Podcasts about Galatians

What made Caleb's spirit different?In this episode of More Than Conquerors, Terry and Reneé Mize explore The Spirit of Faith and the connection between believing God's Word and speaking from that belief.Terry explains the distinctions he draws between the law, fruit, gift, and spirit of faith. Through Caleb's example, Paul's teaching in 2 Corinthians 4:13, and a practical illustration about growing a fruit tree, they discuss cultivating faith for everyday life.Terry also recalls his early missionary years with Jackie in Oaxaca, Mexico, while Reneé shares encouragement about approaching God confidently in prayer.FEATURED RESOURCEThe Spirit of Faith — Dr. Terry L. Mize3-CD teaching set: $20https://shop.terrymize.com/products/the-spirit-of-faithIncludes The Spirit of Faith; Where the Word of a King Is, There Is Power; and How Big Is Your God?Key Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 4:13; Psalm 116:10; Numbers 14:24; Joshua 14:6–12; Romans 3:27; Galatians 5:22–23; 1 Corinthians 12:7–11; Hebrews 4:16; 1 John 5:14–15Connect with Terry Mize Ministries:Website: https://terrymize.comPartner / Give: https://terrymize.com/givePodcast: https://terrymize.com/podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrymizeministriesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrylmize/YouTube: https://youtube.com/@terrymizeministriesJackie Mize International Children's Foundation: https://orphan1.com

Today's Promise: Galatians 5:1 What if you've been set free, but you're still living like a slave? Jesus came to break the chains of sin, fear, guilt, shame, and past failures. Yet many Christians still live under the weight of rules and expectations, constantly wondering whether they've done enough or been good enough.   But that isn't the freedom Jesus purchased for you.   Galatians 5:1 says, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free." That means you don't have to keep going back to the bondage Jesus came to break. You don't have to live your Christian life trying harder and beating yourself up when you fail.   Today, discover what it really means to live in the freedom Christ gives you. Your past doesn't control you. Your failures don't define you. Guilt doesn't have to hold you captive. The chains are broken. In Jesus, you are free.

Every season carries both beauty and burden. Today on BOLD STEPS, Mark Jobe turns to Galatians chapter 5 and the fruit of the Spirit, showing how real joy is one of the clearest signs that God is filling your life. Even in a confusing or painful chapter, you can hand it to God and ask Him to restore your joy and perspective. Bring your current chapter to Him … listen to Bold Steps with Pastor Mark Jobe. Bold Steps Gift: The Church In Babylon: Heeding the Call to Be a Light in the Darkness - Erwin Lutzer and Ed Stetzer Visit or watch Mark Jobe at New Life Community ChurchBecome a Bold Partner: https://www.moodyradio.org/donateto/boldstepsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you're a new believer or have been for a long time, this episode is such a sweet reminder of what it really means to be a Christian and to accept Jesus Christ into your heart. Amy encourages the new believer with guidance on where to start, practical tips, and what a relationship with the Lord looks like as you begin your walk with Him.References:1 John 1:9; Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Lamentations 3:22-23; John 16:33-34; Romans 5:3-4; Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 10:25Resources:Enduring Word Commentary

Episode Summary: Today’s episode with Laurie Davies brings a powerful lens to a struggle many of us don’t even realize we have: emotional hoarding. We joke about “emotional baggage,” but most of us are carrying far more than a suitcase—we’re holding closets full of unprocessed feelings like worry, panic, regret, false guilt, anger, or shame. Our guest’s new Moody Publishers release offers a gentle, insightful, biblical pathway to recognize the emotional clutter weighing us down and step into the freedom Christ provides. This is a conversation that will help you name what’s been holding you back and learn how to release it for good. Quotables from the episode: I have a luggage tag that I put on my carry-on bag, and it says, “My emotional baggage won't fit into the overhead bin,” and it always gets a lot of laughs. We talk about that in a light way sometimes. My thesis in the book is that we don't actually have an emotional baggage problem. We're emotional hoarders. I think hoarded hearts are very much like hoarded homes. We can let emotional kind of skyscrapers build in our hearts. Before we know it, we're maneuvering our way around with all this clutter, which actually is a lack of freedom. All these kinds of emotions that God doesn't want us to haul all of these out to the dumpster. But I do think he wants us to look at them, acknowledge them, process them, and see kind of what he's showing us through them. I think any of us who want to put forth that we're 100 percent healed. I mean, we'll all be looking at each other in heaven, 100 percent healed. And until then, aren't we glad for the grace of God and the tenderness of the Holy Spirit? We know these emotions are not good. They don't even feel good. But if we go back to bitterness, I think if we're being honest, sometimes we like the way the grudge feels in our hands. It gives us that little feeling of “I'm not going to let them off the hook.” Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ set us free.” So why would we go back to wearing a yoke of slavery? Freedom is of high value to the Lord. It's why he came to set the captives free, to set the prisoners free. When we start to face the things that are keeping us stuck, we'll taste a freedom that we won't want to turn back from. It’s a life changer, and we won't want to go back to the chains we once wore. They just won't fit anymore. Grace fills all those gaps where we wish we would have gone left instead of right. There's no room for shame. There is plenty of room for conviction. And conviction is offered to us as a gift to restore our relationship with God. Scripture References: Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, God, and know my heart…See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Recommended Resources: Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff that Keeps You Stuck by Laurie Davies Free Stress-Response Personality Assessment Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host: Connect with Laurie Davies: Website / Instagram For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Guest: Laurie Davies is a writer, national speaker, and lay counselor who helps women deal with their “emotional accumulation,” letting go of things like regret, grudges, false guilt, and shame. Her debut book, Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck, released with Moody Publishers in March 2026. Laurie’s writing has been featured in Guideposts and the Proverbs 31 First 5 app, and she also serves as lead editor on Shaunti Feldhahn’s Atlanta-based ministry staff. Laurie lives in the Phoenix area with her husband of 30 years. Their adult son lives nearby. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Ashton Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Paul asks the Galatians a question that cuts right to the point: you were running a good race — who cut in on you? Something stopped you. An obstacle, an offense, a person, a setback. And instead of running through it, you stopped. Freedom isn't free because it requires you to keep running — not perfectly, not without fear, but without quitting. Whether it's a marriage that's hard, a sobriety streak that matters, a faith that's gone dry, or a season of parenting that's exhausted you — the instruction is the same: don't stop.Freedom also requires discernment, because people constantly try to take it. Spiritually, the most common version is someone arguing that you're not committed enough, devoted enough, or following the right doctrinal line. Strip all of that down and it's always the same thing — complicating what Paul keeps insisting is simple: faith expressing itself through love.But the deepest thief of freedom isn't other people cutting in on you. It's what you tell yourself. C.S. Lewis made a distinction that matters enormously: there is all the difference in the world between forgiving and excusing. Excusing says there were circumstances, you couldn't help it, you weren't really to blame. Forgiving says — yes, that was wrong. All the way wrong. And I will never hold it against you. Real forgiveness from God is always available. But you have to actually ask for it — not manage it, not explain it, not minimize it. Ask for it.Support the mission of the Salty Pastor ministry! Visit our donations page at https://pushpay.com/g/thesaltypastor to help us continue sharing truth with a world in need. Visit thesaltypastor.com to sign up for our weekly email, designed to coach, inspire, and encourage you to a mature faith.Discussion Questions1. What has "cut in on" your race — stopped your forward momentum in faith, marriage, sobriety, or growth? Are you still stopped, or running again?2. C.S. Lewis distinguishes between forgiving and excusing. Have you been asking God for forgiveness or for excuses? What's the difference in how that actually feels?3. What's the story you tell yourself — the narrative in your head — that most consistently steals your freedom? How would it change if you actually believed you were fully forgiven?

In Galatians 6:11–18, Pastor Korey Wilkinson brings Paul's letter to a close by contrasting the pressure of religious performance with the freedom of the gospel. Paul refuses to boast in human achievements, outward rituals, or the approval of others, pointing instead to the cross of Christ and the new creation as the believer's only true boast. This message exposes the burden of performance-driven religion and reminds us that salvation cannot be manufactured through rules or rituals. Through the cross, the old scorecard is gone, and we are called to walk by grace, rest in Christ's finished work, and live by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Subscribe and Follow. Thanks! - NOTES AVAILABLE AT: https://www.gracereach.org/luke - In this teaching, Brad explains what the word of God was that Jesus taught from the boat. He also explains what the word of God is throughout the Scriptures. Brad also explains how Jesus demonstrated to James, John, and Peter that he is the Christ. Jesus then called them to leave everything and follow him. Brad also explains how discipleship leaders, pastor's, and Bible teachers misuse Jesus words about leaving everything and following him.This teaching and other teachings are available on the Gracereach website: https://www.gracereach.org/luke - For more of Brad's resources, see below.Brad's books are all available on Amazon in Paperback.Revelation Volume 1: Judgment On First-Century Israelhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F7GBG42CRevelation Volume 2: War On The Saintshttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FN3XR59LRevelation Volume Three: The New and New Earth https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HJMYR1J1490 Years Determined: The Seventy Years of Daniel Explainedhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPX7VZY5Nebuchadnezzar's Dream and the Kingdom of Grace -https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9YFCXC8/Toxic Discipleship: Restoring the Gospel - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNN8PB7LAddicted To Grace: A New Life Awaits - https://www.amazon.com/Addicted-Grace-New-Life-Awaits/dp/0578407760Forgiven and Cleansed: 1 John 1:9 In Context - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N3NBPPRReturn to Grace: A Commentary on Galatians - https://www.amazon.com/Return-Grace-Commentary-Brad-Robertson/dp/B08HV8HRTCStrategic Church: Reaching The World With Grace - https://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Church-Strategy-Reach-World/dp/B08733MRWWThe Story of Grace: Your Life Will Never Be The Same - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692084940Website: https://www.gracereach.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bradr1966YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClip-czxRgZbxtWg-w2YL7APodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gracereach-podcast-with-brad-robertson/id1503583444 (You may listen to Brad's podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Anchor, Google Podcasts, and most all podcast platforms.)If you would like to donate to Brad's ministry, Gracereach, to help reach more and more people with the good news of God's grace. click here:https://www.gracereach.org/donatetogracereachThank you!

Subscribe and Follow. Thanks! - NOTES AVAILABLE AT: https://www.gracereach.org/luke - In this teaching, Brad explains how Jesus demonstrated in Capernaum that he was the Christ of the Jewish Scriptures. Yet, most of the people rejected him in that city and many other cities in Israel. Consequently, Jesus pronounced judgment on those cities. This judgment was carried from AD 66 to AD 70 when Roman armies destroyed the cities of Israel. This teaching and other teachings are available on the Gracereach website: https://www.gracereach.org/luke - For more of Brad's resources, see below.Brad's books are all available on Amazon in Paperback.Revelation Volume 1: Judgment On First-Century Israelhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F7GBG42CRevelation Volume 2: War On The Saintshttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FN3XR59LRevelation Volume Three: The New and New Earth https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HJMYR1J1490 Years Determined: The Seventy Years of Daniel Explainedhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPX7VZY5Nebuchadnezzar's Dream and the Kingdom of Grace -https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9YFCXC8/Toxic Discipleship: Restoring the Gospel - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNN8PB7LAddicted To Grace: A New Life Awaits - https://www.amazon.com/Addicted-Grace-New-Life-Awaits/dp/0578407760Forgiven and Cleansed: 1 John 1:9 In Context - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N3NBPPRReturn to Grace: A Commentary on Galatians - https://www.amazon.com/Return-Grace-Commentary-Brad-Robertson/dp/B08HV8HRTCStrategic Church: Reaching The World With Grace - https://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Church-Strategy-Reach-World/dp/B08733MRWWThe Story of Grace: Your Life Will Never Be The Same - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692084940Website: https://www.gracereach.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bradr1966YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClip-czxRgZbxtWg-w2YL7APodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gracereach-podcast-with-brad-robertson/id1503583444 (You may listen to Brad's podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Anchor, Google Podcasts, and most all podcast platforms.)If you would like to donate to Brad's ministry, Gracereach, to help reach more and more people with the good news of God's grace. click here:https://www.gracereach.org/donatetogracereachThank you!

Season 3, Episode 10In this episode, Michael and Zach continue through Galatians with Paul's call to “stand firm” in the freedom Christ has already secured. Galatians 5:1–15 warns that if circumcision is treated as necessary for justification, it is no longer a harmless addition—it places a person under obligation to the whole Law and treats Christ as insufficient. Paul contrasts that approach with the Christian life of faith through the Spirit, emphasizing that what matters is “faith working through love.” The discussion also examines Paul's warning that even a small distortion can corrupt the gospel, his severe language toward those troubling the Galatians, and the offense of the cross as a declaration that human effort cannot establish righteousness. Paul then turns from legalism to the opposite danger: license. Christian freedom is not permission to serve the flesh, but freedom to serve one another in love.Find our videocast here: https://youtu.be/V2IBn3fSwhUMerch here: https://take-2-podcast.printify.me/Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/reakt-music/deep-stone⁠License code: 2QZOZ2YHZ5UTE7C8Find more Take 2 Theology content at http://www.take2theology.com

This episode is a study from the book of Galatians, with Pastor David Rosales of Calvary Chapel Chino Valley. This message was taught on September 27th, 2026. Support us by checking out our other social media platforms! Youtube: ⁠⁠www.youtube.com/@CCChinoValley⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠www.calvaryccv.org⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/CalvaryChapelChinoValley⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/calvaryccv⁠⁠

Discover what it means to be alive in Christ through salvation, spiritual transformation, faith, authority, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.Christ died for us while we were still sinners, demonstrating God's great love as explained in Romans 5:8. Through Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, believers move from death to life. 1 John 2:2 reminds us that Christ's atoning sacrifice was not only for our sins but for the whole world.Being alive in Christ means no longer living for ourselves. 2 Corinthians 5:14–15 teaches that because Christ died for all, those who live should live for Him. Our soul, spirit, and body should be brought into alignment as we crucify the flesh and renew our minds.The believer's identity is also transformed. John 3:16 points to eternal life through faith, while Luke 10:20 reminds us to rejoice that our names are written in heaven. Romans 6:8 and Galatians 2:20 emphasize that we died with Christ and now live by faith because Christ lives in us.Ephesians 2:4–5 declares that God makes us alive with Christ by grace. This new life is not merely preparation for heaven; it is a calling to live for Christ here and now, walking in faith, boldness, and spiritual authority.Finally, 2 Corinthians 5:17 calls believers a new creation, while 2 Corinthians 13:5 challenges us to examine whether Christ is truly in us. Be alive in Christ, renew your mind, walk in faith, and let His life flow through you.Referenced Verses:Romans 5:81 John 2:2Romans 6:23Romans 3:232 Corinthians 5:152 Corinthians 5:14John 3:16Luke 10:20Revelation 20:15Romans 10:9Romans 6:8Galatians 2:20Ephesians 2:4–52 Corinthians 5:172 Corinthians 13:5-Social Media Ministries, founded by Spencer Coffman, is committed to sharing the Word of God with the entire world. We use social media to reach more people in more places and are counting on you to help us fulfill our mission. Learn more at https://socialmediaministries.com/about-us-MISSION: To use social media to present the living Word of God to as many people as possible and to help them understand and interpret the scriptures in the Bible.-FOLLOW US:YouTube - Podcast - Instagram - Facebook - Medium - Pinterest - TikTok - LinkedIn - X - Join Our Discord Server-DONATE:https://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/4478888https://socialmediaministries.com/give-Apparel-Resources -Sharing Jesus. Making Disciples. Taking Ground. Building The Kingdom.

In this episode of Legacy Dads, Dave and Dante address "Functional Marriage Syndrome"—a common trap where Christian couples excel at domestic logistics but drift into becoming spiritual strangers. To move beyond mere efficiency and fulfill the Biblical mandate to love and understand their wives (1 Peter 3:7), husbands are urged to transition from managing household tasks to actively shepherding their wives' spiritual well-being with gentleness and vulnerability (Galatians 6:1). The guys introduce a practical framework centered on two core questions—"How is your heart with the Lord lately?" and "How can I lead our family in a way that nourishes you?"—encouraging men to lead through sacrificial support (Ephesians 5:25–29) rather than rigid auditing. By overcoming initial awkwardness with consistency, timing, and kindness, Dave and Dante show how husbands can move from reactive crisis management to proactive spiritual care, building a Gospel-centered foundation for both their marriage and their children. Join the Conversation: Have a story or a struggle you want to share? Email us at dave@legacydads.org and dante@legacydads.org. You can also find us on Facebook Legacy Dads Online Community and Instagram.

What draws us to stories of soldiers and first responders isn't the action — it's the courage. The willingness to face something genuinely frightening and keep doing the job. And every one of those people, at their best, is an echo of the original: the one who looked at what freedom for humanity would cost and said it is finished — because he paid it in full.Paul opens Galatians 5 with a declaration and a command: it is for freedom that Christ has set you free — stand firm. Don't let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Maintaining freedom requires something. It requires the same thing every courageous person in history has needed: the willingness to face fear and act anyway. Freedom isn't a passive state you arrive at. It's something you hold onto actively, against real opposition.What that looks like for most people isn't a battlefield — it's the moment you refuse to complicate a simple faith. A SEAL team in Afghanistan let a goat-herding kid go rather than violate their core value of protecting the innocent, even knowing it would cost them. It did. That's what it looks like to stick with the truth when everything in you wants to make an exception. And in Karachi, a businessman commissioned a 150-foot cross in the middle of a city where being Christian is genuinely dangerous, simply because he believed it. The question worth sitting with is: where does your faith require that kind of courage — and are you finding it?Support the mission of the Salty Pastor ministry! Visit our donations page at https://pushpay.com/g/thesaltypastor to help us continue sharing truth with a world in need. Visit thesaltypastor.com to sign up for our weekly email, designed to coach, inspire, and encourage you to a mature faith.Discussion Questions1. Where in your life right now does holding onto your faith require the most courage? Are you finding it — or are you avoiding it?2. The SEAL team did the right thing knowing it would cost them everything. Have you ever stuck with the truth when you knew it would cost you? What happened?3. "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free — stand firm." What does standing firm look like practically in your specific situation this week?

Episode 937: Freedom or Bondage? Paul's warning to the Galatians still applies today, urging believers to reject legalism and live in the freedom Christ provided. Download or request your FREE Study Notes for this series at https://gregfritz.org/study-notes/. Greg Fritz is on a mission to get the truth of the Good News to as many people as possible. The truth is God has a plan and a meaning for your life. You are extravagantly and deeply loved by God, and you were created for a purpose.  Receive a free CD and our newsletter: https://www.gregfritz.org/free-cd/   Follow Greg on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregfritzministries/  Follow Greg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregfritzministries/ Watch more videos: https://www.gospeltruth.tv/   Learn more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrR9Rsx4h_RqYigda2PysZQ  Email us: info@gregfritz.org  Partner with us:  https://gregfritz.org/partners/ Donate: https://gregfritz.org/donate/

Galatians

God Empowers the Weak (7)  (audio) David Eells, 9/30/26 We all want to manifest the fruit of the Spirit, but first there must be the crucifixion of the lusts. Jesus taught us and He's our example. Many people think He was an example so that we wouldn't have to die. No, Jesus didn't die so that we wouldn't have to die. Jesus died so that we could die. I'm talking about dying spiritually; dying to self. He died to make it possible for us to die to self.  Those who refuse to take up their cross and follow Him, and refuse to obey His commands, are refusing to be disciples. Even if they call themselves Christians. I want to show you that Jesus turned the other cheek, but He did it as an example to us. When Jesus was before Pilate and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:12-14), He resisted not the evil. He did turn the other cheek. He had the power to say “No.” He had more power than the disciples understood He had because they thought they were going to save Him with the sword. (Mat.26:52) Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. He said, “Don't you know I could call more than 12 legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53) Look, Jesus had power they didn't know of to keep from going to the cross. He didn't have to resort to man's arm of the flesh. One angel in the Old Testament killed 185,000 men (2 Kings 19:35) and Jesus is talking about calling 72,000 angels here. That's power! Christians need to realize that their power is not in the arm of the flesh; it's in the Kingdom of Heaven. That power should be used to fulfill God's Will. In the very next verse after Jesus said, “Don't you know I could call more than 12 legions of angels?” He said, “how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Mat.26:54) We want the Scriptures to be fulfilled in us, which is the manifestation of Christ; however, they won't be fulfilled if you refuse to go to your cross. Just as Jesus had a free will and He could have called the 12 legions of angels, we have a free will, and we could, in many cases, walk away from our cross. But that doesn't mean we won't be faced with it again. We will be faced with it again and again because God is merciful. And we'll be faced with it until we get it right or just run out of time because we are running out of time. We've been put here to bear fruit, and we've been given a certain amount of time to do that. There's a door closing on the other end of this life. I've shared before the vision my wife had about being on a treadmill. The door ahead was closing. We had to run faster and faster to get through the door before it closed. The treadmill was imperceptibly picking up speed going in the opposite direction, and we had to run faster and faster. That's the way the world is; it's picking up speed in the opposite direction, and the door is closing. We're running a race but it's not a race against one another; this is a race against time. There's a door closing. You have to bear fruit or else you'll be called what Scripture and Jesus called an “unprofitable servant,” cast forth into outer darkness (Matthew 25:30). There's no such thing as bearing fruit without the cross. I'm going to point out just a few of Jesus' commands and show you that when you obey them, they put you in a position of weakness. You cannot defend yourself. You cannot hit back. You won't be able to do the things that your flesh wants because, if you do, your flesh will live and it will get stronger. (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh (in other words, if you walk in obedience to the flesh), ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. We want the new man to live and there's only one way that can happen – the old man has to die. They live in the same house. The spiritual man was supposed to go into the Promised Land and kill the old man and live in his house, and we are, in one parallel, that promised land. That spiritual man is Christ in us and He's the spiritual man in every one of us, Who seeks to take over our vessel. (1Pe.2:18) Servants, [be] in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. (19) For this is acceptable (the literal translation is actually “grace”), For this is grace, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. Grace? That's right. God sends us through grace down here on this earth. Sometimes we don't look on it as grace, but it's fleshly suffering. He calls it grace. That's the original word there. We have to go through suffering. (Act.14:22) … Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. We must go through suffering because the flesh doesn't die without suffering. If you're not suffering, then you're not ceasing from sin. Peter said, He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin (1Pe.4:1). That's because when you're suffering, when the flesh is suffering – and I'm talking about that entity of the old man in you, the mind of the flesh in you – when that old man is suffering, it means that he's not getting his way and he's dying. This is not about the physical flesh suffering, you understand. I'm talking about that entity that lives in you that wants to gratify “self.” If the old man is not suffering, you're not bearing the cross; you're not obeying the commands of Jesus to lose your life. So Peter called it “grace” here. (1Pe.2:20) For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted [for it,] ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it,] ye shall take it patiently, this is grace with God. The last thing we want is to do right and to have wrong done to us in return. We want justice and our rights. The flesh demands its rights, but the flesh is a dead man. We reckon the old man to be dead unto sin (Romans 6:11) and dead men don't demand rights. You can slap the dead man on one cheek and they'll turn the other one, too. That's the way Jesus commanded us. If you want that old man to die, then don't feed him. Just don't obey him and he'll die. This is grace with God. (1Pe.2:21) For hereunto were ye called…. We were called to suffer in what the world would call “wrongfully.” In other words, we're called to suffer when we do right. (1Pe.2:21) For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: (22) who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (23) who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously. In other words, Jesus left judgment, wrath and payback in the hands of God. Peter said Jesus left this example to us so that we should follow in His steps. Every day we're going to have an opportunity to do this. There's just no way you could live this life without having an opportunity to deny our self life. Don't waste your time. Redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16), the Scripture says. This is what we're here for. Suffering is one of God's greatest methods to put to death your flesh so that Christ can live in you.  (1Pe.3:13) And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good? (14) But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed [are ye:] and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; (15) but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: [being] ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear: (16) having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ. (17) For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. (18) Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. We can see a spiritual type there in the life of Christ. When He resisted not the evil, He was put to death in the flesh, but He was made alive in the spirit. This is a spiritual type for us because, if we want to be made alive in the spirit, we must accept our death in the fleshly self-life daily.  (1Pe.4:14) If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed [are ye;] because the [Spirit] of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. (15) For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters: but if [a man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name. (17) For the time [is come] for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if [it begin] first at us, what [shall be] the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? (18) And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? (19) Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God (That doesn't fit the prosperity doctrine very well, does it?) commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator. Commit your soul unto a faithful Creator. Jesus obeyed His own command in Matthew 5:39 and He was crucified for it. I can imagine several places where He could have interjected just a little bit of truth and totally turned the situation around, such as when He talked about, “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (Joh.2:19). Of course, he spake of the temple of his body (21), but that's not what was brought out at the trial by the Sanhedrin and I never saw Him even objecting to it, though He knew what He meant. He didn't bother to stick up for Himself. There's one person from the Old Testament who really impressed me with his understanding of not resisting him that is evil, and that's David. He obeyed this. I've seen probably a half-dozen to a dozen good examples of where David obeyed this doctrine. He seemed to be way ahead of his time in understanding what it was that pleased God. He seemed to be almost walking in New Testament revelation in some areas of this resisting not evil and it definitely bore fruit in his soul. (Psa.38:12) They also that seek after my life lay snares [for me,] And they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all the day long. (13) But I, as a deaf man, hear not; And I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. (14) Yea, I am as a man that heareth not, And in whose mouth are no reproofs. (15) For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: Thou wilt answer, O Lord my God. David put his trust in God to bring about justice, just as the Lord did (1 Peter 2:23), and not with his own tongue, nor in his own strength. In fact, as we read on here, you'll see that David knew and understood God's purpose. You know, it's a fiery trial when you resist not the evil, no matter what form it is. There's a righteous indignation that rises up on the inside of you wanting justice, but listen, we can't afford justice. Nobody reading this can afford justice. We want mercy. With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful (Psa.18:25). If you get justice, you're in trouble. Did you know that? God gives justice to some and He gives mercy to others (Romans 9:21-23). Christians get mercy. The world doesn't always get mercy. But I'll tell you what, the only thing we better show to the world is mercy because God's going to be merciful and forgiving to those who are merciful and forgiving. And to those who are not merciful, He's going to give justice (Matthew 18:35). None of us here can afford the justice of God. Not everybody even gets a revelation of God in this world, but they get justice because every man is going to reap what he sows (Galatians 6:7). People ask, “What do you do with the wicked who never hear the name of Christ?” No problem. They're going to get justice. Everybody in this world is going to at least get justice, but Christians, at least true Christians, are going to get mercy and grace from Him.  God's not doing wrong by doing that because He's at the very least giving justice to people. But we had better pray that we don't get justice because that means we'll pay for what we've done and what we are doing that is wrong. David understood this, and Jesus understood this. So David says, “for I said, Lest they rejoice over me: When my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.” (Psa.38:16) (17) For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me. (18) For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. (19) But mine enemies are lively, [and] are strong; And they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. (20) They also that render evil for good Are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good. (21) Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me. (22) Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation. (39:1) I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me. (2) I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred. (3) My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned; [Then] spake I with my tongue: (4) Lord, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me to know how frail I am. You know, when David resisted not the evil, when he kept his mouth shut when he was really being pressured to speak up, he said the fire burned in him. Have you ever felt that fire? I have. It's just like a real fire burning in you. It's a fiery trial that's come to prove you and to burn up the wood, hay and stubble of the self-life. You know, we've been told by some church ministers that the fiery trial is in the next life, but that's as big a lie as has ever been told. (1Co.3:12) But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. It's here that you go through the fiery trial to burn up the wood, hay and stubble, not in the next life. The Bible says, “the day shall declare it.” There are no days in eternity. This is where the fiery trial comes. But you can avoid the fiery trial very easily. All you have to do is not obey the commands of Jesus. If you don't obey Him, it's easy to avoid those kinds of trials, and quite often we'll go around them, but what we're doing is putting off the day of crucifixion and the day of bearing fruit. God wants to motivate us with many, many Scriptures that today is the day of salvation. Today is God's day of deliverance (2 Corinthians 6:2). I found many places where David understood this. One of them is when Nabal's herds had been protected by David and his men out in the wilderness (1 Samuel 25:16). By the way, Nabal means “fool.” And David's men were sent to Nabal to get some supplies for his men, who were living in the wilderness, and Nabal answered them very roughly and sent them back without any help (1 Samuel 25:10,11,14). So David had decided, “I'll just go over there and take his head off” (1 Samuel 25:22). Meanwhile, Nabal's wife, who was a very understanding and wise woman, decided she was going to go meet David and ask his forgiveness, and she did (1 Samuel 25:24). And one thing she said is, “Thank God that the Lord has withheld you from avenging yourself at your own hand” (1 Samuel 25:26,31). She said that twice. Then David thanked her for her part in bringing that to pass (1 Samuel 25:32,33). You know, there's something wrong about us avenging ourselves with our own hand. (Rom.12:19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath [of God:] for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. He said, if you do this, “thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head” (20). In other words, it's God's job to repay. If we repay, then God has to whip us because we've been commanded over and over not to repay. If we do it, He's going to whip us, but He doesn't have to whip them.  I'll give you an example. If you have two kids and you tell them, “Now, look, don't you hit back. If so-and-so does something to you, you come and tell me; I'll take care of it. If one of them hits back, then the other one has al­ready gotten his punishment. In that case, why should I hit him again? I'm going to have to hit you since you're the one who needs the whipping because you disobeyed me.” Here's the point. This is the way God does things. If He tells us. “Don't do it,” there's a purpose in it. (Eph.6:12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. What we war against must be done in the spirit; it must be done with authority of Christ and through the power of faith. It can't be done in the flesh.  Let me show you a really good example of this from David. (2Sa.16:5) And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed still as he came. (6) And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. (7) And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow: (8) the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned … Well, I don't know if Shimei knew it or not, but David had opportunity about three times to kill Saul. It was in his hand to do it, and he wouldn't do it. He would resist the evil. He wouldn't repay. He left that to the Lord, and the Lord took care of that. The Lord used the Philistines to take Saul and his whole family out (1 Samuel 31:6), but He didn't have to blame David for it. David even had to dodge some of Saul's spears and his evil spirits (1 Samuel 18:11, 19:10). Shimei went on with his slander… And the Lord hath delivered the kingdom unto the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art [taken] in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood. (2Sa.16:9) Then said Abishai the son of Zeruah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse the lord my king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. (10) And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David … Do you see that? “The Lord hath said unto him, ‘Curse David.'” David wasn't wrong here. The Lord works all things after the counsel of His Own Will (Ephesians 1:11). He sends wicked people to us to crucify our flesh. It's His purpose to do that, just as He sent and used the hand of wicked men to crucify the Lord. (Act.2:23) Him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay. God used these vessels of dishonor. He used the people of Israel and He used the wicked Roman Empire to crucify the Lord, as the Scripture says. It's the same with us. He put us here in the midst of a bunch of wolves. Jesus said, “I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luk.10:3). We have been put here for crucifixion, and the world is designed to crucify us. If you don't understand that, you don't understand the sovereignty of God. God designed this world to crucify us. Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Stop and think. “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Before Adam fell, God designed a Savior. Do you think we're in Plan B? Nope. We're in Plan A. There never has been a Plan B because God is Sovereign. He designed this world to manifest sons, and to manifest sons, you have to have a fallen nature to begin with. There have to be people who don't deserve God's goodness. That's where you have to start out because God wasn't creating angels. If He was creating angels, He wouldn't have had to make man at all. God didn't want angels. He wanted somebody who was fallen and so they could gratefully realize they picked up by the grace of God. You remember what Jesus said to one of the Pharisees? (Luk.7:40) And Jesus, answering, said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Teacher, say on. (41) A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred shillings, and the other fifty. (42) When they had not [wherewith] to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most? (43) Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. (47) Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little. In other words, “Who is forgiven much, loveth much.” See, we're going to know how to love God because we don't deserve anything. We have fallen and have been picked up by grace, not by our works, but by grace or unmerited favor. We don't deserve anything. We deserve justice, but pray you don't get that because God's grace is far above justice. His mercy is far above justice. That's why we have to give grace to other people. Don't give them what they deserve; you may get what you deserve. (Mat.7:2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. If you give somebody justice, you'll receive it back. Give them mercy. Give them grace. God will judge them. God may even judge them out of your mouth, but understand that it won't be with your flesh. The prophets spoke judgments. In the Book of Revelation, prophets speak judgment in (Revelation 11:6). I'm convinced that everything that happens in the Book of Revelation comes out of the mouth of God's children. Many of the curses today that are coming upon this world are coming out of the mouth of God's children. In fact, I'm convinced that all of them do. God is bringing judgment, and He's doing it through His people but it won't be personal retaliation or unforgiveness. They're speaking judgment, but they're not doing it with the mouth of the flesh. You know, we can't rise up against this government that God ordained according to Romans 13. If you do, God promises, “all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Mat.26:52). But ultimately God's Kingdom is coming. The saints are going to possess the Kingdom, and they're going to take it from the Beast. They will do this by using the Sword of the Spirit and it will be happening in the spirit realm. They won't be doing it in the flesh. The flesh must be crucified. Works of the flesh must cease. You must desist. You must resist not him who is evil. In the spirit realm, we can do many mighty things. God has planned it that way so that your spirit man will be strong, but your flesh will be weak. That's the way God's salvation, God's deliverance, and every need is going to come. David understood that the Lord had commanded this, and we need to understand this, too. All we have to do is read Job to see that circumstances are the same today as they were back then. (Job2:10) … What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?…. And you know what? Job repented after God answered him in chapters 38-40. He repented of his self-righteousness. He repented (Job 42:1-6) and God gave him back what he'd lost (Job 42:10). But God used crucifixion in Job's life. Job wasn't physically doing wrong things; he wasn't in outward immoral disobedience. His problem was self-righteousness. God brought all this against him to bring him to repentance. David was also put in a position of crucifixion by God. God sent this enemy against him and David understood that. I think very few people in the Old Testament had wisdom like David concerning this. And he said, (2Sa.16:10) And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so? (11) And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him. “The Lord hath bidden him.” Think about that the next time people come against you and want to put you on the cross, and you keep wanting to climb down. We do want to climb down off that cross, but you can't drive the nails. God has designed the wicked to put the cross in the ground and drive the nails. That's their calling in this world.  God has vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor. He has vessels of grace and vessels of wrath. They're all doing His Will, one way or the other. All things serve the Lord, and He works all things after the counsel of His Own Will (Ephesians 1:11). If you understand this, you can walk in grace and peace in this world, no matter what comes against you, because God put you there for a purpose. He put you there to be crucified and so that you would learn to use the weapons of your warfare (2 Corinthians 10:4). You know, sometimes the Lord sends the devil against you just so you can defeat him. He'll send the enemy against you, but He doesn't want you to go against him by wrestling with flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). Remember that the Bible says, “resist not him that is evil” (Mat.5:39). On the other hand, it says, “resist the devil” (Jas.4:7). “Resist not him that is evil” is talking about man. We don't wrestle with flesh and blood. When they wrestled with flesh and blood in the Old Testament, that was a type and shadow of them wrestling with principalities and powers. Go back over there and read the names of those kings and the names of those tribes that were conquered, and study in the Hebrew what those names mean. You're going to find out they're all the lusts of the flesh and demon spirits. That's who the Israelites were spiritually wrestling with and everything that happened to them was a type and a shadow for us. (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. So go back to the Old Testament and look at it carefully. You'll see what they wrestled with.  Today we think we're supposed to carry on an Old Testament-type warfare in the way we war with people, but you can't grow if you do that. God will chasten you if you do that because you're rebelling against His Word. And David said of his accuser, “the Lord hath bidden him” (2Sa.16:11). (12) It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will requite me good for [his] cursing of me this day. David is saying that the Lord will pay him back good for his resisting not evil. If the Lord's going to bless you for it, go ahead and let them curse. Didn't Jesus say you'd be blessed when men would curse you? Absolutely (Matthew 5:11). Didn't He say the spirit of grace and the Spirit of God would rest upon you? Have you ever experienced that? I have. When I first learned of this doctrine, the Lord put me in situations where I did, by His grace, turn the other cheek, and I felt the power of God on me for going through that. It's just a great anointing that comes upon you when you obey God in the place where you want to defend yourself, and you refuse to do it. Instead, you leave it in the hands of God, and you won't defend yourself.  If you do defend ‘self', then the old man will live; he'll climb down off that cross. Even though he's crucified, he's not totally dead yet, so he can still climb down. It's true that we have to reckon him dead (Romans 6:11), but until he is dead, don't let him live; don't feed him. Do you know what fasting is a type of? Well, when you fast, you're not feeding the flesh. What happens when you don't feed it? It gets weak. What does that do? It makes the spiritual man strong. There's a reason for fasting and there's a spiritual type. The whole chapter of Isaiah 58 is talking about spiritual fasting, about denying yourself, so we see that they had a revelation of that in the Old Testament, too. (2Sa.16:13) So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hill-side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. (14) And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there. Well, that wasn't the end of the story. David never did do anything to Shimei, but his son Solomon had him killed because he rebelled against his commands and left the city. It's hard to comprehend why Shimei was so against David. My guess is he was a low-life who just didn't want to understand the situation here. Anybody who was on Absalom's side and saw righteousness in Absalom and not in David, and saw righteousness in Saul and not in David, was in trouble. He was a sick son of the devil. Leaving our recompense in God's hands will do a work in you that nothing else will do because our old man would like to get the last word. And the last place you'll usually overcome in doing this is in your family. You can do it pretty well with the world and with the Christians around you, but one of the last places you're going to do it is with your family. The Scriptures teach this really well. The Lord says, “bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not” (Rom.12:14).(17) Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. (18) If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. We're to be at peace with all men. I once had a rather strange thing happen to me when I was in that state between dreaming and waking up. I was faced with an enemy that had come against this country. I saw an invasion force, and I was in the midst of it, and I was saying things to them in this dream like, “You're not my enemy.” The world may have enemies, but the world is not our enemy. Did you know the world is not our enemy? He said, “I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men” (2Sa.7:14). See, the rod is not your enemy; the rod is God's method of creation. When what we call our “enemy” is finished doing their work, God's going to destroy them. They have a work to do that we have to cooperate with God in. They are the rod of God who comes against us, but they're not really our enemy. We are to resist not that evil because that evil is what crucifies this flesh, which is our true enemy; it's the enemy of our eternal life. So they're doing a work in us that nothing else could do, and we need them. And God says, “as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men” (Rom.12:18). (19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath [of God]. “Give place unto the wrath.” That “of God” wasn't in the original. Just cross that out because it's not in there. It says, “give place unto the wrath: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord” (19). (20) But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. (21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Our method to bring the Gospel to people around us is to overcome evil with good. And Paul said, always leave the vengeance up to the Lord. Now I've heard for years that this ‘heaping coals of fire upon their head' was coals of conviction. Maybe so. But if you don't take vengeance, the Lord will, because He said to Israel, I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse (Gen.12:3). The Bible says we're the Israel of God. That verse is about you. It's not about a bunch of pagan Israelites who don't know God. No, it doesn't have anything to do with them. It has to do with the Israel of God. For as many as are of the faith of Abraham, these are the sons of Abraham (Romans 4:16). (Rom.2:28) For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: (29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart…. God's going to bless those who bless you, but He's going to curse those who curse you.  (Psa.140:9) As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them. (10) Let burning coals fall upon them: Let them be cast into the fire, Into deep pits, whence they shall not rise. So, this ‘burning coals upon the head;' could mean a lot more than just the convicting power. There are some people who will be totally convicted when you resist not their evil, and God can overcome evil in people who can be convicted because the power of God is drawing them. But there are some people who have no desire toward God. They're not being drawn of God, as a matter of fact. The Scripture doesn't say God draws everybody. (Joh.6:44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him…. It's just not in there. And this won't do anything for them, but the Bible does say God's judgment will fall upon them. If you resist not the evil, God's judgment will fall upon them, so those burning coals can mean the judgment of God. (Rom.13:1) Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God…. Did you know that there is no power but of God? If somebody has power over you, guess Who gave them that power? Jesus told Pilate, “thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above” (Joh.19:11). It's the same situation with us. God puts us in positions where physically we don't have the power; the enemy, the wicked, have the power. How many times have you ever seen a Christian government over a country? Daniel said that God gives the kingdom to whom He will and He sets up over it the basest of men (Daniel 4:17). Did you ever wonder why God does that? Did you ever wonder why, in the days of Jesus, there were the Neros and the Caesars, and since then the Hitlers and the Mussolinis? God does that because we need crucifixion. God is in the process of creating sons, and there has to be a crucifixion for sons. The people in power most often are the wicked. The Bible says in Romans 13 that when they're put in power, God puts them there. So it says, “let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the [powers] that be are ordained of God” (Rom.13:1). And that was written in the days of the Herods and the Caesars and the Neros! God put them in there and they crucified the Christians. They brought the Christians through trouble and all that was God's purpose. (Act.14:22) … Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

This week, Pastor Abraham continues our series looking at Galatians. Join us next week online or in-person @ 10 AM on Sunday mornings at Calvary Baptist Church.

Send us Fan MailWhat do egalitarian Christians actually believe about women in ministry and how do they get there from Scripture?In this episode of our Women and the Church series, I'm joined by pastor and theologian Megan Powell du Toit to hear the biblical case for egalitarianism.Megan defines egalitarianism simply: that God intends full equality between men and women across context and role. But importantly, she pushes back against one of the most common assumptions in this debate, that egalitarians arrive at that conclusion because they take Scripture less seriously.We talk about how complementarians and egalitarians actually interpret the Bible, why Megan believes both camps often share far more hermeneutically than we realise, and then work our way through some of the major passages at the centre of this debate.We look at Genesis 1–3, what it means for woman to be created as a “helper”, women praying and prophesying in 1 Corinthians 11, the command for women to remain silent in 1 Corinthians 14, “I do not permit a woman to teach” in 1 Timothy 2, submission and headship in Ephesians 5, Galatians 3:28, Pentecost, Romans 16 and the women we see throughout the biblical story.We also talk about where egalitarians themselves disagree, the importance of humility when interpreting difficult passages, and the very real impact this conversation has on women trying to discern how God has gifted and called them to serve his church.This episode isn't asking you to simply accept Megan's conclusion. As throughout this series, I want you to hear the position from someone who actually holds it, test it against Scripture and do the hard work yourself.Follow @hertheology on Instagram & YouTube. Head to hertheology.com to find out more.

Teacher: Shawn Seeley

What if the way you fight your spiritual battles matters more than whether you win them? In this message, we go to the hill at Rephidim, where Moses' raised hands, Joshua's sword, and the steady support of Aaron and Hur show us what it looks like to stand in the fight together, and to stand for God's glory rather than our own victory. We start with the surprising science of willpower and the anterior midcingulate cortex, the part of the brain that grows when we do the hard things we'd rather avoid. From there we see why the battles we fight tomorrow are shaped by the flesh we deny today. Drawing on Matthew 16, Galatians 5, and Romans 8, we explore what it means to consecrate ourselves so God can do amazing things among us. Then we get practical. What does it look like to storm the hill? Get under spiritual authority, surround yourself with people of integrity, embrace your role in the fight, and refuse to lower the staff. Moses' moment at Meribah is a sobering reminder of what happens when ambition takes over. We unpack the difference between ambition-based warfare ("It's my job to make it happen!") and joy-based warfare ("It's my job to stay in His presence"), and discover why the joy of the Lord really is our strength. Whether you're weary, striving, or wondering if the fight is worth it, this episode invites you to trade the emotional rollercoaster for trust, and to die on hills your children will one day conquer.

I came across 1 Thessalonians 5:14 in my Bible reading recently, and it dawned on me that – although this verse is something all believers should be doing – it provides a particularly apt job description for mothers. Show Notes VERSES CITED: 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - “We urge you [to] admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” Proverbs 29:15  - “The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.” Ephesians 4:29  - “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Colossians 4:6  - “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 - “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Peter 3:15 - “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect….” Hebrews 10:23-25  - “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Ephesians 4:15  - “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ….” Hebrews 6:10 - “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Ephesians 4:2  -  “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.” Proverbs 18:13 – “He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.” Galatians 5:22-25 - “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 – “…rejoice always, pray without ceasing.” RELATED LINKS: Pray for Your Children from Head to Toe Pray for Your Teens 25 Ways to Raise Capable, Confident Children Age-Appropriate Children's Chores Nurturers by Nature (Don't Waste Your Girl Power) Respond, Don't React STAY CONNECTED: Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -weekly themed link lists of free resources Instagram: @flanders_family - follow for more great content Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life - parenting tips, homeschool help, printables Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home- encouragement for wives, mothers, believers My Books: Shop Online - find on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, or through our website

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness – Galatians 5:22

Show Notes [29:05] — 16 Questions from Chasing Elephants for navigating gray areas of Christian freedom: Is the decision within the moral will of God? Is the decision being made in the attitude of Christ? (Romans 15:1–13) Is the decision being made under control of the flesh or the Holy Spirit? (Galatians 5:13–26) Will the decision have a positive spiritual impact on self? (1 Corinthians 6:12, 10:23–24) Will this decision addict or enslave? (1 Corinthians 6:12) Is this decision consistent with the rule of Christian living? Will the decision hurt a fellow believer spiritually or set a spiritual deathtrap? (Romans 14:13) Will the decision have a positive spiritual impact on fellow believers? (Romans 14:19; 1 Corinthians 10:23–24; Galatians 6:1–10) Does the decision go against conscience? (Romans 14:14) Will the decision disrupt fellowship or damage relationships within community? (Romans 14:15) Will the decision damage reputation? (Romans 14:16) Will the decision remove focus from the big picture of God's kingdom? (Romans 14:17–19) Is the decision being made out of a selfish heart, or will it offend? (Romans 14:20–21; 1 Corinthians 10:32) Can the decision be imitated by others who understand freedom? (1 Corinthians 10:33–11:1) Is the decision being made in light of the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ? (1 Corinthians 9:19–24; 10:33) Will the decision glorify God — will it make a big deal about Jesus? (1 Corinthians 10:31; Galatians 6:11–16) __ [39:39] — Books mentioned: Dr. John Lennox's two books on AI 2084 and the AI Revolution, Updated and Expanded Edition: How Artificial Intelligence Informs Our Future God, AI and the End of History: Understanding the Book of Revelation in an Age of Intelligent Machines

Jesus Followers “also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" While We Are Still Sinners MESSAGE SUMMARY: No one, including you, can separate you from the love of God. While we were and are still sinners, Jesus the Christ died for us. God loves you exactly where you are; God loves you no matter what you said about Him; and He loves you no matter what you have done. In Romans 5:8-11, Paul confirms God's unconditional love for us: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I now take a deep breath and stop. So often I miss your hand and gifts in my life because I am preoccupied and anxious. Grant me the power to pause each day and each week to simply rest in your arms of love. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 132). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Compulsions. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Patience. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Romans 6:23; John 17:1-26; John 5:24; Psalms 139b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Remembering “he who is forgiven little, loves little”, Is Your Focus Outward in the Love and Service of Others?”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Order my new book Politics, Economics and New Testament Interpretation: Amazon: https://a.co/d/0aFo5AeDLCI: https://libertarianchristians.com/store/politics-economics-and-new-testament-interpretation/In this episode I talk with Dr. Brandon Crowe about his brand-new book James Revisited: Christology and Biblical Theology in the Letter of James, out now on Baker Academic. In this book Crow examines James in light of the biblical canon and Christology, showing how Jesus and the rest of Scripture illuminate and are illuminated by James. We discuss the authorship, dating and purpose of James, suggesting it might be one of the earliest letters in the New Testament, and talk about the centrality of themes such as kingdom, Christology, and eschatology. We also discuss the role of moral development and hypocrisy, the complex question of the Law, and the notorious debate about whether the assertion in James 2 that a man is justified by works contradicts Paul's claims in Romans 3 and Galatians 2. We then talk about the practical application of James for the church today. Media Referenced:James Revisited: https://a.co/d/07hpXArsCrowe on X: @brandondcroweSubstack: https://brandondcrowe.substack.com/ Sign up for LCI's 2026 Conference in Cincinnati, OH on Saturday, October 17! Many LCI content creators, including myself, will be speaking at the event, and it will be an excellent opportunity to connect with likeminded, liberty-loving Christians. Check out the event and sign up here: https://libertarianchristians.com/conference/The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show's profile! Thanks!

Season 3, Episode 8In this episode, Michael and Zach continue through Galatians by examining Paul's deeply personal appeal in Galatians 4:12–31. Paul reminds the Galatians of the affection they once had for him and asks how telling them the truth has made him seem like an enemy. He contrasts the motives of the false teachers, who seek dependence and loyalty, with his own desire to see Christ formed in them. Paul then returns to Abraham, using Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, as an illustration of two fundamentally different ways of relating to God's promise: slavery through human effort and freedom through divine promise. The discussion explores Paul's striking identification of Hagar with Sinai and the present Jerusalem, his quotation of Isaiah 54, and his conclusion that believers are already children of promise. The Galatians do not need to place themselves under the Law to become legitimate heirs; in Christ, they already are.Find our videocast here: https://youtu.be/UqbEA4VAYYsMerch here: https://take-2-podcast.printify.me/Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/reakt-music/deep-stone⁠License code: 2QZOZ2YHZ5UTE7C8Find more Take 2 Theology content at http://www.take2theology.com

To find out more about Momentum: Momentumcc.org  – Download 'Church Center' App: Connect with 'Momentum Christian Church' – Social Media: Facebook.com/momentumcc.org Instagram.com/momentum.cc – Connect: Momentumcc.org/Connect – Baptism: Momentumcc.org/Baptism  – Online Giving: Momentumcc.org/Giving – NextGen: Birth–Elementary: Momentumcc.org/kidmotion Middle–High School: Momentumcc.org/moxie

To find out more about Momentum: Momentumcc.org  – Download 'Church Center' App: Connect with 'Momentum Christian Church' – Social Media: Facebook.com/momentumcc.org Instagram.com/momentum.cc – Connect: Momentumcc.org/Connect – Baptism: Momentumcc.org/Baptism  – Online Giving: Momentumcc.org/Giving – NextGen: Birth–Elementary: Momentumcc.org/kidmotion Middle–High School: Momentumcc.org/moxie

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Pastor Dom teaches about living the transformed life. Romans 12:1-21 I beseech  you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.2 Corinthians 3:18 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.2 Corinthians 5:1717 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.Romans 6:14 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you,…1 Peter 2:1-21 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 1 Peter 2:3 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.Psalm 1:22 But they delight in the law of the Lord,  meditating on it day and night.James 5:16 16 …The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.James 5:1616 …The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.Ephesians 6:1212 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.Luke 10:1919 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.Luke 10:1717 …saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”1 John 5:1414 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.Philippians 2:9-109 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,…Acts 3:66 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”Galatians 2:2020 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Does prayer come easy to you? Or is it hard to know how to talk to God? Lee Nienhuis was a teenager when she began to understand what a relationship with Jesus looked like. Mentored by her youth pastor and his wife, this new understanding inspired her to deepen her relationship with Christ through prayer. Now, as a mom of four, Lee uses Scripture to pray specific prayers over her children. Join Lee as she shares with hosts Eryn Eddy Adkins and Vivian Mabuni how to use Scripture to guide us through praying for all the people, things, and situations in our lives. You don't want to miss this final episode of Season 18 of the God Hears Her podcast.  Guest Bio: Lee Nienhuis is an author, speaker, and passionate Bible teacher whose love for the Lord and His Word is contagious. Lee is a communications specialist, ministry coach, and consultant for many churches and nonprofit organizations. With a heart for inductive Bible study and missions, she speaks both domestically and abroad, communicating a dynamic vision of biblical literacy for the next generation. Lee's books, Brave Moms, Brave Kids, and Counter-Cultural Parenting, are a clarion call for parents who are looking to raise wholehearted Christ followers in this generation. Lee's writing and speaking have been featured on Focus on the Family, True Woman, Iron Sharpens Iron, and Proverbs 31 ministries. Lee and her husband, Mike, have four kids and live in West Michigan.    Notes and Quotes:  “It wasn't that I didn't know that Jesus had died on a cross . . . it was that I didn't understand how that was supposed to relate to our life.” —Lee Nienhuis  “God's Word transforms lives in broken places.” —Lee Nienhuis  “The healing that I was finding was what I wanted for other people. The only thing I knew was that Jesus loves me and that I'm supposed to tell other people about Him.” —Lee Nienhuis  “Little by little, God transformed me, and I am not who I was.” —Lee Nienhuis  Lee's Prayers: “Lord, would you give me a heart for your Word?” “Lord, would you give me a heart for lost people?” “Lord, would you teach me how to pray?”  “I can have control or I can have faith, and I am choosing faith every time.” —Lee Nienhuis  Verses:  Ephesians 3:19  Galatians 6:2  Related Episodes:  GHH Ep 86 – When We Pray Like Jesus: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/when-we-pray-like-jesus/ GHH Ep 99 – Conversations with God with Lori Hatcher: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/conversations-with-god/ GHH Ep 199 – Praying Honestly with Rachel Britton: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/praying-honestly/  Links:  Join our Email List : https://go.odb.org/sign-up-ghh Subscribe to the God Hears Her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GodHearsHerODBM Lee's Website: https://leenienhuis.com/about-me/ Pray Naturally by Rachel Britton: https://www.amazon.com/Pray-Naturally-Finding-Spiritual-Confidence/dp/1640703683/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UdnRqFZW8FNHKQ7aO848rkaGPi02CNV5wF7Xi_b2Br39nsaoHkqGYsxC8HLZ3Fk0.3Q5c1NCQ5Ye1AyIP2KeTeexDyiJi-KeA1kHM44HNSBo&dib_tag=se&hvadid=778115814181&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9021712&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=10531869851246428587--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10531869851246428587&hvtargid=kwd-2457826502637&hydadcr=17811_13794493&keywords=pray+naturally+rachel+britton&mcid=6092d020e8ca351f8b33ac3c01da060c&qid=1788189098&sr=8-1 

This Sunday, Pastor Jon continued A Manifesto of Fruitfulness, teaching from Galatians 5:13–26 on the fruit of the Spirit. We are all being formed by something, but we are also being deformed. Sin teaches us to organize our lives around ourselves, while the Spirit transforms us from the inside out. The fruit of the Spirit isn't something we manufacture by trying harder. It is the evidence of a life being transformed by Christ. Fruit comes through union, not imitation; by beholding, not striving; in community, not isolation. As we remain planted in Him, the Spirit slowly forms us into people who reflect the character of Jesus.

Wisdom of Sirach 36, 37; Psalm 76:1·10; Proverbs 15:33·38; Galatians 6

Power of Praying Scriptures over your Marriage: Special Patreon Release with Jodie Berndt   1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NIV) "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you."   *Transcription Below*   Jodie Berndt is bestselling author of the Praying the Scriptures book series, which includes volumes for Children, Teens, Adult Children, and Life, plus the new Praying the Scriptures for Your Marriage (2023). Jodie has been a trusted speaker, Bible teacher, and prayer warrior for over thirty years. She and her husband, Robbie, have four married children, and they live in Virginia Beach, Virginia.   Connect with Jodie through her website or Instagram.   Questions and Topics We Discuss: What are some ancient truths from Scripture that stand out to you, specifically as it relates to marriage? Will you share a few of the helpful questions for couples that you write in the book? How have you seen kindness open the door to changes in a marriage?   Thank You to Our Sponsors: Chick-fil-A East Peoria and The Savvy Sauce Charities (and donate online here)   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast!   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”   Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”   Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”   John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:10 - 2:47) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   I want to say a huge thank you to today's sponsors for this episode, Chick-fil-A East Peoria and Savvy Sauce Charities.   If this is your first time here, welcome! You may be wondering what it means to have a special Patreon release. So, here's the scoop. Patreon was a platform we used to generate financial support for The Savvy Sauce, and we expressed our thanks to those paying patrons by giving them a bonus episode every month. But, in 2024, we transitioned away from Patreon when we became a non-profit called Savvy Sauce Charities. The podcast is part of this non-profit, which exists to resource loved ones to inspire growth and intimacy with God and others.   So, people used to pay to support us through Patreon, but now they can just donate directly to our non-profit. We spend thousands of dollars each year to record and produce these episodes, and we do pray that they're beneficial and that God sees fit to use them to be transformational in your life. If that is the case, if you have ever benefited from an episode of The Savvy Sauce, would you consider showing your gratitude through your financial generosity? Any amount is greatly appreciated. In fact, if every listener gave only $1 per month, it would completely offset our costs. We have all the details on our website, thesavvysauce.com, but feel free to also reach out to our team anytime if you want to partner together. Our email address is info@thesavvysauce.com.   And now I'm pleased to share this episode with you that used to only be available to paying patrons. Jodie Berndt is my guest today. She is the bestselling author of the Praying the Scriptures book series, and today we're going to focus on the powerful way to pray the scriptures for our marriage. And I just want to give you a heads up that you may hear a lot of airplanes in the background during our conversation, but I hope it doesn't take away from all the goodness Jodie is about to share. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Jodie.   Jodie Berndt: (2:49 - 2:53) Laura, thank you. It is just a huge treat to be able to chat with you today.   Laura Dugger: (2:54 - 2:59) Well, will you begin by just first telling us a bit about yourself and the work that you get to do?   Jodie Berndt: (3:01 - 4:19) Sure. Yes. Well, like you, I have four children. Mine are grown now, though. I have three daughters and then a son at the end, and they're all adults and married and having kids of their own. I met my husband back when we were in college. We both went to the University of Virginia and got married right after college, kind of jumped into the whole marriage and family thing. By today's standards, it seems ridiculously young. I look back and I think I don't know what we were thinking. But as Robbie, my husband says, when you meet the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to start right now. And I think we both kind of felt that way. And so, we've been married now, I guess, nearly 38 years.   Your listeners may know that I write books. I write the Praying the Scriptures books. I've done others as well. But those are the ones that I am primarily focused on now. Praying the Scriptures for Your Children, your teens, your adult children, your life, because we needed ourselves too. And then most recently, Praying the Scriptures for Your Marriage. So, I never set out to become a prayer writer or even a book writer. But golly, I have realized the power of prayer and my desperate need for God's help in all things. So, I think it sort of fell backwards into it. And it's been a fun journey.   Laura Dugger: (4:20 - 4:37) Well, and I first encountered that book that you mentioned, Praying the Scriptures for Your Children, when I was a new mom, and it was so powerful. So, when you look back to that one, what are some of the stories or takeaways that really stand out from that resource?   Jodie Berndt: (4:38 - 9:31) Oh, gosh. Well, thank you for asking about that one. That was a book that was sort of born, as I said, out of my own need for the Lord, because nothing reveals your flaws and inadequacies and need for help beyond yourself as much as having children does. At least for me, that was the case. I'd grown up in a Christian home. Prayer was a natural part of life for me but not sort of the specific intentional prayers and not praying the scriptures.   And for anybody who doesn't know what that means, it just means taking the words that we read in the Bible, the things that God actually says to us there and using them to shape how we think about things, how we long for things, kind of creating our desires as based on what we read and then animating our prayers so that, as Jesus says in John 15, he looks at his disciples, he's getting ready to go to the cross, and you think of all the things he could have talked about. He chose to drill down on staying connected to him primarily through our prayers. He says, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you." And then he explains why. He says, "This is to my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."   And I think I read that chapter in those specific verses, probably a hundred times over my life without fully comprehending what he was talking about there. And I think what he's talking about is that as we abide in him, as we remain in him, as we stay connected day in and day out, whether we're doing the laundry or running a carpool or anything else, we can allow the things we read in the Bible to shape our thoughts, shape our longings, and then give voice to our prayers. And when we do that, that really is the secret to living a difference-making, transformational, impactful life, to bearing fruit.   I loved being able to kind of look back over a 20-year history. And the stories in that book, in all my books, are real-life people who have real-life struggles and real-life prayers. And some of them have very happy endings. Some of them are still being played out. All of them represent times when we're having to trust God. And as I looked back over 20 years of praying parents and watched these families, where when I first was interviewing the mom or the dad, their kids might be five or seven or ten years old. And now, you know, these kids are in their 30s, some of them. And I'm like, wow, God, you know, it's like watching hair grow sometimes when we're praying and we don't see the needle moving. But with the perspective of history and time, you can see how God works. And so that was a huge blessing to me that I didn't expect when I went back and re-read the book and updated the book to be able to see what God has done.   And one particular chapter that I loved in that book was the chapter on praying for your child to promote God's kingdom. And there's a story in there about two little second grade boys, Brandon and Eddie. And I was part of a moms in prayer group at the time. And we were praying a verse, Ephesians 5:16, that our kids would make the most of every opportunity, that they would be wise in the way they live. We really didn't know how God would answer that prayer. But what parent doesn't want their child to be wise in the way they live and to make the most of the opportunities? Well, sure enough, we prayed that prayer. And two weeks later, one of the moms in our group came in and told the most jaw-droppingly beautiful story of how her son, a second grader, as part of an in-class assignment, had chosen to write a persuasive essay. And you can imagine what a second-grade essay looks like. But most of the kids in the class thought, I'm going to persuade my grandmother to give me a bicycle or I'm going to persuade my mom to let me stay up late and watch a TV show, whatever it is. This child chose to write to one of his classmates, who had been known as a real troublemaker in that class and in the school, about why he should accept Jesus as the Lord of his life. And he put these 10 points, things like, you know, God loves you. Jesus loves you. You can have anything you want in heaven. Just is a second grader's viewpoint. And I'm telling you what, I did that interview and wrote that story 20 some years ago. And still today, as I look back on that child and again, getting to watch him grow up, he's now a father with children of his own. And seeing how God has worked in that child's life in answer to that Ephesians 5 prayer that our child will be wise, making the most of every opportunity. I'm just dumbfounded. First, by how God answered that in a second grader's life and how he's continued to have the answer to that prayer unfold over this young man's life as he's grown. It's just we never can know when we pray what God will do.   Laura Dugger: (9:33 - 9:53) Absolutely. Because the fruit looks so different than the seed. And that's incredible to have that gift of perspective. But now with your newest title, Praying the Scriptures for Your Marriage, first of all, how do you even respond to someone if they ask you, why does prayer matter in marriage?   Jodie Berndt: (9:54 - 12:29) Yeah, well, that's actually a question that I get more than you would think. And especially from people who aren't super comfortable praying. Because a lot of us, even if we've grown up in church-going Christian homes, the idea of praying with our spouse just might not come naturally. And even for Robbie and me. But I'll tell you one of the reasons we want to do it is because prayer really does matter. As I jumped into writing this book, I started doing some research and secular research points to all of these benefits that it reinforces the idea of prayer does that you're on the same team. Psychologists have found that prayer increases a sense of satisfaction in your relationship. It heightens your own sense of emotional well-being. If you're mad, it gives you a chance to calm down. It can lower your blood pressure. And there have even been studies done that shows that when couples pray together, it even leads to better sex. And so, you get all of these things that are completely separate from maybe the spiritual side of why God would want us to pray. This is just the secular research.   But when you take it a step further and look at why God wants us to pray, oh, my goodness. You know, it opens the door to intimacy, both with ourselves and with the Lord, because honestly, it's being vulnerable, isn't it? When we pray, you know, that is asking God for help. That's acknowledging our dependence on him, admitting we can't always be kind or selfless or forgiving on our own. And, you know, I don't know any husbands or wives who can do those things because we're all inherently flawed. We're broken. We're selfish people. And we can kind of start to shrivel up under what pressure to just get it all right, you know, to be a good wife, to be a good husband. And we can feel like we're failing. And yet, when we realize that through prayer, we've got this vehicle of inviting God into the mix, into our relationship, of letting the Holy Spirit step in and do the things that only he can do to work in us, giving us, as Philippians 2:13 says, the desire and the power to do what pleases God. I mean, that just changes the equation. It removes the burden from our shoulders of trying to build a strong marriage or be a good husband or wife. And just says, God, you know what? I can't do this on my own. I need you. Our marriage needs you. And that just opens up the runway, I think, for us in marriages and really gives us a new intimacy and a new confidence in our relationships.   Laura Dugger: (12:30 - 12:45) Well, and Jodie, you did so much research on marriages in preparation for this book. So, what are some of the ancient truths from Scripture that stand out to you specifically as it relates to marriage?   Jodie Berndt: (12:45 - 16:24) I'll tell you, an ancient truth that runs throughout Scripture is God's desire for us to talk to him about all of the details of our lives. There's nothing too big or nothing too small for him to care about. And I know you shared with me that you loved the Isaiah 7:11 verse in The Message translation, which is when Ahaz and the Lord are talking together. And God says, ask anything, you know, be extravagant, ask for the moon. And that's God's invitation to us to ask big. But there are also verses in Scripture where it says, you know, he delights in the details of our lives. He bends down to listen. So, we really can talk to him about the smallest things.   And I'll tell you, in terms of what you term ancient truths, I would say, and your listeners, I'm sure, know this, that the Bible is kind of one big story of God's love for us. And the covenant of marriage really is designed to reflect that. You know, we say this in our marriage vows, but I've yet to meet a bride or groom who really knows what they're talking about when they say those vows. I know for Robbie and me, we were just starry eyed and in love and speaking these vows without even really thinking what it would mean for better, for worse, you know, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish all of those things. But I'll tell you what, marriage gives us a chance to live out the gospel every day in a million little ways.   I love what Tim Keller says about the gospel. He says the gospel is this. It's that we are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe. And yet at the very same time, we are more loved and accepted in Jesus than we ever dared hope. And, you know, isn't that a picture of marriage? Because nothing reveals our flaws and our sins as much as taking two inherently selfish people and bringing them into close proximity with each other day in and day out. We are going to love against each other. We're going to be aware of our brokenness. Nobody knows my weak points as much as my husband. Nobody knows his as much as I do. So, we're so aware that we're flawed. And yet within the covenant of our marriage, we can honestly say, OK, we are more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope as we do what Christ did and give ourselves up for one another.   Ephesians 5, it's that classic New Testament passage about how human relationships are supposed to work. And Paul starts out, he says, Ephesians 5:2, "Walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." And you may blow by a verse like that because it sounds very theological and holy. And you think, OK, what does that really mean in my human relationships? And more specifically, what does that mean for our marriage? OK, walking in love, giving yourself up. It could be something as simple as getting out of bed to let the dog out so that your husband or your wife can sleep in. It may be going to the in-laws for dinner when everything in us wants to stay home because we know that's what our spouse longs to do. Anytime we choose to put our partner's needs and desires ahead of our own, that's partaking of the gospel. That is giving ourselves up for them as Jesus gave himself up for us. Even as we do that in the little decisions of our lives every day, we get to live out that gospel. And what a beautiful opportunity. So, if I had to take one ancient truth from all of scripture, it would be that the Bible is one big love story of God's love for us. And in our marriages every day, we can live that out in a million little decisions.   Laura Dugger: (16:26 - 16:50) Well, in your book, you open up about your journey of learning to listen to your husband instead of interrupting him. Oh, yeah. And just a crazy side note. I'm just going to quote you here where you write, the average person pays attention for about eight seconds and can only go 17 seconds before interrupting someone. 17 seconds.   Jodie Berndt: (16:50 - 19:53) Yes. I mean, I read that in my research. I think that was out of Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I think was the source there. But when I read that, I thought, oh, my goodness. A, that makes me just mortified. But B, it makes me feel better about myself because I am an interrupter. I always think that I have the answer, the solution or something that's going to be really either interesting to say or solving to say whatever it is. And I had to learn to give my husband space to speak because like a lot of men, I think he's not super verbose. He's not going to be letting his words tumble out. And so, I have to give space and time in our conversations for him to be able to get his words together instead of just leaping to a conclusion and saying, I know exactly what you mean or stepping in and trying to finish his sentence because he may have something that he's concerned about or worried about.   You know, I tell a story in the book, too, where when we taught a marriage class, we had to rate each other on all kinds of things, 20 different topics on a scale of like zero to four. I think it was. And he gave me a zero in meeting his emotional needs. And I thought zero, but that's not fair. I didn't even know you had emotional needs because you are such a steady, reliable, non-mercurial person. And I realized just because he's steady and not all over the map, doesn't mean he doesn't have fears and worries and concerns and emotional needs just like I do. I had to learn to kind of let him express those. And for his part, he had to learn to let me speak without immediately jumping in and wanting to fix something. I think men, a lot of our husbands are natural fixers. They love us. They want to solve our problems. They want to help us analyze what's wrong. And there have been times where I have had to just look at Robbie, sometimes even take a space in my hands and say, OK, I just want to tell you something. And I don't need you right off the bat to fix it. I just need to be heard. I need to know that you understand. So, will you just listen without trying to solve or analyze or fix and let me express myself, communicate? And that's been a really good listening tool. So so, between me trying to interrupt and him trying to solve and fix, we have really had to learn some some tools and some strategies that we talk about in the book for becoming better listeners.   And I think it only makes sense, right? We are not ever taught to listen or taught to speak. I've got grandchildren here and it's really fun to watch them at age one and two and three learn to mimic what we say when we say, can you say yes, please? Can you say, you know, I love you. And it's delightful to watch our children learn to form words. But nobody ever says to us, OK, let me teach you to listen. Let me teach you to wait. Let me teach you to reflect. Let me teach you to ask questions to help you understand more. All of those things may not come naturally to us. And so, there are things we have to be intentional in marriage and in every relationship about learning.   Laura Dugger: (19:54 - 20:07) Well, are there any of those game changing tools that you would like to elaborate on if someone really hasn't been trained to learn how to listen? Well, what has helped you and Robbie really listen and love?   Jodie Berndt: (20:07 - 22:13) Yeah, well, me not. Number one, expecting him to be a mind reader. I think sometimes we girls, because we intuit things, we think, oh, surely he'll pick this up. And I've had to learn that I need to really be clear in my communication. And just like I said earlier, you know, if I just want him to listen without fixing, I need to say that. And we've also had to learn things like I think sometimes listeners can try to reassure other people. We can minimize the problem saying, oh, it's going to be all right. You know, don't worry. That happened to me once, too. And while we might think we're doing someone a favor by that, what we're really doing is undermining their need to express themselves, to be heard, to say they really are afraid or concerned.   And so, I think a good listener doesn't just jump in immediately with the reassurance or another bad habit is deflecting, you know, saying, oh, yeah, that reminds me of the time I. And we think, oh, good, we're going to take their mind off the problem by telling them another story. And no, they don't maybe need to have their mind taken off it right then. What they might need right then is to know that they're being heard. Or even another bad habit that we had to learn to avoid is intellectualizing something or explaining something. You know, well, the reason it didn't go well for you at work today, honey, is that you probably started by just saying exactly what you felt without giving everybody else in the room a chance to speak or whatever it is. You know, we're going in trying to armchair quarterback our spouse's life by explaining and intellectualizing when, again, they just need to know we're listening, we're hearing, we're willing to be sympathetic and empathize, and we're willing to pray. And we don't have to have the answers.   We can say, gosh, that must be hard. You know, why don't we just stop right now and just say, God, we don't know what to do here. Just like Jehoshaphat had said, you know, he was facing vast armies. He said, God, I don't know what to do. We don't know what to do. But our eyes are on you. And we can say that in our marriage saying, I don't know how to help my spouse. We don't know what to do about this. But God, we're inviting you into this mix. And that's what a good listener can sound like. Sometimes you don't have to have all the answers.   Laura Dugger: (22:14 - 22:36) And I would even add, I guess it's part of the hope of this podcast, even, to ask really great questions. And our tagline is Practical Chats for Intentional Living. And the hope is that anyone listening would be inspired to also ask great questions and have their own practical chats for intentional living.   Jodie Berndt: (22:36 - 25:28) Yes, I love that you bring that up. Because in the book, there are questions at the end of every chapter. I didn't start out to write Praying the Scriptures for Your Marriage. But after these other four books came out, I kept hearing from people on Instagram or via my website saying, when are you going to write something about marriage? You know, I'm in this most important human relationship. And we are grating against each other. You know, we need God's help when it comes to knowing how to handle conflict, how to handle our finances, time with our in-laws, intimacy issues, or learning, as you and I have been talking here, how to talk well, how to listen well, how to communicate, how to make friends. You'd think that would come naturally, but sometimes it doesn't. And couples struggle to find people that they want to do life with.   So, all of these things, leaving our legacy, parenting, are things marriages want God to be involved in. And so, these are what the different chapters, the topics. And at the end of each one, there are questions that we can ask our spouse. You know, hit the pause button and say, you know, say it's the chapter on having fun together. We might get to the end of that chapter and say, what's something you'd like to do that might surprise me? Because we don't always know what our spouse's idea of relaxation or fun or laughter would look like. And so, the questions in there are designed to elicit conversation. And you know what? If your spouse isn't interested in talking to you about any of those things, you can talk to the Lord about them. You can open your journal, and you can just write things out. You can listen to God. So, the discussion starters are in there for husbands and wives to use together or for you to use in your own quiet times with the Lord.   And I'll tell you, this is the only book in the series that Robbie has really written with me. He read every word of every chapter before I would send it off to the editor. And time and again, he would come back to me, and he would say, Jodie, I don't think a husband's going to really know what you mean by that. Or I don't think you have dug deep enough on this one or been as helpful as you might be on that one. And that made it hard. I mean, talk about a chance to have conflict with your spouse, invite them to edit your book. But it was so valuable because it has created a resource where I think a wife might buy the book. But I really do think a husband now might be willing to pick up the book. And even if the husband's not digging deep into the stories of every chapter, any husband or any wife can pick it up. Pray the 10 or 12 verses at the end of each chapter or just pray one verse that seems to resonate. And then avail themselves of those discussion questions and conversation starters so that it can help communication both between husband and wife and between you and God. So, thank you for bringing up that part about questions, because that really is something we need to do more about in life. We can't ever know someone without asking those things.   Laura Dugger: (25:29 - 26:18) I agree. And so, we've covered now how listening is that one important ingredient in communication. But in addition, you write, it is still important to stay current with our spouse by also talking and sharing what's going on within and around us. And you write on page 49, The things we don't say can become wedges in our relationships. Communication involves two parts, talking and listening, and we need to be good at both. And Jodie, I think that you model a helpful way to think about this through something that you taught your children. So, will you share that illustration of serving the ball and hitting it back and how that applies to conversation?   Jodie Berndt: (26:18 - 29:16) That's so funny that you pulled that out. And its funny right now because I just read that in a very important intellectual article that showed up in my inbox from one of these institutes. I follow on family studies and different things. I thought that Robbie and I had invented this idea of serving the ball. Our son was an athlete and not much of a talker. And because he was an athlete all year round, he would go to different tournaments, different places. And I remember him being a young teen and not being super eager to engage in conversation. But because we had four kids and you can relate to this, we were not always taking our kids to all the different tournaments and activities. A lot of times they'd be riding in a car with another adult, another team dad or mom. And on one occasion, I remember popping him in the car with a friend of ours who was going to go meet a lacrosse team, you know, another state away. And we knew he'd be in the car for three or four hours. And we said, OK, you know, when Mr. So-and-so asks you a question, you can't just answer with one word, you know, like I'm good or yes, sir. We want you to hit the ball back. We want you to think of something that you can ask him. Think of a conversation. That's our son's name. We said, like you're in a game where the ball has to go back and forth, like say something to keep it in play. And for him, that was a real eye opener for how to learn to talk when he mostly knew how to hit balls back and forth.   And researchers noticed that couples who paid that attention, you know, if a spouse, if a husband said, hey, look at that bird. Isn't that a pretty bird? If the wife didn't even notice the bird, that planted a seed of contempt or indifference, coldness, the cold shoulder that could grow, whereas if the partner said, wow, gosh, that is a pretty bird, and, you know, that reminds me of the one we saw last week on our walk, and, I mean, that's a silly illustration, maybe noticing the bird, maybe it's a sunset, maybe it's saying, wow, this, you know, hamburger is really good, whatever it is, whatever the little tidbits of conversation, when we pick up, when we hit the ball back, when we pay attention and say, you know, yeah, that creates an interest in our spouse and a kindness.   Laura Dugger: (29:17 - 35:00) And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Did you know you can go to college tuition-free just by being a team member at Chick-fil-A East Peoria? Free college education. All Chick-fil-A East Peoria team members in good standing can take advantage of this incredible benefit. If you're looking for a workplace that invests in your future, Chick-fil-A East Peoria is the place for you. You don't have to go into debt for college. Visit Chick-fil-A.com/EastPeoria and click on the career tab. And if you aren't located near Chick-fil-A East Peoria, make sure you check with your local Chick-fil-A restaurant to see if they also participate.   Jodie Berndt: And I'll tell you, when I started doing the kindness research, I said to Robbie, do you think some people are just more naturally kind than others? And he said, yeah, I do. I think some people are just naturally more kind. And I think he's right, but I don't think you put a period there, because kindness is a fruit of the Spirit, right? Galatians 5:22 and 23, it does talk about how love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness is what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. And researchers have found that kindness actually works with them like a muscle. It gets stronger in our lives the more we commit to using it. And I love what folks at the National Marriage Project discovered. They discovered that when we are kind to our spouse with these simple things, you know, bringing them a cup of coffee in the morning, it doesn't even have to be super important, that creates an atmosphere in which generosity toward one another can flourish. And what it does is create an upward spiral. You know, we all talk about downward spirals and how we can just descend into contempt or coldness. We can also ascend. We can create that upward spiral through simple, small words and gestures that communicate kindness in marriage. And it can change the whole climate and allow intimacy and love to flourish.   And I will tell you what, Robbie and I are in the empty nest years, and we have friends who are in our same season, and a couple of couples in particular. For the last maybe four or five years have confided to us that they're not as kind to one another as they would like to be. Their marriage is strong. They're not getting a divorce, but their kids are raised, and they each have kind of their own lanes they're in, and they're in the empty nest, and they're recognizing that they just don't treat each other with the generosity and love in their words and in their actions that maybe they did when they were younger. And you would say, oh, what a shame. Except that it's not a shame because these couples have committed to praying about it and to inviting other couples who will keep that confidential into their lives to say, hey, will you pray this for us? And I will tell you what, we are seeing the needle move in our friends' lives. It is a beautiful thing to watch someone in their 60s who thinks, you know what, I'm just not that kind, actually begin to soften and change and be kind as the Holy Spirit goes to work. So, if you're listening and you're thinking, you know what, I'm just not that nice of a person. I'm just not that kind. Or my spouse, they've been kind of cool or cold all these years. Don't give up. Keep praying. Keep trying. Keep relying on the Holy Spirit. Invite other couples into the mix who can come alongside you and pray for you and even maybe hold you a little accountable saying, okay, you know, that word was maybe harsher than it needed to be. And watch what God can do. Kindness really matters.   Laura Dugger: (45:06 - 45:45) Yes, it does. And my husband, Mark, and I love to ask questions of couples who are in the next season of life. So, we have some friends at church who are empty nesters, and we've asked them similar questions around kindness. And it was really helpful that they said what really enhanced their marital satisfaction and enjoyment of one another in those years was their tone. And I thought that was a really practical application, just to be mindful of our tone. At any season, I think of us raising little ones as well to watch our tone with our kids and our spouse.   Jodie Berndt: (45:46 - 46:16) Yeah, absolutely. And even when we speak in a tone that might, you know, I believe me, can blurt something out and it comes out sounding snippier than I meant. And I have to recognize that and say, I know that came out like I was challenging you or that I was correcting you or whatever. I didn't mean it that way. That was a genuine question of, you know, do you think we should do this or that? And I'm sorry it sounded snippy. So, we have to be aware. And when those things slip out to quickly correct that and say, gosh, sorry, let me try that again.   Laura Dugger: (46:17 - 46:38) Yeah. And I guess it's reminded me of one other quote that was really helpful. On page 63, you shared that one husband was giving a really practical definition for respect. And he said, respect looks like paying attention when I am talking, even if you have better things to do.   Jodie Berndt: (46:39 - 48:11) Yeah, I remember that couple. And I'll tell you, this was a great illustration. I'm glad you brought that one up because this is a wife who loved her husband deeply, respected what he did, said good things about him publicly and in front of people. And she would think, well, so of course he knows I respect him. Like I just praised him in front of our small group, or I just told him what a great job I thought he did on that presentation or whatever he told me about from work. And she thought, so of course he knows I respect him, but he's watching their day in, day out encounters and realizing that like so many women, you know, we do five things, 10 things at once. And he's thinking, I don't even think you're paying attention to me because I'm over here talking and you know, you're cooking the dinner or checking something on your phone or whatever. And you're listening with kind of half an ear. And she had to learn that to him, respect meant stop what you're doing and pay attention to me. And of course we can't do that all the time. Like especially if we've got little kids and they're grabbing our legs and stuff, we might have to say, hold on. I really want to pay attention to what you're saying. Can you give me five minutes to, you know, get the child settled with a coloring book or put the baby to bed or get some food in this toddler, whatever it is, because this is important to me. And I want to pay attention. So sometimes when an important need for respect is, is happening, we have to just set the stage to reassure our partner that yeah, I love you. I want to listen. I want to pay attention. I want to respect you. Let me set it up so I can do that really well. So yeah, good one.   Laura Dugger: (48:12 - 48:17) Well, do you have any other favorite stories or lessons that stand out from your book?   Jodie Berndt: (48:18 - 51:06) Well, I think a big takeaway for me is the importance of community kind of at every stage. You know, the Bible says walk with the wise and become wise for a companion of fools suffers harm. You know, that's a proverb. And I think it's really true that we need to be intentional about who we surround ourselves with. Certainly, as we're starting out young in our marriages, there's going to be adjustment phases. Even the most well-suited couples come from two different families. And as we're trying to blend our expectations, our needs, our desires, our histories, they're going to be bumps along the way. And you want to be surrounded with couples who will be able to almost laugh with you and say, yeah, you know, we had that too. And let me just tell you, here's how we navigated that. Instead of somebody who will say, oh my gosh, my husband drives me just as crazy. Like literally, I had a running group one time where I realized that there was a lot of husband bashing going on in the early morning hours as we would get out on the street, you know, before the kids went to school. And I thought this isn't really healthy. We need to change the channel on this conversation. And so, you know, and sometimes that was doable by simply changing the topic of conversation or saying something positive or just saying, “Hey, let's all list three things we're grateful about, about our spouse.”   But I think how we surround ourselves with couples really makes a difference also in the empty nest years. And I think our friendships change. Robbie and I have had friends change significantly many times over the years. Sure. There are those people that we can look back on college roommates that we're still in touch with, and that's wonderful. But we have had cross country moves four times. We have had different seasons with our kids where all of our friends might be the ones we're on the bleachers with because we are seeing them two and three times a week and traveling on the weekends to games and things like that. And now we're in the empty nest years and our friends are starting to go visit grandkids. They are in retirement, some of them and traveling for fun. Others have taken up new hobbies, new volunteer commitments. So that landscape has shifted and we've had to say, all right, let's look for life giving people, be intentional about who we want to invite over to our house for dinner, who we'd like to co-chair a project with, something where we are constantly thinking about how we can surround ourselves with people who share our faith, who will sharpen us. Again, that proverb about iron sharpening iron, our friends really matter. We want to be around people who keep us sharp and who will be intentional about pouring into our marriages. So, you know, they say divorce is catching, and it really is. If you're in a community where people are just quick to give up or quick to bash their spouse, change that, change that in your life. Look for folks who are leaning in and helping one another love well.   Laura Dugger: (51:07 - 51:27) And I think you're very encouraging to those couples that are entering or in the midst of the empty nest phase of life. And you drew out a proverb that I'd never heard in The Message version in Proverbs 4:18, where it says the longer they live, the brighter they shine.   Jodie Berndt: (51:28 - 51:58) Yeah. Isn't that a great one? I mean, you could read Proverbs 4:18 and in the NIV and the ESV and the King James, all that. And it's always good. But boy, when I hit it in The Message, and I don't know, I might've seen it around my 50th birthday or something, but I thought the longer they live, the brighter they shine. Amen. God, I want to put that on my refrigerator. Just remind me that, you know, you don't necessarily have to have all the Botox to keep shining bright. You can just have the Holy Spirit living in you and through you animating your life and making you radiant. So yeah, I love that one. I'm glad you called that out.   Laura Dugger: (51:59 - 52:06) Yeah. Are there any other ways that you see that play out as people do start to navigate these empty nest years?   Jodie Berndt: (52:07 - 53:52) I think you can become kind of insular as you get older. If we weren't being intentional about trying to have new experiences, make some new friends, your world can start shrinking because maybe your responsibilities at work aren't as demanding. So, you have more time away from work or your kids are gone. So, you're not seeing all the friends that you've done life with all that time. So, emptiness can be a time of loneliness for couples. And it can be a time when you are thinking, gosh, I'm not as active or having as much fun. But we have a friend named Jim Burns. He's written a lot of books on marriage and family issues. And he writes, he says, who would have thought that the most intimate times in a marriage aren't necessarily in the first few years, but in the empty nest. And he and his wife have navigated this transition so successfully. And I think it's in large part because they have been intentional about having fun together, about trying new things. And another couple, I know Susan and Johnny Yates, they're in their seventies. And they were like, Hey, we've never gone snowmobiling. You want to try it? Yeah, let's try it. And I just think, you know, the more we're willing to get out there and try new experiences, a new place to visit, it might even be as simple as a restaurant we've never been to, but just kind of ensuring that your world stays bigger, your friend groups stay bigger, and that you can be leaning into the fact that, you know, I think about Job where it says, God blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former. And there is a real, a real beauty to knowing that you have a lot of runway left when you hit the empty nest years and asking God, how do you want to use me in my family, in my church, in my community, and being open to the things he puts in front of you?   Laura Dugger: (53:53 - 54:02) I love that. And Jodie, you are just such an encourager. So where can we go online to learn more from you after this conversation?   Jodie Berndt: (54:03 - 55:19) Thank you for asking that. My website is jodieberndt.com. And I would really encourage people to check that out and kind of scroll around. There's an area called resources and printables where there's a lot of free stuff like 31-day prayer calendars. You can download and print to help you pray for your marriage, a verse every day, or pray for your children or your adult children, your teens, your life, all of those calendars are on there, as well as little prayer cards, things you can tuck into your kid's lunchbox or leave on their bedside table. If you have a teenager who maybe would roll their eyes, you know, if you want to walk in there and say goodnight prayers, you might say, well, you know what? I'm just going to leave this little thing on their pillow, so they know that mom or dad is praying. And again, even if they're acting like they don't want it, I've never yet met a teen, my own included, who used to sometimes roll their eyes who will now tell me, you know what mom? I really was listening. I really did appreciate that. So, a little hang in there strategy, but yes, at jodieberndt.com all those resources. And then I'm pretty active on Instagram and that's just @jodie_berndt. So, if people want to follow there, I love to share different prayer prompts or encouragements. People can DM me with questions and it's just a fun way to, to make friends in a digital way that you might not ever be able to see someone in real life, but we can all learn from each other.   Laura Dugger: (55:19 - 55:40) Well, we will add links to all of those places in the show notes for today's episode. And you may already be familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because yes, I love it. I love it. And savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for you today, Jodie, what is your savvy sauce?   Jodie Berndt: (55:41 - 57:21) That is such a great question. I love that you asked all your guests that I think for me, this might sound boring or even holier than thou, but I don't mean it that way. For me, a scripture is my savvy sauce. Like I turn to the Bible for my answers. I turn to it to shape my prayers. Like I can be so given to worry about something. I can just naturally go to a place of panic or uncertainty. And yet in the pages of scripture, I find promises that I can hold on to in a way that I can exchange my panic for peace and just trust God's provision. And the circumstances might not have changed, but what has changed as I lean into the Lord and read of his faithfulness in the past, they can help me trust for the future and it doesn't have to be this long. Like the other thing is there was a time when I thought, oh gosh, if I don't spend a half an hour, an hour, you know, reading my Bible with a candle smelling up the room and a nice cup of coffee and my journal open, it's not going to count. And I really, especially when I had younger children, it was so beautiful. An older woman, older mother set me straight. She said, Jodie, you know, you can talk to God in the carpool line. You can read three verses of scripture and meditate on those during the day. That may be more transformational than reading an entire book of the Bible and just having permission to take that in small bites, especially if you've got little ones. I think that is a great savvy sauce. Just find yourself a verse or two, hold onto it, write it out on an index card and meditate on it during the day and see what it does.   Laura Dugger: (57:22 - 57:43) That is so good. And going back to what we had talked about earlier, I experienced so much kindness in you and have really enjoyed this conversation and appreciate all that you've brought to encourage marriages. And I'm wondering if you would just close us out now with a prayer over all the marriages that are represented right now.   Jodie Berndt: (57:44 - 59:43) Oh, I would be so honored to do that. And right back at you. I mean, you're just, your voice is so very kind and welcoming. I just know your listeners love tuning in because it's like,  just having a conversation with a dear friend. So, thank you for that. But I would love, love, love to pray.   Heavenly Father, I just thank you so much for this conversation. I thank you so much for every marriage, every household represented as folks who are listening. And I just want to pray that prayer that I think I start the book with because it just jumps out at me day in and day out from 1 Thessalonians 3:12, "May our love overflow and increase for each other and for everyone else." That's something that Paul prayed for the Thessalonians. And I just want to pray it over all of our marriages, over all of our lives, over our parenting, that our love would increase, that it would overflow for one another, for our families, for our communities. And that that would be the sign that people can look at and say, you know, that as that old song says, they'll know we are Christians by our love. And it is so true in the way that we love one another, in the way that we are kind to one another. That just speaks volumes, Lord, about your love for us. I pray that we really would, as Paul writes in Ephesians, make the most of every opportunity. I pray we would live lives marked with wisdom, that we would, as he goes on in that same chapter, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Let our marriages, let our families, let our friendships be marked by that mutual submission, by that desire to not look just to our own interests, but to the interests of others, just being humble, God. Let us live humble lives, glorifying you, looking out for one another, and growing in the knowledge and grace of your son, Jesus Christ. It's in his name we pray. Amen.   Laura Dugger: (59:44 - 59:47) Amen, Jodie. Thank you so much for being my guest.   Jodie Berndt: (59:47 - 59:55) Laura, thank you so much, and Lord bless you in the work that you are doing to just equip and encourage so many. It's just wonderful.   Laura Dugger: (59:55 - 1:03:39) Thank you. One more thing before you go, have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you, but it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there's absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior, but God loved us so much. He made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life. We could never live and died in our place for our sin.   This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished. If we choose to receive what he has done for us, Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   So, you pray with me now. Heavenly father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you.   Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life? We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus name we pray.   Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me. So, me for him, you get the opportunity to live your life for him.   And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you're ready to get started.   First, tell someone, say it out loud, get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes and Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible and I love it.   You can start by reading the book of John. Also get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too. So, feel free to leave a comment for us here. If you did make a decision to follow Christ, we also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process.   And finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, “in the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

It's Monday, September 28th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Muslims killed Nigerian pastor, wounded his son, and killed 12 others Armed Muslims killed a pastor and a believer on their way to worship God on Sunday morning in Plateau State, Nigeria, reports International Christian Concern. The pastor's son is in critical condition.  This was not an isolated attack. Just hours earlier, five laborers in the region were shot on their way to work. Gunmen also terrorized several surrounding communities, ultimately killing 13 people.  These murders reflect the heightened outbreaks against Christians and Christian-majority areas in the country.  According to TruthNigeria, this past week, 41 people were reportedly killed, and at least 100 were kidnapped. In Revelation 6:9-10, it says, “When [Jesus] opened the fifth seal, [John the disciple] saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge the inhabitants of the Earth and avenge our blood?'” Argentinian President: The United Nations is “useless” In a gutsy appearance before the United Nations, Argentinian President Javier Milei said, "[The United Nations] has become a useless organization whose only purpose is to sustain a caste of fatally arrogant parasites masquerading as well-intentioned bureaucrats.” Incoming Democrat Rep. arrested in anti-Israel protest Dozens of New York Democratic politicians, including incoming Democratic Socialist Congresswoman Darializa Chevalier, were among those arrested on September 24th for ignoring police orders during an anti-Israel protest of 250 people, reports The Western Journal. Chevalier is a socialist ally of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who is expected to be in Congress come January. She was protesting the speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly whom she called a “war criminal.” She said, “As the Democratic nominee for New York's 13th Congressional District, I refuse to allow a war criminal to roam the streets of our city unchallenged. I refuse to play host to a man who has overseen the slaughter or injury of more than 64,000 children in Gaza with American taxpayer dollars.” While Chevalier has not yet won the election, a very deep blue New York 13th District practically guarantees a victory. The politician arrested for disrespecting the rule of law has previously tweeted about abolishing police, prisons, and borders, and has explicitly called for the government to seize private property.  In one now deleted September 2021 post, Chevalier wrote, “A world without borders—just like a world without prisons or police—is possible, necessary, and the only moral way forward.” Media commentator: We are not spin doctors for Democrats Appearing on PBS' NewsHour, David Brooks of The Atlantic surprised his leftist media colleagues by asserting that too many in the mainstream media have become too cozy with Democrat politicians from whom they should distance themselves. Listen. BROOKS: “Starting in 2015, we, in the mainstream media, learned that, if you bash Donald Trump, the clicks go up, the ratings go up. It became the business model. We play it straight. We do our job, but it's become the business model. “We get to go to dinners, sometimes off-the-record dinners, between journalists, columnists, and politicians. It used to be, when you were at a dinner, an off-the-record dinner with the Democratic politician, there was distance between the journalists and the Democrats, because they're politicians. Our job is to keep some distance. “In my view, at many places and in many of the dinners I have been to, there's no distance anymore. And that is a problem for the media. And that is our problem. We have got to re-establish some distance from the Democratic Party. “These are people we cover. They're not people we root for. They're not people we're spin doctors for. They're people we cover.” (You can see those comments at the 7:05 mark in this video) Supreme Court allows Trump to verify only U.S. citizens vote In a 6-3 decision on September 25th, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to resume its expanded voter citizenship verification program, which lets states use Social Security records to check voters' citizenship to ensure that noncitizens do not illegally vote in the upcoming November 3rd election, reports CBS News. That decision paused a lower court order by U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan in June that claimed that the voter verification system somehow violated federal privacy laws. Not surprisingly, Judge Sooknanan was a Biden appointee. Leftist Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Jackson dissented. New Jersey Lt. Gov. resigned over sexual harassment complaint On September 25th, New Jersey Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that Democratic Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell resigned from his position amid allegations in an ethics report that claimed he violated state sexual harassment policies, reports The Epoch Times. A 61-page report, conducted by a law firm commissioned by the governor's office, found that Caldwell made an advance toward a female staffer's friend and allegedly made a crude remark to the staffer. The staffer also attempted “to distance herself from him and to avoid travel with him when possible.” Kind gesture of pizza delivery driver richly rewarded And finally, when a Domino's store in Boise, Idaho ran out of Diet Coke, the 68-year-old delivery driver, Dan Simpson, took it upon himself this past March to make a special trip to a nearby grocery store and personally pay for a 2-liter soda for the customer to accompany the pepperoni pizza, reports The New York Post. When the surprised customer heard about what happened, he offered to reimburse Dan.  Simpson refused, saying that they had tipped him well and he just wanted to make sure that their order was right. Listen to that encounter captured on the customer's Ring camera. SIMPSON: “We were out of Diet Cokes.” WILSON: “Okay.” SIMPSON:  “I stopped at the store, though.” WILSON: “Oh, you did not have to do that.” SIMPSON:  “That's okay.” WILSON: “Did you really?” SIMPSON: “Yeah, that's all right.” Brian Wilson, the man who placed the order, explained to Channel 2 News, why Dan's act of kindness meant so much to him and his wife. WILSON: “Our situation is unique in the fact that my wife and I are both visually impaired. We share the same retinal disease. Hers is more progressed than mine. “So, she doesn't unfortunately drive at all. I do still have daytime ability to drive, but at night, when you got those Diet Coke cravings, you can't just run up to the store, right? It's not as easy for us as it would be for someone else who is sighted completely.” Galatians 5:22 lists the fruit of the Spirit to include “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” According to the now viral video captured by the Ring camera, and seen by millions of people, the couple, who were dazzled by Simpson's helpfulness, created a social media donation page which raised enough money to help the pizza delivery man to retire. SIMPSON: “I checked my bank account, and there was $163,000. What a retirement gift that was!” Simpson was especially grateful because he had been juggling a full-time job in addition to delivering pizza at night for the past 13 years. In an interview with KTVB-TV, Simpson shared that he had previously abused alcohol, but had learned his lesson. SIMPSON: “I got in a lot of trouble with drinking and drugs, and I've been clean and sober now for well, this September, I think will be 24 years. I did go to prison twice for DUIs, and when I got out, I said, ‘That's it!' I knew I'd never drink again. I was just finally done. Ever since I stepped out of prison, I've basically worked two jobs and worked hard and tried to do the right thing.” Remarkably, he plans to continue to deliver pizza on the weekends, so he doesn't get bored in retirement. Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, September 28th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

What happens when God asks you to lay down what He once asked you to build?In this episode of Impact Over Influence, Jamie sits down with Shelli to talk about what's next for the ministry—and why sometimes the most obedient thing we can do is stop, listen, and allow God to lead us into something different.For the past five years, God has used Impact Over Influence in ways we never could have manufactured. But Scripture reminds us that anointing cannot be borrowed, manufactured, or man-made. We don't want to keep something moving simply because it worked before. We want to know: What is God saying now?Looking at the temple, Paul's testimony in Galatians, and the seasons of preparation God used throughout Scripture, we talk about the difference between absence and abandonment, calling and title, testimony and transformation, and being faithful to what God is doing now instead of clinging to what He did before.Paul's story reminds us that after encountering Jesus, he didn't immediately step onto a platform. There were hidden years—years of preparation, surrender, and transformation. Sometimes God creates space not because He is finished with us, but because He is doing something in us before He does something through us.This conversation gets personal as we ask some hard questions:Are we talking too much to hear Him? Are our eyes open to see what God is doing? Are we willing to lay down a title, platform, ministry, or familiar season if He asks? Can we celebrate what God is doing through others while trusting Him with our own closed fist?The Gospel is still the Good News. Jesus is still enough. And whatever comes next, our prayer is simple:“Lord, let it throw us forward—and lead us back to You.”

God is not limited by the clock you have been watching, because He is the God of the Kairos, the appointed moments attached to His purpose and His plan. In this message from our Dream Big series, "It's Only a Matter of Time," we look at the wedding in Cana to learn how to recognize His presence, bring Him the need, listen for His Word, and obey it. Don't quit in chronos because you're waiting for Kairos, because in due season you shall reap and now is the accepted time. Scripture Reference: Matthew 16:3, Ephesians 5:15-17, Ecclesiastes 3:1, Galatians 4:4-5, Mark 1:14-15, Psalm 31:15, John 2:1-11, Isaiah 55:6, Galatians 6:9, Luke 19:44, Acts 3:19-20, 1 Peter 5:6, 2 Corinthians 6:2 Stay connected at https://calvaryfl.com

Being unbothered is not apathy. It is refusing to let misunderstanding, false accusations, or pain control your obedience.In Acts 21:17-40, Prophetess Tai McNeely looks at what happens when Paul arrives in Jerusalem and finds that his reputation has arrived before him. He is misunderstood, misrepresented, and mistreated, yet he refuses to let other people's assumptions pull him away from what God told him to do.This message is for anyone learning how to stay faithful when people get your motives wrong. You will see why protecting your peace is not the same as avoiding hard conversations, why forgiveness matters when you have been hurt, and how to respond without letting ego, anger, or the need to prove yourself take over.In this episode, you'll discover:How to respond when people believe a false version of your storyWhy faithfulness does not guarantee the outcome you hoped forWhen to bring clarity and when to release what you cannot controlHow forgiveness keeps pain from controlling your responseWhy adversity can become an opportunity to strengthen your witnessPrimary Scripture: Acts 21:17-40 NLTSupporting Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:12, Galatians 6:1, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Revelation 12:10-11, Ephesians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NLTFollow The Purpose City Church Podcast and visit purposecitychurch.com to connect with us and plan your visit.Purpose City ChurchAurora, ILSundays at 10:00 AM

Russ Brasher turns to Galatians 5:22–24 to show that the fruit of the Spirit isn't nine separate goals to master but one fruit: the character of Jesus, grown in us by the Holy Spirit. For anyone worn out from trying harder to be patient, kind, or at peace, it's an invitation to stop chasing the list and start staying close to Christ.Message Blog Post & Transcript - https://www.orchardhillchurch.com/blog-post/2026/9/28/the-holy-spirit-4-who-is-the-holy-spirit-part-4Subscribe to Orchard Hill Plus! - https://orchardhillplus.buzzsprout.com/shareConnect with Orchard Hill ChurchWebsite | https://www.orchardhillchurch.comMobile App | https://https://www.orchardhillchurch.com/appYouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/OrchardHillChurchPAFacebook | https://www.facebook.com/orchardhillchurch/Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/orchardhillchurch/Twitter | https://twitter.com/orchard_hill

As we go into our next groups semester, Pastor Deron shared our church's heart and vision for small groups!GALATIANS 6:2 (NKJV)2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness – Galatians 5:22

John Drury and DJ Coleman explore Galatians 3:1–18, focusing on Paul's rebuke of the Galatians, the crucified Christ, Abraham, the law, the promise, and what it means that Christ became a curse for us.Subscribe to Fresh Text on Substack for additional writings and conversations: https://johnldrury.substack.com/

Guided Question Are you trusting in your own righteousness and good works, or are you relying on the righteousness of Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled the law on your behalf? Summary In this episode, Dr. Robert Lewis explores Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:17–20 concerning the law. He explains why understanding God's law is essential for understanding God's holiness, humanity's sinfulness, Christ's work, and the greatness of salvation. Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it completely. Dr. Lewis distinguishes the Mosaic law from the oral traditions developed by the scribes and Pharisees. While the law revealed God's righteous standard, these additional regulations became so extensive that they could actually contradict and invalidate God's commands. Jesus confronted this legalism and redirected attention to the true intent of God's Word. The law also reveals that righteousness is not merely about outward behavior. Jesus raises the standard by showing that God examines the heart, including motives and attitudes. The law therefore exposes humanity's inability to achieve righteousness through personal effort. This leads to the heart of the gospel: Jesus alone perfectly fulfilled the law. While the law leaves humanity aware of its sin and unable to earn salvation, Christ offers His righteousness to those who trust in Him. Salvation is not achieved through religious performance or good deeds, but received through faith in Jesus Christ. Outline 1. The Importance of the Law The law reveals God's holiness and righteous standard. Understanding the law helps us understand sin, salvation, justification, and Christ's work. 2. What the Law Contains Ceremonial laws Civil laws Moral laws The moral law provides a continuing standard of righteousness. 3. Jesus and the Law Jesus came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He fulfilled its ceremonial, civil, and moral requirements. God's Word is completely reliable and trustworthy. 4. The Problem of Legalism The scribes and Pharisees added extensive oral regulations. Their traditions sometimes contradicted the very law they claimed to uphold. Jesus challenged religious traditions that replaced God's Word. 5. Righteousness Beyond External Behavior The law addresses the heart as well as outward actions. Jesus exposes the inadequacy of outward religious performance. True righteousness must extend to attitudes, motives, and desires. 6. The Only Way to Salvation No one can earn salvation by keeping the law. The law reveals our sin and inability to meet God's standard. Jesus alone perfectly fulfilled the law. Through faith, believers receive Christ's righteousness. 7. The Cross Road One path trusts in personal righteousness and good works. The other trusts in Christ and His righteousness. Jesus offers forgiveness, grace, and entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Key Takeaways Jesus Fulfilled the Law: Christ did not abolish God's law; He perfectly fulfilled it. God's Word Is Reliable: Scripture provides a stable and trustworthy foundation in an uncertain world. Legalism Distorts God's Law: Human traditions can become substitutes for God's commands when they are elevated above Scripture. God Looks at the Heart: Righteousness involves motives and attitudes, not merely outward actions. The Law Reveals Our Sin: The law shows that no person can earn justification through good works. Jesus Is Our Righteousness: Christ accomplished what no human being could accomplish by perfectly fulfilling the law. Salvation Comes Through Faith: The gospel offers Christ's righteousness as a gift of grace to those who trust in Him. Scripture References Matthew 5:17–20 — Jesus fulfills the law and calls for true righteousness. Mark 7:5–13 — Jesus confronts traditions that replace God's commands. Exodus 20:1–17 — The Ten Commandments establish foundational moral law. Proverbs 16:2 — God examines a person's motives. 1 Samuel 16:7 — God looks at the heart rather than outward appearance. Matthew 5:21–28 — Jesus applies the law to inner attitudes as well as outward actions. Matthew 23:27–28 — Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of outward righteousness without inward transformation. Galatians 3:22 — Scripture reveals humanity's bondage to sin. Romans 3:20–24 — The law reveals sin, while righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:23 — All have sinned and fall short of God's glory. 1 Timothy 5:8 — Believers are responsible to care for their families.   Recorded 3.13.83

In this message from our series through the Gospel of John, we explore Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus in John 3.Christianity isn't first a conversation about behavior...it's a conversation about birth. Nicodemus approached Jesus focusing on what he knew, but Jesus met him at what he truly needed: new life from the Spirit that human effort could never produce.You don't need a better version of your old life; you need the new, eternal life found only in Jesus. What we could never produce through striving, God has fully provided through the cross.Key Takeaways:Birth over Behavior: Christianity isn't about self-improvement; it's about receiving new spiritual life that only the Spirit can give.Need over Knowledge: You can know the scriptures inside and out and still miss the very life they point to.Provided, Not Produced: What we could never achieve by striving, God has provided through the finished work of Jesus on the cross.This Week at Connect Groups:Open it up: Who's someone you met randomly who ended up having a surprisingly positive impact on your life? Read John 3:1–4. Why do you think Jesus moves past what Nicodemus knows and goes straight to what he needs?Read John 3:5–8. What do the pictures of birth and wind teach us about what we can and cannot produce ourselves?Read John 3:9–13. How can someone know a lot about the Bible or Christianity and still miss the LIFE it points to? How has that been true for you?Read John 3:14–17. What does the story of the bronze snake teach us about the difference between achieving and believing? Reflect & Respond: What would it look like this week to LOOK to Jesus, BELIEVE, RECEIVE His life, and LIVE as someone born of the Spirit?Supporting Scriptures: John 3:1–21, John 1:13, Ezekiel 36:25–27, Numbers 21:4–9, 1 John 5:11–12, Romans 5:10, Galatians 2:20+ + + + +Hey, while you're here, please help Generation by clicking the 'Subscribe' button, then click on the BELL

Send us Fan MailScripture doesn't ask us to choose between boldness and gentleness. In fact, we see them working together throughout Scripture. In this episode, we explore why boldness and gentleness need each other. We aren't simply trying to win an argument or prove that we're right. We're called to faithfully represent Christ in the way we speak, correct, lead, and disagree.Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15–16; 2 Timothy 2:24–26; Proverbs 15:1; Colossians 4:6; Galatians 6:1If this episode encouraged you, would you take a moment to leave a review? It helps more women in ministry find the show and be encouraged in their walk with Christ and leadership in the local church.Connect with Narcely:Website: www.NarcelyRuiz.comInstagram: @narcelyruiz / @upstreampursuit If you're a woman serving in ministry and you want support in growing in biblical confidence, leadership, and healthy ministry rhythms, I'd love to connect with you.

Episode Summary:The early church in Acts lived in a way that stood in sharp contrast to a self-focused culture: believers shared life, noticed needs, carried burdens, and served one another. In Acts 2:44–46, we see that faith was not merely something they believed; it shaped how they lived together. This message calls the church to recover that same Spirit-led way of life through selflessness, sensitivity, sacrifice, service, and kingdom authority. We get back to the basics when we stop making life only about ourselves and demonstrate the love of Jesus by serving others.Main Scripture:• Acts 2:44–46• Romans 15:2• Galatians 5:13• 1 Peter 3:8• Galatians 6:2• 1 Peter 4:10Big Idea:The church gets back to the basics when believers stop being consumed with themselves and love others by serving them with the same Spirit that empowered the early church.In This Episode:• Faith is more than what we believe. What we believe should shape how we behave, so faith becomes something we demonstrate in everyday life.• A selfless spirit asks, “How can I help?” God often meets people's needs through other people who are willing to notice, trust Him, and respond.• A sensitive spirit chooses unity and sympathy. The body of Christ is called to carry burdens together so no one has to walk through hardship alone.• A sacrificial and servant spirit gives time, energy, resources, preferences, gifts, and talents for the good of others. We serve from our identity as sons and daughters of the King, not to earn that identity.• A sovereign spirit refuses a victim mindset. The same Holy Spirit who empowered the early church lives in believers today, equipping us to demonstrate God's kingdom through love and service.Reflection Questions:• Where have I been more focused on my own need than the seed God may be asking me to sow?• Who around me may be carrying a burden that I have not slowed down enough to notice?• What comfort, preference, time, or resource might God be asking me to lay down so someone else can be helped?• Where am I currently using the gifts God has placed in me to serve others?• Have I been living from a victim mindset, or from confidence in the Spirit of God at work in me?Next Steps:• Ask God this week, “How can I help?” and pay attention to the needs He brings in front of you.• Serve one person in a practical way without making the moment about yourself.• Identify one gift, talent, or ability God has placed in you and find a place to use it for others.• Choose unity over personal preference and look for a way to celebrate the differences within the body of Christ.• Speak and live with confidence in the Spirit of God, then demonstrate the love of Jesus through service at home, at church, at work, and in your community.Closing Line:Listen to the full message, share it with someone who needs the encouragement, and subscribe so you can keep growing with us each week.

Transformation begins when we choose not to live for ourselves and choose to live for Jesus. When we have a true assessment of ourselves based on Scripture and realize that we have been given the honor to serve others, transformation takes place and "It is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me. " Galatians 2:20 By Dave Bartlett

Following the aftermath of Pydna in 167, the Attalid dynasty in Pergamon enjoyed the next three decades as the most preeminent Greek power in the Aegean while competing with neighboring powers like Bithynia and the Galatians. Yet when Attalus III Philometor died childless in 133, his will dissolved the kingdom and bequeathed much of it to his official heir and executor, the Roman Republic. A bastard son of Eumenes II named Aristonicus rose up to claim the kingship for himself, leading a revolt that would see the establishment of a permanent Roman presence in Asia for over fifteen hundred years. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/09/27/126-attalid-pergamon-aristonicus-and-the-city-of-the-sun/) Episode Transcript: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/126-attalid-pergamon-aristonicus-and-the-city-of-the-sun-transcript.pdf) Alexandria: A Hellenistic World Podcast: Website (https://alexandriapod.wordpress.com/) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/hellenisticpod.bsky.social) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) ImperialWares (https://tinyurl.com/ybmpk7xd) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Patreon (https://patreon.com/TheHellenisticAgePodcast) Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

Wisdom of Sirach 34, 35; Psalm 75; Proverbs 15:27·32; Galatians 5