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Raising Godly Daughters in Today's Culture: A Call to Biblical WomanhoodIn this powerful episode, Tina dives into the challenges of raising daughters in a world shaped by feminism, social media, and secular identity messages. She unpacks how cultural influence often clashes with God's design—and how moms can guide their girls toward true biblical womanhood through prayer, truth, and intentional discipleship.This isn't just a message for girl moms—boy moms are invited in, too. Discover what traits to encourage in your sons as they learn to honor and recognize godly character in future relationships.
Are you ready to stop surviving and start thriving in your marriage? In this powerful episode, we reveal the exact 3-step process we teach Christian men to become not just better husbands, but phenomenal husbands. This is the same proven framework that has transformed marriages, restored intimacy, and reignited passion for men around the world.You'll learn how to reset your foundation, reestablish emotional and spiritual connection, and rise into your God-given role as a leader, protector, and provider. Whether your marriage is hanging by a thread or you just feel disconnected and stuck, these 3 steps will give you the clarity and momentum you need.We go beyond surface-level marriage advice and into biblical masculine leadership, emotional discipline, spiritual growth, and how to truly win your wife's heart back without manipulation or guilt.If you're a Christian husband ready to walk in purpose, power, and peace, this episode is your roadmap. Don't wait. Start becoming the man your wife and family can finally trust, respect, and admire. Subscribe for more biblical marriage coaching and Godly masculinity!Interested In Coaching? Click the link below!https://www.highlevelhusband.com/bmr-blueprint
Join Dr. Watkins as she interviews Jake Thurston on the importance of having friends, especially Godly ones. He also discusses his book "You Need Friends." Click here to find out more about Jake: https://www.youneedfriends.com/
Take Heed to Godly Counsel - Morning Prayer
Caring for aging parents is hard! Dave and Bethlie discuss practical ways you navigate these difficult times. If you are in this season, or will be in this season, we trust this content will be a help. If you know of someone who could use this, please share it. Caring for Aging Parents It is hard. Life is busy all by itself, but caring for aging parents doubles or triples the load. Some parents are pretty much on their own all the way through life, but others need lots of help and care. As much as possible, plan ahead before care is needed. Talk with all the family who is involved or who will be. If possible, purchase insurance plans that will help. Perhaps pay for them as a family. Secure wills and power of attorneys and bank accounts and all that while it can be done easily. Have a plan as to who is in charge and who will help and how it will be done. Be prepared for misunderstanding and difficult responses Remember truth when accusations are made Remember truth when challenges occurC It needs to be a WE affair and not a ME affair Get everyone involved Brothers and sisters Aunts and uncles Sons and daughters Spouse Everyone get involved One person likely cannot do it by themselves Each person must shoulder some responsibility Links: Want to hear Pastor Dave Young preach? Westwood Baptist Church Westwood Baptist Church Podcast
Join for this special "Best of" Marriage Monday on Women of Grace! Johnnette Williams and her husband Jack pair up to discuss marriage. Not only giving personal examples of how to best spiritually navigate marriage, but field calls from people searching for Godly advice in their own marriages.
In a world where so many people are lonely, how do you find lasting, Godly friendships? Join us for a word from one of our servant leaders and elders, Orlando!
Join for this special "Best of" Marriage Monday on Women of Grace! Johnnette Williams and her husband Jack pair up to discuss marriage. Not only giving personal examples of how to best spiritually navigate marriage, but field calls from people searching for Godly advice in their own marriages.
Husbands, are to love their wives as Christ loves the Church, and wives submit to their own husbands as they are submitting to Christ. But even when one party fails to do this, the grace of God can elevate the marriage and make something it into something beautiful.Having a Godly marriage does not require a Godly spouse, but it requires that you have a Godly focus.Nathan Pearl teaches through the book of First Peter.Watch on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@thedoormichaelpearl
James 3:13-18 Godly wisdom is central to living a Christ-centered life. But there are all kinds of wisdom. How do we discern what is Godly wisdom, and what is worldly wisdom?
So, we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and He heard our prayer (Ezra 8:23). Thank you, Lord!
Join for this special "Best of" Marriage Monday on Women of Grace! Johnnette Williams and her husband Jack pair up to discuss marriage. Not only giving personal examples of how to best spiritually navigate marriage, but field calls from people searching for Godly advice in their own marriages.
A homily delivered by Fr. Michael Maximous at St. Basil American Coptic Orthodox church on June 29, 2025
Praise the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who made the king want to beautify the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem! (Ezra 7:27). Glory to God!
The transformative grace of God at work in the heart of believers brings about a new life of good works magnifying God's Kingdom.
In an age when screens are ever-present and digital distractions abound, parents are asking: How can I help my daughter grow in faith in a tech-saturated world? On this episode of the Raising Godly Girls Podcast, Rachael Culpepper, American Heritage Girls Executive Director, sits down with tech entrepreneur and Pray.com co-founder Matthew Potter to answer this important question. Together, they explore how families can embrace technology not as a threat to spiritual growth—but as a tool for meaningful discipleship. Matthew shares how his experience developing over 6,000 apps led to a calling to create Pray.com, the #1 app for daily prayer and Bible-based audio content. He speaks from both a spiritual and practical perspective, encouraging parents to reframe the role of technology in their homes. Instead of viewing screens only as obstacles, Matthew challenges listeners to consider how technology can become a bridge to daily prayer, Bible study, and spiritual conversations with our daughters. This episode offers wisdom for the modern Christian family—particularly for moms raising girls who are being formed not only by Scripture, but also by the screens they carry. From practical advice on curating faith-filled apps to tips for instilling intentionality in screen time, this conversation offers both hope and helpful tools. You'll walk away encouraged to leverage today's digital tools to reinforce a Biblical worldview and foster habits of faith that last into adulthood. Whether you're a digital minimalist or an early tech adopter, you'll find renewed vision for using technology to cultivate spiritual maturity in your home. Don't miss this inspiring discussion about raising Godly girls in a digital age—where faith formation can flourish one tap at a time. Scriptures Referenced in this Episode: Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...” Learn more about Matthew Potter and his work at pray.com Explore more resources to raise girls rooted in Christ at raisinggodlygirls.com. To find or start an AHG Troop in your area, visit americanheritagegirls.org.
Titus Live a Godly life; Gods grace has appeared To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1331/29
In this episode of 'Home Business Profits with Ray Higdon,' Ray shares four essential Godly principles for growing your brand, complete with appropriate biblical verses. He discusses helping the person you used to be, leading with goodness, trying to help everyone who comes to you, and recognizing God as the creator of all results. Ray provides practical tips on creating content to serve your audience, citing verses from Judges, Ephesians, Luke, Deuteronomy, John, and James. He wraps up by explaining how to be an indispensable resource for your audience and offers further guidance through his Rank Makers and Sales and Marketing Mentorship programs. ——
As Gimmel Tammuz approaches, Chaya Baron joins me for a soulful conversation on living with joyful presence. We explore how to connect to our Godly soul, bring more light into our lives, and feel the Rebbe's guidance in a real and personal way.Raizel Schusterman is a certified Positive Psychology practitioner and ICF-certified life coach. Combining Torah values with positive psychology, she helps individuals and couples live more meaningful lives. Learn more at apositivecoach.com. Check out our sponsor OKclarity.com OKclarity.com is THE place for any Jew - no matter how frum or religious you are - to find an excellent therapist, psychiatrist, coach, or nutritionist. And it's completely free for you to use! OKCLARITY.com's professionals are vetted and have extensive experience working with the Jewish community. Yes, you can even find me there! If you're in the market for a therapist, coach, nutritionist, psychiatrist, or the like - you want to check them out. If you don't find what you're looking for, they have a concierge service where you complete a short form and they will personally match you. Important side note! If you are a wellness professional, I highly recommend joining their directory. Their team is amazing and I've received referrals immediately! OKclarity also has an amazing WhatsApp status with over 8 thousand obsessed followers. Their WhatsApp is a free way to improve your mental health and they post great humor so you'll laugh too. If you have WhatsApp, shoot them a message at 917-426-1495.GYM Media: Elevate your brand with professional media services. Visit to learn more. OKclarity: The go-to platform for finding vetted Jewish mental health professionals. Visit or message their WhatsApp at 917-426-1495 to start your wellness journey.Gymmedia.co for all your media needs
Listen to a message from Emmanuel Baptist Church of Longview, TX.Support the show
Episode 200 marks a major milestone—not just for the podcast, but for an entire movement that's reshaping how investors think about capital, impact, and stewardship.In this celebration episode, Faith Driven Investor founders Henry Kaestner and Luke Roush take us back to the very beginning—from their first meeting at Joe's Diner in Durham (famous for hot dogs with mustard, chili, or just hot dog) to building Sovereign's Capital and eventually launching a global movement that now spans nearly 100 countries.The Origin Story Behind the Movement:How a matchmaker pastor named J.D. Grear connected two investors who would change everythingThe "Eastern Block Bodega" problem: too little product on the shelf and no line of customersWhy turning away 99 out of 100 entrepreneurs led to a "heartbreaking" realizationThe Holy Spirit moment that shifted everything from scarcity to abundance thinkingFrom Fund to Movement:The transition from Sovereign's Capital to Faith Driven Entrepreneur to Faith Driven InvestorWhy they decided to expose their own LPs to competing fund managersThe infamous John Porter story from Rwanda and what it taught them about being "tight-gripped"How a gathering at a French bistro with 25-30 leaders sparked something biggerThe Philosophy That Changed Everything: Henry and Luke dive deep into the shift from traditional "biblically responsible investing" (focused on what to avoid) to "faith-driven investing" (focused on what to support). This isn't just about screening out "sin stocks"—it's about actively seeking investments that promote human flourishing and build God's kingdom.Global Vision and What's Next:Why Africa represents the most exciting investment opportunity of our generationThe math that doesn't add up: $100+ trillion in managed assets globally, but only a couple hundred billion in explicitly faith-aligned productsWhy 60% of Americans identify as Christian but the investment numbers don't reflect itThe "top of the second inning" reality: we're still incredibly early in this movementKey Insights for Investors:The power of being known for what you're FOR rather than what you're againstWhy "one size fits one" when it comes to faith-driven investing approachesThe importance of seeking Godly counsel, prayer, and Scripture in investment decisionsHow spiritual integration looks different across asset classes (even oil and gas)
Jesus Delivered Us (2) (audio) David Eells – 6/25/25 I'm going to continue speaking about how Jesus has delivered us. When the Syrophoenician woman asked Jesus to deliver her daughter in (Matthew 15:21-28), who was “grievously vexed with a demon” (Mat.15:26) … He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. Deliverance is for God's people; deliverance is “the children's bread.” Those who think they can go and just cast demons out of any lost person do not know anything about deliverance. In the first place, it's a very dangerous thing to do. We are the ones who are in covenant with God, the covenant being deliverance from the curse of sin and of death (Rom.8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.). This is our covenant. We have a right to total deliverance from bondage of the flesh and from bondage to demon spirits. We have the right, but that does not mean we will attain it. The right to deliverance comes when we receive knowledge and understanding of the promises, and then we enter into those covenant promises by faith. The Bible says in (Heb.4:3) …the works were finished from the foundation of the world. So the only thing remaining is for us to enter into those works through faith. It also says in (Heb.4:2) …but the word of hearing did not profit them (the Jews), because it was not united by faith with them that heard. When the Israelites were supposed to conquer their Promised Land, all they needed to do was what Joshua and Caleb did; they believed the Word of God. Ten of the twelve spies who came back did not believe the Word of God. They believed only what they saw, felt, and heard, and those were the things they confessed. They did not enter into the Promised Land because they brought back a bad report. Let's read that. (Num.13:25) And they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. (26) And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. (27) And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us; and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. (28) Howbeit the people that dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. (29) Amalek dwelleth in the land of the South: and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the hill-country; and the Canaanite dwelleth by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan. (30) And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. (31) But the men that went up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. (32) And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. (33) And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (Num.14:1) And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. This is also a type and shadow. There are ministers today who do not believe that we can be holy. They do not believe we can overcome sin and the devil. God wants to lead us through our Promised Land or Land of Promise to come against our enemies and conquer them all. But you have no authority to cast a demon out of a person who is full of bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, and resentment. You'll waste a lot of breath trying to deliver these people because, without true repentance, they can come back. And you do not know the tormentors; you just know that they are demons. They could be demons of spiritual infirmities or they could be unclean spirits. Anyone wanting to help in the ministry of deliverance should first be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need this gift, and a person who is not filled with the Holy Spirit has no business in any deliverance ministry. In the days of the first disciples, all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they would make sure other disciples were also filled with the Holy Spirit. (Act.19:1) And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples: (2) and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they [said] unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was [given]. (3) And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John's baptism. (4) And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus. (5) And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit is God's authority to know what is going on in people. We are to live under the law of the Spirit (Romans 7:6,8:2,4; etc.). The Old Testament Law, all those rules and regulations, was given to Israel because they did not have the Spirit of God, and so they didn't know what to do when they got into such-and-such a situation. It does not work that way in the New Testament because we have the Holy Spirit to lead us. (Gal.5:18) But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. He guides us in the ministry of deliverance from lusts of the flesh and demons that rule over the lusts of the flesh. The most common reason why people don't get delivered from demons is because they are not right with their brother, and what often happens is that not being right with their brother does not get revealed. Jesus tells us to make things right with our brother before we bring our gift before the altar; otherwise, He will turn you over to the jailer and the jailer will throw you into prison. That “jailer” is the devil. (Mat.5:23) If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, (24) leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (25) Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Jesus came to set the captives free. That is what we were, but that is not what we are now supposed to be. We were captive to the lusts of the flesh, representing the old man of the land, who seems like a giant to us, and were captive to the devil. We were in prison, having no hope without God. In Luke 4, Jesus was quoting from Isaiah, (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound… Liberty to the captives has been proclaimed, but not everybody is entering into this liberty being cowards before their giant flesh. Our job as ministers of reconciliation is to minister the same thing that Jesus ministered. (2Co.5:18) But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation. Our job is to proclaim the liberty that was given to us at the Cross. This liberty is deliverance from bondage to the flesh man, and deliverance from the demons that rule over the him. Then Jesus went on in (Luk.4:18) … to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of the sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. He did not quote the second part of the sentence in (Isa.61:2) To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God… He only quoted the first half of this verse because the day He was ministering in was the day of the Lord's favor, but in these days we're coming to the second half, “the day of vengeance of our God.” While grace and liberty to the captives are being offered, to the extent that we will humble ourselves to the Word is the extent we can enter into it. The Bible says in (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. Even though we have authority to cast out demons, there won't be anything lasting you can do for a person who is adding to or taking away from the Word. If you think you are going to deliver them from that curse, then you're deceived, and you haven't read Deuteronomy 28 for yourself. So that person should fill themselves with the Word to keep their gift. It was not the devil who put the curse on this earth; it was God. He sent the curse because of man's rebellion. The curse is designed to motivate us to run to the Cross and to make us run to Jesus Christ, Who has the only antidote for the curse. The world likes to deceive us into thinking they can solve our curses for us, but it's not possible. All the world can do is just shove the curse around without solving a thing, and they're about to see the truth of that now. For example, diseases they thought they had wiped out are coming back, and they're coming back stronger than ever because of man's intervention. And mans so called cure is killing a lot of people. You see, it's not possible to destroy a curse that God has put out there, but He also sent Jesus Christ to deliver us from that curse when we repent. God is so merciful that He sent the curse to turn us away from the wrath of hell. The devil will laugh at you when you want to deliver somebody who has not repented. It's a waste of breath and time, and I know because I've tried to do it. When you have people who have not repented, it doesn't matter that they call themselves “Christians.” It makes no difference, lasting deliverance from the curse comes by repentance, faith, and obedience. There's no way we can get around that. Jesus said, (Mat.28:18)… All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. This does not leave anything for the devil if it is not given to him, since Jesus delegated His authority to us when He said, (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. That was delegating authority to us; so how is it then that the devil gets his authority? He gets it from us. When we walk out from under the Blood and walk in the flesh, submitting to demon spirits, we give the devil authority. The only way to take away his authority in that case is through repentance and faith that Christ delivered us. The apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit, turned a man over to Satan (1Co.5:5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Again, you cannot get around this. If you had come to that man after Paul had turned him over to the devil, thinking to cast out all of the demons from him, you would have been deceived because those demons will literally play with you. Sometimes they'll act as if they are gone, and sometimes they will even come out, but they will not be gone for long. When you turn your head, they're right back, and if you ask them, “Hey, what are you doing? I thought I cast you out of there!” They'll tell you, “No, we have a right to be here. They want us to be here.” Or, “They invited us to be here.” I've actually heard demons say that. The demons know when they have a right, and you'll be wasting your time because they'll just deceive you. What does the Bible say will happen if you cast demons out of a person who does not repent? They may come back seven times worse. (Mat.12:43) 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. (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. These were apostate covenant people. Mere flesh can be dealt with by repentance and faith, but sometimes you find that even when you exercise repentance and faith, you are still not having success. That's because demonic oppression or possession is a compelling bondage that goes beyond just mere flesh. It is still repentance and faith that gets rid of the bondage of a demon spirit, but first you have to take away the “stink” that brings them. The “stink” arises when someone is giving in to the flesh or sin. “Flies” represent demons, and the “flies” come to the stink. Beelzebub, the devil, is known as the “Lord of the Flies.” Scripture calls him “Beelzebub the prince of the demons.” (Mat.12:24) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons. As long as you have the stink, the flies will come because they have a right to come. If you repent of the stink and get rid of the stink, that will cast out the demon or demons, and they won't be able to come back. Most deliverance happens when people do not have the foggiest idea that they have ever been delivered of anything. A lot of deliverance happens when people get saved. By the depth of their commitment to Christ, they are delivered of many demon spirits. I, and others close to me, have had demons from which we were delivered. We mentioned a man whom Paul turned over to Satan in 1 Corinthians 5:5. Did you know this man was a Christian? So what was it that caused him to be delivered over to Satan? It was the lusts of his flesh. You are protected if you walk under the Blood of Jesus Christ, but willful disobedience is not under the Blood. The Bible warns in (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. Willful disobedience brings judgment by the “tormentors,” who are demons. (Matthew 18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. Demons can bring forth sickness and corruption of all kinds. When Jesus cast out demons, who was receiving that deliverance? Well, what did Jesus say? (Mat.15:24) … I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It was not the Canaanites who lived around them; it was the Israelites, the people who had God's Covenant promise. Jesus said that casting out demons is for God's children. He did not cast demons out of the world, because deliverance is the “children's bread” (Mark 7:27). This makes it clear that the Covenant people were the only people out of whom Jesus was casting demons. Deliverance is what God has provided for His children. The world is not in covenant with God, and they have no right to deliverance, healing, or any of the promises of the New Covenant, nor the blessings of the New Testament. If it is the “children's bread,” then it is not to be given to the world; however, Jesus had to have been awed at the Syrophoenician woman's great faith. Since He was right on the edge of a new covenant, He counted her as a believer and He gave her what she asked. (Mar.7:26) Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. And she besought him that he would cast forth the demon out of her daughter. (27) And he said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. (28) But she answered and saith unto him, Yea, Lord; even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. (29) And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the demon is gone out of thy daughter. The Bible says, (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. You see, there's a condition in the Gospel that has to be met in order to receive deliverance, healing, soul salvation, and so forth, and that condition is believing what the Gospel says. You may ask, “Does God ever cast a demon out of somebody who does not believe or even think because they are totally possessed?” Yes, He does, but it's usually because they are among the elect and will later believe, like with the demoniac of the tombs (Mark 5:1-20; Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 8:26-39). Sometimes they are oppressing others who have a right to peace. In most cases it takes repentance and belief in order to get deliverance. (Mat.8:16) And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: (17) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases. This word “our” is talking about us. Christians spoke and wrote these words. Jesus took the curse from us. Did He bear the curse for the world? Yes, but it is ultimately to “whosoever will” (Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:34; Revelation 22:17; etc.) Who is “whosoever will?” The Bible says, (Joh.6:44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him… The elect will; this is absolutely clear. The elect are those who bear fruit and were chosen before the foundation of the world, as the Bible says. (Eph.1:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: (5) having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: (7) in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (8) which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, (9) making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him (10) unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, [I say,] (11) in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; (12) to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: (13) in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (14) which is an earnest (down payment) of our inheritance, unto the redemption of [God's] own possession, unto the praise of his glory. The “elect” are the overcomers who will be standing at the end of their time of testing (Romans 12:21; 1 John 5:4; Revelation 2:7,11,17,26-28; 3:5,12,21; etc.). Many of the called will not, but the elect will have gotten what Jesus was talking about here because the elect are those who bear fruit. (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen. The Greek word here for “chosen” is the same word for “elect,” eklektos. Many are the called, as we see from when God called the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10; Hosea 11:1-7). He said in (Mat.2:15) … Out of Egypt did I call my son. He also said in (Jud.1:5) Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. You see, “calling” is not “election”; “calling” is on the way to election. “Calling” just means “an invitation,” from the Greek word klētos, “to invite.” Jesus has invited us to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. If we do this, we will not have any problem bearing fruit. 2Pe 1:10 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: The Bible says, (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. So you may be wondering how a Christian can have a demon and the Holy Spirit at the same time. It's simple; let me explain. The body is a temple. (1Co.6:19) Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; (20) for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. The ancient manuscripts say, “a temple of the Holy Spirit” because the Temple was threefold (Exodus chapters 25-27). It had an outer court, a holy place, and the Holy of Holies, and the outer court was called the “Court of the Gentiles” (Revelation 11:2). Were Gentiles holy? No, and we have proof from Old Testament examples that evil people did come into the outer court. They even laid hands on the horns of the altar to receive mercy (1 Kings 1:50; 2 Chronicles 23:12;15; Matthew 23:35), and sometimes they found mercy and other times they did not. So we see that evil could come into the outer court, but it could not come into the Holy of Holies. Some people like to say that the Spirit of God will not dwell in an unclean temple. If you're talking about the flesh, the flesh is unclean and it's also the enemy of God. (Rom.8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: (7) because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: (8) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. In fact, when the Bible talks about the lusts of the flesh, those lusts have the same nature as the demons do because the flesh is unclean and it's not going to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. (1Co.15:50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Only the “High Priest” Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, dwells in your “Holy of Holies,” your spirit. The demons do not enter into the spirit. Except for the High Priest, anybody who came into the Holy of Holies was struck dead. (Lev.16:2) And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. No evil could go into the Holy of Holies because that was the place of only the High Priest. The Holy Spirit is not dwelling in an unclean temple when He dwells in your spirit. Your spirit is clean. He has to give you a new spirit before He can even come and dwell there. You need to be born again before He can come and dwell in that spirit. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Demons come into the flesh with the desire to possess your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions. The Lord comes into your spirit with the desire to possess your soul. The warfare is between spirit and flesh; God and demons seek to possess the soul. (Act.10:38) Even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. We've been lied to about the supposed difference between “possession” and “oppression.” “Possession” is when the demon is reaching out of the flesh and into the soul, taking control of the mind, the actions, and the character of the person. If you've ever seen a schizophrenic, where one moment they are given over to the lusts of the flesh, and the next minute they seem to straighten right back up. Is that person possessed or not? They are possessed when that happens and they are not possessed when the demon backs off. The demon is still in them; he hasn't gone anywhere. All he's done is just back out of the soul into the flesh, becoming dormant, and he remains there until the next time he wants to take control. The Holy Spirit is the same way. Just because you have the Holy Spirit does not mean you are being led by the Holy Spirit. Having the Holy Spirit is not even going to save you! (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. You can have the Holy Spirit, but not be led by Him, and it's the same with demons. You can have demons, without the demons being in control. We should desire to give possession of this “land” to the spiritual man (Hebrews 6:4-8). God, through the Spirit, gives our spiritual man the power to possess our soul. When you walk after the flesh, the Bible says you must die. (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. When you walk after the flesh, you permit the demon's power to reach into your soul to take control of your thinking, actions, and character, your very nature. In the world they call this “schizophrenia,” but it's demon possession. There is only one nature that is the “real you”. The demons like to come into Christians and impart their own thoughts to deceive them into thinking that this is their nature. The demons give themselves up to the lusts of the flesh and then rule the Christians by speaking in their minds and blending into their characters so that they do not even know that it is them. Christians think it's themselves, but those demons can be forced to manifest by the Authority of God. Some of you may have heard or seen the Gospel being preached and demons manifesting in Christians. They are forced to manifest because they hate the Gospel. They hate tongues and they hate the Blood of Jesus. They hate all things that are Godly. If you learn the things that they hate, those are your best weapons against them. Some of you have already found out that these demons can hide in you very tactfully, convincing you that their thinking is your thinking. Thoughts coming through your mind might seem to be yours, but when forced to manifest by the Word of God, you realize they're coming from a demon. Where the Word of God is tormenting these demons, they will manifest, and this is exactly what happened in Jesus' Presence. The Word of God forced them to manifest. (Mat.8:28) And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming forth out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way. (29) And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? If you have a repentant person and you command these demons to give their name and to manifest in some way, they will do it. If they have never been commanded to manifest, you may have never actually felt their presence. When they are commanded to do so, they will literally speak out of a person and give their name, but they'll also argue with you and lie to you. They will do all the things that demons like to do. Now it's helpful to have other people alongside, but you can deliver yourself because we have that authority. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. If you suspect something is more than just flesh, then exercise your authority and command those demons to go. Sometimes they will speak in your mind, or you'll get their name in your mind. Sometimes their names will come right out of the person's mouth. Many times, a strong, compelling desire turns out to be a demon, not the flesh, but the devil wants you to think that it is only flesh. We are in the process, called “sanctification,” of being delivered of two things: defilement of flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1). But is your spirit defiled? If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in a new, clean spirit Who is called the Spirit of Christ in you. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. This is a Christian. God says, (Eze.36:26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes… Notice, a “new spirit” and then “My Spirit” or the Holy Spirit. You do not have a defiled spirit, so why does Scripture say to Christians, “let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit”? It's because this defilement of spirit is talking about the defilement of you by demon spirits. This is not talking about the defilement of your spirit because your spirit is the only part of you that is totally white and clean. If it is not, you are not a Christian. The defilement that we have the authority to get rid of is the defilement of our souls by the flesh and evil spirits. Do you know what “self” is in the Bible? It is a synonymous term for the word “soul.” One Gospel will say “self” and another Gospel will say “soul” in a same text in another Gospel. “Self” and “soul” are the same. We want to be delivered of all defilement of our soul by both flesh and spirits. (Col.3:5) Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; (6) for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: (7) wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; (8) but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: (9) lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, (10) and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him. The Bible tells us in (Eph.4:27) Neither give place to the devil. The Greek word “place” there is a geographic term meaning “region” or “area.” This is the exact thing God talked about when He was cleansing the Promised Land from the pagan tribes that controlled it. (Deu.7:1) When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and shall cast out many nations before thee, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than thou… All these “ites” had their demonic “gods” (Deuteronomy 32:17). If you leave a place for the lusts of the flesh to live in your land, you are going to sin because they will make you sin, so we are not to leave them any place in our land. (Deu.7:2) And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and thou shalt smite them; then thou shalt utterly destroy them: thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them; (3) neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. (4) For he will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and he will destroy thee quickly. When Jesus delivered the woman with a “spirit of infirmity” in (Luke 13:11), He said in (Luk.13:16) And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, [these] eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath? Jesus called this woman a “daughter of Abraham,” and you might think, “Well, He's just talking about Jews,” yet Jesus never called the literal, physical Jews “daughters and sons of Abraham.” These Jewish leaders and their followers were professing Abraham to be their father, but Jesus totally disagreed with them because a daughter or son of Abraham, like the woman He loosed, is someone who is truly in covenant with God. (Joh.8:38) I speak the things which I have seen with [my] Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from [your] father. (39) They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. Here's the point: “Ye would do the works of Abraham.” (Joh.8:40) But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. (41) Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God. (42) Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. (43) Why do ye not understand my speech? [Even] because ye cannot hear my word. (44) Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. Paul said the same thing; he said that people who walk by faith are the sons of Abraham. (Gal.3:7) Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. Jesus never disagreed with this. This woman who was loosed, got her deliverance because she was a daughter of Abraham. The people who were coming to Jesus were Covenant people, just as we are Covenant people. They had the right of the Covenant and therefore they got healing and deliverance from God. We are proving ourselves through this “trial in the wilderness,” through the things that we're going through, to be either sons of Abraham or sons of the devil. The Bible says in (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Sons of the devil in the world have no Covenant rights, and you're just casting the children's bread to the dogs when you try to deliver an unrepentant person (Mark 7:27). You'll have the same problem, too, if you're trying to give deliverance to a Christian who is unrepentant. We are proving who are overcomers, those who truly belong to Christ. They are going to be the ones who are proven to be the Elect of God (Philippians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:10). We can prove ourselves just as much sons of the devil by our actions as these people proved themselves sons of the devil by their actions. Jesus pointed out to them, “No, if you were of your father Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham!” Amen.
The one another attitudes produce one another actions. Godly attitudes lead to godly actions that are the life of the local church. Travis will be speaking about how the one another attitudes of love, humility, and unity, lead to one another actions. He explains how the practiced one another commands produce real effects. The effects are demonstrated by the church members as… The post Life in the Local Church, Part 3 | Joyful life in the local church appeared first on Pillar of Truth Radio.
“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT) If you’ve ever felt scrutinized, as though people were just waiting for you to fail, you’re in good company. King David once wrote of his enemies, “The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way” (Psalm 140:5 NLT). But they weren’t about to break his stride. In the very next verse, he wrote, “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my God!’ Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!” (Psalm 140:6 NLT). Instead of worrying about his enemies, David focused on his Lord. He left his worries in the hands of God. As Christians, we should strive to be godly—and not to appear godly to other people. There’s a big difference between the two. The apostle Paul offered a glimpse of what it means to live a godly life in Romans 12:1–2: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (NLT). Living a godly life starts inside, in the way we think. The transformation Paul was talking about shifts our priorities. It changes the way we see others, the way we approach conflict and hardship, and the things we choose to do. And to his protégé Timothy, Paul wrote, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT). You’ll notice that God’s approval, and not other people’s approval, is what we should be striving for. Of course, when we fall short in our responsibility to others—and we will—we should admit it. When someone points out our mistakes, we should confess, “You’re right. My actions were not consistent with my beliefs. I apologize for that. And I hope I have not changed your opinion of the God whom I follow, because I make mistakes. But God is always true.” As Christians, we must be honest enough to admit when we fail. The apostle James wrote, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16 NLT). Life is too short to worry about other people’s opinions. Instead, work hard to present yourself as a living and holy sacrifice so that you might receive God’s approval. You’ll never regret it. Reflection question: What does godliness look like in your daily life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Morning brings cooler heads and a juicy secret about Auril…. Content Warning: violence and plenty of profanity Links: Website Patreon Instagram Email us | iseducethedragonpod@gmail.com Cast: Erastus played by Ryan Keely Tohri played by Cristina Van Epps Martha played by Flanders Gentry played by Dana Scarborough The DM is Jess Parks Thanks to Chris Westlake for our earworm theme song Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
God Blesses You in Your Obedience, but God Leaves You to the Consequences of Your Sin in Your Disobedience MESSAGE SUMMARY: Your relationship with God is only between you and God. God desires relationships with each of us, individually, even though you may have been fortunate enough to have a Godly mother, father, siblings, and/or a spouse. God has given us covenants upon which to build His relationship with you, as Paul tells us in Romans 8:34-35: “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?". The people of the Old Testament found that living apart from God's covenant relationship brought disaster. God is a covenant God; He will bless you if you obey Him. If you disobey God, God leaves you to the consequences of your sins. TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, you know how difficult it is for me to be in silence before you. At times it feels almost impossible, given the demands, distractions, and noise all around me. I invite you to lead me to a quiet, silent place before you — to a place where I can hear you as Elijah did. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 123). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Compulsions. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Patience. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Corinthians 11:25-26; Leviticus 26:9-12; Nehemiah 9:32; Psalms 135a:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “When Facing Difficult Circumstances, Look to Jesus as Our Great High Priest”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Daily Dose of Hope June 24, 2025 Scripture - Matthew 16:13-28 Prayer: Holy God, Thank you for this day and thank you for the ways you provide and care for us. We rejoice in your powerful and mighty name. As we read through the Scripture today and reflect on what it means for us, help us hear a new word from you. Help us set aside the distractions of the day and really listen for your voice. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we are covering the second portion of Matthew 16. Jesus has taken his disciples on a retreat of sorts, and they have traveled away from Judea, further north into Gentile territory. Maybe it's to get away from the crowds, maybe it's so they can speak more freely. Caesarea Philippi is pretty far north in Israel. It was a quiet place at the headwaters of the Jordan River but also a place filled with idol worship and signs of Roman occupation everywhere. And it's here that Jesus decides he is going to settle his identity with these men. So he asks each of them, “Who do people say I am?” Over the two years that the disciples had been with Jesus, people had all kinds of thoughts about who Jesus was. Some thought he was the precursor to the Messiah, others (like King Herod) thought he was John the Baptist reincarnated, others thought he might be one of the prophets returned. But Jesus presses them, “who do you say I am?” Now, it doesn't matter what the others say – who is it you say I am? That's really the question for all of us, isn't it. It doesn't matter who others say Jesus is. If I were to do a man on the street interview right now, I'm sure I'd get all kinds of answers to who is Jesus? A teacher, a healer, a crazy person, Son of God, the Savior. But it doesn't matter what others say, what matters is what you believe and what YOU say about Jesus. And that's what Jesus is asking his disciples. What do you say about me? What are you willing to confess about me? This was really a rubber meets the road question for them, as it is for us. What are you willing to confess about me, to others, publicly? Jesus asked all of them but it was Peter who spoke up. And he says, “You are the Messiah, Son of the Living God.” The word Messiah means anointed one or God's anointed. And the term “Messiah” was the Hebrew word for God's anointed, the term “Christ” was the Greek word for it. Messiah and Christ mean the same thing, different languages. I know this might come as a surprise to some of us but Christ is not Jesus' last name. It is a title. And Peter is giving Jesus this title, you are the Messiah, the anointed one. What's the big deal with being anointed? In ancient Israel, when someone was given a position of authority, oil was poured on his head to signify his being set apart for God's service. I Samuel 10:1 is an example, Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, "Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? Kings, priests, and prophets were anointed in this way. Anointing was a symbolic act to indicate God's choosing. Although the literal meaning of anointed refers to the application of oil, it can also refer to being chosen or set apart by God, even if oil is not literally used. So, Peter is saying you are the anointed one, chosen, set apart by God, the Messiah. But there is more to this. Throughout the OT, there are many, many verses that point to the Messiah delivering the Hebrew people from captivity, from pagan kings. The Jews expected the Messiah to deliver them from Roman occupation via military might. That was the expectation. The Christ, the Messiah is the one who God sent to deliver his people, to make things right for them – the one they had been waiting for hundreds of years. So when Peter says this, you are the Messiah, he probably doesn't quite understand how Jesus is going to deliver them. No one really got it that the Messiah would be the one to deliver people, not from the Roman occupiers, but from their own sin. Peter says that Jesus is Messiah but then he says that Jesus is the Son of the living God. Just to clarify something, in the OT, there are a number of men, particularly prophets, who are called a son of God. That was not an uncommon title for a Godly man. But that is not what Peter is saying, Peter says that Jesus is THE son of the living God. Let's clarify something here because I think we can get confused - Jesus is not God's Son in the sense of a human father and a son. God did not get married and have a son. God did not mate with Mary and, together with her, produce a son. Jesus is God's Son in the sense that He is GOD in human form – John 1:1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Keep in mind, the term “Word” is referring to Jesus. Jesus was there in the beginning. Jesus was there with God in the beginning. Jesus was there with God and Jesus is God. Brain cramping yet? Let's read v. 14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. So, the “Word”, Jesus, became human and lived among us. Of course, that is the Christmas story, Jesus became a human being, was born to a woman named Mary, who became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. When the angel comes to Mary in Luke and explains the situation, he tells her that this holy one you will give birth to will be called the Son of God. This clearly separates Jesus from the prophets. He is not a son of God but the Son of the living God. Jesus walks with a very distinct, specific authority. I mean, look at his miracles. He heals people with a word or touch. He rebukes a storm and it listens to him. He could read people's minds. He raises Lazurus from the dead. He doesn't argue with demons. Think about it – when Jesus encounters a demon, they tremble. Colossians 1, The son is the image of the invisible God… He walks in a distinct, divine authority. Because he is the Son of the living God – the second person of the Godhead. So, Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, and he is Lord. I didn't count this myself, but I read that Jesus is referred to as Lord almost 300 times in the New Testament. Lord was the most common title for Jesus in the early church. Why is that significant? When the Hebrew Bible, what we call the OT, was translated from Hebrew to Greek, the term Yahweh (which was the Hebrew word for God) was translated to Lord in the NT. That means, to say that Jesus is Lord is to say that Jesus is God. It is saying that Jesus is divine – he is God – and Caesar is NOT, a claim that was quite dangerous at the time. To say that Jesus is Lord means that Jesus has claim over all things; he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is LORD over all things – over the cosmos, over the whole earth, over all nations and their leaders, he is Lord over Vladimir Putin, he is Lord over Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, he is Lord over all the celebrities in Hollywood, he is Lord over Florida and Brandon, he is Lord over each of us. Now, here is where I'm going to get kind of personal. At least I'm giving a warning. What I've found working in ministry is that people like the idea of Jesus as Savior. Yes, I've said yes to Jesus as my Savior so I'm going to heaven. That feels good and it should. But man, do people struggle with this concept that Jesus is Lord. Because saying Jesus is Lord is one step further. It's saying that he is Lord over everything and he is Lord over my family and me. That means, I defer to him in every area of my life. I trust him with everything. That means, before I make a decision, I ask Jesus for his will. It means I have given my job over to him, my children and grandchildren over to him; it means I have given the words I speak, my actions, my thoughts over to Jesus. My finances belong to him. That means that tithing isn't an issue because, well, it all belongs to Jesus anyway. I have no claim on my life. I belong to Jesus. I struggled with this for years. In a culture that tells us that its all about us, how hard WE work, the fruits of our labor, its OUR money, OUR children, OUR lives. Maybe it sounds weird, but turning over my money to Lord Jesus wasn't that difficult. I made a decision. We are supposed to tithe so we are going to do it and I had been around people who tithed for a long time. What was hard for me was giving my marriage to Jesus, giving my kids to Jesus. I might have had a bit of a control issue. And if you have a control issue – teenagers will humble you. And it was in the midst of some real struggles that I just turned it all over to him. They are your kids first, Lord. They were never mine to begin with. If I make it sounds easy, it isn't but it's life changing. It's a shift in perspective that really brings a tremendous amount of peace. Alright, that was pretty important, but so is the next portion of text. Jesus is beginning to reveal to the disciples that he will die; he will be leaving them. They aren't quite getting it. And when they do get a hint of where he is going, Peter isn't happy. And the Scripture says that Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked him. Here is where we miss something significant in English. In the Greek, this word rebuke is much stronger. Peter is really laying into Jesus here, saying “This is not the way it's going to be. You are supposed to be the messiah who saves us from the Romans. This is not what we signed up for.” And Jesus' response to him is interesting. Jesus rebukes Peter right back, same word in the Greek, and says, “Get behind me, Satan!” He tells him that he is setting his mind on human things, not on the things of God. This is one of those moments in Scripture that highlights the vast distance between us and God. Though Jesus is God with us (he was God in human form), we cannot tame him or make him over into our image. We would like a savior who is a winner, and one who makes us winners, but Jesus insists on identifying with the lowliest of losers. He will allow himself to be judged and condemned as a blasphemer by Jewish religious leaders. He will allow himself to be mocked, tortured, and executed as a criminal by the Romans. And that's not all. Jesus actually expects his disciples to follow him on this path of suffering and death. After telling them that they don't understand the mind of God, he says this very hard thing, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. We tend to think of taking up our cross as dealing with really annoying circumstances. In Jesus' day, no one thought of beating one's cross as a persistent annoyance or burden. So bearing our cross does not mean we need to have patience with difficult neighbors or coworkers. Furthermore, Jesus is not talking about the suffering that is part of living in a broken world, things like serious illnesses, broken relationships, and even natural disasters. That isn't what he is talking about. Nor is he telling us to seek out suffering or martyrdom. We don't have to become monks and live in the desert. Jesus did not go seeking suffering, although he ended up having to endure it for his mission. To a person in the first century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by crucifixion. And the Romans made the people who were about to be killed carry their own cross to the execution location. It was humiliating and horribly painful and the condemned person had no choice but to submit. Bearing one's cross was and is a show of complete and utter submission. A call to bear one's cross as part of following Jesus, then, is a call to be as submitted to Christ as the condemned criminal was to his death. When Jesus says this, he's claiming authority. Following Christ means disowning the self and giving allegiance to him instead. And it means giving him allegiance down to the very depths of our being. Are you willing to surrender all to follow Jesus? What needs to change in your life and thinking to be more consistent with the ways of Jesus Christ? Blessings, Pastor Vicki
In heaven where the tree of life is planted, you'll finally be fulfilled in your eternal joy as you bask in the presence of Jesus. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.
Revival Mom | Grow Deeper with God, Encourage children in the Lord, Christian Home
How do we raise godly kids who can stand firm in their faith—when the culture around them feels like it's collapsing? That's the heart of today's episode. If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to build a peaceful home in a world that celebrates chaos, or unsure how to respond when your child brings home a tough question you weren't expecting, you're not alone. In this episode, I share a personal story about a recent conversation I had with my son—and how it reminded me that spiritual parenting in today's culture isn't about having all the answers. It's about creating a Christian home atmosphere where God's truth is part of the everyday rhythm. It's about raising kingdom kids who know how to think critically, love deeply, and speak boldly—while staying rooted in God's Word. We talk about what it means to build a firm foundation of faith, how to teach our kids about Jesus in practical ways, and how to guard their hearts and minds without raising them in fear. I also walk you through how we can model Christlike communication, teach discernment, and cultivate revival in the home through prayer and intentionality. It doesn't have to be overwhelming. Christian parenting doesn't mean doing it perfectly—it means leaning on the Holy Spirit to guide us as we navigate everything from media influence to difficult conversations. If you're looking for spiritual encouragement and real-life strategies for raising kids in today's culture, this one is for you. If you haven't yet downloaded the Ignite Revival: Powerful Prayer and Declarations guide, go grab it now at revivalmomprays.com. These are the exact declarations I pray over my children daily, and they've brought so much peace, strength, and breakthrough in our family. Thank you so much for being here. If this episode encouraged you, please take a second to leave a review—it truly blesses me and helps other moms find this podcast. Let's keep building strong Christian family routines together. You're doing holy work, Mama.
Season 3 Episode 13 Topic: The Woman Who Was Set Free In this episode, we'll explore the powerful transformation of a woman who went from being tormented by darkness to walking in bold devotion to Jesus. Mary Magdalene was healed and set free by Jesus—and she never turned back. She became one of His most faithful followers, stood at the foot of the cross when others fled, and was the first to witness and proclaim His resurrection. We'll discuss how her loyalty, spiritual boldness, and love for Christ reflect the heart of the Proverbs 31 woman, highlighting themes of freedom, devotion, and the courage to live out your calling—no matter your past. Scriptures: Luke 8:1–3, Matthew 27:55–56, 61, John 20:1–18, Mark 16:9 Black girl Bible is a podcast that speaks on the black experience as a woman and uses the Bible to provide Godly advice on how to navigate through this world as a young black woman. New podcasts every Monday. Each week will feature a different topic, coupled with some of my experiences as a young black woman. I utilize songs, prayer, and scriptures to provide Godly advice relating to each topic.
Hello Ladies!!How are you doing? Hopefully you have enjoyed the Glow Up With God Series. On today's episode I will share a few financial principles that help us understand why it's important to follow the principles that God has aligned for us. The 6 Principles that make a difference in our finances are:$ Ownership $ Responsibility $ Accountability $ Generosity Our tasks are here to help us practice Godly stewardship!The REAL glow up starts with God. Let's make it happen. Enjoy Smooches
Does the inside of your home reflect what Christ has done inside of you?
Pastor Greg Laurie shares a message for anyone who has ever wondered, "How can I give what I never got?" While some never had an earthly father to learn from, our heavenly Father is here to fill what's missing. He helps us break the cycle. Notes: Focus verse - Ephesians 6 1. A child from a fatherless home is 68% more likely to use drugs or alcohol.2. 85% of all youths in prison are from fatherless homes.3. 63% of teens who attempt suicide are from fatherless homes. We desperately need fathers doing what god has called them to do. “A child that is left to himself brings shame to his mother.”Proverbs 29:15 Passive fathers avoid conflict.Godly fathers resolve it. Passive fathers go with the flow.Godly fathers lead with conviction. #1 you are not defined by your past. God can break the cycle of sin in your family. “If anyone is in christ, he is a new creation.”2 Corinthians 5:17 God promises to be a Father for the fatherless.Psalm 68:5 You are always on God's mind.Jeremiah 29:11 #2 Even if you did not have a father, you can be a good father. #3 Children are on loan to us for a short time. “Children are a heritage from the lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”Psalm 127:3 Children are not ours to keep, but to nurture. Live in such a way that your child will want to emulate you.Proverbs 20:7, 1 Corinthians 11:1 A good father reflects God’s character.Psalm 103:13 Read: Ephesians 6:1–4 Train up is a phrase used to describe breaking a horse. Train up also means to “create a thirst in.” “and you must love the lord your god with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength. and you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that i am giving you today.”deuteronomy 6:5–6 “repeat them again and again to your children. talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”deuteronomy 6:7 #4 Start reading the Bible and imprinting your children early. “give me a child until he is 7, and i will show you the man.” —aristotle god is a loving father who loves his children but gives them a free will.even when they sin against him, he does not stop loving them. #5 godly fathers don’t have to be biological.#6 in the church, we can find and be father figures. #7 leave a godly legacy. if both mom and dad attend church regularly,72% of their children remain faithful in attendance. if only dad attends regularly, 55% remain faithful.if only mom attends regularly, only 15% remain faithful.if neither attend regularly, only 6% remain faithful. you may be fatherless today, but you have a father in heaven.a father in heaven who loves you unconditionally. “for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.”john 3:16 Learn more about this year's Harvest Crusade! --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this week's edition of Le Show, Harry brings us regular features like News of Musk Love, News of the Godly, News of Crypto-Winter, News of the Olympic Movement, News of A.I., Truth Social Audio with Donald Trump, News of Microplastics, The Apologies of the Week, The Side Effects of the Week, and News of Smart World. He also pays tribute to Sly Stone and plays great music in honor of the summer solstice.
Pastor Greg Laurie shares a message for anyone who has ever wondered, "How can I give what I never got?" While some never had an earthly father to learn from, our heavenly Father is here to fill what's missing. He helps us break the cycle. Notes: Focus verse - Ephesians 6 1. A child from a fatherless home is 68% more likely to use drugs or alcohol.2. 85% of all youths in prison are from fatherless homes.3. 63% of teens who attempt suicide are from fatherless homes. We desperately need fathers doing what god has called them to do. “A child that is left to himself brings shame to his mother.”Proverbs 29:15 Passive fathers avoid conflict.Godly fathers resolve it. Passive fathers go with the flow.Godly fathers lead with conviction. #1 you are not defined by your past. God can break the cycle of sin in your family. “If anyone is in christ, he is a new creation.”2 Corinthians 5:17 God promises to be a Father for the fatherless.Psalm 68:5 You are always on God's mind.Jeremiah 29:11 #2 Even if you did not have a father, you can be a good father. #3 Children are on loan to us for a short time. “Children are a heritage from the lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”Psalm 127:3 Children are not ours to keep, but to nurture. Live in such a way that your child will want to emulate you.Proverbs 20:7, 1 Corinthians 11:1 A good father reflects God’s character.Psalm 103:13 Read: Ephesians 6:1–4 Train up is a phrase used to describe breaking a horse. Train up also means to “create a thirst in.” “and you must love the lord your god with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength. and you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that i am giving you today.”deuteronomy 6:5–6 “repeat them again and again to your children. talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”deuteronomy 6:7 #4 Start reading the Bible and imprinting your children early. “give me a child until he is 7, and i will show you the man.” —aristotle god is a loving father who loves his children but gives them a free will.even when they sin against him, he does not stop loving them. #5 godly fathers don’t have to be biological.#6 in the church, we can find and be father figures. #7 leave a godly legacy. if both mom and dad attend church regularly,72% of their children remain faithful in attendance. if only dad attends regularly, 55% remain faithful.if only mom attends regularly, only 15% remain faithful.if neither attend regularly, only 6% remain faithful. you may be fatherless today, but you have a father in heaven.a father in heaven who loves you unconditionally. “for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.”john 3:16 Learn more about this year's Harvest Crusade! --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
► Gather with us live online and in person every Sunday at 9:30a and 11:00a: https://live.fbcw.org/► Watch/listen to our full services: https://fbcw.org/sermons► Reach out to us: https://fbcw.org/contact/► Give to help our mission: https://fbcw.org/give/
► Gather with us live online and in person every Sunday at 9:30a and 11:00a: https://live.fbcw.org/► Watch/listen to our full services: https://fbcw.org/sermons► Reach out to us: https://fbcw.org/contact/► Give to help our mission: https://fbcw.org/give/
Welcome to the Podcast of Southwest Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona. WHO ARE WE? • We are a group of people who are committed to living the grace life as set forth by the apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. • We come together to study our Bibles, and yes, we believe we have God's perfect Word in the King James Bible. It and it alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! • We do not come together and study our Bibles for the intent of being smarter than others. We understand that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is purely vain and serves no Godly purpose. • We do come together and study our Bibles for the intent of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that we have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that because Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and we should not live for ourselves but for Him, who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15) • We do not claim to have attained to these lofty goals, but we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) You can donate to this ministry through www.butnow.org and the PayPal button on the homepage.
Welcome to the Podcast of Southwest Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona. WHO ARE WE? • We are a group of people who are committed to living the grace life as set forth by the apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. • We come together to study our Bibles, and yes, we believe we have God's perfect Word in the King James Bible. It and it alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! • We do not come together and study our Bibles for the intent of being smarter than others. We understand that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is purely vain and serves no Godly purpose. • We do come together and study our Bibles for the intent of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that we have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) • We do come together and study our Bibles to understand that because Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and we should not live for ourselves but for Him, who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15) • We do not claim to have attained to these lofty goals, but we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) You can donate to this ministry through www.butnow.org and the PayPal button on the homepage.
Clarity creates confidence - so this summer we are going ALL IN on who God has called us to be as a church. If you're new to Fathom or if you've been around since the beginning, you'll find engaging messages that help you deepen your faith and widen your vision for what God wants to do through your life and our church. Jump in with us all summer long - we're going ALL IN!PRAYERText FATHOM to 97000 if you would like a member of our prayer team to pray with or for you.NEXT STEPSAre you ready to learn more about what it means to walk with Christ, get baptized, or get connected within the church body? Click here to complete our digital connect card: https://fathom.churchcenter.com/people/forms/31883GOT QUESTIONS?Learn more about Fathom Church at http://fathom.church/WE'RE HERE FOR YOU!If you are looking for more encouragement and biblical teaching throughout the week, we hope you'll follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or download the Churchcenter app: https://churchcenter.com/setupMORE WAYS TO LISTEN:Fathom Beyond Sunday Podcast - Takes the Sunday sermon a bit further in conversation and application - listen in on an engaging chat between leaders at Fathom discussing faith, life, and how we can carry the truth of the word taught on Sunday into our week Monday through Saturday.Fathom Family Podcast - Real talk on how to build a Godly marriage that is in it for the long haul while leading your kids toward their God-given potential and purpose in Christ.See all the ways to listen here: http://fathom.church/category/listen/
Who shows up when life falls apart—and are you that kind of friend? True friendship is more than laughs and likes. In this message from Proverbs, Pastor Adam Burton shows how godly friends stick close in hard times, speak the truth with love, and reflect the loyal grace of Jesus. Discover how the gospel shapes friendships that last and heal.
Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley are joined by Jason Allen and Patrick Schreiner live from the Gospel Coalition Conference. Questions Covered in This Episode:How has the deep discipleship program been a part of how you do women's ministry?Is the church meant to be for or against the world?Am I supposed to be going out into the world thinking I am ready for battle or ready for love?Is it a Godly expression of love to oppose that which is evil?In Jesus' ministry, is there a pattern of “welcome and warning”?JT, can you share about leading and pastoring, walking faithfully for or against the world?How should we think about what evangelism and discipleship are in this world that is designed to be beautiful but is broken by sin?Is there a relationship between wordlieness and a lack of proclamation of sanctification?When you think about the preaching and teaching ministry of the word of God, how do you be faithful to correct what's out there in the world and in here (the church)?How would you form a theological response to Christian nationalism in your church?How do you convince busy parents that depth matters?Is there a reason the doctrine of hell is missing from “You Are a Theologian”?What doctrine have you studied individually that drew your heart closer to God?Guest Bio:Dr. Jason Allen is the president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to his role as president, he also serves as a professor for preaching and pastoral ministry. He is the author of a number of books including; Turnaround: The Remarkable Story of an Institutional Transformation and the 10 Essential Principles and Practices That Made It Happen. He posts essays on his website, jasonkallen.com, and hosts a weekly podcast, “Preaching & Preachers.”Patrick Schreiner is the Director of the Residency PhD program, Associate Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Gene and Jo Downing Endowed Chair of Biblical Studies. He is the author of numerous books, including but not limited to; The Four Gospels: Jesus, the Hope of the World, The Transfiguration of Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Reading, a commentary on Acts, The Visual Word: An Illustrated Guide to the New Testament Books, and Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy World.Resources Mentioned in this Episode:John 3:16, John 15:18, Psalm 1, James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-17, 2 Timothy 4:10, Hebrews 4:12, Hebrews 5-6, John 1Deep Discipleship ProgramTGC25 On-Demand“You Are a Theologian” by Jen Wilkin and JT English“Communion With God” by John Owens“Home With God” by Kyle Worley Follow Us:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteOur Sister Podcasts:The Family Discipleship Podcast | Tiny TheologiansSupport Training the Church and Become a Patron:patreon.com/trainingthechurchYou can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway's Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.
Bobby Blakey joins the podcast to discuss 2 Corinthians 7.Reading Plan: Old Testament - 1 Kings 19Psalms - Psalm 74:9-17Gospels - Luke 1:1-25New Testament - 2 Corinthians 7Visit https://www.revivalfromthebible.com/ for more information.
The Dean's List with Host Dean Bowen – I invite readers into the timeless conversation of Classical Christian Education, exploring how engaging Great Books forms the soul and builds virtuous character. Drawing on my work at Study the Great Books, I guide homeschool parents and schools in reclaiming noble learning, ensuring students become thoughtful, Godly leaders. Education, to me, is first truly about shaping the heart and...
Godly men establish order, protect, serve, are repentant, and delight in scripture. They aren't born, they're born again and then taught because that's what Godly men do!