Podcasts about Christians

In part 3 of the Overcoming Technology mini-series, Dave and Bethlie quickly recap the first three steps (determine if you need to change, educate yourself, recognize the damage) before landing on the three that close out the series: find alternative activities, create tech-free zones, and discuss the changes needed — together, as a family. Technology itself isn't evil — it's a gift from God (1 Timothy 6:17) — but Christians are called to walk circumspectly (Ephesians 5) and redeem the time, which is hard to do when technology is running the show instead of being run by us. Quick recap of steps 1–4 (from Parts 1 & 2): Determine if you need to overcome technology Educate yourself (books, podcasts, research) Recognize the damage it can cause (sleep disruption, social isolation, eye strain, shorter attention spans, addiction, loss of privacy, cyberbullying) Determine the changes needed (individual — time limits, habit changes, removing non-essential apps, silencing notifications) The final three steps: Find alternative activities — Step away on purpose through physical activity, hobbies, and face-to-face interaction. Suggestions: walks after dinner, biking, mountain biking, golf, tennis, painting, crafting, cooking. The point: if parents don't proactively offer alternatives, kids won't find them on their own. Create tech-free zones — Specific zones discussed: Mealtime — TV off, phones away, actual conversation The bedroom — phones stay out, use an analog/digital alarm clock instead; protects sleep and removes late-night temptation Ballgames and kids' activities — be present, not on your phone Family movie night — phone-free even during streaming ad breaks (use the break for a bathroom run, popcorn, or "a kissing break") Alternative approach: designate the family room (or one area) as the only place tech is allowed, making the rest of the house tech-free by default Discuss the changes needed — with your kids, not just for them — Ask questions rather than issue mandates: "Do you think you're on the internet too much?" "What would you do with your time if you weren't on TikTok?" Getting kids to buy in (rather than just enforcing rules) leads to better results. Consider one tech-free day a month as a family, agreed on together.

The world is constantly teaching us what to desire, celebrate, and accept as normal—but much of its message is rooted in deception. Widespread acceptance does not make something good or true.

Share a commentSaying “Jesus is Savior” can sound harmless until you say it like the apostles meant it: Jesus Christ alone. That single word exposes why culture can tolerate vague spirituality but lashes out at biblical Christianity. We talk candidly about what happens when a believer takes a public moral stand, from angry emails and workplace complaints to legal pressure and, at the extreme, violence. The point is not fear or outrage. The point is readiness.We reflect on how Christians respond when the temperature rises: we learn the truth, we speak with boldness, we stay gracious and patient, we remain reasonable when the world is unreasonable, and we love enemies enough to pray for them and share the gospel persuasively. We also widen the frame to global Christian persecution and the long history of suffering in the church, from Stephen in Acts to believers who are reviled and harmed today.Then we move into 2 Peter 1:1 for the kind of backbone persecuted Christians need. We unpack saving faith versus everyday faith, why saving faith is a gift we obtain rather than earn, and why it is the object, not the amount, that saves. Peter's promise is deeply encouraging: every Christian has a faith of equal standing, equally precious, because it rests on the righteousness of “our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” That leads us into the deity of Christ, the mystery of the Trinity, and the practical, life-or-death meaning of calling Jesus “Savior” in a world that crowns its own saviors. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review.Learn more about twenty-five years of global impact, and reserve tickets to our gala. https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/25 Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Luke 11Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss what stood out to them in Luke 11Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=26839The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

Where did Joseph Smith get the idea of temples? It sounds like a simple question, but historian John Hamer’s answer stretches from the Bible to a domed assembly hall in Independence, Missouri, and includes a temple that was called for by revelation, designed by an architect, and never built. In this first conversation of his return to Gospel Tangents, John, a Community of Christ Seventy and co-editor of Scattering of the Saints: Schism Within Mormonism, walks me through the building blocks. https://youtu.be/1r98tnUC5Q4 Don't miss our other conversations with John: https://gospeltangents.com/people/john-hamer/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved   John starts with the Bible. Solomon’s temple is only one model, he explains. The New Testament offers another: the idea that the new covenant fulfilled the old, along with the gatherings of the early Christians in the Book of Acts. That second vision, he says, shaped the Kirtland Temple, a building of stacked assembly halls, and it became the model for Community of Christ’s understanding of temples ever after. When Community of Christ members regathered in Jackson County, Missouri, they wanted a temple on that Kirtland model. What they built, John argues, was Frederick Madison Smith’s Auditorium, a massive assembly hall that he sees as a 20th-century version of the Kirtland Temple in everything but name. He points to a published drawing of Joseph Smith III’s temple vision, which looks like the Auditorium with steeples added, and notes that the Auditorium was built without them. Then the story turns. Smith’s assertion of church authority sparked a schism, and a couple thousand members moved to the Temple Lot church, the Hedrickites. Their own temple plans carried the same Kirtland DNA. Otto Fetting’s revelations called for a temple, and an architect gave it a front like a Greek temple, or a bank, and a long, thin plan with one assembly hall stacked atop another. It was never built. The Depression hit, Fetting was pushed out of the church, and the diggers had to fill in the hole they had started. Restoration Groups Idea of Temples Splinter groups from Community of Christ have echoed the pattern since. John describes the Remnant Church’s headquarters in an old high school across from the Temple Lot, with an inner room of Kirtland-style pulpits and a planned community center with a Kirtland-like exterior that was never built. When he asked its president whether that was a temple, the answer was no. Then the conversation moves to Nauvoo, where something new enters. The Nauvoo temple began with Kirtland-style assembly halls but added a basin in the basement resting on oxen, drawn from Solomon’s temple. John connects that shift to the Old Testament practices Joseph Smith was restoring, including plural marriage, and to Freemasonry, whose traditions claim a lineage back to Solomon’s temple. That Nauvoo model, he says, went on to shape the other branches. Together, these threads show two rival visions of what a temple is: the Kirtland idea of a place of assembly, and the Nauvoo idea of an Old Testament-style house of ordinances. This first conversation of the six-part series lays out that fork in the road. Next, in part 2, John turns to the Endowment House and fundamentalist temples, including a pyramid-shaped temple in Utah and a temple whose dome ceiling turns into the night sky. Listen to the full conversation wherever you get your podcasts. Chapters 0:00 Welcome John Hamer 4:04 Where Did Joseph Smith Get the Idea of Temples? 7:22 Zion, Jackson County & Plans for 24 Temples 13:14 Kirtland as the Model for Community of Christ 14:00 The Auditorium: A Temple in Disguise? 16:44 Frederick M. Smith, the Schism & the Temple Lot Church 17:57 Otto Fetting’s Unbuilt Temple: The Hedrickite Plan 21:04 The Remnant Church Headquarters: Kirtland-Style Pulpits 22:20 Nauvoo: Solomon’s Temple, the Oxen & Freemasonry 24:32 What’s Next? Don't miss our other conversations with John: https://gospeltangents.com/people/john-hamer/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved

What does the wrath of God have to do with the gospel? In 2006, White Horse Inn released a year-long series titled Romans Revolution. This month, we're revisiting a few select episodes from this beloved series. In this episode, the hosts discuss the wrath of God in Romans 1 and how it is often differently portrayed in contemporary churches.   LISTEN TO ROMANS REVOLUTION SERIES FOLLOW US YouTube | Instagram | X/Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter WHO WE ARE Sola Media serves today's global church by producing resources for reformation grounded in the historic Christian faith. For over thirty-five years, Sola has walked alongside Christians in their faith, pointing away from novelty and ourselves, and toward Christ and his gospel as proclaimed in the Scriptures, articulated in the ancient Christian Creeds, and summarized in the confessions of the Protestant Reformation. Learn more: https://solamedia.org/

In this episode of Pray the Word on 2 Kings 20:19, David Platt calls us to genuinely care for the needs of others.Explore more content from Radical.

What does the Bible mean by “holy war”—and what does it look like under the reign of Christ?In this episode of Shadows to Substance, Pastor George Sayour walks through Zechariah 9 and its prophecy of the Messiah who comes lowly, riding on a donkey, speaking peace to the nations, and ruling from sea to sea.From bows, arrows, swords, and battle to Ephesians 6 and the sword of the Spirit, George shows how the warfare of Christ’s kingdom is carried forward through the Word of God, prayer, truth, righteousness, faith, and the proclamation of the gospel to the nations.

Evil isn't just something we read about in the news. Sometimes, we see it displayed without shame, and we're left wondering how people can be so cruel. But what is evil, where does it come from, and how do we reconcile its existence with a good and sovereign God? In this episode of Her Faith Inspires, we're examining the problem of evil through the lens of Scripture. We'll unpack the argument that God must have created evil, explore the difference between moral evil and the corruption of God's good design, and consider what evil reveals about the human heart. But understanding evil is only part of the conversation. How should Christians respond when we're confronted with hatred, cruelty, and wickedness? Does God call us to ignore it, fear it, or fight back? From the goodness of God's creation to Paul's command in Romans 12 to overcome evil with good, we're looking at what Scripture teaches us about living faithfully in a world marked by darkness. Evil is real, but it doesn't get the final word. And it doesn't get to dictate how we respond. Registration for the Bible Interpretation Workshop OPEN.  Find Shanda www.shandafulbright.com Instagram & Facebook: @shandafulbright Email: hello@shandafulbright.com Free Resources: https://shandafulbright.com/links YouTube: http://bit.ly/ShandaYT2021 Store: www.Shandafulbright.com/shop  

Donna Adelson's emails and family testimony became central evidence in the Dan Markel murder trial because they showed what followed the court ruling that kept Wendi Adelson and her sons in Tallahassee. Wendi testified that Donna pushed ideas aimed at pressuring Markel, including baptizing the children as Christians, dressing them in Hitler Youth uniforms, and offering him $1 million to permit the relocation. Wendi's description of her mother was equally direct. She told jurors Donna “micromanaged my life.” Robert Adelson testified that Donna was on the controlling side and “ran the show.” His testimony described a mother who stayed deeply involved in the choices of her adult children and expected compliance when she had decided how something should go. Charlie Adelson's relationship with Donna became another part of that picture. After Charlie was convicted in 2023 of murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, detention records showed 86 calls to Donna's phone number in seven days. Those calls totaled 2,118 minutes. At Donna's trial, financial investigator Mary Hull testified that Donna had also managed hotels, flights, and bills for Charlie. Katherine Magbanua testified that Charlie sometimes stepped away to contact Donna during discussions about the murder plot. She also told jurors that Charlie said Donna washed cash that was damp and moldy. Magbanua testified that she received 44 checks from the Adelson dental practice despite never working there. The defense maintained Donna wrote the checks at Charlie's direction and rejected the prosecution's interpretation of those payments. A Florida jury convicted Donna in 2025 of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation for orchestrating Markel's killing. She received a life sentence. Her direct appeal remains open before Florida's First District Court of Appeal, making the appellate record the next place the case will be tested. Listen Anywhere You Get Podcasts: https://pod.link/1655749292 Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod?sub_confirmation=1 Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice. #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #TrueCrimeToday #WendiAdelson #CharlieAdelson #AdelsonFamily #MurderForHire #FloridaCrime #Tallahassee #TrueCrime 

Pride doesn’t always look like arrogance or boasting. Sometimes it shows up in quieter ways—talking more than listening, only investing in people who seem useful, or constantly saying there isn’t enough time for others. These subtle forms of pride can reveal that our attention is more focused on ourselves than on loving and serving the people around us. Philippians 2:3-4 calls Christians to replace selfish ambition with humility by considering others and their interests. Following Jesus means examining not only what we do, but also why we do it. When we become more willing to listen, make time for others, and engage with people without expecting something in return, we begin to reflect the humility of Christ. Recognizing subtle pride isn’t about condemning ourselves—it’s about allowing God to reshape our priorities, relationships, and hearts. Highlights How pride can appear in subtle ways we may not immediately recognize Why only engaging with people who are useful can reveal selfishness What listening more and speaking less can teach us about humility Why “I don’t have time” may actually reveal our priorities How Philippians 2:3-4 challenges us to consider others more important than ourselves Why honest self-examination is essential for recognizing pride in our lives Practical ways to replace selfishness and conceit with humility, generosity, and genuine care for others Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: Surprising Ways Pride Shows Itself By Aaron D’Anthony Brown Bible Reading:“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4, CSB) In his epistle to the church of Phillipi, Paul urges fellow believers to be “united in spirit” with one another (Philippians 2:2). He wanted everyone to be on the same page with what they believed and how they lived as Christ followers. He goes on to say that such a life is lived by esteeming others as more important than ourselves. Don’t look to what brings you the most glory; do what benefits others. We hear the same sentiment preached in church today, but how many of us live this out? While our pastors talk about loving our neighbors, building the church up from within, and sharing the Gospel with nonbelievers, we don’t often seem to be on the same accord. Even if we do these things, our motivations are sometimes selfish. We should be prioritizing others, but really, we’re interested in ourselves. I’ve heard believers say things like “I enjoy hearing myself talk,” or claim they don’t have time to hang out with other Christians. Then suddenly they’re dating someone, which requires a lot more time. Or perhaps the only time they show genuine interest in you is when you’re going through a hard time. Otherwise, you’re simply not important. Naturally, we won’t be close to or have deep conversations with everyone. However, it’s important to consider whether day-to-day relationships, conversations, and actions reflect selfish conceit or humility. Perhaps, we have such a hard time esteeming others as more important because in our minds, no one is more important than ourselves. Pride is often called one of the most deadly sins, maybe the most deadly. When we start thinking we know best, it becomes a gateway for other sins. You might not think of yourself as prideful - I generally don’t - but if we’re being honest, we can all be a bit prideful sometimes. C.S Lewis said, “There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which everyone in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else, and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves” (Mere Christianity). The sooner we acknowledge this truth, the sooner we can change our thinking and get ourselves on one accord. Intersecting Faith & Life: Most people won’t need help identifying the major ways pride affects our lives, but who says pride can’t be subtle? Here are three ways we might not even realize: Only engaging with people who are useful. One mistake Christians make is only engaging with people at church who are useful. This means ignoring others until they join your team or become a friend of your friend, etc. Don’t we all have some measure of importance and worth given by God? Why not be open to speaking and engaging with people as the norm? For those who don’t, when you finally decide to interact, you risk making the encounter uncomfortable, and more than that, disingenuous. Talking as opposed to listening. The Bible says to be slow to speak and quick to listen, but few live this out (James 1:19). God gave us two ears and one mouth. I’ve been told there should be a ratio for how we communicate: listen twice as much as you speak. Not making time for others. We’re probably all guilty of using the phrase, “I haven’t had the time,” but if we took time to consider what that statement means, we’d say something else instead. Everyone is given the same amount of time within a day. Twenty-four hours. However, we all use our time differently. The issue is not having enough time, but rather priority - what’s important and what’s not. Or at the very least, what is most important. We prioritize what we value most. Therefore, we should stop telling people we don’t have time to do that favor, read that book, or do that thing. We simply haven't made the time yet. That’s the honest answer. And the sooner we can be more honest, the sooner we can stop pride from stifling our callings. Further Reading: Proverbs 11:2 Proverbs 16:18 Proverbs 29:23 Jeremiah 9:23 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Pakistani Christians could face renewed persecution following the Archbishop of Canterbury's decision to withdraw an honour to a leading Muslim cleric, Monsignor Michael Nazir-Ali warns in this episode of Holy Smoke.The former Bishop of Rochester speaks to Damian Thompson following the news that Lambeth Palace has had to withdraw an award to Hafiz Ashrafi after previous comments by the Imam came to light. Following the ‘Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation' award being presented, it came to light that Ashrafi had praised Osama bin Laden in 2007, saying he would give the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks the title Saifullah – or 'Sword of God' – for 'serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels'. The question remains ‘why there was not due diligence' Msgr Nazir-Ali tells Damian, saying Pakistani Christian leaders fear a backlash. The ‘reactionary action on the part of extremists' should have been thought about before making the announcement, Nazir-Ali said, as he criticised Lambeth Palace. Msgr Nazir-Ali, now a priest of the Catholic Ordinariate and who was born in Pakistan, is a world renowned authority on Islam's relations with Christianity. He talks to Damian about the debacle over the award, and warns against the increasing secularisation and desecration of British churches.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For all that divides us, there's one thing we all have in common: we're going to die. On the surface, that seems like a grim connection, but for Christians, it's a reason to live with hope because Jesus Christ defeated death on the cross.In week 8 of “Hope Beyond Today,” we finish 2 Peter and learn what it means to live like we already know how the story ends. Because God is faithful, we can trust that what we do now matters far beyond our time on earth.

This week on The Upload, Brooke Taylor and Pastor Mark Evans sit down with musician Madison Watkins for one of the most vulnerable conversations yet about ambition, compromise, trauma, shame, surrender, and what happens when God asks you to lay down the very dream you thought He gave you. Madison grew up singing in church in small-town Arkansas and says she knew from childhood that God had called her to music. At 20, that dream took her to Los Angeles, where doors began opening and the success she'd spent years chasing finally started arriving. But somewhere along the way, Madison says she began to lose herself. The pressure to fit into the industry slowly changed how she presented herself, what she was willing to compromise, and even how boldly she talked about Jesus. Eventually, Madison had everything she thought she wanted: viral music, money, sold-out shows and major opportunities. But on the morning of a sold-out show in L.A., she woke up covered in shingles and feeling completely empty. Looking in the mirror, she says she barely recognized the woman staring back at her. The next day, Madison felt God tell her clearly: “You forgot your first love. I need you to come back to Me and quit everything.” So she did. She laid down her career, stepped away from social media and spent eight months doing virtually nothing but resting, reconnecting with family and friends, and rebuilding her relationship with Jesus. Madison also opens up about just how dark her years in Los Angeles became. She shares experiences of betrayal in a relationship, being held at gunpoint, sexual assault, and constantly being told she wasn't good enough. Looking back, Madison describes her drift from God not as one dramatic decision, but as a series of “micro decisions”—small compromises made while she was exhausted, seeking affirmation and slowly taking her eyes off Jesus. The conversation turns deeply personal as Brooke shares parts of her own Hollywood story and the ways she searched for love and acceptance during a season when she had drifted from her faith. Together, Brooke, Madison and Mark unpack the shame that can keep Christians hiding, why vulnerability is actually a strength, and what it looks like to believe that no failure puts you beyond the reach of God's grace. Madison shares why she now refuses to hide the messier parts of her testimony. She believes Christians should be willing to talk honestly about addiction, sexuality, temptation, failure and the things we're often afraid to admit out loud. As she puts it, “Everyone is secretly waiting for someone to be vulnerable so they can be vulnerable.” After surrendering the career she'd worked so hard to build, Madison says God gave her a new vision for her music: to bring hope into places that feel hopeless and reach people who believe they're too far gone. Her message now is simple—you don't have to clean yourself up before coming back to Jesus. You're seen, you're loved, and your story isn't over. This is a raw conversation about what happens when success costs you yourself, why drifting from God often happens slowly, and the freedom that comes when you finally stop hiding and surrender everything back to Him.

Most Turks believe being Turkish and being Muslim are inseparably intertwined. Pastor Ramazan Arkan was an adult before he ever met a Turkish Christian. Then he became friends with a coworker who had left Islam to follow Jesus. That friendship started Ramazan on a journey that eventually led to the cross of Christ.  Pastor Ramazan is now leading the Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey, and he is the pastor of Antalya Evangelical Churches in Antalya, Türkiye. Listen as he shares how he came to Christ, first asking questions about Islam and the Quran and then irresistibly drawn by the loving relationships he saw when he was invited to a local church. "The most effective way to share the gospel message is through relationship," Pastor Ramazan says. You'll hear how his name, Ramazan (Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting) is both a blessing and a curse. He'll also describe the Christian persecution when he left Islam for Christianity, and more about what our persecuted brothers and sisters in Türkiye face for their faith in Jesus. Pastor Ramazan will tell the story of the night he became a Christian and felt God's presence and Word come alive to him. He'll also explain why it's important to reveal the cost of following Christ to new Muslim background believers early on, why his church doesn't baptize new believers immediately, and the sad story of one new Christian who went back to Islam after seeing the high cost of following Christ. To learn more ways you can pray for persecuted Christians in Türkiye, Central Asia and around the world, sign up to receive weekly prayer emails at iCommitToPray.com. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China, and Iran, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

In this episode of Pray the Word on 2 Kings 19:19, David Platt reminds us that God saves us for his glory and our good.Explore more content from Radical.

In this sermon on Ephesians 2:14–16 titled “He is Our Peace,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the main purpose of Paul's letter to the Ephesians is to encourage the church in the peace of Christ. Christians have been saved and are in the body of Christ and as such, they have been redeemed and the war with God is over. They now have the peace of Christ that governs them. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that the realization that Christ is the peace of believers is one of the most significant and meaningful encouragements to the soul. Only when people understand the true nature of sin do they understand the true nature of salvation. Additionally, Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses some who would discount the first few chapters of Genesis. Dr. Lloyd-Jones stresses that without the beginning of the Bible, people will not understand why the world is as corrupt as it is, nor will they witness the roots of the gospel. Without understanding the sin that originates in Genesis, people will be confused about the lack of peace in the world. Unbelievers will never have peace with each other unless they have peace with God in salvation. Thankfully Jesus made a way to have peace with God through His death on the cross. Through Christ, all can have lasting peace.

Dometian, a prince and a fierce persecutor of Christians, was hunting in the mountains when he came upon an old man surrounded by wild beasts, who were as gentle and tame as lambs in his presence. When asked who he was, the old man answered that he was Zosimas, a Christian who had left the persecutors in the city to live among the beasts instead. Dometian, hearing that Zosimas was a Christian, ordered him seized and bound, and subjected him to many tortures. When the holy man was wounded and beaten all over, the prince tied a rock around his neck and hanged him from a tree, mocking him with the words 'Command a wild beast to come, then we will all believe!' Zosimas prayed, and at once a large lion appeared, came up to Zosimas, and took the weight of the rock on its head to ease the martyr's sufferings. The terrified prince freed Zosimas, who died of his wounds not long afterward.

In this sermon on Ephesians 2:14–16 titled “He is Our Peace,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the main purpose of Paul's letter to the Ephesians is to encourage the church in the peace of Christ. Christians have been saved and are in the body of Christ and as such, they have been redeemed and the war with God is over. They now have the peace of Christ that governs them. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that the realization that Christ is the peace of believers is one of the most significant and meaningful encouragements to the soul. Only when people understand the true nature of sin do they understand the true nature of salvation. Additionally, Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses some who would discount the first few chapters of Genesis. Dr. Lloyd-Jones stresses that without the beginning of the Bible, people will not understand why the world is as corrupt as it is, nor will they witness the roots of the gospel. Without understanding the sin that originates in Genesis, people will be confused about the lack of peace in the world. Unbelievers will never have peace with each other unless they have peace with God in salvation. Thankfully Jesus made a way to have peace with God through His death on the cross. Through Christ, all can have lasting peace. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29?v=20251111

What if the only person willing to stand for justice was the one standing completely alone? History is filled with people who refused to follow the crowd, and sometimes, they were the only ones who got it right. In the Lindsay Clancy trial, one juror stood apart from the other eleven. In this episode, we explain why we stand with the lone juror, discuss what his holdout may reveal about the evidence and our culture's understanding of justice, and explore what Christians can learn about conviction, courage, and the willingness to stand alone when it comes at a personal cost. This conversation will challenge you to think more deeply about truth, accountability, and what it means to refuse to compromise your conscience. Let's get into it! Connect With The Few! Follow us and join the conversation:

In a culture increasingly defined by division, how can Christian parents teach their daughters to think biblically about race, identity, justice, and unity? On this episode of Raising Godly Girls, Patti Garibay welcomes public theologian, author, speaker, and seminary professor Dr. Krista Bontrager for an honest and hope-filled conversation about raising girls who can engage difficult cultural conversations with both truth and grace. With conversations about race and identity reaching girls at younger ages—and often through frameworks centered on division, group identity, and power—many Christian parents feel unsure about how to respond. Krista helps parents distinguish between race and culture, understand humanity through the lens of Scripture, and recognize how the Gospel reshapes the way Christians understand identity, belonging, and unity. Together, Patti and Krista explore how parents can have age-appropriate conversations about racism and injustice without surrendering Biblical truth or allowing cultural ideologies to become the foundation of their daughters' worldview. This conversation also equips parents to help their girls navigate tribal thinking, difficult conversations at school and online, and a world that often encourages people to find their deepest identity in group belonging. Rather than retreating from these challenging topics, parents can teach their daughters to engage them with discernment, confidence, compassion, and a firm understanding of who they are in Christ. Krista reminds families that the Gospel is the ultimate equalizer—and that Christian unity is rooted not in cultural agreement, but in the truth that we are one body in Christ. If you want to raise a daughter who can pursue unity without compromising Biblical truth, this episode offers practical encouragement and Gospel-centered clarity for the journey. Discover how to move beyond cultural talking points and equip your girl to see herself, others, and a divided world through the transforming lens of Scripture.   Scriptures Referenced: · 1 Corinthians 8:6 · Ephesians 4:4–5 Learn more about Krista Bontrager's work at centerforbiblicalunity.com . Explore more resources to raise girls rooted in Christ at raisinggodlygirls.com.    To find or start an AHG Troop in your area, visit americanheritagegirls.org.

Did you know healing is for every believer, not just for pastors? Join Josue Ibarra as he reveals how everyday Christians can step into their God-given gift of healing and impact lives.

Should Christian families accept government subsidies if the help is already available—or should we be worried about the strings attached? Today I'm answering that, plus when theological differences are serious enough to leave a church, loving an adult child who disagrees with you, baptism, tithing while in debt, teens working Sundays, discerning when “God told me” is really God, and helping a homeschool graduate find direction. Plus, a sobering look at why Americans are more dissatisfied than ever with our education system.Sponsor: BJU Press Homeschool — Biblically grounded, academically strong homeschool curriculum with flexible options for your family. Learn more at http://BJUPressHomeschool.com .Shop MyFreedomCart for trusted, American-made products that support your values.http://myfreedomcart.com/heidiShow mentions: http://heidistjohn.com/mentionsWebsite | http://heidistjohn.comSupport the show! | http://donorbox.org/donation-827Rumble | rumble.com/user/HeidiStJohnYoutube |    / @‌heidistjohnpodcast  Instagram | @‌heidistjohnFacebook | Heidi St. JohnX | @‌heidistjohnFaith That Speaks Online CommunitySubmit your questions for Fan Mail Friday | http://heidistjohn.com/fanmailfriday

The reaction to the Clancy trial reflects how many think about abortion. For the church, euthanasia is a hill to die on. How should Christians think about AI doomsday talk. And boys are filling the chairs in church youth groups.    Recommendations  Creation Regained Biblical Basics for a Reformational Worldview  by Albert M. Wolters   The Wonderful Works of God by Herman Bavinck and R. Carlton Wynne   Colson Fellows  Segment 1 – Clancy Trial Reaction; Euthanasia in the UK  Tearing Us Apart book  Townhall article on Clancy trial  Netherlands Toddler Euthanized  BBC article on euthanasia bill  AI short course  Segment 2 – AI Doomsday  AI whistleblower  AI short course  Segment 3 – The Boys are Back...in Church  Youth group attendance     

Alan's Soap https://AlansArtisanSoaps.com/Todd The legacy continues for Ian and Alan with Alan's Artisan Soaps “John's Favorites” bundle.  Get one bar of each of John's favorites for only $28.99. Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comJoin Zach's “Game Plan” webinar October 1st at 3:30 Pacific. It's LIVE and it's FREE. Register at the link above today.Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.comGet the new limited release, The Sisterhood, created to honor the extraordinary women behind the heroes.   Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.SentryH2O https://SentryH2O.com/Todd Upgrade your drinking water.  There's a Sentry H2O system for every home and every budget. Use code TODD to save 10% off today.  **** LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at: The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple Podcasts The Todd Herman Show | Podcast on Spotify  WATCH and SUBSCRIBE at:  Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeDo Christians HAVE to Get Into Cryptocurrency?I've been anxious to ask Zach this question. We'll also discuss Seattle, and the capping of interest rates in the US.

In this episode of Pray the Word on 2 Kings 18:5–7, David Platt encourages us to hold fast to God in faith no matter what we face.Explore more content from Radical.

Marxism Got Into The Church. John Zmirak Says It Never Really Left. Today On The Eric Metaxas Show, John Zmirak joins Eric to discuss how the ideas of Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, and Sigmund Freud influenced modern Christianity. Zmirak argues that some churches tried to accommodate ideas they considered intellectually respectable and, in the process, began explaining away biblical miracles, reshaping Christian teaching around Marxist politics, and replacing traditional ideas about sin with Freudian psychology. Eric and John discuss Darwinism, Genesis, the Resurrection, liberation theology, Freud's influence, and what happens when Christians become embarrassed by the supernatural claims at the heart of their faith. Earlier, Eric continues his remarkable story from Greece and shares an update on plans to excavate the site believed to contain the palace of Odysseus.   John Zmirak Joins Darwin, Marx And Freud Inside The Church Why Christians Began Explaining Away Miracles How Marxism Entered Christian Churches Can Christianity Survive Without The Supernatural? Zmirak On Freud And Christian Morality Why Freud's Ideas Survived After His Theories Fell Apart C.S. Lewis, Freud And Eric's Unexpected Connection   Watch this video at- https://youtu.be/qvidVTUDGkE?si=xWigxQ7x7eh64glt Eric Metaxas 97.3K subscribers 14,182 views Premiered Sep 11, 2026 The Eric Metaxas Show ⭐ ORDER NOW: Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World

On In The Market with Janet Parshall this week, Tom Doyle with Uncharted Ministries and Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs joined us to share more stories of how God is working around the world included in the lives of persecuted Christians in Gaza, Iran, China, India and Ethiopia. Pastor and author Dr. Erwin Lutzer joined us for a conversation about two contemporaries D. L. Moody and Karl Marx and how they left very different lasting impacts on the world. Marx and the devastating system of Communism and Moody with ministry that continues to train believers to go out and share the enteral gospel with people around the world. Do you struggle with sleep? Many of us do. Emergency Physician and Pastor Dr. Matt Rehrer gave us practical guidance and effective tools for understanding sleep patterns, how sleep actually works and its impact on both our physical and spiritual well-being. Join Janet and Craig for another exploration of this week’s news under the clear and unchanging light of God’s word. Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can you truly love Christ while remaining indifferent toward His church? In this final message through the Olivet Discourse, Pastor Brian Gunter examines Matthew 25 and Jesus’ separation of the sheep and the goats. Christ identifies Himself with His people so closely that how they are treated is counted as treatment of Christ Himself. What does this passage reveal about genuine faith? What separates the sheep from the goats? And what does Jesus’ warning mean for Christians who claim to love Him while neglecting His church? Drawing from Matthew 24–25, Acts 9, and the broader testimony of Scripture, Brian challenges church apathy, nominal Christianity, and division while calling believers to love, serve, and faithfully care for the body of Christ. Matthew 25 brings the Olivet Discourse to its climactic picture of judgment and separation.

Is free speech disappearing on college campuses? A new report gives nearly half of surveyed colleges an “F” for free speech, raising bigger questions about intellectual diversity, disagreement, and why Christians should value persuasion over coercion.Could AI make kids worse at thinking? Early research suggests generative AI may help students get answers faster while short-circuiting the difficult mental work needed to actually develop critical-thinking skills.A two-year-old was euthanized in the Netherlands. How did we get here? Sean and Scott examine this tragic case and the crucial ethical distinction between relieving suffering, allowing natural death, and intentionally causing death.Are “designer babies” becoming more acceptable? A surprising study finds prospective parents may care as much about avoiding traits like low intelligence or antisocial behavior as they do about certain medical risks when choosing embryos.Listener Question: Could legalizing something harmful actually reduce the harm? A listener pushes Scott on whether his harm-reduction argument applies not only to pornography but also to dangerous drugs such as fentanyl.Listener Question: Can trauma-informed ministry go too far? The hosts explore how churches can take trauma seriously without allowing it to become someone's defining identity—and how truth, compassion, healing, and personal agency can fit together.Listener Question: Are we reading modern psychology back into the Apostle Paul? Responding to their recent conversation with Scot McKnight, Sean and Scott ask how confidently we can apply concepts like trauma, emotional regulation, and PTSD to a biblical figure living 2,000 years ago.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.   Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.   To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.  

Sarah Sassoon joins Rabbi Daniel and Susan Lapin to tell the remarkable story of Iraqi Jews, an ancient community whose roots stretch back to Babylon of Biblical times. Through her own family's journey from Iraq to Israel and Australia, Sarah explores persecution, displacement, faith, and the strength to begin again. Learn more about Sarah Sassoon: Sarah SassoonExplore Sarah's writing, books, and work on Jewish history, identity, family, and faith.Sarah Sassoon website Sarah Sassoon on SubstackRead Sarah's latest essays, reflections, and stories.Sarah Sassoon on Substack Enjoy more resources from Rabbi Daniel and Susan Lapin: We Happy Warriors StoreWe Happy Warriors The American Alliance of Jews and Christians Bringing Jews and Christians together to strengthen the Biblical values upon which America was built. American Alliance of Jews and Christians With gratitude to our Founding Sponsors of this podcast series: Peter & Marsha Brockney; Renat & Vaida Buga; Cindy & Bob Vick; Andrea & Christopher Wilhelm of HW Design, Inc.; Jeff & Margo Lestz, founders of Genistar in the United Kingdom; and four Founding Sponsors who have chosen to remain anonymous. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Thinking Fellows, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, and Bruce Hillman discuss how important Greek and Hebrew are for pastors and theologians. They talk about the benefits of studying the biblical languages, the limits of knowing only a little, and how modern tools and English translations can help with Bible study. They also explain how these skills can serve the church by helping pastors understand Scripture, answer difficult questions, and give Christians confidence in the Word of God. More from 1517: Support the work at 1517 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education 1517 Podcast Listeners Get a Free Book When They Sign Up for Memento This August New Books from 1517 Publishing: The Turk at the Door by Adam Francisco Luther and the Lion: A Narnian Catechism by Samuel Schuldheisz By Water and the Word by Brian Thomas Being Family by Dr. Scott Keith More from the hosts: Caleb Keith Scott Keith Adam Francisco Bruce Hilman Follow 1517:  Instagram X/Twitter Facebook

The 2026 midterms are approaching, and there is growing pressure on conservatives to sit out elections, reject Republican candidates, or pursue some kind of political accelerationism because Republicans have not accomplished everything conservatives hoped they would.In this episode of Conversations That Matter, I make the case for why Christian conservatives should generally vote Republican in the midterms, while also explaining why voting is not a substitute for the much more important work of Christian discipleship and social renewal.The key distinction is between practical politics and pragmatism. Pragmatism means changing your moral standards to achieve a desired political outcome. Practical judgment means recognizing the political circumstances you actually inhabit and using the tools available to you without changing your moral convictions. As I argue in the episode, morality does not change, but political circumstances and available options do.I also discuss the temptation to abandon the Republican Party because it is imperfect, the dangers of accelerationism, what the experience of Europe can teach us, my own decision not to vote for Donald Trump in 2016, and why that calculation would be different in a competitive state.Finally, I look at what the Trump administration and the MAGA movement have actually accomplished on issues including immigration, DEI, abortion, and foreign policy, and argue that conservatives should consider whether to build on those gains rather than simply destroy the political apparatus because it has not delivered everything they wanted.The question is not whether Republicans are perfect. The question is what political options actually exist, what can be accomplished through them, and how Christians should exercise stewardship in the circumstances God has given us.00:00 The Midterm Question01:05 Voting Is Not Social Renewal03:00 What Political Options Do We Actually Have?05:45 Practical Politics vs. Pragmatism09:00 The Problem With Accelerationism10:25 Why Build on MAGA?16:00 Stewardship and Imperfect Political Options25:45 What Has MAGA Actually Accomplished?Jon's Music: jonharristunes.comTo Support the Podcast: https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/Become a Patronhttps://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcastSubstack: https://substack.com/@jonharris Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989Follow Jon on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/conversations-that-matter8971/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Gary Stearman welcomes longtime friend and Israeli political activist Avi Lipkin to discuss rising antisemitism, the changing relationship between Jews and Christians, the prophetic significance of modern Israel and why Avi believes these two communities must stand together in the turbulent years ahead.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (09/18/26), Hank offers commentary on quotes from Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Barack Obama regarding the teachings of the Bible.Hank also answers the following questions:I do things under the influence of my medicine that I wouldn't normally do. Will this send me to Hell? Daniel - Memphis, TN (7:53)My girlfriend just became a believer. Can you give me advice for mentoring a new Christian? Zach - Tulsa, OK (15:11)When reading the Bible, how do we know when Jesus was speaking directly to the disciples, or to all Christians in general? Jim - Bakersfield. CA (18:25)Can you explain the rending of the veil at Christ's death? Wayne - VA (21:44)

Ask why the free market works and most popular economics hands you a clever story about how it doesn't. Insurance companies are greedy. Real estate agents run a racket. Used car buyers are being fleeced. The stories sell books, and they rarely survive a phone call to the people being accused.John Lott has spent a career making those phone calls. Economist, former chief economist at the U.S. Sentencing Commission, author of More Guns, Less Crime, he wrote Freedomnomics: Why the Free Market Works and Other Half-Baked Theories That Don't as a direct answer to the Freakonomics school of counterintuitive economics. The claim is not that markets are magic. It is that when a pattern holds for decades among people with their own money on the line, the odds favor a reason over a mistake. What follows is the method and the evidence: how to tell a finding that holds from one that merely sounds good, why the most famous claim in Freakonomics runs backward, and what actually explains the growth of government.Chapters:0:22 Intro and Freedomnomics Overview3:35 Guns Research by Accident8:40 Debating the Gun Evidence17:30 Carry Laws and Crime Patterns23:04 Freakonomics and Hidden Assumptions31:51 Abortion, Family Change, and Crime35:57 Challenging LoJack and Incentives41:55 Real Estate, Cars, and Markets49:13 Why Government Grew53:30 Divorce, Voting, and Liberalism57:41 Where to Find More ResearchAudio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Come meet fellow Christian libertarians, sharpen your thinking, and be part of a growing movement rooted in faith and freedom at the Christians for Liberty Conference.Lunch is included in the price of the ticket. We will send out a form ahead of the conference requesting dietary preferences and restrictions.Learn more here.Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI!Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing:https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★

In this solo episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal opens with a personal update on Jesse's wife Jen, who is recovering from a major surgery and facing ongoing complications. Rather than a typical episode, Tony turns this moment of real pastoral weight into an opportunity to explore James 5:10–18 — a passage about suffering, patience, and the mysterious power of intercessory prayer. Drawing on the examples of the Old Testament prophets, Job, and Elijah, Tony argues that suffering and God's mercy are not in tension but are deeply intertwined throughout Scripture. He also addresses the cessationist convictions he and Jesse hold while affirming the continuing call to bring the sick before the elders of the church in prayer. This episode is brief, earnest, and pastorally rich. Key Takeaways Suffering and divine mercy are not opposed — James holds them together deliberately, using Job as the paradigm case of patience that ultimately reveals God's compassion. The Old Testament prophets model faithful patience — Most prophets never saw visible fruit from their ministry, yet they continued to preach and trust, making them exemplars for suffering believers today. Intercessory prayer is a command, not merely a comfort — When suffering, James does not point believers to self-help or circumstantial remedies first; the primary command is to pray. The prayer of a righteous person has real efficacy — Without attributing change or passibility to God, Tony affirms that prayer moves God to act in a manner consistent with classical theism and biblical revelation. Elijah's humanity is the point, not his exceptionalism — James deliberately identifies Elijah as a man "with a nature like ours," anchoring the power of prayer in God rather than in the pray-er's personal greatness. Cessationism and the call to elder-led prayer coexist — The sign gifts have ceased, but the practice of calling elders to pray over the sick remains a living, binding ordinance for the church. Caregiver suffering is real and deserves intercession — Tony broadens the application beyond physical illness to recognize the spiritual and emotional weight borne by those who care for the sick. Explanatory Paragraphs Suffering and Divine Mercy Are Not in Tension One of the most counterintuitive moves in James 5 is the juxtaposition of Job's suffering with the declaration that "the Lord is compassionate and merciful." For most readers, Job's story feels like the last place you would look for evidence of divine mercy — it is a story of devastating, layered loss. But James insists that the very narrative of Job, with all of its pain, is where the mercy and purpose of God are most clearly displayed. Tony highlights this as "counterintuitive but really quite beautiful." The suffering does not negate the mercy; it is, in some mysterious sense, the vessel through which mercy is revealed. This is not stoic resignation — it is a theologically grounded confidence that God's purposes are always working toward the good of His people, even when circumstances seem to contradict that. The Efficacy of Prayer and Classical Theism Perhaps the most theologically careful section of the episode is Tony's treatment of what it means for prayer to "move" God without compromising classical theistic commitments to divine immutability and impassibility. Tony is careful here: he affirms that God does not change, does not undergo emotional mutation, and is not subject to creaturely pressure. And yet, he insists — with the Bible — that prayer does something. He describes this as God acting in "accommodated, creaturely language," a concession to our finite understanding of an infinite God who, in His sovereign wisdom, has ordained prayer as a genuine means through which He accomplishes His will. This is not open theism or Arminian concession; it is a mature Reformed affirmation that God's decrees include the prayers of His people as real instruments of His providential governance. Elijah as Everyman The closing appeal to Elijah is rhetorically powerful precisely because James refuses to let Elijah remain on a pedestal. The instinct of the reader is to think, of course Elijah's prayers worked — he was Elijah. But James dismantles that escape route immediately: "a man with a nature like ours." The miracles associated with Elijah — the drought, the rain, Mount Carmel — were not the product of Elijah's superhuman spiritual constitution. They were the product of a God who moves when His people pray. This democratizes intercessory prayer in the most profound way. The ordinary believer who kneels beside a sick friend's hospital bed is operating in the same spiritual economy as Elijah on Mount Carmel. The power belongs to God; the call to pray belongs to all of us. Memorable Quotes There's something about the prayer of God's people that in an accommodated, analogous way, an anthropomorphic way — there's something about the prayers of God's people that moves Him to act on their behalf. We hold those to be true, but we also see that the Bible reveals a God who moves when His people pray. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. But that power is not coming from the righteous person — because even Elijah, even as amazing as Elijah was, he was a man with a nature like ours. Full Transcript [00:00:47] Welcome to this special episode of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Tony, and tonight this is the podcast that's just me. Hey, brothers and sisters. It's just Tony tonight. [00:01:00] Um, you'll hear in a little bit why that is, but, uh, just wanted to come this week and do a real quick episode. We're gonna dive into, uh, James chapter five. [00:01:10] We're gonna talk a little bit about some suffering, some patience, and what the prayer of faith does. And rather than do an affirmation or denial tonight, uh, as you know, Jesse is not on the show tonight, uh, but I wanted to give you a quick update.  [00:01:25] Update on Jen [00:01:25] Tony Arsenal: Uh, several episodes ago, maybe, I don't know, 10 episodes ago, Jesse's wife Jen, uh, must have been longer than that actually. [00:01:32] Jesse's wife Jen, uh, joined the podcast, uh, to share a little bit about what's going on in her life and some medical challenges she's been having. And as you all know, uh, Jen had a, a rather extensive surgery, it was about 11 hours, back in May, and her recovery has been, uh, challenging to say the least. Um, so the reason Jesse's not with us tonight is Jen has had a s- a little bit of a setback. [00:01:58] Um, she's okay. [00:02:00] Jesse and, uh, Jen gave me permission to give this little update. Uh, I won't go into too many details, but, uh, Jesse's, um, Jen has had some ongoing, uh, complications with some infection and just some other general challenges that have made recovery a lot slower than we'd hoped. So I know that Jesse, uh, appreciates your prayers. [00:02:21] Jen appreciates your prayers.  [00:02:22] Pause and Pray [00:02:22] Tony Arsenal: So before we, um, before we go on to the podcast tonight, if you would take a few minutes, pause this, say a quick prayer for, uh, Jen, that her recovery would be governed and supervised by God, that the doctors would have wisdom. Uh, and say a quick prayer for Jesse. Uh, caregiver stress is a real thing, and Jesse is, uh, doing a lot to try to support Jen and make sure that she has what she needs. [00:02:47] Uh, and even in the midst of that, he has typically got more than enough energy to, uh, even compensate for me when I'm too tired to do a podcast. That's why you guys get solo episodes with him. Uh, but tonight he just needed an extra little bit of a dose of [00:03:00] rest, and I thought that we would take this opportunity to, to pray for him. [00:03:03] So go ahead and hit pause, say a quick prayer, and then join me back up here in a second.  [00:03:08] Reading James 5 [00:03:08] Tony Arsenal: So as I said, we're gonna jump into James chapter 5. Uh, this is a, a passage that I know is near and dear to Jesse's heart. Uh, he's shared a little bit about this passage on the show before, and kind of that it's been a, sort of a boon to his soul. [00:03:23] So I'm gonna start reading... Uh, I'm gonna make a connection here that I don't know is always made with this passage. So I'm gonna start reading here in verse 10. Uh, normally we would wanna start a little bit before that, and, and of course, the whole letter is an ongoing sustained argument, so it's not like you can just chunk one part out. [00:03:41] But because of the way our English translations are sometimes, uh, divided up, we tend to separate verses 10 through 12 from what follows, and I hope as we chat for just a little while tonight, it'll be a short episode, I hope we'll understand why these two are actually, uh, quite connected. So James chapter 5, [00:04:00] starting in verse 10. [00:04:01] "As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remain steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. And above all, my brothers, do not swear either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, or let... [00:04:24] but let your yes be yes and your no be no, so that you may not fall into condemnation. Is any one of you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. [00:04:44] And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power in [00:05:00] its working. Elijah was a man like us, with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain. [00:05:07] And for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." [00:05:28] So we're gonna zero in here right on verse 10, and kinda how it connects with, uh, what follows here.  [00:05:36] Prophets and Patience [00:05:36] Tony Arsenal: So this passage as a whole, starting in the beginning of verse, uh, verse five, sorta brings... Or chapter five, brings us into sort of an eschatological framework. James is talking about the sort of final judgment against the proud rich who are persecuting the church and who are, uh, sort of offending the Lord by, um, persecuting His people. [00:05:58] And so in verse seven [00:06:00] now James turns to encourage the, um, the believer not to, um, not to despair because the coming of the Lord seems slow. It's very similar to what Peter does when he, he talks about how, um, God does not will that any of His people perish, but He's seemingly delaying His coming so that all may come to repentance. [00:06:23] James is doing something very similar here, and so it's in that context that we get to verse 10. He's... In verse seven he's commanding them, or he's encouraging them to be patient, and in verse 10, he gives this example of patience and suffering. And the, the example is, uh, broadly speaking, is the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. [00:06:46] If you think about most of the prophets in the Old Testament, their message was not widely received. Probably the most outwardly successful prophet in the Old Testament was Jonah, uh, and he didn't even wanna be [00:07:00]successful. Um, but most of the prophets, uh, thinking particularly of, like, Jeremiah, uh, who, you know, throughout, even in his own recorded books, uh, was, uh, persecuted and ostracized. [00:07:13] People tried to kill him. Uh, we think of Isaiah who, you know, church history tells us he was sawn in two. Um, and most of the prophets did not see, uh, uh, any sort of real revival during their ministry. But they patiently continued to preach and come to the Lord and trust that what they were prophesying was, was worth it, that it was going to have its effect. [00:07:37] Job and Mercy [00:07:37] Tony Arsenal: So he, uh, he then turns kinda to the ultimate, uh, example of patience. Uh, and, and we would think... We don't necessarily always think of Job as a prophet, but there's definitely prophetic elements there- And it says, "You've heard of the steadfastness of Job." And of course, we know that Job, uh, had everything taken away from him. [00:07:58] So he, he lived this life where he [00:08:00] was immensely successful. He had a, a large family. He had lots of wealth. He had servants. Uh, religiously, he seemed to be on track. He seemed to have the Lord's favor. He certainly had the Lord's attention. Um, and it was all taken away from him. This is the part that I think is really, uh, counterintuitive but really quite beautiful, is he says, "You've heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you've seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful." [00:08:29] And we've commented many times on the show that this sort of juxtaposition between, uh, sort of temporal woes or temporal trials and the Lord's mercy and compassion, how they're interrelated in scripture in a way that doesn't really feel intuitive to us. And so we're gonna skip down a little bit here. [00:08:51] He talks about, um, not swearing oaths, talks about letting your yes be yes, you know, we know. That's obviously connected to this, but we're, we're gonna just pass by that a little [00:09:00] bit.  [00:09:00] Suffering and Prayer [00:09:00] Tony Arsenal: 'Cause back in verse 13 now, he returns to this subject of suffering. He says, "Is any among you suffering? Let him pray." So there's this call for those of us who are suffering, and if we're being honest, most of us are suffering in one form or another. [00:09:17] Uh, we either have some sort of illness, or we're struggling with finances, or maybe we have some kind of depression or some other life circumstance that is making things challenging. And it says... Doesn't say, "Let him seek out the newest self-help trend." Doesn't say, "Let him, uh, let him fixate on the, the most current, up-to-date medical things." [00:09:40] It doesn't say, "Let him, uh, pursue Financial Peace University." Now, that's not to say those things are not good and important, but the command here is to let him pray. So when we face suffering, we should recognize that that suffering and the patience that comes with it is connected [00:10:00] to the mercy and the compassion of the Lord. [00:10:02] This is probably the main point and theme of James' whole letter. So you go back to verse-- or chapter one, I think it's verse 24, right? It says, um- Let it be counted all joy when you face trials of many different kinds, right? So James' whole purpose in this letter is to speak to those suffering, uh, persecuted Jewish Christians that have been scattered out into the, uh, Judean wilderness and the, the countryside, who had been scattered out into the, you know, into the country and were being preyed upon probably by wealthy Jewish landowners. [00:10:39] And the whole point of this letter is to encourage them and for them to recognize that the suffering that they're undergoing, whether there's a natural suffering, a natural evil, which obviously would be something like sickness or some sort of natural tragedy, what, what the old insurance language calls like an act of God, which is literally an act of God, something like a, like a storm that [00:11:00] ruins your crop or an earthquake that destroys your home, or m- or moral evil, which is what the, the, um, those Christians in James' audience were, were suffering under, was moral evil. [00:11:12] Says, "If any of you are suffering, let him pray." Well, how could we ever think about praying in the midst of suffering if we did not recognize, as James says, that this suffering is related to the mercy and the compassion of the Lord? That, uh, when we think of the steadfastness of Job, we see the mercy and the compassion of the Lord. [00:11:40] And then it goes on to say, "Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises." Well, what did, what did James command in the beginning of his book or what did he, he say? "Count it all joy when you face suffering of any kind." And so now we have, "Are you suffering?" Well, then you, you count it joy. "Well, are you [00:12:00] cheerful? [00:12:00] Elders and Healing [00:12:00] Tony Arsenal: Let you sing praise." And that brings us now to verse fourteen: "Is any among you sick?" Well, what do we do or what should we do when we're sick, when we're suffering, when we recognize that that suffering is to... unto our salvation, it's unto our sanctification? Well, we're cheerful and we praise, and we come and we join the church. [00:12:20] We come and call for the elders. We have them pray over us. They anoint us in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith, verse fifteen, the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick. Now, we know that, um, God moves in all sorts of ways Uh, Jesse and I are both committed cessationists, convicted cessationists. [00:12:43] We don't believe that the sign gifts, that, that the miracles that marked the, the Revelation period of the New Testament and the Old Testament, we don't believe that those sign gifts continue. But what we do know is that the Lord, through his servant [00:13:00] James, commands his people to seek out the elders of the church when they're sick and for them to pray over them. [00:13:06] And I know that Jen, uh, and Jesse have really, really great elders. They've got great support at their church. I know that there are people praying for both of them. Um, and, and this podcast is not a church, and our listeners are not the elders of the church, although some of our listeners are elders, but they're not elders... [00:13:22] I don't think there's any of them at Jesse's church.  [00:13:24] Powerful Prayer Explained [00:13:24] Tony Arsenal: Um, but there is a principle here in this passage that I think is important for us as we, as we lift Jesse and Jen up in prayer, as we think about others in our life who need prayer, who need support, who are sick, who are suffering, is that the prayer, and this is where it comes in, uh, at towards the end here, the prayer of a righteous person, verse 16, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power in its working." [00:13:49] There's something about prayer, and I don't fully understand it, this is something w- I will spend the rest of my life trying to understand. There's something about the prayer of God's [00:14:00] people that in a, an accommodated, analogous way, an anthropomorphic way, there's something about the prayers of God's people that moves him to act on their behalf. [00:14:12] And of course, you know, you go back, you listen to all of our episodes on divine simplicity and aseity and divine immutability. We're, we're classical theists. We don't think that God changes. But the, what the Bible teaches us, what it reveals to us in accommodated, creaturely language is that when the elders of the church specifically, and then God's people generally, when we pray, God moves. [00:14:39] And so that's what I'll leave you with tonight. Um, again, this, this may seem melodramatic or severe. Um, Jen's doing okay. She's, she's sick, and she's recovering. Um, m- but, but it's important for us to pray. So whether it's for Jesse and Jen, and I hope that it is, I hope that you take some more time after this episode to pray [00:15:00] for them and to pray for her specifically. [00:15:02] But I think we all have people in our lives that we know who are suffering, who are sick, who need the prayers, the powerful prayers of righteous persons to move the heart of God to orient himself to their restoration and to their glory, whether that's restoration from a physical illness in the context here of this passage, and in some senses, it's restoration from spiritual sickness. [00:15:26] Elijah Like Us [00:15:26] Tony Arsenal: Um, and he closes, and this is the most encouraging part. We think of Elijah as sort of the supreme prophet of the Old Testament Uh, that title might be arguable, uh, to go to, uh, Moses, um, although Moses tends to fall in a different category. But we think of Elijah as this man, this miracle worker, right? We think of Mount Carmel, we think of the other miracles that are associated with Elijah. [00:15:53] Uh, a- and the Bible here makes the point, James makes the point that Elijah was a man with a nature [00:16:00] like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain for three years and six months, and it did not rain. And so what we see here, and this is what I'll close with, James is reminding us that the power, right, the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. [00:16:18] But that power is not coming from the righteous person, 'cause even Elijah, even as amazing as Elijah was, he was a man with a nature like ours. So when we look to God, we see that, that He is the one that moves in prayer, but somehow mysteriously, somehow in His special, uh, special wisdom and special guide- counsel, somehow when we prayer- pray, that does something. [00:16:46] And again, we have to, we have to hold everything else that we understand to be true about God's immutability, His impassibility, His simplicity, all of those things. We hold those to be true, but we also see that the Bible reveals a God who [00:17:00] moves when His people pray.  [00:17:01] Final Prayer and Sendoff [00:17:01] Tony Arsenal: So we can trust that if we seek God and we pray agreeably to His will, that He will comfort and encourage and heal His people, and He will bring them back and restore them. [00:17:13] So that is my prayer and my hope for you tonight, that you would spend some time thinking about the people in your life that could benefit from you taking time to pray for them. Definitely pray for Jesse and for Jen as they're r- as she's recovering and as Jesse is supporting and caring for her. Um, it's a big burden, and he's, he's bearing it her- heroically, but, uh, he, he could use your prayer just as much, uh, as the rest of us. [00:17:39] So I will leave you with that, brothers and sisters, and until next time, honor everyone, love the brotherhood. [00:18:00]

Kate Wolf and Medaya Ocher speak to Astra Taylor and Naomi Klein about their new book, End Times Fascism: And the Fight for the Living World. A remarkably up to date analysis of our present moment of "messianic" wars in the Middle East and Silicon Valley's go-for broke investment in AI and space travel, the book looks at the shared narrative that unites a coalition of evangelical Christians, tech bros, the Trump administration and right-wing governments across the world. In all of these factions, Klein and Taylor identify a core belief: the apocalypse is actually desirable. Rather than try to solve the very real threats of our time, fallout would be beneficial for the powerful, who could take shelter in their bunkers, or on their islands, or on Mars. Taylor and Klein, however, find hope in the already growing movement against AI data centers, the weakening support of Trump's base, and the mayoral run of Zohran Mamadani, whose joyful campaign they call the antithesis of fascism.  

Can you think of a time when there wasn't significant tension between Israel & the Arabs? Why all the conflict and what's coming next? Tune-in and find out!In this episode, Jay Seegert interviews Olivier Melnick to explore the biblical and historical background of the Israel-Palestine conflict, the rise of anti-Semitism, and the importance of biblical literacy in understanding current events. They discuss how biblical prophecy relates to today's geopolitical issues and the need for Christians to be informed and engaged.

Thank you and enjoy the episode!Links For The Occult Rejectshttps://linktr.ee/theoccultrejectsOccult Research Institutehttps://www.occultresearchinstitute.org/Substackhttps://substack.com/@theoccultreject...Cash Apphttps://cash.app/$theoccultrejectsVenmo@TheOccultRejectsBuy Me A Coffeebuymeacoffee.com/TheOccultRejectsPatreon@theoccultrejects Krautheimer, Richard. Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture. 4th ed. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986. Essential. This is the backbone source for early Christian basilicas, liturgical space, urban context, and the development of Christian architecture after Constantine. Krautheimer is especially useful for not treating churches as isolated floor plans, but as part of city, ritual, bishop, patronage, and memory.Krautheimer, Richard. Rome: Profile of a City, 312–1308. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1980. Very useful for Rome as a layered city: imperial remains, Christian churches, papal authority, public space, and the transformation of Roman urban memory.Krautheimer, Richard, Wolfgang Frankl, and Spencer Corbett. Corpus Basilicarum Christianarum Romae: The Early Christian Basilicas of Rome. 5 vols. Vatican City: Pontificio Istituto di Archeologia Cristiana, 1937–1977. Heavy academic reference work. Best for the Lateran, Old Saint Peter's, early Roman churches, plans, architectural evidence, and dating.Mathews, Thomas F. The Early Churches of Constantinople: Architecture and Liturgy. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1971. More focused on Constantinople, but excellent for connecting architecture and liturgical movement.White, L. Michael. Building God's House in the Roman World: Architectural Adaptation among Pagans, Jews, and Christians. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990. Great for the transition from house settings and adapted spaces into larger public Christian architecture.Brandenburg, Hugo. Ancient Churches of Rome from the Fourth to the Seventh Century: The Dawn of Christian Architecture in the West. Turnhout: Brepols, 2005. Very useful for Rome, the Lateran, Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Sabina, and the formation of Christian public architecture.Snyder, Graydon F. Ante Pacem: Archaeological Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine. Macon: Mercer University Press, 2003. Best for the “before Constantine” contrast: house churches, burial spaces, symbols, and pre-public Christian material culture.Elsner, Jaś. Imperial Rome and Christian Triumph: The Art of the Roman Empire AD 100–450. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. Excellent for the transformation from Roman imperial art and space into Christian visual culture and triumphal imagery. Elsner's work is especially useful for your “empire becomes the bones of the church” angle.Constantine, Legal Shift, and Imperial PatronageEusebius. Life of Constantine. Translated by Averil Cameron and Stuart G. Hall. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999. Primary source. Use carefully because it is highly pro-Constantine and partly panegyric, but it is essential for Constantine's Christian image, patronage, and sacred building projects. Eusebius is one of the key ancient witnesses for Constantine's role in Christian imperial memory.Eusebius. Ecclesiastical History. Translated by Kirsopp Lake. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1926–1932. Useful background for the pre-Constantinian church, persecution memory, martyr tradition, and Christian self-understanding before public imperial patronage.Barnes, Timothy D. Constantine and Eusebius. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981. Major scholarly source on Constantine, Eusebius, politics, Christian patronage, and imperial ideology.Drake, H. A. Constantine and the Bishops: The Politics of Intolerance. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000. Excellent for the political complexity of Constantine's relationship with bishops and Christian institutions.Lenski, Noel, ed. The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Good edited volume for Constantine's world: religion, politics, empire, law, cities, and Christianization.Odahl, Charles Matson. Constantine and the Christian Empire. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2010. Useful general scholarly overview, especially for readers/listeners who need the historical framework.MacMullen, Ramsay. Christianizing the Roman Empire: A.D. 100–400. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984. Classic work on Christianization as a social and political process.Brown, Peter. The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200–1000. 3rd ed. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. Excellent big-picture framing. Helps avoid the cartoon version where Constantine instantly creates medieval Christianity.Basilicas, Liturgy, Space, and the BodyYasin, Ann Marie. Saints and Church Spaces in the Late Antique Mediterranean: Architecture, Cult, and Community. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Very strong for how churches organized community, memory, saints, ritual space, and sacred presence.Yasin, Ann Marie. “Sacred Installations: The Material Conditions of Liturgy in Late Antique Churches.” In Objects in Context, Objects in Use, edited by Luke Lavan, Ellen Swift, and Toon Putzeys. Leiden: Brill, 2007. Useful for altars, liturgical furnishing, and how sacred space is made materially.Bowes, Kim. Private Worship, Public Values, and Religious Change in Late Antiquity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Good for the public/private transition, elite patronage, domestic religion, and late antique religious change.Markus, R. A. The End of Ancient Christianity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. Important for the shift from ancient Christian worlds into more structured post-Constantinian Christianity.Brown, Peter. The Cult of the Saints: Its Rise and Function in Latin Christianity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981. This will become even more important for your next episode on martyrs, relics, tombs, bones, and pilgrimage.MacCormack, Sabine. Art and Ceremony in Late Antiquity. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981. Great for public ceremony, imperial ritual, Christian adaptation, and how power becomes theatrical and architectural.Lateran, Old Saint Peter's, and Holy SepulchreDavis, Raymond. The Book of Pontiffs: The Ancient Biographies of the First Ninety Roman Bishops to AD 715. Rev. ed. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2010. Translation of the Liber Pontificalis. Useful for the Lateran, papal memory, church foundations, donations, and claims about Constantine.Mango, Cyril. The Art of the Byzantine Empire, 312–1453: Sources and Documents. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1986. Excellent sourcebook for texts on Christian art, architecture, and sacred building.Ward-Perkins, J. B. “The Shrine of St. Peter's and Its Twelve Spiral Columns.” Journal of Roman Studies 42, no. 1–2 (1952): 21–33. Very useful for Old Saint Peter's, reused columns, Solomonic column traditions, and apostolic memory. The tradition of reused marble columns at Old Saint Peter's directly supports your spolia-and-memory section.Krautheimer, Richard. “Mensa-Coemeterium-Martyrium.” Cahiers Archéologiques 11 (1960): 15–40. Important for tomb, altar, martyr memory, and architectural development.Wilken, Robert Louis. The Land Called Holy: Palestine in Christian History and Thought. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992. Useful for Jerusalem, holy geography, sacred memory, and the Holy Sepulchre.Taylor, Joan E. Christians and the Holy Places: The Myth of Jewish-Christian Origins. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993. Strong source for holy places, memory, archaeology, and early Christian sacred geography.Biddle, Martin. The Tomb of Christ. Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 1999. Useful for Holy Sepulchre archaeology and the architectural framing of crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.Spolia, Reused Stone, and Roman Material InheritanceKinney, Dale. “Spolia. Damnatio and Renovatio Memoriae.” Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome 42 (1997): 117–148. One of the key scholarly pieces for spolia, memory, reuse, and interpretation.Kinney, Dale. “Rape or Restitution of the Past? Interpreting Spolia.” In The Art of Interpreting, edited by Susan C. Scott, 52–67. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1995. Great for your nuance: spolia is not always theft, not always theology, not always conquest. It can be practical, symbolic, aesthetic, political, or all of those at once.Brilliant, Richard, and Dale Kinney, eds. Reuse Value: Spolia and Appropriation in Art and Architecture from Constantine to Sherrie Levine. Farnham: Ashgate, 2011. Excellent broader collection on reuse, appropriation, memory, and architectural meaning.Hansen, Maria Fabricius. The Eloquence of Appropriation: Prolegomena to an Understanding of Spolia in Early Christian Rome. Rome: L'Erma di Bretschneider, 2003. Very relevant to your point that reused materials could create a meaningful Christian aesthetic, not just a cheap construction solution.Brenk, Beat. “Spolia from Constantine to Charlemagne: Aesthetics versus Ideology.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 41 (1987): 103–109. Very useful for the practical-versus-symbolic debate.Greenhalgh, Michael. The Survival of Roman Antiquities in the Middle Ages. London: Duckworth, 1989. Good for how Roman materials, statues, columns, and monuments survive, are reused, or are reinterpreted.Pensabene, PatrizioAlso want to remind people about the website, if you're into reading we have tons of information by multiple contributors, and we got t-shirts up on the site if you're interested. Fun fact, the art is all based on the eyeball. 

Full Text of Readings Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 448 The Saint of the day is Saint Januarius Saint Januarius' Story Little is known about the life of Januarius. He is believed to have been martyred in the Emperor Diocletian's persecution of 305. Legend has it that Januarius and his companions were thrown to the bears in the amphitheater of Pozzuoli, but the animals failed to attack them. They were then beheaded, and Januarius' blood ultimately brought to Naples. “A dark mass that half fills a hermetically sealed four-inch glass container, and is preserved in a double reliquary in the Naples cathedral as the blood of St. Januarius, liquefies 18 times during the year…Various experiments have been applied, but the phenomenon eludes natural explanation….” [From the Catholic Encyclopedia] Reflection It is defined Catholic doctrine that miracles can happen and are recognizable. Problems arise, however, when we must decide whether an occurrence is unexplainable in natural terms, or merely unexplained. We do well to avoid an excessive credulity but, on the other hand, when even scientists speak about “probabilities” rather than “laws” of nature, it is something less than imaginative for Christians to think that God is too “scientific” to work extraordinary miracles to wake us up to the everyday miracles of sparrows and dandelions, raindrops and snowflakes.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Bishop E.W. Jackson exposes how Marxist critical theory infiltrated American schools to undermine the nuclear family. Guest Pastor Mike Morisi explains why pastors must boldly preach truth and how Christians can help save America by engaging in local and state elections.Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.truthandliberty.net/subscribe  Donate here: https://www.truthandliberty.net/donate  

Share a commentPeter is near the end of his life, and his words have the weight of someone who knows what failure feels like and what grace can rebuild. We open 2 Peter by watching him do something unexpected: he signs his name in a way that admits both his old story and his new identity, then he plants his flag on a single claim that confronts every counterfeit gospel, every spiritual brand, and every would-be authority figure. He belongs to Jesus Christ, and that belonging reshapes everything. We talk through Peter's journey from the Sea of Galilee to a Scripture-quoting shepherd who refuses to boast. “Simeon Peter” becomes a lived theology of sanctification: Christians grow, but we don't pretend we've arrived. Then we slow down over two loaded words in his opening line, “servant” and “apostle.” We unpack doulos, the purchased slave, and why true Christian maturity looks less like collecting status and more like surrender. We also clarify the New Testament meaning of apostolic authority and why modern claims to that office so often become a power play over the church. From there, the purpose of 2 Peter comes into sharp focus: remember biblical truth, recognize false teaching, and take God's judgment seriously, both past and future. We even connect Peter's warnings to a modern problem he never named but we all face: AI deepfakes and believable spiritual misinformation. If you want sharper biblical discernment and a steadier view of Jesus Christ as Lord and Messiah, come with us. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the series.Learn more about twenty-five years of global impact, and reserve tickets to our gala. https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/25 Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Luke 10Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss the lessons that stood out to them in Luke 10.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=26819The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

Pakistani Christians could face renewed persecution following the Archbishop of Canterbury's decision to withdraw an honour to a leading Muslim cleric, Monsignor Michael Nazir-Ali warns today in this episode of Holy Smoke.The former Bishop of Rochester speaks to Damian Thompson following the news that Lambeth Palace has had to withdraw an award to Hafiz Ashrafi after previous comments by the Imam came to light. Following the ‘Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation' award being presented, it came to light that Ashrafi had praised Osama bin Laden in 2007, saying he would give the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks the title Saifullah – or 'Sword of God' – for 'serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels'. The question remains ‘why there was not due diligence' Msgr Nazir-Ali tells Damian, saying Pakistani Christian leaders fear a backlash. The ‘reactionary action on the part of extremists' should have been thought about before making the announcement, Nazir-Ali said, as he criticised Lambeth Palace. Msgr Nazir-Ali, now a priest of the Catholic Ordinariate and who was born in Pakistan, is a world renowned authority on Islam's relations with Christianity. He talks to Damian about the debacle over the award, and warns against the increasing secularisation and desecration of British churches.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Book of Enoch has exploded online, and the claims run in both directions: some say it unlocks the Bible's biggest mysteries, others say it can't be trusted at all. Dr. Joel Muddamalle this time talks about First Enoch specifically. Why has it captured so much attention, what kind of literature is it, and how much interpretive weight should it carry? READ: The Unseen Battle, by Joel Muddamalle: (https://amzn.to/4xyQnM9) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Timestamps 0:00 — Why has the Book of Enoch exploded online? 5:02 — What is First Enoch, and what kind of literature is it? 9:14 — When was it written, and by whom? 11:34 — What "pseudepigraphical" actually means 14:03 — Who was the biblical Enoch? 16:24 — How the Qumran community treated it 22:14 — A viewer challenges the method 24:48 — What Joel thinks First Enoch is actually doing 28:28 — The main readings of Genesis 6 31:07 — Why he holds the supernatural view 33:12 — Spiritual beings who eat, walk, and are seen 38:04 — What Jude and 2 Peter are doing 40:11 — The early church fathers on Enoch 42:19 — Not canonical — but not worthless 54:34 — Why quoting something isn't endorsing it 1:02:02 — Should Christians read it? Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Not every difficult thing in your life is the devil. Not every hardship is your cross to bear. And not every obstacle requires the same response. Continuing the Tent Talk conversation on the good and handsome warfare, Nancy McCready challenges maturing sons to develop the discernment necessary to recognize what they are actually facing. Drawing from DeVern Fromke's Ultimate Intention and Scripture, Nancy identifies critical distinctions between the Father's discipline, reaping what we have sown, genuine spiritual oppression, hindrances to obedience, the fellowship of Christ's sufferings, and self-made crosses. Maturity does not automatically blame darkness. Maturity discerns. If it is the Father's discipline, receive it. If it is a harvest from what you have sown, repent and change what you are sowing. If it is oppression, submit to the Father and resist the enemy. If it is a hindrance, discern His direction and continue in obedience. If it is your cross, take it up freely and follow Christ. And if it is a self-made cross, put it down. This episode is an invitation to stop boxing the air, refuse spiritual ignorance, and allow the Father to train you as a sharp, skilled, mature son who knows the difference—and knows how to respond. Thanks for Listening! I hope that after listening to The Tent Talk Podcast, you'll want to start discussions with your team or small group. These resources can help guide your discipleship journey to maturity and destiny with the Father: Episode Notes & Conversation Guide DOWNLOAD HERE https://nancymccready.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Episode-1129-Learn-the-Distinctions-Not-Every-Battle-Is-the-Devil.pdf LINKS The Devotional Podcast with Nancy McCready https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2hHjwQ_3Qrp1rhbR9nu68wnBtQY0IHzc The Producer's Way School theproducersway.com Nancy's book, From Trauma to Trust www.amazon.com/dp/B096ZML6R3/ JOIN THE CONVERSATION Every journey begins with a conversation, join us on social media to get started! Facebook: www.facebook.com/nbmccready Instagram: www.instagram.com/nbmccready/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nancymccreadyministries SUBSCRIBE Like what you hear? Subscribe to Tent Talk with Nancy McCready so you don't miss an episode! nancymccready.com/podcast/ ABOUT NANCY MCCREADY Nancy McCready is redefining discipleship across nations, cultures, and denominations. Through Nancy McCready Ministries, she partners with leaders to build deep, transformative discipleship cultures that provoke people to walk in freedom and live as mature sons of the Father. Her powerful message comes from her journey of overcoming abuse, addiction, and self-destruction to walk in true freedom. She now dedicates her life to helping others grow in intimacy with the Father and live unto Him. ABOUT TENT TALK PODCAST Tent Talk with Nancy McCready is a listener-funded podcast dedicated to helping Christians along their journey of a deeper walk with Christ. With the support of donors like you, we are able to help our listeners gain a deeper spiritual understanding and connection with the Father. Thank you for your support of the Tent Talk Podcast! nancymccready.com/giving/ Brought to you by Nancy McCready Ministries nancymccready.com/

What happens when you stop talking about evangelism and actually go share your faith?In this episode, Brian takes the Gospel to Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis and has a real conversation with a man named Bill.No script. No staging. No perfect evangelism moment.Just one Christian, one conversation, and one opportunity to talk about Jesus.Share Your Faith Friday! is about bringing you into real-world evangelism as it actually happens. You'll hear the conversations, the opportunities, the awkward moments, and the things Brian could have done better.Because we don't need perfect evangelists. We need faithful Christians willing to open their mouths and proclaim the Gospel.So listen in, learn from the conversation, and then take the next step yourself.Have a Heart & Go Share Your Faith!Romans 1:16 (ESV):“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”

What if some of your church's greatest opportunities for ministry are sitting in the pews—with the skills to repair a roof, wire a building, or help a struggling neighbor? Rev. Dr. Scott Yakimow joins Tim Ahlman to discuss how the church can recognize and encourage the everyday callings through which Christians serve their communities.Recorded May 11, 2026. References to Crosspoint's planned launch, CUAA developments, and upcoming convention decisions reflect the conversation at that time.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org

Today On The Eric Metaxas Show, Eric shares the possible answer to a mystery that has puzzled him for months. Eric and Suzanne independently witnessed nearly the same startling sight on the same day: a hawk holding a dove in its talons, once in Connecticut and once in Manhattan.After returning from Greece and rereading Homer's Odyssey, Eric discovered a strikingly similar bird sign in the ancient story, where it is interpreted as a warning that Odysseus is returning and justice is coming. Ken Fish joins Eric to discuss whether experiences like this can be interpreted as signs from God, how Christians should approach them carefully, and what divine justice means in the present moment.They also discuss current questions about political accountability before Ken previews the upcoming Orbis Ministries Luminosity conference in Nashville.⭐ ORDER NOW:Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World