Podcasts about Ephesus

2 Timothy is the second of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 2 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Full Text of ReadingsSolemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Lectionary: 172The Saint of the day is Saint Cyril of AlexandriaSaint Cyril of Alexandria's Story Saints are not born with halos around their heads. Cyril, recognized as a great teacher of the Church, began his career as archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt, with impulsive, often violent, actions. He pillaged and closed the churches of the Novatian heretics—who required those who denied the faith to be re-baptized—participated in the deposing of Saint John Chrysostom, and confiscated Jewish property, expelling the Jews from Alexandria in retaliation for their attacks on Christians. Cyril's importance for theology and Church history lies in his championing the cause of orthodoxy against the heresy of Nestorius, who taught that in Christ there were two persons, one human and one divine. The controversy centered around the two natures in Christ. Nestorius would not agree to the title “God-bearer” for Mary. He preferred “Christ-bearer,” saying there are two distinct persons in Christ—divine and human—joined only by a moral union. He said Mary was not the mother of God but only of the man Christ, whose humanity was only a temple of God. Nestorianism implied that the humanity of Christ was a mere disguise. Presiding as the pope's representative at the Council of Ephesus in 431, Cyril condemned Nestorianism and proclaimed Mary truly the “God-bearer”—the mother of the one Person who is truly God and truly human. In the confusion that followed, Cyril was deposed and imprisoned for three months, after which he was welcomed back to Alexandria. Besides needing to soften some of his opposition to those who had sided with Nestorius, Cyril had difficulties with some of his own allies, who thought he had gone too far, sacrificing not only language but orthodoxy. Until his death, his policy of moderation kept his extreme partisans under control. On his deathbed, despite pressure, he refused to condemn the teacher of Nestorius. Reflection Lives of the saints are valuable not only for the virtue they reveal but also for the less admirable qualities that also appear. Holiness is a gift of God to us as human beings. Life is a process. We respond to God's gift, but sometimes with a lot of zigzagging. If Cyril had been more patient and diplomatic, the Nestorian church might not have risen and maintained power so long. But even saints must grow out of immaturity, narrowness, and selfishness. It is because they—and we—do grow, that we are truly saints, persons who live the life of God. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

2 Timothy is the second of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 2 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

We're currently going through the book os Acts. On today's broadcast we join pastor Jeff Johnson in chapter twenty. Having discerned it was time to leave Ephesus - the apostle Paul and his missionary team are now headed to Macedonia - and then on to Greece. We'll notice they faced some rough seas and were delayed, but the Lord would use even that dilemma to accomplish His purposes. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/621/29

2 Timothy is the second of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 2 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

In this episode, we delve into the journey of Paul as he begins his third missionary journey. Right away, he faces a riot in Ephesus, a major influential city in ancient Asia Minor. We explore Paul's encounters with Apollos, an eloquent speaker who learns about the complete baptism in Jesus, and with disciples of John who realize they need to understand who Jesus truly is. The episode also covers a dramatic story involving the sons of Skiva, who fail in their attempt to use Jesus' name to exorcise demons, highlighting the power and supernatural nature of Paul's ministry. Lastly, we witness the profound impact of the gospel on the city, leading to the public burning of valuable pagan artifacts and causing significant unrest among the devotees of Artemis. Turn to Acts 18 and 19 to follow along.

1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 1:14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. 1:16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 1:17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. 1:18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 2:6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Paul tells the believers in Ephesus that they are part of a much larger Story than they ever realized. Just like Lucy hiding in an old wardrobe and suddenly finding herself standing by a lamppost in the snow. A chapter-a-day podcast from Ephesians 2. The text version may always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Jesus Delivered Us (2) (audio) David Eells – 6/25/25 I'm going to continue speaking about how Jesus has delivered us. When the Syrophoenician woman asked Jesus to deliver her daughter in (Matthew 15:21-28), who was “grievously vexed with a demon” (Mat.15:26) … He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. Deliverance is for God's people; deliverance is “the children's bread.” Those who think they can go and just cast demons out of any lost person do not know anything about deliverance. In the first place, it's a very dangerous thing to do. We are the ones who are in covenant with God, the covenant being deliverance from the curse of sin and of death (Rom.8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.). This is our covenant. We have a right to total deliverance from bondage of the flesh and from bondage to demon spirits. We have the right, but that does not mean we will attain it. The right to deliverance comes when we receive knowledge and understanding of the promises, and then we enter into those covenant promises by faith. The Bible says in (Heb.4:3) …the works were finished from the foundation of the world. So the only thing remaining is for us to enter into those works through faith. It also says in (Heb.4:2) …but the word of hearing did not profit them (the Jews), because it was not united by faith with them that heard. When the Israelites were supposed to conquer their Promised Land, all they needed to do was what Joshua and Caleb did; they believed the Word of God. Ten of the twelve spies who came back did not believe the Word of God. They believed only what they saw, felt, and heard, and those were the things they confessed. They did not enter into the Promised Land because they brought back a bad report. Let's read that. (Num.13:25) And they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. (26) And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. (27) And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us; and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. (28) Howbeit the people that dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. (29) Amalek dwelleth in the land of the South: and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the hill-country; and the Canaanite dwelleth by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan. (30) And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. (31) But the men that went up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. (32) And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.  (33) And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (Num.14:1) And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. This is also a type and shadow. There are ministers today who do not believe that we can be holy. They do not believe we can overcome sin and the devil. God wants to lead us through our Promised Land or Land of Promise to come against our enemies and conquer them all. But you have no authority to cast a demon out of a person who is full of bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, and resentment. You'll waste a lot of breath trying to deliver these people because, without true repentance, they can come back. And you do not know the tormentors; you just know that they are demons. They could be demons of spiritual infirmities or they could be unclean spirits. Anyone wanting to help in the ministry of deliverance should first be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need this gift, and a person who is not filled with the Holy Spirit has no business in any deliverance ministry. In the days of the first disciples, all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they would make sure other disciples were also filled with the Holy Spirit. (Act.19:1) And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples: (2) and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they [said] unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was [given]. (3) And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John's baptism. (4) And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus. (5) And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit is God's authority to know what is going on in people. We are to live under the law of the Spirit (Romans 7:6,8:2,4; etc.). The Old Testament Law, all those rules and regulations, was given to Israel because they did not have the Spirit of God, and so they didn't know what to do when they got into such-and-such a situation. It does not work that way in the New Testament because we have the Holy Spirit to lead us. (Gal.5:18) But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. He guides us in the ministry of deliverance from lusts of the flesh and demons that rule over the lusts of the flesh. The most common reason why people don't get delivered from demons is because they are not right with their brother, and what often happens is that not being right with their brother does not get revealed. Jesus tells us to make things right with our brother before we bring our gift before the altar; otherwise, He will turn you over to the jailer and the jailer will throw you into prison. That “jailer” is the devil. (Mat.5:23) If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, (24) leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (25) Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Jesus came to set the captives free. That is what we were, but that is not what we are now supposed to be. We were captive to the lusts of the flesh, representing the old man of the land, who seems like a giant to us, and were captive to the devil. We were in prison, having no hope without God. In Luke 4, Jesus was quoting from Isaiah, (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound… Liberty to the captives has been proclaimed, but not everybody is entering into this liberty being cowards before their giant flesh. Our job as ministers of reconciliation is to minister the same thing that Jesus ministered. (2Co.5:18) But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation. Our job is to proclaim the liberty that was given to us at the Cross. This liberty is deliverance from bondage to the flesh man, and deliverance from the demons that rule over the him. Then Jesus went on in (Luk.4:18) … to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of the sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. He did not quote the second part of the sentence in (Isa.61:2) To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God… He only quoted the first half of this verse because the day He was ministering in was the day of the Lord's favor, but in these days we're coming to the second half, “the day of vengeance of our God.” While grace and liberty to the captives are being offered, to the extent that we will humble ourselves to the Word is the extent we can enter into it. The Bible says in (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. Even though we have authority to cast out demons, there won't be anything lasting you can do for a person who is adding to or taking away from the Word. If you think you are going to deliver them from that curse, then you're deceived, and you haven't read Deuteronomy 28 for yourself. So that person should fill themselves with the Word to keep their gift. It was not the devil who put the curse on this earth; it was God. He sent the curse because of man's rebellion. The curse is designed to motivate us to run to the Cross and to make us run to Jesus Christ, Who has the only antidote for the curse. The world likes to deceive us into thinking they can solve our curses for us, but it's not possible. All the world can do is just shove the curse around without solving a thing, and they're about to see the truth of that now. For example, diseases they thought they had wiped out are coming back, and they're coming back stronger than ever because of man's intervention. And mans so called cure is killing a lot of people.  You see, it's not possible to destroy a curse that God has put out there, but He also sent Jesus Christ to deliver us from that curse when we repent. God is so merciful that He sent the curse to turn us away from the wrath of hell. The devil will laugh at you when you want to deliver somebody who has not repented. It's a waste of breath and time, and I know because I've tried to do it. When you have people who have not repented, it doesn't matter that they call themselves “Christians.” It makes no difference, lasting deliverance from the curse comes by repentance, faith, and obedience. There's no way we can get around that.  Jesus said, (Mat.28:18)… All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. This does not leave anything for the devil if it is not given to him, since Jesus delegated His authority to us when He said, (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. That was delegating authority to us; so how is it then that the devil gets his authority? He gets it from us. When we walk out from under the Blood and walk in the flesh, submitting to demon spirits, we give the devil authority. The only way to take away his authority in that case is through repentance and faith that Christ delivered us. The apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit, turned a man over to Satan (1Co.5:5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Again, you cannot get around this. If you had come to that man after Paul had turned him over to the devil, thinking to cast out all of the demons from him, you would have been deceived because those demons will literally play with you. Sometimes they'll act as if they are gone, and sometimes they will even come out, but they will not be gone for long. When you turn your head, they're right back, and if you ask them, “Hey, what are you doing? I thought I cast you out of there!” They'll tell you, “No, we have a right to be here. They want us to be here.” Or, “They invited us to be here.” I've actually heard demons say that. The demons know when they have a right, and you'll be wasting your time because they'll just deceive you. What does the Bible say will happen if you cast demons out of a person who does not repent? They may come back seven times worse. (Mat.12:43) But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. (44) Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. (45) Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation. These were apostate covenant people. Mere flesh can be dealt with by repentance and faith, but sometimes you find that even when you exercise repentance and faith, you are still not having success. That's because demonic oppression or possession is a compelling bondage that goes beyond just mere flesh. It is still repentance and faith that gets rid of the bondage of a demon spirit, but first you have to take away the “stink” that brings them. The “stink” arises when someone is giving in to the flesh or sin. “Flies” represent demons, and the “flies” come to the stink. Beelzebub, the devil, is known as the “Lord of the Flies.” Scripture calls him “Beelzebub the prince of the demons.” (Mat.12:24) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons. As long as you have the stink, the flies will come because they have a right to come. If you repent of the stink and get rid of the stink, that will cast out the demon or demons, and they won't be able to come back. Most deliverance happens when people do not have the foggiest idea that they have ever been delivered of anything. A lot of deliverance happens when people get saved. By the depth of their commitment to Christ, they are delivered of many demon spirits. I, and others close to me, have had demons from which we were delivered. We mentioned a man whom Paul turned over to Satan in 1 Corinthians 5:5. Did you know this man was a Christian? So what was it that caused him to be delivered over to Satan? It was the lusts of his flesh. You are protected if you walk under the Blood of Jesus Christ, but willful disobedience is not under the Blood. The Bible warns in (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. Willful disobedience brings judgment by the “tormentors,” who are demons. (Matthew 18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. Demons can bring forth sickness and corruption of all kinds. When Jesus cast out demons, who was receiving that deliverance? Well, what did Jesus say? (Mat.15:24) … I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It was not the Canaanites who lived around them; it was the Israelites, the people who had God's Covenant promise. Jesus said that casting out demons is for God's children. He did not cast demons out of the world, because deliverance is the “children's bread” (Mark 7:27). This makes it clear that the Covenant people were the only people out of whom Jesus was casting demons. Deliverance is what God has provided for His children. The world is not in covenant with God, and they have no right to deliverance, healing, or any of the promises of the New Covenant, nor the blessings of the New Testament. If it is the “children's bread,” then it is not to be given to the world; however, Jesus had to have been awed at the Syrophoenician woman's great faith. Since He was right on the edge of a new covenant, He counted her as a believer and He gave her what she asked. (Mar.7:26) Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. And she besought him that he would cast forth the demon out of her daughter. (27) And he said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. (28) But she answered and saith unto him, Yea, Lord; even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. (29) And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the demon is gone out of thy daughter. The Bible says, (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. You see, there's a condition in the Gospel that has to be met in order to receive deliverance, healing, soul salvation, and so forth, and that condition is believing what the Gospel says. You may ask, “Does God ever cast a demon out of somebody who does not believe or even think because they are totally possessed?” Yes, He does, but it's usually because they are among the elect and will later believe, like with the demoniac of the tombs (Mark 5:1-20; Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 8:26-39). Sometimes they are oppressing others who have a right to peace. In most cases it takes repentance and belief in order to get deliverance. (Mat.8:16) And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: (17) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases. This word “our” is talking about us. Christians spoke and wrote these words. Jesus took the curse from us. Did He bear the curse for the world? Yes, but it is ultimately to “whosoever will” (Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:34; Revelation 22:17; etc.) Who is “whosoever will?” The Bible says, (Joh.6:44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him… The elect will; this is absolutely clear. The elect are those who bear fruit and were chosen before the foundation of the world, as the Bible says. (Eph.1:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: (5) having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: (7) in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (8) which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, (9) making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him (10) unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, [I say,] (11) in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; (12) to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: (13) in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (14) which is an earnest (down payment) of our inheritance, unto the redemption of [God's] own possession, unto the praise of his glory. The “elect” are the overcomers who will be standing at the end of their time of testing (Romans 12:21; 1 John 5:4; Revelation 2:7,11,17,26-28; 3:5,12,21; etc.). Many of the called will not, but the elect will have gotten what Jesus was talking about here because the elect are those who bear fruit. (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen. The Greek word here for “chosen” is the same word for “elect,” eklektos. Many are the called, as we see from when God called the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10; Hosea 11:1-7). He said in (Mat.2:15) … Out of Egypt did I call my son. He also said in (Jud.1:5) Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. You see, “calling” is not “election”; “calling” is on the way to election. “Calling” just means “an invitation,” from the Greek word klētos, “to invite.” Jesus has invited us to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. If we do this, we will not have any problem bearing fruit. 2Pe 1:10  Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:  The Bible says, (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. So you may be wondering how a Christian can have a demon and the Holy Spirit at the same time. It's simple; let me explain. The body is a temple. (1Co.6:19) Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; (20) for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. The ancient manuscripts say, “a temple of the Holy Spirit” because the Temple was threefold (Exodus chapters 25-27). It had an outer court, a holy place, and the Holy of Holies, and the outer court was called the “Court of the Gentiles” (Revelation 11:2). Were Gentiles holy? No, and we have proof from Old Testament examples that evil people did come into the outer court. They even laid hands on the horns of the altar to receive mercy (1 Kings 1:50; 2 Chronicles 23:12;15; Matthew 23:35), and sometimes they found mercy and other times they did not. So we see that evil could come into the outer court, but it could not come into the Holy of Holies. Some people like to say that the Spirit of God will not dwell in an unclean temple. If you're talking about the flesh, the flesh is unclean and it's also the enemy of God. (Rom.8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: (7) because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: (8) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. In fact, when the Bible talks about the lusts of the flesh, those lusts have the same nature as the demons do because the flesh is unclean and it's not going to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. (1Co.15:50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Only the “High Priest” Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, dwells in your “Holy of Holies,” your spirit. The demons do not enter into the spirit. Except for the High Priest, anybody who came into the Holy of Holies was struck dead. (Lev.16:2) And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. No evil could go into the Holy of Holies because that was the place of only the High Priest. The Holy Spirit is not dwelling in an unclean temple when He dwells in your spirit. Your spirit is clean. He has to give you a new spirit before He can even come and dwell there. You need to be born again before He can come and dwell in that spirit. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Demons come into the flesh with the desire to possess your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions. The Lord comes into your spirit with the desire to possess your soul. The warfare is between spirit and flesh; God and demons seek to possess the soul. (Act.10:38) Even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. We've been lied to about the supposed difference between “possession” and “oppression.” “Possession” is when the demon is reaching out of the flesh and into the soul, taking control of the mind, the actions, and the character of the person. If you've ever seen a schizophrenic, where one moment they are given over to the lusts of the flesh, and the next minute they seem to straighten right back up. Is that person possessed or not? They are possessed when that happens and they are not possessed when the demon backs off. The demon is still in them; he hasn't gone anywhere. All he's done is just back out of the soul into the flesh, becoming dormant, and he remains there until the next time he wants to take control. The Holy Spirit is the same way. Just because you have the Holy Spirit does not mean you are being led by the Holy Spirit. Having the Holy Spirit is not even going to save you! (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. You can have the Holy Spirit, but not be led by Him, and it's the same with demons. You can have demons, without the demons being in control. We should desire to give possession of this “land” to the spiritual man (Hebrews 6:4-8). God, through the Spirit, gives our spiritual man the power to possess our soul. When you walk after the flesh, the Bible says you must die. (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. When you walk after the flesh, you permit the demon's power to reach into your soul to take control of your thinking, actions, and character, your very nature. In the world they call this “schizophrenia,” but it's demon possession. There is only one nature that is the “real you”. The demons like to come into Christians and impart their own thoughts to deceive them into thinking that this is their nature. The demons give themselves up to the lusts of the flesh and then rule the Christians by speaking in their minds and blending into their characters so that they do not even know that it is them. Christians think it's themselves, but those demons can be forced to manifest by the Authority of God. Some of you may have heard or seen the Gospel being preached and demons manifesting in Christians. They are forced to manifest because they hate the Gospel. They hate tongues and they hate the Blood of Jesus. They hate all things that are Godly. If you learn the things that they hate, those are your best weapons against them. Some of you have already found out that these demons can hide in you very tactfully, convincing you that their thinking is your thinking. Thoughts coming through your mind might seem to be yours, but when forced to manifest by the Word of God, you realize they're coming from a demon. Where the Word of God is tormenting these demons, they will manifest, and this is exactly what happened in Jesus' Presence. The Word of God forced them to manifest. (Mat.8:28) And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming forth out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way. (29) And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? If you have a repentant person and you command these demons to give their name and to manifest in some way, they will do it. If they have never been commanded to manifest, you may have never actually felt their presence. When they are commanded to do so, they will literally speak out of a person and give their name, but they'll also argue with you and lie to you. They will do all the things that demons like to do. Now it's helpful to have other people alongside, but you can deliver yourself because we have that authority. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. If you suspect something is more than just flesh, then exercise your authority and command those demons to go. Sometimes they will speak in your mind, or you'll get their name in your mind. Sometimes their names will come right out of the person's mouth. Many times, a strong, compelling desire turns out to be a demon, not the flesh, but the devil wants you to think that it is only flesh. We are in the process, called “sanctification,” of being delivered of two things: defilement of flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1). But is your spirit defiled? If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in a new, clean spirit Who is called the Spirit of Christ in you. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. This is a Christian. God says, (Eze.36:26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. 27  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes… Notice, a “new spirit” and then “My Spirit” or the Holy Spirit. You do not have a defiled spirit, so why does Scripture say to Christians, “let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit”? It's because this defilement of spirit is talking about the defilement of you by demon spirits. This is not talking about the defilement of your spirit because your spirit is the only part of you that is totally white and clean. If it is not, you are not a Christian. The defilement that we have the authority to get rid of is the defilement of our souls by the flesh and evil spirits. Do you know what “self” is in the Bible? It is a synonymous term for the word “soul.” One Gospel will say “self” and another Gospel will say “soul” in a same text in another Gospel. “Self” and “soul” are the same. We want to be delivered of all defilement of our soul by both flesh and spirits. (Col.3:5) Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; (6) for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: (7) wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; (8) but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: (9) lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, (10) and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him. The Bible tells us in (Eph.4:27) Neither give place to the devil. The Greek word “place” there is a geographic term meaning “region” or “area.” This is the exact thing God talked about when He was cleansing the Promised Land from the pagan tribes that controlled it. (Deu.7:1) When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and shall cast out many nations before thee, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than thou… All these “ites” had their demonic “gods” (Deuteronomy 32:17). If you leave a place for the lusts of the flesh to live in your land, you are going to sin because they will make you sin, so we are not to leave them any place in our land. (Deu.7:2) And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and thou shalt smite them; then thou shalt utterly destroy them: thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them; (3) neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. (4) For he will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and he will destroy thee quickly. When Jesus delivered the woman with a “spirit of infirmity” in (Luke 13:11), He said in (Luk.13:16) And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, [these] eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath? Jesus called this woman a “daughter of Abraham,” and you might think, “Well, He's just talking about Jews,” yet Jesus never called the literal, physical Jews “daughters and sons of Abraham.” These Jewish leaders and their followers were professing Abraham to be their father, but Jesus totally disagreed with them because a daughter or son of Abraham, like the woman He loosed, is someone who is truly in covenant with God. (Joh.8:38) I speak the things which I have seen with [my] Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from [your] father. (39) They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. Here's the point: “Ye would do the works of Abraham.” (Joh.8:40) But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. (41) Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God. (42) Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. (43) Why do ye not understand my speech? [Even] because ye cannot hear my word. (44) Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. Paul said the same thing; he said that people who walk by faith are the sons of Abraham. (Gal.3:7) Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. Jesus never disagreed with this. This woman who was loosed, got her deliverance because she was a daughter of Abraham. The people who were coming to Jesus were Covenant people, just as we are Covenant people. They had the right of the Covenant and therefore they got healing and deliverance from God. We are proving ourselves through this “trial in the wilderness,” through the things that we're going through, to be either sons of Abraham or sons of the devil. The Bible says in (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Sons of the devil in the world have no Covenant rights, and you're just casting the children's bread to the dogs when you try to deliver an unrepentant person (Mark 7:27). You'll have the same problem, too, if you're trying to give deliverance to a Christian who is unrepentant. We are proving who are overcomers, those who truly belong to Christ. They are going to be the ones who are proven to be the Elect of God (Philippians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:10). We can prove ourselves just as much sons of the devil by our actions as these people proved themselves sons of the devil by their actions. Jesus pointed out to them, “No, if you were of your father Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham!” Amen.

Acts 20:17-24 - Paul's Example of Unwavering Dedication The passage focuses on Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders. Paul reflects on his ministry in Ephesus, emphasizing his dedication and humility. He anticipates future hardships in Jerusalem, yet remains resolute in his mission. Paul's Resolve: "None of These Things Move Me" Paul states, "but none of these things move me," referring to impending hardships. He acknowledges his suffering and tears, but emphasizes that these do not deter him from his purpose. Paul's example is presented as a challenge to the audience to emulate his unwavering commitment. "I am in no way even close to where the Apostle Paul is. I haven't been through. I haven't suffered." "Everywhere I went, they were trying to get me. Everywhere I went, there was a price on my head. And he said, get none of that, move me." Identifying What Truly Moves Us The message explores the idea that some are easily swayed by minor inconveniences. Pastor Tommy contrasts this with Paul's steadfastness in the face of significant adversity. Pastor Tommy admits to not being at Paul's level of spiritual maturity. "I wish that stuff didn't matter to me. I do. I wish that stuff didn't matter to me. I wish the many tears and the many temptations and the things that I do go through, I wish that didn't move me as they do." Two Key Motivators for Paul Two factors that motivated Paul: Finishing his course with joy: Paul's course was set by God. He sought joy in fulfilling God's plan, despite potential afflictions. Obedience to God brings joy, even amidst worldly challenges. "What moves me is the knowledge that there is joy in the course that is set for me. That even though I go down in the spirit of the Jerusalem... that don't bother me. What I'm looking for is the joy in my course as I finish it for God. That moves me he said." Fulfilling his ministry: Paul's ministry was received from the Lord Jesus. His ministry was "to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Sharing the gospel and God's grace should motivate believers to persevere. "The same one that set my course is the same one that gave me my ministry... which I have received of the Lord Jesus." The Importance of Recognizing and Embracing One's Course The message emphasizes the importance of recognizing that God has a plan for each person. This plan may not be easy, but it is good and provides strength for the journey. Pastor Tommy references the image of two footprints, symbolizing God's presence and guidance. "He made a good course, amen. And he made a strength in you that you can go the distance. He said, I'll go with you." The Call to Self-Examination and Repentance The message concludes with a call to self-examination. Pastor Tommy encourages listeners to identify what truly moves them and to align their priorities with God's will. There is a need to repent from being moved by the wrong things and to seek God's help in being moved by what matters eternally. "Quit worrying about so much of the stuff that's here. Set our affections on things that are coming. That's what Paul was looking at. I want to finish my course with joy. That moves me. My ministry that God has given me. He said that moves me."

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

This Sunday, Pastor Di brought a raw and powerful message on one of the most overlooked but essential fruits of the Spirit: Faithfulness. In a culture of convenience, quitting, and conditional loyalty, we're reminded that Spirit-produced faithfulness isn't about feelings or fairness—it's a steady, stubborn commitment that mirrors the unshakable faithfulness of God. Through the story of Hosea, we see God's heart for His people—even in their unfaithfulness—and are challenged to reflect that same faithful love in our relationships, our commitments, and our walk with Christ.

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

(This podcast was previously recorded and published on July 30, 2020)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...    In 1982, God called my attention to the writing of the apostle Paul concerning antichrist, and where Paul spoke of the "falling away" that must come before Jesus returns, God said to me: "The falling away are not people leaving the churches but the falling away are churches departing from portions of scripture."   Then in 2016, God expanded this concept by telling me, "The restraint against antichrist was the scriptures. When churches removed scriptures and set up another doctrine, this opened the way for antichrist to move into the churches."   Here are the scriptures showing us the working of antichrist in the churches before Jesus returns.   1 John 2:18   Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.     2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (KJV)  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto HIM,   2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.   3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin (antichrist) be revealed, the son of perdition;   4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.     2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (NASB 1995)  Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness (antichrist) is revealed, the son of destruction,   4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.     2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 (NASB 1995)  And you know what restrains him (antichrist) now, so that in his time he will be revealed.   7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only HE (Jesus, the Word) who now restrains will do so until HE is taken out of the way.    8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of HIS mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of HIS coming;     2 Thessalonians 2:10-17 (KJV)   10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.   11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:   12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.   13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:   14 Whereunto HE called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.   15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.   16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ HIMSELF, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,   17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.     Titus 3:10-11   A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;   11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.     Acts 20:28-30  Paul speaking to the elders of the church at Ephesus ...   28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with HIS own blood.   29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.   30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.     Ephesians 4:4-6  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;   5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,   6 One God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all.   

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1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Acts 19:8-20 English Standard Version8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.The Sons of Sceva11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

How we love Jesus matters. Pastor Chris goes deep into what the Glorified Savior said to the church of Ephesus and how we can learn and apply for our walk with Christ and our church life.

Joel Wood June 22 2025In a world filled with confusion, brokenness, and spiritual darkness, how does real transformation happen? In Acts 18–19, the Apostle Paul enters two very different and very diffit cities — Corinth, known for its global commerce, rampant immorality and cultural corruption, and Ephesus, a hub of spiritual idolatry, magic, and political power. What happens next is nothing short of miraculous: people come to faith, lives are changed, and communities are impacted — not through flashy programs or celebrity preachers, but through the simple, powerful, personal method of discipleship. Walking with people. Teaching truth. Clarifying faith, and boldly speaking the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. No matter who you are or what you do, God has placed you where you are for a reason. And as you walk faithfully with Jesus, He will use you to help others do the same and be a part of transforming lives and communities.

Introduction      The Christian life is a supernatural life, made possible only by the indwelling Holy Spirit who empowers us to live in a manner pleasing to God. From the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit permanently resides in every believer (1 Cor 6:19; Eph 1:13-14), not merely as a passive presence, but as an active agent for transformation, guidance, conviction, and comfort. Yet, while the Spirit's presence is secure, His ministry can be either encouraged or hindered depending on our response to Him.      Scripture presents two primary warnings regarding our relationship with the Spirit: do not quench the Spirit (1 Th 5:19) and do not grieve the Spirit (Eph 4:30). These are not suggestions—they are imperatives. To quench the Spirit is to suppress His work by resisting His leading, especially through disobedience or neglect of Scripture. To grieve the Spirit is to act in ways that are morally and spiritually offensive, especially by harboring sin and ignoring His convicting ministry. Though our eternal salvation is never at risk, the enjoyment of fellowship, effectiveness in service, and spiritual vitality certainly are.      These issues are not theoretical. Every believer either walks by the Spirit or yields to the flesh (Gal 5:16-17). We are either Spirit-filled or self-directed. When sin interrupts our fellowship with God, restoration is always available through confession (1 John 1:9), and when we yield to the Spirit and allow the Word of Christ to dwell richly within us (Col 3:16), we experience spiritual fruitfulness, joy, gratitude, and power.      This study will explore what it means to not quench or grieve the Holy Spirit, the process of restoring broken fellowship when we do, and how to consistently walk in the Spirit by faith, anchored in the unchanging truths of Scripture. Our goal is not perfection in the flesh, but spiritual growth through yieldedness to the Spirit and obedience to the Word. Do not Quench the Spirit.      Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica and said, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Th 5:19). The word “quench” translates the Greek word sbennumi (σβέννυμι” which means to “stifle or suppress.”[1] The word carries the idea of dowsing water on a fire so as to extinguish it. To “quench the Spirit” is to resist His revealed will and not follow as He leads. The Holy Spirit wants to work in our lives, but we must let Him have His way, and this means yielding, or submitting to Him on a regular basis; however, the Spirit does not force us to be spiritual, therefore He can be resisted. John Walvoord states, “Quenching the Holy Spirit is to suppress, stifle, or otherwise obstruct the ministry of the Spirit to the individual. In a word it is saying ‘no' and replacing the will of the Spirit with the will of the individual.”[2] Quenching the Spirit may occur through passive neglect—such as ignoring Scripture—or through active rebellion—such as willful sin. Either way, the result is spiritual dullness, loss of discernment, and reduced effectiveness in ministry. Just as fire brings warmth, light, and energy, so too the Spirit enlivens our Christian walk; but if quenched, we forfeit His empowering presence and the blessings that come with walking in step with Him. Do not Grieve the Spirit.      To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30). The Spirit is a Person, and He is grieved with us as Christians when we sin and act contrary to His holy character. Our sin hurts our relationship with Him and hinders His work in our lives. Grieving the Spirit is a willful act on our part when we think and behave sinfully. John Walvoord writes: "The Scriptures often testify to the fact that the Spirit of God is holy and that He is a person. The indwelling presence of this holy person constitutes the body of a believer a temple of God. In the nature of the case, the presence of sin in any form grieves the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, when the Christian is exhorted to “grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30), it is an appeal to allow nothing in his life contrary to the holiness of the Spirit. It is clear that the one cause of grieving the Holy Spirit is sin. Grieving the Holy Spirit involves several factors. It is a spiritual condition characterizing unyielded Christians. The first step may well be the quenching of the Spirit, i.e., refusing to follow His leading and resisting His will. It is not an issue of salvation, as this is settled once for all when regeneration took place. The persistent resistance of the leading of the Spirit results in further departure from the will of God."[3]      When the Christian is walking as he should, according to Scripture, then the Holy Spirit can work through him to touch the lives of others. When the Christian commits sin, then the Spirit is grieved and His ministry to others is diminished, and the Spirit must then begin to work on the heart of the Christian to bring him back into fellowship. Lewis S. Chafer states, “Sin destroys spirituality. It is necessarily so; for where sin is tolerated in the believer's daily life, the Spirit, who indwells him, must then turn from His blessed ministry through him, to a pleading ministry to him.”[4] Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 917. [2] John F. Walvoord, The Holy Spirit at Work Today (Chicago, Ill. Moody Press, 1977), 28. [3] John F. Walvoord, The Holy Spirit (Chicago, Ill. JFW Publishing Trust, 2008), 200. [4] Lewis S. Chafer, He that is Spiritual, 70.

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

In this episode we look at the riot that happened amongst the silversmiths in the city of Ephesus. We look at the preaching of Paul and the revival that led up to the riot and what came of it. We also look at the unique ways that the gospel was attacking the systems and structures of the city and how our preaching of the gospel, no matter what form that may take, needs to pose the same threefold threat to the enemy and his plans!

1 Timothy 1:1–5 opens with Paul's greeting to Timothy, affirming his apostolic authority by the command of God and Christ Jesus. He urges Timothy to remain in Ephesus to confront false teachers promoting myths and speculations rather than God's redemptive plan. Paul emphasizes the goal of his instruction: love that flows from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith—highlighting the pastoral and ethical aim of sound doctrine.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/lets-talk-scripture/donations

Today we focus in on Acts chapter nineteen and the account of the apostle Paul's third missionary journey in the city of Ephesus. Today we're going to observe how the Lord, through Paul, made such an impact in this city and how we too can have a spiritually impactful life! It has to be God's way, not ours! And you can be sure the enemy will take notice and be at work too. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/621/29

I had a such a busy weekend of emotions, prayer needs, and decision making that it got me thinking about Being Lonely. How you men (and women) have shared in the past of being alone... this episode is about battling that feeling we all feel. Where is God through it all?Bible Verse(s): Romans 8:31-39; Psalm23, Genesis 40, Ephesus 3:14-21 ----------------------------------------------------------------Top 20 list at Feedspot: ⁠⁠https://podcast.feedspot.com/christian_men_podcasts/⁠⁠E: warriorwithin.christianmanhood@gmail.com|TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pastorwarriorwithinMerch Store: https://wwcm-podcast.printify.me/productsRUMBLE: https://rumble.com/user/WarriorWithinPastor-----------------------------------------------------Affiliated with Talitha Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://talitha.com/pastordido⁠⁠⁠⁠-----------------------------------------------------Track: Jim Yosef - Samurai [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds.Watch:Free Download / Stream:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://NCS.io/Samurai⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Giving comes from the heart. In the Bible, the saying "It is more blessed to give than to receive" is found in Acts 20:35. This quote is attributed to Jesus by Paul in his address to the elders of the church in Ephesus. The verse emphasizes the value and blessing associated with generosity and giving to others.  The full verse in the ESV reads: "In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" This entails our not acting cheaply or allowing ourselves to be taken advantage of by those with vastly more than us. In either case, our example will draw God's blessings and provision. But we as well will be used by God as an example of how Himself is towards us and all who would come to Him. To all my very good friends and TRUE brothers in Portugal, I have attempted as best I can to give...but my son and I have been vastly out-blessed by all of you. Being who I am-I am working to be a greater blessing to each and every one of you-and to those who would hear the Good News of Jesus Christ...With much gratituded, please listen to this episode that I recorded many and saved for a day that I had no studio...which is today; as I am in Portugal...Lastly, this episode is dedicate to my friend DAVID HICKS who is the forerunner of giving as he takes care of his medically challenged wife daily...Thank you David for being an example for the rest of us as to what it means to GIVE of YOURSELF...when it's difficult...with much love...StevenBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reason-for-truth--2774396/support.

This Father's Day at Venture Church, Pastor Morgan continues our Fruit of the Spirit series with a powerful message on Kindness—what it really is, and why it's far more than just being “nice.” In a culture that often substitutes niceness for true spiritual kindness, we're reminded that real kindness is courageous, inconvenient, and often uncomfortable. It's God's strength in action, not a weakness to hide behind. And it's not a one-time act—it's a consistent lifestyle that reflects the heart of Jesus.

In week two of In the Arena, Pastor Joby dives into Acts 19 to show us how the same gospel power that dismantled Ephesus's demonic stronghold still fights for us today. Paul didn't bring gimmicks or self-help hacks—he wielded the Spirit to rend magic books worth a fortune, ignite genuine repentance, and spark revival through worship, confession, fellowship, and generosity. But decades later, Ephesus had abandoned its first love. Jesus's tender rebuke—“Do you love me?”—reminds us that our authority flows not from programs or performance, but from a heart rooted in Christ. If you're weary of fighting in your own strength, longing to rekindle passion for Jesus, or ready to wield gospel-fueled weapons against every chain, this sermon will equip you to step into the arena and watch Him move.

We may think that making a small compromise here and there doesn't matter. But the truth is that there is inherent danger in compromising our beliefs or morals, danger that can sometimes lead to disaster. In this week's message from Revelation 2, Pastor J.D. takes us through John's letters to the churches at Ephesus and Smyrna, showing us where Jesus both commends and challenges these congregations. Jesus' warning should serve as a sobering reminder to us today: It's possible to be faithful to the doctrines and practices of Jesus while having hearts that are cold and far from him. 

Comfortable Church part 1Pastor Brad FarnsworthCore Church, a place to find the Hope, Healing, Peace, and Purpose of Jesus. We'd love to hear from you. To connect visit https://corechurch.comNeed Prayer? Submit a request at https://corechurch.com/prayer

     Christians are instructed, “do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness” (Rom 6:12-13a), “flee sexual immorality” (1 Cor 6:18), “he who steals must steal no longer” (Eph 4:28), “let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth” (Eph 4:29), “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph 4:30), “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Th 5:19), put aside “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth” (Col 3:8), “abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Pet 2:11), “make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler” (1 Pet 4:15), “do not love the world nor the things in the world” (1 John 2:15), and “little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). These commands would be pointless if it were not possible for Christians to commit all these sins. It is never the will of God that we sin (1 John 2:1), but if we sin, and “there is no man who does not sin” (1 Ki 8:46), it is God's will that we confess our sins (1 John 1:9), accept responsibility for our actions, and get back to learning God's Word (2 Tim 2:15; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18), living by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38), and pursuing holiness (1 Pet 1:15-16), and righteousness (1 Tim 6:11; 2 Tim 2:22). Consequences for Sin      It is difficult for some to understand, but when Christians sin, we are not in danger of condemnation (Rom 8:1; 35-39), we do not forfeit the free gift of eternal life (John 10:28; Rom 3:24; 6:23), and we do not cease to possess the righteousness of God that was given to us at the moment of faith in Christ (Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9). When Christians sin, we are walking in darkness and have broken fellowship with God (1 John 1:5-6), and stifle the work of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (Eph 4:30; 1 Th 5:19). If we continue in sin, or leave our sin unconfessed, we are in real danger of divine discipline from God (Psa 32:3-5; Heb 12:6; 1 John 5:16-17; cf. Dan 4:37). Even though David was forgiven for his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:13), he still faced earthly consequences that impacted him and his family (2 Sam 12:10-14). Serious sin, and ongoing sin, can eventuate in divine discipline to the point of physical death (1 John 5:16; cf., Lev 10:1-2; Acts 5:3-5; 1 Cor 11:30), as well as the loss of eternal rewards (1 Cor 3:10-15; 2 John 1:8). These are serious punishments by the Lord which impact a  believer in time and eternity; however, the sinning saint is not in danger of losing salvation.[1] The Way of Righteousness      As Christians, God calls us to “pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Tim 2:22; cf. 1 Tim 6:11), to “present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom 6:13b), and to “present your members as slaves to righteousness” (Rom 6:19a). Addressing the Christians at Ephesus, Paul wrote, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light, for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:8-10). Peter also wrote, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Pet 2:24a). Righteous living—that's what God desires from us. He wants our thoughts, words, and actions to align with His righteous character and written Word as it applies to us as Christians. But this requires positive volition and a commitment to the Lord (Rom 12:1-2), to learn His Word (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Peter 2:2) and live His Word by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38).      As Christians, God has done everything for us to live spiritually successful lives (i.e., giving a new nature, the Holy Spirit, and divine revelation). But God does not force us to live spiritually, as we must choose to live out the new life. And, like Solomon, we are always in danger of being corrupted by others (1 Cor 15:33), by Satan's world-system (1 John 2:15-16), and our fleshly natures within (Rom 13:14; Col 3:9; Gal 5:16-17; 1 John 1:8). To be faithful to the Lord to the end of our days (as God directs), one needs thinking that is properly calibrated according to Scripture (Rom 12:1-2). God has already blessed us with everything we need to live spiritually (Eph 1:3), but it's up to us to lay hold of what He's provided and to advance to spiritual maturity.      The successful Christian life starts with positive volition. Jesus said, “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself” (John 7:17). The word “willing” translates the Greek verb thelō (θέλω), which means “to desire to have or experience something.”[2] To be “willing” to know and do God's will is the starting place for our advance to spiritual maturity. Our next step is to dig into God's Word and learn it. Jeremiah expressed positive volition when he said, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart” (Jer 15:16a). A psalmist wrote, “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psa 119:103), and “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces” (Psa 119:72). Peter wrote, “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet 2:2). Learning God's Word serves as the basis for right living (Rom 12:1-2). But once we learn it, we must walk in it, which means applying it to our life, and this by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6). Ezra is a good example of a believer who learned and lived God's Word, as it is written, “Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). This is the proper order. When a Christian has a right will (orthothely), and operates with right thinking (orthodoxy), it establishes the basis for right behavior (orthopraxy). Positive volition, divine viewpoint thinking, and the walk of faith is what the Lord wants.      As God's people, let us constantly learn His Word (Psa 1:2-3; Ezra 7:10; 2 Tim 2:15; 1 Pet 2:2), recalibrate our thinking to align with Scripture (Rom 12:1-2), discipline our minds (2 Cor 10:5), live by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), confess our sins as needed (1 John 1:9), be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16), submit ourselves to the Lord (Jam 4:7), do good (Gal 6:10), serve others (Phil 2:3-4), rejoice always (1 Th 5:16), pray without ceasing (1 Th 5:17), be thankful in everything (1 Th 5:18), maintain fellowship with other Christians (Heb 10:25), share our wealth to promote Christian ministry (1 Tim 6:17-19), and advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1). If we do this, we'll glorify the Lord, bless others, and live righteously as God's expects. Conclusion      In conclusion, we must be clear: eternal life is secured by grace through faith in Christ, not by perseverance in works or moral consistency. Though a true believer may tragically fall into grievous sin—like Solomon, David, or the Corinthian Christians—their eternal security remains anchored in the unchanging promises of God and the finished work of Christ (John 10:28; Rom 8:1). What is at stake is fellowship with God in time, our witness before others, spiritual fruitfulness, eternal rewards, and divine discipline that can range from loving correction to severe consequences (1 Cor 3:15; 11:30-32; Heb 12:6). We do not minimize the seriousness of sin, but neither should we confuse it with a loss of salvation. Instead of living in fear of condemnation, we should be motivated by love, gratitude, and reverence to walk in obedience and grow in grace (2 Pet 3:18). Let us pursue righteousness—not to keep what was never ours to earn—but to honor the One who saved us, and to reflect His character in this fallen world. Steven R. Cook, D.Min, M.Div., B.Sc.     [1] Even when the prodigal son lived in the world (Luke 15:11-13), and though he lived like an unbeliever, he never ceased to be a son (Luke 15:14-16), and when he came to his senses and returned home (Luke 15:17-19), his father recognized him as his son and welcomed him back (Luke 15:20-24). A child of God is always a child of God, even if we fall into worldly living. [2] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 287.

Earthquakes and volcanoes; Trees of Knowledge and Life; Fleeing the light; Hebrew Letters have meaning; "Earth" = "Erets" = aleph-resh-tzedek; Gimel = cause and effect; Divine design; Why does God allow xxxxxx?; "logos" vs "rhema"; Healing the demoniac; Learning from Genesis; Nimrod the hunter?; Human resources; Cities; Idolatry; Mighty?; Gimel-biet-resh; Returning to the Tree of Life; Cow story; Giving your live to others; Respecters of persons; Socialism; Benefactors exercising authority; Laws for Adam and Eve; Eden; Gen 26:5 Commandment; Fortress/snare?; Bondage; "Person"; vs Individual; Mem-tzdek-vav-hey; Flowing righteousness; Abraham's obedience; "Torah" = Tav-resh-hey; Law of faith; Men of the city; Natural Law = Right Reason; "God"?; LORD vs Lord; God's voice; His will; The Way of righteousness; Blessings/curses; Learning to be Israel; "Beersheba"; Denying your snares; Gen 26:25; "Gerar"; Obeying God; Gen 22:1 Tempting Abraham; Moriah?; Mem-vav-resh-yod-hey; Place where spirit of God flows; Lifting eyes = seeing more; "Worship"; Membership; Covetous practices; Tempt (Naca) = prove? Test, try; Mark of the Beast; Torment?; Violence?; The solution; Sacrifice; Will of God; State of prayer; Sticking to what's right; Evil revealing itself; Garden = protected place; Wells of righteousness; Angel of the LORD?; Today's Israel; Doing the will of the Father; Possessing gates?; Lot in Sodom's gates; God's many of Babylon; God's arrangement; Following diving spark (yod); Burnt offerings; Modern churches ruling over you; Gen 22:20; Abraham dwelling at Beersheba; Building altars; Nahor; Statues?; Insurance company story; Terah's position; Authority; The greatest destroyer of liberties; Nahor's children; Lessons for you; Bondage of Egypt; Moses echoing Abraham; Shem's blessing for Abraham; "I AM"; "aleph" = relationship of God and man; The ways of God; Seeing curses as blessings; Constantine's church; Early councils; Temple at Ephesus; Doing what Christ said to do; Melchizedek; Acting upon what you see; Learn to be Israel.

The Church at Ephesus had solid theology, sharp discernment, and a strong work ethic. But Jesus saw something they had missed—they had abandoned their first love. In this week's message, we look at what happens when passion is replaced by performance, when right beliefs are no longer fueled by a deep love for Christ.This isn't just about Ephesus—it's about us.Are we still in love with the Savior, or just busy with His work?Jesus' call is clear: “Remember, repent, and return.”Let's talk about how we come back to the love that started it all.6.8.25 - Message 3

When the fire fell in Ephesus, everything changed. In this powerful message, Pastor Corey Erman dives into the Ephesian Revival—a move of God that shook culture, crushed idols, and turned a whole city toward Jesus. Get ready for the same Holy Ghost power to shake your world today! “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.” – Acts 19:20To support this ministry and help us reach the nations with revival visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RiverWPB.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or text GIVE and any amount to (855) 968-3708.

Acts 19 describes the apostle Paul's disruption to the city of Ephesus. Paul's testimony about Jesus turned many away from the local cults, threatening the income of the silversmiths who were creating statues for idol worship. These craftsmen could not hear Paul's message because they were too fixated on how it impacted their work.  Jesus ... The post Financial Conflict appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

16 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. Ecclesiastes 3:16-1818 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.John 1:18This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.Psalm 18:10“The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.Deuteronomy 32:4“God alone is good essentially. Other things are good by participation.”Thomas AquinasIt [John 8:1-11] was omitted because of a prudish fear that it would encourage adultery.Thomas Aquinas1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”John 8:1-1115 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning,[d] when he has never studied?” 16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone's will is to do God's[e] will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.John 7:15-193 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.John 8:3-610 “If a man commits adultery with the wife of[a] his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 20:10Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.John 7:24You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.Matthew 7:56 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.John 8:6WHAT KIND OF JUDGE IS JESUS?HARSHLENIENTWILL JESUS JUDGE WITH THE LAW? (NO MERCY)WILL JESUS THROW AWAY THE LAW? (NO MORALS)JESUS' JUDGEMENT IS NOT HARSH OR LENIENT; IT'S PERECT“There is no mistake in God's court. No flaw in His evidence, no error in His verdict, and no miscarriage in His sentence.”Charles SpurgeonHE LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.John 8:6O Lord, the hope of Israel,    all who forsake you shall be put to shame;those who turn away from you[c] shall be written in the earth,    for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.Jeremiah 17:13Their names shall be written in the earth. This is what I think He wrote, linking their names with sins of their past. Perhaps He wrote the name of a woman living in Rome. One old pious Pharisee had had an affair in Rome when he was a young fellow. His wife didn't know about it; no one in Jerusalem knew about it; but our Lord knew that old rascal. AS He just wrote the name of the old woman, the old Pharisee came over and saw—and suddenly remembered that he had another appointment. Perhaps one of the scribes made regular trips to Ephesus, a great sinning place, to a certain address over there which Jesus wrote in the sand. The scrub looked and said, “Oh, my gracious!” He left hurriedly. Another scribe may have left a girl in Galilee who was pregnant. He didn't marry her, and he didn't think anyone knew. Our Lord wrote the name of the girl and the scribe's name with it.J. Vernon McGeeSecret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven.J. Vernon McGee9 What then? Are we Jews[a] any better off?[b] No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.Romans 3:9-11HE POURS OUT GRACE10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you;John 8:10-11Is Jesus reversing the Mosaic system? No. He is placing His cross between that women and her sin.HE COMMANDS A CHANGED LIFE“Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”John 8:11...

We're in Revelation chapter 2, and we're reading a letter that the Lord dictated to the messenger of the Church of Ephesus. To this Church leader, Jesus commended him that the Church hated the same things that He hated--compromise! mixing Christianity with... Join us!

Near the end of his life, the Apostle John, pastor of the church in Ephesus, wrote believers “a family letter” to teach them how to stand firm against heresy, to walk in the light, and grow closer to God. See how these principles still apply to us today.

"St Cyril was... from Alexandria, born about the year 376, the nephew of Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who also instructed the Saint in his youth. Having first spent much time with the monks of Nitria, he later became the successor to his uncle's throne in 412. In 429, when Cyril heard tidings of the teachings of the new Patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius, he began attempting through private letters to bring Nestorius to renounce his heretical teachings about the Incarnation; and when the heresiarch did not repent, Saint Cyril, together with Pope Celestine of Rome, led the Orthodox opposition to his error. Saint Cyril presided over the Third Ecumenical Council of the 200 holy Fathers in the year 431, who gathered in Ephesus under Saint Theodosius the Younger. At this Council, by his most wise words he put to shame and convicted the impious doctrine of Nestorius, who, although he was in town, refused to appear before Cyril. Saint Cyril, besides overthrowing the error of Nestorius, has left to the Church full commentaries on the Gospels of Luke and John. Having shepherded the Church of Christ for thirty-two years, he reposed in 444." (Great Horologion)   Today we commemorate St Cyril's repose. He is also commemorated on January 18, the date of his restoration to his see in Alexandria after he had been driven out by Nestorians.

In this week's message, Pastor Brandon continues our Fruit of the Spirit series with a powerful and honest teaching on one of the hardest virtues to live out—Patience. From the story of a boy planting a mango seed to reflections on real-life frustrations, this message brings biblical truth and relatable humor together to show us what patience truly means. We learn that patience isn't passive—it's active trust in God through waiting, enduring, and loving others the way Jesus loves us.

Send us a textPaul's letter to the believers in the city of Ephesus, is very instructive for the person sincerely desiring a closer relationship with Jesus.  In this chapter we find many concrete instructions for believers that if implemented draw us closer to our Lord.  

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comActs 20 Paul continues his journey, traveling through Macedonia and Greece and encouraging the believers. He stops in Troas, where the Christians “break bread," and he preaches until midnight. During his sermon, a young man named Eutychus falls asleep, tumbles out of the window, and dies. Paul revives him, demonstrating incredible power from God. Later, Paul meets with the elders from Ephesus in Miletus for an emotional farewell. He reflects on his ministry, emphasizing his faithfulness in proclaiming the gospel despite facing trials. He warns them to guard their flock against false teachers and to care for the church, which was purchased with Christ's blood. Paul's heartfelt goodbye includes prayers and tears as he commends them to the word of God's grace and encourages them to actively help the weak among them. This chapter's use of "we” pronouns suggests that the author, Luke, accompanies Paul on this journey, adding credibility to the book of Acts. Luke documents a Sunday gathering, the purpose of which was to gather together to "break bread.” This example implies a Sunday observance of the Lord's Supper, which we still honor today. Preaching until midnight is less common now, as it can lead to dangerous sleep incidents! Eutychus's revival after falling serves as a testament to God's mercy and power. Paul's meeting with the Ephesian elders establishes another model for churches today: elders within local congregations attending to the spiritual needs of their flock. Elders are to be students of the word and supporters of the weak among them.  Benevolent Father, we praise You for the abundant gifts of grace provided through Your Son. We thank You for the perfect and indestructible word that reveals so many beautiful truths to us. We pray for wisdom in studying the word and seeking guidance on how to honor You. May we draw from Acts 20 the importance of gathering on Sundays to partake of the Lord's Supper together. Instill in our hearts a yearning for fellowship. Father, please bless our local churches with devoted elders. Work on all our hearts, shaping us to love the flock and serve in Jesus' honor.  Thought Questions: -       Disciples planned to meet to break bread and study. How important is that example in how you build your weekly schedule around Jesus? -       Paul shared his personal resolve before instructing elders. How important is your own walk of faith as you hope to then teach others? -       The elders were told to stay alert, study well, and help the weak among them. How can you help the local eldership accomplish these goals?

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comActs 19 Paul's third journey takes him to Ephesus, where he stays for two years. He first meets disciples who had only experienced John's baptism. He teaches them about the Holy Spirit from God and baptizes them in Jesus' name. Paul then lays hands on them, imparting the power of the Holy Spirit. Extraordinary miracles occur through Paul, demonstrating God's limitless power. Later, some exorcists attempt to invoke Jesus' name without true faith and are overpowered by a demonic spirit, leading many to renounce occult practices and burn their sorcery books. Paul's teachings about Jesus ultimately challenge the idol-making trade, angering a craftsman named Demetrius. A riot breaks out as many of the people worship a goddess named Artemis. After two hours, the town clerk finally calms the crowd, and the mob disperses. Like Apollos in chapter 18, Paul encounters individuals with incomplete knowledge of Christ and His will. He teaches them the full truth of the gospel, leading them to be “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” These accounts guide us in how to help believers with limited understanding. Paul asks questions to discern their beliefs and explains God's truth simply and clearly. He wisely reasons with others, avoiding an adversarial approach, and this leads to “the word of the Lord growing mightily and prevailing.” Share the word with kindness, building on the truth people already know. Though this may provoke opposition, trust in God's protection and blessings as you faithfully carry out His mission and share His love. Holy Lord, may Your will be done in our lives. Use us as messengers of truth, accepting opportunities to fulfill what is lacking in others' hearts. Thank You for Your perfect word to guide us and for Your protective power that gives peace and courage. Refute those who distract from the gospel and soften their hearts to obey and be saved. Disperse the crowds who let idolatry fuel anger and who lash out at Your people. We trust You are in control and that Your word will spread mightily. Strengthen us to engage faithfully in the work of sharing Your gospel.  Thought Questions: -       What is your attitude toward believers with incomplete knowledge about God? How can Paul's example impact how you interact with them? -       The sorcerers' failings opened people's eyes to see the truth. Are you ready to guide people to the truth when the lies of the world fail them? -       Demetrius was furious as the gospel was a threat to his income. Why does money so often affect how people respond to God's will?

Paul makes his farewell to the Church at Ephesus, and the people respond with heartfelt emotion and concern. (Lectionary #299) June 4, 2025 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com  

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comActs 18 The apostle Paul continues his second missionary journey, focusing on Corinth, where he meets Aquila and Priscilla, Jewish tentmakers expelled from Rome. Paul stays with them, working as a tentmaker while teaching in the synagogue every Sabbath. Although some oppose him, Paul stays committed, preaching to Jews and Gentiles and guiding many to Christ, including a leader of the synagogue named Crispus. God instructs Paul in a vision to stay in Corinth, promising his protection, and Paul teaches there for eighteen months. Afterward, he travels to Ephesus, where he teaches briefly before completing his journey to Caesarea and Antioch. Meanwhile, Apollos, an eloquent preacher in Ephesus, is taught more accurately about the gospel by Aquila and Priscilla. Apollos goes on to powerfully refute the Jews in defense of Jesus as Christ.  Paul's time in Corinth serves as a guide for sharing the gospel today. He reasoned with religious individuals who were misinformed about the truth; some believed, like the synagogue leader, while others resisted. When opposition arose, Paul turned to the Gentiles, sharing the gospel with many who embraced it. God protected and used him in this work. We should engage with believers who lack the full truth, as Priscilla and Aquila later did with Apollos. This is meaningful work for God. However, if they refuse to listen, do not stop teaching about Jesus—focus your efforts on people who have yet to know the Lord. There is always an opportunity and a need to share the truth about Jesus Christ.   Benevolent Lord, thank You for providing us with all we need to carry out Your will in this life. Paul found companions such as Priscilla and Aquila, Silas, and Timothy on his journey. Thank You for the faithful workers who have been there to assist us in serving You. Help us to lean on them, learn from them, and be of help to them as we all strive to stand strong for Jesus and share His beloved gospel with the world. Many do not want to listen, and we often feel discouraged. Encourage us to keep working by Your grace.   Thought Questions: -       The most common instruction in scripture is in today's read, “Do not be afraid” (v9). Why not? Is God with you? How do you know? -       Gallio, like many Gentile leaders, had little interest in the gospel. Why is it so difficult for people in power to surrender to Christ? -       What does it say about Apollos that he listened to correction and altered his teaching? Is that something you may also have to do?