Podcasts about forgive

After Erica's brother passes away she asks for her Sister In-law Jenna's Ring Back

Bible reading John 17:6-19; (NIV84)

On today's episode, Anthony Trucks sits down with Better Together's back-up quarterback for an incredibly moving interview FULL of so many “aha” moments and breakthroughs. We talk how to navigate relationships and how forgiving those who have wronged you can actually be healing. Anthony also teaches us how to eliminate guilt and create a work-life harmony that will lead us towards creating a more balanced, well-rounded life. Resources: Website: https://anthonytrucks.com/ Buy Anthony's book here: https://identityshiftbook.com/ IG: @anthonytrucks Listen to his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aww-shift/id1453722690 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/better-together-w-maria/support

Bible reading John 17:1-5; (NIV84)

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Bible reading John 16:16-33; (NIV84)

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It's natural to have moments – even in the course of a generally happy, mostly fulfilling life – where we question our meaning, value, and purpose. This "existential dread" sometimes culminates in an "existential crisis." Today Dr. Rick and Forrest Hanson consider how we can confront these basic questions with acceptance and curiosity, and find the meaning and purpose that can help us live good lives.Watch the Episode: Prefer watching to listening? You  can watch this episode on YouTube.Key Topics:0:00 Introduction2:35 Meaning and purpose as the basis for Existentialism5:20 Four basic issues of existence7:00 Practical reasons for exploring Existentialism10:50 Forrest's childhood acceptance of death.12:00 Four approaches to confronting existential frailty13:45 Rick's orientation to existential dread and its three psychological challenges15:45 Rick's personal experience confronting ambivalence and asking the point of living20:25 Confronting an existential crisis as a catapult into a meaningful life22:45 Morbid preoccupation as avoidance and self-ing23:45 The three major whys of living: pleasure, service, and learning26:10 What death can teach us about living a good life31:30 Waves and water - resting in gratitude for life and it's inevitable ending36:15 Humor in the space of emptiness between living things39:10 Natural fear vs. anticipatory dread43:10 Finding your why when familiar structures break down48:35 Recap and front porch meditationSupport the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.Sponsors:Find the new CBD+ performance gummies and the whole dosist health line-up today at dosisthealth.com. Use promo code BEINGWELL20 for 20% off your purchase. Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world's largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month! Want to sleep better? Try the legendary Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription.Connect with the show:Subscribe on iTunesFollow Forrest on YouTubeFollow us on InstagramFollow Forrest on InstagramFollow Rick on FacebookFollow Forrest on FacebookVisit Forrest's website 

In this episode, Caleb talks about how loving Jesus helps us to forgive others. Forgiveness is hard, but when we choose to reflect on how much we have been forgiven, it is much simpler to forgive others./// ORDER THE BOOK! "Simply Love Jesus" the book is available now! https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Love-Jesus-Caleb-Davis/dp/1737781409/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=simply+love+jesus&qid=1637558337&sr=8-2/// YOUTUBE Follow us on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cVL62SNq-A/// SOCIAL MEDIA: What did you think of this episode? You can follow us on social media through Instagram or Twitter by searching @sljministries. You can follow Caleb S. Davis by searching him @calebsdavis.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sljministries)

Bible reading John 15:26-16:15; (NIV84)

There are many commands in the Bible that don't make sense. For example - God tells us to love our enemies. That doesn't make sense. It would make more sense to get even with our enemies. God tells us to forgive people who hurt us. That doesn't make sense. It would make more sense to hurt them back. God tells us to surrender our hearts and trust Him fully. That doesn't make sense because so many of us feel like surrender is a sign of defeat. These commands of God make most of us think - "Say what? What does God want me to do?" So - in our "Say What?" series we'll explore some of the commands of God that don't make sense and how to engage them.

TO FORGIVE OR NOT TO FORGIVE

Bible reading John 15:9-25; (NIV84)

Do you have deep wounds from perhaps family members, friends, coworkers, or bosses? Wounds that, left unchecked, grow roots of bitterness and resentment. It is difficult to forgive and to properly heal from those wounds, but it is where freedom is found. If this is you or you want to help others achieve this in their lives, listen in and we hope you are blessed by this episode!

The Snap! Fantasy Football Podcast is back with an episode packed full of NEW Segments! The boys get into ALL the news from this past week that we need to get discuss. Mack & Lando get into the Thanksgiving games, and the injuries of D'Andre Swift & Darren Waller. The boys are getting ready for the fantasy players and debate the players you need to FORGIVE or FORGET. Want to be a part of our fantasy community? Need advice for your drafts, trades, and upcoming waivers? Join our DISCORD group by following the attached link to get year-round advice FOR FREE! https://discord.gg/ZMVQkVefN3 Subscribe to us on YouTube! & Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts! If you've been listening for a while, please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts! If you're new to the show, hit that subscribe button. It's free to you and means the world to us!

Hey this is the season you let it go. Whatever you have done, didn't do, said, shouldn't have said, went, shouldn't of went , WHATEVER! This is the season love. Let it go and forgive Yourself. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Bible reading John 14:25-15:8; (NIV84)

The daily distribution consists of different recovery quotes daily from various resources, including; Twenty-Four Hours a Day, A.A. Thought for the Day, Daily Reflections, Big Book Quote, Just for Today, As Bill Sees It, plus more! This podcast is a short daily audio provided by the online recovery group Transitions Daily. Transitions Daily also distributes this same content in a daily email with a secret Facebook group for discussion. Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information. Do you want to stop drinking? Have you ever listened to sobriety podcasts? Does alcoholism or addiction run in your family? Have you tried Alcoholics Anonymous or the 12 Steps of A.A.? Are you considering how to get sober? Are you seriously thinking about sobriety for the first time? Is alcohol controlling your life as never before? If so, you will definitely want to check out this recovery podcast.

Hello beautiful folks this episode is completely late this was recorded in October it is now the day after thanksgiving

We don’t think of forgiveness as the path to Thanksgiving, but we should. This time of thankfulness is a great time to offer forgiveness and mend broken relationships. Share your stories, prayer requests, or your response to this video in the comments below. If you would like to know more about who we are, what we believe, or when we meet, visit http://newlife.church.

This conversation meanders through the different symbolism both of us see when we think of the lantern. For Sarah, it's time alone and going within. For me it's a reminder about how intuition really works like a lantern. And we freak out because it's not like an overhead light you can switch on whenever you want to see everything going on. What does it mean to you?? Join us!Sarah is an oracle reader, an intuitive coach, and a certified hypnotherapist. She founded Intuitive Empowerment to remind others of their power by claiming and living the power of their own unique intuitive gifts. More about Sarah and her gifts:Website: Intuitive EmpowermentPodcast: Lit For SpiritInstagram: Intuitive EmpowermentSarah's first PLD episode - #47Sarah's first PLD Oracle episode - #58.  .  .  .  .  .You can support the podcast if you're feeling giving or thankful:Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.Share this episode with a friend who would be interested in this conversation.Thank you for listening, your emails sharing parts of your stories, and for the reviews. I am so thankful for these conversations and for you!About Jina Seavall  / /  Jina has been helping people feel more in tune with their true nature and vitality since 2002. Using hypnosis and regression, Jina guides clients to experience and learn from Past Lives and their Spirit Guides so they can make the most of this life. More resources for you below! Grab Your At-Home Past Life Journey (Free!): https://www.pastlivesandthedivine.com/past-life-journey-at-homeVirtual Sessions // work 1-on-1 with me: https://www.pastlivesandthedivine.com/schedulePeruse the shop! Hypnosis at home: https://www.pastlivesandthedivine.com/shopHave a Question? Submit it anonymously here, and I will work to answer it in a future episode! https://www.pastlivesandthedivine.com/ask-a-questionFollow Jina on Instagram: @pastlives.tourguideCheck the Hypnosis Shop!I've made the hypnosis shop more inclusive and aligned with my beliefs and values. This process of making things in my business more inclusive is ongoing and this is the latest.For those who identify as BIPOC, L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+, or are experiencing financial hardship, you can use coupon code PEACEFUL for a discount on the hypnosis tracks in the shop. Tell your friends! :)

In this episode we discuss and ask the question: what is interfaith ministry? Can interfaith ministries bring us together in a unique way to allow for us all to connect ourselves through the universe? Is it true that we are all connected to one another? Stay tuned because we're going to talk to an interfaith minister and discuss different world religions and what they each teach us about living our life to the fullest; the similarities and differences, as well as contemplate the key takeaways! My guest In This Episode Jerry Zehr he is an ordained minister and has been a leader in Interfaith ministries for over 35 years. He has helped create four interfaith organizations, including the Carmel Interfaith Alliance and the Indiana Multifaith Network. Jerry leads workshops, retreats, and speaks at events on different aspects of Walking the Enlightened Path, Developing Inner Peace, Learning to Forgive, and Building Understandings of Different Faith Traditions. Find out more about Jerry everything that he and his ministry have to offer at https://beforeyougopodcast.com  

Bible reading John 14:15-24; (NIV84)

Bible reading John 13:33-14:14; (NIV84)

Our debt to God is more infinitely greater than any person's debt to us. When we truly experience God's Forgiveness for our sins, it will transform us into forgiving others. Randy Alcorn

Happy Holidays to you and yours! Don't let another second go by without reaching out to your loved ones during these times. Forgive, release, heal and love hard! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ortandia/support

Their husbands went out of town for work, so they decided to have a girls' night out...but now she won't forgive one of her closest friends for what she did. She partied with some dude all night and ended up CHEATING on her husband!Should she move past it, forget about it because it's not her business, or is she allowed to feel disgusted? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-bert-show.

Jesus instructs us to forgive and gives the roadmap to follow. It is a process of letting go of the garbage of hurts against you that block the pathway of communication between you and God. When the love of God is in us, we find ourselves asking Him to have mercy on those who have wronged us. Cleaning the pathway of communication through prayer and faith brings the freedom that makes us overcomers instead of victims. Matthew 16:11-15, Matthew 18:21-35 VF-2210 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2021 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved

Bible reading John 13:21-32; (NIV84)

Join Kinship for 2022! LINKS TO ALL THE FUN:~ Learn more about Kinship ~~ Get a discount on Kinship ~~ Sign up for the workshop Getting To Know Your Spirit Guides ~Listening after Dec 2, 2021? Get on my email list so you don't miss fun things like this in the future - here!. . . . . .Support this Podcast! Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.Share this episode with a friend who would be interested in this conversation.Thank you for listening, your emails sharing parts of your stories, and for the reviews. I am so thankful for these conversations and for you!About Jina Seavall  / /  Jina has been helping people feel more in tune with their true nature and vitality since 2002. Using hypnosis and regression, Jina guides clients to experience and learn from Past Lives and their Spirit Guides so they can make the most of this life. More resources for you below! Grab Your At-Home Past Life Journey (Free!): https://www.pastlivesandthedivine.com/past-life-journey-at-homeVirtual Sessions // work 1-on-1 with me: https://www.pastlivesandthedivine.com/schedulePeruse the shop! Hypnosis at home: https://www.pastlivesandthedivine.com/shopHave a Question? Submit it anonymously here, and I will work to answer it in a future episode! https://www.pastlivesandthedivine.com/ask-a-questionFollow Jina on Instagram: @pastlives.tourguideCheck the Hypnosis Shop!I've made the hypnosis shop more inclusive and aligned with my beliefs and values. This process of making things in my business more inclusive is ongoing and this is the latest.For those who identify as BIPOC, L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+, or are experiencing financial hardship, you can use coupon code PEACEFUL for a discount on the hypnosis tracks in the shop. Tell your friends! :)

Click here for a machine-generated transcript. Blake Hill is an over achiever with an easy going attitude. Talking to him, you get the sense of a calm guy going with the flow, but underneath, he is paddling like crazy to get to the next big wave. After surviving a stroke, the turbulence in his life continued to increase, to the point where he was biking up a mountain in Canada and knew it was time to write Westfalia. We explore the events leading up to his mainly auto-biographical novel in this episode. To listen to episode, click the player above or click this link. About Blake Hill Blake is often thought of as a quiet person. Put a strong cup of good coffee in him and he becomes a chatter box. Although quiet on the surface his brain is always engaged and bounces from thought to thought. If you ask him his greatest accomplishment in life. It would be his role as Dad. Blake has two amazing children. He has spent countless hours flying on airplanes and traveling the world with his pro-surfer son. They have chased waves from California to Europe, Mexico, Indonesia, Japan, Australia and countless other destinations. He's the proud dad of a daughter who's strong and independent with a passion for dance. Blake's professional life began in the movie business doing lighting for movies and TV shows. During this time period he would balance working on set with cultivating his passion for writing. His day would typically begin at 3am. He honed his craft for writing screenplays while also working on the set of movies. Over the years he amassed a collection of ten screenplays and a children's book along with having his poetry published many times. Once his children were born he chose to quit the movie business and focus on his kids. This was truly an amazing time in his life and a true gift from the universe. He is truly grateful to have had so much time with his children while they were growing up. There's an adventurous spirit that lives within his soul. He's been riding motorcycles since he could walk. He's raced motocross, hare n' hounds and spent days riding across the Mojave Desert and camping under the stars. His rides across the USA have taken him through blizzards, tornadoes, and across the Arctic circle. His passion for life was dimmed one day when he encountered a stroke. It was as if a light switch had been turned off. This experience was beyond humbling and fueled his passion for living even more. He's not only physically strong but he's mentally fit. The stroke tested his will and mental fortitude. He kept the event private with only a few friends knowing about his mental capacity. He was challenged by the everlasting question of; how are you feeling? His focus was on healing and getting his memory back. He didn't want the constant reminder of what had happened. His physical self is truly one hundred percent. His mental self is challenged occasionally with loss of memory. He is extremely grateful to be where he is today on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. Blake's typical day begins at 4am with an awesome cup of coffee, splashed with cream while spending some quiet time with his two dogs. He works out with free weights, resistance bands, hikes with his dogs and tries to surf every day. He believes that keeping active mentally and physically is the key to happiness. He's 55 years old and with each and every wave he surfs, he strives to ride the next one better than the last. He truly feels blessed for his amazing life. You can find Westphalia at Amazon* or wherever you find your books. Writing Practice Blake's method of writing combines old school and new. He starts with a distraction-free environment. To keep himself in the mindset of writing every time, he listens to the same music -- Jackson Browne's Solo Acoustic Volumes 1 and Volume 2.* He also does all his drafts on yellow legal pads. These habitual behaviors help ease the brain into writing mode.  It's another way of leveraging the power of neuroplasticity -- the nerves that fire together, wire together. By reinforcing these patterns repeatedly, it makes it easier to write in the future. Then, he takes his handwritten drafts and types them up. As he types them in to the computer, he's doing a first editing pass. Visualization Blake talks about the importance of visualization. He describes how athletes learn to enhance their performance by visualizing that performance. In their mind they go through the movements, activities, and successful results. The idea is that parts of he brain can't distinguish between actually doing a thing and visualizing doing a thing. You get extra practice.  Last year, Peter Levine, author of Stronger After Stroke, talked about the same thing. Peter talked about it from thew scientific/medical perspective. According to studies with FMRI machines, when you watch someone walk or run, you activate the same part of the brain that lights up when you actually walk or run. Imagining the activity gives you similar results to doing the activity. The best parts of visualization is that it's free and completely harmless. There is no downside and there is a significant upside. So when you have a few moments or hours as you try to get back a limb or control your jaw, take some time to imagine yourself doing it again and again. To learn more, listen to my interview with Peter G Levine in this episode. Hack of the Week Blake talked about his strategy for dealing with the massive life changes after a stroke. Accept where you are. You can start to fix a situation or otherwise address it. Process it. Spend some time with the situation and feel your feelings about it. Ignoring your feelings isn't going to help. Forgive yourself for your feelings. If your feelings are counterproductive, that's okay. Forgive yourself for feeling that way. Then you can work on the situation or reality that you are in. Visualize where you want to be. Leverage the power of your brain to engage your natural neuroplasticity. Figure out how you want your life to look, and visualize your life that way and your abilities that way. Do it again and again. Use your mantra. A preferred phrase or mantra can help you center yourself and bring your mind back to focusing on your priorities and where you want to be. Links Helpful resources for more information. (If you don't see the links below, visit http://Strokecast.com/ByBlakeHill) Where do you want to go from here? Learn more about Blake and his work at ByBlakeHill.com and connect with him on Instagram @ByBlakeHill Share this episode with someone you know by giving them the link http://Strokecast.com/ByBlakeHill Subscribe to the free Strokecast email Newsletter at Strokecast.com/News Don't get best…get better

The listener requested topic this week is forgiveness. Stephie and Jaime discuss how to forgive, even in really difficult situations. In this episode, they look at what the Bible says about forgiveness and if it is appropriate to distance from the person who hurt you. Stephie and Jaime both have experienced wounds in their lives and discuss how they have reached, or are trying to reach, a place of forgiveness. Listen in to be challenged and encouraged this week! As always, keep the faith, and see the joy. Follow us on instagram at: @joyunseenpodcast @stephieclement @jaimemcguire_ 

Bible reading John 13:1-20; (NIV84)

In this episode Brennen and Eddie cover the encounter of Joseph revealing himself to his brothers. In this encounter we see astonishing forgiveness and reconciliation. The guys share how Joseph's theology ultimately leads to this. Check out our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/Supplementthefaith

Her 3-year-old son is autistic. When he gets overwhelmed, he'll let his parents know through certain cues. Last year during Thanksgiving, her son was overwhelmed by the volume of the TV.She asked her sister o turn it down, but she dismissed her son by saying, "he's fine." This pissed our listener off, and she hasn't spoken to her sister since this incident.Her sister's tried to make amends, but she's not sure if she should forgive her or not. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-bert-show.

This week, Travis-T & Cartoon Joe talk about Travis-T's recent interaction with online dating. After he forgets where they left off, they wrap up the show with the most recent chapter of The Phantom Tollbooth. Season 5 brings you the F.N. Book Club! - The Phantom Tollbooth As always, this episode was brought to you by: Carter Comics - CarterComics.Com - Comment "This Freakin Show" or "FreakNet" to save 10% on your order & Audible.com - Audibletrial.com/freaknet  - Get a 30 Day Free Trial of Audible!!! & Ballwash.com - Ballwash.com - Discount code "freaknet" to save 15% on your order!   We Have Merchandise!!!! Check out our merch at www.TeePublic.com by searching "TFS"   This Freakin Show is now part of Freak Net Studios!! Facebook: Freak Net Studios Instagram: @freaknetstudios YouTube: Freak Net Studios   Follow the Podcast on Social Media: Twitter: @thisfreakinshow Facebook: This Freakin' Show Instagram: @thisfreakinshow Email us: thisfreakinshow@yahoo.com Website: ThisFreakinShow.com Like our Theme Song? Check out Ripley Street for more!

How can we aim high, achieve our goals, and get what we want out of life without falling prey to unhealthy striving and excessive perfectionism? Dr. Diana Hill joins Dr. Rick and Forrest Hanson to explore the costs of perfectionism, productivity anxiety, psychological flexibility, calming the threat system, and how we can go from striving to thriving. About Our Guest: Dr. Diana  Hill specializes in evidence-based and compassion-focused approaches to living well. She has a thriving private practice in Santa Barbara, CA, is the author of the ACT Daily Journal, and is one of the hosts of the Psychologists Off the Clock Podcast.Watch the Episode: Prefer watching to listening? You  can watch this episode on YouTube.Key Topics:0:00 Introduction2:00 Dr. Hill's personal journey4:40 Signs of unhealthy striving6:50 Recognizing striving in the body12:50 Signs of being in a healthier place around striving16:15 What drives perfectionism and how to develop comfort with difficult experiences22:20 Psychological flexibility and how to see your experience more clearly26:35 Social and internalized factors in the search for approval 34:55 Practical ways to develop psychological flexibility38:00 Inner freedom and choice within discomfort45:30 Exposure therapy and cognitive diffusion for releasing control and anxiety55:00 The middle way and climbing the mountains that are important to you.59:50 RecapSupport the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.Sponsors:Find the new CBD+ performance gummies and the whole dosist health line-up today at dosisthealth.com. Use promo code BEINGWELL20 for 20% off your purchase. Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world's largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month! Want to sleep better? Try the legendary Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription.Connect with the show:Subscribe on iTunesFollow Forrest on YouTubeFollow us on InstagramFollow Forrest on InstagramFollow Rick on FacebookFollow Forrest on FacebookVisit Forrest's website 

Bible reading 2 Kings 24-25.

Today we're talking FORGIVENESS. Not "forgive and forget" nonsense - forgive and ACCEPT. You deserve to be at peace. It's time to be okay with forgiving who you are and forgiving who you once were. Follow me on instagram @victoria.alario + @forthegirls.podcast

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Sermon Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Spiritual Vitality1 Peter 2:1-12 (ESV)1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and“A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.Sermon OutlineTo thrive spiritually you need to be aware of three realities:1. There is a war against your soul (v11)v11 “I urge you”v11 “abstain from the passions of the flesh” (v1 malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander)2. You have received mercy (v10)v4 “… come to him… rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious”v7 “the honor is for you who believe”v11 “beloved” “as sojourners and exiles”3. You must keep your conduct honorable (v12)v9 “you are…”v11 “abstain from”, v12 “keep…”Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty and most merciful Father, we know you are good. We have sought to taste good apart from you and have instead discovered bitterness. We are undermined by our own envy and hypocrisy, and we suffer under the weight of our own sin. We have not conducted ourselves with honor. Instead we have given in to the passions that wage war against our souls. Forgive us for our offense to you. Forgive us for how we have offended others. Forgive us for our lack of integrity and help us as we deal with the consequences. We look to Jesus, precious in your sight and ours, and by faith look for the grace you extend to us in him. Cover us and fill us so that we may walk with honor as we sojourn on this earth. Amen.Questions for ReflectionIn what ways do you experience “war” within you? What tensions exist? What are the various forces at work in your heart and mind?How do you experience resistance to doing good? In your effort to be a good person, what do you see? What discourages you? What holds you back?Why is it so hard to be truly good?When do you find it hardest to act honorably? What contexts are most challenging to you?How does God's mercy help with the process of change and growth? What keeps you from being confident that you are beloved by God? What makes you think that isn't true?How does union with Christ form a whole new possibility?When temptation comes, what can you do to reduce the power it has over you? How can you keep a sufficient distance so that you are not overpowered by it? What should you do when it feels inevitable you will give in? What should you do after you have given in? How can a Christian identity, received by God, give you confidence to keep your conduct honorable? How is this different from pride? How can you tell if you are strong in faith or proud?

Hear the Word of the Lord from Ecclesiastes chapter 11, starting in verse seven through the end of the book. 7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. 8 So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. 10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. 1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. 9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. 10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14, ESV The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. My junior year in high school, I was required to take a physics course. Now, physics would not have been my choice, numbers and science, and all of that is not really my favorite thing to do, but it was a requirement and I took it. There were actually some interesting things in the class, one of which was an assignment. I was calculating, this would be 20 years ago right now I was gearing up to do. We had to do it over Christmas break my junior year there and we had to build a balsa wood bridge. So they gave us balsa wood sticks and some wood glue, and we had to take it home and to form a bridge that would hopefully be as strong and sturdy to bear up under as much weight as possible. So I worked on this project with a friend. We went home and hung out, and kind of messed around if I'm really being honest, and put together a very basic bridge. We got a little concerned when we got there and we saw all the elaborate bridges that some of my other friends had put together and we were thinking, oh my goodness, ours looks so flimsy. What's going to happen here? Actually, we ended up okay because it wasn't just how much weight can your bridge bear up under, but it was a ratio thing. So the lighter the bridge, the sort of the less weight you had to bear under if two bridges held the less or the same amount of weight, the lighter bridge because it held up weight under less material, would be deemed the winner. So because ours was so flimsy and very little went into it, our ratio was actually quite high. What was interesting in that project was the way that they worked through bridge after bridge after bridge. They put it on this machine that my physics teacher had hooked up, that we he slowly poured water into the bucket so that he could know exactly how much weight this could bear up under. We watched bridge after bridge after bridge crack and collapse. There wasn't any bridge that stood the test of all the weight that was put on it. There was no bridge that got to the end and said, well, I guess that can withstand under any pressure. Eventually, every bridge broke. Indeed, in life, ultimately, everything breaks. So what this means and what the preacher is trying to tell us in this passage is that if our identity, if our hope, if our confidence is in how we compare against others at some point in our lives, well, then we're ultimately building our foundation on a sinking sand. Even though you might be a little bit behind someone here or you might be a little ahead of someone tomorrow, the point is that ultimately even your bridge won't stand up. Eventually, everything is going to break. You need a firmer foundation, one that's not built on shifting sinking sand. What the preacher says as he closes this book of wisdom is that you need to build your life on the rock solid foundation of God himself. In Jesus Christ and him crucified. You need to do this through all the days of your life, from when you were young to when you were old, for as many years as the Lord trusts you and trust to you until he calls you home. Afterwards, as the preacher reminds us, comes the judgment. Our big idea then today is this Fear God and keep his commandments. This comes directly from Ecclesiastes 12 verse 13. So this morning, three parts to the sermon as we look at it. First, fear God in youth, some of you young people today, this is a sermon for you. Second, fear God in old age. Those of you who are not young anymore, this is a sermon for you and for everyone in between. Then third, fear God in view of eternity. 1. Fear God in Youth 2. Fear God in Old Age 3. Fear God in View of Eternity Fear God in Youth So number one fear God in youth. Look again at 11:7, "Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun." Now the preacher's starting a comparison here, but it's not clear yet where he's going with this. So we have to peek ahead a little bit in the passage to see where he's going. He's talking about light and light is sweet, and he's talking about eyes that see, especially see the light of the sun. This is an image for youth, for the earlier years of our lives. We're going to see this as the preacher later talks about the dimmed eyes and the darkness of old age. In fact, one of the main ways that the Bible talks about old age is as dimmed eyes. For example, Isaac in Genesis 27:1 is old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see. Jacob, in Genesis 48:1, again is old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see. Eli, the priest under whom the Prophet Samuel served, again when he was only reading in ` Samuel 3:2 was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see. Dimmed eyes are a product of old age. So the preacher is saying, enjoy light while you can see it. It's sweet, it's pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. So verse eight, "So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity." What he's saying here is that life is precious, life is sacred, every moment of your life from the beginning to the end is something that you should enjoy and savor because he says the days of darkness will be many. Now, what are these days of darkness? Well, this could refer to old age. Again, if old age is characterized by dimness of sight, then old age could be the darkness that it's referring to here. Or this dimness, this darkness could refer to death. Death is the final enveloping of darkness around us, as it's often talked about in the Bible. Or it may not refer to the lifespan of an individual human being, but it may be talking about the lifespan of the world itself. The end of the world, the day of the Lord, the final day of God, when God brings all of history to an end and brings everyone in judgment is described by the Prophet Amos in Amos 5:20 as a day of darkness, "is not the day of the Lord darkness and not light and gloom with no brightness in it." So enjoy these years when there is light and enjoy all the years of your life, but remember the days of darkness will be many. There's a warning here, not to give too much attention to youthfulness. Verse nine, once again, encouragement to enjoy youth. "Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth." Enjoy this youth! But he says, be mindful of the coming judgment. He says walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things, God will bring you into judgment. Now what's interesting about this walk in the ways of your heart and the side of your eyes is how often we are told elsewhere in the Bible not to walk after the ways of our heart and not to walk after our sight. For example, a verse I quote often is 2 Corinthians 5:7,"We walk by faith and not by sight." The preacher isn't contradicting those verses. The preacher isn't contradicting the many places where we are told not to follow after the ways of our hearts. What he's saying here is not a contradiction because those passages talk about morality. Will you trust in your own wisdom or will you trust in your own insight? Will you trust in what you can see or will you trust in the Lord? Here the preacher is simply saying, enjoy this, enjoy life while you can see it and savor it. The warning says don't get too far afield is to know that for everything you do, God will eventually bring into judgment. So in verse 10, the preacher really encourages us to enjoy youth, "Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity." They are a mist. They are here and then they are gone. Enjoy this while it is here. Youth ends far too soon. Now I am not yet what I would consider to be old, my children might disagree, but I'm also probably not quite in the young category anymore. I'm at 37 years old, which means that I'm just a year or so shy of half the average age of life expectancy for a male living in the United States. I haven't had that many years on this Earth, but it's astonishing how much has changed, even in my short lifetime. I want to give you a vivid example, some of you who are older will maybe remember some of this. My wife and I were this week at a shopping mall. Shopping malls are tremendously depressing places to go today. It's hard to explain to younger people how much fun and how much life and how much bustling there used to be at shopping malls. I have the most vivid memory as a child of being at a shopping mall and being in the food court, which was the best place to eat in town, and there were so many people they were just on top of each other. Then when you left the food court, people were just going in all kinds of different ways. There was life and energy and vitality there. I associated a lot with my childhood. But as I think about the childhood, my youth, I also know that that child or that mall in Hastings, Nebraska, has now been bulldozed to the ground because it couldn't sustain itself anymore. As I went in a shopping mall that's sort of limping along, I won't name it. I don't want to offend anyone, but you can probably guess there aren't that many in Omaha. As I went to a shopping mall this week, it was amazing. The growth of that is how skillful they are in putting up walls where they used to be businesses. So I was looking at a wall that was tiled and there was sort of a makeshift library, a take a book, leave a book. I realized, wait a minute, this is where the pretzel vendor used to be. As these businesses are going away as life and the world changes, I think about these vivid childhood memories of things that were a big deal then and how quickly things change and move away. That's a picture of a little bit of what happens in our youth. We have these vivid memories of when life is sweet and it's pleasant for the eyes to see the sun and the preacher says, enjoy this while you can. Children enjoy your childhood; you never get it back again. Young people enjoy the stage at which you are because you will never get it back again. Those of you with new babies enjoy that stage, they grow up so quickly. But everything eventually breaks. Nothing can withstand the test of time. It all eventually breaks down. Youth is but one season under heaven, there's a time to be born, but as the preacher is about to remind us, there is also a time to die. The preacher exhorts us to take seriously old age and death. Fear God in Old Age So what we're seeing in the next section in verses one through eight of chapter 12 is really the final word of the main part of this book. There's a main section. I'm going to show you how we find the end of that and a little bit, but this is the last main thing that the preacher says before the conclusion or the epilogue to this book. His main point is fear God in old age. The second section is fear God in old age, and it starts in verse one. This is sort of the transition from the previous section to this one. "Remember also your creator in the days of your youth before the evil days come in the years draw, near of which you will say, I have no pleasure in them." Now we read in verse nine of the previous chapter that we should remember our creator because judgment is coming, but here the preacher is reminding us that we should remember our creator in the days of our youth because of joy. Charles Bridge is one of the commentators on this passage. He writes this this line that really stood out to me, "Many have remembered their creator too late in life, but none too soon." As I look back on my life, I do not regret a single thing I gave up following Jesus. I don't regret any of the parties I missed. I don't regret any of the lifestyles that people around me were living. I don't regret missing out on any of that. My only regrets are when I did not follow Jesus as closely as I should have. My only regrets. Many people find their creator too late, but none find their creator too soon. You see, when you're young, you tend to think that you are invincible. The preacher reminds us here that the young invincibility very quickly fades away, far more quickly than we realize. The days are coming when you will say, I have no pleasure in them. Then versus two through seven, the preacher turns to this extended metaphor or this sort of stream of images that sort of roll by us now. Sometimes he's building an extended metaphor where the details are very clear, you know, pretty much exactly what he's talking about. Other times, some people have tried to sort of press the details too far to say, well, this refers to that, and it's a little too hard to make some of those connections. Where the details are not always clear the general meaning is. He's giving us a tremendous range of imagery to remind us about what old age does to all of us. So look at what he says in verse two. Here is where he brings back that comparison that he started in verse seven at the beginning of our passage of the last chapter, that youth is characterized by seeing the sweet light, whereas old age is characterized by darkness. So 12:2, "before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain." Not just clouds that come to bring the healthy life giving rains, but now these are clouds that come after the rain is over and they just hang and darken the sky. Then there's verse three, "in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed," We have here at the beginning of a description of a house that's falling apart with age, and it begins with the keepers of the house probably talking about limbs, arms and legs that tremble. The keepers of the house tremble and the strong men are bent, what used to be as strong back is now bent over with age. The grinders ceased because they are few, probably referring to your teeth. The old age makes it difficult to chew. Those who look through the windows are dimmed again, we're having a sight imagery, someone's looking out of this house and you can't quite see through the windows anymore. Verse four begins the discussion of hearing and the doors of the street are shut, "and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low—" When we shut the doors, we can't hear what's going on outside, and that's what happens to this house. Again, where the youth think that they are invincible, those who are old know fears. "They are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— " in verse five. The almond tree blossoms, well, this sounds promising new life blossoms, but it's giving an image of if you think of an almond tree when it blossoms, it's whitened like hair. The grasshopper drags itself along, think of how spry and nimble a grasshopper is, but as the days creep on year after year in fall toward the colder seasons, you ever seen those grasshoppers that can barely move anymore? Grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home and all of a sudden, the house is no longer decaying. We find ourselves in the middle of a funeral. The end has come, the mourners go about the streets. Then verse six, "before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern." Again, don't try to press the details of what the cord is and the bowl is and the pitcher is or the wheel is. This is an image of the fragility of life. In just a moment, it's gone. Until verse seven, "and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." When God first created Adam, he gathered together dust and mold it and shape that dust into Adam's body, and then God himself stooped down to breathe the breath of life into this man. When sin into the world when that same man rebelled against God, God told him that you are dust and to dust, you shall return. Our bodies returned to the dust, and the life breath that's been on loan to us has to be returned to God. In verse eight, the preacher ends this main section of Ecclesiastes with, "Vanity of vanities, says the preacher. All is vanity." We know this is the end of the main section, because there's a this is the tail where there's a corresponding top at the very beginning of Ecclesiastes in 1:2. It says the exact same thing, "vanity of vanity, says the preacher, all is vanity." He began on that word, and now he ends on that word. Everything is a mist. It's a breath. It's a vapor. It's here, and then it's gone. Everything, even you young children one day are going to grow old and you are going to break down and die. Everything breaks down and dies. All is vanity. One of the most stunning object lessons of the relentless, vicious work of time, I think, is to see whenever they have a big reunion for something, a big reunion of people who are famous. So this year was the 50th anniversary of a really famous football game, the game of the century, between Nebraska and Oklahoma in 1971. Children, 50 years ago, Nebraska won games. In that in that game, it was a really big game against, against a really big team, and it was an epic battle. You can pull this up on YouTube. The fittest, the fastest, the strongest men who are youthful in their vigor and their vitality fighting it out like gladiators on the field. It was an epic game. That's why it's called the game of the century. When this reunion has happened, those same young, vibrant men are now bent with age and their limbs tremble. Age has taken a significant toil on the best and the fittest and the strongest of their generation. Even more cruel, perhaps, or when you see reunion episodes of sitcoms, especially the sitcoms that that glamorize and idealize and idolize youth. Where you see these people who are living it up for their youth and their beauty, and that's everything to them. You see them 20 years later and age has not been kind. You say if they were living for their youth, if that was everything to them, if that's what that show was about, their lives have already peaked. How tragic to live that way. How tragic to live clinging to what cannot be retained. If youth is everything, what do you do when it's gone? Youth is a time of light, and it is and it is a time of joy, but it is so fleeting. Old age is a time of darkness and fragility. No one likes it better. The preacher acknowledges that these are years you are going to say, I have no pleasure in them. You will have pleasure in them, but not of the kind that you had, which is everywhere, all around you in your youth. As I remember my grandmother so vividly saying at the death of my grandfather, death comes to us all. Death comes to us all. The preacher wants us to know life under the sun is so fragile, it is so fickle, it is so fleeting to cling to, it is futile and foolish. Wisdom insists, then, that we must remember our creator because he is the eternal one who stands outside time. Time does not age God because he is the ageless one. He is neither older nor younger. He has never been before. He is always before. He is, and he always will be. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change. There is no before and after with God. He simply is. Fear God in View of Eternity So the preacher concludes all of this book in verses nine through fourteen. With an exhortation to remember this creator. So now we come to section three, fear God in view of eternity. Again, some commentators call this the epilogue or conclusion, but the point is this stands outside of the main body of the work. The preachers surveyed everything, and now he comes to his final conclusions. What should we take from this? This is the application section of his sermon. So in verses nine through ten, part of this is tracing the preacher's work in life and ministry. Besides being wise, the preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The preacher sought to find words of delight and uprightly he wrote words of truth. We're told in 1 Kings 4:32 that Solomon spoke 3000 proverbs and his songs were one thousand and five. You see we value in our day access to information. We want to be able to Google something at the drop of a hat and figure out an answer to anything or look it up on Wikipedia. Figure that kind of thing out. The ancients had a very different perspective. They valued not mere access just to know that I can look it up, and they didn't value mere information. They wanted mastery of wisdom. For someone to memorize 3000 proverbs and one thousand five songs is an extraordinary feat of wisdom. He mastered this great wisdom over the course of his life and he tried to pass it on. He was a teacher. He tried to find words of delight and uprightly he wrote words of truth. Then verses eleven and twelve, he talks about what these words did. He says, "The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh." Goads prod livestock. If you're trying to get a cow or a sheep to go in a certain direction, a goad was a big stick that you would poke him to get him to go in the direction that you wanted to go. We need these in our own lives to be goaded by these words of wisdom. But he says words of wisdom are also like nails. You think of what nails do? They fix something down, particularly for a shepherd, that's what's in view here. The shepherd who's goading, the shepherd who has nails firmly fixed down, the one shepherd from whom on wisdom comes. This is shepherding imagery. The shepherd would have used these nails to fix down his tent from site to site. Wisdom teaches us to know when we need to move and when we need to remain steadfast and fixed and steady. What the preacher warns us is that too much information, too many books, can obscure the clarity of God's wisdom, the wisdom that comes from one shepherd. Of course, this one shepherd is God. As Psalm 23:1 says, "The Lord is my shepherd". Particularly when Jesus Christ came into the world de declared, "I am the Good Shepherd" in John 10:11. That's where wisdom comes from. It comes from the timeless one, the eternal one, the one who is not affected by time because he created it and encompasses it all before him in his eternal wisdom and power. Well, in verse 13, this is the conclusion. He says, "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." He has surveyed everything under the sun and what does he say? Fear God and keep his commandments. After considering everything under the sun, everything in this world, the preacher says there's nothing in here that's going to satisfy you like you're looking for. Instead of looking under the sun, look above the sun, look to the creator of the sun. Fear God and keep his commandments. Now we've talked about what the fear of God is. It means, on the one hand, acknowledging your vulnerability and your helplessness and your hopelessness and your guilt because of sin. To be truthful about that. Not to try to hide it, not to try to make justifications or excuses. It's to acknowledge them before the judge of all the Earth you stand guilty. It's to go to that same judge and recognize that he is your only hope, because he has loved you so much that he has sent his son, Jesus Christ, into this world to die for you in your place so that you may be reconciled to him by grace through faith. It's to trust in this same Lord because of his promises, anyway, even though you are guilty. The fear of God, the fear of the Lord is another word, then for faith. As the Bible everywhere declares, we are justified, we are made righteous before God by faith. We are counted as righteous before him by faith. So the preacher says fear God, but he adds this line, he says, keep the commandments. Now this isn't to atone for your guilt. This isn't to earn something before God. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone and not by works. Ephesians 2:8-9 is very clear about this. "For by grace, you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, not by work so that no one may boast." We are not saved by keeping the commandments, rather, when the Bible talks about keeping the commandments, it's always as a loving response of gratitude. Knowing that even as we seek to keep his commandments, we're still dependent upon him upon his grace, upon his power to obey. To keep the commandments as another word for what the Bible calls sanctification, to grow in the holiness without which no one would see the Lord. We are justified by faith, by the fear of God, and we are sanctified as by God's power. It's by God's grace through faith, we seek to keep his commandments. So, in verse 14, the preacher closes with this word. He says, "For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." A life lived for the fleeting pleasures of this world is its own reward in full and those pleasures are so quickly fading away. Nothing lasts, everything ultimately breaks down. A life lived for the glory of God, who is not under the sun, he is above the sun, he is the one who created this, and the life lived for his glory will not be in vain. Application How do we apply then? Well our application then is just what the preacher tells us, fear God and keep his commandments. Ecclesiastes is a difficult book. There are blunt words, grim outlooks and despairing conclusions. Forgive me if you were offended by the preacher's description of old age today, for example. As I said in my first sermon in this Ecclesiastes series. Martin Luther considered this to be a most optimistic book. Martin Luther was the great reformer who began the Reformation in 1517, and he considered this to be the most optimistic book. What he saw in Ecclesiastes is a book that has explored all the possible rabbit trails that we might pursue all the possible avenues under the sun to find happiness and satisfaction and joy. He exposes them all as a fraud. He shows that every single one of these cannot provide what we are looking for. So what he's doing is to clear away the debris, to get rid of what may cloud our vision, to get rid of what may be a confusion. Much study and much anticipation and attempts to find satisfaction in this life is a weariness to the flesh. He's done that for us, and he's cleared away these false ideas about how to live, especially by clinging to the vanity of this world. So that once that debris is cleared away, the gospel then can shine all the more radiantly. The gospel tells us not about a life hack, not about a quick fix, not about how to have your best life now. The gospel tells us that Jesus Christ came into this world, the one who is above the sun, who came down from heaven into this earth, so that he could lift us up to God. Fear God and keep his commandments. Well, let's unpack what that means, because it gets at what the gospel is. Again, the idea of fearing God is to believe, it's faith. It's to have faith in God and what the Bible tells us after everything else has been cleared away, and we can see the gospel in its radiance, is that we are to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ with the promise that all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved. There are so many proposals in life for how to find salvation. You can find anywhere all kinds of ideas about how to do the right good works, about how to sacrifice personally in your own life, about how to do the right collection of religious practices to appease God. The scriptures are so clear you are dead in your sins and trespasses. You are a child of wrath. You are without hope and without God in the world. There is nothing you can do to counteract this. You cannot do enough community service hours to overcome the wrath of God against you because of your sins. You need nothing less than the death and resurrection of God's only Son, the Lord of Glory. Fear God, then. He is the judge of the living and the dead, the judge of all the Earth, and he will surely do what was right. He will bring every deed in a judgment on the last day and he will by no means clear the guilty. Fear him, the Bible commands. Again, the other part of fearing him is not just to cower before him, not just to acknowledge your helplessness and hopelessness and vulnerability and guilt before him. It means to take him at his word. To believe the promises that he makes. The promise of salvation for all those who turn from their sins in sorrow. As we heard earlier today to consider his word, to confess our sins and to hear the assurance of God's pardon through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The question is, will you believe his promises? We turn to Christ for salvation. That's what this book is driving at. Clear away everything else that's getting in the way and turn to Jesus Christ, whom the rest of the scriptures hold out as your only hope and comfort in life and in death. Fear God. But also keep his commandments. In addition to the saving grace of justification by faith alone, another one of God's saving graces is as the Westminster Larger Catechism question thirty-two, puts it, "To enable us unto all holy obedience as the evidence of the truth of our faith and thankfulness to God and as the way which he hath appointed us to salvation." Now, listen to that God's commandments are the way to salvation. Now, not the way to gain salvation. We don't keep commandments to gain salvation. This is rather the way that God has appointed for those whom he has saved. It's not how we are saved, by keeping the commandments, it's what we are saved for. Again, Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "It is by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, not by works", not by keeping the commandments well enough". so that no one may boast." But in verse 10, the very next verse, he says, "for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works", for keeping the commandments, "which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in." We are saved not by keeping the commandments, we are saved for keeping the commandments. God has appointed these good works that we should walk in them as a people whom God has brought out of death and into life. You see, for the believer, God's commandments are no longer a thundering word of condemnation against our sin. That's the warning of the Bible if you have not yet trusted in Jesus Christ, God's word sounds as a thunder blast from heaven, declaring that you are guilty and in danger of the wrath of God for all of eternity. For believers, in the words of John Newton, the man who wrote Amazing Grace, "Christ has hushed the laws loud thunder", and he has done this, "so that justice smiles and asks no more." There's nothing else that you need to do because Christ has done everything that justice demands. The law then is transformed from our enemy, our persecutor, our oppressor, our condemning agent into a friend. Not by anything that we have done, but through Christ. Christ reorient us to the law through Christ, we relate to the law in a new way. He makes that introduction in a friendly way. The commandments of God then teaches how to please God through holy lives. So as we've seen all of the false ways to live and as the preacher has exhorted us at many points toward the wisdom of the fear of God, the wisdom that begins with the fear of the Lord. I want to ask you, do you long for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord? Do you delight in the law of God in your inner man and your inner person? Do you pray that God would conform you to the image of Christ and to righteousness, holiness and knowledge? The only alternative to Christ is this vain world where everything ultimately breaks. Don't put your trust there. Put your trust instead in Christ. As the apostle John writes in 1 John 2:17, "this world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." "Vanity of vanity, says the preacher, all is vanity." In a view of that and in view of eternity. Fear God, looking to Jesus Christ in faith, and keep his commandments. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we pray for a heart of wisdom, wisdom that comes from above that is first pure and peaceable, not wisdom that is from below and is earthly and spiritual and demonic. We pray that you would give us the wisdom of Jesus Christ crucified that we would look to him as our alone confidence, our alone assurance, our alone hope and comfort of salvation. That through Christ, you might relate us to the law in new way, not to gain something, because we can gain nothing before you, we can earn nothing from you. But to live a life that's really related to you as your children, as your people who are growing in the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Who are being conformed to the image of Christ, by your grace, by your mercy, by your power. We pray that this would all be to your glory through Jesus Christ name we pray. Amen.

Forgiveness Life Coach- Debram Wright I empower divorced women

Bible reading 2 Kings 22-23.

Forgiveness has never been easy for me up to this point in my life. Hence the whole Underdog Empowerment, prove a MFer wrong thing.

One wife is having a hard time forgiving a cheater! You put it all out there, but he doesn't respond romantically. What do you do now? Kellie gives her expert advice on these letters and more!

We are all carrying some level of guilt, shame, or regret. We've all done things that aren't in alignment with our values, or that we'd do differently now if given the opportunity. We also carry some degree of hurt, anger, or resentment toward people who we believe wronged us. What would life be like to live completely free from ALL this emotional turmoil? How can we release ourselves from the weight of those experiences that cause us pain? What can we do to stop reopening old wounds and triggering past traumas? Today's episode is all about forgiveness. It's about forgiving yourself for the mistakes you've made in your own life, as well as for the hurt other people have caused you. In this conversation, I want to show you what it means to truly be forgiving, dissolve the emotional links holding you back, and face the world with a cleaner slate than ever before. Key Takeaways Why our past traumas can so easily haunt us, trigger us, and make us viscerally uncomfortable for years or even decades. Why forgiveness is something we do for ourselves–not something that other people give us. What makes regret a powerful teaching tool–and the benefits of making mistakes. Why beating yourself up over things you've done in the past is all but valueless. How to unlock the transcendent power of unconditional forgiveness. Simple steps you can take right now to begin forgiving yourself. Get The Full Show Notes To get full access to today's show notes, including audio, transcript, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit HalElrod.com/404 Subscribe, Rate & Review I would love if you could subscribe to the podcast and leave an honest rating & review. This will encourage other people to listen and allow us to grow as a community. The bigger we get as a community, the bigger the impact we can have on the world. To subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on iTunes, visit HalElrod.com/iTunes. Connect with Hal Elrod Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube