Podcasts about Gospel of Luke

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    Latest podcast episodes about Gospel of Luke

    Father Simon Says
    Apostle - Father Simon Says - October 28, 2025

    Father Simon Says

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2025 51:12


    (3:46) Bible Study: Ephesians 2:19-22 Who is Paul talking to in this passage? Luke 6:12-16 Jesu took all night to pray. How much more time should we take to pray? (19:00) Break 1 (20:35) Letters: What was Mary’s yes like for the Angels in heaven? How did Saint John the Baptist know that Jesus was the Christ? Who was the queen of the south in the Bible? Father answers these and other questions, send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (34:53) Break 2 (36:03) Word of the Day Apostle (39:37) Phones: Frank - I wanted clarity on the group of zealots in the Gospel of Luke. Anne - what is the rule about getting married after divorce.

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    The Point Church - Sermons
    Perdido Campus:”Who Is This Jesus?” (Luke 9:28-36)

    The Point Church - Sermons

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 40:34


    This week at our Perdido Key Campus, Senior Pastor Kyle Valaer is continuing our verse-by-verse, expository journey through the Gospel of Luke—now under our new series title, Who Is This Jesus? . We hope this resource is a blessing to you. For more information about The Point Church, please visit us online at www.tothepoint.church.TakeawaysThe glory of God is the foundation, background, and culmination of everything in life.God has created everything for His own glory.God's glory is the explanation for everything we go through in life.In the end, all things in heaven and on earth will serve to manifest the glory of God.Our greatest need is to grow in our awe and appreciation of the glory of God in Christ Jesus.The Lord shows His glory through suffering.As we share in His sufferings, we will share in His glory.

    Treasuring Christ Church - Sermons
    Gospel Clarity - Acts 15:1-35

    Treasuring Christ Church - Sermons

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 45:56


    The Book of Acts is the second of a two-part work by Luke, the traveling companion and co-laborer of the apostle Paul. The first part of Luke's writings, Gospel of Luke, tells us all that Jesus began to do and teach. The second part, the Book of Acts, tells us what the risen and ascended Jesus continues to do through His church by the power of the Holy Spirit. The testimony of what Christ did in the early church is not only for our encouragement but also our instruction as we seek to be faithful to the mission of proclaiming the gospel and multiplying disciples.

    Treasuring Christ Church - Sermons
    Doing Ministry Together - Acts 15:36-16:5

    Treasuring Christ Church - Sermons

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 46:03


    The Book of Acts is the second of a two-part work by Luke, the traveling companion and co-laborer of the apostle Paul. The first part of Luke's writings, Gospel of Luke, tells us all that Jesus began to do and teach. The second part, the Book of Acts, tells us what the risen and ascended Jesus continues to do through His church by the power of the Holy Spirit. The testimony of what Christ did in the early church is not only for our encouragement but also our instruction as we seek to be faithful to the mission of proclaiming the gospel and multiplying disciples.

    Calvary Chapel Kaneohe
    Sunday 2nd Service,“Trusting God, An Act of Faith Pt II” – October 26th, 2025

    Calvary Chapel Kaneohe

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2025 63:09


    Topical style teaching using Proverbs CH 3:5-6 and Luke CH 17:5-10 dealing with trusting in God. This teaching will examine another unique relationship with trust and faith associated with the parable of the mustard seed account recorded in the gospel of Luke. We will also examine several amazing promises guaranteed to those who put their trust in the Lord, as well as the devastating consequences for those who chose not to do so, in the hopes that all would chose to trust in Jesus Christ. Taught by Assistant Pastor Mac at Calvary Kaneohe Hawaii.

    Livin' The Bream Podcast
    An Angel's Hidden Message

    Livin' The Bream Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2025 22:29


    Who are the forgotten heroes of the Christmas story?   Best-selling author Pastor Robert Morgan discusses Zechariah and Elizabeth, an elderly couple from the Bible, who are intertwined in the Christmas story. He describes some of the struggles they faced in their life and the lessons they can teach Bible readers.  Pastor Morgan shares his new book, God Hasn't Forgotten You: 24 Remarkable Ways God Is Working In You And Through You, which covers Zechariah and Elizabeth's story and the early chapters of the Gospel of Luke.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Pulpit Fiction Podcast
    645: Proper 26C (11/2/2025)

    Pulpit Fiction Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2025 62:04


    Notes Luke 19:1-10 Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 Summary In this episode of the Pulpit Fiction Podcast, hosts Robb McCoy and Eric Fistler explore the readings for the week, focusing on the Gospel of Zacchaeus, the lament of Habakkuk, and insights from 2 Thessalonians. They discuss the often misunderstood nature of Zacchaeus' actions, the powerful protest against injustice found in Habakkuk's lament, and the encouragement offered to the early church in 2 Thessalonians. The conversation emphasizes themes of justice, hospitality, community, and the importance of maintaining faith amidst societal challenges. Takeaways The podcast introduces the readings for the week, focusing on Zacchaeus, Habakkuk, and 2 Thessalonians. Zacchaeus is often misunderstood; his actions reflect a pre-existing commitment to justice rather than a conversion. The crowd's grumbling about Zacchaeus highlights societal judgments and the need for hospitality. Habakkuk's lament serves as a powerful protest against injustice, emphasizing the need for faith amidst turmoil. The call to write a vision in Habakkuk signifies the importance of clarity and hope in times of distress. 2 Thessalonians addresses the struggles of the early church, encouraging perseverance and faithfulness. The text warns against the temptation to revel in the suffering of others, promoting a message of grace instead. The podcast emphasizes the importance of community and the good works happening within congregations. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their worthiness and the value of their contributions to the church. The conversation highlights the need for a vision of hope and justice in the face of societal challenges. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Pulpit Fiction Podcast 02:59 Exploring the Gospel of Luke 19: Zacchaeus 06:12 Understanding the Context of Zacchaeus 08:56 The Misinterpretation of Zacchaeus' Actions 12:08 The Grumbling Crowd and Jesus' Response 15:13 Zacchaeus: The Innocent Tax Collector 17:55 Cancel Culture and Its Implications 21:02 The Role of Wealth in the Gospel 23:59 Transition to Habakkuk: A Lament for Justice 26:52 The Context of Habakkuk's Prophecy 31:16 The Call for Justice and Lamentation 36:32 Faith Amidst Injustice 41:19 The Role of Prophetic Imagination 44:33 Understanding God's Justice 49:33 Encouragement in the Face of Persecution

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    Calvary Castle Rock - Radio
    Luke 21 Olivet Discourse Part6c

    Calvary Castle Rock - Radio

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2025 26:00


    Moriel Ministries
    Sunday Morning by Pastor Marco | The Gospel of Luke | The King is Coming

    Moriel Ministries

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2025 73:25


    This additional teach by Pastor Marco is from the Gospel's of Luke and Mark and while it's not a part of the Luke's study we completed last week, it does pertain and is important to our Christian walk.

    Sermons from Grace Cathedral
    The Merciful Thug

    Sermons from Grace Cathedral

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2025 11:27


    The Rev. Rebecca Lyman Samuel Garrett Professor of Church History Emerita, The Church Divinity School of the Pacific Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA Sunday, October 26th, 2025 The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 25   Joel 2:23-32 Psalm 65:1-8 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18 Luke 18:9-14   How do we live faithfully in a world of violence and chaos?  Jesus and other Jewish leaders wrestled with this question under Roman occupation in Judea. In the Gospel of Luke this morning Jesus gives us another story about the broad mercy of God and the reversal of our usual expectations of piety: who prays in authentic relation to God, the righteous one or the repentant thug? In a world saturated with grace, Jesus grounds our courage in divine faithfulness and human solidarity. Prayer changes us to live in our particular vocations as salt and light.

    Your Faith Journey - Finding God Through Words, Song and Praise

    Year C – Reformation Sunday – October 26, 2025               John 8:31-36 Grace and peace to you from God, our Creator, and from our Savior, Jesus Christ, who sets us free. Amen. *** “…the truth will make you free.” On the surface, this seems like a simple thing to say. It's really inspirational, yes? The truth will make you free… I've seen this verse printed on coffee mugs and tote bags, and I've heard it quoted in shows and movies. The truth will make you free… My truth is that when I hear this, I hear it stated by Marilla Cuthbert from Anne of Green Gables… not the Netflix remake, but the old 1985 version with Megan Follows that I watched on repeat until the VHS tape wore out. For some reason, when she said it, it felt very important. The truth will make you free… This statement seems straightforward, and yet, for me, there are these nagging questions that follow… Like what is truth? And what… is freedom? The more I consider these questions, the more abstract the concepts become… truth and freedom. Since these are Jesus' words, we can infer he is speaking to something beyond our human, earthly experience… but that insight doesn't make it clearer. Full understanding feels just beyond my grasp… and you know, that's okay. Jesus isn't known for giving clear answers. Asking questions, yes, but not so much on giving answers. Jesus wants us to sit with his words… to roll them around in our minds. He said, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Jesus' words are an invitation. His words are an invitation to a group of people who are there… because they believe in him. Like us here today, they believe Jesus has something worth teaching. But rather than giving up a clear answer, Jesus calls them… like he calls us, to a journey of discovery. Belief is only the first step. There is so much more to discover. There is a destination on this journey, but this destination isn't a place… it's a person… it is the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, if you continue in my word… it's important to note here that the word translated as “continue” is the Greek word meno… it means to abide… and it shows up 41 times in the Gospel of John… that's a lot… It gets translated into many different words like continue, stay, dwell, remain… but the word is always meno… abide… and its meaning is so much deeper than any of those English words. To abide is more like… occupying the same physical space. It is to give our whole identity and person over to the identity and person of Jesus Christ… so much so… that we are entirely different from what we were before. “…if you abide in my word…” And abiding with Jesus Christ isn't necessarily the final destination either… abiding with Jesus Christ isn't the promised reward that is only available to us after we die. Jesus is calling us to abide with him now, to dwell with him today, to continue in his word from this moment on… and when we accept his invitation to abide… to dwell… to let our very self… become one with the person of Christ, THEN we will become his disciples. “…and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Becoming a disciple means accepting Jesus' invitation to journey toward understanding truth and freedom. Jesus' invitation is to journey toward the understanding that Jesus IS truth, the truth that makes known the eternal God… because Jesus IS the eternal God. Becoming a disciple means embracing the journey toward a truth… that sets us free… It is a truth that sets all people free, the freedom to recognize that Jesus is God, here with us, offering love, provision, and protection. This truth… and this freedom… they take a lifetime and beyond to understand because God is not restricted by our human perceptions… and our limited interpretations. And this truth that sets us free is for all people because God so loves the whole world. Jesus is truth, and this truth is freedom, but fully understanding it is just beyond our grasp, imploring us to keep learning and keep growing. Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Jesus is inviting us to dwell with him, to abide in his words. What Jesus calls us to is a serious commitment of continual growth and learning …of being changed by this mutually abiding relationship. Jesus calls us to allow ourselves to be formed and RE-formed by his Word… to embrace a continual state of being made new. *** Now… I want to pause here a moment… because we follow the lectionary… the three-year cycle of scripture readings… which means we have been on a steady march through the Gospel of Luke… traveling with Jesus toward Jerusalem… and the cross. Like all authors, Luke has his own literary style and his own agenda for his Gospel. For Luke, and specifically for the passages we have been dwelling in these last couple of months, it is… a travel narrative… drawing together a pluralistic community under the name of Jesus… and emphasizing that the promises of salvation and the kingdom of God are open to all peoples, but most especially… the marginalized, the poor, the disabled, women, and Gentiles… anyone whom society pushes out. Luke's gospel stresses the importance of community, and how we live together and share our resources… as part of our mission and call as disciples. Through his way of telling the story, Luke emphasizes that our God is not a conquering war hero… but a humble Savior… who turns expectations upside down… and saves people in unexpected ways… through healing, forgiveness, wholeness, and restoration. But now for Reformation Sunday, we interrupt our march through Luke… to hear from the gospel of John. For John, his primary theological claim is that Jesus IS God who offers us salvation through a relationship with him… and to prove God's faithfulness to us, Jesus goes willingly to the cross to lay down his life for us. We are continually invited into a relationship with God through Jesus… and it is through this relationship that we receive grace and salvation. And like any relationship… it requires daily nourishment… it requires investment in who we are becoming as we journey with Jesus as disciples… as we abide in his Word. I wanted to point this out for you… because for me… it actually feels a bit jarring to dig as deeply into the Luke narrative as we have been and to lean into Luke's way of understanding Christ… only to then jump into a different perspective without at least acknowledging the shift. And yet… both Gospels are true…and both offer us the Good News of Jesus Christ, our Savior who takes away the sin of the world. But when we take notice their differences in perspective… instead of blending them together into one harmonized gospel… I think it gives us a richer understanding of God, through Jesus, in whom we abide. *** And so… on this Reformation Sunday… I think it is quite perfect that we look to John, who so strongly emphasizes our relationship with Jesus… that on this day of celebrating that we are continually Re-forming… continually growing and changing because of our relationship with God through Jesus… who better to hear from… than John… John… who understands that when Jesus calls us to abide, it is an ongoing process… It's not a once-and-done salvation experience, but a lifelong relationship. And that when Jesus calls us to abide as his disciples… that we are being called into a communal relationship… we are being called into community. Something that Luke certainly supports! This journey of discipleship… of abiding in God's word… we do this together… we abide in Jesus' Word as a community of believers… supporting each other through joy and sorrow… through strong faith and doubt. We abide in Jesus' Word together… because we share the same goal of being formed and re-formed by God's Word. We abide in Jesus' Word together so that over time, our understanding of God, and of God's gifts of grace and salvation will grow… Receiving this grace brings freedom… Freedom to dedicate your life to reflecting God's love onto your neighbors rather than chasing salvation for yourself. Receiving God's grace is to know the truth that this grace is God's gift to us, given through Jesus, who invites us to spend our lives with him. Our lives here and now, in this place. Today. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” These are, indeed, important words. Believing in Jesus is only the beginning, but knowing the truth that is Jesus, who is God, and the freedom that truth brings… is a lifelong journey that will continually change us in the most beautiful ways. This is the invitation Jesus offers you… to choose this life and this journey with Christ to discover how abiding in Jesus as a lifelong disciple will reveal God's glorious truth and God's most beautiful freedom. Amen. ***

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    Proclaiming the Gospel – Cyril A. Stevens
    Luke 23:26-24:15 – Words That Seem Like Nonsense – 0940A

    Proclaiming the Gospel – Cyril A. Stevens

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2025


    Rev. Cyril A. Stevens – Sermon 0940A recorded on September 30, 1984 teaching from Luke 23:26-24:15 – Words That Seem Like Nonsense. Pastor Cyril A. Stevens explores the resurrection of Jesus as chronicled in the Gospel of Luke, focusing on the disciples’ initial disbelief of the women’s testimony, which they dismissed as “nonsense.” Pastor Stevens…

    The Bible Study Podcast
    #942 - Luke 12:49-13:9 – Sabbath Healing

    The Bible Study Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2025 12:18


    This episode is part 32 in a study of the gospel of Luke. Jesus heals a crippled woman on the sabbath. Jesus then talks about the Kingdom of God and the "narrow door" to get in. https://thebiblestudypodcast.com/luke-12-13-sabbath-healing/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    ExplicitNovels
    Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 12

    ExplicitNovels

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2025


    Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 12 Heaven s clock is ticking In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             There is no firestorm without a spark, no ocean without a raindrop         I opened the door and there stood Christina, looking pretty depressed. "Do you want to come in?" I asked. "I know you have company," she replied. "Can we talk outside?" It wasn't too chilly but I wasn't wearing too much either. "Of course," I walked onto the porch, leaving the door mostly closed behind me. "What's wrong?" "I've worked things out with Faith and the other girls," Christina paced nervously. "We are all going to keep quiet about what you learned and see how we can turn this to our advantage." I didn't say anything because she hadn't come to tell me the news of what had been the obvious move on her part so I was left wondering what was going on, then I saw it. I opened my arms to the side, palms forward, and waited. She saw the move and looked me over with obvious reluctance for what would come next. Finally, she stepped up to me and rested her forehead on my shoulder and let me encase her in my arms. It sucks to be alone, but it truly sucks being alone and being the one in charge even more. "God, Zane, I fucked up. I could have ruined Heaven's life," she sighed. "The others trusted me and I let them down." "You are not doing Heaven any favors by being paralyzed with doubt," I told her. "You had no idea who you were up against and even if you had, you would still have weighed what was best for Heaven against the risks and pretty much acted in the same manner." "You don't understand Heaven," Christina said. "You don't understand her home life." "Her home life is not my concern, Christina," I pointed out. "The Heaven here and now is my concern, though, and it is the concern of several more friends she's made since coming to this school, friends she wouldn't have if she stayed in a hole." "What if I fuck up again?" she worried. "So many girls are depending on me to keep the Chancellor at bay." "I fuck up all the time and I'm still here," I countered. "I know what you mean, though. Sometimes when these girls look at me like they expect me to have all the answers and I've got nothing, I want to run and hide." "We don't have that luxury. We chose to stand up and now we must carry on in our struggle. I don't know about you, but I wasn't raised to quit," I related to her. "I made a mistake, Zane. I don't make mistakes," she declared. "I'm confused; have we lost?" I questioned her. "No," she grumbled, "and that is not what I meant. I brought Faith in, I misread her, and we all suffered because of it. I was deceived." "Well, someone should remind Christina Buchanan from time to time that she's human, and a pretty smart woman at that," I replied. "You don't have to win every battle, only the last one." "That is what my grandfather said," she mumbled into my shoulder. "He sounds like a clever guy," I said softly. "He should go far someday." Since he was one of the richest men in America, I was probably right. "You can be a real jerk at times," she muttered, but I noted she wasn't moving. "I have to agree with you," I said, as I got up on my tiptoes and kissed her on the top of the head. I leaned back and tilted her head to me with a finger under her chin. "Christina Buchanan, would you marry me?" No one said anything for a minute. "Can I think about it?" she finally whispered. "Of course," I assured her. "How could I be in love with you if I couldn't wait for you?" "How can you love me when you don't even know me?" she asked. "That's why it is love and not like," I answered. "There are times you really piss me off but there is never a moment I don't want to be with you." "You don't like me?" Christina studied me. "Right now I like you just fine, but you can be a real pain at times. See, I know what's right and you refuse to know your place," I responded. "And what place is that?" she smiled. "Above me, smiling down," I leaned in for a kiss. "No," she shook her head. "No?" I pleaded. "We have a long way to go before I let you treat me like another one of your girls," Christina informed me. "Okay," I agreed. "No hard sell in my emotionally vulnerable state?" she mused. "You are safe with me, Christina," I assured her. "That's good to know, Zane. Now go inside before Rio blows a gasket," she smiled, slipped out of my arms, and walked toward her car. I still soaked up the marvel of her receding silhouette. Rio was leaning against the wall just inside the hallway when I got back in. "I don't get the two of you," she grinned. "I love her," was my only response. "That's good, because she's fucking nuts about you," Rio laughed. I couldn't decide whether she was kidding or not. Later, we lay together in bed, Rio partially over me where she alternated between listening to my heartbeat and kissing my shoulder. She also had a hand between her legs and was doing some serious vaginal stimulation. "Zane." "Yes?" I replied. "I had an abortion," she confided in me. "Oh, okay," was all I could manage to come back with. "'Oh.' Is that it?" she sounded a bit hurt. "I figure there is more to the story than you had an abortion. So are you going to tell me what it is?" I inquired. She mulled that over for a few seconds. "I did some really stupid shit, like getting shit-faced drunk at some parties with people I barely knew, and pretty much got used like a whore. I didn't really care, and eventually I got knocked up," she told me. "My parents, the big Pro-Lifers that they were, smuggled me out of state to a private clinic and aborted the kid. They never asked my opinion on the matter but I imagine that having a pregnant daughter who couldn't even name the father wasn't on their agenda," she recited bitterly. I wrapped an arm around her, rolled over on her, and kissed her gently on the lips. "I don't know what to say," I began. "I can't imagine what it was like to go through that." "Huh," Rio snorted. "My parents slapped me with anti-depressants and an implant, my 'friends' told me it was for the best, not being teen Mom material and all, and I treated myself like a whore." "Hell, I sucked and fucked the entire lawn crew once; I fucked my little brother's friends; and I became known as the girl who would ride bareback at my school. It is a miracle I didn't contract herpes or AIDS," she recited sadly. "I think I hated just about everybody." "You know that none of that matters to me; right?" I asked. "You are still that woman I woke up next to on day one." "To the bitter end," she recited. "To the bitter end," I affirmed, my promise to stand by her no matter what. "Why couldn't you be in love with me?" she sighed. "You are asking an eighteen-year-old how this love thing works?" I teased her. "I've been lucky enough to meet five women in the past two weeks I'd like to spend forever with, and I love the one I'm least likely to end up with. I'm clueless." "Me, Iona, Barbie Lynn, Christina and Heaven?" Rio guessed. I nodded, which made her snicker. "You really want to spend forever with Heaven? You are a glutton for punishment." "Heaven can be really nice," I defended my girlfriend. "She's got a permanent case of PMS. Hell knows what would happen if she actually had PMS," Rio teased me back. "So you don't want to spend any more time with her?" I inquired. "Fuck that," Rio giggled, "I like them brave, bold, and saucy in the saddle. I'd love breaking her down, or having her break me trying." "Fine," I announced after a moment's contemplation. "Fine?" she asked. "I'm not going to break my word to Jill but I can't wait to fuck you until we get back to campus, so how would you like to screw on Pastor Bill's desk before Sunday school?" I suggested. "I'd love to leave a little something extra on that gold-plated conman's desk," Rio purred. "Now, Zane, do you think you could bend the rules ever so slightly and finger-fuck me? I'm ever so horny," Rio pleaded. I figured it couldn't hurt too much; right? I rubbed and rubbed one hand down to her crotch where Rio had already pulled her soaked panties down to mid-thigh. With my other hand, I pushed up her top, exposing her ripe nipples, chain and all. I plucked a nipple into my mouth, letting my tongue play along the stud before sucking in more of the breast, increasing the pressure on the nipple itself. Rio was well worked up already and now began to writhe beneath me. My free hand passed below her carefully groomed chevron-shaped pubic mound and along her clit. Her folds welcomed me like molten gold, so hot yet silky smooth to the touch. As she started to moan, Rio stuck the meat of her palm into her mouth and bit down in order to keep quiet. I spent a minute playing with her two studs in her labia before working two fingers deep inside her, twisting them, and seeking out her G-spot. "Gak!" Rio convulsed as I stroked it. Oh, yeah, I thought, as I began to seriously work it over. Rio's fluids were sloshing around my fingers, her other hand began pressing my whole mouth over her breast, and she kept bucking up against me. I now began to alternate between rhythmically tapping her special place and brutally finger fucking her, driving two fingers in and slapping her clit with my palm. "Uh, uh, uh, ugh, ugh, umm," Rio began panting, then her body arched and she screamed into her clenched fist. "Oh, fuck, that's good," she finally managed to get out. Before I could respond, she grabbed my head and drew me up for a fierce kiss. She tore at my lips and tried to steal my breath away. "Tell me you want me," she pleaded with a desperate hunger tinged with fear. "I want you, Rio, always," I responded with my own heat and need. Slowly the passion ebbed from Rio's eyes and a playful demeanor replaced it. "You are such a dumb blonde, Glenda," she sighed happily. Glenda had been the name that had allowed me admission to school in the first place, Glenn Zane Braxton, Glenda. I answered by pulling my fingers out of her cunt, taking a lick, then pushing them through her lips. Rio daintily sucked on them, pulling them in and cleaning them off before biting down like the little bitch she is and making tears come to my eyes. "What the fuck!" I hissed. "That's for not giving me your cock, Asshole," she snickered. When I looked ready to explode, she pouted her lips, rolled onto her stomach and stuck her bare ass up in the air for a spanking. I grunted and rolled over onto my side, away from her. "Good night, you witch," I sulked. There was some rustling behind me a minute later, then Rio snaked an arm around me and pressed her body to my back. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I act crazy at times." I rolled over to face her. "I know what I'm getting into, Rio," I comforted her. "That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt at times." I displayed my wounded fingers. She kissed my fingers, I kissed her lips, and we both finally went to sleep. Preacher William, Valerie, and the seeds of discord. Jill didn't know what to make of our prompt appearance Sunday morning for breakfast already dressed for church. I'd convinced Rio to not try a hard sell with my aunt, instead playing it calm, cool, and collected. The real reason we wanted to get to church early was because I'd come up with the idea of screwing Rio on Pastor Bill's massive mahogany desk before class and she'd become infatuated with the scheme. Gaining Definition We had to remember our Bibles before eagerly heading out the door. Mine went back to my missionary days while Rio's was brand new, a gift from Jill. She'd lost her old one on the trip from Arizona to Virginia, or so she'd told Jill. In reality, she had torn hers apart page by page and stuffed it down the airplane toilet during the flight, her way of spreading the gospel. Once at the church, we split up, Rio and I getting together a few minutes later. I was unsure about the security cameras in the hallway but Rio shrugged it off. She followed the wires to the closet the system was kept in, picked the lock, and deleted the last two hours of footage before deactivating the whole system. I was clever enough to wipe off all our fingerprints before we made for the pastor's office. This time, Rio's improvised, lock picks weren't necessary as the secretary kept the door unlocked. We slipped past her station to the larger office beyond and I chased Rio around to the 'big chair'. "So, Bad Boy, are you going to make me a Bad Girl?" Rio taunted me. I stepped up between her thighs and got ready to feast on her succulent cunt lips when she held me up. "I don't think we have time for that," Rio grinned. She slipped out of her panties, which I quickly pocketed (having learned from the first Barbie Lynn incident), and hopped up on the desk facing me. I unbuckled my belt, fixed the button, and unzipped my pants. My cock came smoothly out of my boxers and I lined up with Rio's slit. Her juices were already flowing by the time my cockhead graced her full lips. "Oh, that's what I've been looking for," Rio moaned, as I pushed forward inch after glorious inch inside her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and came close to doing the same with her legs around my waist by the time I was fully into her. I got a few half-thrusts into Rio, our faces only inches apart, when I began to push her back down on the desk. "No, I want to look into your eyes," she told me. I nodded and started driving my cock in a strong steady rhythm. "Rio," I said softly. "Yes," she breathed heavily. "I like saying your name," I explained. "I like the sound of it and the way it makes me feel." "I, I was sure she was fighting for a snarky reply but then she smiled and said, "Okay." "Oh. God, Oh, Fuck," Rio gasped, as we began, getting her close to climax. I stopped when I first heard the voices. "What?" Rio panted. I pulled her off the desk and looked for a place to hide. There were three other doors out of the room. I took the closest, yanked up my pants, and dragged Rio to it. It turned out to be a large closet with vestments, coats, and a few changes of clothing inside. Before I could finish shutting the door, Rio put her hand in the way. Before I could inquire why, the main office door opened and in came Pastor Bill and Lance Wellington. They were yammering on about something or other; I really wasn't paying attention. All that changed after Pastor Bill took his seat behind the desk and swiveled it to the side. Lance came around the desk and knelt before our spiritual leader. His body blocked my visual but I heard a zipper being undone and some clothes being pushed aside. What Lance proceeded to do was clear enough, though. Rio was between me and the door; she looked over her shoulder and grinned evilly. Before long, she had my cock in her hand and was maneuvering it back to her cunt from behind. I moved my hips down, she arched up, and I slipped back into the hole I'd been in not a minute before. I stayed still while Rio began to ride my cock up and down. There we were, two very different couples separated by less than a dozen feet, both fucking in different ways. Lance was giving Pastor Bill oral attention in a manner that dictated long familiarity to not only cock-sucking, but blowing Pastor Bill in particular. Rio had one hand placed against the door sill in order to stop us from spilling out of the closet while the other was tucked against her stomach. The four of us were pushing toward climax but Pastor Bill was the first one to the trigger. I was still feeling the oily smoothness of my cock inside Rio's cunt while rubbing both breasts through her shirt and bra when Lance began chocking and sputtering. The bastard hadn't even warned Lance that he was cumming. Good ole Pastor Bill reached across the desk to grab two Kleenex. As he did so, his other hand came down to rest on a slick spot Rio and I had left on his desk. He looked at his hand with disgust and wiped it off his hand before handing a tissue to Lance. "Get going to class," Pastor Bill told his cock-sucking companion. "Of course, Pastor William," Lance responded as he cleaned his face. As he headed to the door, he turned to the preacher. "Do I have to do another marriage counseling session with Felicity? She is so damn annoying," he whined. "Lance, you are going to have to keep up appearances and that means spending the occasional night with her," Pastor Bill lectured him. "As distasteful as she is, she is the socially acceptable choice for your spouse if you plan to have a political career." "I wish this whole marriage thing was over with already," Lance sighed. "Then I could stick her in the house and get her out of my life." "Remember, a woman is a duty, but you know how to get your pleasure. Take your pill when you have to lay with her, and if nothing else, use her back door," he chuckled. "I suppose so," Lance conceded, "but I'll have to shut her up. She blathers on and on incessantly and her voice is so grating." "Well," Pastor Bill laughed, "you can always use her mouth too." Lance snorted and left the room; Bill followed a minute later. For our part, the whole exchange between Pastor Bill and Lance got Rio hotter and hotter. She was rocketing back against me until I was afraid the slapping of our flesh would alert our host to our presence. Once he was gone, Rio went off. "Fuck me, damn it," Rio exulted. "I'm going to rape their asses." I wasn't sure how that would work. It wasn't like Rio's or my word would go all that far. I decided to spin her back around and kick her leg up over my arm so I could fuck her while gazing into her eyes. The first thing I noticed was the sheer joy etched all over her face. The second thing I noted was her phone in hand, set on record. There was going to be some severe damage over this and I had to do damage control, but first I had to screw Rio to orgasm. "Ah, ah, ah," Rio moaned. "You are churning me up inside, you fucking brute. This is so fucking good." "And the video?" I inquired. "Fucking brilliant," she panted, "My best idea yet." I drilled Rio several more strong strokes and she gripped me tightly and sexually exploded on me. She kept squeezing my cock with her vaginal muscles as I came in her as she was still cresting her wave. "Oh, Zane," she wept tears of joy on my shoulder, "You make all this other shit bearable." "No problem, bro," I sighed happily, "but we need to talk about the video." "Yeah," she snorted, "you have a plan. I'm going to bypass me having a temper-tantrum and get straight to you making me happy with how clever you are." "We find more ways to bring Felicity over to our side, then hit her with this when she's wavering," I detailed. "We still need credibility and that's going to take Barbie Lynn on our side. Once we get Felicity, we can get Mrs. Wellington too. That gives us access to everyone in the church." I set Rio onto her feet and handed her panties too her. Rio shimmied into them and grinned. "Now I'm all sloshy inside. Is that thing a damn fire hydrant?" "You weren't complaining a minute ago," I countered. "I'm not complaining, but all those bitches in class are going to know I've been fucked," she snickered. "Who are you going to blame?" I wondered. "Pastor William, our glorious shepherd; I can describe just what his cock looks like now," she grinned manically. "I think we are back to that whole 'credibility' issue," I reminded her. "You aren't going to let me have any fun," Rio pouted. "Well, work on this; I'm pretty sure Lance isn't the only guy here that the pastor is using. Lance was a tool, nothing more," I told her. "It could be fun to find out who his other toys are." "I hate you for having a better idea than me," Rio giggled, "but I love your deviant mind more." "I love you too, Baby," I said as I brushed her cheek. "Let's get to class before they get to ridicule us for arriving late." Rio grabbed my hand and sprinted with me out of the office. We were late to class but only just. This time I'd studied so Mr. Coleman wasn't able to humiliate me, though some wise-ass taunted me about being on a women's committee. "Yes, I do," I confirmed, "and what committee are you on?" "Athletics committee," he sneered. I gave him a shit-eating grin right back that gave him pause. "So I hang out with a bunch of MILF's, which is a pretty red-blooded American male thing to do, while you hang out with a bunch of guys, which is pretty homo-erotic," I chuckled. There was a deafening silence in the room. We had broken up for church service and a few guys were almost out the door. The target of my aggression was first stunned, then angry. "Mr. Braxton, that is quite enough out of you," Mr. Coleman snapped. "I'm sorry about that, Mr. Coleman. I thought he was ribbing me about my committee so I teased him back about his; I wasn't serious," I lied. Andy, the guy who'd given me a hard time, elected that moment to get in my face. "That wasn't funny, Braxton," he snapped. Mr. Coleman remained conspicuously silent. "Gosh, Andy," I quipped, "I don't know where to begin. How about, we are in a House of God and shouldn't be raising a fist against one another." "If that doesn't work, do understand that you get the first punch, then I break you like a twig," I continued with eagerness written all over my face. "You are an elementary school teacher and I have years of martial arts experience." Andy suddenly paled. "Mr. Braxton," Coleman growled again. "How dare you threaten somebody?" "Um, Mr. Coleman, Andy got in my face, so what exactly are you getting on my case about? Wouldn't the situation be better served if you stopped him in the first place?" I said. "Andy should be able to take a joke better," another guy in my class, Christopher Gilbert, joined in. "Besides, Zane's right; the wives on the committee are attractive and their husbands are lucky men." That seemed to end the matter because Chris Gilbert was the son of somebody and carried weight in this crowd. We continued to depart but I felt obliged to stop Chris. "Thanks, but I'm not sure why you just backed me up there," I questioned. "Maybe you're not such a bad guy," he grinned. I had to think that over. I barely knew Christopher Gilbert. He was 23, son of a big real estate guy, he was a property manager, whatever that was. "I have to appreciate the timing of your epiphany," I joked. "It came to me late Thursday night when I had a security issue at one of my properties," he grinned. Oh, crap. His daddy must own the mall where I had that little altercation. "Sorry if I cost you a good night's sleep," was all I could say. "Let me say that, 'damn, you're fast,' and it would have been mean of me to let Andy get his ass handed to him in front of all his friends," Chris related. "He's really not a bad guy either." "I'll keep that in mind," I nodded. We were making our way to the church hall when Rio, Iona, and Barbie Lynn intercepted us. "Hey, Ms. Masters," Chris said to Barbie Lynn. He looked at the other two girls. "Christopher Gilbert, this is Rio Talon and Iona Becket, two of my classmates and closest friends," I introduced my buddies. "So, Chris, how do you know Barbie-licious?" Rio smirked. "Huh?" Chris said. "Rio has an intense sense of humor, Chris," I intervened. "Pay her no mind." Before Rio cold make things worse, I placed an arm behind her and pinched her ass. "Behave," I warned her. "Okay, Zane," Chris chuckled. "Good luck with that one. To answer your question: I know Ms. Masters from a few years back at a youth retreat. We were both counselors. Take care now." He turned and walked off to his section of the tabernacle while the girls and I went off to ours. "So, Barbie, were you hot for Chris back at camp?" Rio persisted. "Chris? Nah, he had a girlfriend back then; they both went to the University of Virginia. I think they broke up right before they graduated but I'm not sure," Barbie Lynn informed us. "Besides, I had a fianc too." "Had? Have you tossed him over for Zane?" Rio teased. I sighed and Barbie Lynn blushed. "Nah, Shugah, I tossed him over for you," Barbie Lynn whispered into Rio's ear. "Just for that tantalizing tease, no Honey Glaze for those hot crossed buns of yours," Rio bantered right back. "Am I the only one who remembers we are in a church?" lectured Iona. "No, you are not," Christina surprised us. "Now stop trying to make a scene and sit down with the rest of us." We dutifully obeyed because three of us respected Christina and I had one of Rio's arms twisted behind her back. At the end of service there was no problem getting the gang to go down to the space between the pews and the podium where the important people gathered. I caught Pastor William shooting me a hooded look but I blew him off. I was here for someone else, as was Barbie Lynn and Rio. Iona was tagging along to make sure we kept out of too much trouble. "Hey, Sahara," I greeted the pastor's wife, who hovered near but wasn't part of the action. "Why, hello, Zane," she smiled. "Did you enjoy the service?" "I'm still a little fuzzy on the message of seeking wisdom in God's word instead of Man's technology," I grinned. "After all, I have an app that gives me helpful Bible verses on demand." "I think you missed the point, Zane," she shook her head with mirth. "We need to trust the Word of God over the simple technological solutions that fail to take in the moral implications of the results." "Wow, when you say it that way, it makes sense," I applauded. Sahara blushed and gave me another smile. Rio and Barbie Lynn had closed in on Felicity, allowing Iona and I to come up behind Mrs. Wellington. I put my hand on the small of her back and positioned myself at her side. "Hello, Mrs. Wellington," I greeted her. I knew her first look at me would define a lot about how she felt about last night. "Zane," she beamed at me. "How are you doing today?" "Better now," I grinned. "I just wanted to say that I'm downloading those files we discussed when I get to campus this afternoon." "Oh," Mrs. Bainbridge sneered, "is Mr. Braxton working on a special project already?" "Zane," Rochelle Wellington smiled to her rival sweetly, "send Kendra a copy of the notes you showed me. Kendra, Zane has a talent for 3-D imagery that the committee will find quite useful. I thought you might find it nice to have our newest member showing some interest." "Oh, it is his interest that I'm worried about," Kendra commented, with a pretty obvious look toward Sahara. Before I could respond to that jab, I felt a hand on my shoulder trying to pull me around. "Pastor William wants a word with you," Lance informed me. "Okay," I shrugged, then turned back to Kendra. "Mrs. Bainbridge, I admit that it is my fault that I find Mrs. Penny to be kinder, more compassionate, and more spiritually understanding than you. She is a gentle soul who better relates to what a young man needs." "Pastor William wants to see you now," Lance insisted. "That's nice, Lance. I'm talking to your mother," I said dismissively. "Rochelle, thank you for agreeing to mentor me; I appreciate you helping me understand this Church and this community by taking some of your valuable time to listen to my ideas." "Ladies, have a nice Sunday. Okay, Lance, let's go see what Pastor Bill wants now," I told him. "His name is Pastor William," Lance corrected me somewhat angrily. "No, his name is William Penny and he happens to be a pastor," I jibed. Lance's response was stymied by our arrival at Pastor Bill's circle of cronies. "Ah, Glenn," Bill greeted me. "I would like to invite you to dine with my wife and I tomorrow night." I was smart enough to know that wasn't really an invitation, but still, "I'd like to but this week is our first round of testing for the semester so I'm not sure I can break free," I answered. "You find time enough for other things, like jail," he lectured me in a personally degrading matter. "Pastor William, as you will learn about me, people who cross me or threaten the ones I hold dear, I beat bloody and leave broken on the ground," I smiled evilly right back. The confusion that threat caused was evident because I hadn't been quiet. "Jesus loves the Peacemaker," Pastor Bill bantered back. "Winners write the history books," I countered. "That is not very Christian of you," Mr. Wellington, the Mayor, pointed out. "Jesus Christ ended up nailed to a cross; Emperor Constantine, who converted the whole Roman Empire to Christ's worship, got to build his own city," I responded. "I won't be as famous but I'll do more and get to bury my enemies before I die," I added. "Are you sure you were a missionary in Thailand?" another church elder asked. "Oh, I was a missionary all right, but not a very good one. I left the hard work to my Uncle Tim and Aunt Jill," I informed them. "Did they convert many heathen souls to the World of our Lord?" a third man inquired. "It is not that simple. They taught people to read English and got them in the practice of reading the Bible," I explained. "They have over a thousand years of culture to work against and many of the tenents of Buddhism are close to our own Christian virtues so it is hard work." "So that would be a 'No'," Pastor Bill gloated. "Really?" I grinned. "When Uncle Tim went missing, 200 of his flock risked floodwaters in an eventually futile effort to save him. How many of us would risk drowning to save you, Pastor William? I would say that when lives were on the line, his flock did their Christian duty." I noticed Jill standing on the edge of the group listening, her eyes close to tears. Hey, I hated Tim, but I wasn't going to let these spineless bastards degrade the man in front of his widow, no matter how I felt. "I'm sure we would all rise to the challenge," Mr. Wellington pontificated. "Then you are as good a man as Uncle Tim," I trapped him with his own words. "Your Uncle Tim gave everything, including his life," Pastor Bill said with a smug, superior smile. "His willingness to give should be an example for all." "I'm already giving. The Festivities Committee's budget seems a bit anemic so I'm going to be funding some of their efforts," I enlightened him. "That is not how tithes are normally handled," Pastor Bill corrected me. "I'm not a normal guy," I grinned. "Pastor, I'll look over my schedule and call your house to let you know if I can swing dinner tomorrow. It has been a wonderful chat but I have to be going now." I turned and left them there, confident I hadn't made any friends among Bill's inner circle. The price of their friendship was way more than I was willing to pay and it wasn't just monetary. My girls swarmed around me, even Jill. "Thank you, Zane," Jill said softly. "Tim would have been proud." "Jill, I said that for you, not him. You stood by him and that shouldn't be trampled on by people who don't know any better," I comforted her. "I was getting ready to cry out 'Blood and Souls for my Lord Arioch," Rio grinned. "Why did you antagonize them?" Iona wondered. "They are used to bullying people and getting their way. I let them know I was more than willing to fight," I told Iona. "He also wanted the women to see what he was doing," Barbie Lynn said. "I saw a few females, Felicity included, who thought a great deal of how Zane handled the situation." "Girls love watching men fight over them," Rio laughed as we exited into the parking lot. "Is everyone coming to our place for lunch?" Jill asked. I took a quick look around the girls who nodded their approval. "Sure thing, Jill; we will be at home in an hour," I answered. Getting back to campus and into casual clothes wasn't a problem, nor was lunch with Jill. We sat around and shot the shit for an hour afterwards but school work demanded that we head back to school to do some actual classwork. I went by Raven's to pick her up because she'd left me a text (by way of Iona) that she'd made some progress over the weekend. "We really should study in the library," Raven told me as we headed to my room. "The last time I checked, the library didn't have a snack bar," I told her. Raven was less than convinced and a bit nervous until we opened the door to the bottom of the steps leading to the Solarium where I lived and the voices of multiple girls welcomed us. "You have company?" she questioned me. "All freshmen are welcome in my room, Raven. You'll see," I informed her. "Is there going to be anyplace for us to study, Raven began to confound me, then we came to the point where you could see past the side of the stairs into the Solarium. "Oh, God," she muttered at the scope of the room, "you, you have pool tables!" she ended up in a near squeal. "I love pool!" She took a few steps forward into the room before looking back at me. "What is all this? Where did this all come from?" "I was given the entire Solarium as my room, sort of, and I decided to convert most of it to a common area for the freshman class," I said. "How long has this been going on?" she wondered. "We did it yesterday," Iona said from the closest sofa. She put down her laptop and walked over to us. "Zane paid for the stuff and we students put it in. Let me show you around." "You do that, Iona," I told her, as I gave my diminutive friend a hug, "I'll be in my room." Iona led Raven deeper into the complex of entertainment while I headed to my room, which seemed to be the quietest place to study today. I passed around the Chinese silk screens that shielded my private area from the rest of the Solarium and saw my new monster-sized bed. I also saw the tall, honey-blonde Amazon reclining on it, looking my way. "Come here, my Love-Monkey," she said in a deep, husky voice. I'm sure my mouth gaped open. "Ah, I don't believe we've been introduced," I managed to finally say. She smiled and patted the bed beside her. "You are seriously hot and I'm positive I'd remember you if we'd met, but I don't and I do need to study so I'm going to ask you to please leave," I groaned. "Trust me, I really don't want to be asking you that either." I heard laughter from the far side of the bed and Rio slowly raised her body into sight. "Bro, the look on your face is priceless," she chuckled. "So this is really your room?" the other girl inquired. "I told you it was," Rio grinned. "Yes, it is," I responded as well. "In fact, this entire floor is mine, mainly because the Administration has nowhere else to stick me." "Rio, what's going on here?" I turned to my other friend. "Honest, Boss," she beamed, "I found her when I got home. She's my new dorm mate, your replacement." "You were her first roommate?" the newcomer asked. "For all of one night," I confessed. "Then everyone realized she had boobies, and I didn't, and I developed this current life of seclusion." "This is your version of seclusion?" she questioned. "What can I say?" I sighed. "I'm a man of creature comforts. That still doesn't explain you on my bed. Rio?" "She is Valerie Palmer, a new addition to the school," Rio started, "but that's not the cool part. She's a member of the Stormriders motorcycle gang." Seeing my lack of name recognition, Rio added, "They are a big deal in the West, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona, of course." "Nice to meet you, Valerie." I knelt on the bed and extended my hand. "I'm Glenn Zane Braxton, but everyone calls me Zane. Welcome to FFU, and what brought you to us?" "Dad is a born-again Christian and he wanted me to come here, so here I am," she shrugged. Now, to me that made no sense, as she should have been eighteen, thus her own person, but who was I to press into her personal matters. "Damn it, Zane, I keep forgetting you were living in a cave for the past two years," Rio shook her head. "Her grandfather is Daniel 'Damien' Palmer." Again, I didn't know who that person was. "My grandfather is doing three life sentences," Valerie said with a degree of weariness. "Fine. I should take it the Stormriders are not a motorcycle club, then," I grinned at her. Valerie's eyes and mine locked for several seconds. "Are you arrogant, stupid, or really unconcerned?" Valerie asked me. "A little of all three," Rio chimed in. "You should never ask a man if he's arrogant because if he is, he won't know it," I responded. "I'm smart enough to get into this university, but them I'm dumb enough to be the only guy at this university," I continued. "I can honestly tell you I really don't care who you were before you came here. It is none of my damn business. If you want to be friends, I'm game." Valerie nodded. "Oh, and Rio is a nutjob, but if you hurt her, I'll make you suffer, I swear it." "Is that supposed to scare me, rich boy?" Valerie said, becoming very serious and sitting up, "because I'm not impressed." "I didn't say it to impress you, Valerie," I met her gaze, "I believe in fair warning. I don't care if you are damaged goods or you are one stone-cold, bad-ass bitch; you mess with Rio and I'll take her pain out of your hide." "Rio, I thought you told me this guy was cool," Valerie said to Rio while still looking at me. "Best guy in the whole God-damn world," Rio beamed. "Zane, have you ever stabbed somebody?" Valerie quizzed me. "On purpose or by accident?" I asked. "How do you stab someone by accident?" Valerie wondered. "You toss their ass into a stand of bamboo so hard the stalks break and they get impaled," I answered. "I take it you've done it on purpose." She shrugged. "Do you fight much?" she changed tact. "More than I should," I replied, "but I ass in where I don't belong too much." "Me too," Valerie nodded, "on the 'I fight more than I should' thing." "Well, I would rather talk shit upfront than spill blood later," I pointed out. "Like warning me about Rio," she nodded. "Please believe me, she's a nut and will get on your nerves, so please don't toss her out a window or down the stairs because I'm actually attached to her," I grinned. Rio flopped on the bed. "I should be mouthing empty denials but Zane's pretty much right," Rio snickered, "and if he hadn't fucked me silly on the preacher's desk this morning, I'd be in his face about this bullshit." "You had sex on your preacher's desk?" Valerie smiled. "Zane, what are these girls, what the hell?" Raven went off. "What kind of bedroom is this?" "Raven, you know Rio and this is her new roommate Valerie. Valerie, this is Raven," I groaned. "Hey, Raven," Valerie greeted her. "So do you normally walk into Zane's bedroom too?" "No," Raven blushed. "He invited me over to do some work on our English project." Iona stepped in behind Raven and waved to Rio. "Iona, Valerie; Valerie, Iona," I sighed. "Wait!" Valerie raised her hand and looked back to me. "Are you gay? Because I see a lot of girls strolling into your room and none of them have been identified as your girlfriend yet." "Technically, that would be Heaven," Iona volunteered. "She's a senior." "Can we get back to everyone being in Zane's room?" Raven grumbled. "And what is he doing with a bed as big as my entire room back home?" Valerie appraised the room. "Got it," she laughed. "You are sleeping with her (Iona) and her (Rio), but not you (Raven)." "Of course I'm not sleeping with him," Raven shot back. "I took a Purity Pledge, as should all of you." "I'm not a virgin," Valerie responded. "Me, either," Rio waved. "I am," Iona raised her hand. "That's nice," I directed. "Rio, Valerie, and Iona, please leave. I've invited Raven to my room so we can do actual classwork because I occasionally like to pretend I'm in college for an education." "On it, Zane," Rio snickered. "Come on, Valerie, let's go check out the hot tub. I wanted to show you to Zane so he could put you on his 'To Do' list." Iona shook her head and left. "I've got a boyfriend," Valerie clarified. "Thank God," I muttered, which drew looks from all three women. After Rio and Val left, Raven kept staring at me. "I, does this happen to you often?" she finally asked. "Yes, but I've learned to adjust," I pointed out. We sat down on the bed, Raven pulled out four library books on the period we were looking into, and we began going through them and taking notes. "Is Heaven really your girlfriend?" Raven asked after a while. "Yes, but it is more complicated than that. I love another girl but I don't know if she loves me, and I spend time with a dozen other girls here, plus I have friends at a Sorority House off campus," I explained. "And you sleep with Rio, who isn't a virgin, and Iona, who is," she stated, and I confirmed with a nod. "I was wrong. If you can keep all that straight in your head, you have a good grasp of details. We are going to do fine on this term paper." "Thank you, Raven," I smiled at her, and for a change, she smiled back. Gust Front I would have liked to spend the night with Iona and Barbie Lynn but Iona informed me that Coach Dana Gorman had tested her security code earlier in the day and I figured something was up; nothing good for me and my friends. Sure enough, at 12:10 in the morning, my little buzzer by the bed that informed me that a key code was being entered woke me up. I silenced the alarm (no sense in letting them know that I had it) and waited in bed. Shortly thereafter, the Coach and two female security guards came strolling in. "Alone?" Dana quipped. "You asking me out?" I grinned. "Get up; we need to check the bed, if that is what you call this thing," she motioned to my sleeping platform. I dutifully got out of bed. "What are you doing?" she snapped when she realized I was naked. "Getting out of bed like you asked me to. I sleep in the nude, or didn't you already know that?" I yawned. "Put some clothes on," she ordered. I picked up my robe and put it on while they stripped back my sheets and looked for bodily fluids under the dark light. I had been at my Aunt's the past two nights, so yes, my bed was still fresh. Unsatisfied, Dana and her two buddies began roughly going over my place. When they finally discovered nothing (my hiding places were specifically designed), the two officers turned and left. "I'll be keeping an eye on you, Zane. You can expect this to be a regular occurrence," she promised. I simply stared. We remained looking at one another for a minute because she knew I was up to something. "That's right, step out of line and make my job easier," she noted. Again I kept my silence. It would have been easy to take this personally but I'd told her this was War and I took that seriously. I doubted I was the sole beneficiary of their attention so I had to get ready to respond to their next move. "Nothing to say?" she asked. I kept staring. "Say something, damn it," she growled. "Good night, Coach," I obliged. She shook her head, turned, and walked away. When I saw the door close behind her I went back to my room and took out my phone. I made three calls to the concerned parties and a final call to Iona, to have her wipe my call log. I can't say I slept well that night. Showering in the morning was troublesome enough on normal days but this morning, Rio decided to invite Valerie to join us. I did my best to pretend to ignore her, which wasn't easy. Valerie was around six feet with milky skin where the sun didn't reach and tanned where it did. Her hair was golden-blonde and she was trimmed, not shaved. Her eyes were grey with a hint of blue around the edges; he breasts were a solid C without a hint of sag. There sure were a lot of blondes going to this school. I could see the mental calculations going through her head as she walked in and the other girls eyed her. In the hierarchy of this place, I didn't hold a place; proximity to me showed a girl's status among the crowd. Opal was top dog, but Rio and Iona were marked by their close relationship with me as well. Valerie clearly thought about walking away from it all to spare herself the drama and the grief. She countered that with the knowledge that she had to fit in somewhere in this school, and as non-traditional as she was, her best bet was with us. She answered that internal struggle by taking the shower one down from me, next to Opal. Opal expressed her dominance to Valerie by corralling me into a body massage and a show of mutual affection. I thought Valerie was unimpressed with those actions but as we got into it, I sensed she was intrigued by the notion of having sex without actually having sex, and the sexual arousal that came with it. As I settled in front of the sink to brush my hair, shave, and brush my teeth, Valerie took the sink beside me. "You don't seem to mind all these naked bodies around you," she noted. "Why should I? I enjoy them and they enjoy me. I like making them happy, and my presence certainly makes their lives more difficult so I'm glad to help," I explained. "So, do things ever go to the next level?" Valerie asked. "Not here, and not with most of these women; they are virgins and happy about that fact. They want to be virgins on their wedding nights and I respect that," I answered. "Rio makes you out to be some sort of sex-crazed stud monster," Val informed me. "Rio's not a virgin and her only plans for marriage involve her being a black widow to her old, rich husbands," I grinned. "Is she, bi-sexual?" Valerie whispered. "Yes, I can verify that she is," I replied quietly. "Has she hit on you yet? Wait, silly question, have you thrown her out of your bed yet?" "This morning I found her sucking on my nipple through my nightshirt," she smirked. "Rio needs constant reminding of where the boundaries are," I informed Val. "You two talking about me?" Rio came bouncing up. "Is there a three-way in our future? Who gets tied up?" Valerie groaned in response. "Rio, there is such a thing as personal space and acceptable roommate behavior," I told Rio. "Things like spontaneously feeling her up while she sleeps are Bad!" "God, damn it!" Rio squalled, "But did you see the size of those bad boys? They are huge and puffy and I swear, they were calling out to me across the room." "In my long and illustrious career with the female nipple, they have never talked to me. If you don't behave, I'm going to have to tie you up at the next orgy and make you watch," I warned. I couldn't threaten to take away something she had, like her piercings; that would make her dig in her heels. Instead, I went after the things she was looking forward to. "Don't forget to secure her hands over her head so she can't diddle herself," Valerie got into the sport of things. "Good point," I agreed. "Major buzz-kill, you two. Valerie, you are trying to make your first day here no fun at all," Rio teased. "Which reminds me; Valerie, has Rio warned you about Handmaiden's Duty?" I inquired. Rio looked offended that I would say such a thing while Val looked confused. "It is a tradition here that requires all freshmen to perform a task of a non-damaging nature for any and all upperclassmen. They cannot grab you in class or a dorm room, but anywhere else is fair game," I informed her. "My first task was to be a bench for someone to sit on," Rio grinned. "Mine was to kiss a girl," I nodded. "Kiss her? Cordelia damn near passed out, you kissed her so long and deep," Rio teased me. "The first one was very nice and chaste," Iona stepped up and added. "It was the second one that curled her toes and started the stampeded on Zane." "What do I do if a girl asks me to kiss her?" Valerie worried. "Tell her you are waiting for your herpes to clear up," Rio volunteered. "It isn't likely to happen," Iona came across with sounder advice. "Homosexuality is frowned on at this campus." "I'd tell you to kiss them and enjoy the moment, but I'm a guy," I shrugged. "I'm still not sure what is normal for this place," Valerie related. "Rio and Zane are aberrations," Iona offered. "Most of the girls here are fundamentalist Christian virgins who are looking to get married once they graduate this place." "What is your story?" Val asked Iona. "I was pretty much the girl I just described until I met these two," she smiled. "Now I feel that I have, options." "Options like prison time," Rio laughed, "or becoming a sex toy at an S&M club." "I was thinking more like taking a summer and roaming the country," Iona glared Rio. "Maybe I could teach you to ride a motorcycle and you can come with me," Valerie offered. "That would be wonderful!" Iona brightened up. "When could we start?" "This afternoon, if you like," Val responded. "My ride is in the parking lot." "You have a motorcycle, here?" Rio exclaimed. "Rio, it is hard to be in a motorcycle gang without a chopper," Valerie pointed out. "On that note, I have to go," I sighed. New girls were starting to migrate in, meaning I had to retreat to my room. "Take care, everyone." The crapstorm fell on us as we left the dorm. All kinds of upperclassmen snatched up freshmen as they appeared and shadowed Pro-Christina students they couldn't grab. Rio and I were able to shove off of Valerie before she was identified as being with one of us, so she made it to the Dining Hall unmolested. I didn't have to do anything too heinous, carry three backpacks while reciting the Gospel of Luke from memory (ugh). They made Rio sing 'Onward Christian Soldier' because it was the only religious song she'd admit to knowing. She did a horrific hack-job of it too. They had Iona going through the descendants of Noah; she knocked them back flawlessly, Brainiac. It got better at the Dining Hall door where Rhaine oversaw the removal of every electronic device from the incoming students, no phones, tablets or laptops, nothing capable of rapid communicat

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    All Saints Parish -  Sunday Homilies Podcast
    Alive: Praying with Our Whole Body | 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    All Saints Parish - Sunday Homilies Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 5:50


    In this episode of the Alive series, Fr. Jonathan Meyer reflects on the Gospel of Luke 18:9–14 — the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The tax collector's humble gesture of beating his breast, saying “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner,” connects us to the way we worship at Mass and to the rich tradition of bodily prayer in the Church. Fr. Meyer explores:  • Why our bodily posture matters in prayer.  • How the tax collector's humility inspires us to seek God's mercy.  • St. Dominic's nine ways of prayer and how they are echoed in the liturgy. This week, challenge yourself to pay attention to your posture in prayer — standing, kneeling, bowing, striking your chest — and offer it all for the glory of God.

    The Point Church - Sermons
    Jackson Campus: “We Must Surrender” (Luke 9:18-27)

    The Point Church - Sermons

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 35:02


    This week at our Jackson Campus, Campus Pastor Mitch Johnson is continuing our verse-by-verse, expository journey through the Gospel of Luke—now under our new series title, Who Is This Jesus? . We hope this resource is a blessing to you. For more information about The Point Church, please visit us online at www.tothepoint.church.Takeaway: "We Must Surrender"

    The Point Church - Sermons
    Perdido Campus:”Who Is This Jesus?” (Luke 9:18-27)

    The Point Church - Sermons

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 29:42


    This week at our Perdido Key Campus, our Executive Pastor + Worship Leader Joe McClellan is continuing our verse-by-verse, expository journey through the Gospel of Luke—now under our new series title, Who Is This Jesus? . We hope this resource is a blessing to you. For more information about The Point Church, please visit us online at www.tothepoint.church.

    Faith To Go Podcast
    Humility - Proper 25 with Faith to Go

    Faith To Go Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2025 22:13


    This week, Charlette and David dive deep into the Gospel of Luke 18:9-14, reflecting on what it means to be honest about ourselves and the liberation behind humility. With thoughtful conversation and practical takeaways, they explore how this passage invites us to live faithfully in our world today. Faith to Go is a ministry of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. Click here to learn more about EDSD's great work in our region and how you can support this ministry.Remember to get in contact with us!Email: faithtogo@edsd.orgInstagram: @faithtogo

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    Project Zion Podcast
    906 | Coffee to Go | Proper 24

    Project Zion Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025 11:05


    An unjust judge and the persistent widow walk into the Gospel of Luke, and guess who gets served... well, that depends on your perspective. For hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith, the unjust judge got served (called out) and the persistent woman got served (blessed). As always, Jesus stands on the side of the oppressed and marginalized. True justice requires both prayer and action in a world where justice means being in harmony with God's created order. Listen in this week and then take some time for self-reflection on the balance between prayer and action in your own life. And, in the end, persist in causes of justice. Listen to more episodes in the Coffee to Go series. Download TranscriptThanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. copyright@umcmission.org “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey. NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ.

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    Calvary Castle Rock - Radio
    Luke 21 Olivet Discourse Part6b

    Calvary Castle Rock - Radio

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025 26:00


    St. Ann DC Podcast
    Persistence and Prayer - Msgr. James Watkins Homily - Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday, October 19, 2025

    St. Ann DC Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025 10:13


    Persistence may be hard, all things in life are hard. In Exodus, Moses is tired and weary but he is supported by Aaron and Hur to fulfill what the Lord wants. Then, Jesus in the gospel of Luke also speaks on persistence and to pray unceasingly without being weary. Jesus was weary on the cross with no assistance but he still cried out to his father that “thy will be done”. His sacrifice and his permanent patience is the reason we come to mass, to praise, to adore and to unceasingly embrace our God who came down to Earth for our sins.

    Moriel Ministries
    Sunday Morning by Pastor Marco | The Gospel of Luke | Jesus is Alive

    Moriel Ministries

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025 63:19


    VCCC Audio Podcasts
    Luke 20:19-26 | Render to God the Things That are God's - The Gospel of Luke

    VCCC Audio Podcasts

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025


    Message from Jason Smith on October 19, 2025

    The Santiago Way Podcast
    Fr Thomas Naval: Persistent Prayer Is Key To The Hope Born Of Faith

    The Santiago Way Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025 14:06


    Father Thomas Naval proclaims the Gospel (Luke 18:1-8) and breaks open the word. Words for your Way from Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church in Lake Forest, California.

    Orchard Community Church Sermon Audio
    Living with the End in Sight - Luke 21:5-38

    Orchard Community Church Sermon Audio

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025 42:04


    Pastor Dave Daye - 10-19-25Part of the Gospel of Luke sermon seriesOrchard Community Church www.orchardcommunitychurch.com Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    Fr. Kubicki’s 2 Minute Prayer Reflection – Relevant Radio
    Father Kubicki - Prayer Reflections October 18, 2025

    Fr. Kubicki’s 2 Minute Prayer Reflection – Relevant Radio

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2025 2:00


    Of The 4 Gospels which is your favorite? Many like the Gospel of Luke whose feast day is today. Inform yourself on who this great saint is on today's reflection from Fr. Kubicki.

    Catholic Daily Reflections
    October 18, Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist - Evangelizing the World

    Catholic Daily Reflections

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2025 5:49


    Read OnlineThe Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Luke 10:1–2Saint Luke, whom we honor today, was a true evangelist. As an evangelist, he followed the inspiration from our Lord and was used to bring God's saving message to the ends of the earth. And there is little doubt that his ministry will continue to have a transforming effect on the lives of many until the end of the world. Tradition states that Saint Luke became a martyr, being hanged on an olive tree. He is identified in the New Testament as a physician and as a disciple of Saint Paul. Both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are attributed to him.Saint Luke is often spoken of as an evangelist to the gentiles. His Gospel was written in such a way that it didn't presume a full understanding of the Jewish faith and customs. Therefore, it is believed to have been primarily written for those who are not of Jewish origin. Thus, the life and mission of Saint Luke must remind us that the Gospel needs to be shared with all people, especially with those who do not have a deep and sustaining relationship with God.In today's Gospel from Saint Luke, we read that Jesus sent seventy-two disciples “to every town and place he intended to visit.” Only Luke mentions the larger scale sending of seventy-two disciples. The other Gospels only mention the sending of the Twelve. Though many of these seventy-two disciples would have gone to Jewish territory, some would have unquestionably gone to non-Jewish territory. The mission of these seventy-two was to prepare everyone they encountered for the preaching of Jesus and for the establishment of the Kingdom of God.As we honor Saint Luke today and read this passage from his Gospel, we are reminded that we are all sent by our Lord. We are sent to those who share our faith, such as family, friends and fellow parishioners. We are sent to love them and do all we can to help deepen their faith and love of God. But we are also called to share the Gospel with those who do not yet know Jesus as their Savior. There are so many people we encounter every day who have never truly met our Lord. Are there people in your life that God is calling you to reach out to? Who do you know that God may be calling you to share the Gospel with? Reflect, today, upon the fact that the Gospel is meant for everyone. Speak to our Lord and tell Him that you are ready and willing to be used by Him to bring His saving message to others. As you do so, wait on the Lord, listen to His inspiration, and respond when He calls. If someone comes to mind whom you sense God is calling you to evangelize, begin to pray for that person. Pray for them every day and be attentive to any inspiration God gives you to share His love and saving message with them. Do not be afraid to be an evangelist like Saint Luke. Doing so might make an eternal difference in someone's life. My saving Lord, You sent Your disciples on a mission to share Your saving message with all. Today I especially thank You for the life and ministry of Saint Luke. Please use me, dear Lord, to imitate his wonderful example and to share Your glorious life with others. Please lead me and inspire me to especially reach out to those whom You have put into my life. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Window: workshop of Franz Borgias Mayer (1848–1926); Photo: Andreas Praefcke, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    The Bible Study Podcast
    #941 - Luke 12:49-13:9 – A Lesson from a Fig Tree

    The Bible Study Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2025 10:58


    This episode is part 31 in a study of the gospel of Luke. Jesus talks about conflict and interpreting the present age. Then he uses a fig tree to talk about bearing fruit... or not. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    Catholic Inspiration
    Daily Mass: There is no partiality with God

    Catholic Inspiration

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2025 7:31


    Both the Letter to the Romans and the Gospel of Luke offer a blistering commentary on us when we pass judgment without humbly recognizing our own sins. (Lectionary #469) October 15, 2025 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com  

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started! Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  LINKS:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com  « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    All Saints Parish -  Sunday Homilies Podcast
    Alive: The Power of Persistent Prayer | Fr. Jonathan Meyer

    All Saints Parish - Sunday Homilies Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2025 3:02


    In this episode of the Alive series, Fr. Jonathan Meyer reflects on the Gospel of Luke 18:1–8 — the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge.   The widow in Scripture is more than just a character — she is an image of the Church: faithful, relentless, and unwilling to give up. Like her, we are called to be people of persistent prayer, trusting in Christ, the merciful Judge who listens to us.   Fr. Meyer challenges us to ask: What are you praying for today? Will you persist tomorrow? How can we live as the Church that never gives up?   Let's keep asking, seeking, and knocking — confident that God loves us and has a plan for us.  

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  LINKS:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com  « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    The Point Church - Sermons
    Perdido Campus:”Who Is This Jesus?” (Luke 9:10-17)

    The Point Church - Sermons

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2025 41:34


    This week at our Perdido Key Campus, Senior Pastor Kyle Valaer is continuing our verse-by-verse, expository journey through the Gospel of Luke—now under our new series title, Who Is This Jesus? . We hope this resource is a blessing to you. For more information about The Point Church, please visit us online at www.tothepoint.church.Takeaways:Repetition of biblical truth is a normal way God works to soften and change our stubborn, unbelieving hearts.See the undeniable power of Jesus to create.The provision Jesus gives to us is more than enough.Jesus is the only One who can satisfy your weary and hungry soul.

    The New Testament Daily (with Jerry Dirmann)

    The book of Acts, also called the Acts of the Apostles, spotlights the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This powerful book was written by the Apostle Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke.   Join Jerry as he walks through this book and recounts the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the surrounding world. You will be encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of many who were transformed through hearing the gospel and witnessing of miracles. You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!    LINKS:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com  « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

    Calvary Castle Rock - Radio
    Luke 21 Olivet Discourse Part6a

    Calvary Castle Rock - Radio

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2025 26:00


    The Bible Study Podcast
    #940 - Luke 12:35-48 – Watchfulness

    The Bible Study Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2025 9:42


    This episode is part 30 in a study of the gospel of Luke. Jesus talks about watchfulness. He says that we will never know when the master is coming. He will come like a thief in the night. https://thebiblestudypodcast.com/luke-12-watchfulness/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.