Podcasts about crosslake

Hello Listen Local Fam! On today's show the WHOLE CREW (yes even Colton) heads out to Crosswoods Golf Course to catch up with Mike and Savannah about all things Crosswoods, including their BRAND NEW course "The Farm." They chat about why The Farm is going to be one of the most unique courses in the BLA, how it all came to be, and why it complements the other courses at Crosswoods. Mike also gives the backstory on how Crosswoods came to be, and Savannah tells us what she's been up to since graduating from Pequot Lakes High School, and what eventually led her back to Crosslake. All of that, plus some breaking news regarding Lakes Jam in the Local Happenings segment! Thanks to Mike and Savannah, and of course our wonderful listeners. And as always, thanks to our 2026 sponsors Pequot Lakes and Gull Lake Sanitation, Hanneken Insurance, Craguns Legacy Courses, Party Time Rental, Bens Marine and Motorsports and our PRESENTING SPONSOR Lakes Area CPAs! Instagram: ListenLocalMNBlazeAirProductionsWoodsToWaterMNNorthwoodsAgent Facebook:Listen Local MNBlazeAirMNWoodsToWaterMN

The Psalms, as summarized by the closing song in each of the first 4 book divisions in the Psalter, present Messiah Prayers in two senses.  First: they serve as prayers of petition for the Messiah to come. Secondly, they function as prayers of intercession for the Messiah to pray on behalf of His people.  The great high priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17 corresponds to the prayer requests of the Psalter echoing the prophetic cries of longing with the proclamation of fulfillment that He secures in His redemptive ministry. Finally, history's greatest hymnal closes with a cosmic call to worship as the only fitting response to the mercy and majesty of God commemorated from song one to one hundred and fifty in the Psalms.

Acts 7 records a Gospel sermon proclaimed to Paul before he was born again.  Paul, approving of Stephen's execution, would have been aware of this testimony. Sometime later, Paul is brought to repentance and faith by the sovereign grace of God & now we read his own Gospel sermon preached to the church in Corinth in I Corinthians 15.
     I Cor 15:1-3 provides an outline for the remainder of the chapter.  Each section following this introduction contains increasingly detailed content. The Gospel that Paul preached and upon which the Church stands is summarized in verses 3-11. Verses 12-34 expound the resurrection as a theological nonnegotiable… the resurrection is essential doctrine to Christianity. To deny it is to deny the faith, rendering everything else you happen to profess meaningless, futile, vain, & useless. Finally, verses 35–58 address frequently asked questions about eternal life answering them with a profound and glorious explanation according to the scriptures proclaimed, fulfilled, and applied.

What is our relationship to the body of Christ, the Church? How are we to love one another? What is the greatest way to serve Christ?

According to Proverbs 25:4 “Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel”. According to Proverbs 17:3 “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.”  Taking these references together we can extend and apply the analogy of precious metal refining to the sanctification process of our hearts and lives. Analyzing Proverbs 17 with this illustration in mind, Solomon reveals categories of dross that godly wisdom teaches us to recognize and remove

Prov. 25:4-5 expounds & applies the analogy of pure metals vs. dross. Another example in Proverbs utilizing similar picture language to Prov. 17:3. When the heart is tested by the refining fires of life, the process is designed to remove some elements and refine others.  When the heat is turned up, the difference between precious metals and dross or impurities becomes increasingly apparent.  The book of Proverbs serves as a literary version of this process.  Solomon turns up the heat of truth and when his words are taken to heart, the contrast between folly and righteousness is magnified.

Working through history's greatest hymnal one Psalm at a time, we may not realize or remember the bigger picture of how the collection is organized. Mirroring the Books of Moses, the psalter is also a 'Pentateuch'. The psalms are arranged in five books beginning with songs 1 through 41, followed by book two: 42-72, book three: 73-89, book four: 90-106, and finally book five: 107-150. Each final song of books 1-4 closes with a doxology verse proclaiming: "Blessed be the Lord..." Finally the crescendo and universal call to worship is proclaimed in the final Psalm (150:6) "..Let everything that has breath. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! closing book 5. In our overview messages on the Psalter, let us consider closing themes from each set of songs and the big picture message they proclaim summarizing history's greatest hymnal. (Today we consider the first 2 examples. These will be followed in our next Psalm sermon with the same headings and 3 further points: COVENANTAL, INTERCESSION, EXILE INTERCESSION, AND WORSHIP

In the 14th & 15th chapters of his epistle to Corinth, Paul outlines aims of Gospel ministry for the church age.  When the unbeliever witnesses the testimony of the Christian community, how should our message resonate?  As the Holy Spirit is pleased to activate it, the content and presentation of our gospel message should inspire repentance and faith in the hearts of our pagan neighbors and exhortation unto holiness in the lives of disciples.  Let us testify & preach in such a way as to inspire conviction of sin, command submission to the Gospel, and implement applications of church order best serving these primary goals of Christian ministry.  Having covered conviction and submission, we close with applications from chapter 14.

Verse three of our chapter presents a conceptual context for the virtues promoted in Biblical wisdom literature, including the immediate blessings and character traits endorsed by Solomon in Proverbs 17.  Testing, tempering, & purifying are in view here as uses for heat in processing precious metals.  This analogy serves well to illustrate the design and redemptive purpose of life's trials, difficulties, conflicts, hardships, suffering etc.. Carrying over the theme of divine sovereignty from chapter 16, the literary context of this verse provides a big picture perspective of divine purpose redeeming the hardships of life for the believer.  If the trials of life are the refining crucible or furnace, the character traits endorsed by Solomon in chapter 17 (as well as the entire book) are the refined treasure believers are promised as they submit to the providence of God in the challenges of life.

Guest is John Bruder, Founder, President & Board Chair of Crosslake CaresSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Under the working theme of ‘the finishing school of kings' we've considered Proverbs 16 in four sections. The first nine verses expounded the concept of agency under the royal preeminence of God as the font of all legitimate authority.  These verses reveal the relationship between human moral agency and God's sovereignty.  The second section (verses 10-16) speaks to the royal ideal.  Here we are introduced to the model ruler, the moral standard for civil authorities.  In the third portion, verses 17-25 exhort the dominion agent to assess his own character applying principles internally to the discipline of self-government.  Finally, our chapter closes with instructions for the king to evaluate the reputation of others. Applying externally the standards of Godly character in verses 26-33.

John chapter 20 records a series of resurrection revelations.  John & Peter realized Jesus was risen only upon touring the empty tomb and witnessing the carefully folded grave clothes of our Lord (3-8). Next, Mary Magdalene remains distraught despite witnessing the empty tomb and angels until Jesus Himself speaks to her from the garden (11-18).  Jesus then visits a meeting of disciples cowering behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. He shows them his crucifixion wounds and speaks a blessing of peace restoring their joy (19-23). Finally, eight days later, the doubts of Thomas are assuaged only when Christ appears to him in the flesh and the disciple touches his pierced hands and side (224-28). Verse 9 of this chapter explains why these face to face encounters were necessary…”for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.”  This would not always be the case however, shortly after these events and the Pentecost advent of the Holy Spirit, Peter began to proclaim the Gospel from the OT scriptures.  It is this witness combined with the NT accounts that now serves to open our eyes and hearts to believe. Behold Peter preaching after he understood the scripture proclaiming Christ.

The Urbanist newsroom (Ryan Packer, Amy Sundberg, and Doug Trumm) discusses the big opening day for Sound Transit's crosslake 2 Line and what it means for the future of light rail expansion in the Seattle region. In a series of speeches from Sound Transit leaders, officials waxed poetic on the significance of the day and some argued it provided momentum as the agency heads into the next round of expansions, with several projects way overbudget.More than 200,000 riders piled on Link light rail during the 2 Line's March 28 opening day, which led to some long lines, especially at Judkins Park Station, where they cut the ribbon. Even with lengthy wait times, it was still good enough for the second busiest day in Link's history.This grand opening was a long time in the making. We discussed all the twists and turns over the region's history (from Forward Thrust to the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure to siting battles) to finally arrive at a light rail connection between Seattle and the Eastside.We also discussed the variety of approaches to transit-oriented development that cities along the line took, with Mercer Island the most hesitant to add housing and even fought back against state housing rules – unsuccessfully. The area around Judkins Park, meanwhile, has seen about 3,000 homes either added or in the pipeline.Finally, we discussed how the agency might solve its financial woes plaguing Sound Transit 3 projects so that the next new lines can open as soon as possible.

Bob Ferguson officially signed the income tax into law and the legal challenges have already begun. The crosslake light rail connection is officially up and running. // KING 5 uses Washington’s mask ban to drum up ICE complaints — for a law already dying in court. Tom Homan says ICE agents will remain in airports for the time being. // Baseball’s automated balls-strikes challenge system has been a roaring success with the fans.

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page. It’s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward. GUEST: Congresswoman Suzan DelBene RELATED LINKS: House GOP leaders push DHS funding bill through May TSA Pay to Resume, but ICE Could Remain at Airports, Homan Says Trump Renews Energy Site Threats After Claiming Progress in Peace Talks 'A lot of votes may not count': Supreme Court appears ready to upend WA mail-in ballot rules for federal races by November 2026 Huge Crowds Turn Out To Finally Ride Light Rail Across Lake Washington Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In consideration of our text this week, I recalled a sermon series I preached years ago which traced the prominence and location of the Ark of the Covenant as it related to the spiritual condition of the nation of Israel… the plight of the Ark as the touchstone of divine habitation & favor corresponded with the heart condition of the people. As spiritual reforms progressed under the rule of David, the red carpet was rolled out for the presence of God to take up residence once again in the midst of the people.  Just as the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem would be paved with praises, palm fronds, and cloaks… so it was centuries before, the people made preparations for the Ark of the Covenant to arrive in Jerusalem.  This event was marked by covenant renewal, worship, and sacrifice.

Our passage today is all about self-discipline. In light of the last section of Proverbs 16 specifically addressed to kings, one might be inclined to ask if these verses are directed toward civil rulers as well? And if so, how do they apply to those wielding authority?  Astute philosophers through the ages have recognized the importance of self-government as a precondition of responsibility.  In a recent interview, Canadian politician: Pierre Poilievre spoke to his own philosophy of leadership by citing Confucius who said: "How will he who does not know how to govern himself know how to govern others?" Before Poilievre there was Confucius, and before Confucius there was Solomon who influenced great kings as the testimony of his wisdom spread far and wide 1000 years before Christ. I Kings 4:29-34 documents the reach and influence of Solomon's wisdom and renown. Timeless principles outlined in this chapter may well have spanned the inhabited world and endured for centuries, perhaps inspiring generations of leaders from the near east to China.

The more authority someone wields, the more fear of the Lord is required to rule responsibly.  ‘Fear of the Lord' defined in context of chapter 16: ‘Taking God as seriously as His sovereignty demands'.  Each of the five references to the king in verses 10-15 imply the ideal, that is the perfect example of dominion.  You could place the word ‘perfect' or ‘ideal' before each mention of ‘king' in this section to help clarify the sense of Solomon's instruction. In addition, it is helpful to remember the wisdom literature device of ‘citing the maximal case'.  This way of speaking commends the application of these principles not exclusively to kings, but furthermore to all lesser dominion agents. Consider Prov 16 in light of the (Gen 1:28) original cultural mandate for all humanity. Given this dynamic, the reader may substitute ‘dominion agent' for each reference to ‘king' to clarify the scope of application.

Happy St. Paddy's Day everyone! On today's show the crew catches up with Crosslake Mayor Jackson Purfeerst to talk prep for the St. Paddy's Day Parade, some of his best memories, and where he feels the best spot to watch is. Also... Jackson has been making moves on the politcal landscape as well, and making appearances on Fox News, Fox and Friends and more. And now, he was just invited to speak at CPAC and sit on a panel that includes YouTube influencer Nick Shirley. If you remember Nick was the influencer who went into many of the daycares in Minneapolis that were tied to the State Fraud cases. One last thing on Jackson, he will be running for the Crow Wing Power Board. The guy is all over the place and it's been fun following his journey! Then in Local Happenings the guys chat about local sports, a Chris Tungseth American Idol update, Hockey Day MN update, Lakes Area Heroes update and just more updates all around! Thanks, as always, to our 2026 sponsors Pequot Lakes and Gull Lake Sanitation, Hanneken Insurance, Craguns Legacy Courses, Party Time Rental, Bens Marine and Motorsports and our PRESENTING SPONSOR Lakes Area CPAs! Instagram: ListenLocalMNBlazeAirProductionsWoodsToWaterMNNorthwoodsAgent Facebook:Listen Local MNBlazeAirMNWoodsToWaterMN

We have reached the penultimate song in the world's greatest hymnal! The theme of worship and its central importance to the livelihood of the people is expounded.  Worship is a matter of identity, unity, and national security. Last I checked ‘The high praises of God” had not made the list of strategic resources that we believe are in our country's vital interest. This is a tragic oversight. When true worship thrives so does a society.  Let us explore the great blessings attending those who worship the One True Sovereign in Spirit & in truth.

Today is Monday, March 2, 2026. The Brainerd Dispatch Minute is a product of Forum Communications Co. and is brought to you by reporters at the Brainerd Dispatch. Find more news throughout the day at BrainerdDispatch.com.

After addressing the occasion of public worship, expounding references from the greater context of scripture, and laying out practical guidelines, the apostle summarizes his house keeping instructions for the Corinthian church in one sentence at the close of this chapter:" "... All things should be done decently and in order." (40). The standards for decency and order according to the calling of the local church are the subject of our text today. Central to our passage, verses 24 & 25 outline aims for Gospel ministry in the church age. This summary, is a literary structure, is fractal (a concise version of a broader pattern). We can use these categories to outline surrounding verses fro1n (20-40), we'll cover 2 points through verse 26 in this message.

The Sound Transit system is updating, maybe you've heard. After three new light rail stations opened up south of Seattle in December, the light rail is set to start running across Lake Washington about a month from now. But budget issues may complicate plans for the future lines. We'll get into that and much more. Guest: Dow Constantine, CEO of Sound Transit Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sue Galligan, Director of Special Events with the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, joins to preview a busy stretch of networking and community events across the region. She highlights the upcoming Business After Hours at Central Lakes College, a great opportunity for local professionals to connect, followed by Eggs and Issues on Friday, March 6th, where timely topics take center stage. Sue also reminds listeners to mark their calendars for the always popular St. Patrick's Day Parade and Celebration in Crosslake. Plus, she shares details on the Brainerd Lakes Home Show and Expo, happening March 20–21, and previews the next Blue Ox Success Series Workshop, “AI Unpacked and Unfiltered,” designed to help businesses better understand and navigate the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Proverbs 16 reads like a finishing school exam for civil rulers. The author's calling and experience provide the background context occasioning this passage. Nevertheless while Solomon's office as king of Israel explains the instrumental cause of blessing in the land, the chapter itself proclaims the sovereignty of God as the formal cause. Applications of this chapter extend to us as Solomon is citing the maximal case here. The implication being, if the greatest of earthly kings is subject & accountable to the law of God & if he rules merely as an instrument of God's divine decree...the same is certainly true for everyone else. Similar to chapter 15, several verses placed strategically throughout the passage pronounce the theme. These key proverbs are verse 1, 9, and 33 all of which highlight the royal preeminence of YAHWEH the ultimate sovereign, human agency

In this episode of The Urbanist Podcast, our newsroom discusses what the 2 Line opening scheduled for March 28 means for the region, and what removing former committee chair Claudia Balducci from Systems Expansions Committee and Executive Committee means for Sound Transit.Hosts Ryan Packer, Amy Sundberg, and Doug Trumm also discuss the constitutional crisis created by a Department of Homeland Security that is ignoring due process rights in its haste to execute a campaign of mass deportation. They overview what state and local officials are doing to counter illegal actions by immigration agents, and prepare for the type of invasion that Minneapolis has seen.Fresh off interviews with the two leading Seattle City Council candidates in District 5, Amy breaks down the race that could swing control of the legislative body. As immigrants, Nilu Jenks and Julie Kang have stressed the need to defend to protect at-risk communities in the face of ICE overreach.Finally, the crew each provides their top 3 destinations for visitors to the Seattle region.Note: This episode was re-uploaded on February 17 to correct an audio leveling issue at the 25-minute mark. This section should be much more audible now.

Mallory Goerges, Crosslake Parade Committee Chair, and committee member Alisha Novak join the show to preview the 52nd Annual Crosslake St. Patrick's Day Parade, one of the region's biggest spring celebrations. They discuss the new 1:15 p.m. parade start time, along with returning favorites like the Pot O'Gold Hunt, 5K Clover Dash, and the lively Yardi Pardi festivities happening throughout town. The guests also highlight the parade raffle and Lucky Lanyard promotion, all as the community prepares to welcome thousands of visitors for a full day of Irish-themed fun, tradition, and celebration in Crosslake.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Working with the “melodic line” theme of the fear of the Lord, and our summary definition of the same: “taking Him as seriously, as His glory demands“… we with our exposition of proverbs 15. Our passage today reads like the wisdom literature version of Jesus words in (Mat 6:33) “…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
   Limiting our outline to two major points today will allow us to explore more passages like this from the teachings of Christ that further illuminate and apply the wisdom of Solomon in this chapter.

Today's title denotes the structure of Psalm 148. In clarity and symmetry, our author addresses two realms in which the praises of the Lord are to resound: the heavens and the earth. Each call to worship is followed by reasons for praise.... One of my study Bibles takes the occasion of certain prominent passages in scripture to expound a point of systematic theology.  Psalm 148 was the text chosen to highlight the nature of God as CREATOR.  It makes sense given that this chapter so powerfully & beautifully extols Yahweh as the one true sovereign over both the genesis of all things in the first place and the new creation of redemption for His people and the world sin has corrupted. Psalm 148 is a call for us to join all creation in praising the Lord of heaven and earth.

Hi Listen Local fam! It is FINALLY warming up outside, and just in time for Crosslake Winterfest and other outdoor winter events happening in the BLA this weekend. On today's episode the crew catch up with Winterfest Committee Members Marlene Mingo and Heather Jones to chat about everything regarding the fun weekend in Crosslake, which actually kicks off Thursday! Also on this show, the guys recap the Extravaganza, Jacob's has a stay-cation at Breezy Point Resort, a snowmobile event at BIR this weekend, updates on the Lakes Area Heroes Banquet, the Olympics kicking off this week and much more! And HUGE thanks to our 2026 sponsors Pequot Lakes and Gull Lake Sanitation, Hanneken Insurance, Craguns Legacy Courses, Party Time Rental, Bens Marine and Motorsports and our PRESENTING SPONSOR Lakes Area CPAs! Instagram: ListenLocalMNBlazeAirProductionsWoodsToWaterMNNorthwoodsAgent Facebook:Listen Local MNBlazeAirMNWoodsToWaterMN

Paul writes this chapter to the church in Corinth for the purpose of Spiritual “housekeeping”.  He equips the reader to steward the house of God in directing the ministry in Corinth to best serve the mutual upbuilding of the people of God. The benefits of prophecy listed in verse 3 serve to summarize the priorities of Christian worship and assembly with reference to fellow congregants. These ordering principles provide the main points of our outline today, expounding the first half of I Cor 14.  As a church and as members of the Body of Christ, may we heed the admonition to grow in the upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation of each other for the glory of God and the health of the church.

Proverbs 15 provides applications for those who fear the Lord. We've considered more sophisticated definitions of the fear of God in past messages. Today I'm proposing a simple summary considering the context of Proverbs 15. To fear the Lord is: to take Him as seriously as His gory demands. Those who seek to live appropriately in His universal presence will heed Solomon's admonitions.  It stands to reason that if the hearts of the children of man lie open before the Lord, those who bring their hearts to him willingly for review and instruction will fare better in this life and the next one.  Let us fear the Lord in heeding these words today

Guests Heather Jones and Jess Wide, board members of the Crosslake Winterfest Committee, join us to preview the 24th Annual Crosslake Winterfest, happening February 5th–7th. They break down everything packed into this three-day winter celebration, including the popular Medallion Hunt, Soupfest, live music, and a full lineup of activities and events for the entire family.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our title today comprises two categories: 1st) The character of God & 2nd) Our posture in light of His glory. Because God sees all, because His presence is universal, we ought to fear him. This is a theme resurfacing throughout Proverbs chapter 15 like the base line melody of a movie score. Note verses 3 & 11 expounding the nature of God while verses 16 & 33 exhort us to respond accordingly.  Solomon advocates living in light of the omniscience God and Proverbs chapter 15 provides practical ways to do this. Wisdom realizes that the scope of human liberty, ability, virtue and understanding is delimited by an infinitely wise and sovereign God and the precepts outlining the fear of Him are found in His Word.

The poetry of Psalm 147 captures the significance & joy accompanying the rebuilding of the temple and return of exiles under Ezra & Nehemiah to Jerusalem. When the people rose to worship for a quarter of the day under the direction of the Levites, it's easy to imagine this Psalm in their song list. Verses 2, 12, 19 contain references to Jerusalem or Zion. These key verses are a call to worship specifically directed to the people of God. The author will go on to support his call to worship & claim that it is fitting with the rest of his song. The occasion of temple rebuilding is worthy of praise in God's particular grace. In addition, the seasons declare the nature & glory of God. Verses 7-9 associate His care and kindness with the fruitfulness of the growing season while verses 15-18 feature His awesome power to intervene in Judgment demonstrated by harsh winter conditions.

This beloved chapter in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians is often appropriated without much regard to the context. While standing alone the chapter reads like a poetic excursus on the beauty of human affection suitable for wedding vows, the first application pertains to relationships between church members.  Paul insists that love is the necessary precondition for the exercise of Spiritual gifts.  This emphasis was not novel. Paul is expounding applications of Jesus' words in John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  According to Paul and Jesus, gospel-grounded mutual love is basic to the identity and calling of the Christian church. The central message of the so called “love chapter” is a call to order our affections according to the hierarchy of Christian priorities as the Body of Christ. Given the occasion of the first Lord's Day of 2026, our text provides opportunity to inspire meaningful New Year's resolutions.

Today is a second message beholding the majesty of Christmas from the vantage point of Daniel's prophetic record.  Last week we considered the interpretation of the king's composite statue vision as a countdown to Christmas.  Today we turn over a chapter to another incident illuminating the glories of the incarnation.  This time from a ‘before and after' perspective, we compare the fiery furnace ordeal survived by Daniel's three friends, with the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew's gospel.  What difference does Christmas make in world history and the destiny of believers?  The scriptures gloriously answer in their particular instruction and their big picture perspective.  It is primarily from this second point of view that we behold the glories of Christ incarnate in our sermon today.

In faith Daniel preached the crown rights of Yahweh in the courts of emperors. His wisdom and prophecy arrested the attention of kings whose greatness was not eclipsed until the fulfillment of his prophecy on Christmas Day in a Bethlehem manger. The events surrounding his ministry foreshadowed the incarnation, coronation, and ascension of the King of Kings Jesus Christ. Early in his tenure as a court official for Nebuchadnezzar, God gave the king and Daniel the same dream and he gave Daniel the interpretation. The composite statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay represented a series of kingdoms counting down to Christmas when a kingdom would overpower them all and reign forever. Taking Daniel's ‘song' of pre-incarnation worship in verses 20-23 of chapter 2 as our outline, we find this occasion confirming his confession of God's grace & greatness in its prophetic revelation and the response of a earthly king.

The last 5 songs in the Psalter beginning with our text today, all open and close with the refrain & adjuration: “Praise the Lord!”.  If the entire book were one great song, these last five chapters could be the chorus.  All the notes of remembrance, lament, repentance, consolation, victory, wisdom, providence, redemption, judgement, prophecy, revelation, and more reach a crescendo in this final set of hymns in history's preeminent song book. As the author(s) reprise themes recurring throughout the Psalms, they find their resolution in the proclamation of Yahweh's absolute sovereignty.  The shape of the book proclaims to all humanity in audience the majesty and authority the one true God even as it assures the sincere singer of his unbreakable covenant bonds with that same Lord of all.  The book of Psalms is a universal call to worship and the response to this call will resound for all of history and eternity on the lips and in the hearts of the redeemed…
    NOTE context & application: Psalm 146 doubles as a profound advent song— to prepare hearts in anticipation of Messiah's arrival, and with Him, the fulfillment of prophecy and the hope of His people.

Paul understood that the various issues and problems present in the Corinthian church ultimately shared the same root. After addressing several situations case by case, he focuses his attention in these chapters on the essence of the church, the source of its vitality, and the kingdom expanding potential of the body of Christ. Understanding our connection to one another in and through Jesus Christ, is key to a functional and fruitful church. Our next chapter will proceed expounding and endorsing ‘love' as the cardinal virtue of the Christian life. With this framework and this foundation, the church of Jesus Christ will survive & thrive unto His return.

Proverbs 14:24 says: “the crown of the wise is their wealth”. Our working definition of a crown in this sense is: ‘an adorning confirmation of dignity, rank, ability, and reputation'. This conceptual understanding of royal authority helps to clarify the context of our text in this chapter. Solomon's teaching is universal in this sense. Would you sacrifice your better judgment, integrity, or reputation for riches…? Those who do so wear a fool's crown. Mortgaging virtue in the quest for fortune, power, or position will crown you with folly. A parallel text might be: Prov 22:1 “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” Consider the example of Solomon at the height of his powers and splendor visited regularly by royal entourages of surrounding nations. His crown at this time was resplendent, polished by wisdom. As an example of folly's crown remember the demise of king Herod eaten by worms in Acts 12:20-24. This passage also draws a stark contrast as verse 24 goes on to say: … “But the word of God increased and multiplied.”

Looking closely at the structure of Proverbs chap 14:1-14, something of a pattern emerges.  Verses 1, 4, 7 and 11 are roughly parallel referring to the foundation of a household.  These verses are followed by others that scrutinize progress to that end in verses 2, 3, 8 and 12. The remaining verses predict the future of life directions set by either wisdom vs. folly. In context here, the featured agent of wisdom to illustrate these truths is the wife and homemaker.  The book of Proverbs is no respecter of persons when it comes to application of principle.  Here wives and mothers are encouraged to order their affairs, govern their souls, and live their lives, according to the timeless law of God, just as their husbands and children are likewise commanded.

The crescendo of the Psalter begins with Psalm 145 and continues to build with each of the remaining songs! This is the last titled song of David in the book and is a profound and powerful contribution to the grand finale of histories's greatest album. This is The 7th of the acrostic psalms (each parallel line beginning with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet).  This form of poetry conveys a glorious and comprehensive beauty, symmetry, & order.   Verse 4 reveals a purpose for writing this song that is key to understanding, in part, the intent of Biblical poetry.  This verse could well serve as a vision statement for the entire Psalter. Let the writers compose, the musicians play, and the people sing, that one generation might commend God's works to another and declare His mighty acts! These are songs of praise immortalizing a generational testimony of the greatness of Yahweh —-Furthermore, this song provides a template for proclaiming the deeds of the Lord.

The Apostle Paul's emphasis on unity in the true church of Jesus Christ is a theme pervasive in I Corinthians. According to I Corinthians 12:1-13, to be a Christian is to behold and believe the revelation of Christ by means of the Spirit.  To be a functional church of Jesus Christ is to discern and deploy the gifts, service, and activities of the Spirt for the mutual benefit of the believers in the community where God has planted you as He empowers and appoints. To be the church of Jesus Christ in essence is to be unified in Christ with members of His body by the power of The Spirit transcending personal experience, culture, history, and the grave!  The language of Paul's epistle has the power to grasp our clouded souls by the hand and lift us up on gospel heights to behold our situation from heaven's perspective.

Cultural history and folklore celebrate the tenacity and resilience of their heroes. These legacies are celebrated for their faithfulness. The critical analysis Solomon endorses in the book of Proverbs would ask: “faithfulness to what?”. No so-called ‘hero' will pass the true test of greatness if his efforts were dedicated in service of idols. Family, honor, patriotism, philanthropy, public service, courage, scientific genius, etc. are not virtues ends unto themselves but are sanctified only in the service of righteousness & the glory of God. Those who dedicate their lives in sacrificial faithfulness to anything less than this are not heroes in truth. Don't be deceived Solomon adjures the student of wisdom —the object of our devotion separates the wise from the fool, the righteous from the wicked, the good man from the sinner.

Note the list of metaphors Solomon weaves into his instruction in this section…each one a telling picture: Light/Lamp (9), Tree (12), & Fountain (14).   Each is a picture of source and effect.   A lamp filled with oil provides light by which the blindness of the dark is cured.   A tree firmly rooted in fertile and irrigated soil produces life sustaining fruit. (The olive tree was the classic example in ancient times highly valued for its multi-functional and nutritious fruit). Thirdly, a fountain fed by springs provides an ever-new supply of water to quench the thirst of land and creatures who rely on this basic natural resource.   For Solomon, this relationship between source and effect is mirrored in the spiritual realm of life as well.   According to Proverbs, the sovereignly revealed wisdom of God is the vital source of human flourishing for the soul.   The Word of God is the lamp, the tree, and the fountain for the wise.

The concept of a ‘new song' in the scriptures is usually with reference to extraordinary occasions worthy of thankful praise include celebration and commemoration of the grace & glory of God upon securing victory for His people despite existential threats and peril.  Think of the songs on the lips of those who were the first to receive immanent news of the incarnation… Many, Zechariah, Simeon wrote the first Christmas Carols as ‘new songs' praising God & welcoming their messiah.  Today's psalm is not one of these precisely, rather it contains a vow to write such a song upon answers to David's plea for the salvation of himself and his people.  Languishing under the threat of his enemies David longs for the day his deliverance will occasion further music.  In the meantime therefore, Psalm 144 is a new song song written in supplication for such a time. 

The ABA's 2025 Bird of the Year Common Loon is beloved across the United States and Canada, and though we at the ABA will only celebrate it for a short time, there are other organizations that have made protection and awareness of Common Loons their reason for being. The National Loon Center in Crosslake, Minnesota, is one such organization. They aim to restore and protect loon habitat, enhance responsible recreation, and promote research and education of not only Common Loon, but the habitats they enjoy. Natasha Bartoletta is the Science and Stewardship Manager for the National Loon Center, and she joins us to talk about loon outreach and wetlands conservation.  Also, urban Cooper's Hawks show surprisingly clever adaptations.  Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and please leave a rating or a review if you are so inclined! We appreciate it!