Podcasts about he god

Do You Believe that “He {God} gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”? MESSAGE SUMMARY:  You have got to believe; but until you get your thinking right, your life will not change – you have got to believe! It is hard for some people, today, to believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus celebrated on Christmas day. Ok, just start where you are in what you believe. Can you believe that you are a sinner? Can you believe that you are not perfect? Can you believe that you have violated God's laws? Despite this life background, can you believe that God loves you just as you now are? Can you believe that God sent His Only Son, Jesus, to save all that believe in Him so that you would not perish but have eternal life? Maybe this is where you start in believing in the miraculous birth of Jesus; you need to start where you are. Jesus' life was defined by His death on the cross and by His resurrection, thereby, living up to the translation of His name, Jesus – “Salvation”. The Apostle John succinctly summarized the purpose of Jesus birth in John3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will seek God's perspective on my situation. For I know that in all things God works together for good to those of us who love Him and are called according to His purpose. From Romans 8:28 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Luke 1:27-38; Luke 2:1-22; John 20:27-29; Psalms 69b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Being in Christ, Part 3” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Do You Believe that “He {God} gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”? MESSAGE SUMMARY:  You have got to believe; but until you get your thinking right, your life will not change – you have got to believe! It is hard for some people, today, to believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus celebrated on Christmas day. Ok, just start where you are in what you believe. Can you believe that you are a sinner? Can you believe that you are not perfect? Can you believe that you have violated God's laws? Despite this life background, can you believe that God loves you just as you now are? Can you believe that God sent His Only Son, Jesus, to save all that believe in Him so that you would not perish but have eternal life? Maybe this is where you start in believing in the miraculous birth of Jesus; you need to start where you are. Jesus' life was defined by His death on the cross and by His resurrection, thereby, living up to the translation of His name, Jesus – “Salvation”. The Apostle John succinctly summarized the purpose of Jesus birth in John3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be ashamed of the Gospel. I will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (including me). From Romans 1:16 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Luke 1:27-38; Luke 2:1-22; John 20:27-29; Psalms 69b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Being in Christ, Part 2” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In today's sermon, Pastor Andrew Coleman continues a series on God's amazing generosity by preaching on what OUR response should be to God's generosity. In this sermon, we look at 2 Corinthians 9: 6-15 and see several key truths to guide our own response. Here we see that true Christians are called to give GENEROUSLY, with the right EMOTION (cheerfulness & faithfulness), with the right MOTIVATION (gratitude & thankfulness), while remembering God's inexpressible gift to US--the gift of Jesus Christ! As Romans 8:32 reminds us, "He [God] who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" ________________________________________ Links to Sermon Notes & Answers: ➤Sermon Notes (Blank): https://www.sheridanhills.org/_files/ugd/30fec2_5d204ad91fc74e0d9268999858a4ca82.pdf ➤Sermon Notes (Answers): https://www.sheridanhills.org/_files/ugd/30fec2_5f8eb4f1363943149a82362c60d93d5a.pdf ________________________________________ In this video: Review of previous sermons in series Main Points Application ________________________________________ Subscribe to this channel to catch weekly expositional sermons from the Bible. ________________________________________ Explore more sermons and information: https://www.sheridanhills.org/watch-new ________________________________________ Follow us: ➤Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheridanhills/ ➤Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheridanhills01 ➤Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheridanhills/

Understanding Tafsir: The Explanation of the QuranIntroductionAssalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.Tafsir, the interpretation of the Quran, plays a pivotal role in understanding the divine message. Scholars have dedicated centuries to exploring and explaining the meanings of Allah's words. In this blog, we will examine how Tafsir evolved, focusing on the primary sources of Tafsir: the Quran itself, the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the views of the companions and scholars.1. Tafsir by the QuranThe Quran often explains its own verses. When a term or concept is introduced, other verses may clarify its meaning. For instance, Allah mentions "Al-Qari'ah" (The Striking Calamity) and then provides an explanation:"The Striking Disaster! What is the Striking Disaster? And what will make you realize what the Striking Disaster is?" (Quran 101:2-3)Allah describes how people will be like scattered moths and mountains like fluffed wool, illustrating the Day of Judgment.2. Tafsir by the Prophet (peace be upon him)The most authentic Tafsir comes from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He provided explanations to his companions when they had questions. For example, regarding the verse:"Those who do good will have the finest reward and ˹even˺ more. Neither gloom nor disgrace will cover their faces. It is they who will be the residents of Paradise. They will be there forever." (Quran 10:26)Suhaib reported the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying:"When those deserving of Paradise would enter Paradise, the Blessed and the Exalted would ask: Do you wish Me to give you anything more? They would say: Hast Thou not brightened our faces? Hast Thou not made us enter Paradise and saved us from Fire? He (the narrator) said: He (God) would lift the veil, and of things given to them nothing would be dearer to them than the sight of their Lord, the Mighty and the Glorious." (Sahih Muslim 181a)3. Tafsir by the CompanionsThe companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were the best generation to interpret the Quran due to their proximity to the Prophet and direct understanding of the context of revelation. Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), known as the "Interpreter of the Quran," is one of the most renowned in providing Tafsir.4. Tafsir by ScholarsAfter the companions, subsequent generations of scholars compiled detailed explanations. Scholars like Imam At-Tabari and Ibn Kathir wrote extensive Tafsir works that continue to guide Muslims today. These scholars relied on the Quran, Hadith, and linguistic analysis to clarify meanings.5. Applying Tafsir in Our LivesTafsir is not just an academic pursuit but a means to implement the teachings of the Quran. For instance, the command to establish Salah and pay Zakah is often briefly stated in the Quran. However, the Prophet's detailed instructions on prayer and charity provide practical guidance."Establish prayer, and pay alms-tax. Whatever good you send forth for yourselves, you will ˹certainly˺ find ˹its reward˺ with Allah. Surely Allah is All-Seeing of what you do." (Quran 2:110)The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:"Pray as you have seen me praying." (Sahih al-Bukhari 631) Sunnah.comConclusionThe study of Tafsir strengthens our connection to Allah's words, fostering a deeper understanding of our faith. By reflecting on the Quran and consulting authentic Tafsir sources, we can apply its lessons in our lives. May Allah grant us the ability to comprehend and act upon His guidance. Ameen.References:Quran 101:2-3Quran 10:26Quran 2:110Sahih Muslim 181aSahih al-Bukhari 631

He (God) has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ [NKJV]

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...    Be sure to do the following in prayer to God:    Philippians 4:6-7   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.   7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.   ***   2 Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.   ***   Hebrews 13:5-6  Let your conversation (manner of life) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for HE (God) hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.   ***    Luke 12:4  Jesus said: And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.  5 But I will forewarn you WHOM ye shall fear: Fear HIM (God), which after HE hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear HIM.   ***   Psalm 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do HIS commandments: HIS praise endureth for ever.   ***   Luke 12:1-3  Jesus says:   Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.   2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.   3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.   ***   Matthew 12  Jesus says:    33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.   34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.   35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.   36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.   37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. ***   Matthew 11  Jesus says:   28 Come unto ME all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.   29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.   30 For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.    ***   Matthew 7   Jesus says:   13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:   14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.   ***   Matthew 6  (Jesus says)   19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.   22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!   24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?   26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?   27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?   28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?   31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?   32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.   33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.   ***   James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given HIM.     ***    (Take the scriptures which God brings to your mind and record them for yourselves and listen to them at night to build your faith in God and to be able to do those scriptures in your life.)   Joshua 1:8   This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  

Send us a textHere we see God promising Jacob as he is leaving the promised land that He (God) will still be with Jacob.  He is not without protection, care, and the blessings that God had promised previously and now restates here. This ladder which Jacob dreamed about is later shown to be Jesus Christ.  He is the one who is the only way to God in heaven. Most people seem to think you can get to God any way you want to, but God tells Jacob here, Nathaniel later and then He says in John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. This vision was to teach Jacob and us the nearness of God and if we would but call on Him we can be saved. Also He is the one who is the one who carries all of our concerns and needs to the Father. We ought to be in awe of how gracious, loving, kind, and merciful God is, as He was to Jacob then.            Genesis 28:12-13,16-17 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." 17 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?             John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.               “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32           Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.              hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.nethttps://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F            The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

Today's generation vary on how they see or “understand” God. As my past mentor and teacher, Dr. Norman Geisler use to say, “God created us in His image-and we have been returning the favor ever sense”. Today, through Matthew 7:21-23, I am going to show you that while God is merciful, patient, and not wanting any to parish, most humans demand of God that He (God) bend to become what they want God to be as opposed to their (our) bending to God-His will, and His ways. As a result, upon leaving their temporal life for the eternal, those who sought to make God in their own image will hear those fateful words, “I NEVER KNEW YOU”.Check out the Online Course "KNOWING GOD RIGHTLY" CLICK HEREJoin the COMMUNITY today at NO CHARGE at: CLICK HEREBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reason-for-truth--2774396/support.

The important thing I want to bring to you is this: Habakkuk, the prophet says in Ch 2:1, “I will stand at my watch and look to see what HE – God – will say to me, and what I shall answer!” This is a challenge to us who know the Lord, to be in prayer, to be watching, waiting to hear and to know what the Lord is showing us for the future! Because in v2ff, the Lord answers, “Write the vision, make it plain and run with it! The vision is for an appointed time! It will not fail!”  God is in control of everything that is happening. He knows the future. He has set the times and seasons. He knew in advance, before He created the world, what would happen today. That's why the Bible, speaking about Jesus, tells us that before sin entered the world, God had already prepared the answer! Because Jesus is described as the ‘Lamb slain before the world began' – the sacrifice for our future sin! 

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-21-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Eric Johnson of Mormon Research Ministry Talks about the Upcoming Jordan Tour/ Matt Discusses his Online interaction with Eastern Orthodox adherents/ Question on the Trinity/ Question on Exodus 4:24—Why was God Going to Kill Moses/ Question on The Holy Spirit-How is He God?/Nature of the Trinity/ January 21, 2025

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-21-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include:Eric Johnson of Mormon Research Ministry Talks about the Upcoming Jordan Tour/ Matt Discusses his Online interaction with Eastern Orthodox adherents/ Question on the Trinity/ Question on Exodus 4:24—Why was God Going to Kill Moses/ Question on The Holy Spirit-How is He God?/Nature of the Trinity/ January 21, 2025

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-21-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Eric Johnson of Mormon Research Ministry Talks about the Upcoming Jordan Tour/ Matt Discusses his Online interaction with Eastern Orthodox adherents/ Question on the Trinity/ Question on Exodus 4:24—Why was God Going to Kill Moses/ Question on The Holy Spirit-How is He God?/Nature of the Trinity/ January 21, 2025

Do You Believe that “He {God} gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”? MESSAGE SUMMARY:  You have got to believe; but until you get your thinking right, your life will not change – you have got to believe! It is hard for some people, today, to believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus celebrated on Christmas day. Ok, just start where you are in what you believe. Can you believe that you are a sinner? Can you believe that you are not perfect? Can you believe that you have violated God's laws? Despite this life background, can you believe that God loves you just as you now are? Can you believe that God sent His Only Son, Jesus, to save all that believe in Him so that you would not perish but have eternal life? Maybe this is where you start in believing in the miraculous birth of Jesus; you need to start where you are. Jesus' life was defined by His death on the cross and by His resurrection, thereby, living up to the translation of His name, Jesus – “Salvation”. The Apostle John succinctly summarized the purpose of Jesus birth in John3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will trust in the Lord with all my heart. I will trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not on my own understanding.  In all my ways I will seek to know Him, and He will make my pathways straight.   From Proverbs 3:5f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Luke 1:27-38; Luke 2:1-22; John 20:27-29; Psalms 69b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Christmas Message” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

We oftentimes reflect on God's goodness in the times of multiplication, but isn't God still working in the times of subtraction? Isn't He God when prayers aren't answered the way we want them to be answered? Isn't He God when the battle seems to be raging? And if He's still God, then He should be at work even when I'm in a season of Reduction. This is a powerful principle that I began to see while on my trip to India, and I've waited till now to share it with you. As we celebrate God's goodness in this last Sunday of the year, let's take note of the principle of Reduction in God's economy. Turn your bibles to Judges 7 and let's get ready to learn.

Eliphaz appeals to Iyov, that in the broad long run of history, God might sometimes strike a bitter blow, but in the broad calculus of time: "He {God} injures, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands heal." We ask whether this is a convincing argument.

Jay Anthony is an R&B/Pop singer with a large Gospel influence throughout all his music. Whether it be the spiritual angle of his subject matter, the way he sings, or the way the music is arranged, he keeps God first in all things. His latest single, “Worth Living” from his EP Music & Me was written from a very vulnerable place and offers encouragement and motivation to anyone going through something. Jay explained that he actually began writing the song in 2021 and after going through the loss of his Grandmother, depression and therapy, was able to complete the song this year. He shared that losing her was what caused the depression which led to him temporarily losing his love of music. Since he grew up with multiple musically inclined family members and lives a family centric life, losing her was like losing a piece of the love that was in his heart. But, by completing this song he found the motivation to compose the rest of the EP.“When I finished writing this song, I cried. When I heard the finished version, I cried. When my Mother - who didn't know about all of my crying - heard it for the first time, she cried. I knew if it had that effect on us, I had no choice but to share it with the world. The song gave me hope to continue. I knew I had to finish this project and I knew He [God] didn't give me these words just for me to keep them to myself.”Jay purposely released this song during this time of year because of how depression affects so many people around the holidays. He wants people to know that it's okay to not be okay and to get the therapy they need and keep living. All the music Jay writes is made with intentionality like this. For him, every song he writes is like a child which means they all need love and nurturing from him. And because of that love within them, he believes the music will resonate with people today and with people 20-40 years from now. He knows the music will be timeless because the lyrics within them and how they reached him are timeless. “It's spiritual for me. The Most High gives me these lyrics and I'm just a vessel for Him.”The spiritual perspective of the music creation comes directly from Jay's background in the church. And with him, he's found that all music comes from gospel. Whether it's chords or melodies - all of it goes back to gospel. By learning this, he was able to apply techniques from that world to a plethora of other aspects of music. His Grandmother reinforced this perspective by teaching him that the key to it all is singing from the heart. “When you sing from the heart, you're going to touch people.” Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.

Hebrews 10:28-29 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? Back at the beginning of chapter 2, the author wrote, “For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? The author was referring to the Law of Moses in these verses. The first covenant had no provision of mercy if someone broke the Law willfully in the sight of two or three witnesses. If someone who despised the word of God revealed in the Law, the first covenant, was punished without mercy, what do you think God will do to someone who despises the second, greater covenant established by His Son, Jesus Christ? Can someone neglect so great a salvation as God has provided in Jesus with impunity? To reject or neglect God's promises in Christ is to trample on Jesus. To refuse to be washed in Jesus' blood is to insult the Holy Spirit of grace, by which one is to be set apart to God. The seriousness of unbelief is graphically unpacked in these verses. There's no escape from the fury of God's judgment if one insults the Holy Spirit, by whose grace the Son of God gave Himself to redeem God's people and give them entrance into the Holy Place for the glory of God. I wonder if this is the sin against the Holy Spirit that is unforgivable.  Of course these verses are intended to produce a fear of the Lord, which gives one wisdom and understanding. Job wrote, “And to man He (God) said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding'” (Job 28:28). One is a fool to despise wisdom.  So let us consider how to stimulate one another to live to love with Jesus. For some, knowing the truth of what God has done for us in Christ is a great, positive encouragement. For others, the negative approach is needed—a strong warning of what can be expected if we don't continually abide in Christ and love with Him. Draw near to the throne of grace, my dear friend, and draw from the fullness of God's love and grace so you can bring Him glory in the day of judgment, which is coming soon.

The passage that we just read comes at the end of a section of narrative in Numbers. It comes right in the middle of the whole section we will cover this morning, which is Numbers 16-19. Not only does it come in the middle of the chapters for this morning, it comes right at the middle of the book of Numbers as a whole. We see at the heart of the book of Numbers, which has been a theme in the Pentateuch as a whole, the question of how can an unholy people come near a Holy God? Or vise versa, how can a Holy God come and dwell in the midst of a sinful people, without them being consumed by his Holy justice? We have seen this focus in the books of Moses (the first 5 book of the Bible). The book placed right in the middle is Leviticus, which gives instruction about sacrifices, laws, and the duties of the priests. And right at the heart of that book, right in the middle, is instructions for the Day of Atonement, where the priest once a year will enter behind the curtain of the Holy of Holies, the Most Holy place, to make atonement for the sins of the nation.So it is not a coincidence that the tabernacle and the priesthood seem to take center stage, once again, in the book of Numbers. We will return to that theme at the end this morning. But first, we are going to look at what comes prior to this story, and what comes after it.In Chapter 16, we see three distinct acts of judgement connected with rebellion, grumbling and unbelief. After the three acts of judgement, we will look at three provisions from God for the people of Israel in Chapters 17, 18, and 19. That is the high level outline this morning; 3 acts of judgment, and 3 acts of provision.Would you pray with me as we get started?1. Three acts of Judgment from God (Ch. 16:1-40, 41-50)Hear again verses 12 and 13,“And the people of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Everyone who comes near, who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?”This is the desperate question we see in response to all that has happened in chapters 16 and 17. Death, because of God's judgment related to sin, is all over the camp. So let's look back at the acts of judgment that led up to the people crying out to Moses. The first story incapsulates two of these acts of wrath.Korah's Rebellion (Numbers 16:1–19)Numbers 16:1-19,Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him. Do this: take censers, Korah and all his company; put fire in them and put incense on them before the LORD tomorrow, and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!” And Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the LORD and to stand before the congregation to minister to them, and that he has brought you near him, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also? Therefore it is against the LORD that you and all your company have gathered together. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?”And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and they said, “We will not come up. Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us? Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.” And Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.”And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, before the LORD, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow. And let every one of you take his censer and put incense on it, and every one of you bring before the LORD his censer, 250 censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.” So every man took his censer and put fire in them and laid incense on them and stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.Korah, who was a leader among the Levites, has banded together with Dathan and Abiram, who are leaders from the tribe of Rueben. They have gathered 250 well-known leaders, from the whole camp to come and rebel against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. This is not a small group of complainers, this an organized revolt that has a sizable group with it. Besides the leaders mentioned, there are 250 well-known leaders that have joined in along with them. We need to see a few things here to appreciate the magnitude of what is going on. First lets do a historical fly by. Here we'll see revelation and rivalry…Starting back in Genesis, in Genesis 49, Jacob calls his 12 sons together so that he may tell them “what shall happen to [them] in days to come.” And in his speaking to each of them, it says that he “blessed them, blessing each with a blessing suitable to him.”Genesis 49 gives us prophetic blessings, that fit his sons and will play out in the coming generations. It gives us revelation into the coming days. There are three things to see in the first few blessings:To Rueben, the firstborn, he says: “[you are] preeminent in power, but you will not have preeminence”To Levi, he says: Their “weapons of violence are their swords.” Their anger is fierce and their wrath, cruel. God says: “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”To Judah, he says: “your brothers shall praise you.” “The scepter shall not depart from Judah.” Exodus 32 gives us a glimpse of this playing out for the Levites. This is the infamous story of the golden calf. Moses has been up on the mountain for a while and the people become restless. Along with Aaron, they make themselves an image to worship. Moses comes down and sees the wickednesses of the camp and how Aaron has let them stray. Moses says, “‘Who is on the LORD's side? Come to me' And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.” They are then commanded to slaughter the wickedness around them and about 3,000 fell that day. And Moses said,“…today you have been ordained for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and his brother, so that He [God] might bestow a blessing upon you this day.” (Exodus 32:29).The Levites are blessed for their faithfulness to God and execute his judgement. We see their warrior-like fierceness, and an ordaining that will fulfill what is said back in Genesis.Numbers 2 gives us a glimpse of these “prophetic blessings” playing out for the tribes of Judah and Rueben. As the camp is ordered, Judah is placed in the first position over all his brothers, first in the first camp which will be on the east. While Rueben is listed as first in the camp on the south side, the second camp.This is the same order used when it comes to Numbers 7 with the contributions for the tabernacle. Judah goes first. The firstborn tribe of Reuben is not the leader, the tribe of Judah is.In Numbers 3, we see the redeeming of the firstborn from all the tribes. So rather than all the firstborns, being taken to serve before the Lord, they are redeemed and replaced by all the sons of Levi. The firstborns of the tribes are swapped out for the whole tribe of Levi. Service of the Lord before the tabernacle is concentrated under the Levites. So what may have been brewing for quite some time, is rivalry among family as God's revelation starts to take place. God has chosen leaders different than the natural order.And it just so happens, that Korah, Dathan and Abiram all camp together in the south camp, so they have had some time to talk. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram suspect that Moses and Aaron have carved out their own position of power, which they think they have equal or greater right to. (But we have seen this many times already in scripture, that God's choosing is not restricted by natural order. And there issue is ultimately with God, although they focus the blame on Moses and Aaron).We see their astounding wickedness.Last week Pastor Mike Schumann highlighted how unbelief adds and removes things from what is true. And in this passage we see much of the same: They disregard God's choosing and say that Moses and Aaron have gone too far by exalting themselves over the people of Israel. Their plea is that “everyone is Holy,” yet they really just want to lead. They are suspicious and suspect that Moses and Aaron seek to punish or kill the men who have confronted them by exposing their ploy for power over the people of Israel. They say: “Will you put out the eyes of these men?” They describe Moses as making himself prince over them, so they won't take any of his commands anymore… “Don't tell us to come up to the tabernacle.”They give a jaw dropping account of what has transpired:“Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself prince over us?” (Num. 16:13).A land flowing with milk and honey in the Bible is exclusively used to describe the promised land, that they refused to go into only a few chapters earlier. And here, this wicked rebellion describes Egypt as a land flowing with milk and honey that Moses has taken the people from.This is absolutely stunning, I don't even know what to say…We see the power of sin and unbelief.We either have men who have been jealous of Moses and Aaron this whole time, despite God's provision through them again and again, and now see an opportunity to overthrow them because they have not received the Promise Land… They are unchanged by example after example of God's grace….Or, we have sin and unbelief that is so potent that these men change their opinion of all that has happened. They so quickly see it all differently now, because they don't like their circumstances. Their unbelief darkens them to all God has done, and in borderline blasphemy, they call Egypt “a land flowing with milk and honey!”A word for us here: Be careful to not get caught up in the sins of others. Gossip, slander, grumbling. Do not get entangled in the sin of others. A few men of the camp, maybe talking to much around the campfire, ended up gathering 250 known leaders, which will lead to the demise of them all.So the rebellion, with leaders from the tribe of Levi, and Reuben, and 250 other notable leaders, who likely have natural first born privileges, contend with Moses and Aaron, and this is taking place in two different places, with two different challenges. And the Lord will respond with 2 different and fitting judgements. You have the 250, with Korah standing before the tabernacle, and you have Dathan and Abiram staying in their own camp.These two locations highlight two different challenges to Moses and Aaron. One to Aaron and his Priesthood, and one to Moses and authority.Korah, a leading Levite, desires to lead the Priesthood and kick Aaron aside. Dathan and Abiram, are done taking instructions from Moses and seek to lead.And as the stage is set “the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.” The Lord tells Moses and Aaron to separate so that God can consume them all. Moses pleads for the people to not be killed based on one mans rebellion. God tells them to command the people to separate from the camp of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. So Moses goes to them and commands the people to separate, and says, verses 28-30,“Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD”. And immediately as Moses finishes speaking, the Lord acts in judgement. To those who contend against the leadership of Moses, and seek to exalt themselves over the Lord's chosen, they are brought down alive into the earth. And to those who contended against Aaron as the high priest, their incense is not accepted and, verse 35, “a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men.”This was a terrible and fearful day in the camp of Israel, a significant rebellion which was against God, experiences of just wrath directly from Him. God defends Moses and Aaron. We would think that the people now see, but it is about to get worst. Verse 41,“But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron and said ‘You have killed the people of the LORD.'”The very next day, those who survived put their lot in with those who were judged in Korah's rebellion, and sided with them! One of the literary themes in this passage is the assembly of God versus the assembly of Korah. Those who belong to Yahweh, and those who “belong to Korah.”The very next day the people cry out and complain that Moses and Aaron have killed the true people of the LORD. Then the glory of the Lord appeared again. God tells Moses and Aaron to separate from the people again, and they hear that a plague has already started to wipe out the people.Moses commands Aaron to light his censor from off the altar and to run into the midst of the people, to make atonement for them, and he ran and stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was stopped. And when the plague had subsided, he returned to Moses. 14,700 died that day, in addition to all who were killed the day before.Here is the scary thing: Our hearts have the same seeds of sin and unbelief as Israel in the wilderness. They have that same capacity for wickedness, slander and unbelief. If not for the grace of God, we would fall into the same suspicion, the same grumbling, they same self-deception, the same unbelief. Our ability to deceive ourselves should be terrifying. Apart from God's grace and work, that is the capacity of your heart!You need to see that. You need to understand that. And when you do, the grace and rescue of Jesus looks like amazing news. We understand the “power of the gospel for salvation.” It was no small thing to save you, it took supernatural power, for God to overcome your sin and your heart, so that you may be alive, to see and believe in him. And not have eyes that are so blind to his grace and provision over and over again.Death is all over the camp of Israel. But God is committed to his people. And in chapters 17, 18, and 19, we see three provisions for Israel which bring hope and stability.2. Three acts of provisions for life from God (Ch. 17, 18, 19).Provision of the priest, provision for the levites, and provision for the rest of the camp.1. God Reaffirms leadership and the priesthood in the camp (Ch. 17).God reestablished the order that was for Israel's good. The wheels have been coming off, it was all falling apart, and God reestablished order out of increasing chaos. He does not abandon his plan or try something different, but he establishes again the order of the community that was given prior and brings it back into shape and form.12 staffs are brought, one from each tribe of Israel. Aaron's staff is placed among them and they are all brought into the tent of meeting, so that God will show his people who is Holy and who he has chosen by making their staff bud.Aaron's staff alone is chosen, it not only buds, but bears fruit and undeniably shows that the Lord has still chosen Aaron and the Levites to be near his house.And God says, verse 10, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumbling against me, lest they die.”God graciously gives the people a sign of his chosen leadership, and it is a perpetual sign to hold back the grumblings of rebels so they don't die.Much like the censors of the 250 that were taken and hammered out as a cover for the altar, to remind and warn the people that only the sons of Aaron can come near and offer incense on the altar.These signs don't remove the wickedness in Israel, but are described as holding it back, stopping it from breaking through to cause death.2. God reaffirms the duties of the priests and Levites (Ch. 18).Numbers 18:1–3,So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood. And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die.”The Levites will serve with the priest, they will guard and help, and bear the burden together. There is mutual responsibility, a failure in duty could cause both to die. And they will serve as a buffer between God and the people.God also gives provisions to the Levites, because they will not have an inheritance in the land. They will be provided for by what is brought to the Lord. And as we zoom forward to Numbers 35 we see this fulfilled as they are given cities throughout the land, but not given their own portion. Sound familiar?Genesis 49, “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”We see the fulfilling of what was spoken of them back in Genesis. They are a warring people that will be scattered among the people of Israel, but they also stood by Moses and the Lord at the golden calf, and have been ordained to the burden and privilege of serving before the Lord. 3. God provides purification from death to enter back into the camp (Ch. 19).Numbers 19:2–5,“This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come. And you shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered before him. And Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. And the heifer shall be burned in his sight. Its skin, its flesh, and its blood, with its dung, shall be burned.”There are some similarities in this offering and the offering on the Day of Atonement. Both involve action outside of the camp and both are entrance rites. The Day of Atonement sacrifices were to cleanse the priest so he may enter the Most Holy place. The red heifer ashes were to cleanse those who had been near death so that they may be cleansed and return back into the camp. The Lord provided entrance back into the camp for those who were ceremonially unclean.Only through the Priesthood of AaronBefore we close, we need to return to the miracle of Aaron's staff flowering, and what it means.For Israel, God is saying: Only Aaron and his sons may come near … Aaron's staff buds, shoots, blossoms and bears fruit. The other staffs remain dead sticks. There aren't many ways to the presence of Yahweh. Only through a sacrifice for sin mediated through whom God has chosen. And when Israel saw this, they responded with great fear.But, God is also saying: I will bless all the people through Aaron and his sons. Them coming near to God was not for them alone, but for all the people. It was not a sign of death on the other leaders, but a sign of life for all through the mediation of the Levites. Aaron will stand in the gap between death and life for them.There is another place in which we have heard a description like this before. Of branches, and blossoms and fruit. It's the golden lampstand, with its seven branches and cups like almonds blossoms.The lampstand gave light to the Holy place, and shined on the 12 loaves of bread that represent the tribes. The priests were also to put Yahweh's name on the people of Israel by saying “may the Lord bless you, and keep you, may the LORD makes his face to shine upon you...”Aaron's staff shows once again that the Lord through His priests will abundantly bless his people and will shine on them. There is abundant life and blessing that is still offered to the people of Israel. God has not left his people, He will still dwell in their midst, and he will hold back their sin until he one day conquers and removes it for good. And we have the greater reality. Jesus stands in the gap for us, between life and death, but more than holding back sin and death, he defeats it. God will bless us, and keep us, and make His face to shine upon us, but only through the mediation of Jesus. Jesus is the only way back to God.Israel problem wasn't their circumstances, it was their unbelieving hearts. Better food won't make them believe, better land won't make them believe, rescue from wrath over and over won't make them believe. And apart from Christ, our hearts are the same. But God, through Christ, has given us new hearts. And because of this, we will make it though our own wilderness. We won't make it because God gives us favorable circumstances, but because we have faith in the Son of God who loved us and died for us. The TableThe only way to be reconciled to God is through Jesus. And that is what this table represents. Jesus's sacrifice cleanses our consciences, and gives us new hearts. Hebrew 9 says exactly this as it looks back at Numbers 19. It says:“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”His life, death, and resurrection is for you. If you believe in Jesus, you are welcome to this table.

What does it mean to be a Christian? How do you know that you are a Christian? What assurance can you have that you will remain a Christian? Well it is mentioned over thirty times in Ephesians, in fact we are told about 10 times in the very first and very long sentence that makes up the first 14 verses of Ephesians: In Christ, all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places now belongs to you Christian (v. 3) In Christ, you were chosen before the foundation of the world (v. 4) Through Christ, you were predestined and adopted as sons and daughters of the living God (v. 5). In the Beloved Son of God, you are a favored child of God (v. 6). In Jesus, we have redemption, forgiveness, and the riches of Gods grace through His blood (v. 7). In Jesus, God made known the mystery of His will (v. 9). In Christ, the Father is bringing all things together to accomplish His good plan (v. 10). In Christ, we have obtained an inheritance in accordance with the plan of the Fathers perfect will (v. 11). In Christ, we are the praise of Gods glory (v. 12). In Jesus, you have been sealed by Gods Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (v. 13). To be a Christian is to be a person who was once spiritually dead, but now is alive with Christ not because of any religious activity on our part, but only because of the work of Jesus on our behalf (Eph. 2:1-9). This is what it means to be a Christian, but how does one become a Christian? I believe that in the same way that you become a Christian, is the same way you put on and take up the breastplate of righteousness. Some of you will remember our time spent in the sermon on the mount during my sermon series, Something Greater just over two years ago. In fact, if you are trying to make sense of the rhetoric and animosity that we are experiencing in our nation, I encourage you to read the first manuscript in that series from May 22, 2022. If you were here for that sermon series, you discovered that not only is the sermon on the mount the greatest sermon ever preached, but Jesus sermon shows us what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. During our time in the beatitudes I shared that the first three beatitudes, which are also known as beatitudes of need, reveal what is essential for any person to understand what is necessary for the salvation of your soul. Let me walk you through it because it will help you appreciate just how encouraging the breastplate of righteousness really is. So here are the first three beatitudes from Matthew 5:3-5, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. To be poor in spirit is to arrive at the cross of Christ with empty hands, recognizing that you are spiritually bankrupt of any moral virtues adequate to earn or gain Gods forgiveness for sins committed against Him. Those who mourn are those who see and understand their sins for what they are and grieve because of them. The meek are those who understand that their problems are beyond them, their problems are because of the sin in them, and their problems are of their own doing. To come to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins is to come to Jesus knowing that there is no righteousness in yourself; it is to mourn over the reality that your sins offend the God who is infinitely righteous, and to come to Jesus knowing that there is not one thing you can do to generate the kind of righteousness necessary for your salvation. The person who has been truly born again is one whose experience is now the fourth beatitude: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied (Matt. 5:6). In Jesus, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us (Eph. 1:7-8). What is the Breastplate of Righteousness? The Roman soldiers breastplate was most likely form fitting and extended from the base of the neck to the top of the thighs, covering the thorax and abdomen for the purpose of protecting the vital organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and bowels. The breastplate is the second piece of Gods armor we are told to put on, but what kind of righteousness does it represent? Is the breastplate of righteousness the righteousness of Jesus that has been imputed upon you the moment you were saved through faith by Christ alone? The imputed righteousness of Christ is when the righteousness of Jesus is applied to you the moment you believed the gospel as we are told in verses like 2 Corinthians 5:21, He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Here, consider another passage that concerns the imputed righteousness of Christ from Romans 5:18-21, So then, as through one offense [Adams sin] the result was condemnation to all mankind, so also through one act of righteousness the result was justification of life to all mankind. For as through the one mans disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the offense would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. In other words, the imputation of Christs righteousness is good news because God the Father no longer sees you as a sinner because of your sinfulness but sees you as righteous because Jesus righteousness has been applied to you permanently. Do you remember last week when I showed you that the belt of truth includes your identity in Jesus and that He is now your truth? The One we follow is, the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6), and now we follow His way, we walk in His truth, and we are united to His life. Some of you, like John Bunyan, really struggle with the tension between what you know the Bible says about your salvation and your very real frustration over your sin. John Bunyan wrote Pilgrims Progress, a book he wrote while in prison for preaching the gospel, it has now been translated into more languages than any other book, except the Bible. Bunyan also wrote other books, and one such book so profoundly helped me with my own struggle of desiring to live for Jesus while struggling with my own sin. One day, while Bunyan was taking a walk, he discovered something that we dare not miss concerning the righteousness of Christ; he wrote about it in his book, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners: One day, as I was walking in the field, my conscience still somewhat wounded and still fearing that all was not well, these words suddenly entered my soul: Your righteousness is in heaven. And I thought, moreover, that I saw, with the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ at Gods right hand. I say, my righteousness was there [in heaven]; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me, He is in need of my righteousness, as my righteousness was right in front of him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good state of heart that made my righteousness better, nor even my bad state that made my righteousness worse, since my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). Now indeed the chains fell off my legs, and I was loosed from my afflictions and irons. My temptations fled away too, so that from that time those terrifying Scriptures of God stopped troubling me; I now went home rejoicing in the grace and love of God. So when I got home I looked to see if I could find that verse:Your righteousness is in heaven,'but I could find no such statement. So my heart began to sink again; the only words which came to mind were these: Of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).[1] Bunyans book was first published in 1666, but his words echo what so many of us struggle with today as we seek to walk in a manner worthy of our calling (4:1). But is this the breastplate of righteousness that we are to put on along with the belt of truth? The answer to that question is yes... and no. The answer is No in that if you are a Christian, you do not need to apply the righteousness of Christ to your life, that is something that only God can do and already has been done for you (see Eph. 1:7-12)! If you are a Christian, you can say with the apostle Paul, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith... (Phil. 3:8-9). So in what way is the breastplate of righteousness the righteousness of Christ then? We put on the breastplate of righteousness when we live and walk in the confidence and reality that all we have is Christ, and His righteousness is righteousness enough! John Bunyan said that after he realized that all his righteousness was before the Father because Jesus is our righteousness and sanctification before God. He went on to say, Having reached this point, I rested very comfortably here, for some time, at peace with God through Christ. Oh, I thought, Christ, Christ! There was nothing but Christ before my eyes.... Oh, I saw my gold was in my trunk at home, in Christ, my Lord and Saviour. Now Christ was all all my righteousness, all my sanctification and all my redemption.[2] This my dear brothers and sisters is what it looks like to take up and put on the breastplate of righteousness. It is Gods to give, and it is now yours to rest, stand, and walk in! Why is the Breastplate of Righteousness Needed? I am not sure I need to say much to convince you why the breastplate of righteousness is needed, but to be sure that you not only understand why it is needed, but that you are able to celebrate that it is yours to wear, I feel the need to point out a few more things. One of the great expositors and pastors of the 20th century, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, said of this piece of Gods armor: You do not put on the breastplate of experiences, you put on the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate of righteousness, like the belt of truth, is not something you generate or create out of your own strength. When Paul described the armor of God, he didnt invent it based on what he saw the Roman soldiers wearing around him while in prison, his understanding of the armor of God came from various passages in the Old Testament such as Isaiah 59. In Isaiah 53 we are promised a suffering servant who would be pierced for our offenses and crushed for our wrongdoings and that suffering servant was Jesus who was punished for our sins (see Isa. 53:5-10). Then when we come to Isaiah 59, the suffering servant is now the divine and righteous warrior who will come to rescue His people from their sins. Isaiah 59 begins with these words: Behold, the Lords hand is not so short That it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear (vv. 1-2). As we read on, we discover similar language that is used in Ephesians 2:1-3 used in Isaiah 59:12-13, For our wrongful acts have multiplied before You, and our sins have testified against us; for our wrongful acts are with us, and we know our wrongdoings: Offending and denying the Lord, And turning away from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart. Now listen to how desperate the condition of sinful humanity according to Isaiah: Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking, and one who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the Lord saw, and it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice (vv. 14-15). So what does Yahweh do to address the unrighteousness of His people? He made salvation possible for those who could not save themselves! It is in Isaiah 59:16-17 that Paul was referring to in Ephesians 6:14, And He saw that there was no one, and was amazed that there was not one to intercede; then His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness upheld Him. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a cloak (vv. 16-17). The Divine Warrior promised in Isaiah 59 is He who would conquer our sin by suffering the wrath of His Father for our sins in our place! The only truly and perfect righteous One hung on a cross for unrighteous sinners! Upon His head was a crown of thorns to serve as a reminder of the curse of sin that He bore in our place, and once He declared that it was finished, the Divine Warrior bowed His head in death to become our salvation! Oh, dear brothers and sisters... do you see how critically important the breastplate of righteousness really is? Jesus is not only our Divine Warrior who is qualified to save rebel sinners, but He is the One also promised in Jeremiah 23, Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. 6In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will live securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, The Lord Our Righteousness (vv. 5-6). Jesus is our righteousness and to put on the breastplate of righteousness is to walk in confidence that He is enough because His mercy is rich, His grace is sufficient, and His love is great! Charles Spurgeon described it this way: Saints are so righteous in Jesus Christ that they are more righteous than Adam was before he fell, for he had but a creature righteousness, and the Christian has the righteousness of the Creator. Adam had a righteousness which he lost, but believers have a righteousness which they can never lose, an everlasting righteousness. To put on the breastplate of righteousness is to stand, walk, live, and run in consideration of Jesus as your truth and as your righteousness. The breastplate of righteousness is important because when you put it on, it protects the vital organs of your faith, such as your heart. Your hope and salvation are not bound to a nation, or whoever the next president will be. Whatever happens today, tomorrow, on Tuesday, or any day before you, your Sovereign is Jesus, and it is He, Who walks on the waters Who speaks to the sea Who stands in the fire beside you He roars like a lion He bled as the Lamb He carries your healing in His hands! He has said, I am the first and the last, and the living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:17-18). Amen. [1] John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press; 2000), pp. 113-14. [2] Ibid, p.114.

What does it mean to be a Christian? How do you know that you are a Christian? What assurance can you have that you will remain a Christian? Well it is mentioned over thirty times in Ephesians, in fact we are told about 10 times in the very first and very long sentence that makes up the first 14 verses of Ephesians: In Christ, all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places now belongs to you Christian (v. 3) In Christ, you were chosen before the foundation of the world (v. 4) Through Christ, you were predestined and adopted as sons and daughters of the living God (v. 5). In the Beloved Son of God, you are a favored child of God (v. 6). In Jesus, we have redemption, forgiveness, and the riches of Gods grace through His blood (v. 7). In Jesus, God made known the mystery of His will (v. 9). In Christ, the Father is bringing all things together to accomplish His good plan (v. 10). In Christ, we have obtained an inheritance in accordance with the plan of the Fathers perfect will (v. 11). In Christ, we are the praise of Gods glory (v. 12). In Jesus, you have been sealed by Gods Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (v. 13). To be a Christian is to be a person who was once spiritually dead, but now is alive with Christ not because of any religious activity on our part, but only because of the work of Jesus on our behalf (Eph. 2:1-9). This is what it means to be a Christian, but how does one become a Christian? I believe that in the same way that you become a Christian, is the same way you put on and take up the breastplate of righteousness. Some of you will remember our time spent in the sermon on the mount during my sermon series, Something Greater just over two years ago. In fact, if you are trying to make sense of the rhetoric and animosity that we are experiencing in our nation, I encourage you to read the first manuscript in that series from May 22, 2022. If you were here for that sermon series, you discovered that not only is the sermon on the mount the greatest sermon ever preached, but Jesus sermon shows us what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. During our time in the beatitudes I shared that the first three beatitudes, which are also known as beatitudes of need, reveal what is essential for any person to understand what is necessary for the salvation of your soul. Let me walk you through it because it will help you appreciate just how encouraging the breastplate of righteousness really is. So here are the first three beatitudes from Matthew 5:3-5, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. To be poor in spirit is to arrive at the cross of Christ with empty hands, recognizing that you are spiritually bankrupt of any moral virtues adequate to earn or gain Gods forgiveness for sins committed against Him. Those who mourn are those who see and understand their sins for what they are and grieve because of them. The meek are those who understand that their problems are beyond them, their problems are because of the sin in them, and their problems are of their own doing. To come to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins is to come to Jesus knowing that there is no righteousness in yourself; it is to mourn over the reality that your sins offend the God who is infinitely righteous, and to come to Jesus knowing that there is not one thing you can do to generate the kind of righteousness necessary for your salvation. The person who has been truly born again is one whose experience is now the fourth beatitude: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied (Matt. 5:6). In Jesus, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us (Eph. 1:7-8). What is the Breastplate of Righteousness? The Roman soldiers breastplate was most likely form fitting and extended from the base of the neck to the top of the thighs, covering the thorax and abdomen for the purpose of protecting the vital organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and bowels. The breastplate is the second piece of Gods armor we are told to put on, but what kind of righteousness does it represent? Is the breastplate of righteousness the righteousness of Jesus that has been imputed upon you the moment you were saved through faith by Christ alone? The imputed righteousness of Christ is when the righteousness of Jesus is applied to you the moment you believed the gospel as we are told in verses like 2 Corinthians 5:21, He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Here, consider another passage that concerns the imputed righteousness of Christ from Romans 5:18-21, So then, as through one offense [Adams sin] the result was condemnation to all mankind, so also through one act of righteousness the result was justification of life to all mankind. For as through the one mans disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the offense would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. In other words, the imputation of Christs righteousness is good news because God the Father no longer sees you as a sinner because of your sinfulness but sees you as righteous because Jesus righteousness has been applied to you permanently. Do you remember last week when I showed you that the belt of truth includes your identity in Jesus and that He is now your truth? The One we follow is, the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6), and now we follow His way, we walk in His truth, and we are united to His life. Some of you, like John Bunyan, really struggle with the tension between what you know the Bible says about your salvation and your very real frustration over your sin. John Bunyan wrote Pilgrims Progress, a book he wrote while in prison for preaching the gospel, it has now been translated into more languages than any other book, except the Bible. Bunyan also wrote other books, and one such book so profoundly helped me with my own struggle of desiring to live for Jesus while struggling with my own sin. One day, while Bunyan was taking a walk, he discovered something that we dare not miss concerning the righteousness of Christ; he wrote about it in his book, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners: One day, as I was walking in the field, my conscience still somewhat wounded and still fearing that all was not well, these words suddenly entered my soul: Your righteousness is in heaven. And I thought, moreover, that I saw, with the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ at Gods right hand. I say, my righteousness was there [in heaven]; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me, He is in need of my righteousness, as my righteousness was right in front of him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good state of heart that made my righteousness better, nor even my bad state that made my righteousness worse, since my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). Now indeed the chains fell off my legs, and I was loosed from my afflictions and irons. My temptations fled away too, so that from that time those terrifying Scriptures of God stopped troubling me; I now went home rejoicing in the grace and love of God. So when I got home I looked to see if I could find that verse:Your righteousness is in heaven,'but I could find no such statement. So my heart began to sink again; the only words which came to mind were these: Of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).[1] Bunyans book was first published in 1666, but his words echo what so many of us struggle with today as we seek to walk in a manner worthy of our calling (4:1). But is this the breastplate of righteousness that we are to put on along with the belt of truth? The answer to that question is yes... and no. The answer is No in that if you are a Christian, you do not need to apply the righteousness of Christ to your life, that is something that only God can do and already has been done for you (see Eph. 1:7-12)! If you are a Christian, you can say with the apostle Paul, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith... (Phil. 3:8-9). So in what way is the breastplate of righteousness the righteousness of Christ then? We put on the breastplate of righteousness when we live and walk in the confidence and reality that all we have is Christ, and His righteousness is righteousness enough! John Bunyan said that after he realized that all his righteousness was before the Father because Jesus is our righteousness and sanctification before God. He went on to say, Having reached this point, I rested very comfortably here, for some time, at peace with God through Christ. Oh, I thought, Christ, Christ! There was nothing but Christ before my eyes.... Oh, I saw my gold was in my trunk at home, in Christ, my Lord and Saviour. Now Christ was all all my righteousness, all my sanctification and all my redemption.[2] This my dear brothers and sisters is what it looks like to take up and put on the breastplate of righteousness. It is Gods to give, and it is now yours to rest, stand, and walk in! Why is the Breastplate of Righteousness Needed? I am not sure I need to say much to convince you why the breastplate of righteousness is needed, but to be sure that you not only understand why it is needed, but that you are able to celebrate that it is yours to wear, I feel the need to point out a few more things. One of the great expositors and pastors of the 20th century, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, said of this piece of Gods armor: You do not put on the breastplate of experiences, you put on the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate of righteousness, like the belt of truth, is not something you generate or create out of your own strength. When Paul described the armor of God, he didnt invent it based on what he saw the Roman soldiers wearing around him while in prison, his understanding of the armor of God came from various passages in the Old Testament such as Isaiah 59. In Isaiah 53 we are promised a suffering servant who would be pierced for our offenses and crushed for our wrongdoings and that suffering servant was Jesus who was punished for our sins (see Isa. 53:5-10). Then when we come to Isaiah 59, the suffering servant is now the divine and righteous warrior who will come to rescue His people from their sins. Isaiah 59 begins with these words: Behold, the Lords hand is not so short That it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear (vv. 1-2). As we read on, we discover similar language that is used in Ephesians 2:1-3 used in Isaiah 59:12-13, For our wrongful acts have multiplied before You, and our sins have testified against us; for our wrongful acts are with us, and we know our wrongdoings: Offending and denying the Lord, And turning away from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart. Now listen to how desperate the condition of sinful humanity according to Isaiah: Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking, and one who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the Lord saw, and it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice (vv. 14-15). So what does Yahweh do to address the unrighteousness of His people? He made salvation possible for those who could not save themselves! It is in Isaiah 59:16-17 that Paul was referring to in Ephesians 6:14, And He saw that there was no one, and was amazed that there was not one to intercede; then His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness upheld Him. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a cloak (vv. 16-17). The Divine Warrior promised in Isaiah 59 is He who would conquer our sin by suffering the wrath of His Father for our sins in our place! The only truly and perfect righteous One hung on a cross for unrighteous sinners! Upon His head was a crown of thorns to serve as a reminder of the curse of sin that He bore in our place, and once He declared that it was finished, the Divine Warrior bowed His head in death to become our salvation! Oh, dear brothers and sisters... do you see how critically important the breastplate of righteousness really is? Jesus is not only our Divine Warrior who is qualified to save rebel sinners, but He is the One also promised in Jeremiah 23, Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. 6In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will live securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, The Lord Our Righteousness (vv. 5-6). Jesus is our righteousness and to put on the breastplate of righteousness is to walk in confidence that He is enough because His mercy is rich, His grace is sufficient, and His love is great! Charles Spurgeon described it this way: Saints are so righteous in Jesus Christ that they are more righteous than Adam was before he fell, for he had but a creature righteousness, and the Christian has the righteousness of the Creator. Adam had a righteousness which he lost, but believers have a righteousness which they can never lose, an everlasting righteousness. To put on the breastplate of righteousness is to stand, walk, live, and run in consideration of Jesus as your truth and as your righteousness. The breastplate of righteousness is important because when you put it on, it protects the vital organs of your faith, such as your heart. Your hope and salvation are not bound to a nation, or whoever the next president will be. Whatever happens today, tomorrow, on Tuesday, or any day before you, your Sovereign is Jesus, and it is He, Who walks on the waters Who speaks to the sea Who stands in the fire beside you He roars like a lion He bled as the Lamb He carries your healing in His hands! He has said, I am the first and the last, and the living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:17-18). Amen. [1] John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press; 2000), pp. 113-14. [2] Ibid, p.114.

The Pharisees were quick to find fault and criticize Jesus and His disciples as they minister to both the physical and spiritual needs of the people. First, they couldn't believe that Jesus and His disciples would hang out with sinners. Next, they questioned their spirituality because instead of fasting like John's disciples, they were feasting. Now in Luke 6, they are accusing Jesus and His disciples for breaking their man-made Sabbath Day laws on two occasions.   On this first occasion, their criticism had to do with the disciples “plucking heads of grain and eating them after they had rubbed them in their hands.” In the field (vv. 1-5). It was lawful for a Jew to eat from a neighbor's vineyard, orchard, or field, provided he did not fill a container or use a harvesting implement (Deut. 23:24-25). The disciples were hungry, so they picked the heads of wheat, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But in so doing, according to the rabbis, they broke the Sabbath law, because they were harvesting, winnowing, and preparing food!   Always alert for something to criticize, some of the Pharisees asked Jesus why He permitted His disciples to violate the Sabbath laws. This was His second offense, and they were sure they had a case against Him. How tragic that their slavish devotion to religious rules blinded them to the true ministry of the Law as well as the very presence of the Lord who gave them the Law.   The accusation of the Pharisees had no support from Scripture. The Scriptures did not prohibit this eating of grain on the Sabbath. The support came only from the man-made rules of the religious leaders, not the law of Moses. The religious leaders had made a host of rules, which were not in Scripture either by principle or precept; but they liked these rules for these religious rulers made their piety based on outward conduct rather than the condition of the heart. Not focusing on the heart, their rules emphasized the trivial and neglected the important. Jesus addressed this specifically in Matthew 23:24.   Jesus did not argue with them; instead, He took them right to the Word of God (1 Sam. 21:1-6). The "showbread" was comprised of twelve loaves, one for each tribe in Israel; and it stood on the table in the holy place in the tabernacle and then in the temple (Ex. 25:23-30; Lev. 24:5-9). Fresh bread was put on the table each Sabbath, and only the priests were allowed to eat the loaves.   But David and his men ate the loaves, and what Jew would condemn Israel's great king? "He was God's anointed!" they might argue, but that was exactly what Jesus claimed for Himself (Luke 4:18). Not only was He God's Anointed, but He was also the Lord of the Sabbath! When Jesus made that statement, He was claiming to be Jehovah God, because it was the Lord who established the Sabbath. If Jesus Christ is indeed Lord of the Sabbath, then He is free to do on it and with it whatever He pleases. The Pharisees did not miss His meaning, you can be sure.   God is more concerned about meeting human needs than He is about protecting religious rules. Better that David and his men receive strength to serve God than that they perish only for the sake of a temporary law. God desires compassion, not sacrifice (Matt. 12:7, quoting Hosea 6:6). The Pharisees, of course, had a different view of the Law (Matt. 23:23).   The Apostle Paul would later write in 2 Corinthians 3:6, that “as a minister of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” This reminds us that God is more concerned about us keeping the Spirit of the Word with to please the Lord from our hearts and not the rules and regulation to outwardly make ourselves look spiritual before others!   May the Lord help us not to become like the Pharisees, outwardly religious but inwardly full of corruption!   God bless!

Hebrews 12:1-13 explains the discipline given by God.Hebrews 12:10 – “For they(earthly fathers) disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He(God) disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.” Please note that the 1st part is in English, and the 2nd part is in Malayalam starting at 19:37 mark.Every aspect of our life needs discipline to function well personally and socially.  This is true at home, in school, in the public, at church, at social gatherings etc.  Parents discipline children at home. Teachers discipline children in school.  The intention of disciplining children is to convince them of the consequences of their actions, the way they should behave, the punctuality they need in life, the responsibility they should take in different situations etc.  The intention of the parents is to make the child a better person.  Parents discipline children because they love them. God disciplines His children in different ways too out of His love for us. Parents discipline children for a short time only, but God disciplines us throughout our lives as we are expected to live with Him in eternity.  Who  God's children are, why God disciplines us, how God disciplines us,  the outcomes of God's discipline, how and why God disciplined Joseph, Job, David, and Paul are discussed.  My name... Cicilysunny@gmail.com

He came as a Prophet, but not just a prophet. He came as a King, but not just a king. He came as a Rabbi, but not just a rabbi. Jesus has a glory like no man that came before Him. But is He God? Torah Portion: Shoftim / Judges Support Rise on Fire Ministries by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/rise-on-fireRead transcript

Do You Believe that “He {God} gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”? MESSAGE SUMMARY:  You have got to believe; but until you get your thinking right, your life will not change – you have got to believe! It is hard for some people, today, to believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus celebrated on Christmas day. Ok, just start where you are in what you believe. Can you believe that you are a sinner? Can you believe that you are not perfect? Can you believe that you have violated God's laws? Despite this life background, can you believe that God loves you just as you now are? Can you believe that God sent His Only Son, Jesus, to save all that believe in Him so that you would not perish but have eternal life? Maybe this is where you start in believing in the miraculous birth of Jesus; you need to start where you are. Jesus' life was defined by His death on the cross and by His resurrection, thereby, living up to the translation of His name, Jesus – “Salvation”. The Apostle John succinctly summarized the purpose of Jesus birth in John3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will entrust to Him my future. I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.  From 2 Timothy 1:12 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Luke 1:27-38; Luke 2:1-22; John 20:27-29; Psalms 69b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Is Your Life's Focus on Jesus the Narrow Door and the Only Door to Your Eternal Life?” , at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Bible Reading: Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:1-7Jackson was so excited he could hardly open his birthday gift. He hoped it was a puppet--something he'd been wanting ever since a ventriloquist had performed with one at a school event. He tore open the box. Sure enough, there was a puppet inside. His little sister, Jade, looked at it with wide-eyed wonder. "A doll!" she said. "Now we can play dolls together, Jax!""No way!" said Jackson. "This isn't a doll. It's a puppet like the one the guy had at our school carnival. Remember?""His puppet was alive," said Jade. "It could move and talk, but yours can't, can it?""It wasn't alive the way we are. That man made it move and talked for it." Jackson grinned. "Mine will come to life like that too! I'm naming him Vincent, and I'm going to learn to be a ventriloquist so I can make Vincent move and talk." Starting that day, Jackson began working hard to learn how to turn his puppet's head, move its mouth, and speak for it."Vincent is alive now, just like that man's puppet," Jade said several weeks later. Jackson beamed. He figured he was getting good enough to perform as a ventriloquist.At family devotions one morning, Dad turned to the second chapter of Ephesians. "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins," he read.Jade frowned. "What are trespasses?""They're the wrong things we do," said Jackson. "They're kinda the same thing as sins.""Well, who was dead, then?" asked Jade."In a way, everyone was--and many still are," replied Dad. "God says we all do wrong things because we were born into sin, and sin makes us spiritually dead." He looked at Jackson. "People are like Vincent--Jackson's puppet. Vincent is entirely limp and lifeless except when Jackson speaks for him and operates his controls. Vincent needs Jackson to have any kind of life, and people need Jesus to have spiritual life. When we trust Jesus, He frees us from sin and makes us alive."Jade smiled at her brother. "I like it when Jax makes Vincent alive.""And it's even better when God makes us alive," said Dad with a smile. "Because the life He gives us is real, and it lasts forever."–Mary Rose PearsonHow About You?Are you alive? Or are you still dead in sin? Maybe you're trying your best to be really good so you'll go to heaven someday. But God says you're a sinner, and someone who is spiritually dead can't have eternal life with Him. You must be made alive through Jesus. If you haven't trusted Him as your Savior, do it today. Then you'll begin to truly live! (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)Today's Key Verse:And you He [God] made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. (NKJV) (Ephesians 2:1)Today's Key Thought:Jesus makes you alive

Welcome to Episode #156 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today's episode we'll be looking at Jesus' teaching about Anger found in Matthew 5:21-26. When you get this one you may stay on your knees in front of Jesus just a bit longer than you expected.As I mentioned in our last episode introduction, we're just getting started in presenting Jesus' teaching given in what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5 to 7. In this sermon, Jesus is teaching his disciples and laying out for them what it means to follow him in kingdom of Heaven living while in a world of darkness. Entrance into the kingdom of Heaven is a permanent Supernatural transformation from death to life, from darkness to light. Colossians 1:13-14 – He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.Jesus opened his sermon talking about character qualities and associated blessings for living a kingdom of heaven life. Let me quote a verse for you to momentarily consider and then I'll offer you a prompt to reflect upon in your next meditation.1 John 2:5-6 – By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.Oh my gosh, I just heard the firehose pump kick-in as I wrote out that verse and now see the water line go from flax to taught; straining not to burst, eagerly awaiting the nozzle valve to be opened. Let me quickly cut off the compressor. Whew. No need to drink from a fire hose so early in the episode.Here's the skinny, I'll leave it to you to fill in the text references. What John is speaking of in 1 John 2:5-6 is what all the New Testament writers are trying to inform us of. Let me give you the negative first. Jesus was not sent to earth by his Father to make your life easier in this life. Now the positive, that for some is a turn-off negative and/or a reason to say there is another way to God than through Jesus. Jesus was sent here by his Father to invite his sheep, those who hear his voice and respond, to willingly follow Jesus into his death to this life. Two passages and then a brief comment.Luke 14:27, 33 – Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. …33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. What we learn in the gospels and epistles and letters is that through assimilation with him in his death by grace through faith we gain eternal life, rebirth in the Holy Spirit, and the opportunity in this life to experience Union with God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. That Union with God is what John is saying in 1 John 2:5-6 when he says, “whoever says he abides in him.” Jesus describes this abiding in him in John 15. The significance of this abiding in seen in John 17:21 to 23 where Jesus tells his Father this abiding, our Union with God and Jesus Christ, will be a witness to the world that God sent Jesus into the world. 

Welcome to Episode #155 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today's episode we'll be looking at very short teaching of Jesus' found in Matthew 5:17-20. While short, this teaching is perhaps the pinnacle teaching of Jesus in his humanity. Jesus came to fulfill the LAW.We're just getting started in the Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus counsels his disciples on the moral and ethical behavior of believers in the kingdom of Heaven. A kingdom that Jesus brought to earth following his death, resurrection, and ascension. Entrance into the kingdom begins at rebirth in the Holy Spirit and is permanent. Colossians 1:13-14 – He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.I encourage you to listen to our last episode (#154) where I go deep into that topic to address our being Salt and Light. Which was the lesson Jesus taught after beginning his sermon with the Beatitudes. Believers are Salt and Light while we live in the world but are not of the world. Remember, we are living in the kingdom of Heaven, not in the dominion of darkness.Let me make a brief detour and cover this before moving on. Hopefully this will either affirm what you already know and be an encouragement or get you a little antsy as you do not yet conform to what the text says. I was very antsy once myself; so take heart if that is you. Listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling you as you hear this and then do what He says. I really don't think he'd tell you to turn off this podcast; but that may just be me saying that – full disclosure.Now about not being of the world. While Jesus was speaking this sermon to his disciples' crowds of people “of the world” were gathering on the mountain side below them. Would Jesus have described his disciples as people of “the world?” Think again…

This week, Ken and Grant spoke with Sarma Velamuri. Sarma has one of the most interesting stories you have ever heard. He was born in India in the Brahman caste and had a supernatural conversion to Christianity. He is a cutting-edge medical doctor who left the day-to-day practice to become the CEO of a new tech start-up.Our Orbis Ministries IGNITION conference will occur in Nashville, TN, from October 3 to 5. Register today at kingdomignition.org For more information on the Travel Grant Match to keep Ken's travel down in 2024, send an email to bryan@orbisministries.org Check out Ken's book, On the Road with the Holy Spirit here: https://orbisministries.org/product/on-the-road-with-the-holy-spirit/Partner with Orbis Financially: http://tinyurl.com/yfe3974hAre you interested in learning about Holy Spirit-led ministry? Visit Orbis School of Ministry at https://orbissm.com or email our Registrar, Jo McKay, at jo@orbisminstries.orgUpcoming Orbis Ministries overseas ministry trips are posted behind the registration/login portal under the Train-Join an International Ministry Trip link on orbisministries.org.Do you want to join Ken's private “God is not a Theory” discussion group on Facebook? Please send a Facebook Direct Message to Bryan Orbis along with a friend request to be added to it.If you'd like to receive Ken's monthly prayer letter, please go to orbisministries.org and scroll down to the bottom right for "Prayer Letter Signup.""Hindus do not have a problem with accepting Jesus as God. They have a problem with the exclusivity of Jesus." - Sarma Velamuri"I am a Christian because I can't help it, like Peter; I am stuck because Jesus has the words of life." - Sarma Velamuri"He (God) gives us His Holy Spirit so He can tell us what He is up to." - Sarma Velamuri"Are you in the Kingdom? Are you tapped into Jesus?" - Sarma Velamuri"So I lay hands on him. I pray for him. He gets delivered right there from the spirit. It just goes. And he's like, it's gone." - Sarma Velamuri"This guy on stage points at me and says, you're a devil worshipper." - Sarma Velamuri"I would not recommend joining a conventional yoga class unless you are in a place in your faith where, actually, there's no situation in which I would like to recommend you join a yoga class." - Sarma Velamuri    

In the Book of Psalms, Psalm 119 is the longest. It's an acrostic psalm that walks through the entire Hebrew alphabet, with eight verses for each letter, which ends up being 176 total verses. God willing, we'll get there in a couple of years!But today, in Psalm 78, we're looking at the second longest psalm. Psalm 78 is 72 total verses, but the plan this morning is just to show you three lessons that we find here, and these are lessons especially relevant for when God is leading you through something. One of my big takeaways from last week's sermon, in Psalm 77, came in verse 19, that in God's leading of Israel, his way was “through the sea;” his path was “through the great waters.” And Pastor Mike Polley pointed out that this is not what we would think or want. We'd want to go around the sea. Avoid the hard thing. But God chooses to lead us through it. I know that for many of us he's leading us through some stuff right now, and if that resonates with you, Psalm 78 has three lessons for you … if that doesn't resonate with you, I hope you'll still listen to the sermon. My dad used to say that we're all in one of three places: We either just came out of something; we're going through something; or we're about to go through something.That's all of us, so whichever place you might be, let's take a minute here and ask God to speak to us through his word:Father, by your grace, we believe that every word of yours proves true, and that you are a shield to those who take refuge in you. We ask this morning, through your word, that you would comfort us about where we've been, provide for us where we are, and prepare us for where we're going — for your glory, in Jesus's name, amen. When you're going through something, lesson #1 —1) Remember God's grace by recounting your story.We see this in verses 1–4, but really, this is what the psalm is doing at a macro level. Let's remember what the Book of Psalms are doing overall. The Book of Psalms was compiled later in Israel's history to be a reflection on God's promise to King David to send the Messiah (see 2 Samuel 7). The first readers would have been reading the Psalms in the middle of a mess. They were in exile, a long ways removed from the glory days of Israel as a nation, and the question in their minds was if God had forgotten his promise. Is there still hope for the house of David? That's what they were desperate to know. And the answer is absolutely yes! There is still hope for the house of David because the house of David is still the hope, not just for the salvation of Israel but for the salvation of all the nations. That's the hope of the Messiah, and it's the consistent hum that runs through all of the psalms. The 77 and 78 ConnectionNow if we zoom back on Psalm 78, we obviously get here after Psalm 77, and in Psalm 77 is where the psalmist tells us he is in the day of trouble. He's crying out to God. He's fighting for faith. Look back at Psalm 77, verse 11. I want you to see this. Psalm 77, verse 11.In verse 11, the psalmist resolves: “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.”Y'all see what he's doing? In his fight for faith, he is choosing to remember — there are two keywords here — God's wonders of old. That's Psalm 77:11.Now watch how Psalm 78 starts. Psalm 78, verse 1: 1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.So see, in Psalm 78 the psalmist is doing what he said he'd do in Psalm 77. He is remembering God's wonders of old, and he tells us more about how the remembering actually works.The Work of RememberingThe psalmist remembers God's wonders of old by recounting them. He expresses them — he opens his mouth; he utters them; he tells them. So notice the activity in this. The work of remembering is work. “Remember” is a verb of action. Sometimes I think we can misunderstand “remembering” to be a kind of vague, low-level thing — just something we casually do with our heads. But that's not what remembering means in the Bible. In the Bible, remembering is a repeated admonition with real consequences. In the Old Testament, God's people are commanded to remember what he has done (see Exodus 13:3); and in the New Testament the word is used about 50 times, at some really key places.And so at the very least, when it comes to the Christian life, when we hear the word “remember” we should not think it means to kick up our feet, but it means to roll up our sleeves. To remember means that we sober up with what is most real, and with our hearts we apply our minds to articulate what God has done in our lives. Maybe we literally say it, to ourselves or somebody else. Maybe we journal it. Maybe we rehearse it quietly in prayer. Either way, remembering means that we are recounting specific truths about God or things he has done.The Main Theme of GraceThat's what is going on in Psalm 78 (and it's one of the reasons the psalm is so long). The psalmist recounts the wonders of God in Israel's history. He doesn't recount everything, and he doesn't even recount them in chronological order — this is a selective recounting. He starts with Mount Sinai and the giving of the law, and then ends with God choosing David — and do you know what the theme is overall? What is the main theme of this little survey of Israel's history?My guess is that if we were to read all 72 verses together right now, what stands out the most is the shame of Israel. Over and over again, Israel proved themselves to be a wreck. Verse 40 sums it up — 78, verse 40: 40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert! 41 They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.Israel's sin and shame is clear in this psalm. But see, if we look closer, we can see that Israel's failures is just the black cloth on which sits the diamond of God's grace. God's grace is what shines in Psalm 78. It's that however terrible Israel was — and it was bad — verse 38 tells us: 38 Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath.Verse 38 is to Psalm 78 what verse 4 is to Ephesians 2: It's all a mess. It's all sin and failure and doom, we're destined for wrath, “But God … being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us …”“YET HE … being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity.”God's grace is the real theme of this psalm. That is what the psalmist is remembering as he recounts these actual events in the story of Israel. And that's what we remember as we recount the actual events in our own stories.Your Dash Between the DatesNow when I say our own stories, I hope you understand that our own stories are each part of the bigger story of God's redemption we read about in the Bible. If we think about our stories rightly, we can't think about them apart from Abraham and David, and Peter and Paul — we have a big spiritual family tree centered on Jesus. And so within that greater context, it's good for us to focus in and think about our own lives. It's good for you to think about your dash between two dates.Yesterday, my boys and I were riding by a cemetery. It's just rows of hundreds of stones, and I told them: One day that's all that's going to be left here of us: a stone with two dates … the date you were born and the date you died, and a dash in the middle. And that dash is your life. So what's the theme of your dash? … You can think about that now. We should be thinking about that now, while we're alive, and brothers and sisters, I can tell you: if you've trusted in Jesus Christ, the main theme of your story is God's grace. Every story is different, but for Christians the main theme is the same … 'Twas grace that brought us safe thus farAnd grace will lead us home …If you want to know what will help you get through what you're going through right now … remember God's grace by recounting your story. Think about the actual events in your life when God intervened and gifted you with what you did not deserve. Anybody got any of those moments in your life? I can't believe that he saved me. God has been so good to me. God has been so good to you, more times than you can count, but you can still try! Remember God's grace by recounting your story.Here's the second lesson when you're going through something …2) See the sad predictability of unbelief.Israel's sin is obvious in Psalm 78. You can't miss it. And although it doesn't have the last say, there are some things we can learn about sin in general. Let me just read to you the way it's described …v. 8: Israel was stubborn and rebellious; their heart was not steadfast.v. 10: they did not keep God's covenant, but refused to walk according to his law. v. 11: They forgot his works.v. 17: They sinned all the more against him, rebelling against him. v. 22: They did not believe in God and did not trust in his saving power.v. 32: They still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe;v. 36: They lied to him with their tonguesv. 37: Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.v. 42: They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe.v. 56: They tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies, but turned away and acted treacherously.Tracing the PathologyAgain, it's bad. This whole thing is a mess and it's hard to make sense of a mess, but there is a kind of pathology here that we can trace. The fundamental problem is unbelief. Despite all that God had done, Israel did not believe in him. They did not trust him. That's repeated in this psalm and in the whole Old Testament. Unbelief is the disease, and then a symptom of the unbelief is idolatry. That's mentioned in verse 58: “They provoked [God] to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealously with their idols.”And we can see how this works: Unbelief seeks to scrub the knowledge of God's reality out of our hearts, and when the scrubbing is done, there's nothing there, but something's gotta be there! Because everybody worships something — and if it's not the true God, then it will be some god, some thing that you make a god. And we know this. The late pastor Tim Keller put it like this:“Everyone has to live for something, and if that something is not God, then we are driven by that thing we live for — by overwork to achieve it, by inordinate fear if it is threatened, deep anger if it is being blocked, and inconsolable despair if it is lost.” (Center Church, 34)That's the effect of idolatry. Idolatry makes us incredibly insecure people. And idolatry is the symptom of unbelief — but where does the unbelief come from? Does Psalm 78 speak to that?I think it does.Forgetting GodVerse 11 says that Israel “forgot [God's] works.” Verse 42 says: “They did not remember [God's] power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe.”Before Israel stopped believing God, they stopped thinking about him. Before they forsook God, they forgot God. And how? How does a people who experienced firsthand God's miraculous salvation end up forgetting him? They saw the plagues in Egypt. They saw the Red Sea split in two. They saw bread rain down from heaven. They saw water come from a rock. And they forgot all of it — and they kept forgetting. A little later in Israel's history, in the time of the judges, when God would rescue Israel over and over again, Judges 8:34 says: “And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side.” How could they do that? How can anyone forget what God has done?Beware Feast and FamineWell, the text of Psalm 78 doesn't tell us exactly. The ultimate theological answer comes down to original sin. We are totally depraved and apart from the Holy Spirit's awakening work, our hearts are darkened and without hope. That's the theological answer, but to get more practical, wisdom would tell us that there are two conditions in our lives that make us especially vulnerable to forgetting. We could call these two conditions feast conditions or famine conditions — when things are either really good or really bad. I'm getting this from Proverbs 30, verses 8–9. This is the prayer of a man named Agur. He prays: 8 … give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.Wow — do you hear what he's saying? When there are riches, feasting, he's full, and that's when he's prone to say “Who is the Lord?” And if he's asking that, it means he's done what? … He's forgotten God. He's vulnerable to forget God when he's high on the hog.But also if he's in famine conditions, if he's poor and things are really bad and he doesn't have any food to eat, he might steal food — that's when he's more prone to break God's commandments and dishonor him. So in wisdom, we learn to be cautious of both feasting and famine — and we all have these seasons in our lives, in different degrees. There are times when things are really good and there are times when things are really bad — and whatever you do, wherever you are, don't forget God. Don't get out of the vital rhythms of the Christian life — worship with your church, be honest with your community, read your Bible and pray everyday. Remember God. There is a sad predictability to unbelief. It leads to idolatry but starts with forgetting. That's a lesson we learn here in Psalm 78.Here's the third lesson, when you're going through something …3) Jesus is our hope.Look at how Psalm 78 ends. Verse 67: 67 He[God] rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, 68 but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves. 69 He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded forever. 70 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds; 71 from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. 72 With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.Now the end of this psalm is not the end of the story. There are, of course, a lot more psalms left to go, and there's a lot of history yet to unfold for Israel, but the point here is that we focus on David, and in particular we focus on the promise that God made to David in 2 Samuel 7. God had chosen David to be king against all odds. He took him from the sheepfolds, sat him on the throne, and God promised him, “… I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”And in the storyline of the Bible, this promised Son of David is also the promised offspring of Abraham, who is also the promised son of a woman who will crush the head of the serpent. In the Old Testament, the promise of the Messiah narrows down to the house of David — and Psalm 78 leaves us with that promise. Psalm 78 is telling us that the Messiah is Israel's hope. And he's our hope. The Messiah Jesus is our hope. A Story UnfinishedAnd that's the most important lesson of all when you're going through something, but it's seldom the thing we think we need the most. Naturally, we want the prayers answered. We want the needs provided. We want the way made. But all of those things ultimately are a means to having more of Jesus.We know Jesus is the final answer to a story that's still unfinished. And that can be puzzling sometimes. Why doesn't everything just conclude here with Psalm 78?Okay, the house of David is where we're looking.The Messiah is our hope. So send him here and then we all live happily ever after. The story could have gone that way, right? But, it's a little more complicated than that in the Old Testament, and also today, in the New Testament era. The Promised Messiah has come, and he died in our place, and he was raised from the dead. Jesus has defeated sin and the grave, and he reigns over a kingdom that will never end — and we're part of that kingdom, we're part of his family, but here we are going through stuff! Our stories are unfinished! Why doesn't God just transport us to heaven right when we trust Jesus? Why is the Promised Land not immediate?Why are we still here going through stuff?Here's why: it's because of the glory of God. We're here, and Jesus is leading us through stuff, because he will do what best manifests his glory and maximizes our everlasting joy in him. That's why.Our Hope Right NowJesus is our hope, not just ultimately when we see him face to face in the New Jerusalem, but Jesus is our hope in the details now. In his nearness and guidance. In his power and comfort. Remember, church, that Jesus is real, and we have him now.There's a quote from Jonathan Edwards that I think captures the now-ness and then-ness of our hope in Jesus, and I read this quote everyday in prayer. I love the truth here. I've probably said it to you before. It just puts everything in perspective. Edwards says:“Every atom of the universe is managed by Christ so as to be most to the advantage of the Christian, every particle of the air and every ray of the sun, so that the Christian in the other world, when he comes to see it, shall sit and enjoy all this vast inheritance with surprising, amazing joy. “Edwards is saying that the future joy that we will have in Jesus is being crafted for us currently by the sovereignty of Jesus in what we're going through. Jesus is not just leading you through it, but he is managing every detail along the way so that it results ultimately in your deeper joy in him. Jesus is our hope forever, and Jesus is our hope right now. And so, I want to invite you: hope in him. If you're here this morning and you're not a Christian, if you have not put your faith in Jesus — right now, you can do that. Stop thinking that you can save yourself. You can't. Turn from your sin, turn from your idols, trust in Jesus the Messiah.And for those of us who have, let's trust him more. Let's hope in him more. Let's rest in God's grace to us in Jesus more!That's what we do at this Table. The TableWe come to this Table to remember. We remember that Jesus died for us, that he is our hope. If you trust in him this morning, we invite you: eat and drink with us, and let's give him thanks.

It appears to us as we read the unfolding visions in Revelation that their sequence reveals different aspects of the ‘march' of human history – as human beings try to avoid their responsibility to their Creator and the Saviour he provided.   These different aspects all climax in the time when “the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone … (say)… hide us … from (God) … and the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” [6 v.15-17] That is the key question – “who can stand?”  When the systems of life on earth are totally falling apart in a greater crisis than ever before – only those who truly “know” God and “the Lamb” will be preserved.  The rest will  experience the divine wrath on a godless world.       But note how in Ch. 5 there is reference to “golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints” [v.8]  The elders who hold the bowls sing “a new song” to the Lamb (v.6) that has now appeared on the scene – and how wonderful are the words they sing. “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom of priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth” [v.9,10]  May we so live now that we are among the “ransomed people”.  In 1 Samuel 2 we have Hannah's prayer of thanksgiving for her child Samuel; with what heart felt vision she ends it with the words, “He (God) will guard the feet of his faithful ones … The adversaries of the LORD are 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 power of his anointed.” [v.9,10]  Hannah was obviously a very spiritually perceptive person!   May we have the same spirit, and regular reading of God's words are an essential part of this!       Her prayer (and ours?) is about to have its final and complete fulfilment as are the other prayers that are counted as incense in “the golden bowls”   Make sure yours are among them so that you “can stand” on that “great day.” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christadelphians-talk/message

Do You Believe that “He {God} gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”? MESSAGE SUMMARY:  You have got to believe; but until you get your thinking right, your life will not change – you have got to believe! It is hard for some people, today, to believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus celebrated on Christmas day. Ok, just start where you are in what you believe. Can you believe that you are a sinner? Can you believe that you are not perfect? Can you believe that you have violated God's laws? Despite this life background, can you believe that God loves you just as you now are? Can you believe that God sent His Only Son, Jesus, to save all that believe in Him so that you would not perish but have eternal life? Maybe this is where you start in believing in the miraculous birth of Jesus; you need to start where you are. Jesus' life was defined by His death on the cross and by His resurrection, thereby, living up to the translation of His name, Jesus – “Salvation”. The Apostle John succinctly summarized the purpose of Jesus birth in John3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will entrust to Him my future. I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.  From 2 Timothy 1:12 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Luke 1:27-38; Luke 2:1-22; John 20:27-29; Psalms 69b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Go!”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

19 O that you would kill the wicked, O God,    and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—20 those who speak of you maliciously    and lift themselves up against you for evil![d]21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?    And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22 I hate them with perfect hatred;    I count them my enemies.23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;    test me and know my thoughts.24 See if there is any wicked[e] way in me,    and lead me in the way everlasting.Psalm 139:19-242 He [God] makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness     for his name's sake.4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,     I will fear no evil, for you are with me;     your rod and your staff,     they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me     in the presence of my enemies;Psalm 23:2-5ANGERThere is no such thing as an angry person; there are only humans. Some just have a better grip on their anger than others.1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;    you discern my thoughts from far away.3 You search out my path and my lying down    and are acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before a word is on my tongue,    O Lord, you know it completely.5 You hem me in, behind and before,    and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;    it is so high that I cannot attain it.Psalm 139:1-617 How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!     How vast is the sum of them!18 I try to count them—they are more than the sand;     I come to the end[c]—I am still with you.19 O that you would kill the wicked, O God,     and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—20 those who speak of you maliciously     and lift themselves up against you for evil![d]21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?     And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22 I hate them with perfect hatred;Psalm 139:17-22But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,    my steps had nearly slipped.3 For I was envious of the arrogant    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.Psalm 73:2-3O God, why do you cast us off forever?     Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?2  Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,     which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!     Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.3  Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;     the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!4  Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;     they set up their own signs for signs.5  They were like those who swing axes     in a forest of trees.[b]6  And all its carved wood     they broke down with hatchets and hammers.7  They set your sanctuary on fire;     they profaned the dwelling place of your name,     bringing it down to the ground.8  They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;     they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.9  We do not see our signs;     there is no longer any prophet,     and there is none among us who knows how long.10  How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?     Is the enemy to revile your name forever?11  Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?     Take it from the fold of your garment[c] and destroy them!Psalm 74:1-11 “This is not the song of an atheist, but the wail of a believer.”G. Campbell Morgan26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.Ephesians 4:26-27The absence of anger . . . can, in my opinion, be a most alarming symptom . . . If the Jews cursed more bitterly than the Pagans this was, I think, at least in part because they took right and wrong more seriously.C.S. Lewis37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”John 18:37-38A man that does not know how to be angry does not know how to be good. Henry Ward BeecherThe Bible doesn't counsel AGAINST your anger, but anticipates your anger and shows us how to GROW in it.Mike WingerThe spectrum of angerThe root of angerThe filter of angerTHE SPECTRUM OF ANGER7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Colossians 3:7-8Anger: “anGRRRR”Wrath: anger displayed outwardly; onto someone or somethingMalice: “congealed anger; anger that has been nursed along” (J. Vernon McGee)And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”Genesis 4:4-7Slander (blaspheme): to talk about another in a way that misrepresents who they are.Abusive language: words that cut others down or grieve the Holy SpiritTHE ROOT OF ANGER IS INJUSTICEThe way we release anger reveals who we think is the just judge.“Sinful anger is our expression of playing God.”David Powlison22 I hate them with perfect hatred;    I count them my enemies.

We are discussing emotional infidelity on the show today. It's a topic no other guest has covered. During my interview with Dr. Grace English, she shared the following statistic from Shannon Ethridge's book, Every Woman's Battle: “More than 90% of women have had emotional thoughts of another man that's not their spouse.” Grace explained that she has struggled with emotional infidelity for many years. Dr. Grace English is a speaker and the director of the Deep in the Heart Conference, which is held in Texas every spring. In Ethridge's book, Grace learned a love-relationship addiction stems from a childhood in which you weren't nurtured. Not having a good relationship with her parents left her with a father-daughter wound and a mother-daughter wound. Sharing her struggles with two close friends led to her realizing that speaking her secret broke its power. In this episode, Grace explains why speaking our struggles is the first step in breaking the stronghold it has over us.Notable quotes from this episode with Grace English:·         “Me sharing it [emotional infidelity] with a friend actually opened that door where the power of the secret is broken when it's spoken.”·         “He [God] can't speak truth into my life if I refuse to acknowledge the truth of what is actually happening to me.”·         “Somebody needs to speak light into the darkness. Shine the light because so many times we want to hide in the dark.”Scripture references:·         Matthew 5:28 reads, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”·         1 Corinthians 10:13 reads, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”Connect with Grace English:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grace.s.englishOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracecenglishAbout Deep in the Heart: https://deepintheheartministries.com

In today's podcast episode, we'll explore the important reminder that God is enough in our lives, and how we can trust in His provision and sufficiency. This is Part 2 of 4.In times of doubt or distraction, remember: He (God) is enough. Trust in His provision, seek His wisdom, and you will overcome any obstacle in your path.  We dig deeper into the parable of the weeds, the story of Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. These biblical narratives not only reassure us of God's omnipotent presence in our live because as we navigate through these stories, we're reminded of the profound truth that seeking the Lord first is not just a choice but a necessity. Remember, in all things, He (God) is enough for all our needs.Where to Purchase “necessary.”Available as a paperback worldwide via Amazon.Also available as an audiobook exclusively on UnlockingGreatness.comJoin My Text. Text "Ready" to: (+1) 847-648-9118Where to Find Me:Mentorship: UnlockingGreatness.comWebsite: https://www.ZenjaGlass.comTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zenjaglassInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ZenjaGlassFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenjaglass.fb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/zenjaglassTwitter: https://twitter.com/zenjaglass Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ZenjaGlassPinsListen to Unlocking Greatness Podcast with Zenja Glass on your favorite streaming platform! Now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music/Audible, and More. Much love,Z. Unlocking Greatness Podcast with Zenja GlassVisit https://www.UnlockingGreatness.com and receive full access to the 12-week “necessary. Retreat” Much love,Z.

Coming to the end of Jonah, we look for a tidy wrap-up and conclusion to a short book that has many twists and turns.  But perhaps the question we want answered most, "What happens to Jonah?" is left unresolved.  We see through this chapter that Jonah still has a deep sense of pride and contempt in regards to the Ninevites.  We see that God provides something for Jonah (a plant), only to take it away.  At this, he is angry and upset with God.  Overall, we see that God has a heart for the lost and pokes at Jonah's "rights" to be upset with how He [God] acts.  Do we have any blindspots within our faith that keeps us from reaching out, just like Jonah?  This episode concludes our series but there is still much we can ponder and pray through as we ask the Lord to help us not run from, but fulfill our call in Christ.  

Living life after the death of a loved one is sometimes too hard to even fathom, epsecially when the loss comes sudden and out of nowhere. In this episode, Austin George shares about the loss of his brother, Tyler George. As you listen to his story, it is our hope that you are given hope and encouragement for this life and the next. May you know that there IS LIFE after death and that THIS life is worth the living because HE (God) lives. LINKSDead Reckoning String BandMcClendon Baptist ChurchBob Ross"Firm Foundation""Thank you for the Valley""Brighter Days are Coming"1 King 19:5-19Click HERE to access my Patreon Account for extra episodes from the guests that I interview. Support the show

In this series, Jerry teaches that we have a Covenant of Increase with God! This covenant dates back to Genesis when He (God) made a covenant with Abraham “…I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” We are Abraham's seed and are heirs to this covenant and promise. God commanded us to increase exceedingly. For us to fail or lack is a violation of our covenant. God wants to bring increase to every area of our lives!

In this series, Jerry teaches that we have a Covenant of Increase with God! This covenant dates back to Genesis when He (God) made a covenant with Abraham “…I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” We are Abraham's seed and are heirs to this covenant and promise. God commanded us to increase exceedingly. For us to fail or lack is a violation of our covenant. God wants to bring increase to every area of our lives!

In this series, Jerry teaches that we have a Covenant of Increase with God! This covenant dates back to Genesis when He (God) made a covenant with Abraham “…I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” We are Abraham's seed and are heirs to this covenant and promise. God commanded us to increase exceedingly. For us to fail or lack is a violation of our covenant. God wants to bring increase to every area of our lives!

In this series, Jerry teaches that we have a Covenant of Increase with God! This covenant dates back to Genesis when He (God) made a covenant with Abraham “…I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” We are Abraham's seed and are heirs to this covenant and promise. God commanded us to increase exceedingly. For us to fail or lack is a violation of our covenant. God wants to bring increase to every area of our lives!

In this series, Jerry teaches that we have a Covenant of Increase with God! This covenant dates back to Genesis when He (God) made a covenant with Abraham “…I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” We are Abraham's seed and are heirs to this covenant and promise. God commanded us to increase exceedingly. For us to fail or lack is a violation of our covenant. God wants to bring increase to every area of our lives!

In this series, Jerry teaches that we have a Covenant of Increase with God! This covenant dates back to Genesis when He (God) made a covenant with Abraham “…I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” We are Abraham's seed and are heirs to this covenant and promise. God commanded us to increase exceedingly. For us to fail or lack is a violation of our covenant. God wants to bring increase to every area of our lives!

In this series, Jerry teaches that we have a Covenant of Increase with God! This covenant dates back to Genesis when He (God) made a covenant with Abraham “…I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” We are Abraham's seed and are heirs to this covenant and promise. God commanded us to increase exceedingly. For us to fail or lack is a violation of our covenant. God wants to bring increase to every area of our lives!

In this series, Jerry teaches that we have a Covenant of Increase with God! This covenant dates back to Genesis when He (God) made a covenant with Abraham “…I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” We are Abraham's seed and are heirs to this covenant and promise. God commanded us to increase exceedingly. For us to fail or lack is a violation of our covenant. God wants to bring increase to every area of our lives!

Isaiah prophesied it, John expressed it, Paul wrote about it, Matthew recorded it.  God has become one of us – Immanuel!   1 Timothy 3:16 16 And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He [God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the [Holy] Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, [and] taken up in glory. Jesus became man and knows what we are going through.  He has compassion; He became what we are so we can become Who He is!  He is our High Priest, representing us in heaven, and He sympathizes with what we go through! Join us today as Pastor Tim reminds us of that we have a Great High Preist that can sympathize with all that concerns us because He came to earth to live as a man, to pay for our sins and now prepares a place for us in Heaven with our Holy Father. Freedom Life Fellowship Euless, TX / Freedom Life Fellowship Live Stream Pastor Tim Hall Church Website - https://freedomlifemc.org/

Do You Believe that “He {God} gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”? MESSAGE SUMMARY:  You have got to believe; but until you get your thinking right, your life will not change – you have got to believe! It is hard for some people, today, to believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus celebrated on Christmas day. Ok, just start where you are in what you believe. Can you believe that you are a sinner? Can you believe that you are not perfect? Can you believe that you have violated God's laws? Despite this life background, can you believe that God loves you just as you now are? Can you believe that God sent His Only Son, Jesus, to save all that believe in Him so that you would not perish but have eternal life? Maybe this is where you start in believing in the miraculous birth of Jesus; you need to start where you are. Jesus' life was defined by His death on the cross and by His resurrection, thereby, living up to the translation of His name, Jesus – “Salvation”. The Apostle John succinctly summarized the purpose of Jesus birth in John3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will trust in the Lord with all my heart. I will trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not on my own understanding.  In all my ways I will seek to know Him, and He will make my pathways straight.   From Proverbs 3:5f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Luke 1:27-38; Luke 2:1-22; John 20:27-29; Psalms 69b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Day Is Coming – Part 1”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

He (God) grants the desires of those who fear him (NLT) Psalm 145 : 19

He (God) lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. (NLT) Psalm 113 : 7

In the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, the most destructive fire in Colorado history, one ministry offered to help families search through the ashes for valuable items. Family members mentioned precious objects they hoped were still preserved. Very little was. One man spoke tenderly of his wedding ring. He’d placed it on his dresser in the upstairs bedroom. The house now gone, its contents had charred or melted into a single layer of debris at the basement level. Searchers looked for the ring in that same corner where the bedroom had been—without success. The prophet Isaiah wrote mournfully of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, which would be leveled. Likewise, there are times we feel the life we’ve built has been reduced to ashes. We feel we have nothing left, emotionally and spiritually. But Isaiah offers hope: “He [God] has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted . . . to comfort all who mourn” (Isaiah 61:1–2). God converts our tragedy into glory: “[He will] bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes” (v. 3). He promises to “rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated” (v. 4). At that Marshall Fire site, one woman searched the ashes on the opposite side. There, still in its case, she unearthed the husband’s wedding ring. Coincidence? Think again. In your despair, God reaches into your ashes and pulls out the one truly precious thing. You.

Have you ever seen a ladybug wearing a sweater? How about a bee wearing a scarf or a spider wearing snow boots? Insects might not have a winter wardrobe, but God designed them to brave the cold in very creative ways! We're exploring:Why did God make seasons?How do insects survive cold months?How can we live and do well in hard times?How can we create a legacy for those who live after us?Resources Mentioned in this Episode:Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation: https://www.amazon.com/Rooted-Wonder-Nurturing-Familys-Creation/dp/0825447615Free Coloring Sheet for This Episode: https://erynlynum.com/nattheo16Join the Nat Theo Club: https://www.patreon.com/NatTheoClubScriptures Used in This Episode:“As long as the earth continues, planting and harvest, cold and hot, summer and winter, day and night will not stop.” Genesis 8:22“He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.” Colossians 1:17“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” Psalm 46:1“This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.” Psalm 91:2“We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts…” Romans 5:3-5“He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain, because all the old ways are gone.” Revelation 1:4Terms Learned in This Episode:Lifespan: The amount of time a certain species normally lives for.Diapause: When an insect goes dormant (stops growing or developing) to survive the cold. Similar to hibernation.Glycerol: A chemical compound some insects produce to keep their cells from freezing (same chemical used in antifreeze).Legacy: What we do in life that blesses and impacts people after our lives.Refuge: A safe place. A shelter.Discover more nature lessons rooted in the Bible at Erynlynum.com