Podcasts about csb god

Anxiety has a way of whispering lies that feel louder than truth. In today’s devotional, Aaron D’Anthony Brown shares how even after seeing God show up time and again—in his own life and in the lives of others—those anxious voices still try to take center stage. Whether it’s fear of failure, rejection, or just not being enough, anxiety loves to hijack our thoughts. But Scripture reminds us of a different reality: “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up.” —Proverbs 12:25 (CSB) God’s Word is that good word. When anxiety lies, truth restores. It reminds us we are not unloved, not forgotten, not beyond hope. The truth is—we are known, chosen, and secure in Christ. Join the Conversation:What lie has anxiety tried to sell you recently, and how has God’s Word helped you push back? Share your thoughts @LifeaudioNetwork or send us an email. We’d love to hear how God’s truth is transforming your thinking.

Does It Really Work? | Week One | Does God's Love Really Work? | Pastor Tyler Sollie | Life Center Tacoma John 3:16-17 (CSB) God's love for you is not GENERIC. God's love for you is SPECIFIC. God's love APPLIES to you and it must be APPLIED to you Ephesians 3:16-21 (CSB) God's love is CONSISTENT even when life ISN'T. Romans 5:8 (CSB)

Better Than I Imagined | Week 2 | "1, 2, 3, Eyes On Me" Focus For Your Faith | Pastor Doug Myers | Life Center Tacoma Hebrews 12:1-2; 11-13 (CSB) Life with Jesus is better than I imagined - when we keep our focus 1 Kings 18:43-46; 19:1-8 (CSB) Jesus invites us to THRIVE, not just SURVIVE 1 Kings 19:9-13 (CSB) Storms AROUND YOU don't have to create storms WITHIN YOU Psalms 46:1-3 (CSB) Luke 5:15-16 (CSB) God is often found in the STATIC not the FRANTIC Help for your focus: -Start small -Be consistent -Eliminate distractions -Choose the right tools -Come with expectation

Defining Moments: A point in life that becomes a _________ and _________. [Luke 8:1-3] Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, [2] along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; [3] Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. Mary dropped ___________________ to follow Jesus. [John 20:11-17] Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. [12] She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. [13] “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don't know where they have put him.” [14] She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him. [15] “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” [16] “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). [17] “Don't cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven't yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” With a word Jesus turns her ____________ into _________. When we have a personal encounter with Jesus we become a witness to His __________________. Your life will testify of His ________________. [Mark 16:15] And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Your life will tell of his ________________. [1 Corinthians 6:14 CSB] God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. You must ________________ your story. Your own before & after story is the most _______________ tool to share Jesus' message with the world.

CREDO | Week 6 | What We Believe About Healing | Pastor Karina Torres | Life Center Tacoma It is in God's nature to heal Matthew 4:23-24 (CSB) John 21:25 (CSB) Healing is provided through Jesus' work on the cross Isaiah 53:4-5 (CSB) God's healing is wholesome God calls us to pray for healing James 5:13-16 (CSB) Although God heals, God does not heal everyone all the time Even if He doesn't heal me, God is still good, powerful and faithful Even if He doesn't heal me, God is near and knows my pain Isaiah 41:10 (CSB) Even if He doesn't heal me, He understands my pain because He lived it Hebrews 2:17 (CSB) Isaiah 53:3 (CSB) Even if He doesn't heal me now, He will heal me when I meet Him one day Revelations 21:4 (CSB) Acts 19:11-12 (CSB) Romans 8:18 (CSB) Philippians 3:7-10 (CSB)

Proverbs 3:1-12 (CSB)God is generous to us. He gave his first and best through Jesus. We are called to be generous in our giving, doing so thoughtfully, free and joyfully. This is an act of worship.

Genesis 1:1-5 (CSB)God worked to create the universe and all that is within it. He is still working to sustain it. His purpose for work has always been for our good and His Glory. We are called to worship the Lord through our work.

John 3:16-19 (CSB)God has the power, authority, and position to condemn us for all our sins, yet he graciously sent Jesus Christ, who gave his life as ransom for us. Through Jesus, God's rescue mission not only frees us from condemnation, it gives us eternal life.

Genesis 1:31 (CSB)"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."Nature is a masterpiece. The vibrant colors of a sunset, the intricate patterns on a butterfly's wings, the majestic mountains. Each detail, a brushstroke from the Creator. When you marvel at nature's beauty, remember it's a reflection of God's creativity and love. He crafted this world with care, and in its beauty, we catch a glimpse of His divine nature.

Like Father, Like Son | Week 1 | Family Resemblance | Pastor Tyler Sollie | Life Center Tacoma John 10:30 (CSB) John 5:17-23 (CSB) Colossians 1:15 (CSB) God not only wants to SAVE your life, He wants to SHAPE your life An INVITATION for IMITATION John 1:43 (CSB) John 21:22 (CSB) New DNA & new DESIRES Titus 2:11-14 (CSB) What we BEHOLD shapes what and who we BECOME “Your life is always moving in the direction of your strongest thoughts.” - Craig Groeschel

John 15:8 (CSB)God has given us - His children - the ability to be fruitful, to enjoy fruitfulness, and to increase in fruitfulness.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (CSB)God calls His children to a life of MORE.MORE of His Presence, MORE of His power and MORE of His promises. This MORE is to be experienced in our personal lives, in our community living and in our mission to advance the kingdom of God.

1 John 4:16 (CSB) …God is love… 1 John 4:18 (CSB) …perfect love drives out fear… 1. What are you afraid of? 2 Chronicles 20:1-3 (CSB) 2. Who are you taking it to? 2 Chronicles 20:9 (CSB) 3. Face it…don't Fight it! 2 Chronicles 20:15-17 (CSB)

If, Wait, Then: The Surgery of Hope Life can be very difficult, and sometimes it seems like we're all alone and without hope in a dark world. But here's a few minutes about the self-brain surgery technique that will help you find hope and see the light again! Scriptures mentioned in this episode Habakkuk 1:2 “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” Isaiah 30:18 (NIV) 18 Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Habakkuk 2:3 “Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Isaiah 1:19 IF you are willing and obedient, (THEN) you will eat the best from the land Deuteronomy 28:1 IF you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, (THEN) the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. Daniel 10 (NIV) 2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. 7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. 10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” Romans 4:18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed. Hosea 12:6 Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually. Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord Psalm 33:20, 21 NIV “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:3, 4 NLT “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does.” Romans 15:13 NLT “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Psalm 27:14 ESV “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 46:1-3 CSB “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though its water roars and foams and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Selah” Psalm 121:1,2 NIV “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Listener did this- look for help!) Romans 8:37 NIV “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” We will conquer the gap with self-brain surgery of doing, seeking, praying, trusting, pressing in, looking for help. Hope-tox doesn't inject itself. John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Ephesians 3: “14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Books mentioned in this episode  Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott I've Seen the End of You by Dr. Lee Warren Check out the prayer wall! Subscribe to my weekly letter!  Consider supporting the podcast! Patrons get bonus episodes, transcripts, free books, and more! Tommy Walker's song, Wait on the Lord! Tommy Walker's song, All About Your Glory

Does God care about me? Can I trust God? Mark 4:35-41 CSB “35 On that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let's cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don't you care that we're going to die?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!” Psalms 139:13-18 CSB “I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well. For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began. God, how precious your thoughts are to me; how vast their sum is! If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with you.” Matthew 10:28-31 CSB “Don't fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Aren't two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's consent. But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Numbers 23:19 CSB “God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?” Genesis 3:14-15 CSB 'So the Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than any livestock and more than any wild animal. You will move on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Romans 5:8 CSB “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 2Tim. 1:8-9 CSB “So don't be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”

If, Wait, Then: The Surgery of Hope (Originally played in March of 2021, I'm bringing this to you today since it's perfect for Action April, and because I can't stop sneezing!) Life can be very difficult, and sometimes it seems like we're all alone and without hope in a dark world. But here's a few minutes about the self-brain surgery technique that will help you find hope and see the light again! Scriptures mentioned in this episode Habakkuk 1:2 “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” Isaiah 30:18 (NIV) 18 Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Habakkuk 2:3 “Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Isaiah 1:19 IF you are willing and obedient, (THEN) you will eat the best from the land Deuteronomy 28:1 IF you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, (THEN) the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. Daniel 10 (NIV) 2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. 7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. 10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” Romans 4:18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed. Hosea 12:6 Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually. Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord Psalm 33:20, 21 NIV “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:3, 4 NLT “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does.” Romans 15:13 NLT “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Psalm 27:14 ESV “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 46:1-3 CSB “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though its water roars and foams and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Selah” Psalm 121:1,2 NIV “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Listener did this- look for help!) Romans 8:37 NIV “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” We will conquer the gap with self-brain surgery of doing, seeking, praying, trusting, pressing in, looking for help. Hope-tox doesn't inject itself. John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Ephesians 3: “14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Books mentioned in this episode  Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott I've Seen the End of You by Dr. Lee Warren Check out the prayer wall! Consider supporting the podcast! Patrons get bonus episodes, transcripts, free books, and more! Tommy Walker's song, Wait on the Lord!

THIS EPISODE:Hopelessness breeds despair, and despair often disguises itself as passivity...Have you ever seen someone in the midst of immense hardship, and yet wandering through the circumstances of each day seemingly indifferent to it all? Perhaps you've even been there.But, when hiding in the desert on the run for his life, how did not-yet-king David not lose all sense of hope? And to now only dodge despair, but to deeply express a deeply, heartfelt focus on the true hope of his salvation.  Let's begin unpacking this and more in today's message…___PRIMARY TEXT:—Psalms 63:1-11 (CSB)—God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you. I thirst for you; my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. 2 So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. 3 My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life.4 So I will bless you as long as I live; at your name, I will lift up my hands. 5 You satisfy me as with rich food;  my mouth will praise you with joyful lips. 6 When I think of you as I lie on my bed, I meditate on you during the night watches 7 because you are my helper; I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings. 8 I follow close to you; your right hand holds on to me. 9 But those who intend to destroy my life will go into the depths of the earth. 10 They will be given over to the power of the sword; they will become a meal for jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by him will boast, for the mouths of liars will be shut.

It's time for some hope surgery! (If, Wait, Then: The Surgery of Hope originally ran in March of this year. I'm bringing it back, with music from Tommy Walker in preparation for this week's Tuesday's With Tata episode, which will come late due to our crazy weekend! Look for it later this week!) Life can be very difficult, and sometimes it seems like we're all alone and without hope in a dark world. But here's a few minutes about the self-brain surgery technique that will help you find hope and see the light again! Scriptures mentioned in this episode Habakkuk 1:2 “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” Isaiah 30:18 (NIV) 18 Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Habakkuk 2:3 “Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Isaiah 1:19 IF you are willing and obedient, (THEN) you will eat the best from the land Deuteronomy 28:1 IF you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, (THEN) the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. Daniel 10 (NIV) 2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. 7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. 10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” Romans 4:18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed. Hosea 12:6 Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually. Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord Psalm 33:20, 21 NIV “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:3, 4 NLT “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does.” Romans 15:13 NLT “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Psalm 27:14 ESV “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 46:1-3 CSB “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though its water roars and foams and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Selah” Psalm 121:1,2 NIV “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Listener did this- look for help!) Romans 8:37 NIV “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” We will conquer the gap with self-brain surgery of doing, seeking, praying, trusting, pressing in, looking for help. Hope-tox doesn't inject itself. John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Ephesians 3: “14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” John to Know, James to Grow bible study Books mentioned in this episode  Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott I've Seen the End of You by Dr. Lee Warren Check out the prayer wall! Consider supporting the podcast! Patrons get bonus episodes, transcripts, free books, and more! Tommy Walker's song, Wait on the Lord!

Welcome to Season 2! This season is all about busting up myths about the church. This week we're busting the myth that Christians can't have any fun. It's true that the Bible does tell us things we should and shouldn't do. Those are meant to help us live life the way God intended it, which is the very best life we can live. Scripture and other References Season Memory Verse - Romans 10:9 (CSB) If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Galatians 5:19-21 (CSB) Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Genesis 1:28 (CSB) God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” John 2:1-12 - Jesus Turns Water into Wine Romans 14:13-15 (CSB) Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died. Matthew 5:23-24 (CSB) So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Romans 12:16-18 (CSB) Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone's eyes. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Ecclesiastes 4:12 (CSB) And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Proverbs 22:6 (CSB) Start a youth out on his way; even when he grows old he will not depart from it. 1 Corinthians 15:6 (CSB) Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. ____________________________________________________________________________ Message us at info@SimplifyJesus.com for questions or comments. We'd love to hear from you! Be sure to follow on all of our social media channels: Facebook.com/simplifyjesus Twitter; @Simplifyjesus1 Instagram.com/simplifyjesus LinkedIn.com/simplify-jesus Youtube.com/channel/UC6tkmIg1DxqimjjSu-dCzLw www.SimplifyJesus.com Music by u_8enhfp0w from Pixabay Music by CHARLES_MICHEL from Pixabay

Message by Pastor Tyler Sollie Joshua 3:1-5, 14-17 (CSB) God's plan always includes His provision An IMPOSSIBILITY is always an OPPORTUNITY for a miracle. The Prompt The Preparation The Position The Purpose The Promise 1 Peter 1:13 (CSB)

Personal conviction, Samson and the Holy Spirit. These may seem to have nothing in common, but I believe they do. Listen in to this episode of the Style and Stewardship Podcast to hear a few thoughts on these topics. In order to serve listeners of The Style And Stewardship Podcast best, I want to know what would encourage you. I created a quick and simple Survey in the link below: https://forms.gle/m6GNfCPqMtQ25zvD6 Scriptures referenced via bible gateway God's word is profitable for everything 2Timothy 3:15-17 (CSB) God's word can discern the heart Hebrews 4:12-13 (CSB) Samson was not supposed to cut his hair Judges 13:5 (CSB) Blog: Style And Stewardship YouTube: Subscribe to Style And Stewardship Contact: hello@styleandstewardship.com New Podcast Episodes Drop on Wednesdays Thank you for listening I would love to know how this podcast is encouraging you? Leave a Review on Itunes (Apple Podcasts) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/styleandstewardship/message

Episode 29 Thinking out loud about "self-care," and "self-love." Part 2 This episode piggybacks off the last with a bit more to say about these self-concepts and their popularity. I'm no expert just a woman pondering on how, or if something falls in line with the word of God. Wondering aloud if we should adopt all the "buzz words" that are circulating in our culture. Honestly, regardless of whether other Christians or popular people agree or not, it all has to be found and confirmed from a Christian worldview. I hope this episode blesses and encourages you. Have you given any thought to these self-concepts? Episode 28 Part 1 can be found here. What is Self help Episode 24 can be found here. All scriptures referenced from bible gateway We are led away by our desires: James 1:14 (CSB) All things are not beneficial: 1Corinthians 10:23 (ESV) In the world but not of it: John 17:15-17 (CSB) God gives us the power to make wealth: Deuteronomy 8:18 (CSB) God is our help in times of need: Psalm 46:1 (CSB) You take care of your own body: Ephesians 5:29 (CSB) Don't lean on your own understanding: Proverbs 3:5 (CSB) God gives rest to his people: Psalm 127:2 (CSB) To serve listeners of The Style And Stewardship Podcast best, I want to know what would encourage you. I created a quick and simple Survey in the link below: https://forms.gle/m6GNfCPqMtQ25zvD6 Thank you in advance! All scriptures referenced from biblegateway.com (CSB version) Blog: Style And Stewardship YouTube: Subscribe to Style And Stewardship Contact: hello@styleandstewardship.com New Podcast Episodes Drop on Wednesdays Thank you for listening I would love to know how this podcast is encouraging you? Leave a Review on Itunes (Apple Podcasts) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/styleandstewardship/message

THIS EPISODE:At every turn today we're constantly barraged by messages about the things we're lacking or missing in life, along with spotlighting the things we should consider that might make us more content—or at least distract us from our gnawing discontent for a time.In reality, we often don't really understand what true contentment looks and feels like. More than merely feeling ‘satisfied', contentment is a deeper state of mind and heart that, when authentically experienced, draws us closer to the heart of God. But it doesn't just naturally grow in us, and we just mentally ‘flip a switch' and turn contentment on. A content heart must be thoughtfully cultivated, and when we do, it unlocks so much more for us in understanding God's best for our lives.Let's continue unpacking this and more in today's message with how contentment cultivates important spiritual rhythms in our lives...___PRIMARY TEXT:—Philippians 4:11 (CSB)—11 I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.—Psalms 63:1-7 (CSB)—God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you. I thirst for you; my body faints for youin a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. 2 So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. 3 My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; at your name, I will lift up my hands.5 You satisfy me as with rich food;  my mouth will praise you with joyful lips.6 When I think of you as I lie on my bed, I meditate on you during the night watches7 because you are my helper; I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.—Philippians 2:16 (CSB)—16 by holding firm to the word of life.—Matthew 6:9 (CSB)—9 “Therefore, you should pray like this:Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread.  12 And forgive us our debts,as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, amen—Exodus 20:8-11 (CSB)—8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: 9 You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work ​— ​you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. 11 For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy. —Philippians 2:5-11 (CSB)—5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God  as something to be exploited.  7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity.  And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death —even to death on a cross.—Philippians 2:13-16 (CSB)—13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word of life.

THIS EPISODE:When we're jealous, we are in effect saying, “God, you don't really know what I need to be happy”. Often the 'gateway' to so many other negative emotions, from greed to anger to guilt and shame, jealousy is also a road leading to resentment of God's goodness in other people's lives, while ignoring God's goodness in our own lives.The antidote for jealousy is cultivating a heart of contentment. And in truth, the secret of cultivating a heart of contentment is found in Christ and Christ alone. Let's unpack this and more in today's message…___PRIMARY TEXT:—Philippians 4:11-13 (CSB)—11 I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content ​— ​whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.—Philippians 2:2-4 (CSB)—...make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.—Philippians 4:6 (CSB)—Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.—Psalms 63:1-7 (CSB)—God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you. I thirst for you; my body faints for youin a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. 2 So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. 3 My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; at your name, I will lift up my hands.5 You satisfy me as with rich food;  my mouth will praise you with joyful lips.6 When I think of you as I lie on my bed, I meditate on you during the night watches7 because you are my helper; I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.—Philippians 4:19 (CSB)—19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 2:5-11 (CSB)—5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God  as something to be exploited.  7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity.  And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death —even to death on a cross.—Ephesians 3:14-21 (CSB)—14 For this reason I kneel before the Father 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God's love, 19 and to know Christ's love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us ​— ​ 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Exodus 3 & 4 (CSB)God always provides that which He requires. Our role is to be obedient so that we can see and experience that.

Message by Pastor Tyler Sollie John 10:10 (NIV) Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) The fruit of a FULL LIFE grows in the soil of a FAITHFUL LIFE Luke 18:9-14 (CSB) God's faithfulness HUMBLES ME God's faithfulness builds HOPE IN ME Lamentations 3:22-24 (CSB) Philippians 1:6 (CSB) Our faithfulness brings HONOR TO HIM 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (CSB) ----------- [NEXT STEPS] SAY YES TO JESUS PURSUE HUMILITY BUILD HOPE AND HONOR

Acts 12:1-19 CSB  God hears and answers when the church prays (Vs.1-5) Prayer is an act of dependence and trust Prayer is an act of worship Prayer is an act

Hello and welcome to season 3 episode 10 of The Berean Manifesto; 10 minutes or so a week (more like 5 this week) of faith, hope, and love for the modern Christian.  I'm Pastor Bill of The Ekklesian House and in this installment we are going to talk about endings and new beginnings. As we wrap up one year and step into the next, were going to take some time to look at Isaiah 43 and Philippians 3.  Isaiah 43:25-28 CSB God says, “[25] I – I sweep away transgressions for my own sake and remember your sins no more. [26] Remind me. Let's argue the case together. Recount the facts, so that you may be vindicated. [27] Your first father sinned, and your mediators have rebelled against me. [28] So I defiled the officers of the sanctuary, and set Jacob apart for destruction and Israel for scorn.”   This is a great time to look back at your life, over the past year and beyond and identify those things you know you faulted in.  Bring them to God, lay them at His feet and argue with Him why they make you guilty.  Your vindication comes in the saving Grace of your faith in Christ. Once you've done this you're ready to move forward.  Isaiah 43:16-21 CSB says, “[18] “Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to things of old.  [19] Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming.  Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. [20] Wild animals – jackals and ostriches – will honor me, because I provide water in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people. [21] The people I formed for myself will declare my praise.”  Now I'm not one to grab ahold of every single scripture and say that's specifically for me no matter what the context is I'm going to stand on that scripture because it's gotta be 100% true for me as it was for them.  I'm not going to say that.  However, I am going to say that the same God that said I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, wild animals – jackals and ostriches – will honor me because I provide water in the wilderness.  The same God that said these things is the same God that you worship.  That you follow, that you adore.  And any good father, good father, when you ask for good things – they give it.  When you need water in the desert ask God, when you need a path cleared ask God.  When you're in the wilderness and you need and you need and you need, turn to God.  He's not some sugar daddy or some arm on a slot machine, no.  But He is a good father, and just like any good father He wants to hear the voice of His children and He wants to provide for them.  Within scripture.  -Now, that you've laid that stuff at Gods feet forget about them.  Move forward.  Plot a course with God. Paul puts that course in perspective in Philippians 3:12-21 CSB says, “[12] Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, [14] I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus. [15] Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you. [16] In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. [17] Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. [18] For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, [20] but our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. [21] He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.” This is Pastor Bill saying “Until next time…”

Hello and welcome to season 3 episode 7 of The Berean Manifesto; 10 minutes or so a week of faith, hope, and love for the modern Christian.  I'm Pastor Bill of The Ekklesian House and in this installment we are going to take a look at burdens “If we would follow Christ, we must shake off the baser objects of earthly desire as nothing better than the dust which gathers upon the cerements of mortality.” - F. W. Farrar In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke it's recorded that as Jesus was moving on from a time of ministry in Judea that a young man ran up, knelt in front of Him, and calling Him “good teacher” asked Jesus what good he had to do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus tells him what any good rabbi would, to keep the commandments.  The young man asks which ones to follow and Jesus starts listing the Ten Commandments.  Not in the order they were originally given, but in a very specific social order from heinous to fundamental.  But in all three Gospels, before Jesus can finish the list, the young man insists that he's kept all these commandments since he was young.  Jesus tells him that he's still lacking in one thing.  The eager young man asks what he lacks.  And is told to go and sell everything he has and give the proceeds to the poor.  This will get him treasure in heaven and he can come and follow Jesus.  The young man leaves grieved because he had lots of stuff. In the last episode we talked about two other people who wanted to follow Jesus, but one wanted to bury his father first.  In Matthew 8:22 CSB Jesus responds to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”  Jesus is life, and His followers had that life.  This is what has been supposed as the meaning of Christ's words here.  That those without Christ, the dead spiritually, should tend to the affairs of the dead physically.  As one called as a disciple he could have no place in the business of the world, even where it pertained to his family. In that same chapter in Matthew the other disciple that vows to follow Jesus is a scribe.  Jesus response to him in Matthew 8:20 CSB, is “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  Being a scribe this particular individual would have enjoyed a lifestyle of having every comfort and every need provided for him in return for his service.  Jesus lets him know in no uncertain terms that the lifestyle he's been living having everything provided for him is not how the lifestyle of a disciple is going to be.  That even the animals get better treatment than the man that he is trying to follow. Then Jesus tells the disciples that it's hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom of God depending on what Gospel you're reading from, then continues, (Matthew 19:24 & Luke 18:25) “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”  The disciples when Jesus says this are astonished by this revelation because they were convinced it meant that nobody could then be saved. We talk on The Berean Manifesto about understanding cultural context, and this is one of those moments.  In walled cities there was traditionally a small “gate,” more of a door-sized passageway made of stone, in Jerusalem this was known as the eye of the needle, that could be used to enter the city after the city gates had closed for the night.  For the poor, who carried nothing more than a walking stick and a food pouch, this wasn't a problem.  But for people like the rich young man above, they would load everything they needed to sustain the same quality of living as they had back home onto the back of a camel, or camels.  If they reached the city after the gates had closed for the night, then the rich had a difficult choice to make.  They could leave their camels and the bulk of their possessions outside the city walls and slum it for the night, they could set up camp outside the city walls and run the risk of falling prey to beasts or villainy, or they could un-burden their camel, carry the stuff through the small passageway themselves, and then navigate the camel down onto its knees and try to manipulate the camel through a passageway of stone-built for something the size of a human.  Without the prodding and manipulation of the camel's human counterpart, that camel is never getting through that entryway. Jesus tells the disciples that when it sounds like he's saying that no one can be saved, this is exactly what He's saying.  (Matthew 19:26) That being saved is an impossible feat for mankind alone, but with God all things are possible.  Which takes us back to the young man's question from before about what good he could do to inherit eternal life.  To which the long and short of the answer is, nothing.  There is nothing that camel can do, on it's own, to get through that doorway.  There is nothing we can do of our own power to be saved.  It's a faith issue (Hebrews 10:9-10), you confess with your mouth that, ‘Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you are saved.  You're made righteous by the belief of your heart and saved by the confession of your mouth. The deeper message of what Jesus appears to be teaching here is that, like the camel with the eye of the needle, it's impossible to make it into the kingdom of God burdened by the world.  Not because money and things are inherently bad, but because humans are worshipers by default.  Inevitably the things of the world become distractions from God, or worse, they become idols. In Exodus 20:4-6 CSB God commands, “[4] Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. [5] Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers' iniquity, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, [6] but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands.” In hindsight, this commandment is very telling.  We know that without faith it is impossible to please God and that salvation is by faith alone.  Lower gods within our reach and idols take faith out of the equation.  When we begin to worship television, celebrities, sports teams, civic duties, religion, and religious relics we become the burdened camel who can't make it through the eye of the needle. Now you may not be called to be a hardcore disciple like the gentlemen from Matthew 8.  However, anything that you let get in the way of serving God in your calling makes you into the burdened camel, is an idol for you.  Even things that God meant for good, to point to salvation, mankind has found a way to elevate into idols. So, what idols have you set up in your life?  What are the things in your life that you need to unburden for the sake of your faith?  For the sake of your calling… This is Pastor Bill saying, “Until next time…”

Hello and welcome to our final episode of season 2. Season 2 episode 100 of The Berean Manifesto, brought to you by The Ekklesian House. This is Pastor Bill and over the next 10 minutes, or so, we are going to be talking about The Sabbath and Jesus. Just so we're all on the same page let's jump back to Genesis 2:1-3 CSB, “[1] So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. [2] On the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. [3] God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation.” Then in Exodus 20:8-11 CSB God said, “[8] Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: [9] You are to labor six days and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work-you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. [11] For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.” Fast forward to Hebrews 4:1-13 CSB, “[1] Therefore, since the promise to enter (God's) rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short. [2] For we also have received the good news just as (the Israelites who left Egypt) did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith. [3] For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what he has said, So I swore in my anger, "They will not enter my rest," even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world. [4] For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And on the seventh day God rested from all his works. [5] Again, in that passage he says, They will never enter my rest. [6] Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, [7] he again specifies a certain day-today. He specified this speaking through David after such a long time: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. [8] For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. [9] Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God's people. [10] For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. [11] Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience. [12] For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. [13] No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.” Alright, so let's break that down a bit.  In this passage the author is talking about the promised rest of God coming one day and because of the hardness of the hearts of the children of Israel God swore that none of them alive at that time would enter into God's rest.  At that time they thought that the rest of God would come to them in the promised land.  But it didn't, so the people continued to observe the Sabbath to commemorate the day God rested until they could enter into His rest. This is when we get to verse 12 where we find, “For the word of God is living.”  Except the author isn't talking about the written word of God, or the Bible, or even the spoken word of God.  Although the words of God will endure forever.  This phrase “word of God” is the same phrasing John used in John 1:1 CSB, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Then reading ahead to verse 14 CSB we find the Word to be a person, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  This person is Jesus.  Jesus is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow.  He is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  No one is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.  There's another mention of that judgment we recently talked about. But the main point here, is that it's all one statement from verse nine through verse 13.  Let's read it again without some of the poetry, Hebrews 4:9-13, “[9] Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God's people. [10] For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. [11] Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience. [12] For (Jesus) is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. He is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. [13] No creature is hidden from (H)im, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of (H)im to whom we must give an account.” Jesus fulfilled all the law; line for line, point for counter point.  And for the Sabbath, Jesus provided our salvation relationship with Him.  We've spoken in the past about why the Sabbath day isn't an observed law anymore, but is a benefit to the body, and soul.  This is still true, taking a day of rest after every six days of work is as essential to your health as getting enough sleep every night.  But for your spirit, salvation is your Sabbath rest from the war between yourself and your carnal flesh that Paul talks about in Romans 7. I encourage you to go read Romans 7 & 8 for yourself, but I'll summarize chapter 8 here.  There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus because the Spirit of life has set us free from the laws of sin and death.  And the Spirit of the one who brought Jesus back from the dead lives in you and will give you life.  Living according to the spirit removes your obligations to the flesh and you have become a child of God.  This life you live and its sufferings pale in comparison to the day you are revealed as an heir of God; that day you will be justified and glorified.  All things are working together to prepare you for that day.  So if God is for us who can be against us; because nothing can separate us from His love.  Not death or life, angels or principalities, the present or the future, not height or depth, or anything else in creation.  And this love is Jesus. This is Pastor Bill saying, “Until next time…”

Hello and welcome to season 2 episode 78 of The Berean Manifesto, brought to you by The Ekklesian House.  This is Pastor Bill and over the next 10 minutes, or so, we are going to be talking about what we have in common with camels. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke it's recorded that as Jesus was moving on from a time of ministry in Judea that a young man ran up, knelt in front of Him, and calling Him “good teacher” asked Jesus what good he had to do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus tells him what any rabbi worth their prayer cloth would, to keep the commandments.  The young man asks which ones to follow and Jesus starts listing the Ten Commandments.  But in all three Gospels, before Jesus can finish the list, the young man insists that he's kept all these commandments since he was young.  Jesus tells him that he's still lacking in one thing.  The eager young man asks what he lacks.  Jesus tells him to go and sell everything he has and give the proceeds to the poor.  This will get him treasure in heaven and he can come and follow Jesus.  The young man leaves grieved because he had lots of stuff. Then Jesus tells the disciples that it's hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom of God depending on what Gospel you're reading from, then continues, (Matthew 19:24 & Luke 18:25) “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”  The disciples are astonished by this revelation because they were convinced it meant that nobody could then be saved. We talk on The Berean Manifesto about understanding cultural context, and this is one of those moments.  In walled cities there was traditionally a small “gate,” more of a door-sized stone passageway really, in Jerusalem this was known as the eye of the needle, that could be used to enter the city after the city gates had closed for the night.  For the poor, who carried nothing more than a walking stick and a food pouch, this wasn't a problem.  But for people like the rich young man above, they would load everything they needed to sustain the same quality of living as they had back home onto the back of a camel, or camels.  If they reached the city after the gates had closed for the night, then the rich had a difficult choice to make.  They could leave their camels and the bulk of their possessions outside the city walls and slum it for the night, they could set up camp outside the city walls and run the risk of falling prey to beasts or villainy, or they could un-burden their camel, carry the stuff through the small passageway themselves, and then navigate the camel down onto its knees and try to manipulate the camel through a passageway of stone-built for something the size of a human.  Without the prodding and manipulation of the camel's human counterpart, that camel is never getting through that entryway. Jesus tells the disciples that when it sounds like he's saying that no one can be saved, this is exactly what He's saying.  (Matthew 19:26) That being saved is an impossible feat for mankind alone, but with God all things are possible.  Which takes us back to the young man's question from before about what good he could do to inherit eternal life.  To which the long and short of the answer is, nothing.  There is nothing we can do of our own power to be saved.  It's a faith issue (Hebrews 10:9-10), you confess with your mouth that, ‘Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you are saved.  You're made righteous by the belief of your heart and saved by the confession of your mouth. The deeper message of what Jesus appears to be teaching here is that, like the camel with the eye of the needle, it's impossible to make it into the kingdom of God burdened by the riches of this world.  Not because money and things are inherently bad, but because humans are worshipers by default.  Inevitably those worldly possessions become distractions from God, or worse, they become idols. In Exodus 20:4-6 CSB God commands, “[4] Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. [5] Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers' iniquity, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, [6] but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands.” In hindsight, this commandment is very telling.  We know that without faith it is impossible to please God and that salvation is by faith alone.  Lower gods within our reach and idols take faith out of the equation.  When we begin to worship television, celebrities, sports teams, civic duties, religion, and religious relics we become the burdened camel who can't make it through the eye of the needle. In the last couple of episodes, we talked about The Sabbath, first the letter and history of the law of The Sabbath, and then the Spirit of The Sabbath and the importance of what it is for us today.  In those episodes, we read from John 5 where Jesus tells a man who'd been disabled for thirty-eight years to pick up his mat and walk.  The man was healed, and the Jews of the area had a problem with this since it was on the Sabbath.  Further along in that chapter Jesus is still speaking to this crowd who took offense to healing on the Sabbath and in John 5:39-40 CSB He says, “[39] You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. [40] But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.”  Jesus is telling them that even though salvation was standing right in front of them they couldn't see it because they had made an idol out of the Scriptures.  What God meant for good, to point to salvation, mankind had elevated into an idol. So, what idols have you set up in your life?  What are the things in your life that you need to unburden for the sake of your faith? This is Pastor Bill saying, “Until next time…”