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2 episodes with god at
2 episodes with god at
3 episodes with god at
3 episodes with god at
4 episodes with god at
2 episodes with god at
4 episodes with god at
Nobody put baby in a corner In the blue light, I deny you Why ask if you're alright When I'm still crumpled up behind you All publicity Stint My growth is altered I want love You i don't know how To I am a monster I am a monster Joel I am a monster Make me feel Holy lighti I divide my lifht Between Divine And Denial So I deny it Denial I hide you Why Cause I like you Let's blow things all out of proportion Media media Publicity stunt And a drunken stupor I got my God at Coachella night one I got my blinders on I got a knife in my pocket A1 steak sauce anyone Well done, Harper Well done, Onyx Now where goes the dolomite! Lodestones I lost one Carry on Four kings My stream of conciousness rocks out My people are earth and your people You see that? Reach out I'm only a comic, comet Reach out! I'm in denial No conciousness Alright? Harper Long road High Road Short ones. You like Tall blondes I like Waffles You know? Can't we all suffer morbidly? (I'm in denial) Write one Right one Higher up off the red carpet I'm looking for something? Nothing, Internet shopping, A long road The more would have I The more horrible I am a monster I am a monster I am a monster Devil next door, and I I am a monster I am a monster And one And one And one I sent an angel Or five I'm a monster I'm in denial I am a monster Bloody conciousness I'm in denial So I deny Monster So I deny it all Encore! Encore! Run the score up Could be anything you know Bloody stream of conciousness Bloody streams and —leave it up, then I do not believe it Pandemic, Actors and then Publicity stunts for nothing Robbers. I'm not even good enough to be good enough for you. Morbid. I made Billie Ellish laugh so hard, The whole world noticed; Then everybody wanted to know me, Numbers, She goes, “I love electronic music” I said, “I have a lot of it.” But I thought Not nearly enough of it, I thought Not nearly enough, I think. Not nearly enough What did you do with six cinder blocks And Stop it What did you do with six bricks And a fortune What do you with with my Headache? Stop it? I want nothing more than an encore, I told them An encore, I said Not the Renaissance Encore I promise: As awkward as it all got It's coming up For once my stream of conciousness Is into something Lover lover lover Keep them coming Roll the dice and Tell me something, Schubert Tell me something, Harvard Tell me something Tell me something Science Why I don't like you I watch the tonight show. I try to find you But find her And her and her At night I dream of him Joel Her And her and her Wanted a lover A show Her and her and her A son and a daughter A mode Her and her and her Here and there and on again I know her and her and her I like Her and her and her I love Her and her and her I know her and her and her I am her and her and her I wonder what would become of us All And the body Were we not so old Scrap metal Carry on while I call my son And wonder what in God Was left after us Hostile motive Wonder wonder I've got nothing left to ponder I want Mark God Dawn Nah Nothing kept secret left Ponder what, helmet Tell you what, Talmud I like the host of the what's it called Danger show Brothel Brothel Opera Opera May Day May Day May is coming So I August I want nothing more Than the great big mouse on magic mountain How's that? … Sam? Flatline? Don't leave us. Encore. Where's he going? Nothing. Awful. I've been drinking. How about not? And well, we're all against the tide when ocean's coming Aren't I, Hollywood? Great big swell and a sailboat Ugh, why am I mad?! That's the old goat! Rock and Roller. Hall of fame god. Prostitots and brothels Some chord and three thousand year old Google documents What you want us! All I was worth was A special on $200, just under What did you want? An umbrella? I told you, the shit show was coming now Cry me a river! Cry me a river! Cry me a river! New York was a sold out show In all non concious conformists Look at God Go. I was all at the surface Sure you wanted a Harper A harpist Pianist and I've got suffering! Call my son back! I've got window pains And window panes And widows makes the none of us I might as well have died when I lost I might as well have died when I lost her — oh, but the husband had already had Her and her and her So no father was he to a daughter And she went beyond that, Calling for brother. Now who are I? Emotionally immature maggots. I sank ships over hatred I called mayday belatedly I show off in Morse code in a mouse head Now who's the helmet!! Now who's the— [BLACKOUT] [The Festival Project ™] Jimmy murmured somethin bout Joel Pilot took a plunge Now the old Rock is 1 for the 1 one Minus President Trump In the back of the car But if I pop the trunk Then we all have a gun in each hand, Huh punk? One for the road Bottle full of sauce I called the boss for the map And we all got lost on the run Interstate map as old as The all of us totaled up What does infinite cost? Two humps and a Tesla? Some hummas? A couple of rocks, and some hot sauce? All got a gun And we all got a God Can't we all get along Backroads, no Feds So it's all gonna cost Got a cot for the tour And a word for the world And a heart full of gold And a house full of fire Can't we all get a long Now we all got a God Call Conan, We all got a hook and a rod Call God, brah Nobody the friend to the world And we all got a girl And they all got problems Now we got a car On a train up a mountain A coin in the fountain A gun in each hand And a phone card Somebody call the opera Or better yet, Harpo, long God Long time We all got a song Somebody mumbled The troll to a hall far A hymn to a poem And a bump on a log Timber timber We all got garages Timber timber We all got a gun Timber timber We all got windfalls Windmills Blond dykes Klondikes Assholes Mayday Long trucks All got blondes All got a God All got a soul All made of gold And we all got goals here, miners Mumble the words of the poem Somebody left a voicemail At one point, though We all had a mom At one point though, We all had a blonde At one point, though we all got a God At one point though, We all got a song Now all we got is cars Long roads And guns At one point, though, We all got along At one point though We all fell in love At one point though we all had a Mom Now I'm so polar Bearr's on the run But we all got a song And we all got a thought And we all got God Now we all get along In the cars With the guns On the road With the blondes Cause we all got a song And we all got Moms And they all got blonde hair Moms got a gun, Hey, Mom's got a song, Hey, Mom's got a son, Hey, Mom's got a thought, Hey, Mom's got a God, No, mom's just a God, Huh, That's what you want, By the light of the sun And the sound of a gun And we all got a rap And we all got problems All got long days All got wants And we all got a God, so God's got problems. — I gotta solve em. Psychic tears and solvents— What do you want Joel? I got problems, I got a son! I got ten songs out, Ten albums so far, Nobody loves them Nobody loves me, I got problems, I got nothing I got too much to really be loveless, Yet, Here I am, Just watching WHAT. Call up my son, Ask him for a joke And the weather forecast I got a whole skeletal system of broken bones And a whole body cast Castrate this diamond, Call up the tin man— Tin man?! Cowardly lion And the straw hat, Call up the — what are those? Lollipops! No, I don't want that I just want a home with some tall grass. I'm really about to whoop this girl's assless ass and she knows that. She has to. Chilling in the bath though But Can't afford a bathrobe I collect Windfall I call the dolphins Shatter that asshole Staggered on stage, then Slandered my hammer, gathered up passwords X1, aren't I? Doctor? I've probably got a straw hat Don't have a heart, though Probably just a robot Somebody tried hard Guess I need a doctor Wombat? What? She looks like a wombat. Damn, dog. Bleed! I came from the world with the no sleep Bleed! I came from the world with the bonfires! Bleed! I parked my car in the palisades. Bonfires! I parked my car in the palisades! Bonfires! I pitched my tent in the Malibu mountains! Bleed! My coworker babysat in Calabasas! Bonfires! Pig and Whistle could spin slick but still doesn't own an apartment! Apartheid! Noah died on all of the story arcs, besides ours. Non partisan! I went to work on a cold hard Monday. Daughters! I wrote the poor some porridge, and they didn't want that! Pesticides! Still a stream of conciousness? I thought he was sober! Bonfires! I got no room for my heart, SO I CUT IT OUT BLEED. Fires. BLEED! Fires. BLEEEEED. Alright, you won. I need my medicine, Medicine, medicine I neee my medicine… Who are I, God? I need my medicine, medicine Medicine— I need my Really, a face with the Bandit? If Seth wants the role, he can have it. Which Seth? Exactly. Bad Son. Deadmau5 Hats off— Actually, a helmet Actually, a deadman. Who cried lurking? Who calls Art Lord? Why, Sir Jyre! My art deposit's on John, man. Art world Awkward Harvard? Aavark? An assless advark. Don't stalk me when I'm hark the halrold hallmark cards and half washed alters! (The last day of Passover, Easter Sunday) Don't pseudoscience Your gross meds have no stream of conciousness at all Your meds have no conciousness at all. Why yes, I terminal hate you, Mr. famous We broke up at an airport over coffee I dream your head But never just the body That I yearn for I'm trapped inside a suffix That was earned from just a metaphor I grasp at mediocre, As Flo said “I would have aspired to be a struggling actress” I would aspire just to b an arifaft A sanctioned little blonde In front row VIP With the pasties on Oh afterparty? Models and bottles and bodies And blondes Brunettes and redheads And a couple of ours with extensions And a dye job Long legs Court covers And awards, Having proven subtle standards set by All of yours When all I want is Hallmark cards. Hold that thought. Rinse out the conditioner Do you get the picture or not?! I don't live here! Do you remember the fact that I've been here Just a minute in my time— Into you! It's infinite forever. Forever, we'll. Forever. Ten minutes in and I don't remember any of it. Ten mirrors ten men and ten hammers, the hammer. Ten tonsils, ten fingers, ten toes and my hall award Ten helmets, ten cars in garages Ten mortals Attention, attention I've written a symphony! Attention, attention! I'm living in misery! Attention, attention, My toys in my toolbox: Attention, attention, My girls and my others Attention? Attention! I'm ten minutes into this Attention, attention. I bet you'll remember this. Mission accomplished? Yes, major. Detective. Agent. But I won't. No, I'm not okay. I'll never hold my baby again. No, what's my shoe size? Too grand? So I hideaway Then, I'm a Marxist, Forgot my own mantras I'm probably home, But no address to mark it Off the map Off the grid What's I miss Nothing much here Contact works Contact breaks Contact lenses Like my hazels? Like my blue eyes? Are they gorgeous? Still, I'm darker Forge the caverns, Then, there's this flaw: Seven numbers You're just like God, Only darker What harm have I brought you? Called your wind Nothing but heartache Cried Agatha, a moan And then I will go, Becoming nameless in code and essence Where willI—? And then nothing at all? As one ceases to be, So the the other; The tale before time Of immortal lovers I'm incognito You're in my his[tory] Copyright © The Festival Project, Inc. ™ | Copyright The Complex Collective © 2019 ™ All Rights Reserved. C'cxell Soleïl
![[ENTER THE MULTIVERSE]](https://ivyfm.s3.amazonaws.com/i320/1184481.jpg)
Nobody put baby in a corner In the blue light, I deny you Why ask if you're alright When I'm still crumpled up behind you All publicity Stint My growth is altered I want love You i don't know how To I am a monster I am a monster Joel I am a monster Make me feel Holy lighti I divide my lifht Between Divine And Denial So I deny it Denial I hide you Why Cause I like you Let's blow things all out of proportion Media media Publicity stunt And a drunken stupor I got my God at Coachella night one I got my blinders on I got a knife in my pocket A1 steak sauce anyone Well done, Harper Well done, Onyx Now where goes the dolomite! Lodestones I lost one Carry on Four kings My stream of conciousness rocks out My people are earth and your people You see that? Reach out I'm only a comic, comet Reach out! I'm in denial No conciousness Alright? Harper Long road High Road Short ones. You like Tall blondes I like Waffles You know? Can't we all suffer morbidly? (I'm in denial) Write one Right one Higher up off the red carpet I'm looking for something? Nothing, Internet shopping, A long road The more would have I The more horrible I am a monster I am a monster I am a monster Devil next door, and I I am a monster I am a monster And one And one And one I sent an angel Or five I'm a monster I'm in denial I am a monster Bloody conciousness I'm in denial So I deny Monster So I deny it all Encore! Encore! Run the score up Could be anything you know Bloody stream of conciousness Bloody streams and —leave it up, then I do not believe it Pandemic, Actors and then Publicity stunts for nothing Robbers. I'm not even good enough to be good enough for you. Morbid. I made Billie Ellish laugh so hard, The whole world noticed; Then everybody wanted to know me, Numbers, She goes, “I love electronic music” I said, “I have a lot of it.” But I thought Not nearly enough of it, I thought Not nearly enough, I think. Not nearly enough What did you do with six cinder blocks And Stop it What did you do with six bricks And a fortune What do you with with my Headache? Stop it? I want nothing more than an encore, I told them An encore, I said Not the Renaissance Encore I promise: As awkward as it all got It's coming up For once my stream of conciousness Is into something Lover lover lover Keep them coming Roll the dice and Tell me something, Schubert Tell me something, Harvard Tell me something Tell me something Science Why I don't like you I watch the tonight show. I try to find you But find her And her and her At night I dream of him Joel Her And her and her Wanted a lover A show Her and her and her A son and a daughter A mode Her and her and her Here and there and on again I know her and her and her I like Her and her and her I love Her and her and her I know her and her and her I am her and her and her I wonder what would become of us All And the body Were we not so old Scrap metal Carry on while I call my son And wonder what in God Was left after us Hostile motive Wonder wonder I've got nothing left to ponder I want Mark God Dawn Nah Nothing kept secret left Ponder what, helmet Tell you what, Talmud I like the host of the what's it called Danger show Brothel Brothel Opera Opera May Day May Day May is coming So I August I want nothing more Than the great big mouse on magic mountain How's that? … Sam? Flatline? Don't leave us. Encore. Where's he going? Nothing. Awful. I've been drinking. How about not? And well, we're all against the tide when ocean's coming Aren't I, Hollywood? Great big swell and a sailboat Ugh, why am I mad?! That's the old goat! Rock and Roller. Hall of fame god. Prostitots and brothels Some chord and three thousand year old Google documents What you want us! All I was worth was A special on $200, just under What did you want? An umbrella? I told you, the shit show was coming now Cry me a river! Cry me a river! Cry me a river! New York was a sold out show In all non concious conformists Look at God Go. I was all at the surface Sure you wanted a Harper A harpist Pianist and I've got suffering! Call my son back! I've got window pains And window panes And widows makes the none of us I might as well have died when I lost I might as well have died when I lost her — oh, but the husband had already had Her and her and her So no father was he to a daughter And she went beyond that, Calling for brother. Now who are I? Emotionally immature maggots. I sank ships over hatred I called mayday belatedly I show off in Morse code in a mouse head Now who's the helmet!! Now who's the— [BLACKOUT] [The Festival Project ™] Jimmy murmured somethin bout Joel Pilot took a plunge Now the old Rock is 1 for the 1 one Minus President Trump In the back of the car But if I pop the trunk Then we all have a gun in each hand, Huh punk? One for the road Bottle full of sauce I called the boss for the map And we all got lost on the run Interstate map as old as The all of us totaled up What does infinite cost? Two humps and a Tesla? Some hummas? A couple of rocks, and some hot sauce? All got a gun And we all got a God Can't we all get along Backroads, no Feds So it's all gonna cost Got a cot for the tour And a word for the world And a heart full of gold And a house full of fire Can't we all get a long Now we all got a God Call Conan, We all got a hook and a rod Call God, brah Nobody the friend to the world And we all got a girl And they all got problems Now we got a car On a train up a mountain A coin in the fountain A gun in each hand And a phone card Somebody call the opera Or better yet, Harpo, long God Long time We all got a song Somebody mumbled The troll to a hall far A hymn to a poem And a bump on a log Timber timber We all got garages Timber timber We all got a gun Timber timber We all got windfalls Windmills Blond dykes Klondikes Assholes Mayday Long trucks All got blondes All got a God All got a soul All made of gold And we all got goals here, miners Mumble the words of the poem Somebody left a voicemail At one point, though We all had a mom At one point though, We all had a blonde At one point, though we all got a God At one point though, We all got a song Now all we got is cars Long roads And guns At one point, though, We all got along At one point though We all fell in love At one point though we all had a Mom Now I'm so polar Bearr's on the run But we all got a song And we all got a thought And we all got God Now we all get along In the cars With the guns On the road With the blondes Cause we all got a song And we all got Moms And they all got blonde hair Moms got a gun, Hey, Mom's got a song, Hey, Mom's got a son, Hey, Mom's got a thought, Hey, Mom's got a God, No, mom's just a God, Huh, That's what you want, By the light of the sun And the sound of a gun And we all got a rap And we all got problems All got long days All got wants And we all got a God, so God's got problems. — I gotta solve em. Psychic tears and solvents— What do you want Joel? I got problems, I got a son! I got ten songs out, Ten albums so far, Nobody loves them Nobody loves me, I got problems, I got nothing I got too much to really be loveless, Yet, Here I am, Just watching WHAT. Call up my son, Ask him for a joke And the weather forecast I got a whole skeletal system of broken bones And a whole body cast Castrate this diamond, Call up the tin man— Tin man?! Cowardly lion And the straw hat, Call up the — what are those? Lollipops! No, I don't want that I just want a home with some tall grass. I'm really about to whoop this girl's assless ass and she knows that. She has to. Chilling in the bath though But Can't afford a bathrobe I collect Windfall I call the dolphins Shatter that asshole Staggered on stage, then Slandered my hammer, gathered up passwords X1, aren't I? Doctor? I've probably got a straw hat Don't have a heart, though Probably just a robot Somebody tried hard Guess I need a doctor Wombat? What? She looks like a wombat. Damn, dog. Bleed! I came from the world with the no sleep Bleed! I came from the world with the bonfires! Bleed! I parked my car in the palisades. Bonfires! I parked my car in the palisades! Bonfires! I pitched my tent in the Malibu mountains! Bleed! My coworker babysat in Calabasas! Bonfires! Pig and Whistle could spin slick but still doesn't own an apartment! Apartheid! Noah died on all of the story arcs, besides ours. Non partisan! I went to work on a cold hard Monday. Daughters! I wrote the poor some porridge, and they didn't want that! Pesticides! Still a stream of conciousness? I thought he was sober! Bonfires! I got no room for my heart, SO I CUT IT OUT BLEED. Fires. BLEED! Fires. BLEEEEED. Alright, you won. I need my medicine, Medicine, medicine I neee my medicine… Who are I, God? I need my medicine, medicine Medicine— I need my Really, a face with the Bandit? If Seth wants the role, he can have it. Which Seth? Exactly. Bad Son. Deadmau5 Hats off— Actually, a helmet Actually, a deadman. Who cried lurking? Who calls Art Lord? Why, Sir Jyre! My art deposit's on John, man. Art world Awkward Harvard? Aavark? An assless advark. Don't stalk me when I'm hark the halrold hallmark cards and half washed alters! (The last day of Passover, Easter Sunday) Don't pseudoscience Your gross meds have no stream of conciousness at all Your meds have no conciousness at all. Why yes, I terminal hate you, Mr. famous We broke up at an airport over coffee I dream your head But never just the body That I yearn for I'm trapped inside a suffix That was earned from just a metaphor I grasp at mediocre, As Flo said “I would have aspired to be a struggling actress” I would aspire just to b an arifaft A sanctioned little blonde In front row VIP With the pasties on Oh afterparty? Models and bottles and bodies And blondes Brunettes and redheads And a couple of ours with extensions And a dye job Long legs Court covers And awards, Having proven subtle standards set by All of yours When all I want is Hallmark cards. Hold that thought. Rinse out the conditioner Do you get the picture or not?! I don't live here! Do you remember the fact that I've been here Just a minute in my time— Into you! It's infinite forever. Forever, we'll. Forever. Ten minutes in and I don't remember any of it. Ten mirrors ten men and ten hammers, the hammer. Ten tonsils, ten fingers, ten toes and my hall award Ten helmets, ten cars in garages Ten mortals Attention, attention I've written a symphony! Attention, attention! I'm living in misery! Attention, attention, My toys in my toolbox: Attention, attention, My girls and my others Attention? Attention! I'm ten minutes into this Attention, attention. I bet you'll remember this. Mission accomplished? Yes, major. Detective. Agent. But I won't. No, I'm not okay. I'll never hold my baby again. No, what's my shoe size? Too grand? So I hideaway Then, I'm a Marxist, Forgot my own mantras I'm probably home, But no address to mark it Off the map Off the grid What's I miss Nothing much here Contact works Contact breaks Contact lenses Like my hazels? Like my blue eyes? Are they gorgeous? Still, I'm darker Forge the caverns, Then, there's this flaw: Seven numbers You're just like God, Only darker What harm have I brought you? Called your wind Nothing but heartache Cried Agatha, a moan And then I will go, Becoming nameless in code and essence Where willI—? And then nothing at all? As one ceases to be, So the the other; The tale before time Of immortal lovers I'm incognito You're in my his[tory] Copyright © The Festival Project, Inc. ™ | Copyright The Complex Collective © 2019 ™ All Rights Reserved. C'cxell Soleïl
Nobody put baby in a corner In the blue light, I deny you Why ask if you're alright When I'm still crumpled up behind you All publicity Stint My growth is altered I want love You i don't know how To I am a monster I am a monster Joel I am a monster Make me feel Holy lighti I divide my lifht Between Divine And Denial So I deny it Denial I hide you Why Cause I like you Let's blow things all out of proportion Media media Publicity stunt And a drunken stupor I got my God at Coachella night one I got my blinders on I got a knife in my pocket A1 steak sauce anyone Well done, Harper Well done, Onyx Now where goes the dolomite! Lodestones I lost one Carry on Four kings My stream of conciousness rocks out My people are earth and your people You see that? Reach out I'm only a comic, comet Reach out! I'm in denial No conciousness Alright? Harper Long road High Road Short ones. You like Tall blondes I like Waffles You know? Can't we all suffer morbidly? (I'm in denial) Write one Right one Higher up off the red carpet I'm looking for something? Nothing, Internet shopping, A long road The more would have I The more horrible I am a monster I am a monster I am a monster Devil next door, and I I am a monster I am a monster And one And one And one I sent an angel Or five I'm a monster I'm in denial I am a monster Bloody conciousness I'm in denial So I deny Monster So I deny it all Encore! Encore! Run the score up Could be anything you know Bloody stream of conciousness Bloody streams and —leave it up, then I do not believe it Pandemic, Actors and then Publicity stunts for nothing Robbers. I'm not even good enough to be good enough for you. Morbid. I made Billie Ellish laugh so hard, The whole world noticed; Then everybody wanted to know me, Numbers, She goes, “I love electronic music” I said, “I have a lot of it.” But I thought Not nearly enough of it, I thought Not nearly enough, I think. Not nearly enough What did you do with six cinder blocks And Stop it What did you do with six bricks And a fortune What do you with with my Headache? Stop it? I want nothing more than an encore, I told them An encore, I said Not the Renaissance Encore I promise: As awkward as it all got It's coming up For once my stream of conciousness Is into something Lover lover lover Keep them coming Roll the dice and Tell me something, Schubert Tell me something, Harvard Tell me something Tell me something Science Why I don't like you I watch the tonight show. I try to find you But find her And her and her At night I dream of him Joel Her And her and her Wanted a lover A show Her and her and her A son and a daughter A mode Her and her and her Here and there and on again I know her and her and her I like Her and her and her I love Her and her and her I know her and her and her I am her and her and her I wonder what would become of us All And the body Were we not so old Scrap metal Carry on while I call my son And wonder what in God Was left after us Hostile motive Wonder wonder I've got nothing left to ponder I want Mark God Dawn Nah Nothing kept secret left Ponder what, helmet Tell you what, Talmud I like the host of the what's it called Danger show Brothel Brothel Opera Opera May Day May Day May is coming So I August I want nothing more Than the great big mouse on magic mountain How's that? … Sam? Flatline? Don't leave us. Encore. Where's he going? Nothing. Awful. I've been drinking. How about not? And well, we're all against the tide when ocean's coming Aren't I, Hollywood? Great big swell and a sailboat Ugh, why am I mad?! That's the old goat! Rock and Roller. Hall of fame god. Prostitots and brothels Some chord and three thousand year old Google documents What you want us! All I was worth was A special on $200, just under What did you want? An umbrella? I told you, the shit show was coming now Cry me a river! Cry me a river! Cry me a river! New York was a sold out show In all non concious conformists Look at God Go. I was all at the surface Sure you wanted a Harper A harpist Pianist and I've got suffering! Call my son back! I've got window pains And window panes And widows makes the none of us I might as well have died when I lost I might as well have died when I lost her — oh, but the husband had already had Her and her and her So no father was he to a daughter And she went beyond that, Calling for brother. Now who are I? Emotionally immature maggots. I sank ships over hatred I called mayday belatedly I show off in Morse code in a mouse head Now who's the helmet!! Now who's the— [BLACKOUT] [The Festival Project ™] Jimmy murmured somethin bout Joel Pilot took a plunge Now the old Rock is 1 for the 1 one Minus President Trump In the back of the car But if I pop the trunk Then we all have a gun in each hand, Huh punk? One for the road Bottle full of sauce I called the boss for the map And we all got lost on the run Interstate map as old as The all of us totaled up What does infinite cost? Two humps and a Tesla? Some hummas? A couple of rocks, and some hot sauce? All got a gun And we all got a God Can't we all get along Backroads, no Feds So it's all gonna cost Got a cot for the tour And a word for the world And a heart full of gold And a house full of fire Can't we all get a long Now we all got a God Call Conan, We all got a hook and a rod Call God, brah Nobody the friend to the world And we all got a girl And they all got problems Now we got a car On a train up a mountain A coin in the fountain A gun in each hand And a phone card Somebody call the opera Or better yet, Harpo, long God Long time We all got a song Somebody mumbled The troll to a hall far A hymn to a poem And a bump on a log Timber timber We all got garages Timber timber We all got a gun Timber timber We all got windfalls Windmills Blond dykes Klondikes Assholes Mayday Long trucks All got blondes All got a God All got a soul All made of gold And we all got goals here, miners Mumble the words of the poem Somebody left a voicemail At one point, though We all had a mom At one point though, We all had a blonde At one point, though we all got a God At one point though, We all got a song Now all we got is cars Long roads And guns At one point, though, We all got along At one point though We all fell in love At one point though we all had a Mom Now I'm so polar Bearr's on the run But we all got a song And we all got a thought And we all got God Now we all get along In the cars With the guns On the road With the blondes Cause we all got a song And we all got Moms And they all got blonde hair Moms got a gun, Hey, Mom's got a song, Hey, Mom's got a son, Hey, Mom's got a thought, Hey, Mom's got a God, No, mom's just a God, Huh, That's what you want, By the light of the sun And the sound of a gun And we all got a rap And we all got problems All got long days All got wants And we all got a God, so God's got problems. — I gotta solve em. Psychic tears and solvents— What do you want Joel? I got problems, I got a son! I got ten songs out, Ten albums so far, Nobody loves them Nobody loves me, I got problems, I got nothing I got too much to really be loveless, Yet, Here I am, Just watching WHAT. Call up my son, Ask him for a joke And the weather forecast I got a whole skeletal system of broken bones And a whole body cast Castrate this diamond, Call up the tin man— Tin man?! Cowardly lion And the straw hat, Call up the — what are those? Lollipops! No, I don't want that I just want a home with some tall grass. I'm really about to whoop this girl's assless ass and she knows that. She has to. Chilling in the bath though But Can't afford a bathrobe I collect Windfall I call the dolphins Shatter that asshole Staggered on stage, then Slandered my hammer, gathered up passwords X1, aren't I? Doctor? I've probably got a straw hat Don't have a heart, though Probably just a robot Somebody tried hard Guess I need a doctor Wombat? What? She looks like a wombat. Damn, dog. Bleed! I came from the world with the no sleep Bleed! I came from the world with the bonfires! Bleed! I parked my car in the palisades. Bonfires! I parked my car in the palisades! Bonfires! I pitched my tent in the Malibu mountains! Bleed! My coworker babysat in Calabasas! Bonfires! Pig and Whistle could spin slick but still doesn't own an apartment! Apartheid! Noah died on all of the story arcs, besides ours. Non partisan! I went to work on a cold hard Monday. Daughters! I wrote the poor some porridge, and they didn't want that! Pesticides! Still a stream of conciousness? I thought he was sober! Bonfires! I got no room for my heart, SO I CUT IT OUT BLEED. Fires. BLEED! Fires. BLEEEEED. Alright, you won. I need my medicine, Medicine, medicine I neee my medicine… Who are I, God? I need my medicine, medicine Medicine— I need my Really, a face with the Bandit? If Seth wants the role, he can have it. Which Seth? Exactly. Bad Son. Deadmau5 Hats off— Actually, a helmet Actually, a deadman. Who cried lurking? Who calls Art Lord? Why, Sir Jyre! My art deposit's on John, man. Art world Awkward Harvard? Aavark? An assless advark. Don't stalk me when I'm hark the halrold hallmark cards and half washed alters! (The last day of Passover, Easter Sunday) Don't pseudoscience Your gross meds have no stream of conciousness at all Your meds have no conciousness at all. Why yes, I terminal hate you, Mr. famous We broke up at an airport over coffee I dream your head But never just the body That I yearn for I'm trapped inside a suffix That was earned from just a metaphor I grasp at mediocre, As Flo said “I would have aspired to be a struggling actress” I would aspire just to b an arifaft A sanctioned little blonde In front row VIP With the pasties on Oh afterparty? Models and bottles and bodies And blondes Brunettes and redheads And a couple of ours with extensions And a dye job Long legs Court covers And awards, Having proven subtle standards set by All of yours When all I want is Hallmark cards. Hold that thought. Rinse out the conditioner Do you get the picture or not?! I don't live here! Do you remember the fact that I've been here Just a minute in my time— Into you! It's infinite forever. Forever, we'll. Forever. Ten minutes in and I don't remember any of it. Ten mirrors ten men and ten hammers, the hammer. Ten tonsils, ten fingers, ten toes and my hall award Ten helmets, ten cars in garages Ten mortals Attention, attention I've written a symphony! Attention, attention! I'm living in misery! Attention, attention, My toys in my toolbox: Attention, attention, My girls and my others Attention? Attention! I'm ten minutes into this Attention, attention. I bet you'll remember this. Mission accomplished? Yes, major. Detective. Agent. But I won't. No, I'm not okay. I'll never hold my baby again. No, what's my shoe size? Too grand? So I hideaway Then, I'm a Marxist, Forgot my own mantras I'm probably home, But no address to mark it Off the map Off the grid What's I miss Nothing much here Contact works Contact breaks Contact lenses Like my hazels? Like my blue eyes? Are they gorgeous? Still, I'm darker Forge the caverns, Then, there's this flaw: Seven numbers You're just like God, Only darker What harm have I brought you? Called your wind Nothing but heartache Cried Agatha, a moan And then I will go, Becoming nameless in code and essence Where willI—? And then nothing at all? As one ceases to be, So the the other; The tale before time Of immortal lovers I'm incognito You're in my his[tory] Copyright © The Festival Project, Inc. ™ | Copyright The Complex Collective © 2019 ™ All Rights Reserved. C'cxell Soleïl
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In this episode, we're talking to Rebecca Contreras, founder and CEO of Avant Garde, LLC. Rebecca shares her inspiring journey from growing up in poverty with a drug-addicted mother to becoming a successful entrepreneur and advisor to President George W. Bush. The conversation dives into Rebecca's transformative encounter with God at age 19, her rise through the ranks of government, and her passion for empowering others through her business and nonprofit initiatives. Tune in for some incredible insights into leadership, overcoming adversity, and the power of faith and mentorship. This episode includes a deep dive into several topics: Multiple Hats and High Capacity: Rebecca talks about balancing her roles in leading a consulting firm, running a nonprofit, and engaging in thought leadership and investments. Overcoming a Tragic Past: Rebecca shares her background of growing up in poverty, dealing with a drug-addicted mother, and eventually becoming a high school dropout and single mom. Transformative Encounter with God: At 19, Rebecca experienced a life-changing encounter with God that set her on a path to personal and professional transformation. Career in Government: Rebecca describes her rise from a welfare recipient to a top HR executive working for Ann Richards and later President George W. Bush. Leadership with Resolve: Insights on leading with integrity and resolve, especially during unprecedented times and personal crises. Starting and Growing Avant Garde: Rebecca explains how she started her consulting firm and grew it to over 130 employees, emphasizing the importance of doing the right thing in business. Family and Forgiveness: The significance of forgiveness in her personal journey, especially in her relationship with her mother. Connect with Rebecca Website: https://www.rebeccacontreras.com/ Book: https://www.rebeccacontreras.com/lostgirl __________________________________________________________ Ready for more? Here are 3 ways we can help you: 1)
John and Merrilee are important, well educated, prestigious, and defined with benchmark authority in social psychology, and philosophy. John and Merrilee write award-winning books with popularity in the United States and Europe. In his books, John writes of his open dialogue with Saint Thomas Aquinas. In her books, Merrilee walks with God - At least that's what she tells John. Then she waits for him to fumble his answer. It's John and Merrilee every day on Spotify. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-lacasse/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-lacasse/support
What Is Meant By “The Law”? God's righteousness is universal, written on the hearts of men (Romans 2:12-16), predating the Law of Moses (Romans 1:18ff), reflected in the Law of Mosses (Romans 2:17ff), and still unchanging. God's righteousness remains, no matter what.Law (Pentateuch)=First five books of the Old Testament, including commands given in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.Law (Old Testament)=At times, the whole of the OT is referred to as "The Law" (Matt. 22:36; Luke 10:26; John 7:49; 10:34; 12:34; 15:25; 1 Cor. 9:8–9; 14:21, 34; Gal. 4:21) or "The Law and the Prophets" (Matt. 5:17; 7:12; 22:40; Luke 16:16; 24:44; John 1:45; Acts 13:15; 24:14; 28:23; Rom. 3:21; cf. Matt. 11:13)Law (Commands of God)=At times, Paul refers to the Law in reference to God's commands themselves (Rom. 3:21; 9:31; 10:4; Gal. 2:21; 3:11; 5:4; Phil. 3:6, 9, Eph. 2:15)What is the Purpose of the Law?Mirror: The Law shows us we are sinful because we can't keep it, even when we try (Rom. 3:20; 4:15; 5:13; 7:7-11), and it drives us to seek forgiveness in Christ (Gal. 3:19-24).Restraint: Applied to the civil sphere, the Law is used to restrain sin with the consequence of punishment (Deut. 13:6-11; 19:16-21; Rom. 13:3, 4).Guide: God has prepared good works for believers (Eph. 2:10), and we are commanded to obey God's commands (Matt. 28:20) which shows our love for Him (John 14:15). We are free from the Law as a means of salvation (Rom. 6:14; 7:4, 6; 1 Cor. 9:20; Gal. 2:15-19, 3:25), but we are "under the law of Christ" as a rule for living (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2).Errors Related to the Law:Antinomianism: Shunning obedience to all of the OT Law, including the moral aspects of the Law.Judaizers: Those who believed that gentile Christians must become Jews to be saved (circumcision, dietary laws, ceremonial laws, etc.)Hebrew Roots: Belief that Greek and other pagan influences have dominated Christianity. Adherents (generally) believe that Christians must follow (all of) the OT Law and (generally) rabbinic tradition.Seventh Day Adventist: Cultic group that follows the teaching of a false prophet Ellen White. They deny essential doctrines and focus on obeying certain ceremonial traditions such as Saturday worship.
Glenn Packiam joins Juli to talk about how the biblical metaphor of ordinary table bread reveals God's extraordinary story of redemption and healing in our (ordinary) lives. Guest: Glenn Packiam Show notes: Blessed Broken Given by Glenn Packiam Why We Must Be Surprised By the Healer (Juli's blog) Java #405:How to Be Broken and Used by God (At the Same Time) (exclusive content) Surprised By the Healer by Dr. Juli Slattery and Linda Dillow *Affiliate link. AI may earn referral fees.
Pastor Jeff is currently in a series called ’Ready or Not’. Today we’ll continue his message, about the things that happen in life, whether we’re ready for them or not. Sometimes we feel the close love for God At other times though, he feels distant? and there’s Pain, Suffering, Loss....Support the show: https://www.oneandall.church/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
"I care about everything that bothers you. I will finish what I start in your life" - God At times, we will feel as if God has singled us out for what feels like an unusual difficulty when the person next to us seems to be blessed with ease. Have you ever reasoned, like me, that you are more deserving than your neighbor or brother or sister? It's a dangerous self-righteous assessment. Every chaos brings with it a new layer of God that you need to experience and also a new layer of yourself you need to know. Remember, "for there to be oil, there has to be crushing!" Chiamaka shares with us how she journeys with God in chaos! Listen, Share & Enjoy! A beautiful article here talking about responding to life & God In Chaos (Click Here) Make sure you subscribe to Chiamaka's Podcast (L'espace) as well!
God intended for us to live in Shalom and to flourish in the following ways: ● At peace and in relational harmony with God ● At peace and in relational harmony with ourselves ● At peace and in relational harmony with others ● At peace and in relational harmony with creation (cultivation/culture) Listen to a message about how God is making all things new and His intention for us to flourish from Kris Hassanpour on July 3, 2022.
Here is a marvelous glimpse of the grace and mercy of God: At the end of David's life, God does not point to his sin or to his failure. Here is what David is to be remembered for, God says. There are certain things that you will be remembered for when you are no longer here. And every day you live, you are shaping that legacy.
Show Notes and Links to Roberto Lovato's Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 73 On Episode 73, Pete talks with Roberto Lovato about his outstanding, moving, and illuminating memoir, Unforgetting. Using the book as a foundation, the two talk about US foreign policy in El Salvador and beyond, media and propaganda, connections between the past and today, “La Matanza” and other traumatic events in El Salvador's history, the importance of “unforgetting” and “re-membering,” and hope as embodied by the Salvadoran resolve and beauty shown despite great tragedies. Roberto Lovato is the author of Unforgetting: A Memoir of Family, Migration, Gangs and Revolution in the Americas (Harper Collins), a memoir picked by the New York Times as an “Editor's Choice” that the paper also hailed as “Groundbreaking…. A kaleidoscopic montage that is at once a family saga, a coming-of-age story and a meditation on the vicissitudes of history, community and, most of all for [Lovato], identity.” Newsweek listed Lovato's memoir as a “must read” 2020 book and the Los Angeles Times listed it as one of its 20 Best Books of 2020. Lovato is also an educator, journalist and writer based at The Writers Grotto in San Francisco, California. As a Co-Founder of #DignidadLiteraria, he helped build a movement advocating for equity and literary justice for the more than 60 million Latinx persons left off of bookshelves in the United States and out of the national dialogue. A recipient of a reporting grant from the Pulitzer Center, Lovato has reported on numerous issues—violence, terrorism, the drug war and the refugee crisis—from Mexico, Venezuela, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Haiti, France and the United States, among other countries. Buy Unforgetting: A Memoir of Family, Migration, Gangs, and Revolution in the Americas (Bookshop.org) Roberto Lovato Personal Website "When reporting on a nation's civil war erases the truths of a beautiful people" from October 1, 2020 in San Francisco Chronicle Datebook At about 2:30, Roberto talks about the journey that his book takes him on, and how it's an investigation of secret history and At about 4:30, Roberto talks about his literary childhood, including his connection with Danny Dunn, The Bible, and Piri Thomas, among others; he connects his reading to Carl Jung's quote-”The gold is in the dark” and talks about his extensive lifetime habit of writing in journals At about 7:00, Roberto discusses education's history in his family and gives background on his father's childhood in El Salvador; this leads to an outline At about 10:10, Roberto explains the feeling of being “half-dead” as a Salvadoran-American and ideas of post-traumatic stress and the connections felt to his story by those of the Salvadoran and Jewish diasporas At about 11:40, Roberto talks about obstacles to his intellectual growth, though he was identified as a “gifted” child, and he gives a summary of the book through a description of his relationships with people and places throughout At about 12:45, Roberto talks about early reading and refuge through reading The Bible, and believing that “words had the power of God” At about 14:20, Roberto talks about the different religious organizations he's been part of in his life, with his love for The Word being the one constant At about 15:30, Pete references the universal and hyper-specific references to trauma and fascism and quotes the wise Hannah Arendt, saying “terror forces oblivion”; Roberto reverses the Arendt quote and connects it to US government policies of Central American child separation and “normalization of fascist tendencies” in the US At about 21:00, Roberto explains the path he took to becoming a writer/journalist and the path to Unforgetting that crystallized around age 50, including visits to Karnes, Texas and learning about migration stories and jailing and separation of Central American children and America's historically-destructive role in Él Salvador At about 25:10, Pete compliments the ways in which Roberto seamlessly builds pathos through the nonlinear narrative, and this leads to talk of earlier Salvadoran immigration caused by Reagan and US policies in the region, as evidenced by what was once called The School of the Americas At about 28:30, Roberto talks about the ways in which Salvadorans and Central Americans are erased from telling their own stories and how organizations like FAIR have found disturbing patterns in diction that paints Central Americans as two-dimensional; Roberto also cites his own research on media narratives, written for The Columbia Journalism Review At about 35:00, Roberto discusses the interests of the United States, especially economic ones, as catalysts in backing horrible governments in Central America and beyond, in particular in backing the Salvadoran military dictator who enacted “La Matanza,” in which 10-40,000 are said to have been killed At about 37:00, Roberto cites his book as an “only” among the “Big Four Publishers” and he talks about how hard he had to work to tell his Central American stories, as opposed to those writers who are not Central American and often tell one-sided, surface-level stories for which they are often lauded At about 39:20, Roberto talks about his book as an exploration at the way he and other Americans look at their country and at themselves; he explicates by talking about ideas of “American exceptionalism” in movies and media At about 42:40, Roberto and Pete delve into Salvadoran “Conradesque” depictions by mainstream writers, especially the famous/infamous quote by Joan Didion-Roberto's article about her words is here At about 47:00, Pete asks Roberto about the flipside of negative and simplistic portrayals of Salvadorans-the failure to know them in society as a whole AND the lack of knowledge within the Salvadoran communities of past history and atrocities; Roberto quotes Roque Dalton and interesting poll numbers At about 48:55, Roberto's interesting take on important parts of the Salvadoran experience being “lost in translation” reminds Pete of an anecdote from the book about a well-read Salvadoran gang leader and leads to discussions of retelling and stories' and their differing context and Roberto's takes on being bilingual and bicultural At about 51:50, Roberto talks about the significance of the book's title and its connection to ancient Greek and Hannah Arendt At about 56:25, Roberto discusses his use of “re-membering” in the book and its implications and the power of rebellion in his life At about 59:50, Roberto talks about various meanings of apocalypse and its connections to the book At about 1:02:30, Roberto explains the statistics from various institutes that place the Salvadoran “La Matanza” of 1932 as one of, or possible, the worst concentrated massacre in 20th century At about 1:04:15, Roberto discusses the Salvadoran indigenous people as by far the biggest victims in state violence and connections between Vietnam and El Salvador At about 1:05:25, Pete compliments the beautiful ending of the book with its beautiful sewing metaphor You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Spotify, Stitcher, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this episode and other episodes on YouTube-you can watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form. The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com. I'm excited to welcome the intrepid, thoughtful, and profound journalist, Jean Guerrero, for my next episode, so be sure to check out that episode on August 25.
To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/977/29 Here is a marvelous glimpse of the grace and mercy of God: At the end of David's life, God does not point to his sin or to his failure. Here is what David is to be remembered for, God says. There are certain things that you will be remembered for when you are no longer here. And every day you live, you are shaping that legacy.
To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/977/29 Here is a marvelous glimpse of the grace and mercy of God: At the end of David's life, God does not point to his sin or to his failure. Here is what David is to be remembered for, God says. There are certain things that you will be remembered for when you are no longer here. And every day you live, you are shaping that legacy.
To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/977/29 Here is a marvelous glimpse of the grace and mercy of God: At the end of David's life, God does not point to his sin or to his failure. Here is what David is to be remembered for, God says. There are certain things that you will be remembered for when you are no longer here. And every day you live, you are shaping that legacy.
The Word of God - At the Center of the Believer's Life by Lighthouse of Hagerstown
Scripture of the Day: Revelation 8:4 “The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God's people, went up before God from the angel's hand.”Divers Tongues Part One Divers kinds of tongues are supernatural utterances given by the Holy Spirit, which are languages never learned or understood by the speaker. The caveat it, the divers tongues are not always unknown to the hearers. What I mean by that, is there will sometimes be someone present who understands the language being spoken when tongues are being spoken in a service, etc. Although I have never experienced this, I have spoken to several people over the years, some are very good friends of mine in the ministry, who have either been the ones speaking and another person present was the hearer, or, in one case, was the hearer of another person speaking! Glory to God! I have spoken with some friends that were ministering in remote villages of some foreign land. One in particular I'm thinking of, there was a team of about 10 with an interpreter. The interpreter would interpret the meetings as the team would teach, etc. One day, they decided to split up and cover both ends of this village then meet back in the middle. Since there was only one interpreter, obviously, he could only go with one group. There was another person who understood some words, so she went with the second group. The second group was going to mainly hand out tracks, since they could not readily speak the language. At some point, the second group was passing out tracks and the interpreter has to use the rest room and left the group for a few minutes. As they were passing out tracks, a person indicated they wanted prayer. This female friend of mine, looked around and could not find the interpreter, but now there were three or four friends of this person indicating they wanted prayer for their friend. So, she started to pray in tongues… Within a couple of minutes, the person being prayed for was crying…the others were crying…they dropped to their knees and began crying out to God… At that point, the first group arrived. The interpreter started talking to the group and discovered they all had received Jesus as their Savior because this American girl had shared the Gospel of Salvation in a way they finally understood, in their own language and, even more miraculously, in their own regional dialect that was unique only to their village area! About this time, the other girl that could speak a few words of the language returned. She had missed out on the entire thing! But there was no doubt the Holy Spirit had taken over and, through the speaking of tongues, a group of people, who only wanted these missionaries to pray for their friend, all were born again. Well, word spread quickly! They asked the missionary group to stay that night and they held an outdoor service where just about every member of that village was in attendance and received Jesus as their Savior! Only because one American girl, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, spoke with a language she did not understand, but those who needed to hear it the most DID! I hope that gave you a little clearer understanding of what “speaking in divers tongues” is all about. I want to pray with you now, that the Holy Spirit would help you to obtain a greater, deeper understanding of how speaking in tongues can not only bless you on a deeper level, but bless those around you whom may not even understand your primary language. Amen! Let's pray! Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com/ (https://podcastersforchrist.com). And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and...
Part 2: How Good is “Good Enough”? Is a self-professed goodness score of 75% “good enough” to earn eternal life with God? At what point does our bad behavior cause us to cross the line from being a good person to a bad person? In this gentle and respectful evangelistic exchange, God brings together two sinners to talk truth on how good is truly good enough for the young and old alike. Series Synopsis + Trailer
Introduction to Daniel THE HISTORICAL SETTING OF DANIEL The book of Daniel is set in the context of the Babylonian and Persian Empires where Daniel lived as an exile from the nation of Judah. He had been taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar II in 605 BC and resided there until at least 537 BC, after the Persian Empire of Cyrus the Great overtook the Babylonians. THE HISTORICAL SITUATION OF THE READERS OF DANIEL While the setting described in Daniel is quite clear, the date of the composition of this book is hotly debated. There are two main perspectives concerning when Daniel was written. The first and traditional perspective understands the book to have been written in the 6th century BC by Daniel himself while he was living in exile. The second and more recent perspective understands the book to have been written (or at least finished) sometime around 164 BC while the people of Judea were living under the tyrannical rule of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This debate is complex and considers all sorts of factors like language, vocabulary, literary style, and history. A good study Bible or commentary is a useful resource for those who want to learn more on how to navigate the contours of the arguments (see Selected Resources at the end of this introduction or the bibliography at the end of the book). What all sides agree on is that Daniel’s original readers were people who suffered under oppressive regimes, whether it was 6th century BC captives in Babylon or 2nd century BC Judeans who were persecuted by a foreign king. Appreciating this context of suffering is critical for recovering the relevance of Daniel today. MODERN RELEVANCE OF DANIEL It can be easy for us as Christians living in 21st century America to identify with Daniel. There are many ways in which we should aim to be like this inspiring person. His loyalty to God in all circumstances, his persistence in prayer, his integrity, and his wisdom are all virtues we would do well to emulate. But we must not fail to see that the socio-political situation many of us are in more closely parallels that of Nebuchadnezzar than that of Daniel and his friends. With all of our power, privileges, security, and abundance, we can easily misappropriate the message of Daniel and make it into a promise for us, when it may in fact contain a prophetic critique. The message of Daniel is a promise of hope for those who are hurting at the hands of leaders who misuse their power; God sees their pain and will vindicate them in the end. But it’s also a challenge for those with influence over others – a challenge to look at the world through God’s eyes so that they can truly discern if they are leading like image-bearers or behaving like beasts. GENRES The book of Daniel contains two primary genres. The first six chapters of the book are written in the familiar narrative style. Chapters 1, 2, 4, and 5 are narratives of court contest. In these stories, Daniel and his friends find themselves competing with Babylonian scholars for positions of authority in the empire. The success of the Judahites through God’s favor demonstrates the supremacy of God over the deities of Babylon. Chapters 3 and 6, each following a pair of stories where Judahites have been promoted, contain what are called narratives of court conflict. In these stories, Daniel and his friends find themselves accused by their jealous Babylonian and Persian contemporaries. These stories also magnify God’s power through miraculous acts of rescue. The final six chapters of the book are written in a more esoteric and cryptic genre called apocalypse. This type of literature can be very confusing, even for the most trained readers of Scripture. Many would prefer to skip this part of the book, but to ignore these chapters would be to ignore some of the most important passages in all of Scripture for understanding who Jesus is and what He did. There’s so much to be gained by entering into the apocalyptic world, and with an understanding of a few key ways of approaching these texts, they can become even more accessible. First, the word “apocalypse” does not mean “the end of the world” despite what English dictionaries or Hollywood directors lead you to believe. It’s all too common for people to read this part of Daniel and assume that it contains predictions about what is unfolding in the geo-political world today. We should not make this assumption per se. It certainly challenges our geo-political world to get in line with the ways of God’s kingdom. But the word “apocalypse” simply means “to unveil.” An apocalypse is essentially an unveiling of an alternative perspective of reality so that we might come to see the world the way God sees it. Second, apocalyptic literature uses a lot of images. We should not interpret these images too literalistically. We should think of them as symbols that conveyed something significant to the original readers of Daniel in the same way that a flag or mascot might convey something significant to us today. Again, this is why it’s important to enter into the world of the Bible and understand the Bible the way it was meant to be understood. Finally, apocalyptic literature may seem especially violent and destructive to us, but we have to remember that apocalypses like what we read in Daniel were generally written for people experiencing oppression in the midst of militaristic empires. When there seems to be no end in sight to the pain that oppressive structures bring upon innocent people, visions about empires crashing give reason for hope. They are a reminder that God is in control, that He sees the pain of His people, and that justice will prevail in the end. STRUCTURE The book of Daniel has been organized through an interesting matrix of genres and languages and can be divided into two halves according to genre. Chapters 1-6 are written in narrative, and chapters 7-12 are written in apocalyptic. However, the book of Daniel can also be divided according to the language in which it was written. Chapters 1 and 8-12 are written in Hebrew, and chapters 2-7 are written in Aramaic. Curiously, these genre and language divisions do not match as one might expect. Additionally, the Aramaic section of Daniel has its own special structure. It’s been written as a chiasm, where stories in the first half of the section mirror stories in the second half of the section as follows: Daniel 2 – A dream about four kingdoms and the kingdom of God Daniel 3 – A story about faithfulness in the face of a fiery furnace Daniel 4 – A story about the humbling of a proud Babylonian king Daniel 5 – A story about the humbling of a proud Babylonian king Daniel 6 – A story about faithfulness in the face of a lion’s den Daniel 7 – A vision about four kingdoms and the kingdom of God This chiastic structure shows that the Aramaic section of the book is a well-contained unit and that the apocalyptic vision in chapter 7 cannot be easily separated from the mix. Chapter 7 may be related by genre to what follows it, but it is related by language and chiasm to what precedes it. The effect of this matrix structure then is to highlight the central significance of chapter 7 for the book and to bind the various parts of the book together. That is to say the book of Daniel is incomplete if any section, especially chapter 7, is ignored. THEMES IN DANIEL Power of God From beginning to end, the book of Daniel emphasizes that when circumstances seem otherwise terrible – when emperors capture people, when conspirators scheme against people, when tyrants persecute people – even then, power belongs to God. He may share His power with others, but if they abuse it, He can also take it away. Allegiance to God Empires and emperors may test their subjects to see where their people’s allegiance lies. And when they do, how will God’s people live? Will they remain loyal to God even if it means losing their lives? The stories, visions, and dreams of Daniel emphasize that God deserves our allegiance no matter the cost. After all, the kingdoms of this world are fragile and fleeting, but the kingdom of God remains forever. Perspective from God Reality is multifaceted and prone to subjective interpretation, especially for those with calloused hearts. It’s clear that wisdom is needed to navigate the complexities of life, but the wisdom of man is not enough. The apocalyptic dreams and visions in Daniel reveal an alternative, God-inspired perspective on reality. God wants people to see that the empires we live in and work for may not be as just or indestructible as we think they are. Hope because of God At its core, the book of Daniel is a message of hope. It’s a message of hope for change, hope for justice, and hope that the oppressive structures of man won’t always hold down those who are hurting. But this hope isn’t a vain wish or prayer. It’s a promise that is secured by the power of God. Because God is just and in control, we can have confidence that He will vindicate His suffering people in the end. SELECTED RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY The Willow Journey Podcast – search for Willow Journey anywhere you get podcasts Daniel and the Twelve Prophets for Everyone by John Goldingay Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today’s World by Christopher J. H. Wright How to Read Daniel by Tremper Longman III The Story of God Bible Commentary: Daniel by Wendy L. Widder Volume 4 of the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, edited by John H. Walton
Here is David at his worst (2 Sam. 11). In the flow of the narrative through 1 and 2 Samuel, it is almost as if adversity brought out the best in David, while his chain of recent unbroken military and political successes finds him restless, foolish, and not careful.The sins are multiple. Besides the obvious transgressions of lust, adultery, and murder, there are deep sins scarcely less grievous. His attempt to cover his guilt by bringing Uriah home fails because Uriah proves to be that most exceptional of men: an idealist—an idealist who sees even his military responsibilities in terms of his covenantal faith (2 Sam. 11:11). And all this from a converted Hittite! Worse, David’s extraordinary manipulation of the military and political levers of power shows that this king has become intoxicated by power. He thinks he can arrange anything; he thinks he has the right to use the state to advance and then cover up his own sin. The name of that game is corruption.There are other remarkable elements in the narrative.First, almost nothing is said of Bathsheba, except that she was beautiful, was seduced, and eventually married David. Of course, at one level she was no less guilty than he. But of this the text does not say a word. Elsewhere the Bible can record the exploits of good women (Ruth) and evil women (Jezebel); indeed, toward the end of David’s life Bathsheba herself plays a significant role. Perhaps in part the text does not cast blame on her here because she has been manipulated by a figure far more powerful. More likely the silence signals not relative degrees of blame but primary focus: the account is of David, and ultimately of David’s line.Second, it is astonishing that David thought he could get away with this. Even politically, too many people had to know what he had done; the story could not be kept quiet. And how could David imagine, even for a moment, that God himself would not know? Was he at this point badly alienated from God? At the very least, this chapter provides a dramatic witness to the blinding effects of sin.Third, the chapter ends—somberly and powerfully—with the simple sentence, “But the thing David had done displeased the LORD” (2 Sam. 11:27). Doubtless David was quietly congratulating himself for his clever cover-up. He had sinned and gotten away with it. Some of his more servile lackeys may even have congratulated their master. But God knew, and was not pleased. Believers who are walking with their Creator and Redeemer never forget that God sees and knows, and that what pleases him is the only thing that really matters; what displeases him will sooner or later catch up with us. This podcast is designed to be used alongside TGC's Read The Bible initiative (TGC.org/readthebible). The podcast features devotional commentaries from D.A. Carson’s book For the Love of God (vol. 1) that follow the M’Cheyne Bible reading plan.
## IntroductionI love survival stories. One of my absolute favorites is entitled “The Endurance,” and is about Earnest Shackleton’s attempt to cross the Antarctic Continent from 1914-1917. And what makes it so gripping is the cycles of hope and despair. You’re reading along and they are enduring unbelievable catastrophes. They are getting stuck in ice, their ship sinks, they are in open seas on an iceberg. They run out of key supplies. And you think to yourself, “Wow, I can’t imagine this getting any worse.” And then you look at your book and your only a quarter of the way through. And sure enough, it gets way worse. But then they get this incredible stroke of luck and you think, “Oh, man they are going to make it!” And you’re on this adrenaline high of hope. And you think, “This has got to almost be over.” And you look at your book and you haven’t even reached the halfway marker. And then you find out why. Tragedy strikes. And then you are just crying in sympathy for these guys. It can’t get worse. And it gets way worse. It just keeps cycling through these incredible highs where they celebrate a stroke of fortune only to be rewarded with an unforeseen tragedy of monstrous proportions.And this is kind of the way the Joseph narrative reads. He goes from mountain to valley to mountain to valley. You could illustrate it like this.Joseph starts out on this mountain top, this incredible position of privilege of an especially gifted, favorite, handsome son. But tragedy strikes! His brothers act on their raging jealousy and strip his identity from him like skin from an animal. His family, privilege, language, culture, values, and even his name are stripped away. His naked body and soul is sold into slavery.It’s a tragic valley low. But then with the Lord’s help, he rises to a position of incredible influence and privilege in Potiphar’s house. And now we are standing on a mountain high. Who wouldn’t love the view from where he stands? That is, until strategy strikes in the form of a seductress.Today we watch Joseph go from being in charge to being charged with rape. We watch him descend back into the valley and reach a low watermark, beneath his previous bottom. So let’s watch how this happens in the text. You will remember that this woman is bad news. On the outside, she looks extremely attractive and is always put together. Her hair is always so effortlessly perfect, the clothes are tailored to the perfect length, very physically gifted, very beautiful to behold.But she’s bad news. Why is she such bad news? From the text alone we can tell she has an adulterous heart, she’s a skilled liar, and she is very manipulative. Let’s re-read part of the text from last week and see the seductress work her angle.He’s getting slaughtered by temptation. But he’s trusting God. If you were to summarize from Joseph’s response his chief reason for resisting this woman, what would it be? “How could I do this great evil and sin against God.” That’s his core reason. That reason has both a positive and a negative built into it. There is a consequence of sexual sin and there is a reward for righteousness. And both are intended to keep us in the place of blessing. But I want to illustrate how important it is to correctly identify the consequence and the reward. Because the incorrect identification of reward and consequence might psychologically destroy you.ConsequenceLast week, we mostly talked about consequences. Sexual sin has consequences that we need to take really seriously. We used the analogy of temptation as bait. Every temptation hides a sharp hook that leads to death. And the reason temptation works is because it deceives. Satan is a deceiver. He’s always making bad things look good and good things look bad.Joseph was able to resist temptation because he was able to uncover the deception. This was not life. This was death. It may be pleasurable now but it will be miserable later. The Bible always tries to help us see the deceptions woven into sexual experience. There are always consequences.This woman was hunting down Joseph. Here was a married woman trying to hunt down a precious life. There are always consequences of sexual sin. Yes. We’ve identified those. But God gives us more than just deterrents. There is also a reward for righteousness.Reward.I’ll say it one more time. It is so important to identify the correct consequences and the correct reward. Because the incorrect identification of reward might psychologically destroy you. So what is the reward of righteousness? Let’s begin with what it is not.Let me illustrate it this way. If you were to listen in on Joseph’s prayer life in the heat of his temptation, what do you think he would be praying? “God help me live a life of complete integrity. Everyone knows I’m a follower of YHWH. God, reward me for my righteousness. I want to live completely above reproach. I want to be like a sheet of Teflon so that no accusation has even the slightest chance of sticking. Reward my integrity!”If you overheard that prayer, what’s reward do you think he’d be referring to? Here’s the mistake most of us make. Most of us assume that with enough diligence, obedience, and righteousness, our life will turn out pain-free, struggle-free, and we will have relational harmony throughout. We think God ought to reward our righteousness with wonderful circumstances.Let me show you how dangerous this can be. Let’s imagine for a moment that Joseph incorrectly believes that the reward for righteousness is favorable circumstances.Motives for ObedienceLet’s keep reading the narrative through the lens of this incorrect expectation:Now, this has got to have a wearing effect on a guy. Let’s suppose for a moment that in the heat of these temptations, what was motivating Joseph was the belief that his righteousness was going to be rewarded. And he had a very specific understanding of what that reward was. Let’s imagine Joseph with the yet-to-be-written book of Proverbs in his hands. He reads chapter 1:And he’s thinking, “Okay God, I’m counting on you take out this adulterous woman. I’m going to obey you. This is tough but I trust this is going to get better. After all, you told me:”“So God, I’m praying that you would fix this situation. That’s what I really want.”And we could imagine a Joseph whose motive for obedience was the reward for his righteousness in the form of vindication, justice, relational harmony, and comfortable situation. Well, look at what happens next.Now Joseph is freaking out at this moment. But he’s got his book of Proverbs and it just so happened that it was September 11 so he had just read Proverbs 11 that morning.“Okay, God, you’ve said that my reward for righteousness is deliverance. Time for you to do that, right now.”And he was so consumed with chapter 11, he read clean through to chapter 12:“Cause my house to stand! The reason I obeyed you, Lord, was that you promised to reward my righteousness. Time for some help here.”Now if Joseph thought in his mind that the reason he is obeying the Lord is that he will be rewarded for his righteousness in the form of comfortable circumstances, he would be very, very, very disappointed. He would feel very betrayed and very confused at this point.Think about Joseph in heavy chains around his neck and manacles around his wrists and ankles. And he would have said something like this, “The whole reason I obeyed you, Lord, is that you promised to reward my righteousness and now I’m in prison. What kind of reward is that?”Many people turn from God for exactly this reason. They are confused by suffering and ask, “God, why did you take my son or daughter? Why did you let that terrible accident happen? God, why did that financial tragedy destroy us? Why are we suffering from this physical illness?” And they walk away from God.Prosperity Preaching in Conservative ChurchesNow most of us realize that suffering plays a role in the Christian life. Now not one of us in the room buys into prosperity theology which basically says, “God wants you to be materially, circumstantially prosperous and so if you are not materially prosperous you are out of step with God’s will. You either don’t have enough faith, you haven’t prayed, you have some sin in your life, or some combination of these factors.” We ought to know, just from a cursory reading of the Bible that this is bogus theology. There are dozens of heroes of the faith that honored God and were rewarded with suffering - including Joseph and even Jesus himself. That can’t be right and it isn’t. We realize that suffering is part of the Christian life.But what I want you to understand is that prosperity theology did not originate with greedy preachers. It originates in your own greedy heart. At a very subconscious level, we believe that we deserve ease. We expect comfort. We expect a physical reward for righteousness. We expect comfort and relational harmony ought to be our reward for righteousness. And here’s how I can prove it. I’m going to trick you so watch for it. See if you can relate to this train of thought: “Man, I have really got myself into a mess. I’ve totally been a terrible parent and now my kids are acting up in this way. I’ve been neglectful. I feel guilty about that. I’ve been totally mean to my spouse and now they are all mad at me and I deserve it. I’ve been really lazy and procrastinated. So now I’m reaping the rewards for that. I didn’t save for retirement and now I’m paying the price. What was I to expect? I made this bed and now God is making me lay in it.”There it is. That is conservative evangelical prosperity theology at it’s finest. Yet if our righteousness does not merit prosperity and good circumstances, then our unrighteousness does not merit poverty and bad circumstances. Why? Because God does not reward or punish primarily through circumstances. If the gospel of Jesus Christ means anything, then it means you are already righteous. You have been merited the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It means the verdict has already been delivered. And there is no judging of your works as if they are the basis upon which you receive pleasant or unpleasant circumstances. The basis of our circumstances is God’s sovereign, providential plan for our good and for his glory. There is no ying-yang. There is not karma upon which the world operates that says because you did this bad thing over here, the cosmic powers that be will ensure this bad thing will happen to you and because you did this good thing over here, the divine forces of the universe will ensure that this good thing happens to you.If you think that your circumstances are somehow divinely linked to your righteousness or unrighteousness, how would you explain what you witness in the world? Is it not the case that sometimes the unrighteous prosper and the righteous suffer? And is not the inverse true? And if you concede that this exists, how would you ever know when your good circumstances are a result of your good behavior or when your good circumstances are a result of God circumventing your bad behavior?God does not reward our righteousness with material prosperity, physical prosperity, or relational prosperity. There is a reward but that’s not it. On the other hand, God also does not punish our unrighteousness with material poverty, physical poverty, or relational poverty. There are consequences to unrighteousness but that’s not it.You want to argue with me, I know. Isn’t there cause an effect? For sure. That’s not what we are talking about. Yes, if you punch people, they are going to punch you back. Yes, if you are kind you will generally receive kind treatment. Is there a connection? Of course. Here’s the distinction I’m making. I’m trying to disconnect the reward of righteousness with circumstances. Yes, certain causes will generally have certain effects. But that effect is not a reward. The reward of righteousness is something else. What is the reward?One of the most remarkable things about Joseph is that he understood reward. The reward for righteousness is simply this: closeness with God. How could I do this great evil and sin against God?Joseph wasn’t looking to get a position of influence from God, nor riches, fame, glory, or blessings from God. He was looking for God! God was the desire of his heart. Joseph appears to have the heart described by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.It is so easy to confuse the reward, isn’t it? The gift is God. The gift is being with God, closeness, the feeling of satisfaction knowing you didn’t betray him, freedom from guilt, the satisfaction of his smile. This is the reward. This is what Joseph was after.Many are after a different reward. They mistakenly believe that the reward for righteousness is the gifts of God rather than God himself. In fact, if you remember, this is the problem with the Psalmist in Psalm 73. You may recall, the Psalm begins:The Psalm begins by affirming that God rewards the righteous. Great! But what’s the reward? That’s the all-important question we have been asking. It’s easy to get it wrong. And at first, Asaph did get it wrong. Asaph, the writer of this Psalm, says, “My foot almost slipped when I looked around and I saw the wicked prospering.” Everywhere he looked he saw reversals of how things ought to be. He saw the wicked being rewarded. They were the ones who were well-fed, had luxury cars, got anything they wanted, and got away with such evil.If the righteous are rewarded, then how do you explain this? God doesn’t reward the righteous. He’s rewarding the wicked! And what’s God’s answer? You’re totally misunderstanding the reward. The reward of the righteous is nearness to God. Closeness to God is the reward and separation from God is the consequence of unrighteousness. And when the Psalmist enters the house of God, it’s all made clear to him.This was Joseph! “How could I do this great evil and lose the relational intimacy I have with God?”Do you feel distant from God? Perhaps it is because of sin. If I ever feel distant from God, this is always the first question I ask myself. Am I aware of any sin that might be distancing me from God? I might be getting away with it like the man of Psalm 73, but I have no closeness with God. Repent!The godly prize this closeness with God more than anything in the world. How could I do this great evil and sin against God!For Joseph, the reward and the consequences are one and the same. The consequence of sexual sin is that God becomes very distant. The reward of righteousness is that God becomes very near.Now here’s where you can actually see the reward given to Joseph in the text itself. Even though Joseph was unjustly thrown into prison, accused of attempted rape, and had his character drug through the mud, they could not take from him the thing he prized most. Now, look at how it is stated in the text. It’s so beautiful!Now there, my friends, is your reward for righteousness. The reward of the righteous is the awareness of the steadfast love of God, the presence of God, and communion with God. Joseph was rewarded with the awareness of the steadfast love of the Lord. What a beautiful picture. Locked in prison walls, stripped of everything, all men’s power used against you to destroy you, but you have the steadfast love of God! Joseph was richly, richly rewarded!Now, this might seem a little too neat and too tidy. Those who are currently in a difficult situation might say to me at this moment, “You sure look comfortable up there. Have you ever suffered a day in your life? I mean, in the midst of suffering it sure doesn’t feel like I’m being rewarded with intimacy with God. It actually feels more like God is about 10 billion miles away as I scream out my prayer into the night and he doesn’t answer.”You won’t always feel the reward in the midst of difficult circumstances. In fact, do you remember Job? The Bible says Job was a righteous man, blameless and upright and God allowed him to go through a period of intense suffering. Job has lost his house in a hurricane, all his family, his entire 401k has been wiped out, and he’s got some nasty sickness replete with body boils, a sickness that would make COVID-19 look like a dreamy relief. Not only that, but his friends are heckling him that he must have sinned in some horrific way.He’s suffering as a righteous man. What is our reward supposed to be for the righteous? The reward is supposed to be a relational closeness with God. We are supposed to feel close to God. Is that how Job feels?How do we square this? It sounds nice to say that God is our reward for righteous living, but is it true to our experience? As Joseph stood staring at his prison wall, how do you suppose he felt? Elation? I doubt it. How is the reward of righteousness experienced?Let me give you an example. Running is terrible. Those of you who actually enjoy running are freaks of nature. For most of us, we just hate it. You don’t feel like anything good is happening. I generally feel like throwing up, like my legs are rubber mallets, and my lungs are tiny plastic sandwich baggies flapping in a hurricane. It’s truly just torture. But then when I finish, suddenly, the magic kicks in. My body is flushed with energy, I feel loose, my muscles thank me for actually being used. After the suffering is over, I stand back and I realize that the suffering eclipsed the really wonderful things going on at a much more nuanced level.The reward was there all along, it was just being drowned out by the noise of suffering. This is much how the reward of righteousness works in the midst of suffering. James Fixx wrote a book entitled, The Complete Book of Running which sounds pretty definitive, doesn’t it. I’m guessing he’s one of these freaks. And there’s a section in the book where he addresses the psychology of running. He says the hardest thing about running a marathon is winning the mental battle. When you suffer, weird stuff happens to your mind. He says, “I would be in the middle of a marathon and the pain would wear on me to the point where I would ask myself the question, ‘Why am I doing this again?’ But the pain makes you forget.” And he would start to wrack his brain for a reason why he was punishing himself so severely and he would find he had no answer.Isn’t that sometimes how you feel in suffering? I’m sure Joseph felt this way. “God, why did I choose to obey you again? Why didn’t I just give in? God if I had slept with that woman, I would have had a really great night, and probably would have even been rewarded in some way but now I’m cursed. What’s the reward for righteousness again?” And he has no answer.Maybe you are suffering for righteousness’ sake and you find you have no answer. You thought there was an answer but you can’t remember it. So you know what James Fixx recommended? Memorize the reasons. Before every race, he would memorize the reasons he loved running. And when he was super tired, he would recite those reasons back to his own brain. That’s good advice for the Christian. If Joseph had the New Testament, for sure he would have memorized:You could imagine this being very helpful. Because prisons are not fun. Imagine being in prison and what your body would be screaming at you. How would you feel being hungry, hot, the smell of urine and human waste, dirty, sick, and coughing. What’s my reward for righteousness again? Nothing comes to mind.I’m sure in this moment, all Joseph’s dreams about sheaves of wheat bowing down and stars bowing down seemed like pipe dreams. All he can see and smell and taste is the dungeon. But there’s this verse I memorized. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.Now James Fixx had one final trick. “If things really get bad and you can’t remember what you memorized, the final trick I used to play on my brain is I used to say, ‘Well I know when I get there, I’ll remember it. I know I had a good reason to start. When I get there, I’ll remember it.’”Now there’s a lot of wisdom in this, and this is what Joseph does. Joseph says, “How can I then do this wicked thing and sin against God?” At that moment it’s all clear. But then he gets tossed into prison, and perhaps God feels a million miles away. But he can say, “I have no idea why this happening and I can’t even remember the reason I decided righteousness was worth it. But I know there was a reason and when all this is over, I’ll remember.”Imagine a marathon runner who forgets the reason he runs and just decides to quit. The reward was all around him, it was in him, it was just ahead of him in spades, but he couldn’t remember and so he just stopped. How tragic to lose a race because you forgot!Do you know the Christian’s version of this? It’s Romans 8:28, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to his purpose.” I don’t know what that good purpose is, but when I get there, I’ll remember. When I get there, I’ll know it. You see Romans 8:28 is a verse for the dungeon. It’s not what you quote when you get a stimulus check. It’s what you quote when you find out you have cancer, or when your child walks away from the faith, or when your marriage is in shambles.Nobody Can Take The RewardYou see, for a Christian, one of the greatest comforts is that nobody can take that reward away from you. Nobody has the power to take away that assurance. In Joseph’s case, everyone tried. Everyone was trying to ensure that nothing worked together for Joseph’s good. There were all sorts of power exchanges going on trying to strip Joseph of his reward for righteousness. If you inspect the narrative closely you will see the story is a story of various powers trying to destroy Joseph and strip him of his reward, but he is indestructible because of God’s righteousness in him. No power can destroy the righteousness of God.And you can see this in the text by tracing the Hebrew word “hand.” In Hebrew, the word ‘hand’ is nearly synonymous with power. In an agrarian society, power is represented by plowing, tying a rope, harvesting, building, farming, weaving, raising children - all things we do with our hands. And there are all these expressions in the Bible that associate power with the hand: - God shuts his hand. - Open your hand to me or do not relax your hand. - A mighty hand and outstretched arm or the right hand. - Deliver my enemies into my hands.The hand is synonymous with power. You can trace the word ‘hand’ through the narrative. At first, Joseph is put into the hand of the Ishmaelites. He’s under their power, under their hand. But soon the power shifts. Everything in Potiphar’s house is given into Joseph’s hand. Everything that is, except Potiphar’s wife. But then the woman uses her imperial hand, her power, to try and grab Joseph. But that grasping hand does not reach Joseph. Only his clothes are left in her hand. She is ultimately empty-handed. And all through the narrative the power shifts, from Joseph’s brothers to the Ishmaelites to Potiphar to Pharaoah to the seductress. Who has the power? Whose hand is controlling these events?As we back away, we are shocked to see, none of these hands are actually doing anything. It’s the sovereign hand of God, orchestrating, keeping, preserving, redeeming, strengthening those he wills to strengthen, and destroying those he wills to destroy. Ultimately Joseph entrusted himself to that gracious hand and when he is safe in God’s hand nothing can touch him. Nothing can hurt him. The hand of the woman could not reach him. The hand of others could not separate him from the hand of God.And this should be a lesson for us in suffering. It’s the thing we memorize. It’s the thing we recall to mind. The hands of men can never ultimately assail me. They don’t have the power to take away my reward. Their hands can’t reach that far.Even though the suffering is so terrible, know that when the suffering lets up the reward will be obvious. For Joseph that suffering lets up. And even though it’s not perfectly clear at this moment in prison, he begins to see glimpses of God’s hand working, saving, redeeming, preserving, and keeping. Listen to it.The story of Joseph is the ultimate example of Romans 8:28. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and who are called according to his purpose. What if you were Joseph with one key difference? What if you knew that the answer to your suffering is that your suffering would be written into the pages of the Bible to encourage other Christians? Wouldn’t it be easy to suffer through prison for two years if you knew that you would be made ruler of the entire land?Wouldn’t that change things? Of course it would! Can you trust God if you don’t know the reason? God’s hands are large enough for that. Can you accept the fact that your reward for righteousness will not necessarily be pleasant circumstances, but in that dungeon of darkness, God will show you his steadfast love?Ultimately, this has incredible sustaining ethical power because circumstances don’t factor into the reason why you obey. It’s why Joseph was able to resist. Why are you righteous? Why do you keep God’s sexual ethic, Joseph? What is Joseph’s answer? Because the nearness of God is my good. How could I do this great evil and lose closeness with God? If the only reason you obey God is that you don’t like consequences, you will fail. It’s easy to think, “I’m righteous because it’s beneficial to my business. If I get caught it would be horrific. If I get caught, my reputation would be destroyed. Can’t have that. If I got involved in this sexual stuff, well, I can’t imagine breaking apart my family. That would be more than I could bear.”That’s all fine. What if you were totally righteous but you were falsely judged, condemned, and then destroyed as if you committed all those sins? If the only reason you obey God is for the good circumstances he brings you, then you are preaching to yourself a prosperity gospel. Could you choose righteousness if the reward was nothing else except the nearness of God?ApplicationYou see, the man or woman God uses is not necessarily a missionary or a pastor or ministry professional. Joseph wasn’t any of these. He wasn’t in ministry. The person God uses is the one who resists temptation when nobody can see. One who, in the secret watches of the night, is righteous because he loves the smile of God. A man or woman who does the right thing when nobody is watching. That’s who God uses.
May 24 (Seventh Sunday of Easter) Text: Matthew 22:15-21 Title: “Give Unto Caesar” Theme: In this text, This sermon will celebrate Memorial Day, at the same time it will ask the question, “What belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God”? At what point does patriotism become idolatry? Separation of Church is State is about the freedom to worship God freely, but then again, Freedom of Religion does not come from a nation, but it is a gift from God.
How can we develop a fearless faithful heart of trust in God- At a time of global challenge and great trials for so many we can learn from the fearless example of King David. He faced numerous enemies, an army encamped around him, slanderers and the loss of his parent's love. But in the midst of these many trials he turns to the Lord for light, salvation and strength. His confidence is in God, so he desires communion with God and he cries out to God.
Martinian, monk, of Caesarea in Palestine (422) "The life of this saint is wonderful beyond measure and is worth reading in full. What did he not endure to fulfil the Law of God? At the age of eighteen, he went off into a mountain in Cappadocia called the Ark and spent 25 years in fasting, vigils and prayer, and struggling with manifold temptations. When a woman came to tempt him and he saw that he would fall into sin with her, he leapt barefoot into the fire and stood in it until the pain brought forth tears from his eyes and he had killed all lust within himself. When other temptations arose, he fled to a lonely rock in the sea and lived there. When, though, in a shipwreck, a woman swam to the rock, he leapt into the sea intending to drown himself. But a dolphin took him upon its back and brought him, by God'd providence, to the shore. He then decided to make nowhere his permanent home but to travel incessantly. Thus he passed through 164 towns in two years, exhorting and advising the people. He finally arrived in Athens, where he died in 422." (Prologue)
In this series we are immersing ourselves in the beatitudes - Matthew 5:3-12. We're trying to figure out what each beatitude means for us practically and how that affects our relationship with God, and in particular, our times of quiet with God. The reason this is on my mind is because I am preparing a teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley churches of Christ (http://www.tvcoc.org/) , and a teaching day for the Watford Church of Christ (http://www.watfordchurchofchrist.org/) based on the sermon on the mount. Join me today as we conclude the Beatitudes series by looking back over the first twelve verses of Matthew chapter 5. The first four beatitudes see the godly person on their knees in humility before God. As a result they are close to the heart of God. This being the case they are changed in their dealing with others. ““Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” The second four see the godly person as a citizen of the kingdom transformed in relations with the other members of the kingdom and those beyond its borders. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” What does this mean for our times of quiet with God? At least the following three things: Pray for strength. These qualities are seen as 'soft' by the sceptical and worldly-minded, but they are anything but. Their practice is the toughest thing to which a man or woman can commit him or herself. That’s why we need a robust devotional life. Without God’s strength, living the beatitudes would be intolerably burdensome. Pray for a new mind. The beatitudes are, amongst other things, a description of the attitudes necessary to inhabit the kingdom. This takes a heart and mind change (repentance). “As Thielicke puts it, 'Anybody who enters into fellowship with Jesus must undergo a transvaluation of values.’" Pray with gratitude. The awards outweigh the challenges. The promises outshine the costs. Where else, and from whom else could we ever begin to imagine receiving such marvellous gifts as those offered by God to those who live the beatitude-ship life? Question for today: “What stands out to you most about the beatitudes?” Retreat update There are still a few places left for the spiritual disciplines retreat, “Wait for the LORD”. You can find details on the dedicated page of my website (https://www.malcolmcox.org/wait-for-the-lord-retreat-march-2019/) . If you have any questions, please drop me a line: malcolm@malcolmcox.org (mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org) . I’m working on the booklet which I will send out in advance. This will contain information about the area, the details of the schedule, some tips on how to make the most of the retreat and an exposition of Psalm 130. Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org (mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org) . If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) . Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. God bless, Malcolm PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching, coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10–12 NIV11) What does it mean that persecuted people receive a reward? And how is this connected to the kingdom of heaven? In this series we are immersing ourselves in the beatitudes - Matthew 5:3-12. We're trying to figure out what each beatitude means for us practically and how that affects our relationship with God, and in particular, our times of quiet with God. The reason this is on my mind is because I am preparing a teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley churches of Christ (http://www.tvcoc.org/) , and a teaching day for the Watford Church of Christ (http://www.watfordchurchofchrist.org/) based on the sermon on the mount. Join me today as I examine why the persecuted receive a reward in heaven. Before wading in on the topic of persecution I should add that, although I have some first-hand experience of persecution, there are so many people in other parts of the world how have it tougher than me. I share what I share here today with due regard to my limited understanding of harsh persecution. First, it's interesting that this follows the beatitude about peacemaking. Perhaps this is to remind us that our efforts will often not be appreciated. This beatitude serves as a test for all the beatitudes - like the first one. The implication is that if there is no persecution, there is no righteousness. Persecuted This issue is so important that Jesus now expands on this issue when he did not do so for any of the other beatitudes. Persecution comes because those who follow Jesus are determined to live as he lived. Persecution because of righteousness & not obnoxiousness is in view here! “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:14–17 NIV11) “If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” (1 Peter 4:15–16 NIV11) The cause of persecution is righteousness. Persecution that's the result of folly, lack of wisdom, over-zealous behaviour, self-righteousness etc. should not be justified by use of this verse. This is not the same as being 'good' or 'noble'. The world does not persecute the good and noble because they feel that they would like to be like them and/or could be like them. The world persecutes the righteous person because they do not want to be like them and/or sense they cannot be like them. Jesus taught the same thing later: ““If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” (John 15:18–20 NIV11) As did Paul (he knew what he was talking about!) “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:12–13 NIV11) “In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.” (1 Thessalonians 3:4 NIV11) Jesus was persecuted and murdered for his message. We should expect nothing less. Reward in heaven Why rejoice? Because means we are counted worthy: “They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” (Acts 5:40–41 NIV11) Our faith is being purified: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6–7 NIV11) But mostly because our reward is in heaven: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18 NIV11) Our rejoicing is not because we are glad to be persecuted (that would lead to or signify self-righteousness), but because we know we have an identity connected with that of the prophets and Jesus himself. Persecution, in the right sense, is a badge of honour. It is our perspective on life, eternity and destiny that means we can rejoice, rather than a macabre delight in the experience of persecution. The reward, of course, is not earned by enduring the persecution. Our reward is by grace just as much as our initial salvation. This means that we rejoice all the more for we are looking forward to something that we do not deserve but that is promised. What does this mean for our times of quiet with God? At least the following two things: Pray to be strong when experiencing persecution. Pray for a spirit like that of Stephen: “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:59–60 NIV11) Rejoice in prayer when you are persecuted, even when in the midst of it, since you never know how God may use it: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.” (Acts 16:25–34 NIV11). What have I missed? What helps you to rejoice when suffering persecution? Retreat update There are still a few places left for the spiritual disciplines retreat, “Wait for the LORD”. You can find details on the dedicated page of my website (https://www.malcolmcox.org/wait-for-the-lord-retreat-march-2019/) . If you have any questions, please drop me a line: malcolm@malcolmcox.org (mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org) . I’m working on the booklet which I will send out in advance. This will contain information about the area, the details of the schedule, some tips on how to make the most of the retreat and an exposition of Psalm 130. Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org (mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org) . If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) . Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. God bless, Malcolm PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching, coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,
Willing to ObeyIn our ‘Risk Takers’ series, we have been looking at some of the risks taken by great heroes of faith in the Bible.In this talk, we look at Mary and Joseph’s story: What did obedience to God look like to them in practical terms?What were the risks involved? What can we learn from their trust and obedience in God? At the end of the talk, Rob mentions the Alpha course. If you’d like to learn more about the next Alpha course, please click HERE.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9 NIV11) What does it mean that peacemakers are children of God? And how is this connected to the kingdom of heaven? In this series we are immersing ourselves in the beatitudes - Matthew 5:3-12. We're trying to figure out what each beatitude means for us practically and how that affects our relationship with God, and in particular, our times of quiet with God. The reason this is on my mind is because I am preparing a teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley churches of Christ (http://www.tvcoc.org/) , and a teaching day for the Watford Church of Christ (http://www.watfordchurchofchrist.org/) based on the sermon on the mount. Join me today as I examine what it means to be a peacemaker. Before we look forward, let’s look backwards. The previous beatitude is about being pure in heart. Peacemaking can only be done by the pure in heart, for impartiality is necessary. So this beatitude follows on from the former. Peacemakers It is true that the message of the kingdom divides people (Matt 10:34-36), but this is due to the nature of the message and not the messenger. The message causes conflict, but the messenger does not seek conflict. In fact, the messenger should avoid causing conflict where possible, seeking to prevent it starting and helping to stop it where it has already started (1 Cor 7:15, 1 Pet 3:11, Heb 12:14, Rom 12:18). This might have been a shock to some of the Jews who were expecting and hoping for a militaristic Messiah. ‘Peace’ and ‘Appeasement’ do not mean the same thing. Peacemaking and peacekeeping are very different. True peace is costly – there is no such thing as ‘cheap peace’. The blood of Jesus was the price of peace between us and God, so we should not be surprised when peacemaking amongst people is difficult, painful and costly in time, energy, commitment and spiritual battle. We are commanded to love our enemy (Matt 5:43-48) and to feed our enemies (Romans 12:17-21). A peacemaker is active in doing whatever is possible to promote peace. They take the initiative. Greatest peacemaker is Jesus. Bringing peace between God & man as well as man to man (Eph 2.11-22, Col 1:20). He is our role model and our inspiration. Children of God The peacemakers are ‘children’ of God because they have taken on this characteristic of their Father. The emphasis is not so much that we belong to God, but that we are like God in character. Peacemakers are “called children of God”. The word ‘called’ can mean ‘owned’. We the peacemakers, are owned by God who is a God of peace (Heb 13:20, Rom 15:33, 16:20, Phil 4:9, 1 Thess 5:23). Peacemakers are children of God because “What they do is to repeat what God has done.” Jesus was prophesied to be the “Prince of Peace” (Is 9:6), Christ is our peace (Eph 2:14, Col 1:20). An interesting and challenging thought is that this is to be a characteristic of every disciple. Without doubt some of us are better at starting fires and others better at putting them out, but all should become good at being a peacemaker. What does this mean for our times of quiet with God? At least the following three things: Thank God that he sent Jesus to be the peacemaker that you needed. Pray to be a peacemaker. Ask God for the courage and patience you need as well as the strength to keep your mouth shut as you listen to understand. Pray for people to be at peace with one another. Specifically bring to God any situations of conflict in the world, and especially within the kingdom (1 Tim 2.8). What have I missed? What aspects of being a peacemaker are meaningful to you? Retreat update There are still a few places left for the spiritual disciplines retreat, “Wait for the LORD”. You can find details on the dedicated page of my website (https://www.malcolmcox.org/wait-for-the-lord-retreat-march-2019/) . If you have any questions, please drop me a line: malcolm@malcolmcox.org (mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org) . I’m working on the booklet which I will send out in advance. This will contain information about the area, the details of the schedule, some tips on how to make the most of the retreat and an exposition of Psalm 130. Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org (mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org) . If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) . Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. God bless, Malcolm PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching, coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,
Part 2: How Good is “Good Enough”? Is a self-professed goodness score of 75% “good enough” to earn eternal life with God? At what point does our bad behavior cause us to cross the line from being a good person to a bad person? In this gentle and respectful evangelistic exchange, God brings together two sinners to talk truth on how good is truly good enough for the young and old alike. Series Synopsis + Trailer
What is our life about? Is it about us or is it about the glory of God? The last words of a dying individual are often a window into that person’s heart and soul. David’s final charge to his son, Solomon, serves as a lesson for parents in raising their children. Are we looking for our own self-interest or are we looking out for the interests of our children and for the glory of God? At the end of this message, Zane answers the question, “How can we account for the fact that a great man like David could have had character failures like this?” Other passages mentioned include: 1 Kings 1; 2 Samuel 11-12; 2 Samuel 21:1-9; Deuteronomy 24:16; 2 Samuel 16:5-13; 2 Samuel 19:15-23; Ephesians 2:8-9.
Our look back over Exodus reminds of God's power, faithfulness, holiness, leadership, redemption and presence. The time covered by the book shows the rescue, unification and plan for the new nation of Israel -- God's people who have been promised an amazing future (if and when they take it). Answers to the "homework" (Thanks Bill!) are shown below: Why do you think Exodus starts off with a review of Jacob’s family? Jacob’s family (Israel) had been in Egypt over 400 years and the story of how they came to be in Egypt had most likely been lost through the years. In fact the promise of a gift of land forever that God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob most likely was also lost on the generation at was residing in Egypt at this time. The story of how God’s provision through Joseph was most likely forgotten as well. History, knowing what has happen in the past, it important for each of us. Why was Pharaoh such an affront to God? At this time in human history Egypt was the most powerfully nation on earth. Pharaoh thought he was the best or in his mind he was god. As we learned in Isaiah, God said through the prophet “I am God and there is no other”. Pharaoh was who he was because God allowed it and in the end, God showed His power to Pharaoh and the world. Why are the plagues such an effective condemnation of Pharaoh? Egypt had many gods and each of the plagues showed just how ineffective--false Pharaoh’s gods were. (1) The Nile turned to blood—Egypt had a god to the Nile-Hapi and Isis. (2)Frog’s—frogs were a fertility symbol. (3) Gnats Set-god of the desert (Bible Knowledge) (4) Flies were especially to the Egyptian god of Uatchit (Wiersbet). (5) Egyptian cattle die—some of the gods were farm animals-another attack on the Egyptian religion. The Israeli cattle was not harmed (6) Boils on everything living thing—Sekhmet the goodness with power over disease (Bible Knowledge) (7) Hail—Nut the sky goddess (8) Locusts—Osiris god of crops (9) Darkness—Re and Horus sun gods (Bible Knowledge) and (10) Death of the First Born—god’s of reproduction and childbirth. How is the parting of the Red Sea echoed elsewhere in Scripture? The Red Sea is mentioned two times in the new Testament Acts 7 in Stephen’s sermon and in Hebrews 11—the Faith chapter. In the Old Testament the crossing of the Red Sea is mentioned several times to remind Israel of God’s faithfulness—Moses in Deuteronomy, In Joshua, in Nehemiah, in Psalms (106 and 136) and in Jeremiah. All the reference was to remember history. What are the implications of God giving the Law to His people? In Exodus the Law was given to restore order after having been slaves for so many years and to teach them to love and obey Almighty God. Paul told us in Romans 7:7 “I would not have to know sin except through the Law” What are the implications of the presence of the Tabernacle? God has always wanted to have fellowship with the human race, His highest creation, and He chose Israel to be His own possession (Ex 19:5). In the process of bring order; the Tabernacle was a place of Worship and place of God’s presents. It was a shadow as Hebrews tells of things to come, that is a better Priest and sacrifice in the Lord Jesus. What Biblical Themes does Exodus Illustrate? Deliverance—Freedom—God’s Leading—God’s Provision—God’s Faithfulness—God’s Power
Life Together with God: At the Table
Passage: Psalm 73 Speaker: Steve Hands Series: Core Values - Prayer Seeking God's Face In Wisdom Should we trust God? At church, we say and sing all the time that God is a “good, good Father”, but how do we reconcile that claim with our daily experiences of pain, injustice, chaos, and trouble? Over a
Passage: Psalm 73 Speaker: Steve Hands Series: Core Values - Prayer Seeking God's Face In Wisdom Should we trust God? At church, we say and sing all the time that God is a “good, good Father”, but how do we reconcile that claim with our daily experiences of pain, injustice, chaos, and trouble? Over a
"The life of this saint is wonderful beyond measure and is worth reading in full. What did he not endure to fulfil the Law of God? At the age of eighteen, he went off into a mountain in Cappadocia called the Ark and spent 25 years in fasting, vigils and prayer, and struggling with manifold temptations. When a woman came to tempt him and he saw that he would fall into sin with her, he leapt barefoot into the fire and stood in it until the pain brought forth tears from his eyes and he had killed all lust within himself. When other temptations arose, he fled to a lonely rock in the sea and lived there. When, though, in a shipwreck, a woman swam to the rock, he leapt into the sea intending to drown himself. But a dolphin took him upon its back and brought him, by God'd providence, to the shore. He then decided to make nowhere his permanent home but to travel incessantly. Thus he pased through 164 towns in two years, exhorting and advising the people. He finally arrived in Athens, where he died in 422." (Prologue)
Part 2: How Good is “Good Enough”? Is a self-professed goodness score of 75% “good enough” to earn eternal life with God? At what point does our bad behavior cause us to cross the line from being a good person to a bad person? In this gentle and respectful evangelistic exchange, God brings together two sinners to talk truth on how good is truly good enough for the young and old alike. Series Synopsis + Trailer
Part 2: How Good is “Good Enough”? Is a self-professed goodness score of 75% “good enough” to earn eternal life with God? At what point does our bad behavior cause us to cross the line from being a good person to a bad person? In this gentle and respectful evangelistic exchange, God brings together two sinners to talk truth on how good is truly good enough for the young and old alike. Series Synopsis + Trailer
Hi everyone, Please join me, Jorianne The Coffee Psychic , with my guests Gail Volpe, a devote followers of "John of God" At www.BlogTalkRadio.com/JorianneTheCoffeePsychic live September 23rd 2015 Wednesday Night at 8:00 PM CST as we explore the unexplained mysteries of "John of God" and his healing ministry. John of God is an internationally known healer who possesses God given healing abilities as he channels numerous entities who do physical and psychic healing. Many times, called psychic surgery. Millions of people flock to "John of God" yearly. You can see him in Brazil, or any where in the world, as he travels to share his special gifts for those who cannot see him in Brazil. BUT...you can also get his healings by him and the other entities by experiencing his CRYSTAL BED! CALL TONIGHT TO SEE HOW! To schedule an amazing Healing treatment on a John of God healing bed, call Gail at 1-630-674-0759. Or call to set up a personal Psychic Reading or Psychic House Party with Jorianne the Coffee Psychic at 219-940-9292 or check me out at www.CoffeePsychic.com
Hi everyone, Please join me, Jorianne The Coffee Psychic , with my guests Gail Volpe and Frani Rubin, devote followers of "John of God" At www.BlogTalkRadio.com/JorianneTheCoffeePsychic live Wednesday Night at 8:00 PM CST as we explore the unexplained mysteries of "John of God" and his healing ministry. John of God is an internationally known healer who possesses God given healing abilities as he channels numerous entities who do physical and psychic healing. Many times, called psychic surgery. Millions of people flock to "John of God" yearly. You can see him in Brazil, or any where in the world, as he travels to share his special gifts for those who cannot see him in Brazil. BUT...you can also get his healings by him and the other entities by experiencing his CRYSTAL BED! CALL TONIGHT TO SEE HOW! 1347-644-9404 Or call to set up a personal Psychic Reading or Psychic House Party with Jorianne the Coffee Psychic at 219-940-9292 or check me out at www.CoffeePsychic.com
Hi everyone, Please join me, Jorianne The Coffee Psychic , with my guests Gail Volpe and Frani Rubin, devote followers of "John of God" At www.BlogTalkRadio.com/JorianneTheCoffeePsychic live Wednesday Night at 8:00 PM CST as we explore the unexplained mysteries of "John of God" and his healing ministry. John of God is an internationally known healer who possesses God given healing abilities as he channels numerous entities who do physical and psychic healing. Many times, called psychic surgery. Millions of people flock to "John of God" yearly. You can see him in Brazil, or any where in the world, as he travels to share his special gifts for those who cannot see him in Brazil. BUT...you can also get his healings by him and the other entities by experiencing his CRYSTAL BED! CALL TONIGHT TO SEE HOW! 1347-644-9404 Or call to set up a personal Psychic Reading or Psychic House Party with Jorianne the Coffee Psychic at 219-940-9292 or check me out at www.CoffeePsychic.com
Hi everyone, Please join me, Jorianne The Coffee Psychic , with my guests Gail Volpe and Frani Rubin, devote followers of "John of God" At www.BlogTalkRadio.com/JorianneTheCoffeePsychic live Wednesday Night at 8:00 PM CST as we explore the unexplained mysteries of "John of God" and his healing ministry. John of God is an internationally known healer who possesses God given healing abilities as he channels numerous entities who do physical and psychic healing. Many times, called psychic surgery. Millions of people flock to "John of God" yearly. You can see him in Brazil, or any where in the world, as he travels to share his special gifts for those who cannot see him in Brazil. BUT...you can also get his healings by him and the other entities by experiencing his CRYSTAL BED! CALL TONIGHT TO SEE HOW! 1347-644-9404 Or call to set up a personal Psychic Reading or Psychic House Party with Jorianne the Coffee Psychic at 219-940-9292 or check me out at www.CoffeePsychic.com
2012-04-22-1800 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this evening April 22nd 2012 in the 6:00 service.Scripture: Galatians 5:13-14; 6:1Topic: ServanthoodNotes:- Story: meeting couple... wife from Trinidad at dermatologist, husband at car dealer- People think that serving and pleasing God is always praying, reading, quoting scripture, etc. and that people interrupt- When people get between us and God, we’ve missed the whole point of serving God- At salvation you come out of the darkness and gain citizenship in the kingdom of light and freedom- The law of sin and death is irrelevant in your life as a believer- Stand in the liberty but not as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve- The law is fulfilled in this: love your neighbor as yourself- People are an opportunity for you to fulfill His law- If any man is caught (up) in trespass, restore him- You do not know where your children will end up or what they will do- He doesn’t just heal sick bodies, He heals broken lives- Never trust your flesh; temptation will return; you need to be in a flock with a shepherd
Today we are dealing with the vertical aspect of the fear of the man. What does this issue say about my view of God? At the heart of our question today is the issue of idolatry. What does the fear of man say about what I think about God? What is the...
2010-01-10-1800 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this evening January 10th, 2010 in the 6:00 PM service. Ref: Hebrews 13:15-16; Judges 20; Acts 10:1-48 Topic: Fasting Notes:- Men of tribe demanded Benjamin give up guests to them... Benjamin gave his concubine ... she was killed... he sent her over land of Israel- Israel went after Benjamin on their own strength- If your mind's made up, don't bother calling on God... expect defeat- Two times Israel fought Benjamin and were defeated- Third time Israel fasted and prayed... the Lord gave them victory- Fasting is not legalism- Cornelius: devout, feared God, gave, prayed but was not saved- Cornelius fasted and God sent Peter who then preached the gospel to the Gentiles and the Spirit fell- Tongues to magnify and praise God- At some point while fasting you will feel useless; a fast gets you beyond the feeling- Fasting is the front line of spiritual warfare- Distracted by thoughts of food... the flesh is fighting for its life- You begin seeing scripture like never before, develop clarity of mind, hunger in the spirit, time slows down- You’ll never do anything more dangerous towards the enemy...
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