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The Superhero Show Show #583STAS Season 4 Finale and The Prowler's IntroductionThe Prowler Makes His Animated DebutOn this week's The Superhero Show Show, the hosts turn their spotlight to Season 4, Episode 11 of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, which introduces a brand-new character to the series: The Prowler. This episode marks a fresh shift in tone, blending social justice themes, redemption arcs, and classic superhero action. The team dives into how this fan-favorite antihero is adapted for Saturday morning television, and whether the episode successfully balances its heavier themes with the high-energy Spider-Man formula.Who Is The Prowler?The hosts start by breaking down the origin story of The Prowler, a.k.a. Hobie Brown, a young inventor turned reluctant criminal who dons a high-tech suit to seek justice his own way. The episode paints Hobie as a victim of circumstance, manipulated by crime boss Richard Fisk into doing dirty work under the illusion of control and upward mobility.The podcast praises the show for introducing The Prowler as a layered and sympathetic character, rather than just a one-note villain. They compare his debut to other redemption-focused characters in the series, highlighting how his motivations and eventual turn toward heroism help him stand out.Power, Control, and Second ChancesOne of the episode's central themes is the struggle for agency. Hobie, disillusioned by a system that continually fails him, turns to technology and crime as a means of reclaiming power. However, once Spider-Man intervenes, a different path begins to open. The hosts commend the show for portraying Spider-Man as both a physical adversary and a moral compass, guiding The Prowler toward redemption.They also discuss how this mirrors Peter Parker's own journey. Both characters come from difficult backgrounds, but their decisions define who they become. The hosts love that this episode serves as a mirror for Peter—offering a “what-if” scenario of how differently things could have gone.Animation Highlights and Series ContextThe animation team also gets a nod from the hosts this week. They note that The Prowler's suit design and acrobatic fight choreography add a visual freshness to the episode. From high-rise rooftop battles to underground lairs, the episode keeps its energy up without losing emotional weight.Contextually, the episode sits between several personal milestones for Peter—his recent engagement to Mary Jane and the aftermath of revealing his identity. The hosts admire how the show can juggle such significant story beats while still making space to introduce compelling new characters.A Hero in the MakingIn the end, Hobie Brown walks away not as a villain, but as a young man given a second chance. The hosts speculate on what could've been if Spider-Man: The Animated Series had continued into another season—would we have seen The Prowler return as an ally? As a standalone episode, it's one of the rare times the series tells a complete origin and resolution in just 22 minutes, and the team finds that both refreshing and satisfying.Final Thoughts on The ProwlerThis episode of The Superhero Show Show is a celebration of strong character work, stylish animation, and the introduction of The Prowler, a character with surprising depth and long-lasting appeal. Whether you're a longtime fan of Hobie Brown or discovering him for the first time, this installment delivers both superhero spectacle and sincere storytelling. Tune in to hear why The Prowler...
Kalum is a London-based TTRPG designer (Magic of Inventorying, Rosewood Abbey) and podcaster (The Rolistes Podcast, RPG Academy Film Studies). We talked about his experiences in building TTRPG communities, and the creative process of his games!Check out Kalum's work!https://rolistespod.com/https://rolistespod.itch.io/https://bsky.app/profile/rolistespod.itch.iohttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rolistespod/paris-gondoThank you for listening to Weird Games & Weirder People!Please subscribe to the show to keep up with new episodes!If you would like to support the show, leave a review and/or head to our ko-fi page and pay us a coffee! It will help keep the podcast going! It will really help us! https://ko-fi.com/wgnwpYou can also support me buy buying one of my games!Kosmosaurs just got released in print, and it is my new RPG inspired by Saturday morning cartoons about Space Dinosaur Rangers defending the galaxy from evildoers! Get your copy right here: bit.ly/kosmosaurs Get other games of mine on Exalted Funeral: https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/search?q=Diogo+nogueiraOr buy anything at DriveThruRPG using this link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/?affiliate_id=338514Or buy something from my itch store:https://diogo-old-skull.itch.ioSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER!This is super new and I am trying a new thing! I share offers, news, behind the scenes, articles, curiosities, and rants about being me! Fun, right? RIGHT!?Check out our latest post: https://diogonogueira.substack.com/
Thyatira was a politically and culturally marginalized city, finding its identity economically, with guilds dealing in metals and fabric (Acts 16:14). Guilds celebrated their patron deities in periodic festivities, so Christians may have been tempted toward the message of a “prophetess” who advocated participation in illicit sex and food sacrificed to idols, both staples of the social scene. Excavated coins point to the ongoing NT-era worship of Apollo, who had been assimilated with the Lydian sun-god Tyrimnos. Contextually, Jesus comes to His church here with metallic imagery: “eyes like a flame of fire and feet as burnished bronze.” He commends them for their love, faith, service and patient endurance, yet He challenges them for tolerating Jezebel, a false prophetess and leader of sexual immorality and idolatrous practices. Jesus – the One who “searches heart and mind” – threatens great tribulation upon her followers unless repentance is made. Those who conquer and keep Jesus' words and works until the end will receive authority over the nations, rule with an iron rod, and be given the morning star (Christ Himself - 22:16).
Thyatira was a politically and culturally marginalized city, finding its identity economically, with guilds dealing in metals and fabric (Acts 16:14). Guilds celebrated their patron deities in periodic festivities, so Christians may have been tempted toward the message of a “prophetess” who advocated participation in illicit sex and food sacrificed to idols, both staples of the social scene. Excavated coins point to the ongoing NT-era worship of Apollo, who had been assimilated with the Lydian sun-god Tyrimnos. Contextually, Jesus comes to His church here with metallic imagery: “eyes like a flame of fire and feet as burnished bronze.” He commends them for their love, faith, service and patient endurance, yet He challenges them for tolerating Jezebel, a false prophetess and leader of sexual immorality and idolatrous practices. Jesus – the One who “searches heart and mind” – threatens great tribulation upon her followers unless repentance is made. Those who conquer and keep Jesus' words and works until the end will receive authority over the nations, rule with an iron rod, and be given the morning star (Christ Himself - 22:16).
In this lively conversation, the “Just the Guys” team explores how crucial context can be—whether you're deciphering a strange image, navigating a complex relationship, or fielding unexpected life events. They kick things off by sharing news of the new book *Uniquely Us* and then dive into fascinating parallels between fooling AI systems with “adversarial examples” and how our assumptions can mislead us in everyday life. By using an analogy of seeing a “penguin in the desert” (something bizarre or out of place), they illustrate how missing details can trigger confusion, misunderstandings, or emotional reactions.Throughout the discussion, they highlight the importance of curiosity and humility to uncover the “why” behind surprising information—much like slowing down to determine if that shape in the dark is an intruder or just a coat on a chair. They also introduce practical techniques (like the C.A.L.M. method) to help us pause, gather context, and respond gracefully rather than reacting rashly. It's an honest, lighthearted look at how we can avoid “kicking the penguin” in our personal and professional relationships by learning to seek more information, accept when we've made mistakes, and ultimately prioritize connection over “being right.”Mentioned in This Episode:- Uniquely Us, a new release about neurodiverse Christian marriages- Adversarial examples in AI and what they reveal about our own blind spots- The C.A.L.M. method (Connect, Assess, Lean in, Move forward) for managing emotional triggers- Why “winning the relationship” matters more than winning any single argumentHave a topic you'd like the guys to unpack? Drop them a note via the show's website—feedback and questions are always welcome!
Theological seminaries and Bible institutes find themselves at the crossroads of preserving biblical faithfulness and of maintaining contextual relevance. What does faithful contextual relevance look like? How can theological institutions steer a course that will engage and serve the church through the men and women they equip for ministry and service? In The Fruits of Listening (Wipf and Stock, 2024), Colleen Weaver designed a qualitative research project in the Protestant evangelical community in Madrid, Spain. Intentional listening was conducted on three seminary campuses and in the faith community. Seminary faculty and students and church attenders shared their perspectives, experiences, and hopes for transformative theological education. Congregants envisioned theological education that equips leaders to relationally empower the church to give witness in the society. Faculty and students described the contextual challenges they face as Protestant believers in Spain. They voiced narratives of how they must find ways to persevere amid pervasive scarcity and in a rapidly changing society. Seminaries and churches around the world may recognize details of their own experiences in these stories and, importantly, receive resources for being contextually responsive in their situations. Dave Broucek is a retired cross-cultural missionary/coordinator of continuing education/international ministries director. He interviews authors who provide critical reflection on the theology and practice of Christian mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Theological seminaries and Bible institutes find themselves at the crossroads of preserving biblical faithfulness and of maintaining contextual relevance. What does faithful contextual relevance look like? How can theological institutions steer a course that will engage and serve the church through the men and women they equip for ministry and service? In The Fruits of Listening (Wipf and Stock, 2024), Colleen Weaver designed a qualitative research project in the Protestant evangelical community in Madrid, Spain. Intentional listening was conducted on three seminary campuses and in the faith community. Seminary faculty and students and church attenders shared their perspectives, experiences, and hopes for transformative theological education. Congregants envisioned theological education that equips leaders to relationally empower the church to give witness in the society. Faculty and students described the contextual challenges they face as Protestant believers in Spain. They voiced narratives of how they must find ways to persevere amid pervasive scarcity and in a rapidly changing society. Seminaries and churches around the world may recognize details of their own experiences in these stories and, importantly, receive resources for being contextually responsive in their situations. Dave Broucek is a retired cross-cultural missionary/coordinator of continuing education/international ministries director. He interviews authors who provide critical reflection on the theology and practice of Christian mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Theological seminaries and Bible institutes find themselves at the crossroads of preserving biblical faithfulness and of maintaining contextual relevance. What does faithful contextual relevance look like? How can theological institutions steer a course that will engage and serve the church through the men and women they equip for ministry and service? In The Fruits of Listening (Wipf and Stock, 2024), Colleen Weaver designed a qualitative research project in the Protestant evangelical community in Madrid, Spain. Intentional listening was conducted on three seminary campuses and in the faith community. Seminary faculty and students and church attenders shared their perspectives, experiences, and hopes for transformative theological education. Congregants envisioned theological education that equips leaders to relationally empower the church to give witness in the society. Faculty and students described the contextual challenges they face as Protestant believers in Spain. They voiced narratives of how they must find ways to persevere amid pervasive scarcity and in a rapidly changing society. Seminaries and churches around the world may recognize details of their own experiences in these stories and, importantly, receive resources for being contextually responsive in their situations. Dave Broucek is a retired cross-cultural missionary/coordinator of continuing education/international ministries director. He interviews authors who provide critical reflection on the theology and practice of Christian mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies
08.01.24 Pt 1 - Gareth Cliff and guest Jack Motlanthe for a thought-provoking conversation that dives deep into the big questions. Are morals and ethics truly subjective, or do they depend on context? They also discuss the evolving public image of Whoopi Goldberg and analyze the shifting tides of global politics. It's a candid, unfiltered chat that will challenge your perspective. The Real Network
Transforming Perspectives | A misnomer about Christian faith is related to the concept of abundance often interpreted as prosperity. The historical narrative of Scripture frames the concept of God provisions by events comparable to planting, gathering and receiving relative to the perspective of farming. Contextually, in the era of the Old Testament, a typical livelihood of farming consisting of seasons biblical defined by metaphorical comparisons for abounding in life by the acts of planting seed, time for growing and a time for harvest. Significant, however is the existential root of abundance being centered in the act of giving. The metaphorical comparisons provide clarity of God's intent and purpose, as well as man's interdependence upon one another, being fundamental to the functioning of faith in Jesus Christ having effectual lives by trusting God.Biblical Principles |Faith consists of trusting God, abounding in the all sufficiency of his Providence.Mark 12:41-43 : And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.(The Bible - King James Version)Scripture References |Comprehending God's Abundance : - The Book of Genesis Chapter 13 verses 1-12.Understanding the All Sufficiency of God's Provisions : - The Gospel Account of Matthew Chapter 6 verses 25-34. __________________LINKS, PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES | AUDIO EPISODES available Podcast, Music and Radio Platforms.WEBPAGE |- You, Life and God Podcast powered by Buzzsprout. Transforming Perspectives. YouTube | Video Media - You, Life and God Podcast Episode's Previews.Live365 | Radio - You, Life and God Podcast Radio - Live365.Live Talk onAir Let's Have a Talk…, - Weekend Mornings, 9am. Bible Resources - TheBible.org, 2024 all rights reserved worldwide. Connect Facebook and LinkedIn
Oh hi there! Hungry for some FM-based podcasting are you? Pod famished? Don't worry, we've got you covered! Join Rich, Dee and Steak as they talk you through what's been going on in their virtual worlds. On this weeks episode, the gang take you all the way back to Episode 166 (remember, where the gang discussed the perfect striker?) and carry on the premise, but this time it's with GOALKEEPERS! The l ads discuss the top 5 attributes we look for in a goalkeeper and the results might shock you. Not because they're controversial, but because we actually sound like we know what we're talking about. Mad. We also discuss our pal Steve Hood's upcoming Match of the Delay that we're delighted to be lending our voices to. And, of course, there's a quiz which is enormously stacked against Rich because it involves knowing things. Enjoy! VIVA LA FMT! Our links: linktr.ee/fmtpod Match of the Delay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxPnnaijCOQ&t=400s
Saturday, 31 August 2024 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Matthew 3:7 “And having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming about his immersion, he said to them, ‘Vipers' offspring! Who disclosed to you to flee from the coming wrath?'” (CG). In the previous verse, it noted that those who went out to John the Baptist were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Now Matthew, while speaking of John, says, “And having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” These are the main two groups addressed in the gospel narratives in relation to spiritual matters. However, there are other groups that are mentioned at times in leadership positions, such as the Herodians. As for these two groups, there are many extensive commentaries on them. One of the most detailed is that of Albert Barnes. For brevity, the commentary of Cambridge is provided – Pharisees] The name signifies “Separatists;” the party dates from the revival of the National life, and observances of the Mosaic Law under the Maccabees. Their ruling principle was a literal obedience to the written law and to an unwritten tradition. Originally they were leaders of a genuine reform. But in the hands of less spiritual successors their system had become little else than a formal observance of carefully prescribed rules. “The real virtues of one age become the spurious ones of the next.” Prof. Mozley, Sermon on Pharisees. The “hypocrisy” of the Pharisees, which stifled conscience and made them “incapable of repentance,” is the special sin of the day rebuked more than any other by the Saviour. Politically they were the popular party, supporters of an isolating policy, who would make no terms with Rome or any other foreign power. The Zealots may be regarded as the extreme section of the Pharisees. The Sadducees were the aristocratic and priestly party, they acquiesced in foreign rule, and foreign civilization. They refused to give the same weight as the Pharisees to unwritten tradition, but adhered strictly to the written law of Moses. Their religious creed excluded belief in a future life, or in angels and spirits (Acts 23:8). The name is probably derived from Zadok the priest in David's time. Others with less probability connect it with Zadok, a disciple of Antigonus of Socho, who lived in the second century b. c. The derivation from tsaddik (righteous) is untenable. Of these two groups, Matthew notes that they were “coming about his immersion.” They probably had questions about his authority, purpose, doctrine, intent, and so forth. If so many people were coming to him, was he a threat to their authority and teaching? And if this was the case, how could they trap him in his own words, etc.? We can assume that the questions these groups will ask of Jesus, as recorded in the gospels, were similar to those they would have asked John about now. Therefore, knowing their lives and form of religion, “he said to them, ‘Vipers' offspring!'” The word is echidna, a poisonous snake. The identification of this snake should not be pressed too far because the same word is used when referring to a snake on the island of Malta in Acts 28. The serpent was introduced at the fall of man in Genesis 3. This is probably a reference to that. Serpents continue to be noted in Scripture after that. One instance is especially highlighted in the account of the time during the wilderness wanderings in Numbers 21. There, the people were bit by serpents, and many died. In this, the people acknowledged their sins, and a remedy was given by the Lord to heal the people. As such, the main thought of John is probably that of these men being the spawn of Satan who cause the people to sin, separating them from God. They were the evil offspring of their evil parent acting in crafty and malevolent ways. After so addressing them, John next says, “Who disclosed to you to flee from the coming wrath?'” He uses the word hupodeiknumi. It is a compound word signifying “to exhibit under the eyes.” It is only used six times in the New Testament, and it is variously translated. Many translations say something like “warned,” or “forewarned.” Contextually, that may be the idea, but it is more of a paraphrase. For example, the word is used in Acts 20 when speaking about what one should do – “I have shown [hupodeiknumi] you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” Acts 20:35 For a word that gives the underlying sense of the meaning, disclose is sufficient. John questioned these men, asking who had disclosed to them to flee from the coming wrath. It would be difficult to think that John meant this literally as if they truly were coming to hear his message and reconsider their ways. Whether John knew their true intent or not, or whether he merely suspected it, Jesus knew exactly what these men were thinking. Their words were often duplicitous toward Him. Two examples of this are found in Matthew 22:15-33 where first the Pharisees and then the Sadducees tried to trip Him up. Understanding this, John may have been speaking to them in a tongue-in-cheek manner with a sarcastic emphasis in his question to them. In other words, “Wrath is coming, it will come on all offenders, but you don't think you even lie in that category, so what are you doing here inquiring about my immersion for repentance?” As for the wrath that lay ahead, it had been prophesied in the Scriptures that Israel would be exiled twice. Exile implies war, famine, and death. It implies the destruction of their land. But there is also the final wrath of judgment when all men stand before God. These men probably felt secure that they would escape both. Paul, however, addresses the issue of coming wrath several times (Ephesians 5:6, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, etc.). One main time, specifically speaking of these particular Jews, he writes – “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.” 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 Life application: The wrath of God is something that cannot be dismissed when the Bible is read and accepted at face value. To sin is to miss the mark with God. In this, judgment must come. The very nature of God demands it. To not accept His provision for forgiveness and atonement of sin means that His wrath, by default, remains upon that person. The religious leaders of Israel were under God's judgment for sin. They were offered forgiveness through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, but most of them never accepted God's offer. They remained under His wrath because of this. We must remember that no person is good enough or can do enough good to be pleasing to God. That belongs to the Lord alone who fully pleased His Father. Therefore, only by coming to God through Jesus can one be saved. Be wise and accept the offer that God has made in the giving of Jesus! “And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:14-17 Heavenly Father, You have sent Jesus! Thank You, O God, for having done for us what we could never do. You alone are to be praised for Your goodness to us in reconciling us through the precious blood of Jesus our Lord. Hallelujah to You. Amen.
Speaker: Pastor Giles Litzner Paul concludes his letter with a strong word of encouragement in which he synthesizes his main themes in a powerful picture the recipients would be reminded of on a daily basis. The scene painted is one of military presence and warfare. It's a call to arms! Paul leaves his audience with a picture of a Roman soldier – something they would have seen daily. Every time they saw a Roman soldier it would trigger thoughts from this letter. Contextually, this is the final push to live from their position in Christ. You once lived in darkness under a dark lord in a dark realm, but now you are children of light who have been completely transformed by the love, mercy, and grace of God. Soldier up! Stand strong! Stand strong in the power of your position.
Congrats to Eunji on a fabulous run of 'Out of Context!'
Transforming Perspectives|The English definition of the word revelation, is a surprisingly or previously unknown fact presented often dramatically. Biblically, the meaning of revelation is the unveiling or uncovering of facts and truths.The Book of Revelation is specific in its intent and purpose, primarily the revealing of the Lord, Jesus Christ. All inhabitants of the earth will behold the sky unfolding and the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Contextually, Apostle John saw over 2500 years ago in visions and physically witnessed these events projecting the EndTimes. Therefore, understanding the imagery depictions are grasped in its simplicity of the basis of truth and not to be misconstrued by its metaphors.The Book is trifold in its prophetic messages. Firstly, the jubilant revealing of the Lord's second coming, his admonition to the churches, and his coronation as King. The reading of God's Oracles of events which must come to past, the correction and purification of the people and earth, and restoration of righteous governance. Thirdly, the Lord's triumphant victory over evil, and the final judgement of the unrighteous, resultant in the establishment of a new heaven and earth, including the celebration of the marriage supper of the lamb, receiving his bride the Church. Biblical Principles| All habitants and the earth with behold and see with their eyes, the Lord Jesus Christ at his second coming.Revelation 1:8 – I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.Scripture References |The Revelation of Jesus Christ – Revelation Chapter 1.Admonition to the Churches – Revelation Chapters 2-3.Reading of the Scroll of Events – Revelation Chapter 4-5. ____________________LINKS, PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES | AUDIO EPISODES available - Podcast, Music and Radio Platforms. WEBPAGE |You, Life and God Podcast powered by buzzsprout.comTransforming Perspectives YouTube | Video Media - You, Life and God Podcast Episode's Previews.Twitter | - You, Life and God Podcast #SideNotes Episode's Conversations of Deeper Insights Bible Resources - TheBible.org, 2024 all rights reserved worldwide. Connect Facebook and LinkedIn
In Memphis, the Lakers couldn't miss. Friday in Indiana? How does 16.7% from three point range sound. They held a Pacers team that hung 145 on them at the Crypt a week or so ago to 109 points, but because they only scored 90 themselves, the game was a runaway. Or ended up that way, at least, because LA had a chance to get things very. very close in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get themselves over the hump. Every the opportunity was there, they'd either turn the ball over or miss a shot, and eventually they ran out of time. Maybe it was tired legs, with the team playing a third game in four nights. Maybe it was just the law of averages getting them because sometimes games like this happen. It's a statistical outlier, but outliers happen. What it really turns out to be is a missed opportunity to gain ground in the West, as both Phoenix and Sacramento lost. Contextually, losing this game is understandable, and overall the Lakers are playing better ball... but at this point in the season the hole they've put themselves in demands near perfection to have a chance to overcome even in small ways (like moving from nine to eight). They had a chance to win Friday, even while playing ugly basketball, offensively. And they didn't. HOSTS: Andy and Brian KamenetzkySupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Amazon Fire TVFire TV recently created Fire TV Channels to deliver a constant supply of the latest videos from your favorite sports brands, all for free. That includes all of us at Locked On and most of the big pro leagues and college conferences as well. To Learn More, visit www.amazon.com/LockedOnFireTVNissanOur friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV's with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com.eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let's ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.PrizePicksGo to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelNew customers, join today and you'll get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS if your first bet of FIVE DOLLARS or more wins. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
Shawn and Bart discuss various topics related to the carnivore diet and its health implications. They cover the debate with vegan advocates, the lean mass hyper-responder study, the role of LDL cholesterol in heart disease, and the inadequacy of calorie counting. They also discuss the potential dangers of consuming excessive organ meats and butter, as well as the variation in protein and fat requirements. Overall, they emphasize the importance of individualized approaches to nutrition and the need for more research in the field. In this conversation, Shawn and Bart discuss various topics related to the carnivore diet and health. They cover protein and fat requirements, internal feedback mechanisms for eating, the controversy around insulin suppression, lab values and diagnosis, functional medicine, and lab testing, the carnivore diet and healthspan, other life hacks for health, promoting the carnivore diet, and the fight for nutritional truth. They emphasize the importance of individualized nutrition and the need to challenge prevailing dietary recommendations. Find Bart: https://bkaynutrition.cerule.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Carnivore diet supports health and longevity. 04:24 People's actions reflect their clinical insanity. 09:41 Focus on other factors beyond LDL levels. 13:33 Discussion of upcoming research on carnivore diet. 14:09 Upcoming study on saturated fat challenges calorie argument. 20:12 Ways to eat without measuring food portions. 21:39 Osterholm discusses vegan diet study with Kees. 26:47 Carnivore diet debate: necessity of certain nutrients. 30:06 Predators aim for animal's internal fatty organs. 32:59 Low carb diet and gut protein breakdown. 35:24 Recommended protein intake varies based on factors. 40:47 Contextually, testosterone levels vary based on activity. 43:07 American's reliance on expensive medical testing normal. 46:46 Necessary shift from large to leaner animals. 48:49 Promoting nutrition, exercise, sleep for better health. 51:34 Fight against ultra-processed foods. See open positions at Revero: https://jobs.lever.co/Revero/ Join Carnivore Diet for a free 30 day trial: https://carnivore.diet/join/ Carnivore Shirts: https://merch.carnivore.diet Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://carnivore.diet/subscribe/ . #revero #shawnbaker #Carnivorediet #MeatHeals #HealthCreation #humanfood #AnimalBased #ZeroCarb #DietCoach #FatAdapted #Carnivore #sugarfree
Just in time to decolonize Thanksgiving, even in "progressive" Pacific Northwest Seattle Suburbs where exclusive and protective...does not always mean...safe...for everyone...Check our Hawaiian Artist and Indigenous Human Rights Activist Malialani Dullanty! Please consider following her work on instragram: https://www.instagram.com/malialani/And supporting her Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/malialanimadeThe podcast primarily involves Josephine Jarvis and Malialani Dullanty discussing their experiences in relation to cultural assimilation, systemic racism and the importance of decolonizing their mindsets and practices.-Both discuss their school experiences, highlighting the lack of accurate and comprehensive historical education regarding marginalized populations.-They delve into the topic of indigenous science, emphasizing its validity and the need to view it through a non-colonial lens.-A significant portion of the conversation revolves around the systemic abuse and sexualization of women, particularly women of mixed-race and native heritage.-The two express their shared experiences of growing up in white supremacist structures and discuss the need for systemic change and healing, rather than solely focusing on healing the victims.-Josephine Jarvis acknowledges the trauma and harm caused by her ancestors and commits to not letting that be her legacy.-The conversation touches upon the importance of acknowledging and understanding the harm caused by their ancestors, and the importance of healing together.-The participants discuss the need for critical thinking and challenging the established norms and systems.-The conversation ends with Josephine expressing her admiration for Malialani's authenticity and bravery.Disorienting Deliemma Toolkit to Help Navigate Challenging Emotions Available in the Onboarding Module of Foundations of Occupational Science 101 Course (free)Supplementary Learning:Occupational Consciousness [Free open access article] (helpful decolonizing lens contributed to OT and OS literature by 2023 Ruth Zemke Lecturship Recipient Dr. Elelwani L. Ramugondo, PhD, MSc, BSc(OT), Associate Professor) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4606822/The Devastating Effects of Colonization on Hawai'ihttps://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/83474c5d6077492d990b961bab0bcd74 What is indigenous science?https://wisn.org/about/what-is-indigenous-science/Resources to help with Decolonizing Whiteness for Settler Descendents:https://www.marybethbonfiglio.com/blood-and-belongingContext on Decolonizing Occupational Science Educationhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14427591.2020.1780937Evolved Living Network Instragram @EvolvedLivingNetworkFree Occupational Science 101 Guidebookhttps://swiy.co/OS101GuidePodcastOS Empowered OT Facebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1569824073462362/Link to Full Podcast Disclaimer https://docs.google.com/document/d/13DI0RVawzWrsY-Gmj7qOLk5A6tH-V9150xETzAdd6MQ/edit
Continue reading The post How do we do evangelism contextually & relationally? first appeared on Building Jerusalem.
In a new series entitled, The Technical Area, Rev Brad shares some specific applications for certain biblical passages that help apply faith to football in simple, practical ways. Today's lesson, is on Luke 13:6-9. Here, Jesus shares a parable with his disciples and thousands of others crowded around. Contextually, he's relating this into repentance and […] The post The Technical Area – Luke 13 – Working on Flourishing first appeared on Soccer Chaplains United.
In this episode, join hosts Pete and Tim along with special guest Dan as they dissect and analyze the Tragically Hip's 2012 record, "Now For Plan A". They dive into the musical journey, reliving their first experiences and evolving impressions over multiple listens. From highlighting the unique elements of each song to the lyrics and influences behind them, no detail is too small. They examine the guest vocals of Sarah Harmer in 'Look Ahead' and the Rolling Stones-esque 'Modern Spirit', exploring the musical and lyrical details. Listen in as they debate the meaning of the lyrics in 'Take Forever' and uncover the mysterious 'About this Map'. A treat for any Tragically Hip fan, this episode is a deep dive into the iconic band's musical journey.TracksAbout this Map - Studio VersionMan Machine Poem - Toronto 2012Streets Ahead - Ottawa 2011Take Forever - Toronto 2012TranscriptTrack 3:[2:51] Hey, it's JD here, and welcome to Getting Hip to the Hip. [2:54] A weekly podcast where I take my friends on a whirlwind tour of the Tragically Hips discography, one record at a time, week over week. And that is the case with this week, as we're discussing 2012's Now for Plan A, the 12th studio record from the Tragically Hip. I'm joined as always by Pete and Tim, and we've also got Dan from London here. How the hell are you guys doing? Oh good, oh good. Excellent. Well, after that, hold on, let me look at my segment guide here. Uh, introduction, rousing response from the gentlemen. Yep. Check. [3:53] Now we'll move on to the next segment, which is, uh, experience with this record. This is a coming off of, we are the same, a record, which was, uh, roundly dismissed by these two gentlemen, uh, a week ago, Dan, um, it was one that It was one that was not well liked. So we're hoping we've got a comeback on our, in the mids tier. It happens. Bye bye. Pete and Tim Burse, talk to me about where you listened to the record the first time, how you experienced it on multiple listens, and overall vibeage off the top. And then we'll fire it over to you, Dan, to get a similar reaction. Well, I listened to it in multiple places. Listened to it first, I think, I think, working, sitting at the computer, listening to it in the home stereo system, listening to it in the car. [5:02] I love the record. I don't want to say too much because I think we're going to get into a lot of it. But only thing I will say, and in all due respect, I don't want to come off harsh here, but fuck you, Dan, right off the bat, Because you've had this record for some time, and we got a weekto soak it in. A week. Let me tell you, a week wasn't even enough. I mean, I could soak this record in for a year. That's all I'm going to say. I'll agree with that. With all due respect, but I can't fuck you down. Like, with all due respect. Thank you. We had a week with it. We had a week with it. I feel like we had a lifetime with We Are The Same. But we only had a week with Now for Plan A. And I felt a little rushed to let it resonate, but every time I turned it on. [6:00] I don't know. I don't want to say it felt like the first time, but it just clicked with me. There are some good tunes on here that we'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get into it. But I listen to it my usual places. Usual places. I listen to it more, I guess, excitedly with my better headphones on around the house, which always makes for, where's dad? Oh, he's right there. but he's not here. So I, you know, because I wanted to hear it in its entirety. And I can only really do that in the car or with the cans on. So yeah, that was kind of my experience. It was quick for a quick album, right? Yeah, the fastest record in their oeuvre at like 39 minutes or so. And only two singles as well. That was shocking to me as well. Which were those? I didn't think they were at transformation was the first single. Of course. And hold on. I've got it right here. [7:09] Streets ahead. Cool. Cool. Any feedback from Spotify? Did any of you guys look at Spotify? Like where the play counts were? Yeah. I mean, I think that's definitely up there. there. So is, so is that transformation and, and I think the title track. Okay, gee, I just want to get transformation. Judy, do you use the term oeuvre a lot? And I pause it to think that you use that term a lot because it rhymes with your last name and the production company that this that is gifting us with this here podcast oeuvre. Yeah, yeah, that's what it Is that why? It's my last name. [8:00] And Ouvra combined without the D. Yeah, and it's because it's all my work, right? It's my collection of work Right is do. Yeah, so so you don't like the D is what you're saying Hey now Pete told me he thought it might be a extra terrestrial Anatomy that he's not aware of Dan, Dan, he actually said this is thisis this somebody part that I didn't learn Dan's regretting joining this podcast. Dan, what are you, like, well I want to hear from Dan, I want to know what, he's had a wild time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, well listen with this whole thing I'm just along for the ride, you know. I'll let you guys play out in front of me. Um, no, um, yeah, as you say I was really lucky because it was after the last one I was on that I learned that this was the next one I was going to beon. So I had some considerable amount of time and also time to purchase Jan's album and get it imported from Germany I think. [9:09] So I had a real binge at first because I think it's a pretty easy album to get into. There's a, there's a couple of tracks that sort of, you kind of misplace, you know, in the order along the way for various reasons, but, um, I've, I was just listening to on my way to work. So that was always, you know, whilst traveling on the train, um, and, uh, and I had, I had good times of it and I had it all prepared what I was going to say. Um, because it was many months ago, I then moved on and got busy and did different things, forgot it all. And then spent today binge listening and making notes again. So I'm actually catching up with you guys now, which is typical. What can I say? I mean, that represents our week with this album. [9:57] Oh, that's great. Dan's last visit was Trouble at the Hidden House, right? So he's had a couple of good ones. Which we also have in the collection now. Nice. Awesome. Look at that.All right. Look at that guy. Well, what do you say we start this, Son of a Gun, then? We get in, turn the keys, and see where we end up. All right. Analysis of the first song, "At Transformation"[10:16] The first song, we start in with this cancer metaphor right off the bat with At Transformation. Can I go? Sure. This one, I was so happy hearing the first seconds of this song coming off of our last album's experience. [10:39] This one was so fun for me. I was relieved to hear this song. I played it three times before I went on with the album. Literally, just like, OK, let's do that one again. OK, let's do that one again. It's just so I mean you can feel I don't know the, the bass is on fire in this song. You can feel Gord when he does the you know after that transformation towards the kind of the end. I feltthat coming. You knew the woo was coming, right? I don't know, it just... Context aside, it's a killer song and even the The outro loops back everything about the intro. It just was this circle of a song I felt like just could have been a single, been done. OK. Yeah. Great starter. There's some weird, on this album, there's definitely some playfulness with song endings, with distortion and feedback and keys and synthesizers or something, which this one kind ofgives us that first taste of. So I was happy to hear it. Played 128 times live. 128 times live. So they played this one a bit. How about you, Dan? [12:04] I mean, my second favorite track on the album. Yeah. I mean, as soon as that sort of distorted bass kicks in, you know you're in for a bit of a ride. And again, similar to other tracks that we were looking at when I was last in on the Hen House, this does similar things where you've got that not quite, you've got a really good bridge andthen a not quite a chorus, but then it comes in the second time with the, you know, that transformation bit. Well, the I can see it all at once and that transformation bit, and then that bass takes off and does its thing and it just, man, it just takes off. And as we say, it just dissipates into this weird sort of sonic, mad sort of ending. And similar to the start, it's like after that bass is there, the guitars kind of come in in some kind of informal manner, and then it just, bang, picks up when he starts singing the verse. So it's a banger. Yeah, absolutely. Listen to it again and again and again and again and again. [13:04] Contextually, it's weird. I second-guess myself a lot, not just to this song, Especially with the song though, but with the whole record I say because Tim alluded to it a little bit. Dan doesn't have the context of last week's record So I'm like is this fucking record is amazing as I think it is? Or is it, it's like, hey, I've been living in a, you know. In a faraway prison eating rice and stale bread for three years and now I'm sitting down at fucking Ruth Chris, Steakhouse and you know eating a. [13:59] Filet mignon medium rare with a bottle of uh It just comes in like a beat and a half before. It's fucking cool. I'm just looking at the notes. So long, Bob Rock. A Welcome Back to Tragically Hip[14:21] There's a lot of that in these notes, the bass, guitars, chords, voice throughout this entire record. This is just a welcome back, Tragically Hip. [14:37] One thing that I thought of when I was listening to it was I pictured in my mind the whole band on stage playing this song after maybe being through some shit for a while and likeyou know 45 seconds into this tune everybody just looks over at each other and like they don't say shit they don't have to say shit they just say everything with their eyes and they look ateach other and just smile and are just like yep welcome back Welcome fucking back. I mean, what a return. I mean, yeah, I just feel like we drifted so much from last week, again, that listening to this first song was awesome. Loved it. At the same time, you know, in my research and reading about Gord's wife and her breast cancer and him dealing with that and that kind of being a thread through this album, I believe.It's... BOOM! [15:45] You know, it was exciting, listened for me and I love this first song, but at the same time, it's like, oh, fuck. We all in our own ways, our own stories, our own experiences can relate to cancer and probably even breast cancer. And we have a good friend who just went through it all the way and just a couple of days ago found out she was cancer free. So. Oh, wow. You know, this is Gord's. Yeah. Gord's wife, you know, came out. Yeah. In the end and it didn't take her, which is fucking cool, but you know, to read, I don't know, there's one quote, just to get into it real quick. There's one quote from him, um, from Gordon. He says, many of these songs are me trying to help, you know, through the process, mutely the way a man does around breast cancer. So it's, it's some, some heavy conceptual. Oh my God. Themes here going on. But even straight, even straightforward though, I was unaware that a transformation is the term, the medical term for a cell going from malignant tocancerous. That's called a transformation. So that's what, you know, the title of the song is, right? Yeah. Heavy, heavy stuff. And then we move into man-machine. [17:07] Poem. A Bold Statement: My Favorite Hip Song[20:44] I'll tell you. Yeah, I'm going to say right off the bat, I'm going to make a bold statement. This may be my favorite hip song. Oh, wow. I mean, I didn't I. Tim, I'm telling you the whole thing. I was like mourning sort of Tiger the Lion for a minute in a weird way because I was just. I mean, I don't know what to say about this song. Yeah, Yeah, it's cinematic, JD, but it's just so different. And it's funny, because your whole thing that you just said was it's such a return to form. And while it is, it's still melodically nothing like I've heard from the hit before. That when it gets that minor four, that man, it trickles down. Howard's Strained Voice and Unique Guitar Tone[21:37] It's amazing. Howard's voice is like, I feel like he's straining it on purpose. It just sounds like he's screaming, singing with every fiber of his body. And when he gets to the end of a phrase or a word or a breath, it's like, you know, it's out of gas and he's got to take a breath to recharge and say the next line. One thing I thought of when I heard this, the guitar tone on this song is forged from something not of this earth. I don't know what, and there's a lot of really cool effects on this record, but I just don't know what that is. And I don't know if they remember, if they know how they got it, but it just... The keyboards hit in this song too. Like there were so many keyboards in the last record that I think Tim and I and JD as well felt were squandered, overused. [22:45] Like this was just. Did you gotta, you gotta write, you gotta write to Gavin Brown, the producer. I bet he'll know you should. Oh, I mean, you're, you're talking about effects, settings, everything, all the mix to make that sound the way it did just Jesus dude it was wow what a song what a song. [23:11] So this was played at their last show, right? At Air Canada Center, August 14, 2016. Wasn't that it? K-Rock Center is their last show, which was the 16th, I think. Ah. Or the 18th. Either way, towards the end, this was played, and I can't imagine. I mean, did people know Gord had cancer? They did, right? Sure did. Before the end. Yeah. So I just can't imagine hearing this one live, because it's, you know, originally about his wife. And yes him talking about her having cancer and it turns out, you know I just when I heard this and put it all together I just thought this probably just made people cry towards the endwhen he was singing this song when you sorry That's exactly what I is one other thing I put my if I would have seen this song live it would have crushed me it would have physicallyFucking crushed me Yeah, I Mean the the metaphor of the Abbas it and the Peregrine Falcon. [24:13] I mean you're talking a ballerina of a gentle long skinny legged bird versus a fucking Falcon which will swoop down and you know steal a Chipmunk or a squirrel or chicken oranything? You know, there's just the the position in this song is just just so big and heavy. And the first time I listened to it was in the car, and it was just like, you want to scream along with him, the chorus, but I just couldn't do it. And then at the end, it's like this bomb going off. The end is just as explosive as the middle of the song. So. Yeah. I mean, the song, at the end of that transformation, after you've gone through that weird little sporadic, you know, sonic soundscape thing, you get that little percussive knocking,you know, and it's, it's like a little sort of artificial heartbeat. And then, you know, you track that in and it starts the song and then it's there at the end as well. After the everything, you know, that big chord goes away. It's it comes back into that as well. Um, but also within that as well. Um, I mean, Pete was talking about guitars, but there's, there's, there's so much like weird tambourine stuff going on in it amongst all things as well. So that was good. But I mean, man, yeah, what a huge song. And then. [25:40] Yeah. I mean, I say that the, the, the, the chorus is huge, even though it's just three words, absolutely massive. And, um, you know, God singing, as we were saying, it's just the, the first verse just starts off with this kind of declaration, doesn't it? And it's a kind of desperate declaration and it just sort of, yes, this attacking desperation in his voice sort of carries on from there. It's yeah. It was the same. It's just not like anything I've heard before. That was amazing delivery. Yeah. And those lyrics, crazy. Now, Pete, I want to go back to something that you said about, you know, this being something we've never heard before. I feel like this is a band that even on the records that we didn't necessarily like, they do that every record. They, you feel like they're touching the edge of their capabilities and you know, they're sort of, they're sort of, you know, whoa, they're sort of out there, this record, but you can do, youcan go all the way back to Road Apples and say that about Last of the Unplugged Gems, you know, well, this is sort of, uh, out of, out of left field, it doesn't necessarily fit on this record. And then, you know, uh, we are the same. You could say that about the Depression Suite, right? Like holy shit, who knew they had this opus in them? [27:07] So I'm just curious, you know, if you vibe what I'm saying. Yeah, no, it's a good point, JD. And I think the component here that I feel is different, because I agree with you, especially you on the last record, we are the same. And you could you could tick along to every record since. And there's an element of that on there. But Tim said something in the beginning of the pod. I can't remember exactly how you said it, but what I had the feeling that I got was like this record being about his wife and all thatstuff. It's one thing to be elaborate. [27:55] It's one thing to show up to a party or whatever wearing the coolest outfit or dress or suit or whatever. [28:09] But it's another thing if you wear it well. And what I mean by that in terms of this song is that you can feel that there's a feeling behind It's not just, hey, we're going to go fuckingbig and elaborate because, I, don't know, name a hundred reasons why the hip would go big and elaborate. Probably the most used excuse would be that they want to break through the American market. Whatever. That's not what's going on here. This is like organic as hell. Everything about this song. They're going big and elaborate on this tune because they don't have any other choice. They're like, this is the fucking song that's coming out of all of us right now. [28:54] Yeah, it's elaborate. I'm just, this is the song. Fucking take it or leave it. If that makes sense, JD. It's that difference, I feel. OK, gotcha. Well, in the car with this one cranked, I just thought, imagine being in the recording studio with these guys and everybody's kind of listening to Gord belt this one out. Or Idon't know. This song is just a gigantic one. So for song number two, following that transformation to get into this, if we want to jump ahead to the look ahead. I mean, this gave us just a, we shifted gears a little bit and got a little more lighthearted with the look ahead. [29:41] I thought the song packed a punch under three minutes. It's quick. So the bass and the guitars seem a little more in tandem on this one. If I remember right, there's like left riffs throughout. But for me, the lyrics of you weigh a snowflake, the glamour of the sky descending past perfect eyes and hearts leaped. That's just... Poof. I am the look ahead. I first searched it as the look ahead three words and you know couldn't find shit until I realized look ahead was one word and then learned that that means awesomeyou know like I'll say Dan and JD have fucking look ahead shirts on today we Pete and I didn't get the memo where to wear pavement shirts but that that's that's the phrase The text wasnot sent. The Look Ahead: A Beautiful and Uplifting Tragically Hip Song[30:47] Yeah. I don't know. What about you, Dan? What do you think? I think the Look Ahead is my favorite Tragically Hip song by a long shot. And as we were saying, it's just because of those choruses, those words that just hang over between the lines. It's just beautiful. It's just absolutely beautiful. It just does something so amazing to make you feel fantastic. [31:17] That's it, man. If I'm having a bad day, I could stick that on and that's me. Yeah, because I just quickly mentioned that it felt more light-hearted, but I also thought this one is still fucking full of of juice, you know, it's still, I don't know, this is kind of felt like thisgreat tragically hip rock song, but it's it's loaded. And it's under three minutes. So yeah, it's, yeah, I say it just it comes and goes. But as it comes along, it's just magnificent. You know, you can't say more than that. It's just it's fully formed. And this was one of the ones that I just started listening to it. You know, you'd start at the start and the start is just so different to what it evolves into. And you keep thinking you've got the wrong song, but that start section only lasts about 20 odd seconds before it just everything kicks in. And it just, you know, it's one of those songs that you just can't say that much about. It just is what it is. It does what it does to you. And you just recognize that and it's unstoppable. Yeah, it's cool. Yeah, I would, I tend to agree with you. [32:26] It's a banger for sure. Wouldn't be my favorite Tragically Hip song, but it would make my top 20 list, probably. But boy, oh boy, we haven't really commented on the backing vocals of Sarah Harmer in this one. Pete, what did you think about Ms. Harmer's addition to this song? Well, question, is she on the other tunes on this record as well? Or is it somebody different? Yes. Okay. Well, I want to get up. I'm going to kind of save that if that's okay for some other songs. All I'll say about this is that it's crazy. I love that Dan feels it's his favorite tune, because I feel like this song is like, it is formulaic, tragically hip. Yeah, I agree. It's not just like, there's some songs that you feel like it's, yeah, exactly, exactly. There's some songs you feel like, oh yeah, this is a hip tune. But it's not just that, it's fucking great. [33:35] And you know, generally with their records, they come out with two or three bangers to start and they kind of like, or ones that just jaw drop you. And then song three or song four, they just pull it back a little bit. And I feel like in terms of the, they take off the throttle. It's not as crazy. But melodically, this song is just, I mean, you can't not put this song on and enjoy the shit out of it. Like it's a surefire. You know? Yeah, Dan hit the nail on the head. Nail on the head. He's like, if I'm having a bad day, I put this song on and it, you know, helps turn it around for me. I completely agree. [34:24] I read a critique of this song about it being too simple or less prolific or, you know, there are even some other critiques of the album citing the lyrics to be not as complex or, youknow, less poetic. All these kind of harsh critiques. Yeah, fucked. For real, they're out there. I can't even believe that. Yeah, exactly, exactly. And it just made me like this album more, you know, this. This song in particular, it's like, I couldn't agree with you more, Pete. Under three minutes, it just totally packs a punch. It's sure a hip song, but fuck, it's killing it. This is a top five record for me. I figured. Hands down. [35:13] Yeah, yeah. Hence our special guest. Anybody else, anything else to say about The Lookahead featuring Sarah Harmer. Okay, then we go right into the really heavy We Wanna Be In. I don't have a lot on this one, just because it's fucking huge, you know? Like, the drip, drip, drip stayed in my head for days. [35:38] It's so impactful. This is just a fucking loaded song. It was played towards the end of their career live as well, and it was just another one of of those where it was like, what was this like? I think this one was the same show I mentioned, Air Canada Center. So what was it like to hear this in that state of the career of this band and Gord's life? [36:05] Yeah, and I was there for one of the shows at the Air Canada Center. The first one, I can look up what the set list is, what the setlist was, but so can anybody who's listening to this right now. Yeah. A bunch of these, I think half of these songs on this album were played at those last shows of this album. I think it's like four or five songs off of those last shows. Four songs peralbum. And then I selected, you know, six albums a night to play. So, you know, that's, So even if you went to all three nights at the Arcanda Center, you probably didn't get repeats. Um, cool. Yeah. So, I mean, and this is guys just wait, just wait, just wait for the documentaries. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. It's crazy town. Crazy town USA. Yeah. So... [37:09] We Want To Be It, Giant Song, You're Right, The Drip Drip Drip. Did you get it right away? For me, it took a bunch of listens before I was like, oh, that's fucking, that's fucking chemo. Yeah, I got it. My mind went to morphine first, but I got it. Oh, morphine. Oh, okay. Maybe that's what it is. Something. I was thinking it was probably chemotherapy. [37:36] I mean, for me, I didn't know anything about the context of this album until just before we started recording, which obviously puts a completely different slant on it for me. So I'minterpreting this as we go along as well. I mean, yeah, an amazing song, absolutely huge. But at the bottom of the page, at the bottom of the lyrics in the album, it says for Alan Arkin and Madeline Khan. And, um, they were in a film together, 1980 called Simon. Anybody seen that where, um, yeah, this is, this is what I came across. So, uh, in this film, Alan Arkin plays a guy who, um, the psychology professor, he gets brainwashed and, um, basically by this company and they, uh, they persuade him that he's from adifferent planet and he escapes from them and attempts to reform American culture by overriding TV signals with a high-powered TV transmitter, becoming a national celebrity in theprocess. But also in that film, he's trying to break this record as well for being a sensory deprivation tank for 80 hours. So I don't know how it relates, but that's something that I found out in relation to this. The Mystery in the Song[38:57] Yeah That is totally crazy because again that means Maybe there was one line in that song that is about that or maybe there's a whole theme. It's you know I don't see it or hear it, but Doesn't mean it's not there. There's there's some I don't I don't know what the relationship is there, but that's that's on the page. Yeah, very strange. So we all need to watch that film anyway, yeah. Yeah. That's crazy. Yeah, when you said that they convince him that he's from another planet, it reminded me of the movie Joe versus the Volcano. I don't know if you ever saw that movie with Tom Hanksand Meg Ryan. It was a bomb at the theaters, but they convinced him that he has something called a brain cloud, like a cancer, but he's going to die. So they get him to jump into this volcano. It's the craziest fucking movie. [39:56] But it reminded me of that. No, I, yeah, this song is, it's huge. There's a bridge part in this song and. You know, my feelings with bridge, it's either good or it's not. Or actually, no, it's either standard, and you're like, OK, that's the bridge. OK. Or it's total shit. And you're just like, man, that just threw the whole fucking tune off. This is a good bridge. I like it. I love it. There's a third layer, you're saying. Yeah, and very few bands are able to pull it off. [40:36] I feel like when you're writing the standard pop song, it's just like there's a formula of verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, you know, whatever, and bands fall right into it. It's just like this thing that happens and it didn't happen here. And I love it, man. mean, I, I would say this is maybe my third, I don't know, third or fourth best song on this record, because there's just so many good ones. Don't give away the final segment. [41:16] Well, I kind of already gave my whole segment, but but oops, No, if we're going to move ahead to the next street, we'll see what I did. I'm Ted. Yeah, thank you. Ted's just like, you're a fucking idiot, dude. It's just like, you're a fucking idiot, dude. I know. Introduction to the thread of fuzz in the record[44:41] His head is definitely... So this is the first song where I noticed the thread of fuzz in this record. Because then after this, it's wildly apparent on every song. This fuzz and this distortion, it's like a static that's there on every track after this. Incredible Musicianship: Bass and Drums Shining[45:06] The bass, Gordon Sinclair's bass for this one. I know we talked about it taking off in the look ahead, but I really just, it just off the charts, the licks he's throwing. The drums too, the drums are fucking killing it right there. Absolutely. The drum fills. Thank you, Tim. Yeah, I, this must have been, I actually wrote down, holy macaroni, because it just, it just feels like this song, They're hitting on all cylinders. At this point, it's like the car is going. You've gotten to fifth gear and the car is just brrrrrr. [45:50] It's humming along. You can go faster, you can slow it down a little bit. Still in fifth gear, engine is just humming perfect. The car has just been serviced. Oil's changed. Everything's great. 160 or anything going like 150 and it just feels good Yeah, and it feels the same 100% Thank You Tim That's what I got to say about I'll retrieve my Statement a minuteago about the look-ahead meaning. I totally blew it. It's the streets ahead which means cool or awesome So my bad there. Yeah, Streets Ahead, if you wanna say, you know. Oh, okay. Pete's new do is Streets Ahead, he's there. I did get a haircut, thank you for noticing. Oh, Streets Ahead, okay, okay. Well, Look Ahead then, Look Ahead has significance. Look Ahead is something that was said between Gord's wife and him. And it was like sort of what they would say to each other. [46:57] Yeah, I did as well. God, I'm just hacking this up like a big, it's a perfect piece of meat. I've just hacked it into tartare. You cooked it well done. Which is, you know, tartare's delicious, but not, you know, the way I did it. Yeah, it was like all good kind of thing. It was her look, you know, to him as if everything's going to be okay. Yeah. So streets ahead, different. Means awesome. It means really cool. This one I thought it kind of kicked off. It reminded me of Elvis Costello or the Kinks. Kind of had this loud, like, late, I don't know, mid-70s rock kind of love-slash-anthem sound to it. It felt like it could end around two minutes, but there's a bridge and then it takes another lap, which is great because it's still a short song. But it really felt like it just brought me back to, I don't know, middle school and hearing the kinks and those times. It has this crazy, ominous 20-second ending, over 20 seconds, Like, this one's the best. Yeah. I got to give kudos to Gavin Brown, because he really let the band explore intros, outros. Live Experience: Fans' Regret for Missing Their Live Shows[48:23] They got more creative on this album in general. Yeah, I think it makes it harken back to that live sound that we all crave so much with this band, sorry to say, what you guys havebeen saying the last few weeks about like, oh man, I wish I could have seen them live. That's what a lot of people are saying right now. There are a lot of people in that camp. They were renowned for their live show, absolutely. I wonder how many people listening to right now are late to the fucking, got came to the party really late. It's like, Hey, punch bowls empty. There's fucking no K left. And they're just talking to people. Yeah. You know, I never got to see the fucking family. Please send Pete a mail at Pete at getting hip to the hip.com. Yeah. There, there was a blurb from Gord giving some journalists a quick, ah, it's about, dog sledding. [49:35] And that was that's all I gave so who the fuck knows with that guy? I mean, I would love to have been in Gord shoes during interviews because he was all over the place from things I've read. He was all over the place. He would he would give like heartfelt, you know, meanings to stuff and then he'd be like, ah, That's that's that's what somebody said to me on the train one timeand I misheard them. One of my favorites is somebody asked him about Cordelia. What is Cordelia all about? And he's like, well, it's like a metaphor. Just go read King Lear. [50:18] Well, it's like, I feel like that's like as much as we're joking about it, it's got to be, there's got to be an element to that that's true. It's like, you know, at one point a song means something to you. [50:31] And then as time goes on, you're like, yeah, it's just about some shit I heard on a fucking train one day or whatever it is, you know? That's right. I don't think he's poo poo in the bed. Like he's not pulling a Donald Fagan, as I've said before, from Sealy Den or just like, yeah, they're just words written down on a page. They don'tmean anything. You know, he's not pulling that, but he's, you know, was it. Did you ever hear that interview that or that clip? It's a great clip of Jack White from the White Stripes where he says, and whatever you think about the White Stripes is irrelevant, where he said that when he hears Seven Nation Army,which is arguably one of the most overplayed rock songs in the history of rock and roll, that he doesn't even feel like it's his song. He's like, I just wrote it. We recorded it. It was a cool tune. And now it's out there. And it's like, it's like, that's another band. It's not my bad playing that shit It's really cool. It's really cool the way he comes across Hey, he basically said his I've heard some read some of it from him, too And he basically says once once a song is out Yeah, yeah, and, he openshis wallet and cool and looks at that Yeah, oh my god the songs or his Ford Broncos. Jack White's Perspective on Songs and Fame[51:56] Oh my God. That guy is funny. He's he's got some on him. Sure, man. I just recently learned that my wife has a thing for him, which I had no idea about. And I'm like, I'm like, oh, fuck. [52:14] Definitely, definitely not measuring up to that guy. Oh, you just need to write a couple of hit songs that are like global phenomenons. Yeah. Paint my house red. Anything else on the streets ahead? So this next part of the album is where we take a dip in amount of time songs were played. And I'm not really sure why, but now for plan A was only played 10 times live. [52:45] There's no explanation for me, but that's just a data point. But this one I thought was kind of this level of super heaviness, no turning back. This is like you're facing this song, you know? There's nothing short of everything's enough. You know, there's acoustic guitar in here that feels at one point in the song it... I don't want to say it feels forced but it feels like it could be played softer and nicer but it's not, And which is very distinct with acoustic. And I thought I at this point wasn't sure who was on backups, who was singing backups. You know, I didn't know if it was Kate Fenner who we had before. Oh, right. Right. JD, you mentioned it. Who is this gal? This is Sarah Harmer. So she's a... What's her story? Anybody got any data? She's got a pretty good solo career. Gosh, I'm trying to think of what her big song was. That would have been in around 2002, 2003. I'll take some links for those of you out there. TimbyGettingHitToTheHit.com. Please register him as a Republican. Send me some email. I have notifications turned on. And it's... [54:06] Email Pete at GettingHitToTheHit.com if you want the address and phone number. No, she's gorgeous. She has an amazing matchup with Gort. Her voice is, I thought, incredible. Basement of Parliament was a big song in 2000. Okay. [54:28] For the cadence of the album, for this being Song 6, these are my chapters of the book. The chapters of the book. It's a good Song 6. No issues. It's there's also with one point, this lastly, um, when Gord sings, nothing's short of nothing short of everything's enough at one point when he's seeing that in the song that Iheard Johnny Cash, like there was some kind of Johnny Cash coming through. Definitely more growly and Gord ask, but it's, it's a cool song. Only played 10 times life. Thoughts on the length and build-up of the song[55:07] So special. Yeah. I say, this is the, is this the longest song on the album as well? And it's only like five minutes and four, but, um, the, the buildup is such that it's, uh, one minute 16 when the lyrics actually start. So it's just swirly, swirly buildups. And then, uh, yeah. And then you, you get it. I don't, I don't know what to say about this. I say it's, it's one of those tracks that I. [55:40] I just get through. It's one of these things that's just not really on my attention span. I don't know why, because of the, I don't know. I don't know, it's weird. Because of the aesthetics of the song, I don't know. But listening to it again today, I have grown to like it more. It's a dynamite song on great headphones after a joint. The way it settles in the album, It's almost like you've been through a few things and then you get a snowstorm and everything just really sort of settles down and you're sitting sort ofwatching the snow. But for me, I don't know, it doesn't feel like I want to sit down and be there watching the snow. I want to kind of hop on a bit. So I don't know why, it just feels a little bit misplaced for me. But that's how I am with albums. I always want something more. I always want them to sort of build up. I'm not so good when they change down slightly. For me, I don't know, maybe if it was later on in the album. No, we talk about sequencing all the time here, so this is great to think about that. [56:54] That film I was talking about, the Simon film, when I saw trying to delve into what that was about, there was a few little trailer-y bits and a few little segments of it, And there's onewith Alan Arkin doing one of his psychology lectures, you know, and he's with these kids and he's just saying, yeah, one of the greatest Wittgenstein quotes you'll hear is the, I don't knowwhat I don't know, which is fantastic. Oh, yeah. Yeah, there you go. That's the ultimate wisdom. That is the ultimate wisdom. When you can truly think that out your fingertips, fingertips, you know? [57:38] You've got it. You've got it. Made in the shade. I've tried many times to get there, but just can't get that. Oh, wait a minute. That's another podcast. Dan, what you said about it taking a while to come in. I feel that. And I think JD's right. You need a joint and some good cans for it. but I would say this is probably my second favorite song on this record. Inquiry about the woman singing[58:11] JD, you asked me about the woman singing before. Bands featuring female guest vocalists on certain songs[58:19] I feel like nowadays that's a cool thing to do. I think it started in like 2017, 2018 a lot of bands. I know the National's been doing it a lot with their new records, having like female guest vocalists join in on certain songs. Oh, wow. It's cool. I like it. But I feel like when they did this record in 2012, nobody was doing it. Nobody was doing that. You got a band of five guys. That's the fucking band. I know, you know, it's not like a song featuring so-and-so, like bands very rarely do that. That's totally true. Yeah, absolutely. And this this woman's on at least what, three songs? Two for sure. I've only got two, two, maybe, maybe two, sorry. Yeah, I mean, I, I, I. The song is just amazing the way it starts. I got some, production-wise, I got some Beach Boys vibes from this because there's so much production. [59:39] Like, Abbey Road stock level, like we're in the studio sitting around the board like, what do you think if we do this and we throw this in and everybody's talking like that's the levelof this song because the musicianship is just it's gone when you look at the the EP compared to where we're at now everybody is just you know it's not they're not even on the same planetanymore this band um, i would say that just just if you look at this song from production wise whatever you think about it, you know, the song, you like it, you don't like it. I happen to like it, but it's got to be some of their best, most accomplished work because of how well everything is done in it. Whether or not you like the melody, whether or not you like the minute and 17 or 16 seconds without anything, I get that. I get how sequencing wise I could put you in a weird spot, but like, You can't deny that this song is extremely well done, well recorded, produced, written, everything. Yeah, I completely agree with you and you know, again, there would be a lot of people who would argue that the last two records were really well produced as well. [1:01:07] And maybe they're right, I don't know. But to me, it's just more heavy handed. It's, you know, it's much more heavy handed. This record is much more subtle. Yeah, there are still brushstrokes, but it doesn't feel as like they are put on by like a makeup specialist Right, you know difference between a produced record and a well-produced record. Yeah Yeah, or overproduced maybe overproduced So let's get into the modern spirit and we can think about the modern spirit in a couple of different ways We were talking aboutsequencing earlier, and I'm wondering wondering, would Dan, would this have satisfied your palate if the modern spirit had come after Streets Ahead, or was it something more specificyou were looking for, something more to drive it even higher? No, no, I mean, you can link those two together. You can imagine it coming straight in after Streets Ahead. It would have been a good transition. Yeah. But I say, in terms of this track, I mean all of their Rolling Stones cover versions paid off, didn't they? This is Modern Spirit's pure Rolling Stones. It's just, in every aspect, it's just fantastic. Modern Spirit's Rolling Stones influence[1:02:31] Do you get that vibe? Yeah, I can hear that. Even the drum shuffles are just stones. [1:02:42] Yeah, yeah, yeah, there's some wattage in there for sure, 100% and well said. Yeah, it's it's it's it's very sort of modern, late sort of stones, but it's it's it's spot on, even though it's not supposed to be stones. But yeah, you know, versatility and how to do it so well. And his voice is fantastic on this as well. Banga. Yeah. Yeah, hard agree. The way this song starts, I mean, I mean, I listened to this song in a number of different venues. [1:03:26] I'm 100% the way this song starts and it hits. It's a fucking driving song. I mean, And it's just driving down the fucking highway, windows down. You know, I know last time Tim was with us, what record was it? Or Tim? Last time Dan was with us, what record was it? I'm trolling right now. So I don't know if Tim or I don't know if Dan remembers, but Dan, my car, so my car has what you would call, what the layman would call a premium audio sound system. So the listening experience is not what you'd normally get from, you know, even a decent sound system in a car. It's quite advanced and this. The transcendent vocals of Gord and his evolution as a vocalist[1:04:26] I don't know if Dan remembers that from the last listening, but I think I remember you mentioning it. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's it's it's definitely a cut above. I think the backup vocals on this song to the way they come in. Everything about this song is fucking cooks. If you don't have a smile on your face, jamming along to this song, driving, whatever you're doing, then you need a fucking lobotomy or you need something, I don't know. I don't know how you could not absolutely love this song. [1:05:11] The one note I want to bring up here, I feel like Gord's, when it comes to his vocals and everything. This song, I think that it's thematic throughout the record, but this song really makes me realize he's not he's, he's transcended humanity as a vocalist. And I know this is bold words I'm saying here. But I feel like where he was at from the EP and where we've seen it go. It's like he's an evolved, you know, humans evolved from apes. Like Gord has evolved from humans. So they say. Right, so they say, my apologies for all you creationists out there. No, but I feel like Gord is, he's moved past it vocally, he's just, and as a songwriter and as a front man, he's just like, I don't think I've ever seen, you know, no disrespect to the Stones,because we were talking about the Stones, Dan brought up the Stones. You know, mix mic man, you know what you're getting every time. [1:06:15] He's great, and he's consistent, and he's always great. But I wouldn't say the guy's vocals and style and everything has evolved much since Get Off My Cloud to where it's at today. It's the same dude. Gord, I feel like, is just... He's evolved past the normal human Gord. You know, like Megagord or... Okay, you know. Megagord. Mechagord, you know, like... Yeah. He was five lions, and then he converged into one. [1:06:57] I don't know. I'm gonna use Voltron as a verb. He Voltron'd into one giant robot of a lead singer. Tim, what do you think of this one? I thought the same about the open road with this one. The white and open throat. Night slips back with no noise. I mean, that's... Yeah. It's a great song. All right, next. So this next one about this map was last played in Spokane, Washington, 2012. It was only played twice. Oh, Tim, how about Modern Spirit? Was it played more? Feels like a live song. Ah, sorry. Modern Spirit, only 12. Only 12. So as this album goes by, these songs are played less live, which, yeah, it just made me wonder about the band and what, what, what, or why, or, you know, it, was it, was it thetheme of the album and the life and the times that was kind of too heavy to play live or I'm not sure. Well, they only had one sure after this as well. And that was the last tour. How many stops do you think? And we'll, and we'll get into that. Like, I think it was like, it was strictly Canada. Yeah, it was a pretty big deal. [1:08:22] So about this map. The mysterious and unique start of the song "About This Map"[1:08:26] Pete, talk to me about this map. It's a really weird start. And not in a bad way, just in a... About this map. It's kind of a mysterious song. Yeah, very mysterious. But I love the... [1:08:46] This was the song that made me think on the whole record, because again, like Dan said, I didn't know the history of what was going on in Gord's life during this record. But thisis the song where I kind of was like, okay, what the fuck is going on? This is just, everything's just too different, especially when you look at what the previous record was. But I dug it. The chorus and the pre-chorus is so good in this song. I don't have a ton to say, but the melody and the guitar licks are just top notch. I mean, I feel like it would take me a year to come up with that. Being so cool, making guitars sound that cool, and then afterward, I would just like pat myself on the back for the rest of my life because it's just that fucking cool. And fucking Rob Baker probably just did it in like two takes and then just forgot about it and went home and had, I don't know, fucking rotisserie chicken or whatever you guys eat overthere in Canada. We do eat a lot of rotisserie chicken. [1:10:00] What about blue? What about blue? Oh no, I'm really hungry and thirsty. Fuck. Well, what did you think about this map, Dan? Yeah, it's a good track, but as we were saying, yeah, it's a bit of a weird one. The lyrics, the sort of, the sentiment in the lyrics doesn't sort of, like, build, you know? Of stays on this sort of level. Was the sort of guitars and everything kind of rise around it, which I found was pretty fascinating. And again, it's like, yeah, in terms of sort of lyrics, about this map is said 15 times. So there's a there's a lot of that in there, which I think sort of flattens the lyrics out a bit. But a lot of textures in there that I haven't heard in other stuff as well. [1:11:04] It's a grower. It's an absolute grower. It was for me. Again, it was one of those tracks I'd always get to this stage in the album and then think like, oh God, hang on, is that? And then, uh, yeah, it, it, it had come back to me and, um, I dig. It'sgood. Are any other two fuckers going to recognize the irony of the fact that Dan's discussing the song about this map and directly behind him is a gigantic map? Oh yeah. Am I the only one like seeing the irony here? Sorry. Yeah. For those of you listening... We got a theme. Yeah. Tim's got a map up here. Yeah, got a couple. He's got a couple there too. You got Spain and Italy behind you, right Tim? Staring at it every day. [1:11:56] Good ol' EU over there. Sorry. We'll save the tour for another day. Did anybody get the edge vibes? Like from the guitar? Like, from the guitar? 100%! This song and one coming up, 100% got the edge. Well said, JD. Yeah, we've talked about how the latter part of U2's career has sprinkled some seasoning on this band. I've heard that too. Dave's Weed Shop: The Edge's Redemption?[1:12:36] I think the edge is a bit of a cheat though. So I have a hard time talking about him. I forget his real name. It's probably let's let's let's name him. What was his name? It's probably like, I think it's Dave. It's got to have three syllables. I think he's going to open a weed shop. It's going to be called Dave's not here, man. Now if the edge opened a weed shop, I'd probably, I'd probably like him again. Yeah. David Howell Evans. How? See I call him Dave. We're tight. What's the middle name? Let's move on. Dan? Did you have anything to say about this map, Tim? I didn't realize that about this map was said 15 times. That's a lot. I don't have a lot on this one. I thought that it was a bit of a filler, like we've rounded the bend, and we're getting towards the end of the album. You know, the bass, there's areally nice bass guitar through this. It's a little bit more meandering and I don't know. I didn't have a lot on this one. Yeah, it just kind of kept me going. Again, this part, this chunk of the album just felt just stronger than the past couple albums. Okay, let's move on to... Take Forever? Goddamn son, where we going? Take forever. Forever. Song about astronauts and Calgary[1:17:03] Yeah, this one's eight times live. Last played in 13. I, you know, maybe it was a song about astronauts. I'm not sure. It seems like also some statement about Calgary. Is Calgary the, where the wealth is of the roof? He seems to think everyone should have heart attacks there, According to the songs is what I read Yeah You know, I listened to another podcast and they were from Calgary and they tookgreat offense I don't recall as to why right now, but to me I think about it like, you know that beginning part like When I broke down, I always thought I'd go to Calgary. I think that's a nice sentiment But what do I know? But the yeah, there is a lot about Calgary, right? What about you Dan, how does that? [1:17:58] Totally stumped by this track. For some reason it reminds me of a late Blondie track as well, it's got some kind of vibe like that about it. But yeah, the lyrics and the Calgary thing man, yeah, it's crazy. I mean this is what I'm getting from some of these, I like the tracks, but the lyrics when I'm looking at the lyrics, it's just like, whoa, where are you going with that, Gord? Any insight, JD? [1:18:31] I wish. It's like a time bomb, you know? There's so many wires and things in there that you might pull one wire and it might make some progress, but then there's a whole other pack of wires underneath, you know? Yeah. I mean, again, when you do look at the lyrics for this album, there are a few themes that go through I mean this again this has got the whole kind of man machine reference and it's got thiswhole sort of um you know destroying space thing that we've we've heard um quite a few times as well yeah yeah um I I think this song is textbook hip I mean just the sound that it is I Ihear you on the lyrics, I guess they didn't make enough of an impact on me as the instruments of the song, you know, the instrumentation. Love the fucking thumping bass, just Sinclair's all over this record, you know. It's classic hip. [1:19:46] This is a song, especially in terms of chords, vocals, again, not speaking about the lyrics per se, just his singing. I think this is one of the songs where I'm like, God, why does nobody get this band? Just the song that made me think of it. So yeah, not a ton to say about it, but I dug it. I'm not, um, I feel like compared to last week, you could, you could, you know, serve me a shit sandwich and I'll just be like, you know, Can we, can we get into just a little bit about whydidn't this band, blah, blah, blah, make it in the U S or whatever it is. I had a lot of thoughts about this during this listen, which you just reminded me of. And I was kind of neither here nor there. nor there. But this album, I too, Pete, had thought a bit about. The popularity of this band in Canada versus the U.S. and all those things. And it was concurrently during, while listening to this past week, it was concurrently during Coachella that's
How would your life change if you could genuinely accept your inner world and align your actions with what matters to you? Counselling psychologist Bertus Swanepoel introduces Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, an evidence-based model focused on behaviour change. ACT addresses anxiety, mood disorders, chronic pain, overeating and other challenges by helping individuals strengthen their sense of self, develop psychological flexibility and take targeted action. www.mariettesnyman.co.za · bertusswanepoel.co.za · ACBS · Contextually conscious · This episode's podcast notes and photograph · www.facebook.com
This we discuss a very interesting topic. One of the most difficult things to grasp is the topic of dealing with leprosy and the process that has to undergone when handling these cases. Most bibles gravitate towards this skin disease as leprosy, but the problem with this definition is that the characteristics of this particular disease does not act like leprosy in any way. Contextually there is a deeper connection between the way this disease is contracted, and the fact that it can also affect clothing as well as homes. To gain better insight of this, we take a look at one of go-to sources for deeper insight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
PODCAST 163 The His·tori·og·raphy of The New Testament Culture © 2023 ISBN978-976-97021-0-3. Contextually speaking, I captured a macro and micro view of The 27 Books of the New Testament Culture during my research. This decision created an environment conducive to investigate, to build consensus and explore all sides of this Cultural criticism before I can form an opinion as a Doctoral Student of Divinity and Cultural Theoretician. This study involves analysis and evaluating of an extreme close-up view of the society's customs, beliefs, and practices as identified in the New Testament and the fulfillment of the promise of the Old Testament. In this space I have logically executed my methods of exploration of beliefs, inférences and observations of The 27 Books of the New Testament Culture, especially with (a) The Titles, (b) The authors, (c) The Dates of Writing, (d)To Whom These Books Were Written,(e)What Purpose and Time Period when These Books were Written. The WHY rational factor becomes the highest amount of personal utility in rational acceptance as a way of life of this discourse. It certainly helps to navigate, articulate and enunciate my position in understanding of The His·tori·og·raphy of The New Testament Culture © 2023 ISBN978-976-97021-0-3. One on hand this approach involves (a)the criterion of plausibility and implies an experience of how things happen in history, and in human affairs generally according to umass.edu(b) the three principal criteria which seemed to emerge in the early church used this system in recognising books that had been God inspired and thus ca·non·ic·al:, (c)namely apostolic origin, (d)recognition by the churches, and (e)apostolic content which implies an experience of how things happened in history, and in human affairs generally. On the other hand it should be noted that there is a difference between rationality and faith a view espoused by Wikipedia . Rationality is based on reason or facts whereas Faith is belief in inspiration, revelation, or authority. Similarly, the difference between plausible and rational is that plausible is seemingly or apparently valid, likely, or acceptable; credible: a plausible excuse while rational is capable of reasoning according to WikiDiff. PODCAST 163 The Historiography of The New Testament Culture © 2023 ISBN978-976-97021-0-3.was filmed by William Anderson Gittens of Devgro Media Arts Services®2015Special thanks to the Creator for his guidance and choosing me as a conduit to express the creative gifts he has given me and my late parents Charles and Ira Gittens. Thanks to those who assisted me along this journey namely my Beloved wife Magnola Gittens, my Brothers Shurland, Charles, Ricardo, Arnott, Stephen, Sisters Emerald, Marcella, Cheryl, Cousins Joy Mayers, Kevin and Ernest Mayers, Donna Archer, Avis Dyer, Jackie Clarke, Uncles Clifford, Leonard Mayers, David Bruce, Collin Rock. My children Laron and Lisa. Well-wishers Mr.and Mrs. Andrew Platizky, Mr. Matthew Sutton, Mr.& Mrs. Gordon Alleyne, Mr. Juan Arroyo, Mr. and Mrs. David Lavine, Mrs. Ellen Gordon, Dr.Nicholas Gordon, the late Dr.Joseph Drew, Merline Mayers, Mr. and Mrs. Trevor Millington, Rev. Dr. Scofield Eversley and Rev. Dr. Margaret Eversley, Rev. & Mrs. Donavon Shoemaker, Rev. & Mrs. Clayton Springer, Ms. Geraldine Davis, Rev.Carl and Rev Angie Dixon, Mr. David Brathwaite,Mrs. Zenda Phillips,Mrs. Gloria Rock, Rev.Pauline Harewood, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Russell, Mrs. Shirley Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Felton Ince, Mr. and Mrs. David Brathwaite, Mr.and Mrs. Ryan Miller Mr.and Mrs. Neilo Mascoll, Rev. Zenda Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Quintyne, Special mentioned is given to Dr. Joseph Drew was my advisor, mentor, and teacher during my academic tenure as a Media Arts Major at New Jersey City University (NJCU). Support the show
Audio Transcript: This media has been made available by Mosaic BostonChurch. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston inour neighborhood churches or donate to this ministry, please visitmosaicboston.com.I want to frame up our time with a quote from Martin Luther before we read the text and before we preach or before we pray for the preaching of God's word. And the reason why I want to do this is because this was a quote that I came across while preparing and while studying for preaching. And it really just stuck with me the whole time and it really has resonated with me. And I think it's a clear sort of encompassing statement about what Martin Luther is expounding upon in our text, the concept that we are going to deal with in our text, Martin Luther expounds upon it in this way. And so I think it's going to be helpful for us to think about. So I'll read it and then we can talk about it.But Martin Luther says this, "A Christian is a most free Lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a most dutiful servant of all, subject to all." Now this is a statement that kind of deals with a paradoxical concept that we are going to be wrestling with in our text. The idea is that we as Christians are free. We are free. Scripture teaches that we are co-heirs, that we are rulers with Christ. And so we even have authority, real practical authority in the world around us, and that we are not subject to one another. We'll get to what that means in a little bit, but just hang on to that. But at the same time, scripture is clear that we are to love one another, to serve one another and to put each other before ourselves.And so how do we live in freedom and authority as rulers, as lords, lowercase L, in this world, while still being a dutiful servant and being subject to all? That is the concept that we are going to be wrestling with today. And I'll read the text, I'm going to read the whole thing. It's a long text, but the reason why I'm reading it is because Paul is making one logical argument that I want us to sit on and think about. What is Paul saying here? And I just really want the word to penetrate our hearts and our minds and let us just sit and dwell on that. So I will read it and then we can pray over the preaching of our God's word.So Romans 14, starting in verse one, it says this, "As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, and the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike.""Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord since he gives thanks to God. While the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord. And if we die, we die to the Lord. So then whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end, Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God, for it is written, 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God.'""So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil, for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men, so then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.""Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." Let's pray over the preaching of God's word.Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank You, we praise You that You are Lord of all, that You are in control always and of everything. We thank You and we praise You. Lord, we also thank You and praise You that we have an ability to join You in that freedom, that You have blessed us with that opportunity. We thank You. Help us to live in that freedom. Lord, we thank You that You did not count that freedom as something to be hold onto, that You willingly gave it up to save us, to sacrifice for us, to serve us. Help us to have hearts that desire to do the same. Grow our ability, our willingness to serve and to submit to one another in the freedom that You have blessed us with. Lord, challenge us, grow us. Use Your word, use Your scripture to strengthen Your church now. In Jesus' name. Amen.Alrighty, we will be spending our time in four points today. Normally we like the three-point sermon, I like the three-point sermon, but we're doing four. The last one is really short so it's really like three-and-a-half, but we're going with four. But the points that we will be spending our time in are that you are free to serve the master. You are free to give thanks to the Lord. You are free to be subject to all, and you are free by faith. So we'll start with you are free to serve the master. This is coming in verses one through four. I'll break it up a little bit, but verses one and two say this, "As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables."So Paul hates vegetarians of... No, that's not what he is talking about. There's a lot of contextualization going on that we need to understand what is happening here. But the first thing I want to point out is the word opinions. It's not a word that we talk a lot about from the pulpit, but did you know, dear Christian, you are free to have opinions? Wow, what a novel concept. You are allowed to think. You are allowed to have opinions. That's great, but you're not free to quarrel over them. It's interesting. It implies that as Christians we will have opinions that are inherently contradictory to other people in the same body of Christ. If you look around this room, we're going to have different opinions on the same subject matter. The Bible says that's okay.You are allowed to have differences of opinion, but what's not okay is to allow those differences to cause division, as to quarrel over them. We'll get into what the quarreling exactly means in a little bit, but I just wanted to start with that and point out like yeah, we can say it's okay to have opinions. It's okay to disagree, but we still need to live in unity and love with one another. The next thing I want to point out is the context of the eating whatever, and the weaker one only eats vegetables. So this has a lot to do with the history and the context of the day. But specifically, the church in Rome was living in a city where people offered sacrifices to pagan Gods, and that sacrifice was a meat offering that then after the sacrifice they would take the meat and they would just sell it in the market.And so the question that the Christians in this early church were dealing with, is it okay to eat meat that is offered to idols? Is it okay to eat meat if you don't know that it had been offered to idols or not? What should we do? And Paul goes into greater detail in his stance on that in 1 Corinthians. Feel free to check that out, but I'll just summarize it real quickly. What Paul's point is saying is we know there is one true God. Yahweh is the only God. And so any other God, lowercase G, that these sacrifices are made to, they're not real. So really what it is it's a barbecue. So Paul says, "I can eat it." There's nothing sinful, there's nothing unclean about eating it because in faith, Paul knows he's still praising the one true God who provided food. Makes sense, seems good.There was another group of dedicated Christians who loved the Lord that said, "I cannot eat meat dedicated to an idol. Less to anyone dare think I'm possibly worshiping that idol. I don't want to cause any confusion. I don't want to worship an idol I'm not going to eat the meat offer to them." But sometimes it's hard to know what meat at the market is offered to an idol and which is not. So they refrained completely from eating meat. They said, "We will not eat meat at all to make sure that we do not eat meat sacrificed to idols." Wow, what conviction. What strength to and dedication to the Lord to say, "I will not do anything that possibly can go against the Lord." Whoa, faithful Christians are disagreeing. Faithful Christians have a difference of opinion. And that's okay.And Paul is saying, "Welcome each other." And what's really interesting here is we're at church, I'm preaching, so we take this primarily at church, but primarily what he's talking about is at the home. He's talking about, well, let's just thought experiment practically. Let's say there's a group of us here that love meat. No one knows who's in that group. Let's say that there's a group of people here who don't eat just vegetarian, for whatever reasons. And then you come to church and you know who eats meat and who doesn't. What do you think's going to happen? Naturally, most people will probably separate, hang out with their friends, "Oh, I'm not a meat eater. I'll sit with the other people who don't eat meat." "Oh, I'm a meat eater. I'll sit with the people who eat meat." And then what do we do after service? Oh, let's go get lunch. Oh the meat eaters go get barbecue. The vegetarians go, I don't even know, I'm sorry, I'm a meat eater. I don't even know where you go.And the result is division. The result is division in the church over something that doesn't matter, over something that is an opinion. And what Paul is saying, have the people over your house and enjoy a meal together that you disagree with. I'm sticking with the meat and vegetable example because that's what Paul uses, but think about it yourself. Think about what opinions we disagree with one another within the church. Actively invite and welcome into your home people you know that you disagree with, and genuinely welcome them. It says don't quarrel, don't have them over to have a debate about the opinions. That's not helpful. Don't bring them over to try and persuade them or if you don't know, I'm having people over to find out who's on my side of this opinion so we could figure it out. Like that's not helpful, it's not helpful.Paul says to welcome them, and it gets a little bit stronger in language as he goes. In verse three it says, "Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains. And let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls, and he will be upheld for the Lord is able to make him stand." The word for quarreling, it actually has to do with making a judgment over. And it's like when you are arguing with someone like oh, I'm right, they're wrong. I'm better than them. They're just weaker. They don't understand as much as I do. You're coming from a place that's not loving. And Paul recognizes that and he says, "Don't despise the one who eats. Don't despise the one who abstains. Don't hate them. Don't make a judgment over them."Why? Because you are not their master. And this is an important thing to know that we are given authority and we are given rule in this world, but we are not masters of one another. I am not your master. Praise God. You are not my master. Praise God. I have the freedom to live not concerned about you mastering yourself over me and you have the freedom to live without concern of me mastering over you. Why? Because we have one master and that master is the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we still have to serve Him, right? This doesn't mean we have freedom to sin or freedom to do whatever we feel like. It's freedom to live in submission to our master. Freedom to serve our master. That's why it says before his own master, he will either stand or fall. Sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes our opinions are wrong and we will fall. And that's okay because we are not the ones who ultimately decide our standing before our master, the master decides that.And the Lord, it says, is able to make us stand. He is the one who upholds us. And so we can trust in Him. We can live in freedom to serve Him knowing He will uphold us. And that's something that we should be joyful about. We should be thankful for, that we are not masters of one another, but we do have a good master who will cause us to stand and we can serve Him. So then we should give thanks to Him. This is point number two. We are free to give thanks to the Lord. This is in verses five through 12. It says in verse five, "One person esteems one day as better than another. While another esteems all day as alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord since he gives thanks to God. While the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God."I'll stop there for now, but the first thing I want to point out is Paul brings in another contextual disagreement that the church was having when he says one esteems one day and one esteems all day is alike. And most often this is used to talk about things like what day do we worship God on. Like we're here on Sunday, we worship on Sundays. That's what we do. But actually it's a lot more nuanced than a lot more specific of what's going on. There's a group of people in the early church that believed God told us specific days are holidays, or specific days are sabbaths to worship Him, to remember Him, to do different things. So those days are inherently more holy than the rest because God had ordained them for the worship of Him at specific times. Okay, all days are holy, but those days are like extra holy. You could see that argument.Other people, and Paul falls into this camp, say the Lord made all days, all days are holy. We can worship God however we want on those days, whatever we are called to remember in those holidays, we can worship every single day. Every day is a holy day to serve the Lord. Praise God. That makes sense, too. People disagree again. But the idea is the esteeming has to do with holiness, and the emphasis is the esteeming of the days and not on the differences. The point is, do we actually think about days as ordained by God to serve Him? To love and serve and worship Him and specifically honor Him, right? It says if you abstain, if you partake, whatever your view on the days are, if you do it in honor of the Lord, then it's good. Then it's good. And this takes intentional, proactive thought, right? This is not just passive like, oh I go to church every Sunday. That's just because that's what I do.It's like, no, today is a day to honor the Lord. Praise God. And then when we go home and wake up tomorrow, still a day to worship and praise God. Praise God. And how do we honor Him in our eating, in our not eating, in our following of certain days or whatever? Says by giving thanks. Says that they honor Him by giving thanks. This is very applicable. We're just coming out of the Thanksgiving season, headed into the Christmas season, thinking a lot about thankfulness and things like that. We, as Christians, are called to proactively thank God for everything always, all the time. And this is the following statement where He gets into a totality statement. This is what He's saying in verse seven, "For none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord. And if we die, we die to the Lord. So then whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end, Christ died and lived again that He might be Lord, both of the dead and of the living."What's in the realm outside of the dead and of the living? Nothing. That's what there is. Either it is dead or it's alive, physically, spiritually, whatever category you want, alive and dead are the categories. And Paul's point here is everything, the good, the bad, the scary, the hard, the things that bring life, the things that lead to death, all of it is under God's sovereign control. Nothing is out of his hands. And so that gives us the ability to thank Him always, to thank Him when things are hard. To thank Him when things aren't going the way we want them to. He is master of all. He is the one in control. We can praise Him, we can thank Him. That doesn't mean it's easy. There will be seasons when it's hard to do. But as Christians, we are called to do this and we are free to do it, right?That's something that's important to think about. The freedom, the ability to recognize with one another yet may be hard. But even in the difficult seasons, we have the freedom, allow each other to praise God even when things are hard. Allow each other to give thanks to Him even when things are difficult. So we are free to give thanks to God. Whoa, we're free to do whatever we want in submission to the master, our Lord. And we are free to thank Him for it. That doesn't mean there's no accountability, right? And this is where it continues in verse 10, "Why do you pass judgment on your brother. Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to me, to confess to God. So then each of us will give an account of himself to God."We have the freedom to not judge one another because not only are we not their masters, we're not their judge. God is their judge. God is my judge. God is your judge. God is everyone's judge. And so we have the freedom when we see things wrong, when we disagree over opinions, we have the freedom to not pass judgment on one another and say, you know what? It's in the Lord's hands. This goes back to Romans 12 at the very end where he says, the Lord says, "Vengeance is mine and it's not for us." And so we have the freedom to not worry and be obsessed with and condemn each other because we know that God is in control and that He is a good and perfect judge. But we ourselves will stand before God and give an account for everything we have said and done. And that should cause us to faithfully serve Him, right? We have the freedom. We have freedom, great. But we do have to give account to God for what we do with that freedom.And then Paul's going to tell us what we should do with that freedom, what we are called to do in that freedom. This picks up in verse 13, "Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and I am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil." We'll pause there for a second, but I like to tell people my favorite verse in text that I preach because I think it's helpful.But my favorite verse is verse 13. That's my favorite verse. Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer. Well, it's saying that we have been passing judgment on one another and we need to stop doing that. And Paul is writing that to the church in Rome, but I know that it's applicable to every church, but it is applicable to our church here. We need to commit to not passing judgment on one another anymore. Then it says rather decide, and this is really why it's my favorite verse. The word decide is the same word that has been used throughout this text for pass judgment. So what does Paul mean by pass judgment? What does he mean by decide here? What is he talking about?Passing judgment is a legal thing. It's a legal term of making a decision of guilty, not guilty or making a sentencing, a final, complete, total statement on what to do or what you are. And so Paul is saying do not make a condemnation, a guilty, not guilty statement on other people. That's not your job. Stop doing that. Do instead make a legal decree over your own life, place a law over yourself that you will never, never, ever put a stumbling block in the way of a brother or sister. How many of us are perfect at that? None of us. We aren't perfect at this and there's grace and there's forgiveness and repentance when we fail at this. But do we even have this mentality? Is this something that we are even thinking about?Because it's not like, oh, remove stumbling blocks when you can. It's, do not put them there. That means is we're putting them there, and we need to proactively stop ourselves from doing it. Do we have the mentality that I love somebody else so much that I will not do anything at all that causes them to stumble? Even eating meat. You see, this is where the gospel makes clear of this balance of the paradox because Jesus is the Lord and ruler are one master. And so he has the most freedom of all. He is free to do whatever He wants. But He knew that we needed help. He knew that we were not all right. And He said rather than just letting them figure it out and I'm free to do whatever I want, I'm not going to let them bother me. He said no.Jesus Christ came down to earth. He gave up His freedom, submitted Himself to us to serve us, to die on the cross, save us from our sins so that way we can join the family of God, when we've put our faith and trust in Him. When we say, Lord Jesus, you are truly Lord of my life. You are in control. You are the one I need to submit everything to. And so do we love each other like Christ love the church? Do we say, "Yes, I may have freedom to have whatever opinions I want"? Sure, true. Do you say, "But I'm not willing to let them become a stumbling block for anyone else"? And it's very strong language. He says never. Don't dare put a stumbling block. And this is really important because it continues and says, "Do not destroy the one for whom Christ died."Christ died for them. They are valuable to our master so they should be valuable to us, so we shouldn't do things that destroy them. And the word destroy isn't about salvation, but it is about physical breaking and hurt and pain and anguish. Do we recognize that's the severity of our actions at times? I think we can all agree experientially the times that we are hurt the most, the times that we feel destroyed are when we're hurt by the people we care about the most. Because it's not painful to be hurt by someone you don't care about. Like whatever, I don't care about you. But when you really truly care for someone, it is painful when they hurt you. And we, as a church, aren't primarily just a group of people that meet on Sundays. We are called the Body of Christ. We are called the family of Christ. We are relationally brothers and sisters.And so when we hurt one another, it hurts. It really has power to hurt. And so we need to proactively fight against that. We need to actively seek love, seek peace, seek the ability to help one another rather than hurting one another even when our opinions are right. This is important. What I find really interesting about this text is that Paul is talking about opinions. Well, making an argument for which opinion is right and which opinion is wrong. If you noticed, he started the first time he talked about it in the beginning, he said this, "One person believes he... The weak person eats only vegetables."So in the decision, should we refrain from eating all meat to serve the Lord or should we eat meat and freedom to serve The Lord? Calls the ones who refrain, weak. He's making a statement about who's right and who's wrong. He continues, "The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord. The one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord." But it's okay. If they eat, they eat. If they don't, they don't. It's okay. Then here he says, "I know and I am persuaded in the Lord that nothing is unclean in itself." Then Paul is saying, Paul's convinced I know that there is nothing unclean about it. We should all eat meat. And then later we'll get to it in a second, he says even more strongly, "Everything is indeed clean."So Paul in this text is trying to show people what is true, what is right. But that's not the point. That's not what he's focusing on. He actually focuses on the unity. Nowhere does he tell the people who are refraining from eating vegetables, you're wrong, stop doing it. Start eating meat. No. And actually he corrects the people who eat meat and challenge them and says, "Let them do it. They're following their conscience, they're following the Lord. They're seeking to serve the Lord and doing it. Let them do it." We live in a city that prizes intelligence, that prizes knowing information and knowing the most and being right and all this stuff.Dear Christians, that's not your goal in life. That's not the purpose. And ultimately it doesn't matter as much as everything else that we are called to. What is the purpose? What is the goal? This is verse 17, and it says it very clearly, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." What is our purpose? We are to pursue righteousness. That does mean there are things that are right and wrong. We should not use freedom to do whatever we want. We submit to the Lord, we follow Him. If you remember, I know it's been a long time since we started Romans, but if you remember way back to week one, Bastion talked about how the purpose of this letter is to encourage the church to faithful obedience to the Lord. It's the idea of encouraging people to faithful. You could say righteousness.So we as Christians, we do pursue righteousness. We do pursue living lives according to God's word and doing what is right. But then we pursue peace, we pursue unity, we pursue that at the cost of our own freedoms. Talking a lot about opinions more than I like to talk about from the pulpit because I think it shouldn't be about opinions, and that's kind of Paul's point. But we have opinions, we disagree. But if I allow my opinion to get in the way of anyone else's faith, it's better that I don't have an opinion at all. It's better that I don't because that's not the point. The point is peace. The point is righteousness. The point is peace are what we're doing, what we're saying bringing about unity within the church. And joy. We can't forget about joy, too. Again, even when things are hard, even when you disagree, we still are called to righteousness, peace, and joy.So this is why I love singing songs of worship to the Lord here on Sundays, because for me music brings joy. I mentioned that the first service when I was a baby, I was a very cute baby, you'll have to take my word for it. But my parents said I was a joyful baby. I was a happy baby. And then from then until I got married, I was never once in my life called joyful. Now that I am married, I have been called joyful, and praise God, and I'm very thankful for my wife. But the point of that is I was actually in sin all those years of my life, because I wasn't following the Lord. I wasn't pursuing joy as I am called to. And joy is important. And sometimes you don't feel like being joyful. I get it. And that's why the church body is so important. That's why we need each other.I love to come to church on days when I don't feel like coming to church. You know what I mean? On days when you feel like it's the hardest, on days where you don't feel the joy and you show up at church and you see other people worshiping and praising God, it's a little bit easier to be joyful. It puts things in perspective, it's helpful to remind ourselves we're here to praise God. I can praise Him no matter what because He again is in control of all things. We are called to do this for the mutual upbuilding of the church. This is how the church strengthens, this is how the church grows. So when we are in seasons where we feel that the church is hurting and needs strengthening, this is the most important time to focus on this. Pursue righteousness, pursue peace, and pursue joy.I don't think I clarified when I switched to 0.3, but I switched to 0.3. We were subject to all. I hope you picked up on that. Going to transition to 0.4 because a lot of this gets confusing, like practically speaking, how do we do this? And 0.4 clarifies a lot of this for us. You are free to live by faith. This is verses 20 to 23. It says, "Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself, for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin."Do not let what we do destroy the work of God. Again, we said but do not let it destroy the one for whom God loved. But God is working in those situations, and the people are people that God is building and shaping and growing and so do not let our opinions destroy them. And I have to clarify this in verse... Sorry, I'm trying out of context that didn't go well. In verse 22 it says, "The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God." I want to clarify what this means. This is not talking about saving faith in the gospel, saving faith that Jesus died to save me from my sins. And He is Lord of all. No, nowhere else in scripture doesn't talk about that. Actually everywhere else in scripture it's like please tell everybody. Go tell the nations, proclaim it to everyone, we should not keep our faith and our love of the Lord Jesus Christ between us and God. No. We need to tell people about it. That is a command in scripture.Contextually what this is talking about goes back to verse one. Those who are weak in faith, quarreling over opinions. We can have faith that we are doing, living faithfully even in our opinions, but we need to keep that between ourselves and God sometimes. Now if you have good strong relationships with people and friends and brothers, like it's not saying never talk about it. Like, you can, that's all right. But the point is it for encouragement? Is it a building or is it going to bring about harm? Again, we can have opinions, but if it's going to cause somebody else to stumble, it's better to just keep it between me and God. It's better to just for you to keep it between you and God because the point is unity. And so think about how many things we do a day, how many decisions we make, how do we faithfully follow God in everything while serving Him, while submitting to all?Like what if there's an option to do something that might bring peace, but another one that would bring more joy, what do I do? Paul gives us more freedom. The freedom to live by faith, to trust in the Lord. That's what he's saying at the end here. If you eat when you don't have faith, you are condemned. Why? Because the point is about doing things in faith by trusting God. When we make decisions, do we seek after God's will? Do we pray? Do we read scriptures? Do we consult brothers and sisters in Christ and go from there? And once we make a decision, if we have been faithfully following the Lord, Paul says have the freedom to do it. Don't constantly be second guessing yourself. Don't constantly be having to go, oh, did I do the right thing or not? Live in freedom for the Lord.And if you make a mistake, repent. Because you will make mistakes, because we are all fallible people. But ultimately the motivation for everything we do, the decisions we make needs to come from a position of I have faith that the Lord is in control of all things. I am seeking after Him. I am doing the best I can to follow Him. And so I'm going to proceed in this life from there. I want to close by reading two things that I find helpful, and it's things that you've already heard. I'm going to read again the quote from Martin Luther to summarize what I've been saying. And then I'm going to read the verse that I think Paul used that summarized most what he said, which is verse 17. And I'm just going to read them in conjunction to one another because I think thinking about them together has really helped me understand this idea.So Martin Luther says, "A Christian is a most free Lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, subject to all." Verse 17, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, we do thank You for all of the freedom that You have blessed us with, that we can be free from judgment from one another, that we can be free from Your wrath because of the work of Your son, Jesus Christ. That we can be free to live in this world following You. We thank you, we praise You for that. Lord, we also thank You for the opportunity You have blessed us with to serve and submit to one another. We thank You that we are able to proclaim the gospel to those who see us by our submission to one another.We thank You that you did not count your freedom as something to be hold onto, but gave it up for us. Lord, You are good. Lord, help grow in our hearts, the ability to view others more significant than ourselves, to view others as primary in us as secondary, to strengthen our faith in You so that we can be better at serving those around us. Bring unity to your church. Help us to pursue righteousness, peace, and joy. In Jesus' name. Amen.
i cm z , a semi-analytic model for the thermodynamic properties in galaxy clusters: calibrations with mass and redshift, and implication for the hydrostatic bias by S. Ettori et al. on Monday 21 November In the self-similar scenario for galaxy cluster formation and evolution, the thermodynamic properties of the X-ray emitting plasma can be predicted in their dependencies on the halo mass and redshift only. However, several departures from this simple self-similar scenario have been observed. We show how our semi-analytic model $i(cm)z$, which modifies the self-similar predictions through two temperature-dependent quantities, the gas mass fraction $f_g=f_0 T^{f_1} E_z^{f_z}$ and the temperature variation $f_T=t_0 T^{t_1} E_z^{t_z}$, can be calibrated to incorporate the mass and redshift dependencies. We used a published set of 17 scaling relations to constrain the parameters of the model. We were subsequently able to make predictions as to the slope of any observed scaling relation within a few percent of the central value and about one $sigma$ of the nominal error. Contextually, the evolution of these scaling laws was also determined, with predictions within $1.5 sigma$ and within 10 percent of the observational constraints. Relying on this calibration, we have also evaluated the consistency of the predictions on the radial profiles with some observational datasets. For a sample of high-quality data (X-COP), we were able to constrain a further parameter of the model, the hydrostatic bias $b$. By calibrating the model, we have determined that (i) the slopes of the temperature dependence are $f_1=0.403 (pm0.009)$ and $t_1=0.144 (pm0.017)$; and that (ii) the dependence upon $E_z$ are constrained to be $f_z=-0.004 (pm 0.023)$ and $t_z=0.349 (pm 0.059)$. These values permit one to estimate directly how the normalizations of a given quantity $Q_{Delta}$ changes as a function of the mass (or temperature) and redshift halo in the form $Q_{Delta} sim M^{a_M} E_z^{a_z} sim T^{a_T} E_z^{a_{Tz}}$, in very good agreement with the current observational constraints. arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/http://arxiv.org/abs/2211.03082v2
153: Pastor Plek, Catie Sas, Jeff Mitchell, and Robert Sas recap Sunday's sermon and discuss the importance of accountability.Questions Covered:How do we know when someone is holding you accountable because they love you and want to see you succeed vs. someone wanting you to become like them as far as your personality and thinking? Because there are A LOT of people will not accept you or be your friend unless you talk, think, act, believe, and behave exactly like them and will disciple you/training you accordingly.The higher a person's role within an organization hierarchy the less likely they are to be challenged on a decision they are making. We've seen many prominent Pastors fall due to this. How have you seen the leadership or lay leaders at WBCC guard themselves from this pitfall?Contextually, David not going out to fight carry's MASSIVE implications, doesn't it? We just saw in Deuteronomy how Israel is captured and enslaved time and time again all because they ignored God's command to drive out everyone from the promised land, but they didn't. As a result, morality goes out the window and they end up enslaved. Would that have been in peoples mind (contextually) when he sends other people out? Setting the standard for his mighty men that God's command is more important than anything else? *we saw in Deuteronomy that they don't drive out the people like God commanded, and in Judges we see the result of God's people not fighting as they were called to. Would this have been in the peoples mind when they see David not going out to fight?Want to submit a question? Call or text 737-231-0605!Faith, Culture, and all things in between.Support the show: https://wbcc.churchcenter.com/givingSupport the show
Welcome to this week's edition of Bible Talks here on Coffee with Keith. This week, we continue our walk through the book of Acts and we reflect on Acts 3:1-10. Contextually, this comes after the sermon of Peter as he and John are on their way to the temple for prayer. In it, Peter heals the lame man who is begging by the gate. In this devotion, I want to share with you 4 thoughts about the GIFT and then I will simply summarize with a general call for us to respond. Grab your coffee, have a seat at my table, and let's chat on Coffee with Keith.To connect with me on Instagram, visit here.Join my Patreon group and Support the show with just a $5 monthly gift.Free Support Group (LGBTQ+): Christian Rainbow Group Free: Interpret and Apply Scripture like a Scholar (Top of Landing Page)To visit my website and learn more or to get all my freebies, visit here.Jumpstart Your Healing 1-on-1 Coaching Coming Out 1-on-1 CoachingBisexual Relationship Coaching (Couple)Visit www.jkeithbrown.com and look at the top of the landing page to grab your FREE copy of this .pdf worksheet. Then, simply go through the steps and you will be better interpreting Scripture immediately. If you need more help, consider joining one of my Rainbow Champions group coaching journey. I think we all suffer stress in the crazy days. I wanted to offer you a FREE copy of my Create Your Calm guided meditation. Just click HERE to grab your copy.
Dr. Vincent Valentyn talks about life, the church, the kingdom of God, and leadership.
Hebrews 6:1-3 (NKJV) Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. DOCTRINE OF CHRIST 1. Repentance from dead works, 2. Faith towards God, 3. The doctrine of baptisms, 4. The laying on of hands, 5. The resurrection of the dead, 6. And eternal judgment. Contextually the Hebrew writer desired to proceed to the exposition of the doctrine of Christ's priesthood, but he takes a "short detour" explaining to them that Christian maturity is not to be attained by going back to subjects that belong to the ABC's of the Faith. He was doing his utmost to shift the focus and faith of his audience from the rudimentary principles of Judaism. However, what does it look like for us in the 21st century, we didn't practice the Jewish faith before we put our faith in Christ. Many of us came into the house of God as a result of incorrect or incomplete gospels, such as the gospel of salvation. Most of us came into the Christian faith without anyone laying foundations within us concerning Christ, making us vulnerable and susceptible to deception and half-truths. For many of us, foundations have to be laid for the first time, we are living in a house built on shifting sand. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dr-vincent-g-valentyn/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dr-vincent-g-valentyn/support
Si & Veronica are feeling numb for episode 219! Two big breakups with former Bachelorettes this week. First, Michelle and Nayte shared they will be going their separate ways… but will they be able to keep the house money they were gifted or does it go back to ABC like their ring will go back to Neil Lane. Then, Katie Thurston and John Hersey also shared very different IG story statements on them being split. In happier news, Tia and her fiance, Taylor Mock, are expecting a baby! Tayshia's ex, Zac Clark, came to her rescue when some haters were trying to troll her for bikini pics. Let our girl live!! Nick Viall confirmed what some cruise tracking sites already been knew… the Bachelorettes will be spending part of their season on a cruise ship. Will it give luxury or Suite Life: On Deck? (Bachelor talk ends at time marker 25m:42s) Drake tried his hand at a house music album in honor of Virgil Abloh… but Beyonce might've out done him with the release of her new single featuring Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia. It doesn't help that Drake featured cheating king, Tristan Thompson, in his newest video. HBO wants more Jon Snow and is in development for a spin-off around him. Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen are split on how they view their 18-year-old daughter Sami starting an OnlyFans. Vee went “Yikes!” and got an irreversible ick for Jack Harlow posting a TikTok of him whining a cringy new Drake lyric. Contextually cute no more! Join us for what is always a good time and leave us a rating and review for a shoutout! Follow us @thefuturebachelor on Instagram! Thanks to you all who have subscribed! -- For fun, great music updated weekly, follow FUTURE BACHELOR on Spotify! ***SLAPPER OF THE WEEK*** "Gotta Move On" by Diddy, Bryson Tiller -- Follow us on Instagram!
A Bigger Life Prayer and Bible Devotionals with Pastor Dave Cover
An important part of Christian meditation is to use your biblically guided imagination to see the better, unseen realities our lives are in, and to bring our mind and body into an integration with those spiritual realities. Otherwise we become a mind/body that's fragmented and disconnected from spiritual realities, that's hijacked by tension and anxiety, anger, frustration, and fear.If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that for this podcast.Psalm 118:24 ESVThis is the day that the LORD has made;let us rejoice and be glad in it.Contextually speaking this verse is prophetic of the day of Jesus's death and resurrection for salvation, as well as the day of his return. Like the entire Psalm, this verse is layered with prophetic imagination.But it's also a true principle all on its own…Psalm 118:24 ESVThis is the day that the LORD has made;let us rejoice and be glad in it.Like Paul writes in…Philippians 4:4 (ESV)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.And…1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)16 Rejoice always (shortest verse in the original Greek Bible), 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.Say aloud to yourself…“Because this is the day that the LORD has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it.Follow Dave Cover on Twitter @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on Twitter @ABiggerLifePodOur audio engineer is Diego Huaman.This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life with Pastor Dave Cover
An important part of Christian meditation is to use your biblically guided imagination to see the better, unseen realities our lives are in, and to bring our mind and body into an integration with those spiritual realities. Otherwise we become a mind/body that's fragmented and disconnected from spiritual realities, that's hijacked by tension and anxiety, anger, frustration, and fear. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that for this podcast. Psalm 118:24 ESV This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Contextually speaking this verse is prophetic of the day of Jesus's death and resurrection for salvation, as well as the day of his return. Like the entire Psalm, this verse is layered with prophetic imagination. But it's also a true principle all on its own… Psalm 118:24 ESV This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Like Paul writes in… Philippians 4:4 (ESV) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. And… 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) 16 Rejoice always (shortest verse in the original Greek Bible), 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Say aloud to yourself… “Because this is the day that the LORD has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Timestamps: 01:08 - 06:04 Body Meditation 06:15 - 26:51 Bible Meditation: Psalm 118:24 26:54 - 28:07 Prayer Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on Twitter @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Diego Huaman. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
In this episode we're asking important questions about traveling in tabletop roleplaying games. We go in-depth into the handwaving paradigm, why we think that is, and methods you can employ to make it a more meaningful part of your table experience. We also discuss some of our favorite travel systems from games, how we've hacked them to work for us, and why it can be important to explore this particular pillar of RPGs.Website: https://icastspells.com Twitter: @passive_podcastEmail: passiveaggropod@protonmail.comShow Breakdown:0:00: Intro1:20: TTRPG News10:42: Main Topic11:15: @MicahRRogers "Travel encounters for every city block."14:13: @Eat_Bray_Love "OSR hex/point crawl."16:34: @LikesPierogi "Contextually relevant encounters."19:13: "Why do we choose to handwave TTRPG travel?"23:08: @AbyssalBrews "Campfire travel system." (also mentioned at 29:06)26:58: "The One Ring 1e Journey System."32:30: "Savage Worlds Interludes."33:42: "How Ivan runs TTRPG travel."36:20: "Random encounter tables."37:52: "Travel encounters that evolve into social encounters or combat encounters.)42:45: "How is implementing a TTRPG travel system better than just handwaving?"49:50: Outro
According to National geographic.org In a time when the ocean is threatened by climate change and pollution, coastlines are eroding, and entire species of marine life are at risk of extinction and the physical, chemical, and biological features of the ocean, including the ocean's ancient history, its current condition, its future; protecting the planet, learning from it, and predicting what the future will bring has activated my cognition and cognitive skills to the extent that it also ignited my intellectual passions to proffer A Bajan Case Study. This thinking which exudes from my cognitive development has to do with how I think, explore and even figure things out. Hence my brain development is part of cognitive development. Consequently, I have logically assume that according to Merriam Webster online dictionary it is the development of knowledge, skills, problem solving and dispositions, which assisted me to think about and understand the world around me especially now that I have contextualised A Bajan Case Study © 2022. This line of reasoning seeks to shed light on those reasons making them explicit as a result of my analysis of Pico Teneriffe adjoining Cove Bay, and Little Bay which are captivating elements of nature. Bajan Landmarks are juxtaposed against the elements of nature including art colour, form, hue, line, shape, space, and texture, tints, tones, scale, proportion, unity, variety, rhythm, mass, shape, space, balance, volume, perspective, and depth. Pico Teneriffe adjoining Cove Bay, and Little Bay appears to be and or is as old as or even older than Methuselah since it acts as an idiom and also implies that the same is as old as Methuselah and or comports itself as a simile, which is still an abstract phrase that compares these Bajan landmarks like the elements of art imputing that they are extremely old. However, in the scheme of things Pico Teneriffe adjoining Cove Bay, and Little Bay metaphorically comport themselves as a harmonious ensemble for generations with colours complementing one another within the space of geology, ecology and oceanology. Now that I have established context in this ambience and the view advanced by sidmartinbio.org Barbados' Coral Rock Formation is 70 meters thick and dates to the Pleistocene. Unlike neighbouring islands in the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc, Barbados is unusual because it is not a volcanic island (the only volcanic rocks are some ash beds from eruptions on neighbouring islands). Moreover, according to every culture .com although The pear-shaped island consists of lowlands and terraced limestone plains.Contextually speaking located in Barbados' north east coast is Cove Bay.This Bay is a lovely picnic spot where the only sounds are of powerful waves pounding against high cliffs.Little Bay is a unique spot with interesting pools, breathtaking scenery and magnificent blowholes! and Pico Teneriffe, a rocky cape which stands at an elevation of just over 300 feet. Pico Teneriffe adjoining Cove Bay, and Little Bay, are Bajan natural geographic areas that includes according to landscapepartnership.org cultural and natural resources therein, which are tourist attractions, cultural and aesthetic values occupying the precincts of Barbados' east coast.”In light of the aforesaid as an Author, Cinematographer, Media Arts Specialist, License Cultural Practitioner, Podcaster and Publisher since I am intrigued at Barbados' natural geographic cultural landscape .Pico Teneriffe adjoining Cove Bay, and Little Bay reveals that Barbados' evolving relationships within the natural world seemingly provides abundant economic, ecological, social, and recreational opportunities. Because of the location of these cultural landmarks and historical sites geographically are areas which are associated with historical evolution, which gives way to a recognizableSupport the show (http://www.buzzsprout.com/429292)
Revenue Generator Podcast: Sales + Marketing + Product + Customer Success = Revenue Growth
VP of Rev Ops at LeanData, Don Otvos highlights some of the most important tech stacks that inbound marketing teams need to consider investing in. Contextually relevant messaging is an important part of creating a great lead experience, and for pushing potential customers further down the funnel. In today's podcast, Don Otvos details examples of inbound marketing tech stacks that have worked for LeanData and how they could be useful to your team. Show NotesConnect With: Don Otvos: Website // LinkedInThe Rev Gen Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterI Hear Everything: IHearEverything.com // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Contextually, in Matthew 6, Jesus is not dealing with fear or anxiety. Instead, He confronts the issue of worry over one's wealth. Hence, Jesus excursus in Matthew 6:25-34, is regarding worry and the Kingdom citizen. Primarily, He sets forth that Kingdom citizens should not worry over their prosperity, property, and possessions because God provides for one's basic necessities.
Questioning relationships & sex education is not taboo. We're covering: Rapid fire facts about relationships & sex education (RSE) curriculum & laws around the world, including over 10 countries The importance of using correct anatomical terms Laws and guidelines around the world regarding RSE Abstinence, abstinence-only-until-marriage, and comprehensive curriculum A comparison of RSE in English and Chinese-speaking countries I want to note, while a lot of the information referenced is true as of 2019, the pandemic has only slowed or stopped any research or implementation of policy changes countries/states/governing bodies may have made in the meantime. Therefore, I felt this information was the most up-to-date, reliable information at this time. The research referenced includes: Boonstra, Heather. (2011). Advancing Sexuality Education in Developing Countries: Evidence and Implications. Guttmacher Institute, 14(3). https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2011/08/advancing-sexuality-education-developing-countries-evidence-and-implications Goldfarb, E., & Lieberman, L. (2021). Three Decades of Research: The Case for Comprehensive Sex Education, Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.036.Leung, H., Shek, D., Leung, E., & Shek, E. (2019). Development of Contextually-relevant Sexuality Education: Lessons from a Comprehensive Review of Adolescent Sexuality Education Across Cultures. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(4), 621. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16040621
From a literal perspective an abstract can be accepted as a short summary of published or unpublished research paper, usually about a paragraph. However at the end of the day existing in thought this ethos can be categorised as the total way of life of a people. Abstractly speaking since culture is made up of so many elements and some more obvious than others then to place the same close together furthermore side by side, especially with an arresting or surprising effect, or in a way that invites comparison or contrast. For example, just as the precincts of history are seemingly punctuated with Timelines. Contextually speaking then this cultural lens when use as a rhetorical device has the capacity to capture and frame a sequence of events between the periods 1966 to 2021 regarding the evolution of culture within Barbados' historical space. This expression was juxtaposed against the theory "the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events". What is important though as nouns the difference between evolution and change is that evolution is (general) gradual directional change especially one leading to a more advanced or complex form; growth; development while change is (countable) the process of becoming different. This expression and thought brings into focus the construct Chrysalis. In this sphere it is noted that hipster illustrates, culture as always evolving and since the angle is the perceived size of an object depends on the size of the image projected onto the retina. And therefore the size of the image depends on the angle of vision. A near and a far object can therefore appear the same size if their edges produce the same angle of vision. A case in point with an optical device such as glasses or binoculars, microscope and telescope the angle of vision can be widened so that the object appears larger, which is favorable for the resolving power of the eye (see visual angle) In the scheme of things I humbly suggest that the afore said reasoning reason implies that Culture consists of abstract ideas, values, and perceptions of the world that inform and are reflected in people's behavior. Make no mistake Culture is shared by members of a society and produces behaviour that is intelligible to other members of that society. That said Cultures are learned rather than inherited and by the same token it can be interpreted as the different parts of a culture functioning as an integrated whole a view espoused by Andra Sanders. Therefore there is no doubt in my mind that Culture defined as the symbols, language, beliefs, values, and artifacts are part of any society draws our attention on two basic components namely-ideas and symbols while on the one hand and artifacts (material objects) on the other. At this phase, it is essential that I introduce Lelie A.White's perspective “Virtually all cultural anthropologist take it for granted ,no doubt that culture is the basic and central concept of their science. There is, however, a disturbing lack of agreement as to what they mean by this term. To some, culture is learned behavior. To others, it is not behavior at all, but an abstraction from behavior-whatever that is. Stone axes and pottery bowls are culture to some anthropologists, but no material object can be culture to others. Culture exists only in the mind, according to some; it consists of observable things and events in the external world to others. Some anthropologists think of culture as consisting of ideas, but they are divided upon the question of their locus: some say they are in the minds of the peoples studied, others hold that they are in the minds of ethnologists. We go on to “culture is a psychic defense mechanism,” “culture consists of tz different social signals correlated with m different responses,” “culture is a Rohrschach of a society,)' and so on, to confusion and bewildermSupport the show (http://www.buzzsprout.com/429292)
Visit http://JohnBlakeAudio.com to Learn How to DOUBLE Your Enquiry-to-Sale Conversion with The Lead Flow You Already Have. This is week four of the Best of 2021 series, and today we are going back to episode 123 where we talked about one simple email tweak to boost sales. Emails are a very powerful way to grow your business. Contextually what we're talking about is to put pen to paper on some kind of recommendation; maybe a proposal for something, or a quote for a particular product or a particular service and send it to a potential client. The biggest mistake I see people make is this. They attach the proposal or the quote, they send it through, and at the bottom of the email they write, “If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.” Why is this a huge mistake? Because it is the lamest call to action ever! Many businesses, hoping they can get clients on board, usually approach them in a very cautious manner, but that cautiousness gets often mixed up with passiveness, and their emails end up being pretty uninviting and bleak. Some people don't have the time to ring and ask questions. Most don't have the time to take your call, but if they see an email that is crystal clear, that tells you what the actual next step in the process is, a good percentage of people will actually start to take it. Today, I'm going to tell you what you should write instead to instantly increase your chances of success. This is a really quick and easy change you can do to get the right people on board. Although this may be a simple tweak, if you start doing it on a regular basis, it adds up at the end of the year. This easy adjustment could cause a 10, or a 20, or even a 30% shift in the amount of people that will actually buy from you, just by putting a simple and effective call to action in the tail end of your email. Listen to this short episode to know how to do it. I've been doing it for some years, and I've taught many businesses to do it, they've seen a shift in their results and so have I, so, you should definitely start using this on the next proposals or quotes you send out. To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide. Inside you'll get word-for-word email follow-up templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.
Title: Chosen with a Purpose Part 1 Text: I Peter 2:4-10 FCF: We often struggle with having too shallow a view of our great salvation. Prop: Because God gives honor to His Son and those united to Him, we must proclaim and praise the Lord for the fullness of our great salvation. Scripture Intro: CSB [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to I Peter chapter 2. Last week Peter used a metaphor designed to help us understand our relationship to our God. It was challenging, but you were able to follow me through all that unscathed. This week, Peter will change that metaphor to communicate a different truth about our relationship to Christ. It is a core truth – but one that I can't help but marvel at every time I think about it. I can't wait to share it with you. So let's start reading in verse 4 of chapter 2. I am reading from the CSB today but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1365 or in whatever version you prefer. Transition: What a marvelous Christmas message we have today. It may not look like it after reading our text – but it is. It truly is. So let's get to it. Before we hop in I want to warn you that there are a few Old Testament passages that I am going to be referencing in the sermon today. We will not go back and read them. So take down those references so you can refer back to them later in the week. I.) God gives honor to His Son and those united to Him, so we must proclaim the fullness of our great salvation (4-6) a. [Slide 2] 4 –As you come to him, i. Peter just talked about how his audience must apply the truth of God being at the center and doing all in their salvation and how that prompts them to respond. They must set their hope in future grace, be holy like God out of fear and reverence for Him, love one another sincerely from a pure heart, and yearn for the pure spiritual nourishment only God can provide. ii. And then he says, by doing that, by tasting of Him and seeing that He is good and being nourished by Him– he grows them up in their salvation. Well, what does that look like? iii. That is exactly where Peter is going here. What does it mean to be nourished by God to the extent that we are grown up to our salvation? iv. But before he answers that question, he wants to speak about the one to which we are coming. Specifically, he wants to alter the metaphor. When last we saw God, or Christ, he was a nursing mother. This metaphor will not fit with where he is going next so he must alter it. b. [Slide 3] A living stone - rejected by people but chosen and honored by God - i. In our introduction to I Peter we noted that Peter quotes the Old Testament directly 15 times in 5 chapters. He also alludes to the Old Testament many times, but since they are not direct quotes it is difficult to know for sure if they are allusions or just scriptural sayings. ii. In the text this morning there are 4 direct quotes and several more allusions to the Old Testament. iii. The first of these, although not until verse 6, is anticipated here as Peter compares God, and specifically Jesus, to a living stone. iv. What specifically he calls to the attention of his audience is that this living stone was rejected by people or by mankind. v. This theme will continue to crop up in I Peter. Jesus was rejected. vi. Peter's audience is being rejected by people too – so they ought not think that something is wrong. Indeed, if they are united to Christ – they ought to expect to be rejected too. vii. Not only did people reject Christ, but all people including his audience once rejected Him. They too lived as people far from Him. viii. But God chose and honored this living stone. ix. This too is a theme that Peter is building. God did not reject Christ and all those who are united to Christ by faith will likewise not be rejected by God. x. So, Peter says that as you come to this living stone who was rejected by people but honored by God, something happens…. What? xi. Well before we get there, Peter wants to make one more little point with huge significance. c. [Slide 4] 5 – you yourselves, as living stones, i. First, let's notice the statement Peter makes about his audience. ii. They are living stones. iii. This statement should immediately give us pause. Who did Peter just say was also a living stone? Christ. Jesus and His people are living stones – together. iv. And as God's people come to Christ to be sustained and grown, this Christ who was rejected by everyone but honored by God, these living stones – what? v. What does you, yourselves mean? vi. Friends it means that his audience is seen in the same category. They also are rejected by men and chosen and honored in God's sight. vii. Men will hate you – But God has honored you with His Son! viii. And what happens when these living stones come together? d. [Slide 5] A spiritual house, are being built i. They unite to form something. ii. A spiritual house. What does this mean? iii. Well, the word house has some ambiguity. Sometimes it means a building, palace, or temple. Contextually we see Peter laying the groundwork for that meaning. iv. However, it can also refer to household in the sense of a family. v. It is very difficult to know to which Peter is referring. Clearly the imagery of living stones coming together and the building metaphor which will continue, would suggest he means this as a temple. vi. But Peter continues and shows purpose of our being built with Christ into a spiritual house… e. [Slide 6] To be a holy priesthood i. The temple imagery collides with the imagery of the family. ii. As we know the priesthood of the Old Covenant was under 1 family. The Levites and specifically after the order of Aaron. iii. The priests always acted as the go between of God and men. iv. Which means that in some way, Christ and these living stones have become a priesthood for the nations. f. [Slide 7] To offer spiritual sacrifices i. Offering spiritual sacrifices again points to a family in that Aaron's line did this and only Aaron's line could go into the holy of holies to offer sacrifice for the nation of Israel. ii. Yet where did they do this but the temple? iii. And so, I think there is an intentional double meaning by Peter. He is using the imagery of stone to point out that God's house, His temple is no longer with made with quarried stone but with Christ and His people. iv. But as His people come together, they also form a priestly line whereby they offer sacrifices to God. Not sacrifices of sheep and goats, but their own bodies they offer as living sacrifices. The people of God, those joined to Christ are simultaneously the temple, the priests, and the sacrifices in this context. v. But how can this be? vi. How can Peter's audience form a temple that is stable enough for God to dwell in? vii. How can Peter's audience be a priestly line if they are not of Aaron? viii. How can Peter's audience be a worthy sacrifice to God since they are supposed to be without blemish? g. [Slide 8] Acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. i. Christ is the stone on which all others are laid. ii. Christ is the head of a new priestly order. iii. Christ is the sacrificial lamb satisfying forever the need for atoning sacrifice. And giving us a way to offer up ourselves as living sacrifices in thanksgiving and devotion to our God for His goodness. h. [Slide 9] 6 – For it stands in scripture i. Now Peter will prove that all this is true by quoting from the scriptures. ii. He is saying that all those who have tasted the kindness of God and continue to come to Him for sustenance and growth are built into His holy temple, become His holy priesthood, and offer themselves as spiritual sacrifices that are accepted by God because of Christ. iii. How do we know that is true? i. [Slide 10] See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and honored cornerstone i. This is a quote from Isaiah 28, in which the prophet Isaiah tells Jerusalem that she cannot hide from God's judgment. ii. In the midst of that, God offers hope in a stone that he will lay down in Jerusalem. A stone that will provide stability. An honored cornerstone in the foundation. iii. Although unclear to Jewish interpreters – certainly Peter sees this as fulfilled in Christ. Probably because Christ told him directly that He fulfilled this prophesy. j. [Slide 11] And the one who believes in him will never be put to shame. i. Continuing in quotation from Isaiah, God predicts that as long as one trusts on this stone, this foundation, then he will not be put to shame. ii. Peter is saying that the one coming to this Christ for sustenance and growth will never be shamed. They may be shamed by men – but to God, they will be a choice and honored stone, just like the cornerstone on which they rest. k. [Slide 12] Passage Truth: So, Peter reminds his audience that their salvation that they are being grown to is not simply forgiveness from sin. Rather it is so that they can join with Christ to be a temple, a priesthood, offering sacrifices. Connecting the rest of the world to God. l. [Slide 13] Passage Application: So, what is his audience to do with this? We don't know yet. Peter hasn't said. And here is the tricky part for me as your pastor… Peter isn't going to say what his audience is to do with this until verse 11. We could look ahead, but I kinda want to save all that for next week. That is why it is a 2-part sermon. So, for Peter's audience we'll have to wait till next week. m. [Slide 14] Broader Biblical Truth: How does Peter's reminder fit into the whole canon of scripture? It speaks to the intricacy of prophesy and the magnitude of the plan of God. As an Israelite, in the tribe of Judah, with the Northern kingdom all but gone, and the Lord's judgement bellowing down on us through His prophets, it would have been difficult to imagine a time where God's redemption would have been this big and this great. It is more than they could have ever hoped for. That His people will truly be His people. His possession. His priests. His temple. What a mystery. And now, as New Covenant believers, we see and understand the magnitude of God's redemption. And what a responsibility as a kingdom of priests, connecting the world to this great God. Announcing to them His law, His ways, His grace, by preaching it and by living it before them. n. [Slide 15] Broader Biblical Application: So, CBC, since we don't yet know how Peter is going to apply these truths, let me take a moment to rebuke our shallow view of salvation. Yes, Jesus died for our sins. Yes, Jesus atoned for us. Yes, he made a way for us to connect to our God. But He also is not satisfied with only that. In fact, that was the necessary starting point to grow us up to the salvation that He wants for us. As we preach the gospel to each other and to the world – we must start with the bad news, we must move on to the good news of redemption, but we cannot stop even there. Conversion is not where God stops and it is not where God commands us to stop either. Until we all grow up into the full stature of Christ. That is the end of ministry. That is the end of the function of the church. Until we are built up into the temple of God, the priesthood of God, and offering living sacrifices accepted through Christ. Transition: [Slide 16 (blank)] So God united us to Christ. We are living stones like He is the living stone. He is chosen and honored and all those who believe on Him – will not be ashamed. Well, that is cool. But… so what? What does that mean? What are the implications of that? II.) God gives honor to His Son and those united to Him, so we must praise God for His great salvation. (7-10) a. [Slide 17] 7 – So honor will come to you who believe, i. Peter is setting up a dichotomy here. ii. What does that word mean? Well, he is speaking in reference to two kinds of people. Really since chapter 1 he has been doing this but now the differences are being highlighted. iii. He has just got done describing one group of people who come to Christ to be spiritually sustained, and in so doing they are like living stones laid on the foundation of Christ. They are like a new priestly order set apart to connect people to God. They are to offer spiritual and living sacrifices, their lives, to the Lord. And all this is acceptable because of what Christ has done. iv. This was prophesied hundreds of years before Peter wrote these words. v. And to those who believe, to those who are trusting and are depending on Christ and Christ alone, to those who come to Him for nourishment, to those who know He is good because they have tasted of Him – to those kinds of people and those kinds of people only – They are not put to shame for relying on this cornerstone. vi. Instead, they will receive honor. In fact, they will receive the same honor that comes to the one on whom they rest. The same honor of the one who is the head of their priestly line. The same honor that goes to the one who laid down His own life as a sacrifice. vii. What a glorious promise here. viii. We will not be put to shame. Indeed, we will receive honor if we are believing on this living stone. ix. But what about those who are not believing ones? b. [Slide 18] But for the unbelieving, the stone that the builders rejected - this one has become the cornerstone, 8 – and a stone to stumble over and a rock to trip over. i. Those who are not believing ones receive the shame withheld from those who believe. ii. They do not see the choiceness and honor that God has given to this stone. iii. Instead, they reject the stone. iv. The last part of this verse is quoted from two texts. Psalm 118:22 and Isaiah 8:14. v. The Psalmist describes a time that the Lord delivered him from his enemies. In that context the psalmist describes himself as a stone that was rejected by his enemies but was rescued and used of God anyway. vi. You can vividly see the exact correlation to Peter's audience. They too are rejected by men, but God is using them anyway… and he is using them toward those who rejected them. vii. The word cornerstone is literally “the head of the corner.” So, it is difficult to know whether this is talking about a capstone which would be the last stone fitted into a building or the cornerstone or guide stone which would be the first stone set down. Broadly, there is little difference. Perhaps there is a subtle change from Peter indicating that those who do not believe have succumbed to the dangerous heresy of looking for Christ + something. They do not see the choiceness and honor of Christ in that they are looking to add something else to Him. viii. So not only do they reject this stone, but also it is a stumbling stone or a rock to trip over or a rock of offense to them. ix. This is drawn from Isaiah chapter 8:14. 1. God warns Isaiah that there will be conspiracy theories floating around and great terrors and he warns Isaiah not to fear like the people. Instead, he is to announce the faithful message- that God is sovereign over all. He is the one to fear, respect, and He will be a sanctuary or a safety for those who fear and respect Him… 2. But… 3. He will also be a stone to make one trip, a rock that makes one stumble. To the two houses of Israel (The Northern and Southern Kingdoms) He will become a snare and a trap. Many will stumble over this great stone and the rock and they will fall into a pit, into a trap, and the rock will crush them. x. And so, the quote from Isaiah reinserted back into I Peter tells us that although those who are believing ones enjoy the honor of Christ – those who are not believing ones not only do not receive honor, but He becomes the object that brings their doom. He makes them trip, fall, and be seriously harmed. He will be the instrument of their great shame. xi. As if it isn't obvious, honor and shame in this context refer to eternal life and eternal death. xii. But why would they trip over Christ? Why would they not see Him the way God does, as a choice and honorable cornerstone? c. [Slide 19] They stumble because they disobey the word, i. Because they love their sin. ii. Because they have no care to try to keep the whole law or lie to themselves to think they can. iii. Ultimately speaking – any who are not believers, are lawbreakers. They disobey God's law and word. And because they disobey – they cannot see any value or honor in Christ. iv. A cornerstone serves as a guide and a capstone a finish on a built structure. If the cornerstone goes a direction or at an angle you don't want to build toward, or a capstone is placed and the walls are not able to meet it – it shows that you have made a mistake and one of fairly grand proportions. A mistake that will cost time, money, and energy to correct. A mistake that possibly, could ruin you. v. That is why Jesus is rejected by people who do not believe. That is why they stumble over Him. Because He does not fit with the house they are building. Whether Jew or Gentile, Jesus does not fit with any who are not believing ones. d. [Slide 20] They were destined for this. i. As you might imagine, this is a fairly challenging little phrase that Peter puts here. So why don't we just skip it.
Presumably, the precincts of history were seemingly punctuated with Timelines. Contextually speaking this lens when use as a rhetorical device had the capacity to capture and frame a sequence of events between the periods 1966 to 2021 regarding the evolution of culture within Barbados' historical space. The same was seemingly juxtaposed against the theory "the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events". That said as an Author, Cinematographer, Media Arts Specialist, License Cultural Practitioner, Podcaster and Publisher I am au fait with this phrase because I have applied Timelines theoretically and practically in two different ways during my academic tenure in pursuance of a bachelors degree in Media Arts at New Jersey City University.On this occasion it is applied in this conversation TIMELINES A WAY OF LIFE © 2021 ISBN 978-976-96768-9-3 will be captured and framed in19 chapters in publication 245 and verbalized in Podcast 133 .WORKS CITEDAfghanistan: The United Nations currently recognizes the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as the government of Afghanistan instead of the de facto ruling govern-ment, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.Ali, Arif (1997). Barbados: Just Beyond Your Imagina-tion. Hansib Publishing (Caribbean) Ltd. pp. 46, 48. ISBN 1-870518-54-3.The Vatican is an elective absolute monarchy and a Roman Catholic theocracy; its monarch, the Pope, is the head of the global Roman Catholic Church. His power within the Vatican City State is unlimited by any con-stitution; however, as all its citizens and its resi-dents are ordained Catholic clergy, members of the Swiss Guard, or their immediate family, they arguably have consented to obey the Pope or are minors. (Citi-zenship is jus officii, on the grounds of appointment to work in a certain capacity in the service of the Ho-ly See and usually ceases upon cessation of the ap-pointment. Citizenship is also extended to the spouse and children of a citizen, provided they are living to-gether in the city; in practice, these are few in num-ber, since the bulk of Vatican citizens are celibate Catholic clerics or religious. Some individuals are al-so authorized to reside in the city but do not qualify or choose not to request citizenship.)[37]AXSES Systems Caribbean Inc., The Barbados Tourism En-cyclopaedia". Barbados.org. 8 February 2007. Archived from the original on 16 January 2000. Retrieved 4 July 2010Barbados Parliament Bills Archive". www.barbadosparliament.com. Retrieved 8 October 2021. Barbados to become a parliamentary republic by Novem-ber 30". Loop News. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.Do it the democratic way". Barbados Today. 29 August 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.Drewett, Peter (1991). Prehistoric Barbados. Barbados Museum and Historical Society. ISBN 1-873132-15-8. https://www.nationnews.com/2021/11/30/atherley-continue-seek-new-levels-achievement/https://www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › timelinehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_system_of_government https://www.washingtonpost.com › world ›Karl Watson, The Civil War in Barbados Archived 2 De-cember 2010 at the Wayback Machine, History in-depth, BBC, 5 November 2009.Robertson, Nic; Kohzad, Nilly; Lister, Tim; Regan, Helen (6 September 2021). "Taliban claims victory in Panjshir, but resistance forces say they still control strategic position in the valley". CNN. Retrieved 6 September 2021."Britannica Encyclopaedia: History of Barbados". Bri-tannica.com. Archived from the original on 13 September 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2010."DLP President calls for a referendum". Barbados Advo-cate. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 7 OSupport the show (http://www.buzzsprout.com/429292)
Podcast 132Culture As A Determination Of Happiness A Way Of LifeVol.1 Copyright 2021 ISBN 978-976-96768-7-9.mp3CULTURE AS A DETERMINATION OF HAPPINESS A WAY OF LIFE© 2021 VOLUME 1 is as an abstract statement captured and framed in 18 chapters in publication 244 ISBN 978-976-96768-7-9 and verbalised in Podcast 132.Contextually and metaphorically speaking in every cultural geographical space it is often assumed that Culture is viewed as A Determination of Happiness. Succinctly put this assessment seems reasonable especially when the same is viewed through several theoretical lenses such as Contextualism, Culture, Texture and Thick Description Culture, as A Determination of Happiness. The same is perceived as cognitive. In this environment because of the nature of these lens I am better able to frame, capture and navigate this conversation Culture as A Determination of Happiness. This ethos becomes an unconscious process like a habit and intuition which can be interpreted as cultural learning and personal evolution. In the context of the discipline of photography and digital media as an Author, Cinematographer, Media Arts Specialists' License Cultural Practitioner, Podcaster and Publisher, I am fully conversant with the fact that a lens is a tool used to bring light to a fixed focal point. For example, in a film camera, the lens sends the light to the film strip, while in a digital camera (like DSLRs or mirror less cameras), the lens directs light to a digital sensor.Culture As A Determination Of Happiness © 2021 VOL.1 ISBN 978-976-96768-7-9Was filmed by William Anderson Gittens of Devgro Media Arts Services®2015On Location Regarding The following-Hibiscus, Brownes BeachChrist ChurchCodrington CollegeHackleton's CliffSaint Andrew's Parish ChurchSaint AndrewSaint JamesSaint JohnSaint MichaelThorsbySpecial thanks to the Creator for his guidance and choosing me as a conduit to express the creative gifts he has given me and my late parents Charles and Ira Gittens. Thanks to those who assisted me along this journey namely my Beloved wife Magnola Gittens, my Brothers Shurland, Charles, Ricardo, Arnott, Stephen, Sisters Emerald, Marcella, Cheryl, Cousins Joy Mayers, Kevin and Ernest Mayers, Donna Archer, Avis Dyer, Jackie Clarke, Uncles Clifford, Leonard Mayers, David Bruce, Collin Rock. My children Laron and Lisa. Well-wishers Mr.and Mrs. Andrew Platizky, Mr. Matthew Sutton, Mr.& Mrs. Gordon Alleyne, Mr. Juan Arroyo, Mr. and Mrs. David Lavine, Mrs. Ellen Gordon, Dr.Nicholas Gordon, the late Dr.Joseph Drew, Merline Mayers, Mr. and Mrs. Trevor Millington, Rev. Dr. Scofield Eversley and Rev. Dr. Margaret Eversley, Rev. & Mrs. Donavon Shoemaker, Rev. & Mrs. Clayton Springer, Ms. Geraldine Davis, Rev.Carl and Rev Angie Dixon, Mr. David Brathwaite,Mrs. Zenda Phillips,Mrs. Gloria Rock, Rev.Pauline Harewood, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Russell, Mrs. Shirley Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Felton Ince, Mr. and Mrs. David Brathwaite, Mr.and Mrs. Ryan Miller Mr.and Mrs. Neilo Mascoll, Rev. Zenda Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Quintyne, Special mentioned is given to Dr. Joseph Drew was my advisor, mentor, and teacher during my academic tenure as a Media Arts Major at New Jersey City University (NJCU). The focus of our parting conversation was about me honing my writing skills after I had graduated and returned to Barbados. Between the period 1995 to 2021, I have discovered that the more that I practice this leisure pursuit profession it seemed to be infectious among other nuances. The other elements such as beiSupport the show (http://www.buzzsprout.com/429292)
Dr Ramafikeng is the current President of the Occupational Therapy in Africa Regional Group (OTARG), elected in 2019. She worked as an occupational therapist in mental health practice in Lesotho before joining the University of Cape Town. She is a Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Programme Convenor in the Division of Occupational Therapy and serves on several committees within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town: one of them being the Steering Committee for Global Surgery. Her areas of expertise include teaching for diversity, providing academic support in higher education, and design and delivery of occupational therapy curriculum that is contextually relevant. She is an early career researcher having obtained her Ph.D. from UCT in 2018 and she teaches and supervises research at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In this episode, she takes us through her journey as a young girl in Lesotho with a dream of becoming a neurosurgeon to eventually studying Occupational Therapy (OT), working at UCT, and her new appointment at Essex University in London. She unpacks her passion for making OT curricular contextually relevant for black students so that they progress through their studies. Matumo explains how self-respect, integrity, and education have shaped the woman that she is today. Finally, she speaks about her lessons about OT in Africa and the future that lies ahead of us. We love to hear from you. Please don't forget to follow and rate us on your platform podcast of choice and engage with us on Instagram @Occupationalperspectives/ https://www.instagram.com/occupationalperspectives/. You can forward all suggestions to occupationalperspectives@gmail.com
I know...dumb question...right? Of course you want to be great. In this episode we travel back to the Gospel of Mark9: 33-37 to talk about this very subject. Contextually, the disciples were arguing over who was the greatest among them. It's an interesting thought to even ask ourselves. Do I really want to be great? Is that okay for me, as a Christian, to want? What is greatness? Just a few of the ideas we discuss in this episode. And perhaps the most important idea of all: What did Jesus have to say?Grab your coffee and join me.Resources:Get your FREE .mp3 of "How to Pick the Right Bible for You."Get your FREE set of "Towardations," by visiting my website. Get your FREE set of "7 Keys to Making Better Choices."To support this show with a small gift, visit Patreon. To Check out my digital course, "How to Handle Conflict and get Resolutions in your Relationships."Visit www.jkeithbrown.com and look at the top of the landing page to grab your FREE copy of this .pdf worksheet. Then, simply go through the steps and you will be better interpreting Scripture immediately. If you need more help, consider joining one of my Rainbow Champions group coaching journey. I think we all suffer stress in the crazy days. I wanted to offer you a FREE copy of my Create Your Calm guided meditation. Just click HERE to grab your copy.
A Reply to the Texas District Paper on Internet Communion Here is the video of the recent three-martini Texas District convention. Someone shared this with me as a chance to respond to the “Bible Study” that begins at roughly 1:09 and ends at 2:04. The official title is “The Church in a Post-Covid World,” but that's not really what it is about. It is, in fact, an advocacy and apologia for “internet communion.” The presenter is the Rev. Zach McIntosh of Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio. He seems like a nice, bright guy. And I have to say that I like the fact that he's a McIntosh. His Highlander ancestors probably fought with mine in the wars of Scottish independence with a confederation known as the Clan of Cats. I have to give him props for that, especially as we Celts are dreadfully outnumbered by Germans in our synod. Having said that, the cuisine in Texas and Louisiana beat anything cooked up by Scots or Germans. That said, I have to give him a demerit for lecturing about Holy Communion (part of his argument for internet communion is the profound importance of the Holy Sacrament) given that his congregation only celebrates it on the first Sunday of the month. I cannot even grasp it. Not counting holidays, that's twelve times a year. That sounds like starvation rations to me. My little congregation offers the Holy Sacrament more than a hundred times a year. Perhaps Pastor McIntosh can give a presentation to his own congregation on Article 24 and the importance of the Holy Eucharist and its frequent reception. I notice that other advocates of home-internet communion tend to be pastors of churches that practice infrequent communion. I have no explanation for this. All that said, Pastor McIntosh is open and honest that this is indeed a position paper more than a Bible Study. He presents it based on four “theses.” A thesis is part of an argument. And during the course of his talk, he openly admits that the real question behind the paper, that is the real thesis statement is: “Is it possible for a local church to rightly participate together in a livestreamed Word and Sacrament service while remaining in their individual homes?” And he is open about his answer: Yes, he is “sympathetic” to the idea of a livestreamed “Word and Sacrament” service. He also admits that the service of the Word is not really problematic, but the service of the Sacrament is the actual controversial issue. And that it is. His four theses are: The Church is Invisible. The Church is Confessional. The Church is Inter-Spatial. The Church is Fraternal. The Church is Invisible This is really nothing more than the assertion that faith is invisible. He cites Eph 5:33, AC 7&8, he quotes Luther using the term “invisible,” and cites 1 Cor 6:19 and 1 Pet 2:5. The Church is Confessional He explains the development of the ecumenical creeds and the Lutheran confessions. He argues that although the Bible, Creeds, and Confessions never address remote electronic worship, we can use these resources to discern whether we should or should not make use of such technology. One statement that he makes is “There was no Mass when the New Testament was written.” This is simply untrue. Jesus established the Lord's Supper “on the night when He was betrayed.” St. Paul, in 1 Cor 11, explains that the Words of Institution were already a tradition that was handed over to him when he was writing the letter in about 55 AD. Indeed, the Sacrament of the Altar was being celebrated by the apostles on a weekly basis very early on, according to Acts 2:42, when none of the New Testament had even yet been written. Pastor McIntosh refers to this very verse later on. This thesis that “The Church is Confessional” is really just a premise to use the confessions to make arguments regarding administration of the Sacrament. For some reason, he omitted the longest treatment of the Divine Service and Holy Communion in the Book of Concord: Article 24 in the Augsburg Confession and the Apology. The Church is Inter-Spatial This is where the rubber meets the road, as they used to say in Akron, Ohio. This word “inter-spatial” is a neologism coined by the presenter just to make the obvious point that the Church is both universal and local. He addresses the universality of the Church by appealing to the Una Sancta of the Nicene Creed. More accurately, the Church is “catholic.” The word “Universal” is a weak translation of καθολικός, which comes from two words: κατά (kata - according to) and ὅλος (holos - the whole). Catholicity not only means that the Church is more than simply the local congregation, it means that the Church is una owing to a wholesomeness and fullness of doctrine. And it is ironic that he should appeal to the Church's catholicity to argue for communion celebrated by either laymen speaking the verba, or the remote words of a pastor who is not present for the consecration. This is as un-catholic as you can get. It is sectarian, as no historic communion that confesses the Real Presence ever had, or has, practiced this, or confessed a doctrine that allows it. Pastor McIntosh points out the both/and nature of the universality and the locality of the Church by comparing it to an interstate highway that is both within states, and crosses state lines. I think this illustration betrays him, as we are talking about roads that actually exist in space and time. You cannot be on Interstate-10 and not exist somewhere physically. If I'm in a Zoom session in Iowa, then I'm not on I-10. Roads are incarnational. The fact that the road is in California doesn't negate the fact that when I'm driving to Baton Rouge, I'm in Louisiana. He uses the term “ecclesiis sanctorum” from Jerome's Latin of 1 Cor 14:33. He translates this as “multiple churches with many holy ones.” “Sanctorum” is a genitive plural. It is better translated as “churches of the saints,” as does the ESV. Of course, there are multiple churches in the sense of local congregations, even as there is one holy catholic and apostolic Church (una sancta). This reality has nothing to do with internet communion. He tries to argue for internet communion based on Acts 4:42, 46-47 - “breaking bread in their homes.” Of course, prior to Constantine, nearly all Christian worship was conducted in homes. There is no indication that these services were lay-led, or that the pastors somehow conducted services from afar, perhaps by epistle or messenger or carrier pigeon. And local churches meet in homes to this very day, including parishes of our sister church body, the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church. I visited one such congregation in 2015, with a Divine Service held in a parishioner's apartment. But the Mass was officiated by ordained clergymen who drove a long way to lead the service. It would be unthinkable to our sister church body to conduct a Divine Service over Zoom, or to just have the laity speak the verba over bread and wine themselves - in spite of the reality that it takes a lot of time and money to physically travel. And it was the same way in the LCMS's frontier days. Pastor McIntosh cites Luther giving assent to meeting “alone in a house somewhere… to baptize and to receive the sacrament” (AE:53:63-64). But the larger context is not lay-led communion or allowing pastors to somehow consecrate from afar. This quotation comes from The German Mass and Order of Service (1526). In it, Luther identifies three types of “divine service or mass.” The first is the Evangelical Latin Mass, to be used in a parochial setting where the people speak Latin. The second is the German Mass, which is to be used for “untrained lay folk” who do not speak Latin. And then there is the “third kind of service,” which: should be a truly evangelical order and should not be held in a public place for all sorts of people. But those who want to be Christians in earnest and who profess the gospel with hand and mouth should sign their names and meet alone in a house somewhere to pray, to read, to baptize, to receive the sacrament, and to do other Christian works. According to this order, those who do not lead Christian lives should be known, reproved, corrected, cast out, or excommunicated, according to the rule of Christ, Matthew 18. Here one could also solicit benevolent gifts to be willingly given and distributed to the poor, according to St. Paul's example, II Corinthians 9. Here would be no need for much and elaborate singing. Here one could set up a brief and neat order for baptism and the sacrament and center everything on the Word, prayer, and love. Here one would need a good short catechism on the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Our Father. Nowhere does Luther advocate lay-led or remotely-led clerical ministry of Sacraments. He is describing a house-church - obviously where there is no Evangelical parish church to attend. This was certainly the case in many places during the Reformation. Luther is describing what we would call today, a “church plant,” and avers that “the rules and regulations would soon be ready.” In fact, Luther goes on to say that church planting is not his particular thing, but “if I should be requested to do it, and could not refuse with a good conscience, I should gladly do my part and help as best I can.” He adds, “In the meanwhile, the two above-mentioned orders of service [i.e. the Latin and German parochial Masses] must suffice.” He also warns of the risks of such a church, that care should be taken lest it “turn into a sect.” Pastor McIntosh does finally admit the real crux of the problem: “There's not a pastor there.” So how does a pastor give care and oversight when he's not in the same room? He acknowledges the limits of pastoral care even in the same room, such as the pastor's inability to know about all people who should be excluded from the Christian congregation because of wickedness. He points to St. Paul's giving pastoral care remotely. And here, I think Pastor McIntosh sinks his own boat. Giving remote pastoral care is nothing new. But let's consider how technology has or has not been used. We have audio and video livestreaming today, but we have had the ability to send remote visual and audio images over the air since the 1940s. The LCMS was actually a pioneer in television programming. But no one in decades past, in the Golden Age of television, ever encouraged people at home in the viewing audience to put bread and wine on a TV tray while a televised pastor “teleconsecrated” the elements. There were services for shut-ins, but no suggestion of some kind of “private Mass” with “home communion” over the airwaves. And before TV, we had radio, the technology of which predates the 20th century. And yet not even during World War I and the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic was anyone suggesting the use of the pastor's transmitted radio voice to “teleconsecrate” remote elements. Before radio was the telephone. And even before the telephone, dating back to 1844, Samuel Morse found a way to encode words over telegraph lines. And again, not even in remote frontier locations did anyone even dream of having a pastor send a consecratory telegram or phone in the Words of Institution. And long before electronic communication, we had pen and ink technology and mail delivery. And this is where Pastor McIntosh defeats his own argument. St. Paul indeed provided pastoral care remotely by means of epistles. But not even in 1 Cor 11 does the apostle ask that the verba be read by a layman over bread and wine outside of the pastor's sight and control. Rather, Paul preaches the Word and gives catechetical instruction in writing. Baptisms and Eucharists were conducted by “elders” (presbyters) who were appointed for pastoral service in the local churches. The Church is Fraternal Pastor McIntosh's last thesis has nothing to do with the argument other than to try to prevent argument. He uses AC 26:44 “Diversity does not violate the unity of the Church” to argue that whether one uses internet communion or not, this doesn't affect our unity. He said, “False doctrine, yeah, that's a problem… but not every diverse practice is evidence of doctrinal disagreement.” And that is true. But it is equally true that not every expression of diversity is evidence of correct doctrine. He should not assume that internet communion is as indifferent as the color of the walls in the parish hall. We are dealing with the consecration of the elements. That is not a matter of “anything goes.” Contextually, Article 26 is dealing with diversity in fasting practices, not with consecrating the elements. This is a very different matter. In his conclusion, Pastor McIntosh says, “It's so important to continue to offer, whether it's in a cathedral or in a condo, the gifts of God to the people of God” [including] “the reception of the sacraments.” Yes, this is true. And parish pastors typically celebrate Masses in church buildings on Sundays, and often during the week at hospital beds for patients and at kitchen or living room tables for shut-ins. Yes, we do this both “in the cathedral and in the condo,” so to speak. But the point is that we pastors celebrate and consecrate, we preach, baptize, and absolve as circumstances dictate. We don't just tell the shut-ins to commune themselves. We don't just facetime them and say “magic words” while they hold the phone over bread and wine. That would be to treat the consecration as ex opere operato. Pastor McIntosh's presentation overlooks and omits all of the potential problems of remote consecration - assuming that it is even valid. But let's say that it is valid for the sake of argument. There are unintended consequences. For example, if I'm consecrating at the altar, and I misspeak a word, or get tongue-tied, I can simply repeat the verba. This is what celebrants are instructed to do based on the fact that we have been doing this for nearly two millennia, and stuff happens. But what happens if, unbeknownst to the remote celebrant, the Zoom transmission gets garbled, and the pastor's voice begins to sound like ET on Quaaludes? That happens all the time. So what then? What happens if only part of the verba are heard and the connection drops? What do we tell the viewing audience at home to do with the bread and wine? Are they, or are they not, the body and blood of Christ? It matters. It really does! And how can the pastor be a “steward of the mysteries” while he isn't there? The steward was an ancient office dedicated to table service. The steward could water down a diner's wine if he were getting inebriated, or even cut him off. That's because he is able to watch and listen and make changes based on feedback. Pastors do something similar when they officiate. They may need to consecrate more hosts, or break some in half. They may need to get stingy with the Lord's blood at the last table, or they may need to consecrate more. A theoretical remote communion separates the pastor from his vocation of stewardship. He cannot say what is being consecrated and what is not. In my practice, I count out how many hosts I need and only consecrate those in the paten on the corporal. The rest in the ciborium remain unconsecrated. I consecrate only the wine in the chalice, not every drop in the cruet. So I know what is the Lord's body and blood, and what is not. If I were not in the room, how would I do this? Is the wine in the glasses on the table the only ones consecrated? What about the bottle on the table? If there is a leftover piece of toast from breakfast on the table, is that now consecrated? These are not inconsequential questions. The Eucharist is not do-it-yourself project. Jesus established an office of steward. And how is the reliquiae taken care of afterwards? And if an accidental desecration happens, why should we put the burden on laymen, perhaps miles away, when we pastors are the stewards? And all of the above problems grant the assumption that remote consecration is possible, that this is a valid consecration. One glaring problem is that the pastor's voice never actually comes into contact with the elements. What comes out of a speaker is a simulation of the pastor's voice that fools your brain into thinking that it is his voice - not unlike the RCA Victor dog. In the same way, a Zoom image or a photograph is not actually the person, but is rather a simulation of that person that gives an appearance of that person's presence. Da Vinci's Last Supper is only a painting. It is not really Jesus and the apostles. I argue that because of this reality, it is physically impossible to consecrate the elements remotely. And even if it were possible, it would still open up a Pandora's Box of problems. And this is why we don't tear down Chesterton's Fence. This is why we don't do sectarian things. This is why catholicity is more than just “universality” in the sense that local manifestations of Church are to be found hither and yon. In times past, there have been wars, plagues, tyrannical rulers, and natural disasters that have impeded the ability of pastors to preach and administer Sacraments. We do what we can with our human limitations, and we accept those limitations as part of our humanity - the same humanity that our Lord Jesus Christ took on at His incarnation. Unlike the technocratic Klaus Schwabs of the world, we don't look to transcend those human limitations by means of turning ourselves into transhumanistic cyborgs. The Church is indeed invisible in the sense that faith is not seen by the naked eye. But the Church is also visible, as she gathers around a visible preacher even as faith comes by hearing, heard from someone preaching, one who has been sent (Romans 10). The Church is visible as the administration of the Sacraments is visible, as real, physical bread and wine and water occupy space and time, and we experience them with our bodies by means of our senses. Pastor McIntosh only spoke of the invisible Church, not the visible Church. We must consider both halves of the paradox to get the full picture. The Church is indeed confessional, and our confessions address the question of who is charged with consecrating the elements (AC 14) and how that is to be done (AC 24, Ap 24). The Church is both local and trans-local - as evidenced by the fact that instead of a single temple, we have altars all over the world with the miraculous presence of God resting on them. And Holy Communion is not called “the Sacrament of the Altar” by our confessions for nothing. The elements are consecrated by the Word by means of one authorized to proclaim that Word - not just any person, and not by a simulacrum of a pastor's voice. And indeed, the Church is fraternal. It is an act of fratricide to introduce a divisive, sectarian, ahistorical practice in the Church that leaves people in doubt and scandalized, not to mention leaving behind a host of other chaotic consequences in its wake. At the conclusion of Pastor McIntosh's “Bible Study,” President Newman pointed out that there just so happened to be resolutions pertaining to internet communion yet to be voted on by the body, and that the CTCR and seminary faculties have already weighed in. And to my knowledge, none of them agree with Pastor McIntosh and President Newman that this practice should be done in our churches. Hopefully, this whole uproar about internet communion will be nothing more than an eyebrow-raising little episode in LCMS history that future generations will find quaint when they read about the synod's 21st century history. And in the short term, I hope that our synod will find some way, even with our convoluted polity, to enforce biblical, confessional, and catholic doctrine and practice, and facilitate the restoration of a genuine Eucharistic piety and of yearning for its frequent reception in our churches, an ethos that would make internet communion - not to mention the practice of churches withholding the Sacrament of the Altar for three weeks out of the month - unthinkable.
Visit http://JohnBlakeAudio.com to Learn How to DOUBLE Your Enquiry-to-Sale Conversion with The Lead Flow You Already Have. Emails are a very powerful way to grow your business. Contextually what we're talking about is to put pen to paper on some kind of recommendation; maybe a proposal for something, or a quote for a particular product or a particular service and send it to a potential client. The biggest mistake I see people make is this. They attach the proposal or the quote, they send it through, and at the bottom of the email they write, “If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.” Why is this a huge mistake? Because it is the lamest call to action ever! Many businesses, hoping they can get clients on board, usually approach them in a very cautious manner, but that cautiousness gets often mixed up with passiveness, and their emails end up being pretty uninviting and bleak. Some people don't have the time to ring and ask questions. Most don't have the time to take your call, but if they see an email that is crystal clear, that tells you what the actual next step in the process is, a good percentage of people will actually start to take it. Today, I'm going to tell you what you should write instead to instantly increase your chances of success. This is a really quick and easy change you can do to get the right people on board. Although this may be a simple tweak, if you start doing it on a regular basis, it adds up at the end of the year. This easy adjustment could cause a 10, or a 20, or even a 30% shift in the amount of people that will actually buy from you, just by putting a simple and effective call to action in the tail end of your email. Listen to this short episode to know how to do it. I've been doing it for some years, and I've taught many businesses to do it, they've seen a shift in their results and so have I, so, you should definitely start using this on the next proposals or quotes you send out. To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide. Inside you'll get word-for-word email follow-up templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.
On June 27, Pastor Ken concludes his mini-series on self-examination, focusing on Hebrews 12:1-2. QUESTION #5 - Is Jesus the true orientation of your life, or have you reduced Him to only one expression of your life's commitments? Hebrews 12:2, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Contextually – how do we fix our eyes? - Let's go back one verse for some context. Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Symbolically - “run with perseverance” – the narrative of an athlete Practically - We keep our eyes fixed on the One who is our goal (no room for competing allegiances) Questions Review: Q1 - Are you seeking God with all your heart? Q2 - Which best defines your life: striving to be like Christ or being in Christ? Q3 - Are you spiritually hungry and thirsty, or are you easily satisfied with brief moments of religious involvement? Q4 - Are you as privately committed to Jesus as much as it appears you are publicly. Q5 – Is Jesus the true orientation of your life, or have you reduced Him to only one expression of your life's commitments? Summary question - Which perspective do you live by most: going to church or being the church?
Improving Communication With Marlise van der Merwe G'day everyone out there. You might be wondering what we're going to be talking about today. Funny enough, it's exactly that: communication. We're going to be talking about talking and body communication, verbal communication and the right time to communicate, how to communicate in business and why it's important. We've got Marlise van der Merwe from the Alternative Board, and she's going to be talking about exactly that. Get more tips on how to improve your communication at dorksdelivered.com.au Why is communication in business important? Why is communication in business important and how does it vary? Marlise: Communication is a process and you have to consider the message you want to send to your audience as well as the different listening styles because different people communicate differently and they have a preference to be communicated to. Some people like more details. Some people would like the communication to be slower. They need time to process what you're saying and feel safe and have that comfortable, calm feel around them. Some people prefer to read through things and process the material in that way. There are various options on how you can communicate. The important part of it is to consider the intent of the message. What is it that you want to communicate and why? What are the most common communication challenges, and how can you avoid them? I remember many years ago, I was doing a meeting with a business north of Brisbane and I spoke to them at the rate that I normally talk, which is quite quick, people say you must have 15 coffees before you get here and I don't actually drink coffee at all. That's no caffeine doing this. It's just how I talk. At school, I could get in trouble. I needed to slow down with what I was saying, and it feels like I'm going in slow motion sometimes when I'm talking. But I know that for people to listen, people are only hearing a certain amount of what you're actually saying and a lot of that comes down to the body language in the way that you're talking, eye contact, etc. How do you pick the right audience or how do you know what other people are going to be listening to? Like, if you've got ADHD, a lot of the time, you listen or talk really quickly. Other times, if you might be talking to someone who's a country fellow that likes talking a bit slower but just enjoys the conversation and every single word is meaningful, how do you make sure that the words that you're saying have meaning and you're not just dribbling and that while you're talking, you're using the right style for the person that's listening? Marlise: The general rule of thumb is to use easy language at a general age of 15 years old. If a 15-year-old is listening and he or she understands the message, you can use this type of language to communicate with people. Not everybody knows a specific industry talk, the jargon and abbreviations they use. When you use those terms, make sure that you also give a proper explanation of what it means and put it in context. When you're going to talk to people, say, at an old age facility or a specific city, you should do a bit of study of who your audience is—what is the general age, what's the culture, what are the language that's spoken, is English the first language, is it younger generation? Do a bit of research around that region: what's the history like, what technology trends are going in there, what type of firms and technology are they used to. Once you've got a bit of a background regarding that, you can then work on how am I going to send a clear message? What is the best medium to reach them? Would it be an email? Would it be going on one-on-one talks? Would it be broadcast media? Business Communication and Cultural Differences You've touched on a couple of things, including cultural differences, like if you passed your business card to someone in Japan and you handed it with one hand, it would be seen as very disrespectful. Hold it using both hands when passing a business card. Similarly, in a business meeting, the first few minutes are meant to be friendly banter. You don't just start talking about business straight away. When you came to Australia, how did business communication or communication in general change? Has that been a big shift and change for yourself? How did you fit in or make sure that you were doing the right things? Marlise: I'm from South Africa. In general, South African people are pretty straightforward. They will tell you a spade is a spade. When I got here, I had to learn Australian English or the terms and things like, 'No worries' and 'Do you want a cuppa?' I thought, 'cup of what?' Getting used to the terminology was quite interesting. It took about a year to adjust but before coming here, I already started to look out for what certain words mean in Australia. For instance, Brisbane's talk is different from the outback. People use different terms and you pick that up when you talk to people. By being honest and asking, 'What do you mean by that?' helps them to also understand what might be misinterpreted. Australians love to explain or put a story to the meaning of the word. I think in Australia we say 'I blew a thong' and it means you've busted a sandal as opposed to in America mother's would be holding their hands over their child's ears. When I was in Vegas, I said, 'Can I have a jug of beer?' He said, 'What? You want a jug of what? You want to see someone's jugs?' And I said, 'No, no. That's definitely not what I want to see.' I pointed to it and he said, 'Oh, a pitcher of beer.' What are ways to make communication more effective? Contextually, you need to know what it is that you're talking about and who your audience is. Talking in gigaflops and terahertz to someone who is not in the know isn't going to make you look smarter. It's going to make them feel stupid. And that's not necessary. Marlise: Imagine the confusion. A lot of the business communication stuff comes down to not just talking but also the way your marketing is felt. You might talk about marketing in a way that's not recognised by the people. Use Terms That People Will Understand If you're writing about features and benefits or specifications of something, some of the readers might not know why that's important to them. You might be writing it fully as a really passionate business owner, but a lot of the time, you're not your customer. That means that they're not necessarily understanding what you're writing, so they're not going to call you up. Ask for Feedback Effective business communication is very important. How do you know if you've got good communication or you don't? How do you benchmark yourself or how do you do that? Marlise: Get trusted resources. If you know someone that's got a bit of a background, such as culture, or if you can approach someone that can give you a bit more context, go and look up a few people. There's usually someone in your circle. There's always someone that might know someone that you can reach out to and bounce your ideas with. I would say go to an expert in a specific field. If it's communication and you've got a specific message you would like to say to Western Australia, talk to a contact over there and you could be introduced to someone in the marketing space that's been operating there for a few years and that might know the demographics of that area. It's always good to test your message with someone to just get a bit of feedback into the message you want to send and they will give you some input into that. If you've got an important message to share with someone, check it with various people. Check with someone from the Asian culture. Check with someone with South African culture because Australia is so diverse. I read something the other day that the original Australians were like third and fourth generation. There is always be that you could reach out to, and remember to study your target audience. If you're going to do business marketing and you consider doing a radio advert, talk to the radio owners and ask them what your demographics are like. What's your reach and who are your listeners because they know the market quite well. You don't want to talk to the audience in the 45-65 age group in a young language. Utilise Your Target Audience's Platform Do a bit of research on the platform that you want to join. If you're going to talk to teenagers, you might consider talking to them through Snapchat or the newest one that they're talking about: TikTok. Who would have known that Facebook is actually used more by the older generation, like 45 to 65. It depends on who you would want to reach. Consider their platform and the type of users. Some people don't want too many words, and you have to send the same message in different ways. Some people would like to have a bit more explanation of your intent in a certain way. If people want to know a bit more detail, then prepare a message in that regard. If people prefer a short message, do so but with the purpose. Bring that across like in a picture and you will publish that in different areas. I'm going to think of a scenario here and you tell me if I'm right or wrong or if I've missed the mark. Let's say I run a sandwich shop. You could say that everyone's your customer because everyone eats sandwiches, but if you were to advertise your sandwiches on Instagram, you'd be wanting to have a really nice photo that's going to be relaying the message and getting people's mouths watering. They'll be seeing the crisp lettuce and the steam coming off of it and things like that. If you were to advertise on Facebook, you could still use a similar photo. But because the audience is more likely to be parents, you might be talking more about the nutritional value of it as opposed to just quickly grabbing a sandwich on your way to work. If you were to advertise exactly the same sandwich on LinkedIn, you might be talking about big platters and the cost-effectiveness of how this would work and how quickly they can deliver and cater for businesses. If you talk about catering for businesses on Instagram, no one is going to pick up on that. Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn have their own purpose. Does that pretty much sum up how you'd want to make sure that you're adjusting your message accordingly? Marlise: Yes, that's right. Good example. You know that McDonald's advert? I think it is 'Shut up and take my money.' We went to a marketing company a couple of years ago and they looked at our marketing stuff and they said some of the stuff we got there were a bit offensive. I said, 'Really?' He said, 'Yes, it is. Your email signature has "Leave us a Google review for a free six-pack" and a six-pack relates to alcohol, which means you're completely missing the whole Muslim community who are very much against alcohol.' I thought about it for a while and thought that's cool, except we just don't happen to have many Muslims that are working with us. So we kept it even though it's grossly offensive. I guess it's about knowing your audience and you can't be friends with everyone. There are too many different ways that people might misinterpret what you're saying, and that comes down to how to know who your clients are and the advertising platforms that you might be using. Communicate to Understand and Be Understood Even if you were stepping away from marketing and business communication, like knowing your family and knowing your business. You see all the time in shopping centres, a child throws himself on the floor, 'I want that lolly.' And then the mother's yelling or the father's yelling, 'No, you're not going to get the lolly now. Get up.' If you have a look, the child is communicating exactly the same way as the parent—yelling—as opposed to effective communication. How do you make sure that you have effective communication? Marlise: I would say upskilling on one-on-one communication is really important, especially if you're in a leadership position. If you want to be better at communicating, you would have picked up body cues, like yawning or they just want to interrupt you the whole time. If someone interrupts you the whole time, it is like, 'You're oversharing information with me.' Those types of things will give you an indication, especially in your family members and close relatives. Sometimes they are brutally honest and they will tell you if you've got to speed up what you're saying or they don't get what you're saying. Practise with them and ask for feedback. There are organisations that can help you work on effective communication and they generate more awareness of the different types of communication with people. How would you communicate with someone who has a specific disability? What if a person can't really observe what you're doing with your hands? You've got to consider that context as well so that your message comes across properly. That also makes the medium that you're going to use. I love that nowadays, when you look at the news, they've got an interpreter for people who are deaf. They can see and do sign language. Did you know that there are various languages in sign language? I never knew that. I found out by speaking to experts in that field. If you have a hearing disability, you must consider that you've got to know maybe more than one dialect. That's so interesting. Listen Twice as Much as You Speak I've been taught you have two ears and one mouth and use them in that ratio—listen twice as much as you speak. Many years ago, I was working at a shop called Jaycar Electronics and I was one of their highest skilled audio engineers. I've gone to university to study it all. I was selling speakers for certain applications to people that really needed them. I wanted to do really cool stuff, maybe on a budget. I was able to say, 'Can you hear the difference between this and this one?' I was a salesperson, a sales assistant, and I was able to say this is why this one is better and that's why you want to spend the money on this one instead of this one. Someone came in and he's deaf and he was looking to buy speakers for his son. When he came in, it nearly made me cry because he just completely entrusted everything on what you had to say. I helped him out, but it definitely gave me that you don't know when you're doing something wrong or you might take it for granted that you might be saying things wrong or you might be being rude to people and not even know, which is obviously very different to being deaf. I guess I was effective at communicating the product, even to someone that was not necessarily able to hear the same way as me. How can communication be improved in business? If you're yelling at your kids at home, does that mean you're bad at communication at work? Are there ways to know that you've done one thing wrong or there are things that need to be adjusted? Where would you go to make sure that you're improving on yourself? Establish a Safe Environment Marlise: Usually, when you look at your business processes and company's performance and a specific department or certain areas that are not doing as good as they should but some areas are great, you're expecting more from that specific area. About 90% of the time, it is because you are not having a crucial conversation with someone even if you have all the processes documented. Making sure people are doing what they are supposed to be doing by having that crucial conversation has a big impact on your legal and financial environment. For instance, when you're having a crucial conversation with someone, he or she will not be honest if the emotional environment is perceived to be not safe. So how do you create a safe environment? Make sure that they understand that all emotions are accepted. Sometimes when you say something, it might come across as being dictative or aggressive. They say there are two cues when people perceive it's not a safe environment. It's either silence, that is, people don't say what they want to say because they don't feel emotionally safe, or the conversation becomes aggressive. That's when they become intimidating and start shouting. Find the balance to create that safe environment to speak with people. Understand Nonverbal Cues We talked about body language earlier. When people talk to you but don't make eye contact with you, there are various reasons why they wouldn't do that. Figure out which is applicable. You can say, 'If this discussion is too much detailed for you, how can I communicate more effectively with you? What works for you? You should know your team. If you're in a leadership position, know what motivates your team. There are various tools that you can use to figure that out, the DiSC Profile method is easy to use. You can get an expert to coach your team and help you with general cues. An interesting thing I've heard is dealers know when a poker player has got a good deal just by looking at their facial expression. Have you heard of Paul Ekman? He's got a book called Emotions Revealed that reviewed hundreds of different court cases where people have sworn an oath that they're not going to lie. He looked at these microexpressions as they're answering questions. He's also known as the human lie detector and inspired the TV show called Lie to Me. His books have been used in a lot of police academies to teach police how to pick up if there's someone who's lying or not telling what they meant to be saying. I've read some of his books, and it's amazing. As you said in poker, your facial expression can potentially be the giveaway of thousands of dollars if you've done it wrong. Marlise: Listen to cues. Cues like 'uh-huh' that means they are listening to you. When they're silent and sitting with their arms or legs crossed, they are not engaging with whatever you're saying. Adjust your message a bit and use communication tools to make things a bit more interesting. Practice, Practice, Practice It takes practise. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Practise and talk to your family and even strangers and see how that works for you. Join networks. Have you heard about Lunchclub? It's a networking platform for practising your communication skills, but it's like a networking setup where you get to meet people. They facilitate the introduction, and I use that to meet interesting people. There are various reasons why people do that. It could be to be in contact with people that advance your business in a different area or a country, for instance. They match those needs with other people's similar. The conversations I've had with those people are very interesting. For me, I've got to practise my communication skills and I've used different platforms to practise my skill set. For instance, I've joined Toastmasters, and I found that it's a really good platform. I go to various networking events and I listen to what people say and I try to repeat what I heard. Asking for complex response questions and then say, 'Does that make sense?' The answer is very close, yes or no. Most of the time, people are going to say yes to that, especially if they're not engaged. Marlise: In business, something that will indicate that your communication isn't effective is productivity levels go down. It could be ineffective communication and leadership, people not holding people accountable for what's happening in that space. They're not having those conversations they're supposed to be having or maybe they're having those conversations but it's not effective. It doesn't come through or across to the individuals. It's very important to have those good communication skills developed. Marlise: It is also very important to learn and figure out all of the skills that each individual needs to function. You wouldn't employ someone with English as their third language to do safety work, where safety is a high risk. If you have something slightly misinterpreted, it could affect people's lives. Marlise: Communication skills should be tied to your positions. Your position, skills and skill levels should be part of that. On the softer skills side of understanding the way people talk, they should have empathy. Those are the types of skills you can develop over time. But if it's a crucial role or position, you would rather employ someone that fits that profile. Determine What Motivates Your Employees People also have different motivational methods. What motivates Joshua and what motivates Marlise might be totally different. I like to learn new things and have different experiences, but maybe you like to have a journey through life and experiment with things and feel safe in that area to do so and then give feedback. Use what motivates people when communicating with them. If I'm going to talk to my daughter about something that she's done wrong, I won't be shouting. With my son, I have to make him realise the consequences of whatever he's going to do, like 'That's not a good idea because you're going to lose this and this.' It's about knowing the audience, understanding what motivates them, and adjusting the message. I know that some of the staff members at Dorks Delivered will be very passionate about telling me every single reason why they've done every single thing they've done, while others don't want to be mucking around, wasting anyone's time talking about things that need to be told. Some people really want to have that appreciation and be known. It all comes down to knowing who you're talking with and vice versa. It's not just about having the business owner having good communication. It's a whole team approach. Join the Alternative Board If there are people out there that are looking to gain more information or more knowledge, tell me a little bit about the Alternative Board and what you do with them. Marlise: At the Alternative Board, we gather small business owners and medium-sized business owners with similar complexity and in similar stages of their business around a table for a safe, secure environment. The type of people that are there are not just open to receive input but also open to give input into someone else's challenges. We use those boards to have a more affordable option for people to talk about business and solve challenges using the room's expertise. It's similar to a board of directors in public companies. It has the same structure. Each one gets a chance to present a challenge and then a round of questions goes to understand the challenge a bit more and make sure that the goals are addressed. And then they go into suggestion mode and then the person presenting takes suggestions and makes commitments according to the business and what he's willing to do, and then gives feedback in the next meeting. That happens on a monthly basis. They form a trusted environment because they meet with the same people every month and they get to know each other's environment. When they've got an idea, they would bounce the ideas and the way they want to talk with people inside that group. That's really the key to solving challenges and helping each other out and becoming trusted advisers in that regard. We also do one-on-one business coaching in terms of forming a strategic plan and then having goals in place to reach that specific personal vision of the owner. As you progress, you take those challenges and opportunities to your board. Sometimes it's really lonely for some people. I met someone who told me that his wife just wants to spend his money but doesn't want to know the challenges at work. He enjoyed joining the board. Other people from different walks of life join the board to prepare the next generation and someday distance themselves from the business. They want to prepare their team for different roles and responsibilities. Through the Alternative Board, you can meet very interesting people and become good friends. I've been in business for more than a decade, and sometimes you really feel very lonely over the years. You think you can't talk to your client about that because that might look like a weakness. You might not be wanting to talk to your partner, as you said, either because they have no interest or it's not their cup of tea. Having a sound board or an alternative board to talk about this sort of things is really handy because you can really dive into business problems and talk to people. How much money are you making? How many hours should I be working? Am I working too much? Am I not working enough? Am I getting to where I should be for the many years that I've been in business? Marlise: How do I employ someone? How do I write the job description? What should I be looking for? Do you know someone that can help me with this? There are a lot of scary things for a lot of business owners, and that's cool. I like it. Do you have anything else you'd like to add before we finish up for today? Marlise: The only thing I would like to add is when you have conversations, consider the relationship you have with that person. When you have a good relationship with someone, you want to keep that relationship and you would use different communication styles that suit that relationship. I 100% agree. You've got kids. Are you aware of the Captain Underpants books? Marlise: Oh, yes. I was only just introduced to the rally a couple of weeks ago, so I'm definitely late to the party. Talking to your kids about fart jokes might be appropriate, but not necessarily talking to a new business contact. They might not necessarily think it's very funny. Just make sure you're doing what you need to be doing, where you're meant to be doing it and being present. If you have enjoyed this podcast, make sure to jump across to iTunes, leave us some love, and give us some feedback. If you have any questions for Marlise, we're going to have her join our Facebook group so you can jump onto the group. If you have any questions, I'm sure she'd be more than happy to help you out. Well, thank you very much for coming along. Everyone out there in podcast land, stay good.
Jim Kouzes is a legend in the leadership world. He co-wrote the Global #1 Best Selling Book, The Leadership Challenge, which has been used as a manual and a guide by millions of leaders all over the world. In this intimate conversation you can learn: How every great leader has grown because of enduring challenge, adversity or difficulty Why you can't get extraordinary things done in organizations all by yourself How leadership has remained relatively stable over the years, but the context has changed Why leaders who master listening, and respond with empathy perform more than 40% higher than those who don't! Join our Tribe at https://leadership-hacker.com Music: " Upbeat Party " by Scott Holmes courtesy of the Free Music Archive FMA Transcript: Thanks to Jermaine Pinto at JRP Transcribing for being our Partner. Contact Jermaine via LinkedIn or via his site JRP Transcribing Services Find out more about Jim below: Jim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimkouzes/ Leadership Challenge Website: https://www.leadershipchallenge.com Jim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jim_Kouzes Full Transcript Below ----more---- Steve Rush: Some call me Steve, dad, husband or friend. Others might call me boss, coach or mentor. Today you can call me The Leadership Hacker. Thanks for listening in. I really appreciate it. My job as the leadership hacker is to hack into the minds, experiences, habits and learning of great leaders, C-Suite executives, authors and development experts so that I can assist you developing your understanding and awareness of leadership. I am Steve Rush and I am your host today. I am the author of Leadership Cake. I am a transformation consultant and leadership coach. I cannot wait to start sharing all things leadership with you Our special guest on today's show is Jim Kouzes. Jim is a legend in the leadership world. He and his partner, Barry Posner wrote The Leadership Challenge, which has been used as a manual and a guide by leaders all over the world. Having sold millions of copies, incredibly excited to get into Jim world. But before we do that, it's The Leadership Hacker News. The Leadership Hacker News Steve Rush: What is it that makes some teams and some project teams just absolutely rock and roll where others really flounder? Well, the principle of tribe blaze at the heart of it. In the world that we're working in now, even in a remote environment, as often the case may be, your task is to find new ways as a leader to develop that sense of tribe to your team, no matter what they're working on, so that they stay with you and operate at their most effective. And doing this well, will help you keep morale high, productivity at its best and ensuring your team stay with you. So where do people get that sense of tribal belonging? Well, a sense of tribal belonging usually comes from our four key sources. Shared purpose, unique contribution, pride, and gratitude. So, let's dig into them. Everybody understands purpose. And when we're talking about a grand cause, purpose becomes very visible and very obvious. But what if your organization's role is not to eradicate diseases or fight poverty or clean ocean's. Purpose can be found in the smallest of things. It's the why we do what we do every day. It might be to solve a given problem in an industry, whatever the purpose is, it makes teams raise their heads high, see the horizon. So whatever purpose your team might claim, take the opportunity to explore this, link it to your vision and reinforce it every single day. Ownership is key here. Owning purpose usually means that teams consistently keep their purpose at the front of everything they do. If purpose has Y, then a tribal also wants to feel the how they go about achieving it and how they did it for purpose. It's the Mark of that tribe, differentiators from others tribes. Leadership ownership is key here. So, this is how leaders relate to employees, their philosophies, how they engage in communications, the autonomy they give to their team and how they deal with diversity, equity and inclusion as well. And all brings this together in a society that they can call team or tried, no matter what contribution or challenging factors you might face. Every single individual has a unique contribution to play. If they feel it, they become part of the belonging of that tribe. And that sense of ownership. Everyone wants to feel proud of their achievements and the mark that they're leaving on the world. And knowing that they're contributing to something uniquely valuable is an important part of tribal community, but they need to fill it that individual contribution is important as well. So, people genuinely have an intrinsic sense of pride based on their own self-awareness. And allowing them to show that pride goes a long way and demonstrating pride is not necessarily about bragging or self-promotion. You may feel proud even if somebody else is speaking on the achievements of your team, communicating the story, letting others to feel part of the journey that you're on can also build pride with those in your business that are not directly correlated to your team. And as you offer rewards for people's achievements, provide consistent updates and show the real world the influence that directly having. Praising interactions, letting people know their sense of fulfillment. People can feel grateful for what is beyond expectations outside of the normal simply out of the blue. It's the, we have your back feeling, which is to put the proof in the times of need. The past 12 months in particular have given an exceptionally high number of opportunities to test whether we really can count on others. Gratitude is also letting people know that. You may feel grateful for something your leader has done, or your peers have done, or your team have done. Have you really let them know? In my experience, gratitude, doesn't come from a major game changing heroic act. It comes from small unexpected, absolutely sincere acts from one person to another. Behavioral science has shown over and over again that helping others benefits, both the helper and the recipient. If the team members are doing that for each other, and they really feel that they belong to the tribe, if your team are your people, then prove it to them. Today's environment makes it more likely that people will look for that sense of belonging alongside you and your team and your business so that they can feel appreciated and feel a sense of loyalty both ways. And as a leader, you can give them that sense of tribe, that belonging and proactively focusing on purpose, the unique contribution, being proud of the opportunity and demonstrating gratitude. That's been The Leadership Hacker News. If you have any new, insights or stories, please get in touch. Start of Podcast Steve Rush: The guest on today's show needs no introduction if you've ever read about leadership; Jim Kouzes and his co-author Barry Posner wrote the award-winning and best-selling book, The Leadership Challenge, selling millions around the world. Jim's work impacted the way we think or behave as leaders, and he's been named as one of the top leadership guru's globally. The Wall Street Journal cited him as one of the best executive directors in the world, and Jim, it is an absolute pleasure and an honor to have you on The Leadership Hacker Podcast. Jim Kouzes: Steve, it's a pleasure to be with you. Thanks for the opportunity. Steve Rush: My pleasure, delighted to be here. So, when we first met, you told me, you'd been thinking about leadership ever since you were a young kid as an Eagle Scout; when you were selected in John F Kennedy's Honor Guard. And I recall you telling me that it was that call to action from Kennedy of, “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” that really inspired you to then think about joining the Peace Corps. Maybe just give us a little bit of the backstory of how that all evolved? Jim Kouzes: Certainly, Steve. Thanks for that reminder of my early past. I grew up in the suburbs of Washington DC and my father worked for the U.S. Government. He started out as a file clerk and worked his way up to deputy assistant secretary of labor before he retired. And living in that area, we had the opportunity to visit the memorials and the museums and all of the sites that one sees in pictures and as tourists tour around and visit. And I had the great pleasure of living in that community and being in Washington DC at least once a week. And so, I was steeped in the history of the country and the values and the vision of the country, visiting all of those institutions as a young person. And it inspired me to continue that work, particularly when I was selected being John F Kennedy's Honor Guard as an Eagle Scout at 15 years of age. And I can still remember that very cold winter day in January, standing there before the reviewing stand, where then president John F. Kennedy and his family, and some of his cabinet members watched as the parade went by. And his call to action, as you mentioned as not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. Stuck with me and stays with me to this day. And there probably isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about that sense of calling for all of us as human beings to look to serve others. So, I aspired initially to be an ambassador. When I went to university, I studied political science, wanted to join the Peace Corps after I got out, which I did. Became a teacher in the peace Corps, and as a teacher, it changed my career expirations. I realized the impact that one individual could have on, on young people, and so I wanted to continue that work. When I came back to the U.S. I looked for a job in education. Because I didn't have any teaching credentials, they wouldn't let me teach kids, but they would let me teach adults. So, I got a job working in training and development in a Human Resources development organization; development with a consulting firm that was working with the war on poverty, another program, the Johnson administration which was for young people wanting to come involved in community activities that would help people in the United States get out of poverty. And so, I worked for this organization, training people who were in those organizations in communication skills, team building skills, leadership skills. And that was the turning point for me, that was back in 1969-70 And 1972, I was offered a job at San Jose State University to direct a grant project. Met with mental health teams, helping to develop their sense of teamwork in mental health agencies in the Nine Bay Area Counties around San Francisco. And in that process met the Dean of the business school at Santa Clara University, which was just down the road from San Jose State. And he asked me if I'd come direct the executive development center at Santa Clara University, which I did. And while I was unpacking boxes at my office at Santa Clara University, I hear this knock on my door and I turned around and this was a very tall gentleman in the doorway. And he said, “you're in my office.” Excuse me, I thought this was my office? The Dean told me this was my office and he laughed. And he said, it is your office! It used to be my office. I've moved to another building, but a welcome to Santa Clara University. And if you want to meet some people, have some lunch at the faculty club, get a tour of the campus, please let me know, and I'd be glad to talk to you and walk you around and introduce you to folks. That was Barry Posner, and I took him up on his offer. And as we wandered around campus and talked about where I came from, my background, his background, our interests, we found that we had some common interests. At that time, it was around managerial values, and that led to a 39 year long collaboration. Steve Rush: Yeah, It's amazing. There're not many relationships that last for 39 years, and therefore something's got to be right about the chemistry. Jim Kouzes: It is. We're very different personalities and very different people. And I think that's part of why it works. We're not trying, you know, he's a very funny guy. He's likes to crack people up almost, you know, every minute there's a laugh when you're with Barry practically, which is great. I'm not that person. I'm more of the serious type, but I do enjoy his company. He enjoys mine. Our families have become close friends. They are our closest friends as a couple. He and his wife Jackie, and my wife and I. So, it's been a wonderful, wonderful relationship. Steve Rush: And you and Barry's rise to leadership greatness came about when you published The Leadership Challenge and you've done plenty of work before then, but this really kind of excelled you and Barry into the spotlight if you like, into the global arena and be really interested, how did that come about? Jim Kouzes: Well Barry and I worked together at Santa Clara University through the executive development center and I organized programs, created the programs, recruited faculty, be part of those programs. And there was one seminar in particular that we did with Tom Peters. Tom Peters, the coauthor of In Search of Excellence with Bob Waterman. This was back in the mid-eighties. Steve Rush: Right. Jim Kouzes: And Tom had just published that book and we invited him to come to Santa Clara University. This would be for his fees, went through the roof and we couldn't afford him, but we invited them to come to the University and do a seminar. He was so popular, we invited him back. And this time we invited him back for a whole day event. And then a second day, Barry and I were going to do. Well, Barry and I had some common interests around managerial values and managerial. We called it managerial excellence at the time. But we didn't have a book at the time and we didn't have a theory necessarily. So, as we were preparing for that, I recall very clearly. It was around the time that countries were preparing for the Olympics, the summer Olympics, which was a couple of years away. I was hearing a program on personal best athletic achievements. So, you know, when athletes have their personal best time or their personal best score, people always talking about that in relation to the Olympics. And it just occurred to us. Why don't we ask the same question about leadership? Tell us about a time when you were at your personal best as a leader. And we started doing that in preparation for that seminar that we're doing with Tom Peters. And we asked people to do that exercise prior to coming to the second day of the seminar. And then we broke them into small groups and they talked about their personal best leadership experiences, and they posted them on newsprint sheets in the halls of Kenna Hall or at Santa Clara University. And as we walked down and reviewed, approximately 80 people attending and they were broken into about 10 groups, we looked at all these flip charts and they had very similar words and phrases on them. And that was the moment we realized, you know, there's some common themes across individual stories of personal best leadership experiences. Steve Rush: Right. Jim Kouzes: And so, Barry and I took those case studies that people wrote about their personal leadership experiences and started to essentially sort all the behaviors into different piles. Literally three by five cards on a big conference room table, Kenna Hall, 107. And we sorted them into piles and eventually came up with a five-factor model called the five practices of exemplary leadership. And then we created a tool to research it, to validate the model, asking people to answer a series of questions, or essentially rate like 360 assessments to rate themselves and have other people rate them on these dimensions. Steve Rush: So, is that the birth of the leadership practices inventory? Jim Kouzes: Yes. The leadership practices inventory was developed as a research tool initially and later after we had validated and done a number of analysis to simplify it, we were able to develop it as a 360 assessment people use it in leadership development. Steve Rush: And what were some of the patterns and the behaviors that you noticed that were reoccurring? Jim Kouzes: Well one of the things that we noticed Steve was that every single case involves some kind of challenge, adversity, difficulty. Imagine people now during the pandemic writing about some of their current experiences, it was that kind of a challenge that people wrote about. Whether it was a turnaround development of a new business. Literally a natural disaster destroying a business, and then reviving, coming back from that experience, so we noticed that. We discovered that, challenge the opportunity for greatness, that people don't do their best when things are calm and steady and, you know, normal times. We yearn for those normal times. It helps us relax a little bit, but interestingly enough, we don't necessarily do our best at leading when things are normal. Steve Rush: Right. Jim Kouzes: People need to challenge the process. So, we came up with a practice called Challenge the Process. Another thing we noticed is that people mentioned how clear they were about their values and beliefs, what they stood for, and also clear about where they wanted to go. The outcomes were very clear to them, what they wanted to achieve. So came we developed two other practices model. The way and inspire a shared vision from those observations. And then number of people I remember, Bill Flanagan, who was one of the people we interviewed. And we said, Bill, tell us about your personal best. And he said, I can't. And I said, what you mean you can't? And he said because it wasn't my personal best. It was our personal best. It wasn't me; it was us. And I was just, it stopped me in my tracks. I said, wow, that's really an important observation. You can't do it alone. You can't get extraordinary things done in organizations all by yourself. That's our practice. Now we call enable us act. And along the way, when you have face difficulty, you face failure. Sometimes you face other challenges than just the initial one, as you try to innovate and improve. And so, people need encouragement in order to continue down that path. Those are a lot of celebration, a lot of recognition of people's achievements, small as well as large which we now call encourage the heart. So, the practices emerged from that kind of an analysis of what people told us about those challenging situations that they were engaged in. Model inspire challenge, enable and encourage. Steve Rush: I love it. It's a really great framework. One, that also stood the test of time because in having read the early leadership challenge, and then the latest version, I just noticed the way that you shift the stories. So, the framework stays the same, but you're able to tap into great other stories to illustrate the change in how we lead as well. Jim Kouzes: That's a very important observation, Steve. One of the things that people always ask us is, what's new? What's different about leadership now than it was 35-40 years ago? When you first wrote the book and started doing the research. And we said, well, the content of leadership has remained relatively stable over all these years. What's changed is the context. And sometimes we confuse context with content. We think that if a new challenge comes along like a pandemic now, as compared to the challenges that people face 40 years ago, somehow leadership practices also have to change. Not necessarily. Why would that be the case? Leaders face challenges, millennium before today's current challenge. What has become evident, however, is the importance of some of those more than others. For example, Steve. Contextually, because we all facing a life and death situation together right now and everyone has been impacted in some very serious ways, many people I know. And perhaps, you know, I've had loved ones who've passed away or friends who have passed away. So, it's a very, very difficult, very difficult time. And consequently, people have told us that they want a lot more caring and support from their leaders and encouragement from their leaders than they did before. Our data shows us that the two characteristics of admired leaders are separate piece of research that we have done that has increased more than the others in terms of it's importance to individuals is caring and support. So contextually, sometimes things become more important, but caring and support has always been there as a part of what good leaders do. Steve Rush: That's right, yeah. People often get confused still to this day between the notion of leadership and management. And I know this is a really cliche subject, but management is a relatively new thing. You know, we invented this a hundred years ago to get some control over stuff. Whereas leadership has been going on for millennia. Jim Kouzes: Leadership has been something we've always yearned for and needed, particularly during difficult and challenging times. And you're right, the notion of a bureaucracy or a hierarchy has emerged, came out of government initially and into business as a result of trying to get better organized if you will, and become more productive and efficient. Steve Rush: One of the things that you mentioned in The Leadership Challenges, this strength out of adversity and learning from adversity, and just wanted to share some research with you and get your perspective on this. So, I've been researching people from ethnic minorities, people who have had to transverse from different locations because of either poverty or war. And what you notice is this massive, massive leadership value, and in fact that people have already got these foundations that they've carried with them, for whatever, having faced into adversity, whatever that may be, whether it be through experiences or challenges that they faced, there are foundations that they have there that some of us just take years to develop that they have an innate resource to tap into. What's your perspective on that Jim? Jim Kouzes: Diversity equity inclusion is one of the major, major social trends that we're currently. It's always been there again. It's not something that's not been there and its brand new right now, but it's increased in its importance with Black Lives Matter here in this country and globally and Asian hate that we've experienced here in the United States and other parts of the world. Steve Rush: Right. Jim Kouzes: Diversity equity inclusion has become a topic we now talk about daily and there are more initiatives to try to do something about this. So, it's is a challenge that leaders are facing more today than they have and addressing it head on it, and so it's an important issue. One of the things that we all need to get comfortable with Steve, however, you're absolutely right. People from diverse backgrounds bring different kinds of experiences in their own lives that they can contribute to the improvement of organizations. Steve Rush: Without doubt. Jim Kouzes: Without a doubt. And diversity improves innovation because of those different perspectives. Steve Rush: Right. Jim Kouzes: They have different ideas about how to do things, different experiences that inform innovation and creativity. However, it's going to be more challenging initially to get to where we can perform at a higher level with more diverse groups. Why? Because people don't know each other that well, we don't always know because we haven't asked and we haven't seen these diverse perspectives. And until we get to a place where we have a better understanding of each other and feel more comfortable with each other, if you do take a look at performance, it tends to decline initially, but then becomes both more a group becomes more innovative and creative and become higher performers in a more diverse setting. Once they have gotten through that period of time of learning more about each other and learning to trust each other. Steve Rush: I should imagine it's part of that bumping into some of those unconscious biases, becoming that they're recognized biases and learning them, and then relearning how the difference can really make a difference. Jim Kouzes: Absolutely, and one of the things that's really important in that process is for leaders to listen. One of the things in our research and others is that the more deeply you listen and listen with empathy, the higher the performance as a leader. One of our colleagues, Rich Reynolds at DDI, Development Dimensions International did some research on this topic. And he reported that leaders who master listening, and responding with empathy perform more than 40% higher than those who don't master, listening, and responding with empathy. Steve Rush: That's a massive shift, isn't it? Jim Kouzes: Massive. Steve Rush: I mean, 40% is really tangible. Jim Kouzes: Absolutely. Steve Rush: One of the other things that comes out in your work and research over the decades is how passionate you are about purpose and linking, not just purpose to people's work, but to people's lives. Tell us a little bit about how that might help me as a leader? Jim Kouzes: Purpose gives us a reason for doing what we're doing. It helps us to answer the question, why? Why are you doing what you're doing? And it also, because we have that sense of purpose increases determination. So, like if we're clear about where we want to go and what we want in our lives and why we are doing what we're doing. We're going to be much more determined, much more dedicated, much more committed. So, organizations, leaders, and organizations that help people both to understand how their purpose fits with the larger organizational purpose and how in this organization, you can live out your personal purpose. We'll find that employees are significantly more committed. They're more likely to work together as teams, they see their work is more meaningful. They have a sense that they're making a contribution. So, it has a lot of positive effects. And in the world of education, interestingly students who have this sense of self-transcendence purpose for learning that is I'm learning this subject matter, not just for me to get a grade and graduate, but for me to make a contribution to others, if they have that sense of self-transcendence purpose for learning, they're more likely to continue learning when the task is tedious and difficult. So, it has a lot of positive effects, whether it's at work or whether it's in the classroom, whether it's in the community. If I could use an analogy to help people understand this. Think about having to put a jigsaw puzzle together. Let's imagine we had a box of a thousand pieces, you know, for a jigsaw puzzle. Steve Rush: Right. Jim Kouzes: And a leader came along and dumped them on the table in front of us and said, okay, put it together, put this puzzle together and walked away. Steve Rush: Yeah, I can imagine. Jim Kouzes: What would be the first thing that you would want to know? Steve Rush: Why? Jim Kouzes: Yeah. So why is this important? Anything else you'd like to know, or see? Steve Rush: What's the reason I'm going to do it? What am I going to see when it's done? Jim Kouzes: What am I going to see when it's done? Show me the cover of the box top so that I can see the finish puzzle. Then I can have a better sense of what I'm trying to put together. What happens in organizations is people are given a piece of a puzzle, it's called a job and they're told, okay, now put this piece in the puzzle without ever being shown the box top, without ever being shown the end result. Consequently, it takes more time, one struggles, has more frustration, often gets into more conflict with other people because they don't know where they fit. If we would just simply show that box top to people. When we give them a job or talk about their work, it would be more likely that they would be more involved, more committed, more dedicated, and also have a sense that they're making a contribution to the finished product, to the end result, to the destination the organization, or the team is trying to go in. So, I think for leaders to understand that it's our natural inclination to want to know where we fit in the overall big picture and what we do fits in that overall big picture. Leaders would be a lot more effective. Unfortunately, only about according to another colleague of ours John Kotter has done research on communicating vision in an organization, did a study and found that only 0.58% of communication market share. If you will, inside an organization is about the vision of the organization. Steve Rush: Wow. Jim Kouzes: That's less than 1%. We figure it needs to be for senior leaders, at least 25% of your time needs to be spent on communicating the larger vision of the organization and where we're headed, why we're doing what we're doing. Steve Rush: What do you think the reason is that organizations or maybe leaders don't give it as much attention Jim? Jim Kouzes: Its very challenging to do, we find in our research. It's very difficult to master this particular practice, which we call inspire a shared vision. And digging into that and trying to figure out why that is, what we discover is that it's more about communicating the vision than it is about having it. So, leaders can be very clear in their own minds about where we want to go and what we want to create, but getting it out of their heads and into the heads and hearts of those on their teams is a more challenging effort. So, it's largely about communication. And so, when thinking about one's own development as a leader, think about how can I communicate where we are wanting to go in the future, whether it's a month from now, five years from now, 15 years from now, where we want to go in the future? How can I communicate that in such a way that other people can see themselves in that picture? Let me use another analogy. I'll pick a city other than London or San Francisco. When I say Paris, France, what first comes to your mind? Steve Rush: The Eiffel Tower. Jim Kouzes: The Eiffel Tower. So that's a physical place, right? Steve Rush: Yep. Jim Kouzes: Did anything else come to mind when you think about Paris? Steve Rush: Relaxing, coffee, streets, ambiance. Jim Kouzes: Yep, exactly. Did you pop into your mind the square kilometers or the population of the city of Paris? Steve Rush: No, not really. Strangely enough. Right? Jim Kouzes: Those are numbers. Those are those are numbers that, you know, leaders often, when they talk about vision, talk about numbers, they talk about financial outcomes. Steve Rush: Yeah, that's right. Jim Kouzes: They talk about quantities of things. They should be talking about the Eiffel Tower and they should be talking about coffee and walking down the streets and enjoying the museums and the sights of the city and the smells in there. That baguette of bread or the croissant you have in the morning over the cappuccino or espresso, that's the kind of things leaders need to get comfortable with talking about. It's not so much about the numbers. Steve Rush: It's about the story that's not been told yet, right? Jim Kouzes: Yeah, exactly. And what it will be like when we have attained our aspirations as an organization or as a team. Steve Rush: That's a really great way of framing it. Thank you for that Jim. I love. Jim Kouzes: You're welcome. Steve Rush: So, you wrote your latest book, Everyday People, Extraordinary Leadership. which I love by the way. So, this is how to make a difference, regardless of your title role or authority. And for me, this just absolutely illustrates that leadership is everybody job. Jim Kouzes: Absolutely. When we initially wrote our first edition, we were talking about managerial excellence and that was what was in our heads. But what we quickly realized was that the stories that people were telling us were not just about being managers in organizations, they were often stories about being the first on a team to ascend a particular mountain peak or what they did in their community or what they did as a coach of a team of young people. And it occurred to us that when people are talking about leadership, they often think just about organizational leadership, just about being a manager, but we didn't explore it as deeply as we did with this current book. And we just decided that we would write about people who may be managers in another walk of their life, but the stories that they were telling us about their personal best were only about outside of having a title of manager, director, managing director inside an organization. Steve Rush: Yeah. Jim Kouzes: We also took our data and we have about 5 million people in a database. And we just isolated those individuals who are identified as individual contributors. They didn't have direct reports, but they were project leaders on teams, or they were people who took initiative inside an organization and emerged as leaders. And we asked those people, they worked with to give feedback to that individual contributor on the same five practices of exemplary leadership using the leadership practices inventory. And we found the identical pattern that we see with those who have managerial positions. And that is the more frequently they, as peers engaged other peers, the more frequently they use the five practices of exemplary leadership, more likely it was that they would be viewed as effective leaders. They would have teams which had hired team spirit. People would feel more committed to the organization. Turnover would be lower. A lot of those same measures, which we would use with managers were also true for individual contributors who lead peers. Steve Rush: I love that because I've been talking about fact that for me, and having my experiences in coaching and working with great leaders around the world. Leadership, isn't a job title. It's a behavior, and what you've done is quantify that with some real data. Jim Kouzes: That's right. We feel exactly as you do; leadership is a set of skills and abilities. It's a set of behaviors and actions and people are more likely to follow. If you will, more likely to be engaged with leaders who more frequently demonstrate the kinds of practices that other people, when they demonstrate those behaviors are more likely to want to become engaged with a leader in an organization. One of the things though that we also discovered is peer leaders need to work a little bit harder than managers to get the same kind of engagement. Steve Rush: Interesting, yeah. Jim Kouzes: So, if you were to look at our bar charts and you would see this perfect up into the right, the more frequently leaders engaged in behaviors, but if a manager can get say 51% of people to feel engaged when they do this at a seven or an eight, it takes a peer leader, a nine and a ten level of frequency to get to that same level. So, you have to work a harder. Steve Rush: Is that the assumed responsibility that comes with the manager label? Jim Kouzes: I think, yeah. People assume, well, this person is a manager and they're my manager. And you know, there's sort of the role that I'm in, the role that they're in, I'm supposed to be following this person. Steve Rush: Hmm. Jim Kouzes: So, you have the benefit of the position. Whereas with peers, people kind of look and say, well, you're my peer. Who made you the leader of this project? Who made you the leader of this organization? It's just a little bit more energy, a little bit more effort into it than you might, if you had the benefit of a title. Steve Rush: Hmm. Make load of sense. And of course, the whole principle about leadership and you call this out in chapter seven of your book. Is leadership development starts with self-development and that's where leadership really starts. So, if I was a leader listening to this and I wanted to kind of kickstart that self-discovery of me, if I was a little bit stuck right now, what would be your counsel to me? Jim Kouzes: Well, the first thing I would recommend you do is to believe in yourself. Now that may sound patently obvious. But one of the things we did find in our research is that people who have a growth mindset, that is a belief that I can learn to lead. I can change my behavior, are more likely to be viewed by others as effective leaders than those who have a fixed mindset. Steve Rush: Definitely yeah. Jim Kouzes: So, you need to believe in yourself, you need to believe that you can. And the next thing, if you get over that hurdle and say, yeah, I can grow. I can develop as a leader. What should you do first? I would just suggest that you write a credo memo, that you sit down and clarify for yourself what the values and beliefs are that should guide your actions and decisions. Steve Rush: I love that, yeah. Jim Kouzes: What are those five to seven principles that, I should follow and my team should follow? Leaders who are clear about their, what we call leadership philosophy, which is the combination of values and vision together. Are much more likely to be viewed as effectively to the much more likely to have engaged teams. The second thing I'd say is to do the life exercise, L-I-F-E. L is for lessons, I is for ideals, F is for feelings and E is for evidence. What are the lessons that you would like people to say, they learn from you? What are the ideals that you would like people to recognize you believe in? What are the feelings you would like other people to have when they are around you? And what's the evidence that you have made a difference. I imagine five, ten years from now, you've won the leader of the year award. What would those lessons, ideas, feelings, and evidence be that people would talk about? Do that exercise. Steve Rush: And cognitively of course, having that positive affirmation to start the journey in the right direction, right? Jim Kouzes: Absolutely. It gives you, what's called the often in literature, an ideal self. What is your ideal self around these particular dimensions? And then using that framework for yourself to ask yourself and hopefully get some feedback from others and how am I doing right now on that? And what can I do today to act on that so that I make sure that five years, ten years from now, people say those things about me. Steve Rush: Yeah, love it. Jim Kouzes: People tell those stories. And so, you create this sense of who you want to become, and that helps you to determine what you need to do to grow and develop. Believing in yourself that you can, and having principles that will guide you along the way. And then I would hire a coach. I would engage in some kind of leadership development activity starting at the earliest possible age. Steve Rush: So, thinking about yourself, Jim, what is it that keeps you curious? What is it that keeps you so passionate about what you do? Jim Kouzes: The stories that people tell me. I just enjoy so much hearing when I ask people about, tell me about the time when you were at your best as a leader. What did you do? And people's eyes light up. They get very expressive. I haven't found a person who can't tell me at least one story and each time they say, well I don't know, you know, personal best, they pause for a moment. But once they get going, once they start to talk about that experience, I can remember a time when I was you know, I was coaching my son's tennis team and this, and they begin to just get really, really passionate about that. Or I remember the time when, you know, when I was told, no, I had two years to turn the operation around or we were going to shut it down. And that really energized me. And I began to think about all the different things we could do and they just start to be so expressive about that. That's what keeps me going is the energy I get from other people when they tell those stories. Steve Rush: And by you translating those stories for others, we connect keeps the fuel and the energy going. Doesn't it. So, thank you for that. Jim Kouzes: Yeah. Oh, you're very welcome. It's a delight to do it. Steve Rush: So, I'm going to turn the lens now, a little on you, and this is going to be really challenging for you. Because I suspect of all the guests that we've had on the show so far, you have probably experienced much more leadership experiences and challenges throughout your career than most, but I'm going to try and ask you to distill your leadership thinking, your top tips, ideas, or tools down to your top three leadership hacks Jim. What would they be? Jim Kouzes: Well, I think we already talked about two of them. And I just add would add one more. The credo exercise is a sense of values and beliefs. One of the things that we know is that being clear about personal values leads to higher level of personal commitment. It's more important to know your own values initially than it is to know the organization's values. So do that credo exercise, do some exercise where you clarify values and beliefs in the life exercise, which will L-I-F-E, lessons, ideals, feelings, and evidence. Those two hacks will help you get started on creating an ideal self and understanding of your own values. Steve Rush: Sure. Jim Kouzes: The third thing I would say is that in every interaction with every person, just ask yourself this question. What can I do in this moment to make the other person with whom I'm interacting, feel more powerful, efficacious, and capable, perhaps more than they even thought they could after this interaction is over? Steve Rush: Really pretty powerful thought. Jim Kouzes: If we could all just stop, in particularly as leaders, but just as human beings and say, when I'm interacting with this individual, what can I do to help this person feel better about themselves? To help this person feel more successful, to feel that they're more capable and more powerful? If people walked away from any leader feeling that way, just imagine how much more they would feel engaged than if they walked away feeling well, I just got put down by my boss or reprimanded or not listened to. Steve Rush: Yeah. I love that. And very powerful as well in the process. Jim Kouzes: Absolutely. Steve Rush: So, you come away feeling not only have you helped somebody, but in doing so, that feeling of gratitude is going to be a self-fulfilling energy boost for us All. Jim Kouzes: Absolutely. Steve Rush: The next part of the show plays straight back into ironically, what we talked a little earlier about, which is that learning from adversity, we call it Hack to Attack. So, this is where something in your life or work hasn't perhaps worked out as well. But you've actually used that as a real-life experience that is now a fuel for your work. What would be your Hack to Attack Jim? Jim Kouzes: Early on in my career, this was probably in the first two, three years. The project I was working on. It was a grant project and it was coming to an end. It was in my dream job. I was just getting started. I was really beginning to find my passion for work and contract was coming to an end. So, I knew I was going to be out of work. I was nervous. I was scared. I was newly married. I looked down the road a couple of months and there was no job opportunity. And I had bills to pay and like just uncertain about what was going to happen to me. And then my supervisor came and told me, he said, I've recommended you for a job at San Jose State University. And I didn't even know where San Jose State University was at the time. I was living in Austin, Texas. I had to look at a map and see where San Jose California was. And my wife and I noticed it was about 50 miles South of San Francisco. And we said, we'll take it. I said, I'll take the job. And we packed up and moved. I didn't even have a contract to go, but I had some faith that this commitment that was made to me was going to be there when I arrived, you know, to this day, I look back on that and other similar kinds of events. And I learned a very important lesson. Stuff happens. Steve Rush: Yup. Jim Kouzes: But if you've demonstrated some skill and you have a network of support, good stuff can result. Steve Rush: Definitely, so. Jim Kouzes: You know, knowing that by demonstrating enough of a level of competence that other people have confidence in you and building relationships with other people early on can benefit you for a lifetime. I have learned that lesson over and over and over again throughout my career. Steve Rush: Yeah. I talked to my kids, and I have four kids and two are in work and work, one and two students. And I talked to him about the emotional piggy bank, you know, pay it forward and you know, put deposits in other people's emotional piggybank. Make them feel good because one day you're going to get a return on that investment. Jim Kouzes: Absolutely. And you know, that's always led me to the number one bit of advice I would give anyone about how to become a better leader. Steve Rush: Yeah. And the very last thing we get to do, and one of my favorite parts of the show is we get to take you on a bit of time travel and you get to bump into Jim at 21, toe to toe and give Jim some advice. What would it be? Jim Kouzes: Well just back to that story, because I was a little older than 21, but not by too many years. And that particular situation taught me that you can't do it alone. Steve Rush: Yeah. Jim Kouzes: I give that piece of advice to any young person with whom I speak, about what should I do to help myself in my career? What can I do to make sure that I can be successful? And I say, well, first of all, recognize you can't do it alone. No one who's ever gotten to the top is a self-made person. Steve Rush: Very true. Jim Kouzes: We hear that a lot. This person was a self-made millionaire, but really, you know, all by yourself, nobody else helped you. There was no one else involved. You did it all alone. Steve Rush: It's a really interesting cliche, you hear all the time, but it's completely baloney. Jim Kouzes: It's completely baloney. If you recognize that it takes a mentor, it takes a coach, a parent you know, you think back over your own life and think about anything that you accomplished, that's meaningful to you. And I guarantee you, there were other people involved who committed themselves to you and your success for you to get there. Steve Rush: Yeah, absolutely right. Jim Kouzes: You know, with that recognition then you know, I think, you know, during every period of my life where I grew in advanced, I can, you know, I can appoint individually coach, advice, supported, helped me along the way. And with that knowledge, if I had that knowledge previously, I would have benefited from it. Steve Rush: Yeah. Jim Kouzes: And I think everyone can benefit from just recognizing that, we grow and develop to the extent that we have people who can help us along the way. Steve Rush: Very much so. So, what's next for you then, Jim? Jim Kouzes: Well, Barry and I are meeting on Monday to talk about the seventh edition to The Leadership Challenge and start to outline how it's going to be different. And because of the pandemic, there are a number of new issues we're going to tackle. And where are we going to gather the new stories and start taking a look at the data, particularly over the last year and see what else may have changed other than what we've already talked about, like around caring and support, for example, or diversity equity inclusion that we might want to address. So, it's going to be a year-long project to look at the data and interview some more people, particularly during these last 18 months, what they've experienced and then do the writing. And sometime in 2023, we should have a new book out. Steve Rush: Amazing. Amazing. And I should imagine, I already know the answer. I think to this question from when we last met, is there going to be a time we think, right. That's enough, I'm retiring. Jim Kouzes: I had 75/25 plan and the pandemic came along and helped me with that. When I turned 75, I was going to cut back to 25% of my time. And I revised that to be 80/20, Steve Rush: At 80 you still anticipate working 80% of the time? Jim Kouzes: Yeah. I keep pushing it out. So, but I am dialing it back a bit to, particularly on the business travel, our global travel is a bit tiring and my family, my son is engaged. He was supposed to get married, the pandemic happened, so he and his fiancé are still waiting for the time when people can gather in larger groups. So, we can have a big wedding and celebrate that. So, a lot of family things coming up and hopefully grandkids soon. Steve Rush: Amazing. Jim Kouzes: And so, other things are going to be happening in our lives. We know where we want to spend our time. Steve Rush: Well, you've been a massive impact on my life, Jim, and you've been a massive impact on millions of people around the world. And now we have an extended family through The Leadership Hacker Podcast. It's just left for me to say, I'm incredibly grateful for you taking some time out to be with us and part of our community. So, thanks for being on the show, Jim Kouzes: Well Steve, thank you very much. You are most gracious and I'm delighted to have this opportunity to chat with you. Steve Rush: Thank you very much, Jim. Closing Steve Rush: I genuinely want to say heartfelt thanks for taking time out of your day to listen in too. We do this in the service of helping others, and spreading the word of leadership. Without you listening in, there would be no show. So please subscribe now if you have not done so already. Share this podcast with your communities, network, and help us develop a community and a tribe of leadership hackers. Finally, if you would like me to work with your senior team, your leadership community, keynote an event, or you would like to sponsor an episode. Please connect with us, by our social media. And you can do that by following and liking our pages on Twitter and Facebook our handler there @leadershiphacker. Instagram you can find us there @the_leadership_hacker and at YouTube, we are just Leadership Hacker, so that is me signing off. I am Steve Rush and I have been the leadership hacker.
The vision of the valley of dry bones has been variously interpreted. Some see it as (1) teaching the postexilic return of the exiles (2) as an analogy for spiritual regeneration and the birth of the church (3) and dispensational interpreters see here the resurrection and the restoration of end times national Israel. Contextually, it is designed to be a message of hope to the exiled Jews. "SFL Bible" Ezekiel is given two symbols to illustrate the restoration of Israel. These symbols refer to the whole house of Israel (v. 11). But surely there is a present-day application (1 Corinthians 10:11).
The vision of the valley of dry bones has been variously interpreted. Some see it as (1) teaching the postexilic return of the exiles (2) as an analogy for spiritual regeneration and the birth of the church (3) and dispensational interpreters see here the resurrection and the restoration of end times national Israel. Contextually, it is designed to be a message of hope to the exiled Jews. "SFL Bible" Ezekiel is given two symbols to illustrate the restoration of Israel. These symbols refer to the whole house of Israel (v. 11). But surely there is a present-day application (1 Corinthians 10:11).
I participated in a Facebook press event on Tuesday, March 16th that featuring some Facebook Human-Computer Interaction Research on AR Neural Inputs, Haptics, Contextually-Aware-AI, & Intelligent Clicks. It was an on-the-record event for print quotes, however I was not given permission to use any direct audio quotes and so I try to paraphrase, summarize, and analyze the announcements through a lens of XR technology, ethics, and privacy.
Zombies. Pretty scary. Kinda cliché.Space. Can be scary. Contextually terrifying.Combine them? Now we're in the dismemberment business. In this episode, we strap on our space suits and carefully propel ourselves through the terrifying zero-G environments of the original Dead Space. Join us as we navigate the soundtrack players listen to while THEY navigate the USG Ishimura, a massive spaceship built for interstellar mining and loaded with the rotting corpses of the crew...now turned into vicious aliens called Necromorphs. Listen in on the classically inspired, dissonant-heavy score composed, conducted and arranged by Jason Graves and influenced by 20th century avant-garde composers such as Ligeti and Penderecki. It's going to get dicey, so bring along whatever mining equipment you can scavenge (that Plasma cutter looks good) and come along for the ride! Link to Show Notes
We've found religion! In this album. Contextually, not physically. The album's about God, is what I'm saying. Does anybody read this? Does GOD read this? I can't answer those questions, but I can answer how I feel about this album! Tell us what you think of this album, and come back next week when we'll be discussing Lately (EP) by Still Woozy! Find us around the web at: www.twitter.com/FBLPodcast www.facebook.com/FBLPodcast www.instagram.com/feedbacklooppodcast www.soundcloud.com/feedbacklooppodcast www.youtube.com/channel/UCYuCecAKOeL5WQkaHwSMlBQ
Luke 1:28-35 presents some of the most wonderful words of assurance and divine certainty in connection with the Lord Jesus Christ from His conception and birth as King of the Jews, to His ultimate triumph as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Specifically, in verses thirty-one to thirty-three, Luke presents seven wills in this Christmas narrative. Contextually, each of the verbs translated as will is in the future tense — will conceive, will name, will be great, will be called, will give, will reign, and will have no end. The use of the future tense here is known as a predictive future. That is, the tense indicates the expectation that something will take place. These wills speak of Christ’s Advents — His First and Second. From the present readers perspective, four of these wills are past, occurring at Christ’s advent. The last three wills are future and will be fulfilled at Christ’s second advent.
GEORGE: And welcome. I'm stoked because today is the hundredth episode. It's episode 99, but I dropped an episode 000. So it is the 100th episode. And I am here with the guy that wraps everything in business in bacon he wraps everything in bacon, in his business, including me, his friendships, his wife, and everything in between. But we have my friend Brad Constanzo here, who I've actually known of. Ooh, maybe like nine years. Cause he's known my wife longer than I've known my wife. Andso I've been being told about him since I was the bacon master uncivilized caveman, but yeah. He is like one of my dear friends. We talk often daily and live in the world of business and marketing and mindset and growth and all the things as you guys say, when it comes to business and helping companies build or scale their business. He's a Renaissance man. When it comes to this, he's been involved in absolutely everything. He has a podcast man behind some of the biggest. Information marketing company has been behind billionaires and everything alike. And literally just has an unlimited toolbox of tools to grab when he needs it consistently blows my mind. This is about a thousand times better than me at documenting things, which makes him a lot more effective because I just pull it out of my butt. It sticks to the wall. He documents it, uses it again. And I'm like, can you please send me a copy? So today I have my friend, Brad Costanzo, Brad. Good to be here, man.BRAD: Yeah. So sometimes I pull it out of my butt too. You just can't tell that's where I document it.GEORGE: Yeah. But at least when you, when you pull it out of your butt, I feel like you pull it out and then you document it before you send it. So it looks way more put together. Then I'm just like, I'll record another video for you. Hold on. I'll text that to you later. I'll send you an audio message. And I was like, man, I really got to get efficient with this. BRAD: There's a degree of truth to that. By the way, I was very, I was very impressed. You said I'm stoked to be here. You didn't say I'm super excited, which I think is neat. Which is the most overused video or podcast intro of anybody. I'm just, Hey guys, I'm super excited to be here with, and I was very excited that you said stoked. GEORGE: I think I did that because I heard myself the other day say super excited again. And I listened and consumed so much in a bet on so many interviews and interviewed. They're always like, and we're super excited to have George. And I was like, I got to do something different. And I think, I think last podcast I had I was supercalifragilistic excited. But I wasn't there today. My Marshall Mathers skills are not there on the first interview of the day, but they're going to get there. So I am stoked. So everybody listening I when I say this, Brad and I literally tax probably 40 times a day back and forth. Like we talk about everything, every business, every idea, every company we see doing it, right? Every hack and everything. And so I wanted to bring him on because he's a dear friend and. When I think about this, we have conversations that I think most entrepreneurs need to have. And we think about business, like most businesses need to be thinking about, and I'm always leaning in on Brad for his ideas and his feedback, his creative coffee, some copy, some of his ideas, which by the way, was stiletto coffee.And so we'll hear about all that stuff. And so Brad, I do have to kick it off with the same question I ask everybody, and then we can take the rails off of everything, but I would love your insight on this one. You've been in this game for a very, very long time. And so when you look back at this illustrious career of yours, what would you say was like one of the biggest lessons or the biggest mistakes that you made? Or you experienced and what have you taken from that moving forward that you utilize from this point on?BRAD: Nice, nice way to warm your guest up to a nice, with a nice, shallow, easy question.GEORGE: I told you the rails are off and you can buy time with that one. BRAD: Yeah biggest lesson, you know, or well, biggest lesson and biggest mistake are usually pretty related, but not always. You know, I think. If I was to say my biggest lesson and mistake, it's something I've been thinking about more recently and been more cognizant of it is you know, when I first got into the world of digital marketing, it was a result of I I'd read Tim Ferriss's four hour workweek, and there was a million things in that book, which, you know, takeaways one of themyou know, was that the idea of outsourcing and delegation. And it was one of those things that I was like, this is amazing. I'm totally gonna do this. And I didn't. And I ended up just learning everything myself. It became, I became very proficient at technology at doing a little bit of everything and becoming a real Jack of all trades in a lot of areas. But I do know that it really held me back and it was, it's helped me in some areas because I could, I didn't have to rely on somebody else to just do it. I could learn it quickly, figured out, just burn the midnight oil and get it done. But then I, when I look back at things I'm like I could have just easily paid somebody to do that for me.And I'll never forget, for instance, when I was talking to a good buddy of mine named Nate who is in the he was in the business and business partner. We're doing like, I don't know, five or $6 million a year. And they'd been doing this for several years and he called me up. He goes, Hey, I got a question is Aweber, a shopping cart or an autoresponder. And I go, you gotta be shitting me. I just flew on this guy's private jet. Or it was a private jet. No, like you don't know the difference. And here I was going like, I I was doing okay, but I wasn't doing this. This is a long time ago. And I'm like, that was a real moment of Holy crap.He goes, yeah, no, my team doesn't let me, I don't have a login for our, Aweber system. So I don't know what it is. I just know that it's a way we communicate with our list or something. So I'll never forget them. I remember where I was when I heard that thing. And, you know what you would think I would have learn the lesson right then and there, but I didn't. And I continued and I still do to this day doing stuff myself, rolling up my sleeves and figuring it out. And it is. One of my biggest mistakes. It's a lesson I have to keep on learning and relearning and relearning, but it's become much more cognizant. Now. I think it's become more cognizant now because I just finished Ben Hardy and Dan Sullivan's book, not how, but it was one of those things that really shine the light on it was like, I keep on getting bitch slapped across the face with a lesson that I know, and I've done this to some degree, but just nowhere near as much as I need to. And I think that's really become my theme this year more than anything is I continue to have, like delegation is the number one delegation and leadership at the two number one skill sets that I believe that are underdeveloped for myself and I'm trying to develop more. GEORGE: Yeah, I think that's actually some actually, I think it's funny because you and I probably feed each other with this one because we both do it. We're like, Oh, we got to figure it out. Let's go figure it out and then we'll know what to do. And then we're like, Oh, we got to delegate it.But by that point, we're so endowed of like, we can do it faster. We can do it more effectively. Oh. And like, we talk about this, like the amount of ideas I've run by you. And you're like, why don't you just have somebody do it? Or then you're like, what about this? I'm like, Oh, You know, outsource that one, but I think it's a really important topic. So I love it.BRAD: I'm a quick start. And I'm very impatient and you know, a real quick exam example, there was a Shopify thing they're like, okay, well we need this app installed correctly and I'm not a coder or whatnot, but they're like, yeah, that'll take three to five business days. And I'm sitting here going, I can't. Like the, the burn of me going, like, I cannot wait three to five business days for you to like install something like, or the instructions they're just give them to me. And I was looking at them. I'm like, I can do this by God. I can do I, and I appealed myself away. I go, Nope, I'm just going to wait. And that honestly, that was painful to wait GEORGE: Well, that's happened. That's happened to me a ton too. I mean, that was probably my biggest downfall in caveman was the fact that. I didn't have like this business influence of people. I had this, I have to survive and figure this out on my own. And it took maybe five years of me running that business for years before I even met any other people in the business or new internet marketing lived outside of what I was doing. And so the amount of times I brought my website down, the amount of times I broke stuff, the amount of times I've made mistakes that took like 18 weeks to figure out that like, Oh, I haven't had an email up in 18 weeks cause the form's been broken and 300 people a day were trying, like it had real world implications, you know?And that's, that's something that, you know, it's funny as your friend that happened, we just finished, you saw the webinar, but we just finished a launch and you and I are the same cause I'm a quick start to and patients is that one thread. And I think it's the thread that's weaved between, you know, delegation but leadership, because that, that whole thing is really understanding the big picture and playing the game. But I remember they were sending me some stuff and I was like, Oh, I don't like it. And I went to go change it. And I don't have logins and passwords anymore. And I only have a team if I have a team of three and they're amazing, but they're like, Nope, Nope, Nope. And so I have to funnel everything to Slack and it was, but then once I got over that hump of like, Oh, I can't like, I can't get into it. I can't fix it. I felt a thousand times better on the other side, like literally being like, Oh, it's out of my hands. And so I'm like, I'm going to go work out for an hour. And then I came back and it was fixed and somehow, you know, it magically happenedbut when you, when you think about that, like how do you define the line?Like, cause this is what I'll say about you, Brad, again, like what I love about you is you and I can dive down any rabbit hole and have deep levels of understanding and knowledge from an awareness perspective. And. What I love about that for me, like, I use it as a gift and you have the same one is we can look at a challenge or a problem, and then we can see it, but we can also pull ourselves up and see all the other things that are affecting that challenge by having that understanding.And so one of the things I struggle with is where do I put my focus on getting that level of understanding and where do I put it of like, Oh, I just really need to keep that outsourced all the way, because I've lived in this. I need to understand it so I can outsource it or utilize it or show a better, but like, how do you navigate that.BRAD: Well, that's happened. That's happened to me a ton too. I mean, that was probably my biggest downfall in caveman was the fact that. I didn't have like this business influence of people. I had this, I have to survive and figure this out on my own. And it took maybe five years of me running that business for years before I even met any other people in the business or new internet marketing lived outside of what I was doing. And so the amount of times I brought my website down, the amount of times I broke stuff, the amount of times I've made mistakes that took like 18 weeks to figure out that like, Oh, I haven't had an email up in 18 weeks cause the form's been broken and 300 people a day were trying, like it had real world implications, you know?And that's, that's something that, you know, it's funny as your friend that happened, we just finished, you saw the webinar, but we just finished a launch and you and I are the same cause I'm a quick start to and patients is that one thread. And I think it's the thread that's weaved between, you know, delegation but leadership, because that, that whole thing is really understanding the big picture and playing the game. But I remember they were sending me some stuff and I was like, Oh, I don't like it. And I went to go change it. And I don't have logins and passwords anymore. And I only have a team if I have a team of three and they're amazing, but they're like, Nope, Nope, Nope. And so I have to funnel everything to Slack and it was, but then once I got over that hump of like, Oh, I can't like, I can't get into it. I can't fix it. I felt a thousand times better on the other side, like literally being like, Oh, it's out of my hands. And so I'm like, I'm going to go work out for an hour. And then I came back and it was fixed and somehow, you know, it magically happenedbut when you, when you think about that, like how do you define the line?Like, cause this is what I'll say about you, Brad, again, like what I love about you is you and I can dive down any rabbit hole and have deep levels of understanding and knowledge from an awareness perspective. And. What I love about that for me, like, I use it as a gift and you have the same one is we can look at a challenge or a problem, and then we can see it, but we can also pull ourselves up and see all the other things that are affecting that challenge by having that understanding.And so one of the things I struggle with is where do I put my focus on getting that level of understanding and where do I put it of like, Oh, I just really need to keep that outsourced all the way, because I've lived in this. I need to understand it so I can outsource it or utilize it or show a better, but like, how do you navigate GEORGE: Yeah. Yeah. And I think, I think to 80% is where results live for our customers too. Cause I feel like what happens for me? I mean, you and I have had this, we've worked with, we've had some shared client experiences lately that we laugh about. But you know, I find that like that 80% is typically feels like 120% for the client.It only feels like 80% of the backend. And so, but I have that thing as well, and I felt wrong. This is extremely validating. It's funny. We haven't talked about this, like over our coffee or beach Hangouts or long strolls on the beach and by the way, For everybody listening, Brad and I really do go on long walks on the beach together.It is a fact and a deal. If you're listening, we'll have to do a three-way walk one of these times visiting again but it is extremely valid. Cause Brad what'll happen to me is like, I'll have this idea, right? Like somebody will come to me with a challenge or a problem or be like, how should we sell this?What should this look like? What should the hook be? And my brain is thinking about all these possible solutions and they want an answer, but I literally am like. I kinda need some time to like, get my hands in it and build it. Like I know in theory what it, what it should feel like and look like. And I don't, I don't know if it's not a skill set or maybe it's a part of my process. I need to take that and then literally go put my hands to work per se, to then help clear up the picture of like what I could tell them to do or what I could guide my team. Hondo and I don't, I've never met anybody else like that. Cause I've met the, you need to delegate it or you need to outsource it.And I was like, but I think for me, the art of building it is actually where I get the clarity on what it should look like. And so for me, I've been looking at that of like, When I do that, like understanding like, okay, I'm going to do this. Like I like right now, my team and I are building this, do content dissemination strategy. Like that's really effective and really done. And they're like, and I can spit where they're like, what should it look like? They're asking me all these questions. I'm giving him and answer. Like, I'm still confused them. Like, cause I haven't built it yet. I was like, just give me a day. And I sat down on my iPad and I was like, okay, this and this and this and this.And I sent it to them and they're like, okay. I'm like, yeah, go build that. But I think what I'm doing now is like giving myself a container that like, I can build to create clarity, but not a result. That's kind of like where my razors edges, like I ride a unicycle down the middle. And so it was just really validating, hearing.Hearing this cause I look at you and what I love about you is like, I would think of you, like if I was to reference you to somebody else, if somebody asked me about you the other day I think it was Alex, Alex asked me and he's like, so how would you describe Brad? BRAD: I'm talking to Alex after this call, by the way.GEORGE: Perfect. Well tell him, I said, hi. Hi Alex. I know you listened to this. Love you brother. But I was telling Alex, like, how would you describe him? And I like pause for a minute. And like, I had to go into my arsenal and I was like, Well, Brad is like me, but not like me. He's a Renaissance man. That gets big picture all the way down to the details required to make it happen. And he's a walking encyclopedia of knowledge. BRAD: they call me Brad PediaGEORGE: like seriously, like for those of you that are listening, like, I hope you get to share coffee with Brad one day or Brad and I, or come to an event. That he's at and speaking out with me because you're the only person I know that like we'll be sitting there.We'll have like a four minute conversation and not only. Do you converse, but you converse with reference material off the top of your brain, and then you follow up with it by like sending a book, like we'll leave in an hour later. But I was like, Oh, remember we talked about this from Dan Sullivan's book at 80%. Here's my notes in Evernote on this. And by the way, like you should take this and apply this into your business. BRAD: I've already made two book recommendationsGEORGE: We're only 16 minutes in and there's two and I, I just started who not how so? I'm actually really excited about that one. Cause I loved Ben's work.BRAD: I'll send you my notes in Rome. GEORGE: Yes, I'm here too. I was in Rome. And so the reason I'm asking that too is because when, when I look at you, you have this. I don't want to call Jacqueline high, but we have these two containers that you and I live in. Right. Container one is like, we create, we go create ideas, solutions, solve problems, do client work.But then the other side is we have this kind of consume where we, you know, get in knowledge and. You know, expand our research and deepen our reference material. Right. So when you look at your day, and this is something I've not talked about on the podcast a lot, but something that I've been really leaning into, when you look at your life, like if you were to percentage it out of like consumption versus creation, like where do you put that?And then why do you. You know, consume like you do and take the notes that you do, because like you've inspired me massively. Like I'm using Rome research, it started with WorkFlow like, I now read an article. I make a note about the article to put it into my PKM and things like that. But I would kind of love to hear your thoughts and your process on this, because it really makes you extremely valuable. And it's almost like you're just at the center hub of either you have the answer in your brain or you have this catalog to go into. And for me, The reason I'm asking is because one of the struggles I have as an entrepreneur is the FOMO of like, I read something and I'm going to forget it. I thought about something and I'm going to want to implement it.And it like stays open in my brain unless I get it down. And I'm using your PKM system, but I think you're one of the best in the world that I've ever seen at this. So I would kind of love your thoughts as how you balance that and how you do thatBRAD: So one of the first questions I think you asked is the how I bounce, like consumption versus. Production and creation.I consume way more than I can create to my much to my chagrin. I need to do, I love creating and I like to do more, much more so, but I'm just more, it's more natural to just jump into consumption mode because I can learn, I can learn and digest things quickly. And I'm really good at like, I've got that down.Like I've got that cadence down. I canand I'll explain that in a second, but. But I need to do more creation because I, you know, if you just consume for the act of consumption and, you know, hold it back without putting it back out there enough, you're not really adding value to the world. You're just like, almost like miserly collecting money, but never spending it or investing it.So that is one of the things that I've, I tried to do more so of his creation, but I mean, what I do when it comes to seeking out information, I want to learn, I guess, you know, I guess there's, and I'll give an example here.,there are certain things I will do to go say, okay, I need to know something about X.I'm going to go search it out and then there's the other one, which is, I just stumbled across information. Maybe I subscribed to a newsletter or two or go to a blog that I go to once in a while and I find something and I just go kind of deep down that rabbit hole and I click the links and I follow the trails and I just see where it takes me. Or I stumbled across a book that kind of peaks my interest and Iget into the book and then that book will maybe either bring up other ideas or articles or things like that.And I'll kind of follow that rabbit trail. I'll just follow my curiosity, which I have intense intellectual curiosity of. And with that. I mean, I don't know, it's random, I'll stumble across something. And I love that by the way, as I love stumbling across something that I'm like, Oh my God, Holy crap. My mind just blew. This is totally new. That's that idea of discussion. Something like hidden treasure, whether it's an article or a video or something like that is one of my favorite things. And I try to bake that into my marketing which remind me, I'm going to make a note to circle back because I think it's a really powerful marketing strategy is the concept of discovery. So I'm just making a note to come back. GEORGE: That's why it's one of the steps in the customer journey BRAD: So the other side is when I want to, when I, when I specifically want to learn something about something else. So for instance, this is a, this is a. This is a trick. I don't tell a lot of people because it makes me look like I'm magic, but my God, that's so smart.Where did you come up with that? So if I'm working with a client for instance, and they are Well, actually, I'll do this. You know, we mentioned a stiletto coffee. I had a coffee business failed coffee business, but not withstanding, but they asked that GEORGE: the assets weren't a failure. Cause I love, I love watching all the stuff you create.BRAD: It was cool. The economics just weren't working out and the opportunity cost was hard. But when I started off doing this, I didn't know anything about it. And the very first thing I did was I typed in like coffee brand inn Google plus marketing case study. Any product niche or whatever you're doing, type that in, and then add a modifier plus marketing case study.You would be blown away by the kind of information you can find because there's everybody from universities to big brands, to whatnot, doing case studies on the, you know, what a, a brand did or a company did to go from zero to hero. It's a zero to hero story. Rags to riches, especially with companies is one of the types of stories that people love telling and people love reading about.And they're out there. I've got a friend of mine who has a sex toy business. And he was asking me for some ideas the other day about man, how do I market sex toys effect? I just don't know. And I was like, let me think about that. And I'll get back to you. Some ideas I literally went to the web and I just liked it like sex toy plus marketing case study.And I found a bunch of them and I sent them an article with a bunch of ideas. He's like, man, this is brilliant. Like how do you build these things? Google university. So that's an idea, or that's an example of having a very specific thing in mind to go, okay. What do I need to know? Has somebody else done this? Who else like great reference back to the book who not, how, who else has already done this work for me that I don't have to reinvent the wheel. And I love marketing case studies because they actually lay out exactly what you need to know. This is how they got their first customers. This is how they got traffic. This is how they scaled. These are the problems they ran into. So that is a funds secret weapon that all your listeners and viewers should just do. Take your business. And take the industry or the product type or whatever, whatever it is, and then type in Mark plus marketing case study.The other things I do when I'm, when I'm trying toremember information or things that I learn, I, I just. Try to do what I think Tiago forte call. Who's a thought leader in the space of personal knowledge management calls, progressive summarization. I try to look for something I highlight. I use a tool to highlight andlike a webpage, for instance, w it's like you're highlighting in a Kindle book.And I'm looking for the things that I might want to reference back to later on, because those are the things that are gonna give you the context for what. Your reading is about, and then I will copy those. Like I might read an article and just have three or four highlights. That's fine. I may have 50 and then I'm going to copy those over into. You a tool you can use Evernote, I'm using ROHMGEORGE: what do you use to highlight on the browser?BRAD: If you're using ROHM, actually, you don't even need Rome for this, but it's awesome. It's called ROHM, R O H M highlighter. It's a Chrome or brave plugin it's free and it allows you to, It allows you to copy something. Yep. Andand that's like, every time I highlight, I'm just highlighting things and the highlights stays and then you click a button at the bottom of it. This has copy all highlights. And then when you paste it into whatever note taker you're using, it pulls in the title of the article URL and then bullet points on it. So it's just like highlight, highlight, highlight, highlight, copy, and then paste where I want it. And then what I'll do is I'll go through those, those highlights and I'll look for like, this is the progressive summarization. I'll look for the biggest ideas because I don't care if you're reading a book, an article or whatever, no matter how good it is. I don't even think we retain 20% unless it's a very short article.If you, if you walk away with. 5% of the big ideas. Congratulations. But then, so what I'll try to do is get what are the few biggest, biggest ideas from that and for instance, using the example of that book, who not, how so I highlighted the hell out of it through Kindle. I exported those highlights into ROHM, which is also easy to do. But that's not what we're going to talk about now, Google. And then what I did is I went through and I looked for of those passages in there. I looked for the most poignant ones and I highlighted them again, or I bolded them or I pulled them out and I'm like, all right. If I just remember these three things, if nothing else out of this entire thing, this is what I want to focus on. And it's a vote, the process of doing that. Integrated deeper in your mind, even though I'm looking only looking for a few things, it reminds me, I never thought about this until right now, it reminds me back when I was in high grade school and high school, I was eight. I would have been a cheater. I had full intent to cheat my ass off, but. The act of trying to cheat, made me learn it. For instance, I would create these really small writing little crib note sheets, like cheat sheets that I could put like in my pants leg or something. So it, I was going to go into class, I'd have all the answers. And I went into many classes with the cheat sheet, stuck in my shirt pocket or something like that. And I never had to pull it out because the process of building the cheat sheet caused me to learn it. So if I wanted to cheat, I was like, I didn't have to, it was cheating.GEORGE: So I, I love this. I opened three loops in the question.They've all been closed, but I think one thing two sides of this, and I think this is really important, especially going back to the opening of this, where like you talk about like your two threads that you're working on being delegation and leadership development. Right. I think this ties into a perfectly, when you think about consumption, you talked about intentional consumption or accidental consumption, but I think what is so powerful about both of them is that they both have a really tight container on them.If it's intentional, it's a, I'm going to find something. So you go, you find it, then you're complete and you implement it or you note take it. But then when it's accidental, you don't find it. Get the dopamine hit of it. You find it. And then you summarize it and you put it into something so that you can integrate it. You use your, and for those that, when we say PKM it's personal knowledge management, it's just basically how you take notes or how you access your own information or things like that. I Brad's way more versed in it than I am. He just teaches me what to do and I follow what he says. but then the accidental side is like, okay, if I'm going to consume that's right.I come across this article, making sure I don't just read it, but I read it. And then I take. Contextually or something that resonates with me so I can remember it and apply to my business. Then you file that away somewhere like a note system or an Evernote or something along those lines for reference.BRAD: Yup. Yeah, exactly. The goal, which is what I particularly love about ROHM, but the goal is not to have to file it away in something like, okay, I need to remember that this goes in this file folder or category or whatever the goal is to either use certain keywords or context when you're taking notes. And it doesn't even have to be much like if I'm wrong. If I read an article about copywriting and I save it over here, all I have to do is put the word copywriting or sometimes a hashtag copywriting on the notes, because then I can go back. To my notes. It's like, man, I remember what was that thing about copywriting?I just type in copywriting or I click on the hashtag and it'll pull it up. I can kind of scan. I go, Oh, that's where it is. Yeah. So I always just think of, I don'tI'm very unorganized when it comes to taking notes when I like to categorize them and things like that but because I'm so methodical about like keeping the right notes and making sure that there's context behind it, when I need to go find it, it's easy to find.I just type in the keyword or two that I'm looking forand you know, the, the loop I didn't close and I wrote down here is discovery. So I love that it's it is one of the things that humans love the Most like, we absolutely love it. We love going on treasure hunts. We love you know, just going to explore it's something built into our DNA. It's why we are explorers. Why we explore the West when the settlers came here, et cetera, we love discovering new things because there's that dopamine hit, I guess it's a dopamine hit of novelty. Like, wow, this is so cool. A lot of times we don't bake that into our marketing and our business in letting our, instead of shoving our product down our customer's throats, I was like, check out what this is like, I'm just sticking it in front of your face. I've found that some of the best Mark and I'm trying to think of some really good examples is when you discover something and it almost feels as like your. Discovery almost like a lot of people love discovering a new band, like an unheard of band that then catches fire. And even if I listened to a DJ or a band, I'm like, this is fire.This is amazing. I want to tell other people about it because I, I don't believe that everybody knows about this yet because I, if I discovered it, it means it was, it wasn't. In front of my face the whole time. And we love sharing discoveries with our friends. That's why things go viral. It's, there's a lot of that.So it's, I'm always trying to find a good, I don't even have a framework for this, but how can I let my, customers discover what I'm trying to sell them as opposed to for speed it. Now, sometimes that could be maybe an article that you're writing. Maybe this is like top of funnel material that you're writing about something else. And you, you may just briefly mention your product where the, your product is not the centralized focus of, of what you're writing, but you're allowing them to go, wait, wait. What's that? Yeah. Almost, I actually think you can almost hide something just enough. It's almost like an Easter egg popping out that I, I see the color, but I only see part of it.People will pick up on that. We're trained to pick up on it. It's like, wait, let me re let me click on that and go check it out. Especially because if I'm not trying to force, feed it down your throat. It doesn't smell like an ad. And actually, this is one of the things that I'm working on right now with a model, right?Like there's a, a landing page template, like a native ad article. And you're no, you know what I'm talking about that I'm sure now, and this one, the way I've built it, the way they've done it and the way I built itto model that. Is at the top of the funnel article about a certain thing, it's not about the product. And then when they get to the product, you know, when they get through the article, it hammers home, this is the product you need. Go get it. It's very direct. I want to test out a version that just kind of mentions it you know, this product in a couple places, but doesn't hammer it home and see which one of them leads. Like how many of them catch it and follow that rabbit trail, like, Oh, wow. That's interesting. Tell me more about this. And it'll be, interesting marketing tests that I'm working.GEORGE: Yeah. Well, I think it's so important about that. Like, I actually want to pull this thread with you cause we can talk about this all day. This is fun stuff. So when we think about like marketing, right? So one book recommendation based on what you said, discovery for everybody listening. I recommend Jonah Berger. Like there's no tomorrow. Brad jumps on this one too, but the book contagious talks about why things catch on and why things go viral. And the reason we share discoveries because Brad and I probably text each other two to three new discoveries a day, like no joke. We were like brainstorming. Like how can we submit links to each other without him coming through our texts? And we're playing with some stuff right now. But, you know, I, and I don't want to sound like a broken record, but there's only one of five reasons people share things. They discover humor, credibility, social status, education, or controversy, that's it. Those are the only five, right? So if you discover something and you're like, Oh, my friends will think this is cool while their social status, if you discover something and it's helpful, my friends will use this. You get credibility for helping them. If it's like this new way to do marketing, you get the education points.Of course, if it's controversial, you do it. But what you said, I think is so powerful because I think Brad when we look at the state of marketing, you've been in this game just as long as I have, if not longer.I tend to see if there's two cases, there's a camp of like direct response, like hard sell, sell, sell, sell, sell, and then there's this camp of like value based content based, you know, longer journey.And everybody tends to swing to one of either sides instead of realizing that they both are required. Right. Because when you think about like that article that you're writing. And so just for everybody, You know, wondering like who we're talking about. It's like writing an article about benefits and then introducing a product, you know, passively or writing an article about the product and be like, just buy the product.They both belong in marketing, both of them, and they belong at different parts of the customer journey. And so when we think about this, like I love thinking about. Like, Oh yeah. Like if I understand a customer journey, that's not linear, it's not three days. Right. It's not like, step one, step two, step three, step four. It's a matter of them discovering, you know, when they're going to invest in, when they're having that pain point, when it resonates with them and they all are a part of the ecosystem. Right. And so when you say. By the way I would love to see this. I already know the answer to this test because it's going to be both.And I know the company as well. So, you know, we think about that. You know, a lot of terms people use is like top of funnel, middle of funnel, bottom of funnel. But really when you break that down, it's just like cold, warm, hot that's that's really level of awarenessBRAD: It's actually, when you break it down even further, it's, it's love, you know, the, the age old marketing formula, AIDA attention, interest, desire, and action. Those are levels of awareness and desire, right? GEORGE: well, and so the reason. I say that it's both for everybody. Cause like I'll help people go on the content side, right. Where it's almost like an Easter, like, Hey, we're going to help you. We're going to help you. And then you discover the link click through. Right. That works really well. It's amazing because it only gets the right customer at the right time to click through everybody else had a positive touchpoint, but then you get to a point where there are some people that will get the touch points and then they'll never click through, but they want the product. And then you have an article that they can see and read about like, no, no, this is why you need it. The product, like this is what it's going to do for you. And this is how it's going to help, you know, like literally now is the time to go. And so I say this because I see these two camps and it's almost like it's either direct response, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Or it's like this value based. And I think everybody has to realize that they belong in the same world and it's the customer journey above it, you know, that does that. BRAD: And that's the real nuance and art to it. And you got to test it out and some stuff, I mean, I don't even depend on it's like, you know, I I'm going to run this test and it may not work. It doesn't mean it, the concept doesn't work. It means the execution may not have worked, but one of my favorite quotes and I don't know who to attribute it to, but I've used for years is that marketing is nothing except guessing and testing. And guessing and I think I'm going to guess if it's going to work. I don't know. I think it will, but how many times have we guessed something at work? And it flops like, like this is going to hit a home run and it's, you know, it's crickets actually. GEORGE: That gives me a good question. When you, when you think about that. Cause that, that one, that's a good one. The amount of things that I've made seven figures on that I was like, this will never work. Like there is no way this will work is like mind-blowing. So like when you think back, like what was one of your like biggest surprises of like the guessing and testing where you're like, I can't believe this work. Like whip out the secrets. Like if it was painfully obvious or not painfully, obviously it was painful for you to share, like you ask your guests to do, BRAD: I'm trying to think if there was one of those where I'm like, how the hell did that work?I'll tell you, I'll tell you the one that I thought for sure would work. And it flopped It took a lot of work. It actually burned me out of an entire niche and I sold the business. So this is like shit, 10 years ago, maybe pushing 10 years ago. What I had, I had a product yeah. Long time ago in the dating advice niche. And it was selling magic tricks to the whole guy, all the guys selling pick-up artists. I was like, I'm gonna show you how to use magic tricks to throw that in your flirty game. That was the very first thing I ever started off with selling information on online and it was fun, but then I decided, okay, I'm going to create a product in for just strict dating advice. Cause I had this big list and I had all these affiliates and at the time there still is, you know, there's a million what do you call them? Virtual summits out there right now, right? Yeah. Familiar. Yeah. And for those who are not, which is probably nobody, who's not familiar with the virtual summit, it's, let's say I'm going to do 25 different interviews with different people about topics on marketing or in this case, dating. I've never liked them. I see no value in those things. Cause I don't want to sit through 25 interviews. I mean, there's podcasts out there right now. I can download them on demand. I don't want to sit through this and then buy them, et cetera. And there was, I don't have time to spend 25 hours. Rigso this is the problem I'm looking to solve.Now I said, but I have all these relationships and they have traffic and I want to do something that I think would be a better product and a better way to consume their advice, the, this expert guru level advice. And I never saw anything like this exist. So there's the problem. The solution was I'm going to interview 25 of the top dating experts in the world. And I'm going to ask them each 25 questions. Okay. And all of these questions are broken down into categories, such as like for example, what would be, you know, if you're a single guy it was all designed for guys. What is your best, uh, way to approach a woman? Like let's say, during the day outside of a bar.And then the second question is what would be your best advice to an approach? A woman. In a, in a bar nightclub environment. another question would be like, what would be the, you know, how do you keep a conversation? How do you keep a conversation going after the initial opening and what I did, these are 25 most commonly asked questions. And I was just like, I'm going to ask every single person, a very regimented set of questions so that everybody, all 25 people answered all 25 questions. Now in start, instead of giving you the full interview. What I did is I painstakingly hadan editor go through each one of them and break out all 25 little clips just of them answering. The question and right. Just the question. And then we built this matrix online, inside this membership area. And all you had to do was like, all right, here's 25 questions. Which question do you want to know the answer to right now? And I may want to go to the part where it says what's the best way to get a girl's phone number, something like that. I don't know that. I don't think that was the question, but you click on it and then you see a grid of all 25 gurus. And a little play button on their face and you just click it and I can go around to hear the two minute answer to each, each person's perspective on this little question, are you following me? You understand how this work? I'll tell you, I'll tell you the one that I thought for sure would work. And it flopped It took a lot of work. It actually burned me out of an entire niche and I sold the business. So this is like shit, 10 years ago, maybe pushing 10 years ago. What I had, I had a product yeah. Long time ago in the dating advice niche. And it was selling magic tricks to the whole guy, all the guys selling pick-up artists. I was like, I'm gonna show you how to use magic tricks to throw that in your flirty game. That was the very first thing I ever started off with selling information on online and it was fun, but then I decided, okay, I'm going to create a product in for just strict dating advice. Cause I had this big list and I had all these affiliates and at the time there still is, you know, there's a million what do you call them? Virtual summits out there right now, right? Yeah. Familiar. Yeah. And for those who are not, which is probably nobody, who's not familiar with the virtual summit, it's, let's say I'm going to do 25 different interviews with different people about topics on marketing or in this case, dating. I've never liked them. I see no value in those things. Cause I don't want to sit through 25 interviews. I mean, there's podcasts out there right now. I can download them on demand. I don't want to sit through this and then buy them, et cetera. And there was, I don't have time to spend 25 hours. Rigso this is the problem I'm looking to solve.Now I said, but I have all these relationships and they have traffic and I want to do something that I think would be a better product and a better way to consume their advice, the, this expert guru level advice. And I never saw anything like this exist. So there's the problem. The solution was I'm going to interview 25 of the top dating experts in the world. And I'm going to ask them each 25 questions. Okay. And all of these questions are broken down into categories, such as like for example, what would be, you know, if you're a single guy it was all designed for guys. What is your best, uh, way to approach a woman? Like let's say, during the day outside of a bar.And then the second question is what would be your best advice to an approach? A woman. In a, in a bar nightclub environment. another question would be like, what would be the, you know, how do you keep a conversation? How do you keep a conversation going after the initial opening and what I did, these are 25 most commonly asked questions. And I was just like, I'm going to ask every single person, a very regimented set of questions so that everybody, all 25 people answered all 25 questions. Now in start, instead of giving you the full interview. What I did is I painstakingly hadan editor go through each one of them and break out all 25 little clips just of them answering. The question and right. Just the question. And then we built this matrix online, inside this membership area. And all you had to do was like, all right, here's 25 questions. Which question do you want to know the answer to right now? And I may want to go to the part where it says what's the best way to get a girl's phone number, something like that. I don't know that. I don't think that was the question, but you click on it and then you see a grid of all 25 gurus. And a little play button on their face and you just click it and I can go around to hear the two minute answer to each, each person's perspective on this little question, are you following me? You understand how this. BRAD: So that was one where I thought this is a brilliant product. Granted I still like the idea of the product. Maybe my marketing chops were not up maybe to snuff at the time. Maybe I just didn't know how to sell it. Maybe I was so burned out after having created this product before selling it that I didn't want to do it anymore, which is why I'm a big proponent these days of sell it first created after you validate it. There's a super long drawn out emotional story of me thinking this is going to be a great idea. And it flopped still little coffee was another one. I had a great brand, a great idea, a great hook, great graphics and everything else. And I just ignored the unit economics of how is it going to make this work? And I put blinders on and it, and I just couldn't, I couldn't do it. So best ideas be damned. It was a, you know, a failed venture.GEORGE: And for those of you wondering about coffee, I owned a coffee business as well. Um, I don't think there are effective unit economics and coffee companies. Quite frankly, we figured it out, but yeah, that's a, that's a good one. That's a good one. So I'm gonnaI'm going to take back to something you said earlier because you opened a loop and I found a solution to that. BRAD: Who was that? GEORGE: So the quote marketing is nothing by guessing and testing. Do you want, do you want to know why it was set on your podcast? BRAD: Well, but by me or somebody else?GEORGE: Nope. By ToddBRAD: Todd who? Todd Brown, Todd Brown saidGEORGE: Todd Brown said that on your podcast, I went to the good old Google. I couldn't do it with just the quote. I had to put it in quotations. And then you code up, uh, as the first two results. It's not easy. You have to get the guts to go on the rollercoaster ride. I've heard many people say marketing is nothing but guessing and testing. So he said it on your podcast. BRAD: Ah, good old Todd. GEORGE: Yup. Awesome. So when you, when you think about that, like I, so like my brain, when you were talking about like that dating on demand thing and that thing, I was like, that's a genius idea, but then my immediate brain went to, I've had a lot of experiences like that, where. I was like, this is it. This is what they want. This is what they want. And it never worked because I was reminded that that isn't what they wanted. That's what they said they wanted. But a lot of people, like I said this to somebody before I said, what's interesting is like, everyone's like, Oh, I love this keynote. I love these Ted talks. I love this, whatever. And I was like, but there's three takeaways. Right. I could give you all three takeaways in 35 seconds to 90 seconds. I was like, but these keynotes take an hour, but they're just delivering three takeaways. It's literally hook, story, takeaway, story, takeaway, story, takeaway, you know, close.And I was like that, that storytelling part. And even like that looping back into discovery part, I think is such a critical component because I think the ideas are always there and what I have found most of the time. Is when I was like, this is the best solution. Like, this is the best product. This is the best implementation. This is the best, everything. It's very logical because I'm like, here's the actual doing solution, but it's missing the feeling that they're looking for. And there's that disconnect in between them all. It happened to me numerous times. BRAD: Yeah. And you know, it also goes to show that sometimes like the very first product I ever built, I built a product that I would buy. If it existed, I was like, I'm building the solution to my own problem. And this one, I was doing the exact same thing. The first one worked the second one didn't. Doesn't mean the second one couldn't have worked. It absolutely could have worked, but it didn't. And it goes to show that yes, sometimes building a product that solves your own problem, is a great way to do it. And sometimes it's definitely not because not everybody wants that problem solved or not enough people want that problem solved. So you gotta, you know, you gotta kind of figure that out and do a little bit more research upfront. Which, if you're a quick start, that's hard to do. I have to slow myself down and go through a three-step process. That is been super critical for me that when I, when I skip it, I usually fail when I don't skip it. I usually succeed. And I'll touch on that. I know you, and I've talked about this, this Disney, uh, dream storming process GEORGE: when you, yeah. Yeah. You shared this with me. I use this all the time nowBRAD: It's so it was so important to my success, that it was a very first podcast episode. I did like six years agoand I learned it over a decade ago when I was studying NLP and they were, they were talking about this concept of howRobert Dilts, who is a, one of the pioneers of neuro-linguistic programming, went back and studied the strategies of all these geniuses throughout history.And one of them was Walt Disney. And when he found that what Walt did washe had separated out the. I guess the three internal, you could call them voices or States of mind whenever we are planning or a new project and it can be a business, it can be anything. And this was into the dreamer. I'll use Robert Delta's language, the dreamer, the realist and the critic. Or the spoiler, or this could be the dreamer, the, the do the planner and then the critic.And so what happens is that whenever we have an idea and especially if you go. If you've ever had a great idea of maybe it's a business idea and you got to share it with your spouse or your friend or co coworkers or colleagues or employees, you're like, Oh, I've got this great idea. Check this out. If you're like most people, the very first thing you're going to hear is why it won't work well. Yeah. But here's why that won't work because of this and blah, blah, blah. And I think naturally we go into that thing. We hear you. Okay. There's your idea. And we critique it because we're trying to actually protect you from screwing yourself up.But nobody likes that. We're like we hear it. And then you just basically pooped on our party and like, ah, man, it's no fun. The thing is we do it to ourselves and it's not just a critiquing. We'll have an idea like.For example, I want to create a coffee. I've got this idea for a coffee brand directed towards women, and it's going to be called stiletto coffee, and I can see the, the branding and then I go out, but, okay.So all I have to do is get some coffee roasters and design this stuff and Oh, but you know what, who's going to drink the coffee and people are going to buy it, this, that, and the other, right? Like, and we have this cacophony of sounds in our head of dreaming planning and critiquing all at the same time. And there are three totally separate voices and neither one of them wants to listen to the, each other. The dreamer doesn't want to listen to the planner. He sure as hell doesn't want to listen to the critic, telling them why it won't work. So what happens is one of two things, either we have what's called idea abortion, which is I got this great idea, but then that critic popped up. Whether it's you critiquing me as a friend or a partner, or it's me critiquing myself. And we got that probably won't work for this reason or that. And I just abort the idea before it's fully baked out,. Or we do what I did instill little coffee is I was so enamored with the dream and then the possible, and I could see the plan on how to get it done. I Stipe I shoved the sock in the critic's mouth and I said, I don't want to hear your unit economics margin, profit margin, like what if people don't buy subscription. How are you going to get people to enjoy the taste of a coffee? They've never tried and buy it online, blah, blah, blah.I just ignored it. And I said to myself, what a lot of entrepreneurs do is I'll just figure it out as, you know as they come. Sometimes you can't solve those problems as they come. And it's not until you realize that, like for instance, net critic has a very specific role and it's not the rain on the parade. It's to make sure that you overcome that you're actually cognizant of the hurdles and the challenges you're going to face. And you're like, all right, cool. These are what I'll face. Now here's the secret to this whole thing. Like understanding there's the mindset of the dreamer. There's the mindset of the planner. And there's the mindset of the of the critic. The key to it is when you're, when you're in dreaming mode, don't plan and don't critique, just dream. See it playing out before you, like it's on a movie screen, like it's happening. And here, you're only asking what if.What if, what if we do this? What if we do this? What if we do this now? Once you've got a, kind of a decent little dream in mind and a vision, if you would, you're going to step into the next frame of mind or think of it as the next office where there's maybe storyboards up and all you're going to do is plan out.Okay. Here's here's what let's plan out. How given. What I know about this, how do I, how would I do this? And there's only two rules in the planning or the realist office. And that's don't add new shit to the dream and don't critique it. Right. And then finally, once you've got a general vision or a dream, and then you've got a general plan. Now take it into this critics mindset. And this could be by yourself. This could be with your friends and partners or whatever, and you go, okay, let's poke holes. What are we missing? Like, why not? So it's like, what if, how and why not? Right. And now we go, okay, well, it's, it's going to cost X amount of money.Do we have that money? It's going to take these resources. There's an opportunity cost. If you do this, Brad, will you have time to do that? Would you also set as important? And you can guess the final rule when you're a critique knit, don't solve those problems. Don't plan them. Don't add them new dreams, just critique and let them flow. Because what happens is when you give each one of these internal voices, its own time on stage, if you would, or on its own time with the conch shell, you know, Lord of the flies reference, they get to, they, they get to be fully heard and go and validated and go, all right. Here we go. Now you've got, now you've got everything.The key then is if to making it all work is ideally the dreamer and the planner mindset. Whether it's you or your team, you go out and you fix and you find a solution for every one of the critics objections. And if you can't, maybe you don't do it. Maybe you're bored. But if you can and you take this thing back to the critic, the critic goes, yeah, I don't see anything wrong with this green light. Now you've got something that works.I didn't do this with stiletto coffee. Like I just put the blinders on and I was like, I'm going to ignore it. And it screwed me up. And these days I do this, not only with myself, but every single one of my clients, business partners, it's mandatory for them to know this,this three-part strategy because. And even Shane who, you know, my business partners is now, he'll be like, he'll be like, Hey, so I know you're in the dreamers office. Can we step into the critics office in a second? And I'm like, absolutely. Or he'll say, Hey, I'm just in the dreamers office, go with me on this. And what that tells me is that, Hey, we're just, we're thinking, what if right now don't jump into the, all the shit that could go wrong.We'll get there. And it's so productive by the way, do it with your spouse, like teach Lindsay, this, teach your wife, teach you know, husbands and boyfriends this because as entrepreneurs, which I think everybody listening to this is if you communicate like this, you're giving them a frame of reference for how you're thinking. Like, Hey, I got this wild idea. I'm in the dreamers office. Just go with it. And maybe it's like, Hey look, maybe we're going to move to a foreign country because our, the president we want didn't get elected. Right. Like how would we, where would we go? Like, just imagine what would be amazing if we did, like, would we go to Columbia? Would we go to France, Costa Rica, Costa Rica, where would we go? And then you just dream together. And then the next thing you go is like, okay, well, How would we do that? Or, you know, actually I'll give you another little key thinking tool here taken from the world of design thinking, which is one of the most powerful words that the top innovators use phrases, which is called, how might we, it's way more powerful than how do we, because how might we adds a degree of I don't know if it's possible, but how might, how might we do it?So for instance, you and I both have podcasts. They're not as popular as Joe Rogan's as is like, no podcast is as popular as Joe Rogan's and if you and I sat down and we go, Hey, all right, how do we create a podcast, the George and Brad show, or even your podcast, or my pockets? How do we overtake Joe Rogan's podcast and popularity?It's like, fuck, I have no clue. But if you and I brainstormed with this premise, how might we do it? Do you actually feel the shift in energy and creativity? Yeah, you go, okay. We probably couldn't, but if we could, how might we do that? And now you just play it. It allows you to just come up with wackadoo ideas and one, while that it works.So anyway, yeah. Like how might, well, if we did move to Costa Rica, how might we do that? Well, Could we, would we sell where we're living or would we just rent it out? I don't know. How long would we have to stay there and you start doing that, then you go into the wall. Well, why not? Well, Costa Rica has got mosquitoes and I don't like mosquitoes.Like, you know, I don't know you come up with stuff like, but anyway, I, I can talk for days. I did my entire first episode on this, but it's real simple dream and plan critique. Don't do it and only do them one at a time and make sure the person you're working with or living with knows. What you're doing. And it'll avoid a hell of a lot of conflict. GEORGE: Well, there's so much, so much in there and like, I just want to summarize it so first, like it goes all the way back to the opening, the episode where we talked about patience, right. Because if you have an idea and you think it has to be done today, it's not a good idea. That's firefighting doesn't create sustainable results. And so what I love about this is that this gives you a container or a framework for taking what might feel like immediate, or might feel like urgent. And it gets you into this slowdown, right? Gets you into your parasympathetic state to really be like, okay, no, let me go through this.Let me. See, if we can do this, let me make sure this isn't costing us opportunity or costing us time. Right. And it allows you to fully bake it all. And the one thing that I will say is I am still working on this for my team, but I've been utilizing this. And the biggest thing for me is giving myself a gap between each office. So if I'm doing it on my own and I'm brainstorming, I have, I have to go dreamer and then be like, I have to go work out or take a couple calls or go walk and like schedule more time to come back and be a critic. BRAD: So, when I learned of this, it was in a work, it was actually a three-day workshop teaching two or three day workshop teaching just this. That was all, it was the Disney strategies of GE leadership workshop, right. Taught bio, to women in Dallas, Texas. What was brilliant about it is when they did it, they go, okay, we're going to use, what's called in an LP, spatial anchoring. So you are going to be in this part, like you're just going to stand here when you're dreaming.And we would go through this with a partner. All right. You and you. You'd be standing up and the physiology was also important. So with standing up, I would kind of bounce on my toes and I get the energy moving and I look up and I imagine I'm watching it on a TV, like on a, on a movie screen. And when we were done about to move into the other move into the other frame of mind, we stepped out into what they call meta position, which is basically out. And we would say our phone number backwards in order to just cause it just causes you to get out of that thinking. And we go, okay, like, Nine four, three, two, one blah, blah, blah. And it's like, all right. I've kind of cleared the clear that out. Like defragged it. And now I'm going to step into the other one and then I'm gonna defrag it, say my phone number backwards.So it's the exact same thing you have to give your, your mind the ability to change it up when I'm doing it at the house. Like I will I'll go for a walk when I'm in my dreamer mode. I'll come back to my office and sit on my computer and I'll map it out when I'm in realist and I'll go sit in my I've got a recliner over here and I'll go sit in the recliner where I usually read and think, and I'll go there to critique. So I, 100% change it up and need space in between.GEORGE: Yeah. Those, those state changes are, are massive for us. And for entrepreneurs, what I have figured out, like one of my biggest keys to success is space. Like just space, right? But in that also, and Benjamin Hardy actually talks about this in his first book, which is designing your environment.Oh, you're saying using the principles of like NLP to get you into the States. And so, you know, if you're in an office, you can do this with your colleagues in different places. If you're working remotely, do it on different calls, like play with these things of state. And being like, if your guys are going to do a dreamer meeting, like, you know, do some breath, work and play a fun uplifting song that like gets you childlike and then schedule another meeting.Even if you take a 10 minute break in between them, or if you're doing it on your own, make sure that you're giving yourself that space to clear and get back to neutral and get back to neutral. So you can embody this. And I was doing a podcast of the day, Brad wood Stefanos for a show we're going to launch, bu
It s not uncommon to find the traditional vulnerability assessment report buried under the CISO family picture, compliance books, and his latest blood pressure test. These reports highlight the never-ending battle between security and IT about what s more important: risks to servers and endpoints, or keeping the environment up-to-date and secured. There are even problems within the ranks of each unit. Dysfunctional processes, lack of efficient communication, and rudimentary tools put even more pressure on the CIO and CISO. This segment is sponsored by Vicarius. Visit https://securityweekly.com/vicarius to learn more about them! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/psw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://wiki.securityweekly.com/psw662
It s not uncommon to find the traditional vulnerability assessment report buried under the CISO family picture, compliance books, and his latest blood pressure test. These reports highlight the never-ending battle between security and IT about what s more important: risks to servers and endpoints, or keeping the environment up-to-date and secured. There are even problems within the ranks of each unit. Dysfunctional processes, lack of efficient communication, and rudimentary tools put even more pressure on the CIO and CISO. This segment is sponsored by Vicarius. Visit https://securityweekly.com/vicarius to learn more about them! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/psw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://wiki.securityweekly.com/psw662
In this episode we will focus on the letters of the New Testament.Visit our website, thebiblegps.com for more information or sign up for free at our Online Bible School. Christ the Lord is Risen Today from HymnaginationSupport the show (https://thebiblegps.com/donation)
In this episode, we look at a topic that is not normal Tech Interviews territory, but one that is going to be a huge focus for businesses of all shapes and sizes as we come to grips with the COVID realities that will be with us for some time to come and that is how do we use technology to better market our organisations and sell our services? My guest is Vlad Edelman, CEO and founder of Targetable a digital marketing platform and service that helps businesses to use technology to better market and sell to their customers base. Vlad has vast experience in the areas of both digital platforms and online marketing services with a very impressive CV developing solutions for some of the best-known brands in the world, in this episode Vlad shares some of that experience as we discuss some of the pitfalls with today’s marketing approaches and how marketing may not be quite as easy as everyone likes to think! We discuss. • I’m in IT why should I care about marketing? • Why everyone thinks they can do a marketeer’s job! • Contextually aware marketing. • It’s all about the data. • Not all interesting data is valuable. • Nobody spends enough on marketing! • The issue with tools from the big online providers. • Importance of consistency and quick reactions. Vlad shares some fascinating insights into the challenges and potential solutions when it comes to targeted transactional marketing in the modern world and how for many of us finding ways to win new customers is going to be crucial in the months to come and Vlad provides some valuable tips on how to achieve better results. If you have an idea for a show or would like to appear as a guest then why not email me at podcast@techstringy.com. If you want to ensure you catch the next episode then please subscribe. For full show notes including links : https://wp.me/p4IvtA-1Mu
This episode highlights helpful ways to tend to our selves, reclaim power, and perhaps help us soothe our selves when we don’t have the power to change our situation. My guest, Dr. Jane Tornatore is a Therapist & Speaker Seattle, WA. A recovering perfectionist, she knows the pain of being bogged down by old beliefs and never quite measuring up to expectations. She supports people in converting outdated patterns and stress into more freedom, joy, and authenticity that come from being gentler with the self and living more from the heart. We recorded this episode in February 2020. I’ve been holding onto it given all that’s been uprooted in the world. Contextually, the world was different when we recorded this episode and I wonder how a world filled with pandemic and uprising might have altered the core our discussion. RESOURCES: Find Jane online at EveryDayLove.me and at DoctorTornatore.com Grab a copy of Jane’s book Everything is PERFECT, Just not ME!: A Roadmap to Self-Acceptance Learn more about my connectfulness counseling practice at connectfulness.com/work-with-me. Supporting Your Relational Self is a 6-week online group for women starting later this month. Our focus is on your relationship to your Self, your other intimate relations, and we’ll explore core issues that affect us all in relationships and the skills that will expand your Self & relational care practices. You also may recall that just before quarantine I gathered with Terry Real and fellow Certified Relational Life Therapists for an in depth training. I’m now an authorized Relational Bootcamp Facilitator and this fall I’ll begin offering 2-day weekend Relational Bootcamps. I am planning my first Bootcamp Workshop for the Fall of 2020 online via zoom (so you can join from anywhere you have internet). I’ll post more information on my offerings/events page and you're welcome to send me a note if you want me to reach out with details when available. This podcast is not a substitute for counseling with a licensed provider.
Title: God on the Witness Stand Text: I John 5:5-13 FCF: We often struggle doubting that Jesus was the Messiah of God Prop: Because God’s testimony about Jesus in His person and work authenticates him as the Christ, we must believe in His person and work. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to I John chapter 5. Well here we are in earnest. The last wave of teaching in the last chapter of the book of I John. Realistically we have probably 3 or 4 sermons left including a wrap-up sermon at the end. I hope, compared to our Matthew study, this seemed rather quick for you. I know it did for me. We began I John in early November and are on pace to finish it by the end of May. If you recall, I estimated 6-9 months for the Epistles of John series. Since it will be 6 months next week, I can now confidently say that we will not finish it all in 6 months. But perhaps we can still finish it in my 9-month estimate. So after reviewing his entire book in the last 4 verses of chapter 5, now John sets out to define for us, very clearly I might add, that our faith is in Christ alone and why it must be this way. The Jesus John presents is one that the secessionists had been attacking, dismantling, and abandoning. For those who say doctrine doesn’t matter – just love people, or doctrine doesn’t matter just love God, or doctrine does matter just… fill in the blank. John, I think, would disagree very sharply. Because to John, Doctrine and practice are woven. In every single wave of teaching it has been the same. He expresses doctrine first, and then connects that to practice. This wave is no different. You cannot love people without sound doctrine nor can you have a doctrine that is sound that does not also produce love for others. Faith, love, and obedience. All are woven and if one is missing – it all crumbles. And so John sets out in this wave to define very clearly on what our faith rests and why. He does this by bringing us into a court room and putting Jesus of Nazareth on trial. To the stand, he calls what appears to be 34 witnesses who agree about this one called Jesus. They report on His life, ministry and His effect afterward. Lastly, he calls one final witness to the stand. God Himself. All report the same thing about this one named Jesus who is called the Christ. Let’s see what they testify. I am in I John chapter 5 starting in verse 5. I’ll be reading from the Christian Standard Bible today but you can follow along in whatever version you prefer. Transition: Let’s dive right in this morning, shall we? I.) The life and ministry of Jesus testify to the fact that He is the Son of God, the Messiah, so we must believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ. (5-8) a. [Slide 2] 5 – Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? i. Between verses 4 and 5 John has said the same thing a few times in a few different ways. ii. The one fathered by God conquers the world. iii. How? Our Faith- the thing on which we place all our hopes. iv. Then verse 5 – who is the one who conquers? Well he has already answered that hasn’t he? The one fathered by God yes? The one who has our faith, yes? Yes… but all that is encapsulated by this… v. The one believing.. vi. This is a participial phrase, meaning that this is describing the person – that they are a believing one or characterized by their belief. But what are they clinging to? What are they holding fast to for dear life? vii. The truth of Jesus being the Son of God. viii. We have to understand this in the context of I John. The secessionists were denying an orthodox and apostle approved Christology. We must understand that Christology is not the only teaching required to make you orthodox – nor must we make belief in the fact of His Sonship the sum total of necessary confession. Again, this is a polemic against a false teaching. ix. That being said – it is quite a strong statement against the secessionists. Jesus is the Son of Yahweh. x. But John is not done ironing out the true Christological confession. He is about to prove by trial that Jesus is worthy of exclusive faith. b. [Slide 3] 6 – Jesus Christ – he is the one who came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and by blood. i. At first glance – I’d wager that this verse is fairly perplexing to you. ii. Indeed, if you were to drop into this verse having simply read the entirety of I John, you would still have a difficult time of it, understanding what John is saying. iii. [Slide 4A] There are several theories across the many years of the church going back as far as the 2nd century. Let me highlight the major theories. 1. [Slide 4B] Sacraments – Christ came by baptism and by the Lord’s Supper – a. Luther and Calvin – Christ comes to us in the Sacraments. He brings Himself to us. b. There are several problems with this view i. The one who came - is an aorist participle. Not only do participles convey less aspect than verbs – but an aorist participle we could probably conclude contains no aspect. What does that mean? John seems to be saying that this happened. Not continuously, habitually, or once, or even once with continuing effects. Simply that it happened. No aspect at all. It is like taking a picture of an event in the past. You have no way of knowing if what happened in the picture continued or if what happened still has effect on the present, or even if it was repeated. All you know is that it happened. If John is talking about the sacraments – we would expect some kind of continual aspect to be applied to this. ii. Secondly, although “the water” is used in the New Testament to refer to baptism, never is “the blood” used to refer to the Lord’s Table. The Body and Blood, the Bread and Wine – sure. iii. Furthermore, why would John state the symbol of the sign in the water and the sign of the symbol in the blood? If it were to be consistent wouldn’t it be – Jesus came by water and by wine? Or Jesus came by baptism and by blood? iv. Lastly, there has not been one single reference to the sacraments in the entire book of I John up to this point. Certainly, the underpinned sign has been spoken of – but the symbols of those sacraments have not been mentioned at all. c. Therefore, it is safe that we disagree with these wise Reformers and look for another answer. 2. [Slide 4C] The Spear of Christ’s confirmed death a. Going farther back than the reformers, this view was presented by Augustine of Hippo b. When Jesus was dead on the cross the Roman soldiers pierced his side and blood and water ran out. c. Contextually, this would seem to make more sense than the sacramental view because it is to prove the divine-human nature of Christ’s existence. Something the secessionists were opposing. d. By blood and water running out it proved that he was human and dead. e. However, there are some problems with this view. i. John seems to have water as a given. That he came not only by water but by blood also. So if he is referencing something the secessionists believed, how could they believe something about the water coming out of him on the cross, but not the blood coming out of him? ii. Secondly, knowing some of the proto-gnostic beliefs, they would not argue that the man who hung on the cross named Jesus did actually die. What they would argue is that he was not still God’s Son, who was dead. f. It seems that there is something more that John has in mind here. 3. [Slide 4D] The Ministries of Christ a. Some modern commentators hold to this view. b. That Christ’s baptizing ministry was held in common between the secessionists and John but His dying ministry, his atoning ministry was not held in common. c. This I believe is closer to what John is actually saying, but with one major problem. It largely loses what the secessionists actually believed about Jesus. d. I believe that there is a better interpretation that combines both the ministry of Christ the Son of God, and also the verification of Jesus as the Son of Man. 4. [Slide 4E] The comings of Jesus which confirmed that He was the God-Man, the Messiah of God. a. This view was held by Tertullian, who lived between late 100s and early 200s AD. Of all the views, his is the earliest. b. At the baptism of Jesus, God Himself confirmed that Jesus (who was a man) was also His Son in whom He was most pleased. c. At the death of Jesus, God Himself confirmed that Jesus (who had shed his blood and died) was His Son whose payment He had accepted. This is confirmed by the signs that surrounded the death of Christ (darkness on the land, earthquakes, The resurrection of the dead, first being Jesus Himself) iv. [Slide 5A] Here is why I think the last view is correct. 1. [Slide 5B] First John says Jesus Christ. Not his last name – but rather his title. His role. Jesus the Messiah. The Savior. The one sent by God. Indicating purpose and identity. The proto-gnostic groups insisted that Jesus and the Christ were two separate people who joined for a time. One Spirit the other human. 2. [Slide 5C] As we noted in our intro to I John, some proto-gnostic persuasions – trying to rid themselves of the mortal body aspect of Jesus being in flesh, had concluded that at His Baptism Jesus the human received the Messiah as it descended upon Him from God. And this human Jesus wore him like a cloak. However, John saying that Jesus Christ came by or through baptism – it indicates that Jesus was the Christ before his baptism occurred. 3. [Slide 5D] Another belief of the proto-gnostics is that the spirit of God was removed from Jesus the human before His death. His mission was accomplished and Jesus the human was killed. 4. By John saying Jesus the Messiah (purpose and identity) came by or through water AND blood, it means most assuredly that he came by missional objective through not only His baptism, but also through His death as well. But John is using this to authenticate that Jesus was always the Christ, the Son of God. 5. Not through water only but He was the Christ through both. 6. The truth of who He is was made manifest by His baptism AND by His death. v. [Slide 6] And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 1. Notice the present tense here of the Spirit. Christ came through these things, but the Spirit now continues to testify. 2. After Christ’s resurrection and ascension, The Spirit of God descended and indwelled all those who were His children. 3. That same spirit is alive and at work to testify in each of us of the truth about Christ. 4. Why – because the Spirit of God, and is therefore, truth. c. [Slide 7A] 7 – For there are three that testify: i. In Roman and Jewish law, testimony would only be received if it was validated by 2 or 3 witnesses. ii. John’s language here essentially lays out that Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah of God was authenticated not by His baptism alone, but by His death and the sending of the Spirit of God also. iii. These three testify to the truth that Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God. iv. It ought to be mentioned here, although I will not take much time with it, there is an entire portion of this verse and some of the next that is omitted in every single modern version of the bible, yet present in the KJV. v. [Slide 7B] The phrase omitted is “in heaven: The Father, The Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are One; and there are three witnesses on the earth” vi. Many have openly accused the modern translations of corrupting the text – and omitting such a valued gem of trinitarian formula. vii. However – the modern translations are right to omit this from the text. Why? Because it is very obviously and quite simply not the original words of John. Not only does this phrase not occur in any Greek manuscript predating 1215AD, but in most Greek manuscripts it appears as a footnote in the margins. No doubt a note of commentary rather than original text. viii. Furthermore, during the trinitarian disputes in the early church – would this text not have been an often-quoted verse to substantiate the trinity? Yet not one church father ever quotes this verse. And we know that at least Origen believed I John to be authentic. ix. So since it is not original to John – let’s ignore it and move into verse 8. d. [Slide 8] 8 – The Spirit and the water and the blood - and these three are in agreement i. This simple statement is the final nail in the theological coffin of the secessionists. ii. The Spirit of God, the Death of Christ, and the Baptism of Christ all say the same thing. iii. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, who came in flesh, obeyed God, died for the atonement of sin and rose again as the first born of many sons, ascended to the Father where He is seated at the right hand of God currently making intercession on behalf of His children. iv. This is the authentic Jesus who is the Christ! That is why true faith must cling to Him and Him alone! v. But why? Why do these three agree? vi. They all have the same source. God Himself testifies through Christ’s baptism, Atonement, and by sending His Spirit. vii. And that is where John will go next, but first let’s survey what we’ve learned here. e. [Slide 9] Passage Truth: John to his readers does identify what it is to truly be a believer in Jesus being the Son of God. He gives a Christological position that authenticates Jesus as the true faith, the true Christ, the one needed for us to overcome the world. Who is this Jesus really? His life tells us who He is. He is The messiah of God, conceived by the holy spirit, baptized and approved by God, lived a life of perfect obedience, died for the sins of His people, raised from the dead as the firstborn of many, ascended to the Father’s throne to make intercession on behalf of His people, and fulfilling His word by sending the Spirit for His children. This is Jesus the Christ. He alone is our faith. f. Passage Application: But John doesn’t tell his readers this in correction – but rather in comfort. They do believe this. They have received all of this as they have been illuminated by God’s Spirit to believe. g. [Slide 10] Broader Biblical Truth: If we zoom out from I John – what do we find? The same exact truth. It is this Christology of this authenticated Christ that we must be confessing if we are fathered of God. No other Christ or savior will do but this one. h. Broader Biblical Application: In application – is this what you believe? Truly? Does your heart cling to this Jesus? If so what will that mean? That you conquer the world and that God’s law is not burdensome. So that you can follow it out of love for God and out of love for Him you can love other Christians. Connected to genuine faith in the genuine Christ is genuine obedience. That is where John is leading us. Transition: [Slide 11(blank)] So these three witnesses from Christ’s life, ministry, and effect of His life have testified to the truth, that Jesus is the Messiah of God, His Son. Come in flesh. Died in flesh. Raised in flesh. Ascended in flesh. The God-Man. But what about God? Will He testify to this truth also? Will He correct the testimony of the water, blood and Spirit or will He add to what they have said? Let’s see. II.) God’s testimony is that Jesus is the Christ and His Son and the only source for eternal life, so we must believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ (9-13) a. [Slide 12] 9 – If we accept human testimony, God’s testimony is greater, because it is God’s testimony that he has given about His Son. i. Going back to the rule of law – again under human testimony when two or three testify and are in agreement to a certain truth – it is recognized to the point that someone could be acquitted or condemned of a crime. ii. If this is so of human testimony – given the evil of men’s hearts – how much more so is God’s testimony? iii. Especially when God is testifying about His Son! About Himself! b. [Slide 13] 10 – The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. i. Again, participial in nature – the believing one the one who clings to the Son of God has what? ii. This testimony. Which testimony? iii. The testimony of God about Christ. iv. Where does he have this testimony? v. In himself. How is that? vi. We should hold off on answering this until we understand what God’s testimony about Christ is. Because John has not quite said it yet. So let’s save what this testimony in us is until then. c. [Slide 14] The one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given about His Son. i. But – bad news for the secessionists. God’s testimony about His own son, if not believed, is the same as calling God a liar. ii. This is not simple rejection in ignorance. iii. This is willful and purposeful suppression of the truth and doubting of God’s very words. iv. Like the serpent in the garden they have asked – has God said? And concluded no… he has not. v. But what is it, specifically, that God has revealed to us about His Son through His Spirit in us? d. [Slide 15] 11 – And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. i. This is the testimony God has given about His Son. This is the testimony that we have in ourselves. We have been made alive in Him! ii. We have been raised to life and life everlasting! iii. And the life we have has been wed, married, united, and fastened to the eternal nature and life of Christ Himself. We in Him, are His reward and in this are rewarded as well. iv. We are the bride and he the groom. v. We are adopted heirs. vi. We are brothers, friends, and slaves of Christ. vii. All we have, all we ever hope to be, not just in this wretched blip of a world -but in the eternal Kingdom to come – all we are is found only in Christ. e. [Slide 16] 12 – The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. i. This is still the testimony of God about His son in us! If we have life – God is giving His testimony t o us, authenticating His Son as the Christ. ii. Almost no explanation is needed here. iii. Life is bound to Christ. iv. And after this great Christological exhortation – John writes some of the most wonderful words of the letter. f. [Slide 17] 13 – I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. i. Again we have a purpose for John’s writing. ii. He has written these things – all these things – everything he has said – to whom? iii. The believing ones – The trusting ones – the depending ones… on what? iv. The name of the Son of God. What does this mean? 1. A name is a reputation. A name is a summary of who you are or what you are. 2. A name represents authority and power. 3. So to be a depending on the name of the Son of God is quite literally staking everything you are – your entire existence – on the reputation, person, and work of Jesus Christ. v. So John identifies his readers. Those who are believing ones in the person and work of Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God. vi. And the very reason he has written all that he has, in this book, and even in the last 12 verses is why? vii. So they can know. So they can rest assured that they have, right now, eternal life. Not sometime in the future… but right now they have it. viii. He just finished saying that God’s testimony about His Son in them is that there is only life in Him. Therefore when they believe in Him and have life… They know that it is eternal life and that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son! g. [Slide 18] Passage Truth: So John reveals who is the one testifying to the truth about Christ. That is God Himself. His testimony should be held in far higher esteem than any man’s testimony could. His testimony about His Son is that He alone is the source for life everlasting. Only in Christ is this found. Only those depending on the person and work of Christ alone have such an assurance of eternal life. h. Passage Application: Again, to his readers this is designed to be a great comfort. They do believe this, and therefore they should be assured. i. [Slide 19] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out from I John, we saw God in Matthew testify to the truth of His Son. In Acts the Spirit doing the same – fulfilling the promises made by the Son and indwelling the people united to the son by true faith. j. Broader Biblical Application: So for us, of course this means that we must be believers on the name of Jesus Christ. In His person and in His work. That is not possible for you to believe unless you have been fathered of God. And so, for those Fathered of God – continue to believe in greater and greater degrees on the name of Jesus Christ. He is the only path to eternal life. And in what John has written you can know that you have eternal life. That you have this faith, this Jesus. But friends if you have ultimately found that you have failed John’s tests – Faith, Love, and obedience. Then you do not have this hope. Only the assured fear of coming judgment. Transition: [Slide 20(end)] So how then shall we live? Conclusion: Friends, you would be silly to ignore the teaching of men on this topic. You would be misinformed to cast all of church historical doctrine into the garbage as it testifies to the Sonship, Humanity, Deity, Atonement, person and work of Jesus Christ. You would be ignorant to not listen to the teaching of men on the glory of Jesus of Nazareth. But to ignore the testimony of God Himself about His son… you would be something far worse. You would be a fool. I don’t mean fool in the sense of a courtroom jester making jokes at the King’s expense. No. I mean the biblical fool. What does being a fool in the bible mean? A senseless one. An accursed one. Wicked, blind, rebellious, and evil. If you ignore the testimony of God of His own Son – then quite plainly there is no hope for you. You are doomed. Yet even now, under the sound of my voice, under the words of John, breathed out by God Himself, you may be, for the first time, realizing that Jesus of Nazareth was more than a great teacher. More than a great leader. More than compassionate, more than good or kind or a great example for us all. He was God Himself in flesh. His message was to repent of sin and follow Him. His death was to atone for the sins of His people. And His effect was to bring new life to people who were spiritually dead and change them to be what God wants them to be. Perhaps, even now, you have begun to awaken form your slumber of death? Perhaps even now you feel life course through you. Heed my voice. If you can hear this message, if you can see this Christ – Cry out to God! Repent of your wickedness. Turn form it. And turn to Him. Give Him your allegiance. Declare Him to be your Lord. Receive this Jesus, the Messiah of God, your atonement for sin. Don’t harden your heart. And if you are one of those who is a believer. You have been given faith, faith that produces love and obedience. What does this message do for you? It is a message of confirmation. The one in whom you are believing is all that you have believed and more. Continue to believe! Continue to trust! And comfort yourself in knowing that as you continue to trust it is evidence that you have eternal life. What comfort it is to know that this is true. Indeed, it is the very reason John wrote this book.
Quite a lot has happened in not a lot of time. You spend years and years developing habits and systems that helped you function in the world before COVID. NOW, however, many (if not all) of those systems have been up-ended. Whatever you're feeling is contextually appropriate: sadness, grief, relief , anxiety... EXCEPT for shame. In this episode, we will walk together through WHY whatever your emotions are, they're a-okay, and how to release any not actually useful shame. To schedule your free, 45 minute consult: www.customizeyourhealth.org/consult To get in touch: www.customizeyourhealth.org/contact OR email me at katherine@hofmannaturopathic.com Music courtesy ofJoseph McDade (https://josephmcdade.com)
This week we are talking about what it means and how it feels to be remote! Contextually recorded during the first wave of Coronavirus social-distancing measures in the UK, we talk about the challenges and benefits of online communities, and finding new ways to express ourselves using virtual presences. Thanks go to Janae Cram, Nathan Woulfe, Mark McDonald and Ewa Grabowiecka for their wonderful input into this episode. We also discuss an upcoming virtual hackathon taking place on April 10 - April 11th (Easter weekend). This will run over the course of at least 24 hours and move through various time-zones allowing anyone to join regardless of where they are. Participants are encouraged to do everything from make their first open source contribution, to getting help finding new issues to work on, to just dropping in to say hi! We will be adding more details to the Candid Contributions site but in the meantime if you have any questions please don't hesitate to drop us a line. Next episode will be : Change If you have any feedback, comments or questions you can tweet us @candidcontribs, email hello@candidcontributions.com or join the Umbraco Community slack channel #candid-contributions Links: Coding Mindfully: https://codingmindfully.com/ Tabletop Simulator: https://store.steampowered.com/app/286160/Tabletop_Simulator/ Mark McDonald from Happy Porch (Endzone's new name): https://happyporch.com/ Nathan Wolfe: https://twitter.com/nathanwoulfe Janae Cram from Skrift: https://skrift.io Ewa Grabowiecka: https://twitter.com/lost_semicolonCodeCraft: https://twitter.com/codecraftuk
Hi everyone! Welcome back for another week of reviews here at One Movie Punch! This week, we have a mixture of film reviews for your enjoyment. On Monday, I’ll be reviewing THE RHYTHM SECTION (2020), starring the incredible Blake Lively in a potential franchise launch. On Tuesday, we’ll be picking up the first of two reviews from Jon-David, aka Mafia Hairdresser, who will be joining the podcast as a regular contributor going forward. He’ll be reviewing THE CAVE (2019) this week, an excellent companion piece to last week’s FOR SAMA (Episode #703). On Wednesday, I’ll be reviewing CLOSURE (2018), a daytime comedy noir which will include interview segments from writer/director Alex Goldberg. Thursday will see the return of Christina Eldridge, aka Durara Reviews, who will be tackling perhaps the most unlikely animated film nominee at this year’s Oscars, KLAUS (2019). Andrew returns on Friday with another Fantastic Fest feature, this one heading towards a limited to wide distribution in theaters, entitled THE LODGE (2019). And on Saturday, I’ll finally be reviewing the powerful documentary TRANSFORMER (2017) as part of our Under the Kanopy series. Of course, today we have our first Sponsor Sunday event for the year, with a film chosen by our third sponsor, Matthieu Landour Engel. We had the pleasure of reviewing Matthieu’s short ZERO M2 late last year in Episode #661, along with the full interview in Patreon Episode #P019, still publicly available at patreon.com/onemoviepunch. We were very honored to have him join the growing list of sponsors last year, and that made him eligible for Sponsor Sundays today. Every sponsor at One Movie Punch gets the opportunity to force me to watch and review a film, but I can’t really say watching David Lynch’s DUNE (1984) is something I need to be forced to do. If you want to get in on the action for Sponsor Sunday, head over to patreon.com/onemoviepunch and sign up at any level. A promo will run before the review. Also, because Matthieu is such an awesome person, in lieu of any specific promotion of his projects, he’s asked me to put a plug in for Darcy Prendergast’s recent short film TOMORROW’S ON FIRE, which is currently available on Vimeo. The short film is being used to raise awareness and funds for the recent Australian wildfires. As someone who has had to evacuate twice due to wildfires, I can certainly appreciate this effort. You can find Darcy’s work on Twitter at @d_prendergast, on Facebook @ohyeahwow, and on Instagram @dancy_predatorghast. Check the show notes for a link to the short film, or check social media. Tomorrow’s On Fire by Darcy Prendergast LINK: https://vimeo.com/383034313 Subscribe to stay current with the latest releases. Contribute at Patreon for exclusive content. Connect with us over social media to continue the conversation. Here we go! ///// > ///// JOSEPH: “And now, One Movie Punch presents an interview about the real star of DUNE (1984), the unnamed House Atreides pug, with his only remaining descendent, in a segment we like to call...” JOSEPH: “PUGS! IN! SPACE!” JOSEPH: “Translations will be handled, as always, by One Movie Spouse. So, what is your name?” AMY: “I do not have a name. My father did not have a name. My father before him did not have a name, who played in the film. In fact, I find names to be outdated, human concepts, which David Lynch was trying to move beyond in this questionable adaptation.” JOSEPH: “Wow, that’s a very... uhhh, astute observation.” AMY: “Thank you. You are a lot more polite than your other human counterparts.” JOSEPH: “Right. So, let’s get to the movie. What was it like for him to be the only pug on set?” AMY: “It is my understanding that he faced major discrimination because of his breed. You know, pugs were originally bred as companions for Chinese Emperors, before they became the toast of the town in Europe. But even back then, my ancestor could feel the rising anti-pug discrimination we see in today’s Internet memes and videos.” JOSEPH: “That’s quite insightful. Did everyone treat him as a mere animal, or...?” AMY: “I must say that he had nothing but praise for a then young Patrick Stewart, enjoying most his time filming the battle scene. They often talked about the lack of enthusiasm he had for the part, but my ancestor assured him things would work out. And wouldn’t you know it, three years later Patrick Stewart would become Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise.” JOSEPH: “We have to wrap up here. Do you have any thoughts on the upcoming adaptation by Denis Villeneuve?” AMY: “If casting is any indication, then we might be in for a real treat. Of course, with no mention or images of the House Atreides Pug, I’m not sure this new adaptation could ever have the same refined audience.” JOSEPH: “Well, I appreciate you taking the time. I know it must have been... rough to fit us into your schedule.” AMY: “Really? A dog pun?!” JOSEPH: “My bad. On to the review...” ///// Today’s movie is DUNE (1984), the science-fiction epic written and directed by David Lynch, based on the novel written by Frank Herbert. On the desert planet of Arrakis, nicknamed Dune, a precious resource known as the spice is mined, which contains the ability to fold space. As House Atreides assumes command of the planet, young Paul Atreides (Kyle MacLachlan) discovers his destiny, gets glowing blue eyes, rides a giant worm, and, yes, has a pug companion. No spoilers. I have always been a voracious reader. Before we could carry the Internet in our pocket, or stream whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, I would throw on some instrumental music and read. It began as a steady diet of young adult detective novels, especially Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Three Investigators”. It turned into reading nearly all the available Dungeons & Dragons novels, during the heyday of TSR, Inc., before they were bought out by Wizards on the Coast. And after I made it to college, and the Internet became a thing, an older gentleman I met in a Stephen King newsletter group recommended Frank Herbert’s “Dune”. I had seen the movie, of course, which I thought was so-so. He laughed (or however we did that before text abbreviations over e-mail) and said I owed it to myself to read the first book, or the first three, or all six of them if I felt so inclined. And after a trip to a second-hand bookstore, littered with cheap mass market paperbacks, I picked up the six for a song and placed them on the shelf for break. I was working full-time at the university during the summer, but after work I went home, made dinner, watched a little television, then headed to my room for some music and started reading “Dune”. Three weeks later, I had finished all six of them, reading voraciously on breaks, back at the apartment, even at the bar waiting for friends to show up on the weekend. I absolutely loved the books. Frank Herbert’s “Dune” series is easily one of the best science-fiction series out there. He nails that combination of hard science-fiction, not just with the science itself, but with the social and political structures, all while blending in a clear messianic hero story. Translating that rich, immersive world to the screen has mixed results, a combination of special effects limitations of the time, and the fool’s errand of trying to cram a multi-year political saga into just two hours. Contextually speaking, the practical effects are really good for 1984, a melding of classic Dino de Laurentiis production values (think CONAN THE DESTROYER and a host of lesser-known sword and sorcery films) and some attempts at cutting edge digital effects, including a shielding mechanism and the classic glowing blue Fremen eyes. Die-hard science fiction fans have learned to be forgiving with effects over the years, but not so much the general audience. Many critics, and many audience members, probably couldn’t help but lump DUNE into the other de Laurentiis pictures, much like how science-fiction is often lumped into fantasy and the other so-called pulp fiction. I adore the film score and soundtrack, by Brian Eno and the band TOTO. The sets and costumes are all excellent, and actually do the lion’s share of the world-building. World-building is where DUNE tends to struggle the most, which isn’t just trying to collapse everything into two hours. From the opening monologue, we are assaulted with information, an attempt to collapse the history into something manageable, but also I think to get the petty details out of the way for Lynch to take us on a more surreal journey through this universe, focused more on the emotions and the meaning. DUNE is chock full of Lynch’s emotional storytelling, which runs counter to Herbert’s storytelling style. The clipped dialogue and the internal monologues, all staple Lynch features, felt out of place. And once everything is set up, we go through what could easily be eight hours of content in about ninety minutes, including a two-year resistance movement. Perhaps if Lynch had the space, or the inclination, to develop the world, we could have seen a science-fiction “Twin Peaks”. I thought the film was so-so when I first saw it, and after reading the novels and seeing it again, I think I still only find it so-so. I want to close on some thoughts about the franchise, especially with the upcoming remake by Denis Villeneuve. My desire to read all six novels back in college wasn’t just because they were so great. I was also hoping to finish the novels before taking in the mini-series produced for The Sci-Fi Channel, which I found far superior to today’s film. Better effects, more time to explore, more time to marinate. I was also impressed by their follow-up series, which collapsed the next two novels to close out the initial trilogy. It didn’t do as well as hoped, either critically or with the larger audience, and there was the small franchise reboot that found massive success called, and let me check my notes here, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. I streamed that in a couple months as well. Twenty years later, we’re getting another attempt at a remake. If anyone can manage this, it’s Villeneuve, as ARRIVAL cements his understanding of hard science-fiction, and BLADE RUNNER 2049 (Episode #332) certainly shows he knows how to take care of a franchise. Can he do what Lynch could not in 1984, with even better special effects, and a side-car television series? We’ll find out in December 2020, or maybe if it’s pushed for reshoots. I would actually want a Game of Thrones style show, starting with the prequel novels based on Frank’s notes to build up the houses, and explore the larger universe. For me, watching 1984’s DUNE is the equivalent of cramming the entire first season of Game of Thrones into a two-hour film. It was hard enough collapsing it into ten episodes, but it was such a masterful translation. “Dune”, as a franchise, would be incredible in a similar vein, especially now that producers know audiences don’t mind humongous casts, intricate plots, political intrigue, immense worlds, and tenuous characters. The series could continue into the core six novels, with the obvious series bail out points being the end of the first novel, the end of the third novel, the end of the fourth novel, and the end of the sixth novel. You could even do a split timeline show, inserting the prequels and a larger, more drawn out story of Paul Atreides on his journey. I know I would. DUNE is Lynch’s so-so attempt to adapt Herbert’s epic science-fiction novel for the big screen, perhaps an irreconcilable difference in storytelling focus. It looks and sounds great for 1984, with many of the correct pieces in place, but ultimately feels too rushed being shoehorned into a feature-length film. Science-fiction fans owe it to themselves to see the film, and I would further recommend the first novel, which fills in so many of the details missing from the film. Everyone else, just know the film also has many, many good parts, even forward-thinking parts, that are definitely worth a single viewing. Rotten Tomatoes: 53% Metacritic: 40 One Movie Punch: 6.5/10 DUNE (1984) is rated PG-13 and is currently playing on VOD.
Today's Bible reading for January 12 is Genesis 13, Nehemiah 2, Matthew 12 and Acts 12. Our focus passage will be Matthew 12, and we are asking a big Bible question today: What is the Blasphemy of the Spirit, the unforgivable sin? SHOUT OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMENTED AND LEFT REVIEWS!!! On Apple Podcasts: Monte O, Kerri P, Cortney and Angel. And also people who have commented on the blog that they were listening: Angie from Knoxville, Og from Salinas, Cortney J. from Birmingham and Ms. Judy Bloom from parts unknown. THANK YOU! So - let's read our first chapter, and then get into our discussion. What is the Unforgivable sin?? It's a terrifying reality: Jesus warned His disciples and the Pharisees that there was a sin that could be committed that was unpardonable – unforgivable for all eternity. People have speculated and worried about this teaching of Jesus for hundreds of years. What precisely is the unpardonable sin? How can we know whether or not we've done it? Let's dive in! The Didache First century – RIGHT after the NT: Now concerning the apostles and prophets, deal with them as follows in accordance with the rule of the gospel. (4) Let every apostle who comes to you be welcomed as if he were the Lord. (5) But he is not to stay for more than one day, unless there is need, in which case he may stay another. But if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. (6) And when the apostle leaves, he is to take nothing except bread until he finds his next night's lodging. But if he asks for money, he is a false prophet. (7) Also, do not test or evaluate any prophet who speaks in the spirit, for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin will not be forgiven.35 Michael William Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, Updated ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 263–265. ANDREAS Andreas of Caesarea (Greek: Ἀνδρέας Καισαρείας; 563 – 637) : It is the sin of heresy, or of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which leads to death. If one man sins against another, pray for him. But if he sins against God, who is there who can pray on his behalf? And if even after all this, our opponents are still unwilling to learn and still unable to understand, they should at least stop speaking evil. They should not divide the Trinity lest they be divided from life.82 They should not classify the Holy Spirit with the creatures, lest, like the Pharisees of old who ascribed the works of the Spirit to Beelzebul,83 they too, on account of equal audacity, incur along with them the punishment which is unpardonable both now and in the future. Athanasius Works on the Spirit: Athanasius's Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit, Grave-robbing, or the opening of graves, is divided into two kinds too, like theft, according to the present Canon, to wit, into pardonable and into unpardonable grave-robbing. For if the fellow opening the grave does not denude the dead person's body, thus refraining from dishonoring (for that is what is meant by the expression “sparing devoutness”) the dead, but only takes the stones found in the grave, in order to use them in the building of any other work that is preferable and more beneficial to the community, though this too is by no means anything to be praised, yet custom has made it pardonable.2 St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain – 1700s, Greek Orthodox church. Swearing is a dreadful and harmful thing; it is a destructive drug, a bane and a danger, a hidden wound, a sore unseen, an obscure ulcer spreading its poison in the soul; it is an arrow of Satan, a flaming javelin, a two-edged sword, a sharp-honed scimitar, an unpardonable sin, an indefensible transgression, a deep gulf, a precipitous crag, a strong trap, a taut-stretched net, a fetter that cannot be broken, a noose from which no one escapes. 19. Are these enough, and do you believe that swearing is a dreadful thing and the most harmful of all sins? Believe me, I beg you, believe me! But if someone does not believe me, I now offer proof. This sin has what no other sin possesses. If we do not violate the other commandments, we escape punishment; on the other hand, in the matter of oaths, we are punished just the same both when we guard against transgressing and when we transgress. St. John Chrysostom, 300s AD St. John Chrysostom: Baptismal Instructions, Hilary of Poitiers actually points us in a more biblical direction, in discussing the unpardonable sin: Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men, but blasphemy of the Spirit will not be forgiven.67 With a very grave qualification, he condemns the view of the Pharisees and the perversion of those who also think like them. He promises pardon of all sins but refuses pardon for blasphemy of the Spirit. While other words and deeds are treated with a generous pardon, there is no mercy if it is denied that God is in Christ. 68 And in whatever way one sins without pardon, he is gracious to us and reminds us again that sins of every kind can be completely forgiven, though blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven. For who is so completely beyond pardon as one who denies that Christ is of God, or repudiates that the substance of the Spirit of the Father resides in him Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew, ed. Spurgeon – Nobody knows what that sin is. I believe that even God's Word does not tell us, and it is very proper that it does not. As I have often said, it is like the notice we sometimes see put up, “Man-traps and spring gun set here.” We do not know whereabouts the traps and guns are, but we have no business over the hedge at all. So, “there is a sin unto death;” we are not told what that sin is, but we have no business to go over the hedge into any transgression at all. That “sin unto death” may be different in different people; but, whoever commits it, from that very moment, loses all spiritual desires. He has no wish to be saved, no care to repent, no longing after Christ; so dreadful is the spiritual death that comes over the man who has committed it that he never craves eternal life. C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: A Commentary on Portions of John Bunyan's Immortal Allegory (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 73–74. Billy Graham: The sin of the religious leaders, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, was a refusal to accept the witness of the Holy Spirit to who Jesus was and what He had come to do, and then submit their lives to Him… Once again, the unpardonable sin is not some particularly grievous sin committed by a Christian before or after accepting Christ, nor is it thinking or saying something terrible about the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is deliberately resisting the Holy Spirit's witness and invitation to turn to Jesus until death ends all opportunity. Billy Graham is echoing the Augustinian (300s AD) view: Now the man who, not believing that sins are remitted in the Church, despises this great gift of God's mercy, and persists to the last day of his life in his obstinacy of heart, is guilty of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, in whom Christ forgives sins. Augustine of Hippo, “The Enchiridion,” in St. Augustin: On the Holy Trinity, Doctrinal Treatises, Moral Treatises, ed. Augustine was reflecting the Origen view (early 300s): The Spirit dwells in those who live by faith. But those who once having been counted worthy to share in the Holy Spirit and then having finally and decisively turned their backs from grace are by this act said to have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit (ORIGEN Who, then, is not amazed at the exceeding majesty of the Holy Spirit when he hears that he who speaks a word against the Son of man may hope for forgiveness, but that he who is guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness—either in the present world or in that which is to come. Origen What then is it? The unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an act of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power so that we are never able to repent and be forgiven. – John Piper. Lee ann penick MODERN: There is only one “unpardonable sin” that can separate us from God for eternity. It is the ongoing, willful refusal to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and the forgiveness He offers. Jacob Arminius defined it as “the rejection and refusing of Jesus Christ through determined malice and hatred against Christ”. Nancy Hardesty “Ultimately the refusal to allow women to fully use their gifts in the church and in the world is a form of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” Pope John Paul II writes “‘blasphemy' does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers to man through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the Cross”, and “If Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven either in this life or in the next, it is because this “non-forgiveness” is linked, as to its cause, to “non-repentance,” in other words to the radical refusal to be converted. This means the refusal to come to the sources of Redemption, which nevertheless remain “always” open in the economy of salvation in which the mission of the Holy Spirit is accomplished. SO – What is The unforgivable sin?? – is it, as Origen, Augustine, Billy Graham, Pope John Paul 2 Lee Ann Penick suggest – the rejection of the Holy Spirit/not becoming a follower of Jesus?? Is it, as John Chrysostom claimed, swearing oaths? Is it the robbing of graves in a thieving manner? Is it not letting women use their spiritual gifts in the church? Is it Heresy? Is it, as Athanasius and many other church fathers declared, being wrong on the Trinity and calling the Holy Spirit a created being, rather than God Himself? Is it testing prophetic utterances of prophets?? (NO! – 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 Don't stifle the Spirit. 20 Don't despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good.) Confused? You should be!! People talk about this issue all of the time, but it doesn't appear that all of them get their views from the Bible, so let's begin there in seeking our answer. Matthew 12:24 24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29 How can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters.31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Mark 3: 22 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul in Him!” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!” 23 So He summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished! 27 “On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man's house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he will rob his house. 28 I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Luke 12: 8 “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God, 9 but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. So, I see two major ways we need to answer this question. Contextually and grammatically. What does the CONTEXT of the usage of ‘unpardonable sin' tell us, and what does the grammar/word meanings tell us? We find a massively important clue in Mark 3:30, where Mark tells us precisely WHY Jesus warned the Pharisees and Scribes about this sin. “Because they were saying, He has an unclean spirit.” The exact same situation is described in Matthew 12:31 “31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” The scribes and pharisees are accusing Jesus of doing miraculous things – specifically driving out demons – by the power of Beelzebul rather than by the power of God. Therefore, we know at least this: Ascribing something like an exorcism that is factually done by the power of God and His Holy Spirit to Demonic influence is AT BEST dangerously close to Blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and could, in fact, be blaspheming the Holy Spirit. (Jesus does not make it crystal clear that the scribes and pharisees were actually committing this sin, or merely getting close to committing it. It would seem like the latter is the best option.) Practically speaking, what does this mean?? It means we need to be extremely careful about stating confident opinions on spiritual matters that we don't have 100 percent clarity from Scripture on. Let me give a couple of examples: Pushed over at Brownsville. Charles Carrin praying for us at GVAG. Flamboyant preachers on tv wadding up their coats and throwing them on people, who pass out. Blowing on people, who pass out. Etc. Most of this is probably fraudulent, some of it horribly so. BUT – we should be incredibly careful about pronouncing opinions on what God's spirit would do, and wouldn't do. For instance, there was a revival going on in the 90s that became very well known and reached a lot of people. I heard about some of the things going on at that revival that were disturbing, and sounded – quite frankly – ridiculous. So, I assumed that the movement wasn't of God, but was just flaky people doing flaky things – at best. HOWEVER…a few years later, I met the leader of the movement, and spent some time with him. He struck me as a genuine follower of God – a man who loved Jesus, and who was humble. I still don't know what to think about that revival. God does, and I leave it to Him. It's outside of my realm of influence. According to Jesus – there is grave danger in ascribing the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. You better be 100 percent sure you're right before doing such thing…and you'd better ask the question – HOW Do i Know FOR SURE that my opinion is right on this matter? If you can't answer that question with extreme clarity, then be careful saying what the Holy Spirit will or will not do, and be careful saying whether or not something is of Satan, or not. Contextually, that is at least a large part of what blaspheming the Holy Spirit is about. What is blasphemy, exactly? More on that in a moment…. Side question – is Beelzebul = Satan?? It's a great question, and I have a fairly lame answer…'maybe.' Beelzebub (“Lord of the flies”) and Beelzebul (“Lord of the skies/heavenly realms”) both refer to the same entity. In the Testament of Solomon, 1st century, non-Scripture, pseudoepigraphic text. Beelzebul (not Beelzebub) appears as prince of the demons and says (6.2) that he was formerly a leading heavenly angel who was (6.7) associated with the star Hesperus (which is the normal Greek name for the planet Venus (Αφροδíτη) as evening star). Seemingly, Beelzebul here is synonymous with Lucifer. the text describes how Solomon was enabled to build his temple by commanding demons by means of a magical ringthat was entrusted to him by the archangel Michael. The Bible reference comes from 2 Kings 1: 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?' 4 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not get up from your sickbed—you will certainly die.'” Then Elijah left.The name also appears in Luke 11, where we can see the clearest connection between Beelzebul and Satan: Luke 11:14 Now He was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul,the ruler of the demons!” 16 And others, as a test, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. 17 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. So, Jesus mentions Satan and Beelzebul in the same context, but not in a way that indicates that they are the same entities. My best guess is that Beelzebul is a separate entity from Satan, but I confess that I do not know, and my guess is based on the fact that the Bible never clearly identifies the two as the same entity. What exactly is Blasphemy? Luke 12:10 points us in the right direction – anyone who ‘speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven.' but the one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12:32 makes it even more clear: 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Similarly: Isaiah 37:23 Isaiah 37:23 Who is it you have mocked and blasphemed? Who have you raised your voice against and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! The Word itself, Greek Blasphemos, is a combo of two words. Blaptō, which means, ‘to HURT' and Pheemay, which means fame, report, or something like ‘reputation.' So, etymologically, the word has a root meaning of injuring somebody's fame, or good name. The word can mean ‘defame' or ‘revile' and isn't always used of a deity. Paul speaks of being ‘defamed' or blasphemed by people for being an apostle. Paul commands the church in Titus 3:2 not to slander/Speak evil of (or BLASPHEME) any person, which is a command that Christians would do well to take far more seriously than we do. 2 Peter 2:10 and Jude vs 8 both warn against blaspheming angels, demons, and other spiritual beings. So- blasphemy is speaking evil of someone. Hurting them with your words, harming their reputation. Thus, blaspheming the Holy Spirit is speaking evil of Him, reviling Him, defaming Him, seeking to harm His reputation. The Pharisees and Scribes were doing that – or coming dangerously close – when they said that it was Satan/Beelzebul empowering Jesus, when it was factually the Spirit of God Himself. R.C. Sproul: Their statements were directed against Jesus. So, He said to them: “You can blaspheme Me and be forgiven, but when you question the work of the Spirit, you are coming perilously close to the unforgivable sin. You are right at the line. You are looking down into the abyss of hell. One more step and there will be no hope for you.” He was warning them to be very careful not to insult or mock the Spirit. Is it really unforgivable, and WHAT IF I HAVE COMMITTED IT?! AUGUSTINE: It is not that this was a blasphemy which under no circumstances could be forgiven, for even this shall be forgiven if right repentance follows it Thomas C. Oden and Christopher A. Hall, eds., Mark, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 48. I'm worried that I have committed the unforgivable sin?? Graham: Many Christians have heard that there is an unpardonable sin and live in dread that something grave they have done before or after conversion might be that sin. Their fears are unfounded. While there is an unforgivable sin, it is not one that a true believer in Jesus Christ can commit. Sproul: Humanly speaking, everyone who is a Christian is capable of committing the unforgivable sin. However, I believe that the Lord of glory who has saved us and sealed us in the Holy Spirit will never let us commit that sin. I do not believe that any Christians in the history of the church have blasphemed the Spirit. As for those who are not sure they are saved and are worried they may have committed the unpardonable sin, I would say that worrying about it is one of the clearest evidences that they have not committed this sin, for those who commit it are so hardened in their hearts they do not care that they commit it. Thanks be to God that the sin that is unpardonable is not a sin He allows His people to commit. I don't share Graham and Sproul's assurances, though I respect them both deeply. The Bible NEVER says a believer is unable to commit the unpardonable sin. Jesus NEVER indicates that, and I see no other passage that promises such…just a sober warning. I think Piper strikes a better balance when talking about it: Piper: The fact that there is an unforgivable sin — that there comes a point in a life of sin after which the Holy Spirit will no longer grant repentance — that fact should drive us from sin with fear and trembling. None of us knows when our toying with sin will pass over into irrevocable hardness of heart. Very few people feel how serious sin is. Very few people are on the same wavelength with Jesus when he said in Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” Instead, many professing Christians today have such a sentimental view of God's justice that they never feel terror and horror at the thought of being utterly forsaken by God because of their persistence in sin. They have the naïve notion that God's patience has no end and that they can always return from any length and depth of sin, forgetting that there is a point of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power, leaving them never able to repent and be forgiven. They are like the buzzard who spots a carcass on a piece of ice floating in the river. He lands and begins to eat. He knows it is dangerous because the falls are just ahead. But he looks at his wings and says to himself, “I can fly to safety in an instant.” And he goes on eating. Just before the ice goes over the falls he spreads his wings to fly but his claws are frozen in the ice and there is no escape — neither in this age nor the age to come. The Spirit of holiness has forsaken the arrogant sinner forever. Another of the devil's fiery darts is this, “You have committed the unpardonable sin.” Ah! this arrow has rankled in many a heart, and it is very difficult to deal with such cases. The only way in which I argue with a person thus assailed is to say, “I am quite certain that, if you desire salvation, you have not committed the unpardonable sin, and I am absolutely sure that, if you will now come and trust Christ, you have not committed that sin, for every soul that trusts Christ is forgiven, according to God's Word, and therefore you cannot have committed that sin.” C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: My close – God the Holy Spirit is all powerful. Tremble: I don't want to blunt the warnings of Jesus with false assurance. It is likely that – if you are worried you've committed the unpardonable sin, that you haven't because only the Spirit's work in your life would make you fear the Lord. But the way that Jesus addressed this is with the highest level of seriousness…so must we. This passage RIGHTLY inspires fear in us, and that's ok, it should. It is obviously recorded in the Scripture for that purpose. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 2:5 you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. Rev 14:6 6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead,(I) having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.(J)7 He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” The word for fear there has the same meaning as our word fear. It means FEAR. Luke 12: In the same breath that Jesus speaks about the unpardonable sin, He says this: 4 “And I say to you, My friends, don't fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. 5 But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! 6 Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. 7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! Treat the Holy Spirit with great – remarkable sobriety – fear and wisdom. Fear the Lord, as Jesus said, and don't be afraid to trust Him – He who knows all of the sparrows and numbers our hairs, counts us as of great worth and Loves the World enough to send His son to rescue it. Here's the good news: GREEAR: False gods mutilate us; the true God mutilated himself for us. The prophets of Ba'al begin by dancing around their altar. They end by slashing at themselves until their blood runs (1 Kings 18:28). False gods always push us toward destruction: “Work harder. Do better. Obtain more. You still aren't getting my attention. Slash yourself!” So we slash at our bodies by going through crash diets to attain that perfect figure. We slash at our families by overworking to make extra money. We slash at our souls by compromising our integrity to get someone's affection. False gods push us to mutilate ourselves, because we desperately want to win their approval. But only one God was ever mutilated for us—Jesus Christ. This story ends with a magnificent fire coming from heaven, but as Jesus himself points out to his first disciples, the fire was not intended for sinful humanity (Luke 9:51–56). It was ultimately intended for him: of all the characters in this story, Jesus is not Elijah, calling down fire; he is the sacrifice who receives the fire of judgment. At the cross, Jesus took into his body the fire of God's justice so that we could take into our lives the fire of God's love. Other gods demand dancing, slashing, mutilation. But Jesus Christ is the only God who was slashed and mutilated for us. As Tim Keller has said, “Every other god will make your blood run; only the true God bleeds for you.”
Today's Bible reading for January 12 is Genesis 13, Nehemiah 2, Matthew 12 and Acts 12. Our focus passage will be Matthew 12, and we are asking a big Bible question today: What is the Blasphemy of the Spirit, the unforgivable sin? SHOUT OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMENTED AND LEFT REVIEWS!!! On Apple Podcasts: Monte O, Kerri P, Cortney and Angel. And also people who have commented on the blog that they were listening: Angie from Knoxville, Og from Salinas, Cortney J. from Birmingham and Ms. Judy Bloom from parts unknown. THANK YOU! So - let's read our first chapter, and then get into our discussion. What is the Unforgivable sin?? It's a terrifying reality: Jesus warned His disciples and the Pharisees that there was a sin that could be committed that was unpardonable – unforgivable for all eternity. People have speculated and worried about this teaching of Jesus for hundreds of years. What precisely is the unpardonable sin? How can we know whether or not we've done it? Let's dive in! The Didache First century – RIGHT after the NT: Now concerning the apostles and prophets, deal with them as follows in accordance with the rule of the gospel. (4) Let every apostle who comes to you be welcomed as if he were the Lord. (5) But he is not to stay for more than one day, unless there is need, in which case he may stay another. But if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. (6) And when the apostle leaves, he is to take nothing except bread until he finds his next night's lodging. But if he asks for money, he is a false prophet. (7) Also, do not test or evaluate any prophet who speaks in the spirit, for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin will not be forgiven.35 Michael William Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, Updated ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 263–265. ANDREAS Andreas of Caesarea (Greek: Ἀνδρέας Καισαρείας; 563 – 637) : It is the sin of heresy, or of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which leads to death. If one man sins against another, pray for him. But if he sins against God, who is there who can pray on his behalf? And if even after all this, our opponents are still unwilling to learn and still unable to understand, they should at least stop speaking evil. They should not divide the Trinity lest they be divided from life.82 They should not classify the Holy Spirit with the creatures, lest, like the Pharisees of old who ascribed the works of the Spirit to Beelzebul,83 they too, on account of equal audacity, incur along with them the punishment which is unpardonable both now and in the future. Athanasius Works on the Spirit: Athanasius's Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit, Grave-robbing, or the opening of graves, is divided into two kinds too, like theft, according to the present Canon, to wit, into pardonable and into unpardonable grave-robbing. For if the fellow opening the grave does not denude the dead person's body, thus refraining from dishonoring (for that is what is meant by the expression “sparing devoutness”) the dead, but only takes the stones found in the grave, in order to use them in the building of any other work that is preferable and more beneficial to the community, though this too is by no means anything to be praised, yet custom has made it pardonable.2 St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain – 1700s, Greek Orthodox church. Swearing is a dreadful and harmful thing; it is a destructive drug, a bane and a danger, a hidden wound, a sore unseen, an obscure ulcer spreading its poison in the soul; it is an arrow of Satan, a flaming javelin, a two-edged sword, a sharp-honed scimitar, an unpardonable sin, an indefensible transgression, a deep gulf, a precipitous crag, a strong trap, a taut-stretched net, a fetter that cannot be broken, a noose from which no one escapes. 19. Are these enough, and do you believe that swearing is a dreadful thing and the most harmful of all sins? Believe me, I beg you, believe me! But if someone does not believe me, I now offer proof. This sin has what no other sin possesses. If we do not violate the other commandments, we escape punishment; on the other hand, in the matter of oaths, we are punished just the same both when we guard against transgressing and when we transgress. St. John Chrysostom, 300s AD St. John Chrysostom: Baptismal Instructions, Hilary of Poitiers actually points us in a more biblical direction, in discussing the unpardonable sin: Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men, but blasphemy of the Spirit will not be forgiven.67 With a very grave qualification, he condemns the view of the Pharisees and the perversion of those who also think like them. He promises pardon of all sins but refuses pardon for blasphemy of the Spirit. While other words and deeds are treated with a generous pardon, there is no mercy if it is denied that God is in Christ. 68 And in whatever way one sins without pardon, he is gracious to us and reminds us again that sins of every kind can be completely forgiven, though blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven. For who is so completely beyond pardon as one who denies that Christ is of God, or repudiates that the substance of the Spirit of the Father resides in him Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew, ed. Spurgeon – Nobody knows what that sin is. I believe that even God's Word does not tell us, and it is very proper that it does not. As I have often said, it is like the notice we sometimes see put up, “Man-traps and spring gun set here.” We do not know whereabouts the traps and guns are, but we have no business over the hedge at all. So, “there is a sin unto death;” we are not told what that sin is, but we have no business to go over the hedge into any transgression at all. That “sin unto death” may be different in different people; but, whoever commits it, from that very moment, loses all spiritual desires. He has no wish to be saved, no care to repent, no longing after Christ; so dreadful is the spiritual death that comes over the man who has committed it that he never craves eternal life. C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: A Commentary on Portions of John Bunyan's Immortal Allegory (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 73–74. Billy Graham: The sin of the religious leaders, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, was a refusal to accept the witness of the Holy Spirit to who Jesus was and what He had come to do, and then submit their lives to Him… Once again, the unpardonable sin is not some particularly grievous sin committed by a Christian before or after accepting Christ, nor is it thinking or saying something terrible about the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is deliberately resisting the Holy Spirit's witness and invitation to turn to Jesus until death ends all opportunity. Billy Graham is echoing the Augustinian (300s AD) view: Now the man who, not believing that sins are remitted in the Church, despises this great gift of God's mercy, and persists to the last day of his life in his obstinacy of heart, is guilty of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, in whom Christ forgives sins. Augustine of Hippo, “The Enchiridion,” in St. Augustin: On the Holy Trinity, Doctrinal Treatises, Moral Treatises, ed. Augustine was reflecting the Origen view (early 300s): The Spirit dwells in those who live by faith. But those who once having been counted worthy to share in the Holy Spirit and then having finally and decisively turned their backs from grace are by this act said to have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit (ORIGEN Who, then, is not amazed at the exceeding majesty of the Holy Spirit when he hears that he who speaks a word against the Son of man may hope for forgiveness, but that he who is guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness—either in the present world or in that which is to come. Origen What then is it? The unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an act of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power so that we are never able to repent and be forgiven. – John Piper. Lee ann penick MODERN: There is only one “unpardonable sin” that can separate us from God for eternity. It is the ongoing, willful refusal to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and the forgiveness He offers. Jacob Arminius defined it as “the rejection and refusing of Jesus Christ through determined malice and hatred against Christ”. Nancy Hardesty “Ultimately the refusal to allow women to fully use their gifts in the church and in the world is a form of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” Pope John Paul II writes “‘blasphemy' does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers to man through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the Cross”, and “If Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven either in this life or in the next, it is because this “non-forgiveness” is linked, as to its cause, to “non-repentance,” in other words to the radical refusal to be converted. This means the refusal to come to the sources of Redemption, which nevertheless remain “always” open in the economy of salvation in which the mission of the Holy Spirit is accomplished. SO – What is The unforgivable sin?? – is it, as Origen, Augustine, Billy Graham, Pope John Paul 2 Lee Ann Penick suggest – the rejection of the Holy Spirit/not becoming a follower of Jesus?? Is it, as John Chrysostom claimed, swearing oaths? Is it the robbing of graves in a thieving manner? Is it not letting women use their spiritual gifts in the church? Is it Heresy? Is it, as Athanasius and many other church fathers declared, being wrong on the Trinity and calling the Holy Spirit a created being, rather than God Himself? Is it testing prophetic utterances of prophets?? (NO! – 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 Don't stifle the Spirit. 20 Don't despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good.) Confused? You should be!! People talk about this issue all of the time, but it doesn't appear that all of them get their views from the Bible, so let's begin there in seeking our answer. Matthew 12:24 24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29 How can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters.31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Mark 3: 22 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul in Him!” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!” 23 So He summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished! 27 “On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man's house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he will rob his house. 28 I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Luke 12: 8 “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God, 9 but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. So, I see two major ways we need to answer this question. Contextually and grammatically. What does the CONTEXT of the usage of ‘unpardonable sin' tell us, and what does the grammar/word meanings tell us? We find a massively important clue in Mark 3:30, where Mark tells us precisely WHY Jesus warned the Pharisees and Scribes about this sin. “Because they were saying, He has an unclean spirit.” The exact same situation is described in Matthew 12:31 “31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” The scribes and pharisees are accusing Jesus of doing miraculous things – specifically driving out demons – by the power of Beelzebul rather than by the power of God. Therefore, we know at least this: Ascribing something like an exorcism that is factually done by the power of God and His Holy Spirit to Demonic influence is AT BEST dangerously close to Blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and could, in fact, be blaspheming the Holy Spirit. (Jesus does not make it crystal clear that the scribes and pharisees were actually committing this sin, or merely getting close to committing it. It would seem like the latter is the best option.) Practically speaking, what does this mean?? It means we need to be extremely careful about stating confident opinions on spiritual matters that we don't have 100 percent clarity from Scripture on. Let me give a couple of examples: Pushed over at Brownsville. Charles Carrin praying for us at GVAG. Flamboyant preachers on tv wadding up their coats and throwing them on people, who pass out. Blowing on people, who pass out. Etc. Most of this is probably fraudulent, some of it horribly so. BUT – we should be incredibly careful about pronouncing opinions on what God's spirit would do, and wouldn't do. For instance, there was a revival going on in the 90s that became very well known and reached a lot of people. I heard about some of the things going on at that revival that were disturbing, and sounded – quite frankly – ridiculous. So, I assumed that the movement wasn't of God, but was just flaky people doing flaky things – at best. HOWEVER…a few years later, I met the leader of the movement, and spent some time with him. He struck me as a genuine follower of God – a man who loved Jesus, and who was humble. I still don't know what to think about that revival. God does, and I leave it to Him. It's outside of my realm of influence. According to Jesus – there is grave danger in ascribing the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. You better be 100 percent sure you're right before doing such thing…and you'd better ask the question – HOW Do i Know FOR SURE that my opinion is right on this matter? If you can't answer that question with extreme clarity, then be careful saying what the Holy Spirit will or will not do, and be careful saying whether or not something is of Satan, or not. Contextually, that is at least a large part of what blaspheming the Holy Spirit is about. What is blasphemy, exactly? More on that in a moment…. Side question – is Beelzebul = Satan?? It's a great question, and I have a fairly lame answer…'maybe.' Beelzebub (“Lord of the flies”) and Beelzebul (“Lord of the skies/heavenly realms”) both refer to the same entity. In the Testament of Solomon, 1st century, non-Scripture, pseudoepigraphic text. Beelzebul (not Beelzebub) appears as prince of the demons and says (6.2) that he was formerly a leading heavenly angel who was (6.7) associated with the star Hesperus (which is the normal Greek name for the planet Venus (Αφροδíτη) as evening star). Seemingly, Beelzebul here is synonymous with Lucifer. the text describes how Solomon was enabled to build his temple by commanding demons by means of a magical ringthat was entrusted to him by the archangel Michael. The Bible reference comes from 2 Kings 1: 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?' 4 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not get up from your sickbed—you will certainly die.'” Then Elijah left.The name also appears in Luke 11, where we can see the clearest connection between Beelzebul and Satan: Luke 11:14 Now He was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul,the ruler of the demons!” 16 And others, as a test, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. 17 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. So, Jesus mentions Satan and Beelzebul in the same context, but not in a way that indicates that they are the same entities. My best guess is that Beelzebul is a separate entity from Satan, but I confess that I do not know, and my guess is based on the fact that the Bible never clearly identifies the two as the same entity. What exactly is Blasphemy? Luke 12:10 points us in the right direction – anyone who ‘speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven.' but the one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12:32 makes it even more clear: 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Similarly: Isaiah 37:23 Isaiah 37:23 Who is it you have mocked and blasphemed? Who have you raised your voice against and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! The Word itself, Greek Blasphemos, is a combo of two words. Blaptō, which means, ‘to HURT' and Pheemay, which means fame, report, or something like ‘reputation.' So, etymologically, the word has a root meaning of injuring somebody's fame, or good name. The word can mean ‘defame' or ‘revile' and isn't always used of a deity. Paul speaks of being ‘defamed' or blasphemed by people for being an apostle. Paul commands the church in Titus 3:2 not to slander/Speak evil of (or BLASPHEME) any person, which is a command that Christians would do well to take far more seriously than we do. 2 Peter 2:10 and Jude vs 8 both warn against blaspheming angels, demons, and other spiritual beings. So- blasphemy is speaking evil of someone. Hurting them with your words, harming their reputation. Thus, blaspheming the Holy Spirit is speaking evil of Him, reviling Him, defaming Him, seeking to harm His reputation. The Pharisees and Scribes were doing that – or coming dangerously close – when they said that it was Satan/Beelzebul empowering Jesus, when it was factually the Spirit of God Himself. R.C. Sproul: Their statements were directed against Jesus. So, He said to them: “You can blaspheme Me and be forgiven, but when you question the work of the Spirit, you are coming perilously close to the unforgivable sin. You are right at the line. You are looking down into the abyss of hell. One more step and there will be no hope for you.” He was warning them to be very careful not to insult or mock the Spirit. Is it really unforgivable, and WHAT IF I HAVE COMMITTED IT?! AUGUSTINE: It is not that this was a blasphemy which under no circumstances could be forgiven, for even this shall be forgiven if right repentance follows it Thomas C. Oden and Christopher A. Hall, eds., Mark, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 48. I'm worried that I have committed the unforgivable sin?? Graham: Many Christians have heard that there is an unpardonable sin and live in dread that something grave they have done before or after conversion might be that sin. Their fears are unfounded. While there is an unforgivable sin, it is not one that a true believer in Jesus Christ can commit. Sproul: Humanly speaking, everyone who is a Christian is capable of committing the unforgivable sin. However, I believe that the Lord of glory who has saved us and sealed us in the Holy Spirit will never let us commit that sin. I do not believe that any Christians in the history of the church have blasphemed the Spirit. As for those who are not sure they are saved and are worried they may have committed the unpardonable sin, I would say that worrying about it is one of the clearest evidences that they have not committed this sin, for those who commit it are so hardened in their hearts they do not care that they commit it. Thanks be to God that the sin that is unpardonable is not a sin He allows His people to commit. I don't share Graham and Sproul's assurances, though I respect them both deeply. The Bible NEVER says a believer is unable to commit the unpardonable sin. Jesus NEVER indicates that, and I see no other passage that promises such…just a sober warning. I think Piper strikes a better balance when talking about it: Piper: The fact that there is an unforgivable sin — that there comes a point in a life of sin after which the Holy Spirit will no longer grant repentance — that fact should drive us from sin with fear and trembling. None of us knows when our toying with sin will pass over into irrevocable hardness of heart. Very few people feel how serious sin is. Very few people are on the same wavelength with Jesus when he said in Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” Instead, many professing Christians today have such a sentimental view of God's justice that they never feel terror and horror at the thought of being utterly forsaken by God because of their persistence in sin. They have the naïve notion that God's patience has no end and that they can always return from any length and depth of sin, forgetting that there is a point of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power, leaving them never able to repent and be forgiven. They are like the buzzard who spots a carcass on a piece of ice floating in the river. He lands and begins to eat. He knows it is dangerous because the falls are just ahead. But he looks at his wings and says to himself, “I can fly to safety in an instant.” And he goes on eating. Just before the ice goes over the falls he spreads his wings to fly but his claws are frozen in the ice and there is no escape — neither in this age nor the age to come. The Spirit of holiness has forsaken the arrogant sinner forever. Another of the devil's fiery darts is this, “You have committed the unpardonable sin.” Ah! this arrow has rankled in many a heart, and it is very difficult to deal with such cases. The only way in which I argue with a person thus assailed is to say, “I am quite certain that, if you desire salvation, you have not committed the unpardonable sin, and I am absolutely sure that, if you will now come and trust Christ, you have not committed that sin, for every soul that trusts Christ is forgiven, according to God's Word, and therefore you cannot have committed that sin.” C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: My close – God the Holy Spirit is all powerful. Tremble: I don't want to blunt the warnings of Jesus with false assurance. It is likely that – if you are worried you've committed the unpardonable sin, that you haven't because only the Spirit's work in your life would make you fear the Lord. But the way that Jesus addressed this is with the highest level of seriousness…so must we. This passage RIGHTLY inspires fear in us, and that's ok, it should. It is obviously recorded in the Scripture for that purpose. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 2:5 you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. Rev 14:6 6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead,(I) having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.(J)7 He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” The word for fear there has the same meaning as our word fear. It means FEAR. Luke 12: In the same breath that Jesus speaks about the unpardonable sin, He says this: 4 “And I say to you, My friends, don't fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. 5 But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! 6 Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. 7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! Treat the Holy Spirit with great – remarkable sobriety – fear and wisdom. Fear the Lord, as Jesus said, and don't be afraid to trust Him – He who knows all of the sparrows and numbers our hairs, counts us as of great worth and Loves the World enough to send His son to rescue it. Here's the good news: GREEAR: False gods mutilate us; the true God mutilated himself for us. The prophets of Ba'al begin by dancing around their altar. They end by slashing at themselves until their blood runs (1 Kings 18:28). False gods always push us toward destruction: “Work harder. Do better. Obtain more. You still aren't getting my attention. Slash yourself!” So we slash at our bodies by going through crash diets to attain that perfect figure. We slash at our families by overworking to make extra money. We slash at our souls by compromising our integrity to get someone's affection. False gods push us to mutilate ourselves, because we desperately want to win their approval. But only one God was ever mutilated for us—Jesus Christ. This story ends with a magnificent fire coming from heaven, but as Jesus himself points out to his first disciples, the fire was not intended for sinful humanity (Luke 9:51–56). It was ultimately intended for him: of all the characters in this story, Jesus is not Elijah, calling down fire; he is the sacrifice who receives the fire of judgment. At the cross, Jesus took into his body the fire of God's justice so that we could take into our lives the fire of God's love. Other gods demand dancing, slashing, mutilation. But Jesus Christ is the only God who was slashed and mutilated for us. As Tim Keller has said, “Every other god will make your blood run; only the true God bleeds for you.”
The word goodness is a very unique Greek word that is found only in the Bible and not in the classical Greek language. It is used to describe God's character of being blameless, upright, pure, righteous and generous. Contextually for us, it is a Spirit-created moral excellence. It not only encompasses kindness as acts of love, but reflects the complete character of God who does good things for us even if we don't think it is good.
The word goodness is a very unique Greek word that is found only in the Bible and not in the classical Greek language. It is used to describe God’s character of being blameless, upright, pure, righteous and generous. Contextually for us, it is a Spirit-created moral excellence. It not only encompasses kindness as acts of love, but reflects the complete character of God who does good things for us even if we don’t think it is good.
Episode 4: What is the Unforgivable sin?? It's a terrifying reality: Jesus warned His disciples and the Pharisees that there was a sin that could be committed that was unpardonable - unforgivable for all eternity. People have speculated and worried about this teaching of Jesus for hundreds of years. What precisely is the unpardonable sin? How can we know whether or not we've done it? Let's dive in! The Didache First century - RIGHT after the NT: Now concerning the apostles and prophets, deal with them as follows in accordance with the rule of the gospel. (4) Let every apostle who comes to you be welcomed as if he were the Lord. (5) But he is not to stay for more than one day, unless there is need, in which case he may stay another. But if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. (6) And when the apostle leaves, he is to take nothing except bread until he finds his next night's lodging. But if he asks for money, he is a false prophet. (7) Also, do not test or evaluate any prophet who speaks in the spirit, for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin will not be forgiven.35 Michael William Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, Updated ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 263–265. ANDREAS Andreas of Caesarea (Greek: Ἀνδρέας Καισαρείας; 563 – 637) : It is the sin of heresy, or of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which leads to death. If one man sins against another, pray for him. But if he sins against God, who is there who can pray on his behalf? And if even after all this, our opponents are still unwilling to learn and still unable to understand, they should at least stop speaking evil. They should not divide the Trinity lest they be divided from life.82 They should not classify the Holy Spirit with the creatures, lest, like the Pharisees of old who ascribed the works of the Spirit to Beelzebul,83 they too, on account of equal audacity, incur along with them the punishment which is unpardonable both now and in the future. Athanasius Works on the Spirit: Athanasius's Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit, Grave-robbing, or the opening of graves, is divided into two kinds too, like theft, according to the present Canon, to wit, into pardonable and into unpardonable grave-robbing. For if the fellow opening the grave does not denude the dead person's body, thus refraining from dishonoring (for that is what is meant by the expression “sparing devoutness”) the dead, but only takes the stones found in the grave, in order to use them in the building of any other work that is preferable and more beneficial to the community, though this too is by no means anything to be praised, yet custom has made it pardonable.2 St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain - 1700s, Greek Orthodox church. Swearing is a dreadful and harmful thing; it is a destructive drug, a bane and a danger, a hidden wound, a sore unseen, an obscure ulcer spreading its poison in the soul; it is an arrow of Satan, a flaming javelin, a two-edged sword, a sharp-honed scimitar, an unpardonable sin, an indefensible transgression, a deep gulf, a precipitous crag, a strong trap, a taut-stretched net, a fetter that cannot be broken, a noose from which no one escapes. 19. Are these enough, and do you believe that swearing is a dreadful thing and the most harmful of all sins? Believe me, I beg you, believe me! But if someone does not believe me, I now offer proof. This sin has what no other sin possesses. If we do not violate the other commandments, we escape punishment; on the other hand, in the matter of oaths, we are punished just the same both when we guard against transgressing and when we transgress. St. John Chrysostom, 300s AD St. John Chrysostom: Baptismal Instructions, Hilary of Poitiers actually points us in a more biblical direction, in discussing the unpardonable sin: Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men, but blasphemy of the Spirit will not be forgiven.67 With a very grave qualification, he condemns the view of the Pharisees and the perversion of those who also think like them. He promises pardon of all sins but refuses pardon for blasphemy of the Spirit. While other words and deeds are treated with a generous pardon, there is no mercy if it is denied that God is in Christ. 68 And in whatever way one sins without pardon, he is gracious to us and reminds us again that sins of every kind can be completely forgiven, though blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven. For who is so completely beyond pardon as one who denies that Christ is of God, or repudiates that the substance of the Spirit of the Father resides in him Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew, ed. Spurgeon - Nobody knows what that sin is. I believe that even God's Word does not tell us, and it is very proper that it does not. As I have often said, it is like the notice we sometimes see put up, “Man-traps and spring gun set here.” We do not know whereabouts the traps and guns are, but we have no business over the hedge at all. So, “there is a sin unto death;” we are not told what that sin is, but we have no business to go over the hedge into any transgression at all. That “sin unto death” may be different in different people; but, whoever commits it, from that very moment, loses all spiritual desires. He has no wish to be saved, no care to repent, no longing after Christ; so dreadful is the spiritual death that comes over the man who has committed it that he never craves eternal life. C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: A Commentary on Portions of John Bunyan's Immortal Allegory (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 73–74. Billy Graham: The sin of the religious leaders, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, was a refusal to accept the witness of the Holy Spirit to who Jesus was and what He had come to do, and then submit their lives to Him… Once again, the unpardonable sin is not some particularly grievous sin committed by a Christian before or after accepting Christ, nor is it thinking or saying something terrible about the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is deliberately resisting the Holy Spirit's witness and invitation to turn to Jesus until death ends all opportunity. Billy Graham is echoing the Augustinian (300s AD) view: Now the man who, not believing that sins are remitted in the Church, despises this great gift of God's mercy, and persists to the last day of his life in his obstinacy of heart, is guilty of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, in whom Christ forgives sins. Augustine of Hippo, “The Enchiridion,” in St. Augustin: On the Holy Trinity, Doctrinal Treatises, Moral Treatises, ed. Augustine was reflecting the Origen view (early 300s): The Spirit dwells in those who live by faith. But those who once having been counted worthy to share in the Holy Spirit and then having finally and decisively turned their backs from grace are by this act said to have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit (ORIGEN Who, then, is not amazed at the exceeding majesty of the Holy Spirit when he hears that he who speaks a word against the Son of man may hope for forgiveness, but that he who is guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness—either in the present world or in that which is to come. Origen What then is it? The unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an act of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power so that we are never able to repent and be forgiven. - John Piper. Lee ann penick MODERN: There is only one “unpardonable sin” that can separate us from God for eternity. It is the ongoing, willful refusal to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and the forgiveness He offers. Jacob Arminius defined it as "the rejection and refusing of Jesus Christ through determined malice and hatred against Christ". Nancy Hardesty “Ultimately the refusal to allow women to fully use their gifts in the church and in the world is a form of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” Pope John Paul II writes "'blasphemy' does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers to man through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the Cross", and "If Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven either in this life or in the next, it is because this "non-forgiveness" is linked, as to its cause, to "non-repentance," in other words to the radical refusal to be converted. This means the refusal to come to the sources of Redemption, which nevertheless remain "always" open in the economy of salvation in which the mission of the Holy Spirit is accomplished. SO - What is The unforgivable sin?? - is it, as Origen, Augustine, Billy Graham, Pope John Paul 2 Lee Ann Penick suggest - the rejection of the Holy Spirit/not becoming a follower of Jesus?? Is it, as John Chrysostom claimed, swearing oaths? Is it the robbing of graves in a thieving manner? Is it not letting women use their spiritual gifts in the church? Is it Heresy? Is it, as Athanasius and many other church fathers declared, being wrong on the Trinity and calling the Holy Spirit a created being, rather than God Himself? Is it testing prophetic utterances of prophets?? (NO! - 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 Don't stifle the Spirit. 20 Don't despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good.) Confused? You should be!! People talk about this issue all of the time, but it doesn't appear that all of them get their views from the Bible, so let's begin there in seeking our answer. Matthew 12:24 24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29 How can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters.31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Mark 3: 22 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul in Him!” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!” 23 So He summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished! 27 “On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man's house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he will rob his house. 28 I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Luke 12: 8 “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God, 9 but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. So, I see two major ways we need to answer this question. Contextually and grammatically. What does the CONTEXT of the usage of ‘unpardonable sin' tell us, and what does the grammar/word meanings tell us? We find a massively important clue in Mark 3:30, where Mark tells us precisely WHY Jesus warned the Pharisees and Scribes about this sin. “Because they were saying, He has an unclean spirit.” The exact same situation is described in Matthew 12:31 “31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” The scribes and pharisees are accusing Jesus of doing miraculous things - specifically driving out demons - by the power of Beelzebul rather than by the power of God. Therefore, we know at least this: Ascribing something like an exorcism that is factually done by the power of God and His Holy Spirit to Demonic influence is AT BEST dangerously close to Blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and could, in fact, be blaspheming the Holy Spirit. (Jesus does not make it crystal clear that the scribes and pharisees were actually committing this sin, or merely getting close to committing it. It would seem like the latter is the best option.) Practically speaking, what does this mean?? It means we need to be extremely careful about stating confident opinions on spiritual matters that we don't have 100 percent clarity from Scripture on. Let me give a couple of examples: Pushed over at Brownsville. Charles Carrin praying for us at GVAG. Flamboyant preachers on tv wadding up their coats and throwing them on people, who pass out. Blowing on people, who pass out. Etc. Most of this is probably fraudulent, some of it horribly so. BUT - we should be incredibly careful about pronouncing opinions on what God's spirit would do, and wouldn't do. For instance, there was a revival going on in the 90s that became very well known and reached a lot of people. I heard about some of the things going on at that revival that were disturbing, and sounded - quite frankly - ridiculous. So, I assumed that the movement wasn't of God, but was just flaky people doing flaky things - at best. HOWEVER...a few years later, I met the leader of the movement, and spent some time with him. He struck me as a genuine follower of God - a man who loved Jesus, and who was humble. I still don't know what to think about that revival. God does, and I leave it to Him. It's outside of my realm of influence. According to Jesus - there is grave danger in ascribing the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. You better be 100 percent sure you're right before doing such thing...and you'd better ask the question - HOW Do i Know FOR SURE that my opinion is right on this matter? If you can't answer that question with extreme clarity, then be careful saying what the Holy Spirit will or will not do, and be careful saying whether or not something is of Satan, or not. Contextually, that is at least a large part of what blaspheming the Holy Spirit is about. What is blasphemy, exactly? More on that in a moment…. Side question - is Beelzebul = Satan?? It's a great question, and I have a fairly lame answer…'maybe.' Beelzebub (“Lord of the flies”) and Beelzebul (“Lord of the skies/heavenly realms”) both refer to the same entity. In the Testament of Solomon, 1st century, non-Scripture, pseudoepigraphic text. Beelzebul (not Beelzebub) appears as prince of the demons and says (6.2) that he was formerly a leading heavenly angel who was (6.7) associated with the star Hesperus (which is the normal Greek name for the planet Venus (Αφροδíτη) as evening star). Seemingly, Beelzebul here is synonymous with Lucifer. the text describes how Solomon was enabled to build his temple by commanding demons by means of a magical ring that was entrusted to him by the archangel Michael. The Bible reference comes from 2 Kings 1: 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?' 4 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not get up from your sickbed—you will certainly die.'” Then Elijah left. The name also appears in Luke 11, where we can see the clearest connection between Beelzebul and Satan: Luke 11:14 Now He was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul,the ruler of the demons!” 16 And others, as a test, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. 17 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. So, Jesus mentions Satan and Beelzebul in the same context, but not in a way that indicates that they are the same entities. My best guess is that Beelzebul is a separate entity from Satan, but I confess that I do not know, and my guess is based on the fact that the Bible never clearly identifies the two as the same entity. What exactly is Blasphemy? Luke 12:10 points us in the right direction - anyone who ‘speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven.' but the one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12:32 makes it even more clear: 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Similarly: Isaiah 37:23 Isaiah 37:23 Who is it you have mocked and blasphemed? Who have you raised your voice against and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! The Word itself, Greek Blasphemos, is a combo of two words. Blaptō, which means, ‘to HURT' and Pheemay, which means fame, report, or something like ‘reputation.' So, etymologically, the word has a root meaning of injuring somebody's fame, or good name. The word can mean ‘defame' or ‘revile' and isn't always used of a deity. Paul speaks of being ‘defamed' or blasphemed by people for being an apostle. Paul commands the church in Titus 3:2 not to slander/Speak evil of (or BLASPHEME) any person, which is a command that Christians would do well to take far more seriously than we do. 2 Peter 2:10 and Jude vs 8 both warn against blaspheming angels, demons, and other spiritual beings. So- blasphemy is speaking evil of someone. Hurting them with your words, harming their reputation. Thus, blaspheming the Holy Spirit is speaking evil of Him, reviling Him, defaming Him, seeking to harm His reputation. The Pharisees and Scribes were doing that - or coming dangerously close - when they said that it was Satan/Beelzebul empowering Jesus, when it was factually the Spirit of God Himself. R.C. Sproul: Their statements were directed against Jesus. So, He said to them: “You can blaspheme Me and be forgiven, but when you question the work of the Spirit, you are coming perilously close to the unforgivable sin. You are right at the line. You are looking down into the abyss of hell. One more step and there will be no hope for you.” He was warning them to be very careful not to insult or mock the Spirit. Is it really unforgivable, and WHAT IF I HAVE COMMITTED IT?! AUGUSTINE: It is not that this was a blasphemy which under no circumstances could be forgiven, for even this shall be forgiven if right repentance follows it Thomas C. Oden and Christopher A. Hall, eds., Mark, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 48. I'm worried that I have committed the unforgivable sin?? Graham: Many Christians have heard that there is an unpardonable sin and live in dread that something grave they have done before or after conversion might be that sin. Their fears are unfounded. While there is an unforgivable sin, it is not one that a true believer in Jesus Christ can commit. Sproul: Humanly speaking, everyone who is a Christian is capable of committing the unforgivable sin. However, I believe that the Lord of glory who has saved us and sealed us in the Holy Spirit will never let us commit that sin. I do not believe that any Christians in the history of the church have blasphemed the Spirit. As for those who are not sure they are saved and are worried they may have committed the unpardonable sin, I would say that worrying about it is one of the clearest evidences that they have not committed this sin, for those who commit it are so hardened in their hearts they do not care that they commit it. Thanks be to God that the sin that is unpardonable is not a sin He allows His people to commit. I don't share Graham and Sproul's assurances, though I respect them both deeply. The Bible NEVER says a believer is unable to commit the unpardonable sin. Jesus NEVER indicates that, and I see no other passage that promises such...just a sober warning. I think Piper strikes a better balance when talking about it: Piper: The fact that there is an unforgivable sin — that there comes a point in a life of sin after which the Holy Spirit will no longer grant repentance — that fact should drive us from sin with fear and trembling. None of us knows when our toying with sin will pass over into irrevocable hardness of heart. Very few people feel how serious sin is. Very few people are on the same wavelength with Jesus when he said in Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” Instead, many professing Christians today have such a sentimental view of God's justice that they never feel terror and horror at the thought of being utterly forsaken by God because of their persistence in sin. They have the naïve notion that God's patience has no end and that they can always return from any length and depth of sin, forgetting that there is a point of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power, leaving them never able to repent and be forgiven. They are like the buzzard who spots a carcass on a piece of ice floating in the river. He lands and begins to eat. He knows it is dangerous because the falls are just ahead. But he looks at his wings and says to himself, “I can fly to safety in an instant.” And he goes on eating. Just before the ice goes over the falls he spreads his wings to fly but his claws are frozen in the ice and there is no escape — neither in this age nor the age to come. The Spirit of holiness has forsaken the arrogant sinner forever. Another of the devil's fiery darts is this, “You have committed the unpardonable sin.” Ah! this arrow has rankled in many a heart, and it is very difficult to deal with such cases. The only way in which I argue with a person thus assailed is to say, “I am quite certain that, if you desire salvation, you have not committed the unpardonable sin, and I am absolutely sure that, if you will now come and trust Christ, you have not committed that sin, for every soul that trusts Christ is forgiven, according to God's Word, and therefore you cannot have committed that sin.” C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: My close - God the Holy Spirit is all powerful. Tremble: I don't want to blunt the warnings of Jesus with false assurance. It is likely that - if you are worried you've committed the unpardonable sin, that you haven't because only the Spirit's work in your life would make you fear the Lord. But the way that Jesus addressed this is with the highest level of seriousness...so must we. This passage RIGHTLY inspires fear in us, and that's ok, it should. It is obviously recorded in the Scripture for that purpose. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 2:5 you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. Rev 14:6 6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead,(I) having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.(J) 7 He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” The word for fear there has the same meaning as our word fear. It means FEAR. Luke 12: In the same breath that Jesus speaks about the unpardonable sin, He says this: 4 “And I say to you, My friends, don't fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. 5 But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! 6 Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. 7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! Treat the Holy Spirit with great - remarkable sobriety - fear and wisdom. Fear the Lord, as Jesus said, and don't be afraid to trust Him - He who knows all of the sparrows and numbers our hairs, counts us as of great worth and Loves the World enough to send His son to rescue it. Here's the good news: GREEAR: False gods mutilate us; the true God mutilated himself for us. The prophets of Ba'al begin by dancing around their altar. They end by slashing at themselves until their blood runs (1 Kings 18:28). False gods always push us toward destruction: “Work harder. Do better. Obtain more. You still aren't getting my attention. Slash yourself!” So we slash at our bodies by going through crash diets to attain that perfect figure. We slash at our families by overworking to make extra money. We slash at our souls by compromising our integrity to get someone's affection. False gods push us to mutilate ourselves, because we desperately want to win their approval. But only one God was ever mutilated for us—Jesus Christ. This story ends with a magnificent fire coming from heaven, but as Jesus himself points out to his first disciples, the fire was not intended for sinful humanity (Luke 9:51–56). It was ultimately intended for him: of all the characters in this story, Jesus is not Elijah, calling down fire; he is the sacrifice who receives the fire of judgment. At the cross, Jesus took into his body the fire of God's justice so that we could take into our lives the fire of God's love. Other gods demand dancing, slashing, mutilation. But Jesus Christ is the only God who was slashed and mutilated for us. As Tim Keller has said, “Every other god will make your blood run; only the true God bleeds for you.”
Episode 4: What is the Unforgivable sin?? It's a terrifying reality: Jesus warned His disciples and the Pharisees that there was a sin that could be committed that was unpardonable - unforgivable for all eternity. People have speculated and worried about this teaching of Jesus for hundreds of years. What precisely is the unpardonable sin? How can we know whether or not we've done it? Let's dive in! The Didache First century - RIGHT after the NT: Now concerning the apostles and prophets, deal with them as follows in accordance with the rule of the gospel. (4) Let every apostle who comes to you be welcomed as if he were the Lord. (5) But he is not to stay for more than one day, unless there is need, in which case he may stay another. But if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. (6) And when the apostle leaves, he is to take nothing except bread until he finds his next night's lodging. But if he asks for money, he is a false prophet. (7) Also, do not test or evaluate any prophet who speaks in the spirit, for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin will not be forgiven.35 Michael William Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, Updated ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 263–265. ANDREAS Andreas of Caesarea (Greek: Ἀνδρέας Καισαρείας; 563 – 637) : It is the sin of heresy, or of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which leads to death. If one man sins against another, pray for him. But if he sins against God, who is there who can pray on his behalf? And if even after all this, our opponents are still unwilling to learn and still unable to understand, they should at least stop speaking evil. They should not divide the Trinity lest they be divided from life.82 They should not classify the Holy Spirit with the creatures, lest, like the Pharisees of old who ascribed the works of the Spirit to Beelzebul,83 they too, on account of equal audacity, incur along with them the punishment which is unpardonable both now and in the future. Athanasius Works on the Spirit: Athanasius's Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit, Grave-robbing, or the opening of graves, is divided into two kinds too, like theft, according to the present Canon, to wit, into pardonable and into unpardonable grave-robbing. For if the fellow opening the grave does not denude the dead person's body, thus refraining from dishonoring (for that is what is meant by the expression “sparing devoutness”) the dead, but only takes the stones found in the grave, in order to use them in the building of any other work that is preferable and more beneficial to the community, though this too is by no means anything to be praised, yet custom has made it pardonable.2 St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain - 1700s, Greek Orthodox church. Swearing is a dreadful and harmful thing; it is a destructive drug, a bane and a danger, a hidden wound, a sore unseen, an obscure ulcer spreading its poison in the soul; it is an arrow of Satan, a flaming javelin, a two-edged sword, a sharp-honed scimitar, an unpardonable sin, an indefensible transgression, a deep gulf, a precipitous crag, a strong trap, a taut-stretched net, a fetter that cannot be broken, a noose from which no one escapes. 19. Are these enough, and do you believe that swearing is a dreadful thing and the most harmful of all sins? Believe me, I beg you, believe me! But if someone does not believe me, I now offer proof. This sin has what no other sin possesses. If we do not violate the other commandments, we escape punishment; on the other hand, in the matter of oaths, we are punished just the same both when we guard against transgressing and when we transgress. St. John Chrysostom, 300s AD St. John Chrysostom: Baptismal Instructions, Hilary of Poitiers actually points us in a more biblical direction, in discussing the unpardonable sin: Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men, but blasphemy of the Spirit will not be forgiven.67 With a very grave qualification, he condemns the view of the Pharisees and the perversion of those who also think like them. He promises pardon of all sins but refuses pardon for blasphemy of the Spirit. While other words and deeds are treated with a generous pardon, there is no mercy if it is denied that God is in Christ. 68 And in whatever way one sins without pardon, he is gracious to us and reminds us again that sins of every kind can be completely forgiven, though blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven. For who is so completely beyond pardon as one who denies that Christ is of God, or repudiates that the substance of the Spirit of the Father resides in him Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew, ed. Spurgeon - Nobody knows what that sin is. I believe that even God's Word does not tell us, and it is very proper that it does not. As I have often said, it is like the notice we sometimes see put up, “Man-traps and spring gun set here.” We do not know whereabouts the traps and guns are, but we have no business over the hedge at all. So, “there is a sin unto death;” we are not told what that sin is, but we have no business to go over the hedge into any transgression at all. That “sin unto death” may be different in different people; but, whoever commits it, from that very moment, loses all spiritual desires. He has no wish to be saved, no care to repent, no longing after Christ; so dreadful is the spiritual death that comes over the man who has committed it that he never craves eternal life. C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: A Commentary on Portions of John Bunyan's Immortal Allegory (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 73–74. Billy Graham: The sin of the religious leaders, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, was a refusal to accept the witness of the Holy Spirit to who Jesus was and what He had come to do, and then submit their lives to Him… Once again, the unpardonable sin is not some particularly grievous sin committed by a Christian before or after accepting Christ, nor is it thinking or saying something terrible about the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is deliberately resisting the Holy Spirit's witness and invitation to turn to Jesus until death ends all opportunity. Billy Graham is echoing the Augustinian (300s AD) view: Now the man who, not believing that sins are remitted in the Church, despises this great gift of God's mercy, and persists to the last day of his life in his obstinacy of heart, is guilty of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, in whom Christ forgives sins. Augustine of Hippo, “The Enchiridion,” in St. Augustin: On the Holy Trinity, Doctrinal Treatises, Moral Treatises, ed. Augustine was reflecting the Origen view (early 300s): The Spirit dwells in those who live by faith. But those who once having been counted worthy to share in the Holy Spirit and then having finally and decisively turned their backs from grace are by this act said to have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit (ORIGEN Who, then, is not amazed at the exceeding majesty of the Holy Spirit when he hears that he who speaks a word against the Son of man may hope for forgiveness, but that he who is guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness—either in the present world or in that which is to come. Origen What then is it? The unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an act of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power so that we are never able to repent and be forgiven. - John Piper. Lee ann penick MODERN: There is only one “unpardonable sin” that can separate us from God for eternity. It is the ongoing, willful refusal to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and the forgiveness He offers. Jacob Arminius defined it as "the rejection and refusing of Jesus Christ through determined malice and hatred against Christ". Nancy Hardesty “Ultimately the refusal to allow women to fully use their gifts in the church and in the world is a form of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” Pope John Paul II writes "'blasphemy' does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers to man through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the Cross", and "If Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven either in this life or in the next, it is because this "non-forgiveness" is linked, as to its cause, to "non-repentance," in other words to the radical refusal to be converted. This means the refusal to come to the sources of Redemption, which nevertheless remain "always" open in the economy of salvation in which the mission of the Holy Spirit is accomplished. SO - What is The unforgivable sin?? - is it, as Origen, Augustine, Billy Graham, Pope John Paul 2 Lee Ann Penick suggest - the rejection of the Holy Spirit/not becoming a follower of Jesus?? Is it, as John Chrysostom claimed, swearing oaths? Is it the robbing of graves in a thieving manner? Is it not letting women use their spiritual gifts in the church? Is it Heresy? Is it, as Athanasius and many other church fathers declared, being wrong on the Trinity and calling the Holy Spirit a created being, rather than God Himself? Is it testing prophetic utterances of prophets?? (NO! - 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 Don't stifle the Spirit. 20 Don't despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good.) Confused? You should be!! People talk about this issue all of the time, but it doesn't appear that all of them get their views from the Bible, so let's begin there in seeking our answer. Matthew 12:24 24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29 How can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters.31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Mark 3: 22 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul in Him!” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!” 23 So He summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished! 27 “On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man's house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he will rob his house. 28 I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Luke 12: 8 “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God, 9 but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. So, I see two major ways we need to answer this question. Contextually and grammatically. What does the CONTEXT of the usage of ‘unpardonable sin' tell us, and what does the grammar/word meanings tell us? We find a massively important clue in Mark 3:30, where Mark tells us precisely WHY Jesus warned the Pharisees and Scribes about this sin. “Because they were saying, He has an unclean spirit.” The exact same situation is described in Matthew 12:31 “31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” The scribes and pharisees are accusing Jesus of doing miraculous things - specifically driving out demons - by the power of Beelzebul rather than by the power of God. Therefore, we know at least this: Ascribing something like an exorcism that is factually done by the power of God and His Holy Spirit to Demonic influence is AT BEST dangerously close to Blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and could, in fact, be blaspheming the Holy Spirit. (Jesus does not make it crystal clear that the scribes and pharisees were actually committing this sin, or merely getting close to committing it. It would seem like the latter is the best option.) Practically speaking, what does this mean?? It means we need to be extremely careful about stating confident opinions on spiritual matters that we don't have 100 percent clarity from Scripture on. Let me give a couple of examples: Pushed over at Brownsville. Charles Carrin praying for us at GVAG. Flamboyant preachers on tv wadding up their coats and throwing them on people, who pass out. Blowing on people, who pass out. Etc. Most of this is probably fraudulent, some of it horribly so. BUT - we should be incredibly careful about pronouncing opinions on what God's spirit would do, and wouldn't do. For instance, there was a revival going on in the 90s that became very well known and reached a lot of people. I heard about some of the things going on at that revival that were disturbing, and sounded - quite frankly - ridiculous. So, I assumed that the movement wasn't of God, but was just flaky people doing flaky things - at best. HOWEVER...a few years later, I met the leader of the movement, and spent some time with him. He struck me as a genuine follower of God - a man who loved Jesus, and who was humble. I still don't know what to think about that revival. God does, and I leave it to Him. It's outside of my realm of influence. According to Jesus - there is grave danger in ascribing the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. You better be 100 percent sure you're right before doing such thing...and you'd better ask the question - HOW Do i Know FOR SURE that my opinion is right on this matter? If you can't answer that question with extreme clarity, then be careful saying what the Holy Spirit will or will not do, and be careful saying whether or not something is of Satan, or not. Contextually, that is at least a large part of what blaspheming the Holy Spirit is about. What is blasphemy, exactly? More on that in a moment…. Side question - is Beelzebul = Satan?? It's a great question, and I have a fairly lame answer…'maybe.' Beelzebub (“Lord of the flies”) and Beelzebul (“Lord of the skies/heavenly realms”) both refer to the same entity. In the Testament of Solomon, 1st century, non-Scripture, pseudoepigraphic text. Beelzebul (not Beelzebub) appears as prince of the demons and says (6.2) that he was formerly a leading heavenly angel who was (6.7) associated with the star Hesperus (which is the normal Greek name for the planet Venus (Αφροδíτη) as evening star). Seemingly, Beelzebul here is synonymous with Lucifer. the text describes how Solomon was enabled to build his temple by commanding demons by means of a magical ring that was entrusted to him by the archangel Michael. The Bible reference comes from 2 Kings 1: 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?' 4 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not get up from your sickbed—you will certainly die.'” Then Elijah left. The name also appears in Luke 11, where we can see the clearest connection between Beelzebul and Satan: Luke 11:14 Now He was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul,the ruler of the demons!” 16 And others, as a test, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. 17 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. So, Jesus mentions Satan and Beelzebul in the same context, but not in a way that indicates that they are the same entities. My best guess is that Beelzebul is a separate entity from Satan, but I confess that I do not know, and my guess is based on the fact that the Bible never clearly identifies the two as the same entity. What exactly is Blasphemy? Luke 12:10 points us in the right direction - anyone who ‘speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven.' but the one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12:32 makes it even more clear: 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Similarly: Isaiah 37:23 Isaiah 37:23 Who is it you have mocked and blasphemed? Who have you raised your voice against and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! The Word itself, Greek Blasphemos, is a combo of two words. Blaptō, which means, ‘to HURT' and Pheemay, which means fame, report, or something like ‘reputation.' So, etymologically, the word has a root meaning of injuring somebody's fame, or good name. The word can mean ‘defame' or ‘revile' and isn't always used of a deity. Paul speaks of being ‘defamed' or blasphemed by people for being an apostle. Paul commands the church in Titus 3:2 not to slander/Speak evil of (or BLASPHEME) any person, which is a command that Christians would do well to take far more seriously than we do. 2 Peter 2:10 and Jude vs 8 both warn against blaspheming angels, demons, and other spiritual beings. So- blasphemy is speaking evil of someone. Hurting them with your words, harming their reputation. Thus, blaspheming the Holy Spirit is speaking evil of Him, reviling Him, defaming Him, seeking to harm His reputation. The Pharisees and Scribes were doing that - or coming dangerously close - when they said that it was Satan/Beelzebul empowering Jesus, when it was factually the Spirit of God Himself. R.C. Sproul: Their statements were directed against Jesus. So, He said to them: “You can blaspheme Me and be forgiven, but when you question the work of the Spirit, you are coming perilously close to the unforgivable sin. You are right at the line. You are looking down into the abyss of hell. One more step and there will be no hope for you.” He was warning them to be very careful not to insult or mock the Spirit. Is it really unforgivable, and WHAT IF I HAVE COMMITTED IT?! AUGUSTINE: It is not that this was a blasphemy which under no circumstances could be forgiven, for even this shall be forgiven if right repentance follows it Thomas C. Oden and Christopher A. Hall, eds., Mark, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 48. I'm worried that I have committed the unforgivable sin?? Graham: Many Christians have heard that there is an unpardonable sin and live in dread that something grave they have done before or after conversion might be that sin. Their fears are unfounded. While there is an unforgivable sin, it is not one that a true believer in Jesus Christ can commit. Sproul: Humanly speaking, everyone who is a Christian is capable of committing the unforgivable sin. However, I believe that the Lord of glory who has saved us and sealed us in the Holy Spirit will never let us commit that sin. I do not believe that any Christians in the history of the church have blasphemed the Spirit. As for those who are not sure they are saved and are worried they may have committed the unpardonable sin, I would say that worrying about it is one of the clearest evidences that they have not committed this sin, for those who commit it are so hardened in their hearts they do not care that they commit it. Thanks be to God that the sin that is unpardonable is not a sin He allows His people to commit. I don't share Graham and Sproul's assurances, though I respect them both deeply. The Bible NEVER says a believer is unable to commit the unpardonable sin. Jesus NEVER indicates that, and I see no other passage that promises such...just a sober warning. I think Piper strikes a better balance when talking about it: Piper: The fact that there is an unforgivable sin — that there comes a point in a life of sin after which the Holy Spirit will no longer grant repentance — that fact should drive us from sin with fear and trembling. None of us knows when our toying with sin will pass over into irrevocable hardness of heart. Very few people feel how serious sin is. Very few people are on the same wavelength with Jesus when he said in Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” Instead, many professing Christians today have such a sentimental view of God's justice that they never feel terror and horror at the thought of being utterly forsaken by God because of their persistence in sin. They have the naïve notion that God's patience has no end and that they can always return from any length and depth of sin, forgetting that there is a point of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power, leaving them never able to repent and be forgiven. They are like the buzzard who spots a carcass on a piece of ice floating in the river. He lands and begins to eat. He knows it is dangerous because the falls are just ahead. But he looks at his wings and says to himself, “I can fly to safety in an instant.” And he goes on eating. Just before the ice goes over the falls he spreads his wings to fly but his claws are frozen in the ice and there is no escape — neither in this age nor the age to come. The Spirit of holiness has forsaken the arrogant sinner forever. Another of the devil's fiery darts is this, “You have committed the unpardonable sin.” Ah! this arrow has rankled in many a heart, and it is very difficult to deal with such cases. The only way in which I argue with a person thus assailed is to say, “I am quite certain that, if you desire salvation, you have not committed the unpardonable sin, and I am absolutely sure that, if you will now come and trust Christ, you have not committed that sin, for every soul that trusts Christ is forgiven, according to God's Word, and therefore you cannot have committed that sin.” C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: My close - God the Holy Spirit is all powerful. Tremble: I don't want to blunt the warnings of Jesus with false assurance. It is likely that - if you are worried you've committed the unpardonable sin, that you haven't because only the Spirit's work in your life would make you fear the Lord. But the way that Jesus addressed this is with the highest level of seriousness...so must we. This passage RIGHTLY inspires fear in us, and that's ok, it should. It is obviously recorded in the Scripture for that purpose. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 2:5 you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. Rev 14:6 6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead,(I) having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.(J) 7 He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” The word for fear there has the same meaning as our word fear. It means FEAR. Luke 12: In the same breath that Jesus speaks about the unpardonable sin, He says this: 4 “And I say to you, My friends, don't fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. 5 But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! 6 Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. 7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! Treat the Holy Spirit with great - remarkable sobriety - fear and wisdom. Fear the Lord, as Jesus said, and don't be afraid to trust Him - He who knows all of the sparrows and numbers our hairs, counts us as of great worth and Loves the World enough to send His son to rescue it. Here's the good news: GREEAR: False gods mutilate us; the true God mutilated himself for us. The prophets of Ba'al begin by dancing around their altar. They end by slashing at themselves until their blood runs (1 Kings 18:28). False gods always push us toward destruction: “Work harder. Do better. Obtain more. You still aren't getting my attention. Slash yourself!” So we slash at our bodies by going through crash diets to attain that perfect figure. We slash at our families by overworking to make extra money. We slash at our souls by compromising our integrity to get someone's affection. False gods push us to mutilate ourselves, because we desperately want to win their approval. But only one God was ever mutilated for us—Jesus Christ. This story ends with a magnificent fire coming from heaven, but as Jesus himself points out to his first disciples, the fire was not intended for sinful humanity (Luke 9:51–56). It was ultimately intended for him: of all the characters in this story, Jesus is not Elijah, calling down fire; he is the sacrifice who receives the fire of judgment. At the cross, Jesus took into his body the fire of God's justice so that we could take into our lives the fire of God's love. Other gods demand dancing, slashing, mutilation. But Jesus Christ is the only God who was slashed and mutilated for us. As Tim Keller has said, “Every other god will make your blood run; only the true God bleeds for you.”
Are we “sinners” or are we “saints”? Let’s examine together, how God truly sees us. Let’s also take a much closer more contextual look at the often misapplied scripture in Isaiah, in which God compares the people’s righteous deeds to filthy rags. Contextually, what is this scripture actually referring to?
Those who challenge America's history often acquire their information from “revisionists” or from “secular interpretations” concerning what the Founders believed rather than looking to the Framers' original writings. Revisionists often use omissions, broad generalizations, and half-truths in order to rewrite history—to take the exception and portray it as the rule. Listen to this interview with a Democratic politician to hear more. Comments from our guest host pastor Shane Idleman below. The question often arises then, “Can we legislate morality?” No and yes. No, we cannot change a person's heart by forcing a set of laws or rules upon them, but we can restrain evil and deter wrongdoing. We should all strive to defend the weak and the fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed, and deliver them from the hand of the wicked (Psalm 82:3–4). We don't have to abandon our ethics or compromise our principles to be involved in politics—what good is salt left in the shaker or a light that is hidden? Contextually, when Jesus referred to being “salt and light,” He was referring to holy living at the individual level, but the overlapping principle applies to all areas of life. Politics is not a bad word; in simple terms, politics refers to governing or leading a group of people. Politics won't save America, but to implement change and help others, we must take action. Politics, once focused largely on the economy, national security, and the deficit is now also tackling important moral concerns. These major issues have enormous implications, and to remain silent actually makes a statement that we are not concerned enough. Unfortunately, we forget that apathy today will be our downfall tomorrow. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.” He continues, “If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.” What an insightful perspective, especially for us today. I'm an avid reader of books about revivals and spiritual awakenings written by those who actually experienced them. Ironically, many, if not all, say we must preach and proclaim God's Word with authority if we are to experience true revival. The New Testament also bears this out—without authority and power from on high, words are lifeless. There is nothing to fear when preaching the truth. God ordained it, and He blesses it. He desires that all people “come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4 NKJV). America, if you want revival (which is our only hope at this stage in the depravity game), then the pulpits must stop asking “Will this offend my audience?” and start asking “Will my silence offend God?” Stop trying to be popular, relevant, and cool, and be filled with God's Spirit. When God gives people the authority to passionately and lovingly proclaim His Word, souls are converted, lives are changed, and families are restored. Returning to His truth is our only hope! -Pastor Shane Idleman.
Those who challenge America’s history often acquire their information from “revisionists” or from “secular interpretations” concerning what the Founders believed rather than looking to the Framers’ original writings. Revisionists often use omissions, broad generalizations, and half-truths in order to rewrite history—to take the exception and portray it as the rule. Listen to this interview with a Democratic politician to hear more. Comments from our guest host pastor Shane Idleman below. The question often arises then, “Can we legislate morality?” No and yes. No, we cannot change a person’s heart by forcing a set of laws or rules upon them, but we can restrain evil and deter wrongdoing. We should all strive to defend the weak and the fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed, and deliver them from the hand of the wicked (Psalm 82:3–4). We don’t have to abandon our ethics or compromise our principles to be involved in politics—what good is salt left in the shaker or a light that is hidden? Contextually, when Jesus referred to being “salt and light,” He was referring to holy living at the individual level, but the overlapping principle applies to all areas of life. Politics is not a bad word; in simple terms, politics refers to governing or leading a group of people. Politics won’t save America, but to implement change and help others, we must take action. Politics, once focused largely on the economy, national security, and the deficit is now also tackling important moral concerns. These major issues have enormous implications, and to remain silent actually makes a statement that we are not concerned enough. Unfortunately, we forget that apathy today will be our downfall tomorrow. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.” He continues, “If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.” What an insightful perspective, especially for us today. I’m an avid reader of books about revivals and spiritual awakenings written by those who actually experienced them. Ironically, many, if not all, say we must preach and proclaim God’s Word with authority if we are to experience true revival. The New Testament also bears this out—without authority and power from on high, words are lifeless. There is nothing to fear when preaching the truth. God ordained it, and He blesses it. He desires that all people “come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4 NKJV). America, if you want revival (which is our only hope at this stage in the depravity game), then the pulpits must stop asking “Will this offend my audience?” and start asking “Will my silence offend God?” Stop trying to be popular, relevant, and cool, and be filled with God’s Spirit. When God gives people the authority to passionately and lovingly proclaim His Word, souls are converted, lives are changed, and families are restored. Returning to His truth is our only hope! -Pastor Shane Idleman.
Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, @jchorvath is an educator and researcher with expertise in the areas of cognitive neuroscience, biological psychology, brain simulation, the learning sciences, and effective teaching/learning practices There is 1 learning process! It is the same for everyone. You don’t differentiate so students learn differently, you differentiate so students engage differently. If you want to learn something you have to engage in it, but not too much! Attenborough effect. Science of learning and craft of teaching. Thinking principle Learning principle - all learning has to begin with facts. Semantic memories for the key 10 or 15 facts. Three episodic memories for a fact. Episodic memories vs. semantic memories. All starting of learning builds episodic memories. How we use inquiry wrong in education. Surface learning is semantic facts. Binary. Conceptualization - how are you going to organize your facts. Forming a concept. Can’t be binary. Contextually emergent skills. Fear of failure Learning resilience Education gives you experience in learning. How to be a transformative principal? People who you don’t really know what they think at the end, because they are trying to get you to question your own assumptions.
Live or die? Not too long ago our ability to survive directly correlated to our ability to develop relationships with our families and local tribes. In modern times-- and especially in business, our ability to develop relationships can mean the difference between thriving and losing out. We are biologically wired to be social creatures, and so it seems that building networks should come naturally. But, our prehistoric system is able to handle no more than 100 relationships, 50 semi-effectively, and in the last decade the number of accessible people and the ease of connection has increased exponentially. Now you can be in touch with tens of thousands of people. This is a bit more than we are designed to meaningfully manage. To discover the new questions and solutions around business relationship management, Bruce Holoubek, owner of Contracted Leadership, and Host of The Development Exponent Podcast talks to Zvi Band, the Founder of Contactually, a relationship-oriented CRM company. The company grew to eight figures in revenue and to a team of 70 before being acquired. Zvi Band is also the Author of Success is in Your Sphere, a book cataloging his success with Contactually, that also acts as a guide to effectively using the CRM. The primary challenges for maintaining relationships are always, knowing whom to talk to, when to talk to them, and what to say that will show our value, which will allow us to maintain the relationship. But, the fundamental, and often most difficult challenge that we are all faced with is that we are all wired for short term benefits. If we weren't, we would choose to act how “future us” would act; we would eat that salad instead of the burger, we would save that dollar instead of online shop. Likewise, in the business world we are focused on what is immediately in front of us, and on what is going to fill that quota or sale today or tomorrow, not four years from now. It's easy to look backward and say that we received a benefit or job because of someone we knew, but when we have the choice to focus on the immediate or on calling a former client and checking in with them, we choose to deal with urgent matters at hand. This is where technology, such as a CRM system can help set reminders to reach out. When relationships matter to us, it's not just the relationships with our clients. It's the relationships with our teams, employees, partners, and vendors. Companies that successfully execute on relationship management are evident in how their employees and contractors rate them on review sites like Glass Door. Here are some effective ways to win at relationship management with our teams and clients: Part of developing these good relationships among our teams involves humility. If we as leaders allow our ideas and products to be open to review and suggestions from our employees, it will allow our employees to know that they can bring and explore their own ideas without being immediately shut down. Our vulnerability helps foster trust within our organizations. We shouldn't be, “the smartest person in the room.” Boost this by making sure that everyone in the room has a voice, and become a, “yes, and…” culture of people building on each other's ideas. (For reference see the acclaimed book, Yes, And: How Improvisation Reverses "No, But" Thinking and Improves Creativity and Collaboration--Lessons from The Second City ) Finding the right CRM system, like Contextually is imperative, but it is like buying a Chef's knife-- you have to learn how to use it gain from it. Use guides, such as videos, or Zvi Band's book, Success Is in Your Sphere: Leverage the Power of Relationships to Achieve Your Business Goals, on learning the system to have it work best for you. For example, if there is an option to create a drip campaign, have your people think of the most relevant ways to time it and not just go with a standard setting. Set your own strategy. Ultimately, for any connection development we need to start with a strategy. Start with the goal in mind: identify what your goals are for the year. Identify the people who can help you with those goals. Pick up the phone and say, “Hey, I've been thinking about you. Hope all is alright.” Just those words, “hope all is alright,” are all we really want to hear-- to know that somebody cares and we are not alone. Tweet This & LinkedIn That If we as leaders allow our ideas and products to be open to review and suggestions from our employees, it will allow our employees to know that they can bring and explore their own ideas without being immediately shut down. #levelupyourleadership #leadership #contractleaders Our vulnerability helps foster trust within our organizations. We shouldn't be, “the smartest person in the room.” #levelupyourleadership #leadership #contractleaders Make sure that everyone in the room has a voice by becoming a, “yes, and…” culture of people building on each other's ideas. #levelupyourleadership #leadership #contractleaders #yesand Ultimately, for any connection development we need to start with a strategy: Identify what your goals are for the year. Identify the people who can help you with those goals. Pick up the phone and say, “Hey, I've been thinking about you. Hope all is alright.” #levelupyourleadership #leadership #contractleaders
ASCO Daily News Editor-in-Chief, Dr. John Sweetenham on Hematologic Poster Presentations To See at #ASCO19 Welcome to the ASCO Daily News podcast. I'm Lauren Davis. And joining me today is Dr. John Sweetenham, the ASCO Daily News editor-in-chief. As attendees are getting ready for the annual meeting, Dr. Sweetenham will highlight some of the poster sessions and hematologic malignancies that will capture the attention of attendees. Dr. Sweetenham, welcome to the podcast. Thank you. It's good to have the opportunity to talk. We're glad you're here. For attendees who are interested in hematologic malignancies, what areas in this specialty are you most looking forward to? So I think at ASCO this year in heme malignancies, I would characterize a lot of the studies that are being presented in poster format as confirmatory, or long-term confirmation of some earlier results. But I think they're no less interesting because of that. And I think that there is some important follow-up data, particularly in CLL, and some important confirmatory data for CAR T-cell therapy and hematologic malignancies. Added to which, I think there are a lot of potentially exciting new agents for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, in particular. That's been an area of a lot of interest and a lot of new treatment developments over the last two to three years. And I think that the poster sessions at ASCO this year confirm that trend is still ongoing and that the outlook for this very challenging group of patients is improving. That's great. What else can attendees expect this year? Any surprising or practice-changing data? I think, in terms of practice-changing data, I would list some of the specific abstracts which I think, as I mentioned earlier, are really confirming the importance of some agents and certainly will confirm practice changes that have happened over the last couple of years. To give you a couple of examples of that, perhaps I'll start with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The RESONATE study was a very important study for patients with relapsed and refractory CLL, which assessed the use of ibrutinib, a once-daily Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor against ofatumumab in this group of patients. The original study was published in The New England Journal, but at the meeting this year, there is mature follow up, a now six-year follow up of patients treated on this study. And the encouraging news is that the initial ibrutinib treatment, which was originally shown to produce improved overall survival, that has been confirmed. So the median duration of ibrutinib treatment on this study is now 41 months. So it really is quite extensive follow up at this point. And encouragingly, the overall survival and median progression-free survival benefits, which was 44.1 months for the ibrutinib arm versus 8.0 months for the ofatumumab arm, that has been maintained. And so it's clear that the long-term therapy with ibrutinib remains highly effective and that the number of patients who are required to discontinue ibrutinib because of adverse events is fortunately relatively low. So I think it confirms ibrutinib now across just about the entire spectrum for CLL as the important treatment, both in front line for those patients who are previously untreated, and in second and subsequent-line therapy for those who've had some other agents as the first-line treatment. I think that is very important. And along with that, there is a cautionary note from a study which explored the second cancer incidence in CLL patients receiving BTK inhibitors. Contextually, there's been quite a lot of data, over the years, exploring second malignancies in patients with CLL. In this particular study, they did actually suggest that there probably is a somewhat higher incidence of second primary neoplasms in patients who are taking ibrutinib for CLL. And those included cancers at the lung, melanoma, prostate, and bladder cancer. So I think, at this point, this is just an alert and something that we will need to watch closely as it does appear as if there is a slightly elevated risk of second cancers in these patients. And then one other follow-up study, which I think is of importance, is the fact that second-generation BTK inhibitors are now really starting to gain some traction in CLL. And there was a nice study presented in poster format which is going to explore the use of acalabrutinib, which is a second-generation BTK inhibitor, in patients who were intolerant of ibrutinib. So for those patients who need to discontinue ibrutinib because of adverse events, the second-generation acalabrutinib is effective with an overall response rate of 77% and well-tolerated so that if patients are in tolerance of ibrutinib, they certainly do have other options. I think, also, to complete the CLL field, there is a great deal of interest in the potential use of CAR T-cell therapies for CLL. And although it is very immature and the data to be presented at ASCO poster are very limited, it is just worth pointing out that there is an ongoing ZUMA-8 study for patients with relapsed and refractory CLL exploring the use of CAR T-cells. And I think that's going to be important. It will be very interesting to watch how that develops over the coming year or two. Another area which I think is very important is that we're starting to see now that there are some studies which are really exploring not only the disease-related benefits of some of these therapies, but are also starting to look at patient-reported outcomes. And there are two posters, in particular, which I think are interesting in this regard. There is one study which looked at patient-reported outcomes in patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia who were treated with ibrutinib as a single agent or in combination with rituximab. So in the iNNOVATE study, it was demonstrated that ibrutinib plus rituximab produced higher sustained hemoglobin improvements and meaningful improvements in other laboratory parameters when compared with placebo and rituximab. In this study, the investigators have gone a step further and have actually looked at patient-reported outcomes and shown that, in addition to the standard response improvements that are seen, there's a clear improvement in patient-reported outcomes associated with the use of this novel combination with ibrutinib and rituximab. And so along with the improvements in anemia, for example, there are marked improvements in fatigue-related symptoms, constitutional symptoms. And the clinical improvements are truly meaningful. And that's actually mirrored in a different context, but in patients with multiple myeloma who were previously undiagnosed and treated with a novel combination of daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone versus the same regimen but without the daratumumab. And here, again, there is important patient-reported outcomes demonstrating that, essentially, with the novel combination, patients feel better more quickly. So the clinical responses that have been demonstrated on that trial are confirmed by patient-reported outcomes, which demonstrate that patients are truly feeling better. So, again, I think at the patient level, these are very important data. Some other things that I think are important to look out for at this year's meeting, there are a series of posters which explore novel therapies for acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Without listing these in great detail because there are several of them, I would simply say that these studies add to the extraordinary expansion of available treatment options for patients with AML that we've seen developing over the last few years. And I think that the treatment landscape for these patients is really changing now. Sequencing prior to therapy is becoming important as more novel targets are identified, but consistent with the trend we've seen in the last two or three years, more important emerging therapies for patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Shifting gears for just one moment and looking at patients with B-cell lymphoma, and specifically aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas, I think that there are a couple of studies here which show promise, although certainly I wouldn't categorize them right now as being practice changing, but the findings are interesting. One of those is, again, in the context of CAR T-cell therapy. So it's difficult to talk about heme malignancies at the moment and not talk about CAR T-cells because there's such a lot of buzz and excitement around those. And one of the areas where this intervention is now FDA approved is in the treatment of patients with relapsed, aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma, particularly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. And that was the subject of the so-called ZUMA-1 study, which was a phase 1/2 study of axicabtagene ciloleucel in patients with refractory large B-cell lymphoma. The study reported out some months ago now, but one of the concerns that some of us have had is that this may be a very reasonable treatment for the young patients with a good performance status who typically don't represent the bulk of patients with large B-cell lymphoma. But what about those patients who are older? And how do they tolerate this therapy? And what's the outcome? And in a study that's going to be reported at ASCO this year, the investigators of the ZUMA-1 study conducted a specific subset analysis on that group of patients who were aged 65 years or older. It's a small group. But I think the take-home message from the study is that the outcomes in this group, in terms of the overall response, complete response, and overall survival rates are very comparable to the younger age group. And the toxicities are very comparable to the younger age group, as well. So I think this is important that age, in itself, may not be a barrier to the applicability of CAR T-cell therapy. And that's a very important message. The flip side of that is that these one, it seems a pretty highly selected group of patients aged 65 years or older. And certainly, that's reflected in the performance status and the IPI scores of these patients as reported in the abstract. So they may be a highly selected group of patients aged 65 or over with this disease, but nevertheless, I think they're quite compelling results. And I think it speaks to the broader applicability of this therapy in patients with relapsed, aggressive lymphoma. The big remaining question being, how are patients and perhaps, more importantly, how is the health system, as a whole, going to cope with the cost and the financial toxicity associated with this very important new treatment? Again, on the subject of aggressive B-cell lymphoma, there is one more study which caught my eye. And it's interesting for a couple of reasons. This is a study which explores the use of a PD-L1 inhibitor, durvalumab, alongside either the R-CHOP regimen or the R2-CHOP regimen in patients with newly diagnosed high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. And this includes patients with double-hit lymphoma where we know the prognosis is particularly bad. These are very preliminary data in which a standard therapy with R-CHOP or R2-CHOP is being modified by the addition of this anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody. At the moment, the data are very largely related to adverse events. And there are some very preliminary outcome data, but probably difficult to read anything very much into those. The interest, to my mind, is that some recently-published data have suggested that checkpoint inhibitors in aggressive B-cell lymphoma may not be a particularly effective treatment modality. But I think it will be very interesting to see whether the combination of checkpoint inhibitors plus regular chemotherapy have the opportunity to improve outcome. So I think this is a study in progress. It's way too early to draw any conclusions at the moment. But I do think it's important not to write-off the role of checkpoint inhibitors in aggressive lymphomas without conducting important studies like this one which look at combination therapies rather than just the single-agent therapy. And then, in conclusion, one other study which I think is quite important, again, presented in poster form, and this was a study that looked at survival disparities of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a community-based cancer center. And essentially, this was a retrospective study which looked at 381 patients who had aggressive lymphomas and looked at outcome according to race and showed very highly significant disparity in survival for those patients who were African American where their overall survival was markedly inferior to other patients with a hazard ratio of 2.19. So it was a really very marked difference in outcome. The explanation for this is not entirely clear from the abstracts. But I think it's something which is very important for us to take note of. So that is just a quick run-through some of the poster presentations that caught my eye at the meeting this year. I think that there will be some important practice-changing studies presented during the oral presentations. And I would certainly strongly encourage folks to be at those. But I think that, as always, there are some important highlights in the poster presentations. And I could go on with many more, but I think that those probably be the highlights from my perspective. Sounds like some promising studies to look forward to. Again, today my guest has been Dr. John Sweetenham. Thank you for being on our podcast today. Thank you. Great to have the opportunity to talk. And to our listeners, thank you for tuning into the ASCO Daily News podcast. If you're enjoying the content, we encourage you to rate us and review us on Apple podcast.
2 Corinthians 13 Paul's instruction in 2 Corinthians 13:5 -- "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" -- commonly serves as the basis for a topical sermon on assurance of salvation. There IS some value for self-examination (in light of the Bible's teaching). All too often salvation is presumed by persons for a wide variety of (religious and/or cultural) reasons. In this final teaching from 2 Corinthians, we will examine (pun intended) the context and terms of Paul's command.
The entertainment industry has long offered us a vision of the perfect personal assistant: one that not only meets our stated needs but anticipates needs we didn’t even know we had. But these uber-assistants, from the preternaturally prescient Radar O’Reilly in the TV show M.A.S.H. to Tony Stark’s digital know-and-do-it-all Jarvis in Iron Man, have always lived in the realm of fiction or science fiction. That could all change, if Dr. Paul Bennett, Principal Researcher and Research Manager of the Information and Data Sciences group at Microsoft Research, has anything to say about it. He and his team are working to make machines “calendar and email aware,” moving intelligent assistance into the realm of science and onto your workstation. Today, Dr. Bennett brings us up to speed on the science of contextually intelligent assistants, explains how what we think our machines can do actually shapes what we expect them to do, and shares how current research in machine learning and data science is helping machines reason on our behalf in the quest to help us find the right information effortlessly.
5 Leadership Questions Podcast on Church Leadership with Todd Adkins
In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins is joined by Bryan Rose, Lead Navigator for Auxano. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions: How is multisite biblical? What are the most common reasons to go multisite? What are the best strategies for multisite? How long does it take to launch a new campus? How do you staff for multisite? BEST QUOTES "As we read Paul's letters, we can see the church was one church in multiple locations." "Yes, it's biblical. How is it biblical? Well, the church is always called to respond to its local context." "Every church is unique, and part of that uniqueness is the context." "Multisite is a replication of systems and processes that improves efficiency and in some statistical studies raises the chances of success higher than church planting because of the connection." "Most people go to multisite for practical reasons: they run out of space, they don't want to add a third or a fourth service." "You can't commute to community." "We've got people who are already engaged in their community where they live, work, and play. Why are we asking the to commute in for service?" "Or we tell people in those settings, you need to invite your neighbors and friends. And they are looking at us saying our neighbors would have to commute 45 minutes to an hour to come to this service. Are you kidding me?" "Our context around us has changed. We still want to reach where we are, but we also know we need to reach who we are, not just where we are." "They are reaching towns of 130 people with what is essentially a house church multisite movement." "Contextually speaking, you have to look at you community and look at your church and see what is best for you." "There are plenty of people who have done it, they've done it all different ways, and all of them have made mistakes." "The 90 days leading up to launch and 90 days post launch are where everybody is a 12 on a scale of 1 to 10." "Be sure that you announce: Hey, don't go to this campus unless you are going to lead or serve because we need your seat for lost people. Don't come because it's closer to you home and you think you are going got sit and soak and get all the amenities of the current location." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Pipeline Conference Multisite Launch Boot Camp Choiceology with Dan Heath Akimbo: A Podcast by Seth Godin
Scott Morrison will be preaching at both services on Communicating Christ Contextually.
Corinthians
Blaze Culliton James is instructing his readers that there are two kinds of wisdom: short sided earthly wisdom and eternal perspective heavenly wisdom. Contextually, he provides that you can evaluate wisdom by the way that we act.
English Harmony Podcast: Improve English Fluency | Improve Spoken English | Learn English
Here’s how to improve your English listening skills when listening to my video: put the headphones on, playback the video and write it all down while listening to it! One of my blog readers posted a piece of English writing on my blog here and asked me what was wrong with it. Having taken a […] The post What Happens When You Don’t Learn English Contextually? appeared first on English Harmony.
The vision of the valley of dry bones has been variously interpreted. Some see it as teaching the postexilic return of the exiles; as an analogy for spiritual regeneration and the birth of the church. Dispensational interpreters see here the resurrection and restoration of end times national Israel. Contextually, it is designed to be a message of hope to the exiled Jews. “SFL Bible”
The vision of the valley of dry bones has been variously interpreted. Some see it as teaching the postexilic return of the exiles; as an analogy for spiritual regeneration and the birth of the church. Dispensational interpreters see here the resurrection and restoration of end times national Israel. Contextually, it is designed to be a message of hope to the exiled Jews. “SFL Bible”
[Accordance 10: Methods] The best way to study a verse in the Bible is to learn to think contextually. Consider a verse's context: the paragraph in which it is found, the section in which it appears, and the book in which it is embedded. Good tools, like Bible outlines and Introductions, can help us see the big picture. Thinking contextually helps us avoid errors in interpretation, as Dr. J shows us in this podcast, using the three parables of Luke 15 as an example.
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