Podcasts about god most high

In Part 2 of our conversation on spiritual warfare and submitted authority, Elizabeth Powell explores what it truly means to walk in the authority Jesus has given believers.Do Christians have the same authority as Christ? What does the Bible teach about resisting the enemy? Is there a difference between holy boldness and spiritual presumption?Using Scripture from Luke 10, James 4, Ephesians 6, Acts 19, Jude 9, Matthew 8, and more, Elizabeth unpacks a powerful truth: authority in the Kingdom of God is strongest when it is rooted in submission to Jesus.In this episode, you'll discover:✔️ What "submitted authority" really means✔️ Why Jesus modeled perfect dependence on the Father✔️ The difference between authority and arrogance✔️ Lessons from the Centurion, the Sons of Sceva, and Herod✔️ How to recognize spiritual presumption✔️ Practical prayer language for spiritual warfare✔️ Why believers should pray to the fullness of their authority—but not beyond it✔️ How to stand firm without fear, pride, or spiritual swaggerIf you've ever wondered how to engage in spiritual warfare biblically, how to pray with confidence, or how to stay aligned with God's authority, this episode will encourage and equip you.Remember:"I am a covenant son/daughter of God Most High. I am on Kingdom business. And God is entirely responsible for me."

Send us Fan MailIn this episode Erika unpacks the title Holy One of Israel.  Isaiah uses this title for God over and over in his book.  From this prophet and other verses, we find this aspect of God as the God who is set apart from all other gods.  There is no one or anything else like Him. His power is unlike any other god or power out there.  He is El Elyon, God Most High.But in being set apart as the God of Israel we are reminded that He has attached Himself to that land and her people.  That means that land and her people are set apart.  Then those who get grafted in are set apart.  In being set apart, we are called to reflect Him then to the rest of the world.  Our website is The Context and Color of the BibleWe are on Facebook - The Context and Color of the Bible | FacebookWe are on Instagram - @contextandcolorofthebibleWe are on YouTube - The Context and Color of the Bible - YouTubeMusic: Tabuk by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4453-tabukLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 10:00 AM Session   In this episode John offers a personal, text-driven tour through the names of God found primarily in Genesis and throughout Scripture, trading a purely academic approach for a pastoral, relational look at who God is. Rather than only cataloguing lexical definitions, John shows how each divine name reveals character, purpose, and a pattern that points forward to Jesus as the fullest revelation of God. Topics covered include the opening name Elohim (God the Creator) in Genesis 1; the tetragrammaton (Yahweh) introduced in Genesis 2 and echoed in Exodus 3:14; titles such as Adonai (Lord), El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty), El Roi (the God who sees), and Yahweh Yireh (the Lord who provides). John weaves these names with key biblical passages and images — Paul's road-to-Damascus encounter, Abraham's covenant and the test on Moriah, Hagar's encounter in the wilderness, Melchizedek's blessing in Genesis 14, and New Testament connections in John and Colossians. Key points emphasized are the complementary truths that God is both transcendent (the Creator who speaks the universe into being) and immanent (a hands-on, compassionate God who sees, provides, delivers, and enters human history). Listeners will hear how the names function theologically: as proclamations of sovereignty, as covenant promises, as pastoral comfort for the lonely and afflicted, and as foreshadowings of Christ. Illustrative stories and applications include Paul/Saul's recognition of divine presence, Abraham's faith and obedience, Hagar's encounter with the Angel of the Lord (El Roi), Melchizedek's title “God Most High,” and New Testament scenes where Jesus reveals and embodies the divine “I Am.” John also references a neighbor-turned-Bible-student and a mention of Brother Higginbotham to show how these biblical insights play out in real conversations and ministry. What to expect: a blend of careful exegesis, vivid narrative examples, and pastoral reflection that invites listeners to move beyond knowing God's will to truly knowing God. The episode closes by pointing to Jesus as the ultimate revelation — the Word who was with God and was God — and encourages listeners to study the names of God to deepen love, faith, and devotion. (If you'd like the PowerPoint used in the talk, John offers to share it on request.)   Duration 41:33

I. The God of Creation-Same God II. The Lord God of Creation: 1. ELOHIM (1:1) - The powerful One; The transcendent One (separated from creation - II Corinthians 4:16-18, eternal) 2. YAHWEH (2:4) - The personal, relational, covenant-maker 3. EL ELYON (14:18-20) - God Most High used by Melchizedek; “Your highness” 4. EL ROI (16:13) - “The God who sees me” used by Hagar 5. EL SHADDAI (17:1) - “God Almighty” used when est a covenant w/ Abraham 6. EL OLAM (21:33) - “The Everlasting God” used by Abraham when making a treaty with Abimelech. 7. YAHWEH-YIREH (22:14) - “The God who Provides” used by Abraham when offering IsaacIII. God distinguishes (separates)separation brings structure •Day 1 - Separates light from darkness (Ex. 10; 13) •Day 2 - Separates the water above from the water below •Day 3 - Separates the land from the sea •Day 4 - Separates day from night, “for signs & seasons” •Day 5 - God fills the waters; God fills the skies; then God fills the land on Day 6! •Day 6 - Fills the earth; Finishes by making mankind; Eve is made last; See 3:20 Summary in chapter 1 then Specifics on humankind in chapter 2! •Day 7 - (1) Establishes the Sabbath; (2) Sets in place how humans would live out their work week; Exodus 20:8-11; 3 distinct blessings - 1:22; 1:28; 2:3; God gets more personal. He gets intimate. He provides a boost to the humans He made! This is another level of God's interest in us - His goodness to us IV. Four Different ways Scripture applies to humanity: 1. God blesses us - Psalm 1; Matthew 5:1-12 2. We bless God - Psalm 103 3. Some give false blessing - Psalm 62:4 4. Some refuse to bless - Psalm 109:17, 28

It is my privilege to invite you to today's sermon podcast. This message walks through Hebrews 7 and the figure of Melchizedek to show how Jesus fulfills a superior, eternal priesthood beyond the old Levitical system. You'll hear why the old priesthood could not fully restore us, how Christ's priesthood gives direct access to God, and practical responses—access, allegiance, and generous living—called for by that truth. ---- A Better Priesthood Hebrews 7:1–10 Main Idea: Jesus gives us better access to God, a better basis for acceptance, and a better claim on our lives.  Introduction: “Who do I confess to?”  Why Do We Need a Better Priesthood? The old priesthood couldn't bring us home (Hebrews 7:1–4) The old process: sin → priest → sacrifice → ceremonial restoration.  The Law and sacrifices revealed sin but could not fully restore us to God. Jesus gives us a better priesthood (Hebrews 7:1–3; Genesis 14:18–20) The mysterious Melchizedek A king of righteousness, king of peace, and priest of God Most High. Jesus is our eternal High Priest, greater than the Levitical priesthood. A better priesthood calls for a better response (Hebrews 7:4–10) Access: Draw near to Christ with confidence. Allegiance: Trust Him fully Generosity: Worship Him with your life.  Conclusion: “We are saved for a purpose!” Trust Jesus as your High Priest. Lay down a “lesser priesthood” and renew trust in Christ. Choose a specific way to obey Christ in generosity and surrender. ---- Find other Podcasts, Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here. https://www.mvcnaz.org/live Stay in touch with our Church Center App at https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter Contact us through our CONNECT form at https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect   With Pastor Mike Curry.

7 takeaways from this study Take sin's consequences seriously, but not hopelessly. The study shows that sin always carries real liability before God. Yet God also provides a concrete, legal way for that liability to be transferred and paid, ultimately in Messiah's sacrifice. See forgiveness as removing penalty, not erasing history. Forgiveness does not make the past unhappen. It removes the ongoing penalty and relational barrier. That frees you to walk in restored fellowship without denying what actually occurred. Let the cross shape how you forgive others. When you forgive someone, you are choosing to absorb or release the consequence instead of demanding repayment. That mirrors how God transfers and resolves guilt through sacrifice, rather than pretending there was no offense. Treat holiness as contagious in both directions. In Torah, impurity can contaminate, but consecrated blood can also sanctify what it touches. Your choices and habits either defile or “set apart” spaces, relationships, and communities. Live as someone whose presence should make things cleaner, not dirtier. Recognize there are sins with lasting vocational impact. Ezekiel 44 shows that some betrayals of trust permanently limit a person's role, even if God spares their life. Practically, guard positions of spiritual influence and leadership with extra caution; some lines, once crossed, cannot be fully “undone.” Rely on a living Mediator, not a past event alone. Messiah's death was once-for-all, but His ongoing intercession is present-tense. In prayer and repentance, think of coming to a living High Priest who actively applies His already-finished work to you now. Connect atonement with real-life change. If Messiah carried your penalty, then persisting in the same sin ignores the cost paid. Let gratitude for that legal-cleansing drive concrete changes in behavior — how you use your time, your body, your money, your words. The Torah does not hide the failures of its central human figures. Moses killed an Egyptian. Aaron participated in the sin of the Golden Calf. Israel repeatedly defiled itself through rebellion and idolatry. Yet Scripture consistently presents HaShem1Hebrew for “The Name,” a circumlocution for the ineffable name of the Holy One of Israel as the One who provides the means by which imperfect people may draw near to Him. From the consecration of Aaron in Leviticus, to Ezekiel's vision of purified worship, to the priesthood of Messiah in Hebrews, the same pattern emerges repeatedly: judgment, atonement, sanctification, covenant relationship, and ongoing mediation through God's appointed means. We’ll focus especially on how guilt transfers in sacrificial law, why blood is central to atonement, how priestly authority functions, and why resurrection becomes essential to the eternal priesthood of Yeshua. Moses as surrogate priest in Aaron's inauguration Leviticus 8 records the actual inauguration of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood. Exodus 29 had already outlined the ceremony in advance. In Leviticus 8:1–3, HaShem commands Moses: “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments and the anointing oil and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread, and assemble all the congregation at the doorway of the tent of meeting.” Leviticus 8:1–3 NASB95 Something unusual immediately appears in the text: Moses functions as the officiant for the consecration ceremony. He washes Aaron and his sons, clothes them, anoints the tabernacle and altar, offers sacrifices, applies blood, and even receives portions normally associated with priestly service. Yet Moses himself is not formally part of the Aaronic priesthood. Scripture identifies him primarily as a prophet and covenant mediator (Deuteronomy 18:15). He belongs to Levi, but God did not appoint him to serve as an ongoing priest within the normal Levitical structure. This creates an important theological tension. Exodus 2:11–12 records that Moses killed an Egyptian and hid the body. Later Torah legislation prescribes death for murder (Numbers 35:16–21). Moses never undergoes a formal legal execution for that act. From a strict covenantal standpoint, he carries unresolved death liability. Aaron likewise carries severe covenant guilt. In Exodus 32, he fashions the Golden Calf, builds an altar before it, and participates in Israel's idolatrous worship (Exodus 32:1–6). Torah law later prescribes death for idolatry (Deuteronomy 13:6–10; 17:2–5). Deuteronomy 9:20 notes that Moses interceded specifically for Aaron so that HaShem would not destroy him. Thus, the two central human figures involved in inaugurating Israel's priesthood are themselves compromised sinners. From a human perspective, this seems paradoxical. Ordinarily, the greater consecrates the lesser. Yet Moses—the younger brother, a man with bloodguilt in his past—is appointed to consecrate Aaron, who himself had led Israel into idolatry. The Torah intentionally forces the reader to ask a deeper question: how can flawed mediators stand before the Holy One at all? The answer is not human worthiness. The answer is divine appointment, covenant mercy, and sacrificial atonement. The bull, the laying on of hands and the transfer of guilt The consecration ceremony begins with a חַטָּאת khatat — a sin offering. Before priestly ministry could begin, there first had to be cleansing and atonement. Leviticus 8 describes three primary sacrificial animals: A bull for the sin offering A ram for the burnt offering A second ram for ordination The bull receives particular emphasis. Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon the bull's head: Then he presented the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. Leviticus 8:14 NASB95 This act reflects a broader Torah pattern found throughout Leviticus (Leviticus 4:4, 15, 24, 29; 16:21). The Hebrew verb used is סָמַךְ sāmakh, meaning “to lean upon,” “support,” or “lay upon.” The gesture symbolizes identification and transfer. Importantly, the Torah does not present this as a transfer of the historical act itself. The sin remains a real event in the past. Murder still occurred. Idolatry still occurred. The act cannot be undone. Rather, what transfers is the liability, consequence, or judicial penalty associated with the offense. The sinner does not cease to have committed the sin. Instead, the sacrificial victim symbolically bears the consequence that justice demands. This pattern resembles interpersonal forgiveness. When one person forgives another, the offense remains historically real, but the offended party relinquishes the ongoing claim of vengeance, estrangement, or penalty. In the sacrificial system, the animal becomes the substitute bearer of covenant liability. The Torah therefore demonstrates that reconciliation with God requires more than sentiment. Sin carries objective consequences, and those consequences must be addressed through God's appointed means. Aaron could not simply enter the priesthood while ignoring the guilt associated with the Golden Calf. Moses could not sanctify the altar apart from atonement. Before sacred service could begin, sacrifice had to intervene. Perfected blood and the purification of the altar After the laying on of hands, Moses slaughters the bull and applies its blood to the altar: Next Moses slaughtered it and took the blood and with his finger put some of it around on the horns of the altar, and purified the altar. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it, to make atonement for it. Leviticus 8:15 NASB95 The Torah uses terms such as: כִּפֶּר kipper — “to make atonement,” “to cover” טָהֵר ṭāhēr — “to cleanse,” “to purify” קֹדֶשׁ qōdesh — “holiness,” “set-apartness” At first glance, the logic appears paradoxical. The animal becomes associated with guilt through the laying on of hands. Yet after death, its blood becomes the means by which the altar is purified and sanctified. The key lies in the completion of penalty. Before death, the bull bears covenant liability. But once the animal dies, the penalty has been executed. Justice has been carried out against the substitute. The liability cannot be demanded a second time. In that sense, the blood now stands in a “perfected” or “guiltless” relation to the offense. The claim of judgment has been exhausted. Because the penalty has been fully discharged, the blood becomes the cleansing agent within the ceremonial system. The altar — which beforehand was merely common material — becomes sanctified through contact with blood associated with completed atonement. Exodus 29:36–37 explains that the altar itself required consecration before it could function as the meeting place between Israel and the Holy One. The sacrificial system therefore teaches a profound covenant principle: death terminates liability. Yet the Torah simultaneously reveals the limitation of the earthly system. The animal dies once. Its blood is applied once. The effects remain temporary within history. Israel sins again. Priests continue to fail. New impurity accumulates. The process repeats continually. Hebrews later reflects upon this limitation: For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never… make perfect those who draw near. Hebrews 10:1 NASB95 The problem is not that Torah's sacrificial system fails on its own terms. Rather, the problem is mortality, repetition, and the ongoing weakness of human mediators. The burnt offering and the ram of ordination Following the bull comes the עֹלָה ‘olah, the burnt offering. Unlike other sacrifices in which portions are retained for priestly use, the burnt offering ascends wholly upon the altar as a symbol of complete surrender and devotion to God. Then comes the second ram, the ram of ordination: Moses then had Aaron and his sons come near and lay their hands on the head of the ram. Leviticus 8:22 NASB95 Moses applies the ram's blood to Aaron's right ear, right thumb, and right big toe, and then to those of Aaron's sons (Leviticus 8:23–24). These actions symbolize total consecration: The ear sanctified for hearing and obeying The hand sanctified for service and work The foot sanctified for walking in covenant faithfulness Leviticus then describes the wave offering and heave offering. The Hebrew term for wave offering is תְּנוּפָה tenūfāh, referring to a side-to-side motion. For heave offering, it’s תְּרוּמָה terūmāh, referring to lifting upward. The wave offering symbolizes transfer or presentation before HaShem. The heave offering symbolizes something lifted upward and dedicated to God. Normally, in peace offerings, both the breast and right thigh become priestly portions (Leviticus 7:30–34). Yet in this ordination ceremony, the arrangement differs. Moses receives the breast as his portion: Moses also took the breast and presented it for a wave offering before the Lord; it was Moses' portion of the ram of ordination. Leviticus 8:29 NASB95 Other portions ordinarily associated with priestly consumption instead ascend upon the altar. This unusual distribution further emphasizes Moses' temporary and derivative priestly role. He functions as HaShem's appointed mediator for the inauguration, but he does not become the enduring high priest of Israel. Ezekiel 44: Idolatry, priesthood and restricted service The themes of priesthood and covenant faithfulness continue in Ezekiel 44. Here the prophet addresses Levites who previously participated in idolatrous worship: “Because they ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel… they shall not come near to Me to serve as a priest to Me.” Ezekiel 44:12–13 NASB95 These Levites are not executed or entirely cut off from temple service. They continue serving in subordinate functions such as gatekeeping and slaughtering sacrifices for the people (Ezekiel 44:10–14). Yet they may not approach the inner sanctuary or handle the most sacred priestly duties. In contrast, the sons of Zadok — who remained faithful when others went astray — retain the privilege of drawing near to minister directly before HaShem: “But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok… shall come near to Me to minister to Me.” Ezekiel 44:15 NASB95 Ezekiel therefore introduces an important covenant principle. Some sins carry lasting vocational consequences. Forgiveness and covenant mercy do not always erase every earthly effect of prior unfaithfulness. Certain breaches of sacred trust permanently alter one's role and authority. The corrupt Levites could not simply offer sacrifices on their own behalf to erase the consequences of their priestly corruption. This reveals that the sacrificial system does not function mechanically. Sacrifice is not a ritual loophole that nullifies every covenant consequence. Sacred office requires faithfulness, trustworthiness, and holiness. The prince in Ezekiel and partial priestly authority Ezekiel 44–46 also introduces a mysterious figure called “the prince” (הַנָּשִׂיא hannāśī'). The prince occupies a unique middle ground. He is not identical with the Zadokite priests, yet he possesses privileges beyond those of an ordinary Israelite. He offers sacrifices on Sabbaths and appointed feasts (Ezekiel 46:2–8), receives a designated inheritance in the land (Ezekiel 45:7), and possesses authority involving worship and temple administration. Yet the prince also appears fully human, with sons and inheritance concerns (Ezekiel 46:16–18). Interpreters have long debated the prince's identity. Rather than forcing a single interpretation, the broader biblical pattern may be more important: Scripture occasionally presents figures who exercise limited or derivative priestly authority without fully occupying the high-priestly office. Moses in Leviticus 8 and the prince in Ezekiel both function in this intermediate category. These patterns prepare the reader for the Apostolic Writings' presentation of a priesthood fundamentally different from the Aaronic order. The Melchizedek pattern and a different order of priesthood Hebrews 7 turns to the figure of Melchizedek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק Malkî-ṣeḏeq), first introduced in Genesis 14:18–20. Melchizedek appears suddenly as both king of Salem and “priest of God Most High.” Scripture records no genealogy, no ordination ritual, and no priestly succession. Psalm 110:4 declares: “The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.'” Hebrews identifies this as a messianic prophecy fulfilled in Yeshua. The Greek word translated “order” is τάξις taxis, meaning arrangement, order or succession. Yeshua does not belong to the tribe of Levi. Hebrews explicitly states: For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah. Hebrews 7:14 NASB95 Yet God appoints Him priest according to a different priestly order. This does not abolish Torah. Rather, it introduces a parallel and superior priesthood grounded in divine oath and eternal life rather than hereditary descent. Hebrews explains the weakness of the earthly priesthood: The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing. Hebrews 7:23 NASB95 But Messiah: holds His priesthood permanently. Hebrews 7:24 NASB95 The Greek term translated “permanently” is ἀπαράβατος aparabatos, meaning untransferable or unchangeable. The central issue is not that Torah itself was defective. The problem lies with mortal, sinful priests who continually die and require replacement. Yeshua as both priest and sacrificial victim The sacrificial patterns established in Leviticus reach their fullest expression in Yeshua. Throughout His earthly ministry, Yeshua forgives sins: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:5 NASB95 His opponents immediately recognize the theological implication: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Mark 2:7 NASB95 The Apostolic Writings present Yeshua as acting under divine authority to remove the penalty associated with sin. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Corinthians 5:21 NASB95 The Greek term ἁμαρτία hamartia can refer both to sin itself and to a sin offering. Yeshua does not become morally sinful. Rather, He bears covenant liability on behalf of others. Here the pattern from Leviticus intensifies.In the earthly system, the priest transfers guilt to the sacrificial victim. The victim dies, and its blood becomes the means of atonement. Yet the priest himself remains mortal and imperfect. In Messiah, priest and victim become united in one person. Yeshua bears the penalty associated with human sin and then offers His own blood before the heavenly sanctuary: Not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:12 NASB95 The Greek term λύτρωσις lutrōsis refers to ransom, release or redemption through payment. Unlike the blood of bulls and goats, Messiah's offering is not external to the priest offering it. He presents Himself. Resurrection and the eternal application of atonement The resurrection becomes the decisive difference between Messiah and every previous priest. If Yeshua merely died, His sacrifice would resemble the earthly sacrifices in Leviticus — powerful, meaningful, but historically limited. The resurrection transforms the priesthood into a perpetual ministry. Romans 1:3–4 declares that Yeshua was publicly identified as the Son of God in power through resurrection from the dead. Hebrews 7:25 explains the practical consequence: Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. NASB95 The Greek verb ἐντυγχάνω entynchano means “to intercede,” “to petition,” or “to mediate on behalf of another.” This is the critical distinction. Levitical priests died. Their ministry ended. Their sacrifices required continual repetition. Messiah lives permanently. Therefore His once-offered sacrifice can be continually applied across generations and throughout history. His blood does not “run out.” His priesthood does not terminate. The sacrifice occurred once in history, but its efficacy remains continually active through the living High Priest. Hebrews 9:24 describes Messiah entering the heavenly sanctuary itself: For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands … but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. NASB1995 Without resurrection, Yeshua would be remembered only as a righteous martyr. With resurrection, He becomes the eternal mediator who continually applies the benefits of His completed atonement. Sanctification, obedience, and continuing sacrifices The removal of covenant penalty does not eliminate moral responsibility. Throughout Scripture, forgiveness is linked with transformed behavior. Yeshua repeatedly instructs healed or forgiven individuals to turn away from sin: “Do not sin anymore.” John 5:14 NASB95 Apostle Ya’akov likewise insists: Faith without works is dead. James 2:17 NASB95 Hebrews 10:14 states: For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. NASB95 The Greek verb ἁγιάζω hagiazō means “to sanctify,” “to make holy,” or “to set apart.” Believers are perfected covenantally through Messiah's sacrifice, yet sanctification continues progressively in daily life. The Apostolic Writings also maintain the broader biblical concept of sacrifice. The Torah included not only sin offerings, but also peace offerings, thanksgiving offerings, and offerings of worship and fellowship. Hebrews 13:15–16 therefore exhorts believers: Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God … and do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. NASB95 The Greek term θυσία thysia continues to describe offerings presented before God. Messiah's once-for-all atonement fulfills and surpasses the sin-offering system, but worship, thanksgiving, obedience, generosity, and praise remain covenant sacrifices offered through Him. The Holy One uses broken men The Holy One uses flawed human beings while simultaneously providing the means by which they may approach Him. Moses was a man with blood on his hands. Aaron participated in idolatry. Israel repeatedly failed. Even the priests themselves required sacrifice and cleansing. Yet HaShem established priesthood, altar, sacrifice and covenant mediation anyway. The Torah does not minimize sin. Instead, it magnifies the holiness, justice, and mercy of God. Leviticus demonstrates that sacred service requires atonement. Ezekiel demonstrates that covenant unfaithfulness carries real consequences. Hebrews demonstrates that Yeshua fulfills and surpasses the sacrificial patterns established in Torah. He is the priest of a different order — the order of Melchizedek. He is both sacrificial victim and eternal High Priest. He bears covenant liability on behalf of others. He offers His own blood before the heavenly sanctuary. And because He lives forever through resurrection, He continually intercedes for those who draw near to God through Him. The result is a priesthood that fulfills Torah's patterns while surpassing the limitations of mortal mediators. Through Messiah, flawed human beings may receive forgiveness of penalty, ongoing cleansing, covenant access to the Holy One, and a calling into lives increasingly marked by holiness, obedience, faithfulness and grateful worship before the God of Israel. 1 Hebrew for “The Name,” a circumlocution for the ineffable name of the Holy One of IsraelThe post Shadows of Messiah in the consecration of Aaron and his sons (Leviticus 8; Ezekiel 44; Hebrews 7) appeared first on Hallel Fellowship.

Daily Dose of Hope May 11, 2026   Name of God: El Elyon – The Most High God Scripture: Genesis 14:18-20, Psalm 7:17, 52:2, 78:35, Daniel 4   Prayer:  Exalted El Elyon, we worship you as One who has the final say. When You speak, demons tremble and the earth quakes. Your voice drowns out and silences every other voice that is raised.  You are the final authority for all things, for all time. What You say is so. You say what You mean and You mean what You say. Your word is fixed. It stands firm in the heavens. We can and we will take you at your Word.  Thank you, El Elyon. Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently in a study on the names of God in the Old Testament.  As we have mentioned, in the ancient world, names held a great deal of significance, indicating aspects of someone's character and purpose.  Certainly, it is the same with God.  God has many different names, all of which demonstrate one aspect of His character.    Today, we are discussing El Elyon, which means most high God.  The Hebrew, Elyon, occurs thirty-one times in the Old Testament. The equivalent Aramaic word, Hilay, occurs ten times, all in the book of Daniel.   El Elyon is how God refers to himself after Abram rescues his nephew Lot from the pagan kings who have taken him from Sodom.  Abram ends up pledging allegiance to El Elyon, most high God, and refusing to take any spoils of war.    By now, we have learned that the word El is Hebrew for God.  Elyon is Most High.  El Elyon indicated that God is not just mighty, but Almighty. He is sovereign over all things and can control all things. This name for God also takes into account God's transcendence. When we say that the God of the Bible is transcendent, we mean that He is high and lifted up far above our human comprehension.  God exists above, independent of, and surpasses the limits of any kind of material creation, time, or human comprehension.  El Elyon is the supernatural Creator, who is separate and above all His creation.  Thus, it goes without saying that no idol, god, or created being should be worshiped or exalted over the Lord because He is superior in every way.   We find this name of God in the Psalms quite a bit.  Here are just a few examples:   ·      Psalm 7:17, I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High (El Elyon). ·      Psalm 21:7, For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High (El Elyon) he will not be shaken. ·      Psalm 46:4, There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High (El Elyon) dwells. ·      Psalm 47:2, How awesome is the Lord Most High (El Elyon), the great King over all the earth! ·      Psalm 57:2, I cry out to God Most High (El Elyon), to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.   Though we live on the other side of the cross, this name still holds significant meaning for us.  Nothing can hold importance above God in our hearts. He must be the God Most High over anything we may put before him. The gods of this age aren't metal statues. It's not that simple. Our gods come in the form of finances, jobs, family, or success. Is El Elyon above everything else in your life?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Genesis 1:1-2:3I. The God of Creation:Day 1 - Genesis 1:2-5Day 2 - Genesis 1:6-8Day 3 - Genesis 1:9-13Day 4 - Genesis 1:14-19Day 5 - Genesis 1:20-23Day 6 - Genesis 1:24-31Day 7 - Genesis 2:1-3II. The Lord God of Creation:ELOHIM (1:1) - powerful; transcendentYAHWEH (2:4) - personal, relational, covenant-makerEL ELYON (14:18-20) - God Most High used by Melchizedek (“Your highness”)EL ROI (16:13) - The God who sees me used by HagarEL SHADDAI (17:1) - God Almighty used when establishing a covenant with AbrahamEL OLAM (21:33) - The Everlasting God used by Abraham when making a treaty with Abimelech. The timeframe is significant.YAHWEH-YIREH (22:14) - The God who Provides, is used by Abraham when he was offering IsaacIII. God distinguishes (separates)Day 1 - He separates light from darkness - Exodus 10:21-29 & Exodus 13:22-22Day 2 - He separates the water above from the water belowDay 3 - He separates the land from the seaDay 4 - He separates day from the nightDay 5 - fills the waters & skiesDay 6 - fills the earth, finishes by making mankindDay 7 - establishing the SabbathIV. Three Separations in Scripture that apply to humanity:Isaiah 59:1-2Matthew 25:32Hebrews 7:26

Do you ever feel like a hamster on a wheel - stuck in a monotonous, repetitive, and unfulfilling pattern of going to work, eating, sleeping, and paying bills? When every day feels the same it can be difficult to live with a sense of significance… but here's some good news: our significance is not determined by our position or plans but by God working out His plans through our current position. Psalm 57:2 says, "I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me." God has a purpose for you, RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE. The job that you hold, the people that you work with, none of that is an accident. Jesus wants to use you to bring His light to everyone that you encounter. Next time you feel stuck on the hamster wheel, pray that God would open your eyes to His eternal purposes for you today at work. 

Jim Licharowicz The Non-Pauline Epistles

He Is Series Day 2-El Elyon (Most High God) Genesis 14:18-20 “And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him one-tenth of everything.” The next title for God is El Elyon. This means Most High God. If we look at how this is used in today's verse, we see two different ways of showing that our God is the Most High God. First, King Melchizedek of Salem says that God is the maker of heaven and earth. Next, he says that he delivered your enemies into your hands. I am sure we have all had times when we needed El Elyon to deliver our enemies into our hands. I can think of one instance in particular that a friend of mine just went through. She had a family member betray her very deeply. He did some work for her and then said she owed far more than she really owed him. He made up all sorts of lies and, in the end, decided to sue her. She couldn't believe that a family member would be doing this, and it caused so much pain, stress, and worry. However, she knows God, and she trusts God. This is a great time to call upon El Elyon to deliver her enemies into her hand. She did not know what she would do if she had to pay all the money the family member said she owed. Even though she had the truth on her side, there were several times throughout this whole ordeal that it looked like things were not going in her favor. There were lies that were told and believed by the courts. However, she also had records and receipts for things she had paid for, and so she knew she was right and he was in the wrong. But would the courts see it that way? Would God come through for her? Would he save her from this injustice? I hope you all know the answer to that question. Yes, of course, he would save her. Of course, he would not let evil win. The court eventually advised the family member to make a deal that was actually fair, and she did not pay more than she felt she owed. God is so good!! Here is one thing that I think we need to remember when we call up God. He is going to answer our prayers in the best way possible. That is not always the way we want Him to, and it is definitely not always in the timing that we want Him to. Remember, we are talking about the Most High God. He is the most high. That means His plan is better than our plan. I know you don't want to hear that, but it is true. That also means that His time is better than our time. I know you didn't want to hear that either. We can get tired of waiting for the Lord's time. My friend was in this legal battle for years. Not one year, not even two, I think it has been more than two years. I am sure she cried out to the Lord many times over those two years. I am sure you have too. That's ok, keep crying out. God wants us to keep asking. He wants us to keep turning to Him. He also wants us to know He is with us through it all. Even if He is not answering your prayer immediately because of some reason or another, that doesn't mean He is not in it with you. He is the one giving you the strength to keep going to work or the provisions to keep paying the lawyer. He is there with you every step of the way. There was a time in Tony's career when he had a boss who did not treat him well at all. She was always talking down to him and telling him he wasn't very good at his job. Tony has always been great at his job. His previous supervisors had praised his writing skills, as he is an excellent writer. This boss told him he didn't know how to write. It was awful, and he hated going to work. Every Sunday night, he would get very sad because it meant he would need to go to work the next day. He lived for the weekends. I am not sure if Tony prayed for God to be delivered from this. I know I prayed, though. I prayed that whole year for her to be removed from command. I prayed that God would change her heart. I prayed that the military would move her. I prayed they would move Tony to another position. I didn't know what the solution was, but I knew God did, and I prayed he would deliver Tony from this situation. She did eventually move on, and the next commander was so much better. Aside from that one commander, he has always had amazing bosses. I am not sure why Tony had to go through that one year. I am not sure why things didn't get better faster, but I do know that God was with him during that whole year. He gave Tony great friends so that he could enjoy his weekends and get a break. Despite this boss, God provided an amazing experience for us on that assignment. We got to go on trips, hang out with friends, and just enjoy life. I know that our Most High God was providing amazing things for us, even in the middle of that struggle. What about you? When you look at your life, when you look through the years, can you see where the Most High God was delivering your enemies into your hands? When did you need a problem solved, and God solved it for you? Are you in this situation right now? Do you feel attacked on all sides, and you need to be delivered? Call out to El Elyon, He is the Most High God. Nothing is stronger than Him. Nothing is more powerful than Him. He is above all the rest. Call out to Him, and He will deliver your enemies into your hands! Dear Most High God, please bless each person listening today. El Elyon, thank you for delivering our enemies into our hands. Thank you for knowing what to do and when to do it. Lord, help us to be patient while we wait for you to deliver us. Help us to trust that you are the Most High and you will save us. Please help us to keep coming to you and to keep calling out to you. We love you Lord and we ask all this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! God is on your side and we are both rooting for you! Have a blessed day! Today's Word from the Lord was received in September 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “I am the Lord. I am all that you need. I have made you worthy. Do not be afraid to come. Let the Holy Spirit work in and through you. Be the blessing I want you to be.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

In this Bible Story, Balaam is unable to curse Israel but instead blesses them three times. He prophesied from God and spoke blessings and truth over them. Finally, telling of an All-Powerful One that would come from Israel. This story is inspired by Numbers 22:36-25:18 & 31:7-16. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Numbers 23:19 from the King James Version.Episode 49: Balaam finally arrives on the cliff where Balak is, and as he looks over at the mass of people below, he begins to understand Balak’s fear. Nevertheless, he has Balak and his men build seven altars and offer sacrifices to the God Most High. Balaam does this three times, but each time God causes Balaam to bless the people of Israel instead of curse them. Balak’s anger and consternation became great, but he could do nothing to thwart the plans of God.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can Jesus be our great high priest if he is from the tribe of Judah rather than the tribe of Levi? The writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 110 and explains that Jesus is a better high priest, because unlike mere mortal men, he is unstained by sin and unconstrained by death. Additionally, while the earthly high priest had to enter the most holy place in the tabernacle year after year, Jesus has entered the heavens and is seated at the right hand of God Most High, his sacrifice finished once and for all. As a side note, if you'd like a refresher on the original account of Melchizedek, you can go back and listen to Genesis 14, found in episode 4 of Commuter Bible. Hebrews 6 – 1:10 .  Hebrews 7 – 4:23 .  Hebrews 8 – 9:33 .  Hebrews 9 – 12:14 .  Psalm 26 – 18:17 .  Psalm 27 – 19:42 . :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body and refocus your mind to experience the reality of God's presence. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination.  Acts 17:25 NIV “...He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” Job 34:14-15 NIV “If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.” Psalm 7:10 NIV “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body and refocus your mind to experience the reality of God's presence. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination.  Acts 17:25 NIV “...He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” Job 34:14-15 NIV “If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.” Psalm 7:10 NIV “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

Series: God's Promises, Our JourneyTitle: "What are the key ingredients to the life God calls us to live?"Scripture: Genesis 14:1-24 NIVHebrews 7Bottom line: When we rest in what God said, we walk in his key ingredients of righteousness, peace & blessing that we might be a blessing to the nations as he created us to be.God reveals himself as our rescuing King and eternal Priest and calls us to wholehearted allegiance.INTRODUCTIONCONTEXTSERMON OUTLINECONCLUSIONNOTESOUTLINESQUESTIONS TO CONSIDER DISCUSSION QUESTIONSMAIN REFERENCES USEDMy opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same. INTRODUCTIONFree the Hostages"ON JUNE 27, 1976, armed operatives for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) surprised the twelve crew members of an Air France jetliner and its ninety-one passengers, hijacking it to a destination unknown.The plane was tracked heading for Central Africa, where indeed it did land under the congenial auspices of then Ugandan President Idi Amin. And there it remained apparently secure at Entebbe Airport, where the hijackers spent the next seven days preparing for their next move. The hijackers were by all estimations in the driver's seat.However, 2,500 miles away in Tel Aviv three Israeli C-130 Hercules transports were secretly boarded by a deadly force of Israeli commandos who within hours attacked Entebbe under cover of darkness. In less than sixty minutes the commandos rushed the old terminal, gunned down the hijackers, and rescued 110 of the 113 hostages. A few days later, July 4, Israel's Premier Yitzhak Rabin triumphantly declared the mission "will become a legend"—which it surely has.' Israel's resolve and stealth in liberating her people is admired by her friends and begrudged by her enemies.Actually, Israel's resolve is nothing new because the same quality can be traced all the way back to the very beginning of the Hebrew nation in the prowess of their father Abraham. The kidnappers in his day (the Middle Bronze Age) were an international coalition of four eastern kings headed by King Chedorlaomer who attacked the Transjordan, defeating the city states of Sodom and her neighbors, carrying off a large number of hostages That included Abram's nephew Lot." -Hughes, p. 213CONTEXTWe've gone from Promises of blessings to failure to rest in those promises to returning to the original promise keeper through repentance and faith.Abram went down to Egypt but returned to between "House of Bread" and "Ruin". It is here he and Lot part ways. He watches Lot choose what he thinks is best for him and yet outside of God's promised land. No doubt he knows this. He just doesn't believe it or realize it.Genesis 13 contrasts Abram's faith-shaped restraint with Lot's sight-driven ambition—and places both under the canopy of God's covenant faithfulness.In Genesis 14 we see the first recorded battle in scripture. We meet Melchizedek, and we see Abram draw encouragement from Melchizedek and rest in what God has said.There's a powerful lesson for us here.SERMONReview from Genesis 12:1-3:God Is the Initiator of RedemptionGod Calls His People to Trust Him Before They Understand HimGod's Blessing Is Never Merely Personal—It Is MissionalGod Promises to Anchor His People in Uncertain Times & PlacesGod's People Respond with Obedience, Worship, and WitnessBottom line: When we rest in what God said, we walk in his key ingredients of righteousness, peace & blessing that we might be a blessing to the nations as he created us to be.Outline (help from Outline Bible):I. THE COURAGE OF ABRAM (14:1-16)A. The villains (14:1-11)The rebellion (14:1-4): Five Canaanite city-states rebel against Kedorlaomer of Elam.The retaliation (14:5-11): Kedorlaomer and his allies defeat the armies of the five city-states, plunder their cities, and carry many people away as slaves. B. The victim (14:12): Lot, now living in Sodom, is taken away as a slave.C. The victory (14:13-16)Abram's army (14:13-14): Upon learning of Lot's capture, Abram and his 318 trained servants ride out to rescue Lot.Abram's attack (14:15): Abram divides his men and initiates a surprise attack at night.Abram's achievements (14:16): Kedorlaomer is defeated, and Lot is rescued. II. THE COMMUNION OF ABRAM (14:17-24)A. The godly and priestly king of Salem (14:17-20): As he is returning from battle to his home in Hebron, Abram meets Melchize-dek, who blesses him. Abram offers him a tenth of all the goods he has recovered from Kedorlaomer.B. The godless and perverted king of Sodom (14:21-24): In stark contrast, Abram refuses to have any fellowship with Bera, king of wicked Sodom.My notes on Gen 14:This sermon is sort of a part 2 to last week. Abram rescues Lot and co.--people, possessions and all. And he's met by two kings upon his return: Melchizedek and the King of Sodom. (Name?) Sodom's king can only see that his losses are back and he can get back at least some of them, thanks to Abram, who rightly deserves the spoils of war. He is consumed by what he can see. So he asks for some of it back, though he deserves none of it. Melchizedek, however, is a mystery. He is there for Abram at a moment when he's tempted to also get seduced by what he can see. But he finds in Mel a kindred spirit of sorts. Actually, he finds a type of Christ. This type of Christ behaves very much like Christ. He blesses Abram in the name of El Elyon and praises El Elyon for what he did. He honors the greater even as he blesses the lessor. He also blesses Abram and his men with bread and wine. Could this be a whisper to a future Last Supper?Lot, fresh off his rescue, could easily be taking all of this in. He's no doubt glad to be alive. He is thinking of all his losses. He believes that Abram will restore his fortunes. He's focused on what he lost...what he could see and some of it he can still see. We know this because he follows the king of Sodom back to the city. He doesn't rest in what God has said. He's now further from that than he's ever been. Abram, inspired by another person who knows El Elyon, rests in the promises of God and eludes the temptation to dwell on what he can see. He tithes 10% of it to Mel, tells Sodom to give his allies their portion for helping, and surrenders the rest back to Sodom, with the possible invitation for any of the rescued people to join him in his growing clan. It appears none take him up on it.We're back to the contrast between Abram and Lot; a promise of God and a pile of possessions. Abram chooses well, helped by a mysterious king of righteousness, king of peace and priest of a different priesthood. This mysterious priest shows up right when Abram needs him. He leads with generous gifts followed by blessings to Abram and adoration to El Elyon. This is where we are as well. But we don't have a type of Christ showing up to help us right when we need him. We have Christ himself. And he showed up on a Roman cross and shows up for us every day at the right hand of the Father interceding for us in our need. So the next time you're tempted, like I have been for over a week, to feel sorry for yourself, remember that it only would have been worse if he'd not been praying for you.Chat GPT notes:Abram rescues Lot. (Temp salvation)Abram meets a Priest-King. (Melchizedek appears)Abram worships through giving. (Recognizes divine favor and responds)Abram refuses King of Sodom. (Allegiance clarified)Jesus is the better Melchizedek:Ultimate rescueEternal priesthoodCalls for total allegianceClosing illustrationHow many of you heard/saw last week's message? I've never gotten so much positive feedback on a message in my life. It's just like God to take someone battling the temptation to have his own pity party to do something like that. God is faithful.What's sad is that there were people online and on-site who heard the message last week and yet didn't get a thing out of it. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. How can that be? Life-changine for one--Apathetic sigh for the other. Who's that on?Abram and Lot were a part of the same war and rescue. But one of them turned away from what God said and went back to the wicked city that was defeated just days before. Like a dog returning to his vomit.The other turned towards the God of promise: El Elyon. The God Most High. No, not high on a joint--high on his holy hill; holy throne; in his holy temple.What about you?CONCLUSIONBottom line: When we rest in what God said, we walk in his key ingredients of righteousness, peace & blessing that we might be a blessing to the nations as he created us to be."Abram rescued Lot from four kings.Jesus rescues us from sin and death.Abram met a priest who blessed him.We have a Priest who intercedes forever.Abram gave a tenth.We give our whole lives.Abram refused Sodom's reward.We refuse a kingdom that is passing away.Because our King is also our Priest." -ChatGPTINVITATIONPeter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions: What is God saying to me right now?What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper. What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don't have to get too specific to give him praise.Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)PrayNOTESThis is an important theological distinction—especially as you preach through Genesis and encounter figures like Melchizedek in Genesis 14.Let me define the categories carefully and then contrast them.1️⃣ What Is aType of Christ?A type (Greek: typos) is a historical person, event, or institution intentionally designed by God to foreshadow Christ.It is:Real historySymbolically patternedForward-pointingIncomplete without ChristThe type is not Jesus Himself.It is a divinely embedded preview.Key Characteristics of a TypeHistorical realityEscalation or fulfillment in ChristOften clarified by later ScriptureAnalogical, not identicalBiblical ExamplesAdamPaul explicitly calls Adam a “type” of Christ (Romans 5:14).Adam = representative head → Christ = greater representative head.MelchizedekHebrews 7 presents Melchizedek as a type:King of righteousnessKing of peacePriest of God Most HighWithout recorded genealogyBut Hebrews never says Melchizedek was Christ — he was “made like” the Son of God (Heb 7:3).JosephRejected brother → exalted savior → forgives those who wronged him.A clear Christ-pattern.Definition:A type of Christ is a God-ordained historical shadow that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus.2️⃣ What Is aPre-Incarnate Christ (Christophany)?A Christophany is an actual appearance of the Son of God before the incarnation.It is:A real manifestationPersonal and divineNot symbolicThe second Person of the Trinity appearing visiblyThis is not foreshadowing — this is presence.Classic Christophany TextsAngel of the LORDIn several passages:Speaks as GodReceives worshipForgives sinIdentifies Himself as YahwehExamples:Genesis 16 (Hagar)Genesis 22 (Abraham and Isaac)Exodus 3 (burning bush)Judges 13 (Manoah)Many evangelical theologians conclude this is the pre-incarnate Son.The “Commander of the Lord's Army” (Joshua 5)Accepts worship. Identifies ground as holy.Definition:A Christophany is a real, pre-incarnate appearance of the eternal Son of God.3️⃣ The Core DifferencesType of ChristChristophanySymbolic foreshadowingActual divine appearanceHuman or eventDivine manifestationPoints forward to ChristIs ChristIncompleteFully divine presenceAnalogical resemblanceOntological identity4️⃣ The Melchizedek Question (Critical for Your Genesis 14 Preaching)Some argue Melchizedek was a Christophany.But Hebrews 7 does not say he was the Son of God — it says:“He is made like the Son of God.”That language supports typology, not incarnation.Hebrews is arguing:Jesus is not in the order of Aaron.He is in the order of Melchizedek.Melchizedek prefigures Christ's eternal priesthood.If Melchizedek were literally Christ, the argument collapses.You can't be “in the order of” yourself.So for Genesis 14:Melchizedek is best understood as a type.The Angel of the LORD passages are stronger candidates for Christophany.OUTLINESSECTION OUTLINE SEVEN (HEBREWS 7) The author identifies and equates the priesthood of Jesus with that of Melchizedek. I. A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE (7:1-3) A. The person of Melchizedek (7:1 a, 2b-3)Who he was (7:2b): His name means "king of justice," and he was also the "king of peace."What he did (7:1a): He was both priest and king over the city of Salem.Where he came from (7:3): There is no record of either his birth or his death. B. The preeminence of Melchizedek (7:1b-2a)B. The preeminence of Melchizedek (7:1 b-2a)The battle (7:2a): Following the defeat of his enemies, Abraham met Melchizedek and paid tithes to him.The blessing (7:1 b): Melchizedek blessed Abraham.II. A THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE (7:4-28): The author lists the various characteristics of Jesus, who, according to the Father's decree, is to be a priest after the order of Melchizedek (see Ps. 110:4). Thus, his priesthood would be: A. Royal (as was that of Melchizedek) (see 7:1) B. Superior (7:4-10)To whom? (7:5-7): To Levi, founder of the levitical priesthood.Why? (7:4, 8-10)a. Abraham was the ancestor of Levi (7:9). b. The yet unborn Levi thus tithed to Melchizedek while still in the loins of Abraham (7:4, 8, 10). C. Independent (7:11-15)Independent of the law (7:11-12).Independent of the tribe of Levi (7: 13-15): Christ came from the tribe of Judah. D. Everlasting (7:16-17) E. Guaranteed (7:20-22): The Father himself took an oath concerning this. F. Continuous (7:23) G. Permanent (7:24) H. Holy (7:26) I. All-sufficient (7:18-19, 25, 27) J. Flawless (7:28)QUESTIONS TO CONSIDERWhat do I want them to know? Why do I want them to know it?What do I want them to do?Why do I want them to do it?How do they do this?DISCUSSION QUESTIONSDiscovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/Read the passage together.Retell the story in your own words.Discovery the storyWhat does this story tell me about God?What does this story tell me about people?If this is really true, what should I do?What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)Who am I going to tell about this?Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcastAlternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:Who is God?What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)What do I do? (In light of who I am)How do I do it?Final Questions (Write this down)What is God saying to you right now? What are you going to do about it?YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION Here's the revised YouTube description, with the preacher and links cleanly integrated and placed where viewers expect them:Series: God's Promises, Our JourneyMessage Title: What Are the Key Ingredients to the Life God Calls Us to Live?Scripture: Genesis 14:1–24 (NIV); Hebrews 7Preacher: Darien GabrielWhat does it look like to live the life God calls us to live—especially when we're surrounded by temptation, fear, and competing allegiances?In Genesis 14, Abram steps into the first recorded battle in Scripture to rescue his nephew Lot. But the real battle isn't fought with swords—it's fought in the heart. Upon returning victorious, Abram is met by two kings and faced with two radically different offers. One tempts him with visible reward and fleeting gain. The other blesses him in the name of El Elyon—God Most High.This mysterious priest-king, Melchizedek, brings bread and wine, speaks blessing, and points Abram back to the promises of God. Hebrews 7 later reveals that Melchizedek is not just a historical figure—but a powerful signpost pointing forward to Jesus Christ, our eternal King and Priest.In this message, we explore:Why resting in what God has said is essential to faithful livingHow righteousness, peace, and blessing flow from wholehearted allegiance to GodThe contrast between living by sight (Lot) and living by faith (Abram)Why Jesus is the better Melchizedek—our ultimate rescuer and eternal intercessorBottom Line:When we rest in what God has said, we walk in His key ingredients—righteousness, peace, and blessing—so that we might be a blessing to the nations, just as He created us to be.If you're feeling torn between what you can see and what God has promised, this message invites you to lift your eyes—and your allegiance—to the King who is also our Priest.

Join us for this week's sermon!Whether you're seeking hope, direction, or a deeper connection with God, this message is for you. Each week, we open God's Word together to find truth, encouragement, and strength for the journey.

Genesis 14:14-24 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people. Abram Blessed by Melchizedek 17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor[a] of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself." 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted my hand[b] to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.' 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share."

Feeling vulnerable, exposed, or weighed down by the words of others is a universal experience. This Christian devotional explores how God provides a shield of protection around us, guarding our hearts and lifting our heads when we feel isolated or criticized. Rooted in Psalm 3:3, this devotion reminds believers that God is our ultimate protector, ever-present and actively surrounding us with favor and strength. Highlights God is our shield, lifting our heads high when we feel down His protective favor surrounds us in ways we often cannot see The Psalms describe God as a shield repeatedly, showing His faithful care We don’t need to shrink, retaliate, or be consumed by shame Leaning on God enables us to prevail, persevere, and press forward Confidence and strength come from God, not our circumstances Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: Your Shield of Protection By Cindi McMenamin Bible Reading: But You, Lord, are a shield around me,My glory, and the One who lifts my head. (Psalm 3:3 NASB) Have you ever received a comment, observation, or insinuation that left you feeling vulnerable or exposed? Don’t you wish at times you had a protective shield you could hide behind, or at least have in front of you to catch those piercing arrows or darts, even the unintentional ones, that leave you feeling sad or defeated? My daughter is an only child who has always been quite independent and never needy of a man in her life, and never feels alone until someone (who means well, of course) asks her if she’s “in a relationship yet.” And after they express their confidence that she’ll one day “find a husband and be happy,” she can tend to feel singled out as inadequate or incomplete, even though she’s very content with where God has her, and is not striving for a relationship. A friend of mine who is recently divorced and knows a closeness with God she hadn’t experienced while married, will suddenly feel awkward and unprotected when someone mentions her “struggle” and expresses their sympathy—or judgment—for her predicament. And a young mom I know feels isolated and alone when she faces a decision concerning her toddler that other moms might criticize or at least not agree with. When there doesn’t seem to be any right or wrong answer or anyone to walk her through the right answer for her situation, she feels inadequate and lacks confidence in either choice. Oh, how you and I need a protective shield. Something to guard our hearts from even unintentional comments that feel like arrows piercing our hearts. And oh, how our God has already provided. David sang in Psalm 3:3 (NIV): “You, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” Our God is a shield of protection around us and the One who lifts our heads high when we would otherwise hang them low—feeling outnumbered, outclassed, outvoted, or just left out. Because He is a shield of protection around us, He enables us to hold our heads high in God-confidence. David also sang in Psalm 5:12: “You bless the righteous person, Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.” That means God’s protective shield around us is also a shield of favor. Do you realize, as His child, you remain in a circle of God’s favor that protects you in ways you can’t imagine? In Psalm 139:5, David must’ve been describing God’s shielding circle around him when he sang, “You have encircled me behind and in front, and placed Your hand upon me.” God, as a protective enclosing shield, goes before us, moves alongside us, and guards our backs. David continued his description of God as a shield in Psalm 7:10 when he sang: “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.” God, Himself, is our shield. And in Psalm 18, David described God as a shield of refuge when he said the God who is his rock, fortress, and deliverer, is also his “shield and the horn of [his] salvation, [his] stronghold” (verses 1-2). After describing God’s mighty rescue of him, David proclaims in verse 30: “As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the Lord is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” And in verse 35, David declares his personal praise to God as his shield of support when he sings, “You protect me with your saving shield. You support me with your right hand. You have stooped to make me great.” (NCV) Intersecting Faith & Life: When someone says something to make us feel awkward, isolated, or alone, you and I don’t have to stoop down to their level for a cutting comeback or wilt inside with a sense of awkwardness, embarrassment, or shame. God has already stooped for us and toward us to be our shield and protector. In the New English Translation, the end of verse 35 reads: “You give me your protective shield; your right hand supports me. Your willingness to help enables me to prevail.” The God of this Universe is willing to help you. And just by knowing that, you and I are enabled to prevail, press forward, and persevere on the path He has placed us on. Go to the book of Psalms in your Bible and highlight every time God is described as a “shield.” I found more than a dozen descriptions of Him as a shield, and it encouraged my heart and made me feel strong and protected. Remember your shield of protection wherever you go, whatever you do, whatever you may hear. Further Reading: Psalm 84:11 Psalm 91:4 For more on connecting more closely with God, your shield, see my books, The New Loneliness and The New Loneliness Devotional. This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

As we continue to understand more about the message of God; we see that Abraham was called by God to establish a new nation that was to be unlike the world. Today, we see that this New Nation is also to have a relationship with God, that is unlike the world. Join us as we look at this important, but challenging topic! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    Genesis 14 is a key chapter because of what it tells us about Melchizedek. However, Melchizedek does not arrive on the scene until verse 17. What events led up to his introduction? 2.    Who were the two kings mentioned in verses 17 and 18? Given the city the king of Sodom presided over, what might we infer about this man? 3.    How does this study explain Abram's refusal to receive any of the spoils of victory in Genesis 14:23? What does this indicate about the foundation of this new nation of people who follow God? What does this show us about Abram's faith?  4.    According to the study, what does Genesis 14:18 mean when it says that Melchizedek was a priest of God Most High? What "time period" is the Melchizedekian Priesthood for? How are we in this time period today? 5.    Melchizedek was a king from Salem, which is later renamed as "Jerusalem." The name "Salem" means "peace." What does this indicate about this "King of Peace"? What does this suggest about the nature of the Lord's heavenly city? 6.    The study cites Psalm 110:4 twice. Psalm 110:4 says, "The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.'" What insights did the study explain about this verse? Who is this verse addressing? How "long" will this priesthood last? 7.    According to the study, what object lesson did the priesthood teach? As New Covenant believers, who is our priest? How does He reconcile us to God?  8.    What did you think about the principle in the study that said sinful people can have fellowship with Satan, but not with a holy God? How might Satan seek to give people a semblance of spirituality as a way of keeping them from approaching God through Jesus, our only true High Priest?  9.    According to the study, how does Jesus serve now, as our High Priest? In your personal times of prayer and worship, do you approach the Lord through the atonement of Jesus? Why or why not?  10.    One of the most important takeaways from this passage is that Jesus is in the priesthood of Melchizedek. We see this also in Psalm 110:4 and later in Hebrews 7:17. Why is this vital to understanding the priesthood of the New Covenant, versus the priesthood of the Old Covenant?  11.    Having taken this time to think about the priesthood, the Lord has only appointed two priesthoods, that of Aaron and Melchizedek. What does this indicate about the other priesthoods that man has created in this world? Why are they not necessary?  12.    Before this study, did you understand your need for a priest to reconcile you to God? How will this study change your understanding of how you approach Him? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Whose Media Should We Believe?Scripture References:1 Timothy 1:15-17Galatians 1:1-9Key Points:1.  Extra! Extra! Read all about it, Jesus is still saving sinners with bad habbits, but for those who don't believe, they can expect hell because they doubt it.Hebrews 12:1-2Romans 5:1-112.  God's media says, God demonstrates His love towards us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us, so let's give Him excited worship and join the Heavenly chorus.1 Kings 13:1-253.  Unfortunately some prophets and pastors lie, even while looking in your eye, our only protection is a close love connection, with God Most High.Matthew 7:7-144.  Breaking News!! Jesus is offering salvation today for free, cancelling all debt and penalties, and gauranteing life eternally, be one of the few!!Matthew 24:42-51

  Host: Dan Panetti   I believe that too many men fail to make significant and meaningful plans for the future because they either falsely believe that they are “fine” and don't really need to change…or they've tried the world's concept of temporary changes and are tired and disappointed with the lack of true purpose. Well, that is a great set up for my word for 2026 - Purpose, that I took from Psalm 57:2 where God's Word says, “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.”   Did you know that God Most High HAS a purpose for YOU? He does. And He wants you to know Him, know His plan, and live in such a way that you advance His purpose for your life. If you are looking at your goals for 2026 with that mindset, asking God what He wants to do in and through you, your goals will reflect a much different concept than just self-promotion.   Guys, my prayer for you is that you do the hard work of preparing yourself to truly know God…and make Him known through your life - all that you say and do would be a reflection of His goodness and glory for the world to see. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 5 that they “are the light of the world.” I think you can agree with me that this dark world needs more lights…lights that shine brightly and point the way to the hope that is Christ Jesus! As you look at all the Christmas lights on your Christmas tree - that's exactly what they are doing…pointing you upward toward heaven to see the true Light of the World!   Praying for you to have a Merry Christmas - and to prepare yourself for an incredible New Year - ask what God wants to do with your life…and then walk in a manner worthy of your calling in the coming days ahead! T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

December 17O Wisdom of our God Most High,guiding creation with power and love:come to teach us the path of knowledge!The Roman Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.-----------------------------------To learn about the ministries and offices of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, visit us online at archgh.org.FacebookInstagramYouTube

Lies travel fast, but they don't last. We end Hebrews chapter 6 and open chapter 7 finding a sturdier place to stand: God's promise to Abraham, sealed by an oath, and a hope described as an anchor for the soul. From that foundation, we follow the thread behind the veil into the true tabernacle, where Jesus acts not as our forerunner and high priest who secures our access to the presence of God.We unpack how an ancient sanctuary layout—outer court, holy place, Holy of Holies—mirrors a heavenly reality, and why that matters for everyday assurance. If Jesus Christ [Messiah] carries His own blood into the real Holy of Holies, then atonement is not a metaphor; it is the substance the Old Testament symbols pointed to. Along the way, we meet Melchizedek, the mysterious king of Salem, whose sudden appearance with bread and wine, blessing, and tithe becomes a powerful type of Christ: king of righteousness, king of peace, and priest of God Most High. The absence of his genealogy in Genesis isn't a puzzle to solve as much as a signpost toward an eternal priesthood fulfilled in Jesus.This conversation stays grounded with a vivid nautical image of a “forerunner” boat that carries the big ship's anchor over the sandbar into safe holding. That's how our hope holds when life's tides pull us backward: not because we are strong, but because our anchor is set in God's unchangeable character. If you've felt the drag of doubt or the sting of broken promises, this is a warm, thoughtful guide to a trust that doesn't crack under pressure.If this helped steady your faith, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs firm footing, and leave a quick review to help others find it.Support the showThank you for listening!! Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

  Psalm 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.   God is at work…what is HIS purpose for YOUR life? Don't get caught in the comparison game of temporary things, seek the greater good of a bigger God who has designed you for His good works…and walk in them…meaning that you need to move at God's speed, not the hurried pace of this world to enjoy God's purposes being revealed and perfected in your life. Men, don't miss this - your eternal rewards are tied to your eternal investments into God's purposes for your life.   Resource Suggestions The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs Life Without Lack by Dallas Willard   T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.  

It's easy to become so familiar with Christmas that we lose sight of its wonder and holiness. This message invites us to slow down and behold Jesus the Son with fresh eyes—the God Most High who became most low to invite us into His family. Christmas isn't the story of us finding God, but of God coming to us.

The Gospel is simple: That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. Romans 10:9 But God is extremely intelligent, and His message sometimes comes across as rather complicated. You will probably think that about this message. Just keep in mind the big picture: The Messiah is coming into the world, and everything, including the Mosiac Law and all the religious traditions, must yield to the new order. Micah 5:1-4 Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops: they have laid siege against us; with a rod they will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. Therefore, He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth. Then the remainder of His kinsmen will return to the sons of Israel. And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. And we see the fulfillment of this prophecy in Luke Chapter 2: Luke 2:8-11 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The city of David. Sometimes we think of Jerusalem as the city of David, but David was not from Jerusalem. He conquered Jerusalem and drove out the Jebusites in 2 Samuel 5:6-8. If you recall from a previous sermon, thats where David developed the loathing for the blind and lame that figures so prominently in the meeting with Mephibosheth. The original city of David is Bethlehem (house of bread). As we saw recently, in Keiths sermon on Ruth, that story of how Boaz and Ruth unite is set in Bethlehem, and at the end of that book, we see the lineage traced down to David. Further evidence of Davids ties to Bethlehem occurs in I Samuel 20:27-29, where Jonathan tests his father Saul to see what his true intentions toward David are by stating that David was not present because he had to go to Bethlehem for a family gathering. To fulfill Scripture, God influences Caesar Augustus to issue a decree for a world-wide census, and all people must return to their birthplace. Joseph was betrothed to Mary at the time, and she was pregnant with the Messiah. Since he was from Bethlehem, he had to return there from Nazareth in Galilee. When Joseph and Mary arrive in Bethlehem, Marys time to deliver her baby arrives, and Jesus is born in Bethlehem, just as prophesied in Micah. Micah gives us an intriguing detail about this ruler from Bethlehem. His times of coming are from long ago, from the days of eternity. Now, how can a person who comes from Bethlehem come from eternity? Well, the answer is that the person must be eternal, and that has to be God. So, we have an eternal ruler of Israel who will be born in Bethlehem. This prophecy about the Messiah was well known in Jesus day. In Matthew 2:1-6, we see the chief priests and scribes correctly identify the location of the birth of the King of the Jews as Bethlehem, and they quote our passage from Micah 5. The first reference to a ruler from Judah (Bethlehem is in the province of Judah) is in Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes. Another similar prophecy occurs in Numbers 24:17, spoken by Balaam: I see him, but not now; I look at him, but not near; a star shall appear from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall smash the forehead of Moab, and overcome all the sons of Sheth. This prophecy does not mention Judah specifically, but mentions a scepter which will arise from Jacob, and of course Judah is one of Jacob (Israels) sons. All the verses we have looked at so far have focused on political and governmental power. But the Messiah is not just a King; He is also a Priest, but not a Levitical priest. What if, as a God-fearing person under the Mosaic Law, you became hopelessly frustrated with your own sinfulness and inability to obey the Law. Suppose you cried out to God for mercy because you knew that, according to the Mosaic Law, you stood condemned. And suddenly, God opened your eyes to another way to approach Him: Psalm 40:6-8 You have not desired sacrifice and meal offering; You have opened my ears; You have not required burnt offering and sin offering. Then I said, Behold, I have come; it is written of me in the scroll of the book. I delight to do Your will, my God; Your Law is within my heart. According to Numbers 3:9, Levites were the only permissible priests: So you shall assign the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are exclusively assigned to him from the sons of Israel. So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death. But if you are no longer trying to approach God through the Law of Moses, you need another Priest outside the Levitical priesthood, because they only serve the Tabernacle. Fortunately, God provided us a Priest that fits our needs. To see this, we must turn to the Psalms. There are psalms known as Messianic Psalms which prophetically point to the ministry of the Messiah. Some of them are Psalm 2, 8, 16, 22 and 110. It is in Psalm 110 that we see the combined offices of King and Priest: Psalm 110:1-4 The LORD says to my Lord: Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet. The LORD will stretch out Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, Rule in the midst of Your enemies. Your people will volunteer freely on the day of Your power; in holy splendor, from the womb or the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew. The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. In this passage, we see the scepter of the ruler and the role of the priest, combined in this Person to whom the LORD (Yahweh) speaks, identified as Lord (Adonai). This Lord (Adonai) is both Ruler and Priest, but not a Levitical priest. Instead, He is identified as a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. If you were a Jewish scribe, this passage should have troubled you. How could the Ruler of Israel, the Messiah, be a priest if he came from Judah, rather than Levi? Very mysterious. Melchizedek is only mentioned one other place in the Old Testament. He shows up in Genesis 14. This is after Abram rescues his nephew Lot from Chedorlaomer king of Elam and three other kings with him. Abram had also reclaimed other persons who were captured as well as many of their possessions. He was indirectly helping the king of Sodom, since that is where Lot lived. Abram meets up with the king of Sodom in the Valley of Shaveh. In verses 18-20, we are told, And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has handed over your enemies to you. And he gave him a tenth of everything. Melchizedek is the king of Salem (peace), which most Jewish scholars interpret as the location of Jerusalem before Israel occupied Caanan. So, Melchizedek is a king and priest in the location where Abraham will take Isaac to be sacrificed; where Jerusalem will be located; and where the Messiah will be crucified. It is also in the land that will become Judahs territory after Israel occupies Caanan. Melchizedek is described as holding the offices of both king and priest. This is a very unusual combination, and typically was prohibited under Mosaic Law. In fact, Saul was dethroned in part because he presumed to offer sacrifices in Samuels absence, illegally usurping the priestly role as the king of Israel. In Second Chronicles Chapter 26, King Uzziah becomes a leper after he usurps the priests role and burns incense in the temple. But the Messiah, according to Psalm 110, is a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek, and is also the ruler over Israel. So, like Melchizedek, he is both a king and a priest. But, since the Messiah must come from Judah and be born in Bethlehem, he cannot be from the tribe of Levi, and his priesthood is therefore illegal under Mosaic Law. But thats not a problem for you because you have quit trying to obtain righteousness under the Mosaic Law. In fact, lets say you have become aware that you can achieve righteousness in Gods eyes by faith, just as Abraham did in Genesis 15:6: Then he believed in the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness. The covenant of works has a priesthood, so maybe the covenant of faith also has a priesthood. As a matter of fact, it does, and it has a priesthood superior to the Levitical priesthood, as described in Hebrews Chapter 7. In contrasting the Levitical priests with Jesus, Hebrews 7:23 says, The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing; Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore, He is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. As noted in Hebrews 7:12, When the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. When we quit trying to earn righteousness, we leave the law of works and turn to the law of grace. In so doing, we turn from a religious system that uses frail human priests to a system that has a perfect eternal priest who is always interceding on our behalf. Now, some theologians believe that Melchizedek was a Christophany, an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament. Heres how the Hebrews writer describes Melchizedek in Hebrews 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually. If that description were literally true, then it would have to be referring to Jesus. But the Hebrew writer is attributing the complete lack of genealogy about Melchizedek as suggestive of an eternal nature. We dont see any of the typical language used of Melchizedek that we see in other Christophanies. For instance, no other Christophany identifies anyone by a proper name or being an office bearer in any earthly position. Also, we see no command to, for example, remove Abrams sandals because the ground is holy. But clearly, God intends us to note the complete lack of genealogy, especially in Psalm 110:4, as being instructive that the Messiah will have a priesthood that is eternal. So, when we think of Born in Bethlehem, we think of a precious infant, a manger, Joseph and Mary, and all the pageantry of Christmas. But to receive a forever priest from the Tribe of Judah, we must leave behind our love affair with salvation by our own works and receive the righteousness that comes only through faith. Romans 3:19-26 explains the procedural change: Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes knowledge of sin. BUT NOW apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but it is the righteousness of God THROUGH FAITH in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in Gods merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and THE JUSTIFIER OF THE ONE WHO HAS FAITH IN JESUS. Thats what Christmas is all about. Its the coming of the King and Priest who changes the Law and eternal future for all of us who will transition out of trying to save ourselves, and trust in the blood of Christ as our only righteousness. Amen and hallelujah forever!

The Gospel is simple: That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. Romans 10:9 But God is extremely intelligent, and His message sometimes comes across as rather complicated. You will probably think that about this message. Just keep in mind the big picture: The Messiah is coming into the world, and everything, including the Mosiac Law and all the religious traditions, must yield to the new order. Micah 5:1-4 Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops: they have laid siege against us; with a rod they will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. Therefore, He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth. Then the remainder of His kinsmen will return to the sons of Israel. And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. And we see the fulfillment of this prophecy in Luke Chapter 2: Luke 2:8-11 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The city of David. Sometimes we think of Jerusalem as the city of David, but David was not from Jerusalem. He conquered Jerusalem and drove out the Jebusites in 2 Samuel 5:6-8. If you recall from a previous sermon, thats where David developed the loathing for the blind and lame that figures so prominently in the meeting with Mephibosheth. The original city of David is Bethlehem (house of bread). As we saw recently, in Keiths sermon on Ruth, that story of how Boaz and Ruth unite is set in Bethlehem, and at the end of that book, we see the lineage traced down to David. Further evidence of Davids ties to Bethlehem occurs in I Samuel 20:27-29, where Jonathan tests his father Saul to see what his true intentions toward David are by stating that David was not present because he had to go to Bethlehem for a family gathering. To fulfill Scripture, God influences Caesar Augustus to issue a decree for a world-wide census, and all people must return to their birthplace. Joseph was betrothed to Mary at the time, and she was pregnant with the Messiah. Since he was from Bethlehem, he had to return there from Nazareth in Galilee. When Joseph and Mary arrive in Bethlehem, Marys time to deliver her baby arrives, and Jesus is born in Bethlehem, just as prophesied in Micah. Micah gives us an intriguing detail about this ruler from Bethlehem. His times of coming are from long ago, from the days of eternity. Now, how can a person who comes from Bethlehem come from eternity? Well, the answer is that the person must be eternal, and that has to be God. So, we have an eternal ruler of Israel who will be born in Bethlehem. This prophecy about the Messiah was well known in Jesus day. In Matthew 2:1-6, we see the chief priests and scribes correctly identify the location of the birth of the King of the Jews as Bethlehem, and they quote our passage from Micah 5. The first reference to a ruler from Judah (Bethlehem is in the province of Judah) is in Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes. Another similar prophecy occurs in Numbers 24:17, spoken by Balaam: I see him, but not now; I look at him, but not near; a star shall appear from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall smash the forehead of Moab, and overcome all the sons of Sheth. This prophecy does not mention Judah specifically, but mentions a scepter which will arise from Jacob, and of course Judah is one of Jacob (Israels) sons. All the verses we have looked at so far have focused on political and governmental power. But the Messiah is not just a King; He is also a Priest, but not a Levitical priest. What if, as a God-fearing person under the Mosaic Law, you became hopelessly frustrated with your own sinfulness and inability to obey the Law. Suppose you cried out to God for mercy because you knew that, according to the Mosaic Law, you stood condemned. And suddenly, God opened your eyes to another way to approach Him: Psalm 40:6-8 You have not desired sacrifice and meal offering; You have opened my ears; You have not required burnt offering and sin offering. Then I said, Behold, I have come; it is written of me in the scroll of the book. I delight to do Your will, my God; Your Law is within my heart. According to Numbers 3:9, Levites were the only permissible priests: So you shall assign the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are exclusively assigned to him from the sons of Israel. So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death. But if you are no longer trying to approach God through the Law of Moses, you need another Priest outside the Levitical priesthood, because they only serve the Tabernacle. Fortunately, God provided us a Priest that fits our needs. To see this, we must turn to the Psalms. There are psalms known as Messianic Psalms which prophetically point to the ministry of the Messiah. Some of them are Psalm 2, 8, 16, 22 and 110. It is in Psalm 110 that we see the combined offices of King and Priest: Psalm 110:1-4 The LORD says to my Lord: Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet. The LORD will stretch out Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, Rule in the midst of Your enemies. Your people will volunteer freely on the day of Your power; in holy splendor, from the womb or the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew. The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. In this passage, we see the scepter of the ruler and the role of the priest, combined in this Person to whom the LORD (Yahweh) speaks, identified as Lord (Adonai). This Lord (Adonai) is both Ruler and Priest, but not a Levitical priest. Instead, He is identified as a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. If you were a Jewish scribe, this passage should have troubled you. How could the Ruler of Israel, the Messiah, be a priest if he came from Judah, rather than Levi? Very mysterious. Melchizedek is only mentioned one other place in the Old Testament. He shows up in Genesis 14. This is after Abram rescues his nephew Lot from Chedorlaomer king of Elam and three other kings with him. Abram had also reclaimed other persons who were captured as well as many of their possessions. He was indirectly helping the king of Sodom, since that is where Lot lived. Abram meets up with the king of Sodom in the Valley of Shaveh. In verses 18-20, we are told, And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has handed over your enemies to you. And he gave him a tenth of everything. Melchizedek is the king of Salem (peace), which most Jewish scholars interpret as the location of Jerusalem before Israel occupied Caanan. So, Melchizedek is a king and priest in the location where Abraham will take Isaac to be sacrificed; where Jerusalem will be located; and where the Messiah will be crucified. It is also in the land that will become Judahs territory after Israel occupies Caanan. Melchizedek is described as holding the offices of both king and priest. This is a very unusual combination, and typically was prohibited under Mosaic Law. In fact, Saul was dethroned in part because he presumed to offer sacrifices in Samuels absence, illegally usurping the priestly role as the king of Israel. In Second Chronicles Chapter 26, King Uzziah becomes a leper after he usurps the priests role and burns incense in the temple. But the Messiah, according to Psalm 110, is a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek, and is also the ruler over Israel. So, like Melchizedek, he is both a king and a priest. But, since the Messiah must come from Judah and be born in Bethlehem, he cannot be from the tribe of Levi, and his priesthood is therefore illegal under Mosaic Law. But thats not a problem for you because you have quit trying to obtain righteousness under the Mosaic Law. In fact, lets say you have become aware that you can achieve righteousness in Gods eyes by faith, just as Abraham did in Genesis 15:6: Then he believed in the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness. The covenant of works has a priesthood, so maybe the covenant of faith also has a priesthood. As a matter of fact, it does, and it has a priesthood superior to the Levitical priesthood, as described in Hebrews Chapter 7. In contrasting the Levitical priests with Jesus, Hebrews 7:23 says, The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing; Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore, He is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. As noted in Hebrews 7:12, When the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. When we quit trying to earn righteousness, we leave the law of works and turn to the law of grace. In so doing, we turn from a religious system that uses frail human priests to a system that has a perfect eternal priest who is always interceding on our behalf. Now, some theologians believe that Melchizedek was a Christophany, an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament. Heres how the Hebrews writer describes Melchizedek in Hebrews 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually. If that description were literally true, then it would have to be referring to Jesus. But the Hebrew writer is attributing the complete lack of genealogy about Melchizedek as suggestive of an eternal nature. We dont see any of the typical language used of Melchizedek that we see in other Christophanies. For instance, no other Christophany identifies anyone by a proper name or being an office bearer in any earthly position. Also, we see no command to, for example, remove Abrams sandals because the ground is holy. But clearly, God intends us to note the complete lack of genealogy, especially in Psalm 110:4, as being instructive that the Messiah will have a priesthood that is eternal. So, when we think of Born in Bethlehem, we think of a precious infant, a manger, Joseph and Mary, and all the pageantry of Christmas. But to receive a forever priest from the Tribe of Judah, we must leave behind our love affair with salvation by our own works and receive the righteousness that comes only through faith. Romans 3:19-26 explains the procedural change: Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes knowledge of sin. BUT NOW apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but it is the righteousness of God THROUGH FAITH in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in Gods merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and THE JUSTIFIER OF THE ONE WHO HAS FAITH IN JESUS. Thats what Christmas is all about. Its the coming of the King and Priest who changes the Law and eternal future for all of us who will transition out of trying to save ourselves, and trust in the blood of Christ as our only righteousness. Amen and hallelujah forever!

In this Bible Story, John has been exiled after being dipped in a vat of boiling oil. As he sits on the shores of Patmos, God comes to him in a vision. John writes in poetry and metaphor to describe his vision of God’s throne room. We are taken up with John, beholding God’s majesty and glory. This story is inspired by Revelation. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Revelation 4:2 from the King James Version.Episode 242: The Apostle John, now exiled on the island of Patmos, became startled as he heard a powerful voice behind him. The voice told him to write down what he was about to see. He turned around to see who was speaking to him and saw that it was the risen Jesus. His appearance was full of majesty as He gave John a message for each of the seven churches. But the vision did not end there, John was then called up into the throne room of God where he saw it filled with the beauty and majesty only God can bring. Beautiful colors, many thrones, and massive living creatures which all shouted the praises of God Most High, and the Lamb that was slain now lives!Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abba Ministries is here to serve you!Estamos para servirte!Give thanks to ELYON, the Most High God — the One who governs everything, sustains creation, and holds absolute authority over heaven and earth. In this second part of our Thanksgiving message, we reflect on His goodness, His faithfulness, and the countless blessings He pours into our lives every single day.As we honor ELYON, we recognize that He alone deserves all the glory and all the praise. No matter what season you may be facing, remember: GOD MOST HIGH is in control, and His plans for you are good.✨ “For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.” — Psalm 47:2 (NKJV)Be encouraged, be strengthened, and let your heart overflow with gratitude to the One who reigns forever.#ELYON #MostHighGod #ThanksgivingToGod #GratefulHeart #ChristianVideo #ChristianTeaching #GodIsFaithful #Worship #PraiseGod #AbbaMinistries #Thanksgiving2025

"You alone, Whose name is Jehovah, are the Most High over all the earth." (Psalm 83:18)

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. My name is Spencer and I'm one of the pastors here. We are continuing through our Remember series. We're in the last couple of weeks of this series. We're walking through our membership commitments and what binds us together and belief and practice as a church. We're in the 13th commitment. Today we've got this and then next week our 14th commitment. And then we'll launch into our gift series for December. But I want to read the 13th commitment before we begin. It says, I will practice and grow in generosity by financially supporting Jesus mission in church in our city and the world. Therefore, I will consistently and sacrificially give to Mill City Church of Cayce and to Mill City Church of Cayce family as they may have need. So this is what our church commits to. But this really embodies the people of God for centuries. This is our story. If you haven't thought about this before, much of actually Western culture is impacted and shaped by the generosity of Christians. Like the majority of hospitals over time were started by churches and denominations. That's why so many in many cities have a Baptist hospital, a Methodist hospital, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, all at one point were they begun as seminaries. They were training grounds for pastors and educating laypeople in theology. The Salvation army was started by Christians in an effort to wage war on poverty in the London's east end over 100 years ago. The YMCA and the 19th century began as an effort to help Christian men. So it's the Young Men's Christian Association, Christian men who've been negatively impacted by the Industrial Revolution. Samaritan's Purse was started to wage to help kids that were affected in Korea by starvation. Habitat for Humanity was started by Christian missionaries who were building homes and then brought that back to America and has impacted many people for the last few decades. The majority of orphan care, orphanages, adoption agencies were started by Christians that have been run by Christians into the day. The examples go on and on. If you just think locally for a moment, the organization that's had the most impact on homelessness in the city of Columbia, without a doubt has been Oliver Gospel Mission. They've been doing it for over 137 years, since 1988, started by a Methodist minister. Our own hospital, Baptist Hospital, was started by the denomination that we belong to, the South Carolina Baptist convention, years over 100 years ago. So this is a part of the people of God. This is our story. And there are many examples of how this shows up. And our 13th commitment is in line with what God's people have done for Thousands of years. So today I want to show you where this comes from in the Scriptures and why we're called to live with sacrificial generosity. We're going to do a fairly quick blitz through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation to see this theme. This is going to be a biblical theology of generosity, this theme that gets pulled from Genesis all the way through Revelation, the end of the Bible. So we're going to see where this comes from, where we're commanded to live like this. And then I want to take a step back and examine ultimately why and how we're supposed to, as the church, live this out. So let me pray for us, and then we'll walk through this together. Heavenly Father, I pray that you might help us see the gift that it is to live a life that is generous, that is not about self, but about ultimately you and your purposes here and beyond. And I pray that you would speak to us in a way that would disarm us and instruct us, and we wouldn't just be hearers of the Word, but would leave here as doers. And that's going to come through your work. So we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.Okay, so starting in the book of Genesis. One of the earliest examples we get of generosity in the Bible is in Genesis 14, when Abraham is. He wages. He's in a battle. And after they win that battle, there's a king and a high priest named Melchizedek that comes to him. In Genesis 14, it says,> And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:18–20, ESV)And Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. So this is one of the earliest examples we see of giving up your material blessings. Abraham gives up a tenth of what he has in response to this priest. This type of generosity gets enshrined into the Old Testament law When you read past Genesis, into Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Numbers. When you read these books, you see throughout the law, this type of commanded generosity of the people of God. When you get to numbers 18, it's one of the places that commands the people of God to give of their finances to support the work of the priesthood. You see, the Levitical priesthood, that tribe did not have an inheritance from the Lord. That was land Their inheritance was to serve the Lord. And the people of God and the promised land were commanded to give to sustain the work of the Levitical priesthood. So you see this in the Book of Numbers and other places. In Leviticus 19, you see that the giving that God calls us is not just to help those who are priests, like Melchizedek, like the Levitical priesthood, but it is also to help one another. As you read Leviticus 19, this command to be holy as I am holy, there's a bunch of different parts in it. But one of the things that shows up in verses 9 and 10 says,> “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:9–10, ESV)It's just built into the law that as you harvest, don't take all of it. Don't be about the enrichment of self, but realize that there are the poor, the widows, the sojourners among you that do not have food and make sure that they can come and take part in the harvest as well. You see this in other places, like Deuteronomy 15. Deuteronomy 15 says,> “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.” (Deuteronomy 15:7–8, ESV)Do not harden your hearts against your brothers who are in need. Throughout the law, you just see how God is commanding his people to think about one another in a way that is beautiful. And when you read the law, I'm picking places that I can't go to, all of it. But you read it. You read about the redemption laws, you read about the year of jubilee, you read about all these things that God commands of his people so that they might take care of one another, take care of the priesthood, who ministers on behalf of you, and then also take care of one another together. That's all over the Old Testament law.As you keep flipping through the Old Testament, you see examples of how this is lived out. But one of the places that you'll get to is in the wisdom literature. You won't just see that generosity is commanded, but generosity is also wise. It is wise to be someone who lives generously. In Proverbs 3, 9 and 10, it says,> “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” (Proverbs 3:9–10, ESV)I so appreciate that it's proverbial, which means it's not a promise or a guarantee. But what he just said there is that if you honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce, that first fruits language shows up in the Old Testament law as well. That is the idea that you take the first of your harvest, not the leftovers. And that theme carries throughout the Bible as well. Don't give the Lord your leftovers, give him the first fruits, the first and best of what you have. If you do this, then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine, which means, again, proverbial. Generally, if you will be willing to be generous, the Lord will provide for you over and over again. So we don't treat it like a formula, but we see that it's wise that those who live generously, the Lord provides for them again and again and again. We see this in 11:24.> “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” (Proverbs 11:24, ESV)Again, proverbial. But the idea here is that if you are giving freely, the Lord is taking care of you. But if you are greedy, if you withhold, if you are self interested, you will only suffer want. And there are plenty of other proverbs that hit different aspects of what it means to the wisdom that is bound up and not living for the enrichment of self, but living generously.Now, the Old Testament law, you see this from start to finish in the Old Testament law. This theme of God's people who were called to live generously. Then we get to the New Testament and then Jesus comes and begins teaching. And one of the most consistent teachings that Jesus has is on money and generosity over and over again. And Jesus doesn't just get to the commands, he gets to the hearts behind the commands. Because when you get to Matthew chapter six in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,> “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19–21, ESV)So Jesus gets the heart of the matter, which is, do not, do not live for the riches of this present world. Everything that your heart so quickly desires, all the shiny objects and things in this life, all of it will end up in a landfill. It will decay. But if you will put your heart where God's heart is and the kingdom of God in eternity, you will store up riches that will never spoil or fade. Put your heart there. He gets to the heart of it. And this teaching that we get in Matthew 6 that is so helpful, helps us see, this is what we're called to be, is to put our heart in the things that God cares about that last into eternity. And listen, if you just do the Gospel of Matthew, I'm gonna do just some quick hits of just how he teaches this over and over again. But if you go back to Matthew 5:3, he says,> “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3, ESV)You get to Matthew 5:42. He says,> “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:42, ESV)You get to chapter six, verses one through four. He says,> “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” (Matthew 6:1–4, ESV)which is the teaching that we should give not to be seen. That we should not strut to the offering box and say, look at what I have done. That we should not let everyone know on GoFundMe that I'm the one that has given. We shouldn't make it known to everyone that I am giving, but we should do it in secret, because ultimately our giving is to the Lord and not to be seen by others. And he continues, I mean, 6:19, 24, we just read do not lay up treasures in heaven. 6:24 we read earlier is,> “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24, ESV)6:25–34 he says, do not be anxious about material needs. Seek first the kingdom of God. In Matthew 13:22, when he's teaching the parable of the sore sower, talking about the seeds of faith that are sown, one of the seeds that gets choked out is by the thorns, which is the riches and the cares of this present world. And that's a warning that if we care so much about material blessings in this life, we care so much about money and riches here, it will snuff out our faith. In Matthew chapter 19, we get an example of what that looks like. When a rich young man comes to Jesus and says, I want to follow you. And he gives his resume of all he's followed the law. And then Jesus goes straight to the heart and he says, okay, so sell everything you have. Come, follow me. And he says, no, it went away sad because he had great wealth. And then Jesus goes on to say in teaching that he says, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And listen, that's the eye of a sewing needle. Have you ever heard some prosperity? False prophets say, that's a tiny little door in Jerusalem. That's a lie. The whole point there is that, no, you cannot be saved as a rich man in your own, your own self. It comes through faith in Jesus Christ and him shaping us and our approach to how we think about money. That's just the Gospel of Matthew, but if you keep reading the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Luke, the Gospel of John, Jesus continuously, repetitively, aggressively, at times teaches on riches because there's a lot at stake now.Jesus goes to the cross, he dies for our sins. He rises from the grave, conquering the power of death and its grip on us. And then when he ascends to the right hand of God the Father and the Holy Spirit descends upon the church. In Acts 2. We've been in this passage multiple times throughout this Remember series. We see the early church embody Christ's teachings on generosity. In Acts 2:44, it says,> “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44–45, ESV)They believe it. They are all in on what Christ taught. And they just say, give it away. I'll sell this and I'll give it to you. Make sure that the saints are taken care of, make sure that the gospel can go forward. They believe this wholeheartedly and they begin to live this out. And when you read the rest of the book of Acts, you see this. And when you read the rest of the New Testament letters, Romans all the way through, you're going to see this over and over again. I can't hit all of it, but I just want to show you a few different parts of the New Testament letters that teach this theme of generosity. In Second Corinthians, chapter eight, Paul put he's talking to the church at Corinth, which is a very wealthy church and a wealthy city. And when he's talking to them, he uses the Macedonian church, which is in a different area that is not as wealthy, as an example to spur them on to generosity. And in chapter eight, verses three and four, it says,> “For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.” (2 Corinthians 8:3–4, ESV)That little phrase is one of My favorite phrases on generosity in the Bible, that this church was begging, they were eager. We cannot miss out on this. Can we give? The saints in Jerusalem were struggling, they needed help. And they said, I want all in on this. Can we be a part of this? And he's trying to help the Corinthian church. Do you not see how we're called to live? And if you read different parts of the New Testament in the letters, you're going to see this call to give to the efforts of gospel ministry and give to one another, to take care of one another. I mean, when you read the book of Philippians, y', all, we spent time a couple years ago in the book of Philippians, wonderful, beautiful theological insights, wonderful, beautiful passages. But when you get to the end, you see that it wraps up like a support letter because he's thankful for their partnership with him in the gospel. In 4:15, he says,> “And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.” (Philippians 4:15, ESV)And he's just thankful, thankful for the church at Philippi and how they've invested in his ministry efforts. Paul at times had to be a tent maker, but he did need money to live on. He needed money to travel. And in First Corinthians 9, at one point when he's talking to the church at Corinth, he makes the point that it is my right as a minister of the gospel to be paid. And it makes that clear in the New Testament. Ministers of the gospel, those who do gospel work, should be paid to make their living by the gospel. But he tells the church of Corinth, I'm not demanding that of you because I know that's a stumbling block for you. I want you to believe the gospel. I don't want you to think I'm money hungry. And that is something that even shows up today. It's hard for pastors at times to talk about money because you don't want to fall into the category of money hungry pastors. But God talks so much about it and it's so important. So we will. Throughout the New Testament, you see this commanded generosity, these examples of generosity for the advancement of the gospel, moving forward through caring for one another, and all of that. As you read through the N terminates in the Book of Revelation. And if you were with us the last year as we walked through the Book of Revelation, those final three chapters is a vivid picture of where all this is going, that God's people get to experience the eternal generosity of God unendingly, that we get to have a feast with our God, that He provides for us, that we get to have eternal dwelling with our God, that He provides life and light and riches beyond imagination. Our God freely, lovingly, joyfully, gives to his people forever and ever and ever. Amen. And that is how the Bible ends. And you see from start to finish this thread that is pulled of generosity, of how God's people have been shaped by this and really how we've lived this out for thousands years.But all these examples that are wonderful and beautiful, all these commands that are powerful and all these teachings that shape us, it is also important to realize it's pretty dang hard to live this out. It just is because we're just so self interested. We're just self interested people. I know I am. I mean, I see it like I y', all, I see when my. Give you an example. When my kids, when there's a dessert in our household, they, they, they become feral. It's it's mine. Like you ever seen a, you ever seen a raccoon that's eating trash pizza? You come up on a raccoon eating trash pizza and you try to meet my children with a dessert, it's theirs. Do you know where they got that from? My wife? No, I'm just kidding. They got that from me. One of the most infamous stories in my family is when I was in college, I was home for Thanksgiving, my mom made this chocolate pie and she made it for me to take it to college back for exams. And I had it and my stepdad and my sister saw it and they said, ooh, I want a bite. And I grabbed it and I licked the whole thing. Which in my family was claiming it. I know in your family that might not have stopped anyone, but in my family that stopped everyone because this was mine. And that self interested instinct is all over how we think about riches. It's all over how we think about money. This is what we do, y'. All. That's why when the pandemic hit, what was the first thing to leave the shelves? Toilet paper. That's just everyone's like, gotta get it. I gotta get in my house. It's what we do. This is a human infection that we pass down from generation to generation, from forefathers to their children and grandchildren. This desire for the enrichment and care of self. We have a Bible reading plan that anyone in our church is welcome to go through, but a few of us have gone through over the last few years and I'm in this Bible reading plan the other few weeks ago, and we come up to 1 Timothy, chapter 6. And I'm reading it, and I just. Was just slayed. I read it, and I just want to read. Gets right at the heart of this. It says,> “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:6–10, ESV)Do you hear that? That's a warning. That riches can become your ruin. The desire for them can become a ruin for you. Verse 10. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pangs. And it's like, I just. I read that. I went, oh, my God, woe is me. If you, if you don't read that and tremble if you don't receive that and go, I. Where. Where have I fallen in love with riches and, and money in a way that is. That is literally risking me walking away from the Lord, then we're. We're not reading it correctly. It's a. It's a real danger. And if you, if you realize the danger of our. Of our. Of our besetting sin in our hearts. It's not enough just to look at the whole Bible and look at all the examples, because those examples, enough, even those commands are not enough for us to take our eyes off of the riches of this present world. We have to get to the heart of why. Why are we commanded to live this out? Why should we do this? And the example that we have of why is found in, in Jesus Christ. When you read 2 Corinthians, chapter 8, it says,> “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9, ESV)That teaches that Jesus Christ, the second member of the Trinity, left the glory and the comfort and the heaven to become man and dwell among us in poverty. That he left the riches and the comforts of heaven to live a lowly human life in need constantly. And then he goes to the cross where he has nothing. The garments that he has are divided amongst the people below and he's crucified for our self interest and greed and desire for the riches of this present world. And he resurrects to conquer the power of sin so that we might not be slaves to riches, we might be slaves to our desires for this present world, but we might be resurrected in faith to have new eyes and a new heart. That we might see that he is better and that following him and putting all of our hopes in eternity is better than anything this present world could have to offer. And that by the power of the Holy Spirit he might break us of a desire for things that will spoil and fade and fix our eyes on eternity. We read 1 John 4:19 the why is we love because he first loved us.> “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, ESV)The only hope we have to grow in being generous people is to look at the example we have in Jesus Christ and put our faith firmly in him as our only hope. That is one and that is the why which shapes our commitment. I will practice and grow in generosity by financially supporting Jesus mission and church in our city and the world. Therefore I will consistently and sacrificially give to Mill City Church of Cayce and to Mill City Church of Cayce family as they may have need. God, who loves us, who came to rescue us, who saves us from our own selfish desires, sets us apart to follow him and calls us to trust him, to yield to him open handedly that he will provide for us and to lift our gaze to the heavens, to store our riches there, where one day we will taste and see of things that we could not passively dream, possibly dream or imagine about. That is what guides us and the hope that we have in this commitment as a church.So if that is why I want to end with how. How do we practically take steps to grow in this? It begins with giving. And one of the things that we say is in the language we have in our commitment is to is to sacrificially give. We use the language of sacrificial giving in our Give series in a few weeks. That's a language that's going to show up. That's a language we've used for years. We do not use the language of tithe. And if you grew up in the church, that's a very common phrase. It shows up all over the Old Testament law. Tithe, that just means a tenth. It goes back to the example of Melchizedek and Abraham. But you read the Old Testament, it says to give a tenth. The New Testament actually doesn't command the tithe. It embodies the heart of generosity from the Old Testament. But the language we see consistently in the New Testament is one of sacrificial giving. Therefore we command from the scriptures. You need to sacrificially give. And I think that's more helpful language than the time I do. I think that calls us to consider what we should give before the Lord in a way that is, that is meaningful. And I think for some whom God has blessed in this church, making money that you never thought you could make, if you say that giving is the tithe, you have limited yourself and you are not actually growing in sacrificial giving. For some of you, the tithe is the floor, it's not the ceiling. And you should be looking for ways to continue to grow in giving. And for others, like that's. If we just use the language of tithe, that's a hard place to get to. If you're not giving anything at all, that's a tough thing to accomplish. We want us to take steps of faithfulness and growing and sacrificial generosity. We do not dictate how much you should give. We do not dictate exactly where you should give. You see, the language that we got here is I will consistently and sacrificially give to Mill City Church of Cayce and Mill City Church of Cayce families. And above it, it says I will financially supporting Jesus mission in the church and the city and the world. So we're not saying that you've got to give all of your money to formally the local church though I would caution, I have heard and seen this over the years that some folks will say, ah, I just, I, no, I'm not, I don't know if I can, I don't know what the church is doing. I want to be able to dictate where my money can go. So I'm going to give to people in my church, I'm going to give people to my community. I'm going to give to orphan care, I'm going to give to missions. But I really, I don't know if I can give formally to the local church. I just, I don't know how. And I just want to caution you, if you have any bit of that zone in your heart, I want you to consider what functionally that means. It means that you do not trust the leadership of this church and work with our boss team, our boss Business Oversight and Sustainability Squad, that's our team that oversees finances in our church. So the elders and our boss team, I don't trust them to be able to give to the local church. And I just want to caution you on that, because I'll be honest, if I was a part of a church and I didn't trust the leadership of that church to handle the finances, I wouldn't be there. I just. I was like, if I can't trust you with money, then I can't trust you, period. And if that's the position of your heart, I want you to evaluate that and I want you to reckon with that argument, because I think you should trust the leadership of this church. You should formally give. You should give in the give boxes, you should give online. You should give to the local church and the ministry efforts entrusting us to figure out what is the best use of how these gifts have been given to use and distribute in a way that accomplishes the purposes of the local church. You should also give to your church family. You should be saving up regularly to give to your church family. You should be looking eager, like that Second Corinthians language. If I'm eager to jump in and give at a moment's notice to someone who is in need, y'. All. One of the benefits I have as a pastor is that I regularly get to see people who are embodying Matthew 6, not being public, letting the left hand know what the right hand is giving. So they come to one of the pastors and say, hey, I just. I want to be able to bless this person. Can you make sure they get this? Can you make sure that this person gets this? I see this all the time. I've lost count of how many cars have been given away in this church, how many washing machines, how many medical bills have been paid off. I've watched people just live it out in beautiful and wonderful ways. We should do that. You should be looking for ways to just bless people in our church who are in need and to see the beauty and the wonder and the glory of just joining in in God's mission and caring for his people, just as they did in Acts Chapter two.And beyond that, we should be eager to give beyond our church, beyond the local mission. That's one of the reasons why we give regularly to 1040 HOPE. 1040 HOPE is the mission organization that Ben Johnson, one of the members of our church, leads. It's on the meets on the third. They have office space on the third floor of our building. And we give to them, and we encourage you to give to them because we want to see the gospel Reach every nation, tribe and tongue and the areas of the world where there are not Christians or anyone that even knows the gospel. We want to be about all of it. So we. That's what. That's what it means to. That's how we should do this. We should give, firstly, meaning of your first fruits. Do not give your leftovers. We should give consistently, which means that some of you should set up regular giving and we should give sacrificially, meaning we should be considerate of giving in a way that we feel it, that it actually is a sacrifice. This is something we should grow in and take steps of faithfulness in. So if you're in a place where you're like, I just, I can't. I just. I literally can't give right now. I want to say very clearly that's a problem. But that's a problem we'd love to help you with. We have a financial care team that will sit down with you, that'll sit with you in your budget, that will help you figure out how you can take steps of faithfulness here. We want to help you to be able to do this. And when I'm coaching people up on this, that's why I think language of tithe can be discouraging at times. Because if you're like, I'm going from 0 to 10, I don't know how I'm going to get there. Just take steps of faithfulness. Start by giving 40 to 50 bucks a month. Do that and commit to it. And you might have to cut things out. But of how much you spend on Starbucks and Amazon prime and Netflix, and if you total all of that up, and that's more than what you give to the mission of God, that's a value statement. That is a problem and it needs to change. So we need to do some soul work in this. And I say, take steps of faithful. So I'm coaching people on this. I'm like, start here. Maybe next year you can carve out 1% of your budget and maybe the following year you can take a step of faith and double it at 2%. And maybe in three years you could double it again and get to 4%. Maybe in four to five years, if you're really figuring this out, you could jump up to eight. Figure this out before the Lord and ask the Lord what he wants you to give. But we can take steps of faithfulness and growing in this. It's worth it for our own souls to not fall in love with the riches of this present world. Some people will Say, like, I don't know if I can get. I don't know when I'm gonna have enough to give. I don't know if I'm gonna get there. And I will say to you very clearly, we have to be trusted with the small things that we're given so we can step into the greater things. The idea that if I make more down the road, I'll be able to give. It's not how we logically work. It's not how the scriptures teach this. We need to be faithful with little so we can later be faithful with much. We need to take steps of faithfulness to grow in this. I was talking with Raz Bradley. Raz, one of our pastors, was in Florida for a conference a few weeks back, and he got to meet a guy and hear his story, and I got to watch this video of this guy's story. But this. This man was. Him and his wife, years ago, were going to be missionaries. They're excited to go on the mission field. And as they're gearing up, ready to go on the mission field, his father sits down with him and his brother and says, hey, I'm retiring. He had a small mom and pop crane company. Because I'm retiring, and it's either y' all are taking this over or it's gonna end. But, like, I mean, we're. And he had a decision to make, and he prayed, do I go on the mission field or do I take over this business and use it for the glory of God and funding missions? And much to his wife's dismay, they didn't go on the mission field. Him and his brother took over this crane company, and they started out from the very beginning. They said, this is what we're going to do. We are not going to build this company for the enrichment of ourselves. We are going to take the profits. So about half invest it back into the company itself, and the other half we're going to give away. We're going to invest in gospel efforts. Now, a normal company, you do the first half, you've got to invest money back into the company, otherwise it won't make it. But the other half is yours. You get to keep the profits. And that's what it means to be a small business owner. And they said, no, we're going to take salaries and we're going to grow this company, and we're going to see the Lord grow this company over the years. We're going to see what he's going to do with this. And they did this for Years and tens of thousands turned into hundreds of thousands of profits, which turned into millions of dollars in profit to this year. They've given away over $70 million this year to mission efforts across the world. And it's like all along the way, it took salaries, they took decent salaries for a long time. He had $100,000 salary. You see the video of his house. It's a normal house. His car, it's an old beater car. And they had their most need. They had, you know, kids are going to college. He had a good salary of $150,000. And then when his kids were done with college, he went back down to $100,000. But they are handling tens of millions of dollars a year. And they're saying, I don't want it. I want to put that in the kingdom of God. And to think if this continues that for years to come, that they might invest a billion dollars into mission efforts across the world. Can you imagine the riches that they are storing up in heaven? What a life to live. What a legacy to leave behind. And y', all, the heart that is bound up in those men and their story is the same heart that is bound up. If you remember the story of Jesus and the widow's mite, the widow who comes to the temple and has only a few pennies to give, and she gives all of it. And Jesus points to her and says, look at it, look at her heart. This is what it means to be generous. And she gives all of it away. That's the same heart that was embodied there. It's the same heart that is bound up in the Christian who is looking at their budget and they're saying, you know what? I want to grow in generosity. I want to give to the church, to orphan care, to missions, which means I might drive the same car for the next 10 years and my co workers might have nicer trucks and nicer cars. But I'm going to take it on the chin here. I'm going to drive this thing until the wheels come off because it matters that I have the margins to give to what God wants us. This is the heart, the same heart that is in that. And that man is the same heart that sent a young Christian who's figuring out money for the first time. And they realize that the normative pattern that we've just accepted, that I just upgrade a phone every two years doesn't have to happen. So I'm holding this phone for three, four and five years so that I can have the ability to give and give generously to others. This is the same heart that's in the Christian right now that's looking at their budget and looking at inflation and going, I don't know how we're going to make ends meet, but I'm not cutting my money to this missionary. I'll cut my Starbucks habit before that happens because it matters to invest in the kingdom of God. That is the heart that shapes this commitment. Let me read it one more time. I will practice and grow in generosity by financially supporting Jesus mission and church in our city and the world. Therefore, I will consistently and sacrificially give to Mill City Church of Cayce and to Mill City Church of Cayce family as they may have need. Let's be a people that forsake the love of money and the love of riches in this present world, that look to Christ as our hope to change us and then take steps of faithfulness to be the generous people that God has called us to be.Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that you might help us submit something that is so dear to our flesh, something that we don't like to talk about, something we don't like anyone else talking to us about. But let's take seriously the teachings about money and riches in this life and let's be a people that embody the heart of generosity that flows throughout the scriptures that you perfectly exampled and that you hold out for us all the way to the new heavens and the new earth. In Jesus name, amen. The band's going to come up. We're going to sing one final song together. I hope as we consider these teachings this week, as they may be difficult for us to receive and even more difficult to live out, that we would seriously consider them, that we would not hear them and discard them, but we would actually let the Holy Spirit, as we sing right now, do some work in our heart that as we leave this place, we would sit quietly before the Lord and ask God, how do you want me to grow? What steps do you want me to take? And if you need pastors or financial care or anyone to help you figure that out, we'd love to sit down and help you do that.

Pastor Ray Bentley reacquaint us with our identity as kings and priests and loved by our God Most High. You have not even begun to touch the edge of the surface of how much God loves you. You are the focus and the object of the creator of the universe. Love. He has committed himself in a covenant to bless you no matter what it takes.

In a season of Stillness, but I'm still here. ❤️‍

In Genesis 14, Abraham encountered Melchizedek, the king of righteousness and peace, who blessed him in the name of God Most High. In gratitude, Abraham gave a tithe of all. This moment foreshadows Jesus, our Great High Priest, who blesses us so we can bless others. As we receive and give, God's love and provision flow through us, spreading His goodness to the nations. In this sharing, Pastor Kong Hee presents a “report card” of how God has been using the church to bless nations in South Asia and even the Middle East.

Have a question or comment for Pastor Plek or one of his guests. Send it here.369: A simple question about “priests before the Law” opens a door into one of Scripture's most fascinating arcs. We trace the roles of prophet, priest, and king before Sinai, explore Jethro's surprising faithfulness, and sit with the mystery of Melchizedek—king of Salem, priest of God Most High—who foreshadows Jesus as our eternal priest‑king. Along the way, we show why tithing, sacrifice, prayer, and Sabbath rhythms didn't start with Moses; they were clarified by the Law and fulfilled in Christ.Text your questions to us at 737-231-0605 or visit pastorplek.com. We talk faith, culture, and everything in between.Like, share, and subscribe! We love seeing and responding to your reviews and comments.Support the show: https://wbcc.churchcenter.com/givingSupport the show

Daniel 4:1-37 | Jonathan Ginn

Genesis 14 | Pastor Greg Genesis 14 in a nutshell: invading kings sack Sodom and capture Lot; Abram mobilizes 318 men, defeats them by night, and brings everyone and everything back. On the way home he meets Melchizedek (king of Salem, priest of God Most High), who brings bread and wine and blesses him; Abram gives a tenth and then refuses the king of Sodom's offer. We can learn from this situation: trust God's provision, avoid compromising deals, and see Melchizedek as a pointer to Jesus, our greater High Priest. Packinghouse's Wednesday night worship service from September 24, 2025. - Greg Opean - Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Genesis 14 | Pastor Greg Genesis 14 in a nutshell: invading kings sack Sodom and capture Lot; Abram mobilizes 318 men, defeats them by night, and brings everyone and everything back. On the way home he meets Melchizedek (king of Salem, priest of God Most High), who brings bread and wine and blesses him; Abram gives a tenth and then refuses the king of Sodom's offer. We can learn from this situation: trust God's provision, avoid compromising deals, and see Melchizedek as a pointer to Jesus, our greater High Priest. Packinghouse's Wednesday night worship service from September 24, 2025. - Greg Opean - Wednesday, September 24, 2025

GENESIS - Genesis 14, a look at worshipping Christ, for He is our righteousness and peace.

In this episode, Joel Settecase — apologist, pastor, and President of The Think Institute — takes us deep into one of Scripture's most awe-inspiring truths: God's name El Elyon — God Most High.Through Genesis 14 and Colossians 1, Joel unpacks four powerful truths about God's supremacy and connects them directly to Jesus Christ:Why God is called El Elyon and what that means for your life today.How Jesus is revealed as the Most High in Colossians 1.The four ways Jesus displays His supremacy:Creator & Sustainer: He holds the universe together.Ruler & Blesser: He governs His people and gives life.Conqueror: He defeated our greatest enemy — death itself.Worthy of Worship: Jesus reconciles us to God and deserves our all.Why science and faith aren't enemies — but why science depends on Jesus.How understanding El Elyon will transform your worship, your confidence, and your leadership as a Christian man.This episode isn't just theological — it's deeply practical. You'll walk away with a renewed vision of who Jesus is and what it means to place Him on the throne of your life.If you believe in equipping Christian men to lead their families in the biblical worldview, partner with us:

It is easy to believe God reigns in heaven, but it is more difficult to believe God reigns on earth. In this episode, Rabbi Schneider elaborates on why God does not fully exert His sovereignty over the earth. **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner   **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate  **** TEACHING NOTES -  https://djj.show/g61   Visit our website at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com

Welcome to Day 2687 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDay 2687 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:56-72 – Daily WisdomWisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2687Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2687 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: The Heart's Persistent Wanderings – From Abandonment to the Shepherd-King - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 78:56-72Guthrie 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 poignant and pivotal conclusion of our extensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 56 through 72.In our journey through this monumental didactic psalm, Asaph, the psalmist, has meticulously recounted Israel's history. We've seen their early failures, their ungrateful rebellion in the wilderness despite God's astounding miracles—from the splitting of the Red Sea to the daily manna and water from rocks. We also explored God's righteous judgment for their persistent unbelief, even as His enduring compassion spared them from complete annihilation. We watched as God faithfully led them into the Promised Land, driving out nations and settling them securely in their inheritance.Now, as we delve into this final segment, the story unfolds into a new phase of Israel's unfaithfulness, occurring after they had entered and settled the Promised Land. This leads to profound divine judgment: God's abandonment of His dwelling place at Shiloh and His subsequent, sovereign choice of Mount Zion and the Davidic dynasty. This narrative culminates in the powerful affirmation of David as the shepherd-king, foreshadowing the ultimate Shepherd-King, Jesus Christ.This section explains a critical shift in God's dealings with Israel, shedding light on the reasons behind the establishment of Jerusalem as the spiritual center and the unique covenant with David. It's a sobering reminder of the consequences of persistent unfaithfulness, but also a beautiful testament to God's ultimate plan and His ability to choose and raise up faithful leaders.So, let's lean in and absorb the final, crucial lessons from Israel's history of wandering hearts and God's sovereign direction.(Reads Psalm 78:56-64 NLT)But they continued to test and rebel against God Most High,refusing to obey his decrees.They turned away and were disloyal like their ancestors;they were as unreliable as a crooked bow.They angered him by building pagan shrines;they made him furious with their idols.When God heard them, he was furiousand completely rejected Israel.He abandoned his Tabernacle at Shiloh,the tent where he had lived among them.He allowed their Ark of the Covenant—his glory—to be captured;he surrendered his people to their enemies.He sent fire to consume their young menand caused their young women to die in battle.Their priests were slaughtered by the sword,and their widows could not mourn.Guthrie Chamberlain: Asaph brings the historical lesson into the period after the conquest of Canaan, demonstrating that entering the Promised Land did not end Israel's cycle of rebellion: "But they continued to test and rebel against God Most High, refusing to obey his decrees." The persistent nature of their sin, already...

Why is God described as God Most High? What are the Hebrew words that are translated God Most High or Lord Most High?

In a season of Stillness, but I'm still here. ❤️‍

Welcome to Day 2605 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2605 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 57:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2605 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2605 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. In today's Wisdom Nugget, I'll guide you through the Scriptures, exploring ancient wisdom for our daily lives. I'm so glad you're joining me today on our journey as we continue our trek through the Psalms—poetic expressions that reveal deep truths, powerful emotions, and a profound trust in God's faithful care. Today, we begin an exploration of Psalm 57, focusing specifically on verses 1 through 6. Psalm 57 is a remarkable Psalm, written by David during one of the most perilous and uncertain times of his life. Hiding from King Saul in a cave, David felt surrounded, vulnerable, and in imminent danger. Yet even amid fear and uncertainty, David turns to God, expressing unwavering confidence in His protection, mercy, and faithfulness. Let's begin by reading Psalm 57:1-6 from the New Living Translation: 1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. 2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. 3 He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness. 4 I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey— whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens! May your glory shine over all the earth. 6 My enemies have set a trap for me. I am weary from distress. They have dug a deep pit in my path, but they themselves have fallen into it. Seeking Shelter Under God's Wings (Verse 1) David begins this Psalm with an urgent, heartfelt plea: “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.” Notice the repetition, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!” This reveals David's desperation and urgency. He isn't casually praying—he's pleading deeply for God's mercy, help, and protection. David's imagery of hiding “beneath the shadow of your wings” is powerful and deeply comforting. This image would have resonated strongly with the ancient Israelites, who often used the metaphor of God's protective wings. It pictures God as a compassionate parent—like a mother bird sheltering vulnerable chicks under her wings from danger, predators, or harsh weather. David doesn't deny the reality of his danger; he fully acknowledges it. Yet even as he hides physically in a cave from Saul, spiritually and emotionally, he hides himself within God's presence—knowing true protection comes not from stone walls but from the Almighty God. Illustration: Imagine a mother eagle perched high on a mountain ledge, wings spread wide to shelter her young from storm and danger. Those baby...

"In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." -John 14:1-3 What you thought was dead, look again.What you thought was impossible, He disagreed with you--feel the Promise of It. All you have to do is keep facing the Son, and letting these words water you, letting your practice work the soil, while you face the Son. While you feel the blooming, the flowering, the fruiting, the Law of Love. It must be. Whatever it is... it must be. I Love you,niknikki@curlynikki.comPlease support the show: ▶▶https://www.patreon.com/goodmornings▶▶ Cash App $NikWalton __________________________________________LINKSSurrender Novena Day 7-Father Ruotolo Dolindo I perform miracles in proportion to your full surrender to me and to your not thinking of yourselves. I sow treasure troves of graces when you are in the deepest poverty. No person of reason, no thinker, has ever perform miracles, not even among the saints. He does divine works whosoever surrenders to God. So don't think about it anymore, because your mind is acute and for you it is very hard to see evil and to trust in me and to not think of yourself. Do this for all your needs, do this all of you and you will see great continual silent miracles. I will take care of things, I promise this to you. O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything! (10 times)Mother, I am yours now and forever. Through you and with you I always want to belong completely to Jesus.Amen""I Come to Him Running The Prophet said, God Most High has said: When my worshipper's thoughts turn to Me, there am I with him. And when he makes mention of Me within himself, I make mention of him within Myself. and when he makes mention of Me in company, I make mention of him in a better company. Ifhe draw near to Me a hand's breadth, I draw near to him an arm's length; and if he draw near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him the length of both arms wide outstretched; and if he come to Me walking, I come to him running. And if he meet Me with sins equivalent to the whole world, I will greet him with forgiveness equal to it." - The Mishkat Al- Masabih

In this Bible Story, Balaam is unable to curse Israel but instead blesses them three times. He prophesied from God and spoke blessings and truth over them. Finally, telling of an All-Powerful One that would come from Israel. This story is inspired by Numbers 22:36-25:18 & 31:7-16. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Numbers 23:19 from the King James Version.Episode 49: Balaam finally arrives on the cliff where Balak is, and as he looks over at the mass of people below, he begins to understand Balak's fear. Nevertheless, he has Balak and his men build seven altars and offer sacrifices to the God Most High. Balaam does this three times, but each time God causes Balaam to bless the people of Israel instead of curse them. Balak's anger and consternation became great, but he could do nothing to thwart the plans of God.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.