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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BIBLE STUDY| MIRACLES OF JESUS SERIES.|THE FIFTH MIRACLE OF JESUS pt.10| WALKING BEFORE GOD, COVENANT, IDENTITY & ETERNAL WITNESS|JESUS WALKING ON WATER| CHIMDI OHAHUNA MARK 4:38 – “And They Awoke Him” They had fished all night. They were professional sailors. They had lowered the sails, bailed the water, tightened the ropes — everything their expertise taught them. Yet the boat was sinking, and Jesus was sleeping.In one of the rawest moments in the Gospels, the disciples finally run out of options and cry, “Master, don't You care that we are perishing?” And with three words — “Peace, be still” — the One who was their last resort proved He should have been their only resort. This power-packed session from Go Forward Conference 2025 tears the mask off every subtle form of self-dependence we still carry into ministry, business, marriage, and destiny. You will discover: ✓ Why your professionalism, degrees, experience, and five-fold strategy will always reach a storm it cannot calm . ✓ How the grace of God does not compete with your ability, rather it completes and augments it.(Proverbs 3:5) ✓ The dangerous difference between doing things that are good, moral, and ethical etc. and doing things that are scriptural and Christ-exalting. ✓ Why secular trends are the new “wood, hay, and stubble” of modern Christianity. ✓ The lie from hell that says “I'm praying too much” or bothering God” (God calls your prayers incense, not inconvenience! Revelation 5:8-9) ✓ How to disturb God in audacious faith instead of complaining in paralysing fear (Jeremiah 33:3, Psalm 55:16-17) ✓ The forgotten truth of Genesis 2: God rested so YOU could progress, but only when His hand is on your head can your head ever work right. ✓ Why depression, frustration, and burnout are symptoms of a head operating without the laid-on hand of God (Isaiah 45:1, Psalm 20:6) Beloved, this is not another motivational talk. This is a prophetic confrontation against every place we have made Christ Jesus Plan B. • If you've ever felt like you're rowing hard but sinking fast • If you're tired of sensual, earthly wisdom that can explain problems but never silence storms • If you're ready to move from “I'll call on Him when all else fails” to “He is my first, my only, my immediate resort” Then, Awake Him now. The storm is listening. Key Scriptures: Mark 4:35-41 • Proverbs 3:5-6 • Jeremiah 33:3 • Ephesians 5:17 • Isaiah 45:1 • Genesis 2:15-20 • Acts 3:6-9 Don't just attend the conference. Let this session mark the day you stopped helping God and started letting God help you. Any questions arising from this study can be submitted to chimdiohahunaministry@gmail.com. Check our bio to know how to give your love offerings to the ministry. Grace to you! Jesus is Lord. #GoForward2025 #AwakeHim #JesusMyOnlyResort #HandOnMyHead

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

God is a supernatural God – God goes ahead of us – God knows all things – God is all powerful – God is all loving and God pours out gifts through His people into other people's lives. And that's the powerful truth we're going to share in today!   A Loving Dad Let's imagine just for a moment, that there is a father who has some children – he is their dad - in a very real sense, he created them. He loves them as a father loves his children but well, they've been separated from one another for a long time. He has never stopped loving them; he has never stopped thinking about them and one day they come back to him. They are reunited as a family and the father is just overjoyed. He goes to the airport to meet them; his heart is in his throat, there are tears in his eyes and like any father in that situation, he takes with him some gifts to give to these children – beautifully wrapped and especially chosen for each of them. To give a gift in that circumstance would be completely in character for a father to do because that is what dads do because there would be love and a joy – and it just makes us want to give gifts. And since we are made in God's image then it would be entirely reasonable to expect that God our Father would be exactly the same. Over the last three weeks we have been working our way through a series that I've called "The Holy Spirit and Me". Three weeks ago we began looking at how Jesus promised to give each person who believed in Him the Holy Spirit – another Comforter; another counsellor, just like Jesus. And then the next week we looked at the fact that, when that happens; when we accept Jesus and we are filled with His Spirit, then He begins to deal with our sin. The Spirit is called the Holy Spirit and part of what He does in us is to help us take that rubbish out from our former life and throw it out so that we can be free to live the life that God always intended. And last week we looked at the fact that God knows each one of us intimately. He looks at you and knows you just the way you are. He looks at me and He knows me just the way I am. And so He approaches us in different ways - in ways that He chooses to build a relationship with us through His Holy Spirit. This week we are going to finish this series off looking at the gifts of the Spirit. It turns out that the New Testament talks about three different types of gifts of the Spirit. Now I'm no Greek scholar but the Greek word that is used in the New Testament for "gift" is "charisma" – we know that word fairly well – and the Greek word that is used for 'joy' is almost the same word, it's "charis" – the same sort of derivative. So they are free gifts that come from God that give joy at being reunited with Him as His children – they are free gifts and they are gifts of joy. Let's take a bit of time today, if you can hang around with me for a few minutes today, just to look at some of those gifts and just to get a sense of what God is doing. We can't go through them all in detail, but just to kind of expose them and unpack them a little bit and be aware of them so that we can eagerly desire those gifts. A gift by definition is free but we need to be ready to receive. So it is given as a gift not only to us but for the potential benefit of other people. The first lot of gifts that are talked about in the Bible happened in Romans chapter 12, verses 3 to 8 – it's written by Paul. Let me read it to you. For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you, don't think of yourself more highly than you should but think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as one body we have many members and not all of the members have the same function. So we who are many are one in Christ and individually we are members of one another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us – prophesy in proportion to faith, ministry in ministering, the teacher in teaching, the exhorter in exhortation, the giver in generosity, the leader in diligence, the compassionate in cheerfulness. Now, none of those are kind of spooky, airy-fairy gifts – they are pretty straight forward gifts – to prophesy means to speak God's will; to speak what God is thinking into a situation. We sometimes think of it as predicting the future, but most often, it's about speaking God's will, encouraging, admonishing into a situation. Some people have that gift. Other people have the gift just to minister to other people. Some people have the gift of teaching. Other people have the gift of exhortation, of encouraging, of lifting them up. Other people are motivated to be givers – they are just really good at giving of their own things and wealth into other situations. Some people we know; we meet them and we go, "There is a natural gifted leader." And some people are gifted in compassion, in mercy; they are pastorally gifted. They are the ones who will hang with someone who is sick over time. Each one of us has one or two, or maybe even three of those in our makeup: According to the grace that is given to each one of us, to be used for other people. You and I have been crafted in our mother's womb and isn't it exciting to know, there is a gift or two or three been put into our DNA; into the fibre of who we are by God. I encourage you to spend some time thinking about that because each one of us has some motivation – that's why these are called motivational gifts – some motivation to speak out God's will or to minister to others or to teach or to encourage or to give or to lead or just to show compassion. And those gifts aren't gifts for us to hang on to; they are gifts for us to use in the lives of other people. They are gifts through which God flows into the lives of other people. You might think, "Well, you know, I don't have any real gift. Well, I don't think so." God has gifted you from the time that you were in your mother's womb, with one of those gifts that you can use to take the blessing of God into someone else's life – that's what this is about. We are going to look at some of the other gifts that the Bible talks about next.   Motivational and Leadership Gifts We are talking today in our last programme of the series "The Holy Spirit and Me" about the gifts; the spiritual gifts that God gives us through the Holy Spirit. The first lot that we looked at were what are called "motivational" gifts. They are kind of in our DNA – we all have a bent in a certain direction. For some people it is speaking out God's will; for some people it's encouraging; for others it's teaching; for others it's serving; for others it's hanging with people in compassion and pastoring them. That's one lot of gifts – we all have one or two of those gifts that are wired into our DNA and I would really encourage you to get before God and say, "Lord, I'm looking at this list of gifts that You have put there in Romans chapter 12 – which one is me? God I want You to use what You have put into the fibre of my being to bless other people and to encourage other people, because God I want to be used by You. Well, the second lot of gifts we are going to look at today come from Ephesians chapter 4 – if you have a Bible let's go there – we are looking at Ephesians chapter 4, verses 11 to 13. These gifts are what are called "leadership" gifts – not everybody is going to be a leader but you know, sometimes we kind of sit there and we think, "Well, you know, I'm not a leader. I look around all these other people in my church and they all seem so important and special and I don't really have anything to be a leader." God picks the strangest people to be leaders – God really does! You know, I look back on my walk with Jesus and I think, "Why did God ever pick me to do what I'm doing? I never expected Him too." He comes and picks little black sheep and little ugly ducklings and little nobodies and uses them in the most powerful way. We should never kid ourselves that God doesn't mean for us to be doing something that He has planned for us to do. So we are here in Ephesians chapter 4, beginning at verse 11 – looking at the five leadership gifts - it says this: The gifts we gave were that some would be apostles, some would be prophets, some would be evangelists, some would be pastors and others would be teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ. So there are five gifts: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. An apostle is simply someone who gets sent out by the body of Christ; by the church to go and do a new work. The twelve Apostles were Jesus disciples who were then 'sent out' to build the church – to plant new churches. Paul was an apostle, someone who was sent out and he planted a lot of new churches. Have to be a special sort of person to be one who is happy to be sent out from the group to do something new. It is a really special gifting and it's a gifting that comes from the Holy Spirit. We don't choose this for ourselves – God chooses it – God chooses to make someone an apostle and when you are you just know and you have a motivation to do something new and you go out and do it. Then there are prophets – a prophet is someone who speaks God's will into people's lives. It's a gifting that God has given me – not one that I chose (we'll talk about that later) it's not one that I chose for myself, it's the one that God chose for me – to speak God's will. To go to God in prayer and say, "Lord, what are You doing today" and to hear Him really clearly and then to go and speak that into peoples' lives because that's what God has anointed me to do. Other people are evangelists. I have these friends Peter and Ruth and Peter and Ruth are just born evangelists and they can't help it. They sit at a bus stop and they are talking to someone about Jesus – that's just how they are wired – it's how God has made them. You would never pick them as evangelists – they don't look like Billy Graham but God has blessed them to go and do that and praise God, they do it every opportunity they get. Some people are called to be pastors. I was having a cup of coffee yesterday with a dear friend of mine Peter Watson, who is a pastor not far from where I live and Pete was talking to me and he said "You know, I just love what I'm doing and I'm here for the long haul and doing this, doing that." I said to Peter, "I'd die if I had to do what you do." I'm not called to be a pastor but Pete is and a whole bunch of other people are and churches are full of people who are gifted to be pastors. And I don't mean by that the "minister of the church" – I mean by that the sort of person who just pulls along and hangs with people for the long term and just hangs there and is with them and walks with them; who pastors them – as a shepherd pastors a flock. There is a real gifting; it's a real calling; it's a real anointing and a lot of times pastors don't look to be anything special and they're the most important people in my view, in the body of Christ. And then some people are called to be teachers – that's what I am doing now. My two gifting are in the area of prophesy and teaching. If we were all teachers it would be boring – fortunately God only picks a few. These are the leadership giftings – they are not for all – but their role is to build the body of Christ. We are now going to look at the last grouping of giftings which are called spiritual giftings. If you have a Bible, go and grab it, open it at First Corinthians chapter 12 and we will read it together. We are talking today about spiritual gifts and God is a Dad; He is our Dad and His heart is to give good gifts to His children. If we, who are imperfect, know how to give good gifts to our kids, how much more will our Dad in heaven give the Holy Spirit to us when we ask Him? And with the Holy Spirit come gifts – gifts that are about who we are but they are what God does through us to bless other people. We have talked about the motivational gifts in Romans chapter 12; we have talked about the leadership giftings in Ephesians chapter 4 and now we are moving on to the spiritual gifts – these are supernatural gifts – not magic – these gifts come from the Holy Spirit. Flick with me, if you have a Bible, to First Corinthians chapter 12. Now concerning spiritual gifts, (First Corinthians chapter 12, verse 1), brothers and sisters, I don't want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray by idols who couldn't speak, therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says 'Let Jesus be cursed' and no can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit. Now there is a variety of gifts of the same Spirit and there are a variety of services but the same Lord and there are varieties of activities but the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit, the utterance of wisdom, to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another working of miracles, to another prophesy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues and to another, the interpretation of tongues. All of these are activated by one and the same Spirit who allots to each one individually, just as the Spirit chooses. These are spiritual gifts that come from the Holy Spirit and they are not for super Christians, they are not for special Christians – it says here: To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Believe in Jesus? God's plan is to manifest His Spiritual gifts in you and through you just as His plan is to do that with me. Now there are a variety of gifts. Sometimes it is an utterance of wisdom, sometimes it is walking into a situation and discerning what is going on and you just feel God give you this wisdom that you never had and you speak it and everyone goes "Man, that's amazing." And sometimes it's a word of knowledge – sometimes we can't know what is going on in someone's life but the Holy Spirit just leads us to speak something and it's bang on. Sometimes it is the most supernatural faith in the most difficult of circumstances. Sometimes God says, "Go and heal that person because I am healing them – go and put your hands on them – go and pray for them." The Spirit is about healing lives. Sometimes it's working in miracles – sometimes it's a prophesy; it's a word from God that people just know has come from God. Sometimes it is discerning spirits – the devil is alive and well. And sometimes it's praying in tongues – one of the very common gifts. Now they are wonderful, wonderful gifts but the most important thing, if you read the next couple of chapters of First Corinthians, which we are not going to, is that we should pursue love. We should – yes, strive for spiritual gifts because God wants to give them to each one – but the most important thing is that we walk in love. If you flick over to chapter 14 and verse 12, it says this: So with yourselves, since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for the building up of the church. Now I am challenged by this; I am a very right-brained, analytical kind of guy and I had a prophesy given to me by telephone from a friend. She rang one Saturday morning and said 'God has just given me Romans chapter 12, verse 6 and that says: Prophesy according to your faith. Now the night before I had been at Bible College and one of our lecturers Dr Barry Chant, whom I have just so much time for, said "Today we are going do prophesy." And I'm thinking, "Barry, it doesn't work that way. God doesn't work like this. Hang on a minute." So I challenged him and he smiled at me knowingly and he sat me down with a young man and he said, "Prophesy into this man's life." I thought, "Barry, come on." Barry said, "just start praying for him" and so I did and God led me in a direction to pray for this young man and I opened my eyes when I finished praying and he was sobbing – he was in tears because I prayed and spoke something into his life that I couldn't have known, that was the biggest issue in his life right then. And Barry put his hand on my shoulder and had this knowing smile. God gave me that day, even though I didn't ask for it, the gift of prophesy and prophesy for me is never easy. It's not something that comes lightly; not something that I open my mouth over easily, but when God calls me to prophesy; to speak His very specific will into some situation into someone's life, I just know. And so I go and do that and I see how God does the most amazing things. I have seen people blessed time and time again. That's the spiritual gift that God seems to give to me most often. Now, I would really like one of the flashy gifts like healing – that would be good. I'd love to be able to go along and lay my hands on people and heal them all the time but it just seems that the place God calls me into, being who I am and how He has made me, is in this area of prophesy. And it is so wonderful to see that step of faith – and that's what it is for me each time because it's always a bit scary to do – to prophesy into people's lives and see God use that and see lives touched and changed. This is not the gift I had planned for myself, yet, we don't get to choose. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. All of these are activated by the one and the same Spirit who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. This is a gift from God and if we start taking gifts on ourselves saying, "I'm going to be a healer," and God hasn't put that in us, then, we are going to abuse that, we are going to make mistakes and we are going to hurt people. God is a good God – God is a supernatural God – God goes ahead of us – God knows all things – God is all-powerful – God is all loving and God pours out gifts through His people into other people's lives. Sometimes they are unusual; sometimes they are scary; sometimes it's a huge step of faith to lay your hands on someone and pray for their healing. But when God is doing something; when God has shown up, you know something? You and I had better be there along with Him otherwise He will use someone else. Our Father is a Father of joy; He's a good Father. He wants to give us good gifts – they are free gifts – to each one of us – you! You believe in Jesus? God means to use you supernaturally in other people's lives – it's a fabulous plan. And, yes, you know something? It takes a bit of faith but God knows that too and He knows where we are at in our faith. Prophesy happens according to faith – my gift is a faith gift and I just believe that when I open my mouth, I am only doing it in His power. I won't open my mouth in my own strength and God, time and time again has done that. What if God plans to use you to heal people's lives? What if God plans to use you to put words of knowledge or words of wisdom into other people's lives? You know, if we are not co-operating with God, it's not going to happen – He is not going to drag us kicking and screaming. It says here that we should 'eagerly desire' spiritual gifts and excel in those spiritual gifts. We have looked at three types of gifts today – motivational gifts, Romans chapter 12, verses 3 to 7; leadership gifts, Ephesians chapter 4, verses 11 to 13; spiritual gifts, First Corinthians chapter 12, verse 1 to 11. God is a good God – God wants to bless people. You know He sent Jesus to this planet not just to speak but to walk on water, to heal people, to give sight to the blind, to cast demons out, to die and rise again – God is a supernatural God – God touches lives supernaturally. Father I pray for each person listening that You would give us a desire for Your spiritual gifts; a desire for Your Spirit to flow through us; a desire for this world to be blessed by Your Spirit through us. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

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

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

God's heart is to make His home in us and to fill us with His joy and His peace and His grace and His power, and I believe that with every fibre of my being. In fact, I know it. And the other thing I know is that He wants to do that for you. Today. Right now.   We're All Different It is fantastic to be with you again this week on Christianityworks. You know the process of boy meets girl has always fascinated me. Before I met my wonderful wife Jacqui, somebody encouraged me to go out on a blind date with a woman and the moment I knocked on her door and she opened the door, I took one look at her and in the instant, I knew there would be no relationship there - I just knew! And yet the very first time I laid eyes on Jacqui, I just knew that she would be my wife. How does that work? What is that chemistry all about? How does chemistry and attraction turn into love and commitment and lifelong companionship? I don't know, I really don't know. I guess for one person there are many potential spouses and only a handful of real candidates, and sometimes one or sometimes none that people meet. It's really a mystery, isn't it? how a boy and a girl meet and become husband and wife and share a life together for the whole of their lives. The same is true with friends – you can pick your friends but you can't pick your relatives. And I guess that saying acknowledges this reality, that sometimes there are people with whom we have chemistry and we have relationship and yet other people – they may be similar to us, they may have the same interests – but there is just no potential there for relationship, because somehow you just don't click. You know what I'm talking about. Well it that's true of people – if there is kind of a custom fit between people for having relationships what about our relationship with God? There is one God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons in one God - an amazing mystery of God in three persons. But what about our compatibility with God? We are all different – some of us know things in our heads; some of us know things more in our hearts; some of us are right-brained people, some of us are left brained people; some people are loud and noisy, other people are quiet and deep. For some people experience is the most important way of knowing something but for others, they just know that they know that they know that they know that they know. Whatever it is – wherever each one of us is in terms of faith – let's just make a couple of assumptions: firstly, that God is God and secondly that it was His idea to make us all so incredibly different. So, if that's the case, how is it that God deals with that reality in establishing and developing a personal relationship with each one of us? That's what we are going to visit today on the programme. We are in the third programme of a four-week series called "The Holy Spirit and Me". The last few weeks we have been looking at the subject of walking in the Spirit. Two weeks ago we began looking at Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised – if you want to read it it's in John chapter 14 – He promised another Counsellor; another Advocate "just like Me". So Jesus did His public ministry for three and a half years and just before He went to the cross He promised His disciples: I won't leave you as orphans. I'll come again. I'll be with you through My Holy Spirit, My Father and I will come and make our homes with you. And then He died on the cross, He rose again, He ascended into Heaven and not long after…and that's what we are going to look at today, in the Book of Acts. If you have a Bible, grab it; open it at Acts because that's where we are going today. Not long after He poured His Holy Spirit out on His disciples – the Holy Spirit of grace; the Holy Spirit of power; the Holy Spirit of God in us with a relationship that we just can't put into words. And last week on the programme we looked at one of the significant implications of having the Holy Spirit present in us, in that the Spirit who is Holy deals with our sin and that means change; that means repenting; that means ditching that rubbish in our lives. It may not be popular but the Holy Spirit gives us the power to change. But how does the Holy Spirit deal with each one of us who are so different? And this week we are going to look at how God strikes up a relationship with us. We are all so different – God is God – God doesn't change, so how does He do it? How does He customise or tailor His approach or is it one size fits all? Is there some kind of standard approach that is the same for each one of us? How do I know I have the Holy Spirit? It's amazing in the church, that the Holy Spirit is a source of great division – people's understanding of the person of the Holy Spirit – one of the three persons in the Godhead, brings a whole bunch of misunderstanding. And we are just going to open the Bible today very simply and very plainly and just read what God says about God, the Holy Spirit. I was sitting having dinner the other night with a really good friend of mine and this man is very well-known in ministry in Australia and around the world – God has used him to do some amazing things. And you would have to say he is a high-profile sort of person – I won't use his name because we were having a private dinner together. But we were talking about how God deals with each one of us and I was saying. "Well, I love getting up in the morning early and spending forty-five minutes or an hour with God because God speaks to me." You know, I find out what God is doing. "God what are You up to today?" And God gives me guidance as I do that – as I read His Word, as I listen to Him, as I pray. God just impresses on me what He wants me to do. And this friend of mine – and people look at him from a distance; they see him on television, they hear him on radio, they read his biography and they look at this man and they say, "WOW, here's this super-spiritual man that God has used powerfully," and he said to me, "It doesn't work like that for me." He said, "You know, I go to God and ask Him, 'What do you want me to do, God?'" And God says to me, "I have already given you a job, go and do it." You think, "Well, it doesn't sound very spiritual", but on the other hand "the proof of the pudding is in the eating". I mean, look at the fruit in this man's life and God has clearly used him amazingly. God knows each one of us. He knows exactly what you are like. He knows exactly how to connect with you, just as He does to connect with me. So over the next twenty minutes or so we are going to spend some time looking at three different examples of how God connected with people, with the aim of getting the sense that God knows how different each one of us are. We will look at that when we come back.   A Personal Relationship What I said earlier, that the person of the Holy Spirit is one of the greatest sources of division in the Christian church right now and it is true. On the one hand it's very clear from the Bible that everyone who believes in Jesus has the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans chapter 8, verse 9: Anyone one who does not have the Spirit of Christ doesn't belong to Him. And again in Ephesians chapter 1 and elsewhere, Paul writes along these lines – he says: In Him, in Jesus also, when you had heard the word of truth; the Good News; the Gospel of your salvation and you believed in Him, you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit. This is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God's own people to the praise of His glory. So in other words, any person that has believed in their heart that Jesus is their personal Saviour has received the Holy Spirit; the promised Holy Spirit; the Spirit that Jesus promised in John chapter 14. Another comforter; another one just like Me, is what He said about the Holy Spirit. But, it's also true by observation that this Holy Spirit makes a difference in some people and not in others. Jesus said: You will know a tree by its fruit. Good trees have good fruit and bad trees have bad fruit. I don't know where you are on your journey – I have a bit of a sense where I am on my journey but we are all on a journey. If we are walking with Jesus, if we have accepted Him and said, "Lord, I want You to be my Saviour, I believe that You died for me on the cross" – if we are with Jesus then somewhere in our lives, Jesus is making changes – we are on a journey. And I know that today I make fewer mistakes that I did five years ago and my prayer is that as I grow in God's Word and in my relationship with Him and through the presence of the Spirit in me, I pray in another five years I will be able to look back and say exactly the same thing. But there are some people who say, "I believe in Jesus" and you look at their lives and you think 'I can't see any fruit.' There is that wonderful story in Luke's Gospel of Jesus going to His friend's grave – Lazarus. Lazarus had died; he had been dead for a few days and when Jesus got to his grave, He said" Roll the stone away. And they said: You don't understand he has been dead for a few days, he is going to smell And Jesus said: Roll the stone away. And when they did that He said: Lazarus, come out. And Lazarus got up from the dead and walked out but he was bound up in grave-clothes. Now under those grave-clothes there was red in his cheek – the Master had spoken life into Lazarus's dead body. But Lazarus was still bound up in the grave-clothes. You know, you can't do much for God; you can't serve other people when you are bound up in grave-clothes. And to tell you the truth, I know plenty of Christians that look just like Lazarus when he came out of the tomb. Yes, the Master has spoken life into them – yes, they have eternal life but they are still bound up in the grave-clothes of the past. Jesus said, "I came to set you free," and I believe that the Holy Spirit – in fact the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit has so much to do with setting us free. Some people believe that you become a Christian, you receive the Holy Spirit and that's it! That's one side of the argument. Other people believe, "Well, no, there is a second blessing. You know, sure you receive the seal of the Holy Spirit – you receive the Spirit when you become a Christian but you have got to be baptised in the Spirit." There is a significant experiential event of power, of gifts, of tongues and prophets and all those other things that happen after the event. And I know well-intentioned Christians of both sides of that argument – in both camps – who argue their cases strongly and passionately and believe that the other party is just plain wrong. Why is this important? Because it goes to the question 'How do I know if I'm filled with the Spirit? How do I know if I'm walking in the Spirit? Because I don't know about you, but I'm passionate – I want all that God has for me – all of Him, all of His presence, all of His blessing, all that I can do with God, I want everything that God has for me. How incredibly sad to believe in the cross; to believe in Jesus and then to walk the rest of our lives as though nothing happened? Come on, do you want everything that God has for you? Because I tell you, God has an abundant blessing and over flowing blessing of grace and mercy and joy and peace for each person who puts their faith in Jesus. And to understand how God approaches this, we are going to look at three very distinct; very different approaches in the Bible in the Book of Acts. The first one happens at Pentecost – let's read it very quickly. Acts chapter 1, verses 4 and 5. While staying with them, Jesus (this is after the resurrection and before He ascends), this is what it says: While staying with them Jesus ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Father. This, He said, is what you have heard from Me for John baptised with water but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. And then in Acts chapter 2, this is what happens: When the day of Pentecost came they were all together in one place and suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting and divided tongues as of fire appeared among them and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability. One thing is clear – God poured His Spirit out on these men and women in the most amazing way. And you read on in Acts chapter 2, 3 and 4 – Peter gets up and addresses the crowd and gives the most powerful message – God filled them with His Spirit and His power. What does it show about God? He does special things - things that we don't always understand; things that don't always make sense to us. He did them then, He does them today – He does amazing things. And yet He does different things too. We are going to look at two different instances of how God poured His Spirit out on people next.   We Can't Put God in a Box We are looking on the programme today how God touches people differently with His Holy Spirit. We have just looked at the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on to the disciples with rushing wind and flames of fire – really unusual and amazing and maybe you and I wouldn't have done it that way, but God did. Have a look at this one though; this is another really interesting one. We are going to Acts chapter 19 – if you have a Bible, go there because God does things differently. Have a listen, this is in Ephesus: While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul the Apostle, passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus where he found some disciples. He said to them "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" and they replied "No, we don't even know that there is a Holy Spirit." Then he said "Into what were you baptised?" and they answered "Into John's baptism." And Paul said "John baptised with a baptism of repentance, telling people to believe in the One who was coming after him, that is in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of Jesus and then Paul laid hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and they prophesied and all together there were about twelve of them. See, some people argue so strongly, "Well, you receive the Holy Spirit; it is a one-off thing when you become a believer", as we saw before in the Book of Romans chapter 8 – when you become a believer you receive the Holy Spirit and that's it! That may be how God works with some people but it's not how He worked in Ephesus. In Ephesus, I'm sure that when these people believed in Jesus, they put their hearts into Him, they received the Holy Spirit but they had to be taught about the Holy Spirit. They didn't know that the Holy Spirit existed and when Paul told them about it; when Paul laid his hands on them, they received the Spirit in power and they prophesied and they prayed in tongues. There was a second experience for them. Don't you love how God does things differently? And the third one that I would like to look at is Cornelius and his family. Let's go to Acts chapter 10 if you have a Bible because Cornelius received the Holy Spirit in a different way. In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian cohort as it was called. He was a devout man who feared God with all his household and he gave generously to the poor and prayed constantly to God. One afternoon about three o'clock, he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel coming and said to him "Cornelius!" He stared at the angel in terror "What is it Lord?" "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God." And so the angel told Cornelius to send some men to Peter to get Peter the Apostle to come and tell them about Jesus, which happened. And while Peter was still talking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the Word. So the example we looked at before, in Ephesus, those people had believed – we don't know for how long – but they received the Holy Spirit after they believed. Here Cornelius and his family were still listening to the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit fell upon them there. See, how silly it is to have these arguments about "Well, you know, you only receive the Holy Spirit when you first believe," or "You have to receive the Holy Spirit as a second blessing." There are two examples where God did it differently and the one at Pentecost before, these people had walked with Jesus – they had spent three and a half years with Him, some of them, in the best Bible school you will ever come across – the Bible school of Jesus Christ. And God dealt with each of them differently. I remember, I received the Holy Spirit the way Cornelius did. I remember when I gave my life to Jesus Christ that day, I know that I know that I know that I know that I know that I was filled with the Holy Spirit and it's never changed for me. That joy and that peace has never left me; the courage to keep going has never left me, even through the dark times; even through the painful times; even when I felt like I was walking alone, I knew in my spirit and my heart that my God was carrying me. And that comes from the Holy Spirit. What about you? Have you been filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit - God's presence in you? You know that joy, that peace, that thing that happens when you all of a sudden get a revelation in your spirit and in your soul, that Jesus Christ is Lord. Do you walk around every day in that knowledge that you are filled with the Holy Spirit? That the Holy Spirit is just overflowing out of you? Someone is listening there going "I have never experienced that, I have never tasted that, I want that," well I am going to pray for you right now. Father, I pray for each person who is listening right now. We are together in Your Spirit in Your Kingdom. I pray for each soul who is hungering for Your presence. I pray each person who is aching to receive Your Holy Spirit and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ that You would pour Your Spirit out on them, right here and right now. That You would fill them with the Holy Spirit, not just today but tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next, every day between now and when each one of us stands before You in glory. I pray that You would pour Your Spirit out on us in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Well, I know that if you prayed that prayer with me, I know that if your soul is dry and thirsty and hungry and poor and empty and just yearning to be filled with God, I know that God will honour that prayer and when we accept God for who He is, to let Him do just what He wants in our lives, just how He wants to do it in our lives, that is the most awesome and wonderful and amazing thing. Whether we are a Cornelius and we received the Spirit and were filled to overflowing when we first heard the message or whether we are someone who has been walking for twenty or thirty years and never been filled with the Holy Spirit – it doesn't matter – God shows up for each one of us because if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, His heart is to make His home in us and to fill us with His joy and His peace and His grace and His power and I believe that with every fibre of my being I have seen it in other people's lives – I have seen it in my life and I am believing for your life too. God is no man's debtor – God has no favourites – God wants to pour His glory out in your life, in my life, in everybody's life, who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. Let's come back to the question – does God have a standard way or does He customise His approach? Look at Pentecost – look at Ephesus – look at Cornelius, look at my life – look at your life. God will meet you in your place, in your life, in your need, just the way you are. I believe that and I am praying for that, for you, in Jesus Christ's name.

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

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

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

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

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

Dear friends,This week in Two Ways News, we continue the theme of family. Having dealt with the family of Cain in chapter 4, we turn to the new family of Adam. In this family, God's word enables us to see the Lord's plans for salvation, hinted at in Genesis 3:15 and worked out in Noah. We don't often have sermons on genealogies, but hopefully this episode will help us see their importance.Yours,PhillipPhillip Jensen: Welcome again to Two Ways News.Peter Jensen: Phillip, you never wore glasses growing up, but I can remember getting my first pair of glasses and realising that most people could see things that had, for me, only been a blurred vision.Phillip: Spectacles are a very important part of life. The reformers, Tyndale and Calvin, saw glasses as a way of understanding the Bible. Here's an excerpt from Calvin's InstitutesFor just as eyes, when dimmed with age or weakness or by some other defect, unless aided by spectacles, discern nothing distinctly; so, such is our feebleness, unless scripture guides us in seeking God.[1]Without the scriptures, we may know there is a God, but we are confused about who he is. But with the glasses of the scriptures, we can see that which before was only a matter of confusion.Peter: In last week's episode, when we were talking about chapter 4 of Genesis and the family of Cain, you said something like this: that in the midst of the gloom of a fallen world, the grace of God was still discernible. How does chapter 5 throw any light on that? It is odd because when you read it, it seems to consist of a list of names and strangely long lifespans.Phillip: The chapter is a genealogy, but why don't we read it? Friends, this is part of God's word. God has chosen to reveal himself in not just one genealogy, but in several. Genesis 4:25-5:32And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died. When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch. Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.Certain things stand out. Sons and daughters are mentioned each time. It's not just the sons mentioned, nor all the sons; only the first-born sons are named. There's also an incredible sense of life, that they live so long even before they have children, but then they go on living a long life. But there's still that chorus that keeps coming, ‘And he died…and he died…and he died.' Life is still within the family of Adam, yet the death sentence is still there. There are two particularly important characters mentioned: Enoch and Noah. There's a prophecy about Noah: “Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” There's a hope for Noah that is different from all the others; there's something special about to happen. What about Enoch?Peter: What we see in Enoch is grace at work. God has been revealed as the great creator. Now, the other name we give him, ‘Saviour', comes into play. The word is not there, but you can see the saviour at play, perhaps with the advent of Seth, who takes the place of Abel. Abel is the man of faith who, even in his death, foreshadows Christ. It is by the family of Seth that men begin to call on the name of the Lord. Presumably, the name of the Lord there is the name ‘Yahweh', the name that people of faith call God as time goes on. Moses has his experience of hearing about the name of God at the burning bush. So, calling on the name of the Lord, perhaps even preaching the name of the Lord, occurs then. It's a signal to us that something significant is happening, that God's grace, his saving power, is at work. He's not going to leave the family of Adam and Eve to perish.Phillip: It's interesting that having had the introduction at the end of chapter 4 about the firstborn son and then the grandson Seth, we have at the beginning of chapter 5 a recap of the story, so to speak, about man being created in the image. The image that man is created in, that Adam has, then passes on to his child Seth. There's a sense in which the dominion to rule the world is passed on, particularly within this family rather than in the family of Cain. There's a godly family here that is then outlined for us.But those long ages testify to life that they have, in all its strength and vigour. Genesis is not telling us everything; it could refer to houses or dynasties. God in his power could have someone live this long, but it's recorded because it is extraordinarily long. People are not going to continue to live that long. When Moses is writing this, he knows that that's not how long people normally live. It may be like Sumerian kings who reigned over this period of time.Peter: They were said to reign for a thousand years, meaning their house, their dynasty, their family, reigned for a thousand years.Phillip: We're not really sure, but it doesn't matter how long they lived, because they died. In this way Enoch is so unique because he walked with God; he was not like the others. God chooses to take him.“Calling on the name of God” is an interesting phrase about God at work in grace. It sounds like it's referring to when people started praying. The phrase is used that way sometimes. The name of the Lord is important to pick up because it's printed in upper case; they were calling on the name ‘Yahweh'. That means that they had personal knowledge of him. When I call God ‘God', I'm talking about what he is, but when I call God ‘Yahweh', I'm talking about who he is; it's a personal relationship. But the phrase ‘calling on' can mean ‘proclaiming', so in Exodus 34, where God proclaims his name to MosesYahweh descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of Yahweh. Yahweh passed before him and proclaimed, “Yahweh, Yahweh, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness”God proclaimed the name of Yahweh, and so back in Genesis 4, the time of Enosh was the time when people began to proclaim the name ‘Yahweh'.Peter: This fits with what we read about Enoch. We read that he walked with God, exactly what Adam and Eve used to do before they sinned in the garden. It displays the intimacy of faith, which you understand if you're a Christian believer, where you walk with God.Then this extraordinary phrase, in a chapter that says, ‘And then he died', and we come to Enoch, “And he was not, for God took him.” The same happened later on with Elijah, which presumably means that God took him home to be with him. Hebrews 11:5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.In other words, Elijah was walking with God. He had pleased God and so was taken up. So there was something extraordinary about this man, Enoch. The wonderful Matthew Henry, an 18th century commentator on these things, saidEnoch was the brightest star of the patriarchal age, distinguished by true religion and eminent religion. He did not only walk after God, as all good men do, but he walked with God, as if he were in heaven already. To walk with God was the business of Enoch's life. It was the joy and support of his life. Whenever a good man dies, God takes him, fetches him hence, and receives him to himself. Those whose walk in the world is truly holy shall find their removal out of it truly happy.[2]I'll never forget John Newton, the writer of Amazing Grace whom you mentioned last time, saying as he neared the end of his life, “I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great saviour.” Our trust in God, shown by our faith and our behaviour of the way in which we live for him, is what saves us.Phillip: Within the genealogy, though, is the narrative of salvation being worked out.Peter: When I looked at our genealogies in the DNA test that I did recently, I was checking up on our ancestry to give me a sense of who we are and where we've come from. It was to satisfy my curiosity about things. But this genealogy is different.Phillip: This is telling us a story and showing us God's grace at work. In the world of Cain and his great-great-grandson Lamech, where things are going so badly, we go back to Adam, and then we find some who are proclaiming the name of Yahweh. In chapter 3, we were told that the seed of the woman would actually crush the serpent. We've been looking for the serpent crusher ever since chapter 3. It wasn't Cain. It couldn't be Abel. It's Seth's son, Enosh. That's when they start proclaiming the name of Yahweh. So we think, ‘Here it's coming,' and then it's just another person who's dead. There's a long wait. God is very patient in his salvation.Peter: But the genealogy is pointing forward; there's someone coming.Phillip: Enoch is someone who's come, and Enoch is saved, but he doesn't save anybody else. Then there's Noah, and he's coming as ‘the one that's going to reverse the curse'. Now we have the name of the serpent crusher, Noah, and the salvation of the world is going to come with this man. I hope we all know something of the events of Noah's life, which we'll look at next time in terms of the flood, but we also know that Noah didn't turn out to be the saviour of the world either. In 2 Peter chapter 2 we readIf he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly… then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.It's a great passage that refers to Noah, and the fact that it's not Noah who is the saviour, but that God is the saviour through Noah. It's unfortunate because the Greek is actually saying something differently here, which I think is important to understand our genealogy. It talks about Noah as “a herald of righteousness with seven others.” Who are the seven? Most people will tell you who the seven are: Noah's wife, their three sons, Ham, Shem and Japheth, and their three daughters-in-law who go nameless; that equals eight people. The trouble is, the Greek doesn't even say eight; it says ‘eighth'. God preserved Noah, the eighth herald of righteousness. I can understand why our translators make it simple with the solution, he and seven others, but it's not eight; it's eighth.What's more, he's a herald of righteousness, but when you read the events of Noah, he doesn't say anything to anybody; he never preaches. But the word ‘herald' means ‘to preach'. So here's a man who doesn't preach and is called ‘the eighth preacher of righteousness'. The answer is found in Genesis 5, because one of the characteristics of the New Testament quoting and alluding to the Old Testament is the accuracy and care with which they treat the Old Testament, and this is a good example. Back in Genesis 4, we're told, ‘This is the time from which they proclaim the name of Yahweh.' It started with Enosh. You then look at the numbers of people who were there: Enosh, then Kenan, Mahallalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and number eight, Noah. He's the eighth proclaimer of the name of the Lord. So Peter is referring to that, not to the family numbers that were saved.Peter: We've put on our spectacles, namely the word of God, and we've looked out at the world. We've come across a passage which seems so remote, so different from the way we think, talking about people who are just beyond imagining. But we see the wickedness and corruption of the world, of human culture, to this day: filled with wonderful achievements, but corrupted by human sin always. We've now seen God at work, that in and through human history, invisible to all but those who put on the spectacles of the Bible, God is there, and he's showing his grace to them. But he's also preparing for the ultimate hero of this genealogy, Jesus. Thus, we should have no fear, but every day, even in the midst of the difficulties of living in a world such as the one we've inherited, we should be filled with faith and hope.[1] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1535[2] Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, 1706Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Links & RecommendationsFor more on this topic, listen to Phillip's 1997 Campus Bible Study Talk on Genesis 5-11 entitled The Impossible Subject.Freely available, supported by generosity.If you enjoy Two Ways News, why not lend us a hand? Consider joining our Supporters Club—friends who make it possible for us to keep producing this article/podcast.To join the Supporters Club, follow the link below to the ‘subscribe' page. You'll see that there's:* a number of ‘paid options'. To join the Supporters Club take out one of the paid ‘subscription plans' and know we are deeply grateful for your support!* also the free option (on the far right hand side) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.twoways.news/subscribe

Devereux Cockrell, our youth pastor, continues the sermon series, Knowing God. Today, he is in Psalm 7. Sermon titled "God is Just" 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. 

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

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

David continues his sermon series, Knowing God. Today, he is in Lamentations 3:18-25. Sermon titled "God is Faithful" 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 Joel shares the good news about God: God doe mend, but God also multiplies His goodness.

Psalms 10:1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? 10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. 10:3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 10:5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. 10:6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. 10:8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. 10:9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. 10:10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. 10:11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it. 10:12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. 10:13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. 10:14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. 10:15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none. 10:16 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land. 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: 10:18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

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

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

Welcome to #SundaysatTCAB! We continue our current sermon series, Experiencing God. So far we have learned that God is always at work around us, and through our relationship with Him, He invites us to join in His work. Today, Pastor Jeff Ponder, will explain the fourth reality - God speaks. We will learn the five ways God speaks to us by the Holy Spirit. New to The Church at Bushland? Tell us a little about you and receive a personal note from Pastor Jeff. First Time Guest: https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/guestform?location=livestream How can we pray for you? Submit your prayer request here: https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/prayerrequest Subscribe to get the latest videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChurchAtBushland We also have our newest channel, @TCABClips, with sermon and worship highlights and short content from Digging for the Truth. Subscribe, turn on notifications, and never miss an episode! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6VflV8HJUd-6vTX9CSJRKw Listen while you work, exercise, or whatever keeps you busy: Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-church-at-bushland/id6442779332 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/077EsZwp6Y7pPhv7X8mXEY?si=893d09eeae9142d5 Support the online ministry at TCAB. Join the giving team today! https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/giving Download the TCAB App today! iOS - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-church-at-bushland/id1495461805 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kidunottech.culminate.tcab Connect with The Church at Bushland: Website | https://thechurchatbushland.com Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/thechurchatbushland/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thechurchatbushland/

David continues his sermon series in Exodus, Knowing God. Today, he is in Hebrews 1:10-12. Sermon titled "God Never Changes" 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. 

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

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

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

Core 52: "Getting Right With God: God's Covenant Power"

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

10-5-25 Sermon "Questing After God: God's Voice" By Pastor Jason Eddy www.betheljanesville.org

2 Corinthians

Worry doesn’t have to dominate your life. In Turn Your Worries into Prayers, Whitney Hopler reflects on Psalm 34:4 and shares how prayer can transform fear into peace and courage. Listeners will learn practical steps for turning anxious thoughts into prayers, experiencing God’s strength in challenging situations, and trusting Him to guide their hearts even when circumstances don’t change. This episode is perfect for anyone seeking freedom from fear, deeper trust in God, and practical ways to make prayer a daily habit. ✨ Highlights Psalm 34:4: prayer frees us from fear Turning worry into prayer shifts attention from the problem to God God may not always change circumstances, but He strengthens and changes us Practical tips for praying immediately when fear arises Learning to walk with courage and peace through life’s challenges Reflection: identifying specific fears and giving them to God

2 Corinthians

Daily Dose of Hope September 29, 2025   Scripture - John 1:1-18   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you in this new week with humility and gratefulness.  We praise your powerful name.  Thank you, so much, Lord, that you came to earth to dwell among us and show us a different way of being.  Help us to pay attention to your example.  Help us to be more loving and more merciful in all we do.  Help us to be even but a small reflection of you.  You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Thank you, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  This is the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  Today, we are starting our final Gospel, John.  And John is different from the other three Gospels, we will see that as we work our way through it.  It's also a beautiful Gospel.  It goes deep.  Be prepared for life change as we engage with the book of John.    This first chapter is John's Christmas story.  It's quite different from the other Gospels.  In fact, the Gospel of John doesn't have any of the Christmas characters we know and love so well–no Joseph or Mary, no shepherds or angels, no manger and animals, no wise men traveling from the east. John didn't need to rehash those details of the incarnation. Afterall, the other Gospels had already been written and did a great job telling the story of baby Jesus. John chose to go about it differently, focusing less on how Jesus came and more on why Jesus came, and how the whole idea of the incarnation was so incredible, so mind-blowing, so amazingly significant for all people for all time. For in Jesus, God announced to the world that “I'm with you!” and that has made all the difference.   We find John's Christmas story in two verses in this chapter: John 1:1,In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.   What does this mean? Both the Jewish and Greek listeners would have been familiar with the term “Word,” which was Logos in Greek. -Jews were in the habit of substituting the Word of God for God himself in their concept of wisdom/reason---wisdom/reason is one of the meanings for LOGOS. -Greeks thought of Logos as the ruling principle of life and the universe. -Gnostics–believed the Spirit was imprisoned in the physical body and the secret to get it out was gnosis, knowledge, logos. (They didn't believe Jesus possessed a true, physical body.)   So when John writes that the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, he means that the Word, LOGOS, is Jesus Christ. Please know that this was a mind-blowing claim. Jesus wasn't just a little baby who was born under unusual circumstances when Caesar Augustus was governor of Syria. He wasn't just a wise man who told amazing stories and fed a lot of people. No, Jesus (the Word) was present at the very beginning of time, Jesus (the Word) was with God, and Jesus (the Word) was God himself. To the Jews, John says the Word of God (GOD) is Jesus. To the Greeks, John says the ruling principle of life/universe is Jesus. To the Gnostics, John says the secret knowledge that leads to freedom is Jesus who had a true, physical body and dwelt among us. Jesus was not some mental concept, some intangible thought life; No, Jesus, God himself, became flesh and made his dwelling among us.   Let's unpack this a bit more because it's pretty amazing.  Let's start with the Word dwelt among us. A more accurate translation of the term “dwell” actually is “tabernacle” or “pitched his tent.” When a Jewish listener heard this, they would immediately think of the tabernacle in the Exodus. The tabernacle was where God met with his people before the temple was built---it housed the ark of the covenant and it represented God's presence/God's dwelling among his people. Now, John is saying, God has chosen to dwell among his people in an even more personal way, in the Word became flesh, in the person of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God chose to dwell among his people.   What was the benefit of God dwelling among the people? Think about this. You can kind of know someone, but when you dwell with someone, when you live with someone, then you really get to know them. If you've ever had a roommate, you know this well. You might be friends and know about one another but when you dwell together, when you live with one another, then you know all the stuff–the good and the bad. It's the same when you get married and live together. You know if they put their dishes in the dishwasher, you know if they leave trash around, you know the thoughtful things they do, you know the annoying things they do .You don't just kind of know them. You truly know them.   When God came to earth to dwell among us in the person of Jesus, it was so humans could truly understand who God was, truly know God. God is Jesus and Jesus is God. So the character of Jesus was the character of God. The teachings of Jesus were the teachings of God. The miracles of Jesus were the miracles of God. When Jesus voluntarily gave his life on a cross for the sins of all humanity, it was a demonstration of God's amazing, expansive love for us. When Jesus was resurrected three days later, it was a demonstration of how God conquered death once and for all, meaning that we could have new life now and eternal life in the future. God dwelling among us in Jesus meant that God was not some distance, far off, hard to understand deity.  No, the WORD was with us, hanging out in the living room, sitting at the kitchen table with us, and we could get to know him in a very personal, very intimate way. I love to think about Jesus walking with the disciples, dining with the tax collectors and prostitutes, spending a few days resting in the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. He dwelled with the people in a very intimate way.   So the WORD made his dwelling among us. But some of you might be like---but that was so long ago. We personally did not walk with Jesus and talk with Jesus. He didn't literally dwell with Us personally. I would argue that Jesus does in fact walk among us and speak to us today. Afterall, we serve a living God and God's presence is everywhere. There is no place that we can go where God's presence is not. God's presence is here through the presence of the Holy Spirit.   And we can also still dwell with the Word in another way – through the Bible. Just as the Word came to dwell among us, we can dwell in the Word. The Bible is the Word of God. We meet Jesus, Logos, God on the pages of Scripture. As we dwell in Scripture, we enter into the life of God and God enters into our lives.   The Bible is not simply for information but for transformation. The purpose of Scripture is for us to get to know and love God more fully and be drawn more deeply into the life of faith so we can be changed from the inside out. It is not a textbook---we don't simply study it to acquire information and show people how smart we are. This is God's story from Genesis to Revelation. We learn about God's character. We learn about how God has been present throughout history. We learn about God's mission and plan of redemption for all people for all time. We learn about Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection. We learn about the Kingdom of God and how Jesus demonstrated this new way of doing life, the way God always intended his world to be. We learn about the early church and the coming of the Holy Spirit. We learn about how God's mission continues through the church, through us, not in our own power but as God works through us.   And while God revealed himself in Scripture through a specific people group, the miracle of God's Word is that it transcends time and place. When we dwell in the Word, God continues to reveal himself to us in new ways, we get to know God better, we begin to be transformed little by little. As we dwell in God's Word, the WORD, Jesus, becomes more real to us.  How has the Bible become more real to you as we have worked our way through Mark, Matthew, and Luke?    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

New to The Church at Bushland? Tell us a little about you and receive a personal note from Pastor Jeff. First Time Guest: https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/guestform?location=livestream How can we pray for you? Submit your prayer request here: https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/prayerrequest Subscribe to get the latest videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChurchAtBushland We also have our newest channel, @TCABClips, with sermon and worship highlights and short content from Digging for the Truth. Subscribe, turn on notifications, and never miss an episode! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6VflV8HJUd-6vTX9CSJRKw Listen while you work, exercise, or whatever keeps you busy: Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-church-at-bushland/id6442779332 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/077EsZwp6Y7pPhv7X8mXEY?si=893d09eeae9142d5 Support the online ministry at TCAB. Join the giving team today! https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/giving Download the TCAB App today! iOS - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-church-at-bushland/id1495461805 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kidunottech.culminate.tcab Connect with The Church at Bushland: Website | https://thechurchatbushland.com Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/thechurchatbushland/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thechurchatbushland/