Podcast appearances and mentions of christ jesus phil

     The Christian life is often won or lost in the arena of the mind. The believer's greatest spiritual battles frequently take place in the quiet chambers of inner thought—unseen by others, yet intensely real. Satan, the world, and the flesh conspire to assault the believer's thinking, seeking to distort reality, generate fear, inflame lusts, sow bitterness, and cultivate pride or despair. This is why Scripture emphasizes the mind as a primary battleground in the spiritual life. Paul exhorted the Corinthians to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5), recognizing that unchecked thoughts can quickly become footholds for spiritual defeat. Victory in the spiritual life requires that we not only reject lies but also proactively fill our minds with God's truth.      Learning and meditating on Scripture is central to maintaining psychological and emotional stability (Psa 1:2-3). The mind, left untethered from truth, is vulnerable to deception and emotional volatility. But God's Word anchors our thinking, offering divine perspective amid life's ever-changing circumstances. David testified, “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul” (Psa 19:7). His soul—his inner life—was stabilized and refreshed by God's truth. Likewise, Jesus prayed for His disciples, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). The Spirit uses the Word to shape our thinking and reorient our perspective (Rom 12:2; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2). When our thoughts are governed by Scripture, our emotions tend to follow suit. Fear gives way to courage, confusion to clarity, and anxiety to peace (Isa 26:3; Phil 4:6-7).      Biblical self-talk is a practical way believers apply God's truth internally. We all engage in self-talk—an ongoing internal dialogue—but the content of that dialogue determines whether we spiral into discouragement or rise in spiritual strength. The psalmist modeled healthy self-talk when he asked, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me?” (Psa 42:5a). Then he exhorted himself, saying, “Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence” (Psa 42:5b). Rather than allowing his feelings to dictate his thinking, he took command of his thoughts and focused them on God, repeating the process three times (Psa 42:5, 11; 43:5; cf. Psa 131:1-2).      Paul understood the transforming power of focused thinking. He instructed believers, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). The Greek word for “transformed” (μεταμορφόω, metamorphoō) refers to an inner change that manifests in outward conduct, and it begins by replacing worldly thought patterns with divine truth. Paul instructed the Christians at Philippi, saying, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6). If they did this, Paul said, “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). And he gave them further, ongoing instruction, saying, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Phil 4:8). By shifting their focus from anxiety to intentional prayer, thanksgiving, and biblical thinking, believers would experience peace and maintain mental stability.      Jeremiah, when dealing with disparaging thoughts because of the destruction of Jerusalem (Lam 3:17-20), forced his thoughts onto the Lord, saying, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam 3:21-23). The verb translated “recall” in verse 21 is ashiv (אָשִׁיב), from the Hebrew root shuv (שׁוּב), meaning “to turn back, return.” In the hiphil imperfect form, it carries the causative sense, “I cause to return to my mind.” Jeremiah wasn't passively remembering; he was actively and intentionally forcing truth back into focus, dragging his thoughts from despair and anchoring them in the character of God.      Joseph framed his brothers' betrayal through the lens of God's providence, saying, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen 50:20; cf. Gen 45:5, 7; Rom 8:28). Rather than allow bitterness or victimhood to dominate his thoughts, Joseph chose to interpret his painful past through the divine perspective of God's sovereign hand. Though deeply wounded by those closest to him, he refused to let their evil define his outlook or determine his response. Instead, he elevated his thinking above the horizontal plane of human injustice and aligned it vertically with God's greater purposes. Joseph recognized that behind the malice of men was the mastery of God, who sovereignly orchestrated his circumstances to preserve life.      Spiritual maturity demands mental discipline. The believer who neglects the Word of God leaves his mind exposed and his emotions vulnerable to the assaults of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Without a steady intake of Scripture and the practice of biblical thinking, the mind can quickly become a playground for fear, doubt, anger, or despair. But the one who saturates his thinking with God's Word, meditates on it day and night (Psa 1:2), and leans into the Spirit's guidance (Eph 5:18; Gal 5:16) will find strength, stability, and clarity—even in the fiercest spiritual storms. As Paul told Timothy, “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim 1:7); the word discipline (σωφρονισμός, sōphronismos) refers to a sound, self-controlled mind.      In the chaos of a fallen world, believers must choose to take every thought captive (2 Cor 10:5), renew their minds daily (Rom 12:2), and set their minds “on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col 3:2). This is a deliberate, Spirit-enabled mindset grounded in the truth of God's Word. Through this mental discipline, we maintain spiritual composure, emotional balance, and unwavering hope in the faithfulness of our God. Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div., B.Sc.  

Prayer is one of the most powerful functions of your Christian life, when done according to God's protocol. Prayer is an extension and reflection of your spiritual life, based on the content of God's Word in your soul. Take your appreciation and requests to God and have the tranquility of God's peace. “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7).⁠ The Lord Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit intercede on your behalf, praying for you! “He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom 8:27). Prayer is not designed to get you out of trouble, but rather to express your helplessness and dependence on God.Download Transcript⁠: https://rhem.pub/power-prayer-8fcbd0

This blogcast explores “St. Philip Neri: Patron Saint of JOY!" written by Annie Harton and read by Brian Rhude.In this blog post, Annie reminds us of our call to exude joy in our daily lives following the example of St. Philip Neri. In the last days leading up to His passion, Jesus said, “So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you” (Jn 16:22). In the wild times we live in, joy sometimes can be hard to find. Discouragement and confusion are often tools of the devil as he tries to distract us from this promise of Christ: joy can ALWAYS be ours. Jesus used the most unimaginable instrument of torture as the awesome instrument of salvation. On Good Friday, the Devil thought he won. On Easter Sunday, God turned the Cross into a gift. If you want to confuse the devil, be joyful. When St. Paul was imprisoned in Rome, one could think his ministry would cease. Instead of giving into discouragement, St. Paul wrote the Epistle of Joy to the people of Philippi thanking them for the blessing that they were to him and encouraging them in their faith. St. Paul stared death in the face a number of times before his beheading in Rome, but we don't have to have these dramatic experiences to embrace our mortality. St. Philip suggests that we “prepare for death and live each day as if it were our last. Fill up days with goodness and don't let them be squandered.” When asked what time it was on his deathbed, St. Philip said, “It's eight… in an hour it'll be nine, then ten, eleven, and midnight.” His companions responded by giggling before going to sleep. His legacy even in his last moments is joy! How can we be apostles of joy today? St. Philip suggests, “Have all the fun you want, but just don't offend God.” He also suggests, “Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if He wants anything of you, He will fit you for the work and give you strength.” St. Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:4-9). ​Let us ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with an abundance of the spiritual fruit of joy! We pray for the intercession of St. Philip and St. Paul to show us how to radiate joy no matter the circumstances around us. Author:Annie Harton is a proud alumna of Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, and speaker. Her self-published book, Single Truth: You Are More than Your Relationship Status, inspired her to start a business called You Are More. She specializes in helping singles and couples explore how they're more than their diagnoses, their pasts, their jobs, and their relationship statuses while also reminding them that God is more than any problem they bring Him. You can find out more about Annie and inquire about working with her at youaremore.org and annieharton.com Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

In 1939, J.R. Tolkin took Robert Dickmans hypothesis one step further in a lecture he delivered titled, On Fairy Stories. In his lecture, Tolkin said the following about fairytales and those who create them: Probably every writer making a secondary world, a fantasy, every sub-creator, wishes in some measure to be a real maker, or hopes that he is drawing on reality: hopes that the peculiar quality of this secondary world (if not all the details) are derived from reality, or are flowing into it. The peculiar quality of the joy in successful Fantasy can thus be explained as a sudden glimpse of the underlying reality or truth. The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind, which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories. But this story is supreme, and it is true. Art has been verified. God is the Lord, of angels, and of menand of elves. Legend and History have met and fused.[1] In the Bible, the three great antagonists that we face in our story include the great serpent, the problem of sin, and death (in that order). Satan entered into the Garden as a serpent where the first man and woman enjoyed true love with both God and each other, they were tempted to sin against God by the Serpent. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit that God commanded them not to eat and a curse was pronounced upon all of creation, and ever since that fateful day, sin and death have vandalized the peace we were created to enjoy with God. In the wake of Adam and Eves rebellion and under the shadow of evil and death, God gifted Adam and Eve a promise: The great serpent would one day be destroyed: And I will make enemies Of you and the woman, And of your offspring and her Descendant; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise Him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15) So who or what is the serpent? In The Lord of the Rings, he is the Dark Lord Sauron. In The Wizard of Oz, he is the Wicked Witch of the West. In The Matrix, he is Agent Smith. In The Chronicles of Narnia, he is the White Witch. In Superman, He is Lex Luther. In Star Wars, he is Darth Vader and every evil Sith Lord before and after him. The serpent is Lucifer, the devil, the father of lies, the accuser, and the great dragon. There is another antagonist that is the consequence of our sin and rebellion, and that is death. The word gospel simply means good news, and oh is there good news my dear brothers and sisters! The apostle Paul spoke of it in his epistle to the Romans: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). The gospel of Jesus Christ from Genesis through the last chapter of Revelation has everything that every great story requires, and it is a story that has the power to not only transform, but to save! The gospel of Jesus Christ is supreme because it is indeed true, and it is seen and heard throughout the 23rd Psalm! The Good Shepherd Guides His Sheep through the Valley of Deep Darkness On resurrection Sunday, we looked at the first part of verse 4, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me... Even if your first Sunday at Meadowbrooke was on that day, you should know by now that the Lord of the 23rd Psalm is the Good Shepherd, and His name is Jesus! He is my shepherd; therefore I will not be in need. Why will I not be in need? Well... because He is my bread of life who satisfies my hunger and quenches my thirst (John 6:35)! Why will I not be in need? Well... because He is the Light of the world who lights up the darkness that surrounds me (John 8:12)! Why again will I never ever be in need so long as Jesus is my shepherd? Well... let me tell you: He for me is the resurrection and the life who has promised that not even death can take from me what I already have in Him (John 11:25-26)! Now, just because Jesus is my Shepherd, that does not mean that I am exempt from walking through the valley of the shadow of death. As I said on Easter Sunday, we all must experience the valley of utter darkness that includes suffering, sickness, a broken world, and even death; however, those whose shepherd is Jesus only must walk through it while everyone else must walk in it. For the one who does not know Jesus as the bread of life, the light of the world, and the resurrection of life will never know the kind of hope that transcends the grave. For the one whose shepherd is not Jesus, the grave is deaths victory dance over you, and the news only gets worse beyond the grave. Jesus said, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28). Again, to all who would refuse Jesus as the good shepherd, He warned: Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matt. 7:1314). Jesus is the narrow gate! For those whose shepherd is Jesus, then the valley of the shadow of death is a temporary experience that you are only passing through. Do you know what that means? It means that there is life at the end of the valley! There is a table, and there is oil, and there is a cup placed into your hand dear Christian that is overflowing with His goodness and faithfulness all the days of your life! At that table, we will hold high that cup and toast: Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:55-57). The Good Shepherd Comforts His Sheep with His Rod and Staff What is the significance of Jesus rod and staff? For starters, He is the one leading us through the deep dark valleys on this side of eternity; while in the valley, we have no reason to fear evil because He is with us, and while with us... He is armed with His rod and staff. In their commentary on the Psalms, Josh Smith and Daniel Akin comment: We are going through the deep, dark valleys because our good shepherd is leading us! The dark valley is part of the path of righteousness.[2] Not to belabor the point I made previously, but what does the dark valley include? It includes pain, it includes suffering, it includes disease, it includes achy joints, it includes persecution, and it even includes death! After all, Jesus did say: In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33b). You may be saying in response to this: Pastor Keith, what about what Jesus said in John 10:10? Here is what Jesus said: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. The thief is anything or anyone that promises to give you what only Jesus is able to give, and the abundant life is a life with Jesus. Now, what about the rod and staff? Why not just the rod or only the staff? Why both? The rod was typically used as offensive weapon against any predator that would threaten the sheep from the outside while the staff was used to direct, round up, and pull in the sheep. While the rod is used to protect the sheep from enemies, the staff is used to protect the sheep from themselves. Jesus guides me with His staff, and as He does, He leads me through the valley to the table where He has prepared a feast for me. Because it is Jesus who carries the rod and the staff, I can be confident that Jesus will lead me to where I need to go, or as the apostle Paul put it: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6), and He will use His rod and staff to do it. Or as one person wrote: Jesus Christ, our Shepherd, is no emaciated weakling. Our Shepherd is a warrior, as shepherds had to be. No one can snatch his sheep out of his hand (John 10:28). The muscles of his arm are flexed to defend his flock; he doesnt carry a club for nothing. He is obviously enough for whatever the valley throws at us.[3] What is the point of verse 4? Here is the point: If Jesus is my shepherd, then even in the darkest moments of life I have all that I need because I have Him. Or, as the modern hymn, Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me, so adequately and helpfully states: The night is dark, but I am not forsakenFor by my side, the Savior, He will stayI labor on in weakness and rejoicingFor in my need, His power is displayed To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend meThrough the deepest valley, He will leadOh, the night has been won, and I shall overcomeYet not I, but through Christ in me The Good Shepherd Prepares a Feast for His Sheep in the Presence of Their Enemies So, where is He leading me? Where is He leading you dear Christian? What is waiting for me, and what is waiting for all who are being led by the Good Shepherd? A table that has been prepared by Jesus is what is waiting for His sheep. What is on that table? A feast is what is on that table! What is the meaning of this feast that He has prepared? It is a testament, it is proof, and it is a witness to Gods favor upon His sheep. This, my friend, is the abundant life Jesus provides! Again, another set of verses from Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me rings true! No fate I dread, I know I am forgivenThe future's sure, the price, it has been paidFor Jesus bled and suffered for my pardonAnd He was raised to overthrow the grave To this I hold, my sin has been defeatedJesus, now and ever is my pleaOh, the chains are released, I can sing, "I am free"Yet not I, but through Christ in me Where is the table set for His redeemed to feast? It is set in the place that my enemies are made to watch and not permitted to touch, take, or taunt because of the One who has prepared the table for me. But do not miss that before my enemies and yours, He has anointed us with oil and placed a cup in each of our hands! Besides the fact that in the dry and hot climate of the valley, oil would be used to sooth the skin and wine would be consumed to clear the throat. However, there is more to the oil and the cup! The imagery of oil and wine in the Bible speak of joy and prosperity. Conclusion When I think of the table in Psalm 23:5, I cannot help but think of three feasts mentioned in the Bible. The first happened while the Hebrew people were surrounded by Egypt under the bondage of Pharoh. On the eve of their deliverance they marked their doorposts with the blood of a lamb with no defects and feasted on that lamb. After they feasted, God delivered the Hebrews from the bondage of slavery and defeated Pharoh and his army, and then they sang a song known as, The Song of Moses that included this verse: The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him... (Exod. 15:2), and concludes with these words: The Lord shall reign forever and ever (15:18). The second feast is the one Jesus celebrated with His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion and death. Like Moses and the Hebrews before, Jesus and His disciples sat at a table to the feast of the Passover. During the meal, Jesus and his disciples no doubt recited or even sang the Song of Moses: The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation... There were four cups that the disciples drank from during the Passover which were, The cup of sanctification (holiness) to start the celebration and a reminder of the holiness of God. The cup of salvation (deliverance) symbolizing Gods deliverance which was drunk after the retelling of the Exodus story. The cup of redemption (blessing), which was drunk after the meal which represented Gods act of redeeming Israel. The cup of glory (praise) which was drunk at the very end representing the future redemption and coming of the Messiah. It was this cup that Jesus said, Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.... I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Fathers kingdom (Matt. 26:26-29). After that feast, Jesus atoned for sin on the cross and then defeated the curse of sin and death by rising on the third day. Just before He died on the cross, He declared: It is finished (John 19:30)! The third feast has not happened yet, and we learn of it in Revelation 19:7-10; it is the Marriage feast we will celebrate with Jesus as His Bride. I believe that at this coming feast Jesus will pick up the fourth cup and drink it with us. Do you know what will come after that feast? The defeat of the nations gathered against Jesus and the final defeat of Satan. According to Revelation 15, do you know what song all of heaven will sing on that day? Here is what we are told: And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! Who will not fear You, Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed. (Rev. 15:34) So, can you guess what comes after the banquet prepared before His people in the presence of our enemies in Psalm 23:5? You guessed it! What comes after is the triumph of the Lamb of God over all that stands against those whom He has redeemed! [1] J. R. R. Tolkien. On Fairy Stories (1939). [2] J. Josh Smith and Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in Psalms 150, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2022), 175. [3] David Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus Our Shepherd, Companion, and Host (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), 90.

In 1939, J.R. Tolkin took Robert Dickmans hypothesis one step further in a lecture he delivered titled, On Fairy Stories. In his lecture, Tolkin said the following about fairytales and those who create them: Probably every writer making a secondary world, a fantasy, every sub-creator, wishes in some measure to be a real maker, or hopes that he is drawing on reality: hopes that the peculiar quality of this secondary world (if not all the details) are derived from reality, or are flowing into it. The peculiar quality of the joy in successful Fantasy can thus be explained as a sudden glimpse of the underlying reality or truth. The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind, which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories. But this story is supreme, and it is true. Art has been verified. God is the Lord, of angels, and of menand of elves. Legend and History have met and fused.[1] In the Bible, the three great antagonists that we face in our story include the great serpent, the problem of sin, and death (in that order). Satan entered into the Garden as a serpent where the first man and woman enjoyed true love with both God and each other, they were tempted to sin against God by the Serpent. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit that God commanded them not to eat and a curse was pronounced upon all of creation, and ever since that fateful day, sin and death have vandalized the peace we were created to enjoy with God. In the wake of Adam and Eves rebellion and under the shadow of evil and death, God gifted Adam and Eve a promise: The great serpent would one day be destroyed: And I will make enemies Of you and the woman, And of your offspring and her Descendant; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise Him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15) So who or what is the serpent? In The Lord of the Rings, he is the Dark Lord Sauron. In The Wizard of Oz, he is the Wicked Witch of the West. In The Matrix, he is Agent Smith. In The Chronicles of Narnia, he is the White Witch. In Superman, He is Lex Luther. In Star Wars, he is Darth Vader and every evil Sith Lord before and after him. The serpent is Lucifer, the devil, the father of lies, the accuser, and the great dragon. There is another antagonist that is the consequence of our sin and rebellion, and that is death. The word gospel simply means good news, and oh is there good news my dear brothers and sisters! The apostle Paul spoke of it in his epistle to the Romans: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). The gospel of Jesus Christ from Genesis through the last chapter of Revelation has everything that every great story requires, and it is a story that has the power to not only transform, but to save! The gospel of Jesus Christ is supreme because it is indeed true, and it is seen and heard throughout the 23rd Psalm! The Good Shepherd Guides His Sheep through the Valley of Deep Darkness On resurrection Sunday, we looked at the first part of verse 4, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me... Even if your first Sunday at Meadowbrooke was on that day, you should know by now that the Lord of the 23rd Psalm is the Good Shepherd, and His name is Jesus! He is my shepherd; therefore I will not be in need. Why will I not be in need? Well... because He is my bread of life who satisfies my hunger and quenches my thirst (John 6:35)! Why will I not be in need? Well... because He is the Light of the world who lights up the darkness that surrounds me (John 8:12)! Why again will I never ever be in need so long as Jesus is my shepherd? Well... let me tell you: He for me is the resurrection and the life who has promised that not even death can take from me what I already have in Him (John 11:25-26)! Now, just because Jesus is my Shepherd, that does not mean that I am exempt from walking through the valley of the shadow of death. As I said on Easter Sunday, we all must experience the valley of utter darkness that includes suffering, sickness, a broken world, and even death; however, those whose shepherd is Jesus only must walk through it while everyone else must walk in it. For the one who does not know Jesus as the bread of life, the light of the world, and the resurrection of life will never know the kind of hope that transcends the grave. For the one whose shepherd is not Jesus, the grave is deaths victory dance over you, and the news only gets worse beyond the grave. Jesus said, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28). Again, to all who would refuse Jesus as the good shepherd, He warned: Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matt. 7:1314). Jesus is the narrow gate! For those whose shepherd is Jesus, then the valley of the shadow of death is a temporary experience that you are only passing through. Do you know what that means? It means that there is life at the end of the valley! There is a table, and there is oil, and there is a cup placed into your hand dear Christian that is overflowing with His goodness and faithfulness all the days of your life! At that table, we will hold high that cup and toast: Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:55-57). The Good Shepherd Comforts His Sheep with His Rod and Staff What is the significance of Jesus rod and staff? For starters, He is the one leading us through the deep dark valleys on this side of eternity; while in the valley, we have no reason to fear evil because He is with us, and while with us... He is armed with His rod and staff. In their commentary on the Psalms, Josh Smith and Daniel Akin comment: We are going through the deep, dark valleys because our good shepherd is leading us! The dark valley is part of the path of righteousness.[2] Not to belabor the point I made previously, but what does the dark valley include? It includes pain, it includes suffering, it includes disease, it includes achy joints, it includes persecution, and it even includes death! After all, Jesus did say: In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33b). You may be saying in response to this: Pastor Keith, what about what Jesus said in John 10:10? Here is what Jesus said: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. The thief is anything or anyone that promises to give you what only Jesus is able to give, and the abundant life is a life with Jesus. Now, what about the rod and staff? Why not just the rod or only the staff? Why both? The rod was typically used as offensive weapon against any predator that would threaten the sheep from the outside while the staff was used to direct, round up, and pull in the sheep. While the rod is used to protect the sheep from enemies, the staff is used to protect the sheep from themselves. Jesus guides me with His staff, and as He does, He leads me through the valley to the table where He has prepared a feast for me. Because it is Jesus who carries the rod and the staff, I can be confident that Jesus will lead me to where I need to go, or as the apostle Paul put it: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6), and He will use His rod and staff to do it. Or as one person wrote: Jesus Christ, our Shepherd, is no emaciated weakling. Our Shepherd is a warrior, as shepherds had to be. No one can snatch his sheep out of his hand (John 10:28). The muscles of his arm are flexed to defend his flock; he doesnt carry a club for nothing. He is obviously enough for whatever the valley throws at us.[3] What is the point of verse 4? Here is the point: If Jesus is my shepherd, then even in the darkest moments of life I have all that I need because I have Him. Or, as the modern hymn, Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me, so adequately and helpfully states: The night is dark, but I am not forsakenFor by my side, the Savior, He will stayI labor on in weakness and rejoicingFor in my need, His power is displayed To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend meThrough the deepest valley, He will leadOh, the night has been won, and I shall overcomeYet not I, but through Christ in me The Good Shepherd Prepares a Feast for His Sheep in the Presence of Their Enemies So, where is He leading me? Where is He leading you dear Christian? What is waiting for me, and what is waiting for all who are being led by the Good Shepherd? A table that has been prepared by Jesus is what is waiting for His sheep. What is on that table? A feast is what is on that table! What is the meaning of this feast that He has prepared? It is a testament, it is proof, and it is a witness to Gods favor upon His sheep. This, my friend, is the abundant life Jesus provides! Again, another set of verses from Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me rings true! No fate I dread, I know I am forgivenThe future's sure, the price, it has been paidFor Jesus bled and suffered for my pardonAnd He was raised to overthrow the grave To this I hold, my sin has been defeatedJesus, now and ever is my pleaOh, the chains are released, I can sing, "I am free"Yet not I, but through Christ in me Where is the table set for His redeemed to feast? It is set in the place that my enemies are made to watch and not permitted to touch, take, or taunt because of the One who has prepared the table for me. But do not miss that before my enemies and yours, He has anointed us with oil and placed a cup in each of our hands! Besides the fact that in the dry and hot climate of the valley, oil would be used to sooth the skin and wine would be consumed to clear the throat. However, there is more to the oil and the cup! The imagery of oil and wine in the Bible speak of joy and prosperity. Conclusion When I think of the table in Psalm 23:5, I cannot help but think of three feasts mentioned in the Bible. The first happened while the Hebrew people were surrounded by Egypt under the bondage of Pharoh. On the eve of their deliverance they marked their doorposts with the blood of a lamb with no defects and feasted on that lamb. After they feasted, God delivered the Hebrews from the bondage of slavery and defeated Pharoh and his army, and then they sang a song known as, The Song of Moses that included this verse: The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him... (Exod. 15:2), and concludes with these words: The Lord shall reign forever and ever (15:18). The second feast is the one Jesus celebrated with His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion and death. Like Moses and the Hebrews before, Jesus and His disciples sat at a table to the feast of the Passover. During the meal, Jesus and his disciples no doubt recited or even sang the Song of Moses: The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation... There were four cups that the disciples drank from during the Passover which were, The cup of sanctification (holiness) to start the celebration and a reminder of the holiness of God. The cup of salvation (deliverance) symbolizing Gods deliverance which was drunk after the retelling of the Exodus story. The cup of redemption (blessing), which was drunk after the meal which represented Gods act of redeeming Israel. The cup of glory (praise) which was drunk at the very end representing the future redemption and coming of the Messiah. It was this cup that Jesus said, Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.... I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Fathers kingdom (Matt. 26:26-29). After that feast, Jesus atoned for sin on the cross and then defeated the curse of sin and death by rising on the third day. Just before He died on the cross, He declared: It is finished (John 19:30)! The third feast has not happened yet, and we learn of it in Revelation 19:7-10; it is the Marriage feast we will celebrate with Jesus as His Bride. I believe that at this coming feast Jesus will pick up the fourth cup and drink it with us. Do you know what will come after that feast? The defeat of the nations gathered against Jesus and the final defeat of Satan. According to Revelation 15, do you know what song all of heaven will sing on that day? Here is what we are told: And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! Who will not fear You, Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed. (Rev. 15:34) So, can you guess what comes after the banquet prepared before His people in the presence of our enemies in Psalm 23:5? You guessed it! What comes after is the triumph of the Lamb of God over all that stands against those whom He has redeemed! [1] J. R. R. Tolkien. On Fairy Stories (1939). [2] J. Josh Smith and Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in Psalms 150, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2022), 175. [3] David Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus Our Shepherd, Companion, and Host (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), 90.

In this podcast, Dr. Daniel Gualtieri shares important strategies for running your race—the race that God has called you to—and crossing the finish line to win the prize.Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win (1 Cor. 9:24 NASB).You have to prepare and condition yourself much more before you run the actual race. This is what the Christian life is all about—preparing yourself with the Word and studying to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. We also need to be led by the Holy Spirit so we can run our own race, and not someone else's.The race itself is short compared to the preparation time that is much longer. We need to show up for practice and make ourselves experts in the Word of God so that we will be ready to fulfill the assignment that God has given to each and every one of us.Our goal is not only to run the race, but to win and receive the prize. That means spending time in God's Word, putting the Word in our heart and speaking it out of our mouth.My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life (Prov. 4:20-23).Instead of listening to the voices and lies of the world, we need to put a demand on our senses to obey the Word of God. We need to find what the Word says about the affairs of this life and how to live our own Christian walk, including relationships, marriage, finances, healing and health.If we are going to win, we need to have a very close relationship with God through His Word.It is important for us to find our own pace and breath in the race, making sure that we can perform and finish the race, and that we do not overspend our strength in the beginning. Remember, we can't run someone else's race.I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14 ESV).The only way to get the prize is to cross the finish line. Make sure to prepare yourself and have enough resources and energy to cross the finish line. Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life. Hide the Word of God in your heart. Don't speak the problem, but speak the solution.Challenge yourself every day to live a life of love, joy, peace, and all the fruit of the Spirit. Run in such a way to win the race!

On the first Christmas, an angel appeared to some shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks at night. We are told that at the angels appearing, the shepherds were terribly frightened. The angel announced to the shepherds: And so the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Luke 2:1012). The Christmas story does not begin with the shepherds, or with the angels visit to Mary with the words: Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:31-33). The story of Christmas began long before the promise made to Marys fianc, Joseph: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:20b-21). The story of Christmas begins in Genesis 1:1 with the words: In the beginning. It involves an antagonist (the devil), it is all about a hero (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit), and it is about our need to be rescued (we have a sin problem). The story of Christmas is a story that transforms unlike any other story; it is a story identified by one word in the Bible, and that word is, Gospel which means, good news. Of this good news, the apostle Paul wrote: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). The Christmas story is about the promised savior born to be kingthe Lion of the Tribe of Judah from whom, The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet (Gen. 29:10). Christmas is the ancient promise that the Son of David would be unlike any other king in that God would, establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:13). The coming King who would save His people from their sins would be Immanuel (Isa. 7:14)God with us. What is the Helmet of Salvation? Like the soldiers shield, the helmet could be taken of and put back on. The helmet of the Roman soldier was made of bronze and had cheek pieces to provide protection to his head. Like the breastplate of righteousness, Paul draws his language from Isaiah 59:17, He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a cloak. If you recall from my sermon on the breastplate of righteousness, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 who was, pierced for our offences, and was crushed for our wrongdoings is the Divine Warrior of Isaiah 59, which begins with these words: Behold, the Lords hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear (v. 1). The One who is able to save is the One to Whom righteousness and salvation truly belongs. When redemption and righteousness was beyond the reach of sinful humanity, Immanuel put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head and was born of a virgin to save us from our sins. But what does it mean to be saved from our sins, and is salvation something that can be taken up and put off like a helmet? To answer those questions we must answer what salvation is. Salvation literally means, preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. In the strictest and most biblical sense, salvation is something that has happened in the past, but it is also happening in the present, and yes... it is also something that will happen in the future. In other words, Jesus came to save his people from their sins so that they can be saved from the past, the present, and in the future, from the full curse of sin. How so? Well, think about what was announced: Jesus came to save His people from their sins. When Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation was brought under a curse, and that curse includes not only our propensity to sin against God, but also death and the vandalizing of a peace with God all of humanity was intended to enjoy. Here is what the Bible says: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned... (Rom. 5:12). So, when it comes to our salvation, Timothy Keller said, The Bible says every Christian stands in the middle of three tenses of their salvation. You cant understand the glory and the beauty of it unless you see it. In fact, you wont be able to understand the Scripture and you wont be able to understand whats happening to you if you dont understand.[1] We stand in the past tense of our salvation: You have been saved from the penalty of sin and pardoned from your guilt and now have been covered under the righteousness of Christ and are justified before a holy God (1 Pet. 3:18). We stand in the reality that we have been saved from the penalty of sin! We stand in the present tense of our salvation: You are being saved in the sense that God is changing you through the power of His Holy Spirit. The evidence of your nature to sin is still there and the struggle against your own sin is very real, but each moment that you move closer to death on this side of eternity is one step closer to Christlikeness. This is the fight I was talking about last week. In this present life you, Christian, fight the good fight of the faith and by doing so, we take hold of the eternal life to which you have been called (1 Tim. 6:12). We stand in the reality that we are being saved from the power of sin! We stand in the future tense of our salvation: Because we have been saved from the penalty of sin and we are being saved from the power of sin because Jesus, as the Divine Warrior of Isaiah 59, is able and will indeed rescue us from all sin. The third verse in the carol, Joy to the Word, rightly states: No more let sins and sorrows grow,Nor thorns infest the ground;He comes to make his blessings flowFar as the curse is found. Jesus came to save us from our sins in the sense that He will make his blessings flow as far as the curse is found, and on that day: Death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54), what is mortal will be swallowed up by life (2 Cor. 5:4), sorrow and singing will flee away (Isa. 51:11), every tear will be wiped away (Rev. 21:1-4), and all things will be made new (Rev. 21:5). We stand in the reality that we will be saved from the presence of sin... forever and will receive a better and more glorious Eden! The salvation that Jesus came to deliver is not something we take off and put on again, so what then is the helmet of salvation? According to 1 Thessalonians 5:8, the helmet of salvation is the hope of our salvation: But since we are of the day, lets be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.Because we are saved, being saved, and will be saved... we live in the hope of our salvation no matter what the enemy launches at us or does to us, the night is almost gone, and the day is near (Rom. 13:12). How Do You Take Up the Helmet of Salvation? To take up the helmet of salvation is to live in the reality that this mortal life is not the end and that you are now, and forever will, remain a child of the living God! The helmet of salvation protects your head, it protects your mind, it protects your line of sight so that you can see the hope that is yours in Christ. When things in life seem to go south, when this life is shortened by disease, when this worlds resources are stripped away, when the proverbial rug is pulled from underneath, and when it seems that all in this world is lost... you can respond with gospel-centered hope: For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison... (2 Cor. 4:17). The helmet of salvation is the assurance of our salvation! Listen, there are two dangers that every person faces if they are a part of any Bible teaching and gospel centered church. The first danger is to believe that you are a Christian when you are not. If you believe that you can believe in Jesus with your mind for the salvation of your soul with little consequence to the way you are living your life today, then you may not be a genuine Christian. True saving faith is to believe and trust that Jesus life, death, and resurrection is enough for the salvation of your soul; the evidence that you genuinely believe and trust in Jesus as your savior will be evidenced in your standing in your past salvation, present salvation, and hope in your future salvation. Do not forget Ephesians 2:8-10! You were saved by grace through faith in Jesus, and the purpose for your salvation is stated in verse 10, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Genuine saving faith in Jesus will be evidenced by a changing life that looks more and more like Jesus life over the years. The second danger you face in the local church is that the enemy can get you to doubt your salvation. If the enemy can get you to doubt your salvation successfully, he will have a better chance of tempting you to live closer to your sin rather than closer to Jesus as your savior. When you take up the helmet of salvation, you stand in the shoes of the gospel of peace, with your identity in Christ firmly belted around your waist, the righteousness of Christ securely fastened over your chest, so that you can take up your biblically saturated faith. When the devil attempts to undermine your salvation, you can take up your helmet of salvation knowing that only because of Jesus, there is no condemnation for you (Rom. 8:1)! When you take up your helmet of salvation in the enemys presence, you do so with confidence, knowing: ...that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). When the attacks come and the devil or your flesh is all up in your face to tempt you to doubt the sufficiency of Christ, you take up your helmet of salvation with the assurance of 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed... (2 Cor. 4:79). How do you know that the salvation Jesus provided is enough? The One born to save His people from their sins is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace promised long ago (Isa. 9:6-7). He is the promised King whose, times of coming forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity (Micah 5:2). The One born King of the Jews is He who was declared long before His birth through the virgin Mary: I am the first and the last, and there is no God besides Me (Isa. 44:6; Rev. 1:17-18). Jesus can save because He is the righteous Branch of David who is called, Yahweh Our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6). He is Him who is, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation... by Whom all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:15-16). The salvation Jesus provided is enough because, while He existed in the form of God as the Divine Son, He humbled Himself, by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (see Phil. 2:1-11). This is why we can have every confidence that Ephesians 1:7-8 is all that we need for the hope of our salvation: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. So, in light of all that Jesus is and all that he did to secure your salvation, who are you, Chistian? You are chosen by God before the foundation of the world (1:4-6)! Who are you Christian? You are redeemed as a child of God by the blood of His own Son... namely Jesus (1:7-12)! Who are you Christian? You are sealed by the Holy Spirit as a child of the living God until the day when redemption is finally complete (1:13-14). You can have all the confidence that Jesus is enough because He alone is the Divine Warrior qualified to live the life you could not live for the purpose of dying a death you deserved! Jesus is your righteousness, and He is your salvation! On December 4th, I read something Thomas Watson wrote that Jonathan Gibsons O Come, O Come, Emmanuel included in his devotional. When it comes to what our salvation means, Watsons words seem to capture the beauty and magnitude of the Jesus who came to save his people from their sins: He was poor that he might make us rich. He was born of a virgin that we might be born of God. He took our flesh that he might give us his Spirit. He lay in the manger that we might lie in paradise. He came down from heaven that he might bring us to heaven... that the Ancient of Days should be born,--that he who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle,--that he who rules the stars should suck the breast,--that a virgin should conceive,--that Christ should be made of a woman which himself made,--that the branch should bear the vine,--that the mother should be younger than the child she bore, and the child in the womb bigger than the mother,--that the human nature should not be God, yet one with God: this was not only amazing but miraculous. If you a Christian, Jesus is the hope of your salvation for He is the helmet of your salvation. If you are not a Christian, you can receive Him as the Hope of your salvation by surrendering your life to Him as your Savior. [1] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

On the first Christmas, an angel appeared to some shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks at night. We are told that at the angels appearing, the shepherds were terribly frightened. The angel announced to the shepherds: And so the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Luke 2:1012). The Christmas story does not begin with the shepherds, or with the angels visit to Mary with the words: Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:31-33). The story of Christmas began long before the promise made to Marys fianc, Joseph: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:20b-21). The story of Christmas begins in Genesis 1:1 with the words: In the beginning. It involves an antagonist (the devil), it is all about a hero (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit), and it is about our need to be rescued (we have a sin problem). The story of Christmas is a story that transforms unlike any other story; it is a story identified by one word in the Bible, and that word is, Gospel which means, good news. Of this good news, the apostle Paul wrote: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). The Christmas story is about the promised savior born to be kingthe Lion of the Tribe of Judah from whom, The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet (Gen. 29:10). Christmas is the ancient promise that the Son of David would be unlike any other king in that God would, establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:13). The coming King who would save His people from their sins would be Immanuel (Isa. 7:14)God with us. What is the Helmet of Salvation? Like the soldiers shield, the helmet could be taken of and put back on. The helmet of the Roman soldier was made of bronze and had cheek pieces to provide protection to his head. Like the breastplate of righteousness, Paul draws his language from Isaiah 59:17, He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a cloak. If you recall from my sermon on the breastplate of righteousness, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 who was, pierced for our offences, and was crushed for our wrongdoings is the Divine Warrior of Isaiah 59, which begins with these words: Behold, the Lords hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear (v. 1). The One who is able to save is the One to Whom righteousness and salvation truly belongs. When redemption and righteousness was beyond the reach of sinful humanity, Immanuel put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head and was born of a virgin to save us from our sins. But what does it mean to be saved from our sins, and is salvation something that can be taken up and put off like a helmet? To answer those questions we must answer what salvation is. Salvation literally means, preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. In the strictest and most biblical sense, salvation is something that has happened in the past, but it is also happening in the present, and yes... it is also something that will happen in the future. In other words, Jesus came to save his people from their sins so that they can be saved from the past, the present, and in the future, from the full curse of sin. How so? Well, think about what was announced: Jesus came to save His people from their sins. When Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation was brought under a curse, and that curse includes not only our propensity to sin against God, but also death and the vandalizing of a peace with God all of humanity was intended to enjoy. Here is what the Bible says: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned... (Rom. 5:12). So, when it comes to our salvation, Timothy Keller said, The Bible says every Christian stands in the middle of three tenses of their salvation. You cant understand the glory and the beauty of it unless you see it. In fact, you wont be able to understand the Scripture and you wont be able to understand whats happening to you if you dont understand.[1] We stand in the past tense of our salvation: You have been saved from the penalty of sin and pardoned from your guilt and now have been covered under the righteousness of Christ and are justified before a holy God (1 Pet. 3:18). We stand in the reality that we have been saved from the penalty of sin! We stand in the present tense of our salvation: You are being saved in the sense that God is changing you through the power of His Holy Spirit. The evidence of your nature to sin is still there and the struggle against your own sin is very real, but each moment that you move closer to death on this side of eternity is one step closer to Christlikeness. This is the fight I was talking about last week. In this present life you, Christian, fight the good fight of the faith and by doing so, we take hold of the eternal life to which you have been called (1 Tim. 6:12). We stand in the reality that we are being saved from the power of sin! We stand in the future tense of our salvation: Because we have been saved from the penalty of sin and we are being saved from the power of sin because Jesus, as the Divine Warrior of Isaiah 59, is able and will indeed rescue us from all sin. The third verse in the carol, Joy to the Word, rightly states: No more let sins and sorrows grow,Nor thorns infest the ground;He comes to make his blessings flowFar as the curse is found. Jesus came to save us from our sins in the sense that He will make his blessings flow as far as the curse is found, and on that day: Death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54), what is mortal will be swallowed up by life (2 Cor. 5:4), sorrow and singing will flee away (Isa. 51:11), every tear will be wiped away (Rev. 21:1-4), and all things will be made new (Rev. 21:5). We stand in the reality that we will be saved from the presence of sin... forever and will receive a better and more glorious Eden! The salvation that Jesus came to deliver is not something we take off and put on again, so what then is the helmet of salvation? According to 1 Thessalonians 5:8, the helmet of salvation is the hope of our salvation: But since we are of the day, lets be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.Because we are saved, being saved, and will be saved... we live in the hope of our salvation no matter what the enemy launches at us or does to us, the night is almost gone, and the day is near (Rom. 13:12). How Do You Take Up the Helmet of Salvation? To take up the helmet of salvation is to live in the reality that this mortal life is not the end and that you are now, and forever will, remain a child of the living God! The helmet of salvation protects your head, it protects your mind, it protects your line of sight so that you can see the hope that is yours in Christ. When things in life seem to go south, when this life is shortened by disease, when this worlds resources are stripped away, when the proverbial rug is pulled from underneath, and when it seems that all in this world is lost... you can respond with gospel-centered hope: For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison... (2 Cor. 4:17). The helmet of salvation is the assurance of our salvation! Listen, there are two dangers that every person faces if they are a part of any Bible teaching and gospel centered church. The first danger is to believe that you are a Christian when you are not. If you believe that you can believe in Jesus with your mind for the salvation of your soul with little consequence to the way you are living your life today, then you may not be a genuine Christian. True saving faith is to believe and trust that Jesus life, death, and resurrection is enough for the salvation of your soul; the evidence that you genuinely believe and trust in Jesus as your savior will be evidenced in your standing in your past salvation, present salvation, and hope in your future salvation. Do not forget Ephesians 2:8-10! You were saved by grace through faith in Jesus, and the purpose for your salvation is stated in verse 10, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Genuine saving faith in Jesus will be evidenced by a changing life that looks more and more like Jesus life over the years. The second danger you face in the local church is that the enemy can get you to doubt your salvation. If the enemy can get you to doubt your salvation successfully, he will have a better chance of tempting you to live closer to your sin rather than closer to Jesus as your savior. When you take up the helmet of salvation, you stand in the shoes of the gospel of peace, with your identity in Christ firmly belted around your waist, the righteousness of Christ securely fastened over your chest, so that you can take up your biblically saturated faith. When the devil attempts to undermine your salvation, you can take up your helmet of salvation knowing that only because of Jesus, there is no condemnation for you (Rom. 8:1)! When you take up your helmet of salvation in the enemys presence, you do so with confidence, knowing: ...that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). When the attacks come and the devil or your flesh is all up in your face to tempt you to doubt the sufficiency of Christ, you take up your helmet of salvation with the assurance of 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed... (2 Cor. 4:79). How do you know that the salvation Jesus provided is enough? The One born to save His people from their sins is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace promised long ago (Isa. 9:6-7). He is the promised King whose, times of coming forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity (Micah 5:2). The One born King of the Jews is He who was declared long before His birth through the virgin Mary: I am the first and the last, and there is no God besides Me (Isa. 44:6; Rev. 1:17-18). Jesus can save because He is the righteous Branch of David who is called, Yahweh Our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6). He is Him who is, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation... by Whom all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:15-16). The salvation Jesus provided is enough because, while He existed in the form of God as the Divine Son, He humbled Himself, by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (see Phil. 2:1-11). This is why we can have every confidence that Ephesians 1:7-8 is all that we need for the hope of our salvation: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. So, in light of all that Jesus is and all that he did to secure your salvation, who are you, Chistian? You are chosen by God before the foundation of the world (1:4-6)! Who are you Christian? You are redeemed as a child of God by the blood of His own Son... namely Jesus (1:7-12)! Who are you Christian? You are sealed by the Holy Spirit as a child of the living God until the day when redemption is finally complete (1:13-14). You can have all the confidence that Jesus is enough because He alone is the Divine Warrior qualified to live the life you could not live for the purpose of dying a death you deserved! Jesus is your righteousness, and He is your salvation! On December 4th, I read something Thomas Watson wrote that Jonathan Gibsons O Come, O Come, Emmanuel included in his devotional. When it comes to what our salvation means, Watsons words seem to capture the beauty and magnitude of the Jesus who came to save his people from their sins: He was poor that he might make us rich. He was born of a virgin that we might be born of God. He took our flesh that he might give us his Spirit. He lay in the manger that we might lie in paradise. He came down from heaven that he might bring us to heaven... that the Ancient of Days should be born,--that he who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle,--that he who rules the stars should suck the breast,--that a virgin should conceive,--that Christ should be made of a woman which himself made,--that the branch should bear the vine,--that the mother should be younger than the child she bore, and the child in the womb bigger than the mother,--that the human nature should not be God, yet one with God: this was not only amazing but miraculous. If you a Christian, Jesus is the hope of your salvation for He is the helmet of your salvation. If you are not a Christian, you can receive Him as the Hope of your salvation by surrendering your life to Him as your Savior. [1] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1-4 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Good day to you all, dear ones!

God's Word for Today30 Oct, 202423 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked in wrath.24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.26 The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.- Prov 11:23-26 ESV GIVING MORE, GETTING MOREThe earthly and eternal destinies of the righteous and wicked are diametrically opposite. Firstly, in this world, the righteous person's efforts create goodness in the world. They are celebrated and appreciated for improving the lives of others (Prov 11:10). Conversely, the wicked with greed and malice generate misery. As a result, their death is often celebrated by the world. In short, seeking God produces good results, for both oneself and others (Prov 1:7). However, rejecting God leads to ruin (Prov 11:6). The second implication is about their eternal destinies. Those who sincerely seek after God will find Him (Mat 7:7–8), that is finding eternal life (John 3:16–18). However, those who reject God, continuing their sinful lifestyle, will find themselves subject to the wrath of God (John 3:36).Again, Solomon extols the virtue of generosity. The generosity of the righteous has its earthly benefits. Their kindness to others will be repaid, especially in hard times. “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”[v.25 NLT] However, those who are greedy or stingy frequently find themselves ignored during a crisis. He who recognizes God's ownership of all things and commits to using material resources to help others will be blessed (Luke 6:38). This is crucial in the ancient world.Moreover, a greedy person might decide to hoard supplies, looking to profit from the desperation of others. “People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.”[v.26NLT] That would allow the hoarder to charge a higher price as grain became scarce. The result of this is common sense: the people would curse them for doing so. However, a farmer who sold his grain, even in a crisis, to those who needed it, would be praised. The apostle Paul reflects the truth of Prov 11:24 by writing: "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully…God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:6–7). In commending the Philippian believers for their generosity, Paul promised, "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:19). As a note, the motive of the righteous is not to gain more but to serve better for having more resources to serve Him more. Thus, it is giving more that we receive more, to serve God better. Watch in YouTube: https://youtu.be/lPuuvKVODmgListen and FOLLOW us on our podcast Spotify: http://bit.ly/glccfil_spotify Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-applepcast Google Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-googlepcastAudible Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-audibleFollow us on various media platforms: https://gospellightfilipino.contactin.bio#gospellightfilipino#godswordfortoday#bookofProverbs

     A New Testament person who exemplifies living in submission to God is the Apostle Paul. Despite his weaknesses and failures, Paul's life demonstrates steady submission to God's will. His transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a devoted apostle of Christ illustrates this submission. Unlike most Christians, Paul surrendered to the Lord very shortly after his conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). Paul dedicated his life to preaching the gospel and establishing churches throughout the Roman Empire.      Later in his life, Paul said, “I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). Paul's dedication to spreading the Gospel, despite facing numerous hardships, exemplifies submission to God's mission. His letters to early Christian communities reveal his deep commitment to God's mission. Paul traveled, preached, and endured hardships to spread the gospel (2 Cor 11:23-28), facing persecution, imprisonment, and physical suffering while remaining steadfast in his mission.      Paul was in submission to the Lord, but he also acknowledged his sinfulness and weaknesses. Paul's acknowledgment of the presence of evil within him is a candid admission of the internal struggle every believer faces between the flesh and the spirit (Rom 7:18-25). In this passage, Paul expresses the ongoing struggle between his desire to do good, which aligns with God's law, and the sinful nature that still influences his actions. John Witmer states: "In relating his personal experience in Romans 7:14-25, Paul consistently used the present tense whereas he had used the imperfect and aorist tenses. Obviously, he was describing his present conflict as a Christian with indwelling sin and its continuing efforts to control his daily life. The clause, “sold under sin” (kjv), describes an unregenerate person; but sin also resides in a believer, who is still subject to sin's penalty of physical death. As a result, indwelling sin continues to seek to claim what it considers its property even after one has become a Christian."[1]      In Romans 7:14, Paul says “the Law is spiritual,” which means it speaks to the spiritual, inner part of the believer. God, when giving the Law through Moses, was first concerned about their inner person, directing them to “love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deut 10:12). Clearly this speaks to the immaterial part of the believer. Despite Paul's genuine commitment to God and his desire to live righteously, he recognized the reality of sin's presence within himself. This is why Paul could say, “I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good” (Rom 7:21). This struggle doesn't negate his faithfulness but rather highlights his dependence on God's grace and the transformative power of God's Word.      Paul consistently followed God's leading, even when it led to difficult and dangerous situations. His missionary journeys and willingness to suffer for the gospel demonstrate his obedience (Acts 20:22-24). His past as a persecutor of Christians (Phil 3:6, Gal 1:13) and subsequent transformation highlight God's ability to use anyone for His purposes. Paul's letters are filled with teachings on living a life pleasing to God, and he mentored many, such as Timothy and Titus, ensuring the continuation of the gospel message (1 Tim 1:2, Tit 1:4). Despite numerous trials, Paul remained faithful, writing to the Philippians about pressing on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:13-14). His life serves as an example of how, through submission to God, one can be transformed and used mightily despite one's imperfections. Examples of Believers who Submitted Partially or Temporarily      Will the majority of believers surrender all their lives to Him? Generally, no. The biblical pattern is that Jesus will be Lord of some areas of their life, while they keep other areas to themselves. Charles Ryrie states, “The cliché ‘If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all' is simply that—a cliché and not a biblical or theological truth. Jesus can be Lord of aspects of my life while I withhold other areas of my life from His control.”[2] We observe examples of temporary or partial submission throughout Scripture.      From the start, the Exodus generation was positive toward God and “did as the LORD had commanded” (Ex 12:28), demonstrating they had “believed in the LORD” (Ex 14:31). However, after being in the wilderness for a while and hearing the disparaging report of the ten spies about Canaan (Num 13:31-33), the Israelites turned negative, complained greatly, and requested to return to Egypt (Num 14:1-4). As a result of their ongoing negative volition, God judged them and declared they would not enter the promised land but would die in the wilderness (Num 14:29-35; Deut 1:34-35; Heb 3:16-19). The Lord said, “For forty years I was continually disgusted with that generation, and I said, ‘These people desire to go astray; they do not obey my commands.' So I made a vow in my anger, ‘They will never enter into the resting place I had set aside for them'” (Psa 95:10-11 NET). Though that generation was saved, they did not inherit the blessings God had for them.      Likewise, Solomon, a true believer, is a good example of one who was submissive early in his life, but later turned away from the Lord. God called Solomon “My son” (2 Sam 7:14), heard his prayer (2 Ch 1:8-10), made him king over Israel (2 Ch 1:11), granted him “wisdom and knowledge” (2 Ch 1:12), used him to write three books of the Bible (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon), directed him to build the temple in Jerusalem which took seven years (1 Ki 6:38), and made him ruler of Israel for forty years (1 Ki 11:42). We are told, “Solomon loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of his father David” (1 Ki 3:3a). These are all indicators of a true believer. However, by the end of his life, Solomon turned away from the Lord and worshipped idols (1 Ki 11:1-5). Scripture reveals, “Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully” (1 Ki 11:6). Though Solomon was positive toward God early in his life, he turned negative in his later years and was not submissive to the Lord. The record of Solomon is that he never turned back to the Lord and died in rebellion, under divine discipline (1 Ki 11:7-10).      The New Testament provides several examples of believers who were genuinely saved but later turned away from God. Demas is one such example. Initially, he is mentioned positively by Paul (Col 4:14), who even called him a “fellow worker” in the ministry (Philem 1:24). However, in his letter to Timothy, Paul says, “Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica” (2 Tim 4:10). This suggests that Demas, despite his salvation and prior commitment to ministry, later turned away due to his love for the world. Similarly, Paul mentions Hymenaeus and Alexander, who “suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith” (1 Tim 1:19) and says he “handed them over to Satan so that they will be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Tim 1:20). These were believers who turned away from God and suffered divine discipline (Heb 12:6). Paul also reprimanded the Christians in Galatia for their departure from the true gospel, saying, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel” (Gal 1:6). He rebuked them for being “foolish” and “bewitched” for turning away from the Spirit (Gal 3:1-3). This indicates that the Galatians, though initially strong in their faith, were swayed by false teachers and needed correction. Some Believers Initially Say “No” but Later Submit      In Scripture, we have a few examples of believers who initially said “no” to God, but later said “yes” to Him and obeyed His command. Jonah initially refused to obey God's command to go to Nineveh and preach against its wickedness. Instead, “Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD” (Jon 1:3). Later, after Jonah suffered divine discipline (Jon 2:1-10), God directed His prophet to preach in Nineveh (Jon 3:1-2), and “Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD” (Jon 3:3). In the NT, Peter is an example of someone who initially refused to submit to God's will. In Acts 10:9-16, Peter had a vision in which a sheet is lowered from heaven, containing all kinds of animals. God told him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” (Acts 10:13). Peter responded, “No, Lord!” (Acts 10:14a). This happened three times, and each time Peter resisted, saying “no” to the Lord. Eventually, Peter came to understand that the vision symbolized God's acceptance of Gentiles and that he must not call any person impure or unclean. This led to his visit to Cornelius' house, where he preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, showing his eventual submission to God's will (Acts 10:17-48).      For some Christians, like Paul, commitment to the Lord follows quickly after salvation. For others, it occurs later in life. Some never have this opportunity (the thief on the cross), and others waste their time until God eventually takes them home. These are the believers who will stand before the bema seat of Christ, and though saved, will and have nothing to offer the Lord but wood, hay, and straw, which represents a wasted Christian life (1 Cor 3:10-15). Summary      Christians are saved by grace alone (Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Gal 2:16; 3:26; 2 Tim 3:15), in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), totally apart from human works (Rom 4:5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). However, after being born again (1 Pet 1:3, 23), God calls us to learn and live His Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), to walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), and advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1). Though He has blessed us in every way possible (Eph 1:3), we must surrender our lives to Him (Rom 6:13; 12:1-2; Jam 4:7), and prioritize His will over our own, trusting in His plan, and adhering to His commandments with humility and obedience. The Bible shows that while many believers initially submit, some partially submit or later falter, highlighting the challenge of consistent dedication. Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] John A. Witmer, “Romans,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 467. [2] Charles C. Ryrie, So Great Salvation: What It Means to Believe in Jesus Christ (Chicago: Moody Press, 1997), 67.

On October 3, 2004, I preached my first sermon as a candidate for Northwest Baptist Churchs next Senior Pastor. Northwest was considered one of the most dysfunctional churches within the Rocky Mountain district, and although I knew this about the church, there was no way I could fully appreciate just how dysfunctional it really was. So, a very green and 30-year-old version of the pastor that stands before you today preached a sermon on boasting in the Cross of Christ before a congregation with a median age of somewhere in the 60s; my sermon text was from Galatians 6:11-18 and the title of my sermon was, Boasting in the Cross. On October 17th the congregation of Northwest Baptist Church voted to call me as their Senior Pastor. Because I was unsure about moving our family from Pennsylvania to Colorado, I needed more time to pray about it before agreeing to serve as the Senior Pastor of that little church in Denver. Earlier that day, just after the church service at Calvary Baptist Church where I was presently served on the pastoral staff, Bob and Shirley White had given me a gift for Clergy Appreciation Month. I only opened the wrapping paper so that I could thank Bob and Shirley; the gift was a book, and the title of that book was, God as He Longs for You to See Him, by Chip Ingram. I left the book in my office, which was only across the parking lot from where we lived at the time (a house we affectionately nicknamed: Little House on the Parking Lot). Because I needed time to pray, I walked across the parking lot and into my office at Calvary Baptist Church to be alone with the Lord. As I sat down, the book that Bob and Shirley White had given was there in front of my face. As I began to pray, I asked God to give me some indication as to what He wanted me to do; as I was praying, I opened Chip Ingrams book and noticed that Bob and Shirley had written a note on the inside cover: To our dear Christian brother, Keith, who has inspired us through his messages to see and know God as He really is. We love you and may God bless you, Roi Maw, and Nathan. Bob and Shirley White; October 16, 2004. Bob and Shirleys little note also served as Gods way to encourage me to say yes to Northwest Baptist Church; but also served to encourage me to say yes to Meadowbrookes call to become your pastor oddly enough, on the first week of October nearly 14 years to the day that I read Bob and Shirleys note for the first time. I am still convinced as I was twenty years ago, that the best that I can give you is the God of the Bible. I could try to cater to felt needs, but all that really ends up being is a guessing game, and besides, what would that do anyway? I am not going to look at Ephesians 2:19-22 in sequential order like I normally do with a scripture passage but will look at these verses in the order a builder would build a building. We are a Jesus Called Community When it came to the structure of a building, before anything could be built, the cornerstone had to be laid. It was the first stone laid because the dimensions and shape of the rest of the building were dependent upon the shape and size of the cornerstone. If the cornerstone was off, so the rest of the building would be off! If there was anything wrong with the cornerstone such as its dimensions, the way it was cut, or its integrity as the toughest and strongest of the stones used in the building, the structure would be compromised. In the ancient East, the cornerstone was the most expensive of all the stones used in a building because it was the most important part of the building. When it comes to the nature of the Church, Paul says that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone (v. 20b). Against the backdrop of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, stood another temple. Only the temple Paul referred to was living, organic, and holy. Today, it is still being built and it will continue to be built with Jesus as the cornerstone until He is finished building and beatifying His Church. We, the Church, are the great wonder of all of heaven and it is concerning our salvation that we are told: angels long to look (1 Pet. 1:12). Think about who you are Church! In Jesus, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (1:3). In Jesus, we were chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless (v. 4). Through Jesus, we have been adopted as sons and daughters (v. 5). In Jesus, we have redemption through His blood (vv. 7-8). In Jesus, we have obtained an inheritance from God that no one can destroy (v. 11). In Jesus, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit that no one can break (v. 13). We were chosen, redeemed, and sealed all to the praise of the glory of God (vv. 6, 12, 14); which means that the Ephesian Church displayed a glory even greater than the power of 300 billion suns! The prophets and the apostles, through the Scriptures, pointed to Jesus: The prophets point towards Jesus and the apostles point back to Jesus. Long before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah declared: Therefore this is what the Lord Godsays: Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a tested stone, A precious cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. The one who believes in it will not be disturbed (Isa. 28:16). Concerning Jesus, the apostle Peter wrote, And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 2:4-5). As the cornerstone, Jesus is Gods final and most perfect revelation of Himself: God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world (Heb. 1:1-2). As we have learned in the previous verses, it is because of Christ and through Christ that both Jew and Gentile can become one new people group through faith in Him alone. It is through Jesus that we now have access to God the Father (2:18). If you are a Christian, then Jesus is your cornerstone! Think for a moment of what that means. Jesus is the cornerstone because He is the Christ (Isa. 9:6-7). Jesus is the Christ because He is the Great I AM who is the Bread of Life (John 6:35-51), the Light of the World (8:12; 9:5), the Door for His Sheep (10:7-9), the Good Shepherd (10:11-14), the Resurrection and the Life (11:25), and the True Vine (15:1). Jesus is the cornerstone because only He could claim to be, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6). If you are a Christian, then Jesus is your cornerstone by which the entirety of your life is being shaped by Him, and as He is shaping you, so too He is shaping all who truly belong to Him. We are a Word Formed Community The prophets and the apostles represent the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, that we as the temple of God (household) are being built upon. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible claims at least 3,000 times to be The Word of the Lord. And, in all its 66 books and the hundreds of years and many different contributors who were guided by the Holy Spirit, it is without error. In a very real sense, we are a people of the Book, but not just any old book! Consider some of the things that the Bible claims about itself: The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward (Ps. 19:7-11). All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Old Testament and the New Testament are not two separate books nor are they two separate volumes. The Old Testament and New Testament are one book, one story, with one theme: Jesus! This is why Jesus said of Himself, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matt. 5:17); Jesus is Gods Yes to all Gods promises (2 Cor. 1:20). Jesus commanded His disciples after His resurrection and before His ascension: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matt. 28:19-20). Do not miss that He commanded us to teach all that He has commanded. The foundation on which Gods people must stand has always been on the Word of God. Our greatest need is to know God and to be known by Him. The way to know God is through His word, for it is the primary means by which He has revealed Himself. Every time you open your Bible and read the words contained in it, you hear the same voice that was powerful enough to create billions of suns like ours or greater; God has given us a book with His words in it to move and shape us as His people. The words of that Book bear the authority of the Living God and have the supernatural ability through the power of Gods Spirit to speak into your real needs, or as Hebrews 4:12 testifies: For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. You, my dear Christian, must allow your heart to be saturated by it, and the only way to do that is to open your Bible and allow God to speak into your life through His Holy Word, for that is the principle means by which He speaks to His people. Now, permit me to briefly say a word about the preaching of Gods Word as it relates to Gods people: On this side of eternity, God has ordained the preaching of His word as the primary agent for supernatural transformation. This is why we read in the Bible: How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Rom. 10:14, 17). If Romans 10 is not enough for you, consider 1 Corinthians 1:23-24, But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. God has ordained the preaching of His Word to be one of the principle means to equip and strengthen His people for service in His name to the nations. When the proclamation of Gods Word is done responsibly by those who honestly labored over His Word through careful study and prayer then I believe what John Calvin once said is true every time we gather on a Sunday morning: God has so chosen to anoint the lips and tongues of His speakers that when they speak the voice of Jesus comes out (Calvin, Institutes, Book Four). This is why the apostle Paul instructed Timothy who was called to the Ephesian Church as their pastor: In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encouragewith great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Tim. 4:1-4) When we gather under the preaching of Gods Word, there is a God-ordained and supernatural work that Gods people subject themselves to. There are things that happen under the preaching of Gods word during corporate worship that cannot be explained but it is the work only God is able to perform through the authority of His Word proclaimed by the power of His Holy Spirit performed that will often blow your felt needs to ashes so that Gods word is able to address your real needs. We are a In-it-together Community Paul will address what it is that God is doing with His people in the verses and chapters to follow, so I will keep this brief. All I want you to see in verses 19 and 21-22 is this: God has always had a plan for your holiness and blamelessness in Christ, Christian. Through Jesus, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household (v. 19). God is committed to the very thing He has purposed to do in and through you when He set His affection upon you and chose you before the foundation of the world; His purpose in choosing you is that you would be, holy and blameless before Him (Eph. 1:4). When you were dead in your offenses and sins, God made you alive and every other Christian, alive together with Christ. Why did He do it? Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. You were dead! You were an enemy of God! Now you are Gods child! Now you are, of Gods household in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (vv. 20-21). What does this mean? It means that because you are in Christ, God is for you and not against you! It means, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6)! It means that no matter how used up you were, no matter how damaged you were, no matter how ugly your sins were He is making you more and more holy and more and more blameless! Listen. And the way that God is doing it is with Jesus as your cornerstone being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. In Ephesus there was a more glorious and more beautiful temple that made the great temple of Artemis look like a dung heap! It is a temple that continues to be built today and it is the place where the demonic fear because it is a living temple where the Spirit of God dwells; those who are far and near make up that temple. Meadowbrooke Church, we are also a part of that temple. It is because the preeminent Jesus is our cornerstone, and the foundation of His Church is the inspired teaching of the apostles and the prophets, the best and lasting gift I can give you is not a feeble attempt to cater to your felt needs, but the God of the Bible through the faithful preaching and teaching of His Word. So, on that note, I leave you with the words of a beautiful Hymn about a beautifying Bride: The church's one foundationIs Jesus Christ her Lord;She is his new creationBy water and the Word.From heaven he came and sought herTo be his holy bride;With his own blood he bought her,And for her life he died. Elect from every nation,Yet one o'er all the earth;Her charter of salvation,One Lord, one faith, one birth;One holy name she blesses,Partakes one holy food,And to one hope she presses,With every grace endued. The church shall never perish!Her dear Lord to defend,to guide, sustain, and cherish,is with her to the end;though there be those that hate her,and false sons in her pale,against the foe or traitorshe ever shall prevail. Mid toil and tribulation,And tumult of her war,She waits the consummationOf peace forevermore;Till, with the vision glorious,Her longing eyes are blest,And the great church victoriousShall be the church at rest. Yet she on earth hath unionWith God the Three in One,And mystic sweet communionWith those whose rest is won.O happy ones and holy!Lord, give us grace that weLike them, the meek and lowly,On high may dwell with thee.

On October 3, 2004, I preached my first sermon as a candidate for Northwest Baptist Churchs next Senior Pastor. Northwest was considered one of the most dysfunctional churches within the Rocky Mountain district, and although I knew this about the church, there was no way I could fully appreciate just how dysfunctional it really was. So, a very green and 30-year-old version of the pastor that stands before you today preached a sermon on boasting in the Cross of Christ before a congregation with a median age of somewhere in the 60s; my sermon text was from Galatians 6:11-18 and the title of my sermon was, Boasting in the Cross. On October 17th the congregation of Northwest Baptist Church voted to call me as their Senior Pastor. Because I was unsure about moving our family from Pennsylvania to Colorado, I needed more time to pray about it before agreeing to serve as the Senior Pastor of that little church in Denver. Earlier that day, just after the church service at Calvary Baptist Church where I was presently served on the pastoral staff, Bob and Shirley White had given me a gift for Clergy Appreciation Month. I only opened the wrapping paper so that I could thank Bob and Shirley; the gift was a book, and the title of that book was, God as He Longs for You to See Him, by Chip Ingram. I left the book in my office, which was only across the parking lot from where we lived at the time (a house we affectionately nicknamed: Little House on the Parking Lot). Because I needed time to pray, I walked across the parking lot and into my office at Calvary Baptist Church to be alone with the Lord. As I sat down, the book that Bob and Shirley White had given was there in front of my face. As I began to pray, I asked God to give me some indication as to what He wanted me to do; as I was praying, I opened Chip Ingrams book and noticed that Bob and Shirley had written a note on the inside cover: To our dear Christian brother, Keith, who has inspired us through his messages to see and know God as He really is. We love you and may God bless you, Roi Maw, and Nathan. Bob and Shirley White; October 16, 2004. Bob and Shirleys little note also served as Gods way to encourage me to say yes to Northwest Baptist Church; but also served to encourage me to say yes to Meadowbrookes call to become your pastor oddly enough, on the first week of October nearly 14 years to the day that I read Bob and Shirleys note for the first time. I am still convinced as I was twenty years ago, that the best that I can give you is the God of the Bible. I could try to cater to felt needs, but all that really ends up being is a guessing game, and besides, what would that do anyway? I am not going to look at Ephesians 2:19-22 in sequential order like I normally do with a scripture passage but will look at these verses in the order a builder would build a building. We are a Jesus Called Community When it came to the structure of a building, before anything could be built, the cornerstone had to be laid. It was the first stone laid because the dimensions and shape of the rest of the building were dependent upon the shape and size of the cornerstone. If the cornerstone was off, so the rest of the building would be off! If there was anything wrong with the cornerstone such as its dimensions, the way it was cut, or its integrity as the toughest and strongest of the stones used in the building, the structure would be compromised. In the ancient East, the cornerstone was the most expensive of all the stones used in a building because it was the most important part of the building. When it comes to the nature of the Church, Paul says that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone (v. 20b). Against the backdrop of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, stood another temple. Only the temple Paul referred to was living, organic, and holy. Today, it is still being built and it will continue to be built with Jesus as the cornerstone until He is finished building and beatifying His Church. We, the Church, are the great wonder of all of heaven and it is concerning our salvation that we are told: angels long to look (1 Pet. 1:12). Think about who you are Church! In Jesus, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (1:3). In Jesus, we were chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless (v. 4). Through Jesus, we have been adopted as sons and daughters (v. 5). In Jesus, we have redemption through His blood (vv. 7-8). In Jesus, we have obtained an inheritance from God that no one can destroy (v. 11). In Jesus, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit that no one can break (v. 13). We were chosen, redeemed, and sealed all to the praise of the glory of God (vv. 6, 12, 14); which means that the Ephesian Church displayed a glory even greater than the power of 300 billion suns! The prophets and the apostles, through the Scriptures, pointed to Jesus: The prophets point towards Jesus and the apostles point back to Jesus. Long before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah declared: Therefore this is what the Lord Godsays: Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a tested stone, A precious cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. The one who believes in it will not be disturbed (Isa. 28:16). Concerning Jesus, the apostle Peter wrote, And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 2:4-5). As the cornerstone, Jesus is Gods final and most perfect revelation of Himself: God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world (Heb. 1:1-2). As we have learned in the previous verses, it is because of Christ and through Christ that both Jew and Gentile can become one new people group through faith in Him alone. It is through Jesus that we now have access to God the Father (2:18). If you are a Christian, then Jesus is your cornerstone! Think for a moment of what that means. Jesus is the cornerstone because He is the Christ (Isa. 9:6-7). Jesus is the Christ because He is the Great I AM who is the Bread of Life (John 6:35-51), the Light of the World (8:12; 9:5), the Door for His Sheep (10:7-9), the Good Shepherd (10:11-14), the Resurrection and the Life (11:25), and the True Vine (15:1). Jesus is the cornerstone because only He could claim to be, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6). If you are a Christian, then Jesus is your cornerstone by which the entirety of your life is being shaped by Him, and as He is shaping you, so too He is shaping all who truly belong to Him. We are a Word Formed Community The prophets and the apostles represent the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, that we as the temple of God (household) are being built upon. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible claims at least 3,000 times to be The Word of the Lord. And, in all its 66 books and the hundreds of years and many different contributors who were guided by the Holy Spirit, it is without error. In a very real sense, we are a people of the Book, but not just any old book! Consider some of the things that the Bible claims about itself: The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward (Ps. 19:7-11). All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Old Testament and the New Testament are not two separate books nor are they two separate volumes. The Old Testament and New Testament are one book, one story, with one theme: Jesus! This is why Jesus said of Himself, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matt. 5:17); Jesus is Gods Yes to all Gods promises (2 Cor. 1:20). Jesus commanded His disciples after His resurrection and before His ascension: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matt. 28:19-20). Do not miss that He commanded us to teach all that He has commanded. The foundation on which Gods people must stand has always been on the Word of God. Our greatest need is to know God and to be known by Him. The way to know God is through His word, for it is the primary means by which He has revealed Himself. Every time you open your Bible and read the words contained in it, you hear the same voice that was powerful enough to create billions of suns like ours or greater; God has given us a book with His words in it to move and shape us as His people. The words of that Book bear the authority of the Living God and have the supernatural ability through the power of Gods Spirit to speak into your real needs, or as Hebrews 4:12 testifies: For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. You, my dear Christian, must allow your heart to be saturated by it, and the only way to do that is to open your Bible and allow God to speak into your life through His Holy Word, for that is the principle means by which He speaks to His people. Now, permit me to briefly say a word about the preaching of Gods Word as it relates to Gods people: On this side of eternity, God has ordained the preaching of His word as the primary agent for supernatural transformation. This is why we read in the Bible: How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Rom. 10:14, 17). If Romans 10 is not enough for you, consider 1 Corinthians 1:23-24, But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. God has ordained the preaching of His Word to be one of the principle means to equip and strengthen His people for service in His name to the nations. When the proclamation of Gods Word is done responsibly by those who honestly labored over His Word through careful study and prayer then I believe what John Calvin once said is true every time we gather on a Sunday morning: God has so chosen to anoint the lips and tongues of His speakers that when they speak the voice of Jesus comes out (Calvin, Institutes, Book Four). This is why the apostle Paul instructed Timothy who was called to the Ephesian Church as their pastor: In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encouragewith great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Tim. 4:1-4) When we gather under the preaching of Gods Word, there is a God-ordained and supernatural work that Gods people subject themselves to. There are things that happen under the preaching of Gods word during corporate worship that cannot be explained but it is the work only God is able to perform through the authority of His Word proclaimed by the power of His Holy Spirit performed that will often blow your felt needs to ashes so that Gods word is able to address your real needs. We are a In-it-together Community Paul will address what it is that God is doing with His people in the verses and chapters to follow, so I will keep this brief. All I want you to see in verses 19 and 21-22 is this: God has always had a plan for your holiness and blamelessness in Christ, Christian. Through Jesus, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household (v. 19). God is committed to the very thing He has purposed to do in and through you when He set His affection upon you and chose you before the foundation of the world; His purpose in choosing you is that you would be, holy and blameless before Him (Eph. 1:4). When you were dead in your offenses and sins, God made you alive and every other Christian, alive together with Christ. Why did He do it? Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. You were dead! You were an enemy of God! Now you are Gods child! Now you are, of Gods household in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (vv. 20-21). What does this mean? It means that because you are in Christ, God is for you and not against you! It means, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6)! It means that no matter how used up you were, no matter how damaged you were, no matter how ugly your sins were He is making you more and more holy and more and more blameless! Listen. And the way that God is doing it is with Jesus as your cornerstone being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. In Ephesus there was a more glorious and more beautiful temple that made the great temple of Artemis look like a dung heap! It is a temple that continues to be built today and it is the place where the demonic fear because it is a living temple where the Spirit of God dwells; those who are far and near make up that temple. Meadowbrooke Church, we are also a part of that temple. It is because the preeminent Jesus is our cornerstone, and the foundation of His Church is the inspired teaching of the apostles and the prophets, the best and lasting gift I can give you is not a feeble attempt to cater to your felt needs, but the God of the Bible through the faithful preaching and teaching of His Word. So, on that note, I leave you with the words of a beautiful Hymn about a beautifying Bride: The church's one foundationIs Jesus Christ her Lord;She is his new creationBy water and the Word.From heaven he came and sought herTo be his holy bride;With his own blood he bought her,And for her life he died. Elect from every nation,Yet one o'er all the earth;Her charter of salvation,One Lord, one faith, one birth;One holy name she blesses,Partakes one holy food,And to one hope she presses,With every grace endued. The church shall never perish!Her dear Lord to defend,to guide, sustain, and cherish,is with her to the end;though there be those that hate her,and false sons in her pale,against the foe or traitorshe ever shall prevail. Mid toil and tribulation,And tumult of her war,She waits the consummationOf peace forevermore;Till, with the vision glorious,Her longing eyes are blest,And the great church victoriousShall be the church at rest. Yet she on earth hath unionWith God the Three in One,And mystic sweet communionWith those whose rest is won.O happy ones and holy!Lord, give us grace that weLike them, the meek and lowly,On high may dwell with thee.

Let me begin by stating some truths about what it means to be a Christian that most of you already know: because you are in Christ, you are a son/daughter of the almighty God (v. 5), you are forgiven (v. 7), you are a new creation (vv. 9-10), and you have a glorious inheritance waiting for you that will never fade with time, can never be destroyed, and will forever be untouched by sin (v. 11; see also 1 Pet. 1:3-5). If you are a Christian, your reality and identity include all things made new (Rev. 21:1-5), all things for your good (Rom. 8:28-30), and all things for Gods glory! If you are a Christian, the God of Isaiah 46:9-11 is for you and not against you, for He has declared: For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My plan will be established, and will accomplish all My good pleasure. When it comes to your struggle(s) in living out the Christian faith, it has more to do with a lack of knowledge of who you are in Christ or an ignored knowledge of who you are in Christ. All of what we have read and studied in Ephesians 1:1-14 can only be true of you if verses 15-17 are true of you: For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. The four character traits Paul lists in these verses are true of those who have been saved and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ: A faith that is IN Jesus. A loyalty to the LORDSHIP of Jesus. A LOVE for those who belong to Jesus. A pursuit to KNOW Jesus. Two Types of Knowing for the Christian Now, I want to show you something that I did not have the time to show you last week, but you need to give me a little space to geek out a bit over two different words that Paul uses in the original language (Greek) that you cannot see in your English Bible; all that you see in your Bible is the word, knowledge (v. 17), and know (v. 18). The word for knowledge in verse 17 is ginōskō, and I made a big deal over that word for good reason. The knowledge of Jesus that Paul refers to in verse 17 is the kind of discovery that involves more than your mind, for it includes the experience of your whole person and is the kind of knowledge that is relational. The second Greek word for know is used in verse 18, and that word is oida. This kind of knowing can be experiential, but it is also a cognitive awareness of something or someone with certainty; it is the same word Paul used for know in 2 Timothy 1:12, For this reason I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know [oida] whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day. In the case of Ephesians 1:18 and 2 Timothy 1:12, you cannot have oida unless you have a relationship (ginōskō) with Jesus. Let me say what I just said differently for clarity: The kind of knowing Paul is praying for in verses 18-19 by way of the enlightened eyes of your heart cannot be experienced unless you ginōskō (know) Jesus (v. 17). In other words, there is no life-giving calling from God (vv. 3-6), no belonging to God (vv. 7-12), and no resurrection power from God apart from knowing Jesus. Illustrations tend to fall short when it comes to explaining who God is or the dynamics of what it means to know Him. However, when it comes to what Paul means by the eyes of your heart the best illustration I can think of for what he wanted these Christians to discover is the experience Roimaw and I had when we decided to have children. There was a difference between knowing Nathan with the first store-bought pregnancy test that was positive, and the first images we saw of him on the ultrasound. With every test and ultrasound image measuring Nathans development, Roimaws knowledge as a mother and my knowledge as a father grew, and what began as an understanding that we would soon be parents grew into something much, much more. While he was unseen in his mothers womb, we prayed for him, we read to him, and we loved him. But I got to tell you after Nathan was born and we held him for the first time, both Roimaw and I saw him with the eyes of our heart! We saw him with the eyes of our heart in such a way that neither she nor I could ever imagine life without him. There are three blessings Paul lists in verses 18-19 that he wants Christians everywhere to see with the eyes of their hearts, and it is to these blessings we turn our attention now. I want you to wrap your arms around the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the greatness of His power towards all who believe. What is the Hope of His Calling It is Pauls prayer that these Christians will have the eyes of their hearts opened in such a way that they know what is, the hope of His calling. Notice that Paul did not say: the hope of your calling. What is the hope of Gods calling upon your life Christian? Well, we already know something of that calling from what we read in Ephesians 1:3-6; God knew you before the foundation of the world, saw all the rotten fruit of your spiritual deadness, and chose you anyway. To be chosen is to be called, and it is the calling of God that Paul wants the eyes of our hearts to see so that we can know just what that means practically. If your salvation and faith are rooted in the call of God that predates earth itself, then dont you think that God is doing something in your life that is much bigger than anything that you may suffer on this side of eternity? Paul elaborates on this very point in Romans 8:28-30, And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What is the hope of His calling? Listen to Romans 8:31, If God is for us, who is against us? God called you therefore He is for you! What does that mean practically? Well, Jesus said this to his disciples: But you will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, other relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all people because of My name. And yet not a hair of your head will perish (Luke 21:1618). In other words, man may do his worst to you, but the worst he can do is kill you; what he cannot do is destroy you because of the One who called you! The hope of Gods calling is this: He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (v. 5). Listen, the hope is yours because the calling was His. This is good news because your love is fragile, but His love is infinite! The hope of His calling is rooted in this reality: Gods infinite love for you, Christian, is as great as His infinite sovereignty. What are the Riches of His Inheritance in the Saints Just as your hope is rooted in His calling, the inheritance Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts will see so that we will know belongs to God. What inheritance belongs to God? Gods inheritance is all those whom He called, all those He predestined to adopt as His children, and all those who have been redeemed by the blood of His Son. I will say it another way: The Christian is counted as Gods inheritance. Yes, the Bible indeed teaches that God is our inheritance, the apostle Peter even said as much in his epistle: For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God (1 Pet. 3:18). However, we are Gods inheritance, and that is good news! In what ways are we Gods inheritance? For starters we are told in the first fourteen verses that God chose us as a Father (v. 4), to redeem us through His Son (v. 7), to seal us through His Spirit (v. 13) to make us His holy and blameless (v. 4) adopted children (v. 6) with all the rights that come with being His children (v. 11)! In Ephesians 1:14, we are told that the Holy Spirit, is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of Gods possession. In 1 Peter 2:9, we read: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for Gods own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 that the reason why it matters what we do with our bodies is that we belong to God: Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body. It is one thing to understand that we are Gods possession, but Paul explicitly prays that the eyes of the hearts of his readers would be enlightened to know, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance. Yes, it is true that Jesus died for our sins so that we could be reconciled to God, and yes, it is true that we are Gods treasured possession, but to be put into the category that we, who are the redeemed, are Gods inheritance is staggering! How is this staggering you may be asking? Well, if we are Gods inheritance, He will get what belongs to Him and no one absolutely no oneno demon, no power, no authority, no government, not Satan, and not even death will keep God from receiving His inheritance! Now against the backdrop of that reality, wrap your arms around Jesus promises to His people: My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand (John 10:2729). If you belong to Jesus, then it is the Father who sings over you as His inheritance: The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will rejoice over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy (Zeph. 3:17). Listen, the reality that you are Gods inheritance is rooted in Gods infinite love that is equal to His infinite power, and that love has been, is being, and will forever be lavished upon you! Mark my words, the One who, declares the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My plan will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure (Isa. 46:9-10), will receive His inheritance! What is the Boundless Greatness of His Power Toward Us Who Believe The third and final thing Paul prayed for was that the eyes of the hearts of the Church would be enlightened to know the, boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places (vv. 19-20). Listen to how the NIV translates these verses from the Greek: That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:1920, NIV). Bryan Chapell, in his commentary on Ephesians, said of these verses, The promise of Gods affection is not our only hope; Paul also prays for the Spirit to give eyes to see Gods incomparably great power for us who believe (Eph. 1:19a). The promise is not only of an inheritance to come, but of power, great power for us.[1] Think about it, who can avoid the power of death? No one can, for death is coming for us all! Yet, there is One who conquered death, and the same power that raised Jesus from the grave is at work in you Christian! This power would be beyond our reach apart from knowing Jesus; but now that you have been called by God, and are the inheritance of God because of the redeeming work of the Lamb of God, this power is now ours. Jesus is our groom and we are His bride; He has declared, I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Matt. 16:18b). Hell nor the grave have any power over Jesus Church, and you dear Christian are the Church! You have been given the Holy Spirit as a Helper by Jesus, and sealed by the Holy Spirit through Jesus to empower you to live your life for Jesus for the glory of God and the good of all those who are merely hanging by a thread over Hell and the only hope of escape and salvation is the hope that is now ours in Christ! We are a walking testament to the power of God to change lives through the good news of the gospel and can claim with the apostle: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). It is the same power that rescued us that now keeps us, and we can know with confidence the same thing the saints of old experienced as the Church: For God, who said, Light shall shine out of darkness, is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:610) This power that is ours in Jesus, is the power of the risen Christ to fight against sin, doubt, worry, and any other adversary that threatens to undo those who have been called by God, are the inheritance of God, and have been raised to new life by God. Our strength is His strength, and because of that truth, which is now our truth, we can celebrate with the apostle Paul: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). Amen. [1] Bryan Chapell, Reformed Expository Commentary: Ephesians (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing; 2009); p. 69.

Let me begin by stating some truths about what it means to be a Christian that most of you already know: because you are in Christ, you are a son/daughter of the almighty God (v. 5), you are forgiven (v. 7), you are a new creation (vv. 9-10), and you have a glorious inheritance waiting for you that will never fade with time, can never be destroyed, and will forever be untouched by sin (v. 11; see also 1 Pet. 1:3-5). If you are a Christian, your reality and identity include all things made new (Rev. 21:1-5), all things for your good (Rom. 8:28-30), and all things for Gods glory! If you are a Christian, the God of Isaiah 46:9-11 is for you and not against you, for He has declared: For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My plan will be established, and will accomplish all My good pleasure. When it comes to your struggle(s) in living out the Christian faith, it has more to do with a lack of knowledge of who you are in Christ or an ignored knowledge of who you are in Christ. All of what we have read and studied in Ephesians 1:1-14 can only be true of you if verses 15-17 are true of you: For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. The four character traits Paul lists in these verses are true of those who have been saved and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ: A faith that is IN Jesus. A loyalty to the LORDSHIP of Jesus. A LOVE for those who belong to Jesus. A pursuit to KNOW Jesus. Two Types of Knowing for the Christian Now, I want to show you something that I did not have the time to show you last week, but you need to give me a little space to geek out a bit over two different words that Paul uses in the original language (Greek) that you cannot see in your English Bible; all that you see in your Bible is the word, knowledge (v. 17), and know (v. 18). The word for knowledge in verse 17 is ginōskō, and I made a big deal over that word for good reason. The knowledge of Jesus that Paul refers to in verse 17 is the kind of discovery that involves more than your mind, for it includes the experience of your whole person and is the kind of knowledge that is relational. The second Greek word for know is used in verse 18, and that word is oida. This kind of knowing can be experiential, but it is also a cognitive awareness of something or someone with certainty; it is the same word Paul used for know in 2 Timothy 1:12, For this reason I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know [oida] whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day. In the case of Ephesians 1:18 and 2 Timothy 1:12, you cannot have oida unless you have a relationship (ginōskō) with Jesus. Let me say what I just said differently for clarity: The kind of knowing Paul is praying for in verses 18-19 by way of the enlightened eyes of your heart cannot be experienced unless you ginōskō (know) Jesus (v. 17). In other words, there is no life-giving calling from God (vv. 3-6), no belonging to God (vv. 7-12), and no resurrection power from God apart from knowing Jesus. Illustrations tend to fall short when it comes to explaining who God is or the dynamics of what it means to know Him. However, when it comes to what Paul means by the eyes of your heart the best illustration I can think of for what he wanted these Christians to discover is the experience Roimaw and I had when we decided to have children. There was a difference between knowing Nathan with the first store-bought pregnancy test that was positive, and the first images we saw of him on the ultrasound. With every test and ultrasound image measuring Nathans development, Roimaws knowledge as a mother and my knowledge as a father grew, and what began as an understanding that we would soon be parents grew into something much, much more. While he was unseen in his mothers womb, we prayed for him, we read to him, and we loved him. But I got to tell you after Nathan was born and we held him for the first time, both Roimaw and I saw him with the eyes of our heart! We saw him with the eyes of our heart in such a way that neither she nor I could ever imagine life without him. There are three blessings Paul lists in verses 18-19 that he wants Christians everywhere to see with the eyes of their hearts, and it is to these blessings we turn our attention now. I want you to wrap your arms around the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the greatness of His power towards all who believe. What is the Hope of His Calling It is Pauls prayer that these Christians will have the eyes of their hearts opened in such a way that they know what is, the hope of His calling. Notice that Paul did not say: the hope of your calling. What is the hope of Gods calling upon your life Christian? Well, we already know something of that calling from what we read in Ephesians 1:3-6; God knew you before the foundation of the world, saw all the rotten fruit of your spiritual deadness, and chose you anyway. To be chosen is to be called, and it is the calling of God that Paul wants the eyes of our hearts to see so that we can know just what that means practically. If your salvation and faith are rooted in the call of God that predates earth itself, then dont you think that God is doing something in your life that is much bigger than anything that you may suffer on this side of eternity? Paul elaborates on this very point in Romans 8:28-30, And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What is the hope of His calling? Listen to Romans 8:31, If God is for us, who is against us? God called you therefore He is for you! What does that mean practically? Well, Jesus said this to his disciples: But you will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, other relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all people because of My name. And yet not a hair of your head will perish (Luke 21:1618). In other words, man may do his worst to you, but the worst he can do is kill you; what he cannot do is destroy you because of the One who called you! The hope of Gods calling is this: He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (v. 5). Listen, the hope is yours because the calling was His. This is good news because your love is fragile, but His love is infinite! The hope of His calling is rooted in this reality: Gods infinite love for you, Christian, is as great as His infinite sovereignty. What are the Riches of His Inheritance in the Saints Just as your hope is rooted in His calling, the inheritance Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts will see so that we will know belongs to God. What inheritance belongs to God? Gods inheritance is all those whom He called, all those He predestined to adopt as His children, and all those who have been redeemed by the blood of His Son. I will say it another way: The Christian is counted as Gods inheritance. Yes, the Bible indeed teaches that God is our inheritance, the apostle Peter even said as much in his epistle: For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God (1 Pet. 3:18). However, we are Gods inheritance, and that is good news! In what ways are we Gods inheritance? For starters we are told in the first fourteen verses that God chose us as a Father (v. 4), to redeem us through His Son (v. 7), to seal us through His Spirit (v. 13) to make us His holy and blameless (v. 4) adopted children (v. 6) with all the rights that come with being His children (v. 11)! In Ephesians 1:14, we are told that the Holy Spirit, is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of Gods possession. In 1 Peter 2:9, we read: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for Gods own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 that the reason why it matters what we do with our bodies is that we belong to God: Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body. It is one thing to understand that we are Gods possession, but Paul explicitly prays that the eyes of the hearts of his readers would be enlightened to know, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance. Yes, it is true that Jesus died for our sins so that we could be reconciled to God, and yes, it is true that we are Gods treasured possession, but to be put into the category that we, who are the redeemed, are Gods inheritance is staggering! How is this staggering you may be asking? Well, if we are Gods inheritance, He will get what belongs to Him and no one absolutely no oneno demon, no power, no authority, no government, not Satan, and not even death will keep God from receiving His inheritance! Now against the backdrop of that reality, wrap your arms around Jesus promises to His people: My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand (John 10:2729). If you belong to Jesus, then it is the Father who sings over you as His inheritance: The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will rejoice over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy (Zeph. 3:17). Listen, the reality that you are Gods inheritance is rooted in Gods infinite love that is equal to His infinite power, and that love has been, is being, and will forever be lavished upon you! Mark my words, the One who, declares the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My plan will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure (Isa. 46:9-10), will receive His inheritance! What is the Boundless Greatness of His Power Toward Us Who Believe The third and final thing Paul prayed for was that the eyes of the hearts of the Church would be enlightened to know the, boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places (vv. 19-20). Listen to how the NIV translates these verses from the Greek: That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:1920, NIV). Bryan Chapell, in his commentary on Ephesians, said of these verses, The promise of Gods affection is not our only hope; Paul also prays for the Spirit to give eyes to see Gods incomparably great power for us who believe (Eph. 1:19a). The promise is not only of an inheritance to come, but of power, great power for us.[1] Think about it, who can avoid the power of death? No one can, for death is coming for us all! Yet, there is One who conquered death, and the same power that raised Jesus from the grave is at work in you Christian! This power would be beyond our reach apart from knowing Jesus; but now that you have been called by God, and are the inheritance of God because of the redeeming work of the Lamb of God, this power is now ours. Jesus is our groom and we are His bride; He has declared, I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Matt. 16:18b). Hell nor the grave have any power over Jesus Church, and you dear Christian are the Church! You have been given the Holy Spirit as a Helper by Jesus, and sealed by the Holy Spirit through Jesus to empower you to live your life for Jesus for the glory of God and the good of all those who are merely hanging by a thread over Hell and the only hope of escape and salvation is the hope that is now ours in Christ! We are a walking testament to the power of God to change lives through the good news of the gospel and can claim with the apostle: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). It is the same power that rescued us that now keeps us, and we can know with confidence the same thing the saints of old experienced as the Church: For God, who said, Light shall shine out of darkness, is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:610) This power that is ours in Jesus, is the power of the risen Christ to fight against sin, doubt, worry, and any other adversary that threatens to undo those who have been called by God, are the inheritance of God, and have been raised to new life by God. Our strength is His strength, and because of that truth, which is now our truth, we can celebrate with the apostle Paul: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). Amen. [1] Bryan Chapell, Reformed Expository Commentary: Ephesians (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing; 2009); p. 69.

     Jesus' suffering and death on the cross has both infinite and eternal value for both God the Father as well as those trust in Christ as their Savior. According to Francis Schaeffer, “Christ's death in space-time history is completely adequate to meet our need for refuge from the true moral guilt that we have. It is final because of who He is. He is the infinite second person of the Trinity; therefore, His death has infinite value.”[1]Though Jesus suffered for our sins for only a few hours on the cross, His death had infinite and eternal value and saves forever those who trust in Him as Savior. Geisler states, “Being by nature the infinite God, Christ's death had infinite value, even though His suffering and death occurred in a finite amount of time. Time is not a mandatory measure of worth—birth, for instance, happens over a relatively short span but produces something of extraordinary value. One death in limited time achieved something of limitless value for all eternity.”[2] Paul Enns states, “At the heart of orthodox belief is the recognition that Christ died a substitutionary death to provide salvation for a lost humanity. If Jesus were only a man He could not have died to save the world, but because of His deity, His death had infinite value whereby He could die for the entire world.”[3]      As a result of what Christ accomplished, there is great benefit for us who have trusted in Him as our Savior. By His work on the cross, Christians become the recipients of great blessings, both in time and eternity. Though He blesses some Christians materially (1 Tim 6:17-19), His main focus is on giving us spiritual blessings which are far better. Paul wrote that God “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3). According to Harold Hoehner, “Every spiritual blessing (eulogia) refers to every spiritual enrichment needed for the spiritual life. Since these benefits have already been bestowed on believers, they should not ask for them but rather appropriate them by faith.”[4] Some of the spiritual blessings mentioned in Scripture are as follows: We are the special objects of His love: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8), and “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). We are forgiven all our sins: “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col 2:13-14; cf. Eph 1:7; Heb 10:10-14). We are given eternal life: Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand (John 10:27-28; cf. John 3:16; 6:40; 20:31). We are made alive together with Christ: “God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:4-5). We are raised up and seated with Christ: God “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:6). We are the recipients of God's grace: “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace” (John 1:16), “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). We are created to perform good works: “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal 6:10), and “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph 2:10; cf., Tit 2:11-4). We are given freedom in Christ: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1), “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal 5:13; cf., 1 Pet 2:16). We are given a spiritual gift to serve others: “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet 4:10; cf. Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:11). We are children of God: “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are” (1 John 3:1a), “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26). We are made ambassadors for Christ: “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20). We are gifted with God's righteousness: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21), “and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Phil 3:9; cf. Rom 4:3-5; 5:17). We are justified before God: “Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus…For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:24, 28), and “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified” (Gal 2:16). We have peace with God: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). We will never be condemned: “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18), “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24), “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). We are given citizenship in heaven: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 3:20). We are transferred to the kingdom of Christ: “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13; cf. Acts 26:18), and “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Th 2:12). We are all saints in Christ Jesus: we are “saints by calling” (1 Cor 1:2), and “saints in Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:1), and “are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household” (Eph 2:19). We are made priests to God: “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:6). We are God's chosen: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph 1:4), “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Col 3:12). We are the recipients of His faithfulness: “He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you'” (Heb 13:5), and even “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim 2:13). We have been called to walk in newness of life: “We have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4), and “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love” (Eph 4:1-2). We are members of the Church, the body of Christ: “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Rom 12:4-5), and “He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph 1:22-23; cf. Col 1:18). We are indwelt with the Holy Spirit: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:16), “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you” (1 Cor 6:19). We are sealed with the Holy Spirit: “having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph 1:13b; cf. 2 Cor 5:5). We are enabled to walk with God: “I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Gal 5:16), and “Since we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:25). We are empowered to live godly: “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Pet 1:3). We have Scripture to train us in righteousness: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). We are guaranteed a new home in heaven: “In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). We are guaranteed resurrection bodies: “I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor 15:51-53). We have special access to God's throne of grace: “Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). We will be glorified in eternity: “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Col 3:4), for Christ “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil 3:21). Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] Francis A. Schaeffer, Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History, Second U.S. edition. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2004), 206. [2] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Four: Church, Last Things (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2005), 403. [3] Paul P. Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1989), 225. [4] Harold W. Hoehner, “Ephesians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 616.

Growing old is not easy but it is a unique time to shine as a spiritual influencer. Make a pulpit out of your circumstances to re-present Jesus Christ to others. This is why you're still alive, to have a spiritual impact. Focus on the Lord and His provisions for you, not on your difficulties. Until your Father calls you to the Home Office, redeem the time He's allotted you. Wake up seeking God's favor and thanking Him for another day. “The Lord's compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam 3:22). The aging stage of life is all about your spiritual strength—growing daily, standing on the dynamics of God's Word and moving forward. “One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14). Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/unique-time-d2264f

“… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1: 6)  Harassed by a demon-possessed slave girl, beaten with rods and then thrown into prison, I don't think anyone would say that Paul's experience of planting a church in Philippi was an easy one. But the powerful conversion of a local business lady, Lydia, and her whole household; Paul's miraculous release from jail and the conversion of the jailer and his household, revealed the presence and power of a mighty God.  No wonder Paul was able to remind the Philippian church that their humble beginning was a good work of the Lord. And if He did a good work back then, He is more than able to continue doing a good work today and into the future.  The same promise belongs to you and me, so what sort of ways might God continue His good works in and through us?  First, He can change us to be more like Jesus. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Cor 3: 18) God loves us so much that he wants our unique personalities to reflect the love and character of His Son. The more we become like Him, the more His glory is revealed in us.  How do we become more like Him? Jesus spoke of us being branches in His vine. Every vineyard owner wants to see grapes of the highest quality, so she tends to the plant, making sure it has all the nutrients it needs. And she prunes it.  According to John 15: 2, Jesus “cuts off every branch in (him) that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” The hardships of life, the challenges, even the pains and sorrows are not wasted in God's economy. The Lord uses them to prune, in order that the work He began in us may find completion. In order that we may become like Him.  But there are things we can do to contribute to the process. “Remain in me”, Jesus continues, “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine” (John 15: 4). “Stay close to me”, he seems to be saying, “and then pray bold prayers”. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15: 7). It is to the Father's glory that we bear spiritual fruit in our lives – “so ask of me what you need”, He says.  No wonder Paul encouraged the Philippians by saying “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3: 12 – 14).  The Lord will complete the work He started in us. He will transform us to be more like Him. He will make us fruitful, but we need to cooperate with him by doing everything we can to run the race that is in front of us, staying close to Jesus, sparing no request back in our prayers, and holding on in faith when His secateurs do their pruning work. 

“Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead I press on toward the goal of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3). Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA 2D70 19 Pentecost (Proper 23A) 11:00 a.m. Eucharist Sunday 8 October 2023 | Indigenous People's Weekend Exodus 32:1-14 Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 Philippians 4:1-9 Matthew 22:1-14

Anthony Evans joins the conversation this week to talk all things Going Beyond and growing up in a ministry family, which includes his father, Dr. Tony Evans, and sister Priscilla Shirer. Anthony leads worship and Priscilla teaches at Going Beyond events, and Anthony share how special that sibling relationship is to him. He also tells us some fun behind-the-scenes stories of working in the music industry, such as being "The Beast" in Beauty and the Beast at the Hollywood Bowl and an unexpected encounter with James Corden at a nail salon. RESOURCES: Going Beyond Simulcast James Corden video MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/. Hosted by Kelly King and Elizabeth Hyndman. RECOMMENDED: Listen to an interview with Anthony's sister Priscilla Shirer about life in ministry as a family and finding identity in Christ. Growing up in a family of accomplished speakers and authors: father, Dr. Tony Evans, and siblings, Chrystal Evans Hurst, Priscilla Shirer, and Jonathan Evans; Anthony chose to be a worship leader, singer and producer. In a music industry with pre-defined sounds, Anthony decided to make his own path with his unique genre crossing, one-of-a-kind style. As the son of a world-renowned pastor, Anthony left the comforts of Dallas, Texas, (and the Bible-belt) and took his talent and entrepreneurial abilities to Los Angeles. For more than two decades, his career has been about breaking down walls and taking unexpected routes to bring his faith and influence and impact outside of the church walls.  This impact includes 10 solo records, two of which hit the #1 spot on Billboard's Top Gospel Album charts, Vocal production for TV/Film, record production, acting, songwriting, talent production, a starring role in Disney's Hollywood Bowl Production of Beauty and the Beast, and a spot on the hit TV show, The Voice. In addition to all of these endeavors, Anthony has written or co-written three books, the latest—When Faith Meets Therapy, with psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser. This project addresses the intersection of his faith with the practicality of psychotherapy.  In whatever he accomplishes, Anthony's desire is to share his life and authentic faith with transparency and honesty: “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

This great nation, America, is in the middle of a confluence of satanic propaganda and human viewpoint thinking that is destroying the lives of many. This confluence spawns the cosmic vortex. Social media influencers recruit every day and lure many into this vortex. “Each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust” (Ja 1:14). The cosmic confluence doesn't want the truth of God and His Word. If our nation doesn't change direction and turn back to God, we will be destroyed by the justice of God's discipline. It will take years to get back to where it should be, and it starts with you and your spiritual growth. “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). You have to acquire the mind of Christ and take seriously your mission, the same as Christ's, to lead the world out of darkness. “I have come as Light into the world so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46). Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/cosmic-confluence-9c4f28

When hard rain rattles the window panes three hours before unwelcome dawn; when the first thought of the day is no brighter than the last thought hours before; when the staleness of unchangeable routine offers only more of the same, more of the rain—grace renews the mind. When we dread the icy comments in the cubicles or at the frozen water cooler; when the anger seethes while helplessness makes our haggard hearts grow cold; when the best thought of the day is that it will finally be over—grace renews the mind.   Redemption isn't only for those starlit hours when grand and beautiful change starts happening to us. God's grace accompanies us in hundreds of quite ordinary hours when children fret and spouses quarrel and nothing in our world advances our fond hopes for love or comfort or success. And so the gospel urges and invites: “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom 12:2). Grace is for all hours, all challenges, all rainy days. There is no moment when God's goodness and affection isn't gladly, fully offered to us, for us, in us. “His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

When hard rain rattles the window panes three hours before unwelcome dawn; when the first thought of the day is no brighter than the last thought hours before; when the staleness of unchangeable routine offers only more of the same, more of the rain—grace renews the mind. When we dread the icy comments in the cubicles or at the frozen water cooler; when the anger seethes while helplessness makes our haggard hearts grow cold; when the best thought of the day is that it will finally be over—grace renews the mind.   Redemption isn't only for those starlit hours when grand and beautiful change starts happening to us. God's grace accompanies us in hundreds of quite ordinary hours when children fret and spouses quarrel and nothing in our world advances our fond hopes for love or comfort or success. And so the gospel urges and invites: “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom 12:2). Grace is for all hours, all challenges, all rainy days. There is no moment when God's goodness and affection isn't gladly, fully offered to us, for us, in us. “His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

When hard rain rattles the window panes three hours before unwelcome dawn; when the first thought of the day is no brighter than the last thought hours before; when the staleness of unchangeable routine offers only more of the same, more of the rain—grace renews the mind. When we dread the icy comments in the cubicles or at the frozen water cooler; when the anger seethes while helplessness makes our haggard hearts grow cold; when the best thought of the day is that it will finally be over—grace renews the mind.   Redemption isn't only for those starlit hours when grand and beautiful change starts happening to us. God's grace accompanies us in hundreds of quite ordinary hours when children fret and spouses quarrel and nothing in our world advances our fond hopes for love or comfort or success. And so the gospel urges and invites: “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom 12:2). Grace is for all hours, all challenges, all rainy days. There is no moment when God's goodness and affection isn't gladly, fully offered to us, for us, in us. “His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Godliness is not sounding spiritual or having a sweet personality. Godliness has everything to do with what you think. “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Are you God's child? Have you been saved? Are you obedient to Scripture by staying filed with the Holy Spirit and growing in grace? Have you developed a consistent daily routine of studying God's Word every day under a well-qualified pastor? Are you living for the Lord Jesus Christ and not yourself? Are you re-presenting Him to others? If you are, you are living a life of godliness. Godliness is the mental attitude of virtue love being obedient to the plan of God for your life. This requires discipline. “On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (1 Tim 4:7). You must be able to discern good from evil. Evil is Satan's scheme to influence the mentality of the human soul. “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Heb 12:11). Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/godliness-transcript-547eca

All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.  Only let us live up to what we have already attained.  Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. (Philippians 3:15-17)    Do these verses sound a bit arrogant to you?  It's almost as if Paul is saying some more Christian-y version of: “my way or the highway,” or maybe “grow up or get out.” It might sound that way: but there's more going on here than meets the eye.  In the original language behind these verses, it's clear that Paul is making a reference back the beginning of chapter 2 where he says: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”  The same Greek word behind “mindset” is behind the phrase “such a view of things” and the word “think.”  In other words, Paul is saying: “All of us who are mature should take on the same mindset as that of Christ Jesus, even as you have witnessed me doing while I was with you and in the story I just told about how I consider everything a loss for the gain of knowing Christ and living out his mindset.”  In other words: the mindset of Christ IS what it means to be mature in Christ.  To that end, Paul has attempted to give his own life and experience as a visible witness and pattern of this mindset of Christ that humbly submits to God and gives up everything as loss.  As Christ does so for the sake of the Father, so Paul does it for the sake of Christ.  And now he tells the Philippians: imitate me as I imitate Christ.  Or, imitate someone else whose life imitates mine or that of Christ.  The point in any case is that knowing the truth of Christ must necessarily mature into living the life of Christ—that life of humble submission.  If believing the right truths about Christ is as far as you ever get, then you have not yet grown up.  This is an immature Christian life.  Regardless, Paul does remain “confident… that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).  Indeed, as he says: wherever your mindset differs from that of Christ Jesus, Paul trusts that God will make it clear to you.  Paul also encourages the church not to go backwards.  “Let us live up to what we have already attained,” he says.  The goal is always to be straining forwards, looking ahead, keeping one's eyes fixed on Christ—or at least on those ahead of you who are following Christ—so that all of us might more and more run the race of growing up into Christ until we become mature.  So, a question that came up before comes up again here: who are you following into this mindset and way of Christ—this way of the cross: of humility, submission, and loss?  Who is following you?  And, what is God clarifying to you in terms of the way you walk in light of these words of Philippians about the mindset of Christ?  May these questions help you attend to the ways you are running the race of growing up to maturity in Christ.

"Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this son..."This winter has been a winter of discontent for our host, Todd Uebele. In this episode, he shares his discontent and how he was able to get through it and past it. Winter can be a tough time for a lot of people, but there is hope!Join us as we bring you that hope, the hope we have in Christ Jesus. The hope that our Father in Heaven is always with us, never to leave us or forsake us. The hope that we can gain by bringing our problems to God.Listen and experience the comfort that comes from the peace that transcends all understanding and let it guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7).If you are going through your own winter of discontent and would like us to pray for you, please send us an email:  prayer@coffeewithjesus.info. We will pray for you and with you.Podcast host:  Todd UebeleDescription by: Todd UebeleCoffee With Jesus Website: https://coffeewithjesus.info/Coffee With Jesus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cwj2011/Coffee With Jesus YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsQBybBdPxlSxvmWYfcMzQCoffee With Jesus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/CoffeeWithJesusCoffee With Jesus Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/coffeewjesus/

To reach spiritual maturity, the Christian must contain emotions. The Christian life is lived through thought, not emotions. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). If you let your emotions control you, you will lose your direction and be held hostage to fear and intimidation. You go through a lot of pain and suffering because you let your emotions control you. “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is” (Prov 23:7). The power is in thought from the Word of God learned and applied in your life, what we call Biblical orientation. The divine solution to internal pressure is “God is able to make all grace abound toward you” (2 Cor 9:8). Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/emotional-failure-bc2ddb

In this episode, Tisha says her goodbyes to Boss Ladies Connect Podcast. Can you believe it? This is the final episode. She shares how much she has grown as a result of this podcast. What it has taught her about faith, moving past fear, skills she has learned, and how this is not a sad "goodbye" but a "hello" to the future. In 2023, she will be launching a TV show.....more details will follow.

God expects you to get up after a mistake and keep driving ahead. Let go of past mistakes and failures. "Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:13-14). Remorse is not sinful but when it turns into guilt it changes to sin. Guilt is part of the emotional complex of sins. Guilt motivates many failures in the spiritual life. Satan will use guilt to distract, discourage and defeat you. You must learn to overcome guilt. God's problem-solving device rebound addresses sin. You don't have to live with guilt. Move forward in your spiritual life by learning and applying God's Word. Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/forget-past-a43157

We have peace with God because we have been justified in the past. We have entrance to His grace at any time we may need it in the present. And we have the expectancy of God's glory in the future. These are truths that should stoke the fire of our souls on a daily basis. This is what we were made for. “For I am confident of this very thing,” says Paul to that first generation of believers, “that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).Thank you for listening to this episode of Declaring His Glory Among the Nations: Daily Scripture Meditations from Pastors Around the World. This show is from The Master's Academy International. If you like this podcast, please subscribe, and leave a review on your favorite podcast app. The Master's Academy International is committed to fulfilling the Great Commission by training indigenous church leaders worldwide. For more information and to learn how to get involved, visit www.tmai.org. ► CONNECT WITH US: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tmai.orgInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/tmai_orgTwitter - https://twitter.com/tmai_org► SEE OUR RESOURCES: Field Reports - https://www.tmai.org/updateMinistry Updates - https://www.tmai.org/subscribeOnline Giving - https://www.tmai.org/donateDevotional Book - https://www.tmai.org/devotionalFree Book - https://www.tmai.org/freebook► CONTACT US: Address - 13248 Roscoe Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352Phone - (818) 909-5570Email - info@tmai.org

Introit: Ps. 130:1-2, 7-8; antiphon: Ps. 130:3-4 Gradual: Ps. 133:1, 3b Old Testament: Micah 6:6-8 Psalm 116:12-19 (antiphon: v. 13) Epistle: Phil. 1:3-11 ProperVerse: Ps. 147:3 Gospel: Matt. 18:21-35 Walking humbly with our God and forgiving one another With what shall we come before the Lord (Micah 6:6) who forgives all our sins, and how often shall our fellow Christians sin against us and we forgive them (Matt. 18:21)? Our gracious God on high does not need our "burnt offerings" or "thousands of rams" (Micah 6:6-7), which we could legitimately offer in thanksgiving. He is the Savior who gave His only-begotten Son for our transgression. He offers the fruit of His body, once hanging dead on a cross but now living and giving life in His holy Meal, for the sin of our souls (Micah 6:7). Because He releases us from our enormous debt of sin against Him, we need not imprison our fellow sinners with our lack of love and refusal of forgiveness (Matt. 18:24, 27, 30). As partakers of His grace, we yearn for one another "with the affection of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:8). As forgiven sinners, "filled with the fruit of Christ's righteousness," our "love may abound more and more, with knowledge and discernment" (Phil. 1:11, 9), for He leads us "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [our] God" (Micah 6:8).

Writings by J. G. Bellett From Musings on Scripture, Vol. 1. The apostle addresses his brethren in Christ as "partakers of the heavenly calling" (Heb. 3: 1). This calling, in another scripture, is styled "the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3: 14). And again, it is spoken of as the calling of the Father of glory (Eph. 1: 17, 18). In those who are the subjects of it God is to show in the ages to come the exceeding riches of His grace (Eph. 2: 17); and in them also the Lord is to be chiefly admired in the day of the presence of His power, though that is to be a day in which all His works shall praise Him, a day of clouds of witnesses to His glory both in heaven and earth (2 Thess. 1: 10, 11). https://plymouthbrethren.org/article/688

The secret to contentment is being occupied with the Lord Jesus Christ, problem-solving device number 10. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:12-13). Acquiring Biblical wisdom to build a FLOT line in your soul's mentality is the true path to inner happiness and contentment. “The peace of God which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). Stress-related sins of worry and anxiety rob you of your happiness and take away your relaxed mental attitude. A FLOT line in your soul will insulate you from peace-stealing circumstances because eternal security is your greatest peace. Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/secret-contentment-99d705

Fr. Dave and Dcn. Bob may sound like they recorded this episode using the drive-thru speaker at Burger King, but they didn't. Honest. They discuss the passion play at Oberammergau, youth ministry, the president of Hungary's visit to Franciscan, and the “supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8).

     As God's children, we simultaneously live and operate in two realms. Physically, we live in the material world that God created (though damaged by our sin), and it is here we spend our time learning, working, playing, resting, and touching the lives of those whom God places in our path. It is here we must advance by learning God's Word and living wisely in His will (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18). Making good choices from day to day—rooted in God's Word—is paramount to this life, as well as the one to come. As believers, we are to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matt 6:33), and trust that “God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). This requires faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6). But we also live in a spiritual realm that touches things real, but unseen. As Christians, we are to be led by God the Holy Spirit, to be “filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18), and to “walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16). Furthermore, we face attacks from the spiritual realm, as Paul warns us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). As advancing Christians, we are to “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col 1:9). And because the mind is the primary battleground, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). Knowledge of God and His Word provides a basis for living effectively in both the physical and spiritual realm. God's Word reveals He's provided us a portfolio of spiritual blessings that benefit us in this life and, if understood and applied, will result in great rewards in the eternal state (1 Cor 3:14-15; 2 Cor 5:10).      Living in the dispensation of the church age, God has bestowed on us many good things. Though He blesses some Christians materially (1 Tim 6:17-19), His main focus is on giving us spiritual blessings which are far better. Paul wrote that God “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3). According to Harold Hoehner, “Every spiritual blessing (eulogia) refers to every spiritual enrichment needed for the spiritual life. Since these benefits have already been bestowed on believers, they should not ask for them but rather appropriate them by faith.”[1]Warren Wiersbe states: "In the Old Testament, God promised His earthly people, Israel, material blessings as a reward for their obedience (Deut 28:1–13). Today, He promises to supply all our needs “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19), but He does not promise to shield us from either poverty or pain. The Father has given us every blessing of the Spirit, everything we need for a successful, satisfying Christian life. The spiritual is far more important than the material."[2] Some of our spiritual blessings are as follows: We are the special objects of His love: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8), and “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). We are forgiven all our sins: “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col 2:13-14; cf. Eph 1:7; Heb 10:10-14). We are given eternal life: Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand (John 10:27-28; cf. John 3:16; 20:31). We are made alive together with Christ: “God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:4-5). We are raised up and seated with Christ: God “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:6). We are the recipients of God's grace: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). We are created to perform good works: “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph 2:10). We are given freedom in Christ: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1; cf. Gal 5:13; 1 Pet 2:16). We are given a spiritual gift to serve others: “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet 4:10; cf. Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:11). We are children of God: “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are” (1 John 3:1a; cf. John 3:6; Gal 3:26; 1 Pet 1:23; Tit 3:5). We are made ambassadors for Christ: “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20). We are gifted with God's righteousness: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21; cf. Rom 4:3-5; 5:17; Phil 3:9). We are justified before God: “Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus…For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:24, 28). We have peace with God: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). We will never be condemned: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). We are given citizenship in heaven: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 3:20). We are transferred to the kingdom of Christ: “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13; cf. Acts 26:18; 1 Th 2:12). We are all saints in Christ Jesus: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household” (Eph 2:19; cf. Eph 1:18-19). We are made priests to God: “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1:6). We are God's chosen: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph 1:4; cf. Rom 8:29-33). We are the recipients of His faithfulness: “He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you'” (Heb 13:5; cf. Phil 1:6; 1 Th 5:24). We have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life: “We have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4; cf. Rom 6:10-13). We are members of the Church, the body of Christ: “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Rom 12:4-5), and “He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph 1:22-23; cf. Col 1:18). We are indwelt with the Holy Spirit: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Cor 3:16; cf. 1 Cor 6:19). We are sealed with the Holy Spirit: “having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph 1:13b; cf. 2 Cor 5:5). We are enabled to walk with God: “I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). We are empowered to live godly: “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Pet 1:3). We have Scripture to train us in righteousness: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). We are guaranteed a new home in heaven: “In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). We are guaranteed resurrection bodies: “I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor 15:51-53). We have special access to God's throne of grace: “Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). We will be glorified in eternity: “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Col 3:4), for Christ “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil 3:21)      In these blessings from God we observe “the riches of His grace” (Eph 1:7). These are bestowed on us at the moment we trusted Christ as our Savior, and we come to know and appreciate them the more we study God's Word and grasp His goodness toward us. Such blessings are intended to motivate us to service, to live a life in appreciation for all God has done for us. With Paul, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe” (Eph 1:18-19a).     [1] Harold W. Hoehner, “Ephesians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 616. [2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 9.

LISTEN IN LIVE SATURDAY 11 AM PST at the TAKE YOUR POWER BACK SHOW!!!Peak Performance Master Coach Kim Yeater speaks with Dr. Ardis as he exposes the origins of covid 19, Remdesivir, bio weapon shots, and provides a solution for an Immune System boost & Jab Detox!!!LISTEN IN LIVE 96.1FM North County , 1170 AM San Diego or VIA STREAMING at:https://theanswersandiego.com/radioshow/take-your-power-backSUBSCRIBE & SHARE, SHARE, SHARE !!!The Take Your Power Back Show with Peak Performance Breakthrough Coach Kim Yeater is an empowering program that will encourage you to step into your power and take action in your leadership and allow your voice to be heard. Every week we will highlight freedom-loving Americans that are making a positive impact in the world by standing in truth amid adversity.Learn how to Take Your Power Back in your Freedom, In your personal & professional life, in utilizing technology & creativity, and in your Faith. Be inspired, Be encouraged, Be transformed!Together, Let's Take Your Power Back!!TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW & BE A SPONSOR GO TO: TAKEYOURPOWERBACKSHOW.COMMY PILLOWAre you tired of NOT getting a good night's sleep? Then Tap in to Patriot Mike Lindell's' Complete Mattress Sleep System!!! SAVE 66%!!! Go to: MyPillow.com/KIM PROMO CODE: KIM and get your Complete mattress sleep system today!!!PEAK PERFORMANCE PATRIOT SHOPPING CLUBIf you're tired of shopping at the big Box Retailers that have no interest in your wellness, and you want to shore up your immune system and finances then make the switch to a Patriot manufacturer where products are made here in America with the best of science and nature. These products are better, safer, less expensive and SAVE 30- 50% every time you shop!!! Go to: https://PeakPerformancePatriotShoppingClub.com for your virtual tour today!!!PUBLIC SQUARE: If you are looking for the largest directory of freedom-loving businesses the nation has ever seen PublicSq is the first app to connect to freedom-loving Americans within a local community with the businesses that share your values. Whether it is a restaurant that goes farm to table from local farms, a coffee shop that took a stand against the mandates, PublicSq is your guide. You can also list your business for free so your local community can find you today. That's exactly what I did!! Go to: TakeYourPowerBackShow.com to download the PublicSq. app today and join other freedom loving patriots who share your values!!!https://publicsq.typeform.com/PSQFree#source=KimYeater259SAN DIEGO BAY ADVENTURESSan Diego Bay Adventures is your place for fun! Jet ski rentals, kayaks & paddle boards. Located on the Big San Diego Bay.Arrive as a guest and leave as family!!! Go To: https://SanDiegoBayAdventures.com and join the FUN!!!KIM YEATER PEAK PERFORMANCE COACHINGIf you are a business owner, entrepreneur, or leader who is feeling frustrated or anxious because you are not performing at the level that you know you are capable of, go to: https://UnlockYourLifeCoach.com and set a time with Coach Kim for a Strategy Session to Unlock your life and elevate your performance to the next level!!!Being Confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus Phil. 1:6

This week at the TAKE YOUR POWER BACK SHOW meet our Freedom Rights Attorney Ray Flores and Host of General Flynn's ReAwaken America TourClay Clark as they sound the alarm to Wake Up America and Fight for Freedom!!!Available on all Podcast Platforms as well as Rumble, Public Square, & CloutnetSUBSCRIBE & SHARE, SHARE, SHARE !!!The Take Your Power Back Show with Peak Performance Breakthrough Coach Kim Yeater is an empowering program that will encourage you to step into your power and take action in your leadership and allow your voice to be heard. Every week we will highlight freedom-loving Americans that are making a positive impact in the world by standing in truth amid adversity. Learn how to Take Your Power Back in your Freedom, In your personal & professional life, in utilizing technology & creativity, and in your Faith. Be inspired, Be encouraged, Be transformed! Together, Let's Take Your Power Back!!LISTEN IN LIVE SATURDAY 11 AM PST on 96.1FM , 1170 AM orVIA STREAMING at:https://theanswersandiego.com/radioshow/take-your-power-backTO SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS OR TO SPONSOR OUR SHOW GO TO: TAKEYOURPOWERBACKSHOW.COMSUPPORT OUR SPONSORSMY PILLOWAre you tired of NOT getting a good night's sleep? Then Tap in to Patriot Mike Lindell's' Complete Mattress Sleep System!!!SAVE 66%!!! Go to: MyPillow.com/KIM  PROMO CODE: KIM and get your Complete mattress sleep system today!!!PEAK PERFORMANCE PATRIOT SHOPPING CLUBIf you're tired of shopping at the big Box Retailers that have no interest in your wellness, and you want to shore up your immune system and finances then make the switch to a Patriot manufacturer where products are made here in America with the best of science and nature.  These products are better, safer, less expensive and SAVE 30- 50% every time you shop!!! Go to: PeakPerformancePatriotShoppingClub.com for your virtual tour today!!!PUBLIC SQUARE:  If you are looking for the largest directory of freedom-loving businesses the nation has ever seen PublicSq is the first app to connect to freedom-loving Americans within a local community with the businesses that share your values. Whether it is a restaurant that goes farm to table from local farms, a coffee shop that took a stand against the mandates,  PublicSq is your guide. Just download the PublicSq app from the Apple app store or Google play. You can create a free account and go ahead and begin your search. You can also list your business for free so your local community can find you today. That's exactly what I did!! Download the PublicSq. app today and join other freedom loving patriots who share your values!!!https://publicsq.typeform.com/PSQFree#source=KimYeater259SAN DIEGO BAY ADVENTURESSan Diego Bay Adventures is your place for fun! Jet ski rentals, kayaks & paddle boards. Located on the Big San Diego Bay.  Arrive as a guest and leave as family!!! Go To: https://SanDiegoBayAdventures.com and join the FUN!!!KIM YEATER PEAK PERFORMANCE COACHINGIf you are a business owner, entrepreneur, or leader who is feeling frustrated or anxious because you are not performing at the level that you know you are capable of, go to: https://UnlockYourLifeCoach.com and set a time with Coach Kim for a Strategy Session to Unlock your life and elevate your performance to the next level!!!El Gringo Hot Sauce- San Diego's best Hot SauceFruit infused slow roasted hot sauce!!! Blackberry Jalapeño, Pineapple Habanero, and Mama's blend!!! Treat your taste buds today and order yours at https://ElGringoHotSauce.comBeing Confident of this, that He who  began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus Phil. 1:6

Christianity has nothing to do with emotion. Living the Christian life is about thinking. Only the knowledge of God's Word in your soul will sustain you during life's ups and downs. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). As you renovate your thinking you see life through a divine viewpoint rather than an emotional human viewpoint. “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). Often problems arise when you don't think and act on your emotions. Your emotions were designed as appreciators in life, not to direct your intentions and actions. When you use your volition to override your conscience and you act on how you feel rather than on what you think, you are going to make bad decisions. Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/divine-pardon-4738ee --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

This week at the TAKE YOUR POWER BACK SHOW meet our Freedom Loving Patriots, Sheriff Richard Mack and Candidate Sheriff John Hemmerling. We explore what it means to take the oath of Sheriff, protect the Constitutional rights of we the people and stand firm even in the midst of major push back. Be ready for a powerful conversation that is not only thought provoking but outright challenging!!!Available on all Podcast Platforms as well as Rumble, Public Square, & CloutnetSUBSCRIBE & SHARE, SHARE, SHARE !!!The Take Your Power Back Show with Peak Performance Breakthrough Coach Kim Yeater is an empowering program that will encourage you to step into your power and take action in your leadership and allow your voice to be heard. Every week we will highlight freedom-loving Americans that are making a positive impact in the world by standing in truth amid adversity. Learn how to Take Your Power Back in your Freedom, In your personal & professional life, in utilizing technology & creativity, and in your Faith. Be inspired, Be encouraged, Be transformed! Together, Let's Take Your Power Back!!TO SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS OR TO SPONSOR OUR SHOW GO TO: TAKEYOURPOWERBACKSHOW.COMBeing Confident of this, that He who  began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus Phil. 1:6SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSMY PILLOWAre you tired of NOT getting a good night's sleep? Then Tap in to Patriot Mike Lindell's' Complete Mattress Sleep System!!!SAVE 66%!!! Go to: MyPillow.com/KIM  PROMO CODE: KIM and get your Complete mattress sleep system today!!!PEAK PERFORMANCE PATRIOT SHOPPING CLUBIf you're tired of shopping at the big Box Retailers that have no interest in your wellness, and you want to shore up your immune system and finances then make the switch to a Patriot manufacturer where products are made here in America with the best of science and nature.  These products are better, safer, less expensive and SAVE 30- 50% every time you shop!!! Go to: PeakPerformancePatriotShoppingClub.com for your virtual tour today!!!SAN DIEGO BAY ADVENTURESSan Diego Bay Adventures is your place for fun! Jet ski rentals, kayaks & paddleboards. Located on the Big San Diego Bay.  Arrive as a guest and leave as family!!! Go To: https://SanDiegoBayAdventures.com and join the FUN!!!KIM YEATER PEAK PERFORMANCE COACHINGIf you are a business owner, entrepreneur, or leader who is feeling frustrated or anxious because you are not performing at the level that you know you are capable of, go to: https://UnlockYourLifeCoach.com and set a time with Coach Kim for a Strategy Session to Unlock your life and elevate your performance to the next level!!!El Gringo Hot Sauce- San Diego's best Hot SauceFruit infused slow roasted hot sauce!!! Blackberry Jalapeño, Pineapple Habanero, and Mama's blend!!! Treat your taste buds today and order yours at

Your body will age but your soul is forever young. Your spiritual life is lived in your soul. Your soul, and what's in it, is what goes to heaven. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). As you get older there is a change in the arena of contention inside your mind from fleshly desires to now battling aging attacks on your mentality such as frustration, bitterness, doubt, and insecurity. Only a strong spiritual life will keep you encouraged and focused as your body deteriorates. The challenge as you get older is to keep the lanes of thinking open so you can recall the Word of God you have learned and stored in your soul. God wants you to put His Word in your mind now because this divine wisdom will sustain you and give you understanding, discernment, and discretion as you get older. “For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul then discretion will protect you and understanding will guard you” (Prov 2:10-11). To live right you must think right. You have to work even harder as you get older to keep your soul's mentality in shape, to keep your soul in shape. “With your Word in my soul, You will guide me and then afterward take me up to glory” (Ps 73:24). Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/grounded-soul-1298d9 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

This week at the TAKE YOUR POWER BACK SHOW meet our Freedom Loving Patriots, Public Squares Christina Werner, VR for Main street and Ministry Todd Brinkman, & Real-estate Broker-Watchman Everett Triplett as we explore how the Great Reset is activating Freedom Fighting Technologies!!!Available on all Podcast Platforms & Rumble.SUBSCRIBE & SHARE, SHARE, SHARE !!!The Take Your Power Back Show with Peak Performance Breakthrough Coach Kim Yeater is an empowering program that will encourage you to step into your power and take action in your leadership and allow your voice to be heard. Every week we will highlight freedom-loving Americans that are making a positive impact in the world by standing in truth amid adversity. Learn how to Take Your Power Back in your Freedom, In your personal & professional life, in utilizing technology & creativity, and in your Faith. Be inspired, Be encouraged, Be transformed! Together, Let's Take Your Power Back!!TO SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS OR TO SPONSOR OUR SHOW GO TO: TAKEYOURPOWERBACKSHOW.COMBeing Confident of this, that He who  began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus Phil. 1:6Support our Sponsors:MY PILLOWAre you tired of NOT getting a good night's sleep? Then Tap in to Patriot Mike Lindell's' My Pillow Memorial Day Special:The Complete Mattress Sleep System 40% OFF!!! I Love Mine!!! TWO FREE MY PILLOWS, 1 SET OF DREAM BED SHEETS, AND FREE SHIPPING!!Go to: MyPillow.com/KIM  PROMO CODE: KIM and get your Complete mattress sleep system today!!!PEAK PERFORMANCE PATRIOT SHOPPING CLUBIf you're tired of shopping at the big Box Retailers that have no interest in your wellness, and you want to shore up your immune system then make the switch to a Patriot manufacturer where products are made here in America with the best of science and nature.  These products are better, safer, less expensive and SAVE 30- 50% every time you shop!!! Go to: PeakPerformancePatriotShoppingClub.com for your virtual tour today!!! SAN DIEGO BAY ADVENTURESSan Diego Bay Adventures is your place for fun! Jet ski rentals, kayaks & paddle boards. Located on the Big San Diego Bay.  Arrive as a guest and leave as family!!! Go To: https://SanDiegoBayAdventures.com and join the FUN!!! KIM YEATER PEAK PERFORMANCE COACHINGIf you are a business owner, entrepreneur, or leader who is feeling frustrated or anxious because you are not performing at the level that you know you are capable of, go to: https://UnlockYourLifeCoach.com and set a time with Coach Kim for a Strategy Session to Unlock your life and elevate your performance to the next level!!!El Gringo Hot Sauce- San Diego's best Hot SauceFruit infused slow roasted hot sauce!!! Blackberry Jalapeño, Pineapple Habanero, and Mama's blend!!! Treat your taste buds today and order yours at https://ElGringoHotSauce.comBeing Confident of this, that He who  began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus Phil. 1:6

This week at the Take Your Power Back Show, Peak Performance Breakthrough Coach Kim Yeater interviews Dr. Mark Sherwood 10,000 patients and 0 Covid Deaths and LA Marzulli sounding the alarm for the coming great deception. This is a must listen too!!!Available on all Podcast Platforms & Rumble.SUBSCRIBE & SHARE, SHARE, SHARE !!!The Take Your Power Back Show with Peak Performance Breakthrough Coach Kim Yeater is an empowering program that will encourage you to step into your power and take action in your leadership and allow your voice to be heard. Every week we will highlight freedom-loving Americans that are making a positive impact in the world by standing in truth amid adversity. Learn how to Take Your Power Back in your Freedom, In your personal & professional life, in utilizing technology & creativity, and in your Faith. Be inspired, Be encouraged, Be transformed! Together, Let's Take Your Power Back!!TO SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS OR TO SPONSOR OUR SHOW GO TO: TAKEYOURPOWERBACKSHOW.COMBeing Confident of this, that He who  began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus Phil. 1:6Support our SponsorsMY PILLOWAre you tired of NOT getting a good night's sleep? Then Tap in to Patriot Mike Lindell's' My Pillow Memorial Day Special:The Complete Mattress Sleep System 40% OFF!!! I Love Mine!!! TWO FREE MY PILLOWS, 1 SET OF DREAM BED SHEETS, AND FREE SHIPPING!!Go to: MyPillow.com PROMO CODE: KIM and get your Complete mattress sleep system today!!! PEAK PERFORMANCE PATRIOT SHOPPING CLUBIf you're tired of shopping at the big Box Retailers that have no interest in your wellness, and you want to shore up your immune system then make the switch to a Patriot manufacturer where products are made here in America with the best of science and nature.  These products are better, safer, less expensive and SAVE 30- 50% every time you shop!!! Go to: PeakPerformancePatriotShoppingClub.com for your virtual tour today!!! SAN DIEGO BAY ADVENTURESSan Diego Bay Adventures is your place for fun! Jet ski rentals, kayaks & paddleboards. Located on the Big San Diego Bay.  Arrive as a guest and leave as family!!! Go To: https://SanDiegoBayAdventures.com and join the FUN!!!KIM YEATER PEAK PERFORMANCE COACHINGIf you are a business owner, entrepreneur, or leader who is feeling frustrated or anxious because you are not performing at the level that you know you are capable of,go to: https://UnlockYourLifeCoach.com and set a time with Coach Kim for a Strategy Session to Unlock your life and elevate your performance to the next level!!!El Gringo Hot Sauce- San Diego's best Hot SauceFruit infused slow roasted hot sauce!!! Blackberry Jalapeño, Pineapple Habanero, and Mama's blend!!! Treat your taste buds today and order yours at https://ElGringoHotSauce.comBeing Confident of this, that He who  began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus Phil. 1:6

Sin, arrogance and a lack of discernment can destroy us. Sin is something you think, something you say, or something you do. The Bible tells us to immediately name a sin to God the Father. Using rebound is how we handle sin. “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to purify us from all wrongdoing” (1 John 1:9). You must learn to deal with arrogance. Arrogance is identified by self-justification, self-deception and self-absorption. It takes humility to know you are arrogant. Discernment comes from verifying your thoughts and actions with Scripture. Discernment comes from acquiring the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/sin-arrogance-afef8a --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Emotions are an enemy of the Christian. God gives you mentality. You don't have to let your emotions control your life. Emotions react. Thinking responds. You have a choice. Controlling your emotions is a wonderful thing. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Humility is required to be successful in life. Arrogant people never have it. They are full of self-justification and this is very dangerous because it leads to self-deception. It is critical you understand the plan of God and it starts with “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/emotions-transcript-e3c462 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Don't dwell on your past failures. If you're still alive, God has a plan for you. “I forgot those things that are behind me and I reach forth to the things which are in front” (Phil 4:13). Rebound, stay filled with the Holy Spirit and press on toward the prize. “I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14). The prize is hearing the Lord say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.” The Christian life is lived one day at a time. Press toward the finish line by “growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” and applying what you learn. As you learn God's Word and as the Holy Spirit uses it in your life, this conforms you to the image of Jesus Christ. This is the mark you are pressing toward. Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/pressing-toward-22d625 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

God has given you many operational assets to live your spiritual life. the Bible, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ, and pastor-teachers are all grace resources you have. If you don't use these resources and can't concentrate on the teaching of God's Word your spiritual life will be a waste. “Those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb 5:14). Solomon explains, “When wisdom enters your heart and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, then discretion will preserve you and understanding will keep you” (Prov 2:10-11). The heart is the real you. Your spiritual life is fueled by what you think. You are to think as Christ thought. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/spiritual-life-d59ecf --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Spirituality is absolute. You are either filled with the Holy Spirit or you are in carnality controlled by your sin nature. Spirituality is related to the filling of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual maturity is related to the content of the Word of God in your soul. Maturity is relative. To glorify God in this life you need to grow up spiritually. In maturity you have a maximum application of God's Word in your life, this is wisdom, and you have maximum trust in God, this is faith. “These things I have spoken to you that My joy might be in you” (John 15:11). A maturing Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit and taking in the Word of God daily—learning, growing and applying. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). You have to learn to think with the mind of Christ and apply it if you're ever going to glorify God. Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/spirituality-maturity-967156 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Information you've heard and understood is knowledge. Information you've heard understood and applied is full knowledge. This is your objective, to apply God's Word that you have learned and stored in your soul. The Christian life is supernatural and is to be lived under the filling of the Holy Spirit empowered by God's Word. You live it in your mind. “Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusts in Thee” (Is 26:3). When you are occupied with Christ your mind is stayed on Him. Every day when you awake, think this: “This I recall to mind, therefore, I have hope. It is because of our Lord's mercies we are not consumed because His compassions never fail, they are new every morning, great is His faithfulness” (Lam 3:21-23). Satan wants to capture your thoughts and get your mind off of Christ. He wants to neutralize you. Keep control of your mind by staying filled with the Holy Spirit and thinking divine viewpoint. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Click for Full Transcript https://rhem.pub/whose-mind-5c513a --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Our Lord depended upon the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen Him, give Him insight, and empower Him while he lived here on earth. This is the same thing we need to do! Our Lord used the 10 problem-solving devices when He operated in the devil's world and these same resources are available to you to use. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). A Christian who gets into perpetual carnality and doesn't use rebound gets into revisionism. If you don't use rebound to recover from sin you will begin to slide into revisionism. Those in revisionism can't be distinguished from the unbeliever. You can't think clearly in reversionism, and it leads to operation boomerang and the frantic search for happiness. You can recover from revisionism. Go to God the Father in prayer and admit your sin. Then get into God's Word and grow. This will remove the scar tissue that has built up in your soul. “Happiness belongs to those who hear My Father's Word and keep it” (Luke 11:28). Click for Full Transcript https://rhem.pub/reversionism-review-8f435a --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

God can use you in spite of your failures. Are you in prison because you committed some atrocity such as murder and you think God can't forgive you? God can and does. Jesus Christ died for all of our sins. He freed us from the penalty of sin. Sin leaves scars and sometimes more problems. The only way to handle the problem of sin is to use rebound. Name your sin to God the Father and He will forgive you every time. Satan wants you to wallow in guilt. Guilt is a sin. The biggest mistake in the guilt pit is you go back and dig up your past failures. Rebound removes the guilt. God wants you to rebound, advance spiritually and not look back. “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:13-14). Redeem the time - you only have so long to live. Click for Full Transcript If the hotlink doesn't work copy-and-paste this link into your browser: https://rhem.pub/guilt-pit-6060a4 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

The Third Sunday in Advent has traditionally been called by the Latin word Gaudete, meaning “Rejoice!” For as you are called to repentance, so also are you urged to rejoice in the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ. By His own cross, He has accomplished salvation for you; “he has cleared away your enemies,” “taken away the judgments against you” and come to reign in your midst. Indeed, He rejoices over you with gladness and song (Zeph. 3:15–17)! Therefore, even from prison St. Paul encourages us to “rejoice in the Lord always,” knowing that the peace of God will guard and keep us in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:4, 7). We find an example and encouragement in the case of John the Baptist. As he languishes in prison, he calls upon Jesus and is strengthened by the Word of the Gospel that he receives. The same good news is preached to you, by which all things are made new and even “the dead are raised up” (Luke 7:22). Do not be offended by the cross, therefore, but let your life be one of prayer and thanksgiving (Luke 7:23; Phil. 4:6).-----------------------------Visit our website: https://www.trinitysheboygan.org/​​​​Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A Learn more here: https://www.onelicense.net/Support the show

Today's podcast is a meditation on the scriptures of our identity in Christ, from the verses below. Who We Are and What We Have In Christ "Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith” (Romans 1:5) “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Romans 5:1-2). “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!” (Romans 5:9) “when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son… how much more… shall we be saved through his life!... rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:10-11). “those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” (5:17). “through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous” (5:19). “Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, [so] we too may live a new life” (6:4). “count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (6:11). “you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God” (7:4). “we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” (7:6). “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (8:1-2). “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you” (8:9). “you received the Spirit of Sonship… Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (8:15, 17). “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called; he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (8:30). “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (8:37). “you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another” (Romans 15:14). “in him you have been enriched in every way – in all your speaking and in all your knowledge” (1 Cor 1:5). “we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us” (1 Cor 2:12). “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). “All things are yours” (1 Cor 3:21). “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:11). “the man who loves God is known by God” (1 Cor 8:3). “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘yes' in Christ.  And so through him the ‘Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Cor 1:20). “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing” (2 Cor 2:14-15). “in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God” (2 Cor 2:17). “Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.  Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor 3:4-6). “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18). “through God's mercy we have this ministry” (2 Cor 4:1). “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ” (2 Cor 5:18-19). “Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you” (2 Cor 13:4). “So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law” (Galatians 2:16). “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God” (Gal 2:20). “So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (Gal 3:9). “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit” (Gal 3:14). “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (3:26-27). “So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Gal 4:7). “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ'” (Eph 1:3-9). “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity to the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory” (Eph 1:11-12). “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.  That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also the one to come” (Eph 1:18-21). “God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions… and God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:4-7). “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10). “in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:13). “In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph 2:21-22). “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Eph 3:12). “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Eph 3:20). “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.  From the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph 4:15-16). “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:11). “my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13-14). “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27). “Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.  In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead” (Col 2:9-12). “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Col 2:17). “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col 3:3-4). “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Col 3:10). “the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess 1:12). “that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess 2:14). “This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (2 Tim 1:9). “the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory” (2 Tim 2:10). “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:5-7). “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Heb 7:25). “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb 10:10). “who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood” (1 Peter 1:2). “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5). “Through him you believe in God” (1 Peter 1:21). “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.  It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand – with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him” (1 Peter 3:21-22). “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2). “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4). “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 John 5:11).

We're Running Out of TimeThere comes a time in everyone's life, at least everyone who accomplishes something of value, when they quit making excuses and commit to an ideal greater than themselves. We see this in sports, in the financial arena, and in the life of faith. Almost all of our spiritual heroes sacrificed their comfort and security for something they could not see, for some ideal beyond themselves that only their faith could grasp. And their life was defined by the very moment they stepped out in faith, regardless of the outcome. We see this in the summary of the life of Able, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham in Hebrews 11. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth – Hebrews 11:13. These men, charter members of the Hebrews 11 Roll Call of Faith, all died holding fast to the promise, to the ideal they committed their lives to by faith. Dire circumstances didn't sway them. Neither did pain, suffering, disappointment, or betrayal. And their unwavering trust and commitment to the Lord and His Word is why they are so highly revered as champions of our faith. Yet in each one of their lives, there came a point where they went “all in” and everything in their life changed from that moment forward. Their priorities were re-aligned. Their definition of success re-defined. Their motivation for life was no longer in themselves and their happiness, but in Him who called them. They found themselves, like Paul, “forgetting those things which are behind and racing forward to those things which are ahead” they “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). I know what many of you may be thinking right now. “Ok, but that was them. What about me? Do I have what it takes to make the same commitment they did? And if so, when do I go about doing that? When should I make that commitment? Does something have to happen to me first? Do I have to reach some sort of spiritual zenith before I give my all to Christ? Or is this something I can do today, right now? Or should I wait until tomorrow? Or maybe next year? Or whenever I think I'm ready?” But the time is now.  Not tomorrow or next week. But now. Or Maybe, We've Already Run Out of TimeIt is time for each of us to no longer be a hearer of God's Word but to do what it says. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was – James 1:22-24. It is time to move beyond hearing and knowing, to becoming and obeying His Word. After all, Jesus did not die to give us spiritual knowledge, but to transform us and make us new. There comes a time in each person's life when they say, “Enough is enough!” With everyone we admire, they came to a point of no return, no compromise, no backing down. For them, it was all or nothing, no matter the cost, “come what may.” And it is time for you and me to do the same. It is time for each of us to come to a point when we take our faith seriously enough to face what all of us will soon face, whether we're ready or not. And it is time for us to get ready to meet our King and live like we truly believe He is coming. Are you ready? To https://leavinglaodicea.com/pdf/112021-Slides.pdf (download) the https://leavinglaodicea.com/pdf/112021-Slides.pdf (slides) for this message, click – https://leavinglaodicea.com/pdf/112021-Slides.pdf (HERE) Our Latest Posts:https://www.leavinglaodicea.com/covid-mandates-and-the-cost-of-doing-nothing-512/ (512: COVID Mandates and the Cost of Doing Nothing)

You live the Christian life in your mind. “Bringing every thought into captivity” (2 Cor 10:5) is how you live the Christian life. It is a 24/7 mandate. This is training your mind to be obedient to God. The power to live it comes from the Word of God combined with the filling of the Holy Spirit. The filling of the Holy Spirit is a simple process whereby we allow the Holy Spirit to control our mind, our life, under the protocol plan of God. “Your Word I have hidden in my heart so that I might not sin against You” (Ps 119:11). Having a clear conscience, developing the capacity for living from learning, and applying the Word of God bring contentment. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Click for Full Transcript If the hotlink doesn't work copy the full link, below, and paste it into your search engine finder: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3kki09tk4t360f4/430-Mind-Games-transcript.pdf?dl=0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Time doesn't shout, it just runs out—quicker than you think. God only gives you so much time. Don't waste it. There's no guarantee you'll be alive tomorrow so if you haven't made the most important decision in your life, to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, don't wait another moment. Do it now. “Now is the day of salvation” (Is 49:8). The Bible tells us about making the most of our time. “Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise making the most of your time” (Eph 5:15-17). Six key attributes to using time wisely: be punctual; be patient; set priorities; have prudence; have perspective; and don't get into procrastination. A well-disciplined person has a routine. “Daily with one accord … Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). God chooses the time and the manner and the place of your departure and He will be punctual about it. Click for Full Transcript If the hotlink doesn't work copy the full link, below, and paste it into your search engine finder: https://www.dropbox.com/s/d7laezi9yrlq3jy/603-Time-Doesnt-Shout-p1-transcript.pdf?dl=0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Spirituality is being filled with the Holy Spirit. At any moment in time you are either controlled by the Holy Spirit or by your sin nature. Your volition decides. Our foundation is Jesus Christ. “For another foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Christ Jesus” (1 Cor 3:11-16). Substitute spirituality is you trying to impress God with how good you are or by how you act or what you do. This is human good, “wood, hay and straw” which will be burned at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Substitute spirituality is emotionalism. The Christian life is lived in your thoughts, not your emotion. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/substitute-spirituality-d286c5 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Worship is the expression of your personal love for God. Worship is thought, not emotion. “When you assemble let all things be done for edification” (1 Cor 14:26). You can only give to God what you actually possess. What can you give Him? Honor. Respect. Time. Concentration. There are three types of worship. The first is respect, deep admiration based on the quality of the person you're thinking about. You can only respect the Lord through understanding His thinking. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Reverence is another type of worship and it is growing respect. The difference between respect and reverence is concentration, a matter of recall. Honor is the highest type of worship. It is great esteem. Nehemiah 8:8 gives us the pattern for church service: listen, pray, apply and celebrate. Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/worship-transcript-2bd3e1 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Are you hot or cold, spiritually? Or are you lukewarm, playing at being a Christian? Are you just auditing the Christian life? God wants you to be hot. He wants you to be on fire to “grow in the grace and knowledge of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 3:18). To be hot you need to use the supernatural powers God has given you—the filling of the Holy Spirit and the living Word of God. By taking in the Word of God the Holy Spirit is able to renovate your thinking so you begin to think as Christ thought. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Don't let distractions get you so wrapped up that you don't make time for spiritual growth. Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/lukewarm-believer-faab95 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Use the faith-rest drill to calm yourself in the storms of life. Fear causes the focus to be on self but faith puts the focus on God and His Word. If the Lord Jesus Christ can calm the storm in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, can He not calm your storms and deliver you as well? He will—if you trust Him, stay filled with the Holy Spirit, keep your eyes on the facts and off of yourself, and don't let fear take control. “My God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). The Holy Spirit gives you strength by recalling the Word of God you have stored in your soul. Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/faith-rest-4e946d --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

God wants us to grow in grace, come to understand grace, utilize grace and teach grace. The Christian life focuses and functions around grace. Grace is an amazing gift from God. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you” (2 Cor 9:8). This is our divine promises for all grace provisions. You don't have to worry or have anxiety. Put it on the Lord. That's one of His grace provisions. “My God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). If you glorify God through living grace then you will glorify God in dying grace. One in dying grace experiences both blessing and happiness at the point of death. “Behold the eye of the Lord is on those occupied with Him, on those who have confidence in His grace to deliver their souls from death and to keep them alive in depression” (Ps 33:18-19). Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/advantage-grace-02ec6c --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

You're welcome to the FRAGRANCE OF THE SPIRIT PODCAST... EPISODE 48 I'm Pst Alo Olatokunboh Akin, your Host FRAGRANCE OF THE SPIRIT 48 There's also Supernatural Provision in the wings of the Glory of God. Whenever and wherever the Glory is made manifest, there's always a surprising provision The riches of God are kept with Him in the Glory realm that's why Apostle Paul prayed for the Philippians that "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" Phil. 4: 19, the word "supply" means more than just to make available or supply, it means to make something full or to fill up, so the provision of God is according to His riches in glory: always full, His provision is too abundant to be exhausted and it fills up every lack and want in people's lives Declare this therefore: I open my life to the provisions of God by His Glory God bless you with the Fragrance of the Spirit Pastor Dr Alo Olatokunboh Akin Anchor Man Transformation Hour Network International, Nigeria 08036506376 I remain your host, Alo Olatokunboh Akin --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Change your actions by changing your thoughts. We are what we think. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). We learn the mind of Christ by learning the Scriptures. The Christian way of life is about learning and applying the Word of God. God has given us the unique resources of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and the Bible. He has made it easy. Get on the Thy Way Highway. Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/soul-renovation-eeec18 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

God's grace sustains you. Don't get overly concerned about your security or safety. That's God's business, not yours. “My God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). You have the righteousness of God through your faith in Jesus Christ. The justice of God sends life support to the righteousness of God that's inside of you. That's grace—you don't earn it and you don't deserve it. Logistical grace provisions are amazing. “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that always having a sufficiency in everything you will have an abundance for every good thing of intrinsic value production” (2 Col 9:8). Your priority every day must be to grow spiritually, to stay filled with the Holy Spirit, to take in God's Word. To be that faithful servant who keeps the lamp lit waiting on the Master to return (Luke 12). Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/advantage-grace-11d11e --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground” (Psalm 104:27-30). We return to the Spirit and Creation, that is, God's physical creation, the cosmos. Let me make an unconventional assertion: We are just as lost without the Spirit as we are without Jesus. Psalm 104 calls us to praise God for his ongoing relationship with his creation. Any notion that God is indifferent to his creation is dispelled here. We are invited to join the rest of creation to revel in God's creative wisdom, to see his pure joy in creating and to give him glory. Let us talk first about God's wisdom. Some people have a brilliant intelligence. They know stuff. They have PhDs and hobnob with the most intelligent. But they have no practical wisdom, no street smarts. Other people have great street smarts. They just know how to fix things and find solutions to problems. God is both brilliant and street smart. The cosmos he created worked harmoniously and fruitfully for all his creatures. There is a good reason for every aspect of creation. Sin has introduced chaos – so we cannot make sense of it all and some things have become dangerous, such as mosquitos and viruses. God did not create a world that was absurd or dangerous. It was a safe and trustworthy space in which life could flourish. In the ancient world, water was chaos. But God harnessed it to sustain life, satisfying the thirst of the wild donkeys, making dense foliage grow, producing vegetation that serves his will: feed for cattle and plants for humanity to cultivate. God created the heavenly bodies — sun and moon — which regulate the rhythms of life in days and seasons. The Lord brings on night when wild living beings stir from their rest, to hunt and eat. King of the animals is the lion, which receives its food from God as a gift. The Lord then brings on day with the rise of the sun, at which time the creatures that rule the night retire to their caves, and human beings go out to their work, to their labor until the evening comes. The Psalm emphasizes the trustworthy and discernible order embedded in creation. And God created for the pure joy of it (31). In ancient poetry, sea monsters embody evil; here they are responsive to God, his pets. God provides for both spirit and body, making wine to bring joy to human hearts as well as food to sustain human body. We are invited to see God as a parent rejoicing over his children, as a friend rejoicing over lifelong companions, as an artist rejoicing over her handiwork.   As the psalm ends, we are challenged to pray that the glory of the Lord will endure; that the creation, despite the ravages of sin, will continue to exude its Creator's glory. It foreshadows the end of Romans 11: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. All this life, God sustains it all. Only God has life in himself to give. If God gives breath, creatures live; if God withholds it, they die. The whole cosmos is daily dependent on God's sustenance, God's face, God's presence, God's breath. The world is impressive and to be celebrated, but it has no independent existence. The world is well-ordered and reliable. But on its own, it has no possibility of survival or well-being. All of it is sustained by His Spirit (30), even though it is marred by sin. This is the same Spirit Jesus breathed on his disciples (John 20:19), which is the same Spirit of Acts 2. As much as the Spirit brought forth life in the beginning (Genesis 1:2), as much as the Spirit has sustained God's creation ever since, so the Spirit is at work renewing everything, including us. Psalm 104 strengthens our confidence in the future. The same Spirit that was there in the beginning, the same Spirit who gives physical life, is the same Spirit sent by Jesus to carry on His ministry. This is the Spirit at work in us. No wonder Paul could wrote, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:5-6).

Fully Satisfied with all God is For us In Christ JesusEvery person in the world wants to know what will make him or her happy. We're all desperately seeking for the person, place, or thing that will meet our expectations, needs, and wants. We were designed for so much more than the trivial pursuit of pleasureSo maybe here in Colossians we find the answer to all thisFor in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.Colossians 2:9 - 10 Col 1:27Eph - You In Christ - Loved, Chosen, Adopted, Kindness, forgiveness, Wisdom, Understanding, John 1:1-4 Colossians 1:19 John 1:16 How do you see God? Some higher power?Some spiritual force?A God who is cruel, mean, Authoritarian, unloving? Do you see God as 3 persons in one? Teacher at my Junior school could not sing from the hymn Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty : “God in three persons,  blessed trinity” as he could not believe that truthIf you do, how do you rank them?  in an order of importance or position?1. God the Father - Most Important2. God the Son - Second3. God the Holy spirit - Least ImportantOr are they just one third of God?Each Person is Fully God!The Doctrine of the Trinity - Bit of homework for you!https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-the-doctrine-of-the-trinityPromises of SatisfactionThe Bible is full of glorious promises of satisfaction for the discontent: John 6:35Psalm 107:9Psalm 22:26Psalm 16:11Our Good and His Glory Seeking satisfaction in Christ alone serves two purposes: It is for our good and for the glory of God. “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” John PiperThere are benefits we reap as we know, love, and delight ourselves in Jesus. 1. The Father gives us peace that surpasses human understanding2. He provides for all our needs according to his riches in Glory3. No good thing is withheld from us4. He makes ALL things work together for our good. Living in light of these truths proclaims to a discontent world that Jesus is better than anything the world has to offer. As we look to Jesus to make us truly happy, we also proclaim to a world in need that only Christ can truly satisfy. When we are most satisfied in him, he loves that, “We glorify God when our satisfaction is Jesus alone”. This can be hard for us to grasp. Why?• Because to us, we have to read our Bible to glorify God • Or we have to pray to make him happy.• Or be telling others about him all the time. • Or Trying really hard to not sin.  No. When we are fully satisfied in him, all those things will happen as a consequence and he is happy with us. “He is most glorified when we are happy with him and in Him. That's crazy and difficult for us to comprehend, but does not change the fact it's true.  Conclusion Jirah - The Lord Provides He provides for all your needs Because he is enough Is he enough for you - Father, Son and Holy Spirit?Questions• How do you understand the Fullness of God living in Jesus human form? • What does that teach us about our own christian life? • How should that affect our understanding of God who fills the whole universe and more? • Have you ever considered what it means for us to have been created in the Image of God? What are the possibilities for us? Is there anything you have not seen or understood about this truth before? https://blog.youversion.com/2

God has a plan for you. He reveals it through the Bible, only through the Word of God. “The Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword” (Heb 4:12). That's why it is so important you find and study under a well-qualified pastor who will teach it to you. Everything you need to know about God is in the Bible. It is the only source of information about God's plan that is available. God's plan involves a new way of thinking. Thinking with a divine viewpoint. “Have this attitude which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). If you learn to understand God's plan then you can fulfill His will in your life. God reveals Himself in a way that makes sense. Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/plan-god-e5db1 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Solomon had unbelievable wisdom and wealth, yet he was consumed with a frantic search for happiness. The book of Ecclesiastes tells us about it. Human viewpoint says people, things or circumstances can make you happy and it's not true. What makes you happy is to renovate your thinking. Don't think as the world thinks—you are just a sojourner in this devil's world. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). If you get out of fellowship with God and search for happiness eventually you'll end right back where you started - operation boomerang. “The wind goes toward the south and turns to the north. It whirls around continually and returns to its circuits” (Eccl 1:6). Solomon's departure from the Lord led him to seven different substitutes he hoped would fill the emptiness in his heart, but they didn't. Unhappy people take their unhappiness with them wherever they go. "The pursuit of happiness causes bad decisions which only intensify one's unhappiness. There is no true happiness for the believer apart from the execution of the protocol plan of God,” R. B. Thieme Jr.'s The Pursuit of Happiness available free of charge by calling 713. 621.3740. Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/solomons-life-cbbd9 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Few passages have as much theology and ethics in them as Philippians 2. We can pick up on only a few of its wonderful themes:(1) Scholars have translated Philippians 2:5–11 in all kinds of creative ways. In large measure the NIV has it right. Christ Jesus, we are told, “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped [or possibly “exploited”], but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Phil. 2:6–7). All that is quite wonderful, a glorious description of the incarnation that prepares the way for the cross. I might reword the translation in the first line of verse 6: “Who, being in very nature God.” At the level of raw literalism, that is a perfectly acceptable translation. But Greek uses participles far more frequently than does English, and Greek adverbial participles, such as the word being in this line, have various logical relations with their context—relations that must be determined by the context. Probably most English readers mentally paraphrase this passage as, “Who, although he was in very nature God …” Certainly that makes sense and may even be right. But there are good contextual reasons for thinking that the participle is causal: “Who, because he was in very nature God.” In other words, because he was in very nature God, not only did he not consider equality with God something to be exploited, but he made himself a nobody: it was divine to show that kind of self-emptying, that kind of grace.(2) “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5), who did not regard his rights as something to be exploited, but who humbled himself and died a death of odious ignominy so that we might be saved—and was ultimately vindicated (Phil. 2:6–11). The exhortation of Philippians 2:5 thus supports the string of exhortations in Philippians 2:1–4. Reflect on how this is so.(3) The verses following the “Christ hymn” (as it is often called) of Philippians 2:6–11 emphasize perseverance. “Therefore” at the beginning of verse 12 establishes the connection. Christ made himself a nobody and died a shameful death but was finally and gloriously vindicated, and therefore we too should take the long view and “work out” our salvation “with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). Of course, there is all the more incentive when we recall that “it is God who works in [us] to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:13). We reject utter passivity, “letting go and letting God”; rather, we work out our salvation. Yet at the same time we joyfully acknowledge that both our willing and our doing are evidence of God’s working in us. And he will vindicate us. This podcast is designed to be used alongside TGC's Read The Bible initiative (TGC.org/readthebible). The podcast features devotional commentaries from D.A. Carson’s book For the Love of God (vol. 2) that follow the M’Cheyne Bible reading plan.

An extraordinary believer goes above and beyond. He or she has the ability to motivate and encourage others in the faith. Not being preoccupied with circumstances, focusing on the divine solution, not the problem, is a trait. Thinking with Biblical wisdom, the divine viewpoint is a trait. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Extraordinary believers have objective optimism, a personal sense of destiny, and understand essential doctrines. When you absorb, metabolize, and utilize the Word of God—which is your mission—you can move from ordinary to extraordinary. That's when you can be used by God. “How blessed is the man that finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding. For her profit [wisdom] is more precious than jewels and nothing you desire can compare with her” (Prov 3:13). Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/extraordinary-believer-818a1 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

To glorify God to the maximum you must know your divine resources and use them. The Bible is the thinking of Christ in written form and that is our #1 resource. Our #2 resource is the filling of the Holy Spirit. “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper that He may be with you forever, that is the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16). Jesus Christ lives in you—that's an amazing resource! “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Col 1:27). We are mandated to renovate our thinking. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). God wants you to think in terms of humility, not arrogance. Prayer, instantaneous communication with your Heavenly Father, is a powerful resource. The faith-rest drill, standing on the promises of God, is a critical resource. Use it. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths” (Prov 3:5). Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/divine-resources-5a3d1 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who Strengthens me.

As a spiritually mature believer, an invisible hero, you are the salt of the earth. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its flavor...it is good for nothing” (Matt 5:13). You are a preserving factor for our nation when you allow the Holy Spirit to use you. How do you act as salt? Stay filled with the Holy Spirit. Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. “Grow in the grace and knowledge of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 3:18). Reflect the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). Glorify God to the maximum—that's how you become the salt of the earth! Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/salt-earth-8ff91 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

People can stress you out. This is a key area of testing for us. Learn how to deal with WOJ's (weird obnoxious jerks) and those who want to manipulate and control you. To pass people testing you must have humility; understand the mechanics of God's will, plan and purpose for your life; and develop divine viewpoint thinking. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). That's why the 10 problem-solving devices are so important. You won't doubt yourself. You'll have the capacity and discernment to understand people and the circumstances around you. “For if anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Gal 6:3). Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/people-testing-49d60 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

The Lord Jesus said that the pathway to destruction is broad & full of travelers, but "narrow is the way that leads to life, & few find it" (Matt 7:13-14). He also made clear that He is that way to life (John 14:6). The PURPOSE of the Lord calls us to pursue His path, running as in a race, with fervent perseverance in order to lay hold of "the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:13-14). -SCRIPTURE TEXT: Phil 3:1-21; 1 Cor 9:24-27; Hebrews 12 SUNDAY SERVICE PREACHER: Lead Pastor Courtney Hall DATE: Jan. 10, 2020 JOIN US LIVE ONLINE AT 10AM* SERVICE TIMES: 8:30am (Outdoor) & 10am (Online)* SERIES: FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE - Part 3 SERMON: "The Pathway to the Prize" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pcflosangeles/message

What troubles loom in your thoughts? What concerns distract your focus? God invites His children to bring our circumstances to Him. He walks with us and gives us true peace, regardless of what swirls around us. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). Join us Sunday as we look at Philippians 4:4-13 and see how God's peace reaches inside our hearts.

I.-Jesus' Act of Humiliation----II.-Jesus' Gospel Parable----o-He rose from the table - laid aside His outer garments -4a- Phil. 2-5-6a-----o-- taking a towel, tied it around His waist -4b- Phil. 2-6b-7-----o-- washed His disciple's feet -5-10- Phil. 2-8-----o-He resumed His place -12- Phil. 2-9-11-----III.-Jesus' Example for You -12-17---Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus ---Phil. 2-3-5

If the outlook in your life is disturbing you, try the uplook. That’s what the psalmist did. “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens” (v.1). What does it mean to lift your eyes to the Lord? first, it means to acknowledge His sovereignty. We lift our eyes because He is higher than we are. Isaiah (6:1) focused his eyes on the throne of God and saw Him “high and lift it up” in the Temple. He is sovereign. He is the Master; we are the servants. He is the Creator; we are the creatures. He is the heavenly Father; we are the children. Second, we admit His sufficient (v.2). We look to Him because of His sufficiency. Whatever we need, He is able to provide. “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil.4:19). Third, we lift up our eyes to the Lord, we can accept His generosity. God is generous, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, (Matthew.7:11). *******^******* Acknowledge the sovereignty of God today. He is in control. Recognise His sufficiency. He can give you what you need for this day. Then accept His generosity. He enjoys giving to those who trust Him and glorify Him in all that they do.

Jesus Christ controls history. God has a wonderful plan for your life so what is there to fear? Nothing. A relaxed mental attitude is a faith-rest approach to life. An RMA is best described as having the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). It's your understanding and maximizing the use of impersonal and personal love. It gives you the ability to look at people (that's virtue love) and look at circumstances (with faith-rest) in a different way so you don't think as the rest of the world thinks. Your mental attitude is what you are at any given time throughout the day. Your thoughts drive your decisions. Full Transcript https://rhem.pub/715-transcript --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

“Protecting What Matters Most” Summer Series: “Virtues That Keep Us Stable” August 2, 2020, Self-Control If the junk mail we get is any indication of the tone that exists in our world today, my junk mail tells me that that there must be a whole lot of people who are feeling vulnerable, exposed, and insecure. I say that because of the promotional flyers for security systems that come my way on a regular basis. I’m old enough to remember when nobody locked his doors – to his house, to his car, or anything else. But now, evidently things are so bad that you’ve got to have alarms and cameras, and a host of other contraptions that protect the things that matter most to you. And I understand people’s anxieties. These times in which we’re living have no doubt driven so many to the brink of despair because of how the numbers of robberies and break-ins are at an all-time high. Even if you live in one of the nicest neighborhoods in Mountain Brook, you have no guarantees against the evil that seems to be escalating every week. So, it makes sense to think about how you might better secure the things that you’ve invested in – your house, your car, your personal possessions. But have you also given any consideration to the importance of making sure you’ve protected the one thing that matters most of all, which is your soul? This morning, we are looking at the last virtue in the list of the fruit of the Spirit the Apostle Paul offers in his letter to the Galatians, which is self-control. And as we consider the need we have to guard our own souls, I can’t think of a more vulnerable person in that respect than the person who is unable to control his own impulses. There is no person more exposed in this life than the one who is unable to turn his back on the things that can not only jeopardize our abundance here but also call into question our eternity in the life to come. We have before us today this one verse from the book of Proverbs, which comes to us in the context of a series of proverbs traced to King Solomon. Like everything else in Proverbs, this verse offers instruction to those who would secure the secrets of what is required in order to rule others under God’s selection. And as this verse reminds us, no one can rule others who first cannot rule himself. The image is most vivid. “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.” Some of us listening today live in homes behind walls. But in the ancient world, everyone did. No one lived outside the city walls. It would have been too dangerous. They would be vulnerable to any band of marauders that might be passing their way. That’s why in the book of Nehemiah, the first thing Nehemiah did upon returning to the city of Jerusalem after the exile was to embark on a construction project to rebuild the city walls. It was for him the first order of business. No future could be realized until the present city was secure. So, now, the writer of this Proverb tells us, it makes just as little sense for a person not to have taken the time and gone to the effort to wall in his own impulses against the evil in this world that is always seeking to overtake him. Otherwise, he is just as exposed and just as vulnerable as a city whose walls have collapsed and are in need of repair. While we know this to be true in our heads, I’m not quite sure that we’ve allowed it to sink down into our hearts. Case in point, as the devotional writer Parker Palmer has noted, “Our problem as Americans…is that we resist the very idea of limits… Our national myth is about the endless defiance of limits: opening the western frontier, breaking the speed of sound, dropping people on the moon, discovering ‘cyberspace’ at the very moment when we have filled old-fashioned space with so much junk that we can barely move. We refuse to take no for an answer” (Let Your Life Speak, p. 42). And you wonder why so many of us struggle with something as simple as wearing a mask. So, how do we change? How do we gain control over our impulses and emotions? How do we rein them in so that we protect our souls against the evil that would otherwise overtake us? Here’s where most people go wrong: you can’t really do it by yourself. You really can’t just try harder and resolve to be more committed. The evil in us runs so deep that it’s beyond us to restrain it. We can only find the peace and security we yearn for in this life when we trust our way and our will to God, whose presence in us gives us the power we need to overcome the evil influences that run deep in us all. That’s why the Apostle Paul includes it in his list of virtues that are a part of the fruit of the Spirit. Unlike other thinkers and philosophers in Paul’s day who ascribed to the ability of each person to control himself, if only he would give himself to it, Paul recognized that because we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, the only way for us to overcome ourselves is by relying on the grace that God has made possible through our faith in Jesus Christ and being open to His Holy Spirit’s presence to, as he would say in his letter to the Philippians, “guard our hearts and our minds (keeping them safe) in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). Can you do that this morning? Can you allow the Holy Spirit’s presence to hold absolute sway in your life so that God’s presence provides for you the very best defense for your life? J. Wallace Hamilton was an outstanding preacher of the last century and the author of many, many sermon books. In one of those books, Horns and Halos in Human Nature, a telling title, he tells a story about an arctic explorer whose crew decided to bring home some native Arctic birds. During the trip one of the birds escaped from its cage and in the ecstasy of its newfound freedom flew away over the ocean. The crew was certain that the bird would die trying to make it back to land, but, to their surprise, later as they stood on the deck, they saw a speck on the horizon, and as they watched it come slowly closer, they could see it was the missing bird. When it finally reached the ship, the bird dropped onto the deck of the ship, exhausted. The ship, which once was for the bird a prison, had now become a safe haven and a most welcome place of refuge. This morning, as we share together in this Lord’s Supper, let us look at these elements as our way of affirming how the presence of Jesus is with us to do for us what none of us can do for himself. If you feel vulnerable and exposed, He will shield you in his love. If you are overwhelmed by having to contend with all the evil that is in this world, He will give you peace. If you are tried of having to contend with the greatest threat of them all, which is yourself, He will give you rest. Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. But for the one who is filled with the Spirit, he will receive all that he needs to be constantly in control in this life and eternally secure in the life that is to come. Proverbs 25:28

The Bible is very practical. It's direct and to the point in telling us how to live a principled life. All of our principled thoughts and actions come from the mindset of Christ as revealed by the Holy Spirit through the Bible. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). When you make the decision to believe in Jesus Christ and receive Him as your Savior, you reboot your life, you start a new life in Christ. Are you willing to take a leap of faith and go down the road God leads you, the Thy Way Highway? The key to living the spiritual life is reconnoiter and rebound, meaning continually examine yourself because sin can be subtle. If you have unconfessed sin in your life, use the rebound technique (1 John 1:9) to get back in fellowship with God. Then move on and look ahead. Put your eyes on the prize - on your Savior. Don't hang onto the past. “I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: I forget what lies behind and I reach forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:13-14) Full Transcript https://rhem.pub/697-transcript --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

As a Christian, you have a totally different mindset called the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). It's called thinking with a divine viewpoint. God has given you unique resources to live the Christian way of life. He's given you His Word, the Bible, and He has given you the indwelling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Use them! Problem-solving device #2 is the Filling of the Holy Spirit. Spirituality is being filled with the Holy Spirit, meaning you have no unconfessed sin in your life. Spiritual maturity is you growing up spiritually, getting content of the Word of God in your soul, and applying it in your daily life. “Grow in the grace and the knowledge of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 3:18). Every problem in life has a solution and the solutions are found in the Word of God, the Bible. The faith-rest drill is problem-solving device #3. Claim God's promises - there are over 7,000 in the Bible. Trust in the Lord. Faith, the confidence in things unseen, is the real strength in the Christian life. Transcript https://rhem.pub/Intro3-transcript --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

The word to Ahaz and the word to us through Jesus’ coming, is that when our circumstances seem greater than our God…​We have to choose to trust Him because God is with us!​ "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:6-7). Peace is the byproduct of fixing our eyes on Jesus! When we choose to trust Jesus and fix our eyes on Him we will have peace. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shelbyalliancechurch/message

Christianity is based in history. Contrary to the teaching of classic liberalism, without the historical fact of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, Christianity is nothing. Moreover, God has been working in the lives of his people from the very beginning. It is essential that the church would remember God's dealings with the generations that have gone before in order that she would rightly press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14). Our shared memories and the lessons of the past shape our ecclesiastical context and guide our present practice. Dr. Alan Strange and Rev. Brian De Jong discuss the role of history in the life of the church. Dr. Strange is professor of church history at Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana. He is the author of The Imputation of the Active Obedience of Christ in the Westminster Standards and The Doctrine of the Spirituality of the Church in the Ecclesiology of Charles Hodge. Rev. De Jong is pastor of Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and the author of Honoring the Elderly: A Christian's Duty to Aging Parents. https://vimeo.com/371463754  

Introit: Ps. 130:1-2, 7-8; antiphon: Ps. 130:3-4 Gradual: Ps. 133:1, 3b Old Testament: Micah 6:6-8 Psalm 116:12-19 (antiphon: v. 13) Epistle: Phil. 1:3-11 ProperVerse: Ps. 147:3 Gospel: Matt. 18:21-35 Walking humbly with our God and forgiving one another With what shall we come before the Lord (Micah 6:6) who forgives all our sins, and how often shall our fellow Christians sin against us and we forgive them (Matt. 18:21)? Our gracious God on high does not need our "burnt offerings" or "thousands of rams" (Micah 6:6-7), which we could legitimately offer in thanksgiving. He is the Savior who gave His only-begotten Son for our transgression. He offers the fruit of His body, once hanging dead on a cross but now living and giving life in His holy Meal, for the sin of our souls (Micah 6:7). Because He releases us from our enormous debt of sin against Him, we need not imprison our fellow sinners with our lack of love and refusal of forgiveness (Matt. 18:24, 27, 30). As partakers of His grace, we yearn for one another "with the affection of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:8). As forgiven sinners, "filled with the fruit of Christ's righteousness," our "love may abound more and more, with knowledge and discernment" (Phil. 1:11, 9), for He leads us "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [our] God" (Micah 6:8).

How do we remain faithful till the end? I have read a couple of accounts in the news recently of folks who have abandoned their faith. They were both prominent in evangelical Christian circles and there was no outward warning of their coming fall. And yet it happened. It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 10:12 where Paul warns us that “if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!“How common is it to look back on a life lived serving God; a life that was active in serving in the kingdom, and then realize that the fervor of earlier years has cooled.Whatever the cause, it has happened to many people over the years. And it is something to guard against. As Paul would say “don’t become overly confident, believing it will never happen to you.”So why did Asa turn away from his earlier faith? What happened to him? The Scripture does not say, so we can only speculate. But there are a number of possible reasons. Reasons that are just as applicable to us today as they were in Asa’s day.It could also be that Asa’s pride had grown over the years. Or prosperity had led him to trust in his riches. Or that his eyes had been attracted to worldly things. In the end, it is impossible to know what caused Asa’s fall from faith. But his story should be a warning to us to not grow weary or complacent in our service to God. Regardless the circumstances you find ourselves in, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb. 12:2). “Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14).”Read 2 Chronicles 14:2-4 NIVRead the full devotion at https://devotableapp.com/daily-devotion-the-need-to-be-faithful-till-the-end

Philippians 1:3–11 Sermon PreviewThink about the the first members of the Philippian church (Acts 16): a successful business woman; a formerly demon-possessed slave girl; a jail guard. What do they have in common? Not much! Yet God, in his wisdom, gathered these and others together as a church—people from different backgrounds, different social classes, different jobs, different life circumstances, different ages—all gathered together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And when Paul wrote the letter of Philippians, he wrote to all of them (Phil 1:1).It’s remarkable then, that Paul writes in our text for this weekend: ”I hold you in my heart...I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:7–8). Paul’s letter is full of affectionate language. In chapter four, he calls the Philippian saints "my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown...” (Phil 4:1). Paul clearly had deep care for the Philippians; they weren’t just his church plant, they were his friends!In our culture, we often make friends based on things we have in common: we both like hunting, we both have kids in elementary school, we’re both farmers. And we often find it hard to “be friends” with those that are significantly different from us. I hear this sometimes as a pastor. “How can I relate to ____? We have nothing in common!” Jesus calls together and unites as a local church people remarkably different from each other. Sometimes all we have in common with someone at church is the gospel!But we see from Paul that the gospel is enough. Paul was not able to talk tent-making with the Philippian jailer and the slave girl had no idea what Jewish practices in Jerusalem looked like. Yet, Paul considered them friends and was filled with gratitude and affection and stirred to pray for them. “It is right for me to feel this way about you all,” Paul writes, “because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace…” (Phil 1:7). Through Paul’s example, we’ll see that the gospel is the key to joy-filled, Christ-exalting friendship. Join us this Sunday at 10am at the Skyline Plaza as we gather to see how gospel-centered thinking reshapes our friendship.Sunday Music

Did Jesus save you, or did Jesus make salvation possible? Did Jesus jump into the water and pull you out, or is he in the business of manufacturing life-vests? Are you secure in your salvation, or liable to falling out of the Father's hands? Does God love you personally, or generally? The "R" of RYM stands for "Reformed," and this class explores the central doctrines of grace of the Reformed Faith. We'll talk about TULIP, the acronym that describes the state of humanity and the Trinitarian work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to save and keep God's people. My hope is that you'll not only find truth in this class but also the joy of your salvation and security you have in God's promise that “he who began a good work in you will surely carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). 

Did Jesus save you, or did Jesus make salvation possible? Did Jesus jump into the water and pull you out, or is he in the business of manufacturing life-vests? Are you secure in your salvation, or liable to falling out of the Father's hands? Does God love you personally, or generally? The "R" of RYM stands for "Reformed," and this class explores the central doctrines of grace of the Reformed Faith. We'll talk about TULIP, the acronym that describes the state of humanity and the Trinitarian work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to save and keep God's people. My hope is that you'll not only find truth in this class but also the joy of your salvation and security you have in God's promise that “he who began a good work in you will surely carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). 

Did Jesus save you, or did Jesus make salvation possible? Did Jesus jump into the water and pull you out, or is he in the business of manufacturing life-vests? Are you secure in your salvation, or liable to falling out of the Father's hands? Does God love you personally, or generally? The "R" of RYM stands for "Reformed," and this class explores the central doctrines of grace of the Reformed Faith. We'll talk about TULIP, the acronym that describes the state of humanity and the Trinitarian work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to save and keep God's people. My hope is that you'll not only find truth in this class but also the joy of your salvation and security you have in God's promise that “he who began a good work in you will surely carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). 

Did Jesus save you, or did Jesus make salvation possible? Did Jesus jump into the water and pull you out, or is he in the business of manufacturing life-vests? Are you secure in your salvation, or liable to falling out of the Father's hands? Does God love you personally, or generally? The "R" of RYM stands for "Reformed," and this class explores the central doctrines of grace of the Reformed Faith. We'll talk about TULIP, the acronym that describes the state of humanity and the Trinitarian work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to save and keep God's people. My hope is that you'll not only find truth in this class but also the joy of your salvation and security you have in God's promise that “he who began a good work in you will surely carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

Please note: Due to a technical error, Matt's day 1 talk did not record properly. This is a recording on the same topic from the 2019 MSFL elective Matt taught.   Did Jesus save you, or did Jesus make salvation possible? Did Jesus jump into the water and pull you out, or is he in the business of manufacturing life-vests? Are you secure in your salvation, or liable to falling out of the Father's hands? Does God love you personally, or generally? The "R" of RYM stands for "Reformed," and this class explores the central doctrines of grace of the Reformed Faith. We'll talk about TULIP, the acronym that describes the state of humanity and the Trinitarian work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to save and keep God's people. My hope is that you'll not only find truth in this class but also the joy of your salvation and security you have in God's promise that “he who began a good work in you will surely carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

Did Jesus save you, or did Jesus make salvation possible? Did Jesus jump into the water and pull you out, or is he in the business of manufacturing life-vests? Are you secure in your salvation, or liable to falling out of the Father's hands? Does God love you personally, or generally? The "R" of RYM stands for "Reformed," and this class explores the central doctrines of grace of the Reformed Faith. We'll talk about TULIP, the acronym that describes the state of humanity and the Trinitarian work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to save and keep God's people. My hope is that you'll not only find truth in this class but also the joy of your salvation and security you have in God's promise that “he who began a good work in you will surely carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

During his 27th reading of the Bible, Everet R. Storms, of Kitchener Canada determined to tally up all the promises found in God's Word. The task took him a year and a half. He concluded there are 8,810 promises in the Bible. Another person concluded there to be 31,173. His rationale was, "every verse is a promise." As we come to Hebrews 6:13-20, you can trust in the promise, "...that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil 1:6)

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them (Eph 5:8-10). Every component of God’s salvation done for us is creation. Just as this universe was created from darkness to light, we were saved from darkness to light. We were made light to live as children of light doing good works of light. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10). God first started a good work in us, and has prepared in advance for us to do the same good works. In fact, the same God will carry it on to completion. … being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6). As we have already seen, Paul, in writing this letter to the Ephesians, had in mind the stories of creation in Genesis. The metaphorical analogy you find in the expressions he uses as well as the contents of his arguments cannot be ignored, and you can see easily that it is not accidental, but intentional. The story that lies behind chapter 3 of this letter is the story of Noah. Apparently, Paul sees himself as Noah. Note that this letter was written when he stayed in his own rented house in Rome as a prisoner preaching the kingdom of God to those who visited him. For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly (Eph 3:1-3). A mystery was revealed to Noah concerning the flood and how his family together with the animals would be saved. In the same way, it was through God’s revelation that the mystery of the salvation of the Gentiles was made known to Paul. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power (vv. 6-7). A part of the revelation given to Noah was the blueprint of the ark—its length, width, height, etc. (Gen 6:15-16). In the same way, Paul discusses the blueprint of the ark—the house and the temple in which Christ dwells with his love. He prays in the following way: And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (vv. 17-19). It is important to realize that the Noahic covenant is the third one of the seven major covenants in the Bible. Just as the earth was created in six days, which were divided into two sets of three days (the first set consists of Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and the second one Day 4, Day 5, Day 6), the first six covenants can be divided into two sets. The seventh one was the special covenant through Jesus Christ just as the seventh day was a special day, which was set apart from the rest. There was a break between the third one and the fourth one as the Noahic covenant was the renewal of the first covenant in Gen 1 (see Gen 8:15-9:17), and the world came to have a new start with that covenant. In the same way, Paul ends, in a rather unusual way, the first part of his letter at the end of chapter 3 with a doxology in the middle of his letter: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (vv. 20-21).

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:4-6). Here, Paul, seeing how Christians at Philippi took partnership in the gospel from the time they were saved, give thanks to God, and confesses that it was by God that such partnership began, and that the same God will finish it. Note that he does not say that they began a good work, and they need to finish it. No, he says that it was God who began a good work in them, so the same God will carry it on to completion. When it comes to the work we do for God’s kingdom, we often think that it is us who must do the work. Christians with this mentality often come to have complaints and doubts in their life. In their head they know they must do it, but they do not want to in their heart. Or, even if they say it is for God’s kingdom, it is actually for their own talents, abilities and efforts, with which they desire to get attentions from others. The reason why we tend to have this mentality is that we think we are the ones who came to church, heard God’s word, accepted Jesus and got saved. Yes, from a physical standpoint, that is true. But what if we see it from a spiritual standpoint? It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy (Rom 9:16). As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable (Rom 11:28-29). You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 15:16) The fact that God chose you and me is a mystery. But one thing we know is that it was because of his mercy, love and compassion that he chose us. It was not because we had some qualifications and abilities. This is where our mistakes occur. When you think that you were chosen and saved because you were good enough, you will fail to receive the abundance of God’s goodness and love in your life, and will need to depend upon your own abilities and power. In this way, it is impossible to reign in life because it is only by God’s abilities and power that we reign in life. How the apostles in the book of Acts lived sets a model for us. They did not try to reign in life thinking they must. No, instead, what they trusted was their election by God through Jesus Christ—the fact that they were loved and chosen. That was all! Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Rom 8:33-34). This is a key to our reining in life. If you trust your own qualifications and abilities, you will fail. The true qualifications are in the fact that you are a loved and chosen one. And the true abilities are not in your name, but in the name of Jesus.