm In,' which continues the story of John John, a character from her earlier work, 'The Skin I'm In.' The conversation explores themes of character development, father-son dynamics, the role of community, and the importance of adult figures in young people's lives. Flake discusses the challenges of writing relatable characters who are flawed yet capable of growth, and the impact her stories have on young readers. The episode also touches on the significance of school settings in her narratives and the evolving expectations of young men in relationships.New ReleasesAll the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis.The Forgotten Summer of Seneca by Camryn GarrettOn Again, Awkward Again by Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame MbaliaPlease Pay Attention by Jamie SumnerStorm Singer by Sarwat Chadda, illus. by Virginia AllynChapters00:00 Introduction to the Book Fair Podcast01:00 Interview with Sharon G. Flake02:36 Character Development: John John and His Journey06:03 Father-Son Dynamics and Community Influence09:31 The Role of Adults in Young Lives12:09 School as a Central Theme in Storytelling15:20 Exploring Gender Expectations and Relationships19:34 Flaws and Growth in Young Characters22:51 New Releases32:21 Headlines

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Nicholas G. Piotrowski to discuss his book, Return from Exile and the Renewal of God's People (Crossway). Throughout our conversation, Dr. Piotrowski unpacks the biblical theme of exile and return, demonstrating how it forms the central drama of Scripture—from Adam and Eve's expulsion from Eden to the final restoration of God's people in the new creation. We explore how this theme echoes through the Psalms, the prophetic literature, and, most importantly, in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Dr. Piotrowski explains how Christ embodies the ultimate return from exile, fulfilling Israel's hopes and opening the way for the church to experience renewal in the presence of God. We also discuss the implications of this theme for the mission of the church today, culminating in the final hope of God's people dwelling with Him forever. Join us as we trace this rich biblical-theological theme and consider how understanding exile and return shapes our reading of Scripture and our Christian walk. Nicholas G. Piotrowski (PhD, Wheaton College) is the president of Indianapolis Theological Seminary where he also teaches hermeneutics and New Testament courses. His other books include In All the Scriptures and Matthew's New David at the End of Exile. Chapters 00:07 Introduction 07:28 The Theme of Exile and Return 11:23 Why Is Exile and Return a Central Theme in Scripture 14:20 Exile and Return as the Bible's Principal Theme 24:44 The Theme in the Psalms 29:29 Jesus's Ministry as the Foreshocks of Return from Exile 35:02 Exilic Themes in the Ministry of Christ 44:19 The Mission of the Church and the Theme of Exile and Return 52:30 Coming Home 57:00 Conclusion

Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics:Yud Shevat – 75 Years  What is the significance of this milestone?  How does Basi L'Gani capture the central theme and mission of our seventh generation?  What lessons do we learn from chapter 15 of Basi L'Gani?  What is the chiddush that the most hidden treasures – l'maaleh maaleh ad ayn kaytz – are splurged on to the foot soldiers empowering them to be victorious over the enemies?  What did each Rebbe add to the understanding of tzimtzum?  Why did the maamar Basi L'Gani 5745 create a buzz by Chassidim?  What are the practical applications of knowing that there are tzimtzumim before the tzimtzum ha'rishon (as explained in Basi L'Gani 5745)?  What does chassidus mean when it refers to Hashem's essence as light – etzem ha'ohr?  Why is ohr so fundamental in uniting G-d with existence?  What's the point of knowing that G-d is so great that we can never really know him?  Can we say that spreading the teachings of Chassidus by the Rebbeim is an expression of “splurging the treasures” (bizbuz ha'otzros)?   How do we apply the statement that all sevenths are precious?  If the Alter Rebbe opposed France and the West, why did the Frierdiker Rebbe settle in the United States?  What's the best way to receive a response from the Rebbe today? What is the central theme of this Torah chapter?  What personal and global lessons does it offer us?  Can we apply the continuing story of exodus to the hostages today?   Is G-d hardening the hearts of Hamas?  Does the recent release of some hostages reflect the energy of redemption we read about in these weekly portions? How do we tap into this energy?  Once G-d promised Jacob that He Himself would redeem him and his children, why did He appoint Moshe to lead the Jews out of Egypt? 

Financial Advisor Tim Russell, CFP® and Pastor Drew Gysi invite Stephen Rohrer on the show to discuss why Jesus makes Stewardship a central theme. See the show notes here!Learn more at: StewardologyPodcast.comSchedule a Personal Stewardship Review at: StewardologyPodcast.com/ReviewGet in touch with us at: Contact@StewardologyPodcast.comor call us at: (800) 688-5800Send us episode ideas! StewardologyPodcast.com/ideaSubscribe to get episodes delivered to your inbox every week.Follow along: Facebook, InstagramA ministry of Life Financial Group & Life Institute.Securities and Advisory Services offered through GENEOS WEALTH MANAGEMENT, INC. Member FINRA and SIPC

In this first lesson of 2025, Mark continues the Lesser Known Women of the Bible series by exploring the intriguing reference to the “elect lady” in 2 John.  Who is the lady? - A majority of scholars interpret the “elect lady” as a metaphor for the local church - the unified body of Christ chosen by God, living in truth and love. Central Theme: truth in Christ - Mark traces the overarching biblical narrative of God dwelling with humanity: from Eden to the Tabernacle, the Temple, the Church as Christ's body, and within each believer as His image-bearer. Truth is God's authentic and revealed word, never hidden but always genuine. Love and truth both originate from God's divine nature. Modern Application or Take home points:  The importance and power of community. Reflect on the lengths God goes to dwell with us. Are we walking with Him? Hold fast to truth and love in our daily lives. Discover how we are part of the “elect lady” and explore God's profound love and desire to dwell with us as we grow in His truth through His Word.

Millions of men are tired of the way in which MAGA Republicans have defined masculinity in the traditional, restrictive fashion - emphasizing the “hard” side of men and shaming the “soft” side. This includes prioritizing independence over interdependence, thinking over feeling, autonomy over connection, and emotional suppression over vulnerability.  The old view is “power over” others rather than “power with”. The old view is to exert control over women which is demonstrated by MAGA's views on abortion and birth control. The solution is not to prioritize the hard side of masculinity over the soft side. Nor is it to prioritize the soft side over the hard side. The solution is to create a climate which values all sides of masculinity (or even better, humanity!), so that we may bring the best aspects of ourselves to any situation as needed. The solution is to stop shaming men when they feel natural, healthy human emotions (think of how Gus Walz was treated when he displayed love, connection and pride over his father at the DNC). What is the Man Box?  It's the rules you absorbed as a boy about what it means to be a “real man”; rules that have made you emotionally constipated, caused conflict in your romantic relationship, encouraged you to chase material things, and caught up in a hyper-competitive rat race. The rules include such classics as be tough, hide your feelings, dominate women, be self-reliant, don't be feminine, and don't be homosexual. Research shows that this restrictive, tired view of masculinity has negative effects on us. The more we subscribe to traditional Man Box beliefs, the lower our self-esteem (Cournoyer & Mahalik, 1995), the more difficulties we have in romantic relationships and friendships (Fischer & Good, 1997; Sharpe & Heppner, 1991), the more we act in violence (Franchina, Eisler, & Moore, 2001), and the more depressed and anxious we feel (Cournoyer & Mahalik, 1995; Hayes & Mahalik, 2000).Join Dr. John Schinnerer and Mark Greene in a fascinating conversation about the Man Box culture, and how it's playing out in politics right now. The solution is not to flip the script so that we overvalue the soft aspects of men over the harder aspects.  The goal is to honor both the hard and the soft sides of our humanity equally. It's giving men permission to tap into all aspects of their humanity so that they are comfortable bringing the best parts of themselves to a particular situation.This is not a problem at an individual level. It is a cultural issue, a culture in which the full spectrum of our humanity has yet to be valued fully. The thing I love about the Man Box idea is that none of this is your fault. You didn't ask to be socialized like this. You had no control over it. It just happens. So keep in mind that while this is not your fault, it is your responsibility to evolve beyond the Man Box. And that's what we are seeking to do in this election, discover more ways to evolve our masculinity.About Dr. John's Esteemed Guest, Mark Greene:Mark Greene works to engage men in creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace cultures. Co-Author with Dr. Saliha Bava of The Relational Workplace. Mark works with organizations and individuals to overcome the challenges created by retrogressive workplace cultures through his Man Box Choice Point trainings.Mark is the author of The Little #MeToo Book for Men, Remaking Manhood, and co-author, along with Dr. Saliha Bava, of the Relational Book for Parenting. Mark's newest book, co-authored with Dr. Bava, is The Relational Workplace. Available now: https://a.co/d/1PcuEsn Mark is co-host of Remaking Manhood, the Healthy Masculinity Podcast. All of Remaking Manhood's healthy masculinity resources are here: https://linktr.ee/RemakingManhood

Summary The sermon emphasizes God's mercy, grace, and compassion for all, regardless of past sins. Listeners are encouraged to show compassion and reach out to the hurting, highlighting the central theme of the Bible: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Overall, the sermon calls for a deep understanding and application of God's mercy and grace in our lives. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Welcome04:41 Mercy Came Running08:53 The Central Theme of the Bible: The Cross17:24 God's Mercy and Grace22:42 Godly Compassion and Outreach32:12 The Urgency of Reaching the Lost33:11 Conclusion and Call to ActionTakeaways God's mercy and grace are available to all, regardless of their past sins or circumstances. We are called to have compassion for others and to actively reach out to the lost and hurting. The central theme of the Bible is the cross and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Understanding and applying God's mercy and grace in our lives is essential for living a victorious Christian life. Show Notes ALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD EVANGELISM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find a CFM Church near you: https://cfmmap.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUBSCRIBE TO PREMIUM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $2.99/month on Spotify⁠: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/taking-the-land/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $3/month on Supercast⁠: https://taking-the-land.supercast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $4.99/month on Apple Podcasts⁠: https://apple.co/3vy1s5b⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Visit our sponsors: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***FEATURED*** Global Passport Express: Mention this ad to get a 10% discount on all services⁠: https://bit.ly/TTL-GPE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pastor Mike Ashcraft's Financial Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠(310) 403-6471⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠$100 Credit for Text In Church: https://bit.ly/TTL-TIC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠10% Discount Off First Order from Advanced Creative Design: advancedcreativedesign23@gmail.com

Hi listeners! I have a very exciting announcement today—our episode today marks our 200th episode! Most podcasts don't make it to 100 episodes, and to make it to 200 is a milestone I am so, so proud of and thrilled to achieve. All of you know that I'd Rather Be Reading is my absolute passion project and to have spent 200 episodes with you is an honor I don't take lightly. I am raising a glass to all we've done here on the show and all that we will do. As we continue to grow and expand, our focus will always be the best current nonfiction books, but I'm really enjoying our occasional forays into fiction on the show, and we'll have a couple more before season 11 concludes. Today we have on the show Hannah Brown, who wrote a memoir, God Bless This Mess: Learning to Live and Love Through Life's Best (and Worst) Moments in 2021; now she's turning her focus to fiction with Mistakes We Never Made, which comes out May 7. I learned that this is actually book one in a two-book deal, which is exciting, because Hannah has a talent for this. Hannah has let us get to know her through most of her work heretofore—through her memoir, her podcast “Better Tomorrow,” and appearances on The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Dancing with the Stars, but in Mistakes We Never Made, we get to know Emma Townsend and Finn Hughes in this work of romance fiction that reads on the page just like a rom-com on the screen. Hannah is an avid reader and said of writing this book that “Storytelling is something I've always wanted to do,” and in this book we meet two characters who have had a ton of almosts together, and quite frankly, they can't stand each other. Then, as one of their mutual friends is getting married, Emma and Finn have to pretend that they don't remember all of their nearlys and so close but yet so far aways. There's a big mystery in there and it is absolutely perfect for your upcoming beach trips, poolside lazy days, and such a refreshing escape from reality. I also get to talk to Hannah about wedding planning, as she has found her happily ever after, and I know you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did.   Mistakes We Never Made by Hannah Brown

Pastor Finnegan has written a book called, “Kingdom Journey: A Call to Recover the Central Theme of Scripture.” Pastor Finnegan describes how God's central promise for humans is not a disembodied escape to heaven, but of resurrection to a full immortal life on a renewed earth. In other words, restoration not relocation.   See the show notes for links to Pastor Finnegan's book, and also to a previous podcast where Pastor Finnegan discussed “Where do we go when we die?”   Book: Kingdom Journey: A Call to Recover the Central Theme of Scripture https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Journey-Recover-Central-Scripture/dp/1666785954   Where do We Go When We Die (Hint: not to Heaven)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8rgs85dBtk   Restitutio podcast: Conditional Immortality https://restitutio.org/2019/02/14/164...   Restitutio podcast: Challenging Conditional Immortality https://restitutio.org/2019/02/21/165... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/onegodreport-podcast/support

Message from Matt Warren on January 14, 2024

In this Chapel message I preach about a sermon. We dig into the Apostle Peter's sermon at Pentecost found in Acts 2:22-41. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/roguechristian/support

CHANGE AS THE CENTRAL THEME OF THE SCRIPTURE (2021)Taken from a message given at the Mansfield Gospel Assembly Church on July 18, 2021Support the showThank you for listening to our podcast!If you have any questions, subjects you would like to hear discussed, or feedback of any kind, you can contact us at: mansfieldgac@yahoo.com or through the links below, where you can find additional information about our work as well as other materials: https://mansfieldgac.com/ (church website)https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldGAC/ (church Facebook page)

Welcome back to another exciting episode of The Overly Excited Podcast! In today's episode, we get stuck into what courage is and looks like in our different lives. Your hosts, Dale Sidebottom and Jack Watts, dive deep into the theme of courage and its impact on our lives. They share personal stories, reflect on thought-provoking questions, and explore the power of understanding different perspectives. With an emphasis on self-reflection, personal growth, and embracing the present moment, Dale and Jack navigate the highs and lows of life with their signature enthusiasm and relatability. Prepare for inspiring insights, vulnerable conversations, and a reminder to celebrate wins along the journey. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to amplify your excitement on this episode of The Overly Excited Podcast!

Recently, Donald Trump suggested using the Alien Enemies Act to engage in mass deportations of immigrants in the United States, and if he becomes president again, there's really nothing to stop him from doing this. Trump is once again using his hatred of immigrants - and the inherent xenophobia of many voters - to convince the public to support him, and migrants are going to pay the price.Also, new polls show that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is likely going to siphon off more votes from Republicans than he does from Democrats, and Republicans are now faced with a "Frankenstein's Monster" situation. They created this campaign and hyped it beyond belief, with even Donald Trump himself praising Kennedy - and now they have to deal with the consequences from it.And Republicans have made President Biden's age a huge campaign talking point, and candidates like Nikki Haley are going as far as to say that they are effectively running against Vice President Kamala Harris (because they say Biden won't make it another 4 years.) But this is likely just a ploy to scare voters with the "threat" of a black woman becoming president of the United States.And finally, music is a huge part of life for most people, regardless of culture, and music can even shape who we become as people. Knowing that, one of our YouTube Community members wants to know what kind of music Farron listens to, and he's more than happy to provide a response. 

Human beings are created in the image of God. From that central biblical theme, we learn about God's image in a deeper sense and in a more general sense. We also consider how this teaching motivates us to care for the environment and to be productive in our daily work.

Our Outline Today:The First Verse Identifies the Central Theme of This LetterBut Exactly Who Was and Is This Jesus Christ That Made All the Difference to Paul? The Salutation to the Letter Sets the Stage for What Follows

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How do we age better? Societies are unprepared to handle the changes their longer-aging populations create. How can we create a new paradigm that is practical and yet easy to implement? The Legacy of Wisdom program was started in 2008 with input from several people, most notably Roshi Joan Halifax, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Ram Dass, and others. With two successful congresses in New York (2011) and Colorado (2013) and a "Driving Longevity" program launched at Harvard Medical School in October 2014, Legacy of Wisdom has been active in formulating effective approaches to the new issues of aging. Mary Catherine Bateson reminds us, "we have had a new phase of life added to our lives, a phase of 20 years of Active Wisdom." Little did we know what we were saying when we said, "Go with the flow."In this program, participants will:Understand the Legacy of Wisdom themes of aging.Experience the interview archive of Legacy of Wisdom.Be presented with the data underlying the seriousness of the issues of mobility and falling.Be introduced to the basic components of the Driving Longevity multi-modality intervention.Experience a personal example of the programming we are developing.Recognize and be able to express the basic principle of Tai Ji and Qi Gong.Learn how this Tai Ji/Qi Gong intervention was tailored into a unique fitness program in collaboration with Harvard Medical School.About Jay Goldfarb:James (Jay) Goldfarb did his undergraduate work at SUNY Stony Brook and his graduate psychology work at SUNY Albany. In 1976 he founded the Living Tao Foundation, along with Chungliang Al Huang and others, and was its director (1976 - 1991). Jay was also the Dean of the Lan Ting Institute at Wuyishan in southeast China (1982 - 1986). Moving to Switzerland (1987), Living Tao Foundation was created (1987), and he remains its Executive Director. In addition to his research and Tai Ji teaching and meditation, he has a 45-year business management background.He is a senior Congress, Conference, and Meetings management professional with two advanced Degrees and publications. He was a senior consultant with American Express in Germany, Brazil, England, and New York and joined the Swiss Waldhaus Foundation (1992), transforming its Waldhaus Zentrum into a successful European seminar center.The non-profit Legacy of Wisdom Association offers a growing archive of answers to basic aging issues - making "Wisdom the central theme of aging." Within its "Health Care section," Legacy of Wisdom collaborated with Harvard Medical School to create a new mobility intervention protocol to maintain independent mobility and reduce serious falls in seniors. He lives with his wife Ursula in Basel, Switzerland, and has two grown daughters and a grandson.Get in touch with Jay Goldfarb:Visit Jay's website: https://livingtao.org Download Jay's Handout: https://revolutionizeretirement.com/goldfarb What to do next: Click to grab our free guide, 10 Key Issues to Consider as You Explore Your Retirement Transition Please leave a review at Apple Podcasts. Join our Revolutionize Your Retirement group on Facebook.

In Christianity, the cross is the main thing! It is the only thing! It is the center piece of who we are and why we do what we do! What Jesus did, the price He paid, the sacrifice He made, the wrath of God that He satisfied and the redemptive work at the cross is the main thing.Without the cross there is no power, without the cross there is no freedom, without the cross there is no forgiveness, without the cross there is no authority, without the cross there is no strength, without the cross there is no victory, without the cross there's no peace —there is nothing at all. The cross is the main thing.The problem that we face today in our modern, contemporary Christian culture is that we have forgotten the purpose, preeminence, and the power of the cross.Freedom MinistriesLearn more about Pastor Larry here.Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show.Contact Pastor Larry here

In Christianity, the cross is the main thing! It is the only thing! It is the center piece of who we are and why we do what we do! What Jesus did, the price He paid, the sacrifice He made, the wrath of God that He satisfied and the redemptive work at the cross is the main thing.Without the cross there is no power, without the cross there is no freedom, without the cross there is no forgiveness, without the cross there is no authority, without the cross there is no strength, without the cross there is no victory, without the cross there's no peace —there is nothing at all. The cross is the main thing.The problem that we face today in our modern, contemporary Christian culture is that we have forgotten the purpose, preeminence, and the power of the cross.Freedom MinistriesLearn more about Pastor Larry here.Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show.Contact Pastor Larry here

As we get into OPENING DAY!!!! the Royals have a lot of things going for them this season. In the wake of either crushing disappointment, overwhelming excitement, or simply mild bemusement, I would like to share four things the Royals are doing differently this year, four unlikely but really cool things that could happen with the Royals this season, and one thing that should define this team as a whole. New episodes every Monday and Friday! If you would like, please leave a rating and a review on your preferred platform, it would mean a lot! Follow me on Twitter: @TheMFinKC Follow the podcast: @royaldeluxpod Further inquiries: royaldeluxpodcast@gmail.com Shout out to r/KCRoyals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Christianity, the cross is the main thing! It is the only thing! It is the center piece of who we are and why we do what we do! What Jesus did, the price He paid, the sacrifice He made, the wrath of God that He satisfied and the redemptive work at the cross is the main thing. Without the cross there is no power, without the cross there is no freedom, without the cross there is no forgiveness, without the cross there is no authority, without the cross there is no strength, without the cross there is no victory, without the cross there's no peace —there is nothing at all. The cross is the main thing. The problem that we face today in our modern, contemporary Christian culture is that we have forgotten the purpose, preeminence, and the power of the cross. Freedom MinistriesLearn more about Pastor Larry here.Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show.Contact Pastor Larry here

Jesus, The Central Theme and Focus - What is a Christian? Part 2 - Paul Nichols - 01-22-23 by Border City Church

The Struggle with Sin The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 Romans 7:14-25 The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death free gift of God is Eternal Life in Christ Jesus our Lord SIN and DEATH The GIFT and LIFE For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord" Central Theme of Romans - SIN, brings DEATH, ..the DESTINY of ALL MANKIND BUT THERE IS HOPE, you can be MADE RIGHTEOUS... there is ETERNAL LIFE IS A GIFT, ...by JESUS CHRIST CORE MESSAGE to Humanity - it's what the masses are chasing, desiring a BETTER LIFE but ARE BEING DECEIVED. failing to reach LIFE. ENDING IN DEATH BECAUSE THEY CHOOSE SIN. 1. The Wages of Sin ...is death - sin is pervasive, lethal, universal, terminal a.The nature of sin - it's origin, (Ch 5:12) by one man many made sinners b.The struggle of sin reigns until death (ch 5:21) sin will reign to death pleasure & payrtiint of sin - it's deception, and it's destruction c.The end of sin - death (James 1:15) lust produces sin, sin when it's finished brings death. 2. THE GIFT of GOD is ETERNAL LIFE 1. It's a GIFT - man is not justified by works (Rom 3:20 / Gal 2:16) 2. TREMENDOUS COST/ THE GIFT -The Cross (righteous claims God) It's received by FAITH, believing and receiving ...Believe God Teaching of Romans ch 7 for Believers 1. We are not under the LAW but under GRACE 1. the law can no longer condemn us (believers) 2. the law convicts us but can not DELIVER us from sin 3. Believers who walk in the power of the Spirit can overcome sin 2. The Allegory - We are married to another - Divorced from the LAW. We are released from the penalty & punishment of the law we are married to Jesus Christ. Free from the law. Read v 6 " we are released. 3. The Law - exposes our sin, and also decéies us (Read V 11) The deception that many fall into is. they expect if they try their hardest to do good things and keep the Law, they expect it will bring them life. On the contrary, it only condemns them and exposes their sins, result condemnation 4. Verses 14-25 Describes the believers conflict with sin. • He desires to obey God's commands, and hates sin, (15, 16) • see his own humanity as evil, no power (nothing good dwells in me) • It's a surprise to many . .. realize even after conversion, struggle with sin - Sheer determination / legalism / self efforts are all FUTILE - useless War that raging in my mind, evil desires, bringing me into captivity (23) - In frustration and lament Paul cries out " oh wretched man" Daily surrender yourself to Jesus Christ, fill you mind with scripture, - visualize yourself being crucified with Jesus Christ, dead to sin, and ALIVE in HIM new life, walking in the Spirit, dwelling with Him The Cross – has broken and destroyed the power of sin. “ Oh wretched man”….This CORPSE of death we no longer have to drag around. Christ Jesus has DELIVERED US – rescued ..a solider pulling a wounded comrade from the battlefield” GIFT : FORGIVESS from the PENELTY of SIN, freedom from the POWER of sin Romans 8:1-3 IT's the HOLY SPIRIT that frees us from sin and death. - There is a work (sanctification) that God is doing in us, that we need to be careful not to obstruct this work. Submit yourself to God, surrender daily. ...praying in the Holy Spirit Abide (dwell) in Jesus Christ - reading the WORD of God, praying daily Be conscious of your media, your mind, your motivation. Worship God, walk in the Spirit, mediate on the word of God. Romans 12: 1-2

Talk on the occasion of Swami Vivekananda's Birthday Celebration by Swami Sunishthananda on 15 January 2023. Bank Details for Donations: CBA A/C Name: Vedanta Centre BSB 06 3159 A/C: 1056 1620 Online class talk links: YouTube Link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNzjwJ9X5QOY6NnOtrL45KA/ Available Listening Platforms Anchor https://anchor.fm/swami-sunishthananda Breaker https://www.breaker.audio/vedanta-melbourne-classes Podcasts https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8yZGUyMTRlMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1526036863/vedanta-melbourne-classes Pocket Casts https://pca.st/q0859ok9 Radio Public https://radiopublic.com/vedanta-melbourne-classes-G1PBQ4 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4N1MLlU3dfRvPUdz7xqY9l For more information visit https://www.vedantamelbourne.org/

PSALMS Introduction To The Psalms PSALMS Bible Quiz….(08/29/22) What BOOK of the Bible Is at the VERY CENTER of The Bible?________________________________ The Longest Chapter in the Bible Is________________________________ The Shortest Chapter of The Bible Is____________ List 3 authors of the Psalms______________________________ ***EXTRA CREDIT***  Two Verses In  a NT Gospel Mention ‘PSALMS' as Prophetic of Christ what are the verses?_____________________________________________________________________________ What Passage In the NT mentioning Psalms is prophetic of Judas betrayal of Christ? _____________________________________________________________________________________ What Three passages In The Epistles mention the Psalms in operation in the church for edification?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Book at the Center of your Bible is PSALMS The Chapter In The Very Center of Your Bible Is PSALM 118 The fact can be argued depending on what Bible version you are using, but by most reckoning, the very center of the Bible when measured by chapter count is Psalms 118. . Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.2 Let Israel now say, “His mercy endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron now say, “His mercy endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord now say, “His mercy endures forever.”     Some Scholars say PSALM 117 is the center chapter of the Bible Notwithstanding, PSALM 117 IS the Shortest Chapter in God's Word 1) Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! [a]Laud Him, all you peoples! 2 )For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord Here are some other fun facts surrounding Psalms 117 & 118: The longest chapter of the Bible falls just after this center chapter-- Psalm 119. The shortest chapter of the Bible falls just after this center chapter-- Psalm 117. There are exactly 594 chapters before Psalm 118, and exactly 594 chapters after it. When you add the number of chapters before Psalms 118 and those after, the sum is 1,118. And the verse at the very center of the Bible is Psalms 118:8. The Very Center Verse of God's WORD Is…. Psalm 118:8 - "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." (NIV) In  following History this verse is 3500 years after creation & 3500 years until the close of the Millennium ( In the CENTER of All Time!!) This center verse of the Bible reminds believers to ask the question, "Are you centered in your trust in God?" It is a particular verse that reminds Christians to trust in God over trusting in themselves or other people. As Christians understand, God consistently provides for us and His grace is given to us freely. Even in the most difficult times, we should center ourselves by trusting in God. He is there making us strong, giving us joy, and carrying us when life weighs heavily on us. Miscellaneous Thoughts… “The PSALMS”  Refers to the 150 songs under that title in the English O.T., sometimes called “The Psalter”, from the Greek psalterion, or psalmi;1st used in the Greek translation & version of the O.T. known as the Septuagint, (so called for the 70 translations from the Hebrew to the Greek) designated often LXX , & dating from 300-200 BC. The O.T. had 3 Main sections of Books …The Law, the Prophets, & the Psalms Each Psalm is an individual song The Psalms subject matter is without Limit The Psalms are also greatly varying forms of Poetry The Book of Psalms stands  BETWEEN the Old & New Covenants Some Psalms spanned 1000 year period as between Moses & Hezekiah The Psalms show us the CENTRAL THEME of God's Word…His SON PSALMS is a ‘Spiritual Song Book' ,standing between the Cherubim PSALMS is LOADED With the Experiences of Jesus & His Church PSALMS shows  to us God's Mercy, Love,  & Judgment PSALMS is for All Men, in All Times &  All Seasons In a ‘Nutshell' The Psalms is a devotional, through which Jesus wants to speak to us In The end each one of us is writing our own ‘Personal Psalm' Psalms are are useful as: The Christian's "hymnal" to assist us in our praise to God The Christian's "prayer book" in which we learn how to approach God in prayer The Christian's "book of evidences" to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ The Christian's "training guide" for living holy and righteous lives before God   Reasons To Study The Psalms As Christians, we are commanded to utilize the Psalms: Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, (Ep 5:19) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Col 3:16) Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. (Jm 5:13)     Thus the Psalms are useful for singing praises to God. They are also useful for teaching and confirming that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah. Note the use Jesus made of them (Lk 24:44-47), 44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, [a]and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Psa 2:1-12; Psa 16:9-11; Psa 22:1-31; Psa 40:6-8; Psa 69:1-36; Psa 72:1-20; Psa 88:1-18; Psa 109:4-20; Psa 110:1-7; Psa 118:22;) and also Peter's use of them in his first gospel sermon (Ac 2:25-28,34-35). 25 For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.' 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” '(Psalm 16:8-11, 73:23) The Aim Of This Study It is my prayer that as we study this book we will accomplish the following goals: Become more familiar with Old Testament poetry - This is essential to getting more out the Psalms, and important if we are to avoid misinterpreting them Develop an appreciation and working knowledge of the Psalms - So one may utilize them for his or her own comfort and encouragement, and in counseling and comforting others Glean a clearer picture of God's character - To better understand His love, mercy and deliverance towards the righteous, but also His wrath and judgment against the wicked Learn more of the Christ in prophecy - To note descriptions of His suffering and glorious reign found in the Psalms, some of which are not found elsewhere in Scripture Consider examples of fulfilled prophecies - To see in fulfilled prophecy irrefutable arguments for the inspiration of the Scriptures, and for the claim that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah We will do (STUDY)this in TWO WAYS…..a.) Individual Psalms  b) Taking a ‘Theme' (like Praise, fear etc…) & studying it throughout the Entire Book of Psalms MORE Reasons To Study The Psalms…………….  Shows Characteristics Of Hebrew Poetry(Psalms  is part of the poetic ‘BOOKS'—Job, Proverbs, Ecc. & SofS also) Before we get into the background of the Psalms themselves, it may prove beneficial to consider some things about Hebrew poetry. Not only will this help to better understand the nature of the Psalms, but it can also assist in proper interpretation of this portion of Scripture. NOTE: wherein the English language of poetry has a clear rhyme & meter there is not a clear consensus  on the REAL flavor of Hebraic poetry…Hebrew is a fluid language, & Poetry has 5 Hebrew meanings , with some words showing opposite meanings. One of the things that makes Hebrew poetry different is... The Use Of "Thought Rhyme" Also known as "parallelism", thought rhyme involves arranging thoughts in relation to each other. This is done without a concern as to whether certain words rhyme with each other (as found in most modern poetry). In the Psalms, we find several different kinds of thought rhyme: Synonymous parallelism - The thought of first line is repeated in the second line, expressed in different words for the sake of emphasis. A good example is found in Ps 24:2...For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters. (same idea, reworded) Antithetical parallelism - The truth presented in one line is strengthened by a contrasting statement in the next line. Consider this example from Ps 1:6...For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish. (note the contrast) Synthetic parallelism - The first and second lines bear some definite relation to each other (such as cause and effect, or proposition and conclusion). A good example is Ps 119:11...Your word I have hidden in my heart, (cause) That I might not sin against You! (effect) Progressive parallelism - There are several varieties of this form, the most common being:Stair-like - Composed of several lines, each providing a complete element of the aggregate or composite thought. Notice Ps 1:1...Blessed is the man... Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; (note the progression) Climatic - Here the principal idea in the first line is repeated and expanded to complete the thought. An example is found in Ps 29:1...Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones (give what?) Give unto the LORD glory and strength. (the answer) Introverted parallelism - The first line is closely related in thought to the fourth, and the second to the third. For example, consider Psa 91:14...Because he has set his love upon Me, (note line 4) therefore I will deliver him; (note line 3) I will set him on high, (note line 2) because he has known My name. (note line 1) Contrasted parallelism –The 1st line is in contrast to the 2nd line (Ps. 1:6)                                  Blessed is the man…..But His delight It is often fascinating to note how creative the Hebrew poets were as they composed their poetry using "thought rhyme" rather than "word rhyme". In some cases it even helps in interpreting difficult expressions or phrases. Another characteristic of Hebrew poetry is... The Lack Of Poetic Rhythm Much modern poetry has standard measures of identifiable rhythm, as in the poem "Mary Had A Little Lamb." With the Hebrews, however, the art of poetic rhythm was of secondary consideration. Some suggest that it is not likely that the Hebrew poets had standard measures, worked out and carefully defined. Again, their focus was on "thought rhyme," not "word rhyme." Finally, an important characteristic of Hebrew poetry is... The Use Of Figurative Expression The Psalms are filled with figurative expressions, and as such it is important to keep certain principles of interpretation in mind... The figure must be accepted and dealt with as a figure of speech, not as a literal statement For example, in Ps 18:31, the Lord is called "a rock." He is like a rock, but not one literally. In Ps 51:4, David says "Against You, You only, have I sinned." Yet he is confessing his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, in which he sinned not only against the Lord, but against his wife, against Uriah, and many others. David was speaking figuratively for the sake of expressing his deep grief in sinning against God, and we must allow for figurative expressions including hyperbole in poetic writings. One needs to be careful and not develop doctrinal beliefs upon what may be figurative expressions not intended to be taken literally. The figure must be interpreted in light of its meaning in the setting in which it was used For example, in Ps 23:4, we find the well-known phrase: "the valley of the shadow of death." It is not uncommon to hear the phrase applied at funerals to the act of dying. In the setting of the psalm, however, it refers to a treacherous place (such as a steep valley, where deep shadows can easily cause a misstep resulting in death), where the guiding hand of a shepherd would be very helpful to sheep to avoid death. It is therefore applicable to any time one is in perilous straits and in need of God's guiding hand. The Language of Similar sounds…(Psalm 132 …broad, guttural sounds, like a dirge)…words that sound like what they mean…cuckoo, splash, ping pong…kol-be-seder=Copacetic ….leviatin=Leviathan)………The Hebrew language is a language of SOUND that impacts our feelings & emotions………Emotion was part of the Hebrew communication, it should be likewise for us…Our communication IS 78% non-verbal. Lyrical Poetry- Poetry based on lyrics…the language is a perfect fit for the actions , it gives great pictures, broad concepts, & distinct sounds….(Psalm 110) Appreciating these characteristics of Hebrew poetry can help the Psalms become more meaningful, and understanding these characteristics can also help avoid misinterpreting the Psalms to teach doctrines the psalmist had no intention of teaching!

Derrick Goette | AM May 18th, 2022 | The Central Theme of the Word of God

It didn't take long for the election conspiracy theories to take over the weekend's Republican state assembly. As GOP leaders at the biennial meeting began tapping candidates for contests across the state … the result of the 2020 election became a central theme. From an early call for paper ballots instead of electronic vote counters to the nomination of prominent election conspiracy theorists who claim Donald Trump beat Joe Biden in last November's presidential election, Saturday's GOP assembly in Colorado Springs was all about election security and baseless claims about the 2020 election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

March 23, 2022 Babylon System Summary: "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" was an album very clearly held together by a theme, love. And then when Lauryn performed on that stage in MTV studios with a brand new set of songs with just her and an acoustic guitar, there seemed to be a lack of cohesion within the songs themselves as well as the performance as a whole. Initially derided by critics and fans, "MTV Unplugged No. 2.0" went on to influence artists such as Kanye, Lecrae, and many others in hip hop. But what might not be apparent from a single or a dozen listens of the performance is that the album's songs are narratively connected. This album is her story but it is also the story of all humanity, where Lauryn takes us from Genesis to Revelation and through the words and life of Jesus. Timestamps: The Media, Critic, and Fan Response to "MTV Unplugged No. 2.0" - 00:00 Bob Marley's "Babylon System" As The Inspiration for "Unplugged" - 4:50 Femi Olutade Dissects "Mr. Intentional" - 8:16 "Adam Lives in Theory" as the Story of All Humanity - 13:00 "Freedom Time" as the Central Theme of "Unplugged - 20:06 Femi talk through various "Unplugged" songs ("Just Like Water," "I Gotta Find Peace of Mind," "The Mystery of Iniquity," and "I Get Out") as the narrative of the Bible - 34:29 "The Conquering Lion" as Jesus and the one who destroys the "Babylon System" - 35:59 Krystal and Matt React to the Narrative that Femi found within "Unplugged" - 45:44 Hosts: Lauryn Hill researcher, Krystal Roberts, and Hip Hop scholar, Matt Linder. Contributors: Julius Tunstall, Raven Jones Stanbrough, and Femi Olutade. Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok: @theflickerspod Website: https://www.flickerspodcast.com/ (flickerspodcast.com) Subscribe: https://www.flickerspodcast.com/listen (https://www.flickerspodcast.com/listen) Rate & Review us on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flickers/id1437163252 (Apple Podcasts), https://open.spotify.com/show/0I6YVTVdAvERnz6j95Im3K (Spotify), https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/flickers-733168 (Podchaser,) and https://goodpods.app.link/nAAlMWy9dmb (Goodpods). Follow our Harklist for Season 2 highlights:https://harkaudio.com/lauryn-hill-season-highlights-77939 ( https://harkaudio.com/lauryn-hill-season-highlights-77939) Join the conversation about Lauryn over at our https://goodpods.app.link/pcYGQALzsnb (Goodpods group). Take the next step and text this episode to a friend who is a Lauryn Hill fan, a hip hop fan, or a music fan. They can subscribe on their favorite podcast app here: https://www.flickerspodcast.com/listen (https://www.flickerspodcast.com/listen). Logo design byhttps://twitter.com/PaperCutPrayers ( @papercutprayers) Theme music by https://linktr.ee/jtulius (Julius Tunstall). Additional music from https://yonsofficial.com (Yons), https://www.beatstars.com/fndguitar (fndguitar), https://beatsbyhype.com/ (Beats by Hype) and https://www.beatstars.com/nabilsioty (Nabil Sioty) Episode Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/SG6S7QjVBr7 (https://share.descript.com/view/SG6S7QjVBr7)

Spoiler review. Don't plan on watching the movie? Then you will still love this episode as we discuss the bigger themes, film, and the hero's journey. This review contains spoilers. The spoiler horn is sounded at the very beginning. If you have no interest in this movie, I think you will still get something out of this, especially the art of film and how Grunge still owns us in our late 30s and 40s. Now if you will excuse me, I have to plop in all of the ads and record a new one because Luke got sick and his voice is shot. Luke's Show Notes Matt Reeves Background * Older Gen X * Childhood friend on JJ Abrhams * Cloverfield director Why ‘Something in the Way' as the main thematic music? * Bridge, Kurt Cobain * “When I write, I listen to music, and as I was writing the first act, I put on Nirvana's ‘Something In The Way,'” Reeves, 55, told Empire. “That's when it came to me that, rather than make Bruce Wayne the playboy version we've seen before, there's another version who had gone through a great tragedy and become a recluse.” * What's in the way? The Central Theme: the response to trauma and the obstacles of existence * Oh, you Gen Xers * Vengeance is carnal, hope is a choice “Our situation today shows that beauty demands for itself at least as much courage and decision as do truth and goodness, and she will not allow herself to be separated and banned from her two sisters without taking them along with herself in an act of mysterious vengeance.” - Han Urs von Balthasar In this regard, the teaching of Sacred Scripture is unequivocal. The Israelites were already encouraged to love one another: "You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself" (Lv 19: 18). At first this commandment seems restricted to the Israelites, but it nonetheless gradually takes on an ever broader sense to include the strangers who sojourn among them, in remembrance that Israel too was a stranger in the land of Egypt (cf. Lv 19: 34; Dt 10: 19). - John Paul II The world needs God. We need God. But what God do we need? In the first reading, the prophet tells a people suffering oppression that: "He will come with vengeance" (Is 35:4). We can easily suppose how the people imagined that vengeance. But the prophet himself goes on to reveal what it really is: the healing goodness of God. And the definitive explanation of the prophet's word is to be found in the one who died for us on the Cross: in Jesus, the Son of God incarnate, who here looks at us so closely. His "vengeance" is the Cross: a "No" to violence and a "love to the end". This is the God we need. - BXVI to German Bishops What does this movie say about modern society? * Gen Xer made good * Batman as a reflection * Director/Writer * Society * The Ringer- the end of the 80s

You are listening to an interview by Ben Lacey with John Piper from CROSS CON21. Learn more about our upcoming conferences at crosscon.com.    

Matthew 28:16-20

Jesus Made the central theme of His kingdom, the Holy Spirit. What have you made your central theme?

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

2020Rev-09b Connected To The Most Powerful Place In The Universe 200415AM Short Clip Worship is the Central Theme of the Bible There is no subject more important to God’s servants than worship. Worship of God is the mark of true believers. The worship of God is declared to be the content of the eternal Gospel. [...] The post TRUE SALVATION EQUALS SUBMISSION TO GOD–The Central Focus of Our Worship is God On The Throne appeared first on Discover the Book Ministries.

Learn more about mobilization as a central theme in Scripture as Ryan teaches on how God, Jesus and Paul, three core figures in the Bible, were all, in their essence, Mission Mobilizers. Mobilization, Mobilizer, even the word Mission is often criticized as never occurring in the BIble. While this is true, the concepts of each are consistently found. Even constituting the bulk of the entire Biblical redemptive storyline. Mobilization is a much bigger, more comprehensive, subject in Scripture then we have realized, but we need to change our perspective slightly to see through this lens. Watch, listen and share this episode with your friends and ministry members.

Day 9 Start your day with a dose of God's word. Be refreshed. Send a review or question to d@iamoluwadara.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/oluwadara/message

A Course in Miracles Review 6 can be found on page 386 and 387 in your Workbook for Students. The Central Theme for this Review: "I am not a body. I am free. For I am still as God Created Me." When you are tempted, hasten to proclaim your freedom from temptation, as you say: "This thought I do not want. I choose instead..." Video for Review 6: https://youtu.be/UgA89O40gu8 Want these lessons delivered daily to your inbox? Become a Patron to gain access: https://laurenkinghorn.com/patreon Please join us on Facebook at Believe in Miracles 365: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BelieveinMiracles365/ A Course in Miracles brought to you by Lauren Kinghorn, Visionary Digital Entrepreneur. Conveying my message to the world on RedBubble merch. https://www.redbubble.com/people/LaurenKinghorn/shop Find my Online Courses here: https://laurenkinghorn.com/courses Join my mailing list: http://join.inspiringmompreneurs.com/ TURN YOUR PASSION INTO A THRIVING ONLINE BUSINESS Join Wealthy Affiliate Free Now: https://www.wealthyaffiliate.com//a_aid/a0c325a6* Review here: https://inspiringmompreneurs.com/how-to-wealthy-affiliate Join Talentpreneur Academy: https://inspiringmompreneurs.com/talentpreneur* 50% with Coupon IM50OFF Review here: https://inspiringmompreneurs.com/how-to-turn-your-talent-into-a-business Find my 3 niche websites here: https://laurenkinghorn.com https://inspiringmompreneurs.com https://happyhumanpacifier.com Are you a Fempreneur or Mompreneur? I would luuurve to have YOU join my tribe on LinkedIn at Fempreneurs Unite https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8831606/ or Mompreneurs Unite https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8731152/ Follow me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenkinghorn/ https://www.instagram.com/laurenjeankinghorn https://www.pinterest.com/inspiringmompre/ https://twitter.com/inspiringmompre/ Affiliate Disclaimer: * If you purchase anything through a link in this description, please assume I have an affiliate relationship with the company providing the product or service that you purchase, and that I'll be compensated in some small way at no extra cost to you.

The Central Theme

Name The Surah takes its name from v. 35 in which mention has been made of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). But it does not mean that it contains the life story of Prophet Abraham. The name is merely a symbol lid the names of many other surahs, i.e., the Surah in which Abraham's mention has been made. Period of Revelation It appears from the tone of the Surah that it belongs to that group of the Surahs which were revealed during the last stage of the Makkan period. For instance, v. 13 ("The disbelievers warned their Messengers, 'you shall have to return to our community or we will assuredly expel you from our land'") clearly indicates that the persecution of the Muslims was at its worst at the time of the revelation of this Surah, and the people of Makkah were bent on expelling the Believers from there like the disbelievers of the former Prophets. That is why in v. 14 they have been warned, "We will destroy these evil doers," and the Believers have been comforted as were the believers before them, "and after them settle you in the land" Likewise the stern warning contained in the concluding portion (vv. 43-52 also confirms that the Surah relates to the last stage of the Makkan Period.) Central Theme and Purpose This Surah is an admonition and a warning to the disbelievers who were rejecting the Message of the Holy Prophet and devising cunning schemes to defeat his Mission. But warning, reproof, censure and reproach dominate admonition. This is because a good deal of admonition had already been made in the preceding Surahs, but in spite of this their obduracy, enmity, antagonism, mischief, persecution etc. had rather increased.

Song: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Notes: Question 1: Don’t you care that we are dying? They assume that since they lost control of the world then the world was out of control. That is a bad assumption.  Question 2: Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? Central Theme: of…

Practical advice for dealing with a serious cancer diagnosis; All about the effects of endocrine disruptors, especially with MTHFR variants; Why we have to get a flu vaccine every year -- mercury in vaccines and dental work discussed; The problems with the mesh technique for hernia surgery; If you have amalgam fillings that contain mercury, never get a gold crown; More about vaccine scheduling and very few have mercury any more; A chronic cough may be allergies or asthma or other causes

Practical advice for dealing with a serious cancer diagnosis; All about the effects of endocrine disruptors, especially with MTHFR variants; Why we have to get a flu vaccine every year -- mercury in vaccines and dental work discussed; The problems with the mesh technique for hernia surgery; If you have amalgam fillings that contain mercury, never get a gold crown; More about vaccine scheduling and very few have mercury any more; A chronic cough may be allergies or asthma or other causes

What really is the central message being conveyed by the Bible? It would be interesting to find out. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/franklin-onoben/message

The central theme of your novel sets the tone for both your characters and the reader.

Tonight we're going to discuss the definition of your central theme and how minor tropes play a part in your work. Technical Note: About 30 minutes in, there is a glitch because we changed servers on Discord and accidentally kicked our recording bot off our server. Don't worry, Craig wasn't hurt and came back to play with an invitation. No actual content was lost as we noticed immediately and went about fixing it. It might just sound a tad awkward at the breaking point.

Dr. Ranko Stefanovic, PhD joins us for our second revival weekend as he breaks down the book of Revelation! Listen and be blessed! May 17-18 [1 of 5]

13. The Message Of Sacrifice

The “Holy Spirit” is a Central Theme both in Christianity and in A Course in Miracles, however, it is seen very differently within the Metaphysical Framework of the Course and ...

Find out more about Christian life and business coaching at www.CareyGreen.com 

In this Episode of the Tim Cooper Academy Podcast Tim unravels the 7 Key steps to unlocking your core values. Why Personal Core Values Are Important. Knowing Your Values Changes Your Behaviour. Discover Your Personal Core Values. STEP 1: Start with a Beginner’s Mind STEP 2: Create Your List of Personal Core Values STEP 3: Chunk Your Values into Related Groups STEP 4: Highlight the Central Theme of Each Value Group STEP 5: Determine Your Top Personal Core Values STEP 6: Give Your Core Values Richer Context STEP 7: Test the Ecology of Each Value

Mike and Miriam talk about Cambridge Analytica, Third Party Apps, Facebook connect, Privacy, Uber and the first pedestrian death by an autonomous vehicle, YouTube algorithms, Paywalls and the turn in times towards subscriber based business models. Find all your stored data on Facebook How Trump Consultants Exploited the Facebook Data of Millions You should follow Foxhole on Twitter: @foxholefm Hosted by @mboyle and @miriamgrabher

Jesus is the Central Theme that Runs Throughout the Bible (From Genesis to Revelation) - 05/27/17 by Contending For The FaithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Name The Surah takes its name from v. 35 in which mention has been made of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). But it does not mean that it contains the life story of Prophet Abraham. The name is merely a symbol lid the names of many other surahs, i.e., the Surah in which Abraham's mention has been made. Period of Revelation It appears from the tone of the Surah that it belongs to that group of the Surahs which were revealed during the last stage of the Makkan period. For instance, v. 13 ("The disbelievers warned their Messengers, 'you shall have to return to our community or we will assuredly expel you from our land'") clearly indicates that the persecution of the Muslims was at its worst at the time of the revelation of this Surah, and the people of Makkah were bent on expelling the Believers from there like the disbelievers of the former Prophets. That is why in v. 14 they have been warned, "We will destroy these evil doers," and the Believers have been comforted as were the believers before them, "and after them settle you in the land" Likewise the stern warning contained in the concluding portion (vv. 43-52 also confirms that the Surah relates to the last stage of the Makkan Period.) Central Theme and Purpose This Surah is an admonition and a warning to the disbelievers who were rejecting the Message of the Holy Prophet and devising cunning schemes to defeat his Mission. But warning, reproof, censure and reproach dominate admonition. This is because a good deal of admonition had already been made in the preceding Surahs, but in spite of this their obduracy, enmity, antagonism, mischief, persecution etc. had rather increased. Source: Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Quran

In this episode, I explain what is the central theme of the Bible. 

The whole of the Bible - and the whole of the gospel - points our hearts to the true and living God: to His existence, personality, nature, grace, and trinity.

Understanding the Central Theme of Christianity - Ps. Mark Edwards

I started K-100 as a group first to give people a place they can "say the sh** other people are scared to say". That was the original Tag Line for the group. Then I started the Radio show to make it easier and to incorporate some music into it. But the CENTRAL THEME remains: SAY THE REAL TRUTH. No matter who it offends, who doesn't agree, who thinks you are crazy, KEEP IT 100 and keep it moving. That's what this show is about. I'm the ANTI-POLITICALLY CORRECT show. The nemesis to a conservative or a true liberal even. The truth can hurt and it can be offensive but it can NEVER be the WRONG ANSWER unless the TRUTH will land you in JAIL or a CASKET. So I'm all for offending people. In fact some people NEED to be offended to open their eyes. If you don't step on a few toes, rile up a few groups, ruffle a few feathers then you are not doing something right. It means you are trying to the impossible: PLEASE EVERYBODY. Well guess what..you simply cant do that. Stick to your guns...all you have is your word and your balls! I don't flip flop on the issues or my opinion because certain people are in the room. Tonight I'm letting everyone hear the truth. The truth about men, women, black people, white people, America, music or WHATEVER. I plan on pissing off people more than ever. TUNE IN! 1) Do you lie if you think it will hurt some ones feelings or do you keep it 100? 2) When was the last time the TRUTH got you into trouble or an altercation? 3) Tell me a truth about the opposite sex that you think they always lie about 4) How do you really real about Gays, America, Minorities, White people, and Religion? 

Subject: The Book Of Ephesians Speaker or Performer: Pastor Dennis Helton Scripture Passage(s): Ephesians 1:9 - 10 Date of Delivery: March 8, 2010

Introduction We are aware from scripture that we have a personal enemy who seeks our very lives. His name is the devil or Satan, that ancient dragon. It says in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” But the scripture reveals that we have an impersonal enemy as well, one that surrounds us at every moment and threatens our souls as well. In 1 John, Chapter 2:15-16, it is called “the world.” “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world.” The world and its desires pass away. A man who does the will of God stands forever. We’re surrounded by the world, and by that, John means, I think, the world’s system. Not the created world that God made and all of its beauty, but the world system, that alluring, powerful, enticing, wicked culture that attacks our very souls and seeks our eternal destruction. The world is made up of living, breathing people whose minds are controlled by the flesh and by the spirit of the power of the air, Satan. These people, as they live out their convictions, as they live out their world views, they craft a world around us that is enticing and luring us away from the things of God, away from Christ. Some of them have political and military ambitions to rule and dominate, perhaps a non-Christian politician running for office, or an Al-Qaeda terrorist masterminding the next terrorist attack somewhere in the world, or the publisher of a pornographic magazine, or an actress willing to do anything in a movie to further her career. It could be a marketing consultant urging a bolder approach to marketing clothing to teens in malls, or a financial expert writing a column on how you can be far richer than you ever dreamed if you just follow his approach of investments, or a motivational speaker telling spellbound audiences ten irrefutable laws for success the way he defines it. And a hundred, even a thousand other enticements are pulling you away from Christ. That’s the world. It’s a seething culture of unbelief, pulsating with the lusts that John mentions: lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of flesh. It is vicious. It is relentless. It is alluring and enticing. It is a cold-hearted enemy to your soul. It would have you. It would pull you away from Christ. It has a symbolic name in the Bible, and that name is Babylon. Now I know that Babylon was a city in ancient Mesopotamia on the Euphrates River. From it arose a mighty empire that, for a time, dominated the world. From that empire came an army that conquered Jerusalem, tore down its walls and burned the temple of God. I’m aware of all that. It was the enemy of the people of God at that time, Babylon. Isaiah 13 clearly predicts the fall of that literal city of Babylon to the Medes in 536 BC. That’s predicted here in this chapter. But Isaiah 13 uses language that soars far above that one event in history. It speaks of God’s wrath poured out on all nations to the point where you can’t even see the celestial beings anymore. The sun, the moon, and the stars are darkened. It’s language that goes right to the end of time. Isaiah 13 speaks of God’s relentless wrath poured out on Babylon, the enemy of His people. It’s fulfilled again and again and again and again in history, not just in one date, one time, 536 BC, but again and again, because from the smoldering ashes of one destroyed Babylon rises the next Babylon. Like a wicked phoenix, from the ashes up it comes to defy God and to attack God’s people. It happens again and again, and God is always against it. He controls that rise. He fights against it and throws it back down. And then the next Babylon comes along. So it is. And not until the end of the world will the final Babylon, the spirit of Babylon, and Babylon itself be crushed forever. In Revelation 17, it depicts Babylon as a harlot riding on a beast with seven heads and ten horns. So you have pleasure plus power. That equals the world to me. That’s what it is. There’s going to be a final form of Babylon, and it will be crushed forever by the glory of the second coming of Christ. No more Babylon, friends. No more world the way John means in 1 John 2. We’ll be free forever and we will live in a pure world where Jesus will reign. There’ll be no enticements away from God, only powerful inducements to worship and to love Him forever. God is going to crush Babylon. That’s exactly what He’s talking about in this very serious and sober chapter. It’s not an easy chapter to read. It’s not pleasant. Yet it is joyful for us as the people of God to know that our enemy is God’s enemy too and that He will rise up and crush it someday God’s Sovereign Rule Over the Nations: Isaiah 13-23 One Central Theme, Many Smaller Oracles As we enter a new section of Isaiah’s prophecies, Isaiah 13-23, these are oracles against the nations, about eleven chapters or so of oracles against the nations, one after the other. Isaiah in these chapters (really throughout the whole book) portrays a God who sits on His throne and rules over the events of history 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He is working all the time to bring about His plan. It says, right in this oracle section, in Isaiah 14:26-27, “This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” God is in charge. That is a powerfully vital message for our time, when we’re barraged by a constant stream of news stories that can discourage you as a Christian and beat you down. Reading CNN, looking at CNN, or going to websites can be discouraging. You’re looking at Fox News or one thing after another, a constant stream of stories that gives you the sense that the world is spinning out of control. Well, it isn’t. The message of the oracles in these eleven chapters is that our God reigns. And the message of this first one is that God is against Babylon in any of its forms. He will destroy it in the end. So, we see God’s sovereign rule over the nations. We begin with this oracle against Babylon. We’re going to go from that to oracles against the Philistines in Chapter 14 and against Moab in Chapters 15 and 16. We’re going to look at oracles against Syria and Ephraim in Chapters 17 and 18, Egypt in Chapters 19 and 20, and back to Babylon again in Chapter 21. Edom and Arabia are also in Chapter 21, and finally Tyre is in Chapter 23. These are oracles against the nations. In all of this, God’s going to give clear messages to His people. That’s us and them. The message is, first of all, do not trust in the strength or be allured or enticed by the strength of the nations and the peoples you see around you. Do not put your trust in them. Do not make alliances with them. Don’t put your hope in them. They are just nations. They are as a drop in the bucket, and they will be swept away in the end. The insight here again and again is that that there’s no righteous nation on Earth as we understand a political entity. God’s wrath is against all of them, every one of them. He says very plainly in Isaiah 34:2, “The Lord is angry with all the nations; his wrath is upon all their armies.” That’s something good for us to consider, isn’t it? He’s against them all. Friends, our citizenship is in Heaven. That’s the message of the oracles of these nations. Also, do not question God’s justice when, for a short period of time, a godless people seem to be dominant and ascendant. He’s seen it before. We will see it again and again. God reigns even then. He is not unjust and God cannot be mocked. Judgment Day, the Day of the Lord, mentioned here, will come to them. So for us, as a people of God, trust in Him. Fear God and keep His commandments. Walk in His ways. Pray for the advance of His kingdom. That’s what I get out of the oracles of the nations. That’s a general introduction to the new section of Isaiah that we’re coming to. Isaiah’s Far-reaching Vision Let’s look specifically here at Isaiah’s far-reaching vision when he talks about Babylon. Look at verse 1, an oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw. Many modern scholars seriously question whether Isaiah wrote these chapters. I love it and I don’t; I hate it. But I read it and I wonder how they come up with these things. What they say is that, at the time that Isaiah wrote, 725 BC, Babylon was really nothing. It was just a minor city with some people around it (the Chaldeans) and they were under the boot of the Assyrians like everybody else. So, it’s like Isaiah made a mistake prophesying against Babylon. They were nothing. It was Assyria that was the threat. Well, he’s dealt with Assyria and we’ve seen all that. But now he’s turning to Babylon. It’s no mistake friends. And it wasn’t written after the fact, friends. Not at all. It was written in 725 BC or thereabouts. Babylon and the Medes that are mentioned in this chapter are actually small allies, chafing under the Assyrian yoke. Isaiah is predicting the fall of Babylon to the Medes. Look at verse 17, the Medes are specifically mentioned. He names the people that are going to topple Babylon before either one of them are powerful enough to do anything about it. That would happen one hundred and eighty-nine years after this oracle was given, almost two hundred years later. Can God do that? Can He make that kind of a specific prophecy that far in advance? We Christians, we know the truth. He actually can look seven and a half centuries ahead and talk about Jesus who died as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him; nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by man. A man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.” “We all like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him [on Jesus] the iniquity of us all.” (Is 53:2-3;6) Can Isaiah look into the future and see that kind of detail? Absolutely he can! Can he see that Jesus would be buried in a rich man’s tomb and then raised? He can see all that. He can see whatever God shows him, for God knows the future. God’s Sovereign Plan the Central Theme of History He says in Isaiah 42:9, “See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” This is the power of God. He knows the future. He doesn’t just know the future, He decrees the future and He declares the future! This is what God does. This is the plan determined for the whole world, and God is making it happen. So Isaiah has a far-reaching vision to look ahead one hundred and eighty-nine years from when he was living to the fall of an empire at a city that wasn’t even powerful in his day. He can do that. Babylon’s Symbolic Role in Redemptive History Babylon the Ancient Leader in Human Rebellion Babylon has a symbolic role in redemptive history. Anyone who’s read through the Bible has bumped into Babylon again and again. It’s not just one time. The key question as we look at Isaiah 13 is “If Babylon isn’t even the issue at this point, if the real threat is in Assyria, then why does God give such a prominent place to the prediction of the fall of Babylon?” That’s a good question. Babylon was the ancient leader in human rebellion among the nations. The nations derived their origin from the time when, in Babel, a tower was being built: the Tower of Babel in defiance of the command of God. God came down and confused the languages and that was the beginning of the nations. Babel became Babylon. It’s the same location. That’s where it was. That’s the origination of that national rebellion against God. Babylon the Leader in Human Empire-Building Babylon was also what we call the Neo-Babylonian empire. In the time under Nebuchadnezzar it was a leader in world empire-building. There had never been an empire like it. The cultural level of Babylon was much higher than that of Assyria. It mentions the nobles in our text here. We’ll talk more about that. But Nebuchadnezzar’s achievements were astounding in building Babylon to its level of human glory. We’ve got the famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon and all of the structures there. It’s just a magnificent place. Furthermore, the city of Babylon was mighty and powerful. It seemed invincible: 14 miles square, huge outer walls, which Herodotus tells us were 87 feet thick and 350 feet high. That’s a 35 story building! There were 100 great bronze gates in the walls and a limitless water supply, so they believed. Crops were able to be grown within the walls. You can’t conquer this city. You don’t have an army big enough to go fourteen miles on a side all the around to shut it up tight like a cork. You can’t do it. Even if you could, they could outlast you. They’ve got crops inside. They’ve got farmers. They’ve got water. They’ll just laugh at you, 350 feet above you. You’re not going to be throwing anything over the wall and you’re not going to burrow through it. There’s no way it could fall, so they believed. Babylon was the arrogant symbol of opposition to almighty God. Babylon the Symbol of Human Opposition to God In the New Testament, Peter makes a not-so-obscure reference to Babylon. At the end of his epistle 1 Peter 5, he says this, “She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.” Church tradition tells us he wrote that from Rome. Why does he call Rome, Babylon? I told you, out of the ashes rises the phoenix of another world-conquering, God-hating empire. And that was Rome in Peter’s day. Even after Rome falls, there’s another one, another Babylon that keeps coming. It’s going to keep right on going until the end. Revelation will pick up on this Babylon theme, as we’ll talk about later in the message. But in Revelation 17, as I’ve already mentioned, and in 18, Babylon is there when Jesus returns. And He destroys it. God Summons an Army Against Babylon God’s Activity Central But here in Isaiah 13 we’re focusing on the first empire, the Babylonian empire and the city of Babylon. One hundred and eighty-nine years before it happens, the prophet Isaiah is predicting its fall. By the way, this is one of the most predicted events in history. It’s predicted here in Isaiah 13. It’s predicted in Isaiah 21. It’s predicted for five chapters towards the end of Jeremiah very specifically. It’s predicted in Habakkuk Chapter 2 very plainly. The details are astounding. I already preached through this. It’s recorded for us in Daniel Chapter 5 on the night of Belshazzar’s feast when the writing appears on the wall and Babylon falls to the Medes. It’s not a minor event in redemptive history. It’s a major one. God is summoning an army against Babylon, and, in this chapter, God’s activity is central. Seven times in this chapter God speaks about what He’s going to do against Babylon. He’s taking it very personally. He’s acting very directly. Look at verse 3, “I have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath – those who rejoice in my triumph.” It’s very personal for God. Verses 11-13 say, “I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble.” Verse 17 even more specifically says, “See, I will stir up against them the Medes.” God raises up the Medes against Babylon. This is very personal for God. He is active and involved. Verses 6 and 9 call it the Day of the Lord. This is the Lord’s day, the day of judgment on the nations. God is acting directly to bring about judgment for His own glory. This is not some random swirling of events in human history that had no purpose, no meaning to it at all, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. No, this is God, essential actor in history, bringing down judgment on a people who will not acknowledge His name or live through His glory. So God summons an army. That’s how He is going to do it. An Army Summoned from the Nations Verses 2-4 say, “Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath – those who rejoice in my triumph. Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war.” God is mustering an army and they’re going to come and destroy Babylon. In ancient times, before radio communication, armies used colorful banners up on bare hilltops to signal across distances. Or they would use signal fires. The nations are massing together. They are organizing to come against the mighty Babylon. Again, it’s no accident. The Lord is mustering this army for war and they’re going to enter, it says, “the gates of the nobles.” These are the Chaldeans. These are the refined Babylonians who exported their Babylonian culture all over their empire. They’re the nobles, the blue bloods, cultured and arrogant. They’re going to be destroyed, all of them. And God calls this personal army to do His will. They are His warriors. He even calls them “my holy ones.” Strange, isn’t it? Holy in this case means set apart for a purpose and for a job that God’s calling them to do. Later on in Isaiah’s prophecy, He’s going to call Cyrus the Great of Persia “my anointed one.” In Greek, it’s the Christ, the Messiah. Now we know that he’s not the Christ, but he’s anointed for a task. So it says in Isaiah 45:4, “For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of great honor, though you do not acknowledge me.” Cyrus doesn’t know Yahweh. He doesn’t know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But he’s doing Yahweh’s will, even though he doesn’t acknowledge Him. We’ve already learned that in Isaiah, haven’t we? God raises up instruments to do His will, whether they acknowledge Him or not. The Day of the Lord So this army that’s coming, these Medes and these Persians that are coming to destroy Babylon, they’re doing God’s will. This is the day of the Lord. Look at verses 5 and 6, “They come from far away lands, from the ends of the heavens – the Lord and the weapons of his wrath to destroy the whole country. Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty.” The invasion of this international coalition of armies against Babylon is not an accidental occurrence. God has brought it. There may be human factors, but it is the Lord, spiritually, riding at the head of the army. It cannot be defeated and the reaction will be nothing less than terror. Look at verses 7-9, “Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man’s heart will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the Day of the Lord is coming – a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger – to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.” There will be a future Day of the Lord. It is described in many places in the New Testament. That Day of the Lord will be like this one only a thousand times worse, a thousand times more intense. In history God just does the same things again and again, like dress rehearsals, and says, “As I did in Sodom and Gomorrah,” or “as I did in Babylon,” or “as what happened with the Romans.” It’s going to happen again at the end, getting us ready for the Day of the Lord. Thus, Isaiah uses extreme language to describe the fall of Babylon, He goes beyond the mere invasion of the city that night, the killing of the Babylonian king and the officials, and the taking over of the city by the Medes and the Persians. He goes much further than that. Look at verses 10 and 13. It’s language that soars above that current event. It says, “The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.” “Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.” This is language that is speaking of the end of the world. It’s going to happen again. Babylon will be crushed again, and, at that point, the stars and the sun and the moon aren’t merely going to be darkened, they’re going to be removed. The stars will fall to the earth, it says in the Book of Revelation, as figs from a tree. God is going to clear everything away, and there will be a new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness. The Invaders Named Astonishing Accuracy In verse 17, Isaiah names the invaders very specifically. This is God saying, “See what I can do? Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. I know history before it even happens. I can tell you who’s going to destroy Babylon. It’s going to be the Medes.” Look at verse 17, “See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold.” This is astonishing accuracy. As I mentioned, at the time Isaiah wrote, the Medes were no major player on the world scene. Like the Babylonians, they were conquered people under the yoke of the Assyrians. Who were the Medes? They were people living in what is now central Iran, east of Mesopotamia. They inhabited the Zagros Mountains and the high plateaus east of that mountain range. That’s where they came from. As early as 836 BC, the Assyrians referred to them as a threat, as enemies. In 612 BC, they joined together with the Babylonians in helping to crush what was left of the dying Assyrian empire. Assyria’s time was over and the Medes and Babylonians came together and went up the Fertile Crescent and crushed Nineveh. It’s predicted. Assyria is done, finished for good, and the Medes and Babylonians kind of joined together in doing that. But the Babylonians took over under Nebuchadnezzar. They were stronger at that point, and the Medes were subjugated. They were crushed under the Babylonian empire. Single-Minded Weapons of Wrath God declares in advance that once Babylon’s time has passed, the Medes will rise up and it’ll be their turn. They’re going to crush Babylon. Look at them, they’re a single-minded weapon of wrath. Verse 17-18, “See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold. Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants nor will they look with compassion on children.” First of all, they can’t be bought off. You can’t send out a box of silver and gold and they go home, back to where they came from. They’re going to get it all. They don’t want one box. They want everything you have, Babylonians. They’re not going to be bought off that way. They’re ready to exact vengeance. They’re filled with wrath. They’re filled with rage. And they’re going to kill everyone. There’s a mercilessness here. Even the infants and the children, they’re not spared. Desolation Decreed… Then Fulfilled (vs 19-22) The Reason for Judgment: Pride The desolation that is decreed and then fulfilled in verses 19 through 22 comes as an act of judgment by God. Why does the judgment come? Well, the central reason is always the same; it’s pride. It’s the arrogance of the Babylonians. He’s going to crush them because of their pride. Look at verse 19, “Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians’ pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.” Isaiah 2 has already displayed how much God hates human arrogance, pride, and boasting. Anything that goes up, anything that gets lofty in defiance of God, He wants to throw down. And in due time, He will. Here, Babylon is called “the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians pride.” It was for this very reason, as you remember, that Nebuchadnezzar was struck with insanity for seven years. Do you remember the King of Babylon? The Babylonian emperor is walking on the roof of his palace and feeling pretty good about his life and his achievements. “Is this not the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” He’d already been warned about this kind of thing a year before by Daniel. Even while the words are coming out of his mouth, an angel speaks and decrees. And God strikes. In that same day, he is driven away from people and goes out and starts eating grass like cattle for seven years. He’s like that until God grants him repentance and enables his sanity to come back to him. He lifts up his eyes toward heaven and he praises the Most High. He learns his lesson. He is able to be humble. The Horror of the Judgment Well, Nebuchadnezzar learned it, but Babylon didn’t. Babylon didn’t learn it. Babylon is an enemy of God. It will fight against God forever. So if he won’t be that way, he’ll be replaced, and another king will come along who’ll rule Babylon. He’s going to get soft. And look at the horror of the judgment in verses 14 through 16, “Like a hunted gazelle, like a sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land. Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their house will be looted and their wives ravished.” Destruction, this is what the next Babylon does to the last Babylon. It’s what they do. Unfolding Judgment: Babylon Becomes Desolate Gradually They’re going to get judged when Alexander the Great comes. Then he is going to get judged. And the Greeks are going to get judged when the Romans come. And on and on it goes, one Babylon after another, bringing this kind of destruction. Look at the judgment, the desolation that’s predicted. Look at verses 20 through 22, speaking of Babylon, “She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flocks there. But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there, owls will dwell, and there, the wild goats will leap about. Hyenas will howl in her stronghold; jackals in her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.” Desolation has been decreed for Babylon. No one will live there ever again. It will be leveled and it will never be rebuilt. Now obviously, if you take that literally, then how do you end up with Babylon all the way at the end of the world in Revelations 17? Well, the city itself on the Euphrates River is crushed and it has not been rebuilt. According to this, it never will be. But the spirit of Babylon lives on and it keeps floating from place to place, landing, coagulating in a human empire, and then the next Babylon rises. The last one will be that of the Antichrist, as he organizes the whole world in rebellion against God. So, Babylon continues to live even while this city will never be rebuilt. This decree was fulfilled in stages. It didn’t happen all at once. Cyrus the Persian invades. In 538 BC he comes in and takes the whole empire except the city of Babylon. Darius the Mede (he’s got to be a Mede, of course) comes with the Medes to Babylon itself, and they get in. Jeremiah predicted very plainly, “I will make her officials, her leaders drunk and they will lie down and sleep and never wake up.” This couldn’t be plainer. He also says in Jeremiah, “I will dry up her streams.” What ends up happening is the Medes dried up the Euphrates River by diverting it with a canal. They crawl under the walls. They are very vulnerable to archers, if anybody’s on the wall watching. But nobody is watching, because they are all drunk in their beds because of Belshazzar’s feast. So the Medes come in. They open up the gates, and they run through the palace. They kill Belshazzar. They kill all of the Babylonian officials. But they didn’t kill Daniel, the third highest ruler in the Babylonian kingdom. Because that was Daniel. Remember the purple robe and the gold chain? I don’t think he was wearing it that night. It wouldn’t have been a good idea. But God then sovereignly raised Daniel up to be the third highest ruler in the Persian kingdom as well! Only God could do something like that. Everybody else, though, dies, a direct fulfillment. But the gates and the walls still stood. It was useful. Why destroy it? It was there for a while until another Darius, some time later, actually pulled the walls down and destroyed it. Then Alexander the Great comes along. By this time, it’s little more than a pile of rubble. He decides he wants to rebuild it and make it the center of his empire. The problem is, in Babylon, he drank too much wine and died of alcohol poisoning. His grandiose plans never came to anything. God will not have that city rebuilt. It got worse and worse. By 309 BC, Antigonus the First of Macedonia leveled Babylon. By 275, Antiochus the First took away all the remaining civilian population, deporting them to other cities. Nobody’s even living there in 275 BC. A Greek writer named Pausanias, geographer of the Roman period, said there’s literally nothing where there used to be Babylon. That’s during the Roman period. It happened in stages. In the last century before Christ, an ancient geographer, Strabo, wrote, “the great city of Babylon has become a wilderness.” I don’t think he’s saying, “Oh, I read Isaiah 13.” He is just saying what it is. It’s a wilderness. God made it that way. The Roman Emperor Trajan, eager to visit the famous Babylon, was disappointed when he arrived at the site. There was nothing to see. There’s nothing there. No Arab will pitch his tent there. No shepherd will shepherd his flock there. There’s nothing there. In the present era, in 1811, an archeologist found it. From the end of the 1800s into the 1900s, there were major digs going on. Then Saddam Hussein took power. He wanted to make it the center of his kingdom. Well, two Gulf Wars took care of him! He’s not in power there. There won’t be any new Babylon on the site of the old Babylon, at least not under Saddam Hussein. Much to the chagrin of the archaeologists that are there, US troops are digging and using sand and rubble from the site to fill sandbags. I think they’re fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 13. They’re not that concerned about archaeology or any of those sorts of things. They’ve got to fill up sandbags because there are threats against them. They don’t want to get blown up. As a Biblical scholar, I look at that and say, “Amen.” Fill it up! Fill up those sandbags with ancient Babylon. Final Judgment: Overthrown Like Sodom and Gomorrah Now, of course, I appreciate archaeology and all that sort of stuff. But it’s happened whether you like it or not. If you’re an archaeologist who weeps over that kind of thing, it doesn’t matter. It has happened. It is going to be hard to get it back. Those guys go on hands and knees with toothbrushes, that kind of thing. These soldiers are in there with shovels, filling up bags. It’s God’s judgment, I tell you, on ancient Babylon. He means to keep it down. In the final judgment, however, Babylon is going to be overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah. That’s what it says. It’s like Sodom and Gomorrah, but different. Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown by fire and brimstone coming down from heaven. Judgment coming down from above so it’s clear that God is doing it. No question about it. So it will be at the end of the world. Babylon’s Final Fall Language Goes Beyond the Fall of One Nation When Jesus comes back in Revelation, chapters 17 and 18 describe Babylon’s final fall. Isaiah 13:9-11 says, “See, the Day of the Lord is coming – a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger – to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.” That’s the end of the world. God is going to judge it. Read about it in the Book of Revelation. In Revelation 17 it talks about when Babylon the great, mystery Babylon, is thrown down like a millstone. And Revelation 18 says that Babylon was destroyed by the sovereign power of God. I was reading an article recently in which some professors were worrying, greatly worrying, terribly worrying, about over-population. Over-population is going to get us, folks. Did you know that? The estimation is that by the year 2050, it will take, these professors say, the resources of four planet Earths to handle the 9 billion people there will be at that time. I don’t think over-population’s going to get us. Look at verse 12, “I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.” The judgment of God is going to get “us,” if “us” is unrepentant rebels who love Babylon. That’s what is going to get “us.” Don’t fear over-population. Fear God. The judgment of God is coming on Babylon, and friends, we live in Babylon. We live in the city of destruction. I don’t just mean we Americans. I’m saying, we who live here on Earth, we live in Babylon. Christ Saves Us From Babylon God’s judgment is coming. It’s going to come once more. God sent His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to rescue us from it, that we might not have to suffer its curses and plagues. So God says, “Come out from her and be separate.” Speaking of Babylon later in the Book of Isaiah, “Come out and do not share her plagues and her judgments.” Well, come out where? Recently, I was reading through Wayne Grudem’s “Systematic Theology” and he was talking about the attributes of God and God’s omnipresence. Where are you going to flee from the wrath of God? Where are you going to go? There’s nowhere you can hide. One theologian said there is nowhere to flee from God enraged but to God reconciled. There’s nowhere you can flee from God enraged but to God reconciled. And the only place you can find reconciliation with God is at the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross. He shed His blood, under the wrath of God, that we might have a refuge place from the judgment that’s coming on Babylon, that we might have a place to come and be separate and pure and to be protected and to not suffer from the plagues. It says in Galatians 1:3-4, “The Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age.” Application Come to Christ And so, what application? Flee to Christ. Flee to Him. I don’t know your spiritual situation. Do you know your spiritual situation? Have you fled to Christ? Are you standing under the shadow of the cross, having been cleansed by the blood of Jesus? Are you ready to face the wrath to come? Have you fled to Jesus? He is the only refuge there is and you don’t need to just flee there once. Friends, we still live in Babylon. It’s still alluring; it’s still enticing; it’s still pulling on us. We’re not done being saved. Flee there every day. Flee there many times a day. Come again and again to the cross of Christ when you’re being polluted by the world. It could be you’re sitting here this morning, Sunday morning, and your conscience is defiled. You know you’re a Christian. There’s no doubt in your mind that you’re a Christian. But you have done things and you have compromised with Babylon in some way. You have been polluted. Flee to Christ again. He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Pray that He might purify us. Understand God’s Sovereign Control Over the Nations Understand the control of God over the flow of human history. It doesn’t matter how many Babylons rise from the ashes of the last Babylon. God is in charge of all of it and He will crush it all at the end. There will be smaller Days of the Lord and then one final Day of the Lord. Call on God to Fulfill His Purposes Finally, call on God to fulfill His good purposes. Say, “Do it, Lord! Crush Babylon. Rescue your people out from her and crush her. Establish Your kingdom. May Your kingdom come and may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We come now to a time of celebration of the Lord’s Supper. This is a time in which we are able to look back at what I’ve just mentioned, Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf. We’re able to look around in this present time at our own hearts to know whether we’re in the faith, to know whether our consciences are defiled. We can confess our sin and get ready. We should not take this in a manner unworthy of the Lord. Thus, we come under His discipline. We take it very seriously. But remember, it’s for sinners. It’s not for the pure and holy. Jesus said, “I didn’t come to call the righteous but sinners.” So, if you have come to personal faith in Christ and you’ve testified to that by water baptism, you’re free to come and take from this table. We also look ahead to a time when the Lord will be finished with all of this unpleasantness, with all of the judgment, and He will usher in the new heavens and new earth. Close with me in prayer.

Drink: Amber Boch from Gold CoastProduction ProcessesHow to go back to the beginning on iTunesGetting started in LAFlying soloHippie College and TrustifariansWriting at OMVisualizing having a jobMeeting ToddI’m not a photographerOld men are GRABBY!!  And have long tounges…blech…A brief history lesson about Arabs…maybeWhenever anyone asks you something, SAY YES!!Thoughts on Queer as FolkUSC Lecture Podcast Series“The important thing to remember is it’s all about sex.?We’re animals!Let my flame burn bright!What do you think?Have a great weekend!End Song: Yes from 70, Girls, 70