Podcasts about gentiles

The random turning for Monday comes to us from 2 Samuel 7: 1-17 The Davidic Convenant again!  This is a 3 part mini-series that the Holy Spirit is pointing out again because it talks about God's permanent contract with Israel, and that not only is He NOT DONE with Israel, but He is currently grafting them all back in to their own tree!   Here's the ULTRA EXCITING PART OF THAT....That happens when the "fullness of the Gentiles" happens, which means when all the Gentiles that are going to convert have now converted, or at least the last couple are finishing up!  Do you realize what that means??  That means, that we are the Bride and the Groom is about ready to come back for His bride and take her back to His Father's house to give her the room that He has "gone to prepare a room for" and so that points to rapture BIGTIME!  The more Jews start converting to Christianity, the closer we are to see 444, the Key of David, turn that lock and open the door for rapture that lets those who are found worthy to enter into the Kingdom of Go for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! We are HARPOZO'd up then 444, the Key of David is used and the door closes shut behind us!! WOWWWWWW!! If you are blessed by today's Bible study, please support my channel by liking, subscribing, commenting, and sharing with your friends and family!  I am not a Pastor, and agree with God's word that women are not supposed to be Pastors.  However, all people are called to share the gospel. It is perfectly acceptable and Biblical for women to lead Bibles studies outside the church as an ancillary addition to the church, and especially if it is a viable avenue for study of the Word on a daily basis, like I'm doing on this show, and paving the way for all of us to be closer to the Lord and become more knowledgeable of the Bible.  If you care to contribute to my work with the Daily Bible study and sharing the Gospel, as part of your tithes and offerings, you can do so through PayPal by sending it to my PayPal address of: ReneHoladay@gmail.com  Thank you for watching and God Bless you all! ;() --------------------- The primary study bible that Rene' uses is the 'Spirit-filled Life Bible, by Jack Hayford, and is available in hard cover or faux leather on Amazon at:  https://amzn.to/434fBnQ You can watch this episode on Youtube at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v9ekffu7ds Please be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, and SHARE!

WATCH NOW:  “Why Share Your Faith?” – Rabbi Steve Weiler (07/19/2025)Shabbat Service, July 19 , 2025More videos available on the Shoresh David Messianic Synagogue of Tampa Youtube channel https://youtu.be/xDT6oyAaIvUCopyright Licensing InformationCCLI Profile #: 3931821Shoresh David is a congregation where Jews and Gentiles worship together. Whether you are an interfaith couple, Jewish person or a Christian, Shoresh David is a place where you can belong.  We look forward to seeing you at Services. Shalom!Website: http://www.shoreshdavid.orgFacebook: http://facebook.com/shoreshdavid - You can watch services live, Friday night 7:30pm ET / Saturday morning 11:00am ET via the Shoresh David Facebook Page.Shoresh David Messianic Synagogue of Tampa4320 W Bay to Bay Blvd, Tampa, FL 33629Phone: (813) 831-5673#messianicjudaism #yeshua #tampaSupport the show

In this episode of the Outlaw God podcast, Stephen Paulson and Caleb Keith continue to look at the theological implications of Paul's sermon at the Areopagus. They discuss common misinterpretations of Paul's message, the concept of allotted periods in theology, the distinction between Jews and Gentiles, and the role of preachers in conveying God's word. The conversation also touches on God's overlooking of ignorance, the call to repentance, and the assurance provided through Christ's resurrection. The episode concludes with reflections on the impact of Paul's message on his audience.   Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug The Impossible Prize: A Theology of Addiction by Donavan Riley Ditching the Checklist by Mark Mattes Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi More from the hosts: Scott Keith Daniel Emery Price  

Welcome to the Grace Coach Podcast! Mike and Kevin share their insights from the Book of Colossians as they dive into Chapter 3:1-17. 3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The Holy Spirit and Gentiles

2517 - Yeshua commanded His disciples to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, “The Good News,” to every creature. Clearly, the disciples never deduced their Messiah intended for such “creatures” to equal Lobsters, aka Gentiles. From the state of Maine, the Bearded Bible Brothers join an all-star posse of Jews and Gentiles to focus on the Great Commission.

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Se le reclama a Pedro por comer con gentiles. Hechos 11 by G3:16 Satélite

Introduction      What follows is an overview of future prophetic events as revealed in Scripture. It is not a comprehensive or technical analysis, but a panoramic survey designed to provide clarity and structure for understanding God's prophetic program. This presentation moves sequentially—from the Rapture of the Church to the eternal state—outlining the major movements of eschatology as understood from a literal, historical, grammatical interpretation of Scripture. Each section is grounded in key biblical passages and reflects a traditional dispensational perspective, affirming the distinctiveness of Israel and the Church and the unfolding of God's sovereign plan through both time and eternity. Readers should note that this is a bird's-eye view, intended to give the big picture. Deeper exegetical and theological treatments of these subjects are available elsewhere—but for now, we take our place as students of prophecy, watching history move steadily toward its divine consummation. Prophetic Overview      The next great event in God's prophetic program is the Rapture of the Church (John 14:1-3), which is the sudden, bodily, and upward catching away of all Church-age believers—both living and dead—to meet Christ in the air (1 Th 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:51-53). The word Rapture—though not found in English Bibles—comes from the Latin rapturo, which translates the Greek harpazō (“to snatch away”) in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, and accurately describes the sudden catching away of believers to meet Christ in the air. This event is imminent, meaning it could occur at any moment, with no signs preceding it. It is distinct from the Second Coming and is exclusively for the Church, the body and bride of Christ (Eph 5:25-27). At the Rapture, deceased believers will be resurrected, and living believers will be instantly transformed. This marks the end of the Church Age—a mystery age not revealed in the Old Testament—and removes believers from the earth before God pours out His wrath in the Tribulation (1 Th 1:10; 5:9). The Church is promised deliverance, not participation, in the Day of the Lord (Rev 3:10). According to Fruchtenbaum: "The Church is composed of all true believers from Pentecost in Acts two until the Rapture of the Church. The Rapture excludes the Old Testament saints. It also excludes the Tribulation saints. The only saints who will be raptured are the Church saints. The Rapture passages clearly state that only those who are in Christ will partake of the Rapture."[1]      After the Rapture and while the Tribulation unfolds on earth, believers in heaven will appear before the judgment seat of Christ—also called the Bema seat—for evaluation and reward (2 Cor 5:10; Rom 14:10-12). According to Pentecost, “The believer's works are brought into judgment, called ‘the things done in his body' (2 Cor. 5:10), in order that it may be determined whether they are good or bad.”[2] This is not a judgment for sin, as all sins were fully paid for by Christ on the cross (Rom 8:1; Heb 10:14), and believers are already justified by faith (Rom 3:28; 5:1; Gal 2:16). Rather, the Bema is a judgment of the believer's service, motives, and faithfulness in the Christian life. Paul describes this as a testing of each person's work—whether it was built with gold, silver, and precious stones, or with wood, hay, and straw (1 Cor 3:12-15). Those works of eternal value, done in alignment with God's Word, empowered by the Spirit, and offered for the glory of God, will endure the fire of divine evaluation and be rewarded. Unfruitful or self-centered efforts will be burned up, resulting in loss of reward—but not loss of salvation. The Bema seat thus underscores the seriousness of our stewardship in this life and highlights the grace of God, who not only saves but also rewards His people for their faithfulness. It is here that crowns are awarded (2 Tim 4:8; 1 Pet 5:4; Jam 1:12), and the Church is made ready as the adorned bride of Christ (Rev 19:7-8).      Following the Rapture, the Tribulation period begins, a seven-year timeframe marked by divine judgment and escalating global chaos (Dan 9:27; Matt 24:4-28). According to Thomas Ice, “In this discourse [Matt 24:4-28], Jesus describes for the disciples the tribulation period. In verses 4-14, He speaks about the first half of the tribulation, and in verses 15-28, He describes the second half leading up to the second coming.”[3] The Tribulation begins with the signing of a covenant between the coming world ruler—the Antichrist—and Israel (Dan 9:27). This covenant allows Israel to resume temple worship, likely including animal sacrifices. The first half of the Tribulation (three and a half years) is marked by political deception, regional wars, famine, and limited divine judgments (Rev 6:1-8). Though catastrophic, these judgments are restrained, giving the world time to repent. Two notable events during this time include the ministry of the 144,000 sealed Jewish evangelists (Rev 7:1-8) and the rise of global religious syncretism symbolized by the harlot of Revelation 17.      Midway through the Tribulation, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel, halts temple sacrifices, and sets up the abomination of desolation in the rebuilt Jewish temple, proclaiming himself to be God (Dan 9:27; Matt 24:15; 2 Th 2:3-4). This initiates the Great Tribulation, the second and more intense half of the seven-year period (Matt 24:21-22). During this time, Satan is cast down to earth with great fury (Rev 12:7-12), and the Antichrist is empowered to wage war against the saints, particularly the believing Jewish remnant and Gentile converts who refuse to worship him (Rev 13:7-10). The False Prophet promotes this global idolatry and enforces the mark of the beast (Rev 13:11-18). Despite escalating evil, God continues to offer grace through angelic proclamations (Rev 14:6-7) and the faithful witness of believers, many of whom are martyred.      As the Tribulation nears its end, a series of cataclysmic judgments intensify God's wrath: trumpet and bowl judgments devastate the environment, economy, and world population (Rev 8-9; 16). Political alliances form against Israel, setting the stage for the Battle of Armageddon. The kings of the earth, stirred by demonic influence, gather in the valley of Megiddo to destroy Jerusalem and annihilate the Jewish people (Zech 12:2-3; Rev 16:13-16). But just as it seems all hope is lost, the heavens open, and Christ returns in glory with His holy angels and glorified saints (Zech 14:1-11; Rev 19:11-16). According to Ryrie, “the second coming of Christ will occur prior to the Millennium, which will see the establishment of Christ's kingdom on this earth for a literal one thousand years.”[4] This Second Coming is visible, dramatic, and earth-shaking. Christ will personally destroy the Antichrist and the False Prophet, casting them into the lake of fire (Rev 19:19-20), and He will bind Satan in the abyss for 1,000 years (Rev 20:1-3).      At the return of Christ, the Millennial Kingdom will be established—a literal 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ on earth, centered in Jerusalem (Rev 20:4-6). Fruchtenbaum states, “The Millennium will not begin the day immediately following the last day of the Great Tribulation because there will be a seventy-five day interval.”[5] The 75-day interval serves to cleanse and prepare the earth for Christ's Millennial reign by judging the nations, restoring order, and inaugurating millennial blessings (Dan 12:11-12; Matt 25:31-46). After that, Christ will establish His kingdom on earth. He will fulfill all Old Testament covenants with Israel, including the Abrahamic (Gen 12:1-3), Davidic (2 Sam 7:16; Psa 89:35-37; Luke 1:31-33), and New Covenants (Jer 31:31-34). Israel will be regathered, restored, and exalted among the nations (Isa 2:2-4; Zech 14:16-21). The curse on nature will be partially lifted, and peace, righteousness, and justice will characterize Christ's reign (Isa 11:1-10). Temple worship will resume, though modified, with sacrifices serving as memorials of Christ's once-for-all sacrifice (Ezek 40–48). Though Satan is bound, human beings born during the Millennium—descendants of Tribulation survivors—will still have sin natures and need salvation.      At the end of the thousand years, Satan is released for a final rebellion (Rev 20:7-9). He will deceive a vast number of people, proving that even in a perfect environment, man's sin nature still inclines him to rebel against God. Fire from heaven will consume the rebellious forces, and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire forever (Rev 20:10). Then comes the Great White Throne Judgment, where all unbelievers throughout history are resurrected, judged according to their works, and condemned to eternal separation from God in the lake of fire (Rev 20:11-15). This is not a judgment to determine salvation, but to reveal the just grounds for condemnation due to their rejection of God's provision of grace. There is no mention of the Church here, as believers were already judged at the Bema Seat following the Rapture (2 Cor 5:10; Rom 14:10).      After the final judgment, God creates a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells (2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1). The eternal state begins, free from sin, death, pain, and sorrow. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven, adorned like a bride, and becomes the dwelling place of the redeemed (Rev 21:2-4). God's people from all ages will dwell in perfect fellowship with Him forever, enjoying His presence, His glory, and His goodness without end. There will be no temple in the New Jerusalem, for the Lord God and the Lamb are its temple (Rev 21:22). The curse is gone (Rev 22:3), the water of life flows freely, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Eternity will be a time of unbroken peace, joy, service, and worship. The former things will have passed away, and the redeemed will enjoy their inheritance in the presence of their Savior forever. Summary      The prophetic Word of God unveils a majestic and ordered panorama of future events, from the imminent Rapture of the Church to the eternal state in the new heavens and new earth. Each stage—whether the Tribulation, Christ's return, the Millennial Kingdom, or the final judgment—demonstrates God's sovereign control over history and His faithfulness to fulfill every covenant and promise. For the Church, prophecy is about prediction and preparation. It reminds us that history is moving steadily toward divine consummation, and that our hope is anchored not in the shifting sands of this world, but in the unshakable promises of our returning Savior. As we await that blessed hope, we do so with confidence, vigilance, and joy, knowing that the same God who keeps His Word about the future is the same God who sustains us in the present. Come, Lord Jesus (Rev 22:20). Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.     [1] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah: A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events, Rev. ed. (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 2003), 142. [2] J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1958), 223. [3] Timothy J. Demy and Thomas Ice, Answers to Common Questions about the End Times (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2011), 64. [4] Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1999), 522. [5] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah, 361.

Keywords: Matthew,Book of Matthew,Revival, Character Of God,Free Sermons, Video Sermons, Jesus Christ, What Is The Gospel, Sermon Index, What Is The Truth, kjv bible, Audio Bible, Bible, God, God's Love, Scriptures, Holy Bible, Prophets, Apostles, KJV, Jesus,Christ, audiobook, book, holy life, love, bible verses, king james bible audio, audio bible KJV, king james bible online audio, bible audio, online bible kjv, audio bible kjv, daily bible verse, bible verse of the day, KJV audio, Remastered, Best Version, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, The Chosen, Salvation, Saved, Christian, Suffering Servant, Arm of the Lord, Plants Roots, Despised Rejected, Sorrows, Peace War, Crucifixtion, The Cross, Violence, Judgement, Master Servant, Life Death, Old Testament, Exposed, Music, Education, Great Tribulation, Endtimes, Top Bible Verses, Bible Topic Prayer, Evangelicalism, bible study, Word of God, scripture, scriptures, Matthew Henry's biblical commentary, bible commentary, Matthew Henry commentary, God's Word, Matthew Henry, studying the Bible, understanding the Bible, God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Spiritual, Hope, Jesus Answers Prayer, Answers to Prayer, Prayer, Pray, God Answers Prayer⚠️ Support our ministry: https://ko-fi.com/jesusanswersprayers❓️ How does this chapter apply to you?

Exodus 34:29-35 (Seeing the skin of Moses' face they were afraid to come near him) Ephesians 3:8-12 (To preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ)

This week, Pastor Suzy Silk continued our series through the Book of Acts, The Fifth Act, by teaching on Act 15 and the critical role it can play in defining the time in history we are currently living in. The Early Church was still a primarily Jewish community, and as the Gentiles began to be integrated in, it disrupts their normal practices, despite Gentiles receiving the same gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 10. A council of elders and leaders is called in Jerusalem to discuss how they should handle the influx of Gentile brothers and sisters, and the conclusion they came to should shape how we see people becoming Christians today: salvation is given by grace through faith in Jesus the Messiah—there is no other requirement.

God, in His infinite wisdom, uses what the world considers foolish—the preaching of the cross—to confound the wise. The power of salvation is not found in human wisdom or eloquence, but in the message of Christ's sacrificial love.Main Points:1. To an unsaved world, the salvation that God offers us through Christ seems incomprehensible to those who haven't experienced it. It sounds like “foolishness” to say that salvation could come through a cross—a death marked by weakness, defeat, and humiliation. Yet this “foolishness” was the salvation that Paul preached! 2. God took something shameful and weak—death on a cross—and made it the foundation of wisdom and power. God does the unimaginable. Later in verse 27, Paul would say that God chooses the weak and foolish things of the world to shame the wise.3. The simple message of the Gospel, though considered foolish by the world, carries the power to transform lives and bring about salvation. Today's Scripture Verses:1 Corinthians 1:18-24 - “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”  Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:12)

I. THE GRATITUDE OF PAUL'S PRAYER LIFE (vv. 3-8)     1) Paul thanks God and prays ... for a church, most of whose members he has never met Colossians 1:3, "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you," Colossians 2:1-2, "For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face..." Carson, "We must ask ourselves how extensive our own praying is. Do all our petitions revolve around our own families and churches, our own cherished but rather small circle of friends? Of course, we are primarily responsible for praying for our own circle... But if that is the furthest reach of our prayers, we become parochial [narrow in outlook or scope]... Our prayers may be an index of how small and self-centered our world is."     2) Paul's gratitude results from paying attention. Paul says to Philemon: "[4] I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, [5] because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus" (Philemon 4-5) Paul says to the Colossian church (that Philemon hosted in his house): "[3] We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4] since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints," (Colossians 1:3-4) Paul is listening! He is paying attention to others. Acts 15:36, "Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.'" Paul cares greatly about their spiritual state! Carson, "[I]t will do us good to fasten on reports of Christians in several parts of the world we have never visited, find out what we can about them, and learn to intercede with God on their behalf. Not only is this an important expression of the fellowship of the church, but it is also a critical discipline that will enlarge our horizons, increase our ministry, and help us to become world Christians." When a fellow believer comes to your mind, what is your first thought? Irritation? Annoyance? Jealousy? Bitterness? What is Paul's first thought? Gratitude! Philemon 4 "I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers," Colossians 1:3-4, "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4] since we heard of your faith..." Gratitude for what? Their faith, love, and heavenly hope. Paul credits God with their own faith and love. Philippians 1:29, "For it has been granted [Dictionary: to give graciously] to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake…” Colossians 3:12, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,"     3) Paul thanks God for the gospel's fruit as it comes through human means (vv. 5b-8) Epaphras, after being converted under Paul, brings the good news to Colossea! (Last week's sermon)   II. THE FOCUS OF PAUL'S PRAYER LIFE (vv. 9-12) Spiritual growth is always the dominant concern, over the physical! Carson, "Suppose, for example, that 80 or 90 percent of our petitions ask God for good health, recovery from illness, safety on the road, a good job, success in exams, the emotional needs of our children, success in our mortgage application, and much more of the same. How much of Paul's praying revolves around equivalent items? If the center of our praying is far removed from the center of Paul's praying, then even our very praying may serve as a wretched testimony to the remarkable success of the processes of paganization in our life and thought. That is why we need to study the prayers of Paul." See Matthew 6:31-33, "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?' or ‘What shall we drink?' or ‘What shall we wear?' [32] For the Gentiles [the pagans] seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." So what does Paul focus on in his prayer?     1) Paul asks God to fill believers with the knowledge of his will (v. 9) "[9] And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding," This may seem simple, yet it takes "all spiritual wisdom and understanding" in the complicated nature of life to know what is best. Doug Moo, "[This] suggests the ability to discern the truth and to make good decisions based on that truth." "spiritual wisdom" means wisdom from the Holy Spirit. (Not how many use the word "spiritual" today) EXAMPLE: Colossians 4:5-6, "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of [= redeeming] the time. [6] Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." How do I best love a fellow Christian who is in sin? How do I best evangelize a co-worker or family member? I only have limited money, how much do I spend, save, and give away? to whom? how often? How do I honor my parents if they are unbelievers and disagree with my faith? What does it look like to "speak the truth in love" when dealing with a rebellious student? or hostile unebeliver? or a timid Christian friend? When does hard work become sinful preoccupation with your career? When does rest become laziness?  You are posting something *true* on social media, but unsure if it will be edifying or needlessly distracting or contentious     2) Paul's purpose in prayer is that believers might be truly pleasing to the Lord (v. 10a)   v. 10 "so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him:" Knowledge must lead to action! "Knowing" God's will (with all spiritual wisdom and understanding) must lead to "walking/living out" God's will. We must walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. (Not earning, not perfection; but rather living "in accord with" the Lord, fully pleasing to Him)     3) Paul prays for four characteristics of a life that is pleasing to the Lord (v. 10b-12)   This will produce, among others, these four characteristics... "BEARING FRUIT in every good work" (v. 10b): Fruit is about character transformation and faithfulness, not mere "results." "INCREASING in the knowledge of God;" (v. 10c): it will lead to a fully experiential knowledge of God, as we walk with Him "BEING STRENGTHENED with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;" (v. 11) "[Endurance] is what faith, hope, and love bring to an apparently impossible situation, [patience] what they show to an apparently impossible person." To endure ... takes power; to endure patiently with joy takes tremendous power "according to his glorious might." "GIVING THANKS to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." (v. 12) Paul further reminds them why they should be thankful: (vv. 13-14) vv. 13-14 "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." All of this should be seasoned by thankfulness to the Father for our share in the "inheritance of the saints of light."   III. THE DEVOTION OF PAUL'S PRAYER LIFE     1) WHY does Paul pray so often for so many? Colossians 1:3, 9, "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, .... [9] And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you," Carson, "In short, Paul is telling the Colossians that since hearing about them he has made it a point to intercede with God on their behalf in his disciplined, regular prayer times; he has 'not stopped praying' for them."  Carson, "Paul again and again prays for ... the Colossian believers, as if the supply must be constantly renewed." Think of it like watering the grass or flowers. It must be done continually! Colossians 4:12-13, "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God."     2) HOW does Paul pray so often for so many? Philemon 4-5, "I thank my God always when I remember you [singular] in my prayers," G.K. Beale, "Paul is praying specifically for Philemon [the 'you' is singular], which implies that his daily prayer list must have been extensive." Richard Phillips, "When we consider the large number of people for whom Paul says that he is praying, he must have had not only a devoted prayer life, but also a highly organized one." APPLICATION: Don't turn these points from Carson into legalisms, but take them as practical suggestions to help you pray in a more regular, organized, and focused way. I. PLAN TO PRAY Don Carson, "Much praying is not done because we do not plan to pray. We do not drift into spiritual life; we do not drift into disciplined prayer. We will not grow in prayer unless we plan to pray. That means we must self-consciously set aside time to do nothing but pray. What we actually do reflects out highest priorities. That means we can proclaim our commitment to prayer until the cows come home, but unless we actually pray, our actions disown our words. This is the fundamental reason why set times for prayer are important: they ensure that vague desires for prayer are concretized in regular practice. Paul's many references to his 'prayers' suggest that he set aside specific times for prayer -- as apparently Jesus himself did (Luke 5:16)... Unless we plan to pray we will not pray." ('Praying with Paul,' p. 1-2). II. ADOPT PRACTICAL WAYS TO FIGHT MENTAL DRIFT Don Carson, "Adopt practical ways to impede mental drift.... [Perhaps] articulate your prayers, moving your lips...to...help deter meandering.... A great way to begin to overcome this problem is to pray through various biblical passages. In other words, it is entirely appropriate to tie your praying to your Bible reading... [The] truths and entailments [in your daily Scripture reading] can be the basis of a great deal of reflective praying. [Another option is] journaling [your prayers.] III. DEVELOP A SYSTEM FOR YOUR PRAYER LISTS Carson, "Develop a system for your prayer lists. It is difficult to pray faithfully for a large spread of people and concerns without developing prayer lists that help you remember them." Carson's personal "system": "I kept a manila folder in my study, where I pray... The first sheet ... was a list of people for whom I ought to pray regularly: ... My wife..., my children and a number of relatives, followed by a number of close friends... [Then] institutional names on that sheed [which] included [my] local church ... and the seminary where I now teach. The second sheet ... listed short-range ... concerns that would not remain indefinitely... In other words, the first sheet focused on people for whom I prayed constantly; the second included people and situations for whom I might pray for a short[er] ... time, but probably not indefinitely. The next item ... was the list of the students ... for whom I was particularly responsible....and of course this list changed from year to year." IV. KEEP YOUR PRAYERS TIED TO SCRIPTURE V. PRAY UNTIL YOU PRAY VI. FIND MODELS WORTHY OF IMITATION Don Casron's book, which Mark used to help with the message and numerous subpoints, can be purchased here. You can watch this message here.

After the Reports  Acts 9:1-31 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples.  He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.  3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.  8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. Belong to the Way. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.  14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Obedience opens doors.  Identify as an instrument.   Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.  21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”  22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. 23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.  25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.  27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.  Make room for redemption. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.  29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 Then 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. Have reverence for God, and renewal from God.

Daily Dose of Hope July 28, 2025   Scripture - Luke 1:1-25   Prayer:  Everlasting Father, We thank you that you are a God of hope.  You are a God who keeps his promises.  You are a God who always has our best interest in mind.  Forgive us for those times that we want things to go the way we want things to go.  Fill us with your wisdom and discernment.  Help us try to think about things from a more eternal perspective.  How difficult that is for us!  Lord, we submit to you our lives, our families, our jobs, our burdens, our physical bodies.  We give them to you and we trust you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin the book of Luke.   Luke is considered a Jewish Gospel.  There are connections to the Old Testament throughout, specifically the fulfillment of God's promises and these promises are bigger than anyone expected.  We will highlight those as we walk through the text.  The point, though, is that the God who sent Jesus is the same God who operated throughout the Old Testament.  There is a continuity with the nation of Israel but now salvation in Jesus is being offered to everyone.  Luke is making a specific point here.   Let's talk about the author, Luke himself.  Who was he?  He gives us a brief intro in Luke, saying he is writing to a man named Theophilius, a name that means lover of God.  Some scholars say he is writing to generic believers but most think Theophilius was a specific person.  We just don't know much about him.  Luke also states that he has done a lot of research into the things that have happened but he doesn't tell us a lot about himself.   What we know is that Luke was a physician and a Gentile.  He is actually the only Gentile to write any portion of the New Testament. Paul briefly alludes to this in Colossians 4, when he makes a distinction between Luke and other colleagues “of the circumcision,” meaning the Jews.  Paul calls him the beloved physician.  Actually, while Luke doesn't name himself as author of Luke and the book of Acts, Paul refers to Luke several times.  Besides the Colossians reference, he also mentions Luke in Philemon and 2 Timothy.  Luke writes about Paul in Acts quite extensively and mentions himself a few times in subtle ways.   In today's reading, we get the first portion of the story of Zechariah.  Zechariah is a priest from the hill country near Jerusalem. Two weeks out of each year his division of priests was on duty at the temple in Jerusalem. Of course, this is where we find Zechariah faithfully going about his ordinary priestly duties. But this year, Zechariah is chosen by lot (which means he is chosen randomly, like drawing a name out of a hat) to be the one to go into the sanctuary and offer the incense offering.  So, up until this point, all is pretty ordinary and expected.  But then Scripture says in v. 11-12, Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. Whenever we read about an angel appearing to people in the Bible, they are usually afraid – angels are fierce beings.   The angel tells Zechariah that his wife, Elizabeth, will get pregnant and have a son who will be a source of joy and gladness for them.  This son will be filled with the Holy Spirit and set apart by God for a special purpose – to prepare the way of the Lord, to make people ready to receive Jesus Christ.   But this clearly catches Zechariah off guard.  He isn't convinced; in fact, he is skeptical.  So Zechariah asks the angel, “Are you really sure?  I mean my wife is kind of old.”  He is a man who has probably had years of heartbreak and disappointment. You see, Zechariah is married to Elizabeth (Elizabeth is the cousin of Mary, who becomes the mother of Jesus) and Zechariah and Elizabeth have never been able to have kids.  Now, they have gotten to the point in which they are too old to conceive.  Zechariah will soon be forced to retire from the priesthood.  Life surely hasn't happened the way he planned.  So what happens?  V.19-20, The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”   Zechariah is in the temple for a while and then when he comes out, he cannot speak.  The people assume he has seen some kind of vision because he is just making signs to them but no words are coming out of his mouth.  Nevertheless, the speechless Zechariah goes home to his wife Elizabeth, and she gets pregnant.  And Elizabeth sees the Lord's hand in these events. She exclaims in verse 25, “This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me to take away the disgrace I have endured among my people.”   Not to spoil the story, although I figure most of you have heard it before, but Zechariah does not speak again until his son, John, is born.  This is a story about a miracle, a birth that is not just unexpected but seemingly impossible.  But it's also about how God keeps his promises.  God is faithful.  And while this is a portion of the Christmas story that we may often gloss over, it's really critical for us.  Remembering how God has proven faithful in the past—even when all hope seemed lost—builds confidence that God can be trusted in the present and the future.   There are so many times in our lives when problems seem overwhelming and when it's hard to see a way forward, when it seems like things aren't going as planned, when it feels like all hope for the future has reached a dead end.  And maybe that's where you are right now.  It's possible that you look at your life and you think, “This wasn't what I expected, God.”  Maybe you are dealing with health issues or a loved one is ill or in pain.  Maybe you are crippled by depression or anxiety.  Maybe there is a broken relationship or a financial burden or you simply feel empty.  Maybe, like Zechariah, you are feeling discouraged and a bit hopeless.    I'll be the first to tell you that I don't understand God's ways or God's timing.  But this is what I can say…the story that we read about in God's Word shows us that God is always faithful.  God is never late.  We may doubt him, we may get mad at him, we may defy him, but God will be faithful.  In Scripture, we meet a God for whom there are no dead ends – detours perhaps – but not dead ends.  You see, we meet a God who is always working for our good, even when we make a mess of things, a Jesus who specializes in making a way in the wilderness, opening up a future when none seems possible.  If you ask him, he will show up in surprising, unexpected ways; maybe not the ways we want him to, but he will be there.  You see, with Jesus, there is always HOPE for a way forward.  Always, always, always.   More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

Summary In this sermon, Dr. Michael Easley explores Romans 3:21–31. Through Paul's words, we're confronted with the sobering reality that all people are equally sinful and fall short of God's glory. The good news is that God makes sinners righteous, not through human effort, but through His grace, accomplished by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Dr. Easley walks through Paul's logic, showing how God's righteousness is revealed apart from the Law, through faith in Christ alone. He explains that justification is a gift—completely unearned and undeserved. It was made possible because Jesus bore the wrath we deserved. The cross is not just a moment of forgiveness, but the very place where God's justice and mercy meet. As Dr. Easley explains, this truth dismantles religious pride. There's no room to boast. All have sinned. All need grace. And anyone—Jew or Gentile—can be justified by faith. In a culture that minimizes sin and elevates self, this sermon re-centers believers on God's incredible mercy and the unmatched significance of Christ's finished work. Takeaways Jesus redefined the Law by exposing sin not just in actions, but in the heart. All people, regardless of status or background, are equally sinful before God. God's righteousness is revealed apart from the Law and is accessed by faith alone. Justification is a free gift given through grace, not earned by works. Jesus' sacrifice satisfies God's justice and redeems us from sin's penalty. Because salvation is entirely God's work, there is no room for boasting. To read the book of Romans, click here. Click here for other Michael Easley Sermons.

Ephesians 3:1-21 NIVFor this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Romans 3 turns attention to the Jewish people who were agreeing with every word Paul had uttered of the depravity among the Gentiles. They, too, were without excuse as they had the Word of God in their midst and yet were just as corrupt. From verses 9-20 Paul advances seven Scriptures supporting this. Then from verses 21-31 he proves that there is only one righteousness, and that on the basis of belief. What is required is a submission to the only way of declaring us to be right with God. This includes a confession that human beings are rightly related to death as we are incurably sinful. Additionally we confess that our Potentate only is righteous and, that He strengthened His Son to accomplish what was humanly impossible. On the basis of the acceptance of these truths and our identification with the Lord Jesus Christ in whom they have been outworked forgiveness of sins is provided. Chapter 4 illustrates that through the lives of David and Abraham there is absolutely nothing we can do to be saved by works ie our own merits. God's condition for forgiveness involves our acceptance of this truth and confession of our failures if we are to receive the blessings of forgiveness and become the inheritors of the promised Kingdom that will be, as verse 13 indicated, international. What is recorded was not for the sakes of those in the recorded Scriptures, but indeed for our sakes.

Eph 3:5-6 5 which in other generation was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 (to wit), that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

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Church Matures G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 28 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days - from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! We saw last time that the church has experienced some crises but overcame them with guidance from the Holy Spirit, prayer and wisdom. They would need that again, in another 2 events we look at tonight! King Jesus Makes An Appearance to Saul! Reading from Acts 9 ‘But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" He said, "Who are you, Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do."' Paul's conversion is perhaps the most famous throughout the history of the Church. Known as Saul, he had led systematic persecution of Christians, including the death of Stephen we looked at last time.. The only possible cause for his conversion is the beautiful sovereign grace of God. Why did Paul hate the believers so much? Because, To his mind at the time, to him a dead Messiah was no Messiah at all and how could the Saviour of the Jews, the Messiah, die on a cross and be cursed by God. No, no. Paul considered it his duty as a man zealous for the law, to eradicate all those who were followers of this man. Carrying letters from the High Priest in Jerusalem, he set out for Damascus in a bid to stop these Christians. He would arrive in Damascus, a proud and pompous man, bent on ridding the city of its followers of Jesus. But Jesus appears suddenly to Paul and speaks to him! God arrested Paul, shone his light upon him, the mercy of God overflowed upon him and the grace of God through Jesus overwhelmed him! Leading to his conversion, Paul had his sub-conscious doubts about Jesus amidst the stories of Jesus being raised from the dead! The witness of Stephen as Paul watched him die and pray to Jesus asking the Lord to forgive his enemies - for as the church father, Augustine comments "If Stephen had not prayed, the Church would not have had Paul!" The inadequacy of the Old Covenant and Law to save! He knew that his thoughts & attitudes were not clean for example his sin of covetousness. Therefore he had no inner power or peace! But what were the consequences of this conversion? His name was changed from Saul to Paul (Acts 13)! His attitudes, character & relationships with God, fellow believers and the unbelieving world were utterly transformed with the Holy Spirit now living inside him. Instead of arriving in Damascus full of pride & bravery, as a self confident enemy of Jesus, Paul entered Damascus as a prisoner of Jesus, humbled and blinded. But his conversion was initially met with doubt! The first person to minister to him was Ananias who was hesitant to do so but was persuaded by the Lord to do so! Other believers in Damascus also doubted Paul's conversion, but they were won over by the Holy Spirit and Paul's transformation. Paul Sent Jesus appointed Paul to be 3 things: a servant of God; a witness for God to the world, and also an apostle engaged in pioneer work to the Gentiles. Jesus confirmed this to Ananias that Paul was a 'chosen instrument', and Ananias passed this onto Paul (v15). Four things Paul would do: His witness was centred on Jesus Christ.. His witness was powered by the Holy Spirit His witness was courageous in Damascus, the synagogues and in Jerusalem where the Sanhedrin met. He also debated with the Hellenists His witness was costly. His life was often threatened and throughout his life he was persecuted against. Paul's experience of rejection in Damascus repeated itself in Jerusalem. When he tried to join the Apostles and Christian believers, they were afraid and doubted he really was a believer. But this time Barnabas to the others about him and his changed life. Paul was eventually accepted by them into the community of believers. We see the maturing church has now five characteristics - peace - free from outside interference strength - confirming its position encouragement - comforted by the Holy Spirit growth - multiplying numerically godliness - living in the fear of the Lord. However soon after this, another problem - a matter concern doctrine! Doctrinal Issues Arise In Acts 15v1 we read "Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can't be saved." At its beginning, the apostolic church was one church under the unitary leadership of the apostles. However a new problem arose! This problem arose because some men from Judea came to Antioch and promoted the view that circumcision was necessary for salvation and that certain regulations of the Old Testament law be required of non-Jewish converts as prerequisites for their recognition as members of the church of Jesus Christ. They were opposed by Paul and Barnabas, and as there was no final resolution, help was sought from the church in Jerusalem, still at this point the heartland of the Christian church. On arriving at Jerusalem, the delegates from Antioch were welcomed by 'the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them', This gathering evidently consisted of the leadership (apostles and elders) and many of the membership, including those convened were putting forward the requirement that Gentiles 'must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses' (Acts 15v5-6). This was the context for discussion of the issue. There was free debate and no papering over differences. The apostles let the elders speak before they joined in and it is clear that their goal was to know the mind of the Holy Spirit in the matter (Acts 15v28). The Apostle Peter rose after much discussion, and proceeded to demolish the Judaist viewpoint with arguments drawn from his own experience of ministry to Gentiles. He first described the conversion of the Gentiles as the work of God (Acts 15v 7-9) as they were filled with the Holy Spirit just as Jewish believers in Jesus were! This was proved by the Gentile Christians' faith, which was no different from their own (Acts 15v9)! Rising to a glorious crescendo, the Apostle Peter declared emphatically the very heart of the gospel: that salvation is by grace alone, both for Jews and Gentiles (Acts 15v11). Now doubt he reflected on the words of Jesus who said 'my yoke is easy and my burden is light' (Matthew 11v30). James, the brother of Jesus delivered the coup-de-grace to the Judaism argument with a direct appeal to the Word of God. God had already spoken on the matter! Quoting Amos 9v11-12, James reminded them that the prophet had declared that 'David's fallen tent' was be restored and that this would involve the in gathering of all the Gentiles who bear the Lord's name' (Acts 15v16-18). This is fulfilled, James says, in all that Peter had described (Acts 15:14). The church of Jesus Christ was all along intended to encompass both Jew and Gentile and, one by one without discrimination, they are brought to the same faith by the same Lord. This, James showed, was 'the mind of God", in the Scripture'. A proposal There was a definitive doctrinal proposal: 'We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God' (Acts 15v19). It told the Judaizing party in the gentlest possible way that what they were asking for was not the Lord's will for the church, and contrary to the gospel of God's free grace in Christ by faith alone. Then in Acts 15v20 there was a practical 4 point proposal to foster church unity by asking the Gentile Christians to take particular care to distance themselves from their former manner of life. Leave Alone: Gentiles were to examine critically their old habits and give no cause to anyone to accuse them of their old sins. They were also encouraged to be graciously accommodating to Jewish dietary sensitivities. For their part, Jewish believers needed to understand that Gentiles were not to be required to observe the Mosaic ceremonial law. Grace Alone: The apostles clearly taught that salvation was by the free and sovereign grace of God through faith in Christ alone. Council of Jerusalem held that line and closed the door on further discussion. Spirit Alone: They emphasised that the decision 'seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to the church' (Acts 15v28). Jesus had promised that the Holy Spirit would lead them into all truth (John 14v26; 16v13). Standing Alone: The council's four 'requirements', highlight the necessity and the blessing of the separated life for Christians and to "stand alone" from the world, whilst living in the world. 'You will do well to avoid these things' (Acts 15v29). The conversion of Paul and the Council of Jerusalem, led to the church maturing, going forward in unity and returning to the expansion of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Tap or click here to download as a MP3 audio file

Romans 3:29-31 — There are groups of people from different religions who join to worship together, claiming that they all worship the same God. But Paul states emphatically that there is indeed only one God and that there is only one way to receive salvation. Those who have different religions and different means to God are completely wrong. When the Jews claim that they are God's chosen people, Paul refutes this by saying that the Lord Jesus is a God for all. The people who will receive salvation are those that believe in Christ, no matter if they are Jew and Gentile. There is now equal opportunity because Christ has broken down all partitions between the Jews and Gentiles. In the sermon “Distinctions Abolished” from Romans 3:29–31, Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns against those who think that they are saved because their parents are saved, or that the gospel is only for a select few, or that all religions worship the same God. All will be held accountable to the one true and living God.

Romans 3:29-31 — There are groups of people from different religions who join to worship together, claiming that they all worship the same God. But Paul states emphatically that there is indeed only one God and that there is only one way to receive salvation. Those who have different religions and different means to God are completely wrong. When the Jews claim that they are God's chosen people, Paul refutes this by saying that the Lord Jesus is a God for all. The people who will receive salvation are those that believe in Christ, no matter if they are Jew and Gentile. There is now equal opportunity because Christ has broken down all partitions between the Jews and Gentiles. In the sermon “Distinctions Abolished” from Romans 3:29–31, Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns against those who think that they are saved because their parents are saved, or that the gospel is only for a select few, or that all religions worship the same God. All will be held accountable to the one true and living God. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29

In this special episode of the My DPC Story podcast, host Dr. Maryal Concepcion sits down with Dr. Natalie Gentile live from the DPC Summit in New Orleans. They delve into the principles and advantages of Direct Primary Care (DPC) and discuss Dr. Gentile's journey in lifestyle medicine and her innovative approach in helping new physicians transition into DPC. The conversation underscores the importance of mission-driven work, community collaboration, and the entrepreneurial opportunities available to physicians in the DPC model. The episode also highlights various resources and support available for DPC practitioners and patients alike.Direct Care Physicians of Pittsburgh HERECARING DIRECTLY: ADD YOUR CLINIC TO THE PHYSICIAN-ONLY DPC MAPPER HEREThe DPC Directory (like Yelp, but for DPC) HEREMy DPC Story Resources PageCall in with your questions about how the "Big Beautiful Bill" affects HSAs and DPC. LEAVE A VOICEMAIL HERE.Get your copy of ELATION HEALTH'S HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR OWN DPC PRACTICE CHECKLIST.Support the showBe A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER! SPONSOR THE PODMy DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube

Matthew 20:20-28   The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Welcome to the Podcast of Southwest Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona. WHO ARE WE? • We are a group of people who are committed to living the grace life as set forth by the apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. • We come together to study our Bibles, and yes, we believe we have God's perfect Word in the King James Bible. It and it alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! • We do not come together and study our Bibles for the intent of being smarter than others. We understand that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is purely vain and serves no Godly purpose. • We do come together and study our Bibles for the intent of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that we have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that because Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and we should not live for ourselves but for Him, who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15) • We do not claim to have attained to these lofty goals, but we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) You can donate to this ministry through www.butnow.org and the PayPal button on the homepage.

Welcome to the Podcast of Southwest Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona. WHO ARE WE? • We are a group of people who are committed to living the grace life as set forth by the apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. • We come together to study our Bibles, and yes, we believe we have God's perfect Word in the King James Bible. It and it alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! • We do not come together and study our Bibles for the intent of being smarter than others. We understand that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is purely vain and serves no Godly purpose. • We do come together and study our Bibles for the intent of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that we have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that because Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and we should not live for ourselves but for Him, who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15) • We do not claim to have attained to these lofty goals, but we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) You can donate to this ministry through www.butnow.org and the PayPal button on the homepage.

God Sees Jesus Followers as “In Christ”: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” MESSAGE SUMMARY: As Followers of Jesus, we are "In Christ" -- God looks at us and sees Jesus in us. Throughout the Epistles we find: "In Christ" or "In Him". In Galatians 3:14, Paul tells us that our faith in Jesus makes us “In Christ” and recipients of God's Covenant with Abraham: “so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.". Also, Paul goes even further, in Galatians 3:25-28, to tell us that, through our faith in Jesus, we no longer need any kind of intermediary because we are “In Christ” and we have a personal relationship with God, the Creator of the Universe: “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”. The benefit our position "In Christ", as Christians, is that when God looks at us, He sees Jesus, the Son; therefore, He then sees us as His sons and daughters.   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 RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Romans 3:21-26; Romans 6:5-11; Romans 6:22-23; Psalms 77a:1-10. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Sermons on the Amount - Part 2  "Owner - A Question: Who is Lord Over All?"” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

ACTS of the Holy Spirit - A Study on the Book of Acts - Lesson 11Acts 14:8-15:35. It was not long before false teachers began to disrupt the church in Antioch with their doctrine of circumcision teaching that salvation was only for the Jews. The Council of Jerusalem issued a firm decree confirming that salvation is for both Jew and Gentile alike and that it is given by grace, not by the Law.To learn more about Michele and to support this international ministry, please visit https://intheword.com

• Saul - Hebrew name • Paul - Hellenistic name (Roman citizen). Went by Paul bc Gentiles were his major focus of ministry. Paul writes from a Roman prison to Timothy in Ephesus. Paul had been in prison several times but nothing like this. Sense of ambition vs Sense of Mission - The work was more important to Paul than his life. That's the difference between selfless leaders and selfish leaders. Paul's attitude in chapter 4 is based on a heavenly hope not earthly resentment. Acts 20:17-38: Tearful farewell saying goodbye to the elders in Ephesus. They knew Paul was heading into dangerous places. II Timothy 4:6-8: But this is different. Paul knows he won't be long for this earth. His life is being poured out! Introduction: “How does it end?” That's the question I usually ask my wife when she suggests watching something together. I want to know. It doesn't ruin it for me. I want a happy ending. I'm depressed enough living in a fallen world without the help of Hollywood. God must want us to know how things are going to bc He tells us in His Word. We learn that no human lives forever on the earth. We learn that Jesus is preparing a place for us after we die. Jesus spoke about how things will end on earth with vivid details in Matthew 24 & 25 (The Olivet Discourse). And last but not least, God gave us the Book of Revelation the greatest details on how it all ends on the earth). This letter is raw and powerful. It is personal but not chummy. This letter contains 25 imperatives. Paul is commanding Timothy is many critical areas. I. There are four chapters (each has its own theme) 1. Chapter One - Fanning the flame 2. Chapter Two - Training the pastors 3. Chapter Three - Relying on Scriptures 4. Chapter Four - Finishing Well II. The II Timothy Overview Chart - 1. The Past - Timothy's heritage 2. The Present - Passing it on 3. The Future (2-fold) a. The Deception of the World b. The Devotion of the Disciples III. The Personal Opening - 1:1-5 (Authority w/ affection & affirmation) - God used Paul to prepare Timothy before his death in a similar manner that God prepared Joshua after Moses death. Every organization has as its goal passing on the leadership to the next generation. Few have accomplished this for any length of time. My father's company GM is not the giant it used to be in the automobile industry. My father-in-law's company, Sears dominated the market for over a hundred years but has since fallen on hard times. Christianity on the other hand has endured for over 2,000 years. Why? Two reasons: (1) God is the eternal CEO of His work (2) God's work is an organism rather than an organization. 1. Paul was Timothy's spiritual father and this is no “gonna miss you” letter. It's a call to courage. It's a call to leadership. It's a call to preaching in a world where antagonism was on an all-time high. The enemies of the cross expanded far beyond the JRE and now coming from the Roman Empire itself. This changed everything. Paul went from “house arrest” in his first Roman imprisonment and now he is bound in chains, cold and alone, knowing he would not survive this incarceration. = 1:1 - Paul the author speaks first with authority then with affection= 1:2a - Timothy the recipient = 1:2b - Paul ended Titus w/ “love, faith, grace” and opens II Timothy w/ “grace, mercy, & peace”= 1:3-4 - Paul opens with being thankful, prayerful, tearful, hopeful, joyful (and calls adds the title of “servant”) ● As did my ancestors/forefathers” - Paul was not the first to walk faithfully with God and he will not be the last! Many endured incredible persecution and pain. ● “with a clear conscience” - I Timothy 1; II Timothy 3:9; “remember you constantly in my prayers (couldn't stop there but instead he defines constantly) “night and day” ● “I remember your tears” - ● “I long to see you” -

Today we're continuing in our series Re-Examining Romans with Part 9 - In Him We Have Our Being. What does it mean to be "in Christ?" This is the audio podcast.

Political power can seem threatening these days. Or overwhelming. Maybe just exhausting. The good news is that the history of the early church is full of stories of people faithfully following Jesus in the midst of conflict with the political powers of their day. Join us this Sunday Matt leads us further into our series on Being the Church, looking at the models Acts provides for being faithful in politically trying times.- Series Description -Among the most compelling stories in the Bible are several contained in the Book of Acts, written by the humble and gentle physician, Luke. In Acts, Luke tells the story of the birth and expansion of the church in the early decades following the Lord's death, resurrection, and ascension. He tells the story of the coming and work of the Holy Spirit, the ministry of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and of other early saints. He tells the story of early opposition to the faith, of the first martyrs, and of the courage of early Christians in the face of resistance and even death. At the beginning of the book, the Christian community is limited to Jewish believers mostly in and around Jerusalem; by the end of the book, the church is growing and expanding among Jewish and Gentile communities throughout the Mediterranean world and beyond. Come out for this 10 week series and join us in living out in our own day and time what it is to be the church together.

In the book of Romans we have one of the three most masterful treatments as to how God saves: often called either "the atonement"; or "reconciling" (the others being Galatians and Hebrews). This book says it tells us about Jesus the Christ who was declared to be the Son of God by the power of his resurrection: Romans 1 verse 4. Note the frequent use of "Christ" in the first eight verses. One of the great themes of the book are 'the obedience of faith', ie that obedience will be the fruit that springs from a vibrant faith - verse 5. This idea is reiterated at the end of the book: chapter 16:25-27. The first chapter introduces us to "the gospel of God" ie the joyful message that it is the desire of the Almighty Creator to help us through our belief, or faith, to become His children and the inheritors of the Kingdom. Paul's thesis is explained in verses 16-17 - namely that the gospel is God's power to save all who believe; since the OT declared in Habakkuk 2 verse ;4, "the just shall live by faith". Romans 1 verses 18-32 speak of God's wrath on unrighteousness, particularly in this chapter in the Gentile world. And this theme is developed further in chapter two where Paul shows that the Gentile world is both guilty and without any excuse. Romans 1 verses 18-25 reveal that our Omnipotent Creator has provided indisputable evidence of His power. So that wilfully ignorant sinners stand condemned by their reprobate behaviour. By failing to accept the evidence that the Almighty puts before the world of His creative power and Godhead they are self condemned and have degenerated just as their concept of their own origins is also corrupt. Professing themselves to be wise showed that they were, in fact, fools. We find that base beliefs lead to base behaviours. The Apostle Paul speaks of the abominable ways that have been declared acceptable to contemporary society. If God says a thing is wrong it remains wrong regardless of what the majority of society may believe. Consider the catalogue of evil behaviours follow from an acceptance of a corrupting lifestyle. In Romans 2 verses 1-5 Paul tells us that those who fail to stand, whether Jew or Gentile, for their Sovereign's truth are without excuse. The Apostle says that these individuals are building up a store of wrath in the day of judgment. Verses 6-11 explain that since God is just so will His judgment be. Either we by our beliefs and way of life are seeking immortality ie eternal life; or we are going to receive retribution and rejection. In chapter three the Apostle will turn his attention to the Jews who are gloating over Paul's attack on the Gentiles. But before he does that he will condemn Jewish hypocrisy and declare that Jews who boast in the Law are condemned by their Law because of their actions which are contrary to the spirit of the Law. And even some of the Gentiles who know not God's Law are better in their behaviour than those who claim to be the children of God.

Please turn to the last chapter of 2 Corinthians. Chapter 13. Our sermon text is verses 1-10. You can find that on page 1153. Last week, the apostle Paul reminded the church of his fatherly love for them. Paul was their earthly spiritual father. And as their spiritual father, he warned them about their sin. Those who had wandered from the truth and godly living needed to return to the Lord. And they needed to do that before Paul's third visit. In the last paragraph in chapter 12, Paul expressed his fear that the Corinthians would not repent. That brings us to chapter 13. In our verses this morning, Paul warns them about what will happen if his fears come true. He will need to discipline them. Reading of 2 Corinthians 13:1-10. Prayer Just last month, Lifeway research published a study on church discipline. They found that many churches have discipline policies but rarely are their policies put into practice. Four out of five churches have discipline policies, but only one in seven have recently put those policies into practice. It's not surprising. Discipline is not fun. Parents know that. Children know that. And when something difficult happens in the church as a result of someone's behavior or belief our natural tendency is to avoid the issue, or we hope that the person who committed the offense will move on. Hard conversation and actions are difficult. However, those difficult church discipline conversations and actions are the most loving thing that can be done. It's loving for the sake of their souls, for the sake of any victim of their sin, and for the peace and purity of the church. In short, church discipline matters. Now you may have two questions in your mind. #1 – what exactly is church discipline. And #2 – how does it relate to this text in 2 Corinthians 13. Those are excellent questions. My goal today is to answer them. In fact, the sermon outline lists several questions. Not just the what, but also the why and the how and the who. We'll spend our time going through them, and I hope by the end you will not only have a picture of church discipline's importance, but will also see its loving purpose in your life and our church. 1: What is church discipline and what is it not? Question #1: What is church discipline and what is it not? That's a great place to start and I found a good definition from another pastor. He put it this way:  “Church discipline is the process by which the church confronts sin in the life of a believer and seeks to bring about repentance, restoration, and reconciliation.” Let me say that again. “Church discipline is the process by which the church confronts sin in the life of a believer and seeks to bring about repentance, restoration, and reconciliation.” We're going to see that worked out in these verses. In fact, I believe, these verses, 2 Corinthians 13:1-10 are the most helpful passage in the Bible on church discipline. That's a bold statement. We read another helpful passage earlier from Matthew 18. It's considered by most to be the foremost directive for church discipline. In that passages, Jesus talks about when a brother in Christ sins against you, that you should first go to him. If he doesn't listen, bring someone with you. And if he still doesn't listen, Jesus says, bring the matter to the church. It's very helpful. We're told how to deal with sin when we are sinned against. And the church has some level of responsibility to adjudicate. But the question is this, what does it look like for the church to handle such situations? And this is where 2 Corinthians 13 helps. It gives us an example which includes the warning of discipline, the lead up to discipline, the basis of discipline, and its purpose. The reason that this text is about church discipline is found right there in the middle of verse 1. Take a look at it. Paul writes, “Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” Remember again from last week, Paul had just warned them about the consequences of unrepentance, and here he used the language of judgment. That requirement of 2-3 witnesses goes back to the Old Testament laws regarding crimes and offenses. So, in other words, the warning in chapter 12 could lead to the legal action described in chapter 13, depending on whether the sin is proven. So, even though the word “discipline” is not used, these are matters involving the judgement of sin. And that is the heart of church discipline. It's judging and confronting serious sin in a believer's life in order to bring peace and purity to the church. Alright, let's consider some examples. That's always helpful. First, let's go to Corinth. As you know, we've spent the last 7 months working through this letter. And one of the things we've seen over and over is how the false apostles taught a false Gospel and were making false accusations against Paul. Those were serious matters. And add to that, at the end of chapter 12, Paul lists two other categories of sin that continued to infect the church. One category dealt with the peace of the church – he includes “quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.”  Those things will tear the church apart. He then listed sins that affected the purity of the church – he mentions “impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality.” So, false doctrine was being taught, an innocent party was being accused, the unity of the church body was being damaged, and the lifestyle of some in the church was contrary to God's design. Those are serious things. Let me expand that with some concrete examples today. If a pastor constantly berates church staff members or volunteers with a harsh and derogatory tone, and is unrepentant about it or does not change, that pastor needs to be discipline. If a wife or husband breaks the one-flesh union they have with their spouse by committing adultery, that wife or husband has committed a grave sin and needs discipline. If there's case of domestic abuse involving members of a church, the abuser needs discipline and the one being abused needs care. Just to be sure, there are civil laws and civil punishments related to some of these situations. Those need to be worked out through the legal system. In other words, when it comes to church discipline, there are no physical punishments. Again, the civil courts handle that. Rather, when we talk about church discipline, we are specifically talking about spiritual discipline. That means formally confronting sin and seeking repentance and restoration. That may involve requiring someone to abstain from the Lord's Table, or it may involve removal from membership. For the younger children here. Last week, I asked you if you had ever been warned by your parents about consequences. You said or did something that was hurtful to someone else. Maybe you lied about something, and your mom or dad sat you down and warned you. I saw many of you nodding your head, that yes, that happens. Well, have you ever ignored their warning? Did you say or do something you parents warned you not to do? I see some nodding. Maybe you disrespected your mom or you continued to lie about something. Well, what happened? You were punished. Right? Maybe you lost a privilege like screen time or playing with friends, or maybe a spanking, or maybe you had to write an apology letter. All of those different consequences are forms of discipline. You were being disciplined by your parents. And what was the goal of that discipline? Was it to make you mad at your parents? No. It was to help you learn what is good and right and true. It's so that you would learn how to love others and how to be truthful and honest and hardworking. Well, it's a similar thing in this chapter. Turns out, adults need disciple, too. The truth is, we are all selfish. We desire things that are not ours. We commit acts that dishonor God and break the trust and unity in the church. Even though the power and penalty of sin has been removed by Christ, those in him still have the presence of sin, and we all are still on the path of sanctification and renewal. 2. What is the basis of church discipline? So that is generally what church discipline is about. Which brings us to a second question.  Actually, this question is not on the outline – it's a late addition, but it is crucial. What is the basis of church discipline? Church discipline needs to be based on the truth. It needs to pursue truth. This is absolutely critical. It's why these verses begin with the need for 2-3 credible witnesses. It's why Paul sent multiple brothers to Corinth to assess the situation. And look at verse 8. “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.” There has to be truthful and credible testimony and evidence. It's really easy to make assumptions and it's really easy for someone to twist or pervert the truth in defense of sin or out of retribution or revenge. The truth is not always clear and that makes it difficult, but credible testimony and witnesses need to be pursued. In other words, church discipline needs to stand for what is true and right and good and it needs to be based on what is true and right and good. Those given charge to care for your souls and care for the church need to pursue the truth with diligence and care. That is really important, so I wanted to include that question. 3. What are its goals? Ok, the next question is also very important. Actually, all of these are very important, but I think this one needs to be front and center. What is the goal of discipline? In a word the goal of spiritual discipline is “restoration.”  Look at verse 9. Second half of the verse. “Your restoration is what we pray for.” Paul desired that those in Corinth who were committing these grievous acts or who held to these unorthodox beliefs be restored. He wanted those who were gossiping and slandering other believers to put an end to the destruction that they were causing. He desired that the church forgive one another and be unified. In fact, he talked about repentance and forgiveness back in chapters 2 and 7. One of Paul's critics had repented from undermining Paul, and the apostle urged the church to restore him. He forgave this man, and so should the church. Verse 10 expands on the goal of restoration. Paul said that his use of authority is for “building up and not tearing down” That's at the end of verse 10. Church discipline is to build up the body of Christ. It's just like how the discipline of a child is for their maturity. The goal of church discipline is always repentance and restoration, which builds up the body of Christ. Now, to be sure, the destruction that some sin causes may not be reparable in this life. Some marriages broken by adultery are not reparable. Or worse, think about murder. It's also devastating. But let me say this, there is no sinful act that God will not forgive for those who come to him with a true repentance…. That is, who come to him with a heart grief for one's sin not just feeling sorry, and seek to turn from it. 4. What precedes discipline? Next question. What should precede discipline? In other words, at what point should a formal church discipline process begin? Part of the answer is found all throughout 1 and 2 Corinthians. Over and over Paul conveyed his love for the church. Over and over he identified sin in their midst that needed to be dealt with. He's been very specific about it. Over and over he has called them to return to faithful living and belief. And over and over Paul warned the church of the consequences. All of that is part of spiritual discipline, but in 2 Corinthians 13, the apostle warns of a formal process involving witnesses and authority and judgment. What I am saying is that that step needs to be the very last step after ample displays of love, ample warnings, and ample opportunities to be restored. Just to be sure, there are situations like abuse where for the sake of the victim, church discipline needs to be accelerated. But even then, it needs to be done carefully, with firm resolve, with a clear warning about the gravity of that sin, and a call to repentance and change. Look at verse 2. “ I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them.” Multiple warnings. In fact, this chapter is not the implementation of discipline. Rather it is a final warning. This is the discipline they will experience if they didn't repent. To sum up this answer: discipline needs to be preceded by patient, loving, clear, and firm warnings about the consequences of sin and the judgment of God. 5. What is the message of discipline? Next, what is the message of discipline? The message of church discipline is a plea for self-examination. Look at verse 5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” Church discipline should implore the offender to search his heart. The severity of the unrepentant sin may indicate that he not a believer in Christ. In other words, the message of spiritual discipline is the message of the Gospel. It needs to be. The message is that Jesus' death and resurrection defeated sin and death. As Romans 6 asks, “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” If you have been redeemed by Christ, then by the ministry of the Holy Spirit in you, God enables you to repent of that sin and to pursue righteousness. That does not mean that dealing with the vestiges of sin in our lives is easy. No. But it does mean that God gives believers a heart grief of their sin and a desire to turn from it. And we have the help of the church to come along side of us as we seek to walk in the newness of life in Christ. Church discipline is about unrepentant sin and therefore its message is the Gospel. That is why Paul called the Corinthians to examine themselves. The test is whether they are in the faith, as verse 5 puts it. Discipline is a call not just for repentance from a specific sin but it is a call for repentance unto life - true Gospel repentance that sees our utter need for the mercy of God and turns to Jesus by faith as our Savior. This is the message of spiritual discipline. Furthermore, it is why, if the discipline is not heeded, that the one being disciplined should be removed from membership. We call that excommunication. Jesus said, “if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” In other words, treat him as an unbeliever. And let me ask, how do you treat an unbeliever? By loving them and witnessing to them the love of God in Christ… and calling them to faith and repentance. 6. What is the perception? Next, what is the perception of church discipline? Well, the perception is often negative. Sometimes its perceived negatively because it was handled poorly, perhaps by leaders who have no history or understanding of loving servant leadership. However, oftentimes spiritual discipline is handled lovingly and carefully but still considered harsh or as I heard recently, legalistic. In particular, the ones receiving the discipline often react against it. That's what was happening in Corinth. Some turned the tables on Paul. They claimed that he failed the test of faith. That's found twice in here. First in verse 3, they wanted proof that Christ was speaking through Paul because according to the false-apostles, Paul was not an apostle. They questioned his authority. Then in verse 7, Paul says that he prays to God “that you may do right, though we may seem to have failed.” Some had been calling him a failure. In both cases, the call to repentance was met with a counter-attack against Paul. But notice that he received it with grace. He says in verse 9, “For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong.” And that is when he says, “your restoration is what we seek.” In other words, Paul would rather appear weak if it meant that they would be strong in the faith and return to the Lord and to faithfulness in him. Even though the perception of discipline is often negative and often responded to with criticism, it should not deter the church from a loving, thoughtful, and diligent call to faith and repentance. 7. Where does the authority come from? One more question and it's related. Where does the authority for discipline come from? And the answer is that the authority has been given by the Lord, himself. Paul makes that clear in verse 10. To be sure, Paul was specifically speaking about his apostleship. In the establishment of the early church, the apostles were given the initial authority. But the ongoing authority has been given to the shepherds of God's flock. Those are the elders which the Lord establishes in his church. So, the authority comes from the Lord and is given to the church through her elders. And those elders are themselves accountable to the Lord and subject to the same discipline that they oversee. So, the ultimate authority is Christ. But he uses his church to protect his church and to maintain its purity and peace. Conclusion To summarize: 1. What is church discipline? It is the loving and careful process that confronts unrepentant sin, calls for repentance and restoration of the sinners and seeks peace and purity in the church. 2. What should discipline be based on? Discipline cases need to be based on truth and credible witnesses. 3. What are its goals? The restoration of the believer, the building up in maturity unto Christ, and the peace and purity of the church. 4. What should precede discipline? Formal discipline should be undertaken only after many loving and thoughtful attempts to confront sin, except in special cases involving egregious sin. 5. What is the message of discipline? Its message is the message of the Gospel – repent and believe for as verse 4 says, “he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God.” The death and resurrection of Christ are at the center of discipline's call and its power to overcome sin. 6. What is the perception of discipline? Even though discipline is often perceived negatively or countered with baseless accusations, it should still be undertaken with humility and care. And 7. Where does the authority come from? The authority for discipline comes from Christ. He is Lord and King of the church and he entrusts that authority to the elders of his church who are called to fulfill that discipline, faithfully. I want to say that if you would like to talk through any of these points in more detail, please reach out to me. I recognize there's a lot here and these are difficult things. Let me leave you with this. May we be a church that seeks purity and peace. And may our elders lovingly and earnestly pursue us if we go astray… and if necessary, with spiritual discipline that points us to the Gospel. And may we as members receive the discipline, return to Christ, and be restored to his body, the church, all under the authority of Christ, our Lord.

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Bible Readings Genesis 18:20–32, Luke 11:1–13 Worship Folder Pastor Paul A. Tullberg Sermon text: 1 Timothy 2:1–7 Instructions About Worship 2 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we might live a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this testimony, I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I speak the truth; I am not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Take a Moment to recall something from today's message. Ask Jesus to create for you opportunities to use your words, activities and thoughts to glorify Him this week. We value your friendship and the opportunity to share the love of Jesus together with you!

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Matthew 20:20-28 - The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did Him homage, wishing to ask Him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered Him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at Your right and the other at Your left, in Your Kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to Him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at My right and at My left, this is not Mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." Feast of Saint James, Apostle Saint James, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day Terry discusses the dangers of organ donation and how many organ donors are still alive as their organs are removed

Gospel Matthew 20:20-28 The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Reflection This seems like such a human story. And in the eyes of the other disciples, it seems that James and John basically put their mother up to this. We really want a position of power and authority. And it just shows how far they are, in a sense, from the Kingdom of God.  But what is so essential in this reading is an understanding that the great shadow of anyone in a ministry position that gives them this sense of power is so dangerous that anyone in the role of ministry has to be checking themselves over and over again, to make sure they're not caught up in seeking an authority over people, but only looking for ways in which to serve them. Closing Prayer Father, we are human, and we never lose our humanity, and there's always a pull, a desire to be seen as someone important. Someone valuable. It gives us a sense of worth, a sense of value. Free us from that addiction to always looking for approval. And never let us use it in a way that overpowers the rights of others in favor of what our ego longs for. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sonsand did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.He said to her,"What do you wish?"She answered him,"Command that these two sons of mine sit,one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."Jesus said in reply,"You do not know what you are asking.Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"They said to him, "We can."He replied,"My chalice you will indeed drink,but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to givebut is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."When the ten heard this,they became indignant at the two brothers.But Jesus summoned them and said,"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,and the great ones make their authority over them felt.But it shall not be so among you.Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be servedbut to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Linguistic Threads Across Sacred Scrolls When we speak of the Hebrew Bible, many assume it was written exclusively in Hebrew. But the truth is far more textured—woven with threads of Aramaic that reflect not only linguistic evolution, but also the historical upheaval and cultural interaction that shaped the Jewish people. Aramaic was not merely a language of exile; it became a vessel through which Scripture was preserved, interpreted, and proclaimed.

This week we start a series of never-before-aired talks Fr. Scott gave a few years ago on the Apostle to the Gentiles, St. Paul.https://archive.org/download/LetsTalkCatholic/LTC-165RR-St-Paul-pt1.mp3

Friday, 25 July 2025   But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. Matthew 12:7   “And if you had known what it is, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' not you condemned the guiltless” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted that a greater than the temple was there. Based on that, He next says to the Pharisees, “And if you had known what it is.”   The Pharisees had spoken a word of implied condemnation toward Jesus because His disciples were eating. They brought in the precept of Sabbath observance to support their view. Jesus returned words from the same law, showing that there was a valid precedent both for the allowance for food, even if it was otherwise inappropriate to procure, and the allowance for some to profane the Sabbath and not be held guiltless.   Having stated these things, He prepares to now demonstrate that not only had they missed these points in their interpretation of the situation, but that they had overlooked the basis for such allowances in relation to what His disciples were doing. He does this with the words, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”   Here, He cites Hosea 6:6, “For mercy I inclined, and not sacrifice” (CG). In using the word khaphets, to incline, it is as if the Lord leans in favor of something, as if He is inclining in that direction. As such, it signifies He desires that in favor of something else.   Therefore, the Lord looks more favorably upon mercy than mere rote sacrifice. Even if the law demanded a sacrifice to be made, the action spoke nothing concerning the state of the heart. A person could go to the temple, perform the mandatory sacrifice, and walk away completely uncaring about the sin which the sacrifice was intended to cover. It is exactly this attitude that brought the Lord to say to the people –   “Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: 11 ‘To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?' Says the Lord. ‘I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.”'” Isaiah 1:10-15   The people came to the Lord, doing the things required by the law, but they had no heart for the Lord or for doing what was morally right. It is this same attitude that these Pharisees were presenting toward Jesus and His disciples. Jesus, however, says that if they understood the words of the Lord through Hosea, then “not you condemned the guiltless.”   In verse 12:5, the word anaitios, guiltless, was introduced. This is now the second and last use of it in Scripture. It signifies one who is not causing guilt. The reason for this is that even if the law set forth a particular command, it had to be considered in the greater scope of the intent of the law.   In Isaiah, the people of Israel performed the things of the law in their sacrifices, offerings, and observances, but they failed to have a heart for what those things signified. Therefore, they were not at all in compliance with the law. Jesus and His disciples had needs. They met those needs in accordance with the implied allowances of the law. The Pharisees had not done so.   Life application: The problem with people who still demand law observance is the exact problem that Jesus addresses in this verse. They are sticklers about external conduct while not caring about the Lord who came and fulfilled the law for them. This is obviously so because they continue to demand that people do things that are no longer required.   In Israel, the people demanded that external observances be conducted, but they never took the time to consider why those things were to be conducted in the first place. With each passing funeral, they never stopped to consider the words of the law that say –   “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 18:5   They might stand around the grave and say, “We will miss Schlimy. He was truly a righteous man.” But this would be untrue. If Schlimy were truly righteous before the law, he would not be plopped into the grave. He would still be alive. The people never considered why Schlimy was dead.   They saw him making sacrifices and doing all the supposedly pious things that the law demanded. And yet, here they were at his graveside complimenting him for his righteously lived life, which was insufficient to keep him from dying.   When Jesus came, He did fulfill the things of the law. He was crucified for the sins of others, and He rose again in a demonstration that He was, in fact, righteous before the law. And yet, the people of Israel collectively rejected this and continued down the same path they had followed since their first national transgression at the foot of Mount Sinai.   Every person, Jew or Gentile, who demands that precepts of the law be fulfilled by us today is following in that same unrighteous path. They are placing shadow over substance while rejecting the work of Jesus, which culminated in the resurrection, the very proof that He is righteous because He is God.   Pay heed. Don't be like Schlimy and others who trust in deeds of the law to make God happy. Instead, trust in the merits of Jesus Christ. Only what He has done can deliver you safely into the wonderful promise of total restoration with God. Through Jesus, we have peace with Him once again.   Lord God, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have total restoration with You. Great are You, O God. Amen.

Read Online“You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”  Matthew 20:22–23Saint James was the brother of the beloved disciple John and the son of Zebedee and Salome. Jesus called both James and John while they were working with their father, mending their fishing nets in their boat. Their response to Jesus' call was immediate: “...they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him” (Mark 1:20). James was present at the raising of Jarius' daughter, the Transfiguration, and is mentioned a few other times in the Gospels. In the Acts of the Apostles, James is identified as the first of the Apostles to give his life as a martyr, being beheaded by Herod in Jerusalem in the year 44 AD (See Acts 12:2).Among the other references to Saint James in the Gospels is the passage quoted above in which Salome, the mother of James and John, asks Jesus for the unique favor of allowing her two sons to sit at His left and right in His Kingdom. Upon her request on behalf of her two sons, Jesus turns to them and asks if they can drink the chalice that He is going to drink, to which they respond, “We can.” And though this is a bold request on their parts and that of their mother, there is also something courageous and holy about their request.Just prior to this passage, as Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem with the Twelve, He explained to them the fate that awaited Him. “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day” (Matthew 20:18–19). This was the third time that Jesus explained this to the Twelve and, therefore, it must have started to truly sink in. It is within this context that James and John ask to remain close to Jesus in His mission of establishing His Kingdom, even though Jesus explained that the path to that Kingdom was His suffering and death.Each of us should learn from James and John. Though their request might have had some selfishness mixed in with it, it was also courageous. It showed they did not fear Jesus' prediction of His passion. Instead, they wanted to be part of it and were willing to endure whatever was necessary so as to share in the glory of the Kingdom to come. Reflect, today, upon making a similar request to our Lord. Say to Him that you desire to be close to Him in His Kingdom, and do so with the full knowledge that the path to this glory is by drinking the chalice of selfless sacrifice that Christ drank. It is obtained by courageously following Him, no matter what that requires of you. If that means suffering and persecution, so be it. If that means great sacrifice, so be it. If that means abandoning certain hopes and dreams, so be it. See yourself walking with these disciples and Jesus on the road to Jerusalem where our Lord would offer His life in sacrifice. Saint James would soon follow, dying by the sword of Herod. Say “Yes” to whatever our Lord asks of you and commit yourself to the drinking of the chalice of selfless sacrificial love. Doing so will enable you to share in the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven. My glorious King, You invite all people to share in Your glorious Kingdom to come. May I enter that Kingdom with all the saints and fully share in its glory. I choose that path that leads to that Kingdom and willingly offer my life in sacrifice to You and for others. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Sons of Thunder by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Enjoy! References: Ephesians 4:16-24 Galatians 5:16-24 Zechariah 3:1-10 Revelation 19:7-8 1Kings 4:25   www.thesatisfiedgod.com  Subscribe to our YouTube Channel -  The Satisfied God Podcast on YouTube Please like and follow our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/thesatisfiedgodpodcast Thanks for all your support in every way. Please share this podcast with your friends. We are available on every major podcast provider including Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Spotify. Also please subscribe to be made aware of every new episode. Thanks for listening and feel free to contact me at rabonbyrd@gmail.com You may help financially in the following ways: Give via PayPal by clicking this link: www.paypal.me/thesatisfiedgod Give via Cash App - $RabonByrdTSG Give via Zelle - rabonbyrd@gmail.com You may send financial support or other communications via U.S. mail to: PO Box 186 Marshall, AR 72650. Checks payable to Rabon Byrd. Memo: Satisfied God Podcast  

Romans 3:24 — Just as a prisoner needs to pay a price to obtain freedom, sinners also need to pay a ransom for freedom. However, the Lord in His kindness has paid the price and given freedom to the Christian. In this sermon titled “By Free Grace Alone,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches from Romans 3:24 and breaks the verse into three parts: the reminder of what salvation really is, how salvation becomes the Christian's, and how it is possible for God to do this for His people. In this verse, Paul explains free justification by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Because of that work, the Christian has been declared righteous. This does not mean that they are currently righteous, but that the Lord has deemed them so. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the present tense of the word “justifying” means that Christians are currently being justified. The listener is reminded that this salvation is a free gift to all, both Jew and Gentile. While the law reveals sin, God's grace gives a free pardon. This is only possible because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. The term used here is the same term as a prisoner being set free and Christ has set His people free from the slavery of sin.

Welcome to Day 2679 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDay 2679 – New Testament Orientation – “The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan”Putnam Church Message – 07/20/2025Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 12: “The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan” Last week, we explored "The General Letters of the New Testament:” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NLT) 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[a] a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10 “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy.”[b]This week is the 12th and final message in our New Testament Orientation Series, and we will learn: The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan” Ephesians 2:13-14 (NLT) "But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united us both into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us."Opening PrayerOur Loving and Sovereign God, as we reach the culmination of our journey through Your New Testament, we pause to reflect on the grand tapestry of Your plan for Your Church, for our salvation, and the culmination of all things. We pray that You would open our eyes to see these profound truths with the clarity and anticipation of the early believers. May we grasp the depth of Your reconciliation, the wonder of Your salvation, and the glorious hope of Your coming kingdom. Empower us, by Your Spirit, to live as Your unified people, eagerly awaiting the Day of Christ. Amen.Introduction: The Final Unveiling of God's Purpose We've journeyed from the Jewish roots of the Gospels, through the explosive growth in Acts, and explored the profound theology of Paul's letters and the General Epistles. Today, we bring it all together by considering three essential topics that define the conclusion of God's unfolding story: the Church, the nature of Salvation, and Eschatology—the doctrine of last things.Our core verses from Ephesians 2:13-14 serve as a magnificent summary of the radical new reality Jesus inaugurated: "But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united us both into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us." This passage speaks of a profound reconciliation, not just between humanity and God, but between the two great divisions of humanity: Jew and Gentile. This reconciliation defines the very nature of the Church.For the early...

“The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.” (Acts 11:21 NLT) Christians often underestimate the raw, even explosive power that is inherent in the gospel message. The apostle Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile” (Romans 1:16 NLT). Keep in mind that Paul was a great intellectual. He was a master student and orator. When sharing the Good News about Christ, he could have called upon his ability to convince people. He could have called upon his powers of oration to bring his listeners around. Instead, Paul concentrated on the simple yet profound gospel message because he recognized its power. It’s the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes. The gospel message can impact anyone, regardless of background. It reaches the wealthy and poor, the educated and uneducated. It cuts through cultural barriers, racial barriers, economic barriers, and age barriers. The words of Acts 11:21 above testify to its impact. Everyone can grasp the gospel because God blesses it and plants it into the heart of the listener. Skeptics might argue that the message is hopelessly outdated, a relic from a different time and different culture. But these aren’t two-thousand-year-old words; they’re timeless words. Their truths are eternal. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God “has planted eternity in the human heart” (NLT). He’s given every person a soul-deep awareness that there is something more than this world—that something greater, something eternal is available to us. The gospel message brings that “something more” into focus. It shows us how we can have what our soul has been yearning for—even if we don’t exactly know what we were yearning for. The author of Hebrews wrote, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12 NLT). The gospel message penetrates to the deepest part of our being. What’s interesting, though, is that not everyone feels the blade right away. So when you share your faith with someone, when you help them understand the gospel message, you may not get an immediate, joyful, hallelujah-my-life-has-been-changed-forever response. You may not get any response at all. You may even get a rejection. And while that may be disappointing in the moment, it’s far from the end of the story. When you share the Good News of Christ, you’re doing the vital work of piercing someone’s soul with God’s two-edged sword. You’re connecting to the eternity He planted in someone’s heart. You’re preparing someone to experience the power of the gospel message. You’re setting the stage for God to change the person’s life. You don’t need to add anything to the gospel. You don’t need to take anything away from it. You don’t need to apologize for it. You don’t need to offer any disclaimers about it. All you need to do is proclaim it and stand back and watch God work. Reflection question: When have you witnessed the power of the gospel, in your own life or in the life of someone you know? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" 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.

This Sunday, Pastor Jon Tyson continued our series through the Book of Acts, The Fifth Act, with teaching on the history altering birth of the church at Antioch in Acts 11-13 and the roles Barnabas and Saul played in expanding the Kingdom from there. Following the rise of persecution in Jerusalem, followers of Jesus not only began to go to the ends of the earth, but to try and make disciples of all nations as Jesus commanded them, now that the Holy Spirit had been given to the Gentiles. Antioch marks the first place that the Gospel was actively being shared beyond the Jewish community, and it led to a radical move of God that transformed a nearly godless city to the place where believers were called “Christians” for the first time.