Podcasts about god god

In this episode of God's Big Story, kids learn that God is in charge of everything through the incredible story of Jesus walking on water. As the disciples face a terrifying storm, Jesus shows His power over creation, reminding them—and us—that we never have to be afraid when God is in control.

TITLE: God: God the Father | Luke 15:11-32 | Jonathan Hunt DESCRIPTION: ABOUT THIS MESSAGE This week, Jonathan helps us discover a Father who isn't a distant authority, but a compassionate, merciful, and patient home for every lost, weary soul. ABOUT THE HEIGHTS CHURCH We are a church making disciples of Jesus for the renewal of Denver. Have a question or want more information about The Heights Church? Learn more by visiting: theheightsdenver.com FIND US ONLINE Website: theheightsdenver.com YouTube: @theheightschurchdenver Instagram: @theheightsden

Jesus can be present right in front of us—and still be missed. This Crosswalk Devotional reflects on John 1:11–13, inviting us to examine how easily familiarity, pain, or assumptions can blind us to the presence of Christ. When Jesus came to earth, many failed to recognize Him for who He truly was. Yet Scripture reminds us that those who did receive Him were given the right to become children of God. This Christian devotional challenges us to consider how we see Jesus today. Do we recognize Him as Lord, Savior, and faithful Friend in the middle of ordinary life, hardship, or disappointment? Or do distractions, expectations, and appearances cloud our spiritual vision? God is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent—and He is still at work, even when we struggle to perceive Him. Highlights Jesus was rejected because many did not recognize who He truly was God’s presence can be missed when we judge by appearances or expectations Pain, disappointment, and distraction can dull our spiritual awareness Christ is still present, powerful, and actively working in our lives Recognizing Jesus begins with faith, humility, and openness When we receive Christ, we are reborn as children of God God calls us to reflect Christ’s love in how we treat others Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Full Transcript Below: If We Only Knew By Alexis A. Goring Bible Reading:“He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” - John 1:11-13 NLT While scrolling on social media a few weeks ago, I saw several skits with similar themes: a hotel concierge or a fancy purse store employee who treated someone poorly based on their appearance and denied service to them. However, after finding out who they were (famous, prominent, important, and influential), these people apologized profusely, but it was too late to take back their bad behavior and negative comments toward that person. A real, modern-day example of how people may treat you when they don’t know you’re rich and famous or influential happened several years ago when a famous American broadcast journalist was traveling in Europe. She visited a local store to shop for a purse. When she saw a purse she liked, she asked the clerk to see it. But the clerk said no because it was too expensive. The clerk proceeded to try to show the journalist other purses that she assumed were in the customer’s budget. The journalist decided to leave the store. Later, when management received news of what had happened and realized who this famous person was, they apologized and said that they didn’t know it was her. They implied that if they only knew who this famous woman was, then they would have treated her better and let her see the purse she wanted because she could afford it. After all, this woman is a billionaire. Reflecting on this real-world situation caused me to think of the Bible stories about how most people didn’t recognize the Messiah. I realized how often we can be just as shortsighted as the Pharisees and other Bible characters who didn’t recognize our Savior (Jesus Christ) when He was there with them. When Jesus was living on Earth, His own people rejected him and treated him poorly because they didn’t know who He was. It wasn’t until Christ’s death on the cross that a Roman soldier nearby said in Mark 15:39 (NIV), “Surely this man was the Son of God!” This made me think: If Jesus Christ were standing right in front of us, would we know Him? Would we recognize Him as our Lord and Savior? Would we know Him as the most faithful friend we ever had? Would we treat Him well or would we treat Him poorly based on how He appeared? It boggles my mind to know that when our Savior came to save humankind, most people didn’t recognize Him. Even the disciples of Jesus Christ had trouble realizing they were walking with Jesus on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection (Luke 24:13-35). Did they not feel His comforting Presence? Did they not experience His peace? Did they not feel that familiarity with the man whom they followed for several years? How did they not know that this was their Savior who had risen from the dead and now lives forever, just like He said would happen when they were part of His ministry prior to His death? Perhaps the disciples of Jesus were too traumatized and depressed by all the events that unfolded leading up to Christ’s crucifixion. Maybe they felt too hurt to see the hope who was walking right beside them. I can understand that because I also have felt too weighed down by the woes of the world at times, making it nearly impossible to sense God’s Presence in our broken planet. But the good news is that Jesus is here. The Bible says God is omniscient, which means He knows all and nothing is hidden from Him (Psalm 139:1-4 and Jeremiah 23:24). God is also omnipresent, which means His Presence is everywhere (Psalm 139:7-10). God is omnipotent, and that means He is the most powerful force in this world and the entire universe (Psalm 147:5). What a mighty God we serve! When you feel burdened by the problems in our world, turn to Jesus. Know Him for who He is: Our Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and most Faithful Friend. It is my hope and prayer that we will always recognize God in our lives. Let’s not be like the people of the Bible era who missed the Messiah even when He was with them. Let’s be like the ones who recognized the Son of God and welcomed Him with open arms. Let’s allow the bright light of Jesus Christ to shine through us and fill the world with His pure love for humankind. May we also treat each other with agape love, kindness, and respect, no matter how we look (Leviticus 19:18). In closing, I’d like you to listen to these songs listed below. Song of Reflection #1: “How Beautiful” by Twila Paris. Listen HERE. Song of Reflection #2: “Love God Love People” by Danny Gokey. Listen HERE. Song of Reflection #3: “Each One, Reach One” by Babbie Mason. Listen HERE. Intersecting Faith & Life: Will you know Jesus Christ when you see Him? Further Reading: Micah 6:8Matthew 5:162 Corinthians 5:20Hebrews 7:24-25Romans 10:9 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Your questions aren't a threat to your faith. They're often the doorway to deeper connection with God.In this episode, Constance Hastings, author of The Trouble with Jesus, shares why honest questions and seasons of doubt can actually strengthen our relationship with God. We talk about what it looks like to bring fears, confusion, and skepticism to the Holy Spirit and why doubt isn't the opposite of faith. It's part of the journey.Constance explains how Jesus handled doubt in Scripture and why He never shamed people for wrestling with hard things. We discuss practical ways to process faith questions, how to stay open to God's presence in messy seasons, and how honest dialogue with God leads to deeper trust. This conversation gives space for anyone who feels unsure, stuck, or afraid to voice their questions.TAKEAWAYSDoubt is not the enemy of faith. It can lead you deeper.God invites your questions. Honest dialogue builds trust.Jesus met people in their doubt with compassion, not shame.The Holy Spirit brings clarity when you bring your fears to Him.Your questions can grow your faith rather than weaken it.Connect with Constance at https://www.constancehastings.com/Download My Free Joyful Living Devotional: https://kristinfitch.com/devotionalReady to take your first step towards a more joyful, faith-filled life? Download our Reignite Your Passion Workbook and start living with purpose today!What to feel more energized in midlife? Grab my 5 Day Energy Reset Jump Start Guide here.Ready to work with Kristin to make a shift in your life? Click here to get started.A powerful Christian conversation on faith questions, doubt, and how God meets us in uncertainty. Kristin Fitch and Constance Hastings talk about wrestling with Jesus' teachings, bringing questions to the Holy Spirit, overcoming doubt, biblical examples of skepticism, spiritual growth, and mental and emotional health in the faith journey. Perfect for Christian women navigating hard questions and looking for guidance and encouragement.faith questions, Christian doubt, understanding Jesus, Holy Spirit guidance, wrestling with faith, biblical doubt, Christian encouragement, skepticism and faith, mental health and faith, Jesus and doubt, Trouble with Jesus, spiritual growth, faith journey, Christian women podcast, bringing doubts to God

This is a special ediction because I'm asking you to consider telling me if I am missing something about the meaning of the words "faith of God" in my understanding of Romans 3:3, "For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the FAITH OF GOD without effect?" (KJV). I ask in sincerity because I noticed this morning that ALL translations since the KJV, even the NKJV, translate "faith of God" as "the faithfulness of God." As I thought about the difference, I began to think the "faithfulness-of-God"-translations may be missing something important that is in the KJV.

This is a special ediction because I'm asking you to consider telling me if I am missing something about the meaning of the words "faith of God" in my understanding of Romans 3:3, "For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the FAITH OF GOD without effect?" (KJV). I ask in sincerity because I noticed this morning that ALL translations since the KJV, even the NKJV, translate "faith of God" as "the faithfulness of God." As I thought about the difference, I began to think the "faithfulness-of-God"-translations may be missing something important that is in the KJV.

God is a sending God. Abraham; Moses; Gideon; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Ezekiel; Jonah; Etc.; Jesus; Me; You; Us

Yom Shabbat Service - 7 Tevet, 5786 / December 27, 2025   Parshat Vayechi - He lived   Torah: Genesis 47:28 - 50:26 Haftarah: 1 Kings 2:1-12

In this episode, we kick off a 6-week series exploring the life of David, one of the most significant figures in the Bible. But to understand the king David became, we first have to look at the man he replaced: Saul.Saul looked like a king on the outside—tall, handsome, and commanding—but his heart drifted from God on the inside. Through the story of Israel's first king, we discover that it's possible to "look the part" while lacking spiritual power. We'll contrast Saul's heart with David's and identify three dangerous spiritual drift patterns: fear, expedience, and pride.Key Discussion Points1. From Fear to TrustWhen God doesn't show up on our timeline, fear often takes the driver's seat. Saul felt "compelled" to disobey God's instructions because he was afraid of his dwindling army and a looming enemy.The Lesson: Every sin begins as a failure to trust. Faith is the ability to wait on God when fear tells you to rush.Scripture: 1 Samuel 13:12-142. From Expedience to ObedienceExpedience is taking the convenient shortcut rather than doing what is right. Saul tried to mask his partial obedience as a "sacrifice" to God, but Samuel reminded him that "obedience is better than sacrifice."The Lesson: Integrity means doing what is right even when it's inconvenient. You are only as accountable as you make yourself.Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:223. From Reputation to RepentanceEven when confronted with his sin, Saul's primary concern was his public image. He asked Samuel to honor him before the elders rather than humbling himself before God.The Lesson: True repentance doesn't make excuses or worry about saving face; it focuses solely on returning to God.Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:30The Man of the Moment: David and the Grace of GodGod rejected Saul's man-made efforts and chose David—a man after His own heart. While Saul represented human effort, David's story points us toward grace. Centries later, Jesus (the "Source and Heir of David") offers us the same Spirit that empowered David. When we fail, Jesus provides the transformation we cannot achieve on our own.Resources & Next StepsReflect: Are you currently making decisions based on fear or trust?Go Deeper: Find more Bible studies, videos, and leadership resources at pursueGOD.org.Discuss: Share this episode with a friend or your small group to talk about the "drift patterns" in your own life.

Share a commentWar ends where the cross begins. We explore why peace keeps slipping through human fingers—from Pax Romana to modern headlines—and why Romans 5:1 offers something the world can't manufacture: objective peace with God, secured by Jesus and received by faith. Not a mood, not a placebo, but a settled verdict that ends enmity and opens a new life.We trace the difference between the peace with God that never changes and the peace of God that rises and falls with prayerful surrender. You'll hear how counterfeit calm can soothe for a season while justice still stands, and why the gospel is not self-help but victory news from a battlefield already won. Drawing on Scripture and vivid stories, we show how Christ “made peace by the blood of His cross,” why you don't make peace with God—God makes it for you—and how that truth steadies anxious hearts when feelings fluctuate.Finally, we lean into our calling as ambassadors. In the Roman world, ambassadors delivered terms of surrender from the victorious army; in the same way, we carry God's gracious terms of peace to a world at war with Him. If you're weary of trying to earn approval, learn how justification by faith ends the oldest conflict. If you already believe, be equipped to share the good news with clarity and courage.If this conversation helps you see Jesus more clearly, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a rating to help others find the show. Tell us: what kind of “peace” have you chased that never lasted?Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Share a commentWar ends where the cross begins. We explore why peace keeps slipping through human fingers—from Pax Romana to modern headlines—and why Romans 5:1 offers something the world can't manufacture: objective peace with God, secured by Jesus and received by faith. Not a mood, not a placebo, but a settled verdict that ends enmity and opens a new life.We trace the difference between the peace with God that never changes and the peace of God that rises and falls with prayerful surrender. You'll hear how counterfeit calm can soothe for a season while justice still stands, and why the gospel is not self-help but victory news from a battlefield already won. Drawing on Scripture and vivid stories, we show how Christ “made peace by the blood of His cross,” why you don't make peace with God—God makes it for you—and how that truth steadies anxious hearts when feelings fluctuate.Finally, we lean into our calling as ambassadors. In the Roman world, ambassadors delivered terms of surrender from the victorious army; in the same way, we carry God's gracious terms of peace to a world at war with Him. If you're weary of trying to earn approval, learn how justification by faith ends the oldest conflict. If you already believe, be equipped to share the good news with clarity and courage.If this conversation helps you see Jesus more clearly, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a rating to help others find the show. Tell us: what kind of “peace” have you chased that never lasted?Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

In the spirit of the Christmas Season, Dr. Tom Curran identifies 13 attributes of God: God is unavoidable, God sees, God takes the initiative, God is not caught off guard, God waits, God is not fooled, God fills to overflowing, God accompanies, God encompasses, God redeems, God is trustworthy, God perseveres, and God makes all things new.

This message is from our "God Gave" series.John 3:16 reveals a God who loved first, offering His Son so the world could know Him personally. In this series, we'll see salvation as a gift we receive through faith. We'll explore God's generous love and how it shapes our response as we give our first and best back to Him in gratitude and devotion.Crosspoint City is one church in multiple locations and we exist to relentlessly pursue those far from God to help them know and follow Jesus. To help support this mission and work, visit https://mycpcc.com/giveSTAY CONNECTED:Facebook: https://mycpcc.com/facebookInstagram: https://mycpcc.com/instagramTiktok: https://mycpcc.com/tiktok

In Today's Uncertainty, We Need to Remember that God Wants to Walk with Us In All Our Life Situations, Both Good and Bad – Just Ask Him MESSAGE SUMMARY: “Lord is my helper and confident, why should I be afraid? What can man do to me?” For this confidence, you must know who Jesus is – both in your heart and in your mind. Jesus is the Son of God – God in the flesh. As Paul tells us in Philippians 4:4: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.". Therefore, You do not need to worry about troubling circumstances in your life because you know that He is with you; and He will guide you no matter how dark your life seems. Jesus is the light that shines in darkness.  As Jesus tells you in Luke 12:4-5, that when you have anxiety and fear in your life, you must determine if this anxiety derivative of the right kind of fear: “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”. When you are faced with life's tragedies and the anxieties that result from just living your life, Jesus can turn those situations and your fears into ways and results that you cannot fathom, understand, or anticipate; but you can certainly appreciate. Why not give God a chance to walk with you in all your life situations -- good and bad? Ultimately, the Psalmist got it right in Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.".     TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will entrust to Him my future. I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.  From 2 Timothy 1:12 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Philippians 4:4-9; Mathew 6:25-34; Psalm 23:1-6; Psalms 22b:17-31 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Christmas Message – What God Has Done For Us” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Luke 1:46-56And Mary said,I'm bursting with God-news;    I'm dancing the song of my Savior God. God took one good look at me, and look what happened—    I'm the most fortunate woman on earth! What God has done for me will never be forgotten,    the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others. His mercy flows in wave after wave    on those who are in awe before him. He bared his arm and showed his strength,    scattered the bluffing braggarts. He knocked tyrants off their high horses,    pulled victims out of the mud. The starving poor sat down to a banquet;    the callous rich were left out in the cold. He embraced his chosen child, Israel;    he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high. It's exactly what he promised,    beginning with Abraham and right up to now.Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months and then went back to her own home.Mary's response to the Angel's news started with being amazed that God would choose her, saying, “she is the most fortunate woman on earth" . Then she goes on to say these beautiful words of worship about the character of God:God's very name is HolyHis mercy flowsHe shows strength, scattering the braggartsPulling victims out of the mudWho did God choose to bring the Savior of the world through? A lowly young girl, out of obscurity… Much like us.Can you take these words spoken by Mary thousands of years ago and accept them as what God, through this miraculous act, is saying to you?He embraces me as his chosen child.He remembers me and piles on mercies, piles them high.Doing exactly what he promised. What was foretold thousands of years before Jesus was born is exactly what God continues to do today.PRAY:Father, we thank you for this time of joyful waiting. May the hope and joy of this season fill our hearts and make us living signs of your love for a world that hungers for your peace. Immanuel, God with us. Amen

This message is from our "God Gave" series.John 3:16 reveals a God who loved first, offering His Son so the world could know Him personally. In this series, we'll see salvation as a gift we receive through faith. We'll explore God's generous love and how it shapes our response as we give our first and best back to Him in gratitude and devotion.Crosspoint City is one church in multiple locations and we exist to relentlessly pursue those far from God to help them know and follow Jesus. To help support this mission and work, visit https://mycpcc.com/giveSTAY CONNECTED:Facebook: https://mycpcc.com/facebookInstagram: https://mycpcc.com/instagramTiktok: https://mycpcc.com/tiktok

In this episode of More Faith, More Life, Steve Gray and Zion Vierra break down what doubt really is and why “trying harder to believe” is not the biblical answer. In James chapter 1, James isn't describing someone who needs more positive thinking. He's describing someone who's living unanchored. This episode is a wake-up call and a rescue plan: perseverance isn't a punishment, wisdom isn't a quick fix, and the anchor is wholehearted loyalty to God. If you feel spiritually stuck, emotionally scattered, or like you're praying but nothing is changing, this will show you exactly what to do next.life.Key Takeaways:Understanding Doubt: Doubt in faith is not just the hesitation to believe but often a reluctance to fully commit one's heart and life to God's teachings.Biblical Perseverance: Surviving life's challenges requires perseverance based on biblical principles which leads to spiritual maturity and no lack of anything.Faith as an Anchor: Keeping faith as an anchor prevents one from becoming unstable and double-minded, especially during trials and persecutions.Receiving God's Wisdom: True wisdom involves loyalty to God and igniting the covenant promises, not just solving immediate problems.Generosity of God: God gives generously without finding fault, yet individuals must be ready to receive His blessings by not being unstable in their faith.

ISAIAH 52:13-53:12 13 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. 14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness— 15 so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand. 53 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. 11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. LESSON NOTES & DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.) The Unexpected Pathway of the Servant (Is. 52:13-15) In a punchline that the audience never saw coming, Isaiah reveals that the Servant's pathway to exaltation was through suffering. The arrival of the Servant revealed that exaltation and suffering are not mutually exclusive. In fact, according to Isaiah, they belong together. -In what ways have you seen this reality play out in your life? How have some of your past sufferings led to the exaltation of Jesus? 2.) The Unimpressive Appearance of the Servant (Is. 53:1-3) Throughout Israel's history certain mighty men and deliverers had a certain outward appearance. (See Genesis 39:6 and 1 Samuel 16:2) In the minds of many, a deliverer was a “dominating, forceful, attractive person, who by their personal magnetism drew people to themselves…”. Yet, in the case of the Servant, we see none of these physical qualities. While the eyes of "many" were looking for one thing, the appearance of the Servant revealed something completely unexpected. -What are some ways that Jesus has shown up unexpectedly in your life recently? How did that impact your relationship with Him and with others? 3.) The Unimaginable Willingness of the Servant (Is. 53:4-6) In verses 1-3, the Servant was characterized as being "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief". We find out in verses 4-6 that he was characterized this way because He was bearing OUR sorrows and griefs. In this section of the text the heart of the poem and the heart of God is revealed. The heart of God: God so desperately wants a relationship with us that He was willing to do whatever it took to make that relationship happen. The unimaginable willingness of the Servant is mind-blowing! -When you think about Jesus, what blows your mind about Him? What is something that you just can't get over? 4.) The Unwavering Submission of the Servant (Is. 53:7-9) Lambs have an extreme naivety when it comes to being slaughtered or shorn. Animals, in general, go as uncomprehendingly to slaughter as they do to shearing. They go with "blind compliance" to wherever the destination is. Yet, while lambs went unknowingly and uncomprehendingly to slaughter, this Servant went fully knowing where He was headed, to death. This servant didn't go with blind compliance, He went with willing submission. -In your current season of life, in what ways is Jesus calling you to a deeper submission to Him? 5.) The Unmatched Exaltation of the Servant (Is. 53:10-12) The Servant didn't just suffer for suffering's sake. He suffered for a purpose. The monumental impact of His suffering for mankind is that we are longer left at a distance because of our sin. Instead we can be brought near because of the righteousness we have received. There was also a monumental reward for the Servant. Because “he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors” His reward is a status of total supremacy  -How should the total supremacy of Jesus affect how we live our daily lives? What are some current challenges you are facing in making Jesus' supremacy a deeper reality in your life?

When our expectations of Jesus amount to making himin our own image—demanding he perform according to our standards and meet our desires—then the divine becomes nothing more than our puppet, and we the puppeteers. That is not “the one who is to come.” That is not the Jesus we are waiting for. Because that is not who God is.Emmanuel, God-with-us, is the one who walks with usin our sorrows and hardships. He strengthens us to meet the days ahead, especially when we are full of questions and doubts and cannot know the future. Even more, he empowers us to walk with others—to help them see, to help them hear good news.God knows that we will suffer times of doubt anddiscouragement and it is ok to question God—God is big enough to handle it.  But God is not here to meet our expectations.  We are here to meet his.

Why We Do Christmas MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction: We are still in the season of Advent, which means “coming” or “arrival”. The Church begins this season of “arrival” or Advent as the time we recognize and celebrate the “arrival” of Jesus – both Jesus' “first coming” and His “second coming”. We celebrate Jesus' “first coming” on Christmas Eve. The season of Advent is, also, a season of hope; and Advent is the beginning of our Church's “New Year”. Message:  What does Christmas mean to you? “Could we be missing the point of what Christmas is all about”? Irrespective of all the personal, social and cultural noise we encounter around the Christmas season, we must not lose sight of the fact that Christmas is all and only about Jesus. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of the most important person that ever lived – the God and man Jesus. Is this birth and life of the Incarnate and unique Son of God, as both the Creator of the Universe and the Savior of humankind, true? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” because Jesus birth and life are based upon historical evidence. Also, the birth of Jesus is God coming among us in a desire to have a personal relationship with us and with all people. If God is so desirous of a personal relationship with us, why did God go to so much trouble to bring Jesus to us? Because, every time we sin, we are building a barrier between us and God – God is Holy, and He cannot relate to sin. Therefore, God's Grace provided Jesus as both the means of our Salvation and as an intermediary (i.e. Jesus is both God and a human without sin) from which we can have God's desired personal relationship with us. However, when Jesus died on the cross, He took on all sin and became the required and once offered sacrificial payment for all sin. Jesus birth, life, death and Resurrection became the doorway for our personal relationship with God. As Jesus tells us in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man {Jesus}came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”. “God loves us because of who God is.” Why do so few of us accept God's offered gift of Salvation through His Grace? When those not yet believing look at the lives of those of us that believe, they, often, they see us living by the fruit of the flesh rather than by the fruit of the Spirit – our hypocrisy. Also, God's offer is rejected because He may require us to give up some sin that we enjoy. Additionally, some believe that the cost of becoming a Christian is too great; however, the cost of not becoming a Christian is far greater than the cost of becoming a Christian and accepting God's offer. Many refuse God's gift because they believe that they are not worthy or good enough for God and His gift. They are correct; none of us are worthy of God's gift, but that is the point – Jesus' birth, life, death and Resurrection provide us with the means a path to be worthy of God's gift. Is Jesus your Savior? God has given you the greatest Christmas gift that you will ever receive. Have you accepted His Gift and opened His gift into your life? If not, then why not? With your hands open, you can accept God's Christmas gift by saying: “I am sorry; thank you; and please”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Mark 10:45; John 15:13; John 3:16-17; Galatians 5:18-25. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Is Your Faith Yours, or Is Your Faith a Faith Derivative of the Faith of Others?”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

St. Isaac speaks as one who knows the earthquake at the root of the soul where pride fractures us from God and humility alone builds a refuge strong enough to endure the storm. His words are not gentle suggestions for the religiously inclined. They are fire. They are rope flung into deep water. They are an indictment of every heart that waits for suffering to discover prayer for temptation to discover the need for mercy for collapse to remember God. “Before the war begins, seek after your ally.” This is the secret. The humbled man begins today when there is no battle when the sea is calm and the sky soft. He builds his ark plank by plank small obediences simple prayers hidden acts of self abasement not because the flood is visible but because he knows it is certain. This is the wisdom of the saints: that peace is the time for labor not repose. The iniquitous drown because they mock preparation. They call upon God after pride has stripped them of confidence. Their throat is tight when they pray because they never bent it before in the dust. Humility is the timber that keeps the soul afloat when the heavens split open. St. Isaac dares to tell us that a good heart weeps with joy in prayer. Not from sentimentality not from sorrow alone but from the unbearable nearness of God. Tears become proof that the heart has softened enough to feel Him. A proud heart however disciplined outwardly prays like a clenched fist. It asks but it does not need. It petitions but does not depend. A humble heart begs like a man drowning and this is why God hears him. “Voluntary and steadfast endurance of injustice purifies the heart.” Here the Saint wounds our sensibilities. He tells us that we cannot become like Christ unless we willingly stand beneath the blow and let it fall without retaliation without argument without self defense. Only those for whom the world has died can endure this with joy. For the world's children honor is oxygen. To be slandered or forgotten is death. But when the world is already a corpse to us when reputation comfort applause identity have all been buried then injustice becomes not humiliation but purification. Not defeat but ascent. This virtue is rare he says too rare to be found among one's own people one's familiar circles one's comfortable life. To learn it often requires exile the stripping away of all natural support so that only God remains. He alone becomes the witness of one's patience. He alone becomes consolation. He alone becomes vindication. And then comes the heart of St. Isaac's blow: “As grace accompanies humility so do painful incidents accompany pride.” Humility is the magnet of mercy. Pride is the invitation to destruction. God Himself turns His face toward the humble not in pity but in delight. Their nothingness is spacious enough for Him to enter. He fills emptiness not fullness. He pours glory into the vessel that has shattered self importance. But when pride rises like a tower God sends winds against it not to annihilate us but to collapse what we build against Him. The humble man does not seek honor for he knows what it costs the soul. He bows first greets first yields first. His greatness is hidden like an ember under ash but heaven sees it glowing. Divine honor chases him like a hound. It is the proud who chase praise and never catch it but the self emptying who flee honor and find it placed upon them by the hand of God. “Be contemptible in your own eyes and you will see the glory of God in yourself.” Not self hatred but truth. Not despair but sobriety. Not rejection of one's humanity but recognition that without God we have no light no love no breath. When we descend beneath ourselves God descends to meet us. When we stop defending our wounds He heals them. Humility is not psychological abasement but the unveiling of reality: only God is great and the one who knows this sees God everywhere even within his own nothingness. Blessed truly blessed is the man who seems worthless to others yet shines with virtue like an unseen star. Blessed the one whose knowledge is deep but whose speech is soft whose life is radiant yet whose posture is bowed. Such a soul is the image of Christ unadorned unnoticed unassuming yet bearing the weight of heaven within. The Saint concludes with a promise that burns like gold: The man who hungers and thirsts for God God will make drunk with His good things. Not the brilliant not the accomplished not the defended but the hungry. The emptied. The poor in spirit who have thrown themselves into the furnace of humility and come forth with nothing left to claim as their own. This is the narrow way. This is the ark built in silence. To bow lower is to rise. To lose all is to possess God. To become nothing is to become fire. May we learn to bend before the storm begins. May we kneel while grace is still soft. May we lay plank upon plank obedience upon prayer meekness upon hidden sacrifice until the ark is finished and the floods come and we are held aloft by humility into the very heart of God. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:14:51 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 166, para 33, mid-page 00:15:33 Wayne: Avoid it 00:28:46 David Swiderski, WI: There is a quote by St. Augustine I don't fully understand but seems like pride in a virtue. - Often contempt of vainglory becomes a sources of even more vainglory, for it is not being scorned when the contempt is something one is proud of . - Is this the holier than thou type of attitude? 00:43:32 David Swiderski, WI: In this St. Teresa of Calcutta really changed how I saw the world with volunteering at St. Ben's a local homeless meal program. I began to see each person as a potential family member or myself and slowly Christ in each person no matter what they were challenged with addiction or trauma one sees suffering and seeks to heal with a simple smile or kindness but always wish we could do more. It is like my experience teaching the teacher often learns more about themselves and the world than the student by offering service. 00:43:37 Anthony: In my work, I almost constantly work with law breakers. Some feel deep shame. My experiences in Confession of kindness and healing has helped me relate to them and calm them. And it's sometimes led to conversations about other very human topics, like healing that they and all people need. 00:51:36 Erick Chastain: How do you heal when you are an unworthy recipient of that? 00:55:22 Una's iPhone: When Isaac talks about kissing the head, etc, what might that look like today? 00:55:36 Kimberley A: Just got here .. what page are we on, please? 00:55:54 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Just got here .. wha..." 168 last para. 00:58:11 Joan Chakonas: The longer I live the more  I appreciate the immense privilege I experienced in my childhood with my excellent loving parents.  So many people didn't have what I had and I think but for the grace of God. 01:01:24 Eleana Urrego: I went to the store and I was mean because of the delay, now I have to confess. =( 01:03:45 David Swiderski, WI: It is interesting I did M&A for a while with a multinational. Some of the best companies did not allow emails with "I" they had to use "we". It seems once there is us and them everything breakdown even in the world. 01:05:39 Kimberley A: What to do when we realize we are so far removed from being this way? 01:06:50 David Swiderski, WI: Reacted to "The longer I live th..." with ❤️ 01:09:26 David Swiderski, WI: Mergers and adquistions 01:09:32 Joan Chakonas: Mergers and acquisitions 01:10:24 David Swiderski, WI: The early church talked of the way not the goal 01:12:34 David Swiderski, WI: I used to shoot archery and was delighted when I learned sin in Greek is aiming in archery. You keep your focus on the bullseye and just with effort and learning to narrow the aim 01:13:03 David Swiderski, WI: Sin=aim 01:13:45 David Swiderski, WI: Sin=missing the mark 01:15:12 David Swiderski, WI: I loved living in Latin America you kiss on the cheek who are close to you and it is a sign of caring. The French no not comfortable with that or the Russians ha ha 01:15:52 Art iPhone: I thought I was in the gay district when I was inTurkey 01:16:06 David Swiderski, WI: Strange the early church was known by a kiss 01:16:09 Ben: Reacted to "Strange the early ch..." with

The Cross: Where Justice and Mercy Meet Anchored in the Word with Dave Jenkins Show Summary At Calvary the love of God and the justice of God meet. In this Anchored in the Word episode, Dave Jenkins explains how the cross reveals God's holiness, displays His love, secures our reconciliation, and centers the great exchange Christ bearing our sin so that we receive His righteousness. Listen Watch Scripture References Romans 5:8 Romans 6:23 John 3:16 2 Corinthians 5:21 Romans 5:10 Episode Outline The cross reveals the justice of God — God is holy and must deal with sin (Rom. 6:23). The cross displays the love of God — The Father gives His Son for sinners (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). The cross shows Christ's substitution — The great exchange (2 Cor. 5:21). The cross brings reconciliation and peace — Enemies made sons and daughters (Rom. 5:10). Reflection & Response What does the cross mean to you mere symbol, or the center of your hope? Spend time this week thanking Jesus for bearing your sin and rejoice that His death brings life. If you have not trusted Him, come to the cross and rest in His finished work. Subscribe & Share For more from Anchored in the Word please visit our page here at Servants of Grace or at our YouTube.

Why do we need God's Law to truly repent? We can't turn away from something if we don't know it's wrong. God's Law helps us understand right from wrong so we can recognize our sin, repent, and renew our relationship with Him. The Israelites in Nehemiah 9 finally get this when God's Law highlights the uncomfortable truth...they're no different than their ancestors. Their response is beautiful.Join us as we dive into one of the most powerful prayers in Scripture and walk with the Israelites through their incredible day of repentance. With this masterclass in confession, the Levites show us how to renew our relationship with God using the ACTS model of prayer. Themes of this podcast: Why wearing scratchy sackcloth matters (and what it means for us today)How repentance creates a pathway to relationship with GodGod's covenant renewals throughout Scripture all point to JesusNehemiah 9 is the last recorded covenant renewal before 400 years of silence. Then Jesus shows up with a New Covenant that He writes on our hearts.Show Notes:ACTS ModelWe love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info!Contact Bible Book ClubDonate or pick up merch here Like, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

This message is from our "God Gave" series.John 3:16 reveals a God who loved first, offering His Son so the world could know Him personally. In this series, we'll see salvation as a gift we receive through faith. We'll explore God's generous love and how it shapes our response as we give our first and best back to Him in gratitude and devotion.Crosspoint City is one church in multiple locations and we exist to relentlessly pursue those far from God to help them know and follow Jesus. To help support this mission and work, visit https://mycpcc.com/giveSTAY CONNECTED:Facebook: https://mycpcc.com/facebookInstagram: https://mycpcc.com/instagramTiktok: https://mycpcc.com/tiktok

The Unstoppable Move of GodGod is sovereign; He reserves the absolute right and unrivaled power to do all that he wills, exactly as he wills, and nothing can successfully oppose him.God is actually in control.When Jesus says yes, nobody can say no.God's providence is all-encompassing: it's God's continuous and active involvement in sustaining, guiding, and solving all things towards the fulfillment of his purposeSovereignty is who God is; providence is what he does.Sovereignty is God's position, and providence is God's supervision.The sovereignty of God means God cannot be stopped, be surprised, be defeated, be limited… his will is final.God is much aware of our weaknesses and inadequacies. The mistake of Jonah by reason of providence became the most important thing he ever did. Even in his weakness, God was still working in his error.The greatest highlight of Jonah's ministry was from the most vulnerable point of his life.

Sovereignty of God- God has absolute power and right to do all things according to his own good pleasure

St. Isaac speaks as one who knows the earthquake at the root of the soul where pride fractures us from God and humility alone builds a refuge strong enough to endure the storm. His words are not gentle suggestions for the religiously inclined. They are fire. They are rope flung into deep water. They are an indictment of every heart that waits for suffering to discover prayer for temptation to discover the need for mercy for collapse to remember God. “Before the war begins, seek after your ally.” This is the secret. The humbled man begins today when there is no battle when the sea is calm and the sky soft. He builds his ark plank by plank small obediences simple prayers hidden acts of self abasement not because the flood is visible but because he knows it is certain. This is the wisdom of the saints: that peace is the time for labor not repose. The iniquitous drown because they mock preparation. They call upon God after pride has stripped them of confidence. Their throat is tight when they pray because they never bent it before in the dust. Humility is the timber that keeps the soul afloat when the heavens split open. St. Isaac dares to tell us that a good heart weeps with joy in prayer. Not from sentimentality not from sorrow alone but from the unbearable nearness of God. Tears become proof that the heart has softened enough to feel Him. A proud heart however disciplined outwardly prays like a clenched fist. It asks but it does not need. It petitions but does not depend. A humble heart begs like a man drowning and this is why God hears him. “Voluntary and steadfast endurance of injustice purifies the heart.” Here the Saint wounds our sensibilities. He tells us that we cannot become like Christ unless we willingly stand beneath the blow and let it fall without retaliation without argument without self defense. Only those for whom the world has died can endure this with joy. For the world's children honor is oxygen. To be slandered or forgotten is death. But when the world is already a corpse to us when reputation comfort applause identity have all been buried then injustice becomes not humiliation but purification. Not defeat but ascent. This virtue is rare he says too rare to be found among one's own people one's familiar circles one's comfortable life. To learn it often requires exile the stripping away of all natural support so that only God remains. He alone becomes the witness of one's patience. He alone becomes consolation. He alone becomes vindication. And then comes the heart of St. Isaac's blow: “As grace accompanies humility so do painful incidents accompany pride.” Humility is the magnet of mercy. Pride is the invitation to destruction. God Himself turns His face toward the humble not in pity but in delight. Their nothingness is spacious enough for Him to enter. He fills emptiness not fullness. He pours glory into the vessel that has shattered self importance. But when pride rises like a tower God sends winds against it not to annihilate us but to collapse what we build against Him. The humble man does not seek honor for he knows what it costs the soul. He bows first greets first yields first. His greatness is hidden like an ember under ash but heaven sees it glowing. Divine honor chases him like a hound. It is the proud who chase praise and never catch it but the self emptying who flee honor and find it placed upon them by the hand of God. “Be contemptible in your own eyes and you will see the glory of God in yourself.” Not self hatred but truth. Not despair but sobriety. Not rejection of one's humanity but recognition that without God we have no light no love no breath. When we descend beneath ourselves God descends to meet us. When we stop defending our wounds He heals them. Humility is not psychological abasement but the unveiling of reality: only God is great and the one who knows this sees God everywhere even within his own nothingness. Blessed truly blessed is the man who seems worthless to others yet shines with virtue like an unseen star. Blessed the one whose knowledge is deep but whose speech is soft whose life is radiant yet whose posture is bowed. Such a soul is the image of Christ unadorned unnoticed unassuming yet bearing the weight of heaven within. The Saint concludes with a promise that burns like gold: The man who hungers and thirsts for God God will make drunk with His good things. Not the brilliant not the accomplished not the defended but the hungry. The emptied. The poor in spirit who have thrown themselves into the furnace of humility and come forth with nothing left to claim as their own. This is the narrow way. This is the ark built in silence. To bow lower is to rise. To lose all is to possess God. To become nothing is to become fire. May we learn to bend before the storm begins. May we kneel while grace is still soft. May we lay plank upon plank obedience upon prayer meekness upon hidden sacrifice until the ark is finished and the floods come and we are held aloft by humility into the very heart of God. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:02:30 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 164 paragraph 29 00:03:03 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: philokaliaministries.org 00:11:37 Ben: Re: Orthodox Saints...if you look you'll often find that many of them are already liturgically venerated by the Eastern Catholic churches - I've even heard that St. Seraphim is actually commemorated by Russian Catholics. 00:12:08 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 164, para 29, at bottom of page 00:12:09 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "Re: Orthodox Saints.…" with ❤️ 00:14:16 David Swiderski, WI: We get those random at my job. AI platforms are trying to take IP and data. 00:15:09 Sam: Greetings from Australia and wishing you a happy thanksgiving

Caleb wholly followed God- God said of Caleb, "he has a different spirit in him and has followed me fully." Caleb waited for 45 years to see God's promise to him come to pass, and he was rewarded for his faithfulness when he received the land of Hebron as an inheritance.

Bible StudyDon't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: Sermon OutlineGod's gift is the gift that keeps on giving far beyond Christmas. Advent is not about the past; it's about the future. It's all about the hope that shines in the darkness. When Jesus comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed." 2 Thessalonians 1:10Four Things to awaken the soul for Christmas and make us marvel.The eternal God - God is and always wasExodus 3:14The Creator Visits - the eternal Creator entered His creation as the God-man Jesus Christ.John 1:11The Savior comes to give His life as a Ransom - Why He came to His creation.Mark 10:45The Giver of the Gift - The Right to become the children of God.John 1:12Sermon QuestionsHow can John 1:1-18 apply to both Advent and Christmas, to both the Incarnation and the Second Coming?How can both the immensity of God and the minuscule presence of God help us in the challenges in our lives?What happens when you both receive Jesus and believe in Jesus?What would be the "rights" that would be granted as a child of God to those who receive and believe?Questions?Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email John Burley ()..

David continues the sermon series, Knowing God. Today, he is in Philippians 4:10-20. Sermon titled "God's Provision." Come back next week to hear the next sermon in this series.  Don't forget to follow First Baptist Church of Olton here on PodBead to get the latest sermons from Brother David.  Make sure and go subscribe to our YouTube Channel also. We stream live every Sunday at 11 am.  We invite you to come and worship with us every Sunday. 

Pastor Kirk Hall continues the sermon series entitled, "The Forgotten Jealousy Of God ." Today's message is titled, "God's Jealous Love Propels us" — focusing on Exodus 34:14.

David continues the sermon series, Knowing God. Today, he is in Genesis 50:15-21. Sermon titled "God's Providence" Come back next week to hear the next sermon in this series.  Don't forget to follow First Baptist Church of Olton here on PodBead to get the latest sermons from Brother David.  Make sure and go subscribe to our YouTube Channel also. We stream live every Sunday at 11 am.  We invite you to come and worship with us every Sunday.

The post Our God: God with Us appeared first on Redemption's Hill Church.

When Moses was born the Hebrew people had been living in Egypt for quite a time. Initially under the protection of Joseph and Pharoah and welcomed as honored guests; they had become an oppressed and enslaved nation. Fearing their growing strength, Pharaoh ordered every Hebrew boy to be thrown into the Nile. But one mothers courage defied the kings decree. She hid her child as long as she could, then placed him in a basket coated with tar and pitch and set him afloat on the Nile river. By Gods providence, Pharaohs daughter found the baby and raised him as her own. Moses grew up amid the luxury of Pharaohs court, yet he never forgot his Hebrew roots. His passion for justiceand his temperwould define much of his life. When he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, Moses struck down the oppressor and hid the body in the sand (Exod. 2:1112). When the act became known, he fled to the wilderness of Midian, where he spent forty years as a shepherd, husband, and son-in-law to Jethrowaiting for the day when God would call him to lead His people out of bondage. By the time we reach Exodus 3, Moses had already spent those forty years in Midian tending sheep. Then, before a burning bush, he encountered the living Godthe God of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God entered into Moses world in such a way that he would never be the same again. When God called to him from the bush, He said,Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground(v. 5). What made the ground holy? The presence of God made it holy. As R.C. Sproul wrote in his classicThe Holiness of God: God alone is holy in Himself. Only God can sanctify something else. Only God can give the touch that changes it from the commonplace to something special, different, and apart. The God who spoke to Moses from within the burning bush is not only holybut faithful. While many Hebrews believed that God had forgotten them, the Lord reminded Moses that He is not only all-seeing, but full of mercy:I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings(v. 7). Then God said to Moses,And now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt(v. 10). To this, Moses humbly replied,Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt? All that Moses saw in himself was his own failures and weaknesses. But for God, it didnt matter how weak Moses was, for He delights to use the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:2631). What the burning bush reminds us of is not only that God is holy, or that He is omniscient, or that He is faithful to His promises, but that God uses people not because He needs to, but because He wants to. Just as God did not need Noah or Joseph to address the problems of the world, He did not need Moses. The marvel of the story of God and the people He chooses to use has more to do with that fact that He invites people like us into His mission and the story He is telling. There is a Mediator Who Stands in Your Place After God revealed Himself to Moses as Yahwehthe covenant-keeping GodHe commissioned Moses to return to Egypt. Understandably, Moses questioned,Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?God assured him,I will certainly be with you(Exod. 3:1012). And when Moses was to speak to the people of Israel, God instructed him to say,I AM WHO I AM has sent me to you(v. 14). One of the characteristics that distinguishes the God of Abraham from the gods of Egypt is His faithfulnessHe keeps His promises. This is expressed beautifully inExodus 6:25, where God tells Moses,I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself fully known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.Gods faithfulness is not only in His name but in His actions, His compassion, and His unwavering remembrance of His promises. Do you remember Leahthe ugly wife whom Jacob did not love? Not only was Judah born to her, but so was Levi. About five generations later, we read inExodus 2:1of a man from the house of Levi who married a daughter of Levi. Together they had three children: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. It was after Miriam and Aarons birthbut before Moses was bornthat Pharaoh commanded every Hebrew son to be thrown into the Nile (seeExod. 1:2022). Yet from this very family, God raised up the leaders who would deliver His people. Moses would lead Israel out of bondage, serving as a type of king who would shepherd Gods people through the wilderness. Aaron would become Gods priest, and through him the priestly line would continue (Exod. 28:129:9). Miriam would be identified as a prophetess (Exod. 15:2021). Dont miss this: God used all threeMoses, Aaron, and Miriamto lead His people out of Egypt, yet Aaron and Miriam would serve the people under Moses leadership (see Mic. 6:4). But it was to Moses, that God said, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. And when Miriam and Aaron forgot their place and Moses God-ordained role before Israel, God said, Now hear My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will make Myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream. It is not this way for My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My household; with him I speak mouth to mouth, that is, openly, and not using mysterious language, and he beholds the form of the Lord. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses? (see Num. 12:1-8). Follow the Deliverer Who Leads His People Out of Bondage Moses stood before Pharaoh and Israel as a type ofshepherd-kinga mediator and prophet who spoke on Gods behalf. Listen to how the Lord described Moses role: As for you, you shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. But I will harden Pharaohs heart, so that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. When Pharaoh does not listen to you, I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My armies, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I extend My hand over Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst. (Exod. 7:2-5). When Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh, they declared, Thus says the LORD, Let My people go. (Exod. 5:1). Pharaoh not only refused but mocked the God of Israel: Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go (5:1-2). To prove that no one would command Pharoah of Egypt, he made the Israelites labor even harsher, forcing them to gather their own straw while maintaining the same quota of bricks. What followed was asuccession of ten plagues, each designed to expose the impotence of Egypts gods and, in many cases, tomock them directly. The first nine fall naturally into three escalating triads: Plagues of defilement:water turned to blood (7:1424), frogs overran the land (8:115), and gnats or lice tormented Egypt (8:1619). Plagues of destruction:swarms of flies invaded (8:2032); disease killed Egypts livestock while Israels remained unharmed (9:17); and boils afflicted people and animals alike (9:812). Plagues of devastation:hail mixed with fire ravaged the land (9:1335); locusts devoured the remaining crops (10:120); and darknessa direct assault onRa, the sun-godcovered Egypt for three days (10:2129). Each judgment demonstrated Yahwehs sovereignty, yet Pharaohs heart only grew harder. Enraged, he shouted to Moseswho stood before himas Gods representative: Get away from me! Be careful, do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you shall die! (10:28). The cognitive dissonance of Pharaoh towards the God of the Israel was not only irrational, but insane! He was dealing with the God who He could not defeat, for in the words of the apostle Paul, it was the equivalent of the clay pot accusing the potter that He had no rights over what He created (Rom. 9:19ff.). In essence, Pharaohs heart cried out to the God of Moses,Who are You to tell me what I can and cannot do? Before we shake our heads or point our finger at Pharaoh in disgust, we must ask ourselves:What has God commanded us to release or submit to that we have resisted with the same question Who is Yahweh that I should obey His voice? Live in the Victory of the Lamb Who Triumphed Over Every Power Before the final plague, Israel was commanded to take amale lamb without defectand keep it forfour dayslong enough to confirm it was spotless and long enough for it to become, in a sense,theirlamb (Exod. 12:16). On the fourteenth day, the lamb was to be slaughtered at twilight, and its blood applied on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it (v. 7). Afterward, the entire household was toeat the lamb together(vv. 811). For what purpose was the perfect and spotless lamb slaughtered? We are told why in Exodus 12:12, For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and fatally strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the human firstborn to animals; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgmentsI am the Lord. Who would God strike? Thefirstborn sonsboth human and animaland thegods (elohim) of Egypt. These gods were not merely lifeless idols butspiritual powers, demonic forces that animated Egypts sorcery and who also held Pharaoh and his people captive[1] (see Deut. 32:17; 1 Cor. 10:2022).[2] So what fueled Pharaohs hatred of Yahweh and his oppression of Israel? His sin and pride, certainlybut beneath that rebellion lay ademonic conflict. The showdown between Moses and Pharaoh, Israel and Egypt, was not merely political or personal; it wasspiritual warfare. As Paul later wrote, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). Every plague before the tenth was a call to repentancea chance for Pharaoh, for Egypt, and even for any Hebrew who had turned to Egypts idols, to turn back to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But only throughthe blood of the lambwould anyone experience deliverance and victory. But, why the firstborn? At the summit of Egypts pantheon stoodRa (Re), the so-called god of gods, depicted with thehead of a falconand thesolar disk encircled by a cobraa symbol of divine power and kingship. Pharaoh was worshiped as theson of Ra, and his ownfirstborn sonwas regarded as the next embodiment of divine rule. In one decisive act, Yahweh crushed the head of Egypts god for the purpose of liberating captive Israel and any Egyptian who wished to turn to the true Creator, and He did it through the blood of the lamb! Conclusion Through this series, youve been reminded of thetrue and better Adamwho embraced a tree for our redemption and life. Youve seen thetrue and better Isaac, who carried His cross to the place of execution for sins we committed, that we might become children of God through His willing death. There is atrue and better Israel, who pursued the unfaithful bride and redeemed her to be clothed in white, never again enslaved to sin. And there is atrue and better Mosesthe Prophet who perfectly represents God, the High Priest who intercedes for us, and the flawless Shepherd-King whose lordship demands our obedience. Behind Egypts gods stood a master deceiverthe father of lies, the ancient serpentwho twists truth and opposes the purposes of God. When Moses stood before Pharaoh, he wasnt merely confronting a ruler; he was standing against the spiritual powers of darkness. In that moment, Moses foreshadowed the One who would intercede perfectly on our behalf. Jesus is the true and better Mosesthe long-promised Deliverer, the Lion of Judah who became the Lamb of God to set captives free. He alone is the sinless Son of the Father, who took on flesh and dwelt among usthe Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. But His death did more than address our guilt; ittriumphed over sin, death, and every power opposed to Gods kingdom. Through His cross and resurrection, Jesus destroyed the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2:14), and the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). When we turn to the book of Revelation, we witness a dramatic, global reenactment of the Exodus story: the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls each unleash escalating judgments, echoing the plagues that struck Egypt. Yet, just as Pharaoh stubbornly hardened his heart, so too does humanity in the final days. Scripture warns, The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands; they continued to worship demons and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and woodidols that can neither see, hear, nor walk. They refused to repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts (Rev. 9:20-21). So we must ask regarding ourselves: Who is Yahweh that I should obey Him? Thetrue and better Moses, theLamb of God, was slain to liberate us from such things. For the true Christian,Colossians 2:1315declares our victory: And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. (Col. 2:13-15) If you are in Christ, your victory and freedom are found inthe Lamb who reigns as the Lion of Judah. Jesus is the true and better Mediator who stands in your place. Jesus is the true and better Deliverer who leads His people out of bondage. The true Son of God is your salvationbefore whom every ruler and demon, all who are rich and poor, those who are known and unknown will one day bow. And on that Day, mayRevelation 12:1011be said of you: Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. (Rev. 12:10-11) [1] And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Cor. 4:3-4) [2] No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we? (1 Cor. 10:20-22)

David continues the sermon series, Knowing God. Today, he is in 2 Peter 3:1-15. Sermon titled "God is Patient" Come back next week to hear the next sermon in this series.  Don't forget to follow First Baptist Church of Olton here on PodBead to get the latest sermons from Brother David.  Make sure and go subscribe to our YouTube Channel also. We stream live every Sunday at 11 am.  We invite you to come and worship with us every Sunday. 

When Moses was born the Hebrew people had been living in Egypt for quite a time. Initially under the protection of Joseph and Pharoah and welcomed as honored guests; they had become an oppressed and enslaved nation. Fearing their growing strength, Pharaoh ordered every Hebrew boy to be thrown into the Nile. But one mothers courage defied the kings decree. She hid her child as long as she could, then placed him in a basket coated with tar and pitch and set him afloat on the Nile river. By Gods providence, Pharaohs daughter found the baby and raised him as her own. Moses grew up amid the luxury of Pharaohs court, yet he never forgot his Hebrew roots. His passion for justiceand his temperwould define much of his life. When he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, Moses struck down the oppressor and hid the body in the sand (Exod. 2:1112). When the act became known, he fled to the wilderness of Midian, where he spent forty years as a shepherd, husband, and son-in-law to Jethrowaiting for the day when God would call him to lead His people out of bondage. By the time we reach Exodus 3, Moses had already spent those forty years in Midian tending sheep. Then, before a burning bush, he encountered the living Godthe God of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God entered into Moses world in such a way that he would never be the same again. When God called to him from the bush, He said,Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground(v. 5). What made the ground holy? The presence of God made it holy. As R.C. Sproul wrote in his classicThe Holiness of God: God alone is holy in Himself. Only God can sanctify something else. Only God can give the touch that changes it from the commonplace to something special, different, and apart. The God who spoke to Moses from within the burning bush is not only holybut faithful. While many Hebrews believed that God had forgotten them, the Lord reminded Moses that He is not only all-seeing, but full of mercy:I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings(v. 7). Then God said to Moses,And now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt(v. 10). To this, Moses humbly replied,Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt? All that Moses saw in himself was his own failures and weaknesses. But for God, it didnt matter how weak Moses was, for He delights to use the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:2631). What the burning bush reminds us of is not only that God is holy, or that He is omniscient, or that He is faithful to His promises, but that God uses people not because He needs to, but because He wants to. Just as God did not need Noah or Joseph to address the problems of the world, He did not need Moses. The marvel of the story of God and the people He chooses to use has more to do with that fact that He invites people like us into His mission and the story He is telling. There is a Mediator Who Stands in Your Place After God revealed Himself to Moses as Yahwehthe covenant-keeping GodHe commissioned Moses to return to Egypt. Understandably, Moses questioned,Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?God assured him,I will certainly be with you(Exod. 3:1012). And when Moses was to speak to the people of Israel, God instructed him to say,I AM WHO I AM has sent me to you(v. 14). One of the characteristics that distinguishes the God of Abraham from the gods of Egypt is His faithfulnessHe keeps His promises. This is expressed beautifully inExodus 6:25, where God tells Moses,I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself fully known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.Gods faithfulness is not only in His name but in His actions, His compassion, and His unwavering remembrance of His promises. Do you remember Leahthe ugly wife whom Jacob did not love? Not only was Judah born to her, but so was Levi. About five generations later, we read inExodus 2:1of a man from the house of Levi who married a daughter of Levi. Together they had three children: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. It was after Miriam and Aarons birthbut before Moses was bornthat Pharaoh commanded every Hebrew son to be thrown into the Nile (seeExod. 1:2022). Yet from this very family, God raised up the leaders who would deliver His people. Moses would lead Israel out of bondage, serving as a type of king who would shepherd Gods people through the wilderness. Aaron would become Gods priest, and through him the priestly line would continue (Exod. 28:129:9). Miriam would be identified as a prophetess (Exod. 15:2021). Dont miss this: God used all threeMoses, Aaron, and Miriamto lead His people out of Egypt, yet Aaron and Miriam would serve the people under Moses leadership (see Mic. 6:4). But it was to Moses, that God said, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. And when Miriam and Aaron forgot their place and Moses God-ordained role before Israel, God said, Now hear My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will make Myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream. It is not this way for My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My household; with him I speak mouth to mouth, that is, openly, and not using mysterious language, and he beholds the form of the Lord. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses? (see Num. 12:1-8). Follow the Deliverer Who Leads His People Out of Bondage Moses stood before Pharaoh and Israel as a type ofshepherd-kinga mediator and prophet who spoke on Gods behalf. Listen to how the Lord described Moses role: As for you, you shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. But I will harden Pharaohs heart, so that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. When Pharaoh does not listen to you, I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My armies, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I extend My hand over Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst. (Exod. 7:2-5). When Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh, they declared, Thus says the LORD, Let My people go. (Exod. 5:1). Pharaoh not only refused but mocked the God of Israel: Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go (5:1-2). To prove that no one would command Pharoah of Egypt, he made the Israelites labor even harsher, forcing them to gather their own straw while maintaining the same quota of bricks. What followed was asuccession of ten plagues, each designed to expose the impotence of Egypts gods and, in many cases, tomock them directly. The first nine fall naturally into three escalating triads: Plagues of defilement:water turned to blood (7:1424), frogs overran the land (8:115), and gnats or lice tormented Egypt (8:1619). Plagues of destruction:swarms of flies invaded (8:2032); disease killed Egypts livestock while Israels remained unharmed (9:17); and boils afflicted people and animals alike (9:812). Plagues of devastation:hail mixed with fire ravaged the land (9:1335); locusts devoured the remaining crops (10:120); and darknessa direct assault onRa, the sun-godcovered Egypt for three days (10:2129). Each judgment demonstrated Yahwehs sovereignty, yet Pharaohs heart only grew harder. Enraged, he shouted to Moseswho stood before himas Gods representative: Get away from me! Be careful, do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you shall die! (10:28). The cognitive dissonance of Pharaoh towards the God of the Israel was not only irrational, but insane! He was dealing with the God who He could not defeat, for in the words of the apostle Paul, it was the equivalent of the clay pot accusing the potter that He had no rights over what He created (Rom. 9:19ff.). In essence, Pharaohs heart cried out to the God of Moses,Who are You to tell me what I can and cannot do? Before we shake our heads or point our finger at Pharaoh in disgust, we must ask ourselves:What has God commanded us to release or submit to that we have resisted with the same question Who is Yahweh that I should obey His voice? Live in the Victory of the Lamb Who Triumphed Over Every Power Before the final plague, Israel was commanded to take amale lamb without defectand keep it forfour dayslong enough to confirm it was spotless and long enough for it to become, in a sense,theirlamb (Exod. 12:16). On the fourteenth day, the lamb was to be slaughtered at twilight, and its blood applied on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it (v. 7). Afterward, the entire household was toeat the lamb together(vv. 811). For what purpose was the perfect and spotless lamb slaughtered? We are told why in Exodus 12:12, For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and fatally strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the human firstborn to animals; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgmentsI am the Lord. Who would God strike? Thefirstborn sonsboth human and animaland thegods (elohim) of Egypt. These gods were not merely lifeless idols butspiritual powers, demonic forces that animated Egypts sorcery and who also held Pharaoh and his people captive[1] (see Deut. 32:17; 1 Cor. 10:2022).[2] So what fueled Pharaohs hatred of Yahweh and his oppression of Israel? His sin and pride, certainlybut beneath that rebellion lay ademonic conflict. The showdown between Moses and Pharaoh, Israel and Egypt, was not merely political or personal; it wasspiritual warfare. As Paul later wrote, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). Every plague before the tenth was a call to repentancea chance for Pharaoh, for Egypt, and even for any Hebrew who had turned to Egypts idols, to turn back to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But only throughthe blood of the lambwould anyone experience deliverance and victory. But, why the firstborn? At the summit of Egypts pantheon stoodRa (Re), the so-called god of gods, depicted with thehead of a falconand thesolar disk encircled by a cobraa symbol of divine power and kingship. Pharaoh was worshiped as theson of Ra, and his ownfirstborn sonwas regarded as the next embodiment of divine rule. In one decisive act, Yahweh crushed the head of Egypts god for the purpose of liberating captive Israel and any Egyptian who wished to turn to the true Creator, and He did it through the blood of the lamb! Conclusion Through this series, youve been reminded of thetrue and better Adamwho embraced a tree for our redemption and life. Youve seen thetrue and better Isaac, who carried His cross to the place of execution for sins we committed, that we might become children of God through His willing death. There is atrue and better Israel, who pursued the unfaithful bride and redeemed her to be clothed in white, never again enslaved to sin. And there is atrue and better Mosesthe Prophet who perfectly represents God, the High Priest who intercedes for us, and the flawless Shepherd-King whose lordship demands our obedience. Behind Egypts gods stood a master deceiverthe father of lies, the ancient serpentwho twists truth and opposes the purposes of God. When Moses stood before Pharaoh, he wasnt merely confronting a ruler; he was standing against the spiritual powers of darkness. In that moment, Moses foreshadowed the One who would intercede perfectly on our behalf. Jesus is the true and better Mosesthe long-promised Deliverer, the Lion of Judah who became the Lamb of God to set captives free. He alone is the sinless Son of the Father, who took on flesh and dwelt among usthe Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. But His death did more than address our guilt; ittriumphed over sin, death, and every power opposed to Gods kingdom. Through His cross and resurrection, Jesus destroyed the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2:14), and the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). When we turn to the book of Revelation, we witness a dramatic, global reenactment of the Exodus story: the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls each unleash escalating judgments, echoing the plagues that struck Egypt. Yet, just as Pharaoh stubbornly hardened his heart, so too does humanity in the final days. Scripture warns, The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands; they continued to worship demons and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and woodidols that can neither see, hear, nor walk. They refused to repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts (Rev. 9:20-21). So we must ask regarding ourselves: Who is Yahweh that I should obey Him? Thetrue and better Moses, theLamb of God, was slain to liberate us from such things. For the true Christian,Colossians 2:1315declares our victory: And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. (Col. 2:13-15) If you are in Christ, your victory and freedom are found inthe Lamb who reigns as the Lion of Judah. Jesus is the true and better Mediator who stands in your place. Jesus is the true and better Deliverer who leads His people out of bondage. The true Son of God is your salvationbefore whom every ruler and demon, all who are rich and poor, those who are known and unknown will one day bow. And on that Day, mayRevelation 12:1011be said of you: Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. (Rev. 12:10-11) [1] And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Cor. 4:3-4) [2] No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we? (1 Cor. 10:20-22)

Psalm 119:161-168, Ezekiel 7:1-9:11, Hebrews 6:13-7:10. Faith involves trusting the promises of God God makes a promise; faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly waits for it

Psalm 119:162-165, Ezekiel 7:1-27, Hebrews 6:13-20, 7:1-3. Faith involves trusting the promises of God God makes a promise; faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly waits for it

"Marriage First" Makes Your Life Unstable At the end of my life, I want to hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  That's the goal that keeps me grounded—and I know many of you share that desire. But here's a hard truth I've learned through years of walking with couples: when our marriage or family becomes our first priority instead of God, everything starts to crumble. Why "Family First" Doesn't Work I once had a conversation with someone I deeply love who said, "You think God has to be first—but I think family should be first." His heart was sincere, but the fruit of that mindset showed otherwise.  When family is first, everything depends on emotions—how your spouse treats you, how the kids behave, whether things feel peaceful at home. That's not stability. That's shifting sand. We see the effects of this all around us. Divorce rates hover around 50%. Even pastors and counselors admit they rarely had a healthy marriage modeled for them.  Most people are doing their best, but without a biblical foundation, their "best" can't hold up when life gets hard. The Biblical Order That Brings Stability Scripture gives us the right order: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself." — Mark 12:30–31 That means I love my first neighbor—my spouse—because I love God. Why do I forgive in marriage? Because God is first.Why do I love my husband well? Because God is first.Why do I serve my family with joy? Because God is first. When we build our lives on that rock, we become steady—even when the storms hit.  Illness, loss, special needs, mental health struggles—these things shake every marriage. But when God comes first, everything else finds its right place. Feelings Aren't God—God's Word Is We live in a "follow your feelings" culture. If you don't feel in love anymore, the world says, find someone new. But feelings aren't truth. God's Word is. You're serving the King of Kings, and your marriage is part of that assignment. Like the Roman soldiers in Gladiator fought for the glory of Rome; as believers, we live for the glory of God. That means our choices in marriage—our words, our intimacy, our tone—should all be for His glory. Believers are called to die to ourselves. That includes our moods and even our sexual desires.  Scripture is clear: "Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time... then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you." — 1 Corinthians 7:5 That's not about coercion or obligation—it's about love expressed God's way.  When I choose intimacy with my husband, it's not because I feel like it every time. It's because I love God. And when I embrace His design with joy, the byproduct is a beautiful, connected marriage. Marriage as a Path to Holiness Author Gary Thomas famously asked, "What if marriage is meant to make us holy, not happy?" The amazing thing is—when we pursue holiness, happiness often follows. That's why we teach the Delight Your Marriage Framework: Husbands need to have respect, admiration, and wholehearted intimacy. Wives need to feel safe, known, and wholeheartedly cherished. We love our spouse in the way they receive love, not the way we prefer to give it. Because real love is about understanding and serving the other. (You can download the full framework at DelightYourMarriage.com/framework.) The Power of God's Word to Transform David Wood—a former atheist and sociopath whose life was radically changed by Scripture. Even after becoming a Christian, he noticed that when he stopped reading the Bible for a few days, dark thoughts would return. That's how powerful God's Word is—it changes us from the inside out. If you're struggling to love your spouse, to forgive, to stay faithful, start here: get your nose in the Word. Not scrolling. Not skimming. Reading. Slowly. With a heart open to hear God. Even one verse a day in a physical Bible can soften your heart. Make it a habit. Let the Word wash over you. Final Thoughts If you have put your marriage above Jesus, it's not too late to turn it around. He is a safe person to put your trust in. You can trust His Word and His design. It is on purpose, for a purpose… and it is Good.   Blessings,   The Delight Your Marriage Team   PS - If you are interested in taking the next step, putting God first, above your marriage, we would love to talk with you. Schedule a free Clarity Call and chat with one of Clarity Advisors. PPS - Want to see this work in your churches? Our In-Person Training is launching nationwide in January and we would love for your church to be a part of it. Click here to learn more. PPPS - Here is what a recent graduate had to say:"The DYM program has helped me grow as a husband and learn how to better serve my wife and our relationship has been growing in all areas as a result.  She just told me this week that she used to feel tension when I came home from work and that tension is gone. Big change which has led to growth for us both. Belah's insights and coaching have been amazing and I've discovered God's purpose for us and our marriage at a new level!  Thanks DYM!"

This is message 13 in The Names of God Series Deuteronomy 10:12-22 God is the great and mighty King who rules over all. His power is unmatched, His authority unquestioned, and His mercy extended to the lowest and least. He owns everything, loves His people, and calls us to fear, serve, and obey Him alone. The greatness of God demands our worship, our loyalty, and our complete devotion. Don't forget to download our app for more from the Riverview Baptist Church. http://onelink.to/rbcapp Find more at https://riverviewbc.com/ Donate through Pushpay https://pushpay.com/pay/riverviewbc

He Is God - God Is Trying To Tell You Something - Bishop Kevin Foreman

He Is God - God Is Trying To Tell You Something - Live from ATL - Bishop Kevin Foreman

WHO IS GOD? - God Reigns Supreme Isaiah 40:12-31 Greg Davis September 14, 2025

WHO IS GOD? - God is Present Psalm 27 Randy Lovelace October 12, 2025

The Manifest Presence of God | God's Three Room House | Part 3BPastor James A. McMenis | Word of God Ministries

The Manifest Presence of God | God's Three Room House | Part 3APastor James A. McMenis | Word of God Ministries