Podcasts about god himself

“‘Don’t lay a hand on the boy!’ the angel said. ‘Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.’” (Genesis 22:12 NLT) The gripping story of Abraham and his beloved son Isaac gives us an unforgettable image of faith and sacrifice. Isaac was the son God promised to Abraham, a symbol of the covenant between Abraham and God. To say that Abraham had waited a long time for a son would be an understatement. When Isaac was born, Abraham was one hundred years old. His wife Sarah was ninety when she gave birth. Abraham was so delighted by his son that he named him Isaac, which means “laughter.” And laughter is what Isaac brought into the lives of Abraham and Sarah. Years later, the laughter turned into shock and fear when God said to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you” (Genesis 22:2 NLT). There was no greater sacrifice that God could have requested from Abraham. Isaac was the joy of Abraham’s life. Abraham did not question or hesitate. He took Isaac, who was a young man at the time, to the place of sacrifice. With no animal in sight to offer, Isaac asked, “Father . . . where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” (verse 7 NLT) Abraham prophetically replied, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” (verse 8 NKJV). God indeed provided the sacrifice, as an angel cried out, “Don’t lay a hand on the boy! . . . Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son” (verse 12 NLT). At that moment, Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket—a sacrifice he could offer to God in place of his son. The story of Abraham and Isaac is a foreshadowing of what would occur on the cross. God provided Himself a sacrifice. Unlike the story of Abraham and Isaac, God did not provide for Himself a sacrifice. He provided Himself as a sacrifice. God Himself became the sacrifice for our sins when He gave His only Son to die for us. If we ever start to get complacent in our Christian faith, one of the best things we can do is remind ourselves of the cost of our salvation and eternal life. God sacrificed that which was most precious to Him so that we might live. Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13 NLT). If you want to experience a personal revival, embrace the opportunities you have to sacrifice for the One who sacrificed so much for you. How can you give up your time, resources, skills, and comfort to carry out God’s work? Answering that question may change your spiritual perspective in a profound way. Reflection question: What will you sacrifice for the cause of Christ? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I AM 4 Jesus' teaching continues to be met with amazement yet also some misunderstanding and bewilderment! Today we complete looking at one particularly aspect of his teaching - himself - and the last two ‘I AM' statements. I AM the Way Truth and Life Reading from John 14v1-9 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going." "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!" Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Question answered with a WOW! When Jesus issued this statement, "I AM the way, the truth and the life", the stress of the sentence automatically falls on the words "the way". This is because Jesus is answering a question posed by Thomas (John 14v5). Jesus claims to be the only way to God the Father, because Jesus is one with the Father - He is God!. Not only is he the way, but he is also the truth and the life. All of God's truth is embodied in Jesus Christ who, as both fully God and fully human, was also the ever-living God. Nobody can claim access to God the Father, except through Jesus himself. Other religions and other so-called paths to God may contain some element of truth about God, but there is no other way to God but through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ embodies ALL truth and as we saw recently, Jesus is also the life as part of his I AM claims. He is the means of access to God for all people of all cultures and all backgrounds. Jesus welcomes all, so that in his singular exclusive claims there is an inclusive embrace of all. As Jesus goes on to say in John 14v7, because we know him we also know God the Father. Amazing things to say! Jesus is the truth because He is totally trustworthy! Jesus is the life because He is life Himself! Jesus is the way because He is the way we enter heaven and can have eternal life! We will see how that can be very soon in this series and why it can only be that way! Jesus also gives a glimpse or a hint of the future - can you spot them out yet? If you cant, we will have come to them by the end of this series and you will be amazed at the continuity of the Bible! I AM the True Vine And the last "I AM" can be found in John 15v1-14 "I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. We are One! We have already seen that Jesus is the bread of life, the light of the world, the gate and the shepherd - all the things the nation of Israel was to be but failed to do so. Israel was to be God's light, way and shepherd to the nations - but failed to be so. The nation of Israel was also to be a vine or vineyard (Isaiah 5v1-7, Ezekiel 15v1-6). Israel as a vine had produced nothing even though God had taken her, made her a nation and given her the land as a gift and every possible benefit in which to grow and glorify God Himself as a reward. But the vineyard of Israel, had become a corrupt and barren vine and needed to be pruned back. Instead of justice, it had produced oppression and instead of living right before God it has produced sin and distress. Real Vine vs Symbolic Vine Juxtaposed against Israel's failure to be a vine, Jesus states that he is the true vine. Jesus was the reality, whereas Israel was merely the symbol. As the purpose of a vine is to produce fruit, the focal point is on what it takes to produce fruit (John 15v2). As part of the ultimate mission of Jesus to glorify God the Father (John 12v28, John 17v4), Jesus is the Vine. How did Jesus seek to glorify God? By loving God and loving others unconditionally and sacrificially! Just as Jesus embodies all truth, Jesus also embodies all love! Perfect love is Jesus! Sure there maybe semblances of God's love in other religions, but it is only in Jesus that the fullness of God's love dwells! Jesus as the true vine indicates that people were to have a relationship with God through him alone! This relationship involves loving as Jesus did - of God and to others - without condition and sacrificially. As Jesus is the vine, people would be sustained spiritually through him and he would be totally reliable! Amazing concepts if you think about it! Jesus is giving them glimpses of what is to come and as you will see as we progress through this series. Summarising the Seven "I AM"s So there are the seven "I AM" statements. As well as equating himself with God as the "I AM", Jesus is also promoting his exclusivity as the only Saviour. He does not say I am a true vine; a way, a truth and a life. Nor does he say I am a resurrection and a life. He does not say I am a door to life, just as he does not say I am a shepherd, a light or a bread of life. No - Jesus is the only way, the only truth and the only life. Jesus is the one great shepherd and the only door to life. Jesus is the only light of the world and the only true bread of life. Jesus Christ is unique in being the "I AM". Tomorrow we look at how differnt people encountered this "I AM" with some different reactions. Thank you. Right mouse click or tap here to download as a MP3 audio file

Saint Isaac the Syrian begins this homily with the words: “The soul that loves God finds rest only in God.“ This thought permeates all that is to follow. Our weaning ourselves from our attachment to the things of the world and our own self-esteem and judgment opens our eyes to the love and freedom that is ours in Christ. To see this, Saint Isaac tells us, one must engage in the ascetic life; that is, we must discipline the body through vigils, prayer fasting and the like; cultivating the heart in such a way that not only desires God above all things, but is willing to suffer every hardship for his sake. Indeed it is suffering and humiliation that frees us from the yoke of the self to such an extent that we can embrace such hardship with joy. In fact, the one who flees the futile glory of this world already has come to see something of the hope of the age to come. St. Isaac wants us to understand that our freedom from attachment to the things of the world does not merely mean our possession of riches, but rather also the acquisition of anything to which our will clings. Until this takes place, we are scattering with one hand what we have gathered with the other. All that we hold onto prevents us from rising above a worldly understanding of justice and prevents us from experiencing true freedom in our actions. We cannot show mercy to others except through what has been gained through our own labor and hardship. To sow from another man's seed is to make our actions ingenuine and hypocritical. It's a reflection of our desire to isolate ourselves from the suffering of our fellow man. What Isaac is preparing us to see is that we are not simply called to be merciful at the highest level of natural virtue or even what we would see as virtue elevated by the grace of God. Rather, we are called to be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful, to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. This means giving to everyone who ask of us and not expecting our goods to return to us; not merely to suffer injustice or to have our possessions taken from us, but also to be willing to lay down our life for our brother. Our mercy must be such and our love for our brother so great that even if we were to be treated shamelessly and abusively, our desire would be not to grieve our brother‘s heart.  Guided by intellect and reason alone we have already reached the level of absurdity. In the months to come, we will be shown that the mercy and love of God stretches far beyond the measures of man's mind. The love of God has the very dimensions of God Himself. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:18:47 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 141, start of Homily 4, first paragraph 00:34:05 Myles Davidson: On the subject of suffering for Christ, “contempt and humiliation with good will”… I'm reading an extraordinary book called The Autobiography Of A Hunted Priest by John Gerard S.J. written by an English Jesuit priest who survived the Elizabethan anti-Catholic police-state known as the penal times. These young English Catholic men would travel to the continent to attend seminary, knowing when they returned they would be constantly hunted and faced a high chance of imprisonment, torture and martyrdom via being hung, drawn and quartered. While the author lived to tell the tale, he did suffer horrendous conditions in prison and painful torture. What is striking about the story, is the joy and peace he often experienced under these conditions and the often profound effect he had on his jailers. A very real example of “suffering contempt and humiliation with good will”. The book is a real faith booster! 00:35:10 Ryan Ngeve: Father what makes the trope of the fool-for-Christ different from those who actively seek humiliation or other forms of false piety 00:40:18 David: The movie "The Island" has a good example of a fool for Christ who is ideal as a follower of Christ and showing humility and humor. 00:40:25 Anthony: St Gabriel of Georgia should be patron of political philosophers but he was a fool for Christ. 00:40:34 Ben: Replying to "The movie "The Islan..."

What is Worship? Tim Gruchacz takes us through selections from both the Old and New Testaments in order to discern and explain what worship is from the Word - not based on man's traditions or thoughts, but dictated by God Himself, regulated by His Word, and revered by His people.

LESSON 198Only My Condemnation Injures Me.Injury is impossible. And yet illusion makes illusion. If you can condemn, you can be injured. For you have believed that you can injure, and the right you have established for yourself can be now used against you, till you lay it down as valueless, unwanted and unreal. Then does illusion cease to have effects, and those it seemed to have will be undone. Then are you free, for freedom is your gift, and you can now receive the gift you gave.Condemn and you are made a prisoner. Forgive and you are freed. Such is the law that rules perception. It is not a law that knowledge understands, for freedom is a part of knowledge. To condemn is thus impossible in truth. What seems to be its influence and its effects have not occurred at all. Yet must we deal with them a while as if they had. Illusion makes illusion. Except one. Forgiveness is illusion that is answer to the rest.Forgiveness sweeps all other dreams away, and though it is itself a dream, it breeds no others. All illusions save this one must multiply a thousandfold. But this is where illusions end. Forgiveness is the end of dreams, because it is a dream of waking. It is not itself the truth. Yet does it point to where the truth must be, and gives direction with the certainty of God Himself. It is a dream in which the Son of God awakens to his Self and to his Father, knowing They are one.Forgiveness is the only road that leads out of disaster, past all suffering, and finally away from death. How could there be another way, when this one is the plan of God Himself? And why would you oppose it, quarrel with it, seek to find a thousand ways in which it must be wrong; a thousand other possibilities?Is it not wiser to be glad you hold the answer to your problems in your hand? Is it not more intelligent to thank the One Who gives salvation, and accept His gift with gratitude? And is it not a kindness to yourself to hear His Voice and learn the simple lessons He would teach, instead of trying to dismiss His words, and substitute your own in place of His?His words will work. His words will save. His words contain all hope, all blessing and all joy that ever can be found upon this earth. His words are born in God, and come to you with Heaven's love upon them. Those who hear His words have heard the song of Heaven.For these are the words in which all merge as one at last. And as this one will fade away, the Word of God will come to take its place, for it will be remembered then and loved.This world has many seeming separate haunts where mercy has no meaning, and attack appears as justified. Yet all are one; a place where death is offered to God's Son and to his Father. You may think They have accepted. But if you will look again upon the place where you beheld Their blood, you will perceive a miracle instead. How foolish to believe that They could die! How foolish to believe you can attack! How mad to think that you could be condemned, and that the holy Son of God can die!The stillness of your Self remains unmoved, untouched by thoughts like these, and unaware of any condemnation which could need forgiveness. Dreams of any kind are strange and alien to the truth. And what but truth could have a Thought which builds a bridge to it that brings illusions to the other side?Today we practice letting freedom come to make its home with you. The truth bestows these words upon your mind, that you may find the key to light and let the darkness end:Only my condemnation injures me.Only my own forgiveness sets me free.Do not forget today that there can be no form of suffering that fails to hide an unforgiving thought. Nor can there be a form of pain forgiveness cannot heal.Accept the one illusion which proclaims there is no condemnation in God's Son, and Heaven is remembered instantly; the world forgotten, all its weird beliefs forgotten with it, as the face of Christ appears unveiled at last in this one dream. This is the gift the Holy Spirit holds for you from God your Father. Let today be celebrated both on earth and in your holy home as well. Be kind to both, as you forgive the trespasses you thought them guilty of, and see your innocence shining upon you from the face of Christ.Now is there silence all around the world. Now is there stillness where before there was a frantic rush of thoughts that made no sense. Now is there tranquil light across the face of earth, made quiet in a dreamless sleep. And now the Word of God alone remains upon it. Only that can be perceived an instant longer. Then are symbols done, and everything you ever thought you made completely vanished from the mind that God forever knows to be His only Son.There is no condemnation in him. He is perfect in his holiness. He needs no thoughts of mercy. Who could give him gifts when everything is his? And who could dream of offering forgiveness to the Son of Sinlessness Itself, so like to Him Whose Son he is, that to behold the Son is to perceive no more, and only know the Father? In this vision of the Son, so brief that not an instant stands between this single sight and timelessness itself, you see the vision of yourself, and then you disappear forever into God.Today we come still nearer to the end of everything that yet would stand between this vision and our sight. And we are glad that we have come this far, and recognize that He Who brought us here will not forsake us now. For He would give to us the gift that God has given us through Him today. Now is the time for your deliverance. The time has come. The time has come today.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Shane Everett and Shane Barnard (aka Shane & Shane) pull up to the studio with Sadie and Christian to talk about their new daily devotional project (yes, they're literally sending powerful worship moments straight to your inbox every day) and why they're so fired up about mentoring young Christian artists just starting out. Shane E. opens up about his life before surrendering to God and how, honestly, we're all just professional wanters—whether we're chasing pleasure, happiness, or even God Himself. Sadie shares the most incredible gift her late Papaw Phil Robertson gave their family—something money can't buy. Shane B. spills the tea on what it's like having a daughter who's thinking about stepping into the music world and the advice he gives anyone stepping onto a stage. And of course, they wrap it up with some real talk about girl dad life.Check out Shane & Shane's daily devo project at https://devo.theworshipinitiative.com/ - you're gonna want in on this. https://adelnaturalcosmetics.com — Get 25% off your first order by using the code SADIE when checking out! https://moshlife.com/whoa — Get 20% off plus FREE shipping on the Best Sellers Trial Pack OR the Plant Based Trial Pack! https://drinklmnt.com/whoa — Get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase! - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LESSON 197It Can Be But My Gratitude I Earn.Here is the second step we take to free your mind from the belief in outside force pitted against your own. You make attempts at kindness and forgiveness. Yet you turn them to attack again, unless you find external gratitude and lavish thanks. Your gifts must be received with honor, lest they be withdrawn. And so you think God's gifts are loans at best; at worst, deceptions which would cheat you of defenses, to ensure that when He strikes He will not fail to kill.How easily are God and guilt confused by those who know not what their thoughts can do. Deny your strength, and weakness must become salvation to you. See yourself as bound, and bars become your home. Nor will you leave the prison house, or claim your strength, until guilt and salvation are not seen as one, and freedom and salvation are perceived as joined, with strength beside them, to be sought and claimed, and found and fully recognized.The world must thank you when you offer it release from your illusions. Yet your thanks belong to you as well, for its release can only mirror yours. Your gratitude is all your gifts require, that they be a lasting offering of a thankful heart, released from hell forever. Is it this you would undo by taking back your gifts, because they were not honored? It is you who honor them and give them fitting thanks, for it is you who have received the gifts.It does not matter if another thinks your gifts unworthy. In his mind there is a part that joins with yours in thanking you. It does not matter if your gifts seem lost and ineffectual. They are received where they are given. In your gratitude are they accepted universally, and thankfully acknowledged by the Heart of God Himself. And would you take them back, when He has gratefully accepted them?God blesses every gift you give to Him, and every gift is given Him, because it can be given only to yourself. And what belongs to God must be His Own. Yet you will never realize His gifts are sure, eternal, changeless, limitless, forever giving out, extending love and adding to your never-ending joy while you forgive but to attack again.Withdraw the gifts you give, and you will think that what is given you has been withdrawn. But learn to let forgiveness take away the sins you think you see outside yourself, and you can never think the gifts of God are lent but for a little while, before He snatches them away again in death. For death will have no meaning for you then.And with the end of this belief is fear forever over. Thank your Self for this, for He is grateful only unto God, and He gives thanks for you unto Himself. To everyone who lives will Christ yet come, for everyone must live and move in Him. His Being in His Father is secure, because Their Will is one. Their gratitude to all They have created has no end, for gratitude remains a part of love.Thanks be to you, the holy Son of God. For as you were created, you contain all things within your Self. And you are still as God created you. Nor can you dim the light of your perfection. In your heart the Heart of God is laid. He holds you dear, because you are Himself. All gratitude belongs to you, because of what you are.Give thanks as you receive it. Be you free of all ingratitude to anyone who makes your Self complete. And from this Self is no one left outside. Give thanks for all the countless channels which extend this Self. All that you do is given unto Him. All that you think can only be His Thoughts, sharing with Him the holy Thoughts of God. Earn now the gratitude you have denied yourself when you forgot the function God has given you. But never think that He has ever ceased to offer thanks to you.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

LESSON 197It Can Be But My Gratitude I Earn.Here is the second step we take to free your mind from the belief in outside force pitted against your own. You make attempts at kindness and forgiveness. Yet you turn them to attack again, unless you find external gratitude and lavish thanks. Your gifts must be received with honor, lest they be withdrawn. And so you think God's gifts are loans at best; at worst, deceptions which would cheat you of defenses, to ensure that when He strikes He will not fail to kill.How easily are God and guilt confused by those who know not what their thoughts can do. Deny your strength, and weakness must become salvation to you. See yourself as bound, and bars become your home. Nor will you leave the prison house, or claim your strength, until guilt and salvation are not seen as one, and freedom and salvation are perceived as joined, with strength beside them, to be sought and claimed, and found and fully recognized.The world must thank you when you offer it release from your illusions. Yet your thanks belong to you as well, for its release can only mirror yours. Your gratitude is all your gifts require, that they be a lasting offering of a thankful heart, released from hell forever. Is it this you would undo by taking back your gifts, because they were not honored? It is you who honor them and give them fitting thanks, for it is you who have received the gifts.It does not matter if another thinks your gifts unworthy. In his mind there is a part that joins with yours in thanking you. It does not matter if your gifts seem lost and ineffectual. They are received where they are given. In your gratitude are they accepted universally, and thankfully acknowledged by the Heart of God Himself. And would you take them back, when He has gratefully accepted them?God blesses every gift you give to Him, and every gift is given Him, because it can be given only to yourself. And what belongs to God must be His Own. Yet you will never realize His gifts are sure, eternal, changeless, limitless, forever giving out, extending love and adding to your never-ending joy while you forgive but to attack again.Withdraw the gifts you give, and you will think that what is given you has been withdrawn. But learn to let forgiveness take away the sins you think you see outside yourself, and you can never think the gifts of God are lent but for a little while, before He snatches them away again in death. For death will have no meaning for you then.And with the end of this belief is fear forever over. Thank your Self for this, for He is grateful only unto God, and He gives thanks for you unto Himself. To everyone who lives will Christ yet come, for everyone must live and move in Him. His Being in His Father is secure, because Their Will is one. Their gratitude to all They have created has no end, for gratitude remains a part of love.Thanks be to you, the holy Son of God. For as you were created, you contain all things within your Self. And you are still as God created you. Nor can you dim the light of your perfection. In your heart the Heart of God is laid. He holds you dear, because you are Himself. All gratitude belongs to you, because of what you are.Give thanks as you receive it. Be you free of all ingratitude to anyone who makes your Self complete. And from this Self is no one left outside. Give thanks for all the countless channels which extend this Self. All that you do is given unto Him. All that you think can only be His Thoughts, sharing with Him the holy Thoughts of God. Earn now the gratitude you have denied yourself when you forgot the function God has given you. But never think that He has ever ceased to offer thanks to you.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

After a devastating car accident left my daughter and son-in-law seriously injured, I've been walking closely with them through the slow, painful process of healing. In this solo episode, I share more about their story and how it brought me face-to-face with the lasting effects of trauma. Trauma doesn't just touch one area of life. It impacts our emotions, our bodies, our relationships, and our ability to function in everyday life. As I reflect on what it means to heal, I also want to speak hope. God has provided powerful tools through trauma-informed care and the expertise of trained professionals. Friends and loved ones can walk with us, and God Himself, Jehovah Rapha, is present in our pain. He wants to bring healing not only to our bodies but to our souls.  If you're struggling to make sense of suffering or wondering how to move forward after trauma, I pray this episode reminds you that healing is possible, even when it feels out of reach. God is near, and He is enough. To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.  

How wondrous is God's patience with the world today. On every side people are sinning with a high hand. The divine Law is trampled under foot and God Himself openly despised. It is truly amazing that He does not instantly strike dead those who so brazenly defy Him. Why does He not suddenly cut off the haughty infidel and blatant blasphemer, as He did Ananias and Sapphira? Why does He not cause the earth to open its mouth and devour the persecutors of His people, so that, like Dathan and Abiram, they shall go down alive into the Pit?

Todaywe're continuing in Luke 23:32-34. These three verses introduce us to Jesusbeing on the cross at Golgotha. This is one of the most special passages ofScripture in the Bible. All the Bible in the Old Testament points to this time,and all the time after this, points back to this time. This is the center andfocal point of eternity. This is where God Himself, who has taken on humanflesh, dies on a cross for all humanity. Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, camefor this very purpose and hour. Even while Jesus is suffering one of the mostcruel and painful deaths a human can experience, He is expressing compassionfor other Ithad been prophesied in Isaiah 53:12 that the Suffering Servant would be "numberedwith the transgressors". Jesus Himself mentioned this passage on Hisway to the cross in Luke 22:37. This is fulfilled by the fact that twocriminals were crucified with Jesus, men who were robbers according to Matthew27:38. The Greek word means "one who uses violence to rob openly," incontrast to the thief who secretly enters a house and steals. These two men mayhave been guilty of armed robbery involving murder. Lukepoints out in verse 33 that Jesus “was crucified in a place called Calvary”.The name Calvary comes from the Latin calvaria which means "askull." (The Greek is kranion, which gives us the English word cranium,and the Aramaic word is Golgotha.) The name is not explained in the NewTestament. The site may have resembled a skull, as does "Gordon'sCalvary" near the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem. Or perhaps the namesimply grew out of the ugly facts of execution. There are many who believe thatJesus was crucified and buried in a place in Old City Jerusalem that today is knownas the “Church of the Holy Sepulchre”, which is one of the most visited touristsites in all the world. At Gordon's Tomb, the guides always remind us that thewhether the place is there or at the church site, the main thing is that Jesuswas crucified. OurLord was crucified about 9 a.m. and remained on the cross until 3 p.m.; andfrom noon to 3 p.m., there was darkness over all the land (Mark 15:25, 33).Jesus spoke seven times during those six terrible hours: "Father,forgive them" (Luke 23:34). "Todayyou will be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). "Woman,behold your son" (John 19:25-27).(Thenthe three hours of darkness when Jesus is silent) "MyGod, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46) "Ithirst" (John 19:28). "Itis finished!" (John 19:30) "Father,into Your hands I commit My spirit" (Luke 23:46).  Lukerecorded only three of these seven statements, the first, the second, and thelast. Our Lord's prayer for His enemies, and His ministry to a repentant thief,fit in well with Luke's purpose to show Jesus Christ as the sympathetic,compassionate Son of man who cared for the needy. Whilethey were nailing Him to the cross, He repeatedly prayed, "Father, forgivethem; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Not only was Hepracticing what He taught (Luke 6:27-28), but He was fulfilling prophecy andmaking "intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:12). Wemust not infer from His prayer that ignorance is a basis for forgiveness, orthat those who sinned against Jesus were automatically forgiven because Heprayed. Certainly, both the Jews and the Romans were ignorant of the enormityof their sin, but that could not absolve them. The Law provided a sacrifice forsins committed ignorantly, but there was no sacrifice for deliberatepresumptuous sin (Ex. 21:14; Num. 15:27-31; Ps. 51:16-17). It is possible thatit was our Lord's intercession that postponed God's judgment on the nation foralmost forty years, giving them additional opportunities to be saved (Acts3:17-19).  Christ'slove and compassion is still being expressed today giving us ample time torepent and be saved. Godbless!

Send us a textWhy do so many Christians bristle at the doctrine of predestination? This profound conversation explores how modern believers often avoid or dismiss biblical teachings that challenge their sense of autonomy and choice."They don't like it because it dethrones them," one participant observes, cutting to the heart of our resistance to God's sovereignty. The doctrine of predestination—God's election of individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world—runs throughout Scripture, yet remains one of the most contested teachings in contemporary churches.We examine how "professional church" culture contributes to this problem, with pastors avoiding controversial doctrines to maintain attendance numbers rather than presenting the full counsel of God. This creates Christians with "minds full of mush" who are shaped by partial truths rather than the complete biblical revelation.The discussion delves into the nature of God Himself, exploring how He transcends human limitations and categories. God doesn't think sequentially as we do, doesn't see with physical eyes, yet knows and sees all things. When we grasp this transcendent nature, doctrines like predestination become more comprehensible.Perhaps most powerfully, we consider how our cultural conditioning against acceptance of help makes grace difficult to understand. We live in a society that tells us to "pull ourselves up by our bootstraps," then wonder why we struggle with a salvation that comes entirely by grace.As one participant eloquently states: "They think they're the potter and God is their clay"—a perfect summation of how humans try to fashion God according to their preferences rather than submitting to His sovereign design. Join us for this thought-provoking exploration of biblical truth that challenges comfortable Christianity.Support the show

Today on this episode of Day by Day, Dr. Clif Johnson emphasizes that our ultimate hope and greatest reward is intimate, eternal fellowship with God Himself, rather than simply answered prayers or earthly blessings. "Interested in becoming a devoted follower of Christ?" Go to follow.lifeword.org

Welcome to Day 2673 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2673 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 76:1-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2673 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2673 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today's Wisdom Nugget is titled: God's Triumphant Vindication – A Fortress Unconquerable: A Trek Through Psalm 76:1-12. Today, we embark on a truly triumphant trek through Psalm 76 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its foundational verses, 1 through 12. Psalm 76, another psalm attributed to Asaph, bursts forth with a powerful declaration of God's awesome glory and His decisive victory over His enemies. Unlike the agonizing communal lament of Psalm 74, where the Temple lay in ruins and God seemed absent, or even Psalm 75, which proclaimed God's future judgment, Psalm 76 celebrates a past divine intervention, a resounding triumph where God Himself defended Jerusalem and shattered the might of those who defied Him. While the specific historical event is not named, many scholars believe this psalm likely celebrates a victory like God's miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian army under Sennacherib (as recounted in 2 Kings 19 and Isaiah 37). In that astounding event, 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were struck down by the angel of the Lord in a single night, without a single battle fought by human hands. This psalm captures the awe and gratitude of a people who witnessed God's supernatural power turn the tide of war. It contrasts the fleeting glory and might of human kings with the enduring, terrifying power of the Almighty, who acts decisively to defend the humble and silence the proud. This psalm reminds us that our God is not only the ultimate Judge but also the invincible Defender of His people. So, let's immerse ourselves in this hymn of triumph, recognizing the God who makes His dwelling a fortress and crushes all who oppose Him. (Reads Psalm 76:1-3 NLT) God is known in Judah; he is great in Israel. His Tabernacle is in Salem; he lives on Mount Zion. There he broke the flaming arrows, the shields, swords, and weapons of war. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with a declaration of God's renown and His chosen dwelling place: "God is known in Judah; he is great in Israel." This isn't a speculative statement; it's a confident affirmation. God's character and power are not hidden; they are clearly "known" and "great" throughout the lands of Judah and Israel. His deeds have made Him famous, undeniable. This sets a tone of certainty and assurance, immediately establishing God's active presence and influence among His people. The reason for His renown is then specified: His presence in His sanctuary. "His Tabernacle is in Salem; he lives on Mount Zion." "Salem" is an ancient name for Jerusalem, and "Mount Zion" is the hill on which Jerusalem, and later the Temple, stood. The "Tabernacle" here refers to God's dwelling place, later formalized as the Temple. This emphasizes that God's presence is localized in...

Does God care about what I wear?  How about cross-dressing in either apparel or behavior? Of note, our image bearing of God Himself is reflected even in our clothing.         God loves maleness. God loves femaleness. Your maleness or your femaleness are inseperable to your image bearing. To confuse this is to disorder that which was originally designed to be ordered. So, carry your maleness or your femaleness proudly and clearly, for by doing so you reverentially carry the very image of God.https://youtu.be/rUWf4u_l8z4

Monday, 14 July 2025   Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. Matthew 11:26   “Yes, Father, for thus it was satisfaction before You” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus acknowledged the Father's plan concerning the reception of His revelation to the people. It is hidden from the wise and sagacious, and yet it is revealed to infants. Because of this, He next says, “Yes, Father, for thus it was satisfaction before You.”   Jesus introduces the term eudokia, a noun signifying satisfaction. It is that which is good or beneficial to someone. What God does is an extension of Himself. When He created, it was proclaimed good. The goodness of the creation was a result of His goodness. The wisdom in creation is an extension of His wisdom.   In the plan of redemption, there is no room for haughtiness. When God came in the Person of Jesus, He was lowly before others, even to the point of washing their feet. He possessed all of heaven's power and authority, and yet, He did not use that which was at His disposal to secure obedience from His creatures, rule over His world, or seek protection from the torture of the cross.   If the Creator is mild and meek in this manner, it is to be expected that people will likewise reflect this quality when coming to Him for salvation.   Life application: Considering Jesus' words to His Father, it is a remarkable attestation as to why those who observe the law since Jesus' fulfillment of it are so odious to God. He came in the Person of Jesus, placing Himself under the law that He gave to Israel. He fulfilled it on behalf of those who could never meet its demands, as evidenced by almost 1500 years of people living and dying under it.   No person was found worthy to attain life through the law. But Jesus, because He is God, was both qualified and capable of fulfilling it, and He did. It is through His effort that relief from sin and the law is granted.   For a person to place himself, or continue to place himself, under the law after hearing about what Jesus did, is to essentially say, “Great job, God. You did well, but I can do even better.” It is essentially a slap in the face of Christ, rebuking Him for daring to say that we must come to Him by faith, apart from our efforts.   Let us not be found in such an arrogant state, dismissive of the work accomplished by God Himself in order to bring us reconciliation with Him.   “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.'” Hebrews 10:5-7   Jesus came to do the will of the Father. He did just that. Through His effort, the law is annulled. If you want to be pleasing to God, trust in what He has done, not in what you think you can do. To God be the glory.   Lord God, forgive us for making everything about ourselves. May we exalt and glorify You. May we hold fast to Your goodness in the giving of Jesus for our reconciliation and fellowship. Praise be to You alone, O God. Amen.

Whether it is written in the pages of the Bible, proclaimed through declarations of apostolic testimony, or supernaturally declared by God Himself, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth and we need to be reminded of it every day! Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/preach-the-word/id1449859151?mt=2 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2aSveQvIs7SPHWB4UcmSUQ

Dr. Cuddeback believes that friendship is the heart of human happiness, and yet only the virtuous share in true friendship. Get Your Copy of His Book “True Friendship: Where Virtue Becomes Happiness” https://ignatius.com/true-friendship-tfp/ Everybody wants to have better relationships, whether it is with their friends, the person they are dating, their spouse, or God Himself. Today, Dr. John Cuddeback joins Ben Eriksen to discuss these types of friendships, as well as virtue, happiness, and even dating. Their conversation draws on the wisdom of Aristotle as well as a relatively unknown Saint Aelred. Dr. Cuddeback's practical wisdom is extremely helpful for all ages, but most especially the young as they develop new friendships and consider dating and the vocation to marriage.   SUBSCRIBE to our channel and never miss an episode of the Ignatius Press Podcast. You can also listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. Follow us on social media: Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/IgnatiusPress Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ignatiuspress Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ignatius_press/ Music from Pexels, Gregor Quendel. https://www.classicals.de/legal

Love is more than a feeling—it’s a reflection of God Himself. In this message, we discover the deeper why behind our love for others, rooted in the overwhelming, life-changing love God has shown us.

Jesus shows us that prayer is less about getting things from God and more about enjoying God Himself, something we need regardless of how busy we are or what other needs we have.

Jesus shows us that prayer is less about getting things from God and more about enjoying God Himself, something we need regardless of how busy we are or what other needs we have.

After being born again by faith alone in Christ alone, we are to continue in faith. Paul wrote, “as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Col 2:6). We received Jesus by faith, and after being born again, we are to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). The word “walk” translates the Greek verb peripateō (περιπατέω), which is here used as a metaphor for how we live, behave, or habitually conduct our lives. To walk by faith means we learn and apply God's Word to our lives (i.e., marriage, family, education, work, finances, etc.). It means obeying God's directives, claiming His promises, and utilizing His resources for our daily problems. We are also instructed to “walk by the Spirit” and not the flesh (Gal 5:16). When we live by faith and depend on the Spirit for strength and guidance, we “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” with which we have been called (Eph 4:1). As Christians, we are instructed to learn God's Word that we might come to know our new identity in Christ and lay hold of the many blessings God has provided for us as His children. Gospel information started our journey of faith, and Bible doctrine is the basis for our spiritual walk and advance to maturity. The advancing believer is living the righteous life that God expects, for He says, “My righteous one shall live by faith” (Heb 10:38), and “faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see” (Heb 11:1 NET). To live by faith in God and His Word pleases Him, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6). Paul said, “we have as our ambition…to be pleasing to Him” (2 Cor 5:9). Christians who fail to live by faith, who choose not to learn and/or live by God's Word, will default to humanistic philosophies, values, and experiences. In immature or carnal Christians, experiences and feelings will be regarded as more real, reliable, and important than God and His Word. Though we can enjoy our experiences and feelings (when they align with God), these are not stable, so we must be careful not to prioritize them or make them the base of operations. Divine wisdom should be our base of operations, as God wants us to learn and live His Word, to trust Him in all things, and to live by faith as obedient-to-the-Word children. When feelings rise high, faith must rise higher, lest we get bogged down and trapped in faulty reasonings that enslave and hinder our spiritual life and victory. The walk of faith requires discipline of mind and will. Ultimately, “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). Faith starts with God and His directives and promises. Once we learn about God's directives, provisions and promises, He expects us to live by them, to be “doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude” ourselves (Jam 1:22). It is possible to learn God's Word and not apply it by faith, which is why James wrote, “to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (Jam 4:17). It is a sin not to live by faith. The writer to the Hebrews warned his readers, saying, “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God” (Heb 3:12). After hearing God's Word, it is evil for a Christian not to believe it. It's evil because God's Word is absolute truth (2 Sam 7:28; Psa 119:160; John 17:17), and rejecting or doubting it implies that God, who cannot lie (Num 23:19; Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18), is untrustworthy, which is an affront to His perfect nature. This evil behavior was exemplified by the Israelites in the wilderness, for after they'd been delivered from Egyptian bondage, they failed to live by faith (Num 14:11), angered the Lord (Psa 95:8-11), and so forfeited the blessing of inheriting the land (Heb 3:15-18). The danger for us as Christians is that we might know God's directives and promises, but fail to apply them by faith, and never benefit from His blessings. The writer to the Hebrews said, “Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard” (Heb 4:1-2). Hindrances to the Walk of Faith The hindrances to Christian faith are numerous, but they all share one common feature: they obstruct the believer's ability to live in active dependence on God and obedience to His Word. Among the most dangerous is ignorance of God's Word, which the Lord denounced when He said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hos 4:6). The Christian life cannot be lived in a doctrinal vacuum. Truth must be learned before it can be applied. Without sound doctrine, believers are spiritually malnourished, vulnerable to deception, and unable to live a life that honors God (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18). Ignorance guarantees defeat in the spiritual life, not because God withholds grace, but because we fail to appropriate it. Another major hindrance is irrational and unwarranted fear, which paralyzes faith and distorts perspective. Paul reminded Timothy that “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim 1:7). Fear can override truth when allowed to take root in the heart, leading to cowardice in witness, compromise in conviction, and retreat from divine opportunity. Like the Israelites at the edge of Canaan (Num 13:31–14:4), believers who allow fear to dominate their thinking often forfeit the blessings of forward movement in God's plan. Also, failure to claim God's promises is a silent killer of the spiritual life. Hebrews warns of “an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God” (Heb 3:12), not in the sense of losing salvation, but of turning away from the daily walk of faith. God's promises are anchors for the soul (Heb 6:18-19), and to neglect them is to drift aimlessly through life, tossed by circumstances rather than guided by divine certainty. Faith appropriates what God has revealed and rests confidently in His faithfulness, even when circumstances contradict what is seen. Unwarranted self-reliance is another subtle enemy. While human effort has its place in Christian discipline, trust in self apart from God is condemned. Solomon cautioned, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding” (Prov 3:5), and Jeremiah adds, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength” (Jer 17:5). The Christian life is supernatural and cannot be lived in the power of the flesh. Self-dependence is spiritual sabotage. Furthermore, yielding to the pressures and pleasures of the world is a treacherous distraction. James minces no words when he writes, “Friendship with the world is hostility toward God” (Jam 4:4), and John adds that “if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Worldliness appeals to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life—all of which are inconsistent with the life of faith. Lastly, choosing the desires of the flesh over the will of God leads to spiritual defeat and divine discipline. Paul teaches that “the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit” (Gal 5:17), and Peter exhorts believers to “abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Pet 2:11). The Christian must actively choose to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16), moment by moment, if he is to live victoriously. In sum, these hindrances—ignorance, fear, unbelief, self-reliance, worldliness, and fleshly desire—are not minor setbacks; they are spiritual roadblocks. The remedy is found in consistent intake of God's Word (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), transformation through mind-renewal (Rom 12:1-2), a life of faith anchored in divine promises (Heb 11:6), and moment-by-moment dependence on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength (Gal 5:16). Where faith flourishes, these hindrances fall. God's Word is Reliable Though Peter had personally seen and heard Christ (2 Pet 1:16-18), he told his readers, “We have the prophetic word made more sure” (2 Pet 1:19a). Other translations read, “we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing” (2 Pet 1:19a NET), and “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable” (2 Pet 1:19a NIV). The words “more sure” translate the Greek adjective bebaios (βέβαιος) which means reliable, dependable, or trustworthy. According to BDAG, it refers to “something that can be relied on not to cause disappointment.”[1] Kenneth Wuest states, “The idea here is of something that is firm, stable, something that can be relied upon or trusted in. The idea in the Greek text is, ‘We have the prophetic word as a surer foundation' than even the signs and wonders which we have seen.”[2] Robert B. Thieme Jr., notes, “God's Word is more real than empirical knowledge, more reliable than anything seen, heard, or felt (2 Pet 1:12–21). Unlike the grass that withers and the flowers that fade, ‘the word of our God stands forever' (Isa 40:8). God guarantees that His Word never goes forth without accomplishing His will (Isa 55:11).”[3] The point is that God's Word is absolutely reliable, “to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place” (2 Pet 1:19b). This absolute reliability of Scripture flows from the unchanging character of God Himself. God is perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, and absolute in truth. He cannot lie, nor does He ever fail to keep His promises. As Scripture states, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19). Paul wrote that God “cannot lie” (Tit 1:2), and the writer of Hebrews affirms “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18). Because of this, His Word is completely trustworthy. God never speaks in vain; His Word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, and able to pierce the deepest parts of the human soul (Heb 4:12). What He reveals is not merely informative—it is transformative. As Isaiah recorded, “so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isa 55:11). God's promises are as dependable as His character, and trusting in them is never misplaced faith—it is the most rational and secure response a believer can have. Conclusion In summary, the Christian life is a walk of faith that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and grounded in God's Word. Faith is not blind or speculative; rather, it is a confident trust in the revealed truths of Scripture, producing a life that seeks to honor God through obedience and reliance on His promises. To walk by faith is to live in active dependence on God, letting His Word shape our thinking, guide our actions, and strengthen us for every challenge we may face. The Holy Spirit works through the Scriptures to instruct, remind, and empower us, enabling us to live the Christian life. As believers, we are called to a disciplined life of learning and applying God's Word, and not trusting in experiences or feelings. The walk of faith is pleasing to God, honors Him, edifies others, and brings us mental and emotional stability. Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.     [1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 172. [2] Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 34. [3] Robert B. Thieme, Jr. “Word of God”, Thieme's Bible Doctrine Dictionary, (Houston, TX., R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, 2022), 294.

In this episode we contemplated ACIM, 'Responsibility of Sight', "Whenever you question your value, say: God Himself is incomplete without me. Remember this when the ego speaks, and you will not hear it.", and Thought of Awakening #185, 186, 187.

Let me ask you a question – is God still speaking to us here and now? Today? And if so – how? Well – what are the answers? If God is indeed still speaking, shouldn't we be listening? Imagine what a difference it could make, to know His will for our lives.   Is God Still Speaking? Now, here ... here is a question that these days, pretty much divides the church down the middle. Are you ready? Here it is: does God still speak today? Ooooh ... the controversy; the division that that little question creates, is huge. There are some who contend that the only way that God speaks today; the single only way is through the Bible. Read the Bible; that's God's Word; that's how He speaks. Then at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, you have Christians who claim to have seen signs and wonders; to have so called, "words of knowledge" and "prophesies" over their lives. I even know one man whose pastor constantly claims to have visions of Jesus. WOW man, what do you do with that? How do you understand that? And then there is little old you and me. If you are anything like me, deep inside there is a desire that burns for God – something that, well, it's hard to explain – a hunger after God Himself; a yearning that won't, that can't be satisfied by some dry, academic, cerebral answer to this question: does God still speak today? It won't be dismissed by shallow responses either. And nor will sensational claims quench the thirst after Christ Himself. And so that's why these coming weeks on the programme we are going to explore this question: does God still speak today? And if so, how? As I said, I ache to know God; to experience Him; to hear Him speak into my life. And I know that there are many, many more people on this earth who feel exactly the same. I want to live my life out completely for Him – everything I am, everything I have, all my hopes and all my dreams, to serve Him with the lot. And it's not because I'm some great guy – believe you me, I'm not. It's because I have tasted the sweetness of His love – the many splendored love of Christ, as A.W. Tozer calls it. I have tasted His goodness and His joy and His peace and do you know what – I want more! And so I want to hear Him speak because any relationship that means anything; that has any value to it is based on communication – and not one way communication, two way communication. A marriage is headed for divorce when there's a stony silence between husband and wife. If all that they do is communicate on a transactional basis, about the mundane things of life and they no longer communicate heart to heart, then friend, unless they do something about that, their marriage is headed for divorce. So the question is: Does God still speak? In my experience, He does, in a variety of ways. But experience ... experience isn't the "be all and the end all". We have emotions – they go up, they go down – sometimes we are on the top of our game, other times, frankly, let's be honest, we are off with the pixies. So whilst we may be experiencing God speaking through prophesy, through signs, through dreams ... all sorts of different ways, I believe with all my heart, the truth, God's chosen way of revealing Himself to us; providing us with a rock solid basis for understanding Him and understanding our experience, is His Word, this thing we call the Bible. Inspired by Him, written through human beings, for sure – each of the sixty six books of the Bible, written in different times in history, under different circumstances, for specific purposes but together those sixty six books are the inspired Word of God – God speaking to the generations that have gone before us and to us and the generations that will come after us. And God never contradicts Himself. He never says one thing and does the other. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. So if any one, whether it's you or me, claims to have heard from God in a certain way, then the question is: does the Bible say that that is how God communicates with us? Because if it doesn't, then friend, at the very, very least, I am very, very suspicious that this person has indeed heard from God. And secondly, if this person claims to have heard from God and acts on it or shares what God has allegedly said to him or to her, is the message consistent with the Word of God – the whole council of God? Because if God says one thing and some so called, "prophet" comes up with a so called, "revelation" that contradicts God's Word, then forget it. It ain't God talking! Does that make sense? When we step into the realm of God speaking with us about specific things happening in our lives or in the lives of other people, then we are stepping into territory which is rich and fertile on the one hand – if God is indeed speaking. I for one would want to hear but on the other hand, it's open to manipulation and to error. This approach is summed up in this Biblical principle – it comes from First Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 19 to 22. Have a listen – it says: Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. In other words, don't ignore God speaking through His Spirit. Don't despise the words of prophets, but at the same time, sift it; test it – hold onto the good, ditch the evil. So, is God still speaking? Absolutely! This is what Jesus said: John chapter 10, beginning at verse 1: Truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and – listen to this - the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers. Again John 15:26: When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. And again, John 16:14: He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. Is God in the business of still speaking to His people through His Spirit today? Absolutely! That's exactly what Jesus promised would happen – over and over and over again. It's promised in the Bible. But as we read back in First Thessalonians – whilst the Spirit is at work, speaking, declaring and we shouldn't quench what He is doing. When people claim to be speaking on God's behalf, then we had better test it to make sure that it's from God. And I guess that's at the very heart of what we are going to be talking about over the coming weeks – discovering how to hear God speak into our lives. It's powerful stuff!   The Word of God I remember when I first gave my life to Jesus – I had such an incredibly strong sense of God's presence. He wrapped His arms around me during a particularly difficult and painful time in my life and yet I was full of the joy of the Lord. And a dear friend of mine, Phil, the pastor of the first church I attended sat me down over a coffee and he said to me, "You know Berni, it's not always going to feel as good as this." And whilst in one sense, he was right, there was something inside me – well, it made me angry. I thought to myself and I said this to God, "If I can't have a close, intimate relationship with my God, each day; if I can't experience His joy and His peace, each day, then you know something, Lord, I don't think I want You." It's pretty radical stuff! And to be sure life has had its ups and downs. Sometimes circumstances are against us and sometimes everything is rosy. Sometimes our emotions are up and sometimes they are down. In those early days of becoming a Christian, they told me; Phil told me that I should read my Bible every day. Can I tell you what a turn off that was? Can I tell you what a burden it was to think that I would have to open this old, stuffy Book; this huge Book; seven hundred and seventy five thousand words, thirty one thousand, one hundred and seventy three verses, one thousand, one hundred and eighty nine chapters in sixty six Books. Written in times and places and cultures that were completely unfamiliar to me. Who or what, for instance, is Ephraim? And why was everyone sacrificing bulls and goats and doves and stuff? You get the drift! But Phil, my pastor, was a persuasive guy – real salt of the earth kind of guy and when I listened to him preaching on Sundays he made an enormous amount of sense to me. So I did something back then – I established this pattern of getting up early in the morning; something I have been doing since I was a small child anyway, because I am an early riser – while everyone is still asleep – and spending some time in prayer and reading the Bible. I was surprised – God's Word made a lot of sense. A lot of it was confronting – it was like shining a really bright light on my own immaturities and the things I was doing that weren't pleasing God. And day after day, month after month, year after year, here's what has happened to me – it's changed me. I open the Bible these days and it is God speaking to me. Now there aren't fireworks and clashes of thunder and great amazing revelations each and every day – it's not like that. Little by little, God's Word has become part of who I am. I'm not good at memorising verses – some people are - I'm just not. But what I find amazing now is that when someone asks me to get up and speak about something or we are having a discussion amongst friends about this issue or that, the recall that God has given me over His Word, is amazing. I can remember the things that God says – maybe no word for word, but pretty close – and where He says it and that makes all the difference. When someone is really bugging me and I want to tear them apart, all of a sudden the Holy Spirit says to me, “Turn the other cheek!” And wisdom from above is pure and peaceable and gentle and willing to yield and all of a sudden, God's Word is guiding my behaviour. God's Word is giving me what I need to live my life. The Holy Spirit speaks His Word right into my life when I need it. And the other thing is – sounds really mundane reading the Bible every day and I guess it is. I tend to read an Old Testament Book followed by a New Testament Book – one of the Letters, from Romans to Revelation, followed by one of the four Gospels and Acts. It's kind of how I cycle through the Bible. And I have pretty much read it all now, several times. The reason I cycle is that the different Books feed me in different ways. Some of those Old Testament narratives – the Judges and Kings and Chronicle Books – they feed me with the power and the majesty of God's faithfulness. And then the Letters in the New Testament – they teach me about real life and understanding life, in light of what Jesus has done. And then the Gospels and the Book of Acts – they take me back to the heart of my faith in Jesus. And then some of the wisdom Books in the Old Testament – Proverbs, Psalms, Lamentations – I sprinkle them throughout and it's like adding salt to everything else. And as I read through, bit by bit, I can't begin to tell you how many times I have found exactly what I need for today – the things I am going through or the things unbeknown to me that are going to confront me later on today. It's amazing how many times God has given me what I need for today from those very next few verses, in the next chapter that I was due to read. Reading the Bible sounds like a chore – it sounds mundane but the strength and the maturity and the growth and the transformation; the things that have so made my life better – I can't begin to tell you. They have come from this wonderful habit that Phil taught me all those years ago - the ability to discern whether someone else is speaking for God or not – the wisdom to know how to handle tough situations – the maturity to lay down my life. That's hard, boy, it's hard some days. All those things have come as the Word of God has become part of who I am. Genesis chapter 1, verse 26 tells us that we have been made in God's image. Problem is, our rebellion; our sin has marred that image. And reading God's Word most days, listening to what He has to say most days, is like being restored back into His original image. It's a repair job here; a cleanup job there; a new bit here ... and all of a sudden we become a different person. It is knowing the truth that sets us free and the Bible is God's way of speaking with us. If there is one thing ... just one thing that I could point to as the smartest thing that I have ever done, after giving my life to Jesus, it's opening up the Bible – that daily habit – and letting God speak His Word into my heart through His Spirit. And the tragedy is that so many people ... the people who don't do that are the very ones whose lives are all over the place because there is no foundation; there is no anchor into God's truth.   The Time of Prayer Earlier we saw that one of the main ways that God speaks to us ... in fact, THE main way is through His Word, the Bible and it's an awesome thing. And as I said back then, the simple habit of reading God's Word, even if it is just a few verses, every day, has utterly changed my life. But that's only one side of the coin in my daily time with God - because the other side of the coin is prayer. There's an amazing contradiction that so many people are living out in their lives – people who believe in Jesus. Here's how it goes: on the one hand these people really would love to hear God's voice; they would really like to know that He is there with them, that He has some practical words of wisdom for them, some guidance on the decisions they need to take – that's on the one hand. And yet these, so often, are the very same people who are too busy to sit down for twenty minutes, half an hour, maybe even forty five minutes or an hour, most days, to spend that time in prayer with God. Too busy, too busy, too busy! Well, fair enough, I know all about that! See, I'm one of these busy type "A", action oriented people – we're more focused on doing things and getting outcomes than on spending time on relationships. So anyone who says to me, ‘I'm just too busy to pray', well, I really understand; I really relate to that. But the problem that comes out of that is that we head off into our day and we confront all the issues and tensions and decisions and all that stuff – we are so immersed in it all – and then right in the middle of it, we think, "Ah, where's God? Why is God talking to me? Why isn't God guiding me? Why isn't God comforting me?" Well, I'll tell you, friend! God was waiting for you this morning; He was waiting for you to get still before Him, to spend some time with Him reading His Word the Bible, listening to what He has to say and then chatting with Him in prayer. Have a listen to this Psalm – it is one of my absolute favourites – Psalm 46: God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it will not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice and the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, he shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations. I am exalted in the earth.” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Powerful truth in verse 1 is that God is our refuge and our strength in the middle of all this mess. You don't have to be afraid – if the mountains are shaking, if they are falling into the sea, if there is calamity, there's upheaval, there's uproar – that's the picture in the Psalm. The sorts of things that we go through in the rough and tumble of life – we don't have to be afraid! Why? Because there's a stream flowing right through the heart of our city that makes us glad. The nations may well be in an uproar but God is God above all and when He speaks the earth melts before Him. Now, that's a great theory but when we are in the middle of this calamitous uproar; when tensions are running high at work; when we are hard pressed on every side; when we are running through life at a hundred miles an hour, how are we meant to experience this river of joy from God? How are we meant to hear Him and know Him and not be afraid because of Him when all this stuff is flying through the air? Well, the answer comes to us in verse 10 of this Psalm: Be still and know that I am God. Isn't that beautiful! Just ... with all that stuff going on ... just be still and know in your heart of hearts that your God is God; that your God is in control. I don't care who the relationship is with, if we don't take time away from the hustle and bustle, just to connect, just to spend time together, just to talk – whether it's husband and wife or work colleagues or friends – if we don't do that, then the hustle and bustle is going to distract us from the reality of the relationship with that other person. We forget, in our experience, how wonderful the love of our husbands or wives is; we forget the joy of a friendship because our dominant reality; the thing we are focused on is the busyness and the battle of life. And friend, if we want to know that God is in control, we need to get still before Him and just KNOW! It's as simple as that! That's what prayer is – getting still before God. Here's how it so often works for me: I pray a bit and I ask God to speak with me. Then I open the Bible and I read the next bit I was going to read; the next chapter in Luke's Gospel or whatever and in reading that, the Spirit of God speaks to me through God's Word. I get this sense that God is up to something here but then I need to chew it over so I pray about it and I ask God, ‘What are You saying to me?' I think about it, I get still, I listen and that's the place where God so often speaks, with a word of reassurance, with some specific guidance or direction. I had that happen this morning, in fact. I had a difficult situation; some difficult decisions to make and after spending time in God's Word and thinking and praying and listening, well, the answer was as plain as the nose on my face. So often I'm confronted with a "to do" list longer than my arm – I can't possibly get it all done today. "God, what is Your priority? What do You want me to do today?" And that's where the most important things drop into my lap, so I go and I do those ones. It's a gift from God. Friend, so many people's lives are in a mess. "I want to hear God speak!" Well, let's get still before God; let's spend time with God. If we want to hear God speak right into the middle of the realities of our lives, we need to get still before Him. Let's get a revelation today! I know your life is busy – mine is too. But if we start spending fifteen minutes, twenty minutes a day, quietly, all the distractions gone, the doors closed, the Bible open – time in prayer; God shows up. He loves spending time with us. He loves it when we set time apart for Him. And frankly, if you are struggling to hear from God but you are not making time to spend with Him, this message today, is for you. Start spending time just with Him and little by little He will start speaking. Day by day, we will learn better how to recognise His voice. Little bit by little bit we will get guidance about things for today and things for tomorrow and things that we need to lay down. Jesus said, "The shepherd speaks and the sheep hear His voice.” In my experience, sometimes in my prayer times over the years I have misheard God but the longer I spend at this, the more discerning I am and the more easily I am able to recognise the voice of my Shepherd.

A family who’d lost touch with their son and brother Tyler received an urn that was said to contain his cremation ashes. Just twenty-two years old, he’d apparently died of a drug overdose. For years, Tyler had dealt with the effects of drug addiction and poor choices. But prior to the reported overdose, he’d been sober after spending time in a transitional housing facility and completing an addiction recovery program. Then authorities made a shocking discovery—Tyler was actually alive! They’d mistaken him for another young man who’d died of an overdose. Later, after being reunited with family and reflecting on the death of the other young man, Tyler said, “That could have been me.” The Israelites once learned of their death—though they were very much alive. In a song of mourning, the prophet Amos sang these words to God’s rebellious people: “Fallen is Virgin Israel, never to rise again” (Amos 5:2). These words must have gotten their attention—they were dead?! But the prophet also spoke these comforting words from God Himself: “Seek me and live” and “Seek good . . . . Then the Lord God almighty will be with you” (vv. 4, 14). Though Israel was dead in their sins against God, He invited them to turn to Him and find life. As we deal with our sin, let’s confess it and bring it to the one who loves us and forgives us. God lovingly leads us from death to life (John 5:24).

In our exploration of Romans 13, we uncover profound truths about the purpose of government and our role as Christians in society. This passage reminds us that government is God's idea, instituted to serve as a servant for good and an avenger of justice. As citizens of heaven and witnesses on earth, we're called to a higher standard of submission—not just to earthly authorities, but ultimately to God Himself.Connect with First Baptist Starkville: https://bit.ly/3imWgqv Subscribe to see our latest sermons: https://bit.ly/3DxRyjH Support this ministry and our work in Starkville, MS: https://bit.ly/44muvW0

If God is so powerful, then why is there so much evil?  This question came in from a listener and I decided to address it immediately, because it's important and timely.    Key Bible passages mentioned in this episode.    Genesis 3:16-19 16 To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you shall deliver children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” 17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; With hard labor you shall eat from it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; Yet you shall eat the plants of the field; 19 By the sweat of your face You shall eat bread, Until you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”   Romans 8:18-23 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body.    Revelation 21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”   For another episode where I explore this topic: https://www.johnwhittaker.net/podcast-1/episode-151   Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/   The Listener's Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com   Connect with John: Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram Email - john@johnwhittaker.net If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.

A Course in MiraclesLesson 191I am the Holy Son of God Himself.

Have you ever thought about what your life says to others? Whether we realize it or not, our actions, words, and attitudes communicate something to those around us. In fact, each of us is like a living letter: telling a story through how we live. But whose story are we telling? This episode unpacks where the Apostle Paul describes believers as 'letters of Christ,' written not with ink but by the Spirit of God Himself. What does that mean for us today?  The Rev. Ryan Kleimola, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Toledo, OH, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 2 Corinthians 3.  To learn more about Trinity Lutheran, visit  www.trinitylutheran.org. What does it mean to follow Christ in weakness? What does true ministry look like in the face of criticism, suffering, and spiritual warfare? And how can the Church hold fast to the Gospel when pressured by the world—and even by false teachers within? On Thy Strong Word, we walk verse by verse through, arguably, the apostle Paul's most personal, emotional, and paradoxical letter: 2 Corinthians. From forgiveness and reconciliation to generous giving and boasting only in the Lord, 2 Corinthians calls every believer to follow Christ boldly. This is the way of the cross, where God's grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in you. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Lesson 191I Am The Holy Son Of God Himself.Here is your declaration of release from bondage of the world. And here as well is all the world released. You do not see what you have done by giving to the world the role of jailer to the Son of God. What could it be but vicious and afraid, fearful of shadows, punitive and wild, lacking all reason, blind, insane with hate?What have you done that this should be your world? What have you done that this is what you see? Deny your own Identity, and this is what remains. You look on chaos and proclaim it is yourself. There is no sight that fails to witness this to you. There is no sound that does not speak of frailty within you and without; no breath you draw that does not seem to bring you nearer death; no hope you hold but will dissolve in tears.Deny your own Identity, and you will not escape the madness which induced this weird, unnatural and ghostly thought that mocks creation and that laughs at God. Deny your own Identity, and you assail the universe alone, without a friend, a tiny particle of dust against the legions of your enemies. Deny your own Identity, and look on evil, sin and death, and watch despair snatch from your fingers every scrap of hope, leaving you nothing but the wish to die.Yet what is it except a game you play in which identity can be denied? You are as God created you. All else but this one thing is folly to believe. In this one thought is everyone set free. In this one truth are all illusions gone. In this one fact is sinlessness proclaimed to be forever part of everything, the central core of its existence and its guarantee of immortality.But let today's idea find a place among your thoughts and you have risen far above the world, and all the worldly thoughts that hold it prisoner. And from this place of safety and escape you will return and set it free. For he who can accept his true Identity is truly saved. And his salvation is the gift he gives to everyone, in gratitude to Him Who pointed out the way to happiness that changed his whole perspective of the world.One holy thought like this and you are free: You are the holy Son of God Himself. And with this holy thought you learn as well that you have freed the world. You have no need to use it cruelly, and then perceive this savage need in it. You set it free of your imprisonment. You will not see a devastating image of yourself walking the world in terror, with the world twisting in agony because your fears have laid the mark of death upon its heart.Be glad today how very easily is hell undone. You need but tell yourself:I am the holy Son of God Himself. I cannot suffer, cannot be in pain;I cannot suffer loss, nor fail to do all that salvation asks.And in that thought is everything you look on wholly changed.A miracle has lighted up all dark and ancient caverns, where the rites of death echoed since time began. For time has lost its hold upon the world. The Son of God has come in glory to redeem the lost, to save the helpless, and to give the world the gift of his forgiveness. Who could see the world as dark and sinful, when God's Son has come again at last to set it free?You who perceive yourself as weak and frail, with futile hopes and devastated dreams, born but to die, to weep and suffer pain, hear this: All power is given unto you in earth and Heaven. There is nothing that you cannot do. You play the game of death, of being helpless, pitifully tied to dissolution in a world which shows no mercy to you. Yet when you accord it mercy, will its mercy shine on you.Then let the Son of God awaken from his sleep, and opening his holy eyes, return again to bless the world he made. In error it began, but it will end in the reflection of his holiness. And he will sleep no more and dream of death. Then join with me today. Your glory is the light that saves the world. Do not withhold salvation longer. Look about the world, and see the suffering there. Is not your heart willing to bring your weary brothers rest?They must await your own release. They stay in chains till you are free. They cannot see the mercy of the world until you find it in yourself. They suffer pain until you have denied its hold on you. They die till you accept your own eternal life. You are the holy Son of God Himself. Remember this, and all the world is free. Remember this, and earth and Heaven are one.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

July 10, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: The Sacrament of Holy Baptism - SecondDaily Lectionary: Judges 6:1-24; Acts 14:19-15:5“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16) Second – What benefits does baptism give?It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Praise God! It works. Baptism works. This is God's grace to us. It is not us doing the work; it is God Himself through the sacrament of holy baptism for you. God forgives you. God rescues you. God saves you eternally. It is all God, not us. That is how it works. As you grow up, you will probably get a job. When you get a job, you have to do that job; you might have to “go to” that job…In other words, it might not be at your house. A job is work, your work. That is why you get compensated for it, usually with money and benefits. And you have to work for so many hours to get so much money. That is how you work. If you don't work, you don't get paid. That is also how you work. If you cannot be at your job for a day or a week, you have to take sick days or vacation days. You have to earn sick days or vacation days so that you can take time off. That is, again, how YOU work. However, in Baptism, God does not work as the world works. Baptism is God's Gift to you. In the waters of your Baptism, God chose you. You did not decide for Jesus to come into your heart; God placed his mark on you. The world will try to tell you. That it is about the work of your hands. The stuff your hands do will break. Your work will fall short. In other words…it will not be good enough. The devil himself will torment you with this and make you question the efficacy of God's work by making you focus on your own. Satan will make you think that you do not deserve God's love and that you cannot merit eternal salvation by the work of your hands. And you know what? He's right. So next time, tell the devil what made you right. God did.Baptism does what you cannot. In baptism, God forgives you, rescues you, and saves you. This is God's grace to us. Baptism works. IT WORKS! Praise God! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Satan, hear this proclamation: I am baptized into Christ! Drop your ugly accusation, I am not so soon enticed. Now that to the font I've traveled, All your might has come unraveled, And, against your tyranny, God, my Lord, unites with me! (LSB 594:3)- Rev. Roger Stites, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Sequim, WA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.In Clarifying the Great Commission, Rev. Daniel Christian Voth identifies common omissions from our collective understanding of Jesus' farewell discourse—omissions that turn Christ's promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation into a legalistic command. Come and discover a richer understanding of The Great Commission.

Welcome to Day 2670 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2670 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 74:18-23– Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2670 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2670 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today's Wisdom Nugget is titled: God's Honor at Stake – A Final Plea for Justice - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 74:18-23 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I'm your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we reach the powerful, urgent conclusion of our trek through Psalm 74 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 18 through 23. In our journey through Psalm 74, we have plunged deep into the raw agony of a communal lament. In verses 1-8, we witnessed a people devastated by the destruction and desecration of their beloved Temple, crying out, "O God, why have you abandoned us forever?" We saw the enemy's brutal rampage, their triumphant shouts echoing in the very sanctuary where God's praise once resonated, leaving behind only "perpetual ruins." Then, in verses 9-17, Asaph, the psalmist, voiced their spiritual desolation – the absence of prophetic signs, the agonizing uncertainty of "how long?" But he then masterfully pivoted, grounding his plea in God's unparalleled past acts of cosmic power. He reminded God of His eternal kingship, His splitting of the sea, His crushing of sea monsters, and His establishment of the very order of creation. The argument was clear: if God could do that in ancient times, He could surely intervene in this present crisis. Now, in these concluding verses, Asaph brings the full weight of their suffering and the enemy's continued blasphemy to God's attention, making a final, desperate appeal for God to rise up and contend for His own honor, His own cause, and His own downtrodden people. It's a prayer that implicitly asks: "If You don't act now, Lord, what will become of Your name and Your covenant?" Let's immerse ourselves in this final, impassioned plea for divine intervention and ultimate vindication. (Reads Psalm 74:18-23 NLT) See how these fools insult you, Lord. How they blaspheme your name. Don't let your dove be hunted by hawks. Don't forget your downtrodden people forever. Remember your covenant, O Lord, for the dark places of the earth are full of violence. Don't let the oppressed be humiliated; instead, let them praise your name. Arise, O God, and plead your cause! Remember how these fools insult you all day long. Don't overlook the shouts of your enemies, which grow louder and louder. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist returns with searing intensity to the core offense that demands God's attention: the enemy's direct affront to God Himself. He pleads: "See how these fools insult you, Lord. How...

Todaywe are moving on to a new chapter, Luke 23. This chapter tells us about thetrial of Jesus and His crucifixion and death on the cross. We believe this isone of the great chapters of the Bible, along with the other Gospel accounts ofJesus giving His life on the cross for you and me. This is the climax of humanhistory where God Himself literally goes to a cross and pays the payment forour sins. Several things stand out as we look at this chapter.  Tounderstand the setting, let's remember Jesus has been up all night long. OnThursday, Jesus prepared for the Passover meal with the disciples. Thatevening, they observed and ate the Passover meal in the Upper Room. In John 13through John 17, Jesus is talking to His disciples, preparing them with somelast words, giving them the comfort of the Holy Spirit who will come after Hehas ascended to heaven. So many things are taking place. Judas goes out intothe night to get the temple guard to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Thenafter Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper, they sing a hymn.  Jesusgoes deeper into the Garden, and there He prays those three prayers: "NotMy will but Thine be done." He says, "Take this cup from Me."That cup, we believe, represented the sins of all humanity, and Jesus wouldbecome sin for us. In the middle of the night, Judas shows up at the gardenwith a guard from the temple and arrests Jesus. They take Him to Annas's house,then to Caiaphas's house, and finally, as the sun rises and Peter has deniedthe Lord three times, they take Jesus to the Sanhedrin, where He is triedunfairly for the third time by the Jews.  Nowhere in Luke 23, we read that in the early morning hours, after the Sanhedrincondemns Him, they take Him to Pilate. We know that Jesus was crucified at thethird hour, which would have been 9:00 in the morning. At the sixth hour of Hiscrucifixion, three hours into the cross, the sun refused to shine. It wentdark. For the next three hours, until 3:00 in the afternoon, the sun did notshine. We're convinced that during those hours, Jesus paid the full payment forour sins. Over all six hours, Jesus is paying the price on the cross. We'lltalk about the seven sayings of Christ later, but here we see Jesus paying thefull price for our sin, being the propitiation for them, satisfying the wrathof God against the sins of humanity.  Jesusfulfilled the law as the innocent Lamb of God and fully paid for our sins,declaring in His last words on the cross, "It is finished." All thisbegins at 9:00 in the morning when Jesus is crucified. What we read now in Lukechapter 23, as He goes before Pilate for three different trials, happenssomewhere between the early morning hours of the Sanhedrin trying Him and Hiscrucifixion at 9am.  Canyou imagine how physically, emotionally, and mentally worn-out Jesus must havebeen during this time?  Oh,what a Savior! When we study this chapter, we will see both the evilness of menand the goodness of God. I can't help but think about that tree in the Gardenof Eden, called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God forbadeAdam and Eve to eat from. When they ate of it, they brought sin into the world.Now we are reminded of that tree again because Jesus will die and be hung on atree—a tree that represents the knowledge of good and evil.  Therewe see the great love of God, the goodness of God, the mercy of God, thewonderful sacrifice of God at that cross. At the same time, we see evil mencrucifying the most innocent, precious, sinless, blameless, stainless Son ofGod on that cross. Oh, what a scene. As we look at Luke chapter 23, I trustyou'll read it through several times and take into your heart all that Jesusdid for you and me. God bless!

We are blessed to celebrate the 249th anniversary of our nation's independence. It began at the signing of that great document known as our Declaration of Independence, signed in Philadelphia, PA, on July 4, 1776. A short 12 years later, on June 21, 1788, another great document was ratified by the 13 original colonies (now states) and the “Constitution” became the official framework of the government of the United States of America. The U.S. Constitution makes the United States a constitutional federal republic. It is a very special form of government, with ultimate authority resting in a written document. It is considered to be the ultimate authority for all laws governing our nation. We as GOD's people, are also fortunate to have another written document, given to us by GOD Himself, that is to serve as the ultimate source of authority in all aspects of our lives. We know this written document as the BIBLE, GOD's HOLY WORD! I am grateful, that on the weekend when our nation celebrates the signing of one of our great national documents, we as GOD's people can come together and celebrate the greatest document ever given to all of humanity. The written Word of GOD! In this message, we'll turn our attention to what we believe about the BIBLE. We will also devote some time to pray together for our nation! Pastor Joe Still

Every society has a collection of sayings that express popular insights. Yet the book of Proverbs gives us something greater: wisdom from God Himself. Today, R.C. Sproul explains how to read Proverbs to pursue a wise Christian life. Request What Is Biblical Wisdom?, the title by R.C. Sproul, plus lifetime digital access to his Wisdom teaching series, with your donation of any amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4163/donate   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Get the ebook edition of What Is Biblical Wisdom? and digital access to the Wisdom series with your gift of any amount: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global    Meet Today's Teacher:   R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of ministry engagement for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

JOHN FORESAW a day in the distant future when God would make all things new.He heard a voice from the throne of God saying, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”This week, we summarize the final two chapters of Revelation and John's vision of the world that is to come. The new Jerusalem, a massive city about 1,380 miles on a side (roughly the distance from New York City to Dallas), descends from heaven and puts an end to the need for sun and moon, for God Himself will be its light.And with our 300th episode, we wind down the six-year run of Unraveling Revelation. There is certainly more to explore in Bible prophecy, but due to recent health challenges we need to cut back on our work commitments and allow ourselves more time to rest.We invite you to follow our weekly program The Bible's Greatest Mysteries, where we will continue to dig deeply into the Word of God. The Bible's Greatest Mysteries is available at YouTube.com/@TheBiblesGreatestMysteries, the Gilbert House Ministries channels for Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, or our free mobile app (available at GilbertHouse.org/app).

LESSON 188The Peace Of God Is Shining In Me Now.Why wait for Heaven? Those who seek the light are merely covering their eyes. The light is in them now. Enlightenment is but a recognition, not a change at all. Light is not of the world, yet you who bear the light in you are alien here as well. The light came with you from your native home, and stayed with you because it is your own. It is the only thing you bring with you from Him Who is your Source. It shines in you because it lights your home, and leads you back to where it came from and you are at home.This light can not be lost. Why wait to find it in the future, or believe it has been lost already, or was never there? It can so easily be looked upon that arguments which prove it is not there become ridiculous. Who can deny the presence of what he beholds in him? It is not difficult to look within, for there all vision starts. There is no sight, be it of dreams or from a truer Source, that is not but the shadow of the seen through inward vision. There perception starts, and there it ends. It has no source but this.The peace of God is shining in you now, and from your heart extends around the world. It pauses to caress each living thing, and leaves a blessing with it that remains forever and forever. What it gives must be eternal. It removes all thoughts of the ephemeral and valueless. It brings renewal to all tired hearts, and lights all vision as it passes by. All of its gifts are given everyone, and everyone unites in giving thanks to you who give, and you who have received.The shining in your mind reminds the world of what it has forgotten, and the world restores the memory to you as well. From you salvation radiates with gifts beyond all measure, given and returned. To you, the giver of the gift, does God Himself give thanks. And in His blessing does the light in you shine brighter, adding to the gifts you have to offer to the world.The peace of God can never be contained. Who recognizes it within himself must give it. And the means for giving it are in his understanding. He forgives because he recognized the truth in him. The peace of God is shining in you now, and in all living things. In quietness is it acknowledged universally. For what your inward vision looks upon is your perception of the universe.Sit quietly and close your eyes. The light within you is sufficient. It alone has power to give the gift of sight to you. Exclude the outer world, and let your thoughts fly to the peace within. They know the way. For honest thoughts, untainted by the dream of worldly things outside yourself, become the holy messengers of God Himself.These thoughts you think with Him. They recognize their home. And they point surely to their Source, Where God the Father and the Son are one. God's peace is shining on them, but they must remain with you as well, for they were born within your mind, as yours was born in God's. They lead you back to peace, from where they came but to remind you how you must return.They heed your Father's Voice when you refuse to listen. And they urge you gently to accept His Word for what you are, instead of fantasies and shadows. They remind you that you are the co-creator of all things that live. For as the peace of God is shining in you, it must shine on them.We practice coming nearer to the light in us today. We take our wandering thoughts, and gently bring them back to where they fall in line with all the thoughts we share with God. We will not let them stray. We let the light within our minds direct them to come home. We have betrayed them, ordering that they depart from us. But now we call them back, and wash them clean of strange desires and disordered wishes. We restore to them the holiness of their inheritance.Thus are our minds restored with them, and we acknowledge that the peace of God still shines in us, and from us to all living things that share our life. We will forgive them all, absolving all the world from what we thought it did to us. For it is we who make the world as we would have it. Now we choose that it be innocent, devoid of sin and open to salvation. And we lay our saving blessing on it, as we say:The peace of God is shining in me now.Let all things shine upon me in that peace,And let me bless them with the light in me.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Casey explores the words of Jesus in John 16:7 and why the Holy Spirit isn't a consolation prize—but the empowering, guiding presence of God Himself. From honoring His presence to depending on His power, this power-packed message calls us to walk closely with the Spirit, trim our wicks, and keep the fire of God burning in our lives.

Imagine being a Democrat in the era of Trump v2.0. I have to give it to them, because they can take some punches, especially for being sissies. I mean, they're built like tofu—soft, mushy, and completely tasteless—but somehow, they still survive getting run over by a political Trump Train. Not a light tap. I'm talking about a full-throttle, whistle-blaring, conductor-waving, make-room-on-the-track kind of hit. And they just keep crawling back like they think they're Rocky. Sorry, Dems. This ain't a comeback story. It's a rerun, and Trump's ratings are going through the roof.Unless they change their evil ways, Democrats are doomed. It has been destined by God Himself.I heard a report that we have the cheapest gas in 4 years. Think this is an accident. This is something people notice. And they know who to credit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The profound truth found in Jonah 3:1—"the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time"—serves as the foundation for a transformative message about God's relentless grace. When Jonah ran from God's call, was thrown overboard, and spent three days in a fish's belly, most would assume his opportunity was lost forever. Yet God's word returned, demonstrating a powerful reality: our God doesn't just call us; He calls us back.This message explores the beautiful paradox of divine second chances through biblical examples from Genesis to Revelation. Adam and Eve, Moses, David, Rahab, Zacchaeus, Peter, Thomas—all ordinary people who failed spectacularly yet experienced God's extraordinary restoration. Their stories mirror our own journeys of failure and redemption, reminding us that God's grace continues long after our initial salvation.The Ninevites' response reveals another crucial spiritual distinction—they didn't merely believe in God's existence; they believed God Himself. Their king stepped down from his throne, modeling the surrender required when we remove ourselves from the control center of our lives. True repentance isn't simply feeling remorse; it's a deliberate two-step process of turning from sin and turning toward God. When they repented, God immediately relented, showing compassion without demanding proof or perfection.What is God trying to show you again? Perhaps it's a sin He's saving you from or an opportunity He's calling you to. Whatever it is, remember that His word comes back repeatedly. His grace isn't conditional on your performance but flows from His unchanging character. No matter how far you've run or how badly you've failed, God's love never runs out.Ready to experience the freedom of second chances? Remember: don't doubt in the dark what God spoke to you in the light. His grace is greater than your greatest sin, and He actively longs to show you compassion. The question isn't whether God will give you another chance—it's whether you'll embrace it when His word comes to you again.Support the showMade a decision to follow Jesus? We want to know about it! Fill out our connect card here: https://local.churchcenter.com/people/forms/115766Thank you for your generosity. For information on how to give, visit https://localvineyard.church/give.

Casey explores the words of Jesus in John 16:7 and why the Holy Spirit isn't a consolation prize—but the empowering, guiding presence of God Himself. From honoring His presence to depending on His power, this power-packed message calls us to walk closely with the Spirit, trim our wicks, and keep the fire of God burning in our lives.

Summary: In Genesis 32, Jacob faces a moment of deep fear and crisis as he prepares to meet his brother Esau, whom he had wronged years earlier. Overwhelmed by anxiety, Jacob prays humbly, acknowledging his unworthiness and pleading for God's deliverance. That night, alone and desperate, Jacob wrestles with a mysterious man—God Himself in human form. In this struggle, Jacob is physically broken, his hip put out of joint, yet he clings in faith, refusing to let go without a blessing. God renames him Israel (which means “Governed by God”), marking the transformation of Jacob from a self-reliant schemer to a man dependent on God's grace.

✣ Unlock God Mode Course: unlockgodmode.org  Join this 30-day life-changing program today. ✣ Free Neville Goddard PDF: manifestwithneville.com✣ God Mode 2025 Retreat: godmoderetreats.com----------------------In this lecture, Neville Goddard explores one of the deepest mystical revelations—the true nature of man as the creative womb of God. He ties together two key biblical passages: Genesis 2:21, where God puts man into a deep sleep and forms woman from him, and Isaiah 54:5, which states, "Your Maker is your husband". These scriptures, he asserts, are not myths but literal, divine experiences that each person will undergo when they awaken spiritually.Neville emphasizes that regardless of physical gender, every individual is the bride of God. The true “man” in Genesis is God Himself, and from Him emerges His emanation—the creative power of imagination—symbolized as the woman. The great mystery of existence is that God, in His sleep, is dreaming us into being, and when He awakens, we are one with Him, not separate.A central theme of the lecture is a testimony from a student who experienced a profound mystical event. This man, while in a trance-like state, discovered himself to be the womb of the universe—the very source of all creation. He perceived vortices of energy forming and densifying into reality, confirming Neville's teaching that all imaginal acts take shape in the unseen before manifesting in the world of the senses. He also experienced an intense creative force, far beyond anything known on the physical plane, reinforcing the idea that manifestation is a spiritual act far greater than earthly procreation.Neville explains that every human is undergoing this process, even if unaware. Every thought, every imaginal act, creates a vortex that gathers density until it becomes tangible reality. The purpose of life is to awaken from this divine dream, realizing that we are both the creator and the created. He shares a technique to bring imaginal acts to life—rather than exhaling, one should inhale deeply after imagining a desire fulfilled, feeling the entire body tingle with energy, as if something has been set into motion.Ultimately, The Womb of the Universe reveals that we are in a temporary state of separation from God, but only for a brief moment (as Isaiah states). This separation will end when we give birth to the Christ child within us, which is the sign of our spiritual redemption. Neville reassures that every person will experience this, for none will be lost. The journey may seem long in earthly terms, but in the divine perspective, it is but a fleeting moment.This lecture is a powerful affirmation of the truth of scripture as a living experience. Neville urges his listeners to embrace their role as creators, to recognize that they are the very womb through which God is manifesting reality, and to prepare for the inevitable moment of awakening, when they will realize their divine nature and union with God. ***Download the free Neville Goddard PDF Guide at manifestwithneville.com - Discover the transformative power of Neville Goddard's wisdom with this FREE 60-page guide on his 12 timeless principles of manifestation and reality creation.★ Follow the podcast for daily lectures from the mystic Neville Goddard ★FREE RESOURCES:• Join the FREE Neville Goddard newsletter• Join the FREE Telegram Channel• Feeling is the Secret • Full Audiobook* * *The James Xander Trip Podcast:• Listen on Spotify• Listen on Apple Podcasts• Listen on YouTubeDIVE DEEPER:• The Unlock God Mode Course• The Infinite Wealth Guided Meditation* * *ABOUT NEVILLE GODDARD:Neville Goddard (1905-1972), was an English writer, speaker and mystic. He grew up in Barbados and moved to the United States of America as a young adult. Neville Goddard was perhaps the last century's most intellectually substantive and charismatic purveyor of the philosophy generally called New Thought. He wrote more than ten books under the solitary pen name Neville, and was a popular speaker on metaphysical themes from the late 1930s until his death in 1972.Possessed of a self-educated and uncommonly sharp intellect, Neville espoused a spiritual vision that was bold and total: Everything you see and experience, including other people, is the result of your own thoughts and emotional states. Each of us dreams into existence an infinitude of realities and outcomes. When you realize this, Neville taught, you will discover yourself to be a slumbering branch of the Creator clothed in human form, and at the helm of limitless possibilities.Neville's thought system influenced a wide range of spiritual thinkers and writers, from bestselling author Dr. Joseph Murphy to Rhonda Byrne and Wayne Dyer.He has inspired and continues to inspire millions of readers around the world.* * *SOCIALS:• Neville Goddard Newsletter• Neville Goddard Telegram• Neville Goddard Instagram• Neville Goddard Threads• Neville Goddard Twitter• Neville Goddard YouTube* * *ABOUT THE COURSEUnlock God Mode is a transformative 30-day course designed to accelerate your journey towards greater wealth, love, and success through a deeper understanding and manipulation of your reality.  Comprising of 30 audio lessons, this course unfolds as a self-paced, introspective expedition into reality creation, aiding you in elevating your consciousness to what's referred to as the God Mode. Throughout this journey, practical tools will be provided daily to help enrich your life with more love, money, and success by altering your mental models and perceptions. This course combines theory and hands-on experience to create a unique deep dive into manifestation, consciousness, and reality creation. Join me on an extraordinary, 30-day adventure (1 lesson per day) and watch your reality transform. Begin the Unlock God Mode experience today »* * *Follow Neville Goddard on Telegram,

LESSON 186Salvation Of The World Depends On Me.Here is the statement that will one day take all arrogance away from every mind. Here is the thought of true humility, which holds no function as your own but that which has been given you. It offers your acceptance of a part assigned to you, without insisting on another role. It does not judge your proper role. It but acknowledges the Will of God is done on earth as well as Heaven. It unites all wills on earth in Heaven's plan to save the world, restoring it to Heaven's peace.Let us not fight our function. We did not establish it. It is not our idea. The means are given us by which it will be perfectly accomplished. All that we are asked to do is to accept our part in genuine humility, and not deny with self-deceiving arrogance that we are worthy. What is given us to do, we have the strength to do. Our minds are suited perfectly to take the part assigned to us by One Who knows us well.Today's idea may seem quite sobering, until you see its meaning. All it says is that your Father still remembers you, and offers you the perfect trust He holds in you who are His Son. It does not ask that you be different in any way from what you are. What could humility request but this? And what could arrogance deny but this? Today we will not shrink from our assignment on the specious grounds that modesty is outraged. It is pride that would deny the Call for God Himself.All false humility we lay aside today, that we may listen to God's Voice reveal to us what He would have us do. We do not doubt our adequacy for the function He will offer us. We will be certain only that He knows our strengths, our wisdom and our holiness. And if He deems us worthy, so we are. It is but arrogance that judges otherwise.There is one way, and only one, to be released from the imprisonment your plan to prove the false is true has brought to you. Accept the plan you did not make instead. Judge not your value to it. If God's Voice assures you that salvation needs your part, and that the whole depends on you, be sure that it is so. The arrogant must cling to words, afraid to go beyond them to experience which might affront their stance. Yet are the humble free to hear the Voice Which tells them what they are, and what to do.Arrogance makes an image of yourself that is not real. It is this image which quails and retreats in terror, as the Voice for God assures you that you have the strength, the wisdom and the holiness to go beyond all images. You are not weak, as is the image of yourself. You are not ignorant and helpless. Sin can not tarnish the truth in you, and misery can come not near the holy home of God.All this the Voice for God relates to you. And as He speaks, the image trembles and seeks to attack the threat it does not know, sensing its basis crumble. Let it go. Salvation of the world depends on you, and not upon this little pile of dust. What can it tell the holy Son of God? Why need he be concerned with it at all?And so we find our peace. We will accept the function God has given us, for all illusions rest upon the weird belief that we can make another for ourselves. Our self-made roles are shifting, and they seem to change from mourner to ecstatic bliss of love and loving. We can laugh or weep, and greet the day with welcome or with tears. Our very being seems to change as we experience a thousand shifts in mood, and our emotions raise us high indeed, or dash us to the ground in hopelessness.Is this the Son of God? Could He create such instability and call it Son? He Who is changeless shares His attributes with His creation. All the images His Son appears to make have no effect on what he is. They blow across his mind like wind-swept leaves that form a patterning an instant, break apart to group again, and scamper off. Or like mirages seen above a desert, rising from the dust.These unsubstantial images will go, and leave your mind unclouded and serene, when you accept the function given you. The images you make give rise to but conflicting goals, impermanent and vague, uncertain and ambiguous. Who could be constant in his efforts, or direct his energies and concentrated drive toward goals like these? The functions which the world esteems are so uncertain that they change ten times an hour at their most secure. What hope of gain can rest on goals like this?In lovely contrast, certain as the sun's return each morning to dispel the night, your truly given function stands out clear and wholly unambiguous. There is no doubt of its validity. It comes from One Who knows no error, and His Voice is certain of Its messages. They will not change, nor be in conflict. All of them point to one goal, and one you can attain. Your plan may be impossible, but God's can never fail because He is its Source.Do as God's Voice directs. And if It asks a thing of you which seems impossible, remember Who it is That asks, and who would make denial. Then consider this; which is more likely to be right? The Voice That speaks for the Creator of all things, Who knows all things exactly as they are, or a distorted image of yourself, confused, bewildered, inconsistent and unsure of everything? Let not its voice direct you. Hear instead a certain Voice, Which tells you of a function given you by your Creator Who remembers you, and urges that you now remember Him.His gentle Voice is calling from the known to the unknowing. He would comfort you, although He knows no sorrow. He would make a restitution, though He is complete; a gift to you, although He knows that you have everything already. He has Thoughts which answer every need His Son perceives, although He sees them not. For Love must give, and what is given in His Name takes on the form most useful in a world of form.These are the forms which never can deceive, because they come from Formlessness Itself. Forgiveness is an earthly form of love, which as it is in Heaven has no form. Yet what is needed here is given here as it is needed. In this form you can fulfill your function even here, although what love will mean to you when formlessness has been restored to you is greater still. Salvation of the world depends on you who can forgive. Such is your function here.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Putting God First Will Change Your Marriage If you're anything like me, you've found yourself caught in the swirl of responsibilities, relationships, expectations... and distractions. It's so easy to let the noise of life drown out the voice of God. Even in marriage—especially in marriage—it's easy to start placing our hope in the wrong thing. And when we do that, even the good things, like marriage, can become shaky ground. But what if the real anchor isn't your spouse, or your role, or your routine—but your relationship with God? Why Putting God First Can Transform Your Marriage We live in a world of constant input. Notifications, streaming, social media, endless to-dos. And if we're not intentional, those distractions steal our attention—and with it, our peace, our purpose, and our priorities. I've found that when I step away from it all—when I intentionally remove the distractions—I can finally hear God clearly again. Whether it's walking in nature without my phone or sitting in a quiet space with my journal, those moments of silence are sacred. They realign me. Because when God is clear, everything else becomes clear, too. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” —Matthew 6:33 How Husbands Can Become Spiritual Leaders in the Home Husbands, you are called to lead your home—not because you have all the answers, but because God entrusted you with that role. Leadership doesn't mean control. It means surrender. It means taking responsibility, laying down pride, and anchoring your identity in Christ—not in your wife's response. If your stability is based on her reactions, your leadership will always be shaky. But when your eyes are on Jesus, you can lead with strength, consistency, and peace—even if the journey is slow. “The wise man built his house on the rock… and it did not fall.” —Matthew 7:24-25 (paraphrased) What Biblical Respect Looks Like for Christian Wives Wives, I get it. Maybe you feel like you've had to take the reins because your husband hasn't. Maybe you feel stronger spiritually. Maybe you're just more organized. But leadership is about role—not ability. And when we as wives step out of our God-given role, we accidentally make it harder for our husbands to rise into theirs. Respect doesn't mean silence or enabling. It means honoring the role God has given him, even when it's hard. And when you do? It makes your husband feel safe, trusted, and invited to lead. Should I Still Respect My Husband If I Don't Trust Him? If your husband has let you down—or worse, betrayed your trust—you might wonder: “How do I respect a man who hasn't earned it?” That's real. But our motivation as believers isn't based on someone else's worthiness. It's based on God's worthiness. You can walk in wisdom, set boundaries, and still respect the role. Because when you show honor, you're honoring God first. (Need more on this? Search our site for our podcast: “Respect an Untrustworthy Man”) Why Most Marriages Struggle Without Spiritual Rhythms If you've been running on empty, it may be time to return to spiritual rhythms. Daily time with God. Weekly check-ins with your heart. Monthly reflection. These aren't just good habits—they're lifelines. They give you clarity, patience, and power to live out your role with joy. Even if your personality makes this hard (mine does too!), it's worth fighting for. Your family's health depends on your spiritual nourishment. What “Helper” Really Means (And It's Not What You Think) In Genesis 2, God calls Eve a “helper”—and the original Hebrew word ezer is used most often to describe God Himself as our rescuer, protector, and strength. Wives, this means your role is powerful, not passive. You have the God-given ability to uplift, empower, and even save your husband in ways no one else can. Not through control, but through encouragement, respect, and faith-filled love. When Leadership in Marriage Gets Out of Order The fall of man in Genesis didn't start with an affair or abuse. It started with misplaced leadership. Adam was present. He knew the truth. But instead of leading, he followed. Instead of obeying God, he obeyed his wife. Men, this is your reminder: you are responsible. And women, if you want your husband to lead, you have to let go of the wheel. Restoring biblical order doesn't mean a power struggle—it means peace, protection, and purpose. What to Do When You Feel Hopeless in Your Marriage You might be reading this with tears in your eyes. Maybe your marriage is hanging by a thread. Maybe you've tried everything, and nothing has worked. Maybe you're ready to give up. Don't. God sees you. He hasn't forgotten you. And no matter how far things have gone, there is still hope. Even if your spouse doesn't change right away. Even if it's just you taking the first step. Seek God first. Love your spouse like Jesus. And trust that God will do the rest. Where there is breath in the lungs, there is hope.   With love,   The Delight Your Marriage Team   PS – Ready to take the next step and learn more about our Coaching Programs? We'd love to talk with you. Book a free Clarity Call today: delightyourmarriage.com/cc PPS - To watch the full episode on YouTube, click here. PPPS - Here's a quote from a recent graduate: "When I started DYM, I was desperate to save my marriage. When Dana told me that I could do more than just save my marriage, but could actually enjoy it, I literally laughed at her. I had given up hope of having a happy marriage. All I wanted was to avoid divorce at all costs. Here we are a year later, expecting our third sweet baby… I did in fact, by Gods grace, do more than save my marriage!! I actually genuinely LIKE my husband!! We are happy and healing and couldn't be more grateful. God bless DYM. Thank you for having hope for my marital happiness, even when I did not."

Welcome to Day 2667 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2667 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 74:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2667 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2667 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today's Wisdom Nugget is titled: A Cry from the Ashes – When God Seems Absent - A Trek Through Psalm 74:1-8 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I'm your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we shift our focus from a personal spiritual crisis to a national tragedy, as we begin our trek through Psalm 74 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its opening verses, 1 through 8. Psalm 74, like the Psalm 73 we just concluded, is attributed to Asaph, one of the chief musicians. However, the tone and context are dramatically different. While Psalm 73 wrestled with individual suffering and the prosperity of the wicked, Psalm 74 is a raw, agonizing communal lament, born from a devastating national catastrophe. Scholars generally believe this psalm was written in the aftermath of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, most likely by the Babylonians in 586 BC. For the ancient Israelites, the Temple was more than just a building. It was the physical dwelling place of God's presence, the center of their worship, their national identity, and the very symbol of their covenant relationship with Yahweh. Its destruction was an unimaginable horror, a theological crisis of monumental proportions. It wasn't just a military defeat; it felt like God Himself had abandoned them, allowing His sacred dwelling to be utterly desecrated. This psalm gives voice to the profound anguish, confusion, and desperate pleading of a people reeling from unspeakable loss and wondering if God has truly turned His back on them forever. It offers a powerful model for how to lament when tragedy strikes, and when God's apparent silence is deafening. So, let's immerse ourselves in this cry from the ashes, feeling the weight of their despair and the desperate longing for God to remember. (Reads Psalm 74:1-3 NLT) O God, why have you abandoned us forever? Why does your anger burn against your own sheep? Remember your people, whom you chose long ago, the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession. Remember Mount Zion, where you live. Walk through these perpetual ruins, see the appalling destruction the enemy has done to your sanctuary. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with an immediate, piercing cry of abandonment: "O God, why have you abandoned us forever? Why does your anger burn against your own sheep?" This isn't a gentle query; it's a desperate, almost accusatory question hurled at God. The phrase "abandoned us forever" expresses profound despair and a fear of permanent divine rejection. This feeling of being utterly forsaken by God, especially after such a catastrophe, was a terrifying reality for them. The psalmist uses the intimate metaphor of "your own sheep" –

It's Friday, July 4th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Muslim mob disrupts Christian retreat in Indonesia On June 27, a mob of 200 Muslims stormed a Christian youth retreat at a home in Indonesia, driving out participants and damaging property, as police and soldiers looked on reports Morning Star News. Ironically, after praying at the mosque that Friday, they carried banners and shouted, “Destroy that house, destroy that house.” – referring to the home in Cidahu District in the West Java Province. They damaged windows, toilets, a gazebo, and garden. Claiming that a house should not be used as a place of worship, the Muslim mob also threw a motorbike into a nearby river and damaged the main gate. Videos circulating online show a man climbing a wall and removing a wooden cross attached to it, which he then uses to break a window. House sends Big Beautiful Bill to Trump's desk On July 3, the House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill to implement President Donald Trump's agenda, sending it to the president's desk, reports The Epoch Times. The bill cleared the House in a 218–214 vote, following an all-night session as Republicans scrambled to win over holdouts who had derailed an earlier attempt to advance the 940-page measure. House Speaker Mike Johnson was exuberant. JOHNSON: “This is the vote tally card. We're gonna frame this one. Okay? 218-214.” The vote also came after Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries held the floor — for what C-SPAN confirmed was a new length record — to lambast the bill for more than eight hours. The only two Republicans who voted against it were Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, alongside the entire House Democratic Caucus. House Speaker Johnson said the Republicans knew they had to get Trump's bill passed in light of the gift of unified government. JOHNSON: “We believed in the election cycle last fall that we were going to be given this great blessing of unified government, that we would have the White House and the Senate and the House aligned -- unified government. “We had a tough four years before this last election cycle. America was in, we were in deep trouble. We knew that if we won, and we believed we would, we knew that if we got unified government, we'd have to quite literally fix every area of public policy. Everything was an absolute disaster under the Biden-Harris radical, woke, progressive Democrat regime.” The legislation enacts many of Trump's domestic policy initiatives, including tax cuts as well as boosting spending for the border and defense. The passage marks a major victory for Republican leadership and Trump, who had to contend with a diverse group of holdouts who objected to the Senate's version of the bill for various reasons, including its effect on the deficit and deeper cuts to Medicaid. House Speaker Johnson, an Evangelical Christian, expressed his gratitude to God. JOHNSON: “We took the best effort that we could, in One Big, Beautiful Bill, to fix as much of it as we could. And I am so grateful to God that we got that done as we did. “I do believe in God. I believe in that motto that is what has made our nation the greatest in the history of the world. And some people shake their heads and they think that's old fashioned or something. That is a fact. “When the framers put this together. They stepped out in faith. They did something that no nation had ever done before. The great statesman, philosopher G.K. Chesterton of Great Britain, said, ‘America is the only nation in the world that was founded upon a creed. And he said it's listed with almost theological lucidity [or clarity] in the nation's birth certificate: the Declaration of Independence.' “We hold these truths to be self-evident. We recognize, we boldly proclaim the self-evident truth that her rights do not come from the government. They come from God Himself.” Psalm 9:1 says, “I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds.” The bill will head to Trump's desk ahead of a self-imposed July 4 deadline. He is expected to sign it at 5 p.m. ET today. 4 killed and 14 wounded in Chicago drive-by at rapper party On Wednesday night, four people died from gunshot wounds and 14 others were hospitalized following a drive-by shooting in Chicago, reports The Associated Press. At least three were in critical condition. Three shooters fired out of the SUV before they drove away. No suspect is in custody. Pastor Donovan Price talked to Channel 8 News. PRICE:  “An SUV pulls up and just opens fire on a crowd of people. It was absolute chaos, from people screaming to blood on the streets to people laying on the streets. Just a massive police presence. Horrific. More than I've ever seen.” The shooting took place in Chicago's River North neighborhood, a popular nightlife destination with many restaurants and bars. It was outside a restaurant and lounge that hosted an album release party for a profane rapper named Mello Buckzz, whose actual name is Melanie Doyle. Hip hop lyrics are filled with calls to violence. Ironically, her boyfriend was one of those shot. Thirteen women and five men, ranging in age from 21 to 32, were shot. The dead included two men and two women. On his X account, Pastor Price wrote, “Just sitting in my car crying for some of the people I held tonight.” Psalm 11:5 says, “The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, He hates with a passion.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said that the violence “has left our city in a state of grief.” RFK Jr. cites link between Hepatitis vaccine and autism Appearing on Tucker Carlson's podcast, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. talked about the link between the Hepatitis vaccine for babies and autism, reports LifeSiteNews.com. He referenced a Centers for Disease Control study that was buried. KENNEDY: “They looked at children who had received the hepatitis vaccine within their first 30 days of life, and compared those children to a children who had received the vaccine later or not at all, and they found a 1,135% elevated risk of autism among the vaccinated children. It shocked them. They kept the study secret, and they manipulated it through five different iterations to try to bury the link.” Secretary Kennedy also referenced 100 other studies and the new studies at the Health and Human Services Department which will be completed by September. KENNEDY: “The external literature is showing over 100 studies that indicate that there is a link. “But we're going to do real science. The way that we're going to do that is we're going to make the databases public for the first time. We have already put out grant requests. Any scientists with credentials can apply for a grant and tell us how they want to go about studying these. We're going to get real studies done for the first time.” (You can watch the entire 90-minute interview on a variety of topics here) Worldview listeners in Nicaragua and Mexico speak up And finally, Bob Kelly wrote me at Adam@TheWorldview.com. He said, “Hello from rural Nicaragua [in Central America,] the 30th most difficult country worldwide to be a Christian, [according to Open Doors.] We like your emphasis on our brothers and sisters who are suffering for Christ.” And Hannah Van Kirk in Mexico said, “My three kids -- Tessa, Reese, and Lincoln -- and I have been listening to The Worldview for a year. We include it as part of our homeschool day. We enjoy the update and prayer reports about the persecuted Christians. And we appreciate that you occasionally suggest that we send get well cards to Christian leaders who are sick or cards of encouragement to others who are standing up against the world. We also enjoy the uplifting stories.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, July 4th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

I have to give it to the Democrats. They can take some punches, especially for being sissies.When you look at all they must endure with all of Trump's winning, I mean, they're built like tofu—soft, mushy, and completely tasteless—but somehow, they still survive getting run over by a political Trump Train. Not a light tap. I'm talking about a full-throttle, whistle-blaring, conductor-waving, make-room-on-the-track kind of hit. And they just keep crawling back like they think they're Rocky. Sorry, Dems. This ain't a comeback story. It's a rerun, and Trump's ratings are going through the roof.Unless they change their evil ways, Democrats are doomed. It has been destined by God Himself.I heard a report that we have the cheapest gas in 4 years. Think this is an accident. This is something people notice. And they know who to credit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Week 4 of In The Arena, Pastor Joby takes us into Genesis 25 and 32 to unpack the story of Jacob — the deceiver who spent his whole life wrestling for control, until one night he found himself wrestling God Himself. Through Jacob's struggle, betrayal, and the wrestling match that changed his name to Israel, we see that real victory doesn't come by fighting God, but by finally surrendering to Him. If you've been fighting in your own strength, it's time to quit wrestling and truly win — by surrendering everything to the One who already wrestled death for you and won. - The Church of Eleven22® is a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. Eleven22 is led by Pastor Joby Martin and based in Jacksonville, Florida, with multiple campuses throughout Jacksonville and the surrounding areas. To find out more about how God is moving at Eleven22, go to CoE22.com