Podcasts about god god

When you look at Jesus, what do you see?It is a question that refuses to sit quietly in the corner of the mind. It presses forward. For to look at Jesus is not merely to observe a figure in history, nor to admire a moral teacher whose sayings decorate greeting cards. It is to stand before a Person who demands to be reckoned with.Some see only a carpenter's son: a man of dusty roads and rough hands, who spoke kindly to children and sternly to hypocrites. They see compassion, certainly; courage, perhaps; even genius. But nothing more. He becomes, in their sight, an admirable chap, someone nice and maybe wise.But if you look longer, if you allow the Gospels to speak without interruption, you begin to notice something unsettling. The authority in His voice is not borrowed. He does not argue as though piecing together secondhand truths; He speaks as though Truth were His native tongue. He forgives sins as though they were committed against Himself. He commands storms as one might quiet a restless dog. He speaks of God not merely as Father, but as His Father, in a manner that places Him on the very side of the throne.And then there is His humility.Here lies the great stumbling block and the great splendor. For if He were merely divine in the sense of distant and untouchable, we might admire Him from afar and remain unchanged. But this is a divinity wrapped in swaddling clothes, kneeling to wash feet, sweating blood in a garden. It is a majesty that stoops. A glory that bleeds. If this is not God, it is blasphemy of the highest order. If it is God, then we are looking at the very heart of reality.Can you see His divinity?It is not always visible in the way lightning is visible. Often it is more like the sun behind a veil of clouds, perceived not by staring at it directly, but by the way everything else is illuminated. Stand near Him long enough and you begin to see yourself more clearly: your pride, your hunger, your longing for a love you cannot manufacture. His presence exposes and heals in the same breath.To see His divinity is not merely to conclude that He is God. Even the demons, we are told, reached that conclusion. It is to behold in Him the startling claim that the Author of all things has written Himself into the story. That the Maker of the stars allowed nails to fasten Him to wood He Himself designed.When you look at Jesus, you are not simply looking at an example. You are looking at an invasion—heaven breaking into earth, mercy interrupting rebellion, love refusing to remain abstract.And here is the quiet wonder: the more clearly you see His divinity, the less crushed you feel by it. For this is not a cold omnipotence, but a wounded one. Not a tyrant's power, but a shepherd's. His divinity does not diminish His tenderness; it guarantees it.So I ask again: when you look at Jesus, what do you see?If you see only a teacher, you may admire Him. If you see only a martyr, you may pity Him. But if you see God—God with scars—then you will do something far more dangerous and far more glorious. You will worship. --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian's homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a time. Give Here: https://frbriansoliven.org/give

When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, he told him his name was Yahweh, which means he will be who he will be. Throughout the Bible we see that God's people regularly used his name. It makes sense for us today to continue this biblical practice. Exodus 3:1-6 God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, introducing himself as “The God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Exodus 3:13-16 When Moses asked God what his name was, he replied “I will be who I will be.” Then he told him to tell Israel, “Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.” God's name is Yahweh and it means that he will be who he will be. Exodus 20:7 Sometimes people point to the third commandment to not take the name in vain as a reason not to pronounce it at all. The reasoning goes that refusing to pronounce God's name guarantees that it won't be taken in vain. Although it is important not to misuse God's name, blaspheme it, or employ it in a trivial or frivolous way, there's more to it than that. If we are in a covenant relationship with Yahweh, then we carry his name where we go. We represent him to the world. Let's do our best to make him look good! Numbers 5:23-27 God told Aaron and his sons to put his name on the children of Israel. He gave him a special blessing that repeatedly uses God's name. Ruth 2:3-5; Judges 6:11-13; 1 Samuel 3:8-9 Israelites in the Bible regularly used God's name as greetings and to address God. Although it became common later to substitute “the LORD” for Yahweh, this is nowhere commanded or suggested in scripture.The post Names of God: God's Name Is Yahweh first appeared on Living Hope.

John 15:9-17,As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.Christianity is unlike every other religion in a lot of different ways, but one of the biggest differences is that Christianity is not really a religion at all, but it's a relationship.Maybe you've heard that before — ‘Christianity' is more than a religion, it's a relationship. I first heard that phrase years ago during some training about how to share the gospel. In my context at the time, pretty much everybody claimed to be Christians, and that actually made spiritual conversations harder … and really short — because if you started the conversation by asking, “Are you a Christian?”, most people would say Yes. But they were saying Yes to a religion.They were saying that they theoretically believed a few things, tried to behave a certain way, and checked the “Christian box.”But ‘Christianity,' according to the Bible, is much more than all that! At the very center is one's relationship with God — it's a relationship created by God, broken by our sin, and then restored by Jesus for those who believe.So a better way to start a spiritual conversation was to ask someone what they thought of Jesus himself — What do you think of Jesus Christ?What if I asked you that this morning? What would you say?There are a few good and true things that might come to mind — Jesus is Lord; He's King; He's the Savior of the world; He's the Treasure of my heart — all these are true (and they're all relational).But maybe one of the most biblical answers that doesn't come to mind right away is that Jesus calls us his friend.What do you think of Jesus Christ? He calls me his friend. Don't you want to be a friend of Jesus?The goal of this sermon is to tell you how. Looking at this passage in John 15, we're gonna answer the question: How do you become a friend of Jesus?There are three ways. First is this …1. He calls you his friend. (verse 15)This is the first thing we need to see, and it's the most foundational. What we need to understand is that being a friend of Jesus is not a self-declared title. We don't get to ‘up and decide' that we're friends of Jesus anymore than we get to decide that we are friends of LeBron James (the second greatest basketball player of all time). Now you can try to do that, but I don't think you'll get very far … if you flew to Los Angeles, drove to LeBron's neighborhood, and walked up to his gate. You hit the buzzer and say, “Hey, it's [me], I'm a friend of LeBron.” No chance you're getting in. Because the person you say you're a friend of has to claim you as their friend. That's what makes verse 15 so amazing. Look at verse 15. Jesus says:No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. And Jesus just tells us this — we didn't even ask for it — Jesus just tells his disciples, and he tells us, I have called you friends. And by itself, we might not be impressed by this … because we all have our own ideas of friendship, informed by our own experiences. So I'm glad that Jesus doesn't leave the meaning of friend up to us, but he fills it out. He puts it in color. More to the MeaningHe tells us that a friend is different than a servant. And this is where we need to pause for a minute. Jesus says he doesn't call us servants anymore, although we are still his servants. In fact, being a “servant of Jesus” is the most common self-designation of the New Testament writers. The apostle Paul says this about himself five times, and also James, Peter, John, and Jude. They all refer to themselves as servants of Jesus — and they were … we are. So here in verse 15, Jesus is not eliminating the reality of our servanthood, but he is deepening the relationship from his point of view.We are servants and friends — and so how do we hold these together? This was a big question for me … because I talk to Jesus everyday and felt like I needed to sort this out. So consider it like this:When we describe who we are, we rightly say we are servants of Jesus, but when Jesus describes who we are, he says friends. That's the way it should be: We say to Jesus, “I'm your servant.” Jesus says to us, “You're my friend.” And the reason why Jesus says that is in verse 15. It's because a servant doesn't know what his master is doing. A servant has no right to know. A servant just does what he's told.But a friend gets let in on what's going on. And that's one way to think about the whole Farewell Discourse in these chapters. That's what Jesus has been up to on this longest Thursday night ever. He is making known to the disciples all that the Father has made known to him. And he's doing this because he wants to, not because the disciples deserve it. This is verse 16:“You did not choose me, but I chose you.” Jesus, on his own initiative, chose to reveal himself to the disciples.Like Abraham and MosesIn theological terms, this is special revelation: Jesus has revealed God to his chosen disciples. And this is fascinating: because what Jesus does here fits with the ‘friend-of-God concept' in the Old Testament. In the whole Bible, before John 15, there have only been two people who were called friends of God: Abraham and Moses. In Isaiah 41:8, God says of Abraham:But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest seas … I have chosen you ...He hears in that special choosing.And back in Exodus 33:11, we read about how God would speak to Moses at the Tent of Meeting, and verse 11 says, Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.We hear in that revelation.So if we were putting together a theology for friendship with God from the Old Testament, we'd say that Abraham and Moses were called friends of God because they had this special access to God: God chose them and revealed himself to them. And in John 15, Jesus says we're his friend on the same basis — because he specially revealed himself to us. And that's where we are in this new location of redemptive history. This is where Jesus has brought us. To be a Christian means that, like Abraham and Moses, Jesus has brought us on inside. He has let us in on the mind of God! We can know God's thoughts! Because Jesus tells us. And that's why he calls us friends.That's the first and most foundational way you become a friend of Jesus. He calls you his friend.How else do you become a friend of Jesus?2. You abide in his love. (Verse 9)This is clear in verse 9. Jesus says in verse 9: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”Now Jesus has already told us to abide in verse 4. In verse 4 it's, “Abide in me.” Here in verse 9 it's “Abide in my love.” Those are not two different things — Jesus is just saying the same thing two different ways. To abide in him is to abide in his love. And for the first time in this Gospel, he tells us something about his love that is truly astounding.It starts with that the Father loves him — and Jesus has been saying this the whole time: John 3:35 — “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.”John 5:20 — “For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing.”John 10:17 — “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life…”One of the clearest messages in this Gospel is that God the Father loves God the Son. It's an eternal, powerful, perfect love beyond human comprehension. We can only marvel … before the foundations of the world, in all of eternity past, in the pure joy of the Holy Trinity, the Father has loved Jesus! We know that. And we also know that Jesus loves us. That's the glorious truth that emerges so clearly in the Farewell Discourse. For last several weeks, we've been hearing from Jesus how much he cares for us. In fact, at the beginning of this long Thursday night, back in Chapter 13, verse 1, John introduces this section by telling us that Jesus, “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” Jesus loves us — we know that.So these two things: We know the Father loves Jesus. And we know that Jesus loves us. We know this before verse 9, but in verse 9 this is new: Jesus tells us that he loves us as the Father has loved him. The two things come together. We learn that Jesus's love for us is patterned after, and flows from, the Father's love for him. That eternal, powerful, perfect love the Father has for Jesus is how Jesus loves you and me. And look, let's be honest. We don't really know what that means. We can't comprehend this. It's too much. We can't fully understand this love, but we must abide in it. Jesus says so. Remain in this love. Stay put in this love.Daily Assurance of His LoveIf you do — if you just stay put in the love of Jesus — you will never go wrong. Jesus tells us this, but our own experience often points in same direction.Over the years, I've learned that I get my wobbliest when I lose sight of Jesus's love for me. I'm convinced that the most critical need in my daily experience as a Christian is to be assured of the love of Jesus. I think this is an aspect of how the Spirit ministers the realness of Jesus to us, and I learned this from the apostle Paul … Because in Ephesians Chapter 4, Paul prays for the church — for us — that, according to the riches of God's glory, that God would strengthen us with the Spirit's power to comprehend the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. That's what Paul says. Paul prays that we comprehend more and more the incomprehensible love of Jesus. That is God's power in our lives.And in my own life, it works out like this … the more I am assured of Jesus's love for me and how much I don't deserve it, then the more I am humbled and filled with joy, and then the more I am poured out in love for others, and then the more I magnify the glory of God. That's my testimony. Any kind of meaningful fruit in my life has come from abiding in the love of Jesus. I know I'm no good for you apart from that. I'm no good for my wife, for my children apart from that. We are all no good for anybody apart from the love of Jesus. Stay put in that love. How to Stay PutBut how exactly? How do I stay put in the love of Jesus? Well, Jesus tells us in verse 10:“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.”That's simple enough. And we've already seen some of this back in Chapter 14: that our obedience to Jesus demonstrates our love for Jesus — We learn here that our obedience to Jesus is what it means to abide in him.In other words, abiding in the love of Jesus means we do what Jesus says. And this is not fine print we're supposed to ignore. It's right there, right beside the abiding. If we keep his commandments (if we do what he says), we will abide in his love. These two always come together: salvation and discipleship. And we need to make sure to get this right in how we give Jesus to others. Sometimes, I think in an effort to make Jesus seem more appealing to people, Christians can emphasize his love but downplay his moral demands … as if his moral demands are not part of his love. We gotta understand that Jesus telling us how to live is part of his love for us. He saves us to lead us, not to leave us to ourselves. This is why true faith in Jesus always includes repentance from sin. Faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. Every time we turn to Jesus, we are turning from something else. And that is always good news. It's always the best thing you can do. And if you're concerned that obedience to Jesus is a burden, just look what he says in verse 11. He says, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”The real question is: Do we want the joy of Jesus, or are we gonna keep chasing the lesser joys of this world?If we want the joy of Jesus, abide in his love, which means doing what he says, which means … he calls us friends. See how this comes together? Verse 10: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.”Verse 14: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”Abiding in the love of Jesus (and doing what Jesus says) are one thing — and that's how you become a friend of Jesus.Now, the third way you become a friend of Jesus …3. You love his other friends. A couple of weeks ago we talked about what's in view when Jesus mentions his commandments. It's not just the quotations of Jesus in the Gospels, but the commandments of Jesus are really the entire biblical testimony. It's the whole hog of God's moral will revealed in Scripture which is summarized in love — love for God and love for neighbor. The Bible teaches us to show kindness and goodwill to all people (Matthew 22:37–40; Romans 13:9). This is called neighbor-love. It's all background and baseline to what Jesus says here, and it's important to keep in mind because it helps us understand that the love Jesus is talking about in verse 12 goes a level deeper.And this is one you gotta see. So everybody find verse 12 for a minute and help me out. Chapter 15, verse 12, Jesus says:“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Our Supernatural LoveSo Jesus has narrowed the object of love and the kind of love it is. The object of love is not all people everywhere — he's not talking about neighbor-love. He's talking about one another.As we've seen back in Chapter 13, this is love for fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. And as for the kind of love we have, Jesus says, is the love he has for us. Which, remember, is the love that the Father has for him.This is dense, but track with what Jesus is saying: Jesus loves us as the Father has loved him. Jesus tells us to love one another as he has loved us! Which means: the love of Jesus for Christians becomes the love of Jesus between Christians. This is next level. The love we share as brothers and sisters in Christ is love that finds its source in the Holy Trinity. It is supernatural love. It literally is not of this world. And that's why divisions in local churches, among Christians, should grieve us. So often it's because we've adopted the world's way of thinking.Framework for DivisionTo help here, let's step back for a minute and I want to give you a framework for how to think about division overall. Think about it in three tiers: there's disagreement, then dispute, then division.Disagreement is simply when we think differently about something (happens all the time). Dispute is when the thing we disagree about merits formal mediation (we need to deliberately talk it out). Division is when you cannot find either agreement or acceptance, and so parties must separate.Got those three categories? Y'all wanna know why our world is so polarized? It's because in our world, every disagreement is automatically a division. Our world just flattens the whole thing. Because why not? Life is more comfortable that way. Where there is no bond of love between people, you don't put up with discomfort — that's the world's way of thinking. And so often — not all the time — but often, when there are divisions in the church, it's because we have adopted the world's mindset. We think our disagreements have more power than the love of the Trinity that we share. We Are a ChurchThis is why the polarization of local churches should grieve us. And it's why we don't do it here.Over the years, we've had people divide from our church because we're not woke and because we're not MAGA. Which is true. We are neither. Because we're a church. … a church.And that means, yes, we stand firm with moral clarity: Abortion is murder. Every human is created in God's image and has wonderful dignity. Marriage is between a man and woman. There are only two sexes, male and female, and they're different. If one's highest allegiance is to anything other than Jesus it's idolatry.None of that's political. They're just facts according to the Word of God, and we believe them like we believe in oxygen.That's part of what it means to be a true church — and it means that we are friends of Jesus. The love we share is Jesus's love for us, which is sacrificial, verse 13 — it's love sacrificial enough to endure disagreement. To bear with one another, forgiving one another as the Lord has forgiven us (see Colossians 3:13).To be a friend of Jesus, it means you love his other friends.Don't you wanna be a friend of Jesus? First, he's gotta call you his friend.Second, you abide in his love (do what he says).Third, you love his other friends.And all these things are true of us only by the power of the Holy Spirit. And that's what brings us to the Table this morning — because where else do friends go?The TableWhat we do here when we eat the bread and drink the cup is often called communion. It's because we are together sharing in our common union to Jesus. We are, at the same time, remembering the death of Jesus for us, and that it's his death that brings us together and keeps us. We are brothers and sisters together of Christ. He calls us friends.And if that's you, if you've trusted in Christ, we invite you to eat and drink with us. His body is the true bread. His blood is the true drink. Let us serve you.

God is faithful to us for His own Glory.

“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” (Psalm 10:4) It is significant that the word “wicked” does not necessarily... More...

It's the critic's counterclaim, the “faithful doubter's” last redoubt: “Say less about the grace of God, and more of human duty.” Afraid that others may secure by gift what they haven't won by long, intensive effort, persistent voices challenge those who speak and preach of grace.  “You make it all too easy,” they complain. “Where's the struggle, pain, and sacrifice? Where are the nights of deep uncertainty when you despair of ever being right with God?”  There's just one answer for such fears, and it originated in the mind of God: “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God” (Eph 2:8).  Only the Word that comes from God can overcome the human pride that needs its efforts recognized. The apostle Paul, filled with the truth that rests in God, emphatically declared: “For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law” (Rom 3:28). Those who truly grasp God's grace are never slow to live His love. The life of holiness begins when we receive what we can never earn.  So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.Hebrews 3:12-19BETTER DELIVERERTherefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.Hebrews 3:12-19“They shall not enter my rest.”6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.Hebrews 3:12-19Green Day - American Idiot “Don't want to be an…”Rage Against The Machine - Killing in the Name “I won't do what you tell me”JONATHAN EDWARDS(photo)70 Resolutions by Jonathan EdwardsResolution one: “I will live for God.”Resolution two: “If no one else does, I still will.”Resolution six:“I won't live halfway — I'm going all in while I have time.”Resolution seven: “I'm going to live now the way I'll wish I had at the end of my life.”Deliverance: the action of being rescued or set freeDeliverance is not a transition from something bad to something neutral, it's going from some bad to something good.According to Morris, the ancient Rabbis considered Moses to be the greatest man ever, greater than the angels.The writer to the Hebrews does nothing to criticize Moses.David Guzik7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,“Today, if you hear his voice,8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,     on the day of testing in the wilderness,9 where your fathers put me to the test     and saw my works for forty years.10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;     they have not known my ways.'11 As I swore in my wrath,     ‘They shall not enter my rest.'”12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. Hebrews 3:7-12What they did —> What that shows us about God —> The outcomeMoses - (OUT)What Moses did: freed God's people from 400 years of oppressionWhat that shows us about God: God cares deeply about rescuing us from our burdens16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.Hebrews 4:16The Outcome: It was not enough for themJoshua - (IN)What Joshua did: Brought God's people into the Promise Land after 40 years of wanderingWhat that shows us about God: God cares deeply about fulfilling our desiresThe Outcome: It was not enough for them19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.Hebrews 3:15-19One can truly believe God, yet be occasionally troubled by doubts. There is a doubt that wants God's promise but is weak in faith at the moment. Unbelief isn't weakness of faith; it sets itself in opposition to faith.David GuzikYour unbelief is your fault, not your misfortune.Charles Spurgeon6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.Hebrews 4:6-10Jesus - (NOW)What Jesus did: Paid for sin with His own life once and for all.What that shows us about God: What God cares most about is our DEEPEST good.“Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others do the same.”C.S. LewisThe Outcome: Jesus is enough and can be en...

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. – Ephesians 3:17 In this message from Ephesians 3, we're reminded that God's presence isn't reserved for a place, but for a people—and that we experience His fullness together.

Janine van Niekerk gesels met Bianca de Bruyn oor haar nuwe liedjie, God My King.

In this week's podcast episode, we take a deep and thoughtful look at **Gospel of Matthew 7:1–12**, examining Jesus' powerful teaching on **judging others, God's love, biblical correction, and the Golden Rule**. If you've ever wondered what “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” really means—or how this famous verse reveals the depth of God's love—this episode is packed with insight, clarity, and practical application.We begin by exploring Jesus' warning: *“Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.”* But what does that truly mean? We unpack the difference between **unbiblical judgment**—a final verdict that closes the door on love—and **biblical correction**, which is rooted in compassion, truth, and restoration. Calling out sin in a loving, biblical way is not a form of judgment; rather, **judgment is the refusal to love enough to keep praying, guiding, and evangelising**.This episode highlights how Jesus calls us to humility instead of harshness, mercy instead of condemnation, and a lifestyle that reflects the grace we've been given.Next, we explore how Jesus shifts to the character of our Heavenly Father. If we, flawed and selfish as we are, know how to give good gifts to our children, **how much more** will God—who is perfect love—give good things to those who ask? Notice that Jesus uses examples of *needs*, like bread and fish, to show that God provides what is truly nourishing and essential, not just what we desire.This transitions seamlessly into the heart of the passage: **the Golden Rule**. Together we discover how:* The Golden Rule reflects the love and goodness of God* God's generosity empowers us to treat others with compassion* Biblical correction flows from love, not condemnation* Showing true love may introduce someone to real love for the very first time* Living out “Do unto others” is only possible when we draw from the love God has shown us* We represent God's heart when we love, forgive, give, and refuse to issue final judgmentUltimately, this episode reveals how **Matthew 7:1–12** is a unified teaching about experiencing God's love and reflecting that love to others—through how we speak, act, correct, forgive, and live.If you want to understand the Golden Rule more deeply, if you wrestle with the idea of judgment, or if you desire to grow in Christlike love and biblical wisdom, this episode offers rich encouragement and practical guidance.**Tune in now to explore how Jesus' words in Matthew 7 can transform your relationships, deepen your faith, and help you love others the way God loves you

February 15, 2026Judges 13:1-5, 14:1-9And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.  Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean,  for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines.  Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.” But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”  His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring.  Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.  Then he went down and talked with the woman, and she was right in Samson's eyes.After some days he returned to take her. And he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. He scraped it out into his hands and went on, eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother and gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion.Big Idea: God's story of deliverance doesn't end with defeat or death, so we must live into our powerless posture to reveal the grace of God.

In God Can Write Your Love Story, we're reminded that our relationships are safest in God's hands. Whether you're waiting, building, healing, or rebuilding, this message speaks to trusting God's timing, protecting what matters most, and allowing Him to shape your heart along the way. No season is wasted when it's surrendered to Him. If you've ever wondered how faith and love truly come together, this message will encourage you to let God be the Author of your story.This is the official Facebook and YouTube channel of Champion Christian Center. Our mission is to love God, reach the one, and change the world. Through Bible-based sermons and devotionals, you'll learn how to understand the Word of God, fulfill God's plan for your life, and make a positive impact on the world around you. If you are local, we would love to meet you in person! We are located in Washington, PA and led by Pastors Nathan and Joie Miller.For more life-changing resources, visit us at www.championcenter.com.Subscribe to our YouTube channel:/ @championcenter1To give online:https://pushpay.com/g/championchristiancenter——Champion Christian Center Facebook:/ championccenterChampion Christian Center Instagram:@championccenter

In God Can Write Your Love Story, we're reminded that our relationships are safest in God's hands. Whether you're waiting, building, healing, or rebuilding, this message speaks to trusting God's timing, protecting what matters most, and allowing Him to shape your heart along the way. No season is wasted when it's surrendered to Him. If you've ever wondered how faith and love truly come together, this message will encourage you to let God be the Author of your story.This is the official Facebook and YouTube channel of Champion Christian Center. Our mission is to love God, reach the one, and change the world. Through Bible-based sermons and devotionals, you'll learn how to understand the Word of God, fulfill God's plan for your life, and make a positive impact on the world around you. If you are local, we would love to meet you in person! We are located in Washington, PA and led by Pastors Nathan and Joie Miller.For more life-changing resources, visit us at www.championcenter.com.Subscribe to our YouTube channel:/ @championcenter1To give online:https://pushpay.com/g/championchristiancenter——Champion Christian Center Facebook:/ championccenterChampion Christian Center Instagram:@championccenter

God: God the Son | Colossians 1:15-20 | Corbin Hobbs ABOUT THIS MESSAGE: Jesus Christ is God made visible. This week Corbin teaches us how He creates, sustains, leads, and saves. Colossians 1 calls us from casual opinions to personal conviction, worship, and wholehearted surrender. 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

In God Can Write Your Love Story, we're reminded that our relationships are safest in God's hands. Whether you're waiting, building, healing, or rebuilding, this message speaks to trusting God's timing, protecting what matters most, and allowing Him to shape your heart along the way. No season is wasted when it's surrendered to Him. If you've ever wondered how faith and love truly come together, this message will encourage you to let God be the Author of your story.This is the official Facebook and YouTube channel of Champion Christian Center. Our mission is to love God, reach the one, and change the world. Through Bible-based sermons and devotionals, you'll learn how to understand the Word of God, fulfill God's plan for your life, and make a positive impact on the world around you. If you are local, we would love to meet you in person! We are located in Washington, PA and led by Pastors Nathan and Joie Miller.For more life-changing resources, visit us at www.championcenter.com.Subscribe to our YouTube channel:/ @championcenter1To give online:https://pushpay.com/g/championchristiancenter——Champion Christian Center Facebook:/ championccenterChampion Christian Center Instagram:@championccenter

In God Can Write Your Love Story, we're reminded that our relationships are safest in God's hands. Whether you're waiting, building, healing, or rebuilding, this message speaks to trusting God's timing, protecting what matters most, and allowing Him to shape your heart along the way. No season is wasted when it's surrendered to Him. If you've ever wondered how faith and love truly come together, this message will encourage you to let God be the Author of your story.This is the official Facebook and YouTube channel of Champion Christian Center. Our mission is to love God, reach the one, and change the world. Through Bible-based sermons and devotionals, you'll learn how to understand the Word of God, fulfill God's plan for your life, and make a positive impact on the world around you. If you are local, we would love to meet you in person! We are located in Washington, PA and led by Pastors Nathan and Joie Miller.For more life-changing resources, visit us at www.championcenter.com.Subscribe to our YouTube channel:/ @championcenter1To give online:https://pushpay.com/g/championchristiancenter——Champion Christian Center Facebook:/ championccenterChampion Christian Center Instagram:@championccenter

Discovering the God Jesus Knows Week 5In this message, Russ explores one of the most familiar yet most misunderstood attributes of God: God is love. Scripture says it plainly—but many of us still live with a quiet belief that God's love is conditional, dependent on our performance or our ability to “get it right.” Drawing from 1 John 4, Romans 8, Philippians 3, and real-life stories, we look at how performance-based faith distorts our identity, fuels shame, and keeps us from experiencing the unconditional love God already offers. This message invites us to lay down legalism, embrace the freedom of grace, and rediscover a God whose love is unchanging—on our good days and our bad ones.

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.

A message from our Lead Pastor Randy Dane 

Today, we move from a hidden season into a holy interruption. At the end of Exodus chapter 2 we read of 4 actions of God: God heard, God remembered, God saw, and God knew what was going on with his people. Today, in Exodus chapters 3 ad 4, we'll discuss how God speaks. God called Moses to a specific task, but Moses was reluctant to step into his calling. Thankfully, God even works through reluctant leaders when they reach the place of obedience. Today, we'll learn that excuses delay what obedience delivers.

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.

David continues the sermon series, Knowing God. Today, he is in Luke 15:11-32. Sermon titled "God of Mercy." 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 prophet Jeremiah has a word for the prophets of today- who prophesy lies in the Name of God- God did not send you! The Power of God's wrath is coming!

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

It's easy to drift along, day after day – not ever realising that we're on a gentle, downward slope, until it's too late. But the beauty of God's grace is that it's never, ever too late to change things. It's never, ever too late to turn your life around.   Same Old Same Old The thing about life is that it, well, it seems to just crank along, day after day – get up, have a shower, have breakfast, hit the commute, go to work, come home, do the TV, go to bed, get up ... isn't that the routine? Ninety nine point nine percent of life seems to be everyday, mundane realities – punctuated, granted, with the odd high and low. And the more we live that same old same old, the more we become accustomed to that reality; we get used to it. For many people there is a dull ache in their hearts; for others there is this sense that, there has to be something more. You know I work in God's service, in full time ministry and every Sunday evening I talk with my mother on the phone – it's our little routine – and she asks me "Berni, what's been going on in your life?" And I'm your typical male, I say "Well, Mum, you know it was kind of the same as last week; nothing particularly new – same old same old." And it's true! The problem is for so many, many people, this same old same old routine is about drifting away from God. It's about living out a busy life and just struggling to get by and consuming mountains of drivel from the TV that ... well, we forget what life is all about. And before we know it, God seems like ... well, it seems like He is just a million miles away. Have you ever felt that in your life? You know, you can even be on holidays, having a great vacation somewhere, with time on your hands and yet, it still feels like God is a million miles away. There's a reason for that – there is! And today on the programme we are going to discover the reason and the remedy. This is the last in a series of four messages that I have called "Defining Moments". We are going to have a look at a King in Israel's history; a man named Josiah – to discover what is the reason and the remedy. But before we look at Josiah, we need to have a look at his grandfather and his father because his grandfather and father, Manasseh and Amon, those two guys are the reason. And through Josiah's life; through a defining moment in his life we discover the remedy. See, Manasseh and Amon – we can see through them how we can drift away from God – just through little compromises, it seems at first, until life itself is at stake. And through Josiah what we are going to see how easy it is to turn that around. I just want to position where that story comes in Israel's history. God first engaged with His chosen people through Abraham and Abraham and his son called Isaac and Isaac had a son called Jacob and Jacob had twelve sons, one of who was Joseph of "Technicoloured Dream Coat" fame. And these were the twelve tribes of Israel and they grew and they grew into this massive nation and for four hundred years they were keep in Egypt as slaves. Then eventually God calls Moses to go to Pharaoh and say, "Let My people go" and that happens through a series of miracles. And then around about 1280BC, the exodus begins – you know, forty years in the desert, they end up in the Promised Land and then there is a period of Judges until Saul becomes King in around 1050BC, followed by King David and then King Solomon. But after Solomon's reign, Israel splits in two – the ten Northern tribes are called 'Israel' and the two Southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin are referred to as 'Judah' – and that happens around 930BC. All along Judah struggles with God and remember…..remember the first two commandments that God gives to His people. You can read them in Exodus chapter 20, beginning at verse 2: I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the Land of Egypt; out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing the children for the iniquity of their parents to the third and fourth generations of those who reject Me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love Me and keep My commandments. See, God's pretty clear – God is saying "I'm your God. I'm the one who took you out of slavery – I must be first in your life!' And that's what God's people struggled with! They had some good Kings and they had some really bad Kings - they had their ups and had their downs. Fortunately, God is slow to anger but they were testing His patience. We pick up this roller coaster ride of Israel with these two Kings, Manasseh and his son Amon. The name 'Manasseh' means 'to cause forgetfulness' and that was so apt because under his rule God's people forgot to put God first. Pick it up – if you have got a Bible, open it at Second Chronicles chapter 33, beginning at verse 1: Manasseh was twelve years old when he became King. He reigned fifty five years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord according to the abominable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. For He rebuilt the high places that his father, Hezekiah had pulled down and erected alters to the Baals and made sacred poles and worshipped all the hosts of heaven and served them. He built alters in the House of the Lord of which the Lord had said, "In Jerusalem shall My name forever be." He built alters for all the hosts of heaven in the two courts of the House of the Lord. He made his son pass through fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom, practiced soothsaying and augury and sorcery and dealt with mediums and wizards. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking God to anger. The carved image of the idol that he had made he set up in the House of God, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon: "In this house and in Jerusalem which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever. I will never again remove the feet of Israel from the land that I appointed to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do all that I have commanded them, all the law, the statutes and the ordinances given through Moses. Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the people of Israel. The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to His people, but they gave no heed. And it was exactly the same with his son, Amon – Second Chronicles chapter 33, beginning at verse 22: Amon too, did what was evil in the sight of the Lord as his father Manasseh had done. Amon sacrificed to all the images his father Manasseh had made, and served them. He did not humble himself before the Lord as his father Manasseh had humbled himself, by this Amon incurred more and more guilt. Can I tell you, this in not just Israel's problem, it's our problem? Things just creep in, don't they? We all! "Well dad did it that way. Everybody else is doing it that way. Let's just go with the flow." And so Manasseh was defeated by the Babylonians in battle and Amon was murdered by his servants. See, going with the flow; with popular public opinion seems really easy. It's so acceptable to everyone around us, isn't it? But going with the flow ... well, going with the flow has consequences.   Through the Eyes of Babes As you and I can plainly see, Manasseh and Amon made a hash of things and they kindled God's wrath. You know, one of the things we see a bit of in the Old Testament is God's wrath but it always comes after He has tried talking sense into His people first and it always ... always involves redemption. God's wrath always involves bring His people back to Him. It's about bringing them to their senses and calling them back to Himself. So these two Kings of Judah, Manasseh and Amon, they blew it! Now what comes next? Well, what comes next is a young boy with a right heart. Join me as we take a look – if you have got your Bible, get it open at Second Chronicles, in the Old Testament, chapter 34, beginning at verse 1: Josiah, (Amon's son, Manasseh's grandson) Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign – he reigned for thirty one years in Jerusalem. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of his ancestor David; he didn't turn aside to the right or to the left. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a boy, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David and in the twelfth year, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of all those high places and sacred poles and carved and cast images. In his presence they pulled down the altars of the Baals; he demolished the incense alters that stood above them. He broke down the sacred poles and the carved and the cast images; he made dust of them and scattered it over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars and purged Judah and Jerusalem. In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon and as far as Naphtali, in their ruins all around, he broke down the altars, beat the sacred poles and the images into powder and demolished all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem. Now get this ... Josiah is eight years old when he becomes King! Do you remember how mature you were when you were eight years old? Right! And in just another eight years, when he was sixteen years old, at a time when most of us were being precocious, painful, petulant teenagers, this child King decided that it was time to turn things around. Now it mustn't have been easy – sure he was a King, but look what happened to his old man – Amon was murdered by his own courtiers. Now, in this country everyone was worshipping idols – everybody – it was the culture; it was the way of life – powerful people, rich people, poor people - they were all worshipping idols and offering up to other gods. And this young sixteen year old, Josiah, didn't just say to his people, "No, no, it's wrong, don't do it" – he had his army destroy their places of worship. He travelled through the land; he executed the priests of these false gods and he made it clear that the King was not going to tolerate God's chosen people doing exactly the thing that God had told them not to do. And he even takes the sacred poles and the images and the idols and he reduces them; he pounds them into powder. See, Josiah is swimming against the tide – he is going against the flow and that always takes courage. Perhaps life has been drifting along for you and you have been going the easy road; just the way everyone else is going. Not in every area of your life 'I still go to church; I still believe in God. No, those things are still there' but in those hidden areas of life – how you spend your money or where you place your priorities – that's what this is about. Who or what comes first in our hearts and our lives – God or someone or something else? Listen to Jesus' own words in Matthew chapter 7, beginning at verse 12: In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take that. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life and there are few who find it. It's so easy, isn't it, to just go with the flow, on that gentle downward slope? Doing what Josiah did takes a bundle of courage and resolve and I believe there are a few people today who need that courage and resolve and that's something we can't do for ourselves – that's something that comes by the power of God's Spirit, when we take in His Word. So Josiah prepared to go against the flow – it was risky; it was dangerous – he wouldn't have endeared himself to the people but he did it anyway. Now have a look at what happens next. This is the defining moment – it's a moment from God. Second Chronicles 34, verse 8: In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shephan the son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. They came to the high priest, Hilkiah and delivered the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel and from all of Judah and Benjamin and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They delivered the money to the workers who had oversight of the house of the Lord and the workers who were working in the house of the Lord gave it for repairing and restoring the house." They gave it to carpenters and builders and quarriers and timber for binding and all sorts of stuff. "The people did the work faithfully." "Now while they were bringing the money out that had been brought into the house of the Lord, the priest Hilkiah found the Book of the Law of the Lord, given to Moses and Hilkiah said to the secretary Shaphan, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord," and Hilkiah gave the Book to Shaphan and Shaphan brought the Book to the King and further reported to the King, "All that was committed to your servants they are doing. They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of the Lord and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and the workers. And the secretary Shaphan, informed the King, "The priest Hilkiah has given me this Book," and Shaphan then read it out aloud to the King. And when the King heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. Then the King commanded Hilkiah and Ahikam son of Shaphan and Abdon the son of Micah, the secretary Shaphan and the King's servant Asaiah: "Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the Book that has been found; for the wrath of the Lord that is poured out on us is great, because our ancestors did not keep the Word of the Lord, to act in accordance with all that is written in that Book." Now, we are going to look at what all that means next.   The Word that Saves Isn't that amazing – Josiah, while he is going about God's business, stumbles across the Word of God? It's hidden – God's people had even forgotten about God's Word. No wonder things were such a mighty mess. I liken this to the person today who has a Bible but it's kind of stuffed up somewhere in the top level of their wardrobe in the bedroom, gathering dust. The living Word of God – God's love letter to you and me – gathering dust; lost, forgotten and we wonder ... we wonder why our lives are in a mess! Can you believe this – the chief priest has lost God's Word? There are plenty of people who claim to be Christians – so many of them have lost God's Word. I mean, how do we expect to live in God's blessing and God's abundance of life if when He is trying to speak to us, we leave Him up on the shelf. Come on, wake up! Josiah defining moment is his reaction. When he discovers that God's Word has come out of the temple, he is distraught; he tears at his clothes, despite all the great things this young King has been doing, he is beside himself, that he has been missing out on God's Word. See, it's only now he is hearing from God when his secretary started reading out of God's Word. He is realising for the first twenty six years of his life he hasn't really known what God's will is. So he takes some action. He sends his people to one of God's prophets to enquire of God, "God, what does all this mean? What do we do now? Where do I go from here?" Let's take a look – Second Chronicles chapter 34, verse 20: Then the King commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan and Abdon son of Micah and the secretary Shaphan, and the King's servant Asaiah: "Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the Book that has been found, for the wrath of the Lord that is poured out on us is great, because our ancestors did not keep the Word of the Lord, to act in accordance with all that is written in that Book." So Hilkiah and those whom the King had sent went to the prophet Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah, (boy, a mouthful, huh?) keeper of the wardrobe (who lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter) and spoke to her to that effect. She declared to them, she said, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Tell the man who sent you to me: Thus says the Lord: I will indeed bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the Book that was read before the King of Judah. Because they have forsaken Me and have made offerings to other gods, so that they have provoked Me to anger with all the works of their hands, My wrath will be poured out on this place and it will not be quenched. But as to the King of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus you shall say to him: Thus says the Lord your God, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, because your heart was penitent and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His Words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before Me and you have torn your clothes and you have wept before Me, I also have heard you, says the Lord. I will gather you to your ancestors and you will be gathered to your grave in peace; your eyes shall not see the disaster that I will bring on this place and its inhabitants." They took that message back to the King. And that disaster is exactly what happened – we haven't got time to go there now but that's what happened. You can read it for yourself, that Josiah caused God's people to celebrate the Passover and to honour their God and he was spared. He died and then a few generations on, the Babylonians came and overran Judah – they destroyed the temple, Jerusalem was raised to the ground and they took all the people; God's people, out of the Promised Land to Babylon, into seventy years of slavery and captivity. But Josiah ... Josiah didn't suffer those consequences because he heard the Word of God and what? – He repented! All those great things beforehand that he did; they were truly wonderful; they showed his heart. But when he heard the tough things in the Word of God, he sought out God and he set his nation on a different course – despite the mixed blessings that the prophet spoke of. God's Word is God speaking! God's Word speaks of life; abundant life into our hearts. God speaks the truth – He speaks love and grace and mercy through His Word and yet, sometimes ... sometimes God's Word is God speaking some tough things into our lives – calling us to completely turn around. God's Word completely turns our world upside down because God's Word is about putting God first in our lives, not ourselves. God is calling us to die in order that we might live. And none of us ... none of us wants to die. None of us want to give up this rubbish that we are clinging onto for dear life but God is calling us….calling us to open His Word the Bible and hear Him speak. And the defining moment in the life of Josiah was when he discovered the Word of God and he tore his clothes because he realised that he had lived the first twenty six years of his life not hearing from God and he turned back to God and he turned his whole nation back to God. And no matter how far you and I have drifted away, if you are hearing this message today and you feel God's Spirit putting His finger on a place in your heart and you sense His conviction – if you are reacting right now, the way Josiah was reacting – deep distress – listen again with me to God's Word about this place you are in right now: "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, regarding the words that you have heard because your heart was penitent and you humbled yourself before God as you hear My Words and you have humbled yourself before Me now and are tearing your clothes and weeping in your heart before Me – I also have heard you," says the Lord. This is a powerful thing because God is a God who restores. God is a God who calls us back and when we turn back to Him, having drifted away; having taken the easy road; having just doddled along with public opinion and done it easy. When we finally come to our senses; when we hear the Word of God as you and I have heard it today, and we turn our lives back to Him – that's the defining moment – that's when God changes everything.

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.

Christmas is more than a season—it's the moment hope stepped into our darkness.   In this Christmas Eve message, we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the unshakable hope found in Him. Through the Christmas story and a powerful reminder that light matters most when the world feels dark, we're reminded that Jesus did not come into a perfect world—He came into a broken one, bringing light, life, and salvation.   This message explores three reasons we can confidently place our hope in God:   - God is always on time — Jesus arrived exactly when the world needed Him most (Galatians 4:4). - God cares about ordinary people — The first announcement of Jesus' birth was given to shepherds, reminding us that no one is overlooked by God (Luke 2:8–16). - God always keeps His promises — He sent a Savior just as He said He would, proving His faithfulness and love (John 3:16).   Jesus is the Light that shines in the darkness—and the darkness has not overcome it.  

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

INTRODUCTION — “THE FIRST FELT NEED IS TO KNOW ME.”Every year—like many pastors—I usually start January with a “felt needs” message series. Something to help us get our feet under us for a new year: stress, relationships, habits, purpose, prayer, identity… the things we're feeling right now.But as I was preparing for the first series of 2026, I heard the Holy Spirit speak something that immediately captured my attention. “The first felt need is to know Me.”I really believe The Lord is communicating to us, “The greatest need of My people is not a change in circumstances, but the greatest need of My people is clarity about who I AM.”If you don't know who He is… You won't trust Him.If you don't trust Him… You won't obey Him.If you don't obey Him…You won't experience the life He promised.[SO THIS YEAR…] before we talk about our needs, we are going to talk about His nature. We're going to start right where God Himself starts when He describes His own character.Not what culture says about God… Not what our trauma says about God… Not even what our feelings say about God… BUT WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT GOD.And there is one place in Scripture where God gives the most repeated, most quoted self-description of Himself in the entire Bible:FOUNDATIONAL SCRIPTUREExodus 34:6–7 (NIV) The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God,slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.This passage appears more than twenty times throughout the rest of Scripture. It is the Bible's anchor text for understanding the heart of God.[BUT IT DOES CREATE TENSION…] One moment God is compassionate, gracious, loving, forgiving… Then suddenly we read He “punishes the children”…SO… Is God merciful or is He vengeful? To answer that question, we need to look at the story behind these words.I. THE STORY BEHIND THE DESCRIPTIONBefore Exodus 34, God makes a covenant with Israel—He saves them out of slavery, brings them to Mount Sinai, gives them the Ten Commandments, and calls them to be SHAPED BY HIS CHARACTER so they can REPRESENT HIM TO THE WORLD.But as Moses is on the mountain receiving the covenant… Israel is at the bottom breaking the covenant… They build a golden calf. They worship an idol.God is hurt. God is angry. God tells Moses, “They will keep doing this. This rebellion will never stop.” AND God is ready to call off the covenant—And He would have been absolutely just in doing so!But Moses intercedes and reminds God of His promise to rescue the world through Abraham's family.[SO NOW THE QUESTION IS…] Will God give Israel what they deserve,or will He give them who He is?In response to that question— In response to human rebellion, human weakness, and human failure— GOD REVEALS HIS CHARACTER.II. THE FIVE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (THE CENTERPIECE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT)The description in Exodus 34:6–7 has five core traits:Compassionate; Gracious; Slow to Anger; Abounding in Loyal Love; Faithful / TruthfulCompassion is listed first—not by accident. And today we're going to begin with the first thing God wants us to know about Him:III. THE GOD WHO IS COMPASSIONATE“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate God…” —Exodus 34:6The Hebrew word is raḥûm {ra-khum} (רַחוּם).Its noun form is raḥamîm (compassion).Both come from the Hebrew root rechem — womb.To the ancient Hebrew mind, compassion is not a soft, vague feeling.It is love ROOTED IN THE DEEPEST PLACE OF HUMAN EMOTION—a mother's fierce, protective, tender love for her vulnerable child.Compassion is not distant pity. It is GUT-LEVEL MOVEMENT TOWARD SOMEONE IN PAIN.A. Compassion HAS DEEP EMOTION — 1 Kings 3In Solomon's famous judgment between two mothers, the real mother is described as being “deeply moved”—the Hebrew is raḥamîm—compassion rising from her core, from her womb.She would rather lose her child to another woman than see him harmed.Compassion MOVES YOU TOWARD ANOTHER'S GOOD AT YOUR OWN COST.{BIG KEY} THIS IS THE FIRST WORD God chooses to DESCRIBE HIMSELF!B. Compassion MOVES GOD TO ACTIONCompassion isn't just God's feeling—it is God's movement. When Israel cries out in Egypt, Scripture says God “heard their groaning” and was moved with raḥamîm to rescue them.In the wilderness, though they complained and doubted, God sustained them like a mother with Food, Water, Protection, Clothing that did not wear out, Leadership, guidance, and mercy!{BIG KEY} When God reveals His character, the very first trait He mentions is COMPASSION.C. Israel Rejects God's Compassion… but GOD REMAINS COMPASSIONATEDespite His tenderness, Israel continually rejects Him. They worship idols. They oppress each other. They abandon Him and heir rebellion leads to exile.In the darkest moment, God speaks through Isaiah: Isaiah 49:15 Can a mother forget her nursing child, or have no compassion (raḥamîm) on the child of her womb? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.Even when Israel forgets God— God promises that He will not forget them!He is more faithful than the most faithful mother. More tender than the most tender heart. More committed than the most committed parent.[AND ISAIAH ANNOUNCES SOMETHING RADICAL…] God will rescue His people by ENTERING INTO THEIR SUFFERING HIMSELF.IV. JESUS IS THE COMPASSION OF GOD IN HUMAN FORMWhen Jesus steps onto the scene, He is the fulfillment of Exodus 34:6.The Greek word for compassion in the New Testament is oiktirmos {oeek-teir-mose} (οἰκτιρμός).It means deep pity; heart-moved mercy; compassion that expresses itself in action.There is also another word often used of Jesus' compassion:splagchnizomai {splank-knee-ZOE-my}— compassion from the inner parts, the guts, the womb-like center of a person.Jesus is the raḥûm of God walking among us.JESUS HEALS Because He Is CompassionateHe touches the leper; He lifts the broken; He feeds the hungry; He embraces the outcast.JESUS WEEPS Because He Is CompassionateAt Lazarus's tomb, He is deeply moved; He enters our grief.JESUS PROTECTS Because He Is CompassionateIn Luke 13:34, He compares Himself to: “a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings.” Again we see the mother-heart of God.JESUS SAVES Because He Is CompassionateThe ultimate oiktirmos {oeek-teir-mose} is the cross. Jesus enters humanity's suffering, sin, sorrow, death— Not because we deserved it, but because He COULDN'T LEAVE US WHERE WE WERE.V. THE TENSION OF COMPASSION AND JUSTICE[NOW LET'S TURN BACK TO…] Exodus 34.God is compassionate… But He is also just. He forgives wickedness, rebellion, and sin… But He “does not leave the guilty unpunished.”Is this contradiction? No—it is the balancing of God's character.A. The Third and Fourth GenerationsThe phrase “punishes to the third and fourth generation” does not mean God is punishing innocent grandchildren.It means God limits the consequences of generational rebellion only to those who continue it.In Hebrew thought:“Thousands” = countless generations“Three or four” = a very limited number{BIG KEY} God's LOYAL LOVE IS THOUSANDS OF TIMES GREATER than His judgment.God LEANS OVERWHELMINGLY TOWARD MERCY.He only gives judgment WHEN PEOPLE CONTINUOUSLY REJECT HIS COMPASSION.VI. WHAT COMPASSION REQUIRES FROM USBecause God is compassionate, Scripture calls us to embody His compassion:Luke 6:36 Be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.”2 Corinthians 1:3–4 God comforts us so we can comfort others.Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another…When we see suffering— Be moved.When we see brokenness— Move toward it.When we see pain— Don't look away; Don't harden your heart; Don't grow numb.Compassion is the character of God developed within His people.Agape, if we want to represent the God who is, we must become a people who reflect what He is.VII. APPLYING GOD'S COMPASSION TODAY1. When you are hurting, GOD MOVES TOWARD YOU, NOT AWAY FROM YOU.Some of you think God is disappointed or distant.No—He is moved by your pain.2. When you fail, GOD'S COMPASSION DOES NOT RUN OUT.Israel failed repeatedly—but God remained compassionate.3. When you see suffering, GOD WANTS TO MOVE THROUGH YOU.Compassion is not a feeling—it is participation.4. GOD'S COMPASSION IS STRONGER THAN YOUR GENERATIONAL PATTERNS.Three or four generations of sin cannot outweigh thousands of generations of God's loyal love.5. THE CROSS PROVES COMPASSION WINS.Jesus does not abandon His children—He gathers them.CONCLUSION — THE GOD WHO IS COMPASSIONATESO WHEN GOD REVEALS HIMSELF—not when Moses describes Him, not when people guess about Him, not when circumstances try to interpret Him— God tells Moses the very first word: COMPASSIONATE.THE God with a mother's heart…THE God who moves toward the hurting…THE God who feels deeply and acts timely…THE God who enters suffering, not avoids it…THE God who forgives before He judges…THE God whose love lasts to a thousand generations…THIS IS THE GOD WHO IS COMPASSIONATE.And this is where we begin 2026. Not with what we feel… BUT WITH WHO GOD IS.Today— Let's respond to the God who moves toward us.

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.

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

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!

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