Podcasts about gracious

Don Kroah speaks with Victor Davis Hanson about the ungracious — and their demonization of the past.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Epiphany First Psalm: Psalms 20–21 Psalms 20–21 (Listen) Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 20   May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!    May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!2   May he send you help from the sanctuary    and give you support from Zion!3   May he remember all your offerings    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah 4   May he grant you your heart's desire    and fulfill all your plans!5   May we shout for joy over your salvation,    and in the name of our God set up our banners!  May the LORD fulfill all your petitions! 6   Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;    he will answer him from his holy heaven    with the saving might of his right hand.7   Some trust in chariots and some in horses,    but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.8   They collapse and fall,    but we rise and stand upright. 9   O LORD, save the king!    May he answer us when we call. The King Rejoices in the Lord's Strength To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 21   O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,    and in your salvation how greatly he exults!2   You have given him his heart's desire    and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah3   For you meet him with rich blessings;    you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.4   He asked life of you; you gave it to him,    length of days forever and ever.5   His glory is great through your salvation;    splendor and majesty you bestow on him.6   For you make him most blessed forever;1    you make him glad with the joy of your presence.7   For the king trusts in the LORD,    and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved. 8   Your hand will find out all your enemies;    your right hand will find out those who hate you.9   You will make them as a blazing oven    when you appear.  The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,    and fire will consume them.10   You will destroy their descendants from the earth,    and their offspring from among the children of man.11   Though they plan evil against you,    though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.12   For you will put them to flight;    you will aim at their faces with your bows. 13   Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!    We will sing and praise your power. Footnotes [1] 21:6 Or make him a source of blessing forever (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 110; Psalms 116–117 Psalm 110 (Listen) Sit at My Right Hand A Psalm of David. 110   The LORD says to my Lord:    “Sit at my right hand,  until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2   The LORD sends forth from Zion    your mighty scepter.    Rule in the midst of your enemies!3   Your people will offer themselves freely    on the day of your power,1    in holy garments;2  from the womb of the morning,    the dew of your youth will be yours.34   The LORD has sworn    and will not change his mind,  “You are a priest forever    after the order of Melchizedek.” 5   The Lord is at your right hand;    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.6   He will execute judgment among the nations,    filling them with corpses;  he will shatter chiefs4    over the wide earth.7   He will drink from the brook by the way;    therefore he will lift up his head. Footnotes [1] 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces [2] 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains [3] 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 110:6 Or the head (ESV) Psalms 116–117 (Listen) I Love the Lord 116   I love the LORD, because he has heard    my voice and my pleas for mercy.2   Because he inclined his ear to me,    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.3   The snares of death encompassed me;    the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;    I suffered distress and anguish.4   Then I called on the name of the LORD:    “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” 5   Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;    our God is merciful.6   The LORD preserves the simple;    when I was brought low, he saved me.7   Return, O my soul, to your rest;    for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8   For you have delivered my soul from death,    my eyes from tears,    my feet from stumbling;9   I will walk before the LORD    in the land of the living. 10   I believed, even when1 I spoke:    “I am greatly afflicted”;11   I said in my alarm,    “All mankind are liars.” 12   What shall I render to the LORD    for all his benefits to me?13   I will lift up the cup of salvation    and call on the name of the LORD,14   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people. 15   Precious in the sight of the LORD    is the death of his saints.16   O LORD, I am your servant;    I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.    You have loosed my bonds.17   I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving    and call on the name of the LORD.18   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people,19   in the courts of the house of the LORD,    in your midst, O Jerusalem.  Praise the LORD! The Lord's Faithfulness Endures Forever 117   Praise the LORD, all nations!    Extol him, all peoples!2   For great is his steadfast love toward us,    and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.  Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 116:10 Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore (ESV) Old Testament: Genesis 6:9–22 Genesis 6:9–22 (Listen) Noah and the Flood 9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh,1 for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.2 Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits,3 its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof4 for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. Footnotes [1] 6:13 Hebrew The end of all flesh has come before me [2] 6:14 An unknown kind of tree; transliterated from Hebrew [3] 6:15 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [4] 6:16 Or skylight (ESV) New Testament: Hebrews 4:1–13 Hebrews 4:1–13 (Listen) 4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.1 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,   “As I swore in my wrath,  ‘They shall not enter my rest,'” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said,   “They shall not enter my rest.” 6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,   “Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God2 would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Footnotes [1] 4:2 Some manuscripts it did not meet with faith in the hearers [2] 4:8 Greek he (ESV) Gospel: John 2:13–22 John 2:13–22 (Listen) Jesus Cleanses the Temple 13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,1 and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. Footnotes [1] 2:20 Or This temple was built forty-six years ago (ESV)

JLC YouTube - be gracious and demanding with your man/woman. ♡ https://linktr.ee/jylchung​

Kick back with your Gracious host this week as he plays you some of his favorite moments from the last year or so from Hold My Beer. What would the gang do to protect their property? How would they run a zoo? Can you sink love? Find out all over again on this weeks episode of HMB!

Kick back with your Gracious host this week as he plays you some of his favorite moments from the last year or so from Hold My Beer. What would the gang do to protect their property? How would they run a zoo? Can you sink love? Find out all over again on this weeks episode of HMB!

Key Takeaways:May our focus be on knowing the Great Shepherd, who will equip us with everything good that we may do His will. He will work in us to make us pleasing that we may glorify God.Our requests for the prayers of others should spark our earnest prayers for them.Gracious words build fellowship among believersFor more information about this show, which includes additional notes and details, please visit the show page here or visit our home page at SeekingourGod.com MusicLife of Riley by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3976-life-of-rileyLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

For a Jesus Follower in Difficult Circumstances, God: “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster” MESSAGE SUMMARY:  God wants to make you and your life into a “pearl of great value”. However, some of us are upset about our life difficulties or issues in our relationships. You need to allow God to use your life circumstances. If you are obedient and submissive to God, He will turn your situations into a life of beauty. Alternatively, when you encounter these negative situations in your life, often, you can become bitter. On the other hand, you can submit and obey the Lord, thereby, permitting the Lord to turn your life and life situations into pearls of beauty and into a life of great value. Also, you will have more of Jesus' presence in your life. As Paul tells us in Philippians 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.". Remember, the Prophet Joel tells us, in Joel 2:13b, about the character of God: “he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Joel 2:12-13; James 4:4-10; Isaiah 1:18-20; Psalms 61:1-8. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Jesus the Christ Is Our Hope In Life and Death and He Is “Hope” for the Wave of Loneliness and Uncertainty Sweeping Our World Today” at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Calvary Chapel Fellowship Podcast

Holy Spirit is the best gift to mankind. If you have received Him, you are never going to fall. There is a straight road before you to walk and a companion to lead.

4 Advent First Psalm: Psalms 66–67 Psalms 66–67 (Listen) How Awesome Are Your Deeds To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm. 66   Shout for joy to God, all the earth;2     sing the glory of his name;    give to him glorious praise!3   Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!    So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.4   All the earth worships you    and sings praises to you;    they sing praises to your name.” Selah 5   Come and see what God has done:    he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.6   He turned the sea into dry land;    they passed through the river on foot.  There did we rejoice in him,7     who rules by his might forever,  whose eyes keep watch on the nations—    let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah 8   Bless our God, O peoples;    let the sound of his praise be heard,9   who has kept our soul among the living    and has not let our feet slip.10   For you, O God, have tested us;    you have tried us as silver is tried.11   You brought us into the net;    you laid a crushing burden on our backs;12   you let men ride over our heads;    we went through fire and through water;  yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance. 13   I will come into your house with burnt offerings;    I will perform my vows to you,14   that which my lips uttered    and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.15   I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,    with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;  I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah 16   Come and hear, all you who fear God,    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.17   I cried to him with my mouth,    and high praise was on1 my tongue.218   If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,    the Lord would not have listened.19   But truly God has listened;    he has attended to the voice of my prayer. 20   Blessed be God,    because he has not rejected my prayer    or removed his steadfast love from me! Make Your Face Shine upon Us To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song. 67   May God be gracious to us and bless us    and make his face to shine upon us, Selah2   that your way may be known on earth,    your saving power among all nations.3   Let the peoples praise you, O God;    let all the peoples praise you! 4   Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,    for you judge the peoples with equity    and guide the nations upon earth. Selah5   Let the peoples praise you, O God;    let all the peoples praise you! 6   The earth has yielded its increase;    God, our God, shall bless us.7   God shall bless us;    let all the ends of the earth fear him! Footnotes [1] 66:17 Hebrew under [2] 66:17 Or and he was exalted with my tongue (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalms 116–117 Psalms 116–117 (Listen) I Love the Lord 116   I love the LORD, because he has heard    my voice and my pleas for mercy.2   Because he inclined his ear to me,    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.3   The snares of death encompassed me;    the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;    I suffered distress and anguish.4   Then I called on the name of the LORD:    “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” 5   Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;    our God is merciful.6   The LORD preserves the simple;    when I was brought low, he saved me.7   Return, O my soul, to your rest;    for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8   For you have delivered my soul from death,    my eyes from tears,    my feet from stumbling;9   I will walk before the LORD    in the land of the living. 10   I believed, even when1 I spoke:    “I am greatly afflicted”;11   I said in my alarm,    “All mankind are liars.” 12   What shall I render to the LORD    for all his benefits to me?13   I will lift up the cup of salvation    and call on the name of the LORD,14   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people. 15   Precious in the sight of the LORD    is the death of his saints.16   O LORD, I am your servant;    I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.    You have loosed my bonds.17   I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving    and call on the name of the LORD.18   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people,19   in the courts of the house of the LORD,    in your midst, O Jerusalem.  Praise the LORD! The Lord's Faithfulness Endures Forever 117   Praise the LORD, all nations!    Extol him, all peoples!2   For great is his steadfast love toward us,    and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.  Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 116:10 Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore (ESV) Old Testament: 1 Samuel 2:1–10 1 Samuel 2:1–10 (Listen) Hannah's Prayer 2 And Hannah prayed and said,   “My heart exults in the LORD;    my horn is exalted in the LORD.  My mouth derides my enemies,    because I rejoice in your salvation. 2   “There is none holy like the LORD:    for there is none besides you;    there is no rock like our God.3   Talk no more so very proudly,    let not arrogance come from your mouth;  for the LORD is a God of knowledge,    and by him actions are weighed.4   The bows of the mighty are broken,    but the feeble bind on strength.5   Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,    but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.  The barren has borne seven,    but she who has many children is forlorn.6   The LORD kills and brings to life;    he brings down to Sheol and raises up.7   The LORD makes poor and makes rich;    he brings low and he exalts.8   He raises up the poor from the dust;    he lifts the needy from the ash heap  to make them sit with princes    and inherit a seat of honor.  For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's,    and on them he has set the world. 9   “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,    but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,    for not by might shall a man prevail.10   The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces;    against them he will thunder in heaven.  The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;    he will give strength to his king    and exalt the horn of his anointed.” (ESV) New Testament: Titus 2:1–10 Titus 2:1–10 (Listen) Teach Sound Doctrine 2 But as for you, teach what accords with sound1 doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Bondservants2 are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. Footnotes [1] 2:1 Or healthy; also verses 2, 8 [2] 2:9 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface (ESV) Gospel: Luke 1:26–38 Luke 1:26–38 (Listen) Birth of Jesus Foretold 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed1 to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”2 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”3 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born4 will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant5 of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Footnotes [1] 1:27 That is, legally pledged to be married [2] 1:28 Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women! [3] 1:34 Greek since I do not know a man [4] 1:35 Some manuscripts add of you [5] 1:38 Greek bondservant; also verse 48 (ESV)

In this episode Richard and Sam discuss Richard's book, Putting a Face on Grace and the importance of being a person of grace. DONATE: Now, through the end of the year your donation can be doubled thanks to a generous donor. If you have enjoyed this podcast and want to support what we do, click here. RESOURCES: Putting a Face on Grace by Richard Blackaby. Find it here. CONNECT: Follow Richard on Twitter. Follow Richard on Facebook. Read Richard's latest blog posts at www.richardblackaby.com.

The post Ruth 2:1-12 – Gracious People Find Grace appeared first on Valley Avenue Baptist Church - Falls City, NE.

Jesus, God's Son and very imprint of God's nature, who upholds the universe by the word of his power, came to us in humility to bring us the good news message of God's Kingdom - that God sent His Son to save His people from their sin and to reconcile us to himself and others. Jesus is a friend of sinners and he has come to set us free! This is whom we adore, worship and celebrate with expectant hope this Christmas!

5. Love is encouraging. Would you consider yourself to be an encouraging person? I received an email of encouragement from a co-worker the other day. He affirmed me for the job I did leading a project. When I opened and read the email, I was shocked. This particular individual is a person of very few words. He's pretty reserved and quiet so when he sent a “way to go” to me, I was really surprised. I was also super grateful. The fact that he took time to send a note of encouragement was a very kind gesture. When was the last time you spoke words of encouragement to someone? Or cheered someone on? I was grabbing lunch at a nearby restaurant the other day when I heard the manager yell out a “way to go team.” I have never heard a restaurant manager giving a shout out to cheer on their team. It really left an impression on me to hear her encourage her employees. Encouragement can breathe life into people. Genuine affirmation can be just what someone needs to keep going. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” There have been times in my life where I have questioned where God wants me and if I am even making an impact in my ministry. When out of the blue, I will receive a text or a handwritten note from someone expressing gratitude for something I have done or a conversation that we had that made a difference for them. I know the Holy Spirit put it on their hearts to write to me at just the perfect time when I needed to be spurred on. And I am so grateful that they heeded the Spirit because he used them to remind me to stay the course. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us to, “encourage each other and build each other up.” Who can you speak life into today with a word of encouragement? Maybe it's a coworker that you can give words of affirmation to, or a friend you can cheer on. Who can you encourage this week, face-to-face, send a text, email or a handwritten note? Who can you practice the love habit of encouragement with? It's a double win. They will be blessed by your genuine and positive words and you will get a boost from blessing someone. Here is a short but powerful verse from 1 Corinthians 16:14 that sums everything up. “Do everything in love.” In every circumstance, with every person you encounter. Be Jesus...be love. If you would like to read the entire week's devotional message, please click here to view/download the pdf.

The post God and Merciful and Gracious appeared first on Hope Lutheran Church.

Preached by Phillip Dancy over Psalm 41-1-13 on December 5, 2021

Pastor Shane shares from God's Word on Grace in this nugget.

Want to learn more about JJ Weeks? Check out his website!  Be sure and follow JJ on Facebook! Are you following him on Instagram? The Spirit of Christmas is perfect listening this Christmas season! Be sure and follow the “Rambling” socials: We love us some Instagram  Are you a part of our Facebook group? “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24 Be sure and subscribe, share with your friends, and give us a rating.

The moment when life seems bleakest is the perfect moment to proclaim the certain promises of God to rescue and restore. There is no ultimate despair for God's people because Jesus is the promised king and the perfect priest who keeps god's promises

Around the Word in 180 Days is designed for educators in any school community to join together in the Word of God, prayer and fellowship. Karen Seddon, from Christian Educators (CEAI), hosts this daily glimpse into the heart of an educator featuring this year's theme, Prayers-Praise-Promises. We will read the Promises of God categorically and then pray that promise. We will praise God using a different Scripture each school day and finally read a Note to the Educator and the Daily Devotional from Christian Educators. Please join us using the Christian Educators app, aw180days.com or iTunes. This podcast and its accompanying blog is one of many tools for your role as Christ's ambassador this school year. Each daily show is designed to be 13 minutes or less with the busy educator in mind. You  are encouraged to share with your colleagues.

To get live links to the music we play and resources we offer, visit This show includes the following songs: Annie Calder - Whatta Bummer Bein' Single At Christmastime  Wendy Becker and Jeff Saxon - Spirit of the Season   Catherine Porter - We Want Peace  Nicole de Coteau - Around the World It's Christmas  Silverson Songs - Let's Get Merry  Katherine Moller - Greensleeves-Greensleeves & Pudding Pies  Bluestone Sisters - I Keep Christmas in My Pocket feat. Lillias White  Gracious Me - The Naughty List  Anna Maria Mendieta - Concert Variations on Adeste Fidelis  Ed & Carol Nicodemi - The Disheveled Snowman  Peggy Duquesnel - All I Ask for Christmas  Maini Sorri - Silent Night  Dawn Rix - Home With Him  For Music Biz Resources Visit and Visit our Sponsor Pocahontas Reese at Visit our Sponsor Laini Risto at Visit our Sponsor Ed & Carol Nicodemi at Visit our Sponsor Silverson Songs at Visit our Sponsor Bandzoogle at:

1 Advent First Psalm: Psalms 20–21 Psalms 20–21 (Listen) Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 20   May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!    May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!2   May he send you help from the sanctuary    and give you support from Zion!3   May he remember all your offerings    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah 4   May he grant you your heart's desire    and fulfill all your plans!5   May we shout for joy over your salvation,    and in the name of our God set up our banners!  May the LORD fulfill all your petitions! 6   Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;    he will answer him from his holy heaven    with the saving might of his right hand.7   Some trust in chariots and some in horses,    but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.8   They collapse and fall,    but we rise and stand upright. 9   O LORD, save the king!    May he answer us when we call. The King Rejoices in the Lord's Strength To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 21   O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,    and in your salvation how greatly he exults!2   You have given him his heart's desire    and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah3   For you meet him with rich blessings;    you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.4   He asked life of you; you gave it to him,    length of days forever and ever.5   His glory is great through your salvation;    splendor and majesty you bestow on him.6   For you make him most blessed forever;1    you make him glad with the joy of your presence.7   For the king trusts in the LORD,    and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved. 8   Your hand will find out all your enemies;    your right hand will find out those who hate you.9   You will make them as a blazing oven    when you appear.  The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,    and fire will consume them.10   You will destroy their descendants from the earth,    and their offspring from among the children of man.11   Though they plan evil against you,    though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.12   For you will put them to flight;    you will aim at their faces with your bows. 13   Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!    We will sing and praise your power. Footnotes [1] 21:6 Or make him a source of blessing forever (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 110; Psalms 116–117 Psalm 110 (Listen) Sit at My Right Hand A Psalm of David. 110   The LORD says to my Lord:    “Sit at my right hand,  until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2   The LORD sends forth from Zion    your mighty scepter.    Rule in the midst of your enemies!3   Your people will offer themselves freely    on the day of your power,1    in holy garments;2  from the womb of the morning,    the dew of your youth will be yours.34   The LORD has sworn    and will not change his mind,  “You are a priest forever    after the order of Melchizedek.” 5   The Lord is at your right hand;    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.6   He will execute judgment among the nations,    filling them with corpses;  he will shatter chiefs4    over the wide earth.7   He will drink from the brook by the way;    therefore he will lift up his head. Footnotes [1] 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces [2] 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains [3] 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 110:6 Or the head (ESV) Psalms 116–117 (Listen) I Love the Lord 116   I love the LORD, because he has heard    my voice and my pleas for mercy.2   Because he inclined his ear to me,    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.3   The snares of death encompassed me;    the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;    I suffered distress and anguish.4   Then I called on the name of the LORD:    “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” 5   Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;    our God is merciful.6   The LORD preserves the simple;    when I was brought low, he saved me.7   Return, O my soul, to your rest;    for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8   For you have delivered my soul from death,    my eyes from tears,    my feet from stumbling;9   I will walk before the LORD    in the land of the living. 10   I believed, even when1 I spoke:    “I am greatly afflicted”;11   I said in my alarm,    “All mankind are liars.” 12   What shall I render to the LORD    for all his benefits to me?13   I will lift up the cup of salvation    and call on the name of the LORD,14   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people. 15   Precious in the sight of the LORD    is the death of his saints.16   O LORD, I am your servant;    I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.    You have loosed my bonds.17   I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving    and call on the name of the LORD.18   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people,19   in the courts of the house of the LORD,    in your midst, O Jerusalem.  Praise the LORD! The Lord's Faithfulness Endures Forever 117   Praise the LORD, all nations!    Extol him, all peoples!2   For great is his steadfast love toward us,    and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.  Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 116:10 Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore (ESV) Old Testament: Amos 5:18–27 Amos 5:18–27 (Listen) Let Justice Roll Down 18   Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!    Why would you have the day of the LORD?  It is darkness, and not light,19     as if a man fled from a lion,    and a bear met him,  or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,    and a serpent bit him.20   Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light,    and gloom with no brightness in it? 21   “I hate, I despise your feasts,    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.22   Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,    I will not accept them;  and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,    I will not look upon them.23   Take away from me the noise of your songs;    to the melody of your harps I will not listen.24   But let justice roll down like waters,    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 25 “Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves, 27 and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts. (ESV) New Testament: Jude 17–25 Jude 17–25 (Listen) A Call to Persevere 17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They1 said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment2 stained by the flesh. Doxology 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time3 and now and forever. Amen. Footnotes [1] 1:18 Or Christ, because they [2] 1:23 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin [3] 1:25 Or before any age (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 22:15–22 Matthew 22:15–22 (Listen) Paying Taxes to Caesar 15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.1 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.2 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away. Footnotes [1] 22:16 Greek for you do not look at people's faces [2] 22:19 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer (ESV)

In the book of Isaiah, we read about God's own chosen people refusing to wait upon God. Instead, they seek protection from one of their enemies. As crazy as it may sound, we aren't much different. Waiting is hard for us and it often exposes what we truly believe about God. Listen and hear how the Gospel comes to comfort and empower those who will turn to God alone in times of waiting.

That's right folks, we're bringing you next day content after the Prem de la Prem Bowl. It's that episode that happens twice a year where we just shamelessly dive deep into our favorite fixture. James came out on top for the first time ever in a PDLP Bowl, and he isn't being shy about it. Patrick, on the other hand, comes off as very mature and composed. Gracious in victory and defeat, as it were. We'll be back with a full MW 14 & MW 15 recap after the weekend, but for now, enjoy our same day reaction to the game between Arsenal and Manchester United.

Avoid The Trap. Remember Our Destination. This is the last message in our series on 1st Timothy. This sermon was recorded on November 28, 2021. If would like info about Mid Tree Church or would like to connect, go HERE

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Sermon Notes

Message from Joshua Earl on November 28, 2021

Sermon from Garrett Watkins on November 28, 2021

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 116 Psalm 116 (Listen) I Love the Lord 116   I love the LORD, because he has heard    my voice and my pleas for mercy.2   Because he inclined his ear to me,    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.3   The snares of death encompassed me;    the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;    I suffered distress and anguish.4   Then I called on the name of the LORD:    “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” 5   Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;    our God is merciful.6   The LORD preserves the simple;    when I was brought low, he saved me.7   Return, O my soul, to your rest;    for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8   For you have delivered my soul from death,    my eyes from tears,    my feet from stumbling;9   I will walk before the LORD    in the land of the living. 10   I believed, even when1 I spoke:    “I am greatly afflicted”;11   I said in my alarm,    “All mankind are liars.” 12   What shall I render to the LORD    for all his benefits to me?13   I will lift up the cup of salvation    and call on the name of the LORD,14   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people. 15   Precious in the sight of the LORD    is the death of his saints.16   O LORD, I am your servant;    I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.    You have loosed my bonds.17   I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving    and call on the name of the LORD.18   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people,19   in the courts of the house of the LORD,    in your midst, O Jerusalem.  Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 116:10 Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore (ESV) Pentateuch and History: 2 Kings 23:31–24:17 2 Kings 23:31–24:17 (Listen) Jehoahaz's Reign and Captivity 31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 33 And Pharaoh Neco put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents1 of silver and a talent of gold. 34 And Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there. 35 And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco. Jehoiakim Reigns in Judah 36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 24 In his days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him. 2 And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the LORD, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood that he had shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD would not pardon. 5 Now the rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 7 And the king of Egypt did not come again out of his land, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates. Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah 8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done. Jerusalem Captured 10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it, 12 and Jehoiachin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself and his mother and his servants and his officials and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign 13 and carried off all the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the LORD, which Solomon king of Israel had made, as the LORD had foretold. 14 He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained, except the poorest people of the land. 15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon. The king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 And the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, 7,000, and the craftsmen and the metal workers, 1,000, all of them strong and fit for war. 17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah. Footnotes [1] 23:33 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 17–18 Isaiah 17–18 (Listen) An Oracle Concerning Damascus 17 An oracle concerning Damascus.   Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city    and will become a heap of ruins.2   The cities of Aroer are deserted;    they will be for flocks,    which will lie down, and none will make them afraid.3   The fortress will disappear from Ephraim,    and the kingdom from Damascus;  and the remnant of Syria will be    like the glory of the children of Israel,      declares the LORD of hosts. 4   And in that day the glory of Jacob will be brought low,    and the fat of his flesh will grow lean.5   And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain    and his arm harvests the ears,  and as when one gleans the ears of grain    in the Valley of Rephaim.6   Gleanings will be left in it,    as when an olive tree is beaten—  two or three berries    in the top of the highest bough,  four or five    on the branches of a fruit tree,      declares the LORD God of Israel. 7 In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. 8 He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense. 9 In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation. 10   For you have forgotten the God of your salvation    and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge;  therefore, though you plant pleasant plants    and sow the vine-branch of a stranger,11   though you make them grow1 on the day that you plant them,    and make them blossom in the morning that you sow,  yet the harvest will flee away2    in a day of grief and incurable pain. 12   Ah, the thunder of many peoples;    they thunder like the thundering of the sea!  Ah, the roar of nations;    they roar like the roaring of mighty waters!13   The nations roar like the roaring of many waters,    but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away,  chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind    and whirling dust before the storm.14   At evening time, behold, terror!    Before morning, they are no more!  This is the portion of those who loot us,    and the lot of those who plunder us. An Oracle Concerning Cush 18   Ah, land of whirring wings    that is beyond the rivers of Cush,32   which sends ambassadors by the sea,    in vessels of papyrus on the waters!  Go, you swift messengers,    to a nation tall and smooth,  to a people feared near and far,    a nation mighty and conquering,    whose land the rivers divide. 3   All you inhabitants of the world,    you who dwell on the earth,  when a signal is raised on the mountains, look!    When a trumpet is blown, hear!4   For thus the LORD said to me:  “I will quietly look from my dwelling    like clear heat in sunshine,    like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”5   For before the harvest, when the blossom is over,    and the flower becomes a ripening grape,  he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks,    and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away.6   They shall all of them be left    to the birds of prey of the mountains    and to the beasts of the earth.  And the birds of prey will summer on them,    and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them. 7 At that time tribute will be brought to the LORD of hosts   from a people tall and smooth,    from a people feared near and far,  a nation mighty and conquering,    whose land the rivers divide, to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the LORD of hosts. Footnotes [1] 17:11 Or though you carefully fence them [2] 17:11 Or will be a heap [3] 18:1 Probably Nubia (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: John 16:16–33 John 16:16–33 (Listen) Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy 16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, ‘because I am going to the Father'?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. I Have Overcome the World 25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.1 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Footnotes [1] 16:27 Some manuscripts from the Father (ESV)

Andrew Hanna (Pastor of Harvest Church, New Orleans, LA) preaches from Ruth 2:1-23. The post Featured Sermon: A Gracious Refuge appeared first on .

We enrich our lives when we pause to observe and reflect upon our experiences. We'll then more easily notice the blessings to be thankful for. Even blessings that we rarely consider. That's what today's episode is all about. Many of us here in the US will sit down tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner. It's custom in many homes to go around the table with each person expressing something they've been thankful for in the past year. One year when our kids were very little one of them blurted out “I'm thankful that when I say the number 7 I don't explode.” Giggles would follow. It's hard being thankful in the midst of giggling. A more common response to what are you thankful for invokes family, friends, and good health. Not to minimize these blessings of gratitude, for today, though, I want to consider other blessings we can be thankful for that we rarely consider. Black Friday and commerce A few years ago a missionary serving overseas posted on Facebook her disgust with Black Friday and commercialism of life back in the US. She went on for several paragraphs chastising Americans for our materialism in no uncertain terms. Black Friday appalled her. I'm no fan of materialism, but I'm a big fan of Black Friday. The term “Black Friday” came about to describe businesses that finally get out of the red for the year. It's isn't until shopping picks up after thanksgiving that they finally turn a profit and get into the black, where income (the black)starts to exceed expenses (the red). It's sort of an accounting term. If it weren't for commerce, where would missionary support come from? Black Friday indirectly supports missionaries and the spread of the Gospel. It enables businesses to provide jobs for people that in turn provides income for people to support their families and support local and global ministries, like missions. So I say three cheers for Black Friday! One Sunday several years ago Janet and I went to the church our executive producer Carol and her husband Terry attend. As part of the church service, they prayed for a local business. That it would be successful in serving its customers and providing jobs for people. What a wonderful outreach to the community, I thought. Without Black Friday A single friend of ours living on social security we spoke to just recently would not have a seasonal job to supplement her meager government income Two of our grandsons would not be able to pick up additional hours at their part-time jobs to help pay for their college expenses People would have fewer opportunities to express one of the five love languages Gary Chapman writes about: Gifts. While some people undoubtedly shop for themselves on Black Friday, most shop for Christmas gifts for others. It's about the love. Don't you feel it? Bethany Fellowship in Minneapolis I wonder if the missionary I mentioned who blasted the consumer mentality of Americans knows the story of Bethany Fellowship in Minneapolis. It was founded by five businessmen in 1945 with the vision of sending and fully supporting 100 missionaries. The families of these five businesspeople sold their homes and pooled their resources to acquire a common residence, a large, 30-room home in Minneapolis called “Bethany House.” They did this to reduce unnecessary work and expenses so more time and money would be available for working together to support sending missionaries to the mission field. To fully support these missionaries they started several businesses, the most successful of which were Bethany camping trailers and Bethany House Publishers. Bethany Global University is another of their initiatives. It prepares future missionaries to take the Gospel to the far corners of the world. All of this was started over 70 years ago by five businessmen. It is a great story of using the world of commerce for Kingdom purposes. It's certainly out of the mainstream of what we normally give thanks for on Thanksgiving, but Black Friday and the world of commerce are certainly blessings to be thankful for. Humor In 1993 a great book came out that never really took off with readers. It should have. The Resilient Self: How Survivors of Troubled Families Rise Above Adversity by Steven and Sybil Wolin. It raises, then answers the question, “Why do people who grow up with difficult childhoods often turn out so differently as adults?” Some become dysfunctional adults, while others thrive. In their research, they found that those who later thrive as adults do so because they develop one or more of seven resiliences. One of which is humor. Humor got me through adolescence. I wasn't a class clown; I didn't entertain people with jokes. But I did find comfort in noticing incongruities in life, in puns, and satire. My wife Janet and I went to high school together, and she was the co-editor of our high school newspaper. We weren't dating at the time, but she saw my humor come out in the few classes we were in together. So she asked if I would write a column for the school paper, which I did for two years. “Off the Beaten Path” is what it was called. It was supposed to be funny. And sometimes it was. I loved writing it and found it got my eyes off all the tension and dysfunction going on at home with my parents. Humor is a tricky thing, though. It can connect us with one another, or it can separate us. Humor that comes out as silliness, sarcasm, or making fun of others pushes people away. And even good humor, when used too often, can draw undue attention to self, which bores people and distances us from each other. You need humor in Africa I learned about humor from a missionary's perspective a number of years ago. It was on my first missions trip, which was to Mali in West Africa. Mali is where Timbuktu is located. One of the Missionaries there talked about the importance of language learning. If you don't learn the native language well, he said, you'll miss out on the humor of the culture. You'll miss the puns. You'll miss the jokes, he said. And you won't fit into the culture. When done well, humor is a blessing we can be thankful for. It brings us together when we laugh about shared experiences. A while back we were leaving church and while walking past cars in the parking lot saw a friend in her car who rolled down the window and began chatting with us. She started by saying, “Did you hear the news this morning? The CEO of Ikea was just elected president of Sweden? “Really? No, I hadn't heard that,” I said. “Yes, and he's assembling his cabinet now.” She responded. If I were to explain why that joke is funny it would take away from the humor. But in the days afterward, I re-told it to friends and family, and we shared a good laugh each time. It connected us. So when I think about that particular Thanksgiving many years ago when our young son blurted out “I'm thankful that when I say the number 7 I don't explode,” it reminds me of how parents can bless their children by helping to nurture in them a sense of humor. So humor is the second blessing I'm thankful for. Here's the third one. Gracious and thankful people Two months ago in September 2021, the Art Institute of Chicago fired all 82 of its docents because they were not diverse enough in the eyes of the museum's leadership. They were mostly older white women who volunteered their time to give guided tours of the Institute's extensive art collection. They averaged 15 years of experience. This prompted a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal by Lauren Arnold of Mountain View, CA. I'll read part of her October 20th letter. She writes: “The foolish and shortsighted firings of volunteer docents at the Art Institute of Chicago will destroy decades of enlightened outreach to the public-school children of this major city [i.e., Chicago]. I know this because I owe my entire career as an art historian to the docents of the Art Institute of Chicago. “My parents never took us to art museums - ‘those are for rich people' - so my first introduction to Chicago's art treasures was on a 7th-grade public-school field trip, when our rowdy busload of racially diverse, working-class kids was met by a brave young docent who took us through the institute's awe-inspiring galleries. I've never forgotten that day. It was akin to Harry Potter's first visit to Hogwarts. We floated up the marble staircases gazing at the enormous paintings of Greek myths, and walked through galleries of Impressionist works beyond compare. When it looks like no one listened “Our docent told us: ‘You live in Chicago, so this is your art. This building and everything in it belongs to you. Like your library, you can come here anytime you want. All of this beauty belongs to you.' At the end of our tour, she got us on our bus to the South Side and waved us a rueful goodbye. Her face showed that she already knew that not a single one of us had listened to her, that none of these kids cared. “But she was wrong: My 12-year-old self was listening and her words set me on a path that shaped my professional life. I credit the docent program of the Art Institute of Chicago, with its highly educated women volunteers, for providing this invaluable outreach to city kids, who never would have known it without them. “…that day this volunteer was an intellectual wizard, pointing me toward a life beyond my childhood schooling in Chicago's slums. She took us into one aspect of our civilizational past and made us heirs of the beauty of humanist culture.” What a beautiful piece of writing that comes from the heart to express the writer's deep gratitude for the passion a docent imparted to her 12-year-old self. So what does all this mean for YOU? I wonder what are the unusual blessings you can be thankful for? What are the unremarkable things in your life, that if you reflect upon, will evoke gratitude? I wonder how you might use humor to help you connect with people, and perhaps ease tension in a relationship. And then there are the grateful people we are sometimes blessed to have in our life. People we just like to be around because they so appreciate the little and simple things of life. Maybe we could try to follow their example so that others are drawn to us as we become a blessing they can be thankful for. If we ask Him, I bet God would show us how to do this. Here's the main point I hope you remember from today's episode We enrich our lives when we take time to observe and reflect upon our experiences. When we do so we'll more easily notice the blessings to be thankful for. I'd love to hear any thoughts you have about today's episode. Just send them to me in an email to john [at] caringforothers [dot] org. Or you can share your thoughts in the “Leave a Comment” box at the bottom of the show notes. Closing I hope your thinking was stimulated by today's show, to both reflect and to act by considering the blessings in your life to be thankful for. In doing so you will find the joy God intends for you through your relationships. Because after all, You Were Made for This. One thing you could do to help us out is to leave a review and a rating wherever you listen to this podcast. It helps others to find us on the Internet. Well, that's all for today. Happy Thanksgiving to all our American listeners. See you next week at the very beginning of December. Goodbye for now. A related episode you may want to listen to 004: The Gift of Even Though You Were Made for This is sponsored by Caring for Others, a missionary care ministry. We depend upon the generosity of donors to pay our bills.  If you'd like to support what we do with a secure tax-deductible donation, please click here. We'd be so grateful if you did.

This episode gives you helpful statements you can insert into birthday invitations or use for any gift-giving occasion. If you're tired of toys or too many material gifts, use these 12+ ideas to gently ask for other types of gifts. Enjoy! To grab today's action guide: https://www.katyjoywells.com/podcast

When we allow our relationship with the Father to propel us through life, we FLEE things that hinder our relationship, we FOLLOW things that foster that relationship, and we FIGHT for things that matter to that relationship. This sermon was recorded on November 21, 2021. If you would like to connect with us or find more information about Mid Tree Church, go HERE

Despite Judah’s disobedience, God waits to be gracious to her. He will teach and prosper them in the future. In His anger, He will beat down Assyria.

From the etiquette to expectations, gatherings are a two-way relationship between the hosts and the guests. In this flip side of last week's episode on hosting, Meagan and Sarah are talking about our favorite types of get-togethers, the ways we try to be "good guests," and our strategies for surviving social events (including the ones that feel high-stakes) with little ones. We point out how thoughtful preparation and honest communication--with our hosts, kids, and even ourselves--tempers the stress for everyone involved. To wrap it up, Meagan shares an important reminder AND a mantra moms can repeat when everyone's on edge. Whether you're getting ready for holiday parties or looking for tips that apply to any event, you'll find lots of reassurance here. The post How To Be A Gracious Guest (Yes, Even In THIS Season Of Life): Episode 339 appeared first on The Mom Hour.

We're going to hang out with an awesome young lady today who is soon to be another dHarmic rising star alumni. She is a worship leader at Ethos Church and she is also writing, producing and releasing her own music, plus completing her degree in commercial music. Strap up your seatbelts because we're going to take a ride today to the Music City in Nashville Tennessee, with Natalie Layne! Natalie learned to lead worship and write her own songs from several worship pastors, including Cory Asbury, Jon Egan, and Jared Anderson. By the time she was 14, she was leading teams of musicians at the New Life church, serving in their children and youth ministries. In high school and college, she traveled to other churches across America leading worship and sharing her original songs. Natalie describes her sound as “CCM, always with a hint of R&B.” Her EP, “Where Soul Meets the Sound'' combines several musical genres to create a unique musical style. After releasing singles, “Burn Every Ship,” “Gracious,” and “You”, she began creating a full album, “Be Human'' that was released on the 3rd of July 2020. Get to know more about this young lady, hear her stories, her creative process and even her future plans. Also, we'll get to listen to some of her awesome music here in this episode of the dHarmic Evolution with Natalie Layne! More about Natalie Layne Natalie is active on her Instagram and TikTok. All the links to her social media and music platforms are available below. Check out her pages and support her work and music. Quotes: 8:48 I love it all, I do. That's how I knew I wanted to be an artist. I was like, “I love every part of this process, so maybe I should do this forever.“ 15:31 “Steady'' was actually a song that we wrote over Zoom during the first week of COVID stuff happening, just when we were needing something steady. I think everybody was feeling that way. So, we wanted to capture that in the recording and the mixing in the master of like, “there's something we're needing here and we're needing an energy behind it to express that.” 20:27 I think actually, it can be kind of dangerous if we're like, “the process has to be like this.” Because, it just limits so much of the creativity and, so much of the fun, and child likeness and discovery of it being whatever it's gonna be for that song.  45:53 I think stuff like that to people are like, “I need an hour or two hours to do that, and I don't have that much time.” That's not true. Well, you can do something in five minutes, that will totally change the rest of your day. 48:25 I always think about, if I could go back and talk to myself at the beginning of college, maybe that would be the time I would need somebody to just tell me to just chill out, because it's gonna be okay, it's gonna work out fine. It's gonna take some time, probably more years than you think, but if you stick it out, things will work out and you'll meet your people and find your way.  Timestamps:   01:25 Introducing Natalie Layne 04:08 Natalie tells about her childhood and where she came from originally 05:55 How was Natalie's experience in Belmont University? 08:24 Natalie's favorite part of her creative process 10:55 Listen to “Steady” by Natalie Layne 13:32 Natalie shares what she felt when she first mixed and played back “Steady.” 16:36 Natalie takes us to the studio during the production of “Steady.”  20:45 Natalie talks about her family and her church experiences in leading worship. 24:21 Is Natalie focused on Christian music or does she also do secular songs? 25:40 The process of songwriting where it reveals the truth of the song later. 28:13 Listen to “Something Good” by Natalie Layne. 31:41 The story behind “Something Good” 34:18 Natalie shares how her process is when it comes to co-writing. 36:49 Natalie's day-to-day habits and what her schedule looks like, and her most appreciated asset on how to get creative. 41:34 Natalie's take on journaling and vision boards. 42:50 What gives Natalie joy during down time outside of music? 46:57 What are Natalie's goals, aspirations and what is she looking forward to most in the future? 48:20 Natalie's advice to the young singer, songwriters, and musicians who are struggling. 50:49 Listen to “Ride On” by James Kevin O'Connor   Spotify Playlist:   Check out the new format of our dHarmic rising stars Spotify playlists. We are also starting our fourth playlist. Are you there yet? Is your music on there? If it is not, you need to reach out to me if you've been on the show before. You can also put your comments on the website, and let me know what song you would like to have featured on one of our playlists.    dHarmic Rising Stars: Aquila https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4loDaYF0OuWRjZeMXvEjK4   dHarmic Rising Stars: Orion https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5CnL9tl0xbU4oDh6jtJBZx   dHarmic Rising Stars: Lyra https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ov0OqNMJmPhHrxZjsXthS   dHarmic Evolution links:   Thanks for tuning in, sharing and subscribing to the dHarmic Evolution. If you haven't done so yet, go over to dharmicevolution.com. On the website, you can sign up for your favorite platform and check out all the artists that are on there, their photos, their stories, their interviews, and their music. Share this to your family and friends as well!   Also, do you know someone who is suffering from anxiety and depression? Please send them to dharmicevolution.com. The book “7 Steps to Mental Freedom” will be of great help to them. You can easily find it on the main page of the website.   To stay up to date on all that is happening with the dHarmic evolution, you can visit our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dharmicevolution/ Hey, if you are an artist, an author, or a keynote speaker, who is trying to find a safe place to post your content, you can check out the Facebook group and let the world support you! Head over to: dHarmic Evolution Community.  Special links and Mentions: Cory Asbury Jon Egan Jared Anderson Jay Speight (Natalie's producer) Cooper Bascom Sara Bareilles John Mayer Earth, Wind & Fire Chicago   Connect with Natalie Layne Website: https://www.natalielaynemusic.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/natalielaynemusic/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@natalielaynemusic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natalielaynemusic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3RWHRU8338vciU-gNp2c1g YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCVjJKFHzU8vY3J9Zt8mebvg Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6N1l2HIYtw3RhoJ2wzLYaB Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/natalie-layne/1270183577 Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/58750232