Podcasts about god now

Title: God's Call To Glory Text: 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 FCF: We often struggle comprehending the scope and sequence of God's Redemption of His people. Prop: Because God calls and oversees our redemption to glory, we must be counted and walk worthy of the call of God. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. In a moment we'll read from the English Standard Version starting in verse 5 and going through verse 12. Last week, Paul began addressing some of the concerns of the Thessalonians regarding the Day of the Lord and the persecution they were enduring. Paul assured them that God's justice is perfect. That He is reordering their lives and will reward all men according to what they have earned, either punishment for wickedness or reward for Christ's righteousness. As terrible as His punishment is for those who disobey the gospel, for those who obey, His reward is even more wonderful. We finished last week with the reward of meeting Christ in the air and His people glorifying Him and marveling at His splendor. But Paul wants to close out this section of his letter both by elaborating on the nature of the redemptive path God has put them on and also praying that God would see them to the end reward that he has just described. Stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Gracious God who gives abundantly to us so that we may be Your people, we humbly ask that You would send Your Spirit among us today to teach us from Your Word. Help us to see the depth and richness of Your grace today. Help us to understand just how miserable of a state we were in prior to Your grace interrupting our travels to hell. And perhaps, You would call others this morning with the interrupting power of Your grace to cease their pursuit of their own destruction and obey the gospel by believing on Your Son, Jesus. Meet with us, for we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “Perfection demands perfection; that is why salvation must be by grace and why works are not sufficient.” Donald Grey Barnhouse. “We can never be blessed until we learn that we can bring nothing to Christ but our need.” Vance Havner [Slide 3] “Whatever contribution men make to their salvation they make by the grace of God. And that makes salvation the work of grace a hundred percent.” R.B. Kuiper “A man is not a Christian unless he can say with Paul, “I am what I am by the grace of God.” D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones [Slide 4] “The grace of God does not find men fit for salvation but makes them so.” Augustine of Hippo “The sinner, apart from grace, is unable to be willing and unwilling to be able.” W.E. Best “Grace is not a reward for faith; faith is the result of grace.” John Blanchard [Slide 5] “Grace is omnipotence acting redemptively.” Geoff Thomas “Grace is power. It does not instruct, it energizes, and what dead men need is energizing, such energizing as raises the dead.” B.B. Warfield “Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected.” Jonathan Edwards And on and on they go. I could have included many more. But that is enough for now. Let these words about God's grace prepare you to see it in the text today. I.) All who meet the Lord in the air are counted and walk worthy of the call of God, so we must be counted and walk worthy of the call of God. (11) a. [Slide 6] 11 - To this end we always pray for you, i. Paul begins these closing thoughts on God's righteous judgment pointing back to the rest and reward given to those who obeyed the gospel by believing what the apostles spoke to them concerning Jesus. ii. What is that rest and what is that reward? It is the glorifying of Christ and marveling at His splendor. iii. Paul reveals that it is “to this end” or more literally, “in this” that they continue to pray for them. iv. This gives this entire passage a distinct eschatological perspective of all that it has to say. Now that may be obvious now, but if we forget this it may make our interpretation of the text more difficult as we go forward. v. Paul and his companions are always praying for them that they would make it to that day when Christ returns and they can glorify Him in His presence. vi. Paul is not suggesting, necessarily, that this is uncertain. vii. Some Christians wrongly conclude that if God has promised something to us that to pray for it is either a waste of time or even showing distrust in His promises. viii. However, we are commanded to pray in the will of God. Paul shows us what that looks like. ix. Paul is confident, based on their growth in faith and love and endurance amid affliction and persecution, that God will count the Thessalonians worthy of His Kingdom. x. But just because Paul is certain of that, and just because God has promised to do that for those who believe, doesn't mean there is no need to pray for it to come about. xi. Quite the opposite actually. xii. To suggest that praying for something somehow implies that it is uncertain is simply unfounded. xiii. Imagine if we applied this to the Lord's prayer. xiv. Is it uncertain as to whether God's kingdom will come? Yet we are told to pray for it to come by Jesus Himself. xv. Paul praying for the Thessalonians to reach that glorious gathering in the air with Christ, is not suggesting, at all, that they might not make it. It is praying that God's promises come true. xvi. But what is necessary if they are to make it to that glorious day when we meet Christ in the air? xvii. What is the content of their continued prayers for the Thessalonians? b. [Slide 7] that our God may make you worthy of his calling, i. There are two translational concepts here that we should briefly address. ii. Many scholars debate the Greek word the ESV translates here “make worthy.” This is a very old debate. It is at the heart of the divide between Protestant and Roman Catholic doctrine. 1. As a reminder Official Roman Catholic Dogma believes that God actually makes you righteous at baptism. That original sin is washed away in those waters of baptism and the remainder of your life is the process of trying to keep yourself in that state of grace. Something you can only do in the confines of the Roman Catholic Church. 2. Through rigorous study, the Reformers demonstrated that the most common way to translate this word is “counted worthy.” 3. This word in the New Testament is consistently used to express someone or something being counted as worthy which is not actually worthy of the honor being given to them. It is in fact a legal declaration rather than something you are made into or have earned. 4. In fact, this is the same root word that Paul used in verse 5 where the Thessalonians are counted worthy of God's Kingdom. Since the context was speaking of God's righteous Justice, a legal verdict makes much more sense than some kind of God-infused act. 5. But since this context has an eschatological emphasis, the meaning could, conceivably be “make worthy.” 6. We know that Jesus will present us faultless before the throne of God. He will make us worthy and righteous. 7. But even if that is true, two things are absolutely certain. 8. The idea of God making us worthy prior to Christ's return, whether that be that we reach a state of perfection and never sin again, or that we reach a state of perfection and have to strive to keep ourselves there – both of these are not only not supported in this text, but they are repudiated. 9. Being truly worthy of God's Kingdom is definitely something God must do, but per Paul, that occurs at the coming of Christ. 10. However, in my opinion, counted worthy is the better translation here. And I will explain that in a moment. iii. The second translational concept here is concerning the same word but from a different angle. 1. The mood of the verb “count worthy” is in the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is used to express a wish or hope, and sometimes has conditions. 2. As understanding grows on the Greek language, particularly the Greek trade-language that was used in the writing of the New Testament, more has been understood about the subjunctive mood to understand that it is actually very RARELY used in the New Testament to express something that is possible if the right conditions are met. 3. Instead, the subjunctive mood is almost exclusively used to express something that is either probable or intended. 4. Why does this matter? 5. Well, if we read this and Paul prays that our God “might” count them worthy of their calling… our mind automatically imports the possibility that God might not do that. We start wondering what the conditions are that God might have to not count someone worthy of the calling HE CALLED THEM WITH. 6. But here, Paul uses the subjunctive mood because He is praying that God's calling producing the verdict of worthy for these Thessalonian believers. Prayers are hopes or wishes. 7. But as we've already said, prayers are not necessarily a hope that implies it may not happen. 8. In fact, there is a HUGE correlation here between God calling someone and counting them worthy of that calling. And the key to unlock that is another letter that Paul will write from Corinth, possibly at the same time that he is writing to the Thessalonians. 9. In Romans 8:29-30, Paul says that whom the Lord calls He also justifies. Justify is to be “counted righteous” or “declared righteous” in a legal sense and would be synonymous with being counted worthy of God's Kingdom. Paul puts a necessary and unbreakable connection between the ones whom God calls and those whom He declares righteous. 10. There is no uncertainty here. If God called them, He will count them worthy of that call. And Paul is praying for that end. iv. With both those translational issues out of the way we better understand what Paul is praying. v. Paul wants them to make it to that day when we glorify Christ in the air. vi. So, he is praying that what is necessary for that to be the case is found in the Thessalonians. vii. First, that they be counted worthy of the saving call of God. viii. But our justification is not the end. Just because we are justified does not mean we are ready for the day we stand before Christ face to face to give Him glory. c. [Slide 8] and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, i. Paul also prays that God would fulfill or complete or provide every resolve. ii. The ESV translates this word well. It means something hoped for or desired or something resolved to do or have. iii. Paul's prayer is that God completes in them every resolve. What resolve? iv. The resolve has two sides. 1. First, for good. a. Good here is of the moral quality. b. It is to be good. To be righteous. To be holy. c. It is to please God. d. It is to care for one another. e. It is to love God and others. f. Paul's prayer is that God completes the resolve for them to be morally upright. 2. Second, a working out of their faith. a. So beyond moral uprightness, that they would do what pleases God out of a belief in Him and the gospel. b. The resolve to work out their faith in acts of obedience to God. v. And notice that all of this is done by or with God's power. God is doing the completing of these resolves by supplying everything necessary. vi. In this we see another close correlation between another letter that Paul will write several years later. vii. In Philippians 2, Paul commands the Philippians to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” viii. The word in Philippians 2 for “good pleasure” is… resolve. ix. Here Paul prays that God completes the resolve for them to be morally upright and work out their salvation, and in Phillippians he assures them that God provides the desire and the power to accomplish His resolve. x. Paul's prayer is for them to make it to that meeting in the air to glorify Christ. xi. Therefore, he prays for the necessary process for them to get there. xii. They must not only have been counted worthy of the calling of God, but they must also walk worthy of that calling. xiii. A divinely given faith that is effective to save, is a faith that must also be worked out with divine assistance. d. [Slide 9] Summary of the Point: Paul is praying, as any loving pastor should, that the church in Thessalonica makes it to that day when all believers will be gathered together to glorify Jesus in the air. And if they will make it to that day, they must follow the necessary process to get there. All who will meet the Lord in the air on that day will be counted worthy of God's effectual call. They will also walk worthy of that call by living morally upright lives, working out their faith as God completes this in them by His power. So, what is the application for us? Well, we must be counted and walk worthy of the effectual call of God. That application requires a good deal more explanation, but let's save that for later. Transition: [Slide 10 (blank)] So, after this necessary process is complete in them, what will be the result? II.) All who are counted and walk worthy of the call of God will glorify Christ and be glorified, so we must be counted and walk worthy of the call of God. (12) a. [Slide 11] 12 - so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, i. Paul, probably alludes to Isaiah 66 as he mentions the name of the Lord being glorified. ii. In our time and in this time to a much greater degree, a person's name meant much. In paganism and witchcraft, there is power in knowing and using names of demons. In the Old Testament, oftentimes it is considered a great shame on a person who is never named. In the New Testament we are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. iii. A name represents the fame and reputation and the authority of the person who bears it. iv. It would also be good for us to understand what being glorified means as we move through this verse. v. To glorify is to be positively acknowledged, recognized, or esteemed for one's own character, nature, or attributes. vi. To be glorified is to be honored and appreciated for who you are. vii. Therefore, the purpose of the Thessalonians being counted and walking worthy of God's call is so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be given the proper honor, praise, recognition, and esteem it deserves… how? viii. Paul says - in you. In the Thessalonians. When? ix. When they are all delivered safely to Christ's glorious presence having been counted worthy of God's call and having walked worthy of God's call, by their existence as a people conformed to Christ, and by their actions, as a people who marvel at His splendor, they will give glory to Jesus. x. The question arises, of course. Don't we bring glory to God NOW by the way we live? xi. Certainly! Paul isn't debating that point, nor is what he says here somehow in conflict with that. xii. Remember this passage is eschatological. Paul has his eyes fixed on that meeting with Christ in the air when He is revealed from heaven. xiii. Why? xiv. Because that is where the Thessalonians' concerns are. xv. They are concerned that the Day of the Lord has come and they are actually living their best life now… under great persecution. xvi. But that isn't the end of this redemption plan of God… b. [Slide 12] and you in him, i. One aspect that we must understand is that salvation is NOT just about getting out of hell. ii. It is NOT just about avoiding eternal death. iii. Being counted worthy and walking worthy of this name means not only that we bring glory to His name… but that the one who bears His name is also… glorified. iv. We are called children of God. A kingdom of priests. We are called the bride of Christ. v. This is all imagery and language to suggest that we become, in a very real way, part of God's family. We become sons of God. vi. We, in this entire redemptive story arch, go from created Image bearers to part of His royal court. vii. We inherit glory from one who has stamped His name on us. A name above every other name. viii. That same name… has been given to us in a similar way to a surname being given to an adopted child or a bride. ix. We inherit all the rights, privileges and responsibilities that comes with the name we were given. x. How can this be? How did this happen? How did we go from wretches to sharing in His glory? c. [Slide 13] 12 - according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. i. It is all grace my friends. ii. Once again, I implore you to step away from the correct but often misunderstood definition of grace as God's unmerited favor. iii. A better definition might be the acronym grace… God's Riches At Christ's Expense. iv. But even that is a bit narrow. v. So here is the best definition of grace that I can give you. vi. It is God's power which he grants to people according to His free will, to enable them to be, receive, or do something which they are unable to be, get, or do on their own. vii. And indeed, we could not be worthy of God's call on our own. We could walk worthy of that call on our own. viii. And we certainly were not able to take His name or be in His family by the strength of our own efforts or will. ix. Who among us chose their name? You may have had an opportunity to change your name. But none here chose their name. x. Our salvation, from beginning to end, is all a work of God's grace. d. [Slide 14] Summary of the Point: And so, Paul reveals that after the necessary process of being counted worthy and walking worthy of God's effectual call, not only will the Thessalonians glorify the name of Jesus but they will also be glorified by bearing His name. Paul summarizes that all of this saving work from beginning to end is the work of God and His grace. Therefore, we must be counted worthy and walk worthy of the effectual call of God. Conclusion: So, what have we learned today that refines our beliefs and guides our lifestyles? Basic Concepts of Faith and Practice: [Slide 15] Paul's prayer starts at the end, where those rewarded for obeying the gospel are glorifying Christ. So, his prayer is that they would walk the only path that leads to them glorifying Christ in the air at His return. He prays that God counts them worthy and that they walk worthy of God's effectual call on their lives. So that they can glorify Christ and in His name be glorified themselves. Of course, all of this is according to the grace of God and Jesus Christ. Since this is the only path that delivers believers to His side, and since all true believers will meet Him in the air, this is the path all true believers must walk. So, we too must be counted worthy and walk worthy of the effectual call of God. But what does all this mean, and how do we do it? 1.) [Slide 16] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that all of salvation is by the grace of God. a. Understanding God's grace is perhaps one of the greatest personal lessons the Lord has taught me since being your pastor. b. Ten years ago, I understood God's grace to be, mostly, kindness. c. But I now realize how cheap my understanding of grace really was. d. I heartily affirmed the definition, unmerited favor… but truthfully didn't comprehend exactly what that meant. e. And even understanding the words can lead us right back to… kindness. God is kind to us and we don't deserve it. f. But as I studied, I realized that this is really a drop in the bucket of what God's grace really is. g. Others have said, God's Riches At Christ's Expense. A fine definition. But, alas, it could simply mean… kindness. God gives His riches through Christ's sacrifice to us because He is kind to us. h. But all these definitions fall short of a biblically consistent view of the word… grace. i. Let me define it with a word picture. j. Imagine you are sailing in an motorless sailboat on the Mediterranean Sea. While heading for your destination, the wind suddenly stops. No matter how many sails you unfurl and in which direction, there is no wind to catch. You are stranded. In this position, you are completely subject to the wind. Nothing you do can actually affect your progress toward your destination. Suddenly, a strong wind kicks up and pushes you, not to the destination you wanted to go, but to another. When you land you find out that the destination you desired was overrun by bandits and everyone there was killed. k. This is a great illustration of God's grace. e. God's grace is His power which He grants to people according to His free will, to enable them to be, receive, or do something which they are unable and unwilling to be, get, or do on their own. l. Since we are sinners from birth, children of wrath, and sons of our father the devil, we are not righteous and we do not even seek God. The destination we wish to go is toward a city destined for destruction. m. God's grace fills our sails and propels us toward a destination of His own choosing. We don't seek Him, He seeks us. n. Now, there are certainly aspects of human agency. We are commanded to repent. We are commanded to believe on Christ and what He has accomplished. We are commanded to walk worthy of the calling we've been given. o. But we must recognize that no matter what we are commanded to do, without God's power which He gives when and to whom He chooses, we can never obey any of those commands. We cannot even obey the command of the gospel to believe on Christ, without God's grace first enabling us to do so. p. That is what Paul means when he says that salvation is by grace, through faith, not of ourselves, but a gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. q. Grace comes first, like a wind, unseen and not in our control. Then once we are moved by grace, we can believe in Christ, and we are saved. r. In this way, as Paul makes clear in this passage, all glory goes to God for our salvation. For even our belief would not be possible if He did not enable us to believe. s. And since salvation is by grace, it produces a predictable trajectory of every single believer's salvation, which leaves no room for interruption or uncertainty. 2.) [Slide 17] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the events of salvation are an identical unbroken chain beginning with God's foreknowledge and ending with our glorification. a. This passage, as I have already said, has a lot of similarities to both Romans 8:29-30 and Philippians 2:12-13. Since Paul wrote all three of these texts and one around the same time as he wrote 2 Thessalonians, I took the liberty of cobbling together the sequence of salvation according to Paul. b. [Slide 18] On the screen behind me, Romans 8 is in blue, 2 Thessalonians 1 is in red, and Philippians 2 is in purple. The italicized words in black are merely words I have filled in to help connect the contexts together. c. This is the redemptive story of every single person who God has elected for salvation. And not only does every single believer follow this sequence, there is no interruption or break. Meaning if the sequence is truly started by God, it will not end until it is completed. d. Let's look… e. Those whom He foreknew, He also predestined... and those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (counted worthy of His call and His Kingdom) and those whom He justified, He also… conformed to the image of His Son by completing in power their resolve for good and every work of faith to work out their own salvation in fear and trembling for it is God who is at work in [them} both to will and to work for His good pleasure and those whom He conformed to the image of His Son, The name of the Lord Jesus will be glorified in [them] and He also (will glorify) glorified [them] in Him so that all His salvation from beginning to end is according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. f. From God's foreknowledge or His foreordination, to His glorifying us in Christ, and everything in between, it is one unbroken chain. g. Those whom God foreordained will be glorified. h. Since this is true… what must we do? 3.) [Slide 19] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must pray that God completes our salvation. a. Just because He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it, does not mean we don't need to pray for our own and one another's salvation. b. Oftentimes when we talk about praying for others to be saved, we mean for them to be justified. c. Certainly, from what we just saw, this is not a bad thing. For if they are justified, they will be glorified. d. But Paul provides a pattern for us. He is reasonably sure that the Thessalonian church is elect of God because He saw the gospel come upon them in the power of the Holy Spirit. He has seen them grow. He has seen them mature. e. And yet, both his letters to them are FILLED with prayers for them to be saved… ultimately. f. We are often tempted to stop praying for someone when they profess Christ. Because, try as we might, we still think of salvation as a one-time, check box experience. g. My friends… Our salvation is ongoing. We are still being saved. We are still being reordered. We are still being redeemed. h. God has more for us in this great salvation. i. So let us continue to pray for one another. That we would continue to be saved, and that God would save us fully and completely one day. j. Pray through the member directory. Pray through the prayer list. Pray that God would keep saving everyone on that list who has made a profession. k. Just because we believe that God will preserve all those whom He has elected to salvation… doesn't mean we stop praying when we see one event of that salvation occur. l. Indeed, our salvation isn't done… In many ways – especially for us – it has only just begun. 4.) [Slide 20] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must walk worthy of God's effectual call. a. Since God has us on this new path, a path we are guaranteed to walk if we are truly called by Him… b. Then we must walk the path! c. The certainty of our salvation does not produce passivity… it produces action! d. And the greatest part is… God supplies our desire and our ability to be what He wants us to be! e. He doesn't leave the tending of or progression in our salvation to our passions or power. He supplies that to us! f. So with an assured outcome of success – RISE UP CHRISTIAN and walk worthy of the name of Jesus Christ. g. It is a name above every name… and He has given it … TO YOU! h. He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings… and He has given YOU His name. i. So get off the bench! It is time to live uprightly. It is time to obey His commands. It is time to make disciples. It is time to serve each other. It is time to share the gospel. It is time to grow in the knowledge of Christ. j. GET IN THE GAME! There is no fear of failure. k. In fact… 5.) [Slide 21] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” When God calls us, He is faithful to complete us, and glorify us. a. Is there a greater comfort available? b. We often talk about salvation in reference to sin. And we should. That is a message that often gets neglected in many churches today. c. We are saved from sin's power, penalty, and eventually its very presence. d. And I still believe that one of the greatest parts of heaven is never dealing with temptation again. e. But listen… f. God's plan for your salvation is not so narrow. g. He will honor you. Not because you deserve it. Not because you've earned it. But because CHRIST has earned it and given you HIS NAME! h. We will reign with Christ. i. We will be part of a council where we contribute to the rule of His eternal kingdom. j. We will judge angels. k. We will be in the royal court. Dukes, duchesses, princes and princesses. l. My friends. We went from children of wrath… to royalty. How? The King left heaven and sought for Himself a bride. He purchased Her with His precious blood. And He will come back for Her and take Her to His Kingdom. m. Is there a greater comfort available my friends? n. If there is… I don't think my heart could take it. For this comfort… leaves me… speechless. 6.) [Slide 22] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” You can't do anything to save yourself or force God to save you. You must be called. a. This is a difficult message for you to hear. b. Why? c. Because even though it is something you should do… ultimately, you can't do it. d. God must do it. e. The application… is humility. f. In order to be called of God, you must be counted worthy of the call… by God. g. Again, counted worthy is not something you earn or something you inherently have. Counted worthy is a legal verdict implying that you are not actually what you have been counted to be. h. And indeed, the first step of obeying the gospel… the first step in any person who is being called of God, is to recognize your wickedness and unworthiness. i. As a negative example, the rich young ruler came to Jesus wanting to know how to enter the Kingdom of heaven. He called Jesus a good teacher, to which Jusus asked, why do you call me good, there is none good but God. An interesting statement designed to get the young man thinking about whether or not he understood what goodness really was. Of course this goes right over his head, so Jesus answers his original question. Jesus told him that he must keep the law. Jesus even gives examples of some of the laws that it is impossible to break secretly, like not murdering, committing adultery, lying, or loving others as he loves himself. Really this is the last 6 commands of the 10 emphasizing human relationships to one another. It is true, in the sense that a person must perfectly keep the whole law to be worthy of God's Kingdom. But, again, this was a gambit, a riddle designed to get the young man to consider how sinful he really was; to humble him. But again, it goes right over his head, because he assures Jesus that he had kept all of these laws from his youth. So, Jesus applies the first half of the 10 commandments and tells the young man to sell all that he has and follow Him. Thus, showing that he loves God with all of himself. Of course, the young man goes away sorrowful because he realizes that he does not love God more than he loves his money. ii. Interestingly, some scholars think that this rich young man was actually Saul of Tarsus. The author of this book we are studying now. i. What the rich young man needed, and what Paul received on the road to Damascus, was the sudden and abrupt understanding of how far from God they actually were. j. And that is the real application here. k. My friend… there is NOTHING you can do to force God to save you from His own wrath. He is just to send you to eternal death away from His mercy and His saving power. l. There isn't a prayer you can pray, a list of facts you can believe, or a lifestyle you can live that will force God to call you to be His child. m. You must be counted worthy of His call. That is the position you are in. Utterly… and completely… helpless. n. And the interesting thing about that… is that those who arrive at this conclusion. When you are truly convinced that there is nothing you can do… that is usually the first evidence… that God is calling you. o. Why? p. Because natural man never concludes that he is helpless. Natural man always assumes he is able to do something. How do I know that? q. Out of every single movie where mankind faces an insurmountable enemy that cannot be beaten, how many movies do you know where mankind goes extinct and that is the end of the story? r. Every single religion in the world and even some strands of Christianity teach that you can earn by works what God is offering. If you just do X,Y, and Z then you will get what God offers. s. Christianity teaches that the thing you must do… is be perfect. And since you can't do that… there is nothing you can do to get salvation from God. t. No… He has to do it all. u. Perhaps, today, you are realizing this for the first time. You, unlike the rich young ruler, have recognized how helpless you are to get salvation from God. v. This friends, is evidence that God may be calling you. How does He link you to the verdict of “worthy”? When He enables you to obey the gospel, abandon your sin, and believe on Jesus Christ as your Savior and your King. w. Won't you step out and obey the gospel today? Won't you fall on His mercy and hope in His grace? Won't you believe on Christ? x. If that is you today – don't leave without talking to an Elder or someone you know to be a Christian. [Slide 23 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the Puritan Phillip Doddridge. Ever-blessed fountain of natural and spiritual life! I thank you that I live, and that I may live a faith-filled life. I bless you that you breathe into me your own living breath. Though I was once dead in my sins, now I have become a living soul, in a sense that is unique to your own children. But I do not just want to live. I want to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). So I beg you to form my mind in the image of faith. Do not let me misunderstand grace, measuring my growth in grace by a natural yardstick. Let me experience your love even more, with unreserved resignation to your wise and holy will, and a greater care for others. Strengthen my soul as you help me grow in patience, in humility and zeal, and in a heavenly attitude. Give me a concern to be accepted by you (2 Corinthians 5:9). Whether I live or die, let everything I do be for your glory. You know I hunger and thirst after righteousness. Make me whatever you want me to be. Draw your image on my soul. By the gentle influences of your Spirit, trace every feature which your eye, o Heavenly Father, may enjoy, and which you may see as your own image. I know I am not yet where I should be. I am far from being already perfect. But after the great example of the apostle, I forget what lies behind, and strain forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13). Feed my soul by your word and by your Spirit. …As a newborn babe, I desire the sincere milk of the word, that by it I may grow 1 Peter 2:2). And may my progress be obvious to all (1 Timothy 4:15) until I finally reach maturity, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). And after having enjoyed the pleasure of those that flourish in your courts below, I will come to live in the paradise above! I ask and hope this through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ-to whom be glory, both now and forever. Amen. Benediction: And now hear from the God Who dwells in the heavenly Zion: Blessed is the one Who He chooses to dwell in His courts, For He will satisfy your house with goodness and by awesome deeds, Answer all who trust in Him with a hearty Amen! Until we meet again, Grace and Peace to you.

Send us Fan MailMorning Prayer Praise, Honor, Glory to God Now & ForeverThank you for listening, our heart's prayer is for you and I to walk daily with Jesus, our joy and peaceaimingforjesus.comYouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@aimingforjesus5346Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aiming_for_jesus/Threads https://www.threads.com/@aiming_for_jesusX https://x.com/AimingForJesusTik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@aiming.for.jesus

Welcome to the Trinity Forum Conversations podcast. As we move through the season of Lent, we're offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. It's a good time to take stock of our spiritual practices, and our guide today is the author and professor Alan Noble. In his book, On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, Alan contends that simply deciding to engage with the world each day constitutes a declaration of the goodness of God:“Now, there may come times when you are required by your suffering to radically depend upon others to carry you out of bed. My advice is to embrace those moments, knowing that you'll carry your neighbor in return when the time comes.”This episode is drawn from an Online Conversation recorded in 2023. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Topics:  Prayer, Coyote Roadrunner, Anxiety/Kind Word, Shock Jock, Truth In A Crowd, Can't Miss Restaurant BONUS CONTACT: What You Say About God   Quotes: "You don't have to pray long. Short, emphatic, specific, urgent prayers are really important and effective. The Lord's prayer is only about 24 seconds." "Giving a kind word is good for you AND the other person." "We don't want to feel old." "You HAVE to invest in your relationship with God NOW." . . . Holy Ghost Mama Pre-Order! Want more of the Oddcast? Check out our website! Watch our YouTube videos here. Connect with us on Facebook!

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 5th of February, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Book of Daniel 6:20:” …the living God…” Now, who said that? That was the king when he came to the dungeon, where Daniel was put with all those ravenous lions, and they hadn't touched him all night.I've got a beautiful reading I just want to read you from that wonderful man of God, George Müller, the German who got saved in Bristol, England, in a little Bible study and then proceeded to build one of the biggest orphanages in the world. Something like over ten thousand children went through that orphanage, but you know the amazing thing was, he never asked for a penny. He went into his closet and he prayed and Jesus sent the money. I've been to that orphanage, I've seen it with my own eyes. It's not an orphanage anymore, it's a technical college but those beautiful buildings are still standing as a legacy that was left by this man of God.Now this is what he says: "How many times we find this expression in the Scriptures, 'the living God,' and yet it is just this very thing that we are so prone to lose sight of. We know that it is written 'the living God,' but in our daily life there is scarcely anything we practically so much lose sight of as the fact that God is the living God; that He is now whatever He was three or four thousand years ago; that He has the same sovereign power, the same saving love towards those who love and serve Him as ever He had, and that He will do for them now what He did for others two, three, or four thousand years ago, simply because He is the living God, the Unchanging One. Oh, how therefore we should confide in Him and in our darkest moments never lose sight of the fact that He is still and ever will be a living God.”Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day.Goodbye.

Your Adoption Day Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church Scripture: 1 John 3:1-3 Episode Summary In part 7 of our 1 John series, Pastor Michael shares the moving story of Roxie's adult adoption to illustrate what God does for us through Jesus. We're not just forgiven criminals - we're adopted heirs with a new identity, a new family, and a secure place in God's household forever. Through Roman adoption practices, we discover the full meaning of becoming children of God. Key Points - Roman adoption was permanent and gave full rights as heirs - adopted children could never be disinherited - When we trust in Jesus, God rewrites our birth certificate and makes us permanent family members - Joining God's family means leaving the world's toxic family system that rejects Him - If we trust Jesus, we are children of God NOW, though what we will become hasn't yet been fully revealed - Sanctification is the lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit Main Takeaway You're not just rescued from sin - you're adopted as a son. God doesn't merely forgive; He creates family. We don't seek purity to get into the family, but because we ARE in the family. Memorable Quotes - "You're not just rescued from sin — you're adopted as a son." - "When Jesus saved you, He didn't just spring you out of slavery or bail you out of death row; He rewrote your birth certificate." - "Better to be black sheep in The Family of God than the golden calf in a family that rejects God." - "A Gospel that does not require surrender of self is not The Gospel." - "God's Love does not merely forgive; it creates family." - "You're not just pardoned — you're adopted. You're not just forgiven — you're family." Reflection Question Do you see yourself as merely a forgiven sinner, or as a fully adopted child of God with permanent status in His family? Tune in to hear the touching story of Roxie's adult adoption and discover how Roman adoption practices reveal the permanent, transformative nature of becoming God's child. Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

🗓️ Emitido el 8 de octubre de 2025 Esta semana en Made in Metal levantamos el volumen al máximo con un recorrido brutal por el pasado y presente del rock y el metal. Desde la elegancia sinfónica de Nightwish y la genialidad progresiva de Arjen Anthony Lucassen, hasta la crudeza de Kittie, Mass Deception y el golpe demoledor de Biolence y The Mist. 💥 Y no todo es underground: también repasamos himnos inmortales de Bon Jovi y la voz inconfundible de Glenn Hughes, junto a sorpresas que te dejarán sin aliento. 🎶 Bandas y artistas en este episodio: The Mist, Biolence, Bad Wolves, Call of Charon, The 59 Sound, Zevo, Arjen Anthony Lucassen, Nightwish, Confess, Kittie, Mass Deception, FM, Bon Jovi, Glenn Hughes, Naurea, Evil Scarecrow. 📡 Emitido en: 🇪🇸 España: Sol y Rabia, Asalto Mata Radio Rock 🇦🇷 Argentina: Lado Salvaje Radio 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico: Heavy Metal Mansion 🎙️ Conduce: Tony González 👉 Escúchalo ya en iVoox, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music y más. 🎧 Dale al play, suscríbete y comparte la energía del metal. 🤘 ¡Haz que la llama siga viva, porque el metal lo hacemos entre todos! Canciones que escucharás hoy: 1.The Mist - The Curse of Life, 2.Biolence - Humanity Executioner, 3.Bad Wolves - All I Need is Hope, 4.Call of Charon - They Come at Night, 5.The 59 Sound-Over Under, 6.Zevo-Solo Rock and Roll, 7.Arjen Anthony Lucassen - Goddamn Conspiracy, 8.Arjen Anthony Lucassen - We´ll Never Know, 9.Nightwish - Shudder Before the Beautiful, 10.Confess - I'm your God Now, 11.Kittie - Do You Thing I'm a Whore, 12.Mass Deception - Reveal, Redeem, Resurrect, 13.FM - Raised on the Wrong Side, 14.Bon Jovi - You Give Love a Bad Name, 15.Glenn Hughes - Voice in my Head, 16.Naurea - Perfume of Silence, 17.Evil Scarecrow - Nuclear Fallout Machine

Ep. 413 A Solid Foundation The Supremacy of Christ Hebrews 11:1–3 This Sunday, we learn that true faith is more than belief — it's a solid foundation built on the promises of God. Through faith, we trust in what we cannot see, accept the truth of God's Word, and experience His power at work in our lives. Join us as we look at: 1️⃣ Faith Is a Solid Foundation 2️⃣ Faith Accepts the Word of God 3️⃣ Faith Wins the Approval of God 4️⃣ Faith Acknowledges the Power of God

Nobody put baby in a corner In the blue light, I deny you Why ask if you're alright When I'm still crumpled up behind you All publicity Stint My growth is altered I want love You i don't know how To I am a monster I am a monster Joel I am a monster Make me feel Holy lighti I divide my lifht Between Divine And Denial So I deny it Denial I hide you Why Cause I like you Let's blow things all out of proportion Media media Publicity stunt And a drunken stupor I got my God at Coachella night one I got my blinders on I got a knife in my pocket A1 steak sauce anyone Well done, Harper Well done, Onyx Now where goes the dolomite! Lodestones I lost one Carry on Four kings My stream of conciousness rocks out My people are earth and your people You see that? Reach out I'm only a comic, comet Reach out! I'm in denial No conciousness Alright? Harper Long road High Road Short ones. You like Tall blondes I like Waffles You know? Can't we all suffer morbidly? (I'm in denial) Write one Right one Higher up off the red carpet I'm looking for something? Nothing, Internet shopping, A long road The more would have I The more horrible I am a monster I am a monster I am a monster Devil next door, and I I am a monster I am a monster And one And one And one I sent an angel Or five I'm a monster I'm in denial I am a monster Bloody conciousness I'm in denial So I deny Monster So I deny it all Encore! Encore! Run the score up Could be anything you know Bloody stream of conciousness Bloody streams and —leave it up, then I do not believe it Pandemic, Actors and then Publicity stunts for nothing Robbers. I'm not even good enough to be good enough for you. Morbid. I made Billie Ellish laugh so hard, The whole world noticed; Then everybody wanted to know me, Numbers, She goes, “I love electronic music” I said, “I have a lot of it.” But I thought Not nearly enough of it, I thought Not nearly enough, I think. Not nearly enough What did you do with six cinder blocks And Stop it What did you do with six bricks And a fortune What do you with with my Headache? Stop it? I want nothing more than an encore, I told them An encore, I said Not the Renaissance Encore I promise: As awkward as it all got It's coming up For once my stream of conciousness Is into something Lover lover lover Keep them coming Roll the dice and Tell me something, Schubert Tell me something, Harvard Tell me something Tell me something Science Why I don't like you I watch the tonight show. I try to find you But find her And her and her At night I dream of him Joel Her And her and her Wanted a lover A show Her and her and her A son and a daughter A mode Her and her and her Here and there and on again I know her and her and her I like Her and her and her I love Her and her and her I know her and her and her I am her and her and her I wonder what would become of us All And the body Were we not so old Scrap metal Carry on while I call my son And wonder what in God Was left after us Hostile motive Wonder wonder I've got nothing left to ponder I want Mark God Dawn Nah Nothing kept secret left Ponder what, helmet Tell you what, Talmud I like the host of the what's it called Danger show Brothel Brothel Opera Opera May Day May Day May is coming So I August I want nothing more Than the great big mouse on magic mountain How's that? … Sam? Flatline? Don't leave us. Encore. Where's he going? Nothing. Awful. I've been drinking. How about not? And well, we're all against the tide when ocean's coming Aren't I, Hollywood? Great big swell and a sailboat Ugh, why am I mad?! That's the old goat! Rock and Roller. Hall of fame god. Prostitots and brothels Some chord and three thousand year old Google documents What you want us! All I was worth was A special on $200, just under What did you want? An umbrella? I told you, the shit show was coming now Cry me a river! Cry me a river! Cry me a river! New York was a sold out show In all non concious conformists Look at God Go. I was all at the surface Sure you wanted a Harper A harpist Pianist and I've got suffering! Call my son back! I've got window pains And window panes And widows makes the none of us I might as well have died when I lost I might as well have died when I lost her — oh, but the husband had already had Her and her and her So no father was he to a daughter And she went beyond that, Calling for brother. Now who are I? Emotionally immature maggots. I sank ships over hatred I called mayday belatedly I show off in Morse code in a mouse head Now who's the helmet!! Now who's the— [BLACKOUT] [The Festival Project ™] Jimmy murmured somethin bout Joel Pilot took a plunge Now the old Rock is 1 for the 1 one Minus President Trump In the back of the car But if I pop the trunk Then we all have a gun in each hand, Huh punk? One for the road Bottle full of sauce I called the boss for the map And we all got lost on the run Interstate map as old as The all of us totaled up What does infinite cost? Two humps and a Tesla? Some hummas? A couple of rocks, and some hot sauce? All got a gun And we all got a God Can't we all get along Backroads, no Feds So it's all gonna cost Got a cot for the tour And a word for the world And a heart full of gold And a house full of fire Can't we all get a long Now we all got a God Call Conan, We all got a hook and a rod Call God, brah Nobody the friend to the world And we all got a girl And they all got problems Now we got a car On a train up a mountain A coin in the fountain A gun in each hand And a phone card Somebody call the opera Or better yet, Harpo, long God Long time We all got a song Somebody mumbled The troll to a hall far A hymn to a poem And a bump on a log Timber timber We all got garages Timber timber We all got a gun Timber timber We all got windfalls Windmills Blond dykes Klondikes Assholes Mayday Long trucks All got blondes All got a God All got a soul All made of gold And we all got goals here, miners Mumble the words of the poem Somebody left a voicemail At one point, though We all had a mom At one point though, We all had a blonde At one point, though we all got a God At one point though, We all got a song Now all we got is cars Long roads And guns At one point, though, We all got along At one point though We all fell in love At one point though we all had a Mom Now I'm so polar Bearr's on the run But we all got a song And we all got a thought And we all got God Now we all get along In the cars With the guns On the road With the blondes Cause we all got a song And we all got Moms And they all got blonde hair Moms got a gun, Hey, Mom's got a song, Hey, Mom's got a son, Hey, Mom's got a thought, Hey, Mom's got a God, No, mom's just a God, Huh, That's what you want, By the light of the sun And the sound of a gun And we all got a rap And we all got problems All got long days All got wants And we all got a God, so God's got problems. — I gotta solve em. Psychic tears and solvents— What do you want Joel? I got problems, I got a son! I got ten songs out, Ten albums so far, Nobody loves them Nobody loves me, I got problems, I got nothing I got too much to really be loveless, Yet, Here I am, Just watching WHAT. Call up my son, Ask him for a joke And the weather forecast I got a whole skeletal system of broken bones And a whole body cast Castrate this diamond, Call up the tin man— Tin man?! Cowardly lion And the straw hat, Call up the — what are those? Lollipops! No, I don't want that I just want a home with some tall grass. I'm really about to whoop this girl's assless ass and she knows that. She has to. Chilling in the bath though But Can't afford a bathrobe I collect Windfall I call the dolphins Shatter that asshole Staggered on stage, then Slandered my hammer, gathered up passwords X1, aren't I? Doctor? I've probably got a straw hat Don't have a heart, though Probably just a robot Somebody tried hard Guess I need a doctor Wombat? What? She looks like a wombat. Damn, dog. Bleed! I came from the world with the no sleep Bleed! I came from the world with the bonfires! Bleed! I parked my car in the palisades. Bonfires! I parked my car in the palisades! Bonfires! I pitched my tent in the Malibu mountains! Bleed! My coworker babysat in Calabasas! Bonfires! Pig and Whistle could spin slick but still doesn't own an apartment! Apartheid! Noah died on all of the story arcs, besides ours. Non partisan! I went to work on a cold hard Monday. Daughters! I wrote the poor some porridge, and they didn't want that! Pesticides! Still a stream of conciousness? I thought he was sober! Bonfires! I got no room for my heart, SO I CUT IT OUT BLEED. Fires. BLEED! Fires. BLEEEEED. Alright, you won. I need my medicine, Medicine, medicine I neee my medicine… Who are I, God? I need my medicine, medicine Medicine— I need my Really, a face with the Bandit? If Seth wants the role, he can have it. Which Seth? Exactly. Bad Son. Deadmau5 Hats off— Actually, a helmet Actually, a deadman. Who cried lurking? Who calls Art Lord? Why, Sir Jyre! My art deposit's on John, man. Art world Awkward Harvard? Aavark? An assless advark. Don't stalk me when I'm hark the halrold hallmark cards and half washed alters! (The last day of Passover, Easter Sunday) Don't pseudoscience Your gross meds have no stream of conciousness at all Your meds have no conciousness at all. Why yes, I terminal hate you, Mr. famous We broke up at an airport over coffee I dream your head But never just the body That I yearn for I'm trapped inside a suffix That was earned from just a metaphor I grasp at mediocre, As Flo said “I would have aspired to be a struggling actress” I would aspire just to b an arifaft A sanctioned little blonde In front row VIP With the pasties on Oh afterparty? Models and bottles and bodies And blondes Brunettes and redheads And a couple of ours with extensions And a dye job Long legs Court covers And awards, Having proven subtle standards set by All of yours When all I want is Hallmark cards. Hold that thought. Rinse out the conditioner Do you get the picture or not?! I don't live here! Do you remember the fact that I've been here Just a minute in my time— Into you! It's infinite forever. Forever, we'll. Forever. Ten minutes in and I don't remember any of it. Ten mirrors ten men and ten hammers, the hammer. Ten tonsils, ten fingers, ten toes and my hall award Ten helmets, ten cars in garages Ten mortals Attention, attention I've written a symphony! Attention, attention! I'm living in misery! Attention, attention, My toys in my toolbox: Attention, attention, My girls and my others Attention? Attention! I'm ten minutes into this Attention, attention. I bet you'll remember this. Mission accomplished? Yes, major. Detective. Agent. But I won't. No, I'm not okay. I'll never hold my baby again. No, what's my shoe size? Too grand? So I hideaway Then, I'm a Marxist, Forgot my own mantras I'm probably home, But no address to mark it Off the map Off the grid What's I miss Nothing much here Contact works Contact breaks Contact lenses Like my hazels? Like my blue eyes? Are they gorgeous? Still, I'm darker Forge the caverns, Then, there's this flaw: Seven numbers You're just like God, Only darker What harm have I brought you? Called your wind Nothing but heartache Cried Agatha, a moan And then I will go, Becoming nameless in code and essence Where willI—? And then nothing at all? As one ceases to be, So the the other; The tale before time Of immortal lovers I'm incognito You're in my his[tory] Copyright © The Festival Project, Inc. ™ | Copyright The Complex Collective © 2019 ™ All Rights Reserved. C'cxell Soleïl

Nobody put baby in a corner In the blue light, I deny you Why ask if you're alright When I'm still crumpled up behind you All publicity Stint My growth is altered I want love You i don't know how To I am a monster I am a monster Joel I am a monster Make me feel Holy lighti I divide my lifht Between Divine And Denial So I deny it Denial I hide you Why Cause I like you Let's blow things all out of proportion Media media Publicity stunt And a drunken stupor I got my God at Coachella night one I got my blinders on I got a knife in my pocket A1 steak sauce anyone Well done, Harper Well done, Onyx Now where goes the dolomite! Lodestones I lost one Carry on Four kings My stream of conciousness rocks out My people are earth and your people You see that? Reach out I'm only a comic, comet Reach out! I'm in denial No conciousness Alright? Harper Long road High Road Short ones. You like Tall blondes I like Waffles You know? Can't we all suffer morbidly? (I'm in denial) Write one Right one Higher up off the red carpet I'm looking for something? Nothing, Internet shopping, A long road The more would have I The more horrible I am a monster I am a monster I am a monster Devil next door, and I I am a monster I am a monster And one And one And one I sent an angel Or five I'm a monster I'm in denial I am a monster Bloody conciousness I'm in denial So I deny Monster So I deny it all Encore! Encore! Run the score up Could be anything you know Bloody stream of conciousness Bloody streams and —leave it up, then I do not believe it Pandemic, Actors and then Publicity stunts for nothing Robbers. I'm not even good enough to be good enough for you. Morbid. I made Billie Ellish laugh so hard, The whole world noticed; Then everybody wanted to know me, Numbers, She goes, “I love electronic music” I said, “I have a lot of it.” But I thought Not nearly enough of it, I thought Not nearly enough, I think. Not nearly enough What did you do with six cinder blocks And Stop it What did you do with six bricks And a fortune What do you with with my Headache? Stop it? I want nothing more than an encore, I told them An encore, I said Not the Renaissance Encore I promise: As awkward as it all got It's coming up For once my stream of conciousness Is into something Lover lover lover Keep them coming Roll the dice and Tell me something, Schubert Tell me something, Harvard Tell me something Tell me something Science Why I don't like you I watch the tonight show. I try to find you But find her And her and her At night I dream of him Joel Her And her and her Wanted a lover A show Her and her and her A son and a daughter A mode Her and her and her Here and there and on again I know her and her and her I like Her and her and her I love Her and her and her I know her and her and her I am her and her and her I wonder what would become of us All And the body Were we not so old Scrap metal Carry on while I call my son And wonder what in God Was left after us Hostile motive Wonder wonder I've got nothing left to ponder I want Mark God Dawn Nah Nothing kept secret left Ponder what, helmet Tell you what, Talmud I like the host of the what's it called Danger show Brothel Brothel Opera Opera May Day May Day May is coming So I August I want nothing more Than the great big mouse on magic mountain How's that? … Sam? Flatline? Don't leave us. Encore. Where's he going? Nothing. Awful. I've been drinking. How about not? And well, we're all against the tide when ocean's coming Aren't I, Hollywood? Great big swell and a sailboat Ugh, why am I mad?! That's the old goat! Rock and Roller. Hall of fame god. Prostitots and brothels Some chord and three thousand year old Google documents What you want us! All I was worth was A special on $200, just under What did you want? An umbrella? I told you, the shit show was coming now Cry me a river! Cry me a river! Cry me a river! New York was a sold out show In all non concious conformists Look at God Go. I was all at the surface Sure you wanted a Harper A harpist Pianist and I've got suffering! Call my son back! I've got window pains And window panes And widows makes the none of us I might as well have died when I lost I might as well have died when I lost her — oh, but the husband had already had Her and her and her So no father was he to a daughter And she went beyond that, Calling for brother. Now who are I? Emotionally immature maggots. I sank ships over hatred I called mayday belatedly I show off in Morse code in a mouse head Now who's the helmet!! Now who's the— [BLACKOUT] [The Festival Project ™] Jimmy murmured somethin bout Joel Pilot took a plunge Now the old Rock is 1 for the 1 one Minus President Trump In the back of the car But if I pop the trunk Then we all have a gun in each hand, Huh punk? One for the road Bottle full of sauce I called the boss for the map And we all got lost on the run Interstate map as old as The all of us totaled up What does infinite cost? Two humps and a Tesla? Some hummas? A couple of rocks, and some hot sauce? All got a gun And we all got a God Can't we all get along Backroads, no Feds So it's all gonna cost Got a cot for the tour And a word for the world And a heart full of gold And a house full of fire Can't we all get a long Now we all got a God Call Conan, We all got a hook and a rod Call God, brah Nobody the friend to the world And we all got a girl And they all got problems Now we got a car On a train up a mountain A coin in the fountain A gun in each hand And a phone card Somebody call the opera Or better yet, Harpo, long God Long time We all got a song Somebody mumbled The troll to a hall far A hymn to a poem And a bump on a log Timber timber We all got garages Timber timber We all got a gun Timber timber We all got windfalls Windmills Blond dykes Klondikes Assholes Mayday Long trucks All got blondes All got a God All got a soul All made of gold And we all got goals here, miners Mumble the words of the poem Somebody left a voicemail At one point, though We all had a mom At one point though, We all had a blonde At one point, though we all got a God At one point though, We all got a song Now all we got is cars Long roads And guns At one point, though, We all got along At one point though We all fell in love At one point though we all had a Mom Now I'm so polar Bearr's on the run But we all got a song And we all got a thought And we all got God Now we all get along In the cars With the guns On the road With the blondes Cause we all got a song And we all got Moms And they all got blonde hair Moms got a gun, Hey, Mom's got a song, Hey, Mom's got a son, Hey, Mom's got a thought, Hey, Mom's got a God, No, mom's just a God, Huh, That's what you want, By the light of the sun And the sound of a gun And we all got a rap And we all got problems All got long days All got wants And we all got a God, so God's got problems. — I gotta solve em. Psychic tears and solvents— What do you want Joel? I got problems, I got a son! I got ten songs out, Ten albums so far, Nobody loves them Nobody loves me, I got problems, I got nothing I got too much to really be loveless, Yet, Here I am, Just watching WHAT. Call up my son, Ask him for a joke And the weather forecast I got a whole skeletal system of broken bones And a whole body cast Castrate this diamond, Call up the tin man— Tin man?! Cowardly lion And the straw hat, Call up the — what are those? Lollipops! No, I don't want that I just want a home with some tall grass. I'm really about to whoop this girl's assless ass and she knows that. She has to. Chilling in the bath though But Can't afford a bathrobe I collect Windfall I call the dolphins Shatter that asshole Staggered on stage, then Slandered my hammer, gathered up passwords X1, aren't I? Doctor? I've probably got a straw hat Don't have a heart, though Probably just a robot Somebody tried hard Guess I need a doctor Wombat? What? She looks like a wombat. Damn, dog. Bleed! I came from the world with the no sleep Bleed! I came from the world with the bonfires! Bleed! I parked my car in the palisades. Bonfires! I parked my car in the palisades! Bonfires! I pitched my tent in the Malibu mountains! Bleed! My coworker babysat in Calabasas! Bonfires! Pig and Whistle could spin slick but still doesn't own an apartment! Apartheid! Noah died on all of the story arcs, besides ours. Non partisan! I went to work on a cold hard Monday. Daughters! I wrote the poor some porridge, and they didn't want that! Pesticides! Still a stream of conciousness? I thought he was sober! Bonfires! I got no room for my heart, SO I CUT IT OUT BLEED. Fires. BLEED! Fires. BLEEEEED. Alright, you won. I need my medicine, Medicine, medicine I neee my medicine… Who are I, God? I need my medicine, medicine Medicine— I need my Really, a face with the Bandit? If Seth wants the role, he can have it. Which Seth? Exactly. Bad Son. Deadmau5 Hats off— Actually, a helmet Actually, a deadman. Who cried lurking? Who calls Art Lord? Why, Sir Jyre! My art deposit's on John, man. Art world Awkward Harvard? Aavark? An assless advark. Don't stalk me when I'm hark the halrold hallmark cards and half washed alters! (The last day of Passover, Easter Sunday) Don't pseudoscience Your gross meds have no stream of conciousness at all Your meds have no conciousness at all. Why yes, I terminal hate you, Mr. famous We broke up at an airport over coffee I dream your head But never just the body That I yearn for I'm trapped inside a suffix That was earned from just a metaphor I grasp at mediocre, As Flo said “I would have aspired to be a struggling actress” I would aspire just to b an arifaft A sanctioned little blonde In front row VIP With the pasties on Oh afterparty? Models and bottles and bodies And blondes Brunettes and redheads And a couple of ours with extensions And a dye job Long legs Court covers And awards, Having proven subtle standards set by All of yours When all I want is Hallmark cards. Hold that thought. Rinse out the conditioner Do you get the picture or not?! I don't live here! Do you remember the fact that I've been here Just a minute in my time— Into you! It's infinite forever. Forever, we'll. Forever. Ten minutes in and I don't remember any of it. Ten mirrors ten men and ten hammers, the hammer. Ten tonsils, ten fingers, ten toes and my hall award Ten helmets, ten cars in garages Ten mortals Attention, attention I've written a symphony! Attention, attention! I'm living in misery! Attention, attention, My toys in my toolbox: Attention, attention, My girls and my others Attention? Attention! I'm ten minutes into this Attention, attention. I bet you'll remember this. Mission accomplished? Yes, major. Detective. Agent. But I won't. No, I'm not okay. I'll never hold my baby again. No, what's my shoe size? Too grand? So I hideaway Then, I'm a Marxist, Forgot my own mantras I'm probably home, But no address to mark it Off the map Off the grid What's I miss Nothing much here Contact works Contact breaks Contact lenses Like my hazels? Like my blue eyes? Are they gorgeous? Still, I'm darker Forge the caverns, Then, there's this flaw: Seven numbers You're just like God, Only darker What harm have I brought you? Called your wind Nothing but heartache Cried Agatha, a moan And then I will go, Becoming nameless in code and essence Where willI—? And then nothing at all? As one ceases to be, So the the other; The tale before time Of immortal lovers I'm incognito You're in my his[tory] Copyright © The Festival Project, Inc. ™ | Copyright The Complex Collective © 2019 ™ All Rights Reserved. C'cxell Soleïl

Nobody put baby in a corner In the blue light, I deny you Why ask if you're alright When I'm still crumpled up behind you All publicity Stint My growth is altered I want love You i don't know how To I am a monster I am a monster Joel I am a monster Make me feel Holy lighti I divide my lifht Between Divine And Denial So I deny it Denial I hide you Why Cause I like you Let's blow things all out of proportion Media media Publicity stunt And a drunken stupor I got my God at Coachella night one I got my blinders on I got a knife in my pocket A1 steak sauce anyone Well done, Harper Well done, Onyx Now where goes the dolomite! Lodestones I lost one Carry on Four kings My stream of conciousness rocks out My people are earth and your people You see that? Reach out I'm only a comic, comet Reach out! I'm in denial No conciousness Alright? Harper Long road High Road Short ones. You like Tall blondes I like Waffles You know? Can't we all suffer morbidly? (I'm in denial) Write one Right one Higher up off the red carpet I'm looking for something? Nothing, Internet shopping, A long road The more would have I The more horrible I am a monster I am a monster I am a monster Devil next door, and I I am a monster I am a monster And one And one And one I sent an angel Or five I'm a monster I'm in denial I am a monster Bloody conciousness I'm in denial So I deny Monster So I deny it all Encore! Encore! Run the score up Could be anything you know Bloody stream of conciousness Bloody streams and —leave it up, then I do not believe it Pandemic, Actors and then Publicity stunts for nothing Robbers. I'm not even good enough to be good enough for you. Morbid. I made Billie Ellish laugh so hard, The whole world noticed; Then everybody wanted to know me, Numbers, She goes, “I love electronic music” I said, “I have a lot of it.” But I thought Not nearly enough of it, I thought Not nearly enough, I think. Not nearly enough What did you do with six cinder blocks And Stop it What did you do with six bricks And a fortune What do you with with my Headache? Stop it? I want nothing more than an encore, I told them An encore, I said Not the Renaissance Encore I promise: As awkward as it all got It's coming up For once my stream of conciousness Is into something Lover lover lover Keep them coming Roll the dice and Tell me something, Schubert Tell me something, Harvard Tell me something Tell me something Science Why I don't like you I watch the tonight show. I try to find you But find her And her and her At night I dream of him Joel Her And her and her Wanted a lover A show Her and her and her A son and a daughter A mode Her and her and her Here and there and on again I know her and her and her I like Her and her and her I love Her and her and her I know her and her and her I am her and her and her I wonder what would become of us All And the body Were we not so old Scrap metal Carry on while I call my son And wonder what in God Was left after us Hostile motive Wonder wonder I've got nothing left to ponder I want Mark God Dawn Nah Nothing kept secret left Ponder what, helmet Tell you what, Talmud I like the host of the what's it called Danger show Brothel Brothel Opera Opera May Day May Day May is coming So I August I want nothing more Than the great big mouse on magic mountain How's that? … Sam? Flatline? Don't leave us. Encore. Where's he going? Nothing. Awful. I've been drinking. How about not? And well, we're all against the tide when ocean's coming Aren't I, Hollywood? Great big swell and a sailboat Ugh, why am I mad?! That's the old goat! Rock and Roller. Hall of fame god. Prostitots and brothels Some chord and three thousand year old Google documents What you want us! All I was worth was A special on $200, just under What did you want? An umbrella? I told you, the shit show was coming now Cry me a river! Cry me a river! Cry me a river! New York was a sold out show In all non concious conformists Look at God Go. I was all at the surface Sure you wanted a Harper A harpist Pianist and I've got suffering! Call my son back! I've got window pains And window panes And widows makes the none of us I might as well have died when I lost I might as well have died when I lost her — oh, but the husband had already had Her and her and her So no father was he to a daughter And she went beyond that, Calling for brother. Now who are I? Emotionally immature maggots. I sank ships over hatred I called mayday belatedly I show off in Morse code in a mouse head Now who's the helmet!! Now who's the— [BLACKOUT] [The Festival Project ™] Jimmy murmured somethin bout Joel Pilot took a plunge Now the old Rock is 1 for the 1 one Minus President Trump In the back of the car But if I pop the trunk Then we all have a gun in each hand, Huh punk? One for the road Bottle full of sauce I called the boss for the map And we all got lost on the run Interstate map as old as The all of us totaled up What does infinite cost? Two humps and a Tesla? Some hummas? A couple of rocks, and some hot sauce? All got a gun And we all got a God Can't we all get along Backroads, no Feds So it's all gonna cost Got a cot for the tour And a word for the world And a heart full of gold And a house full of fire Can't we all get a long Now we all got a God Call Conan, We all got a hook and a rod Call God, brah Nobody the friend to the world And we all got a girl And they all got problems Now we got a car On a train up a mountain A coin in the fountain A gun in each hand And a phone card Somebody call the opera Or better yet, Harpo, long God Long time We all got a song Somebody mumbled The troll to a hall far A hymn to a poem And a bump on a log Timber timber We all got garages Timber timber We all got a gun Timber timber We all got windfalls Windmills Blond dykes Klondikes Assholes Mayday Long trucks All got blondes All got a God All got a soul All made of gold And we all got goals here, miners Mumble the words of the poem Somebody left a voicemail At one point, though We all had a mom At one point though, We all had a blonde At one point, though we all got a God At one point though, We all got a song Now all we got is cars Long roads And guns At one point, though, We all got along At one point though We all fell in love At one point though we all had a Mom Now I'm so polar Bearr's on the run But we all got a song And we all got a thought And we all got God Now we all get along In the cars With the guns On the road With the blondes Cause we all got a song And we all got Moms And they all got blonde hair Moms got a gun, Hey, Mom's got a song, Hey, Mom's got a son, Hey, Mom's got a thought, Hey, Mom's got a God, No, mom's just a God, Huh, That's what you want, By the light of the sun And the sound of a gun And we all got a rap And we all got problems All got long days All got wants And we all got a God, so God's got problems. — I gotta solve em. Psychic tears and solvents— What do you want Joel? I got problems, I got a son! I got ten songs out, Ten albums so far, Nobody loves them Nobody loves me, I got problems, I got nothing I got too much to really be loveless, Yet, Here I am, Just watching WHAT. Call up my son, Ask him for a joke And the weather forecast I got a whole skeletal system of broken bones And a whole body cast Castrate this diamond, Call up the tin man— Tin man?! Cowardly lion And the straw hat, Call up the — what are those? Lollipops! No, I don't want that I just want a home with some tall grass. I'm really about to whoop this girl's assless ass and she knows that. She has to. Chilling in the bath though But Can't afford a bathrobe I collect Windfall I call the dolphins Shatter that asshole Staggered on stage, then Slandered my hammer, gathered up passwords X1, aren't I? Doctor? I've probably got a straw hat Don't have a heart, though Probably just a robot Somebody tried hard Guess I need a doctor Wombat? What? She looks like a wombat. Damn, dog. Bleed! I came from the world with the no sleep Bleed! I came from the world with the bonfires! Bleed! I parked my car in the palisades. Bonfires! I parked my car in the palisades! Bonfires! I pitched my tent in the Malibu mountains! Bleed! My coworker babysat in Calabasas! Bonfires! Pig and Whistle could spin slick but still doesn't own an apartment! Apartheid! Noah died on all of the story arcs, besides ours. Non partisan! I went to work on a cold hard Monday. Daughters! I wrote the poor some porridge, and they didn't want that! Pesticides! Still a stream of conciousness? I thought he was sober! Bonfires! I got no room for my heart, SO I CUT IT OUT BLEED. Fires. BLEED! Fires. BLEEEEED. Alright, you won. I need my medicine, Medicine, medicine I neee my medicine… Who are I, God? I need my medicine, medicine Medicine— I need my Really, a face with the Bandit? If Seth wants the role, he can have it. Which Seth? Exactly. Bad Son. Deadmau5 Hats off— Actually, a helmet Actually, a deadman. Who cried lurking? Who calls Art Lord? Why, Sir Jyre! My art deposit's on John, man. Art world Awkward Harvard? Aavark? An assless advark. Don't stalk me when I'm hark the halrold hallmark cards and half washed alters! (The last day of Passover, Easter Sunday) Don't pseudoscience Your gross meds have no stream of conciousness at all Your meds have no conciousness at all. Why yes, I terminal hate you, Mr. famous We broke up at an airport over coffee I dream your head But never just the body That I yearn for I'm trapped inside a suffix That was earned from just a metaphor I grasp at mediocre, As Flo said “I would have aspired to be a struggling actress” I would aspire just to b an arifaft A sanctioned little blonde In front row VIP With the pasties on Oh afterparty? Models and bottles and bodies And blondes Brunettes and redheads And a couple of ours with extensions And a dye job Long legs Court covers And awards, Having proven subtle standards set by All of yours When all I want is Hallmark cards. Hold that thought. Rinse out the conditioner Do you get the picture or not?! I don't live here! Do you remember the fact that I've been here Just a minute in my time— Into you! It's infinite forever. Forever, we'll. Forever. Ten minutes in and I don't remember any of it. Ten mirrors ten men and ten hammers, the hammer. Ten tonsils, ten fingers, ten toes and my hall award Ten helmets, ten cars in garages Ten mortals Attention, attention I've written a symphony! Attention, attention! I'm living in misery! Attention, attention, My toys in my toolbox: Attention, attention, My girls and my others Attention? Attention! I'm ten minutes into this Attention, attention. I bet you'll remember this. Mission accomplished? Yes, major. Detective. Agent. But I won't. No, I'm not okay. I'll never hold my baby again. No, what's my shoe size? Too grand? So I hideaway Then, I'm a Marxist, Forgot my own mantras I'm probably home, But no address to mark it Off the map Off the grid What's I miss Nothing much here Contact works Contact breaks Contact lenses Like my hazels? Like my blue eyes? Are they gorgeous? Still, I'm darker Forge the caverns, Then, there's this flaw: Seven numbers You're just like God, Only darker What harm have I brought you? Called your wind Nothing but heartache Cried Agatha, a moan And then I will go, Becoming nameless in code and essence Where willI—? And then nothing at all? As one ceases to be, So the the other; The tale before time Of immortal lovers I'm incognito You're in my his[tory] Copyright © The Festival Project, Inc. ™ | Copyright The Complex Collective © 2019 ™ All Rights Reserved. C'cxell Soleïl

CD 1704 Position - Purpose - Power(March 2, 2025 P.M. Service)As we touched on lightly this morning, In this life that has been given to us by our Creator the Lord God Almighty we have a vacuum on the inside of us. We were created with that vacuum in order that we would hunger and desire for something greater than ourselves. If we do not seek the Lord, then the devil will come and fill that vacuum. You cannot stay neutral, you will either be full of the Lord or full of the devil. We will talk more about this vacuum in a future service.This evening we're going to learn about our position in Christ which reveals our purpose in Christ and helps us to receive the power from Christ to live his life through us! *Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-10 (KJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. 6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:Praise God He as our Father has given us His Grace through Jesus Christ from the foundation of this earth age! He saves us and calls us into His Holy calling, all by His grace! Speaking of salvation “position”:#1 Position*Read Luke 15:24 (KJV) For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.*Read Ephesians 2:8 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Now see verse 6:*Read Ephesians 2:6 (KJV) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:Where is Jesus seated?*Read Colossians 3:1-3 (KJV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.We are seated on the right hand of power in Christ Jesus. So our “position” is not in question, rather our “position” is absolute in Christ Jesus! When we understand where we're living and operating from then it brings us to our second point our “purpose”:#2 PurposeSo I have a “purpose”? You mean there is more to this life than just getting by?How can I find my “purpose”?*Read Psalm 119:105 (KJV) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.Support the show

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:16-17).   The letter to the Ephesians is steeped in prayer. Paul begins with prayer, ends by calling the church to join him in prayer, and here in the middle, prays. As we discovered yesterday, Paul is on his knees in this prayer. It's a posture of humility, recognizing that God is both the giver of every good gift, and the most consequential actor and authority in any of our lives. Today we begin to discover what Paul is praying for.  All these big themes have been coursing through the letter about God's grace in Christ that creates the world, saves us, and reconciles us as a disparate humanity into a single, diverse, yet unified church.  Now Paul prays quite simply that we will have the faith to believe it's true.  That we will have the power, not to do great things for God, but simply to hold space in our hearts for Christ to dwell there.  Paul is on to something.  This is indeed the very hardest of things to do. It is easy to do great deeds for God.  Go on a mission trip, fund a building campaign, make a big and vocal stand on principle, start an organization, or make pilgrimage to a big Christian site, rally, conference, or retreat.  The extreme things are all pretty easy to do—we just go flat out, push ourselves to the end, and voila, there we are.  What is much harder to do is to simply believe. Our inner beings are often not strong enough to hold space for this Christ and this faith.  Our innermost being is most often filled with anxiety for the future, our children, our health, our work, the church, our country, and the state of the world.  Fear, cynicism, mistrust, jealousy, fears, ambivalence, regret, and despondency are far more often what lines the walls of our inner being than the strength of the Spirit and faith in Christ. So many of the things we hear or watch seem to suggest that this world and our lives are quite beyond hope or salvation.  How then can we rest in any assurance that all these good words Paul has preached thus far can be true? Left to ourselves, we can't.  Faith is a gift of God.  Paul knows this and so he cuts his proofs and proclamations short to get down on his knees and pray that the God who has begun this good work in Christ will see it through to completion in us.  He prays that our inner being might be strengthened by God himself through the power of the Spirit, that our hearts might be made ready to house a true faith in Christ.  Even more: to house Christ himself. Today as we read these words of Ephesians 3—we join that prayer.  May God indeed dispel the shadows of fear and mistrust within us, strengthening us instead to be people of faith in whom Christ makes his home.   As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:   Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)  

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. (Ephesians 3:12-13)   Today we come back to earth from the cosmic scope of the heavenly realms.  We are to understand that God's power is both displayed and is sovereign over the heavenly realms.  That is enough.  The rest of the story is here—in the manifold wisdom of God's grace displayed in the church by the mystery of the cross.  The church that God has made is not a flat uniformity where everyone is crushed into sameness, no—it is a manifold wisdom we see here: a unity in and of diversity.  This is the “peace” that has been made through Christ in the Church.  No one is flattened, everyone is reconciled.  Given all this—the fact of God's Sovereign rule over everything, including the heavenly realms, the fact of the cross of Christ that breaks down dividing walls and reconciles a disparate and diverse humanity into a single, colourful church, and given the fact that in Christ there is now peace between God and humanity and the possibility of peace between people as well—given all this, we can pray.  That's a lot of great and grand things to rattle off only to tell us that we can pray.  Was it really worth all the fuss?  That's a lot of planning and heavy lifting on God's part over thousands of years.  Is the point of it all just to get a conversation going? Maybe it is that way.  In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, there was nothing—all was empty and formless.  Then God spoke.  And when God spoke—all of creation burst forth into life and colour, substance and form, noise and light.  When God spoke: creation responded.  A conversation began.  The word of the King had its effect and did not return to him empty.  At least, not until Adam and Eve broke the conversation. Since that day—humanity has not always or even often responded to the words that God speaks.  Creation likewise has become tongue-tied and no longer responds with the vitality and goodness that it once did.  But God was not content to leave the conversation broken nor the relationship forsaken.  God spoke his clearest word in the conversation through Jesus—in human form.  He took all our ill responses, barbs, criticisms, jeers, and violence on himself and put them to death.  In his new life, a fresh start begins.  In our own experience we know that the simple everyday stuff of relationships and conversations can be the very hardest things to navigate.  We respond with hurtful words and actions, or ingest hurtful words and actions from others.  We puzzle about how to respond.  Mistrust, bitterness, cynicism, distance, and even violence form.  These are precisely the sorts of sins and breakings of shalom that Jesus took on himself and put to death so that forgiveness and reconciliation might result.  Paul, likewise as a minister of this good news of Jesus, takes these sins and sufferings on himself—putting them to death in the death of Christ he bears so that forgiveness, grace, and the good news of Christ might be seen and heard through him. As recipients of this grace, we are called to the same.  This is our glory: to enter the conversation with God in freedom and confidence because of Jesus, receiving the power of his death and life that reconciles us to him and others.  When we give or receive hurts or barbs in our relationships and conversations with others, we put them to death in his death so that we might speak a word of confession or forgiveness in his name.  Slowly, the conversation begins afresh.  Humanity and creation begin to respond to the Creator in freedom and confidence, and to one another again too.  Prayer is that foundational to our reality.  How will you respond today?  God has spoken to you.  Will you respond?  Will you come before him in freedom and confidence today?   As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:   Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)  

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things (Ephesians 3:7-9).   This passage undermines a common misunderstanding of grace in the Christian church. In fact, it reveals, that we have shrunk grace down to something that we can manage. But it does not belong to us. It belongs to God. So we must allow him to define what grace is, what it means, and what it does. For many Christians, we understand grace simply and only as something that we receive from God. It is limited to the forgiveness of sins and the “get out of jail free” card that permits us to escape this world into heaven someday. Its like grandmother's fine china: as a precious possession, it remains locked up in the china cabinet for display and safe keeping. But rarely does it take up a place at the dinner table where life happens. God's grace is much more than that. It enlists us. Paul was made a servant because of “the gift of God's grace.” The gift obligates and equips. Grace in this verse does not relate to Paul's salvation, but to his ministry. Through grace he became a servant of the gospel. Grace connects us to Christ and to each other, but it also enlists and empowers us in the ministry of Christ. Grace always brings responsibility. Paul alluded to this earlier, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith… For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (2:8a,10). In our text, we are told how it worked in Paul's life. Paul viewed himself as a steward of the grace given him. His ministry to the Gentiles was unique, but all Christians are to be stewards of grace. All who have received grace should extend it to others. This becomes the main theme in chapter 4, where Paul writes, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it” (4:7). Peter puts it rather bluntly, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10). To receive grace is to be taken into its service. Grace connects, enlists, and empowers. It will not allow us to be passive, for it is God's power at work in us. Do we think ourselves not good enough or worthy enough to serve in this way?  Paul anticipates the objection. “Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me…” Paul says. He perhaps felt he should have been rejected because he persecuted the church, but God chose him anyway—a choice not based on his ability, but on God's grace. Anything he accomplished was a result of the power of God at work in him. What is the stewarding service that God's grace enlists you in today?  The answer is the same as the answer to the question of what you will do or did do today.  Nothing in this world moves or works without God's gracious gifts, provisions, and salvations animating it—these being “the boundless riches of Christ.” The breath we breathe is the breath of God. The skills, know-how, curiosities, and passion we deploy in our work, home, volunteering, and schooling are gifts of God. The world in which we live is his creation. In other words: everything you do is already knee deep in the world of God's grace. The only question is how will your life today reveal a God-attentive stewardship of all that grace?  How will the grace you've received serve his glory?  The fine china is already on the table: God put it there—use it!   As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:   Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)  

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:1-6).   Most Bible scholars believe that, with verse 1, Paul intended to begin his prayer which concludes the chapter. But he interrupts himself to write about the role he's been given in God's great work of redemption. Because of this role, he has become a prisoner in a Roman jail. Imprisonment is no big deal for him, it simply offers a different venue by which to carry out the mission he has been given. Paul's role of administering God's grace is his concern in these verses. He calls it “the mystery of Christ.” This mystery is what all those saints in the litany of faith from Hebrews 11 were looking forward to. It is something that used to be hidden, but which now in Christ has been revealed.   This ‘mystery of Christ' has to do with these Gentiles (non-Israelites). What God has revealed is that in Christ these Gentiles are now included in God's great work of redemption.  That is, the work begun in and through Israel as recorded in the Old Testament.  To know what God is doing in Christ, we need to be familiar with that story. But, of course, the fact that the Gentiles were going to benefit was already known long ago. God had promised Abraham, “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). So, what new thing did Paul learn? The very same thing that all of us learn at the heart of the Christian faith: that in the cross of Christ, all things are reconciled, including Jews and Gentiles.  When Paul says the word “mystery,” he very often means “the cross of Christ.”  When Christ tore down the “dividing wall of hostility” through his cross—he not only took the penalty for our sin and defeated death—he also joined once disparate peoples together.  In his cross, he overcame great divisions.  The people of God is now composed of both Abraham's descendants and everyone else who believes.  They all become “the church” together. In an age in which division perforates the church, it is important for us to hear this message of the gospel. The divisions we feel are not primarily about Jews and Gentiles (though that has recently arisen again as a point of contention)—but about politics, ethics, and national identities.  But no matter ones' politics, ethics, or national identities—all those who come to Christ in faith are nevertheless made into one body.  Through the gospel of the cross of Christ, we all become “heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” We are, therefore, to live unity. We are not asked to like other Christians, to be like them, or agree with them—but simply to recognize that humbling fact that we are one with them as sharers of the same Lord and the same benefits. This is indeed a great mystery.  But it is the mystery of the cross, the mystery we have been given.  May God's kingdom come and will be done—even in this, on earth as it is in heaven.   As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:   Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)  

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins,[a] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”Luke 15:1-10 (ESV)JOANNA GWEN PICUTRES***“I have been in this world for sixty years, and I have never yet been conscious of anything spiritual.”We did not say what we thought, but we thought it was very likely that what he said was perfectly true; and there are a great many more people in the world who might say the same as he did. But that only proved that he was not conscious of anything spiritual; not that others were not conscious of it.Charles SpurgeonJust because someone cannot see God, doesn't mean He's not there.Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.Matthew 5:8 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.Hebrews 11:1The pure in heart are confident in God.Matthew 266 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,[a] 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”Matthew 26:6-13Mary's name now smells as sweet in all God's house as ever her ointment did; when Judas' name rots, and shall do to all posterity [future generations].John TrappThe anointing with oil is a physical picture for a spiritual reality.She probably did not know all that her action meant when she anointed her Lord for his burial. The consequences of the simplest action done for Christ may be much greater than we think.Charles Spurgeon7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.Matthew 26:73And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabasterflask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke theflask and poured it over his head.Mark 14:3Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feetwith her hair. John 12:1PreciousPrecious (yāqār): valuable—brightness, clear, costly, rare, and/or gloriousWhat qualities determine if something is precious (valuable) to humans?UtilityScarcityQualityConditionBrand reputationHistorical significanceCollectable appeal8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” Matthew 26:8-9“Why was this not sold for the poor?”You are a little uncomfortable around “radical” disciples. (Jesus Freaks)You get tired, bored, or don't really see the point in worship. (Especially long, drawn-out, or extended worship)You are hesitant to wast time, energy, or money on God. (Let's do the bare minimum for God)Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.Luke 15:1-7 (ESV)Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”Luke 15:1-2“This man receives sinners and eats with him?” (Luke 15)The religious leaders of Jesus' day divided humanity into two classes: the unclean and the righteous. They decided to live, as much as possible, in complete separation from the unclean. Some rabbis of Jesus day took this idea so seriously that they refused to teach the unclean God's wordLeon MorrisWhat is precious to God?People3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,    the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,4 what is man that you are mindful of him,    and the son of man that you care for him?Psalm 8:3-4People's worshipI am an instrument of exaltationAnd I was born to lift Your name above all namesYou hear the melody of all creationBut there's a...

Listen as Guest Speaker Audrey Mack shares at the Women Arise Conference about the urgency of pursuing God NOW. In seeking God, we discover who we truly are!   For more resources and information: www.charisbiblecollege.org.

The world is buzzing with this idea of Manifestation, but where does this word come from? With everything that is holy and God given, there is a worldly imitation sure to follow. In Proverbs 8 there is a massive claim that a person who loves Jesus will manifest the wisdom of God in their lives and will live a naturally supernatural life. This manifestation shows not my mind control and positive thinking, but through a transformed life that changes the way we think and the way we live. This manifestation is far more superior than what the world is spewing out, this promise from God tells us that we get to have the wisdom of God - Now that is something! Are you a believer but show no signs of a transformed life? Stay right here, things are about to change.

Tom Armstrong preaches on living for God “now”. Looking back, and looking forward, helps us to live for God in the present moment. Readings; Eph 2:1-8, 11-13a, Isa 42:23, 2 Cor 5:-14-16, Gal 2:19-21, 1 Tim 4:7-8. (Recorded in Ballymena, 2nd Mar 2024) The post Living for God Now (42 min) first appeared on Gospel Hall Audio.

If we really knew that Jesus was coming back with His people in heaven to His people on earth, what kind of people ought we be now? Those that choose separation from Him now are separated from Him eternally. They will be away from the presence of the Lord and His glory.  Teaching point: you don't want to be one of these people.So,  Live so as to be with God NOW so you can be with God THEN.Bewithme.us bewithme.us@gmail.com Apple Podcasts Spotify

Heaven is then and now. Here and there. Real and Relevant. Focus on it today. The fact that we will live with God THEN, should affect how we live for God NOW.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT   Faith is what brings meaning to life. God has a sovereign purpose in all things. That as God's children we must trust that Jesus is who He says He is, salvation is real, the Word of God is true, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God!   Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 NLT   FEAR IS CONQUERED BY FAITH AND FAITH IS FUELED BY TRUST   One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.” 2 Kings 4:1 NLT   1. GOD CARES ABOUT YOUR SITUATION   'The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.' Psalms 34:17-18 NLT   “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. 2 Kings 4:2 NLT   Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. Psalms 81:10 NLT   But no, my people wouldn't listen. Israel did not want me around. Psalms 81:11 NLT   2. YOUR MINDSET MATTERS   “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” 2 Kings 4:2 NLT   “Nothing at all...” she replied. 2 Kings 4:2 NLT   “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied. 2 Kings 4:2 NLT   3. WE DO THE GIVING AND GOD DOES THE MULTIPLYING   And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.” So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren't any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing. When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.” 2 Kings 4:3-7 NLT   4. WHEN WE STOP GIVING GOD STOPS PROVIDING   “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren't any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing. 2 Kings 4:6 NLT   WHAT ARE THE PROVISIONS OF GOD?   1.HE GIVES US UNCONDITIONAL FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION   He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. Psalms 103:3 NLT   This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 NLT   2. BY GIVING US AN INHERITANCE   He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. Psalms 103:4 NLT   No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT   We are Gods children But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 NLT   We are heirs to God Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:7 NLT   God says we are royalty! But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. 1 Peter 2:9 NLT   We are Chosen, holy, and blameless Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4 NLT   3. BY GIVING US TRUE FULFILLMENT   He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle's! Psalms 103:5 NLT   He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. Luke 22:19-20 NLT          

Welcome to a DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD chapter of our lives‼️ This season is called GETTING TO KNOW GOD because I believe in this seasoning GOD is calling us into the DEEP with HIM. This season I pray that it awaken your hunger & thirst for the mysteries of GOD. It's time to unlearn culture and learn TRUTH‼️ Last season we discussed growing intentional and now it's all about relationship. Welcome again to the chapter of us getting to know God for ourselves, directly from GOD

Ridiculously, some people in the end times will try to HIDE FROM GOD.It cannot be done, of course.  We can solve their problem in the FUTURE by not hiding from God NOW. We can LOOK GOD IN THE FACE now.               He'll be HOLY.  We won't be. It is kind of brutal.To look Him in the face now is to repent, believe and receive.Let's LOOK HIM in the face now, so we Won't be hiding from His face on THAT DAYbewithme.us subscribe on Youtube follow on insta.

Welcome to a DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD chapter of our lives‼️ This season is called GETTING TO KNOW GOD because I believe in this seasoning GOD is calling us into the DEEP with HIM. This season I pray that it awaken your hunger & thirst for the mysteries of GOD. It's time to unlearn culture and learn TRUTH‼️ Last season we discussed growing intentional and now it's all about relationship. Welcome again to the chapter of us getting to know God for ourselves, directly from GOD

Welcome to a DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD chapter of our lives‼️ This season is called GETTING TO KNOW GOD because I believe in this seasoning GOD is calling us into the DEEP with HIM. This season I pray that it awaken your hunger & thirst for the mysteries of GOD. It's time to unlearn culture and learn TRUTH‼️ Last season we discussed growing intentional and now it's all about relationship. Welcome again to the chapter of us getting to know God for ourselves, directly from GOD

Welcome to a DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD chapter of our lives‼️ This season is called GETTING TO KNOW GOD because I believe in this seasoning GOD is calling us into the DEEP with HIM. This season I pray that it awaken your hunger & thirst for the mysteries of GOD. It's time to unlearn culture and learn TRUTH‼️ Last season we discussed growing intentional and now it's all about relationship. Welcome again to the chapter of us getting to know God for ourselves, directly from GOD

An expansive view of the temple of God. Chad gives us plenty to think about on our journey to the city of God. The talented Izzi Ray sings "O Jerusalem". Show Notes: Support 1517 1517 Podcasts The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 on Youtube What's New from 1517: Freedom Lessons Album Your God is too Glorious, 2nd Edition by Chad Bird Schweitzer's Psychoanalysis of Jesus Christ: & Other Essays in Christian Psychotherapy by John Warwick Montgomery Free 2023 Advent Resources Lyrics to "O Jerusalem" See my eyes, they have been looking toward Your gates, O Jerusalem! O Jerusalem, When they said “let's journey together  to Your house”,                My heart was so glad,  O Jerusalem!  We saw it from far away   and now we draw near To Your body and Your blood Soul and divinity O Jerusalem O Jerusalem    Chorus: Peace be with us In the courts of heaven Peace be with us through the Lord Jesus Christ Peace is with us In the courts of heaven Peace be with us through the Lord Jesus Christ O Jerusalem O Jerusalem  City of God       Now our feet are rightly  standing  within your gates, O Jerusalem! O Jerusalem, There is peace within Your walls  Security In your towers, O Jerusalem! For my sisters and  brothers I will say “Peace be with  you” O Jerusalem      We saw it from a far off  and now we draw near To Your body and blood Soul and divinity O Jerusalem O Jerusalem 

What would it look like to slow down? We're diving into an unlikely story that holds a powerful lesson. Tune in to explore the true essence of Christmas and discover how God's presence demands our stillness. Join us for a fresh perspective. IT'S EASY TO GIVE at Harmony, text any amount to (859) 459-0316 to get started (or give online @ my.harmonychurch.cc/give ). ------------------ OPENING ILLUSTRATION: One of my favorite moments around Christmas time is the night before Christmas. Everything is still, kids are in bed, you're awaiting the next day and all the hustle and bustle and excitement. It's the best isn't it. I love slowing down and sitting in the glow of the Christmas lights in the dark of the room. I've been trying to identify why I love it. I think it's because it's the antithesis of our world. EVERYTHING about this time of year is Go go go. It's all year end, it's all travel plans, last minute shopping, games, concerts, parties, packing, wrapping and a MILLION other things. What would it look like to slow down? I know, you don't even think that's possible, do you? “Kent, how would I even do that?” I want to take you to a super unlikely story that won't feel Christmasy at all, then I want to show you something that came out of it and then I want to point you to the Christmas story… THE BIBLE The year is 701BC, there is a King named Sennacherib from the land of Assyria. The seat of his Kingdom is a little town called Nineveh. You may recognize that name, it's the city Jonah was sent to prophesy to. This is why he didn't want to go. I believe Jonah is a huge part of the reason that Assyria came and attacked Israel - the Assyrians will literally swoop down and carry off the northern part of the Kingdom, up in the Galilee area. They take off those Jewish people and they are never heard from again. Now, in 701, Sennacherib is coming after the Southern parts of the nation. He has attacked and captured 46 different walled fortressed cities of Judah, King Hezekiah's cities. Sennacherib writes on the Taylor prism of Sennacherib that he had Hezekiah caged like a bird. He was going to destroy Hezekiah - he's surrounded him with an army that has yet to be beat. Hezekiah sends out his emissaries to meet with Sennacherib's supreme commander and the commander, speaking Hebrew the commander begins to mock Hezekiah and Israel, I mean they have been cutting through the nation like a hot knife in butter. He tells the Israelites that he will give them 2,000 horse if that would help, if they think they could even find men to ride them. Hezekiah's officials ask him to stop speaking in Hebrew so the people won't hear and the commander goes to the next level and starts speaking to the people on the wall, “abandon Hezekiah and his God, come to us, we will give you life, we will protect you, we will give you what you need.” this looks like the end. The are beat. Thankfully, Hezekiah had been preparing for this moment and had built a tunnel for water to the city or they would have been in even bigger trouble, but it's only a matter of time.. What you don't know is that Hezekiah isn't like most of the Kings of Judah. Most of them were not faithful to God, most of them were not really people of character. But Hezekiah is different. Hez. really cares, he has destroyed the idols, gotten rid of them, he had called the people to repentance. He has driven people back to God. Maybe you feel this. Hezekiah has been doing everything right and it feels like everything is going wrong. Death is at his door. Hezekiah literally goes to the temple and prays, he sends some officials to Isaiah the prophet, yeah, the one who wrote the book of Isaiah. He asks Isaiah to pray and what to do/what will happen. Isaiah prays and tells Hezekiah this, listen…: 2 Kings 19:32-36 32 “Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria: “‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with shield or build a siege ramp against it. 33 By the way that he came he will return; he will not enter this city, declares the Lord. 34 I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.'” 35 That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. Overnight, everything that was a disaster disappeared. Super Christmasy, right? I told you, this was not going to be your normal Christmas sermon… “Kent, what does this have to do with slowing down? I don't get it?” Let me read a passage for you that many scholars think was written as a response to this event Psalm 46:8-11 8 Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields[d]with fire. 10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. The author of the Psalm looks out at this incredible moment where God rescues them and the author says this, did you catch it? He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Honestly I've always preached this as, “You need to slow down and stop doing so much and realize who God is” …and that's true. It's saying “Be still and know that I am God.” But the part I've always missed is the REASON you are still be The reason is NOT because you are so busy and you need something from God The reason is because you are in the presence of the most spectacular being in the universe and His presence necessitates stillness - full attention. In one fell swoop, God knocked out every potential danger Hezekiah faced and it didn't even seem to take any effort really. Because He's God… Now, let's turn to Christmas. Do you know what Christmas is really about? Not the Christmas of trees and fat guys and wrapping paper. I mean the first Christmas? The Christmas when God came into the world? Here's the human predicament. b Every one of us was trapped by sin and dysfunction. b Every one of us has had something promise us life that could never make good on that promise. -the bottle, a relationship, success, money, power, prestige, etc. Every one of us needed rescue. This is the story of Christmas - it is the story of Rescue It is the story of God, coming into the world to rescue us all from our own sin and destructiveness, to buy us back out from the authority that we had given over to the enemy. Jesus set us free. He gave us new life. Through His death on the cross, He defeated death. At the end of Matthew Jesus says these words Matthew 28:18 “18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus freed us, and He has all authority. This Christmas, you need to slow down and realize you stand in His presence, that Jesus has already rescued you. Some of you need to turn to Jesus, to give your life to Him, others of you need to recommit to Him and step back, be still and know that He is God. Because God came to rescue you…

Believers have been baptized, buried, and resurrected from death to newness of life in Christ Jesus. We are appointed to know, believe, and appropriate the reality of our union in Christ Jesus. We are alive to God – Now live like it!

Believers have been baptized, buried, and resurrected from death to newness of life in Christ Jesus. We are appointed to know, believe, and appropriate the reality of our union in Christ Jesus. We are alive to God - Now live like it-

Believers have been baptized, buried, and resurrected from death to newness of life in Christ Jesus. We are appointed to know, believe, and appropriate the reality of our union in Christ Jesus. We are alive to God - Now live like it-

Believers have been baptized, buried, and resurrected from death to newness of life in Christ Jesus. We are appointed to know, believe, and appropriate the reality of our union in Christ Jesus. We are alive to God - Now live like it-

Believers have been baptized, buried, and resurrected from death to newness of life in Christ Jesus. We are appointed to know, believe, and appropriate the reality of our union in Christ Jesus. We are alive to God - Now live like it-

Believers have been baptized, buried, and resurrected from death to newness of life in Christ Jesus. We are appointed to know, believe, and appropriate the reality of our union in Christ Jesus. We are alive to God – Now live like it!

In this episode, we join Mike during a message from Anchor Church in which he challenges us to let go and pursue God NOW!

In today's episode, we're going to listen to the next three episodes of Paul's new Bible study in the Psalms. If you've been enjoying The Paul Tripp Podcast, please leave us a review! Your review helps us reach more people with the gospel's transforming power.Today's segments:Psalm 4: Joy in HardshipPsalm 8: The Pinnacle of CreationPsalm 10: Where is God Now?

LNS: Sunday 04/16/23 Vol.14 # 2 Tom discusses the role of language and thought in society *Follow Up on Ads *Where is God Now? *Easter Movies *Shooting in KY *'Long' Guns*Red Flag Laws *Confrontation over China *Free And Open Waters*Uncontrollable Warfare *EU Unconcerned *Control of Language *It Means Control of Thoughts *Against the Transphob Grain *Losing Battle w/ Arguments (Books by host Thomas Purcell are available free on to Amazon Prime and Kindle subscribersThe money pledged through our website will go toward show costs such as advertising, server time, and broadcasting equipment. If we can get enough listeners, we will expand the show to two hours and hire additional staff.To help our show out, please support us on www.LibertyNeverSleeps.com) Books by host Thomas Purcell are available free on to Amazon Prime and Kindle subscribersThe money pledged through our website will go toward show costs such as advertising, server time, and broadcasting equipment. If we can get enough listeners, we will expand the show to two hours and hire additional staff.To help our show out, please support us on www.LibertyNeverSleeps.com All bumper music and sound clips are not owned by the show, are commentary, and of educational purposes, or de minimus effect, and not for monetary gain. No copyright is claimed in any use of such materials and to the extent that material may appear to be infringed, I assert that such alleged infringement is permissible under fair use principles in U.S. copyright laws. If you believe material has been used in an unauthorized manner, please contact the poster. Closing music and introduction warning gratefully done by Kevin Richards at the Total Singing DojoSEE: https://www.youtube.com/c/RocktheStageNYC

So this is not a podcast where you can multitask while you listen. I'm not trying to give you new information or things to consider like other podcasts. I love those kinds of podcasts. But in this podcast I'm wanting to give you an experience. I want you to learn to reintegrate your body with your mind's awareness so that you can notice the “red flag” when you feel tension or anxiety in your body. It's a red flag that you're experiencing a vertical disconnect with God. And I want you to experience what a vertical connection feels like through envisioning the unseen reality of God's presence in this moment and his presence in your body by his Holy Spirit. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Hebrews 2:10 (NIV)  Romans 11:36-12:1 NIV The Bible often uses synonyms and associated words with overlapping meaning to describe the “parts” of personhood. Heart. Mind. Body. Spirit. Strength. Soul.  “Heart” and “Spirit” are often synonymous parallel in biblical poetry. In other places various aspects are listed separately to give the idea of our entire self.  Quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Jesus says… Mark 12:30 (NIV) But that doesn't really mean these are completely separate “parts” of who you are. They eacj just emphasize a certain aspect of our personhood. But the clear idea is to “Love God with your whole being.”  But it is interesting that when the apostle Paul says to “offer your bodies,” he's repeating the same thing as he said earlier in chapter 6… Romans 6:13 (NIV) — “offer yourselves to God…every part of yourself to him.”  This is another example of how the Bible uses the word YOU or YOURSELVES and YOUR BODY/BODIES interchangeably. In other words YOU are your body. You are more than your body, but not less. Your body is YOU just as much as your heart and mind and spirit and soul is YOU. Your body will be “brought from death to life,” and so in some sense that's already true of YOU now. “The redemption of your body is the hope for which you are saved” (Paul says in Rom. 8:23-24). So he says the way you truly worship God NOW is by thinking of it, at least in part, as “offering your body” as your total sacrifice to him. Of course your body is already God's. So you're not actually giving your body to God. But “offering” your body in “worship” is a mindset of submission and surrender. And mentally imagining that — feeling that image — into your body. 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 Twitter @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Diego Huaman. 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.

So this is not a podcast where you can multitask while you listen. I'm not trying to give you new information or things to consider like other podcasts. I love those kinds of podcasts. But in this podcast I'm wanting to give you an experience. I want you to learn to reintegrate your body with your mind's awareness so that you can notice the “red flag” when you feel tension or anxiety in your body. It's a red flag that you're experiencing a vertical disconnect with God. And I want you to experience what a vertical connection feels like through envisioning the unseen reality of God's presence in this moment and his presence in your body by his Holy Spirit. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Hebrews 2:10 (NIV)  Romans 11:36-12:1 NIV The Bible often uses synonyms and associated words with overlapping meaning to describe the “parts” of personhood. Heart. Mind. Body. Spirit. Strength. Soul.  “Heart” and “Spirit” are often synonymous parallel in biblical poetry. In other places various aspects are listed separately to give the idea of our entire self.  Quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Jesus says… Mark 12:30 (NIV) But that doesn't really mean these are completely separate “parts” of who you are. They eacj just emphasize a certain aspect of our personhood. But the clear idea is to “Love God with your whole being.”  But it is interesting that when the apostle Paul says to “offer your bodies,” he's repeating the same thing as he said earlier in chapter 6… Romans 6:13 (NIV) — “offer yourselves to God…every part of yourself to him.”  This is another example of how the Bible uses the word YOU or YOURSELVES and YOUR BODY/BODIES interchangeably. In other words YOU are your body. You are more than your body, but not less. Your body is YOU just as much as your heart and mind and spirit and soul is YOU. Your body will be “brought from death to life,” and so in some sense that's already true of YOU now. “The redemption of your body is the hope for which you are saved” (Paul says in Rom. 8:23-24). So he says the way you truly worship God NOW is by thinking of it, at least in part, as “offering your body” as your total sacrifice to him. Of course your body is already God's. So you're not actually giving your body to God. But “offering” your body in “worship” is a mindset of submission and surrender. And mentally imagining that — feeling that image — into your body. 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 Twitter @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Diego Huaman. 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.

Christmas Decor, Meet & Greet, Stress, Too Good Looking, Stress, National Days, Follow Jesus Now, Expensive Restaurant, Damar Hamlin, Cool Words, Your Image of Christ, Date Dealbreaker; Quotes: “You can talk to God NOW.” “Why am I not climbing the ladder?” “God can be trusted with things we can't be trusted with.”

If you ever found yourself in a season of asking God “Now what?!”, you need this message! God orchestrates the intersection of people's lives as we pray with open hands and let the Holy Spirit move us. When He moves, we watch as the things that happen in the Bible happen to us today. Matt's story might just blow your mind!Link here: https://subspla.sh/ywwmshh#thehappyrabbi #seattle #jewish #messianic #restorationseattle #JewishinSeattle

If you ever found yourself in a season of asking God “Now what?!”, you need this message! God orchestrates the intersection of people's lives as we pray with open hands and let the Holy Spirit move us. When He moves, we watch as the things that happen in the Bible happen to us today. Matt's story might just blow your mind!Link here: https://subspla.sh/ywwmshh#thehappyrabbi #seattle #jewish #messianic #restorationseattle #JewishinSeattle

Did you know that personal revival starts with thirst? John the Baptist's ministry was forged in the desert. The desert produces thirst. Thirst leads to seeking water. Drinking water to your fill imparts an abundant life. Personal revival starts with thirst. God uses the desert to create an unquenchable thirst for Jesus. Nothing in this world will satisfy. In this podcast, I'm going to share what a personally revived Christian looks like and how you can get the fire of God NOW. You can be a living, breathing, walking revival – setting everything you touch ablaze for Jesus. Listen to this week's podcast.   Trailblazer Mentoring Network: TrailblazerMentoring.com Dr. Jamie Morgan's books: THIRSTY: A 31-Day Journey to Personal Revival can be purchased here Journey to Ministry: Discover Your Calling, Purpose, and Destiny, can be purchased here  Her Calling: A Woman's Guide to Fulfilling Her God-given Destiny can be purchased here   Dr. Jamie Morgan's website: JamieMorgan.com   Dr. Jamie Morgan's e-courses can be found here: TrailblazerMentoring.com   You can also connect with her on social media: Facebook: facebook.com/jamiemorganministries Instagram: instagram.com/jamiemorganministries

In the previous episode, I challenged our younger listeners to get to know God NOW, as early as you can! On today's episode, I want to talk about how to do that. How do you get to know God, personally?

You are a Child of God NOW. And, there is something much greater awaiting you when Jesus returns to make all things new! Malachi 4:1-6 1 John 3:1-3 Luke 21:5-19  

Miracle Mentality - Lord Heal And Restore The Land of My Life2 Chron 7:14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humblethemselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wickedways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and willheal and restore their land1. You're The People of God Now, So You Are Never Hopeless AgainEph 2:12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You wereexcluded from citizenship among the people of God, and you did notknow the promises God had made to them. You lived in this worldwithout God and without hope● If you have a problem find a promise, Humility is trusting in GodHeb 11:11 By faith Sarah was able to have a child, though she wasbarren and was too old. She believed that God would keep hispromiseMk 9:23 “If you can believe, all things are possible to him whobelieves.”2. Prayer Releases The Power of God – Prayer Changes EverythingJs 5:16 The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power andproduces wonderful results● You can and you will and you must develop a strong prayer life3. Seek My Face – Develop a Deep Satisfying Relationship with JesusPs 27:8,10 My heart says, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold mecloseJn 4:14-15 But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.The water I give them will become in them a spring of water wellingup to eternal life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water sothat I will not get thirsty and have to keep coming here to drawwater.”4. Turn From Your Ways, If You Want More Spirit You Have To WalkIn TruthJn 4:16-18,23 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”, “Ihave no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right whenyou say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands,and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have justsaid is quite true.” Yet a time is coming and has now come when thetrue worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, forthey are the kind of worshipers the Father seeksJer 2:13 For My people have committed two evils: They have forsakenMe, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own brokencontainers that cannot hold water5. God Forgives and He Forgets So We Must Do The Same1 Jn 1:9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just toforgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickednessIs 43:25 I yes, I alone will blot out your sins for my own sake and willnever think of them againPhil 3:13 But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and strainingtoward what is ahead6. God's Will Is To Always Heal and To Restore Our LivesPs 103:2-3 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits whoforgives all your sins and heals all your diseasesLk 5:12-13 Lord, if you are willing, you can heal and restore me.” Jesusreached out his hand and touched the man. “I am (always) willing,” hesaid. “Be healed and restored! And immediately the leprosy left himIs 53:5 But he was pierced for our sins, he was crushed for ouriniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and byhis wounds we are healed——Stay ConnectedWebsite: http://www.go2freedom.org/Freedom Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GO2FCC/Freedom Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/go2fcc/Freedom Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Freedom Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2E0F0Qg...Freedom Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/go2freedomP. Jason Lozano Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pjasonlozanoP. Jason Lozano Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pjasonlozano/

In this message I talk about the founding of the church in Thessalonica, and the back lash from the Non Believing Jews, that drove the apostles away from that city. I also discuss the "Three Essentials Of Now" that Thessalonica possessed that helped them to grow. These three essentials are what each and every Apostolic needs in their walk with God NOW..... email me at graceforallm@gmail.com or visit my pod page at www.gracerecipient.org to hear my other episodes on any platform. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grace-for-all-ministries/message

God's justice is featured in today's passage.  It affect believers NOW and LATER.  It affects those opposed to God NOW and LATER. Let's find out how in a 7 minute podcast. We are heading toward marveling. We will be marveling at God's activity, God's character and the display of God's characteristics.Believers get what they have always wanted: to be with Him forever. Non-believers get what they have always wanted: to be separated from Him forever.So in case you can't quite see it from here, know that there indeed will be a day of complete justice.  Join me in marveling at that day in the presence of God.  Make a comment after you listen.  bewithme.us bewithme.us@gmail.com