Podcasts about god if god

Psalm 9:7-12, Genesis 29:1-30:43, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-10, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-12, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Have we tuned our ears to hear God's voice, or are we letting the noise drown Him out? What if He's already speaking to us? Join us as we learn to listen to the good Shepherd. EASY TO GIVE at Harmony, text any amount to (859) 459-0316 to get started (or give online @ my.harmonychurch.cc/give). Get the fill in the blank bulletins my.harmonychurch.cc/bulletins. OPENING ILLUSTRATION: So, I have a major problem. I've always played this joke on my kids that they will say something like, “Dad, we need to go soon” and I will pretend to mishear them and I'll say, “did you say we need a goat platoon?” They are always like, “Dad, that's not funny…” the problem is, now I'm starting to really not be able to hear them… Lol, I'm getting old! This isn't just an old person problem. The other day we were in our car on the way to school and one of my kids popped up from reading their book and said, “You need to do something about that hair.” I laughed and said, were you listening? I asked the question because we had just spent about 5 minutes talking about the hair and how I can look like a rooster at times! Lol, they hadn't heard a thing because they weren't listening… We all have times we don't listen so well, right? B But what happens when you don't listen to God? In this series, we are going to talk about “hearing from God” But I don't mean this in a generalized sense. I mean actually hearing the voice of God… ILLUSTRATION: Have you ever heard some one talk about “Hearing God” speak and thought, “that's a bunch of hocus pocus”? I think that a lot. I think LOTS of people misuse and abuse the notion of hearing from God. They use it to justify all kinds of junk… So, before we go too far into this short series, I want to do a few things today: First, I want to normalize hearing the voice of God. Hearing from God should be a normal part of the Christian experience and show you how even if you don't think this is your experience, it might be. b Second, I want to give us some VITAL guardrails. I want to protect us from weaponizing a part of what should be a normal piece of the Christian experience. 1. Is hearing from God normal or signs of a mental condition? :) Lol, come on, you know that's what some of you are thinking “hearing voices in your head Kent?” That's crazy… But you do know this appears to be the normal experience of people in the scripture, don't you? [Put up as one slide so I can move through fairly fast] Abraham (Call of Abram: Genesis 12:1-3, Covenant with God: Genesis 15:1-6, Pleading for Sodom: Genesis 18:22-33) Moses (Burning Bush: Exodus 3:1-6, Mount Sinai: Exodus 19-20, Tent of Meeting: Exodus 33:11) Jesus (Baptism: Matthew 3:17, Transfiguration: Luke 9:28-36, Prayer in Gethsemane: Matthew 26:36-44) Paul (Road to Damascus: Acts 9:3-6, Thorn in the Flesh: 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Prayer in Prison: Acts 16:25) Not to mention  Old Testament: Adam & Eve, Noah, Hagar, Jacob, Joseph, Samuel, Job, Gideon, Manor & his wife (parents of Samson), Solomon, all the prophets, Balaam (a false prophet) New Testament: Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, The apostles, Stephen, Ananias, Cornelius, John the Baptist God seems to love to engage with His people… Listen to how Jesus says this: John 10:1-5, 14-16 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ILLUSTRATION: There is a funny video on Youtube (youtube.com/watch?v=e45dVgWgV64) of this person trying to call this shepherds sheep over to them. They call with the same words he uses to call them. The sheep just ignore the person, but when the shepherd steps up and calls the sheep, all of the sudden their heads look up, they see him, and when they do, they come running to him. Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd” and that his sheep follow Him because they KNOW His voice! b But Kent, I've never heard a voice, I don't have visions or talk to really hot shrubbery, does that mean I'm not one of His sheep? Can I take the pressure off of you? There is a group out there of Christians that make everyone else feel like they don't hear from God - they say things like “The Lord told me I was supposed to buy this thing or do that thing” and they make it sound like God us up there as their personal administrative assistant telling them when to do everything… [reveal the below one line at a time] But I'll bet, if you say you've never heard God's voice that you have: Have you ever read something in the scripture and been moved by a thought that came over you? Have you ever been in a worship service and felt moved? Have you ever heard a sermon and felt like you were supposed to do something? b That's the voice of God ILLUSTRATION: for me, I always know it's the voice of God when it's something that Kent, in his Kentness wouldn't naturally do or think. I've felt like I was supposed to call someone and encourage them, that's not me. I one time was telling God I love Him and I felt like I heard Him say back, “I love you too” I just started weeping. I've felt like I was supposed to buy someone gas - that's not me, I'm more inclined to drive right by that person. I have a buddy who said he was thanking God for all the blessings he has and he heard God say, “what are you going to do with it?” For me, God's voice is not loud, it's not shouting at me, it's just quietly leading me like a shepherd. “hey, don't go over there…” or “hey, there's some really good grass over here…” Can I give you some Guardrails as we talk about this subject? Because I've seen, particularly spiritual leaders, abuse people with this… Guardrails to consider when learning to listen to God… If God has already spoken in the scripture about your situation - you don't need anything more (If you are waiting to hear God on whether to stay with your spouse or leave them for your mistress - God has already spoken on that…) Be humble and test the spirits (Not every idea/thing that comes into your mind is from God or even you.  Test what you are hearing against seasoned followers of Jesus and against the word of God) God does not tend to operate in either-or situations (Giving God the options of “God it's either this or it's that” - if you're truly inviting God to speak in your life, let Him speak what He wants to say, not your pre-populated answers) NEVER use what you believe God spoke to you as a means to beat others into submission - if God spoke it to you, He is more than capable of speaking it to them as well… ILLUSTRATION: Early on in ministry, I told a church that I felt God had told me we were supposed to move our congregation to a different building. I don't want to go into the specifics, but I felt like God convicted me, because in reality, I felt like we should make the move, but God had not directed me to do it. I confused my ego with God's direction and in the process, manipulated the sheep as though my words were from the shepherd. CLOSING ILLUSTRATION: Jesus is the good shepherd, and he laid down His life for you. My prayer as I was writing this sermon was not that people would learn a lot about listening to God, but that they would actually tune their ears to the God who is speaking to them. I have learned that as I age and my hearing actually gets worse, I have to lean in a little and actually listen to what people say. I have to really focus on it and when I do, I can understand them. What would it look like for you to tune your ears and your heart to God? One of the ways to do that is to lean into God, we are about to sing this song and I want to invite you to come up to the alter and lean into God. Pray and just tell Him, Jesus, if you want to speak, I'm listening. don't put any pressure on it, if you don't hear anything, that's alright. But what if you do? What if when you say, “I love you” He says, “I love you too!” Back. He has already said this to you! Come and give your life to Jesus!

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8)"A person whose heart is pure directs his/her whole attention to God, to good. Purity is one-pointed vision, the 'single' eye. Impurity, in a spiritual sense, implies double vision, seeing good and evil. When the consciousness is so purified that we perceive only One Presence and One Power, we are, in reality, seeing God."  Your Hope of Glory by Elizabeth Sand Turner. How can we see God if God is Spirit? Listen as Larry shares thoughts about how to be pure in heart and see God in everyday life.Support the Show.

The Wisdom of God: If God is all-powerful and perfectly wise, how could he allow suffering to exist? People have always wrestled with this question, many Christians as well. According to the manifold wisdom of God and through the suffering of Christ, we can approach God with freedom and confidence in our time of need. Suffering is not the end of the story. Recorded on May 26, 2024, on Ephesians 3:1-13 by Pastor David Parks. Our series, Ephesians: The Gospel in Life, serves as an epilogue to Finding Life in Jesus' Name from John's gospel. The Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians reveals much about how the life found by faith in Jesus actually works. This series will touch on themes of grace, identity, purpose, family, the church, spiritual warfare, and more. If you're considering the life of Jesus or if you're ready to follow him today, this series is for you. Sermon Transcript For the last few weeks and for the next few months, we'll be working through Paul's letter to the Ephesians in a sermon series called The Gospel in Life. And today, as we start chapter 3, we're going to consider the wisdom of God's plan, hidden in the past, but now revealed to us in Christ. But there's a mystery here. The mystery, what was really shocking, was that God's plan included the immense suffering and humiliation of the cross of Christ. No one expected a dying messiah. Of course, Christians believe that after this suffering and death, on the third day, Jesus rose again from the dead as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. But still, God used the greatest tragedy to accomplish the greatest good. Almost no one would've thought this is what God's plan would've looked like. However, even with this story of the suffering of the Son of God at the heart of the gospel, and even though the apostles and many of the first followers of Jesus suffered greatly for their faith, suffering is still shocking for many Christians today. Many Christians wonder if God is all-powerful, and if he is perfectly good, how could he allow suffering to exist? People have wrestled with this question as far back as we have a written record. Have you ever wondered how God could allow something evil or painful to intrude into your life? Have you ever prayed/cried out to God in tears/confusion because of the suffering in your life? What can we do in those dark days? What can we say when those difficult questions creep into our hearts? One of the things we can do is look to the stories of those who suffered in the Bible and learn from them. We might look to the stories of Joseph, Job, Naomi, or David and see how they dealt with suffering. But the Apostle Paul's story is right up there — he suffered greatly because of his faith. And today, we'll see how he talks about his experience, including the fact that he was an innocent man writing to the Ephesians from prison. But Paul's perspective is radically different than the ways of this world. If so, grab a Bible/app and open it to Eph 3:1. We'll unpack this text as we go. Ephesians 3:1–3 (NIV), “1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.” In Chapter 1, Paul spelled out the truly cosmic nature of the gospel — that God was working from eternity to eternity to unite all things in/under Christ. In Chapter 2, Paul went on to remind the Ephesians of the radical unity that God has brought to Jews and Gentiles by grace through faith in Jesus. Now, here, he shares how his personal story relates to the unfolding story of God. And he starts by calling himself “the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles.” It's interesting that he doesn't say he's a prisoner because of Christ Jesus, but he's the prisoner of Christ Jesus. This phrase could have several possible meanings. First,

Question about an objection to grounding objective morality in God that states that if God has a morally perfect nature, and he either engaged in or directly allowed genocide, slavery, and torture, then that means genocide, slavery, and torture are objectively good. How would you address this atheist challenge to grounding objective morality in God: If God has an unchanging, morally perfect nature, and he either engaged in or directly allowed genocide, slavery, and torture, then doesn't that mean genocide, slavery, and torture are objectively good?

Psalm 9:7-12, Genesis 29:1-30:43, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-10, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-12, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Stuart Blount - 23rd April 2023 - Googling God - If God Is Real Why Is There Suffering?

Exodus 33:1-23, Knowing God; If God Be Against Us? by MVBC

Today's Reading: Acts 9:1-22Daily Lectionary: Zech. 1:1-21, Romans 14:1-23Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.  And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”  (Acts 9:3,4)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. During Epiphany we celebrate that the light of Christ shines to people who are in darkness. Saul was immersed in that darkness. Blind to the truth, Saul “ravaged the church, entering house after house and dragging off men and women and putting them in prison (Acts 8:3).” Looking back at his behavior at this time, Paul told Timothy that he was “the chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). But Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome.  He could've struck Saul down to stop him —yet instead  Jesus confronted Saul on the road to Damascus so that He could bring Saul into His light. He condemned Saul's actions with the simple words “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul realized he'd been fighting against God's Messiah. Christ's light had literally struck him blind.Saul deserved punishment and damnation. But Jesus came to save sinners, including Saul. Jesus had died on the cross to take the punishment Saul had earned. When Saul regained his sight after 3 days, Ananias baptized him into Jesus. Instead of darkness, he now knew the light of the truth that Jesus is the Christ —he knew God forgave him of his crimes, and he had eternal life in Christ.Such grace could not be held in silence. Saul went forth as Paul and preached Christ Jesus to Jews and Gentiles. He journeyed tirelessly to bring the light of Christ to those in darkness. He was a shining example of the grace of God: If God could save even him, the chief of sinners, God could save anyone -- no matter what they had done. Christ comes to you, just as he came to Saul. He calls you to repent, He washes away your sins in Holy Baptism, and He gives you eternal life completely by His grace. He stays with you throughout this life until He takes you home to heaven. May the peace of Christ that comforted Paul also be with you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, You turned the heart of him who persecuted the Church and by his preaching caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world. Grant us ever to rejoice in the saving light of Your Gospel and, following in the example of the apostle Paul, to spread it to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.-Pastor Jeffrey Horn is Pastor at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Escondido, CA,Audio Reflections Speaker: Patrick Sturdivant, Development and Marketing Executive at Higher Things.Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.

Psalm 9:7-12, Genesis 29:1-30:43, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-10, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-12, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

The Peace of God If God has an individual direction for His children, then they ought to be able to discern what that direction is. One major issue we have to think through however, is how do we find God's leading without necessitating some form of continuing, special revelation? How can we claim to…

November 27, 2022 - Len W Wyatt Perhaps no one can help answer this question than the man who lost it all--JOB. Learn from his story and see how a season of doubt can help build your faith.

One of the marks of affluence in Russia today is the vast network of hastily constructed metal storage sheds which look like corrugated matchboxes just large enough to hold a car or protect building materials from greedy eyes.  With no windows and a large padlock, these storage sheds become a virtual prison for anyone unfortunate enough to be inside when the door closes.

Esther 6:1-13 God works through all things for the good of his people. The coincidences – God is always at work There are no chances with God If God is the Creator of the entire universe, then it must follow that He is the Lord of the whole universe. No part of the world is outside of His lordship. That means that no part of my life must be outside of His lordship.” RC Sproul The only way to have

Thanks for hanging out with me today! If you have been blessed by this content and would like to help support the things we do here, you may do so by visiting: https://www.sheepamongwolves.org/support For everything SAW related, check out our official website: www.sheepamongwolves.org For exclusive content join The Flock, our official community: https://www.sheepamongwolves.org/forum Questions, comments, concerns, snarks, or conundrums? E-mail me: chuck@sheepamongwolves.org SOURCE MATERIAL | The Big Book Of Bible Difficulties, by, Geisler & Howe THEME MUSIC - Hiking and Traveling Music | Adventures by Alex-Productions | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx0_M61F81Nfb-BRXE-SeVA Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US You are now free to roam about the countryside! #christianity #apologetics #discipleship

Thanks for hanging out with me today! If you have been blessed by this content and would like to help support the things we do here, you may do so by visiting: https://www.sheepamongwolves.org/support For everything SAW related, check out our official website: www.sheepamongwolves.org For exclusive content join The Flock, our official community: https://www.sheepamongwolves.org/forum Questions, comments, concerns, snarks, or conundrums? E-mail me: chuck@sheepamongwolves.org For more resources including free books: https://www.sheepamongwolves.org/resources If you're more into listening instead of viewing, check out the Podcast Directory: https://www.sheepamongwolves.org/podcast-directory If you're more into viewing instead of just listening, check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SheepAmongWolves SOURCE MATERIAL | The Big Book Of Bible Difficulties, by, Geisler & Howe THEME MUSIC - Hiking and Traveling Music | Adventures by Alex-Productions | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx0_M61F81Nfb-BRXE-SeVA Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US You are now free to roam about the countryside! #christianity #apologetics #discipleship

Psalm 9:7-12, Genesis 29:1-30:43, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-10, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16–19,27–30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-10, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16–19,27–30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Speaker KJ Tromp Acts 9:1-19

Psalm 9:7-12, Genesis 29:1-30:43, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-10, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16–19,27–30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7,10, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:28–30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:7-10, Genesis 30:22, Matthew 11:16–19,27–30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will'? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Today we are diving into two stories. To the casual observer they may seem unrelated but Luke and more foundationally, God has woven these two stories together to make a larger point. Jesus redeems two impossible situations for two desperate daughters by faith. And Jesus teaches us that he has beautiful design behind his timing. Luke 8:40 ESV 40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. What did Jesus return from doing? Literary Context Luke has shown the supremacy of Jesus throughout the last few sections. Jesus has authority over every untamable sphere in life. IN other words, Jesus has power over areas of life where no one else has power. Man has no power over the weather. But Jesus does! Man has no power over demons. But Jesus does! And we will see in our section today: Man has no power over disease. But Jesus does! Man has no power over life and death. But Jesus does! Jesus has authority over disease and death Cultural Context Importance of women Jesus taking time for these women and Luke including them is not a mistake. Jesus did many miracles, there is divine purpose based on what is highlighted and what is not. In this time, women were worse than second class. There is a well-known Jewish blessing that many men would pray in the morning, “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me a woman.” *This was not in the OT by the way! As much hate that Christianity gets in our culture regarding women, the Bible and the life and acts of Jesus did more for the value and tremendous worth of women then every feminist movement. Jesus highlighted and valued women in a way that was unparalleled for his time See how Jesus doesn’t use women. He loves them and values them. The First Daughter Luke 8:41–42 ESV 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. Let’s start off by identifying Jairus. Ruler of a synagogue = A man in charge of arranging the service and the progress of worship. So this man is kind of a big deal. And yet, this big deal falls at Jesus’ feet. Not exactly something that will endear him towards the pharisees. However, when you’re desperate, you don’t care what people think. And Jairus is desperate. His ONLY daughter is dying. Father’s of girls, imagine our only daughter dying. What lengths would you go to save her! Jairus does not pull rank. What moves Jesus to come is his desperate faith. Rank or status doesn’t move the heart of God. Though a desperate heart certainly does. This is good news for all us nobodies out there! › So Jesus stops everything and follows him. Now as he is on his way, we are introduced to the second daughter. The Second Daughter: Sickly Woman Luke 8:43 ESV 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. Now before we go into the details of this woman. I want to compare her to Joanna. I share this because as I tried put myself into the shoes of the characters in the Bible, I can utilize personal experiences to help grasp some of their story. There are a number of similarities and other areas that are quite different. I’m going to share from the lesser to the greater. Many of you know that Joanna has suffered from a mysterious skin condition for about 15 years. This causes the skin on her hands to harden and crack. She literally has no finger prints. Her fingers are constantly in pain and randomly bleed. This makes many things hard for her. I mean, how often do you use your fingers? So for the last 15 years, she has seen numerous doctors, tried many different remedies, Western, Eastern, you name it. Every kind of cream. Lots of different therapies. Lots of money. And all the while, praying constantly for relief. And yet, in all of this, there has been ZERO progress. This has been a challenging part of her life, though not all-consuming. Similarly, this woman has been suffering for 12 years. She has spent tons of money on finding a cure. She’s been to numerous physicians. She has been praying this whole time, I’m sure. She has found zero relief. But this is where the similarities break down. This woman, spent ALL of her living on doctors. Her ailment is not one of her hands but one of blood. Most scholars would argue she has a uterine issue with a constant flow of blood. Before modern day hygiene. Not only has this been painful and impoverished her, according to the Mosaic Law, she was symbolically unclean. Being unclean did not mean you committed a sin, but reminded everyone that the world was tainted with sin. Every aspect of the world was effected by sin’s grip. Some of the laws for what makes you clean were if you touched a dead body, or you had a spreadable skin disease. And so God ordained certain laws so that God’s people would understand this and also approach him rightly. Also, uncleanness could spread. So if you were unclean, you could contaminate others and thus, you needed to avoid others. However, with her constant flow of blood, she was constantly unclean. This resulted in her being separated from society. Perpetually in a state of separation and deep shame. So this separated her from loved ones, from being married, from living a normal life. Joanna has suffered but she still have family and friends. This woman had none of them. This woman, likely did not have intentional touch for 12 years. Imagine 12 years of isolation 12 years of others avoiding you. 12 years of not drawing near to God in the temple. 12 years of rising and falling hopes. What kind of struggle did she have with her relationship with God? IF God is good, certainly he would have done something about this. Maybe you can relate with her? Maybe there’s something in your life where you’ve prayed and prayed, sought and sought for relief or breakthrough and you just don’t understand why God is not answering your prayers... › This woman heard about Jesus and his miracles and believed that if she could just touch him, she would be healed. The Healing of the Woman Luke 8:44 ESV 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 12 years of suffering with zero results. And in an instances, HEALED! IMMEDIATELY! Who is this man? Who is the one who can heal an incurable disease that no one has been able to heal, even with a touch. What power is this? Who does this? › Jesus knows what happens and responds, Luke 8:45 ESV 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” Leave it to Peter to correct Jesus and state the obvious. “Master, lots of people are touching you.” But Jesus is not talking about any ordinary touch. A desperate touch. A touch of faith. Behind the touch is someone who believes that Jesus is here only hope and she really believes he can do something about it. Jesus explains, Luke 8:46 ESV 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” Make no mistake, Jesus is not a battery. It’s not like he has a 100 units of power and she just took some of his energy. What he’s unpacking is that he felt a special kind of touch that resulted in a healing. Jesus is asking the question to bring everything to the light. I believe that he knows all that is going on and is using this situation for a very special purpose. You can imagine how scared she could be. She’s caught! To get to Jesus she probably touched and defiled a number of people. Remember, he touch was illegal under the OT law. By touching Jesus, she made him unclean, or so she thought. Luke 8:47 ESV 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. Jesus is using this situation to not only bring healing to this woman, but also for her to publicly testify of what he did in the presence of all the people. › But even more, it gave him an opportunity to say the following, Luke 8:48 ESV 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” He doesn’t call her woman. What does Jesus call her? Daughter! This is the only time in the New Testament Jesus calls someone daughter. WOW Just sit on that for a minute. This woman who has been rejected and isolated for 12 years. Unlike Jairus’ daughter, she doesn’t have a dad fighting for her. She has nobody it seems. And yet, Jesus calls her daughter. Remember in Luke ch. 8 that Jesus clarifies that those who are truly in his family are NOT blood related but those who, “Hear the word and do it.” This woman is demonstrating obedience by faith in Christ which is the foundation of all obedience. Jesus is publically associating with her at the most familial level. This is restoring her within the community. This is removing her shame. She doesn’t make him clean. He makes her clean! Jesus cannot be tainted for he is God. This is so important. There are some who think they are too sinful to ever come to God. That they’re not good enough for him. That they will taint him for he is too holy. He is too holy! However, his holiness overrides our sinfulness when we come in desperate faith. His purity washes our impurity. As the Puritan Richard Sibbes once said, “There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us!” ____ But even more, Jesus says for the woman, “Your faith has made you well” How does her faith make her well? In the context of the passage and the rest of the Bible, it shoes us that faith in itself does not make her well. People in our culture will often say this stupid saying, “Just have faith.” Faith in what? Faith in faith? Faith must have an object! What are you putting your faith in!? And clearly this woman had put her faith in many things but finally, cast all of her faith in Jesus. It’s faith in Jesus that saves! Not only is this woman healed, we see that Jesus says to her, “Go in peace.” So she is not only physically well, she is spiritually well. Her body is redeemed as well as her soul. WOW! So every day, week, month and year of those 12 years were all building up to this point. And I can guarantee you that every one of the seconds were worth it for the prize of receiving the peace of Christ. There is beautiful design behind the timing. This raises a logical question for many of us: Does this mean that those who are still sick like my wife just lack enough faith? First of all, please note that in this passage, though she is physically healed, the greatest miracles is that she is spiritually restored. Jesus cares for both the soul and the body but the great climax is not her healing but her being saved. With that said, There are a number of preachers out there that teach that those who are not healed are those who lack faith. Make no mistake, that is sometimes true in the Bible. If you lack faith, you won’t be healed. However, until Jesus comes, there are times where you will be full of sincere faith and Jesus does not heal YET. He has his good and wise reasons. So sometimes he miraculously heals in that moment and at other times, he will miraculously sustain us in our ailment. We’ve talked about this before but it is important to repeat since this is so often confused. An important point to highlight in this passage is that Jesus again, is moved by desperate faith. This woman was rejected and poor. Jairus and his family were honored and wealthy. And yet Jesus is eager and willing for both situations regardless of status or money. You can’t buy or bribe Jesus. But you can move him with desperate faith. Now during this whole scene, who knows how long it takes, you can imagine Jairus conflicted. He doesn’t want to interrupt. He wants to be happy for this miracle and hopes he can have one too but if Jesus delays any longer, he could lose his only daughter. › And yet, his worst fears are realized as reality comes crashing in on this beautiful scene of redemption. Back to the First Daughter Luke 8:49 ESV 49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” Talk about a lack of tact. While Jesus was held up by the crowds and healing this woman, the daughter died. Jesus’ timing could have been maddening and infuriating for the father. His worst fears realized. My only daughter is dead because of you! In the words of Martha when her brother Lazarus died, If you would have been here, he wouldn’t have died!” The Timing of God And yet, Jesus is never late. Jesus is never in a hurry. He is able to be interrupted without irritation. He’s always on time. There is teaching in his timing. This is essential for us to realize. God is never late. There is teaching in his timing. We can often struggle with God’s timing, but it’s only because we’re not God. • We don’t see the full picture. • We don’t have his wisdom. • We lack his global, thousands of years at a time, perspective. Is there something in your life that you feel like God is late in? Do you struggle like I do with his timing? › Jesus anticipates and understand what the father could be feeling, Luke 8:50 ESV 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” Do not fear, only believe. This has been a theme in the last few sections. In the previous events, the disciples were fearful of the storm. And everyone was afraid of the demonized man. We fear that which we cannot control. We fear the spheres of life that are untamable, unpredictable, and powerful. Nature, demons, and now in this story, death. But Jesus speaks to our soul and tells us, “Do not fear, only believe.” Are you fearful and struggling to trust God in some area of your life? Jesus says, “Do not fear, but only believe.” Please know, in any case of not trusting Jesus, it’s sin. It’s saying that God is not good enough, powerful enough, or wise enough to do what you think he should do. Confess that to him today. He is ready and eager to forgive us for doubting him. › Before we get into the next scene in her house, it’s important to understand the difference in that time and culture when it came to funerals. When you go to funerals in the West, people are quiet. People may cry quietly. But it’s a very somber and serious tone. Not so here. In the first century and in this middle easter culture, funerals are loud. People are screaming and wailing. Some are ripping their clothes with their grief. There are people playing instruments. Sometimes professional mourners would be hired and they would come and wail for the dead. Sometimes, members of the family would use this as an opportunity to be reminded of all those who died int he family as well and mourn for them all over again. Simply put, it was pandemonium. › And Jesus enters into that chaos... Luke 8:51–53 ESV 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. The laughing probably signed that some of the people were paid mourners for they could switch from wailing to laughing in seconds. But their laughing also implies something else. They’re laughing at him was wrong but understandable. From our vantage point, reading the bible, we expect miracles. But from theirs, someone coming from death to life was not normal by any means. Why does Jesus use this language to describe the dead? A few times throughout the OT this language of death is used and Paul takes it up as well. Death is not the end for any believer who dies. They just sleep. They are temporarily separated from their bodies until the Return on Christ and then, the dead will rise. Some to eternal life with Christ and others to eternal destruction for their rejection of Christ. However, the language for sleep seems to only be reserved for believers which makes sense since those have rejected Christ are as good as dead. This is beautiful and I encourage you to adopt this language for Christians who have died. › So Jesus goes into the room with 3 of his disciples... Luke 8:54–56 ESV 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened. Jesus did not have to physically go there. Remember the centurions servant in Luke 7. Jesus just says a word from miles away and the servant is healed. However, it is important that Jesus go there and touch her. Two major ways to become unclean in the OT is blood and dead bodies. Again, Jesus shows that he is God and his cleanliness is greater than the falleness of our uncleanness. In both these stories we see that God is not distant and unaware of our suffering, but in Jesus he gets down and dirty in our mess. And he doesn’t merely speak over the girl. He takes her by the hand and lifts her up. Again, he doesn’t perform some long dance or ritual. He raises her from the dead as easy as it is to wake up a child from a nap. Who is this man? What kind of power is this? Christological Conclusion Beyond the immediate beauty of this passage is what these two true stories point to. Jesus enters into the unclean mess of our world. He doesn’t just speak into our mess, he touches our mess. He gives us his presence. He doesn’t just enter, but he becomes what we are. And in order to save us, he bleeds for us, dies for us, and God raises him from the dead for us. If you want this Jesus, you can have him. Repent of your sins and put your trust in him. Please talk to one of us about that. For the christians here, despite our struggle to sometimes trust God and put our faith in him, as important as this is, even this, is something that Jesus gives us. Jesus lived the perfect life of faith and trust. And his life of faithfulness if given to us if we trust in him. Friends, no matter how desperate the situation, Jesus has the authority and the compassion to redeem it if we only reach out to him with faith AND trust his timing!

Joe and Jimmy discuss how we know there is a God from the Baptist Catechism, Q3. “How may we know there is a God?” The answer, “ The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare there is a God; but his word and Spirit only do it fully and effectually for the salvation of sinners.” What does creation tell us about God? If God reveals himself in creation, why is it insufficient to lead to saving faith? How does the Holy Spirit use the Scripture to lead us to saving faith? Plus, Joe gets beat up by his wife. *Primary Scripture references:* Romans 1:19–20; Psalm 19; 2 Thess. 2:13 RESOURCES --------- The Baptist Catechism ( http://www.solid-ground-books.com/detail_1541.asp ) A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism ( https://amzn.to/2YF3xJb ) by Benjamin Beddome Read Beddome’s Exposition’ online for free here ( https://svrbc.org/beddome/ ). Get all the show notes for this episode at www.doctrineanddevotion.com/podcast/bcq3 Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/doctrine-and-devotion/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Is there life on other planets - fantasy Bible draft - Dan can't remember his favorite Bible verse - Jonah ran from God - If God wants you to do something He will make a way for it to happen - when you finally surrender, God says "Watch this, hold my coffee" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/chris-and-dan/message

Suffering is a painful and personal reality for all of us, and has caused many people to walk away from God. So if God exists, how could he possibly allow suffering?

Environmentalism and environmental justice are at the forefront of many of our cultural conversations today. Christians are commanded by God to steward the Earth, but faith communities are frequently charged with environmental neglect. Is there a way to reconcile environmental concern with belief in God? If God is going to take care of it all in the end, why should we worry about it? This week, Jo and Vince discuss the biblical logic behind environmental justice as a form of love for God and love for neighbor. Question Asked in this Episode: "Is there a way to bridge caring for the Earth with a belief in God?" Check out Nathan Rittenhouse at our recent #TrendingQuestions event on environmental justice. Have a question you want Ask Away to cover? Email us at askaway@rzim.org or use the hashtag #askrzim on Twitter. You can also talk about this episode with fellow podcast listeners and the RZIM team on our online community Follow Ask Away on Twitter: Vince Vitale - @VinceRVitaleJo Vitale - @Joanna_VitaleMichael Davis - @mdav1979

Who Created GOD? ┇If God Created EVERYTHING, Who Created GOD? ┇Who Created ALLAH? ┇Who made GOD? The question, ‘Who created God?’ is both nonsensical and self-contradictory. The inquiry, for all intents and purposes, is illogical and meaningless. The question can be translated to mean, ‘Who created ‘the uncreated’?’ How can something be created if it claims its origins as an uncreated being? The question assumes the existence of an entity that is at once created and uncreated. By definition, God is uncreated. If a god was created, then he would not be a god because another creator or god would stand over him. The question is assuming the existence of a limited god. The idea of a ‘god being created’ produces in its essence a circular fallacy. Whereas creations claim definite beginnings and ends, God does not. He is not confined to time and space, as we are. He is the One that created time and space, just as He created everything else. When it is stated that everything has a Creator, the statement refers to everything that is created. God, however, is uncreated. Our God, our Master, our Creator by definition cannot be created. He is the One performing the Creation, He is the Supreme Being. God exists in an uncreated form. He has no beginning nor an end. He is the First, the Last, the Eternal. He is Self-Existent, Self-Sufficient. God is independent. If he was dependent on something or someone, he could not be God. "That is Allah, your Lord, Creator of all things; there is no deity except Him, so how are you deluded?" (Quran 40:62) He is the creator of the Heavens and Earth, the creator of the Universe. He is the Lord of all lords, King of all kings. He is the Most Compassionate and Most Merciful. Allah neither Begets, nor is He Begotten. He cannot be compared to anything, as nothing is comparable to Him. He knows no equal. God offers a description of Himself in His Book, the Holy Quran, stating...

Pastor Mike offers scriptural answers to the various Bible questions that have been sent in to him. If you have a Bible question for Pastor Mike, send it to biblebaptistpotch@yahoo.com. Feel free to check out our website as well on www.bbcpotch.com.

Root Cause # 1 – Our Image of God• If God is one of violence and retribution, then we who are made in his image will naturally have the same DNA.Root Cause # 2 – Mimetic Desire• At the root of violence is desire.• The Scapegoat Mechanism• When violence is transferred from all against all to all against one, a peace does in fact ensue.Root Cause # 3 – Death Anxiety• Of all things that move mankind, one of the principle ones is the terror of death.• Humans are unique in that we can use the pronoun “I” to describe ourselves.• Because of this ability of self-awareness, we can create great works of art, music and literature.• We can also carry with us the ability to ponder our mortality.• The knowledge of our impending doom is a uniquely human characteristic.• The lower animals are instinctual but lack a symbolic identity (“am I a Shih Tzu or a Pug?”) and the self-consciousness that goes with it.• Soren Kierkegaard says that man is given the consciousness of his individuality and his part-divinity in creation, the beauty and uniqueness of his face and his name. At the same time, he was given the consciousness of the terror of the world and his own decay.• So, what does this knowledge of death do to a person?• To get to the answer we must also observe that humans are self-centered.• Seen dramatically in the behavior of children wanting the biggest slice of cake, being the first to receive a treat and wants others to “look at me” every time they want to show off.• The child is the center of the universe yet not every child can be the first to receive the treat.• The desire to have self-worth, self-esteem, self-this and self-that, is paramount to our happiness.• While this behavior is obvious in children, it is present in adults too.• We become more subtle and calculating but want to retain the certain idea of self.• We think of our self as a “hero”. Others should see the world as I do.• The idea of self is so powerful that death must somehow be conquered to remain sane (c.f. Hebrews 2:14-15).The Denial of Death• Humans cannot function properly if they are mentally plagued with the fear of death.• We do what we can to try to suppress it.• Eventually we are hit in the face with it.• We, as self-aware beings must live on after our bodily demise.• We create immortality systems.• We create such things as religions, cultures, sects and political ideologies in order to guarantee our immortality.• We must defend (even unto to death ironically) these systems that protect our self- the hero.• Defense of the Immorality System• When we identify with one culture, religion or political ideology, we have potentially set ourselves up against all others.• Because our system guarantees our immortality, we must view them as an absolute and immutable truth.• If not, then everything we have constructed in order to protect our immortality may come tumbling down.• Just notice how it is the most rigidly fundamentalists are the most violent.• The systems become one story after another in the history of humanity.

"One time, an agnostic teenage boy came to my office and he didn't believe in God. And he asked me why I believed in God. And I happened to have Fred the eagle sitting by me in my office. And I looked at the boy and I said, well, you know what? Either this eagle came to be by accidental chance over millions and millions of years through random arrangements of atoms and random chemical accidents or somebody designed, somebody created, somebody was an architect of the beauty of each of the feathers of this eagle. And I said, what do you believe?" Family Discussion: Why do you believe that scientists teach in spite of all the evidence that somehow this happened by accident and there is no God? If God created something as majestic and marvelous as this, what can he do with you if you give him your heart? Transcription: 00:13          One time I'll never forget, an agnostic teenage boy came to my office and he didn't believe in God. And he asked me why I believed in God. And I happened to have Fred the eagle sitting by me in my office. And I looked at the boy and I said, well, you know what? Either this eagle came to be by accidental chance over millions and millions of years through random arrangements of atoms and random chemical accidents. Over the years, this, this eagle evolved from slime in some lifeless pool of soup, you know, 40 something million years ago in planet Earth or somebody designed, somebody created, somebody was an architect of the beauty of each of the feathers of this eagle. It's the beautiful, dark brown feathers give rise to these just magnificent white feathers in this miracle in the sky. And I said, what do you believe? Do you believe this animal is accidental chance or do you believe this animal was created and designed?   01:09          He said, well, obviously that animal, that eagle was created and designed. And I said, well, that's exactly what scripture says in this passage. Even though we're at the end of the book of Revelation, we're in chapter 10. The strong angel who appears to John giving the next message during this interlude between the trumpets and the parents of the two witnesses of chapter eleven. The angel testifies again to the creative work of God in Genesis. And John says in Revelation chapter 10 verses five through seven is the angel appears to give John the next message from God. Verse Five says this, "then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it and the earth and the things in it and the sea and the things in it. And there will be delayed no longer. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he's about to sound in the mystery of God is finished as he preached to his servants, the prophets."   02:13          So what do you believe? In the first book of Genesis and the last book of the Bible, in Revelation from cover to cover, the Bible says God is Creator. Science says it was a big bang, a mindless explosion, 15.5 billion years ago. Scripture says that God spoke. Interesting today, the scientists at NASA are seeing the inception of the cosmos through the incredible pictures of the Hubble telescope. And many of the scientists today are on their knees because they're seeing that only supernatural forces could have done that as 100 billion galaxy span the cosmos and under a trillionth of a second or do you believe that only earth for 5.5 billion years ago? As we're being taught in our biology classes, there's somehow life arose out of nothingness in some, a mindless pool of slime.   03:05          Even though Carl Sagan, you know, the most outspoken atheist of the 20th century said, the odds of that happening are one in one times 10 to the 2000000000th power. That's like having every dice in a stadium of 25 million dice blown up and all the dice would come up. Sixes. Do you believe that mutations produced life and produced things like Fred, the Eagle over here, even though Dr Pier Paul, the President of the French Academy of Science, said that mutations do not produce any form of evolution. He said there's no law against daydreaming, but science was not indulge in it. Do you believe that lower forms of life evolved into higher forms of life even though there's no missing links in the fossil record? According to Dr Colin Paterson, the Chief Paleontologist for the British Museum of Natural History. He said there's no missing links in the fossil record. Or do you believe what the angel said or do you believe what Genesis said, that God designed and created it all and most of all, and best of all, He created you as his best and greatest possession in the cosmos. So that he could adopt your son and bring you into his family and so that you could escape the judgments of God that are written about in this book.   04:15          And my question to you is this today, why do you believe that scientists teach in spite of all the evidence that somehow this happened by accident and there is no god. And secondly, if God created something as majestic and marvelous as this, what can he do with you if you give him your heart?

Root Cause # 1 – Our Image of God• If God is one of violence and retribution, then we who are made in his image will naturally have the same DNA.• What if mankind from the start has misunderstood the nature of God?• How would a better understanding of God change of orientation?• It seems the mission of Jesus is to show the face of God for mankind to see clearly what God is like.• Luke 9:46-62 (c.f. 2 Kings 1:1-18)• John 14:8-14• Hebrews 1:1-4• If we believe God is love, always has been love and will continue to be love, it will set a different standard for our image bearing.• 1 John 4:1-21Root Cause # 2 – Mimetic Desire• At the root of violence is desire.• Desire can be the most life-giving force, inspiring us to give ourselves completely to another; it can also be a most destructive force, causing us to harm others and ourselves.• Mimetic: "Mimetic" and "mimesis" come from the Greek verb "mimeisthai" meaning "to imitate“.• René Girard, the French-born scholar, spent his career trying to understand what makes violence a chronic problem of human societies.• While we might assume that violence stems from having vastly different points of view, Girard's central insight is that violence grows from similarity.• His explanation, in a word, is imitation. Out of this insight, Girard spun a theory comprehending literature and religion, anthropology and international relations.Rene Girard (1923 – 2015)• The human genius, he said, is our knack for copying one another.• That's how infants learn vocabulary and the basic grammar of their native language in such an astonishingly short time.• And that's how we learn everything else in our vast cultural repertoire.• Some of our models are near at hand, our friends and family; others may be distant idols — actors whose gestures we adopt, athletes whose moves we practice, musicians whose ways of playing we emulate.• But imitation casts a shadow, according to Girard, creating effects which we often don't notice or don't recognize as forms of imitation.• The truth, Girard discovered, is that all of us desire not only what material items and personal qualities each other possess, but that we also desire the very desires of the other.Learning through Imitation• Imitation is what makes learning possible in the first place and that “through imitation and repetition the child gradually acquires his parents’ language and little by little their entire culture.• We are “interdividual”• As adults – yes, even autonomous Americans – we learn and desire because of imitation.• We never stop learning, nor desiring, through the process of imitation.• Our desires are borrowed from one another: I will desire what my models desire.• Where Violence is Born• Imitation may then become negative as rivals try to distinguish themselves from one another.• I will imitate by doing the opposite of what my rival does — a violent reciprocity which reaches its acme in war.• We fight because we are the same, not because we are different.• When your desires get in the way of my desires, then you must be eliminated.• If this dynamic remains on a singular level, when violence of all against all, the threat of the threat of collapse occurs.• The scapegoat mechanism kicks in to preserve the whole.• A scapegoat must be found that unites the community by expressing the anger felt by blocked desires.The Scapegoat Mechanism• When violence is transferred from all against all to all against one, a peace does in fact ensue.• However, it is always temporary, as the process inevitably repeats itself as the community progresses through history; every time new rivalries arise.• Who plays the role of the scapegoat?• It is the person or group of persons who stand out from the rest of the community;• People with deformities• Minority, cultural and racial groups• Those with “alternative” sexual dispositions• Those with different political views• If the conflict over a desired object becomes too intense, the community subconsciously chooses a scapegoat which was sacrificed (literally or metaphorically).The Scapegoat in History• Traditional religions and rituals were ways of transforming the scapegoat mechanism into institutions which could be used over and over to resolve the conflict.• In most religions there are stories of how the conflict is resolved through sacrifice.• Someone or something must die to resolve the conflict.• Cain must kill Abel• The rivalry is always over some scarce object.• Cain wants God’s blessing and Abel is in the way.• As rivalry becomes more acute, the rivals are more apt to forget about what they are fighting about and fight simply because the other is scapegoat.• The victim is held responsible for the crisis which polarizes the conflict between the victim and the community.• Religious systems keep their own peace by scapegoating.The Scapegoat in the Old Testament• The Old Testament is mostly about recurring mimetic conflict and how it is endemic to humanity.• In the Old Testament, a scapegoat is an animal that is ritually burdened with the sins of others and then is either sacrificed or driven away.• Leviticus 16:1-34• The word "scapegoat" is an English translation of the Hebrew ‘ăzāzêl (Hebrew: עזאזל‎), which occurs in Leviticus 16:8.• Once a year, on Yom Kippur, the priest sacrificed a bull as a sin offering to atone for sins committed throughout the year.• Subsequently he took two goats and presented them at the door of the tabernacle.• Two goats were chosen by lot: one to be "for YHWH", which was offered as a blood sacrifice, and the other to be the scapegoat to be sent away into the wilderness.• The blood of the slain goat was taken into the Holy of Holies behind the sacred veil and sprinkled on the mercy seat, the lid of the ark of the covenant.• Later in the ceremonies of the day, the High Priest confessed the intentional sins of the Israelites to God placing them figuratively on the head of the other goat, the Azazel scapegoat, who would symbolically "take them away".The Scapegoat in the New Testament• Good Friday shines a light on the character of God and the nature of human civilization.• In the Gospels, it is not God that insists on the execution of Jesus.• Mark tells us, “the chief priests accused him of many crimes” (Mark 15:3).• They accuse him of heresy, blasphemy and sedition.• The work of accusation, condemnation and torture is the work of human civilization under the sway of Satan.• This kind of satanic unity is the glue of civilization: harmony achieved through blame and scapegoating.• On Good Friday we come to the devastating realization that our violent system of blame and collective killing is so evil that it is capable of the murder of God.

CCC 268 Of all the divine attributes, only God's omnipotence (that He is All-Powefull) is named in the Creed: "I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH." To profess this power has great bearing on our lives. We believe that his might is universal, for God who created everything also rules everything and can do everything. God's power is loving, for he is our Father, and mysterious, for only faith can discern it when it "is made perfect in weakness. " CCC 269 The Holy Scriptures repeatedly confess the universal power of God…If God is almighty "in heaven and on earth", it is because he made them. Nothing is impossible with God, who disposes his works according to his will. He is the Lord of the universe, whose order he established and which remains wholly subject to him and at his disposal. He is master of history, governing hearts and events in keeping with his will: As Wisdom 11:21 states "It is always in your power to show great strength, and who can withstand the strength of your arm? CCC 270 God is the Father Almighty, whose fatherhood and power shed light on one another: God reveals his fatherly power in three ways: by the way he takes care of our needs; by the filial adoption that he gives us ("I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty"): God shows forth his almighty power by converting us from our sins and restoring us to his friendship by grace. The power of God is seen most clearly in his mercy and forgiveness. In the face of evil God seems apparently powerlessness 272 Faith in God the Father Almighty can be put to the test by the experience of evil and suffering. God can sometimes seem to be absent and incapable of stopping evil. But in the most mysterious way God the Father has revealed his almighty power in the death and Resurrection of his Son, by which he conquered evil. Christ crucified is thus "the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." It is precisely in our weakness that the power of God is manifest. St John Paul writes in his letter on the meaning of human suffering: the weaknesses of all human sufferings are capable of being infused with the same power of God manifested in Christ's Cross. In such a concept, to suffer means to become particularly susceptible, particularly open to the working of the salvific powers of God, offered to humanity in Christ. In him God has confirmed his desire to act especially through suffering, which is man's weakness and emptying of self, and he wishes to make his power known precisely in this weakness and emptying of self. Salvific Dolores 23 CCC 273 Only faith can embrace the mysterious ways of God's almighty power. This faith glories in its weaknesses in order to draw to itself Christ's power. The Virgin Mary is the supreme model of this faith, for she believed that "nothing will be impossible with God", and was able to magnify the Lord: "For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." Mary believed the words of the Angel, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the Power of the Most Hight will overshadow you…and Nothing will be impossible to God.” Even before it happened and her belief enabled it to happen. Mary continued to believe as she stood beneath the Cross, held her dead Son in her arms and laid him in the Tomb. And God did what seemed impossible – He raised her Son from the Dead. Mary come and be our faith in God the Father Almighty when we are weak. How do we stay faithful when things seem impossible? Keep this in mind at all times and say it over and over: Nothing is impossible to God; and God works all things for good for those who love him. CCC 274 "Nothing is more apt to confirm our faith and hope than holding it fixed in our minds that nothing is impossible with God. Romans 8:28 All things work for good for those who love God.

Even at our best, we still need Jesus. Are you going against the grain to live before God and apply the teachings of His word in everything you do? Are you willing to go against the grain by choosing God and serving Jesus?

Day 151 of the podcast, reading Job 9-11 NET, read along at: https://netbible.org/bible/Job+9-11/ This is day 151 of our journey. Job agrees with Bildad in that if a man is just before God, he will be secure. But, "how can a human be just before God?" If God brings a charge, can man call him to court and justify himself? God is great, man is nothing. He doesn't need to answer our requests for explanation. We need an arbiter to represent us before him! (Praise God, that he has since sent an arbiter with the name of Jesus Christ!) Now, Zophar speaks, he accuses Job of a multitude of secret sins, and wishes that God would speak out the truth. Then Job would know that the punishment he is receiving is less than he deserves. Then he reiterates that if a man will only turn from his iniquity, God will rescue him from discipline and establish him securely. Join me in Job 9-11 to recognize the sovereignty of God from two different perspectives. Key verses: Job 9:2 “Truly, I know that this is so.But how can a human be just before God? Job 10:2 I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;tell me why you are contending with me.’ Job 11:14-15 if iniquity is in your hand – put it far away, and do not let evil reside in your tents. 15 For then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be securely established and will not fear. All Scriptures are from the NET.

Have you ever had an experience where you felt particularly aware of God? If God is real, and we are created in God's image, then it makes sense that our minds and bodies would be designed with the perceptive ability to sense and experience God. Scientists are now discovering ways that our bodies are designed to connect with God. Brain research shows that our brain systems are wired to enable us to have spiritual experiences. The spiritual circuits that are used in prayer or worship are also involved in developing compassion for others. Our bodies have actually been created to love God and serve our neighbors. Award-winning journalist Rob Moll chronicles the fascinating ways in which our brains and bodies interact with God and spiritual realities. He reports on neuroscience findings that show how our brains actually change and adapt when engaged in spiritual practices. We live longer, healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives when we cultivate the biological spiritual capacity that puts us in touch with God. 

Whenever we deal with ideas of life after death, we are always in the realm of speculation. The reason this conversation matters though, is because our view of God shapes how we live in the world. What are the implications of our view of God? If God is a God who tortures people forever for not getting their religious choices correct, then God is a monster. That kind of God can be used to justify violence and war and oppression. That kind of God sets us up for tribalism. God asks us to forgive, and when we say ‘how many times’ he says ‘again and again and again.’ So does God do the same? Do we hold God to a lower ethical bar than we hold each other?

Joe and Jimmy are talking about God's Decree from the 1689 3.1. What is the decree of God? If God has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass does that make him the author of sin? Does it make us all robots? And what good does this doctrine do for our faith? OUR SPONSOR FOR JULY This month we are proud to be sponsored by Ligonier Ministries who are offering our listeners 15 months of Tabletalk Magazine for only $23. That's 15 print issues delivered monthly at the regular annual rate of $23. Plus, you get digital access to current and past issues dating back to 2012. Spread the word and sign up today here. For all the show notes and relevant links for this episode head over to our website at www.doctrineanddevotion.com/podcast/168931

It is safe to say that both skeptic and believer alike share one opinion in common: The question of pain and suffering provides the greatest challenge to belief in God: If God is all-good and all-powerful, why is there so much evil and suffering in the world? It's not because He doesn't care! When all else fails remember: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18)

Session 6 of our 2018 Equipping Conference. Our guest speaker, Tim Barnett of Stand To Reason Ministries, addresses the difficult issue of evil and God -- If God were all good, as you say, He would want to deal with the problem of evil. And if God were all powerful, as you say, then He would be able to deal with the problem of evil. Obviously, evil exists, therefore He is either not all good or He is not all powerful, or maybe He is neither. How would you handle this line of thinking? Listen to the final session of the Equipping Conference for the answer!

MEANING - Where do miracles fit in belief systems that center on God? If God exists, how could God make miracles happen, and what would miracles imply about the way God relates to the world?

God is love (at least according to the Bible). We love this attribute of God - we lean into it, we celebrate it, we highlight it to our friends. Yet, what do we do with all those stories and scriptures about His anger or His wrath? Is an angry God compatible with a loving God? If God is angry, what does that mean for me? What makes Him angry? Do I? This God - who insists we call Him Yahweh, the One who is compassionate, gracious, and abounding in love - also reveals Himself as one who, although slow to it, gets angry. Understanding a God slow to anger - this Sunday at Mendham Hills.

In this blast from the past, J. Warner responds to a common objection to the nature of God: If God is all-loving, why doesn’t he “reform” people rather than simply “punish” them in Hell? How would you answer a skeptic who argues a God who simply punishes his children in Hell is sadistic and vengeful, unworthy of our worship? J. Warner responds to this objection and answers listener email related to the nature of “election”, and the evidence for “annihilationism.”

Do all religions lead to God? If God loves, why does He allow suffering? These are challenging questions that people have asked for years. This week Pastor Kevin continues in Exodus and will explore the question that Pharaoh asked to Moses, “Who is the Lord and why should I obey him?” We will see how the plagues in Exodus (chapters 6-10) address many questions that people have been wrestling with for centuries.

Do all religions lead to God? If God loves, why does He allow suffering? These are challenging questions that people have asked for years. This week Pastor Kevin continues in Exodus and will explore the question that Pharaoh asked to Moses, “Who is the Lord and why should I obey him?” We will see how the plagues in Exodus (chapters 6-10) address many questions that people have been wrestling with for centuries.

Can we trust God? If God is all-powerful, why is there suffering? If God is good, why does He allow so much pain and difficulty? These are not easy questions. Nor do they have easy answers. In today's podcast, we press into these questions. We consider the power and sovereignty of God, and why true living comes only after death to our own agenda, timeline and limited understanding. Discussion is drawn from Chapters 5 & 6 of Timothy Keller's book, "Jesus the King."

IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED MAN, HE CREATED ADAM AND EVE...BUT WHO CREATED GOD? 

In this episode of the Cold-Case Christianity Broadcast, J. Warner Wallace addresses two common objections to the existence of God. If God is the creator of everything we see in the universe, who created God? If God is all-powerful and all-loving, why does he allow people to behave badly and hurt one another? (For more information, visit www.ColdCaseChristianity.com)

Why be afraid if the only One worth fearing loves you? Often, it's ultimately due to a wrong idea of justice. We sometimes tend to put our wrong idea of justice on God-"If God is truly just, people will get what they deserve." If that's the case, what did Job do? God is more interested in judging the problem, not the person!

Have you ever felt disappointed or let down by other people or even by God? Do you ever wonder why people always seem to disappoint you, or why they never measure up to your expectations? What about God? If God is so good, why does He let bad things happen to good people? Where is God when you need Him? There are Biblical answers to these questions, and we will explore those in this two part series, “What To Do When You Feel Disappointed”.

Have you ever felt disappointed or let down by other people or even by God? Do you ever wonder why people always seem to disappoint you, or why they never measure up to your expectations? What about God? If God is so good, why does He let bad things happen to good people? Where is God when you need Him? There are Biblical answers to these questions, and we will explore those in this two part series, “What To Do When You Feel Disappointed”.

Have you ever felt disappointed or let down by other people or even by God? Do you ever wonder why people always seem to disappoint you, or why they never measure up to your expectations? What about God? If God is so good, why does He let bad things happen to good people? Where is God when you need Him? There are Biblical answers to these questions, and we will explore those in this two part series, “What To Do When You Feel Disappointed”.

Have you ever felt disappointed or let down by other people or even by God? Do you ever wonder why people always seem to disappoint you, or why they never measure up to your expectations? What about God? If God is so good, why does He let bad things happen to good people? Where is God when you need Him? There are Biblical answers to these questions, and we will explore those in this two part series, “What To Do When You Feel Disappointed”.

So what would you say the nature and personality of God is? Mean and authoritarian? Loving and caring? Is God the unknowable Creator of all? Or the gentle whisperer to our souls? Is God more Father, more Son, or more Holy Spirit” or just “God with many qualities?” In this sermon series we will take a look at these questions along with examining many other questions and qualities of God as we take a careful look at the Biblical concept of the Trinity. Few descriptions about God are as difficult to grasp as the nature of the Trinity… meaning that God is both three and God is one. And then trying to understand the implications of the Trinity for our lives becomes even more difficult. By better understanding the character and nature of God, we may better know God. For example, as we discover that this God is a God who craves relation and intimacy in community as exemplified in the Trinity, what does that mean for how we can relate to God? If God is both majestic creator and humble servant, then which part do I pay more attention to? Or do we pay attention to both parts equally? Join us in this series as we seek to get to know the God of the universe in a much more “up close and personal” way.

So what would you say the nature and personality of God is? Mean and authoritarian? Loving and caring? Is God the unknowable Creator of all? Or the gentle whisperer to our souls? Is God more Father, more Son, or more Holy Spirit” or just “God with many qualities?” In this sermon series we will take a look at these questions along with examining many other questions and qualities of God as we take a careful look at the Biblical concept of the Trinity. Few descriptions about God are as difficult to grasp as the nature of the Trinity… meaning that God is both three and God is one. And then trying to understand the implications of the Trinity for our lives becomes even more difficult. By better understanding the character and nature of God, we may better know God. For example, as we discover that this God is a God who craves relation and intimacy in community as exemplified in the Trinity, what does that mean for how we can relate to God? If God is both majestic creator and humble servant, then which part do I pay more attention to? Or do we pay attention to both parts equally? Join us in this series as we seek to get to know the God of the universe in a much more “up close and personal” way.

2012-05-13-1800 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this evening May 13th 2012 in the 6:00 service.Scripture:Topic: ForgivenessNotes:- (Prayer Service)- Anyone have a complaint towards God?- If God already knows what you’re thinking, He already knows your complaint- I don’t like being tested and stretched all the time- David felt abandoned by God after serving faithfully- My Father understands everything about me- (Prayer for Bobbie and Leah)

So what would you say the nature and personality of God is? Mean and authoritarian? Loving and caring? Is God the unknowable Creator of all? Or the gentle whisperer to our souls? Is God more Father, more Son, or more Holy Spirit” or just “God with many qualities?” In this sermon series we will take a look at these questions along with examining many other questions and qualities of God as we take a careful look at the Biblical concept of the Trinity. Few descriptions about God are as difficult to grasp as the nature of the Trinity… meaning that God is both three and God is one. And then trying to understand the implications of the Trinity for our lives becomes even more difficult. By better understanding the character and nature of God, we may better know God. For example, as we discover that this God is a God who craves relation and intimacy in community as exemplified in the Trinity, what does that mean for how we can relate to God? If God is both majestic creator and humble servant, then which part do I pay more attention to? Or do we pay attention to both parts equally? Join us in this series as we seek to get to know the God of the universe in a much more “up close and personal” way.

LETDOWN: Have you ever felt let down by other people or by God? Do you ever wonder why people always seem to disappoint you, or why they never measure up to your expectations? What about God? If God is so good, why does He let bad things happen to good people? Where is God when you need Him? There are Biblical answers to these questions, and we will explore those in the series, Letdown.

LETDOWN: Have you ever felt let down by other people or by God? Do you ever wonder why people always seem to disappoint you, or why they never measure up to your expectations? What about God? If God is so good, why does He let bad things happen to good people? Where is God when you need Him? There are Biblical answers to these questions, and we will explore those in this two part series, Letdown.

Lesson 7--The Sovereignty of God If God is the supreme ruler of the universe, do my choices matter? Why does an all-powerful God allow evil? Can I trust this All-Powerful God? God is King Over Everything (God is Sovereign) Fawn Brents

How Can I know that God is real? What is God like? How can there be a Trinity, a three-in-one God? If God is all-powerful, why doesn't he destroy Satan? Why is there suffering in the world?