Podcasts about he who

Read Online“Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher' and ‘master,'  and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” John 13:12–15Do you want to be holy? Perhaps this question is not one that everyone will immediately answer with a resounding “Yes.” Sadly, holiness, for some, can seem boring and unattractive. The lure of evil is very enticing on a confused and superficial level. So what is your answer to this question? Do you want to be holy?As we begin today the sacred Triduum, we enter into the holiest days of the Church year.  We walk with our Lord through His final glorification today as He celebrates the Passover with His disciples and enters the Garden of Gethsemane to await His arrest. Tomorrow we walk with Him through the stations of His Cross. On Saturday, we sit in silent adoration of His tomb as we await the Resurrection.In the Gospel quoted above, Jesus gives us a model for holiness by the witness of His actions. He Who is the God of the Universe, the Creator of all, the Eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, humbles Himself and takes on the form of a lowly servant by washing the feet of His disciples. He then offers them the Most Holy Eucharist for the first time, before He goes to meet His persecutors.The model Jesus gives us is a prophetic action by which Jesus tells us that true greatness, that is, true holiness, is found in humility. Holiness is realized in our lives when we turn our eyes from ourselves and love others as their servants. None of us are the Savior of the World, but each of us must become instruments of His saving act for others. As we accept Jesus' gift, we must then turn to others and humble ourselves before them. We must help them to see our love and their dignity. We must serve them with humility and put them first. Doing so will then enable us to invite them to imitate us as we imitate Christ. Thus, our humble imitation of Jesus becomes a means by which Jesus invites others to follow Him.Reflect, today, upon the invitation of Jesus: “...as I have done for you, you should also do.” Jesus gave us everything, so we must give everything to others. We must serve without counting the cost. We must love them, putting their needs before ours. We must become a model of the love of Christ for them. Ponder Jesus' service today and throughout the Triduum and commit yourself to live the invitation given you by our Lord.My humble Lord, may Your name be praised and adored above all things. May You be exalted by Your humility and lowly service. I see in Your humble act, dear Lord, the deep love You have for me and for all. May I imitate that humble love in my own life so that my imitation of You will help to share Your saving love with others. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Palma il Giovane, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

The Bridegroom calls for us to meet him on the "mountain of myrrh", Golgotha. Will we let him draw us in His footsteps? He has already climbed this mountain. There is no suffering, no trial or tribulation we endure alone. He Who has already conquered sin and death is with us; He has gone before us.Encounter the love of Christ the Bridegroom and learn more about God's divine love song, the Song of Songs, at Hopesgarden.comHope's Garden | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

LESSON 100My Part Is Essential To God's Plan For Salvation.Just as God's Son completes his Father, so your part in it completes your Father's plan. Salvation must reverse the mad belief in separate thoughts and separate bodies, which lead separate lives and go their separate ways. One function shared by separate minds unites them in one purpose, for each one of them is equally essential to them all.God's Will for you is perfect happiness. Why should you choose to go against His Will? The part that He has saved for you to take in working out His plan is given you that you might be restored to what He wills. This part is as essential to His plan as to your happiness. Your joy must be complete to let His plan be understood by those to whom He sends you. They will see their function in your shining face, and hear God calling to them in your happy laugh.You are indeed essential to God's plan. Without your joy, His joy is incomplete. Without your smile, the world cannot be saved. While you are sad, the light that God Himself appointed as the means to save the world is dim and lusterless, and no one laughs because all laughter can but echo yours.You are indeed essential to God's plan. Just as your light increases every light that shines in Heaven, so your joy on earth calls to all minds to let their sorrows go, and take their place beside you in God's plan. God's messengers are joyous, and their joy heals sorrow and despair. They are the proof that God wills perfect happiness for all who will accept their Father's gifts as theirs.We will not let ourselves be sad today. For if we do, we fail to take the part that is essential to God's plan, as well as to our vision. Sadness is the sign that you would play another part, instead of what has been assigned to you by God. Thus do you fail to show the world how great the happiness He wills for you. And so you do not recognize that it is yours.Today we will attempt to understand joy is our function here. If you are sad, your part is unfulfilled, and all the world is thus deprived of joy, along with you. God asks you to be happy, so the world can see how much He loves His Son, and wills no sorrow rises to abate his joy; no fear besets him to disturb his peace. You are God's messenger today. You bring His happiness to all you look upon; His peace to everyone who looks on you and sees His message in your happy face.We will prepare ourselves for this today, in our five-minute practice periods, by feeling happiness arise in us according to our Father's Will and ours. Begin the exercises with the thought today's idea contains. Then realize your part is to be happy. Only this is asked of you or anyone who wants to take his place among God's messengers. Think what this means. You have indeed been wrong in your belief that sacrifice is asked. You but receive according to God's plan, and never lose or sacrifice or die.Now let us try to find that joy that proves to us and all the world God's Will for us. It is your function that you find it here, and that you find it now. For this you came. Let this one be the day that you succeed! Look deep within you, undismayed by all the little thoughts and foolish goals you pass as you ascend to meet the Christ in you.He will be there. And you can reach Him now. What could you rather look upon in place of Him Who waits that you may look on Him? What little thought has power to hold you back? What foolish goal can keep you from success when He Who calls to you is God Himself?He will be there. You are essential to His plan. You are His messenger today. And you must find what He would have you give. Do not forget the idea for today between your hourly practice periods. It is your Self Who calls to you today. And it is Him you answer, every time you tell yourself you are essential to God's plan for the salvation of the world.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

LESSON 100My Part Is Essential To God's Plan For Salvation.Just as God's Son completes his Father, so your part in it completes your Father's plan. Salvation must reverse the mad belief in separate thoughts and separate bodies, which lead separate lives and go their separate ways. One function shared by separate minds unites them in one purpose, for each one of them is equally essential to them all.God's Will for you is perfect happiness. Why should you choose to go against His Will? The part that He has saved for you to take in working out His plan is given you that you might be restored to what He wills. This part is as essential to His plan as to your happiness. Your joy must be complete to let His plan be understood by those to whom He sends you. They will see their function in your shining face, and hear God calling to them in your happy laugh.You are indeed essential to God's plan. Without your joy, His joy is incomplete. Without your smile, the world cannot be saved. While you are sad, the light that God Himself appointed as the means to save the world is dim and lusterless, and no one laughs because all laughter can but echo yours.You are indeed essential to God's plan. Just as your light increases every light that shines in Heaven, so your joy on earth calls to all minds to let their sorrows go, and take their place beside you in God's plan. God's messengers are joyous, and their joy heals sorrow and despair. They are the proof that God wills perfect happiness for all who will accept their Father's gifts as theirs.We will not let ourselves be sad today. For if we do, we fail to take the part that is essential to God's plan, as well as to our vision. Sadness is the sign that you would play another part, instead of what has been assigned to you by God. Thus do you fail to show the world how great the happiness He wills for you. And so you do not recognize that it is yours.Today we will attempt to understand joy is our function here. If you are sad, your part is unfulfilled, and all the world is thus deprived of joy, along with you. God asks you to be happy, so the world can see how much He loves His Son, and wills no sorrow rises to abate his joy; no fear besets him to disturb his peace. You are God's messenger today. You bring His happiness to all you look upon; His peace to everyone who looks on you and sees His message in your happy face.We will prepare ourselves for this today, in our five-minute practice periods, by feeling happiness arise in us according to our Father's Will and ours. Begin the exercises with the thought today's idea contains. Then realize your part is to be happy. Only this is asked of you or anyone who wants to take his place among God's messengers. Think what this means. You have indeed been wrong in your belief that sacrifice is asked. You but receive according to God's plan, and never lose or sacrifice or die.Now let us try to find that joy that proves to us and all the world God's Will for us. It is your function that you find it here, and that you find it now. For this you came. Let this one be the day that you succeed! Look deep within you, undismayed by all the little thoughts and foolish goals you pass as you ascend to meet the Christ in you.He will be there. And you can reach Him now. What could you rather look upon in place of Him Who waits that you may look on Him? What little thought has power to hold you back? What foolish goal can keep you from success when He Who calls to you is God Himself?He will be there. You are essential to His plan. You are His messenger today. And you must find what He would have you give. Do not forget the idea for today between your hourly practice periods. It is your Self Who calls to you today. And it is Him you answer, every time you tell yourself you are essential to God's plan for the salvation of the world.- Jesus Christ in ACIM 

LESSON 94I Am As God Created Me.Today we continue with the one idea which brings complete salvation; the one statement which makes all forms of temptation powerless; the one thought which renders the ego silent and entirely undone. You are as God created you. The sounds of this world are still, the sights of this world disappear, and all the thoughts that this world ever held are wiped away forever by this one idea. Here is salvation accomplished. Here is sanity restored.True light is strength, and strength is sinlessness. If you remain as God created you, you must be strong and light must be in you. He Who ensured your sinlessness must be the guarantee of strength and light as well. You are as God created you. Darkness cannot obscure the glory of God's Son. You stand in light, strong in the sinlessness in which you were created, and in which you will remain throughout eternity.Today we will again devote the first five minutes of each waking hour to the attempt to feel the truth in you. Begin these times of searching with these words:I am as God created me.I am His Son eternally.Now try to reach the Son of God in you. This is the Self That never sinned, nor made an image to replace reality. This is the Self That never left Its home in God to walk the world uncertainly. This is the Self That knows no fear, nor could conceive of loss or suffering or death.Nothing is required of you to reach this goal except to lay all idols and self-images aside; go past the list of attributes, both good and bad, you have ascribed to yourself; and wait in silent expectancy for the truth. God has Himself promised that it will be revealed to all who ask for it. You are asking now. You cannot fail because He cannot fail.If you do not meet the requirement of practicing for the first five minutes of every hour, at least remind yourself hourly:I am as God created me.I am His Son eternally.Tell yourself frequently today that you are as God created you. And be sure to respond to anyone who seems to irritate you with these words:You are as God created you.You are His Son eternally.Make every effort to do the hourly exercises today. Each one you do will be a giant stride toward your release, and a milestone in learning the thought system which this course sets forth.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Moreover, the Lord said to Job,2 Shall he who would find fault with the Almighty contend with Him? He who disputes with God, let him answer it.3 Then Job replied to the Lord:4 Behold, I am of small account and vile! What shall I answer You? I lay my hand upon my mouth.5 I have spoken once, but I will not reply again—indeed, twice [have I answered], but I will proceed no further.6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,7 Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you answer Me.8 Will you also annul (set aside and render void) My judgment? Will you condemn Me [your God], that you may [appear] righteous and justified?9 Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?10 [Since you question the manner of the Almighty's rule] deck yourself now with the excellency and dignity [of the Supreme Ruler, and yourself undertake the government of the world if you are so wise], and array yourself with honor and majesty.11 Pour forth the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him;12 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low, and tread down the wicked where they stand [if you are so able, Job].13 [Bury and] hide them all in the dust together; [and] shut them up [in the prison house of death].14 [If you can do all this, Job, proving yourself of divine might] then will I [God] praise you also [and acknowledge that] your own right hand can save you.15 Behold now the behemoth (the hippopotamus), which I created as I did you; he eats grass like an ox.16 See now, his strength is in his loins, and his power is in the sinews of his belly.17 He moves his tail like a cedar tree; the tendons of his thighs are twisted together [like a rope].18 His bones are like tubes of bronze; his limbs [or ribs] are like bars of iron.19 [The hippopotamus] is the first [in magnitude and power] of the works of God [in animal life]; [only] He Who made him provides him with his [swordlike tusks, or only God Who made him can bring near His sword to master him].20 Surely the mountains bring him food, where all the wild animals play.21 He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reeds in the marsh.22 The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook compass him about.23 Behold, if a river is violent and overflows, he does not tremble; he is confident, though the Jordan [River] swells and rushes against his mouth.24 Can any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?FAITHBUCKS.COM

March 30 2025 Sunday Your Words Matter / Week 08 / T. Stacy Hayes #findoutwhoyouare My Vision My vision is to teach the world Who They Are In Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! To Teach them what the Bible says about them and who they have been made to be in the promises of God's Word. This changed my life years ago and completely transformed me from a person full of doubt, fear and unbelief to a strong confident Christian that knows I can do anything through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. And I'm determined to teach the world what God has taught and commissioned me to teach and that is His Word.  That commission takes me to jails and detention centers weekly along with other open doors at many churches and ministries that are wanting to teach these important truths to the world. My podcast goes out 6 days a week to help the people I am ministering to grow in the truths that God has taught me for many years now. This podcast is free to all that want to listen and grow strong in who God has made them to be in Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior. Isaiah 53:5  Healing… Matthew 18:19  Agree with God's Word… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Acts 10:34  God is no respecter of persons ”For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:“ 1 Thessalonians 4:16 KJV ”For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.“ 1 Thessalonians 4:16 NLT  ”For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first.“ 1 Thessalonians 4:16 AMPC ”In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.“ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV ”Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.“ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT ”Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].“ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 AMPC ”And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.“ 1 Timothy 1:14 KJV ”Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.“ 1 Timothy 1:14 NLT ”And the grace (unmerited favor and blessing) of our Lord [actually] flowed out superabundantly and beyond measure for me, accompanied by faith and love that are [to be realized] in Christ Jesus.“ 1 Timothy 1:14 AMPC ”who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,“ 2 Timothy 1:9 KJV ”For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.“ 2 Timothy 1:9 NLT ”[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago].“ 2 Timothy 1:9 AMPC ”Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.“ 2 Timothy 1:13 KJV ”Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.“ 2 Timothy 1:13 NLT ”Hold fast and follow the pattern of wholesome and sound teaching which you have heard from me, in [all] the faith and love which are [for us] in Christ Jesus.“ 2 Timothy 1:13 AMPC Romans 10:9-10  Salvation… Romans 10:17  Faith in God comes from hearing His Word… Matthew 11:28-30  Jesus'Yoke is Easy… John 3:16  God gave Jesus to pay for our Salvation… God Loves The abortion dr As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Philippians 12:2  Work out your own Salvation… Romans 8:1  No condemnation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior…  Luke Chapter 15 The Story Of The Prodigal Son… Philippians 4:19  God will supply all your needs let Him… Romans 4:20  Don't Stagger at What God Is Saying In His Word… John 15:5 We can't do anything aside from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:17  We are new creatures in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:21  We are The Righteousness of God In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Ephesians 2:8  We are Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Believe God's Word Above All Opinions God Loves The abortion dr's As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media… Website https://the-prodigalson.com Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com  YouVersion Bible App https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 …  Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical  Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured

faithbucks.comAmplified Bible, Classic Edition40 Moreover, the Lord said to Job,2 Shall he who would find fault with the Almighty contend with Him? He who disputes with God, let him answer it.3 Then Job replied to the Lord:4 Behold, I am of small account and vile! What shall I answer You? I lay my hand upon my mouth.5 I have spoken once, but I will not reply again—indeed, twice [have I answered], but I will proceed no further.6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,7 Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you answer Me.8 Will you also annul (set aside and render void) My judgment? Will you condemn Me [your God], that you may [appear] righteous and justified?9 Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?10 [Since you question the manner of the Almighty's rule] deck yourself now with the excellency and dignity [of the Supreme Ruler, and yourself undertake the government of the world if you are so wise], and array yourself with honor and majesty.11 Pour forth the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him;12 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low, and tread down the wicked where they stand [if you are so able, Job].13 [Bury and] hide them all in the dust together; [and] shut them up [in the prison house of death].14 [If you can do all this, Job, proving yourself of divine might] then will I [God] praise you also [and acknowledge that] your own right hand can save you.15 Behold now the behemoth (the hippopotamus), which I created as I did you; he eats grass like an ox.16 See now, his strength is in his loins, and his power is in the sinews of his belly.17 He moves his tail like a cedar tree; the tendons of his thighs are twisted together [like a rope].18 His bones are like tubes of bronze; his limbs [or ribs] are like bars of iron.19 [The hippopotamus] is the first [in magnitude and power] of the works of God [in animal life]; [only] He Who made him provides him with his [swordlike tusks, or only God Who made him can bring near His sword to master him].20 Surely the mountains bring him food, where all the wild animals play.21 He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reeds in the marsh.22 The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook compass him about.23 Behold, if a river is violent and overflows, he does not tremble; he is confident, though the Jordan [River] swells and rushes against his mouth.24 Can any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?

Begone Unbelief Don Fortner Be gone my fears, for Christ is near,And for my soul He will appear:His work my Savior will perform,So let me smile at every storm.Though dark my way, Christ is my Guide,(Jehovah-jireh will provide!)Though cisterns break and creatures fail,His promised grace shall yet prevail.His mercy, love and grace I knowWill never, never let me go!The many Ebenezers pastAssure me that free grace will last.Preserved by grace, He watched my path,While I rebelled and courted death,And He will keep me through all strifeWith sins and falls to endless life!He Who taught me to trust His Name,Said "You shall not be put to shame."I'm saved, I'm saved by grace aloneIn Jesus Christ, God's darling Son!

Arrogance of Our age. By Pastor George Lehman “Arrogance is knowledge minus wisdom.” – Celso   Isaiah 40:25-26 - 25To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be equal to him? Says the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes on high and see! Who has created these? He Who brings out their host by number and calls them all by name; though the greatness of His might and because He is strong in power, not one is missing or lacks anything. Isaiah 40:28 - 28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding.   Psalm 89:14 - Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and loving-kindness and truth go before your face.   Hebrews 10:31- It is a fearful (formidable and terrible) thing to incur the divine penalties and be cast into the hands of the living God.    Philippians 2:3 - “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves. (This is a call to a certain behaviour)   Arrogance: (Arrogansie, voorbarig) is over-confidence, overbearing pride, in self – in self's abilities and self's-reliance. We know the truth but still choose to live arrogantly. We need to always recognize God in everything.   A spiritual atmosphere is what James addresses. James 4:13-17 (Amp) - 13 Come now [and pay attention to this], you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and carry on our business and make a profit.” 14 [a]Yet you do not know [the least thing] [b]about what may happen in your life tomorrow. [What is secure in your life?] You are merely a vapor [like a puff of smoke or a wisp of steam from a cooking pot] that is visible for a little while and then vanishes [into thin air]*. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and we will do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast [vainly] in your pretension and arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin. Merely a vapor… [into thin air]* - It is God who gives us breath. Acts 17:25-26 (NIV) - 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. We all know and have seen the effects that a Recession has on an Economy. A recession is a consistent decline in overall economic activity resulting in the loss of jobs, rate hikes – just a downturn in our economy. If we honest we all have times of decline - We all know the meaning of a spiritual recession. James wasn't interested in the economic recession, but in the recessions that plague many hearts. The roots of spiritual recession are the same as the roots of any other kind of recession. According to James the roots are threefold: #1 Spiritual recession in your life can result from foolish presumptions* (Vermetal – astrant) *Presumptuous – Forgetting your limits; disobedience; being disrespectful arrogant. James 4:13 (Amp) – Come now [and pay attention to this], you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make a profit.” James 4:15 (NIV) – Instead you ought to say, “if it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” This person lives as if tomorrow will never come The obsession is with making money and enjoying the pleasures of this world. God is not our first priority; things are! Materialism is his master, motivated by greed. Nothing indicates that this is a bad person – acting unethical or unprofessional. However, his problem is his Attitude not his Actions. His attitude produces his actions. He made all his plans without any consideration of God whatsoever. James called him out: “You boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” He forgot: James 4:15 (NIV) - 15Instead, you ought to say, “if it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” Proverbs 27:1 (NIV) – Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. So, what motivates you? You first do it - then ask God's approval. The warning for us is plane: Don't make presumptions about the future without consulting God. God always knows best. Ephesians 3:20 (Amp) – Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us. #2 Spiritual recessions can also result from “Forgotten perspectives” God ultimately has the final say over my life James 4:14 (NIV) - Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. That's why James reminded us that our lives are like: “A Vapor that appears for a little time and then it vanishes away .” It's easy to brush right over this verse: But imagine you were caught in a fox hole with bombs exploding near to you. Most times life and death are forgotten perspectives (you're so fixated on the details and what is directly in front of you that you can't see the bigger picture). People live as though this life is all there is For too many people act and live as if they have a Ninety nine year lease with an option to renew. James asked – “What is your life?” Many highly educated – Scientists & Philosophers have never been able to satisfactorily answer this question… As Christians we know life doesn't end when our physical bodies die. The bible answers the question. 1 Chronicles 29:15 (NIV) – “Our days on earth are as a shadow.” 2 Samuel 14:14 (NIV) – Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him. A fable is told of a Bagdad merchant who sent his servant to the market to pick up some goods for him. While the servant was making the purchases in the marketplace he found himself face to face with Death! In great fear he returned to his master and told him that Death had given him a menacing look and that he must have a horse so he could escape to Samara, a city some distance away. The master quickly gave his servant a horse, then went to the marketplace to find Death. When he found him he asked, "Why did you give my servant a menacing look?" Death replied, "I wasn't looking at him menacingly, I was merely surprised to see him here in Bagdad; for, you see, I have an appointment with him tonight in Samara." Each of us has our own appointment. Don't allow foolish presumptions or forgotten perspectives to distract you. Amos 4:12 (NIV) - “…..prepare to meet your God,….”   → Thunders down through the centuries “Prepare to meet God” #3 Spiritual Recessions can also occur because of “Forsaken priorities” In James's words “To Him who knows to good and does not do it, to Him it is Sin.” James 4:15-17 (NIV) - 15Instead, you ought to say, “if it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil, 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James is calling us to get our priorities in order and remember the bottom line when we make any plans… “If it be the Lords will.” James was just saying → Matthew 6:33 (Amp) - But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also. To avoid Spiritual Recession, we need to keep our priorities straight. What is God's will? → It's His Word. Forsaken priorities come when we stray from God's way and will in our lives. James 4:17 (NIV) – Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. It's not only the sins of willful outward acts of disobedience But it's also not doing what we know is right and not doing it. May we say what Jesus said (and mean it) Matthew 26:39 (Amp) - And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup [a]pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Read OnlineJesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” Mark 8:27In answer to this question, the disciples informed Jesus that some thought He was “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” But then Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was. It was Peter who responded by saying, “You are the Christ.”As we ponder this exchange between Jesus and the disciples, try to hear our Lord ask you the same question. “But who do you say that I am?” Though you most likely will find this easy to answer on an intellectual level, don't answer it too quickly. Think about it. Deep within your soul, what do you believe about Jesus?Though Peter's answer is the correct answer, it's important to ponder what that actually means. This is especially evident by the fact that as soon as Jesus began to explain His mission as the Christ, Peter could not accept it. Jesus explained to Peter and the other disciples that, as the Christ, he would “suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.” In other words, Jesus wanted the disciples to understand the essence of His mission. His mission was one in which He would become the sacrificial Lamb of God and die for our sins. But this was too much for the disciples to immediately understand, accept and embrace with gratitude.Do you understand, accept and embrace this primary mission of Jesus? Do you understand that because of the sins you have personally committed, you need a Savior? Do you understand that the consequences of your sins are death? Eternal death? And do you further understand that it is only by Jesus' death that all sin and death are destroyed?Sometimes we can fall into the fallacy of thinking that Jesus is only an inspirational figure Who teaches us how we should live. And though that is true, Jesus is so much more. He is the one and only way to Heaven. Without His death and resurrection we cannot attain Heaven. He is the one and only Savior. The Lamb Who was slain for our sins. The one and only source of eternal redemption. The exclusive bridge between Heaven and humanity. And though you might understand this intellectually to a certain extent, your faith in this fact must enter deeply into your soul so that you can believe it and embrace His gift of eternal salvation within the deepest core of your being. This takes a radical understanding, acceptance and embrace if we are to truly receive the gift of Jesus' life. Reflect, today, upon how you would answer this question from our Lord. “Who do YOU say that I am?” If you are to answer this correctly, then it requires that you continually deepen your understanding, acceptance and full embrace of the saving mission of our Lord. Though this is a lifelong process, we must never stop entering more deeply into this divine mystery and gift so that we will become completely transformed by the life, death and resurrection of He Who is the Christ of God. Saving Lord, please open my mind and heart to You more deeply this day and every day of my life. May I continually go deeper in my faith and understanding of You and Your divine mission of salvation. As I do, please transform me more and more so that I will be more fully disposed to receive all that You came to bestow upon me. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Pieter Coecke van Aelst, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sermon Notes: GALATIANS…THE GOSPEL OF GRACE…WHICH GIVES US FREEDOM THROUGH FAITH…TO BRING GLORY TO GOD! QUIT STRADDLING THE IMAGINARY FENCE…THERE IS NO FENCE! Galatians 5:16-26 NLT So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. [17] The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. [18] But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. [19] When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, [20] idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, [21] envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. [22] But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. [25] Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. [26] Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. GET YOUR EYES BACK ON JESUS…AND OFF OF YOU…AND WHAT YOU THINK YOU CAN DO Galatians 3:1-7 AMPC O you poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians! Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto whom-right before your very eyes-Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified? [2] Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying the Law and doing its works, or was it by hearing [the message of the Gospel] and believing [it]? [Was it from observing a law of rituals or from a message of faith?] [3] Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh? [4] Have you suffered so many things and experienced so much all for nothing (to no purpose)-if it really is to no purpose and in vain? [5] Then does He Who supplies you with His marvelous [Holy] Spirit and works powerfully and miraculously among you do so on [the grounds of your doing] what the Law demands, or because of your believing in and adhering to and trusting in and relying on the message that you heard? [6] Thus Abraham believed in and adhered to and trusted in and relied on God, and it was reckoned and placed to his account and credited as righteousness (as conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action). [7] Know and understand that it is [really] the people [who live] by faith who are [the true] sons of Abraham. QUIT STRADDLING THE IMAGINARY FENCE…THERE IS NO FENCE! GET YOUR EYES BACK ON JESUS…AND OFF OF YOU…AND WHAT YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THE GOSPEL OF GRACE…GIVES US FREEDOM THROUGH FAITH…TO BRING GLORY TO GOD!

...He Who by understanding/wisdom/skill made the heavens...

January 19 2025 Sunday Week 38 / Your Place In Him / T. Stacy Hayes #findoutwhoyouare My Vision My vision is to teach the world Who They Are In Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! To Teach them what the Bible says about them and who they have been made to be in the promises of God's Word. This changed my life years ago and completely transformed me from a person full of doubt, fear and unbelief to a strong confident Christian that knows I can do anything through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. And I'm determined to teach the world what God has taught and commissioned me to teach and that is His Word.  That commission takes me to jails and detention centers weekly along with other open doors at many churches and ministries that are wanting to teach these important truths to the world. My podcast goes out 6 days a week to help the people I am ministering to grow in the truths that God has taught me for many years now. This podcast is free to all that want to listen and grow strong in who God has made them to be in Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior. Isaiah 53:5  Healing… Matthew 18:19  Agree with God's Word… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Acts 10:34  God is no respecter of persons “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 KJV “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9 NLT “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].” 1 John 1:9 AMPC “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” 1 John 2:1 KJV “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.” 1 John 2:1 NLT “MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God's law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father–[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father's will in every purpose, thought, and action].” 1 John 2:1 AMPC “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2 KJV “Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.” 1 John 3:2 NLT “Beloved, we are [even here and] now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [as God's children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is.” 1 John 3:2 AMPC “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” 1 John 3:14 KJV “If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.” 1 John 3:14 NLT “We know that we have passed over out of death into Life by the fact that we love the brethren (our fellow Christians). He who does not love abides (remains, is held and kept continually) in [spiritual] death.” 1 John 3:14 AMPC “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 KJV “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” 1 John 4:4 NLT “Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 AMPC Romans 10:9-10  Salvation… Romans 10:17  Faith in God comes from hearing His Word… Matthew 11:28-30  Jesus'Yoke is Easy… John 3:16  God gave Jesus to pay for our Salvation… God Loves The abortion dr As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Philippians 12:2  Work out your own Salvation… Romans 8:1  No condemnation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior…  Luke Chapter 15 The Story Of The Prodigal Son… Philippians 4:19  God will supply all your needs let Him… Romans 4:20  Don't Stagger at What God Is Saying In His Word… John 15:5 We can't do anything aside from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:17  We are new creatures in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:21  We are The Righteousness of God In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Ephesians 2:8  We are Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Believe God's Word Above All Opinions God Loves The abortion dr's As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media… Website https://the-prodigalson.com Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com  YouVersion Bible App https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 …  Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical  Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured

January 13, 2025 Today's Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:13-28; Romans 4:1-25“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1)In the Name of Jesus. Amen. With Scripture, context is important. This glorious passage in Isaiah is on the heels of God's rebuke of His people for their failure to hear and see. Isaiah, like all the prophets, labors to bring Israel to repentance. He would preach a stern law in hopes people would see their sin, repent, and live. Read Isaiah, and you'll find there's no mistaking God's threats and punishments for Israel's deaf ear. Still, God's mercy, love, and promises never disappear, as Isaiah reminds God's wayward children of the LORD Who has created and redeemed them. The words “fear not” are Words of peace from the God reminding Israel, “I am the LORD our God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior.” Don't be afraid; you're in the hands of God as His child, His redeemed child brought from death to life, living by faith in He Who promises to take you through the fire. Verse 2 is clear: the fires will come. It's not “if” but “when.” For Israel, exile is imminent for the impenitent nation, though God promises to be “their Savior.” He never abandons His promises in times of suffering and grief.In a fallen creation, suffering and grief are never distant. Many and various temptations besiege God's people. A popular one now is despairing over an undesirable body. This powerful temptation assails many people who look at themselves and long to be something different when it's God who forms and creates. The physical body, however “imperfect” it seems, is God's Gift and work. Sin wrecks all flesh, to be sure, as everyone ages and decays. However, we should thank God for the bodies we have while hearing His promise: “I have redeemed you.” You have been redeemed, purchased, and paid for in full by the blood of God's own Son. He calls you by Name, a Name put upon you in Holy Baptism at those words “in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” You live under the God Who reigns in the heavens and has the hairs on your head numbered. At the resurrection of the body when the Lord Jesus returns, there will be no discontent over who we are. God says it now: “You are mine.” You belong to God in Christ, Who died to obtain you for Himself. He will bring you through fire, and the rivers won't overwhelm you. Since Jesus lives, so does His Church. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.“God's own child, I gladly say it: I am baptized into Christ! He, because I could not pay it, Gave my full redemption price. Do I need earth's treasures many? I have one worth more than any That brought me salvation free Lasting to eternity!” (LSB 594:1)-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

December 22 2024 Sunday Week 34 / Your Place In Him / T. Stacy Hayes #findoutwhoyouare My Vision My vision is to teach the world Who They Are In Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! To Teach them what the Bible says about them and who they have been made to be in the promises of God's Word. This changed my life years ago and completely transformed me from a person full of doubt, fear and unbelief to a strong confident Christian that knows I can do anything through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. And I'm determined to teach the world what God has taught and commissioned me to teach and that is His Word.  That commission takes me to jails and detention centers weekly along with other open doors at many churches and ministries that are wanting to teach these important truths to the world. My podcast goes out 6 days a week to help the people I am ministering to grow in the truths that God has taught me for many years now. This podcast is free to all that want to listen and grow strong in who God has made them to be in Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior. Isaiah 53:5  Healing… Matthew 18:19  Agree with God's Word… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Acts 10:34  God is no respecter of persons… “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” Colossians 1:13 KJV “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,” Colossians 1:13 NLT “[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,” Colossians 1:13 AMPC “even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” Colossians 1:26-27 KJV “This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God's people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.” Colossians 1:26-27 NLT “The mystery of which was hidden for ages and generations [from angels and men], but is now revealed to His holy people (the saints), To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of [realizing the] glory.” Colossians 1:26-27 AMPC “who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14 KJV “He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” Titus 2:14 NLT “Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us (purchase our freedom) from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people [to be peculiarly His own, people who are] eager and enthusiastic about [living a life that is good and filled with] beneficial deeds. [Deut. 14:2; Ps. 130:8; Ezek. 37:23.]” Titus 2:14 AMPC “that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7 KJV “Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Titus 3:7 NLT “[And He did it in order] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [that we might be acknowledged and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action], and that we might become heirs of eternal life according to [our] hope.” Titus 3:7 AMPC “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,” Hebrews 2:9-11 KJV “What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God's grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.” Hebrews 2:9-11 NLT “But we are able to see Jesus, Who was ranked lower than the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because of His having suffered death, in order that by the grace (unmerited favor) of God [to us sinners] He might experience death for every individual person. For it was an act worthy [of God] and fitting [to the divine nature] that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect [should bring to maturity the human experience necessary to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest] through suffering. For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren;” Hebrews 2:9-11 AMPC Romans 10:9-10  Salvation… Romans 10:17  Faith in God comes from hearing His Word… Matthew 11:28-30  Jesus'Yoke is Easy… John 3:16  God gave Jesus to pay for our Salvation… God Loves The abortion dr As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Philippians 12:2  Work out your own Salvation… Romans 8:1  No condemnation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior…  Luke Chapter 15 The Story Of The Prodigal Son… Philippians 4:19  God will supply all your needs let Him… Romans 4:20  Don't Stagger at What God Is Saying In His Word… John 15:5 We can't do anything aside from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:17  We are new creatures in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:21  We are The Righteousness of God In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Ephesians 2:8  We are Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Believe God's Word Above All Opinions God Loves The abortion dr's As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media… Website https://the-prodigalson.com Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com  YouVersion Bible App https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 …  Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical  Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured

Send us a messageAs the Prophetic Word of God continues to unfold before us, we have just witnessed an unprecedented presidential election take place, that has some people feeling exhilarated, and others on the brink of despair. And yet – in the final analysis – it is the Lord God Almighty Who is in complete control. And He alone is the One, Who knowing the end from the beginning – has written the final chapter and recorded it in eternity's annals. And in that perfect and settled in heaven foreknowledge, Daniel 2:21 decrees that “It is He Who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and established kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, and knowledge to men of understanding.”Scripture also confirms that the Lord allows good kings and bad kings to rule in order to accomplish His perfect purposes.That Scriptural certainty holds within it a strong word of caution to those who name themselves “Christian” to be certain we are keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus – and not man – and that we are looking to His Prophetic Word of Truth to guide us as we test all things with diligence and in readiness for His Soon Return!Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

LESSON 324I Merely Follow, For I Would Not Lead.Father, You are the One Who gave the plan for my salvation to me. You have set the way I am to go, the role to take, and every step in my appointed path. I cannot lose the way. I can but choose to wander off a while, and then return. Your loving Voice will always call me back, and guide my feet aright. My brothers all can follow in the way I lead them. Yet I merely follow in the way to You, as You direct me and would have me go.So let us follow One Who knows the way. We need not tarry, and we cannot stray except an instant from His loving hand. We walk together, for we follow Him. And it is He Who makes the ending sure, and guarantees a safe returning home.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - LK 13:31-35 - Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill You.” He replied, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose. Yet I must continue on My way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.' “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be abandoned. But I tell you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say, Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord.” Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3) Homosexual relations and the decisive battle for marriage and family https://www.tfp.org/homosexual-relations-and-the-decisive-battle-for-marriage-and-family/?PKG=TFPE3466 4) The Vatican's mascot designer for the 2025 Jubilee Year previously designed devil-decorated "sex toys" https://gloria.tv/post/47ANqtC7EQjpCEeAdPZXxSDVt

Today I started over a cycle of reading the Bible in a year.  https://hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/read-bible-in-a-year-2024-2025.pdf Wikipedia on Rosh Hashanah https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_Hashanah In the first reading of the yearly Bible reading in Genesis it's shows how God seems to have built this concept of cycles into the fabric of His creation. Day Week Month Year - disputes around the proper calendar - 12 months Shmita - 7 years - let land rest Jubilee - 50 years From Revival Ministries International Publish date: 03/30/2003  The Lord began dealing with me recently about the Year of Jubilee. I believe that this is our Year of Jubilee! In Nazareth, at His local Synagogue, Jesus was handed the book of Isaiah and He read from chapter 61:  The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed one, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], 19 To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound.] Luke 4:18-19 AMP  Jesus preached that the acceptable year of the Lord was here—the Year of Jubilee, which took place every 50th year—the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound (Leviticus 25). What Jesus was really saying was, "I am your Year of Jubilee!"   THE LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, 2 Say to the Israelites, When you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath to the Lord. 3 For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits. 4 But in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. 5 What grows of itself in your harvest you shall not reap and the grapes on your uncultivated vine you shall not gather, for it is a year of rest to the land. 6 And the sabbath rest of the [untilled] land shall [in its increase] furnish food for you, for your male and female slaves, your hired servant, and the temporary resident who lives with you, 7 For your domestic animals also and for the [wild] beasts in your land; all its yield shall be for food.8 And you shall number seven sabbaths or weeks of years for you, seven times seven years, so the total time of the seven weeks of years shall be forty-nine years. 9 Then you shall sound abroad the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month [almost October]; on the Day of Atonement blow the trumpet in all your land. 10 And you shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his ancestral possession [which through poverty he was compelled to sell], and each of you shall return to his family [from whom he was separated in bond service]. 11 That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall not sow, or reap and store what grows of itself, or gather the grapes of the uncultivated vines. 12 For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you; you shall eat the [sufficient] increase of it out of the field. 13 In this Year of Jubilee each of you shall return to his ancestral property. 14 And if you sell anything to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. Leviticus 25:1-14 AMP Under the Old Covenant every seventh year was a time to let the ground rest so that it could recover and come back stronger, producing a stronger, healthier, more abundant harvest. But the fiftieth year—Jubilee—was an extra special year. It was a Holy year. In the last year, before the year of rest, God caused the ground to produce three times as much fruit so that His people could eat and be satisfied whilst the ground rested and whilst they rested in His goodness.   Jubilee is a year of faith—where you rest from your own labors and your own efforts—allowing God's goodness to lead you and feed you. God wants us to remember that it is He Who watches over us, feeding us, guiding us, and providing for us. If we forget this, we will wear ourselves out with our own efforts, but if we remember that He is the source of our life and every good thing in our life, then we can relax in Him and focus on worshipping Him and yielding to Him.  Jubilee is a time to let slaves go free, to redeem what has been lost and to reach out and help both family and neighbors and those who cannot help themselves. In the year of Jubilee, even though you do not plow or prune or sow, you are still able to eat of the fruit that the ground produces.  You cannot reap from a field that you have never sown, but when you have faithfully sown and sown and sown and then God calls a Jubilee year for you, then you know that it is a year of rest for you, a year of extra blessings, a year of eating from the abundance of the provision that your Father has provided for you as you rest in Him.  When Jesus said, "Today is this scripture fulfilled in your ears," the people of Nazareth were very angry with Him and did not receive Him, but I declare to you today that Jesus is YOUR Jubilee—if you receive Him you will go free! Jesus has come to restore your joy, your family, your property and your inheritance. Every promise that God has made you in His Word is yours.   So receive Him as your Jubilee—rest in Him and enjoy His blessings.  https://www.revival.com/a/287-jesus-our-jubilee#:~:text=Jesus%20preached%20that%20the%20acceptable,profusely%20abound%20(Leviticus%2025). Continuing on with cycles: Beyond Jubilee? 1 day is as a thousand years. Plan for His creation built into the first week of Creation Why the Jubilee? Freedom, pointing to Yeshua Messiah 2030 https://youtu.be/4AG_nJNcTjM?si=4ONS-wbC3oOqQM3A Uses many prophesies and the concept of the Jubilee Entering into year 5785 What is purpose of cycles? Virtuous vs vicious cycles Do not just a mindless pattern but an opportunity to repeat and through our choices either improve or get worse, evolve or devolve, become more like God or less like God, more holy or more wicked, more wise or more foolish How does our culture generally and Christianity specifically treat cycles Main difference is degree to which they are specifically tied to God and His ways as defined by God Himself With time, our week begins on Monday and ends on Friday defined by our work, followed by a 2-day weekend, defined by our priorities (fun or home projects), if you're church goer that weekend also includes church on Sunday.  What do we ask Monday morning and how do we answer? Our months vary in length of days, are named after Greek Gods. The year is mostly defined by a mix of civil and religious holidays, none if which were prescribed in the Bible and none of which significantly improve our understanding of God, His ways, and His grand plan for all time including His future plans, second coming of Christ and how we will spend eternity.  Some other ways, depending on our interests, our cycles are defined are by sports or politics. There is no concept or even awareness of a Shmita or Jubilee year and there is no recognition of the moedim or appointed times throughout the year, namely the Lords Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles. One exception is the Christian church celebrates Pentecost or Shavuot but because there is no attempt to understand how it was originally practiced much of its richness and meaning is lost. Why is this important?  Virtuous cycle. By our definition? Improving financially? More educated (know more of what we think is important to know)?  More loving? Love is the common agreed upon worthy goal, but how should love be defined, by us? By the creation or the Creator? One of Gods desires for us, as stated by Yeshua, is for us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth. The New Covenant as described in prophesies like Jeremiah as well as by Yeshua and writers of the New Testament is for the law to be written on our hearts.  My limited understanding of this is that God wants us to love Him and others, and to do it in the way He wants us to do it.  I've only been participating in and practicing the Lord's Feasts and observing His Sabbath on day 7 for a handful of years.  I'm certainly no expert. But with my limited exposure and understanding I can see how following His law and His cycles of life, to the extent that I'm doing so, puts me into a virtuous cycle. Each day, week, month, year I'm learning more about the Fathers ways and how wonderful, and simultaneously complex and simple they are. I also am learning more about His great plan for all time including what to expect in the future.  This is incredibly important at a time when the future of our nation and the world, as well as the future of our own personal lives, can seem on the surface to be so uncertain. We may at times feel like we've made no “progress” in our lives, especially if we're going a difficult season.  With the proper perspective, though, we can see how God works what appear to us to be tragedies and “bad” events for our good, helping shape us to be more like Him, understand His character better, and be more dependent on Him. Praise: Malachi 3:6 "I am the LORD, I change not" James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Thank You Abba that You do not change.  We're not trying to figure out how You changed, but rather than how WE need to change to be more like You, and more like the person You made us to become. Help us to understand how Your cycles which You built into the fabric of Creation are important, and why You asked us to follow them as You have commanded.  And when we don't understand the why, Father help us to obey even without the full understanding and trust You that Your ways are best, best for us individually as well as best for all of mankind.     Psalm 110:4: "The LORD has s

What is the Real World?The real world is a symbol, like the rest of what perception offers. Yet it stands for what is opposite to what you made. Your world is seen through eyes of fear, and brings the witnesses of terror to your mind. The real world cannot be perceived except through eyes forgiveness blesses, so they see a world where terror is impossible, and witnesses to fear can not be found.The real world holds a counterpart for each unhappy thought reflected in your world; a sure correction for the sights of fear and sounds of battle which your world contains. The real world shows a world seen differently, through quiet eyes and with a mind at peace. Nothing but rest is there. There are no cries of pain and sorrow heard, for nothing there remains outside forgiveness. And the sights are gentle. Only happy sights and sounds can reach the mind that has forgiven itself.What need has such a mind for thoughts of death, attack and murder? What can it perceive surrounding it but safety, love and joy? What is there it would choose to be condemned, and what is there that it would judge against? The world it sees arises from a mind at peace within itself. No danger lurks in anything it sees, for it is kind, and only kindness does it look upon.The real world is the symbol that the dream of sin and guilt is over, and God's Son no longer sleeps. His waking eyes perceive the sure reflection of his Father's Love; the certain promise that he is redeemed. The real world signifies the end of time, for its perception makes time purposeless.The Holy Spirit has no need of time when it has served His purpose. Now He waits but that one instant more for God to take His final step, and time has disappeared, taking perception with it as it goes, and leaving but the truth to be itself. That instant is our goal, for it contains the memory of God. And as we look upon a world forgiven, it is He Who calls to us and comes to take us home, reminding us of our Identity Which our forgiveness has restored to us.LESSON 291This Is A Day Of Stillness And Of Peace.Christ's vision looks through me today. His sight shows me all things forgiven and at peace, and offers this same vision to the world. And I accept this vision in its name, both for myself and for the world as well. What loveliness we look upon today! What holiness we see surrounding us! And it is given us to recognize it is a holiness in which we share; it is the Holiness of God Himself.This day my mind is quiet, to receive the Thoughts You offer me. And I accept what comes from You, instead of from myself. I do not know the way to You. But You are wholly certain. Father, guide Your Son along the quiet path that leads to You. Let my forgiveness be complete, and let the memory of You return to me.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Revelation, Session Three Christ the Savior, Anderson SC Fr. Anthony Perkins We also went over: https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/orthodoxy/articles/tremors_of_doub Sources: The translation of the Apocalypse is from the Orthodox Study Bible. Lawrence R. Farley, The Apocalypse of St. John: A Revelation of Love and Power, The Orthodox Bible Study Companion (Chesterton, IN: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2011), Bishop Averky, The Epistles and the Apocalypse (Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, Volume III. (Holy Trinity Seminary Press, 2018). Andrew of Caesarea, Commentary on the Apocalypse, ed. David G. Hunter, trans. Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou, vol. 123, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2011). Jack Norman Sparks, The Orthodox Study Bible: Notes (Thomas Nelson, 2008), 1712. Venerable Bede, The Explanation of the Apocalypse, trans. Edward Marshall (Oxford: James Parker and Co., 1878). William C. Weinrich, ed., Revelation, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005). Correction from Last Week Revelation was removed from active use because it was being used to support the Marcionists, not the Gnostics [or Montanism as I said in the class!].  Lord have mercy, my brain is too small! Review of Last Week 1:1-3. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.  Who bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.   New Stuff 1:4 - 6.  (4) John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, (5) and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.  To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (6) and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever.  Amen. (OSB) Orthodox Study Bible Notes 1:4 Church tradition maintains St. John dwelt and was bishop in Ephesus, in an area where the seven churches were located along a major roadway. The number seven signifies fullness, suggesting the entire Church is also in view. The doxology is Trinitarian, involving the Father (vv. 4, 6), the Spirit (v. 4), and the Son (vv. 5, 6). This initial greeting (lit., “the Existing, the Was, and the Coming”) may express the Father, the one who is (Ex 3:14); the Son, who was (Jn 1:1); and the Holy Spirit, who is to come (Acts 2) at Pentecost and shall always be present. Or it may denote the character of the Holy One, who is eternally present and exercises lordship throughout history (see Heb 13:8 – Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow). God reveals the meaning of the present in light of the past and the age to come. This title may be a paraphrase of the Tetragrammaton, YHWH (“I Am”), of Ex 3:14. Seven is the number of fullness or completion. The seven Spirits of God most likely refers to the Holy Spirit and His several gifts, as this phrase is included in the blessing with the Father and the Son. Alternately the term could refer to the seven archangels who, according to Jewish tradition, stand before the throne of God (Tb 12:15; see also 1En 20:1–8; 90:21, 22; TLev 8:2; “I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.”). 1:5 Jesus Christ is presented as the Risen Savior, Lord of all (see Zec 12:10), giving hope to the early Christians that the Church will not always be dominated by a cruel state. Instead of washed, many Greek texts read “freed.” The term witness (Gr. martys), used only here and in 3:14 in the entire NT, refers to Christ, the authentic witness of all divine revelation; all that God has revealed is summed up in His life, witness, Passion, Resurrection, and exaltation. He has inaugurated the new age, for He is firstborn from the dead in His humanity and has achieved a universal sovereignty by His death, Resurrection, and revelation of His Kingdom for the world's salvation. 1:6 Those joined to the body of Christ in baptism comprise the messianic royal priesthood promised of old (see Ex 19:5, 6; Is 61:6; 1Pt 2:9; and the Anaphora of the Liturgy of St. Basil). This priestly ministry is to offer the world back to God in a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving—eucharistically—as in the Orthodox Church's Divine Liturgy. The universe itself thus becomes hallowed, transfigured, and sacramental. Amen is Semitic. It signifies ratification: an acknowledgment of something trustworthy. From Fr. Lawrence Farley John sends this message to the seven churches in Asia who were under his pastoral care. By choosing but seven of these churches, John widens the intended audience, for seven is also the number symbolic of perfection. Thus the Revelation is intended not only to the seven churches of Asia, but also for the perfect totality of all God's churches. In calling God Him who is and was and who is coming, John describes God the Father as the One who is sovereign over time and history and therefore over all the historical events that touch us. God sits enthroned as Lord of the present, the past, and the future, and therefore there is nothing in the past, present, or future that can ever hurt us. God is the Lord of time and of all our days. The message not only comes from the hand of God, it also comes from the entire heavenly court. All in heaven offer the Church on earth this word of encouragement and triumph. The seven spirits before His throne are the seven archangels (see 5:6, “the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth,” and 8:2, the “seven angels who stand before God”). (In chapter 20 of the Book of Enoch, these angels are listed as Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Saraqael, Gabriel, and Remiel.) Once again, the number seven is symbolic, an image for all the archangels who stand closest to God's throne and hear His counsel. In saying that this message comes from the seven spirits before His throne, John means that this message comes directly from the Throne itself, with secrets not given to the world at large. Later liturgical usage, in which reference to the Father and the Son was always followed by reference to the Holy Spirit, has misled some interpreters into seeing this reference to the seven spirits as a reference to the Holy Spirit. But when the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Book of Revelation, He is referred to simply as “the Spirit” (e.g. 2:7; 14:13; 22:17), always in the singular and never as “seven spirits” or as a “sevenfold” Spirit. These seven spirits stand before God's throne; that is, they are portrayed as waiting upon God as a part of His heavenly court. It is inconceivable that the Divine Spirit, co-eternal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son, could be portrayed as such a servant. Indeed, the other references to the Spirit in the Apocalypse carry the suggestion of His sovereignty and authority. The message also comes from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness (Gr. martus; compare our English “martyr”). Christ bore faithful witness before Pilate to the Truth, even at the cost of His Life (1 Tim. 6:13); John stresses this so that we may imitate His faithfulness. The Lord does not call us to walk in any place where He has not gone before. Jesus is further described as the firstborn of the dead. In using this Jewish concept of the firstborn (in which the firstborn son is the main heir), John shows that Jesus Christ is the heir of the whole age to come; the entire coming Kingdom belongs to Him. His faithfulness unto death resulted in His victory and His inheriting all the world. Our faithfulness unto death will result in our sharing that victory. Death has no terrors for Jesus Christ, and so it need have none for us. Thus Christ is also the ruler of the kings of the earth. Caesar may think he has no superior or master, but Jesus, the humble carpenter crucified under the governor Pontius Pilate, is the true Master of the Roman Empire and indeed of the whole cosmos. The Christians of St. John's day, haunted by a sense of their own powerlessness and humility, were thus made to see their true dignity and power. The Church is described as those whom the Lord loves and therefore continues to protect and care for (the present tense is used to denote Christ's ongoing care), and as those who were loosed from their sins by His Blood. This is an important theme in the Apocalypse. The Cross of Christ was seen by secular Rome as His defeat and proof of how pathetic and deluded the Christians were—that they would worship a crucified man. But for John, the Cross is proof of the power of God that defeats all other powers. The Lord Himself said of the Cross, “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). For St. John, our faith in Christ and His Cross also “overcomes the world” (1 John 5:5). Thus the Apocalypse speaks not only of us “making our robes white” in His Blood (7:14) but also of us overcoming Satan “by the Blood of the Lamb” (12:11). The Christians are not to be ashamed of Christ's Cross, for through His Blood they overcome death, Satan, and the whole world. In describing the Christians as a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, John asserts the privileges of the Christians in the face of the pride of Rome. The Roman powers may think the Christians are but poor, uneducated, and powerless, to be utterly disdained. John knows them to be God's own Kingdom, one destined to outlast all the kingdoms of the earth, and to be priests to God Himself, with access to His awe-inspiring Presence. Priests had status and honor in the Roman secular world, and St. John says this is the true status of the Christians before God. Bishop Averky 1:4.  The number seven is usually taken as an expression of fullness.  St John addresses here only the seven churches with which he, as one who lived in Ephesus, was in especially close and frequent contact.  But in these seven he addresses, at the same time, the Christian Church as a whole. Grace to you and peace from the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity.  The phrase ‘which is' signifies the Father, Who said to Moses: I am He that Is (Exod 3:14).  The expression ‘which was' signifies the Word, Who was in the beginning with God (John 1:2).  The phrase ‘which is to come' indicates the Comforter, Who always descends upon the Church's children in holy baptism and in all fullness is to descend in the future age (Acts 2). (St. Andrew of Caeserea, Commentary on the Apocalypse, chapter 1). By these “seven Spirits,” it is most natural to understand the seven chief angels who are spoken of in Tobit 12:15.  St Andrew of Caesarea, however, understands them to be the angels who govern the seven churches.  Other commentaries, on the other hand, understand by by this expression the Holy Spirit Himself, Who manifests Himself in seven chief gifts: the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of knowledge, the spirit of might, the spirit of light, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of the Lord or the spirit of piety, and inspiration in the highest degree (compare Isa 11: 1-3; “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear;.”) 1:5. The Lord Jesus Christ is called here “the faithful witness” in the sense that He has witnessed His Divinity and the truth of His teaching before men by His death on the Cross. “As Life and Resurrection, He is the first-born from the dead (Col 1:18, I Cor 15:20), and those over whom He rules will not see death, as did those who died and rose before, but will live eternally.  He is ‘prince of kings,' and Lord of lords (1 Tim 6:15), equal in might to the Father and one in Essence with Him” (St Andrew, chapter 1). 1:5-6.  “Kings and priest” are to be understood here not in the strict meaning, of course, but in the sense in which God has promised this to His chosen people through the prophets (Exod 19:6); that is, He has made us, true believers, to be the best, the holiest people, which is the same thing that a priest and king are with relation to the rest of mankind. Venerable Bede. 4. seven. By these seven churches he writes to every church, for universality is wont to be denoted by the number seven, in that all the time of this age is evolved from seven days. Grace. Grace he desires for us, and peace from God, the eternal Father, and from the sevenfold Spirit, and from Jesus Christ, Who gave testimony to the Father in His Incarnation. He names the Son in the third place, as he was to speak further of Him. He names Him also the last in order, as He is the first and the last; for He had already named Him in the Father by saying, “Who was to come.” 5. the first-begotten. This is the same that the Apostle says, “We have seen Jesus Christ for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour.” And in another place, in setting forth the reproach of the cross, he added, “Wherefore also God highly exalted Him, and gave Him the Name which is above every name.” 6. priests. Because the King of kings and heavenly Priest united us unto His own body by offering Himself for us, there is not one of the saints who has not spiritually the office of priesthood, in that he is a member of the eternal Priest 7. cometh. He Who was concealed, when at the first He came to be judged, will be manifested at the time when He shall come to judge. He mentions this, that the Church which is now oppressed by enemies, but is then to reign with Christ, may be strengthened for the endurance of sufferings. pierced. When they see Him as a Judge with power, in the same form in which they pierced Him as the least of all, they will mourn for themselves with a repentance that is too late. Amen. By interposing an Amen, he confirms that without doubt that will happen, which, by the revelation of God, he knows most surely is to come to pass. Gregory of Caesarea. 1:4. John, to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from the One who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne. Due to the existence of many churches in many places, he sent to only seven, mystically meaning by this number the churches everywhere, also corresponding to the present-day life, in which the seventh period of days is taking place. For this reason also he mentions seven angels and seven churches, to whom he says, Grace to you and peace from the Tri-hypostatic Divinity. For by the who is the Father is signified, who said to Moses, “I am He who is,” and by the who was the Logos, “who was in the beginning with God,” and by the who is to come the Paraclete, who always enlightens the children of the Church through holy Baptism, more completely and more strongly in the future. It is possible to understand the seven spirits as the seven angels who were appointed to govern the churches, not counting them equal to the most divine and royal Trinity, but mentioned along with it as servants, just as the divine Apostle said, “I call upon you in the presence of God and the chosen angels.” By the same token, this may be understood differently: the One who is, and who was, and who is to come, meaning the Father, who contains in himself the beginning, middle, and end of all that exists, and the seven spirits the activities of the Life-giving Spirit, following Christ God, who became man for our sake. For in many places each divine Person is indifferently placed and arranged by the Apostle. For this he says here: 1:5a. And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. He is the one who witnessed to Pontius Pilate, faithful to his words in all things, the firstborn of the dead as life and resurrection, for those whom he governs will no more see death, like those who were dead before and rose, but will live eternally. Ruler of the kings, as “King of kings and Lord of lords,” equal in power with the Father and consubstantial. Elsewhere, ruler of the kings of the earth is also said earthly desires. If, according to the Blessed [15] Gregory, this usage of he who is, who was, and who is to come, the ruler of all refers to Christ, then it is not unreasonable that words similar to those which will be said shortly after refer to him, to which also the ruler of all is attached and without the repetition or introduction of another person. For here the addition of and from Jesus Christ appears to confirm the understanding we have presented. For it would be unnecessary if he were talking about the only Logos of God and the person of the Son to add immediately and from Jesus Christ in order to show him as distinct from the other one, the expressions that befit God equally honor and are appropriate to each of the divine Persons, and are common to the three, except for their distinctive properties, that is to say, the relationships , as said by Gregory the Theologian, and except for the Incarnation of the Logos. also clear from the things from which we learn, that in the Gospel the thrice-holy hymn of the Seraphim16 is said about the Son, in the speech of Paul in the Acts about the Holy Spirit, and then about the Father, in the offering of the awesome mysteries, to whom we are accustomed to say this prayer,19 as the blessed Epiphanios says in his homily On the Holy Spirit. these things to show that our own understanding does not contradict the patristic voices, and also, with God's help, we continue. 1:5b–6. To the One who loved us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us kings and priests to God and his Father. Glory and dominion to him to the ages of ages. Amen. The glory belongs to him, it says, who freed us through love from the bondage of death, and washed the stains of sin through the outpouring of his life-giving blood and water. And he has made us “a royal priesthood” so that we may offer, instead of irrational sacrifices, “rational worship”22 as a living sacrifice to the Father.    

We Learnfrom the Fruit of the Earth to Reinvent Ourselves in the Month of Elul so thatWe Will Be New Creatures at Rosh HaShanah Based onShvilei Pinchas – Rav Pinchas Friedman I canstart with the story Can aperson be reborn? Lastnight Chantelle took me along to an Emunah Dinner. I say Chantelle took mebecause if she didn't make me come out, I wouldn't. She lights the fire. Herfriends Liz Gindea and Fran Hirmes have been very involved with and generouslysupportive of the organization for years. Emunah funds a number of children'shomes in Israel, along with schools, an arts college, daycare services andthese days many mental health programs. My son in law, Daniel's brother Michaelthrough his organization Kol HaNearim also works with these children'shomes. Chantelleand all of my kids have volunteered and worked in some of these homes over theyears especially with Yehuda Kohen of Bet Elazraki. At thedinner, a young lady spoke and shared her very moving story. She grewup in the north of Israel in no mans land. Her mother did nothing and herfather raised goats. She was one of ten siblings. They had no rules, nodiscipline, no money, sometimes no food and ran amok. The kids sometimes foughtand often got in trouble. When shewas ten, social services showed up. After investigating, they took some of heryounger siblings to be raised outside the house. She convinced them that sheshould stay. But her situation went from bad to worse and a few months laterthey came back and took her as well. She wasplaced into one of Emunah's homes and was angry with her situation and everyonearound her. She was angry that she had been taken from home. She was angry thather parents had not provided a real home. She was angry to be told when to wakeup and when to go to sleep. She was angry to be sent to school. She was angryto be pressed to do homework. She was angry that she was subject to structureand in her mind lost her freedom. She was depressed and alone in the world. Ateleven years old, she had reached rock bottom. Butwithin a few weeks, things started to change. The people at the Emunah homemade her feel loved and wanted. She made friends in the home and at school. Thesocial workers and teachers encouraged her and in a short time she began tosoar as a phoenix rising from the ashes. She wasencouraged to pursue drama studies and loved it. In 2013 she joined the armyand became a combat paramedic assisting injured soldiers and people in thefield, sometimes under fire. When she completed her army duty, she continuedher studies focusing on drama. She eventually went to work for channel 12 newsin Israel. She currently heads their social media team and pursues feel goodstories to help lift people. Emunahbecame her family. Her goal is to raise her own family and break the cycle. Her storywas very moving. Chantelle noted that she wished she could have her share herstory with our own community children in school. She would surely touch someand encourage others. Some might be lifted and others might consider assistingin the homes one summer. Perhaps we can get a video from Emunah and share that. There isa beautiful story told of Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, a renowned Hasidicmaster, who was known for his compassion and ability to find sparks of holinessin every soul. One day, a poor, troubled Jew came to him, feeling hopeless andconsumed by darkness. The rabbilistened attentively, then began to tell a story: 'In the summer, when thesun shines brightly, the grasshopper sings a beautiful song. But in the winter,when snow covers the earth, the grasshopper's song is silenced. Does this meanthe grasshopper has lost its ability to sing?' The manshook his head. 'Ofcourse not!' the rabbi exclaimed. 'The grasshopper's song is stillwithin, waiting to emerge when the seasons change.' The rabbilooked deeply into the man's eyes: 'Similarly, within you, there is aspark of divine light, a song waiting to be sung. Though darkness may surroundyou now, it's temporary, like winter's snow. Your task is to find that innerlight, nurture it, and let it shine forth.' The man'sface lit up with newfound hope. In thisseason of Elul, we hope to be born again. We canimagine ourselves as caterpillars, hoping to shed our cocoons and emerge asbutterflies. Sometimesthough we think that success is based on achieving perfection. But isthat really what Hashem demands or even wants from us. There isa story, I heard from Rabbi Joey Haber, of a man seeking perfection in his ownlife. His rabbiasks his profession He is anartist, Hisfavorite painting is of sunset. Histeacher suggests taking a picture of a sunset and that will be a perfectreproduction. theartist explains the painting has imperfections and thats what makes it special. Theteacher explains, same with us Angelsmay be perfect, but our imperfection makes us special. imperfectionsadd uniqueness and value, both in art and in life. Thisweek's parsha is Ki Tavo. Based onthe teaching of the Shvilei Pinchas, Rabbi Pinchas Friedman, I would like toshare with you a connection of our efforts in Elul and the mitzvah of“bikkurim,” bringing the first fruits, which we open the perasha with The SefatEmet quotes the Chiddushei HaRim, zy”a. Heexplains why the month designated for teshuvah is named Elul based on thepassuk (ibid. 100, 3 דְּע֗וּ כִּֽי־ ה֮ ה֤וּא אֱלֹ֫קים הֽוּא־עָ֭שָׂנוּ (ולא) [וְל֣וֹ]אֲנַ֑חְנוּ עַ֝מּ֗וֹ וְצֹ֣אן מַרְעִיתֽוֹ׃ If onelooks in the book of Tehilim the word Loh is spelled Lamed alef or No But inthe siddur when we read this psalm each morning as Paslm 100 Miszor LeDavid wechange the aleph to a vav —know thatHashem, He is G-d; it is He Who made us and we are His—His nation and the sheepof His pasture. Traditionteaches us that the word “v'lo” in this passuk is written as ' ולא ',with an “aleph”; yet, it is read as ולו' ', with a “vav.” With an“aleph,” the passuk suggests that we are unworthy and inadequate to be Hispeople; with a “vav,” it means that we merit being close to Him. Heexplains that in reality both the way “v'lo” is written and the way it is readcomplement each other and achieve the same goal. By recognizing our lowlystature and the fact that we have sinned and failed to serve Hashemadequately--' ולא אנחנו עמו ' (the way the passuk is written)—we aremotivated to draw closer to Hashem by means of sincere teshuvah and attain thestatus of-- ולו אנחנו עמו' ' (the way the passuk is read) again. Bothprocesses enable us to achieve the goal of being ' עמו ', HKB”H'speople. This is alluded to by the name אלו'ל ; it combines thetwo spellings of the word “lo”-- ל'א and ל'ו . This teaches us thatour goal during the month of Elul is to combine these two processes, to correctall of our wrongdoings by means of complete teshuvah and to regain the statusof ' .'עמו Lets turnto the Gemara (Makkot 24a): 'וכברהיה רבן גמליאל ורבי אלעזר בן עזריה ורבי יהושע ורבי עקיבא מהלכין בדרך...The first story tells about the Goyim. Then the gemara continues Now Iimagine these stories take place following the rebellion of Bar Kochba and theedicts of Hadrian Yimach Shemo שׁוּב פַּעַםאַחַת הָיוּ עוֹלִין לִירוּשָׁלַיִם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לְהַר הַצּוֹפִים קָרְעוּבִּגְדֵיהֶם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לְהַר הַבַּיִת רָאוּ שׁוּעָל שֶׁיָּצָא מִבֵּיתקׇדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים, הִתְחִילוּ הֵן בּוֹכִין וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מְצַחֵק. אָמְרוּלוֹ: מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתָּה מְצַחֵק? אָמַר לָהֶם: מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתֶּם בּוֹכִים? אָמְרוּלוֹ: מָקוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ ״וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת״, וְעַכְשָׁיו שׁוּעָלִים הִלְּכוּבּוֹ, וְלֹא נִבְכֶּה?! אָמַר לָהֶן:לְכָךְ אֲנִי מְצַחֵק, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְאָעִידָה לִּי עֵדִים נֶאֱמָנִים אֵת אוּרִיָּההַכֹּהֵן וְאֶת זְכַרְיָה בֶּן יְבֶרֶכְיָהוּ״ – וְכִי מָה עִנְיַן אוּרִיָּה אֵצֶלזְכַרְיָה? אוּרִיָּה בְּמִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן, וּזְכַרְיָה בְּמִקְדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי! אֶלָּא:תָּלָה הַכָּתוּב נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל זְכַרְיָה בִּנְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל אוּרִיָּה. בְּאוּרִיָּהכְּתִיב ״לָכֵן בִּגְלַלְכֶם צִיּוֹן שָׂדֶה תֵחָרֵשׁ״, בִּזְכַרְיָה כְּתִיב ״עוֹדיֵשְׁבוּ זְקֵנִים וּזְקֵנוֹת בִּרְחֹבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם״. עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַיְּימָהנְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל אוּרִיָּה הָיִיתִי מִתְיָירֵא שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְקַיֵּים נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁלזְכַרְיָה, עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁנִּתְקַיְּימָה נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל אוּרִיָּה – בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁנְּבוּאָתוֹשֶׁל זְכַרְיָה מִתְקַיֶּימֶת. בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עֲקִיבָא נִיחַמְתָּנוּ,עֲקִיבָא נִיחַמְתָּנוּ. Once,Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva weretraveling on the road . . . When they reached Har HaTzofim, they tore theirgarments. When they came to Har HaBayis, they saw a fox emerging from KodeshHaKodashim, and they began to cry; however, Rabbi Akiva smiled. They said tohim, “Why are you smiling?” He responded to them, “Why are you crying?” Theyanswered him, “A place about which it is written (Bamidbar 1, 51): ‘Thenon-kohen who comes close shall be put to death,' and now (Eichah 5, 18) ‘foxesare walking about there,' should we not cry?” He saidto them, “This is why I am smiling . . . In the prophecy of Uriah, it iswritten (Michah 3, 12): ‘Therefore, because of you, Tziyon will be plowed likea field etc.' In the prophecy of Zechariah, it is written (Zechariah 8, 4):‘Old men and old women will yet sit in the streets of Yerushalayim.' As longas the nevuah of Uriah had not been fulfilled, I feared that the nevuah ofZechariah would not be fulfilled. Now, that the nevuah of Uriah has beenfulfilled, it is apparent that the nevuah of Zechariah will be fulfilled.” Theyresponded to him in these words, “Akiva, you have consoled us; Akiva, you haveconsoled us!” Itbehooves us to analyze Rabbi Akiva's reactions described above. Why did helaugh and smile upon seeing proof of Zechariah's nevuah related to the futuregeulah? Without a doubt, the other sages also believed wholeheartedly in theveracity of the prophecies concerning the future geulah. Nevertheless, whenconfronted with the extent of the churban—witnessing a fox exiting from theKodesh HaKodashim—they were overcome with grief and cried. So, what possessedRabbi Akiva to react so differently to the same disturbing sight? Additionally,why did he require seeing the fulfillment of Uriah's nevuah concerning theextent of the churban in order to substantiate that Zechariah's nevuahconcerning the geulah would be fulfilled? Toexplain the matter, the Maharal teaches us a basic principle. HKB”H created theworld such that there is always void and nullification prior to renewal.Furthermore, the degree of renewal relates to the degree of absence and divineconcealment. In other words, the greater the absence and void, the greater therenewal will be. TheMaharal asserts that HKB”H revealed this phenomenon to us at the beginning ofthe Torah (Bereishis 1, 1): 'בראשית ברא אלקים את השמיםואת הארץ, והארץ היתה תוהו ובוהו וחושך על פני תהום ורוח אלקיםמרחפת על פני המים, ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור'. theMaharal interprets Rabbi Akiva's profound message. Uponseeing the fox emerge from the chamber of the Kodesh HaKodashim, he smiled. Hehad no doubt that the nevuah of Zechariah would come to pass—that old men andwomen would sit in the streets of Yerushalayim. However, he had no idea howgreat or grand the revival and renewal of Yerushalayim would be. The foxemerging from the Kodesh HaKodashim represented an extreme degree of “hesterpanim”—divine concealment. Therefore, he had cause to rejoice. For, heunderstood that the degree of churban and absence of the divine presencereflected on the commensurate greatness and glory of the renewal ofYerushalayim at the time of the geulah. InNetzach Yisrael (Chapter 30), the Maharal applies this incredible principle toexplain the galut in Mitzrayim that preceded Yisrael's entry into Eretz Yisraeland, for that matter, all the exiles that have preceded the future geulah. Theyall represent the void that precedes the new state of existence, like thedarkness of night that precedes the light of day. Therefore, HKB”H subjectedYisrael to the galut in Mitzrayim—which constituted a process ofnullification—prior to taking them into Eretz Yisrael. Thisexplains very nicely the following passuk related to the galuts in Mitzrayim(Shemos 1, 12): 'וכאשר יענו אותו כן ירבה וכן יפרוץ'—but as much as they afflict it, so it will increase and so it will burst forth. Here theTorah teaches us that the suffering and affliction in Mitzrayim constituted thevoid that gave rise to Yisrael's renewal and rebirth. After the exodus, theyreceived the Torah at Har Sinai and entered Eretz Yisrael. That demonstratesfor us magnificently how all of the galuyot constitute the absence and voidthat is destined to produce the incredible renewal of the future geulah. Its difficult to read this and not think of the Holocaust andthe miracles of 1948 and 1967 RabbiPinchas of Koretz—defines the state of nullification and void as ' אַיִן', which always precedes the state of renewal, referred to as '.'יֵשׁ.' Hecompares this concept to seeds of wheat or other fruit and vegetation that isplanted in the ground. Their growth only starts after the seed decays intoalmost nothingness -אַיִן'- '. Only then, from this state of nearnothingness, the seed begins to grow and sprout and renew itself. As he writes in Imrei Pinchas (Tishah B'Av 384): When grainis planted in the ground, it cannot grow unless it first decays and actuallybecomes nothing. In that void, remains a tremendous potential that can producean entire stalk. This is a type of metamorphosis. At the precise moment that itis virtually nothing, it immediately takes shape. There is a Hasidic story of a couple who come to their Rebbefor a blessing for a child. He asks for an exorbitant pidyon. They return,unable to raise it. He tells them that he can't help. They leave dejected andoutside his home they realize they can only turn to hashem. When the rebbehears that he calls them in and tells them they will be blessed with a child. We havelearned an important principle in the Mishnah (Avos 6, כלמה שברא הקב'ה בעולמו לא בראו אלא לכבודו' :( 11 '—everything that HKB”H created in His world, He created solely for His honor.That being the case, why did HKB”H create the world in such a way that nothingcan be renewed or revitalized without first undergoing a process of void andnullification? How does this enhance His honor? RabbiYisrael of Ruzhin, zy”a, explains regarding the following statement from DavidHaMelech (Tehillim 13, 2): 'עד אנה תסתיר את פניך ממני,עד אנה אשית עצות בנפשי' —how long will You hide Your countenance from me?How long will I continue to seek counsel within my own spirit? Heexplains that David HaMelech wished to teach us a vital lesson regarding ouremunah and trust in Hashem. When a Jew wants to receive salvation from Hashem,he must first understand that he is totally helpless on his own; his salvationdepends solely on Hashem. As long as he believes that he has a solution of hisown, his emunah and trust in Hashem are lacking. So, DavidHaMelech asks: How long will You continue to conceal Your presence from Me? Heanswers his own question: So long as I delude myself into thinking that I amcapable of resolving dilemmas with my own counsel and devices, the “hesterpanim”—divine concealment—will continue; however, as soon as I recognize withcertainty that I in fact lack any such wisdom or ability, the “hester panim”will cease, and Hashem's salvation will arrive instantaneously. Only whenI accept that I don't have all the answers Thus, it appears that this explains why HKB”H created theworld such that every renewal—situation of ' יש '–must be preceded bya state of void and nullification—situation of אין' '. It is becausesuch a difficult transformation causes man to understand that he does not havethe wisdom or resources to emerge from the darkness and void alone withoutHashem's assistance. As soon as he says to himself: “How long will I continueto seek counsel within my own spirit?”—he will succeed in emerging from thevoid to a state of renewal. In perekShirah Everythingin nature has a song And thesong sung by the wheat in Perek Shirah (Chapter 3): 'שיבולת חיטים אומרת שירהמעלות ממעמקים קראתיך ה'' —the stalk of wheat says (Tehillim 130, 1):“From the depths, I call to You, Hashem.” It isimportant to recognize that the term “lechem”—bread—encompasses all of man'sfood and nourishment. This is evident from the prayer of Yaakov Avinu(Bereishis 28, 20): 'ונתן לי לחם לאכול'—and He will give me bread to eat. Similarly, another passuk says (ibid. 47,12): 'ויכלכל יוסף את אביו ואת אחיו ואת כל בית אביו לחם לפי הטף'—Yosef provided his father and his brother and all of his father's householdwith food (“lechem”) according to the children. It is precisely for this reasonthat the berachah “hamotzi,” which is recited over bread, covers all the foodthat one consumes during a meal; it is because all other food is consideredsecondary to the bread. Weexplained above, that we learn from the growth of the wheat, from which breadis made, the vital principle that nothing can grow or be renewed without firstundergoing a stage of nullification—i.e. nullification of its current state.Therefore, only after the seeds of wheat decay and achieve a virtual state ofnothingness--' אין '—do they begin to grow and develop into a newentity. At that very moment, when they are in the ground and achieve the stateof » אין «, they pray to Hashem from the depths of the earth not to decaycompletely, to survive and grow into a new stalk of grain in the field above. We cannow appreciate and comprehend the song of the stalk of wheat. It recalls thechesed Hashem performed on its behalf whilst it was still deep in the ground ina state of decay. To express its gratitude to Hashem, it sings: 'שיר המעלותממעמקים קראתיך ה'' —thanking Hashem for hearing and responding to its pleafrom the depths of the earth. This iswhy David HaMelech instituted this psalm; so that we would join the stalk ofwheat in expressing gratitude to Hashem. For, we recognize all the kindness Heperforms on our behalf when we are in states of nothingness and helplessness.For instance, after every night of sleep, He returns our neshamos to usrevitalized. Itappears that we can suggest another reason that every situation of renewalrequires a prior state of nothingness. TheYosher Divrei Emet cites his Rav, the Maggid of Mezritsch, zy”a. He explainsthat this principle applies to spiritual matters as well. A person who wants torenew and revitalize his service of Hashem must first nullify his presentcircumstances—his ' יש '. This is accomplished by recognizing how farhe still has to go to serve Hashem properly. Through humility, submission andrecognition of his unworthiness, he will succeed in serving Hashem on a muchhigher level. Until he acknowledges his shortcomings in the service of Hashem,he will be unable to renew his spiritual self. We nowhave cause to rejoice! This illuminates for us the insight provided by theChiddushei HaRim, zy”a, concerning the name אלו'ל . As explained, itcombines the two spellings of the word “lo”-- ל'א and ל'ו . Thus, thename Elul reminds us that we must recognize that we have acted improperly andare not truly worthy of being Hashem's people--' .'ולא אנחנו עמו As aresult of this recognition and by mending our ways and attitudescorrespondingly, we will once again be deserving of the status of ' ולו אנחנועמו '. Let us explain this process in terms of our current discussion. Atthe end of the year, during the month of Elul, it is incumbent upon us to pushour personal reset buttons, so to speak. In order to create ourselves anewprior to Rosh HaShanah, we must nullify our old selves during the month ofElul. By recognizing that we are unworthy to be called His people--' ולא אנחנועמו '—we will succeed in transforming ourselves and taking on a newpersona in the new year consistent with the depiction--' .'ולו אנחנו עמו Followingthis glorious path, let us now address the opening pesukim of this week'sparsha discussing the mitzvah of bikkurim: “It will be when you enter the landthat Hashem, your G-d, gives you as an inheritance, and you take possession ofit, and dwell in it, that you shall take of the first of every fruit of theearth that you bring in from your land that Hashem, your G-d, gives you, andyou shall put it in a basket and go to the place that Hashem, your G-d, willchoose, to make His name rest there.” The KliYakar provides a rationale for this mitzvah. After conquering the new land,Yisrael were liable to become arrogant and attribute the conquest to their ownpowers and strategies. In particular, after working the land and growingvarious produce and fruit, they might think to themselves (Devarim 8, 17):' כוחי ועוצם ידי עשה לי את החיל הזה '—my strength and the might of myhand have generated this wealth for me. To eliminate this false belief, HKB”Hcommanded Yisrael to take the first of every fruit of the land, to take it upto the kohen in Yerushalayim and to recite an explicit expression of gratitudeto Hashem for giving us this land. This procedure was designed to fortify ouremunah in Hashem. Let usinterject a spicy tidbit. It is written (Tehillim 37, 11): וענוים יירשו ארץ''—the humble will inherit the earth. This passuk clearly implies that thequality of humility is propitious for inheriting Eretz Yisrael. For, we knowthat the kedushah of Eretz Yisrael is due to the presence of the Shechinah.This was especially true when the Beis HaMikdash was extant and operational. Asit is written (Shemos 25, 8): 'ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם' —they shallmake Me a sanctuary (Mikdash), so that I may dwell among them. Now, weknow that a prerequisite for the presence of the Shechinah is the midah ofhumility. In the words of the Gemara (Sotah 5a): 'לעולם ילמד אדם מדעת קונו,שהרי הקב'ה הניח כל הרים וגבעות והשרה שכינתו על הר סיני' —a personshould always learn from the good sense of his Creator—for behold, when HKB”Hgave the Torah, He abandoned all the great mountains and hills and insteadrested His Shechinah on Har Sinai (a lowly, unimpressive mountain). Additionally,they taught (ibid.): 'כל אדם שיש בו גסות הרוח, אמר הקב'ה אין אני והוא יכולים לדורבעולם' —concerning any person who possesses a haughtiness of spirit, HKB”Hsays: I and he cannot dwell together in the world. Therefore, HKB”H commandedthat upon entering the land, Yisrael would bring the bikkurim “to the placethat Hashem, your G-d, will choose, to make His name rest there.” This wouldinculcate in them the knowledge that HKB”H only rests His name in Eretz Yisraelin the merit of the midah of humility. Asexplained, the mitzvah of bikkurim is designed to shatter the klipah of “mystrength and the might of my hand have generated this wealth for me.” We willnow endeavor to explain why HKB”H used this mitzvah to hint to us theimportance of the midah of humility; for, this is the vital lesson we aresupposed to learn from the first fruit if we want to enter the land, keep itand endure in it. וְהָיָה֙ כִּֽי־תָב֣וֹאאֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ ה אֱלֹקיךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָ֑ה וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּ וְיָשַׁ֥בְתָּבָּֽהּ׃ וְלָקַחְתָּ֞מֵרֵאשִׁ֣ית ׀ כׇּל־פְּרִ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר תָּבִ֧יא מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֛ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧האֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָ֖ךְ וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ בַטֶּ֑נֶא וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ריִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃ “It willbe when you enter the land that Hashem, your G-d, gives you as an inheritance,and you take possession of it, and dwell in it, that you shall take of thefirst of every fruit of the earth that you bring in from your land that Hashem,your G-d, gives you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place thatHashem, your G-d, will choose, to make His name rest there.” HKB”Hinstructs Yisrael: 'ולקחת מראשית כל פרי האדמה אשר תביא מארצך' . Letus expound: ' ולקחת '—you must learn a vital lesson— “lekach”—fromthe “first” yield of “every fruit of the earth.” When those fruits were yetseeds deep in the earth; they could not grow or sprout until they decayed intoa state of virtual nothingness— ״אין״ . In similar fashion, if you wish toremain in EretzYisrael, you must constantly humble yourselves, which is a type ofnullification and expression of nothingness. You must acknowledge how far youare still from serving Hashem properly. Only then will you be able to startanew, serving Hashem properly in His royal palace in Eretz Yisrael. Let usadd a valuable detail. When Moshe Rabeinu sent the meraglim to survey the land,he said to them (Bamidbar 13, 20): והתחזקתם ולקחתם מפרי הארץ' '—youshall strengthen yourselves and take from the fruit of the land. According tothe Zohar hakadosh (Shelach 158a), the meraglim did not want to enter the land,because they perceived that they would not maintain their elite status asprinces and leaders in Eretz Yisrael. This motivated them to speak ill of EretzYisrael, so that they would maintain thestatus of princes that they held in the midbar. In other words, the meraglim'sfailure is attributable to the klipah of arrogance— “ga'avah”; they feared thatthey would lose their prominence. Thus, itseems that this is what Moshe was hinting to the meraglim: ' והתחזקתם'—fortify yourselves against the yetzer of “ga'avah” that instills in youthe fear of losing authority and control; ' ולקחתם '—learn a vitallesson (“lekach”); ' —'מפרי הארץ from the fruit whose seeds cannotgrow and produce within the depths of the earth until they decay and achieve astate of nothingness. You, too,must fortify yourselves by achieving a state of virtual nothingness by totallyrelinquishing your prominent status as princes. By doing so, you will achieveyour complete tikun in Olam HaZeh and rise higher and higher in the service ofHashem. We cannow suggest the following. After the original generation of the midbar alldied—who were influenced by the meraglim, failing to learn the lessonconcerning the midah of humility from the fruit of the land—Moshe announced totheir children who were about to enter the land: “It will be when you enter theland that Hashem, your G-d, gives you as an inheritance, and you takepossession of it, and dwell in it.” He waswarning them that if they intend to enter the land and to prosper and survivein it, and not to suffer the fate of their fathers, who were not allowed toenter the land: 'ולקחת מראשית כל פרי האדמה' —be sure to learn thislesson (“lekach”) from the first yields of the fruits of the land—in contrastto their fathers who neglected to heed Moshe's warning: 'והתחזקתם ולקחתם מפריהארץ' —fortify yourselves and take (learn a lesson) from the fruit of theland. Thelesson relates to the avodah of the month of אלו'ל , whose name is formedby the two spellings of the word “lo”-- ל'א and ל'ו . As wehave explained, it is incumbent upon us to achieve a state of nothingnessthrough the midah of humility; we must acknowledge that due to our behavior, weare the embodiment of ' ולא אנחנו עמו '—we do not truly deserve to beHis people. Yet, withthis acknowledgment, we are able to renew ourselves through total teshuvah andreclaim the status of ' ולו אנחנו עמו '. In this merit, we willfinally deserve to be redeemed from the trials and tribulations of galus; aswe've learned, galus is the void and nothingness that must precede theflourishing growth of the future geulah—swiftly, in our times! Amen.

Read Online“The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.” Luke 6:5This short yet powerful statement by Jesus was spoken in response to the Pharisees who questioned Jesus as to why His disciples were apparently doing what was unlawful on the sabbath. They were walking through a field of grain, picking grain as they walked, and eating it for nourishment on their journey from one town to another.This challenge from the Pharisees highlights their scrupulous approach to the moral law. Recall the Third Commandment given through Moses: “Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God. You shall not do any work…” (Exodus 20:8–10). From this Commandment, the Pharisees had developed a complex commentary which went into great detail about what kind of work was forbidden on the Sabbath in their view. One such regulation was to pick and mill grain. Thus, they judged that this was what the disciples were doing and were, therefore, violating the Third Commandment.The laws of God, as they are given by God, must be followed perfectly. His divine Law refreshes us, enlivens us and enables us to live in union with Him. The Pharisees, however, deeply struggled with a need to control the lives of the people through their human interpretation of the divine Law. By saying that “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath,” Jesus made it clear that this scrupulous interpretation of the Third Commandment taught by the Pharisees did not align with the truths of that divine Law.One lesson to learn from this encounter is that each one of us can easily fall into a similar trap. It's easy to replace God's true Law with our perception of faith and morality. We are weak human beings, and there are many things that affect our thinking and our convictions in life. Emotions, habits, family relationships, friendships, media and so many other things affect us in powerful ways. Sometimes for good and sometimes for ill. We can easily arrive at certain judgments of faith and morality that are slightly erroneous, being based on subtle errors. As a result, we can easily begin to get off track in our thinking and convictions and, over time, can find that we have deviated far from the truths of God. When this happens, it can be difficult to humbly admit it and change our convictions.Reflect, today, upon the humble truth that Jesus and Jesus alone is Lord of the divine Law. This means that we must perpetually remain open to changing our opinions when we hear our Lord speak to us. Ponder any way in which you have become overly attached to your own opinions. If they bring forth peace, joy, charity and the like, then they are most likely in union with God. If they are burdensome, a cause of confusion, contention or frustration, then you may need to step back and humbly reexamine the convictions you hold, so that He Who is Lord of all will be able to speak His divine Law to you more clearly.Lord of all Truth, You and You alone are the guide of my life. You and You alone are the Truth. Help me to be humble, dear Lord, so that I can recognize any error in my convictions and turn to You and Your divine Law as the one and only guide for my life. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Jesus and his disciples walk through the corn, via Wikimedia Commons

LESSON 242This Day Is God's. It Is My Gift To Him.I will not lead my life alone today. I do not understand the world, and so to try to lead my life alone must be but foolishness. But there is One Who knows all that is best for me. And He is glad to make no choices for me but the ones that lead to God. I give this day to Him, for I would not delay my coming home, and it is He Who knows the way to God.And so we give today to You. We come with wholly open minds. We do not ask for anything that we may think we want. Give us what You would have received by us. You know all our desires and our wants. And You will give us everything we need in helping us to find the way to You.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. In Luke 1, we are looking at the divine joy that Mary experience when she believed the message that the angel Gabriel had delivered to her directly from God, that she would miraculously conceive in her womb a baby who would be the Messiah, the Son of God, the Son of the Highest, and she would call His name JESUS! (vv. 30-32). My friend, there is divine joy for anyone who will believe and recognize the presence of the LORD in their hearts and lives.   Today we are in a broken world that is full of misery! A world that is being overwhelmed with difficulties, discouragements, and problems that result in people everywhere experiencing dissatisfaction, disappointment, discouragement, and depression. But I'm convinced that you can still experience divine joy in your heart and soul despite your present overwhelming situation!   We have been discussing Mary's divine joy and rejoicing that was spiritual as she experienced the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in her body and life. Her joy was in God (v. 47). She knew she had a Savior (v. 47), so she had salvation joy. She had praiseful joy and “magnified the Lord” (v. 46). She had grateful joy because she knew didn't deserve or merit this honor (v. 48). And she had hopeful joy because she knew her experience with Jesus would bless generations to come (v. 48).   Today we are looking at Luke 1:49 and talking about Mary's reasonable joy! For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. When we are so really conscious that the Lord hath done great things for us and in us, by the mighty operation of His Holy Spirit, the joy becomes, as it were, natural. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace…” (Galatians 5:22). The psalmist proclaimed, “The Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad” (Psa. 126:3).   When Paul and Silas were in chains in a dirty Philippian jail with their backs bloodied from being beaten, they weren't complaining. At midnight they were singing praises to the Lord for His presence (Acts 16:25). Later Paul would write to the church at Philippi from a prison in Rome and tell them in Philippians 4:4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Read these verses carefully! When you recognize that “the Lord is at hand”, He is present, He is right there with you, your only reasonable response is to rejoice!   Paul wrote to the believers at Rome in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” When you realize that you have received God's marvelous mercy of salvation through Jesus Christ which you did not deserve as a rebellious sinner, it is only reasonable that you respond with surrender to His plan and purpose for your life and do it with prayer and rejoicing! In verse 12, Paul goes on to say: “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer”!   After the people heard Ezra read the Word all day, Nehemiah told the people not to mourn but rejoice, because “the joy of the Lord was the source of their strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Yes, my friend, instead of mourning and moaning and complaining about all your problems, meditate on God's mercy and grace that you have experienced through Christ Jesus, and you will experience reasonable joy and rejoicing!     “Meditate on these things…” (Philippians 4:8-9). And remember that He Who is mighty is still “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).   God bless!

My sermon today is meant to be both helpful and hopeful. What we read in verses 7-10 is encouraging to you if your faith and trust is in Jesus Christ as the only One qualified to atone for all of your sins as the Lion and the Lamb. These verses are encouraging if you believe that Jesus while fully divine was also fully human for the purpose of living the life you could not live to die upon the cross for your sins while He was perfectly sinless, and that all the wrath of a Holy God fell upon Him in your place. If you are a Christian, you are no longer in darkness, but because of nothing you have done and everything He has done... you are light in the Lord and now able to walk as children of light. Because you are a Christian, you know Him and long for His appearing in the same manner the apostle Peter described: ...and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory (1 Pet. 3:8). It is because you are a Christian that there is coming a day when you also will be able to face death with the same confidence the apostle Paul did while facing death: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Tim. 4:7-8). This is why we can sing songs like He Who is to Come with hope and confidence: There is a day coming When the old will pass away Every wrong will be made right No darkness no night The Son will light the way There is a king coming The one who conquered death and grave No more pain and no more sorrow This hope for tomorrow Is our hope for today He who is to come Christ the Son of man Riding on the clouds with a crown upon His head Every eye will see Him With the nail scars in His hands[1] If you are a Christian, you belong to God as His beloved child (5:1) because He chose you before the foundation of the earth (1:4), He forgave and redeemed you through the shed blood of His Son, Jesus (1:7), and have been adopted as a child of God according to the good pleasure of His will (1:5). If you are a Christian, you are now alive with Jesus (2:4-5), and because you are alive with Christ, you are Gods, workmanship [poiēma], created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph. 2:10). You Were Saved from the Wrath of God If you are a Christian, you have been saved from the wrath of an infinitely holy God! You who were once dead in your offenses and sins, walked according to the course of this world, lived in the lusts and desires of your flesh and mind, and were by nature a child of the wrath of God, stand before God as one who has been fully pardoned, forgiven, and loved because the wrath you deserved, Jesus willingly endured. This is why Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:6-7, See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. When I preached on verses 1-6, I spent a considerable amount of time explaining that these things in verse 6 include sexual immorality, impurity, and greed. Sexual immorality is any perversion of sex that has not been sanctioned to be enjoyed between a husband and a wife within the bounds of the covenant of marriage. Impurity includes any sexual sin but is not limited to sexual sins. Greed is any form of covetousness which also includes the taking of a person for sexual pleasure who does not belong to you because you are not married to that person, and this can be done physically as well as mentally. It is because of sexual immorality, impurity, and greed that the wrath of God comes. However, it is not only because of sexual immorality, impurity, and greed that the wrath of God is coming; the wrath of God comes also because of filthiness, foolish talk, and vulgar joking. Jesus said of that what comes out of your mouth is a symptom of what is in your heart: The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart (Luke 6:45). In short, the wrath of God comes because of sin. In Revelation 1:18 we are told: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. What is wrath? Well, according to the dictionary, it is strong, stern, or fierce anger. Gods strong, stern, and fierce anger is provoked over sin, and we are warned about His fierce anger over sin both in the Old Testament and New Testament. For you to understand and appreciate the mercy, love, and grace of God, you must understand that sin is serious and Gods anger over sin is white hot against those guilty of it! We do not have the time for me to get exhaustive regarding the wrath of God over sin but permit me to offer you some glimpse into the explanation Gods word gives us for why He takes sin so seriously. For starters, there is only one attribute that is repeated not twice, but three times, and that attribute is the holiness of God. In Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8 we encounter the holiness of God expressed in a way that no other attribute of God is expressed: And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies. The whole earth is full of His glory. (Isa. 6:3) And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. (Rev. 4:8) Regarding the holiness of God, the sinless Seraphim a specific type of angel commissioned and designed for the throne room of God attribute the Almighty with a literary device by repeating three words to emphasize the holiness of God, in Scripture it is called the three-times-holy. Even the Seraphim, before the presence of God, must cover their eyes and their feet (Isa. 6:2), and Isaiahs response before the presence of the Holy One was one of cursing upon himself: Woe to me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies (Isa. 6:5). It is of this God that the prophet Habakkuk said: Are You not from time everlasting, Lord, my God, my Holy One? Your eyes are too pure to look at evil... (Hab. 1:12a, 13a). In Nahum we are told that God is a jealous and avenging God is the Lord; The Lord is avenging and wrathful. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies (Nah. 1:2). And when it comes to the sinfulness of the nations, we are told that all of the wicked must drink the cup of His wrath: For a cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams; it is well mixed, and He pours out of this; certainly all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink its dregs (Ps. 75:8). The cup of Gods wrath reserved for the wicked is the cup Jesus drank. The Son of God, the perfect sinless lamb, the Groom of the Church drank the cup of Gods wrath! The only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God.... Who, for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man[2] was born to die for sinful man! In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed about the cup reserved for the wicked: And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will. He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done. (Matt. 26:39, 42). Jesus drank the cup of Gods wrath for our redemption, and He drank every last drop on the cross by becoming curse in our place: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for usfor it is written: Cursed is everyone who hangs on a Tree (Gal. 3:13). This is why Jesus said of Himself: The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:35-36). Hell is how the wrath of God will be carried out, and Jesus described it as a place, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished (Mark 9:48). You Are Redeemed to Live as Children of Light However, if you are a Christian, you who were once a child of wrath are now a child of mercy, and thereby an adopted child of the Living God through the price Jesus paid by His blood. R.C. Sproul wrote of the salvation of sinners, The glory of the gospel is this: The one from whom we need to be saved is the one who has saved us. In his magnum opus, The Cross of Christ, John Stott described Christs sacrifice for our salvation this way: Divine love triumphed over divine wrath by divine self-sacrifice.[3] If you are confused as to how seriously God takes sin or how offended by your sin He was, you need not look beyond the cross on which Jesus died! The cross is the place where our redeemer bore a holy and justified wrath on our behalf where He received the ax of Gods justice in our place! Upon the cross, where Jesus was cursed in our place, He was pierced for our offenses and was crushed for our wrongdoings (Isa. 53:5). We who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ are no longer children of wrath, and because we are no longer children of wrath, we are not to become partners with those who continue to practice the very thing that the wrath of God is reserved for. Christian, you who were once darkness are a child of light. As children of light, we are to live out our new life in Christ in the following four ways: We are to walk as children of light by not partnering with the sons of disobedience (v. 7). The Greek word for partner is symmetochos which can also be translated sharer or partaker. Paul uses the same word in Ephesians 3:6 to describe how we, Gentiles, share, partake, and participate in the promise of Christ as the body of Christ. We who once were satisfied by the broken cisterns of this world, now find our satisfaction in Jesus as the Living Water (John 7:37-39). We are to walk as children of light by displaying the light of Christ (v. 8). If you are a Christian, you are no longer darkness, but sons and daughters, Light of Life (John 12:36). Jesus said of all who belong to Him: You are the light of the world.... Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt. 5:14, 16). We are to walk as children of light by displaying the fruit of our identity and union in Christ (v. 9). By walking with Christ, we will display the goodness, righteousness, and truth of Jesus for the glory of God and the good of those around us. Our life is in Jesus, and the evidence that we belong to Him is that His life will shine through our lives. Tony Merida, in his commentary on Ephesians, said it this way: Those who walk in light do good works (2:10), they live righteously (4:24), and they speak truthfully (4:15).[4] We are to walk as children of light by living lives that are pleasing to the Lord (v. 10). Our lives are not set apart to please people, but to please the One who purchased us with His blood. This is why the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body. So, whats the point? The point is simply this: You, Christian, are a child of a Holy God who poured out His wrath upon His Son so that you would not be consumed by His justice but be overwhelmed by His kindness, grace, love, and mercy through Jesus! Because you are no longer dead in your offenses and sins (2:1), you walk as one who is alive in Christ. Walk as one who has been called, out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). Walk as the forgiven because, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). Walk in light of your new identity because God has declared by the authority of His word: if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Cor. 5:17). You who was once dead in your sins and once walked in darkness, are awake and alive not because of anything you have done but because of everything Christ has accomplished! This is why we sing, O to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be Let Thy grace Lord like a fetter Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee Prone to wander Lord I feel it Prone to leave the God I love Here's my heart Lord take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts above.[5] [1] [Passion] by Cody Carnes, Kristian Stanfill, and Sean Curran [2] From the Nicene Creed [3] John Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 15. [4] Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 126. [5] Come Thou Fount, [Shane and Shane] by Robert Robinson and John Wyeth

My sermon today is meant to be both helpful and hopeful. What we read in verses 7-10 is encouraging to you if your faith and trust is in Jesus Christ as the only One qualified to atone for all of your sins as the Lion and the Lamb. These verses are encouraging if you believe that Jesus while fully divine was also fully human for the purpose of living the life you could not live to die upon the cross for your sins while He was perfectly sinless, and that all the wrath of a Holy God fell upon Him in your place. If you are a Christian, you are no longer in darkness, but because of nothing you have done and everything He has done... you are light in the Lord and now able to walk as children of light. Because you are a Christian, you know Him and long for His appearing in the same manner the apostle Peter described: ...and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory (1 Pet. 3:8). It is because you are a Christian that there is coming a day when you also will be able to face death with the same confidence the apostle Paul did while facing death: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Tim. 4:7-8). This is why we can sing songs like He Who is to Come with hope and confidence: There is a day coming When the old will pass away Every wrong will be made right No darkness no night The Son will light the way There is a king coming The one who conquered death and grave No more pain and no more sorrow This hope for tomorrow Is our hope for today He who is to come Christ the Son of man Riding on the clouds with a crown upon His head Every eye will see Him With the nail scars in His hands[1] If you are a Christian, you belong to God as His beloved child (5:1) because He chose you before the foundation of the earth (1:4), He forgave and redeemed you through the shed blood of His Son, Jesus (1:7), and have been adopted as a child of God according to the good pleasure of His will (1:5). If you are a Christian, you are now alive with Jesus (2:4-5), and because you are alive with Christ, you are Gods, workmanship [poiēma], created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph. 2:10). You Were Saved from the Wrath of God If you are a Christian, you have been saved from the wrath of an infinitely holy God! You who were once dead in your offenses and sins, walked according to the course of this world, lived in the lusts and desires of your flesh and mind, and were by nature a child of the wrath of God, stand before God as one who has been fully pardoned, forgiven, and loved because the wrath you deserved, Jesus willingly endured. This is why Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:6-7, See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. When I preached on verses 1-6, I spent a considerable amount of time explaining that these things in verse 6 include sexual immorality, impurity, and greed. Sexual immorality is any perversion of sex that has not been sanctioned to be enjoyed between a husband and a wife within the bounds of the covenant of marriage. Impurity includes any sexual sin but is not limited to sexual sins. Greed is any form of covetousness which also includes the taking of a person for sexual pleasure who does not belong to you because you are not married to that person, and this can be done physically as well as mentally. It is because of sexual immorality, impurity, and greed that the wrath of God comes. However, it is not only because of sexual immorality, impurity, and greed that the wrath of God is coming; the wrath of God comes also because of filthiness, foolish talk, and vulgar joking. Jesus said of that what comes out of your mouth is a symptom of what is in your heart: The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart (Luke 6:45). In short, the wrath of God comes because of sin. In Revelation 1:18 we are told: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. What is wrath? Well, according to the dictionary, it is strong, stern, or fierce anger. Gods strong, stern, and fierce anger is provoked over sin, and we are warned about His fierce anger over sin both in the Old Testament and New Testament. For you to understand and appreciate the mercy, love, and grace of God, you must understand that sin is serious and Gods anger over sin is white hot against those guilty of it! We do not have the time for me to get exhaustive regarding the wrath of God over sin but permit me to offer you some glimpse into the explanation Gods word gives us for why He takes sin so seriously. For starters, there is only one attribute that is repeated not twice, but three times, and that attribute is the holiness of God. In Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8 we encounter the holiness of God expressed in a way that no other attribute of God is expressed: And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies. The whole earth is full of His glory. (Isa. 6:3) And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. (Rev. 4:8) Regarding the holiness of God, the sinless Seraphim a specific type of angel commissioned and designed for the throne room of God attribute the Almighty with a literary device by repeating three words to emphasize the holiness of God, in Scripture it is called the three-times-holy. Even the Seraphim, before the presence of God, must cover their eyes and their feet (Isa. 6:2), and Isaiahs response before the presence of the Holy One was one of cursing upon himself: Woe to me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies (Isa. 6:5). It is of this God that the prophet Habakkuk said: Are You not from time everlasting, Lord, my God, my Holy One? Your eyes are too pure to look at evil... (Hab. 1:12a, 13a). In Nahum we are told that God is a jealous and avenging God is the Lord; The Lord is avenging and wrathful. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies (Nah. 1:2). And when it comes to the sinfulness of the nations, we are told that all of the wicked must drink the cup of His wrath: For a cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams; it is well mixed, and He pours out of this; certainly all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink its dregs (Ps. 75:8). The cup of Gods wrath reserved for the wicked is the cup Jesus drank. The Son of God, the perfect sinless lamb, the Groom of the Church drank the cup of Gods wrath! The only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God.... Who, for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man[2] was born to die for sinful man! In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed about the cup reserved for the wicked: And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will. He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done. (Matt. 26:39, 42). Jesus drank the cup of Gods wrath for our redemption, and He drank every last drop on the cross by becoming curse in our place: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for usfor it is written: Cursed is everyone who hangs on a Tree (Gal. 3:13). This is why Jesus said of Himself: The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:35-36). Hell is how the wrath of God will be carried out, and Jesus described it as a place, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished (Mark 9:48). You Are Redeemed to Live as Children of Light However, if you are a Christian, you who were once a child of wrath are now a child of mercy, and thereby an adopted child of the Living God through the price Jesus paid by His blood. R.C. Sproul wrote of the salvation of sinners, The glory of the gospel is this: The one from whom we need to be saved is the one who has saved us. In his magnum opus, The Cross of Christ, John Stott described Christs sacrifice for our salvation this way: Divine love triumphed over divine wrath by divine self-sacrifice.[3] If you are confused as to how seriously God takes sin or how offended by your sin He was, you need not look beyond the cross on which Jesus died! The cross is the place where our redeemer bore a holy and justified wrath on our behalf where He received the ax of Gods justice in our place! Upon the cross, where Jesus was cursed in our place, He was pierced for our offenses and was crushed for our wrongdoings (Isa. 53:5). We who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ are no longer children of wrath, and because we are no longer children of wrath, we are not to become partners with those who continue to practice the very thing that the wrath of God is reserved for. Christian, you who were once darkness are a child of light. As children of light, we are to live out our new life in Christ in the following four ways: We are to walk as children of light by not partnering with the sons of disobedience (v. 7). The Greek word for partner is symmetochos which can also be translated sharer or partaker. Paul uses the same word in Ephesians 3:6 to describe how we, Gentiles, share, partake, and participate in the promise of Christ as the body of Christ. We who once were satisfied by the broken cisterns of this world, now find our satisfaction in Jesus as the Living Water (John 7:37-39). We are to walk as children of light by displaying the light of Christ (v. 8). If you are a Christian, you are no longer darkness, but sons and daughters, Light of Life (John 12:36). Jesus said of all who belong to Him: You are the light of the world.... Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt. 5:14, 16). We are to walk as children of light by displaying the fruit of our identity and union in Christ (v. 9). By walking with Christ, we will display the goodness, righteousness, and truth of Jesus for the glory of God and the good of those around us. Our life is in Jesus, and the evidence that we belong to Him is that His life will shine through our lives. Tony Merida, in his commentary on Ephesians, said it this way: Those who walk in light do good works (2:10), they live righteously (4:24), and they speak truthfully (4:15).[4] We are to walk as children of light by living lives that are pleasing to the Lord (v. 10). Our lives are not set apart to please people, but to please the One who purchased us with His blood. This is why the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body. So, whats the point? The point is simply this: You, Christian, are a child of a Holy God who poured out His wrath upon His Son so that you would not be consumed by His justice but be overwhelmed by His kindness, grace, love, and mercy through Jesus! Because you are no longer dead in your offenses and sins (2:1), you walk as one who is alive in Christ. Walk as one who has been called, out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). Walk as the forgiven because, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). Walk in light of your new identity because God has declared by the authority of His word: if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Cor. 5:17). You who was once dead in your sins and once walked in darkness, are awake and alive not because of anything you have done but because of everything Christ has accomplished! This is why we sing, O to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be Let Thy grace Lord like a fetter Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee Prone to wander Lord I feel it Prone to leave the God I love Here's my heart Lord take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts above.[5] [1] [Passion] by Cody Carnes, Kristian Stanfill, and Sean Curran [2] From the Nicene Creed [3] John Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 15. [4] Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 126. [5] Come Thou Fount, [Shane and Shane] by Robert Robinson and John Wyeth

With each prophetic second taking us closer to the Midnight Hour, the Wheat is being separated from the tares, as the Holy Spirit marks His own with the Blood of Jesus, and as this Holy Separation becomes more calibrated, contending for the true Faith is becoming more and more difficult - with the greatest struggles being realized - not in the world – but in the Church. Now more than ever, the people of God need to be keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our Faith – for the enemy knowing that his time is short - has turned up the fire with confusion, doubt, and challenges ever increasing. And unless we are grounded in the unadulterated Word of God's Truth we may become weakened and discouraged in the heat of the battle. Our Savior has provided everything we need to remain victorious – for Greater is He Who is in us – and the Victory is already won in Him! Now is the time to take hold of His Divine Strength with unbudgeable perseverance, and to shine the Light of His Truth even brighter – for soon and very soon – we are going to meet our Lord in the air!Support the Show.Visit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

LESSON 198Only My Condemnation Injures Me.Injury is impossible. And yet illusion makes illusion. If you can condemn, you can be injured. For you have believed that you can injure, and the right you have established for yourself can be now used against you, till you lay it down as valueless, unwanted and unreal. Then does illusion cease to have effects, and those it seemed to have will be undone. Then are you free, for freedom is your gift, and you can now receive the gift you gave.Condemn and you are made a prisoner. Forgive and you are freed. Such is the law that rules perception. It is not a law that knowledge understands, for freedom is a part of knowledge. To condemn is thus impossible in truth. What seems to be its influence and its effects have not occurred at all. Yet must we deal with them a while as if they had. Illusion makes illusion. Except one. Forgiveness is illusion that is answer to the rest.Forgiveness sweeps all other dreams away, and though it is itself a dream, it breeds no others. All illusions save this one must multiply a thousandfold. But this is where illusions end. Forgiveness is the end of dreams, because it is a dream of waking. It is not itself the truth. Yet does it point to where the truth must be, and gives direction with the certainty of God Himself. It is a dream in which the Son of God awakens to his Self and to his Father, knowing They are one.Forgiveness is the only road that leads out of disaster, past all suffering, and finally away from death. How could there be another way, when this one is the plan of God Himself? And why would you oppose it, quarrel with it, seek to find a thousand ways in which it must be wrong; a thousand other possibilities?Is it not wiser to be glad you hold the answer to your problems in your hand? Is it not more intelligent to thank the One Who gives salvation, and accept His gift with gratitude? And is it not a kindness to yourself to hear His Voice and learn the simple lessons He would teach, instead of trying to dismiss His words, and substitute your own in place of His?His words will work. His words will save. His words contain all hope, all blessing and all joy that ever can be found upon this earth. His words are born in God, and come to you with Heaven's love upon them. Those who hear His words have heard the song of Heaven.For these are the words in which all merge as one at last. And as this one will fade away, the Word of God will come to take its place, for it will be remembered then and loved.This world has many seeming separate haunts where mercy has no meaning, and attack appears as justified. Yet all are one; a place where death is offered to God's Son and to his Father. You may think They have accepted. But if you will look again upon the place where you beheld Their blood, you will perceive a miracle instead. How foolish to believe that They could die! How foolish to believe you can attack! How mad to think that you could be condemned, and that the holy Son of God can die!The stillness of your Self remains unmoved, untouched by thoughts like these, and unaware of any condemnation which could need forgiveness. Dreams of any kind are strange and alien to the truth. And what but truth could have a Thought which builds a bridge to it that brings illusions to the other side?Today we practice letting freedom come to make its home with you. The truth bestows these words upon your mind, that you may find the key to light and let the darkness end:Only my condemnation injures me.Only my own forgiveness sets me free.Do not forget today that there can be no form of suffering that fails to hide an unforgiving thought. Nor can there be a form of pain forgiveness cannot heal.Accept the one illusion which proclaims there is no condemnation in God's Son, and Heaven is remembered instantly; the world forgotten, all its weird beliefs forgotten with it, as the face of Christ appears unveiled at last in this one dream. This is the gift the Holy Spirit holds for you from God your Father. Let today be celebrated both on earth and in your holy home as well. Be kind to both, as you forgive the trespasses you thought them guilty of, and see your innocence shining upon you from the face of Christ.Now is there silence all around the world. Now is there stillness where before there was a frantic rush of thoughts that made no sense. Now is there tranquil light across the face of earth, made quiet in a dreamless sleep. And now the Word of God alone remains upon it. Only that can be perceived an instant longer. Then are symbols done, and everything you ever thought you made completely vanished from the mind that God forever knows to be His only Son.There is no condemnation in him. He is perfect in his holiness. He needs no thoughts of mercy. Who could give him gifts when everything is his? And who could dream of offering forgiveness to the Son of Sinlessness Itself, so like to Him Whose Son he is, that to behold the Son is to perceive no more, and only know the Father? In this vision of the Son, so brief that not an instant stands between this single sight and timelessness itself, you see the vision of yourself, and then you disappear forever into God.Today we come still nearer to the end of everything that yet would stand between this vision and our sight. And we are glad that we have come this far, and recognize that He Who brought us here will not forsake us now. For He would give to us the gift that God has given us through Him today. Now is the time for your deliverance. The time has come. The time has come today.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

LESSON 193All Things Are Lessons God Would Have Me Learn.God does not know of learning. Yet His Will extends to what He does not understand, in that He wills the happiness His Son inherited of Him be undisturbed; eternal and forever gaining scope, eternally expanding in the joy of full creation, and eternally open and wholly limitless in Him. That is His Will. And thus His Will provides the means to guarantee that it is done.God sees no contradictions. Yet His Son believes he sees them. Thus he has a need for One Who can correct his erring sight, and give him vision that will lead him back to where perception ceases. God does not perceive at all. Yet it is He Who gives the means by which perception is made true and beautiful enough to let the light of Heaven shine upon it. It is He Who answers what His Son would contradict, and keeps his sinlessness forever safe.These are the lessons God would have you learn. His Will reflects them all, and they reflect His loving kindness to the Son He loves. Each lesson has a central thought, the same in all of them. The form alone is changed, with different circumstances and events; with different characters and different themes, apparent but not real. They are the same in fundamental content. It is this:Forgive, and you will see this differently.Certain it is that all distress does not appear to be but unforgiveness. Yet that is the content underneath the form. It is this sameness which makes learning sure, because the lesson is so simple that it cannot be rejected in the end. No one can hide forever from a truth so very obvious that it appears in countless forms, and yet is recognized as easily in all of them, if one but wants to see the simple lesson there.Forgive, and you will see this differently.These are the words the Holy Spirit speaks in all your tribulations, all your pain, all suffering regardless of its form. These are the words with which temptation ends, and guilt, abandoned, is revered no more. These are the words which end the dream of sin, and rid the mind of fear. These are the words by which salvation comes to all the world.Shall we not learn to say these words when we are tempted to believe that pain is real, and death becomes our choice instead of life? Shall we not learn to say these words when we have understood their power to release all minds from bondage? These are words which give you power over all events that seem to have been given power over you. You see them rightly when you hold these words in full awareness, and do not forget these words apply to everything you see or any brother looks upon amiss.How can you tell when you are seeing wrong, or someone else is failing to perceive the lesson he should learn? Does pain seem real in the perception? If it does, be sure the lesson is not learned. And there remains an unforgiveness hiding in the mind that sees the pain through eyes the mind directs.God would not have you suffer thus. He would help you forgive yourself. His Son does not remember who he is. And God would have him not forget His Love, and all the gifts His Love brings with it. Would you now renounce your own salvation? Would you fail to learn the simple lessons Heaven's Teacher sets before you, that all pain may disappear and God may be remembered by His Son?All things are lessons God would have you learn. He would not leave an unforgiving thought without correction, nor one thorn or nail to hurt His holy Son in any way. He would ensure his holy rest remain untroubled and serene, without a care, in an eternal home which cares for him. And He would have all tears be wiped away, with none remaining yet unshed, and none but waiting their appointed time to fall. For God has willed that laughter should replace each one, and that His Son be free again.We will attempt today to overcome a thousand seeming obstacles to peace in just one day. Let mercy come to you more quickly. Do not try to hold it off another day, another minute or another instant. Time was made for this. Use it today for what its purpose is. Morning and night, devote what time you can to serve its proper aim, and do not let the time be less than meets your deepest need.Give all you can, and give a little more. For now we would arise in haste and go unto our Father's house. We have been gone too long, and we would linger here no more. And as we practice, let us think about all things we saved to settle by ourselves, and kept apart from healing. Let us give them all to Him Who knows the way to look upon them so that they will disappear. Truth is His message; truth His teaching is. His are the lessons God would have us learn.Each hour, spend a little time today, and in the days to come, in practicing the lesson in forgiveness in the form established for the day. And try to give it application to the happenings the hour brought, so that the next one is free of the one before. The chains of time are easily unloosened in this way. Let no one hour cast its shadow on the one that follows, and when that one goes, let everything that happened in its course go with it. Thus will you remain unbound, in peace eternal in the world of time.This is the lesson God would have you learn: There is a way to look on everything that lets it be to you another step to Him, and to salvation of the world. To all that speaks of terror, answer thus:I will forgive, and this will disappear.To every apprehension, every care and every form of suffering, repeat these selfsame words. And then you hold the key that opens Heaven's gate, and brings the Love of God the Father down to earth at last, to raise it up to Heaven. God will take this final step Himself. Do not deny the little steps He asks you take to Him.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

LESSON 189 Feel The Love Of God Within Me Now.There is a light in you the world cannot perceive. And with its eyes you will not see this light, for you are blinded by the world. Yet you have eyes to see it. It is there for you to look upon. It was not placed in you to be kept hidden from your sight. This light is a reflection of the thought we practice now. To feel the Love of God within you is to see the world anew, shining in innocence, alive with hope, and blessed with perfect charity and love.Who could feel fear in such a world as this? It welcomes you, rejoices that you came, and sings your praises as it keeps you safe from every form of danger and of pain. It offers you a warm and gentle home in which to stay a while. It blesses you throughout the day, and watches through the night as silent guardian of your holy sleep. It sees salvation in you, and protects the light in you, in which it sees its own. It offers you its flowers and its snow, in thankfulness for your benevolence.This is the world the Love of God reveals. It is so different from the world you see through darkened eyes of malice and of fear, that one belies the other. Only one can be perceived at all. The other one is wholly meaningless. A world in which forgiveness shines on everything, and peace offers its gentle light to everyone, is inconceivable to those who see a world of hatred rising from attack, poised to avenge, to murder and destroy.Yet is the world of hatred equally unseen and inconceivable to those who feel God's Love in them. Their world reflects the quietness and peace that shines in them; the gentleness and innocence they see surrounding them; the joy with which they look out from the endless wells of joy within. What they have felt in them they look upon, and see its sure reflection everywhere.What would you see? The choice is given you. But learn and do not let your mind forget this law of seeing: You will look upon that which you feel within. If hatred finds a place within your heart, you will perceive a fearful world, held cruelly in death's sharp-pointed, bony fingers. If you feel the Love of God within you, you will look out on a world of mercy and of love.Today we pass illusions, as we seek to reach to what is true in us, and feel its all-embracing tenderness, its Love which knows us perfect as itself, its sight which is the gift its Love bestows on us. We learn the way today. It is as sure as Love itself, to which it carries us. For its simplicity avoids the snares the foolish convolutions of the world's apparent reasoning but serve to hide.Simply do this: Be still, and lay aside all thoughts of what you are and what God is; all concepts you have learned about the world; all images you hold about yourself. Empty your mind of everything it thinks is either true or false, or good or bad, of every thought it judges worthy, and all the ideas of which it is ashamed. Hold onto nothing. Do not bring with you one thought the past has taught, nor one belief you ever learned before from anything. Forget this world, forget this course, and come with wholly empty hands unto your God.Is it not He Who knows the way to you? You need not know the way to Him. Your part is simply to allow all obstacles that you have interposed between the Son and God the Father to be quietly removed forever. God will do His part in joyful and immediate response. Ask and receive. But do not make demands, nor point the road to God by which He should appear to you. The way to reach Him is merely to let Him be. For in that way is your reality proclaimed as well.And so today we do not choose the way in which we go to Him. But we do choose to let Him come. And with this choice we rest. And in our quiet hearts and open minds, His Love will blaze its pathway of itself. What has not been denied is surely there, if it be true and can be surely reached. God knows His Son, and knows the way to him. He does not need His Son to show Him how to find His way. Through every opened door His Love shines outward from its home within, and lightens up the world in innocence.Father, we do not know the way to You. But we have called, and You have answered us. We will not interfere. Salvation's ways are not our own, for they belong to You. And it is unto You we look for them. Our hands are open to receive Your gifts. We have no thoughts we think apart from You, and cherish no beliefs of what we are, or Who created us. Yours is the way that we would find and follow. And we ask but that Your Will, which is our own as well, be done in us and in the world, that it become a part of Heaven now. Amen.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

LESSON 186Salvation Of The World Depends On Me.Here is the statement that will one day take all arrogance away from every mind. Here is the thought of true humility, which holds no function as your own but that which has been given you. It offers your acceptance of a part assigned to you, without insisting on another role. It does not judge your proper role. It but acknowledges the Will of God is done on earth as well as Heaven. It unites all wills on earth in Heaven's plan to save the world, restoring it to Heaven's peace.Let us not fight our function. We did not establish it. It is not our idea. The means are given us by which it will be perfectly accomplished. All that we are asked to do is to accept our part in genuine humility, and not deny with self-deceiving arrogance that we are worthy. What is given us to do, we have the strength to do. Our minds are suited perfectly to take the part assigned to us by One Who knows us well.Today's idea may seem quite sobering, until you see its meaning. All it says is that your Father still remembers you, and offers you the perfect trust He holds in you who are His Son. It does not ask that you be different in any way from what you are. What could humility request but this? And what could arrogance deny but this? Today we will not shrink from our assignment on the specious grounds that modesty is outraged. It is pride that would deny the Call for God Himself.All false humility we lay aside today, that we may listen to God's Voice reveal to us what He would have us do. We do not doubt our adequacy for the function He will offer us. We will be certain only that He knows our strengths, our wisdom and our holiness. And if He deems us worthy, so we are. It is but arrogance that judges otherwise.There is one way, and only one, to be released from the imprisonment your plan to prove the false is true has brought to you. Accept the plan you did not make instead. Judge not your value to it. If God's Voice assures you that salvation needs your part, and that the whole depends on you, be sure that it is so. The arrogant must cling to words, afraid to go beyond them to experience which might affront their stance. Yet are the humble free to hear the Voice Which tells them what they are, and what to do.Arrogance makes an image of yourself that is not real. It is this image which quails and retreats in terror, as the Voice for God assures you that you have the strength, the wisdom and the holiness to go beyond all images. You are not weak, as is the image of yourself. You are not ignorant and helpless. Sin can not tarnish the truth in you, and misery can come not near the holy home of God.All this the Voice for God relates to you. And as He speaks, the image trembles and seeks to attack the threat it does not know, sensing its basis crumble. Let it go. Salvation of the world depends on you, and not upon this little pile of dust. What can it tell the holy Son of God? Why need he be concerned with it at all?And so we find our peace. We will accept the function God has given us, for all illusions rest upon the weird belief that we can make another for ourselves. Our self-made roles are shifting, and they seem to change from mourner to ecstatic bliss of love and loving. We can laugh or weep, and greet the day with welcome or with tears. Our very being seems to change as we experience a thousand shifts in mood, and our emotions raise us high indeed, or dash us to the ground in hopelessness.Is this the Son of God? Could He create such instability and call it Son? He Who is changeless shares His attributes with His creation. All the images His Son appears to make have no effect on what he is. They blow across his mind like wind-swept leaves that form a patterning an instant, break apart to group again, and scamper off. Or like mirages seen above a desert, rising from the dust.These unsubstantial images will go, and leave your mind unclouded and serene, when you accept the function given you. The images you make give rise to but conflicting goals, impermanent and vague, uncertain and ambiguous. Who could be constant in his efforts, or direct his energies and concentrated drive toward goals like these? The functions which the world esteems are so uncertain that they change ten times an hour at their most secure. What hope of gain can rest on goals like this?In lovely contrast, certain as the sun's return each morning to dispel the night, your truly given function stands out clear and wholly unambiguous. There is no doubt of its validity. It comes from One Who knows no error, and His Voice is certain of Its messages. They will not change, nor be in conflict. All of them point to one goal, and one you can attain. Your plan may be impossible, but God's can never fail because He is its Source.Do as God's Voice directs. And if It asks a thing of you which seems impossible, remember Who it is That asks, and who would make denial. Then consider this; which is more likely to be right? The Voice That speaks for the Creator of all things, Who knows all things exactly as they are, or a distorted image of yourself, confused, bewildered, inconsistent and unsure of everything? Let not its voice direct you. Hear instead a certain Voice, Which tells you of a function given you by your Creator Who remembers you, and urges that you now remember Him.His gentle Voice is calling from the known to the unknowing. He would comfort you, although He knows no sorrow. He would make a restitution, though He is complete; a gift to you, although He knows that you have everything already. He has Thoughts which answer every need His Son perceives, although He sees them not. For Love must give, and what is given in His Name takes on the form most useful in a world of form.These are the forms which never can deceive, because they come from Formlessness Itself. Forgiveness is an earthly form of love, which as it is in Heaven has no form. Yet what is needed here is given here as it is needed. In this form you can fulfill your function even here, although what love will mean to you when formlessness has been restored to you is greater still. Salvation of the world depends on you who can forgive. Such is your function here.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

My name is Rev. Alvin Lewis of Power To Change Ministry. Thank you for sharing your day with us, we would love to hear from you, your feedback is very important.2 Corinthians 8:11-24 (NASB)11 But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. 12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— 14 at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; 15 as it is written, “HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK.”16 But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. 18 We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; 19 and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, 20 taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; 21 for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ. 24 Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.Power To Change Ministry Rev. Alvin Lewis Powertochangeministry@gmail.Com Powertochangeministry.org 973-583-7482

June 09 2024 Sunday Week 06 / Your Place In Him / T. Stacy Hayes #findoutwhoyouare My Vision My vision is to teach the world Who They Are In Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! To Teach them what the Bible says about them and who they have been made to be in the promises of God's Word. This changed my life years ago and completely transformed me from a person full of doubt, fear and unbelief to a strong confident Christian that knows I can do anything through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. And I'm determined to teach the world what God has taught and commissioned me to teach and that is His Word.  That commission takes me to jails and detention centers weekly along with other open doors at many churches and ministries that are wanting to teach these important truths to the world. My podcast goes out 6 days a week to help the people I am ministering to grow in the truths that God has taught me for many years now. This podcast is free to all that want to listen and grow strong in who God has made them to be in Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior. Isaiah 53:5  Healing… Matthew 18:19  Agree with God's Word… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Acts 10:34  God is no respecter of persons… The Biggest Desire In The World Today Is The Desire For Freedom ”For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:“ 1 Thessalonians 4:16 KJV ”For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.“ 1 Thessalonians 4:16 NLT ”For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first.“ 1 Thessalonians 4:16 AMPC ”In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.“ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV ”Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.“ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT ”Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].“ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 AMPC ”And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.“ 1 Timothy 1:14 KJV ”Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.“ 1 Timothy 1:14 NLT ”And the grace (unmerited favor and blessing) of our Lord [actually] flowed out superabundantly and beyond measure for me, accompanied by faith and love that are [to be realized] in Christ Jesus.“ 1 Timothy 1:14 AMPC ”who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,“ 2 Timothy 1:9 KJV ”For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.“ 2 Timothy 1:9 NLT ”[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago].“ 2 Timothy 1:9 AMPC ”Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.“ 2 Timothy 1:13 KJV ”Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.“ 2 Timothy 1:13 NLT ”Hold fast and follow the pattern of wholesome and sound teaching which you have heard from me, in [all] the faith and love which are [for us] in Christ Jesus.“ 2 Timothy 1:13 AMPC Romans 10:9-10  Salvation… Romans 10:17  Faith in God comes from hearing His Word… Matthew 11:28-30  Jesus'Yoke is Easy… John 3:16  God gave Jesus to pay for our Salvation… God Loves The abortion dr As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Philippians 12:2  Work out your own Salvation… Romans 8:1  No condemnation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior…  Luke Chapter 15 The Story Of The Prodigal Son… Philippians 4:19  God will supply all your needs let Him… Romans 4:20  Don't Stagger at What God Is Saying In His Word… John 15:5 We can't do anything aside from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:17  We are new creatures in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:21  We are The Righteousness of God In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Ephesians 2:8  We are Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Believe God's Word Above All Opinions God Loves The abortion dr's As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media… Website https://the-prodigalson.com Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com  YouVersion Bible App https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 …  Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical  Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured

LESSON 154I Am Among The Ministers Of God.Let us today be neither arrogant nor falsely humble. We have gone beyond such foolishness. We cannot judge ourselves, nor need we do so. These are but attempts to hold decision off, and to delay commitment to our function. It is not our part to judge our worth, nor can we know what role is best for us; what we can do within a larger plan we cannot see in its entirety. Our part is cast in Heaven, not in hell. And what we think is weakness can be strength; what we believe to be our strength is often arrogance.Whatever your appointed role may be, it was selected by the Voice for God, Whose function is to speak for you as well. Seeing your strengths exactly as they are, and equally aware of where they can be best applied, for what, to whom and when, He chooses and accepts your part for you. He does not work without your own consent. But He is not deceived in what you are, and listens only to His Voice in you.It is through His ability to hear one Voice Which is His Own that you become aware at last there is one Voice in you. And that one Voice appoints your function, and relays it to you, giving you the strength to understand it, do what it entails, and to succeed in everything you do that is related to it. God has joined His Son in this, and thus His Son becomes His messenger of unity with Him.It is this joining, through the Voice for God, of Father and of Son, that sets apart salvation from the world. It is this Voice Which speaks of laws the world does not obey; Which promises salvation from all sin, with guilt abolished in the mind that God created sinless. Now this mind becomes aware again of Who created it, and of His lasting union with itself. So is its Self the one reality in Which its will and that of God are joined.A messenger is not the one who writes the message he delivers. Nor does he question the right of him who does, nor ask why he has chosen those who will receive the message that he brings. It is enough that he accept it, give it to the ones for whom it is intended, and fulfill his role in its delivery. If he determines what the messages should be, or what their purpose is, or where they should be carried, he is failing to perform his proper part as bringer of the Word.There is one major difference in the role of Heaven's messengers, which sets them off from those the world appoints. The messages that they deliver are intended first for them. And it is only as they can accept them for themselves that they become able to bring them further, and to give them everywhere that they were meant to be. Like earthly messengers, they did not write the messages they bear, but they become their first receivers in the truest sense, receiving to prepare themselves to give.An earthly messenger fulfills his role by giving all his messages away. The messengers of God perform their part by their acceptance of His messages as for themselves, and show they understand the messages by giving them away. They choose no roles that are not given them by His authority. And so they gain by every message that they give away.Would you receive the messages of God? For thus do you become His messenger. You are appointed now. And yet you wait to give the messages you have received. And so you do not know that they are yours, and do not recognize them. No one can receive and understand he has received until he gives. For in the giving is his own acceptance of what he received.You who are now the messengers of God, receive His messages. For that is part of your appointed role. God has not failed to offer what you need, nor has it been left unaccepted. Yet another part of your appointed task is yet to be accomplished. He Who has received for you the messages of God would have them be received by you as well. For thus do you identify with Him and claim your own.It is this joining that we undertake to recognize today. We will not seek to keep our minds apart from Him Who speaks for us, for it is but our voice we hear as we attend Him. He alone can speak to us and for us, joining in one Voice the getting and the giving of God's Word; the giving and receiving of His Will.We practice giving Him what He would have, that we may recognize His gifts to us. He needs our voice that He may speak through us. He needs our hands to hold His messages, and carry them to those whom He appoints. He needs our feet to bring us where He wills, that those who wait in misery may be at last delivered. And He needs our will united with His Own, that we may be the true receivers of the gifts He gives.Let us but learn this lesson for today: We will not recognize what we receive until we give it. You have heard this said a hundred ways, a hundred times, and yet belief is lacking still. But this is sure; until belief is given it, you will receive a thousand miracles and then receive a thousand more, but will not know that God Himself has left no gift beyond what you already have; nor has denied the tiniest of blessings to His Son. What can this mean to you, until you have identified with Him and with His Own?Our lesson for today is stated thus:I am among the ministers of God, and I am grateful thatI have the means by which to recognize that I am free.The world recedes as we light up our minds, and realize these holy words are true. They are the message sent to us today from our Creator. Now we demonstrate how they have changed our minds about ourselves, and what our function is. For as we prove that we accept no will we do not share, our many gifts from our Creator will spring to our sight and leap into our hands, and we will recognize what we received.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Good morning my friend! Thank you for being YOU! This episode 251 “HE WHO loves pleasure (the wrong kind), may need help?" is preached from 30th and Pearl Street here in Boulder, Colorado. Blessings!—JC. ★ Support this podcast ★

"Our sufficiency is of God." 2Co 3:5The fear of inadequacy is a state of mind in which you think your best is not good enough.Usually, it originated in childhood when our parents, teachers, and others we considered important, failed to appreciate and affirm us or compared us negatively to someone else.You will see it from Moses, who felt inadequate to be the spokesman and liberator for the Israelites, or athletes who exert themselves to attain physical and professional perfection. No statistics can measure the number of abandoned dreams due to this paralyzing emotion. To rid yourself of it, you must learn to embrace these two truths: (1) Apart from God you are inadequate. (2) Infused with God's strength, you are adequate to any challenge He calls you to face. Paul writes: "Not that we are fit (qualified and sufficient in ability) of ourselves to form personal judgments or to claim or count anything as coming from us, but our power and ability and sufficiency are from God. [It is He] Who has qualified Us [making us to be fit and worthy and sufficient] as ministers...of a new covenant" (vv. 5-6 AMPC). Many of the heroes in the Bible struggled with the fear of inadequacy, so you're in good company! Moses told God,"can't go and talk to Pharaoh, send someone else" (See Ex 3:11; 4:13). The real story of these Bible heroes is that they overcame their fear and said yes to God. They stepped out in faith and said in essence, "Lord, I am depending on you for my success." Our human ego likes to look good and claim the credit. But God puts us into a position of forced dependence so that the credit for our success goes to Him.Support the Show.Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

As human beings we have an innate need for stability that provides the experience of safety and security. We likewise have an innate disposition that finds instability, disorder and chaos unsettling, stressful and difficult. Therefore, we tend to seek control in our lives so as to manage and minimize the stress that we experience as a result of uncertainty. With what appears to be escalating chaos on the global stage, and with who are clearly incompetent in temporal positions of power, it is only natural for us to be feeling anxious and uncertain with regards to the future. Yet this state of affairs also provides us a valuable opportunity to practice patience and perseverance through which we can learn how to deepen and strengthen faith in our hearts, and so grow and develop our spirituality which reduces stress and suffering based on the changing circumstances and conditions of the world. It is important to remember that safety, security and stability originate with and are qualities and attributes of God, and the more connected and attached we are with the Divine Presence of Allah Almighty, the greater the sense of peace we will experience. Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find serenity. Surah ar-Ra'd, 13:28 By increasingly immersing ourselves in sacred worship such as prayer, meditation, remembrance and supplication, we strengthen our connection with the Divine Presence of God and progressively experience the stability, safety and security that we seek and that can only be found in the presence of our Lord and Creator, He Who is in control.

LESSON 100My Part Is Essential To God's Plan For Salvation.Just as God's Son completes his Father, so your part in it completes your Father's plan. Salvation must reverse the mad belief in separate thoughts and separate bodies, which lead separate lives and go their separate ways. One function shared by separate minds unites them in one purpose, for each one of them is equally essential to them all.God's Will for you is perfect happiness. Why should you choose to go against His Will? The part that He has saved for you to take in working out His plan is given you that you might be restored to what He wills. This part is as essential to His plan as to your happiness. Your joy must be complete to let His plan be understood by those to whom He sends you. They will see their function in your shining face, and hear God calling to them in your happy laugh.You are indeed essential to God's plan. Without your joy, His joy is incomplete. Without your smile, the world cannot be saved. While you are sad, the light that God Himself appointed as the means to save the world is dim and lusterless, and no one laughs because all laughter can but echo yours.You are indeed essential to God's plan. Just as your light increases every light that shines in Heaven, so your joy on earth calls to all minds to let their sorrows go, and take their place beside you in God's plan. God's messengers are joyous, and their joy heals sorrow and despair. They are the proof that God wills perfect happiness for all who will accept their Father's gifts as theirs.We will not let ourselves be sad today. For if we do, we fail to take the part that is essential to God's plan, as well as to our vision. Sadness is the sign that you would play another part, instead of what has been assigned to you by God. Thus do you fail to show the world how great the happiness He wills for you. And so you do not recognize that it is yours.Today we will attempt to understand joy is our function here. If you are sad, your part is unfulfilled, and all the world is thus deprived of joy, along with you. God asks you to be happy, so the world can see how much He loves His Son, and wills no sorrow rises to abate his joy; no fear besets him to disturb his peace. You are God's messenger today. You bring His happiness to all you look upon; His peace to everyone who looks on you and sees His message in your happy face.We will prepare ourselves for this today, in our five-minute practice periods, by feeling happiness arise in us according to our Father's Will and ours. Begin the exercises with the thought today's idea contains. Then realize your part is to be happy. Only this is asked of you or anyone who wants to take his place among God's messengers. Think what this means. You have indeed been wrong in your belief that sacrifice is asked. You but receive according to God's plan, and never lose or sacrifice or die.Now let us try to find that joy that proves to us and all the world God's Will for us. It is your function that you find it here, and that you find it now. For this you came. Let this one be the day that you succeed! Look deep within you, undismayed by all the little thoughts and foolish goals you pass as you ascend to meet the Christ in you.He will be there. And you can reach Him now. What could you rather look upon in place of Him Who waits that you may look on Him? What little thought has power to hold you back? What foolish goal can keep you from success when He Who calls to you is God Himself?He will be there. You are essential to His plan. You are His messenger today. And you must find what He would have you give. Do not forget the idea for today between your hourly practice periods. It is your Self Who calls to you today. And it is Him you answer, every time you tell yourself you are essential to God's plan for the salvation of the world.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

LESSON 94I Am As God Created Me.Today we continue with the one idea which brings complete salvation; the one statement which makes all forms of temptation powerless; the one thought which renders the ego silent and entirely undone. You are as God created you. The sounds of this world are still, the sights of this world disappear, and all the thoughts that this world ever held are wiped away forever by this one idea. Here is salvation accomplished. Here is sanity restored.True light is strength, and strength is sinlessness. If you remain as God created you, you must be strong and light must be in you. He Who ensured your sinlessness must be the guarantee of strength and light as well. You are as God created you. Darkness cannot obscure the glory of God's Son. You stand in light, strong in the sinlessness in which you were created, and in which you will remain throughout eternity.Today we will again devote the first five minutes of each waking hour to the attempt to feel the truth in you. Begin these times of searching with these words:I am as God created me.I am His Son eternally.Now try to reach the Son of God in you. This is the Self That never sinned, nor made an image to replace reality. This is the Self That never left Its home in God to walk the world uncertainly. This is the Self That knows no fear, nor could conceive of loss or suffering or death.Nothing is required of you to reach this goal except to lay all idols and self-images aside; go past the list of attributes, both good and bad, you have ascribed to yourself; and wait in silent expectancy for the truth. God has Himself promised that it will be revealed to all who ask for it. You are asking now. You cannot fail because He cannot fail.If you do not meet the requirement of practicing for the first five minutes of every hour, at least remind yourself hourly:I am as God created me.I am His Son eternally.Tell yourself frequently today that you are as God created you. And be sure to respond to anyone who seems to irritate you with these words:You are as God created you.You are His Son eternally.Make every effort to do the hourly exercises today. Each one you do will be a giant stride toward your release, and a milestone in learning the thought system which this course sets forth.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

1 Peter 1 Revised Geneva Translation 1 Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, To the strangers who dwell here and there throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia; 2 Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, for sanctification of the Spirit through obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you. 3 Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; Who, according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope - by the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ - 4 to an immortal and undefiled inheritance which does not wither, reserved in Heaven for us 5 who are kept for salvation through faith by the power of God - which is prepared to be revealed in the last time 6 and in which you rejoice - though now for a season (if need be) you are in heaviness through various trials, 7 so that the trial of your faith (being much more precious than gold, which perishes though it be tried with fire), might be found to your praise, honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, 8 Whom you have not seen and yet love; in Whom now (though you do not see Him) you still believe and rejoice with unspeakable and glorious joy, 9 receiving the purpose of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Of such salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched, prophesying of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching when or at what time the Spirit of Christ (Who testified before) was in them, declaring the sufferings that would come to Christ and the glory that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that: not to themselves, but to us, they should minister the things which are shown to you by those who have preached the Gospel by the Holy Ghost, sent down from Heaven. These things the angels desire to behold. 13 Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober and trust completely in that grace which is brought to you by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not conform yourselves to the former lusts of your ignorance. 15 But as He Who has called you is holy, so you be holy, in all manner of conversation. 16 Because it is written, “Be holy. For I am holy.” 17 And if you call him ‘Father' (Who judges according to the work of each, without respect of persons), pass the time of your dwelling here in fear, 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things - like silver and gold from your ineffective lifestyle received by the traditions of the Fathers - 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb undefiled and without spot. 20 He was ordained before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sakes, 21 You, through Him, believe in God Who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth (through the Spirit) toward brotherly love without hypocrisy, love one another fervently, with a pure heart; 23 being born anew - not of mortal seed, but of immortal - by the word of God, Who lives and endures forever. 24 For “all flesh is as grass. And all the glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls away. 25 “But the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word which is preached among you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maranatha-ministries/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maranatha-ministries/support

"The holiest of all the spots on earth is where an ancient hatred has become a present love." (ACIM, T-26.IX.6:1) Today's Podcast: Allan Ishac joins Tam and Matt to discuss two healing stories of forgiveness.  About Today's Guest:Allan Ishac is the author of the regional bestsellers, New York's 50 Best Places To Find Peace And Quiet and New York's 50 Best Places To Take Children. He has been studying A Course In Miracles since 1985 and just completed a metaphysical adventure novel called The First Metanioan based on the themes in ACIM. Contact Allan at allanishac.com Today's Guest Mentions "Bill's Prayer." He is referring to the prayer that was given to Helen for Bill. "²I am here only to be truly helpful. ³I am here to represent Him Who sent me. ⁴I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do, because He Who sent me will direct me. ⁵I am content to be wherever He wishes, knowing He goes there with me. ⁶I will be healed as I let Him teach me to heal." (ACIM, T-2.V-A.18:2-6) How Can You Support Miracle Voices? If you feel inspired to make a donation to support these podcasts you can donate here: https://acim.org/donate-miracles-voices-podcast/ Get Notified of New Episodes By Joining Our Email List at:https://www.miraclevoices.org/email Do you feel your forgiveness story could inspire listeners?Simply fill out the form at https://www.miraclevoices.org/form and let us know you would like to be considered as a Miracle Voices Podcast guest. Topic or Question You Want Us To Cover? If you have topics that you would like Tam and Matthew to address, simply drop us a line at: https://www.miraclevoices.org/contact/We Need Your Help Please leave a review for the podcast on whatever app or site you use to listen to this podcast. This helps new listeners that are trying to practice forgiveness find the show.

FOOLS DISCOURSE THE PATH TO EXITING TO THE MILLENNIAL REIGN QUAT Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a 1974 spy novel by British-Irish author John le Carré. It follows the endeavours of taciturn, aging spymaster George Smiley to uncover a Soviet mole in the British Secret Intelligence Service. The novel has received critical acclaim for its complex social commentary—and, at the time, relevance, following the defection of Kim Philby. X2M.1-71 Hebrew Ethnic X2M.72-90 Israelite Covenant X2M.91-110 Seed of Abraham/Christ X2M.111-144 Starchild X2M.145-172 Starcaster, cluster, field and fighter SLIPPING THROUGH THE HOLE OF ETERNITY ”but I was let down in a rope-basket through a window in the city wall, and escaped his hands.“ ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬ ‭NET‬‬ ”Now after some days had passed, the Jews plotted together to kill him, but Saul learned of their plot against him. They were also watching the city gates day and night so that they could kill him. But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall by lowering him in a basket.“ ‭‭Acts‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬ THE SYRIAN MINDSET ”A man of God came and said to the king of Israel, Thus says the Lord: Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills but He is not God of the valleys, therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hands, and you shall know and recognize by experience that I am the Lord. [Phil. 4:13.]” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭20‬:‭28‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ ”So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets. Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. [Deut. 30:19; Jer. 21:8.]“ Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ REIGN ”I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago–whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows–was caught up to the third heaven. And I know that this man–whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows– Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.“ ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ ”Therefore it is said, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive [He led a train of vanquished foes] and He bestowed gifts on men. [Ps. 68:18.] [But He ascended?] Now what can this, He ascended, mean but that He had previously descended from [the heights of] heaven into [the depths], the lower parts of the earth? He Who descended is the [very] same as He Who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things (the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest). [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.“ Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬-‭10‬, ‭13‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ MILLENNIAL MYSTERY “My children – I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you!” Galatians‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭NET‬‬ “Already you are satisfied! Already you are rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you had become kings so that we could reign with you!” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NET‬‬ Gorification | The Final Frontier Going Boldly Where The Last Man has Gone Before! Decrease time over target:  PayPal or Venmo @clastronaut Cash App $clastronaut

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-course-in-miracles-with-miraclesone--199993/support."Truly Helpful Prayer"Teaching Session 3Here's a recap of our third teaching session, led by Rev. Deb, which focused on the third line in the Truly Helpful Prayer, "I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do, because He Who sent me will direct me."Session Highlights:Meditation with Rev. Deb Phelps: We began with our gentle meditation for this series, "I am here." This week Rev. Deb included ambient nature sounds and chimes with the meditation. We are simply present in the here and now as we connect with the Holy Spirit.Discussion on the "Truly Helpful" Prayer: Rev. Deb recapped what we have studied so far including highlighting the previous week's readings. Rev. Deb and Rev. Paul shared personal reflections and stories highlighting the transformative power of trusting in the Holy Spirit's Guidance.Exploring the Prayer's Third Line: The focus was on understanding and embodying the third line of the prayer. This includes basic key principles in receiving Holy Spirit's Voice: Willingness, Forgiveness, Quieting the Mind, Asking for Guidance, Patience and Practice as just a few.Reflection and Journaling Exercise: We delved into the third line of the prayer, engaging in a reflective exercise designed to deepen our understanding and personal connection to its message.Reading Assignment: To prepare for our next session, we encourage you to read The Song of Prayer, 2. Forgiveness, III. Forgiveness-for-Salvation.Homework Assignments:Reflection on the Third Sentence: Continue to ponder the third sentence of the prayer. Allow its meaning to resonate with you throughout the week.Practice the "I am here" Meditation: Regularly engage in the meditation shared by Rev. Deb to enhance your presence and awareness.The Optional Assignment: If you chose to work with the previous optional assignment, focusing on being helpful to someone in your life, consider what comes to you now as to what to say and what to do in this situation? Trust the direction from Holy Spirit.Read: Gain further insights by reading the assigned chapter, which will be the basis for our next week's discussion with our facilitators.This third teaching session had us reflect on how to be a representative of divine love and service. You are always welcome to join us.Website - https://miraclesone.org

Ted asks about the shepherds who received the heavenly announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ. Rod reads from Ezekiel 34 and talks about the shepherd's vocation, and with regard to any fear Christians have that Jesus' work isn't sufficient to save, what God does for us and says to us about how it is He Who saves. Produced by: Rick Ritchie SHOW NOTES: Support 1517 - https://www.1517.org/donate Explore more 1517 podcasts - https://www.1517.org/podcasts/ === ** WHAT'S NEW FROM 1517 ** Launch of “Freedom Lessons” https://www.1517.org/freedomlessons What do seminary professors, Luther's Small Catechism, and Hip Hop have in common? With a surprising blend of contributors, 1517 Music proudly presents “Freedom Lessons”, its latest musical creation. "Freedom Lessons" delves into the core teachings of Luther's Small Catechism through the medium of music, offering a fresh and innovative way to convey the Reformation's enduring truths. This album is a testament to 1517 Music's commitment to conveying the profound truths of the Reformation in a creative and captivating manner. This record explores the chief parts of Luther's Small Catechism through music. It features performances by Flame, LOSO, and many other highly talented musicians. Bookmark the page linked above, as we will have more freedom lessons resources, like a study guide, a limited podcast, and more coming soon. +++ FREE 2023 Advent Resources This Advent season, 1517 presents “The Clothing of the King”—a new free resource for churches that walks your congregation through the divine wardrobe God provides for his people. This all-in-one package includes a midweek Advent and Christmas Sermon Series for pastors to use in their congregations as well as music helps, original and suggested hymns, presenter slides, and more. https://www.1517.org/advent +++ Tuesday, Nov 14 – “Release of Your God is too Glorious, 2nd Edition” https://shop.1517.org/products/your-god-is-too-glorious-finding-god-in-the-most-unexpected-places?variant=43951736160468 Your God Is Too Glorious reminds readers that while a quiet life may look unimpressive to the world, it's the regular, everyday people that God tends to use to do his most important work.  Now available in a second edition, Chad Bird invites the reader to go deeper into the pursuit of the faithful, ordinary life with study questions at the end of each chapter for personal or corporate use. +++ Tickets are now on sale for the 2024 Here We Still Stand Regional Conference in Northwest Arkansas! Join us May 3rd and 4th as we gather again at the iconic Meteor Theater in Bentonville, Arkansas, and celebrate the boundless grace of God in the gospel of Jesus. The 2024 theme will be “Grace and Peace in Christ”—GET YOUR TICKETS while they're still available! http://www.1517.org/hwssnwa +++ Join the 1517 Academy - https://academy.1517.org === https://gab.com/talkswithdadrod https://www.facebook.com/talkswithdadrod/ https://twitter.com/TalkswithDadRod https://www.instagram.com/talkswithdadrod/ Talks with Dad Rod playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJDWGbhcNf-kTljFKeMHg3j1qqDsV3LGR Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PDcjRziy-rs

Episode 212.  James B and Eddie complain about Daredevil not wanting to get involved during the continuing four partt saga The Death of Jean DeWolff.  Spider-Man learns how Captain DeWolff felt about him and feels emotions.  Eddie too has “real emotional thoughts” as we read about a bunch of funerals and more murders including the death of a priest in this pair of Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man books!     (00:27) Keep me out of this cell or I'll be a sell out   (1:44)   PPPPN Sponsor - From November of 1985 Stan Lee presents Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man 108 ‘The Death of Jean Dewolff part two:“Sin of Pride”' by Peter David, Penciled by Rich Buckler, Inkers Brett Breeding, Josef Rubinstein, Kyle Baker, and Pat Redding     (06:41) From December of 1985 Stan Lee presents Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man 109 “He Who is Without Sin” By Peter David, Rich Buckler, and Brett Breeding     (08:11) Read Along     (17:21)  PPPPN Sponsor - Who Can You Trust?     Theme Music by Jeff Kenniston.  This Episode Edited by James B using Audacity and Cleanfeed.  Summaries written by James B and Eddie.  Most Sound effects and music generously provided royalty free by www.fesliyanstudios.com and https://www.zapsplat.com/    Check out all the episodes on letsreadspiderman.podbean.com or wherever you get your podcasts.   Check out feedspot for rankings of all Spider-Man podcasts: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/spiderman_podcasts/   Check out our live meetup and Discord Channel here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_mW6htjJUHOzlViEvPQqR-k68tClMGAi85Bi_xrlV7w/edit

“The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.” Luke 6:5This short yet powerful statement by Jesus was spoken in response to the Pharisees who questioned Jesus as to why His disciples were apparently doing what was unlawful on the sabbath. They were walking through a field of grain, picking grain as they walked, and eating it for nourishment on their journey from one town to another.This challenge from the Pharisees highlights their scrupulous approach to the moral law. Recall the Third Commandment given through Moses: “Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God. You shall not do any work…” (Exodus 20:8–10). From this Commandment, the Pharisees had developed a complex commentary which went into great detail about what kind of work was forbidden on the Sabbath in their view. One such regulation was to pick and mill grain. Thus, they judged that this was what the disciples were doing and were, therefore, violating the Third Commandment.The laws of God, as they are given by God, must be followed perfectly. His divine Law refreshes us, enlivens us and enables us to live in union with Him. The Pharisees, however, deeply struggled with a need to control the lives of the people through their human interpretation of the divine Law. By saying that “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath,” Jesus made it clear that this scrupulous interpretation of the Third Commandment taught by the Pharisees did not align with the truths of that divine Law.One lesson to learn from this encounter is that each one of us can easily fall into a similar trap. It's easy to replace God's true Law with our perception of faith and morality. We are weak human beings, and there are many things that affect our thinking and our convictions in life. Emotions, habits, family relationships, friendships, media and so many other things affect us in powerful ways. Sometimes for good and sometimes for ill. We can easily arrive at certain judgments of faith and morality that are slightly erroneous, being based on subtle errors. As a result, we can easily begin to get off track in our thinking and convictions and, over time, can find that we have deviated far from the truths of God. When this happens, it can be difficult to humbly admit it and change our convictions.Reflect, today, upon the humble truth that Jesus and Jesus alone is Lord of the divine Law. This means that we must perpetually remain open to changing our opinions when we hear our Lord speak to us. Ponder any way in which you have become overly attached to your own opinions. If they bring forth peace, joy, charity and the like, then they are most likely in union with God. If they are burdensome, a cause of confusion, contention or frustration, then you may need to step back and humbly reexamine the convictions you hold, so that He Who is Lord of all will be able to speak His divine Law to you more clearly.Lord of all Truth, You and You alone are the guide of my life. You and You alone are the Truth. Help me to be humble, dear Lord, so that I can recognize any error in my convictions and turn to You and Your divine Law as the one and only guide for my life. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.