Podcasts about Gethsemane

Share a commentA God who cries at a graveside and prays through sweat and sorrow isn't distant from our pain—and that truth frames one of the most breathtaking true stories of mission and redemption. We start where many believers secretly live: wondering whether tears are wasted and whether apparent failure means God has gone silent. From the compassion of Jesus at Lazarus's tomb to the anguish of Gethsemane, we ground the journey in a Savior who validates grief and transforms it into hope.Against that backdrop, we walk with David and Svea Flood into the Belgian Congo: malaria, shut gates, and a single boy allowed to sell eggs at their tent. Svea shares the gospel with him; soon after, she dies following childbirth. David, shattered, buries her on the hill and abandons faith, convinced the mission failed. Their newborn, Aina, is adopted, brought to the United States, and grows up with only fragments of her story. Years later, a Swedish magazine lands in her mailbox with a photo of a simple cross: “Svea Flood.” Translated lines tell of the boy who became a teacher, won his village, and helped plant a thriving church.What unfolds next is restoration. Aina finds her father in Sweden, bitter and broken. She tells him the truth: the seed did not die in vain. Hope returns; grace does its quiet work. Then, at a London conference, Aina meets the very man her mother led to Christ—now a national church leader representing more than a hundred thousand baptized believers. Together they journey back to the hill, to the grave beneath the palm, and to a village alive with faith.This is a story for anyone who has sown in tears and seen nothing bloom—yet. It's about unseen seeds, long timelines, and the God who weeps with us while turning loss into a harvest beyond our imagination. Listen, share with a friend who needs courage today, and if this moved you, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find hope.Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Share a commentA God who cries at a graveside and prays through sweat and sorrow isn't distant from our pain—and that truth frames one of the most breathtaking true stories of mission and redemption. We start where many believers secretly live: wondering whether tears are wasted and whether apparent failure means God has gone silent. From the compassion of Jesus at Lazarus's tomb to the anguish of Gethsemane, we ground the journey in a Savior who validates grief and transforms it into hope.Against that backdrop, we walk with David and Svea Flood into the Belgian Congo: malaria, shut gates, and a single boy allowed to sell eggs at their tent. Svea shares the gospel with him; soon after, she dies following childbirth. David, shattered, buries her on the hill and abandons faith, convinced the mission failed. Their newborn, Aina, is adopted, brought to the United States, and grows up with only fragments of her story. Years later, a Swedish magazine lands in her mailbox with a photo of a simple cross: “Svea Flood.” Translated lines tell of the boy who became a teacher, won his village, and helped plant a thriving church.What unfolds next is restoration. Aina finds her father in Sweden, bitter and broken. She tells him the truth: the seed did not die in vain. Hope returns; grace does its quiet work. Then, at a London conference, Aina meets the very man her mother led to Christ—now a national church leader representing more than a hundred thousand baptized believers. Together they journey back to the hill, to the grave beneath the palm, and to a village alive with faith.This is a story for anyone who has sown in tears and seen nothing bloom—yet. It's about unseen seeds, long timelines, and the God who weeps with us while turning loss into a harvest beyond our imagination. Listen, share with a friend who needs courage today, and if this moved you, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find hope.Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

In this powerful episode of Day of Destiny, Dr. Michelle reveals how prayer is the place where spiritual power is produced. Drawing from the example of Jesus in Gethsemane—the place of the olive press—you'll discover how pressure can release fresh oil, fresh anointing, and fresh strength for the year ahead. Learn how compassion, intimacy with God, and persistence in prayer position you to overcome temptation, walk in victory, and step boldly into your divine assignment in 2026. This is the season for believers to rise up in prayer and experience supernatural power like never before.

Jesus Followers' Personal Relationship with Jesus Comes from Humility as Sinners Through Seeking God's Mercy in Prayer MESSAGE SUMMARY:  We do not deserve it; but we able to come to God, in a Personal Relationship with Him, because of His Mercy. We are all sinners. As Paul tells us in Romans 9:18: “So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.". With God's Justice without His Mercy and His resulting Grace, you would face only eternal death as Justice for your sins. We can never enter God's presence for prayer when we are in our pride with our focus on ourselves. Also, Paul reminds us, in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, that, in your Salvation through God's Grace, Jesus makes us “boast” only in the Grace provided us by God: “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'”. We can only enter God's presence when we humble ourselves in Jesus. Humility and penitence before God invite His presence – here I am, Lord; just as I am; have mercy on me a sinner.   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 I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Insensitivity. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Gentleness. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 18:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:29-31; Isaiah 19:22; Psalms 44a:1-13. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Essentials Part1 – People of the Book” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

This is the last talk in the meditation series on Surrender. 

Why walk with God when answers don't come quickly—and sometimes don't come at all? Watch the video of this episode on YouTube here. Russell and Beth join forces again to embark on the Bible's darkest terrain: Ecclesiastes and Job. Drawing from Beth's current teaching on Job, her newly released Bible study, and Russell's work through Hebrews 11, they explore why Scripture so often leaves suffering unresolved. Along the way, they reflect on faith as endurance rather than fragility, and the long, quiet formation that happens through daily obedience rather than spiritual breakthroughs. Beth shares wisdom shaped by decades of teaching, parenting, journaling, and marriage—including what she's learned about letting God hold people we love and how stubborn grace can sustain a life and a marriage over time.  The conversation turns finally to Job, Gethsemane, and the cries of Jesus, who not only models lament, but gathers it up and answers it entirely with his death and resurrection. If you're living through uncertainty, carrying grief you can't yet resolve, or learning how to trust God without clarity—and you're comforted by a conversation that refuses clichés while still insisting on hope—this episode is for you. Resources mentioned in this episode: Walking with God: A Five-Week Journey in Step with the Savior by Beth Moore First and Second Samuel by Eugene Peterson Thoughts in Solitude by Thomas Merton Keep up with Russell: Sign up for the weekly newsletter where Russell shares thoughtful takes on big questions, offers a Christian perspective on life, and recommends books and music he's enjoying. Submit a question for the show at questions@russellmoore.com  Subscribe to the Christianity Today Magazine: Special offer for listeners of The Russell Moore Show: Click here for 25% off a subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Sunday Pastor Rob preaches from Matthew 26 where we see Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane moments before he was arrested and crucified. This week's message challenges us to keep praying when God doesn't seem to answer you or outright says “no.” 

Evangelism is a God-given calling every Christian must answer in obedience. In this message, Pastor Greg Laurie shares principles of a good "fisherman." Notes: Luke 5 There are right and wrong ways to go fishing.And there are also wrong ways to share our faith. The problem today isn’t that Christians are sharing the gospel the wrong way.It’s that 8/10 Christians never share the gospel in any way. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.” Do you want to know how to share the gospel effectively? Do you want to go fishing for men? Read Luke 5:1–10 This is a story of how a miracle of Jesus touched the lives of three men,Peter, James, and John. This terrific trio accompanied Jesus on many occasions.They were there at the transfiguration.They were there when Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter.They were there during His agony in Gethsemane. Were they afforded these privileges because they were better than the others? Maybe Jesus was essentially saying, “I need to keep my eye on you, boys.” Peter’s misstatements were legendary. There were never three men who had less promise or natural ability.Yet they became three of the greatest missionary preachers in church history. Luke 5:3 (NLT)Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So He sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. John 1:42 (NLT)Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "Your name is Simon, son of John--but you will be called Cephas" (which means "Peter"). Jesus looks at Simon and sees what he will become. There was another time Jesus looked at Peter.It was after Peter’s denial of Jesus.That was a look of understanding. It appears that Peter, James, and John had a spiritual lapse of sorts.Or perhaps they were just unsure of what it meant to follow Jesus. Peter, James, and John did not realize the potential Jesus had for them. Jesus was making them into powerful spiritual leaders who would touch their world.They had the privilege of writing the very scripture we hold in our hands. Have you sensed God’s call on your life to do a certain thing and then not done it? When Jonah ultimately stepped up to the plate, a national revival happened in the wicked city of Nineveh. Not to respond to God’s call on your life can be an actual sin.It is a sin of omission. Luke 5:4 (NLT)"Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish." Luke 5:5 (NLT)"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing." Fishing at this time was back-breaking work because it involved laying out a great net in a semi-circle. It encompassed over 100 feet. Then it had to be drawn in hand over hand. Luke 5:5 (NLT)"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again." Peter used an interesting term for Jesus when he called Him, “Master.”It was a nautical term, "Captain of this boat." Peter let down the net instead of the nets.The result was that the net started breaking. This was supernatural, and these fishermen all knew it. Jesus gave Peter fish because that is what Peter understood. It’s amazing how Jesus can reach the academic and the uneducated,the certified genius and the little child. Augustine lived for drinking, partying, and rampant immorality. Weeping, Augustine heard the voice of a child repeating, “Take and read.”Augustine saw this as God entering his world. This is a reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God. Peter is overwhelmed with gratitude and guilt as Jesus gives him a great catch. God is not looking for self-confident people.He is looking for people who are aware of their inadequacies and weaknesses. When you encounter the Holy God, you realize how sinful you are. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now, on you’ll be fishing for men!”(Luke 5:10) The Lord said we can catch men alive.Either we do it, or the devil does. Luke 5:11 (NLT)And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. The word for followed signifies the “deepest inward attachment.” #1 A fisherman needs to be patient. The Bible compares evangelism to farming.1 Corinthians 3:6–8 We live in a microwave society, but God often works like a slow cooker. Ecclesiastes 7:8a (ESV)Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. #2 A good fisherman must persevere. God doesn't grade us on our closing percentage.He grades us on our obedience. #3 A good fisherman must know to go to the right place at the right time. #4 A good fisherman must have skill. We learn effective skills through experience. We learn to build a bridge rather than to burn it. One of the best ways to share the gospel with someone is to listen. Know the word of God.2 Timothy 2:15 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. # 5 A good fisherman must know how to work with others. Cooperation is the key to effectively sharing your faith. God specializes in turning sinners into saints. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evangelism is a God-given calling every Christian must answer in obedience. In this message, Pastor Greg Laurie shares principles of a good "fisherman." Notes: Luke 5 There are right and wrong ways to go fishing.And there are also wrong ways to share our faith. The problem today isn’t that Christians are sharing the gospel the wrong way.It’s that 8/10 Christians never share the gospel in any way. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.” Do you want to know how to share the gospel effectively? Do you want to go fishing for men? Read Luke 5:1–10 This is a story of how a miracle of Jesus touched the lives of three men,Peter, James, and John. This terrific trio accompanied Jesus on many occasions.They were there at the transfiguration.They were there when Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter.They were there during His agony in Gethsemane. Were they afforded these privileges because they were better than the others? Maybe Jesus was essentially saying, “I need to keep my eye on you, boys.” Peter’s misstatements were legendary. There were never three men who had less promise or natural ability.Yet they became three of the greatest missionary preachers in church history. Luke 5:3 (NLT)Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So He sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. John 1:42 (NLT)Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "Your name is Simon, son of John--but you will be called Cephas" (which means "Peter"). Jesus looks at Simon and sees what he will become. There was another time Jesus looked at Peter.It was after Peter’s denial of Jesus.That was a look of understanding. It appears that Peter, James, and John had a spiritual lapse of sorts.Or perhaps they were just unsure of what it meant to follow Jesus. Peter, James, and John did not realize the potential Jesus had for them. Jesus was making them into powerful spiritual leaders who would touch their world.They had the privilege of writing the very scripture we hold in our hands. Have you sensed God’s call on your life to do a certain thing and then not done it? When Jonah ultimately stepped up to the plate, a national revival happened in the wicked city of Nineveh. Not to respond to God’s call on your life can be an actual sin.It is a sin of omission. Luke 5:4 (NLT)"Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish." Luke 5:5 (NLT)"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing." Fishing at this time was back-breaking work because it involved laying out a great net in a semi-circle. It encompassed over 100 feet. Then it had to be drawn in hand over hand. Luke 5:5 (NLT)"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again." Peter used an interesting term for Jesus when he called Him, “Master.”It was a nautical term, "Captain of this boat." Peter let down the net instead of the nets.The result was that the net started breaking. This was supernatural, and these fishermen all knew it. Jesus gave Peter fish because that is what Peter understood. It’s amazing how Jesus can reach the academic and the uneducated,the certified genius and the little child. Augustine lived for drinking, partying, and rampant immorality. Weeping, Augustine heard the voice of a child repeating, “Take and read.”Augustine saw this as God entering his world. This is a reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God. Peter is overwhelmed with gratitude and guilt as Jesus gives him a great catch. God is not looking for self-confident people.He is looking for people who are aware of their inadequacies and weaknesses. When you encounter the Holy God, you realize how sinful you are. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now, on you’ll be fishing for men!”(Luke 5:10) The Lord said we can catch men alive.Either we do it, or the devil does. Luke 5:11 (NLT)And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. The word for followed signifies the “deepest inward attachment.” #1 A fisherman needs to be patient. The Bible compares evangelism to farming.1 Corinthians 3:6–8 We live in a microwave society, but God often works like a slow cooker. Ecclesiastes 7:8a (ESV)Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. #2 A good fisherman must persevere. God doesn't grade us on our closing percentage.He grades us on our obedience. #3 A good fisherman must know to go to the right place at the right time. #4 A good fisherman must have skill. We learn effective skills through experience. We learn to build a bridge rather than to burn it. One of the best ways to share the gospel with someone is to listen. Know the word of God.2 Timothy 2:15 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. # 5 A good fisherman must know how to work with others. Cooperation is the key to effectively sharing your faith. God specializes in turning sinners into saints. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spiritual battles are rarely won in the moment — they're won BEFORE they begin.In this Bible teaching from Matthew 26, we look at Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and uncover how prayer, awareness, and obedience lead to spiritual victory. While the disciples slept, Jesus prayed—and that difference changed everything.In this message, Pastor Mark Cummins covers: • How to recognize spiritual danger before it overtakes you • Why prayer is your primary weapon in spiritual warfare • What Jesus meant by “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” • How Scripture equips believers to stand firm against temptationYou cannot defeat an enemy you refuse to recognize—but through watchfulness and prayer, God prepares us to win.

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus shows us how to pray when life doesn't make sense—honestly, repeatedly and with full surrender. He doesn't hide His anguish, but He does anchor His trust in the Father's will. Learn to pray through fear, disappointment and suffering with the same surrendered courage Jesus modeled when Pastor Nate Keeler shares "The Posture of Prayer" form Matthew 26:36-46.

BYU Lecture #4 - Why was the Atonement necessary? Text: Genesis 5; Moses 6 Supplemental Text: The First 2,000 Years chapters 10-16 and Appendix: Atonement Probably no subject in scripture has aroused more questions or provoked more wonderment than the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Join W. Cleon Skousen in a live university lecture that unfolds like an epic journey from the beginning, starting with intelligence to spiritual creation, progression, and mortality; The critical moments in the Plan of Salvation, from the Garden of Gethsemane, the cruel cross and finally the literal resurrection. Learn how mercy is the key to overcome damning justice of the law. Skousen weaves personal experiences, scriptural insight, and theological discovery to reveal this beautiful, yet ‘lost doctrine' of the church. 

Watch the Devotion Based on Isaiah 9:4 As in the Days of Midian There are some battles that are so widely known that you just need to say one or two words and most people know: “D-Day.” “The Bulge.” Or today, January 23, 1943… (how well do you know your military history?) U.S. forces seized control of… Guadalcanal. There is a battle that was so well known among God's people that the prophet Isaiah only needed to use one word, and everyone knew which battle he was talking about. “For as in the day of Midian's defeat…” (Isaiah 9:4). I'd encourage you to read about this battle in Judges chapter 7. The after action report would have said, “Despite overwhelming odds, the small company of Israelite war fighters thoroughly destroyed the warriors from the nation of Midian.” The Midianites brutally oppressed the people of Israel. The enemy so impoverished the Israelites politically, economically, agriculturally the people cried out under its awful weight. God, through a man named Gideon, shattered that yoke, that heavy bar across their shoulders. Isaiah predicted that God would do this again: “For as in the days of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor” (Isaiah 9:4). The well-known battles would be fought, not with swords or spears, not with Paladin or Patriot missiles, but with words and a will that would not be broken. The battlefield was a wilderness where the enemy failed to drive the hero to despair. The battlefield was a garden, where the hero wrestled in prayer, but in the end, willingly submitted his will to his Father. The battlefield was a cross, where the accusations of the enemy and the wrath of a holy God and the burden of guilt was laid on his shoulders, on his soul. The battlefield was a tomb that could not hold the hero's dead body, which came back to life and lived and lives today. By his resurrection he has destroyed the grip of the grave and death over you. These battles are so well known that you only need to say a word or two and you know it means victory for you: Gethsemane, Golgotha, garden tomb. Whatever burdens your soul today, whatever guilt you feel pressing down on your conscience, whatever sadness or grief weighs down on your heart, know that it has all been removed, crushed, destroyed – for Christ, our hero, has won the battle against overwhelming forces that fought against him and against us. When you feel burdened by your guilt, when you feel overwhelmed by the enemy, return to these battlefield sites, walk through them, and remember what happened there: victory for you; freedom from oppression for you. And you can say, “As in the days of Midian's defeat… so are the days of the devil's defeat… so are the days of my sins' defeat… so are the days of my death's defeat…” Prayer: Lord God of hosts, you shattered the power of Midian and through your Son, broke the yoke of sin, death and the devil. When we feel oppressed by guilt, fear or grief, lead us again to the cross and empty tomb, that we may rest in Christ's victory and live in the freedom he has won for us. In the name of our victorious hero, Jesus. Amen. Amen. Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

Today's Fear-Laden Events and “Noise” Will Not Matter If You Practice the Presence of God as You Live Your Life MESSAGE SUMMARY: You cannot practice the presence of God when you practice the presence of fear. You may be inclined to fear for the future of our country or fear about your personal finances or family or health issues. If you practice the presence of God, you will have peace in amidst your life-storm and trauma. The “Presence of Jesus” in your life begins with persistent prayer to the end that you constantly and consistently seek to include Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, in all aspects of your life. “Practicing the Presence of Jesus” in your life will prove to be life changing a rewarding. Jesus provides comfort for your anxieties in Mathew 6:33-34: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.". Also, in Mathew 11:28-30, Jesus makes it clear to you that He wants to walk with you in your times of trouble and fear so that you can offload to Him, the Creator of the Universe, some of those issues that drive your fears: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.". If you practice the presence of God, it will not matter what this world or the devil throws your way.   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 Inadequacy. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Abundance. “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): John 3:16-17; 1 John 5:1-5; Psalms 37:41-50. WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “It's About Time: Part 2 – Overstressed, Overloaded, and Maxed Out Lives” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

From Sin to Stepping Stone by Autumn Dickson This week we get to read about how Adam and Eve made their way out of the garden and into the world that we know today. There are principles here that can change how you see your own efforts to follow Christ. Some of the principles we read about this week have the power to bring you out of perfectionism and into true salvation because they are not the same thing. Background on the verse we're about to read: Moses is learning about Satan because Satan had recently come to him to tempt him. The Lord starts to teach Moses about the man who was trying to get Moses to worship him, specifically about Satan's role in the beginning of the Plan of Salvation. Moses 4:6 And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away many after him,) and he sought also to beguile Eve, for he knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world. Satan wanted to tempt Eve in order to destroy the world. He wanted to destroy the plan of God because he was mad. Despite his original pleadings to come down and save everyone and bring them all home, now Satan threw away his supposed love for us and merely sought to destroy what God was planning. He was a fraud; he never loved us. He just wanted glory and honor. There is beautiful irony here. Satan would have destroyed God's plan if he had left Adam and Eve alone, but he knew not the mind of God. He didn't know that tempting Eve and convincing her to sin was part of the plan. One more time. He didn't know that tempting Eve and convincing her to sin was part of the plan. I want to switch up the verse just a little bit. I'm going to put in my name. You put in your's. Moses 4:6 And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away many after him,) and he sought also to beguile Autumn, for he knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world. Satan tempts me because even though he already lost his chance to destroy the plan with Adam and Eve and then again with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, he wants to destroy the effects of the plan in my life. There is beautiful irony here. Sin was part of the plan, and not just as some unfortunate byproduct of a fallen world. It was one of the most powerful tools utilized to save Adam and Eve. Let me explain myself. Let's pretend for a moment that Satan predicted the mind of God and left Adam and Eve alone. We would have remained in the exact state where we were. Adam and Eve would have remained innocent in the garden, and we would have stayed in our heavenly home with God. God's plan would have been thwarted. No sin would have occurred, but no true happiness would have occurred either. Sin was part of the plan, and not just as some byproduct of a fallen world. Sinning teaches us powerful lessons. Now we have to be careful with this principle and have the right attitude towards it. I don't teach this principle so that someone feels like they can go try cocaine in order to learn that it's bad. That's ridiculous. I'm not even teaching that it's okay to lie or cheat so that you can learn your lessons. I'm not teaching that it's okay to go sin as long as your purpose is an education. I am trying to break apart the ridiculous arguments of perfectionism. We came here to grow and become. Our purpose in life should not be to stand frozen and still so that we don't do anything wrong. Our methods should not include berating ourselves into perfection. We were meant to come down here and return to live with God, prepared to live His life and participate in His work. How do we get from Point A to Point B? There are a lot of ways we acquire that growth. One of those ways is sinning. I have learned so much from reflecting on the times that I screwed up. This doesn't give us license to go out and sin on purpose for the supposed goal of learning because that doesn't get you to Point B. If you're using “learning” as an excuse to sin, you're not returning to God, prepared to live His life and participate in His work. Rather, this gives you license to look at your sins the way Adam and Eve came to look at their sins. Here is another verse from this week. Adam and Eve sinned. They disobeyed God and were driven out of the garden. They toiled, suffered, had children, and offered sacrifices to God. One day, an angel came to them and taught them about Christ. The angel told them that they could be redeemed after they sinned and return to live with God again. Moses 5:10-11 10 And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God. 11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient. They rejoiced. Because of his transgression, Adam's eyes were opened. He got to experience joy because he had transgressed and he still had an opportunity to return to live with God whom he knew personally and loved. Eve rejoiced that she learned the difference between good and evil as well as the joy of Christ paying for them to come home. We don't look at a choice ahead of us and disobey God in the name of learning good from evil. However, we do have permission to look back at our transgressions through the lens of a testimony of Christ. We rejoice that He took our sins and turned them into powerful stepping stones that brought us closer to Christ. Honestly, it makes me think of the Come Back podcast. Some of the stories we hear about on that podcast are so incredibly powerful. People learned from their mistakes and found rejoicing in Christ. We can find that too. We don't have to let our sins weigh us down unto death. We can rejoice in Christ's ability to save us from our sins and utilize our sins to help us become prepared to live God's life and participate in His work. When we beat ourselves up with perfectionism over our mistakes, it's only because we don't yet know the mind of God. Satan wants you to believe that your sins and transgressions are the end of the story, that he's destroyed you. He has since learned that his desire to thwart God's plan ironically fell apart because of his own participation in that plan, but if he can keep you from understanding that, then he can win a couple of battles even if he can't win the war. He doesn't want you to know the mind of God which is offering you joy, peace, and salvation. Thwart Satan. Let go of everything that keeps you from the feelings associated with salvation, namely shame and guilt that has been blown out of proportion and continues to hold you down. Rejoice! Gain a testimony of Christ like Adam and Eve did. I testify that God didn't fear Adam and Eve's transgressions. He knew it would happen. He planned on it. It needed to happen. I testify that God isn't afraid of your sins; why would He be? They're already paid for and taken care of. Sometimes the only thing holding us back from salvation is our own inability to know the mind of God and let go of the sins that were already paid for. I testify of Christ's saving power, and I testify that gaining a true testimony of that power can light up your life like you've never experienced. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

What do you do when you want God's will… but you also want control? In Mark 14:32–42, Jesus prays in Gethsemane, “Not my will, but Yours,” showing that tension isn't a lack of faith—it's the battleground of surrender. This message helps you name your “power move,” trade control for trust, and learn how honest prayer and surrendered resolve lead to freedom, clarity, and rest.

What if the reason we feel anxious, blocked, and exhausted is not a lack of effort, but a refusal to surrender? This episode weaves poetry, ancient myth, modern culture, and Christian wisdom into a single question: where does real creativity and real peace actually come from? From the Greek Muses and Plato's divine madness, through Homer and Shakespeare, to Augustine, Aquinas, Tolkien, and Christ in Gethsemane, this talk challenges the modern instinct to control, perform, and self-create. If you feel restless, afraid to let go, or stuck trying to hold your life together, this episode invites you to listen closely, because peace does not come from mastery, it comes from trust.

Mortality, fragility, forgiveness, and peace. Journalist and author Stan Grant offers a genre-bending work of prayer, memory, and theology shaped by fatherhood, Aboriginal inheritance, masculinity, and mortality.“I see this as a gift from God, a creator that allows us to find each other again.”In this conversation with Evan Rosa, Grant reflects on his 2025 book, Murriyang: Song of Time—his philosophical and spiritual exploration of the human place in the world and faith as lived experience rather than abstraction. He looks closely at his father's life in order to come to terms with his own, the meaning of fatherhood and how to understand and forgive our fathers, masculinity and vulnerability, Aboriginal history and identity, masculinity and vulnerability, forgiveness and sacrifice, prayer and poetry, and the whole human experience of time and eternity.Episode Highlights“We inherit our father's cups.”“We must forgive our fathers. It is the only way that we can forgive ourselves.”“We cannot survive without each other.”“Man is not made for history. History is made for man.”“ … to confront the beauty of that mortality—my father's final gift to me is his death.”About Stan GrantStan Grant is an Australian journalist, author, and public intellectual of Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi, and Dharawal heritage. A former international correspondent and broadcaster, he has written widely on Indigenous identity, history, faith, and moral responsibility. Grant is the author of several acclaimed books, including Talking to My Country and Murriyang: Song of Time, which blends prayer, memoir, poetry, and theology. His work consistently resists abstraction in favor of embodied human experience, emphasizing forgiveness, attention, and the dignity of the human person. Grant has received national honors for journalism and cultural leadership and remains a leading voice in conversations about history, masculinity, faith, and what it means to live lives worthy of our shared humanity.Helpful Links and ResourcesMurriyang: Song of Time https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460763827/murriyang/Talking to My Country https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460752210/talking-to-my-country/Stan Grant official website https://www.stangrant.com.auShow NotesFathers and sons; inherited burden, sacrifice, and responsibility“We inherit our father's cups”Christ in Gethsemane as archetype of father-son sufferingMasculinity as physical burden, scars, toughness“We must forgive our fathers. It is the only way that we can forgive ourselves and live in a world of forgiveness with the other.”Yindyamarra: respect, gentleness, quietness, forgivenessImprovisation and rehearsal; jazz as spiritual and artistic model“I have never written a second draft.”Second thought as artifice, hiding, dishonestyForgiveness of self before speaking; imperfection and risk“If silence is violence, then we have redefined the very nature of violence itself.”Giftedness of life; what is given and receivedGift exchange versus transaction in modern society“We offer the gift of ourselves to each other.”Murriyang as Psalter, prayer, song, contemplation of time and GodReading slowly; opening anywhere; shelter from modern noise“We cannot survive without each other.”One-person performance; no script, immediacy, intimacyMusic, poetry, time, mortality woven togetherFather's body as history; sawmills, injuries, exhaustionChildhood memory of bath; “the water is stained black with blood”Mother's touch; tenderness amid survivalLate-life renaissance; language recovery, teaching, honorsMurriyang (heaven) and Babiin (father) liturgical, prayerful, dialogical alternation throughout the textSt. Augustine: “What was God doing before he made time? He was making hell for the over-curious.”Is God in time? Or out of time?Speaking of eternity or timelessness still imputes the concept of time.“ The imaginative space of time itself, it reaches to an horizon. But what is beyond the horizon? For modernity, of course, time is the big story. To be modern is to reinvent time. It's to be new. Modernity and technology is all about taming time.”“Man is not made for history. History is made for man.”Attention, affliction, abstraction, and the loss of human touch“My father's gift to me is his death.”Mortality as meaning; resisting transhumanismTime, modernity, instant life, collapsing spaceFragility, love, forgiveness, and beginning againEnding where we began#StanGrant#Murriyang#Fatherhood#Masculinity#Forgiveness#TimeAndFaith#HumanFlourishing#AustraliaProduction NotesThis podcast featured Stan GrantEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Noah SenthilA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

You don't need to feel more to be faithful. You don't need constant confirmation to be close to Christ. And silence does not mean distance.This week, instead of measuring your discipleship by emotion or progress, notice where your attention is going—and gently bring it back to Jesus Christ. Because what we look at grows. And when we look to Him, even quietly, grace begins to reframe how we experience the weight of mortality.You're not failing. You're not behind. And you're not alone.00:00 — Deb opens: Attention, weariness, and inward driftDeb introduces the idea that when life feels heavy or quiet, our attention naturally turns inward—not because we're failing, but because we're human.02:45 — The Fall and spiritual self-monitoringScott introduces the idea that one of the quieter effects of the Fall is constant self-evaluation rather than rebellion.05:30 — “Why don't I feel the Spirit?”Examples of how self-monitoring shows up in prayer, sacrament meeting, scripture study, and comparison.09:40 — Weariness is not abandonmentA clear return to last week's message: silence and heaviness are not signs of distance from Christ.12:20 — Symptoms vs relationshipScott contrasts symptom-focused spirituality with relationship-centered discipleship.15:10 — Gethsemane: strength instead of reliefA reframing of Gethsemane—Jesus' burden was not removed, but strength was added.18:45 — “Am I willing to stay?”Deb speaks to quiet faith, showing up without emotional confirmation, and the courage of staying.22:10 — Gratitude: what it is notScott clearly defines what gratitude is not: forced optimism, minimizing pain, or spiritual cheerleading.25:00 — Gratitude as alignmentGratitude reframed as noticing presence rather than pretending relief.27:30 — Practical reframing in real lifeExamples of gratitude that sound like: “It didn't spiral today.” “I made it through.” “I felt held, even quietly.”30:30 — What we look at growsThe core thesis repeated and grounded: attention shapes experience.33:00 — Closing invitationA gentle invitation to stop measuring discipleship by emotion and to notice where Christ already is.

“‘Abba, Father,’ he cried out, ‘everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’” (Mark 14:36 NLT) Mark 14 describes what may be the darkest night of the soul in human history. Jesus was “deeply troubled and distressed” (verse 33 NLT) because He knew the “awful hour” (verse 35 NLT) of His suffering was approaching. Jesus knew that in a very short time He would be denied by one of His closest friends. He knew that He would be the object of Peter’s shame and the cause of his cursing. He knew that He would be rejected by the people of Israel whom He came to save. He knew that His disciple Judas would betray Him with a kiss. He knew that the rest of His disciples would scatter in fear. He knew that He would be tried in a kangaroo court, falsely accused, and convicted. He understood the sheer torture of what He was about to do—that is, to take all the impurity, sin, and wickedness of humanity upon Himself. He who was righteous, holy, and pure was about to take upon Himself all that was unrighteous, unholy, and impure. For eternity Jesus had enjoyed unbroken communion with His Father. But He knew that in a short time, when the sin of the world was poured upon Him, God would momentarily turn His face from Him. He would be forsaken. That’s what He was recoiling from in the Garden of Gethsemane. That’s what He was dreading: the horrible moment when He would take all the sin of the world upon Himself. The only one who could understand what He was about to experience was His Father. “‘Abba, Father,’ he cried out, ‘everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine’” (Mark 4:36 NLT). Abba is a term of intimate affection used by children for their father. It’s similar to the terms “Daddy” or “Papa.” Jesus the Son was crying out to God the Father in His moment of difficulty. As He struggled with what lay ahead, Jesus asked His Father for one final reassurance that this was the only way to satisfy God’s justice and holiness—that this was the only way to make salvation and eternal life possible. Through it all, Jesus had one overarching goal, and it wasn’t to spare Himself pain and suffering. Look at His resolute words again: “I want your will to be done, not mine” (NLT). In offering this prayer, Jesus gave us an example to follow. None of us will ever be able to fathom the agony Jesus experienced that night. But we will experience our own consequences for pursuing God’s will. We may not always know what the will of God is in every situation. And when we do know it, we may not always like it. But we follow One who prioritized God’s will above everything else. And we must never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. Reflection question: What would embracing God’s will look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I invite us into a guided time of imaginative prayer — a contemplative practice rooted in the early church mothers and fathers that helps us encounter God in a personal, embodied way. Together, we step into the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus on the night before His crucifixion. As we enter this scene, we slow down, engage our senses, and notice what stirs within us as we witness Jesus' honesty, sorrow, and surrender before the Father. I hope you'll join me as we walk onto the scene of Matthew 26:36-42 and ask the Spirit to speak to us through this story. Get Faith & Feeling's weekly resource email Watch this episode on YouTube Grab a copy of my book Stop Saying I'm Fine Connect with me on my website Find me on Instagram @__taylorjoy__ Key words: imaginative prayer, contemplative prayer, guided prayer, Scripture meditation, mindfulness, prayer practice, spiritual formation, self-compassion, curiosity, emotional regulation, faith and mental health, soul care practices, Christian spirituality, emotions

Sermon Summary: “Yielding – Our Will vs. God's Will” 1. Yielding Is the Greatest Spiritual Battle The sermon opens by showing that yielding to God's will is the greatest struggle every believer faces. Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane reveals that His most intense battle was not the cross, but surrendering His will to the Father. Once Jesus yielded, the cross became inevitable and victory was secured. 2. The Flesh vs. the Spirit Jesus' words—“The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”—describe the ongoing conflict believers experience. Outside of Satan, our greatest enemy is our own flesh. This battle does not fade with age or maturity; it remains a lifelong challenge requiring vigilance, prayer, and humility. 3. Factors That Work Against Yielding Several forces resist surrender to God: A fallen nature inherited from Adam Pride and self-reliance Presumption about tomorrow Subjectivity toward God's Word Lack of prayer and a renewed mind These pressures cause believers to resist God's authority and delay obedience. 4. Yielding Is the Path to Blessing Surrender is not loss—it is the doorway to blessing, peace, and clarity. Yielding acknowledges God's wisdom, authority, and foresight. When believers refuse to yield, they restrict themselves and miss what God intends to accomplish through them. 5. True Wisdom Is Willing to Yield From James 3, the sermon contrasts earthly wisdom with godly wisdom. Wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, and willing to yield. Self-seeking and envy are identified as destructive, opening the door to confusion and spiritual harm. 6. Subjectivity Is a Spiritual Trap The fall of Adam and Eve illustrates the danger of being subjective with God's Word. Satan convinced Eve that God was withholding something, leading her to replace God's truth with personal reasoning. The sermon warns against the modern lie of “living your own truth,” emphasizing that there is only one truth—God's. 7. Setting Yourself Up to Succeed Romans 6 teaches that believers must present (yield) themselves to God, setting themselves up for righteousness rather than sin. Yielding involves changing access points, habits, and environments so the flesh has less opportunity to dominate. 8. Presumption Blocks Obedience Using Psalm 19 and James 4, the sermon warns against presuming upon tomorrow. Life is fragile, brief, and uncertain. Delayed obedience—putting God off for convenience or comfort—often results in missed divine appointments. 9. Yielding Begins at Salvation and Continues Daily Surrender starts when a person comes to Christ and continues throughout life. Many resist salvation itself because they do not want to yield control. God's will requires availability, humility, and obedience in both small and great things. 10. Final Call: Be Available The sermon concludes with a powerful call: Yield fully to God Stop delaying obedience Make yourself available to His will Live with eternal perspective The central truth is clear: no one owns tomorrow—only today. God is looking for people who will say, “Here am I, send me.”

What do you do when you believe in Jesus Christ—but don't feel close to Him? When the doctrine still makes sense, the invitations are familiar, and yet your heart feels heavy or stalled? In this episode, Scott and Deb talk candidly about faithful discouragement, emotional distance, and the quiet struggle of trying to “receive Christ” when it doesn't feel easy or inspiring. Drawing from Alma 7, the Savior's experience in Gethsemane, insights on grace from Adam Miller, and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's reassurance that we are never too far gone, this conversation reframes grace as Christ staying with us before He changes us. If you've ever wondered whether your weariness disqualifies you—or if Christ still comes close in the quiet—this episode is for you.

Discussions Today Are Void of Respect About Anything; Therefore, Jesus Followers Are Called to Lift Others Up with Praise and Encouragement MESSAGE SUMMARY: Be humble, gentle, and patient bearing with one another in love. Your “calling” by Jesus is to love one another; to lift each other up; and to praise and to encourage one another. How often, in the church, do we get our feathers ruffled and start “acting like a bunch of turkeys”? Too many of us “are not responding to God's call”; but we “are doing our duty”. After all, isn't just “doing our duty” what we have been taught? Paul succinctly defines our obligations as a follower of Jesus in Ephesians 4:31-32: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.". Our service to God is more than service or obligation (i.e., “duty”). Your “calling” should be to respond to Jesus' call by emulating Jesus in your 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 live as Jesus would (Philippians 1:27). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Mathew 6:14-15; Psalms 130:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Psalms 30:1-12. 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 Struggle with Time -- Until I Determine How We Want to Use Our Time, Others Will Determine How Our Time Is Used”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

What is it like to travel through Israel with more than 1,000 pastors, youth pastors, Christian educators, and ministry leaders as part of the Ambassadors Summit 2025? In this special episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards shares a behind-the-scenes look at an extraordinary leadership journey through Israel—an experience designed to educate, equip, and inspire Christian leaders to better understand the current issues Israel is facing, its people, and its spiritual significance. Doug walks listeners through the vision behind the Ambassadors Summit, the months of preparation leading up to the trip, and the powerful experiences that took place throughout the week—from worship gatherings and leadership briefings to visits to historic biblical sites like Golgotha, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives, and the empty tomb. In this episode, you'll hear about: ✅ The vision behind bringing 1,000 Christian leaders together for this journey ✅ What the Ambassadors Summit 2025 was designed to accomplish ✅ Worship gatherings, leadership panels, and special ceremonies ✅ Visiting key biblical locations throughout Jerusalem and Israel ✅ A remarkable experience with a blind tour guide at Golgotha and the empty tomb ✅ Why it took time after returning home to fully process the impact of the trip ✅ How this journey will lead to upcoming interviews and conversations on the podcast Doug also explains that this episode sets the stage for a series of upcoming interviews with Israeli guides, Jewish leaders, and participants from the summit—conversations that will be especially helpful for youth pastors, ministry leaders, Christian educators, parents, and anyone discipling the next generation. This episode is for: • Youth pastors and youth ministry volunteers • Christian educators and student leaders • Parents who want to deepen their own biblical understanding • Ministry leaders who want to grow in vision and perspective ✨ Sometimes a journey doesn't just teach you new information — it reshapes how you see Scripture, leadership, and calling. _________________________________________________________________________________

As a Christian, have you sometimes found yourself angry that friends or family members have fallen into grave difficulties and God doesn't seem to be answering or acting as you wish He would in that circumstance? In such times, have you worked to align fully with God's ways for believers? Join Kevin as we take a look at fruitfully living out God's ways in the New Covenant! // Download this episode's Application & Action questions and PDF transcript at whitestone.org.

Sermon Summary: “Forgetting What Is Behind You, Living for Christ”   A Call to a Year of Yielding The sermon opens with a prophetic emphasis for the new year: a year of yielding. God's will is not accomplished in believers' lives through effort alone, but through surrender. Just as Jesus yielded His will to the Father in Gethsemane, believers are called to yield their strength, plans, and control to God so His purposes can be fulfilled. Sanctification Comes Through Yielding Believers are already perfected in Christ, yet are continually being sanctified. Sanctification is not achieved by striving, but by yielding to the work of the Holy Spirit. Our position in Christ is greater than our current condition, and real spiritual growth requires humility, honesty, and willingness to change. Peter's Failure Reveals the Danger of Self-Confidence Through Matthew 26, the sermon examines Peter's denial of Jesus. Peter failed because he: Refused to believe Jesus' warning Neglected prayer and watchfulness Substituted action for prayer Followed Jesus from a distance Catered to his flesh This progression shows how spiritual drift leads to open denial when believers rely on self-confidence rather than surrender. Yielding Prevents Spiritual Collapse Jesus warned, “Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation.” The sermon explains the difference between falling into temptation and entering into it deliberately. Yielding involves intentionally setting one's life up for spiritual success through prayer, discipline, and obedience. God's Grace Restores the Fallen Despite Peter's failure, God's grace was greater. Fifty days later, Peter stood up on the Day of Pentecost and preached the most powerful sermon in history. This demonstrates that failure does not disqualify a yielded heart. God restores those who repent and trust His grace. Forgetting What Is Behind From Philippians 3, the sermon teaches that many believers are controlled by their past. “Forgetting” does not mean erasing memory, but neglecting its power. Paul deliberately turned away from both sinful and successful parts of his past so he could pursue Christ fully. Yielding Requires Intentional Neglect of the Past Believers must choose to lay aside memories, regrets, accomplishments, and wounds that hinder forward movement. No counselor or circumstance can do this for someone—it is a personal decision empowered by the Holy Spirit. A Unified Pursuit of Christ The church is described as a people who are “with it” because they share the same pursuit, not because of obligation or structure. When believers wake each day seeking to please God, unity naturally follows. Final Call The sermon concludes with a strong call to surrender: Yield fully to God Forget what is behind Press toward the upward call of Christ Live not by sight, but by faith Believers are challenged to enter the new year with renewed commitment, trusting that a yielded life leads to freedom, restoration, and spiritual power.

What do you do when what you want and what God wants don't match? In Mark 14:32–42, Jesus steps into the garden of Gethsemane and prays an honest, gut-level prayer: “Abba… everything is possible… take this cup… yet not my will, but Yours.” If even Jesus experienced the tension of desire and obedience, what does that mean for the decisions, fears, and pressures you're carrying right now? This message explores the tension of two wills—the pull of the flesh versus the leading of the Spirit—and shows how, in the tension, we can pray honestly, surrender fully, and take the next step with confidence that God is a Father you can trust.

“Praise to the holiest”From The Dream of Gerontius by St. John Henry NewmanPraise to the Holiest in the heightAnd in the depth be praise:In all His words most wonderful;Most sure in all His ways!O loving wisdom of our God!When all was sin and shame,A second Adam to the fightAnd to the rescue came.O wisest love! that flesh and bloodWhich did in Adam fail,Should strive afresh against the foe,Should strive and should prevail;And that a higher gift than graceShould flesh and blood refine,God's Presence and His very Self,And Essence all-divine.O generous love! that He who smoteIn man for man the foe,The double agony in manFor man should undergo;And in the garden secretly,And on the cross on high,Should teach His brethren and inspireTo suffer and to die.On November 1 of last year, All Saints Day, Pope Leo XIV declared Saint John Henry Newman – Cardinal Newman – as a Doctor of the Church. There are thousands of saints—but there are only 38 Doctors: saints who not only inspire us by their example and aid us by their intercession, but whose writing and teaching have had a profound impact on the Church. Cardinal Newman's writings have shaped the Church's understanding in many ways—especially his teaching on the development of doctrine and on Catholic education. Newman was more than a theologian: he was a preacher, a poet, even a novelist. The poem Scott read is taken from his long poem The Dream of Gerontius, which was published in 1865, when Newman was 64 years old. This poem is written in parts like a verse drama or an oratorio (it was later magnificently set to music by Elgar).Gerontius means “old man.” In the poem, Gerontius is an “everyman,” a “soul” who experiences death and what comes after death.The poem begins with Gerontius, the old man, on his deathbed, friends and priest gathered around, praying for him. But his death is only the beginning. Most of the poem takes the form of a dialogue with his guardian angel, who introduces him to the mysterious world of heaven and helps him prepare to meet God face to face.  At the end, he comes before God's throne, and then is led –joyfully - to Purgatory to be made ready for heaven.The poem Scott read is one of several choruses of angelical beings which the soul hears along the way. It's a song of praise, which marvels at the “loving wisdom” and “wisest love” of God in the redeeming work of Christ. The poem uses the Scriptural image of Christ as the “new Adam.” In Adam, our “flesh and blood” was vanquished; in Christ, that same flesh and blood prevails against the enemy. But there is more than a victory won here: there is “a higher gift than grace,” for in Christ our “flesh and blood” are “refined,” with God's Presence, Self, and Essence. Christ is truly human—and truly God.The last two stanzas speak of the suffering Christ underwent, for us, and as one of us. The “double agony” is interior and exterior: anguish of soul in Gethsemane, and physical torment on the cross. God's wise love is also “generous love”: for when Christ dies on the cross, he is still teaching, showing us how to suffer, and how to die.This song comes close to the end of The Dream of Gerontius. This great mystery of our redemption is what prepares the soul to enter the presence of God. And judgment is no longer terrifying. In life, says Gerontius, “the thought of death / And judgment was to me most terrible. / I had it aye before me, and I saw / The Judge severe e'en in the crucifix. / Now that the hour is come, my fear is fled.” In the face of Christ's generous, self-emptying love, fear is no longer possible.Newman's poem about the life that awaits us after death has the feeling of an adventure, a great journey, as the soul discovers that life is not over—it has only just begun. As with poems like The Divine Comedy of Dante and Paradise Lost of Milton, we come away from The Dream of Gerontius feeling that heaven and the afterlife are more real, more vivid, than this life and this world.Newman describes eternal life with urgency and eagerness, without ever dismissing this life as unimportant. Instead, the poem invites us to live life differently, and to look to death—and even judgment—with joy and hope. As Pope Leo XIV said of Cardinal Newman, “The lives of the saints teach us that it is possible to live passionately amidst the complexity of the present, without neglecting the apostolic mandate to shine like stars in the world” ( Pope Leo XIV).

What does it look like to pray when you're out of control? And what happens when desperation becomes the doorway to deeper trust? This week on The Cutting Room Floor, Neil sits down with Matt Williams to unpack what didn't make it into Sunday's sermon on desperation and prayer. From hospital rooms to unanswered prayers, they talk honestly about what it means to depend on God when control slips through your fingers. The conversation moves from the Garden of Gethsemane to everyday life, parenting, grief, career changes, and reframes prayer as relational, not transactional. It's a reminder that surrender isn't weakness; it's training for trust.   The challenge: As you step into a new year, don't just ask what you want to add. Ask what God is inviting you to lay down. Where might surrender make room for deeper dependence? Hosts: Neil Gregory & Matt Williams What We Discuss Why desperation often reveals what we truly depend on Standalone sermons and the pressure of closing out the year Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as our model for prayer Prayer as relational rather than transactional How honesty and tears can become prayers Parenting, prayer, and reflecting the heart of the Father What it means to pray "Your will be done" when outcomes hurt The difference between hope and expectation Surrendering good things to say yes to better ones ⸻ About Southland Christian Church Southland is one church meeting in multiple locations across central Kentucky. We believe Jesus came for the lost and the broken, which means there's a place for everyone here. Around here, that means we worship defiantly, speak truth unashamedly, and extend grace generously. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach across Central Kentucky and all around the world, visit: https://southland.church/give

Episode 201 - In this episode, we explore the first sorrowful mystery of the Rosary, the Agony in the Garden. The discussion delves into the scriptural context of Jesus's suffering in Gethsemane, the symbolism of the olive grove, and the significance of the Last Supper's cups. The conversation emphasizes the importance of vigilance in prayer, the struggle of humanity in the face of temptation, and the ultimate acceptance of suffering as a path to redemption. The reflection concludes with a poignant reminder of our own betrayals and the call to reconciliation with Christ.

Let's continue in Matthew 26 at verse 36.The Lord Jesus is presented here in Matthew as one who is praying to His Father, asking that the cup of suffering the cross might be removed from Him.Jesus prayed for this removal only once.The next 2 times Jesus prayed, His prayer was to confirm His willingness to do the will of God.Dr. Mitchell points out that it is here in Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemane that the victory was won. Jesus went to the cross already knowing the battle had been won. In Hebrews 5:7 says that our Lord's earnest prayers were heard by God who was able to save Him out of death. Jesus was assured of His resurrection after death. This was the joy that was set before Him.Here is Dr. Mitchell on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast, Matthew 26:36.

Is God closer than we think? Join us as we rediscover heaven and explore the profound reality of God's presence in our lives. This episode dives into the meaning of "heaven" in scripture, challenging traditional views and unpacking the closeness of God in the very air we breathe. The hosts thoughtfully discuss the intersections of Christianity, faith, and politics, addressing cultural challenges and the role of the church in society. With themes like cruciformity and justice, they unpack how the teachings of Jesus invite us into a life of humility, curiosity, and critical engagement with faith. Throughout the conversation, we examine how misconceptions about heaven and God's proximity have shaped faith practices and cultural narratives, often distorting the gospel message. Drawing on examples from scripture and modern-day challenges, we seek to understand how faith can transcend ideological boundaries and bring hope to our communities.  Feel free to email in questions, engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram, or share your thoughts as we pursue dialogue and learning together. We encourage and would love discussion as we explore faith, cultural issues, and theology with honesty and openness. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 00:40 - Seth's Christmas 01:38 - Nate's Christmas 04:12 - Matt's Christmas 05:08 - Stranger Things 05:54 - Welcome 06:34 - Christmas-themed Christian Nationalism 10:38 - Exalting Christ 11:27 - Roundup 17:47 - What is Christian Nationalism 20:44 - Christian Nationalism vs. Jesus 23:10 - Good Always Wins 25:32 - The Church's Issue 29:00 - The Garden of Gethsemane 32:07 - Our Father in the Heavens 32:36 - Our Father in Heaven 36:36 - God from the Heavens 39:34 - Jacob's Ladder 43:46 - Heaven is Not Far Away 47:10 - God is Not in Your Heart 48:08 - God is Right Here With Us 49:29 - The Kingdom of the Heavens 51:15 - The Most Powerful Power Grab 54:35 - God is Close 56:08 - Outro As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV. Our Merch Store! https://www.etsy.com/shop/VOXOLOGY?ref=shop_sugg_market Learn more about the Voxology Podcast Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

Send us a textJoin veteran Star Trek, and now Babylon 5 podcasters, Brent Allen and Jeff Akin as they dive into Babylon 5 for a second time! They revisit each episode with fresh insights and deeper analysis, reflecting on their first-time reactions. Perfect for First Ones and people new to the series, this journey offers a deeper connection to the world of Babylon 5!Justice, and Vengeance, and Forgiveness, OH MY! For the First Time Episode This show is produced in association with the Akin Collective, Mulberry Entertainment, and Framed Games. Find out how you can support the show and get great bonus content like access to notes, a Discord server, unedited reaction videos, and more: https://www.patreon.com/babylon5firstSpecial Thanks to all who support our show through Patreon, including: Executive Producers:AddrycAndrewAndy LukeAnthony PowellBecky SparksCalinicusColin 3of5Colin BlairDaniel AlvesDavidDeb L.DundradalFabio KaseckerJack KitchenJames OkeefeJeffrey HayesJesse PiedfortkatKaterina KalinevichKrystle WrightMartin SvendsenMatt IonMattie GarciaMitsy MarcellaMr KrosisNeil MooreNia is framedPaul HessPaul WalcherPeter SchullerRob BentRon HSarah LScott HelsbySnatcher42Starfury 5470Stuart98Suzanne EggTexas Anla'ShoktheecallieTrekkieTreyTheTrekkerProducers:David BlauGuy KovelJohn Koniges Follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badnerdsftft/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/badnerds.bsky.socialhttps://www.babylon5first.com/All rights belong to the Prime Time Entertainment Network, WBTV, and TNT. No copyright infringement intended.Copyright Disclaimer, Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.Visit https://www.patreon.com/babylon5first to join the Babylon 5 For the First Time Patreon. Support the show

Send us a textGrowing PainsPastor Jerrid FletcherDecember 28, 2025“Growing Pains” is a year-end call to interpret the hard parts of this year with spiritual clarity instead of emotional conclusions. Pastor Jerrid connects the journey from vulnerability (Jesus in Gethsemane) and disappointment (David's honest prayers) to the shared reality we all felt in 2025: growth often meets us where life still feels unfinished. Using the language of seasons from Ecclesiastes 3, the message reframes growing pains as sacred indicators of transition—evidence that God is moving us from who we were into who we're becoming. Finally, Pastor Jerrid anchors the sermon in Job, reminding us that obedience doesn't exempt us from pain, and that God often doesn't give explanations—He gives Himself. Job's perspective is enlarged, his soul is anchored in the Lord, and his life becomes “considerable”—a faith God can point to. The closing challenge is simple and weighty: will we leave this year bitter or better, guarded or grounded, resistant or resilient—and can God say of us, “Have you considered my servant…”?Discussion Questions Looking back on 2025, where did you feel “growing pains” the most—spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or physically—and what did that season expose about what you depend on?1. Pastor Jerrid asked: “Did you grow bitter or become better? guarded or grounded? resistant or resilient?”Which one best describes your response this year, and why?2. Ecclesiastes 3 says seasons are appointed. What “season” do you believe you were in this year (building, tearing down, waiting, healing, planting, uprooting), and how does naming it change your perspective?3. Job didn't get explanations—he got an encounter. Where are you currently demanding a “why,” and what would it look like to anchor your faith in the Who instead?

In Today's Uncertainty, We Need to Remember that God Wants to Walk with Us In All Our Life Situations, Both Good and Bad – Just Ask Him MESSAGE SUMMARY: “Lord is my helper and confident, why should I be afraid? What can man do to me?” For this confidence, you must know who Jesus is – both in your heart and in your mind. Jesus is the Son of God – God in the flesh. As Paul tells us in Philippians 4:4: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.". Therefore, You do not need to worry about troubling circumstances in your life because you know that He is with you; and He will guide you no matter how dark your life seems. Jesus is the light that shines in darkness.  As Jesus tells you in Luke 12:4-5, that when you have anxiety and fear in your life, you must determine if this anxiety derivative of the right kind of fear: “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”. When you are faced with life's tragedies and the anxieties that result from just living your life, Jesus can turn those situations and your fears into ways and results that you cannot fathom, understand, or anticipate; but you can certainly appreciate. Why not give God a chance to walk with you in all your life situations -- good and bad? Ultimately, the Psalmist got it right in Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.".     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): Philippians 4:4-9; Mathew 6:25-34; Psalm 23:1-6; Psalms 22b:17-31 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Christmas Message – What God Has Done For Us” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Your spirit may be willing… but your flesh will still get tired. How are you going to respond? This week we are dropping a staff meeting talk - unpacking a message that's been stirring my heart.From the garden of Gethsemane to our everyday decisions, God isn't looking for perfection—He's looking for willingness. As we wrap up 2025 I think it's important that we go into the new year with a willing spirit and a decision to stay committed. When your strength runs low, your yes still carries power.Tune into this week's release on the Rich Wilkerson Jr. YouTube channel  at 7:30PM

Check out the 12 Days of Disciple Making: https://days-of-disciple-making.lovable.app/ Submitting to God: Discipleship, Fasting, and Prayer | Shodankeh Johnson In this video, Shodankeh Johnson, from Sierra Leone, shares how God uses ordinary people to achieve extraordinary outcomes. Emphasizing that the key difference between the ordinary and extraordinary is God's divine touch, Johnson discusses the critical importance of discipleship, fasting, and prayer. He underscores Jesus' ultimate act of submission in the Garden of Gethsemane and how followers are called to be like Jesus in saying, 'Thy will be done.' Johnson cautions against 'pick and mix religion,' urging believers to fully align with God's word to see divine power manifest in their lives. Check out Discipleship.org for resources on disciple-making: https://discipleship.org/resources/  Key Takeaways  00:00 Introduction and Greetings 07:48 Prayer and Fasting Practices 12:28 Testimonies of Transformation 19:56 The Power of Persistent Prayer 28:12 Praying for the Nation 32:37 Introducing Dave and Mandisa 37:59 The Importance of Fasting and Prayer 49:27 Dave's Journey to a Praying Church 56:36 Encouragement for Church Leaders Stay Informed - Get our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hPViAr Other Videos about Shodankeh Johnson: Why Radical Obedience Is Necessary for Discipleship https://youtu.be/VGq_EfdCCSY?feature=shared A Powerful Prayer For The Movement of God in America https://youtu.be/EdZIlDnRrT8?feature=shared  What the North American Church Largely Missed on the Holy Spirit!https://youtu.be/a8FdA69TwUY?feature=shared  A Disciple Making Movement In West Africa: https://youtu.be/xx3Kr79-kos?feature=shared  Discipleship Principles for North American Churches https://youtu.be/wOaMm2OB0YU?feature=shared  How to Raise Up Movement Leaders in Christianity : https://youtu.be/aJssQ6JdQD8?feature=shared  Discovery Bible Study: https://youtu.be/TC12QGzQvZk?feature=shared  Summary: In this powerful video, spiritual leaders gather to discuss the significance of prayer, fasting, and disciple-making in contemporary Christianity. The video opens with Shodankeh Johnson, a renowned Christian leader from Sierra Leone, Africa, sharing extraordinary testimonies about the transformative power of prayer and fasting. Shodankeh emphasizes that these spiritual disciplines can turn ordinary people into extraordinary individuals who can accomplish God's work. Shodankeh illustrates his points by sharing compelling stories from his own life and ministry. He explains how submission to God through prayer and fasting can open doors for disciple-making and transforming communities. His stories include instances where prayer and fasting led to miraculous conversions, including a confrontation with a militant leader who eventually became a Christian and now serves as part of Shodankeh's ministry. Shodankeh argues that disciple-making involves three levels of submission to God: the disciple-maker, the lost, and the spirits. He highlights how prayer and fasting are active ingredients that empower these stages. Through fasting and prayer, ordinary men and women have become powerful instruments for God's work in Sierra Leone, leading to entire villages and tribes coming to know Jesus. As Shodankeh's session concludes, Dave Clayton and Mandisa join the conversation. Dave Clayton, a pastor from the Nashville area, shares his journey of integrating prayer and fasting into his church's practice. He narrates their struggles and triumphs, emphasizing how persistent prayer and fasting have begun to catalyze a spiritual shift within their community. Dave explains his vision to mobilize churches across Nashville to pray and fast over every name, neighborhood, and nation represented in the city. His goal is to spark a broader movement of prayer and fasting throughout America. Mandisa, known for her work in the Discipleship First Tribe and her music career, talks about her realization of the need for desperation in prayer. She compares her experiences in American churches with those she observed during international tours, noting a stark contrast in the desperate fervor for prayer and fasting. She is moved to challenge herself and others to cultivate a similar level of spiritual desperation. Throughout the video, the speakers discuss cultural differences and the challenges faced by the American church in adopting these spiritual disciplines. Shodankeh explains that fasting and prayer are disruptive, yet necessary for true disciple-making. The leaders highlight the importance of humility, learning from the global church, and bringing a disruptive disciple-making mindset to North America. In conclusion, this video is a stirring reminder of the power of prayer and fasting in disciple-making. It challenges viewers to reconsider their spiritual practices and embrace a deeper, more committed walk with God for the sake of personal transformation and broader community impact. Check out our Blogs: https://discipleship.org/blog/  #DiscipleMaking

This week Pastor Nicolle gives The Believer the scriptural pattern of our Lord's true sacrifice of death that began in that historical garden; and how our lives have their own places where God matures our submission to His will.

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 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): 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: “Why We Do Christmas” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In episode 475 of The Reformed Brotherhood, host Jesse Schwamb explores the profound theological question: "Is God humble?" Through a careful examination of Philippians 2 and the narrative of Pharaoh in Exodus, Jesse unpacks how Christ's incarnation represents the ultimate act of divine humility. This episode reveals how Jesus—fully God and fully man—humbled himself through obedience to the point of death on a cross. As we approach the Christmas season, this timely reflection helps us understand that Christ's humility isn't just a theological concept but the very foundation of our salvation and the magnetic force that draws sinners to him. Jesse connects this humility to Jesus' parables about seeking the lost, showing that God's love manifests through the paradox of the exalted one becoming lowly. Key Takeaways Humility is fundamentally a creaturely virtue that acknowledges God as Lord and responds in obedience. Christ's incarnation wasn't a subtraction of divinity but an addition of humanity, allowing him to humble himself. Divine humility is displayed in Jesus becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). Pride, the opposite of humility, is actively opposed by God throughout Scripture. Christ's humility is what draws sinners to him, as seen in the parables of the lost coin, sheep, and son. True humility embraces our limitations as creatures and recognizes God's rightful authority. Jesus learned obedience through suffering, becoming the perfect high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses. The Paradox of Divine Humility Christ's humility represents one of the most astonishing paradoxes in Scripture. As Jesse explains, humility is properly understood as a creaturely virtue—it acknowledges God as Lord and obeys as a servant. For the eternal Son to humble himself, he first had to take on human nature. The incarnation wasn't God ceasing to be God but rather God adding humanity to himself. The divine Son emptied himself "not of divinity as if that were even possible, but of the privilege of not being human, not being a creature, not suffering the bounds and limitations of finitude and the pains and afflictions of the fallen world." This emptying makes possible Christ's perfect obedience. Since humility means acknowledging God as Lord and obeying as a servant, the Son took "the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men." This allowed Jesus to demonstrate a servant heart with equal passion for God's holiness and his people's purity. Unlike our inconsistent obedience, Jesus' obedience was "an all the way kind of obedience" that persisted through suffering to death on a cross. The Magnetic Draw of Christ's Humility One of the most profound insights from the episode is how Christ's humility functions as a magnetic force drawing sinners to him. Jesse notes that in the parables, tax collectors and sinners were drawn not to the Pharisees' teaching but to Jesus himself. They came "almost magnetically" to be in his presence and hear his words. Why would this be? The answer lies in recognizing that "we all have a master" and "we are all bound to something." The critical question becomes: "How good and kind is your master?" Christ's humility reveals him to be the perfect master—one who does not lord his authority over us but uses it to serve us, even to the point of death. This servant-hearted humility draws people because it demonstrates love in action. When Jesus humbles himself to seek the lost, he reveals that the gospel isn't about making "naughty people good, but to make dead people alive and alive in him so that their life is hidden within him." Memorable Quotes "To humble oneself is to acknowledge God as Lord and then to obey as servant. In order to do so, then the Son had to take this form of a servant being born in the likeness of men." "Christ's obedience was an all the way kind of obedience, a true obedience. It wasn't part and parcel, it wasn't peace wise, it didn't be for a part of time, as long as it was comfortable and then try something else." "To humble oneself is not to be less than human. It rather is pride that is our cancer. It's pride that corrodes our true dignity. To humble ourselves is to come even ever closer, step by step to the bliss, I think, and the full flourishing for which we're made." Full Transcript [00:00:08] Jesse Schwamb: So how did Jesus humble himself and this we could spend loved ones in eternity and likely will. Talking about how did he do this By becoming obedient. It wasn't even mean to. Here is the one who is the God man. Truly God. Truly man. To humble oneself is to acknowledge God as Lord and then to obey as servant in order to do so. Then the son had to take this form of a servant being born in a likeness of men. Again, this is so rich because I think without understanding the servant heart of Christ, where there is a power and a passion in Christ for the holiness of God that is at the same time equaled with the passion for the purity and the holiness of his people. Welcome to episode 475 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast where all of mankind is on the naughty list. Hey, brothers and sisters, I am solo hosting once again on this episode, but I don't want you to worry. Tony will be back. Tony is alive and well. He is out in the wild doing his thing. Actually, this is probably the time of year where Tony and I bring forward that annual or perennial denial. You know, the one, it's sy against the frailty, weakness, contingency of humankind. And most often manifested in this time of year in sickness. So I don't know where you live in the world, but in my part of the world, everybody's getting it and everything is going around. The sickness is everywhere. And even if you're bobbing and weaving, if you're laying low, if you're trying to keep your head down, it just seems somehow. To snipe you. And so it sniped Tony last week and this week. Now it is his family and so he's doing what we shall do for another. He's caring for those in his own regard that are sick and unwell. And so that means it's just me on this particular episode, but not to fear. We've got lots of great things to talk about. [00:02:12] The Question: Is God Humble? [00:02:12] Jesse Schwamb: In fact, the whole purpose of this episode is going to be talking about this question is God humble and. This, if you think it's just a one-off episode. It's actually born out of this continued series that we're doing where we're going through the parables. And again, we've been talking a lot about lostness and finding things and Christ coming and seeking, saving those things that were very lost. And so as I continue to process this with Tony, one of the things that keeps coming to my mind is this question is God. Humble and what does that even have to do with any of these wild parables that we've been talking about? You know the ones too, especially if you've been listening along and hopefully you have go back, check those bad boys out. We've been talking about the lost coin, the lost Sheep, and we have yet to get to because we're just teasing this for you. We, we keep telling you it's coming, but that's just to build like this amazing anticipation for the parable of the lost son or the prodigal son. It's coming, and part of that, again, for me is wrapped up in this question, is God humble? So let's talk about that a little bit. [00:03:13] Humility in Scripture [00:03:13] Jesse Schwamb: It's interesting to me that throughout the scriptures, we find across both all the New Testament, that God gives us this imperative to seek humility or to put on humility, or to have a humble mind, as Peter says. And it's something that is so ubiquitous that we kind of just flies by us. Of course. Like we would get the sense that it would be ridiculous to be like. I am so good at being humble that that in itself is oxymoronic. And yet we also know that we don't want to advertise, that we're trying to seek after humility. 'cause it seems like that's the very thing that we're trying to avoid in proclaiming or promulgating our pride and that kind of thing. But it's not just that, of course, God is seeking his children to be humble, but I think one of the most condemning things the scripture says to us about how God behaves. Toward people is that he opposes the proud. So the opposite of being humble, and we'll get to that in a second. We had to define what that means, but let's just take for a second that the opposite of that might be being prideful. It is fascinating that it's not just God is indifferent toward pride, that he does everything in his volition to push against it. And of course, because nothing can thwart the outstretched in mighty arm of God, that means that he wins inevitably against all that is pride prideful. And so he opposes it. And this is what. We should realize is that really the eschatological judgment, the fact that there is both heaven and hell reward and eternal punishment. This is a reflection of God opposing the proud that in the final state, the one who says, I want nothing to do with God because I can take care of it myself, is the one that God must oppose pose because he always. Opposes that which is prideful, and so it makes sense. Then if he opposes the proud, if that is in a way, an enemy that he will ultimately defeat, it cannot stand up against him that shouldn't. That in that path is both destruction that is internally derived and chosen, but also destruction that comes externally because it will be defeated. Then the best thing that God's people could be is to be humble. And so the question I think then persists, can God be humble? Is God. Humble. One of the things that is clear in scripture, again, this is the testimony of the entire arc of the salvific story of God and his recu of his people. Um, the coming and drawing close giving of himself so that he might draw people onto himself. Is that the testimony of humility is both positive and negative in the scriptures. So we could look at examples of those who humbled themselves. That's what the scripture says, like Josiah, Hezekiah, Rebo, Ahab, Vanessa, and then there, of course, you could probably think of as just as many negative examples who did not. What comes to my mind, of course, is Pharaoh. Or am Amen or Zetia. So what becomes clear though is when you look at those examples that the humbling first belongs to the hand of God. That even here, once again, God's doing all the verbs. That's exactly what he does. And so this idea of even like humbling yourself. Has like a precursor, there's an antecedent. And is God doing some kind of great work to allow for this humbling to even take place? He initiates the humbling of his creatures. And once he has, then the question confronts us, uh, which is, are we going to receive it? How will we bear up underneath it? Will we submit ourselves to it because God has allowed us, or has humbled ourselves first so that we don't respond in kind. So in response to his humbling hand. Will we kick against him? Or as the, you know, king James version says, will we kick against the gods or are we going to come and humble ourselves before God? So this idea, I think of humbling ourselves isn't just like you wake up one day and you say, no, it'd be really fantastic. Is my life would be better if I was just humble. I, I hear that God opposed to the proud, I don't wanna get. Lost in that. I don't wanna get wrapped in that. I would rather, instead I just become more humble. Even the ability to humble oneself first comes from this humbling hand of God, which is of course the greatest gift. And so of course Peter writes, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. I mean, that's where I'm drawing this from and. That is the first descent of humility. The first coming down is a word that God would do that for us, will put us in a place that we might be humbled. And then the creature has somewhat in his turn kind of imperfect language, but somehow in his response that God is humbling me. Will I embrace it? Will I humble myself? So given that background, I think you know exactly where I'm about to go in the scripture, and that is. The pretty, I would say, epic passage of humility, which is Philippians two. It's one of the most striking assertions in all of scriptures. That Christ himself, Jesus the Savior, the one who is truly God and truly man, he humbled himself and God himself truly divine, truly human, and the person of his son, he humbles himself. And I think that is worth the slow meditation and a little bit of marveling again, as we consider that in light of. All that happens in these parables about lostness and ness is coming from in some way this first humility. And I think that's just so critical because it's not just context, it's the air in which we breathe and operate and understand who we are and who we are in Christ. And so I think before like we even assume. I wanna assume like too much about like this idea of humility and then getting it ultimately to this question is God humble, which you may think I just answered by reading Philippians two eight, but in fact I think it's even more complex and more beautiful and more deeply layered than all of that. I think it's worth for a second, just thinking about this idea of like, what is humility? [00:08:35] Pharaoh's Pride vs. Humility [00:08:35] Jesse Schwamb: And as far as I can tell, really the first mention of humility outright, like outright mention explicit notation in the scriptures comes in that showdown between Egypt's Pharaoh and Yahweh mediated through Moses and. And I picked this because it's really instructive for getting a sense of how the Bible, how the scripture, the Holy Spirit is apprehending this word and driving it into the context so that we might learn from it, so that later on we're told that we ought to exhibit humility, put on humility that we understand it in the way that God has taught it to us. And so you'll remember. Probably that Moses dared to appear before Pharaoh. He is an Exodus five, and he speaks on Yahweh's behalf, and it's that famous sentence, that famous imperative, let my people go to, which Pharaoh replies in my paraphrase, listen, I don't know who Yahweh is. I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't listen to his voice. I don't acknowledge him, and therefore you can't go. It's just not gonna happen. What is incredible about this. What I think is like really illustrative for our lives is that Pharaoh swollen in pride here, and again, God's gonna pose him swollen with all of this. Pride has, it's not that he hasn't thought through what he's saying here, it's just that he's made an incredible miscalculation. He actually did a little mathematics here as the creature, and he decides that. As a creature in relation to the creator God that he does not need to obey. In other words, he does not acknowledge or recognize or know this God, and because he doesn't know any of those things about Yahweh, then he's well within his reason to come to the conclusion that he does not need to obey and therefore he refuses. The reason why I think that's so critical and a little bit wild is that is exactly what the natural man is prone to do to make this miscalculation built on even some kind of reasonable logic, so to speak. That says, well, because I don't understand it, because I don't see it, because I can't acknowledge it because I've never heard it. Therefore, it cannot exist. It doesn't exist. It's not worthy of being obeyed. It's a bit like saying, just because I've never seen fire, that's not hot. And so it's crazy here that in the midst of all of that, we could say Pharaoh has made this enormous miscalculation. And so what he's going to do is he's going to essentially oppose God. He refuses to obey, and then of course, Exodus 10 as we move. This story describes this call to humility, and it is a call to humility, which when I was thinking back through this, I was like, this is wild. Because we tend to think this story as like submission and beating down and humility might not be the principle word. That comes to our mind when we think about how Har Pharaoh has to ultimately respond. But after seven plagues on the cusp of the eighth plague, God speaks to Pharaoh, and again, he's listen. He says to him, how long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? So fascinating because we have this. Humbling, mighty hand of God, the outstretched work of God, his hand and arm going out into the world of his creation and putting Pharaoh in a particular place and position. And the piercing question in this context of this extended powerful encounter gives us this glimpse into the heart of humility, which I think is this humility recognizes and obeys the one who is truly. God. So there's not just an intellectual scent, but an experiential knowledge that comes from the revelation of who God is that is under his purview granted to his people, and that then causes us to acknowledge and obey the one who's truly Lord. It's exact opposite of affairs response, which again says, I don't know that voice. I've never heard it. Who is Yahweh? And instead it's replaced with a humility that acknowledges that God is Lord of all, that Jesus Christ is one only son, and that his Holy Spirit is with and indwells his people and that he is truly Lord. So humility entails this kind of right view, I think of self. Because Pharaoh Miscalculates, but the humble person makes the right calculus, the one who is created by God and accountable to God, which requires the right view of God as creator and this authority in relation to all his creatures. And so humility then is of course, like not a preoccupation with self or one's, even one's own lowness only in so much as it's in relation to what we just mentioned. That's a right view of self. It's an agreement with God. Of course confession coming alongside agreeing with God, but it's a mindful and conscious understanding of who God is and his highness, his holiness, that he's high and lifted up, and then the self in respect to his position. You know, that's one of the things that I think always strikes me about humility is that it's this idea and this acknowledgement that God is high and lifted up. And so while we don't come too hard on ourselves merely because we want to create a pity party, it's a recognition that. Aside from the mediator work of Christ to to stand in the presence of God would to be literally torn asunder by the molecule because his holiness cannot be, or rather, I would say our sinfulness cannot be in this presence of the one who is perfect in majesty and in righteousness, in intellect, and in in comprehension and creativity. We cannot exist in that space apart from this mediated work of Christ the beautiful. Be editorial, like benevolent distance, so to speak, that Christ creates so that we might come into the presence of God, as Hebrew says, running as it were, coming in, not haphazardly, but purposefully into the throne room of God because. And his holiness. He's a way to, he's made a way for him to be just and justifier. That is incredible. Loved ones. It's beautiful. And that is all. Again, I think just underneath this parable, it's starting with this sense of humility has brought all of this into play, and it's a critical part of God's design and plan. There's a condescension, but I think even here, underneath that condescension is something about humility. That is worth discussing. And there is, the question again, is God humble. So put it another way. Humility, I think embraces the reality that you and I. We're not God. You know, pride led to humanity's fall when Adam and Eve desired to be like God, which is contrary to his command and humility would have obeyed his command, which is what we'll see when we come to Christ and especially Christ's work. So. [00:15:06] Christ's Humility and Obedience [00:15:06] Jesse Schwamb: It strikes me then, and this is why I threw out this question, is like, is God humble? It's kind of a setup, I'll be honest, because all of I said so far, if you are keeping score at home, you probably should be drawing out then that I'm essentially saying that humility is a creaturely virtue. Actually, it's not just me. A lot of people have said that, a lot of the old ones. I postulate that, that when we think about humility explicitly and in a narrow context, that's a creaturely virtue. It's a posture of. All of who we are, our soul, our body, our life, our activities, our families, our possessions. It's acknowledgement in those things and embracing that the goodness of God and that he is the one who controls and commands all things, all of our destiny, which means. This question is God humble? It is kind of like linguistically and theologically tricky, like not for the sake of creating a tricky question for like a part of the game, but the the answer is in a sense, no, but not because God, I think is the opposite of what we'd consider humble. He's not arrogant, he's not prideful. Rather, humility is a creaturely virtue and he's God. So we need to be again, in this appropriate separation of our state and who God is, recognizing that those are two very different things. All of this though, I think, contributes to moving us in a direction of understanding, well, what does this mean then? For Jesus Christ, the God man, the one who humbled himself. You've probably been screaming the entire time. Will you get to that? What about that? And I think that is the critical question that is behind everything that we're reading about. In these parables. In other words, why is Jesus this way? What has brought him into this particular place to say these particular things to these people? We talked last time about how one of the things that's remarkable is that all of these sinners, like the down out, the broken, the marginalized, the pariahs, they were all drawn to Jesus teaching, not even drawn. I mean, there's distinction not drawn to the Fara teaching, to the rules of the law, but drawn to Jesus, almost magnetically coming to him. Compelled as it were, to be in his presence, to hear the things he was saying. Captivate, I mean, can you imagine yourself there? Not necessarily there in that environment, but captivated again by the teachings of Jesus, how good they are, how true they are, how incredible they are. And so I think it's possible for us to marvel then at that remarkable word then from the impossible, Paul, when he says that Christ humbled himself in Philippians two, eight. And no, I think that that confirms our definition above of humanity, uh, of. Humility rather as being something in humanity, of being a, a creaturely virtue in that the eternal son first became a man. That's what Paul says in verse seven, and then humbled himself in verse eight. And I'm gonna submit to you that this is really the one of the most epic parts of the gospel that. This is the only way we can get this kind of humility, this humbling of God is if first he comes to undertake the creaturely virtue so that then he himself or become rather, lemme say it this way, I'm getting too excited, loved ones. It's rather that we first must have God become a creature, so to speak, not emptying himself as we'll. Talk about. Of, of his godness, but instead taking on this flesh so that he might humble himself be to be like his children who must be humbled and in fact will ultimately be humbled in the ES eschaton no matter what they believe. And so the verb Paul uses to capture the action of the incarnation is, is not humbled here first, but it's this idea of emptied. So again, Philippians two is verse six and seven. Paul writes, being in the form of God, Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant and being born in the likeness of man. And so this movement. [00:18:59] The Incarnation and Humility [00:18:59] Jesse Schwamb: From heaven to earth, which if you're listening to this in more or less real or New York time, as we're coming into the season of the calendar where we celebrate the incarnation, again, I've been thinking so much about this beautiful gift of the incarnation, and I've been thinking about that in light of Jesus coming to seek and to save the lost and this real heart to hearts kind of way where he's speaking the truth to the people who need to hear it most, and they're drawn magnetically to him, into his teaching. And so that movement. From Heaven to earth is an emptying. It's the divine son emptying himself, not of divinity as if that were even possible, but of the privilege of not being human, not being a creature, not suffering the bounds and limitations of finitude and the pains and afflictions of the fallen world. I think a lot, honestly, especially this time of year, I think a lot about strange things like Jesus has fingernails and blood vessels and eyeballs and hair and toes. And shins and knee bones, you know, all of these things. Because to me it's this incomprehensible reality that God loves me so much that he would send his only son to be a creature, but in a way that was limited to the same creatureliness that I have. And then would forever, in a way, in his glorified state, identify still with that creature. And only in that process could he come and humble himself. I mean, that's incredible. I mean. Could not have grasped like the divine privilege of not being subjected to the rules and realities of creation. But instead, he empties himself by taking our humanity. He was emptying not by subtraction of identity, but by addition of humanity. This is the taking, the taking on, and this allows him then to become obedient and in that obedience, that passive and act of obedience. What we find is that Christ is able to say these very things that are exemplified in the parables, that this is the height of God, and he says, it is in your midst. The kingdom of God is here and I am the kingdom, and it's all because he has come in such a way. To empty himself again, where that was not a subtraction of divinity, but addition of humanity. It is an amazing and glorious truth. It's the thing upon which like turns all of salvation and all of the world that God would do this and do it so completely that again, it's finalized, it's complete, it's already done. So first, Jesus became a man. And then as a man came the ly virtue, he humbled himself. And Paul confirms what we learned about humility. In the negative example, I think in Pharaoh of Pharaoh in Nexus 10 and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [00:21:49] Christ's Obedience to Death [00:21:49] Jesse Schwamb: So how did Jesus humble himself and this we could spend loved ones in eternity and likely will. Talking about how did he do this By becoming obedient. It wasn't even mean to. Here is the one who is the God man. Truly God. Truly man. To humble oneself is to acknowledge God as Lord and then to obey as servant in order to do so. Then the son had to take this form of a servant being born in a likeness of men. Again, this is so rich because I think without understanding the servant heart of Christ, where there is a power and a passion in Christ for the holiness of God that is at the same time equaled with the passion for the purity and the holiness of his people. And those two things come together and coalesce in the gospel because we know that righteousness and holiness is completely vouched, safe to God. It's under his purview and his control, and it comes to his people when he draws close. That's how it was in the Old Testament, and that's how it was in the New Testament. And so as Christ in human form is coming and drawing near to his people, he's preaching this good news message that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood will have salvation and eternal life in him So intimately wrapped up that again, he hasn't just come. In the Christmas season to make naughty people good, but to make dead people alive and alive in him so that their life is hidden within him, and therefore, because he's the indestructible life, your life and mine cannot be destroyed either. I. So it is this amazing mark of the fullness of humanity and identification with us that he didn't just come on special terms. You know, I often think it's not like God on a deck chair laid out looking down as a creation separate as he were, as it were, just observing and kind of more or less interjecting here and there. It wasn't Jesus coming at. Arms length, distance. It wasn't God snatching him up when the frustrations of our limits or the pains of our world fell him. He had the full human experience. He was all in fully human and body mind. Hearts will and surroundings. Fully human in our finitude and all of this frustrations that we share that are just part of our lives, fully human in. Vulnerability to the worst of the civil world can work. Clearly that's manifested in his ign Ammonious death. Nor was he at the bottom spared the very essence of being human. He was accountable to God. Even there, that humility is incredible, that he himself learned, undertook, became obedient so that he would be accountable to God a father. Hebrews five celebrates this. Exactly. I love this set of words. Although Jesus was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered and being made perfect. He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. And if he is our first brother, then the calling that we have is to do exactly the same, to come before him, to obey him and to see him as the one who is high and lift it up. But that self humbling, that humiliation doesn't just stop with obedience. And that's why the apostle keeps going. It says to the point of death, how far did it take him? How far did he go? How far was he willing to go? Volitionally all the way. To the point of death. And Christ obedience was an all the way kind of obedience, a true obedience. It wasn't part and parcel, it wasn't peace wise, it didn't be for a part of time, as long as it was comfortable and then try something else. You know, of course, even in the garden when he's praying and the disciples are with the in your shot and he asked that the cup might pass, we might reasonably ask what other option was there. And so here even Christ says. Even to the point of death, forsaking all other things, real obedience endures in obedience, which is a really difficult thing. And so I'm grateful because my obedience is peace wise, it is part and parcel, it is weak, it is feeble. And instead we have Christ who is transferred all of his righteousness into our account. And all of that righteousness is because of real obedience that he undertook, endured in obedience. And so Christ did not begin obedience and then surrender disobedience once the greatest threats loomed even in the garden. There he again. He is coming before the father and he is continuing to obey. He's humbled. So I think God does indeed command our humility and one of the ways that he can command that it, well, there's many ways. First and foremost, by fiat, he's God and his character demands it. The second way is that, again, coming back to these parables. Finally, and lastly, we see that Christ is exhibiting great humility in the message that he's bringing forward and all of this, that he comes forward to save and all of the seeking that he undertakes, he conspires with God in humility to bring his children. Into the fold. There was no other way without this incredible humility of Christ, this humility that shows us that it's not denigrating of humanity, but it's God's image shining in its fullness. That this is the very thing he comes to restore and to humble oneself is not to be less than human. It rather it is. Pride that is our cancer. It's pride that corrodes our true dignity to humble ourselves is to come even ever closer, step by step to the bliss, I think, and the full flourishing for which we're made. And Christ exemplifies that very thing. And I submit to you loved ones. It's that very humility. This is what I buried the lead on last week. It's that very humility that draws the sinner. Because we all have a master. We are all slaves to something, which I know is really unpopular to say, but hear me out. We are all stuck on something. We are all bound into something. It's just like we say with worship, it's not whether we not, we choose to worship. It's what we worship and we are what we worship. All those things are true. All those cliches stand and if they're true, then the opposite is true and that is that we're all bound to something. The question is how good and kind is your master. The thing in which you are bound to the thing which you choose to serve and submit to how life giving is that thing. And the humility of Christ clarifies that not all of our hum lings are owning to our own sin that Christ had. None, none. Yet he humbled himself. Sometimes repentance is the first step in self humbling. Other times it's not. Our self humbling may often come in response to our exposure to sin, but even in Christ sinless as he was. He heeded the father's call to humble himself. And so I think for us, as we think about what it means then to go and study these parables, we first even need to humble our understanding, our cognizance, our reasoning, our logic, that the scripture as given by God as his very word to us, stand so far above us. That while we study it and we interrogate it, that we dare not stand in opposition to it because it is the high and lofty command of God for us because he's good and his love endures forever. So I hope that as we continue to build into this next step of looking at this final lost parable, that we can all continue to just appreciate and boast in the God man who in his humility, makes the gospel possible, and that in his humility shows. A greater sense of what it means to have the abundant life. And we have to take Jesus at his word, loved ones when he says like He's come, not just to give life, but to give it in abundance that that is a real quantity, and that the humility of Christ in his life and death and resurrection testifies to one of God's clearest and most memorable promises in all of scripture. That again, he humbles the proud and he exalts the humble. So it was with Christ. He humbled himself and God has highly exalted him. I remember reading John Owen writing about. Justification and Christ's time of suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and his preparation for the cross and inevitably his, his forsaking, his forsakenness on that cross and how Jesus himself entrusted his justification to God the Father, which I think is a. A, a conception that will make your mind do a somersault. I mean, think about it long enough that even Jesus himself in learning obedience and taking upon himself the full measure of what it was to sit under the law and then to obey it perfectly, was still going to his death, knowing that he was gonna be the greatest sinner who ever lived yet was gonna be the one without sin, having committed any, that he himself was entrusting all of that he had accomplished and who he was. To God the father, to justify him and his resurrection on the third day loved ones is proof positive that he is the savior. That we all long for that in our sickness right now, as in our world, as all these things groan, as they all say, in some way, maratha, Lord, come quickly, that we are acknowledging that Jesus Christ is the one. Who in his complete humility satisfied the law of God to such degree that he was justified before God the father, and raised TriNet on the third day as proof positive that he is in fact the Savior, the chosen one, the Messiah, the first brother, the firstborn among the dead, the serpent crusher. The one who will come and redeem all of his people. So I hope there's something in there for you that's an encouragement that lifts up as if they were even possible to do more than they already are. That lifts up these parables that we've been talking about, that it's not just, of course, that Jesus on this mission because. He's full of love. His love predated all of this. Now, this is why we keep coming back to, uh, all Christians at all times, in all heirs. John three 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son. Now whosoever should believe in him. Now, all the believing ones should have eternal life, and that eternal life is purchased by the blood of Christ and through his humility, but also it is a, a stark reminder that love always leads to giving. And here we have God the father, giving his son Unreservedly for us, becoming Creature Lee, so that he might undertake the humility of the creature. And in so doing fully, not just, I would say identify with who we are, but become like us in every a. Way yet without sin, which is why can we rejoice that even now in the sound of my voice or yours, wherever you are, there is Jesus Christ in Heavenly Rumble. Before the God the Father interceding perfectly as this incredible representative, as the scriptures are, he says, as this best of all, the high priests, the perfect one. Who is ushering us in to bend the ear, as it were of God because of what he's accomplished on our behalf. Man, that is good news. And if it's not good news and you don't think it is, you better check your pulse. Check it right now. [00:33:20] Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser [00:33:20] Jesse Schwamb: So you need to come back. And listen to the next episode because we are, I mean, I think assuming everybody's healthy, Lord willing, we're gonna talk about the Prodigal Son and really wrap up this culmination of the lost parables. But of course, you know that I'm contractually obligated to say to you all. That you don't have to just wait to interact until the next podcast. You can come hang out with us, and I gotta say it again for all the people in the back. The way that you do that is this little app called Telegram. You might be using Telegram already to message with your friends and your family. If so, you might not have known that. There's also a little group within Telegram for the Reform Brotherhood. Everybody who listens, everybody wants to hang out and talk about theology or life share prayer requests. It's all happening right there, and I promise you, you will not be disappointed if you come check it out. So you're probably saying enough already. Tell me how to do that. Alright, here's what you do. Get a piece of paper, stop the car, put down the backhoe for a second, and listen up. You go to your favorite browser and you type in t me slash reform brotherhood. T. Me Reform Brotherhood. Come hang out with us. Come talk about the episode, and until then, everybody stay. Well keep your head down. Don't list sick sickness night people. But remember, even if it does, you have this great high priest who endured obedience, in obedience to bring you abundant life, to identify with you, to resonate with you, to give you the love of God, and to finally conquer sin, death, and the devil. I say loved ones, so until next time, you know what to do. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood.

Fr. Mike reviews this section of the Catechism, summarizing the battle of prayer and the prayer of the hour of Jesus. We are reminded that prayer is active, and we must engage in grace. The Catechism goes on to state that, “We pray as we live because we live as we pray.” In this, we see that God meets us where we are and wants us to pray always. Finally, Jesus' prayer to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane exemplifies humility, filial trust, honesty, and perseverance; modeling how we are to pray to the Father. Today's readings are paragraphs 2752-2758. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

This episode features a full length Bible study taught by Pastor Jack Abeelen of Morningstar Christian Chapel in Whittier, California.If today you prayed with Pastor Jack to receive the Lord, we'd love to hear about it and get you started on the right foot. Visit us online at: https://morningstarcc.org/born-again/To see more of Pastor Jack's Bible studies, visit our Morningstar Christian Chapel channel at https://www.youtube.com/@morningstarcc.To subscribe to our Podcast newsletter go to http://eepurl.com/iGzsP6.If you would like to support our electronic ministry, you may do so by going to our donations page at https://morningstarcc.churchcenter.com/giving/to/podcast.Visit our church website at https://morningstarcc.org.

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-11  Who, for us and for our salvation came down from heaven,  and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried;  and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father…  John 17:5  John 17:24  "...the supreme mystery with which the gospel confronts us...lies not in the Good Friday message of atonement, nor in the Easter Sunday message of resurrection, but in the Christmas message of Incarnation. The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man - that the second person of the Godhead...took humanity without loss of deity, so that Jesus of Nazareth was as truly and fully divine as he was human. Here are two mysteries for the price of one - the plurality of persons within the unity of God, and the union of Godhead and manhood in the person of Jesus." – JI Packer, Knowing God.   + The Triumph of the Son's Obedience Luke 2:51  "What Christ saw in Gethsemane was God with the sword raised. The sight was unbearable. In a few short hours, he would stand before that God answering for the sin of the world: indeed, identified with the sin of the world... Consequently, to quote Luther again, 'No one ever feared death so much as this man.' He feared it because for him it was no sleep, but the wages of sin: death with the sting; death unmodified and unmitigated; death as involving all that sin deserved. He, alone, would face it without a 'covering', providing by his very dying the only covering for the world, but doing so as a holocaust, totally exposed to God's abhorrence of sin. And he would face death without God, deprived of the one solace and the one resource which had always been there. The wonder of the love of Christ for his people is not that for their sake he faced death without fear, but that for their sake he faced it, terrified. Terrified by what he knew, and terrified by what he did not know, he took damnation lovingly." – Donald Macleod, The Person of Christ.  + The Triumph of the Son's Cross Colossians 2:13–15 Hebrews 2:14–15 "When Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews, was nailed to the cross, Satan thought that he had won the day. The old serpent had stung him to death, vainly imagining that all was over with him. I think I see the arch-fiend gloating over the awful agonies of the dying Savior, and maliciously taunting him as he hung there apparently forsaken by God and man. "Ah!" says he, "Seed of the woman, I have indeed bruised thy heel. I have made men reject thee and put thee to death; I have vexed and tormented thee, I have scorned and scouted thee, and thou hast not a word to say for thyself, and now thy soul must soon depart out of thy body." Yet as the devil was still pouring out his vainglorious boasts and taunts, with a mighty voice the expiring Savior cried, "It is finished;" and in that moment his soul sprang upon the enemy and utterly routed him forever." – Charles Spurgeon, Christ Triumphant.   + The Triumph of the Son's Exaltation Ephesians 1:20–23 Isaiah 45:22–25 + You must decide about Jesus; You cannot be neutral about him + You must imitate Jesus. You cannot confess him but refuse to conform to him 2 Corinthians 8:9

The devil wants to take you out, just like he tried with Jesus in Gethsemane. This wasn't just a moment of prayer—it was a brutal, relentless attack, and the only thing that got Jesus through was knowing His ultimate why—and if you don't find yours, you won't stand when the pressure hits.   Podcast Episode 1966: Most Christians Miss This About Jesus – And It's Holding Them Back | don't miss this! Listen to more episodes of the Lance Wallnau Show at lancewallnau.com/podcast

We follow the Magi's gifts to toddler Jesus and discover why myrrh points straight to the cross. Isaiah's prophecy, Gethsemane's surrender, and the call to take up our cross meet our need for hope, healing, and a shepherd who finds the wandering.Support the showMade a decision to follow Jesus? We want to know about it! Fill out our connect card here: https://local.churchcenter.com/people/forms/115766Thank you for your generosity. For information on how to give, visit https://localvineyard.church/give.

Logan Holloman  |  Next Gen Pastor  |  December 14, 2025 Referenced Scripture:  Philippians 2:8, John 14:15, Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 14:35-36, Hebrews 4:15-16, Philippians 2:12b-13   Reflection Questions:  When you hear the word obedience, what emotions or memories come up for you?   Who in your life modeled obedience to God in a way that shaped you?   Have you ever read a Scripture and felt resistance because of past experiences or assumptions?   Where do you find your strongest desires competing with your deepest desires?   Where are you tempted to give up because you've failed before?   How does seeing Jesus' obedience (Gethsemane → the Cross) shape your own willingness to obey?   What's the difference between obedience that grows out of fear and obedience that grows out of love?   Where in your life are you choosing the “Wonder Bread” option—easy, fast, convenient—but not healthy?What might the “sourdough” version look like?   What ripple effects—positive or negative—have you seen from your obedience or disobedience? Who in your life might be impacted by the choices you're making now?   As you wait in this season of Advent, what area is Jesus inviting you to trust and obey Him in?   What's your next step?  Connect: We'd love to connect with you! Fill out our Connect Card to receive more information, have us pray for you, or to ask us any questions: http://journeybozeman.com/connectcard Connect: Get your children connected to our children's ministry, Base Camp: https://journeybozeman.com/children Connect: Our Student Ministry is for High School and Middle School students: https://journeybozeman.com/students Give: Want to worship through giving and support the ministry of Journey Church: https://journeybozeman.com/give Gather: Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/JourneyChurchBozeman Gather: Download our app: https://journeybozeman.com/app  ••Gather: Join our Facebook Group to stay connected throughout the week: https://facebook.com/groups/JourneyChurchBozeman

Why are the Western Wall, the Garden Tomb, and the Garden of Gethsemane so important to Jews and Christians? Rabbi Schneider shares why people of the Jewish and Christian faith still revere the holy places, pray at the Western Wall, and look for Jesus to return. Learn how Jesus did not operate in His feelings. He operated in truth. Learn how to distinguish feelings from truth and obedience. Continue to choose truth and obedience even when you don't feel like it and you will be blessed. To get strong, you have to pray. **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner  **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate  **** TEACHING NOTES - https://djj.show/02948c 

The Wilderness Q+R (E13) — Is Adam being formed outside of Eden a prototype of the wilderness pattern? Are the biblical authors linking David and Nabal to Jacob and Laban? And does Jesus experience a wilderness testing moment in the garden of Gethsemane? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions from our series on the wilderness. Thank you to our audience for your thoughtful contributions to this episode!View all of our resources for The Wilderness →CHAPTERSIntro (0:00-1:40)Is Adam being formed outside of Eden a prototype of the wilderness pattern? (1:40-15:24)Is the cherubim's fiery sword at the entrance of Eden purification imagery? (15:24-26:03)Is there a hyperlink between Nabal and Laban—and therefore, between David and Jacob's wilderness stories? (26:03-37:14)Why is there wilderness imagery in the Lord's Prayer? (37:14-46:07)Does Jesus have a wilderness testing moment in Gethsemane? (46:07-1:02:35)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode's official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESThe Art of Narrative Analogy: Identifying and Interpreting Parallel Passages in the Bible by Seth D. PostellThe Testament of Moses, also known as The Assumption of Moses, is a pseudepigraphal Jewish text from the Second Temple Period.Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books here.SHOW MUSICBibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITSProduction of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie.Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fr. Mike highlights how Jesus didn't pray in order get something from God, he prayed in order to be close to God. He also points to Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane as a perfect example of how we should pray with honesty and trust. Lastly, Fr. Mike provides insights on the significance of the walk to Emmaus and Jesus' last words on the cross. The readings are Luke 22:39-24:53 and Proverbs 26:20-23. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.