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Praise opens the door to God's deliverance, breaking down every barrier that stands in our way as believers seeking His face and calling upon His name.• God sees you and hears you too—not just everyone else's prayers, but yours specifically• The difference between blessing the Lord and extolling Him is the level of enthusiasm and whole-body engagement• Psalm 34 outlines God's promises: seeking Him leads to being heard and delivered from all fears• There's a spiritual formula: seeking + looking + calling + fearing + crying out + taking refuge = deliverance • Our barriers break when we praise God with our whole being, not offering "patty cake" praises• Personal testimony of divine protection through praise during a home intrusion• Even when circumstances don't change immediately, faith grows through each experience of seeking God• Some barriers require vulnerability and transparency with others to be fully broken• God often uses our difficulties to work His purpose in our lives according to Romans 8:28• Learning to praise enthusiastically now prepares us for eternity where we'll continuously worship GodCome unto Jesus if you don't know Him as Lord and Savior. Repent and accept Him today. He hears the sinner's prayer, and He will answer according to His will and purpose for your life. Welcome To Chosen City Church! We are excited to you have worship with us today and we pray that this sermon blesses you!Partner With Chosen City Church:https://www.chosencitychurch.com/part...Support Chosen City Church:https://www.chosencitychurch.com/givePodcasts and More:https://linktr.ee/chosencitychurchConnect With Chosen City ChurchWebsite: https://chosencitychurch.com.comInstagram: @ChosenCityChurchYouTube: Chosen City ChurchFacebook: Chosen City ChurchIntro and outro created by Joe Anderson Jr. of Truflava Productions

Tecovas: Right now - get 10% off at https://tecovas.com/iced Oracle: Cut your cloud bill in half—switch to OCI today https://oracle.com/iced Ramp: Now get $250 when you join Ramp at https://ramp.com/ich Gusto: Try 3 months free at https://gusto.com/iced Follow Cliffe and Stuart: https://youtube.com/@givemeananswer?si=oVR7wczZ2PS56iYo NEW: Join us at http://www.icedcoffeehour.club for premium content - Enjoy! Add us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jlsselby https://www.instagram.com/gpstephan Official Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeBQ24VfikOriqSdKtomh0w For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: tmatsradio@gmail.com For Podcast Inquiries, please DM @icedcoffeehour on Instagram! Timestamps : 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:45 - Most intense debate 00:03:30 - People who never question existence 00:06:11 - Why should people listen to you? 00:06:42 - What happens after you stop living? 00:08:09 - Thoughts After Life? 00:11:12 - Why live for Jesus? 00:12:52 - Sponsor - Tecovas 00:19:52 - How do you know you're right? 00:23:30 - If sins are forgiven, why not keep sinning? 00:25:11 - Are some people born evil? 00:28:38 - Do pets go to Heaven? 00:30:40 - Do some lives have more value? 00:32:30 - Sponsor - Oracle 00:33:43 - What does Heaven look like? 00:36:08 - Reincarnation and past lives 00:39:03 - Why would God test humanity again? 00:40:09 - Are biblical stories literal? 00:45:42 - Logical proof for Christianity 00:58:01 - How to resist temptation 01:00:38 - Why is Christianity declining? 01:04:03 - How to start praying 01:08:18 - Sponsor - Ramp 01:09:42 - Sponsor - Gusto 01:11:07 - What is blaspheming the spirit? 01:15:05 - Thoughts on televangelists 01:16:08 - Is wealth bad? 01:17:24 - Should you tithe if broke? 01:22:49 - Hardest belief to accept 01:24:12 - Does everything happen for a reason? 01:26:56 - Hardest concepts to explain 01:28:17 - Last time faith was doubted 01:32:37 - Why is hatefulness increasing? 01:35:40 - Struggles with self-absorption 01:39:59 - Confidence vs. arrogance 01:42:23 - Confessions Near The End 01:48:19 - Any supernatural experiences? 01:49:46 - One question for God *Some of the links and other products that appear on this video are from companies which Graham Stephan will earn an affiliate commission or referral bonus. Graham Stephan is part of an affiliate network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

the answer to last weeks question of the week was John 2.   This weeks question is :where would you find the story of Nicodemus?   Faith Journey Podcast A faith journey can involve:   Connecting with God: Some say that scripture is a place to encounter God and grow your faith.   Defining faith: Some say that you must walk your own path to determine what faith means to you.    Expressing faith: Some say that faith can be expressed in many different ways.    Learning about faith: Some say that it's important to understand the multiple meanings of faith, and how it relates to events in the past, present, and future.      Connecting. Defining. Expressing. Learning.   kenn.blanchard@gmail.com 

As Thanksgiving week reminds us of the many blessings we enjoy, it's natural to reflect on gratitude. But does gratitude naturally lead to generosity? Leo Sabo joins us today to discuss three things your pastor wishes you knew about giving.Leo Sabo is the President of the Christian Stewardship Network (CSN), where he gets to share the incredible impact financial stewardship and generosity can have on the Church. 1. Giving Has Spiritual BenefitsYour pastor wants you to know that giving is deeply tied to your spiritual growth. It's not just about meeting church needs—it's about discipleship and trust in God. Learning to surrender your finances to God is a major step in your faith journey.A Holistic View of Stewardship: Generosity encompasses more than money. It includes your time, talents, and treasures. Your pastor hopes you'll see giving as a condition of the heart, not just a financial act.100% Belongs to God: Some believe tithing is the only portion of our money that matters to God, but your pastor wants you to see all your resources as belonging to Him. True stewardship involves inviting God to have authority over everything you own.An Act of Worship: Giving is not a "membership fee" for the church. It's an act of worship that overflows from a heart grateful to God.2. Stewardship Is DiscipleshipStewardship—responsibly managing your resources—is a key aspect of your faith. Many pastors offer financial management courses to help members learn biblical principles for saving, budgeting, avoiding debt, and investing.Why Stewardship Matters: Jesus frequently taught about money because how we handle it reveals the condition of our hearts. Faithful stewardship fosters generosity and aligns our financial decisions with God's will.Programs for Your Growth: Churches often provide financial programs to equip members for wise money management. Pastors want you to know these resources are offered out of love and desire to see you spiritually and financially flourish.3. Transparency and Accountability Are CrucialIn today's world, donors increasingly value financial transparency and accountability. Your pastor understands this and prioritizes using your gifts responsibly.Building Trust: Transparency reassures members that their generosity funds vital ministries like teaching, worship gatherings, and community outreach.The Church's Responsibility: Churches rely solely on donor support, and your pastor wants you to feel confident that your gifts are being used to advance God's kingdom in meaningful ways.Turning Gratitude Into ActionThis Thanksgiving, let your gratitude inspire generosity. Giving is more than a financial transaction—it's a spiritual act that draws us closer to God. By embracing these principles of stewardship, you can experience the joy and freedom that come from trusting God with your resources. May your giving reflect a heart of worship, and your stewardship bring glory to the One who owns it all.If you're inspired to grow in generosity or want to start a stewardship ministry in your church, the Christian Stewardship Network offers tools and guidance for launching and managing effective stewardship programs. Visit ChristianStewardshipNetwork.com for more information.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I have a 36-year-old granddaughter who is a single parent with a low income and a 660 credit score. She was going to have to move but doesn't have to now. I was planning to give her $11,000 for a down payment, but she also has a $300/month car loan with 4 years left. Would it be better to use the $11,000 to pay off her car loan instead? Would that help improve her credit and give her extra cash to save for a home?I recently received a $25,000 gift and have put it into a savings account earning 4.5% interest. Should I take that $25,000 and put it back into my investment portfolio instead of leaving it in my savings account? I currently have three months' expenses saved as an emergency fund. What would be the better approach—keeping the $25,000 in the high-yield savings account or investing it?I'm 20 years old and have a $250,000 mortgage at 2.6% interest. I have $5,000 left each month—$4,000 goes to high-yield savings and $1,000 to retirement. Should I focus on paying down the mortgage quickly or continue investing the extra funds since market growth has been good?Resources Mentioned:Bankrate.comChristian Stewardship NetworkLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

https://youtu.be/NA2jZLWqJ3M?si=4E10l3OHJGggQR0C Search Engine - 2 - 06/16/24     Proverbs 3:11-12 it speaks of the Lord's disciplines and rebukes and that he disciplines those he loves. What does it mean? Will he will make life harder? Why??? Don't we get enough of that from the devil trying to take us down? Just so much seams harsh. I'm supposed to strive to be like Jesus but he can be so mean sounding sometimes when reading the scripture.   God - Motivation of LoveEnemy - Motivation of Hate   Proverbs 3:11-12 (NIV) My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, 12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.   Proverbs 13:24 (NIV) Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.   -Hot stove   Why did David kill Goliath? I understand that he was a threat, but isn't God against murder?   Kill/Murder - Hebrew ratsach - intentional killing without cause.   Was there cause?   All death is a transfer of an eternal spirit…God gives life   The Bible says God is the same forever, but why does He feel regret after the flood? If He's supposed to be perfect, why would He make a decision He regrets?   Genesis 6:6 - God regrets making man.1 Samual 15:11 - God regrets making Saul king of Israel.   God repents - changes his mind.   Numbers 23:19 (NIV) God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?   Sovereign vs Permissive will of God. Sovereign (Christ will win and have His bride)   Jeremiah 18:6-7 (NIV) “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.   To what extent would featuring God in a fictional work count as blasphemous?   Eye of the beholder. 1 Corinthians 8:4 (NIV) An idol is nothing at all in the worldNo victory is being rude…   Blaspheme - to despise, reject with contempt   It is easier than you think to reject God…   Some say that Hell is empty right (except for the fallen angels) now until after the Rapture. Some say that bad people are there now. Which is right?   Hell? Sheol - holding place of the soul (Rich man & Lazarus story Luke 16) - Hell, hades, bosom of Abraham   Lake of Fire/second death - HELL   Who are the first to enter the lake of fire? Revelation 19:20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.   Revelation 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.   White throne judgment -  each person was judged according to what they had done. (v13)   Who are the last to enter the lake of fire? Revelation 20:14  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.   No one is in the lake of fire now.Some are in sheol now.Some are present with the Lord now. (2 Cor 5:8)   Were there other people in the world after Adam and Eve left the garden? How did 2 sons have wives?   Sisters?Other interpretations - Adam & Eve represent humanity and not 2 single people.Other interpretations - God created other people that we are not told about. Based just on scripture - everything was produced from Adam and Eve, and they filled the Earth. Incest issue?  Covered by Grace.NOW - don't do it.   Most of the apocryphal text can be dismissed as too new or too strange or not in line with the rest of the Bible.  Why did so many early Christians read them then?   The Apocrypha is a group of 14 books written betw...

What does Ezekiel's vision of God have to do with Post Christmas Stress? Are you feeling a little blue after the Christmas hustle and bustle? You are not alone. According to experts the "saddest week of the year" is the third week of January. January is the month we know the bills are starting to come in from our pre christmas shopping sprees. January typically in the midwest is dreary, dark, and grey. There can be lots of snow which is fun for the kids but not so fun for driving adults. January is long. What is there to look forward to? Valentines Day which is oh yeah can be another depressing holiday if you are single.  What can we do with this predicament? I'm going to give you three simple options. Don't try to do them all. Don't try to jump right in. First just give yourself some grace. We are all in this fishbowl feeling of post-Christmas sadness. God is still on the thrown!  “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?” Psalm 56:3-4 I think many of us are afraid. We are afraid it's a new year and we might not meet all the benchmarks we so boldly set out to do in December. It's a new year which can be exciting but also heavy.  So how do we put our trust in the Lord that everything will be okay? Maybe you are struggling now with finances. Maybe your marriage had some fights over the holidays. The kids were upset. Maybe your expectations weren't met. How to Get Over the Post-Christmas Blues  1. Whatever our challenge is, we can learn best how to deal with it from Ezekiel. His name literally means “God is strong.” or “God strengthens”. This very meaning sums up what the book of Ezekiel is about.  We as children (we are all children of God) must learn to obey God. But we have a choice! God gave us free will. We can choose to turn towards him or away from him. When things are going well it's easy to praise the Lord. But when crap hits the fan, we often turn to other things. I do this, i might distract myself with shopping, or focusing on material wants or desires. It is not easy to just turn to the Lord and say, “I am suffering in my marriage but I praise you OH GOD. You are so good.”  Ezekiel chose to obey God. He was chosen by God to be prophet. He was also a Jewish street preacher. He was born around 622 BCE from a priestly lineage. He was a priest who also was a mover and shaker. And he was probably called crazy in his day. Ezekiel was a prophet. That means the Lord gave him spiritual visions to help show his people the true Glory of God. Ezekiel did whatever crazy thing the Lord said to do. His vision:  The Lion- strength/God The ox- service The man- intelligence The eagle- divinity. (belonging to God)  Some say the four represent the four gospels: Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.  Then there is a wheel intersecting a wheel. And all I think that that refers to God's ability to move anywhere, God is present everywhere and he is not under the realm of time. He is above Time and he is all knowing.  Now if I were Ezekiel and I had a dream about two wheels intersecting I wonder if I would be able to metaphorically get that. Do you ever have a dream that won't leave you and you ask the Lord, what does that mean? Sometimes if that happens you just need to share it and see what your friend or spouse thinks.  We have to be like Ezekiel when we are facing some challenging times.   2. We have to connect. We have to be willing to share our dreams and our visions with other people we trust. I know that I don't have it all figured out! But I know through the power of connection with others I can draw closer to God, his vision for me ,and ultimately his solution to the problem I'm facing. 3. Invest in Yourself. We just got a bunch of crap from Christmas. We need to take ten minutes to declutter our lives. Physically and emotionally. What can you get rid of? What can you let go of? What can you say no to? That last one is huge. Saying no to things that God is not calling you to do. Then we can start to add in the real things that will make a difference in our lives. Meaningful relationships. Healthy meals. Walks with friends. Making investments in yourself never costs a lot of money. It's more about the time you spend on yourself. It's okay to ask the Lord what He wants for you. Then go and get it! For now, you can join the Pace of Peace program for just $7 a month! Get connected with other women and find your tribe that will walk alongside you virtually as you make goals and meet them. Invest in the gift of fellowship! https://melissaschultzministries.com/join-pace-of-peace/ In the end, no one really wants another iphone for Christmas. What we want is connection with others. We want to find meaning in our lives. How we do that is through the Lord. His vision for us supersedes all selfish desires. In the end, whatever junk we are putting in to fill the void of purpose will never be enough. Food will never be enough. Material things will never be enough. A new car is not going to fix your marriage. Turning to the Lord will.   Jennie Allen's Book Find us on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/cheeringpastchallenges/ https://www.facebook.com/cheeringpastchallenges https://www.pinterest.com/cheeringpastchallenges Check out our website: www.cheeringpastchallenges.com    

Apostate Church Witchcraft (5)  (audio)  David Eells – 12/17/23  Backsliding of the Simple   Father, we ask for Your anointing and Your wisdom to go forth today. We love You, Lord. We run after You and all that You are. Lord, many people believe that they have arrived, and that's a sad thing. There's always a goal, and the goal is Christ and Christlikeness, and they don't know it, Lord. For that reason, “the backsliding of the simple shall slay them.” Father, help us today to understand these things. We ask it in Jesus' Name, amen.   I'd like to begin our study with the verse I just quoted. (Pro.1:32) For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them… Now when Scripture talks about “falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2:3; Jude 1:24), it's talking about “backsliding” (Isaiah 57:17; Jeremiah 2:19; etc.) because both the Greek apostasia and the Hebrew meshubah have the same meaning. (Pro.1:32) For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.   We have a problem; Our “hard drive” is infected with this world and its ways and its thinking, and it has to be renewed. I know many people believe that the beginning and the end of Christianity is to “just accept Jesus as your personal Savior,” but that cannot be found written in the Word. What is written in the Word is “repent and believe,” which means to “change your mind and believe what I say” (Matthew 21:32; Mark 1:15). Yet too many people think they've stepped over some magic line and now they can just sit down and rest in the flesh, but then they don't, they can't, bear fruit (Matthew 17:17-19; Luke 6:43). Without bearing fruit, we are not being “born from above” (John 3:3,7).   Let's go back to verse 20 and look at Who wrote “For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them.” (Pro.1:20) Wisdom crieth aloud in the street… So we see Wisdom is the One speaking here. Scripture also says, (1Co.1:24) … Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. This is Jesus speaking; He is the Wisdom of God. And from John, we know that He's also the Word of God. (Joh.1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  Therefore the Word of God is the Wisdom of God, and the Word gives us very clear directions to seek Him, not just once by shaking a preacher's hand or any such thing as that, but to seek Him and put that Wisdom into our heart. Putting that Wisdom in our heart is what will protect and deliver us from this falling away because, as the Bible warns us, (Psa.58:3) The wicked are estranged from the womb: They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. There is a people who are born in their spirit but they don't seek that fruit in their soul, which is their mind, will, and emotions.    Continuing... (Pro.1:20) Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; She uttereth her voice in the broad places (That's the broad road where the “many” are as in Matthew 7:13.); (21) She crieth in the chief place of concourse; At the entrance of the gates, In the city, she uttereth her words: (22) How long, ye simple ones (The Hebrew word there is pthiy and it means “foolish; silly, as in ‘able to be seduced'; naive.” These people are “simple” to the knowledge of God.), will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?  Fools hate knowledge. Do you know how we know that people hate knowledge? It's because they don't choose to seek it out; they choose the world and the worldly pleasures. They let someone just “tell them how it is,” instead of seeking out their own salvation (Php.2:12) …with fear and trembling. They would rather pay some preacher somewhere to give them the “truth.” Here's the truth, (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen.    Paul said to Timothy, (2Ti.1:8) Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God; (9) who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal. “Who saved us, and called us”: You don't get this calling until you get saved.   This “calling” is the Greek word klésis and it means “invitation.” We are being invited to partake of the things of the Kingdom of God, yet many people are not partaking of these, although it's written in there plainly. You can show it to them, but they've been inoculated by dead religion to not believe what is written and that's why many are the called and few are the chosen.   Now when you go out into a field that you have planted, which is what God has done in a parable (Genesis 49:2; Isaiah 3:14,5:7,17:10,27:2; Amos 5:11; etc.), you're looking for the fruit. You're going to pick the fruit. You don't care about the plant. You plow the plant under and it goes back to the soil, just like the old body. Jesus, in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-8,18-23; Mark 4:2-9,13-20; Luke 8:4-15) pointed out to us four different types of people, and three of the four, when they heard the Good News, fell away, even though they were the ones, at least the last three, these were the ones who were called.   (Mar.4:14) The sower soweth the word. (15) And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in them. (We have seen this with the factious and it is astounding.) (16) And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky [places], who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy; (Same here) (17) and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble.  (18) And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word, (19) and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Like Jesus' parables of those distracted with the world.) (20) And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.  Notice after receiving the word we are to bear the fruit of it, which is “Christ in you”. Again, three of the four types, when they heard the Good News, fell away. Only one bore fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred-fold. These are the true Kingdom people. So if you “love simplicity,” if you love the very simple lie that all you need to do is accept him as your personal savior and then sit on a pew and wait for the rapture, well, you're one of these fools who hates knowledge. If that's all you do, you're hating knowledge. You need to seek out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).   (Pro.1:23-26) Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you (Many reject the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Wisdom. If we don't seek out our own salvation, we are rejecting the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Wisdom as it was given in the book of Acts.); I will make known my words unto you. (24) Because I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;   (25) But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof: (26) I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (27) When your fear cometh as a storm, And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; When distress and anguish come upon you. (28) Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me: (29) For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the Lord.   (The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, in Proverbs 9:10), (30) They would none of my counsel, They despised all my reproof. It's much simpler to let a preacher who is walking in the flesh tell you how easy it is to be in the Kingdom, and that you really don't have to lose your life as Jesus said, in order to gain your life (Matthew 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 9:23-24; John 12:25). “You don't really have to do that, that's the hard way, just listen wonderful words, pay your tithes and everything will be okay.”  (Pro.1:31) Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices. The “devices” that are out there now put many to sleep; “Unconditional eternal security” is a particularly deadly one. It teaches that you don't have to do anything after receiving salvation, but but Scripture teaches differently. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith (Which is the substance of the thing hoped for while the evidence is not seen); and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of (man's) works, that no man should glory. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.   Those who don't have the “good works” of God are obviously not the people of God, and they will speak against “works,” although the Bible says just the opposite. The Bible says that you're going to be judged according to your works, and it says it very clearly, over and over and over (Hebrews 11:8-30; James 2:14-26; etc.) So how do we bear the fruit of good works? First of all, we have to put goodness in our heart, because it is that Wisdom of God, the Word of God, that re-programs our hard-drive to think, walk, talk, and bear the fruit of Jesus Christ.   (Pro.1:32) For the backsliding (Again, the “backsliding” is the “falling-away” which the lost can't do) the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them. (33) But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, And shall be quiet without fear of evil. Wisdom says to these simpletons in (Pro.2:1) My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee; (2) So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding; (3) Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding… The Bible promises that if we ask the Lord for wisdom, He will give it to us. If you ask Him for understanding, He will give it to you. Don't be double-minded, but ask Him and seek Him as in James 1:5-8. Ask Him even to put it in your heart to desire it.   (Pro.2:4) If thou seek her (Wisdom) as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures: (5) Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord (Yes, you must have the fear of the Lord. Many people hear the Scriptures, but totally ignore what they've heard because they don't have the fear of the Lord.), And find the knowledge of God. (6) For the Lord giveth wisdom; Out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding: (7) He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; [He is] a shield to them that walk in integrity;   (8) That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints. (9) Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, [yea,] every good path. (10) For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul; (11) Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee: (12) To deliver thee from the way of evil, From the men that speak perverse things; (13) Whoso forsaketh the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness;   (Which is what so many people do: they get saved by faith, and then continue to walk in the same way they've always walked, not seeking out the knowledge and wisdom of God to know even what is the Will of God.) (14) Who rejoice to do evil, And delight in the perverseness of evil; (15) Who are crooked in their ways, And wayward in their paths: (16) To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words. The “strange woman” is the “harlot” of Revelation 17, but that harlot is the “mother of the harlots” of the earth (Revelation 17:5).   Only the seed of Christ bears the fruit of Christ.  All of those sects that came out of the mother are also called “harlots” because every one of those denominations received their own seed, the seed that wasn't the seed of the Husband. That makes them harlots. They received their own wisdom and their own knowledge. The knowledge of the Gospel is being ignored. They've reduced it to nothing more than moralizing and there is no hope for moralizing. Those apostate preachers may get up and give a Scripture verse or two on Sunday morning, but the rest of the time, it's all their knowledge and their wisdom.   Folks, there's nothing more important than the Word of God! The Word going into your heart re-creates Jesus Christ in you. He is the Word. It's the Word that does this; nothing else can do it. Moralizing won't give you the knowledge of the Gospel. Moralizing won't give you the knowledge of how you can receive, freely, the Nature of Jesus Christ. It won't give you that confidence that this is your gift from God, that this is the reconciliation that He gave you at the Cross (Romans 5:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Colossians 1:21-22).   He took your life, nailed it on the Cross, and gave you His Life. As Paul proclaimed, (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. In other words, “Now it's no longer I that live, it's Christ that lives in me.”  Rejoice in this free gift and it will be received.  (Pro.2:16) To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words (Those apostate preachers will make it easy for you. They will lead you in their crooked ways and in their wayward paths that do not include the crucified life or being filled with the Spirit who leads you in truth exactly as the first disciples were and filled them with the supernatural gifts.); (17) That forsaketh the friend of her youth (That's the One Who saved you in the beginning, Jesus, the One you loved in the beginning. Now they want to give you another “Jesus” and another “gospel” and another “spirit.”), And forgetteth the covenant of her God…    Some people don't even get to know that Covenant before they're led astray from the Bible by the teachings of men and their modern gospel. As Jesus said to the Pharisees of His day, (Mar.7:6) … Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. (7) But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.   (8) Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men. (9) … Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition… (13) making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do. There's no difference in the nature of man from the time Jesus said that until now. We must repent and believe what He says; this is how we are reprogrammed to walk the straight walk.   (Pro.2:18) For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead. It's true; every one of those harlots' houses “inclineth unto death.” (Pro.2:19) None that go unto her return again, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life: (20) That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous. (21) For the upright shall dwell in the land… This is the land of God's people, the Promised Land, and each promise that we read in the Word will become ours if we are bold to stand on it. (Deu.11:24) Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours… God is saying, “Every place you put your foot, I will give it to you.”    God has given us this “land” that we walk in, which is this flesh that comes from the earth, in order for us to conquer it. And those tribes that originally inhabited the land, the Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, and so on (Deuteronomy 7:1-3), all represent the lusts of the “old man” that had to be conquered in order to take that land for the spiritual man, Jesus Christ, Who is (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory. He's growing in you like a little baby. You must feed Him; don't feed the flesh, feed Him.   (Mat.12:46) While he (Jesus) was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him. (47) And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to speak to thee. (48) But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? (49) And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren! (50) For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother. Those who do the Will of the Father are those who are bringing forth the fruit of Jesus Christ in their life.   (Pro.2:21) For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the perfect shall remain in it. There is a great falling-away because there is a broad road to destruction, as Jesus said. (Mat.7:13) Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. (14) For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.   We don't know the narrow road unless we study the wisdom of God, which is all through the Bible. (2Jn.1:9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. It's not who starts out with you; it's who continues. There are lots of people who think they know the teaching, but they're getting it second, third, fourth, and fifth hand.   The only way you're going to know the teaching and the wisdom of God is to study the Word and seek out the wisdom of God for yourself. Don't go into a dead church and be leavened the rest of your life. People who go there don't ever come out! They're wasting their life, never coming to know the wisdom of God.  (Pro.2:21) For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the perfect shall remain in it. (“Perfect” is a word that also means “mature.” Those who come into the Image of Christ are mature.) (22) But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it. This is still talking about the same people; the wicked are the treacherous. You see, the wicked may start out with you, but they don't finish with you.   (1Jn.2:19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out,] that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us. The wicked will be cut off from the land, which is the Land of Promise. They will not know the promises, they will not live by the promises. Paul exhorted God's people to not be sons of the “handmaid,” but to be sons of the “freewoman,” because it's going to be proven that not everyone who is a son of Abraham is chosen. Many are called, but few are chosen.   (Gal.4:22) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman. (23) Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the [son] by the freewoman [is born] through promise. The promise is what begets you again unto Jesus Christ and everything that He is and all that He does and thinks. It's the promise that does this. It is not being moralized; it is not joining a religion. The son of the freewoman is born through promise.   Abraham so badly wanted Ishmael to be chosen by God, and I, too, have wanted people to be chosen by God, and I, too, have “sown seed” in both the “freewoman” and the “handmaid.” And when the sons of the handmaid begin to fall away, I cry for them, but they are manifesting who they are. (Gal.4:24) Which things contain an allegory: for these [women] are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar. If you're born of “Hagar” then you're in bondage and staying there.   Even while you're in religion, you can be in bondage just as the Israelites were. They were in so much bondage that when Jesus came to bring them to the higher order, they couldn't come out of bondage. (25) Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia (It was the Israelites who went to Mount Sinai and so Paul is applying this to them, because they were in bondage and they didn't know it.) and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is (That's the physical Jerusalem over there in the Middle East that's in bondage.): for she is in bondage with her children.   (26) But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. Praise the Lord! We are being born from above, first spirit, then soul, and then body. The “soul” is the mind, the will, and the emotions. Your soul has to walk after the Spirit to receive the nature of that Spirit in order for you to bear His fruit in your soul.   (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. When you were first saved, you received a born-again spirit, but now you have to go on to bear that fruit in your soul. Only if you bear the fruit, which is Christlikeness, will you get that new body, the born-again body, like His Body.   So how do you bear fruit? The way you bear fruit immediately is that you believe you have received. Jesus said, (Mar.11:24) … All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe ye received (The Greek word there lambanó is past tense in the original.) them, and ye shall have them. You walk by faith for them until you see them. Everything that the Lord offers will be nothing to the person who doesn't reach out and receive the promises by faith. They will not come to pass, and Paul tells us why. (Heb.4:2) … The word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. You see, they didn't mix faith with the words.  (Pro.4:4) And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live. How are you going to continue to live? You continue to live by studying and keeping His commandments, delighting in His commandments and delighting in being pleasing unto Him. Jesus said, “He that loves me will keep my commandments” (John 14:21,23- 24). You don't love Him if you're keeping the commandments of men.   Men make it easy for the “old man” to live because they don't want to lose their old life. (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:8-10; etc.) They don't like the crucified life that comes with loving the commandments of God. (Pro.4:5) Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth; Get wisdom, get understanding. (6) Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee. That's the truth, Wisdom will keep you from falling away.   (7) Wisdom is the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding. … (Pro.4:20) My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. (21) Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart. (22) For they are life…   Some people think that eternal life is something that God put in their hand and that He can't take it back, but John tells us, (1Jn.5:11) And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. You see, God didn't put anything in your hand. He gave eternal life to be in the Son, and abiding in the Son is where we have eternal life.   (Pro.4:22) For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh. I've passed up the opportunity to die many times because I knew what the Word of God said. I knew what the Covenant was and I didn't depart from it, but I was tested. God tests us. I was tested, but I passed up my opportunities to die and continued to bear fruit. You see, if you die too soon, you don't bear the fruit you could have borne if you had continued on.   Many people don't even know that we're not under the curse. They don't know that Jesus is our Passover Lamb. They don't know that the “destroyer” was meant to pass over us and take out the Egyptians (Exodus 12:23; Job 15:21; 1 Corinthians 10:10; etc.) So many people are passing up the calling!   (Pro.4:23) Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. Life comes out of your heart and if you put the Wisdom of God in there, just like in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9,18-23; Mark 4:1-9,13-20; Luke 8:4-15), you will be re-programmed. Please understand that you are in danger, and the only place you have safety is in Him. If three out of every four people who hear the Gospel fall away from it, you are in danger. You need to keep on putting the Wisdom of God in your life. It will save, it will “preserve thee,” the Bible says (Proverbs 4:6).   Let's look at the Parable of the Sower. (Mat.13:10) And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He was speaking, of course, to the Jews, who had the Covenant first. Jesus said, (Mat.15:24) … I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But remember, (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.   Once again, a Man-child is coming to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel,” only now as Paul said, (Rom.2:28) … he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: (29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Now true “Israel” are the ones who seek the born-again experience, not just in spirit, but in soul, and ultimately, in body.   These are the ones who have the Covenant, these are the ones who are on the path, the narrow path, unto eternal life. And if you start in faith, since faith is accounted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3-22; Galatians 3:6-7; James 2:23), even when you start on that path, as long as you stay on that path, you are assured of eternal life. Not because you have manifested it, but because you are walking by faith for it.  Notice the disciples asked, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Of course, they wanted their brethren, the Jews, to be saved. Of course, they wanted them to understand. “Make it simple for them, Jesus, like the preachers do.” (Mat.13:11) And he (Jesus) answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. My goodness! That sounds like there was a reprobation at the beginning of the Man-child Jesus' ministry.   Today there's a Man-child ministry coming again, only this time to the church, and once again we have the same situation. These people are not disciples. They cannot hear. They've been inoculated against the truth. The Man-child speaks in parables and they cannot understand, but He won't speak to them in any other way (Psalm 78:1-72; Matthew 13:34-35). The Bible says that He took His disciples aside, privately, and explained to them all things (Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:10). A disciple is a mathetes, a “learner and a follower.” Disciples are studying the Master; they're studying the Master to walk in His steps. (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked.   It's not all those eminent preachers in their fancy suits; it is Jesus Who is our demonstration of true Christianity, which is to walk as He walked. It is to manifest His gifts, His works, everything. (Heb.7:25) Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost (The Greek word there is pantelés and it means “completely, forever, entirely.”) them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. But although you see that it's a free gift from God, you have to receive by faith the promise of (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory.   (Mat.13:12) For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance… “Whosever hath … abundance” of what? This is speaking of “whosoever hath” understanding, “whosoever hath” fruit of what they have received. You see, if we walk in the Light, He puts more Light in our pathway. This is someone who has been given this fruit, who has been given this understanding. That is who “shall have abundance.” This is someone who is walking in Light, therefore they deserve more Light. There's no use in putting out more Light in front of someone who's not going to walk in the light they have; they would just be condemned that much more.   So God gives you a little Light, and if you walk in that, He gives you more Light. (Pro.4:18) … The path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Psa.119:105) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path. He gives you a lamp for your feet to show you where you stand because, if you know where you are, He can show you where to go. We need to know that. Some people are in total denial about where they stand. These people believe that they've already arrived at perfection by some magic words that they've spoken or something that they did.   (Mat.13:12) For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. Jesus gave the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:13-30; Luke 19:11-27) about that exact situation. Two of the three servants multiplied the talents their lord entrusted to them, but the third servant did nothing with what he was given. His Lord was angry with him and said, (Luk.19:22) … Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that which I laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow; (23) then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest?   (24) And he said unto them that stood by, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds. (25) And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds. (26) I say unto you, that unto every one that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him. When they protested, “But he has ten!” it was because they didn't understand God. We're called to be disciples of Jesus Christ and to walk in His steps, but far too many people are like that third servant and they wouldn't touch discipleship with a ten-foot pole.   They've never even been taught that they needed, or even had an opportunity, to become a disciple. And so, because they bear no fruit and they haven't sought wisdom, even though God has borne with them up to that point, finally He reprobates them, or in other words, “even that which he hath shall be taken away from him.” (Mat.13:13) Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. They have physical eyes to see, but not spiritual eyes to see. How do you get spiritual eyes to see? You have to come to know the One Who wrote the Book. That's how you get spiritual eyes to see and that's how you get spiritual ears to hear because you'll hear only His voice, as Jesus said. (Joh.10:27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Sadly, many people like to leave out that last part, “they follow me.”   (Mat.13:14) And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive (Now we know what “understanding” is, and what “perceiving” is.): (15) For this people's heart is waxed gross… He's talking about His people, the “lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and even today, there is the “lost sheep of the house of the church” because they've lost the path. They don't know the way and they don't know that the end of that way is (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory. They don't even know that the procession that leads up to that point is Christ increasingly growing in you like a baby in the womb.   (Mat.13:15) For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart… They're afraid to know the truth. It would make them responsible to know the truth. It's easier just to “accept Jesus as your personal Savior.” Now, I'm not saying that can't be a beginning, if there was a true repentance involved, but otherwise, you're just filling a church pew and your self-deception will be revealed further down the road.  (Mat.13:15) For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. God really wants to heal us. He wants to heal us spiritually, physically, and every other way. These are the benefits of the Kingdom. It is for the called, the invited. (2Ti.1:9) Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal.  So when you get saved, you get invited. When you get saved in your spirit, you get a new spirit from God, and according to what the Scripture says, you receive a “born-again spirit” and now you are invited to partake of the benefits of the Kingdom because now you are a Kingdom person (John 3:3,5). The world doesn't have this calling. This calling is not “Hey! Come to Jesus!” No, it's, “Who saved them and called them.” You get saved and then you get this invitation to partake of the Kingdom. In Israel, the Israelite had the benefits of the Kingdom; the pagans did not.   (Mat.13:16) But blessed are your eyes, for they see (Here Jesus is talking to His disciples.); and your ears, for they hear. (17) For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see… That's why it's called the “Good News”! The Jews had to struggle to find out every jot and tittle of the Law and keep them, or else slay a lamb. Our Lamb was slain, and the Good News is that what God gives us is a free gift! Oh, praises to His Holy Name!   (Mat.13:17) For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. (18) Hear then ye the parable of the sower. (19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not… Who did He just get through saying did not understand the Word?   It was His people according to the Old Covenant, but the Manchild ministry that is coming is going to renew a call to the true Gospel, which many of the people have never heard. Yet many of them will choose to stick to their religion because it's easy: “Come and pay your tithes and you'll just go right into the Kingdom.” Bologna!   (Mat.13:19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, [then] cometh the evil [one,] and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. (I've seen this happen when telling people what the true Good News is, and they'd rather go back to their religion because it doesn't demand anything from them.) This is he that was sown by the way side. (No, not much of a chance to bear any fruit there.)   (20) And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it (You run across these people too; they're happy because it really is good news.); (21) yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. There it is! There's the falling away. This is someone who, in the beginning, received the Good News with joy, but then they didn't allow it to take deep root in self.      Run From The Flesh  Anonymous 5/28/23 (David's notes in red)  I dreamed that my husband and I had a newborn baby, (bearing the fruit of Christ) and we went inside my grandparents' house to grab something we had left behind. (The grandparents' house represents the apostate religion we inherited. Going back for something left behind represents backsliding. Luk 17:31 In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and let him that is in the field likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot's wife.) No one was there and my grandparents were not supposed to be back for a long time.   While we were inside, we decided to use the bathroom. (Repentance.) As I was waiting for my turn, I had a vision that demons in my grandparents knew that we were here. (Many times our grandparents dead religion gets passed down to us through our parents.) My grandparents did not know that we were here, but the demons caused them to come back quickly to catch us there. (When we backslide or go back to sinful or useless doctrines, ways, and thought patterns, When the faction are turned over to the demons they often do this. If we do this we give the demons permission to come back along with our youthful lusts. Mat 12:43-44 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.) In real life we aren't in communication with the old physical family, and in the dream we both wanted to avoid them and not be around them.  I told my husband what I saw, so we quickly finished what we were doing so we could leave. Suddenly, my grandparents walked through the front door with a few of their friends and other family members. (45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation.)   My step grandma's hair was much longer than it is in real life and in the dream, it was very long with streaks of red, pink and different shades of brown in it. (Long hair is a sign of submission and the streaks of unnatural colors mean submission, to red- guilty of blood of the saints, pink- sexual perversion, brown- represents the Nazi like factious and is in many dreams about them.) I commented that I liked the long hair on her better than it being very short.   In real life my step grandmother (Jezebel) had been physically abusing my grandad (Ahab) and they had broken up. So, I was confused as to why they were together. (Since they obviously switch the natural roles of man and woman.)  We wanted to leave immediately, and I felt strongly to hide my baby from every person there, so I had my baby tucked inside my dress, hidden. (Fruit hidden in her dress means fruit hidden in her. This protects our fruit, the baby. Our treasure is the truth that factious people want to steal from us, as it was stolen from them. If we believe their slander the demons come in and all truth is lost.) Every person there kept trying to look at my baby, but I kept turning my body to keep the baby away from them and I did my best to completely hide the baby. (When the demons see fruit they immediately want to attack it, especially Jezebel and faction spirits.)  There was a man there named Shawn who I have never met before, and I wondered who he was. (Shawn means “God is gracious” and represents those that will come out of the apostate church by God's Grace.)   Everyone kept trying to make small talk, and we just really wanted to leave. (Small talk are the subtle lying thoughts and vain imaginations of the flesh and demons to keep us trapped in the past.)   My step grandmother said that there was a town called ‘MarleyVille' nearby and that it originated by a man that placed an omen (sign of something to come) on the mountain. (The name Marley means “pleasant wood” or “marshy meadow,” so it represents a swamp of the wood hay and stubble of the works of man.) They established a town there from it and the connection from the omen has lines going through the whole town and into every house. We wanted nothing to do with that town or these conversations. (It is bondage of the old man and religious works of the apostate church.)  I was trying so hard to hide my baby from everyone. They kept trying to look at him so my husband and I with my baby in my dress just sprinted out of the house so fast, without saying goodbye. (When we leave the past apostasy to follow Jesus, we don't hesitate. Psa 143:9 Deliver me, O Jehovah, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. 2Ti 2:22 But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.  We ran far up the street which was a big hill (Forsaking Babylon for Zion) and got to our car to leave. The man, Shawn sprinted out of the house after us, not to stop us but he felt to follow us and to leave. (So the one called “God is gracious” left the house of the apostates and followed this dreamer to Zion.) No other person came out of the house. (Because they had no grace from God.)   (I felt this dream was a warning to not get distracted by the old physical family or carnal man and to not get distracted by anyone that isn't manifesting Christ. I was reminded of these verses: Pro 13:20 Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise; But the companion of fools shall smart for it.   2Co 6:14-18 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?  15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.)    The Harlot Church Is Sick and Dying  Anonymous 5/28/23 (David's notes in red)   In my dream my physical dad (Representing the apostate leader of the apostate Church) contacted me; he was very upset as his wife (who represents the apostate church) was ill. He said the doctors couldn't do anything to help her and he was begging us to come see them. (Most of us came out of a church like this and don't want to go back but they always want you back.) After the call I discussed with my wife whether we should go visit them or not. I was reluctant to go, yet to my surprise my wife said we need to go and leave right now, because she felt the right thing to do was to go see my physical parents. (Sometimes the things that seem right and moral to the flesh and world, are contrary to God's way. When Jesus' family wanted to see Him, He said that those who do the will of God are His family).   Mar 3:33-35 And he answered them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren? 34 And looking round on them that sat round him in a circle, he saith, See, my mother and my brethren! 35 whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother and sister and mother.   (Also, the men as the head are to seek God for His will and to not give into the woman. 1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 1Ti 2:12-15 But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman being much deceived hath fallen into transgression: 15 but she shall be saved through the childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.)  We drove for a couple of days to get to them. We were in such an urgency that we barely slept and ate little. (The flesh often acts in haste and runs on adrenalin. If we are out of God's will he gives us signs along the way.)   When we arrived, my dad ran out to us and said that his wife has a disease that's throughout her body, spreading from her heart to her liver. (The heart represents the soul, which is the mind, will and emotions, and liver (a vital part of our gastrointestinal system) represents discernment. The apostate church is diseased throughout the whole body because of her rebellion and the food or leaven they are digesting like their false doctrines, religious theologies, and lack of spiritual discernment and growth, therefore she is sick and dying.)  (Pro 4:4 And he (Father) taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live; Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Jehovah, God of hosts. Psa 119:11 Thy word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against thee.)   He said she is laying down and can barely move and she hasn't gotten up in days. (2Pe 3:8 But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. It's been 2000 years (or 2 days) since Jesus began with the first church. The apostate church has not been “born from above”, through the true Word and power of the Holy Spirit and she is still into the earthly works of the flesh.)   Someone then came out and handed me a note that was written in red and it was from my physical mum (the apostate church) and it said something about me going to sit with her and feed her. (Jer 51:9-10 ASV  We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country; for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.  10  Jehovah hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of Jehovah our God.)  I told my wife and she stayed outside of the house. I walked up the stairs to go see her as I battled evil thoughts and lies and fighting in the spirit in prayer. I entered the lounge room and she was lying on a bed (the harlot, Jezebel.) Rev 2:20-22 But I have against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself prophetess;... 22 Lo, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works.) He bed was set up near the front door. (Jesus is the Door and the apostate church have only just “gotten their foot in the door” they think but many are wrong for they are not bearing fruit and are dying.)  She was very pale (From lack of the blood) and thin and she didn't have energy to talk but nodded and moved her arm to motion to me to sit. Next to her was a tub of vanilla ice cream and she was holding a spoon. (Ice cream is made from milk, which is for babies, with added sugar and flavoring, which is sweet to the flesh to permit her to live in the flesh. Anything but the crucified life. It represents the false teachings she has used to seduce and cause many to fall into fornication and idolatry with her.  Rev 2:20 ... and she teacheth and seduceth my bondmen to commit fornication, and to eat idol sacrifices. 21 And I gave her time to repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication.)   I said, ‘That stuff's not good for you, you need something healthy.' She then gently pushed my hand with the spoon towards the ice cream. I then felt that it was okay to grab her a spoonful and give it to her. 1Co 3:2 I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able;  She put the food into her mouth herself and was smiling. (The apostate church is happy on the flesh pleasing doctrines and don't know they are spiritually dying.)    Escaping The Harlot   Anonymous 4/29/23 (David's notes in red)    I dreamed that I was watching this man in third person. He was a teenager and had brown skin, short hair, brown eyes and he was wearing an emerald green shirt. (Emerald represents new life.) This man was introverted (Probably from rejection and fear) and kept to himself, but he loved Jesus and had a relationship with God.    The man was currently at a school with classrooms where he was in a courtyard, which was set up differently from most schools. (The school buildings and classrooms here represent the different church denominations many pass through and their religious teachings where many first begin to learn about God. The courtyard represents the paths of life and its choices to make seeking direction.) The courtyard had paths that went in a zig zag shape (back and forth directions with sharp turns) from the left side to the right, but each path had a vertical way (up towards God) that was a dead end, and there were pockets to hide.  (This reminds us of the confusion of Babylon.)  The classrooms were on every side of the courtyard and the buildings were open, so you could go in there but there was no way out of the room, so these were also dead ends. Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death. (If one does not read their Bible to see what Christians are, they can get caught in a Babylonish church for many years wasting their lives. Many in the apostate church believe there are many ways to God and many other deceptive doctrines.)   The courtyard was very narrow and long, and it had buildings on the left and right and there was no way to get out of the courtyard except from an entrance on the far left or an entrance on the far right and all the buildings were blocking an escape. (Jesus said, He is the Way and it is a narrow and straightened way to Life. Go the Way of searching the Word.)   (Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. Mat 7:13-14 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.   Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Many are so full of religious spirits and doctrines of demons they are trapped but Jesus is coming to set the captives free and to open their prisons – Isa 61. Look at the fruit of those in the trap. If they are not bearing fruit the seed of the Lord is not being sowed.) Pro 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.) Everyone in his grade was wearing a navy polo-shirt with a red line on the collar, and everyone in other grades had different colored shirts. (“A red line” represents a legalistic line you don't want to cross. The grades represent their opinion of the maturity level in Christ but this is always judged by their fleshly age and not their age in the Lord.)   I think it was lunch time and most of his grade were hanging together on the very far left of the courtyard near the entrance. The other people in his grade were in small groups of 3 to 5 people and they were spread out towards the right but one of them was very far towards the right.   This man with the green shirt (Representing Life), whom I was watching, just wanted to spend alone time in prayer and reading the Word, so he went a bit further to the right and found a spot to read alone. (Many times Jesus left the crowds to be alone to pray.) Mar 6:31 And he saith unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while…  After a little bit he started to feel that something wasn't right and that people were in danger so he went back along the way and found where most of his grade were at the far-left corner. He saw they were all huddled up with teachers instructing. He came up and walked through some of the crowd to see what the teachers were saying. A man in his grade said to him, "Don't stay here, just leave quickly." He wasn't sure what was going on, but then that man who had spoken, was grabbed by a female teacher and taken away. The same man said, "They are taking us away and we don't know where." (The “far left” in “Chrisian” education are taking the many away from God.)   It was made known that they were rounding them all up to go or do something that was not right. Because this man wasn't in that crowded area he wasn't noticed or put on the list and so he had a chance to escape. 2Pe 2:9 the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto a day of judgment. (Luk 21:36 But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.)   He then left the crowd to run to back from where he had just come from, and a female teacher saw him trying to escape and called out for him, but he ignored her and just kept running out. (The female teacher represents false teachers and preachers in the harlot church who try to stop those who are truly seeking the Lord from leaving their dominion. But God calls His students of the Word out of the apostate sheepfold.)    She chased him through the zig zag pathways (The crooked path of Babylon), and the man tried to pretend he went into a classroom, knowing he couldn't actually escape that way, because it was a dead end, and they would catch him. (All the denominations are dead ends.) But he opened doors when she wasn't in the same hallway to make it seem like he went in there. He ran past up many different people in different grades and also the small groups of people that were in his grade. (He passed up the maturity of many on his way out.) As the lady teacher ran to the area where the people were, she would tell them to quickly move to the far-left area with the rest of their grade. (Herding the goats on the left into their rebellion.)   The man was doing everything to out-run her, but because of the design of the buildings and courtyard he couldn't run to an area where she couldn't see him. He finally got to the far-right area and there were no people in the courtyard there. (There are not many that go to the right... Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few chosen.) He ran to get out the only exit gate but it was locked. (Their religious spirits want to keep people confined.) So, he ran into the six-story building that was on the right of the gate. (Six is the number of man.) The lady saw him and stopped chasing him, believing he would be caught because there was no other escape, and she called on the radio for an announcement across the whole school speakers saying, "Catch the hazelnut skin man in the green shirt."  (Hazelnut is a seed which can bear great fruit if planted in the right soil. This man is looking for that soil.)  The man heard the announcement as well as all teachers so he knew to avoid them. He ran past classrooms and the teachers came out to grab him, however, he was too fast for them. He ran upstairs to get to the next level where more teachers came out of their classrooms, but he ran past all of them and not one person could even touch him. (We keep running the race towards the Prize of Christ! Php 3:14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.)    He got to the next level and he looked up and saw there was already another man waiting for him on the next level. Luk 4:30 But HE passing through the midst of them went his way.  This man had strong faith and he believed God wouldn't fail him and he believed if he jumped in faith God would help him. So, he just jumped in faith and flew to the fifth story which was above the man he saw before. He couldn't see anyone but he ran to the sixth story and went into the only room there, but it wasn't a classroom. It was like a fancy house or a penthouse.    He ran through and then he saw there were two glass doors open to the outside that had fake grass, and the only way out after that would be to jump. Then a man appeared from inside the penthouse and he had long blonde hair and was wearing an undershirt and he said, "You are going to wish you didn't come up here." And that man expected him to surrender because there was no other natural safe way to escape.    The man in the green shirt didn't hesitate but ran straight out the glass doors outside. He had no doubt, or unbelief, and he knew that God would either translate him or fly him somewhere. He had strong bold faith and without looking back, he ran straight off the building, and I knew that he was going to be physically safe. When he jumped, I instantly woke up.  (Rom 1:17 ASV  For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.)

Education is a life. That life is sustained on ideas. Ideas are of spiritual origin, and God has made us so that we get them chiefly as we convey them to one another, whether by word of mouth, written page, Scripture word, musical symphony; but we must sustain a child's inner life with ideas as we sustain his body with food. Charlotte Mason, Toward a Philosophy of Education Show Summary: Cindy and Dawn take some time for a more informal chat about some ideas that have been on their minds and hearts lately The danger of “windows and mirrors” and trying to see ourselves instead of looking to God Some thoughts on narration and attention The value of listening to the experience of older homeschool moms Books and Links Mentioned: The Lord Bless You and Keep You by Michael J. Glodo Six Voices, One Story by the Ambleside Education Foundation   Education, like faith, is “the evidence of things not seen.” Charlotte Mason, from Toward a Philosophy of Education   Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms Cindy's Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy's Facebook Cindy's Instagram Dawn's Swedish Drill Website Dawn's Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net  

Welcome to "The Power Of God's Whisper Podcast," where we explore how to listen and respond to God's voice. I'm your host, Matthew Adams, and today we're discussing Galatians 4:6 and the intimate relationship we can have with God as His children. "Because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, 'Abba, Father.'" Let's dive into three key points that will help us understand the depth of our relationship with God and how we can communicate with Him openly and intimately.Thank you for reading My Reasons To Believe. This post is public so feel free to share it.In today's world, many people struggle with understanding the concept of having an intimate relationship with God. But as His children, we're invited to call Him "Abba," an affectionate term for "Father," and to approach Him without fear. Today, we'll talk about the importance of embracing our role as God's children and how it affects the way we communicate with Him.Point 1: We are adopted and favored children of God As children of God, we are not slaves but have been adopted into the divine family. We can approach God with familiarity and speak to Him on intimate terms, without fear or reservation.Point 2: God speaks to us with tenderness and warmth As our heavenly Father, God communicates with us in a personal and affectionate manner. He calls us with terms of endearment, appeals to our hearts, and invites us into a closer relationship with Him.Point 3: Reject the notion of being "too familiar" with God Some may warn us about becoming "too familiar" or "too intimate" with God, but we shouldn't let this hinder our childlike relationship with Him. Embrace the intimacy and connection that comes with being a child of God.Conclusion: As God's children, we are invited to embrace the intimate relationship He offers and to communicate with Him openly and personally. By doing so, we can grow closer to our heavenly Father and experience the warmth and tenderness He desires to share with us.Call to Action: This week, spend time in prayer, calling out to God as "Abba, Father," and embrace the intimacy He offers in your relationship. Share your experiences with friends or family members, and encourage one another to deepen your connection with God as His children.Thank you for joining us on "The Power Of God's Whisper Podcast." If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and subscribe for more discussions on hearing and responding to God's voice. Until next time, may you grow closer to God as His beloved child and experience the love and warmth He has for you.Let's Pray…Abba, my Father, You know that I respect You and bow before You. But I also need to feel Your arms around me and hear Your personal words. Speak warmly, playfully, and affectionately. I need my Abba's love.My Reasons To Believe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to My Reasons To Believe at myr2b.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to "The Power Of God's Whisper Podcast," where we explore how to listen and respond to God's voice. I'm your host, Matthew Adams, and today we're discussing Galatians 4:6 and the intimate relationship we can have with God as His children. "Because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, 'Abba, Father.'" Let's dive into three key points that will help us understand the depth of our relationship with God and how we can communicate with Him openly and intimately.Thank you for reading My Reasons To Believe. This post is public so feel free to share it.In today's world, many people struggle with understanding the concept of having an intimate relationship with God. But as His children, we're invited to call Him "Abba," an affectionate term for "Father," and to approach Him without fear. Today, we'll talk about the importance of embracing our role as God's children and how it affects the way we communicate with Him.Point 1: We are adopted and favored children of God As children of God, we are not slaves but have been adopted into the divine family. We can approach God with familiarity and speak to Him on intimate terms, without fear or reservation.Point 2: God speaks to us with tenderness and warmth As our heavenly Father, God communicates with us in a personal and affectionate manner. He calls us with terms of endearment, appeals to our hearts, and invites us into a closer relationship with Him.Point 3: Reject the notion of being "too familiar" with God Some may warn us about becoming "too familiar" or "too intimate" with God, but we shouldn't let this hinder our childlike relationship with Him. Embrace the intimacy and connection that comes with being a child of God.Conclusion: As God's children, we are invited to embrace the intimate relationship He offers and to communicate with Him openly and personally. By doing so, we can grow closer to our heavenly Father and experience the warmth and tenderness He desires to share with us.Call to Action: This week, spend time in prayer, calling out to God as "Abba, Father," and embrace the intimacy He offers in your relationship. Share your experiences with friends or family members, and encourage one another to deepen your connection with God as His children.Thank you for joining us on "The Power Of God's Whisper Podcast." If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and subscribe for more discussions on hearing and responding to God's voice. Until next time, may you grow closer to God as His beloved child and experience the love and warmth He has for you.Let's Pray…Abba, my Father, You know that I respect You and bow before You. But I also need to feel Your arms around me and hear Your personal words. Speak warmly, playfully, and affectionately. I need my Abba's love.My Reasons To Believe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Power Of God's Whisper at myr2b.substack.com/subscribe

The great Gift of Righteousness -The Gospel begins with the Gift of Righteousness -This is a Gift that is needed by everyone -This is a Gift that has been purchased by the blood of Jesus -We can now go before God in full confidence, in complete right standing before our God Some of the passages we are going to be looking at including Romans 3:27-31 are... I Peter 1:18-19, Romans 5:9, Hebrews 10:19-20...22-23, Hebrews 4:16, Revelation 7:9...13-15...12:10-12, Hebrews 10:29, Romans 1:17

 Series: Romans: Good News/Bad NewsReligious, Moral & In TroubleRomans 2:1-29 Righteousness = Right Standing with God Some people believe morality and/or religion will earn them righteousness. personal morality                         Romans 2:1-5  the judgment of God                     Romans 2:6-11 ·      God's judgment is cumulative.                 ·      His judgement is just.                                ·      The final judgment will be merit based.     ·      God's judgment is universal.   ·      God's judgment is impartial.        Romans 2:12-16 ‌Each person will be judged by the revelation they have.   God's judgment will be based on obedience, not knowledge.  No one is good enough to stand judgment much less judge others.  the benefit of religion                   Romans 2:17-27  the heart of the matter                 Romans 2:28-29  ‌Today's Takeaways  Judging others and failing to examine yourself is a strong temptation for religious people.   External practice does not equal internal purity.     God's standard of judgement is perfection.   The Gospel reveals that we have a Savior. The gospel is not: judgment is gone.The gospel is:  Jesus takes our judgment.     All judgment will be subject to the gospel.  

Our sovereign Queen was 96 when she died. Moses was 120 years old. The people mourned for Moses. Ten days of mourning were called in this country for Queen Elizabeth.---Most of us have not lived under the reign of any other monarch in the UK, just as the people of God had known no other leader but Moses. Most of us had never lived under the reign of any other monarch here in the UK. The passing of Queen Elizabeth is indeed a time for solemn reflection. We might ask 'What is the monarchy- What role is it to perform- We might also ask how does it all fit in the wider purposes of God- Some of these matter will be attended to in a second sermon on this subject.--Main Headings---1- It is right to mourn-2- We respect authority

Our sovereign Queen was 96 when she died. Moses was 120 years old. The people mourned for Moses. Ten days of mourning were called in this country for Queen Elizabeth.---Most of us have not lived under the reign of any other monarch in the UK, just as the people of God had known no other leader but Moses. Most of us had never lived under the reign of any other monarch here in the UK. The passing of Queen Elizabeth is indeed a time for solemn reflection. We might ask 'What is the monarchy-- What role is it to perform-- We might also ask how does it all fit in the wider purposes of God-- Some of these matter will be attended to in a second sermon on this subject.--Main Headings---1- It is right to mourn-2- We respect authority

EASTER: Meditations for Addicts is part of a series of books that includes ADVENT: Meditations for Addicts and is published by The Addiction Connection - both books are tools to draw you closer to Christ. 4 Sundays before Easter: Chapter 2, The Triumphal Entry John 12:12-13 2:00 What about the palm branches from this scene? 4:10 What is the warning for the addicted (and all the rest of humanity too!)? 5:15 How was the donkey's inclusion in the event significant? 9:30 Is it okay to ask God to fix our situations? 10:50 How do we pray according to God's will? 11:45 The enslavement of addiction and the freedom Christ offers 13:30 Following your feelings and the commands of God "Some who struggle with addiction relapse after a lengthy period of sobriety simply because life's circumstances were not giving them what they wanted, wished for, or thought they deserved." - quote from the book EASTER: Meditations for Addicts. p. 59. - published by The Addiction Connection Shirley Crowder is passionate about disciple-making, which is conducted in and through a myriad of ministry opportunities including biblical counseling, teaching Bible studies, writing, and music. She serves as Vice President of The Addiction Connection. Shirley is an award-winning author with several of her articles appearing in “Paper Pulpit” in the Faith section of The Gadsden (Alabama) Times. She also has published articles for David C. Cook, Student Life, and Woman's Missionary Union publications. She contributes to several blogs. She is published as an author, co-author, and contributing author of twelve books. Mark E. Shaw, D.Min., is the Founder of The Addiction Connection and serves as Director of Counseling at Grace Fellowship Church in Florence, KY. He has authored over 23 books on biblical counseling and addictions. Need Help? The Addiction Connection offers hope and healing to those struggling with addiction. Start your search for biblical programs here. Consider contacting one of our Commissioned Addictions Biblical Counselors who are available to help you. Residential Programs we recommend. Non-residential Programs we recommend. Do you want to start a Biblical outreach to those in addiction? Check out this disciple-making curriculum we created just for you entitled Next Steps: Be TRANSFORMED.

Where does the church go from here?As our churches emerge from the pandemic, what direction will we take? What is our vision for the future? Where are our churches going? How do we find our calling?These are some of the questions my guest, Markus Watson, addresses in this week's episode.Markus is a Presbyterian minister in San Diego, CA. In our conversation he digs down into the heart of what church is all about.He shares how at first, he resisted the call to go into the ministry, but now pastors not only a church, but other pastors and churches as well.We talked about The challenges pastors face from the pressure their churches put on them and the pressure they put on themselvesThe importance of silence and solitudeSpending time prayerfully in the Scriptures Surrendering the control of the church to God Some of the struggles churches in North America are facing todayMarkus says the real need for churches today is to pay attention to what God is doing in their communities and then get involved in that, to see where healing and wholeness are needed.He defines the church's calling as Shalom, not just peace or the absence of hostilities, but the comprehensive state of well-being that touches every aspect of daily life.The church is called to bring Shalom into the world, to bring this well-being into our relationship with God, with others, with all creation, and with ourselves.Different churches are good at different things. They have different gifts to bless their communities with.How is your church uniquely wired to bless your community?How do you figure that out? That's what Markus's book is all about, Beyond Thingification: Helping Your Church Engage in God's Mission.How is God calling your church?I starts with listening to God and to people in your community and fellow church members. It requires time spent in prayer and in the Scriptures.Over time, you and your church will get a sense of where you belong and where you're going as a church. I asked Markus what Jesus would say if he walked into our churches today."He would say, 'I love you guys. Now, follow me.'"Our call to follow Jesus and serve the world begins with our belovedness. Do we find our identity in what we have accomplished or in Jesus's love for us?We all need to find our identity as "the one whom Jesus loves."Markus defines the ideal church asa community of love for God, each other, and our neighborsa community that takes action flowing from that loveWhere are we going as a church?The church must learn to adapt to be "church" in new ways. Church is not going to look the way it used to. We have to let go of a desire to return to the past.Markus says that the decline of the church is actually a gift which we get to wrestle with. It forces us to answer the question: Why do we exist?It's not just to provide spiritual services for the community. Church exists to bring God's healing and wholeness into the world, to bring God's Shalom into the world.How will your church fulfill it's calling?James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. To register for the 10 week class, The New Testament Angels Still Speak to Us Today, go to Angel ClassSupport the show

What's your immoveable wall been lately?  What are the insecurities that plague you?  This week Kent walks us through why we need to stop walking in someone else's armor and how God longs to get involved and help! Help us advance the Kingdom, support our online ministry (harmonychurch.cc/give).  Got kids?  Check out Harmony Kids online (updated weekly)  https://www.harmonychurch.cc/harmony-kids-online/!  ------------------- Sermon Notes Slide Key: Sermons always start with “OPENING ILLUSTRATION:” and end with “CLOSING ILLUSTRATION:"All scriptures are NIV unless otherwise notedBold = Slide textBold Red = Scriptures (please reflect formatting of scripture on slides, i.e. - underlines, italics, etc.)“b" or “B” on a line by itself = Slide break/New slideBold ALL CAPS WORDS = heading to be ignored[some text] = programming notes to be paid attention to ----------------------------- OPENING ILLUSTRATION: My brother-in-law is a big man, he's 6' 8” tall and just a big fella.   A while back I decided I'd arm wrestle him to see what I'm made of.  We linked hands, looked each other square in the eyes.  He said, “you ready?”  Now, I have to tell you.  I'm no muscle man, but I like to think I've got something when it comes to arm wrestling.  But that day, I realized I had nothing. Joe asked if I was ready and before I knew it he slammed my arm like I was a little girl…  I mean seriously…  I realized I had nothing… Ever been up against a giant?  Something that seemed unbeatable by you? Your whole world is turning to the digital and you feel like you just can't keep up.   You're facing life on your own for the first time in years and you have no idea how you'll make it Your business has grown and you've got to figure out how to scale, but you feel like you've lost control of the whole thing, nothing seems to work and you are struggling… You are not alone in facing challenges that seem impossible… Now, I know, not all of you are in this place, but If I know one thing about life, it's that if you're not in a challenging season now, it's on its way… SCRIPTURE: This is where we find David 1 Samuel 17…King David in the Old Testament is not a king yet - he's just a boy - probably late teens to early 20's-He's not holding court and leading armies-he's watching his fathers sheep and bringing lunch to his brothers If you don't know the storyThe two armies of the Philistines and the Israelites are drawn up against each other, every day from the Philistine side, this giant of a man comes out to challenge the Israelite army… Goliath - he's 9ft tall. He carries a sword, a shield and has a huge spear (10ft tall) Every day he comes out and defy's Israel and every day no one goes out to challenge him… David is door dashing some food for his brothers And while he's there, he hears Goliath challenge the Israelites - Goliath's challenge is that if they defeat him, they will bet the servants of the Israelites, but if he wins, Israel becomes their servants… David asks - “why doesn't someone do something about this?”If you've heard this historical account before, you know what happens… Someone tells King Saul that David is dumb enough and willing enough to go out and fight Goliath. Saul brings him in, I think probably hoping for a champion, and in walks this shepherd boy… 1 Samuel 17:32-4032 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”Saul looks at David and sees him for what he is and knows he's just a kid - you can't take this guy… He sees David like some you see yourself David tells Saul, “Look, I've fought off lions and bears protecting my father's sheep…  I didn't run from them, I ran to them and I've killed the lion and the bear, Goliath is nothing the Lord can't rescue me from…” This is what Saul does, there is something in David that he believes him…  Maybe he figures if David loses he can pawn it off, “I don't know what that kid was thinking…” But he gives David a tunic, a sword, helmet, and armor… And this is where I want to zoom in… 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around because he was not used to them.“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.  David gives the armor a try: thinking about going into battle, he has wisdom beyond his age… This armor is a hindrance, not a help. Can I just get devotional with you for a minute? This whole series is about learning to walk with God… Some of you are walking in the wrong armor… You are SO busy trying to be what you believe you are supposed to be that you aren't being who God created you to be can I say that again? You're so busy trying to be what you think you're supposed to be that you aren't embracing who God created you to be… ILLUSTRATION: There was a period a few years back when I was really struggling with leadership.  Because I'm so different from a lot of leaders.  I'm not detail-oriented, I see big pictures and the only box I ever see is outside the box.  I was going through a REALLY challenging period of leadership and just feeling like I wasn't the right guy for the challenge.  I was struggling with feeling like a failure.  I don't know if you guys have figured it out, but I'm not like most Lead Pastors…  Ha, I'm just “Kent”  who happens to be a pastor… I was trying to do everything the way I thought other pastors would do it and felt like I was failing.  I had just sat through this meeting where this friend of mine, who I had shared all my feelings of inadequacy got up and shared all my weaknesses and told everyone he thought I wasn't doing a good job. I was struggling because our church at the time was up against the ropes and I didn't know what to do and I was walking in someone else's armor. I was praying about this, and honestly, my prayer was “God, if there's someone who can do this better, I'm willing to step down” Have you ever been there? that was when God spoke something to my soul I've never forgotten… Kent, the very reasons you think you are a failure are the reasons I put you in this position… I knew this church would go through these challenges and I needed someone who could look at the picture differently.  I didn't need detail, I needed vision… I had been so busy trying to be what I thought was needed that I wasn't living out the giftedness God had placed in me… and so…40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag, and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. You know the rest of the story, right?  God takes the tools of a shepherd and slays a Giant… God knew the trials you'd endure, and he has specifically gifted you for this moment in time… This is SUCH a biblical idea. It's the story of Joseph being sold into slavery. It's the story of Moses being raised in the pharaoh's court. It's the story of Ester being the chosen queen. It's the story of Peter the fisherman turned preacher It's my story and your story… Stop wishing God would send someone else and stand with Him. Honestly, I think God allows us to go through these moments so we will turn to Him and learn to trust Him more… 2 Peter 1:33 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. God has given you what you need to live a Godly life, don't let Satan or circumstances take your eyes off of that… COMMUNION: Today, we are going to participate in Communion together - to turn our eyes back to the savior…If something has taken your eyes off of Jesus, let's put them back on Him And come on someone needs to turn to Jesus!  We are ready, come talk to us! ------------------

Why me?  Why this? Why now? It's just not FAIR, but sometimes bad things happen to really, really good people!  When it happens to someone else, we want to swoop and help.   What's helpful Why bad things happen from a deeper level What happens if you're mad at God Some powerful spiritual insights into these experiences

Bible Reading: Hebrews 1:8-12"Look at this, Grandpa," said Jonah. "It almost looks like this stone is rotting away." Jonah was helping his grandfather in the garden and had found a strange-looking stone, full of tiny holes. "Hey--maybe this is a fossil! I saw a TV show about them."Grandpa took the stone and looked it over. "Maybe you're right," he said. "So what did you learn about fossils?""I learned that when a living thing, like a plant or an animal, is buried in mud or clay for years and years, the material around it gets very hard as time goes by," replied Jonah. "Then the plant or animal dissolves away, leaving openings right in the hardened material. Those openings are exactly the shape of the plant or animal that has disappeared."Grandpa looked at the stone again. "I think there was a plant in this one," he said, pointing to the imprint in the stone. "See the leaf-shape here?"Jonah nodded. "This has gotta be real old," he said. "As old as the hills--that's what I've heard people say." He grinned at Grandpa. "How old is that? As old as you?" he teased.Grandpa grinned too. Making his voice shaky, he replied, "Oh, not nearly that old." They laughed together, then Grandpa said, "Actually, we don't know for sure exactly how old the hills are, but God knows. He existed long before the earth or anything in it.""Yeah. He's older than anybody, isn't He?" Jonah said. "Even older than Jesus."Grandpa disagreed. "No," he said, "Jesus is God too. He was right there when the earth was made. Jesus, along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, made the earth and everything in it.""But Jesus was born in Bethlehem," objected Jonah."Yes, He was born as a baby many years after the earth was made so He could save us from sin, but before that, Jesus was up in heaven," Grandpa explained. "He is eternal. That means He has no beginning and no end because He is God."Jonah furrowed his eyebrows. "That's hard for me to understand.""For me too," Grandpa said. "But I'm so glad we serve an eternal God who's greater than we can comprehend." Carolyn E. YostHow About You?Is it hard for you to understand things about God? Some things are hard for anyone to understand--even Bible scholars and pastors. As you grow older, you'll learn more and more, but there will be many things you won't fully understand until you see Jesus face-to-face. Until that day, thank Him for His greatness and for loving you so much.Today's Key Verse:All things were created through [Jesus], and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. (CSB) (John 1:3 )Today's Key Thought:Jesus is eternal

Many worship services today are a casual free-for-all. There are no boundaries and little reverence. We may be pleasing ourselves but are we pleasing God? Some respond, “Well, all that reverence and care was an Old Testament thing. We’re New Testament worshippers and therefore we don’t need to be so prepared for worship or careful in worship. That’s half true. Let’s see which half of that is true. NotesInstagraphics.Website.iTunes.Spotify.

The feeling of fall is in the air, and consequently, the Fall of Man is on our minds. What does it mean to speak of man as fallen? And when we speak of our fallenness, what exactly does that mean? And what sort of emphasis should we put on it? One of guilt? One of shame? And what does our fallenness reveal about the character of God? Some have said His wrath, but what about His love? All this and some Autumnal brews on this week's episode.

Have you ever thought about what it takes to be anointed by God? Some people hear that and immediately shout, "Yes!" Especially church folks. But, do we really know what it takes or even means? Do you know that God wants you to be anointed? That sounds exciting, maybe overwhelming. But, it's true. There is something that you have to do, first. In this message, as Pastor Brown continues the series "The Ingredients of Purpose", he helps us to see the value of sacrifice.

Dennis R Wiles FBC Arlington August 16, 2020 AUGUST 2020 AUGUST 2 – SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 As Ourselves Love your neighbor as yourself. -Matthew 22:39 God’s Direction Jeremiah 29:10-14 THE EXODUS • 10 Commandments • Re-constitution of Israel • Redemption THE EXILE • Sovereignty of God • Sufficiency of God • Devotion to God • Some level of “normal” God’s Direction Jeremiah 29:10-14 Why does it matter that we find the right direction for our lives? God has designed us, and He desires to be in a relationship with us. Should it surprise us that He has plans for us? But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him. – 1 Corinthians 2:9 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye upon you. – Psalm 32:8 Trust in the LORD with all our heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:5-6 Often I have not known where I was going until I was already there. I have had my share of desires and goals, but my life has come to me or I have gone to it mainly by way of mistakes and surprises. Often I have received better than I deserved. Often my faintest hopes have rested on bad mistakes. I am an ignorant pilgrim, crossing a dark valley. And yet for a long time, looking back, I have been unable to shake off the feeling that I have been led—make of that what you will. -Wendell Berry Life can only be understood looking backwards but has to be lived forwards. -Soren Kierkegaard God’s direction for our lives is connected to His design and reflects His desire to be in relationship with us!

ABOUT GOD - PART 16 | What is the holiness of God? Some might say it is his sinlessness. Others might say it is the standard by which we live our lives. Sam Storms joins Gary Wilkerson to discuss how the holiness of God is much more than we typically attribute to it. Key Points from the Podcast• God is altogether unique, greater than, different and other than us. • Many view holiness as sinlessness or right living, but it goes far beyond that. • A revelation of God’s holiness will show us our own sinfulness, frailty, ignorance, and dependency upon God. • People fall down on their faces in awe just being in the presence of angels who have been in the presence of God. • Understanding the holiness of God will give us a greater revelation of just how great God’s mercy is toward us, his unholy and undeserving creations. • Just like all of God’s other attributes, his holiness is infinite and immeasurable. View full show notes: https://wcm.link/gwp79c Support this podcast

Did Jesus ever claim to be God? Some skeptics argue Jesus never claimed to be God in the Bible. But nothing could be further from the truth. First, Jesus said He existed before Abraham in John 8:58, saying, “before Abraham was even born, I am!” Second, He claimed to forgive sins, something only God could…

How can we determine whether we - or others - are in fellowship with God? Some might point to spiritual experiences, others to intense emotions, still others to intellectual attainment - but none of those are good indicators. The Apostle John says if we want to know whether a person loves God, we need to see whether they obey His commands. And the church is the key place where we will see God's Word being lived out. 21-06-20 - Lucas Durant

In the midst of life's storms we pray and endure, we stay encouraged and we stay hopeful. We even stay faithful as we wait for God to act. We praise God once he shows up and shows out as we are grateful that our hope in Him is confirmed. However, very rarely do we praise God in the midst of the storm. Praise in the middle of the store will confuse, confound, and just outright make the enemy angry.  Today in the midst of this pandemic let us give God Some praise!

When it Seems like it is not Working In Genesis 15, Abraham had an encounter with God. God asked him to number the stars and promised him that so shall his seeds be. Several years later, nothing had happened and the man whom God promised countless children had none. Unlike many of us who have many stories to fall back on in times of doubt, Sarah had no one to make reference to. In Genesis 17, God spoke again and by then Abraham was 99 years old. God promised to multiply him exceedingly. God even changed Abraham's and Sarah's names. However, at some point, Abraham settled and pleaded with God to accept Ishmael but God refused. Gen 17:18 Eventually, he saw the word of God come to pass. As good as encounters are, your conviction must still be on the word. What is the longest you have waited for God? Some people think faith means that you cannot wait on God. When you are waiting, you will face pressures but you must hold on to the word. In John 11, when Jesus was informed of Lazarus' illness, He said that the sickness was not unto death but Lazarus died. When he died, Jesus still didn't show up for some days. However, when he showed up, Lazarus came back to life. Even if Jesus shows up 4 days later, He is still on time. It can be hard to trust for something and not receive it. The word does not change and you have a choice to believe the word or not but dare to believe the word. Let conviction direct your experience and not the other way round. Don't dwell on the few times it didn't happen. Stay on the word! In Luke 8, the woman with the issue of blood waited for 12 years before she was healed. It is possible to believe God despite all you have been through. If you keep believing God despite all you have been through, you'll see more miracles. Dare to believe God. Come to a point where there is no aspect of your life you think God cannot reach.

Radiant Culture — On this episode we discuss natural disasters a.k.a Acts of God? Some think it's punishment from God. Others think it's just a result of man's poor management of the resources he's been given which has led to climate change, which has a knock on effect. Because after the flood, God promised not to do that to man again, so are these disasters really orchestrated by Him? Are these disasters just a sign of the times we are in, the end is nearer now? how should Christians respond to these things? Have a listen and join the conversation

Message Notes January 12, 2020 | Teacher: Ken Wilson Finding the Will of God (Part #2 - The Practical Dimension) Message SlidesMessage Resource - Jen WilkinMessage Resource - Impressions (Schreiner) Review: God’s Will is that we are… • Saved (1 Tim. 2:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:9; John 6:40) • Sacrificially Living for Him (Rom. 12:1-2) • Supporting His Work (2 Cor. 8:1-5) • Spirit Filled (Eph. 5:17-18) • Serving Well at Work (Eph. 6:5-6) • Set Apart—esp. Sexually (1Thess. 4:3-8) • Speaking to God Continually (1 Thess 5:18) • Steadfast in Endurance (Heb. 10:36) • Submitting to Authority (1 Pet. 2:15) • Suffering for Doing Right (1 Pet. 3:17) The Process• Fall deeply in love with Jesus (Proverbs 3:5-6; John 15:1-8)• Read and obey the Bible (Psalm 119, esp. v. 105 2 Timothy 3:15-16)• Engage community who love Jesus and know the Bible (Proverbs 1-9, esp. 1:5; 12:15; 15:22; 19:20; Hebrew 10:24-25)• Consider practical wisdom (Proverbs, esp. 1:1-7)• Allow God to guide directly Illustration:• I am deeply in love with my wife.• When I get a list I work on it.• I hang out with people who love their wife.• I try to be smart and read books and listen to podcasts. • I pay attention when she tells me directly what she wants.Next Steps • I will read my Bible this year in order to fall in love with Jesus. • I will make sure I obey the clear commands of scripture. This Week’s Growth GuideGod’s Word is both central and critical to your spiritual growth. We invite you to utilize the Growth Guide during the week to further your application of the Truth from the message.• Monday - Proverbs 3:1-6• Tuesday - Proverbs 1:1-7• Wednesday - Proverbs 2:1-11• Thursday - John 15:1-8• Friday - Psalm 119Home ChurchOur Home Churches meet weekly to facilitate quicker relational depth, study the same passage taught Sunday to help apply Scripture in the context of community, and pray with one another. Home Church helps our body seek God’s best for one another. Home Church Questions • Read Romans 12:1-2. • What was the main point of the message this week? • Was there anything new, interesting, insightful, or even unclear from the message? • What was your main takeaway from this week’s message? • Which is more difficult for you; determining the will of God or doing the will of God? • Some decisions are simple and we make them quickly, e.g. where to eat if you are going out. What issues in your life rise to the level of “What is God’s will?” • How helpful was last week’s message that set forth the clear passages that describe God’s will? What was helpful about that? • Explore the illustration of marriage as a parallel to finding God’s will. Where does the illustration work? Where does it fall apart? • If someone read Jen Wilkin’s handout, have them share what they took away from it. • How have you tried to determine God’s will for you? • What are some areas where you are trying to determine God’s will? How can your Home Church be a community that helps? AT FELLOWSHIP Ministry Center Warming Center | January 12-18 Fellowship once again has the opportunity to minister to Faulkner County’s homelesspopulation in partnership with the Ministry Center. We will do this by providing a meal every evening, as well as have two women and two men spend the night with those who are taking shelter during the evening. To register go to https://tinyurl.com/roda246 or stop by the Connection Center. Home ChurchHome church is Fellowship’s small group ministry where believers can come together in a safe and comfortable setting while building deeper relationships. Groups, consisting of 10-16 people, meet weekly for prayer, study, and service. You still have time to join! Find more details at fellowshipconway.org/homechurch or come to the HC display Get Equipped - For all equipping opportunities go to fellowshipconway.org/equipping • Financial Peace - January 20, 2020 at 6 pm (cost $99). Childcare provided. • Art of Parenting - January 20, 2020 at 7 pm (cost $12). Childcare provided.Fellowship 101 | January 26Get to know Fellowship better by understanding our mission, values, and ministries. Sunday, January 26, join us in the Conference Room (Office Suite) during the first service (9:00 a.m.), to hear about how God is moving at Fellowship and how you can be a part. You will meet some of our ministry leaders as well as be able to ask any questions. Register at fellowshipconway.org/register. Girlfriends Ministry | Childcare provided by RSVP to Shann@conwaycorp.net for alL • “David: Seeking a Heart Like His” by Beth Moore. Tuesday nights, January 21 - April 7th, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Team Room #100 (Office Suite). Register at the Connection Center. • “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn, a 7 - week DVD study and discussion. Tuesdays, January 21 - March 3, 12 - 1 pm, Fireside Room. Register at the Connection Center. • Girlfriends Gathering - Join us Thursday, January 23, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at #3 West Point for a night focusing on the topic of Communication - facilitated by Charlotte Strickland. Refreshments served.Men’s Book clubTuesday evenings, beginning January 14, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. men will gather in the Fireside Room (2nd floor) for fellowship and discussion to sharpen one another. The book will be chosen by those attending the first night. Email Andy at men@fellowshipconway.org for more information. Welcome John MollWe are excited to welcome John Moll to the Fellowship staff. John will be our full-time accounting manager handling the finances. After two years of searching, we are thankful for God’s provision of John and his family.FinancesWeekly budget 25,650Giving For 12/29 26,388Giving For 01/05 29,907 YTD Budget 718,201 YTD Giving 709,202Over (under) ( 8,999) Generations CampaignTotal Pledge 1,580,962Received-to-date 1,305,416Click Here if you would like to give a gift.To make a gift or a commitment to Generations, you can click Here.

Here are on the Ecu-Men, we are continuing our journey through the Baltimore Catechism. Today in Lesson 2, Part 1, the Ecu-Men are going to cover the nature of God and how we learn more about Him. This is a difficult topic. As you listen, please feel free to use the links below to learn more about this topic so that you can get even more familiar with the topic. 8. What do we mean when we say that God is the Supreme Being? He is above all creatures, the self-existing and infinitely perfect Spirit. (Isaiah 44:6) 9. What is a spirit? A spirit is a being that has understanding and free will, but no body, and will never die. (Isaiah 40:18) 10. What do we mean when we say that God is self-existing? He does not owe His existence to any other being. (Exodus 3:14) 11. What do we mean when we say that God is infinitely perfect? He has all perfections without limit. (Psalm 144:3) 12. What are some of the perfections of God? Some of the perfections of God are: God is eternal, all-good, all-knowing, all-present, and almighty. 13. What do we mean when we say that God is eternal? He always was and always will be, and always remains the same. (Apocalypse 1:8) 14. What do we mean when we say that God is all-good? He is infinitely lovable in Himself, and that from His fatherly love every good comes to us. (Psalm 32:4-5) 15. What do we mean when we say that God is all-knowing? He knows all things, past, present, and future, even our most secret thoughts, words, and actions. (Psalm 138:5-6) 16. What do we mean when that God Is all-present? When we say that God is all-present we mean that He is everywhere. (Psalm 138:7) 17. If God is everywhere, why do we not see Him? Although God is everywhere, we do not see Him because He is a spirit and cannot be seen with our eyes. (John 4:24) 18. Does God see us? God sees us and watches over us with loving care. (Matthew 6:31:32) 19. What is God's loving care for us called? God's loving care for us is called Divine Providence. (I Peter 5:7) 20. What do we mean when we say that God is almighty? We mean that He can do all things. (Luke 1:37) 21. Is God all-wise, all-holy, all-merciful, and all-just? Yes, God is all-wise, all-holy, all-merciful, and all-just. (Psalm 144:17) 22. Can we know by our natural reason that there is a God? We can know by our natural reason that there is a God, for natural reason tells us that the world we see about us could have been made only by a self-existing Being, all-wise and almighty. (Romans 1:18-19) 23. Can we know God in any other way than by our natural reason? Yes, by Sacred Scripture and in Tradition. (2 Thes 2:15) ======= Baltimore Catechism, Lesson 2: https://www.catholicity.com/baltimore-catechism/lesson02.html Augustine on the Trinity: City of God, Book 11, Ch 24: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/120111.htm St Thomas Aquinas: 5 Proofs of God’s Existence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Ways_(Aquinas) Arguments for God's Existence - Dr Peter Kreeft https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFjjA_Pt4AQ Metaphysics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiKGZYOI0q0 Against Communism, Pius XI http://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19370319_divini-redemptoris.html The Virtues: https://www.catholicity.com/baltimore-catechism/lesson10.html

Rapp Report Daily 0431 What Does it Mean to be Created in the Image of God? What does it mean to be created in the image of God? Some religions have some confusion with this. If you look at say Mormonism you are going to see that they believe that being made in the image of God means that if you look at man, you see what God looks like. They would say that God was once a man like you and me, flesh and bones and everything and that we are made in His image. [00:00:28] In other words, He was once a man, we are now men and therefore that is what it means. We end up seeing that being a child of God is not something that we can turn to and say that everybody is a child of God the way Mormonism would we see in John 1:12 that it says but “to all who receive Him who believe in His name he gave the right to become a child of God.” So, some will say that being in the image of God as being a child of God. Well, no, it’s not that either. [00:01:00] So what does it mean to be made in the image of God? Well, very simply it means that we have certain attributes that animals do not have that are like God. God has attributes some that are communicated to man and some that are not.  You can look at those attributes that are communicated to man, that is what means to be made in the image of God or created in His image. It is the idea that we share certain attributes that animals would not share. It makes us different than animals. Not that we are God, but that we have certain attributes. They do not and we do. This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources strivingforeternity.org Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community: ChristianPodcastCommunity.org Support Striving for Eternity at http://StrivingForEternity.org/donate Please review us on iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rapp-report/id1353293537 Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.org Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/StrivingForEternity Join the conversation on our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/326999827369497 Watch subscribe to us on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/StrivingForEternity Get the book What Do They Believe at http://WhatDoTheyBelieve.com Get the book What Do We Believe at http://WhatDoWeBelieveBook.com

If the rejection of idolatry is the essence of the Biblical project, why does it not appear in the Genesis account of the founders? But Didn't Abraham destroy his father's idols?   בראשית רבה ל״ח (יג) וַיָּמָת הָרָן עַל פְּנֵי תֶּרַח אָבִיו (בראשית יא, כח), רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אַדָא דְּיָפוֹ, תֶּרַח עוֹבֵד צְלָמִים הָיָה, חַד זְמַן נְפֵיק לַאֲתַר, הוֹשִׁיב לְאַבְרָהָם מוֹכֵר תַּחְתָּיו. הֲוָה אָתֵי בַּר אֵינַשׁ בָּעֵי דְּיִזְבַּן, וַהֲוָה אֲמַר לֵהּ בַּר כַּמָּה שְׁנִין אַתְּ, וַהֲוָה אֲמַר לֵיהּ בַּר חַמְשִׁין אוֹ שִׁתִּין, וַהֲוָה אֲמַר לֵיהּ וַי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא גַבְרָא דַּהֲוָה בַּר שִׁתִּין וּבָעֵי לְמִסְגַּד לְבַר יוֹמֵי, וַהֲוָה מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ וְהוֹלֵךְ לוֹ. חַד זְמַן אֲתָא חַד אִתְּתָא טְעִינָא בִּידָהּ חָדָא פִּינָךְ דְּסֹלֶת, אֲמָרָהּ לֵיהּ הֵא לָךְ קָרֵב קֳדָמֵיהוֹן, קָם נְסֵיב בּוּקְלָסָא בִּידֵיהּ, וְתַבְרִינוּן לְכָלְהוֹן פְּסִילַיָא, וִיהַב בּוּקְלָסָא בִּידָא דְּרַבָּה דַּהֲוָה בֵּינֵיהוֹן. כֵּיוָן דַּאֲתָא אֲבוּהָ אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַאן עָבֵיד לְהוֹן כְּדֵין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַה נִּכְפּוּר מִינָךְ אֲתַת חָדָא אִתְּתָא טְעִינָא לָהּ חָדָא פִּינָךְ דְּסֹוֹלֶת, וַאֲמַרַת לִי הֵא לָךְ קָרֵיב קֳדָמֵיהון, קָרֵיבְתְּ לָקֳדָמֵיהוֹן הֲוָה דֵּין אֲמַר אֲנָא אֵיכוֹל קַדְמָאי, וְדֵין אֲמַר אֲנָא אֵיכוֹל קַדְמָאי, קָם הָדֵין רַבָּה דַּהֲוָה בֵּינֵיהוֹן נְסַב בּוּקְלָסָא וְתַבַּרִינוֹן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ מָה אַתָּה מַפְלֶה בִּי, וְיָדְעִין אִינוּן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ אָזְנֶיךָ מַה שֶּׁפִּיךָ אוֹמֵר. Bereishit Rabbah 38 (13) "And Haran died in the presence of his father Terah" (Gen. 11:28). Rabbi Hiyya the grandson of Rabbi Adda of Yaffo [said]: Terah was a worshipper of idols. One time he had to travel to a place, and he left Abraham in charge of his store. When a man would come in to buy [idols], Abraham would ask: How old are you? They would reply: fifty or sixty. Abraham would then respond: Woe to him who is sixty years old and worships something made today - the customer would be embarrassed, and would leave. A woman entered carrying a dish full of flour. She said to him: this is for you, offer it before them. Abraham took a club in his hands and broke all of the idols, and placed the club in the hands of the biggest idol. When his father returned, he asked: who did all of this? Abraham replied: I can't hide it from you - a woman came carrying a dish of flour and told me to offer it before them. I did, and one of them said 'I will eat it first,' and another said 'I will eat it first.' The biggest one rose, took a club, and smashed the rest of them. Terah said: what, do you think you can trick me? They don't have cognition! Abraham said: Do your ears hear what your mouth is saying? But Didn't Rachel steal her father's idols?     בראשית ל״א:י״ט (יט) וְלָבָ֣ן הָלַ֔ךְ לִגְזֹ֖ז אֶת־צֹאנ֑וֹ וַתִּגְנֹ֣ב רָחֵ֔ל אֶת־הַתְּרָפִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְאָבִֽיהָ׃ Genesis 31:19 (19) Meanwhile Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household idols.   תגנב רחל את התרפים. לְהַפְרִישׁ אֶת אָבִיהָ מֵעֲ"זָ נִתְכַּוְּנָה (בראשית רבה): AND RACHEL STOLE THE TERAPHIM — her intention was to wean her father from idol-worship (Genesis Rabbah 74:5). quoted by Rashi     בראשית ל״א:ל״ב-ל״ה (לב) עִ֠ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּמְצָ֣א אֶת־אֱלֹקֶיךָ֮ לֹ֣א יִֽחְיֶה֒ נֶ֣גֶד אַחֵ֧ינוּ הַֽכֶּר־לְךָ֛ מָ֥ה עִמָּדִ֖י וְקַֽח־לָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֣ע יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֥י רָחֵ֖ל גְּנָבָֽתַם׃ Genesis 31:32-35 (32) But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not remain alive! In the presence of our kinsmen, point out what I have of yours and take it.” Jacob, of course, did not know that Rachel had stolen them.   לא יחיה. וּמֵאוֹתָהּ קְלָלָה מֵתָה רָחֵל בַּדֶּרֶךְ (בראשית רבה) LET HIM NOT LIVE — In consequence of this curse Rachel died on the journey (Genesis Rabbah 74:9). quoted by Rashi Rather the only reference to a rejection of false images, is a positive reference to the Image of God - Imago Dei     בראשית א׳:כ״ו-כ״ח (כו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֨ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבְכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כז) וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃ (כח) וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹקִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹקִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּ֖ה הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ Genesis 1:26-28 (26) And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that creep on earth.” (27) And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it; and rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on earth.”     בראשית ה׳:א׳ (א) זֶ֣ה סֵ֔פֶר תּוֹלְדֹ֖ת אָדָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם בְּרֹ֤א אֱלֹקִים֙ אָדָ֔ם בִּדְמ֥וּת אֱלֹקִ֖ים עָשָׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ׃ Genesis 5:1 (1) This is the record of Adam’s line.—When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God;     בראשית ט׳:ו׳ (ו) שֹׁפֵךְ֙ דַּ֣ם הָֽאָדָ֔ם בָּֽאָדָ֖ם דָּמ֣וֹ יִשָּׁפֵ֑ךְ כִּ֚י בְּצֶ֣לֶם אֱלֹקִ֔ים עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הָאָדָֽם׃ Genesis 9:6 (6) Whoever sheds the blood of man, By man shall his blood be shed; For in His image Did God make man.     במדבר ל״ג:נ״ב (נב) וְה֨וֹרַשְׁתֶּ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם וְאִ֨בַּדְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֖ת כָּל־מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־צַלְמֵ֤י מַסֵּֽכֹתָם֙ תְּאַבֵּ֔דוּ וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־בָּמֹתָ֖ם תַּשְׁמִֽידוּ׃ Numbers 33:52 (52) you shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land; you shall destroy all their figured objects; you shall destroy all their molten images, and you shall demolish all their cult places.   "any Old Testament scholar worth her salt will tell you that the semantic range of tselem, the Hebrew word for "image" in Genesis 1, typically includes "idol," which in the common theology of the ancient Near East is precisely a localized, visible, corporeal representation of the divine. A simple word study would thus lead to the preliminary observation that visibility and bodiliness are minimally a necessary condition of being tselem elohim or imago Dei. Based on this usage Walter Kaiser Jr. translates tselem as "carved or hewn statue or copy." The Liberating Image? Interpreting the Imago Dei in Context By J. Richard Middleton Christian Scholars Review 24.1 (1994) 8-25     מלכים ב י״א:י״ח (יח) וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ כָל־עַם֩ הָאָ֨רֶץ בֵּית־הַבַּ֜עַל וַֽיִּתְּצֻ֗הוּ אֶת־מזבחתו [מִזְבְּחֹתָ֤יו] וְאֶת־צְלָמָיו֙ שִׁבְּר֣וּ הֵיטֵ֔ב וְאֵ֗ת מַתָּן֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן הַבַּ֔עַל הָרְג֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י הַֽמִּזְבְּח֑וֹת וַיָּ֧שֶׂם הַכֹּהֵ֛ן פְּקֻדּ֖וֹת עַל־בֵּ֥ית ה'׃ II Kings 11:18 (18) Thereupon all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal. They tore it down and smashed its altars and images to bits, and they slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. [Jehoiada] the priest then placed guards over the House of the LORD.     דברי הימים ב כ״ג:י״ז (יז) וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ כָל־הָעָ֤ם בֵּית־הַבַּ֙עַל֙ וַֽיִּתְּצֻ֔הוּ וְאֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָ֥יו וְאֶת־צְלָמָ֖יו שִׁבֵּ֑רוּ וְאֵ֗ת מַתָּן֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן הַבַּ֔עַל הָרְג֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י הַֽמִּזְבְּחֽוֹת׃ II Chronicles 23:17 (17) All the people then went to the temple of Baal; they tore it down and smashed its altars and images to bits, and they slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.     יחזקאל ז׳:כ׳ (כ) וּצְבִ֤י עֶדְיוֹ֙ לְגָא֣וֹן שָׂמָ֔הוּ וְצַלְמֵ֧י תוֹעֲבֹתָ֛ם שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם עָ֣שׂוּ ב֑וֹ עַל־כֵּ֛ן נְתַתִּ֥יו לָהֶ֖ם לְנִדָּֽה׃ Ezekiel 7:20 (20) for out of their beautiful adornments, in which they took pride, they made their images and their detestable abominations—therefore I will make them an unclean thing to them.     עמוס ה׳:כ״ו (כו) וּנְשָׂאתֶ֗ם אֵ֚ת סִכּ֣וּת מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת כִּיּ֣וּן צַלְמֵיכֶ֑ם כּוֹכַב֙ אֱלֹ֣קֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם לָכֶֽם׃ Amos 5:26 (26) And you shall carry off your “king”— Sikkuth and Kiyyun, The images you have made for yourselves Of your astral deity—     דניאל ג׳:א׳ (א) נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֣ר מַלְכָּ֗א עֲבַד֙ צְלֵ֣ם דִּֽי־דְהַ֔ב רוּמֵהּ֙ אַמִּ֣ין שִׁתִּ֔ין פְּתָיֵ֖הּ אַמִּ֣ין שִׁ֑ת אֲקִימֵהּ֙ בְּבִקְעַ֣ת דּוּרָ֔א בִּמְדִינַ֖ת בָּבֶֽל׃ Daniel 3:1 (1) King Nebuchadnezzar made a statue of gold sixty cubits high and six cubits broad. He set it up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. The case for demut ("likeness") is more complicated. Although biblical scholars have often suggested that the physical, concrete connotation of tselem is intentionally modified by the more abstract demut, this latter term is sometimes used within Scripture for concrete, visible representations. [Middleton ibid.] Tselem and demut are also used with reference to resemblance:     בראשית ה׳:ג׳ (ג) וַֽיְחִ֣י אָדָ֗ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּמְאַת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בִּדְמוּת֖וֹ כְּצַלְמ֑וֹ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵֽׁת׃ Genesis 5:3 (3) When Adam had lived 130 years, he begot a son in his likeness after his image, and he named him Seth. "a recent (1979) excavation at Tell Fekheriyeh in Syria unearthed a 9th century statue with a bilingual inscription containing the cognate equivalents of both tselem and demut in Assyrian and Aramaic as parallel terms designating the statue." [Middleton ibid.]     The statue is referred to by two Aramaic words, both with Hebrew cognates. The initial word of the inscription introduces it as dmwt', "the image." At the start the second part the word used in the Aramaic is slm "statue," in the Assyrian its cognate salmu. This is not a means of distinguishing the two parts of the inscription, for dmwt' reappears three lines later. These two words in their Hebrew dress are the famous "image" and "likeness" in God's creation of man in Gen 1:26; cf. 5:3. Their clear application to this stone statue, the only ancient occurrence of the words as a pair outside the OT, provides fuel for the debate over the meaning of the clause in Genesis 1 [STATUE FROM SYRIA WITH ASSYRIAN AND ARAMAIC INSCRIPTIONS A. R. Millard and P. Bordreuil, BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST/SUMMER 1982]     Among Bible scholars one of the most common interpretations is that being created in the image of God means being given the special role of “representing . . . God’s rule in the world.” The Torah’s view is that people are God’s “vice-regents” and “earthly delegates,” appointed by God to rule over the world. One traditional Jewish commentator, R. Saadia Gaon (882–942), anticipated this understanding of Genesis, arguing that being created in the image of God means being assigned to rule over creation (Saadia Gaon, commentary to Gen. 1:26). בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ שליט The ancient Near Eastern context sheds remarkable light on the audacity of the Torah’s message. In the ancient world, various kings (and sometimes priests) were described as the images of a god. It is the king who is God’s representative or intermediary intermediary on earth, and it is he who mediates God’s blessings to the world. In dramatic contrast to this, the Torah asserts that ordinary human beings—not just kings, but each and every one of us—are mediators of divine blessing. “The entire race collectively stands vis-à-vis God in the same relationship of chosenness and protection that characterizes the god-king relationship in the more ancient civilizations of the Near East.” Genesis 1 thus represents a radical democratization of ancient Near Eastern royal ideology. We are, the Torah insists, all kings and queens. Shai Held. The Heart of Torah, Volume 1: Essays on the Weekly Torah Portion: Genesis and Exodus . The Jewish Publication Society.   Feminist Objection to the Royal Interpretation of "In the Image of God" Such a picture, claims McFague, is derived from a patriarchal model of man ruling over woman and serves to enforce and legitimate such rule by its association of male dominance with God's transcendence. [Sallie McFague, Models of God: Theology for an Ecological, Nuclear Age (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1987), pp. 63-69.]   The Environmental Objection to the Royal Interpretation of "In the Image of God" Some environmentalists have placed the blame for the modern West’s despoliation of the earth squarely at the Bible’s feet. Thus, for example, one influential writer charges that according to Christian (and by implication, Jewish) thinking, “God planned all of this explicitly for man’s benefit and rule: No item in the physical creation had any purpose save to serve man’s purposes.” The environmental crisis, he insists, was rooted in religious “arrogance towards nature” and the only solution, therefore, lay in moving beyond these patently damaging and outdated ideas. [Held, Shai. The Heart of Torah, Volume 1: Essays on the Weekly Torah Portion: Genesis and Exodus . The Jewish Publication Society.]   "ancient Near Eastern society, whether Mesopotamian (that is, Sumerian, Babylonian or Assyrian), West Semitic (that is, Canaanite), or Egyptian, was hierarchically ordered.... Standing between the human realm, on the one hand, and the gods, on the other, was the king, universally viewed in the ancient Near East as the mediator of both social harmony and cosmic fertility from the gods. To contrast the two cultures we know most about, whereas in Egypt the Pharaoh is viewed as the eternally begotten son of the gods, in Mesopotamia the king was but an adopted son. Both, however, are referred to as the image of this or that particular god, whether Re, Amon, Marduk, 'Shamash or Enlil. [Middleton ibid.]     פסיקתא דרב כהנא כ״ג (א) פסקא כג אות א ראש השנה: (א) לעולם י"י דברך נצב בשמים (תהלים קיט פט) תני ר' אליע' בעשרים וחמשה באלול נברא העולם ואתיא דרב כהדא דתני ר' אליע' דתניא בתקיעתא דרב זה היום תחילת מעשיך זכרון ליום ראשון וגו' כי חק לישראל הוא משפט וג' (שם פא ה) על המדינות בו יאמר איזו לחרב ואיזו לשלום איזו לרעב ואיזו לשובע איזו למות ואיזו לחיים וביריות בו יפקדו להזכירם חיים ומות נמצאת אומ' בראש השנה נברא אדם הראשון בשעה ראשונה עלה במחשבה בשנייה נמלך במלאכי השרת בשלישית כינס עפרו ברביעית גיבלו בחמישית ריקמו בשישית העמידו גולם על רגליו בשביעי' זרק בו נשמה בשמינית הכניסו לגן עדן בתשיעית ציוהו בעשירית עבר על ציוהו באחת עשרה נידון בשתים עשרה יצא בדימוס מלפני הק"ב א' לו הקב"ה אדם זה סימן לבניך כשם שנכנסתה לפניי בדין ביום הזה ויצאתה בדימוס כך עתידין בניך להיות נכנסין לפניי בדין ביום הזה ויוצאין בדימוס אימתי בחדש השביעי באחד לחדש (ויקרא כג כד Pesikta D'Rav Kahanna 23 A. Rosh Hashanah. Your word stands firm in heaven (Psalms 119; 89) R. Eliya learnt: On the 25th of Elul the world was created and he cited R. Kehada who learnt that R. Eliya learnt during the blowings of Rav "This is the day, the beginning of your works, is in remembrance of the first day etc. For it is a law for Israel, a ruling of the God of Jacob; etc. (psalms 81:5) on the Nations it was written, who for the sword, who for peace, who for famine who for plenty, who for death, and who for life and with shots he will be selected deserving of life and death as they say On Rosh Hashanah Adam (the first Man) was created. In the first hour it came into His mind. In the second (hour) he ruled among the heavenly host. In the third he gathered the dirt. In the fourth He kneaded. In the fifth he formed him. In the sixth he raised the Golem onto his feet. In the seventh he threw into him a soul. In the eighth he brought him into the garden of Eden. In the ninth he commanded him (not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge). In the tenth he (Adam) transgressed His command. In the eleventh he was judged. In the twelfth hour he was pardoned by the Holy One Blessed be He. Said to him, God: "Adam, this is a sign for your children. Just as you came in judgement before me on this day and went out pardoned so also in the future your children will come before me in judgement on this day and leave pardoned. When? On the seventh month on the first (day) of the month (Leviticus 23:24)   The Torah’s assertion that every human being is created in the image of God is a repudiation of the idea, so common in the ancient world, that some people are simply meant to rule over others. If everyone is royalty, then on some level, when it comes to the interpersonal and political spheres, no one is. Assigned the role of God’s delegates, human beings are told to “be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it . . . rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on the earth” (Gen. 1:28). What’s more, Genesis 1 repeatedly emphasizes and seems to revel in the fact that God created both vegetation and creatures “of every kind.” ... then, the biblical . . . creation story is like a hymn to biodiversity, which is seen as unambiguously good in its own right. If Genesis 1 teaches that human beings are meant to be kings and queens over creation, ...“The task of a king is to care for those over whom he rules, especially for the weakest and most helpless. . . . This means that humans are expected to care for the earth and its creatures. Such is the responsibility of royalty.” What we find in Genesis 1, then, is not a license to abuse and exploit but a summons to nurture and protect. The problem with the notion of human stewardship over creation is not that it authorizes human exploitation of the earth and abuse of the animal kingdom—which, as we have seen, it emphatically does not. The problem is, rather, that we have not really taken it seriously enough to try it. In modern times, amid an almost manic need to produce and consume more and more, we have all too often lost sight of what has been entrusted to us. What we need is not to abandon Genesis 1 but to return to it and to rediscover there what we have forgotten or failed to see altogether. We are created in the image of God and are thus mandated to rule over creation; this is a call to exercise power in the way Tanakh imagines the ideal ruler would, “in obedience to the reign of God and for the sake of all the other creatures whom [our] power affects." [Held, Shai. ibid]   "Obedience to God is also the negation of submission to man." You Shall be as Gods - A Radical Interpretation of the Old Testament and its Tradition, Erich Fromm 1966 p73  

The face of God? Some say that level of intimacy with God is impossible, deadly even. Yet scripture from beginning to end threads a much different account. Getting in the face of God is the only way to a whole, fulfilled life. So, what are you waiting for? Get in His face!

Intro / Review: 5 Incentives to Receive Christ Today. (Revelation 14) God Keeps His WORD (Rev 14:1-5) God Loves you. (Rev 14:6-7) Earthly Things Will FAIL(Rev 14:8) The Alternative is HORRIFIC(Rev 14:9-11) You Can Face DEATHwithout Fear. (Rev 14:12-13) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Revelation 12GROUP What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message? For what purpose did God send the 3 angels (v6-11)? What does this tell you about God? Some people believe “you must keep the commandments” to be saved, while others believe that it is legalism to even encourage “obedience to the commandments”. The latter would say “faith in Jesus is all that matters”, not obedience to God and God’s Word. Read verse 12 carefully, considering the context. How does “keeping the commandments” and having “faith in Jesus” seem to coexist?How do you reconcile the two being side by side in this verse?BREAKOUTPray for one another. Pray for the expansion at HBC - for God to provide the funds and the workers!

What kind of Father is God? Some thing he is unreasonable, unreliable, unconcerned, un-pleaseable; but in fact God is a caring (Psalms 103:13, 1 Peter 5:7), consistent (James 1:17, 2 Timothy 2:13, Romans 11:29), close (Acts 17:27), sympathetic (1 Peter 1:3) and loving (Luke 1:37) Father.Support the show (https://onrealm.org/burlingtonbaptist/-/give/XVSXTRONUP)

Worship audio from February 18, 2018 - Lent 1B. Warmly referred to as "Festival of the Means of Grace Sunday." Bulletin pasted in below.Green Pastures with Jesus is the podcast from Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church of Fairmont, MN. Here you’ll find a variety of segments to lead you to the green pastures of the Word of God, where our Good Shepherd feeds our faith.  Find us online: www.shepherdofthelakes.net or http://facebook.com/shepherdofthelakes Worship is Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM.Bible class & Sunday School follow at 10:40 AM.323 E. 1st St – Fairmont, MNpastorhagen@icloud.com or (507) 236-9572iTunes & iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/green-pastures-jesus-shepherd/id1183522558?mt=2 Stitcher link: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=127180&refid=stprOr simply search for “Green Pastures with Jesus” in your podcast app.Intro & Outro courtesy of Koine - The Church Band. Check them out at www.koinemusic.com, or find them on iTunes & Amazon: Search for Koine.Bible text from Biblegateway.com - EHV.Bulletin PDF here - or below.Welcome to Shepherd of the Lakes! We’re here to shepherd Christ’s flock and seek the lost sheep by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all. Come, let us worship!For your convenience, in the back corner of the sanctuary there is a room for any parents with children in need of a quiet place. The restrooms are located on the lower level. Please ask if you have any further questions or concerns. Lord Jesus, you took on our humanity and fought temptation. You were victorious! All praise to you for your perfect obedience! And miracle of miracles . . . you have credited this perfection to me. Thank you! AMEN.Christ’s Kingdom Grow through the Means of Grace:Christ’s kingdom exists only with the Word and Sacraments. Therefore, it is necessary to baptize little children, that the promise of salvation may be applied to them, according to Christ’s command to baptize all nations (Matthew 28:19). Just as in this passage salvation is offered to all, so Baptism is offered to all, to men, women, children, infants. It clearly follows, therefore, that infants are to be baptized, because salvation is offered with Baptism. Second, it is clear that God approves of the Baptism of little children. God’s approval of the Baptism of little children is shown by this: He gives the Holy Spirit to those baptized [Acts 2:38–39].Apology to the Augsburg Confession, Article 9 (Concordia p. 153)Because He Knew: He Would Died – He Would LiveWhy did Jesus keep moving toward the cross? Surely, he should have known this was coming. Surely, he could have avoided the pain, the suffering, the death. But that’s the point, Jesus knew all along he was going to die. That was the eternal plan of the Father, that the holy Son of God would suffer and die for a world of sinners. However, Jesus also knew that death would not be the end. The payment for sin would be accepted and he would rise to life again and defeat death itself, for us.How does the Temptation of Jesus solidify our Christian hope today?OPENING HYMN: 224 – God Himself is PresentLITURGY: Holy Baptism, CW p. 12Please rise.PRAYER OF THE DAY:M: Lord our strength, the battle of good and evil rages within and around us, and our ancient foe tempts us with his deceits and empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your Word, and when we fall, raise us up again and restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.The WordFIRST READING: Genesis 22:1-18What do you love so much that it would be impossible to willingly and gladly give up if the Lord required it? The time of Lent is a call to serious struggle against sin, including the idolatry of loving anyone or anything more than God:Some time later God tested Abraham. He called to him, “Abraham!” Abraham answered, “I am here.” 2God said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains there, the one to which I direct you.” 3Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, along with Isaac his son. Abraham split the wood for the burnt offering. Then he set out to go to the place that God had told him about. 4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go on over there. We will worship, and then we will come back to you.” 6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and loaded it on Isaac his son. He took the firepot and the knife in his hand. The two of them went on together. ( . . . continued . . . )7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father?” He said, “I am here, my son.” He said, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them went on together. 9They came to the place that God had told him about. Abraham built the altar there. He arranged the wood, tied up Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11The Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” Abraham said, “I am here.” 12He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13Abraham looked around and saw that behind him there was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14Abraham called the name of that place “The LORD Will Provide.” So it is said to this day, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” 15The Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16and said, “I have sworn by myself, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your descendants greatly, like the stars of the sky and like the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the city gates of their enemies. 18In your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” PSALM: CWS 3 (Bulletin p. 6)SECOND READING: Romans 8:31-39Lent proves the love of God: God gave his own Son for us all. With this truth planted into our hearts, God gives us perseverance in all things: 31What then will we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also graciously give us all things along with him? 33Who will bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies! 34Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus, who died and, more than that, was raised to life, is the one who is at God’s right hand and who is also interceding for us! 35What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?36Just as it is written: For your sake we are being put to death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor rulers, neither things present nor things to come, nor powerful forces, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. THEME VERSE: Matthew 4:10It is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Thanks be to God.GOSPEL READING: Mark 1:12-15In his grace, God leads Gentiles to worship Christ:12The Spirit immediately sent Jesus out into the wilderness. 13He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels were serving him. 14After John was put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. 15“The time is fulfilled,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near! Repent, and believe in the gospel.” This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.Praise be to you, O Christ!HYMN OF THE DAY: 201 – A Mighty Fortress is Our GodSERMON based on Mark 1: Only a Victorious Christ could Preach the GospelCONFESSION OF FAITH: Luther’s Explanation of Holy Baptism, from the Small Catechism (1529)M: What is Baptism?C: Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water used by God's command and connected with God's Word.M: Which is that Word of God?C: Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”M: What does Baptism do for us?C: Baptism works forgiveness of sin, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.M: What are these words and promises of God?C: Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”M: How can water do such great things?C: It is certainly not the water that does such things, but God's Word which is in and with the water, and faith which trusts this Word used with the water. For without God's Word the water is just plain water and not baptism. But with this Word it is baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of rebirth by the Holy Spirit.M: Where is this written?C: Saint Paul says in Titus, chapter three, “God saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.” ( . . . continued . . . )M: What does baptizing with water mean?C: Baptism means that the old Adam in us should be drowned by daily contrition and repentance, and that all its evil deeds and desires be put to death. It also means that a new person should daily arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.M: Where is this written?C: Saint Paul says in Romans, chapter six, “We were buried with Christ through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”OFFERINGPRAYER OF THE CHURCH & LORD’S PRAYER: p. 32The sacramentFor our Holy Communion practice, please see the purple sheet in the pew racks.COMMUNION LITURGY: p. 33DISTRIBUTION HYMN: 737 – God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say ItSONG OF THANKS: CW 316 (Purple sheet or hymnal)CLOSING HYMN: 752 – In Christ AloneNOTESAll are invited to celebrate Gideon’s baptism at noon at the Pizza Ranch.See the sign-up at the back of church for next week’s congregational bowling.Midweek Lenten worship continues with a 6 PM meal & 7 PM worship. THIS WEEKToday 1 Samuel 19 9:30 - Lent 1 Worship with Holy Communion & Baptismal Affirmation of Gideon Johanson 10:45 - Sunday School & Bible Class (The Flood) 12:01 PM - Baptismal celebration at the Pizza RanchMonday 1 Samuel 20Tuesday 1 Samuel 21 7 PM - CAP class: The Start of Unit 2! Wednesday 1 Samuel 22 NO CATECHISM CLASS 6 PM - Lenten Meal 7 PM - Midweek Lenten WorshipThursday 1 Samuel 23Friday 1 Samuel 24Saturday 1 Samuel 25Sunday 1 Samuel 26 9:30 - Lent 2 Worship 10:45 - Sunday School & Bible Class (The Flood)                  Membership at Shepherd of the Lakes means more than a person’s name on a church roster. Membership is about belonging to Christ, growing in faith, and sharing the joy of salvation together. We enjoy life together with a merciful God through faith, growing together as lifelong learners of Jesus, spending time together with one another in Christian friendship and support, and going out together into our communities and circles of friends to make a meaningful difference.Our new member process aims at nurturing those relationships, which includes but is not limited to an agreement together on the truths of the Bible. Unity of belief is the building block for life together with Christ, growing in faith together, and sharing in the joy of salvation together.Those who want to join Shepherd of the Lakes coming from other WELS or ELS churches will be familiar with our beliefs. Others experienced in another church, or who have little or no religious background at all, become members through participation in a Bible information class taught by Pastor Hagen. Many of our members have taken this class numerous times, as a reminder and refresher on the different teachings in God’s Word.Togetherness in beliefs then leads to a new member process that nurtures togetherness in relationships with God, church and community.Speak to Pastor Hagen if you’re interested. There is no charge. Even if you’re just curious, come check it out!                                                                                  

  In Christian circles, there is a lot of importance ascribed to obedience. If you hang out in church long enough, you will hear obedience as a key to inheriting the promises of God. Now, I want to tell you that obedience is good but obedience needs to be put into its place. The Body of Christ is really good at “majoring in the minors” and it’s understanding of obedience is a shining example of that. What if I were to tell you that obedience isn’t even a big thing with God? Some of you hearing this are getting your torches, pitchforks, and bonfires ready. If you give me a few minutes, I’ll give you enough to at least consider it’s importance in the big picture of Scripture and discipleship. When it comes to obedience, church folk love to trot out these verses: Isaiah 1:19-20 (ESV) 19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; 20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Before we go further, we need to consider the context. God, here, is telling the prophet how He detests all the trappings of religion. He’s talking about how he’s grown weary of sacrifices and ceremonies. When God is speaking of being willing, He’s speaking about operating according to His will; when He’s talking about obedience, He’s speaking of faithfulness and discernment. Let’s take a look at this from the standpoint of creation — at no point did God demand obedience from His crowning creation. No, God wanted a family to be one with Him — to govern physical space as He governed spiritual space. God created us in His image and likeness to be like Him, to be one with Him, and to fellowship with Him — not for blind obedience. If obedience was the endgame, God would have just created us to be robots with no will of our own. Now, let’s look at this passage of Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (ESV) 22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” Here, the prophet is recounting God’s words to Saul because Saul chose to offer a sacrifice, himself, instead of waiting for the prophet. This is one of those passages that religious leadership trots out to say “do not get ahead of the mand o’ Gawd.” This had nothing to do with the man or even the sacrifice but with trust. Trust is a byproduct of love. Saul was disobedient in that he didn’t trust God and he didn’t trust God because he didn’t love God. This is what God really wants — is for us to simply love and trust Him! And this is a FRUIT of our salvation, not a ROOT to obtain, maintain, or retain it. Obedience really is better than sacrifice! But there is no obedience greater than Jesus’ and no sacrifice greater than Him! Watch this: Jesus was obedient in that He was faithful to His assignment. Jesus said to the Father in John 17:4 that He glorified Him in the earth by completing the work He was given. Jesus was disobedient to the law concerning eating (Mark 12:23) and healing (Luke 14:1-5). Jesus was disobedient concerning the order of the temple (John 2:15) — you have to know that the money-changers were there with permission! Jesus was disobedient to the law concerning his relations with the Samaritans (John 4). So if Jesus is our example, obedience cannot be a big thing! We are not to be known as disciples by our obedience! Love is the key! Love is greater than obedience because love PRODUCES obedience! Obedience doesn’t produce anything! And it cannot. The author of Hebrews tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God — and faith works by love! In fact, you can’t even have faith without love! We don’t do greater works because we’re obedience bu...

Our intakes have now closed for this year. To be the first to hear when our intakes open again in the new year… >Otherwise we are getting ready for our first CWIB Community Conference on Saturday 11th Feb 2018. Our early bird rates expire on 11th November 2017 so get in before the price goes up!>Welcome to week 2 of our mini-series of helping you find your location in your business so you can start planning for the year ahead!Last week we spoke about your achievements, if you haven’t seen that podcast yet you can have a listen by clicking here.Now we are going to move onto a more confronting topic. What mistakes you have made throughout your past year.We’re not going to make you feel bad or is this a section to self-sabotage. This exercise is for you to learn and acknowledge what you need to implement moving forward.Questions for you to answer this week:Write down your 3 biggest mistakes you made this year.After each mistake you write down answer these questions under them…What you learnt from the mistake?What can you do to avoid it from happening again?Once you’ve completed this exercise we’re going to put a spin on things. What are you thankful for to God for what’s happened this year?You may have had lots of achievements and made lots of mistakes. But what are you grateful for to God?Some examples might be… New clients, new connections, wisdom.Write down all the things you are thankful for then go through each one and give praise to God for them happening.Gratefulness changes our prospective on a situation and enables us to see the good in the bad.The post #30 Week 2 – Mistakes and Gratefulness in Your Business – Planning Your Year Ahead appeared first on Christian Women in Business. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The expression ”I could have never imagined” or “never did I think this or that could happen”... There are lots of people living life but living it with things they can only imagine happening in their life. Yet, is it possible that some of what you can only imagine has already been prepared for you by God? Some only dream of a life free of addiction, but God has prepared freedom for them. Others can only imagine a life full of joy, peace or love but again, these have already been prepared by God. And, the great news is He wants to tell you about what He has prepared for you through His Holy Spirit.

Episode 91 Led by the Spirit of God Paul says that the sons of God are those who are led by the Spirit of God. How does the Spirit lead us? When someone says that God is leading them to do something should that ever be questioned? If so, how should that be done? Our topic today is a very sensitive issue and the answers are not always easy. Yet God has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within us and to lead us in all aspects of life. There are examples in the scriptures and spiritual principles that can help us. Today we want to look at some of those. • The foundation o God is sovereign o God’s purpose is that we may be one through Christ Jesus our Lord o God has given the Holy Spirit to make Jesus real in us • God chooses the perfect way to communicate with man. He may o Speak in an audible voice from heaven o Send an angel o Speak in a dream or vision o Send a man o Speak in "a still small voice" (Spirit to spirit) o Bring truth to us through a scripture verse (or passage) o Bring an urging to the heart (our spirit) o Bring a thought to our mind concerning a specific issue before us o A spiritual gift (a strong sensing in the Spirit to meet a particular need). o Circumstances (and giving insight into those circumstances) o Probably other ways and combinations of all of these as God sees fit. • All communication that we say is from God needs to be tested: o By the scriptures (Old and New Testament) o By a plurality of spiritual brothers o By the peace of God ruling in our inner man (spirit) after waiting on God • Some danger areas are as follows: o Personalities often rule when looking for God's direction: o An analytical mind puts heavy emphasis on the scriptures, examining the original, etc. o An emotional person may put a heavy emphasis on "feeling" o A person with undisciplined desires may find direction in their own desires o A person attracted to the supernatural may be open to deceiving spirits • A desire to "do something for God" (or be somebody) can overrule everything and lead into great deception • A young Christian (or un-spiritual Christian) needs more input from spiritual brothers to help them be grounded • Additional resources at http://www.ntchurchsource.com/ • Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne • Comments and questions welcome. Email David@AnchorOfTruth.com

What do you believe about God? Some people come to the conclusion that they believe in God while others do not, but have you ever asked yourself why you believe what you believe?  This week in our series "Building on the Basics," we dive into the final chapter of 1 John where the Apostle John reemphasizes some of the most important aspects of walking in love, including understanding the correlation between truth and love. In today’s message Pastor Clay challenges us to take time to think about what we believe about Jesus Christ, why we believe what we believe, and how what we believe effects our daily lives, our reality.

The crippled man and his friends had an outrageous faith. They knew that Jesus was the solution. Jesus saw their faith but addressed the spiritual issue before the physical. Our relationship with God will always be the first priority. Are we and our friends doing everything possible to put ourselves in the position to get right with God? Some of the points we will be exploring will be Jesus' ability to see our true need, what faith looks like when it is put in action, and the recognizing the link between spiritual and physical healing. Sermon is based on Mark 2:1-12.

Do we need God? Some say that they don't need God. Are they better than others? We look at the call of Levi to find out if we need God and how to live with a need for God in the midst of plenty and privilege.

If you are dealing with stress and anxiety, then this episode is for you. Worry, stress, and anxiety are things that threaten to overwhelm and suffocate us. But by learning to trust in God more, you can deepen your relationship with Him as well as kick worry, anxiety, and stress out of your heart and mind. We will cover what it means to Trust in God more and more. And we will also cover HOW to do that. It's not as easy as saying that you will trust in God...how can we actually live that out? Jump into this practical episode on how to battle worry and anxiety by placing your Trust more fully in God: Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. In This Episode, You Will Learn: When worry and anxiety turn into a sin Why it's so important to deal with this in our own hearts and minds The importance of placing our trust in God Some practical ways we can learn to place our trust in God What does it mean to cast our cares upon God [Tweet ""Spiritual maturity begins with: an attitude of humility towards God and others and trust in God's Care." - John MacArthur"] Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Finding Joy In Your Home Free eCourse Book recommendation: Anxious for Nothing by John MacArthur Hf #27: Methods for a Deeper Prayer Life Hf #28: Memorizing God's Word So You Can Truly Cherish Christ Book of the Week: Anxious for Nothing: God's Cure for the Cares of Your Soul by John MacArthur In the last episode, the book of the week was Trusting God. This week I want to talk about the other very influencial book on anxiety and worry. This is the book I've been quoting a lot this episode and it's such an encouraging and Biblically-based one. Honestly, if you are really struggling with anxiety and are overwhelmed - I highly recommend you read both of these books. Pick one and just start reading! Anxious for Nothing takes you through a Biblical look at anxiety, what it is and how we can begin to work through it. Based upon Gods Word! I highly recommend it!   Finding Joy in Your Home FREE eCourse Finding joy within our homes is one of my most requested topics. How do we find joy - real joy - within our days? As women, a lot of what we do can seem mundane and tedious. But when we view our homemaking (and our life) through the lens of the Bible, we can begin to experience real Joy, Peace, and Tranquility in our lives. This free training is a 5 part video series that walks you through the essential habits that all Christian homemakers must form! Included with each lesson are printable worksheets to help you make the most out of what you are learning. Start to find more Joy in your home by using an atmosphere quiz, morning and evening routine worksheet, and more! Click here to sign up for FREE and start watching the first video right away. Thanks for Listening!

If you are dealing with stress and anxiety, then this episode is for you. Worry, stress, and anxiety are things that threaten to overwhelm and suffocate us. But by learning to trust in God more, you can deepen your relationship with Him as well as kick worry, anxiety, and stress out of your heart and mind. We will cover what it means to Trust in God more and more. And we will also cover HOW to do that. It's not as easy as saying that you will trust in God...how can we actually live that out? Jump into this practical episode on how to battle worry and anxiety by placing your Trust more fully in God: Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. In This Episode, You Will Learn: When worry and anxiety turn into a sin Why it's so important to deal with this in our own hearts and minds The importance of placing our trust in God Some practical ways we can learn to place our trust in God What does it mean to cast our cares upon God [Tweet ""Spiritual maturity begins with: an attitude of humility towards God and others and trust in God's Care." - John MacArthur"] Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Finding Joy In Your Home Free eCourse Book recommendation: Anxious for Nothing by John MacArthur Hf #27: Methods for a Deeper Prayer Life Hf #28: Memorizing God's Word So You Can Truly Cherish Christ Book of the Week: Anxious for Nothing: God's Cure for the Cares of Your Soul by John MacArthur In the last episode, the book of the week was Trusting God. This week I want to talk about the other very influencial book on anxiety and worry. This is the book I've been quoting a lot this episode and it's such an encouraging and Biblically-based one. Honestly, if you are really struggling with anxiety and are overwhelmed - I highly recommend you read both of these books. Pick one and just start reading! Anxious for Nothing takes you through a Biblical look at anxiety, what it is and how we can begin to work through it. Based upon Gods Word! I highly recommend it!   Finding Joy in Your Home FREE eCourse Finding joy within our homes is one of my most requested topics. How do we find joy - real joy - within our days? As women, a lot of what we do can seem mundane and tedious. But when we view our homemaking (and our life) through the lens of the Bible, we can begin to experience real Joy, Peace, and Tranquility in our lives. This free training is a 5 part video series that walks you through the essential habits that all Christian homemakers must form! Included with each lesson are printable worksheets to help you make the most out of what you are learning. Start to find more Joy in your home by using an atmosphere quiz, morning and evening routine worksheet, and more! Click here to sign up for FREE and start watching the first video right away. Thanks for Listening!

A few years after starting God Conversations, God spoke to me about a second branch of ministry. Unlike equipping people to recognise God's voice, this one was just for women. The vision of God Conversations for Women is to help women realise their God-given potential. The goal is to see God’s original plan when he cast both men and women in his image and commissioned them to steward the planet together (Genesis 1:26-27) fulfilled in the 21st century. The question of what a 21st C woman looks like is not an easy one to answer. Once it was simple. Women’s roles in the home, church and community were all very clear. But the feminist movement has changed all that. The last 50-100 years have seen seismic shifts in Western society. Today women can vote and go to university. They can get a job and travel without their husbands. They can fly aeroplanes, join the army, preach sermons and rise to the position of Prime Minister. It wasn’t long ago that all these things were unthinkable. But at the same time, these kinds of changes have deep repercussions for who we are as women. We hear the voices of the secular worlds; the community and the marketplace, but what is God asking of us? What does it mean to be a 21st C Christian woman? We’re going to tackle some of those questions today in one of the most fun and interesting radio interviews I think I’ve ever done. It’s an interview with John Peachey, presenter of the Mornings Show in Rhema Radio NZ and it was done to mark the official launch of God Conversations for Women. I encourage you to have a listen - even if you’re a man! John and I talk about: How changes in women’s roles effects our men, like who does the asking on a date Why some men (and some women) find it hard to accept women in leadership roles What being a woman in leadership means for femininity The role of the “pastors’ wife” today (and how to pastor a church if you’re not one) How gender stereotypes can be both helpful and unhelpful How God describes his vision for women in the 21st C (and what happens when you quote the Bible at God) Some advice for young women Why there’s so many great single women who can’t find a man and how not to put your life on hold while you ‘wait’! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! So welcome to our launch of God Conversations for Women! For more resources on how to be a 21st C Christian woman, subscribe at the blog here. Your Thoughts What do you think is on God's heart for the 21st C Christian woman? We'd love to hear your thoughts below (and yes, men we'd love to hear from you too!)

Message Monday Do you remember what it was like to give your heart to God? Some thoughts on getting back to the beginning.

Do you know God? – John 1 – Brent Phillips – Encounter Houston Have you ever stopped and wondered, “Do I really know God? Some of us would be offended if someone were to ask us this question? We would say, “How could you? I attend church every Sunday?” or “I have been in church for 20 years?” But it is one thing to know about God and it is another to know God. John 1:18 “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.” Sometimes we can be so certain that we are right about something, when the reality is we are wrong. That was the case for the Pharisees. They were certain that Jesus was wrong in being the son of God, that when He actually proved that He was right all they could do was try to kill Him. Could that be the case for us in the church today? How many times have we as Christians tried to remove someone or something rather than deal with the fact that they may be right when it comes to knowing God? Is it possible that we have missed an incredible aspect of God in all of our arguing about theology and who we think God is or who we know God to be? Is it possible that there is more to God than what we realize? You can go to seminary every single day and learn all the incredible truth, there is to know about God, yet it is possible to not know Him at all. You can sit it church for many years and attend all the bible studies you could possibly think of, yet still not know God. God is un-relatable, yet knowable through Jesus Christ because He is the exact representation of God. There is nothing wrong with being wrong when the upside is something more incredible than what you thought you already knew. Allow God to reveal Himself to you in a new way. It is okay to ask yourself, "Do I really know God?" it will be in our asking that we find out just how incredible God truly is. The video to this podcast @ http://www.brentgphillips.com/brent-phillips-video

Is the author of John confused about Jesus and God? Does he think that two different beings - the Father, and the man Jesus - are numerically the same as the one true God? Some people think so; putting it gently, they talk of the "tensions" (=apparent contradictions) in the book. But is this author that confused? Again, some think that John makes Jesus qualitatively equal to God, that is, divine in the same sense that the one God is divine. But John firmly distinguishes between Jesus and his (and our) God, and wasn't this author, and all the early Jewish Christians, monotheistic, believing in the uniqueness of YHWH, as emphatically claimed in Isaiah and Deuteronomy? How does Dr. Ehrman read the gospel according to John in his How Jesus Became God? And what about Dr. Ehrman's claim that the authors of Matthew, Mark, and Luke considered Jesus to be a lesser god, a lower level divinity, while John has a notably "higher" christology? We discuss these questions and the topic of monotheism in this episode. You can also listen to this episode on youtube. And here is Part 1 of the interview.

In today's study from Genesis 15, Pastor Gary takes a look at the word "covenant." What does covenant mean? And what does it mean that God is a covenant God? Some people struggle with an incorrect view of God - that He is too far away; that He wants us to take a few steps in His direction and then He will meet us in the middle. But actually, the Bible teaches that God is near to us and He has taken all the steps in our direction. Covenant is about God pursuing US! All He wants of us is faith to trust Him.

In today's study from Genesis 15, Pastor Gary takes a look at the word "covenant." What does covenant mean? And what does it mean that God is a covenant God? Some people struggle with an incorrect view of God - that He is too far away; that He wants us to take a few steps in His direction and then He will meet us in the middle. But actually, the Bible teaches that God is near to us and He has taken all the steps in our direction. Covenant is about God pursuing US! All He wants of us is faith to trust Him.

2007-03-28-1900 Doug Small is the speaker for Central on Wednesday evening March 28th, 2007. Scripture Ref: Topic: Plagues, The ExodusNotes:- 3 Seasons of concentrated miracles: season of exodus, period of divided kingdom, period of exile; brought redemption, renewal…- God revealed Himself to the nations, exposing paganism- We now qualify for a similar move of God- Some explain plagues scientifically; each plague associated with an  Egyptian deity- America's values are the same as Egypt in that day- Magicians replicated plagues; today clairvoyants, soothsayers seen no differently than holy men; God moves in such a way that distinguishes- 3 sets of plagues: 1-3 set Holy Men apart; 4-6 His people protected; 7-9 contrast the Lord and everyone else- When people begin crying out to God, as Israel did, He begins working- America founded in faith; attitudes have shifted, Pilgrims as aggressors- We must tell His story