Podcasts about Galilee

Our study in Matthew 8 explores the gamut of Jesus' power—over nature (when He stills the Sea of Galilee) and over the demonic realm (when He commands demons out of people). But perhaps the greatest power that reaches us today is when Jesus heals broken people and tells them their sins are forgiven. He is still forgiving people today.

Pastor Andy brings us today's message, 'After You'. We will be using Matt.4:18-20 as our reference point today. "While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him."

TODAY'S TREASUREAs Jesus walked beside the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once, they left their nets and followed him.Mark 1:16-17Send us a comment!Support the show

John 7:37-52 Please turn to John chapter 7. We'll be considering verses 37-52 this morning. You can find that on page 1062. The context of chapter 7 has been the Feast of Booths - also called the Feast of Tabernacles. It was one of the three major festivals in the Jewish calendar, so there were lots of people in Jerusalem. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus appeared at the temple in the middle of the festival and began teaching. That caused a crowd to gather around him. And most of the crowd was amazed. They had heard of or seen Jesus' signs (or miracles)  but now they witnessed his teaching. In our text this morning, we will hear that it is now the end of the feast. Jesus called for people to come to him but, as you will hear, he received a mixed response. Some were intrigued but others all the more wanted to kill him. Reading of John 7:37-52 Prayer There's no doubt that water is THE foundation to our physical existence. Our bodies are made up of about 60% water. Without water, we cannot survive for more than a few days. Without water, crops cannot grow and animals cannot survive. But for us in our day and age, water is readily available. Even in drought situations, we manage pretty well. Farmers can pump water from the underground water table to water their crops. We can clean and store water from storm runoff. We can dam rivers and we can pump water from one region to another. The worst it gets here, is that we're told to only water our lawns on certain days. But if you lived in Jerusalem back in the first century, it was very different. They didn't have all the modern technologies to drill or store significant amounts of water. Given its geography high up in the mountains, Jerusalem didn't have any nearby rivers. The Kidron valley and brook were dry for most of the year. And so, the people really did rely on the seasons. They hoped and prayed for rain at certain times of the year. It's no wonder that Jesus used the concept of water to symbolize spiritual realities. Remember, we saw that first back in chapter 2 when Jesus turned water into wine, symbolizing his cleansing ministry. And again, we saw that in chapter 4, when Jesus told the woman at the well that she needed his living water and that when she drank it, she would never be thirsty again. He was speaking of the eternal life that she would receive through believing in him. Well, this morning we have a new spiritual reality symbolized by water. And that is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He will be like rivers of living water flowing forth from our hearts. So, this morning we'll begin our time with that… with Jesus' teaching about the giving of the Spirit. That's verses 37-39. As we'll see in a minute, his analogy of water directly connects to what was happening at the Feast. And then second, we'll survey the responses to Jesus' teaching. That's verses 40-52. As you heard, out of people's hearts flowed very different responses to Jesus. That's where we are headed. #1 The Holy Spirit - the River of Living Water As we get into the verses about the Holy Spirit, let me first note that the Feast of Tabernacles was at the very end of the dry season. In fact, most years, it had not rained for months in the leadup to the festival. To be sure, Jerusalem did have a source of water. Their main source of water at the time was the Gihon Spring which they diverted into the Pool of Siloam. It was on the south side of the city about a third of a mile down from the temple. It was King Hezekiah about 700 years earlier who had a tunnel dug through the rock to reach the spring and divert the water to inside the city. Just a few years after he finished that, Assyria surrounded Jerusalem and attempted to cut off the supply lines, including water, but they did not know of the hidden water channel. And so, Jerusalem was able to endure. By the way, if you go to Jerusalem today, you can actually walk through Hezekiah's water tunnel. I did that several years ago with a friend. It's about 1/4 mile long and pretty narrow and the water is maybe 1-2 feet deep. At one point my friend snuck ahead, turned off his little flashlight and then, when I rounded a corner, he jumped out at me. I may or may not have been momentarily scared. Anyway, you end up at the Pool of Siloam - or a small portion of what remains. I'm telling you this because at the Feast of Booths, every day one of the priests would make his way down to the Pool of Siloam. Jewish literature records that he would dip a golden vessel into the pool, and he would make his way back to the Temple. The crowds would follow him as he passed through the lower gates into the temple area. Trumpets would sound as he ascended the temple steps. They would read from passages like Isaiah 12:3 which says, "with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." That was our call to worship this morning. And then with great pomp, when the festival branches described in Leviticus 23 were waved, the priest would pour the fresh water onto the altar. A channel was made for that purpose, and it would drain to the base. The purpose of the water was a remembrance of God's provision of water in the wilderness. Remember, the Feast of Booths was about celebrating God's provision in the wilderness. That included water from the rock. God called Moses to strike a rock, and when he did, water flowed forth. Well, on the seventh day of the feast, Jewish literature also records that the water ceremony happened 7 times. 7 times the priest would fill the golden vessel from Siloam and return to the temple, and pour it onto the altar. By the seventh time, the water would have overflowed from the altar onto the temple floor. And while this was happening, the people were rejoicing, waving various branches while the trumpets sounded and the water flowed. It was on this day, the 7th day, called the great day, that Jesus stood up and cried out “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” We don't know what time of day Jesus proclaimed these words, but the people would have had water on their minds. It was hot and dry. Likely it had not rained. Furthermore, they either anticipated the priests carrying the water to the altar or they just witnessed that event. They were thirsty - physically and spiritually. And Jesus cried out to them, calling them to come to him and drink. And not only would their spiritual thirst be quenched, but if they came and drank, rivers of living water, he said, would flow from them. The apostle John then adds a brief commentary that Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit. Those who came to him would receive his Spirit, once he was glorified. Now, before we consider what that means for you and me, let me note 4 brief things. #1. Jesus quotes a Scripture which says, "Out of his heart [the one who believes] will flow rivers of living water." There's actually no single Old Testament passage directly matching the quote. However, several Old Testament texts parallel this idea. We read from Isaiah 44 earlier in the service. Verse 3 says, "I will pour water on a thirsty land" and then "I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring." Zechariah 14:8 was another one. It was also read during the Feast of Booths. It speaks of living water flowing out of Jerusalem. There are other passages like Ezekiel 47 and Isaiah 55 which are similar. In other words, the idea of living water connected to the Holy Spirit and salvation is very prevalent in the Old Testament. #2. Some Greek translators believe that the "rivers of living water" referenced here is the Holy Spirit being given out of Jesus' heart, not ours. They argue that phrase "whoever believes in me" is actually part of the invitation to drink and does not describe the one who has a river flowing from his heart. Honestly, there are some good arguments for that. Personally, I lean toward the translation we use. But I also think that even if this alternative is true, those who believe are still the recipients of the Holy Spirit. When we receive the Spirit, then our hearts will display forth the Spirit's ministry in us. So, in the end, I don't think it really changes the impact. #3. The third thing I want to point out. The fact that verse 39 says that the Spirit would be given after Jesus was glorified does not minimize the Holy Spirit's work in the Old Testament. No. From the very beginning in Genesis 1, the Spirit was present. He was hovering over the waters. He was at work in the hearts and minds of the remnant of God's people - true Israel. The Spirit directed people to look forward to the Messiah who would come. The Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1 tells us that the Spirit of Christ was at work in the prophets who testified beforehand about Christ's sufferings and glory. What is the difference, then? The giving of the Holy Spirit mentioned in verse 39 is the outpouring of the Spirit to all peoples, not just Israel, but every tribe, tongue, and nation. Furthermore, as the Spirit dwells in his people, he now applies the finished work of Christ to us. So, the difference is in the scope of the Holy Spirit's work and the fulness of salvation being applied. I think that's important to understand. #4 - the last brief comment. And this is related. When verse 39 speaks of Jesus' glorification, I'm guessing you have in mind Jesus' ascension to heaven where he now reigns. That's true. However, John's Gospel includes Jesus' death and resurrection as part of his glorification. We're going to see this very clearly when we get to chapter 12. We will see that Jesus finally tells his disciples that his hour HAS come. And what is that hour? Jesus tells them it is the hour of his glorification. He must die in order to be raised. So, as we think of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we need to understand that he is applying Jesus' full ministry including his atonement for our sin through his sacrifice and the hope and new life we have in his resurrection and ascension to glory. It is out of that fulness as the inaugurated King, that Jesus sends his Spirit to continue his ministry to the ends of the earth. Now, I know that's a lot of theology packed into those comments. Let me summarize it this way. Jesus' promise of his Spirit is an amazing promise and reality for you and me. Every single one of us is spiritually thirsty. Every single person in the entire world is spiritually thirsty. Not everyone recognizes it but we all long for meaning and purpose. We all experience pain and suffering. We all know the toil of work as a consequence of the fall. Those thing weigh on us every single day. And Jesus promises that when you come to him in belief, out of your heart will flow rivers of living waters. Through the ministry of the Spirit in you, the abounding grace of God in Christ will flow to you and from you. Your heart will display to others the transforming ministry of the Spirit. And others who likewise are given the Spirit will minister to you through him. To be sure, that does not minimize the impact of our remaining sin, nor does it minimize the realities of our suffering and grief in life. But what it does is give us an unshakeable foundation. Repentance from sin.  Hope in grief. Joy in suffering. Perseverance in trials. Through the Holy Spirit in us, we can live, not only with our eyes fixed on the cross and the redemption we have from our sin, but we can fix our eyes on our resurrected and glorified Lord. Through his Spirit, rivers of living water will flow. His ultimate sender is the Son, but the blessings of his ministry will flow from you to me and from me to you. It will flow between us and overflow to our community around us. An old song came to mind this week. A 1970's children's song. "I've got a river of life flowing out of me." Some of you are old enough to remember it. Do you remember the chorus? "Spring up, O well, within my soul; Spring up, O well, and make me whole; Spring up, O well, and give to me; That life abundantly" May that river of life, God's Spirit, abundantly minister in us and through us as we drink of the living waters of Christ. Amen? Divided Responses Now, we're not done. Here's where we are. Jesus made an astonishing offer. For those who come to him and drink, out of their hearts will flow the living water of God's Spirit. The question now is, how did the people respond? What did flow out of their hearts? Well for some it was curiosity, for another, it was an honest search. But for the priests and Pharisees, it was the exact opposite. Instead of rivers of living water, out of their hearts flowed hatred and bitterness. Let's consider those three categories in verse 40-52. (1) those intrigued by Jesus, (2) those who outright reject him, and (3) those honestly evaluating. That first group, those who are intrigued, find Jesus very interesting. He has interesting things to say. He's some kind of prophet. In verse 40, some said that he is THE prophet. That's a reference to Moses' prophecy in Deuteronomy that a Prophet would come after him. Others said, "This is the Christ." That may include some who truly believed. But we get the sense that it's just an external observation. After all, the apostle John does not use his favorite word, believe. He just notes that some "said" he was the Christ. I think we should also put the temple officers into this first category. Last week, we read that the chief priests and Pharisees sent the temple officers to arrest Jesus. These were Levites assigned to temple security. But notice that they did not arrest Jesus. And what was their reason? Verse 46, "No one ever spoke like this man!" They could not do what they were commanded to do because they were amazed by his teaching and authority. This first group is marked by an external recognition that Jesus is unique. He plays some important role in God's purposes. But they had yet to take the next step toward belief. I suspect some will. That brings us to the second group mentioned here - the chief priests and Pharisees. They are not intrigued by Jesus one bit. There is no possibility in their minds that he may truly be the Son of God. Their hearts are hard. Multiple times in these verses they react to even the suggestion that Jesus may be legitimate or the desire to consider his claims. And think about this: these were the very men who presided over the water ceremony at the feast. Some even participated in the water being poured out on the altar day after day, but they could not recognize the living water standing in their own temple courts Look at what they said to the officers that did not arrest Jesus. They said, "Have you also been deceived?" They then appealed to their own authority and they literally cursed the crowd. Verse 49, they said, "this crowd that does not know the law [you know, like they do] is accursed.” Think about the contrast between the hearts of the Pharisees and the hearts of those who would come to Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus are promised rivers of living water flowing from their hearts. Yet, out of the hearts of the Pharisees and chief priests came deceit and anger. And look how they responded to Nicodemus. Nicodemus was one of them. All Nicodemus wanted to do was judge fairly. But the Pharisees responded, "Are you from Galilee, too?" That's a classic ad hominem. They attacked Nicodemus for merely suggesting that Jesus deserved a fair hearing. They just wanted to kill Jesus. Rather than rivers of living water, out of their hearts flowed rivers of hate and self-serving unbelief. Out of some hearts will flow love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those fruits of the Spirit, identified in Galatians 5, will flow forth from those who have been given the Spirit - those who believe. But out of the hearts of these so-called leaders of Israel flow self-idolatry, enmity, strife, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, and envy. Out of one flows fresh, clean water, spiritual water, that is life giving and quenches the soul, yet out of the other, stagnant, poisoned water that accuses and kills. Which brings us to the third response. I've already mentioned Nicodemus, but let's consider his response more thoroughly. In fact, I think Nicodemus was originally in that first category. He was intrigued. Back in chapter 3, as Coleman reminded us last week, Nicodemus had sought Jesus out at night. Something compelled Nicodemus to want to know more. But he didn't understand when Jesus told him he needed to be born again. He had yet to believe. But in these verses Nicodemus has moved from being intrigued to honestly desiring to evaluate Jesus' claims. He even defended Jesus, asking that he be given a fair hearing. We get the clear sense that Nicodemus was a man of integrity. Even though he was a teacher of Israel and part of the Sanhedrin, he wanted to know the truth. In verse 51, look what he says to his fellow Pharisees, "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" Do you hear his honest desire to know the truth? I want to remind you that John wrote his Gospel primarily for Jews of the later first century. John has been revealing who Jesus is as the Messiah. And he wants his readers to have an open heart and mind like Nicodemus. John wants his readers to give Jesus a hearing, as verse 51 says. Really, John wants them to believe, but at this point in the book, he just wants them to take a step forward and truly evaluate Jesus for who he is. As Coleman pointed out last week, some of you here are like Nicodemus and have an honest heart and seek to live a life of integrity. But you've yet to respond to Jesus calling to come to him and drink. Will you evaluate Jesus' claims and calling? You know, as we move forward in the Gospel of John, one thing that we'll see is that the two neutral responses to Jesus will go away - both the intrigued by Jesus' response and the honest search response. The temple officers will be forced to choose. And Nicodemus himself will be called to account. What will they decide? We'll find out in chapters 18 and 19. What will you decide? So where does that leave us? Well, Jesus is still standing and calling out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink." The water that he gives will never run dry, because it is nothing less than the Holy Spirit, poured out from our risen and glorified Lord, applying all the riches of his death and resurrection to thirsty souls. And so, will you stand at a distance, intrigued but uncommitted? Will you be like Nicodemus, honestly seeking him out, but not yet willing to come to him and drink. Or will you drink of his life-giving stream? For those of you who have, the promise is yours: out of your heart will flow rivers of living water. The Spirit of truth and grace will flow in you and through you, forever. Amen.

John 7:37-4437 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[c] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David's descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.

Pastor Andy delivers today's message, "After You". Matt. 4:18-20 is our main text for today, "While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him."

I'm seeing the Bible quite differently these days – it's coming into a new perspective and I'm seeing things even at my age that I've never seen before. I' seeing something in Matthew, that is so significant for the Church today. It's challenging me, and I hope it challenges you, to examine exactly what we actually believe – and do! In Matt 3:11 we find John the Baptist preaching repentance in the wilderness. It's the beginning of his ministry. He says to the crowds, 3:11, “I baptise you with water for repentance, but He that is coming after me is more powerful than I… He will baptise you with the Holy Ghost and Fire!” Then in Matt 3:13ff, Jesus comes from Galilee to be baptised in the Jordan by John. As He comes up out of the water, the Holy Spirit comes down on Him and a Voice from Heaven announces, “This is My Beloved Son.”  But Jesus does not commence His ministry straightaway; it struck me that, at this point, John is still the minister, the evangelist, not Jesus, and Jesus is led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matt 4:1.  But then, by 4:12, Jesus hears that John has been put in prison, his ministry is ended, his work done. Jesus recognises this, leaves Nazareth where He grew up and moves to Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee, so that prophecy would be fulfilled that ‘the people by the sea that were in darkness have seen a great light'. And immediately, 4:17, Jesus starts His ministry and begins to preach – in POWER. To watch the YouTube version: https://youtu.be/1qsrqV9MP5k For more information on the Ministry of David Hathaway https://www.eurovision.org.uk 

Read OnlineThe Certitude of FaithSome of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” He said to them in reply, “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.” Matthew 12:38–39Imagine if Jesus had responded differently to the scribes and Pharisees, saying, “Yes, I will perform a sign right now. Whatever you ask of Me, I will do.” Suppose they then asked Him to part the Sea of Galilee—just as Moses parted the Red Sea—and walk through on dry land, and Jesus fulfilled their request. Would that have been enough for them? Most likely not. The problem was not a lack of miracles, or even dramatic ones. The real issue was the hardness of their hearts, which closed them off to the transforming and supernatural gift of faith.Had Jesus done this, they might have been temporarily impressed. They might even have professed belief that He was the Messiah and the Son of God—but not through faith. And there lies the deeper problem. Believing in Jesus' divinity solely because of witnessing a miracle requires no faith. They would have seen the proof with their eyes but not received it into their hearts.The supernatural gift of faith is far greater and more certain than anything we see. Faith leads to a conviction so deep that it transforms the soul. Countless saints have endured persecution, clung to the truth, and embraced martyrdom for this gift. But if one believes merely because of external signs—like parting the Sea of Galilee—then that belief remains shallow, always dependent on more visible proof rather than rooted in divine revelation.Now consider an exaggerated scenario. Suppose you walk past a street preacher who declares himself to be the Son of God. You respond, “Prove it.” The man levitates, spins in the air, and lifts the cars on the street with a single command. He descends and says, “Worship me.” What would you do? Would such a spectacle bring about a true conversion of heart and lead you into divine worship? Now imagine a real scenario. You are praying alone in a church. Your heart is open to God, and you express your deepest love for Him. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit enters your soul—convicting you of the Father's will, illuminating your mind, and strengthening your resolve. You rise from prayer with clarity, courage, and peace.Though the first scenario is unreal, it serves as a useful contrast. Its proof is external and sensational. Though extraordinary, many might suspect a demonic deception or illusion. It is unlikely to move the heart to true conversion. Rather, it would stir curiosity, not commitment—an appetite for signs, not surrender.In the second, the proof is entirely interior, which is unquestionably greater. When God speaks within the depths of the soul and the soul responds with surrender, life is truly transformed. That encounter becomes a fountain of divine peace, strength, and love, satisfying the heart more deeply than any external sign ever could.Jesus refused to offer the scribes and Pharisees the sign they demanded because He loved them and sought to draw even their hardened hearts to faith. By refusing a miracle and speaking instead in veiled language—“no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet,” referring to His death and resurrection—Jesus moves their hearts, inviting them to ponder the mystery of His life, to be open to the Spirit's revelation, and to respond in faith. Perhaps some of these religious leaders did eventually open their hearts. Many did not.Reflect today on your own heart. Why do you believe in God? Why do you profess Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Has faith truly taken hold of you? Have you heard God speak within and responded with surrender? If so, then this is the transforming power of faith at work. Pray for this gift—that it may take deeper root and grow stronger each day—so that, unlike the scribes and Pharisees, the gift of faith will be the only sign from Heaven you need.My miraculous Lord, though You performed many signs and wonders to strengthen the faith of those who believed, You withheld such signs from those who rejected the gift of faith, calling them instead to interior conversion. Strengthen my faith—not by external wonders, but by speaking to me in the depths of my soul. May Your grace take hold of me, transform me, and sustain me. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: The Pharisees Wish to Stone Christ, by Georg PenczSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

TODAY'S TREASUREAs Jesus walked beside the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once, they left their nets and followed him.Mark 1:16-17Send us a comment!Support the show

Matthew Week 145       Matthew 26:26b ESV   after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."       Matthew 26:27b-28 ESV   and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.       Matthew 26:29 ESV   29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."       1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV   26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.       Matthew 26:30 ESV   30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.       Psalm 115:1 ESV   Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,   for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!       Psalm 116:1, 8-9, 13, 15   I love the Lord, because he has heard   my voice and my pleas for mercy.       For you have delivered my soul from death,   my eyes from tears,   my feet from stumbling;   9 I will walk before the Lord   in the land of the living.       I will lift up the cup of salvation   and call on the name of the Lord,       15 Precious in the sight of the Lord   is the death of his saints.       Psalm 118:1, 5-6, 29 ESV   Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;   for his steadfast love endures forever!       Out of my distress I called on the Lord;   the Lord answered me and set me free.   6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.   What can man do to me?       Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;   for his steadfast love endures forever!           "But imagine now you're not singing these psalms in celebration of God's dramatic rescue, watching a rehydrated Red Sea still foaming before your disbelieving eyes. Imagine instead you're singing these psalms where Jesus likely was singing them—in the dim light of the upper room, mere moments from your violent capture and arrest, mere hours from trial, torture, and death.   To be able to sing a hymn of praise in that moment—that's serenity. That's "blessed assurance." That's realizing your Father is wise and good and that He can be implicitly trusted. It's refusing to factor your own feelings into your faith decisions. It's valuing His great redemptive plan above your own comfort and safety. And it's choosing to recognize traces of life, hope, glory, and joy in the same situations where most can see only fear, doubt, anxiety, and self-pity." -Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth Singing in the Shadow The quiet place : daily devotional readings Page 86       Matthew 26:39 ESV   39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."       Psalm 75:8 ESV   For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup   with foaming wine, well mixed,   and he pours out from it,   and all the wicked of the earth   shall drain it down to the dregs.       Matthew 26:31-35 ESV   31 Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." 33 Peter answered him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away." 34 Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." 35 Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same.       Isaiah 53:10a NASB95   But the Lord was pleased   To crush Him, putting Him to grief;       Acts 2:23 ESV   23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.       Luke 22:31-34 ESV   31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." 33 Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." 34 Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me."       2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV   8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  

This sermon, drawn from Mark chapter 4, explores the story of Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee. Pastor Jason uses this passage to help us understand how Jesus sees the storms of life differently than we do. Rather than simply offering relief from difficulty, Jesus offers something deeper: a shalom, or fullness, that fills us from the inside out regardless of what is swirling around us. The message challenges us to say yes to Jesus's invitation to follow Him, even into uncomfortable and unknown territory, trusting that He is present and powerful in every storm.

TAKING GROUND: Opposition In The Spirit Steve Parrish ‭‭‭‭‭Ephesians 6:10–12 (ESV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle (intense struggle) against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.Following Jesus is a Journey, leading you to Taking Ground, one step at a time in your DiscipleshipRelationshipsFamilyMinistryCareerCommunityTalents/GiftingsFinancesThere is a spiritual realmGod is Spirit - God created the spiritual realmThere is the Holy SpiritThere is the reality of angelsThere is the reality of fallen angels - Satan/SatanaThere is the reality of demons (likely not angels)There is the reality of false godsOPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: The Holy SpiritJohn 1:43 (ESV) The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”Galatians 5:25 (ESV) If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.Acts 16:6–10 (ESV) And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.Misalignment with the Holy Spirit brings brings contentionActs 7:51 (ESV) “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.Ephesians 4:30 (ESV) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.OPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: Surrendered TerritoryEphesians 4:27 (NIV) and do not give the devil a foothold.This can happen Personal, Family, RegionUnforgivenessHidden/Addictive SinGeneration SinOccultic PracticeThis establishes a rightful ground to be used for opposition in your life.Daniel 10:13 (ESV) The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,While slavery was a horrific sin of American in it's early years, the sin of Abortion is far worse.Old Testament, Children were murderedMolech - children passed through the fireBaal - sacrifices Why? Favor, protection, blessing, prosperity and agricultural success. Fertility of land and livestock. Protection from enemies and disasters. Divine favor and acceptance.Mark 5:7–10 (ESV) And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.OPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: DeceptionRevelation 12:9 (ESV) And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.Ephesians 2:1–2 (ESV) And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—Saul/PaulJohn 16:2 (ESV) They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.Acts 7:59–8:1 (ESV) And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.Acts 8:3 (ESV) But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.Acts 9:1–6 (ESV) But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”Believing things that are not true is a spiritual issueThere are great limiters for believers - Revelation is neededOPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: Satan/SatanaGenesis 3:14–15 (ESV) The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”He Opposed Jesus: Luke 4:13 (ESV) And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.2 Corinthians 2:11 (ESV) so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.1 Peter 5:8–9 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.James 4:7–8 (ESV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.John 8:44 (ESV) You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.1 Thessalonians 2:18 (ESV) because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.OPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: Things Bound In The Spiritual RealmMatthew 17:19–21 (KJV 1900) Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.OPPOSITION IN THE SPIRIT: Occultic PracticeNumbers 22:15–17 (ESV) Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.' ” “That cant touch me…”. It can, but you can discern and oppose it.

Among the many things that Luke illustrates in his record of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, is that all of it was in fulfillment of Scripture, including a number of references to Psalm 22. While sinful men sought to snuff out this king and his message about a coming kingdom, they in fact helped usher in the new kingdom by crucifying the Son of God. Then, on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead as He had prophesied way back in Galilee. The disciples' eyes were opened to many things they had not previously understood, and the kingdom of heaven begins to spread in the hearts and minds of Christ's disciples. Luke 22 - 1:13 .  Luke 23 - 12:11 .  Luke 24 - 21:25 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Isaiah 9:1–5 contains one of the most beloved prophecies in Scripture, yet it also raises important questions about how biblical prophecy works. In this episode, we explore Matthew's citation of Isaiah 9:1–2 in Matthew 4:15–16 and examine why this prophecy appears to be a remarkable example of a prediction that never experienced a contemporary fulfillment in Isaiah's day, but awaited its fulfillment in the coming of Jesus Christ centuries later.We also consider an often-overlooked detail: Matthew cites only a portion of Isaiah's prophecy. What does that suggest about the remainder of the passage? Could the unquoted portions point beyond Christ's first coming to the future completion of His kingdom at His second coming?Along the way, we examine the historical significance of Zebulun and Naphtali—the first regions devastated by the Assyrian invasions. Isaiah's prophecy declares that the very territory that first experienced darkness, humiliation, and judgment would become the place where a great light would first appear. Jesus intentionally begins His public ministry in Galilee, bringing light to the very region where the wound first occurred.This biblical pattern provides a powerful analogy for understanding trauma and healing. Just as Christ brought light to the place where Israel's suffering began, healing often involves returning to our own "first wounds" and reexamining them in the light of Jesus' presence. We discuss how repentance—not merely as remorse, but as rethinking and reframing our experiences through the lens of Christ—can become an important part of the healing journey.Join us as we explore biblical prophecy, the ministry of Jesus, the nature of trauma, and practical resources for healing. Discover how the Light who first shone in Galilee continues to bring healing to the places of darkness in our own lives.Key Passages: Isaiah 9:1-5Matthew 4:12-17Explainer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.biblehub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.blueletterbible.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a question or comment at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website podcast page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Remain Vertically Focused On Him So You Will Be Strengthened In The Peace And Carried Through The Storms Acts 9:31 31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

What do you do when a storm rises in your life and everything you thought was unshakable begins to give way? Even seasoned fishermen — men born to the sea — found themselves in jeopardy on the waters of Galilee, while the Savior slept peacefully in the stern. In this message from Mark 4:35-41, Owen Cwenar, one of our summer interns, examines the sailors, the storm, and the Savior, showing that the same God who allows the storms of life is the God with power to calm them — and that self-confidence and half-hearted effort cannot carry us through what only full trust in Christ can. The listener is challenged to take their eyes off the storm and fix them on the One who commands it, trusting Jesus completely from the storm's first winds.Eastland is a Place to BelongEastland Baptist Church is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are a welcoming and close-knit family community that loves to care for each other through the Church. We strongly believe in loving and supporting each other and our neighbors. Our members don't just attend our Church; they feel a strong sense of belonging.Join UsFind service times and our location at https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/join.Connect with UsWebsite: https://www.eastlandbaptist.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastlandbaptisttulsaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastlandbaptistTo support the ministry of Eastland Baptist Church, tap here: https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/give

Read OnlineLoving as Is NeededJesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.” Matthew 11:20–21Have you ever felt the urge to publicly rebuke someone, crying out in condemnation, “Woe to you!”? Most of us, at one time or another, have experienced that impulse. When we are hurt, dismissed, or sinned against, pride wells up within us, and our wounded hearts may long to strike back with words of righteous anger.But this human reaction is not what moved Jesus when He reproached the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum in today's Gospel. He did not condemn them because He was personally offended or emotionally wounded by their failure to repent. His pride was not injured, nor was He overcome by anger. Christ was fully in control, always responding with divine wisdom, offering exactly what each person needed in that moment.At times, He was gentle, consoling, and compassionate. At other times, He chastised and rebuked. Sometimes He refrained from performing signs and wonders; at other times, He lavished miracles upon the people. At times, He taught in the veiled language of parables, and at other times, He spoke plainly and directly.Jesus always knew how to love in every situation because every situation called for love expressed in different ways. True love is not defined by the one who gives it; it is defined by the one who receives it. What does that mean? It means that Jesus didn't offer a “one-size-fits-all” kind of love. He didn't say, “This is me, and this is how I love. Take it or leave it—I'm not changing for you.” No, Jesus' love was so pure, so other-focused, that it always sought the good of the one He loved and adjusted its expression in order to achieve that good.This is clearly seen in Jesus' rebuke of the people of these three towns, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, which were central to much of His public ministry. Capernaum was His home base; Chorazin and Bethsaida were places He frequented. Near this region He delivered the Sermon on the Mount and performed many miracles. Yet despite His tireless preaching and countless signs, few repented. And repentance was the very purpose of His mission. By chastising them—“Woe to you!”—Jesus lovingly sought to jolt them out of their complacency so that they might repent and receive the abundant mercy He and His Father so deeply desired to bestow. In this case, the rebuke was the precise expression of love that these towns needed at that time.Understanding the various expressions of Jesus' love teaches us much about the nature of divine charity—how God loves us, and how we, in turn, are called to love one another. Though the essence of God's love is always the same—perfect, complete, selfless, and sacrificial—the expression of that love varies, depending upon what each person most needs and what will most effectively lead them to eternal life.What expression of love do you need to give and receive in your life right now? Do you need God's consoling hand, His gentle encouragement, or His firm challenge to awaken you from spiritual complacency? Because God's perfect and unchanging love is expressed in various ways, according to our needs, it is essential to remain open to however He chooses to love us in this moment. In the same way, we should love others generously, purely, and selflessly, mirroring Christ, but the outward expression of that love must be shaped by the real needs of those before us.Reflect today on how God is loving you right now, and ask for the grace to receive that love with trust and humility. Then consider how you are called to extend that same discerning and sacrificial love to others—not merely as you prefer to give it—but as they most need to receive it. Let your love, like Christ's, always be guided by wisdom and formed by charity, loving others in the way that will best draw them closer to God's abundant mercy.Most loving God, Your love is perfect, unwavering, and never changing. Please open my heart to receive the expression of Your love that I need most, so that I may always repent of my sins and turn to Your mercy. Grant me the wisdom to imitate Your perfect love for others, offering not merely what I desire to give, but what they truly need in the moment. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Day of Judgement by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Jesus travels to Galilee where his brothers encourage him to go to Judea, but Jesus tells them that his time has not yet come. The festivals of shelters is near, which was a celebration where the Jewish people lived in tents as a way of remembering God's faithfulness to Israel during their time in the wilderness. Jesus shows up unexpectedly and the crowds become even more divided. Some are taken aback by his teaching and his command of the Scriptures, while others doubt him and question his origins, saying that no prophet is arises from Galilee. Through the conversations, Jesus continues to reference the one who sent him, proclaiming in advance through only slightly veiled speech that he was about to return to God the Father. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

This powerful message takes us to the shores of Galilee where Jesus extends a life-changing invitation to ordinary fishermen: 'Follow me.' What we discover is that following Jesus is fundamentally different from what we might assume in our modern context. It's not about clicking a follow button or casually agreeing with His teachings. Instead, it's a radical call to complete transformation. The text from Matthew 4:18-20 reveals that Jesus didn't seek out the religious elite or the most qualified candidates. He chose overlooked, ordinary men and promised them something extraordinary: 'I will make you.' This is the heart of discipleship - not our ability to transform ourselves through behavior modification, but our willingness to surrender completely to Christ and allow Him to do the transforming work. We're challenged to examine whether we've fallen into the trap of believing that knowledge equals maturity, accumulating information about Jesus without actually becoming like Him. The message confronts us with a sobering reality: if our lives don't reflect the character of Christ, we may be deceiving ourselves about what it means to follow Him. True discipleship requires movement, sacrifice, and daily dying to self so that Christ's resurrection power can work through us.

John 21:3-12 Simon Peter said, “I'm going fishing.” “We'll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get some!” So they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It's the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.“Bring some of the fish you've just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn't torn. “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.Go back to the START, in order to MOVE FORWARD.When you don't know what to do, go back to the last time you were WITH JESUS.Revelation 2:5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first.When you don't know what to do, BE OBEDIENT.Matthew 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”1 John 5:3 For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden.My level of OBEDIENCE reveals my level of TRUST in Him.When you RETURN and OBEY,  DAYBREAK will always come.Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.Psalm 30:5 Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.Jesus often meets us not in the middle of the FIGHT, but at the DAWN of a new day.When Jesus is involved, SOME becomes ABUNDANT.Jesus cares for the WHOLE PERSON.He provides for their NEEDS = 153 large fishHe provides for their SOULS = breakfast at the beachHe provides for their SPIRITS = redemption and callingWhen we read the Bible searching for ANSWERS, we don't always find them, but we always find a FULL PICTURE of who GOD is.John 21: 15-17 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”God REDEEMS your past, REWRITES your story, and REAFFIRMS your purpose.

This sermon addresses the universal struggle of finding purpose and significance in life, particularly when we feel unseen or insignificant. The pastor shares his personal experience of feeling purposeless despite professional success, using this vulnerability to connect with the congregation. Through an exposition of the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, the message reveals that Jesus specifically spoke to ordinary, overlooked people in Galilee—fishermen, laborers, widows, and the poor—to declare their immense value in God's kingdom. The core theological insight is that purpose is not found in our position, title, or accomplishments, but in our identity as children of God. The sermon emphasizes that God assigns purpose to His creation, and that purpose is twofold: to be salt (preserving culture through godly character) and light (leading others to Christ). The message challenges believers to find contentment not in circumstances or achievements, but in knowing whose they are, offering hope to those struggling with identity crises due to life changes, loss, or feelings of inadequacy.

One commentator has said that a parable is “storytelling with a message,” that also declares a truth, and that also asks for a response. So, when Jesus is telling a parable, it's not just a literary exercise or a brain teaser. He's using a story to call His listeners into some kind of transformation. But whether it ends up being an "ah-hah" moment for the listener depends upon their heart. Maybe parables are the ultimate heart detectors. Art credit: "Heart and Soul" by Jan Camerone. Other photos Pastor Chris referred to in this sermon: Model of a working first century Judean fishing boat. Model of the “Jesus Boat” they found at the Sea of Galilee in 1986. The actual “Jesus Boat” on display. The Sea of Galilee from Capernaum. Farther up the hill looking down toward Capernaum. “The Sower” by Millet (1850). “The Sower” by Van Gogh (1888). “The Sower” by Melani Pyke (contemporary).

TAKING GROUND: Opposition In The Soul Steve Parrish ‭‭‭‭‭Philippians 3:12–14 (NIV) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.Following Jesus is a Journey, leading you to Taking Ground, one step at a time in your DiscipleshipRelationshipsMinistryCareerCommunityTalents/GiftingsFinancesEtc.This concept is:Mirrored in Adam's charge to take dominion over EarthMirrored in the Promise/Command to AbrahamMirrored in the Moses' Exodus from EgyptMirrored in Joshua's push into CanaanMirrored in the building of the Temple and the OT KingdomDeclared in New Testament in Kingdom of Heaven Teaching: John 1:43 (ESV) The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”Matthew 13:44 (ESV) “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.Philippians 3:12–14 (NIV) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.SOUL (Mind, Will & Emotions) Opposition to Taking GroundNot an enemy without, but an enemy withinOften difficult to seeDeceptive in natureOften a deeply rooted enemy in your experience, your relief system, your character, your auto-responses, your identity, the voices in your head,.Fortunately, we have the Holy Spirit leading us on this journey…John 16:13 (ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.Mirrored by the Pillar and the Angel that went with MosesMirrored by the Angel of the Army that met JoshuaOPPOSITION IN THE SOUL: GrumblingComplaining that echoes the unthankfulness of the soulExodus 16:1–3 (ESV) They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”lun (534a); a prim. root; to murmur:—growl(1), grumble(4), grumbled(7), grumbling(2), making(1).1 Corinthians 10:9–13 (ESV) We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.There is one to complain to - THE LORD!Complaining to others poisons you, them, your atmosphere and your futurePsalm 102:title–11 (ESV) A PRAYER OF ONE AFFLICTED, WHEN HE IS FAINT AND POURS OUT HIS COMPLAINT BEFORE THE LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you! Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call! For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread. Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my flesh. I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl of the waste places; I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop. All the day my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse. For I eat ashes like bread and mingle tears with my drink, because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down. My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.Psalm 120:1 (ESV) In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.Deuteronomy 26:7–8 (ESV) Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders.OPPOSITION IN THE SOUL: Fear/Anxiety/UnbeliefFear/Anxiety/Unbelief - allowing the physical to eclipse the promise of GodDeuteronomy 20:1-4 ESV When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.We overcome by fixing our eyes on Jesus! Hebrews 12:1–2 (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Isaiah 43:1–7 (ESV) But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Morning Worship Sermon with Rev. Bud Hance Scripture reference Mark 1:16-18 16 And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Fr Darren Brennan answers a question from Maria, aged 10, County Donegal: why is there a Pope? The answer starts with a fire, a group of apostles, and an Aramaic word — kefa — that Jesus used to rename a fisherman from Galilee. Listen to more answers from questions of other children here! L'articolo Little Big Questions – Why is There a Pope? – Carmela and Fr. Darren Brennan proviene da Radio Maria.

Welcome back to Gnostic Insights and to the Gnostic Reformation on Substack. Dr. Cyd Ropp and Bishop Nathan Wilson Today's episode is the last installment of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of The Gnostic Union. Brother Nathan continues with his illustration of how correct translation of the original Koine Greek of the New Testament changes the way we may interpret Biblical scripture more precisely. The translations he shares come from his freely available Gnostic Christian Truth Bible that you can find online in PDF form, with side by side comparisons of the original Koine with English. I'm including the link here in the transcript of the episode, so if you are listening to this in podcast form, you may wish to go to Gnostic Insights dot com to read the transcript. His Bible and other Gnostic scriptures could use another round of editorial polishing, in my opinion, to insert an indexed table of contents, so it may be a bit difficult to make your way through it. And in next week’s episode, I’ll take a long look at what we’ve been hearing for the last four weeks. If you have anything you would like me to discuss or any questions coming off of Bishop Wilson’s discussion, bring them up and we can talk about them on next week's episode. I know I’m going to want to talk about the role of Sophia and the Divine Feminine and the concept of gender on the ethereal plane. I would also like to talk to you about how the study of history and philology differs from theology and philosophy and how they are not necessarily gnosis. And here at Gnostic Insights, of course, and on the Gnostic Reformation, I avoid talking about gnosis and only share gnosis itself. So I’d like to explain that to you about that as well. So please drop me some comments here at the end of this episode and I can address them in next week’s episode. Bishop Nathan Wilson: So Mark 8:17. All right. So this would be Jesus here. “And having gnosis, he said to them, why reason because you have no bread or do you not understand that the heart of you has been hardened?” So this is among disciples arguing that they have no bread. Jesus having spiritual gnosis, understanding what’s going on, says, “What are you arguing about?” Which is kind of interesting that he mentioned, but I’ll mention something that’s a real kick in the can. So this is in Mark 15:42. And this is a text that no theology want to give you because it would make them feel uncomfortable. And it’s regarding Pontius Pilate having gnosis regarding Jesus crucifixion. So this is a note they definitely do not want. I was kind of thinking about what does this mean? And I figured out what it’s regarding to. Mark 15:45. Okay, so this is Pontius Pilate. I’ll read 15:44 first. “But Pilate wondered if he had already died, having called to him the centurion and questioned him if he had already died. And with gnosis from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.” AI generated image of Pilate questioning the Centurian. The three crucified men were inserted by the AI to symbolically represent the crucifixition of Jesus and the two thieves. Golgotha is actually not that close to the palace window. So that meaning inside knowledge from the centurion has been given to him about Jesus. So that could imply that he was still alive and that Pontius might have been involved in this plot. That’s what that text would imply; it doesn’t necessarily have to mean that. It can just mean that within a knowledge he’s been told by the centurion Jesus is dead, so it can apply that too. So however you want to read that text is up to you. But I found that quite fascinating and I had to really look at that. I’m like, well, I'm sorry, we can’t have that in there. That’s why that’s been censored. But that’s fascinating. So we even have Jesus having a gnosis and leaving an area and that’s in Matthew 12:15. I’ll jump into that too. So there’s a couple of scenes that Jesus has gnosis. There’s even times he has gnosis in regarding what other people were thinking. So having to understand them mentally. So that’s cool. So gnosis appears quite often. It’s just it doesn’t appear in the English text. But in the Old Testament it’s even more. Cyd:That's interesting. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Yes, it is. Very. Okay. So “withdrew from the area” Matthew 12:15 I want. Right. “And Jesus having gnosis, withdrew from there and many great multitudes followed him and he healed them.” Or it can translate to took care of them or cured them all. So that word here we have can be for a therapeia or a therapeo. And this word meaning to heal someone or to spend time with them, to heal them with God’s word or with medicine, to heal them with medical substance, so narcotics. It can be just simply curing them or just spending time with someone so say talking to someone, healing them and their emotions. So healing their emotions. So that’s beautiful. Not just simply Jesus hocus pocus and and leaving. It’s he’s spending time with people. And this word has been used in ancient Greek medical texts for implying medical substances or therapy. So the word therapeia is where our word therapy comes from. So this can be Jesus the therapist. So that’s beautiful. Absolutely fantastic. I like that. So it gives more power to the text. Shows that one person can make a difference. So any one of us can do this and heal multitudes through spiritual touch, through spiritual messaging, through the simple act of love. So that’s powerful. That’s useful. Cyd:And this is something that only people can do. Well, no, actually dogs are very good therapists as well. But I wouldn’t think that an AI therapist or an AI Jesus has any gnosis truly. Bishop Nathan Wilson:I’m not really one big for AI because I think AI is basically just all secondhand information. It’s just built from all our information that we’ve already got. So we have here something else. This is something pretty interesting too. Matthew 16:8. And it’s Jesus having gnosis: “Why do you argue amongst yourselves? You of little faith because you have no bread” [or meaning food.] But say, regarding to the word for artos being bread. So when you have the Jesus prayer, Give us this daily bread, this could translate to give us our daily necessaries of life. That’s much more. So daily maintenance, so being maintained spiritually, being maintained by God, for God giving us the means to live spiritually as well as physically. So it’s much more powerful than just simple, just bread and food. So Jesus speaking a lot of times symbolically. So the symbolic teachings are meant to be useful to all of us. So something that we can practically take on, not simply does something that’s outside of ourselves. So that’s within ourselves that we can actually use. So gnosis. And I’ll go into Matthew 22:18. And that’s with Jesus about having gnosis on the wickedness of the Pharisees. So this doesn’t mean that all Pharisees are bad though. Jesus had Pharisees that followed him. This just means a select few of them. So basically the rich corrupted ones of them. So he was also against the Sadducees too. Mostly Sadducees probably because they were the richer lots. But he was not really a friend to those who were corrupt and using the money that they were given to further subject the people to more condemnation, which Jesus was very much pro-life, was equality where the Pharisees and Sadducees in large numbers were not. Which is a shame. Okay, so 22, I think it was I’m looking for. Matthew 22:18. Okay. Cyd:You know that Old Testament God of the Sadducees and Pharisees doesn’t have love. So they are not getting any gnosis from that Jehovah level. Bishop Nathan Wilson:No. And it goes back to where it’s first worshipped. The first to worship this God, Yahweh, were very violent. They were the Shasu. They were known to force marry the Egyptian and Ethiopian young girls they raided. So when we look at the depictions of the Shasu, they are mixed in colour—they're black, they’re white, they’re copper skinned. They didn’t care what colour you were, they just took. They were looking for sex slaves, basically wives. So what’s interesting is the same river that they used, the Euphrates River, not all of them were river-based pirates. Some were just tent dwelling nomads. But some of them did have the funds or means to use ships. So we certainly had sea people. So some of those sea people were Canaanite raiders. So they’ll use the Euphrates River to go out raiding, to go out to the main street or elsewhere to raid outside of their own lands. Muslim pirates would use the same river to do the same thing. So that’s interesting.[Editor’s note: The speaker appears to be connecting several groups—nomadic Shasu, Sea Peoples, and later Muslim-era raiders. While the Euphrates served as an important transportation corridor, the specific claim that the Shasu or Sea Peoples used it as river-pirates is not clear from the sources consulted by the CoPilot AI and may reflect an interpretation rather than an established historical consensus. Of course, the AIs are relaying to us approved, conventional data, so their data bases would not contain the types of stories Bishop Wilson speaks of.]All in the name of this Jehovah, in the name of Yahweh, in the name of the demiurge, this evil gets done. And it’s always the poor that suffer, the poor and women. And who are the ones that Jesus is speaking to? The poor and to women. So it’s shocking. So most Christians don’t look at this either. A lot of Muslims don’t either, because they will be following Jesus [Isa]. So who they call Isa, they clearly don’t. So the message contradicts. So Muhammad called himself a man of war. Moses as well. But it depends on what version of Moses you’re looking at as well. So during the time of Jesus, as I mentioned, there were different versions of Judaism. There were different Torahs and different Jewish Bibles. So some believed in a peaceful Moses and even a peaceful Abraham. Others believed in Abraham the Pirat. So Abraham the Pirate. And some didn’t take this view. So others believed in Abraham ready to sacrifice his son. And others believed that he was hearing a fallen angel, mistook it for God, and God had to intervene. And we see this sort of in the Essene story somewhat. So that’s more of a Gnostic take. Some Essenes view, because they’re Dead Sea Scrolls, which is a Qumran Essene sect, they believe that it was Belial that was behind the scenes doing this. And God was basically aware that Belial was doing it and would interfere. So he would do this in order for Belial to expose himself and then be shamed. So a very different story. So the story of Job we read is the Pharisee story, which is Satan being in the angelic courts. So being asked by God, so not acting outside of God. So he was only there to test human beings. So Satan’s not the bad guy in that story. It’s Yahweh. But when we look at other stories, it’s different. Even the Ethiopian version is different. They have two stories. One with Belial and the other one with a figure called Mastema, who is the opponent against God trying to cause the sacrifice of Abraham’s son. So, trippy. So this is regarding to the Pharisees as well. “So Jesus, having gnosis of the wickedness of them, said, Why do you test me, you hypocrites?” So this is in reference to the coin, when he showed them the icon. So what’s interesting about that scene is Judas, who was a Zealot, basically, I think it was Judas of Galilee, who rebelled against Rome, he also said the same thing. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”[Matthew 22:21] So when Jesus is speaking in the scene, he doesn’t touch the coin. The icon on there in question is the emperor who is stating, you know, son of Caesar, son of God. Jesus is saying, no, basically give this back to Caesar and give to Israel, God, what is God’s, which is the land. So Israel. But I don’t think it’s more from the land—I think that’s a zealot opinion. I think when he’s talking about this, when he says Israel, I’m thinking he’s looking at the word context and he’s meaning El preserved so those who belong to El. So when he says those who belong to Israel, he’s not saying just anything, he’s talking about the lost sheep of El Elyon. So those were in other lands, lead them back here. So ones who have gone astray, which is interesting. So ones who are worshipping pagan gods or worshipping Yahweh. So he’s saying, bring them back to El, bring them back to God, repentance. This is why the Pharisees and Sadducees disliked him. He had a different God. Some that liked him as well, but they had trouble understanding it. Cyd:Right. Well, and that is still the case. Hey, we’re going to have to wrap this up in just a few minutes. So is there any scripture you would like to make sure that you share before we wrap it up? Bishop Nathan Wilson:Okay. Well, if you like, I can share either the temple scene, which is a Matthew 21:12, or I can share the little, the short scene of the Pharisees being condemned by Jesus for basically dressing up like prostitutes. You might have a, you might have a lot of that. Cyd:Yeah. Okay. That, that looks to be the one you want to share the most. Papyrus Oxyconocus 840 Bishop Nathan Wilson:So I’ll share that one. It’s very short. So this is the text in general. Just this little bit. Okay. The Greek side is on here. [Nathan displays his fragment facsimile.] So I have the Greek side by side. So this is side one and side two. So side two is even shorter. “So before committing injustice, he carefully plans it all.” So this is Jesus speaking about the evil. “Be on guard, lest you suffer the same things as they.” So this is the Pharisees and Sadducees he’s talking about. “For the evil doers among people do not receive punishment only in this life, but also suffer judgment and great torment. And having received them, he brought them into the purification area. And as he was walking in the temple, a certain Pharisee, a high priest named Soreb [conventional translation is Levi; editorial note],” Which is kind of interesting. That word Zoar/Tzoar [uncertain], is Tsa'ar, [uncertain] which is a city condemned by God [but ultimately spared by God; editorial note]. So this is kind of like a pun on the Pharisee leader being punished by God. So like, possibly, maybe a Pharisee Messiah figure. So meaning they’re rejecting Jesus because they already have their Messiah they believe. So that’s something to be taken into a note. So this Soreb [Levi ?] approaches, met them and said, “Zoar, who gave you permission to walk in the purification area and to look upon these holy vessels, not having washed, nor your disciples having their feet baptized, but having being unclean, you have trampled upon this holy place, which is pure, which no one may enter unless you have bathed and changed into the garments of those baptized. Nor does anyone dare to touch these holy vessels.” So they’re in the temple right now in the inner sanctuary, touching the holy relics and not wearing the same baptism clothing as them. They’re not liking this. So this is what Jesus says. “The Savior answered and said to him, Woe to you blind ones who do not see. You wash in these poured out waters in which dogs and pigs have been thrown into day and night. And after washing your outer skin, you wipe it. And just like the prostitutes and flute players anoint themselves and wash and wipe and adorn themselves to cause the desires of men. But from within, they are full of scorpions and all evil. But I and my disciples who you say are not baptized have been baptized in the waters of eternal Zoe. That has come from God. But woe to those…” And the ending is missing. That’s why side two has not been given. [referring to side two of the fragment which is partially destroyed and not in the public domain] Cyd:Right. Now that’s a fragment. Where was that fragment found? Bishop Nathan Wilson:I forgot. The fragment is called Papyrus Oxyconocus 840. But you can just type in P. Oxy 840. I would say that was probably if I’d gone by memory, that might have been discovered maybe in Alexandria, if not maybe in Thrace, but I believe it was Alexandria, Egypt that might have been discovered. There was one, I believe, that was discovered in the Middle East, maybe Jerusalem. But I believe that one there was discovered in Alexandria. I might be wrong about that. I have to relook where that was discovered. But it is important. So a text that has not been given to public domain yet, which is quite a shame. Cyd:Yeah. Well, it’s been delightful talking to you. And you certainly have an encyclopedic knowledge of these ancient texts. It’s very beautiful. It’s very nice being around you. You have the good vibe. Bishop Nathan Wilson:It’s been a pleasure speaking to you as well, Dr. Cyd Ropp. It’s been an absolute pleasure. So I’m stoked. So sorry if I get excited and all that sort of stuff as well. I love meeting new people, especially fellow spiritual people. Always lovely to see, especially Gnostics. Cyd:Yeah. Well, I recommend The Gnostic Union. Go check out the Facebook site. That’s where all the action is, right? It’s the Facebook site. Bishop Nathan Wilson:And on the YouTube, yeah. We can all get together. Cyd:On the YouTube. Bishop Nathan Wilson:I’ve got a few old videos as well. So you can see the difference in my theology, how it’s changed. My whole belief system changed when I start translating, so I found out I was wrong about a couple of other things. So I still keep some old videos because some people might want to hang on to some of those beliefs as well. I have no problems with that. I’m very open-minded and whichever people want to believe, they can believe, as long as we’re loving to each other and kind. It’s all that matters. Being good humans. Cyd:Right. Well, since we’re going to be putting this on your site as well as mine, let me tell people that I have a Substack called The Gnostic Reformation. And my homepage is GnosticInsights.com. Well, it’s just been a blessing. Thank you very much. Bishop Nathan Wilson:You’re welcome. And feel free to share your stuff on The Gnostic Union Facebook page too. If you ever want to share stuff, feel free to. We accept other people’s work too. So feel free to share it. Cyd:How often? I mean, I post weekly. You don’t want me cross-posting weekly. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Oh, that’s fine. We don’t mind. You can post there weekly. We won’t mind. Anything that’s Gnostic, we’ll gladly accept. So we want to encourage all Gnostic schools of thought and everyone that wants to seek it, we want to encourage that. Cyd:Oh that’s excellent. Okay. Well, thank you so much for being with me today, Bishop Nathan Wilson. God bless us all. Bishop Nathan Wilson:God bless as well. Thank you for having me. Cyd:Okay. Bye-bye. Thank you. Well, that’s the conclusion of that long interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of The Gnostic Union. These episodes have been running long, a half hour and more, so I think we’ll keep this one short, and give you a break. Until then, drop some comments and questions that I can address in next week's episode.This interview was recorded via Zoom, and so I have the video of the interview as well as these audios, and I’ve left it as one long video to post to YouTube. So I’m putting it up on YouTube now that we’re done with the audio podcast versions, and you can go to YouTube if you’d like to watch Brother Nathan talking about these things. He does have a few visual aids. His papyrus facsimiles and whatnot are pretty cool to look at. So I encourage you to go to my YouTube channel, Cyd Ropp, and it’s under the Gnostic Insights playlist, and leave a thumbs up. I’m going to try to grow the Gnostic Insights presence there on YouTube. It’s going to take a lot of effort and a lot of support on your part. So please give me a hand here, and let’s kick it off with this Bishop Wilson. The other YouTube video that’s already there is that animated version of my children’s book, Children of the Fullness: A Gnostic Myth. So if you haven’t watched that yet, you could catch it as well. Until then, God bless us all, and Onward and Upward. Until then, drop some comments and questions I can address in next week's episode. God bless us all and onward and upward. Children of the Fullness: A Gnostic Myth is the first gnostic book written for young children. Click here to go to amazon.com

Every year, more than five million tourists visit Israel, many of them Christians retracing the footsteps of Jesus. With over two billion followers worldwide, Jesus Christ is regarded as one of the most influential figures in history. Yet one question continues to be asked: did Jesus really exist as a historical person?In this program, we'll investigate the historical evidence for His existence, asking whether the millions of pilgrims who journey to Bethlehem, Nazareth, Galilee, and Jerusalem's Via Dolorosa are following the path of a man who truly lived in this land 2,000 years ago.Beyond the pages of the New Testament, some of the earliest references to Jesus appear in the writings of Jewish and Roman historians. Their accounts have been preserved in ancient manuscripts discovered, studied, and authenticated by archaeologists and historians, providing an important independent witness to the events of the first century.By examining these remarkable historical sources, including who wrote them, when they were written, how their manuscripts survived, and what they reveal about Jesus, we ask whether these non-biblical records corroborate what the Bible tells us about His existence. Drawing on the documentary evidence left by ancient historians, we explore whether history itself confirms the man at the centre of the Christian faith.

When Jesus enters Peter's house in Capernaum, He heals Peter's mother-in-law, and she begins to serve Him. As Jesus continues His ministry of healing, He fulfills the promise of the Lord from Isaiah 53, bearing our sicknesses. When Jesus commands that He will be going to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, a scribe declares that he will follow Jesus wherever He goes. Jesus warns the man that to follow Him is to journey the way of the cross. When a disciple tarries, the Lord gives instruction concerning the urgency of following Him.  Rev. John Bussman, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School in Cullman, AL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 8:14-22.  To learn more about St. Paul's in Cullman, visit stpaulscullman.com. “The Reign of Heaven Stands Near” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims that God has fulfilled His Old Testament promises by sending Jesus to bring the reign of the heavens among us. As the Son of David, Jesus is the gracious King we need, and as the Son of Abraham, Jesus is the blessing to all the families of the earth.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Pastor Appel serves at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, IL. Learn more at flcgodfrey.org. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

23:1 And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. 23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. 23:3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. 23:4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. 23:5 And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. 23:6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean. 23:7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. 23:8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 23:9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 23:10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 23:11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 23:12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. 23:13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 23:14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 23:15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. 23:16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 23:17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) 23:18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 23:19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 23:20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. 23:21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 23:22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. 23:23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 23:24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. 23:25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Yesterday, we witnessed Simon Peter's legendary conversion on the Sea of Galilee. Today, Brother Mike takes us on a sobering journey into Peter's rapid spiritual decline, his public denial of Christ, and his ultimate loss of salvation. What causes a passionate, vocal follower of Christ to stumble so severely? Drawing from the Greek texts, Brother Mike looks at Peter's deep-seated insecurities—often masked by his tendency to run his mouth "like a busted chainsaw." Explore the dangerous progression from a prideful spirit at the Last Supper to the terrifying moment when Peter calls down an anathema (a curse of execution) upon himself by swearing he has never even seen Jesus (eido). This episode reveals that witnessing a miracle—or even seeing the resurrected Christ face-to-face—isn't enough to heal a broken relationship with God. True restoration requires facing your guilt, turning away from your old life, and allowing yourself to be genuinely reconverted (epistrefo). Scripture & Highlights Mentioned in This Episode The Warning of Spattering Sheep: Jesus warns the disciples that they will all be offended and scattered, fulfilling ancient prophecy (Matthew 26:31; Zechariah 13:7). Sifted Like Wheat: Jesus reveals Satan’s design to test Simon and uses the Greek word epistrefo, pointing to his eventual need to be completely reconverted (Luke 22:31-34). The Infiltrated Palace: John uses his connections to get Peter past the young slave gatekeeper (paidiske) into the high priest's courtyard (John 18:15-17). The Absolute Denial: Confronted by the crowd and a relative of Malchus (syngenes), Peter curses, swears, and denies knowing Christ before meeting Jesus' gaze and weeping bitterly (pikros) (Mark 14:66-72; John 18:25-27). Reconversion at Tiberias: After returning to his old life of fishing out of sheer guilt, Peter is met by Jesus at a second fire of coals and is lovingly restored after affirming his love three times (John 21:1-17). Connect with the Ministry Visit the Arizona Deliverance Center Located in downtown Phoenix on 15th Avenue, just south of Osborn Road (look for the red brick building). Come break the chains of guilt and experience true deliverance. Weekly Live Services: Thursday & Friday nights at 7:00 PM The Saints Gather: Saturday Worship & Deliverance Service at 4:30 PM — A powerful, one-of-a-kind service featuring singing in tongues. Ladies Night: Tuesdays at 6:30 PM Monthly Healing Service: Last Friday of every month at 7:00 PM (Arrive early, seats fill up quickly!) Need Prayer for Guilt or Deliverance? Call Brother Mike directly at 602-636-5800 for support or to get access codes for the weekly Zoom healing services. Catch the radio broadcast celebrating Brother Mike's silver anniversary on 1010 AM KXXT, and listen to the Sunday morning podcast every week at 9:00 AM at HardcoreChristianity.com. Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus  (NOT a Morning Mindset resource)   ⇒ Join the MMM Prayer Team: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/PrayerTeam ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:3-11 - He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. [4] And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; [5] for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” [6] So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” [7] He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. [8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [9] And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. [10] And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, [11] and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Underwrite one daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: Subscribe to the SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish Subscribe to the CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com   

“Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. ‘O Lord,’ they pleaded, ‘don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.’” (Jonah 1:14 NLT) The possibility of a spiritual revival in Nineveh was almost too terrible for Jonah to contemplate. So, he booked passage on a ship headed in the opposite direction. Before we go any further into his story, though, I want to point out that Jonah would have scoffed at the nonsensical claim that the God of the Old Testament is angry, harsh, and judgmental while the God of the New Testament is merciful and loving. The whole reason Jonah was on the lam from his prophetic duties is that he was afraid that God would show mercy and love toward his enemies, the Ninevites. When Jonah ran away, God could have just said, “Okay, that’s it, Jonah. I’m done with you. I’m going to get somebody else.” But the Lord loved Jonah. He had a plan for him. He was going to give him a second chance—and God still gives second chances today. So, the Lord sent a storm into Jonah’s life. In this case, it was an actual, meteorological storm. Often, however, the Lord sends storms into the lives of His people in the form of hardships or difficulties. There are three kinds of storms we face as Christians. First, there are perfecting storms. These are trials, tribulations, circumstances, and situations that cause us to grow spiritually as we endure them. In the book of Job, as Job struggles with the tragedies that have befallen him, he says of the Lord, “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold” (Job 23:10 NLT). He was navigating a perfecting storm. Second, there are protecting storms. According to John 6, after Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish, the people who witnessed the miracle were so excited that they wanted to make Jesus their king. His disciples, by extension, would rule with Him. Rather than give credence to such talk, Jesus loaded His disciples onto a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. During the crossing, a great storm arose. It was a protecting storm. Jesus was protecting His disciples from a temptation that would have been very damaging to their lives. Finally, there are correcting storms. Jonah 1:14 says the sailors on Jonah’s ship, “cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. ‘O Lord,’ they pleaded, ‘don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons’” (NLT). Correcting storms are circumstances that we effectively bring upon ourselves. But here’s the good news. God won’t abandon us in our storm. In fact, His sending of the storm is a reminder of His love. Hebrews 12:6 says, “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child” (NLT). Jonah emerged from the storm corrected and ready to fulfill his calling. The lesson for us is that if we stay strong in the storms of life, we’ll experience a personal revival, which can lead to something bigger and more widespread. There’s no limit to what God can do with one renewed and recalibrated believer. Reflection question: How can you discern when you’re facing a correcting storm? Experience the Harvest Crusade on July 11 when you watch online! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baptism is saying “yes” to Jesus before you know the question He's asking. When Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John by the Sea of Galilee, He didn't offer a roadmap—He offered a relationship. Following Him meant leaving their security, their family businesses, and everything they knew behind. Discipleship is radical, but Jesus promises us that it is the key to an abundant life. Are you ready to drop your own "nets" and trust God with the unknown? It's the best decision you will ever make.

What does a true, unshakeable transformation look like? In this episode, Brother Mike breaks down the dramatic calling and conversion of Simon Peter on the Sea of Galilee. Simon wasn’t just a struggling fisherman; he was part of a highly successful, prosperous fishing conglomerate alongside Andrew, James, and John. Yet, one supernatural encounter changed everything. Through a deep look at the Greek context, Brother Mike explains how Simon moved from seeing Jesus as a mere commander or boss (epistates) to recognizing Him as Lord after witnessing a staggering, boat-sinking miracle. Discover the four-step "perfect method of conversion" modeled by Christ: preach the word, demonstrate the word, open the heart to the Holy Spirit, and fall down broken in true repentance. Brother Mike pulls no punches as he challenges modern "easy come, easy go" evangelical methods, explaining why a repentance-based conversion is the only cure for a backslidden heart. Tune in to find out why miracles are meant to draw you closer to God, and how He always provides for what you leave behind. Scripture & Highlights Mentioned in This Episode The Miraculous Catch: Simon obeys the spoken word (rhema) of Jesus despite a night of empty nets, leading to a historic, boat-sinking haul (Luke 5:1-7). A Broken Repentance: Simon falls at Jesus' knees, hit with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, crying, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Luke 5:8-9). Catchers of Men: Jesus eases Simon's fear and calls the partners to a higher ministry, prompting them to forsake all and follow Him (Luke 5:10-11). The Purpose of Signs: Understanding why miracles are given to draw unbelievers near, echoing Paul’s reminder on spiritual signs (1 Corinthians 14:22). Draw Nigh to God: Responding to the conviction of the Spirit to experience a legitimate spiritual rebirth (James 4:8). Connect with the Ministry Live Services & Supernatural Healing If you want to experience the moving of the Holy Spirit, visit the Arizona Deliverance Center in Phoenix (Located downtown on 15th Avenue, just south of Osborn Road—look for the red brick building). Weekly Live Services: Thursday & Friday nights at 7:00 PM Ladies Night: Tuesdays at 6:30 PM Weekly Healing Zoom Services: Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. Call 602-636-5800 or email mike@hardcorechristianity.com for the password and access code! Monthly Healing Service: Last Friday of every month at 7:00 PM at the Deliverance Center. Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus  (NOT a Morning Mindset resource)   ⇒ BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER: (not tax-deductible) You can find out how to become a monthly partner including how to receive your "thank you" gift - our bonus podcast called "Digging Deeper." Go to: https://mm-partners.supercast.com/  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Matthew 28:16–20 - Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. [17] And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. [18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Underwrite one daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: Subscribe to the SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish Subscribe to the CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com   

Nothing incites greater fear in the mind of a sinful person than the presence of the One who is holy. Today, R.C. Sproul examines a surprising encounter between Peter and Jesus on the Sea of Galilee. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ultimately-with-rc-sproul/the-fearful-presence-of-the-holy-one/ Study Reformed theology with a free resource bundle from Ligonier Ministries: https://grow.ligonier.org/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

2026-07-05 A True Confessionby Pastor Chris Berg Scripture: Mark 7:31-37 31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”Mandeville Bible Church   "Where God's Word is Our Foundation"https://www.mandevillebiblechurch.org/Come and see that God's Word is alive and at work right here in Mandeville.. and throughout the world!All are welcome. 217 Carroll Street, Mandeville, LA 70448Church Office: (985) 626-3114Sunday Service: 9:30AMAdult Sunday School: 10:45-11:30AMNursery and Children's church available.

Come and Believe Chase Upchurch Download Sermons Archive RSS John 7:1-24 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. 2 Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3 His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.6 Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” 9 When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.10 But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. 11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” 12 And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” 13 However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”16 [c]Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”20 The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” Sermon Discussion Questions:If a stranger asked you on the street “Who is Jesus” how would you respond?When was a time that God's timing was a blessing in your life?What specifically are you struggling with concerning unbelif or confusion on your faith walk?Examine when the Holy Spirit has convicted you of sin. How did you respond to His voice?How do you guard your heart from living a life of obligation unto the Lord?

Click here to WATCH LIVE STREAM Worship Service on our Youtube Channel. That You May Believe, Part 24 John 12:12-12:36 (page 996) · The King's arrival. John 12:12-13 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” Illustration: Picture 1- Jewish coin Psalm 118:24-26 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. John 12:14-16 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. Zechariah 9:9-11 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. John 12:17-19 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” · The King's message. John 12:20-22 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Mark 11:17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers.” Isaiah 42:6-8a “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other…” John 12:23-24 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Isaiah 53:10-12 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. John 12:25-26 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Matthew 13:44-46 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” · The King's suffering. John 12:27-28a “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” John 12:28b-30 Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. · The King's victory. John 12:31-33 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. Colossians 2:14-15 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. Hebrews 10:12-14 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. John 12:34-36 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Mark 11:11 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. Psalm 118:27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! Psalm 118:28-29 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. 29 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Revelation 7:9-10 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Respond | Connect | Next Steps The post John: That You May Believe appeared first on Charleston Baptist Church.

Sunday, 5 July 2026   Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. Matthew 21:12   “And He entered, the ‘Jesus', into the ‘temple, the God', and He ejected all those selling and buying in the temple. And the ‘tables, the coin dealers' He overturned, and the ‘benches, those selling' the doves.” (CG)   In the previous verse, the multitudes informed those in the city that it was Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee, whom they were praising. After having entered the city, it next says, “And He entered, the ‘Jesus', into the ‘temple, the God'.”   Some manuscripts leave off the article before Jesus. They also leave out the words “the God.” The timeline in Mark is different but not irreconcilable. Matthew skips some of what Mark says. Mark places what Jesus will do in the temple on the next day (see Mark 11:11-15).   Matthew is thus making a categorical analysis, while Mark is following a chronological path for his narrative. Understanding this, the accounts do not contradict. The focus is different. Having entered the temple, Matthew continues, saying, “and He ejected all those selling and buying in the temple.”   It is generally accepted that this was in what is known as the Court of the Gentiles. To get a sense of the layout of the temple complex, its size, what went on there, etc., refer to Albert Barnes' lengthy commentary. In short, the Court of the Gentiles was being used as a place of marketing of animals, currency exchange, etc.   The law prescribed that certain sacrifices be made by those who came for the feast days. These animals had to be spotless, meaning without defect. Rather than bringing their own from a distance, a market was set up where such animals could be purchased.   Likewise, there would be various currencies brought in by the pilgrims. In order to make purchases, however, there would be money exchangers who would trade those units of money for the temple currency known as shekels. This had become a great business where exalted rates for “spotless” approved animals could be made. Also, there would be surcharges for the exchange of money.   Because of this, the priests could make a lot of money from this process. However, this type of business should not have been conducted in the Court of the Gentiles. Any transactions for religious services should have been outside of the temple complex.   For convenience and certainly for control over the process, the priests had taken the area where the nations could come before the Lord, and they had essentially turned it into a Walmart. As such, Matthew next says, “And the ‘tables, the coin-dealers' He overturned.”   The kollubistes, coin-dealer, is first seen here. It is believed to be akin to kollourion, eye salve, found in Revelation 3:18. These are the money exchangers who possessed the temple shekels and sold them to those with the standard money of those who came.   A second new word is katastrephó, to turn upside down. It is only seen here and in the comparable passage found in Mark 11:15. Jesus, seeing the greed and irreligious nature of what was occurring right in the House of God, took charge and dumped their tables over. Matthew also notes, “and the ‘benches, those selling' the doves.”   A third new word is now seen, kathedra, a bench. It is derived from kata, down against, and hedraios, to be sedentary, settled, etc. Thus, it is a place where someone plants himself for work, exercising authority (as in Matthew 23:2), etc.   One can see the etymological root of the cathedra, the bishop's chair, found in Roman Catholicism. That leads to the thought of the cathedral. The irony of calling the Roman Catholic bishop's seat a cathedra when its three uses in Scripture are noted in a negative light is evident.   Life application: At what point a church passes the line from a place of instruction, worship, and glorification of God to a place like what the temple in Jerusalem had become is debatable.   Everyone wants to think that their way is acceptable, and it is those on the other side of some unseen line who have departed from what is right and proper. But whatever is done in a church setting should be looked at carefully to determine if it is holding fast to the main points of what a church is for.   If the focus is on the music, such as weekly concerts to motivate emotion, that church has become a “me” centered body because people are going for the purpose of being personally motivated.   If the focus is on receiving a blessing based on what one gives, the same is true. The church has become a supposed conduit for people to prosper materially. Such examples are not what church is for. Rather, we are to learn about God, worship Him for the sake of His glory, and fellowship with others, building them up and engaging with them as people who will be spending eternity together in God's presence.   Take time to evaluate why you are going to church and what you think you are getting out of it. In doing this, you may be able to adjust your priorities so that they more perfectly align with honoring God.   Lord God, help us to focus on You and Your glory in all we do. Forgive us when we make this life about ourselves. We have needs, hopes, and desires, but we should always place them after our devotion to You. This life is temporary. What You have given us in the life to come is eternal. Help us to remember this. Amen.

In this continuing series, we see Jesus ministering in and around the Sea of Galilee. That's where He set up his home base (Capernaum), and it's the region where He sent out the disciples as apostles to drive out demons, heal diseases, and spread the word that the Kingdom of Heaven has come near. In this installment, we also see the disciples of John the Baptist come and ask Jesus a very important question. What Jesus says in return includes a curious story of children in the marketplace. What did He mean? And how might it have been an encouragement to John? Art credit: "Christ Preaching on the Galilee" by Minerva Teichert. Other photos that Pastor Chris referred to in this sermon: 1: Globe 2: Israel map 3: Galilee/Tahoe 4: Sea of Galilee 5: Tiberias 6: Magdala 7: Capernaum 8: Galilee and Dead Sea 9: Israel map with dots: Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee, baptism site, Machaerus

From the Gospel of Luke (8:26-39): And They Asked Jesus to Leave Introduction -- Compassion Unpacked: God wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with us. Therefore, if there is anything in our lives blocking this talk with God, we must remove it – we need to open ourselves to what God will do for us if we will just let go of our life impediments. We must pray for God's guidance that He keeps us from becoming judgmental, self-righteous, self-centered Christians like the Pharisees in Luke 7:36-50. Today's Message -- And They Asked Jesus to Leave: When Jesus stepped ashore after a storm-tossed sail across the Sea of Galilee, Luke 8:26-39 tells us that Jesus was met by a demon-possessed man. True Christians cannot be demon-possessed; the Holy Spirit indwells and possesses Christians. For non-believers, their spirit is void and open to passion by demons. However, Christians can be oppressed by demons. In Luke 8:32-33, Luke tells us that the demons called Jesus by name and asked that they not be removed from the demon-posed man and be sent to the “abyss”. Therefore, Jesus removed the demons from the man and transferred the demons into a large herd of pigs: “Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.". Subsequently, the people from the town came to observe the formerly possessed man and the fate of the pig herd (Luke 8:36-39): “And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him {Jesus} to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.'". The people of the town asked Jesus, the Creator of the Universe, to leave because he had cost their economy, and they were afraid. However, “asking him {Jesus} to depart” is something we Christians do. We learn from this story of the demon-possessed man and the people of “Gerasenes” that: 1) Jesus has power over demons (demon passion and oppression are real and should not be taken lightly); 2) it is easy to talk those people that we do not know well about what Jesus has done for us, but Jesus wants us to witness to our families and friends; 3) we should be careful what we invest, especially those investments that are against God's law; 4) we do  “ask Jesus to leave” – every time we sin, every time we begin our day without Jesus, every time we walk away from His calling on our lives, every time we say “my will be done” rather than “they will be done”; 5) Jesus wants us to share what He has done for us – wherever we are and whomever we are with, especially where we live and work; and 6) this story tell us Jesus  who Jesus is – the demon-possessed man tells us (Luke 8:32) who Jesus is: “When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.'”. The ultimate question that we all must all answer: “Who do we say that Jesus is?”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ephesians 6:10; Luke 8:22-25; Luke 8:26-39; Psalms 141:1-10. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers' Righteousness Will Flow, with the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, from Their Heart Through Their Personal Relationship with Jesus”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Saturday, 4 July 2026   So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”  Matthew 21:11   “The ‘also crowds', they said, ‘This, He is the prophet, Jesus, the ‘from Nazareth, the Galilee'.'” (CG)   In the previous verse, when Jesus had come into Jerusalem, the people asked who He was. In response, “The ‘also crowds', they said, ‘This, He is the Prophet, Jesus.'”   This response can be taken in a couple of ways. The first is that they are claiming Jesus is the fulfillment of Moses' words –   “And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.'” Deuteronomy 18:17-19   This was understood to be a particular prophet who would come in the future, not merely one of a line of prophets. In fact, in John's gospel, that this is a particular individual is made perfectly clear –   “Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?' 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.' 21 And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?' He said, ‘I am not.' ‘Are you the Prophet?' And he answered, ‘No.'” John 1:19-21   The other option is that the words “the Prophet” refer to one of the many prophets who had arisen since the time of Moses, such as Samuel, Gad, Daniel, Jeremiah, etc. Thus, the people would be speaking in general terms. Based on His being hailed as the Messiah with the quoting of Psalm 118, the former option seems likely, but it is debatable. Along with being noted as the Prophet, it next says, “the ‘from Nazareth, the Galilee'.”   Jesus (Yeshua) was a common name at the time. To ensure He was identified more fully, the area where He was raised and performed so many miracles is affixed to His identity. The stories of great miracles being performed in the area of the Galilee would have permeated the collective conscience of the people.   Life application: To this day, it is debated who Jesus is. Islam has Him in a list of prophets leading to Muhammad. They deny His deity, and they deny that He was killed or crucified. Instead, they teach that He was raised bodily to heaven, protecting Him from death.   Mormons teach that Jesus was a man who became a god. Liberal churches teach that Jesus was a good teacher, but shy away from anything about Him that is confrontational or causes them to admit that their sinful lives will be judged by Him. They have so watered down the message of Jesus that every perversion imaginable is supposedly considered acceptable to Jesus, calling their vile teaching “loving” and “non-judgmental.”   An overwhelming number of messianic churches, along with groups like the Hebrew Roots Movement, teach that Jesus came to restore and “renew” the Mosaic covenant, thus requiring His people to continue observing the Law of Moses. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus was the archangel, Michael. He was crucified for sin and then was raised as a “mighty spirit being.” They deny a literal physical resurrection of the Man who is God incarnate.   These are but a few of the skewed and heretical ideas put forth concerning who Jesus is. But getting the “who” of Jesus right is the most important thing any human can do. So important is this issue that CS Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, used a “poached egg” analogy, illustrating the absurdity of people's thoughts concerning Jesus.   He notes that a man claiming to be God while being merely human would be a lunatic or the Devil of hell, not a teacher. He compared the delusion of claiming divinity to the insanity of a man who believes he is a poached egg.   Either Jesus is the Lord God, or He is not. To deny His deity, if He is God, cannot be overcome in the process of salvation. The Lord alone is without sin, and the Lord alone deserves the glory for what He has accomplished. If He is the Lord God, it is our duty and responsibility to honor Him as such.   Be careful to consider who Jesus is. Get this point right, believe that God has done what He has done through Jesus, and be saved. This is important.   Lord God, may we be strong in our convictions concerning Jesus and what He has done for us. And may we stand firmly on the good news when talking to others. There is no other Savior, no other access to heaven's glory, and no other King of the Universe than the Lord God who has come in the Person of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Read OnlineAfter entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” Matthew 9:1–2After making a quick trip across the Sea of Galilee to deliver two men from demonic possession, Jesus and the disciples return to Jesus' “own town,” likely Capernaum, the fishing village and hometown of Peter, Andrew, James and John, and probably Matthew, whom Jesus had not yet called to be an Apostle.Though the Gospels say little about Jesus' ordinary daily life in Capernaum, it is clear that this small town served as a center for His Galilean ministry, becoming the crossroads where ordinary human lives intersected with extraordinary divine grace. Few in Capernaum could have realized that their village would become the center for the unfolding of God's promise of salvation, from which the teachings of the Messiah would go forth to the world.Though Jesus' act of forgiving the paralytic's sins in today's Gospel, followed by his miraculous healing, holds great significance, equally important is the setting in which these actions took place. Capernaum, in many ways, represents our hometowns, homes, daily lives, occupations, communities, and families. The Son of God's entrance into our world did not take place in a visibly magnificent way; it was humble, hidden, and ordinary. Beginning in Bethlehem, Jesus' birth took place within a dwelling for animals, and He was laid in a feeding trough. Shortly afterward, He narrowly escaped death from Herod, becoming a refugee in Egypt as an infant. Later, Jesus was raised in Nazareth—a small town viewed as insignificant by the wider Judean and Galilean communities. He learned carpentry from Joseph, made pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the Jewish feasts, and lived like any other child and young man.Even after Jesus began His public ministry, He continued to live a humble and simple life. He was a wandering preacher, traveling on foot through many towns and villages with a band of disciples. He relied on providence for food and shelter, owned little Himself, and related compassionately with people of every status and background.To the ordinary eye, Jesus was an ordinary man. To the eyes of the Father, He was the Divine Son, cloaked in humility, whose true glory remained hidden from many eyes.Jesus' humble, simple, and ordinary life was significant. The Father could have sent His Son into royal splendor and worldly power, establishing Him as an earthly king admired by all. Yet, He chose humility because by embracing the ordinariness of daily life, Jesus sanctified human existence, transforming everyday tasks and encounters into pathways toward union with Him. When we engage in ordinary things in union with Jesus' life—with His virtue, diligence, dedication, care, and generosity—our daily activities become infused with extraordinary grace.By becoming the crossroads where ordinary human lives intersect with extraordinary divine grace, we are invited to see every ordinary part of our lives in the same way the people of Capernaum encountered Jesus' extraordinary grace. Jesus is waiting for us around every corner, in every conversation, duty, and activity. Like in Capernaum, He remains cloaked in humility, often veiled from immediate recognition. With faith, we must discern Him in the ordinary, recognize His humble presence, love Him, and follow Him.Reflect today on the people of Capernaum and see yourself among them. How would you have reacted to someone who seemed so ordinary yet taught, forgave, and healed with such grace? That same Lord is present all around us in our daily lives, no matter how ordinary they might appear. Look for Him, invite Him into your “town,” and allow Him to sanctify your daily work, drawing you out of the ordinary into the extraordinary life of grace.My hidden Lord, You are present within me and all around me, yet often I fail to perceive Your humble presence in the ordinary circumstances of my daily life. Grant me the eyes of faith to recognize You, a heart eager to love You, and the strength to follow You faithfully, so that all I do may be infused with Your grace and dedicated to Your eternal glory. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Christ Healing the Lame Man, by Jacopo BassanoSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

In this episode, we sit with one of the most dramatic moments in the Gospels: Jesus asleep in a boat while his disciples panic in a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. But the real storm in this passage isn't the one on the water. It's the one inside us. We explore the psychology of crisis, why we respond to the stories we tell ourselves more than to reality itself, and what it actually means to surrender, not as passive defeat but as the most courageous act a person can make. From the circus to the football field to the shores of Galilee, this meditation traces the path from terror to trust, and why Jesus sometimes has to let things get hopeless before he can show us what he can actually do.

Read OnlineWhen Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” Matthew 8:28–29After delivering His Sermon on the Mount and performing many miracles among His own people, Jesus intentionally journeys across the Sea of Galilee into Gentile territory—the region of the Gadarenes, near Gadara, a town within the pagan Decapolis. His choice underscores His mission to extend salvation beyond Israel.The location where Jesus and His disciples arrived was no accident. It was a desolate area filled with tombs, symbols of death, impurity, and spiritual desolation. According to Jewish law, contact with graves rendered one ritually unclean (cf. Numbers 19:16). Spiritually, these tombs vividly illustrate the isolation, emptiness, and lifelessness that sin imposes upon the human soul.The note that the demoniacs “were so savage that no one could travel by that road” further reveals the effects of grave sin. Evil seeks dominance and destruction; it isolates, destroys relationships, and makes peaceful coexistence impossible. This passage reflects the devastating consequences of allowing evil to reign unchecked within one's soul: It becomes uncontrollable, violent, and destructive. Evil never leads to peace, but rather to chaos, isolation, and fear.By entering into this territory, our Lord reveals His willingness to enter the isolation and desolation we all experience due to sin and every evil attack. He comes to us precisely when we are at our worst, most vulnerable, to set us free from the grip of the evil one and from all of his destructive works.When these two men see Jesus, the demons possessing them immediately recognize Him as the Son of God and acknowledge His authority over them. Their recognition raises an important spiritual question for each of us: Do I also recognize Christ's presence in my life? Am I aware of His divine authority over sin and evil, and do I trust in His desire and power to set me free? When the demons ask Jesus, “Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”, they reveal their full knowledge of their ultimate fate: eternal damnation. They understood this clearly because, even after their fall, demons retain their natural angelic powers. Among these powers is their exceptional intelligence and their capacity to tempt humans by subtly suggesting deceptive thoughts, drawing us persistently away from God's truth.Because demons know their eternal fate with clarity, they seek to use their intellect and suggestive powers to lead us into the very despair they themselves experience. They have no hope of eternal life. Out of their hatred for God and humanity, they attempt to conform us to their hopelessness, convincing us that we cannot escape sin, that hope is lost, and that we are doomed to misery.Only our Lord can shatter these demonic lies. Only Christ can break the chains of despair, isolation, and sin. By setting these two demoniacs free, Jesus illustrates His deep longing to do the same for us. By demonstrating His authority over the most severe effects of evil, Jesus reveals His absolute authority over every evil we encounter: every sin, temptation, oppressive thought, confusion, and especially despair.Reflect today on Jesus' choice to cross the Sea of Galilee for the sole purpose of setting these two demoniacs free from their oppression. Our Lord journeys to you with the same resolve. What is it that oppresses you? What thoughts tempt you to fear or despair? What sins do you habitually struggle with? Jesus wants to enter into every form of isolation and desolation you experience. Look for Him, recognize Him when He comes, profess your faith in His authority, and let Him fulfill His deepest desire by setting you free.Most powerful Lord, You have all authority over evil. In my weakness, I cry out to You and plead for Your mercy. Please set me free, O Lord, and protect me from the evil one. Forgive my sins and restore me to deeper communion with You and all Your children. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Healing of the Gadarene Demoniac, 14th-century fresco, Visoki Dečani Monastery.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Walk Where Jesus Walked: The Holy Land Tour That Will Transform Your Faith Have you ever wanted to walk where Jesus walked? In this episode, Rob sits down with longtime minister and Bible teacher Mike Fontenau from Perth, Australia, to discuss an unforgettable opportunity—a guided Holy Land tour planned for October 2027. With more than twenty years of experience leading biblical tours through Israel, Mike shares how visiting the places you've only read about can completely transform your understanding of Scripture. From the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum to Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, Jericho, Bethlehem, Caesarea, Mount Carmel, and beyond, every stop includes a Bible lesson that connects the location with God's story. Mike also explains how the tour is organized, what is included, safety considerations, and why this may be his final Holy Land tour. In this episode you'll discover: • Why visiting Israel brings the Bible to life • The major biblical sites included on the tour • Lessons taught where biblical events actually happened • Why Galilee and Jerusalem offer two very different experiences • What makes this tour different from a typical vacation • The current plans for the October 2027 trip • Tour costs and what is included • Thoughts on safety and travel in Israel • Why this may be Mike Fontenau's final Holy Land tour Whether you've dreamed of visiting Israel for years or simply want to deepen your understanding of Scripture, this conversation will inspire your faith and help you picture the Bible in an entirely new way. To learn more about future opportunities, stay connected through RobSkinner.com. My goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

Morning Offering, June 30, 2026 is brought to you by The Catholic Company:  https://bit.ly/4vuw5m0The storm on the Sea of Galilee reveals how faith allows us to remain anchored in God's peace even when life feels overwhelming.Every morning, join Father Brad as he begins the day with prayer and reflection. In a few short minutes, Father Brad guides you in prayer, shares a brief reflection grounding your day in the Church's rhythm of feast days and liturgy, and provides you with the encouragement necessary to go forward with peace and strength. Disclaimer: The ads shown before, during, or after this video have no affiliation with Morning Offering and are controlled by YouTubeLet us do as the saints urge and begin our days in prayer together so as a community of believers we may join the Psalmist in saying, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3-4)________________

Presented by Julie Busteed Have you ever dreamed and planned for a future only to have it not work out? In John 4, we see Jesus encounter someone who knew that feeling well. Jesus and his disciples were traveling from Jerusalem back to Galilee. Instead of avoiding Samaria, as most Jews did because of the deep division between Jews and Samaritans, Jesus chose to go through it. Around midday, tired and thirsty, he stopped at Jacob's well while his disciples went into town for food. A Samaritan woman came to draw water at the hottest part of the day. Most women came in the cool morning hours, but she came when she expected no one else to be there. Later we learn why: she had been married five times, and the man she was living with was not her husband. Her life likely had not turned out the way she had imagined. She may have carried shame, disappointment, loneliness, or a sense that she would never escape the cycle she was in. Then she encountered Jesus. She was surprised a Jewish man would even speak to her. But Jesus breaks barriers. Their conversation began with physical water, but Jesus quickly turned it toward spiritual things, offering her living water that would become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. At first, she misunderstood him and asked for this water so she would no longer have to return to the well by herself in the heat of the day. But as the conversation continued, she realized Jesus knew everything about her life. Instead of condemning her, he revealed himself to her. When she spoke about the coming Messiah, Jesus told her plainly, I who speak to you am he. This is the first recorded time Jesus openly identified himself as the Messiah, and he did so not to religious leaders in Jerusalem, but to a Samaritan woman at a well. Her response was immediate. She returned to town and told everyone, Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ? John tells us many Samaritans believed because of her testimony, and many more believed after hearing Jesus for themselves. They declared he truly was the Savior of the world. This Samaritan woman who was living a life she probably didn't dream of or plan for, now had hope and purpose because of her meeting with Jesus. Once she realized who he was, she couldn't help but tell others who he was and what he had done for her. Whatever shame or embarrassment she previously felt, fell away. I think there must have been a visible difference in her manner and appearance, because the people listened to her and came out to meet Jesus and hear from him. An unlikely meeting between a Jewish rabbi and a Samaritan woman led many people to faith. And what first drew her to believe was not a miracle or a sign, but the realization that Jesus fully knew her and still offered her grace. Maybe just like this woman your dreams and plans are not happening as you expected. Maybe you're grieving unfulfilled dreams. You are filled with disappointment, sorrow, and loneliness. Please know God sees you. He hears your cries of lament. He has a purpose and a plan, and it's better than you can imagine. It just might not happen in your timing. Continue to trust in him, to offer him praise because of who he is, to walk daily with him. He is your only true source of peace and joy.

Full Text of Readings The Saint of the day is Saints Peter and Paul Saints Peter and Paul's Story Peter (d. 64?) Saint Mark ends the first half of his Gospel with a triumphant climax. He has recorded doubt, misunderstanding, and the opposition of many to Jesus. Now Peter makes his great confession of faith: “You are the Messiah” (Mark 8:29b). It was one of the many glorious moments in Peter's life, beginning with the day he was called from his nets along the Sea of Galilee to become a fisher of men for Jesus. The New Testament clearly shows Peter as the leader of the apostles, chosen by Jesus to have a special relationship with him. With James and John he was privileged to witness the Transfiguration, the raising of a dead child to life, and the agony in Gethsemane. His mother-in-law was cured by Jesus. He was sent with John to prepare for the last Passover before Jesus' death. His name is first on every list of apostles. And to Peter only did Jesus say, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:17b-19). But the Gospels prove their own trustworthiness by the unflattering details they include about Peter. He clearly had no public relations person. It is a great comfort for ordinary mortals to know that Peter also has his human weakness, even in the presence of Jesus. He generously gave up all things, yet he can ask in childish self-regard, “What are we going to get for all this?” (see Matthew 19:27). He receives the full force of Christ's anger when he objects to the idea of a suffering Messiah: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (Matthew 16:23b). Peter is willing to accept Jesus' doctrine of forgiveness, but suggests a limit of seven times. He walks on the water in faith, but sinks in doubt. He refuses to let Jesus wash his feet, then wants his whole body cleansed. He swears at the Last Supper that he will never deny Jesus, and then swears to a servant maid that he has never known the man. He loyally resists the first attempt to arrest Jesus by cutting off Malchus' ear, but in the end he runs away with the others. In the depth of his sorrow, Jesus looks on him and forgives him, and he goes out and sheds bitter tears. The Risen Jesus told Peter to feed his lambs and his sheep (John 21:15-17). Paul (d. 64?) If the most well-known preacher today suddenly began preaching that the United States should adopt Marxism and not rely on the Constitution, the angry reaction would help us understand Paul's life when he started preaching that Christ alone can save us. He had been the most pharisaic of Pharisees, the most legalistic of Mosaic lawyers. Now he suddenly appears to other Jews as a heretical welcomer of Gentiles, a traitor and apostate. Paul's central conviction was simple and absolute: Only God can save humanity. No human effort—even the most scrupulous observance of law—can create a human good which we can bring to God as reparation for sin and payment for grace. To be saved from itself, from sin, from the devil, and from death, humanity must open itself completely to the saving power of Jesus. Paul never lost his love for his Jewish family, though he carried on a lifelong debate with them about the uselessness of the Law without Christ. He reminded the Gentiles that they were grafted on the parent stock of the Jews, who were still God's chosen people, the children of the promise. Reflection We would probably go to confession to Peter sooner than to any of the other apostles. He is perhaps a more striking example of the simple fact of holiness. Jesus says to us as he said, in effect, to Peter: “It is not you who have chosen me, but I who have chosen you. Peter, it is not human wisdom that makes it possible for you to believe, but my Father's revelation. I, not you, build my Church.” Paul's experience of the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus was the driving force that made him one of the most zealous, dynamic, and courageous ambassadors of Christ the Church has ever had. But persecution, humiliation, and weakness became his day-by-day carrying of the cross, material for further transformation. The dying Christ was in him; the living Christ was his life.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media