Podcasts about Gethsemane

The kingdom of God stands in direct opposition to a world consumed by personal ambition. Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar explore what it truly means to live with a kingdom mindset and why selfishness is one of the greatest obstacles to faithful Christian living. They explain that kingdom-mindedness means living under God's rule, reign, and authority rather than building a personal kingdom centered on recognition or control. True freedom comes when believers stop striving to make a name for themselves and instead focus on the glory of God and the good of His kingdom. The cross itself represents a complete transfer of allegiance, with every area of life falling under the authority of Christ.The guys point to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as the perfect example of surrender to the Father's will. Even in anguish, Jesus submitted Himself completely, showing that suffering and obedience are not incompatible. They also reflect on David's life, whose continual repentance and worship revealed a heart shaped by the kingdom of God. Kingdom-mindedness produces humility, worship, and a desire to be searched and refined by the Lord. The guys emphasize that believers often become distracted by earthly concerns, preventing them from simply resting in God's presence and delighting in Him.The conversation then turns to how kingdom living shapes daily priorities and relationships. The kingdom of God is marked by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, fostering a new disposition toward sin, obedience, and community. The guys explain that Christians are not meant to live in isolation but in fellowship, learning from those who have walked faithfully before them. God has given His people resources, wisdom, and testimonies of His faithfulness to strengthen them through every season. Kingdom-minded believers recognize that their lives are not their own and that every opportunity exists for God's glory.Finally, the guys discuss the importance of resting in God's kingdom rather than being consumed by the world's noise and anxiety. Modern life is full of distractions that constantly pull attention away from God, making silence and stillness increasingly rare. The guys encourage believers to slow down, seek God first, and recognize His care in both Scripture and creation. Kingdom-mindedness means fully trusting the King, knowing that He provides, sustains, and rules with perfect goodness. In the end, believers are reminded that their ultimate inheritance is not found in earthly success but in belonging to Christ and awaiting the King's return.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you've been helped by this podcast, we'd be grateful if you'd consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

We live in the most connected era in human history — and yet loneliness has never been more widespread. In this thoughtful and beautifully grounded episode, Lia Girard makes an important distinction between two very different kinds of being alone. There is the loneliness we dread — that gnawing disconnection felt even in a crowded room full of people staring at their screens. And then there is erēmos — the Greek word used in Luke 5:16 — a purposeful, chosen withdrawal to a quiet place to be with God. Jesus didn't just permit this kind of solitude. He modeled it, prioritized it, and returned to it again and again. Throughout the richly packed chapter of Luke 5, Jesus pours Himself out completely — healing, teaching, feeding, loving. And then He withdraws. Forty days alone in the wilderness. A mountainside after feeding five thousand. The Garden of Gethsemane, stepping away even from His closest friends to pray. If the Son of God — fully divine, fully human — needed the sanctuary of solitude to reorient His heart to the Father's will, how much more do we? Lia invites us to stop treating silence as something to fill and start treating it as the gift it truly is — a place where we can hear our own hearts, and the voice of God that is meant singularly for us. Today's Bible Verse "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." — Luke 5:16, NIV Ponder Today Solitude is not loneliness — it is sanctuary. The Greek word erēmos in Luke 5:16 describes a purposeful retreat to a quiet place. Chosen solitude with God is not isolation; it is intimacy. Jesus modeled solitude as a necessity, not a luxury. From forty days in the wilderness to a mountainside after feeding thousands, Jesus consistently withdrew to be with the Father. His example is both permission and invitation for us to do the same. Busyness and pouring ourselves out for others make solitude more necessary, not less. Jesus lived demanding, sacrificial days — and that is precisely why He withdrew. The fuller your life feels, the more urgently your soul needs quiet. Solitude protects the authenticity of your prayer life. Jesus warned against prayer performed for others to see. Time alone with God removes the audience and creates the conditions for an honest, unguarded outpouring of your heart. A Prayer for You Today Dear God, I'm not always comfortable with solitude — I tend to fill quiet moments with productivity or distraction rather than time with You. The world is loud, and my life feels full and demanding. Please help me reprioritize sitting in silence with You. Help me not to feel anxious when I'm alone, but to see stillness as a gift. Help me reestablish the practice of withdrawing to be refilled with Your guidance and presence. Thank You for Jesus, who shows us that solitude is a necessity, not a luxury — and that being alone is not lonely at all. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer made you want to find a quiet place and simply be with God, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to help you cultivate a deeper, more intimate walk with Him every day. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

ABOUT HAUNTED HARMONY MYSTERIES: KEY TO THE CASTLE When a ghost hunter show comes to town, it's up to Gethsemane and Eamon to solve the unexpected murder of the host, allowing the brand-new spirit to cross-over. AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR HAUNTED HARMONY MYSTERIES: KEY TO THE CASTLE May 30, 2026 | Hallmark CAST & CREW OF HAUNTED HARMONY MYSTERIES: KEY TO THE CASTLE Tamera Mowry-Housley as Gethsemane BRAN'S MOVIE SYNOPSIS Gethsemane is riding her bike by a castle one day and sees smoke coming out of it. So she goes to check on it and she totally interrupts the shot of this ghost hunting show. When they realize who she is, the producer Ciara asks if they could interview her. They heard that she solves a murder with the help of the paranormal and would love to chat with her. She's not so sure. The next day at school, Griff asks her to get together later. She's like i'm in. Just then, inspector O'rielly comes and asks if she could help him brush up on his piano skills before his family comes into town. She agrees. Bad news guy, the showruner KentDempsy is found dead by the crew as they're wrapping the shoot. Naturally, Gethsemane can immediately see and talk to him. He's like pretty I'm a ghost, huh? He's like there's all sorts of tension between the crew. Not to mention Ciara is his ex-wife. Ghost Dempsy and Eamon listen in as the police discuss how his injuries line up with the injuries of a fall. But there's no where in the room he was found in where he could've fallen. So he must've been moved. One of the crew, Rahj, is especially suspcious. I guess he owes money and is on the run from this mystery guy. Claire brings Gethsemane some evidence she has of a thermal camera showing someone they assume is Kent  being pulled from behind. So they go to that room and they find a hidden door. Behidn the hidden door is a stair case. They go down and see a little bit of blood, and some blue stuff on this screw driver they find. Ciara recognizes it as belonging to Liza. To make matters worse for Liza, there's audio that sounds like her all but admitting to the murder. Gethsemane suspects its AI. Roj is found dead. There's this dude that Gathemne suspects may have wanted him dead because he was too much of a sceptic. they ask him on a lvie stream and he tells them to scram. Turns out, it was that dude's son that did it. So take that! She helps the inspector with the piano preformance and they hold hands afterwards. So maybe more on that later.  Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here we get a glimpse into the humanity of the Lord Jesus through this intimate scene between the Father and the Son in the Garden of Gethsemane.

This message takes us into one of the most intimate and powerful moments in the life of Christ—the Garden of Gethsemane, where we see both the agony of the Savior and the strength that comes through prayer. As Jesus crosses the brook Cedron and prepares to face betrayal, arrest, and ultimately the cross, we learn profound lessons about the practice of prayer, the struggle against distraction and self-pity, the mystery of God's answers, and the sustaining power of God's presence in our darkest moments. You'll discover why prayer is more than a religious duty—it is God's appointed means of exchanging our weakness for his strength. Through Christ's submission to the Father's will, his response to suffering, and his unwavering authority in the face of betrayal, this sermon challenges believers to move beyond self-reliance and learn to watch, pray, and trust God when life is most difficult.

Audio Transcript How are we this morning? Excellent. All right. It's my privilege to bring the word to you this morning, so let's get into it. Recently I read a story about a young man who never wanted to be a soldier. He had no visions of fame or ambitions of glory. When his father announced that he'd secured him an appointment to West Point, the boy protested. He wanted to be a farmer or perhaps work the river trade. But his father was not a man to be argued with, and so the 17 year old boarded a coach east. Sick with dread, he got off to a rough start. Through a clerical error, his name was copied incorrectly and it would stick permanently. He hated the academy. He finished 21st of 39 cadets, distinguished only in horsemanship and mathematics. The Mexican War found him a reluctant quartermaster, competent, but unnoticed afterward posted to lonely garrisons on the Pacific coast. Far from his wife Julia and the children he barely knew, he began to drink. In 1854, facing either court martial or resignation over his drinking, he resigned his commission in disgrace and went home with empty pockets. What followed were the worst years of his life. He tried farming on land his father in law gave him outside St. Louis, and the crops failed. He hauled firewood through the city streets in a worn army overcoat, occasionally passing former West Point classmates who looked away embarrassment. He pawned his gold watch one Christmas to buy presents for his children. He tried bill collecting and was terrible at it. He tried real estate and failed at that, too. By 1860, at 38 years old, he was working at a clerk in his younger brother's leather goods store in Galena, Illinois, earning $800 a year. He was a man whose life, by every visible measure, had failed. Then Fort Sumter fell. The quiet clerk who couldn't sell harnesses turned out to understand something that most West Point polished generals did not. The war was not about elegant maneuvers or reputation, but about pressing forward relentlessly, accepting losses and refusing to stop. Donaldson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, the Wilderness, Appomattox. The failures had taught him things that successful men never learned. What it was to be underestimated, to be written off, to keep moving even when the odds looked long. The boy who didn't want to be a soldier, the the lieutenant who resigned in shame, the farmer who failed, and his brother's store. Hiram Ulysses Grant, or as the West Point Clerk mistakenly wrote, U.S. grant, ended the war as General of the armies, the man who had saved the Union and later President of the United States. It turned out that the long road had been the training. Weeks before his death, Grant wrote the preface to his personal memoirs, saying, man proposes and God disposes. There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice. Most of us at some point will know what it is to be in our own wilderness. We will know what it is to wait, to wait through years that seem to lead nowhere, to feel forgotten by God, to look out at a landscape that gives no sign that he is at work. And we will be tempted in those years to conclude that nothing is happening, that God has misplaced us, that our life is being spent in vain. This morning, as we come to a passage in the Book of Exodus that speaks directly into that experience. It is the story of 40 silent years in the life of Moses and 400 silent years in the life of Israel. It is the story of a God who appears to all human eyes to be doing nothing. And it is the story of how, beneath that silence, he was doing everything. So if you would with me open your Bibles, please, to the Book of Exodus. And this morning we're going to finish chapter two, verses 11 to 25. One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, why do you strike your companion? He answered, who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? Then Moses was afraid and thought, surely the thing is known. When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. Now, the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. The shepherds came and drove them away. But Moses stood up and saved them and watered their flock. When he came home to their father, Reuel, he said, how is it that you have come home so soon today? They said, an Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and even drew water for us and watered the flock. He said to his daughters, then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man. And he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he Said I have been a sojourner in a foreign land. During those many days. The king of Egypt died and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God, and God heard their groaning. And God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel and God knew. Let's pray. Father. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts this morning be acceptable in your presence. Lord, I pray, after my words are long forgotten, that your word would be remembered. Jesus name. Amen. Exodus is an epic of God's love and redemption of his people. Every scene reads like an action novel. The baby in the basket, the burning bush, the plagues, the angel of death. The parting of the Red Sea, the thunder and lightning around Mount Sinai, the covenant with the Almighty. Before we dive into our text, we must read Exodus rightly. We have to read it Christologically, that is, in relation to Jesus Christ, who is our perfect sacrifice, who saved us out of our bondage to sin and delivered us into a right relationship with God. When Jesus appeared to his disciples on the road to emmaus in Luke 24:27 Records beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. If Jesus started with Moses when describing himself, perhaps we can also we also read it historically. Scholars debate whether the Exodus took place around 1446 BC or around 1260. Good evidence exists for both dates and ancient Israel did not work with an absolute calendar the way we do. But what matters for us this morning is not the precise year, but the fact that it is history, not myth. The renowned Old Testament scholar Nahum Sarna observed that no nation would invent for itself and then faithfully transmit for thousands of years an inglorious origin story of slavery, grumbling and and idolatry. Israel did not flatter itself into existence. This happened. Exodus 2:11 to 25 sits at 1 of the great hinge moments of redemptive history. The book opens with the sons of Jacob settling in Egypt under the protection of Joseph. But there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph. What begins as refuge becomes bonding. Hebrews multiplied, and Pharaoh, fearing them, enslaved them and decreed that every male child be cast into the Nile. Into that decree Moses is born. Wes laid out for us last week that Moses mother hides him, his sister watches over him, and then Pharaoh's daughter draws him out of the water. He grows up in the palace, Stephen tells us in Acts 7:22 that he was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in his words and deeds. And that is where our passage begins. The structure that we will use this morning breaks down into four movements. Verses 11 to 14 Moses takes matters into his own hands. Verses 15 to 17 Moses flees and is shaped at a well. 18:22 Moses is welcomed and becomes a sojourner. 23 To 25 While Moses tends sheep, Israel groans and God acts. Start with 11 to 14. Moses has grown. Now the infant in the basket has become a man in Pharaoh's court, raised as Egyptian royalty. How much did he know about his true background growing up? Wes mentioned last week that Moses mother was allowed to nurse him. So did they still have a relationship? Certainly possible. There are so many unanswered questions. Did he live with a divided heart for years? Did he spend endless nights pleading with Pharaoh? Was he embarrassed by his background and didn't want to believe it? We have no idea. What we do know is that he was raised to be a prince of Egypt. But by the time he was 40, he knew exactly who he was and who his brothers and sisters truly were. Were. One day he goes out to his brothers, the Hebrews, and he looks on their burdens. And what he sees he cannot unsee. An Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own. He looks this way and that, and when he sees no one watching, he strikes. Strikes the Egyptian down and buries him in the sand. Now this raises a nagging question for me. If Moses was a member of Pharaoh's household in the royal family, so to speak, why would he have feared killing someone? Wouldn't a royal be able to kill a lowly Egyptian taskmaster with little to no reprisal? This goes into the historical context at the time. Exodus 1:8 says, now there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph. Commentators note that this likely indicates a dynastic change. A new royal house with no political or familial loyalty to the previous regime. In fact, during either time period, you believe royal houses at that time were very politically unstable, with different factions having different claims to the crown. The princess who had adopted him was almost certainly aging or dead. And the reigning pharaoh would have viewed an adopted Hebrew with suspicion, not affection. And the man Moses killed was not a slave. He was an Egyptian official, a representative of Pharaoh's economic and political authority. This is crucial. In ancient Egypt, killing a Hebrew slave was something an Egyptian could do with little consequence. But a member of the royal household killing one of Pharaoh's taskmasters. This probably would not have looked so much like murder. It would have looked like the potential beginning of an insurrection. The next day, Moses goes out and this time he finds two Hebrews fighting each other. He steps in to make peace, and the man in the wrong rounds on him with words that must have cut deeply. Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill us as you killed the Egyptian? And Moses is afraid. The secret is out. Beneath these interactions is something deeper that the New Testament helps us understand. The writer of Hebrews tells us this whole episode began in faith. By faith. Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the Reward. That's Hebrews 11:24-26. When Moses walked out of the palace, he was not slumming, he was choosing. He looked at the gold of Egypt on the one hand and the suffering of God's people in the other. And he chose the suffering. That is faith. So what went wrong? Well, it can be summed up in the next phrase. He looked this way. That a long line of preachers have lingered over those words and noticed what was missing. As Chuck Swindoll says, he looked east, he looked west, he looked over his shoulder, but he didn't look up, did he? He looked in both directions horizontally, but he left the vertical completely out of it. Moses was a man with a true call, but a glance still fixed on the ground. Here is the heart of the problem. Moses tried to bring about by his own hand what God had promised to bring about by his covenant. The deliverer was right, the cause was right, the method was wrong, and the time was not yet. And the proof is what he is in what he does next. He hides the body in the sand, as if sand could keep a secret from God. Within a day, the rumor was loose. Within a week, Pharaoh wants him dead. Three things to take from these opening verses. First, a true call from God does not exempt a man from from the discipline of God's timing. Moses had the right cause and the right collar. But he ran ahead. And it will take 40 years in the desert to refine him. Second, hidden sin is a poor investment. Sand is a thin grave. What God means to expose, no man can keep buried. Third, there is mercy for those with juvenile or immature faith. John Calvin's pastoral word on this passage is really helpful. Even the obedience of the saints, stained as it is by sin, is still sometimes acceptable to God through his mercy. So Moses runs, but God was not finished with him. He was only beginning verses 15 through 17. Verse 15 begins with collapse. However noble Moses motives may have been, when he took matters into his own hands, he was outside the will of God. And yet God still had a plan for him. This is one of the great promises of Scripture. God uses sinners for his glory. It's the only kind he has to work with. When you read the heroes of the faith, they read a lot more like a Alcoholics Anonymous meeting than a catalog of superheroes. I can almost see them in a church basement, sitting in a circle on folding chairs, sipping bad coffee, introducing themselves. Hi, I'm Abraham and I'm a liar who pimped out my wife. Hi, I'm Jacob. I'm a deceiver and I'm a thief. How? Hi, I'm Samson and I'm a lust addicted vow breaker. Hi, I'm David. I'm an adulterer and a murderer. Hi, I'm Jonah and I'm a racist runaway. Hi, I'm Peter and I'm a coward who denied my Savior. Hi, I'm Moses and I'm a murderer. When Janet and I lived in Atlanta, we had a pastor who was fond of saying that God doesn't look for ability, he looks for availability. God uses broken people because it's his strength, it's his wisdom, it's his power, and it's for his glory. God would be using Moses, but he had some seasoning yet to experience. Verse 15. When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. There's no firm consensus on where exactly Midian was, but the traditional and most widely accepted location is in northwest Arabia, east of the Gulf of Agapa, in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia. The Midianites appear to have been a semi nomadic people, so Midian may refer to an area where the tribe ranged rather than a specific location. Calvin, commenting here, sees in Moses flight not cowardice, but the sovereign hand of God, breaking a man down before he builds him up. Calvin's instinct is that the Lord put his servant through a long banishment precisely so that he would learn humility and dependence, because the work for which he was designed was greater than human strength could compass. 40 Years of palace training had to be matched by 40 years of desert undoing. Augustine, in a different connection, spoke of being in the region of unlikeness that far country, where the soul learns who it is by losing what it had. Moses, sitting by that well is in the region of unlikeness. Verse 15 ends noting that Moses, obviously exhausted, sat down by a well. One of the beauties of Scripture is the inclusion of what so often to us seems like pointless details. But wells, as it turns out, is an important location in the Bible, specifically, if you are looking for a wife. In Genesis 24, Abraham's servant meets Rebekah, Isaac's future wife, at a well. In Genesis 29, Jacob meets Rachel at a well. This time, who is Moses going to meet? Verses 16 and 17. Now, the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up to save them and watered their flock. Moses is once again faced with injustice. Has he learned anything? A group of young women have come to the well to draw water, and a group of shepherds is going to give them a hard time. Moses, again courageously rises to their defense. Already we see clues that he is learning from his past mistakes. The text does not record that he killed the shepherds, and not only that he served the young women by watering their flock. For the first time, he was learning what it was to be a deliverer. He stands firm for what is just and begins to practice true leadership, which is born out of service. It would have been unthinkable at the time for a man to perform a menial task for women. But Moses stooped to serve. And by learning to serve, he was learning to lead. For all God's leaders are servants. He, in time, the one who is the true and better. Moses would himself kneel and wash 12 pairs of dirty feet and tell his disciples that whoever wants to be great must be a servant of all. Service is always one of the first courses in God's leadership training. Anyone who aspires to spiritual leadership, especially in the church, should begin by finding a place of humble service. If you travel to my alma mater, Wheaton College, one of the most striking little buildings on campus is the Marion E. Wade center, which houses the largest collection of C.S. Lewis writings in the world. Its namesake, Marian Wade, was an American businessman and founder of the large company Servicemaster. Wade was a man of deep faith who established a tradition called six weeks on the front lines. Every future executive at the company would spend six weeks scrubbing floors on hands and knees, doing the work of those they would later lead. Wade believed that those who refused to serve had no business leading. One of the other blessings of servant leadership is that when kids watch authentic service from their parents, it has a tendency to be passed down through the generations. The other founder of Service Master was a gentleman by the name of Ken Hanson. Ken's son, Walter Hanson, when he grew up, would move to Cleveland. He started a little church in his living room. And it grew, and it grew to about a thousand. In 10 years, the church would grow into what is now called Parkside Church. And if that name rings a bell, it would be because it's the church that Alistair Begg just retired from. It's amazing how these things pass down. Moses is being molded. Though he must feel lost and alone, God is right there, directing the most salient detail, refining his champion. God creates this dress rehearsal. The stage is a backwater. Well, the cast is seven anonymous girls, but the script is the same script that would one day be played out at the Red Sea. This is how God so often works. CS Lewis, in his collected letters, wrote that the great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's own or real life. The truth is, of course, that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life, the life God is sending one day by day, Moses thought his real life had ended at the border of Egypt. In fact, his real life was just beginning in Midian. There are seasons of our lives where it seems to have been derailed, where the calling we thought we had has collapsed and we find ourselves sitting by a well in some unfamiliar place. The temptation is to read those seasons as God's absence. But this text invites us to read them as God's curriculum. The God who is going to deliver Israel is at this very moment teaching his deliverer how to stand up for seven helpless women at a watering trough. Nothing in your wilderness is wasted. Turn to verses 18 to 22. The daughters return home and their father called Ruel here or Jethro elsewhere, most likely the same man. So don't get confused. Very common at the time for there to be multiple names for somebody. And he asked why they're early, and they say, an Egyptian delivered us. It's a quietly ironic line. Moses has gone out to deliver Hebrews and was rejected as a meddling Egyptian. He flees to Midian and is received as a generous Egyptian. The man cannot escape his identity, and yet his identity is not what God will make of it. Ruel rebukes his daughters for leaving the man unhosted. Call him that. He may eat bread and Moses is brought in. Verse 21 simply says Moses was content to dwell with the man. The Hebrew verb here ya all carries the sense of consenting, of being willing, even of resigning oneself. Moses is not striving anymore. He has come to the end of his striving. He sits down and he stays. The Book of Acts tells us that 40 years passed between Moses flight to Midian and his encounter with God at the burning bush. D.L. Moody is often quoted as saying Moses spent 40 years in Egypt learning to be something. 40 Years in the desert learning to be nothing. And 40 years in the wilderness proving God to be everything. Philip Reichen notes that whenever we are tempted to grow impatient with God's timetable for our lives, we should remember Moses, who spent two years of preparation for every year of ministry. Zipporah is given to Moses as a wife and a son is born. Moses names him Gershom new meaning I have become an alien in a foreign land. The name comes from the Hebrew verb garash, which means to drive out or expel. It may refer to Moses own experience of being driven out of Egypt. It also sounds like the Hebrew words ger and sham, which is a pun that means an alien there. Every time Moses speaks his son's name, he confesses that he does not belong. Midian is not home. Egypt is not home. He is a man between worlds. The Puritans loved this theme of sojourning. John Owen described the believer as a stranger and a pilgrim traveling through a country not his own, with his heart fixed on a city whose builder and maker is God. Jonathan Edwards preached a famous sermon called the Christian Pilgrim, in which he said that the true Christian travels on through this world as a wayfaring man and looks not upon any of the enjoyments of this world as his own. GK Chesterton, with his usual paradox, put it this way. How can we contrive to be at once astonished at the world and and yet at home in it? The answer of Scripture is that we cannot. Not fully, not yet. We are pilgrims. Gershom is the name of every saint. But notice Moses, sojourning is not a punishment, it is a preparation. RC Sproul emphasized that the entire 40 year sojourn in Midian was God's way of thinking. Moses for leadership, a man trained only in Pharaoh's court could not lead Israel through Pharaoh's wilderness. But a man who had himself become a shepherd of sheep in that very wilderness could one day shepherd God's people through it. The geography of Midian is the geography of the Exodus. Route. The skills Moses learned watering Reuel's flock are the skills he would use leading Israel's flock. God was not killing time. God was forging an instrument. And Moses doesn't know he names his son after his displacement. He doesn't name him soon to be deliverer or heir of promise. He names him Sojourner. The man cannot see what God is doing. Alistair Begg has spoken movingly of how God's people are very often in the dark about the brightness of God's plan for them. Moses is in the dark, but the brightness is gathering. If you are a Christian, you are a Gershom. You are a sojourner in a foreign land. The disquiet you feel, the restlessness, the sense that this world is not home is not a defect of your discipleship. It is a feature of it. CS Lewis spoke of this often when he talked about the pilgrim longing in Mere Christianity. He wrote, if we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world. The long ordinary years in which it seems nothing of eternal weight is happening to you are very likely the years in which God is doing his deepest work. Verses 23 and 20 through 25. And now the camera pulls back, just like in a movie. We get a break from the action in Midian and the screen flashes. Meanwhile, back in Egypt. Verse 23. During those many days, the king of Egypt died and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. 40 Years have passed. A Pharaoh has died, another has come. Nothing has changed for Israel. They are still in chains. Bricks still must be made, whips still fall. And from those brick fields raises a sound. The text uses the strongest words in Hebrew for it. A groaning, a crying, a shrieking that goes up out of the dust. Where does the cry go? To all human eyes, the cry goes nowhere. Pharaoh doesn't hear it. The Egyptians don't hear it. Moses doesn't hear it. And then come four of the most precious verbs in the Old Testament. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God, and God heard their groaning. And God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel, and God knew. God heard. God remembered. God saw. God knew. John Piper has called these four verbs the Gospel before the Gospel, the announcement hundreds of years before Bethlehem that the God of heaven is not a deistic clock maker, but a covenant father who hears the groaning of his enslaved children. Each verb carries a war world. God heard, not merely overheard, the Hebrew implies attentive, responsive, hearing the cry that no human ear answered, the cry that seemed to die in the air over the Egyptian sky. The cry arrived at the throne of heaven. The silence of God is never the deafness of God. When his people cry, he hears with the ears of a father. God remembered. This does not mean that God had forgotten and now recalled. To remember in the covenantal sense is to act upon a prior commitment. When Scripture says God remembered Noah, the next thing is that the waters subside. When it says he remembered Hannah, the next thing is that she conceives. When it says he remembered his covenant with Abraham, the next thing is the Exodus. God's remembrance is the prelude to his deliverance, the covenant he made 400 years before. I will be a God to you and to your offspring after you has not faded. He was about to honor it. God saw. The verb is the same verb used in Genesis 1. And God saw that it was good. It is the verb of attentive, evaluating, sight. He saw the bruises, he saw the broken backs. He saw the widows, the unburied babies. There is no suffering of his people that is hidden from him. The Scottish divine Samuel Rutherford, writing from his imprisonment in Aberdeen, often returned to the image of God as the watchman over Israel, who never slumbers, whose people's tears are gathered in heaven long before they fall to the ground. God sees and God knew. Interestingly, the verb stands alone in the Hebrew. There is no object God knew. Some translations may supply one. God knew their condition, but the Hebrew leaves it bare. Why? Perhaps because what God knows here is larger than any object can contain. He knows their pain, he knows their bondage, he knows their names, and he knows what he is about to do. Jonathan Edwards taught that every act of God in history is the unfolding of a purpose conceived before time began. God knew. While Moses sits in Midian thinking he had been forgotten, and while Israel cries in Egypt, thinking that they have been forgotten, neither has been forgotten. God is doing two things at once. In Midian, he is shaping his deliverer. In Egypt, he is hearing their cries. The two threads are converging towards a burning bush in the next chapter. But neither Moses nor Israel can see it. Yet Augustine in his Confessions, wrote this sentence. Thou, O Lord, wert more inward to me than my most inward part and higher than my highest. That is the God of Exodus 2. He is closer to Israel's groaning than the chains on their wrists. He is closer to Moses weariness than the dust on his sandals. He is not far off. He is not distracted, he is at work. Four thoughts to close. First, be still and know that he is God. What we are very often is people who run ahead of God. Moses is not alone in this. Abraham had the promise of a son and and couldn't wait until he took Hagar. And the household of faith has lived with the consequences ever since. Jacob had the blessing already promised to him, but couldn't wait, and so he stole it with a goatskin and a lie. Peter had a lord he loved and couldn't bear to see him arrested. So he drew a sword in Gethsemane and cut off a man's ear. The pattern is older than Moses, and it is as new as this morning. The right cause can be pursued in the wrong way and the wrong time. Bradley Gray puts it bluntly. Nothing good happens when you get ahead of God and take matters into your own hands. Second, the silence of God is not the absence of God. 40 Years passed in Midian and 400 years in Egypt before God spoke from the bush. But not one of those years was empty. God was hearing, he was remembering. He was seeing, he was knowing. If your life feels like a wilderness right now, if you have been sitting by your own well in Midian waiting for a word from heaven that just doesn't come, take this passage and press it to your heart. The silence is not absence. The God who shaped Moses in obscurity is shaping you now. In his 1967 book Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders quoted this anonymous poem. When God wants to drill a man and thrill a man, and skill a man. When God wants to mold a man to play the noblest part, when he yearns with all his heart to create so great and bold a man that all the world shall be amazed. Watch his methods, watch his ways, how he ruthlessly perfects whom he royally elects. How his hammer he hammers him and hurts him and with mighty blows converts him into trial shapes of clay which only God understands. While his tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands, how he bends but never breaks when his good he undertakes, how he uses whom he chooses and with every purpose him by every act induces him to try his splendor out. God knows what he's about. Third, your sojourning has a destination. Moses named his son Gershom because he felt the foreignness of his life. But the foreignness was not the end of the story. It was the prelude to a calling. The writer of Hebrews tells us that all the saints acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. They desired a better country. That is a heavenly one. Your pilgrimage is not a pointless one wandering. It is a movement towards a country God has prepared for you. Fourth, and most importantly, the God who heard Israel has heard you in a fuller way still. The end of Exodus 2 is a foreshadowing. The four verbs heard, remembered, saw new, find their final fulfillment not at Sinai, but at Calvary. There the Father heard the cries of his people. There he remembered the covenant he had made before the foundations of the world. There he saw his Son lifted up between heaven and earth, bearing the groaning of every enslaved soul in his own body. And there he knew in a way only the triune God could know the cost of redeeming a people for himself. If God heard Israel groaning under Pharaoh and he sent Moses, how much more has he heard your groaning and sent his son? The exodus from Egypt is the shadow. The exodus from sin and death is the substance. And the same four verbs hover over the cross. Today God hears your cries that come up from the dust of this fallen world. God remembers his covenant with you. God sees you right now in this room, in your struggle, in your brokenness. And God knows exactly what he's doing. Let's pray. Father, thank you for this text. Father, thank you for your covenant with us. That you know us, that you love us, that you see us, that no prayer goes unheard, no silence is a waste. And that wherever we are in our life, whatever burdens we are carrying, that you're right here. That you are molding us and you are creating us in just the way that you had planned for us before the creation of the world. Thank you for who you are. In Jesus name, amen. The post Moses Flees to Midian – Exodus 2: 11-25 appeared first on Red Village Church.

Many Focus on Earning Money and Living a Financially Driven Life Which Lets Money Become Their “god” MESSAGE SUMMARY: We are so focused on earning money and other financially driven life activities so that it is easy for money and finances to become our god. Making finances “our god” violates the Second Commandment. Jesus is Lord over all Creation, as we are told in Psalms 24:1: “The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.”. Therefore, everything that has been entrusted to you is God's. In James 5:1-3, the author of the Book of James provides insight into someone who does NOT make God the Lord of their finances: “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.”. Therefore, let God Be Lord over your finances, which are, in reality, God's finances.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will entrust to Him my future. I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.  From 2 Timothy 1:12 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Psalms 24:1-10; James 5:1-6; Psalms 25:1-22; Psalms 45:1-17. 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 Day of Pentecost – The Promise Fulfilled” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Why doesn't God answer every prayer with a “yes”? What do we do when his will feels painful or confusing? And what can we learn from Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane? In today's episode, Patrick shares how Luke 22:39–46 shows that God's answers are rooted not in the strength of our faith, but in his loving will and purpose. Read the Bible with us! This year, we're exploring the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—and it's never too late to join! Download your reading plan now. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it so that others can find it, too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passage: Luke 22:39–46

The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman VERY FAMILIAR STORY -   *TIED TO MY NOTES TODAY   THE BUILD UP and DEMISE OF ISRAEL    THE PEOPLE WANTED A MAN OVER GOD (They wanted a King)… Here is an old quote: when more than one votes… you can assure its the wrong decision. It wasn't a King that was truly the problem -  BUT RATHER following a man, that was the problem. It was the peoples desire to follow a King over a prophet who followed God.      ***No one voted a prophet in.         ****People choose a King, God chooses a prophet.    Saul offers false sacrifices Saul chooses to disobey Gods orders to wipe out the Amakalites  Saul becomes erratic and tormented by demonic spirits  Saul now operates out of fear  *Israel and the army now saw their enemies the way their leader did - IN FEAR.   The battle of David and Goliath was never really about David and Goliath. It was the culmination of Israel's spiritual decline under Saul, and the first visible sign that God had already been at work preparing a different kind of leader — one after His own heart.       1 Samuel 17 41 Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, 42 sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 43 “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44 “Come over here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled. 45 David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven's Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47 And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord's battle, and he will give you to us!”     David's arrival on the battlefield was jarring precisely because of the contrast. He was young, unarmored, and inexperienced — but he carried something the entire army had lost: a reference point for who God was.         David doesn't call out the enemy, he calls out his tactics… His weapons of choice.  WHY?      In 1 Samuel 17:45, David identifies a three-fold physical threat.  In John 10:10, Jesus identifies a three-fold spiritual threat. They map onto each other in a way that shows how the enemy operates:   | Goliath's Arsenal (1 Samuel 17:45) | The Thief's Mission (John 10:10) | The Spiritual Parallel    -  The Sword.  |  To Steal   | Goliath relied on his sword to strip Israel of their land, their freedom, and their identity. The enemy wants to rob you of your peace and purpose.    The Spear.  |   To Kill | A spear is designed for a direct, fatal strike. Goliath's   Literal goal was to end David's life; the thief's goal is total spiritual death.   The Javelin   |   To Destroy   |  A javelin is thrown from a distance, bringing unexpected, widespread ruin. The enemy aims for complete devastation of your life and relationships.    The Core Contrast: Flesh vs. Spirit The real tie-in between these two passages is the **source of victory** that both David and Jesus point to. Both stories set up a stark contrast between reliance on worldly power and reliance on divine power.    * **David's Answer:** Right after naming Goliath's weapons, David says, *"But I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts."* He acknowledges the physical threat but completely bypasses it by relying on God's authority.    * **Jesus' Answer:** Right after naming the thief's three-fold threat, Jesus says, *"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."*     Bears and Lions can't call you out. They can't mock you, cast verbal jabs and doubt at you.      Historical Context His defiance of Israel's armies was also a taunt against their God. Your problems, issues, fears, is a taunt against God!   Goliath's relys on human technology, political position and physical power.   David invokes God's character and power, not his own resources. This echoes the idea that God's name represents His active intervention (similar to Exodus 3 or the Psalms).     It wasn't the weapon David had it was the Worship.  Slingers were common;   -  Tribe of Benjamin 700 warriors ambidextrous        -    Sling a stone up to 95 MPH              -   At over 200 yards…  They were so confident they would inscribe words on their stones… MINE WOULD BE “ROCK ON”      David contrasts Goliath's weapons with the invisible but superior heavenly host. This title appears frequently in prophetic books but here underscores early recognition of God's military sovereignty. "Whom you have defied [cheraf-ta]": The verb charaf means to reproach, taunt, or blaspheme. Goliath's challenge is personal against Israel's God, making this a theological battle, not just military. YOUR PROBLEMS ARE A THEOLOGICAL PROBLEM…  i.e. Your problems are a “who is your God Problem”       Do you know who my father is?   - a. No   - b. Yes and I don't care   - c. Yes and I will leave you alone BUT WHAT IF THE QUESTION WAS THIS IN THAT SITUATION… “I wonder who my father is?”     Jehovah Jireh (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה) "The LORD will provide" — revealed when God provided a ram as Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac. Genesis 22:14. Jehovah Rapha (יְהוָה רָפָא) "The LORD who heals" — revealed after God sweetened the bitter waters of Marah for Israel in the wilderness. Exodus 15:26. Covers physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Jehovah Nissi (יְהוָה נִסִּי) "The LORD is my banner" — declared by Moses after Israel's victory over the Amalekites. A banner was a military standard — the rallying point in battle. Exodus 17:15. God Himself is the flag Israel fights under. Jehovah Shalom (יְהוָה שָׁלוֹם) "The LORD is peace" — spoken by Gideon after encountering the angel of the Lord and fearing he would die. Shalom is not just the absence of conflict but wholeness, completeness, and flourishing. Judges 6:24. Jehovah Rohi (יְהוָה רֹעִי) "The LORD is my shepherd" — the opening of Psalm 23. One of the most intimate names — depicting God as the one who leads, feeds, protects, and restores. Jehovah Tsidkenu (יְהוָה צִדְקֵנוּ) "The LORD our righteousness" — a prophetic name pointing to the coming Messiah who would be the righteousness of His people. Jeremiah 23:6. Deeply connected to the New Testament doctrine of justification. Jehovah Shammah (יְהוָה שָׁמָּה) "The LORD is there" — the name given to the restored Jerusalem in Ezekiel's vision. Ezekiel 48:35. God's presence dwelling permanently with His people — echoed in Revelation 21 with the New Jerusalem. Jehovah Sabaoth (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת) "The LORD of Hosts" or "The LORD of Armies" — one of the most frequently used names in the prophets. It pictures God as the commander of vast heavenly armies. Used powerfully in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Malachi. Jehovah Mekoddishkem (יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם) "The LORD who sanctifies you" — Exodus 31:13. God as the one who sets His people apart and makes them holy. Sanctification as His work, not ours alone. Jehovah Gmolah (יְהוָה גְּמֻלּוֹת) "The LORD of recompense" or "The God of vengeance" — Jeremiah 51:56. God as the one who repays — both in justice against enemies and in vindication of His people.   The Compound El Names El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי) "God Almighty" or literally "God of the mountains" or "the all-sufficient one." First used with Abraham in Genesis 17:1 when God renewed His covenant. It speaks of God's absolute sufficiency — He is enough for every need. El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן) "God Most High" — used by Melchizedek blessing Abraham in Genesis 14. It emphasizes God's supremacy above all other powers, rulers, and so-called gods. El Olam (אֵל עוֹלָם) "The Everlasting God" or "God of eternity" — Genesis 21:33. He has no beginning and no end. Time exists within Him, not the other way around. El Roi (אֵל רֳאִי) "The God who sees me" — spoken by Hagar in the wilderness after she fled from Sarah. Genesis 16:13. One of the most tender names — God seeing the forgotten, the marginalized, the one who thinks they are invisible. El Gibhor (אֵל גִּבּוֹר) "Mighty God" — Isaiah 9:6, in the famous messianic prophecy. One of the titles given to the coming Messiah — pointing directly to Christ. El Hannun (אֵל חַנּוּן) "The gracious God" — Nehemiah 9:31. God whose grace prevents Him from completely destroying even a rebellious people.   New Testament  Abba (אַבָּא) "Father" — an Aramaic term of deep intimacy, closer to "Daddy" than formal address. Jesus used it in Gethsemane. Paul says believers are given the Spirit of adoption by which they cry "Abba, Father." Romans 8:15. Emmanuel (עִמָּנוּאֵל) "God with us" — Isaiah 7:14, fulfilled in Matthew 1:23 with the birth of Jesus. Perhaps the most staggering name of all — the eternal God choosing to be with humanity in flesh.     Why This Matters Each name was not invented by theologians — it was revealed in a moment.  God didn't introduce Himself as Jehovah Rapha in a lecture. He revealed it when Israel was thirsty and the water was bitter. He revealed Jehovah Jireh when a father was about to lose his son on an altar. The pattern is consistent throughout Scripture: Every name of God was born out of a human crisis that God personally entered. That means the names are not just theological categories — they are a record of God showing up. And for anyone studying or teaching these names, the invitation is not just to know them but to discover which name corresponds to the specific place of need you are standing in right now.       Lets end on this:  1 Sam. 17:40 40 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd's bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd's staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine. WHY FIVE STONES? Because Goliath had 4 brothers!  Ishbi-Benob, Saph, Lahmi AND SIX FINGER FRANK     …THERE WILL ALWAYS BE GIANTS… But who is your God? He is the one who crushed satans head and gives us the victory!    CALL ON HIS NAME AND HE SHALL ANSWER. 

Send us a message!We read Luke 22 as the story narrows to the Last Supper, Gethsemane, betrayal, and Peter's denial, and we let the weight of Jesus' love land outside the Easter season. We sit with the reality of spiritual warfare and find comfort in Jesus praying for our faith when we are shaken. • the Passover setting and Judas' decision to betray Jesus • Jesus establishing the bread and cup as remembrance and new covenant • the disciples' argument about greatness and Jesus' model of serving • Jesus warning Peter about being sifted and promising intercession • Gethsemane prayer, arrest, and Jesus choosing the Father's will • Peter's three denials, the rooster crow, and bitter weeping • Jesus mocked, questioned, and affirmed as the Son of God • why darkness is allowed for a time and how healing can follow • turning failure into a mission to strengthen other believers  At outloudbible.com, you can find free resources to help you study the Bible. And while you're there, send us a message to say hi, or start a conversation about having us at your church or event. If Outloud Bible has been a valuable part of your understanding of the Bible, please consider supporting the ministry by visiting outloudbible.com.Support the showCheck out outloudbible.com for helpful study resources, and to discover how to bring the public reading of God's word to your church, conference, retreat, or other event.

The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman    Bears and Lions can't call you out. They can't mock you, cast verbal jabs and doubt at you.      Historical Context His defiance of Israel's armies was also a taunt against their God. Your problems, issues, fears, is a taunt against God!   Goliath's relys on human technology, political position and physical power.   David invokes God's character and power, not his own resources. This echoes the idea that God's name represents His active intervention (similar to Exodus 3 or the Psalms).     It wasn't the weapon David had it was the Worship.  Slingers were common;   -  Tribe of Benjamin 700 warriors ambidextrous        -    Sling a stone up to 95 MPH              -   At over 200 yards…  They were so confident they would inscribe words on their stones… MINE WOULD BE “ROCK ON”      David contrasts Goliath's weapons with the invisible but superior heavenly host. This title appears frequently in prophetic books but here underscores early recognition of God's military sovereignty. "Whom you have defied [cheraf-ta]": The verb charaf means to reproach, taunt, or blaspheme. Goliath's challenge is personal against Israel's God, making this a theological battle, not just military. YOUR PROBLEMS ARE A THEOLOGICAL PROBLEM…  i.e. Your problems are a “who is your God Problem”       Do you know who my father is?   - a. No   - b. Yes and I don't care   - c. Yes and I will leave you alone BUT WHAT IF THE QUESTION WAS THIS IN THAT SITUATION… “I wonder who my father is?”     Jehovah Jireh (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה) "The LORD will provide" — revealed when God provided a ram as Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac. Genesis 22:14. Jehovah Rapha (יְהוָה רָפָא) "The LORD who heals" — revealed after God sweetened the bitter waters of Marah for Israel in the wilderness. Exodus 15:26. Covers physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Jehovah Nissi (יְהוָה נִסִּי) "The LORD is my banner" — declared by Moses after Israel's victory over the Amalekites. A banner was a military standard — the rallying point in battle. Exodus 17:15. God Himself is the flag Israel fights under. Jehovah Shalom (יְהוָה שָׁלוֹם) "The LORD is peace" — spoken by Gideon after encountering the angel of the Lord and fearing he would die. Shalom is not just the absence of conflict but wholeness, completeness, and flourishing. Judges 6:24. Jehovah Rohi (יְהוָה רֹעִי) "The LORD is my shepherd" — the opening of Psalm 23. One of the most intimate names — depicting God as the one who leads, feeds, protects, and restores. Jehovah Tsidkenu (יְהוָה צִדְקֵנוּ) "The LORD our righteousness" — a prophetic name pointing to the coming Messiah who would be the righteousness of His people. Jeremiah 23:6. Deeply connected to the New Testament doctrine of justification. Jehovah Shammah (יְהוָה שָׁמָּה) "The LORD is there" — the name given to the restored Jerusalem in Ezekiel's vision. Ezekiel 48:35. God's presence dwelling permanently with His people — echoed in Revelation 21 with the New Jerusalem. Jehovah Sabaoth (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת) "The LORD of Hosts" or "The LORD of Armies" — one of the most frequently used names in the prophets. It pictures God as the commander of vast heavenly armies. Used powerfully in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Malachi. Jehovah Mekoddishkem (יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם) "The LORD who sanctifies you" — Exodus 31:13. God as the one who sets His people apart and makes them holy. Sanctification as His work, not ours alone. Jehovah Gmolah (יְהוָה גְּמֻלּוֹת) "The LORD of recompense" or "The God of vengeance" — Jeremiah 51:56. God as the one who repays — both in justice against enemies and in vindication of His people.   The Compound El Names El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי) "God Almighty" or literally "God of the mountains" or "the all-sufficient one." First used with Abraham in Genesis 17:1 when God renewed His covenant. It speaks of God's absolute sufficiency — He is enough for every need. El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן) "God Most High" — used by Melchizedek blessing Abraham in Genesis 14. It emphasizes God's supremacy above all other powers, rulers, and so-called gods. El Olam (אֵל עוֹלָם) "The Everlasting God" or "God of eternity" — Genesis 21:33. He has no beginning and no end. Time exists within Him, not the other way around. El Roi (אֵל רֳאִי) "The God who sees me" — spoken by Hagar in the wilderness after she fled from Sarah. Genesis 16:13. One of the most tender names — God seeing the forgotten, the marginalized, the one who thinks they are invisible. El Gibhor (אֵל גִּבּוֹר) "Mighty God" — Isaiah 9:6, in the famous messianic prophecy. One of the titles given to the coming Messiah — pointing directly to Christ. El Hannun (אֵל חַנּוּן) "The gracious God" — Nehemiah 9:31. God whose grace prevents Him from completely destroying even a rebellious people.   New Testament  Abba (אַבָּא) "Father" — an Aramaic term of deep intimacy, closer to "Daddy" than formal address. Jesus used it in Gethsemane. Paul says believers are given the Spirit of adoption by which they cry "Abba, Father." Romans 8:15. Emmanuel (עִמָּנוּאֵל) "God with us" — Isaiah 7:14, fulfilled in Matthew 1:23 with the birth of Jesus. Perhaps the most staggering name of all — the eternal God choosing to be with humanity in flesh.     Why This Matters Each name was not invented by theologians — it was revealed in a moment.  God didn't introduce Himself as Jehovah Rapha in a lecture. He revealed it when Israel was thirsty and the water was bitter. He revealed Jehovah Jireh when a father was about to lose his son on an altar. The pattern is consistent throughout Scripture: Every name of God was born out of a human crisis that God personally entered. That means the names are not just theological categories — they are a record of God showing up. And for anyone studying or teaching these names, the invitation is not just to know them but to discover which name corresponds to the specific place of need you are standing in right now.

One of the great marks of the church of Jesus Christ is unity. Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that "we might be one." Paul prays for the church in Corinth the very same things. What does it look like when a church has unity together? Does everyone think and act the same? This week explore how we can heed Jesus' exhortation to be ONE.

Have you ever been absolutely sure you'd hold up under pressure — until you didn't? That's Peter's story in Mark chapter 14, and honestly? It's most of our stories, too. Peter is one of Jesus's closest friends. He's bold, he's passionate, he's all in. And when Jesus tells him that before the rooster crows twice, Peter will deny knowing Him three times — Peter can't even accept it. Even if everyone else falls away, I won't. He means every word. And by the end of that same night, he's standing by a fire, cursing and swearing that he has never met this man. Here's what I don't want us to miss: this isn't a story about Peter being uniquely weak or uniquely bad. This is a story about what fear does to all of us, faster than we expect. Fear reshapes our behavior before we even realize it's happening. We also spend time in the Garden of Gethsemane, where we get one of the most raw and human moments in the entire Gospel. Jesus — fully God and fully man — is on His knees asking His Father if there is any other way. He's not performing. He's not distant. He is agonizing. And while He's drawing on the strength of His Father through prayer, His disciples are... asleep. Again and again. And that difference — Jesus prepared through prayer, the disciples unprepared through sleep — that's the whole point. Because here's the thing about being spiritually alert: you don't build it in the moment of crisis. You don't decide to run a marathon the day of the race. The courage to follow Jesus under pressure is built in the quiet, daily, unsexy work of being in His word, staying in prayer, and paying attention to what God is doing around you. If your spiritual life feels like an insurance policy you're just keeping current — I want to gently say, you are missing out on so much of what Jesus actually came to offer. So this week I'm asking you to sit with one question: Is there any place in your life where you're following Jesus at a distance? Because that's where the gap is. And that's exactly where Jesus wants to meet you. Want More? Read along: Mark 14:27–72 Psalm connection: Psalm 56:3 — "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you" One-sentence prayer for the week: "God, help me bring my fears honestly to you instead of pretending I'm stronger than I really am." Brave Enough by Nicole Unice — on what it looks like to follow Jesus with courage and grace in everyday life. Find it at NicoleUnice.com Sign up for Nicole's monthly newsletter at NicoleUnice.com/realtalk Leave a comment on YouTube — Nicole loves hearing from the community! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In Gethsemane, Jesus falls to the ground in anguish and prays, “Take this cup from me.” Why? What was Jesus seeing in that moment? Why was the Son of God overwhelmed with sorrow “to the point of death”? And what does His suffering reveal about the cross? In this message, Pastor Andy Davis explores one of the most sacred and mysterious moments in the Bible — the night Jesus chose the cross. This message covers: - Why Gethsemane is holy ground - The crushing weight Jesus faced before the cross - What it means that Jesus willingly submitted to the Father - How Jesus succeeded where Adam failed - Why prayer matters in moments of temptation and suffering - What true surrender to God looks like Jesus was not trapped. He willingly went to the cross for sinners. And in Gethsemane, we see the greatest display of courage in history and the Savior who willingly suffered so sinners could be forgiven.

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 8:00 AM Session   This episode opens with a vivid everyday analogy about buttoning a shirt to introduce a sermon-length study titled "From the Beginning." The speaker gives a concise, structured overview of Genesis—highlighting its primary aim to introduce man to God, its two historical sections (primeval history and patriarchal history), and three key time-frames that reveal God's power, plan, and providence. The program then focuses on the phrase "from the beginning," tracing its use in the New Testament (23 occurrences) and explaining two grammatical senses: reference to a span of time and reference to a specific point in time. The speaker outlines a three-part series approach that uses passages employing this phrase to teach how we relate to Jesus, to one another, and how to strengthen family relationships. The heart of the episode is a close reading of 1 John 1:1–4. The passage is analyzed and applied: John's purpose in writing (so believers might know they have eternal life, resist sin, and enjoy full joy), and three affirmations about Jesus drawn from the text—his message, his ministry, and his manhood. The sermon illustrates each affirmation with biblical examples: the Sermon on the Mount and its seven themes (attitudes, influence, authority, devotion, possessions, relationships, prayer); the healing of the leper as an example of compassionate ministry; and Jesus in Gethsemane and Hebrews to demonstrate his genuine humanity and ongoing high-priestly ministry in heaven. Key practical points include the centrality of fellowship with God and one another as the solution to church division, the continuing relevance of Christ's message for salvation and sanctification, and the comfort that Jesus both sympathizes with human weakness and ministers for us now. There are no external guests—this is a focused homiletic teaching combining Genesis orientation, New Testament exegesis, and pastoral application aimed at deepening listeners' relationship with Christ and each other. Listeners can expect theological exposition, close textual analysis, and concrete pastoral applications intended to encourage faith, foster Christian fellowship, and call hearers to heed the message of Jesus "from the beginning."   Duration 41:28

Jesus Says “Self-Denial” Is Required of Jesus Followers: “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" MESSAGE SUMMARY: In a time in which we hear so much about self-help, self-image, and self-actualization, Jesus is saying self-denial is the way to life. Jesus tells us, in Matthew 16:24, that self-denial is a key element in following Him: “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'". “Taking up one's cross” means to die to self-ambitions. When we die to our self-ambitious and put them on the cross, Jesus' life moves through us: “Not my will but Thy will.”. By denying self, we become alive in Jesus; and His Spirit flows through us – we experience eternal life and abundant life.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will seek God's perspective on my situation. For I know that in all things God works together for good to those of us who love Him and are called according to His purpose. From Romans 8:28 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 16:24; Mathew 10:38-39; Galatians 6:14-17; Psalms 141:1-10. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Are You Filled with the Holy Spirit?” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

☞ ABOUT THIS MESSAGE Rob explores Hebrews 11's examples of fearless faith, revealing a key truth: faith moves when trust is all it has. Through Abraham, Noah, and Jesus in Gethsemane, he shows that fearless faith sees beyond our circumstances, moves because this is God's story, and lives with eternal perspective. Sharing about losing his father during church uncertainties, Rob illustrates how faith makes life's struggles livable through eternal hope. He challenges us to identify where we're waiting for certainty instead of stepping forward in obedience—understanding that our covenant with God means our simple "yes" unlocks His provision. Don't let fear keep you circling. Step boldly into fearless faith that transforms temporary struggles into eternal significance.   ☞ BIBLE APP NOTES https://www.bible.com/events/49608204   ☞ GROUP LEADER GUIDE https://page.church.tech/b5881f3c   ☞ NEXT STEPS

In this powerful message, we're challenged with a simple but life-altering question: what are you willing to do for Christ's sake, even when it hurts? Drawing from Philippians 2:5–8, we see the ultimate example in Jesus—who humbled Himself, embraced consecration, and submitted fully to God's will. Through the wilderness, Gethsemane, and the cross, we learn that purpose requires sacrifice and preparation requires separation. This word calls us to lay down pride, embrace holiness, and choose consecration so God can use us fully.

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We live in a world that tells us we can be anything we want. But is that even something we should wish for? What if our greatest freedom came, not from choosing who we are, but from embracing the fullness of who God made us to be? And what if God has wired us to be our freest, best selves when we become who Jesus says we are in Him? Finally, what if it took one another to discover more fully who we are in Christ, and who He is in us?In last week's and today's episodes, Stephanie explores how the lives of Adam and Eve, the first humans, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, serve as unexpected companions in the story of Scripture. Their experiences help us answer Jesus's central question: "Who do you say that I am?" Together, they offer distinct perspectives that deepen our understanding of who Christ is and who we are in Him.This is Part 2 of this teaching. Part 1 became available last week, in Episode 443! Scroll to the bottom of these shownotes for application questions relevant to Part 2 of this teaching. Here's more:Both Adam and Eve and Mary faced a common enemy—the serpent, the epitome of evil and deception. For Adam and Eve, the serpent was literal; for Mary, it manifested in cultural pressures and theological misunderstandings about the Messiah. We, too, face our own serpents today—temptations and misunderstandings that threaten our faith.They also were witnesses to God's grace through forms of incarnation. Adam and Eve experienced creation, while Mary witnessed the birth of Jesus, God made flesh. Both sets of experiences pointed to the unfolding of God's salvation story.Death and Resurrection: Adam and Eve endured the first human death—Abel's murder—a result of their choice and the entrance of evil. Mary witnessed her son's crucifixion, the ultimate act of innocent suffering, completing the cycle begun by Abel. Jesus's death is portrayed as the "last death," closing the loop and offering resurrection life.Choice and Consequence: Adam and Eve chose rebellion, not foreseeing its consequences. Mary chose surrender, trusting God's goodness even amidst uncertainty. We are reminded: we control our actions, not their outcomes.Creation and Incarnation: Adam and Eve were created but not born, bearing no belly buttons—a symbol of their unique origin. Jesus was born but not created, affirming his eternal existence. Mary bridges the two, being both a descendant of Adam and the mother of her Creator.Passing on Humanity and Sin: Adam and Eve pass on a nature of dust—sin and rebellion. Mary, as Jesus's mother, passes on humanity, not sinlessness (contrary to some traditions), proving salvation is by grace, not works.Second Adam: Paul equates Jesus and Adam, stating Jesus is the "life-giving spirit." Mary becomes a vessel of grace, not its source, just as Adam and Eve are vessels of sin, not its origin.Garden Parallels: Adam and Eve's failure in Eden contrasts with Jesus's victory in Gethsemane. Where Adam was silent, Jesus faced his trials alone, faithfully surrendering.Tree of Life: Adam and Eve chose the tree of knowledge, bringing death. Jesus—born to die—offers access to the tree of life, opening paradise to believers, reversing the curse.Blessing and Curse: Mary receives both blessing and curse, echoing Adam and Eve's experience. Yet her surrender transforms curse into blessing—her obedience stands in contrast to Adam and Eve's blame-shifting.Scripture invites us to gaze at Jesus, the bridge between Old and New Testaments. Our identity is found only by answering, "Who do you say that I am?" Like Mary, we are called to surrender, transforming uncertainty into destiny. Our lives are blessed when rooted in Christ—the source of life, hope, and redemption.APPLICATION QUESTIONSHere are some questions for your time in Scripture this week, following in the footsteps of this conversation:1.      What is the significance of Adam and Eve being created but never born, and Jesus being born but never created? How does this highlight the uniqueness of both creation and incarnation?2.      In what ways does the symbolism of gardens—Eden and Gethsemane—illustrate the journey from separation to restoration with God?3.      How does the contrast between the two trees in Eden (Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) inform our understanding of free will and the choices we make about who Jesus is to us?4.      Reflect on the concept of "paradise" or "Eden" as described in this lesson. How does seeing Jesus as the way back to Eden impact your spiritual walk?5.      Mary responded to God with "May it be done to me as you will." In what areas of your life do you feel challenged to respond to God with that same surrendered attitude?Feel free to use these questions for group discussion, personal reflection, or in your quiet time through the week!GO DEEPERWalk alongside unexpected companions from Scripture who have discovered freedom in their God-given identity. They have dared to answer Jesus' question to them, "Who do you say that I AM?" and, in the process, have heard Him answer their own question to Him - "Jesus, who do YOU say that I am?"Consider our full Gospel Spice Course, UNEXPECTED COMPANIONS, available at https://www.gospelspice.com/unexpected Use coupon code HEART for 25% off this course and every course on Gospel Spice at https://www.gospelspice.com/store Imagine a conversation between, for example, Jacob and Peter about Jesus Christ. And then, imagine joining in the conversation to share your own perspective! We will approach the pages of Scripture each week by comparing and contrasting one person from the Old Testament with one person from the New Testament in order to draw parallels from their lives and experiences that we can then apply to our own lives. Of course, the Old Testament person has never technically met Jesus, but the pages of the Old Testament are replete with prophecies and types of Christ to point us to Him. So, with each session, we are inviting an unexpected pair of biblical heroes around a coffee date, and we let them chat about their own personal life experience and how it reveals God. We will find that our own experience of Jesus Christ will echo theirs in more ways than one! By the end of our time together, we will be able to give a fuller answer to Jesus' question to each one of us—“who do you say that I AM?” We will also be able to hear His answer to our own question to Him—”Jesus, who do You say that I am?”We are intentionally choosing unexpected pairs from Scripture – someone from the Old Testament and someone from the New Testament that you may never before have thought to pair up. It will keep things spicy and interesting! Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Noah Bishop Merrill originally offered this message to the 2023 gathering of the Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the Americas. Want to share your thoughts on our podcast content? Email podcast@neym.org.To learn more about the life and ministry of Quakers in New England visit neym.org.Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here: neym.org/newsletter-signupDonate to sustain our ministry here: neym.org/donate

Read Online“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.” John 17:9–10Though the Church has traditionally summarized sin under the seven capital sins, sin is also understood to arise from three primary sources: the flesh, the world, and the devil. The “flesh” refers to the disordered desires and passions that stem from our fallen human nature. The “world” signifies the societal values, materialism, and secular ideologies that promote a lifestyle contrary to God's will. The “devil” represents the personal, spiritual adversary who seeks to lead us astray through deception, lies, and the stirring of sinful desires. These three sources constantly seek to undermine our relationship with God.We are called to resist these temptations and remain firm in faith. This is accomplished by relying on grace to silence these sources. The flesh is subdued and moderated by the virtue of temperance, the devil is overcome as we discern the voice of God, and the world is overcome by seeking the true glory to which we are called. It is this third source, and its remedy, that Jesus particularly addresses in today's passage.This prayer concludes Jesus' Last Supper Discourse and is prayed just before He goes to the Garden of Gethsemane, where His Passion begins with His arrest. These final words of Jesus encapsulate the ultimate purpose of life. Within this prayer, He prays to His Father, “Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5).From a human perspective, we naturally desire glory. However, from a worldly perspective, earthly “glory” is a temptation, as it leads us to seek the praise of creatures over the glory that God desires to bestow. Jesus does not dismiss the value of glory; He simply points to its true source—the Father. Jesus' glory does not originate from human praise. His glory stems from His perfect fulfillment of the Father's will, offering Himself as the one and only Sacrifice for sins. Through His Passion, He is glorified by the Father in His human nature and manifests the glory He has always enjoyed as the eternal Son of God. He will continue to manifest this glory for all eternity.Though Jesus begins this prayer for Himself, He quickly includes “the ones you have given me”—His disciples, and ultimately, everyone who will come to believe in Him through them, including us. His prayer is for all who are united to Jesus and the Father, pointing out that Jesus is glorified in them because they fulfill His will and continue His mission, which results in our participation in His eternal glory.This passage beautifully illustrates that the attainment of worldly glory and recognition pales in comparison to the true glory we are invited to share. We are called to participate in Jesus' own glory, the eternal glory He shares with the Father. We do this by being united to Him in His earthly mission of living sacrificial love, which manifests His glory—the true glory for which we long. Reflect today on your natural desire for glory. God places this desire in us, but the values of the fallen world tempt us to seek a passing glory bestowed by others' opinions. The only way to fulfill the desire for true glory is to unite ourselves to Christ, including His Passion and death, so as to receive the glory bestowed upon Him by the Father. This is why martyrdom, the ultimate act of sacrificial love, is considered glorious. It is the highest expression of participation in Christ's own suffering, which manifested His glory. Sacrifice, selflessness, virtue, and perfect conformity to Christ all lead us into this eternal glory. Living transformed in Christ bestows that glory here and now. When we die, we will enjoy forever in heaven the level of glory we participated in on earth. Seek glory—true glory—and you will find that your natural desires are fulfilled by supernatural grace. Lord of all glory, with Your Father, You are eternally glorified, and the glory bestowed upon You by the Father from all eternity shines forth. You invite us to share in Your glory by sharing in the earthly means by which that glory was manifested—Your Passion. May I always seek this holy and pure glory above that which the world offers, so as to share in it forever in Heaven with You and all the saints. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: The last supper via Adobe StockSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

This exploration of Luke 22:41-42 by Pastor Matt Cottrill on Sunday, May 17th 2026 takes us into the sacred ground of Gethsemane, where we witness something profoundly important: Jesus struggling in his humanity while surrendering to divine purpose. The garden setting is no coincidence—where the first Adam failed in a garden by reaching for his own will, the last Adam conquered in a garden by surrendering his will. This message challenges us to examine our own lives, acknowledging that we all live somewhere between being sinners and saints, between living for our humanity and living for salvation. What makes this lesson so relevant is the reminder that Jesus understands every pressure we face—depression, fear, grief, exhaustion—because he felt the weight of our infirmities himself. The most important part of Jesus' prayer wasn't his request for the cup to pass, but his surrender: 'Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.' We're reminded that prayer isn't about informing God of what he doesn't know; it's about aligning our hearts with his purpose. The greatest spiritual maturity comes when we stop resisting God's process, understanding that purpose often passes through pressure before reaching fulfillment. This isn't just ancient history—it's a call to develop a lifestyle of prayer, to surrender our control, and to trust that even in our darkest moments, God is perfecting us for his glory.

In a world that avoids sorrow at all costs, Jesus speaks words that sound completely upside down: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” The world tells us to hide grief, ignore sin, distract ourselves from pain, and pursue happiness above everything else. But Jesus teaches that true blessing does not come through pretending everything is fine. Real comfort begins when we honestly grieve over our sin, the brokenness of this world, and our desperate need for God's mercy.This mourning is not hopeless despair. It is the sorrow that leads us to the arms of God. Those who mourn before the Lord discover the deep comfort of His forgiveness, His presence, and His promises. God does not turn away the broken-hearted; He draws near to them.Jesus Himself is the perfect example of this beatitude. He was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” as He wept over sin, suffering, and death. In the Garden of Gethsemane and at the cross, Jesus entered the deepest mourning so that sinners like us could receive eternal comfort through His resurrection victory. Only Christ can turn mourning into everlasting joy.SERIES: The Beatitudes: Kingdom Living in a Fallen WorldTITLE: Those Who Mourn: The Comfort of MourningSCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:4SPEAKER: Pastor David Hallett

It's not just a name; it's authority. In Episode 9, Pastor Micah Harp explains why the name of Jesus is the most dangerous thing to the enemy. Using the story of the 70 disciples and the confrontation in the Garden of Gethsemane, this episode provides a tactical look at the power believers carry. If you are struggling with a "storm" or a spiritual battle, this episode will show you how to stand your ground using the most powerful name in existence.

Are the Ten Commandments, God's Law which He Gave to Us, Becoming Irrelevant for America? MESSAGE SUMMARY: Today, are we saying that the Ten Commandments are irrelevant for America? Are the Ten Commandments becoming illegal in America? If so, why? As a nation, we no longer teach or practice the Ten Commandments. We have made it illegal to post the Ten Commandments, which are God's Law to us, on most walls of our courts and government schools. From a spiritual perspective, how can God, the Creator of the Universe, bless a nation which mocks and/or ignores Him? Paul, in Galatians 6:6-7, cautions both us and our governments regarding the mocking of God: “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”. From a practical perspective, how can a society and a government function when their foundation has been removed? Our form of government was founded on the ethical base of the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments were in the thoughts and cultural norms of the people that created our country.     TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Lust. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Perfect Provision. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Romans 1:10-12; James 5:13-18; Exodus 3:1-15; Psalms 136a:1-13. WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Come Holy Spirit ” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 14th of May, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go straight to the Gospel of Luke 24:50-53:“And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.” Wow, what a day! Forty days from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb to the time that He went back to Heaven to be with His Father. Yes, I am talking about Ascension Day. It is a very important day in the Christian Calendar and it is a glorious and victorious day. I remember it so well. I have been there many times. You go from the Old City where the Temple was standing, down into the Kidron Valley, you go across the Kidron Valley, up the other side, you go passed the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus suffered so terribly for our sins, sweated drops of blood when He was thinking about the crucifixion the next day, then you go right up this hill, right to the very top. When you get to the top, if you carry on, you come to this little village called Bethany, a very special place for Jesus, where His friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha lived. He spent a lot of time there. But right up on the top of that hill is where the ascension took place, and if you look carefully you can look right across the valley to the other side. That is where the Old City of Jerusalem in situated.Today, just remember one thing. Jesus is not in the grave. He is in Heaven. He is sitting at the right hand of our Heavenly Father and He is coming back very soon. I want to pray a prayer for somebody who is unsure about the future, somebody who says he loves God but he doesn't really know Jesus. Jesus says unless you are born again, you will never see the Kingdom of Heaven. Why don't you pray this simple prayer with me right now on Ascension Day:Dear Lord Jesus,Please forgive me for so often doubting You. Today I make a decision to believe what the Bible says about You and on Ascension Day, I surrender my life to You and I ask You to be my Lord and my Saviour and my soon-coming King. I ask this in Your precious name.Jesus bless you and have a wonderful Ascension Day!Goodbye.

The Apostle Paul, said Peter (2 Peter 3 v.16), writes “some things … that are hard to understand which the ignorant and unstable twist”!  We suspect some verses in today's reading of Chapter 1 of Colossians are an example of this. Paul writes about Jesus as “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” [1 v.15].  He goes on to say that “he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” [v.18].From this we learn that the resurrection of Jesus, following a life in which he succeeded in making God's will his will led to his being made pre-eminent by God. . But doing God's will was not an automatic process, it was an incredible challenge, remember his agonizing in the garden of Gethsemane.  (see Luke 22 v.42).  His resurrection to eternal life was the starting point at which he was made pre-eminent in everything. It was a new beginning, one could say, a new creation. Paul says, in reasoning with the Galatians, that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, “but a new creation” [6 v.15]  He said the same thing in 2 Corinthians 5 v.17, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation”.  Our awareness of these quotations provide the foundation for our understanding of how all things were created FOR Christ. God's work of creation was with him in mind from the very beginning. We note how Peter expresses this about Christ, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times … “ [1 Peter 1 v.20] by “God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory …” [v.21] The glory of Jesus came from God, he gave him pre-eminence because he was obedient unto death.  Our understanding can be confused by translators who, thinking of Jesus as God himself; this appears to have influenced their translation in a few places.  An example is the Greek preposition ek.  It occurs in our Colossians chapter no less than 31 times. It has the primary meaning of in, but the translators have used no less than 6 different English words in that chapter. Now we know you cannot translate from one language to another word for word and always make meaningful sense, but we noticed how in verse 16, they have rendered it as “by” – “for by him were all things created”  Yet the ESV, we use has a footnote against ‘by' – that says – That is, ‘by means of', or ‘in'Think, if they were created for him, it does not make sense that they were created by him.  Have we confused you?  God created the world with Jesus in mind.  Jesus lived and died with us in mind (Read John 20 v.20-21)   The “new creation” flows on from the original creation of Adam and Eve.  Are you part of the new creation, taking on the name of Christ in baptism?   Or will you be among those who fail because they stay related to Adam? 

May 14, 2026Today's Reading: Mark 16:14-20 or Luke 24:44-53Daily Lectionary: Numbers 11:1-23, 31-35; Luke 17:1-19“And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” (Luke 24:50-51)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.If your hands could talk, what story would they tell? They might tell a story of aching, cramping pain after taking a long test. Perhaps they would tell a story filled with warmth and joy around a campfire with family or friends. Or maybe they tell a love story as husband and wife walk hand in hand.But what about Jesus? If his hands could talk, what story would they tell? Thankfully, we don't have to wonder. Jesus' holy, precious palms tell the story of his promises made and kept for you. The story of your salvation is written by and in the holy hands of Jesus. After all, he who fashioned and formed Adam out of the dust of the earth also was incarnate of the Virgin Mary. He is flesh of our flesh. Bone of our bone. Hand of our hand, yet without the blackspot of sin-stained hands. He who fearfully and wonderfully formed you in your mother's womb - hands and all - also wriggled and wiggled his infant hands as Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.He who painted the starry skies above and made the earth his canvas also reached out his hands to cleanse, heal, and raise from the dead.He who spread out his hands in the wilderness and rained down manna and quail from heaven also broke bread on the hillside and in the Upper Room. He who inhabits the heavenly and holy temple built without hands, also inhabits and takes on human flesh, hands and all. Jesus' hands reached out in blessing. Jesus' hands took bread and broke it, and gave it, saying, “Take, eat, this is my body.” Jesus' hands lifted a cup and said, “Take, drink; this is my blood.” Jesus' hands prayed in Gethsemane. Shook at the violence of Good Friday. Were driven through by nails. Blood poured from his hands. Life left his hands. The darkness of the tomb covered his hands. And then, his hands had more to say. A good and gracious story to tell: Peace be with you. Crucified hands for you. Scarred hands for you. Risen and glorified hands for you. And now at his ascension, Jesus raises his hands once again in blessing. For his disciples. For you. When it comes to Jesus' hands, he has a gracious grip on you. A holy hold on your life. Indeed, he's got the whole world - including you - in his pierced hands. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Be now our joy on earth, O Lord, And be our future great reward. Alleluia, alleluia! Then, throned with You forever, we Shall praise Your name eternally. Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! (LSB 493:5)Rev. Samuel Schuldheisz, pastor of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milton, WA.

There's a version of complementarian theology that quietly reshapes the Trinity to make its argument. Most people who hold it don't realize that's what they're doing. Dr. Malcolm Yarnell does — and he wrote the book on why it matters.Dr. Malcolm Yarnell, professor of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of the Theology for Every Person series, joins Joshua Lewis to work through some of the most contested terrain in Christian doctrine: the person of Christ, the unity of the Trinity, and the debate over eternal functional subordination (EFS).What We Cover:- Why the Trinity and Christology are the two doctrines that everything else in systematic theology depends on- The three senses of "Word of God" in scripture: the personal Word (Jesus), the written Word (scripture), and the proclaimed Word- What eternal functional subordination is, where it came from, and why Dr. Yarnell considers it a grave theological error- How EFS was crafted primarily to answer feminism — not to answer a theological question — and why that origin matters- The unified will of the Trinity, and why the garden of Gethsemane is about the submission of Christ's human will, not an eternal subordination within the Godhead- A close reading of 1 Corinthians 15:28: what is actually being subjected — humanity, not deity- The Athanasian scope of scripture: limitations in the text refer to Christ's humanity; perfections refer to his deity- Why you don't need to reconfigure the Trinity to be a complementarian0:00 – Introduction2:08 – Theology for Every Person5:38 – Christ's Deity and Humanity10:42 – Word: Person vs. Scripture15:23 – Eternal Functional Subordination26:32 – Doctrine and Cultural Moments33:43 – The Divine Will54:46 – 1 Corinthians 15:281:00:46 – Closing ThoughtsINTRO TO CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY:https://www.theremnantradio.com/intro-to-christian-theology-courseABOUT THE GUEST:

Season 22: Abide | #4 – You Are My Friends Scripture: John 15:12-17 SHOW NOTES: For encouragement on your spiritual journey, we invite you to visit our ministry website, Discover God's Truth, where you can access additional resources to enrich your Walk with God. NEW! Watch us ONLINE! Click here!Jesus said, “I am the True Vine … Abide in me” (John 15:1, 4). We may read these verses in John's Gospel too quickly and miss the depth of His words. He is speaking to His closest disciples just hours before His betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus told them, "The Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” Now, Jesus continues His instruction with the following command. This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:12-14 Jesus defines friendship in terms of sacrifice and obedience (verse 14). Christian friendship involves a commitment to follow the Lord's teachings and become partners in His work. Jesus tells His friends that He chose them and that He has appointed them to produce fruit. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. John 15:17 Song: Friend in Jesus – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1D5C0kid2g&list=RD_1D5C0kid2g&start_radio=1

We live in a world that tells us we can be anything we want. But is that even something we should wish for? What if our greatest freedom came, not from choosing who we are, but from embracing the fullness of who God made us to be? And what if God has wired us to be our freest, best selves when we become who Jesus says we are in Him? Finally, what if it took one another to discover more fully who we are in Christ, and who He is in us?In today's and next week's episodes, Stephanie explores how the lives of Adam and Eve, the first humans, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, serve as unexpected companions in the story of Scripture. Their experiences help us answer Jesus's central question: "Who do you say that I am?" Together, they offer distinct perspectives that deepen our understanding of who Christ is and who we are in Him.This is Part 1 of this teaching. Part 2 will be available next week! Scroll to the bottom of these shownotes for application questions relevant to Part 1 of this teaching. Here's more:Both Adam and Eve and Mary faced a common enemy—the serpent, the epitome of evil and deception. For Adam and Eve, the serpent was literal; for Mary, it manifested in cultural pressures and theological misunderstandings about the Messiah. We, too, face our own serpents today—temptations and misunderstandings that threaten our faith.They also were witnesses to God's grace through forms of incarnation. Adam and Eve experienced creation, while Mary witnessed the birth of Jesus, God made flesh. Both sets of experiences pointed to the unfolding of God's salvation story.Death and Resurrection: Adam and Eve endured the first human death—Abel's murder—a result of their choice and the entrance of evil. Mary witnessed her son's crucifixion, the ultimate act of innocent suffering, completing the cycle begun by Abel. Jesus's death is portrayed as the "last death," closing the loop and offering resurrection life.Choice and Consequence: Adam and Eve chose rebellion, not foreseeing its consequences. Mary chose surrender, trusting God's goodness even amidst uncertainty. We are reminded: we control our actions, not their outcomes.Creation and Incarnation: Adam and Eve were created but not born, bearing no belly buttons—a symbol of their unique origin. Jesus was born but not created, affirming his eternal existence. Mary bridges the two, being both a descendant of Adam and the mother of her Creator.Passing on Humanity and Sin: Adam and Eve pass on a nature of dust—sin and rebellion. Mary, as Jesus's mother, passes on humanity, not sinlessness (contrary to some traditions), proving salvation is by grace, not works.Second Adam: Paul equates Jesus and Adam, stating Jesus is the "life-giving spirit." Mary becomes a vessel of grace, not its source, just as Adam and Eve are vessels of sin, not its origin.Garden Parallels: Adam and Eve's failure in Eden contrasts with Jesus's victory in Gethsemane. Where Adam was silent, Jesus faced his trials alone, faithfully surrendering.Tree of Life: Adam and Eve chose the tree of knowledge, bringing death. Jesus—born to die—offers access to the tree of life, opening paradise to believers, reversing the curse.Blessing and Curse: Mary receives both blessing and curse, echoing Adam and Eve's experience. Yet her surrender transforms curse into blessing—her obedience stands in contrast to Adam and Eve's blame-shifting.Conclusion | Scripture invites us to gaze at Jesus, the bridge between Old and New Testaments. Our identity is found only by answering, "Who do you say that I am?" Like Mary, we are called to surrender, transforming uncertainty into destiny. Our lives are blessed when rooted in Christ—the source of life, hope, and redemption.APPLICATION QUESTIONSHere are some questions for your time in Scripture this week, following in the footsteps of this conversation:1.      How does the question Jesus asks in the Gospels, "Who do you say that I am?" resonate with you personally after hearing this lesson?2.      In what ways does comparing Old Testament and New Testament figures, like Adam & Eve with Mary, help you gain a deeper understanding of Jesus?3.      What common enemy did Adam and Eve and Mary face, and how does that relate to the adversities or "serpents" we encounter today?4.      How do the experiences of loss—like Adam and Eve grieving Abel and Mary witnessing Jesus's death—shape our perspective on suffering and hope?5.      Discuss the differences between Adam and Eve's initial response to God's command and Mary's surrender to God's will. What lessons can we draw for our own lives?Feel free to use these questions for group discussion, personal reflection, or in your quiet time through the week!GO DEEPERWalk alongside unexpected companions from Scripture who have discovered freedom in their God-given identity. They have dared to answer Jesus' question to them, "Who do you say that I AM?" and, in the process, have heard Him answer their own question to Him - "Jesus, who do YOU say that I am?"Consider our full Gospel Spice Course, UNEXPECTED COMPANIONS, available at https://www.gospelspice.com/unexpected Use coupon code HEART for 25% off this course and every course on Gospel Spice at https://www.gospelspice.com/store Imagine a conversation between, for example, Jacob and Peter about Jesus Christ. And then, imagine joining in the conversation to share your own perspective! We will approach the pages of Scripture each week by comparing and contrasting one person from the Old Testament with one person from the New Testament in order to draw parallels from their lives and experiences that we can then apply to our own lives. Of course, the Old Testament person has never technically met Jesus, but the pages of the Old Testament are replete with prophecies and types of Christ to point us to Him. So, with each session, we are inviting an unexpected pair of biblical heroes around a coffee date, and we let them chat about their own personal life experience and how it reveals God. We will find that our own experience of Jesus Christ will echo theirs in more ways than one! By the end of our time together, we will be able to give a fuller answer to Jesus' question to each one of us—“who do you say that I AM?” We will also be able to hear His answer to our own question to Him—”Jesus, who do You say that I am?”We are intentionally choosing unexpected pairs from Scripture – someone from the Old Testament and someone from the New Testament that you may never before have thought to pair up. It will keep things spicy and interesting! Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

This week in part 2 of our “Behind Enemy Lies” series, we explored the lie that hiding is helping. Looking at Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, we talked about vulnerability, community, burden-bearing, and the temptation to pretend we're “fine” even when we're not. Jesus didn't hide His anguish from those closest to Him…and maybe we weren't meant to carry life's heaviest things alone either. Hiding Is Helping Eric Posadas

What does it really mean to crucify the flesh and follow Jesus daily? Romans 8:13 reminds believers that true spiritual life comes through surrendering sinful desires and living by the power of the Holy Spirit. In this devotional, Hannah Benson explores the biblical meaning of “taking up your cross,” showing how God leads us into deeper peace, freedom, and abundant life through daily surrender. Highlights Romans 8:13 teaches that living by the Spirit requires putting sinful desires to death. Jesus modeled surrender in Gethsemane by choosing the Father’s will over His own. Carrying your cross means daily surrendering control, pride, and self-centered desires. Honest prayer and dependence on God are essential in seasons of struggle. Abundant life is found in God’s presence, not in comfortable circumstances. God often asks us to release things we tightly cling to so He can fill us with peace. The Holy Spirit gives believers strength to walk in obedience and freedom. Have an idea for our newsletter? We want to hear from you! Take our survey below: Take Our Survey! Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: What Does Crucifying the Flesh Really Mean? By Hannah Benson Bible Reading:“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13 ESV). What a way to start a devotional. Aren’t devotionals supposed to be uplifting and encouraging? Yes. Aren’t they also supposed to be challenging? Yes. What does this verse mean? Jesus tells us in the Gospels to take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23), but what does that actually mean? Most of us don’t have a physical cross we’re called to bear. Jesus’s cross was by no means easy for Him to carry, even though He is the Son of God. He had to humble Himself, even to the point of death. Death by a cross was not only humiliating but the most excruciating death imaginable in those days. Matthew 26:39 (ESV) says: “And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” Yes, Jesus wanted to save humanity and was willing to endure death on a cross if it was the only way. But Gethsemane shows us that as a man, if there had been any other way to accomplish the mission without the agony of the cross, He would have taken it. He chose the nails because there was no other way to save us. Matthew writes that His “soul was very sorrowful, even to death” (Matthew 26:38b). Luke 22:43, 44 (ESV) includes that as He prayed, “And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Have you ever known anyone who has been so stressed or in such great agony that they sweat blood? We can’t even begin to imagine how much Jesus loves us to not only die for us, but to endure the most unimaginable death possible. If He bore the cross for us, can we not bear ours if He asks us? But that doesn’t mean we are called to carry a literal cross. So, what does it mean to “carry our cross” each day and to “put to death the deeds of the body”? It starts with honesty, with ourselves and with God. Like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, it’s okay to admit we wish there was another way. Like David in many of the Psalms (Psalm 13 is a great example of this), it’s okay to tell God we’re struggling with anger towards Him. Second, we need to be willing to surrender. As Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39b). Job is another example. He had to surrender everything he didn’t understand, his desire for answers, and recognize that God was in complete control (Job 42:2-3). What about Paul? He begged God to remove the thorn from his flesh, but God responded: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Just as the angel came to strengthen Jesus, we must rely on God’s strength to help us. We cannot rely on our own strength to carry us through. We may want to be angry, and maybe we even think we have a good reason for it. Our flesh will tell us we have a right to hold grudges, that we deserve what we want, and that we need to be the ones in control. Sound familiar? News flash. We were never meant to write the stories of our lives. We may think we want to hold the pen, but that is no way to live. Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Abundant life comes through death and surrender. He tells us in Matthew 16:25 (ESV): “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Jesus wasn’t just talking about physical death here. As believers, we need to die daily to our wants, desires, and even the things that may be good. Anything we desire more than God needs to be put in its proper place in our lives. Intersecting Faith & Life: Sometimes, dying to ourselves might mean sacrificing the very thing we hold dear, what we clench in our fists and refuse to yield. You know what I’m talking about? There have been seasons in my life where the Lord allows something I’d considered good to be removed from my life. Sometimes it’s shocking, and it hurts. Okay, let me rephrase that. Usually, it always hurts. We were never meant to hold the pen or be the director of our story. Only God can do that. In Psalm 81:10 (ESV), God tells the Israelites: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” If we want to experience the abundant life Jesus has for us, then we need to “open our mouths.” If we cling to the past and what we think we want, then we don’t have hearts open to what the Lord has planned. Don’t mistake the word “abundant” for “easy” or a life filled with material goods. The abundance Jesus promises isn’t found in our circumstances. If it were, Paul wouldn’t be able to write about overflowing joy while sitting in prison. While sometimes God does bless us circumstantially, the abundant life He promises us is found in His presence as we draw near to Him.When God gently pries our fingers open, it’s not to leave us empty-handed. It’s to make room for His peace, which is our portion, and His presence, which fills us to overflowing. We need to die to ourselves each and every day. Romans 8:13 tells us that if we put these things to death, we will live. Not merely survive, but truly live. Today, if you’re clenching your fists around something that God is asking you to yield, be honest. Tell Him you don’t want to let go. Tell Him it hurts. And then, by His strength, let it go. Whatever He asks you to surrender will pale in comparison to the abundant life He desires to give you. Pray with me: Dear Father, I’ll be honest. I’m tired of trying to hold the pen. I admit that I’ve been clenching my fists around my plans, my timing, and my “good” things, afraid to let go. Thank You for the unimaginable way You love me and for Your death on the cross so I may live. Please give me the strength I don’t have on my own to put my self-will to death today. I open my hands and my heart to You. Fill the empty spaces with Your peace and help me to trust Your presence is my greatest good. In Jesus’s Name, Amen. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Scripture:  Matthew 6:9-13 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary:  Jesus taught prayer not as a formula for getting what we want, but a process of heart transformation and trust in God. Scott walks through the Lord's Prayer, showing how each line teaches believers to relate to God as a loving Father, honor His holiness, surrender to His will, depend on Him daily, confess sin honestly, forgive others, and seek His guidance and deliverance. The message emphasizes that prayer is not about performing perfectly or controlling God, but about developing a deeper relationship with Him and learning daily dependence. Using Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane as the ultimate example, the sermon shows that even when God does not remove suffering or answer prayers the way we hope, prayer still matters because it shapes our hearts to trust and surrender to Him. Ultimately, the sermon encourages believers to make prayer a daily first response rather than a last resort, allowing God to form them into people who trust, forgive, and rely fully on Him.

The sermon centers on Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane, emphasizing His sovereign control amid betrayal, abandonment, and violence, as prophesied in Scripture. Through the shocking betrayal by Judas with a kiss, the impulsive violence of Peter cutting off the high priest's servant's ear, and the subsequent flight of all the disciples, the passage reveals the depth of human failure and the cost of discipleship. Yet Jesus remains calm and authoritative, affirming that His arrest fulfills divine prophecy, not human schemes, and demonstrating that true power lies not in force but in submission to God's will. The narrative underscores the reality of spiritual warfare, the necessity of prayerful humility, and the profound loneliness Jesus endured—abandoned by friends, family, and even His Father—while offering hope that He remains a compassionate, forgiving Savior who restores even the most broken. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to extend grace to fallen Christians, recognizing that failure does not erase redemption, and to find deep fellowship in Christ's own experience of isolation and suffering.

Luke 22:39-46 The post The Garden of Gethsemane appeared first on Pillar Baptist Church.

Jesus Is in Control Jonathan Parnell Download John 18:1-11,When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”Back in John Chapter 10, Jesus said something really important we should keep in mind. He said, Chapter 10, verse 18:No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.In other words, Jesus has told us in advance that he's in complete control of his suffering that will come, and in Chapter 18 that suffering is no longer future tense. The suffering that Jesus has talked about begins to unfold rapidly, in real time. Notice here how verse 1 sets the scene for us: Jesus has finished the Farewell Discourse, and his prayer for the disciples in Chapter 17, and now he leaves the Upper Room, and they go outside to a garden.So this is a new setting — and all the Gospel writers report this to us, but John includes some details here that the others don't. And the reason is because John has a direct theological agenda: He wants readers to know that what Jesus said back in Chapter 10, verse 18 is true — the arrest of Jesus is not a haphazard collapse into chaos, but it is the controlled descent into chaos for our sake. John's point is that Jesus is in control — that's his main idea here, and he makes it clear in at least three ways. That's what I wanna show you this morning: three ways Jesus is in control during chaos …1. Jesus knew all that would happen to him. John tells us this directly in verse 4. He says Jesus knew “all that would happen to him” — and the keyword there is the word “all.” This implies that Jesus didn't just know the outcome — he didn't just know where he'd end up — but he knew all the details that would take him there, including the details of Judas's betrayal. That's the focus in this passage.It's fascinating that John gives us more details about Judas than any other Gospel. First, it's just in the mention of Judas … Five different times in this Gospel when John names Judas, he says, “Judas, who would betray him.” He said that way back in Chapter 6, and again in Chapters 12 and 13, and he says it twice in this passage, in verses 2 and 5 — which means John says this about Judas even as the betrayal is taking place (see John 6:71; 12:4; 13:2; 18:2, 5). Why does John do this? Well, I think most basically it's because John wants us to never forget who Judas is, but it's also because he wants us to see Judas through a certain lens: John wants us to see that everything Judas does is fulfillment, not surprise. The case in point is that John gives us these premeditation details of Judas — that's what I'm calling them, “premeditation details.” Look at this in verse 2. After Jesus and his disciples went to the garden in verse 1, verse 2 says:“Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples.”Don't miss how dark and sinister this is … Judas knew where to find Jesus. Judas had left the Upper Room in Chapter 13, and maybe by this point he had come back to the Upper Room and found it empty, or maybe he didn't. Either way, at some point, Judas thought, “I know where he is.”And he knew where Jesus was because of their friendship.He knew Jesus was in the garden because he had been there with him many times before. The garden was a favorite spot for Jesus to pray and teach his disciples, and Judas had prayed with Jesus there. He had been taught by Jesus there. Jesus had brought him there, and now Judas used that against Jesus.I hate Judas. I hate him. I hate him like I hate the devil. Can you believe what he did?More details in verse 3 are important.Judas had procured two groups of men to come with him. One was a band of soldiers (which would have been Roman soldiers), and the other was a group of officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. Now the the English Standard Version translates the first group “band of soldiers” but another word for it is “detachment of soldiers” (that's how the New International Version translates it). And what's interesting is that the Greek word behind “detachment” or “band” was an actual category of soldiers in the Roman army. Historical documents from the First Century tell us about it. A detachment was 200 soldiers. That's what the word means.Now, there's a chance that the full 200 soldiers didn't come along here, but my guess is that more soldiers came with Judas than we typically picture in our minds.Because in addition to this relatively large group of Roman soldiers, there were also Jewish officials. (This group would have been like the temple police who worked for the high priests and Pharisees.)And together, these soldiers and police, had lanterns and torches and weapons. So we gotta picture this correctly: this is not a small group of ragtag cavemen with clubs, but this is a sizable fraction of the Roman army together with Jewish police, and they're well-supplied, and they're led by Judas to this place only Judas knows about. This was calculated evil.John tells us in verse 5:“Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.”Do you see how despicable this is? There's deeper meaning here:The Roman soldiers represented the Gentile world; the Jewish officials or police represented Jesus's own people; and Judas represented Satan himself — because John told us in 13:27 that Satan had entered into Judas. So, understand what's going on here: In this group that came to arrest Jesus, it represents all of creation conspiring against him. All of humanity, Jew and Gentile, and the demonic realm — they have plotted together and set themselves against the Lord and his anointed.And Judas, standing with him, would have thought he was so smart. He would have had the smuggest look on his face.And the only thing that does not make this an absolute knockout win for Judas — like the only reason Judas has not just pulled one over on his Rabbi — is that Jesus knew about it the whole time.Every single time Jesus had been in this garden with his disciples … every single time over the last three years he prayed there with them and taught there with them … every time they “took sweet counsel together” as friends — every single time Jesus had ever seen the face of Judas in this garden, he knew that Judas would do this. Every moment in the garden before this moment, he knew this moment would come. Because he knew all that would happen to him. See, Jesus is in control.Here's another way we see Jesus in control during the chaos …2. Jesus was straightforward about his identity. I want you to notice both what Jesus says and the way he says it. First, what he says. When they tell Jesus they're looking for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus says in verse 5, “I am he” — John tells us again that Jesus said this in verse 6, and Jesus repeats himself in verse 8. So three times in this passage, we read the words: “I am.” And in the Gospel of John, we know this is intentional. When Jesus says this, he is declaring himself to be God. He's revealing his true identity — He was before Abraham! He is one with the Father! He has been sent into the world by the Father!Jesus is, again, claiming the divine name: Jesus is the “I am.” Amen!But now notice the way he says it. Years ago, I got a book on public speaking titled, “The Way You Say It.” (I got it to help me with an accent I used to have. That's what the book is for.) But the underlying premise of the book is that the way you say something matters. The words matter the most, but the tone and context make a difference. Speech is dynamic like that.Well, we can't actually hear how Jesus says what he says here, but we can pay attention to the context. John gives us some key details here, so let's follow closely with what he says: In verse 4, there's this long group of soldiers, with their torches and weapons, and show up in this garden where Jesus and his disciples are. John says Jesus “came forward and said to them, ‘Whom do you seek?'”They say “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus says “I am he.”Notice how straightforward this is. Rows of uniformed soldiers and police came looking for Jesus, and when they got to Jesus, he asked them what they're doing. Can you picture that? All these soldiers and police and Judas are standing together, and Jesus is the one who does the talking. And literally, they must answer to him. It gets better.When Jesus declares his identity, when he says “I am he,” verse 6 says “they drew back and fell to the ground.” Which I think means exactly what it says. All of these soldiers fell down before Jesus. Verse 7, “So he asked them again…” which implies that he asked them right away — Jesus keeps talking to them while they are still on the ground. Let's back up for a minute. I need you to use your imagination here. Picture this scene: It's night. Jesus and his disciples are in the garden. Suddenly, a swarm of Romans soldiers and Jewish police, and Judas show up with torches and weapons, and Jesus steps forward to say “Who you looking for?” They say, “Jesus of Nazareth.”Jesus says, “I am he.” And swoosh!They all fall to ground like dominos, and while they're laying on the ground, Jesus says, “Who you looking for again?”This is almost comedy. It's incredible!If we could just freeze this scene — if we could snap a photo of this scene and show people, everybody who sees the photo is gonna know who's in charge.And it ain't Judas. It ain't the Roman soldiers. It ain't the Jewish officials.Jesus Christ is in control. John is showing us this in how Jesus was so straightforward about his identity. He's doing the talking. He's asking the questions. Because he's in control.One more. A third way we see Jesus's control during the chaos …3. Jesus was resolved to be the better Adam. Remember the setting here. All this is taking place in a garden. And this absolutely is meant to be an allusion to the Garden of Eden. I mentioned before, John has a theological agenda. (The other Gospel writers use the name Gethsemane, but John uses just the word “garden.”) He actually tells the whole story of Jesus's passion in view of a garden: John mentions a garden being close to where Jesus was crucified — in Chapter 19, verse 41. He mentions a garden again in Chapter 20 after Jesus is resurrected — spoiler alert here: but when Mary sees the resurrected Jesus, she thinks he's the garden keeper (see 20:15).And guess what? He is.And it starts in this passage. What's happening here is a redo of the Garden of Eden when Satan tempted Adam. Now's there's a few differences in this redo, and one is that Peter's here. And Peter, so far, is just watching all this happen. He hasn't said anything. But then we get to verse 10. And this is one we all need to see. So y'all help me out. Find Chapter 18, verses 10:Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”Two questions:What is Peter doing?What is Jesus doing?First, PeterWhen Peter draws his sword, he was ready to go out fighting. Peter has already said, Chapter 13, verse 37, that he would lay down his life for Jesus, and he thinks this is it. Look: he's no match for these soldiers. He knows that. They have weapons too, and a lot more of them.So either Peter is ready to die, or maybe he expects Jesus to keep speaking — because he just saw all these soldiers fall to the ground. He remembered what that voice did to the storm that night on the sea. All Jesus has to do is say the word, Peter knows. So maybe Peter swings his sword, and then looks at Jesus like, “Well? Go ahead…”But Peter was mistaken. D. A. Carson says Peter was “as clumsy as his courage was great, and his tactic as pointless as his misunderstanding was total.”He was confused, but we know all he was trying to do was help out. Peter was willing to die for Jesus to advance the cause; he didn't understand that first Jesus must died for him to accomplish the cause. This is what Jesus is doing. Jesus tells Peter, verse 11:“Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”Jesus corrects Peter not on the goal, but on the method. Jesus will indeed triumph over all his enemies, but the way matters. And the way of Jesus's triumph is to drink the cup.It's not a violent overthrow of earthly powers, it's a blood sacrifice for helpless sinners. It's not military conquest, it's substitutionary atonement. Victory soon, but suffering first.Something different in the Gospel of John compared to the other Gospels is that John leaves out the temptation narrative of Jesus when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. And I think it's because, with Genesis 3 on his mind, John reframes Jesus's big temptation to be here in the garden.Because Satan was crafty again in this garden. Defiance and betrayal appear again in this garden. Obedience or disobedience are the options again in this garden. Life and death are on the line again in this garden. What is Jesus doing? He is resolved to be the better Adam … and rather than fall, he descends, not in a vain attempt to augment his life, but in a willingness to lose it, not to subject a world of life to death, but to bring a world of death to life. Where the first Adam fell, the better Adam is faithful. Jesus has never been in more control. The cup he is about to drink is the cup the Father has given him. And those simple words at the end of verse 11 make it the most clear: this is not a haphazard collapse into chaos — our heavenly Father is writing the story. Is evil at work in this story? Absolutely. The Roman authorities had a hand in this. The Jewish leaders had a hand in this. Judas, led by Satan, had a hand in this. But who gave Jesus the cup? Who gave him the cup?The Father gave him the cup. The Father is accomplishing his plan, the plan of the Trinity. Jesus is in control. And For UsAnd look, that was true for Jesus's passion, and it's true for our situation right now — for whatever situation you might be going through. Everything in our lives — listen: every single thing in our lives — occurs beneath the will of God, and he has promised, whatever we got, he will work it together for our salvation. It doesn't make bad things less bad, but it gives us that bigger picture, which can be so easy to forget. Jesus loves you, and Jesus is in control. And this morning, very simply, I want to call you to rest in him. Rest in the truth of his love and power. And for some of you, that means conversion. Put your faith in Jesus today. I know some of you might be right on the fence — I get it. I've been there. Believe in Christ today, and be born again. We're having baptisms on May 31 — believe and come be baptized. For others of us, Christians in the room, you believe in Jesus but your vision of him has been a little clouded. We just need to see him again with the eyes of our hearts, and I pray that you would.Even as we come to this Table.The TableAt this Table we remember the passion event of Jesus — that he died for us and was raised, which is the most vivid display of his love and power. Glory in the gospel this morning!

Here we seek to follow Christ along the path of duty, remembering that we are unlike him in some things and like him in others. As Christ enters Gethsemane, he faces a legitimate distress, raises a heartfelt plea, and demonstrates an entire submission. Walking in his footsteps, and appreciating that we do not drink the cup he drank, nor face the sorrow he faced, yet still there is for us a real distress, a painful dilemma, and a humble duty.

The sermon centers on Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane, emphasizing His sovereign control amid betrayal, abandonment, and violence, as prophesied in Scripture. Through the shocking betrayal by Judas with a kiss, the impulsive violence of Peter cutting off the high priest's servant's ear, and the subsequent flight of all the disciples, the passage reveals the depth of human failure and the cost of discipleship. Yet Jesus remains calm and authoritative, affirming that His arrest fulfills divine prophecy, not human schemes, and demonstrating that true power lies not in force but in submission to God's will. The narrative underscores the reality of spiritual warfare, the necessity of prayerful humility, and the profound loneliness Jesus endured—abandoned by friends, family, and even His Father—while offering hope that He remains a compassionate, forgiving Savior who restores even the most broken. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to extend grace to fallen Christians, recognizing that failure does not erase redemption, and to find deep fellowship in Christ's own experience of isolation and suffering.

Unanswered Prayers, Easter Candy, and Podcast Catch-Up with April On the podcast, Paul, Jeremy, and returning guest April banter about sampled music ("Darkest Light" by the Lafayette Afro Rock Band) and April's last era of secular rap (Master P's "Ice Cream Man"), then recap a busy Easter at church, Cadbury Creme Eggs, and expensive holiday candy. They debate drive-thru etiquette, share travel and hotel mishaps, discuss their dogs and kids' media preferences (including John Wick and Hallmark), and briefly touch on big-ticket events like the World Cup, WrestleMania, and a $5,000 Derby mint julep, plus TikTok trends like Scientology building "runs" and curiosity about the Vatican vault. The episode's main focus is wrestling with "unanswered prayers," using biblical examples (persistent widow, Hannah, Exodus, prison releases, John the Baptist, Jesus in Gethsemane, Paul's thorn) and emphasizing prayer as relationship, God's will, suffering, and practices like stillness, praying scripture, and worship music, with book recommendations from Pete Greig and Paul Miller. 00:00 Sampled Song Icebreaker 01:23 Master P Nostalgia 04:25 Easter Recap Candy Chaos 07:07 Drive Thru Thank You Debate 09:22 Milo and Dog Life Update 11:28 Ads Hallmark and Pricey Cards 13:52 Awkward TV With Teens 15:08 John Wick Talk 17:23 Kids and Screen Time 18:07 SNL Clips and Awkwardness 18:39 One Year After Flood 21:48 Dogs and Workouts 24:19 Kids Sports and Gym 25:42 World Cup Ticket Shock 27:16 Luxury Spending and Debt 29:08 Scientology TikTok Runs 31:05 Vatican Vault Mysteries 34:10 Area 51 and Secret Access 36:03 Vault Facts and Church Attic 37:24 From Jokes to Grief 39:02 What Unanswered Means 40:16 Widow and Hannah 43:39 Prayer Is Complicated 46:50 Thy Will Be Done 48:01 Suffering and Jesus 50:11 Living With Tension 54:21 Why Not You 58:41 Praying Intentionally 1:01:43 Silence and Solitude 1:03:33 Wrap Up

The conversation circles a question we couldn't shake while writing: how will I persist? When we're hurting, exhausted, or quietly disappointed in life, who do we intentionally turn to first? Ahaziah turned to Baal-Zebub. Jesus, in Gethsemane, turned to His Father. Most of us turn to a hundred things in between.

Are You Prepared to Face Your Death? Have You Prepared Your Family for Your Death and Led them on a Path to Their Eternal Life? MESSAGE SUMMARY: Most of us do not like to think about and plan for death, especially our own. However, Paul in. Romans 6:23, made your life and death position very clear: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.". As part of your preparations for eternity, you should take one time each year to evaluate and to reflect on your position for facing death and realizing eternal life by identifying those changes that you must make in your life and in your relationship with God. This preparation for your death will be a blessing for you and your family. Are you prepared to face your death? Will you have eternal life? What about those you leave behind – are you being a good steward?  Also, what about your family? Is your family prepared for your earthly death and their earthly death; and have you led your family on a path to receive their eternal life? In Matthew 28:18, Jesus gave us His Great Commission for your life focus: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.". Have you followed Jesus' Great Commission, for your own family, by making disciples of your family members?     TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Resentment. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Compassion. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Romans 5:12-15; Romans 7:24-25; Matthew 28:18-20; Psalms 147:1-20. WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Resurrection -- Part 3: Jesus Gives Us His Great Commission Just Before His Ascension” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

The devotional centers on Jesus' profound moment in Gethsemane, where He asks His disciples to stay awake and pray with Him during His hour of deep anguish, highlighting the spiritual battle against physical exhaustion and temptation. It emphasizes that the disciples' failure to remain vigilant symbolizes the broader Christian struggle to sustain spiritual alertness amid life's trials. The message calls believers to intentional, active prayer as a defense against temptation, urging personal accountability in maintaining spiritual discipline. Through this passage, the preacher underscores the contrast between the willingness to die for Christ and the greater difficulty of living faithfully day after day. The tone is both convicting and pastoral, inviting listeners to examine their own spiritual habits and to cultivate practices—like praying with eyes open or using prayer lists—that foster sustained focus and dependence on God's strength.

Maranatha: Our Lord is Coming! The Rapture of the Church    In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:1-3) The scene is etched forever in the sacred record of Scripture. It is the night of betrayal. The Passover supper has been eaten. The traitor has gone out into the darkness. The eleven remaining disciples sit in stunned silence as the weight of impending loss presses upon their souls.    Their Master has spoken plainly of His departure. He has washed their feet. He has given them the new commandment of love. And now, with the shadow of Gethsemane already falling across His face, the Lord Jesus Christ turns to address the deepest fear in their hearts. He does not offer vague religious platitudes. He does not speak in the language of uncertainty. Instead, He utters words that carry the full force of divine certainty, words that have echoed down through two thousand years of church history as the unbreakable promise of His personal return.   Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.   These verses stand as the cornerstone of the doctrine of the Rapture of the church, the blessed hope that has sustained persecuted saints, comforted grieving families, and ignited holy urgency in every generation of believers. Yet the full power of this promise is often missed in English translation.    The blazing heart of the passage lies in the Greek construction of the words “I will come again,” and it is there that the exposition must linger with scholarly precision and devotional weight. The verb translated “I will come again” is the present indicative active of the Greek word erchomai—literally, “I am coming.” It is not the simple future tense that one might expect for a distant event.  It is the present tense employed in a manner called the futuristic present tense. This is no grammatical accident. It is a deliberate choice by the Holy Spirit through the pen of the apostle John.    In classical and Koine Greek, the present tense can be used to describe a future action when that action is viewed by the speaker as so certain, so inevitable, and so imminent that it is as good as already unfolding before the eyes. The futuristic present tense does not weaken the promise; it intensifies it. It lifts the event out of the realm of mere prediction and plants it squarely in the realm of divine declaration. Jesus does not say, “I might come someday if conditions allow.”  He declares with the full authority of the Son of God, “I am coming.” The present tense shouts certainty. It breathes imminence.    It carries the weight of a future so fixed in the eternal counsels of the Godhead that the Speaker can speak of it as already in motion.   This futuristic present is not unique to this verse, but its placement here is profound.    The same construction appears elsewhere in the Gospel of John when Jesus describes events that are absolutely assured in the divine plan. The grammar itself becomes a theological hammer, driving home the truth that the return of Christ for His own is not a distant possibility but a present reality in the mind of the Savior.    He is even now, from the vantage point of eternity, in the act of coming. The promise is so certain that the tense of the verb collapses the future into the present. This is the grammatical foundation upon which the entire doctrine of the Rapture rests. The Rapture is not an afterthought in the plan of God.        It is the next great event on the divine calendar for the church of Jesus Christ, an event so fixed and so near that the Lord Himself can announce it in the present tense: “I am coming.”   The Rapture of the church is the personal, visible, and audible return of the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds to receive unto Himself every believer, both living and dead, and to take them to the place He has prepared in the Father's house. It is distinct from the Second Coming, which will occur at the end of the Tribulation when Christ returns to earth in power and great glory to judge the nations and establish His millennial kingdom.  The Rapture is the moment when the Bridegroom comes for His bride before the wrath of the Lamb is poured out upon a Christ-rejecting world. It is sudden. It is secret to the world but glorious to the saints.    It is the fulfillment of the promise given in the Upper Room, and it stands as the great hope of every blood-bought child of God.   No passage of Scripture unfolds this event with greater clarity and comfort than the words of the apostle Paul in First Thessalonians chapter four, verses thirteen through eighteen.    These verses were written by divine revelation to correct the ignorance of the Thessalonian believers concerning those who had died in Christ. The apostle writes: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.   Consider the weight of each phrase. The apostle begins by lifting the veil of ignorance. Death is not the end for the believer; it is merely sleep for the body while the spirit is present with the Lord.    The sorrow of the Thessalonian Christians is real, but it is not hopeless sorrow. It is sorrow anchored in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because He died and rose, those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. The dead in Christ are not left behind. They will not miss the Rapture.    Their spirits, already in the presence of the Lord, will be reunited with their resurrected bodies at this moment.   Then comes the heart of the revelation: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord.” This is not human speculation. This is not apostolic opinion. This is direct revelation from the ascended Christ Himself.  The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven. Notice the personal emphasis. It is not an angel. It is not a representative.    The Lord Himself— the same Jesus who walked the shores of Galilee, who hung upon the cross, who burst from the tomb, who ascended from the Mount of Olives—He Himself shall descend. And He shall descend with a shout.    The Greek word for “shout” is keleusma, a military command, a royal summons, a cry of authority that will pierce the heavens and shake the graves.    Accompanying that shout will be the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. The trumpet does not signal judgment here; it signals assembly. It is the signal for the final gathering of the redeemed.   The sequence is precise and powerful. The dead in Christ shall rise first. Their bodies, sown in corruption, will be raised in incorruption.    The graves will surrender their prey. Then—and only then—we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them. The word “caught up” is the Greek harpazo, a word that means to seize, to snatch away by force, to carry off suddenly. It is the same word used in Acts 8:39 when the Spirit caught away Philip, and in Revelation 12:5 when the man child is caught up to God.    It pictures a violent, irresistible removal from this earth. No believer will be left behind. No one who has trusted Christ will miss this moment. Living and resurrected saints will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The meeting place is not on the earth. It is in the air, in the clouds, the very atmosphere where the Lord will receive His own unto Himself exactly as He promised in John 14:3.   And then the final, glorious declaration: “and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Not for a thousand years. Not for a million years. Forever. The Rapture is not a temporary event.    It is the beginning of an eternal union. The bride will be taken to the place prepared in the Father's house, and there she will remain with her Bridegroom throughout the ages of ages. This is the comfort with which the apostle commands believers to comfort one another. It is not a doctrine for debate. It is a doctrine for consolation in the face of death and for courage in the face of life.   The same apostle who received this revelation also unfolds the mystery of the bodily change that will occur at the Rapture.      In First Corinthians chapter fifteen, verses fifty-one and fifty-two, he writes: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.   This is the mystery that was hidden in ages past but is now revealed. Not every believer will die. There will be a generation of Christians alive at the moment of the Rapture. Those believers will not sleep; they will be changed.      The change will be instantaneous—“in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” The Greek word for “moment” is atomos, from which we derive the English word “atom.”    It means an indivisible unit of time, the smallest possible fragment of a second. Faster than the eye can blink, faster than the mind can comprehend, the transformation will occur.  The corruptible will put on incorruption. The mortal will put on immortality. The bodies that have groaned under the weight of sin and sickness will be glorified, conformed to the image of the risen Christ.    The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised, and the living will be changed. This is the power of the Rapture. It is not a gradual process. It is a sudden, sovereign act of God that will leave the world stunned and the saints transported.   The early church lived in the constant expectation of this event. They faced persecution, imprisonment, and death with the cry of “Maranatha” upon their lips. That single Aramaic word, preserved for us in First Corinthians chapter sixteen, verse twenty-two, carries the heartbeat of New Testament Christianity: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.   “Maranatha” is not a curse. It is a prayer. It is a declaration. It means “Our Lord, come!” or more literally, “The Lord is coming!”    The persecuted believers of the first century did not merely believe in the return of Christ as a distant doctrine. They cried out for it as the solution to every trial. They lived every day with the expectation that before the sun set, the trumpet might sound and the Lord might appear. That same expectant cry has been the distinguishing mark of every faithful generation since. The futuristic present of John 14:3 fueled their hope. Jesus is not merely going to come.    He is coming. The present tense makes the future certain and the certain future near. Additional passages of Scripture reinforce this truth with unyielding clarity. The apostle Paul describes the Rapture as the believer's “blessed hope” in Titus chapter two, verse thirteen: Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. It is not the appearing of wrath. It is the appearing of the great God and our Savior. It is blessed because it delivers the church from the hour of trial that is coming upon the whole world.    It is glorious because it reveals Christ in His full majesty to those who love Him.   The apostle also writes in Philippians chapter three, verses twenty and twenty-one: For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.   The word “conversation” means citizenship.    The believer's true home is in heaven, and from that heavenly realm the Savior is expected at any moment. The transformation described here is the same as that in First Corinthians fifteen. The vile body—literally the body of humiliation—will be fashioned like unto His glorious body.  The power that will accomplish this is the same power that will one day subdue all things under His feet. Nothing is too hard for the One who spoke the universe into existence.   The doctrine of the Rapture is further confirmed in the closing words of the New Testament.    In Revelation chapter twenty-two, verse twenty, the ascended Lord Himself declares:   He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. And the response of the apostle is immediate and fervent: Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.   Once again the language of certainty and imminence rings out. “Surely I come quickly.”    The same Lord who used the futuristic present in the Upper Room now seals the entire canon of Scripture with the promise of His soon return.   This constellation of biblical texts forms an unbreakable chain of truth. The futuristic present of John 14:3 is the grammatical foundation.    The detailed revelation of First Thessalonians four is the doctrinal exposition. The mystery of First Corinthians fifteen is the physiological description. The cry of Maranatha is the devotional response. The blessed hope of Titus two is the purifying motivation. The citizenship of Philippians three is the practical orientation. And the final prayer of Revelation twenty-two is the expectant climax.   Taken together, these passages challenge every believer to live in the white-hot expectancy of the Lord's return. The Rapture is not a doctrine to be debated in academic halls while life drifts on in complacency. It is a command to holiness.  The apostle John makes this explicit in First John chapter three, verses two and three: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.   The hope of seeing Christ and being made like Him is not an abstract idea. It is a sanctifying force. The one who truly believes that Jesus may come at any moment will not toy with sin. He will not waste his days on the trivial and the temporal. He will purify his life with the same purity that characterizes the Lord Himself.    Expectancy produces urgency. It produces separation from the world. It produces devotion to the Word. It produces zeal for the gospel. It produces love for the brethren.  It produces a life lived with eyes fixed on the eastern sky.   The early church understood this. They did not build elaborate systems of prophecy to delay the return of Christ. They did not resign themselves to the idea that the Rapture was for some future generation. They lived as though today could be the day. That same spirit must characterize every generation of believers until the trumpet sounds.    The futuristic present tense in John 14:3 is not a curious footnote for Greek students.  It is a divine declaration that resounds through the corridors of time: “I am coming.” The Lord is coming. Maranatha.    The Bridegroom is on the way.   The Rapture will be a moment of indescribable glory. In one atom of time the graves of the righteous dead will burst open. Bodies long decayed will be reconstituted in splendor. The living saints will feel the sudden surge of immortal power coursing through their veins. Then, together, they will be caught up. The clouds will become their chariot. The air will become the meeting place.  The Lord Himself will receive them. No more sorrow. No more pain. No more death.    Only the eternal embrace of the One who loved them and gave Himself for them. The place prepared in the Father's house will at last be occupied by the redeemed of all ages.    The marriage supper of the Lamb will begin. The church will be presented faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.   Until that day, the Scriptures call every follower of Christ to live in the light of this imminence. The doctrine of the Rapture is not an escape clause for the lazy. It is a summons to vigilance. It is a call to watchfulness.    It is a mandate to occupy until He comes.    The believer who has fixed his hope on the appearing of Christ will order his life accordingly. He will speak the truth in love. He will labor while it is day. He will warn the wicked. He will strengthen the weak. He will lift up the hands that hang down. He will keep his garments unspotted from the world.  He will cry out with the saints of old, “Maranatha—Our Lord, come!”   The futuristic present tense of John 14:3 still echoes across the centuries. Jesus is not planning to come. He is coming.    The grammar itself testifies to the certainty. The supporting texts confirm the details. The early church embodied the expectancy. And the Holy Spirit today stirs the hearts of all who will listen with the same urgent cry: the Lord is coming. Maranatha. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.  The promise stands. The place is prepared. The trumpet is ready. The Bridegroom is at the door.   Let this truth sink deep into the soul. Let it shape every decision. Let it fuel every act of obedience. Let it purify every motive. The Lord Himself shall descend. The dead in Christ shall rise.    The living shall be changed. The redeemed shall be caught up. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. This is the Rapture. This is the blessed hope.    This is the promise of John 14:1-3, sealed by the futuristic present tense and proclaimed by the infallible Word of God.    Maranatha. Our Lord is coming. Amen.

Enter the Garden of Gethsemane to see the agony of our Savior as the cross draws near. Jesus not only shows us that we ought to pray in our trials, He shows us because that is exactly what He did in His hour of greatest need. He goes to His Father; He is honest in His request; He does the Father's will, and He did it all as our substitute. He drank the cup of wrath so that we might drink the cup of God's blessing. It really feels like the holy of holies of the book of Luke. This message was preached by Pastor Erick Cobb on May 3, 2026.

"The son of Zebedee and brother of John, he was one of the Twelve. At the call of the Lord Jesus, he left his fishing nets and his father and, together with John, immediately followed Christ. He was one of the three apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries: before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places, going as far as Spain. On his return from Spain, a violent quarrel broke out between the Jews and himself on the Holy Scriptures, and, being unable to withstand him, they hired a magician, Hermogenes. But Hermogenes and Philip his pupil were overcome by the power and truth that James preached, and were baptised. Then the Jews denounced him to Herod, and persuaded one Josias to slander the Apostle. This Josias, seeing James's manly bearing and hearing his clear preaching of the truth, repented and came to faith in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this Josias was also condemned. Mounting the scaffold, Josias begged James's forgiveness for the sin of slander, and James embraced him, kissing him and saying: 'peace be to thee, and forgiveness.' And they both laid their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the sake of the Lord whom they had loved and served. St James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45. His body was taken to Spain, where to this day miracles of healing are performed at his tomb." (Prologue)   His relics are venerated at his shrine in Compostela, Spain.

Welcome to Day 2849 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2849 – “Beholds He Comes!”  based on Zechariah 9:9 Putnam Church Message – 03/29/2026 Luke's Account of the Good News – “Behold He Comes!”   Last week, we continued our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “There is Always Hope!”  We learned that the heart of discipleship is: Where Jesus is, hopelessness is never final. Today, we are switching from our study of Luke for two weeks to focus on Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday. Today's message is: “Behold He Comes!” covers the entire Passion Week, and our launching point today is Zechariah 9:9:   Zion's Coming King 9 Rejoice, O people of Zion![a] Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious,[b] yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey's colt.   Opening Prayer Lord Jesus, as we gather around Your Word, quiet our hearts and open our eyes. Help us to see more than a parade, more than a cross, more than an empty tomb. Help us to see You as You truly are: the promised King, the suffering Savior, and the risen Lord. Take the familiar story and make it fresh again. Speak to the weary, awaken the distracted, convict the proud, comfort the grieving, and call all of us to follow You more fully. In Your holy name we pray. Amen. Introduction Over the next two weeks, we step away briefly from Luke for a special journey—from Palm Sunday to Easter/Resurrection Sunday, from the shouts of “Hosanna!” to the cry of “It is finished,” and then to the glorious announcement, “He is not here; He is risen!” The title of this message is “Behold He Comes!” That is really the heartbeat of Passion Week. Behold, He comes into Jerusalem. Behold, He comes to the temple. Behold, He comes to the table with His disciples. Behold, He comes into Gethsemane. Behold, He comes before Pilate. Behold, He comes to the cross. Behold, He comes out of the grave. The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—tell this story in harmony, though each gives us a different camera angle. Matthew highlights prophecy fulfilled. Mark emphasizes the movement and urgency of the King's mission. Luke gives us the tears of Jesus and the tragedy of a city that did not recognize its moment of visitation. John reminds us that many in the crowd were stirred because Jesus had raised Lazarus, and now excitement was running through Jerusalem like wildfire. But Palm Sunday is not just a happy parade. It is the beginning of holy collision. Hope and misunderstanding meet on the same street. Praise and rejection are only days apart. The palms wave on Sunday, but the cross stands on Friday. And yet through it all, one truth remains: Jesus is not swept along by events. He comes deliberately. He comes knowingly. He comes lovingly. He comes for us. Main Point 1: He Comes as the Promised King When Jesus approached Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives near Bethphage and Bethany, He sent disciples to bring a donkey and its colt. This was not accidental. This was not random transportation. This was revelation. Matthew 21 points us directly to Zechariah 9:9 “Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey.” Now, in the ancient world, kings often arrived in one of two ways. If they came on a war horse, they came in conquest. If they came on a donkey, they came in peace. Jesus is King, yes—but not the kind of king the crowds fully expected. The Jews wanted a throne. -> Jesus came with humility. The Jews wanted Rome overthrown. -> Jesus came to overthrow sin and death. The Jews wanted political rescue. -> Jesus came for eternal redemption. Can you picture the scene? The road is dusty. Cloaks are spread down like a makeshift royal carpet. Branches are cut and waved. Psalm 118 is rising from the crowd: “Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” And John tells us specifically that these were palm branches—symbols of joy, victory, and national hope. Similar to us waving an American flag during a parade. Expanded Narrative For first-century Jews, Jerusalem was not merely a city. It was the city of promise, the city of David, the city of the temple. And when Jesus comes riding down the slope of the Mount of Olives, every prophetic nerve in Israel starts to tremble. The prophets had spoken. The covenant had promised. The generations had waited. -> And now Behold He Comes! But notice the manner of His coming. There is no sword in His hand. No army behind Him. No chariot rumbling over stone. Only a borrowed animal, willing disciples, and a crowd that understands just enough to cheer—but not enough yet to surrender. That still happens today, doesn't it? People are often happy to celebrate Jesus when they think He will fit their expectations. We welcome Him when He seems useful to our plans. We praise Him when the blessings are flowing. But when He comes humbly, when He confronts us, when He does not serve our agenda, we do not always know what to do with Him. Illustration It is a little like someone expecting the President to arrive in a black limousine with security and flashing lights—but instead he shows up alone, in plain clothes, and sits down at the table to listen. Some would miss the significance because they expected power to look louder. Jesus comes with authority, but it is wrapped in humility. Object Lesson Hold up a gold-looking crown in one hand and a simple rope halter or small wooden yoke in the other. Say: “Which one looks more like a king? Most of us would choose the crown. But Palm Sunday tells us that God's King often comes in a form we do not expect. The crown is real—but the path to it runs through humility.” Related Scriptures Genesis 49:10–11 hints at kingship tied to the colt. Psalm 118:25–26 gives us the language of “Hosanna” and blessing. Zechariah 9:9 declares the humble King. Philippians 2:6–8 tells us Christ humbled Himself. Summary of Main Point 1 Palm Sunday announces that Jesus is not merely a teacher entering a city. He is the long-awaited King entering His rightful place. But He comes with humility, peace, and purpose. He does not come to match human expectations; He comes to fulfill divine promises. The question for us is not, “Will we admire this King?” but “Will we receive Him on His terms?” Main Point 2: He Comes and Sees What Others Cannot See Luke gives us one of the most moving moments in the triumphal entry. While the crowd rejoices, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. Luke 19:41 says, “But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.” Think about that. The crowd is shouting. The disciples are praising God for the miracles they have seen. The Pharisees are telling Jesus to quiet the people. And in the middle of all that noise—Jesus is crying. Why? Because He sees what they do not see. They see a parade. -> He sees a city on the brink of judgment. They see excitement. -> He sees hardened hearts. They see what they want Him to do. -> He sees what He must do. John tells us that many in the crowd were stirred because of the raising of Lazarus. That miracle had electrified public imagination. “If He can call a dead man out of the grave after four days, surely, He can take Jerusalem! Surely, He can establish the kingdom now!” But Jesus knows that many voices shouting “Hosanna” do not yet understand holiness, repentance, surrender, or the cost of redemption.   Expanded Narrative Jerusalem had a history. It was the city of priests, sacrifice, pilgrimage, Scripture, memory, and hope. To an ancient Israelite, it was the place where heaven and earth seemed to meet. Yet it had also become a place where religious familiarity could hide spiritual...